The Divine Comedy

[Karalie Heise]

Things were finally coming together for Karalie.  She adored Carter, and she got the impression the feeling was mutual.  She'd moved on finally, which meant that it was time to face her past.  She didn't need to care about what Lucas had done to her because she was over it.  Over him.  So to celebrate this new found discovery she grabbed the book which had been buried at the very bottom of her closet for months (with a towel, of course) and shoved it into a bag.  No need to hold onto her ex's stupid old things.  He could have his book back.  Finally.

Karalie tried not to think about the task at hand, instead trying to focus on the good things going on in her life.  There were plenty of them, really.  Not just Carter, though that was a huge part of her happiness.  She'd been accepted into all the universities she had applied for, though in the end the choice had been made for her.  Vermont would be her home for at least another year.  Perhaps if she had better control after next year she would move on, but if things stayed as they were Carter perhaps she would finish her time there anyway.  No sense moving away from him when things were going well. She was even getting along better with her parents these days.

The closer she marched to Luke's dorm, the more anxious she began to feel.  Why would she bothered about seeing him? She was in a better place now than she had been the last time they'd met up.  She also knew what a jerk he'd been.  But he'd been her first love.  It was something you never forgot, and though she had successfully persuaded herself that she was fine to see him, as she frew closer to his door she knew she wasn't.  Not really.  But she was almost there and she needed to get rid of the blasted book, so she would continue on.  It would be quick.  Give him the book and go.  Then she could forget about him forever.  It was that simple.

Taking a deep breath she pulled her hand up and knocked on the door.  Maybe she'd get lucky and one of his roommates would answer and she could just give it to them instead.  Maybe she wouldn't have to see his smug little face after all.

[Lucas Blacke]

Evening. He had music blasting from his room and was merely lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he mouthed the words with the music. His mind was full of good things for once, like Zoelle.. how they met at least once per day like any other couple, but not for a kiss or anything. What they did daily made for a really great exercise. Like with everyone he had compared her to Karalie multiple times. She wasn't his first, that was Marnie, but still she was his first and most serious girlfriend.

He got up from his bed and moved over to turn down his music, yawning and stretching a bit. It was getting late and he had stuff he needed to do, like.. nothing, really. Maybe brush his teeth. It was too early to go to bed, really, but Luke didn't feel like doing nothing, and also didn't feel like doing something. He was already shirtless, so going out wasn't really an option anymore, he could call Zo over but they'd already had their fill that day.

Luke began walking out of his room and over to the kitchen, grabbing a carrot from one of the cabinets and sticking it in his mouth like a cigar. So he was childish, who cared? This was not really because he was hungry but so he could buy himself some time and flop down on the couch, turn on the television and kill some time watching random shows with something to nibble on.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. He wondered who it could be at this time and his mind instantly went to Zoelle who wanted round #2 which made Luke smile because what better use of time could you get? While he had been watching television and doing nothing but eating a carrot for not even a minute he wasn't really able to jump up. Still, the thought of it being Zo seemed to dominate and caused him to lift from the couch with a grin.

Like a mobster with a cigar he walked over to the door and smiled. His hand carressed the doorknob as he twisted the door open. ''Yer really an insatiable lil' minx, ain'tcha? This is why I love-'' Lucas swung the door wide open with a smirk and was honestly a bit surprised at how quick that smirk faded. It wasn't Zoelle.

''ya, Karalie.'' Oh boy, great start. Though, why the hell was she even there? ''Thought ye wanted me to leave ya alone?'' He shrugged. ''Anyway.. why'dya suddenly come over? So I could feel bad all over again?''

[Karalie Heise]

The door began to creak open and she readied herself.  This was no big deal.  She could face him.. It probably wasn't even going to be him who opened the door.  Honestly, that was a really good chance since he lived with three other people, none of who she cared to see either, but certainly favored over her ex.

She heard his voice before he saw his face, already a scowl forming across her delicate features.  An insatiable little minx? Who did he think was there?  Anger bubbled in her stomach as she realized he expected her to be someone else, someone he was having relations with, someone she didn't care to know existed.  What should she care who he was sleeping with? He'd probably end up diseased by the time he graduated, if he graduated, or more likely get a girl knocked up.  Lord knew he was stupid enough to not use protection.

There was a sour look on her face when his eyes finally met hers, faltering as realization set in that she wasn't the girl who was slutty enough to spread her legs for him this week.  "If anyone's makin' yah feel bad it's yerself, an' for good reason." She reminded coldly.  She had hoped this would go smoothly, but he was picking at her before she had a chance to do the solid, kind gesture she had come to do.  "I thought I'd bring yer book back instead've burnin' it." Though part of her wished now that she'd done the latter.  She thrust her hand out towards him, holding the bag containing the book.  She didn't care touch the volume for fear of the memories it might stir up and transfer to her.

"Ya'll left it in my room b'fore yah screwed up."  Though she'd sworn not to bring up their past, there it was, coming out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop herself.  Well, he started it! Her mind insisted.  One day she hoped to be a little more mature when it came to dealing with people like Luke.

[Lucas Blacke]

Okay, so she wasn't Zoelle. She was one of the people he was fine not seeing even if he did think about her from time to time. And that was weird since they never really had the thing that seemed to fuel him, maybe the thrill of the hunt was whaty kept him with her so long, only to have it be ruined by a random girl seducing him. No, she didn't seduce him and he needed to live that fact over and over again; he didn't say no to her. Not a day went by that he didn't scold himself for not saying no, and his lack of confidence because of it. The changing thing he had been talking about so long ago he had only really done on the outside, he supposed. He was still just a sad little husk of a person.

She had a point though, he was making himself feel bad. Constantly and with every thought. And his reason was a simple one, Karalie still haunted his mind and what he'd done stayed with him for as long as he was unable to let her go. Not a day went by where he wasn't sad, Zoelle only really ever succeeding in making him not feel sad, never happy. Normally he would have had a snappy comeback though, but not this time. ''I dunno..'' He shrugged. ''Bein' sad 'bout it is the only thing that keeps me from forgettin' 'bout it.''

When she showed him the book though, or rather the bag containing the book Lucas smiled. ''So that's where that one went. I began to miss it.'' Maybe he really did miss it, or maybe he left it with her to have her come over one day. Though that it was this soon he never would have guessed.

He took the bag from her hand and took out the book, slowly registering what he saw. ''Yer hands.. they ain't covered up?'' Did she learn to better control her power? He shook his head with a wave of his hand as if saying he digressed and turned up a smile as he help up the book. ''Thanks.''

''Dya know this book is 'bout love?''

[Karalie Heise]

For once Lucas showed some real remorse and didn't act like a complete jackass.  She could see the sincerity on his face as when he told her he was still sad about what happened.  Good, she thought to herself, feeling haughty.  He should feel bad about what he'd done.  There was a part of her that didn't want him to feel sad, but it was the kind part of her that still actually gave a shit about him even after he''d hurt her over and over.  Every time they'd seen each other since the breakup it had been a nightmare.  Arguing and fighting and blaming.. granted, she had plenty of reason to point blame in his direction, but still neither made it all that easy for the other.  

She stopped herself from gloating at his sad thoughts.  He couldn't be that sad if he had an "insatiable minx" stopping by in the evenings to help him forget about her some more.  Doubtful he was sad when she, whoever she was, came by.  Doubtful he was even really glad to see the stupid book.  In the short time they'd been together, she had never really seen him sit down and enjoy a book.  That didn't necessarily mean he didn't, but she had never witnessed it herself. 


Karalie looked to her hands.  Why would they be covered? She only ever really covered them in the winter because it was freezing out.  Sure, there had been a time when she had tried using gloves to not touch things, but that was before Lucas and it had never really worked well.  The longer she wore them, the more memories they made and the more she was reminded of those memories on a day to day basis.  It would only work if she used latex gloves, which she refused to do, or swapped out gloves every day for new ones.  That just wasn't cost efficient.  "Why would they be covered?" She knew he was curious about her progress, but she didn't think he deserved to know how she was doing.  He'd lost that luxury the day he crushed her innocence.

The Divine Comedy was not on the list of books she had devoured, though she'd heard of it.  Near everyone had.  "Makes sense." She noted, folding her arms over her chest and jutting a hip out.  "Love ain't nothin' but uh big ol' joke."

[Lucas Blacke]

He leaned up against the door while it was opened and went through the pages of the book. She obviously hadn't read it, it wasn't really a comedy in the sense of ha ha, but more a comedy of how someone saw the unknown named comedy so people wouldn't take it seriously. If she'd read it.. well Lucas could see two things happening really. She'd be upset as balls that someone way back in the day had the urge to write something about the faith, or she'd crossreference it with what she knew.

Paradiso. Venus. She said love was a joke. Was it really? It saddened him quite a bit, did he make her feel like this? Whatever the answer to that one, it was her opinion and by no means true. Lucas loved. He had loved her, still did, and he knew she loved him as well. And perhaps.. there was someone in her life right now? He didn't dare think about it.

He shrugged though as she asked why her hands would be covered. Luke was sure she knew why, so if she didn't want to tell him she probably had her reasons for it. ''No reason, just wonderin'.'' He lied. He wanted to know about her power, if she made any progress. The first thing he remembered about her was how she would touch him with something of her own, probably something she knew the history of.

''Anyway.'' Lucas said with an inward sigh and a fake smile. ''The Divine Comedy ain't a real comedy. It's how the writer views the three planes of existence; inferno, purgatory and pardiso. An' without a doubt, paradiso is the most beautiful one.''

Without waiting for her to snap something his way he cleared his throat and looked down into the book.

''Love, which quickly arrests the gentle heart,
Seized him with my beautiful form
That was taken from me, in a manner which still grieves me.

Love, which pardons no beloved from loving,
took me so strongly with delight in him
That, as you see, it still abandons me not...''

''Now, I ain't sayin' I'm suddenly a poet or deep or somethin', but this book knows love. An' even if it is a joke to you, it ain't to me.''

[Karalie Heise]

The way he noticed her hands made her pull them up over her chest, crossing them and tucking her hands away.  They were none of his concern now and she didn't want to chance him touching her.  Absorbing any more of his memories would drive her nuts.  It was bad enough she'd seen so much of his life already.  She knew she possessed many of his memories.  So many she couldn't recall which were his and which were not.  They were all saved in her memory like a bank, coming up randomly from time to time.

He went on to explain to book and Karalie looked down the hall a little impatiently.  She both wanted to hear what he had to say and wanted to run off.  She owed him nothing, especially her time.  Still, she turned back to him as he continued, quoting from the book now.  She grit her teeth at the selection he chose.  She wasn't an idiot, she could see where he was going with this.  She didn't find him any more cultured now.  Hell, he'd probably only been reading it so he could recall it and quote from it for class or something.  He wasn't really interested in it.  Lucas wasn't interested in anything but himself.

"Now that's uh joke." She fumed softly.  Lucas caring about love.  As if that were even possible! He'd kissed Marcus, he's slept with Sawyer, and he'd run to Marnie not five minutes after she ended things.  Not to mention she'd heard about the blond he'd been hanging around.  Love didn't matter to Lucas anymore than faith did.  Or her, for that matter.  "Yah want deep an' poetic? Here's uh quote for yah.  Love is uh grave mental disease. Plato."  Her arms unfolded only to land on her hips, the scowl on her face more evident now. "Lucas, ya'll wouldn' know love if it bit'cha on th'ass."

[Lucas Blacke]

''Maybe yer right an' I dunno love.'' He had stopped feeling things like that a while ago, or had stoppe wanting to indentify them. That he didn't know didn't mean he didn't believe in it though, something she clearly didn't anymore. Did he do that? Did he ruin her look on love? In any case, she could think what she wanted. Lucas still loved her and knowing that he did himself was pretty much all he needed to keep from breaking down. ''But to see it as a disease.. 's like sayin' breathin' is an oxygen addiction.'' Perhaps it was, now that he thought about it. Wasn't the human body deteriorating only because of oxygen? He shrugged.

He did his best not to be sarcastic towards her, though what she said left plenty of room for some of his comments. Nothing but serious words now though, he'd hurt her enough and being sarcastic when she brought him something of his would probably only invoke anger from her, even if she wasn't already. ''I never said I wanted deep an' poetic. An'.. ya know.. I also never said I wanted the book back.'' He smiled. ''That shit says more than any thought.''

Now, he knew she wanted to get rid of everything he was, but the fact remained she was still talking to him. After what he had done to her she had every right to just hand it over and walk off, or even leave it in front of his door with a note, or hunt down one of his roommates and hand them the book. But no, she went to his dorm where she knew she had the chance of running into him, and when she did she didn't just leave, she listened.

''I thank ya for the book, I needed to read it again, brush up on my old English a bit. This book is the only thing I have written before the 14th century ya know?'' He asked before waving it away with his hand. ''Ah heck, we both know ya don't. Still, thanks.''

''Wanna.. come in? Or something? Or.. were ya leavin' already?''

[Karalie Heise]

His analogy sucked, but she didn't think it necessary to point that out.  Oxygen wasn't an addiction, it was a necessity.  Without it you died. Without love you could live, no one needed it.  But it didn't matter, Karalie could love, and would love.  She might not ever love Lucas the same was she once did, though.  Carter.. now Carter she could love.  She didn't yet, but she was certainly infatuated with him.  He was everything Lucas was not, which was a good part of his appeal.  It wasn't that she disliked many of the things about Lucas.  In fact, there was plenty about her ex she desired in a partner, but it was nice having someone so drastically different.  It made t easier to forget about the boy who crushed her heart.

"It ain't th'same thing." She offered in a softer voice, surprised and grateful that he had yet to snap at her.  It had become an expected certainty that her run ins with the boy would go south quickly.  He was defensive and sometimes unnecessarily cruel, as if she were to blame for what transpired between them.  Maybe she did play a hand, maybe it was simply his guilt, it didn't matter because he was bordering on pleasant now.


"I doubt ya'll knew I even had it." She pointed out.  Even if he had known she had it he knew better than to come sniffing around for it.  She'd told him at least twice to leave her alone, and he'd finally listened.  "But yer welcome." She knew she should go before things got bad.  She really had come just to give him the stupid book, still she was surprised when he asked her to come in.  Did he think just because she was big enough to bring his book back that she might consider reconciling with him?  She found herself tempted and furious at the offer.  Why would she want to spend time with him? Just because he was nice now didn't mean he would be in a half hour.

"An' ruin this civil conversation?"  She shook her head, looking down at her shoes while tucking her hair behind her ears.  "I should probably get goin'.  Besides, don'tcha have an insatiable little minx comin' over?" She peeked back up, cocking a brow at him as she used his words against him.

[Lucas Blacke]

He never said he was smart, he just said what made the most sense to him at that time without really thinking about just what he said, that could come later. Same thing or not, what he said made sense to him, later on when he was forced to think again on it he could see how it wasn't supposed to make sense. Lucas was weird. Logical in his own way, but few people besides himself could follow his thoughts. ''Guess it don't.'' He said with a shrug. ''But ya get my point, aye? 'Nyway, there has to be someone receivin' some love from ya, right?'' Fifty-fifty on that one. Luke wanted her to say yes due to him having someone, and he didn't want to be the only one to have moved on. He also wanted to hear her say no, that she didn't have anyone, that there was an opportunity for him to get back in.

Ah, who was he kidding? She hated him and he knew it, the best thing to do, really, was to just be friendly with her. She went on about the book though, doubting he even knew she had it. Honestly, he didn't. He wanted her to bring it herself though so he knew when things had simmered down enough for her to pick up contact with him, however short it was. ''Mebbe.'' He replied softly. ''But I know fer sure ya had it now.'' He laughed as he walked backwards a few paces, throwing the book on the table in the middle of the room.

He then turned back to her, tilting his head slightly as she said she should get going because he had Zo coming over. ''Hehe, I never said that, Kar. She just lives across the hall so she comes over quite a lot, that an' I never expected to see ya.''

''Got some time to kill though. Ya sure ya don't wanna come in?''

[Karalie Heise]

She wasn't sure why he was asking about her love life.  Maybe he was testing the water, seeing if there was a chance she was clinging to the possibility of being with him.  Or maybe he thought that he might try to swoop in if she were still single, as if she would give him another chance so easily.  Maybe he wanted her to be happy since he was unable to do that.  There were a million reasons he would ask she decided, and she had no idea which was the actual one.

"As uh matter've fact there is."  He wouldn't know who Carter was so there was no sense giving specifics, especially if he didn't ask for them.  Part of her wanted to rub it in his face how much better Carter was than him, but things were going smoothly and she didn't feel it was necessary to screw it up with a fight.  Taunting him with her new conquest would certainly ruffle his feathers.  "Things're goin' real well with him, too." She decided on, continuing her ambiguity.

"Well, that's because I brought it back." She pointed out, rolling her eyes and mocking him playfully.  She was still sure he didn't know prior to tonight that she'd had the book, but she didn't need to harp on it.  

The way he talked about the girl hit a nerve.  She wasn't angry, but knowing he was sleeping around with someone 'quite a lot' just didn't sit well with her.  How could it? It hurt to know he'd moved on so quickly.  He'd moved on before they were even broken up.  Mentioning how often this mystery girl came over only packed salt into the wound.  Looking down at the ground she tightened her arms around her torso and shook her head.  "What for?" She asked honestly, tilting her head up slightly to peep at him from beneath long, dark eyelashes.  "C'mon, Luke.. yah know we'll just end up bickerin' about somethin'.  It's what we do best. Wouldn't it be nice tuh leave things pleasant for uh change?"

[Lucas Blacke]

Luke pretty much froze when she said there was someone in her life. Not that he hadn't been expecting it, she was a catch, but it still stung even though he was the first one to get someone in his life. He would assume, anyway. For some reason he was feeling jealous, but why? Because she was doing what he did in the first place? Before even seeing her? He had assumed she was Zo, which he thought was leagues worse, so why did he feel this way when she did something less bad to him? Besides, he asked and she merely answered. Not like he could get back together with her or anything, he was happy with Zoelle.

''Hope he's everythin' I ain't.'' He said with a fake smile, he needed to force this one as he didn't quite like the idea. In his head it was almost as if they were still a couple, and now that she'd come at his door.. He knew they weren't a couple, and if there was any chance of getting back to her he had ruined it with his shenanigans, though that didn't mean he had to stop hoping. The bomb about there being someone else had a greater impact because of it.

He took a bite of the carrot he held and looked at her as she went to talking about the book. Caring about the book had become a secondary thing right now, his mind constantly thinking on whoever Karalie was seeing, feeling more jealous with every passing face. ''S'pose ya did.'' He said absently.

When she mentioned the bickering between them and how that was what they did best he wanted to interject and tell her that was what she did best, but he decided against it as he figured that she would undoubtedly bring up what he did. And while true, he wasn't happy with it. ''I dunno.. a drink? A snack? A friendly talk?'' He suggested. ''It doesn't have to end in bickerin' ya know.'' He told her with a shrug as he took another bite of his carrot. He looked back to the couch and the door to his room and smiled. ''At least I'm tryin'.''

If she did come in though, he would have to put on a shirt.

[Karalie Heise]

Carter was everything Luke wasn't, but throwing that in his face now wasn't worth the risk of an argument.  It was better to just keep her mouth shut and let him come to his own conclusions about her relationship.  Truthfully, she knew he could torment himself far more than she could, and there would be no screaming or storming away in the process.

The conversation of relationships dropped, something she was relieved about, and he moved on to offer an array of things they could do if she actually agreed to come in.  She knew it was a bad idea.  She knew before she made any real decision on it; hanging out with him would bring up weird feelings for them both and she wasn't sure if it was a good idea to do that or not.  One of them would inevitably get upset and she would wind up storming out in tears.  Was she capable of being an adult? Being mature about all of this?  She supposed it was a good way to prove she really was over him.  Sitting civilly and simply talking.  He was trying, but what for? What was there to try for? Friendship? Reconciliation? Simple understanding that he wasn't the low life he'd made himself out to be? 

"Fine." She finally said, letting her arms drop and taking a deep breath.  "Just for a little while.  It's getting late."

[Lucas Blacke]

''Ace!'' He yelped out as he stepped back a bit and allowed her to enter. ''Make yerself comfortable an' I'll go put on a shirt. We all know ya have no need for a second guy flaunting his stuff.'' He joked with a smile, though the thought kind of made him queezy, did they go that far yet? Wait, no, Karalie wanted to remain pure, right? There was no way she would have been doing that! Unless he ruined her thoroughly enough..

As Lucas made for his own room he felt his head fill up with thoughts of wanting her back and just going out there and kissing her, she wouldn't appreciate it but, what if she did? What if she kissed him back? He quickly shook his head and threw out those thoughts, if she did she would be no better than him. Besides, he was trying to be friendly and not let the night end in them bickering, no matter what he felt.

She was taken and he needed to accept that. But it was so fucking hard.. and.. it wasn't really fair to people. Zoelle, Anthy. He loved all three of them including the girl on his couch. But how would he explain any of these things to Zo? Hey I'm sorry but I love the girl I cheated on? This whole situation was a bit weird for Luke, though he supposed this was what he deserved for what he had done, all that chasing and shit. He had to face the consequences sooner or later.

Finally he put on a white shirt and stepped back out into the area where Karalie was hopefully.

''So, can I get ya a drink or somethin'?'' He said, clapping his hands for emphasis.

[Karalie Heise]

Karalie entered hesitantly, feeling in her gut this wasn't the best idea, but it didn't stop her from moving into the common area of her ex's dorm.  She forced a smile when he insisted on putting a shirt, lest she make Carter jealous.  She doubted Carter would care if she hung around Lucas.  The boy was brimming with self confidence, he wouldn't even entertain the idea that Karalie would do something with another boy.

She looked around, strange feelings stirring in her as she took in the familiar setting.  She was sure she would never step foot in this room again, but there she was.  What was she even doing there? Taking a deep breath Karalie sat down on the couch, careful not to touch anything in case she grabbed a memory she didn't want to see.  She'd like to believe Lucas wouldn't have done anything with anyone out on the sofa, but she couldn't be sure so it was better to be safe than see something that would only upset her and agitate the situation she was in.

She trained her eyes on Lucas as he slipped back into the room, following him with her gaze as he came closer.  A drink.. a drink would be good.  "Uhh, yeah I guess." She offered, pushing another smile on more to pretend she was comfortable than anything else.  Maybe if she looked like she was, she would feel like she was.  "Water's fine." She drawled, looking down at her hands and clearing her throat softly.  

"Sooo.. what's new?"