These Things I've Done

I stopped, and smiled at him.

"You.. you stayed?" I asked, giving a small giggle. I was surprised anyone stayed after that. He bit his lip, looking up at me with his large eyes, nodding.
"Y-yeah.." He said. He gave me a reassuring smile in return.

I went over at sat next to him. He lowered his legs, no longer gripping them against his chest.

"So, then.." I said. I looked back up at him. He was staring at me, wide eyed. I felt my cheeks get red. I quickly looked down at my clipboard. Before I managed to speak again, I heard him speak.
"How about.. you just ask me questions.." He said. He bit his lip. "It'd.. it's be easier.. than just... talking." I smiled at him.

"Okay." I said softly. I could tell, he was very soft spoken. The last thing I wanted to do was make him feel uncomfortable. He was trying.

"So, Kellin.. why are you here?" I asked. He started chewing on his sleeve again.
"Well.. I.. they.. they think I'm.. crazy." He said. He avoided eye contact.
"Crazy?" I asked "H-how do you mean?" He shrugged, now staring out the window. I patiently waited for his attention to come back into the room from outside. He looked up at me.
"Well, for starters.. I don't.. sleep, really." He said. "It.. it started with an 'I' I think.."
"Insomnia?" I asked. He nodded.
"That's it." He sighed. "That's what they said."

I was beginning to wonder who 'they' were.
"Well, insomnia doesn't mean you're crazy. There are a lot of people wh-"
"That's not all." He said, cutting me off. He looked back down at the floor. He kicked back and forth in his seat.

"They.. they also said I.. I was depressed. But.. I don't know, I don't think so. I don't think I am.." I looked down at his records.
"They said you attempted suicide." He bit his lip, looking back out the window.
"Kellin?" I said, trying to grab his attention. He zoned back in.
"I guess so." He said. I looked at him, confused.
"You guess so?" I asked. He sighed.
"I was curious.." He said under his breath.

Curious?

"What.. what were you curious about?" I asked. He scrunched up his face.
"You've never been curious.. about death?" He asked. He looked over, searching for a name tag.
"My name's Taylor." I said. He nodded, but held his stare.
"I mean.. I guess so. But.. but once you're dead. You can never come back, Kellin. You.. know that.. right?" He nodded again.
"I wouldn't be missing out on much." He said blankly. His tone seemed to haunt me. He was fidgeting in his chair.

"How about I ask you questions now?" He said. He looked up at me, his eyes hopeful. I sighed.
"That seems fair." I said. He moved around in his chair, repositioning himself.
"Well, how old are you?" He asked. I giggled.
"It's not polite to ask a woman her age." I said. He smiled, looking down.
"You can't be any older than me." He said, biting his lip.
"I'm twenty two." I said. His smile grew.
"See, just like me." He said sweetly. I couldn't help but smile. His smile was warming, contagious. I wish he smiled more often.

"Do you actually care about us here?" He said. His smile seemed to fade. He began chewing on the sleeve of his sweater again. I sighed.
"Yes, I do.." The side of his mouth turned upward. I could tell he was trying to contain his smile. But I saw. He sighed, looking back out the window.

"Well, Taylor.." He said "That makes one of us."