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English
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Published:
2018-08-21
Updated:
2018-10-23
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1,000
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2/?
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Accepted for Love - the Abernathy Darwin Dunlap Story

Summary:

To his parents and teachers, Abernathy Darwin Dunlap is a failure who will never amount to anything. Then the South Harmon Institute of Technology comes into his life, along with Rory, one of its founders.

This is a little love story I am writing for Abby - played by Robin Lord Taylor in the film Accepted. He wasn't a lead character but I felt he was interesting (as well as cute). In the film I noticed that he and redhead Rory (a lead character) were getting along well, and I wanted to explore this and develop their relationship.

Chapter 1: A SHIT Day

Chapter Text

Accepted for Love - The Abernathy Darwin Dunlap Story.

Chapter 1.  A SHIT Day.

Abernathy Darwin Dunlap’s expectations had not been great.

He had applied to so many colleges and they had rejected him outright.

He knew he could do it.  Someone, somewhere, just had to give him a chance.  One helping hand from a kind stranger - that was all that he needed.

He would do anything to prove himself!  He wasn’t stupid, he knew that, but the trouble was, his mind - and body -  just seemed to be too fast for anyone, including him, to catch up with most of the time.

His parents had despaired of him long ago.  They had tried, and he was trying - very trying, so they (and his teachers) said.

It had taken a long time before he had finally been diagnosed with ADD.  He had asked what that stood for.  He could only think of ‘Awesome, Dark and Dangerous’....  which would have been...well, awesome, as far as he was concerned.

He wasn’t expecting ‘Attention Deficit Disorder.’

“I’ve got a dis-a-dis-order??  I’m..I’m DEFICIENT?!”  The words had tumbled out of his shocked, gaping mouth, when the verdict was delivered to him.  

He didn’t like the sound of that at all!

People with disorders and deficiencies had problems.  Whereas he, Abernathy Darwin Dunlap, had never really felt like he had a problem.

But he had always been able to laugh about it.  He had never lost his temper or allowed it to make him too sad.  He had managed to keep a smile on his face even when his father had returned from yet another unsuccessful parents’ day and Abernathy had overheard his father announce to his mother, with a sigh - “It’s no good, that boy will never amount to anything!”

Then it had happened.

South Harmon Institute of Technology!

He couldn’t help noticing that the initials spelt SHIT. Well, he had had pretty shit breaks up til now, so maybe this was a good sign?  He had a warm feeling about it.

And it had been a good sign!

At least, finally, his parents had shown some enthusiasm for him.  Finally, they seemed to think he might amount to something.  Finally, it wasn’t just his sister Susie who was the successful one.

He loved Susie but his parents never let him forget how much of a failure he was in comparison with his elder sister. She was now halfway through her Masters programme at Harvard Medical School.

She was as uncomfortable about their unfair comparisons as he was, and always tried to protect him against hurt.

“You’re so sweet, Abby,” she told him on one of her weekends when she came home. “Don’t let it get to you.  You’re really smart!  I’m sure Mom and Dad just want you to succeed, that’s why they are pushing you and being so hard on you.  You will be ok, I’m sure of it.”

And she had been right.  It had happened.

He had been accepted!  And maybe, just maybe, he was now going to be a success.

He was so excited he could burst!

Abby

He was so fast that he was first to knock the door of the SHIT college.  He knocked hard and although it had taken a while to get them to answer, they had.  He wasn’t going to turn back now - he’d come too far! If there was one thing he could already ADD to his CV, it was persistence and perseverance.  Lots of it.

Anyway, he had backup - there were hoardes of young hopefuls just like himself - or, well, similar to himself anyway  - crowding outside with him.  It was like he already had his own ADD Army!

He had been the first to, literally, open the floodgates to the surprised expressions of those inside the college building, who seemed more than a little taken aback at the numbers of students waiting to get in.  It was almost as if they hadn’t been expecting them!

But here he was - here to stay, Abernathy Darwin Dunlap - ADD, BA.  Well, maybe - one day.  A boy could dream, right….?

Chapter 2: Rory's Thoughts on Abby

Summary:

Rory describes Abby

Notes:

This was a little something I was going to save for later, but what the hell - these are Rory's thoughts about Abby and I think, worth sharing.

Chapter Text

Accepted - Rory describes Abby

 

When I first met Abby, let me tell you,  I was a little bit scared of him.

 

He was like a human whirlwind!

 

But he said up front that he had ADD.  He wanted to learn to slow down.

 

He was so enthusiastic and so sweet!  I soon knew that my first impressions had been wrong.

 

He just wanted a chance to succeed.  And he wanted to be loved.

 

He turned up to my Mindfulness Group - we were doing yoga and he wanted to join in.

 

Bless him, he tried so hard to keep still!  The first time he did it, he was barely on the ground a second before he leapt up again and ran off, sounding very pleased with himself that he even tried.  I was pleased as well - I was glad he chose to sit so close to me, even for that split second. My eyes were closed but I knew it was him.

 

And he didn’t give up.  He had a big heart and a bright brain, I knew that...his genius just needed to be unlocked, and I really, really wanted to be the one to help him.

 

He got a straightjacket from the old hospital and strapped himself into it so he could do yoga with me - with my group.  He sat next to me good as gold. I felt so proud of him for working so hard - and smart - at getting into it.

 

His hair was golden too.  I had noticed that right away.  I couldn’t miss it! And I’d also seen how pretty his blue eyes were, how much they sparkled, especially when he was excited (which was pretty much all the time).  His little mouth was so sweet-looking and he had dimples which got even cuter when he smiled (which, again, was nearly all the time).

 

I just couldn’t help falling in love with him….