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Post by Austin Hancock on Nov 27, 2010 12:09:54 GMT -5
He let a soft smile spread across his face. It wasn't really his intention of changing anything that night but it felt a little more like fate that they ran into each other again after that night.
"I'm not going to lie, I have had a one night stand before but that was after too much drinking. But, after that I never did that again. That was right after I got out of school. Myself and a few friends went out and well, I'm sure you're able to figure out the rest of that story." After waking up and not remembering what he did scared him.
"But that incident of not remembering anything changed me around quick. I saw that you had a little too much to drink that night, and you needed to get home safely. After all, you were, and still are, gorgeous, there alone, and drunk, those things mixed together don't always end well." Austin continued to play with her hair. "Something told me to walk you home. I never regretted not asking you out that night. Some how I knew we were going to run back into each other."
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Post by Paige Owen on Nov 28, 2010 0:48:35 GMT -5
"One night stands aren't always bad," she said. "I've had a few that were really nice, actually. It kind of depends. It's usually bad if I let myself get too drunk. But if the guy talks to me and seems genuinely interested, even though we both know it's not going anywhere..."
She trailed off. It still sort of sounded cheap when she talked about it, but she had been with a few guys who at least had made her feel special before they went to bed together. Until Austin, that had been the closest she had ever come to romance, and she treasured it.
Now, however, she was starting to realize that Austin not sleeping with her was possibly the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her.
"You think I'm gorgeous?" she said, smiling. Maybe it was shallow, but she needed to hear it once in a while.
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Post by Austin Hancock on Nov 28, 2010 22:18:03 GMT -5
Austin knew about Paige's past, maybe not all of her past, but a lot of it. He knew whatever happened, happened and it was the past, not the future. It didn't bother him whenever she talked about it, unless she mentioned if someone hurt her.
At her question, he gave a laugh. "Something like that," he answered with a broad smile. Of course he thought she was gorgeous. There probably wasn't a man around that didn't think Paige was gorgeous. He was going to make sure that she knew that she was gorgeous and he was also going to make sure she felt like she was, even if she was in a baggy shirt or thought she looked her worst.
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Post by Paige Owen on Nov 30, 2010 19:26:49 GMT -5
She had been hurt a lot in her past, physically and emotionally. She'd been used and tossed aside like an old dishrag. And she'd allowed it all to happen because she didn't believe that she deserved better. But she had come back home to London to stay, hoping that her new job, and her new apartment would finally allow her to make a new start. She had met Austin a year ago, when she was still in a very vulnerable place. She had still been dancing, still been starving herself, and was generally self-destructive in many ways. But now she was trying to put all that behind her, and Austin was back in her life, offering something she hadn't even dared to hope for.
She looked up at him, and felt like she was drowning in his eyes. She wished she could see herself the way he saw her.... and maybe with time, she would. It was a spark of hope that she wanted to hold on to.
"You're very handsome, too," she said, almost breathless. "You have such beautiful eyes..."
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Post by Austin Hancock on Nov 30, 2010 23:41:35 GMT -5
For one of the few times in Austin's life, he felt his face become warm. His cheeks started to hold a pink tint. He looked down at her with a soft smile. "Thank you," he replied very quietly. He stopped running his fingers through her hair for a moment as he leaned down and kissed her very softly. It wasn't too long of a kiss, nor was it very short. There was meaning behind it, but it wasn't pushing for anything.
"You're gorgeous, and don't you forget that," he said once he pulled away. "I don't care what you look like, you will always look perfect."
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Post by Paige Owen on Dec 2, 2010 2:01:31 GMT -5
Sweet Merlin, a girl could get used to this. She should have had guys complimenting her all the time and treating her like a princess. But Paige was pretty sure that the last guy she had "dated" had complimented her by belching in her face.
And why should she accept that sort of thing, anyway? She had known that she was unhappy, but she hadn't realized just how different it would feel to have a guy treat her like she was special. And that was the scary thing.
If she let herself get used to this kind of thing and their relationship didn't work out, Paige wouldn't be able to go back to the kinds of guys she used to date. Austin was raising the bar, and she was going to want any other guy she might meet to treat her in the same way.
But what if it does work out? whispered a little voice in the back of her head. What if this is your destiny? What if you're meant to be with him, to get married, and have children and grow old together....
The thought of it scared her. There had only ever been one man that she had wanted to marry. He was supposed to marry Chloe, and when Chloe was turned, their parents had tried to get her fiance to marry Paige instead. He'd made promises to her, said sweet things to her, and got her into bed... then dumped her for another girl. He'd been the first man to treat her as a broken toy, but not the last.
"Keep talking," she said softly, playing with a button on his sleeve. "Tell me how gorgeous I am." She looked up at him, smiling in a shy, yet playful way at him. She was really kidding... or at least, mostly.
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Post by Austin Hancock on Dec 2, 2010 16:29:58 GMT -5
He let out a quiet chuckle. He understood that whatever compliments Paige really received before were mainly ways to get her to bed. Austin didn't want to do that. He looked at her face and noticed that it did brighten as he spoke about her. Austin really meant what he said, and he knew that Paige understood that.
He gave her a wink. "The thing you do with the paper tearing whenever you're nervous is adorable," Austin started. "And the way your face brightens, it makes your eyes shine." For a moment, he realized that the things he was saying were probably a little cliche, but it was honest and if it helped Paige's self-esteem rise, then he would continue on.
"Oh, and that shy look that you get sometimes, just like a few seconds ago, that's one of my favorites, and so is that playful like smile of yours." Austin grinned broadly.
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Post by Paige Owen on Dec 3, 2010 1:17:40 GMT -5
Paige's mouth twisted in an expression of disbelief. "You think that paper thing I do is cute?" she repeated. "Ugh, it's so annoying.... I get nervous and I have to do something with my hands. It makes such a mess.... one time, I was auditioning for a production of Giselle and I was so nervous that I tore up the audition slip and left all these little pieces in the waiting room. I just... I can't always control it. My therapist says I might be obsessive-compulsive."
But as he continued, she grew quiet again, warmth spreading through her at the compliments. No one ever said these kinds of things to her, and she could feel herself falling for him little by little.
"I like the way you look at me," she said. "It makes my knees go weak."
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Post by Austin Hancock on Dec 3, 2010 2:10:53 GMT -5
"It's only because I happen to like you," he said with a smile. "As for that whole paper ripping thing, it's not that bad. I mean, it could be much worse. Anyway, it is cute. It's only a Paige thing I believe. I've never known anyone else to do it, but if tearing papers helps you calm down a little, then there's nothing wrong with that." Everyone had their hang ups. "Besides, we can work on something to help. I dunno what that can be yet, but we'll figure something out together."
Austin started to run his fingers through her hair again. "And I like the way you look at me. Can't really say that my knees are really weak, but sometimes I feel like a teenager all over again."
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Post by Paige Owen on Dec 6, 2010 0:46:20 GMT -5
Paige shivered and closed her eyes as he ran his fingers through her hair. For once in her life, she wanted to just shut off that little voice of doubt in the back of her mind. She was tired of thinking, tired of being afraid, tired of believing that she wasn't good enough or that she didn't deserve this or that she would just end up alone and brokenhearted again. Right now, she just wanted to relax and let herself feel. Even if this did end, then at least for a little while, she would have known what it was like to be loved.
"I like when you run your fingers though my hair," she sighed dreamily. "And I like your smile."
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Post by Austin Hancock on Dec 9, 2010 23:55:33 GMT -5
Austin was planning on staying around for as long as he could. He didn't have any intentions on leaving her. For once, he found something to stay around for. He had worried about taking care of everyone else and for once, he was worrying about something he wanted. Of course, he was worried about taking care of Paige, and making sure that she was feeling like she should, but he was also trying to take care of his self.
"Your hair is soft and it always smells good," he said with a smile. "And I like playing with it." Austin continued to play with Paige's hair. "And I like spending time with you to be quite honest. You make things interesting."
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Post by Paige Owen on Dec 10, 2010 0:58:25 GMT -5
Paige leaned against him, feeling utterly content. She was safe and warm and happy, and all seemed right with the world for just that moment. She had never been so comfortable with another person before, and it made her feel like she was floating on a cloud.
"I like the way you're always honest," she said softly. "So many guys will lie or say anything to get a girl into bed. You don't do that, you always say what you mean."
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Post by Austin Hancock on Dec 10, 2010 1:07:25 GMT -5
"I don't see the point in lying to a girl," he said with a shrug. "There's no reason to lie to her. Plus, my mom always taught us that honesty is the best policy. She told us that if we remained honest, it would get us through a lot more than just lying." There was no incentive to lying, so why do it?
"You can always be completely honest with me," he said. "I don't care what it is, you can always come tell me." He knew that this was new to Paige, and in fact this was sort of new to him too, but they were going to work through the workings together.
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Post by Paige Owen on Dec 11, 2010 0:52:30 GMT -5
"Guys who lie only do it because they only want one thing from a girl. They don't intend to stick around , so they'll say whatever it takes to get what they want, and then they're out the door."
She said this without looking at him, her eyes getting far away. There had been a few guys who hadn't lied to her, but they still hadn't really wanted more than sex. For most of them, it always came back to that. Austin was different, though, and it still took her by surprise.
"Complete honesty is one of the scariest things in the world," she said. "It leaves you open and vulnerable. I... I don't know how to be that honest. Not yet. Will you teach me?"
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Post by Austin Hancock on Dec 11, 2010 13:11:43 GMT -5
"It is, but complete honesty is what helps shape you into a better person." Of course, Austin knew that a lot of times being completely honest could be hurtful and he wasn't the type that could be brutal about it.
"I will do what I can to help you. It's not a bad thing to be honest. You can start with small, every day things. Honesty just sort of happens." He also knew that being completely honest was another step for Paige. She was already trimming off a few things, and honesty would help trim off more.
"You can practice honesty with me sometimes," he offered. "If it be a song, or the way I dress, doesn't matter, it could be anything."
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Post by Paige Owen on Dec 12, 2010 1:04:05 GMT -5
It still sounded scary to Paige. She was used to thinking that she wasn't good enough, wasn't smart enough or talented enough or interesting enough for people to want to be around her. When she looked at her life, it was sad and lonely and empty and filled with rejection. She didn't have any friends. She had alienated most of the other girls in the dancer troupe and she had done the same with most of her coworkers at the paper. Other women didn't like her, but she could hardly blame them for that. She had a tendency to act superior, to be cold and ruthless in her work. Now she was starting to realize what it had cost her.
She still couldn't see what it was that Austin saw in her, but she wanted to, desperately. She wanted to be that girl. And it wasn't even that she wanted to change to be what he wanted her to be... Rather, she felt like he actually saw those qualities in her, and that meant they must be there... hidden away maybe, but there just the same.
"When I was a dancer," she began slowly, her voice very soft, "I used to wish that I could just spend my whole life dancing. Just stay on the stage, performing, for the rest of time. Because when I was up there, I felt perfect, like nothing could touch me. I felt graceful, magical, beautiful... like a porcelain doll. But when I left the stage, everything felt wrong. I'd start doubting myself, picking apart my performance, my looks, the other dancers, everything. My life would all go to hell until the next time I got up on that stage. I lived for those performances, and when I wasn't dancing, I felt like I was dying. So when I hurt my knee and couldn't dance anymore... I really wanted to die for a while. But now.... I kind of feel like I've been born again. Like I get a second chance to live my life, and that old one seems farther and farther away. I still miss dancing sometimes, but it's less when I'm with you."
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Post by Austin Hancock on Dec 20, 2010 15:29:37 GMT -5
Austin smiled lightly. He knew that it wasn't going to be easy for Paige, even though he had no idea exactly what she was going through. He pressed a light kiss on her head. "Second chances do come around but not everyone takes them. I'm glad you're taking yours. Things will be a lot different, I promise."
He wasn't exactly sure what caused them to meet in the first place, or what even caused them to run into each other for the second time. Whatever it was, Austin was relieved. For now he had something more than to just live day to day. He had something else and for now his life was turning around.
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Post by Paige Owen on Jan 4, 2011 22:46:31 GMT -5
Paige sighed softly, closing her eyes. She was so tired of feeling twisted up inside, of hating herself and her life and everything. Austin was giving her a chance to lay down those burdens that she carried, most of which she had inflicted upon herself. He believed in her, and in asking her to take this chance with him, he was also asking her to believe in herself. It was a big risk, and the smart money was against her. Yet, he was willing to try anyway. It filled her with a kind of hope she'd never really experienced before.
"Hey... do you want to watch me dance? I have an old tape of mine..."
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Post by Austin Hancock on Jan 16, 2011 0:10:33 GMT -5
"I would love to see you dance," he said softly. Austin wouldn't tell her, but before he had met her, he saw her dance once. It happened to be a show he just decided to go to because he heard a lot of good things about it and he wanted to see it for himself. That night, he picked her out of all the other girls on stage. She moved gracefully and captured his full attention. Once the show was over, Austin thought that he wasn't going to see her ever again. She had done great and there was something about her that had her left in his head. Then, when he saw her for the second time, Austin thought that it was just luck. He was gentleman enough to walk her home without trying anything funny. Even then, he never mentioned the fact that he saw her dance. He didn't want her to think that she was just trying to sleep with her. After he left her again, Austin was then pretty sure that he wouldn't see her again, however a third time did strike. It was extremely rare for something like that to happen, and Austin thought that maybe, just maybe someone was trying to tell him something, so he took the chance.
He moved just a little so he could sit up in order to stand up. Austin offered his hand to Paige to help her up. "Shall we?"
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Post by Paige Owen on Jan 17, 2011 1:39:36 GMT -5
Paige had never actually watched herself dance before. She had a number of tapes from her performances, but she had never watched them. The idea of watching herself, seeing all of her mistakes and her flaws, had always sounded like torture... and yet she had saved them anyway. So offering to watch a tape with Austin was a pretty big deal to her. And she couldn't deny being a little nervous. But she also knew that Austin wouldn't judge her, wouldn't see the negatives. And maybe she could learn to see it through his eyes.
She placed her hand in his and let him help her to her feet. "I have a few tapes, actually. Would you rather see me in a leading role? I did the lead in Giselle a few years ago. Or if you'd rather something more familiar, I was the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker...."
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