Down to the stream

You spend nearly half an hour hiking in silence, moving through the jungle on the way to the stream. It's taken a tremendous amount of willpower not to say anything, but you're betting that Kate will break the ice eventually. After all, if she came looking for company, she's got something to say. But it has to come in her own time.

"You're pretty quiet," she says from behind you.

"Sometimes I am," you say, pushing forward.

"Like now," she says.

You look back over your shoulder and smile, nodding silently at her. She can't help but laugh.

"You giving me the silent treatment?"

"No," you say. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

Kate shrugs, pushing an errant branch out of her way. "I don't know. I...God, it's been a week and I don't even know your name."

"Grant," you say, slowing your pace, knowing that you're getting closer.

"Grant..." she repeats behind you. "The frogurt guy?"

Now it's your turn to laugh. "No, that's Niel. I'm the high school teacher."

She furrows her brow, thinking. "I thought that was Artz..."

"Arzt," you correct her. "We both are. He teaches chemistry. I teach English, and a little philosophy, when they let me..."

"Philosophy?" she asks. "In high school? What kind of high school teaches philosophy?"

"A good one," you say, stopping. "We're here..."