|
Administrator
|
Post by Eos * on May 12, 2017 23:57:02 GMT
{ } It had been a few years since Lucy had set her feet on campus and it was as if nothing had changed at all. She still recognized some of the people milling about - even though they didn't seem to recognize her, which, honestly, wasn't all that odd:
She had changed quite a bit since then. Her hair had been colored darker; almost black and it was shorter too. Her clothes didn't draw nearly as much attention as they had once used to. Dressed in a grey hoodie, a pair of blue, skinny jeans and a beanie - well, even her twin brother would have had a hard time recognizing her.
As she stepped through the doors, however, her blue eyes immediately scanned the hallway; she couldn't be too sure. She didn't want to run into any old baggage. That wasn't why she was back, though, if asked, she wasn't sure she really had an answer as to why she was back. Maybe she had none at all.
As she stepped down the hallway, walking through the familiar setting of the academy, blue eyes landed upon a familiar form: tall, broad shoulders, brown hair that matched a pair of warm, brown eyes and Lucy froze in her step. Caught between the notion of turning away and playing it cool, the blue eyed brunette side-stepped the moment their eyes met, pathetically hiding behind a row of lockers. "You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're a ghost with a beating heart." ulla |
|
|
Newbie
|
Post by Puppy on May 13, 2017 6:17:17 GMT
'and it feels like I'm at an all-time low slightly bruised and broken from our head on collision' It would be inaccurate to say the years away had been kind or otherwise to Taylor. If anything they'd be firmly placed in the category of 'experiences'. He had been the one who left first with the call of family being far too strong to ignore. Yes, was the catalyst for the numerous sleepless nights and the doubts that had now firmly embedded themselves within the deepest parts of his subconscious. Or maybe he was just holding onto childlike notions. Either way, like so many of his ilk, Taylor had found his way back to the esteemed (if not rather dubious in reputation) campus that represented much of the only home he'd ever known. His brother was still around but that was hit or miss. Jack was often busy chasing his own tail leaving Taylor with an inordinate amount of time to think about how the progression of time had taken its toll on his psyche.
With the coming of the new year Taylor had found a new goal. More specifically, he'd actually found a goal. Whether or not this goal would come to fruition remained to be seen but for the time being it kept him busy and prevented him from thinking of past regrets. If anything, returning to school had lent a certain amount of clarity. Sure, he was older than most of the college students in his grade by at least two years but his life experience (and ability to legally purchase alcohol) lent itself well to his new college life.
As preparation for his next class, a phys ed course, Taylor stood in the halls making idle, half hearted chatter with a handful of other students while clad in a pair of dark gym shorts and a dark grey shirt emblazoned with large letters spelling out 'LAPD' across the front. Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention causing him to glance down the hall. In an instant the world around him slowed to a snail's pace. It was as if his latent, mutant power recognized the brilliant blue eyes framed by the dark hair before he did. If not for his power she may have slipped away before he could realize who it was he had seen. Alas, the brief moment the two had spent staring dumbfounded at one another may as well have been an hour.
"What the fuck?" Taylor mumbled under his breath, instantly losing interest in whatever his similarly dressed classmate had been saying and immediately breaking off from the group to wander in the direction he thought the blue eyed girl ducked away. Even though he'd gotten a good look at her, Taylor still doubted it was her. When he came back he tried in vain to discover what had become of the young woman who had caused him so much duress but she'd left with nary a word making tracking her down impossible.
Rounding the row of lockers the mysterious girl had ducked behind, Taylor's brow furrowed. He still could barely believe what he'd seen and half expected the space near the lockers to be empty as if the sighting had been merely a hallucination. |
|
|
Administrator
|
Post by Eos * on May 13, 2017 7:47:21 GMT
{ } Had Lucy been smarter, she would have removed herself from the situation. Instead of cowardly hoping that he hadn't seen her, hadn't realized it was her or wouldn't bother checking she should have moved away further. Instead, she remained perfectly still, eyes shut and a hand clasped around the collar of her hoodie.
The approaching footsteps wasn't enough to tell her she was sorely mistaken, though it was a tell tale. Instead, the familiar surge of power - that unique tingle in the air that was almost painfully familiar was all she needed to know.
Blue eyes opened and peered up in defiance - or rather, what little of it she could muster in her current state of feeling horrified by her actions and too prideful to admit to it. As if she could will him to move. Will him to leave her alone.
Because that usually worked out so well for the both of them. "You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're a ghost with a beating heart." ulla |
|
|
Newbie
|
Post by Puppy on May 13, 2017 14:47:53 GMT
Nope
Taylor's head immediately shook as a cavalcade of long buried emotions came flooding back. He'd let go years ago, resigning himself to the simple fact that life (among many other factors) had pulled the two in different directions. And yet the moment he saw her, those brilliant blue eyes peering out from beneath the hoodie it all flared up again instantly dashing his hopes of having moved on.
A few moments of uncharacteristically dumbfounded silence melted away in the blink of an eye. Taylor slowly exhaled, seemingly breathing away the tension and surprise that had been on his face just a second before. His stance loosened and a thin smirk touched his features. "Well then." He said, giving his shoulders an idle shrug. "Why am I not surprised? Just couldn't stay away, could you?"
|
|
|
Administrator
|
Post by Eos * on May 17, 2017 18:29:08 GMT
{ } Lucy's expression turned into a fierce scowl at his words. She wasn't sure what she had expected; Taylor changing had not been one of them. Even now, he was the same fool he'd been back then. And yet, the thought of running into him had terrified her.
"Don't give yourself that much credit," she scoffed once she'd regained her composure. Standing straight, she rolled her shoulders and lifted her chin.
As if feeling the need to make a point, the blue eyed brunette continued, "If I couldn't stay away, wouldn't you have been the first person I'd seek out?" Her eyebrows rose as if daring him to even think she'd even consider coming back for him. "You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're a ghost with a beating heart." ulla |
|
|
Newbie
|
Post by Puppy on May 19, 2017 14:38:25 GMT
Of course Taylor wasn't stupid enough to think Lucy had came back for any reasons other than her own. Hell, for all he knew (and no small part of him suspected this in the first place) she had been forced to return to the school by some authority. After all, what else would have drawn the enigmatic young woman back to the campus she'd so obviously despised?
"Well." Taylor started, the smirk remaining on his lips as his soft brown eyes watched Lucy as she postured and steeled herself against his presence. "It's nice to see you too." There was a hint of sarcasm touching the words though he wouldn't dare show even the slightest trace of the twinge of disappointment that stung his chest. They'd spent so long running around in circles years prior he'd hoped for some response that didn't make it feel as though the two of them had left off as bitter enemies.
|
|
|
Administrator
|
Post by Eos * on May 25, 2017 21:34:28 GMT
{ } A pair of blue eyes rolled at his words; she couldn't have helped herself even if she'd tried. Even now, his infamous ability to act smug and snarky got on her last nerve.
Her eyes briefly swept over his shirt and an eyebrow arched briefly; too quickly for anyone else to notice. Too slow for him not to. Still, she didn't comment.
"Yeah, yeah," she said, motioning with her hands as if shooing him away. She didn't like the close proximity. He'd caught her off guard and she'd rather not let it show. "You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're a ghost with a beating heart." ulla |
|
|
Newbie
|
Post by Puppy on May 26, 2017 14:42:23 GMT
The smirk didn't waver even though beneath the soft gaze that hadn't left Lucy's face since seeing her again percolated the idea that Taylor's own pride was getting in the way. Obviously that wouldn't have been the first time such a thing had happened, nor would it be surprising to see it happen again.
The pause in the snarky back and forth served to allow a hint of clarity to invade Taylor's mind. He went to speak, hesitated, then frowned. He swallowed back the sarcastic response that had slipped its way to the tip of his tongue and reconsidered his next course of action. Things would have been much easier if they had both stayed away. He could have remained back home in Ireland free from the burden of not knowing the nature of what had flared up between himself and the enigmatic girl so long ago.
"So." Came the unexpected filler word. By his very nature (and mutant power) Taylor rarely found himself at a loss for something to say though Lucy's mere presence seemed to always muddle that up. Even the extra time his mind had to sort out details and react wasn't enough to keep him on a steady course when she was around. That was made clear by the drastic shift in his demeanor and tone. He shrugged a bit to himself and glanced down the hall toward nothing in particular. "How have you been?"
|
|
|
Administrator
|
Post by Eos * on May 27, 2017 19:31:44 GMT
{ } A defeated sigh fell from the blue eyed girl's lips when she realized he wouldn't move. In truth, she couldn't honestly expect him to. The way they'd left things had been all but kind and well, she didn't blame him.
Even if it annoyed her.
A roll of her eyes before she physically moved herself further to create more space between them. Slender fingers brushed against her shirt as if brushing something nasty off of her. "Good," she said, pursing her lips.
For a moment, she was honestly contemplating giving him nothing more. Because she didn't owe him anything, but even she could feel the awkwardness that crept over them like a veil threatening to choke the life out of them. And she didn't want to deal with that. "Spent some time back home," she added with a shrug. "You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're a ghost with a beating heart." ulla |
|
|
Newbie
|
Post by Puppy on Jun 2, 2017 14:37:18 GMT
Taylor wasn't stupid (okay, he kinda was but if nothing else he was used to reading Lucy). It didn't take a trained monkey with a Walt Disney imagination to see how uncomfortable his presence made her. If he wasn't so adept at keeping his own emotions under wraps she'd probably get the same feeling from him. Of course that was thinking far too much about things, a habit Taylor rarely had to contend with.
"Home." Taylor repeated with a contemplative nod. This was just another moment that showed how little the two actually knew of one another. It was obvious where he was from, his accent was difficult to mask, but it occurred to him he didn't have the slightest clue about her. He glanced down the hall in a rare instance of needing to steal a few moments to gather his reply. "Did you find what you were looking for?" He asked, his tone lowering and growing more sober. Of the few things he knew about Lucy was her tumultuous family life.
|
|
|
Administrator
|
Post by Eos * on Jun 5, 2017 19:43:49 GMT
{ } A slow nod caressed Lucy's head as she nodded; she wasn't sure why he'd felt the need to repeat it, but she wasn't about to ask either. Perhaps it was one of those things he'd consider important while she didn't. "Uh huh," she replied.
His next question had Lucy pursing her lips. "No," she replied with finality. She had no interest in discussing this - she hadn't then, and she sure as hell wasn't about to now.
But it was apparent that Taylor wasn't about to leave - and she almost felt angry at herself for being surprised. Huffing, she stuck her hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt and rocked back on her heels. "So," she attempted, dragging out the word. "LAPD?" "You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're a ghost with a beating heart." ulla |
|
|
Newbie
|
Post by Puppy on Jun 6, 2017 14:34:06 GMT
No one had ever accused Taylor of being the smartest knife in the shed and was usually seen as being about as subtle as a cinder block thrown from the back of a speeding truck. Still, he wasn't wholly stupid or ignorant, least of all when it came to the enigmatic blonde who was standing defiantly in front of him. He'd already worn out his welcome (if it could be said he'd had one to begin with) and now she was merely tolerating his presence. Which, he supposed, could be seen as a good thing given Lucy's usual lack of patience.
"Oh, uh... yeah." His brow furrowed as his choice of t-shirt was questioned. He glanced down to the gold lettering splayed across the fabric and shrugged faintly. "I'm in a pre-academy program." Taylor explained in a flat, halted tone. His choice of academic pursuit hadn't been one of passion or even mild interest rather one that seemed to fit with what limited skill set the young man had been dealt. Still, the question brought up a new course for their already awkward and largely ineffectual conversation. "Did you pick a major yet?" He asked now with genuine curiosity touching his voice. "Or are you waiting for next year?"
|
|
|
Administrator
|
Post by Eos * on Jun 6, 2017 15:09:58 GMT
{ } As much as Lucy didn't want to say it, she had to admit that she could see Taylor pursuing a career as a police officer. Sure, he might not be the straightest duck in the pond, but for what it was worth; his heart was usually in the right place.
There had been something floating inside the brunette's mind for a while, but she'd yet to truly make any decisions yet. She had a lot to pick from, but there was so few things that truly interested her. Having issues with authorities surely didn't help either.
"Not yet," she said with a simple shrug. She wasn't even sure if college was the way she wanted to go to college at all. "I still have a few classes I need to catch up on," she added. "You're not dead, but you're not alive either. You're a ghost with a beating heart." ulla |
|
