"You can't trust him, Lizzie"
said an exasperated Lina
"Why not?" asked
Lizzie.
"Because I think he's up to something."
"Up
to what?"
"Oh Lizzie, won't you just listen to me?
I think he's behind the vandalism."
"Oh don't be
ridiculous, Lina. My Tick wouldn't do that! He cares
about me, he must care about the Emberites too!"
"But
you don't understand, Liz. He's just pretending."
"I'm
sorry Lina, but I just can't. He's my boyfriend."
"You
have another boyfriend?"
"Well, not exactly, but I think
he likes me and I really like him"
"Hasn't this happened
before? with Looper? HE was definitely a traitor!"
"Doesn't
mean Tick is one too! Are you trying to say I've got bad
taste?"
"No, Lizzie. Doon got proof and all I'm
trying to say is--"
"I don't care about what you're
trying to say! And you've got bad taste too! Doon isn't
that good either!"
Lina sighed. How was she ever going to convince Lizzie that Tick was probably behind the vandalism? And why did Lizzie think she liked Doon? And if she did like Doon, would that mean that she had bad taste in boys?
But all those thoughts began to diminish as she slowly made her way back to the disintegrating Pioneer hotel. She went into her room and grimaced at the stench of rotting wood and damp floorboards. "Mrs. Murdo! Are you home?"
Lizzie on the other hand, did not head for the Pioneer Hotel. She went out in the woods in search of Tick. She couldn't decide on whether to tell him about what Lina said. Who should she choose? Her friend? Or her boyfriend? She thought about how she liked Looper in Ember. She stopped in her tracks and thought that maybe she was making the wrong choice once more. "No," said Lizzie quietly to herself. "Tick is a good guy. He's a hero" After she had convinced herself enough (which didn't take quite long), she continued trudging her way to the woods, calling out Tick's name.