R.I.P Elaina

"Yeah, I do." Zerrick said in all seriousness. He really, really wanted to know. What could be her reasoning for going away with him, possibly forever?

"I..." Karina licked her lips that were suddenly dry and continued looking at her hands, as if they were the most interesting things in the world. "Ikindasortahaveacrushonyou."

Zerrick had understood what she had said, but wanted to her her say again because it made him feel good. "I'm sorry, what? I didn't hear you."

Karina took a deep breath, looking over at him, a little braver. She smiled. "I like you. /Really/ like you."

He raised his eyebrows and stared at her. "Seriously? Um, can I ask why? I mean, I'm..." Zerrick didn't finish the sentence, just looked away and waited for her reply. What could she possibly like about him?

Karina's face fell and she shrugged, looking out the window. "That wasn't the reaction I was expecting. Why WOULDN'T I like you?"

"Because you're an amazing girl, and you deserve someone waaay better than the likes of me."

Karina looked over at him in surprise. "You think so?" She blurted but then shook her head, covering her words with a smile. "That sentence should be reversed. I think that /you're/ amazing."

Bells wrote:Nicola went through most of the rest of the day in a daze. So much had happened and she had no idea what to do about it. Her secret was out. Everyone knew she was a murderer, and it scared her. The next evening she found herself alone in the house, dad was at the bar or somewhere, she wasn't really sure. The house was starting to feel like it was closing in on her, like she was going to soffacate. Grabbing the phone she quickly dialed Jamie's cell. "Hey Jamie." She said feeling awkward. "Wanna go do something? I feel trapped, need to GE out of the house."

Jamie: My cell phone rang, jarring me from my thoughts. Surprised, and desperately hoping it wasnt my parents, i pulled it out of my pocket, checking the caller ID, already thinking about ignoring it. I was infinitely shocked but pleasantly surprised to see Nicola's number on the phone's screen. Although i was happy she'd called, i was also kind of nervous about what she was going to say. But..... i could never ignore her. So i opened the phone which accepted the call and listened to what she had to say. "Hey Nicola." i started. "Going somewhere sounds good. My place turned into a cage too. I couldnt stick around in there. Where do you want to go?" i asked.

Nicola sighed in relief as he agreed. "I don't care, anywhere. I just need to do something or I'll burst." She pulled on a jacket and headed towards the door, pausing with the house phone to her ear.

Jamie: "Oh, er... okay. Well, if you want to come to the park, that's where i currently am, unless you want me to meet you somewhere else." i said. The prospect of seeing Nicola now both made me happy and terrified me, but i was just going to have to deal with the terrified bit. Id known it would happen sooner or later.

"Sounds like a good idea." She said walking over to the phone base on the counter. "I'll be there in a few, bye." She hung up and started out the door. It would be kind of awkward hanging out with Jamie now but she...he... had alwaus been the easiest to talk to. Why couldn't it still be that way?

Jamie: I flipped my phone closed and stashed it back in my pocket, going back to my thoughts, but, fortunately, it was easier to stay connected to the world and harder for my thoughts to overwhelm me now. I felt less of a prisoner in my own mind. A lot of those thoughts had been worry thoughts based on Nicola's reactions, wondering if she'd never want to see me again, things like that. Well, those had been taken care of. One set of worries down, many more to go...

Nicola finally made it to the park about ten minutes later and sat next to Jamie with a hesitant smile. "So......what should we do now?" She asked nervously. Now that she was here, with someone that knew her secret she wasn't sure she wanted to be here.

Jamie: I glanced up when Nicola arrived, greeting her. I shrugged. "I dont know, really. You tell me." i said, laughing a little. I was at a total loss for what to do. I had a lot that i wanted to say, but i was hesitant to do so. I didnt want to put her through any more awkwardness or discomfort.

Nicola hesitated a moment longer before letting out a sigh. "I guess we should talk about......all that stuff from yesterday. Its gonna be hard to do anything till then." She gave him a small smile as her voice ended on a soft note.

Jamie: I nodded, smiling a bit. "Yeah, i guess so. Look.... really, im sorry. I didnt want you to know.... about my feelings for you. I didnt want to put you through that awkwardness... if i could change things, i would, but i cant. All i can do is try to make things as easy and not-awkward for you as possible." i said, sighing slightly.

Nicola smiled at him, her eyes open and honest. "It really doesn't bother me too much Jamie. I know you pretty well, or thought I did anyways. You're a nice ...guy, there are a lot of worse people to have liking me. Its just hard to wrap my mind around is all."

Jamie: I smiled a bit. "Well, that's good to know. Honestly, its a tiny bit awkward for me, or it was when i first realized it. Its harder for me to like girls than it is guys. Liking guys doesnt feel abnormal to me. Liking girls almost makes me feel lesbian. I truly dont associate with myself as a boy at all. Its part of why i dont like people knowing. They start looking at me differently, treating me as a boy when that's not how i feel at all." i said, sighing. And then i realized it would now probably be very very obvious that i was bi.

Nicola blinked, taking that all in. She pushed away the thought about him/her being bi and focused on the more important question. "Would you rather I still treat you like a girl. I can try, it'll be hard but....."

Jamie: "I understand that it may be difficult, but any effort would be appreciated." i said. "Im still the same me. I havent changed at all. Im not about to start acting like a guy just because you guys know now. Its not as if im suppressing some incredibly masculine personality. Ive always just been like this." i said. My parents had always seemed to think it was forced, an act for whatever reason. They didnt understand me at all. It was why i couldnt stand being around them.

Nicola nodded, a small smile on her lips. "I will try." She told him, then her thoughts drew to what had been revealed about her. She bit her lip uncertain if she wanted to bring this up. "How can you be around me Jamie? Now that you know I'm a.....a murderer? "

Jamie: I smiled shaking my head a bit. "It doesnt matter to me. I dont care that you killed someone. I dont see you any differently. It doesnt change how i look at you or how i feel about you. I dont hate you. I could NEVER hate you. And i wont treat you any differently for it." i said.

!nspired wrote:(it is. she's just tired xD)

Elaina shook her head. "I don't want to close my eyes." She bit her lip, sitting down on the other mattress. She knew it was silly, but if she closed her eyes she was afraid she might be back there, without Jace. Mostly being without him again scared her.

Jace didn't trun as he slipped his hand into hers. "Sleep," he said soothingly. He pulled her over to his side, wrapping an arm around her. "I'll protect you," he said, kissing the top of her head gently.

Nicola smiled back at him, her eyes sparkling with unseen tears. "Thanks Jamie. You have no idea how much that means to me." She leaned over and gave him a hug, her heart soaring. At least she knew one of them didn't hate her.