The Protector

Anthony Williams. Twenty-five. Supply Teacher. Brother. Friend.

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 “Gosh I wish I was good at cooking. I mainly just live off of salads and such, because it is easy.” She said, even though that wasn’t true. She chose to eat salads and such because she was on a strict diet as her self image wasn’t the best. She hated her body, always had. “Yeeah unfortunately it seems to be very true..” She said, emitting a sigh, “I just wish they took better care of the things that has always been around.”

“My offer to teach you how to cook still stands. I’m not as good as my mother but I am alright.” Anthony replied sending her a soft smile once more.  “I can understand that. There were things back in New York that I felt the exact same way about.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

Willow chuckled, “I take it your mom is a good chef then?” She asked, assuming as he mentioned his dad hadn’t been around much growing up. “It was, and let’s be real it is a bit more run down now than it was.” She chuckled. “But I still come here sometimes, even if it is just to like study or something, it is really nice during summer.”

“Yeah she’s great a cooking.” Anthony confirmed knowing he’d been really lucky that way. They’d always had good meals to eat. “I feel like that is the case about a lot of stuff in Ashton from what I’ve heard. They are building a lot of new stuff and sort of ignoring old stuff.” He added knowing that was an issue in a lot of places though, not just Ashton. “It seems like it would be, especially because there isn’t a lot of water in Ashton.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

Willow nodded eagerly, “Oh she is! She used to bake and like feed me all sorts of stuff all the time, I even think some of my friends used to come around just to try her cookies.” she chuckled, loving her grandma’s baking more than anything. “She still does, but I just don’t really have a sweet tooth anymore.” She lied. She nodded again, looking op at him with a smile, “I used to like spend a lot of time one the pier over there.” She said and pointed at the very run down piece of wood sticking out into the water.

“That is understandable. A lot of my friends used to come to my place when we were kids for similar reasons.” Anthony replied, feeling that at some points his mother was taking care of half the neighborhood. Some people were just like that.  “Well, it seems like it would have been a pretty cool place back then, not that it isn’t cool now.” He added, not wanting to offend her by any means.

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 “Yeah.. I feel so bad for them you know? Like I can’t even begin to imagine all the things they have seen and experienced..” She said as she bit down her bottom lip ever so slightly. “Yeah..” She nodded back at him with a faint smile, “I am glad I had my grandmother growing up.. She was amazing.” She said, smiling at the thought as she continued towards the overgrown path ahead, “Come one.” She said, pulling his arm a little as she guided them through the bushes and on the other side was a nearly dried up lake and a little pier. 

“Exactly, it’s awful.” Anthony replied knowing he’d heard bits and pieces about what had happened and that it all sounded pretty bad. “I am sure she was fantastic.” He added, not sure if she was talking about her in the past tense because she was no longer with them or simply because she was referring to the past. Anthony allowed for her to pull him through the bushes. “I can see why you’d come here. It seems like the type of place you could be alone.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

“Yeah, I even heard one of them was admitted somewhere to deal with everything because she wasn’t coping well.” She sighed a little in frustration. She felt sorry for the kids and it was still shocking to her it had been some locals. Looking at him when he mentioned his father, her face saddened, “I am sorry to hear that..” She said, relating to it a lot more than she cared to admit, “I am sure they’ll all appreciate that though. Even the teenagers.” She reassured him with a smile.

“I mean I wouldn’t blame them. Those kids have been through something unimaginable.” Anthony replied feeling for the students and their families. “I’ve grown pretty used to it now, so it’s not that bad.” He added with a shrug because he didn’t want her to feel sorry for him or anything. Anthony knew he was actually a lot better off. “If they don’t now I am sure that they will eventually.”

[theanthonywilliams]

alyssia-rockwell​:

“Grabbing something to eat sounds perfect, honestly. It’s better than just go straight home and talk to the walls,” Aly joked with a soft chuckle, looking at the man in front of her. “I would love to join you. Have somewhere in mind? Or food you feel like having tonight? I’m game for anything. Unless you come with something extremely weird, then I’ll have to pass and have a sandwich by myself in my apartment.” She teased him.

“Yeah, I can see how that could be boring. Unless they start to talk back.” Anthony replied with a chuckle. A one sided conversation could only be entertaining for so long. “I was thinking of just going over to Debbie’s Diner. The food there seems like a safe bet.” He added with a small shrug. “But I am pretty flexible so if you are in the mood for something in particular, I’m all ears.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 “Oh I can imagine!” She exclaimed, knowing she had been terrified too, “I am just glad all of that is over.. The town is going to need some time to recover, I am just glad the people were caught.” She said and shook her head in thought. “That is very kind of you.. See, you are a great older brother!” She said, nudging him a little again. 

“It was a pretty screwed up situation. I am glad it is over too, and not just because I benefitted from it ending. I just hate the idea of those students going through that nightmare.” Anthony replied shaking his head at her. The entire situation made him feel sick to his stomach. “I’m just trying my best to make up for our very absent father.”

[theanthonywilliams]

alyssia-rockwell​:

“I really do love staying home after a long day of work, but If I have one more night of Netflix and chill alone I might cry.” Alyssia joke, chuckling softly as she lifted her head to look at the other person. She didn’t mind her own company and a night inside, but she also missed seeing people and having a good time like she used to. Although she was exhausted to go out most nights or days off, she needed it for her mental health’s sake. “What are you up to?” She asked them curiously, playfully narrowing her eyes.”Please, say you’re up to something fun and I can tag along.” @ashtontnhqstarter​

The young teacher could relate to just wanting to go home and relax after work. He was pretty exhausted as a whole after most days so he often just went home and did nothing until the next morning. “I was just planning on going to get a bite to eat. I can’t promise it’s going to be the most adventurous thing in the world, but you’re welcome to join me if you like.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 Willow looked back up at him while smiling, not even doubting that for a second if she was being honest. “Did you move here because of her?” She asked him out of curiosity, not seeing it as any other possible reason to want ot move here except if you were here for college really, and she knew he wasn’t.

“Yeah, she’s in high school and she was really scared when everything was happening around here.” Anthony explained knowing that he couldn’t blame her in the slightest. “She wanted some family around so I decided to give this place a try.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

Willow looked at him as she chuckled, “I mean they might, but they’d be awfully silly too, because you seem like a really nice guy.” She told him truthfully with a smile as she continued down the path, “But if they do they will grow out of it, I am sure. I know I would have loved to have a protective older bother or something.” She added with a shrug as she had never felt that comfort.

“I mean I know the siblings I have that are closest to me in age appreciate things I’ve done for them.” Anthony replied knowing that they understood a lot of sacrifices he made after their father left. “The youngest ones and I aren’t as  close. Although my sister and I have gotten a  lot closer since I moved here.” He added, even though his sister was busy with her own life they did try to spend time together when they could.

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 Willow looked up at him as she felt her cheeks heat up ever so slightly, quickly trying to cover her face up with her curly hair before she cleared her throat, “Well, if we take a right again here, you see that small path there,” she paused and pointed, “That will lead us to the place I was talking about, come on.” she said with a smile. “Oh don’t worry about it. I am not his biggest fan either..” 

“Okay, perfect.” Anthony replied, interested to see the place in question. He liked spending time with Willow and getting to explore places that she had liked to go when she was younger. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon, that was for sure.  “I hope none of my siblings secretly feel that way about me.” He joked in an attempt to try to lighten the mood.

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 Willow looked at him, “Now you are just saying that to be a sweetie!” She chuckled back at him, giving him a slight nudge at the side, “But honestly, I was a needy kid and I still can be. It is one of my many flaws apparently.” At least so she had been told. “Yeah he is a little older.” She nodded, “Which is probably why he can’t stand me.”

“I don’t you have that many flaws, Willow. I haven’t noticed any so they can’t be that bad.” Anthony replied feeling like she was a pretty sweet person. She seemed to be quite smart as well. “Well, I am sorry to hear that.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

“Yeah I guess that is fair, honestly. I was an annoying child and I am not even going to deny it.” She chuckled, knowing she had always been very needy and it was probably a reason why her and her brother didn’t really get on. “Yeah, I have an older brother, but we aren’t like close or anything.” She shrugged back at him.

“I am sure you were not as bad as you think.” Anthony replied knowing that was the case for a lot of people. He nodded at her words, honestly unable to imagine not being close to his siblings. Granted, they had gone through a lot together which had bonded them. “Is he a lot older?”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 Willow nodded back at him, “Yeah, like a space you used to call your own when you, or if you, needed some alone time as a kid.” She clarified while looking back up at him with a smile. “Ah right.. I was an annoying little sister myself I am sure.” She chuckled. 

“I mean don’t get me wrong, I love my younger siblings entirely. But as a teenager sometimes you just need a break from them.” Anthony replied with a small chuckle. “Do you have an older brother or sister?” 

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 “Yeah, it certainly is.” She nodded back at him. “Did you ever do that?” She added out of curiosity, wanting to learn more about him as well as she pretty much was an open book in some cases. She nodded gently back at him before she continued to guide them through the path only to take another sharp right once they were there, entering through the slightly over grown path way leading them directly into the park area. 

“Just go off somewhere to be alone?” Anthony asked before shrugging at her. “I mean I live alone so I am alone a lot of the time. Back when I was a kid I definitely used to do that sort of thing though.” He added knowing there was a place near his apartment building that he’d liked to hangout.  “But I was the oldest and my siblings used to get on my nerves sometimes, so it wasn’t even about being alone. It was mostly about being way from them.”

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 Willow shrugged at his questions, “Sometimes. More when I was younger and my friends were busy with work and other things. I used to come out here and like read, pretend I was in this little fantasy world or even just listened to music.” She laughed, “It was nice, and the spot is sacred to me, so you should feel flattered I am sharing it with you.” She teased him with a nudge.

“I guess that is fair. That is sort of part of being a teenager I guess. Needing alone time to just think about the world or whatever.” Anthony replied with a small chuckle.  “In that case, I am honored.” He replied, sending him a soft smile. Anthony was glad she trusted him enough to show him.

[theanthonywilliams]

itswillowcreed​:

 “They are great!” She said, reaching over to touch his arm a little as they were walking to emphasize what she was saying, “I mean it is just where I used to hang out as a kid. Sometimes I go there to study or whenever I need to be alone with my thoughts.” She said with a smile, looking up at him to lock her blue eyes onto him.

“That seems to be what people say.” Anthony replied knowing that the short cuts would likely come in handy. He liked being able to walk places when he could. “Do you find yourself wanting to be alone with your thoughts often?”