Let's End This Before We Fall

Blake was shook up.

Imagine - La di da, she's at the fair with a really gross soft pretzel in hand, looking at all the (incredibly boring) rides. The tilt-a-whirl, Thunder and Lightning, Nick, Joe, Kevin - oh wait, those aren't rides!

Blake's mind was churning with sarcastic, angry thoughts as she tripped around the three feet of grass behind the main food court. Her heels would sink into the soft dirt and she'd yank her feet out, lose balance and sink her heels back into the ground, then end up repeating the same thing.

But that was only increasing her anger.

Quickly her irritation at seeing them - at knowing they were only there to stalk her, per say, was turning into full blown rage.

Why did they even come? She didn't leave all those years ago just for them to come skipping right back, trying to make amends, to fix problems, to make her feel better.

She didn't want that. She didn't want them.

"Hey."

Blake cursed, spinning on her heel, which got stuck in the dirt, and Blake toppled over, letting a stream of profanities fall from her mouth all the way. When the impact finally happened she lay in the grass, not moving and letting the damp ground cool off her hot face.

Soon Joe's face appeared next to hers, he was bending down to get to her level.

"Since when do you curse?"

"Since when do you take random trips to Britain to ruin my life." instead of phrasing it as a question she just said it blandly, and it worried Joe. Had she always spoken in that tone? Did he just ignore it before? Or was this recent, was it his fault?

"Bee..." he could tell she was about to interrupt, to tell him not to call her that, "No. I'm calling you that because I... care for you. Way more than you care for me." she didn't even know the half of it, and she didn't look like she was going to respond so he continued, "And it's okay, because I understand. I fucked you up. That stuff I did -"

"Okay, it's really time for you to shut up now." she huffed, struggling to her knees and then gracefully standing up. Joe looked at her in confusion and she felt her lip curl up, then she swiftly turned and walked away as best she could, heading for the side of the building.

"Wait - no! I just found you, you can't just leave!" he shouted after her.

"Can't I?" she replied nastily, contemplating sticking her middle finger up behind her. Before she could make a decision a hand grasped hers and turned her around gently.

"Yes, yes you can. But I'm hoping our bad decisions are behind us. I'm hoping you can tell my desperation. Please."

"Joe." he looked hopeful. She groaned. "Fuck you. You always did know what to say."

His grin was creeping her out, but she always did kind of enjoy the joy he got from her.

"But - this doesn't mean we're all buddy-buddy. You're still a fucker."

"I'm liking the cursing. It's hot." Joe joked. Blake frowned at him. "Too soon?"

"And too much." Blake hoped she had let him down hard.

This 'friendship' was going to hurt the hell out of him.