"Well then, I'm lucky I stumbled on you in the coffee shop. We just need to find something I can do for you in return." Kealey said when Jacen pointed out that one of his particular talents was impressing the unimpressible.

Jacen pulled Kealey away from the statue and the tourists and she followed him, watching each and every thing as they passed it by. What a child she must look like, she couldn't help but think. Each new experience felt like a wonder, though, and the pull of the emotions was too much to resist. There was no muddling here, it was just pure unadulterated emotion. The ragtime band made Kealey slow as they passed, only realizing that she had when Jacen got ahead and she felt the pull on her arm. She didn't want to stop at each and every thing and stare at it like it was some kind of anomaly. The point of this was to feel normal, after all, and normal people didn't marvel at every little thing.

Jacen suggested a stop at the mall he'd mentioned earlier and Kealey's heart jumped a little with excitement. Then she realized she was with a man and she laughed, "Oh Jacen.. she said, voice filled with amusement, "I'm not sure that's the best idea. If you think I'm easily distracted out here...I can't even imagine what I'd be like in a store. Even when I was a novice I was obsessed with fashion and clothes. It's almost a disease. I don't think I can walk around a mall without shopping."

The pretzel sounded interesting though, the pretzel definitely sounded interesting. Hopefully Jacen wouldn't be too unimpressed by her appetite. Though slight, Kealey had always eaten pretty voraciously. One day her metabolism would catch up with her though, at least that's what she'd always been told. "Maybe the pretzel though...then maybe we can just chill somewhere and people watch. With as up and down as today has been, I'm kind of ready to just chill for a while." See, Kealey could use slang too.

"Oh, I don't know." Jacen said with a laugh, "Since I didn't have any sisters it might be interesting to see a woman in her element, going from store to store and trying on one of everything."

Kealey's idea of people watching sounded interesting and as well as relaxing. Plus he still thought that watching her eat a pretzel could be very interesting. Things that to him seemed simple still caused the most amazing reaction in the simple young woman.

Following through on the idea Jacen led her to one of the small stands that was on the wooden walkway. "Two pretzels and two bottled waters." He ordered as he pulled out his wallet. Refusing to let Kealey pay this time Jacen paid for the food and drink before she could even dig for any money.

"There's a bench right over there." Jacen said, indicating a spot near the rag tiem band after he had grabbed both pretzels and water, "People always act more interesting when there's music around."

"Oh, I'm sure you would think it was interesting." Kealey said, then laughed, "For about fifteen minutes. I only ever had a sister, and she even tended to get exhausted by my obsession with fashion." It was true, insomuch as a 10 to 12 year old could be obsessed with clothes, Kealey had always been. It was all so long ago, she thought as they made their way to the pretzel stand. She'd wanted to be a model or a fashion designer back then. Back when those options had been available to her, before the responsibilities of her talents had been thrust on her shoulders with the detonation of that bomb at that choir concert.

It was funny how sharp the pain was when she thought about it. Still. It had been so many years, but in many ways the wounds still felt fresh. Kealey tried to shake it off though and brought her attention back in time to see Jacen paying for her pretzel. She made a note, she'd pay him back later.

They made it to the bench Jacen pointed out and Kealey noticed they were back by the ragtime band that had distracted her moments before. Jacen was right, people did act different when there was music playing and for a moment Kealey just sat and watched as they walked by, holding the pretzel in her hand.

It was the same as at the Empire State Building. There were people everywhere, milling here and there and there was none of the sense of urgency that plagued people on the normal streets of the city. Couples walked hand in hand, and a few people stopped to watch the band. Kealey took a bite of the pretzel without really paying attention and the morose feelings brought on by her musings about her family faded away at the melting...doughy....flavorful...yumness that had just attacked her mouth. Was food always going to be this way when she was around Jacen?

"Oh wow..." she said, voice slightly muffled by the pretzel in her mouth. Chewing slowly and swallowing, Kealey turned to Jacen and couldn't help but laugh, "I wonder if you're just taking me to the best food places in the city...or if I've really been this muted out. I don't think I've ever felt this kind of instant gratification before. It's almost wicked." she added with a grin, then took another bite. Yup, it was every bit as good as the first, almost goosebump inducing. Kealey leaned back aganst the bench and closed her eyes, then let out a sigh before opening her eyes and turning to look at Jacen again, "You'd better hope I'm a stronger person than I think I am. Otherwise you're going to be getting phone calls at every meal." she said with a teasing grin. "I can't think of anything else I've ever done that's felt as good as this. Who knew I was such a food adict."

It was amazing how nice the weekend had turned out for Jacen. He had thought he would end up spending a lot of his afternoon wondering about Lily and whether anything that had happened to them over the past few days had meant anything to her but Kealey had successfully kept him from thinking about his other blonde... friend except for a few times here and there.

She was an amazing girl. Kealey was most deffinately the type of girl you would take home to introduce to your mom if that's what you were interested in. Her playfulness and innocence made her the perfect companion to enjoy all kinds of activities with. As she gave him a final mischevous grin Jacen knew that he needed to thank her for the distraction. Impulsively he leaned over, pressing his leps gently against her for a few seconds before pulling back and giving her a smile.

"Thank you Kealey. I know you think you've been taking advantage of me but I've appreciated the distraction. You're a good friend."

Anyone that was experienced in kisses would have known that Jacen's kiss would have qualified as a thank you kiss between friends but it never occured to him that Kealey might be inexperienced and thus would read more into kiss that was truly intended.

"And as long as I'm not working, I think I can probably squeeze in the occasional meal with you." Jacen said with a quick wink before turning his attention back to the pretzel in his hand. Eating slowly Jacen leaned settled back against the bench and just continued watching the people. The doughiness of the pretzel combined perfectly with the the butter and salt that had been brushed and sprinkled over top of it. While deffinately not one of the healthiest snacks in the world it was extremely tasty.

"So do you want to stick to the people watching or are you going to let me take my chances on that shopping trip a little later?" He asked, flashing a quick grin at the young woman before taking another bite of his pretzel.

Pretzels and hamburgers, French fries were pretty great too. Kealey could almost feel her horizons broadening as she sat on the bench next to Jacen and teased him about requiring his presence at every meal. The idea in and of itself was laughable, but Kealey wondered at the idea for a moment. Then mentally shook herself, shunning her powers like this was so close to sacrilege that it was frightening. Man was she going to have a heck of a confession this week.

Kealey had been looking away from Jacen until she saw him move out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes flicked back just in time to realize what was about to happen, but not soon enough to do anything about it. It was a chaste kiss, even Kealey knew that, but why on Earth had Jacen done that? The contact didn’t last long, and when Jacen moved away she sat in silent shock, not even realizing when the pretzel fell from her hand and onto the ground. He was talking, but she missed what he was saying. There were too many new questions, and feelings, rolling around in her head.

Kealey still hadn’t moved and she was pretty sure her eyes were about the size of dinner plates as she sat on the bench and watched Jacen coolly eating his pretzel. Why had he done that? More than ever, Kealey wished she knew what he was feeling. Could a kiss mean anything other than what she thought it meant? Kealey realized something then, she’d liked it. No matter what he felt, she, Kealey, had liked it. In fact, she realized she wouldn’t mind it happening again. That shocking realization brought with it even more questions, even more feelings. Kealey suddenly felt sick.

Then the panic. That was a new one to feel completely on her own, Kealey didn’t know what to do, where to go from where she was, but what she did know was that it needed to be away from the bench and the man sitting on it.

”I...I have to go…” Kealey said, not waiting for a reply and avoiding looking at Jacen at all costs. Then she was standing up and walking…no running away as quickly as her legs would carry her. She hardly even noticed when she left the aura that Jacen was emitting. In fact, she almost welcomed it. Besides, being caught up in everyone else’s emotions was better than having to stop and examine her own.

For a moment Jacen was frozen as he watched Kealey stand up and begin to hurry away. "Stupid! That was really stupid Jacen!" He mentally cursed at himself as the spell was broken as he rose to his feet to follow her. At first his pace was a fast walk and then he increased to a jog as he tried to catch the rapidly moving blond. Tossing his unfinished pretzel in a trash bin as he went by, Jacen sped up even more to where he was just entering a running speed.

"Kealey! Wait! Let me explain!" Jacen called out after her as he dodged through the pedestrians, trying to catch up to her. It was amazing just how quick the young woman was when she obviously wasn't dressed for running.

"Let her be!" A gruff voice sounded as a strong grip latched onto his arm and brought him to a sudden stop, "If the young lady wants you to leave her alone then I suggest you do as she wants."

Turning, Jacen found himself face to face with a burly man that reminded him very much of the old time sailors you would read about in books. Normally, Jacen would have been applauding the man's wisdom at keeping a couple from possibly coming to blows but at the moment all he really wanted to do was punch his lights out.

"I kissed her and I needed to explain." Jacen said rather lamely as he turned away, quickly scanning the crowd as he tried to locate the blond young woman once again.

"Let her be." The man said again as his voice turned just a little dangerous.

"Fine." Jacen said quietly as he finally realized that in a crowd like this Kealey could easily dissapear, "I'll let her be."