Such A Lonely Life [Jacob]

[gabriella]

16th November, 2008

Happy Birthday, not Gabriella, she said to herself.

Gabby had a bad childhood. It was one she preferred to forget. However, it was always the same every year. Every year at the same time she'd remember that terrible night, when she was just a young girl and killed her parents when her power went into overdrive.

It wasn't her fault that her parents saying no to her, making her angry would cause so much trouble. That was the day Gabriella's powers manifested. It became apparent she had an ability called pyrokinesis, and she found out in the saddest way possible. She was lucky nobody really blamed her for her parents death, but she blamed herself. She was young, but she was old enough to realise what she had done.

She had sat in a corner, shaking, sobbing, when someone approached her. Said they were an Agent for Primatech, and they took her. That was the last time she saw any of her family, Primatech had raised her. When she was old enough, she left and got a house of her own. One could think she would be very bitter, having nobody in her life who loved her, cared for her, but in actual fact Gabby wasn't really bitter at all.

She didn't take sides in the war which seemed to be happening between the heroes and villains, instead being neutral to it all. Her reason? She was damn well scared she'd do the same thing again to someone like the day she'd killed her parents. Now, today, she was sitting in a park, looking out at a beautiful scene of the lake in the park, and swans swimming on the lake. Gabby took out her canvas and began painting the scene, she found it the only way to relax when she was feeling upset about the anniversary of her parents death.

[jacob]

Nevada, a place where Jacob wasn't all too familiar with. Being located in New York, getting away from the hussle and bustle of the city was very much welcomed. It was a small get away, a holiday of sorts just for the week. He had arrived on Saturday, but didn't have much time to do any sight seeing. Being a tourist had it's advantages, heritage buildings, park walks, the zoo. Jacob laughed, the zoo, his life at the moment was more a zoo than a real zoo, and as ironic as that was, he shook his head and continued down toward the duck pond park closest to his hotel.

He had some stale bread from his drive to Nevada, at least it was going to be set to good use with the ducks. Plus it gave him time to think about things, relax and enjoy the evening sun as he set on the land. Thinking nothing of it, he rounded the track and took a seat on a bench by himself, there had been a woman sitting on a bench just a few feet away from his. And as he tore some bread for the ducks, he turned his head and looked at the gloomy face on the pretty lady.

"Did you run out of bread?" he asked with a small smile, "I have pleanty here to share."

[gabriella]

So lost in her thoughts while she was painting the scene before her, she almost never heard the voice of someone talking to her. In fact the voice had pretty much startled her. And as always happens when she was startled, her paintbrush zoomed across the canvas, creating a nice big green streak across the pretty lake and slicing into one of the swans heads.

Oh well, she thought, nothing much could be done about it now. Then she started to laugh at the irony of it all. Painting to cheer herself up and then making a mess of it, because someone had taken the time to talk to her. Talk to her? Nobody ever spoke to her. She turned to him, after putting the canvas down and smiled at him. A weak smile, but a smile just the same.

"Actually I never thought of bringing any with me, just here to paint the scene, but by all means if you're offering" she said following it through with yet another weak smile. Of course she was hardly in the mood to be uber happy, but she didn't want to appear rude to the man either.

[jacob]

Jacob's smile faded a little as he noticed her suddent jump into reality. Sometimes that happened to him, often allowed his mind to wander to places no one could ever go, and then either hearing a noise or was distracted by something, that sense of tranquility vanishes in that split second. Lowering his head and blushing slightly at his sudden outburst of plain rudeness, she agreed to some bread for the ducks.

Tearing off some bread, leaning over and handing it to her, he looked up once again. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were so focused..." he appologised with a smile to match the tone in his voice. He turned his head and leaned over a little more to see the great big slash of green smudge through the white swan on her canvas. Wincing a little, he gave her more bread. "I'm so sorry," he said again, almost giving her half the bag of bread he had.

"Take it all..."

[gabriella]

Gabby had been upset at the ruined painting, but not so much as to make a big fuss about it, it was only a painting after all, she could do a painting anytime she liked. So of course when he apologised, she had to wave it off.

"It's fine, really, I was only so focused because it was helping me to take my mind off of something else which I'd rather not think about it" she said, as she felt a tear form in her eye, and she gritted her teeth slightly, because she didn't want to cry, not now, not here.

"Really, it's just a painting, nothing to worry about, I can paint many more" she said, smiling at him, giving him a slightly warmer smile then her previous weak ones. Not because she was feeling any better as such, but because she didn't want the man to feel any worse than he seemingly already did.

"Thanks" she said as she took the bag from him, and took out some of the bread, and handed him the bag back, "It will be nicer to do it together" she said as she began to throw some of the bread into the lake for the ducks and swans.

"So, tell me, what brings you here?" she asked, trying to make general conversation. If he probed her about why she was so focused, she might just tell him, because it was good to talk and she needed someone to understand her complicated life.

[jacob]

He still felt shocking for ruining her painting, but she didn't seem very fussed about it - so that indicated to him it was alright. Besides, she had taken the bag of bread off him, taken what she wanted out of it and had already started feeding the ducks. Jacob didn't say anything else, it was best left alone by the looks of it, her upset expression was reason enough to drop it. There was obviously something she didn't want to talk about, and he understood that quite well, he had been in similar situations and remembered it all.

When she asked what brought him to the ducks, he turned his head to the pond and smiled, tearing off some bread and throwing it out into the water to watch them quack and fight for the soggy white loaf, he did remember why he was here. "It's an anniversary," he replied slightly quieter than he was before. He didn't really want to talk about it, but there was never any harm in saying something that was on his mind. After all she did ask the question.

"... A year ago today, my long term girlfriend broke it off with me." he added, lowering his eyes and watched his fingers tear away bite size pieces of bread and throwing more out to the ducks. It was a sad time for him, although was pretty sure his ex was still extremely happy about leaving him. After all, she called him a freak because of his ability to take in everything around him. "What about you? Other than painting?" he asked, turning his head and smiled lightly at the woman sitting beside him.

[gabriella]

Gabriella wished the man wouldn't feel so upset about the ruined painting. He might not be saying it, but she could see it in his face how upset he was over it. It was just a silly painting after, she could paint many more when ever she liked. The only thing which upset Gabriella about it, was the simple fact she'd been using it to stop herself from thinking about her birthday and the horrible events surrounding it.

However, the fact that this guy was even talking to her, well that made it all a little better, if she had something else to concentrate on, then her thoughts didn't linger to her birthday, nor did they linger to the dreadful circumstances which came with it.

When he said he was there for an anniversary though, it tugged at Gabby's heart, after all, she was there for the same thing really. She listened to the remainder of his story, and immediately Gabby felt really sorry for him. In fact, in a way she felt there was an immediate connection between them, even if it was for very different reasons.

"I'm sorry to hear that" she said softly, but gave him a soft smile. She could give him that much she thought. Then he asked why she was there other than painting. Well since he'd been honest to her, and opened up, she felt she owed him the same privilege. She just hoped she could tell the story without physically burning up, or she may hurt him unintentionally of course.

"Same" she said simply to start with, "Anniversary, birthday as it happens, yes mine" she continued, closed her eyes, took a deep breath in, and began to carry on.

"My birthday holds bad memories for me" how much of the story could she tell him, what if he was normal, he would think she was a freak if he found out about her ability. She then realised it wouldn't do any harm to just be honest, after all, she might never see him again anyway.

"I killed my parents, when I was eight" she stammered slightly, looking into his eyes briefly, then quickly turned away again, looking out across the pond. "Turns out I have this...ability" she continued, "I wanted to ride my bike I got for my birthday almost immediately, but my parents stopped me, as it was a cold, wet and miserable day, I got very upset and kept asking them and they kept saying no, and I got a bit angry, like a typical child and the next thing I knew I was on fire" she said, stopping for a break, "I burned down the house, they died while I survived, so as you can imagine, I never have a good birthday" she finished, as she felt the tears stinging at her eyes once more.

She turned round to look at him again slowly, once again looking into his gorgeous, comforting almost eyes. "Gabriella" she said softly, "My name, that is, some people call me Gabby though" she said smiling at him through her tears. She had actually spoken about what happened to someone for the first time in a long time without properly cracking over it.

[jacob]

He wasn't to know that she was going to go into the large speel about her family when he had asked what she was doing. Even as she was talking about it, he felt this large cloud of dread hanging over his head for even prying into her life. "I'm - I'm very sorry to hear that," he replied after the paused for a moment after her story. Just thinking about it made him sympathize with her, Jacob might not have known who she was - but this stranger was far from normal.

Just as he was.

Rubbing his nose with the back of his hand, he repositioned himself on his chair, letting the bag of bread hang from his fingers. "I can imagine what it's like," he replied softly, his head lowering as he thought about what might have happened and tried to picture the event in his head as she spoke about it. Of course, he'd never really understand, because he hadn't been in that situation at all.

"I'm Jacob," he answered her as she introduced herself unconventionally. This meeting wasn't that of happiness, well, not now after that story. "This ability you speak of, I take it - you've had it for a long time?" What a stupid question, of couse she's had it for a long time, she just said that she killed her parents when she was 8 you idiot. He thought, mentally kicking himself for asking that stupid question, "I mean, like... have you learned to control it?" a question like that from a stranger would alarm some, Jacob wasn't going to harm her. But was more interested in finding out a little more about herself.

Perhaps even going as far as talking about his non destructive ability. As he looked at her, he gave a small encouraging smile while he resumed plucking the bread to pieces for the ducks and swans in the pond before them.

[gabriella]

Gabriella didn't know what she was thinking. Telling a complete stranger all about her childhood and past. What must he have thought of her? Surely he thought she was a monster of sorts. After all she did have a monster of an ability. She was glad she was able to keep it under control now.

"Thank you" she said softly. "I guess it really only hurts to talk about it because I'm so lonely at times" she added, not even sure why she was telling him that. Now he'd think she was some desperado looking for a man in her life. When all she really wanted was company, anyone, somebody to talk to and take her mind off of the past.

"It's not easy, but I get by" she said softly, turning to him and giving him a soft smile before once again looking out across the pond at the little ducks and swans swimming across it like they had no care in the world.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Jacob" Gabby said giving him a warmer smile than the ones she had previously been giving, this was because, talking to this kind man was taking her mind off of her birthday, which in turn was taking it off of the fact she'd killed her parents on her birthday. She sort of laughed when he slipped up asking how long she'd had the ability for, but she was certain she knew he meant the bit about losing control of it altogether.

"Oh, no that got put under control ages ago, not long after the event to be honest. I was taken into care by The Company they took care of me, more or less raised me until I was old enough to leave and go out on my own, but I've always been alone, and that's what is so sad" she said giving him another lengthy explanation regarding to her childhood.

At this rate she would scare the guy away she was sure of it. Taking a quick look around to make sure nobody was around who could see, she straightened out the palm of her left hand.

"Watch this" she said, as she then curled up her palm, closed her eyes for a few seconds, and then opened up her palm to reveal a small fire ball. Then she closed her palm over it again and the ball disappeared. "It was never that controlled all those years ago" she added, as she looked into his eyes once again and smiled warmly, all thoughts about her birthday and parents momentarily forgotten.

[jacob]

He listened to her again, she sounded like she needed to talk about the past, it was the only way someone could really come to terms with their horrid past, and to move on into the future. He knew that, and was accepting of just listening to her as she looked so sad and lonely - Gabriella had, herself, just agreed that she is lonely. Jacob did understand what it was like to be lonely, just wanting someone to talk to, just to take their mind off something, or to talk about something good that happened when you're excited - it just doesn't have the same effect if there is no one to tell.

As she said it was nice to meet him, he smiled warmly back at her. She seemed nice, and by the sad tones she was describing her life, he knew that she was a good person inside, perhaps she was just tormented inside to think that she was a monster of some sorts, however Jacob could see the good in people and refused to accept they were anything less than good people. He couldn't be all that neive though, and did understand there simply were bad people as well.

He averted his eyes to her hands, while she flickered with the fire in her palm. "Impressive." he said with a smile, looking up at her semi happy looking face. "Can I tell you a secret?" he asked, looking around while leaning closer to her to speak softly, "I have an ability too..." Jacob smiled lightly as he knew that this would make her feel better, or at least he suspected that it would make her feel better. "But it's not as flashy as yours, so to speak," he hummed a small laugh as he pointed to his head, "I have a memory like an elephant. I remember everything sinse I was a baby, from the first day of my birth, I remember faces, names, directions. I remember everything," he was proud of what he could do, even if it wasn't powerful like some others. But he was happy with how he was, and his ability, it was handy - especially when he was younger and at school.

Leaning back on the park bench he smiled, and folded his hands together, "At school, they'd often pull me into the principle's office and try to get me to admit that I cheated on one of my major exams at school, they said that I got every answer right, and a 100% mark. They said it was impossible, and tried to expell me for it. But they had no proof that I cheated, because I kept telling them everything they wanted to hear and answered their questions accurately." he smiled as he looked down at his hands, thinking back to his childhood.

"I was called a freak sometimes, but that didn't bother me."

[gabriella]

Gabriella hoped that telling this well nothing short of a stranger all about her past hadn't scared him in anyway. After all it's not every day someone sits in park by a pond and spouts off that they killed their parents as a child with an unstable ability which they now have under control was it? However, she hoped he didn't think bad of her, because she really wasn't a bad person. She was a lovely person with a heart of gold. She was just tormented inside, and her birthday just had shadows of the past. Of course if she had someone to share her life with maybe then she wouldn't keep on thinking about what she had done.

Maybe she needed counselling. The Company had raised her and helped her to control her ability, but they didn't help her with her tormented feelings inside. Nobody had been able to do that up to this point. Only now, today, since speaking with this lovely stranger, this Jacob, had she felt like some of the torment had suddenly dispersed. Obviously not completely, something which Gabriella had been suffering for so long would never just disappear in seconds, but she certainly felt a little less suffocating of her torment since speaking to him. As such, she felt she could warm up slightly more, and the early frosty and sad glances and smiles, were turning into warmer and happier looks and smiles.

She smiled even more when he said her little display was impressive. "Thank you" she said softly, as she continued to look at him, as he then went on to tell her he had an ability himself. Not that it shocked or surprised her, she knew there were many out there the same, having been brought up by The Company, she just felt good to know she was talking to someone who had an ability also and could understand how she felt and worked.

"It's not such a bad ability you know" Gabby said and smiled after she had listened to him tell of his own, and it was done in such a nice way as he'd leaned in close to tell her. "I think I might have rather had your ability than the one I have" she said, not too sadly, as she was desperately not trying to think of the past now. "It's good to start fires if you're out camping or stuck somewhere and need heat, but I think it would be awesome to be able to remember things like that" she said with meaning, as she searched his face, not sure what she was searching his face for. Just that she felt she couldn't help herself.

When he went on to explain more of his past about school and he he almost got expelled and got teased, Gabby's heart lurched for him, for she knew what it could be like to be teased. Some of the other kids at The Company had teased her for killing her own parents, which was why she was glad to leave at sixteen and start her own life.

"I'm sorry" she said softly, she felt like she wanted to reach for his hand, but at the same time, she didn't want to be to forward, so she held back, instead continuing in a soft voice, "Sounds like you had just as much a problematic childhood as I, even if it were very different circumstances"

It was good to talk about how she was feeling. It had certainly helped, and maybe with Jacob talking to her, maybe they could help each other. Just maybe. She continued to smile at him, as a small silence fell between them.

[jacob]

There definitely was something about the woman that was sitting next to him, and with a small bold smile, he got up off his chair and sat down next to her as she was speaking. "Well, I wouldn't say it's all good," he said, replying about his ability, "I mean, I remember when I was born, no one in the world ever remembers that... as tramatic as it was." he trailed off, squeezing his eyes together as he remembered an unflattering sight of his mother. Of course, things like that are better left unshared.

As she mentioned that she'd rather his ability, he had to smile. Lowering his head down back to look at his hands, she didn't know how frustrating it was having his ability - but, then again, he didn't know what it was like to have hers and her past was nothing compared to his. There was something very unique about her, and her past was something that needed to be resolved. He had read all the books on self help, hyponosis and counciling and practically knew it all off by heart, he just wondered if there was a possiblilty that there was a chance she'd agree to him helping her - almost professionally, without being professional.

Lifting his head, he turned and looked at her quite seriously, "Gabriella, I have a propersition that I was wondering you'd be open for," he started, relaxing his body as he spoke to her. "I may not be qualified with a degree on the wall, but I'd like to help you move past the tragedy in your life... if you're willing. I don't want to be paid, but I would like to help you. Talking solves everything, and believe me, everyone needs to talk.. they just need someone to listen." His eyes were soft as he was talking to her, he wanted so much to help her. To let her move on and become something she needs to be.

He believed that everyone needed a purpose in life, whether it was to help others by saving their life, finding cures for cancer, feeding the starving. Whatever it was, those people needed a hand up in life, and he wanted to give her a hand.

[gabriella]

She smiled as Jacob made his way to sit beside her, it was nice to talk and it was definitely nice not to feel so lonely. "Well maybe all abilities have their good and bad points" Gabby said softly, turning briefly to look him square in the eyes. There was just something about this man which attracted Gabby in a way, she wasn't sure what it was, but it was nice, and she wasn't going to complain.

Maybe if she were to break down more of her walls, this man could become a friend. A good friend possibly, something more, maybe, however right at this moment, Gabby was just lucky enough someone was even talking to her at all. In a way, she was actually quite glad he had messed up her painting, because she had got to talk to him and she would have given anything to talk to anybody.

Then he began to speak to you again, saying he had a proposition for her. She wondered what it could possibly be, but she turned to look at him again, holding his gaze while he spoke to her. She took in all his words, and didn't interrupt him, and didn't speak until she was certain he had finishing talking and then she smiled before replying back to him.

"I think I might actually like that" she began softly, as she continued to hold his gaze. He seemed like such a sweet person, and his eyes were awesome. "Since talking to you just now, no matter how random that was, I've already felt better, so I do believe it might work, but there's a lot to work out, years of angst to work through, I hope you know what you're letting yourself in for?" she said in a soft voice, but smiling at him. This could just be what she needed.

But at the same time, if he was going to do that, and she may have felt like she was sort of falling for him, wouldn't it be all awkward and unprofessional? Okay so he said he didn't have a degree, but still. She certainly felt like there was something there and she felt comfortable around him and comfortable talking about her problems.

[jacob]

It was nice, hearing her open up somewhat, and Jacob honestly wanted to help her further. He was pleased that she had agreed to talk to him more, not only was she a very pretty face, but she had a kind soul. That, these days, seemed very hard to find. He had to smile as she mentioned about what he was getting himself into, replying with a disagreeing shake of the head, he stood up and threw the rest of the torn up bread into the duck pond park. "I have a place where we can talk, if you wanted to swing by sometime tomorrow. It's at the lower end of the city, I can text you with the details if you like?" he asked with a small smile.

It could have sounded stalkerish if he wasn't so genuine about helping people - thinking about it, he blushed slightly. He hoped that she didn't take it the wrong way, he didn't want to seem like he was trying to put on a good act just to be around her. "Can I have your number?" he asked glancing at her with a friendly soft smile.

[gabriella]

Gabby felt so much better at having released some of what was eating her inside. Jacob was an easy person to talk to and he seemed to make Gabby feel a lot better about herself. So talking to him in more depth about her problems might actually help her in the long run.

"That would be nice Jacob, I like that idea very much" Gabby said with a smile. "Text with the details sounds good" she added. She certainly wouldn't mind giving her number to him, she could tell already he was a nice guy and certainly not someone she had to avoid. In fact he was pretty much someone she'd like to get to know a whole lot more.

"Of course you can have my number" Gabby said, as she then got out a piece of paper and a pen from her bag and wrote down not only her cell phone number, but her home number too. "You can call me any time you like, I'm sure to always answer the phone to you" she said softly, giving him a warm smile and passing over the piece of paper.