Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2014 23:09:59 GMT -5
The air in the room is stifling. Even though her black dress is both short and strapless she's finding it hard to breathe. She sees the coffin and stops, an uncharacteristic panic sets in and she looks left to right at all the people. To her friend Nicole, trying to be strong but she can see the shake in her hand, hear the quiver in her voice as she thanks people for coming.
She catches EJ's eye. He has one arm around Megan. He gives her a slight smile. She knows how difficult it is for him to show this calm. She starts to back up. A few people look at her in question, a couple asking if she's alright. She keeps backing up. EJ starts to approach her but she waves him off, tears starting to brim over, but when she looks up at him she keeps her voice firm. " I just need some air"
She turns as she hears his voice, "Vi...."
She doesn't stop. She doesn't even grab her pashmina. She goes right out to the parking lot, leaning against the bricks. Reaching into her purse she fumbles for something she hadn't had since she was a teenager. Her resolve cracking she puts the cigarette to her lips and has a hard time getting the lighter to spark. "For fucks sake..."
"What are you doing?" A hand reaches forward suddenly and takes the cigarette out of her mouth and tosses it unceremoniously to the ground. She looks up and rolls her eyes at the person. "Always the Boy Scout. Aren't you Andrew Campbell?"
Campbell smirks and leans against the bricks next to her. "I missed you." he says as he continues to look out at the full parking lot. "It's hard getting a hold of you lately Violet."
"Ah well, you know... Almost dying twice tends to take you on the road a lot." She smirks, tossing the lighter back in her purse. "And... I missed you too" she leans her head on his shoulder.
There's a comfortable silence before she speaks again, "Surprised to see you here. Didn't think you and Brett exactly saw eye to eye on well... Anything."
Campbell can't help but smirk because she was completely right. "I respected him as a competitor, I knew that even though he'd talk trash he would back it up completely in the ring when the time came. Plus, I came here to check on you."
The pair locks eyes as Campbell smiles at her in concern. "I know this is hurting you. I wanted to make sure you're alright. I had to see it for myself."
She grabs his hand and squeezes it for reassurance. "I've been better. You've kinda gone off the grid yourself there too. Haven't really seen you since... Well since the wedding."
Her eyes start to brim over again and she tries to hold it in, even though it's evident in her voice that she's having a hard time choking back the tears, "Shit..." She's got a hand in her purse again searching for a tissue.
Almost on cue, Campbell pulls out a small pack of tissues and hands it to his old friend. "Yeah, I was in a bad place. Georgie and I ended spectacularly bad...so bad that she's fallen off the face of the earth. And I...I'm just sorta lost out there Violet."
She took takes one out and dabs her eyes, trying not to ruin her makeup. "Well... Kinda sounds like me and every significant other I've ever had. Drake, EJ, Drake again and then Rachel. Maybe I just shouldn't date."
She stuffs the tissue into her purse and offers the rest back to him. "What happened though? You both seemed so happy..."
Campbell just stares off into the distance for a moment in reflection before answering her, shaking his head sadly as he speaks. "I just realized I wasn't right for her. Or maybe she wasn't right for me. We just weren't right for each other." Campbell looks back at his friend. "You know what I mean?"
She gives a laugh but not because she thinks its funny but ironic, "Sometimes the person that's 'right' for us is the one you least expect and could be your opposite..." She takes a deep breath, her voice finishing an octave lower, "Or they could be exactly like you."
She takes another deep breath, obvious that there's a lot on her mind but it was neither the time or place for it. "I'm sorry it didn't work out. You don't seem to have much luck with girlfriends."
Campbell can't help but to chuckle at that statement. "I didn't feel too bad about it until you said that Vi...Geez, you really know how to make a guy feel better don't you?" he teases playfully.
She looks up at him and winks. "That's what a best friend is supposed to do right?"
"I guess." Campbell puts his arm around her and hugs slightly. "Thanks. Are you okay though?"
She starts off smirking, thinking she can pull it off but her face falls and both hands go to cover. "That would be a big fat fucking no. I'm not okay and even without Brett dying my life seems to be going down the shitter."
"Oh Violet. I know things seem bad. Trust me, I've been there. You know all the loss I've suffered. My parents. My fiancée in college Stephanie. My grandpa...but no matter what's happened, what loss I've had...I knew I had to keep pushing because there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Always a dawn after the night." Campbell brushes some of her red hair with his fingers. "You know you helped me when my grandfather died. You helped me realize that people cared about me, no matter how much I felt they didn't. I'm sorry that you are in this bad place, but you have to realize you mean the absolute world to some people. Me especially."
She steps into him, laying her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
"I love you pal. You're so important to me, I just hope you realize that." Campbell says before kissing the top of her head. She looks up at him, going on tiptoes to kiss his cheek but he moves at the same time and instead her lips connect with his. For a nano second neither moves before all sense and logic escape her and she presses fully into him.
Campbell is shocked for a second but kisses back, pressing her body tightly into his. Suddenly she pushes back as she comes to her senses. Campbell starts to speak "Violet, I..." but is cut off by the red haired beauty.
"I'm sorry...I... I can't do this. I can't lose another friend this way..." She turns her back on him, but Campbell reaches out and takes her hand that stops her in her tracks.
"Violet, we are both in a vulnerable place right now...but you're never going to lose me. I promise you that."
She looks up at him, "That's not what I mean... Eric and I... We were good friends too before he kissed me and wanted more. Then when the shit hit the fan not only did I lose a boyfriend, I lost one of my best friends. Now things are getting better but its never going to go back to what it was. We're always going to place blame on each other for how it ended. And now? Now that I've started the stabilizers and I'm one person... Now I realize what a fool I was to let him go but there's no hope. He moved on, has a family. I can't even do that for him so its for the best anyway. " she takes a breath, "So despite my crazy feelings I can't do that again. I can't risk trying to see if there is more to that kiss and it end up exactly the same."
Campbell smirks and nods as he digests what he just heard. "Eric, it always comes down to him with us doesn't it?" Campbell lets go of her hand and let's it drop to her side. "But I understand. I'm sorry if I took advantage in someway. That wasn't my intention."
She grabs his hand back and holds it in both of hers. "I know there has always been this elephant in the room about the sexual tension between us. We joke, its funny and we've always been comfortable. I'm more fucked up than you'll ever know and the last thing I want is to pull you into that. To somehow hurt you. Shades of Violet right?" She smirks, "And You didn't take anything that wasn't offered." She smiles. "You and Eric have always fought when it comes to my attention. I don't expect either of you to like each other or to ever be buddies but don't ever think for a second that you don't mean the world to me."
"You know what you mean to me as well Vi...I'd fight with you all the way to hell itself. Heck, I came to Los Angeles on the off chance that you may have needed me. And I think it may have been a smart thing I did." He smiles at his friend. "But I can't shake the feeling there's something else on your mind that you aren't telling me. And that's okay. I don't need to know. I just want you happy Violet. No matter what that means, just be the best you. Alright?"
She grimaces, "Nail on the head but this isn't the time or place to talk about it. I bought my own house in Boston. You should come visit. I miss not shooting the shit with you and sometimes..." She smirks. "I even search porn on netflix just for shits and giggles."
Campbell just smirks and shakes his head. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you...but you have to do me a favor while I'm out here."
"Anything." She says without a second thought, showing her trust of him.
"You let me take you to dinner tomorrow night so we can properly catch up. And you let me be there at the funeral for you so you aren't alone. I know you got Eric...but extra moral support never killed anyone." Campbell says with sincerity.
She smiles, bringing his hand to her lips she kisses his knuckles. "Of course. Thank you. Even if shit wasn't fucked up with Drake, he'd of never come with me to this. It seems like I'm evolving and he's stuck where he is. I haven't told him about being one person yet. That I have Mack's emotions mixed in with Thirdy's rage and Violet's fun. I don't even know who I am half the time. But I know that it probably means I need to move on. To where... I don't know."
"Whatever step you take. Whatever decision you land on. Which ever side of the line you choose...know I'll be there behind you. No matter what." Campbell answers with absolute conviction.
"Even if that might be a dark and unknown path? You know I'm far from a girl scout. I don't always do the right thing. I wouldn't want to be the one who corrupts your purity." Her face breaks into her trademark smile. Mischievous glee mixed with something incredibly wicked and sexy.
Campbell just rolls his eyes as he shakes his head. "Don't worry your pretty little head one bit about me. Now...I think it's about time we go back in there. I need to pay my respects to Nicole. And I can stay as long as you need me to."
"Yeah. I think they're all worried about me, I kinda ran like a skittish cat. Nikki needs me too."
He offers his arm and she gladly takes it as they make their way back into the viewing room. She avoids the eyes of Eric who seems to be shooting daggers in Campbell's direction. She makes eye contact with Nicole an instantly the two women embrace, breaking down into tears into each other's shoulders. "Thank you for coming Vi. I needed you. I needed everyone."
"I'm here for you. Always."
She catches EJ's eye. He has one arm around Megan. He gives her a slight smile. She knows how difficult it is for him to show this calm. She starts to back up. A few people look at her in question, a couple asking if she's alright. She keeps backing up. EJ starts to approach her but she waves him off, tears starting to brim over, but when she looks up at him she keeps her voice firm. " I just need some air"
She turns as she hears his voice, "Vi...."
She doesn't stop. She doesn't even grab her pashmina. She goes right out to the parking lot, leaning against the bricks. Reaching into her purse she fumbles for something she hadn't had since she was a teenager. Her resolve cracking she puts the cigarette to her lips and has a hard time getting the lighter to spark. "For fucks sake..."
"What are you doing?" A hand reaches forward suddenly and takes the cigarette out of her mouth and tosses it unceremoniously to the ground. She looks up and rolls her eyes at the person. "Always the Boy Scout. Aren't you Andrew Campbell?"
Campbell smirks and leans against the bricks next to her. "I missed you." he says as he continues to look out at the full parking lot. "It's hard getting a hold of you lately Violet."
"Ah well, you know... Almost dying twice tends to take you on the road a lot." She smirks, tossing the lighter back in her purse. "And... I missed you too" she leans her head on his shoulder.
There's a comfortable silence before she speaks again, "Surprised to see you here. Didn't think you and Brett exactly saw eye to eye on well... Anything."
Campbell can't help but smirk because she was completely right. "I respected him as a competitor, I knew that even though he'd talk trash he would back it up completely in the ring when the time came. Plus, I came here to check on you."
The pair locks eyes as Campbell smiles at her in concern. "I know this is hurting you. I wanted to make sure you're alright. I had to see it for myself."
She grabs his hand and squeezes it for reassurance. "I've been better. You've kinda gone off the grid yourself there too. Haven't really seen you since... Well since the wedding."
Her eyes start to brim over again and she tries to hold it in, even though it's evident in her voice that she's having a hard time choking back the tears, "Shit..." She's got a hand in her purse again searching for a tissue.
Almost on cue, Campbell pulls out a small pack of tissues and hands it to his old friend. "Yeah, I was in a bad place. Georgie and I ended spectacularly bad...so bad that she's fallen off the face of the earth. And I...I'm just sorta lost out there Violet."
She took takes one out and dabs her eyes, trying not to ruin her makeup. "Well... Kinda sounds like me and every significant other I've ever had. Drake, EJ, Drake again and then Rachel. Maybe I just shouldn't date."
She stuffs the tissue into her purse and offers the rest back to him. "What happened though? You both seemed so happy..."
Campbell just stares off into the distance for a moment in reflection before answering her, shaking his head sadly as he speaks. "I just realized I wasn't right for her. Or maybe she wasn't right for me. We just weren't right for each other." Campbell looks back at his friend. "You know what I mean?"
She gives a laugh but not because she thinks its funny but ironic, "Sometimes the person that's 'right' for us is the one you least expect and could be your opposite..." She takes a deep breath, her voice finishing an octave lower, "Or they could be exactly like you."
She takes another deep breath, obvious that there's a lot on her mind but it was neither the time or place for it. "I'm sorry it didn't work out. You don't seem to have much luck with girlfriends."
Campbell can't help but to chuckle at that statement. "I didn't feel too bad about it until you said that Vi...Geez, you really know how to make a guy feel better don't you?" he teases playfully.
She looks up at him and winks. "That's what a best friend is supposed to do right?"
"I guess." Campbell puts his arm around her and hugs slightly. "Thanks. Are you okay though?"
She starts off smirking, thinking she can pull it off but her face falls and both hands go to cover. "That would be a big fat fucking no. I'm not okay and even without Brett dying my life seems to be going down the shitter."
"Oh Violet. I know things seem bad. Trust me, I've been there. You know all the loss I've suffered. My parents. My fiancée in college Stephanie. My grandpa...but no matter what's happened, what loss I've had...I knew I had to keep pushing because there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Always a dawn after the night." Campbell brushes some of her red hair with his fingers. "You know you helped me when my grandfather died. You helped me realize that people cared about me, no matter how much I felt they didn't. I'm sorry that you are in this bad place, but you have to realize you mean the absolute world to some people. Me especially."
She steps into him, laying her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
"I love you pal. You're so important to me, I just hope you realize that." Campbell says before kissing the top of her head. She looks up at him, going on tiptoes to kiss his cheek but he moves at the same time and instead her lips connect with his. For a nano second neither moves before all sense and logic escape her and she presses fully into him.
Campbell is shocked for a second but kisses back, pressing her body tightly into his. Suddenly she pushes back as she comes to her senses. Campbell starts to speak "Violet, I..." but is cut off by the red haired beauty.
"I'm sorry...I... I can't do this. I can't lose another friend this way..." She turns her back on him, but Campbell reaches out and takes her hand that stops her in her tracks.
"Violet, we are both in a vulnerable place right now...but you're never going to lose me. I promise you that."
She looks up at him, "That's not what I mean... Eric and I... We were good friends too before he kissed me and wanted more. Then when the shit hit the fan not only did I lose a boyfriend, I lost one of my best friends. Now things are getting better but its never going to go back to what it was. We're always going to place blame on each other for how it ended. And now? Now that I've started the stabilizers and I'm one person... Now I realize what a fool I was to let him go but there's no hope. He moved on, has a family. I can't even do that for him so its for the best anyway. " she takes a breath, "So despite my crazy feelings I can't do that again. I can't risk trying to see if there is more to that kiss and it end up exactly the same."
Campbell smirks and nods as he digests what he just heard. "Eric, it always comes down to him with us doesn't it?" Campbell lets go of her hand and let's it drop to her side. "But I understand. I'm sorry if I took advantage in someway. That wasn't my intention."
She grabs his hand back and holds it in both of hers. "I know there has always been this elephant in the room about the sexual tension between us. We joke, its funny and we've always been comfortable. I'm more fucked up than you'll ever know and the last thing I want is to pull you into that. To somehow hurt you. Shades of Violet right?" She smirks, "And You didn't take anything that wasn't offered." She smiles. "You and Eric have always fought when it comes to my attention. I don't expect either of you to like each other or to ever be buddies but don't ever think for a second that you don't mean the world to me."
"You know what you mean to me as well Vi...I'd fight with you all the way to hell itself. Heck, I came to Los Angeles on the off chance that you may have needed me. And I think it may have been a smart thing I did." He smiles at his friend. "But I can't shake the feeling there's something else on your mind that you aren't telling me. And that's okay. I don't need to know. I just want you happy Violet. No matter what that means, just be the best you. Alright?"
She grimaces, "Nail on the head but this isn't the time or place to talk about it. I bought my own house in Boston. You should come visit. I miss not shooting the shit with you and sometimes..." She smirks. "I even search porn on netflix just for shits and giggles."
Campbell just smirks and shakes his head. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you...but you have to do me a favor while I'm out here."
"Anything." She says without a second thought, showing her trust of him.
"You let me take you to dinner tomorrow night so we can properly catch up. And you let me be there at the funeral for you so you aren't alone. I know you got Eric...but extra moral support never killed anyone." Campbell says with sincerity.
She smiles, bringing his hand to her lips she kisses his knuckles. "Of course. Thank you. Even if shit wasn't fucked up with Drake, he'd of never come with me to this. It seems like I'm evolving and he's stuck where he is. I haven't told him about being one person yet. That I have Mack's emotions mixed in with Thirdy's rage and Violet's fun. I don't even know who I am half the time. But I know that it probably means I need to move on. To where... I don't know."
"Whatever step you take. Whatever decision you land on. Which ever side of the line you choose...know I'll be there behind you. No matter what." Campbell answers with absolute conviction.
"Even if that might be a dark and unknown path? You know I'm far from a girl scout. I don't always do the right thing. I wouldn't want to be the one who corrupts your purity." Her face breaks into her trademark smile. Mischievous glee mixed with something incredibly wicked and sexy.
Campbell just rolls his eyes as he shakes his head. "Don't worry your pretty little head one bit about me. Now...I think it's about time we go back in there. I need to pay my respects to Nicole. And I can stay as long as you need me to."
"Yeah. I think they're all worried about me, I kinda ran like a skittish cat. Nikki needs me too."
He offers his arm and she gladly takes it as they make their way back into the viewing room. She avoids the eyes of Eric who seems to be shooting daggers in Campbell's direction. She makes eye contact with Nicole an instantly the two women embrace, breaking down into tears into each other's shoulders. "Thank you for coming Vi. I needed you. I needed everyone."
"I'm here for you. Always."