[ Noelle isn't thinking about Luke. He's the easiest one to not think about, because he's the one Noelle has had the most practice with. After Cody, and, at times, herself, he was the one most ready for her to die. Which was fine. Once it started happening, Noelle told herself that he was really more of Krouse's friend, anyway.
Instead, Noelle's heart stutters when Krouse suggests that she give the rock skipping a shot. Instinct kicks in first, informing Noelle that she should deflect. Should turn him down, because he knows better, just like he knew that the compound would be good for her. Noelle is several feet tall than most people. She can't get low enough to skip a rock.
The moment passes. Krouse apologized for the cage. The cruelest thing Noelle could do now would be to walk back in it.
Noelle runs a tentacle over the pile, and once she finds one she likes, passes it up through various limbs in her lower half until it reaches a hand she was born with. She palms the rock, running her thumb against one of its sides, flexing her wrist back and forth to call upon some long-lost muscle memory.
There is a one hundred percent certainty that Noelle is going to absolutely whiff this. For once, she doesn't care. Noelle spreads out the limbs at her base, careful not to touch Krouse, but coming dangerously close. She arcs her spine forward, hunched as low as she can go. Her jaw is set, her eyes narrowed, and she's even chewing her bottom lip a little, all focused and intent, sizing up the field, like she used to get before games.
Noelle flicks her wrist. The rock sails in an abbreviated little arc, and then plops unceremoniously into the water. The spell of Noelle's concentration breaks, and she gives Krouse a halfhearted little shrug.
It doesn't feel bad. Noelle expected it to feel bad, and it doesn't, and that feels almost good. ]
It's all in the wrist. [ She makes the movement again, this time without the rock. ] Like this. But you need to be fairly parallel with the surface. You should be able to get at least one.
cw: suicide mention
Instead, Noelle's heart stutters when Krouse suggests that she give the rock skipping a shot. Instinct kicks in first, informing Noelle that she should deflect. Should turn him down, because he knows better, just like he knew that the compound would be good for her. Noelle is several feet tall than most people. She can't get low enough to skip a rock.
The moment passes. Krouse apologized for the cage. The cruelest thing Noelle could do now would be to walk back in it.
Noelle runs a tentacle over the pile, and once she finds one she likes, passes it up through various limbs in her lower half until it reaches a hand she was born with. She palms the rock, running her thumb against one of its sides, flexing her wrist back and forth to call upon some long-lost muscle memory.
There is a one hundred percent certainty that Noelle is going to absolutely whiff this. For once, she doesn't care. Noelle spreads out the limbs at her base, careful not to touch Krouse, but coming dangerously close. She arcs her spine forward, hunched as low as she can go. Her jaw is set, her eyes narrowed, and she's even chewing her bottom lip a little, all focused and intent, sizing up the field, like she used to get before games.
Noelle flicks her wrist. The rock sails in an abbreviated little arc, and then plops unceremoniously into the water. The spell of Noelle's concentration breaks, and she gives Krouse a halfhearted little shrug.
It doesn't feel bad. Noelle expected it to feel bad, and it doesn't, and that feels almost good. ]
It's all in the wrist. [ She makes the movement again, this time without the rock. ] Like this. But you need to be fairly parallel with the surface. You should be able to get at least one.