Sad Beach (Leif)

[Adelaide]

Adelaide would still be on the beach. Despite having run away from Shiloh only hour previously she never left the beach. She only ended up further down the beach sitting in front of the water line shivering. Though whether it was because of the cold or the tears... one couldn't tell.

[Leif Adamson]

Leif was wandering. She was always wandering. She caught sight of Adelaide, alone, and her heart immediately began to sink in her chest. Walking over slowly, she sat next to the girl, slipping her favorite jacket off and holding it out to her.

"Hey," she murmured softly.

[Adelaide]

Adealide didn't move and barely responded as she just sat the shivering. Unresponsive. Tears streaming down her face.

[Leif Adamson]

Leif sighed softly. She wrapped her jacket around Adelaide's shoulders and moved to try to brush some of her tears away with her thumbs, before settling next to her. She was shoulder to shoulder with the girl, keeping just enough room between them so they weren't quite touching. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she rested her chin on them and stared out at the ocean.

[Adelaide]

They sat together like that for a long while before Adelaide spoke next.

"She... has been lying to me..."

[Leif Adamson]

"Oh? About what?"

There was no need to ask who. Adelaide was, after all, on the beach... and the only thing that could make someone hurt this badly was a matter of the heart.

[Adelaide]

"She... she is a Meta... and she never told me..."

[Leif Adamson]

Leif's smile faded. That was quite a blow... something like that was a terrible secret to hold inside. She took a deep breath and sighed softly, giving a shake of her head.

"And how do you feel? Hurt, betrayed?" She would wait for Adelaide to answer, before asking. "Why? Why do you feel that way, exactly?" Her voice was quiet, calm. It was collected and kind. She wasn't accusing her or demanding answers, simply trying to get the girl to think her feelings through.

[Adelaide]

"Both... maybe a little more hurt than betrayed... But I've known her for YEARS. YEARS... and not once has she said anything about it. I've never had an issue with Meta's confusion, misunderstandings, sure. But never hate, never mistrust... I've shared everything with her. Let her in to know a part of me no one NO ONE has ever seen or probably ever will see... My darkest secrets, my deepest regrets, my greatest desires... but even for all of that she didn't feel like she could trust me."

She started crying again and she wiped the tears from her face.

"I understand keeping it a secret at first when she didn't know me... but why not in the years following? I just... it makes me feel like I wasn't worth trusting..."

[Leif Adamson]

Leif nodded. Those feelings all made sense, given the circumstances. She turned her face to rest her cheek against her knees, looking at the girl with shining blue eyes.

"Secrets are sometimes hard to let go. Eventually, the secret becomes so much a part of you, it's painful, if not impossible, to let it go..."

She chuckled softly. "And sometimes, even if you aren't ashamed of the secret, you're ashamed that you held it for so long. Secrets pile onto secrets... but this? Honestly... it doesn't change anything. Yes, she kept that secret from you, and it is going to feel like she didn't trust you. But did you ask her why? Why she hid it from you?"

[Adelaide]

She just shook her head.

"I-I couldn't ask. I felt like I couldn't breathe when she told me... I had to get out of there, I had to leave..."

[Leif Adamson]

Leif nodded again, then reached out to try to put a hand on the girl's shoulder, hoping to comfort her.

"Maybe you should... once you can breathe again. Take the time to cry, to hurt. There's nothing wrong with that. But when this initial pain passes, maybe you should ask."

[Adelaide]

"I just..."

He took a deep breath...

"How do I know she won't lie to me again?"

[Leif Adamson]

"How did you know she wouldn't lie to you at first?"

Leif smiled softly, rubbing her shoulder gently.

[Adelaide]

"I mean... I did, technically, I was... in a bad place when I met her. My mother had just died and I didn't trust anyone... she was the first person I let in, the one that helped me escape."