counting stars - klance

4

/An error in my Spanish was noted. I will try to fix it sometime soon. If you see any more errors, please let me know. After all I'm using an online Spanish-English dictionary./

Even though Keith is tempted to respond to Lance's comment on his clothing by reminding Lance of the fact he is wearing jeans, he decides against it. So far, Lance seems pretty nice. He'd rather not anger one of the first few people he has met. Especially someone his age who is capable of beating him to a pulp. Well, maybe not a pulp. Lance seems to have some muscle hidden under his loose clothing, but not a lot. He probably has enough muscle to give him a few bruises though.

He hopes that he won't get any bruises in Arizona. He hope that the heat makes his fellow teens too weak to fight. To weak to bully him.

Oh how he hopes.

"Do you know what your address is? If so I could draw you a map," Lance says, all the while ruffling Mason's short brown hair. The young boy, after hearing an explanation of why Keith is so pale, and IS NOT a vampire, has come out from behind Lance's legs. However he stays close to Lance, and gazes at Keith with wide, curious eyes. "Or you could put the address into your phone. That is, if you have a phone."

"I haven't quite memorized my address yet," Keith responds, with an embarrassed chuckle, "And my phone is dead since I listened to music during the drive."

"Well," Lance says slowly, seeming to think as he speaks, "Why don't you describe your house? I might be able to tell your where it is, or, at least, which direction you should walk in."

Once he hears a brief description of his house, he flashes Keith a reassuring smile. "I don't remember the exact address, but I know the general area. I'll walk you there." Looking down to address his brother, he adds, "Tell Mom I went for a walk, won't you Mason?" Lance ruffles his brother's brown hair before walking away from his home and towards Keith's home.

Not being a big fan of silence, as they walk, Lance starts a conversation with Keith. "So, where are you from?"

Upon hearing the question, Keith can't help but emit a sigh. Keith was born in South Korea, but has lived in the United States for most of his life. In fact, all that really connects himself to South Korea is his body and hazy memories. The United States, since his adoptive parents feel the need to move a lot, isn't much better. Most of his elementary years are just a fog to him... A fog that he can't, and never will be able to grasp. "Do you want the short answer or the long answer?"

"Short answer, I guess," Lance responds, clearly not expecting there to be two answers.

"I was born in South Korea, and raised in various states in America." Keith tries his best to keep his answer only a sentence long.

There is a brief moment of silence before Lance responds. "Okay now I'm curious... Now I want the long answer. Or, at the very least, I want you to answer a question. How many states have you lived in?"

"I've lived in thirty states," Keith responds, all the while studying Lance.. The tan teen walks with an air of confidence... It's as if he has lived in Arizona his whole life. As though he has lived in this town his whole life. As if he knows the streets of the town as well as he knows the back of his own hand.

"THIRTY?" Lance screeches, coming to an abrupt stop, which results in Keith walking into him and nearly knocking him over. "REALLY? Which thirty?" Now it its Keith's turn to be surprised. He has never had someone ask... He has never had someone his own age ask so many questions about him... So many questions without having a malicious reason for asking them.

"I've lived in Maine, Vermont, New York, Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Tennessee, Utah, Montana, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Rhode Island, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Kansas, South Dakota, North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, Iowa, Kentucky, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Alaska, Ohio, South Carolina and not necessarily in that order. Now I'm in Arizona, which makes thirty one."

"Wow you've been pretty much everywhere," Lance exclaims. With a brief pause, he adds, "Which state is your favorite?"

"I don't have a favorite, they're all the same to me," Keith mutters, growing tired of talking about his past, growing tired of recalling the past. He got punched in Maine. He got kicked in Vermont. He got pushed in New York. He got yelled at in Virginia... The list of horrible memories of bullying goes on forever. Well, almost forever.

"Well," Lance responds, drawing the Ls out for a few seconds longer than normal, "do you have a least favorite?"

"Alaska because you pretty much turn into a human popsicle in the winter," Keith responds. His answer earns himself a loud laugh from Lance.

"I hope that you didn't move here from Alaska. If you did, you're going from one extreme to another," Lance says, soon adding, "We're here."

Sure enough, they are in front of Keith's new home. For some reason, Keith finds himself wishing that they were still looking... That they were still walking. Shrugging the strange feeling off, he thanks Lance before walking inside. The strange feeling he had is probably not important.