Friday 29 April 2011

Bottle up and explode

Round 31: March 2033 (Autumn)
Narrated by Josh Royce-Nihill

A couple of weeks before classes started back this year, Audrey broke up with Connor. She told him she'd been thinking about it since we came back from spring break but wasn't sure how to broach the topic until now.

She had a whole litany of things that weren't working. She didn't think he was affectionate enough, she didn't feel close to him any more, he was always off in his own world.

It was all news to Connor, which I suppose proves Audrey was onto something with her last point.

She wants to be just friends. I heard that enough from Elspeth when I was younger to know that always sucks.

I think Connor is unhappy about it but it's hard to tell with him sometimes. He's not exactly an open book.

I'm fine with that, honestly. I prefer keeping things light. I never know how to react when people start spilling their hearts out. It's just awkward.

The situation I've got myself into with Elspeth and Lila is awkward enough. I've hardly spoken to Elspeth at all since we kissed, except for some really brief exchanges when we've run into each other in the dorm.

We've been avoiding each other for months now. I spent more time at home than here during the summer, just to make it easier.

Lila was happy that I was cutting down on the time I was spending with Elspeth, although she didn't really know why.

But she's always been a little jealous of the friendship Elspeth and I have had, so I think she was just trying not to question it.

Lila's not stupid though and she started getting suspicious. She could see I was avoiding Elspeth at all costs.

A few times, she asked me point blank if there was anything going on between us.

All that ever happened between Elspeth and me was the kiss. We never planned to go any further and we didn't. So I told Lila there was nothing going on.

I think she knew I wasn't telling her the whole truth though.

So she went to Elspeth and asked her instead.

We had agreed to not say anything to Lila, seeing we weren't going to take it any further. But Elspeth decided she was done keeping it a secret and she told Lila everything.

She also made sure to tell Lila that I initiated the kiss and that she was the one who stopped it.

As soon as Lila told me she'd spoken to Elspeth, I knew that would be the end of us.

I still went for one last-ditch effort to save my hide. I told her it was a mistake, it didn't mean anything.

But there really wasn't anything I could say to defend myself. I kissed Elspeth, I lied about it and those are the only details Lila cared about.

We are most definitely over and Lila can hardly stand the sight of me.

She's not too thrilled with Elspeth either but most of her intense loathing is reserved for me.

It's not that I don't think she has a right to be mad, because she does. But it was just one kiss and Lila's ready to toss the whole relationship.

Whatever she thinks, I actually did really care about her. Still do.

I know it's my own fault but everything is really tense for everyone in the dorm right now. Lila wants nothing more than to rant about me and Elspeth to Sophie all day, but Sophie's torn because she's still close friends with Elspeth as well.

Lila's not too thrilled about that.

But then, Sophie's even still talking to me. I just don't think she likes being on bad terms with anyone.

I read a little too much into that one night in the hot tub but I'm hoping Sophie won't hold a grudge over that.

So far, she seems to be pretending it never happened.

Connor's trying to stay neutral as well. I knew him first but he and Lila have been friends since freshman year too.

I don't think I have any chance of getting back together with Lila at this point or if I'd even want to. But maybe we could aim for being in the same room without fighting and then go from there.

Notes:
  • Title is from Bottle Up & Explode by Elliott Smith.
  • GPAs: Connor - 4.0, Elspeth - 3.8, Josh - 3.6, Lila - 3.8 and Sophie 3.1. I don't think Sophie has ever rolled the want to do her term paper and with Harder College Grades, you need to do a term paper to get full marks for the semester.
  • Can you believe that was Connor, Lila and Sophie's junior year!?!
  • Two break-ups already! That was my break-up total for last round, lol. But I don't think either of these break-ups will come as a shock to any of you. I certainly set up Connor and Audrey's break up enough last round (and at the time, I had a reason for not breaking them up right then, though I can't remember what it was now). And I think Josh and Lila were never going to last once she found out about Elspeth. Which she did, by the way. I set Josh and Elspeth to Friend Zone, so I could play without constant slap fights but that doesn't stop regular autonomous interactions, only ACR ones. So yeah...Lila's not happy with either of them at the moment!
  • As for Sophie and Josh, in the hot tub, clearly Josh doesn't know what's good for him. His girlfriend dumps him because he kissed her best friend and his next move is to hit on another one of her friends? Fortunately, Sophie is thinking clearly.

21 comments:

  1. Oh, Josh! Wow, he's just all kinds of a mess right now! Though, in his favor, it did look like Sophie was a little scantily clad in that hot tub! Was she wearing anything? lol! No wonder he got the wrong idea! :D

    No, I have to say I wasn't much surprised at either of them. I wondered if Josh and Lila might make it, but I pretty much expected Audrey and Connor to split after the last update. And then, after Josh and Lila went down the tube, I was just about expecting Sophie and Jack to be next. (And I don't even mean in a wishful thinking kind of way! lol!)

    Great update! I always love hearing from these guys! :)

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  2. Oh, and Elspeth!!! :o <-- that was my reaction to her! Wow, that girl! So much for loyalty, eh?!

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  3. Oh, I don't like how Josh is acting around the girls, poor Lila. :/

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  4. I was surprised that Elspeth turned Josh in so quickly, but perhaps she didn't like keeping it a secret. I should have thought to stop the slap fests as well. Something similar happened with Bill and I ended up moving him out to stop the constant fights.

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  5. So did Elspeth tell Lila because she really wanted to because they are friends, or did she tell her because she actaully wants wants anoher go for Josh? Things that make you go, hmmm?

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  6. Go Lila! I would have kicked him straight to the curb as well. Even if it was just "one little kiss". Maybe if he had told her about, she would have been more understanding??... Well he really messed up this time.

    I knew that Audrey and Connor would never last. They are just too different. So now, all that has to happen is Audrey and Jack hook up, get married and live happily ever after!!;) Lol.

    Great update, I've always loved reading about uni...:)

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  7. Laura, ha, yes, but it's all of Josh's own making!

    LOL, Sophie was wearing her bikini in the hot tub! Usually, she gets in naked because she's full outgoing (I forced her into her swimsuit in the pic with Lila), so it seemed like she was sending a pretty clear "no funny business" message. Which Josh didn't catch, lol!

    Elspeth was in a tough position because she's very close friends with Josh but also with Lila. So does she keep the secret to placate Josh, or tell so she's not lying to Lila? It could have worked out very differently if she'd chosen the other option, for sure.

    As for Jack and Sophie, the final uni update of the year is from Jack's perspective. So more on them then. ;)

    Thanks for reading!

    Diana P., Josh is making some pretty bad decisions at the moment and he's not really making anyone happy as a result, including himself. :\

    Thanks for reading!

    Apple Valley, I do see Elspeth as the type to spill if confronted directly, just to be out with it and hopefully get past it. Whether it will work out that way or not is a different
    story.

    The slap fights drive me nuts. I probably would have done the same in your situation!

    Thanks for reading!

    Riverdale, too true! Elspeth could well have had an ulterior motive in letting the cat out of the bag about the kiss. I actually thought of that myself as well and will touch on it a little in Camilla and Charlie's update.

    Thanks for reading!

    coolkat2, I do think Lila's reaction would have been different if Josh had fessed up. She likely still would have broken up with him but I think she would have been mostly hurt and not quite as furious as she is now.

    Audrey and Connor are definitely very different people and they didn't have much chance of lasting very long. Hopefully the next relationship will be more successful for the both of them, now that they both have a better idea of what they want (and who they want, in Audrey's case).

    Thanks for reading!

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  8. *lol* @ Josh's adventures. I understand why he felt so stressed when he was at his parents, on previous thread. Life isn't easy, huh. All these seducing young women around, it's disturbing! *lol*

    I hope the adorable Connor will find his girl. He's so darn cute.

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  9. Oh the confusion of the college years! I'm with Riverdale, it seems more to me that Elspeth was eliminating the competition lol. And Josh was just all kinds of wrong this update wasn't he? And poor Connor, I think he's going to need a girl who is a bit more like him. I really though Audrey could have helped him be a bit more social, but maybe he just needs another eccentric person like himself?

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  10. I don't blame Lila at all for dumping him and being angry! Sure, nothing else may have happened, but if Elspeth hadn't stopped him, would he have let more than just a kiss happen? And then he kept lying even after Lila asked him what was going on, so she has every right to be angry.

    And geez, Josh, hitting on Sophie in the hot tub isn't going to improve the situation any, lol!

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  11. I'm disappointed in Josh, in his defense he did want things with Elspeth and she didn't. So he moved on, but the kiss shouldn't have happened, and then hiding it.. I'm actually glad that Lila dumped him. She deserves someone who can be honest with her, and not go around kissing her friend.

    I thought Sophie was naked too! I was going to say that she'd be to blame for that as well, but I guess she just has a low riding top. I hope he doesn't bring the drama too far out to everyone else, they are all such an entangled circle of friends.

    And yay for Audrey finally dumping Connor. Now she needs to call Jack. ;) I still have no idea who Connor should be with. He's just such an eccentric type of guy. He reminds me of my Simon (science, kind of odd), but Simon is 10 nice, so he's a sweetie. Whereas Connor is not really nice at all, which imo helps people overlook eccentric behaviors. Connor is a cutie though, so I do want him to be with someone, just to see him as a husband/dad.

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  12. Sandy, ha, "adventures"! Yes, Josh has had a few lately! I can't feel too sorry for him though, seeing as I said, he got himself into all this.

    I'm sure Connor will find someone else eventually. :)

    Thanks for reading!

    Mizzgin03, it can be a tumultuous time and it certainly is for this gang!

    Another one who thinks Elspeth was paving a path for herself. Well, I don't blame you for thinking that way and I'm positive Lila would agree. ;)

    The thing with Connor is that there aren't really any girls who are much like him. He's quite unique. I've said this before but I think what he needs is a girl who will call him on his less endearing behaviours and who isn't going to be as bothered by them in the first place.

    Thanks for reading!

    Shana, this was definitely a justified dumping! I doubt Josh has even considered that issue; if Elspeth hadn't have stopped him, how far would he have gone? He's too busy trying to make himself look a little less villainous, lol!

    Hitting on Sophie in the hot tub was a bad move. He's lucky Sophie knows exactly what Lila's reaction would be if she told her. Sophie will be keeping that one to herself!

    Thanks for reading!

    Maisie, Josh isn't behaving in the most noble fashion at the moment. The only thing I could really offer in his defense is that he's 19. From my own experience at that age, lots of 19-year-olds are assholes!

    I am hoping Lila's next relationship is more successful. Josh has been her only everything, so she doesn't have the greatest perspective on relationships at the moment.

    Sophie really does look naked in that picture, now that I look at it again. She's got all that hair blocking most of her bikini top! The drama, so far, mostly stops at the doors of this dorm.

    Connor is what Finn would be, if he wasn't so nice! Anyway, Connor has a perfect match, chemistry-wise, in the hood but I've already decided he's not going to be with her. They just don't make any sense at all and I can't imagine how I'd write them. I have a couple of other ideas up my sleeve for Connor. ;)

    More about Audrey in the final college update!

    Thanks for reading!

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  13. Josh is a mess! Hitting on Sophie wasn't a smart move at all, lol.

    Poor Connor. :( I feel so badly for him, but Audrey shouldn't have to stay with someone who isn't giving her the things she needs (it's not as if she has unreasonable demands--just ones that Connor isn't particularly capable of fulfilling). I hope all of these broken-up kids make better matches.

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  14. I don't know how to feel about Josh. He did try things with Elspeth, if I remember correctly more than once, and she always rejected him, so it's understandable that the boy is confused, but kissing Elspetgh, and hiding it from Lila wasn't his best move, not was the hitting on Sophie ... I wonder what's going to happen next.

    Audrey and Connor's break up was kind of predictable, but it's still sad for Connor. I haven't seen a girl in Sullivan yet who would be perfect for Connor but I'm sure he'll find one. You've made me curious who that perfect match is with your reply to Maisie :)
    I'm still not sure who I would like Jack to be with more, Audrey or Sophie, I like him with both.

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  15. Rachel, no, it really wasn't but then again, Josh hasn't been making any particularly smart moves since he started college!

    I do feel badly for Connor as well, seeing it seems like his break-up with Elspeth sort of took him by surprise as well. I don't think he liked her as much as he liked Audrey though, so this one is probably affecting him more, though he isn't showing it. ;)

    I think we might see some new matches for at least some of these Sims before the round is out. Hopefully, they'll all do better next time.

    Thanks for reading!

    Tanja, very true. There is more to Josh and Elspeth than that one kiss and it makes it hard to buy Josh's assertion that it was really just a kiss. In the past at least, he's felt pretty strongly about Elspeth. :\

    Audrey and Connor were always going to end up breaking up but yes - it's still never easy. Eventually, I'll tell you guys who Connor's perfect match is but probably not until I marry her off!

    I think Jack has decided who he'd like to be with more but he's been with Sophie for 6 years now. If he breaks up with her, that's going to be difficult, for more than one reason.

    Thanks for reading!

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  16. The moment I saw Elspeth telling Lila about the kiss I thought "she wants him for herself". Why else would she give up all the details so easily?! It's going to be quite awkward for this trio to live in the same dorm. Hopefully Lila won't be as mental as Julia!

    And OMG, bad judgement on Josh's part to make a move on Sophie! Doesn't that boy learn anything from his mistakes?!

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  17. Sari, LOL, everyone's thinking the worst of Elspeth! It does make sense that she would spill because she wants Josh for herself but then again, if she moves in on Josh now, her motives would be pretty clear. And then we could ask, well, why did she bother making Josh out to be the bad guy?

    No one could be as mental as Julia!

    Josh is pretty much an idiot at the moment. There's not much more I can say about that!

    Thanks for reading!

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  18. OMG so much drama! Josh is so confused about everything, isn't he? He definitely wasn't thinking with the right head when he hit on Sophie. Come on man! Lila dumped you like 2 seconds ago. Riverdale brought up a good point about Elspeth having ulterior motives. Knowing her personality, I wouldn't really be surprised. It's funny how women always assume the worst in other women when there's a "home wrecker" involved lol! Even if the home wrecker didn't initiate anything and put a stop to it. And LOL @ Lila becoming as mental as Julia. Jeez, you just got rid of Julia in the dorms! You don't need another one! ;)

    I'm really curious who Conner will hook up with eventually. He's just misunderstood. Elspeth was too demanding and Audrey was too sweet. And maybe even "needy" in his eyes. I'm really anxious to read Jack's POV soon and to eventually find out who Connor's mystery match who may never be is!

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  19. Danielle, Josh doesn't know what he wants right now, clearly! Lucky for him, Sophie turned him down. I think he would have ended up regretting having sex with her, if she'd given him the go-ahead. Seriously!

    Yes, I always find that interesting as well! Women are so very competitive and we often assume the worst about each other as a result. Josh is most at blame here, at least from what we know now.

    Connor just hasn't found the right girl. He would have found Audrey to be quite clingy, whereas she would have seen it as affection. I'm writing Jack's POV update today (well, it's mostly written already) and you might find out who Connor's match-who-will-never-be is sooner than you think. ;)

    Thanks for reading!

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  20. Man, Josh had me facepalming during this whole entry. I’m still shaking my head.

    I read Elspeth’s motives for coming clean differently. I don’t see Lila as the type of girl you want to be on the bad side of. I think Elspeth saw that protecting Josh wasn’t worth the hassle of dealing with Lila, so she ‘fessed up right away.

    Obviously, not surprised to see Audrey and Connor come to an end. I like Sophie, and I will feel bad if she gets hurt by Jack, but she’s in the way. Sorry, girl. Meanwhile, I think I remember who Connor ends up with, but I don’t remember how that came to be, so it will be interesting to read that again.

    I have to say this class of college students (Jack, Audrey, Charlie, Camilla, Lila, Sophie, Connor, Elspeth and Josh) has been a favorite bunch of mine. I’m loving re-reading them again.

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    Replies
    1. I'm really enjoying seeing what update you've just read and refreshing my memory a bit!

      Oh my gosh, I forgot Josh tried to crack onto Sophie as well! This bunch were so much fun at this age, although I pretty much always enjoy my sims' uni years. Such an underrated expansion, in my opinion.

      I think it was probably a bit of both for Elspeth - not that invested in protecting Josh and definitely not interested in getting on Lila's bad side. Which yes, you 100% do not want to do.

      Looking back, I'm more surprised Connor and Audrey ever got together in the first place. Audrey is so sweet and tolerant though, so I guess that's why they lasted as long as they did!

      Without giving away too much for people reading through for the first time, I think everything works out for the best with all of these sims eventually, Sophie included. :)

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

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