Skyler’s POV

“And that is how I learned to use the GPS on my phone,” I beamed at my big sister and her boyfriend as I finished my narration.

“Well, at least some good came out of the Miley story,” she muttered before speaking louder: “You know you’ll have to thank him, don’t you?”

“Thank who?”

“Keegan. And I don’t mean just because he taught you about the GPS; he’s your new me.”

I gave her a puzzled look.

What was she on about?

“I think what Beth means to say is that she used to take care of you before and now Kee is the one doing that,” Ash clarified for me. “He’s acting a lot more responsible when you are around. Maybe he’s trying to bring some balance because you are so…”

“Careless? Idiotic?” Beth suggested helpfully.

“I was going to say ‘childish’.”

“Point is Keegan McNeil is your new babysitter,” my sister stated.

Hmm, perhaps they were right; he had been very helpful since we moved in together.

“So what are you going to do about it?” Beth inquired. “You should really do something nice for him to make up for all the trouble you caused.”

“Hey, I’m not that much of a handful!”

Both she and Ash rolled their eyes.

“But I admit that I should give him a proper thank you. And I know just how!” I grinned happily.

*****

“So why did you insist we came to this particular café?” Kee asked, taking off his jacket and placing it on the empty seat next to him. I planted my butt at the other end of the table, opposite my roommate.

“Because they have your favorite type of coffee - mixed with hazelnuts,” I replied, proud I’d come up with such a good treat for the boy. As my sister had said earlier today, I had to make amends.

My companion furrowed his eyebrows.

“How did you know it was my favorite?”

“Alice told me.”

“Oh!”

His face changed from confused to thoughtful. He seemed upset. What had happened? I brought him here so he could enjoy himself, not to ruin his mood.

“Is something wrong, Kee?”

“Alice told you.” He stood quiet for a bit before sighing and going on: “And she knows it’s my favorite because I told her when I brought her to a café that I really like back at home. I took her to that place when…”

“When you had a thing for her?” I finished, feeling guilty I made him remember that. Beth was right: I kept messing up lately.

“I still kind of do. Not like then, but…” He leaned back in his seat and covered his eyes.

“We can order something else. Or go somewhere else,” I proposed, hoping to elevate his mood at least a little. “We haven’t even ordered yet…”

“Nah, it’s okay.”

As if on cue, a waiter came up to us.

“Hey, guys,” he smiled friendly. “What can I get you today?”

“Hazelnut coffee,” Kee ordered without a trace of hurt in his voice.

Wow! Either he got over things quickly or he was really good at hiding when he was sad. I wished it was the first.

“Same for me,” I said.

The waiter smiled again and left to get our order.

“Kee, are you sure…”

“Alice is with Cade now,” he cut me off sternly. “They love each other and I’m not going to ruin that for them. Neither am I going to let one memory wear down the delight I get from my favorite coffee. Besides, Sky, it really feels different now. It’s more of an unpleasant notion than actually being hurt and missing her.”

I nodded, keeping silent. I wasn’t sure if my friend was telling me the truth.

“Is this your first time drinking hazelnut coffee?”

I jumped at the opportunity of changing the subject.

“Yeah, I never even knew it existed before Ali…”

Oops! There I go back to the Alice topic.

“Here you guys are,” the twenty-something years old waiter placed the beverages in front of us. Thank God for the distraction! “Enjoy!”

With another grin, he left.

“This guy sure smiles a lot…” Keegan noted, trailing his eyes after our waiter.

From then on both of us avoided mentioning our herb-loving female friend. We talked about school and him trying to find a job. Just like Cade and Asher, he’d had no luck so far. We also discussed the fair back in their hometown. It was the first time Beth and I would be going and we were both very excited. Who doesn’t like fairs?

“And your sister still hasn’t decided what she’ll dress up as?” Kee questioned, gulping the last of his coffee. I’d liked the taste of it so much, I’d drunk mine almost immediately after it was served to me.

“Nope,” I replied. “And neither do I.”

He stared at me wide-eyed.

“You are dressing up for the fair?”

I nodded.

“But you are a boy! An eighteen years old boy.” He snickered. “Next thing, you’d be telling me you still dress up for Halloween and go treat or tricking.” I gave him a bright smile. “Man, do people even give candy to someone as old as you?”

“I usually go with my younger cousins,” I commented without shame and waved the waiter over. “I like picking costumes and I love candy so what’s the big deal? We are ready to pay now,” I said to our server.

“Sure.”

He handed us the bill and I noticed Kee taking his wallet out.

“Put that away; I asked you out so I’m paying,” I announced.

“You two make such a cute couple,” the waiter giggled.

“What?” Kee’s face washed out of all color. “Oh, n-no... we... he and I... we aren't... no, no, no... No! Seriously, dude, no.”

“Oi! Why are you so offended? What’s wrong with me?” I resented, pointing at the piece of art that was my body.

“Erm, you are a guy,” Kee stated without bothering to even gaze at me.

“Yeah, but I'm awesome!” I pointed out an obvious fact. “Even a straight guy could have doubts when it comes to me. And the face you made… It was like he paired you up with some old, bald, beer-bellied, I-got-more-stains-on-my-shirt-than-I-have-actual-shirt…”

“Skyler,” my roomie interrupted my rant. “I'm never going out with a guy, no matter how good he looks or how awesome he is. Never! Would you?”

“You know I’m into girls but that doesn’t matter; you shouldn’t react as if I was something brown and smelly.”

“Sorry about the assumption,” the waiter gave us a sheepish smile. “You just looked so comfortable together. You reminded me of me and my boyfriend.”

Keegan gaped at him.

“Yes, I’m gay,” our server went on. “Just so you know: Aberville has a pretty open-minded population. I have had people give me odd or even disgusted glares when I’m with my partner and they sometimes shout profanities at us, but those are rare occasions. And almost each time we had a passer-by stick up for us and tell the bullies to buzz off. We even have this place… It’s pretty famous actually,” the guy started rummaging through his pockets. “Here it is,” he handed me a matchbox with the name and contact information of what seemed to be a club. “This is a gay club but we sometimes have heterosexual people come in too; we don’t discriminate. Why don’t you swing by sometime? Each day is dedicated to a different music genre so I’m sure you’ll find something you like. Just check the schedule on the club’s website.”

“Thanks,” I gave him the money for our coffee and a generous tip and waved him goodbye before Kee and I left the café.

“You are actually keeping this thing?” He asked as I pocketed the matchbox.

“I like dancing,” I replied with a shrug. “Besides, he said heterosexuals are welcomed there.”

My roommate shook his head.

“Well, at least now we know why he was smiling each time he passed our table,” he commented. “I still can’t believe he thought I was gay though.”

“Don’t you mean, ‘can’t believe he thought we were gay’?”

My friend gave me a once over before he smirked.

“Nope. Totally an honest mistake when it comes to you.”

*****

Caden’s POV

The light glistened on the stained glass of the small church window. I grinned, thinking it would be a pleasant challenge to draw it. But that would come later; for now I’d just sketch and once I was back at home and in my improvised studio I’d make colorful drawings based on my work here.

“That is really good,” someone behind me commented and I turned around to see the redhead peeking over my shoulder. Her smile told me she was in an agreeable mood and I was surprised she wasn’t peeved because of how we parted the previous time we’d met.

“I haven’t seen you in a while,” I pointed out, returning her smile.

“Yes, I’ve been sick. It’s this weather in Aberville: one day it’s chilly with wind blowing and the next it’s so warm you want to go out in a crop top.”

“I don’t know… I really don’t think a crop top will suit me.”

She giggled and moved to sit beside me on the bench.

“I’m Galya,” she finally introduced herself, turning slightly to the side to shake my hand.

“Caden. I guess it was about time we learnt each other’s name.”

“You know what they say: third time is a charm,” she winked and got a sketchbook out of the same messenger bag she’d carried before.

“Doesn’t the sun light look amazing on the stained glass?” She sighed dreamily, captivated by the same beauty I’d been sketching.

“Yes,” I agreed. “This whole place is.”

“Even the graveyard?” She asked, turning back towards me.

“Even the graveyard.”

Her face scrunched up as she was having a silent debate with herself.

“I’m sorry about last time, Caden. It was really nice of you to worry about me; I’m just very independent and like to handle things myself,” she conveyed with an apologetic look in her beautiful eyes.

“I should probably apologize as well: I might’ve been too harsh on you.”

“Don’t worry,” she replied, back to being cheerful. “You weren’t.”

I nodded quietly, focused on her face.

“You have very unique eyes,” I noted.

“I got them from my mom,” she said tenderly. The two of them must be close. “Though I’m not sure where she got them from.”

“What do you mean?” I inquired, putting my sketchbook aside.

“My mom emigrated from Russia when she was a teenager. She came alone and she didn’t speak of her family so I don’t know anything about them.”

“Didn’t you ask her?”

“A couple of times but she always got upset so I stopped. Whatever she left behind in her homeland, she wanted to forget all about it. Don’t look so crestfallen; you didn’t upset me. I can’t worry about something when I don’t even know what it is. Besides, my mother had a good life with my dad.”

“Had?”

“She got sick and died when I was young.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. She died with family and friends by her side and with a smile on her face. She was loved and she loved me so I know she wouldn’t want me to be sad.”

“I can’t believe you speak so calmly about it. If something were to happen to my mom…” I gulped.

“If you love each other then you should grief for a while then live for the both of you; she’d want that and if she’s a good mother, then you owe it to her.”

“She… She does love me very much.” I didn’t want to elaborate on my mom’s circumstances; I didn’t have the strength to do it. Yet this girl was able to find peace after someone she cared about was taken from her. She really was worthy of being admired.

“It was a long time ago, Caden,” she said gently, confusing my silent contemplation with guilt for upsetting her. “I’m a twenty-two years old woman and I’m quite aware I can’t live in the past.”

“Wow! You are four years older than me?”

“Guess so.”

She smiled and opened her sketchbook. She started to draw on an empty page, her gaze flicking between it and the church window.

“I can never get enough of this place,” she murmured.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I thought about bringing Alice here.”

“Who’s Alice?” She questioned, turning to me.

“Oh… Umm, she’s my girlfriend.”

“How come you haven’t mentioned her before?”

“Well…”

Yeah, how come I haven't mentioned her before?

*****

A/N: Any ideas what Beth, Sky or anyone else should dress up as?

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