He said that he didn't have any friends. If he didn't have any support at home, she was wondering how he survived. He needed love in his life from somewhere. She hadn't even considered that his relationship with the Lord was an important aspect. She thought about it for a moment, "I like math, because there is an end to the homework. Wither the other subjects you can always keep studying, but with math it's just get the problems correct. The answer is also always the same. I like reading about history, but I don't like history class. Our teacher is very boring. I suppose it's hard to make it sound interesting, but I've always found it more interesting when I read about it," she frowned.

She liked history, because it informed her, and she felt like when she wrote it became better. She knew she didn't like weight class. "What kind of art: drawing, sculpting, dancing, music." she asked. She smiled that they had something in common. "Writing in general or what kind of writing?" she asked. While she preferred creative writing, it was something that she was interested in period. She was amused at his facial expression. From his thoughts she gathered that he was surprised they had something in common.

She regretted mentioning her injury, but it was hurting, and she was wanting to make her way home. "I don't need to. I'm not sure what my parents will let me do," she sighed, "I suppose I could have one of the usual pain killers, but they don't work as well as the stuff the doctor gave me. My parents don't want me getting addicted, so they basically said I'm not allowed to have one unless I start crying because of the pain. I guess it just sort of helps being home. You can relax and not feel bad about it."

She smiled at him, "Thanks. I would feel safer with you accompanying me or...." she gave him a teasing smile, "Gunnar accompanying me. I think I would be able to outrun anyone, but with my injury I don't want to take any chances." She was still in shape after cross country, and she constantly trained. She was glad that he was making this easy. She wouldn't even have to wait around for him to repack his backpack. "At first it was a terrible pain. Now that it doesn't move too much, and it is set correctly, it's just a really painful throb. Technically, I am alright. I can function and it's just pain. You should come in and meet the family. I wouldn't want you to just drop me off. I think I will take you up on the offer of carrying my stuff. I feel a bit guilty taking advantage of your offer, because I am injured, but it is a valid need for help," she shrugged.

"I guess I also feel guilty, because I enjoy the extra attention." She had noticed that she tended to be more open than most people with her thoughts. Was it because no one else could hear her? "The questions are fine. It's nice to know that someone is concerned," she gave him a half smile. "The doctor says I am okay, and I am mending the way I am supposed to," she informed him. Okay was such a relative term. She leaned down to pat Gunnar. It appeared that he was ready to go. She raised a brow, "Ready?"

(Take your time with this one. Prioritize Arroyo and Pandora.)

"No, no." he said. "No of course you're not bad company. You're the best company I've had in a long time." He looked down at his dog and smiled. "Aside from ya know...Gunner." he chuckled. "Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong at all. I ate breakfast this morning, and it's not that hot out yet. I typically don't eat very much anyway, so it's fine."

"See the problem with math for me is that I can't seem to ever get to the end." he gave a self depricating smile and chuckle. "I'm just bad at it. History is cool sometimes, but I do agree that the teacher is boring. If he'd spice things up a bit it would be a fun enough class for me." She asked him what kind of art he liked, listing some kinds.

"I wish I could dance." he teased. "I really enjoy drawing. Painting is something I want to get good at too. Sketching is my preferred way of going, but I'll occasionally color what I draw. I enjoy reading a lot as well." She asked what kind of writing he liked to do and he thought for a moment. "Mostly creative writing. I like to write short stories and stuff. Sometimes poetry, but not too often." He shrugged.

He nodded as she spoke about the medicine. Her parents were smart to limit her on the pain meds. Addictions could happen to anyone. "Oh okay." he said, relaxing a bit. He smiled at her next words, feeling more comfortable around her now than before. He supposed it was because they weren't talking about her ability, so he wasn't as focused on that and wondering what she was hearing or thinking of him. His comfort showed too. His posture was better, as was his demeanor.

He chuckled softly. "We don't want to take any chances, now do we?" he asked. "Gunner and I will keep you safe for sure." He sounded like he was kidding, but he did mean it. He liked Kai, and he would do his best to keep her safe as long as he was here with her. Not just because he had a crush on her, but he liked her as a person and he cared about her. Her next words, made his gradual comfort start to shift and shake. Come inside? Meet the family? He wasn't so sure about that. He wasn't good with people, he was pretty sure he'd make a complete fool of himself. He was a pretty boy and made a lot of girls gush over his looks, he looked based on that like he should be confident in himself. But he wasn't. He was awkward around people he didn't know, and he was afraid that he'd make her family think he was legally insane.

He gave her a few quick shy glances and let out a nervous breathy laugh. "Okay." he said simply, not sure what else to say. He didn't want to impose, but he felt it rude to deny her invite. "I should probably bring Gunner back to my place so he isn't in the way there." She spoke about taking him up on the offer of holding her stuff, and he listened to her talk. He found himself smiling at how open and honest she was being about everything. Most people would try to make themselves appear better and almost perfect, but she was perfectly comfortable with the fact that she wasn't.

"Don't feel bad." he said with a grin. He was glad that the doctor had said she was okay and healing the way she was supposed to. "Well that's good." he said. "You seem to be doing pretty good so far. You're handling it really well." He watched as she reached down to pat Gunner, and she asked him if he was ready. He took her things and stuffed them in his bag to make things easier, then carefully strapped it around his shoulders. He shifted the leash in his hand and nodded to her.

"Yeah." he said. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"I don't know why. I know it's normal for people not to eat much, but it still makes me feel concerned," she told him. She smiled and chuckled, "If you don't mind, I could help you sometime." Somehow all the history teachers never made things interesting. They always concentrated on the dates, and they all blurred together. She smirked not sure how he would respond to this, "I have a wii. We should play Just Dance sometime. I bet you wouldn't be able to beat me." She always thought it was amazing to watch dancers.

Perhaps she could find a relaxed dance class for them to join together for fun. Would he be up to that? She supposed she needed to ask. "Or we could take a dance class together. It might be more fun that way, and then we can practice what we learned later," she suggested in a quieter tone. She wasn't too confident on this idea, but she thought it couldn't hurt ask. "I think I prefer sketching. You just sort of see what's going to happen. Simple and easy. I guess I can paint, but I'm too lazy to get out all of those materials and then put them back up," she sighed.

"I don't like to color. Sometimes I do, and I ruin the whole piece of work. It also takes more time." She gave an excited little squeal. "I love to read, and I obsess over books I like like a proud fangirl. Please don't judge. Also, I am not ashamed of all the fictional characters I have crushed massively on," she grinned a little shyly. She hoped she would find a kindred spirit, but it would be okay if she didn't. "I prefer writing creatively, but I just like writing in general. I've tried poetry, but I've never gotten into it. I'm not sure if I don't have the right type of brain or I just don't understand it."

She could see that he was becoming more relaxed, and she could feel it too. It was a relief that his anxiety wasn't messing with her anymore. Now both of them would have more fun. She noticed that her invitation had made him nervous again, and she wasn't sure how to fix that. "It will just be my parents, and one of them might be at work," she tried to reassure him. "My only sibling is out of the house, so it's not like it's a huge crowd." She wasn't sure if she should tell him that he didn't have to, but he could have probably come up with an excuse.

"Do you like cats? I have three," she told him. "I really wanted a dog, but my parents said they are too much work," she rolled her eyes. "I wanted a dog, because they tend to be more personable than a cat. Cats tend to be too aloof, and I wanted an animal I could cuddle with." "I just had a random thought. I don't think I would have had it, if I hadn't talked to you before. I think I might be more honest than the average person, because I can hear all of their thoughts, so naturally, I start trying to share mine," she looked at him wondering what he thought about her theory.

She hadn't meant to turn it back to that, but she tended to be random and all over the place. She would keep an eye on him. If he started looking overloaded, she could take on her stuff. She supposed she was doing well, but..."I have heard from some of my friends, that taking a shower the first time can be a nightmare. It's weird not having your other arm, and you have to waterproof it." She hadn't gone to the bathroom too much, but that was a bit awkward too.

"I can't wait until I have to write a paper," she rolled her eyes. "Right," she closed her eyes and inhaled, "Think on the bright side. You are fine. Typing slowly won't kill you." She started heading in the direction of her house, but stopped. "Awww. I wanted Gunner to come with us. Which way are we going?" she asked. Were they dropping Gunner off or going to her house? Every time she looked at Gunner she felt the urge to pet him. "I wish I could have a dog. Gunner seems really awesome," she sighed, knowing it was pointless to covet.

Eric gave her a sheepish smile as she playfully gasped, and looked briefly down at the ground before returning his attention to her. "Hey, Gunner's my buddy." he said, reaching down and petting him. The dog groaned softly and closed his eyes as Eric's fingers rubbed the spot behind his ears, his tail thumping softly against the teen's legs.

He glanced at her, feeling a sort of odd comfort at the fact that she still seemed concerned about his not eating situation. At least he'd found someone who cared. "It's okay, really it is." he said, giving her a calm and warm smile. "If I get hungry I'll let you know." He gave her a look as she said she could help him sometime, a look that said 'you don't have to do that.'

"Only if you want." he responded, still running his fingers through Gunner's thick fur. The dog was panting, and the sun was beginning to get closer to its afternoon position in the sky, which meant it would be getting pretty warm soon. It was March, which meant it was spring, but sometimes the temperature could still rise. It usually didn't rise past 60 degrees farenheit in Colorado during the spring, but this year seemed especially warm.

He finally stood up straight again, finished with petting Gunner, and pulled on his hoodie strings, tightening it. The corners of his mouth turned up into a grin as she mentioned that she had a wii and challenged him to Just Dance. He'd been to people's houses before who had wii's for like basketball team parties and stuff, but he'd never really interacted much with anyone there. Except for short conversations with a couple of the nicer and calmer guys.

"I'd be willing to bet that you're right." he said back. "I can't dance to save my life." She suggessted a dance class, and more than one emotion went flying through him. Part of him wanted to, because it meant that he would get to know her better and spend time with her, and she was already beginning to feel like a friend. But at the same time, he was nervous to do anything that he was bad at in front of her. He was extremely good at basketball, which meant he was coordinated, but when it came to dancing it was like all of the coordination and agility he had just up and vanished. He knew that it would embarass him if he messed up.

Which I would. he thought. But maybe doing something like that would be good for him. It would help him get better at something he was bad at, and maybe it would help him at basketball. It could also strengthen a friendship and maybe he would actually have fun doing it.

"Whatever you want to do I'm fine with." He listened to her speak, and with every word he felt like he was making more of a connection with her. They both seemed to like a lot of the same things, and although they had differences, they still connected in some way. He chuckled as she mentioned her laziness when it came to painting, and he simply nodded in agreement as he continued to listen.

He was a bit surprised to hear that she didn't like to color. It wasn't something he did often with his drawings, but over time he'd learned to really get good at it when he did. He used colored pencils, and whenever he could afford it he would buy prismacolors, and those were the most fun to use. He'd mastered the technique and was able to shade things to his desire and still make it look good. Coloring out of a book for him was theraputic.

He laughed at her excited squeal, and he was a bit surprised at the fact that she admitted having crushes on fictional characters, although he really shouldn't have been. So far she'd been pretty open about a lot of things, so he should have been expecting that. He noticed her shy smile at that mention, and he felt his heart do a small little flip of admiration for her. He'd always felt that flip before during school or class when he'd glanced her way, but it was different now. It was different because he actually knew her better, he wasn't just feeling that because she was pretty. In that very brief moment, that one little expression of shyness and slight embarassment...he found her cute.

He giggled softly and looked at the ground for a brief moment, having felt his cheeks flush. He looked back up at her, and he couldn't keep the grin off of his face. "No, no. No judgement here at all. Can't say I've ever crushed on a fictional character, but I definitely have had a connection with them that I can't explain." He'd had short crushes on actresses who have played certain characters that were based on a novel or book, but when reading he never really got super involved. His imagination was crazy, but usually only when he was the one doing the writing, not when reading someone else's work.

"Yeah creative writing seems to be the most fun for both of us." he agreed. "Poetry can be confusing, and I really don't do it often. I read it more than I write it."

He admired the fact that she was trying to reassure him about coming over and staying for a little bit, and when she mentioned that it could possibly only be one of her parents he did relax a little. That was something else that they had in common, an older sibling who no longer lived at home. "My older sister is out of the house too." he said. "I guess I can say hi, if it's not too much trouble." he said, giving in. He didn't want to disappoint her.

She asked him if he had any cats, and he shook his head. "No, I don't. You have three?" he asked. "Gunner's the only pet we have. My dad doesn't even like him as it is. There's no way I could ever hope to have any more than one pet, and I don't even know if he'll let me get another dog if something ever happens to Gunner." He reached down again and pet him for a moment. He hoped life didn't take this dog too early. Gunner was his only source of love at home. Although he had a good relationship with the Lord, he could have a better one. He owned a bible, but he kept it hidden from his father and in turn didn't read it often.

"Dogs are a lot of work," he agreed, siding with her parents for a short moment. "It takes a lot of work to train them and get them on a routine, but once that is accomplished they are wonderful pets to have. Even if they aren't trained, they are still amazing. But if you want an indoor dog that behaves you would obviously have to take the time and energy to train them." He smiled. "I wouldn't know anything about cats." he admitted. "But I guess I'm going to soon."

She spoke her thought that had just occured, and he stood for a moment, contemplating. She was right, she did seem to be very open and honest about her thoughts, and it made sense if she was able to hear everyone else's. "That's a good theory." he said, sticking his hands in his hoodie pocket, still holding the leash tightly in his fist. "It makes sense to me that it should work that way. You do seem to be very open and honest about a lot of things."

She went on to talk about the difficulties of having a broken arm, and he couldn't imagine having to try and do normal daily things in a cast like that. "I can't imagine being able to do any of that." he said. "Knowing me I'd get so mad and frustrated at myself that I'd give up." He let out a small chuckle. "You're doing good, and you seem like you're a fighter when it comes to stuff like this. You'll do fine, I'm sure of it."

She seemed disappointed that he was thinking about putting Gunner back, but he figured it would be for the better. Especially if she had three cats. He wasn't sure if her parents would want him in the house for starters anyway, which meant he would have to leave him outside. He had no clue if they had a fenced in yard or not since they had no dogs, and he didn't trust Gunner quite enough to leave him tied to something outside. It would be too much work and leave him being stressed anyway.

"Well I just think it would be better to bring him back to my place first." he answered, beginning to walk. "I think it'd be too much of a hassle to bring him to your house. Maybe sometime, when your parents are aware of what will be happening, and...once I give him a bath." She wished she could have a dog, and he graced her with a sympathetic smile. "He is awesome. He's been my best friend for several years now. He's a good boy. Right Gunner? Right?" He spoke to the dog, lifting his voice but at the same time emitting a rough sounding noise in the back of his throat, almost sounding similar to a bark at the end of his words. Gunner looked back at him, his tail wagging furiously, and his eyes wider than ever.

He did a quick little prancing dance and jumped, putting his paws on Eric's chest as he let out a bark. Eric laughed, Gunner's teeth snapping just a few hairs away from his chin, and pushed him off. "Stay down," he said between laughs. Gunner barked again, and Eric gave him a playful stern look. "Hey. Keep walkin." he said. Gunner turned and continued to walk, although now his step was a bit more lively, and his tail was still wagging.

"Maybe one day you can have a dog." he said, looking back over to Kailey. "Maybe if I'm able to come over again, I can give Gunner a bath and bring him too. Then your parents can see what a good dog he is. Sure, they are a lot of work, but with the right dedication it will be very worth it." He smiled at her. "You seem like you'd be able to handle it just fine. And if you needed help...call me." He shrugged, and continued to walk, the two of them now leaving the park and heading onto the sidewalk.

It didn't take long for them to reach his house, and at first Eric felt his confidence slide. His house was nowhere near fancy or good looking, but it wasn't bad either. It was a two story house, but the white paint on the outside badly needed redone, and a few of his father's tools and auto parts were placed loosely around the front lawn. "Sorry about the mess." he said to her as they walked up the sidewalk to his front porch. He stopped at the door, and then looked down at Gunner. "Actually..." He gave a look to Kailey and smiled shyly. "Sorry, I just had a better idea." He stepped off the porch and walked around the lawn, stepping up to the back gate. He opened the latch and snapped off Gunner's collar, letting him run inside the backyard. He shut the gate and latched it again, turning to look at Kai.

"Faster that way." he explained, walking back to the sidewalk. He clapped his hands together, growing nervous but trying not to let it control him. "Alright Miss Adair," he said teasingly, motioning his hand towards the street. "Lead the way."

Hopefully, she would at least be able to remain patient and calm, but she realized that they might not want to test their friendship like that just yet. At the moment it was getting warmer, and she found that her cast was becoming more uncomfortable. Poor Gunner didn't look like he was faring much better. "Just Dance is fun. While some of my friends are a bit too competitive about it, I just like it, because we can all frantically move and look goofy and laugh at each other. It's more fun if you don't know how to dance. I'd like to try dance lessons, so I don't look like I'm Just Dancing, if I ever go to a party or something. I sort of want to go to prom this year, and I'd like to be able to dance," she told him her plan.

"If you come, it will multiply the fun, and I'll know somebody at the class. Besides, I'm sure they'll have a few dances where you are supposed to pair up, and I want to know the partner I'm being paired up to. Of course this is another selfish reason, but you'll probably be more patient with me. Of course you can say no," she said breezily, "But....I will try to convince you. And continue to persist just because it's fun," she grinned. If it was something he really hated doing, and she noticed that it made him uncomfortable her constantly asking she would of course stop, but she hoped he could see that constantly asking him if he wanted to go was her way of showing him that she wanted him around.

"I think I messed up with coloring, because I tried to mix medias in one piece of work and it didn't look good. I tried to draw something and then I painted it. Well...the paint isn't precise enough for shading the size of drawing I did, and it just looked like a mess. I couldn't even salvage the good drawing underneath it. Also I don't like coloring, because I can't erase it. I don't mind coloring in a coloring book, I just don't like coloring my own work." She smiled at him just happy that he didn't think she was crazy.

"I think I have had crushes on fictional characters, because I haven't actually had to deal with them. I am sure if they came to life they would be much more annoying and less fantastic than they appear. When I see actors playing a character, I don't know if I have a crush on the character or the actor," she sighed. "What kind of stuff do you like to write? Historical fiction, fantasy, mystery, darker themed stuff. I think I just write whatever comes to my mind. I prefer to make stuff up, so that I have more room to be flexible."

She was relieved that he would at least come in for a moment. She wasn't sure how long she should try to get him to stay, because she didn't want him to feel out of place or awkward. "My cats are allowed inside, and they go everywhere. You can't keep them out. I think one of the reasons I don't like them as much as dogs is that dogs try to make you happy, but cats don't care or at least my cats don't care. They just do their own thing, and expect us to be okay with that."

She smiled, "Isn't one of the qualifications for life is that you can adapt to change? Lucky me. I'm alive. I think I am just grateful that it was my non dominant arm. I would be in a world of trouble if it had been my right. You wouldn't give up on everything, but it is tempting to just hole away in your house and not do anything." She wasn't sure how her parents would react to him bringing his dog over, and she wasn't sure how Gunner was with cats, so she didn't argue too much.

She nodded her head, "You're probably right. I wouldn't want to spring a dog on them." She smiled as Gunner replied to Eric talking to him. "Cats are just ornery. I think they pick the person that dislikes them and decide that they like them." Her smile widened as Gunner jumped with his paws on his chest. "What kind of training did you do with Gunner? Have you had other breeds of dogs?" She smiled, "Awww. You're willing to work on convince my parents to let us have a dog comittee or CMPTLUHADC. It's a very small group. I hope that one day our work will come to fruition, and I still ask and work on them every now and then, but it's not a particularly active organization or particularly organized. After all of those hospital bills I better wait a while."

She wasn't sure if insurance would pay for it, but if they did her insurance would go up and become more expensive. She wasn't sure if there was a way to keep her wreck off of the insurance records." She nodded her head, "Definitely. You seem like the most responsible dog owner of my friends." She felt some sort of thought or emotion from his mind, when they came to his house, which surprised her. She looked at him trying to figure out what was going on without entering his mind.

She observed it and could see that it might need a bit of work. "It's fine," she smiled at him encouragingly. If a place wasn't messy it worried her more. It never had a homey atmosphere. She followed him as they walked up the sidewalk to the front porch. They stopped and she was curious what he was planning. They headed around the lawn, and he was now in the backyard. When he gave her the brief explanation her eyes widened with understanding. "Ohhhhhh," she sort of nodded. She felt a little weird just leaving Gunner in the backyard, but she knew that if Eric did it this way, it would be fine.

Her brow raised as he said Miss Adair. "Aren't I younger than you? Calling me miss?" she muttered. While she didn't mind people being respectful, she wondered if there was some hidden feeling behind what appeared to be a gentle tease. Did he feel uncomfortable l that she was here? She hadn't invited herself over, and she hadn't been particularly judgmental, so she wasn't sure what else she could do to put him at ease. She shrugged and decided to play along, "So kind of you Mr......" her mind became a blank slate. "Godfrey," she finally remembered. "Sorry," she apologzied for forgetting his name.

She hoped that she could find her way home on foot. She tended to be a little directionally challenged, and many times she had been told that she could get lost in a wet paper bag. If she took a short route, with the intention that she would have to know her way through it the next time she came, she could follow it again. "You probably don't want me leading," she sighed, deciding to be honest with him, so when they were lost and in the middle of nowhere, she didn't have the embarrassing reveal then. "I am awful at finding my way around. I think I can, since I generally am able to find my way home, but I can make no promises. We may take a few extra detours, so unless you know the way, you'll have to be patient with me."

Her face appeared a bit abash. "If we get really lost, I'll call one of my parents to come find us. Hopefully, it won't come to that." She wondered if he would be okay letting someone who would probably get them lost to lead them. "Or I can call one of them now," she offered. He was home, so it might be better if he didn't have to walk all the way there, and then back. It basically came down to, did he feel safe, did he want to spend time with her, did he mind some extra exercise, was he up for a possible adventure?

"Personally, I'll be glad for this walk. I wasn't sure how I would keep in shape, and this walk might be just the thing," she hoped that she didn't sound like she was pressuring him. It would be nice to talk to him, but he would meet one of her parents and they would be able to talk if they didn't go back. She began to walk in the direction she believed her house was in. The sun shined down, and it warmed her. After a while she turned onto another street, and she had to stop. "I don't think I should have taken this turn," she looked at him dubiously. Would he be able to help her?

He admired her persistance, and although she seemed to give in on the food situation, he could still tell that she seemed a little distraught about it. She went on to say that she could help him study if he wanted to, and it sounded like she was seriously planning on it. While he knew it would be good for him to have a study partner, he didn't want to trouble her with it.

"I don't know," he said, shrugging. "I mean I don't want to trouble you with it or anything like that." Although it would give him something to do after school. Having her help him study would make him want to show up, and he wouldn't be easily distracted by Gunner or playing on his phone. His grades would get better, and that'd be one less thing for his dad to gripe about.

He smiled at her Just Dance story, and found himself rubbing his forearm nervously. He still wasn't completely sold on the idea of it, but he was willing to give it a try if she really wanted him to. She went on to say that she was planning on going to prom this year, and how she wanted him to come. Was she inviting him to go with her as her date? He'd never actually gone to the prom before, and as an underclassman you couldn't go without a date from an upperclassman. But he was a junior this year, which marked him as an upperclassman, and he didn't have to have a date to go. He honestly couldn't remember if she was in his class or a grade younger.

He chuckled, once again admiring her persistence of the matter. "I might go, yeah." he said. "But you may have to keep reminding me or convincing me, because it takes quite a lot to get me to even go to a party. I don't like big crowds." Although that was true, he was sure that he would end up going, especially if she asked him to go with her.

"Yeah, I can understand the coloring thing." he said, nodding. "Mixed media is really hard, especially when one of those medias is paint. But with practice it will get better." he paused, thinking. "Hey maybe I could teach you some art stuff. Like...on the coloring side of things. That is, if you'd be up for learning." He knew he was pretty good at it, one of his talents, and if she was willing to learn he'd be glad to help teach her. After all, she was willing to help him learn to dance, and she was offering to help him study. She was offering him all this stuff, and trying to build a friendship, so why shouldn't he do the same?

He listened to her speak about the fictional characters, and not being able to discern whether she was crushing on the actor or the character who they played when watching the movie or television version. He'd always liked the actresses, because they were real people. She asked him what he liked to write, listing off all sorts of different genres, and he answered with almost no hesitation.

"Oh fantasy for sure." he said. "Darker themed stuff I do as well." He started to say that he also tended to write romance too, but he stopped himself. He wasn't sure how she would feel about that, and he didn't know if she would get the wrong impression of him if she knew that. He chuckled as she described cats, giving her reasoning for favoring dogs. She wasn't wrong, cats usually did tend to be more independent and not care about their humans as much. Although he had heard of some cats who were very loyal and affectionate towards their owners.

"My dad wouldn't let me have a cat." he said. "Otherwise I may have gotten one, just because I think it would be a neat experience." he shrugged. "But I knew right away that we as a family even were never going to get a cat. If my dad saw a stray next to our house he'd shoot it, so..." he trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid. He was sure she could figure out the rest on her own.

He agreed with her following statements, and he was glad for her that it had been her non dominant arm as well. It would have been a lot harder for her. While he wasn't totally sold on the fact that he wouldn't give up, he was glad she had faith in him.

She asked him what training he did with Gunner, and if he'd ever had any other breed of dog. "My mom got him for me when I was pretty young, so she helped me train him as a puppy. We looked up different websites and training and stuff and then we did a lot of it together." He looked down at Gunner and smiled sadly at his mother's memory. "But no, I've never had any other breed. Or any other dog for that matter. He was and is our family's first."

He laughed at her next series of words. "Hey I'm in." he said. "Anything to help you get a dog. They're so worth it." He just gave her a simple grateful smile at her compliment, for he didn't really have anything to say to it, and even if he did, he didn't really want to focus on himself.

When they got to his house, she claimed that the slight mess was fine and he decided to believe her. He wasn't sure if she was saying it just to be polite or if she actually meant it, but either way he brushed it aside. After latching the gate and making sure that there were no obvious ways out of the fenced in yard, he was ready to go. She seemed to be at odds with his tease, and for a moment he wondered if he'd gone too far or if she just didn't get his humor. So far he hadn't exactly presented himself as a goof or joker, so she probably had taken him seriously.

He'd meant it all in good fun, but maybe he hadn't sold that enough. Nevertheless, she tried to do it back, and he was left in a suspensful wait with his eyebrows raised as she tried to spit out his last name. He had a smile on his face the entire time, because in all honesty he hadn't been expecting her to know it. She'd surprised him though, and had came to it eventually. Maybe she'd seen it in his mind, but he didn't think so.

"Don't worry about it." he said, waving a hand. He stuck his hands in his hoodie pockets and began walking slowly by her side. She stopped, warning him that she wasn't really a good leader and that she had trouble finding her way around. "Of course I'll be patient with you." he said, his tone and voice coming out much sweeter and gentle than he'd been expecting it to. He'd surprised himself, for he'd almost sounded nurturing for a split second there.

She mentioned calling her parents, and he once again felt that beat of nervousness. Thankfully, she seemed to want to walk, and he relaxed. "I'm fine with walking." he said. He started to follow her, and they walked for a good while before she stopped, looking confused.

"I don't think I should have taken this turn." she said, looking at him. He simply smiled, letting out a soft amused breath. He had absolutely no clue where she lived, so he knew he wouldn't be of much use.

"It's okay Kai." he said, walking up beside her. "Do you know your address? I bet I could find your place if I knew the street and house number." The sun was warm on his shoulders, and his black hoodie was beginning to be a bit too hot, but he didn't take it off. He typically always wore a hoodie, even in warmer weather. He didn't know why, it was just something he'd been doing for years now. Perhaps it was because it was warm and snug, almost like a security blanket, since he didn't feel very grounded in his life.

Either way, he knew he would be keeping it on for a while longer. He looked at her, noticing with an artist's eye how the light reflected off of her hair and eyes, making her dark colored orbs appear almost amber and gold in the sun. He was once again reminded of how pretty she was, and his feelings for her. But he quickly shoved them aside, because he didn't want to focus on that right now. He definitely didn't want to be thinking about that when they were at her house in front of her parents. Knowing that she could read minds was a bit unnerving when it came to emotions and feelings like that.

"Besides, before we do that, maybe you will be a little more comfortable around my parents. My momma is used to me doing crazy things like that, and anything she says will be in good fun, but my dad might laugh at us." She wanted to go to prom this year, and she wasn’t sure how to get an upperclassman to invite her. One of her old notions was she preferred the guy asking the girl. Other than asking them to take her, she wasn’t sure if she stood out enough to get a date to prom though.

She would like to go with Eric, but she wasn't sure how that would work out. It was true that he didn't seem to care for large crowds, but she hoped that they would become closer friends, and it would convince him to go. She didn't want him to think that she was only using him so she could go to prom. She just wanted him to be there at prom, and she thought him being her date might be the most efficient way to make sure he was there. If he told her he would go, it would be odd and rude of him to not show up.

If he went by himself or someone else, it would be a lot easier for him to slip out of going. “If you are going to take a lot of convincing and asking, it’s a good thing I started asking this far back then isn’t it,” she smiled a little. “Give me three no’s in a row, if there is just no chance that you’re going to go at all. Otherwise, just ignore me unless you plan on saying yes...then say yes,” she told him. She didn’t want to be overly annoying, but this was something she would be serious about and constantly ask about at the most random times.

Hopefully, it would either wear him down or amuse him into submission. “Maybe if I can wear you down, I can use it as practice so my parents will bend further too,” she speculated. When he offered to help her improve her coloring skill, she nodded, “That sounds fun." She wasn’t sure how much of a skill coloring could be taught, but she was willing to try. She was offering to help him with math, but she was hoping dancing would just be for fun. “What kind of media will you teach me to color with first?” she asked him.

He would probably start with something easier like colored pencils she imagined. She nodded at the topics, “I forgot a really popular one. Romance! I like doing romance. It’s challenging, because you actually have to make them have chemistry, but it’s fun to write. You can put it in almost any story,” she smiled a little at herself. “I haven’t really tried doing darker themed stuff. I don’t know if I have the correct brain to write mysteries.” She just wasn't sure if she could think so complicated without giving it all away.

She knew some cats were loyal, but hers acted like the average cats. "I suppose my cats are loyal. They do like to leave presents for me on my doorstep. I've had to stop them from taking live mice inside. One mouse they caught had worms," her nose wrinkled for a moment. “They are good mousers, and they keep down the pests,” she tried to be positive, but thinking about a mouse with worms was disgusting, and made her forget about cat’s positive traits. Her head bobbed for a moment, “I think they are worth having, but they can’t replace the companionship of a dog.”

Her eyes widened as he mentioned that his father would shoot any cats that came nearby. She hated that she looked surprised or afraid by that, but it gave her a little perspective of what his home life was like. “That’s a good reason not to get a cat,” was all she could think to say. It was probably better if they moved on, because she wasn't sure how to act about that kind of thing, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. One thing she was curious was if she would ever have to meet Eric's father.

He sounded really scary. She doubted that anyone would just give up. It was pretty hard to not live as much as it was to struggle through everyday things. “This is very contradictory, but having a broken arm is harder than you think it is, but it is also not as bad as you would think. Does that make sense?” she smirked, doubting that it did. Her smile changed to a devious one, “If I put more pressure on, how can my parents say no? Your help may become a crucial piece in making them collapse. I should probably do a pro and con chart, so that they can not possibly argue against me.”

After she said his last name she gave a small triumphant smile, “I knew that I knew it. It was in there somewhere.” She gave him a hesitant smile when he said that he would be patient. “More time to talk right,” she gave a nervous laugh. It was embarrassing not knowing her own way home. It was one thing not knowing how to get away, but it was a lot easier to get home. When she made the wrong turn, her face sort of froze. She supposed they would have to back track, but she decided to try to get her bearings before they started wandering around again.

“It looks different walking on the ground than it does driving,” she observed in a small voice. She tried to relax a little, when Eric said he could help, if she knew her address. “Ha,” she gave a smirk, “I do know my address. It’s one of those things my parents made me memorize. 123 Sesame Street. XD 560 Whorley Lane.” After giving him a moment to think, “Soooo…..Do you think you can find our way to my home?” she asked hoping that he could. She could try leading them again, but a few more wrong turns, and she was calling for help.

"Hopefully, you can find our way, otherwise we'll have to hope that either there is a comfortable waiting place nearby or my parents aren't busy and one of them can come for us," she told him. She was beginning to become sweaty out under the sun. She raised a brow, "Are you not hot under that hoodie?" She remembered that she had seen him wear it...a lot. For a moment she relaxed and gradually became more aware of his thoughts. She could feel him admiring her appearance, and it startled her. It took a lot of self control to not be obvious about it.

Eric couldn't help but keep smiling at her. She was just so nice and different than a lot of other people that he knew. He knew she could read minds, but even if she couldn't he had a feeling she would stay the same. He was a little worried that she was willing to have him over when her parents weren't there, and he wondered if they would be okay with that or if she would be sneaking him inside. He didn't want her parents to think he was a bad influence, because he wasn't, but he also wasn't sure how comfortable he'd be being his goofy self in front of her parents.

However, he knew he needed to loosen up and get more comfortable around people, and from what she was telling him about her parents they seemed cool. He was still very anxious and nervous about meeting them, but he found himself actually excited to meet her mother. He knew it was because his own was gone, and he couldn't wait to see that motherly nature and hear that tone in her voice as she talked to her daughter. It was something he craved, and he hoped that maybe one day he and Kai would be close enough friends that her mother would consider him a son of her own.

He knew of several families whose children's best friend were basically family members, and he longed to have that. "I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for that." he said to her comment on having him over when her parents weren't there. "But your mom sounds like fun." He gave her a shy grin as she continued to talk about prom, and that shy grin turned into a smile.

"Bug me all you like." he said. "I'll be thinking about it." It wasn't a lie. He would be thinking about it. A lot. He already knew that he was going to go, and he was going to ask her to go with him. But he kind of wanted to see how long she would keep it up, and how badly she wanted to go with him. If she was truly going to keep this promise of asking and bugging, then maybe she really did want to go with him by her side. He was going to ask her, but he needed time to figure out how anyway. While she was bugging him to go for the remainder of this month, he would be thinking up a good way to ask her.

He chuckled at her next comment, but said nothing. He simply nodded. She said that she'd be fine with him teaching her how to color, and he was happy. There was a lot to learn surprisingly, and it all came down to technique. She asked him what media he'd teach first, and he went with the simple answer. "The kind I'm best at." he gave her a mischevious grin before answering her fully. "Colored pencils. It's easier and fun, and the technique is fairly simple."

He was kind of taken off guard as she mentioned that she liked to write romance, and a spark of suspicion flared up briefly in his mind. Had she peeked in his thoughts and found that? Or had she genuinely forgotten and decided to mention it? He didn't want to have any negative thoughts about her, so he went with what she said. He would trust her until he had a reason not to. He looked at the ground, feeling his cheeks blush a little with embarassment.

"Yeah, I...I like romance too." he admitted quietly. He gave her a shy glance and then straightened his posture again. "Darker themed doesn't always have to be mystery." he added in a helpful tone. "It can just be about emotion, it doesn't really have to have a full blown plot. Those are the kinds of dark themed stuff I do. No names mentioned, just a lot of emotion and symbolism."

He wrinkled up his nose in an amused yet disgusted look as she said that her cats brought mice to the doorstep. Gunner sometimes would kill a rabbit or squirrel, but he'd never brought it to Eric. He'd always eaten part of it and then buried it in the yard. "Yeah," he agreed with her last statement. "I can see if a person has never had a dog or been around dogs before, they would prefer the company of cats and think the same about dogs as you do about cats. But for people who have had dogs or been in the company of one...I think they would all have to agree with you." He chuckled. He knew that wasn't exactly true, but the majority of people statistically did enjoy dogs more than cats.

He smiled at her comment about his father, and simply nodded. "Yeah. It wouldn't be good." She suddenly started talking about her broken arm, and made a contradictory statement. While he was confused, at the same time he understood. "I mean, yeah I guess it does." he laughed. "I wouldn't know." She talked about having a pro and con chart and he giggled. "I can help with that, too." he said in between giggles.

Her nervous laugh and smile made him want to be all the more patient with her. He knew it was embarassing for her, and there was no way he was going to make fun of her, even if she was trying to make it into a joke herself. He took her address into account and paused, thinking for a minute. He tried to remember all the houses and their numbers, and looked around, realizing that her place would be on the next street over.

"Yeah," he answered to her question. "Yeah your house is on the next street over, I think. You just missed the turn. All you did was turn a street too early. We can walk down this street and then up onto yours, and then we'll be there." She asked him if he was hot in the hoodie, and he shrugged.

"A little." he said. "But I'm used to it, so I'll be fine." Eric knew she probably thought he was strange, but at this point he felt like if she didn't like him very much she wouldn't be sticking around this long or inviting him over. So he didn't dwell on it. He tossed his head gently forward, and began walking down the street, his hands still in his pockets. He really admired this side of town, because all the lawns were freshly cut and green, flowers planted, the houses painted nice. The houses were a bit bigger here as well, because the people who lived on these streets were able to afford bigger homes. They were nowhere near rich, but they had enough money to get nice things and keep up on the property, unlike Eric and his father.

He liked strolling through, because instead of making him sad of what he didn't have, it made him appreciate it all the more. If he lived in houses like this, he wouldn't care or be grateful. But since he lived in a smaller house with less things, he could appreciate the nice stuff.

Soon enough, they were back on the right track, walking down Whorley Lane. "You got it from here?" he asked, looking back at her. By this point, it was getting a little too hot for him, so he pulled the hoodie over his head, the static messing up his hair slightly and pulling part of his shirt up. He ran his fingers through his dark hair, combing it out a bit, and straightened his shirt. He draped the hoodie over his arm and carried it close to him, still holding onto its warmth.

Kai realized that it might be weird sounding saying she would have him over when her parents weren't around. Oops. She didn't want to say anything now, but perhaps she would figure out a day, when her parents were doing yardwork or something, so they wouldn't be watching. Maybe she could convince them to leave her alone for an hour in the game room. It would be awkward to have them open the door, and they are dancing their hearts out. She wasn't sure if her parents would be okay with it.

She hoped they would once they got to know Eric, but she couldn't expect them to trust him without knowing him. While most of the time, she was able to goof off in front of other parents, she knew it took a little bit of the fun away, if you had to worry about what you looked like. Her dad would be chill, but he would tease them about whatever they did. He thought it was funny, but it was generally annoying or weird. She hoped that everyone would get along. She wanted her newest friend to be comfortable around her house.

While her mother was sometimes skeptical of her friends, she did like to take other young people under her wings. "Sometimes she is fun. It just depends. Just like any other person," she told him. "Very well," she said in a supercilious voice. "What were you thinking about prom? I was hoping you would go," she looked at him, deciding to start at once. She wasn't sure how often she would do this, but when ever she thought about it might make it random enough for it to keep him interested.

"Yay! I was hoping you would start with something relatively easy. I don't want to chase away my newest technique tutor," she grinned at him. She felt a prickle of suspicion coming from him, and she felt like saying something. "I think I really started liking to write romance, because of fanfictions," she sighed happily. "I was finally able to get the characters I wanted together." She looked up at him, when he ducked his head as if he was embarrassed to admit something.

"True it doesn't have to be mystery, but I always thought that would be a challenging genre. It makes me want to try. I hadn't thought of all that being darker themed stuff." She was glad that he wasn't the only one who wrinkled up his nose at what cats did. Even though she had never had a dog, she stood up stalwartly as a dog person. " I think dogs are good for people. They give you that unconditional love. I mean you have to earn it to a certain extent, by caring for them and showing that you are there for them, but once you prove yourself, it is really hard to push them away."

She looked at him hoping she was true. "Or at least that is what I have gathered from multiple resources. I have heard that somebody prefer cats, because they aren't as nice as dogs." She was relieved that he didn't seem to comment or feeling anything deeply about what she had said about his father. He had just accepted the fact and moved on. At least he seemed to understand that she wasn't trying to be mean or disrespectful. It seemed to be an obvious conclusion to come to after what he had said.

She shrugged, "At least you think you have an idea of what I mean. I suppose you wouldn't be able to understand." She gave another grin, "Sooo...One of our first order of businesses for CMPTLUHADC is a pro and con chart. Hmm...It might have been easier to convince them if we hadn't gotten consolatory cats," she frowned. "They thought cats would stop me from wanting dogs, but I would like to have cats AND a dog." Her shoulders sort of sagged in relief, "It's a good thing that you have some directions in your head. My parents like to say I am directionally challenged."

She knew she wasn't the tallest, and she couldn't find her way around. She started walking, but not too fast. She wasn't confident in herself, and she didn't want to look too much more foolish. "I have a few friends that wear hoodies all the time whether it is hot or cold. Will you be one of those people?" It sounded a little rude, but it was just her being a little weird and blunt. She was amused, when he finally decided to take it off. Either she psyched him or he finally got hot.

She hoped that he didn't think she was trying to show off her home. It was a nice modest house. They had never needed a large one, since their family unit at maximum was four people. She smiled, "I should be able to find my way from here. I often go on my run through here," she felt a little more confidence. She knew that she was crazy enough to totally walk by her house though, so she stayed alert. "There it is," she pointed with her hand. She gave a relieved giggle. "Goodness. I'm sorry this was such an ordeal. I'm glad you were there. Now I have a reason to have you accompany besides protection. I need a wayfinder," she shook her head.

"Look!" she pointed as a cat walked towards her, "There is Perry P. Plum. Toby O'Possum Adair. Have you ever read that book? I named him that, because of Toby Mac. They both have gorgeous blue eyes. I think Perry's looks more blue. I named him Perry P. Plum after a possum book character. While he is just a random mutt cat, he does look like a siamese. Look at his tail. It used to have stripes on it, which is why we thought he looked like a possum," she tried to explain. "He's one of our nicer cats, and one of our more adventurous and bold mousers."

After reaching down to pet him, since he had come up to him, she started walking towards the house again. She peeked at the garage to see who might be home. It was odd seeing the empty place where her car was supposed to be. It reminded her that her arm was hurting. She opened the front door and looked around.

"Hey momma," she called down into the dining room. Her mother waved back at her. "I brought a friend over. Where is dad?" she asked.

"He went to the store to get some things," she told her. "Who is the friend you brought with you?"

"He's a new one. His name is Eric," this time she waved for Eric to come and meet her mother.

Since her mother couldn't see Eric yet, she just raised an eyebrow suggestively at her daughter. Kai glared back, and hoped that her mother didn't make things weird.

He hoped that her mother would at least accept him. She didn't have to like him, but he hoped she would accept him. He wished to find a motherly figure that he could maybe one day look up to and get advice from, but he knew that was a very long shot, and even if that did happen, it was a long ways away. Kailey began right in with prom, and he just smiled, trying to keep any and all thoughts about it out of his head. He wanted to surprise her with something, and this would be the ultimate test.

If he could surprise a mind reader, that would be the greatest feat of his life taken down and accomplished. "I think prom is a big gathering of people." he said, a mischevious gleam in his icy blue eyes. "And I think that I don't really like big gatherings with a lot of people." His tone was ornery and slightly sarcastic. He didn't want to give away too much, and he didn't really want to get her hopes up. The surprise would mean more if she thought that he wasn't going at all.

He grinned at her tutor comment, but didn't reply. They could talk more about it later. She said that she'd gotten to like romance because of fan fiction, and he couldn't help but tilt his head. She liked fan fiction? "I try to stay away from fan fiction if I'm being honest." he said. "Sometimes I never know what I'm getting into, and some fan fictions are just....odd." he said, leaving a lot unfinished. He was sure she could figure out what he meant by that.

He was glad he gave her a different perspective on a style of writing, and he hoped she would try it. That specific style of writing was definitely one of his favorites, because it made people think when reading it. He agreed with everything she was saying about dogs, and since he'd already put his two cents in he just agreed silently, nodding his head and humming.

He grinned at her committee idea, and frankly, he was all for it. It was another little thing that he found cute about her. "Cats and a dog would be nice, but since your cats have lived without a dog around they'd have to be introduced properly."

He frowned slightly at the thought of her parents calling her directionally challenged. She may very well be, but he would never call her out on it. She mentioned that she had a few friends who wore hoodies all the time. It was a bit blunt, but it didn't bother him. She didn't know the reason behind it, and he didn't let that bother him. He was happy when she said that she could find her way from where they were, and he walked by her side as she picked up her pace. She pointed it out, and his excitement was once again tainted with nervousness.

"No, it's okay." he said in response to her apology. "It was fun. I'll be your wayfinder any day you need me to." He chuckled. His eyes lit up as she pointed out the cat that was walking towards them. Their names made him giggle like a little kid, and he bent down, reaching out his hand. "No I haven't read it." he said, smiling. His voice had suddenly dropped in volume, and by this point he was nearly whispering, as if he thought he had to be quiet when around the smaller animals.

"Hey there," he said softly to the cat, running his fingers over his back. "He's so cute." He looked up at Kai, his bright blue eyes filled with what almost looked to be wonder. He'd never interacted with cats before as long as he could remember, and having one come up so willingly was amazing to him. Kailey started walking again, so Eric stood up as well, following her more slowly than before. His gaze kept turning back to the cat, but he finally tore his eyes away as he followed Kai up to the porch. He hung loosely behind her, more nervous now than ever. His gaze continued to flick around instead of focus in on one thing, first on the ground, then to the hoodie draped over his arm, to Kailey and back again.

She stepped inside, but he waited politely back for permission. He stood in the doorway, listening as she called out to her mother. The voice of a woman answered, and he felt a strange chill run down his spine. A little bit of nervousness, but at the same time it was a nostalgic, comforting tingle. A memory lingering in his mind. He was a bit relieved to know that her father wasn't home, because fathers were typically the type to harp on any guy their daughter brought home, met, was going out with, etcetera. He wasn't sure how long her father would be gone or how much time he would need to prep for the meeting. He wasn't prepared for any fatherly speech, and he hoped he wouldn't get one.

Kailey turned and motioned for him to come in, and there was a brief moment of hesitation as all his nerves, fears, and worries crashed into him at once, his heart speeding up crazily. But he took a step inside, placing his other arm on top of his hoodie. The expression on his face was a tell tale sign of the emotions he was feeling, but in an odd way that could be seen as almost admirable. He wasn't trying to put on a front when meeting her parents, instead he was being himself.

He glanced nervously at Kailey, but as his eyes rested on her mother, his worries and fear strangely faded. He wasn't sure if it was because he was overcoming that fear, or if it was just the simple fact that he was standing in front of a mother. A woman who had children and cared for them, a mother who was still alive. His tightened jaw loosened upon seeing her face, and the muscles in his arms relaxed. He held out a hand to her politely.

"Hi." he said. He was still nervous, but nowhere near as nervous as he had been in the moments leading up to this. He actually had mustered the courage to look her in the eyes, but after shaking her hand he averted his gaze, glancing over at Kai. He was presenting himself in a similar manner as how he did when meeting up with Kailey at the park, but somehow this was different in way that made him appear slightly cute. It was almost as if he appeared a lot younger than he actually was. He was a tall, fit, and very good looking junior....but he acted like he was none of those. His demeanor was that of his true nature, his true self. An individual who had a broken home life, was misunderstood, who had a pure and loving heart, was shy, respectful, and in need of a good friend.

He subconciously pulled his hoodie closer to his chest, his heart thrumming against it. He breathed calmly, trying to slow it down a little. He was wondering how long he would be allowed to stay, but he didn't want to ask that now. In a very strange way, he was glad that she had invited him over. Despite all his nervousness, he was at ease here. He wasn't sure how well she was able to hide her reactions to hearing people's thoughts, but he couldn't help thinking directly to her,

Thank you.