The Art of Recovery

BONUS CHAPTER #2

Sammie: So is the tension gone, or are they just going to return to the way they were?

David: I'm kind of jealous,he was pretty smooth with that kiss.

Parker: I never thought he had it in him to kiss her in front of everyone... I guess now they'll be together....

David: I'm willing to bet Noelle will bite his head off for this.

Parker: How much? I mean I know she's not a fan of the press, and a kiss like that will surely catch their attention, but she looks like she's enjoying it.

Sammie: She definitely was, but I think she's going to talk to him first,nether freak out about the press later.

Bunmi: Well, to be fair,nRobyn barely has any self control when it comes to her.

Parker: How nice of you to grace us with your presence.

Bunmi: Your welcome. And back to Robyn, I think the whole looking-like-a-couple-but-aren't-dating thing is more of Robyn trying to gather some self control and failing because he's flustered.

Sammie: But they lay on each other. He can't control himself enough to get off of her?

Parker: Well, in his defense, Noelle has this magnetic quality to her. Plus she's a touchy person, so he probably takes it as a cue.

David: Yeah, plus she's not complaining anyway.

Sammie: But he touches her....

Bunmi: Not in sexual ways though. Yes , they get really close and sleep in the same bed occasionally, but it's not like he touches her. He keeps his hands to himself in that category.

Sammie: Oh okay- SAME BED? Are you serious?

Bunmi: Well they have occasional sleepovers,so yeah.

Parker: Strangely not surprising... They probably just watch movies and eat. Noelle isn't really one to be outrightly romantic.

David: I kind of admire Robyn for that. To be that close to someone I like, and control myself enough like that...

Sammie: It's not really control, I mean their on top of each other.

Parker: Well maybe that's just how they function. Maybe their just that close.

Bunmi: There's just something strong that pulls you to someone who's seen you in your darkest hour. I honestly don't think it's weird.

Sammie: Whatever, you guys are just weird.

David: This reminds of the time when had first met. You would always like to mess with my hair, saying longish was always kind of a turn-on for you. And back then we were friends.

Sammie: Yeah, but that was different, I never felt like laying on top of you...

Parker: I think its a matter of what you're comfortable with, because friends respect boundaries.

Sammie: I remember when Noelle didn't like being touched, it freaked her out. But now she seems okay with it.... Especially with Robyn.

David: Because he was there with her when she was recovering, he was the first to know. So of course she's comfortable with him, they're close. Plus he helped recover from her... What would you call it?

Parker: PTSD? When she was with me on the boat she seemed a little stressed about almost nothing in particular, but when she went in the water and was with Robyn, it seemed to melt away kind of. But even before that, when Robyn had touched her hand, I had seen her flinch a little. And sometimes I see her do it, but she doesn't notice it.

David: So you think her subconscious is still dealing with it?

Sammie: Yeah, and maybe Robyn knows that and he's nurturing her?

Parker: By not letting anyone else touch her?

Sammie: I don't know, maybe that's an unmentioned want of hers. Maybe that's what she's comfortable with.

David: What about with girls? Is she okay?

Sammie: If she hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known. She was that good at covering it up. And with friends she just seemed kind of out of it, like she wasn't really there. Whenever they touched her, she seemed fine.

Parker: So it was only with guys?

David: That seems about right.

Sammie: Though it doesn't seem to matter now, since that's not really her status right now.

Parker: True.

David: I wonder how Robyn's feeling right now...

Sammie: Only time will tell...