The Girl in Yellow (Accalia)

Jason put his hands in his pockets as she started off, keeping a brisk stride a little ways behind her. Not close enough that she felt smothered but enough that if she wanted to talk to him or have him come closer he could in a heartbeat. He didn't know what was going on but sometimes, things happened that made you need a moment before facing anyone. Jason could understand that. When they were at the lake...that was one of those moments. After meeting Geoff. He had to wait a few hours before coming back, and he figured she was the same.

She hadn't even removed her shoes, hadn't been able to escape whatever clutches stole over her. He wanted to comfort her but would stick to his thoughts- that she needed time to unwind. To be courteous of her feelings. If she decided she wanted him to go too, he would of course bow to her wishes.

@accalia

After a few more minutes, maybe five or so, of them walking in silence at a brisk pace, Accalia finally started to slow down, hanging back in order to walk side by side with him. She stopped, reaching down to take off her heels and held them both in one hand as she continued walking. "This... this is why I don't go out. I've spent five years avoiding them and now, for one night, Mac convinces me to go out," she turns to look at him, "because you might be there. And now... now I can't face that party. I can't even face myself," she said, shaking her head a little and looking away from him, but slowing the pace.

@calloway

Jason watched her come back, stopping with her and holding her hand so she could be stable while she took off her shoes with the other before releasing it again. He listened as she let out a little on what was going through her mind. He assumed one of two people walked in behind him- Geoff, or the woman he was with. He had questions about that. About why someone who appeared to be so in love would betray her in such a fashion. Instead, he would speak softly.

"You must have really loved each other to still feel this pain after so long. I am sorry you have to go through it."

How he knew it well. He was lucky enough to be half a world away from his pain. Still, it ached in his chest. At the same time it caused doubts to fester. Wondering if maybe she and the man were meant to be. Five years was a long time to love. Too long to not be affected forever. Perhaps...he was making a mistake? Perhaps....he should put some distance between them. That was something he would have to think on.

The way Jason said that, that she and Geoff must have really loved each other... that made her heart hurt. She shook her head, deciding not to look at him when she gave her response. "I don't think it's about us loving each other, really. I think the problem is that we really could have gone somewhere... but then it was cut short. And by something so terrible," she explained. "I think it was the fact that someone I saw a lot of potential with left me to die," she was walking the path towards the fields, where she worked every day. It was familiar, comfortable. "I just never let myself face it. I spent five years avoiding it. I should have gotten closure or something stupid like that."

Jason shrugged. He would give his two cents.

"It is hard to face but....there is a difference between love and regret. I think you regret what happened because of what you could of been. But I also think that....feeling you get when you see her, or see Geoff. Where your heart leaps into your throat, and you pale, and feel numb in your toes....thats the pain of love. I know because I went though something...similar. It hurts to the point that just talking about it makes my legs feel week. It's not a love that makes me desire that person, or want them back but... when you truly love someone it hurts that much more."

He wondered if she agreed with any of it.

"That... make sense, I think," she crossed into the fields and headed toward a tree where she and Bernard often sat and talked. It was a good place to relax for her. She was only fifteen when she and Geoff dated, so she didn't necessarily agree that it was 'true love'. Maybe 'true love' on a teenage scale, but that was different then being an adult. "So... if we sit down are you going to tell me about it?" she asked, not really trying to pressure him or anything but with a genuine curiosity.

He gave a little chuckle.

"You really want to hear my sop story? I guess it's only fair, since I know of Geoff..."

He used the term "sop story" lightly, but it really was deeply personal. He didn't really know how to go about telling it. What you would say to someone you care about regarding a girl you used to know. He would follow her to the tree, putting a hand on it and letting out a little breath. He enjoyed forests, seeing large trees that grew tall, fed by his precious water. He would turn and put his back to it, looking up at the stars as she slid to a sit. He didn't seem to mind that he was in a suit, or that it got dirty. Those sorts of things weren't what was important to him.

"Well...lets see. I met her around the same age you and Geoff divided. I was fifteen. We were sophomores in highschool. She fell in love with me first, but never pursued me because I was interested in someone else. She and I were best friends throughout the first half of the year though, and when it fell through with the other girl we decided to date. It was...hesitant for me at first, because I knew what highschool loves were like. But as the years went by and we truly grew into each other, I knew I had fallen in love with her. She wanted to get married our senior year but I was very....hesitant. We still had these big differences that I found difficult to overcome. Ideas about our future, what we wanted in life....everything."

He didn't look at Accalia as he spoke, just watching the stars.

"There was...this other guy. She and him had been friends for years and throughout our relationship. I never thought anything of it, because i trusted her. He even stayed with us a few times, hanging out. Well, time wore on and soon enough, at the beginning of last year, I found myself committing. Feeling the pull of marriage, a family. Yes, at nineteen. I know it's young but we had been together almost five years. So, I told her I planned to propose at a festival in new mexico she had always wanted to go to. I told her because she said she wanted to know when i planned to do it early on. Her response was....underwhelming, and I felt a little shock at it. Still, I thought maybe she was just in shock herself and so I started ring hunting, telling the family...anyway, one night she was staying with me at the boathouse. I woke up in the middle of the night and she wasn't there."

He scratched his head.

"I went out into the hallway and heard her on the phone....talking to the guy. She was saying very...inappropriate things. About how hot he was, how attracted to him she was. Come to find out....she had been cheating on me with him over the last year. Sending him naked pictures, fucking him when he came over. I broke up with her but still let her come around. I felt angry at myself that I waited too long. That I pushed her away by saying I wasn't ready for marriage when I did. Anyway...six months after we broke up, she married the guy. That was about four months ago."

He gave an easy smile, a little pale. He half shrugged.

"And that's my sad tale. I hope I have succeeded in making you feel as bad as possible for me."

He chuckled a little on the end...trying to keep it on a light wave.

As Jason leaned against the tree with one hand, Accalia stayed standing and put her back to the trunk, turning to listen at his story. When he was finished, she shook her head and blinked several times before speaking. "That... wow. That wasn't very long ago at all," he muttered, more to herself then to him. She felt awful now, kissing someone who had just gone through that so recently. She shook her head and tried to smile along with him, but it probably just looked like she had stubbed her toe or something. "That's terrible, Jason. I'm sorry," she said.

Jason laughed at the wince on her face.

"Thanks Accalia...but listen. When I found out what she did I spend the first month or two very depressed. Even now it's a hard thing to talk about. But when it happened, I pushed myself past it and have moved on. I still miss who she used to be sometimes but realizing that most of the end of our relationship was fake....it's like a bucket of cold water. I don't have those feelings for her anymore, and I knew it will be hard for me in the future if I didn't accept that it wasn't my fault."

He'd turn toward her searching her eyes as he spoke.

"Why do you think I wanted us to take it so slow? That I wanted us to really get to know each other and have a lot of time under our belt before committing? I don't want to make the same mistakes twice. And we both have history- you with Geoff, me with Frances. That's...part of life."

The way Jason treated Geoff was starting to make sense now. Not that she was okay with it in the moment, but things were a bit more clear. She nodded, agreeing that baggage is a part of life. She took a deep breath in through her nose. "I understand. I mean, you're right," she said, biting her lip a little in nervousness. Turn she chuckled, "well, we're a couple of hot messes aren't we?"

He smiled.

"I don't think we're hot messes. I mean, I think you're hot but not a mess. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. But where one door closes, another opens, and I probably wouldn't be here with you unless the things that happened in my past happened so....it was all worth it in the end."

He gave a little wink, and would attempt to put his arm around her and gently pull her close.

She shook her head and chuckled a bit as he spoke about her being 'hot' but not a 'mess'. She knew he'd make a comment like that, she had set herself up for it. She nodded as he continued with that proverby type talk. "I guess you're right," she said, leaning into him as he put his arm around her. A part of her wasn't going to let him, but she told that part to shut up!

She took in his scent, smiling as her muscles relaxed into a more comfortable place.

(I think we should just wrap this one up, honestly! Let it simmer)