[b]"I don't really mind it, actually,"[/b] he responded to Claire. [b]"I've in the water a [i]lot[/i]. It's actually kind of nice to just look at it for a change."[/b] After a pause, he continued. [b]"Plus, I get to go in after hours. Today I just decided to take a walk...and look where that ended up,"[/b] he finished playfully.

He heard Claire's voice get...flustered? when she answered his question. He would try his best not to let that cause [i]him[/i] to get flustered, though he was in a volatile state and thus prone to do so. He took a mental deep breath and began to respond. [b]"Well um...normal is boring anyway,"[/b] he said. [i]Doing ok so far.[/i] "And...who do you know that's actually, you know, totally normal?" [i]You're losing it man, keep it together![/i] [b]"I think being abnormal is what makes us unique..."[/b] he said. [i]And...off the rails,[/i] he thought, visibly facepalming. [b]"Sorry, that was...cheesy,"[/b] he said, managing a meek smile.

He thought it best to move it on to her question, noticing that so far he'd asked the questions and she'd just said "what about you?" [i]I guess that's bound to happen in a Q&A like this,[/i] he thought. [b]"Well, I um...I'm not really musical, so your singing already beats me out. I've always wanted to learn an instrument or something though. Maybe a ukelele or something easy like that...one day,"[/b] he said as much to himself as to her. [b]"Other than that, I uh..."[/b] he floundered, trying to think of something that he actually did to make his existence meaningful other than being a lifeguard. [b]"Um..."[/b] At this point he actually stopped walking, trying desperately to think of something. [b]"...I don't really do much of anything, I guess,"[/b] he admitted defeatedly. [b]"I wanted to get out of the house to find myself, and I still kind of haven't. Even with all that time in the chair to think,"[/b] he finished. He shrugged, trying to keep the mood positive. [b]"But I still have plenty of time, right?"[/b] he said, managing to smile at her.