~ Altered ~

by

Laura Burks

“Tell me your secrets?” he asked in a low voice as he pulled his hand away.

I shifted my eyes from his. Can he possibly read my mind? Does he know what I found in the cabin and that I’m hiding it away from Pops? Or were my actions that easy to read he already knew how I was beginning to feel about him? Was it this? Was it that? Was it...? Clearing my throat, I adjusted my expression and then looked his way.

“What are you talking about?” I spoke each word slowly, bracing myself for what he might answer.

“Your fears...your likes...what you enjoy doing in your spare time. What did you think I meant?” He looked puzzled.

Relief swept through me. “Oh...” I exhaled, “…my fears. Well, I think what I fear the most is something happening to Pops. I worry about him being all alone. It’s not like he can’t take care of himself. I just don’t know what I would do if I lost him, that’s all. Oh, and snakes. I detest snakes. And...let’s see, my likes. I like coming here to New Roads for Pops, of course, and because it gives me a break. It’s my change of scenery and a chance to have a vacation. I’ve never been anywhere but Orlando and here. But you wouldn’t know that, would you? I’ll bet you’ve seen lots of places with moving around a lot.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s no big deal. I’d rather stay in one place, if I could.” He was quiet for a moment, and I wondered just how many places he’d been. “So, what else do you like?”

“I like when people don’t mind being themselves. You know, not pretend to be something they’re not just to impress someone.” I paused, searching his eyes. A faint grin crossed his lips. “Anyway...what about you, what are your fears?”

“Nope, not yet,” he said. “You didn’t finish the last question. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?”

The look on his face was pleasant, waiting for my response. At the moment, what I enjoyed doing in my spare time was exactly what I was doing. Sitting there talking with him, but I surely couldn’t be so bold and admit it.

“There doesn’t seem to be much spare time with school, a part-time job at the mall, and the one sport I play, volleyball. But unlike some people my age, I don’t smoke and I don’t drink. I mean, why throw your life away like that. I just don’t understand. I’ve seen too many people get into trouble when they’re drunk or do some real dumb things. That’s not my style. Anyway, I guess if I had to choose what I enjoyed doing in my spare time, it would be...spending the day with a friend.” There, I’d said it in a roundabout way, even if it did sound typical-boring. Still, spending the day with a friend was a perfect answer, and in a sneaky way, it applied to him, too. Only he might not be aware of it as of yet.

“You sound too good to be true,” he teased.

“That would depend on how good you think my truth is.” I grinned.

He nodded, smiling, and I figured he agreed or at least was considering it.

“Okay, my turn,” I began. “What are your fears?”

He narrowed his eyebrows, pretending to think of the perfect answer. “Fears, huh?” He responded with a mischievous grin. “What if I told you I had none?”

“You’ve got to be kidding, right? No fears? You can do better than that. Everybody has at least one.” I held up one finger as I spoke. “Even I had more than one.”

He leaned his head back, staring at me through unsmiling lips. My mind scrambled, wondering if I’d said something that offended him. Patiently, I waited for whatever his answer might be.

“Okay, just one then. I fear...someone knowing all of my secrets.”