Where All Stories End, and Some Begin [Christian]

[Christian Parker]

Christian did not bother to look over at Bridget as he began to become overcome with the questions of how long it could take Bridget to disappoint him. He was also curious how long ago, and who had caused her the greatest disappointment. Lately Christian found himself slipping into a somber attitude that had taken over his demeanor, and he had been justifying it as seeing the world for what it was. Christian also was not foolish enough to think of the world in the sense of black or white, life was filled with too much complication, and too much gray to ever be that simple. Christian did not miss the slight smile on Bridget’s face when he mentioned that she wasn’t a complete idiot.

‘Hopefully she doesn’t take it the wrong way.’ He was also curious what her follow up comment meant, but there was a greater part of Christian that was demanding alone time. It was that part along with the reality of talking to Bridget meant that a connection would eventually be built, which would probably lead down a long road of pain and disappointment.

“I take that you either are a very good reader of people, or you are so unexpecting of any form of contribution made by other people that you’ve completely abolished any form of standard that you may have expected from people.” Christian snorted and shook his head as he continued to read the book in front of him. “You have it all turned around Princess, Christian added as a dig, “In order to set standards for other people that means you have to get close enough to do so. I set aside that pesky little problem with more productive things to do.” Christian fought his rising ire as he realized that this conversation had the potential to continue on for a very long time and he wondered how long Bridget would stay.

[Bridget Holden]

Bridget clenched her jaw tightly as he called her princess again and let out a low sigh. She debated whether or not she should offer any form of reaction, and deciding that a reaction is what would give him a smug sense of satisfaction, she did her best to refrain. “ I’ll have you know that you calling me Princess, is no longer be taken as a sign of disrespect, but more of a representation of how uncouth you are,” She ran her hand over her leg, smoothing out her skirt as she tried to incorporate a more humanly behavior. Bridget perked her head up slightly as Christian spoke, and gathered that he had suffered his fair share of disappointments throughout his lifetime. For a moment she felt towards him, yet she instantly pulled it back in. He didn’t want company, let alone sympathy and though she hardly cared what he desired at this point, she wasn’t going to let herself be a cause for any warranted anger. Bridget narrowed her eyebrows. She became increasingly frustrated with herself as she felt herself hold back. Ordinarily, she did not refrain from anything that she wanted to say because she felt that if it was honest, than there was no harm in saying what she felt was the truth. Though she understood his reasoning completely, having for the majority of her lifetime agreed with him, she couldn’t help but feel a bit like a devil’s advocate. She motioned towards the book as she looked at him, “ I believe that, that is very productive, however cold,lifeless pages of a book make for a lousy bedfellow,” Though she agreed with him that people would inevitably be disappointing, she couldn’t help but let her human side take over every now and then and wish for something more in her life.

[Christian Parker]

Christian knew he had to be getting on Bridget’s nerves she was not innocent or sweet enough for him not to be. The fact that she seemed to take a moment to react to him hinted at that fact, or at the fact she simply like to think before she spoke. That too was something that Christian doubted and he began to believe further in the fact that he was annoying her. The important thing to Christian at that point was that he was getting under her skin. “I’ll have you know that you calling me Princess, is no longer be taken as a sign of disrespect, but more of a representation of how uncouth you are.” Christian snorted, “Well then you must be more moronic then I thought, especially if you keep sitting here, Princess.” Christian continued to read his book almost forgetting the frustrating but slightly intriguing vampire next to him.

Christian had almost forgotten Bridget’s presence completely when she spoke several moments later, “I believe that, that is very productive, however cold, lifeless pages of a book make for a lousy bedfellow.” Christian felt irritated that Bridget seemed to be insulting something that he took pleasure in doing; especially when that list gradually grew shorter over the decades. Then the last woman he wanted to think of popped into his mind and Christian bit back a snarl as he got up. “Neither books or pages try to kill you. Save us both the headache and annoyance and stay on this side of the library.” Christian tossed his book on a near by table and made his way to the other side of the library picking up another book on the way.

[Bridget Holden]

Bridget scoffed as he made his exit. She narrowed her eyebrows as she looked down at her hands, “Well he is a bit dramatic” she thought to herself. A smug feeling washed over her as she felt proud of herself for not being the one that allowed his behavior to make her walk away. It lasted for only a moment though as she replayed in her mind what he had said to her. “ Neither books or pages try to kill you. Save us both the headache and annoyance and stay on this side of the library,” She bit her bottom lip, tapping her heel anxiously against the ground as she considered what he had said. Surely he wasn’t talking about me” Bridget thought to herself as she sighed, wondering who in the world would have tried to kill him. Then again he did have the personality that would ask for something such as that, unless his personality was an effect of what had happened before. She was amazed at how offended she felt and did her best to brush it off. Bridget grabbed the book that he had set down and opened it mindlessly. She flustered through the pages as she did her best to sort through her thoughts.

[Christian Parker]

Christian realized that it could have made him the weaker one by being the first to walk away. That irritated him to the core but Christian was far from viewing himself as the weak one due to leaving first. Christian’s thoughts began turning again towards an extremely unwanted subject and forced himself to read his book as he found another seat in the library. The fact that it was on the opposite side from where Bridget was, made it just a bonus. Bridget at that point had seemed to become the current bane of his existence, something that women in his life seemed to have a particular talent in doing.

Christian was curious for a few moments about what Bridget was doing and thinking about on the other side of the library. He could still easily sense her power from where he was sitting which meant that she had not left yet. Christian wondered if she would cross the library or if she would leave. Forcing himself to not give a damn Christian opened his new book about the different types of medicatication and began reading while keeping a mental tab on where Bridget was.

[Bridget Holden]

Bridget brushed the hair that fallen over her eyes out of the way as she looked up at the clock and sighed. Instinctively her eyes pulled her towards the direction that the vampire had walked and the sudden tinge of curiosity struck at her again. She pursed her lips and stood. Her intent had not been to irritate him, so she knew that she should do what she thought was best and leave him the library to himself. After all, he had come to the library to be left alone; that was the general atmosphere of a secluded library. She walked over to a vacant bookshelf and narrowed her eyes as they flashed across the titles until she stopped at the book she wanted. She smiled as she pulled the book from the shelf and made her way quietly towards where Christian was sitting. She held her hands out, in almost a peaceful gesture as she made her way towards him, knowing that he would already be able to indicate that she was making a path directly towards him. “ Look, I can do better than just staying on my side of the library. I’ll give you the whole thing,” She set the book down on the desk beside him, hoping it seemed casual as she looked over at him, “ I hope the rest of your night is pleasant,” She gave a small attempt at a smile before she took a few steps away from him and made her way towards the door.

[Christian Parker]

Christian was mulling in his irritation at the fact that he had left first, but more so at the fact that Bridget had remained in the library. It seemed as though he would leave Forks sooner than he had expected because one of the last things he wanted was to have someone continue to bother him while he was reading. There was a reason that he came at night and on days of the week when by all accounts a library should be deserted. A few moments after he had gone back to his original side of the library, he could sense that Bridget was moving around. Then he saw her through the bookshelves and then made her way towards him. Christian went back to his book pointedly ignoring her as she crossed the rest of the distance between them. “Look, I can do better than just staying on my side of the library. I’ll give you the whole thing,”

Christian glanced up for a moment and said, “Nice to know you aren’t a moron Princess.” He realized that may have been going a little far since she was already conceding her place at the library to him. It was not in Christian’s nature to be forgiving or kind, and it was foreign to him to have a moment where it should be required. A second later Bridget wished him a pleasant evening before she finally left. It wasn’t until she felt her powers fading from the library area that he noticed Bridget put down a book. Christian put his own selection aside for a moment to pick up the book that Bridget had left. Christian looked down at the book in his hands, The Little Prince. He smirked at the book and he looked at the door that he knew Bridget had gone through a long while ago. Christian settled back into his seat with a smirk and opened the new book he had read before.

[Bridget Holden]

Bridgets thoughts were still ringing towards what the vampire had said to her as she was making her way through the library parking lot. It incredibly frustrated her that he had continued to be rude, even after she had done what she thought was right by amending the situation. She placed a strand of hair between her ear as she narrowed her eyebrows, wondering if it was something about her that he had a certain distain for, or if it was just people in general that he seemed to loathe. Bridget could feel the irritation shooting from her body, and could only imagine what she must’ve looked like to any humans passing by the parking lot. She looked back to the doors of the library, tempted to go back and say something to the rude vampire, whose name she was still not aware of. She couldn’t help but feel some sort of relief in the fact that she had the last word with the book that she left. Whether he liked it or not, she felt that she was the one that got to leave the last impression. Which is precisely why the instant that the first genuine small smile that she had, had in many years crept upon her lips, she began to wonder whether or not if she was the one who left the last impression, or if the evidence of the small on her lips was proof that his presence had been that much more powerful. The thought irritated her, and she attempted to wipe the smile off of her face just as quickly as it had came.