Thread: Perception is Reality (ClearSight & SomethingEsoteric)

Miranda had seen a lot of looks in her lifetime, met a lot of people and done many things, both good and bad. She could remember the first time making a big business deal, it had been a quick transaction with a rather impressive mom and pop operation and they had smiles across their faces, happy to be given the money needed to take a step back and see their company in the hands of a bright eyed young woman. Yet as the years went on she found less of those reactions and more stressful expressions. She could remember so many deals and negotiations where anger and depression were the only looks left, where she was either being screamed at by some arrogant fool or looked at with pleading expressions begging for mercy. Yet neither of those changes her mind, none of that had ever bothered her. In fact Miranda hadn't even bat an eye when she had to crush such people, she simply did what had to be done and returned to business as usual. Yet as ruthless as she could be it never meant she didn't know what it felt like, it didn't mean she couldn't empathize, Miranda simply didn't have the time or freedom to give every person with a sob story a chance and she would be damned if anger would slow her face. No, as a young woman who had always taken care of herself, who had raised herself, she protected herself, and by extension her company, without a single sign of weakness. So when she felt a pang of remorse at the look in Meghan's eyes she knew she had less control at the current time than usual. In fact she found herself chewing on her lower lip again, a habit that had always been much too revealing and more trouble than it was worth. It was almost too much trouble to keep acting so normal and considerate as well, her mind was screaming out for her to push Meghan away, drive her off, destroy her like she had so many others, to keep herself protected from what she was sure would eventually come if she continued to share and open up. Yet as Meghan began telling more about herself she found herself too interested to shut back down and just listened, drawing a few conclusions as they walked about her new doctor. She quickly grabbed that Meghan was a lonely person, that while Jack had obviously taken her for an affair and while she seemed attached to family and a possible lover, that none of that kept her happy. It allowed Miranda to guess at the status of each relationship. Jack's being strictly sexual didn't surprise Miranda, the woman was rather disgusting, even if she was a bit alluring in her own way. The woman on the phone was most likely nowhere within easy visiting range, thus the support was less than adequate to cure someone of loneliness. Then there was the girlfriend, probably an ex-lover or someone who, while being adored by the beautiful woman that was Meghan, was unable to provide comfort for her. A thought crossed Miranda's mind for a brief moment, that she was better than all of them, that she was close and desired Meghan, and then almost instantly she swallowed in disgust. She was no better, Miranda couldn't even find someone who wanted to be around her, she wouldn't be able to do a damn thing for Meghan. However her mind slipped off that and back to the rest of the conversation, trying not to dwell on what felt like a failure of character, the inability to help another, being so useless that she accomplished nothing. Instead she focused on the word coach, listening to the well balanced breakfast that was by all means for an athlete, which apparently she had found in Meghan. It was exciting in its own way because as much as Miranda was curious to play tennis again she never enjoyed winning easily, even if she did like to win, especially when it came to an athletic endeavor, that was best one by skill and physicality alone. Hell it didn't even dawn on her that she was so out of shape, having been on lock down for quite some time and having been so stressed previously that it had been quite some time since her last jog, much less a tennis match. She wouldn't back down of course and she still probably had the tennis part down from muscle memory, but she wasn't going to be in the kind of shape where she could just not worry about it. Miranda wanted to keep the conversation going though and even when Meghan revealed the little Centre secret she kept going, even slipping in a little comment to make her realize the secret was safe. I'm not a coffee drinker, too bitter... She smiled brightly and gave a cute little expression, tongue going out her mouth and a 'yuck' look, And I've seen what it can do. I like parfait well enough but it's not exactly my breakfast of choice, and besides, I may have made money for myself and come from a name with a strong reputation but I lived rather roughly for some time, I'm not old money despite what everything would point towards. My parents are wealthy, that much is true and thus it allowed me some advantages, but when I graduated college and founded my company it was all me, there was no parental backing or family money, I wouldn't hear of it and they didn't believe in me enough to try. She took a moment and looked at Meghan, a little shrug coming a few moments later, Besides, as much as my life tended to wander into high society it isn't me, I've always had simple tastes, even if I do have some preferences and tendencies derived from my 'status'. The current Miranda was someone who seemed her age, Miranda being in her mid-twenties easy to forget when one talked or heard about the woman. The lack of her defense mechanism made her vulnerable and as she said more it became even more difficult to keep herself from tossing the barrier back up and calling it a day, irritating Meghan off and sending her running for the hills. But deep down it seemed to be what she wanted, even if she couldn't realize that herself. Because instead of running away or attacking to keep herself safe she was only opening up further to the young doctor. It was easier to remain ready to react, to brace herself and remain open at that point than to quickly shut down once more, Miranda smiling from behind Meghan as she followed, leaving almost all real decisions up to her, how fast they moved, if they were going to allow people to see them together in the cafeteria, and how long they spend eating before they moved on. She wanted no pressure to be on Meghan no matter her choice but for it to be just that, her choice, that just wouldn't do, she had to at the very least figure out what it was Meghan was feeling without directly asking or using her usual feelers.