Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 16:45:09 GMT -6
A smile. A victory. Emma nodded, pleased with the response she'd been offered. She was getting somewhere and this turn of events had turned out to be a lot more interesting than she'd first anticipated coming in here. After all, who could possibly expect this to happen when walking into a building containing nothing that interested a bored soul? "For the most part," she repeated with amusement, but accepted it.
Another cheeky smile colored the blue eyed girl's expression. "That's because you haven't earned it yet." A challenge. She was testing him. And yet, here she was, curious as ever. He didn't respond like most people, which in turn, offered her a challenge she'd been craving for as long as she possibly could remember.
Post by Richard Maddox on Apr 17, 2016 16:50:50 GMT -6
She was pleased. It was easy to read in her expression. Likely from his smile. Richard was surprised it brought about this sort of reaction. It was rare. He doubted she knew that. Yet she seemed victorious all the same. He wouldn't take that from her. It wasn't like he could. Or anyone, from how she acted. She repeated his line. This time he appeared to have won something. He wasn't sure what. He wasn't sure he cared.
Another cheeky smile. How many more would he get? Would he have to prepare for this sort of reaction? Richard didn't know. He didn't know how to answer either. It was a challenge. He could tell from how she said it. A test. What for, Richard had no idea. He'd only answer as best as he knew how. "Then you haven't earned mine." A fair trade. At least in his eyes.
Last Edit: Apr 17, 2016 16:51:15 GMT -6 by Richard Maddox
Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 16:55:01 GMT -6
"Wouldn't want it any other way," she replied truthfully. It was fair, if nothing else. It made her grin, almost wickedly. She was enjoying this a lot more than what she probably should have and yet, it still felt safe. It didn't feel personal. It was nothing more than two strangers, randomly chatting. Yet, she wouldn't have been able to walk away either. That was probably the most surprising thing of it all.
"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'm still waiting on that date." Was she going to quit? Of course not. She was well aware that the man would likely never accept, but there was one important fact that she had to consider, and perhaps, take to heart; He was still here.
Post by Richard Maddox on Apr 17, 2016 17:02:02 GMT -6
Yet another grin. Only this time more wicked. It reminded him of the grin a villain would wear. When they had the protagonist right where they wanted them. Was that what he was now? Trapped? Richard couldn't say. Yet he knew walking away would be hard now. He couldn't ignore her either. Most shocking of all, he found himself not wanting to. Another mystery. Another thing to ponder. Along with her.
She posed another question. More inferred than direct. A date? Was she serious? Richard's gaze only grew more intense as he tried to decipher her. What did she want? What game was she playing. For it felt like a game. A game Richard didn't know the rules to. A game he nonetheless was trying to win at this point. or at least make it out unscathed. "Why would you want one?"
Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 17:06:43 GMT -6
His forward way of asking had a chuckle escape between her parted lips. She could have responded in many different ways, but she settled on one. One, she figured, was important enough and not wholly untrue. "Because you've been able to keep up with my wit throughout this entire conversation and I'd like to earn the right to at the very least know your name." Still impersonal, still not sharing parts of herself. At least, not important ones. She was content with that.
She hadn't gotten a no. Not yet. She supposed that was a victory in itself. The first time she'd asked, he'd told her now. Likely because he didn't think she was being serious. Now, now he was considering it. At least, that was how it seemed.
Last Edit: Apr 17, 2016 17:07:05 GMT -6 by Emma Delacroix
Post by Richard Maddox on Apr 17, 2016 17:12:30 GMT -6
He'd earned another chuckle. Why? It seemed he was entertaining her. Somehow. He still didn't know the answer. He wanted to, yet couldn't. it didn't seem like a question he could just ask. It was too easy. yet she seemed to give the answer. His replies. The conversation. The conversation he thought she was winning. She'd started. All he was doing was responding. Yet he'd impressed her. Or so it seemed.
She wanted his name. To earn it like he had to for hers. The fact she wanted it was befuddling. To earn it, even more. He regarded her. Tried to figure out why. Tried to figure out her. Yet she was from reality. Not his worlds. he couldn't read her over like a character. She was a challenge. Something he typically avoided. Yet here he was. "I could say the same. Yet I doubt I've earned yours."
Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 17:16:27 GMT -6
She couldn't quite make out his expression. Was it confusion mixed with something deeper? Or perhaps it was nothing, an expression void of all signs of emotions. She had never been good at reading people. Then again, she'd never needed to. Most people responded to her own forward personality with one of their own.
"Only one way to find out," she said without missing a beat. The challenge was once again presented. All he had to do was reach out and grab it. Yet, he seemed careful. He didn't trust her nor her intentions. She didn't expect him to. She could only hope that he'd take one small leap of faith. That was all.
Post by Richard Maddox on Apr 17, 2016 17:23:08 GMT -6
Only one way to find out. A gamble. A game. A game she was fully in control of. Almost. He could leave. He could turn and walk away. yet he didn't think he could forget. Forget the encounter. Forget the conversation. Forget her. Nor could he forget the choice posed to him. Give his name? Or leave her forever in the dark. At least, until she gave hers. Only Richard wasn't used to this sort of thing. He wasn't used to the social interaction. He knew he would lose. He was fine with that.
"Richard." She'd earned his name already. Their conversation proved that. Not many cared to speak so long with him. He was uninteresting. Dull. Boring. Yet she had taken an interest. Why? Who knew. Richard didn't, but found himself wanting to find out. Why she was so curious about someone like him. Someone better suited to the background.
Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 17:28:18 GMT -6
Richard. A surprisingly bland name for such an interesting character. But then again, what was in a name? Did someone's name really hold that great of an importance to their true self? "Richard," she repeated with a nod. So, somehow she'd earned his name. She wasn't sure what it was that she'd done, but she didn't feel as if it was deserved.
Not yet.
"You didn't answer my question, Richard," she said, smiling as she held her hand out. He could either take it - or he could let this opportunity pass him by and the two of them would part ways. She hoped he would. Take it, that was. She wasn't quite ready for this to end, whatever it was.
Post by Richard Maddox on Apr 17, 2016 17:34:21 GMT -6
She repeated it. Seemed to mull it over. Richard knew it was boring. It was bland. It was perfect. Common. Forgettable. People could glance it over. Like white noise. Something they'd block out. Yet he had a feeling she would remember. Normally he wouldn't care. Partially, he still didn't. Yet their conversation had intrigued him. Kept him invested in reality, if only for a few minutes. It was longer than anyone else had.
An offered hand. Another question. Another decision. He dropped his gaze. He stared at her hand. What did it mean? What did she want? He was constantly trying to find a motive, but nothing was adding up. Nothing but the possibility that she might actually like his company. It seemed too absurd. Yet as he kept staring, it was the only one with a proper explanation. He looked back up. He held her gaze. Slowly, he took her hand. "I'm not sure what the right answer is. Or even how to answer to begin with." He was honest. It was all he could be.
Last Edit: Apr 17, 2016 17:35:52 GMT -6 by Richard Maddox
Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 17:38:12 GMT -6
He took her hand then, warm skin meeting warm skin and she nodded. "This is enough," she promised him, a genuine smile flashing across her face. "Emma," she then announced as she allowed herself to feel the way his hand felt against her own. It was such a simple gesture, yet it held so much weight.
And then she started moving towards the door, seemingly without intending to, yet her feet carried her steadily towards it without any clue of which direction she was heading in. She fully expected him to let go of her hand, yet she hoped that he wouldn't.
Post by Richard Maddox on Apr 17, 2016 17:44:35 GMT -6
There was another smile. Yet somehow it was different. Something there that had been absent. As he look in her eyes, he knew. It was genuine. It was enough. it surprised him. As much as her name did. Emma. Simple, like his own. Yet hers felt more important. It held a story untold. One Richard was curious about, which surprised him. He only nodded in answer. He didn't know if he'd truly earned her name. yet as she said, this was enough. He could only believe that.
She began moving towards the door. For a second Richard was torn. Confused. Was she leaving? Only that seemed too easy. Somehow he had a feeling she wanted him to follow. That she was leading him somewhere. He was wary. He was cautious. Yet he was intrigued. He wanted to know where she was going. So he followed. He could do as much. He could see what she was trying to show him. That's what it felt like anyhow.
Last Edit: Apr 17, 2016 17:45:03 GMT -6 by Richard Maddox
Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 17:50:50 GMT -6
At this point, Emma wasn't sure what she was doing - or what she was getting herself into. She was usually more cautious than this. She wasn't this person, chasing after strangers. Yet, here she was, unable to let go of this opportunity. And he followed. He was actually following her and that was perhaps the most surprising part of it all.
Outside the cool air hit her face, giving her a moment to breathe. To think. And just like that, she knew exactly where they were going. "It's not far," she said, turning her head to give him a reassuring smile.
Post by Richard Maddox on Apr 17, 2016 17:57:03 GMT -6
The cool was refreshing. Sharp against his skin from the heat of the indoors. He liked it. How it cleared his head. Yet he still followed the woman leading him away. This Emma that had stepped before him so suddenly. Shouldn't he be more cautious? Shouldn't he have said no? It was something a logical person would do. A smart person. A normal person. But Richard was different. She was different. Which was why he kept after her. Off on an adventure he didn't know the ending to.
Nor for that matter the location. Yet she insisted it wasn't far. Wherever or whatever it was. Richard grew more curious. He didn't fight her. only nodded to the smile she gave him. She was trying to be reassuring. Why, he didn't know. It should've made him more wary. Yet he didn't pull. He only moved forward to see where she was taking him.
Post by Emma Delacroix on Apr 17, 2016 18:01:48 GMT -6
It was only a short walk away, crossing a few shops, then a street and then around the corner and they were there. It was an old, run down playground that probably hadn't been touched for what looked like years. The swings and everything else within it was rusted and broken down.
Stopping by the gate, the blonde leaned over the fence and finally let go of the man's hand. "I found this place my first week here," she explained. "To most people it's just an old playground," she continued as she turned to look at him, this Richard she'd only just met. "But to some it's something much more. It's a place that used to bring joy to so many people. A place that used to give so much, yet now it has been forgotten." She related far too much to this place. Much more than she cared to admit. She then smiled. "It's kind of beautiful, in a sad way."