I honestly have no dislike of Wally. It is only my name shortened.
I have been assisting with that as well. Suppose it is not much different from my job originally. It is simply a larger task than normal. Though, I do miss my home. It was caught in the fire.
Right, maybe I’ll alternate.
Yeah, I’ve been trying to find any hot spots and putting them out, now I’m just helping with finding anything salvageable. Your home? Oh, I’m so sorry.
Then if you prefer it you may call me it.
…How have you been Kaylin? Things have been quite… hectic I would imagine. Since the fire.
Well…you seem to like Wallace better, so I guess I can just stick with that, if you would really like.
Umm…I’ve been trying to help clean up. It’s been…tough. It’s like losing a childhood home.
Well…I don’t see a reason not to like it.
So, Wally it is then, yes? I think it sounds good, but that’s just me.
I-it’s j-just…th-that was m-my h-home, K-Kaylin, I…
I d-don’t know w-what to d-do!
I know, Summer, I know. it used to be my home too. We’ll find you somewhere to stay, I promise.
I can’t believe it’s gone…i-it’s…
Summer…
It’ll be okay…we’ll do something…they’ll fix this…
Kaylin’s unamused face only made it so much funnier for Derek. Still laughing, he leaned back into the couch, completely unsuspecting as the pillow hit him. “Hey, hey! Careful!” he exclaimed, careful not to spill his drink on the couch. “Or do you want weird stains on your couch?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. “Mermaid Princess. Like Ariel. Was she a princess? …I have no idea. Let’s pretend, yeah?” Looking over at Kaylin, he smirked. “You don’t do friends? Are you sure? And what am I if not a friend?” he demanded to know, setting his drink down to be able to put his hands on his hips. Right after that, Derek picked his drink back up and took another swig. “As delicious as what?” he repeated teasingly, not even thinking of putting his foot down. “My foot isn’t nasty, it’s fresh as a daisy, I’ll have you know.”
“I’m not worried about you spilling on my couch, I need a new one anyway.” Kaylin shrugged, looking down at the old couch she had gotten from a second-hand shop. She got the suggestive joke, but if she figured that if she didn’t acknowledge it he wouldn’t make another bad one. “So…am I a Mermaid princess or Ariel, because I’m not about to dye my hair that color.” Picturing herself with fire-engine red hair made her shudder. “You’re a co-worker, it’s different.” Kaylin could help but laugh at the lie. “No, just no friends who are moms, not yet.” She kept her eyes on his feet and, in one swift movement, she pushed them off of the couch, keeping her arm down in case he was going to put them back up.
