Quote Originally Posted by InTheMachine View Post
December 5th
Mall Walking
Keith
The girl smiles at Keith’s compliment and leans down to pick up the book he dropped. She glances down at the title and then offers it back to him. “Haven’t read this one yet, but Brooks is supposed to be pretty good.”

As Keith takes a look at her, he notices that she’s a few inches shorter than he is, and is wearing a cute red jacket, tight black pants with stylish rips in the thighs and knees, and black Converses. The hint of a tattoo peaks out of her collar on her right shoulder.

“I’m Hope,” she says with a smile.
As she hands him the book he was shaken from thought. “Didn’t realize I dropped it, thank you.” He chuckles nervously.

“A friend recommended her to me, I haven't gotten to read anything of Brooks’ yet but keep hearing good things. What do you like to read?”

He wasn’t used to this. While he was pretty sure things with Maeve were not going to go as he hoped, he still felt a bit odd. Keith himself just did not have experience in a spotlight. He was rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

Is this really okay to do? Ju…. wow she’s cute. He thought as he took in her appearance, face flushed again. The tattoo caught his eye, and he found himself a bit curious.

No, no, no. Don’t ask. He found himself thinking, and was derailed again when she smiled with her name. She’s really cute…….. Wait, stop!

“Hope,” He repeated and his smile grew a bit softer. Do NOT say just when you lost it. “It’s cute.”

This was probably the first sense or normalcy since he got back from the Void.