Now That It's Over (Open)

[Camila Reyes]

The brilliant, yellow and white sun kissed the blue sky with its magnificent rays. White clouds drifted along happily, seeming to dance around each other so as to avoid causing a storm. Even the waves on the shore seemed to be calm as the wind sent ripples through the ocean. Nature was at peace; not warring with itself, but slowly letting the seasons transition. Of course it was not like anyone on the island would notice; a tropical island was hardly a backdrop for the season of fall. In fact, no signs of fall seemed to be present. It was both a blessing and a curse; it seemed as though time had stopped a long time ago and was refusing to move again.

All of the peace and calm surrounding the brunette was a brilliant juxtaposition to the turmoil within herself. Her never-changing environment often gave her headaches and caused her a lot of frustration. Her situation was not helped by the alternating of bloody nightmares with nights of dreamless sleep that seemed to be haunted with phantom voices of those she once knew. One night she would wake up, stifling a scream and the next, she would have the hardest time sleeping because she was hearing old conversations in her own head. The re-appearance someone who she had assumed to be dead was also not helping the unsorted, emotional mess inside. There were some nights that she was so desperate to sleep, that she drank nearly three cups of alcohol to put herself out. If that did not work, she added one or two heavy pain pills left over from after getting her leg stitched shut. She knew it was bad for her; heavy drinking could destroy her liver and overuse of pills could cause damage to her nervous system. Before she came to Ashford, she never would have imagined being so desperate, but she had to do what he had to do, as much as she hated it. Of course, there were times she enjoyed being inebriated, since it let her relax, even if she did not really go anywhere afterward.

She had been able to pull herself together to go outside, but the smell of alcohol seemed to come out of her pores. Her hair was slightly messed up, despite her great efforts to brush it into something resembling a decent style. Her uniform looked oddly put-together, especially since she seemed to give off the impression that she was falling apart at the seams. Her knuckles were white as she clutched the green stems of gold and orange flowers. It’s a little early for Dia de Los Muertos, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, she thought to herself, placing the flowers on the sand before smoothing her skirt and sitting. She kicked off her shoes and tossed aside her socks, digging her toes into the sand to feel the grainy warmth on her skin. The crash of the waves against the shore made her breathing slow as her eyes fluttered closed. For just a moment, the worry, anger, regret, and frustration faded into the static in her head. She pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them as she breathed in and out slowly. She glanced around before she started singing softly to herself. She fought the tears stinging her eyes, seeing faces behind her eyelids as she pursed her lips. After a few moments, she grabbed the flowers by her side and tossed them into the ocean, continuing the song until the last petal disappeared from her view. She breathed out and mused to herself.

“It’s kinda funny. No one named Lucy was buried, but I guess my mind thought that song was appropriate…”

[Ashton Kay]

How long had it been since the battle? Days? Weeks? Ashton could honestly say he didn’t know. He didn’t want to know. Anytime he thought of the world outside of his room he felt a pain that he had only known once before, when he lost his father. He didn’t take to the pain kindly, in fact he was afraid of it in away. Afraid that if he let himself feel the pain then that would mean that he had actually lost all of those people. His trainees, his fellow battle front members, his closest friend, and his own cousin. Ashton wasn’t sure if he could emotionally take that, let alone mentally.

So, instead he kept himself cooped up in his room. He kept himself locked away, his mind busy with a thousand different mechanical projects. The only time he would go out was to find some new parts and even then he’d keep to the shadows and avoid everyone. The only time he opened the door was to let some people take away Chandler’s bed sheets and a few items. However, there was one item that Ashton refused to hand over. A silver necklace that Chandler had worn all the time. One that Ash had been on his way to deliver to Chandler before the battle broke out, and the one that now rested against Ash’s chest at all times.

But today would be different. Today Ash wanted to slip down to the beach. A change of scenery and to exercise his ice powers a bit, something he had been neglecting horribly. The red head shrugged on a clean tank top that was green in color, jeans, and his old battered up jacket. The one item of clothing that he felt most comfortable in. After that he took a long moment to stare at the door, wondering if he should really do this or not. Eventually he overcame his heavy thoughts and went out the door, heading down to the beach.

It didn’t take long for him to get there, even while avoiding the students who lingered around the campus instead of being in class. Walking down the sandy shore he remained silent, staring at the waves as if they had answers to why they had lost so many. His green eyes took in the multitude of greys, a familiar numbness sinking in as he tried to quiet his thoughts. Ash was beginning to have trouble doing so until he heard a light voice carrying over the silence that had once surrounded him. His eyes turned toward the voice, his footsteps pausing as he watched a girl toss flowers into the ocean.

For a moment he debated whether to avoid her like he normally would or approach her. Staying in his spot his eyes looked over the details of the girl once more. It was odd, she seemed to be fraying at the edges yet her uniform was the exact opposite. While she seemed different the girl did appeared to be familiar, he just couldn’t exactly connect the dots. It took Ashton until the ending of the song before he realized who exactly she was. “Cam…” The word slipping from his lips on a low breathe. In that moment he decided not to avoid her.

Walking forward a splash of his normal personality came through as he plopped himself next to the girl. The familiar scent of alcohol lingering over her and filling his nostrils. “Wow, I never knew you sang Cam. Maybe the song could be a little more upbeat?” He questioned, a ghost of a smile spreading over his features as he turned his green eyes to her face. As he took in her worn features, it seemed that she was going through just as rough time as he was. Of course she was, he’d be stupid to think otherwise. Yet at the same time, he found a sense of security seeing that he wasn’t the only one. “Long time no see,” He added, providing a small smile to the girl.

[Camila Reyes]

While sitting on the sand, Camila began to think to herself. She had been dealing with her grief internally for the most part. There had been times where she had broken down, but that was mostly behind closed doors with someone nearby to lightly pat her shoulder or hug her until the tears stopped. The very thought of crying made her dig her fingers into the sand; there was no need for everyone else to know she was upset. Quite honestly, she would rather have been helping people overcome their grief. Sure, she had gotten Stephen to open up a little, but he was so stubborn that all she had gotten out of him was that he was sorry for something he had done. Even if I asked other people, I’m sure they’d be clams too, she thought to herself, bringing her knees closer to her chest, Hell, I still am, for the most part… As the breeze ruffled her hair and brushed across her face, she closed her eyes for a moment, placing a hand to her lips. She mouthed something against her fingertips before letting her hand fall and chuckling softly to herself. She still had that shirt in the bottom of her closet, didn’t she? She had half a mind to get rid of it after the first breakdown, but she could not bare to. After all, she had no other reminders of her deceased friend, not even a picture. She sighed softly, curling into herself more. The weather around her was so beautiful, and yet, all she could see were rain clouds.

The distinct sound of feet on the sand did not quite reach her ears until she stopped singing. Her face became confused and she picked her head up a little to look to both sides before shrugging and shifting her legs to sit ‘Indian style’, despite the fact that she was wearing a skirt. Quite honestly, she did not care anymore; after all, she was skipping class for no particular reason. She should have left after she had tossed the flowers, but, she was almost sure that something would have happened during a class that would have caused her to freak out and have another breakdown. She also did not want to risk going to class smelling pungently of alcohol. Usually, she “drowned” herself in deodorant and body spray to mask the odor, but she had known when she woke up that she was not going to class because she felt absolutely horrid. Another wind swept by, this one slightly stronger, and she pulled the sleeves of her blazer over her pale hands. She wondered how it could suddenly be so cold on such a sunny day. It’s probably a combination of my internal dread and a delusion, she thought bitterly, chuckling as she let go of the white fabric, which was now wrinkled. She shook her head slightly, snorting to herself; she was falling apart, no doubt about it. A sound that came from her side made her snap out of her thoughts and turn her head sharply. What she saw caused her to squeak loudly and tip over slightly, landing on her left arm, her blue eyes wide with a mix of emotions.

She had heard what had happened to other Battle Front members, but no one had really known what happened to Ashton. Camila had guessed he gone down swinging, so to speak; he had always been much stronger than she had, if their spars had proved anything. No one had actually told her that he was alive, though, so she was quite surprised to see him literally come out of nowhere. She stared at him, her mouth slightly open while she blinked rapidly for a few moments. After finally processing what was going on, she pushed herself back up with a soft grunt and shook her head before laughing to herself. How could she have been so silly? Of course he would survive! The question is, where the hell has he been all this time? she thought to herself, before turning slightly to face him. She had to repress a relieved smile as she questioned him.

“W-where the hell did you come from?!”

She blinked a little at his comment. Was it not a well-known fact that she sang, well, among her friends anyway? She realized after a moment that Stephen was the only friend of hers alive that had actually heard her sing. She nodded in response before snickering and shaking her head a little. One good thing about being friends with Ash was that there was always potential for humor in a situation, even a sad one. She shrugged a little, watching as the last fleck of gold disappeared into the water out of the corner of her eye.

“I guess it’s easier to wallow in misery when you’re by yourself… Heh, no matter I guess. Since you asked though, got any songs in mind? I would hate to ignore someone’s request.”

It’s the least you can do, since I couldn’t save anyone’s life… a little voice in her head reminded her. She internally shook the thought away; there was not time for that. She forced a small smile across her lips, though she could not make it reach her tired eyes. Her sleep and her appetite had suffered greatly, and she hoped to herself that this was not very apparent, though she was sure it was. She could tell that Ash was trying to genuinely smile, but it was quite clear that he was going through a hard time as well. She had figured everyone was struggling with loss, but she had nearly forgotten that he had lost people, just like she had. Hell, he had even lost family, which probably was the worst feeling in the world. Camila took in a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before opening her eyes and lightly placing her palm on the back of Ash’s hand in a small gesture of reassurance. She was not sure how he would react, but she just wanted him to know that she was there for him, even if he did not realize it. She spoke to him quietly, smiling sadly and facing him as she spoke.

“Yeah. I’m really glad to see you, ya know…”

[Ashton Kay]

Watching as his friend tipped over in shock, a small amount of amusement wound up in his heart. ‘Gee, didn’t realize I was that scary.’ He mused to himself, a ghost of a smile on his lips as he settled down in the sand next to her. He shifted so that his legs pulled up a bit, his elbows resting on his knees. Once he was comfortable he looked over to Cam, a huff of laughter escaping his lips as he looked at her with her mouth hanging open. It was only a few moments later that she pulled herself together, at least enough to match his small amount of laughter.

“My dorm, like most students.” He replied to her first question, shrugging it off a bit. Ash assumed that ‘Where the hell have you been?’ was also tied into that question somewhere under the surface but for the moment she didn’t seem to be asking that. In truth he wasn’t sure if he wanted to answer that one. He didn’t want to tell her that he wasn’t strong enough to crawl out of his dorm to see how others were making out. He didn’t want to admit that he was so selfish that at the time, he didn’t care how others were doing and he just wanted to be alone to avoid his grief.

Seeing other people and their reactions made it so much more real and a small part of him was breaking because of it. Especially with the state that Cam was in. He could tell she had been skipping meals and probably start skipping out on sleep as well, not to mention the booze. Part of him felt guilty, Ashton felt he should have been there for his friend so that he could have at least tried to help her. And as these thoughts continued to spin around in his head Camila seemed to nail it on the head, it was easier to wallow in emotions when you were by yourself. And it was that much easier to avoid everything.

Trying to pull himself out of his thoughts he tapped his chin, attempting to think of a positive song. “Well, if you’re offering…” He said thoughtfully. Those silly moments when someone asks you something but then your mind goes blank? Yeah, Ash was having one of those oh so famous moments. But as fate would have it, he wouldn’t have to think for long. While he was just about to huff in frustration it got caught in his throat as he felt her hand move over his. Caught off guard a little, he stared at their hands before a real smile came to his lips.

It was soft and a little broken, but it was there. His voice softened as he brought it up to her face, “It’s good to see you too.” There was so much more meaning behind his words, he was glad that she was alive. That she hadn’t died in that god forsaken battle and that she was the first person he had come across since he ventured out. In a quick movement he took his hand out from under hers and wrapped the same arm around her shoulders, giving a warm half hug. Ashton held the hug for a minute before easing back to his spot.

Clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair, he tried to get back onto the previous topic. After all, he had to get a performance out of Cam while he had the chance. From what he had manage to hear from the last song she was a pretty good singer, much better than walrus sounds Ash made when he tried. “Do you know I’m Still Here by the Goo Goo Dolls?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow to his friend. “It’s not really upbeat but I think it’s a great song.” He gave a little shrug again, the smiles getting a little easier to form once more.

[Camila Reyes]

Camila had been surprised many times in her life, but this was one of the only times that she had some kind of knee-jerk, physical reaction to said surprise. Well, sort of. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that her typical reaction to something unexpected was a high-pitched squeak and either jumping into the air a little or staggering backward. She supposed her body was adjusting the reflex to adapt to the situation, hence why she fell sideways. She was glad that she was able to at least catch herself with her left arm though, considering the state she was in. Sure, she was not necessarily falling over drunk, but she was sure there was still a little bit of rum she had consumed last night still swirling through her body, most likely on its way to her liver to be processed. Her shock prevented her from reacting to his chuckle at her expense. Had she been paying attention, she probably would have playfully thrown a handful of sand at him, but her brain was busy trying to interpret signals that it was receiving. His response to her question elicited a small snort from her and a roll of her sapphire eyes accompanied the sound from her nose. Cheeky b******, she thought to herself, stifling a soft chuckle. Of course, he would give such an obvious and yet most likely true answer. She was relieved to see him alive, if she was being honest with herself. Of course, after finding out that information, she wondered where he had been hiding, but she supposed that was a little invasive to ask, especially since this was their first interaction in quite some time.

Camila could almost sense the guilt coming from Ashton, and had to prevent herself from chiding him about it. Yet again, how could she, when she felt guilty for not helping anyone else with their problems? She sighed softly, glancing over at the ocean waters for a brief moment. The sound of the waves against the shore were typically calming for her, but it seemed to unnerve her. Maybe it was the silence that unnerved her more, though. After her brief moment of distraction, she shook her head and looked back at him, waiting for a follow up to the statement he started. She noticed the frustrated look on his face and decided to interject to save him the embarrassment of not being able to remember what he was going to say. It was thing that Camila typically did with her close friends; she could almost tell when they needed help and always seemed to be there to do her best. Well, except when it comes to healing giant wounds, in which case, I’m no help, apparently, she thought to herself before banishing the thought. She had to stop being so damn negative! It was going to drag her further down than she already was. The genuine smile that crossed his lips made her smile in return. Maybe I’m better at this whole comforting thing than I thought, she thought, trying to err on the realistically optimistic side of things.

What caught Camila off guard werenot the words, which expressed more than just the simple sentiment of missing a friend. She could almost sense the relief in his voice and was sure that the same had been expressed in her tone earlier. What caught her off guard, in all honesty, was the hug that she was suddenly pulled into. Typically, Camila was not fond of having her personal space invaded, but this time was different. This time, though, she did not mind; in fact, she returned the half-hug with a slightly tighter one of her own. After a few moments, she shifted back to her previous position, noting his actions and snickering a little to herself. She smirked a little and rolled her eyes, joking with him.

“Always the cool kid, hm?”

She looked slightly puzzled at the mention of the song name. She scratched her cheek, looking sheepish and slightly embarrassed. She felt bad, but she was not very familiar with the song he had mentioned. She shook her head as if to say no, but put a finger against her lips, racking her brain for an appropriate song for the situation. She started to twirl a lock of hair around her finger, trying to put together the memory that was in her head. There was a song that she and Ale used to sing together before he became cold and distant toward her. They used to listen to it on their grandparent’s record player and they would try to dance to it. For the life of her, she could not remember the title…

“Er, no, I’m not familiar with that one. I think I have another one in mind that might work, though…”

Camila took a deep breath and started to sing the song that she remembered from her childhood. While she was singing, she faced him, a small smile gracing her lips. She typically had stage fright, but she supposed being around a friend was different than seeing a sea of strangers. The last time she did something like this, someone else had walked in on her doing it and nearly scared the crap out of her. In fact, the person that had done that was none other than Stephen. The thought amused her a little, though she did not let it show on her face or in her voice. As she sang, the lyrics came very easily and the title hit her all of a sudden after the first chorus. Of course, she sang it in a slightly higher pitch because the original pitch was too low for her. She let out a soft exhale after she finished and smiled a little again, tilting her head a little.

“Heh, sorry I didn’t know the one you suggested, but I figured that one might help. It’s called ‘Lean on Me’ but, for the life of me, I can’t remember who it’s by. I used to sing it with my brother when I was little… Anyway, what did you think? You can be honest; if I sounded like a dog’s squeaky toy, just tell me.”

[Ashton Kay]

If Ashton was being completely honest with himself, he knew that he should explain his actions to Cam. There was the real question behind her simple ‘Where the hell have you been?’ Not where he had physically come from, though that might have been a part of it, it was more so referring to where he had disappeared after the battle. And why he had stayed away for so long. After all, it wasn’t exactly kind or the right thing to do…And there it was, another wave of guilt flooding his mind. That thread of thought tugged at Ashton while they exchanged words and small smiles. It began to fade slightly as the topic changed to Cam’s singing.

He had no idea that she was a singer. Part of him felt out of the loop but he assumed that not many people actually knew how good she was. After all, from the tid-bit he heard she was great. He kinda wished that he had known about it earlier so that he could have taken full advantage of it, after all not many of his friends did do creative things like that. Actually, the only one he could really think of off the top of his head was Calista with her dancing but even then he never got to see her do it.

However, his mental break didn’t last long as his knowledge of music began to stall. He couldn’t think of a blasted song. He used to listen to the radio all the time and play “What’s that Title” with himself. Not being able to think of one was rather irritating but thankfully Cam saved him from an embarrassing moment. The warmth of her small hand covered his cold, rougher hands in a moment of comfort. And that small gesture meant more to him than anyone could possibly understood, so instead of trying to say it he showed it in his own personal gesture of a hug. Apparently it wasn’t a bad idea as she returned the hug with a tight one of her own.

Returning to his position he didn’t even think about his normal habit of running his hand through his hair. At the sound of her words he found himself chuckling at himself. “Of course, after all it is my gif to be the coolest around.” He held out his hand so that his palm faced towards the sky, his fingers spreading out. After a moment a small ice crystal formed in it, in the shape of a marigold. It look real enough, save the lack of color and smooth chilly feel to it. He glanced over at her, a small smirk on his lips, “You’re very punny, Cam.” A laugh escaped his lips as moved forward and set the flower on the waves before moving back to his spot.

His green eyes on the sculpture waiting for it to dissolve into the sea. As he was gazing off a song finally entered his head. A song from a movie that he has seen years ago with his sister and that he still loved to date. A bit of hope got caught up in his chest as his eyes turned towards her to suggest it. Sadly, she didn’t know it. He didn’t let it get him down too much. Instead he nodded, closing his eyes to listen once she began singing. Ash didn’t open his eyes until she was done. A laugh sprang from his lips, “It’s by Bill Withers. And you sounded fantastic, grade A song choice too.” He smiled softly at her, “Thank you Cam.”

[Camila Reyes]

Camila was not interested in digging at the emotional wounds that were quite clearly still fresh to Ashton. Nevertheless, she felt it necessary to speak her mind and be honest about what she was thinking. After all, that was what friends did, right? She decided to save the topic for later, though. She figured it was worth saving, since he seemed consumed with his thoughts. She had half a mind to try to try and pick his brain, but she knew better than to do that. She was learning to live by the principle to treat others how she herself wanted to be treated. She certainly would not have liked her brain being picked after a traumatic event and tragic loss, that was for sure. Thankfully, as they spoke more about music, she noticed a bit of a change in his attitude, which made her internally sigh in relief. She could always try to figure out how he was feeling later. It was probably better to do so when he did not seem to be so down on himself.

She did not really tell many people that she sang. It was not like anyone really cared, honestly. She was certainly not a Broadway talent or anything, that much was for sure. There had been a time that she thought that she could make a career out of singing, but that, like many of her other childhood dreams, were stifled by her parents. They had told her that being an actress was silly and that she would get nowhere in life if she did something as frivolous as performing in musicals. Of course, that had not prevented her from trying out for the musical at her old high school. She had gotten a lecture from her parents that night, but Ale had smiled at her and gave her a subtle thumbs up. She would not admit it, but she did do other creative things, like write, even though that was rare. She usually end up writing about her experiences and could not really find the creative spark to write anything fictitious. Nevertheless, though, she kept trying, hoping to someday find the spark that would help her write more than just her feelings or what happened in her life. After all, variety was the spice of life, right?

Camila knew that small gestures, or even big gestures, were much more powerful than words. She knew that he was trying to communicate a silent ‘thank you’ through the arm wrapped around her. Her return of the gesture was a communication as well. It tried to say ‘you’re welcome’ and ‘someone’s here for you’. The blue-eyed young lady was always affectionate with her friends. Typically, she greeted them with a handshake or a hug, depending on their preference. The best way she knew how to comfort people was through silent gestures, such as patting someone’s shoulder, placing her hand lightly on theirs, or rubbing their forearm lightly. She supposed that, if someone was not comfortable with it, they would say something about it. She gave him a small smile as she shifted back to where she was sitting, hoping to communicate the comfort she wished to give her grieving friend.

She watched his hand curiously, chuckling a little at the blossoming of an icy version of the flowers she had placed on the ocean’s surface. She was almost tempted to reach forward and touch it. Instead, though, she simply chuckled, smiling a little. It looked just like the flowers, and she wondered what he was going to do with it.

“You know, putting marigolds on the graves of the dead is a tradition of Dia De Los Muertos. It’s a little early for that, but I figured that I’d do so now so I don’t forget. It’s been really crazy since that whole thing…”

She laughed a little as he pointed out her joke. Honestly, she had not been intending to make a pun when she had spoken. The thought had not crossed her mind, in all honesty. To be fair, though, he was an ice manipulator. There was not limit to the amount of puns she could make, intentionally or unintentionally. Of course, she had already subjected him to some of her horrible puns at the Valentine’s Dance in February; she figured twice in one year was good enough. The thought made her laugh a little before a realization struck her. She had been at the school nearly a year. Honestly, she did not know how she felt about it. On one hand, she was happy to meet new friends and be able to make herself a better person. On the other, though, she had not gotten any closer of achieving her goal of getting the hell out of Ashford. Good things come to those who wait, I suppose, she thought, watching him place the crystallized marigold in the ocean. She watched as the glassy object slowly sunk below the slow-moving blue surface of the waves before turning her attention back to him.

She could not stifle the small blush that crossed her cheeks at the compliment he gave her. Nevertheless, she smiled a little. She was just grateful that he knew the song. She felt as though someone else would have stared at her like she had a hole in her head. Her eclectic taste in music had exposed her to any and everything she could get her hands on, within reason. She let out a soft puff of air before letting her eyes drift back to the ocean, looking at the waves. She suddenly wondered it was like to be those who were buried. Did they feel as restrained and as trapped as they did when they were alive? Or were they feeling free now, released finally from the physical burden of being? One thing was for sure, their souls were probably far, far from this wretched island. After a few minutes, she looked back at Ash with a smile on her lips, though it did not quite reach her eyes like it normally did. It was almost like something was haunting her, but she could not identify what it was, other than in vague terms.

“Of course. You know, for a while there, I thought something happened to you… I’m glad to see that’s not the case. I don’t know why I thought that. Heh, you can hold your own in any battle. Though, I do wonder where you’ve been. That is, if you don’t mind telling me. I understand if not.”

Camila was more than understanding if Ashton was not keen on talking about the situation. It had taken her weeks to be able to talk about her feelings and what she had been up to while she was sober, as opposed to trashed. The night she had spoken to Isabelle did not count, mainly because she was so drunk, she could barely remember her own name, let alone where she was and who she was talking to. She ran a hand through her hair to tuck it behind her ear. She turned herself to face him a little when she was done, her head tilted a little to indicate she was ready to listen to him. Of course, she was not going to force him to talk. She just supposed it was better for him to get things off his chest then keep it all to himself.

[Ashton Kay]

Shaking his head lightly he looked away from the slowly melting flower, “No, I didn’t know that.” He smiled, a sad touch to the way it settled on his lips. “I don’t know much about the Spanish culture. I took French in my old high school,” He rubbed the back of his head, a touch of guilt in the movement. He remembered the French teacher being the sweetest teacher and having the easiest class in the building. He never did a lick of work and still passed with a decent grade. “I’m glad you did something for them… it was very thoughtful of you.” He said, his tone soft and slightly vulnerable as he looked back at the flower.

As they moved passed her unintentional jokes and onto the topic of her singing. He could honestly say he felt something light fill his chest for a moment. He was happy monetarily, happy that he could connect to the song that obviously meant something to her. Yet, slowly it started to condense, that familiar weight formed in his chest as he watched her expression change. The grief and sadness starting to seep through his body. It never stayed away for long, no matter how hard he tried. However, this was the longest it had stayed away and he had Camila to thank for that little bit of heaven.

When she began speaking again he fought the urge to cringe into himself. She, of all people, had the right to know what had kept him away. Still, Ashton stayed quite for a while, nearly an uncomfortably long time as his eyes kept a straight gaze out to the ocean. Off a little ways one could see patches of ice forming and disappearing quickly over the water, a clear sign he wasn’t the most stable at the moment. But, it was Cami and Ashton knew he could trust her and if nothing else she deserved it for helping him so much in these past few moments. “I wasn’t lying before,” He finally answered, nearly forcing the words out.

After another moment of silence he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “I was in my dorm. I didn't really come out. And no one came in, except to clear Chandler's stuff. I just- I couldn’t. I couldn’t see the damage. I couldn’t see who else we had lost. I was a coward...” His voice seized up for a moment. His eyes snapped open as he pounded his fist. “I was a coward, I hid from the world and let my damn emotions get the best of me. I was weak and selfish. I should have been there for my friends… Alive and dead.” He remembered how he couldn’t even bring himself to go the funeral Cali had held. He was pathetic.

Shaking his head once more he looked down, letting his hair hide his face. “I’m sorry…” Ash whispered, to no one in particular. Rising his voice so that the words were directed at Camila this time around, “I’m sorry I made you worried. I shouldn’t have let you or anyone else to deal with this alone. I wish… I wish I could have been strong enough to help.” His words came out faster and faster, his thoughts a jumbled mess that continued to bounce around his head. His guilt, the sadness, the pain… all welling up in his chest at once. He had always been the strong one in his family and now he was just breaking to a point where he wasn’t sure how to handle anything.

[Camila Reyes]

Camila always liked telling people things they might not have known. Sometimes, she wondered if she would make a good teacher; however, she quickly realized that her lack of patience and cynical sense of humor was probably not suited to the teaching profession. Besides, it was not like the students were getting out of Ashford anytime soon. She nodded a little when he mentioned the fact that he had taken French. Honestly, Camila really did not have a choice. The times that her mother had bothered to interact with her, she had spoken in Spanish, which Camila was able to pick up on rather quickly. The side lessons from her older brother certainly helped. She was slightly confused when she was old enough to go to school, but she worked hard to master both languages to make her parents proud. The culture had come from the neighborhood she lived in. Most of the children in her neighborhood practiced the tradition of Dia De Los Muertos and talked to her about it. She had even helped one of her friends make an ofrenda, more commonly called an ‘altar’, where they put pictures of deceased loved ones. An orphaned high school student in the middle of the ocean obviously did not have the resources to make something so lavish, so she figured a few flowers from the greenhouse would suffice.

She blinked a little. That was thoughtful of you. The words rolled around in her head for a few moments. Honestly, she had not been thinking about how kind the gesture was. She did that sometimes. Most of the time, she did not think about what she said or did before she said or did it. It was both a strength and a flaw. She was often reprimanded for speaking her mind, but she was also thanked for her kindness. The kind side of Camila had been hiding under a mask of insecurity and anger that had been sorely mis-directed at the entire world. She should have still been angry for what happened, but she had realized that there was something better. Her deceased comrades would not have wanted her to be angry. They would have wanted her to go on with her life, but stop to remember them every once in a while. That was what this whole trip had been for. Well, that, and to pull herself together, but it was mainly to honor those who had gone before her. She looked at him and smiled a little, a touch of pink crossing her cheeks.

“Heh, I’ve been hearing that a lot, lately. Thanks, though. It’s the least I could do, considering I couldn’t do anything to help… Heh, my attempts to help failed miserably…”

Her face fell as the words slipped through her lips. She was not sure how many times she had said some kind of incarnation of that phrase. Nevertheless, it was true. What kind of healer was she? She did not save anyone, not even one of her best friends. The thought made her clench her fist in the sand, but she let it go after a moment. There was no time to get upset. There was someone else in need, and she’d be damned if she turned the whole situation into a pity party. She turned her gaze out to the ocean, noticing random patches of ice forming quickly and disappearing as quickly as they had come. She looked over to her friend, noticing the twinges of a pained look across his face. She could tell that he had a hard time talking at first, so she gently placed her hand over his again. She was not sure what he was going to say after that. It sounded like he had more to say, but there was some silence before he spoke again. After that, it was like a damn had suddenly burst. He started talking about how he had just stayed in his room and acted like a coward. The very notion made her eye twitch slightly, but she kept herself calm. She was not mad at him for dealing with his grief in a different way. In fact, she was not mad at him at all. His reaction was perfectly normal, considering the situation. He had lost his cousin, people that he trained, people that he was close with… Some people dealt with it by talking, others kept to themselves, others cried. Yet, there was something about Ash saying he was a coward that unsettled her. She wondered if the other people she had talked to had the same reaction she was having. She let out a soft sigh and gently wrapped her fingers around the side of his hand. She hoped she was not making him uncomfortable by doing so. The only way she knew how to make people feel better was with hugs and gentle, reassuring touches. She seemed slightly taken aback when he apologized directly to her. She chuckled sadly and shook her head, moving her hand away from his and hugging him again, a little tighter this time.

“No one’s mad at you Ash. At least, I’m not. Everyone has to deal with their grief in different ways. It’s okay to take time for yourself. I just want you to remember I’m here for you. You’re one of my best friends, ya’ know. I do pretty much anything for the people I care about, save for putting anyone in danger. If there’s anything I can do for you, no matter what it is, just let me know, okay?”

Even as she spoke, Camila held the hug. She wanted to be sure he heard every word. She figured he would need it considering the waves of guilt she could feel coming off of him. After a few minutes, she let go of him, once again returning to her spot in the sand. She left her hand out between them, though, in case he wanted something to hold on to.

[Ashton Kay]

By her words it seemed that Ash wasn’t the only one feeling guilty. Of course he wasn’t. It was stupid of him to even consider such a thing. Yet, hearing the words slid from her lips made his heart sink. Cam could do so much with her power, she was just rough with her abilities still. He knew that and he thought she did as well. Yet, even if she did, it didn’t change the fact that she felt that she couldn’t do anything to help. Now or then. “Hey, you did all you could and that’s all anyone could ask for. You did a thousand times better than the people who decided to sit that one out.” He said, his voice taking on a comforting tone.

That comforting tone and his thoughts of wanting to protect her from her own pain slowly faded as she asked her question. A simple request that sent him into a tornado of guilt and pain. Some of it flashed across his face in his moments of silence. As he thought of the battle and every moment after it. It was so odd that he couldn’t seem to keep his normal relaxed personality. He had always been the calm one, the one to make jokes during a stressful time. Now, however, it seemed he could hardly crack a joke or keep his calm. It was just like he thought before, slowly losing himself within his own mind.

Then, it seemed that the whirlwind that had been his mind as of late finally sprang to the outside world. His words came out laced in pain and forming into a jumbled mess. Ash couldn’t keep his thoughts straight as he finally answered Camila and brought his thoughts to actual words. All the while, he barely registered that Cam was trying to comfort him. He didn’t recognized the warmth covering his hand was her own or that it shifted so that she was gripping him, tethering him to reality. He was wrapped up in his thoughts and emotions, not exactly connected to the outside world at the moment.

However, that all changed in the moment that he felt her body against his own. Her arms wrapping around him a in a tight, beyond needed hug. It stopped his thoughts midstream, his entire body freezing for a moment as he came back to reality. In a quick movement he looped his long arms around her and hugged her tightly to him, hiding his face in her hair. Her words slowly began to sink into him, calming his racing heart. “Just… Just don’t let me go too far,” He didn’t expect her to know what he meant. His own mind was the only thing scaring him at the moment. The only thing that was really driving him over the edge.

As she pulled away he wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his chin on his knees. Closing his eyes he let out a shaky breath. “I’ve dealt with loss… I lost my dad,” As he spoke one hand unwrapped and lightly touched the dog tags around his neck, “But never at this scale. Before I knew it wasn’t my fault and now I can only think what I could have done. What I should have done. Sometimes I wish I went out with them, ya know?” He shook his head lightly, wrapping his hands linking together once more. He sighed, tilting his head to look at Camila, tacking on a more than deserved thanks, “Thank you for listening, for making me talk, Cam.”

[Camila Reyes]

Camila knew that her power had multiple applications. The yellow aura could help her defend herself and her friends, and her green could help heal the wounds inflicted on others. Maybe, just maybe, if she had been stronger, her friend and comrades might have lived. Maybe, she would not have a blouse stained with blood in the bottom of her closet. That was not the case, sadly. Things had happened the way they did, and maybe for a specific reason. His comforting words did not seem to have an effect on her, other than causing her to smile sadly at him. Several people had told her the same thing, but she still felt guilty. She wondered in the back of her mind if she was always going to feel the guilt, even if she buried it under layers of happiness or buried it in thoughts of schoolwork and keeping up with friends. She supposed there was nothing she could do. She had not met anyone that could time-travel yet, but if she had, she certainly would have at least told herself a few months ago to seek out Ash sooner. Of course, she knew that he probably would not have answered the door, but the least she could have done was gone to check on him instead of having a pity party for herself. In the end though, it did not really matter. He was finally talking things out, it seemed, and, even though he seemed unsettled by being so open about his feelings, she could see it was starting to have a therapeutic sort of effect on him. Well, when her words were not negatively influencing him, that is. She sighed softly at his words, nodding a little to indicate she heard him.

“I know, I know… I just can’t help but feel guilty. One of my close friends died because I wasn’t able to heal his wound... “

It was no secret that Ashton was one of the more composed members of Battle Front and was able to find humor in every situation, or, at least, most situations. It was one of the reasons they got along so well, in all honesty. Camila was drawn to his humor and laid-back attitude. Seeing him so distressed and consumed in this thoughts, which were no doubt negative and berating hurt her a little. She was a very empathetic person, especially when it came to her friends. In short, their pain was her pain, even though she had no pain transference ability, though, sometimes, she wished she did. She would not mind at all if she could take the sorrow of those who cared onto herself. She would be able to deal with it. She just hated seeing her friends in pain. She did not mind them expressing their emotions, but she wanted to “make things better”.

From the way the words came out of his mouth, she could tell that he had been keeping his feelings all to himself. She did not care that his thoughts were a jumbled mess. She did not even care that he was not really comprehending that she was trying to comfort him. What really mattered to her was that he was able to release all of the feelings he had surely had bottled up for months. She knew too well the feeling of keeping emotions bottled up. It was not a happy feeling, that much she knew for sure. She hummed a little to try and help alleviate some of the tension she could feel in the air. She was not sure if her efforts to console him were working very well, but it was not necessarily about that. It was about letting him talk everything out. One thing was for sure: that was certainly working out.

She was not expecting him to hug her back. The hug was only for his benefit. Her eyes widened a little when he held her closer to him and rested his head on hers. It was a little surprising, considering she was not expecting it, but she did not mind it. After all, this is what friends were for. His words confused her and she managed to communicate this by responding to his statement in a confused voice.

“I-I don’t think I understand… What do you mean by that, exactly?”

She watched him curl back into himself and nodded a little, shifting her hand closer to herself again. A pang of sympathy went through her. She watched him for a moment, noticing the way he treated the dog tags he wore around his neck. She let out a soft sigh; she wished that she missed her parents that much. Honestly, she had not thought much about them since she had arrived. What reason had she had to? They were horrible to her. They contributed to her negative self-image and her rebellious behavior in part of her adolescence. If she had been more attached, she would have understood exactly where he was coming from. Where she stood, though, had a much different view than she stood. His next words brought her out of her slightly guilty retrospection. Thankfully, he was talking about something she could relate to. She chuckled bitterly, letting out another sigh and patting his shoulder lightly with his hand.

“I can’t say I can relate in relationship to my parents… Let’s just say they weren’t the best around. But this isn’t about me. It’s about you.”

She looked directly at him as she spoke and when he thanked her. She chuckled softly, shaking her head. She smiled sadly at him, trying to keep a small spark of happiness in her eyes. It was hard, that was for sure, but it was not entirely impossible. Her right hand started to run through the sand, causing a wavy indentation in the grains that they sat upon. She looked at him again after a moment, chuckling.

“I’m willing to do anything I can to help. Hey, maybe we can raid the kitchen and make some sundaes sometime soon. Whaddya’ say?”

[Ashton Kay]

Though he wasn't an extremely empathetic person, Ashton could normally tell when a friend was hurting. It pained him that Camila was so hurt and he couldn't do a damn thing. Sure, he could try to comfort her with hugs and words but in all reality they couldn't change things if you didn't want them to. They weren't going to ease the guilt of feeling like it's your fault for someone's death. He knew that all too well. "I know you might not believe that right now... But what I said is true. Besides, you can't let it ruin your life. He wouldn't want that, he'd want you to keep smiling and remember them in a good light." He offered his own smile in response to the sad one that her lips were set in.

Of course, those true and happy words could only go so far. Ash was pretty good at trying to make others feel better. Whether it was with a sorely needed hug or a laugh, he could normally cause a smile to crack on anyone's face. On the other end of things, he wasn't that great at pulling himself out of the depressing whirl pool that was slowly consuming his mind. That, after all, had been his major problem for the last few weeks and today was no different. As he was asked what exactly was wrong it seemed flood gates were opened.

At first he couldn't get the words out. His mind just began swirling faster and faster. Then suddenly, she hugged him and for a moment he knew what to do. He hugged her back, just as tight. It was almost as if she was tethering him to his sanity with that small comforting gesture. After that, he seemed to be able to pull some words out of his mind, however they didn't seem to make much sense. More so just a half thought that he might never be able to quite explain to her. Though somehow, he had a feeling Cam might understand. So instead he simply shook his head, "Don't worry about it." He said, offering a small half smile to Camila.

Only a moment or two later he started to actually talk. His fingers curling around the dog tags that had once belonged to his father. "That's how my powers developed. Got the news on night that he... He didn't make it. I flipped out and destroyed the backyard with some lunar energy, gotta love that moon..." His green eyes looked over to Cam, "I was close to him. I'm sorry that you didn't have the same relationship. It had to be hard. Maybe one of those days it can be about you." He didn't know much about Cam's past but from the sounds of it, it wasn't the most pleasant. Or at least the parts that involved her parents. Maybe on another day or a bit later he could find out more about his friend.

Eventually, he got out what he needed for now. At least for now anyway. His eyes dropped to her hands, watching as she disturbed the sand. It wasn't until she began speaking that he lifted his eyes again. "Yeah... Yeah I think we should. It'd be a lot of fun." A real smile slowly uncurled itself into his lips. The thought of diving into some sweets with Cam sounded pretty good. Especially if they could give a little hell for the kitchen staff, they were always in short supply of that. "Hey Cami? Just so you know, I'm here for you too. You don't have to deal with things alone." He offered a warm smile, honestly he wasn't exactly sure what he would do if he hadn't found Cam first. He'd probably still be a mental wreck.

Trying to ease back into a better, happier atmosphere he stretched out his legs, letting his hands dig into the sand behind him. Coming out of the ball he had curled himself into, trying to relax, was a start. While Camila had been talking Ashton noticed that she had a small spark of happiness in her eyes, and he would try to make it a little brighter. "Not to mention I'm sure your other hot head would be willing to cheer you up if you needed it too." He teased her, continuing on the light note she started with the sundae. He would have to remember to seek out Cam if he ever needed to let something out or want a sundae for that matter.

[Camila Reyes]

Camila nodded at Ash’s words; he was certainly right. Her friend had been a very bright and happy person; he would not have wanted her to be upset. Even though she was starting to do better at coping with her sadness, there was still a tiny twinge of guilt in her heart, that she was sure would always be there. The words “if only” constantly echoed, reminding her of that guilt. In all honesty, she was one who was driving herself crazy by wondering and regretting. The small, sad smile crossing Ash’s lips made her feel a little better. She could tell it was forced and mimicking her own, but any kind of smile was better than a frown. We humans have an uncanny ability to imitate each other, she mused to herself, letting her mind wander for a little, Whether it’s for courtesy’s sake or to comfort a friend. I guess not everything is bad about us, huh? After all, imitation needs some form of empathy, right? Camila had a tendency to get lost in her own thoughts sometimes; anyone who knew her well enough knew that. That was why she tried to keep herself so busy. It gave her less time to think and more time to do the things that needed to get done, even if there was no way of that awful hellhole.

Ashton’s words seemed odd and out of nowhere to Camila. She was slightly confused; he had never really shown any interest in her other than being friends, so why would he ‘go too far’? To lighten the mood a little, she chuckled a little after his response to her question. Sure, she had no idea where that statement had come from, but the least she could do was make a joke about it. Even if it was bad, it was an attempt to make him laugh, which was one less minute of him being irritated or upset, which was always a good thing. She was glad that she could joke around with someone, especially someone that was above her in the ranks of Battle Front. She had not expected to mix “business” with friendships, but she was kind of glad she did. Ash was a really good friend, even when he was trying to pull himself out of a emotionally hard time.

“Dude, a hug is not going too far. Now, making out with me, yeah, that’s going a little too far. Not that you’d want to do that anyway, I’m sure.”

The ‘clink’ of metal made Camila glance over at Ashton, who was grasping the dog tags around his neck. She supposed they belonged to someone in his family, though she was not sure who until he started to speak. He recounted the tale of how he discovered his powers. Honestly, it was a little more dramatic than how she discovered hers, but she supposed that it was because there was more stress on him as opposed to her. She had just felt pressure from her parents, whereas he had lost the person he had been closest to (or so she could gather from what he said) in a car accident. She noticed him looking at her as he apologized. She merely shrugged; she was honestly over the whole thing. Her parents had preferred her brother, and that was the end of it. Sure, she was sad that they died and everything, but she could not really cry about it. There was no point in doing so; Alejandro had probably done all of the crying for both of them. She secretly hoped that it haunted him for the rest of his life; after all, their blood was on his hands. She shook her head, though, to dispel the darker thoughts. Her brother was a whole different can of worms that she did not dare to open.

“Eh, it doesn’t really bother me anymore. It just wasn’t meant to be, and that’s okay. I guess my only issue is closure. But, that’s a different topic for a different day. Heh, maybe we can talk about it after a few drinks or something.”

Camila looked up from the grains below her to see the genuine smile on his face. She could hardly blame him; after all, who didn’t like ice cream? She was not sure she had met a person who had outright said that they disliked ice cream. Ice cream without toppings just did not seem right, especially since she knew that Ash liked to cause a little trouble every now and again. She supposed it was not such a bad thing. The kitchen staff could not cook decent food to save their lives, so the least they could do was clean up if there was a mess. She had been in the kitchen several times at night, when she could sneak out of her dorm and boy, had it been a mess! His next words made her own smile grow a little, and she nodded. It was easy to talk to Ash, so she knew that she did not have to go through things alone and that she could talk to him. At the moment, though, she was coping, so there was no need for it. She kept the words in the back of her mind though, making sure they stayed so she could remember them in crisis. She nodded a little and responded with a small chuckle.

“I know, and I appreciate it. You’re a real good friend.”

A wave of relief swept through Camila when Ashton finally uncurled and stretched out in the sand. She decided to place her hands out behind her a little, rolling her head to crack her neck. At the mention of her ‘other hot head’, a small blush crossed her cheeks. She supposed it was not a secret that she had a crush on Stephen, but it was still embarrassing to talk about, especially aloud. At least, within her own head, people could not hear her and be able to make fun of her. Of course, she knew Ash was only teasing her to make the atmosphere light, even if it was at her expense. She was glad, though, because it seemed like he was starting to act more like himself again, which was great.

“I-I guess. I mean, the last few times I’ve run into him after that whole fight thing, I was really more focused on making sure he’s okay. Call me insane, but I guess I try to focus more on helping others because it helps me forget my own troubles. Eventually, I have to come to terms with my own, but I need time for that. I guess that’s one good thing I’ve learned here. Ya’ know, I never expected to make friends here, but I’ve made some really good ones and, honestly, I kinda like it…”

As odd as it sounded coming from her mouth, Camila knew it was true. Her attitude in the beginning had been very sour, and she realized that attitude would not get her very far. So, she decided to “mix things up” and all of a sudden, things started to get more bearable and she started becoming friends with more people. She was glad that she had the friends she did, though, because, honestly, she felt less lonely. When she was at home, no one really liked talking to her because she was mean and she spent a lot of time alone, doing schoolwork, reading, or singing to herself. There were times that she had stopped to wonder if there was any other path, but then quickly shut the thought process down by distracting herself. She had not wanted to admit she wanted to be around others. She realized now that having friends and being social and kind from time to time made her feel better about herself. She shook her head, looking at the sky for a moment. She had realized just then that it was late October; there were only a few months left in the year and a lot had changed, and she was okay with that.

[Ashton Kay]

A small laugh came to his lips as he heard her words. That was probably the further thing from his mind at the moment. In all honesty, he didn’t feel that way towards Cami. Of course he’d flirt with her here and there, especially if her hot head ever came around again, but that’s as far as it would ever go. He felt like he had a brilliant friend when it came to her and there was no way in hell he’d ever risk that by even thinking of her in that way. So at the thought of it he was able to produce a small smile and ruffle her hair, “Not what I was going for. You don’t have to worry about that on my part, unless…”

He trailed off, clearly joking, before moving back into his own space. Then he recounted to the tail of his fallen father and the discovery of his powers. It wasn’t anything fancy, just an over load of emotion most people experienced when they lost someone. However, he did feel a pang of guilt when Cam hinted at her own past. She claimed that she was at least okay with it all now but Ash really had to wonder if that was the case. Things like that didn’t easily go away. But, he wasn’t going to press it. At least not now. “If you say so. I’m sure we’ll get back to this whenever I start showing off how well I can mix drinks.” He said, trying to ease the tension.

Still, he felt the need to irritate the fact that he was there for her. Even if the people in her past failed her that he’d tried his best not to. He absolutely loathed when friends bailed on each other. Friends should be people that you can rely on, not people that let you fall through the cracks. After making his point he smiled at her warmly, knowing that she’d, of all people, would understand. Getting out the thoughts that had been roaming around his head for so many months let a weight off of his shoulders that he hadn’t even realize he had begun to bare. Maybe he should try to do something like this more often. Nah. He still probably wouldn’t.

Easing back he changed the subject and effectively changed the mood. At least from his doom and gloom to her mix of embarrassment and confusion it seemed. “Nah, you’re not insane. It makes you a good person, though you should probably learn to give yourself a little attention once and a while. Even if you don’t like it.” He said, offering a smile after she finished speaking. “And you know… I’m glad you decided to branch out a bit and make friends. I’d be a basket case without you.” He made a funny face at her, proving his basket case point before easing into a laugh.

[Camila Reyes]

Camila had only the made the making out jab at Ashton not only to make the mood lighter, but to just poke fun at him. She knew he was very fond of women, but she figured she was safe poking fun at him for it because there was no way in hell he felt anything but a sense of friendship with her, and she was glad for that. It was nice to have a male friend who’s intent was actually to be a companion and not have any kind of romantic relationship with her. While she did have to admit that Ash was attractive, she was not really interested in him beyond being his friend. Theirs was too special a friendship for her to screw up, that was what she knew for sure. She let out a high-pitched fake grunt when he ruffled her hair, but the small smile on her lips betrayed her projected attitude. She was not fond of being reminded how short she was, but she also knew that he was not trying to remind her; just joke around with her. She laughed a little, waving her hand in the air as if to indicate that she had been joking before.

“Okay, good. That’s what I thought.”

Camila laughed a little. It figured that Ash would know how to mix drinks. She sometimes wondered if there was anything he couldn’t do. Sure, there probably was, but off the top of her head, she could not think of anything in particular. He had kicked her butt more times than she could count, even in training. He was a good friend, and an awesome person to be around. And apparently, he could have a career as an amature bartender. The thought made her giggle a little and she shook her head. She grinned at him, a smile still on her face from the laugh she had let out a few seconds earlier. As she spoke, she lightly smacked against the back of her hand against his arm and joked.

“Ashton Kay: Battle Front trainer, playboy, and amateur bartender. Next thing you’re gonna tell me is that you cook and bake too.”

She knew that he was there for her, and honestly, she was glad for that. It was nice to have people that had her back. Hell, that was really why she had joined Battle Front in the first place. Well, that and because she wanted some protection on the hectic island, though she did also join because she found that her ideals kind of fit with theirs. Regardless of her reasoning, though, Camila was glad she had joined. She had made some pretty cool friends and acquaintances, probably more than she ever would have had she been able to lead a “normal” life. She tried to avoid the topic of her crush by talking about helping other people. She was not particularly fond of sharing the details of her complicated feelings, especially since she was not even sure Stephen saw her in that way. She shook her head a little; there was plenty of time to wonder about that kind of thing later. She was more interested in keeping Ash company then dwelling on her feelings and making her cheeks turn a deeper shade of red the more she thought.

“Eh, I do things for myself, sometimes. I do take time out to read every once in a while. Call me a nerd, but books are just more interesting than watching people talk. I mean, it’s different when you’re involved in the conversation, but honestly, how many people do you think want to talk to me of all people? I can promise you, not that many, heh.”

His last words made her smile a little, but it was the face he made that made her break out into a fit of laughter. She tried to cover her mouth to stifle the high-pitched sounds coming from her mouth, but it did not seem to work. Her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. Damn this annoying laugh that sounds like a squealing pig, she thought to herself, letting her hands slip through the sand. She landed on her back, looking up at the sky as she put her hands behind her head. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the light of the slowly setting sun wash over her before opening an eye and looking at the young man sitting beside her. She chuckled before speaking, hoping that she did not bore him with her talk of the weather. She had just thought of how odd the weather pattern was and she wanted to comment on it, even if he did not really care.

“Ya know, I feel like time stops here. It always seems like summer here, even when it would be fall or winter back home. I guess this is what it’s like to live on a tropical island, huh? It’s alright, I guess. I kinda miss the colors of fall, though I certainly don’t miss the chill of winter. I mean, the color white’s okay and all, but I am not fond of the cold. But I’m sure you knew that already.”