Part Three

I ran straight into the forest. When I thought she would be slumbering, I walked back to go 'sleep' under their house. I must have laid there all night and the next day, thinking about Bella's smile. When I finally noticed the rest of the world, it was twilight.

"Another day past," I said to myself, as though it were perfectly normal. I have never fit into the definition of normal.

I got out from under the house, and then began to wonder if Sam would want me back in her room after the past night. Late into the night, though, her light was still on. I climbed up to her window, and dropped into her room.

"Hello, again," I said, letting her recognize that I was in the room.

Sam appeared to be deep in thought. She didn't reply.

"Hello?" It was really quite annoying, not being able to know what she was thinking about.

"Oh. Hi." Sam snapped out of her thoughts. "Well, nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too."

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" she asked. I smiled. She evidently didn't realize that she had been practically interviewing me these past two nights.

"Wow, you asked my permission this time. I was under the impression that you would scream if I didn't answer. I appreciate it, nonetheless."

"No. I won't tell on you. I'm not four, you know. And the fact that my parents would hate me for lying helps your cause. My question was, what do you know about that CD you were looking at? Don't tell me that you just randomly looked at it; it was the song you were singing me."

"Why?"

"My mom sorta freaked out when she heard me humming it. She shrieked, and then wanted to know where I found the CD. I found it in the attic, in a box. The box had other things in it too, like two tickets and a really destroyed stereo for a car. You know, that song was played on the piano on the CD. And it was a homemade mix CD, too." I was stunned. She kept it. She somehow found it, and kept it. In her attic.

"You know, I think that was the longest you've ever gone without asking a question," I stated hoarsely, though Sam most likely wouldn't think it was rough at all. I was still wondering what to say. How was I going to answer that?

"Umm. Now that you have said you won't scream or say anything, can I say that I can't answer that?"

"I can change my mind! But all I wanted to know why my mom was sobbing."

"She hates me that much? She should've moved on by now," I whispered to myself. I knew that at such a low volume, Sam wouldn't be able to hear me.

"What's with the gloomy expression?"

"Nothing. Now, any more unanswerable inquiries?"

"No, I'm done now. Wait- one more." She looked down now, not meeting my eyes. "Did you only come back here because you thought I would tell my parents about you?"

"To answer truthfully? Yes. I'm sorry, I just couldn't risk your mom knowing me. She doesn't really like me." I knew it sounded ridiculous, but it was mostly true.

Sam just raised her eyebrows at me in skepticism. "Really? Nice try."

"Well, I had no better excuse. Sorry, not good with on the spot." At least, not with this. Although that was the truth, Bella really didn't like me.

"Will you come back?" Sam pleaded. "Even though you have no reason to? I promise not to speak a word about you, whether you come or not. It's just, you're fun to talk to- when I'm not asking you anything."

"Sure. Want to meet sometime other than the middle of the night? You should probably be getting some sleep."

"Okay. But, where?"

"How about La Bella Italia? Say, at five, and you can get dinner."

"Why not?"

"Goodbye, now. Try to rest." And I slunk out the window