It was not in Jamie’s nature to be patient when it came to upset young people. She had patience unending for art, reading and studying, but when it came to other’s emotions, and their petty complains regarding them, she had little time. If Becky weren’t so caught up in her crying, or a more astute girl, she might have noticed that Jamie’s smile was a tad forced, her eyes dulled. As it was, Becky clearly didn’t notice anything as she took the offered tissues and made a rather weak attempt to clean her face of tears. Jamie put her hands in her coat pockets and waited, her stance as stiff and poised as ever. As Becky was distracted with trying to improve her appearance, Jamie studied her. This – crying in public – was obviously not a first for the girl. She didn’t seem at all embarrassed, or awkward, besides the obvious awkwardness of having run into someone she knew. It was telling, but not particularly interesting.
When, at last, Becky had finished, and Jamie had addressed her, the girl seemed to finally have her wits about her, and listened. She blinked, a little stupidly, and then laughed, and Jamie matched the laugh with a smile of her own, as if they really were sharing a private joke. And, as Becky replied, she nodded earnestly. “Yes, it is unnecessarily cruel, isn’t it?” she agreed. There was no lie here – for all her emptiness, Jamie did not see the point in sadism, or needless cruelty. As much as she felt nothing for Becky in that moment, she had no harsh urge to make her suffering greater. Taking pleasure in another’s pain was so base, and far beneath her.
It was extremely obvious that Becky wanted company on her walk home. Why else mention the journey? Jamie fought back a sigh, and kept up her pleasant smile. “It’s no trouble,” she said, warmly. “You’ve hardly taken up my time. I’m glad I could help.” She paused, and glanced at her watch. “Would you like me to come with you?” she asked. There was little benefit – she had already done enough to maintain her good appearance with Becky – but she thought that it might pay, in the future, to have gone the extra proverbial mile. “It isn’t far out of my way, and you shouldn’t walk alone in your state.”
Her chuckling is done, but the smile that came with it lingers around. Not because it wants to, but because she's forcing it to. The corner of her lips are pulled up as far as possible, and all her teeth are on show. To be honest, it looks more like a grimace. Unnatural, even, in a tear-stained face. She doesn't want to cry anymore, though. She refuses to. Especially in front of such a put-together woman. It makes her feel like a child, which is embarrassing enough as it is. Plus, she's one of their regular clients! A person who relies on her for help! Is this the image she's gonna have of her from now on everytime she walks into the bookshop? Heck, is she even gonna keep coming to it at all? Understanding as she might seem, she's probably thinking 'what a weirdo!'. Which, true. But whatever. That's a problem for later. Now, she needs to pull herself together and go home. Where... she can cry in peace. By herself. And with her cat on her lap.
At Jamie's comment, she nodded a few times in agreement. Then, she looked down at the napkin in her hand, proceeding to crumple it up with her fingers. "Well, I think all cruelty is unnecessary, but... yeah." All of it. Minor, or huge. She's more of a 'put a smile on a stranger's face' kind of person, so she can't understand it. When Jamie offered to accompany her home in reaction to her saying that she should get going, she blinked up at her. It's nice of her, sure, but she doesn't want to be a chore. "You don't have to, you know?" she said, wrinkling her nose a bit in a weakly playful manner. "You probably have better things to do, miss Moriarty. Like that book you just got. If I were you, I'd be dying to find a good place to sit down and read." Aka: 'don't worry, you don't have to waste more of your time with my pathetic self'. "But... I mean... if you want?" She murmured, stroking at her own arms as if cold. "I promise I wont talk too much on the way there."
