Birthday

[Chris Strongheart]

"If you excuse me," Christine said. "I better go after them and make sure he doesn't kill her. I really don't want to clean up the blood." With that, she walked after Sky and Diaspro, muttering oaths under her breath in regards to Sky's irrational temper. "Hopefully he won't go hybrid on her and cause a huge scene," she muttered.

[Sky]

diaspro said:

"Hey!" Diaspro hissed as Sky painfully pulled on her arm. "What do you think you're doing, hmm? You can't just force me to go somewhere with you." With a sneer, she added, "In case you've forgotten, Sky, you don't have a say in what I do anymore."

With a cold laugh, Sky retorted, "It's not so much what you do as it is what you say with your insanely big mouth that I'm concerned with." Shaking his head, he continued furiously, "What the hell was that in there? Were you seriously trying to start a fight with Bloom? And I mean, was it really necessary to bring up the tabloids? And Christine? Here I am trying to move on with my life and you suddenly arrive on the scene and now I'm right back to where I started."

[Princess Diaspro]

"Oh, I cannot believe what I'm hearing!" Diaspro exclaimed. "Are you honestly trying to blame me for being screwed up in the head over two girls? I mean, seriously? Come on, Sky - even you aren't that pathetic, are you?"

[Sky]

Feeling his blood begin to boil, Sky snapped angrily, "Think what you want, but I am not, as you say, 'screwed up' in the head about Bloom and Christine. I know exactly how I feel. Okay? Exactly." Pacing back and forth, Sky raged, "I know who I love, despite what you obviously think. I'm not stupid! And I'm not screwed up! I'm very, very normal. And I don't need you or anyone else to tell me otherwise. Okay? Is that okay, with you, Princess? Because you know what? I love Christine!"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Sky froze, not certain if he had really said what he thought he had. He hadn't - no, it wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. He couldn't have said 'Christine.' He loved Bloom . . . didn't he?

With a sinking feeling, Sky slowly lifted his eyes to meet Diaspro's gaze, not certain what he would see.

[Chris Strongheart]

Christine had been about to enter onto the balcony to keep the pair from killing each other. It didn't take a seer to see that. So she heard the entire conversation and Sky's explosive declaration. She drew her head back in surprise. He didn't just say that he loved her... did he? And that was the second time he did that. The first was when he went to rescue her from Darkar. Oi.. This could be a mess...

[Princess Diaspro]

Her mouth agape, Diaspro slowly lifted her hand and placed it against her lips as her shoulders began to tremble with suppressed laughter. Regaining her composure, she said triumphantly, "I knew it! See? I'm never wrong about these things. From the moment you mentioned that Christine had the been the one to throw you this party - and how you said that you two were 'just friends,' well, I knew that you were anything but that. I could see it in your eyes, Sky, darling. Eyes never lie."

Seeing that Sky was still frozen in place, Diaspro drew closer to him and then gently nudged him. In a sing-song voice, she continued, "Sky? Hello? Are you there?" Looking away, Diaspro put her hands on her hips as she muttered, "Apparently not."

[Sky]

"Oh, no . . . no . . . no . . . no," Sky muttered as he slowly shook his head back and forth, almost as if he were in a daze. As Diaspro's high-pitched voice penetrated his thoughts, he turned toward her, and stared at her blankly. Even though he could hear her, her words still didn't register in his mind. He was too preoccupied. Too, too preoccupied.

Slowly shifting his gaze away from Diaspro, Sky felt a jolt of shock run through his body when his eyes met those of Christine. Immediately brought back to reality by the sight of her standing just outside the balcony entrance, Sky felt his stomach turn. She hadn't been there that long, had she? She couldn't possibly have overheard his and Diaspro's conversation . . . she just couldn't have.

[Chris Strongheart]

"I.. ah.. was worried about the two of you. Last thing we needed was bloodshed. Ah... seeing that you two are fine... Ah, I'll just head back inside to the party," she stammered, blushing. Oh, she had hoped he wouldn't have seen her, but well, there was no other way now. She did a quick glance up down, making sure there was nothing lupine about Sky at the moment.

[Princess Diaspro]

Seeing that Sky was no longer paying attention to her, Diaspro frowned in confusion. As she noticed that his gaze seemed to trained exclusively on something else, Diaspro craned her neck, feeling quite curious, to see what it was.

Or should she say, who it was.

As she took note of Christine standing in the entrance, her mouth immediately formed into the shape of an 'o.' Internally, Diaspro felt that she should avert her eyes out of politeness or something equally lame . . . and yet, she just couldn't tear them away.

[Sky]

As an overwhelming urge to flee swarmed through his body, Sky felt himself panic. Literally. Before he could stop himself, he felt his legs unroot from the ground and then begin to move. Doing his best not to all out break into a run, Sky said, his voice sounding oddly loud and shaky, "I-I . . . excuse me."

Pushing past Christine, Sky shoved his way through throngs of people to get to the door. He needed out. He needed to be outside. To be away - far, far away. Pulling the door open, Sky jogged toward the elevator in the hallway and pressed the button for the doors to open. Feeling skittish, Sky tapped his foot nervously, desperately wishing that the elevator would hurry up. Almost as though his thoughts had summoned the elevator, the doors opened and Sky slipped between them.

Once inside, Sky pressed the button for ground level and then sank to the floor, feeling utterly exhausted.

[Chris Strongheart]

"Well, that was awkward," Christine said quietly. "So much for this party. Kind of a flop," she added, leaning against the door frame. "I suppose I'm going to be read the riot act of some kind by Sky and or Bloom later..."

[Princess Diaspro]

"Well, I think it's a lovely party," Diaspro remarked. "Very posh." Looking at Christine slyly, she added, "Much better than anything Bloom could have put together." Laughing softly to show that she meant no malice, Diaspro then continued boldly and without tact, "So you're the girl Sky loves . . . tell me, do you love him as well?"

[Chris Strongheart]

Christine flushed prettily at the question. "Ah," she started, before answering with a simple nod. "I suppose I've been in love with him since the summer he spent in my mother's realm," she admitted. She fussed with the hem of her dress, still blushing.

[Princess Diaspro]

Tilting her head as she eyed Christine, Diaspro replied, "You know, I like to think that I'm a good judge of character. I guess that sounds kind of . . . vain - and just so you know, many people would say that I am indeed the epitome of the term 'vain' - and they would be right." Waving her hand dismissively, Diaspro continued, "Anyhow, that being said, I like you. You're no fake. I hate fake people - which is why, I am the most real person you will ever meet." Laughing again, Diaspro added, "I have flaws - I know, shocking, right? Well, I do - but I don't try to cover that fact up. Unlike some people. Some people like Bloom." Giving Christine a pointed look, she finished, "Despite what it may look like, I care about Sky - as a friend, of course. And I want him to be happy - I just don't think he can be with Bloom. Because she's a big, old fake."

[Chris Strongheart]

"I know," Christine said. At Diaspro's confused look, she gave a small grin. "I'm a seer," she explained. "So, I am privy to seeing a few visions now and again. And from what I can see in them... She's an actress. And I don't understand why he's with her."

She shook her head. "I just want Sky to be happy and if he's happy with Bloom," she paused. "I just have to accept it. Even if my heart is telling me that I could have a chance." She lowered her gaze.