his imagination, or some combination of the two. But regardless, they’re the key to your misconception, your…lack of understanding. You can’t understand him… me… because there’s nothing there for you to understand. I’m like a car without a motor, a computer without a hard drive. All that remains in this shell of a person are plot lines for future horror films. The Monson Grey who stands before you is empty, Cyann, and maybe this new Monson isn’t angry about it because he’s not smart enough to understand the implications.”
Monson’s gaze turned skyward, his face accepting a cool blast of pine scented wind. He felt warmth run from his eyes. Wow, what an outburst , he thought. He was so very foolish. Why had he divulged so much? Especially to this girl he barely knew.
Monson slumped down, leaning his shoulder against the tree he had been dreaming under mere minutes ago. He let his head loll to one side, touching the rough bark as the weight of the day’s experiences finally broke him.
He heard a shuffling behind him. Monson started to turn around, but froze as a small hand brushed his shoulder before clutching his shirt. Cyann’s whispered words drove into him, plowing away all other concerns. He could hear nothing but her.
“If you are empty…yet, so vibrant and happy…then what does that…make me? What am I left with?”
Monson did not know why he did it. It was incredibly presumptuous of him, but he did it just the same, without even thinking about the consequences. He twisted at the waist, moving his hand slowly and purposefully across his body and over his shoulder. Cyann’s hand was still grasping his rumpled gym shirt, and he touched her lightly. She let go of his shirt, jarred by the contact. He grabbed her hand before she could retreat and squeezed lightly. He felt the tremble of icy skin and heard the quickening of her breath.
“I don’t have any answers for you, Cyann. But one thing I do know, happiness is not a goal. It’s a choice. It’s something you have to choose for yourself.”
She took another breath, this one slow and deep. He felt her body lean forward reluctantly as if she were straining against some unseen obstacle. Finally, she took a step towards him. Mere inches separated them now. Monson could actually feel her breath on his neck. Cyann pressed her temple lightly against his upper back. She squeezed his hand back as he felt his shirt start to dampen from her tears.
“Wow, Grey - that was profound. You should write that stuff down.”
Monson whipped to his left and a caught of fleeting glimpse of Indigo, Artorius and Casey. He had no time to react, as the moment they were interrupted, Cyann pushed Monson away. His leaning position against the tree was awkward and caused him to stumble forward. Fortunately, he caught himself before he broke his nose on a rather large rock.
“It wasn’t that good of a line.” Artorius appeared to be suffering from a mix of emotions as he traveled the thin line between respect and envy. “It sounded like something my granddad would have said. May he rest in peace.”
Indigo cooed, “I didn’t know your grandfather died. How sad. Anyway, you two have no sensitivity at all. Girls love stuff like that. That was a total paranormal line.
“A paranormal line?” asked Casey and Artorius simultaneously.
Indigo rolled her eyes. “Paranormal romance?”
Casey and Artorius looked at her vacantly.
Indigo sighed deeply. “No wonder you guys have no game. I’d wondered, because you’re actually pretty cute, Casey. And it’s especially surprising because don’t you, like, want to be a writer or something?”
At these words, Artorius gave Casey a spiteful look.
Casey ignored him and spoke to Indigo. “What you are talking about? I’m way smoother than Grey.”
“I think my sister’s actions would indicate otherwise.”
Casey posed dramatically. “I’ll prove it.”
He took Indigo’s hands into his
Monson’s gaze turned skyward, his face accepting a cool blast of pine scented wind. He felt warmth run from his eyes. Wow, what an outburst , he thought. He was so very foolish. Why had he divulged so much? Especially to this girl he barely knew.
Monson slumped down, leaning his shoulder against the tree he had been dreaming under mere minutes ago. He let his head loll to one side, touching the rough bark as the weight of the day’s experiences finally broke him.
He heard a shuffling behind him. Monson started to turn around, but froze as a small hand brushed his shoulder before clutching his shirt. Cyann’s whispered words drove into him, plowing away all other concerns. He could hear nothing but her.
“If you are empty…yet, so vibrant and happy…then what does that…make me? What am I left with?”
Monson did not know why he did it. It was incredibly presumptuous of him, but he did it just the same, without even thinking about the consequences. He twisted at the waist, moving his hand slowly and purposefully across his body and over his shoulder. Cyann’s hand was still grasping his rumpled gym shirt, and he touched her lightly. She let go of his shirt, jarred by the contact. He grabbed her hand before she could retreat and squeezed lightly. He felt the tremble of icy skin and heard the quickening of her breath.
“I don’t have any answers for you, Cyann. But one thing I do know, happiness is not a goal. It’s a choice. It’s something you have to choose for yourself.”
She took another breath, this one slow and deep. He felt her body lean forward reluctantly as if she were straining against some unseen obstacle. Finally, she took a step towards him. Mere inches separated them now. Monson could actually feel her breath on his neck. Cyann pressed her temple lightly against his upper back. She squeezed his hand back as he felt his shirt start to dampen from her tears.
“Wow, Grey - that was profound. You should write that stuff down.”
Monson whipped to his left and a caught of fleeting glimpse of Indigo, Artorius and Casey. He had no time to react, as the moment they were interrupted, Cyann pushed Monson away. His leaning position against the tree was awkward and caused him to stumble forward. Fortunately, he caught himself before he broke his nose on a rather large rock.
“It wasn’t that good of a line.” Artorius appeared to be suffering from a mix of emotions as he traveled the thin line between respect and envy. “It sounded like something my granddad would have said. May he rest in peace.”
Indigo cooed, “I didn’t know your grandfather died. How sad. Anyway, you two have no sensitivity at all. Girls love stuff like that. That was a total paranormal line.
“A paranormal line?” asked Casey and Artorius simultaneously.
Indigo rolled her eyes. “Paranormal romance?”
Casey and Artorius looked at her vacantly.
Indigo sighed deeply. “No wonder you guys have no game. I’d wondered, because you’re actually pretty cute, Casey. And it’s especially surprising because don’t you, like, want to be a writer or something?”
At these words, Artorius gave Casey a spiteful look.
Casey ignored him and spoke to Indigo. “What you are talking about? I’m way smoother than Grey.”
“I think my sister’s actions would indicate otherwise.”
Casey posed dramatically. “I’ll prove it.”
He took Indigo’s hands into his
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