Abandoned Bowling Alleys

chapter nine

"Ever been to New York?" Abe asked Kate, staring into her eyes. She could tell what he was doing, reading her again of course.
"No, actually. I've always wanted to though" she sighed looking back into his. He was a little shocked.
"You live so close though" He carried on.
"We never really had the money..." She trailed off. He hooded, understanding. He felt bad about the question.
"You'll love it!" He said. She saw him glance down at her hand for a split second.

That caught her attention, she quickly focused in on him as he looked out the window. Longing. She couldn't take it anymore she had to know. She scanned the car. Chris was engaged with her cell phone and ear buds, good she wouldn't be listening. Clive and Jazlen were busy with their own conversation, holding hands and giggling. They wouldn't hear either.

Kate didn't know how to word it. Maybe she wouldn't have to do it with words. She glanced down. His hand was draped across the edge of the seat, she took it in her own. He intwined his fingers with hers, turning around. His eyebrows were knitted together in confusion, one side of his mouth smirking at her.

"You're nice. Tell me the real reason why." She crowed at him
He rested his eyebrows still smirking at her. He ran a loving hand through her long brown hair.
"Later?" He teased.
"When?" Kate played along.
"Next time we're alone."
"You know they aren't listening. I can't wait for later."
"Don't be so sure..." He laughed.
He didn't drop her hand as they went through the tunnel and to the city itself. She shouldn't let herself be falling for him, she had so much time to decide. Yet she couldn't help herself. When she saw him something made her want to be in his arms for the rest of her life.

This wasn't real she was only fourteen. If there was anything her mother had taught her during those dreaded, mothy visits it was that love was something that didn't come until later in life. Then again, her mother wasn't the most trustworthy person, she kept secrets that no one really knew. She was all dark and depressed, like a black umbrella in a thunderstorm. She could be wrong about things.

She was probably not very experienced about things like that. She got divorced for no reason at all, she never did give a reason. Kate loved her, however. She always tried her best to put on a smile when Kate came over, and she appreciated that. Silently she dicided that her mother was wrong and she would find out for herself if she was right.

Abe shifted in the silence of the back seat. The car was loud with the radio and conversation up front but here it seemed a little disrupted.
"We're still a little ways away." He said simply, striving for conversation.
"What's your favorite place there?" Kate asked looking over with relief. He thought about it for a second.
"There's a library tucked away in the attic of an apartment building that I like." He said with stars.
"Maybe we can go tonight, and you can tell me why you're so nice." She said completely innocently. She didn't want anything innopropriate and neither did he, seldom did immortals develop these kinds of feelings as they didn't really have a point. Most of the body's systems shut down certain parts that aren't completely nessecary as there isn't a need to feel things. They didn't feel much pain or these other feelings, it was rare that they'd feel attraction at all.

"Sounds good to me." he laughed as he relaxed again. He told her about the books he liked that were too battered to read in other places, they took good care of the books. Soon they were in N.Y.

They'd parked the car off somewhere and walked in from there, they walked the crowed sidewalks of Brooklyn's outskirts. Kate was shocked that there were so many people here. They all agreed to show Kate a specific shopping mall they all liked. They were coming up on it now and the tree line to the opposite side of them from the street faded away. She could see a giant glass, brick building. It was absolutely massive.

They walked the rest quickly. Kate examined the way they walked in groups, she and Abe at the back, Jazlen and Clive just ahead and Chris leading. That was how it'd been all day. She could hardly comprehend that it'd been just a day, it felt like much much longer.

They plowed through the front doors, it was very big inside. There was a seemingly endless row of stores to either side of the long hallway, slipt by escelators and stairs in the middle that lifted people up into the second level. This was another row of stores just as long hanging over all but the middle of the room, held up by grand columns. The roof was crystal clear glass that she could see the peachy sunset through, the moon and stars creeping in where it'd already faded to lilac.

"Lets go to Sue's." Jazlen exclaimed excitedly.

This ended up to be a nice make-up boutique type of store. They went to many others as well and then had dinner at the good court. By the time they left the cold rain has returned to the sky's and stormed the streets and trees around. They ran out of the mall laughing and sprinted to the car with way clothes and hair. It'd been the perfect first way and she wouldn't ask for anything else, she'd made friends and now had a job! It'd go on like this forever, until the world ended.

But Abe still hasn't shared his secret. She wondered if he himself even knew his own answer. Maybe he was diciding now as he again held her hand, grinning our the window as I watched the rain stream down the glass. He was nice.