How many more time do you think I could have fit the phrase "out with Kit" in that last bit? He he he. Glad I left you guys on that uplifting note. Wonder what happens? Read on and REVIEW if you want more.

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"But why won't you part your branches above Seatyn?" Dusk was creeping up, and Nita was thoroughly exasperated.

"Why should I? What has Seatyn ever done to help me, besides take all of my nutrients?" Yunna, whom which Nita was currently arguing with replied angrily in Speech.

"But don't you understand?!" Nita burst out. "Seatyn won't take as many nutrients if you part your branches!"

"Well...." mused Yunna, "Seatyn won't take my nutrients?"

"I'm not giving up all my nutrients!" interrupted Seatyn.

Nita threw up her hands and stormed over to Kit, who was in a heated discussion with an ash tree named Frax.

Kit sighed and turned to Nita. "Any luck?" she asked him.

"Does it look like it?" Kit asked sourly. Nita knew better than to take it personally.

"Me either. I finally get Yunna to at least consider parting her branches over Seatyn, but she wants Seatyn to leave all the nutrients for her, and Seatyn doesn't want too."

"Well," started Kit, "Frax here thinks Gwed messed up his leaf pattern, but Gwen says she never did. Frax got mad, and grabbed Gwen's roots and won't let go until she stops dropping her leaves on his leaf pattern. However, not only does Gwen insist that she hasn't messed up the pattern, she's dropping leaves faster because Frax is cutting off some of her water supply."

"At least we got Heneal and Juden's problem solved." They had been arguing over territories, and each stated the other was crowding them. Nita and Kit finally managed to get them to agree at about 5:00 P.M. That was two and a half hours ago.

"Look, it's getting dark. We're both exhausted. Let's go home. We'll come back tomorrow, and keep at these fellows."

"We haven't even started hackling Infrew." Infrew was another that was blocking Seatyn's sunlight, though he complained that Seatyn took more than her share of water.

"Let's deal with Yunna first." Kit sighed again. "Come on. let's go home."

***

A few seconds and a loud pop! later, Nita walked into her living room and collapsed into an armchair. Her mother and father were sitting on the couch with each other, watching a movie.

"Are you hungry, honey? I kept you a plate in the microwave. There's chicken, rice, and green beans."

"Thanks," said Nita, "I'm exhausted and famished. I didn't eat much lunch." Nita dragged herself out of the chair and headed towards the kitchen. She was almost there when her mother called out, "Oh, honey, I forgot. Louis called earlier."

Nita stopped dead and her tracks, blood draining from her face. Why had he called? She asked, "What did you tell him?"

Nita's mother looked surprised at the tone in Nita's voice, "Why, just that you were here because you were out with Kit—"

"Oh, no." moaned Nita.

"What's wrong, dear?" Nita mother sounded concerned.

"I told Louis we were going down to my aunt's this weekend, and that's why I couldn't do anything with him."

"It's never a good idea to lie." her mother reproached.

"Well, what could I have told him, Mom?" Nita demanded, not as angry as she was upset at herself, "That I'm really one the wizards—who actually do exist— who is working frantically to slow down the universe's eventual death, and must spend my weekend arguing with trees over their territorial rights?"

"She has a point there." Nita's father spoke up for the first time.

"I know, but..." Nita's mother trailed off.

"Oh, what I'm I going to do?" asked Nita. "He's going to want to know why I lied to him.... I don't want to lie more but I can't exactly tell him the truth... I could tell him our plans changed and we didn't end up going there because something came up for my aunt... But how do I explain going with Kit, rather than calling him? Oh, forget it! I'll think of this later. I'm hungry, and I'm eating now. Let me go drown my problems in food."

"I'm sorry." Nita's mother apologized, as Nita made her way into the kitchen. "I didn't know. You have to tell me these things."

***

Nita devoured her late dinner, thoughts running rampant through her head.

Oh, what do I tell him? He's sure to ask. What if he thinks I'm cheating on him with Kit? How do I explain this?

Nita knew she couldn't tell him the truth just yet. What could she say? Hmm... Perhaps... perhaps she could tell him the bit about her aunt having something come up, and their plans changed. But what if he asked why she didn't call him and tell him, and why she was with Kit? Maybe.... maybe she could tell him that Kit had a problem, a personal problem she wouldn't share with Louis, and called. She could say Kit asked her to come with him, and he needed help, so we went with him. Since she already canceled plans with Louis (or rather, didn't schedule any to begin with), then she didn't worry about Louis.

It was a weak story, but better then none at all. And there was a little truth to it. Kit did have a problem— the trees. It just happened to be her problem, too.

***

For the first time in over a week, it was silent during lunch. Nita was even more exhausted— Sunday had gone worse than Saturday. After school, it was back to the trees. She was dreading blowing Louis off after school.

Louis, on the other hand, was full of energy. Angry, nervous energy. He planned on confronting Nita. He had spent all weekend with his thoughts and emotions like a ball on a ping pong table. Half the time, he was convinced Nita had a good, worthwhile explanation. The other half, he feared the worse: Nita had actually lied to him on several occasions. She and Kit weren't "just friends", Nita never intended to go to her aunts, but lied to go out with Kit.

Ten minutes into lunch, Louis interrupted the silence with, "What were you doing Saturday?"

Nita took a deep breath. "I was with Kit."

"You lied to me. You said you were going to your aunt's."

"Not intentionally." Or at least willingly. "Something came up at my aunt's, and our plans got canceled."

Please leave it at that, Louis. Please.

"Why didn't you call and tell me? You still could have came over."

"Kit called. He had a problem and needed help. He's still my best friend. Since I hadn't planned anything with you, I didn't figured it would matter."

Louis paused, thoughtful, "What was wrong?"

"It's personal." Nita said shortly.

"How personal?"

Nita looked at him, disgusted. "What do you mean by that?"

"There's nothing going on between you?"

Nita was further appalled. "No. No! Would you get off that?" Her rising voice attracted a few curious on-lookers, no doubt searching for gossip. She lowered her voice and continued, "I can't believe you would even suggest that. Have I not stressed 'just friends' enough?"

Nita's voice radiated anger as she added, "There is nothing going on between me and Kit, there will probably never be, now leave it alone."

Louis was quiet for a moment, and finally said, "Okay."

And that was that. Their first fight was over, each a little worse for it.

Nita was steamed that Louis even suggested that she was cheating on him with Kit. Louis was now a bit more suspicious, not nearly as trusting of Nita as he was before today, or at least Saturday.

***

"I'd just as soon blast them with Gordon's Lock, and leave it at that." Nita was only half-joking.

"I'd love to, but tree power is older and while slower, it's still stronger than ours. They'd eventually break free, and then they'd hate us and each other." Kit would have rather agreed with Nita.

"I know. Still, one can dream...." Nita smiled tiredly, and trailed off.

"This one would like to be dreaming now." Kit expressed.

"Amen to that."

By 11:00 P.M. Tuesday night, Kit and Nita were fed up, and ready to pass out. For the past two afternoons, they'd arrived at the trees at 4:00, and not left for six or seven hours. They were getting no where.

"I still have Chem homework." Nita complained.

"Bio and a two page World History paper. I'm going to be up until after 1:00, if I don't pass out over the keyboard. Same time tomorrow?"

"Yes." Nita groan, then snapped up with a realization and cried out angrily, "Crap!"

"What?" Kit was alarmed by the sudden outburst.

"I have plans with Louis tomorrow afternoon. He's already upset because of what happened Saturday. I'll have to cancel." Nita rubbed her forehead.

"What happened Saturday?" Kit asked, concerned.

"I told him I couldn't do anything with him this weekend because I was going to my aunt's."

"Your aunt lives in Ireland."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" Nita said sarcastically, saluting. "I know this, he doesn't. I planned on swinging by Annie's so it wouldn't be a complete lie, but I was exhausted. Anyway, apparently he called to tell me something on Saturday. Mom answered the phone, and said I was out with you. Needless to say, it... didn't settle well. We did settle it, somewhat, but I'm not sure how... secure he is with me right now."

"Not good. What're you going to tell him?" Kit wasn't sure what to say. How do you console a girl who has boyfriend problems? Heck if he knew. He figured agreeing with her was safest answers.

"Well, I told him that the reason I was out with you was because you had a problem— I just didn't tell him that it was stubborn trees. I guess I'll tell him that you need my help again and postpone our plans for later."

"What were you going to do? Anything that could be postponed only until that evening?"

"We were going to watch Moulin Rouge at his house... we could do that in the evening... but won't we still be here?" Nita's voice was hopeful for the opposite.

"We could leave earlier, 6:00 or 7:00. I know I could use a break, and I'm sure you could. Wadda ya say?"

"I say that's the best idea I've heard in awhile."

"I am so glad you agreed. If we can't get these ligneous and pertinacious— see I do know a few big words— plants to yield a little, we can haggle twice as hard on Thursday to make up for it."

Nita smiled. "But now, let's go home."