a smile tugged at her rosy mouth, but it didn’t quite make it ; the flesh faltered and her lips parted inside, revealing a hint of her teeth, her face slack. her amusement was her own and it was kept a secret. [ A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME… ] what was so important about a name? wasn’t she more than just that? she wondered if he recognized or, what would be really spectacular, knew anything else about her. how about the sunglasses that she wore, the same ones that she’d bought the day they went out to that farmer’s market and loved the vintage metallic dark - green rims? how about the box of matches that she played with in her hands, marked with a design for the pub where they first had dinner and a drink together? A NAME MEANT NOTHING ; it meant nothing unless he knew her, too.
and what of the things that he couldn’t see? cal’s observant nature hinged on his ability to perceive, perhaps to extent it also relied on his ability to feel, but if she was right and she liked to think that she was, then the man’s feelings were shot. and perception never held up its true form wherever she was concerned… “ maybe we’re both missing, ” she remarked, brows raising high above the twin circles of black shades. she spoke as though she were only joking, teasing him ( like i always do ) in light of his apparent confusion. then, she shut the matchbox with a quick twitch of her fingers and the matches rattled inside with a defiance. she straightened from where she’d been leaning against the warm metal frame of the car’s body, walked over to his side, and looked at him hard. her mouth was set in a resolute line. “ if we don’t burn the car, then there was no point of us going this far out of the way. it’s to be a red herring, you see. everyone will think that we’ve gone this way, when really, we will go that way. it’ll be a nice walk. ” and we used to so love taking our walks, didn’t we, don’t you remember?
there’s a lot more to this interaction than he realizes. than they realize. it wore him down trying to figure out the puzzles his mind has built around this woman. how much it’s trying to hide the answers ... the same way trauma gets buried deep within the mind. this charlotte seems to be rather important, yet her image isn’t clear. faces may not have been easy but objects and little trinkets were, like how he noticed the matches ... since she’s attached to the memories it’s tampered with. she kept tracing her fingers over the back of his hand. their first date. she kept touching his hands ... it comes back in flashes. past feeling like a film he faintly remembers but her ... but who is she and why do they know each other.
“ i’d say i am lost ... company in that would be nice. ”
cal smirks, side of his mouth rising a fair bit to show his amusement. eyes have been fixated on that box, so much so that he can’t help wondering if it was real ... was that memory that’s faded into pieces ...-real. is any of this ? they wander back up until they meet with where he assumes hers are. covered by shades and giving a very mysterious feel. yet it’s familiar. a mysterious blonde woman. it feels very home to him.
“ that is quite a distance to go- ... but a - a walk sounds nice. ”
it tugs at his heart, the urge to know as if his heart had a mind of it’s own. wanting to fill a void that’s hurting him. a void that he wasn’t aware of until now. meeting her. is this what love at first sight is ? or is he going mad ? cal can’t actually see her properly, but there’s more to it. to them. his eyes dull into a grey shade, while a tear falls. the struggle to fight against them is hard. he couldn’t win if he tried his best ... but it’s evident in his eyes. the pain he’s enduring while trying to remember. an internal struggle that’s beating him up. hand quickly rises while his thumb wipes away the tear.
“ WE SHOULD GET GOING, SHOULDN’T WE ? ” they answer for him, wanting the interaction to end. the switch in tone continues. it’s wasting their time when matters revolving around charlotte interest them more. cal sighs, the yelling in his head like a parent hating how he could get anxious and say little to nothing ... having a conversation drag on until the awkward energy he created pulled people away. he begins to walk only to look over his shoulder at her. mouth parts to say,