First Meetings (Riku)

[Takchawee Ominotago]

It'd been a long time since Tak had gone swimming. A very long time, actually. She used to do it on a regular basis - but, after she had gotten pregnant over a year ago, it'd been bye-bye swimsuits for a long time. After her daughter had been born back in July, of course, she'd had to work hard to get her body back to the way she wanted it to be. Finally, she was confident again; while she was curvier than she had been before, she still was a petite girl, and thought she rocked the rather simple monokini she had on.

The pool was pretty quiet at the moment; it was getting later in the evening, and students were going back to their rooms, having finished their laps or whatever for the day. Tak had already done several herself, and was now resting against the wall of the pool in the shallow end of the pool, head tilted back with her eyes closed. Her long, dark hair fell in damp waves around her shoulders; her arms were resting lazily against the edge, keeping her upright.

She peeked her eyes open, catching a glimpse of someone walking by. "Hey, would you mind grabbing my towel for me?" she asked the guy, motioning to a dark green towel on a chair some distance away. Tak offered an embarrassed smile. "I'd rather not deal with the cool air too long if I can..."

[Riku Bennett]

Swimming had always been an escape for Riku. He had been missing home and his friends and went to the pool to take his mind off of it. He was glad that swimming laps made him feel better. Ricky remembered some of his old friends that drowned their sorrows in alcohol and drugs. Though he still did these things, he felt better about himself that he wasn't so dependent on them. Riku's mind drifted back to his friends and family. He started swimming faster and put all of his focus into touching the other side of the pool. Ricky reached and reached until his hand was able to grab the ledge. He hopped out and grabbed his towel to dry off.

Riku collapsed onto a nearby chair and caught his breathe. Now that he thought about it, he had lost count of how many laps he had done. "It must have been a lot" Ricky thought to himself, "or else I wouldn't be so tired" As he continued to recover from his workout, he remembered that it was his ex-girlfriend's birthday. They had only broken up because Ricky was going to Hammel. He still really loved her and missed her so much. But, Riku was trying to move on so he tried to think of something else. He couldn't though. His brain wouldn't let go of it. He remembered the days where he thought that they were going to be together forever. Ricky used to fantasize about him becoming a teen father and getting his girlfriend pregnant. He would've been great father. His memories were interrupted by a girl nearby.

Riku quickly jumped up and retrieved the towel for the girl. Without thinking, he sat down next to her and blurted out, "What do you know about teen parenthood?"

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Tak gave a happy,"Thank you!" as the guy ran off to get her towel. She watched as he grabbed it, automatically determining that he was cute, if perhaps young. Once he returned with the requested item, she pushed herself up out of the pool and took it, sitting at the edge of the water with her legs dangling beneath the surface. Before she could say anything else, or ask him what his name was, he blurted out something very unexpected... Although, given her recent history, maybe it shouldn't have been.

There were stories and rumors all around her, some true, others not. Tak knew that a majority of the student body knew about what had happened last year, and dealt with the consequences of it every day. Some people were simply curious, while others were downright harsh and cruel. She tried to brush it off as best she could, but it was very hard sometimes.

So, she determined her response to his blurted question. "Are you asking me because you know about my reputation and what happened last year, or... Was that a random question?" Her smile turned coy, and she pulled the towel more tightly around herself before resting back on her hands. "Because if it's the latter, which would surprise me, honestly, I know a lot." More than most eighteen-year-olds really should. "I'm Tak, by they way," she added, offering a hand to shake. Maybe the name would ring a bell.

[Riku Bennett]

What an odd coincidence. The first person that Ricky talks to about teen parenthood is a teen mother herself. Since it was his first year, he knew nothing about the girl's pregnancy. He was actually curious and didn't want to judge her. He knew that she wasn't a whore. Shit happens and her child a little surprise. Riku started to daydream about having his own bundle of joy. He wanted a little boy that hopefully wouldn't make the same mistakes as he did. At least not as early in his life. Ricky would spend every minute possible with his child. He would drop out of school and get a job to support him. He would name his little boy Kenji meaning "twice as wise". As he pictured what his baby would look like, he heard the girl say, "I know a lot." This got Ricky excited because it meant that she had useful information.

Ricky took her hand and gave a firm handshake. "I'm Riku but call me Ricky. I'm glad you have experience with it. I really want to be a father so I was curious about what is was like. I honestly have no idea about any reputation." Ricky replied. "I don't really tell many people but I know you won't judge me and-" Riku cut himself off knowing should just get to the point. "I want to be a teen dad. Of course I'll wait for the right girl and stuff but I really want to have a kid in the next few years." He went on to describe his plan. How he would get a job and maybe drop out of Hammel. He would have his mom send some baby supplies and clothes. Ricky knew the plan wasn't perfect but he would work on it. Maybe Tak could help him. "So, tell me everything you know." Riku said excitedly. He could listen for hours.

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Unfortunately, Tak was unable to keep little Tacicala, her daughter, and had to give her up for adoption. On the plus side, though, the family she had gone to was very open and friendly, and she got to see her little fawn on a regular basis. She just had no way to support the child herself, since the father had left and she was currently looking for work after the House had closed down, leaving her hardly able to support herself once she left Hammel, let alone another person. She really needed to find another job, or at least find someone she could rely on to stay around...

But she was snapped out of these thoughts as the boy returned her handshake, smiling pleasantly at first. Riku... Interesting name. Her head tilted and smile faded slightly, though, as he went on, turning more puzzled than anything else. A kid.... Wanting to be a teen dad? The young woman became a little concerned, and she wrapped her towel tighter around herself, pondering his words. "Well... Let me just say, first, if that does happen, don't you... Don't you dare leave her." She spoke with a little sharpness, but sighed a second later and flashed him a glance. "The guy... I had my daughter in July, and her father is no longer around. So... I know how abandonment feels, and I wouldn't want anyone else to have to experience it." She didn't know this guy, so she didn't know how committed he would really be; she just had bad memories around the fact. "And... Realize that once you have a child, you're responsible for someone else's life other than your own. It sounds like you understand this but..."

Tak wavered. "I mean... Why is it that you wouldn't rather wait?" she asked gently. "After you graduate, when you can have a steady, better-paying job and can better take care of a child?" She wasn't judging him, or trying to get him to change his mind. She was genuinely curious. "I love my daughter but... I wish she had been born later, when I could have kept her," she said softly.

[Riku Bennett]

The idea of leaving the mother gave Ricky the shivers. He wanted to be a father. Even if he eventually decided that it wasn't the best choice, Riku would never, ever, ever abandon his child and his or her mother. He would be the best dad in the world. But, Ricky understood Tak's concern. If he wanted a baby, he would need to stay committed. Riku would need to find a job to pay for baby supplies. As he continued to listen to the mother, Riku wondered whether cribs would be allowed in the dorm. He knew that if he continued to go to Hammel once he becomes a father, Ricky would be able to get free food and be able to graduate. He pictured himself apologizing to his roommates as he cradled his crying child. Maybe they would have to get their own place.

Riku's mind was blown when Tak asked him why he didn't want to wait. The question stuck to his mind and he could let it go. "I can't really explain it. I have this yearning to become a teenage father and snuggle a bundle of joy I can call my own. I hope you understand where I'm coming from. It's just something that I've been wanting for my whole life." Ricky replied on the verge of tears. A tear trickled down his soft cheek. Parenthood was something he was so passionate about that he couldn't suppress his feelings. Riku pulled the girl in for a hug knowing it would make him feel better. The thought of Tak supporting him through his journey ahead brought a smile to his face. He hugged her tighter and refused to let go.

As he released her from their embrace, Ricky looked at her with hopeful eyes, "You're gonna help me through this, right?"