Thank you for taking an interest in learning more about Keene Stoner. Note, there will be spoilers in some questions/answers, so I highly recommend reading the series finish. (Caught by the Bad Boys - Caught, Flawed, Fury then Lights Out Boys)
Read the final book (Lights Out Boys) for free here:
Alright, now that’s covered. Let’s see what Keene has been up to!
Before I had the chance to knock on the front door, it flew open and Keene Stoner stood with a broad grin. He chuckled and sidestepped to let me inside. The Halls’ household had changed little with its minimal decor. Clarissa passed with a brief greeting and mentioned snacks on her way to the kitchen. Keene trailed behind as we walked into the living room.
“Sorry we had to meet here. I come here after work most of the time.” Keene gestured to the sofa while he took the armchair. “Also, I think Levi had the day off today so Jaden is probably at our place.”
“No worries, just glad I had the chance to talk to you and catch up.” I settled onto the sofa, where my butt sank into the seat. If I hadn’t straightened my posture, my knees would have been higher than my shoulders. I took out my notepad and set it on the coffee table.
Keene did not know what to do with himself. From the corner of my eye, he kept positioning his legs as if the armchair was too small for him. For a moment, his arms folded, then he dropped them and tapped his index finger rapidly on his knee.
“Don’t worry, this isn’t an interrogation. We’re just here to talk. Everyone’s dying to know what you’ve been up to.” I disregarded my notepad for a while and leaned back into the sofa to show him how casual this would be.
“Work mainly.” Keene relaxed his shoulders with a smile.
“Someone asked if there’re any adventures lined up? Any plans? College?”
“Oh no… err, I don’t know if you remember Levi mentioning the whole foster care thing. Yeah, we’re still aiming for that. We’re working our assess off and finding out all the information we can get our hands on.”
“It’s nice that you’re both still committed to it, but don’t mind me asking…” I trailed off as Clarissa came into the room with a tray. She set it down on the coffee table and sprint back to the kitchen. “Won’t the becoming of foster carers be in the way of other things?”
Keene followed my gaze to where Clarissa had been a second ago. He took a deep breath and shrugged. “That’s what I mean. We’re getting as much information so we know that this is what we want. It won’t be easy, given our… history shall I say, but we’ll see what happens.”
“That’s right, it’s never too late for a clean slate.” I smiled.
Keene nodded, and we turned our attention to Clarissa, who entered with a small mud cake. The store-bought cake still had remnants of the price peeled off when she set it on the coffee table. The tray had a pot of tea and teacups. Before things became awkward and we’d end up staring at her while she poured us tea and cut cake, I asked another question.
“Someone wanted to know, since your personality is so understanding and… content; what do you seek more in life, happiness or success?”
“Wow, err… that’s a big one.” Keene shared a look with Clarissa when she handed him a cup of tea. He balanced it on his lap and traced his thumb along the brim. “If you would’ve asked me years ago, I would’ve said success just to get out of the situation I was in… but right now, I’d choose happiness.
“I’m young and… in love. I’d choose happiness any day. Sure, I’ve been through a lot but I am grateful for where I am today, even if it’s being alive.”
Keene pulled his gaze away from me and looked at Clarissa. She sat next to me after handing me a cup of tea. She hid her glossy eyes behind her cup and stared back at him. I wanted to swoon at the moment but ended up clearing my throat because the tea had been too hot. Keene returned his gaze to me with a patient smile.
“What do you look for in a person? I’d say partner, but you have exceptional taste, but what about… people in general?”
“I guess someone who’s down to earth, caring, loyal, real, but not perfect. It would kind of be hypocritical to look for an ideal person. I’m not. I never was. Yet it’s worth looking for a person who you know you can count on.”
“Wow, Keene, you’re really making me tear up here,” Clarissa said, and got up to grab the box of tissues from across the room. “I didn’t realize this interview would’ve been this… emotional.”
“Me neither, but this guy has always had a way with words.” I chuckled and glanced at my notepad. “But Clarissa’s right, let’s shake this up a little. A would you rather… spend your night taking care of a drunk Levi, or a day with a pissed off Blake?”
“Both situations would be very amusing.” Keene laughed. “I think I’d choose Blake. There’s a way with him when he’s upset and I think I can handle him. With Levi… he’s just super annoying when he’s drunk. I live with him already.”
“That is true.” Clarissa nodded. “He got super drunk once and wouldn’t leave us alone, whining the entire time about missing Lana.”
Clarissa’s laugh died shortly after that. She must have realized what she had said, because Keene shifted oddly in the armchair. I looked down at my notes for any question that would have changed the subject. Yet half of the ones I planned would have made some sort of connection to Lana or the whole situation.
“Oh, I found this to be an interesting one.” I cleared my throat and read off my notepad. “What did you dream of being or doing as a child?”
“Wow, I don’t think anyone had asked me that before,” Keene said. “If things were different… if I had a different upbringing I would’ve loved to be a pilot.”
Keene relaxed into the armchair and gazed up at the ceiling. A reminiscing state took over him as he spoke. “See the world from up there. Being in a different place every day. It would’ve been peaceful.”
“I hope one day you’ll still be able to live that dream.” I finished my cup of tea and reached over for my slice of cake.
The rest of the afternoon, Keene and Clarissa spoke about their future. Sometimes he vaguely brought up the past but didn’t dwell on anything to disrupt the mood. Before I left, he wished me luck on who I’d be interviewing next.
