Closed Warrior & Dancer

[Savacea Jovellana]

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Loda mentioned that he had not done a cartwheel since he was a child, Savacea could not help but think that this was going to be interesting indeed then. Then he took hold of his loincloth raising a brow at her as he said he had to retie it so he could do the acrobatics. She was unsure what he meant until he slowly began to pull the tie, then she understood. Savacea respectfully glanced away to give him his privacy of her staring eyes. Not that she did not want to look, as she was curious, but it was best to keep this as professional as possible, she once again needed to distance herself. She kicked at the sand at her feet, willing her eyes away from Loda so he could retie his loincloth, she was about to peek to see if he was done, but he spoke in his deep voice that it would do.

Her gaze then returned to the warrior as he was tying his hair up out of his face, he mentioned how it was not going to be good chuckling making Savacea smirk backing up a little ways to give him more room. She watched as he carried his body over but lost his balance, she smirked at him giving a small laugh as he sat in the sand with his rear exposed. She shook her head and walked forward, "You have to know your body, feel your body and the way it moves. She grabbed his arm moving it, back and forth "Feel how your muscles react, your body speaks to you." She then slid her hand down his chest and rested her palm on his stomach pressing in slightly, "Hold your core tighter, when your body shifts you must shift your weight with it so you do not lose your balance." She relucantly removed her hand, her face not showing any emotion so it would not betray her, speaking in a louder tone she looked at him, "Again." She simply said, crossing her arms like he did to her, watching him with a stern look on her face.

When ever he got the cartwheel down she would show him a handstand, it was best to keep it as simple as possible so he would not hurt himself. She still received bruises as she was not any better really. Savacea touhed her knee briefly at that thought, rubbing it slightly then recrossing her arms to watch Loda reattempt the cartwheel.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Loda]

LODA
Denizen of Black Rock
-----------------------------------

She came over to teach him what he did wrong and it actually kind of made sense to the man. Hold your core, just like he had done countless times before with his spear. At her touch he mentally and physically tightened his core and once ready he made his way back to the spot he started with.

“Hold my core...Okay, just feel my body.” Loda was a quick study, but this was kind of new for him. He was a level headed guy, in more ways than one. He didn’t ever really tip over like this or flip. In fact it was hard enough getting the guy to dance around the firepit. Needless to say he was tense when it came to flipping about, but after his last attempt, he remembered how fun it was to do so. Idly he wondered just how good Savacea was at all of this. She was obviously practicing it in the sand.

“So why were you out here practicing acrobatics so early? You said you dance some? Just for fun?” With that he took off again, fully running and then tried to remember to hold his core. He tightened his muscles, tried to keep himself straight as possible in the turn, and resisted the urge to crumple up his body.

He kept thinking “Long legs, long legs” and sure enough he made it over. He however was running so fast that when he landed the cartwheel he lost balance and almost fell on his face. He quickly caught himself and remained on his feet. With a playful smile he ran back toward Savacea, trying it once more, his feet flinging sand into the air, likely showering her as he came over once more. This time he got it a bit better than before but was still a bit wobbly. With a tooth bearing grin he looked over at her and rubbed the sand from his wet hands down his chest to clean them off in brisk strokes.

“How was that? Probably pretty horrible hmm?” he snickered a bit, knowing it was pretty bad. Even with the man’s hair tied back it outlined his features more so. His stern jaw seemed all the more, his shoulders seemed stronger now that they were not outlined with the blackness of his hair. It was amazing what a simple change can do to alter perspectives of someone. In Savacea’s case, seeing her without her armor on let him drink in all her features, something he had been desiring to do, whether it was forbidden or not. He knew the heart of Myri, and over the past couple days he had a lot of personal time to think about what that meant. He had to be careful or meet disrespect, and that was not something he wanted. He just couldn’t bring himself to tell Savacea. He kept drawing a line in the sand of where to tell her, but he just couldn’t help himself to step over the line and continue teasingly flirting with her. It was so fun and refreshing to see her smile; yet to forsake his people, his queen, and his whole upbringing was impossible.


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Other's Words - My Words - My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

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Loda asked her a question that had a long answer, but she left it short as it would take time away from learning, "Oh.. Just for fun." She nodded as that was a sufficient enough answer, as she watched him practice his cartwheel. He was getting better with each turn, if only he didn't send sand everywhere. Savacea brushed the sand off of her, and gave him a bright smile. "Much better then what it was." She gave a short chuckle, looking away from his features. She could not deny the way he was looking right now was making her heart beat strangely.

She forced her gaze elsewhere dismissing the thoughts as now it was time to learn something new. "You start off with the basics, that way you can get the feel of your body and balance." She explained to him as she raised her hands in the hair, moving her body forward to the ground and catching her body weight on her hands, straightening her legs out in the air pointing her toes. Then she brought her legs down, into a back bend and lifted herself up.

"Your turn, I will stand here to help you find your balance the first time." She said holding her arms out nodding to him to go for it. It was a bit of a trust game in a way. Trusting another person to catch you as you went down, so you do not fall. She was not going to catch his body, only his legs to balance them and adjust his weight so he knew what it should feel like. The next few times he would do by himself, it was just a starting point that needed to be reached. She gazed at him for a minute then back at her outstretched arms, awaiting his legs so she could catch them and balance him in the sand.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Loda]

LODA
Denizen of Black Rock
-----------------------------------

Savacea was even cute when she nodded, that much was clear. Her short little answer sustained his curiosity and he let the subject drop, thinking completely that it was simply a hobby that she did. Regardless he thought it was something interesting to learn. In the coming days he would likely receive maaany bruises and scrapes from his practicing this.

Rosy red cheeks dotted the woman before him and did not leave her face. She averted her gaze from him constantly, as though he was the sun and if she looked into his eyes it would make her do things she had only thought about in the privacy of her mind. He understood the feeling and felt the snakes slithering in his stomach slow when she was not staring at him. It was painfully obvious they were attracted to each other, when not even a week ago he was near disgusted by her appearance. He had since come to lift the veil of racial hatred upon her and had come to actually admire her as an individual. He knew if he but reached out and touched her neck, or showed any kind of affection, this woman would cave and it would be at that point he would be in great danger. Her voice sounded out, speaking of basics and balance.

He was not the most able bodied in balance, so the chance to improve it was appealing. She displayed what she wanted him to do and he scratched his forehead, then wiped away the sweat that had formed lightly upon it.

“You want me to do that…”, he struggled a moment thinking of how to do it, even though she just showed him how, but she made it seem so simple and graceful. While he had a graceful side, it wasn’t with regards to this. He tackled his challenges with force and now he had to tactically conceptualize how he was going to conquer this battle. “Ok…” he didn’t hesitate and with a slow steady motion he leaned forward like her, but he got stuck figuring out what to do with his feet; they didn’t want to come up like hers did. The end result was him on all fours with his butt up in the air making a little hopping dance as he tried to kick his legs up in the air. Eventually he put the right amount of force behind them and then told his body to have strong arms. Part of him feared the fact that a clawed Symenestra was going to catch his legs, yet he had been trusting of her thus far for much more dexterous tasks. He therefore brushed off the thought that she was going to hurt him and held his legs up in the air, feeling her hands upon them as he stood there upside-down.

With as much grace as he could manage he began to arch his body toward the other side in a steady forward motion, but his shoulder truly hurt him and it made his body lean a bit away from Savacea, though with her help and fluid forward motion he was able to right himself. His feet planted and he stood up, a bit dizzy all of a sudden. He stood there as if in a daze, blinking as the world righted itself. “uhh...dizzy. One moment.” It was a strange feeling, one that he hadn’t felt in a while. One such event was about two months ago when he passed out from pain, yet before that was probably when he was a child. When he was ready he would try again, learning the motion a bit better and focusing more strength to his hurt arm so that it didn’t twist on him again and cause pain. His dizziness even began to leave him after a while.

“Wow, thanks for the help. I can see how your hands really helped. I had no idea the first time, but now I think I’m starting to feel it.” he curiously asked. “How is it that you could jump further than me in the bog? You seemed like a feather on the wind,” he let out a deep chuckle and wiped off the sand again from his hands onto his chest and then smacking it to the ground off of him. “Is there a technique or practice? Or is it just because you are so light?”


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Other's Words - My Words - My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

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She smile softly as Loda struggled for a moment, asking her if she wanted him to do that. He did not seem confident himself, which would not help his case when he tried to go into a hand stand. He seemed to think for a moment, then said okay. As he went down she was ready to catch his legs, but he was having a hard time getting his legs up and did some strange hopping dance in the sand that made her laugh a little. She was not laughing at him or his lack of ability it was just kind of endearing in a way as he struggled with it. Finally his legs came in the air and she softly grabbed his legs, balancing him as he wobbled, righting his body so he could get the feeling of how the weight should be shifted so he could hold it himself.

Once he came up he had a dazed look about him that made her worry for him, he righted himself and mentioned he was dizzy. She came to his side, touching his arm and looking up at him in worry. Savacea stayed silent so he could get his wits about him. Once he was done with the hand stand she clasped her hands together, "You are doing so great." She praised him, even if he was a little wobbly now she could see him being able to use the flexibility and agility acrobatics gave in battle, which made her feel better about the man, knowing she was in some way helping him to be safer out in the jungles of his home.

Loda thanked her for the help and she nodded her head. Happy he was starting to feel how it was supposed to. Then he asked her a question about how she was able to jump further than him in the bog, she smiled at his chuckle, "When you punch a man, sometimes it is only a bruise or a broken jaw. If you punched me it would shatter all the bones in my face. Symenestra have very light bones as well as bodies, so we are more agile. You have to be when you climb as much as we do, like spiders." She smiled shaking her head, "I know my body, how it moves, how it feels, I am able to do this better but I will never be able to protect myself as you do." She stated a bit ashamed that she was so weak, but it was the truth. "Even if what would break a normal person's bones would shatter my own, I do not tip-toe in life. I take it and live it. Besides death does not worry me, perhaps I will be a pesky ghost on Black Rock soon." She shrugged although she did not want to die in some ways, in others she could see it being a better outcome. There was not much left for her to live for, although Loda was helping her see that there was with his friendship and kindness. She brought herself out of her pause clearing her throat dismissing those thoughts altogether, "But for you to leap better you may want to try it like this perhaps?"


Savacea crouched down slowly, her hands on the ground before her. Pushing off with her hands her legs crossed over the same space in a leap, it was not as graceful as when she did it her own way for her own body, but it should work for him. "Using your hands to push off from the space in a crouch, to vault your body forward, since you have such strong arms it should work better for you." The Symenestra was feeling like she was rambling and became quiet, she was indeed rambling as she was becoming more comfortable with the man before her. She smiled softly, "Try it." She said stepping back to give the man his space so he could attempt the basic vaulting technique.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Loda]

LODA
Denizen of Black Rock
-----------------------------------

Pride filled the warrior’s heart as the sweet words of his beauteous instructor met him, giving Loda all sorts of praise for his success. He felt a bit more secure in his crazed actions, at least around her. Who knew how he would do by himself. As Savacea explained how he could so readily hurt her, he seemed shocked, not only at her statement about hurting her, but how she related herself to spiders. It was a social thing that he didn’t really even want to touch on with his own words, but at hers he seemed that it was okay to talk about. She went on to say how she could never protect herself like he does, yet in his mind he thought she was more than capable, so this statement somewhat made him disappointed. She however righted herself by speaking so bravely.

The warrior watched as she displayed how to jump, however this time he did not follow instructions. Instead he spoke to her in a calm voice, “You speak so darkly, Savacea. You may not be a Myrian, but you have cunning, you are smart, and you take life by the throat. That’s saying something. You keep speaking about how strong I am, but I am strong because I take my strengths and make them stronger.”

Loda looked her up and down, taking in her beautiful frame once more. “You have strengths.” He chuckled as if to indicate she was pretty, and looked seriously over his shoulders. He seemed to be looking toward the cliffs in the distance they had climbed. “And you can protect yourself just as damn good as I can. Maybe not in certain situations, but where you lack, you may excel in others. No-one is perfect.”

He didn’t want to talk off her ear on a small subject, but he didn’t like her speaking about her death as if it would come quickly and soon. His words in the marsh obviously cut very deep. “A warrior in battle relies on tactics. If a foe is stronger than him, he bends and uses the enemy’s weight against him. If the warrior’s strengths are weaker than his own, then he tramples over him. If you just think for a moment on it, I’m sure you could even do well in a battle.” He smirked, “And I’m not so strong. I couldn’t even skewer that animal before.” He touched his shoulder to indicate he even had weakness. "But maybe I misunderstood?" He asked curiously, looking into her eyes. He either misunderstood her or he wanted her to get it off her chest. She seemed to be holding back so much, but he couldn't tell what it was.


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Other's Words - My Words - My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

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Loda did not follow suit and her brow furrowed as to why, but the brow smoothed out as he began to speak. His voice was so calm, she could not help but listen to ever word that came out of his beautiful mouth. Loda told her how she spoke so darkly, that she may not be a Myrian but she had cunning, she was smart, and that she took life by the throat. Then said he takes his strengths and make them stronger. She was a bit stunned, wondering if her words had struck the wrong chord with him. The warrior looked her up and down, saying she had strengths, chuckling and making a small smile appear on her face, as he continued looking at the cliffs beyond where they first meet, talking where she lacked she excelled in other areas. She thought this could be true, though at times she could not help but despise her frail bones. He was right that no one was perfect, she did not want to be perfect and she never would be. She just wanted to be something else, something she thought she could take pride in being like he did. The warrior standing before her talked about how a warrior used tactics, how to use the enemy's weight or to trample them if they are weaker. He even said she could do well in battle, this made her scoff a little. She could not see herself in a battle, she would likely be shattered to pieces. Perhaps if she was a hunting a prey and could be stealthy enough her claws and fangs could come in handy though. Loda said he was not that strong touching his injured shoulder, then saying perhaps he misunderstood what she was saying.

The warriors dark gaze met her own, she felt like she was swimming in the pools of his eyes. She had been averting looking at him during this time, but now it was impossible as his gaze penetrated hers. He wanted her to elaborate, to get it off her chest. Savacea was not sure what to do, but she sighed looking a bit forlorn, "You are right, I am strong in some ways. Though in others I am weak and I despise it. I do not like feeling weak. I know no one can be perfect, I do not want to be perfect. I just want to be something other than I am. Something more acceptable to the world, perhaps look different. People look at me as if I am weak or a monster, and I feel like I am neither." She paused for a moment, "Okay perhaps I can be a monster at times, but not in the way they think I am." She chewed on her lower lip, it was becoming a bad habit, "At one time I thought that death was the solution to my problems, I embraced it but never did it. I do want to live, and live life to it's fullest. Though at the same time, if I were to die there really would not be anyone that would notice, so it would not be that bad not really. So I embrace life but death too in a strange way I suppose." She shook her head, walking closer to Loda, dropping her gaze and looking at her feet in the sand.

"I am nothing really, I am surprised you are my friend most days. I expect you to treat me like all others who claimed they cared. To leave, hurt me, break my heart, and to never see you again. It frightens me that I will lose you when I just found you, and I try to distance myself from you so it will hurt less when you leave. Everyone does, so it is okay if you do too, I just.. don't want to get too close and then find myself in that darkness again alone." Savacea was silent for a moment kicking the sand at her feet, still staring down at the ground then she looked up with sorrow in her eyes, "I do not think I am strong enough to battle the darkness again." Then she looked away. Peering out into the ocean as the wind swept her hair making it dance in the wind. Her small body trembled with the nerves that it took to lay it all out, to get it all off her chest.

She was not sure how Loda would react, he seemed to ask for her to let it out and so she did. Savacea was uncertain how he would take it though, but it was best to let her feelings show, let him know how she felt. That way if he did decide to leave he could do so now, the pain would be less although it would still hurt a great deal. She did not want to keep going with hope in her heart, with the emotions pouring through her, and the happiness igniting inside her soul and then to have it all ripped away from her like in her past. Leaving her cold, alone, and shrouded in the darkness of her soul. Even the revenge that fueled her seemed to slowly slip away as time went by with Loda. He breathed life into her once lifeless body, she had known him for only a short time but the feelings that had developed were true and they scared her immensely at how easily they had came, and it was more scary at how easy that they could disappear.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Loda]

LODA
Denizen of Black Rock
-----------------------------------

Loda finally seemed to his his mark and opened up the can of worms that had been eating at the girl every time he threw a spear or did something manly. She revealed again how her chief concerns were that people think she is a monster and she felt like she was neither. She got a chuckle from him when she corrected herself that she indeed could be a bit of a monster. He could see that sass in her and said.

“I could see that.”

He let her continue on about how she felt, genuinely interested. She felt like she was torn between places, that no-one would notice if she died, but that she wanted to live. The man watched as she approached him and looked to her feet with her. Her toes were cute and Myrian-like, albeit a bit pale, but beautiful to his sight regardless. He didn’t want to interrupt her and his silence seemed to work as she further opened up to him.

He felt sad at her words because he was going to leave her one day, and go to a place she could not come. It was his life and he was responsible for her sadness as he feared, yet perhaps he was part of her joy. It was a deep subject, and deep subjects needed to be tackled from the ground up. Loda moved slowly to sit on the ground and patted the ground next to him for her to sit up close. If she sat he would put a loving arm around her and give her a gentle squeeze, being very careful not to harm nor bruise her. He then would say while looking out to the windy ocean about them.

“I -am- going to leave one day, to return back home, back to my people far from here, and you will be left alone in your darkness, on the Isle of the Dead with no-one to love or care if you live or die…” He paused, “That is a horrible tale..I don’t want to be responsible for your sadness. That is something I can’t bear. I would rather bear a mark of shame than see you sad by my hand. Instead ...can I not be the one who has brought a beautiful smile back to your face? Can I not be the one that holds hope that somewhere on this world that you still live? And can I not be the one that remains your friend even if not by your side? Do you really think that all eyes on you consider you a monster? Surely there are those out in the world who don’t think so other than me. I am a bloodied savage and I can see that. So why do you speak so dark? Can’t you find joy in the simple things in life anymore?” He looked up into the wind and took in a breath. “The sea breeze, the gull’s cry, the sound of the waves...Even on this dead island there is life enough for the empty hearted. “

It felt good to get off his chest the fact that he was going to leave as intended, just so she knew where his heart truly was. He really did care for her though and hoped it didn’t destroy her.


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Other's Words - My Words - My Thoughts

[Savacea Jovellana]

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Savacea come beside him sitting down as he wanted her to do. His large arm came around her gently squeezing, then he began to let things off his chest too. They were having a heart to heart, it was not as awkward as she had feared it would be, instead it was actually relieving. It was as if a big weight had been lifted off of her, though she felt insecure because she felt naked in the emotional sense and that was terrifying. She listened to the words he said, a bit stunned that he did intend to leave, but thankful that he was at least honest where as others just left. Savacea knew he would return to his people eventually and that it was a place she could not follow him to. Myrians seemed to be territorial and anything on their territory was killed. She would have followed him though if it was possible, but it wasn't and it broke her heart in a way.

He continued after his pause saying how he did not want to be responsible for her sadness but for her smile. Hoping that he could trust that she still lived where ever her travels may take her, to remain her friend even if he was not by her side. Loda tried to reassure her that there were others who would not see her as a savage, a monster, though it could be true she was not sure that anyone other than a Symenestra would accept her, besides Loda. The warrior mentioned finding joy in the simple things in life, that she had all but forgotten about. There was a time perhaps when she did just that, but she had became bitter and cold against the world. She did not take in the world with the eyes of love, instead it was guarded and vicious. Then Loda came and started opening her eyes to the world around her, but now he too was going to leave. She was going to be alone again, she had a feeling it was going to happen but she still did not want to accept it. Savacea did not want to lose this companionship they had form. She could no longer wake up at the Dormitories with hope to see his smirking face, it would all be gone. To say she was devastated would have been an understatement. She stayed silent for a long time, taking his words in that he had spoken earlier.

She was not sure how to react, in some way she wanted to cry and be devastated and let the darkness come again. Then his words rung true that she should live for the simple things, find happiness around her, and let him be her friend and bring a smile to her face, and still be her friend even when he goes. A brief thought crossed her mind about just leaving Black Rock, so she did not have to say good bye to him but then that would not be fair to him. Perhaps somewhere he had similar feelings as she did, although perhaps he did not. She started nibbling at her lips again as her thoughts consumed her, becoming more silent as time flew by.

After sitting there quietly for ten minutes, she finally spoke up her voice a bit strained from containing her emotions, "I understand." She said pausing for a few seconds, "I need to look at life differently." She stated still looking down at the sand pausing once again to tuck her toes in the warm depths of the soft sand then making them reappear, "You could never make me sad Loda, you have made me feel more alive then I have in a long time. I just... Have to face the darkness with new eyes." Savacea whispered these words as she stood up, brushing the sand off of her as she did so. Avoiding the topic of him leaving on purpose, she was not sure she could manage saying it out loud, it was already heart breaking hearing it from his mouth but to hear it from her own would consume her in grief, "You will always be in my heart, no matter how far you go, I will face the darkness knowing that somewhere you are out there living your life and it will give me the strength I need." She wiped the sand off of her face, stepping away form the Warrior with her back turned towards him. It was true he would always have a place inside her heart, his friendship meant more to her then he could possibly realize, but then so much more as well that she could not say nor fathom. She sighed softly then turned looking at the sand, "I am sorry for pouring it all out on you like that. I should of kept it in, it was unfair of me to crumbled on you as I did." The Symenestra whispered the words softly, tucking a strand of her raven black hair behind her ear, she kicked at the sand. "You want to try that leap now?" She pondered out loud, steering the conversation away from the heart to heart as she was not sure if he could handle it any more then she could. It was eating her up inside, the will to fight back the tears was becoming a fight and she did not want Loda to feel badly that he indeed made her sad by saying he was leaving.

Common | Symenos | Thoughts

[Loda]

LODA
Denizen of Black Rock
-----------------------------------

Silence took them both. It seemed almost as if a bell came and went before she finally spoke, but it in reality was ten chimes. He grew so nervous in that short time that he wondered if she would just get up and leave, if she would stab him through the heart and suck him dry, or if she would accept and hear his words. She didn’t cry though and he thought that meant something. He had stunned the half naked girl under arm. After the first five chimes went by he would have pulled her a little closer, letting her rest her head upon his chest as a sign that he understood her thoughts. By the time she was done thinking though he was almost surprised when she finally spoke.

Whether she stood next out of strength or just wanting to be separate from the object of her pain, he didn’t know. Caked sand fell from her hind as she hit it with force enough to brush off, yet no claw ever scraped her skin. He knew she would have loved to grown close to Loda from her hesitations, but he was not a man of this place. Now that she stood, seeking distance from the man, he leaned back in the sand and looked up to her as she explained her new outlook. He could see she was somber and quiet, and it was something that he didn’t like to see, even if she was a sexy Symenestra in her undergarments. Brown eyes followed her movements, trying to detect just how she really felt. He couldn’t place why, but he felt like she was on the verge of tears. Perhaps it was because he had made her cry just the other day that what she was feeling was similar.

That wouldn’t do, and he rose himself to his feet at her apology. Taking a few steps toward her dusted off his backside and said, “It’s okay to crumble every once in a while.” He could hardly hear her words she was speaking to him, glad he walked over. Her kick to the sand displayed that she was still frustrated about it. She asked if he wanted to try that leap now. Instead she’d find herself scooped up with an arm that hooked between her left and right leg and a supporting one behind her back. He lifted her light frame with ease, doing so swiftly, yet gently and began to move toward the water.

“I think instead we should pay you back for those splashes to my face” he would carry her to the water and would threaten to drop her in, lowering her toward the water a couple times and then raising her back up in a playful game. In the end he just wanted to see a smile return to her face and if she gave it to him he would smile as he held her in his arms. "Did you want to tell me anything else?" he asked giving her one last chance to get things off of her chest.



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Other's Words - My Words - My Thoughts