See You Again

08 - Why?

The car glided along the road, switching diverse playlist that shifted from Keane's alternative rock to the folk sounds of The Beatles and from Marvin Gaye's soulful tunes to the funky rhythms of Earth, Wind & Fire. I recognized Collin's taste - a mix that perfectly matched my own. Sometimes, I found myself swept away by the lyrics, launching into a non-stop karaoke session that drowned the car with energy, making Collin laugh.

"So, what did you pick at the bookstore?" he started.

I showed him the stack of books I just bought.

"Mary Higgins, Georges Simenon, Stieg Larsson. Quite the classic trio, huh? You seem to know your stuff." he praised.

"No, not really." I replied with a laugh. "I'm just an amateur. I picked these books based on instinct after a sleepless night I spent surfing on the web. Honestly, I'm a little worried I made the wrong choices."

Collin chuckled at my honesty.

"Trust me, your late-night research wasn't in vain. Those authors are all well-known. You'll be fine."

The atmosphere was lively and sometimes it switched in a comfortable silence, within the backdrop of music. I occasionally distracted myself with the landscape outside where towering trees lined the road. The sky above was a canvas painted with fluffy clouds that danced in the sunny day.

"Why didn't you say anything last time?" I asked, leaning back comfortably in my seat.

"Sorry?"

"At the bookstore you said you recognized me at the lunch bar, yet you stayed quiet. Why?"

He paused. He seemed like he was searching for the right words.

"Did it bother you?" he probed. "My silence?"

"Not exactly..." I replied hesitantly.

"Not exactly. So there's a part of you that was bothered." he smirked slightly.

"It's not about being offended or about my social status. I just had this feeling that you weren't entirely honest with me."

I hoped he understood my feelings. He hadn't shared much about himself ever since and I was wondering if perhaps it was just his nature.

"At the lunch bar I acted on instinct. I recognized you right away yes, but I thought approaching you based on your profession felt... awkward. And I figured someone like you wouldn't be in Chaston for a work-related visit, so I..."

He glanced at me briefly before pursuing "I'm sorry if it upset you."

I smiled back, appreciating his honesty. I had considered this possibility before asking him, as I always did - posing questions to confirm my hypotheses. I learnt that the best way to understand someone was to let them express themselves, with their own words.

"And what about you, boss?"

Once again, he took a moment before replying.

"The inn is officially in Janice's name. She's the owner. She used to work at the lunch bar and the café, but after she had her baby she focused on daytime work and asked me to take care of the bar and the inn. The coffee shop belonged to our parents and is one of Chaston's pride actually. Even after they passed away, it keeps on thriving." he said with evident pride. "We run it both Janice and I."

"You two seem to get along well." I noted.

"Yeah, we do. Don't you have any siblings?"

"Nope, I'm an only child."

He smiled, keeping his eyes on the road.

"And the bookstore?" I pressed on.

"I opened it just a few years ago. Chaston has always been a literary town and I wanted to keep that spirit alive."

"I see...Thank you." I replied warmly.

"I'm sorry I wasn't as open with you as you were with me. It wasn't personal, but just because I don't share everything doesn't mean I'm not honest."

It didn't take much to appreciate someone and appreciating was no exception. His words struck me not negatively, but thoughtfully. In that moment, I felt the honesty I had been searching for and without realizing it, he had just earned my trust. And as time went by, I kind of started begining to feel something toward him that I hadn't expected to develop so soon: safety.