The Other Side (Rya)

[Carter Chevalier]

Things had been left in such a strange place. Carter hadn't dared to chase Rya as she left his room so abruptly - he knew she was a busy girl; one who had connections with other people just as he did. And at times she preferred her privacy just as he did.

But it was when he hadn't heard from her for days on end that he started getting a little confused. Usually he'd send a simple message and get a simple reply back. It wasn't the mark of a full blown conversation by any means, but he knew he liked to check in on her frequently enough. She deserved to know he thought of her.

Carter had wondered what to say to her. Was he supposed to pretend things were fine? They weren't. And he wanted answers.

[Rya: Did I do something?]

There. He supposed if nothing else, it was a decent beginning. He rarely wasted time with exchanging pleasantries to the people he messaged. Those things were a given.

[Aryana Darcy]

School was starting again soon, and well, Rya had yet to do the assignments over the break. To be honest, she didn’t want to do them, but with what happened, she decided to get her mind off of it with some good ol’ miserable math. Most nights since that day with Carter, she just went out and got drunk. Had sex. Flirted. Drew. There was nothing different in her life except for the fact that she sort of been… avoiding Carter.

It was hard, she had to admit. Living next to him definitely made it a challenge. Rya scribbled on her scrap paper, trying desperately to concentrate on the trigonometry, but with no luck. There were more doodles on the page than actual work. She threw the notebook on her backpack, and fell back onto her bed.

“When am I ever going to use this shit in my life?”

The moment she began wishing to be dead, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She grabbed the cell phone and stared at the message. It was Carter. Figured. Though she never had thought he would be the first to text or call or anything like that unless it was for a ‘reprieve’. Instead, it asked if he did something wrong. Shit.

No. Why? She responded after a few minutes.

What else was she going to say?

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter mulled about his room as he waited for a reply. He went to his desk, searching for the gift in question he'd promised her. Nothing he used artistically even came from this country. He wouldn't dream of it.

He leaned back against the desk when he saw her response. Short. precise. Just like she has been.

But at least she gave him a means to respond. Why? was better than a simplistic No.

[Rya: You left suddenly.]

[Rya: I haven't heard from you in days.]

[Aryana Darcy]

Questions she was hoping he never asked were texted to her. Two buzzes indicated two new messages. Both from Carter. Both causing her to groan in annoyance. How was she to tell him that it wasn't her fault and that it was only her insecurities showing out that had her so spooked.

Oh that's right. She wouldn't.

She slid her finger across the screen as she typed in her response. Short and simple, vague as could be.

I've been busy.

The fact was that she could have easily stopped by and said hello, being a few feet away from one another. There were very few times he ever came to her; she guessed it was because of the Indian asshat that lived in her dorm. Oh well.

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter found himself frowning at her message. Normally he wouldn't care that she was busy. He was always busy, but he made time for her. Even if it was just a few minutes every few days to send her a seemingly insignificant message. She was part of his routine. And messing with that routine was irritating.

[Rya: I'm a Chevalier.]

He knew pointing it out wouldn't be as random as it seemed. They were a busy family. He was a busy man. He had a reputation to uphold, and that reputation was tagged with his family name.

[Rya: But I always make time for you.]

[Aryana Darcy]

Even if she couldn't see or hear him, she could tell just by the messages that he was irritated. Why? It wasn't like he controlled her life. Yeah, there were times that he would not talk to her for a few days at a time where he wouldn't speak to her. This was no different.

I'm well aware.

She sent the first text a short time after his last text was received. But Rya wasn't content with just that. It would irritate him further, and honestly, despite her desire to just be left alone with the subject, she didn't think he deserved a snippy attitude.

Practice has been brutal. I've been exhausted. I would have called if I could, but I just haven't had the energy.

Hopefully that made up for her previous comment. It was also true, but she was beating around the bush.

"Fuck."

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter pursed his lips at her initial reply. People shot down the connotations of his surname all the time, but this was different. He pressed his free hand to the edge of the desk, his mind racing as he waited.

He considered rebutting her list of excuses with a fair few of his own. He was facing graduation. His summer flame securely in his life. He was fighting with Dom.

[Rya: I always have time for you.]

Carter pushed off his desk, heading towards the door.

[Aryana Darcy]

I always have time for you

How was she even supposed to respond to that?

Rya stared at the phone, her thumb hovering over the keyboard, contemplating what to type. Sorry, maybe? No, what was the point. Days have passed. Sorry wasn't going to fix what had already been done.

What did he expect from her? She honestly didn't know. Rya wasn't good at reading in between the lines of things. Her mind always struggled on understanding. Even as a young girl, unless someone was straightforward, she wouldn't grasp the hints. In words, at least. Body language was different. But since Carter wasn't there, she couldn't tell.

Little did she realize he would be in about two minutes.

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter didn't waste any time leaving his dorm. He pulled the door open with force, slamming their common room door behind him. When he was frustrated, the fact was obvious. As much as he wished he wasn't, he was worked up about this situation. Though the walk between the two was practically non existent, even a mere batch of seconds was enough time to flare the frustration in him.

The older twin went right up to her dorm, curled his hand into a fist and knocked - calmly, considering the look in his face that she was about to see.

[Aryana Darcy]

Not too long after the text was delivered to her, there was knocking on her door. Rya shot up and glanced at it for a moment. It could be the Indian, drunk or something, asking where she left the booze. Or it could be...

Well, it couldn't be Carter. Could it?

Why would he waste his time chasing after her, anyway. Rya stood up slowly, stepping cautiously towards the door and opened it, only to find the eldest Chevalier standing in front of her door, his face giving nothing away except for obvious frustration.

Well, shit.

"Carter..." She managed, her voice small. She would have made some sarcastic comment, but she didn't have it in her at that moment. Rya had pissed him off enough.

[Carter Chevalier]

The more Carter stood waiting, the more frustrating the situation became. Oddly enough, he felt as if he was losing her. It all seemed so minor, really. A lack of communication was just that. But if nothing else, he knew it was more than that. His eyebrows were furrowed, his mouth twisted into a frown.

But his name left her mouth in a low, almost hushed tone. And his features softened noticeably.

Without a word, Carter stepped forward. He pressed his hands gently to her cheeks, breached the remaining distance between them and kissed her. It lacked the derived passion he'd use to take the situation further, but it was significant in every sense of the word.

Drawing back, Carter offered a mere sliver of distance, his lips still very much grazing against her own with each subtle movement; "Always."

[Aryana Darcy]

The scowl on his face was brought back to a somewhat normal expression, possibly due to her soft greeting, the only indication of frustration were in his eyes. Rya was loud, upfront, and honest. She wasn't one to shy away. But under his initial gaze, well, her body burned with shame and she had no idea why. She slept with guy after guy, she drank so heavily she occasionally passed out, and the things that were spoken by her were hardly pleasant. She thought she had lost the entire concept of shame. Apparently not. But she felt like she wanted to shrink back, to avoid this ever happening.

He said nothing, and kissed her.

Rya was expecting confrontation, maybe a bit of voice raising, but she wasn't expecting this. He didn't kiss her the way he did when he was lusting. He didn't kiss her like he ever had. This time there was something different. And it scared the shit out of her.

He pulled away, though he still lingered. 'Always', he mumbled, each movement of his lips brushing against her own.

"What--" She started, pulling away. "--Was that for?"

[Carter Chevalier]

When she spoke, he had an answer instantly.

"Everything." Carter replied deftly. He knew the word might have made little sense to her, but it was significant for him. Slowly, the twin let his hands drift away from her face.

Despite how his hands itched to maintain the contact, he knew he couldn't push himself on her further. She wasn't that kind of physical.

"Don't ever do that again." He demanded, though his tone was light. It was more of a pressured request than anything else.

[Aryana Darcy]

She didn't understand. That kiss sent her reeling, and not in a way she was comfortable with. What he was saying, Rya could physically hear, but the connotation was lost in her brain. Reading in between the lines, again, she was shit at.

But Carter realized that.

His hands released her, and she remained where she was. He practically reprimanded her, but his voice said it lightly and carefully. Her arms crossed along her chest. If he screamed, if he yelled, it would have been easier for her to deal with. She could handle that; she couldn't handle gentleness.

"I don't see a point in apologizing," She turned away then, stepping over to the bed and putting her homework away in her binder. It allowed her to look away and distract herself. Just what she needed. "I can't change what has already happened."

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter quickly noted the stance she was taking with him. Her arms had been folded before she made the move to turn away and create distance. Seemingly insignificant movements, but they all meant something.

"I didn't ask you apologise." He pointed out, a little harshly this time.

It didn't take long for him to take steps into the room, even if he'd told himself not to. This whole meeting was against his better judgement. Reaching out, Carter curled his fingers deftly around her wrist, trying to stop her from idly tidying up.

"The next time you want to ignore me; don't."