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Post by Nell Jordan on Feb 17, 2013 16:45:47 GMT -5
Nell left Victoria gaping as she left with Xander and they walked toward the coffee shop. She hadn't thought past leaving with Xander and now she realized she was going to have to talk to him and suddenly she clamed up, shoving her hands in her pockets and getting facinated with her shoes as she walked next to him.
Well this was going to be the most awkward not-date in the history of ever.
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Post by Xander Mosely on Feb 19, 2013 0:01:32 GMT -5
Xander was actually getting just as nervous as she was. This had been an incredibly stupid idea. He and Nell had broken up ages ago. The fact that he still thought about her nearly every night suddenly didn't seem as important as the knowledge that he'd broken her heart when he dumped her for literally no reason at all back in school. She had every right to hate him now, so why exactly was she going out for coffee with him?
Nell was a great girl. Any guy would be an idiot to toss her over, and it was honestly a bit shocking that she apparently was still single. He should let her move on and find someone who was not an idiot who would deserve her.
What would they talk about? Would they even still have anything in common? But then, had they ever had anything in common in the first place?
They reached the coffee shop sooner than Xander had expected, and they hadn't said a word to each other the whole way there. He nervously cleared his throat and held the door open for her. "After you," he said, trying his best attempt to be charming.
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Post by Nell Jordan on Feb 25, 2013 15:12:09 GMT -5
"Thanks," she said shyly, making her way past him into the shop and finding them a table to sit at. She twiddled her thumbs and sat down. She was making this weird. It didn't have to be weird. Once upon a time, they could talk about anything.
Of course, once upon a time they were in love too, or so she thought. "How have you been?" She asked as he sat down across from her. There. That was a nice, conversational question. Nell could definitely keep this from getting awkward.
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Post by Xander Mosely on Feb 28, 2013 23:34:26 GMT -5
It seemed like such a long time ago now, but Xander could still remember when he would have teased her for actually twiddling her thumbs like that. Then they would have laughed and he would have kissed her. Why had those days ended? Oh, right, because he was a selfish prat who thought he could do better.
Now he was sitting stiffly across from her, wishing he still knew how to talk to her and tease her. Like Nell, he needed to keep his hands busy, so he took a napkin from the dispenser and began to twist it between his fingers.
"I've been... fine. Good," he replied. Oh, yeah, real smooth. "I, uh... I work for the Ministry now. How are you doing?"
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Post by Nell Jordan on Mar 2, 2013 15:21:31 GMT -5
"I'm alright," she said, putting her hands in her lap under the table, subconsciously worried he'd tease her for her nervous habit. "I'm working on running a party planning business now, actually," she added, hoping she sounded at least a little successful. She didn't want Xander to think that, ever since he broke her heart, that she couldn't pick herself back up again.
The waitress came by then and asked for their orders. "Just a plain coffee," Nell said with a small smile. She'd add the heaps of sugar herself when it arrived.
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Post by Xander Mosely on Mar 10, 2013 22:14:06 GMT -5
Merlin's beard. It should not be this awkward. Or maybe it should be. There were things he wanted to say to her, but somehow he couldn't find the words, or the courage, to do it.
There was very much a part of him that wanted her to cry out that he'd made a mistake, all those years ago, when he told her he didn't want to see her anymore. To beg her to take him back and allow him to find a way to make things right. But could they go back after all this time? The only thing he knew for sure was that he still felt the same way he had felt the first time he kissed her. But was that enough?
"That's good," he said, smiling uncertainly. "That's really great. I'm glad you're doing well."
It did him good to hear that she was doing well. He'd have felt worse if she hadn't found a way to pick herself back up again after they broke up. And since he already felt badly enough as it was, he didn't think he could handle it if she wasn't doing well.
"Uh... the same," he said to the waitress, looking somewhat shell-shocked at the idea of speaking to someone else.
Once the waitress was gone, Xander cleared his throat and forced himself to speak. "Nell... I was thinking. Maybe we could try... being friends?"
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Post by Nell Jordan on Mar 25, 2013 17:01:14 GMT -5
"Friends," Nell repeated slowly. Did she really want that? She was anxious about the idea of letting Xander back into her life, even just as friends. What if he left her again?
But maybe some Xander in her life was better than no Xander? "We...we could do that," she said. When their coffee came she was relieved to have something to do with her hands. She grabbed the sugar container and poured heaps of sugar in, a habit she'd always had since becoming a coffee drinker.
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Post by Xander Mosely on Mar 26, 2013 22:34:15 GMT -5
For Xander, the idea of being "friends" with Nell just seemed easier. He could still have her in his life, but without the stress and commitment of actually dating. Of course, he was probably thinking a little more along the lines of "friends with benefits," but he wasn't about to suggest something like that to her.
But he couldn't help but think that just being able to be with her in some way might help him get her out of his system. Maybe he could stop mentally comparing every girl he met to her. Or maybe eventually things would progress, but he would ease into it more slowly, with less pressure, and it wouldn't feel so constricting. Or maybe he was an idiot. Well, OK, he was definitely an idiot.
"Great," he said, smiling at her. "I really have missed you. I know it was my fault, but... well, I really would like for us to be able to talk like we used to."
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Post by Nell Jordan on Mar 27, 2013 0:13:09 GMT -5
She visibly relaxed a little, her shoulder, chich had been tiht, drooped a little and she let out a breath. She looked up at Xander from beneath her lashes. "I've missed you too," she said. "A lot. You really did a number on me you know..." she tightened her lips again. She didn't want to bring their past up, it had slipped out. She sighed, unable to take back what she said though, and sipped at her coffee, tucking hair behind her ear in a nervous habit.
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Post by Xander Mosely on Mar 27, 2013 21:30:19 GMT -5
He'd never admit it, but he'd done a number on himself, too. Oh, he'd tried to cover it by dating as many trampy girls as he could find, but the truth was, he had regretted breaking up with her the instant he did it. He missed her greatly, and he had never really gotten over it.
"I know," he replied guiltily. "I... I was young and immature and stupid. And I wish I could tell you that all those things have changed, but... well... I'm older now, anyway. I'm sorry that I hurt you..."
He should have promised her that he wouldn't do it again. But he wasn't sure that he could. He didn't entirely trust himself. But he really did want to be different this time...
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Post by Nell Jordan on Mar 28, 2013 14:52:25 GMT -5
So he still considered himself immature and stupid? That's good to know, Nell assumed. At least she wouldn't go about making the same mistake twice. She knew better than to fall in love with someone that could hurt her twice...right?
"So...we're friends now," Nell said, sort of finalizing the idea. She'd have to say it a few more times, to get used to the idea. She never thought she'd be letting Xander Mosely back into her life. "What are you ding for the ministry?" She asked curiously as she sipped her coffee, made a face, and added more sugar.
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Post by Xander Mosely on Apr 3, 2013 22:24:58 GMT -5
"Friends," Xander repeated, as if he also needed to keep saying it so he would believe it. Ike was going to laugh his head off when he heard about this. He had always been the only one who knew just what breaking up with Nell had actually done to Xander.
"I'm with the Obliviator squad," he replied. "I spend a lot of time trying to fix the memories of muggles who've seen magic and helping them to forget."
It was ironic, really, that he had never been able to get past his own memories of her.
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Post by Nell Jordan on Apr 7, 2013 16:49:15 GMT -5
"Sounds like something that would keep you pretty busy," Nell said with a fascinated smile. Working in the ministry was right up Xander's ally, in Nell's smile. She could imagine him popping in and out around the UK and fixing people's memories, making people forget just the magic parts, and being sure to keep the rest of their memories intact.
Too bad he couldn't have popped by and made her forget her feelings for him, that would have been really helpful. She bit her lip at that thought and stirred her coffee.
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Post by Xander Mosely on Apr 9, 2013 22:12:26 GMT -5
"Lately, yeah," he agreed. "It's been kinda crazy."
This really should be easier. They used to know each other so well. But a lot had happened since then. And although he really wanted to ask her if she was seeing anyone else now, he figured that kind of question was a little too personal for now, when they were just beginning to explore this tenuous new friendship thing.
"How about you? Party planning sounds like it'd be the perfect fit for you. You always were good at organizing things. What kind of events do you do?"
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