When Nita saw the hurt look in Louis's eyes, she began to regret her accusation. She had a complete guilt complex when he stated,

"Most attractive girls have dates lined up for miles."

"Oh, crap." Nita moaned, trying to suppress the blush leaving a crimson pathway on her face. He was complimenting her, and all she could do was accuse him of thinking she was a slut. Great going, Nita. she scolded herself, and turned back to Louis.

"I'm sorry. I've been out of this for awhile. I guess I can't even recognize a compliment when it's staring me in the face."

Louis had a question look on his face. "Why don't you have dates lined up for miles?"

"You are always blunt." Nita commented, remembering their conversation from the day before. Louis shrugged in an I-told-you-so way, and his eye bore her to tell.

"You've only gone to Hempstead High for five days. Apparently, this isn't long enough to get all the past gossip about me, in light of... recent events. I was always the 'smart kid', the bookworm, class nerd, take your pick of names— I was the one no one really liked. Until I was thirteen, I used to get beat up on a regular basis. I was an easy target, though I've been through hours of jujitsu, because I never saw the point in fighting back. It was usually a troupe of them against me, and the only affect of fighting back were harder punches next time. They don't bother me anymore." Nita added, catching Louis's look. Silently, Nita thought, Physically anyway.

"What happened? Why not?" Louis wanted to know.

Nita didn't want to— and really couldn't— tell him. "They stopped in high school. I guess they just kinda lost interest." That's part of the truth, anyway.

They hadn't bothered her in high school, and they had lost interest, but only because Nita had used a shield wizardry to protect herself, and had scared the whole group off. However, that couldn't really be told to Louis.

Nita continued, "Even in high school, I wasn't popular, accepted. I am still talked about nearly constantly, and made fun of more often. But, at least now there's Kit—"

"Who?" asked Louis instantly, and, thought Nita, a bit worriedly.

"Kit. The one... The one I kissed in math." Nita blushed a deep crimson. "My best friend. I met him in my 8th grade year, and we've been really close since."

"You're only friends?" Louis interrogated.

"Yes." Nita was tired of that question.

"Then why... In your math class... Why you kiss him?" Louis demanded.

If Nita turned any redder, she could have been weighted and sold in the produce aisle with the tomatoes. "Oh, that. Yeah, see, I was sick of people talking for no reason..." Nita preceded to tell him the whole thing, the teasing about Kit and Nita dating and sleeping together— Nita blushed when she said this, and assured him that neither had ever happened.

Nita marveled at how easy Louis was to talk, and talk honestly, to.

"Nothing doing on between you?" Louis felt the need to reassure.

"Nothing. Ever." Nita confirmed.

Louis sighed in relief, and polished off the last piece of pineapple and ham pizza.

"Oh, la la! Ç'est fantasqiue, ça!" Louis exclaimed, quoted their easily excited French teacher.

"Qui! Qui! Ç'est chouette ca!" Nita agreed laughing.

/Ç'est ca-that is, fantasquie-fantastic, chouette-awesome/

"I suppose we should go. We told your parents I'd have you home by 10:30." Louis stated.

"I suppose, if we must. What time is it, anyway?" Nita inquired, as she and Louis rose and paid.

"10:05." Louis laughed at the disbelief on Nita's face as they walked out the door, and headed in the direction of Nita's house. "Time flies when you're having fun, huh?"

"It does." Nita agreed.

"I that that to mean you had a good time?"

Nita nodded. "I had a fabulous time. You were right. I do need to get out more. I've been... stressed lately, and haven't done much purely for fun."

"What was the matter? Anything you want to talk about?" Louis's voice was caring.

Nita started to shake her head, but stopped. In honesty, she was touched he had the heart and insight to ask. Of course, she couldn't tell him everything, since part of it involved wizardry, but part she could. "School. People in general. And.... and my mother. She... she has brain cancer."

"I'm so sorry."

Nita nodded, with a sad, but thankful, smile. "A year ago, she was diagnosed, and, after surgery, when into remission. She had a relapse in the spring. I was terrified. She's in remission again now, thankfully." Nita paused, her eyes tearing before she added softly, "But they don't think it will last."

They had reached Nita's house. Louis stopped in her driveway and brushed a tear off of Nita's cheek. "Your parents are going to hate me if you leave our date crying." he joked.

Nita laughed through her tears, and said, "Thank you. For taking me out— I really did have a good time— and for listening."

"Anytime." Louis said, giving her a quick hug. He paused, still close to her, and for a moment, Nita thought he was going to kiss her. But then, a shadow passed over Louis's face, and he pulled back.

"See you at school Monday?" Louis asked.

"Yes. Bye."

"Bye." Louis squeezed her hand, and turned to walk away.

***

Nita lay in bed, smiling, think of Louis.

He really is a lot of fun to be around . Nita thought.

It was a fun walk home after school the day before. They'd talked about school, about their lives, their plans for Friday. She'd pointed the direction of his house out, and he apparently found his way okay. They ate lunch together again on Friday, and he'd picked her up at 7:00. The movie was awful, but she still had fun. She never would have thrown popcorn at strangers, or gotten in a popcorn fight with strangers, before tonight.

And Louis was right. Pineapple and ham pizza was the best pizza ever created, though she wouldn't have given it a second thought either, before tonight. Louis had the ability to get her to loosen up a bit. He was also extremely easy to talk to, as well as compassionate.

Nita thought of a joke she'd heard on the radio once.

"How many of the world's honest, hardworking, caring, intelligent men does it take to wash the dishes?" and the answer: "Both of them." (A/N: Sorry guys!)

Nita decided Louis had to be once of those two men. She was over the idea that he was just interested in her for sex, though she still add an sneaking suspicion that he had some type of agenda or ulterior motive.

Suddenly, she sat up, remembering the two times he'd said what her exact thoughts were. Had he overheard them? Was he a wizard? 1

Nita jumped up and grabbed her manual. She flipped to the directory.

Nita wondered briefly if she knew his last name, if she'd ever heard it. Then she he'd said it at the pizza place.

She looked up "D" She scanned past a list of Davis's, Dailey's, Daniel's, Deaton's, and Dennis's. She got to Depew. Then Depoister. The next name was Derixson. There was no Depore between them.

Louis wasn't a wizard. This was a relief, in a way. Nita put away her manual and lay back.

Her thought drifted to Louis yet again. Nita thought about the seconds after he'd hugged her. What was that look on his face about? She was nearly positive he was going to kiss her, then suddenly, he changed his mind for some reason. What could the reason be? Had he not had as good of a time as he had let on? Did he really not like her? At least "like that"? She'd had a great couple of days, she and Louis had become pretty good friends, as good as friends you could become in a couple of days. Perhaps he had changed his mind and was just interested in friendship?

Nita sighed and pulled a sheet over her head, attempting to push this line of thinking out of her head , in hope of getting some sleep. Despite her trying, it was still quite some time before Nita finally drifted out of consciousness.

— — —

1 The italics on "Is he a wizard?" are not necessarily direct thoughts, however, the whole sentance is stressed.