Realistic or Modern 📷 ~talk to me~ 🖌 (IC)

[Walliver]

Elian Masterson liked walking alone. Well, he liked being alone in general, but walks were always calming. Looking at the night sky, seeing the colors that were hidden by the day. The moon, the stars. He didn’t expect much from the nighttime. Only quiet.

And it seemed tonight, he would not be getting that. This night was abuzz with activity. People bumping into him, dogs barking at him. Cars, honking and driving so loudly. Bottles smashing, people yelling. He hated this night.

“Should have stayed in my own country, where the people don’t drive like bloody idiots.” he grumbled, mostly to himself. But, something was strange about this night too. A strange, prickling sense that something was wrong.

He looked around, and for a moment, all he could see was headlights.

 

[Allycena]

The night was young. The night was lively in an unusual sense as more people were out and about, more commotion rang through the small town. The music in the house boomed a bit too loud for her liking, but nonetheless, she agreed to go and stay. Maybe she’d enjoy herself, well she knew she would but at what cost? The ginger knew better than to drink more than one of those infamous red solo cups so she stuck to her own drinks for most of the night until she downed one in a dare. She wasn’t even buzzed, thanking god she could still use her senses the right way.

Adelaide let out a laugh as she and her friends, Deandre and Olive, walked out of the party into the front yard. Their arms all linked together like a live action paper people chain as they walked into the road to walk. This was a time for fun, for experience, for adventure. “So, when are you gonna make me that necklace you promised?” De asked her, lighting a cigarette and taking a drag from it as he purposefully but playfully bumped into her.

With a roll of the eyes, Addie responded with a serious but relaxed attitude. “Whenever you pay me for it, De.” His facial features scrunched up as he sneered at her in false disbelief. “Oh come on now, Addie. I thought you and I were tight.” He chuckled, flicking the ashes off the end of the stick between his fingers. Olive shook her head to his behavior. “We are. And you know I love you, but a girl’s gotta make a living somehow.” Addie walked ahead of them a few feet before they reached Olive’s apartment.

“Goodnight, sleep well. I will see you this weekend, promise. I love youuu.” Addie told Olive as they squeezed each other in a hug that lasted a good half minute. Deandre waited patiently for them to finish their affection fest so he could have time alone with her. The smoke flowed from his full lips like fog in the early morning rolling through the mountains. Once Olive went inside, Adelaide and De started walking back down the road again with nothing but the lively night chill and empty air to accompany their conversation.

“So, Addie.” He started. “Yes?” She responded. He thought for a moment on how he would say what he wanted to say now that they were finally alone, but he couldn’t find the courage, even with the stress relieving nicotine and numbing alcohol in his system. “What’s your next small film idea?” That was all his anxiety would allow him to say, diverting the entire initial point he was trying to get to. He feared rejection too much. Adelaide shrugged with a sigh. She hadn’t started a project like that in a long time so she wasn’t sure just what she had planned to work on. “I don’t know, I gotta figure that out. I‘ve been wanting to get to work on something but.. my mind is just kinda blank right now.”

De nodded and once they arrived at his house, they stopped at the door. “Uh.. you wanna come in?” He gestured his hands to the door, stepping closer to it. Adelaide smiled and shook her head no. “Sorry, not this time. Maybe we can hang out this weekend sometime. I really need to get home so I can shower. I feel gross. Thank you though.” She hugged him and told him the same thing she told Olive. “Okay, no, that’s fine. I understand. We’ll see about that, definitely. Goodnight, be careful.” With that, the ginger began her lone walk to her own place where the road was just a little crazier than usual.

Adelaide put an earbud in her left ear while she walked, keeping her pepper spray in her pocket ready to go just in case. Her music provided the perfect vibe for the darkness surrounding. However, what she was not expecting were the bright lights heading straight for her in a hurry.

 

[Walliver]

Elian saw the lights coming and he knew he had to do something fast. The girl would get hurt if he didn’t do something. So quickly he dove for the girl, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to the ground. She would be safe in front of him, shielded from the car crashing nearby.

Elian felt a tire against his back and bruise blossoming where it hit. But not bad, considering what could have happened. Ever the gentleman, he swiftly got to his feet, offering out a hand to the young lady in the grass. “I do apologize for your outfit. Grass stains are rather difficult to get rid of.” he spoke shyly. “But, otherwise, are you alright miss?”

He needed to know that she was alright. No use saving someone if they go dying anyway. Maybe she would get up and yell at him. “Here, let me help.” he helped her up without her accepting it, seeing as she may take too long. She may have been too shocked to even notice that the ground underneath her had changed. He hardly noticed at first.

 

[Allycena]

Out of nowhere, a sudden force jerked her off the side of the road and hard into the grass nearby. All she heard was a screech of tires before a big crashing noise, her earbud had flown from her ear in the motion. It all happened so fast that she didn’t know what was going on and the smoke in the distance gave her chills. Her breathing almost stopped completely as she regained her composure to process what had just occurred. Her hazel eyes followed the shoes of a stranger near her, up their legs and torso to their face. Well, his face.

He must have been the one to jerk her out of the way of the rampant car‘s path. It took her a minute to process what he said to her until he just took her hand and helped her up before she even had time to respond. The adrenaline rushing through her veins made the pain of the fall almost nonexistent as she stood, hand in his as she steadied herself. Adelaide‘s sights went down the road to the wrecked car and the group of concerned citizens surrounding it.

Did I seriously almost get hit by a car? What? Wait, who is this guy? Say something, thank him, anything! Hurry, stop wasting time, you look crazy! But what do I say? Her thoughts ran wild as she thought of what to say. “Thank You..” her eyes went back to the scene. Her breaths were deep and stable. “Woah, shit. We almost died just then.” Her comment was meant to be more comedic than serious to lighten the mood of the predicament.

“I think I’m okay, are you? Sorry, I heard you, I just.. it just took me a minute to process what just happened.“ Addie rambled, shaking her head with her face pointed bashfully at the ground beneath their feet. Her fiery hair bounced with the motion, strands flew wildly out of place from the sudden rescue and he was right. There were a couple of grass stains on her clothes and oh.. “Oh, well would ya look at that. I think I might be bleeding.” Her nervous laughter made the situations even more awkward and uncomfortable.

Her knee did appear to be bleeding a bit, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle. Nothing life threatening or serious, thank god. She felt eyes on her and instantly felt pressure to return the gaze or say something else.

 

[Walliver]

“I do believe I will have a considerably large black bruise on my back when I wake up tomorrow, but otherwise, I am fine.” he dusted himself off with one hand. She was trying to make light of the situation, but he could see she was shaken. He was a bit shaken himself, his steel nerves quickly leaving him.

‘I could have died just then.’ he thought, heart pounding in his chest. ‘But she still would have been alright. If not a bit mortified.’ he shook his head. “We should get that cleaned up. Where do you live?” Elian asked, keeping his voice soft. He didn’t want to sound like a stalker after all.

“That could get infected if we leave it out here. I could walk you home, or walk with you so that no one else crashes into you.”

 

[Allycena]

Adelaide nodded to his words, she was glad that he was okay. She hated it when someone got hurt because of her, hated feeling the guilt associated with other’s pain that was inconsequentially her fault. “I’m glad you’re okay. That was a brave thing you did, I can‘t thank you enough.” When he also acknowledged her bloody knee, she tilted her head to the side with a humble smile. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Just as she retrieved her earbud she found a couple feet away from them, a first responder jogged up to them once he noticed the blood. “Hey are you two okay? Do you know anything about what just happened? Are you hurt?”

Addie nodded. “Yes, sir. We’re fine for the most part, I think we’re more shaken up than anything. Thank you for coming over to check on us.” He returned the nod, gesturing to her knee. “You sure you don’t need help?” He asked, worried about what she possibly could have done. It could have been worse than they expected it to be for all they knew, it could be deeper or bigger than they think. He always played the worst scenarios firstly in his mind before the least damage so he was prepared for what was ahead of him.

The ginger smiled and shook her head no. “There’s no need, I’m fine. Thank you though, I really appreciate it. They probably need your help more than we do right now. If anything comes up worse than it should be, we’ll head straight to the ER.” She turned to Elian, extending an arm to him. “Well. Shall we?” To answer his question earlier, her knee began to ache so she worried that it may be a little sore for a while.

 

[Walliver]

Elian smiled at her words. He was glad she was alright, he thought for a moment that something could have seriously been wrong. “Yes, let’s go.” he took her arm, beginning to walk down the sidewalk. “Does your knee hurt too much? I could carry you, if need be.” he offered. Really, Elian didn’t feel too great. No one hit by a car felt good.

But he was confident that he could carry her a mile or so if the need arose. After all, the cut on her knee didn’t look good at all. Covered in dirt and grass. He could drop her off wherever she lived, she could take care of herself, right? That stirred up a bit of anxiety in him. What if she couldn’t? What if she forgot and her knee became infected? The good he had done would have been to waste.

 

[Allycena]

The more they walked, the more she began to limp to a pace that slowed them down to a saunter. “No, I’ve got it. Thank you though, I couldn’t put that on you. I mean, you did just get grazed by... well basically hit by a car. It would be wrong for me to force that weight on you.“ The small pain in her knee turned into a dull ache that progressed, maybe she did do more than just scrape it up. It was probably just strained from the blow it took when she hit the ground moments before.

The trip grew silent as they got further from the dramatic scene. Cars slowed down into a small line as they waited to be redirected by an officer who overlooked the accident. Sirens were faint now in the air, smoke began to cloud the sky above them. Her bright autumn curls fell from the loose ponytail they had been pulled up into. All the ruckus from what had happened probably gave it a ride for its money. The black elastic band fell to the ground and at first she didn’t notice it. It wasn’t until her hair completely danced in the breeze that she found the band to be missing.

“So, where exactly do you live? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you around. I know this town inside out like the back of my hand, I grew up here and I’d know a stranger if I saw one. You also kind of just look like you feel out of place.” She winced as they stepped up onto a curb to get more onto the sidewalks just in case of any more oncoming traffic that decided to act like a bull in a bucking tournament.

 

[Walliver]

“I just moved here a little while ago. I mostly like to be by myself, so it’s no wonder you haven’t seen me around. And yeah, I feel a little lost here. I miss my home in Wales.” Elian watched the cars passing by, making sure there was no threat to them. “But I’ve seen you around. You’re Adelaide, right? The one everyone’s talking about?” he turned around, picking up the hairband.

“And you dropped this.”

Elian handed it to her. His shoulders were locked and tense. Man, getting hit by a car was not good at all. He’d definitely have to ice it when he got home. “I believe we’re almost to your apartment building. I don’t know the town very well.”

 

[Allycena]

“Everyone’s talking about me? A little unsettling, but I hope it’s all good. I didn’t know I was a hot topic, I feel pretty small but regardless I have big plans for myself.” Her apartment actually was in a distant view from where they walked so he was right. It was a bit odd how correct he was, considering they didnt know each other.

Adelaide nodded though with a grin. “Thanks.” The band slipped over her hand to adorn her wrist for the time being. “So you know where I live, huh?” They approached the building sooner than she had anticipated, but regardless she was grateful for his help and that she was finally home. “Thank you, uh..” she left room for him to fill in his name as an informal introduction.

 

[Walliver]

“Elian. Elian Masterson. It was nice to meet you, Miss Adelaide.” he smiled softly. “I suppose I’ll be seeing you around.” he bowed, turning around and walking off.

The rest of the night was uneventful, a typical night for him. He laid awake for hours, letting the ice numb the pain in his back. He knew it would be stiff in the morning, but he didn’t have any classes until maybe-

Elian looked over at his schedule. 7:00 am. His first class was early, he was in trouble. Nevermind the fact that he may have just (offended? ticked off?) a popular-ish person. Elian knew how ruthless those kind of people could be.

 

[Allycena]

Adelaide raised her eyebrow as he spoke and gave a chivalrous bow before departing. She didn’t even get to say goodbye, but judging by his words, maybe they would see each other around. She believed that destiny had a way of working with the universe sometimes. She used the railing to pull herself up the stairs to her apartment, unlocking the door and stepping inside. Shortly after locking the door and throwing her jacket on the couch, the ginger sauntered to the bathroom to sit on the side of the tub to check out how bad her knee had actually gotten in that short amount of time.

Addie carefully slipped her pants off and tossed them into the hamper in the corner before inspecting her injury. It was very red, beginning to swell just a bit. The blood was starting to clot so that was good. She reached under the counter and grabbed the hydrogen peroxide, nearly ripping the shower curtain and rod both down as she grabbed onto it for support through the stinging burn that the disinfecting process inflicted upon the messy wound.

“Jesus.” Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment before a deep breath was let out. When she was able, Adelaide made her way to bed. It took her a while to fall asleep sadly, her mind was too focused on what happened. On who he was, what he did and the fact that he already basically knew her name.

The next morning, the flame rose and stretched. A big yawn was enough to make her wanna fall back into the covers for another few minutes, but nonetheless, she got up and patched up her knee before leaving to go to her first of three on campus classes. Art appreciation.

 

[Walliver]

Elias hated waking up. But what was worse was not getting any sleep beforehand. He stayed, four hours with his eyes open, trapped in his own mind. Elias groaned, rolling off the couch. “Time to start the day.” he grumbled.

Step one, eat breakfast. Easy enough, granola and yogurt. He took about fifteen minutes to eat, throwing everything away once he was done. Then it was on to step two. The one where he got changed.

Elias prided himself on always being expertly dressed. But that wouldn’t count today. He tugged a white button-up shirt on as best he could. His back felt worse than the day before, perhaps indicating more permanent damage. He’d worry about that later.

“Creative writing class, here we come.”

 

[Walliver]

(bmp)

 

[Allycena]

As Adelaide rushed into the main building to make it to her class on time, she nearly ran into a bunch of people. There was actually traffic in town for the first time in forever, enough to really call it traffic. Her road rage mixed with the events from the night before didn’t help her mood either as she tried to get through the groups of people to get to her class.

Her knee was aching deeply inside as she continued to walk on it, it seemed to give her a small and barely noticeable limp. Addie hoped no one paid extensive attention to her or her movements. The time seemed to zoom by quicker than she wanted it to and she entered class at the last minute before it started. “I know, i was almost late. But I wasn’t so let’s continue.” She stated as the other students looked back at her. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with everything today, all she really wanted to do was lay down and be lazy. Rest her leg, have a nice meditation, see Elias again..

Adelaide still felt horrible for what had happened the night before that it didnt sit well in her stomach even today. She felt bad that he suffered to save her from a swerving car that fate probably meant to throw at her. Instead of paying attention, all she thought about for the next hour and a half was a way to repay him for what he did. And she wouldn’t take no as a response to her condolences. Maybe she would offer to buy him food. Or maybe make him something heartfelt to show her appreciation.

When the instructor dismissed them, Addie was the first one to leave and just as soon as she quickly stepped over the threshold, it seemed as though fate had indeed played the cards again when she smacked right into the one person she had been thinking about all morning. And the pain in her knee didn’t appreciate it either as it inevitably buckled under her. “Shit!” She spat as she practically grabbed onto his arms. “Sorry!“ her face blossomed red from embarrassment.