Effects

Katie's returned kiss and hand to Scott's face sends him reeling from reality. Her affection was sweet and enchanting, making his heart beat faster. The surroundings of the dim theater disperse, providing the impression that they are the only two there as the impassioned exchange lasts.

But even the most treasured of moments must fade, and as the sounds of the movie come back to Scott, he gradually withdraws from Katie until he can see her eyes again. His own dance in the light of the movie, full of a thousand thoughts, a thousand emotions.

As he stares at her with a gaze he's never given any other, the reality hits him hard - in an instant, everything had changed. A simple impulsive act had flipped his world and his relationship with Katie upside down. She had just given him the most precious of gifts...the gift of acceptance...the gift of returned feelings. Should this moment never be repeated, it would remain engraved in his mind.

It wasn't clear whether he felt within himself the impact that this moment had on him. Like a small spark, it had lit a fire inside that had been buried for as long as he could remember... It was a fire that would not leave quickly... one that produced courage...the willingness to get out of the box... One that opened up doors to a broader horizon...one that proved he wasn't stuck in the same mold for the rest of his life, scared to break free. Only time would tell if he would recognize and act on this change.

Scott's fingers remain around Katie's, just a little unsureness creeping back in. A single name comes to mind...Jason. He knows that there has been tension between Jason and Katie - more than Jason just being gone...that much had been obvious in Katie's eyes lately...but had Scott just crossed a line he shouldn't have? Even if he had...he knew given the chance, he wouldn't change his mind about revealing his feelings.

The ball was in Katie's court now, and he would not pursue more until he knew how she felt. Scott knew that even if she were to never speak to him again, he'd never had a moment so sweet to cherish.

He stares into Katie's eyes, searching for what she thought...what she felt. The movie was forgotten.


Carson holds Misty for several long moments, letting himself enjoy the affectionate exchange. Finally drawing her back just a little, he gives her a sly grin. "You better get me out of here now before I opt just to stay here all day."

He moves to sit up, giving Misty a tight hug, then stands up, pulling her up with him. Aiming her out of the room, he dares to give her a teasing backhanded spank. "Daylight's burning! Let's go!"


Laura sucks her ice cream from her spoon, her eyes concentrating on the ground as Nate talks. His words made her feel warm...cared about...a little excited...happy. How could they then at the same time make her feel as though she wanted to get up and run away? Without even realizing it, she bounces her leg nervously, fighting the intense battle within herself.

She knew Nate...she did think she trusted him...she knew he cared...that much was obvious. It was obvious he wanted to be more than friends. The fact that he was willing to just stay friends made him all the more honorable.

Laura had feelings for him...she knew she did...somewhere, deep down... He was so kind...so sweet...so sensitive. Why did this hated fear keep her back? Why did she allow it to dominate her actions? She'd told Nate to keep pushing so she couldn't walk away - to force her to not let fear get in the way...and yet after a couple months, she hadn't gotten any further. She still gave him a hard time...she still resisted his affections...she still made him work at getting her to do anything with him. Surely she continued to disappoint him...it couldn't be easy for him.

What was she afraid of? Getting hurt? She knew in her mind that Nate would never hurt her...she could trust him with her life, and she trusted his intentions. But perhaps it was her heart that was not yet ready to let go of that fear. Logic reminded her that it was a silly battle, and should be easily overcome. But her emotions tugged her in the opposite direction.

Laura swallows another spoonful of the cold treat as a silence rests over them. She felt so torn...would she ever overcome this? She knew she wanted to...she knew she should...it was just taking that first step that she seemed incapable of doing. She was so strong, so courageous, so bull-headed in everything else, but this...a relationship with a man...she just felt so helpless, which in turn, made her feel stupid because she knew it shouldn't be this hard. And feeling stupid made her all the more defensive as her inner being tried to justify itself for her repelling actions.

A tear forms in her eye, making it sting and she tries to blink it away, while trying to keep her lower lip from trembling. Why was she being so weak?! She hated the way she felt. She was mad at herself for treating Nate like she had, and she was mad at herself for not being able to just choose a path and go with it. She was riding the fence and knew it...her words told him that she was willing to try at a relationship, while her actions displayed the complete opposite. She was being hypocritical, and it bothered her to no end.

Still not even glancing at Nate for fear of breaking, Laura scrapes the last bit of ice cream from her bowl and stands up, tossing the trash in a nearby can. Sighing, she keeps her back to Nate. It was her turn to say something, but what? "Thank you" was stupid. "I'm sorry you had to see what happened to those kids" was just avoiding the real issue here. "I was wrong, I'm sorry I led you on, but I'll never be more than just a friend" was what her fear wanted her to say, but she just couldn't. "I care about you too" would be nice, but that didn't want to come out either.

The tension rises with each passing moment, and Laura can feel the heat rising up the back of her neck. Her heart screamed at her for what she really wanted, yet she was fighting chains that had been locked together and rusted tight for several years. Was there nothing that could break them?


Wyatt raises an eyebrow as Aerith gives him her phone number. He takes it and fingers it thoughtfully. She was pretty outgoing for someone who'd just gotten picked up by a complete stranger. Not that Wyatt considered himself to be scary, but it wasn't the norm for him anyway.

"Well, I bet you'll like it out here," he muses. "Not as exciting as the big city, but I'd take a stroll by a quiet lake than down a busy street any day."

Watching Aerith hesitate before getting out, Wyatt studies her for a moment. She seemed a little more lost than just locationally. He didn't know her whole story, but he'd be willing to bet there were some hard times in her history...and perhaps even now she was unsure about where she was headed.

Wyatt cocks his head a little. "You gonna be okay? Would you rather go pick up a late cup of coffee or something before heading in?" He didn't normally do this sort of thing - he was usually more cautious than this. But Aerith seemed like she needed a friend, and Wyatt would rather offer himself as that friend than have her pick up on some of the bad crowds that existed in this neighborhood. Though he half expected to get that heavy purse to the side of the head for asking - he knew his intentions were pure, but he was still a stranger to Aerith.