Second Life: A Second Chance

From the Lost Children (V)

Outside the center building, in front of a few medium sized oak trees, sit Amarante and I alone together with our backs leaned against a long stone bench block, watching the tall grass and the butterflies that fly above it sway alongside the gentle breeze found within the dome. With anxiety returning amidst the mounting curiosity regarding Amarante's unknown reasons for regarding MontClair as a dangerous being running rampant in my mind, I once again ask Amarante as to why she would even bother discussing to me about MontClair.  

"So how did you meet MontClair, the girl you warned me about and why did you even warn me about her? I understand for safety reasons why you warned me, but it makes no sense. I was but a stranger to you the day we met. We hadn't had a chance to speak about what happened that day since." 

Amarante turns to my side after listening to me speak, looking at me with her crystal clear grey eyes, following up my question with an awkward response. Changing her vocal pitch and dilating her eyes as she looks deep into my eyes, she blurts out something almost incomprehensible. 

"Well I warned you about her, because, because- I did not want you to fall for her traps like someone I know did! I just wanted to keep you safe and help you avoid her by any means necessary..." she says, right before looking down at her bare legs in shame. 

"What do you mean?" I curiously ask, sounding slightly confused by what she means by 'keeping me safe.' 

"MontClair was in love with one of my best friends during Reha, Anna, who they met during free time in Reha. MontClair tried to kill Anna after falling out of love with her but I managed to stop her from committing the act, catching her dead in her tracks," says she, causing my insides to feel a tinge of relief alongside a growing wariness regarding MontClair's aggression to others.

Quickly losing focus on what she is telling me, I try to pay attention to her words by looking at her eyes, only to be distracted by a detail concerning her eye color. Prompted by the detail in eye color I have noticed in Amarante, I nervously confront her about it.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but may I add something?"

"You're fine. Go ahead Caemanor," she says, sounding slightly shaken from my question.

"Your eyes...they changed color. I swear they were just hazel a few moments ago."

"Wait, is that a problem? I'm sorry my eye color changes. I can't help it. Does it bother you?!" Amarante blurts out, blushing almost immediately in what seems to be embarrassment from my comment.

Embarrassed to have caused her what it appears to be embarrassment, I apologize, worried she might have taken my words the wrong way.

"I didn't mean to offend you! I just noticed that interesting detail about you. Your eyes don't even matter to me. You're very attractive with or without your eye color. I am really sorry....please forgive me," I say, feeling regretful and slightly ashamed for having said something about her eyes in the first place.

"No you're fine. I should be the one saying sorry."

"No it should be me," I add.

"No....it should be me,. I was the one who didn't mention it to you," she says, appearing very coy as she speaks.

"Okay fine, you win," I say, feeling in no mood to continue mentioning the embarrassing topic of apology. My cheeks soon feel warm after allowing her to keep her apology.

"Uh, sorry. I am...so bad at speaking and I know it might sound rude but, we are sort of sidetracking from what I need to tell you. Wait! I forgot what I was going to say. I'm sorry!" she says, sounding anxious as she apologizes to me yet again.