Tearless Emotions

Axel's eyes close for just a moment, unable to help but enjoy Jess' closeness as her lips brush his cheek. Looking back at her he shakes his head slowly. "Quit thanking me, Jess," he says quietly. "I'm only glad that whatever it is I do, makes you feel good. 'Cause I'd hate to see the embers die, now that I've seen that flame behind your eyes."

A small smile surfaces and he leans in a little closer, his forehead almost touching hers. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves around them, and the stars shine their lullaby. Axel's eyes reflect the depth of space itself, a vast ocean of feelings and thoughts that would take a lifetime to discover and understand.

Axel's breath slides across Jess's skin and his heart pounds even faster. He knew he would be allowed, but still he hesitates, unsure how this should work. Just as his lips begin to touch hers though, something happens.

Axel's hand slips on the rough bark, and suddenly, he's off balance. Teetering on the branch, his legs tense to try and balance himself back out again, but it's too late. Before he knows it, he has fallen backward off the branch.

Flailing arms do no good, but somehow he manages to catch himself with his legs, and winds up hanging upside down, his legs gripping the limb tightly as if he were swinging from a trapeze.

Out of breath, Axel blinks and looks up at Jess, his eyes wide. "Well now..." He clears his throat. "This is exciting." His wallet suddenly slips from his back pocket and plummets to the dark ground below. He groans. "I guess maybe I deserved this."

Struggling, he can't quite bring himself up all the way onto the branch again, and he holds out his hand. "A little help for a fallen rainbow?"


Seeing the tears in Nate's eyes is like a dagger being driven into Laura's soul. She looks up at him, helpless and hurting, not knowing what to do, or how to fix this whole big mess. She just wanted to feel good again... she just wanted to know where she belonged and who she was, and stop questioning herself. She just...

Laura looks up quickly as Nate starts to walk away. His parting words sting like nothing else. "Nate, no."

She stands up, her mind and heart pulled in two completely different directions. "I didn't... I mean... please just..."

Totally frustrated with herself, the irritation overrides the sorrow. Spying the ax on the ground, she picks it up, gripping the handle tightly and glaring at it. Giving a yell, she turns around and hurls it at the wood pile. It lands squarely into a log, splitting it down the middle. She was so hurt by recent events. She was so angry. She was so scared. Her emotions were off the charts every whichway, and she didn't know how to control them.

Spinning back around, Laura glares at Nate on route to the house. "Why do you do this to me?! I want to hate you and I can't! I want to push you away and all I can do is think about you! I want to let you go so you can live without my own hassles, and all I can do is think about how much I love you! Why do I have to be so stuck, Nate?! Why?!!"