However, she realized that it sort of would have been a lack of feelings. It meant she hadn't thought he was worth the long distance relationship. It might have even meant that she thought she could find someone to love. Now that they had a few moments of respite together, she refused to worry. Once they left the treehouse, they would have plenty of time to worry and be anxious. She had always assumed that getting a boyfriend would be less emotional.

She recrossed her arms, "I guess that makes sense. Ugh," she tilted her head back with a childish groan, "You and your common sense. It was the right thing to do, but I was confused why you never said anything. Perhaps surprises are too stressful," she suggested that not sure if it was true or not. Her arms were still crossed, and she raised a brow with disbelievement. While she didn't verbally spell out her feelings all of the time, she would if he asked her to.

It only took a question. It wasn't like she tried to hide her feelings either. She felt like rubbing her face in her hands. They had been sort of dumb. She cocked her head, when he mentioned he had planned something for this day. She smiled at him, "You didn't have to do anything big. As cliche as it is, I only wanted you." She hoped that wouldn't mess up their friendship if her parents said no, but she hoped that he would be able to handle it better than if she had.

She was relieved that their friendship was more than just wanting romance. She had heard several girls who had guy friends friend zone the guy and it ended their friendship. She would never want to make Eric that unhappy, and would probably say yes just to keep him happy, especially if he stayed around the same area. She had a small smile on her face, as they sort of stared at each other for a while. It was that moment that she decided to kiss him. She knew that she couldn't be the only one who was starting to get uncomfortable.

This treehouse was made for a much smaller person, and the floor wasn't made to be sat on. It hadn't occured to her that for him this was similar to kissing her for the first time. She had a tendency to skip over the hosptialization even though she had been there. Perhaps she was finding it easier to accept things the way they were, because she had all of her memories intact. When he put his arms around her, she was a little surprised, but didn't show it.

When he tried to move her onto his lap, she stiffened a little, because she wasn't sure how to help or what would hinder. When they were closer, he leaned his head down toward her. Instinctively, she closed her eyes, and savored the closeness. She wasn't sure if she was imaginging it, but she thought she could feel both of their hearts beating. When he put her hand on her cheek, she soon felt his lips on hers. This kiss was more controlled like they both knew they would have a future together, so they didn't have to worry about it all now.

She savored it knowing that things could change so quickly. It was sort of sad to think that this might be there only real kiss for a while. She didn't mind kisses to the head or something like that, but she wouldn't want to do something like this without privacy. She thought she felt a spider or some other bug crawling over a part of her, but she ignored it. She heard a noise outside the treehouse, and she tried not to pay attention. She heard a female clear her throat pointedly, and her eyes snapped open.

Her eyes immediately darted toward the entrance. Rebecca's head was peering over the edge of the floor. She hadn't tried to come inside the treehouse, because there wasn't much space, and it would have been obviously awkward, but she was standing there looking at them with a slightly amused facial expression. She could sense some of the thoughts in her head. She was having a hard time believing that Kai was old enough to do something like this.

Gently, Kai pulled away from Eric, and looked expectantly at her sister. Somehow Rebecca always knew how to make Kai feel dumb or immature. She felt like she had been caught doing something wrong even though Kai didn't think with her brain that she had done something wrong. It felt like she was in trouble though. "Kai, we could see you from inside. Our parents wanted you to come in," she told them. Kai was trying to fight a blush. It appeared at the very least that she wouldn't be kissing Eric too often unless they had something even more drastic or serious in mind.

They would probably have to have a whole awkward talk about what she could do and what she couldn't. She could feel her stomach roiling with nerves. What would her parents want to say to her? She clambered off of Eric, and headed toward the ladder. It was amazing how quickly the mood had changed. Once she was at the bottom, she waited for Eric before heading inside. Her parents were standing their whispering together before they straightened as she entered.

She could tell from her mother's mind, that it had been her plan. She wanted to sit down with Kai right away and have a long talk together, however, for now she was willing to settle for breaking Eric and Kai up until she got the full story. Little did Kai know that her parents had been keeping a closer eye on them. Ever since Eric had asked their permission, they had been expecting something to happen. Whether it be dangerous or not, they excepted them to do something that showed they were more than friends.

They had been even more worried when Mr. Godfrey had told them something after the trial. It was along the lines that he was surprised how loyal Kai had been to Eric given that he thought that they didn't really have feelings for one another. He mentioned that the Adairs should keep a closer eye on their daughter. Somehow from all of this vague implying they gathered what Mr. Godfrey had was trying to hint at. They had a hard time believing Kai could do anything like that, and it seemed a little abhorent to them. However, fter the incident at prom, they were more ready and decided to pay more attention. It couldn't hurt anything. Everyone gave Eric a polite smile. She could tell they were trying to get Eric to leave so that they could talk to her in private. Would her sister be privy to that conversation? Was this conversation going to be the dramatic family talk of the year?

He grinned at her teasing lilt and actions, reacting to his common sense and the way he'd handled things prior to asking her to be his girlfriend. She told him that he didn't have to do anything big, and that she'd only wanted him. While he knew that was true, he still kind of liked planning something for her. To him it at least showed that he cared enough to put effort into what he was doing and the relationship he wanted with her. He smiled back.

"I know," he told her softly. "Still though, I wish I could have done something more instead of asking you this way. With the bad news and everything." He shrugged. "Maybe I can save my ideas for something else." His words hinted at something that could be implied many ways, but his facial expression and the lilt to his voice was laced with the hint of a proposal. Sure, it was a long ways off, but he definitely would be thinking about it. Especially if everything went smoothly and they both had the same goal in mind.

He felt her tense up a bit as he pulled her closer to himself, and for a very brief moment it worried him. She wasn't still scared of him, was she? But that worry was quickly dismissed. She hadn't made it obvious, and if she was truly disturbed by it he hoped she would tell him. He never, ever wanted to put her in a position that Daniel had. As they kissed, a lot of his awareness was lost, their hearts seeming to beat in unison. Or was he imagining that? It was so new yet so familiar all at the same time, giving him an excited rush that he'd never really felt before. Just like the previous times, even the short ones, when they kissed it always felt...right. Like they were supposed to be together. Before it was a bit nerve wracking, and he had been scared of being caught. Scared of being caught because then they were nothing but close friends, and for some reason it was frowned upon. He knew they'd be judged. But now they wouldn't be. Not unless their relationship was forbidden. Which in his mind, and the way it had been set previously...it wasn't. They were officially together, a real couple, who had the right to kiss, to hold each other.

His mind was sort of aware of the fact that they could be seen from the house, for he remembered seeing it from inside as she'd led him out. But he was caught up in the moment, and by now he was fed up with all the worries of being seen or caught. He just wanted to have a moment with her like this, just one, without having to worry or stress or think too much. He just wanted to be here with her, feel her, and not have a care about anything else during that moment.

He kind of heard a noise coming from outside the treehouse, but he tried to ignore it or brush it off. It could be an animal, right? A squirrel or something? But all too soon a throat cleared, and he felt Kai pull away. Instinctively, his muscles tensed and he jumped a little, taken by surprise. He knew he shouldn't feel guilty, they hadn't done anything wrong, and they hadn't even taken anything too far. But he was aware that Kai's older sister, who was now standing on the ladder and peering into the treehouse...didn't know that. She didn't know that they were together now, she knew nothing of their history together. She spoke, telling Kai that her parents wanted to see them inside.

He gave Kai a glance, a slight apologetic look in his eyes. He let his hands fall off of her, and she crawled carefully off of him, and headed down the ladder. He felt bad for leading her into what was probably going to be trouble, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. He just hadn't thought or wanted it to happen so soon. She waited for him on the ground, and he kind of jumped the last couple of steps, landing next to her.

He gave her another look, similar to the one before. "Sorry," he said quietly so Rebecca couldn't hear. He nudged her with his arm and walked side by side with her to the house. He wanted to hold her hand but he figured he probably shouldn't given the circumstance.

Once inside, his muscles tightened again, his brain slowly slipping into anxiety. Don't let it get to you. He told himself, his heart starting to beat faster and faster as he saw her parents standing together, straightening their posture. They gave him a polite smile, but it was hard for him to return it. He felt stupid, like a young child who'd just gotten caught taking candy from a jar without permission or something. He gave them a nod, acknowledging them, but couldn't find the strength to smile through his panic. He felt tense and uncomfortable, and he could tell they were trying to hint at him to leave, they wanted to talk to Kai in private.

He didn't want to leave her, he didn't know what they had in mind. He wanted to be by her side through all of it, protect her and support her through the tension this meeting would surely bring. It was part of his job now, wasn't it? To protect her? But he soon found that it wasn't his job to protect her from her protectors. They wanted what was best for her, and would make sure and do so. Eric respected them as people and respected them as parents, and he wasn't going to try and challenge them on it.

He wasn't sure what to say to them, but he knew he had to leave. "Thanks so much for the party Kai," he told her. "Mr. and Mrs. Adair," he ackowledged them, giving them another nod. "Sorry for everything, I probably....overstayed my welcome." He glanced nervously at Rebecca and then looked down at Kai, his face softening. "Bye," he whispered, grabbing her hand and holding it a bit gently before slowly letting go.

I don't want to leave, but I know I should. he thought to her so she wouldn't think he was abandoning her. Sorry about everything, good luck. Text me.

He turned and walked out the front door, shutting it behind him quietly. It was a nice night, so he didn't mind walking, but he knew he'd be worrying all the way home. Once there, he was greeted by John. Summer had gone to bed early, so Eric stayed up with him for a little while, telling him everything that happened. John didn't seem bothered, and in fact he seemed happy that Eric had finally taken this step. But he did express concern for Kai and her parents, hoping the everything would turn out okay for them.

After awhile of talking and watching tv, Eric checked his phone. Still no message from Kailey. He stuck it in his pocket and walked up to his room, feeling slightly empty and starting to worry again. What was taking so long? He spent some time drawing and reading, got ready for bed, and laid awake for another hour, waiting for a message to let him know everything was fine.

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After a few days of officially being a couple, Eric began wondering if he should start planning an actual date. Sure, they hung out together often, especially now that they had the threat of him moving hanging over their heads, but they'd never actually been on a date yet. Hopefully her parents wouldn't set them up with a chaperone, because that would put a huge cloud on their first date together.

Friday morning, he woke up and spent most of that day trying to plan something, anything, for a date. But it was a lot harder than he expected it to be, because he didn't want her to be bored. It was then that he realized how little he knew about her tastes when it came to this kind of thing. Did she like a more fun and action kind of date? Like going somewhere and being physically active? Or a more romantic one? Like a dinner and a movie?

He didn't want to ask her either, because then he'd feel kind of stupid for not knowing. He was sitting up in his room at his drawing desk, head laying on his arms, the sunlight filtering in and warming his face. His eyes shifted over to the drawing he had been working on throughout the week, Kai's other birthday present that he was planning on giving her. That sparked an idea. It was at first very simple and plain, but it quickly turned into something better.

He knew she liked to draw and read, and what better place to do one of those things than a coffee shop? The one he was thinking of was small and almost always peaceful, most of the customers there elderly. He could take her there first, grab a couple drinks, sit down and talk for awhile...and then he'd switch it on her. She could plan the next place they'd go. Spontaneous. No stressful planning, just being in the moment. They could have a bit of both. Romantic date and action. Maybe even that evening he could take her to dinner and go see a movie after. That was something he could plan for. If she didn't want to that was fine as well, maybe John and Summer would be fine with having her over to their house. That would be fun, to have a game night or something and then watch a movie.

He hung out with her Friday afternoon and into the evening, then went home and prepared for tomorrow. He texted her to let her know that he wanted to take her someplace tomorrow morning, so to be ready.

When Saturday morning came, he got up and got dressed. Nothing fancy at all, for this was a casual date and he didn't know what she would want to do or where she would want to go. He had to be prepared for anything. He walked over to her place and rang the bell, waiting on the porch for her.

She cocked her head. "It would have been interesting to see what you concocted all on your own." If he wasn't sure what she was going to say, she would go for getting straight down to business. No sense in torturing oneself with the unknown. (I was about to say, she looked at him trying to guess what he was thinking, because she couldn't read his mind.) As far as Kai had been able to tell for the most part, she was over the prom stuff. If someone surprised her or was sort of violent in their affection, she might flinch. She also didn't like being trapped, but she was doing better for the most part. Those kinds of things wouldn't have bothered her before, so she was more sensitive, but it was much less noticeable.

She felt them both relax in the kiss. It was surprising how natural and easy it was, which made her believe even more strongly that he was the right person. She was glad that she wasn't afraid, because even if she were afraid she would have missed being held. Kai had let herself forget about her parents for a moment. When she had given Eric that first kiss, she hadn't really thought about what it might lead to. Their kiss was lasting much longer than she had anticipated.

She might have considered a place that wasn't so easy to see from inside if she had thought about it. She was pretty certain from her knowledge of Eric that he would hate to be caught kissing in front of people. While she was probably more relaxed than he was, it would be something she wanted to keep private. She was glad that they had control, because she would have hated to break away. It felt like she was always the one making the first move and always the one to break off. It made her feel a little awkward sometimes.

She heard the noise, but it didn't register that it was probably a human. Normally, footsteps like that would have made her pull away, but not this moment. She felt awkward, when she stared at her sister staring at her. She didn't know Eric, so she was sure to pass a more harsh judgment than was fair. She wanted her family to learn to love Eric the way she did. Other than breaking off the kiss, she didn't make a move to leave Eric until Rebecca told her that her parents wanted her.

Would it come off as rebellious? She was only trying to show that she didn't think they were doing anything wrong. She noted the guilt emanating from Eric's head. She smiled a little at him. She had been the first one to kiss him. It was clearly not one sided. She wanted to reach for his hand, but she didn't think it would be the best move given the circumstance. She shot a glance toward Rebecca who was leading the way back inside. "It's not your fault," she replied in a low voice. She wanted to say more, but she thought that would be the most important.

She was a little miffed that she had been interrupted, and now they were trying to get Eric to leave. It couldn't have waited until he left on his own? Was it really that important? She knew that Eric would be reluctant to leave, but this didn't seem to be a fight worth arguing about. Who knew what would be brought up later? She gave his hand a squeeze, when it made it's way into her own briefly before he prepared to leave. "Thanks for coming," she smiled at him trying to convey love and comfort.

She wanted to apologize for the incident at the pool, but she didn't want everyone knowing about it. She caught his thoughts as he was leaving. She nodded her head acknowledging what he was communicating to her. Once he was safely escorted out of the door by Rebecca her family all began to sit down. Kai was annoyed when Rebecca sat down with them. If this was going to be conversation about Eric, she didn't want her sister around. She would have to be careful not to act like a petulant teenager. She hadn't done anything wrong yet.

"Eric asked me to be his girlfriend," she announced, when it seemed like they were going to sit there in silence forever. She wasn't sure if they were waiting for her, or if it was that hard trying to decide how they would begin. Perhaps that would put them more at ease about the kissing. She wanted to say that she loved him, but she was afraid that they wouldn't take her seriously. If she had to, she would point at what they had been through. She knew that relationships were hard, and she wasn't there only for the easy times.

She noticed that her mother relaxed a little bit, and Kai knew that she had been at least partially correct. Lisa looked a little awkward, "I'm sorry dear. I didn't know what was going on, and I saw you kissing, so I wanted to extract you from the situation." Kai decided not to bother with that. She wanted to know what was going on. "What is this meeting about?" she wanted to cut to the chase. "We weren't worried about just this incident. We know that you have feelings for each other. Somebody has hinted that more has happened between you two, and we wanted to talk about it. You haven't really kept me up to date on what is going on between you and Eric."

Kai's eyes widened in disbelief. If her mother wanted that information, she was going about it the wrong way. It would have been hard enough breaking it to her mother. With the three of them, it felt like she was facing a jury. "Momma, I think this is a conversation you and I should be having alone. You can bring the rest of them in later," she said. Lisa nodded in agreement, because it seemed reasonable.

"Let's go to your room." Perhaps Lisa was trying to help Kai feel more comfortable by doing it in her domain.

They both sat down on the bed. Kai felt even more nervous sharing her heart if her mother seemed to not be trusting her. It worried her, and she wondered who had put doubts in her parent's minds. "I know you said that you've kissed before, but your kiss today was more than we were expecting. It made the possibly more real," her mother's head was ducked with shame.

"Momma, Eric has been waiting to ask me to be his girlfriend. There has been a lot of things in our way. We've tried not to let anything jeopardize our relationship. We were just glad that we were finally a couple. We haven't done anything," she told her mother.

Lisa looked at her daughter guardedly. "You would tell me even if you thought we would disapprove."

Kai honestly wasn't sure. Eventually, she knew that she would, but it might be a while before she built up the courage. "I don't know momma. I haven't done anything."

Lisa's gaze still looked hard, "Someone suggested that you and Eric slept together."

Kai's mouth opened, and she felt a blush creeping up her face. How would she explain things? "A while back, Eric was having a hard time at home. He came over, and I let him in. It was raining, and I couldn't turn him away. He came at a time that it was obvious that he needed someone or help. He offered to leave, but it was raining and he wasn't safe at home, so I convinced him to stay the night. I was planning on having him sleep in the floor, but we were tired after everything that happened, so we both slept in the bed." She hoped that her mother didn't over react. She might have done questionable things, but it wasn't quite wrong.

"Kai, you know you could have told us," Lisa looked at her daughter disapprovingly.

Kai looked down not sure what to say. She hadn't wanted to bother them.

"That's it?" her mother asked wanting to make sure.

Kai nodded. She hoped that they wouldn't revoke her being able to date. Should she say something? "Momma, we truly love each other. We've proved it by putting each other first. We've stuck with each other. This isn't some crush. Yes, we may still do stupid things, but we're not going to be as silly, since we have our priorities straight." Would that little speech make a difference or an impact on somebody?

Lisa sighed, "I'm not sure Kai. We're going to have to talk about it I hadn't expected that you would sneak around behind our back. Know this, if it happens again the consequences will be much more dire."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she felt that she was supposed to apologize. She had been scared that her parents would have gotten mad at simply letting him into her room, and they would have given some drastic punishment. She still wasn't sure if they wouldn't have done that. "It wasn't like I planned it. He needed someone, and I was the only one around," she protested hoping that it would gain some sympathy. Kai felt like she had only told her mother the basics. There was so much that Kai couldn't put into words. The other part she wasn't sure if she wanted to. She knew there was a lot more she wished her mother knew, but she didn't know how to make sure.

Her mother left, and she took a quick shower before bed. While she was laying on her bed, she decided that it was about time she messaged Eric.

I'm not sure how it went. What are you doing?

She knew her mother was more disappointed in her than she had shown. Kai wasn't sure what to do. She accepted that she was in the wrong, but what was she supposed to do now?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kai was relieved when her parents didn't really do anything bad. She had to check in with them more often, and tell them exactly what she was planning on doing, but it wasn't as bad as she thought. A few rules had been established. Such as call them if she did something wrong so more wrongs weren't made even if she would get in trouble. There wasn't really much they could do at this point. If she wanted to do something wrong the first time, they couldn't really stop her.

She would have to pay for the consequences herself. If they let it happen again, they would be more at fault. She was curios what their first date would be like. She had never been on one, and as far as she knew he hadn't either. She had no idea what kind of things he liked to do, so it would all be a surprise. She wasn't allowed to go somewhere like the movies unless it was with a group. However, as long as she notified her parents beforehand, she could still do most things, preferably with a group.

She knew that they would send Rebecca along if they thought they needed a chaperon. They hoped it would be less awkward than an actual parent. Her sister was sticking around for a short while. Soon, the parents would have to find new chaperons. When she realized that she had no idea what type of date Eric would try to pull off, she was embarrassed at this lack of knowledge. Perhaps they would figure out this bit together. He had texted her to let her know that he wanted to hang out Saturday.

She was relieved that her schedule was open. They might not have much time together, so she felt like they were trying to cram. He didn't really give her any hints about what they were doing. She would have liked to know how cutesy to dress up. She had to wear some form of pants or shorts. It was bad enough going to some unknown place without having to worry about tripping over a dress or flashing Eric and passersby. Saturday morning she was up and dressed much sooner than usual. She didn't wear make up, because she didn't want it smudged all over her face.

Normally, she preferred to lounge around and sleep. Today was different and she was antsy waiting for him. Her mother was amused, at how Kai was behaving when she asked for permission to go. Luckily, it was granted and things went on as normal. She heard the doorbell and ran towards it. She hoped her parents didn't mind that they were trying to spend so much time together. Eric and Kai were learning to appreciate each moment they had with each other. It could never be taken for granted.

When she yanked open the door, she grinned glad that it was Eric and not someone like the mailman. It might have been awkward if she greeted him that way. "Eric!" she said in a stage whisper. She realized that she was probably acting silly, because they were a new couple however, she didn't want it to wear off too soon. She gave him a hug and wondered if he wanted to come in. Her house had become more awkward with her parents wanting to keep her in their sights. Lisa understood that they seemed annoying and paranoid, but she made no real effort to stop. "Where are we going?" she asked him brightly quite curious.

Eric's phone buzzed decently late that night, tingles shooting through his body as he reached over and pulled it off the nightstand. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but who else would be texting him besides Kai or John? He saw that the message was from Kai, and the sentence troubled him. She wasn't sure? What was said? Was she going to be punished for anything?

So are you not in trouble? he texted back, hoping to get some sort of answer. I'm laying in bed, been waiting for this message :)

They exchanged a few more texts back and forth for a good hour and a half before Eric started to get very tired. He didn't want to fall asleep on her and make her think he was ignoring her, so he told her goodnight and went to sleep, for once his heart and mind at ease.

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Eric stood waiting outside the door, a bit nervous but not too terrible. He still wasn't too sure about facing her parents, they still made him a bit nervous, but he hoped that one day they would learn to accept and love him.

Should I have told her what we're doing? he wondered briefly, hoping she hadn't overthought anything and gotten dressed super nice. If she had, it would be very awkward for her and him both upon realizing that she was dressed nicely and he was not. Finally, the door swung open quite excitedly, and he was met with Kailey's beautiful and happy smiling face.

Instantly, his face and eyes lit up upon seeing hers and hearing his name come from her lips.

"Kailey!" he whispered back to her in the same tone, except slightly more playful and energetic, an ornery gleam lighting up his blue eyes. She hugged him, and he hugged her back, feeling that fleeting bubbly feeling in his chest he got whenever they touched. He knew they both were probably a bit too excited and looked a bit ridiculous, but he didn't much care. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like when he asked her to marry him. Would he go around in a ditzy, excited honeymoon faze? Or would he try and remain practical. He knew one thing for sure, though. He knew he didn't want to wait to make everything official after the wedding. Once they were married...he didn't want to wait to claim her as his.

"Where are we going?" Kai asked brightly, seeming excited. He grabbed her hands, still standing on the porch. He wasn't sure if he wanted inside. It would be a bit awkward, and they'd be leaving soon anyway, so there wasn't any real point.

"Well...." he said, pulling an exaggerated thinking face. He grinned at her, his eyes steal gleaming. "That's kind of a surprise. It's nothing big, so don't be getting your hopes all stacked up on me, I'm not that good." He chuckled. "But it is going to be a bit different, so bear with me, yeah?" He shot a glance over her head and into the house in order to make eye contact with Lisa. He nodded to her and waved a little, signaling her presence.

"We won't be gone too long." he told her, raising his voice a little so she could hear him. He would be keeping in touch with her as well, because he was planning on going to see a movie that night. He knew the rules and regulations, so he was hoping to call or text her after all the events were over, to ask if maybe Rebecca would want to go. He figured the little spontaneous dates would take up a few hours, and maybe he could bring her back to the house and they could hang out there for awhile. If that was the case, he wouldn't need to text her mother. He could just ask both of them then and there.

"Gonna be honest with you," he told Kai, as they walked off the porch and headed to his car. "I...don't know what I'm doing." he laughed, half joking half serious. "So I guess you can call this a sort of...test run? We'll see how it goes, figure out what we both like to do, and then next time it will be a bit more...structured." He tried to tell her, hinting at the fact that it wouldn't be a set date at a set place. Today was going to be something a little abnormal from what most couples typically did.

With the life style his father lived, it was surprising that he was able to turn out so decent. She decided to wear jean shorts, and one of her more cutesy blue tops. She didn't want to look like a vagabond, since she had no idea where they would be going. She felt warmth spread through her and an excited giddy feeling, when his eyes lighted up at her presence. She wasn't sure how often they should kiss, but she wanted hugs. She caught the gist of his thoughts and for a moment gave him a look.

However, she soon got over it, and her face went back to normal. She managed to hide her blush. He was thinking that far ahead. She was frankly a little surprised. Even though she had great faith in them, that was still a long time. Their priorities might change. Who knows what would happen? She was only sixteen, so she didn't feel like she needed to think that far ahead. What would happen with them both trying to get jobs and probably going through college? She decided if the conversation lasted much longer than a few minutes, then she would invite him in.

Otherwise she didn't see a reason to make things more awkward. She wondered if she seemed too over eager, especially about where they were going. "Sorry," she gave him an apologetic smile, "Hey, how are you? Anything new or unexpected happen?" She felt guilty for asking where they were going before she checked in with him. Would it be somewhere with physical exertion? She doubted his sister would appreciate that. It wasn't good for him, so she would try to contain their physical movement. When he dragged out the well, she could see he was going to make a production of the grand reveal.

She cocked her head and an eyebrow to show him that she wasn't impressed even though she had a smug smile to show that she was slightly amused and was still playing. "Different is interesting," she felt the need to comment. "But is different good? I suppose that's the question of the day," she smiled. She felt a little nervous when Eric greeted her mother. Her mother behaved politely and didn't give away her thoughts. At least her mother wasn't trying to chill Eric out.

She was glad that he seemed ready to leave soon, because it would be a little weird talking in front of her mother. Her eyes widened playfully, and she put her hands on her cheeks, "But I had such high expectations! How could you not go all out?" She smirked at him, "I can read your mind. Why are you trying to surprise me?" When he mentioned surprises, she was more careful about prying into his mind. She didn't try to understand the little bits that she did get.

Would it be weird having someone third-wheeling to chaperon. As weird as it might be, a double date with an adult might be better. Kai knew that if they got someone their age, they wouldn't be very good chaperons, because they would run off and do their thing. Her parents wouldn't be pleased at all, and they might think that Kai was trying to be sneaky. She wouldn't mention that ever. "I'm sure it'll be fun," she nodded her head. She didn't want to complete the easy cliche bit. However, it was an easy time to do it. She was willing to give it a try.

It was just the two of them, so they could be flexible. She waved to her momma. Hopefully, Eric would contact her or she could contact her mother later. "We're going. I'll message you when we decide to leave and go to the next place," she shouted to her mother before she closed the door. As she got off the front porch, she smiled gaily, "I don't know what we're doing either. We can be clueless together." She helped herself into the car. "Now, are you going to tell me, make me cover my eyes, or just let me see the place when I see it?" she asked him. She didn't want to spoil his fun. However, she didn't want to go around with eye coverings.

He caught her look cast in his direction, and he realized with slight embarassment and fear that she'd probably gotten a glimpse of his train of thought. He blushed only slightly and gave her an ornery yet apologetic look, but said nothing about it. If she wanted to address it, he would let her later, but now wasn't the time, especially not in front of her mother. Her somewhat stern and questioning expression didn't last for long though, quickly returning to normal. He was relieved, because he didn't want to have to focus on that all day.

He grinned at her apology. "Don't be sorry," he told her. "I'm doing good. Nothing really new has happened, John and Summer are still looking for jobs. John got a few replies, so he has a few options to choose from, but Summer still isn't...handling things well." He knew it was vague, but he could cover that topic with her later, perhaps at the coffee shop. He shrugged. "It's okay though, we can talk about it later." He only giggled at her cocked head and eyebrow, her expression somewhat smug yet amused. He knew she was probably fed up with him trying to make things a surprise all the time, he would stop.....eventually.

"You know...I don't really know the answer to that question." he said, returning her smile. "We'll have to find out together I guess. Part of the fun, I think." Her eyes widened playfully, and she placed her hands on his cheeks, making playful comments. He smiled, placing his hands on top of hers for a moment and then bringing them down from his face so he could hold them both gently. He shrugged at her question.

"I don't know, because it's fun? Funny? A bit of both?" He gave her a sideways grin, his eyes still lit with happiness and excitement. He enjoyed teasing her, and part of the reason he kept trying to pull surprises was because he wanted to see if he genuinely could. Could he ever truly surprise someone who could read his mind? He wanted that to be one of his goals. He wanted one day to be able to surprise her fully, like one could normally with someone else, and without her actively trying to stay away from his thoughts. It was a challenge, and it was one he was up for. These little things were just practice runs, to see just how much of it was actually a surprise to her. Enough of these practice runs and maybe one day he would get so good at it that she would be just as surprised as anyone else if he wanted her to be.

She told her mother that they were leaving, and that she would keep in contact with her. He was glad she didn't know what she was doing either, and that she was content with figuring things out together instead of expecting him to try and do everything on his own. She beat him to the car and got in by herself, so he didn't have to open the door for her. He slipped into the drivers seat and put his seatbelt on, sticking the key in the ignition as she was speaking, asking him if he was going to tell her where they were going or leave it unsaid until they got there.

He chuckled. "I can tell you, it's not a big deal at all by any means." He turned the key and the engine started. "I didn't know where to go, or really what you like to do so I decided to go someplace neutral to start with. I sound like a bad friend, and an even worse boyfriend for not knowing exactly what you like to do or where you'd want to go." He gave her a nervous smile and glance before looking back at the road. "So I chose that one coffee shop on the other side of town. Regular Haven is the name. It's small, quiet, and nice. I figure we can get a couple drinks and talk for a bit, catch up on things."

He went quiet for a brief moment as he concentrated on the street, making sure he was turning in the right spot before continuing to talk.

"This is where the twist comes in a little bit." he told her, giving her a smile. "I planned literally nothing for this date, not one thing. Because I didn't know what you find fun. So...you're going to pick where we go next." He told her, a playful lilt to his voice. "We go where you want, in exchange I learn more about you. After that, I pick a place, and in exchange you learn more about me. I figure once we get through this, we'll know enough about each other to go on a more normal date next time." He shrugged. "Or ya know...if you find out you don't actually like me anymore..." he trailed off in a more exaggerated shrug, obviously teasing. It would be petty of her if she broke up with him simply because of a place he picked for a date, and he knew Kailey well enough by now to know that she wouldn't do that.

While losing her was a real, genuine fear, he didn't fear losing her in this way. He loved her, and he wanted to continue this kind of relationship with her, but he knew that if they fell out he would still always be there for her as a friend. It was losing her as a friend that he was afraid of.

Soon enough they made it to the coffee shop, and he parked. He walked around the car and opened the door for her this time, shooting her an ornery and playful glance that seemed to say,

Ha ha, beat ya to it this time.

Once she was out of the car, he offered her his hand. He walked in with her, pushing open the door and letting her walk in slightly ahead of him. It was just as he remembered it to be. Small, quaint, nice, respectable, clean, and pretty. It wasn't fancy, it wasn't expensive, but it wasn't a dump either. It was cozy.

"Do you want something to drink? Something to eat?" he asked her softly. Along with coffee and coffee related drinks, the shop also served small baked goods like muffins, pies, small cakes, and cookies. Seperate from that there were also donuts you could buy.

It confused her why he felt the need to continuously keep trying to surprise her. If he did manage it, she would have to be distracted. At least that's what she thought. Perhaps since he knew of her ability he might be able to find a different way to accomplish it. "Hahaha. This is a blast," she let her sarcasm melt through. She felt something, when he smiled. It was amazing. It was like a small jolt of happiness went through her, because she had been able to make him happy for at least a brief moment. It was interesting how banter was fun.

Sometimes they didn't say the nicest things, but as long as it was done in fun, nobody normally got hurt. She could tell that he thought it would be a challenge to surprise her. He was right to think that. However, she still wasn't sure what he was getting out of the effort. She sort of felt that the more they got to know each other the less capable Eric would be of surprising her. Some people were able to read the minds of loved ones at least every now and then, because they knew them so well.

She had the advantage of already being a mindreader. How could she become more oblivious? She wondered if she had surprised him in the slightest, when she made her way for the car before he seemed really ready. If he was going to try to surprise her so much, should she attempt to return the favor? Was it something he particularly enjoyed or was it another way to amuse himself? While she appreciated the gesture, especially on their special day, sometimes the men opening doors could get awkward.

It was nice when her hands were full or some guy wanted to show that he appreciated her or whatever, however, sometimes it could be overdone. He soon caught up with her, and they were almost ready to leave. She was surprised that it was easy to convince him to tell her where they were going. She smiled at him. While they had shared a lot of things, she realized that they still didn’t know the little things about each other. It was the things that you couldn’t tell all at once. It was the little quirky things they still needed to figure out which only time would tell. “That’s a nice place,” she made sure to smile, so he knew there was no disapproval or judgement.

“Unfortunately, I have the same problem. Guess we didn’t know each other as well as we thought,” she sort of shrugged. “We’ll definitely have to remedy that.” She smirked at him, “Honestly, I don’t really know where I like to go myself. It’s best if we figure this out together.” Her eyes widened playfully. “You are a rotter aren’t you? Not taking the time to plan our date,” she flopped back in her seat dramatically. "You're actually trying to make us learn something," her voice was playfully groaning.

She sat up straight rather quickly, when he mentioned her not wanting to date him. She wanted to see if he was trying to joke, or if he really meant it. She was worried that he could throw out a joke like that. Did he really think that she would break up with him so soon? While she didn't ever want to break up with him, she wasn't naive enough to believe that they would stay together forever. Something very well could separate them. She was certain that if they didn't stay together the way they were now, they would remain friends.

At the very least they would always be cordial. It would be hard for them to not be friends. They would always have that secret binding them together. At the same time she was nervous. He was her first love, and she knew it would probably hurt the most of they went their own directions. "Eric!" her voice was sort of soft yet indignant. She didn't like what he was implying and it hurt a little. However, she wasn't sure how to word her admonishment. Why would she break up with him now? If he weren't driving, she would have kissed him or hugged him.

She knew it wasn't the most reassuring thing, but what else could she do? When he stopped the car in the parking space at their destination, she was unbuckling herself, and she realized that Eric had made it all the way around. He opened the door, and she could feel his smugness that he had managed to be quicker than her permeate his attitude. With exaggerated rolling her eyes, she laughed, "I know. I know. Mr. Smug cat that ate something." She took his hand, since he offered it. She was a little uncomfortable doing it here in public in front of people.

They hadn't ever talked, so she didn't know how he felt about it. She stretched on her tiptoes to give a soft kiss on his mouth. It wasn't super passionate, but it was gentle and tender to remind him that he had people who cared for him and would lift him up. Hopefully, it would reaffirm that she wasn't going anywhere. She hoped it didn't make him too uncomfortable. They walked into the restaurant. She looked around wondering where they would sit and how long. Drinking coffee might be good for stress. They would all be talking amongst each other, and many new believers have come out of it. She wasn't sure how much time she wanted to spend here.

How serious would their talk get? "I'd like a mocha latte," she ordered knowing that it would taste good. What would go well with it? If you order something to eat, I'll take the same thing." She wanted to make sure they didn't overload the bill. "Oh." she uttered realizing what she wanted. A cinnamon scone. However, she had already asked for one thing. She worked to keep her mouth shut and from spreading to the rest of what was going on. "Did you have something you wanted to talk about? Should we do some chatter or talk about your sister's plans?"

She was really invested in what was going on with the Godfrey family. She wasn't sure how to help them. She wondered how much of a couple they should act. What was the line that would make them too sickening to be out in public? She never wanted to cross that line in front of people. It was often uncomfortable if you weren't one of the ones in a pair. She knew that hand touching wasn't that big of a deal. She also wondered if they should wait on the kisses. Was that something they should only do in private?

He wasn't sure how to take her sarcasm, because he wasn't exactly sure if she was joking or genuinely annoyed, so he didn't say anything back. He gave her a smile, because it was neutral yet pleasing, and if she was annoyed, a smile couldn't start an argument.

He nodded as she commented on their first destination. It was a nice little place, but it wasn't exactly the most romantic or nicest place on earth. But it would do for now, and they wouldn't be there for too long. "I know, it is kind of strange, isn't it?" he asked, responding to her first comment. They really didn't know a lot about each other, especially when it came down to the little things like this. How could they call themselves best friends, even more, lovers, if they didn't know anything about each other? "I don't see any other way we're going to figure it out," he gave her a sly and teasing grin. "Of course we'll have to figure it out together." He let out a genuine amused laugh as she playfully scolded him, flopping back in her seat dramatically and teasingly groaning. "Hey, believe it or not I spent a lot of time stressing over it." he pointed out, a wide grin on his face. "I felt like the worst person in the world because I didn't know anything. I didn't know what to do!" He let out an exasperated but still teasing sigh, pretending to be frustrated with her but it was incredibly obvious that he was joking.

He heard her slightly indigant scolding of his name, and he lightly flinched in her direction. He knew it was a risky thing to say, and he probably shouldn't have said it. It had been a joke, and he had been hoping his sarcasm had been obvious enough. But he could understand why she was upset. She was probably just as nervous as he was about this entire thing, and wanted to tread lightly. He probably should have thought a little more before speaking. "Sorry," he said softly, giving her a gentle and reasurring smile. "I was just messing around." I won't say it again, promise. He shot in after, glancing in her direction.

He grinned at her snarky reply to him opening the car door for her, and belted out a laugh. "Yes, exactly." he said as she took his hand. He hadn't been expecting her kiss, but he gladly took it. He wasn't too concerned about being seen in public anymore. After all, they were official now, and while he wasn't planning on broadcasting that, he wasn't ashamed to show it. He didn't want to be that one sickening couple that people had to watch in public, so he wasn't planning on kissing in front of people unless it was something like the one she just gave. Quick, soft, and simple, but still had meaning and power behind it. He gave her a soft smile afterwards and gave her a quick but soft kiss on the forehead.

She told him what she wanted to order, and he nodded. "That actually sounds good, I'll probably get one too." She told him that if he got food she'd get the same thing. He saw her gaze shift, and he could tell that she wanted a cinnamon scone. It was sitting right there, begging to be eaten. He couldn't help but find it cute that she was trying to hide it from him. She didn't have to worry about the bill, nothing here was that expensive, and he'd brought plenty of money along. "You...sure you don't want anything else?" he asked her, his expression telling her that he knew she did, so there was no use lying to him. "Don't worry about money." he assured her. "Get whatever you want."

After their minds were made up, he ordered the drinks and food and they walked to a small table for two in a corner near a window. It was decently far from anyone else, so they didn't have to be painfully quiet when talking.

"We can talk about Summer," he said, sitting down. "She and John have been talking a LOT lately, like every night about moving." He took a drink, pausing to think of how to word everything. "He's applied to so many places, and a few businesses have called him back, saying that he's got the job if he wants it. Summer's set on moving, mainly because of the house. It's just not...ideal for her. For me either quite frankly, I do have to be honest." He looked across at Kailey and shrugged.

"They've both asked me what I want to do, and I've told them that I want to stay. I don't want to move out of state. If we move, I want it to be just to another house here in town. It doesn't have to be far." Sometimes he wished he could read minds like Kai, because he was really wondering what she was thinking about all of it. "John agrees with me, and he's expressed that he's willing to stay in town as long as I'd be okay with making a trip up to Oklahoma with them to help get all their stuff back here."

"Summer is still looking for jobs, no one has called her back yet. She desperately wants out of the house we're in now, because so many memories are giving her nightmares and she just doesn't feel comfortable living there." He shrugged. "I understand it, but I've been living there much longer than her. I've grown a bit used to it, but now that Dad's out of the picture it is a bit haunting. The room upstairs is empty. It was supposed to be Josh's room, but he died before he ever got old enough for it to be his. Just knowing that and seeing the door constantly shut is very eerie for both of us. It's hard on Summer to be in so many different rooms of that house because each one holds a bad memory for her. Mom's room, her old room, the chair that Mom always sat in, seeing photos...it's just a lot."

"She really loved it in Oklahoma, and she wants to be back there. But I think the more John and I give ideas for her to stay here, the more willing she's becoming. So...yeah. That's about where we're at right now." He took another drink, his brow slightly furrowed. "Anyway, shoving all that aside, how have you been doing? Anything interesting happening in your life that I don't know about yet?"

If you the planner had no clues, it would be an uncomfortable situation." While he wouldn't know how much she knew about him, because of her mind reading, she should know more. How had they ignored the little things? She was amazed at their ignorance the more she ruminated on it. While she got rid of the doubt, she knew it wouldn't take much for it to come roaring back. When she admonished him, he quickly apologized. He had flinched, and she felt bad for making him feel guilty, but she thought it was serious. It was an appropriate reaction.

It wouldn't have been an appropriate thing to say in any situation. She hadn't meant to do it. It had been reflexive. She wondered if it was fear or he was sincerely sorry. She scrutinized him closely. She noted what he thought to her. It always threw her off, when he was willing to communicate through his mind. Her face softened some, but it still bothered her. After the hug and heading closer to the store, she gave her order. She wasn't familiar with this place, and she knew some coffee shops could be expensive. Her head jerked back to him away from the delectable pastry.

Apparently, she wasn't the only mind reader around. She raised a brow and started looking for the prices. She didn't want to be the burdensome girlfriend. At the same time, it was a bit insulting to act like Eric wouldn't be able to pay for it. If worse came to pass, she could pay for her own meal. "I guess I'd like a cinnamon scone," she smiled shly. She was a little embarrassed that she had been caught in her white lie. After they were situated inside, she noticed that they were far enough away from most people nearby.

She was a little surprised how quickly he turned the subject to Summer. At the same time she was glad that she didn't have to be awkward trying to bring her into the conversation. She wanted to have this conversation sometime, and it was nice to know that he was willing to initiate it. Her eyes were rapt, as she listened to him. She wasn't sure what the correct response was, and she was glad when he said something which gave her a clue. "That's good that they seem to be willing to try to move in around here." She could easily understand why he wouldn't want to stay in his current house.

She was glad that he wanted to stay around here. She would have felt selfish if he felt differently on that matter, and she would have felt irritated that he didn't want to be with her. A short trip back to Oklahoma wouldn't be a big deal. As long as he got to stay here, everything would be great. Kai was worried. It didn't sound like it would take much for them to run back to Oklahoma to stay. She worried that it was too much asking his sister move back to this town. She was sure they would have made a life there. It wasn't fair to have them return here.

She was glad they were at least considering what Eric wanted. It was more than she had hoped for. It also showed that they cared about him. They cared enough to ask his opinion instead of telling him what he would be doing and where he would be living until he graduated. She couldn't imagine living in a place that represented a nightmare. She hoped that once they found a different place to live, she would be more willing to stay in the area. "Are you keeping the house for your dad? What's going to happen to it?" she asked when the question occured to her.

She knew that at this point she couldn't help any. Sure, she was Eric's girlfriend and they were close, but she had no rights to interfere. She would pray it all worked out for the best. She laid her hand on his, "I can't imagine going through all of this." He couldn't imagine one of her parents being taken away. When he asked about her own life, she shrugged. They had talked about this a little before, but she thought it was worth bringing it up. "I feel like my mom still trusts me. Sure, she's disappointed and annoyed, but she's not quite angry or distrustful." She wondered if she was right.

She smirked, "Oh, you know. Getting a boyfriend." While she was pretty sure he knew, she didn't add to it by saying he was her first one. She felt that what she had to say was inconsequential, but she felt the need to say something. "Toby Opossum caught a mouse. He played with it, and I had to force him to release it. I don't like it being tortured," she wondered if it was something appropriate to mention. Probably not. "I still haven't talked to Mary, Anna, or Jack. I'm not sure if they're mad. If they are mad, I don't know if they'll forgive me." She hated to burden him with it, but she had no one else to tell at this point. "I'm not sure what to do." She felt like they might disapprove further since she was now going out with him.

She had a few ideas for dates. Dancing had always seemed romantic. What if they tried that again? Horseback riding, bowling, or a gokart would be super fun. However, some of these were quite on the expensive side. Geocaching might be interesting and unexpected. Visiting a museum and mocking some of the sillier things might be fun. However, it could be quite expensive. She wondered what Eric would think of her ideas. The same went for going to mock new fashion styles. She told him her ideas curious what he would think. She was trying to be slightly unique, and not bore him to death. Hopefully, her ideas weren't repulsive.

Eric smiled back at her, somewhat amused but relieved that she'd finally told him what she really wanted. It was cute, her facial expression and suddenly shy demeanor. It was strange to see her like that, usually he was the quiet shy one. It was honestly kind of a relief to see this side of her as well, it let him know that she wasn't always outgoing and up front about things. He was glad to see a shy side of her come out over something so little.

"Sounds good," he told her softly. He paid for the food no problem, and once situated began talking about his home situation. He knew she was interested in what was going on there, and they both were a little apprehensive about the possibility of him having to move away. It added another layer of pressure and stress onto this relationship. He'd wanted to ask her to be his girlfriend in a time where nothing big was going on, to where they could get to know each other and get closer as a couple without any extra stress. But that just wasn't going to happen, and he was too scared of losing his chance. So he'd asked her earlier, in the midst of an ongoing problem. He just hoped that even if he did end up having to move out of state, that they could manage a long distance relationship until he was able to come back.

She responded to his information, saying that it was good that Summer and John were trying their best to find a place around here to stay in instead of forcing him to move back with them. She then asked them what they were planning on doing with the current house.

"As far as I know we're keeping it for him. His sentence is two years, so it isn't that long, and once he's out he'll have no money, no job, and nowhere to go. So we just decided to let him keep the house." She reached across and rested her hand on his, sympathizing with him. He gave her a soft grateful smile to show that he acknowledged it, but didn't really feel like talking about it anymore. Enough about him, he wanted to know what was going on with her.

Kai said how she thought her mom felt about her, and Eric nodded, listening. He hoped she was right. He wanted her mother to trust Kailey, but he also wanted her to trust him too. But he doubted that she did. It would probably be a miracle if either of her parents really trusted him. They hadn't really made much of an attempt to try and get to know him either, which kind of stung. He wanted to know them, and he wanted them to know that their daughter wasn't going to get her heart broke over something petty and stupid. He wanted them to see that he wasn't a bad guy, he wasn't trying to get into her pants, and he wasn't planning on letting his eyes wander to someone else in the midst of this relationship.

She smirked at him, and playfully told him that she had gotten a boyfriend. He made an over exaggerated shocked face. "You got a boyfriend and you didn't tell me about it?" He teased, his face breaking into a relaxed and gentle grin. It always amazed him how happy he felt in her presence, how much she made him smile. While his home life now was better, he still had his dark days. He still had a lot of moments that spun him into a serious state of darkness, especially at home up in his room at night. Even though he no longer had Gunner, he'd still kept the dog kennel in his room. It made him sad to see it, but also served as a sort of comfort. It was odd how that worked for him. He missed that dog so much, and he prayed a lot about him. He really hoped that he'd ended up with a good owner, and that he was being taken care of.

Kailey went on to tell him about her cat that had gotten a hold of a mouse, and she'd had to get it away from him. While there really wasn't any point to that at all, he was able to smile. It showed him that their conversations didn't always have to be about something big or interesting, they could sit and talk about literally anything. It also may or may not have been just ever so slightly adorable that she'd even thought to bring that up on a first date with her first boyfriend.

He found himself able to giggle quietly, and shook his head ever so slightly as he took another drink. "I mean...hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. So I take it that you saved it? It wasn't dead?" He gave her a grin, his eyes glittering with a bit of orneriness but also admiration. She had a big heart, that was for sure.

She started talking about her small friend group, and how she hadn't spoken to them about any of this, and it seemed as if she hadn't spoken to any of them at all since the party. He felt bad. She'd had her little group for a long time before he'd come into the picture. He didn't really deserve to be so close to her, he'd barely known her and they'd started hanging out so much. He'd torn her away from this group, her friends who'd been her friends for years before him.

If anyone deserved to be sitting here right now with her....it was Jack.

Not Eric.

He hated that the thought had crossed his mind, but in some way it was true. Jack had been her friend from the beginning, and the first time that he'd met the guy he had been ready to fight to protect her from him. That alone had shown Eric that he loved her, and had gained him respect.

"I'm sure they are still upset." he said quietly. "Especially if none of them has even reached out to you at all since." He hated to confirm her theories and be the downer, but what was he supposed to say? Lie to her? No way was he doing that. "But I do think you should talk to them. They deserve to be reached out to. I.....kinda messed things up with you guys. I'm really sorry."

She began listing off some ideas of where to go, and he smiled at her. She didn't have to ask him. He wanted to go where she wanted, to see what she liked to do. This was about getting know each other, right?

"Tell you what, you pick where we go." he told her. "It doesn't matter what I think yet, don't .....don't worry about that." He chuckled, knowing that it sounded bad, but he hadn't meant it that way. "I want to know what you like to do. Let me know what you want to do. I'll go where you go, I'm not leaving."