[✔︎] 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ✫ POST-DESCENDANTS TWO ⁶

✖︎ THIRTY: Remembering ✖︎

HJ and Talia moves along with the music, though HJ didn't know how he felt about this. They said nothing, neither knowing what to say to each other. HJ hadn't expected to talk to her or nothing. He'd never been upfront about things like that. He liked going with the flow and seeing what would happen then.

When he and Sam had dated, he hadn't been the one to ask her out. Sam had asked him and he'd agreed. He didn't feel comfortable doing that sort of thing. He never had been. He hadn't dated anyone after her. He'd never found the courage to ask anyone else out. He was also sure no one thought of things that way. He'd been lucky to not have been heartbroken like many people were on the Isle.

They toyed with your emotions to get what they wanted. HJ didn't want to see himself hurt so he closed that off. It didn't help seeing his friends go through things. It only convinced him to stay that way more.

They weaved through the crowd, getting closer to where Sam sat with Dizzy, Audrey having gone to dance with Chad after he'd pestered her too much. Sam and Dizzy waved at him, giving him a thumbs up and a nod of their heads.

He liked their support but he was sure that wasn't going to get him anywhere. He wasn't going to ask her out. He couldn't bring himself to do that. He didn't know if he could do that. He couldn't do that.

He barely knew her and she didn't know he liked her. He was sure she didn't like him but it seemed his friends had other ideas. Dizzy and Sam made gestures for him to talk to her. But he didn't know if he could. From the corner of his eye he saw the daughter of Peter Pan Pandora. She seemed to be trying to get Talia to speak to him but she wasn't having it. It also seemed that she wasn't enthusiastic about it and maybe liked HJ. But what did HJ know.

HJ continued dancing with Talia. The song seemed to be going on forever and he didn't know when it would end. He supposed he had to make the most out of his time. And if that meant dancing with his crush who didn't know she was his crush, then that would be that.

Talia opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it and the two continued to dance in silence. HJ opened up his mouth to say something but closed it when nothing came out. He spun her around and caught her once more. He didn't like how this was going. He knew they both wanted I say something but didn't know what to say. He also didn't want to be the one to start the conversation. But he had to be and he knew that. Or maybe she would.

Talia steppes on his foot and he winced in pain. She was the first to speak. He was glad.

"Sorry." Talia said. "I've never really danced well and most of my partner's quit before the end."

"I won't quit." HJ assures. "I learned to dance with my friend. We watched the TV and copied what they did. It was a lot easier than I thought."

"Can you help me?" Talia asked, fumbling over her words. "I mean no one has ever succeeded in teaching me how to dance. But you could try. FG kind of have up on me at Fairy training."

"FG?" HJ asked, not knowing who she was talking about.

"Fairy Godmother." Talia said. "She helps me with my fairy powers because none of the teachers are allowed to. And I don't really know how to control it."

"I remember." HJ said. "You shrunk and didn't know how to get bigger."

"You remember that?" Talia asked, covering her hand over her mouth. "That was so long ago. It was kind of embarrassing."

HJ nodded, gently tugging her hand away.

"I remember." HJ said. "But you shouldn't be embarrassed. A lot of people choose flight over fight. You took it very literally."

Talia giggled at that, and HJ braved a smile. They were talking and it wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. They just needed to break the ice that was all. Even if his foot still kind of hurt. This hadn't turned out as bad as he thought it would. He was glad it hadn't.

"Fight over flight." Talia said. "Which one would you choose."

"Depends on the situation." HJ replied. "If one of my friends were in danger fight. If I was in danger it would be flight."

Talia nodded as they continued to waltz across the dance floor. HJ felt he was on air, his heart soaring and his mind afloat. He felt genuinely happy. He liked that feeling.

On the Isle it had been frowned upon to smile, to be happy, to laugh without malice. Here he could be happy and he could express that. There was a reason to be happy here. At home there wasn't. They lived in filth and dirt and picked out the scraps that were left for them. He didn't have to do that here.

Things had changed for the better but he was still sad that he couldn't share this with his sister. But he could share it with his people. They could make the Isle a better place if they tried. He was glad there were some new changes. They were just the beginning.

Talia smiled up at him and he smiled back.

"So." Talia said. "You're leaving soon aren't you?"

"Yeah." HJ said. "We're leaving after the New Year's party. I'm helping with Ben's new thing. I'll be back in April."

"That's nice." Talia said. "Come see me before then."

"Alright." HJ said. "I'll see you before then. I promise."