[Opposite Plot] Pre-Play

[forhawkeye]

Everywhere I went, people stared; I could feel their eyes trailing me all day long, as though they were paparazzi for the utterly unimportant. Much to my chagrin, changing into an unassuming outfit of a purple plaid shirt and a pair of ratty jeans hadn't convinced a single person to look elsewhere. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin and, as the day dragged slowly on, I wondered how I ever could have gone around in head-to-toe purple Kevlar. I was a freak among freaks.

I left Geometry in a hurry, my notes and things hugged tightly to my chest. My cheeks flushed a light pink as I walked past Ryan Atwood, and I gladly hid behind my curtain of dull black hair as to avoid making eye contact. I'd sat in stony silence for the duration of the lecture, replaying the stupid fight I'd picked with him only a few weeks prior. Luckily it was the only class I shared with him, which meant I wouldn't have to see him again until at least Saturday. I had never been more grateful to have class on the weekend.

Though it was well past six o'clock when class ended, I couldn't bear the thought of returning to the Compound for supper. The kitchen was always crowded at this hour and I'd had enough of being the center of attention for one day. Instead I trudged back to my hut, eyes downcast, trying to avoid the gaze of any potential onlookers. Unfortunately, in the act of trying so desperately to be ignored, I ended up walking right into someone.

"S-sorry," I apologized quickly, and I looked up with an expression of mild horror, a hand coming up to cover my gaping mouth.

Comments

[forhawkeye]

"What would you have me do instead?" I asked, clearly puzzled and a little hurt, as I brought my hands back down to my sides. "I'm not... Am I coming on too strong? Should I act aloof or...or...not tell you how perfect you are?"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Perfect? Really? "Kate, I'm not perfect," he stated, holding up a hand. "Let's make that clear. You're not coming on too strong at all, I'm just not used to this." He purposely left 'this' vague because... well what was this?

[forhawkeye]

"Being lavished with the praise you so clearly deserve?" I asked, in an effort to define 'this.' "Even if you aren't perfect, you're clearly as close as it gets."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Do you really think that?" he had to ask, disbelieving. He didn't want to believe it, that Kate actually had this opinion of him. Because it wasn't flattering now; it was just creepy. "I mean, honestly, just say how you really feel."

[forhawkeye]

His reaction startled me. My eyes welled with unshed tears and my lower lip began to tremble.

"Confused," I admitted, hiccuping. "Please, don't be upset with me, Nate. I woke up this morning and everything was wrong! My clothes were too short and too tight and too revealing. Every decision I've ever made was just utterly incomprehensible! I've been living under this crazy delusion that I was somehow this great person. It's like...I don't know. Like I've been unplugged from The Matrix and I can finally see!"

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"You're not seeing right," was all Nate in his frustration could say. He shook his head vigorously, but he had a feeling he needed to walk away and walk away soon or he was going to get too wrapped up in this, too upset to know what to do. "You are a great person, Kate. Just--"

He sighed, tired, frustrated, then tried to let it go. "Just please don't cry, Kate. Don't do that."

[forhawkeye]

I sniffled loudly, dragging the back of my hand underneath my nose in what I could only assume was an extremely unattractive manner.

"Okay," I promised wetly, my mouth pulling into a frown. "I won't cry."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

Nate didn't think Kate could ever look so pitiful, which annoyed him but also made him feel sorry for her. "I'm sorry, Kate," he said, stepping forward to wrap his arms around her. "This is just really weird and I'm frustrated. I shouldn't take it out on you."

[forhawkeye]

I rested my cheek against his perfectly sculpted chest and loosely clasped my hands behind his back, hugging him. I couldn't bear the thought of him being angry with me, so I thought it best to be agreeable. "Maybe you're right," I said quietly. "Maybe this is just an island thing and things will be less weird tomorrow and you won't have to be frustrated anymore."

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," Nate agreed, thinking to himself, Hopefully. "Come on," he said, letting go of her a little to take a step back and nod towards the path. "Have you had dinner yet?" Truthfully, he wanted to get away, but getting out of a private situation for a little while would suffice.

[forhawkeye]

I shook my head. "No," I said, and I refrained from telling him why I hadn't even planned on doing so. I figured it would only frustrate him further and I didn't want to upset him anymore than I already obviously had.

[throw-it-off.livejournal.com]

"Then let's go?" he offered, letting his hand slide down her arm to catch her hand. "We can make it like a date."

[forhawkeye]

For the first time in what felt like all day, a tentative smile formed on my face. Biting lightly down on my lower lip, I nodded and said, "I think...I think I'd like that."

After all, with Nate by my side, I knew the Compound would present no challenge we couldn't face together.