by Leonidas Jarnefeldt 23rd October 2023, 11:56 am
-3:03 P.M., Leonidas' Neighborhood-
Leonidas was dressed in his usual outfit of an olive green jacket over white t-shirt and olive green cargo pants with black boots and was walking through his neighborhood just to do something other than sit around his apartment all day long. He had brought his apartment keys with him and they were stashed in his right cargo pocket. He had no set destination in mind and was just wandering.
The scar-faced mage walked through the neighborhood and wondered how Samantha was doing. He had not seen her since their last meeting at Capital Crocus Mall a few months ago and despite the unpleasant circumstances behind their parting he could not help but to think about the young woman who was his first real acquaintance in Fiore. She had greeted him in a friendly manner and did not let his facial scar scare her away, two things which made Leonidas like her. It also helped that she was beautiful.
He would have liked a chance to date her, but Sabrina had picked the moment he and Samantha were talking to arrive and cling onto the scar-faced mage before trading verbal barbs with his neighbor. He was pretty sure that that had killed any chance he had of getting a date with Samantha. Leonidas was not sure if he and Samantha would have gotten together even if they did go on a date, but now he would never know for certain.
Leonidas continued to walk until he came across a young blonde woman with waist-length hair wearing a baby blue t-shirt and knee-length white skirt with brown sandals. She must have felt him looking at her because she stopped and turned to face him. His heart skipped a beat when that happened.
Was it Samantha?
When she faced him Leonidas saw his neighbor. He was not sure how she would respond to their chance encounter, but to his surprise she seemed to be in a good mood.
"Hey Leonidas! It's been awhile!" Samantha warmly greeted him.
"Yes it has." Leonidas replied. The other blonde's face turned a light shade of red.
"Hey, uh, I was wondering... did you want to go to the mall with me?" She asked. The scar-faced mage's heart began to beat faster.
"Certainly." Leonidas replied with a calm that belied how he really felt. Samantha smiled at him.
"Great! Let's get going!" She said. Leonidas began to walk by right side as they started the walk to the mall.
-Capital Crocus Mall, 5:05 P.M.-
Samantha and Leonidas entered the mall and walked through the entrance hall, then took a right and walked towards Earthland Eagle. The food court was packed like it always was... it was a good thing neither of them wanted to eat there because with fifty-plus people waiting in line they would be waiting quite awhile. As they walked Samantha turned her head and looked up to face the taller mage.
"So, um, I've been thinking. About us." Samantha awkwardly started off. Leonidas looked down to face her and gave her his undivided attention.
"I think... I think we should just be friends. I don't think that we're compatible after what that other girl said and did." She said to him. Leonidas was not terribly surprised by that statement. He had suspected that he had lost his chance with Samantha after what Sabrina did, so he was not heartbroken in the slightest. He was only mildly upset, but his face did not show that.
"I'm fine with that." Leonidas replied calmly. Samantha looked surprised to hear that response. Perhaps she had expected him to beg her for another chance or fly into a rage. Perhaps she even expected him to cry.
"I... I didn't expect you to say that." Samantha confessed. Leonidas thought on his feet and had a response ready within seconds.
"Look, Samantha. I want you to be happy even if I'm not the guy you choose to date." Leonidas said plainly. He was not sure if that response was the right one, but it was exactly how he felt. Samantha looked at him and did not say anything for several seconds. Her face turned red and he did not know if that was due to anger, sadness, or another emotion.
Roughly a minute later her face returned to its normal color and she smiled at him.
"Thanks, Leonidas." She said plainly before reaching out and giving him a hug. It was Leonidas' turn for his face to turn a light shade of red before he returned the embrace.
"We can talk about the details later if you'd like, but for now I just want to walk around the mall." Samantha said before releasing him from the embrace. Leonidas pulled his arms away from her and lowered them to his sides.
"Certainly." Leonidas replied, his face still a little red from being suddenly hugged.
"Great!" Samantha exclaimed. She pointed towards a store at the far end of the floor named The Fashionable Lady.
"Let's go in there!" She suggested.
"OK." Leonidas agreed. Together the two blonds walked towards the store to spend some time together... as friends, of course. Leonidas was satisfied with this outcome because while he was not dating her he was still on good terms with his attractive neighbor, which would make life easier and less awkward since they would not be avoiding each other.
[Post Word Count: 900]
[Total Word Count: 11,472/11,000]