Snippet #1944723

"...I can't really have any friends."

"I know what you mean," Jem chuckled, adjusting the strap on his shoulder as he walked alongside the girl, his long strides matched by her smaller, faster ones. "That's why I usually only go out at night. Plus, I'm a bartender. Talking to people's sort of in the job description."

"I guess I should start trying a little harder." Jem's grin widened when she chuckled and touched his arm, deciding he liked her laugh. "Do you think you and I...we could...we could be friends?"

Jem laughed at this, at the way this seemed like such a serious question to her. Friends had always come easy to him, ever since he was a child before the curse, and he actually couldn't remember the last time someone had politely asked to be friends with him. It was cute.

"Of course!" he answered with another chuckle, putting a hand on her shoulder. "After all, we'll be practically living together from now on, won't we? Might as well get comfortable."

They arrived back to where they had started, where all the other cursed children were still gathered around the hostess. They were just in time to hear the brown-haired girl ask for introductions before Randi introduced herself to the others with a new found courage. He grinned as she finished, giving a small wave to the other cursed kids.

"And my name's Benjamin Maddox," he said. "But everyone just calls me Jem. Hi, it's great to be here!"