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Post by Sky on Aug 19, 2006 22:09:22 GMT -5
Shooting her a tired smile, suddenly feeling drained, Sky replied with another shrug. "Nothing. I mean, I don't know what I'm saying." Pausing, he then hedged, "Well, I just came out here to see if you were okay and since it doesn't look like Ambrose did too much damage, I guess that means you'll be fine; in any case, I should probably go back inside and get Alice and take her back to Alfea before she has to suffer through spending anymore time alone with that jerk."
Turning to leave, Sky hesitated and then said over his shoulder, "When I get back to Red Fountain, can we talk? There are a few things I need to get off my chest."
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Post by Chris Strongheart on Aug 19, 2006 22:13:13 GMT -5
"All right," she said softly, nodding slightly. She turned and silently made her way back to Red Fountain. She had to pause to wipe away the tears that were falling and blurring her vision.
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Post by Sky on Aug 20, 2006 11:26:05 GMT -5
Slipping back inside the restaurant, Sky made his way back over to Alice and Ambrose; completely giving Ambrose the cold shoulder, Sky turned to Alice and said, "Care to leave?"
When Alice nodded, Sky helped pull back her chair and then offered her his arm as he gently led her toward the exit. Once outside, Sky glanced down at her as he said quietly, "I'm truly sorry that things turned out like this tonight; I hope you know that I really wanted to have a good time and that I wanted to be here with you." Pausing for a moment, Sky continued, "I'm not going to insult you by pretending that you were wrong to think that I still have feelings for Christine, but . . . I like you too. I do. I like you immensely." A faint smile reaching his lips, he added, "Especially after the way you stood up to Ambrose."
Silent for a moment as they continued to stroll down the sidewalk, he then said, "So I'm torn. There's you and then there's her and you know, the more I think about it's always been that way - I mean, each time I find myself falling for a girl, I still have feelings for the girl I was with. A long time ago it was that way with Disa and Bloom, and then Bloom and Christine, and now Christine and you. It's like a cycle I don't know how to break. I just don't know how to make up my mind . . . I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm rambling on about this. After all, this is hardly appropriate date talk - even the stupidest of guys knows not to talk about other girls in the presence of his date."
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Post by Alice on Aug 20, 2006 11:39:58 GMT -5
Tilting her head up to look at Sky, Alice felt a stir of sympathy swelling up in her for the poor guy. He was being sincere; he really didn't have a clue who he wanted to be with. Or if he did know, he wasn't allowing himself to be conscious of it for some strange reason or another.
Walking quietly beside Sky, allowing him to talk, to vent, to try to sort out whatever it was he was feeling, Alice suddenly stopped when he referred to her as his date. Moving to stand in front of him, Alice looked him squarely in the eyes as she said, "You want to end this 'cycle,' you've been referring to, Sky? Well, I think that was your first clue." Seeing him shoot her a quizzical look, Alice gave a sad smile as she said, "It's the fact that you're comfortable talking to me about other girls. Doesn't that seem more like something that would be discussed among friends?"
As Sky mumbled something about friendships leading to relationships, Alice persisted, a part of her determined to help him solve his inner conflict, "But would you talk about me to Christine? I mean, would you outright tell her that you felt something for me or would you be so happy to spend time with her that thoughts of me would just . . . vanish?" When Sky remained silent, Alice sighed. She had tried to help him along with leading questions, but clearly that wasn't working. That left her only one more thing to try: chemistry. Keeping her eyes unwaveringly on Sky's, she said simply, "Kiss me."
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Post by Sky on Aug 20, 2006 11:43:42 GMT -5
Momentarily taken aback, Sky frowned as he echoed, "Kiss you? You mean, right now? Out here in public?" When Alice nodded, Sky hesitated before he pressed a quick, chaste kiss to the corner of her mouth. Stepping back, unsure of what the point of that was, Sky waited for her to say something.
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Post by Alice on Aug 20, 2006 11:47:04 GMT -5
A dry smile tugging at her lips, Alice shook her head as she scoffed, feeling secure enough in her friendship with Sky to let down her proper lady act for once, "Is that the best you can do? Truly, Sky, when I said 'kiss me,' I meant, really kiss me." Vaguely, she finished as she led Sky to an area that afforded them a little more privacy, "It's the only way you'll know once and for all."
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Post by Sky on Aug 20, 2006 11:59:59 GMT -5
Intrigued by her mysterious tone, Sky followed Alice to the back stoop of some little abandoned shop. Glad that she had chosen a place where they couldn't be seen by the people who were walking up and down the main sidewalks, Sky took a deep breath, a part of him wondering why he was having so much trouble with kissing her; if word got out about that, he would surely be branded some kind of eunuch or something because goodness knows that no red-blooded male would pass up on the opportunity to pull someone like Alice into his arms.
Closing his eyes, mentally psyching himself up, Sky finally bent down as he pulled Alice closer to him. Lightly kissing her soft lips, feeling her wrap her arms around his neck, Sky suddenly knew that this was a test. That Alice was trying to get him to discover his true feelings - who he really wanted to be with. If it was her, Sky realized sadly, he wouldn't even be having these thoughts; he would be 'lost in the moment.' But he wasn't.
Abruptly pulling away from her, Sky shook his head as he said, keeping his eyes averted from hers, "I'm sorry. I'm just . . . sorry."
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Post by Alice on Aug 20, 2006 12:04:33 GMT -5
Shaking her head, Alice replied softly, "Don't apologize; I already figured that it wasn't me you wanted, remember? Back in the restaurant on the dance floor? I just needed to get you to see that it wasn't me too."
As they stepped back out onto the main sidewalk, Alice was silent for a moment before she said with a warm laugh, trying to lighten the mood and to let him know that there wasn't any bad blood between them now, "So why are you still here with me, hmm? Isn't this the part where you're supposed to run off and get your girl now that you know who she is?"
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Post by Sky on Aug 20, 2006 12:19:11 GMT -5
Hesitating, Sky shook his head as he said wryly, "Can't you tell that I'm stalling? I guess . . . I guess I'm afraid that nothing has changed." Glancing over at Alice, feeling glad that he had someone to confide in, he continued, "I mean, even if I go over to Christine and tell her that I want to be with her, sure it'll be good for tonight and we'll be happy but then tomorrow will come and it'll be back to the real world. A world where she isn't good enough for me. Where she could never be more than just a passing, teenage fling. I hate that world - that world where everything is dictated by my realm and my parents and laws and so what do I do? What can I do? Nothing, that's what. I'm back to square one."
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Post by Alice on Aug 20, 2006 12:24:46 GMT -5
Giving him a look that was borderline pity, Alice gave Sky's hand a comforting squeeze as she said, "It's not me you should be saying this to, Sky, and you know it. Go talk to her, okay?"
As they drew to a halt next to his levabike, Alice stepped back as she said, "You go on from here; I can catch a ride back to Alfea from someone else." Seeing him begin to protest, Alice smiled. "I'll be fine. I promise. Now you go."
Watching Sky nod and then finally zoom away, Alice waited until he was out of sight before she glanced up at the shop she was standing in front of. The Java House. With a tired laugh, Alice shook her head; it had been a long night - the least she deserved to treat herself to was a good hot cup of coffee.
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