Number 33: Expectations

She stumbled out of the elevator, making her way towards the door and banging on it. She couldn't think of who else to go too. Everybody else she could only imagine adding fuel to the fire. Like Da Qiao, or her sister. They'd just be perfect, and that wouldn't help at all. And half the guys wouldn't know what to do with her. Lu Xun, she'd feel awkward around actually. She sniffed, hearing a curse as the door jerked, Gan Ning probably hadn't realized it had been locked. She was right. He stood in the door way, the bruise she had given him days before already a nasty yellow green color, looking ready to make a smart remark until he saw her. She hadn't meant to hit his face, not that she had told him that, but it had just happened.

She knew she looked pretty bad. Her eyes were red and puffy, as was her nose. "Where's Ling Tong?" she asked meekly.

That threw him for a loop, and he fell back so she could enter the apartment. Damn a woman and her tears, he thought, shutting the door gently. She just stood in the walkway, rubbing her arms. "He ain't back yet," he mumbled walking passed her, almost afraid to touch her. She nodded solemnly, giving a sniff.

"I just thought he might…"

"Why you going to him for support in… whatever it is that got you crying?"

Already on her brink, Sun Shang Xiang snapped. "What about him do you hate? He isn't that bad! He's actually sort of sweet you know? And I just thought that he'd… listen. He's… sarcastic and snarky… but! You know, you don't know him! Stop being such a jackass!"

"… I'm guessing that was a rhetorical question," Gan Ning mumbled, taking a seat on the couch, leaning his elbows on his knees to watch her.

"You don't understand anything! You just lounge about all day! Or go work on cars! Mr. Bad-ass! Stop pretending you care! Ling Tong is…"

"See, because you aren't thinking straight, I'm going to let this slide," he said finally, glaring up at her.

"Stop it you asswipe! I am not in the mood with you! I just had a talk with Sun Ce because of you! It's all your fault and you wouldn't even understand why I'm crying!" She glared at him. "You never saw such a look of disappointment in your big brothers eyes! The big brother you idolized! You wouldn't understand the expectations! You wouldn't understand this! Me! What I am going through! I don't even know anymore!"

"Expectations? I know all about those, so don't start," Gan Ning said, loosing some of the edge to his glare. "I'm surrounded by them. Always have been. Growing up in my neighborhood, I'm expected to be lazy. I'm expected to be a hard ass and a bad ass. I'm expected to treat everybody like dirt." Gan Ning said. "And people don't look much deeper than that." His glare turned accusing.

Sun Shang Xiang stiffened then, eyes wide, muttering, "What are you talking about? You are that!"

"Just like you're just the loud, obnoxious, tomboy who still trails after her older brother right? That's all you are. And all Lu Xun is the sweet good boy, who never fails. He ain't allowed to get anything less than some 100%. Sun Ce has to be the laid back, in control, sports freak." His hands clenched into fists as he paused, turning his head to stare at the wall. "I've seen people laugh at Taishi Ci for liking classic literature. I saw Lu Xun cry once because his Dad wouldn't speak to him because he had a B. You ain't the only one hiding behind some mask, living up to expectations. And you ain't the only one who doesn't always love it, bitch. You ain't the only one here."

Sun Shang Xiang sniffed, glaring at him now. "God, I hate you! You never listen! You've always got to be the devils advocate don't you? Pissing off everybody!"

"I just don't understand why the world revolves around you just because you're crying. Just because you're world got a little shaken. You need to grow up," he said, leaning back. They both glanced when Ling Tong coughed in the doorway, letting his backpack slide off his shoulder and into his hand.

"Ling Tong!" Sun Shang Xiang cried out, but didn't go to him. Just like Gan Ning said. She was the loud tomboy. She didn't hug people. She didn't do things like that. She sniffed again. "Can we… go to the roof?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ling Tong said, glancing to Gan Ning, who was glaring at the opposite wall. "Let me put my backpack in my room. I'll meet you up." He rushed passed her, and Sun Shang Xiang made her way to the door.

"No diving practice," Gan Ning said, almost grudgingly. She didn't respond, slamming the door on her way out.

So, apparently the last two chapters were too short. They did not succeed in satisfying my (1) reviewer. As such I edited this and put it up earlier then the weekend when I usually update in hopes of making up for my last two, obviously lacking chapters. No, I wasn't offended really. But I did decide to work on this and get it up today to make up for said short chapters. Not that this one is long per say, and it's basically an argument, which I'm not too used to. Especially irrational ones. I'm just not argumentative myself, so these things I'm always tentative about. But SSX would so clash with GN so there was no real way around it. Anyway, reviews always welcomed and supported.