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002. TINY DANCER.
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LAURIE isn't sure how much of the silence he can bear.
The air was so brittle, he was quite certain it would snap ─ if it didn't, it was possible he would. Even the whistling sound of the brisk wind couldn't be of much help to the boy's discomfort. Laurie Laurence was a hurricane, the eye of his own storm. His eyes were wide and vibrant, whilst his laughter was always strong and bodied. He relished in banter, games, extensive chatter ─ dull was simply never in his vocabulary. Flora Becker was the calm after the storm, a lover of composure. Unlike Laurie, she didn't quite relish the idea of being heard or seen ─ a flower in a tight bud, afraid to be free. She didn't mind the silence between them. That isn't to say she didn't feel the firm feeling of tension between them.
Laurie found himself briefly glancing down at the red covered head from time to time, unaware of the fact she could sense him doing so. After leaving the March family's residence, Flora noticed his glance towards the highest window. A Jo March pacing back and forth past the glass is what the young Laurie and Flora saw, but for his sake, Flora didn't mention a single word of what his longing gaze would suggest. She simply continued on her way, with the startled brunet realising of her departure and running after her.
"It sure is cold." Laurie awkwardly starts, "Are you cold?"
"Um, no?" Flora responds, her voice barely above a whisper making it incredibly hard for Laurie to hear. Fortunately, for her, he'd somehow heard her so she didn't have to repeat herself.
"Yeah..." He echoes, "Me neither."
It's more than painful at this moment, Flora feels it. She was almost certain he would've preferred walking home with anyone but her ─ and she didn't blame him. She wished it was someone else, or better yet wished for a third person to join them, that way she wouldn't have to do any of the talking ─ simply just listen. Yet, if it wasn't for Jo's words of reassurance echoing through her pretty little head, Flora's pretty sure Laurie would've died from boredom.
So, with a sigh (and a deep, deep breath) Flora speaks,
"I, uh, didn't see you at the ball."
Laurie's head turns swiftly in her direction, shock etched onto his features. "Huh ─ Oh, right." It was strange watching all the lingering awkwardness from his physique disappear within a second at her initiating the conversation this time. Slowly gaining the confidence of a phoenix, she notices the occasional skip in his walk, and the swift movement to place his hands behind his back. "Well, if you must know, I was hiding ─"
"Hiding?" Flora interrupts. A sudden shade of pink rushes to her cheeks, the blooming colour concealing her light freckles. "Sorry." She sheepishly apologises.
