Relieved to be onto someone else as a subject, he asks her question after question. His full attention is hers as he absorbs every detail.
She describes her parents' careers, her mom as an opera singer and her dad as a vocal coach. She tells him that she and her sister usually took on the roles of various gypsy children in the background, keeping busy during their performances, and this is how the acting bug first took hold for her. She explains what it was like moving back to the states more permanently in middle school, how hard it was to connect, feeling like she didn't fully belong in Germany or in the US.
"I didn't have many friends, no," she laughs. "But I spent some time really studying what was happening with these other kids and I realized the more I could make myself seem...like them...the easier it would be. And that," she pauses for effect, "is how I ended up as a cheerleader."
"You weren't!"
"I was," she insists. "My proudest moment." With this she cracks up.
His tone turns more somber. "It must've been challenging for you, moving around all of the time, not finding roots or strong connections, never knowing how long you'd be in one place." He leans toward her as he speaks, placing one hand on top of hers as though he wishes he could offer that thirteen year old girl comfort.
Pulling her hand out from under his, it's Sandra's turn to evade the deep thoughts. "Sounds like the Little Keester knows of which he speaks. Can I call you that, Little Keester?"
He stares at her.
"Keen? KiKi?"
No expression on his face.
"Is that a no, then? Or you want to get back to me? You know where to find me."
His eyes challenge her, "Sure thing, Sandy-bear. I'll let you know."
Arriving at a truce in the nickname wars, they leave their napkins on the table and head upstairs into the bar area for more conversation and some digestifs.
This area is darker with a widescreen TV above the bar. They head toward a fireplace in the corner, where they slink into two leather club chairs and order a couple ports. The bartender hands them their drinks while another patron changes the channel on the TV. Keanu raises his glass to Sandra's when a flash on the screen catches her eye.
She turns to see a gossip show based in London. The tanned, blonde hostess is sitting on a beach surrounded by three young, good-looking actors, discussing their current project:
Beautiful Blonde: (to actor named Bobby)*
And what do you think of the British girls?
Bobby:
Ummm
Aaron:
He's married, he can't answer that.
Nathan: (hands on Bobby's shoulder)
Don't worry, bro, we'll take them off your hands.
(Laughter)
Beautiful Blonde: (to Nathan)
What do you think of the English girls?
Nathan:
What do I think of the English women? Well, I fell in love with three, f-four, no three. They're wonderful. They have a love-hate thing with Americans. They love that we're all sort of, you know, wild and blow things up.
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The Beginning
Fanfiction"Come here," his voice is gentle again. She gives in, placing her small hand in his. Lifting the cloth, he sees her blood spill out from her palm. He inhales sharply through his teeth and presses the rag back down. They sit there like that for abo...
Ch. 5 - The dinner
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