|
Post by nikki on Jun 23, 2007 22:41:40 GMT -5
She blushed, though it was more with pleasure than embarassment. Another aspect of how she was feeling inside was astonishment. Never, never in her life, had Carmen heard those words- no, actually, that wasn't true. Once her mother had said, You are a pretty girl, Carma dear, and don't let any of those little stick girls tell you otherwise. But that was different.. and the way Mrs. Laiho had said it had just made Carmen believe that she was even uglier than she originally thought. But for some reason, she trusted Riv's opinion.
"Thank you," she said, smiling softly. She wasn't really sure what to say now, but it didn't matter. For the first time she could remember, she didn't feel self-concious or huge, like she stood out. She felt thin, graceful, beautiful. And wanted.
|
|
|
Post by Envy on Jun 23, 2007 22:47:31 GMT -5
"And don't let anyone tell you otherwise," he whispered. "They're wrong, Carmen, they're dead wrong. At least you don't look like them-- sticks." Riven wanted to take her by the hand and walk with her that way, but he was nervous to. He hadn't been with someone before, nor as he real good at love anyway.
|
|
|
Post by nikki on Jun 23, 2007 22:49:53 GMT -5
She continued to smile. "Thanks, that means a lot to me.. I've sort of always agreed with the people who've insulted me.. and I know I shouldn't, but it seems easier than fighting it, you know? I don't like to struggle over something that doesn't matter. But it does matter and I see that now, thanks to you."
|
|
|
Post by Envy on Jun 23, 2007 22:56:35 GMT -5
He continued smiling at her, then glanced to her hand. With uncertainty, he took her hand into his, snapping his head up to gaze at her face. Riven didn't want to make her think badly of him. That was the last thing he ever wanted.
|
|
|
Post by nikki on Jun 23, 2007 22:58:50 GMT -5
She was surprised, but turned her uncertainty into warmth as she gave him a little grin, pressing his hand lightly. Carmen couldn't say she'd ever been in a situation like this before, as it would be a lie, and she'd never lie to Riv. And lying to herself always ended badly. "Is your brother going to be pissed at you when you get back?" she asked in a voice that was somewhat quiet- to fit the circumstances, she guessed, though she didn't really get why.
|
|
|
Post by Envy on Jun 23, 2007 23:05:36 GMT -5
"He doesn't matter," Riven told her gently. "He'll get over it. By tomorrow he'll of forgotten he yelled at me at all." Hesitating a moment, he swept his thumb across the back of her hand. There was no doubt: this was either a very strong crush, or he had fallen in love with Carmen.
|
|
|
Post by nikki on Jun 23, 2007 23:42:39 GMT -5
"Alright." She just didn't want him to get in trouble for something that was partly her fault, but she knew he'd hear nothing of that.
A powerful emotion surged through Carmen when he rubbed her hand, and she couldn't resist thinking about singing again. Music gave her so much joy; stroked away her tears and embraced her and loved her like no-one, no human being, ever had before. And she wanted to pay it back, to create her own music.. something a little more reverant than Angela or Bjorn's style.
So she adopted a soft voice that seemed to caress every word with love, and didn't take her eyes of Riv while she sang.
"I have a problem that I cannot explain, I have no reason why it should have been so plain, Have no questions but I sure have excuse, I lack the reason why I should be so confused.
I know, how I feel when I'm around you. I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you..
Around you..
Left a message but it ain't a bit of use, I have some pictures, the wild might be the deuce, Today you saw, you saw me, you explained, Playing the show and running down the plane.
I know, how I feel when I'm around you. I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you. I, I know, how I feel when I'm around you, I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you..
Around you.. Around you.. Around you...
I, I know, how I feel when I'm around you, I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you, I, I know, how I feel when IO'm around you I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you..
Around you.. Around you.. Around you.. Around you.. Around you..."
One could label it as a somewhat contradictory song by a crazy band called System of a Down, but Carmen liked Roulette. Though it was different than her usual preferences, Roulette had helped her when she'd been upset many a time. The soft, yet confused, care that it exhibited was intriguing to her, and she'd always wondered if she'd find someone who thought she mattered that much.
But it seems like you have, my girl, after all.
|
|
|
Post by Envy on Jun 24, 2007 10:31:32 GMT -5
A soft smile formed on his lips. "Now I believe you should try your hand at singing more," he told her, pressing her hand lightly with his. "You have a beautiful voice, and you are excellent at singing like Angela Gossow." Riven gave some thought to his next words, unsure. In his mind they were true. In hers they might not be. But he said them anyway: "A guy would be lucky to have a girlfriend like you, Carmen."
|
|
|
Post by nikki on Jun 24, 2007 11:00:52 GMT -5
"Thank you," she said again, smiling and laughing a bit as she realized just how much she had been saying those two words, or words similar to them, lately. It, admittedly, felt good to sing a song that was a little more delicate- like a feather compared to a piece of stainless steel. Carmen loved that stainless steel, yes, but the feather was sort of a treat that she liked to bring out when she herself least expected it.. which was most of the time, as she had hardened against love songs.
Carmen's heart almost stopped for a moment before speeding up again, passing its regular pace. She wished that she had been more of the smooth type, to think of something funny or cute or something that would work with what he had said, but Carmen was not that type of person, so all she did was blush and say, "I'd like to see you tell that to the other guys. I'm sure they'd find it amusing."
|
|
|
Post by Envy on Jun 24, 2007 11:22:26 GMT -5
He placed both his hands on her shoulders and stood in front of her. Lifting a hand to her chin, he tilted her face up so he could gaze directly into her eyes. "I would, but they're too blind to see back their skinny-as-sticks for girlfriends, or even two steps in front of them. If they can't see the best side of you, they've missed out on the world," he claimed, gingerly brushing locks of her hair behind her ear.
|
|
|
Post by nikki on Jun 24, 2007 11:27:39 GMT -5
She smiled a little bit, though it was more in confusion than joy. "Look, Riv.." she bit her lip, not meaning to have that quiet exasperation in her voice, and continued softly, "I'm really flattered by what you're saying, but.. why exactly are you saying it? Nobody's taken the time to tell me the things you have today ever before, and why should they?"
|
|
|
Post by Envy on Jun 24, 2007 11:34:55 GMT -5
Riven couldn't quite find an excuse for her question. His right hand went automatically to rubbing the back of his head as his eye went cold, though still turning green. Irritating eye, he thought to himself, even though it was his own fault. "Well, uh... I... um... you see..." Riven face burned crimson, and his words were all run together and stuttery. "I... I like you." He tried to say the last three words as one, also hoping she wouldn't get it.
|
|
|
Post by nikki on Jun 24, 2007 11:38:31 GMT -5
A heat rose to Carmen's face, but she reasoned in her mind, I should've known that, why else would he have given me that mp3 player, and be showering me with all these compliments? Even so, it was quite a shock. Yet another thing that Carmen was quite unfamiliar with.
She gave him a weak grin, almost blown over by surprise. Her mind was completely boggled at this point. ".. Yeah.. I like you, too, Riv." She'd kind of figured that out the previous night in the midst of her hemming and hawing and worrying.
|
|
|
Post by Envy on Jun 24, 2007 11:43:49 GMT -5
Riven blinked, the chill in his left void ending. "You... do?" he was surprised yet happy, both at once. Perhaps it seemed odd, but he hadn't really been a favourite of the girls back at his school, mainly because he was in and out of detention and being suspended. He tried avoiding suspension though-- that meant working as a mechanic all school hours and his regular hours, adding to a total of ten hours of nothing but getting oil squirted in your face and inhaling the scent of gasoline fumes.
|
|
|
Post by nikki on Jun 24, 2007 11:52:13 GMT -5
"Yeah." She smiled. "No-one's ever been as nice as you have been to me before, or has gone out of their way to see me, or has even wanted to talk to me at all. But you've done all those things. You're a wonderful person." She touched her arm, indicating her tattoo. "When I got this, my parents were furious. I knew they would be even before. But I wanted it anyway. A broken vase may be an odd tattoo, but in a way it sort of resembles me." She hesitated. "Broken by people who don't care." She didn't want sympathy- she was just explaining, so continued with, "I was thinking of getting a broken heart, but that was way too obvious.. and I guess in a way I like to stand out.. but not for the ways people label me as." She blew her purple bangs out of her face, thinking about how they too contributed to her look.
|
|