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@import url(http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Domine); //Import the Google Font\n\n\na { \n text-decoration:none;\n color: white !important;\n}\n\nbody { \n color:black !important; \n background-color:white !important;\n text-align: left; \n width: 80% !important;\n font-size: 83% !important;\n font-family:'Domine', sans-serif;\n margin: 4em 15% 5% 5em;\n}\n\nem {color: grey;}\n\n.passage .title { display: none } \n\n.passage {\n font-size: 1.75em;\n line-height: 140%;\n margin-bottom: 1em;\n padding: 0.75em;\n text-align: left;\n background-color: white;\n color: black;\n}\n\n#sidebar {\n position:fixed;\n top:4.2em;\n left:7.5em;\n width:12em;\n list-style:none;\n margin:0;\n padding:0 1em 0 0;\n font:bold 1.1em 'Domine',sans-serif;\n}\n\n#sidebar li{\n color:#333;\n text-align:right;\n background-repeat:no-repeat;\n margin-bottom:1em; \n line-height:3.4em !important; \n list-style:none;\n}\n\n#sidebar li:hover {\n color:#fff;\n cursor:pointer;\n}\n\n#sidebar li a{\n color:#333;\n}\n\n#sidebar li a:hover{\n color:#fff;\n text-decoration:none;\n}\n\n#sidebar #title {\n color:#000;\n font-size: 95%;\n cursor:auto;\n visibility:hidden\n}\n\n#sidebar #title a:hover{color:#888;}\n\n#sidebar #storySubtitle {\n font-size: 120%;\n display: block;\n}\n\n#storyAuthor{font-size:90%;}\n\n#sidebar #storyMenu {\n display:none;\n line-height:2.5em;\n margin-bottom:.5em;\n}\n\n#sidebar #title:hover{color:#999;}\n\n#sidebar #credits:hover {\n color:#333;\n visibility:hidden;\n}\n\n#sidebar #credits a {\n text-decoration:none;\n visibility:hidden;\n}\n\n#footer {visibility:hidden}\n\nh1,h3 {\n color:#3F4C6A;\n text-align:left;\n}\n\na.internalLink,a.externalLink,a.back,a.return {\n color: #00CC66;\n font-weight: bold;\n text-decoration: underline;\n text-align: left;\n font-size: 150%\n}\n\na.internalLink:hover,a.externalLink:hover,a.back:hover,a.return:hover {\n color: #999;\n text-decoration: underline;\n text-align:left;\n}\n\na.brokenLink {\n background-color:red;\n text-decoration:none;\n color:#000;\n}\n\n.marked {\n background-color:red;\n color:#000;\n margin-right:12px;\n padding:3px;\n}\n\n.highlight {\n color:red;\n font-size:120%;\n font-weight:bold;\n}\n\n\n#floater {\n background-color: white;\n color: black;\n font-family: 'Domine', sans-serif;\n visibility:hidden;\n}

You start to remember again. All the bad, for a moment, comes back. The yelling. The constant fighting. You moving out, trying to move on with your life.\n\n<<if $gender eq "him">> \nYou pick at your arm where <<print "he">> left the bruise. It's healed, your friends tell you, but you can still see it. Under the surface, it's there.\n\nSuddenly, there is a touch on your shoulder...\n<<else>>\nYou pick at your arm where <<print "she">> left the bruise. It's healed, your friends tell you, but you can still see it. Under the surface, it's there.\n\nSuddenly, there is a touch on your back...\n<<endif>>\n\n\n\n[[Look up]]

"Are you okay?"\n\n<<if $gender eq "him">> \nIt's <<print $gender>>. While you were having a breakdown, even in this crowd of people, <<print "he">> found you. \n\n[[Start laughing...]]\n<<else>>\nIt's <<print $gender>>. While you were having a breakdown, even in this crowd of people, <<print "she">> found you. \n\n[[Start laughing...]]\n<<endif>>\n

<<if $gender eq "him">> \nNow he looks really confused, and you can't help but to laugh even more. You were worried he would be mean, but he came over to you. He's even standing with you now as others are beginning to stare at you. \n\n[[Calm down]]\n<<else>>\nNow she looks really confused, and you can't help but to laugh even more. You were worried she would be mean, but she came over to you. She's even standing with you now as others are beginning to stare at you. \n\n[[Calm down]]\n<<endif>>

<<remember $gender = "her">>\nThose curves. Yes, you remember <<print $gender>>. How could you ever forget? \n\n//But from where?//\n\nWas it [[that other party]] or [[work]]?

It was at the meeting where you saw <<print $gender>>. All the departments were gathered to hear the latest announcement. You were bored.\n\nMoving closer, you see <<print $gender>> eyes. //Those same brillant eyes.// Once again, you are trapped by them.\n\n[[Continue to watch]]

"No... I'm not okay."\n\nFor once, you realize, you have said the truth. It wasn't just the automatic response you feed your parents and friends. Honesty. It was a real and honest answer.\n\n<<if $gender eq "him">>\nHe thinks this over. You can tell because his face does this this cute thing with his eyebrow. He catches you noticing and stops.\n\n"Okay." He pauses before the next words. "Want to talk about it?"\n\nYou consider not saying anything and just walking away. But you don't, not now. Chances like this don't happen that often.\n\nYou nod and start to explain. "At first, he was nice..."\n<<else>>\nShe thinks this over. You can tell because her face does this this cute thing with her eyebrow. She catches you noticing and stops.\n\n"Okay." She pauses before the next words. "Want to talk about it?"\n\nYou consider not saying anything and just walking away. But you don't, not now. Chances like this don't happen that often.\n\nYou nod and start to explain. "At first, she was nice..."\n<<endif>>

"Yeah, I'm okay."\n\nYou hear yourself saying it and think, for once, it's right. You are not just automatically responding to placate the questioning of your friends or family. Right here, like this, you are okay.\n\n<<if $gender eq "him">>\nYou smile again, you can't help it. You don't really know what tomorrow will bring, but aren't worried about it. For the moment, you like his touch.\n\nAnd it's enough. This night, it's enough for you.\n<<else>>\nYou smile again, you can't help it. You don't really know what tomorrow will bring, but aren't worried about it. For the moment, you like her touch.\n\nAnd it's enough. This night, it's enough for you.\n<<endif>>

It was a couple weeks ago. There was that party at the beach. You were only there to get your keys from Susan, but you got a good look at the crowd.\n\n//That must have been where you saw <<print $gender>>.//\n\n[[Continue to watch]]

Your friend told you about this party. Thought it was time for you to get out again, but this scene is bringing you down. You can't get it out of your head. \n\nIt's the music. The song, actually. Every time you hear it, you remember The Bad Times, and how you finally managed to get away from a relationship that started so well but went so ugly in the end.\n\nYou look around for someone you know and see [[him]], or is it [[her]]?\n<<endif>>\n\n

"Are you... better?"\n\n<<if $gender eq "him">>\nHe's trying, you have to give him that. His frown has grown a bit deeper without a response from you, but his hand is still on your shoulder. //Feels good.//\n\nYou must look crazy to him though, having looked so sad and then starting to laugh suddenly. Finally looking into his eyes again, he seems to catch some of this internal struggle. He shakes his head slightly.\n<<else>>\nShe's trying, you have to give her that. Her frown has grown a bit deeper without a response from you, but her hand is still on your back. //Feels good.//\n\nYou must look crazy to her though, having looked so sad and then starting to laugh suddenly. Finally looking into her eyes again, she seems to catch some of this internal struggle. She shakes her head slightly.\n<<endif>>\n\n[[Yeah...]]\n[[No...]]

History.prototype.originalDisplay = History.prototype.display;\n\nHistory.prototype.display = function (title, link, render)\n{\n if ((render != 'quietly') && (render != 'offscreen'))\n removeChildren($('passages'));\n \n this.originalDisplay.apply(this, arguments);\n};\n

Dan Cox

Flirt: \nA look... A touch... A moment...

<<if $gender eq "him">>\n<<print "He">> smiles. And you do too. You can't help it.\n<<else>>\n<<print "She">> smiles. And you do too. You can't help it.\n<<endif>>\n\n<<if $gender eq "him">>\nYou aren't even sure if <<print "he">> is looking at you or not. //Doesn't matter.// Yet, you can't make yourself go over there.\n<<else>>\nYou aren't even sure if <<print "she">> is looking at you or not. //Doesn't matter.// Yet, you can't make yourself go over there.\n<<endif>>\n\n[[Remember...]]

<<remember $gender = "him">>\nThose curves. Yes, you remember <<print $gender>>. How could you ever forget? \n\n//But from where?//\n\nWas it [[that other party]] or [[work]]?