Another slip on a patch of ice and she was actively stomping on the ground in an effort to break the ice, though she only seemed to reaffirm its hold to the earth. “Can’t a girl just fucking walk?!” she shouted to no one in particular before loosing a sound of frustration and continuing on, yanking her bag tighter onto her shoulder in an angry motion. An “ugh” was loosed as she noted a few joggers, hoping she seemed angry enough to get them to veer off path and go in another direction while her mind continued to wander.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">How many of them have completed this task?</span>she wondered.<span style="font-style: italic">How many have had to die for them to join the coven? Or…was this just some cruel joke that they’ve yet to cop to?</span>Her eyes narrowed as her steps turned slightly more aggressive, her motions jerkier as she sought to keep her footing while continuing on to her bench.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Why now?</span>came another thought, this one angrier, more vehement.<span style="font-style: italic">I’ve done everything they asked! I’ve done everything that they wanted me to! Why do I have to do this to a man wh-</span><br/><br/>The thought cut off abruptly as her form was collided with and her footing was lost. Hands grasping at whoever it was in front of her to steady herself, her bag went flying, feet slipping in all directions, flailing in an entirely ungraceful manner as her anger—anger and that had been directed at the sisterhood she desperately wanted to be a part of—turned to whomever lacked eyes enough to see her before charging into her…<br/><br/>…Only to be at a loss for words.<br/><br/>Eyes widening as the anger drained from her face and instead was replaced with shock; Inwardly, however, she was dreading whatever awkward conversation was to be had.<span style="font-style: italic">…Mr. Perfect…shit.</span><br/><br/>The stammered apology was met with her straightening herself out, and lowered to get her bag, along with the notebook that’d fallen free. “Do you…always make it a habit of taking sayings like ‘bump into me’ in a literal sense?” she asked, tone not angry, but more distracted as she made sure everything was where it belonged, and made sure there was no more icy patches to watch out for in her coming departure.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The luck that he had…. <br/> <br/>There should be a book written about just how bad his luck could possibly be with this whole thing. First, he spent the rest of his evening berating himself for how he acted on their parting. Then the better part of his morning at work was spent doing that as well, as he constantly played over that last moment with her while he tried to work. Now here he was on his jog, his mind had again been on her and what does he do? Nearly kill her as he barrels into her.  <br/> <br/>The remark she made caused him to blush and stammer an excuse, “Umm….umm..no….I was um…just jogging and thinking about you....” Sentence trailed off, his mind raced to think of something else to say, anything else to say. “I really have bad luck today running into you and almost killing you…” he sighed and went to try and help her to the bench. “I’m really sorry…”</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Book…check. Notebook…check. Wallet….check. His dignity…</span>Her thoughts paused as she glanced over at him for the first time since he’d started stammering, noting the blush and the way he trailed off as he mentioned her and her eyes widened.<span style="font-style: italic">…Intact if only because of that…cute…puppy dog thing he’s got going…</span><br/><br/>A mental groan later, and she was shaking her head, offering up a small smile in return, along with a shrug. “Don’t worry about it,” she offered, pulling her coat tightly around her once more. “I’m fine…you seem fine, for the most part, so I’ll just let you get back to your jog?” Without really waiting, she offered up another smile and stepped around him, hitting more ice and slipping a bit, but haphazardly catching herself and trying to carry on with what little dignity she had left with her…lack of grace.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"> A sense of being a mistake and a failure were on his mind, as he watched her walk away. “Um…um…” he stammered and then acted. Traction on his running shoes afforded him the grip that she lacked and without any real thought he scoped her up into his arms and carried her over to the bench.  <br/> <br/>“There you go,” he said as he set her down on the bench. “Least I could do right, seeing as how I almost killed you…” a nervous smile and chuckle left his lips. “Umm…..so….were you on your way home?”  he asked again the desire to fill that void and not just leave her there.</span><br/><br/>That…she’d not expected, by any means. One minute her feet were on the ground and she was on her way to the bench, and the next he’d…scooped her up without so much as a warning, carrying her over to the bench. Her eyes were wide, shocked at his sudden act though she’d done nothing to stop it.<br/><br/>…And more awkward conversation…and “um” ensued. “I was out for a walk,” she replied to that. “Just…getting fresh air and all.” Then a pause. “So, do you run poor Lost Girls over a lot, while thinking of them, and then pick them up often? Or am I just the lucky one?” The lightest of smiles touched down on her lips, but it was nothing more than a glimmer, her tone hinting at the humor her features otherwise lacked.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Umm…um…”he stammered and laughed nervously while he gave a shrug. “No…no, but I don’t run into women that often and none that are as…” he let the sentence fall off again the blush that crept onto his cheeks something he could not avoid. “I guess….lucky? If by lucky you mean we get to spend more time together…” he managed to get out.  <br/> <br/>“I really am sorry,” he said yet again. “I just was not paying attention like I should have been…” he apologized yet again.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">He really is a puppy dog…sweet…innocent…He can barely get out what he’d been hoping, with all of the blood rushing from his heart and into his cheeks…</span>she thought, resisting the urge to groan aloud as she felt it welling up in her throat. It was almost too easy, that he seemingly found her attractive enough to get flustered and find himself at that bad of a loss for words.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Maybe if I were homeless, he could talk to me easier…</span>Chrystal thought wryly, though her outer demeanor didn’t show it. If anything, her smile softened, growing a touch larger, the corners of her lips quirking up a bit more. “You don’t need to apologize so much,” she replied to that. “I could have been paying more attention, too, but I wasn’t, and here we are.” Another shrug moved through her shoulders. “But, you seem to be in one piece, and I seem to be in one piece, so I don’t think any harm was done, do you?”