father's day (Andre/Ashleigh)

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"I told you kid, you can't play here."

Isaac rolled his eyes and packed up his guitar. So what was so wrong about playing the guitar in the middle of the mall? All the vendors in the food court made money, why couldn't he? The seventeen year old waved at the sullen security guard and got on the escalator.

That was what he had done with his last check from his dad. He had gotten himself a guitar. Not just any old guitar, either. It had once belonged to Craig Manning. From what his Uncles told him, his dad knew Craig. It was like having a piece of his dad's life in his, in some strange way. He loved it. Ok, so it wasn't brand new or even autographed. But it was all his.

Isaac didn't have to be playing for change in the mall. His dad supported him with regular checks. But it wasn't that he needed money. Actually, he wouldn't care if he didn't make a dime. Playing was what he loved to do. And why not the mall? It was safer than the streets.

Isaac mae his way up to the third floor, far from the stupid rent-a-cop who had driven him off. He settled himself out of Hot topic and opened up his guitar again. He waved to the owner, who was used to the kid by now. He had been doing this since his Uncles decided to move to Toronto. It was odd for him. While he had been born in Toronto, he had been raised in Venice. That was his home. He spoke the language, and actually knew very little English, unlike his cousin Mitchell.

Around his neck hung a gold chain with a gondola attached. He idly toyed with it while he looked through his notes. He wrote his own songs, but they were all in Italian. Choosing a semi fast one, he pulled out his guitar and started to play, singing in Italian. Music was his life. He could forget anything that was on his mind when he was playing his guitar and singing. As a lady stopped and placed a five in his case, he paused the song, pocketed it, said "grazi" and kept playing.

"Shouldn't you be in school, young man?" Isaac heard the woman, and understood the gist of it, but ignored it. Sure, he should be in school. It was 11:30 on a Wednesday. But it wasn't like Isaac had been to school. He had been lectured countless times by his Uncle Lorenzo, but he kept ditching. Lorenzo had even gone so far as to threaten to tell his father. The thing was, that was what he wanted. He wanted his father to have to leave his perfect husband and his perfect family to give him some attention. Hell, he wanted the man to decide he needed parental guidance and take him home.He had met his mother a few times, but she scared him. No, he wanted his father--not Lorenzo, not Dominic or Antonio, his father

[Ashleigh London Simpson]

Her dad and Natasha were on a different floor. Ashleigh had actually been walking around with her dad, Andre. And asked if she could go ahead without him. So, that's where she was. She was going into one of her favorite stores. And as she walked out, Ash had heard the music and walked over. He was really good. She pulled out a 20 dollar bill and put it into his case.

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Isaac's eyes widened at the bill. He had never gotten that much money all in one bill from singing! "Grazi," he said, pocketing it. He then looked up at her. She looked familiar.Those eyes...he had seen them somewhere before. Isaac was an eyes person. It was the first thing he noticed when he met someone.

Ah, well, he probably had just seen her in the mall before. It was time to switch songs, he decided, and pulled out the music sheets again. Everything he had on him; the music, the case, they all came from his dad. He flipped through the pages and pages of Italian lyrics before settling on one. He read it over before taking a pencil and changing a note. He then set it on his stand and looked up. She was still there? Gazing at her curiously, he spoke, with broken english and a thick accent. "I help?" His knowledge of the language was more in comprehension than it was speaking it. The words were forced, but they did come out.

[Ashleigh London Simpson]

Ashleigh smiled, sweetly, but she didn't wanna go just yet. What much was there to do anyway? When he asked her that, she shrugged. "Nothing really. I just think you have an amazing voice. I sing a little myself. But nothing compared to you. I'd love to hear another song."

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While he had tried to keep up, Isaac had understood voice and another song. From what he got out of it, she was complimenting him. Another song? Sure, why not? He gestured to her. "Your name, Bella?" he asked so he would know who to dedicate the song to. If only he knew that she was the girl he envied the most.

Isaac played a few notes then looked at her for an answer. He used to do this alot in Venice. He couldn't help it, really. His grandparents and Uncles all worked in the tourism business. Since he could remember, it was all about making people who spoke different languages happy. You didn't have to speak Chinese to see a smile on a face and know you did your job.

[Ashleigh London Simpson]

Ashleigh couldn't help but grin. "My name? It's Ashleigh Simpson." she answered excitedly. She had no idea that this would end up being her half brother. But it wouldn't have mattered either. She was a very happy person. Nothing ever seemed to get her down.

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Isaac's eyes narrowed. So that was why she gave him such a big bill. "No," he said rudely. He took his twenty and dropped it at her feet. "Rich girl need no song." Of course, he knew who she was. She was Andre's perfect daughter. No wonder he recognized her! He wasn't going to sing for Miss Prissy Pants. Had she been any other rich girl, he would sing. But she was Andre's.

Isaac resented her, and her sister and dad. Every time his father came to visit, it was them that he was always going back to. He had explained time and again why he wasn't a regular father. Isaac understood. But he didn't like it one little bit. Knowing who she was made him look around. Where was his dad? He'd like to see him explain this. Isaac wouldn't do it for him, no matter how much he wanted to. That was Andre's job.

[Ashleigh London Simpson]

If it was any other girl, then maybe Ashleigh woulda started something. But she wasn't any other girl. She never argued, never cried (not around others at least). She was a happy kid and could care less about being rich. She tilted her head, slightly, looking up at him. "How come?" she asked in her usually sweet voice.

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Isaac stood up and packed his songs. He looked at her "Comprende Italiano?" he wanted to make sure she wouldn't understand him before he told her off in his native tongue. "Mercy money, no" He was not a charity case. Of course, that wasn't his reason. But she could think it was.

He swung his case over his shoulder and shook his head at her. If only she knew what she was doing. That she was rubbing it in his face by giving him such big bills. And it wasn't the money, either. She was rubbing him in his face. The bill practically taunted I have him and you don't. No, he wouldn't take anything from her or do anything for her.

[Ashleigh London Simpson]

Ashleigh folded her arms over her chest and turned to face him. "You know, excuse me for being nice." She shrugged, not sure or caring if he understood or not. Normally she didn't talk to people in that tone. But with him, it was hard not too.

"Excuse me, but what is you're problem anyway?" She shook her head. Ash just didn't understand this at all.

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Isaac's eyes narrowed. "Il mio problema è il wenches come lei. Lei è un piccolo snob ricco che vuole avere pietà del bassamente artista. Il mio problema è delle femmine perfetti che ruba dei genitori che non sono loro proprio. Stare il fottere lontano da m se lei non vuole finire su perforato"

[Ashleigh London Simpson]

Ashleigh glared at him. "Whoa. Wait. Did you just call me a snob?" All she understood was wench and snob."I'm no snob!"

[Andre Simpson]

Andre was taking his time in a shop that he was positive his daughter probably wasn't interested in so when she asked to go ahead, he didn't mind. He would catch up and if they got too far separated, there were cell phones to pull them out of that crisis. When he finally finished, he managed to walk ahead to find her. Despite how they were supposed to be shopping, Andre hadn't actually bought anything. He wasn't much of a shopper, and despite the money that they had, he was a bit of a bargain hunter. For himself, he tended to try to live in the means that his occupation gave him, but there were certain luxuries that he got excited over. The TV and the stereo were just two of them, and cars... Andre had a thing for cars. Who didn't? When he finally found his daughter, he was stunned at who he saw her with. Issac. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his son; that wasn't it. The reason Andre kept things secret was because it was simpler that way. Issac had been born before he was married and in an environment that wouldn't have been conducive to growing up healthily. So, being as responsible as the nineteen year old could, Andre gave all rights over to his cousin. It wasn't just a matter of take care of my son for me, it was more than that. But, he still wanted to play a part in his life, and one that he hoped wouldn't be too confusing. From the beginning, he was open with the kid and explained the situation when questions roused. He wanted him to know that he loved him, but he did what he thought was in his best interests and although he had all the capability of taking care of him now, he couldn't just uproot him that way. He wanted his life to be stable and not risk ripping him out of a home that loved him and shoving him in a new one.

Why he wasn't mentioned to his husband and daughters... Well, that was all on him. He wasn't sure how to bring it up in the past, so he just didn't. And as more and more time passed, he couldn't figure out how and felt it had been too long. So, Andre just never did. He visited his son, sent him things, helped support him and tried to be a constant in his life all without letting anyone else know about it. It bugged him, but he kept it up. Before he could even assess the situation, he heard his son's voice and frowned. "Issac! Guardare la vostra bocca! Vi é stato insegnato meglio." He scolded him, not about to hear him talk to anyone that way. His voice softened though as he closed in. "So che questo è un confuso situazione, ma per favore non dovreste essere...a scuola?" He realized halfway through that it was the middle of a school day. Swallowing, he looked at his daughter and then to his son. He had to do this. He had to just come out with it, quick like a band-aid.

"Ashleigh, this is your brother."

Not once in her entire life had he mentioned that she had any siblings. Half-siblings or whole. Andre was good at keeping his secret. To the point that even the pictures he had of his son were hidden. And of course he had things like that. He wasn't cold and he did love him! He knew it was going to come out of no where for her, but he said it, knowing that this was going to all blow up eventually. Ashleigh wasn't the first one he would have to tell, but he couldn't go back on it. And if the worlds were going to overlap then he had to take it.

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Isac had actually raised his hands to push her, when he heard Andre's voice. Instantly, his demeanor changed. He looked at his father as he was scolded and looked down at the ground. Well, this was what he wanted: attention. He listened to him, and he knew he was right. It was the comment about school, though that made him roll his eyes.

"Lei non dovrebbe essere in Malibu?" he retorted with a bit of attitude. He crossed his arms over his chest as his dad got closer to him. He shook his head. "Forse dovrei. Non mi preoccupo. La scuola è stupida. Lei non può fare niente di esso in ogni modo; neanche vivo con lei!" It wasn't like Isaac to talk back to his dad. He was a really sweet kid. But he really had had enough of being ignored for the girls when they weren't really his. When he was introduced, he simply looked at the girl and looked away. He wasn't going to waste any more words on her.

[Ashleigh London Simpson]

Ashleigh looked back and forth between the boy and her father, slightly confused with the italian words that were spoken. After all, she didn't know the language. But it seemed to her that her father knew this kid. But-how? She was trying to make sense out of all of this. And of how he seemed so nice to acting this way towards her.

When her father spoke to her, her head shot up to look at her dad. "W-what?" No, no, no. She didn't have a brother. That was impossible. Wasn't it? She folded her arms and looked to the boy; Isaac. She shook her head. "No way." She found it hard to wrap her mind around. "There's no way I can be related to him. He's such a jerk." Now, it really wasn't like Ashleigh to say that to anyone. But she was just sick and tired of the boy's attitude towards her.