"I can't be who she wants me to be, Wes!"
"Who said you had to?"
The black dress was stained with tears, her hair that had been so tightly pulled back now hung loosely draped around her shoulder. Her eyes were puffy, the mascara a heavy black against her cheeks. Blinking back more tears furiously, she instinctively rubbed a hand against her eyes, making the dark makeup even more smudged.
"I just-- I can't-" Kaye faltered, her eyes downcast and unable to look straight into the boy, "I can't not care anymore, Wes, I'm so tired of pretending I don't give a fuck about what my mother says, how she questions my decisions, how I'm just--" she paused, sniffling. "Not enough."
"Kaye, you know that's not--"
"I'm a Director, Wes." she pronounced each word through muffled tears. "That alone aggravates her. She was a Ruler during her time, did you know that? So was Dad. And I-- she expects me to be the same, and I just...I can't! And it's because I don't care about the dumb system, but she seems to misinterpret that as me not caring about her!"
"Kaye."
"And even if I tried, even if I wanted to be one, I couldn't, Wes, and you know it. I don't rule things, I don't boss people around, I-- I make films, films she doesn't even watch, much less like. I sculpt, I write and I read and I do all these things and wear all these things she disapproves of, and the moment I comply with her, the moment I attempt to dress up like - like this," gesturing to the black dress, "she still finds a way to criticize it, Wes, and I can't do it, I can't be who she wants me to be."
"Who said you had to?"
For the first time throughout their conversation, she looked up at the boy beside her, the boy she'd messaged the minute she began to crack, the boy who showed up exactly five minutes after. "What?"
"Kaye." "Wes." "Are you happy where you are?"
Rolling her eyes at the question, "You know how I feel about stupid questions." she said, chuckling darkly despite the circumstance.
"Well, it doesn't seem that stupid at the moment." with a shrug, Wes repeated the question. "Are you happy? Being you, doing what you love. Are you?"
Sighing quietly, "Yes, Wesley. I'm happy." she allowed herself a small smile this time. "I'm happy making films and listening to music nobody else seems to like but you put up with. I'm happy - I just wish she would be, too."
"She'll come around, Kaye. And if she doesn't, then -- really, it isn't anyone's loss but her own." repositioning his body to face her, Wes took Kaye's face in his hands, using his thumb to wipe away the small tears that were falling down her cheeks. "Kaye -- you're beautiful. You're intelligent. You're driven. You're passionate, and that passion - it's an inspiration. You are where you are because you belong there - so don't bother changing for anyone else."
The smile on her face now considerably wider, Kaye leaned in, pressing her lips against his in a gentle manner. "I love you."
"And I love you. - now let's get out of here; there's this film down at the local theatre I think you'd like."
"Yeah, okay - but can we pass by your place first? I swear to every god, this dress is getting itchier by the minute."
