Bittersweet

Chapter Two

"I love you Dad" Violet quickly spoke.

"Oh" her father asked a little surprised. "I love you too Vi. Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

Violet paused, she thought about if she should tell her dad about what happened. "Oh no, I was just calling to say I miss you guys and all that mushy stuff." The conversation was short and when Violet finally hung up she felt awkward. Placing the phone back she just stared at it for moment. "I should have told him" she spoke to it. Falling backwards and looking up at the ceiling she rested her arm on her forehead. "Maybe I should have followed him?" she asked out loud. Rolling over her face was buried into her pillow, she groan and moaned. "What are you doing Violet?" a muffled voice came from the pillow.

A suddenly a loud bass line came thumping from under her, a man's voice started to rap and Violet gripped her pillow even more. She screamed in aggravation but only she heard it. The start of a party was building under her as the sounds of people greeting one another could be heard through her floor boards. Quickly grabbing another pillow she pulled it tightly over her head trying to keep the ever growing bass line out of her head. Minutes past and her irritation only grew until she exploded tossing the pillows off of her. "That its!" she exclaimed. "I'm leaving!" Grabbing her coat, gloves, scarf, and messenger bag quick she was out the door in a flash, slamming it behind her.

Shapes and voices swam through his mind, Buddy's eye's moved rapidly as he lay passed out on his couch. His leg jerked and he moaned out a few words, his body twitched and jerked as he dreamed. Sitting up rapidly he yelled out and stared his living room windows panting. Pain crept up his right leg, hissing he grabbed at it. "Damn Charlie horse" he gritted through his teeth. Rubbing the pain out of his muscle he glanced at the clock. He hadn't been asleep long but he no longer felt tired. Grumbling he turned off the TV and stood up slowly. He gimped over towards his bedroom and paused in the doorway. All the lights were off and it looked cold and uninviting to him. Bending his leg a few times it felt better slightly. "Maybe I should go walk this off" he muttered.

The dark bedroom held his gaze for a few more moments before making up his mind. Buddy turned around and walked towards the door. Pulling off his brown coat from the rack he pulled it on, next came a blue striped scarf around his neck and was followed by a pair of black gloves. He grabbed his keys and wallet from the table and pocketed both into his jeans. Black shoes were pulled on and he was out the door. Alone he rode the elevator down, thankful for that because he used his reflection in the metal to check his hair. He fluffed the short spiky red hair up a little more; the style was supposed to be rather fashionable at the moment. When Buddy made it to the street it was still a little busy as people and cars went about there way. No one knowing who he is or was, he blended into the crowd free to wander the streets.

Hot coffee steamed from a mug in front of Violet, she sat alone and in the corner of the coffee shop. People were chatting away around her, working on laptops, speaking into cell phones, or just hid themselves away behind a book. A history book sat before her on the table; slowly she flipped the pages scanning the content. It was one of a few books in her bag and it helped her pass the time while giving her an idea on what the school year would bring.

Time ticked on and boredom set in, she pulled out her cell phone flipping it open quickly. A few hits of the buttons and Tony's name were on the screen. "Wait, what am I doing?" she whispered. The phone was close and pocketed; with a sigh the history book was shut and slipped away off the table. Headphones and her mp3 player were exchanged from her bag with the book. Sipping her coffee she pulled her notebook in closer and opened it. Violet pulled a black pen from her bag she began to write in her notebook. Words and doodles spread across the page, various colored pens came out later and were left scattered on the table.

A clock tower tolled out a late hour as Buddy rounded a corner. A few people ahead of him walked out of a coffee shop laughing taking up most of the sidewalk. He moved out of the way and pushed into a side alley, glaring he watched the group walk off. After a few steps something under Buddy's foot felt wrong, he paused leaning against the coffee shop's window. He lifted his foot to look; a large wad of gum was stuck to the bottom of his shoe.

He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Great" and started to scrape the gum from his shoe against the cement. Once the sticky goo was removed he looked into the glass his hand rested on. In giant letters the words '24 Hours, Open All Night' were painted in bright colors. The mood of a college hang out spot was clear both visually and clearly audible. Low indie music with a deep bass line rumbled gently out as the store's door swung open, another small group left chatting. Buddy scanned the crowd and grumbled about kids in college. Back in the corner a lone figure sat alone writing in a notebook; when she pulled back some of her long black hair behind her ear the woman's face became clear.

Violet's face was clear to view from the outside; Buddy stared in shock placing both hands on the window. He watched as she scribbled out what she just wrote then leaned her face into her hand; frustration was knotted on her face. Slowly Buddy entered into the store; keeping an eye on Violet he ordered a coffee from a man behind the counter, the young college kid's hair was spiked and dyed in an array of colors.

Looking over her list of reasons to tell her parents about Syndrome she couldn't help but notice the list for why not was rather short and the why she should was very long. With pen in hand she stared at the why not list, an idea drifted to mind and it was slowly written down. Violet smiled slightly and sat back biting down on the pen cap gently she looked over her freshly written words.

"Is this seat taken?" a man voice asked. Looking up Violet went from pleased to surprised and then just shocked. Buddy stood at the opening of the small round table she was sitting in. Her mouth hung open slightly at the sight of him. A coffee in hand it was strange to see him in such normal attire. His red hair looked a little messy but the hair cut he had suited it. A brown coat that came down just past his hips was a nice contrast to the black turtle neck he wore. Dark blue jeans that fit snug but shapely finished his outfit.

Violet couldn't help but stare trying to figure out why he was there, just awkwardly smiling at her waiting for her to invite him to sit. "Yes, it is" she practically snarled at him.

Buddy held his hands up and nodded slightly, "Alright, alright. I'll leave you alone if you just answer me one thing." Violet looked around for a way to slip out quickly but the table was small and boxed in. Buddy would only have to half step in either direction to block her from leaving. She was trapped and cornered; anger was boiling inside of her.

"Fine if you would just leave me alone" she answered quickly wishing him to leave right away.

Setting the coffee down on the table he leaned on his hands now palm down on the table top. Buddy looked her in the eye as Violet pushed back into the bench as far as she could. "Did I hurt you?" he asked softly. Anger faded from Violet's face and Buddy continued as she looked confused by his question. "I mean in the past. You see I don't remember a lot about my past and I, I guess, well I was told I did a lot of bad things, so if I hurt you, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Violet whispered. Buddy nodded watching Violet's face carefully. The anger was boiling again in Violet; she wanted to scream at him, punch him, kick him, do something to him but she just stared into his eyes. She could see he was looking for hope of any kind of answer come from her. Suddenly she felt such pity for him. With out any bite in her tone she breathed out slowly then responded. "You don't get to say sorry."

Pain flash on his face, his mouth opened to speak but no words came out at first. "Alright" he swallowed looking around nervously. He stood back and picked up his coffee from the table. "I won't bother you again." Buddy turned quickly and walked away from Violet leaving her with an image his hurt expression in her mind.

She stood up and yelled out to him before she had time to think and question her actions. "Wait!" Buddy stopped and turned around with a questioning look. "The seat is free, if you want it" Violet spoke just loud enough to be heard over the music playing.

He smiled a little and walked back over; Violet quickly gathered her things off of the table shoving it away into her bag. She slid over the bench, still keeping her distance to Buddy as he sat down across from her. He held his coffee in both hands, his fingers strumming the cup. "So, do you have a name or should I just call you mystery girl?"

Violet smirked and rolled her eyes sipping her own coffee. "You really don't remember?" Blue eyes with a hint of violet watched his own blue eyes, Buddy was unsure about the situation he was in but the need for answers kept him seated.

His gaze drifted down, his fingers now playing with the paper holder around the coffee cup. "No, I really don't. I remember things like what the sun is and the atomic weight of a helium molecule. But if you asked me about me like what's my favorite color or smell, I don't know. I don't remember my childhood, or what my parents look like." A hand ran through his short red hair as Buddy went on. "I don't remember what I did, who I was, I just don't know. I get fuzzy images at times but nothing is ever clear. I don't know who I am, only what people have told me I was."

He looked up at Violet finally, her expression was unclear but she was listening to him. "Well maybe that's a good thing, not remembering. Why not just let it go and start over?"

A sigh escape Buddy and he closed his eyes leaning his head down. "I can't."

Violet's brows knitted closer together, "Why not?"

"I can't just live my life not knowing who I am." Buddy's eyes grew dull as his coffee felt no longer hot in his hands. "I've been told I've done some awful things, I even did some time for the crimes I committed. That can't mean everything about me was bad, right?" He looked back up at Violet with hope in his eyes. "Everyone loses their way sometimes? Am I wrong to hope that I wasn't truly a bad person all the way through?"

It was Violet's turn to look away, sucking on her bottom lip she sighed almost silently. "No, I guess not." Put off by her dull tone his gaze was back down at his cup.

"Could we start over?" Violet glanced up but looked away immediately. Her mind raced with his question and was pulled into a million different directions all at once.

Violet wouldn't lie to him but she also wouldn't be cruel. "I don't know I can."

"Oh, ok," his thumb flicked the paper holder; he felt he should take his leave from Violet now.

"But I'll try." She looked up at Buddy and smiled slightly. Slowly he looked up from his cup at first surprised then hopeful but finally he smiled a little.

"You will?" Violet nodded and he felt a little happier, his smile grew a little more.

"I will" she said smirking.

Buddy smiled a bit more a little bashfully now then extended is hand out to her. Violet was surprised but slowly took it when he gave her an encouraging nod. He shook her hand firmly, "I'm Buddy Pine, and it's nice to meet you." Violet smiled a little and opened her mouth to respond but fear and uncertainty stopped her. She wasn't sure if she should even give her name but her mind did some quick calculations before it became any more awkward than it already was.

"I'm Violet" she said softly.

They hands separated and Buddy raised a questioning brow, "Just Violet?"

She smiled slightly but firmly, "For now."

Buddy smirked back, "Alright, I'm fine with that."