Thread: [KylarStern & Tortoise] Dancing With Myself;;

Yes, it was true. They were going to be seeing a lot of each other. From anyone else the innuendo would have at least earned a smile from him. But, in her case, he wasn??t sure how he was going to handle having her around the school all the time. And in any case, he was still a little shook up from running into her like this. He simply nodded in response. She wanted to walk... for a moment that flustered him. He wondered if she realized that he had noticed the pain she was in. The last thing he wanted to do was offend her and he??d offered the ride so she could pretend it was his suggestion and still keep face. Guess that plan was shot to bits. He was a little sad though. He knew she would ignore the pain and keep walking as if absolutely nothing was wrong, just so he wouldn??t think that she couldn??t. What made him sad, was that she felt she needed to pretend even when she was with him. They had seen the best and worst in each other? so he had hoped she could just be herself with him. ??Yeah sure? we can walk.? He said. He supposed that keeping things at least a little formal between then, was the best course of action anyway. Running into her like this wasn??t going to help him get over her, he knew. And the more they acted like nothing had changed, the worse it was going to be. Still, he knew he wasn??t going to come out of this unscathed. It was absolutely brilliant seeing her again. He hadn??t realized how much he had wanted to? until now. But his rational mind, and his own sense of self-preservation, told him this was a big mistake. She surprised him by slipping her arm through his. His heart was racing again. Feeling her so close to him, smelling her perfume? and she did smell wonderful, she always had? the feeling of her leaning on him, it all felt so good. Like a double cheese burger with bacon did. You knew it was going to kill you, but you are just too weak to say no. He shook his head with a smile, and led her across the grounds. Well, at least he could support her, in case she needed any help. It wasn??t a long walk, but they did have a ways to go. He was still a little nervous... when she commented about his looks. That had made him laugh. She had always been able to do that. ??Hmm? occupational hazard I suppose,? he said referring to her jibe about the students. ??Thank you? but nowhere near as good as you look, Dee!? he said. ??All that working and dancing, seems to have put some muscle on you? in all the right places too.? He said with a grin, and almost immediately wished he hadn??t. What was he thinking? The way she had ribbed him about his looks had reminded him of the old days and he??d forgotten himself. He almost blushed as he stumbled to apologize, ??Oh, I??m sorry I didn??t mean to?? He was almost relieved when she asked him how he was doing. But then again, was he? He didn??t want her to know just how bad it had been for him. He didn??t want her to have the satisfaction, but he also knew that it wouldn??t help to lie to her. She always could catch him at a lie. But then again? it had been so long he wondered if she still could. ??I??ve been well enough, I suppose.? he said, hoping she wouldn??t think anything of it. ??I drifted around for a while and ended up here a little over a year ago? been working ever since.? He didn't have to ask her how she was. He'd been following her career pretty closely, even if he didn't want to. And the accident of course. He didn't know if she was ready to talk about that yet. Well, pretty much the only good thing he could think of to ask was about her marriage... and that was the last thing he wanted to hear. But no point avoiding the inevitable. I see you've got a new ring. So when's the big day, then? He wasn't sure if he sounded as bitter for real as it did in his head. He hoped it didn't. Even after everything, he didn't want to spoil this moment.