Maylie turned around to look back at Anne, two steps ahead of the other girl who had stopped to reflect on something. About to ask what, Maylie let it go as Anne just as quickly rejoined her.

After Anne spoke Maylie smiled warmly, "Of course I'm sure. And really it's okay. I'm fine. If you want to though I suppose you can tell about whatever it is you wish to tell me once we get some food."

As they walked into the fairly empty cafeteria, Maylie's stomach growled, "I guess my stomach agrees with our plan huh?" she said, still smiling and twisting her head, flipping her hair back behind it.

Smiling as Maylies stomach growled to itself they headed straight along the cafeteria Anne picking up mostly fruit, although she added a small pile of new potatos and a long white still warm baguette and a couple of sachets of butter from the hot part with a slightly guilty look.

Anne was entirely happy that the cafeteria was mostly deserted (although not overly suprising when she looked at the time and found that it was quite a bit later than she had thought) and led Maylie to a chair in the corner away from everyone else, sitting with her back to the wall. Once seated Anne started to butter up her baguette with quick slightly nervous-looking strokes almost like she was trying to keep her hands busy.

As they went along the cafeteria line, Maylie contented herself with some fruit and veggies, including a pear, some grapes, broccoli, and some string beans, as she usually ate a large dinner rather then have a lot of food at lunch.

Once they had sat down, Maylie watched as Anne nervously buttered her bread, a similar nervous feeling stopping the redhead from saying anything herself. Sitting there awkwardly, she bit into her pear, eyes flitting in many directions as she waited for Anne to start the forthcoming conversation. Playing with her hair in one hand, Maylie avoided eye contact with Anne...

Annes hands worked at the bread, crumbs falling off it as she buttered it to the point of no return as the silence deepened around them and the air started to almost crackle with the nervous energy being created by the two girls.

After a little time Anne looked up from her mutilated bread after a litte time and said "Well.. I promised you an explaination"

Pushing her untouched food a little in front of her Anne looked around to make sure there were no other students in listening distance before resting her elbows on the corner of the table, interlacing her fingers and taking a deep sigh.

"As simply as i can put it i've always loved being outdoors. Its always been a escape for me. Throughout my school life i've always preferred doing my own thing and thinking in my own ways, and i've stayed away from most other people. I've always thought that if I left everyone alone then everyone would leave me alone. Its quiet that way and theres a certain freedom in it"

"Unfortunately whereas i still think that way, I learnt a few years ago that not everyone thinks that way. Or perhaps even thinks." The last was said With a bitter snort of a laugh.

"Keeping a long story short I was coming home rather late one night after i stayed out a little late just enjoying the peice and quiet and i took a short-cut i probably should have known better than to take. I came across a group of boys who were a little worse for wear with drink and they..." At this Anne paused and fidgeted a little before continuing, her hands breaking little peices of bread off her baguette.

"Well... Lets just say when they left I ended up alone in the forest in no condition to go anywhere and my next memories are from the day after in hospital bed fairly bruised and battered in places i don't really think you want to talk about."

Looking down Anne smiled in a slightly bitter way "I made a full recovery in a couple of days and i'm fine now... But sudden touches.. well... as you've noticed they make me jump..."

Anne laughed at herself with an ever so quiet un-ladylike snort, her face resolving with a strange mixture of bitterness, anger and acceptance crossing over it as her voice trailed off and she looked into Maylies face trying to read what she had to think.

Maylie listened to Anne's words with a mostly blank physiognomy, absorbing them all in. Once she finished however, and Maylie began to process them in her head, a myriad of emotions flashed across her countenance; confusion, realization, anger... she just couldn't imagine why someone would do something that horrible to Anne. She couldn't imagine what it must have felt like for Anne, how miserable it must have been. As sad as it is however, as she thought about it Maylie realized from Anne's expression and words that it was in the past. Anne had accepted it for what it was.

Maylie opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. There was really nothing she could say to make it any better. It is what it is. She wanted desperately to try and comfort her friend in some way but knew she couldn't. At the very least, having thisnew insight, Maylie understood Anne and her nervous reflexes much better.

Realizing that she had to say something, Maylie just started talking, making up her mind on what to say as she went, "I... I don't know what to say... I mean, wow... I can't believe that happened to you... I completely understand why you're so jumpy though, I would be too... I-I'm really sorry to hear something that terrible happened to you. There isn't much I can say to make it any better, but I can say that even though we just met, I feel closer to you then I have to anyone in a long time. I wouldn't just get up and leave for something as trivial as a little jumpiness, but thanks for telling me..."

Anne watched the parade of emotions flicker across Maylies face, her face holding a small smile in spite of the memories that flickered past her eyes like a rapid moving slideshow. It had been a long time since she had told anyone about that event and all that had come of it. that walk through the woods, the shock as they gave chase, the fear she felt as she ran with their hooting cries behind her, the feeling as she was held down and used for their own base urges... and then the aftermath... her tears burning hot down her cheeks blinding her as she limped through the woods, her legs trembling and crying out with pain with each step in synch with her own sobs, her own body bruised and battered and her hands holding the rags that her clothes had become in a vain attempt to cover, well... everything, before collapsing into a old tree lying there against its trunk unable to take another step. Just collapsing under its branches and looking up expecting to sleep and not wake. And then... then was that strange old woman with those deep grey eyes who tended to her hurt and soothed her pain. She could even now close her eyes remember them looking at her and somehow making her see herself and that there was life... so much life there.

Something certainly had helped her move on faster and more completely than any of the doctors and later, councillors could explain. They all seemed to think that she was holding it in somehow... perhaps they were right? She never felt any real pain from the memory any more... But, no matter how many times she was asked, or questioned for some reason she never told any of them about that womans eyes and how she felt. It just felt wrong somehow, like she was betraying a sacred trust and no matter what anyone said she found she was able to look back and and... not be fine exactly, but feel no pain and certainly not let a single event hold her back. After all! There was life! Always life!

That last thought caused Annes smile to widen for a heartbeat and then Anne snapped out of her memories as she heard Maylie start talking.

Seeing her distress Anne's eyes softened and she reached across to Maylie and touched the back of her hand lightly.

"Its ok, really" Anne said with a lopsided smile "Its the past. There's nothing I or anyone can do to change it and its just a memory"

"After all" Anne continued, her smile broadening "If it hadn't happened I might not be here, and I wouldn't have met you!"

Maylie smiled sadly in response to Anne. She couldn't help but admire the other woman for her strength. Personally, Mahlie didn't know what she would do if something like that happened to her. Her smile widened a little as Anne continued to speak, the hand on hers made it seem almost as if Anne was trying to comfort her!

"Yeah... I suppose that really is the best way to think about it... Better to move on then to dwell on bad memories." Maylie said. By this point, faster then it ever had before, her shyness was pretty much disintegrated around Anne. She just felt at ease around the other girl, almost a kindred spirit in some ways. Even though she didn't know very much about the other girl other then the horrible thing that had happened to her, she was already one of her closest friends.

Blushing at her compliment, Maylie shrugged a little, "I'm not too special... But thanks. I'm very glad to have met you as well... Apparently angels to fall out of the sky sometimes! And to think, that I had been planning on another Sunday alone." letting out a small giggle, smiling warmly.

Anne smiled too, the smile reaching her eyes causing them to crease slightly at the edges "I'm sure angels don't get hit by the tree repeatedly on the way down" she said with a audible chuckle "And i'm pretty certain that it doesn't hurt when they land too!"

With that chuckle the old memories faded back to where they belonged and and with a broad grin Anne looked at Maylie. "At least you would have gotten some more of your story done without me landing on your lap" giving a wink at the last.

With a quick glance down at her hands, one still lightly resting its fingertips on the back of Maylie's hand, the other still moderately covered in crumbs from her shredded baguette, and 2 almost untouched plates of food Anne looked back up and grinned again. "Besides, you've eaten about 2 more bites of food than I have and if you don't eat anything more your stomach is going to be growling at me for the rest of the day. Then you really wouldn't have minded another Sunday alone unless ate me! And i'm somehow doubt i would make a decent meal!"

Maylie smiled and laughed at Anne's joke, the mood having officially brightened once more. "Oh... I don't know. There might be some evil monster tree that hit an angel once or twice. And whoever said all angels had graceful landings?" Maylie responded, letting out another giggle.

"To be honest, my story is more of a long term project. I don't expect to be finished until senior year. A couple hours wouldn't have made anywhere near the same difference as a new friend does. And you didn't land in my lap. If you did, your face wouldn't owe the ground an apology!" Maylie continued, still smiling widely.

At the mention of food, which had been temporarily forgotten, Maylie immediately began to eat with a speed that one wouldn't expect from someone sized like she was. Although she kept her manners in order as she ate, there was a long moment of silence from Maylie as she demolished the contents of her tray. Pausing between bites and giving Anne an appraising look, "I don't know, you could be tasty if prepared properly beforehand..."

Anne started to eat her own lunch but as she ate she really decided that she wasn't actually that hungry. Chewing thoughtfully on a new potato she grinned at Maylie's comment.

Swallowing the potato she picked up the salt, holding up her other wrist and poured a little on it.

"There you go! i'm completely seasoned now. Good enough to eat" Anne said with a broad grin, laughter shining in her eyes.

Maylie grinned and laughed as well, responding, "Your wrist would be a little on the crunchy side, being mostly bone." having finished her food completely after her relentless attack on it.

Seeing the Anne had stopped eating, she asked, "If you're finished do you want to go head out? No point in staying inside on a day duh as this you know!" still smiling warmly and beginning to raise from her seat...

Her grin remained broad as Anne dusted the salt of her wrist onto her plate of a shredded baguette and half eaten fruit and stood to follow Maylie.

"It's good to smile" Anne thought. "It really had been a while since she had someone I could call friend"

Putting cleaning of her tray into the bin she turned to Maylie and asked

"Where too then my friend?" The last two words coming out slightly oddly, almost as if Anne was testing them out for the first time, and wasn't sure if they would still work.

Maylie, smiling broad enough so even faint dimples appeared on her cheek, dumped the remnants of her food into the trash receptacle. Stretching, with her arms out wide and back arched forward, she let out a prolonged yawn. Her hunger satisfied for the time being.

Pleased that Anne had actually referred to her as friend, even though the fact was understood, Maylie smiled widely once more. Looking over to her friend to see her finished and ready to leave. Responding to her question vaugely, "Oh, I don't know. I was thinking we'd just wander around and such."

Walking towards the exit with Anne, Maylie again sheepishly offered her elbow once more, blushing lightly.

Anne stepped forward and with a smile, and only a fraction of her usual hesitancy took Maylies proffered arm, before walking outside into the bright sunshine.