Chapter One

"Ephram! Phone!"

Ephram sighed and rolled sideways off his bed. He carefully closed his comic book, and then threw it in a pile on his bedside table. Kinda defeats the purpose of carefully closing it, doesn't it? He thought to himself, and sighed again.

"EPHRAM!" Dr. Brown, more commonly known as 'Dad' shouted up the hall.

"Got it!" Ephram walked over and picked up the extension 'Dad' had put in his room.

"Hello?"

"Moat?"

"Sam?" Ephram stood up straighter.

"Who else can call you Moat and get away with it?"

"The only reason you can is because I can't get you to stop." Despite his words, Ephram's voice was friendly, and he was smiling. In another second he'd make history and laugh.

"Shut up. You know you love it."

"Is there a reason for this phone call, or do you just enjoy bugging me?"

"I can't have both?"

Now, Ephram did laugh. He knew perfectly well that Sam could have whatever she wanted.

"What's the reason?"

"Businesslike are we? I'm coming for your birthday."

"Sam. My birthday isn't for another era."

"Momi doesn't know that. What Momi doesn't know can't hurt her. Oh, and if she calls, you're recovering from your suicide attempt quite nicely."

Ephram tossed the world out of orbit. In other words, he laughed. Hard. The third time in 5 minutes. Unthinkable.

"What was it? Pills? Razor blades? No, it can't be razor blades because if I come across her she'll check for scars. Pills, then?"

"Yep. Children's Motrin."

"I'm a sad, sad dude."

"That's what I'm sayin'."

"Do you need anything else? Besides to let me know that you're coming?"

"Duh."

"And?"

"DIRECTIONS!"

In twenty years you'll be able to tell your children you witnessed a miracle. Ephram Brown sat down against the wall and laughed good and hard for a solid 20 seconds. I wish I'd been there.

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Amy Abbot was walking down the hallway.

Her head was tilted. Her hair swung in back of her, occasionally annoying her by falling into her eyes.

Her head was full of thoughts, like it usually was. Thoughts of love, and misery. God, and fate. Destiny, and soul mates. And that algebra test next period.

"Amy!"

Amy swung around and looked for her caller. Oh. CallerS, she thought to herself as she saw the group of girls that had supposedly chorused her name.

"Hey." Amy put on her best smile. She added a hair flip. Killer.

"We've been calling you for centuries. You should get your ears checked." A new girl, a brunette, said. Her voice was smiling, and her eyes were happy to go along.

"Sorry. I was thinking. You know how I get when I'm thinking." Amy smiles again.

"Good thing that doesn't happen very often!" The brunette girl jokes.

You're bold, aren't you? Amy thought, eyeing the offender.

"Amy, are you all right?" The girl looks at her.

"Yeah, Aim, are you okay? You're staring at Mel."

Oh my God. Amy thought with shock, as recognition came to her at last. The brunette was indeed new. New in sixth grade, that is.

"I'm just a little……." Her voice falters as she suddenly see movement in the corner of her eye.

"Who's that?" Mel moved closer to the window.

"I dunno."

The girls fell silent as Amy watched Ephram wrap his arms around a redhead. She watched silently as the redhead wrapped her arms around him in return.

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Ephram walked towards the school. He wasn't thinking about much. That was unusual. Ephram was always thinking. He wasn't usually thinking the right things, but he was thinking none-the-less.

Now he was just being.

"MOAT!"

Ephram swung around in time to see a battered black jeep pull into the tiny school parking lot.

Now he was thinking. He thought about all the times he'd been with Sam. He thought of all those years in under a second. Then he vaulted over the small wall that was his only obstacle and walked quickly towards the jeep.

"Sam!" He grinned and grabbed the red head as she neared him.

"Geez, Moat. Sure know how to make a girl feel welcome!" she said as she put her arms around his neck.

"Happy Birthday, Ephram."

Ephram gave her one last squeeze and pulled away.

"I've got to puppy train you not to call me that."

"But it so fits you!" Sam laughed. She knew he loved it.

"Ephram! Hey!"

The two friends turned quickly.

Sam looked the tall blonde girl over, and gave her a healthy smile.

"Hello!" She chirped.

"Hi." The girl squirmed ever so subtly.

"Hey Amy," Ephram said a little too loudly, "'Sup?"

Amy shook her head and smiled. She was used to Ephram's ceaseless jokes. Even if she didn't get them.

"Nothing. Do you have notes for Algebra?" Amy's gaze flickered over Sam.

"Hi! I'm Sam, as Moat could have told you if he had manners. I gather you're Amy?"

"Yeah. Moat?"

Ephram cleared his throat.

"Nevermind her. She's the devil. Back to Algebra…. On second thought, no Algebra, I don't have notes."

Amy laughed.

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Amy looked at Sam.

She looked normal. Friendly, even.

How strange.