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He came across her sitting on a dimly illuminated park bench. He didn’t try to hide his approach but she still startled and turned with a snarl as he rested a long fingered hand on her shoulder. His amused grin melted into furrowed brows as he took in the crimson tracks staining her cheeks. At the same time, Annabelle relaxed and flopped back against the bench.
“Damn it Jasper!” She said, pulling out her ear buds, “You scared the hell out of me!”
“That feeling might be mutual; why are you crying?”
Her eyes widen and she scrubs at her face with the sleeves of the sweater she’s wearing under her signature jacket.
“No reason.” She answers finally.
She wishes she had a wet wipe to make sure her face was clean.
“No reason.” He repeats. “Right.”
She turns away from his pointed look and skepticism.
“It’s dumb,” she mumbles, “You’ll laugh.”
“Try me.”
She turns back to him, with her lips pressed tightly together, and considers the open and earnest expression on his face - shadowed somewhat by his ever-present hood. After a moment of contemplation she offers him one of her earbuds. He sits next to her and takes it and she scrolls back to the song she had been listening to when he showed up. She tucks the other earbud into her ear and motions Jasper to do the same. Once he has she taps the play button.
The song starts and he makes a slight face to which Annabelle rolls her eyes.
They sit in companionable silence and listen as the vocals start.
Please, remember me...happily
By the rosebush laughing
It’s a long song. Despite her best efforts she feels tears start to well again and spill down her already reddened cheeks. Throughout it Jasper sits quietly and takes it in. When the song ends Annabelle turns her phone off and holds out her hand for the earbud.
He passes it over.
They sit and gaze out at the night, uncomfortable making eye contact after Annabelle’s moment of vulnerability.
“You’re mourning it right?” He says finally. “Your life. Everything you’ve lost.
“Everyone.”
She nods and scrubs at her cheeks again. He watches until she finishes and then reaches out to brush away a stray smear of crimson with his thumb.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He clasps her shoulder, “It’ll get easier. With time.”
She chuckles, “Yeah, sure. Good thing we’ve got a lot of that, right?”
He replies with a toothy grin, “Right.”
He stands, letting her go as he does.
“It’ll be dawn soon.”
Annabelle nods.
“We should get home.”
Annabel nods again and rises. They walk together until their paths split and then they go their separate ways thinking separate thoughts. They go to separate homes; separate havens from the burning sun. The final death. They go into the day sleep with the same lyrics playing through their minds.