In Stone

9: "I would like to propose a trade."

9: “I would like to propose a trade.”

It was a bittersweet journey home. Bitter for Caspian, sweet for Caia. She was practically humming as she drove. He was refusing to look at her, finding the blackness outside of the passenger side window much more interesting a sight.

Mostly, Caspian was mortified. After telling her that he didn't need her, after announcing to the world that he could take care of himself, he found himself once again relying on Caia. He hadn't had much of a choice though. He had been hungry, he had no money, he was completely on his own. Stealing some bread, he had figured, was the easiest way to eat. He wasn't taking much and, really, there had been so much bread there that he was surprised that anyone would miss it or even care. But they did and he found himself being arrested.

Caia was the only person he knew besides Simone. Since he would rather die than call Simone for help, that left only Caia to turn to. He didn't know her phone number so the officer had simply looked up her name in the phone book and called. Caspian was lucky she was the only Caia Hicks in the area or he might be spending the night in jail while the officer attempted to track down the right Caia Hicks. Not that he wasn't sure that wouldn't be preferable to this mortification.

Caia felt needed and it was a good feeling. She hadn't even needed to post bail like she had been expecting – though that would have been a fun experience – she had only needed to provide a car ride back to her house and a promise to keep Caspian in line.

It didn't matter that he wasn't looking at her. For a moment, he had needed her and that was reward enough for the horribly desperate and lonely Caia. She knew she was desperate, she even knew that she was pathetic, but the feelings of being needed were too great for her to care at the moment. She would work on her mental health issues later, she promised herself knowing full well she never would. For now, she was going to focus on Caspian.

She stole a few glances over to his tight frame before working up the courage to speak. When she did, she did it with a big smile that she hoped he took as friendly.

“So, are you still hungry?”

The look he leveled her was incredulous. It was like he was asking 'are you mocking me?'.

Caia giggled nervously. “Well, I'm hungry. Let's stop and get some food. Have you ever had fast food before? I can't imagine that you have. Statues don't eat, right? I'll get you something greasy and delicious.”

Chatting foolishly about the joys of cheap food, Caia pulled into an all-night burger place. She didn't bother asking Caspian what he would want, she didn't imagine that she would get a good answer. So she just ordered for him and pulled around.

Caspian hadn't ever eaten fast food before but after five years observing the world around him, he knew very well what it was. He couldn't say that he ever really wanted to try a the food that even those who ate it admitted wasn't that good.

However, he hadn't eaten since he had left Caia's house and his stomach betrayed him by growling as they pulled around and the scent of cooking food permeated the air. He could tell just from smelling it that it wasn't the best food, but when you were hungry, food was food and the taste hardly mattered if it mattered at all.

Caia – thankfully – didn't remark on the his stomach's sounds. She just passed him the burgers and fries that she ordered and smiled softly as he grabbed one.

He almost ripped it from the paper that covered it and took a quick bite before his pride overrode his own common sense. It was greasy and the taste was bland, but it was hot and it was sustenance. He passed Caia one of the burgers, telling himself that he was only eating because it was rude to turn down an offer of food like this. He couldn't lie to himself though when he reached for a second of the burgers and dug into that one with the same amount of gusto.