Re: Great Gatsby: Jude/Clem/Shane/Graham
She was plenty good with affection on a regular day, but she was bruises beneath the mink, things that hurt and hadn't stopped yet. She didn't think wincing would make anyone in the room feel a whole lot better about anything, and she was trying to think of a way to steer clear from doing anything that made it seem like she didn't want touching. But truth was, she didn't want it. Not out here, where the sun was shining real bright. Not with an audience. It was real clear she wanted to hug Graham; clearer when he took that step forward, maybe. But she stayed back, fingers tugging the mink closed tight and only the hint of pajama fabric visible beneath the fur.
His compliment made her smile, and she didn't argue she wasn't looking pretty. Pretending was easier when folks around you did the same. "Thank you, honey," she said, south and syrup sweet and grateful. "You two been having a good time talking?" she asked, and she wasn't real sure how to go about explaining that she wanted to hide herself away until she felt whole again, because that would involve explaining things she had no real interest in bringing up.
She didn't point out that he looked real horrible either. In fact, this pretending layered over pretending was making her edges fray, and she stayed back near the door to the outside and didn't take a seat or move closer to the table than she was. Like her momma, she smiled pretty and vacant, and she convinced herself she couldn't feel her lip cracking.