Dave flinched at the sudden touch, but didn't recoil from it. His shoulders sagged, glancing aside uncomfortably.
"I just feel like I don't have the right to complain, you know? Because I get it, I brought all this on myself. I messed up. Badly."
His voice lowered. โ
"Hey, hey!"
He shouldn't move forward, he doesn't really have much of a right to comfort her, but instinctively, he sets his hand on her arm.
"Just breathe. Let go. Okay?" A pause, before a feeble laugh escapes him. "You're better at this than I am."
โAnd Iโm mad at you too! So mad Iโฆugh!โ
She grips hard onto her arm, to the point it nearly bleeds.
โI keep seeing those events again and again in my head, and they keep me up at night! It wasโฆall such a mess!โ
for a while...And now I can't go out in public because everyone knows me as that stalker guy from reality TV."
His voice lowered with each word, before suddenly perking up again.
"But I'm totally good with it!"
"It's cool!" Dave was quick to wave a dismissive hand, cracking a smile that was painfully insincere. "I-I mean, sure, I almost killed the first person to show that much care towards me in an avalanche.
And then I got mauled by a robot bear...Got stranded on a robotic island โ
"Oh, no, I'm...It's good." Dave let go on cue, but near immediately moved to begin fiddling with the fabric of his vest.
The question seemed to physically disorient him, blinking in disbelief for a moment. He hesitated for a second, looking for the right words. โ
"I know! I messed up! And for my troubles, I was left on that island for..." His body trembled at the mere notion, shaking his head fiercely as if it'd somehow clear his mind.
"It was dumb! I was dumb! I did a dumb thing and I'm SO mad at you but you should be mad too!"
โA tree came close to crushing me! I nearly froze to death, and that hill falling and the avalanche-!โ
Sky tried to wipe it all away with her arm, but she knew it wouldnโt stop it. No matter what happenedโฆit all hurt.
"I don't know what was wrong with me! I was ANGRY, and suddenly this way of getting some kind of payback was just dropped into my lap and I โ"
His breath hitched, wiping fiercely at his face with his arm.
"I didn't think I'd REALLY hurt you! It still felt like a game!"
Sky flinched, ready for his verbal attack, butโฆit didnโt come. Itโฆfaltered?
He was apologizing? For everything? Itโฆdidnโt feel real.
โIโmโฆIโm sorry too. Iโm so sorry!โ
Tears were beginning to appear in the athleteโs eyes.
That...Caused Dave to falter, eyes sparking with surprise as he continues to clutch at his arm defensively.
"Okay." The word came out tentatively, as if still anticipating some kind of lecture. He drew a breath, bracing himself before speaking.
"What did you wanna know?"
"Right, yeah." He muttered, voice clearly laced in suspicion as he took a seat, though not before viciously dusting off the space before sitting. A sigh escaped him, resting his head in his hand.
"You don't have to mince words, Jasmine. This is about Sky, plain and simple."
"You still cheated on your boyfriend AND lied to me!" He pointed out indignantly, gesturing broadly around himself.
"And I'm SORRY but โ" Dave began to yell, voice rich in sarcasm as he pointed an accusatory finger at her...That immediately faltered.
"Well, but nothing, -
โBecause I DID want to be with you! I really did! Itโs my fault that I didnโt explain everything, but you still didnโt want to hear it!โ
She did admit that she had a fault in that, but even then?
โAnd my now ex was in the room when I made my audition tape, I had to say that-
Dave hated this place. You spend a certain length of time on an island alone and you get pretty sick of it. He'd have been happy for the company, usually, but a sit-down chat with Jasmine wasn't exactly something he was looking forward to.
Ducking beneath a particularly -
"You KISSED me, on international TV, just so I'd help you win your cash prize! You had that entire challenge to slip in a 'by the way, I have a boyfriend'!"
"Once! You tried to tell me ONCE. Couldn't have been that important of a 'but' if you dropped it so fast!" Of course he messed up.
Of course he WANTED to apologise, beneath a sea of spite, but standing in front of her now? Maybe he just wanted to get it out of his system. -
โWhat do you think I kept trying to tell you the whole time?! But you wouldnโt listen!โ
Sky felt the urge to punch him, but she knew better. She couldnโt be cruel. That would make herself feel even worse.
โI intended to break up with him when I got back, and then date you! But-
Instinctively, Dave flinched back, hands raised defensively as if braced for a physical attack that obviously never came. Cracking an eye open reluctantly, he shot back,
"What am I SUPPOSED to say? 'Sorry you lost the million! How's your boyfriend doing'?!"
If anything, she felt like /she/ should be the one thatโs angry. Enraged. But she felt a mix of it and terror upon just seeing him, but upon hearing him try to speakโฆsomething snapped.
โHey? HEY?! Thatโs all you have to say after what you pulled?!โ
God, angry doesn't begin to cut it. He's not sure if he's shaking from fear or rage or some kind of desperation for things to be normal, but...
Eventually, he croaks out a measly,
"Hey."
HEY?