“Evolved, you?” Ryleigh teases gently, because she distinctly remembers Stevie being an advocate for anything other than coffee. When that sweet nickname rolls of Stevie’s tongue, however, the blonde is swept away to another time, another place. “Nobody’s called me that since you left.” Tink. It was theirs, nobody else’s, and only because the first night she’d met Stevie, there’d been a showing of Peter Pan at one of the old drive in theater’s in New York. Ryleigh had gone by herself because she loved Disney movies and wanted to do something for herself, to celebrate. By happenstance, she’d met Stevie and they’d ended up watching the movie together, but not without Stevie dubbing her with a nickname by the end of it. If she’d gone as Tinkerbell for Halloween that year to a party Stevie invited her to, it was their memory and one she’d never shared with anyone. “Thanks… if I need a space, I’ll let you know.”
She doesn’t think she will make that leap, however, because they’re different people now. Two years is a long time to be without someone you spent almost every waking moment with for six months, only to have your world shift so suddenly. Sharing a space with her after so much time… Ryleigh isn’t sure whether it would be good for her or hinder her, being swept up in memories of another time, of who she’d once been. Kind and caring, but less apprehensive, more… free. Hearing Stevie talk about the small figurine as if it was something so precious, Ryleigh turns away from it, unable to look upon it any longer. A warm flush colors her cheeks, arms tucking across her chest as she slowly shuffles toward the couch. “Hazlenut is fine,” she answers, watching Stevie from where she’d taken a seat on the couch.
“Good. I like knowing I’m the only one who gets to use it,” she replies, sticking out her tongue as if it made her any less serious. Truth was, there was very little of Ryleigh she liked sharing. Call it silly or possessive, but Ryleigh was one of the few people in New York or anywhere for that matter, she felt-- connected to. She had Jason, once upon a time, but that was strained. She had friends around the world, ones she cared deeply for, but none that she could reach out and touch. Video chats were more common now, but they weren’t the same as watching someone in real time, the light in their eyes as they talked about something they love. Or see the nuisances in their smiles and the differences between which is real and which is forced or sad or some combination of the two.
It’s something she sees now as she glances through to the living room. Ryleigh, the bright eyed, bubbly woman she used to know, was different. She couldn’t put her finger on it and though she knows she shouldn’t press, she can’t help making her way into the living room after popping in the hazlenut cup. “Ryleigh,” she says, stopping in front of her just shy of the couch. She doesn’t sit, but brushes her hair from her face, chewing the inside of her lip lightly “Listen, are you ok?” she paused, ”I know it’s been a while but...something just seems off with you. If it’s me, being too-- me, that’s fine. I can tone it down, but I won’t know unless you tell me,”
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