[ When Karen woke up a few hours later, she already knew she'd be missing her first class. She was too damn hungover to even try to rush. She also noticed the bed was empty now. A part of her was, surprisingly, genuinely disappointed about that. Not that she allowed herself to feel that way for long.
It was only going to be the one time.
As she would later tell Misty when the other woman stopped by the apartment after Karen got her shower, 'The moment I heard he was going to be a Marine, I knew there wasn't going to be anything more than a date.' Misty knew before she even confirmed. Knew about the risks that would come with dating someone like that and knew that Karen was done putting herself out on a limb when it could result in loss.
Not something she expected that Frank guy to know. It had taken months for Misty and Colleen to know, for Karen to feel comfortable enough with them to open up about it all. After that, they both understood why she was so reluctant to get attached to anyone. It's why they invited her to their own family gatherings come the holidays.
But she makes it a point not to think of Frank as she goes about her day, heads back to the apartment after classes. Changes her sheets and takes the tape out of the stereo. The leftovers are eaten in front of the television and she continues on the day after that and the day after that. She makes sure to eat lunch somewhere else during those days. Which is easy when she buries herself in the next wave of papers assigned to her.
If she's not in classes, she's in the university library. ]
in another life (ii) | for endlesswar
It was only going to be the one time.
As she would later tell Misty when the other woman stopped by the apartment after Karen got her shower, 'The moment I heard he was going to be a Marine, I knew there wasn't going to be anything more than a date.' Misty knew before she even confirmed. Knew about the risks that would come with dating someone like that and knew that Karen was done putting herself out on a limb when it could result in loss.
Not something she expected that Frank guy to know. It had taken months for Misty and Colleen to know, for Karen to feel comfortable enough with them to open up about it all. After that, they both understood why she was so reluctant to get attached to anyone. It's why they invited her to their own family gatherings come the holidays.
But she makes it a point not to think of Frank as she goes about her day, heads back to the apartment after classes. Changes her sheets and takes the tape out of the stereo. The leftovers are eaten in front of the television and she continues on the day after that and the day after that. She makes sure to eat lunch somewhere else during those days. Which is easy when she buries herself in the next wave of papers assigned to her.
If she's not in classes, she's in the university library. ]