farther than the moon; closer than my skin.

[ASHBY GARETH FALKNER]

Equipped with an acoustic guitar, the tall gangly boy walked at a slow pace towards the lawns. It was vast and open; the grass green and the ground squishy - as if molding to your ass. Tugging at the black strap around his shoulder, Ashby looked down at his converse clad feet. He was a shy boy and did not make direct eye contact. EVER. If he could help it. He got so nervous around people, which might cause him to stutter, which then made him embarrassed. So, he just preferred to stay away from people. Besides, back at high school, no one wanted to be by him, so why would this place be any different?

Reaching an oak tree, he settled beneath it and set his guitar atop his thin legs. Ashby placed his fingers on the appropriate chords for the song he had in mind and began to strum a soft melody. It was something his mother taught him to play on the piano, but he just transferred it to guitar. He played this when he was feeling especially low or when he just missed her. She had been his best friend and losing her to breast cancer awhile back devastated him. Sometimes, he was angry at his mother for not being stronger. If she hadn't died, he wouldn't be like this, his father wouldn't have done the things he did to him. He'd feel that way for a moment, and then he would remember how she would still come to his shows with no hair, thin as a toothpick, pale and covered with bruises, and he would yell at himself for ever thinking such a thing.

Stanfield wasn't absolutely horrible. In fact, Ashby liked it better than Wilmot. Back home, everything was country. There were rednecks and homophobes. All people did there was judge. He refused to be part of the crowd though, because his mother always told him that different was beautiful. Thinking of her, he sighed. He wondered if he would still hate himself if she was alive?

Tag: Jordyn

[JORDYN DANIELLE MOORE]

Jordyn had pretty much been in her own little world most of the morning. She hadn't really been disturbed by too many people, no one at all really an the girl wasn't complaining. It wasn't very often that Jordyn went through the day without running into someone that she really didn't want to. Talking and trusting people wasn't a skill Jordyn showed too often. The girl enjoyed being by herself more times then not. As she enjoyed her time alone on that lawn at the asylum, what she most often refereed to as the grassy area. It was one of her favorite places to be.

All of a sudden she heard someone playing a guitar. She listened for a while before she sat up and looked around. Smiling as she found a boy sitting under the tree not too far from where she was. He seemed kinda of, upset, maybe? She wasn't really sure. It occurred to her that she should go over to make sure he was okay but then she didn't wanna bother him. Maybe he was like her and didn't wanna be bothered? That was always a good guess. But her curiosity got the best of her and she couldn't help but make her way over to where he was.

Clearing her throat to kinda get his attention, she smiled a little, "You're really good.. Do you mind if I join you?" She continued to smile at him, waiting on his answer. She didn't wanna just sit down and intrude. The girl was weird in many ways and she was in this place cause she had major issues but she was still the sweet girl that she had always been. She just hid it well these days. Running her hand along her arms, she slowly started to pick at an old scab on her arm. She was slightly nervous and it seemed to relax and calm her a little.

[ASHBY GARETH FALKNER]

The patients here did not usually pay attention to him when he played guitar out on the lawn. Some stayed at a distance and listened, but never approached because most knew that Ashby was a shy boy who did not do well in social settings You should see him in group therapy; the kid was a wreck. It was not that he did not like to talk, in fact, there was so much going on in his head that he just wanted to pour it all out. All those crazy thoughts he put into song, because that was the only way he was able to express himself. He was nice, but just could not find a way to relate with people. Around others, he was all stutters and stumbles.

Upon hearing a stranger's voice, he stopped mid chord and looked up to see a girl with the brightest shade of pink for a hair color he had ever seen. That alone brought a smile to his face. "Um..." He said, chewing on his bottom lip. Don't stutter... He thought to himself over and over again. "Thank you." Ashby slowly said. His therapist had made it a personal goal of his to become more out going and dammit, he was going to complete that goal no matter how uncomfortable he got. But his words were stuck in his throat, so in response to his question, he shyly shook his head, diverting her gaze. Girls never talked to him; he did not know how to react.

Clearing his throat, Ashby set down his guitar on his other side and scooted over so she could sit beside him and lean against the tree as well. This action of his made him nervous though and he felt his hands get sweaty. He brushed his hair away from his face and took some deep breaths; hopefully looking normal and not panicky as he did so. The last thing he wanted to do was chase away a possible friend.

[JORDYN DANIELLE MOORE]

The first thing that came to mind when he noticed her being there was that she had made him nervous. She wasn't entirely sure why though. She couldn't quit tell if it was because she had heard him play or because he was one of those shy, quiet types that never got approached by people. When he smiled at her, she smiled back. She wasn't sure if her hair had amused him or not, she got mixed emotions on the color she chose to dye her hair. She loved it though and didn't care what people thought about it. "You're welcome, hun." It was a habit of hers to call people that sometimes, though it didn't happen very often here. Most people here would get annoyed by it and probably cuss her out for it.

He really made no vocal response to her question of whether or not she could join him but he did move over to make room for her. Walking over to put her back against the tree, she kinda slid down next to him. "The names Jordyn just in case you'd like to know.." She turned to look at him, smiling still. She hadn't really noticed how cute he was until just that second. He was incredibly adorable. He had this kind of boyish look to him but he was still cute. Adverting her eyes to look in front of her instead of staring at him, she sighed just slightly, but in a happy way, "I love it here. Its amazing.." She knew that he was kind of shy so she was trying her best to make him as comfortable as she could possibly get him. She didn't like people nervous around her and she didn't like to think that it was her making him nervous. Laughing just slightly, she shook her head a little, "Please stop being so nervous.. you're making me nervous."

[ASHBY GARETH FALKNER]

With twitchy fingers and sweaty palms, Ashby allowed himself to glance at the girl once before she sat down. When she called him "hun", he nearly died. His heart raced inside his chest and he blushed. He was sure she meant nothing by the affectionate name, but still, it was the first time he actually got called something sweet since his mom died. Ashby is a total sweetheart and would never dream of cussing a person out. Even if he was angry, he would never act on it because he hated confrontation. He was tall, but skinny with no muscle; he would get his ass kicked in a fight.

"Um...A-Ashby..." He stuttered out, nervously. His fingers were aching, so he reached over to grab his guitar and put in back on his lap. He started tuning the guitar - even though he always kept it perfectly tuned - because he needed something to keep his hands occupied. He focused down on the strings, too scared to make eye contact with her. From his side glances, he could tell that she was really pretty. "Yeah...it is. I um...I love your...er...hair." He sputtered out, looking at her through his bangs. Ashby chewed on his bottom lip, coloring it red.

Ashby's head shot up when she told him to stop being so nervous. He blushed out of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I can't...you know...help it." He admitted, with a small shrug.

[JORDYN DANIELLE MOORE]

When he told her his name, she smiled some, looking over at him again, "Ashby. I like it. Its really different. Its nice to meet you, Ashby. Hmm, I'm going to call you Ashbaby. Cause, well, I really don't know. Besides the fact that I like it." She kept her eyes on him for a little longer before she adverted them to the guitar in his lap, "Will you play something else? Its really soothing." Placing her chin on his shoulder, she looked up at him, giving him a rather big grin, "Please!?" She didn't really think he'd say not but she was going to ask and be nice about it. Jordyn didn't think she could be mean to Ashby if she tried.

Giggling just slightly, she lifted her head from his shoulder, "Thank you. Most tend to hate it." It was true. Most people thought it was obnoxious or whatever other reason they could give. But it was Jordyn's hair and she liked it. Who cares what other people think. If they don't like it, they didn't have to look at it. Though her hair was kinda hard to not notice. It was something most people noticed about her right away. Second most of the time was her eyes.

When his head shot up, she glanced over at him. When she saw his cheeks turned red, she giggled a little, "No, don't apologize, its okay. I just don't want you to be nervous around me. There isn't any reason to be." Smiling at him again, she rested her head on his shoulder again, the turned her head to look up at him, "This doesn't bother you, does it? If it does, I'll stop." She lifted her head momentarily to wait on him to respond. She didn't wanna make him any more uncomfortable then he already was with her.

[ASHBY GARETH FALKNER]

If there was one thing that he got made fun of for a lot in school, it would be his name. Ashby had no idea where in the hell his mother had come up with it. His parent's names were old fashioned, but not strange like his. Well, he guessed that it had to do with his mother's ever present love of being different. Still, Ashby wondered how she was able to get his father to agree on it. Then again, Ashby would bet his life that his father had not even been there for his birth; he had probably been at "work." He smiled shyly. "Thank you. The first nice nickname I ever got." He said without thinking. He instantly regretted it. Now she would think he was some kind of loser. When she asked him to play again, he blushed. "I don't know. I'm not that good..."

For once in his life, Ashby stared straight at a person. He focused on Jorydn's bubblegum pink hair. It was a permanent reminder of sweetness; like how sweet she was. "Mmm, I love it. It's...you know...different." He said. "Oh no! Wait! Not in a um...er..a bad way..." He rushed out, fumbling over his words. "It just looks pretty on you!" He blurted. Embarrassed, Ashby turned his head away and bit down on his bottom lip again. Once more, he turned to his guitar. "Do you have any requests?" He whispered.

Beneath her, Ashby sat stiffly. His heart raced in his chest. This was the closest he had ever gotten to a girl and he did not know what to do. Put his arm around her? Just sit here? "Um...well, it does not bother me. I just...don't know what to do with my arm..." He admitted, laughing ever so lightly at his lack of social skills.

[JORDYN DANIELLE MOORE]

Jordyn couldn't help but giggle at him. He was so cute and the shy factor kinda made Jordyn wanna squeeze him. When he thanked her about the nickname and then said it was the first nice nickname he'd ever received, she'd turned to face him, "Really?" She sighed a little as she shook her head, "I'm sorry Ashbaby." Now that she'd gotten that nickname in her head, she'd always call him that. She sighed again and shook her head, "Do people here pick on you?" She smiled a genuine smile as she watched him, "I'm not trying to be mean and I know I just met you but if you ever have a problem with anyone around here, let me know." It was just like Jordyn to wanna protect everyone around her. The girl couldn't protect or defend herself if her life depended on it but that didn't mean she couldn't protect and defend her friends.


Jordyn smiled a little when he looked over at her, obviously focusing on her hair. Smiling a little, she nodded her head, "Thanks and don't worry, I know what you meant." She giggle slightly when he said her hair was pretty on her and she even blushed a little. When he looked back at his guitar and asked if she had any requests, she shook her head, "No, no requests. Whatever you decide to play, is fine by me. You're amazing so anything's fine."

When he told her her head on his shoulder didn't bother him and he just didn't know what to do with his arm, she smiled a little, "Well, any other time I'd say put it around me.. but you kinda need two arms to play, right?" Smiling softly again, she rested her head on his shoulder oncer more. She was very surprised at how comfortable she was with him. It was nice.

[ASHBY GARETH FALKNER]

"Yeah..." He embarrassedly admitted. Ashby looked away when she asked if people were mean to him here, he also stayed quiet because he did not want to make himself seem like a baby who could not handle his own problems. However, when she said that if he had a problem with someone to come to her, he felt his heart get warm and he smiled. "Thank you. But...no one is mean to me here. They...they just ignore me. Back at...my uh, hometown, everyone didn't like me..." Ashby did not mention this tidbit to just anyone. Even his therapist didn't know. He had no idea why he felt so comfortable with Jordyn.

Thinking, he bit down on his lip. He did not know what to play for her. Something she would recognize? Or something he wrote? He was so nervous though. He looked down at his hands - they were shaking. "Um...I'm going to play the tune my um...mom...wrote for me." He whispered, his voice cracking with sadness. It hurt for him to play it, but he loved it at the same time and he played it well. "I'm not really amazing though...I'm better at piano..."

Embarrassed, he blushed. "Oh...that's right..." He mumbled and slowly began to play a sweet yet sad chords for her.

[/justify]

[JORDYN DANIELLE MOORE]

Jordyn sighed a little, shaking her head. She didn't understand why people had to be so mean and to Ashby he was so sweet and didn't deserve any of it. "Again, I'm sorry." She smiled some, shaking her head, "You don't have to tell me anything else if you don't feel comfortable.." When he told her he was going to play something his mom wrote, she sighed a little. She could tell by the tone in his voice, and the fact that his voice cracked numerous times as he told her. As he played, she wrapped her arm around him, letting it rest on his waist. She didn't wanna make him uncomfortable, she just wanted to convey in something other than words that she was there for him. Sometimes it was so simple for Jordyn to be nice to people. Ashbaby made it easy for her to do. She just hoped that one day he was able to relax around her.

As he played she hummed along to the music, her head still resting on his shoulder. After a while, she closed her eyes being content with herself and with someone around her for the longest time. It was nice to not always have to argue with someone over stupid stuff. Like whether or not she was a moron. Or whatever. Do not think about him Sighing contently, she let her eyes flutter back open as he continued to play.

Turning her attention to him again, she let her eyes fall on the boys hair. She smiled a little as she lifted her hand to play in it. She'd always loved playing in a guys hair. It relaxed her and most of the time, him too.

[ASHBY GARETH FALKNER]

Shrugging, he looked at her shyly. "It's okay. The world is full of mean, hateful people." He said, "But...when I meet someone like you, it also reminds me that the world has good people in it too." He whispered. Biting down on his lip, he turned away before finally speaking. "It...it isn't that I do not feel comfortable..." He half lied. Ashby wanted to talk to her, he wanted to have a friend. "I'm just...I'm scared." He confessed. "I'm sorry." Feeling her hand on his wrist, his heart fluttered. The gesture was nice. He could not remember when someone last touched him in a gentle, caring way.

As he played, anyone could see that his heart was in the music. His eyes were closed as his fingers danced upon the strings. He felt the wind ruffle his hair, but then he realized there wasn't the slightest breeze. He stopped playing abruptly and opened his eyes to see Jordyn's arm outstretched with her hand in his hair. It surprised him, but it felt good. He sat there for a second, before he began to play again. It did not bother him as much as he thought it would. Maybe because he trusted her...and he did not know why.

The song ended and he placed his guitar down beside him. "You know, this is the closest I have ever let myself get to someone...um, this is also the most I have talked in years..." He pathetically admitted with a small chuckle.

[JORDYN DANIELLE MOORE]

Jordyn nodded and smiled a little, listening to him as he spoke. When he said he wasn't that he didn't feel comfortable it was that he was scared. Before Jordyn ever really had anytime to think through why he'd be scared, she blurted out, "What are you scared of?" She sighed and shook her head shortly after, "Sorry. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to." When he said he was sorry, she shook her head and looked at him, "Don't feel sorry for the way you feel. The only thing I can do is hope that whatever has you scared, goes away and you aren't scared anymore."

The realization of her not making any sense occurred to her so she shut up. When he stopped playing abruptly, Jordyn stopped moving her hand, though it was still rested in his hair. She also didn't move, just kinda looked at him from the corner of her eye, "You okay?" It almost looked as if she were a statue. Smiling just a little at him, she turned her head to face him, "Is that bothering you?" It kinda was beginning to seem like Jordyn was just a bothersome person. Shrugging a little, she awaited his response.

When he finished the song and told her that this was the first time he'd ever let himself get this close to someone, she smiled a little. "I'm glad you trust me enough to let me get close to you. Its nice. I seem to trust you a whole lot easier then I do other people. I feel comfortable around you. Like your not judging me" It was true. That was exactly how she felt with him. Like she didn't have a thing to prove.