Three-Toed Sloth Campfire - Sunday [just after sunset]

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

Marie spent the majority of the day hiding in her room. She was avoiding talking about last night packing for the two week trip to the cabins.

Now that she was comfortably ensconced in Alcove B4, she decided to be brave sociable and start a campfire.





[totally open, yo]

Comments

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

Conner hadn't had time to head into town, what with basketball practice, the World Cup final, and then packing and moving back into Puffin. But, not particularly wanting to end up with his name spelled wrong in every official record in existence, he'd immediately headed out into the woods after getting settled in his alcove.

Which was why he came shuffling up to the TTS campfire with a haphazard, slightly bedraggled bunch of wildflowers in one hand, the other hand jammed into his pocket, and a sheepish expression on his face.

Okay, there was also a bit of red, green, and white paint left on his face as well.

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

Marie looked up to see who had walked up and, upon seeing Conner, immediately looked away.

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Marie?" Conner kicked at the dirt. "Look, I'm really sorry about last night, okay?"

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Marie said, still not looking at him.

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

Conner crouched down in front of her, holding the flowers out and giving a penitent expression his best shot. "Look, I don't blame you if you never want to talk to me again. I deserve that. Just like I deserved the banana split over the head. I'll even let you dump more ice cream on my head if it makes you feel any better, okay?"

He wasn't much good at this grovelling thing. But he was trying.

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"So what? You think that saying you're sorry and bringing me flowers is going to make things better?" Marie asked.

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"I was hoping it would be a start, at least," Conner persisted. "I'm sorry I ruined our date, and I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you from the start, and I'm sorry I asked you out when I wasn't exactly single anyway. I really like you, honest. But I was a jerk and I led you on and I thought I'd gotten past that, but I guess I didn't."

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

Marie sighed. "I'm not mad at you," she admitted. "I just feel like a fool."

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, because of me," Conner pointed out.

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"Well, yeah," Marie said. "But did you do it on purpose?"

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"To make you look like a fool? No." Conner shook his head. "I honestly did want to go out with you. But I got selfish. I didn't think about how you would feel about it. Or Anders, either."

He sighed and offered the flowers to her again. "Look. I had to tell you. If I hadn't, people would've known I was pretty much already cheating on you, and then you really would've looked like a fool."

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"It would have been better if you had told me sooner," Marie said. "Of course, I probably would have said no. I've never dated before, but I would definitely want to only date one person at a time and would expect the same in return."

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"You mean you'd never been on a date before, ever?" Conner asked, his stomach twisting. "Oh, geez . . ."

[joxertehmighty.livejournal.com]

Joxer faceplanted next to the Sloth campfire, having managed to trip over his own feet.

"Ow," he said.

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"Are you okay?" Marie asked.

[joxertehmighty.livejournal.com]

Joxer rolled over into a sitting position.

"Fine, fine," he said, wiping off his face. "Just practicing my falling."

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"Well that's good," Marie said. "Pull up a log and have a seat."

[joxertehmighty.livejournal.com]

Joxer did exactly that. "How're you doing? It sure seems a lovely night, doesn't it?"

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"I've had better weekends," Marie admitted. "But it is a beautiful night."

[joxertehmighty.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Joxer said. "I got my butt kicked at ball volley yesterday, and then I got locked out of my room for awhile, without a shirt and covered in sand."

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"How'd you get locked out of your room?" Marie asked.

[joxertehmighty.livejournal.com]

"I left my keys in my other shorts," Joxer said. "And I guess my roommate locked it when she was out for a bit. Not that I see her all that often."

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"Well that sucks," Marie said. "My roommate is my best friend here."

[joxertehmighty.livejournal.com]

"You're roommates with Willow, aren't you?" Joxer asked.

[untouchableskin.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Marie smiled. "Who's your roommate?"