DANDI - I LOOKED AT YOU AS IT FELL

[ANDRIA ROSEMARIE STONE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=style, height: 300px; width: 100px; padding: 10px; background-color: #f2f2f2;][classy=harhar][/classy][classy=texty]I THREW[/classy] [STYLE=color: #777; width: 100px; text-align: justify; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: courier new; font-size: 8px;]A WISH IN THE WELL. DON'T ASK ME I'LL NEVER TELL. I LOOKED AT YOU AS IT FELL, AND NOW YOU'RE IN MY WAY.[/style]

[atrb=valign,top][atrb=style, background: url(http://i.imgur.com/1r3yM.png); width: 10px; height: 30px;]

[atrb=style, width: 340px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/OMrnW.png); height: 300px; padding: 10px;][STYLE=background-color: #fff; width: 320px; padding: 7px; font-size: 10px; font-family: tahoma; line-height: 12px; -webkit-box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc; -moz-box-shadow: 3px 3px 4px #ccc; box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc; height: 240px; overflow: auto; text-align: justify; color: #494949;]The dryer chirped its little ding and Andria got up from her seat on the couch and went to it to empty its contents into a basket. It was her second load of laundry, and she was already tired of the stuff. She went to her room to fold the clothes, and after about 20 minutes she was done stuffing her clothes into her drawers. The first load of laundry had been her father’s, as she always did his first on Saturday mornings so he would have plenty of things to wear to work. It took longer than her clothes because she often had to iron his shirts and pants. Andria didn’t mind if it helped her dad out, though. He had a lot of work at the office all the time, and she knew he shouldn’t be bothered with doing his laundry when she could do it just as well. Andi walked out to the kitchen to begin preparing lunch for him a bit early than normal because she was going to meet Dalton at lunchtime. Andi rarely scheduled things around mealtimes because of her condition, but occasionally she would to keep up appearances, especially with people she kept up a relationship with. Dalton was one of the few members of the opposite sex that Andria was able to talk with, as he wasn’t the sort of guy you got uncomfortable around. He was easy to talk to, actually, which was a relief for Andria, who could hardly formulate sentences around boys she was interested in. Not that she was interested in Dalton… or that she wasn’t interested in him, or, oh she was thinking herself in circles already, and she hadn’t even seen him yet that day! Andria gave her head the smallest of shakes and returned to preparing her father a loaded sandwich, just like he liked them. She could hear the television blaring on the sports channel, and was glad he was preoccupied. Her father had a persnickety way about him, and loved to pick on the little things she did wrong. He always had lots of “tips” as he called them, and wasn’t quiet with them, nor with any of his prying questions. Andria was dealing with it though; he had his good and bad days like everyone else did, and Andria could deal with either one. She never thought her father to be abusive or hateful in anyway, although he had been the main reason for her disorder… Andria took a deep breath, clearing her mind. Her disorder was her own fault, and no one else’s. Her father had no part in what she did to herself. My fault, not his. It was her mantra, truthfully, as so much of Andria wanted to blame her father. However, she just couldn’t let herself delegate the blame like that when it wasn’t anyone’s choice but hers. Andria let her mind lull off in order to avoid any unwanted thoughts, and was quickly done. She left it for him on the counter and then went to the living room. As distracted as he was, he just nodded when she told him where his lunch was, and that she was going to meet a friend for lunch. She almost made it out with that, and had even turned away, but still heard him say, ”Don’t eat too much.” Andria felt her teeth grind against each other in aggravation, but she didn’t say anything. As if she would ever eat too much! The girl barely ate anything as it was, and she was nearing being visibly underweight. It wasn’t noticeable the way that Andria dressed, because she often covered as much of her body as she possibly could, given the weather. Her face was slim but not overly so, so no one was the wiser about her condition. The only person that ever judged her physical state was her father and herself. Back in her room, Andria was styling her hair and doing what little makeup she normally wore. She wasn’t glamorous by any means and did her best not to stick out, so she would fit nicely in her clique. When she was done, she looked at herself and sighed, not impressed by her own style which consisted of jeans and tee shirts. That’s what she was wearing now, in fact, and it was often what she wore. But something about that comment from her father, and how reclusive she’d been lately made her want to change it up. She dug in her closet until she found what she wanted, and then redressed. When she was done, she looked like a beach model, but she still felt unsure about herself. Any normal person would have thought she looked nice, and most girls would have been envious, but that wasn’t how Andi saw it. Andria checked the time on her phone, and then decided to just leave before she was late. It took a second of encouragement from herself, which was something that she rarely did, and then she departed. The two had decided to meet on the boardwalk, in their usual place nearest one of Dalton’s favorite street vendors. It was a little pastry place off the boardwalk, and it was probably one of Andria’s least favorite places because of how tantalizing the smells were; she had to fight extra hard when buying something, and even then she would often take one or two bites and trash it when Dalton wasn’t looking. Andria arrived at their place, a bench across from the vendor and sat, hoping that she wasn’t drawing too much attention to herself. Her clothes weren’t exactly wallflower clothes, as they were bright. They didn’t stick out as much as she had thought they would on the boardwalk, however. Many girls were wearing bright flowing skirts and tops. The only difference was that they looked comfortable in their own skin, whereas Andria was hiding behind her yellow mesh tote, hoping no one caught a glimpse of her chunky arms (which of course weren’t at all chunky.) Her hair blew every which way with the sea breeze, and Andria was happy she hadn’t tried to keep it straight, knowing that it would return to its wavy state once it tasted sea air. She glanced at her phone for the time, noting that she had miraculously made it on time, and was waiting for Dalton. Andria hated when that happened with anyone she was meeting, as she always felt as if everyone’s eyes were on her, judging her for being alone. Andria closed her eyes for a second and then reopened them when she had cleared her mind of negative thoughts. It was something she often had to do. Despite her worries, no one seemed to be giving Andria any attention, and everyone just went about their business. [/style][STYLE=float: right; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: -1px; background-color: #fff; -webkit-border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; -moz-border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; height: 10px; padding: 3px; font-family: tahoma; text-transform: uppercase; color: #494949; text-align: left; font-size: 9px; -webkit-box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc; -moz-box-shadow: 3px 3px 4px #ccc; box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc;]DALTON • 1 1 4 0 WORDS • OUTFIT[/style]

[STYLE=font-family: courier new; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;]TEMPLATE BY JOHN OF OTE & BTN[/style]

[newclass=harhar]height: 100px; width: 100px; border: 3px solid #fff; opacity: 0.5; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s;[/newclass][newclass=harhar:hover]opacity: 1; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s;[/newclass][newclass=texty]font-family: georgia; color: #000; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 2px; font-size: 14px; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s;[/newclass][newclass=texty:hover]-webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s; color: #fff;[/newclass]

[Dalton Jeffrey Collier]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=style,background-color: #EBEBEB;][STYLE=float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 12px; color: #DB7367; margin-left: -3px;]◤[/style][STYLE=float: right; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 12px; color: #DB7367;margin-right: -3px;]◥[/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 52px; color: #DB7367; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: -4px; line-height: 36px; text-align: justify; padding: 0px 8px 0px 15px;]✖ I SEE THE LIGHT[/style][STYLE=float: right; width: 300px; background-color: #DB7367; font-family: arial; font-size: 8px; color: #EBEBEB; text-transform: uppercase; line-height: 8px; text-align: justify; padding: 3px 10px 3px 10px;]ALL THOSE DAYS WATCHING FROM THE WINDOWS ALL THOSE YEARS OUTSIDE LOOKING IN ALL THAT TIME NEVER EVEN KNOWING JUST HOW BLIND I'VE BEEN NOW I'M HERE BLINKING IN THE STARLIGHT NOW I AM HERE SUDDENLY I SEE STANDING HERE IT'S ALL SO CLEAR I'M WHERE I'M MEANT TO BE [/style][STYLE=float: left; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #454545; width: 110px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 20px;][STYLE=background-image: url(http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss334/Midori-chii/1454098_harvard-2.jpg); width: 100px; height: 100px; border: #DB7367 5px solid;] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; background-color: #DB7367; padding: 4px; color: #EBEBEB; text-align: center;]TAGS[/style] Andria [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; background-color: #D48981; padding: 4px; color: #EBEBEB; text-align: center;]WORDS[/style] 1,243 [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; background-color: #CFA6A1; padding: 4px; color: #EBEBEB; text-align: center;]NOTES[/style] Dandi <3 I hope this post is okay! c: [/style][STYLE=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #454545; padding: 35px 20px 10px 20px; line-height: 11px; text-align: justify;]     Summer came hand in hand with staying out late to party and then rolling around in bed until the afternoon due to lack of sleep, but these plans were foiled when the alarm set into a digital clock shrieked loudly, demanding that the unfortunate sleepyhead get up. Grumbling irritably, Dalton attempted to recall why he was supposed to get up earlier than usual. He stayed under crumpled sheets, staring hollowly at the ceiling of his room, waiting for his mind to start functioning. Oh, right. Andria. A small, subtle smile formed on his lips as he rolled off the mattress so he could get ready. How could he have forgotten? He had received several invitations to go out and hang around, but he cancelled all those plans so he could spend the day with her. After all, a girl who could put up with all of his moods was the type who was a keeper. Once he was on his feet, he stretched until he felt his joints pop softly. If he was going to make it to their usual meeting spot in time, then he couldn’t dillydally around. He headed to the bathroom that was connected to his room and began his morning routine, which consisted of taking a shower, brushing his teeth, getting dressed, and combing his hair in that exact order. It never took too much time because although he always looked neat and put-together, he didn’t really put much thought into his outfits. He threw together whatever looked clean, and his hairstyle never drastically changed. As a result, he would spend the rest of today running around in a T-shirt and jeans with a matching jacket and boots. He glanced in the mirror and quickly ran a comb through his hair before leaving his room. Part of him wanted breakfast, but considering it was nearing lunchtime and he would be meeting Andria near one of his favourite dessert vendors, the idea was rather unappealing and silly. He was never one for uptight manners and formalities, but it just seemed wrong for him to show up with no appetite because he decided to eat earlier. The point of meeting near the vendor was so he could snack on the sweets that he adored so much, and that plan wouldn’t exactly work out if he was full already. Pausing at the doorway, the brunette checked to make sure he had money in his pocket before leaving. Being carefree and happy-go-lucky typically had people think he would be an unemployed bum living off his parents’ pay checks, but that was somewhat difficult to do when his dad was nowhere to be found and his mother hadn’t spoken to him in a long time. Admittedly he occasionally referred to himself as a professional moocher, but in reality, it wasn’t very often that he relied on others for money. He had a part time job waiting on tables at a decent sized restaurant for a reason. Relying on his aunt and uncle for money was just plain awkward. He called them his parents, and they treated him like a son, but sometimes he still felt distant because it was hard to forget reality. His father left before he was ever born, and his mother never wanted him. They were facts of life he had accepted long ago, the same way he accepted that he would never really be a part of his new family. It was what made him reluctant to constantly rely on them. Thinking about his personal conflicts seemed to be almost insulting in a way. If Dalton was going to spend time with Andria, then he couldn’t afford to ponder over any inner turmoil right now. She deserved his full and undivided attention because he knew she wasn’t the type who had groups and groups of friends just waiting to drag her out somewhere to have fun. He couldn’t really tell when the thin blonde had crossed the line from meaningless to cherished friendship, but all that mattered was that he cared for her. Maybe he didn’t especially excel at properly showing that he cared, but he really did. There were very few people who accepted that fact that he was rough around the edges, but she seemed to be fine with his occasional biting remarks. It sometimes had him feeling guilty, but he wasn’t sure what else to do. Being mostly raised by a mother who showered him with criticisms and insults left him with the impression that tough love was typical, and though he now knew otherwise, he still couldn’t change his ways. And it wasn’t as if she had seen him completely at his worst. He tossed a few comments at her once in a while, but he knew there were a few people who could truthfully say that he was a snappy, critical jerk. There was nothing wrong with treading lightly and giving her time to adjust to the unexpected side of his personality because he genuinely wanted her to stick around, not run off in terror. That was why today was especially set aside for time to hang out with just her. Dalton took a glance at his phone to check the time and wished he had gotten prepared a little faster, but making it to their meeting place should still have been a feasible task. The habit of meeting up at the boardwalk likely developed because he had a sweet tooth constantly aching to be satiated, and the boardwalk was close to a little bakery. He hadn’t been raised on too many desserts or candies, and discovering the joys of sugar-filled snacks had given him a sweet tooth that he never expected to have. He was overjoyed when he discovered the vendor existed, and before he knew it, they had claimed one of the benches as their own special spot to find each other at so they could always make a pit stop for him to buy something before they proceeded with their plans. The thought made him smile a little, but he would never fess up to being pleased that he had a special meeting place with her. The journey to the boardwalk didn’t take too long, but he was occasionally stopped by a girl who seemed to have an interest in him. The flirtatious side of his personality tempted him to take a second to talk and maybe get a few numbers, but he was never at a loss for hook-ups and dates. Meeting Andria in a punctual manner came first. So Dalton continued onward, and when he was within seeing distance, he wondered if he had gotten confused and was looking at the wrong spot. The girl waiting for him couldn’t possibly be the Andi he knew because she rarely—if ever—dressed in bright, feminine clothing. She preferred plain jeans and simple T-shirts because for some reason he would never comprehend, she seemed to be insecure about her looks. But another glance told him that the girl was Andi. He recognised the wavy blonde hair, the skinny figure, and the ever present look of discomfort and doubtfulness on her face. Satisfied that nothing had gone awry with his plans, he walked over with a small smile on his face, ready to just tease her lightheartedly. “Hey Andi! It’s rare to see you all dressed up. Did something happen? Like maybe you finally fell for my charms and wanted to seduce me?” [/style]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=style,background-color: #EBEBEB;] [STYLE=width: 320px; font-family: arial; font-size: 8px; color: #CFA6A1; letter-spacing: 1px; border-top: #CFA6A1 1px dashed;]MADE BY AYU OF BACK TO NEVERLAND (★)[/style] [STYLE=float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 16px; color: #DB7367; margin-left: -3px;]◣[/style][STYLE=float: right; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 16px; color: #DB7367; margin-right: -3px;]◢[/style]

[ANDRIA ROSEMARIE STONE]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=style, height: 300px; width: 100px; padding: 10px; background-color: #f2f2f2;][classy=harhar][/classy][classy=texty]I THREW[/classy] [STYLE=color: #777; width: 100px; text-align: justify; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: courier new; font-size: 8px;]A WISH IN THE WELL. DON'T ASK ME I'LL NEVER TELL. I LOOKED AT YOU AS IT FELL, AND NOW YOU'RE IN MY WAY.[/style]

[atrb=valign,top][atrb=style, background: url(http://i.imgur.com/1r3yM.png); width: 10px; height: 30px;]

[atrb=style, width: 340px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/OMrnW.png); height: 300px; padding: 10px;][STYLE=background-color: #fff; width: 320px; padding: 7px; font-size: 10px; font-family: tahoma; line-height: 12px; -webkit-box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc; -moz-box-shadow: 3px 3px 4px #ccc; box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc; height: 240px; overflow: auto; text-align: justify; color: #494949;]The sun was bright and steadily getting brighter, and, for once, Andria was happy that she’d had the foresight to wear a tank top instead of her normal long-sleeved shirts. The crowds were also steadily getting more bustling as the day really kicked off. Everywhere that Andi looked, she could see groups of people enjoying themselves and having fun, and for a moment she felt a little creeping depression on the edge of her mood. Andria wasn’t a socialite now, but there had been a time when she was a normal, smiling child with a bundle of friends that she cared for. Andi rarely opened up that chapter of her life because it was tinged with the darkness of what happened, of what forced her and her father to come to Maryland. Andria swept her eyes downward and stared at her long, perfectly manicured nails and fought off the memories that usually accompanied visiting her past. After the move, Andria was completely different. Her disintegration started way before then, but Andria had been too young to realize what state she was headed for. Now that she was old enough to understand her feelings, she knew there was something wrong. Andi didn’t think about her mental and emotional state often, as she kept herself busy with housework or visiting with what friends Andria had made in Ocean City. But Andria was smart enough to know that her eating patterns were much too erratic, and that her meek demeanor and the self-hatred and occasional anger at her father were unhealthy. However, she wasn’t a shrink, and she didn’t know how to address her own problems, like most people didn’t. She tried her best to look forward and forget about the things that brought her down, but there was only so much one could force herself to forget. Andria lifted her eyes to examine the crowd, looking for Dalton’s signature stylishly messy brunette hair, but seeing nothing. Friends were not something that Andria had a lot of, seeing as she blended in perfectly to the wall. She was overlooked by most in school, and what friends she did have were a ragtag group of people that didn’t really fit together at all. Andria didn’t have “groups” of friends; she had a friend here and there, and the only friends that actually matched each other would probably be Gabe and Ariel, and that was only because they were related. Dalton was probably the most popular friend she had, besides Ariel, though Andria wasn’t as close with Ariel as she would have liked to be. Andi was always very grateful whenever Dalton set aside time to spend with her because she knew he had friends that were always pulling at him, vying for his attention. She would also be lying if she said that his undivided attention didn’t make her feel special. Knowing him, and knowing his tendencies to have reflective friendships that were nothing but mirror images of actual relationships, Andria couldn’t help feeling special, as if she meant something more to him. That was not to say that she felt secure with her place in his life; Dalton was about as wishy-washy as they came, and, although he wasn’t cruel, he had a sharp tongue. Most of the time, she was fine with him and the way he was rough and occasionally biting, as he was, deep inside, a guy with a good heart. At least, that’s what Andria told herself. That was, after all, the same thing she told herself about her father. It was what Andria told herself about everyone, as she couldn’t stand to be so cynical and believe the worst about people, even though she’d been the grunt of a showing of just how bad people could be. It was something that she had to make herself believe just to make it through the day without collapsing in an anxiety attack. Andria shifted uncomfortably on the bench, feeling eyes on her bare skin. It was true that she got a few glances from the crowds around her, but she felt as if they were sneering at her with judgmental thoughts running through their minds. Andria wasn’t nearly as unattractive as she made herself out to be, and it went far beyond being modest. Her insecurities stemmed from deep within her subconscious because she was taught that she would never be perfect by her father. Honestly, she was a pretty little thing, and if she hadn’t been as fragile as she was, she probably would have been approached countless times by guys or people just to comment positively on her looks. She looked so lost in her own skin that, even though many a guy thought she was beautiful, none of them had the will to tell her. That had been why she had been singled out, three years ago, right? Andria didn’t understand why her kidnapper would have picked her, out of all the girls. To her, it was like a twist of ironic fate that someone so ugly should be picked for something so horrible. That was what made her so shy. She didn’t like to draw attention to herself, and even when she wore bright colors, she didn’t pull them off as well as she could have. Feeling suddenly exposed, Andria crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the ground. A quick glance at her phone confirmed that Dalton was late, and Andi immediately feared he had forgotten. It wasn’t like him to just stand her up for want of being cruel, but he could have simply forgotten, or gotten tied up… A seed of anxiety firmly planted itself in her stomach as she tried to shoo away her fears. Why could she never get a grip on herself? Upon hearing Dalton’s voice, the anxiety quickly bubbled away and was replaced with a much more comfortable feeling, something that she often felt around Dalton, although she didn’t know what it was. Andria was a stranger to any sort of romantic feelings, as she hadn’t had a crush since she was in elementary school. She also didn’t have a female figure to talk to about those sorts of things, so she gave up on them a long time ago. She didn’t know that she felt anything besides platonic friendly feelings for Dalton, and it would be a long time coming before she figured it out. Andria smiled her small smile at him as he approached, commenting on her new style choices. Andria hadn’t thought about what Dalton’s reaction to her clothes would be, and now she wished she had. She was more witty around people she was comfortable with, and she grew in that department thanks to bickering on and off with Gabriel. Andria swept a strand of hair behind her ear and let her smile grow bigger at his joke, knowing that it denoted that he was in a good mood. ”Hi, uh, no. I mean, would it really take a new outfit to seduce you? I mean, I’m pretty sure I could do it in plainer clothes.” Andria laughed quietly, before adding, ”Nothing happened… I just wanted to switch it up a bit.” She stood after that, finally feeling comfortable. Everything was better now that Dalton was here, and she didn’t look like a loser sitting on a bench alone, or, even worse, someone who had been stood up. Hitching the yellow tote on her shoulder, Andria looked at Dalton and said, ”Want to head to the bakery?” It was what they normally did after meeting up; they visited the bakery, got something to eat, Andria pretended to eat it, and then they hung out for a while on the boardwalk, or occasionally the beach. [/style][STYLE=float: right; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: -1px; background-color: #fff; -webkit-border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; -moz-border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; border-radius: 0 0 5px 5px; height: 10px; padding: 3px; font-family: tahoma; text-transform: uppercase; color: #494949; text-align: left; font-size: 9px; -webkit-box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc; -moz-box-shadow: 3px 3px 4px #ccc; box-shadow: 2px 2px 3px #ccc;]DALTON • 1 2 9 1 WORDS • OUTFIT[/style]

[STYLE=font-family: courier new; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;]TEMPLATE BY JOHN OF OTE & BTN[/style]

[newclass=harhar]height: 100px; width: 100px; border: 3px solid #fff; opacity: 0.5; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s;[/newclass][newclass=harhar:hover]opacity: 1; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s;[/newclass][newclass=texty]font-family: georgia; color: #000; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 2px; font-size: 14px; text-transform: uppercase; -webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s;[/newclass][newclass=texty:hover]-webkit-transition: 0.5s; -moz-transition: 0.5s; transition: 0.5s; color: #fff;[/newclass]

[Dalton Jeffrey Collier]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=style,background-color: #EBEBEB;][STYLE=float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 12px; color: #DB7367; margin-left: -3px;]◤[/style][STYLE=float: right; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 12px; color: #DB7367;margin-right: -3px;]◥[/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 52px; color: #DB7367; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: -4px; line-height: 36px; text-align: justify; padding: 0px 8px 0px 15px;]✖ I SEE THE LIGHT[/style][STYLE=float: right; width: 300px; background-color: #DB7367; font-family: arial; font-size: 8px; color: #EBEBEB; text-transform: uppercase; line-height: 8px; text-align: justify; padding: 3px 10px 3px 10px;]ALL THOSE DAYS WATCHING FROM THE WINDOWS ALL THOSE YEARS OUTSIDE LOOKING IN ALL THAT TIME NEVER EVEN KNOWING JUST HOW BLIND I'VE BEEN NOW I'M HERE BLINKING IN THE STARLIGHT NOW I AM HERE SUDDENLY I SEE STANDING HERE IT'S ALL SO CLEAR I'M WHERE I'M MEANT TO BE [/style][STYLE=float: left; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #454545; width: 110px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 20px;][STYLE=background-image: url(http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss334/Midori-chii/1454098_harvard-2.jpg); width: 100px; height: 100px; border: #DB7367 5px solid;] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; background-color: #DB7367; padding: 4px; color: #EBEBEB; text-align: center;]TAGS[/style] Andria [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; background-color: #D48981; padding: 4px; color: #EBEBEB; text-align: center;]WORDS[/style] 1,388 [STYLE=font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; background-color: #CFA6A1; padding: 4px; color: #EBEBEB; text-align: center;]NOTES[/style] Dandi <3 I hope this post is okay! Sorry for taking forever. :c [/style][STYLE=font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; color: #454545; padding: 35px 20px 10px 20px; line-height: 11px; text-align: justify;]    It was probably insensitive and selfish to think in such a way, but Dalton couldn’t help but wonder if Andria worried whether or not he would show up and then feel a sense of satisfaction knowing she probably did. He was late only by a little, but he knew her well enough to confidently say that she was just the type who fretted and panicked over minor things. She was far from being the most self-assured person he knew, and while she very rarely vocalised her uncertainties, sometimes it was just obvious that there was something on her mind. There were moments when her eyebrows would knit together or a doubtful look would cross her face, and he never said anything. If she wanted to share what was on her mind, then she would do it when she was comfortable. If he acted nosy and pried, it might make her feel uncomfortable. While he didn’t often say so, he was grateful for her friendship and didn’t want to push her away. Most people refused to stick by him once his crabbiness and cynicism reared its ugly head, but she always accepted the fact that he wasn’t as perfect as he acted. Looking around, Dalton noted that he was usually a part of the bustling crowds that were hanging around the boardwalk. Socialising came easy to him, but he always remembered the brief lapse of time when he was unpopular. The story of his rise, fall, and then rise again on the social ladder really wasn’t very complicated. In his younger years, he was naturally lovable due to his genuinely patient and caring nature. To deal with his hard-to-please mother, it was simply necessary to ignore her scathing words and biting remarks by shrugging them off as proof that he had yet to reach the sort of perfection that would impress her. The goal remained unreached because in the end, he simply gave up trying to do the impossible. His resignation and newfound disgruntlement towards the woman who brought him into the world was reasonably justified, but his rough past wasn’t an excuse for his poor treatment of his peers. When he looked back and reflected on his behaviour, he supposed he had a lot he should have apologised for, but saying sorry wasn’t really his thing. Since then, his move to Maryland and integration into his uncle’s family helped him understand why people were naturally drawn to the friendly, optimistic types, but he couldn’t find it in himself to let go of his pessimism and snarky attitude. It was far easier to fake it and move on with his life, enjoying the popularity that he currently had. To this very day, apologies weren’t really his thing. Dalton was unexpectedly careful with what he said and did, and for the most part, he didn’t regret his actions. If he didn’t feel remorseful, then wouldn’t a half-hearted apology just be a waste of time and breath? Nevertheless, being late was an exception. He hadn’t expected to take as long as he had getting prepared, but it wasn’t as if he could have shown up looking like in wrinkled clothing and bed hair in front of Andria. Though she typically dressed like a plain Jane, there was no denying that he thought she was quite stunning. Her blonde locks fell around her shoulders in soft waves, and she had a graceful, slim figure that other girls probably envied, even if he did occasionally think she looked a bit too thin for her own good. If he had been love-struck by her, then he might have called her an angel, but for the moment, sappy compliments just didn’t suit their relationship. He wasn’t exactly dressing to impress, but just because people didn’t say so didn’t mean they didn’t realise that she was beautiful. He didn’t want to seem like a walking mess when he walked next to her. Selfishness set aside, she deserved the best he could offer, and what sort of message would she get if he couldn’t even be bothered to wear clean clothes and comb his hair? She was worth the extra bit of effort he exerted. Even though the words felt foreign on his lips, he still said, “Sorry about being late. I don’t have any excuses that aren’t lame but know that I would never stand you up.” The words were almost like a promise, but it was one that Dalton liked to think he could keep. He was typically responsible and reliable when he gave his word about a task, but it was because he shied away from concrete terms like ‘never’, ‘forever’, and ‘always’. He knew what he said to Andria could be potentially tough to follow through with, but like he had told himself several times before, she was worth it. He always hoped that she understood it well enough with the way he could constantly set aside time to spend with her and her alone. It was obvious that she wouldn’t take particularly well to the large crowds he usually hung around with. He couldn’t recall ever seeing her interact with more than a few people at a time, and if that was all she could handle, then he wouldn’t make her fight through a group to get his attention. A majority of his other friends were replaceable, but she was not. He would gladly erase his entire schedule any day just so he could keep her company. Maybe one day he would get around to telling her that. The small smile on his face grew into an amused grin as Andria wittily replied to his comment about being seduced, and he couldn’t help but to wonder what she really thought of him. Dalton appreciated the fact that she felt comfortable around him to partake in some witty banter, but was he someone she really trusted? Did she really feel at ease around him? Did she secretly hate him for the moments when he snapped at her? There were so many questions he could have asked, but he chose to keep them all to himself. He couldn’t put her on the spot like that. Running his fingers through his messy locks, he remarked, “You never know. A nice outfit might be the key to my heart, but I can be full of surprises. I’m not too hard to woo. You look nice in that outfit though. It suits you.” The goal wasn’t exactly to shower Andria in compliments, but Dalton wanted to let her know that she really could pull off something fancier than a T-shirt and jeans combination. When she asked if he wanted to go to the bakery, he nodded eagerly and began to walk towards the direction it was located at, but he kept his steps slow and leisurely so she could catch up. His mind wandered a bit while he tried to think of what he wanted to buy before they got there. He didn’t want to waste too much time trying to pick a pastry to each, but it was always so hard to decide. There were a variety of flavours and textures that made his mouth water, but it wasn’t as if he could spend all his money on sweets. Life wasn’t fair enough to let him enjoy an endless amount of treats without consequences. Though it was difficult to restrain himself, the brunette chose to stick with a red velvet cupcake, a few brownies, and a small cake to savour in the comfort of his own home later. When he reached the baked goods vendor, Dalton was able to order quickly, though it didn’t stop him from eying the other scrumptious desserts on display. Reluctantly turning away, he redirected his gaze to Andria as he waited to receive his order. “Are you going to get anything? I can pay since I don’t get to treat you too often. Not to mention, I’m also a gentleman who likes to buy things for pretty girls.” He gave her a playful wink to let her know he was just teasingly flirting her and pulled out his wallet, taking out a few bills that should have been sufficient to pay for what he bought and anything she may have been thinking of ordering, before putting it back in his pocket. [/style]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=style,background-color: #EBEBEB;] [STYLE=width: 320px; font-family: arial; font-size: 8px; color: #CFA6A1; letter-spacing: 1px; border-top: #CFA6A1 1px dashed;]MADE BY AYU OF BACK TO NEVERLAND (★)[/style] [STYLE=float: left; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 16px; color: #DB7367; margin-left: -3px;]◣[/style][STYLE=float: right; font-family: arial; font-size: 24px; line-height: 16px; color: #DB7367; margin-right: -3px;]◢[/style]