Prior to California's taps running dry, Alyssa was not a fan of Kelton. However, when circumstances throw the pair together, their relationship evolves and an unlikely friendship is forged.
The fact that Alyssa does not initially like Kelton can be seen in her unwillingness to let him help her with the ice and the fact that, in her opinion, Kelton is in "far too many" of her classes at school.
I would argue that a first moment when we see a growing friendship between Alyssa and Kelton is when Kelton goes to help when Alyssa and Garrett are working on their condensation trap. Kelton shares his water and his knowledge with Alyssa and realizes that as Alyssa's friend, he needs to help the siblings think positively.
I realize it's my job to be the optimist here—which isn't a role I’m used to, but in difficult times, you gotta be flexible.
By stepping out of his comfort zone to help Alyssa and her brother feel better, Kelton is being a real friend to her. He goes on to provide a possible explanation for why their parents are not answering their phones.
It could be a system overload. Cellular frequencies get jammed in densely populated situations.
In this scene, we see Kelton acting less like a know-it-all neighbor and more like a friend.
Another clear showcase of the friendship that Alyssa and Kelton develop is when Kelton jumps to her rescue when Dalton insists that she spit on him again and presses himself up against her in a grotesque attempt to steal the moisture from her lips. Kelton's response is to protect his friend by threatening to shoot Dalton.
I didn't want to have to pull out my gun, but the second that creep got too close to Alyssa, it's like some protective instinct kicked in. Now my Ruger is pointed right at his head.
In answering this question, you could explain that introducing a gun into any argument creates risk for all parties, and Kelton could easily have just taken off and left Alyssa to deal with her parched and somewhat demonic adversary. However, in a display of friendship, he pulls out his gun and calculates that he will have to shoot Dalton in the head to ensure that he doesn't accidentally shoot Alyssa at the same time.
While Kelton has always shown himself to be helpful and to have a soft spot for Alyssa, she had no time for him prior to the tap out. The fact that she is allowing herself to accept help from him shows not only a desperate situation, but also a growing friendship.
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