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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Oct 16, 2011 14:28:39 GMT -5
It was a nice day outside, albeit a little chilly. The bright colours of fall were always attractive to the Earth elemental. He thought of Halloween and of how everyone was talking about the parties they were going to go to and such. He would not be attending any of the campus parties, he knew, because he'd already arranged a bus trip back to Vancouver to be with his family for the holiday. He just couldn't find it in his heart to break tradition with his excitable little brother. Cameron was already unhappy with Ashton about how he'd handled the summer with staying here for most of it and the elemental knew that he had to make it up to him somehow. "He's really looking forward to seeing you," his father told him over the phone, a warm note in his voice. "I'm glad you decided to come, Ash. Your mother and I worried you were making a life over there--you aren't concealing any girls from us, are you?" His father's booming laugh over the phone could not help the twist he felt in his gut. He smiled, though, despite the fact that his father could not see him, and replied, "No, Dad, no girls for me." At least not since one such girl that he tried not to think about too often. She'd been a mistake and he understood that now. They hadn't even been together long enough for him to confess the news to his parents. It was for the best, he reminded himself sharply. She didn't care anyway, she-- Oh, he didn't know what she'd been thinking. He didn't really know what he'd been thinking, either. Sighing, Ashton pushed the thoughts away.
"You alright, bud?" He started slightly as he realised that he was still on the phone to his father and tried to make a hasty recovery. Laughing a little, he insisted, "Oh, yeah, I'm great. Hey, listen, Dad, I'd better go. School stuff, you know?" It was a lie, he didn't have anything of the sort, but he didn't want the man asking any sort of questions. He was pretty much over 'The Asha Thing' but that didn't mean he was ready to be grilled about it by his family. His father accepted this and bade him a goodbye, passing the phone to Cam for a moment so the younger boy could say hello. This restored the smile to the Earth elementals lips and he almost regretted saying he was in a hurry. Still, he did his best to play it honestly and hung up, stowing the phone back into his pocket and stepping out from underneath the tree he'd been standing beneath. The shade was only making him colder. Maybe I should have brought a sweater, he mused, rubbing his hands along his arms and glancing thoughtfully toward the castle. It seemed an awfully far walk to the Earth dorms... Nah, I can live without. He didn't much fancy the long stroll. Instead, Ashton took the much shorter path toward the lake. There were the usual Water elementals standing in groups and a few from the other elements hanging about as well, but Ash decided not to bother any of them. He instead took a seat on the slightly sandy shore and stared out across the water, thinking.
First he thought about school, about the fact that his English grade was slipping and he was going to need to do some serious catching up if he didn't want to endanger his leadership position. They were working on poetry right now and Ashton couldn't really think of a topic he hated less (at least in that class). He was no good at finding things that rhymed in an attractive fashion. It bored him to sit there and come up with things--it was even worse than reading out of textbooks! However, thoughts of school were bound to depress him and so they, too, were ousted in favour of a better topic. His thoughts drifted to the upcoming Halloween and whether or not he should start planning a costume. He usually planned things like this with his brother and they would make their outfits match in some way. He decided that it might be best to wait until he got there, for he'd arranged with the school to go home a week before the date. His work would be given to him when he got back and of course that would mean all the more homework for Ashton. In hindsight he might regret the choice of a holiday but he just couldn't pass it up. No one had ever claimed that he was the best decision makers. He could think of quite a few decisions that absolutely backed that up.
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Post by laceface2 on Oct 16, 2011 21:31:57 GMT -5
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Coming back to the Academy was honestly the last thing that Asha had ever hoped for. Trauma had plagued her for nearly half a year and school had been the least of her worries. Education was shoved aside when her father was in a state of near death. On top of the drama with her father Ace continued to peck at her even though she was solely focused on the wellbeing of Aston, not how much she could infuriate her twin while being in such a close proximity. Her brother couldn’t condone any sort of peace, no matter how brief the riff of calm would stretch out. Their father had been suffering serious brain damage. A spar in the ring had taken a turn of the worse and Aston Woods had been on the short end of the stick. The severe injury could only hold the interest of Ace Woods for so long. So once he grew bored he turned all of his attention back onto his sister. That was the last thing Asha had time to fret over was the menacing threats and action of her off kilter brother. A few altercations later and Asha was left trapped in the guest room of their home while Ace attempted an antic of setting his sister on fire.
If one of the butlers hadn’t had the logical thought to call the authorities then Asha would have been left to burn to a crisp. Instead, thanks to the quick thinking of the services at the Woods’ household, her body was able to salvaged with only severe burns to her legs and arms. Still the damage was harsh enough to excuse her from school for nearly three more months. Pain was the word that Asha would use to describe how her recovery went. She was sent to a special treatment center to be secluded while the news of her brother, the arson, spread like wildfire (no pun intended) all over the country. News would have been heavily focused on the recuperating girl if they had been able to track her down. Which the newscasters failed to do even after being given numerous tips from “reliable” sources. Burn therapy hassled Asha’s muscles to the extent where it had become a daily occurrence for her to sob. She had never become so tired of tears in her life. A few tears had been shed after her sudden breakup (had they even been dating?) with Ashton but this sort of anguish was unthinkable. Nearly a month had to be dedicated to reintroducing herself to daily tasks and the functioning of her muscles. Fighting wasn’t even an option to think of yet.
Her mother insisted that with the coming of fall it would be refreshing for Asha to return to the Academy. At first she had been obstinate with her choice to remain out of province, sticking close to her father out of worry. A few earnest talks from her mother changed her mind quickly. April’s persuasiveness was uncanny. Ashton was honestly her biggest worry. A scrawny Earth kid who had an effect on her she didn’t particularly fancy speaking about. Her next worry was how the obvious changes to her would affect the impression reputation she had founded over the past four years. There was a slight limp in her gait and if someone peered at her close enough they could see the slight shaking of her hands. Weak and vulnerable were exactly how one would describe the current state of Asha Woods. The inconspicuous car deposited her at the gates of the Academy, the driver watching closely over her as she talked into the speaker to the guards. Once she gained entrance the car slowly sped away, leaving Asha to an old part of her life that she wasn’t eager to relive. Her attire was very unsuitable for the weather but cold wasn’t something that she felt. Slowly, she took deliberate steps while her mind wandered. She inhaled sharply when she arrived at the shore of the lake, her breath nearly leaving when she noticed the familiar form of Ashton Raleigh inhabiting the same exact space.
What did she do now?
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Oct 17, 2011 7:33:15 GMT -5
Slight movement at the corner of his eye caught Ashton's attention, though he did not immediately turn to see who was intruding upon the solace of the lake. He was still thinking quite cheerfully about the upcoming holiday even though he slightly lamented that he would not get to see the castle decked out for Halloween and the costumes of some of the friends that he'd made here. He had asked the friends he was closest to if they would take pictures for his benefit so that he would have something to chuckle over when he returned. Some of the more persistent friends had tried to persuade him to ditch his family tradition for a year and come hang out at parties and the like but he was not so easily swayed from that. His brother was counting on him being there and thus, Ashton promised himself, he would be there. Even though his main reasons for returning were the expectations of his brother he was also looking forward to getting a break from the Academy and seeing his parents again. He enjoyed being at the school and hanging around the others of his kind but there was only so much of that one person could stand in a year. He knew that some people actually went a bit hysterical close to the end of the year when they'd only seen their folks at summer break and they'd left behind their old lives for the boarding school up in the mountains. He was not so fragile that it affected him in this manner but that did not mean that he enjoyed being separated from the parents who'd raised him. He liked the feeling of independence but sometimes he wished that he could just get up and go talk to his mother or hang out with his Dad like he used to.
With these wandering thoughts he almost forgot about the other figure by the lake. If he hadn't shifted ever so slightly and had she not been in his line of vision at that moment, Ashton probably wouldn't have noticed her at all. The effect was immediate--his tranquil and calm appearance flinched in surprise and he shook his head slightly as if to clear it. His immediate thought was that all the wandering his mind had done had addled his mind a little bit but after he'd shaken his head and blinked once or twice it became clear that he really was seeing what he thought he was. Asha. Asha Woods. Asha the Girl Who'd Ditched Him. He almost wasn't sure of what to think and he rose slowly from where he was sitting, watching her warily. They were close enough that if he spoke she would be able to catch the words but not quite near enough for physical contact. That suited him perfectly, for now Ashton knew what he felt. The burning in his chest was a mixture of grief and... was it anger? It was absurd, for Ashton Raleigh was not someone that usually allowed himself to feel angry at anyone. He was sweet, a peacemaker before he was a fighter. It seemed her betrayal was enough to change that. "Oh," he said in a tone that was uncharacteristically cold. "It's you." What was she thinking, showing her face here again? He'd gotten over her already. Half a year later and he was definitely done with her. He'd been glad to hear that she was gone--though, not being native to Maple Hollow, he had not watched the news. There had been rumours, of course, but he tuned them out. He knew not why she'd left, only that she had and he didn't want her upsetting the balance he'd finally returned to. "Thought you'd finally come back, did you? Ha." He didn't sound amused. Not at all.
Of course, Ashton understood that he didn't stand a chance against her in a fight. She was a trained fighter and a hell of a lot stronger than him, not to mention a year older and a Fire elemental. If Asha wanted she could burn him to a crisp. Nearly had in their earlier years at the Academy, he remembered. They'd never really gotten along all that well. And then he'd pulled her from the lake (twice) and everything had changed. It hadn't helped that just when he was accepting that they might be something more than just a fling, she'd left. She'd confirmed his doubts in the beginning--it wouldn't last, couldn't last. And it hadn't, and now she was back, and Ashton just had absolutely no idea how to handle this. So he wasn't going to handle it. I cut you out of my life and I don't want to let you back in. He took a step closer with the resolve to tell her this and then faltered, green eyes narrowed slightly as he realised she was shaking. What had happened to her? "What's your problem?" he said, attempting a sneer. It didn't come out quite as vicious and strong as he'd intended. He wasn't meant to be an angry person and thus trying to display his contempt was almost amusing. It was like a kitten facing off with a lion, really. But he was sick of people using him like a doormat and so he was going to let her know.
[Should we say that they'd already taken their relationship to the next level before she left so it causes more internal agony?]
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Post by laceface2 on Oct 17, 2011 21:05:29 GMT -5
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Ashton Camden Raleigh. The name bounced off her skull erratically, feeling like it would cause her actual physical pain. Nothing associated with that name could bring a smile onto her face or cause pleasant thoughts to bloom. At least, not any longer.The brief paradise that had been tacked onto the Earth leader's name had dissipated into nothing more than a bitter sweet taste in her mouth. Thinking of the taste of their past memories had her mind correlate all of her thoughts to Ashton's lips. Asha would mentally have to scold herself when such in appropriate things began to boil in her mind. And Ashton invaded thoughts more than she would ever preferred or enjoyed. Plenty of time had been given to let her mind simple turn over a multitude of deeper thoughts that brash Asha had pushed to the side. Various subjects had Ashton attached onto them, which made Asha hesitant to even attempt to breach them. With so much time to delve into Ashton couldn't be avoided, no matter how much effort she put into evading the touchy subject. Her mother had the misconception to gently try an approach the subject a few times throughout the recovery. Each time one item in the room had to be extinguished after lighting in a serious blaze. Ashton was not to be discussed. Caution tape had been wrapped all over is name. Anyone with enough sense would realize that instigating something concerning Ashton would very well deserve them searing burns on various parts of their body. Thoroughly charred humans, they were Asha's favorite.
The subtle shaking of her hands only increased as she came into close proximity with Ashton. Nerves were thrown into a mixture of natural discomfort and unease that she could not help. She did not have the forethought to wear more concealing clothing that would shield the uncontrollable trembling that Ace had left her with. Her cropped top and cut off denim shorts were highly out of season and exposing the insecurities that would be dead giveaways on the damaged that she had suffered through. Being so close to Ashton, unexpectedly too, wasn't helping with the calming of her nerves. She had pulled away from without any dignified explanation because of this very reason. He had some sort of hold over her that she couldn't control, no matter how hard she might try. Ashton was on his feet, lingering close to her but not near enough that they could have any sort of physical contacted. That suited Asha fine, because if his fingers glided across her skin there was no assurance she would react the way that she imagined: with fury. "You forgot the hell part of that word. I know you didn't mean to say 'oh.' Hello is the word that you were looking for," her bemused tone answered. Playing it off as cool was highly difficult but Asha wouldn't allow her exterior to break. Not now. Not even when Ashton's words could give her a case of frostbite that would leave her in need of medical care. Warmth and excitement had been the expected reactions but this was totally out of context, the way that he was acting. "Education is essential, so I had to make a reappearance sometime," Asha bitterly said to him, the smile on her face conveying nothing but a false cheeriness that didn't even come off as believable. Whatever Ashton was trying to get at wasn't going to fly with Asha. She had complete control over everything. He would be the biggest fool on campus to believe that he could snatch the reigns from her.
Another step closer. More shaking on Asha's part. Tensing her muscles proved to be pointless. It only caused her arms to shake with more fervor, the very thing that she had been trying to avoid. Ashton noticed the trembling of her muscles even though no one else would have initially noticed. Another close inspection and Ashton could have very likely picked out the limp of both of her legs. Contempt was still laced with the brusque words directed towards her, but something else seemed to accompany them. Could Asha identify it as worry? No, it was clear that whatever sort of connection that had once kindled between them had been extinguished when Asha took flight. It was exactly how logic told Asha things would be, even if her mind was forming up pretty images of a world where hurt and anger ceased to exist. Her hands hooked into her pockets, anything to keep her shaking from coming off as anymore obvious. Her eyes glanced over at Ashton, very unappreciative of the narrow stare that was he was giving her. In return she stared back at him with a glower. "My problem? I'm sure you would love to hear all about how my dad nearly died from serious head trauma. And then my brother locked me in the the guest house - I am sure you remember the guest house - and tried to set me on fire. Yeah, that's my problem." Asha's words were coarse and had a razor edge that had been completely unintentionally. It had simply been the wrong question to ask the seething Fire girl. Especially since it was Ashton that had asked the question. Like she really owed an explanation to him.
yes, that works because i thoroughly enjoy agony. outfit.thanks brooklyn from caution |
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Oct 18, 2011 5:18:26 GMT -5
Ashton had not been ready for this. The first few weeks after she'd disappeared, the Earth elemental had tried to convince himself that she was going to come back and that there was nothing to worry about. He had tried to tell himself that something had come up and that Asha wasn't a total bitch who had ditched him just like every other girl he'd ended up in a relationship with. He had bad luck with these sorts of things and he had promised himself that he would stop letting people use him. Then he'd turned right around and hooked up with Asha, possibly the worst and most unexpected match for him ever. "No, hell sounds about right," he muttered, shaking his head. It was unclear whether he was confused or disgusted by her now--perhaps a little bit of both. He had wanted her back at first and then he'd simply shrugged it off and decided that it was another failed relationship to add to the list. He hadn't really cried over it or anything like that. He was used to being left behind and it had sort of numbed him to the feelings of loss and grief. He was not, however, used to the person that had left him just stepping back into his life. It was true that Asha had not spoken to him and it was he that had initiated the conversation but that didn't matter, did it? The point was that she'd played with him, toyed with him, and then ditched him. He could barely look at her without a choked sort of feeling rising in his throat. He didn't feel as if he was going to cry--actually, Ashton had more of a desire to hit her than anything. It was a good thing he could control such urges or Asha could have flipped him and strangled him before he could blink. It was a bit hard to forget her reputation for violence. Oh, why had he trusted her in the first place?
He, too, had envisioned scenes where they might have came back into one anothers lives. Of course, this had been months ago when he'd still been tethered to the small hope that Asha might return as if nothing had went wrong. He hadn't imagined any of them like this. He'd thought that she might apologise for ditching him but now he realised that this was Asha Woods. Who had he been kidding? He'd thought that he could give her a chance because she acted differently toward him than she did with everyone else but Ashton now realised just how wrong he had been. She was no different than she was to everyone else. She wouldn't be nice enough to apologise even if she'd absolutely shattered him. He supposed it was a good thing that he was made of much tougher material than most people thought. The Earth leader could take insults and he could now apparently take being walked all over as well. He didn't tremble, didn't cry, only glared at the girl whom he'd trusted half a year previous. "It's nice to know education was the first thing on your mind," he said, not even bothering to veil what he meant by that. You meant nothing to her, you always knew that, he reminded himself. It was chilly out and Ashton folded his arms across his chest to try and block out some of the cold as a breeze brushed through the area and rattled the branches of a nearby tree. He watched a couple leaves flutter down, anything to avoid looking at her. He didn't know how to deal with this anger, really. He wasn't an angry person and it was all new to him.
His attention could not be diverted forever, though, and he glanced--or rather glared--back at her to ask the question. He was expecting some sort of sarcastic answer like the one about her education and was quite taken aback by what she actually told him. He was not good at keeping a poker face and so the surprise and concern that crossed his features were only too apparent. Not wanting to admit weakness or allow her to have the upper-hand, allow her to control him, Ashton said nothing at first. Then, still coldly, "And you didn't think to tell me this?" His own words gave him strength. He was in the right, wasn't he? She had lied to him, deceived him, left him. If what she was saying was true that really sucked to be her but that didn't give her an excuse to just pretend Ashton no longer existed or whatever she'd thought when she was avoiding him for half a year. "No 'Hey, Ashton, I'm not ditching you or anything, I've just got stuff to deal with'? No 'I won't be around for awhile but don't worry about me'? Don't you think that might have helped a little, Asha?" His words were frosted and angry, his voice almost shaking from the weight of the rage. It wasn't even that impressive of anger, it was just that Ashton didn't deal with anger regularly and so didn't exactly have any control over it whatsoever. And he would not be violent, never violent. Even if Asha had been a younger, weaker Water elemental with whom he could wipe the floor. It just wasn't in him. But she deserved his anger. She was the one who'd left, not him.
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Post by laceface2 on Oct 18, 2011 14:43:45 GMT -5
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There was hollowness where Asha’s anger should have been nestled, blazing as a fire breathed life into it. A blazing and fiery rage should have flared up immediately. Ashton was addressing in her a fashion that would have never been acceptable, if he had been another person. Ashton was Ashton, and that granted him with a sort of shielded that deemed his very person as a safe haven from her temper. Occasionally she had lashed out upon him unexpectedly, always quickly retracting her anger and sputtering out something that could have been considered an apology. No longer did Asha have an enraged edge that she could wield over Ashton after he assaulted her with frostbitten words. The usual counter from Asha would have consisted with harsh words that had no consideration for the person who had senselessly engaged in a quarrel with her. Ashton would always turn out to be the exception. Paired with this omission was a tiredness that pressed down heavily on Asha’s internal strength. Her garish temperament had been quelled after a physical fire had marred her body. No longer did she feel like her irritation would swell so large that she would resort to drastic measures. Not anytime soon at least. “I am sure there are a variety of words –namely insults- that you could throw my way,” she wearily agreed. Brown eyes pored over with remorse, not clearly shown to Ashton as she glanced down towards the ground. Life was slowly being drained from the Academy grounds, with the promise that winter would soon follow after fall. Funny, Asha felt like she could clearly relate with the changes that autumn brought to the world. Fall caused the deadening of everything, just like how her insides had grown lifeless. Ashton was going to bring on her own death. Such grim thoughts were coming from Asha.
She was too far behind in schooling. Perfecting the hold she had over flames and focusing on producing her own fire hadn’t even been a thought that pertained to the past half year. Only a small fraction of Asha could be grateful that she hadn’t developed a fear of fire after the stifling incident with Ace. Stability with her element had been fully lost, six months had passed and she hadn’t even produced a single spark, let alone a flame. Mckenna’s hair had been set to flames before she had disappeared, comforting her on the fact that at least some legacy had been left behind with her name. Her recovery had come through sluggishly. Asha was discontent, she was forcibly slowed because of her injuries and that didn’t sit well with her impatience. Nurses had urged her to complete her school work, even offering to scribble down her answers or assist in solving through the answers with her. Asha outright denied all attempts, flailing in protest and causing her delicate burns to tear and opt for more recovery time. While everyone back at the Academy was carrying on through with their learning Asha was strapped to a hospital bed and being agonizingly pulled through various treatments. Education wasn’t a worry any longer, and certainly not the reason the reason behind while she had returned to British Columbia and the Academy. Asha dug her hands deeper into her pocket, leaning back on the heels of her shoes to try and disperse her discomfort. “At this point it doesn’t even matter that I’ve even bothered to come back,” Asha spoke in a defeated tone, no longer bothering to maintain her prickly exterior. “I’ve got to repeat my senior year because I haven’t kept up with my work. So, we’ll be in the same year,” she said, offering a twisted version of what could be considered a weak smile. He probably was cursing God for holding her back now. That only meant another year he would have to deal with Asha.
His words held nothing but truth, justified by the thorough emotion that he was addressing her with. Asha had no solid defense that she could offer, something logical that would at least support her flakiness. The only reason that she could blame her sudden flight on was her feelings. Who had ever heard Asha Woods speak of feeling in all seriousness? Maybe Shea, on a few occasions where she would have lit a serious fuse if her emotions hadn’t been depleted through a confession. Now as not the time to spill all of her emotions, especially to someone who seemed eager to spite her in any opportunity that she would present to him. A sharp stab attacked her side as he continued to push his words onto her. It was quite the show that Ashton was putting on. He was so worked up that he probably didn’t even take notice that Asha had grown eerily quiet and dropped her stare. Crystalline tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. A deep breath dispelled them from her face and with the titled angle of her face they dripped to the ground. Clearly, Asha was crying because of Ashton. Who would have ever known? “I couldn’t even handle everything myself. I gave up on everything, except for watching over my father. His heart stopped, twice. It’s a miracle that he is even breathing unaided right now,” Asha said between a hiccup, her tone expressing her distress. Her eyes darted up to his, the brown pools displaying shame that only Ashton could ever inject into her system. “You scared me, Ashton. I care for you and that’s honestly the most frightening thing I have ever had to face,” she murmured, gaze dropping because saying those words left her feeling exposed. All of this was too much.
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Oct 18, 2011 16:27:44 GMT -5
Ashton's emerald eyes narrowed when she spoke, surprised by the lack of contempt in her words but also suspicious. He had always known Asha to be very aggressive and angry in personality--she didn't take shit from anyone. He had respected her for this and had always been slightly wary as well. His wariness had evaporated in the face of the betrayal and anger he was feeling but now Ashton felt more confused than anything else. Why wasn't she roasting him to a crisp right now? At least threatening to roast him? At the same time, he was too worked up to allow this to calm him. There were six months worth of irritated feelings that he needed to get off his chest and he wasn't going to be swayed by a change in attitude. "There probably are," he said, scowling a little. The expression did not suit his normally smiling features. "But I won't waste my breath." The truth was that he didn't think he could bring himself to be insulting. Ashton did not call someone a 'bitch' or a 'whore' (not that he considered Asha the latter, though maybe the former). He was too nice and genuine of a person to slap cruel labels on people even when he was upset with them. Somehow it seemed weak to say 'I'm not going to insult you' and that was why he'd made sure to choose his words carefully. He didn't want Asha to have any power over him, damn it! It hadn't taken very long to get over her considering he'd already been having doubts before she'd left--"Are we even a couple? Am I just another game to her?"--but that didn't mean her return was less confusing.
The baffled feeling went from bad to worse as he detected defeat in her tone next. Was she putting on some sort of an act to get him to sympathise with her? Ashton was so focused on the way she'd spoke the words that their actual meaning did not sink in until several seconds later. They would be in the same grade? He wasn't really sure of how to take that. If this had happened before she'd left he would have felt bad that he had to repeat her year of education and possibly suffer the ridicule of her former classmates. A small part of him would have looked forward to studying with her and laughing over the antics of their fellow students in his senior year. Now? When he tried to identify what he felt in the pit of his stomach, 'sick' was the only word that came to mind. This encounter was stressing him out a lot more than he'd thought it would. He'd prepared what he might say to her if she ever returned--in the beginning he had a 'welcome back' sort of thing going on, and the return greeting got colder and crueller as time passed. He was trying his best to deliver the harsh words and drive her off but that was not easy when she was acting so vulnerable around him. If he were any other person he could have sneered at her and accused her of acting but his easy trust and gullibility were what got him into this mess in the first place. "Oh," was the simple and rather pathetic response he managed to get out. What was he supposed to say to that? He wanted to make a sarcastic remark but couldn't come up with one. This hadn't been a part of his rehearsed plan, after all.
Neither had the tears.
When he noticed that she was crying Ashton's train of thought crashed straight into an imaginary wall in his brainspace. He didn't do well with crying--not because he got awkward, but because it was like a weakness to him. Tears always made him more inclined to sympathise with or listen to a person but this was Asha. Not only was she someone that didn't cry often but she was someone whom he was very angry with at the moment. He didn't want to feel sorry for her. His snide remarks died on his lips about the school thing and he closed his mouth smartly. Then she was telling him about her father and Ashton really was not sure what to say to that. "I... I'm sorry about your father," he said. Now it was his turn to lose the anger from his tone. He was not naturally a person that could hold onto rage and it vanished as quickly as it had been set on by her presence. He'd never had a temper and so the retention of fury was practically laughable in the kind-hearted Earth elemental. He was still hurt and betrayed by what she'd done, but how much of an asshole would he have to be in order to laugh in the face of her fathers ill health? He blinked when she told him that she cared about him. He wanted to believe her but it was just too hard to deal with after six months of getting over her. "What does this mean for us?" he asked. It was almost a challenge even though it was not spoken like one. Had she come back to make things right with him as well or were they just going to scrap the fact that they'd ever had a relationship in the first place? Neither thing sounded very appealing. He couldn't slip right back into the motions of their old relationship and he couldn't just break it off knowing she was around, either. He didn't know how to deal with this. "I need... time," he said. "Time enough to know you're not going to run away again."
[Asha will need to earn his trust I think xD -insert evil laugh-]
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Post by laceface2 on Oct 19, 2011 14:27:20 GMT -5
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He would always be too amiable and kind for Asha to ever comprehend. Ashton didn’t have a tiny fuse that could be set off by the smallest of things. She was sure that she could have intentionally burnt him to a crisp and while lying in a hospital bed and he still would have mustered up a hollow smile. It was beyond Ashton to resort to low methods of hatred that involved scowls and dirty words that were aimed to seep into someone’s mind and negatively alter their thoughts. Lowering down to the level of someone lesser than herself had never been a moral or integral issue for Asha. If someone had the intent to sneer at Asha or use words that vile then Asha would fire right back with words that even more vulgar. If Asha had been placed into Ashton’s position the long list of words she could compromise to use against him would have been put into effect immediately. Each and every derogatory or degrading insult had every right to be said towards her. It could serve as a part of retaliation towards all of the hurt that she had caused Ashton. How many nights did he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling while sleep avoided him, and wondered where his girlfriend had gone? Asha had always been self centered. With this situation it had been no different. Someone would have thought that maybe she would have valued him more than that. In all honesty Asha did, just showing it through actions turned out to be more of a challenge. “You are too good of a person, Ashton. I don’t mean that in a belittling way either,” Asha remarked to him, a nearly genuine smile working its way onto her face. A slight glow settled onto her face, probably the only light in the whole dimness of this situation.
A chill was beginning to set in around the two of them. Asha almost felt like breezes of cold were tumbling from over the lake, which really didn’t make any sense. But how much sense did she expect the world to make anymore? None, really. If the world upheld perfect logic then she would have informed Ashton of why she had been leaving, she would have had rational thoughts about her father’s recovery, and at this very moment she would have been welcomed into Ashton’s arms instead hovering around him uncertainly. The exposed parts of her body became covered in goose pimples, which she was choosing to ignore. She had been colder before and was nearly sure that the weighing tenseness of the moment was only adding to the atmospheric changes. Her choice of dress could have amounted up to the reason behind her coldness as well. Other students were toting around light winter jackets and gloves and scarves. Asha was in shorts and a crop top. Pondering over the wardrobe choices she had made wasn’t going to accomplish much, only take her attention away from Ashton. Which was the opposite what she wanted to do. He was apologizing for her father, which only brought more tears to obstruct her vision. She couldn’t be bothered to wipe the tears away, so blurry eyesight would have to do. “He’s breathing without a machine now. But they don’t believe that his mentality will ever be fully restored. I’m just thanking a bunch of nonexistent gods that he isn’t a vegetable,” she said to him a shaky tone, all of her graciousness and worry giving the words a more defined meaning. Her father was one of the people she adored most in the world. This whole incident was honestly crippling her.
A huge embrace and words that showed the longing Ashton had for were never expected. But this sort of run in most certainly had not been anticipated either. Each time she had attempted to solidify how she would approach Ashton and mend the insurmountable damage she had caused old memories overcame all of reality. She desperately wanted to make this better, even if better meant that she would have to swallow her pride and bend down on her knees before Ashton. Her whole character could be reshaped if it meant that she could make this right. Whatever right was. Us. Me. You. We’re still connected, even if you’re not sure if you still want to be, Asha thought to herself. The realization was bittersweet. Their relationship had been notorious. The hotheaded Fire girl and the gentile Earth leader, seen together on the campus without a debacle breaking out. “It means that I’m going to take full responsibility for whatever hurt I put you through. It means that I acknowledge how horrible of a person I am. It also means that you can tell me to disappear, if you really want.” Her last words were spoken carefully. She didn’t want to say them, had been hesitant to even think them. But this whole situation was in Ashton’s control, no matter how much that dismayed Asha. Hopefully he would handle it all in the fairest way possible, even if fairness was not something that Asha deserved. Her eyes had a gleam of hope in them. She was hanging onto every word that Ashton said, still crying but the tears were silent. He could possibly gift her with salvation, dismiss all of her pass sins and say that they could begin anew. That was too much for Asha to ask for. Time, that was what Ashton needed. At least that was improvement from saying that he wanted her gone forever. “Time is something I can do. In that time do we…become friends? Trust is earned from friendship. I can give you friendship.” Now she was going to need to prove herself. Asha would have to show that she wouldn’t skip out again, that she actually valued Ashton. She would put all of her effort into this. Ashton did matter to her.
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Oct 19, 2011 16:58:16 GMT -5
Ashton could only blink in response to her words, entirely unsure of how he was meant to react to something like that. He was supposed to be angry at her but this new confusion was now taking hold of everything else and strangling it from existence. He'd been told that he was a good person before--it was now something he was almost accustomed to hearing. He was usually modest in insisting that he only tried to do his best but he didn't respond (verbally) at all to Asha's comment because he didn't know what to say to her. It was different with her, everything was different with her. He was still upset that she'd left him without any shred of an explanation whatsoever but he didn't think he could be angry about it any more. To someone like Ashton there was a big difference between disappointment and anger and he was feeling much more of the former than of the latter. He was disappointed that she'd left him, that she'd never explained anything to him, that she'd came back. He'd wanted her back for a few weeks and then now he wasn't sure whether he'd prefer it like this or if she just stayed away. In coming back she was forcing him to make a decision he wasn't sure he was ready to make. After a long silence he simply said, "I don't believe there's such a thing." He didn't think 'too good' existed. There was a limit to evil but there was never a limit to good. He was naive in his desire to believe the best in everyone and he was sure that they both knew that but he couldn't change himself. I wish I could believe the best in you right now, Asha, but I can't. Not after all of the hurt. Time would heal all wounds and they'd almost healed his. She'd came back and opened them up again. It was time for a fresh healing to begin.
He was similarly at unease with the news about her father. He didn't know what to say to her about the fact that her Dad was seriously injured and had suffered brain damage--what could anyone say about something like that? He wanted to comfort her but wasn't sure how. "I'm sorry," he said again, for it was the only thing he could think of. Ashton's voice had gone soft and the fight was starting to leave it. He was not giving up in favour of the fact that she'd defeated him. He was giving up because it wasn't fair to snap at someone when they'd just told you such terrible news about their family. Ashton might not have been too pleased with her but he was a compassionate person by nature. "Are you... going to be okay?" He meant that in more ways than one. He was asking if she could handle the news about her father and also if she was recovering from her own injuries--both physical and internal. He wanted to ask what had happened to her brother but he didn't feel like it was his place. He hadn't spoken to her in six months and now he'd just spent a few minutes sneering at her so suddenly acting as concerned as he felt might do more harm than good. He'd let her tell him in her own time if she felt like doing so but he was also going to respect her rights to privacy if she'd rather keep such information to herself. They had a lot of catching up to do. The breaking of the relationship had changed his attitude a little--he'd be a lot more careful about trusting her now. He could only imagine what sort of horrors she had gone through in their time apart.
He processed what she was saying to him slowly, trying to get the full effect of her words. He wanted so badly to believe what she was saying to him but Ashton also didn't want to wind up hurt again. There was a part of him that wanted to embrace her and tell her that everything could just go back to the way it was but such things only happened in fairy tales. It had taken the break up to learn that he needed a bit more of a backbone and a say in his life. If they were going to have a relationship there was going to need to be effort put forth from both sides. He did not respond immediately but first waited for her reaction. Time was something he needed and his answer relied on hers, really. She seemed to understand and he gazed at her for a long moment, green eyes both searching and soft at the same time. He could believe this. He could accept this safely. If she could do this for him then there was a good possibility he could learn to trust her again and maybe--just perhaps--they could make things right with one another. He wanted that, he really did. He remembered how it had been when they’d laughed and kissed in empty corridors. The sense of reckless daring and excitement. He’d give a lot to have that back but Asha was going to have to work for it. “Friendship,” he repeated, and then nodded. “I won’t push you away. We’ll start slow and… if this works out…” He trailed off and gave Asha a long and meaningful look. His intentions were clear--if things worked out, he’d give her another chance. “But we’ll need to be careful about who sees us,” he tacked on. “I can’t lose my position and you don’t look like you’re in a fit state to be heckled by your alliance right now.”
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Post by laceface2 on Oct 20, 2011 15:02:08 GMT -5
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Ashton had to be everything that a girl could possibly be searching for in a guy. Some of his qualities could even turn out to be faults, that was how far his goodness exceeded. He was kind, considerate, charming, modest, and caring. Each quality seemed cliché yet they were all exactly what a girl expected from someone who they deemed boyfriend material. Asha most certainly was not worthy to have such a decent guy expend even the slightest amount of time on her. Nothing about Asha was good, decent, or even somewhat admirable. Unworthy was the word that suited Asha most, the expression on her face clearly showed such. Ashton was free to believe whatever suited him. Asha believed that would be somewhere along the lines that he was an okay guy, doing right things because instinct told him. Another version of his self was what Asha saw. He was a guy who stretched himself out thin for others. Even with all of the annoyance that Asha had pressed onto him he never became fed up and shot back with biting words. He was the most exceptional person that Asha had ever had the good grace to meet. If she told him that would he be likely to believe her? Was there even a slim chance that he was willing to find even a grain in truth of anything that she said? It would all be progression. “You may not but I sure as hell do. I can’t believe you ever tolerated someone was…wrecked as me,” Asha remarked to him, her tone growing softer which each word that she poke. There was a never filter to decide which things would be better left to herself. That sort of statement was the kind that was going to have a heady effect and it would have been safer for her to leave her thoughts unexpressed. Too late now.
What did it mean to be okay? To be okay did one have to be whole, content with life, and able to accept whatever life threw their way? Settling on one definition would waste time that Asha could have used more wisely focusing on other things. She had to try and stand as an admirable figure for her younger brother, Aspen. Since Ace had been shipped off to jail and Aston was left incapable his head had become filled with questions that were left unanswered. April had been focusing mainly on Asha ever since had been coherent enough to strive towards progression. She also had to try and maintain dignity, upholding what little worth the Woods name still had gleaming on it. Her brother had scarred the family name. It was a scar that would stand out starkly against the good that had come from their name, a horrific event that no one would ever be able to forget. At least Asha would never forget. She shifted the weight of her body from foot to foot, obviously discomforted. There was nothing to gain for Asha by trying to curtain any of her emotions. Ashton should know that this was difficult for her, which meant that she was trying even harder. Pleasing people wasn’t what Asha did in her free time. “I don’t know what it means to be okay anymore,” she told Ashton truthfully. Her trembling hand slid from her pocket and wiped at her eyes now, unable to put up with her clouded vision. “I can’t even look at my father and I still have therapy twice a week,” she continued, speaking cryptically. Too much information given away wouldn’t be a loss for Asha. She was going to be careful with her words.
Whatever Asha and Ashton had agreed on could at least be categorized as some sort of step forward. When she had bumped into him her mind couldn’t produce a single reaction that he could have had towards her. While he was a gentle Earth kid the things that Asha had done to him deserved all the anger that rested at the bottom of his core. If he had begun to hell or even went as far to raise a hand towards her –which she never thought that he could possibly do- then Asha would have allowed it. By being submissive she would have shown that no matter what he did she was still claiming full responsibility. He had the right to react properly to the way that she selfishly and thoughtlessly acted. A goodbye without any explanation could have constituted for more and maybe at least gave Ashton something to hold onto while Asha went off to try and save herself. The way he was staring caused her to drop her arms and stand still, like she was showing that he could try and search for the answer to any question that came to his mind. He would find the shattered remains of the girl he had once known but it would have been more of an understanding for Ashton. This whole process was going to take an indefinite amount of time and growing trust. Slowly, they would be able to watch their friendship bloom. “I don’t deserve that, Ashton. But I’m going to take it because we both know that I am selfish person,” she said to him. Her eyes dropped, shame actually coursing through her body. This affect he had on her made her uncomfortable. “I’ll prove myself, time will show that.” At least that old assurance still lingered in her tone, just not as prominent. His position. Of course, that would be more valuable than a silly friendship he was attempting to establish with her. “Of course. Whatever you say is what goes. We’re playing by your rules, not mine.”
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Oct 20, 2011 16:37:35 GMT -5
Ashton had never thought of himself as the ideal guy. In fact, his experiences with relationships had actually driven him toward the exact opposite conclusion. He'd been used because of his good nature and he'd been dumped because he wasn't assertive or forceful enough, too. Those were the words she'd used, but Ashton was pretty sure she'd meant more along the lines of, 'You're not man enough for my tastes.' He wasn't submissive and weak, he was just nice. He liked to give people their own free will and he'd never been the type to get bossy and tell others what they could and couldn't do. He was the Earth leader and so he had some shred of assertiveness in him but he just used it in the nicest way possible. He didn't act nice because he wanted to impress other people, he acted nice because he was a good person. Asha seemed to hold him in a much higher value than he even held himself. She'd put my mothers flattery to shame, he thought, and it might have made him smile if the situation hadn't been so grim. Mothers had to tell their children they were perfect and that they loved them and that they could do anything even if they were absolutely terrible at it. Asha didn't. She didn't have to say anything of the sort and so the fact that she was complimenting him should have meant something. "Wrecked?" He arched an eyebrow. "I don't think you're wrecked." She was a callous bitch at times but she'd never acted that way toward--well, okay. Yes she had. If Ashton were to evaluate his relationship with Asha it was pretty clear he trusted too easily. But there was always room for improvement.
It was both difficult and very confusing, trying to deal with an emotional Asha. Save for the times when he'd pulled her out of the lake she'd always been so headstrong and emotionless about herself. It was something that he'd always secretly admired about her--she was so tough and confident and self-aware. Or so he'd thought. Now it seemed like she'd just been shielding other people from what she was feeling. It didn't make him want to turn away from her. It was in his belief that there was nothing wrong with expressing your feelings every once and a while because if you kept them all bottled up you ended up with health problems galore. He'd rather be healthy than emotionally steeled, thanks. "Therapy?" He wondered what it was for. Had she been hurt bad enough for physical therapy, was it emotional therapy for her stress levels, or was it a little bit of both? He could feel a lump in his throat from his mixed confusion and sympathy. He'd never seen her in this sort of state before. He wanted to hug her but he was also still hesitant to provide any sort of physical contact. He had promised himself he'd keep his distance. Friends hug, he thought. But friends usually didn't have the sort of history that they did. In the end it was his strength of compassion that won out and he closed the gap to very lightly put his arms around her. It was an apology that he couldn't do more to help her and also a sign that he was there for her. As a friend. He couldn't be there as her boyfriend right now but if she made things right between them, well... maybe somewhere down the line he could find it in his heart to forgive her for leaving him.
The worst part of the words was that he could not contradict them. He could not assure her that she wasn't selfish because they were both fully aware that she was. Instead, Ashton merely gave a twitch of his lips that could have been a smile if he'd given it more effort but, as it was, did not come into being. This wasn't really a happy moment. It wasn't predominantly sad, either--at least they weren't parting forever--but it was not cheerful by any means. "Then, with time..." He rested a hand on her shoulder for a moment before letting it drop. If she stayed around he could coach himself back into the lull of trust that he'd felt once before. But he was going to be smart about it this time. That was his goal. He'd trusted blindly in the beginning and he'd paid for it when she had left him. I'll never do that again. Which was an empty thought, seeing as he probably would--be it with a friend, an ally, even an enemy. He trusted until you proved to him that you could not be trusted. Asha had done that, unfortunately. At least with Ashton there were usually second (and sometimes third, and fourth) chances. He was confused by her lack of pushiness and dominance but he didn't question it. At least she wasn't trying to convince him that meeting around the school campus was safe or anything like that. "I'm glad you're back," he said, feeling as if that had needed to be said. He might have been upset with her but he was not upset at her return. It was just going to take a while to get back to where they'd been before.
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Post by laceface2 on Oct 21, 2011 15:50:31 GMT -5
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There was a hardly a trace of the girl who had strutted around the Academy only half a year ago. Her anger may have bubbled below her surface but it wasn't prone to erupting in such a volatile manner has it been before. After being put through a string of events that could only be described as scarring it was some kind of amazing that she was even a shell of herself. Asha was no longer prone to flaring up at the tiniest things, albeit she still was not tolerant towards stupidity. There was no longer a twisted in joy when it came to intentionally seeking out someone to rile up. Pointless jabs were no longer to be thrown simply for the sake of wasting a few minutes. She had shrunk into less of a demanding presence, the charisma she once possessed drained from the days she spent as a lifeless lump. Only when it came down to refusing to speak against her brother or having to complete school work did Asha gain a bite into her tone and lashed out with the fire from before. From Before, that was now a time period in her life that she was going to refer to frequently. It would even be considered a proper noun to her. That was how drastic this change had been to Asha. Wrecked. Honestly, that was the only word that she believed did her current state justice. Nothing was whole about Asha any longer. She had only fragments From Before, nothing that she could wholly salvage to later piece everything back together. Her mental strength had been worn down her father then her physical strength had soon followed with Ace's attempt to brutally murder her. Something close to a bitter smile formed on her face, showing that she had acknowledged Ashton's words. Casually she held out her hands, beckoning Ashton to closely inspect them. A ripple of scars scattered around a slight area of discoloration could be seen when leaning in to view Asha's arms. "Skin grafting," she said grimly. "And that is only wrecked in the physical meaning."
Recovery had been kept in mind but hadn't been her main goal. Acting had become one of her best skills over the past six months. No longer did she find it difficult to switch out masks to whatever one suited the situation she found herself in. The strong, capable leader was the one that could be permanently found covering her crumbling interior. April had lost all sense of peace and it nearly drove her to fatal exhaustion to try and fret over her family while anxiously awaiting for constant feedback about Aston. Aspen was basically swept to the side the whole time. Asha wouldn't condone allowing her little brother to feel like he had lost his importance. When she had been strong enough to walk around with assistance she would dedicate all of her time to Aspen. She requested that he stay at the recuperation center with her, and her wish had been granted. He had no complaints. Asha even tutored him, giving her mind something to concentrate on other than the unpleasant thoughts that heckled her constantly. Therapy had been factored into everyday, both the physical and mental kind. Asha refused to say that she had her own prescribed psychiatrist. It suited her more to say that he was just another doctor to her. She had enough of them monitoring already, factoring him into the denomination wouldn't matter. Asha's eyes strayed out to the soft blue sky for a moment, barely appreciating the serene setting that had been placed around them. Everything was chaos, this backdrop seemed terribly ironic. "Burn therapy, post grafting therapy, and just therapy in general. It sort of sounds like I am a nutcase," Asha explained to him, her lips twitching to form a grin that held no mirth. Could she elaborate anymore? No, it wasn't possible. Reiterating her stories would cause too much pain.
To have his arms pull her in close and wrap around her securely was unexpected. Friendship had been what her mind was trying to process, the type of friendship that lacked physical contact. But friends can hug. It's okay to care, Asha thought numbly to herself. A past surge of emotions enveloped her, along with it a clear recollection of the encounters she had shared with Ashton. A pained whine slipped from Asha, very unintentional and highly embarrassing. She stepped hastily out of his arms, eyes dropping down with contriteness. "It's too soon," Asha mumbled out to him. He would understand. While his feelings were being mulled over constantly in his mind, she was concrete on the way that she felt about him. All that he offered to her was friendship, which was all that he had. Feelings on the next level were strictly forbidden, Asha was very aware of this. Chocolate brown eyes rested on him against hesitantly. All of this was water that she had to lightly tread in. Causing a wave would have consequences that she did not want to face. "Then with time you'll be able to view me was a desirable person," she completed his sentence, words seeming to hang in the air, fragile and tentative. From Before Asha would have spoke her words with a smugness that others would frown at and judge her even more harshly for. Now Asha wasn't even sure what to say. Her lips ached to curve into a smile when Ashton told her that he was glad that she was back. Instead, she looked at him with a light in her eyes. Hopefully that would substitute for a smile. "I'm not sure if I am glad to be back. But I am happy that I've at least managed to start to rebuild one relationship that I value." She was speaking the truth.
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Post by ASHTON CAMDEN RALEIGH on Oct 23, 2011 8:26:05 GMT -5
As he inspected the scars upon her wish, Ashton could not help the terrible feeling that rose up in his throat to choke him and stop him from immediately replying. He was afraid of those scars. Not because they looked bad or because he couldn't handle the idea of having a friend (and maybe future girlfriend) that was a little marked up but because they spoke of the pain that friend must have gone through. He was not a total pansy or anything but the idea of skin grafting made him feel nervous and perhaps a bit sick. It likely would affected him much differently if it had not been Asha that he was standing and talking to, Asha whom he cared about in spite of himself. He wanted to hate her for all the things she'd done but Ashton just didn't have it in him to hate anyone. "Just scars," he said at last when he was sure that his voice would not betray him by trembling or cracking at all. He didn't want her to feel any worse about said 'marks' than she already did. He didn't think that they made her look any less attractive or appealing because her physical appearance wasn't what attracted him in the first place. "They don't matter to me," Ashton assured her. "I still don't think you're wrecked." He wasn't saying it just to make her feel better, either. Ashton really didn't think that a couple of scars--no matter how bad they were--and a few months of trauma necessarily ruined a person from the inside out. There was always room for healing. He had to convince himself of that because if he didn't then he would lament her condition as much as Asha herself probably did.
Still, much as he accepted her condition as best as he could and promised her that it didn't matter the idea of so much therapy was stressful. He almost felt guilty for being a jerk to her now. True, she should have told him that she was going to be leaving for a while, there was no real excuse for that except cowardice and confusion over their relationship. Ashton didn't hold that against her as harshly as he probably should have for it wasn't in his nature. Whilst he'd been getting over her and accepting his life without her in it once more Asha had been hospitalized and in therapies or else worrying about her family, her father. He had never gone through something so traumatic before. He could remember the car accident in which he'd almost lost his mother and the fear that it had instilled in him but from what she'd told him her situation had been so much worse. Even though his feelings of hurt and anger were justified he resented himself for making them known in such an insensitive manner. He hoped that Asha could forgive him for that. "No it doesn't," he protested when she joked, though once he noticed she was trying to smile and realised that she was trying to kid around he attempted a smile of his own. Just like Asha's it didn't really have the effect he was going for. This wasn't something that was meant to be joked about it seemed. "Does it help?" he asked her softly, then clarified, "Therapy, I mean. Is it doing anything for you?" Trust Ashton to worry about the possibility their methods were not working on her.
Though his feelings toward her were entirely altruistic and contained no desire for romance in the gesture he made, he still understood when she pulled away and made a protest. Ashton had to remind himself that just because he was holding off on going back to where they'd left off that didn't mean that Asha was going to be able to handle physical contact without the old kindling of desire. He nodded softly. "Okay," he replied in a quiet voice. "I understand." He wouldn't try anything like that again until he was ready. Ashton was used to hugging his friends as a sign of comfort or just cheeriness in general but he could get used to leaving Asha out of that zone as well. He was an adaptable person. Once he learned something he was or was not meant to do around you he could adjust his own values and personality in your presence alone. He just wanted to keep his friends happy, that was all. His lips twitched sadly as she finished the sentence, dipping his head in confirmation of the words. She was desirable, just not in the way that he wanted right now. He needed someone that he could trust and that wouldn't break his heart all over again and that person, right now, could not be Asha Woods. "Do you plan on getting in touch with the others?" he wondered, curious but also respecting his boundaries. He asked it as a very open question so she could tell him where to stick his curiosity instead if she wished. He knew that he'd have to tread carefully given what he was putting her through right now.
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