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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 7:29:26 GMT -5
"Yeah, well...sometimes they know when to quit," Race said, glancing at her, then over at the bookie's stall. "Not today, though. Save me a seat?" He went to place his bet, then came back and sat beside her, eyes trained on the horses as the jockeys warmed them up.
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Sapphy
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I'll die living just as free as my hair.
Posts: 1,514
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Post by Sapphy on Aug 31, 2011 11:04:02 GMT -5
Sapphy, always one to delve to deeply into everything, felt a little lost at those words. A little voice within her said, You lost your chance.
She fell quiet, eyes on her fingers as they twisted in her lap. She glanced at Racetrack in the corner of her eyes.
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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 11:27:35 GMT -5
He saw her looking at him, and after a moment, looked back at her with a smile. "Your grey's running again. He didn't do so bad this time--maybe this is his night."
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Sapphy
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I'll die living just as free as my hair.
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Post by Sapphy on Aug 31, 2011 11:28:57 GMT -5
Sapphy looked down at her hands with a smile.
"Been followin' my grey for me, have yeh?"
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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 11:53:27 GMT -5
"Well, uh...I follow all the horses," Race lied, fidgeting a bit and lighting another cigar. This was ridiculous; he and Sapphy had laughed and cried and even slept together--platonically--and he'd never been this nervous around her before. Damn it, Higgins, nothing's gonna happen. She's your friend, her brother's an idiot, the sun is shining, and the horses are gonna take off soon.
"Y'know, I hardly ever go to morning races," he said lightly. "I'm actually feeling kinda lucky."
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Sapphy
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I'll die living just as free as my hair.
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Post by Sapphy on Aug 31, 2011 11:57:18 GMT -5
"Good, I'm glad," Sapphy said, putting her chin in the palm of her hand as she watched the horses line up.
"That should be our adventure today," she said thoughtfully. "We'll take turns doing new things -- I mean, it sounds like you've been to the morning races before, but I haven't. So now it'll be your turn to think of something new for us to do."
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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 12:02:40 GMT -5
He laughed, feeling a little more at ease, because it seemed like an ordinary, friendly proposition. Though that was how the three-questions-a-day game started out, and God knew that hadn't always been lighthearted. "I'll see what I can come up with."
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Sapphy
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I'll die living just as free as my hair.
Posts: 1,514
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Post by Sapphy on Aug 31, 2011 12:04:38 GMT -5
"Better think quick, because I won't allow you to gamble all morning. This is or day of adventure!" she proclaimed, heart racing a little faster.
She watched as the horses lined up to their gates. She held her breath -- she could feel her pulse throbbing away in her neck. She glanced again at Race.
Lost your chance.
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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 12:22:54 GMT -5
"With many more to come, I hope." The smile came easier this time. When his eyes met hers right before the race started, like they had once before, he couldn't help feeling a sort of electric connection between them--the excitement as they waited for the horses to burst out of the gate. This is how it all began...
Then the gun sounded, the gate burst open, the horses took off, and the dire warnings of Kevin "Copper" Nolan were suddenly, mercifully absent from Race's mind. He jumped out of his seat and cheered, and his cheers grew louder and more ecstatic as Procaccini's Pride passed several favorites and began to pull ahead.
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Sapphy
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I'll die living just as free as my hair.
Posts: 1,514
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Post by Sapphy on Aug 31, 2011 12:29:39 GMT -5
Sapphy's chest rose and fell as she watched the horses, the sound of their pounding feet reverberating in her head. With the rhythm of their hooves came the rhythm of her thoughts...
Move on. Don't be stupid. Move on. Don't be stupid.
She was having a hard time breathing. She let out an uneasy exhale and watched the horses make their first turn. She looked up at Race, cheering his heart out, and felt a little weightless.
Fuck it. I can't wait on this anymore.
Sapphy had always been an impatient girl. She took hold of Racetrack's shift cuff and pulled him back down into his seat. She coaxed him close and easily found his lips with her own.
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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 13:12:24 GMT -5
Well, Race forgot about horses. And money. And dire warnings. And his own name.
He slid his arms around Sapphy, pulled her closer, kissed her gently, searchingly, then harder and deeper. One hand moved up to her neck, the other down to her waist. Everyone was watching the horses, and even in the middle of the crowded stands in broad daylight, it was like they were alone. Her red hair was all around him, she was so warm, her skin was smooth under his hand, her lips were so soft, and she was Sapphy, dear God, he'd wanted this for so long. Because she was so beautiful and...and...
And he was in love with her. And wanted what was best for her.
Very slowly and reluctantly, he pulled away, removed his hands, and gasped out, "What...what are we...we should probably...talk."
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Sapphy
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I'll die living just as free as my hair.
Posts: 1,514
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Post by Sapphy on Aug 31, 2011 13:19:29 GMT -5
Sapphy made a little disgruntled noise at that and rest her forehead against Race's. She kissed him once more, softly, far too briefly.
"I didn't want to wait for my turn again," she whispered, opening her eyes but not pulling her skin away from Race's. "I've never initiated a kiss with a boy before."
She kissed him once more, fingertips brushing his jaw. She shivered. Race was such a lovely kisser.
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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 13:34:50 GMT -5
He wasn't expecting that and consequently made a slight whimpering noise, and he was kissing her back, running his fingers lightly over her face, before he once again remembered a certain angry redheaded boy who claimed to know Sapphy inside-out.
"Look," he murmured, once he was able to take a breath and re-connect the brain cells necessary for speaking. "I don't wanna...make things harder for you. I mean...your life's already kinda complicated. And I know you've been happy lately, and I want this, you know I do, but your brother said..." He sighed, frustrated beyond belief at this point, and forced out the words. "...that this wasn't good for you. That it'd make you weak and...and end up hurting you."
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Sapphy
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I'll die living just as free as my hair.
Posts: 1,514
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Post by Sapphy on Aug 31, 2011 13:41:41 GMT -5
"Copper doesn't know shit," Sapphy whispered, eyes heavy. She had been wanting this for so long as well -- she just didn't realize it. She adored everything about Race down to the callouses on his fingertips. She felt so warm...
"Why do you keep stop kissing me?" she demanded, angling herself more openly towards Race.
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Post by Racetrack on Aug 31, 2011 13:56:05 GMT -5
Race was so very inclined to agree with her about Copper that he really might've pounced on her again...if he hadn't had that terrifying image of her dazed from an overdose or bleeding in a bathtub, unable to deal with her own treacherous brain because he was somehow distracting her.
"'Cause I'm scared," he said softly, "that your thoughts'll go all dark again, and you won't be able to fight 'em, and it'll be my fault. Copper said it was a pattern, that it'd happen when...when you were seeing someone. I don't give a damn what he thinks, Sapph, but I can't forgive myself unless I ask you to really think about it and tell me if he's right."
And, madre di dio, please let him be wrong so I can kiss you again.
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