When I read your blog, it doesn’t even sound like you.
…It doesn’t? Why?
You have this public persona. Your public voice. That’s what you present to everyone. He gestures. The deal with you is: the mystery.
Ava laughs. Yea, right. Mystery. There’s not much mystery here.
There is. It kills the guys, because when you smile it’s genuine and they leap at that. He gestures again. The glimpse. But everything else is what you want them to see. Which is why, when I read your blog and see everything else that you feel… it doesn’t sound like you.
Ava pauses. I never thought of it like that.

———————————————————————————————–

You should send me your blog.
She hesitates.
Yea. I will.

She didn’t.

Their dating relationship slowed to a…

…Date broken.

She calls her ex boyfriend. I can go!
Ava, you doll. That’s great. What time do you want to meet?
I need to go home first, but I’ll meet you before the game!
You were the first person I called. You know that? I thought to myself: Who do I always have fun with? Ava. That’s who.
She laughs. Really? Aww, thanks B2. I’m so excited!

She rushes home after work.
Changes.
Heels.
Blinks at herself in the mirror when she puts on a brown shirt, adjusts and adjusts again and pushes the memories from her head.

Why does everything have to have an association?

She hops on the skytrain.

I’m nearly there! Where are you?
The back side of BC Place.
The back… side. You’ll have to clarify that for me.
Uhhh, where am I? I’m… here. Just walk South on Beatty.
South? Okay.
If you hit Robson you’ve gone too far.
Robson. Oh honey, that’s North.
It is?
Yea, Gastown is South!
…Ava. Gastown is the northern most part of Vancouver.
No it isn’t it’s… oh.
Ha! I’ll let this one slide. That’s all you get though.
Hehe. Thanks.

She walks… South on Beatty and right when she gets to Robson she sees him across the street. They do the awkward, I can see you, you can see me, but you’re not here yet so let’s just avoid looking at one another until you get here, shuffle.

Warm hug
Walk back
Pop into Shark Club for a quick beer.

So, tell me what’s been going on?
Eye avoidance. Nothing much. Work.
Well… who are you seeing? Dating anyone?
No.
Ava squints her eyes at him.
He avoids her gaze.
What’s going on? Are you okay? There’s something… different about you.
It might be my ADHD acting up. Do I seem hyper?
No… I would say more subdued. She tries to think of something he might not want her to know. …Have you seen Joanne?
No! No. Not since everything went bad.
Good. You two were terrible for each other.
I know. I know that now. You helped me see that.
You knew it too.
I loved her. But it was something you said that really made me see. I called you and you told me you didn’t want to talk to me until I figured out that her and I should be done.
Yea, I did say that.
Within a week it was over.
Really?
Yea. Haven’t seen her since. Things just had to get that bad for it to be done.
Ava nods. I know all about that.

They sit at the game. Great seats.
His arm slides behind her back.
Ava inwardly cocks her head
…and tweets about it.

Shoulder rub.
Part.
Hand on knee.
Separate.
Head on shoulder.
Sit up straight.

Standing ovation for game winning goal.

Hey! We won!
They hug.

Escape for scotch tasting.

So what do you recommend for someone who doesn’t like scotch, but you want to convert them to scotch?
Dalwhinnie. For sure. And I’ll have Glenlivet. Just a couple rocks for each of us.

Just take a sip.

She waits for his assessment.

It’s good!
I told you.

I’m doing this thing where I don’t sleep with people.
How’s that working out?
It’s a great litmus test. When was the last time you slept with someone?
Two days ago.
She laughs. Wow.

I found something out recently. It has to do with my blog and how I use it.
Yea?
I think I lean on it too much. A friend told me I have a persona that I put forward. While, I feel like I’m extremely open, I’m often only open through my writing. I don’t express enough to people face to face. Though I think I am because I still get it out somehow. But I wonder if that’s fair. People have discover aspects of me by reading convoluted and often confusing writing.
You’re expressive in your own way. In a controlled environment.
I guess.
It’s how you work. Someone who cares about you should understand that about you.
True.
You know Ava, when I’m with you I’m myself. I tell you pretty much anything. More than anyone else in my life.
Yet we don’t see one another except for two or three times a year.
For a motorcycle trip.
That was so much fun.

As were other things.

We essentially have the best relationship.
Never hang out often enough to grow tired or irritated of one another?
I don’t even consider you an ex. You’re a friend. We don’t have the negative connotations of most exes I have.
Same here.

She agrees with part of what he said. She still considers him an ex.

He drives her home.
She kisses him.
He makes out.

Hands in hair
on arms
on legs
waist

She pulls away
Text me when you get home safe?
He hesitates. …Okay.

She smiles coyly and slips from the car.

G’night B2.
G’night cutie.