“Town library. Wait, which school library? I already checked the one on campus.”
…The school for young super heroes in training. The high school. The town library is downtown where they have the DMV.
“Sarcasm. Funny. Do I /look/ like a superhero?” Or worse, a high schooler?
claustrophobicwerewolf-archive:
”It’s not here- you need to go to the other side of the school.”
“Other side of the— oh! I meant, the town library?”
School library or the town library with the old librarian that smells like baby powder?
“Town library. Wait, which school library? I already checked the one on campus.”
Summer Rainault brushed her hands over her dress again, smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from the fabric. Tonight was the culmination of months of hope, weeks of planning, and days of daring activity. She’d get her freedom back, and win the heart of someone she cared about very much.
Even if they’d never met yet. If he didn’t reject her on sight.
She turned the malachite bracelet on her wrist, fingertips sliding over the heart charms dangling from it. The deep green of the stone set off her pale green dress, and she hoped the signal would be clear enough, between bracelet, earrings, and cabochon choker.
She’d already fought down the nerves once, when she went to his house and he wasn’t home. Had she been mistaken, already been rejected, already lost? It had taken a long minute simply to gather herself enough to search in her own unique way.
But no. He was alone, and wandering, and searching. Probably — hopefully — for her. She pushed away from her car, hanging her keys from the tiny shoulder bag, and set off directly for him. Let people think she was meeting someone. She tossed her red hair over her shoulder, and squared them.
She was.
She reached out, hand trembling slightly, and touched Scott McCall’s shoulder. “Hi,” she said softly, when he whipped around.
The clock was ticking and the minutes until midnight were running away faster than Scott could catch them. There were too many people on the streets and even his werewolf senses couldn’t help him much right now, when he had to find someone he didn’t even know. He still didn’t know for sure if he was looking for a man or a woman, but the long red hair he had found made him assume it was a girl. He only knew one person with red hair.. but there was no way in hell that Lydia was the person behind those letters, right? He didn’t know her that well, but romantic letters didn’t really seem to be her style. She was more the take what you want kind of girl.
Not knowing if he feared or wanted Lydia to be the person who had sent those letters, he slowed down his steps and searched the crowd for redheaded people. “Great..” he mumbled when he realized that most people around him were wearing hats – no wonder, it was winter after all. Just as he was starting to lose all hope, he remembered that the last note had told him to look for the stone that would fit the one on the box. Easier said then done. He didn’t even know how big this stone was – and honestly, anyone could be wearing it.
“Damn.. maybe I should have stayed at home and waited..?” Scott wondered, hoping that whoever did this for him wasn’t standing in front of his door right now, waiting for him to open. He stopped in the middle of the street, watching the people surrounding him, but he only saw groups of people who seemed to know each other and weren’t looking for anyone. Still contemplating to run back home, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around.
Before him stood a girl he had never seen before, wearing a beautiful green dress that let her flaming red locks shine bright. Matching the color of the dress was a bracelet around her arm – the counterpart to the box on Scott’s window frame. Scott’s face lit up with a bright smile when he realized that he had found her. Not Lydia after all.
“It’s you!” he said excited, before suddenly remembering that this was a reason to be nervous about. Clearing his throat he pushed his hands into his jacket pockets and bit his lower lip. “Uh, hi,” he added a little awkwardly.
“I am.. wow, I don’t know what to say.” He had about a million questions to ask her but all of a sudden none of them were anywhere to be found in his head. “I’m Scott. Uhm, but you know that.. what’s your name?” Great start, Scott, just great.
She couldn’t help laughing a little at the puppy-ish eagerness and excitement. He obviously didn’t know how cute biting his lip was, either. She resisted the fleeting temptation to touch his mouth.
“It /is/ me,” she said, instead of the half a dozen inappropriate things fleeting through her head. “My name is Summer.” She glanced around at the people milling around them, loud and happy, and back to him. “I think we should talk somewhere quieter, don’t you?”
iamthefirechild:
Seriously. It would be so much easier if people would just be honest. *bangs her head on his shoulder* My sister sent me a pic of a new Ben and Jerry’s flavour called Chocolate Peppermint Crunch. I say we get a couple pints of that, watch the Fellowship of the Ring, and bad-mouth our exes.
I think I’ll like that. Ice cream..I haven’t had any in a long time but I can always work out and burn it all off. {he chuckles}
You did say lacrosse practise starts next week. Surely that will do it. *grins* Is your mom going to look at you funny if I come over? I live alone, and I promise not to molest your hot self. *sticks out tongue*
She hadn’t bothered to wait, since the coffee shop was right there and she’d pointed it out to him. Besides, it was a big parking lot; she didn’t know where his car was! So when he made his way back, she handed him a big paper cup, warm to the touch.
“I didn’t know how you liked it, so it’s just black like my soul.” Her own cup was smaller, filling the chilly air with the scent of chocolate. “I hope caffeine works on you!”
He gave her a tired smile and gratefully took the cup from her. He took an appreciative sniff, enjoying the smell of the caffeine. “Thanks again, you really didn’t have to do this, but thank you.” He motioned to a nearby table, “You wanna sit down for a bit and keep me company? I should probably drink this before I head out. Don’t wanna spill it on anybody I might run into.”
“Sure.” Summer unslung her bag from her shoulder and dropped into the indicated chair. “So, um … you want to talk about it? Whatever it is that made you not sleep? Sometimes just saying it out can help.”
Of all the times for her fragile control to be overwhelmed — it had to be while her car was in the shop. So many people, too many people, too many emotions — it felt like her head was splitting like a shot watermelon. Summer perched on the brick edging outside the mechanic’s, clutching her head and trying very, very hard not to scream. Nearly invisible in the sunlight, sparks licked up from her fingertips.
Since Summer had to bring her car to the auto shop, Isaac had offered to give her a lift home but suddenly her demeanor changed, something was very wrong.
When he saw the beginnings of a fire sprouting from the tips of her fingers he was given an idea of just how bad things were. He had never seen her lose control before and the thought terrified him but he could back away, he had to try and help her.
”Hey,” his voice was soft as he called out, “Summer just close your eyes and breathe,” he did his best to speak in a soothing tone, the sound low in pitch and quiet. “Just breathe.”
She dug her fingers into her skull as if that would somehow block out the emotional babble of a thousand people pouring through her mind. Someone was there, close, too close, there was a shadow between her and the light —
Isaac. Isaac was speaking, frowning, blue eyes dark; Isaac was worried. Breathe he said.
“Can’t.” It was almost a sob. “Hurts.” And that /was/ a sob. “Too many, too much, make it stop, please make it stop.” She kept her eyes open, kept them on his, because it would hurt less if she just fell into him, right? One person, that had to be easier than the crowd of thousands roaring in a hot-light jumble, overwhelming all her senses.
But if she just looked at him, just at those eyes, those hands arms shoulders chest heartbeat he was afraid of her why was he afraid of her a ribbon of grey leading back and back and back fear and control and helplessness what was that in his past why was it so cold —
Something sizzled against her skin — why was she crying? A spark rose lazily off her skin and drifted up between them. Summer became aware that her hands were shaking. That her whole body was trembling, great long shudders that jolted her teeth together and wormed pain through every muscle.
“Please,” she managed, through clenched jaws, “get me out of here.”
“Of course,” she said, almost automatically. “Do you want to put your stuff in your car before, or … ” She left it open for his answer, already starting off toward the coffee shop.
Aiden nodded. “That’s probably a good idea. Just gimme a sec, I’ll be right back.” He put the bags in his car, then made his way back to her. “Alright, I’m ready.”
She hadn’t bothered to wait, since the coffee shop was right there and she’d pointed it out to him. Besides, it was a big parking lot; she didn’t know where his car was! So when he made his way back, she handed him a big paper cup, warm to the touch.
“I didn’t know how you liked it, so it’s just black like my soul.” Her own cup was smaller, filling the chilly air with the scent of chocolate. “I hope caffeine works on you!”
Setting the glass down, Summer put her hands in her pockets and walked over to stand beside his knees. Slowly, she said, “I’m going to trust you, but I know you aren’t telling me the whole truth, either.” Looking down into his blue eyes (not very far down, why was this town full of tall guys?), she went on, “I don’t know who it is yet. If I did, I would do something about it. Right now, I just know I’m in danger. They stopped following two or three streets back, but my apartment is on the other side of town.”
Watching her, he knew he wasn’t but he didn’t care that much. “Right… But why are they after you?” He questioned tilting his head to the side slightly. There was lots of reasons why probably but he wanted to know. Call him nosey but he did just save her.
“I don’t even know who they are, and you think I know /why/?” She could make an informed guess or two, but given what she was and what she could do — there were too many possibilities to narrow it down much. “Let’s just say, Mr Hero, that I am not a safe person.”
Oh. He didn’t realise yet … her heart beat hard, and one hand crept up to finger the lapis disc at her throat. This was going to be so much harder than she thought, with his blue eyes actually fixed on her. Actually seeing her, for the first time.
Especially after basically flirting with him for a week through notes. Oh, god, this was a stupid idea. She should’ve just let Jesse have his way; this was going to end so badly, and the forfeit would be worse than simply giving in … ”I, uh, I’m your secret admirer.”
His eyes stared at her with intrigue as he awaited her response, though when it came he was left at a slight loss for words.
He hadn’t been given any idea of what she would look like. What she sounded like. How she dressed. How she talked and held herself. It had all been left up to imagination — a very limited imagination in his case.
He wanted to smile and laugh and invite her inside to learn all about her but he was frozen in place because with this new information, he looked at her in a completely different way.
This girl that stood on his doorstep liked him. She was secretive and creative and was just as beautiful as her calligraphy. Suddenly he was nervous. What if he wasn’t what she thought he was? What if once she actually talked to him she changed her mind about him?
”Hi,” he breathed, before swallowing a small lump in his throat. “What’s your name?”
Summer wanted to cheat. She wanted to cheat so badly. What was he feeling? Was he nervous too? Was that why he held himself so still, why he kept swallowing?
(don’t watch his throat, don’t watch his neck)
Or was he just giving her time to dig herself in deeper before cutting her to shreds with words?
(no one can love you, ma chère, no one can ever love you)
How did other girls /do/ this? How did they open themselves up, cracked open like a geode, and deliberately show someone what was inside, knowing how easily you could be shattered? A breeze kicked up, and she shivered. She had to know, couldn’t stand not knowing —
the bitterness of chopped onion (fear) / lemon and sugar (hope)
Summer found herself smiling. Gently, so gently, she said, “You said that already. Isaac. I’m Summer.”
