Pulse [completed]

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
I am a dude.

I chuckled and turned my face to where I heard her voice. I opened my eyes and noticed she was pretty dang close. Then she moved my hair. I felt my face heat up rather quickly and I cursed myself to keep it cool. Like I didn't notice it, I smiled at her. Yes, I knew the floor was dirty. I've practically slept on this floor in gym. I'm not the most athletic guy in the world. I fake fainted on the floor--and the teachers fell for it--and I could feel the dust and dirt on me the whole way back to the clinic.

I tried to pull the trick again, but somehow they knew. I could never get away with that afterwards. I opened my mouth in mock surprise and looked around. "The floor is dirty? Oh, jeez. Call the janator quick!" I laughed, poking her stomach lightly in high hopes of tickling her.

[.kiki.]

`Ainslie;
Someone has a personality, don't they!

He poked me in the side, saying something stupid. It made me laugh, but not much and not very loud. I wasn't ticklish, so the poke just sent a chill down me. "Someone got themselves a personality pretty quickly." I stuck my tongue out and jumped up, adjusting my skirt before walking back to my place on the edge of the gym. Maybe I'd walk around a bit. Just to get the rest of my exercise in. "Wanna walk with me, Alec?" Why not invite him along. We could both use it. Exercise cured depression. If it was a pill, I'm sure we'd need at least 500mg.

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
Gah! I'm happy!

I nodded and kicked back onto my shoulders. I pushed the ground with my shoulders and I was hoisted into the air. I landed square on my feet. I shook my head slowly side to side, cracking it twice. "Sure," I replied. I dusted off my pants and shirt and jogged up to her. "You might want to lead... I get lost easily." I snickered. Okay, she put me in a very great mood--what can I say?

[.kiki.]

`Ainslie;
Someone has a personality, don't they!

He seemed to be fairly athletic, jumping up like that. It made me smile. When he came over, I grabbed his hand. I had worn gloves today, since people didn't seem to like to touch me, but his hand didn't stay in mine for long. I linked our arms and lead him around the gym. "Okay. Now's the time to impress me with some sort of cool history. Besides the orphan part..." I wasn't sure if he would want to talk about it. I scuffed the toe of my heeled mary jane on the floor. I liked wearing heels. They made me a few inches taller. 5'5" isn't really a good height.

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
Give me yours first!

I started to walk with her, feeling her hand in mine and then I felt her arm hook around mine. I held back the urge to smile as I looked at the floor. We walked in silence for the longest time. What could I say? I mean, I grew up in an orphanage... There isn't much to tell, really. I kind of didn't want to tell her about the jock incident that got me here, but that was the only thing exciting...

"Well," I began, "It's true, I never knew who my parents were. They left me in the orphanage without any pictures, or any clothes, for that matter. I later learned they didn't have the money to take care of me. No one really liked me in the orphanage... They didn't like me for the two different colored eyes... Then this girl, um, Ebony, I think was her name came up to me one day. Of course I ignored her, since I wouldn't talk. She tried continuously to catch my attention, but I just didn't want it. She touched me to play tag countless times, but I would sit there, ignoring every bit of it. Finally, she was taken away for some reason...

"I went to school, of course. I still wouldn't talk, though... My teachers would take me to counseling because they wanted me to talk, since they knew I could. I absolutely refused. They pitched a fit, and one day..." I stopped, unhooking my arm from hers as I looked up. "Then one day, I was sitting in the cafeteria, doing nothing to no one. Then this... innocent man came up to me... I didn't mean to--I really didn't... I absorbed his anger that came off of him... I don't know how... I sort of... Landed him in the hospital... That's how I got in this place... This dump." I closed my eyes and sighed. I put my face down and looked at the glazed wooden floor beneath us. I kicked it with the toe of my shoe, allowing it to go silent again.

[.kiki.]

`Ainslie
Random acts of violence, huh?

I listened intently, staring at the floor. He had hurt someone? Regardless that it hadn't really been intentional, he had still done it. He had put someone into the HOSPITAL. I was shocked, and a little unnerved. Imagine what could happen to me if it happened again. I'm pretty small. I don't know if I'd survive a punch from a guy. I nodded casually to indicate I had been listening and watched our feet move.

"Wow. Really. That's...that's really awful, Alec." My voice didn't sound like I was upset with him. I wasn't. I was just surprised. I sighed. I guess it was my turn. I wasn't sure I could choke out the words, but I'd try. For him.

"Well, I guess it's my turn. Uhm...I grew up in the city, in my mother's husband's manor with them and my half-siblings. My dad's in jail for...molesting some kid. I don't really like to talk about it." That was just the beginning. There was way too much left to say, but I'd skip to the end for his benefit. "I'm here because my step-father got arrested for possession of child pornography and my mother decided I wasn't worth the trouble since I stopped interacting. She doesn't visit me anymore. I've accepted that. I guess we're kinda in the same boat, huh?" I tried to smile at him, but it was strained and odd. The information left a weird taste on my tongue.

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
You don't think I can't feel that fear?

I hands clenched at her emotions. Shock, surprise, fear... I wouldn't do that to her. I couldn't do that to her. I'm not being pathetic here! I swore to myself that if I ever did that to anyone, I would literally kill myself. I can't live with it. I'm not a crazy person and I definitely don't deserve to be here... But that doesn't mean that I need it... I need to control this power-thing. I needed to learn how to keep people's emotions away from me.

I listened intently to her story, unclenching my fists. Now I felt the shock. Molesting? Child pornography? I resisted the urge to shudder. Well, even if her past was terrible, she still had parents. I don't care if her mother kicked her out and her father was a total... ick. I would trade my life for hers any day. I would love to know my parents, for at least two seconds of my life... I've felt so alone for years... No friends, no family, no hope...

"Yeah... the same boat..." I murmured, mostly to myself. I always wondered what my life would be if I had one figure I looked up to. I probably would be talking, and making friends. I probably wouldn't be here--here with Ainslie. That's one positive of not having parents... Ainslie. I would never have met her otherwise. I walked up to her and hooked my arm around hers. I could see that smile she was trying to pull off. It definitely wasn't working.

"The same boat that won't stop rocking.... I feel like hurling my brains out whenever the boat rocks, but I can't... Yeah, I know, bad simile. It just describes how I feel..." I looked up, pausing. "Do you think that since so much bad things have happened to us... that something good will come out of this? I don't know--become the world's best millionaire, or something?" I turned my gaze down to her, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

[.kiki.]

`Ainslie
I wish pigs had wings.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

The thought made my smile stick.
"Maybe. Maybe you'll become a movie star or something. They're always mentally unstable." I wasn't sure why I didn't include myself in that. Could I see myself leaving Hollowcove? I wasn't sure. I didn't think so. I'd been here for so long it was home. I'd feel strange somewhere else. But Alec deserved a better place. I think he could get out pretty easily. It just wouldn't be with me. A pang hit my chest like I'd been shot. Wouldn't be with me? Was I that crazy? I didn't want him to make it without me. The headache crept back, so I pulled away to rid myself of it. It took a few small steps and then twirled slightly. "And I could dance. Why not? You can do anything if you really try." I had danced before; in fact, I loved dancing. It was one of the only things that made me really happy. The smile grew when I started thinking about that. A dancer. That would be the day pigs flew.

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
A movie star?

I chuckled. "A movie star? No, no, no... I don't want to be famous... I just want something good happen to us. Like... Us getting out of here... Or, oh, I don't know... Becoming really close friends... Or me finding my parents... Or your mom discovering she misses you and loves you immensely. Something. Anything. I'm sick and tired of this rotten luck. There's no reason for us to have to live like this!" I threw my hands in the air, indicating the building we were currently in.

"I want to feel free, like the constitution says. There's no reason for us to be locked up in this place... We didn't win the Revolutionary War for nothing!" The constitution never said anything about locking kids up where they can never be found. What if my parents had gotten to the orphanage and learned I wasn't there anymore? And they learned I was a complete maniac. Fear struck me to the point where I wanted to whither to the floor and cry.

[.kiki.]

`Ainslie
Surprise, surprise. We're not that free.

I listened to him in silence, the smile disappearing. He was right. I was pretty sure that's what anyone wanted who had to be here. I picked at my arm, thinking. He made me want to hug him, but I didn't want to distress him if he didn't want to be touched. Instead, I just stood near him. "I like that you said 'us'." It was stupid to say; it made me sound like some lovesick girl. But I wanted to say something and I wasn't sure what. That's just what came out. I stood awkwardly, scuffing my shoe again. The silence in between our sentences was nervewracking. I wish we talked faster. It'd give me some peace of mind. I set a hand on his arm. "I think you'll get out. Don't worry. Okay?" My wonderful word of wisdom were followed by another kiss on the cheek, albeit a shy and awkward one. Afterwards, I stared around the room. It was so empty. I hated Sundays.

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
She kissed me again!

Oh, didn't I sound stupid... Talking about the constitution... However, my mind went blank when she put her hand on my arm. "I think you'll get out. Don't worry. Okay?" It echoed in my mind until she again kissed me on the cheek. I stood there, shocked once again. I felt my face blush furiously. It might have been awkward, but she did it. I clenched my hands into fists so I wouldn't throw my arms around her in a crushing hug.

"Me? W-what about you? There is no chance of me leaving you here alone. By the looks of you in the library, you need me." My blush disappeared and my fists unclenched. My face became serious and my eyes became smoldering. This was no kids' play. I was seriously about this. And if she didn't take me seriously, she'd soon find out what lengths I'd go. I am pretty insane.

[.kiki.]

`Ainslie
Maybe I do, Alec.

I avoided his eyes. "I've been here for a long time. I don't remember what other places are like anymore.

[/color]" It was better to get it out. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to sleep in my own bed with my own sheets and my own pillows. I had almost forgotten how it was to walk down the stairs and have breakfast laid out on the table. I sighed. He sounded so serious, but I didn't want to think like that right now. I just wanted to enjoy his company. I leaned against the wall, crossing one leg over the other and resting my palms against it behind me. "Do you like animals? When I leave, I want to get a dog." Hopefully a change of subject was all that we needed to move the topic onto more pleasant pastures. I looked at him, getting a bit lost in those eyes while I waited.[/size][/blockquote]

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
Why do you feel the need to change the subject?

I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a sigh. I walked to the other side of her and put my right foot on the wall, crossing my arms over my chest and looking at the floor. "I kind of want a cat. I don't know." I frowned, eyebrows furrowing deeply. I wasn't enjoying this all too much.

The conversation, I loved--everything else was driving me completely nuts. She would change something just to avoid it. I may not have people skills, but I know when they are avoiding something. She should not think that I would let this go so lightly... I will bring it up somehow. I couldn't possibly think about leaving without her... Welcome, headache... I guess the aspirin didn't work...

[.kiki.]

`Ainslie
What is this...?

I exhaled heavily. Now I felt guilty. Maybe it was something to be talked about. I wasn't sure. Might as well. "Alright. I won't stay behind. I'm turning 18 soon. Maybe I'll leave then. Or I can wait. I'm not quite sure what you expect when we're out of here, Alec. I'm not a very good person to be around for too long. I'll drive you nuts." Get it out in the open. We'll see what happened. I watched him from my place. The thought of leaving with him was such a nice one. It gave me a few flutterbys in my stomach, like that first crush you get in second grade. Not that I experienced that, being homeschooled for most of my life. I shifted sideways towards him, mocking his stance. An inviting smile spread over my mouth.

[;Griffen;]

Alec;
She kissed me again!

I turned my head and looked at her. Was she going bonkers? Scratch that--was she really saying that? "If you haven't noticed, we're in a mental institute. I don't think you can drive me nuts." I laughed breathlessly. I took a step closer to her, a centimeter breaking our distance. This was just tearing me up.

I expected nothing when I got out of here. Nothing but Ainslie at my side and freedom. That's really was all I wanted, now. I know, I've known her for about two days, but I really liked to have her around. I liked to listen to her speak and I liked to see her smile. I smiled back at her. My lip didn't bother me anymore, really. It was probably a one-time thing.