The recent heatwave was a thorn in Riley's side. It was a grueling task to walk to school in the ever-present humidity in of itself, now the sun had to add to his plight? Catching himself Riley closed his eyes and tried to remember what it was Lao Tzu had said about taking things personally...
Fuck it. Lao Tzu didn't live in Washington during August.
A scratchy jingle of metal sliding on pavement pulled Riley into reality, eyes darting to the source of the sound. Car keys lay at his feet and a girl, Aspen again, fallen a few yards up the narrow side street. She looked up at him, lingering on the cigarette butt hanging from his fingers, then down to her keys. Riley was tempted to squash out the cigarette on her keys and walk away. The thought brought the beginnings of smile to his lips. Thinking better of it, he slowly lowered himself down to reach the keys, then rising at the same time as the girl.
Uncertainty filled Riley's head. Should he reach out with the keys, inviting her forward? That would lead to conversation, thanks would probably be extended and it too would have to be answered. Should he just wait for her to walk up to him, holding the keys loosely at his side?
That's ridiculously, you picked them up, you can't not acknowledge them further. He could leave the keys on the stack of pallets to his right, high enough to easily see and reach, then he could walk away before she got within speaking range.
Yes, that's it. Wait why the fuck are you even debating this? just put the keys on the stack and leave -
She was right next to him. He could smell the perfume on her wrist as she held out a hand for the keys. As he silently gave her the keys to her car, Riley made the mistake of making eye contact.