Today's events....

Today, we went for a walk, as previously stated in the post from yesterday.  
Promptly at 10AM this morning, Rapunzel nervously peeked around the divider.  I was headed in the same direction, and we almost collided.  She jumped away, but a second later, she came over to my side of the table, giggling. 
"That was close...sorry!"  she laughed, putting a hand over her mouth.
I grinned and allowed my eyes to flick over her.  "That's fine," I stopped short of telling her that she looked beautiful today.  When I looked her directly in the eyes, though, I realized she looked extremely tired.  "What's wrong?  You look like you didn't get much sleep." 
She sighed.  "Nothing.   Just...thinking about unimportant things that I really shouldn't lose sleep over." 
AKA:  Flynn.
"If you're not feeling up to--"  I started, but she broke me off. 
"No, I'm up to it!  I'm actually kind of excited," she said, blushing. 
"Well, you don't have to get all red-faced about being excited...I am, too."  I chuckled, and she gave me a wide smile before we left the table.


We walked in silence for awhile, but then I spoke up.  "So..ah...how've you been settling in?" 
"I guess I've been settling in okay.  Sometimes, I really don't fit in over there, but oh well.  I'm sure that will come in time...Punzie's just such a jerk!  Anna's kind of...I dunno.  I don't know why, but she avoids me like nobody's business.  But then again, she has Hans, so maybe that's all the friendship or socialization she needs.  Elsa's pretty nice, though.  And of course, there's always Zelia, but she avoids me when I need someone to talk to the most.  Emma and Piper just kind of stay away from me, too...they're kind of buddies with Punzie, so I could see why.  And Kristoff seems really, really shy, so he just keeps to himself or talks to Elsa.  Um...well..I guess I kinda started a rant there..sorry!" 
"No, that's fine!  Sorry you've been kinda a fish out of water.  I should've come over more,"  I basically felt terrible.  I should've just gone over and sat with her, if all else failed. 
"I'm gonna be a copycat.  No, that's fine.  You didn't know,"  she gave me a small smile, "and thanks for listening.  It actually felt pretty good to tell someone."
I nodded.  "I'm happy to listen.  So....I was wondering what some of   your dreams are?  If you're not comfortable talking about that, that's fine." 
"I'd...prefer not to...for now."  she shrugged her shoulders up to her ears. 
"Okay, that's fine.  I understand--I suppose I shouldn't have asked you, this is just the fourth or fifth time you've  talked with me, really.  Sorry, that was kinda...off the wall of me."  I felt pretty stupid for asking that...sure, we'd talked about that same thing just a coupla weeks after we had first met, and yes, I had told her I loved her as well...but it was different this time, on so many different levels.  Gosh, I'm such an idiot.
She gave me a thankful smile, and we walked in silence for a little bit.  She looked like she was thinking about something, and I wanted to ask what, but I was half afraid of screwing up again.  Good grief, I had dated her once and had done okay enough, why was I some odd, creeper-like, weirdo this time??
But then she stopped, right in the middle of the walk.  She turned, looked me right in the eye, and said: "You know what?  No.  I'm fine with telling you.  You're not like Flynn, you won't laugh, will you?  And you seem honest in your intentions...I'm just scared of letting people in...after Flynn.  You know what I mean?" 
I nodded.  "I promise I won't laugh, I'd never laugh.  And it's totally understandable, I mean...really, it is." 
She nodded and sucked in a deep breath, holding it until she let it all out in a laugh.  "You know, they're just so silly that I don't even know why I call them dreams...hopes...goals...whatever."
"I'm sure they're not,"  I already know what they are...they weren't stupid and we had such a great time together, crossing off your dreams/goals...gosh, why can't things be back the way they were before?  "Well...I want to go stargazing...get married...start a family...you know--the usual.  And it's kind of a goal of mine not to be kissed until someone asks for my hand in marriage.  It's stupid,  I know, but I want to be sure that my first kiss is with the guy I'm spending the rest of my plastic life with.  So...that's basically it.  Weird, right?" 
I gave her a smile.  "No...not at all!  And the kiss makes sense, actually."
She sucked in another deep breath, giving me a curious look.  "What about you?" 
"Hm?"
"Your dreams?  Plans?  I-if you don't mind me asking." 
I panicked.
She'd never asked me this before.  I was the most dull being on the planet, all I wanted was to have her back and to have the girls back. 
How do I say this, how do I say this...don't freak out--oh well, too late for that...should I tell her?  No.  Not yet.  She's still not over Flynn, and this isn't the best time to tell her.  What do I do.....!!!  "You think YOUR dreams are boring?  Mine are literally just to marry and have a family."
She laughed shyly.  "I think that's everyone's default, soo...that's cool.  You're more likely to achieve your dreams, anyway!"
"Oh, really?"  I asked.
"Yeah!  There are four -- well...I don't suppose you'd marry Punzie, seeing as she kind of banned you from staying in the same display area as they are....so three, I suppose-- eligible girls.  I'm sure any of them would be just beyond lucky to have you!" 
"Three?  It seems to me that there are five, if you count Punzie," I watched her face.  This conversation was teetering dangerously close to becoming a disaster. 
"Huh?"  she gave me an absent stare, and I could tell she was trying to think of who she was missing.  When she realized it was herself, she just whispered, "Ohh." Her gaze dropped to her bare feet.
Great.  She's going to freak out, because now she knows where my affections are...just great.  I just blew it--
"I'm sorry," I blurted in a desperate attempt to keep her from leaving.  I didn't even know if she would run off and leave, but I didn't want her to.  "I'm sorry!  I--"
"No, it's fine.  That just never occurred to me before," she laughed, but I could see the panic in her eyes. 
Say something...say something funny...get her mind off of it....don't blow it...DON'T BLOW IT!!"So, ah...maybe we should change the subject?" 
She gave a genuine giggle.  "Yeeahh...let's!"
So we talked about music.  Talked about books.  Talked about anything...talked about Flynn once or twice.  We were on the floor for hours, until it started to fall dark, and then we went back up on the table. 

She started to go back to her side of the table wordlessly, but then she poked her head around the divider.  "Eugene?  Thanks.  I really needed this today, and I had fun, despite the awkward start." 
YES!
"No, thank YOU for today.  It was so fun!  And yeahh...sorry about that." 
My girl --well...you know..--gave me a cute grin.  "It's all good.  I'll see you sometime!" 
"Yup.  Good night -- and get some sleep.  Knock on the divider if you can't...If I hear you, I'll sit up with you."
"Okay.  Night," she ducked back over to her side of the shelf.
When she was gone, I sighed.  I was tired, but I knew I wouldn't be able to go to sleep, and it was only around eight.  Ugh.