Chapter Three - part five

    "You have a wonderful smile." James gave a slight start as he turned towards the sound of that voice to find Shanna standing in the library door. He had been so deep in thought he hadn't heard her. She grinned as she stepped on inside. "That must be a very good book, you seemed to be totally lost in it and definitely looked like you were enjoying it." James felt the red climbing his face as he looked at her. There was a very distinct twinkle in her eyes. She was clearly amused by him for some reason. Glancing down his face began to turn a bit redder. The book in his hand was a history of Colorado. It wasn't exactly the kind of book most guys his age would get lost in or enjoy reading.

    Getting to his feet he shrugged and managed to laugh a bit as he turned to face her. "Honestly, I don't think I was even aware of the book anymore than I was that you were here." Shanna smiled as she took a seat where she would be facing him if he sat back down, speaking again as she did. "I know." She laughed again at the shocked look on his face before going on. "I saw the way you watched everyone tonight. I also saw the way you acted at the start of the meal. Tell me what you think about me and Sabella and I will tell you what I think of you. I know that was what was on your mind." It was a level statement, which was very close to being a challenge or a dare. She was still smiling, her smile really did light up a room, but her eyes were dead serious. She was also a bit stiff, not truly as relaxed as she wanted him to believe she was.

    James managed to smile back and took his seat again. Then with a slight nod he decided to accept her challenge, though he wasn't sure why. "Alright, I can do that. I was thinking about the meal and the way everyone acted. It told me a lot about everybody, including myself." He sat frowning as he hesitated a bit while searching for his next words. "Sabella, well she is interesting. She is very sure of herself and very confident, but Mr. Blake shook that confidence tonight. I was smiling about the way he handled things and the way everyone reacted to it. Sabella was rattled, but she is back on her feet again and I doubt she will get rattled so easily again, at least not by what happened tonight." Now he grinned and leaned forward. "You are a lot more difficult to figure out. The truth is that when you two arrived I would have bet you were from New York and she was from California. You both had me off balance because of that from the start." He actually laughed softly before he continued. "I don't know exactly what to think of you, not yet. I now know that you are far more observant than I thought you were and that says a lot right there. I know you are very smart and not easily taken in, maybe even a bit suspicious of the motives of people. You have confirmed that to me, but you haven't revealed much more. I guess that pretty much covers it. Now it is your turn." With a smile on his face he leaned back and tried to look relaxed, even though he wasn't at all relaxed.

    Shanna shook her head and smiling spoke quickly. "Not so fast. You said I haven't revealed much more. Well what 'more' have I revealed? Tell me that and then I will tell you what I know." James shook his head and sat forward with a genuine smile on his face. "Not much gets past you does it? Okay, I will tell you what you want to know. You come from a split family." He quickly held up his hand to cut her off before she could object. He had heard her mention that she would miss her parent's 25th anniversary, but that wasn't the kind of split he meant. "I know your folks are happily married, but one is a believer and one isn't. You were raised in a broken home, just a different kind of break. That has left you uncertain of your own beliefs." Leaning back he shrugged as he added one last thing. "You can try to deny it, but we both know you would be lying to me and yourself if you do. I suspect that you are very sure of many, perhaps most things, in your life, but your faith isn't one of those things." James sat watching her. It was possible that he was totally wrong, but somehow he knew he wasn't. What he had no clue about was how she was going to react now.

    Shanna had stopped smiling. She wasn't quite frowning, but she was very close to it.  She leaned back and sat watching him, just as he sat watching her. She even began to chew on her lower lip as she sat there thinking. When she finally made her decision the change was sudden and obvious. Nodding her head she leaned forward with a half smile on her face and began to talk in a soft voice. "You see a lot more than I thought was possible. Yes, I am from a split home, sort of. My mother was raised in a Christian home, but she has never been truly committed to her own faith. My father, well, he was born and raised as a Jew. He still observes most of his faith, but has never pushed mom or even me to follow his beliefs. Truthfully... he has taken a considerable amount of grief because he married mom and refuses to make either of us follow his faith." She paused for a moment before going on. "That has made me a little suspicious of the motives of religious people over the years I guess. I won't try to lie about my personal beliefs, because I don't even know what they are.  You seem to be pretty good about seeing people the way they are, not the way they want to be seen."

    Next, she switched smoothly to talking about Jeremy. "Jeremy is a puzzle, but not as complicated as you. He seems to be reaching out for something, but I don't know what or why. I am not sure he does either. He enjoys all the attention Sabella has given you guys and he enjoys looking. Normally I would say that she was wrapping him around her finger, but I don't think that is true with him. That is what is puzzling about him. He still wants something, but I don't know what it is yet."

    Then she grinned and leaned further forward. "You are the real puzzle though. That is why I followed you up here. You are even more certain of yourself than Sabella is, just not in the same way. She knows what she wants and she will go after it. You are more concerned about what you need than about what you want. You will think more about how what you do affects others than about yourself." Laughing she leaned back again. "I would warn you to be careful or you could end up playing the hero one time too many and hero's die a lot. The trouble is that you don't play at it. Everything is serious to you. You watch and you listen. You definitely see a lot and hear a lot, but I still don't know what your motives are. You aren't the selfish type, so it isn't all about you." Then she laughed and stood up. "I don't know why, but I like you. Not sure if I trust you, but I like you. Well is that good enough or do you have a question for me? I owe you one question I guess."

    James knew he was staring at her, but he couldn't help it. She had definitely not held anything back. Finally he managed to shake his head. "No, I have no questions, at least not that I am actually willing to ask you yet." She just grinned and started to leave. "Shanna?" He called out and she turned to look back at him. "I think I like you too." That brought an immediate smile that totally changed her face. She was suddenly very beautiful and almost seemed to be glowing. Her eyes sparkled with something he hadn't ever seen in them before as she spoke. "You better be careful what you spend your time thinking about... it might get you in a world of trouble!" Then she was gone, but he could hear her giggling as she walked down the hall towards her room. She was giggling like a little girl, not a future cadet.

   Sabella had apparently just been coming upstairs. She stopped at the top of the stairs to watch Shanna walking down the hallway until the door closed shutting off the sound of her giggles. Then she looked directly into the library at James. In spite of his best efforts, he began to turn red under her puzzled look. That look quickly changed to one of pure amusement. Giving him a slight smile and a nod she turned down the hallway herself. She was barely out of his sight when he heard her giggling just as much as Shanna had. Disgusted, James sat there shaking his head until her door silenced her giggles too. Only then did he get up and put the book back on the shelf before heading to his own room. Somehow he had to get some sleep tonight. His life had suddenly gotten a lot more interesting and he was afraid it might easily have become much more complicated too. Regardless of that, the last thing he wanted to happen was to end up facing either of those two girls tired and groggy.  One of them had just handed him his head in a basket and both together would likely have him skinned and stuffed before he even knew he was in trouble if he wasn't wide awake and alert... in fact they might manage it even if he was awake and alert!