It's Been Awhile (Sawyer)

[ISSALYN!]

i love that you're never satisfied
face painted with wisdom and your happy lies

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Avery drummed her perfectly polished nails on the steering wheel as she waited in traffic. Weston was a great place to go for a casual evening out, but when everyone else had the same idea it could take forever to get into a parking lot and actually find a space. She glanced down at her clock and saw that she still had plenty of time, so she didn't have to worry.

As she waited, she replayed the phone call in her head. She hadn't heard from Sawyer in months, as they had both gotten so busy with school and other things that they had just sort of lost touch. They chatted on occasion, but nothing serious. However, school was out and she'd actually been hoping to see him again. Her heart had leapt when she saw his name on the caller ID, and she'd had no question about saying yes when he asked her to hang out tonight. He'd asked her to go to dinner and a movie. "Nothing serious," he'd said.

She had on a pair of denim capris and a black fitted V-neck tee, with some embellishments on the front. It wasn't fancy, but Weston was pretty casual and she didn't want to be overdressed. Hopefully that was what Sawyer had in mind.

Finally she found a parking space and got out of her car, locking it and then heading off to their designated meeting place. He'd asked her to meet him by the fountain, and as she headed over there she figured she'd probably be waiting on him for a few minutes. Trying to calm her nerves, she paused to look in the windows of a couple shops, not wanting to arrive so early she appeared overly anxious about the "date". She hadn't dated anyone the entirely school year, except the time she'd been out with him. It was true that she couldn't wait to see him again, but appearing overly interested wouldn't help.

She reached the fountain just 10 minutes ahead of schedule, which was a record for her, and quietly sat down on the edge, peering around at the variety of crowds assembled. There were teens hanging out, young parents pushing strollers, and even older people bustling in and out of shops. It was truly a diverse place, with something for everyone.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
but you take what they say
and go back and cry

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COMPLETED

[/b] with 450[/b] words, just for SAWYER[/b]!
PS - QUICK FLICK!![/b]

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[LOKI!]

Have you ever seen, the stars so bright.
With a night like this, wish it'd last for weeks

He pulled at his phone and stared at it, willing his gaze to change what he saw. He was already 10 minutes late and he hadn't found a spot to park. His stomach had been turning flips all day, he hadn't seen her in so long. He kept trying to make time, but the days just kept flying by. It didn't matter though, because he was going to see her tonight. He finally found a spot fairly close and pulled in.

He stepped out and began the trek to the fountain. As he got closer he could feel his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest. Maybe this was a mistake, he began to think. Or maybe she won't even show. He didn't even know if she had been out with anyone else recently. As the fountain came into view he began wondering if he should just turn around and go home.

As he was about to turn for his truck his eyes found her. He felt a grin creep along his face as he came closer. He slid himself down next to her and ran his fingers through her hair. "Good no pink," he laughed as the words came out, "I kinda thought you might send Riley to punish me for not calling sooner." He smiled as he tried to read the emotions in her eyes.

"So how did the rest of the semester treat you?" He was trying so hard not to lose his nerve. What was it about this girl that got to him so much. He didn't know, and he didn't really care. All he knew was any moment with her was truly bliss.

It soothes the soul. Takes us back in time
when we walked in fields of gold

[ISSALYN!]

i love that you're never satisfied
face painted with wisdom and your happy lies

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She waited, and waited. And waited some more. It felt like forever, but it was really only about ten minutes. She checked her phone, and the time showed that she should be showing up any minute. Or a few minutes ago, if he has any punctuality at all. She tried to clear the annoyed thoughts from her head and forced herself to quit counting how many seconds he was late. Of course, Avery being Avery, she did just that. By the time she had reached almost 800, she was just getting ready to leave. She wanted to cry, thinking he must have called her and set her up just to leave her feeling stupid and alone.

But then she looked up and saw him hurriedly approaching. From the looks of it, he was just running late. Nothing she wasn't used to after living with Riley. She stood up and smiled as he came closer, and when he reached out and touched her hair she felt sparks fly. It had been so long, but there was definitely still some chemistry there. She wondered if he felt it too.

She flashed him a smile and giggled quietly. "No, I figured you were just busy with school. Grades come first, right?"

[/b] Well, in her book they did. Not many other people felt that way, but she'd rather spend a night studying to ace a test than go hang out with friends. Riley always told her she needed to lighten up, but she couldn't help it. Why settle for less when you were capable of more?

"Ah, not bad. How about you?"[/b] she asked. Nope, not bad at all. She'd finished her freshman year with all A's, and couldn't be happier. Of course, her parents expected no less out of her, so there hadn't been much celebration about it.

She glanced around to see the sidewalks thinning some. Most of the crowds had filtered into one of the many restaurants and she felt her stomach begging for the same. "So, what's the plan?"[/b] She tried to act casual. It wasn't a big deal where he picked or what they did, she was more focused on trying to make it through this "date" of sorts. Was it a date? Or were they just friends hanging out? She wasn't quite sure.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
but you take what they say
and go back and cry

[/size][/b][/color]
[/center]

COMPLETED

[/b] with 450[/b] words, just for SAWYER[/b]!
[/b]

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[LOKI!]

Have you ever seen, the stars so bright.
With a night like this, wish it'd last for weeks

He felt himself blush as he saw her smile, he couldn't help but notice how breathtaking she looked. "Busy is one way of saying it I guess, it was planting season so I had to help out back home when I wasn't studying." He soaked in her presence as he tried to keep his mind from going too many different directions. That had seemed to be a problem for him lately. Although they hadn't been together in the last few months, he couldn't remember a day when she hadn't crossed his mind.

"Grades have never been my strong point. I didn't fail too bad though." He fidgeted with his hands slightly. They felt so in the way, he wanted nothing more than to take hers. He kept telling himself it was all really happening.

"Well, in honor of finishing your first year, I will let you pick our destination. I'm up for anything." Too be honest, he didn't care what they did, as long as he was with her. He noticed the crowds around them beginning to recede. He smiled gently as he reached his hand out for hers. "You lead the way."

His heart almost stopped, it felt like an eternity with his hand hanging out. Would she take it, or would she brush it off like nothing had happened. His brain was in overdrive thinking of all the possible ways this could go wrong, and he was kicking himself for not calling her sooner. Why had he waited?

It soothes the soul. Takes us back in time
when we walked in fields of gold

[ISSALYN!]

i love that you're never satisfied
face painted with wisdom and your happy lies

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Sawyer offered her his had, and as she looked into his buttery brown eyes, she gingerly placed her own hand in his. She didn't know the shopping district extremely well, so she glanced around and decided to just stick to something close. Seeing a TGI Friday's just a block down, she decided that would probably about as safe a choice as any.

"TGI Friday's okay with you?"

[/b] She started walking in that direction, her hand still lightly clasped in his. They made their way across the brick sidewalk quickly, and soon stepped into the restaurant. A hostess greeted them and said they were in luck. There was one small table that had just come open. Avery smiled and stepped in behind Sawyer as they were led to their seats at a booth for two. She slid into one seat and thanked the hostess for handing her a menu, and then started scanning over it.

She peeked up a few times to glance at Sawyer, but wasn't really sure what to say, so she pretended to be intent on deciding what to order. A waitress showed up and took their order for drinks - a water with lemon for Avery. She always felt weird ordering water when she went out to eat, since a lot of people teased her about it. Riley usually got water too, what with having to stay in shape for sports and all. She hoped Sawyer didn't think she was weird. She just liked to keep her figure, or what little she had of one.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
but you take what they say
and go back and cry

[/size][/b][/color]
[/center]

COMPLETED

[/b] with 350[/b] words, just for SAWYER[/b]!
PS - [/b]

[/color][/size][/center]

[LOKI!]

Have you ever seen, the stars so bright.
With a night like this, wish it'd last for weeks

He felt her hand brush against his and he felt his heart skip a beat. It was so soft and gentle in his, he never wanted to let go. He was so enthralled with the feel of her hand, he almost didn't hear her. "TGI Fridays sounds good to me."

He followed her through the mall to the restaurant. He almost let the waitress lead herself to the table. Sheepishly he followed with Avery in behind him. He felt like the luckiest person in the world. As they sat at their table, he couldn't take his eyes off of her her long enough to look at the menu. "Root beer is fine for me." He'd rather have something to calm his nerves, but he didn't want to give her the wrong impression.

After the waitress had left he scooted closer in the booth to her. He placed his hands gently on her knee. He took a deep breath as he tried to form the words in his head. He looked deep into her eyes, and his courage seemed to melt within him. "Avery, I've uhh . . . I've been thinking, this not seeing you has been driving me crazy. Would you like to." His voice trailed off as the waitress came back with their drinks.

He took a sip of his drink trying to regain himself. Maybe the moment is gone now he thought to himself. He slowly retreated his hand back to his own lap as he tried to keep from staring at her. He didn't know what to do, he wanted to ask, but he was scared of the answer. He took a deep breath and the words fell out of his mouth without thinking about them "Do you want to be more than friends?" He blushed at the way it came out. Wishing he could take it back, and say something more meaningful, more appropriate, but she just seemed to have that affect on him.

It soothes the soul. Takes us back in time
when we walked in fields of gold

[ISSALYN!]

i love that you're never satisfied
face painted with wisdom and your happy lies

[/color]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~[/font][/center]

Avery was still staring at the menu, pretending to be deciding what to eat, when she felt Sawyer's hand brush hers. She glanced up and looked at him as he started speaking. The waitress showed up with their drinks and Avery politely told her they'd need another minute to decide what to order, curious to see what Sawyer had been saying.

He seemed a little nervous as he took a drink and took a deep breath. Then he sputtered out some words and she went pale. More than friends? Oh wow, how do you answer that? She sat there in silence for a minute. She hadn't seen the guy for ages, and didn't feel like she knew him that incredibly well yet. But she was oddly drawn to him, and she wanted to know more. He seemed like a decent guy, and she couldn't think of anyone she'd rather spend time with over the summer.

It seemed like an eternity later that she managed to squeak out a reply. "Yes."

[/b] It came out quietly, and she realized he may not have heard it. "I mean yes, Sawyer, I think I'd like that."[/b] Her words held an air of formality, as did a lot of her speech patterns. She was clearly an educated person with a quick mind. "Um, do you mean like just dating or...more than that?"[/b] She wasn't quite sure if he was asking if she would go on a few dates with him, or if he was already asking her to be his steady girlfriend. It seemed a bit soon, but she would be so excited to finally have a boyfriend she wouldn't care.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
but you take what they say
and go back and cry

[/size][/b][/color]
[/center]

COMPLETED

[/b] with 350[/b] words, just for SAWYER[/b]!
PS - QUICK FLICK!![/b]

[/color][/size][/center]

[LOKI!]

Have you ever seen, the stars so bright.
With a night like this, wish it'd last for weeks

He blushed deeper, his heart was pounding in his chest, had she really just said yes. His head swirled with the rush of everything that was happening. "More than that?" Had he heard right, it didn't seem to make sense to him. He frowned a bit, feeling very confused by the question. "Shucks Avery, I'm not good at this sort of thing. I haven't really had any real girl friends while I've been here. But I want whatever you feel up to."

He tried to force a smile, inside he wanted nothing more than to be holding her. He lowered his eyes back to his drink. He wished he could just melt into the seat behind him. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the whole incident. In his entire tenure at the college he had maybe one girl friend but nothing serious ever. Just someone to hang out with for a week or two until he lost interest, or she got bored. But somehow this felt different, he just couldn't shake this girl from his brain.

He looked back up at her, hoping to read something, anything from those eyes of hers. At that moment the waitress came back. "I'll just have a burger and some fries, I guess." Inside he was torn, part of him thanked the waitress for giving him a distraction from what was happening. But another part of him was upset that she had ruined the mood. Without thinking he reached out and gently touched her fingers. In that instant he forgot the rest of the world even existed. He just wanted for the whole world to be nothing but him and her in this moment. He didn't know if she felt it too, but in his mind it felt right. He blushed at the waitresses presence, but for some reason it all felt right.

It soothes the soul. Takes us back in time
when we walked in fields of gold

[ISSALYN!]

i love that you're never satisfied
face painted with wisdom and your happy lies

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~[/font][/center]

Avery smiled at his response, feeling slightly better since this seemed to be nerve wracking for him too. At least she wasn't the only one who wasn't really great at this whole dating thing. She realized she should probably give him an answer, and she spoke up slowly, choosing her words carefully. "I really like hanging out Sawyer. Dating would be great. Maybe we can see how that goes before we take it further?"

[/b]

She hoped her answer wouldn't offend him. The truth was, she really did like him, but wasn't sure she was quite ready to call him her boyfriend. She would like to get to know him better, and make sure things clicked for them before it got too serious. She'd seen Riley jump into things too fast, and it was never fun to see it end in tears either.

The waitress came and took Sawyer's order, and Avery ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and fries for herself. She'd probably end up taking half of it home, but she really wanted something more than a salad on their first date. No sense making herself look like a picky eater.

She found herself drumming her fingernails on the table, having lost Sawyer's grasp in the process of handing the waitress her drink for a refill. She wondered if he would take her hands again, and blushed. Here they were on their first official date and she found herself anticipating everything. Glancing at her phone, she wondered how long it would take the food to arrive, and then turned her attention back to Sawyer. "So, do you have any big plans for the summer? Or a job? I guess if you want to start dating you're planning on sticking around."[/b] She couldn't remember if he had graduated or not, and hoped that even if he had he would find a job nearby. She thought he was worth driving a little distance to see, but it would be so much easier if he was close.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
but you take what they say
and go back and cry

[/size][/b][/color]
[/center]

COMPLETED

[/b] with 400[/b] words, just for SAWYER[/b]!


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