Even when his memory was fuzzy, he always remembered meeting her. She was a lightning bolt of energy the night he was introduced - bouncing from person to person throwing candor and spunk into the atmosphere.
He wondered what compelled her to do that. Sitting near the corner of the room, he watched as this imp of a woman chatted aimlessly and poured through guest after guest with inane conversation topics and witty banter. There was something magnetic about this woman and yet something irritatingly bothersome about her behavior. She went from waving excitedly to swiping drinks from guests. She danced about as if she hadn't a care in the world and yet there was something artificial about this display.
He took a drink. Watched.
She took two drinks. Continued to move about.
He was beginning to wonder why she hadn't landed in his corner yet when he felt the reverie-shaking 'thump' of a body falling down next to him.
"So, who are you?"
Startled, she was now staring right in his face demanding an answer to her question. She introduced herself and then waited, the awkward hanging in the air for only a few seconds. Up close, she didn't look nearly as young, nearly as immature as she had seemed across the room.
In fact, he wondered why she looked so incredibly tired.
He answered.
She nodded, her hand brushing his curled up arm. She asked him questions. He gave her answers. She laughed. He laughed back.
He hadn't laughed in awhile.
Neither had she.
She whispered something to him that no one else could hear.
He understood.
Watched her bound away.
Wondered why she told him.
That's how it happened the first time.
At least, that is what he remembered...
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