I was a little thankful that Ana missed that last serve. Because even though she's been avoiding me, she screwed up and has to come with me because of a rule she made up. You see, when she messes up something, she just doesn't care about anything else that happens. "Because I already messed up, it can't get worse," she told me and Steve once. That rule helped with group projects. Steve and I weren't the best at those.

While taking her home, I drove down a dirt road to take the scenic route. The sky was full of gray clouds, but the headlights illuminated the trees and grass. We talked about grade school and laughed all the while. She told me stories about what crazy kids me and Steve and were that I'd forgotten. I hadn't realized she payed so much attention to the two of us.

"How do you remember all this?" I asked."I barely remember this!"

"Because I thought it'd be worth remembering," she replied.

"What, did you just file it away for later?" I joked. She laughed.

"You must remember something about me? Come on, embarrass me, I dare you."

"Well..." I thought about it for a long time before thinking of the perfect moment."In the first grade play rehearsal! Steve missed his cue so you tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and said,"What do you want?". Then you said,"It's your cue, Bozo!". Then you pushed him forward so he could say his line but accidentally did it too hard and pushed him off the stage!" I laughed remembering."You got a note sent home, remember?"

She was a little red, but replied with,"I also remember another boy laughing at me, so I pushed him off the stage too, just for the heck of it!"

"That really hurt, by the way!" I said.

"I know, I'm sorr-"

"Shhh," I hissed."Listen."

It was the song that we danced to in the sixth grade for music class playing on the radio. I grinned and looked over at Ana. She was shaking her head."No," she said."I won't do it." To make a point, I pulled over and got out of the car. I opened the passenger side and pulled her out too.

"Yes, you are," I said. I turned the volume up. I took her hand and began by twirling her around once. Now that we weren't twelve, we could dance a little more maturely.

The headlights lit up the ground as we danced around. She was having a good time, I could tell. When the song ended, we stopped moving and just watched each other. Ana's seventeen now, I thought vaguely, and so will I in about two months. How'd she go from the little six-year-old to this? Time really does fly. She went from a mere classmate to my school pal to one of my closest friends and now, I don't what we are. She's been avoiding me and I don't know why, but tonight was special. One missed serve made the rest of the night fall into place. Ana became more vulnerable, and I was able to make her feel better by taking her to a secret place and allowing her to remember the good times instead of the bad. In ways, she's still that little girl, but in others, she's not. She's no longer just a girl, now I see that Ana's special and heaven help me if I lose her again.

Thunder rang through the air as rain began to fall. I snapped out of my daze as me and Ana got back into the car. We drove the rest of the way to the West side in a blissful silence that could calm the beating heart.

I pulled into her drive way. Before letting her leave, I had to see if she'd tell me what's been going on with us the past month."Where's your mom?" I ask. There were no other cars in the drive way.

"My sister had a soccer tournament in Oklahoma City, so they're staying the night there. They'll be back tomorrow morning."

"Do you know who shouted at you during the game?" I ask.

"Yes," she replied.

"Who?"

"I can't tell you," she said.

"I'm not gonna beat the person up!" I said indignantly."I just want to know."

"I still can't tell you."

"Why not?" I asked.

She just shook her head.

"Okay then. Don't tell me who yelled, but will you at least tell me why you've been avoiding me?" I asked.

"I can't-I really want to! But I... Can't," Ana whimpered.

"Why?" I asked again."Is it your dad? Or anything else we talked about that night?"

"No... It's not because of you... It's because someone else told me... No, there's no way I can tell you remotely what happened without making it worse."

"Who told you something? Just tell me who."

She paused for a moment."The same person who yelled."

"That person called you a..."

"I know what she called me," Ana said softly."Soda, I've been avoiding you for a reason. You don't know what it is, but, trust me, it's the right reason. I'm sorry."

She got out of the car and ran into her house. I just sat there in shock. Make it worse? The right reason? What was the right reason? I got out of the car and walked through the rain to her front window. I looked through the cold glass. Ana was sitting on the floor sobbing. I'd never seen her cry this hard. She wasn't trying to stop it, either. She just cried. I should've gone in there. I should've made her tell me what was wrong. I should've comforted my friend. I should've gone in there. I didn't.