Never Alone. (Shiori)

[Spritz]

The weather fitted his mood perfectly. Grey, downcast, and threatening to burst into anger any second, with flashes of electric lightning, and rolls of booming, ear peircing thunder. Not a drop of rain fell from the sky, but it looked like any second, it would downpour. But the whole day had been like this.
Sighing, Eric turned over on his bed, staring blankly at his wrists. Long scars ran over the flesh on his wrists, and he ran a finger across one of the scars. It didn't hurt anymore. But he could still remember the pain the long cuts had caused. Shaking his head, his spiked black hair fell into his eyes, and he brushed it away, pushing the feeling of rejection and hurt out of his mind. His room was clean, neat, with only the nececities. A bed, a dresser, a guitar. The guitar was of course a nececity, though Eric hadn't played it since.... For years. Still, he gazed at sculped wooden body, its long neck and steel strings, and wished he could bring himself to play.
But he couldn't.
His phone buzzed, but he ignored it.

~*~*~*~*~

Minutes later, he was sitting on a swing, pushing himself slowly back and forth like he had done so long ago. His head was down, and the cool breeze blew through his hair. In the town park, he was alone. But he liked it that way.


(Sorry it was a fail.)

[Guest]

[ it's fine]

Leah sighed slightly, flipping through the songs on her iPod, finally coming to a rest on "Better That We Break" by Maroon 5. Only one month ago, the sweetest thing in her life had been torn away from her, and she'd fallen, and fallen hard.
As she walked out of her house, in her usual sleeveless T and grey skinny jeans with a few tears in them, the stringy fabric threatening to tear all the way around. Her grey converse weren't much different from the color of the sky above, but she wasn't really paying attention to that.
She could smell the rain coming on, but didn't bother to get either her jacket or her umbrella. She walked around the sidewalks aimlessly, unknowingly making her way towards the park, where she and Micah had used to chase each other around the playground so many times, like lovestruck toddlers. The thought of never seeing his face again broke her heart even further, and mixed with the sad melody of the song on her iPod, she hit repeat, and scuffed her shoes against the sidewalk, not noticing the tears on her cheeks, probably making her mascara and heavy eyeliner run.

{ song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3JHQJoF7zM&feature=related }

[Spritz]

Eric was murmering softly to himself, even without realizing it. He was staring blankly at the dirt benieth his feet, his mind so full of thoughts that really, he wasn't thinking about anything. He hadn't realized there was anyone else in the park besides him, untill he looked up, seeing a girl about his age shuffling slowly down the sidewalk, ear buds pressed firmly into her ears. He could fainly make out the beat of a slow song as she passed by, but that was all. Needing something, anything to distract him from his musing, he slowly got to his feet, standing up, and just then noticing that she was crying. She was cute too, which made him set his jaw.
He told himself he wouldn't ever do that again! She even LOOKED like one of his past girlfriends, but he still, almost involentarrily, fell into step behind her.

[Guest]

Leah turned up the volume on her iPod, quite aware of somebody was behind her, though at this point in time she didn't care. Memories were replaying in her head, and she stopped momentarily, halfway off of the path and stared at the mulch-covered playground that was beside the park's green and open space. She smiled a bit and sniffed as she remembered Micah chasing her up into the tall tower at the corner of the playground, where he had caught her and tickled her to the point she thought she was going to die laughing, which was followed by a single passionate kiss and resting with each other until a policeman caught them up in the tower, far past the playground's closing time.
Leah wiped her face on her arm, managing to smear her make-up even more, and groaned and flopped onto the ground, staring up at the guy who had been following behind her. He was cute, but the thought of his looks made her heart clench and she dropped her head back down, staring at the faintly glowing screen of her iPod.
"Why are you following me?" Leah asked quietly, taking one earbud out of her ear.

[Spritz]

The pair of strangers only seemed to shuffle along a short while, before the girl wiped her face with her sleeve. Eric now regretted following her in the first place, knowing he should have minded his own buisness instead of trying to help her out. Still, now he was stuck in the middle of it, as she sat down on the ground and peered up at him, her eyes red and bloodshot, black makeup smeared around her eyes, reminding Eric of a racoon.
She spoke, and he could almost feel his face turn a shade pinker. "I'm really sorry. I saw you crying and..." He trailed off, glancing anxiously at his shoes, which seemed quite interesting at the moment.
"Nevermind."

[Guest]

Leah sniffed a bit and listened to his explination. "I-it's okay..." Leah took a few tissues from inside her jeans' pocket and wiped her face until most of her make-up was gone, except for a the top eyeliner and most of her mascara (which was rather clumped now). Leah frowned and stuffed the dirty tissues back in her pocket and sighed, flopping out onto the ground.
"It's all right, you don't need to explain yourself. You're really the only one here to see me in a total breakdown anyways," Leah sighed heavily. "I'll be fine, though..." Leah gave him a weak smile and shuffled her iPod songs around until she got to a different song. She wondered if he was gonna stay now. To be honest, she wished right now that this stranger had been a girl. They related much better to her when she was in this state. But either way, she was just happy to have some company.
"I'm Leah, by the way."

[Spritz]

Eric nervously shuffled his feet, raising his dark eyes and meeting this girls gaze. "No.. I'm sorry. It was kinda... creepy if you ask me." He admitted, and as she stated she was alright, he raised an eyebrow.
"You dont look like you're 'fine', but I'm not going to prod." He said softly, and reached down a hand to help her up. "I'm Eric."

[Guest]

Leah took in a shaky breath. She wasn't going to tell this stranger about Micah. No way. That'd be really creepy, but the fact he thought his own actions were creepy, and that he admitted it, made her smile a bit. She thankfully took his hand and got to her feet, thanking him with a nod of her head.
"Nice to meet you," Leah said quietly, sniffing again. Now her nose was running, and she had used all her tissues for wiping off her make-up. She groaned inwardly: this was just her luck. "What are you doing around here all alone, anyways?" Leah asked. She knew he could ask her the same question, but Leah already had her answer in her head. Being in a family of 7? Not fun. Being alone sometimes was okay. This was the first time in twenty four hours that she hadn't been crowded by her siblings and parents, trying to cheer her up. Most of the time she locked herself up in her room and listened to Micah and hers song ( "Awake" by Secondhand Serande ). Leah broke out of her thoughts to look up at Eric again, trying to seem interested, but thoughts of Micah were swirling around her head, no matter how hard she tried to push them away.

[Spritz]

Eric saw her smile, and was grateful that she didn't race away screaming. Well, that was a figure of speech, but still... He smiled softly as she grasped his hand pulling her to her feet. His rough hand pressed against her soft, small one, and he let it go quickly.
Stepping back, he ran a hand through his black hair, making it spike up without him knowing it. His dark eyes held an emotion that was hard to tell what it was, compassion maybe.
He saw her fumbling for tissues, and realizing hers were all gone, he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a neat white square. Handing the tissue to her, he gave her one of his rare smiles.. He couldn't remember the last time he had smiled. The emotions that were swirling through his mind made his head hurt, and a slight headache throbbed at the back of his temples. "Nice to meet you." He said, and it actually sounded genuine. He noticed that she seemed distracted, and imedietly lowered his head.
"Sorry. You can go. Sorry to bother you."

(Can I change his backround? Mine seems so... meager compared to the loss of your character. Like OMG he got dumped twice! What a huge deal! I would make it so he only had one love. Ever. Then, she was either was killed, or she cheated on him and left the state.. I dont want to copy you, but... I want them to feel the same, kind of. So not so bad, but still bad enough. I can make it a bit better. Or he can come from an abusive home.)

[Guest]

Leah thought for a minute about the feeling of his hand before he let go almost as if he'd been burned and run it through his hair. She glanced at his hair, which now looked like it had several mini-mohawks. The corners of her mouth twitched into a smile momentarily, before she sighed greatfully and took the tissue from him, muttering a "thanks" before blowing her nose and sniffing once more before looking up at him, tissue crumpled lifelessly in her fist now.
"No, no, it's okay," Leah smiled, though it was rather forced, but she was meaning it to be friendly and genuine. She just wasn't used to smiling very often, now that Micah was gone. Leah sighed quietly, then shrugged, "I don't really want to go, if that's okay. I... haven't talked to a...." she fumbled in her mind for the right word, "guy in a while."
Leah turned off her iPod and took out the other earbud. "You can go if you want to, though," she sniffed involuntarily, "I may not be the best of companions." Leah could feel her face go pink, heated slightly in a half-blush. She hit herself inwardly. She wasn't supposed to be blushing at a stranger! Well, he wasn't really a stranger anymore, but still!

[ actually I think it'd be cool for the girl cheating on him and an abusive home. It would make things a bit more interesting. Like a taboo relationship, if that's were this is going to go ^^ ]

[Spritz]

Eric was rewarded with a small smile, and inhaled deeply, his lips parting slightly. Exhaling, he shook his head, closing his eyes breifly. He listened to her words, his head spinning slightly, as he tried to desipher the unknown thoughts that were racing through his mind, there for a half second, then gone just as fast. Her words made him smile slightly in return, though it was rather sad and tired, a smile showing that he had been through more than he should have been for his age.
"I havn't talked to a girl in like...years." Eric stated truthfully, cocking his head to the side and opening his eyes. He contemplated telling her that he had no where to go anyway, that he would just go to an empty, or abusive household, so really there was no point, but shook his head at that.
"I'm not busy... Just... I was just... thinking."

[Guest]

Leah nodded slowly, turning her head momentarily up towards the sky to see the grey clouds coming together even more now. She frowned deeply before turning to look at him again, tilting her own head to the side a bit. "Years?" Leah almost asked why, but then she decided that if it really had been years, there was obviously a very good reason behind it, and it may be personal, so she kept her mouth shut. She smirked a bit when he said he was just thinking.
"Whenever I start thinking I end up in a mood like this," Leah then shook her head and corrected, "Like a mood I had earlier, I mean... I have tons to think about... I can't believe it's only been a month..." Leah began trailing off, momentarily forgetting that Eric was still there, her mind wandering back to Micah. Thankfully, it only took her a moment to snap out of it and shake her head vigorously, "Oops, sorry about that... See, that's what I mean... Thinking and totally zoning out for a moment.."

[Spritz]

A small drop of water fell from the mighty grey thunderheads overhead, landing on Erics nose. He shook his head, surprised, and raised his head to watch the large angry clouds twist there way across the sky. Leah's voice called him back to reality, and he started, as if just having been woken up. Feeling a faint tinge of pink blossom over his cheeks, he looked down, an embarrased smile on his lips.
"I just zoned out."
He listened to Leah for a minute, and nodded in understanding. "When I think, I usually dont talk for days." Eric was, unknowingly, stroking the white scars on his wrist with one of his thumbs.

[Guest]

Leah frowned for a moment, realizing how badly he'd zoned out. She chuckled to herself when he admitted it, seeing a slight blush across his face before he looked dejectedly at his shoes. She felt a rather large raindrop land in the middle of her head, and she stared up at the angry sky for a minute, then grimaced heavily.
"Oh, I'm sorry...Do you live alone or something?" Leah asked, then eyed the scars on his wrists, his thumb moving warily across them. She frowned and looked back up at him, not wanting at all now to get involved in whatever was happening in his personal life. She wasn't his friend yet, only aquaintence, and it wasn't right for her to go around being nosy in his own private life.

[Spritz]

A few other scattered drops started to fall, and Eric frowned. Looking back up to Leah's face, he pursed his lips at her question. Dejectedly, and rather angrily, he spoke. "You could say that." He hissed out. He wasn't mad at her, no, not at all. "I'm sorry..." He apologized, noting the anger in his own voice. "Its not you!" Quickly stating, he removed his hand from his wrist and glanced up at her face, cocking his head to one side. His raven black hair blew slightly in the chill breeze, and his dark eyes reflected Leah's face, deep, dark, and hurt, though he would never admit that to himself. He knew that if he went home, that he wouldn't be there, but the fact that he would be alone, and practically waiting for his stepdad mad him shiver softly.

[Guest]

Leah was taken back by his sudden sharp tone, and she glanced at the ground, feeling rather awkward that she'd struck such a nerve. She had just opened her mouth to apologize to him, when he said it wasn't her fault.
"No, it's okay, I shouldn't have asked, really," Leah shook her head nervously, though she knew asking somebody if they lived alone usually wouldn't strike such a chord with anyone, "It was a stupid question." Leah smiled forcefully before noting that he'd taken his hand away from his wrist and she stared up at the sky again, sighing.
"We should probably go somewhere else, it's going to start raining here any second." As if on her que, the rain began to pour down heavily.

[Spritz]

Eric felt awful for snapping at her, as he hadn't meant to in the least. He shook his head, ready to apologize again, when she spoke, apoligizing herself.
"It wasn't stupid..." He trailed off, eyes trained on the ground, watching drop after drop of water splash its way onto the grey sidewalk benieth there feet. Looking around, he realized that they were the only people outside of there house, and wondered why. Just because of a little bit of rain? At that moment, after Leah had spoken, the clouds opened, and imedietly, a heavy, forcefull downpour started down on the pair, drenching them both in seconds. Erics long black hair was plastered to his forhead, and he looked worridly at Leah. "We have got to go!"

[Guest]

Leah frowned a bit, still a bit on-guard now that he had snapped at her. She didn't want it to happen again, so she was hesitant to speak. When the rain began pouring down on them, she hid her iPod, keeping it dry inside of her pocket (at least, until her pocket got soaked, which wouldn't take long at this rate). Leah nodded, barely over to hear him over the sound of the rain slapping against the pavement. For a moment she thought she could run home, but she doubted that she would be able to get there before the storm really kicked in.
"Where are we going to go?" Leah asked a bit louder than usual, hoping that he would be able to hear her over the downpour. She could barely hear herself think now, and she had to squint her eyes to see straight.

[Spritz]

The only buildings that surrounded them were personal houses, and there was no way he was about to knock on the door of one of them, drenched and shivering. His sharp black eyes darted to the side, to where he saw that the under the jungle gym, there was a small area that was staying dry, despite the hard rain that pelted against them, feeling more like hail then rain. Flinching as it hit his skin, he gestured to the area, not bothering to speak. Just then, lightning decided to split overhead, making him jump and quickly herd Leah to the small shelter.

[Guest]

Leah jumped slightly when the thunder boomed and lightning struck, and looked over to where he was pointing. It took her a moment for her to be able to discern it through the thick sheet of rain that was obscuring her vision, the rain droplets falling right into her eyes. She was sort of glad when Eric helped her reach the tiny shelter, and she crawled under it, hurriedly scooting over to the side a bit so Eric would have room to get in.
She looked around a moment, closing her eyes tightly and trying her hardest not to think of Micah. They hadn't ever been in this one area more than twice, but the memories it held made her able to smell Micah, to feel him like he was still there, and she had to pinch the bridge of her nose to keep the tears from flowing out again. She wasn't going to have a total meltdown in front of Eric. Not again.

[Spritz]

Climbing under the small overhang, Eric then realized how cramped it was, and tried to scootch away from Leah a bit, not wanting to freak her out. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he pushed raven black hair out of his eyes, blinking to clear his vision. His hair was spiked up at all angles as he unconciously ran a hand through it, and he shivered slightly, the rain freezing cold.
"Sorry.. I shouldn't have kept you. Now you're stuck in the storm with a total stranger." He commented, trying to break the unatural silence that hang heavilly in the air.

[Guest]

Leah shook her head after a moment of clearing her mind, and smiled, shifting slightly and turning around so her feet were nearest him, so she could look him in the face without having to crane her neck around to see him. "No, it's all right." Leah sighed. "I guess it's beneficial to talk to people you aren't related to once and a while, you know?" Leah smiled, the first real smile she'd smiled in a while. She could feel her face reddening a bit, having to be cramped in such a tiny space with a complete stranger, who was quite extrodinarly handsome. But his past still made her a bit curious, but she was content just to sit and chat with him for a while until the storm passed.
"I have music," Leah offered bashfully.

[Spritz]

Talking to a stranger can be quite beneficial.

Eric then realized that he hadn't willingly talked to a stranger in what, months? That face made him a bit bashful, and he lowered his eyes in embarrasment, his white t-shirt sticking tightly to his chest. Draping his arms over his stomach, he raised his dark eyes and looked at her, just then struck by her uncanny beauty. It wasn't just the original 'wear so much makeup that you look attractive', but she actually was beautiful. Wearing no makup due to the rain and her tears, she had faint black smudges under her eyes. Eric caught himself staring at her and straightened, smiling as she mentioned music. "What do you listen to?"

[Guest]

Leah caught him staring for a moment, and she stared back for a moment, searching his eyes. She averted her eyes to her iPod to not notice the muscles faintly outlined by the shirt that clung to his chest. "Well," she said, flipping through her songs a bit. "I have quite a lot." She smiled and looked back up at him, adding, "I also get radio stations...Well, at least, some of them, but I don't know if I can get any signal in this downpour." Leah frowned slightly and handed him her aqua-blue iPod, smiling, "You can check out my songs, see if you like any. I like them all, so I don't really care what you pick."
Leah smiled bashfully and stared outside their enclosure, large puddles forming just outside the entrance. It was nice, she had to admit, talking to a complete stranger. He wouldn't judge her because he didn't know much about her. She felt extremely relieved to know that he wouldn't judge her. Leah let out a satisfied, off-in-space daydream-y sigh, before turning back to look at Eric and his hair that stuck up in all directions. She stifled a laugh, but didn't say anything. He looked kinda... cute.

[Spritz]

Eric reached out as she handed the small ipod to him, thier fingers unintentionally brushing. He looked down and wiped moisuture off of the screen, then flipped through a few songs, landing on 'Harder to Breath' by Maroon 5. Shrugging, he decided it was good enough, and with a small smile, handed the ipod back to Leah. Though not listening to the songs, he leaned back, listening to the continuing downpour of the rain outside.Lucky for them, they were on higher ground, so the water flowed away from them.
He caught himself zoning out once again and blinked, sitting up and bumping his head. "Owww..." Rubbing the bump, he shook his head and smiled.

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