fashionably sensitive, but too cool to care
There is calm before the storm. At least, that is how the saying goes.
Today, it is a calm day. The sky is clear and blue. The ocean is the same. The sand is soft and warm. There is a breeze, but it is so smooth it is barely even there.
She looks over the ocean as if she is waiting for something to happen. Her brow is very slightly furrowed as she watches the horizon, and she sits as still as the statue that stands some distance away from her.
She is being watched. She knows that, but she refuses to let the burning spots on her shoulders blades bother her. The horizon has not changed in half a day, but that is no reason to turn around. It is a test. There are often tests.
After a few more moments, he sits next to her. Mimics her position. He sits too close. He always sits too close. His knee is wedged against hers. It is yet another test. She wants to move, but that would mean acknowledging his presence. They sit in silence for an unbearable length of time. Eventually, she flinches. As always, that is the point that he chooses to speak.
“What are you waiting for?” He asks her.
“I’m not waiting,” she says, and as she speaks, she shifts her body several inches away from him.
“Then why did you ignore me when I called you?”
“Because I was told to.”
“Who told you to ignore me?”
“Jacob.”
This conversation has happened so many times. It is more of a greeting than an interrogation now. She takes the opportunity to look at him, just as he is looking at her. Nothing needs to be said, even though he will say something.
“Why do you listen to him?”
“I don’t know,” she returns to looking at the ocean, “Maybe because he knows what’s going on around here. Maybe because I trust him. Maybe because you don’t.”
She gets up as her words are met with an angry silence. She wants to avoid the pleas, to avoid everything that he has to say. There is nothing that he could say that could change her mind, but he will try. He always tries.
“Elizabeth, please,” he calls to her as she walks away. She smiles to herself. The sand changes to grass, and she disappears amongst the trees. He will find her later. He will try again. She will refuse him. She will walk away.
Repeat.
-
First in a series.
Today, it is a calm day. The sky is clear and blue. The ocean is the same. The sand is soft and warm. There is a breeze, but it is so smooth it is barely even there.
She looks over the ocean as if she is waiting for something to happen. Her brow is very slightly furrowed as she watches the horizon, and she sits as still as the statue that stands some distance away from her.
She is being watched. She knows that, but she refuses to let the burning spots on her shoulders blades bother her. The horizon has not changed in half a day, but that is no reason to turn around. It is a test. There are often tests.
After a few more moments, he sits next to her. Mimics her position. He sits too close. He always sits too close. His knee is wedged against hers. It is yet another test. She wants to move, but that would mean acknowledging his presence. They sit in silence for an unbearable length of time. Eventually, she flinches. As always, that is the point that he chooses to speak.
“What are you waiting for?” He asks her.
“I’m not waiting,” she says, and as she speaks, she shifts her body several inches away from him.
“Then why did you ignore me when I called you?”
“Because I was told to.”
“Who told you to ignore me?”
“Jacob.”
This conversation has happened so many times. It is more of a greeting than an interrogation now. She takes the opportunity to look at him, just as he is looking at her. Nothing needs to be said, even though he will say something.
“Why do you listen to him?”
“I don’t know,” she returns to looking at the ocean, “Maybe because he knows what’s going on around here. Maybe because I trust him. Maybe because you don’t.”
She gets up as her words are met with an angry silence. She wants to avoid the pleas, to avoid everything that he has to say. There is nothing that he could say that could change her mind, but he will try. He always tries.
“Elizabeth, please,” he calls to her as she walks away. She smiles to herself. The sand changes to grass, and she disappears amongst the trees. He will find her later. He will try again. She will refuse him. She will walk away.
Repeat.
-
First in a series.