[ It should make her happy, the hand extended to her. She should take it; hop over the little stream that divides heavy hearts and light and deliver a little quip and smile the smile that says it is fine and ah, see? friends! Then they might laugh together and talk of nothing and leave knowing no more about one another than when they began. Which isn't friends— it's friendly, but not friends.
And she is not sure that friendly survives all of this. ]
A kind offer.
[ Alexandrie sighs soft through her nose. ]
You are always kind to me, and it makes me worry that you are storing up everything else you have felt in a box on a shelf somewhere.
[ A pause, and then gently: ]
It is not an easy thing we are doing. Who is it that is kind to you when you worry? [ She leaves little space for him to answer before she's appending— ] And if you smile at me and shrug as if it is a thing of no matter or say you do not worry, I will throw my slipper at you. I will throw both of them. And I will eat all of the cashews out of the nut mix.
no subject
And she is not sure that friendly survives all of this. ]
A kind offer.
[ Alexandrie sighs soft through her nose. ]
You are always kind to me, and it makes me worry that you are storing up everything else you have felt in a box on a shelf somewhere.
[ A pause, and then gently: ]
It is not an easy thing we are doing. Who is it that is kind to you when you worry? [ She leaves little space for him to answer before she's appending— ] And if you smile at me and shrug as if it is a thing of no matter or say you do not worry, I will throw my slipper at you. I will throw both of them. And I will eat all of the cashews out of the nut mix.