Tabitha walked through the clothing store, her fingers touching each piece of cloth as she passed. The silk feel cool under her fingertips; the wool was soft and full of warmth. She stopped at the dresses, and started to shuffle through the racks with ease. They were filled with soft spring colors — her favorite. She pulled out a peachy pink dress, that for normal sized people might fall at their knees, but for her…it would be at her ankles. She sighed and put it back. She hated shopping for her small figure. It made her feel like a child.
She rummaged past the back of the rack for another dress. There, she found a purple one, with soft fabric, that just might work. She glanced at the size tag. Small. She could almost smile.
Suddenly, there was soft pressure of a hand brushing her shoulder blade. She spun around to see Alen Daemons standing behind her. Her mouth hung open. “Alen,” she said, swallowing, and wrapping the dress over her arm. “What are you doing here?”
He looked horrible. His hair was matted, and sticking out at every end. His normally so very blue eyes were faded. The skin under them, the color of deep purple. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days, or even a month. His clothes were messily arranged into a button-up that, Tabitha noticed, was buttoned wrong, and slacks that hung off him baggily — a few sizes too big. His shoes didn’t match.
“I’m looking for a new suit,” he finally said. “I thought I might check around in here.”
Tabitha hugged the dress in her arms tightly. “Alen, this is a women’s clothing store.”
“Oh, is it?” He glanced around, as if in a dazed. “I didn’t happen to notice.” He scratched the back of his head, leaving it only messier than before. He blinked.
“Alen, are you okay?” She asked, biting her lip. She looked up at him, a bit worried. Although, she wasn’t quite fond of the older boy anymore, they did have some past together, and he wasn’t a horrible person. Just confused. So very, very confused.
Alen sighed. “No, Tabitha dear, I am not. But thank you for asking.” He turned away, almost stumbling over. He caught himself over a clothes rack clumsily. Now, Tabitha knew something was very wrong. The Alen she knew never fell. He was the most balanced person she knew.
Her hand lightly touched his shoulder, “Would you like to talk about it?”
He turned slightly. The light hit his eyes so they looked almost sky blue. He gave her a sad look, with his face still pointed in the other direction. “Now, why would you do that? Since when, my dear, have you started to care about me again?” His voice was raw. Tabitha’s skin pricked all over. She took a step back.
“I-I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I just thought…”
Alen only shook his head. “How about we take this somewhere else? I’d hate to make a scene here.” He looked in the direction of other women flooding the store. Not one was staring or even glancing their way. But Tabitha said nothing and followed him out. The purple dress she had picked up, was placed back in it’s rightful place.
She hated that shade on herself anyways.
“So tell me now, dear,” Alen said as they left the store, and went into the busy streets, “When did you and your brother start to travel alone? I’ve never seen you apart. Did he not want to buy some clothing for himself?”
“Once again, that was a women’s clothing store, Alen,” she reminded, as kindly as she could. “And no, he was busy doing something else.” With someone else, her mind added bitterly. They stopped at the crosswalk and waited for it to flash green.
“Shame,” Alen replied. “I would have loved to see his most lovable face. Maybe punch it.” He was staring across the street, his eyes wondering. He surely didn’t look mad, but Tabitha could tell very well, that he was. The frustration was all in his voice and manners of speaking.
They started to walk again. People pushed passed them, as they headed towards the opposite side of the street. The familiar sounds of running cars and raised voices filled the street. The scent of fresh rain still stuck in the air.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or are we just walking these streets endlessly, Alen Daemons.” Tabitha said.
Alen peered at her from the corner of his eyes. His bangs brushed over the lashes that shadowed his eyes. “With time, my dear, with time.” He tugged at her arm to the direction of the central park. They finally stopped at a bench that was shadowed by a large tree.
“So, tell me,” Tabitha started. “What in the world has happened, Alen? I’ve never seen you this…”
“Horrible? Messed up?” Alen sighed. “It doesn’t matter. It’s all the same.” He shuffled a hand threw his hair with frustration.
“What is?” She asked. Tabitha cross her legs, pointing her head towards him with curiosity.
“First,” he said, raising a finger. “Tell me me about your brother. What is he doing?”
“That doesn’t matter,” She told him angrily. “Forget Lance. I want to know about you, Alen. You.”
“You’re distracted yourself from him by concerning yourself with my problems,” Alen told her. She closed her mouth. She hadn’t thought of it that way. But, truthfully, he was right. The reason she had gone shopping; the reason she followed Alen…they were all to avoid her brother. “Don’t Pretend you’re not, Tabitha. I know you quite well.”
Tabitha brought out a deep breath. “You know me too well,” she shook her head, her hair moving with her. “Lance is with…a woman.”
Alen blinked. “A woman?”
She fixed her posture, and sat up straight. “Please tell me Melissa is still in Paris,” Tabitha suddenly said, changing the topic. “She’s still there, right? Right?”
His face darkened. He slouched over, a hand resting against his face. And without any words at all, she finally had found what was bothering him. Just with that look alone. “No,” he replied. “No, she came back. She’s here, Tabitha. She’s here.”
“God damn it.” Tabitha cursed. Her hand slammed against the bench in a closed fist. “That’s just what I had feared.” Alen looked at her for answers. “Lance has been hanging around with that bitch. I was hoping it was a different Melissa, you know, he had never met your sister. But…”
“It’s her,” Alen finished. She nodded in response. His jaw clenched tightly. “You asked what was wrong? She took the company. Everything. That job was my life…and now it’s gone. Gone!” His face fell into his hands. Tabitha wanted to reach for him; to comfort him, but she knew that would be too much. That was another woman’s job, not her’s.
They sat in silence. The wind blowed through. Tabitha’s hair went with the breeze, pieces of it hit her face lightly. She pushed it away. Alen’s body slightly shook. She frowned.
“What about Alice?” She asked. Alen said nothing. “She came with you…right?” He was silent. There was uneasiness filling her gut.
Alen looked up at her for a moment. “No, she stayed. She had a choice, and choice to stay. With Melissa.” His face went back to being hidden by his hands. Tabitha noticed how long and slender they were. His skin color was as pale as milk. She then looked to her own, that were slightly tanned from the excess sunlight.
“Damn,” She muttered. “You two had the most on-and-off relationship I’ve ever seen, but I never expected her to do something like that.”
“She stayed for the money,” Alen said through his fingers. “Is it that hard to believe?” He finally sat back up. He stared out into the park, not looking once at her. The sunlight was fading, and the shadows grew. The day was turning to an end. And it seemed, Alen was heading with it, Tabitha thought. He wanted it all to end.
“Yes, it is.” She said to him. “Alen,” she paused for a moment, choosing her words wisely. “Do you know why we dated — or rather — why I asked to date you?”
He shook his head, slightly confused. “Where are you going with this, dearest?”
“I wanted to fix you. I saw you as an injured and confused animal. I thought if we dated, maybe, just maybe, I could heal that heart of your. All those wounds your mother and sister created might just vanish. But…as you know, it didn’t quite work that way.
“When we broke it off, I finally saw what when wrong. You didn’t need anyone to fix you, Alen. You needed someone to understand you. Someone to love you as you are–”
“Where are you getting with this?” Alen cut off. His voice was thick.
“What I’m trying to say is, that person who you needed — was Alice. She understood you, and stood by you. She loved you.”
“Apparently, not enough.” Alen replied bitterly.
“She’ll come back,” Tabitha told him. “I know she will. She is the type of person I could never be. And she’ll come back.”
Simple Writing; 