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Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 17th 2013 at 2:01:23 PM •••

Am I the only one who found Arianna obnoxious? I wanted to give Rooks a chance to show this conceited brat what humiliation means.

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dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 17th 2013 at 7:11:23 PM •••

I actually felt kind of sorry for her, but then again, my first plaything had my dumb ass gave in after the walk in the rain. If I hadn't been honest about forgetting my umbrella...

Either way, it sounds more like you're talking about Taylor... :U

Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 18th 2013 at 5:54:48 AM •••

No, I actually thought Nolan should have treated her more like a human being, whatever she did before their breakup. But no excuse for Arianna to fall so much overboard. First, she didn't even know Rooks but she decided she is in love with him and even imagined a personality for him as a Knight in Shining Armor. Ok, she is young and dumb. But she knew she was risking Rooks' career with a relationship like that, but she didn't care, she made that all about herself and her unrequited crush. She kept asseverating what an adult she was, but her tantrums after each rejection outdo any cranky toddler. But the nadir was indeed her using a friend's supposed death for seduction and surprise-kissing him during the hug. And she says she wants a serious relationship with mutual care and trust but she doesn't have a honest sentence for him. Whatever she wants, her first idea is tricking him into it. Even into the sex. That too, she just surprises him uninvited, she doesn't even ask whether he has free time. No, he must watch tv with her because she has no friends, no family, she can only watch tv with him, she can only ask him for a hug, nobody else.

Edited by Charsi
dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 18th 2013 at 6:16:10 AM •••

Yeah, but Taylor's bullshit afterwards was more in-line with what you're describing, and they (Nolan and Taylor) do "make up" after the breakup. When she shows up at his house for the television bit, she actually is depressed and I recall her being somewhat apologetic (yeah, it's still wrong, since he decides to focus on her instead of work). I know nothing of real life relationships, so there's that.

Is her attitude any different if you walk back with her, and reject her out of hand? I went with "insist you have an umbrella" in the office, and she sounds honestly depressed. Granted, I'm still going down that route.

Edited by dakinebrah
Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 18th 2013 at 6:40:26 AM •••

That depression also felt to me like she felt entitled to reciprocation, like there's no way her own, more than twice her age teacher could reject her. Note when he admits forgetting his umbrella, she had a smile saying she knew he wouldn't be able to refuse her advances. Though this conceited attitude before given any sign of the other's interest always annoys me. About Taylor, I only remember Nolan spurning her and ignoring her for the Akira-drama. She was also scheming between them, indeed, but at least she had the excuse of being treated like dirt. Arianna may have been depressed, but if she were genuine, why couldn't she turn to her parents or Taylor for comfort? Why did she have to travel to Rooks' house for it? And her Amie Connect conference with Taylor shows there was a clear plan on spending all night with him, so it couldn't be just an impulse of helplessness. Her attitude was not as much apologetic as oh Mr. Rooks, I am so sad, I am such a helpless cutie, pity me. But now comes to my mind, if you haven't gone through the game, you can't know yet there is little reason for her to be depressed besides the rejection... wait, they are dating then, so not even the lovesickness. I believe she was crushed after being rejected since that hurts, but she acted like she was robbed from something rightfully hers, and not just tried and failed, which happens. Though I wouldn't be surprised if that turned out to be an exaggerated hurt-puppy show made to manipulate him. I think her reaction is the same: crying and storming off. But I haven't played the relationship route because I got too embarrassed by their making out. I saw the bed scene on a video.

Edited by Charsi
dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 18th 2013 at 7:06:14 AM •••

Taylor does provide her a ton of comfort, but even then, she admits they're not that close. Her parents are away from home a lot, I think (I can't remember if she says something to that effect, though I think her parents are home when she leaves for Rook's house). Even then, there's quite a lot of teenagers who don't open up to their parents - I can sympathize there, at least, as I've known plenty of folk (myself included) who find it easier to talk to people not blood related than their own parents.

If you really want to see her humiliated, just replay the ending and reject her final advance, which, to me, was rebuking enough, since she tries really hard not to show anything...

Edited by dakinebrah
Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 18th 2013 at 7:25:27 AM •••

I understand that, but was she closer to Rooks whom she just stalked? And she always ended up abusing his pity to get something sexual out of it, which ruins the emotional value of it for me. And even in the relationship route, if she could open up to an older man she didn't even know for a day, she shouldn't have problems to make other friends. Though I am socially awkward but I wouldn't restrict myself to have only one close friend if I wouldn't have to. I don't really remember the ending except that she says she will understand his "no" (what she couldn't until then) and won't be a Taylor about it (too late), and he watches her pretty fragile figure leave.

Edited by Charsi
dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 18th 2013 at 7:37:14 AM •••

To be fair, Rook also tries not to think about sexing her up, which is one of the reasons why he gives in. It's both their faults if the relationship's pursued.

Even to this day, I've got no idea how to approach other people, let alone strike up a relationship if they don't approach me, much as I try. And even then... well, she's friends with Taylor, of all people, too.

Rook's dialogue at the end hints that he'll still have to deal with her next year, as well.

Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 18th 2013 at 7:52:03 AM •••

Yeah, he was also great not being able to resist her. I would prefer him not getting automatically interested in her because she isn't his type or too young or even because she can't even imagine anything serious with a schoolgirl in his age nor an one-night stand with a little girl who hasn't even kissed before, not to mention risking his career for it. And not he is who approached her to offer answers about the book and forced her to wear a pretty short dress, cross her legs and twirl her hair for him. That was her initiation and admittably a pretty brave one, too, even with Isabella's encouragement. I wonder how she would have reacted if I told her "if you think of me so seriously, wait 4-5 years for me, and if you still haven't forgotten me and I am still alone then, we can go for it".

dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 18th 2013 at 8:53:54 AM •••

Yeah, I was honestly surprised that Rook didn't shut it down near immediately and that the game seemed to encourage going along with it (though Christine commented that Arianna IS supposed to be unlikeable, and Rook needs to stop thinking with his penis, which kinda seems to be why the game "encourages" it).

I'd actually have liked for that option. High school crushes are fleeting, as Rook says.

Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 18th 2013 at 9:11:54 AM •••

I guess it's hard to shut a subtle manipulation down if you are under pressure not to make a scene and even a fool out of yourself in the case of misunderstanding the situation. She asked for help about the lesson, he couldn't answer like "I can't help, I am not interested in you". But I always have a problem with plots making every romantic interest automatically requited. Or even making an overwhelming obsession out of a simple encounter like in Coming Out On Top.

dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 18th 2013 at 9:16:59 AM •••

Granted, as before, lonely 38-year-old twice-divorced wreck of a man who goes looking for love in all the wrong places. From a narrative and technical standpoint, it does make sense, on top of him desperately trying to be a good teacher (and kinda failing).

Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 18th 2013 at 9:38:56 AM •••

That's true, it's hard to reject a cute young meat who idolizes him.

dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 18th 2013 at 2:58:15 PM •••

Well, for him. I suspect his desperation for any sort of love (in all the wrong places) is the reason why he's twice divorced. I'd like to think I would have straight out refused. :V

(Rook is kind of a Byronic Hero, it seems :U)

Edited by dakinebrah
Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 18th 2013 at 3:23:35 PM •••

I'd like in a VN to: be immune to a Narcissist's charms; esteem a character's selfless adoration; nurture a Woobie; and defeat an abuser. That would make a good story for me. She is rather the first category for her entitled and manipulative attitude, but I would treasure Basil if I were Dorian Gray.

dakinebrah Since: Jan, 2013
Mar 19th 2013 at 12:26:43 AM •••

Heh. Hopefully, another successor comes up when Christine's done with Hate Plus.

Charsi Since: Aug, 2011
Mar 26th 2013 at 1:08:14 PM •••

I have played School Festival by Ababo, but that also annoyed me. It has a defaultly-pining-for-MC character who expressed his love by bullying me like a kindergartener. I pursued his eminent best friend who told him "she is yours". Duh. Let me decide that, being his love interest doesn't mean I am his property. And my female friend was also forcefully trying to pair me up with that bully. Again, let me decide unsolicited matchmaker.

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