ArchivedLogs:Keeping Distance

Keeping Distance
Dramatis Personae Liv and Jack
In Absentia	2016-01-20 "I've been...not good. Angry. Depressed. Maybe a little sick."
Location <XS> Gymnasium - B1
With a quiet grunt followed by the sound of weights clanking together, Jack sets the rather heavy weights he was just bench pressing back on the safety rack and lets his arms fall to hang down to the floor. Not that its easy to tell unless someone is watching the way his shirt moves. Jack's in workout pants and a sleeveless shirt with a local football team's logo on it today. Eventually, the floating clothes sit up and grab a towel off the floor. "Maybe a little more weight next time..." he mutters quietly. The bouncing of a basketball announces Liv's presence as she casually walks up the basketball court. She's not a common face around here and it shows, she hasn't even changed into workout or gym clothes, wearing jeans, boots, and a white sparkly blouse. Then again, she doesn't really seem to be wanting to work out, just kill time as she bounces the basketball down the court. A bit back from the hoop, she lines herself up for a shot and throws, the ball hitting the backboard and bouncing to the right. Jack glances up at the sound of the vall and watches Liv bouncing and attempting the shot. He shakes his head slightly when the ball misses and stops it with his TK after two bounces so it doesn't get far. "Too cold outside?" he asks, standing from the bench and stretching before heading towards the court. "Come for a workout?" Liv jumps a bit as the ball suddenly stops moving, taking a second to notice the invisible Jack. "Oh...hey," she says, offering a faint smile. "Yeah, freezing out. Just needed something to do. What about you? What've you been up to?" she asks as she makes her way over to collect her ball. Floating the ball over to Liv so she doesn't have to walk as far, Jack shrugs. "Working out," he says. "Overslept and missed my morning run so I stayed in here to work a bit harder," he explains. The invisible teen is quiet for a few moments, just watching Liv. "How're you doing?" "Nothing wrong with a little oversleeping," Liv says, bouncing her basketball idly with one hand as she speaks with Jack. His question, though simple enough, earns a blank stare as she struggles for a response, before offering her most forced smile yet. "Fine. I'm fine," she says, trying to play it off casually. Then again, her hair is still brown instead of its usual green. "Really?" Jack asks with a sigh, staying out of the way if Liv wants to take another shot. "Cause I know I'm not...and I figure you might have a better reason to not be fine lately," he says. "And you're still not going green...said that was connected to your emotions, right?" The next shot Liv attempts is pure air, even at point blank range. She doesn't even bother to chase after it, letting it roll off whether or not Jack decides to stop it. Instead, she slumps her shoulders and hangs her head gently. "No, I'm not fine. I thought...finding out Sergio was alive and him coming back would make everything better. But it's not." She suddenly lifts her head, staring up at the ceiling as she blinks back tears. "I don't know what to do. I want to be there for him as a friend because I know he's going through a lot but...it's been so hard acting like I'm fine with everything. Cause I'm not." Again, Jack stops the ball and brings it back. He listens quietly to Liv, stepping a little closer so he's there if Liv wants a shoulder. "What...aren't you fine with?" he asks a little awkwardly. "I...loved him," Liv stammers out, her cheeks turning a rosy color. "I mean, I still do. But I don't think he does. Did. Whatever. At least not the same way." She takes a deep breath, wiping at her eyes. "When I heard he was still alive and back here, I just thought...I don't know what I thought." She turns to take back her ball, bouncing it as she focuses on the hoop again. "He just pushed me away. And I want to be there for him as a friend but it's hard because it hurts so much." She shoots once more, the ball bouncing on the rim a couple times before falling to the side. Jack stays quiet as he listens to Liv, wishing he had a tissue when he notices the tears. "I know he really cared about you. Probably still does," he says quietly. This time he catches the ball in mid air, offering it back to Liv. "Have you told him that?" he asks. "That I love him? Yeah, I did," Liv says quietly, ignoring the basketball as Jack offers it. "He didn't really say anything." Having gotten her tears under control, she gives a light shrug. "It doesn't matter. I mean...it's obviously over, right? Nothing I can do but move on." "I think...you can give him a little time. Maybe," Jack eventually replies. "I think he...might not be so sure of himself. I mean," Jack sighs, taking the ball himself and dribbling a few times. "Have you heard some of the assholes around here?" he asks quietly. "They've been talking about how he stole that body...some making some nasty comments. I'm just guessing but...he's probably going through more than he's letting on. Only thing you can do...either of us...is just be there." Liv nods slowly, rubbing her eyes. "Yeah, I know. I've heard the comments, too. And I want to be there for him. I really, really do. But I think maybe it would be easier if I kept my distance, too. I mean, he did break up with me." She sighs and looks up to the basket she's been having so much trouble making. "This is really selfish of me to be talking about, isn't it? I'm not the one that almost died." "You came close enough," Jack whispers, not wanting to think much about the night in the med bay Sergio turned. "I...I can try to talk to him if you want. Don't spend as much time with him since they put him in someone else's room..." his scowl is unseen. "I don't think its selfish," which is quite different from how he beats himself up for thinking about his own problems. Liv quickly shakes her head. "No, don't," she says quickly. "Like you said, he's got a ton on his plate right now. He doesn't need to worry about his...ex-girlfriend." This last word is said slowly, as if it were foreign and its meaning unclear. "Yeah, it's selfish. I mean...you said you were having problems too and here I am babbling about a break-up. How have you been?" Jack takes a shot, watching the ball go through the hoop. He catches it after it bounces a few times and sighs. "I've..." he falls silent, just looking down at the basketball as he tries to decide what he wants to say. "I've been...not good. Angry. Depressed. Maybe a little sick." Liv nods slowly as she listens to Jack. "Is it because of everything with Serg? I know he was you best friend. Or is there...something else?" "It's a lot of things," Jack remarks taking another shot. This one bounces off the backboard but Jack stops it again before it gets too far. "Things with Serg...the school...the teachers...stuff in general." Liv frowns softly, nodding along as Jack speaks. "You know I'm...here for you, right? Whenever you want to talk or just...hang out?" "Hanging out...is probably better right now. Not sure I could talk and not...yell," Jack gives a quiet, joyless chuckle. "Thanks, Liv."