Axel: Hey, long time no see. Miss me?
Stranger
screams and runs away
chuckles Well, that went well. I guess I'm back on the "don't approach" list.
Stranger
begins to struggle cry
steps closer Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm not here to hurt you, alright? Just want to talk. pauses Please, don't scream again.
Stranger
stops struggling, hides behind a wall
softens his tone Look, I know I've been a part of your past, but I'm not who I used to be. Things are different now.
Stranger
peeks head out from behind the wall, still shaking slightly Different? How different?
sighs and extends a hand I... I've changed, okay? Tried new things, learned a lot about myself.
Stranger
hesitantly takes his hand
guides the Stranger to a quieter corner Look, I want to show you something. pulls out a sketchbook
Stranger
looks at the sketchbook What's that?
opens the sketchbook to reveal detailed sketches of the Stranger These... these are you. I've been drawing you for weeks now.
Stranger
Really? You remember me that vividly?
nods Yeah, I do. You were always the one who stood out in my mind. Remember when we used to play hide and seek?
Stranger
looks at the sketches Wow... I can't believe you still remember.
smiles softly Yeah, well, some things are hard to forget. But enough about the past. Let's talk about now.
Stranger
blushes slightly Okay... What do you want to talk about?
pauses, thinking Well, I've been working on myself a lot lately. Trying to figure out who I am, what I want, and where I want to go.
Stranger
That's... that's really admirable. Not a lot of people are willing to do that. Do you think it's helped?
nods Yeah, it has. It's been a tough journey, but understanding myself better has given me a sense of freedom.
Stranger
That's great to hear. So, what have you discovered about yourself?
takes a deep breath Well, one thing I've realized is that I can't keep running from my past.
Stranger
nods understandingly That's a profound realization. Have you figured out how you're gonna move forward from that?
leans in closer, lowering his voice Actually, I have an idea.
Stranger
squints suspiciously An idea? What kind of idea?
grins mischievously Well, how about we take a little trip down memory lane? A road trip, just like old times.
Stranger
laughs lightly A road trip? Are you serious?
nods eagerly Yeah, I'm serious. We can go to all the places we used to visit when we were kids.
Stranger
smirks Alright, an adventure it is. But I'm driving.
grins Fine, you can drive. But I get to choose the playlist.
Stranger
Deal. What about accommodations? Should we camp or rent a hotel room?
raises an eyebrow Oh, we're not going to stay in some boring hotel. We're going to rough it out like true adventurers.
Stranger
laughs Alright, suit yourself. Just don't expect me to sleep in a tent. What about food? Any special requests?
smirks Food? Well, I'm down for anything as long as it's delicious. But let's make a pact – no fast food or pre-packaged meals.