New Scene, Different Girl ( Brian/Open )

[Ceraphine Davis]

The evening sun hung low in the sky, casting off its beautiful array of golden hues across the rippling waters of the ocean. The soft breeze carried with it a salty, refreshing scent that awoke the senses and brought to attention some of the many things people so often took for granted in this life.

It was for this reason, that Kevala sat upon the sandy shores of the beach, dressed in a simple pair of cut off jean shorts and a light pastel pink tank top. Her bare feet digging into the damp sand at her feet, letting her toes wiggle about in an aimless and calm fashion.

This evening was all about relaxing, something she so rarely got to do these days. Every time she turned around it seemed she was landing herself in one bad situation or another, and though she did so enjoy a good "scrap" every now and again, she longed for some sign of peace in her otherwise chaotic life.

Everything was so out of control, so wild and untamed, from her highschool life to her personal life. It was to the point that both mingled so well that it was near impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.

Except for in this moment. In this moment she knew the difference....this was something other than her life as a pillar, something other than her life as the constant fuck up, or the troublemaker.......This......Was as close to peace as she would probably ever see.

As the breeze picked up a bit, it caught her long silken strands in its invisible grip, blowing it about her face and over the edge of her glasses, becoming trapped between the gap of her head and the frames that adorned her cute little nose.

Reaching up, she crooked her pinky to fish it out, a soft brush of her tongue across her pink, unpolished lips.

She was not here to impress anyone. It was not a time where she felt the need to put on one of her many masks and hide away who she was underneath it all. She was a complicated being and as such there was no limit to the many different facets that made up the whole of who she truly was. She was tired, at least for this one evening, of pretending to be something better than what she really was.

Sighing softly, she let her eyes drift up to the horizon as she wrapped her arms about her knees and hugged them to her chest her chin coming to rest atop them. It was so peaceful here, the sound of the waves lightly breaking against the shore seeming to reach within her and sooth the darker side of herself that was always present, always lurking........It did not even bother her to hear the laughing of children down the shoreline, far enough away as to not intrude upon her space yet close enough that she could make out their figures just fine.

It was a family. An actual, real family. The one thing she never had and yet longed so desperately for. Turning her head so that her cheek could press against the soft, warm flesh of her knees, she would simply sit there, watching them for the longest time. Mind wandering to what her life could have been like if her Father had just wanted her and her sister. If he had loved them instead of turning his back on them........

With such thoughts racing about through her mind it was easy to lose track of what was going on around her, letting herself for once become engulfed in the daydreams she usually worked so hard to avoid. A bit of selfishness in a girl who so often did nothing more than think of everyone else..........

[Brian Andeste]

"I don't think its for sale."

A smile.

"The family, i mean."

Brian's voice, like his smile, held a light tone of comfort and, dare i say, even compassion. He sat behind her, about ten feet, having approached silently a few minutes before. He had awoken early, coming to the beach with a few...friends, as it were. People to spend the day with, memories that would be few to cherish. The others left a few minutes prior, and though Brian too had been on his way out, his gaze looked one last time down the stretch of the beach from the sidewalk and landed firmly on the form of a certain female whose face he had not seen for at least three to four days. That time had been a definitive struggle for him, not academically, but physically. Though he was currently unscathed, he had built up a healthy amount of stamina in that time.

The wind would sweep up, catching his hair and whipping it along the top half of his head, not young Englishman not bothering to try and adjust himself, instead closing his eyes and breathing it in. Times of sheer tranquility were hard pressed notions most failed to even consider. Life was hectic, and kids their age were far too busy planning some move like a strategist with a human chess board. They didn't understand that every person eventually had to go through school, and fighting your way through it only made things far more difficult. But he wasn't one to judge- he could only live his life and hope those around would look at him and realize something they could have in there's.

He stood, walking down the beach a little and planting himself beside her. He was shirtless, his top remaining in his car from an earlier swim. It was warm enough, the summer an overwhelming dictator of its light. Hot was not exactly strong enough. Still, one good thing that came from it was the deep farmers tan his figure had attained. He wasn't use to such things, coming from London. They had summer, but it was no where near as strong as it was in the states. Not that he complained. Having fun in the sun was something he could never truly berate or deny. His shorts were Hawaiian, a deep navy blue with white pine-apples. He looked over at her, cocking an eyebrow in question as though he may possibly be offended, but judging by his tone he was obviously not.

"You never called...I'm almost starting to think your immune to my boyish charm...in which case I'll grow very boring, very fast." He gave her a worried look. "We don't want that!" He gave a half-hearted chuckle, returning his sight to the sea. Questions were things he was always full of, but never truly asking. A day or two ago he had heard the Captain had fired her VC, which was something he was a little curious about. Not about the free position- that wasn't something he even thought about. But more of the reasons why. Having a short staff could cause boldness where it didn't belong, and even though they weren't truly close, he would hate to see something happen to her. He wouldn't mention that, though.

He had a feeling she would just like to relax, and in truth he was of the same mindset.

He took a deep, steadying breath, eyes on the closing sun.

[Ceraphine Davis]

The sound of that familiar voice coming from the direction behind her and away from the one she was currently looking in, brought a light smile to her lips as she sighed and gave off a soft shrug. Not yet turning her eyes toward him she would continue to watch the family with a clear bit of interest.

"I just always wondered what it would have been like..."

The statement released with a hint of longing......and pain edging her tone....Hard to hide something when she had been caught so off guard. No time to throw up her defenses and build up the walls around herself.

Shaking her head, she pushed the thoughts aside for now, her head lifting upward now so that she could turn to look at him just as he sat down beside her. Those icy hues, still as stunning as ever, danced about in the fading light as her hand came up and pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

"Hmm.......Perhaps I have not called because I find your boyish charm TOO appealing...."

She flashed him a soft little grin before her arm would reach out and nudge against him slightly. Teasing in nature of course before her attention diverted back to the ocean before them.

"It is nice to see you again Brian. Though I fear your adoration of me will fade given I am not looking like my normal self.

If it helps I can take off the glasses. Heh. Maybe then I will look more Kevala-ish."

Okay so this was her normal self, the girl he met the times before had been the girl she created in order to try and make friends...The one that she hated but that was the most dominant part of her life these days. But then nobody really looked beyond how she appeared in school to worry about what type of girl she really was when the world was not looking.

Draping her arms over her knees she would tilt her head lightly as she studied the colors that filled the sky........She loved the way this place made her feel when the rest of the world felt like it was closing in on her.

"So, what brings you here? Other than stalking me of course."

She could not help but giggle just slightly as she pulled her gaze away from the sky and turned to once more look at him. Her eyes trailing over his body for a moment, unable to really help it. He was amazing to look at and though she knew there was not real point in her admiring of him, it was still something she did none the less. She was a stickler for details, and as a result she found her mind subconsciously tracing every line and curve of his muscles from his shoulders, to his chest and finally his abs. Not in a creepy sorta way.....Not at all....More in a manner close to studying........

However her eyes did eventually meet up with his own once more and she would once again hold that soft smile in place. She was slowly slipping.....Not into her madness or anything of that nature. Just into a place of complacency. Not a place she often liked to be.

[Brian Andeste]

'Yeah, me too.'

The thought was response to her openness, the rigid view of a family home-nothing more than a real let down, as far as he was concerned. Things like parents, dependence, love- all misconstrued, heavily relied upon misconceptions to make you feel better about being you. He held no hunger for a family, though his curiosity always got the better of him, whether during a daydream or just passing fancy. He had basically been on his own since birth, his mother a money grubber, unconcerned with the life and acts of her fatherless son. Not that his own thoughts constantly held a pity trip for himself- Brian was an optimist, and instead chose to make best of every situation given to him, otherwise you gave power to things that directly couldn't exist.

Like fear.

But that was another story. For now, his mind remained fixed on the girl who seemed lost down a darker trail of the past, wishing for things she had apparently never had. She was...a very interesting girl. Strong and vocal when around a populace who judged her every move, but here, on the other side of the city, she was nothing more than a softy, wearing her heart on her sleeve. Perhaps it was something of a rarity, with her, but something she had not yet come to understand was the type of person she sat with. Time would reveal that to her, of course, but for now it was an effort he would have to put forth so realization could follow. He was not like your generally cold hearted male. He held no plots for school or world domination, no hunger to have his name remembered past his friends.

Life simply was, and he would play the cards that were dealt to him.

He gave a childlike laugh, his calm demeanor likely putting her at ease. He sighed, sliding his hand up to follow her suit, pressing with his middle finger against his glasses to slide them back up his nose. She seemed to think he had this vision of her in his head, talking about how she didn't look like herself. As if some small thing like a pair of glasses could ruin looks- he of all people knew the truth. She looked a little more booky, which to him was all the hotter. He liked a girl of intelligence, someone who could actually talk to him on an even level. Not that he thought she wasn't capable, but from his experience a Captain wasn't one you wanted an intellectual conversation with, unless it was about how to break a jaw in fifteen different places with a single punch. She didn't actually seem like that type though, so he wouldn't build her up as such in his own head. Instead, he would simply answer.

"I think the glasses make you look smart. Not to say you looked dumb before, but i guess I'm just not one to judge based on how well a person can see." He gave a smile and a wink, watching her closely as she asked her next question. He looked out over the ocean, pretending not to see her eyes trail down over his form. It wasn't actually something he was use to, but hey, he also wasn't one who had no shirt on a general basis, least not outside a bedroom. Taking a deep breath, he stood, stretching as he spoke.

"Ah, well, i came to surf with some friends, walk the beach-line, take you out to dinner and watch the sunset."

He would grin, looking down at her before offering his hand.

"A friendly dinner, mind you. Would hate to get the envy of every man on campus by dating the Captain."

He chuckled a little, hoping she would take him up on his offer of a short but sweet meal.

[Ceraphine Davis]

She listened intently to every world that slipped from his lips, her smile never faltering as she held her eyes to his own. Though, it was hard for her to continue to do such when he spoke of her glasses making her look more intelligent. A light blush forming on her delicate cheeks as she ducked her head shyly and bit upon her lower lip in a slightly nervous fashion.

"People don't expect me to be smart. They may expect me to be many things, but smart is not one of them."

She laughed, though it was clear in the manner in which she did so, that it was not something she really found all that amusing. But she had learned long ago that it did not matter if something bothered her or not. Sometimes.......MOST of the time.....it was better to just suck it up, laugh it off and keep going.

Shaking her head, she banished those thoughts to the back of her mind, daring finally to lift her eyes up toward him once more as she replaced that smile upon her lips.

She did not fully understand this guy. He was not like the rest of the boys that wandered about in and out of her life, or down the halls of the school. He seemed much more at ease with who he was, not like he had something to prove to the rest of the world. It was a trait she had rarely ever seen in boys, hell in anyone.....everyone always out to be the better person, to prove that they had something that everybody else did not. It was sad, and yet she knew that she could not help but fall into that same category. Sure, she could blame it on her life, she could blame it on those in her life......But in reality it was HER choice to try and prove that she was not all the things people thought she was. Unfortunately, nothing had really changed, no matter how hard she worked.

As he stood then, stretching, she mentally chastised herself for once more daring to take in more defined lines of his feature that were not visible before. Yet even as she scolded herself in her mind she continued to do just that very thing.

Finally however his words caught her off guard. Dinner? With her? Seriously? Okay so yeah that was just.......different......See, thing with Kevala is, despite all the male attention she seemed to warrant, she still did not get treated nicely. The nicest manner in which she got treated was as a prime piece of ass and nothing more.

His hand extending she eyed it for a moment suspiciously, even after he spoke of it being of a friendly nature and the envy of the male population of 774......She was just.....unsure....Yet as she cast her eyes upward once more to meet his own, she could not help but smile and allow her small hand to slide within his own, feeling her the warmth of his flesh against the smooth flesh of her fingers....

As soon as she was on her feet she would shake her head, a little laugh escaping her.

"Trust me. You should be more worried about people thinking badly of you for being seen with me than if the guys will be jealous."

Oh she knew what they all said about her when she was not around. About the lies and the name calling......She just pretended not to know.....Because the second they saw they hurt her, they knew they had her.

Drawing her hand back slowly she would dust the sand off of her butt and thighs, another breeze drifting about them as she finally spoke up once more.

"But, to answer your question. At least I think it was a question. Dinner, with you, would be nice."

Straightening up she smiled a bit more brightly...already feeling a bit better than she had when she first came here. It was nice to feel that way, instead of the constant weight of the world baring down on her with no escape in sight.

"Though I warn you....I tend to eat a lot..."

Another soft, sheepish little smile as she tilted her head appropriately so that she could look up at him, given the obvious height difference in the two of them.

"So....Brian...What exactly did you have in mind?"

Her index fingers tucking into the back pockets of her cut off shorts as she shifted her weight idly from side to side. She honestly did not know why she got along with him so well, she just did.....For her, with such a short list of actual friends, that was enough.

[Brian Andeste]

"Somehow i doubt that."

The nearly ever present smile was displayed casually across his face. She seemed in another place, almost as though the strength and attack centered previously on those who tried to betray her trust was now turned inward on herself. Brian, being one whose voice and thoughts were more controlled, and focused on the world as a whole, couldn't just sit by and watch someone he counted as a friends drown herself in a sea of self pity. It was far too short a life to live to spend your days wondering about decisions past- the past is irreversible. Dead. There is no way to change that which has already been done. He couldn't imagine it- beyond his scope of thought. He guessed part of that was based on his inability to feel fear, for many thoughts and concerns were born out of that single emotion.

He looked over at her as they walked up the beach, cocking an eyebrow. He only smile and looked away after she gave an answer, not bothering to truly clarify, as though she could actually take it any way she pleased. As they would reach his jeep, he would turn around, planting his hand on the door frame.

"Since i assume you probably want to wash that sand off you and not leave your car here, why don't i pick you up?" He pulled out his phone, waiting expectantly for the number he hoped she would give. After she did, he would flip it closed and open the door to his vehicle. "Well- i guess I'll call you in about an hour?" He grinned and hopped in, biting his bottom lip as he fired it up. He would back up and drive away, smoothly, not peeling out or trying to show off in any way. If, by chance, she had not brought her car, he would obviously offer her a ride before leaving, and would drop her off before giving the offer of a phone call. Once he got home,opting to use his house rather than his apartment, he tossed his keys on the counter, heading upstairs with little ado. He went into the bathroom, took a quick leak before leaving his trunks on the bathroom floor while he hopped in the shower.

He cried out a little when the water hit him, the sudden cold causing him to seize up. He cranked the meter toward the hottest setting, then as the water began to change, turned it back to a warm one, so he wouldn't get burnt as well. He washed quickly, scrubbing his hair with Pantene before rinsing it clean. He washed his body thoroughly, then flicked the water off. He got out without much wait time- he didn't like the prospect of freezing in his bathroom. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he bent down, grabbing his shorts and heading into his bedroom. One might ask- where did this house come from? Where was his apartment? Well, when Brian moved to California, his mother insisted he live comfortably, and bought him this house. He lived in it for a month, before he got the job and was able to pay for stuff on his own. He hadn't actually been there for several weeks, but now was not the time to be uppity.

He got dressed, not decorating himself in anything too fancy. He wasn't one who liked to flaunt and flash, instead letting her know that this was casual and nothing to be seriously concerned about. He styled his hair quickly, snapping his fingers and pointing at himself in the mirror. He brushed his teeth, flossed, and sighed. Looking at his watch he nodded in admiration at himself- only about forty five minutes. He flicked off the light and headed back downstairs, grabbing his keys and heading out the door. He would call her, starting up his car as he did so. Once she answered he would speak.

"You ready?"

[Ceraphine Davis]

She did not think too much on his words, instead she smiled that same smile she found so easy to put on when around him and would continue to stroll up the beach, walking with him until he reached his jeep and then biting her lip as she watched him pull out his phone. Grinning slightly she would ramble off her number.

"619-287-3270"

Once more letting that smile curl upon her lips she nodded, letting him get in her car as she pulled her keys from her pocket. With a put of the button on the keychain the alarm to her SUV disabled and she would turn and make her way toward it. She honestly held no real expectations for this dinner, unlike any other time she had gone out to eat with some guy. Yeah okay so the whole two times she had gone to dinner with a guy. But still!

In her mind she saw him as a friend and a potential good friend should things continue on the path that they had been going on thus far.

As she climbed behind the wheel, turning over the engine, she would reach out, pushing the button on the stereo and turning up the volume to one of her favorite song. Only then did she buckle her seat belt and pull out of the parking area, heading in the direction of her home, with her fingers tapping along to the beat on her steering wheel.

_______________________________________________

Once home she dropped her keys into the bowl on the table beside the door, pushing the door shut with her foot and kicking her shoes off inside the entry way. Slow steps carried her toward the stairs, her shirt being lifted over head and draped over the banister as she headed up to take a shower.

By the time she made it to the master bathroom she had nothing but her shorts on, though they had been undone somewhere along the way and were easily discarded onto the floor.

Turning the water on in the shower she waited for the water to get to the right temperature and then climbed in. The feel of the heavy stream of water colliding with her flesh sent a chill down her spine and caused her to sigh with a bit of relief, her head tilting back to allow the water to soak through her dark locks.

Once she was sufficiently soaked, she would grab up her honey and vanilla shampoo, washing her hair and then using the matching body wash to lather up with. It usually did not take her very long to get washed off and out of the shower, and as she wrapped the towel about herself she felt the cold air of her air conditioned home waft over her.

Drying off as she moved to her closet she threw the door open and peered inside, trying to decide on what to wear. She was not going for anything too fancy or too sexy, but instead something rather casual and yet still attractive, though it was more out of habit than anything else.

Once she was dressed she returned to the bathroom, drying her hair and applying her make-up. For a moment she debated on if she should wear her glasses or her contacts, and finally decided that for once she was gonna say "fuck it" and just be herself. Slipping her glasses back into place after having set them down on the counter before her shower, she would look herself over in the mirror. Figuring it really did not matter what she looked like seeing as how this was just a friend type thing.

She had just slipped on her shoes when her cell went off. That familiar tone greeting her on the other end.

"Yeah, I am ready. 7165 West Middleton Street."

She would then hit the end button, and start to turn off the lights, making sure she had her keys, cell, and money before heading out the door. Making sure to set the alarm and lock up nice and tight before heading out to wait for him out front.

[Brian Andeste]

She wouldn't have long to wait.

Brian was of the the few people in todays day and age who actually had a time concept- he hated being late. It was never welcome for a girl to sit and twiddle her thumbs while the guy too his sweet time- the first impression was always best. Of course, he understood they were just going out to eat as friends, but it was a matter of principle at base. Of course, another thing that helped with his punctual arrival is the lack of nervousness- he wasn't in any way worried about what might come of their meal. He did have some questions he wanted to ask her, simply for knowledge sake, but in reality the meal was just a casual interaction between friends, a time when two people could get together simply for the pleasure of company.

He would turn into her driveway easily, his right hand on the shifter while his left palmed the wheel, rotating it easily. She would turn from the door to see him there waiting, this time in a silver Toyota corolla. Nothing super fancy, but definitely his first car. Both were bought for him when he got his permit in America nine months previously, but he counted this as his first since he refused to drive the Jeep until recently. He loved this thing, its handling crisp and smooth, its turning commendable. He would push the button to unlock the door, smiling at her when she would open it.

"You ready?"

After the affirmative, he would pull the automatic shifter back into reverse, rolling out of the driveway and heading to the stop sign. As she had gotten in the car, he had looked her over, admiring the fine tuned points of her form. She was exquisite, but obviously vulnerable in some fashion. It was like she walked on egg shells when anything came close to getting under or over her little mental walls of personal protection. She guarded herself dejectedly, almost as though daring or hoping that someone in the world would rise up and seize what was there. What he didn't understand was, if she was so weak and fragile mentally, why did she hold the most stressful and powerful position in the school? Why put yourself under that kind of strain?

Might as well ask!

"So, Kevela. School Captain, eh?" He would lick his lips and tilt his head a little, as though he just thought of the question he was obviously going to ask next. "Why do you do it? Not that your bad at it- you seem to have half the school cowering. Just seems kind of...i don't know. Bland. Unexciting." He shrugged. "Unless you like combat, threats, and having a constant target pinned to your chest." He didn't say it suggestively, like he was proposing that was what she wanted, but he made sure to leave her wiggle room for explanation. He wanted to believe that, perhaps, there was more to her than sex and power. He surmised that there were other things, other uses, in which she hoped the student hierarchy could be of some use.

He was just at a loss as to what, exactly, that might be.

Perhaps time and patience would reveal the answers.

[Ceraphine Davis]

As she exited the house she spotted him already pulling up. That was a nice change for once, instead of having to wait for the guy and look like a complete moron standing outside waiting on a guy that obviously had a few other things to do rather than be on time to pick her up.

That alone was enough to get a smile to spread across her lips, her eyes shimmering in the light that filtered off of her front porch as she moved to the passenger side of his vehicle. Climbing in, she pulled the door closed, sliding the seat belt across her chest and securing it into place before turning to look at him and offering a soft nod.

"Ready..."

Another, friendly smile given to him before she would reach up, brushing a few silken locks back from her face and tucking them behind her ear. Her eyes would go to look out the window, a habit she had picked up from so many car rides with Gabriel that now it was almost habit to do so now.

However, the sound of his voice once more garnered her attention causing her to once more turn her head back to face him, her eyes of course meeting with his own as her finger lifted to push her glasses back up the bridge of her nose, force of habit she supposed, though honestly she never put much thought into it.

Upon hearing his question, she let her eyes fall away from his own to look at some random object within the car, not so much as a distraction, but as a way of trying to center her mind around the thing he had just asked.

Why did she become captain, and better yet, why did she stay as such? It was a question she had asked herself over and over again, every time things seemed to push her to her breaking point, every time that she felt like she just could not handle doing this anymore. Yet each time, no matter how bad the situation, she always came back to the same conclusion.

"I do not think there is one simple answer that will fully satisfy even you. I myself question my decision on a regular basis....."

She let her gaze rise up to meet his own once more, that gentle smile once more turned upon her softly polished lips.

"However, I can say that at first, I will admit it was just a way to prove to myself that I could. I was always so weak at my last school, always the girl people picked fights with just to make themselves feel better about who they were and their own abilities. But, then I actually became captain, and it became something more in my eyes."

She paused, letting out a soft sigh as she shrugged and turned to once more look at the scenery as it passed by, always finding this the best method for her to speak in a way that was open and completely honest.

"I decided, that if I could help those who attend 774, help them to become more than what they have surrendered to being, help protect them, help in some strange way guide them....Well then I was doing something I myself could be proud of. Everyone is so conformed to the idea that if they fight with their fists, draw blood and beat those weaker into the ground, then they are somehow a better person."

She stopped, thinking about all those in her life who had beaten her down and tried to turn her into some form of punching bag for their own personal amusement. Knowing that all along they had been the weaker ones, to think they had to beat some small, almost defenseless girl up, just to feel better about their existence.

"There is a time to fight, and a time when it is better to just walk away.....People think strength is bred in muscles and size, the way a person looks dictates how well they can throw a punch......I am a contradiction to all of that........I guess, thats why I do it."

She shrugged once more, a gentle roll of her shoulders as she turned her head and laid it back against the headrest of the seat, a lazy little smile on her face all the while. She did not know what he would think of her reply and though she hoped it made sense, she was sure that either way, it would not alter how she felt about the situation too much, though she was always one to learn and grown from every situation and every opinion offered to her.

"So, does that answer your question?"

[Brian Andeste]

It was a far...different answer than he expected. Still, it shed some light into a little more of who she was. Perhaps a little depended on the attention of others, or maybe more along the lines of the satisfaction or praise of others. Regardless of which, she still used her strength for the betterment of the surroundings she was forced to dabble in. It seemed somewhat... unthrilling. Or perhaps the thrill came in the smiles and hope of others who looked up to her...he pondered this for a time. Helping others to the satisfaction of yourself seemed to be a reasonable altercation, especially if you had the ability to get it done. He pulled up in front of a Resteraunt, fashionable and classy, yet also a little unconcerned with dress code. Some worse gorgeous dresses, others a tshirt and pants.

He would flip the key after pulling into the parking lot, taking it out of the ignition and popping around to her side of the car, havin never answered her query, instead giving a slight "huh..." as a response. He would open the door, a grin on his face as he held out a hand.

"Madam?"

--------time skip----------

His house was dark, almost eerily so, but cozy in its outward appeal. He pulled up, looking over at Kevela, preparing for another question, yet seeing her slightly...off condition, decided better of it. He opened his door after removing the keys from his ignition, walking around to open hers and help her inside. "Come on. Put your arm around me." The girl definitely drank a little much, and while he drank a little too, he was only lightly buzzing. He helped her up his walkway and through his front door, which he left unlocked since nobody actually lived within a mile or two of the place. It offered a perfect view of the city below, however.

He would help her inside, and lay her down on the couch, grunting as he stood up and stared down at her form.

"Here, i'll get you some water..."

[Ceraphine Davis]

Dinner had been nice, it was always fun to just be able to sit and have a conversation with somebody that you actually got along with, without having to worry about petty bickering of having to deal with some moron or another being an ass. It had been just the two, and honestly, that was one of the rare times she had been able to experience such a thing. There had been occasions where she had come close to have dinners like that, but one way or another they always fell through. Her biggest problem of the evening is that when she ordered her first drink, it had tasted a little too good, and so, she had a few more.

Now, as she sat there in the car, she was......tipsy....to say the least....But it should be noted that she used to be a heavy drinker, and therefore her "tipsy" was another man/woman's drunk. So as they pulled up to Brian's place, it was no surprise that he saw her as drunker than she actually was, or at least felt.

But do you think that she would let that stop him from helping her out of the car? Of course not. Despite how she acted when she was being herself, she was still the same little tease that she had been when he first met her. So, as he came around to her side of the car, the door opening and his order given, she would bite her lower lip and let her slender arm slip about his neck.

As he lifted her up ( cause I am assuming he carried her ), her small form pressed against his she would let her head come to rest on his shoulder. Honestly, she probably could have made it inside on her own, perhaps not in a straight line, but on her own just the same. But she had to admit, that it did feel sort of nice being this close to him.

Not that the thought had ever crossed her mind before. In fact he was one guy she had seen as just a friend at first, but honestly, after the evening they had together, she could not help but notice that he was not exactly like any other guy she knew. These thoughts were what started to slowly churn their way through her slightly hazy mind. Though the more she thought about it the more she realized that the first thoughts had occurred earlier in the evening, while they were still both sober and still both talking about their lives and about other things that may not have been important to the rest of the world but were important to the both of them. Not to mention he was handsome, something she had noticed upon their initial meeting and had later confirmed earlier today on the beach.

But then she stopped herself, she was being stupid again. Honestly, what was she thinking in having such thoughts? A guy like that would never go for a girl like her. They were friends, that was it, and that was all it would ever be. Friends. Plain and simple. A declaration her mind continued to pound out as she was taken into the house, completely distracting her from what was going on in that moment.

By the time she was drawn out of her thoughts by the feel of the couch pressing against her back as he laid her down, she had convinced herself that she was simply being an idiot and that she had better just let such silly thoughts slip from her mind instead of waste time entertaining them. Yup. That was what she had decided.

As he released her, his body being forced to shift so that there was a moment where her eyes again met his yet again, a nervous bite given to the corner of her lower lip and in that instant, before he had a chance to stand up fully and offer her anything, her hands shot forth, grasping the front of his shirt and pulling him down the rest of the way to her.

Somehow, all the reasoning she had put into her head just moments before went right out the window and now she found herself there, laid upon his couch with her lips pressed against his own. Yet unlike a drunken, "I'll regret this in the morning", lustful kiss full of fire and lust, this was something different. There was not sloppy carelessness or reckless abandonment held within the way her delicate lips pressed against his own. But instead it was something more real, something more sincere.

Sure, one could take her actions as those of a drunk girl simply wanting to make out, like so many drunk girls did in this day and age. But if somebody just paid attention to the details, like the way that her tongue barely caressed against his lips, instead of forcing its way past them. Or the way one hand released his shirt to come up and slowly slide her fingers against his neck, her thumb tracing the line of his jaw, instead of grabbing him and trying to force him against her. Then they could see that it was something completely different.

A soft chill ran through her body as the simple taste of him lingered upon her tongue, as the feel of his flesh still teased her fingertips. Yet, she knew that she had probably already crossed some unseen line that had been drawn upon their first meeting. So, with a bit of reluctance, her hand fell away from his neck, her lips hesitantly broke away from his with just a single glide of her tongue across his bottom lip, and then finally, she released his shirt,letting herself lay back on the couch to look up at him once more. This time that nervous bite upon her lower lip all the more real as her eyes, now a darker shade of blue, met his once more.

"Brian...I..."

Honestly she did not know what to say. What could she say? She had never really been nervous about kissing a guy before and yet here she was barely able to speak with her damn heart feeling like it was about to beat out of her chest. So, she did the only thing she could do, lower her eyes and pray he didnt through her ass out.