Lonelier Then Ever [Ginny]

[Cali Schwa]

The wind was blowing softly as she walked out the door. Looking down at her phone she noticed no missed calls, no texts, nothing. Her medium length, dark, straight hair waving into the wind, trying not to cry. The walk to her thinking spot felt like forever as the wind felt relentless and cold. No one was there to hold her, to make her feel safe and warm. Thinking that he might be busy didn't even help. It had been a few weeks at the least, since the last time she saw him. She will never forget about the pool, that was the last time she was happy with him and felt whole. Never did she even think that something like this would happen, after all he said forever and now it seemed as if forever had already occurred to her. Cali wasn't even paying attention to anything but that shiny little phone in her hand now. It seemed like that was the last reminisce of Steven was a number in her phone.

It wasn't until it was too late that she noticed the little brick wall that was made so people didn't step on the flowers. Her foot hit it hard and Cali couldn't hold it no more. Tears poured out of her eyes. Slowly as the wind picked up, she looked for somewhere to sit. She decided just to hope up and sit on the wall between the flowers . Wrapping her arms around her stomach she curled up and cried letting herself use her ability to blend in and all anyone could see was her clothing and maybe a sob no and then. She definitely knew she couldn't let people see her like this, even if someone caught her she would deny it and probably snap at them, and try and turn it around so she could make them cry. This definitely was affecting her. Weather it was for the better or worse was hard to tell yet.

The wind slowed down, but still felt bitter, even with her sweater on. She wore it because it smelled like him. After all it was his before he left. It was too girlie she said and she snatched it from him, and now was the first time she wore the striped sweater. Just so she could feel close to him. As her salty tears dripped down her cheek she realized that it just made him feel farther away and she felt lonelier. Even a day that was nice like this felt cold and icy to her. To someone else it could feel like a nice warm day in spring that had just a little breeze. In Cali's mind it was a foreboding storm and she wished she wasn't alone.

[Ginny Campbell]

It was almost Easter. Easter wasn't quite as big a deal in her family as Christmas (which seemed a little bit weird, when she thought about it: She was pretty sure the resurrection was more theologically important than the whole virgin birth deal, as cool as that was) but it was still a major holiday. Easter meant daffodils and dogwood trees and lilies and spring dresses and folding chairs in the aisle of the Church because the so-called CEOs were out in full force. Easter also meant painted egg hunts with Nikki and chocolate bunnies and, like most holidays, it meant dropping in on the Campbell-Kilbourne residence. She still wasn't entirely sure what she thought of Chase (the bugs she'd put up with Mia had yet to yield fruit) but she had decided that the holiday wasn't a good time to run around confronting people and potentially ruining Easter dinner -- or losing out on the chance for chocolate and jelly beans. Maybe that was a bit mercenary, but hey! She'd waited this long to say anything already, so she might as well wait a little longer.


She'd thrown on a light-weight sweater with jeans and was wandering around the Hammel campus, reveling in the crisp spring air. Pilot Ridge had much fresher air than anywhere in New York, or even the campus of the University of Vermont; she couldn't help but inhale deeply, nearly skipping with delight, gazing upon the brightly colored flowers freshly planted along the campus walls.

Her eyes trailed across the meandering wall of brick that created a safe enclave for the brilliant red and yellow blossoms and then....there was a pair of scuffed up converses. The converses were attached to jeans-clad legs, which in turn led to a sweater-clad, dark-haired girl. "Cali!" She nodded in greeting, hopping up onto the wall beside the other girl. They'd talked a few times, and Ginny respected the other girl: she could be cruel in her comments, but so could L.C. and Mia, and Ginny liked both of them.

She swung her legs, lightly tapping the wall with the heels of her feet. "So what's up!" The words were out of her mouth before she noticed the tears streaking down the other girl's face. "Ohhh. You don't look so good. Need some chocolate?"

[Cali Schwa]

Cali turned to the girl and was not surprised that she could see her. Her camouflage was hard to control when she was having problems with her emotions. Slowly the girl reappeared and held out her hand basically saying hand it over nicely or I shall take it from you. Uncoiling herself she wiped tears from her face and stared at Ginny coldly not knowing if she could speak without biting this girls head off. It was a strange thought that occurred at this moment. Ginny was the closest thing that Cali had to a friend and that partly scared her. Reluctantly she decided that it was best to explain herself to Ginny.

Holding her hand closer she sighed letting out the last of her tears. "Yea candy would be nice.." Bitterness was held in every word almost like she could snap any minute. Once again she wiped the tears from her eyes and let her feet swing like Ginny's, just to keep up appearances. "The man that promised never to leave me has disappeared. From sight, sound even text message. I don't know what I did wrong." Like any girl Cali automatically placed the blame for Steven not speaking to her on herself. Once she was sure that the tears had stopped she took her hand and plucked a tiny yellow flower from the ground, twirling it in her hand.

[Ginny Campbell]

Ginny dug into her jean pockets and pulled out a squashed Hershey's bar, passing it over to Cali. "Best I can do on short notice. We'll have to make a run to the store if you want something that hasn't been in my pockets all day."

She watched cautiously as the other girl explained the reason for her distress. She herself had little experience with dating and heart-break, so she couldn't offer any advice. "Yeah?" She said after a moment, capturing her lower lip between her teeth, "Wow, what a dick." She knew that Cali had been seeing some boy, but she'd never met him; after all, while she and Cali were friendly acquaintances, they weren't quite friends. That didn't mean she thought the other girl deserved her man to disappear on her, though. "He didn't even tell you he was leaving?"

She watched the dark-haired girl pluck a single hypericum out of the garden, fidgeting with it in what Ginny assumed was an effort to divert her energies into something other than being upset. If anyone had done that to her, she'd have been pissed and they had better have a good explanation: for instance, being kidnapped and locked up with no means of communication would be a good one. Just not bothering to talk to her? How cowardly. "If you did something he should tell you. Not telling you anything at all and just vanishing? That's a douche move. I think this calls for more than a candy bar. This calls for cake." And bitching. And maybe running his name through the mud via Rumor, but that was probably a course of action to suggest later, when Cali was less distraught and more furious.

[Cali Schwa]

The mention of cake made Cali perk up. Placing her hands on her lap with the flower still in her hand and the little candy in the other hand. Even though the wind was still blowing and it felt so cold, at least she wasn't alone now, That was more important than cold. Throwing the flower down at the cement Cali opened the candy bar and started to munch it. "It isn't bad for being in a someone's stinky pocket all day." Cali smiled even though it wasn't her usual meanness she slowly was starting to feel normal again. It was hurting her to think of going on without Steven but she knew she could do it. After all she went this long without him in her life.

Cali threw the wrapper on the ground and got up stomping on the shiny foil. "I'll get over him slowly but I will and hopefully get revenge and that cake you mentioned. Cake sounds good, maybe starting some fights too but..later..." Cali stood there and waited for Ginny to get up, wondering what Ginny would do if she saw Cali start some random fight or do something really mean. Part of Cali wanted to go harass Zach the way she use to. Now that she had no feelings for any male it would be fun to warp people's minds. "People are so stupid Ginny you know that. The most ignorant people in the word." Of course this didn't exclude her and gave her all the less reason to even mention herself.

"So where is this damn cake you mention am I going to have to walk far to get it cause right now I really don't want to walk far I just want some damn cake and ice cream. Cookie dough ice cream would be awesome right now Ginny. So lets freakin go!" Cali waved her arm for Ginny to get off her butt and show her where to go to get the cake. Which was all that was on Cali's mind at the moment was cake.

[Ginny Campbell]

"Hey, now, my pocket isn't that stinky. Maybe a little linty." Ginny objected with a laugh, hopping down beside Cali. "Trash can. It's not that far." She added, bending down to retrieve the wrapper. "Pretty sure if we don't throw it away, Doc N will know and then I'll have to listen to some anti-littering lecture next time I see him. Best to just head that off at the pass."

She nodded encouragingly at Cali's growing resolution to get over her absent man. "Revenge is good. I can get behind some revenge. What'd you have in mind? Your options are a bit limited if he stays in hiding. Coward." She added, meandering away from the garden and over toward one of the many wood-enclosed trash cans along the paths. "You could direct the Rumor blog's attention to him, make some ridic shit up about why he's disappeared. Then when he's come back, viola! Say goodbye to Mr. Reputation." That was assuming anyone gave the rumor blog any credit; her other Hammel friends (with the exception of Mia, who very appropriately viewed it as an excuse to make cutting remarks about her enemies) seemed to view it as a nuisance than anything else. They certainly didn't seem to give it much credence. Still, it was a start. Perhaps they could build off whatever they told rumor to make Coward Boyfriend's life a temporary hell, until Cali felt better and he learned that bailing without a word was a bad thing.

"Okay, okaaaaaaaay! I'm going, I'm going, I'm going!" Ginny tossed the wrapper into the trash can and lead the way to the parking lot. "Lucky for you we don't have to walk, because I have a car." She grinned, "So I was thinking Kali's? That's appropriate, isn't it, Cali at Kali's." She allowed herself a snicker before apologizing, "Right, that's not funny, but she has some pretty amazing stuff. OH. GOD. Cookie dough ice cream sounds fan-freaking-tastic. Dunno if Kali's has that." She mused, wondering where in Pilot Ridge they could stop for ice cream if it turned out Kali was cake only. There was no question that they had to have cake and ice cream now that it had been mentioned; or was completely out of the question.