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((Haha that's right. ANGER. And yeah Abel's a douche. GOSH. Haha. I was going to say something else...but I forgot what it was. D: ))

Abel watched Talen as he spoke, his face unreadable towards his thoughts. He wasn't even sure what they were himself. When Talen finished he looked away and shook his head.

"I've heard those words before. A long, long time ago. With the same pitying eyes." He smiled, the memories drifting in his mind, but this time he didn't try to push them back. This time they warmed him up. He still felt the dull ache of pain in his heart, but it was something he'd had grown used to.

"That's why I hide." He said quietly, lowering his head and nodding. "Because whenever I don't, people look at me the way you are now. Pity. I question if people know me, because honestly I question if I even know myself. I don't know which me is actually the one I am hiding. Or WHAT I am hiding, or if I am even hiding anything at all. It's just normal for me to fit myself into the situation and people, change the mask to what fits."

Pausing, he looked at Talen, this time he seemed shaken. "It is sad. If I were you I'd look at me the same way. Maybe even disgust as well. I'm one big contradiction. I want people to accept me and then I refuse the acceptance, I doubt it and question it. I want someone to KNOW me and I don't even know myself. It's ridiculous. I'm ridiculous. You'd think a good hundred years would change me, shape me into someone who you guys can learn from and be open to, but if I can't do that myself, how can I expect any of you to do the same?"

Quietly he moved back towards Talen, staring at him. "If you want to hit me, you should hit me. Hard as you want. Maybe that will make me learn. Maybe someone listening to their feelings and what they tell them to do will let me do the same. So do it. Stop fighting back. I frustrate you and anger you, I see it. Don't feel pity for me, feel anger. I'd appreciate that much more."

((Hahaha. HIT ME! HIT ME!))

((AHAHAHA. Who would have known!? And I bet Talen just a figment of his imagination, trying to cope with the real world around him.))

((Hahaha. I can so see all of that. It's ridiculous. Now I want to watch that movie again. D: Just for the kicks and giggles.))

Abel blinked, a little taken back at first. Usually he suspected if he had offered someone to hit him, they'd take the offer. But instead he was left feeling a bit insane for ever even offering. He let out a laugh as Talen spoke and he nodded, taking a step back and looking away.

He didn't have any words to say back to the man in front of him. There was nothing to truly express how much he appreciated Talen, for everything he had done and said ever since they had met. He had put up with Abel for so long, and the fact he remained by his side astounded Abel. It was only now that he was finally beginning to see it.

"I'll tell her. I will. I just have to wait for the right time. That's just the way it is with her. I can't bring it up around everyone..." He paused when Talen asked for a hug. His blue eyes looked up and he quirked his brows. "Uh." He said blatantly and looked around as if making sure no one was there to witness. "Uh. Okay..." He stepped towards Talen and wrapped his arms around him, bending over slightly. He patted him lightly on the back.

"I'm sorry. For all of this. For being...so...despicable. I don't know what came over me. I was just...I don't even know." He muttered and started to pull away.

((Haha. He's so awkward...))

((Hahaha. He both angers me and makes me giggle. I love-hate him.))

Abel made a strange noise when he was lifted and turned. When he was put down he looked around again and swallowed, taking a step back. He wondered if this was a normal thing these days, hugging people. Back when he was a kid, if you hugged someone you were either a girl...or a freak.

"Oh...yeah. We kind of left without saying anything. Or...at least I did. I don't know if you did, since I was...gone." He stopped talking and sighed. As Talen walked off, Abel followed after him. As he was gripped by the shoulder he looked ready to pull away, since they were out on the streets now, afraid there was another hug coming. He didn't mind hugging Mei...well he did...but it wasn't as strange as Talen.

"You know...if you ever want to ask me anything...I might answer..." He said, watching the people pass them on the streets. "Just in case you...I don't know, have a question." He cleared his throat and looked at Talen before laughing. "Yeah." He finally stopped talking, realizing he was sounding awfully strange.

Yanmei had been waiting with Leah outside of the store for a good twenty minutes. She hadn't thought much of the guys' absence. It happened often. But what she worried about was being alone with Leah. She didn't know what to say to her. So instead of cracking jokes and sarcastic remarks, which she knew Leah wouldn't get, she was silent.

"Huh?" She was pulled out of her daze when Leah looked at her. She quirked a brow and looked slowly away shaking her head. "I don't think just some shopping can make them run off. Especially Abel. He actually likes clothes. Talen maybe might have run away because of it. Or he just followed Abel. He follows him around a lot. The two of them are like Siamese twins without the gross appendage connecting them. I'm just waiting for them to kiss." She glanced at Leah. "If you want to be with Abel, you'll have to be with Talen too." She smiled.

She turned her head to see the two mentioned men walking towards them. A smile grew on her face. "Hey Chang and Eng." She said joyfully and started towards them with the large bags of clothes.

((Hahaha she's so interesting...))

Mei raised a brow at Talen. "Miss you? I just missed him. Leah missed him more than I did!" She pushed a finger at Abel, her face serious. "No one misses you, Talen. Get OVER yourself!" She rolled her eyes before smirking and giggling slightly.

Abel smiled at Mei as she joked around and then looked over to Leah as she mentioned blood. He frowned and looked down. There was blood smeared across his chest. His face twisted with disgust and he looked up again. "Oh." His eyes moved to Mei who seemed to be waiting for an answer.

"Yeah I guess there is." He said simply, not really venturing to answer why there was blood on his shirt, the question wasn't posed anyways. "Uh. So. What are we doing now?" He asked.

Mei furrowed her brows, but this time said nothing. "I don't know." She pushed the bags of clothes at him. "But you can carry these."

((That's right. Get the men to carry the bags! Those good for nothings.))

((Oh yes. I sure did! I got offered wine and beer like nonstop by my aunts, uncles, and cousins and I refused. Haha. I was like "No thank you." And they thought that was amazing. But anyways. Yeah it was nice. Kind of boring, but nice.))

Abel took the bags into his hands and pulled them off the ground. At Talen's conversation with Leah, Abel laughed slightly and shook his head.

Mei laughed loudly and pointed at Talen as he mentioned she laughed at his affection. "That's right. Love is a funny thing. Especially when people show it like you. Oh man." She cocked her hip slightly and waited for Talen to answer his phone. She could hear Alice yelling and Mei smirked, looking over at Abel who frowned.

"Oh man..." He said softly and shifted the heavy bags. "We should get you back then." At Talen's comment about Leah being in trouble he made a confused face and then snorted at her reaction and the next words out of Talen's mouth. "You shouldn't scare her like that..." He said gently and looked at the woman with a sigh.

Mei opened her mouth to say something but the noise that came out was a surprise yell. A car came speeding down the road and screeched to a hault right by Abel who went completely pale and froze in fear. The black sports car had extremely tinted windows and was shined and polished without a single nick.

"PERFECT TIMING!" Mei exclaimed. "Gabey can drive us back so we don't have to exersice anymore than we already have."

Abel slowly came out of his frozen state of shock and looked over to Mei. "You didn't exercise at all..."

"Walking! HELLO. That's exercise." As she moved to the car the front door opened and a extremely tall black man stepped out, getting a few odd looks from passerby who were probably wondering how he fit inside. Abel looked at him and quickly looked away.

Gabriel walked up to him and took the bags from his hands. "We'll put these in the trunk." He said calmly, voice smooth and dark. A few women walking into the shop paused and stared at Gabriel, smiling dumbly. As he turned he saw Leah he said, "a new friend?"

"Oh." Abel jumped and nodded, blushing just barely, still pale from surprise. "Yeah...uh this is Leah...Leah, this is Gabriel." He smiled assuringly to her.

"Yeah call him Gabey. He LOVES that. And don't worry, he won't shoot you." Mei said with a devious grin and walked around the car, sliding into the passenger seat.

Gabriel rolled his dark blue eyes at Mei and opened the back door for the three others. "I can take you to Alice's." He said, waiting for them to get in.

Abel got into the car, sliding all the way to Mei's side.