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She shrugged. “There aren’t many career opportunities in a small town, even if I traveled to the next town over. I’m just grateful my parents are letting me live at home still until I can figure something out.”
“You like living with them?”
“Yeah,” she shrugged. “We have a great relationship, and it beats being lonely. It’s nice having someone to come home to and talk about your day with, you know? Do you get on with your family?”
“Uh, no,” he replied. She glanced at him when he didn’t elaborate but he didn’t really want to go into that trauma right now. Besides he was focused on her today.
“What about hobbies then, what do you like?” he asked.
“Um, I like music.”
“What kind?”
“I’m a bit of a pop princess I guess, but I do like some alternative stuff too.”
“What else? What other hobbies?” He wanted to get her talking about her writing, and see if she opened up any more about that. After their chat online last night he was determined to encourage her to put her stories out there in the world, the gaming community deserved her interwoven plots with twists and turns at every corner. It was a crime that these games didn’t exist but more than that, it made him sad that she lacked the courage to try.
“Exercising, does that count?”
He laughed. “Yes, that counts but what else?”
She shrugged one shoulder and picked at some lint on her T-shirt. “I do a bit of writing.”
Jackpot!“Oh yeah?” He tried to act calmly but inside he was squealing like a kid that she had opened up to him. “Anything in particular?”
“Just journaling.”
Hmm.“Would you ever publish anything?”
Kayleigh snorted. “This town already has one published author, Christy Lee.”
“Is there a rule against having more than one?”
“I guess not, I just feel like the chances would be pretty slim.”
He could sense her clamming up, she avoided his stare, shifting uncomfortably. It was enough though, she had shared something, and he wouldn’t push her for more at this stage. It would come with time, he was just impatient.
“What about you?” she asked, pinning him with her soft blue eyes.
“I also like music but I like older stuff, more blues and Motown,” he said.
“Ooh, an old soul, huh?”
“I guess so.” Now it was Ben’s turn to feel uncomfortable. He always feared people’s reactions to his music taste. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed exactly, it was just that you didn’t find many people his age that listened to music from sixty years ago. It was all techno and rap and hip hop. God, how old did he sound?
She peeked up at him from under her fluttering bangs. “Who’s your favorite artist?”
No way could he say his true answer, so he came up with the next one in his mind. “Nina Simone.”
“Never heard of her.”
He turned to her, horrified and she giggled. “But I do like some Motown stuff, like Etta James and Aretha Franklin,” she added.
He smiled. “Oh yeah?”
Kayleigh nodded, a sweet smile fighting its way across her lips. “Guess we have something in common then.”
“We sure do.” Ben couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. That is, until he spotted the clearing up ahead in the trees. “We’re here,” he said, pointing towards the clearing. When they walked through the parted trees, Kayleigh looked around and gasped.
