my [heart] stumbles | elegant

S P E A K I N G // T H I N K I N G

Boredom, the completely normal, yet incredibly dull killer.

Fenn sighed, staring at her flat stomach as she lay, more than sat on her black leather couch. It was one of those flat ones with the short backs that were just wide enough for a bed. A bed for one, or a bed for too skinny people. Yup, before you ask, Fenn has tested it out before on numerous occasions. She usually takes the fatties to the old and dusty guest room. she started flicking at her cat's ear, making him turn his little black head in annoyance. She had already played the piano for two hours, then she had eaten a bagel, and after that she had even tried her hand at sewing and gave up after the first ten stitches. fenn wasn't made for patience. It was weird because normally she could go on playing for hours and hours, but today she was just downright bored of the music.

Suddenly, she jumped up, making the cat go flying with a loud and disgruntled 'meow.' She sang out a quick sorry as she pulled her leather jacket on over her jean shorts and butterfly top. The top was a blue one that fell just low enough to show off nothing. Being an A-cup didn't tend to give you cleavage, and Fenn was used to it by now. She used her other charms to get what she wanted, such as her amazing flexibility, and sultry looks. A blush didn't even cross her face at the thought of what she did to get her roles in life, as by now it was just a natural thing. Why be ashamed of something you couldn't change anyway? Things were set now, and that's how they would stay. Beside's it's not like Fenn doesn't use protection. well, there was that one time, but nothing came of it. Nothing to worry about right?

Fenn grabbed her maroon helmet off the table near the door, making sure to firmly close the door so that Suspenders wouldn't follow. She knelt down beside the door, listening to his indignant mewling, and scratching at the it. After a moment, it stopped, and Fenn waited silently for a loud bang that came a second later. Sighing, she opened the door, just as the cat was running back towards it, making him barrel into her shins this time. She lifted him as he stepped back and shook his head in confusion. Firmly, she looked him in his little cat eyes, and said, "Look you, you're not coming, okay? The owner got mad last time when you shredded that songbook, and I had to pay for it, ka'peesh?" she placed the cat back on the ground, and stepped out the door, closing it firmly behind her once agai. she stood still, listening for a moment once again, and when she heard nothing, she smiled and started off at a fast walk down around the side of the house, and pulled the garage door open with a sharp tug that sent the whole thing flying up with a loud crash.

She walked into the murky darkness filled with an old tool bench, a vintage convertible, and a shiny motorcycle that matched her helmet in colour. She wheeled it out quickly, and then jumped up off the side of the garage door's frame to catch the door, pulling it down again, using the leverage of her fall. She muttered something about needing an automatic under her breath as she huffed out a breath, held in from the jump. Swinging a cowboy booted leg over the bike, she revved it to life, enjoying the way the engine rumbled beneath her. It wasn't even that far to the store she was heading to, but sometimes a bike had to be ridden just for the thrill of the wind in your hair. As she drove past the house of Edana Lightwood, she looked over at it, wondering about who else might live in it.

She longed to remove the helmet that kept the wind from hitting her in the face, blocking out every thought but the need to find air. But she had already been reprimanded twice, and third time really is the charm. The only way she had gotten off before was with an autograph, and some bathroom sex. Bathroom sex wasn't the most comfortable, but it would do when you had nothing else. Laughing happily into her helmet, she parked her bike in front of the music shop, making sure to take her keys with her this time. It was how she had lost her first bike. It wasn't that she was stupid, just probably low on a few brain cells. She carefully contemplated taking the helmet in with her as well, and then made a non-commitical 'meh' and plopped it down onto the seat. If someone really wanted her helmet, it would be the perfect excuse about why she wasn't wearing one. Good on them.

Quietly, she opened the door of the shop. It was pretty empty except for a boy probably around her age playing a beautiful melody on a equally beautiful guitar. All she saw was a curly mop of hair, as his head was bent over the guitar, he was so into it. She smiled slightly at the scene, knowing exactly what it felt like to be consumed with music. She would never go so far as to tell this boy after he was done that she enjoyed it, not without him talking to her first. She might be an actress, but it didn't make you good at talking to cute boys. instead she just ducked her head down and walked over to the piano section, looking for the perfect new songs to learn. She wanted something challenging, something that she had to work hard for. It almost didn't matter to her that the only one to hear it would be her cat. But of course there was that part of her, smirking away that wanted someone to notice her for more than she was.

She hadn't noticed the passing of time, and the stop of the music until there was suddenly a soft voice beside her, asking for her help with his sister or something? She didn't know what it was about her recently, but people were just begging for her help all the time it felt like. Rather than bother her however, it was a very exciting and new experience for Fenn. She listened carefully to his request, and then turned her head up to smile at him, her fingers stuck between the books, saving her place so she could continue looking. She was only slightly surprised to see guitar boy looking at her in embarrassment. She looked him up and down as he fell all over himself, trying to not appear uncool or something. The flush was more than kind of cute on his pretty face. Yup, Fenn had come across a pretty boy. But there was a sweetness to his looks, as if he hadn't realized yet, like so many other guys in her business, how pretty he was.

She tuned into what he was saying, and a smile slowly stretched across her face. In her world, if you wanted something from someone, you had to pay for it. It didn't really occur to her that you could help someone else out just because you were a kind and generous person. Fenn held back a laugh, enjoying his starstruck self. She loved fans like him, who were truly interested in her acting, not those ones that only asked for an autograph for the stories they could tell later. She didn't say that most of her movies were just to sustain her habit, and a lot of them were gained by dirty means. He seemed like a little baby deer. And it was even sweeter of him to be wanting it for his sister. He really was a big cutie, and Fenn was glad to finally come across one. The name 'Lightwood' sent a little dinging sound through fenn's head, but she couldn't quite remember who she knew that was a Lightwood at the moment, with such a cute guy in front of her.

She mulled over his request, a twinkle slowly growing in her eye as she thought it over. He was cute, a guy Fenn would want between her sheets. She turned her head to pull out two booklets she had been saving between one hand. They were some really old, vintage books, by some guy named Yiruma, and Bach, and the best part was, they both looked incredibly intricate. Fenn had been saving them for herself, but a cute guy with a sob story about his sister's birthday was worth it. She smirked up at him, he was incredibly tall, and that only added to her fascination as she held out the two books. "Alright, you already know my name, Mr. Lightwood, and it is a pleasure to learn your's." She grinned up at him, under mischievous eyes, "If you want it, along with my signature, I think you owe me something! Let's say...a drink maybe?" Her heart raced nervously, screaming at her, enjoying the joyride. She didn't know how to talk to someone you wanted to be friends with, but she hoped she was doing alright. She was using her producer voice. It was always easier with the producers because all she had to do was fuck them.

S P E A K I N G // T H I N K I N G

Fenn knew that she could chew this boy up and spit him out, herself none the worse for wear.

And that's all that ever really mattered to her. For so long now, it was herself that mattered to her, and as long as people stayed emotionally away, she was always fine. People always believed that she was involved with crazy romantic guys all the time, just because they assumed that she always got the the guy. They only ever saw the end of the shoot, kissing in the sunset, laying in bed together, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. They didn't see the way that they would pull apart once the shoot finished, and walk away as if they never knew each other, as if it was impossible to recognize their greatest love without lights and cameras shining at them. Of course she hadn't realized so the first time, she was certain that she had been in love, and had been loved. Her mouth twisted into an ironic grin, as if laughing at herself was the only way to deal with flooding memories. Riley wouldn't notice the way her mouth twisted, so engrossed was he in the books.

She ran through the undergrowth of the wild forests, her clothes catching on every free branch, as if they reached out for her, scratching her skin with their sharp needles on purpose. A squeal of pain and fear left her lips as she ran out of the underbrush, tripping as her foot caught on a root, just at the opportune moment to let an arrow go flying right through where her head would have been. She let out a whimper of fear and confusion as her left hand clenched tightly to a short sword. Her eyes were wild with the smell of her own fear in the air, knowing that this was her last stand. She stood firmly, as she prepared herself to run, cursing her tiny sixteen year old body. Pain whittled itself deeply into her body as an arrow hit her in the side, sticking itself firmly into her hip. Instantly, she slapped a hand to her hip, trying to stay standing as the first tears of shock formed in her eyes.

She let out a gasp of recognition as the blue eyed blonde came running out of the forest, at the sight of her, he stopped in his tracks, a pained look coming to his eyes. "Hey," he said softly, reaching towards her hungrily as if she would be able to satisfy himself for anything. She took a step back uncertainly, raising the sword higher, expecting some sort of trick, instantly hating the flash of hurt in his eyes as he drew his hand back, knowing that she had caused it. It had been so long since she had seen his face, that tanned, muscular body that she almost cried out from the want to feel his arms around her again. What emerged instead was a soft whimper. Suddenly, everything was heavy, and tiredness raked itself over her ragged body. She fell to her knees with a thud as the arrow began to really let it's presence known.

A look of horror crossed the boy's face as he saw what he had done, yelling out something that sounded like her name, he was suddenly above her as she fought unconsciousness. tears started to pour freely from her eyes as she studied a face that would never be her's, and she reached up, touching his lips, about to speak, when,

"CUT!"

Suddenly, her world was filled with artists in the trade of make-up, costume, and special effects surrounding her, pulling her to her feet, and chattering in her ear. She had no words to say to them however, as the director yelled something about a break, and the fake blood was taped up to stop the leaking. She looked over to where Kolan Moon was walking away, a rush of blood to her cheeks turned them a scarlet colour as she thought of how she had touched those lips, and she wanted a taste for more. She hurried after him, brushing aside the Capitol artists impatiently, they all sounded like squawking birds to her, all so interested in saying something that they never took turns. Sometimes she would just stand there and smile and nod, but not today. Today she was going to be a teenage girl and let herself feel something for once in a very long time.

She followed Kolon around a corner, and was not quite expecting it when she was pushed against the wall, a wet mouth on her own. She shut her eyes instinctively, but pulled them open to see Kolon staring back at her, a slight smile on his perfect lips. It wasn't long before they were in his trailer, and he was whispering things in her ear, while feeling her up. It wasn't long before they started spending every break holding hands, and not long until they were in all the magazines, seen eating together, doing everything together. They never talked, just sat together, and mostly kissed, but Fenn didn't know that wasn't what couples did. That was all they did in her movies at that point at least. So when she caught him that first time with that stagehand, feeling him up, she didn't know what to do. So she stayed with him, letting him make love to her, do whatever he wanted, as long as he wouldn't leave her alone, she didn't want to be alone again.

It was like someone had slid her underneath the whole of District one, and expected her to hold it up. She had just finally crawled out, and had tasted the freedom of having a presence around always, and she didn't know if she was strong enough to try again. The love she expected and the love she felt were so sweet and far away from her at once that seeing the difference became impossible. She had fallen in love through a character, nothing more. So when the movie ended, and they finished shooting, and Kolon stopped returning her calls, she let herself be shoved back underneath, gasping for air and strength as she set out on her own again, forgetting the feeling of love, and how it tasted and sounded.

After that, she began to laugh at even the word love, finding it ridiculously funny when she was interviewed about her latest romance movie. It was strange how no no ever noticed the way she could masterfully deflect questions pertaining to her feelings. She couldn't help almost rolling about with laughter at home when she watched the recordings. People thought they were getting juicy gossip from her, but all they got were story outlines, and once she had even pulled a romance from a movie that hadn't done so well, and they had eaten it up! Sometimes she was certain that she could say anything, and the stupid idiots would just happily smile and nod. And although she knew all there was to know about acting, and lying, and eyes, Riley's confused her.

She watched him carefully as he stared at the sheet music, him muscles going whiter and whiter as he seemed to collapse in on himself. For one so tall, he could appear rather small, she thought, a rueful grin on her face now, the fleeting thought from a moment before completely gone. She was happy that he liked the music, and pulled it from his tight grasp, carefully unlatching his white fingers, trying to save the music as much as possible. She grinned lightly up at him, as she absentmindedly added it to the stack she already had for purchase. Again, the name Keela registered somewhere in her head, but she brushed it away again, expecting that the name was probably just the name of a character she had played.

This time she did laugh at his statement. When Fenn laughed, it was no small thing, her head always flew back, and a sound of complete happiness and joy at the funny things around her made its way out. To many it often came as a surprise when meeting her for the first time, as in all her movies, her characters all had petite feminine laughs, but for that one character that had a snort, and sounded nothing like her real laugh. It was probably one of the only completely joyful things about Fenn, as she let herself submerge in the fleeting moment of belonging. She walked away with the books, slapping them down onto the counter to be rung up. "I like you Riley, I think we're going to get along just fine. Where did you learn to be so funny?" she asked as she carefully put the sixty or seventy dollars needed for the purchase in the cashiers hand. She dissolved into giggles again, never having heard a grown man say that to her before.

Of course she thought it was a joke, not intending to hurt the Deer's feelings. No not dear, but Deer. There was something so gawky, yet sweet about him that she couldn't help thinking about him as a newborn deer. That sweet innocence that she wanted so badly to crush between her fingers as her's had been those few years ago. She grabbed the paper bag the books were put in, and walked out the door of the music store, fully expecting Riley to follow. She stared at her bike. It only needed to take the, down two blocks, and Riley might have some transport as well. "How about this," she said, lifting up the helmet. "I'll walk my bike along down to the bar, and we can get there together. Unless you have a mode of transport and we meet there? You'll need to follow me though, as I will be keeping the books just to make sure you find your way properly!" She flashed another smile at him, fully knowing that she was being a manipulative bitch. She was just a tiny bit desperate for something she couldn't quite name, but she felt like it would be a bad idea just to let this fish get away.

S P E A K I N G // T H I N K I N G

Fenn nodded slowly, storing the music in the hollow back seat. Kicking the kickstand up with a flick of her ankle, she wheeled it around and smiled, almost shyly up at Riley. This was almost a new experience for her, and she was suddenly out of her waters. Normally she met her acquaintances at the bars already, and they were already pretty well done. Mostly they just pulled her into their dark booth, and suddenly their hands were all over her, running all down her body, even to the places that she hadn't given them permission to search. Once or twice she had even had a rather odd experience in a bathroom stall after the regular movie awards were finished. (She had won best actress that year, and was already feeling on top of the world anyway.)

Anyway, the point was, Fenn had no idea where to look or what to say at this point. None of the acting that she had ever done had ever prepared her for this. Truthfully, her heart still sped up and beat rapidly when she watched old classic movies. The part where Joe Fox came around the corner in 'You've got mail' and Katherine Carey says that she wanted it to be him so desperately always made her insides melt like butter sitting in the sun too long. Just once, she felt like she would give everything just for someone to tell her that they wanted it to be her when she came along. No matter how many times she told herself that she was being silly and romantic, the thoughts would still sneak up and poke her in the forehead, wondering if they had been forgotten about yet. And Fenn would poke and growl right back.

Mostly because it isn't her job to be a sentimental weeper. Once she thought about it, she was a sex doll, who sometimes acted. But those thoughts were icky, and Fenn didn't like them, so she mostly reassured herself that she was an actor who sometimes had sex. And drunk. A lot. Snapping back to the current scene, Fenn grinned maliciously in the way that she did when she played the blondie from District Four. She had to learn to surf for that movie, and it was ridiculous how many bruises and cuts she had obtained from it. Laughing, she turned to face him, one hand on the bike, and the other held out, as if she were holding a tea cup. "I can't believe that you doubt me!" mock hurt flooded her face as she extended her pinky. "But here you are, I pinky promise."

Fenn turned, hiding a grin, and walked ahead for a moment, comically stopping to lean against her bike in a teasing manner. "Mr. Riley Lightwood, you sure are slow for those long legs." The place wasn't far though, and as they walked together, Fenn kept up a constant stream of chatter. She wasn't even aware what nervously spewed from her mouth at all. She knew that she was mentioning something about the new movie she was in the midst of. They were taking a week off as a slight vacation because the male lead had taken ill with the 'flu'. No one was fooled. It was mono from the female supporting actress. Everyone knew they had been fooling around. It was odd how everyone had looked at Fenn strangely after that, as if she were expected to be jealous. It was more like perturbed that he had thrown off the schedule.

She parked her bike, grabbing the bag of music from the back, and only blushing a tiny bit when Riley held open the door for her. SHe looked down to hide her rosy cheeks. When she sat in the booth, fear coursed through her for a moment, a flash of memory of the last time someone had slid into a booth beside her. She shook her head quickly, knowing that this wasn't the same thing at all. She unclenched her hands, her knuckles white as she flashed a smile at Riley. "Well this is it, my local haunt I guess," she slid her hand across the table, as if presenting her universe. She placed the music down on the table as she shifted away a tiny bit, trying to create a bit of space. She wanted to smack herself for being so silly. She was probably sitting next to the most innocent guy she had ever met. Especially because he had just told ehr he had never had his first drink.

"Hmmm, well, I guess we'll just have to find your drink," she said, almost laughing, but holding it back with mercy for Riley. She lifted a menu, running her hand along it, knowing all the drinks on it off by heart. "We could start you off with..." she drifted off suddenly, thinking of what she had for her first drink. It had been when she was only sixteen. Something about....grim horror spread itself through her, and she grabbed onto the edge of the table as the haunting memory revisited her with a soft hiss.

She was gagging on it, through her small choked sounds, tears streaking down her face, she read the label on the bottle. It was tequila, so alcoholic, that a perfectly preserved worm was slipped inside. To her, it tasted of carpet and cleaner, and it was terrible. She tried another, a mint type of vodka. Green sludge slipped from her lips as she coughed it back up. But she kept trying, certain that this would help her stop thinking. Vodka. Bitter and just as window washing tasting, but when she poured a can of coke into the small bottle, it was okay. She drank it down and tried the rum, hoping it might be just as good. Nope, equally disgusting. She went to the fridge and grabbed a can of beer. It was cold on her throat, and tasted of sour skunks, but it was better than nothing. Fenn chugged it down and opened another. Throwing the can across the room, she slid down to the floor to rest against the fridge, her head in her hands.

She wanted to cry, to throw herself onto the ground and die, anything but this intense pain and loneliness. After a moment, she looked back up, sniffling, and suddenly the fluorescents were too bright. She stood, and quickly toppled over, and realized that it was starting to take affect. Fenn's face was going numb, and thoughts were quickly jumbling themselves up nicely. Instead of trying to stand again, she opened the fridge up and grabbed another beer, this time drinking it down easily before grabbing another. her hands shook, but she didn't notice as Fenn began the decent into unknowing bliss. Thoughts were whirling out the open window of her mind, and she was grateful, and so happy to be finally free for at least a moment, that she decided that she never needed to touch down on sober ground again.

Fenn shook her head quickly, smiling up a bit shakily at Riley before quickly ordering a Gin and Tonic and a Rum and Coke for her companion. The morning after that night hadn't been as great, it had resulted in cleaning the floors of hr puke, but mostly living in the bathroom, a bottle of vodka guarding her. Resting her head on her hands, she tried to shake away the last bit of memory, and found it smarting still. It had been some time since her last drink, and even though she was at a bar, about to be served, she pulled out her flask, and took a sip of whatever it was she had filled it with earlier. She looked back up at Riley, enjoying his puppy dog look. He looked completely lost, and for some reason, it made her feel completely powerful. Smiling, and not without malice, she said, "Fear not, my little damsel in distress, I'll save you." And then the drinks arrived, and she slid Riley his rum and coke across the table.

S P E A K I N G // T H I N K I N G

Fenn decided to not comment, and simply watch him. She was quietly drinking down her gin and tonic without a fuss, enjoying the taste of it. Although it was definitely an acquired one, what she registered the most was what it did to her. The way the warmth spread through her, taking away that coldness that always seemed to keep her frozen. Feeling it beginning to affect her, she stretched out her fingers as if cracking ice on top of a frozen over puddle. in response, she let out a soft sigh, and relaxed against the backing of the seat, as if it was more than her support. And maybe it was, seeing as this bar was more than just a bar to Fenn. Underage or no, this bar was a second home. And currently she was watching an adorable young man try to remain calm and collected.

She almost wanted to reach over and push Riley's arm down, stop him from that corrupting moment, try to keep him innocent like she had taken her own. She didn't really want to be responsible for more than one murder of youth. But even as she thought about it, she looked into his eyes and saw the old man living inside them. Everyone had to grow up at some point, and it seemed that Riley's time had come quite a long time ago. Maybe he had even been through something life changing like her. Maybe even something worse. That would be something to ask about later, if there even was a later. Chances were, and time and time again had showed her that most companions held their one night only tickets firmly in their hands, and definitely not ready to pay the price for another one.

She wasn't quite sure what made her so undesirable. She knew that most people just wanted her for the sex. Which didn't really bother her. She wanted most people for the sex too. She knew that it was a bad thing to be addicted to, but hey, so was alcohol, and that never stopped her before. Sometimes she found it weird when women on the T.V spoke of rights, and they weren't just sex objects. What was so bad about that? It was the way Fenn got to have her human contact, and there was no commitment. No one had to talk during it, and there was no way to get hurt from it, because no one promised to be there in the morning, and no one promised to be there when she was crying. Just like she didn't have to be there when they were. No strings attached was always safer.

A hand flew to her lips when the boy across from her spit half his drink back into his cup. She could have warned him, she supposed, but sometimes an old soul needs a little bit of entertainment. Pointedly, she took a quick gulp from her drink, the liquid burning down her throat. She smiled through it, appearing relaxed and at ease. It wasn't that she enjoyed being superior to people. Much. It was just that when someone made a fool of herself and it wasn't her, it was worth it for her to sit back and enjoy it. She watched him concentrate on sipping, and began to fiddle with the zipper on her jacket, she knew that she should speak, mewl out some response, but she couldn't think of anything witty to say at the moment. Although she was never left speechless for long, something about him made her want to be cautious.

She kept sipping her drink down, and the waitress came back twice more. Both times, fenn got the same. Tonight she was drinking to get absolutely hammered. Riley being there was just a point in it. speaking of, he was leaning over the table, and grabbing at the menu, bringing im in close proximity to her for a few short moments, making her breath stop as his curled head teetered close. Suddenly she felt like a terrible chaperon, although she felt a little surprised that he was already gone after two rum and cokes. She had not noticed the usual signs either, so invested was she in her own self. She sent the waitress off with a flick of her wrist, asking for two of the iced teas, just to save the poor woman from Riley's yammering. There was something almost scary different about this Riley.

His voice, she noticed was suddenly a lot louder, and he seemed to be shouting at her, making wild gestures with his hands. Her brain, warmed up like a hot soup in summer by the drinks worked to evaluate his level of drunkeness. She was pretty certain of her ability to tell when a person was about to through up, so she didn't think she had to worry too much about that, but Riley was getting louder and louder, and people were starting to look. So when he motioned for her to come forward, a look of intense concentration on his face, as if he were building a bird house, rather than making a small gesture, she leaned forward to listen to his sure to be poignant discovery. And as the words fell out of his mouth, more like parachuted out, he fell back in such a laugh that it made a grin come to Fenn's face as well, and she couldn't help joining him in throwing her head back and laughing. It had been so long after all since she had laughed with another person over nothing at all, and so she chose to laugh until she was sure she cracked a rib.

the Waitress arrived back with their long iced teas, and Fenn took a gulp from it quickly, the sweetness of it creating a defense for the bitterness to follow. her face was beginning to feel numbed by it, but she didn't find herself minding. Riley stopped laughing long enough to lean over and compliment her, and when he did, something strange happened. A blush formed itself upon her face, spreading from her nose outwards, and she found herself looking down into her lap. For the moment, she decided to blame it on the alcohol, but she knew that it wasn't a very stable argument seeing as she was always in a state of half-drunk. Shaking her head, she tried to clear the compliment out, knowing that he was inebriated, and therefor, not thinking very straight at all.

and she was about to, she was about to be a good girl and make the right choice, she really was, but something stopped her. Maybe it was because no one had said anything like that before. The most she had gotten was 'nice ass,' or 'sweet tits.' Yeah, a compliment on the eyes was a new thing, and fuck it, she wasn't going to let it slide. She let him finish his iced tea, before passing him the almost full flask she had. She had determined that it was whisky. The thought that Riley wouldn't like it didn't occur to her, as she shared it, her mind already turning all fuzzy and jumbled. These were usually the last moments she remembered before waking up in some cold alley way or on the floor of her living room, a naked body wrapped around her own.

Her mind was popping like bubbles, and she found her world growing smaller and smaller as the drinks kept coming and Riley got taller and taller to her. They both yammered, but she wasn't quite sure about what was said in the end. whatever it was, it probably made the least sense possible. But that's what drunken conversations were. And her stomach felt fine, and nothing was trying to work it's way up for her, and she was pretty certain that Riley, who still had not drinken as much as her, would have thrown up by now if it were too much, being a new drinker and all. But things were going fine, and her mouth wouldn't stop trying to curl up into a smile, so instead of trying to stop it, she let it, and let herself free to enjoy the ride.

She was laughing freely now, along with Riley. The only thing that mattered at the moment was the drink in front of her and the boy across from her. She leaned over the table to pat him seriously on the shoulder as she looked him in the eyes. "Riley, you, you, you, you, are the prettiest damsel I have ever seen. No shame in it." Sitting back at her joke, she was rather proud, she laughed loudly again, holding up the empty flask they both had drained. It was black tarnished silver, and it had apparently been an heirloom. She waved it around in the air, a thought coming to her as her face lit up. "Riley, Riley, Riley, you indirect kissed me, now you gotta kiss my lips because that's rude otherwise." She looked around as if afraid, her concerned look erupting into giggles as her plan ran on crazily ahead of her.

"Not, not here though? Okay? Not here!" Her palm came down on the table with a loud slap, and she glared at him, trying to emote the seriousness of the situation. "Take me home Riley, please take me home." She wanted to lie down on her comfortable bed and kiss him there because she could see by looking at his lips that they were soft. And she wanted them against her own because softness was something she found herself craving all day and all night. And she wanted it, wanted it, wanted it, now. So she stood up, and carefully counted out the bills needed to pay for their drinks, slapping them down on the table. And abruptly, she pulled the long, gangly guy to his feet, dragging him out the door. Pointing off in the direction she thought home was, she said, "Take me home country road!" and strode off, albeit a bit wobbly, paying no attention to the beautiful bike with the beautiful music inside it.