A Terrible Night to Make Friends

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

"Stop telling me what to do! You're not my fucking father!"

Kevin wanted to rip his hair out. How many times had he had this fight with Kelsey? Did she seriously think he liked telling her not to go out and act like a complete idiot? "You're right, I'm not. OUR father abandoned us after mom died. I'm just your idiot brother who thinks he can fix you, but obviously I can't!" It was mean. He didn't want to be mean, and he immediately regretted it. The look on Kelsey's face made his stomach churn with remorse.

"You're right, you can't. So stop trying, Kevin!"

Why was she so difficult? Didn't she know she needed to knock off her self destructive behavior? Didn't she realize he didn't want to lose his sister like he lost his parents? He could see she was fixing to leave and he moved towards the door. "Don't go." He said sternly, though there was an undertone of pleading. "Move." She growled, but he wasn't budging. "Kevin, MOVE!" She yelled and he winced, pursing his lips at her.

"Please don't do something you'll regret... I don't want Texas all over ag.." "Christ, I'm fine, Kevin! Okay? So stop! Stop being so fucking overbearing, you're smothering me! I can't even breath! Please! Just fucking move so I can have some air, so I can have some space!" Kevin's brows lowered deep over his eyes. After a moment he moved reluctantly to the side, letting her pass. "Thank you." She snapped exasperatedly. He watched helplessly as she moved through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Kevin sighed, knowing he would worry sick if he stayed home just waiting for her, which was exactly what he would end up doing if he did stay in. He could always hit up the Jack Kit, but somehow sitting in Kit's bar just didn't seem all that appealing right now. He racked his mind for an idea and finally just decided a long walk might be enough to do the trick.

Kevin recalled when Kit had told him about the city he mentioned a Pier. Kevin had yet to make his way to the Pier, and figured, hey, why not? It was a Saturday night and he knew from word of mouth that things happened on Saturday nights at the Pier.

The weather was a little chilly. Nearly sixty degrees. Kevin had a sweatshirt wrapped around him as he walked, noting the street musicians and artists selling their wares on hemp blankets and rickety folding tables. It was really nice, actually. The sound of waves crashed in the distance and the gulls cried above looking for fallen french fries and popcorn. He felt like he was in a movie. It was certainly easy to forget about Kelsey and her bullshit as the salt soaked air whipped his hair around. He took a deep breath pulling a dollar out of his jeans and tossing it into a saxophone case as he hung around the musician. He wasn't paying attention as he walked away and he found himself suddenly colliding with someone. Kevin looked to apologize when he felt his entire front start to dampen. He sucked in a sharp breath, looking down at himself, covered in what appeared to be soda. The boy groaned and looked up at the person he walked into, not sure if he should apologize or yell.

"Sorry, that was my fault." He grumbled, angry with himself for being so careless. Now he was all wet!

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Melanie had spent most of her day at the Pier. It started out with fishing, which turned into lunch with her brother and few of his shipmates, which then turned into watching their boat disappear on the bay and waiting for it to return. She didn't mind waiting, really. She didn't even have to. But most of the happiest moments of her life happened near water, and she couldn't help but love it. It was her home. Even in other countries during her travels, she always felt happiest by the water. It was familiar and the song of waves was the music she fell asleep to, and the months she spent away from the salt of the ocean, of the sea, were the hardest she could remember. Those were the months she was most susceptible to her melancholy. Perhaps the ocean should have made her sad, considering her father had chosen it from his grave, but it didn't. The ocean was as much a part of her as it was a part of him and her brother, and she felt the most alive with the taste and smell of salt on her skin.

But the Pier was good for other things too. It was fun to watch the people pass by, and the children tottering along the wooden walkway. She looked at the art people displayed and listened to the musicians, and she even smiled at familiar faces. She spent a lot of time on the Pier, so many people who were regulars too recognized her. It was like a bazaar, and she enjoyed browsing the day away. Had she wanted to spend money, she had plenty of it, but she mostly enjoyed looking at what others had created. She felt she lacked a good deal of creativity, but she loved to see what other people could come up with. As the day wound down, however, more artists and musicians prepared to call it a day.

Melanie grabbed a soda from a vendor, making her way back down the Pier. It was getting late, the sun almost completely gone, and as an Avisaille, she had no business being out super late. Her brother would worry if he got home before her, but she didn't rush. It wasn't often she got a whole day to herself. Usually she was on call at the hospital, so she relished the days she had off. She was looking at the tables and smiling at a familiar artist, a kindly older woman, when she collided right into someone. She gasped as her soda and ice went all over not only the front of her hooded jacket, but the front of the stranger's. He groaned, and she felt a rush of embarrassment run through her. She didn't like making people angry. Her brown eyes came up to his worriedly.

"Sorry, that was my fault." Melanie shook her head. "No, I'm so sorry! I should have been paying more attention!" she said in her soft, breathy voice. "Um..." She looked around for a vendor that might have napkins and found one not far off. "Here, there's some napkins over here," she said softly with a small, apologetic smile. She led the way to the vendor and grabbed a handful of napkins, handing him half the pile and using the other half to clean herself off. "Sorry again for the trouble," she reiterated, her apologetic smile still on her face. This guy was probably so irritated with her, but she could at least try to make amends. "Can I get you a soda or something? By way of apology?" It wasn't like her to be so forward, but she genuinely felt bad about drenching this guy in her soda. Her smile grew a little, hoping he would accept her offer.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

"No, I'm so sorry! I should have been paying more attention!" He looked up at the girl, the feel of cold liquid sticking to him and making him shift uncomfortably. He wasn't in the best of moods so he didn't insist it was his fault. In a strange way he liked hearing a girl take blame for a change. It was certainly something he didn't hear often, and though he knew he played equal part in this mishap, there was a part of him deep down that was glad for her apology.

"Um... Here, there's some napkins over here," He wanted to stop her from going through to trouble, not wanting to wait around for her to help, but she had turned and left before he had a chance to say anything at all. Kevin pursed his lips and stayed quiet instead. No sense arguing over something silly.

"Thanks." He mumbled when she passed him some napkins. He blotted at the soda, but the damage was done; he was drenched. He realized she was as well and a pang of guilt ran through him. It was one thing for him to be wet and cold, it was another for her to be. He'd spent plenty of time being uncomfortable in his life. It was part of growing up he way he did, but she probably wasn't used to it.

"Sorry again for the trouble. Can I get you a soda or something? By way of apology?" He realized he hadn't really even spoken to her to try and take the guilt away. He had been too busy wallowing in his own misery and wrongfully allowing her to take the blame.

"Really, it's okay.." He said nervously, wanting to bolt, but feeling guilty. "Besides, it was part my fault. Really, I wasn't watching where I was going." He knit his brows together and looked down at the wooden slats under his feet. "And if anyone should be buying someone a soda, it should be me buying one for you." He could afford a soda.. That is if Kelsey didn't blow too much money tonight. It would be helpful if she actually found a job that paid more than minimum wage, but he knew she had a tough time, so he never pressed too hard. He was grateful she worked at all.

"Here, I'll get you one." He insisted, feeling awkward again. He was no good at talking to people sometimes. Kelsey was the outgoing one, not him. Without even waiting for her reply he moved past her towards the vendor, realizing he didn't know what she was drinking. He turned a cautious glance towards the wet brunette and raised a brow, a shiver running through him as a gust of wind moved his way. "What were you drinking?"

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

"Really, it's okay...Besides, it was part my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going." Melanie felt a little relieved that he wasn't terribly upset, but she still felt bad. It was windy and chilly and she just made it worse for the both of them. His eyes fell to the wooden slats beneath their feet, looking as if he were in a mood, and Melanie was somewhat reminded of the children she worked with on a daily basis. It made her smile just a little. "And if anyone should be buying someone a soda, it should be me buying one for you. Here, I'll get you one." Melanie straightened, surprised by his offer. "Oh, no, it's--" she started, but he had already turned to the vendor as if to buy something. Well, she didn't want to tease the older man behind the counter. He was already watching them expectantly beneath his ten gallon Stetson, his mouth set beneath the bushy mustache. Her eyes darted to the name tag: "Juan." She smiled at him a little before the young man caught her attention again.

"What were you drinking?" Melanie turned her eyes back to him, wide with surprise. "Oh! Um..." She turned back to the vendor who was now watching her expectantly. "¿Hablas español?" she started and the man nodded with a wide smile. Melanie returned his smile with a relieved one of her own. "¿Tiene usted un chocolate caliente?" The man nodded again, saying, "Si, si." "Una taza por favor," she replied with a kind smile. The man shuffled over to fill a cup for her from a machine. The steam was enough to make her hands feel warmer already. Her eyes glanced to the young man standing next to her, a little self-conscious for having just prattled off in Spanish. She gave a nervous smile before the man came back and handed her the cup with a kind smile. Melanie returned the smile as she took the cup, grateful for how warm it was. "¿Cuánto?" she asked, but the man shook his head and waved. "Un regalo para una bella dama," he said, making her grin from ear to ear. "Awww, gracias!" she said softly, her cheeks turning a little pink. Her eyes shifted to the guy she had spilled her soda all over and then she looked back at the older man. "¿Puede mi único amigo demasiado?" she asked hopefully, pointing a thumb at guy next to her. The older man looked over, giving the young man a once over, and then nodded with another kind smile. It only took a moment for him to get another cup ready and he handed it to the guy next to her. "Sólo por esta vez," he warned, giving Melanie a playfully suspicious look. Melanie laughed and nodded. "Por supuesto," she replied. "Gracias!" She started to walk away and smiled up at the guy next to her. He had to be a good foot taller than her.

"It's free," she said softly, so he would know he didn't have to pay. "I hope you like hot chocolate. I just figured since it's warm and you're probably cold that it could at least warm your hands." She gave a shy smile, feeling a little awkward. "And nobody had to pay," she added with a breathy laugh. It was strange talking to someone she didn't know the name of, so she cocked her head to the side. "I'm Melanie," she offered, putting her hand out to shake. "The Klutz." She gave a wider smile, hoping he might loosen up a bit, at least so she could walk away not feeling embarrassed about having spilled Coke all over him.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

Kevin watched silently as the two had a conversation in Spanish. During his time in the system he had picked up a couple of words here and there but mostly they were swears or nasty things you say about someone's mother. He caught a word here or there, but mostly he stood there awkwardly wanting to bolt. He felt shy and angry that he was being left out of a conversation. He watched the man hand her a drink and then she talked to him again and he reluctantly handed him one as well. How much was it going to cost? He didn't have that much cash on him and he'd feel like an ass if he couldn't afford the drinks she just got them.

"It's free," she said softly, answering his silent question. He looked nervously at the man and then back to the girl. How had she done that?

He nodded, grateful, to both the man and the girl and he sipped his drink slightly reluctantly as they walked away. "I could have gotten a drink.." He offered bashfully, knowing it was a moot point.

"I'm Melanie. The Klutz." She gave him a broad smile and offered her hand which he took, giving it a light shake. Kevin wasn't great with meeting people, especially girls. He was always a little shy and he wasn't sure if it was nature or nurture.

"Kevin. The....klutzier?" He shrugged and gave a small smile, walking beside her. It was sort of nice having company. It was like having Kelsey there without the bickering. He chanced a glance at her to see how wet she was. Thankfully she wasn't as bad off as him. "So... you speak Spanish?" He asked and then rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. Of course she did. "I mean...well, yeah I saw you, uhh.. I guess... Uhm.." Now he felt like an idiot. Kevin cleared his throat and then tried again. "Uh.. I speak English. I know some curses in Spanish, like Tu madre es una puta fea." He didn't know what it meant word for word but it had something to do with mothers and it wasn't nice. "I'm not saying that about your mom!" He corrected quickly, blushing and running a hand through his shaggy hair. "Honestly I'm not even sure what I just said, I just no I insulted your mom. Sorry... I didn't mean your mom. Um.... yeah. Sorry...:" He grumbled the end, half expecting her to throw her drink at him and run off. Why was he such an idiot?

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

"Kevin. The...klutzier?" Melanie giggled, glad Kevin had taken her hand in greeting. He seemed nice enough. She walked slowly beside him, taking a sip of her hot chocolate, glad for the warmth. The soda would dry with time, it was just making her chillier than she already was. "So...You speak Spanish?" She chanced another look up at him and smiled at the way he rolled his eyes. "I mean...well, yeah I saw you, uhh...I guess...uhm." Melanie couldn't help how much she was smiling at his awkwardness. Kevin seemed about as awkward as she usually was. Two awkward people in an awkward situation. It was like a movie. He cleared his throat, and she stayed quiet, not sure if he was going to keep plowing on or not.

"Uh...I speak English. I know some curses in Spanish, like tu madre es una puta fea." Melanie snorted, bringing her hand to her mouth as she looked into her hot chocolate. Of all the things to know in Spanish, he knew, "Your mother is an ugly whore." "I'm not saying that about your mom!" She looked up at him again, noticing the way he ran his hand through his longish hair. It was...cute. He seemed so nervous, and she couldn't help but find that somewhat adorable. She was usually the one to be nervous and awkward, but here Kevin was outdoing her in that respect. "Honestly I'm not even sure what I just said, I just know I insulted your mom. Sorry...I didn't mean your mom. Um...yeah. Sorry..." Melanie was trying not to laugh, afraid it would offend him, but she couldn't help it, and she burst into soft laughter.

Her eyes turned back up to him, her smile wide and apologetic. "I'm sorry, I swear I'm not laughing at you," she said, waving her hand. "It's just...what you said in Spanish? You said, 'Your mother is an ugly whore.' I just think it's funny that one of the few phrases you know in Spanish is a horrible thing to say." She giggled a little and took a sip of her hot chocolate. Her shy brown eyes came back to his face. "That's how it is for most people, though. They learn the curse words before anything else. At least, that's how it is when you're young. You just want to show off to the other kids and make them laugh. I mean, not you you, but, well, you know." She was starting to sound like him, and she gave a nervous laugh before looking down at her feet. Melanie couldn't help it. She always got so nervous around cute men. And Kevin was cute...at least, she thought so. Not that she would tell him. She would keep that to herself.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

He felt uneasy when Melanie began to laugh a little. Was she making fun of him? He figured she was but he had asked for it when he had insulted her mother. He didn't even know her mother!

"I'm sorry, I swear I'm not laughing at you," It was almost as if she heard the words floating through his mind and he turned his head slightly, giving her a wary look. Maybe she was just saying that to try and make him feel better for making a complete idiot of himself in front of a girl he'd just met. "It's just...what you said in Spanish? You said, 'Your mother is an ugly whore.' I just think it's funny that one of the few phrases you know in Spanish is a horrible thing to say." Kevin offered a polite smile, not wanting to let on he was embarrassed for the reason behind why he only knew foul things in Spanish. He knew some basic things, but he'd been around too many Spanish speaking children who had foul mouths and you could only be called cabrón so many times before you realize it's not a nice thing to be called. He'd been in more than his fair share of group homes where that had been his nickname, as was gringo.

"Yeah, I didn't want to show off." He said softly, his tone almost sad. He didn't want to bring his upbringing into this, but it was a dark cloud that hung over his life. "I just knew a lot of kids who spoke Spanish when I was young." He explained softly, sipping his drink.

He peaked at the brunette at his side. She was cute, and sweet. Were they hanging out now or something? He had no idea. "Uhm.. Were you going somewhere, or..?" He asked, his brown hair falling towards his eyes again. "I don't want to hold you back or something.." He knew this girl probably had a million other things to do than to hang around him.

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

"Yeah, I didn't want to show off." The way Kevin said it so softly and sounded almost sad made Melanie feel bad for laughing. That hadn't been nice of her. "I just knew a lot of kids who spoke Spanish when I was young." Why did that make him so sad? Did the kids make fun of him? Is that why he learned how to call their mothers ugly whores? It made Melanie frown, and she felt guilty. She took another sip from her drink simply to wash down the lump in her throat. She felt like a jerk. Melanie didn't like making people feel bad. Why did she have to be so awkward? "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed," she apologized softly, barely audible above the wind. A brief silence fell over them, and she watched the wooden slats move beneath their feet. What could she say?

"Uhm...Were you going somewhere, or...?" She turned her eyes back up to him, confused. His hair was falling in his eyes which only made him look cuter; like a little kid who needed a haircut. "I don't want to hold you back or something..." Melanie gave a little smile, suddenly bashful again at having thought he was cute. It was always harder to talk to boys when she thought they were cute. Then it became a struggle to actually be cute and not awkward, which always failed miserably. She had to pretend it was her brother walking with her, not some cute stranger. She shook her head a little as she said, "No, I was just wandering. I was kind of waiting for my brother's boat to come back in...he's a fisherman...but it looks like he's just coming in a little late today. So I was just walking around to amuse myself." She gave another wider smile.

Then it occurred to her that maybe he was hinting that he had something to do and didn't want to be rude by just brushing her off. She stopped, bringing her hand to her mouth briefly in her surprise, utterly a soft, "Oh!" She gave a nervous laugh, her face flushing. "I'm sorry, I just started walking with you, didn't I? I bet you were actually on your way to meet someone before I ruined your clothes. Um, if you have to go meet somebody, I understand. I was just talking away." She gave another nervous laugh and felt her face getting hotter as she babbled on. She cleared her throat before smiling up at him. "Yeah, if you have to go, don't let me stop you," she said, feeling stupid. Of course this guy had something else to do. Who besides herself just came to the Pier alone? He probably had a girlfriend he was meeting here with that cute face. She was so thick sometimes. She took a gulp of her hot chocolate to fight down that lump in her throat again.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

"No, I was just wandering. I was kind of waiting for my brother's boat to come back in...he's a fisherman...but it looks like he's just coming in a little late today. So I was just walking around to amuse myself." He raised a brow. Her brother was a sailor? That was actually sort of neat. Kevin liked sailing. He'd been once as a boy, but just the one time. He was about to ask a question now that they sort of had something to talk about when she spoke suddenly, startling Kevin a little even though the word was so soft.

"Oh!"

Why was she laughing again? He gave her a curious look bringing his drink to his lips and taking a sip as she spoke. "I'm sorry, I just started walking with you, didn't I? I bet you were actually on your way to meet someone before I ruined your clothes." She started, going on to apologize and giving him permission to leave her there. He couldn't help but give her a very soft smile. He hadn't meant he had plans. In fact, having company was a welcome change, despite his outer gloomy appearance.

"I don't have to go." He said gently, borderline embarrassed. He looked at the ground, quiet for a moment before giving the girl a sidelong glance. "Actually, I've sort of escaped to here." He offered. "Looks like we're both waiting for our sibling, only mine's not on a boat but rather traveling down a road of self destruction." He shrugged and smiled again, this one a little more sad than the first.

"Anyway.." He didn't want to get into the whole Kelsey saga. She didn't have enough time and he wasn't sure he had enough breath. "Fisherman, huh?" He asked, sipping his hot chocolate again. "I like sailing. I've only ever been once. Maybe I'll get to do it more now that I live in a coastal city." He was watching her as they slowly walked, the wind whipping his hair around. "I'm sort of new here. This is actually my first venture to the Pier. It's nice.. we didn't have anything like this in Texas. Not where I was from, anyway. You live here long?"

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

"I don't have to go." Melanie hesitantly brought her eyes up to Kevin and saw he was smiling at her gently. It cheered her up, some of the flush in her face disappearing. So he really was just making sure she didn't have something else to do! She felt relieved. And the fact that he stuck around after that made her feel like he liked the company. She liked it too. Melanie didn't have a lot of friends, not ones she would hang out with normally, anyway. Not that she didn't like to make friends, she was just usually so awkward that she made people uncomfortable. Luckily, Kevin was awkward too. It was hard to get uncomfortable when you were just as awkward as the other person. "Actually, I've sort of escaped here. Looks like we're both waiting for our sibling, only mine's not on a boat but rather traveling down a road of self destruction." Melanie turned her eyes up to Kevin, a little sad and confused by his statement. He had a sad smile on that only made her feel worse. Poor guy...but she wouldn't ask about it. Who wanted to talk about their personal troubles with a stranger?

"Anyway..." She was almost glad he changed the topic, because she honestly didn't know how to respond. A sip of her hot chocolate made her feel a little better, swallowing the sadness she felt for him, and getting her ready for his next statement. "Fisherman, huh?" Melanie gave a smile and nodded while he took a sip of his hot chocolate. "I like sailing. I've only ever been once. Maybe I'll get to do it more now that I live in a coastal city." She walked beside him, smiling as he talked about sailing and sipping her hot chocolate. She didn't even notice he was looking at her until she looked up at him with her next statement. "I'm sort of new here. This is actually my first venture to the Pier. It's nice...we didn't have anything like this in Texas. Not where I was from, anyway. You live here long?" She nodded with a smile as she meandered down the Pier with him.

"Yeah, I've pretty much lived in Scriptor Bay all my life, except for when I was abroad for a few years. I backpacked around the world, but I spent most of my time in South America," she said with her small nervous smile. "My brother came with me, too, but we found we were happiest here in Scriptor Bay. He took up my dad's fishing business, but we go sailing together when we can. I don't know that I could live anywhere not near the water again." Of course she had just glossed over the fact that, as a guardian of Scriptor Bay, she was required to go on a journey around the world and come back to share her knowledge. She gave a small laugh, tucking some hair behind her ear. It was a habit she never really realized she had, but she didn't like her hair in her face. Her eyes came back to Kevin and she gave a playful smile. "And everyone gets welcomed to the Pier by having a soda spilled on them. It's tradition." She laughed, letting him know she was kidding. After a sip of her hot chocolate, she cocked her head to the side a little. "What brings you to Scriptor Bay?" she asked sweetly. She always wondered why people came to this small city when there were other, more well-known places to go, and it made her even more curious when they decided to move here. He probably didn't even know the legend behind what she was, but she wondered if he would even be interested in that. It seemed like such a trivial thing to most people.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

"Yeah, I've pretty much lived in Scriptor Bay all my life, except for when I was abroad for a few years. I backpacked around the world, but I spent most of my time in South America," He envied her and immediately judged her as being one of those privileged children he'd hated growing up for having everything he didn't, but he stopped his bitter thoughts as soon as he realized he was thinking them. He wasn't the pathetic little kid anymore, he was a man who was in charge of his own destiny and if he worked hard he could travel one day also. That is if he could figure something out with his sister or trust her alone. He had a bad feeling she would never be able to come with him on a trip. He couldn't save enough for them both and she wasn't interested in contributing financially.

"That sounds exciting." He told her honestly, trying to sound like he was excited about her having gone traveling, but truth be told he'd never been east of Texas and Scriptor Bay was the furthest west he'd been. He'd been to Mexico once with Kit a few years back, but that was just a crazy trip that he didn't want to think about.

"And everyone gets welcomed to the Pier by having a soda spilled on them. It's tradition." He actually smiled and let out a light chuckle. "Oh, well then I don't feel so bad then."

Kevin mimicked her as she sipped her drink, his eyes glancing back and forth from her to the pier. The musicians were getting more scarce the further down they went and he could see the end approaching in the distance. "What brings you to Scriptor Bay?" she asked in a voice that made him smile it was so sweet.

"A fresh start?" He said, giving a meek look and shrugging. "Just... had to stat over somewhere new where no one really knew us, except my buddy from growing up. He's the one that told us this was a decent place. We grew up together in Texas but he's apparently from here or something." Kevin knew Kit's secret and he knew there were others here who had that same secret, but he couldn't just go on telling people what Kit was! He didn't even believe it until he watched his friend shift into the dog that he knew had been plaguing his town. Kit used to have way too much fun as a dog and Kevin had always envied that. Kit had nothing but that weird ability. "Anyway, he helped my sister and I move and settle, so here I am." He opened his arms in a gesture showing he was there.

"Not the most exciting story, but it's probably the most exciting thing to happen to me ever." He laughed, smiling down out her more genuinely. He towered over the poor thing, but then again he towered over most people. It was part of being the tall guy.

"Do you have plans with your brother when he gets in?"

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

"A fresh start?" It was a good enough reason for Melanie. She had done that in every country she visited around the world. She saved up enough doing menial jobs that she would be able to move on to the next city and start all over again. She had had enough fresh starts in her life, though. For once, she wanted to start something without looking for the end of it. "Just...had to start over somewhere new where no one really knew us, except my buddy from growing up. He's the one that told us this was a decent place. We grew up together in Texas but he's apparently from here or something. Anyway, he helped my sister and I move and settle, so here I am." Now that he brought up Texas again, she could hear a slight accent in his voice. It was cute. She wondered why he and his sister had to move somewhere where nobody knew them, though. Of course, as before, she would keep her questions to herself. He seemed open enough that he might tell her without provocation. The way he opened his arms as if to announce his arrival made her giggle a little as she sipped her hot chocolate again.

"Not the most exciting story, but it's probably the most exciting thing to happen to me ever." She smiled widely at his genuine smile and admired his laugh. "It's always exciting to start over," she commented. "There's so many new things to discover." That was one of the only things she missed about travelling: all of the new things to discover. She loved investigating her new city or the new country she lived in. She spoke Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, and German fluently and Arabic and Japanese okay, but being able to use them for practice was always fun, and she got plenty of practice investigating new cities.

"Do you have plans with your brother when he gets in?" She turned her eyes back up to him curiously and then smiled kindly. "No, I just help him unload the catch sometimes. I smell like fish afterward, but we're pretty used to it," she said with a little laugh. "He has a big crew with him today, though, so he probably won't need my help. If he wonders where I am, he can always call me. He's...kind of overprotective. He'll live, though." She laughed a little, taking a sip of her drink and realizing it was half gone. She liked talking to Kevin. He was nice, and she didn't meet new people very often. They were nearing the end of the Pier and she wondered when they had come so far down. When had they passed all the musicians? It was nice being so engrossed in conversation with someone you didn't realize where you were.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

"No, I just help him unload the catch sometimes. I smell like fish afterward, but we're pretty used to it," Why couldn't Kelsey be like Melanie? He would give anything for a sister that cared that much. Not that Kelsey didn't care. She loved him and he knew that, but that didn't make it any easier to digest that she couldn't show him in ways he would like. He knew it was because he had taken a parental role when one shouldn't have been taken, but he reminded himself he shouldn't be thinking of Kelsey. Not while he was trying to make his own life and make new friends.

"He's...kind of overprotective. He'll live, though." She laughed and he breathed in sharply, wincing. "Overprotective big brothers aren't my specialty." He teased and then chuckled, loosening up just a bit with her.

"So.." He cleared his throat and sipped his drink again. "What else is there to discover here?" He asked since she'd mentioned there were things to discover.

As they neared the end he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Want to head back to the music or hang in the quiet?" He asked, unsure what she wanted to do and afraid to make any decisions regarding their plans.

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Melanie looked at Kevin as he took in a sharp wincing breath, wondering if he had hurt himself. "Overprotective big brothers aren't my specialty." She laughed, easing again. Nobody was Brandon's specialty. He pretty much automatically disliked any man who hung around Melanie. Women, they were cool; in fact, he hit on most of them, but no men. Sometimes she had to remind him how old she was so he would back off. "So...what else is there to discover around here?" She looked up at him as she considered before letting her eyes wander out over the water. "Hmmm...well, it's a good sized city. There's plenty of places to go. Some nightlife, though I don't know much about it." She gave a laugh. "I don't go out very much at night. But there's also the shops on Peanut Street and the Tree..." She wasn't sure if he knew about the tree or not.

She saw they were approaching the end of the Pier and she stopped when he did, thinking he might start heading back. If he did, she wouldn't mind. "Want to head back to the music or hang in the quiet?" Her eyes wandered back to the railing at the end of the pier, and she smiled at him. "We can hang out here for a little while." She went to the railing and leaned over, looking down the drop to the water. It was a good twenty feet, even more when it was low tide. Right now it was high tide, though, and the moon was coming up on the horizon, a bright half moon. Though she preferred sunlight, she liked to look at the moon. It was beautiful reflected on the water.

Her eyes went to the marina, visible from the pier, and there she saw her brother's boat and could even see small figures moving around on deck. "Oh, there's my brother's boat!" she announced, pointing so Kevin could see. "It looks like they're unloading right now." She realized he might not be able to tell, but she had excellent vision. It was the eagle in her, at least that's what she always attributed it to. "He's not so bad, once you get to know him. He just likes to play the tough guy at first," she said with a little laugh. "I would help him out more on the boat if I weren't at the hospital so much. I work there as a pediatric nurse. I just happened to have today off by some lucky chance." It really was a lucky chance, though. If she hadn't been off, she wouldn't have run into Kevin...literally! Her smile was gentle as she looked at Kevin, growing more curious. "What do you do for a living?" she asked before drinking more of her hot chocolate.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

His grin was bashful and kind when she suggested they hang out there in the quiet, alone together. Not that they were exactly alone. There were people down this way, but the crowd was far less dense. For the first time he really surveyed the situation he was in; walking to pier with a random girl he'd just met. A beautiful girl who spoke Spanish and didn't run away from him, but rather into him. For the moment he pretended it was a good thing, that this girl could like him. Sure, she might now, but things tended to change whenever he got serious with someone. Kelsey had never failed to get in the way somehow. He always put her and her needs first, and women didn't necessarily care for that. They liked to be first and foremost. They never understood his weird "obsession" with his sister, but the thing they didn't understand was that it wasn't an obsession, it was a deep, protective love. She was literally all he had in this world and he would do anything to keep her safe. She seemed to always have it rougher than him. She'd definitely been dealt the worse hand because she was a girl, and he hadn't always been capable of protecting her from the life they'd been given. But there was a part of Kevin that felt a strange glimmer of hope that maybe something could happen with Melanie. Maybe she was different. Or maybe he was just being stupid and living in a dream, but sometimes it was nice to pretend, and in that moment he pretended they had potential, that she liked him, and that he could really like her, too.

"Oh, there's my brother's boat!" she announced, pointing to a boat in the distance. He narrowed his eyes trying to identify the people on it, but they were small as ants. When she explained it looked like they were unloading he felt his heart sink a little. Would she go now? Wasn't she waiting for him? As quickly as his pathetic fantasy evolved it unraveled and was swept out to see with the tide. She was going to leave him and he would be alone again. That wasn't so bad, though. He was used to being alone.

But she was still talking, telling him that her brother wasn't so bad and about her career at the hospital. Oh jeez, she was a nurse, a career that required knowledge to do it. She'd think he was an idiot and probably not even give him the time of day. He listened with interest, silently hating himself and his situation. Smart, beautiful girls wouldn't hang around him. Yeah, he was okay looking but when she realized he couldn't do the fancy restaurant and flowers thing she would be gone. All women said they didn't care about that stuff, but they did. They always did. "That is lucky." He agreed, his tone not giving away his uneasiness.

"What do you do for a living?"

There it was. He winced just a little and gulped. He could lie.. if he lied he stood a chance, but he knew when she found out the truth it would make it that much worse. No, he would just get it out of the way now, allow her to make her judgement and continue on with his life. "Uhm.. construction." He offered softly, sipping his drink and avoiding her gaze as he looked out towards the fishermen. "And odd jobs.. I can do a little plumbing and electrical work. Sort of a jack of many trades I guess." He peaked at her briefly and shrugged before looking away bashfully. "Not very glamorous." It was work, though. The perk was he was good at making sure thing in the crap apartments he rented always worked, often better than when he arrived.

"So.. did you need to go? Now that your brothers back.." His tone was soft, almost nervous. Why did he need to be so damn awkward?