Dumped

Hunter just sits quietly and lets Katie talk. She looked so hurt and confused - he felt badly for her. On one hand, it appeared noble for Jason to have shown up. On the other hand, if he was such a jerk that had treated her so horribly, then this was just one more count against him.

Finishing his cup of coffee, he shakes his head at Katie's question. "Nah... I don't think that's running away. If it was, yes it would be cowardly, but it's not. You're just... returning to your roots. That's not a bad thing." 

Setting is cup aside, he leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. "You gotta start looking out for yourself for once. You've been pushed around, stepped on, and your loyalty has been taken advantage of in the worst way. If it takes getting away from here to be able to get your mind and heart back where they need to be then..." He shrugs. "I'd say go for it." 

Pain wasn't the half of it. Or was it? It was hard to tell what all these feelings were, and that in itself was frustrating enough.

Jason stares into nothingness while seated in his office. He couldn't believe it, though he knew it was true. How had this happened? Why? Why was Katie suddenly so offish to not even want to talk to him? He'd been worried sick about her missing this morning, and all he'd received was a cold shoulder. No, not even that. He'd received a blatant refusal to even see him. And to top it all off, she'd sat there and let Hunter tell him what to do. It was embarrassing and downright humiliating. 

Okay, so she'd seen Sandy kiss him and thought he'd been two-timing her. He understood how that would upset her. But she hadn't even listened to him! She'd called it off right then and there. He knew she'd said she didn't want to talk to him, but how could he not try? If she wouldn't have said they were over, he would have been more apt to give her some space. But she hadn't even done that! All she'd done was say they were through, and that was that. If he hadn't tried to talk to her, what would that say about his feelings for her? It would have felt like he didn't care if he hadn't at least tried to see her and talk things through. Yet she ignored his texts and refused to even look at him. Jason would have preferred a shouting match. But this... Katie knew how to cut him to the quick alright. He just couldn't believe how she was acting. It wasn't the Katie he knew at all. 

His fingers reach out and touch the single red rose he'd picked up on the way to work this morning. He'd thought for sure he could work things out with Katie. He'd thought for sure she'd let him talk and explain and understand what had really happened last night - that he hadn't wanted to kiss Sandy at all. Emotions churn but they all felt numb and upside-down. One thing he did know now though. Picking up the rose, he turns and drops it into the waste basket under his desk. So much for Con's advice - it was too late now. 

He didn't want to be at work. He should have just gone home instead. Maybe he would. He'd rather leave before Katie got here, if she was planning on working today at all or if she'd just stay with Hunter for the day. That thought makes his stomach turn. Was there more between those two than just being friends? He had a hunch there was. And if that was the case, then he'd really been taken for a fool.

"Jase?"

He jumps at Rick's voice over his phone's intercom. "What?"

"Did you forget your appointment?"

Jason slouches. "Yes."

"That's what I thought. I'm waiting in the infirmary."

"Yeah, okay." Jason gets up from his desk and sighs. He'd forgotten he had a check-up today. Why today? He just wanted to go home...

"...You feeling okay?"

Jason blinks as the bright light is shone in his eyes. "Yeah, why?"

Rick shrugs and makes another note on his clipboard. "You seem kinda distracted is all."

"I'm fine."

Rick quirks an eyebrow at Jason's strained tone. "How're your emotions doing?"

Jason swings his legs as he sits on the edge of the table. "They're fine."

Rick checks his reflexes. "Still having trouble determining what you feel?"

"I said I'm fine!" Jason brushes aside Rick's hands and stands up, grabbing his shirt to pull it back over his head. "Are we done?"

Rick stands back and is silent for a moment. "At least you don't have any trouble showing your emotions."

Jason shoots him a glare.

"Okay, fine." Rick throws up his hands. He didn't have time to figure out what was wrong - he'd ask him more later. He'd make sure of it, just in case there really was something that needed to be looked into, but right now was obviously not the time. "I got some errands to run. Thanks for ten minutes of your time. Go... chill out or something. I will see you later though."

Watching Rick finish up and leave the infirmary, Jason sighs. He hadn't meant to snap at him. He was just so... something. Tucking in his shirt, he starts for the door, but stops. Glancing back over his shoulder, he spots Misty. And a new little feeling emerges. It was a longing to find someone who might understand... who might help explain or at least make him feel less a fool. He bites his lip.

"Misty?" He takes a couple steps towards her desk. His eyes were dim... his shoulders slouched. "I just..." His gaze drops to the floor and he felt what must be stupidity. But he forces himself to look back up at her again. And for the first time since he'd left Hunter's, tears sting his eyes. "Katie dumped me last night. I... I didn't think she meant it but... apparently she did."

Eric laughs, his eyes sparkling even more. "I definitely want to go for sure," he confirms. "Otherwise I'll just be having another date with insomnia and that is way too boring." 

As he suddenly feels a foot cozying up to his own, his eyes widen just slightly and he keeps his sights somewhere else in the room. Was she... doing that on purpose? He feels it again. Yep. She was. Warmth crawled up the back of his neck as a grin tries desperately to surface, though he keeps it hidden. Moving his own foot, he pushes it slightly against hers, returning the motion. 

Jared smiles, his eyes brightening just a little. "I don't know if that's what therapists do or not but... I have a hunch it's not." 

Letting her hand go, he looks down at a flower then back up at Grace again. "Of course being friends is okay with me." He nods. "Consider yourself my first friend... since I can't remember having any friends before this."