temporary revelation

colton sheppard | simple man, big world

[colton-sheppard]

champagneproblems-writes​:

“Just a glass of wine and some left over microwaved lasagna on my couch.” Julie reassured but the moment the words came out, she started to realize what a sad sight that sounded like. Obviously, he didn’t really know what was going on in her life so she was hopeful that Colton wouldn’t pick up on anything. She couldn’t help but feel some guilt laying there inside of her for how things had ended all those years ago. And yet, another weird feeling was bubbling away. He was a lawyer now. A life in the city. He wasn’t miles away in his own world now but rather in hers. And to think she had always been so worried about not fitting into his. “I’m guessing you’re still new around here so I don’t really trust your choices.” She attempted to crack a joke, biting down on her lip for a moment before leading him round the corner. “So I guess I’m going to have to pick. There’s a good bar not too far from here.”

They kept up with mostly little small talk on the walk over to the bar, Colton sure to pull her chair out for her before taking his own seat, growing up a certain way, this type of thing was habit. “So... there’s no sense in beating around the bush I guess,” he chuckled. “You’re married, and I’m a lawyer... things have changed,” he tried to just put it out there, a little smile and a shrug. “I may have kept up with you for a bit there,” he admitted.

[colton-sheppard]

champagneproblems-writes​:

Julie shook her head. Truth be told, if she was really, really honest with herself, she had no clue how she felt about him or his life anymore. And as absurd as the idea of getting a drink together seemed, it almost didn’t seem like the worst idea in the world. “It’s okay – you don’t need to apologize.” If anyone here should’ve been saying sorry, Julie knew that it was her. “We’re both adults, right. Like you said – it was life times ago. You’re obviously a bright and shiny lawyer and I’m….” Recently divorced. Stumbling my way through life. She didn’t even bother finishing off her sentence but the more Julie thought about it, the better the idea of getting a drink was sounding. At least she wouldn’t be stumbling back to her now near empty apartment. “Let’s do it. It’s the end of the week and I think we both deserve one.” She gave into the idea. Maybe he just wanted to drink away the initial shock of seeing her again.

With every little comment it felt like she had resentments about him moving on with his life, about him going to law school and changing. Part of him wanted to unpack that, part of him knew it would just make his anger bubble up. “And you’re working on the tenth floor of my building,” he offered with a little smile, wondering what her life did look like now. “You’re sure? I’m not pulling you from anything?” He offered her one last out, almost wanting her to take it. He felt like the idea was a good one. Could they reasonably expect to just leave this clear anger like this and have to deal with running into each other? But he was beginning to realize he hadn’t the slightest clue what the two of them sharing a drink looked like in practice... yet, still, he was heading toward the door with her now.

[colton-sheppard]

champagneproblems-writes​:

“Consider the feeling mutual then.” Julie pressed her lips together. Her words were definitely coming off a lot more firey than intended. A lot more firey than her usual self but everything was so overwhelming and so…. sudden that it had all caught her off guard. Plus, the idea that he’d gone off to law school and become a lawyer was one that Julie was really struggling to comprehend. “We were on different pages, Colton. Completely different chapters of different books.” Her answer lacked any sort of proper explanation but it certainly wasn’t a conversation she had expected today. Even just addressing it felt too heavy in her chest.

“What are y--” He cut himself off and ran a hand through his hair. “Why don’t you figure out what you think of me and my life before you speak on it then,” he settled on, trying to pull himself out from the pettiness he had been slipping into. All of this was so unexpected, he’d never expected to see her again, and when he had imagined it, he’d imagined himself much more civil, much more mature. “Clearly,” he mumbled out, but blinked slowly, trying to re-compose himself. “I’m-- Jules, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, it was lifetimes ago and we don’t have to--” he sucked in a breath. “Do you want to-- maybe this seems crazy, but would you want to get a drink? Just to catch up enough that... that, I don’t know, there isn’t tension every time we spot each other.”

[colton-sheppard]

champagneproblems-writes​:

“Come on, we both know the great Colton Sheppard wouldn’t have left it on your own. Something must’ve got in your head to make you give up that life.” She responded, not really giving him a proper explanation to his question. More so just tip toeing around what he really wanted answered. After stepping out of the elevator, she was just about to leave but it was his comment that stopped Julie in her tracks. She was neither one for confrontation herself either, especially not in such a public domain but years of pent up emotions were getting the better of her and she had to release them before they swallowed her whole. “If you think it was so easy for me then you’re certainly mistaken.” There was some element of hurt in her eyes as she stared up at him which she tried to hide but something about that comment caused a sting in her chest. She had loved him. That much wasn’t a lie and she had wanted more than anything to have a life with him but she couldn’t.

“I guess I’m at a loss for which version of me is supposed to be the ‘great’ Colton Sheppard here,” he let his brows tug together in a half feigned confusion. More so, he was annoyed she’d essentially flipped the conversation, but what was he really supposed to do about that? Colton hadn’t even processed this. What seeing her there meant, that he’d be seeing her in some capacity on a normal basis, he was far too focused on this moment. On seeing her right then and there, on these little remarks back and forth, and just when he thought he was going to get a second to breathe she was coming back at him. “I think you can probably understand my confusion there,” he said simply, quietly. The coldness had passed, washed away by the hurt in her eyes. No matter how much hurt she had caused him, he never would want to cause her any in return.

[colton-sheppard]

champagneproblems-writes​:

Julie nodded, swallowing hard. It was true, she had left. Never really given him the time of light on why or a proper explanation but all those years ago felt like a lifetime ago now. “Oh stop. You know I adored that farm of yours and I adored it for you.” The words very much rang true but she could never see a long term future for herself there. Maybe she hadn’t thought of it with a negative connotation but some of the people in her world sure did and she had never really felt like she was properly accepted into his world either. “I came home, Colt. Carried on with my life and picked up with it before… Actually, I don’t know why any of this surprises you.” She felt defensive suddenly, a breathe of relief leaving her lips when the doors of the elevator opened after what felt like eternity.

“If you adored it then why, in your words, did I need to leave it to make something of myself?” That was the question he asked, but the question on his mind was if she adored it so much, if she adored it for him, then why’d she leave it all behind at the drop of a hat without any real explanation? The real question on his mind was how could anything he had thought about them so many years about be true? “I’m glad it was so easy for you to pick up from your little vacation in the countryside,” he gave her a nod, holding his hand out to give her the right away to exit first. This wasn’t like him, confrontation wasn’t like him. That and he’d convinced himself for years that he was over all of this, but now, standing there, it was clear he wasn’t close to over it.

[colton-sheppard]

champagneproblems-writes​:

Julie could feel her forehead crinkle as a frown crossed her lips for a brief moment. She was trying her best to hold it together but truth be told, she had no idea how well her charade was holding up. “After I left, right.” She couldn’t help herself but repeat the words back to him, a hint of coldness in her tone attached to them but she couldn’t help but feel like those words were used specially to call her out even if they hadn’t been intended to be. “Who would’ve thought, huh? Colton Sheppard finally leaving the farm to try and make something of his life.” Again the words were unintentionally harsher than expected. “I’m upstairs. Tenth floor so…” Her eyes fell to the floor realizing that meant they’d likely be seeing more of each other.

“You did leave,” Colton hadn’t meant the words as any kind of dig, but he also found himself annoyed at her seeming expectation of him to sugar coat it for her. Hardly was he the type to start some public argument, but there was a rush of emotions coming over him at just her presence. “Because maintaining a family farm is such a pitiful existence?” His brows tugged together, turning to face her. He’d wanted more for himself, and yet, he was offended at the notion that what he’d left behind was somehow less than in her eyes. “So you’ve been this close, huh? Couple hours out of town?” He found her harshness making his own bubble up.

[colton-sheppard]

champagneproblems-writes​:

It wasn’t often that Julie found herself tongue tied. In fact, she took pride in being a relatively social person but in this moment, she didn’t quite know what to say. “I’ve been good. Fine.” That was a lie that rolled off her tongue easily enough but there was a certain sense of shame she felt in admitting otherwise. Her own heart was pounding in her chest, the nerves building up and making her feel jittery. “What about – what are you doing here?” She couldn’t help but blurt out the obvious question on her mind. It’d been years since she’d last seen him, running away from her own feelings although she had heard bits and pieces about Colton through the rumor mill. Julie just never thought she’d see him here, in a suit and away from the farm.

He didn’t expect to ever see her again, and while he felt that he’d left his anger and pain in the past, he would have preferred it that way. To go on the rest of his life not knowing what it would be like to finally face the woman who crushed him so many years ago. He nodded at her answer, racking his brain at how to respond, but her question gave him some respite. “I, uh-- the firm on the seventh floor-- I’ve, I took a job there,” he nodded, realizing just then that it wasn’t likely she even knew his profession. “I-- after you left, I went to law school,” he explained quickly. “Didn’t expect that to lead me here, but, uh-- here we are.”

[champagneproblems-writes]

@colton-sheppard 

A sigh left her lips the moment Julie stepped into the empty elevator. After a long day of not much joy, she was already contemplating that bottle of wine she’d later consumer later that night while sitting in the bathtub. With the doors chiming open, she was about to step out when the incoming body stopped her. “Oh crap – sorry, I thought that this was–” Her sentence was left unfinished as she got a better look at the man in front of her, realization dawning on her at the familiar face. “Colton?” Her voice sounded hesitant, shaky and unsure of herself as Julie took a step back to let him in.

[colton-sheppard]

It was his second week on the job, and while Colton did a good enough job of masking it; it wasn’t the job that had him stressed. It was everything else. It was the busy streets, taking an elevator up a high rise to his office, it was the way people just seemed to care less about each other. So he was ready to be done with it all for another day. Done, he wasn’t spotting the un-mistakable face, his heart pounded instantaneously, not allowing any pause of shock, but he stepped in anyways. “Julie-- I.. hi,” he wanted to say that he didn’t know she was in this city, losing track of where she’d been and where she wound up. “I-- wow, um-- how have you been?”