Today's visit to the Oceanic Museum was, for the most part, just for fun. While it definitely had it's educational purposes as per the written note and instruction on her homework sheet-- Ophelia had already virtually memorized everything there was to know about underwater plant-life.

She was a quick study.

Today was really just a nice and relaxing day to spend with her cousin, illeana reyes. But given how busy the museum is on days like this, and the constant influx of schools visiting for field trips, Filly is ultimately separated from the woman. Not that it worries her any, the entrance was their designated safe space to come back to if one or the other got lost.

And she had her phone on her for emergencies.

In fact, Ophelia isn't even at all aware she's even lost her cousin. Why? Because her wide brown eyes stare in shock and awe at the gigantic cluster of coral growing near the display glass.

One step forward.

And then two.

With her face practically smushed against the surface, she hears what should be a familiar voice mutter something in awe. Instinctively, she responds, though they are on completely different wavelengths:

"I know, right? Look at all of the beautiful colours, and how healthy it is!"

Finley Black

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"More Wishiwashi's? Why.. I think that they would make it even more beautiful! It would mean that the coral must be quite healthy if they take to it so easily."

Just as he continues the conversation, she does too. She even laughs, despite the fact she has no idea they're talking on two different wavelengths. It feels natural, even if what he's saying doesn't completely make sense in comparison to her own story.

Fortunately, he chuckles, too, and the sound is so comforting and so familiar that she hesitates. Something skips, like her heartbeat taking a second too long to continue beating. And just as her breath is taken away, hitching in her throat, the boy at her side moves and turns away. She doesn't catch his face-- but she notices his bright orange hair and the way he sets his shoulders.

And she notices that he, too, hesitates.

"... Finley?"

Her voice is barely above a whisper, as if she herself can't believe what she's seeing, what she's saying. But hope sparks something in her voice, and she takes one tiny step forward.

Finley Black

☉

And that tiny step forward ends in a reality-shattering noise. The image in front of her smashes to pieces, shattering into tiny fragments that dance around. She's really quite dramatic, but it's true.

Her heart is in her throat, dread, anguish, disbelief all working hard to drag her under.

"Wrong person," he says, but she knows that that isn't true. Does he not recognise her? Why would he have said that?

"O-oh."

Her hand, once outstretched, now sinks awkwardly, fingers reaching for nothing. He moves away, walking briskly, and her vision of him is broken as people move in and out in front of her. But that familiar red hair, that tall figure. It has to be him.

She doesn't know what possesses her, but she chases him. Someone bumps into her rather roughly, but she bounces back so that she might just catch up to him. And when she does, if she does, she reaches out to catch the back of his shirt. Her head is kept down though, bangs covering her eyes. Her face is bright red because his words swim in her head.

Wrong person.

"You are not the wrong person, Finley."

Finley Black

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Everything had been complicated back then.

All of a sudden now, she can hear him reciting those words to her. She can hear her heart beating fast, feel the tears welling behind her eyes because he was saying exactly what she had wanted him to. That he had feelings for her, that he loved her (or maybe that was just what she tagged on in her dreams after).

But guilt and a desperate attempt to stay close to her closest friend, she had crushed her own heart as well as his in an attempt to save her friend. In the end, all three of them had been hurt in the aftermath. He hadn't had feelings for her friend, and her friend had never forgiven her for having taken his affections.

In all of the time that had passed, however, he remained a prominent ghost of her past. She had seen him in busy crowds, a brief face on the train, in the grocery store, in her dreams.

So when an opportunity had risen to move to Hoenn-- she hadn't hesitated. But perhaps she should have, given the pain in his face now and the way he struggles to comprehend the situation. She had hurt him, and nothing she could do could take that back- not right now.

His harsh response is bitter, and it is like a slap in the face. Filly flinches, swallows, pulls her hand back to her side.

"I-I-- just.. wanted to say hi. It's been a while, and I.. I've missed you."

Finley Black

☉

Of course she did. Of course she missed him. It had come as a great shock to her that when he'd left, he had left without saying goodbye (not really) and hadn't made any attempt to stay in contact. She'd sent him mail, she'd reached out to his family, and he hadn't done the same. Radio silent, like static from a fried connection.

She feels sick.

All she had ever wanted was for him to be happy. She had wanted her friend to be happy. But in the end, she had lost them both. Encouraging their relationship to grow had soured everything for everyone. It had turned him bitter, it had broken her heart, too.

"I--" she starts, desperate to stop him. But he turns so fast, his expression so cold. He hated her. He wanted nothing to do with her. She had hurt him so badly he never wanted to see her again.

'Just leave me alone,' he says, and it feels like the entire aquarium could break and wash her away from here. She wants it to.

"I'm sorry, Finn..." she whispers, holding back tears.

Finley Black

☉