A/N: And this chapter brings about some revelations and some thoughts.
*Gasp* Columbia and Magenta don't start out as friends. Eventually,
they're going to reconcile their differences, but at first no, they do not
get along. I hope this chapter is interesting. It involves all sorts of
strange realizations and let's just say, it's setting the stage for some
things that will happen later. Ooh, and thanks to all my reviewers, I've
been meaning to thank you already, but thank you, thank you, thank you!
Oh, Freeverse, don't worry; things will be explained bit by bit about her
past. So R&R and enjoy!
~*~*~*~
I'm flipping through a magazine in my room and listening to records a couple days after the party when Magenta suddenly appears over my shoulder. "Oh, hi," I say, slightly startled. She doesn't say anything, so I return to my magazine, casually bopping my head to the records and acting like she's not just standing there staring at me. She stands there for a while, just watching me read the magazine. It's starting to make me uncomfortable. I nearly just come out and say, "What do you want?" but that might seem mean, so I keep reading. Finally she asks, "Have a good time at the party?" I don't quite understand if this is supposed to mean anything in particular, so I just say, "Yep," and continue with the magazine.
"Fun party?" she prompts. "Mm-hmm," I say, intently reading about the latest trends in Milan. "Nothing too exciting happened?" Now I'm just confused. Why is she so bent on hearing all the little details of my time at the party? I shrug, not looking at her as I reply.
"It was just a party." Magenta stands for a while, contemplating this. Something tells me that she knows I'm withholding information, but it's not her business what I did or didn't do last night, and if I don't want to tell her, I'm not going to. It's my private business.
"Listen, I've seen the girls come and go in this place," she says, surprising me with her candor. "Just don't fall too hard and it can't hurt you." With that, she exits and I'm left to mull over what she's said. I've seen the girls come and go. What's that supposed to mean? Last night.last night was something. something different. Something strange and new. Am I some link in a chain of girls or something? Just another girl to be pushed aside? Frank doesn't seem like he would push me aside, just basing on the events after the party. I mean, I really like Frank. He's unusual, the kind of person you don't meet every day. He's been so nice to me, letting me stay here. He's really something else. I think I may even love him a little bit. And he's smart. A scientist. I never thought I'd fall for a smart guy. I never thought I would even come close to falling for a smart guy. Smart guys certainly wouldn't come close to me. Well things have changed, and Christie is no more, it's Columbia now. All the guys love Columbia; smart ones, stupid ones, cool ones, pathetic ones and everyone in between. Columbia has sex appeal. Columbia makes all the guys say, "Wow."
But then there's Eddie. Eddie's tough, Eddie's masculine, Eddie's into rock 'n' roll. Eddie is dangerous, Eddie lives on the wild side, and I'm sure Eddie likes me. And I like Eddie too. He's a sweet guy. He seems to like me a lot. I'll admit, more than I like him. He seems taken with me. I could like him a lot too. I do like him a lot. I like Eddie, and I like Frank. I like them both. I think they both like me. I like Eddie, Eddie likes me, I like Frank, Frank likes me. I'm a little worried this could cause problems in the future, me liking the both of them. I feel a little bad, being with both of them. I hate feeling like I'm leading them on. But I like both of them, and both of them like me.
Eddie is much more open about liking me. Frank is more "been there, done that". Eddie doesn't care that he likes me, and Eddie doesn't mind acting like it. Frank is so aloof sometimes, so without a care, but it's all a pretense, simply the way he acts. When we're alone... oh, he's not aloof then. Much the opposite. Eddie, Eddie is just... it's different with Eddie. I like Eddie, but I think I may love Frank.
Just don't fall too hard and it can't hurt you. I've already fallen, I'm afraid. Fallen for Frank. Even fallen for Eddie a little, although certainly not as much. What did Magenta mean, it can't hurt you? What can't hurt me? WHAT CAN'T HURT ME? I won't get hurt, no matter what. Not by Eddie, not by Frank. This is the new me, this is Columbia, who doesn't get hurt by anyone. I won't get hurt, because they won't hurt me. Either of them. What did Magenta mean? Why would I get hurt? Frank and I just had some harmless fun. I very much admire him, and his work, and his sense of being.
So what, I like the guy. A lot. And so what, I barely know him, but I adore him. He's a special guy, Frank is, and I do believe I will stay here forever, content with this electrifying life, all Frank, and parties, and dancing, and Eddie, and sequins and sparkles and thrills. This is the place for me. It's stimulating and I have all of the attention I could ever want. I have everything I could ever want. And if I don't have it I can ask for it, and I'll get it.
And so what if I like both of them. I'm not even twenty yet! I don't have to have just one guy. There's plenty of time for me to be serious. And that's the magic of this place. I don't have to be serious. Ever. As far as I'm concerned, it's like living in a fountain of youth. You stay the same general age eternally, if not in body then at least in mind. Nothing changes. Yes, I think I will stay here forever, with Frank, and with Eddie, dancing and laughing and having a good time. Nothing will change, because I don't want anything to change.
And still, Magenta's warning upsets me. Just don't fall too hard and it can't hurt you. It's almost cryptic. But somehow, I think I do know what it means deep down, and that really scares me.
~*~*~*~
I'm flipping through a magazine in my room and listening to records a couple days after the party when Magenta suddenly appears over my shoulder. "Oh, hi," I say, slightly startled. She doesn't say anything, so I return to my magazine, casually bopping my head to the records and acting like she's not just standing there staring at me. She stands there for a while, just watching me read the magazine. It's starting to make me uncomfortable. I nearly just come out and say, "What do you want?" but that might seem mean, so I keep reading. Finally she asks, "Have a good time at the party?" I don't quite understand if this is supposed to mean anything in particular, so I just say, "Yep," and continue with the magazine.
"Fun party?" she prompts. "Mm-hmm," I say, intently reading about the latest trends in Milan. "Nothing too exciting happened?" Now I'm just confused. Why is she so bent on hearing all the little details of my time at the party? I shrug, not looking at her as I reply.
"It was just a party." Magenta stands for a while, contemplating this. Something tells me that she knows I'm withholding information, but it's not her business what I did or didn't do last night, and if I don't want to tell her, I'm not going to. It's my private business.
"Listen, I've seen the girls come and go in this place," she says, surprising me with her candor. "Just don't fall too hard and it can't hurt you." With that, she exits and I'm left to mull over what she's said. I've seen the girls come and go. What's that supposed to mean? Last night.last night was something. something different. Something strange and new. Am I some link in a chain of girls or something? Just another girl to be pushed aside? Frank doesn't seem like he would push me aside, just basing on the events after the party. I mean, I really like Frank. He's unusual, the kind of person you don't meet every day. He's been so nice to me, letting me stay here. He's really something else. I think I may even love him a little bit. And he's smart. A scientist. I never thought I'd fall for a smart guy. I never thought I would even come close to falling for a smart guy. Smart guys certainly wouldn't come close to me. Well things have changed, and Christie is no more, it's Columbia now. All the guys love Columbia; smart ones, stupid ones, cool ones, pathetic ones and everyone in between. Columbia has sex appeal. Columbia makes all the guys say, "Wow."
But then there's Eddie. Eddie's tough, Eddie's masculine, Eddie's into rock 'n' roll. Eddie is dangerous, Eddie lives on the wild side, and I'm sure Eddie likes me. And I like Eddie too. He's a sweet guy. He seems to like me a lot. I'll admit, more than I like him. He seems taken with me. I could like him a lot too. I do like him a lot. I like Eddie, and I like Frank. I like them both. I think they both like me. I like Eddie, Eddie likes me, I like Frank, Frank likes me. I'm a little worried this could cause problems in the future, me liking the both of them. I feel a little bad, being with both of them. I hate feeling like I'm leading them on. But I like both of them, and both of them like me.
Eddie is much more open about liking me. Frank is more "been there, done that". Eddie doesn't care that he likes me, and Eddie doesn't mind acting like it. Frank is so aloof sometimes, so without a care, but it's all a pretense, simply the way he acts. When we're alone... oh, he's not aloof then. Much the opposite. Eddie, Eddie is just... it's different with Eddie. I like Eddie, but I think I may love Frank.
Just don't fall too hard and it can't hurt you. I've already fallen, I'm afraid. Fallen for Frank. Even fallen for Eddie a little, although certainly not as much. What did Magenta mean, it can't hurt you? What can't hurt me? WHAT CAN'T HURT ME? I won't get hurt, no matter what. Not by Eddie, not by Frank. This is the new me, this is Columbia, who doesn't get hurt by anyone. I won't get hurt, because they won't hurt me. Either of them. What did Magenta mean? Why would I get hurt? Frank and I just had some harmless fun. I very much admire him, and his work, and his sense of being.
So what, I like the guy. A lot. And so what, I barely know him, but I adore him. He's a special guy, Frank is, and I do believe I will stay here forever, content with this electrifying life, all Frank, and parties, and dancing, and Eddie, and sequins and sparkles and thrills. This is the place for me. It's stimulating and I have all of the attention I could ever want. I have everything I could ever want. And if I don't have it I can ask for it, and I'll get it.
And so what if I like both of them. I'm not even twenty yet! I don't have to have just one guy. There's plenty of time for me to be serious. And that's the magic of this place. I don't have to be serious. Ever. As far as I'm concerned, it's like living in a fountain of youth. You stay the same general age eternally, if not in body then at least in mind. Nothing changes. Yes, I think I will stay here forever, with Frank, and with Eddie, dancing and laughing and having a good time. Nothing will change, because I don't want anything to change.
And still, Magenta's warning upsets me. Just don't fall too hard and it can't hurt you. It's almost cryptic. But somehow, I think I do know what it means deep down, and that really scares me.