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 Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:40 pm
He watched how she bit her lip sometimes. The girl must use a serious amount of chapstick, he thought, or be very nervous most of the time...
"My social life was better when I was dorming. But I couldn't afford that after awhile, so I got my own apartment, got more jobs, and, here I am. Believe me, you're making my life a lot better now."
Almost immediately after he said it, he wished he could take it back. She was making his life better by giving him something to anticipate, someone to talk to who was new, and a reason to go out on a Saturday night... but maybe that had been too much, genuine as it might have been?
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:46 pm
The statement surprised her, but she smiled just as genuinely back. "Well...n-no pressure right?" She laughed at that, tilting her head as she looked up at him softly.
"Though it seems that the feeling's mutual..." She nodded with an encouraging smile. "despite just meeting you a few days ago, you've gotten me to laugh, smile, and relax more than I have in...gosh probably 10 years...." That was also genuine. She could sense the slight embarrassment on his face so tried to fix it by revealing her own little confession.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:55 pm
"Well that's a good thing... I mean, you need it, don't you?" Alex lifted his violet eyes to her face, and really understood what she meant suddenly. He remembered her angry, crying face on the first day they met, and to see her now, with laughter replacing all those yells... it was amazing.
"Think we should do this more often? I'll admit, I can't buy you dinner all the time what with bills and everything, but... it'd be great to see you outside that cafe."
Please, please his heart said. Say yes.
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:01 pm
Her eyes searched his violet, smiling in themselves as she felt herself inhale sharply.
"I'd...I'd like that very much." Her smile was dazzling, as she struggled not to smile too big despite her mouth fighting against her.
"And really.. I'm around glitz and glam all the time... Its nothing special. I'm content just sitting and talking..." She admitted, trying hard to sound calm and placid, though on the inside she was spinning cartwheels.
"That and I have no problem going dutch."
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:22 pm
"Well alright then!" Alex let the breath he'd been holding in go in a little burst of laughter. She could make him so uptight sometimes, even when he seemed like he was all calm and cool.
"This is good... because I do like seeing you during breaks and everything. Kind of... gives me something to look forward to. Pretty face and good conversation."
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:46 pm
His compliments always made her blush. Though this time she attempted to turn it around.
"And it's refreshing to be around someone so attractive, who actually uses his brain..." She retorted, Though was still a bit confused.
What did this make them then? It was still a bit too soon to call him her boyfriend. If anything the two just seemed to be a pair of flirty friends who enjoyed simple company, and expected nothing more... maybe thats all they would be for now...
and strangely.. Jess was alright with that.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:59 pm
"Attractive?" he repeated, more out of confusion than shock of the compliment. "So you like the hair? My mom yelled at me last time she saw me, saying it was too long and for goodness sake, what woman would ever want a man with hair as long as hers?"
He adopted a high-pitched, womanly voice for the laughs, waving his finger in a motherly way.
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:02 pm
That made Jess laugh whole heartedly as she leaned forward to toy with his hair herself. "Well I like it... It suits you very much... Though I know how mothers are..." She sighed, still smiling as she studied his face a moment.
"So you're living alone though? I'm jealous.. I'd love to be away from my mother, God love her..." She sighed distantly, still a bit fascinated by his hair, though pulled back for awkwardness sake.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:13 pm
"Can't your family just pay for it?" he wondered aloud. Though he couldn't really care less about the answer to that. He just missed her fingers going through his hair for those few seconds, just messing with it. If she liked his hair, then that was all the reason he needed to keep it long.
"Or are they trying to keep you there forever?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:18 pm
"No...it's nothing like that..." She said calmly, almost nonchalantly. "I can't leave... They need me..." Was her answer, one she gave with a simple shrug and a blank look. Sighing she sat back a little.
"I've looked into leaving many times... though even though they never say anything directly..." She shook her head. "...They just couldn't handle it... remember how I Said I like to test people, ecspecially my parents? Well.. I do so because I'm constantly checking their emotional state... Thats what I base my actions on... Always have..." She shrugged again, taking a solemn sip of her water.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:35 pm
He had struck a bad chord with her, he knew, but if this was a chance to figure her out more, Alex wasn't too sure he was all that sorry for it.
"Why don't you just ask them how they feel instead of pushing their buttons? You might be making things harder than they have to be, which doesn't make sense if you're trying to help them."
There was one thing he'd never be sorry for, though, and that was his bluntness when he didn't understand something.
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:42 pm
"It's complicated...." She said shortly, her eyes fierce for a moment as she peered up from her glass, though they softened again just as quickly. "...I'm sorry... it just really is... Though I do know what's best for them..." She acted as if they were the children and she were the parent.
But it was apparent she didn't want to get in deeper for she furrowed her brow, looking up at him. "Are you still feeling hungry? I've seemed to lost my appetite a bit... Though I should probably have something light anyhow.." She reached for her menu again, starting to eel a bit antsy.
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:50 pm
"Hey, I know how that goes..." Alex leaned forward in his seat again to try and get her to come back out of the shell she had formed around herself. His eyes seemed to plead for her to just have faith that she didn't have to be as frightened of opening up as she was.
"When my mom was going through the divorce, she was a wreck. See, my dad left when I was a kid, but he came back when I was like twelve to try and cause trouble. She had to battle for custody rights, and there was a lot of money being thrown around... we were sent into almost nothing. But we got by, and now she's alright. We're both trying our best to get by and make sure the other's got everything they need."
Alex hoped that somehow she could understand that struggle. Even if she had the material possessions now, he got the sense that she needed something far greater.
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 4:03 pm
Jess looked at him evenly, though a bit ofa sad look on her face. He revealed something about his past, so she should hers as well...
She shrugged a bit uncomfortably, not knowing what to say really. "...It's just....really personal..." She looked up at him, hurt eyes saying it all. "...But essentially we're doing the same... my parents make sure I have whatever I need materially...and I make sure they have whatever they need emotionally..." She swallowed a bit, looking down at a spot on the table. "I
told you how hard they took my sister's death... I've been their closure... Despite all this time... they're still not over it..." She shrugged a little more, playing with her fingers idly, though really starting to feel a bit vulnerable.
"...Though Alex...I'm sorry It's just really awkward for me to talk about... could we just... hold back on that for a bit?" She asked, pleaded really, finally making eye contact with him. This was their first 'date' after all. She wanted to open up, but it just didn't feel right to her then...
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- Pocket Full of Ashes - Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 4:09 pm
Alex reached out and took her hand tightly, just for one reassuring squeeze.
"You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to. Sorry I brought it up..."
So, her sister died. Her parents aren't over it, and why would they be? It was their daughter. Jess was their last ditch effort to get things right, so they showered her with gifts... it made sense.
"But hey, I've got something planned after this that'll make you smile again. We have to get out of here in at least an hour, alright? Or we'll miss it."
A mischievous grin and a wink later, and Alex was plotting away on how he'd make the fireworks after something to remember.
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