Alison smiled when Abel laughed.  She was glad to see that he hadn't taken offence at her being so nosy.  She lent forward with interest as he said a few things about himself then leaned back again.  It seemed that he was willing to share some things as long as they were not too personal and just very basic.  However, when he said  [color=Green]"Sorry about the comment earlier. Usually when people talk to me they're either telling me off or asking me what I want so I can get out of their hair faster."[/color]  she found herself understanding him a bit more.  [i]Poor guy.  If people have really been treating him that way then no wonder he is so reserved and jumpy.  I would be too if every time I reached out at all people were either jumping down my throat for living or trying to shoo me away.  That is so not fair.  I wonder why he has gotten that kind of treatment.  I mean he is a bit odd but around here that is not something that should be held against anyone.  There has to be more to it than that.  I think when I leave here I will ask my parents and see what they have heard.  Maybe they can clear some things up.[/i]  

She watched as he fiddled with his drink and waved to Sloane to bring him another on her.  It would be a few minutes before it arrived.  His next words got her attention quickly.  [color=Green] "I'll exchange a secret of mine for a secret of yours though," [/color]  She reached in her pocket as he asked, [color=Green]  "What is your deepest darkest fear?"  [/color]  She pulled out a pen and chewed on the end of it as she thought.  She had always been someone that chewed on pens when she was think about something.  Because of this, and so she wouldn't be stealing pens left and right, she always kept one without the ink in her back pocket.  

"Let's see.  My deepest darkest fear."  she took a removed the pen and took a sip pf her drink and then put the pen back to chew as she thought.  There were many things that scared her.  The fear of losing those she loved.  The fear of not being good or smart enough to handle her life.  The fear of spiders and crawly things.  None of those compared to her darkest fear however.  She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes as she replied, "I am not fully human.  My mother is a water elemental that can change into human form and substance.  I have been trained by her to the best of her abilities but as I am a half breed my powers are sometimes erratic.  My darkest fear is that I lose control and then lose myself to the element."  She let out a breath she had not realized she was holding.  She did not often tell people things this personal about herself but if she expected him to be honest and forthright with her then she owed him that much from herself.  

Sloane arrived at the table with the drink and two muffins and winked at her as he sat them down and walked away.  She smiled back and put the pen back in her pocket.  She nervously twisted a strand of her hair as she waited to see what Abel would do wit the piece of paper he had written something one and how he would react to what she had said.