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Entry 17

"So you've never had a boyfriend? Ever?"

She shook her head in response, a half-smile tugging the left side of her face into a smirk.

"Never?! I don't believe it."

"Believe it."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"I just never met a girl who didn't want to be in a relationship before."

"I've had two interesting relationships. I wouldn't call them boyfriends."

"Ah, okay. Now, we're getting somewhere. So fess up! What were they like? What's your type?"

Her gaze stayed focused on the trail ahead, unwavering. She pondered it for a moment. She had already decided to let her guard down, and it wasn't like this one boy was going to make a difference in her plans after she left Georgia. She shrugged slightly and continued, slightly coy.

"Hm. Well, one was very much like me. Easy to talk to but introspective, quick to laugh and tease - "

"You?!?"

She stopped talking and glared at him.

"Sorry. Continue."

"Yes. Me. I used to be a little different than I am now." The smile faded from her face and he regretted interrupting. Waiting a few moments for her to collect herself, he gently encouraged her.

"I could actually see that. You, laughing a lot - I mean. You have a killer smile." He waggled his eyebrows at her in an exaggerated display.

She gritted her teeth, trying to hold back the smile that was forming, but accepted the unspoken apology and continued.

"He was kind and unbelievably patient - those characteristics are actually NOT like me." They both laughed. "But we both loved to create, and we invested everything we were into our art."

"Art, huh? What kind?"

"Um... a little like sculpting with a touch of biochemical engineering, physics, painting and design?"

"Ha! Sure. So you'd rather not say. Ok, and what about the other guy?"

Storm clouds gathered behind her eyes. All the warmth that had been glowing in her face just moments ago was quickly replaced by a frosty, untouchable veneer. He was about to change the subject with another question when she spoke.

"He was rich, powerful, handsome and tried to give me everything he thought I wanted. He assumed he knew me better than I knew myself."

Caleb paused before answering, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Heh...too bad you couldn't combine their best qualities into one man."

If she heard him, she didn't acknowledge it in any way. He cleared his throat and allowed his curiosity to pull him dangerously close to shutting her down.

"So what happened to them?"

"I lost the one."

"Oh." He wasn't sure if that was metaphorical but this conversation was not at all what he had expected. He quickly asked, "And the other?"

She faced him for a few, long moments, unblinking.

"Let's just say- when I left, it tore him to pieces."

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