The Ironic Return ((Join only if you can type... well))

[Jackie Saylem]

"Sure, sounds like a good idea." Jackie said smiling and swiveling back and forth on the bar stool. "You know, I think that they should have swivel chair rides at amusement parks... They're so fun!" She said, smiling genuinly.

[Luke Forlity]

Luke smiled and ordered her a drink.  He laughed and said, "Yeah, that would be a good idea! Kind of like the tea cup rides right?" 

He swiveled back and forth on his own chair, never taking his eyes off of her.

[Jackie Saylem]

Jackie laughed, sipping her drink now. "Not quite..." She said, thrumming her nails on the counter. "I always get sick on teacup rides. You can only see the person right in front of you, but there was never anyone in front of me. When I was a kid, I would always run away from home... and go to the amusement park. I didn't last long, maybe a couple rides and I came home, but... I would always ride the teacups alone."

She sighed, pulling her nails across the wood, leaving little grooves. Why couldn't anything be fair?

[Luke Forlity]

Luke took a sip of his drink as she explained her hatred for the ride.  He had never run away from home, so he couldn't understand what she had been through.  He would sure try to though.

Luke placed his hand on hers, turning his hand over to look at her delicate fingers.  Her hand was smooth in his, and small.

"I never went to an amusement park alone.  There was always someone there for me.  But, maybe all you need is someone to be there for you... This, this other guy you were talking about.  Was he that person?"  Luke asked, his voice soft as he continued to turn her hand over in his.

[Jackie Saylem]

She laughed softly, as if to an inside joke. "Yeah... He was. But somehow I just don't think he wants to be anymore..." She said, immediatly aware of her hand in his. She didn't move it though. It was comfort.

"But... you don't forget your first true love..." She said, biting her lower lip. And possibly your only true love. She noted silently.

[Luke Forlity]

Luke laughed quietly as well, following her lead.  He found it quite ironic that anyone would ever want to leave Jackie.  She just seemed to be really nice.

"Really?  And why do you think that is?" Luke asked, hoping that he wasn't prodding too much.  "And no, you don't ever forget your first love, but that doesn't mean that it should stop you from your second.

He smiled at her, and then looked down at their hands.  He traced the lines of her palm gently with his fingers as she spoke.

[Jackie Saylem]

"I try not to think about him as much as possible, but there was something there. Something unforgettable. I can't just let that go..." Jackie said, suddenly realizing how whiney and immature she must sound. That had always been somewhat of a problem with her.

[Luke Forlity]

Luke nodded, his eyes still on their hands.  He continued to trace and retrace the patterns on her palms.

"Maybe what you need to be doing is not letting it go, but reducing it to a manageable amount.  Moving on, but not forgetting."  He said, glancing up at her, wondering what her reaction would be.

[Jackie Saylem]

Jackie nodded, bobbing her head up and down as if in defeat. But it wasn't a defeat was it? It was a new beginning. She bit her lip contemplating. This could have been the answer to her major problems all along. Just push Nate's memory back into thee corner of her mind that she barely visited. Like a treasured family heirloom, until you needed its comfort or memory again.

And maybe moving on wasn't such a bad thing. It would just be a slow, extremely slow process, and she had to find someone willing to wait. All at once she was to aware of how Luke was holding her hand and that it felt... good. Her face flushed a shade of rose. "That could just work." She said, softly, looking up to meet his gaze. "But I just have one question. Have you ever met him? Nate, I mean? Nate Willis?" She asked, a thought suddenly popping into her head. Jackie Willis. No! She was thinking like a first grade child now.

[Luke Forlity]

Luke watched Jackie's face as she processed what he had just said.  He was never very good at reading people faces, but it wasn't hard to guess what Jackie was thinking in this moment.  He stayed silent, giving her this time to think.  He watched her face flush scarlet and it brought a small smile to his lips.

He met her gaze and said, "I haven't met Nate, no.  However, I haven't met a lot of people at this school yet, so that's not surprising... Why do you ask?"

[Jackie Saylem]

Jackie smiled half-heartedly again. "He's the guy I've been talking about so much. He's the reason I'm here right now... The reason I'm unloading everything on my mind to you." She laughed coldly. It was obvious it wasn't her real laugh.

"And while i'm spilling my guts to you, I may as well tell you that I'm a vampire." She said after a moment's thought. May as well let him know.

[Luke Forlity]

Luke frowned.  That laugh was too fake... it was as though Jackie didn't even care enough to pretend.  Had he said something wrong? He was only trying to be nice.

"Oh, him... I feel like I know him already!"  Luke smiled.  "But I'm sure he's a really great guy. I'd like to meet him one day..."

As Luke trailed off, he thought about her being a vampire.  "You know, the fact that you're e vampire doesn't really surprise me... it seems as though almost everyone here is immortal, or an animagus... hardly anyone is just a wizard."

[Jackie Saylem]

Jackie frowned now, her fine features getting harder. "I'm sorry I'm unloading all of this on you." She apologized, her shoulders slumping. "And he is a great guy, an awesome guy... thats the problem..." She said, biting her lower lip. She didn't bother to hide how her teeth were perfectly razor straight and unusually white.

"So... What do you know about vampires?" She asked, bluntly changing the subject.

[Luke Forlity]

Luke smiled slightly, "Jackie... you don't have anything to be sorry for.  Everyone needs someone to listen every once and a while, or a shoulder to cry on!  I just happened to be the one."

Luke noticed the obvious subject change, but didn't mention it.  He realized that it must be hard for her to think about it too much.  If someone had done that to him, he would want to forget about it.

"Not too much, actually... they're immortal, obviously. Sharp teeth, carnivores..."  Luke stared off into space as he tried to think of more facts.  Then he looked right at Jackie and said, "I also know that they tend to be extremely beautiful."

[Jackie Saylem]

Jackie blushed bright red at the comment and let her hair fall in front of her face. "We're also dangerous." She said forebodingly. Then she stood with a teasing smile. "I could show you more, but not in an overcrowded bar. That is if you trust me not to kill you." She said, with a small laugh of teasing.

She walked towards the doors of the bar, not really looking back for Luke. She would let him come if he wanted to.