The Art of Acting

Her body had fallen limp amid a dimly lit park. The tears that ran down her face hours before had now stilled. Her skin felt stiff and eyes puffy as she rubbed at them. The hours she had spent crying and running aimlessly through the busy streets had led her here. The park was silent, the only sound being heard were audible sniffles every now and again. It felt as if the weight in her chest that she was freed from had come back all at once. Her eyes were lifeless as she picked at the wet grass in front of her. There were no signs of emotion on her face other than her blood-shot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. But on the inside, she felt immense pain. The pain of losing the one you love.

He hadn't been but a few steps from her. After many lives and hundreds of years waiting for him, he showed up. Her heart broke all over again as she remembered the look on his face. The man hadn't been a bit phased by her presence. She recalled the look of disinterest in his eyes as he acknowledged her briefly. How could she remember everything yet she had become a stranger to him. The feeling of emptiness consumed her quivering form. In every life, she searched for him. However, this life was especially cruel and unkind because she had finally got to see him again, but he wasn't the man she loved anymore and that was the sickest part.

She had always felt safe and warm with him. He had changed her life from the day they met. The boy never hesitated to show her how much love and adoration he had for her. However, the person she met tonight wasn't like that. An audible wince escaped her as she remembered the coldness that consumed his gaze. Knowing that he was alive should have been more than enough, but now more than ever she yearned to be in his arms once more.

For a sliver of a second, she thought that tonight would have ended differently. Maybe for a few moments, she could forget the pain of not being with the man she loved. But instead, he presented himself; alive and unaware of who she was. She had grown immune to the consistent buzzing of her phone. Never in her many lives had she wanted to be alone, but at that moment, loneliness was the only thing that kept her sane. She knew that her friends were worried and she had no right to be angry but she was. She was disappointed in herself for thinking that anything good could have come out of tonight. If anything it was a million times worse than she had expected.

She wanted the ground to swallow her; to sink her broken body into the wet earth beneath her. The sun had started to rise as hours had passed by unknowinly. Her weak legs couldn't find the strength to stand but somehow she had found a slither of strength left in her body as she pulled herself up. Ignoring the concerned looks of passerby's as she made her way back home. Where she had hoped to be undisturbed.

_

By the time her eyes opened again, it was late afternoon. Her phone had died from the constant pings and calls she assumed were from her friends. She whimpered as pain engulfed her head. Pulling herself from the confines of her bed, she plugged her phone in and awaited the messages she would have to deal with. As she suspected the majority were from Rin; phone calls and text messages alike. They started concerned and then gradually turned angry; demanding to hear from the girl before she called the police. She reluctantly responded to her concerned friend telling her she had passed out and slept through her phone going off. The girl was quick to tell her that she was coming over to which her screen received an eye roll. A few of the messages were from Taehyung, apologizing over nothing and asking if she was alright.

However, one message caught her attention. It was from an unknown number, hidden amongst the plethora of messages from her friends. As she opened it, what was left of her heart dropped to her stomach.

Unknown:

hey, tae gave me your number? It's jungkook

Her heart stopped as her eyes trailed over the name she thought she'd never see again. Apart of her wanted to instantly reply but the other was weary. He didn't know her, at least not how she knew him. That was the sad reality of it all, so what was he doing messaging her? With shaky fingers and an erratic heartbeat, she responded.

Maia:

hello jungkook, did you need something?

She internally winced at how blunt her message sounded. However, she couldn't risk coming off anymore odd than she's sure she did at his party. After the way he had acted with her, she wondered why he even bothered someone for her number in the first place? Almost as quick as she sent her reply, a ping sounded from her phone. Looking down she noticed that Jungkook had messaged her back almost immediately.

Jungkook:

yes, I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night

i wasn't in the best mood but that wasn't an excuse for me to act the way i did with you and i'm sorry.

His message had left her speechless. She was the one that had been acting weird. The last thing she wanted was for the man to feel any sort of guilt. After all, he did nothing wrong. Finding some courage she messaged him back. Minutes passing as she contemplated what to say.

Maia:

please don't apologize, you have nothing to be sorry for.

I should be apologizing for the way I acted, I'm sorry.

Satisfied with her answer she laid back on her bed. Her head was spinning. It took everything in her not to spill everything she was feeling to the man she loved. But right now she couldn't do that. Not when he had no memory of her. Another small ping was heard as her eyes were directed back to the phone once more.

Jungkook:

no, no i don't want you to apologize you didn't do anything wrong

your friend mentioned that alcohol had a weird effect on you??

i'm aware that we are meant to go out with our friends next week and i didn't want there to be any hard feelings :))

A small smile adorned her face at that. Hope sparked in her heart but she knew that she had to stop those feelings. No matter what she had looked like on the outside, she was still slowly breaking on the inside. She assured Jungkook that all was well, him telling her that he would see her next week, and then they ended the conversation. He was so close yet so far. Knowing was the worst fate she could have been given. Especially knowing everything about the latter when he in return knew nothing of her.

_

Maia had never really been particularly good at acting. That's why she never understood how she managed over all these years to not show what she was truly feeling. When Rin had waltzed into her apartment shortly after her conversation with Jungkook dissipated, she had put on a mask. Her face was emotionless as she pushed down all the pain she felt deep inside; body aching with the restraint but she refused to let it show. If her demeanor was off in the slightest Rin hadn't commented on it. The brunette knew that Maia hadn't consumed enough of the hard liquid for her to lose it. So Maia did what she does best, she hid the truth.

"It made my brain a little fuzzy and I thought he was someone else," she quickly muttered.

Her best friend wasn't buying it. There were thankfully a few years of her life that Rin hadn't been a part of. She held her friend's icy glare as she recalled that Jungkook looked like someone she had a thing for once upon a time that had ended badly. It technically wasn't a lie. Her friend glanced over the girl's nervous form as if she didn't believe her. All it took was her best puppy dog eyes and pout for Rin to eventually accept her story. After a few moments of silence, Rin spoke up again.

"Do you still want to go out with him next week," she questioned curiously. "I know you two didn't get to spend much time together yesterday and after your story, I understand if you don't want to see him again," her friend spoke.

Maia looked at her with wide eyes. This was the first time Rin had ever really given her a choice. A part of her knew she shouldn't go. She couldn't give herself false hope when she knew that nothing was going to come out of this. However, the other part of her yearned to see him again. Hundreds of years had gone by and now that she had finally found him again she didn't want to let him go. But she knew this time it was different, he was different. She couldn't blame none of this had been his fault, but she was so angry as to why whoever was up there would give him back, but at a cost.

"No," she started. Turning to her friend she painted a convincing smile on her face, "Everything is alright. He messaged me and we both made up for the awkward interaction. I'll still go." Within the next minute, she had a lap full of her best friend chanting an array of hoorahs.

Once her friend recovered from her rather loud chanting, Maia was immediately confronted about her conversation with said boy. She briefly entertained her best friend, watching as she cooed at how sweet the boy was for apologizing first. When Rin had announced that it was getting late, Maia was again left alone with her thoughts and the decision she had made. She knew that it would be hard to contain everything she has felt for the man upon seeing him again. There were only a few days before she had to confront her fear.

It physically pained her that he wasn't hers anymore. However, she would always be his whether he wanted her or not. Her facade broke the minute she heard the door to her apartment shut. Tears once again welled up in her eyes as the pain that had subsided came crashing back. She wailed into the softness of the pillows. Muffled cries echoed off of the walls, crying out for the one she needed. However, like every other time, he wasn't there and she feared that he never would be again.

_

The girl awoke the next morning, as intense pain shot down her spine. She groaned as she untangled her limbs from the pillows surrounding her weighted body. The sunlight pierced through the thin silk curtains causing her eyes to squeeze shut. Her limbs cracked and were accombanied by a dull ache as she pushed herself from the couch. The thumping in her head reminded her of the night before. She winced as she touched her swollen cheeks; irritated with the remnants of her salty tears.

Before she could lug her body into the kitchen, the chime of her doorbell sent another rush of pain through her head. She didn't know what time it was, but she knew that if she found Rin behind that door she wouldn't hesitate to attack her. But to her suprise the doorbell wasn't accompanied by the hard pounding of a small fist like it usually was. With gentle steps she approached the door, looking to see who was out side before she answered. To her suprise no one was there. Her eyebrows furrowed as she began to open the door.

She was greeted by the sound of birds chirping and the crisp fall air biting at her already rosey cheeks. As she inched forward to check outside, her foot bumped slightly into something on the ground. Her eyes widen as she leaned down picking up the basket with shakey hands. Within a second her heart stopped and her breathing caught in the base of her throat as she eyed the card. Maia's chest tightened and the familiar sting at the back of her eyes was welcomed again as she eyed the arrangement in her hands.

A basket of yellow carnations with a card reading,

To: Maia

From: Jungkook