Ana was spending another lazy afternoon with Kenneth on the rooftop.

She had been sitting back in a bright orange lawn chair and flipping through a magazine.

The weather was starting to heat up and she became grateful that for the past two weeks or so the wind had picked up and carried that awful scent of rotting flesh away.

But her mind wasn't on the zombies...she had been talking back and forth between Kenneth for the past few hours or so and seemed to be enjoying herself.

But by mid afternoon Tucker had walked up and asked Kenneth if he wanted to play another game of Hollywood squares with Andy.

Ana laughed and excused herself and headed downstairs.

Inside the mall seemed warmer and more at home to her now.

Monica, Norma, and Ana had taken candles and beautiful silk fabric to hang around the middle of the mall where they ate and relaxed.

The more time that passed Ana became closer and closer with the mall and the others...for the time being this was their home and they were safe.

She then walked towards Reflex sports and followed the sounds of laughing.

Once she reached the store she saw Terry and Nicole.

Terry was standing on a skateboard and was doing what looked like tiny flips with his feet.

Nicole sat in the floor with her headphones around her neck and giggled as he smiled back.

Ana watched them for a minute and then turned the other way since they didn't seem to notice her and she knew they were sharing a moment together.

She smiled and walked inside the Bath and Body shop.

She loved buying soaps and candles...in fact her house used to be jammed packed with anything that burned and gave off a sweet flowered or candy scent.

"Much better then the rotting smell up on the rooftop." She thought and then walked over to a table and picked up a body splash and sprayed her chest with it and smiled.

She turned the plastic bottle over and saw it candy apple spice.

She smiled and rubbed it against her chest and then moved further towards the back.

She picked up a bottle of cream and turned it over and saw it was pineapple, she put some on her bare arms and rubbed it in.

"I must smell like a tossed salad." She thought and smiled.

Just then she looked out the front window and saw Michael walking beside Steve (of all people) both seemed to be getting along for once and even talking.

She smiled and slowly walked towards the front of the store and watched them head over towards the fountain.

Both had coffees in their hands and sat next to each other and talked and Steve put his feet up and leaned back...dipping his free hand in the cool water that dripped down.

Ana giggled to herself and thought it was kind of funny that they were talking...and even getting along.

She then slowly left the store and almost just like she did when she was a little kid playing freeze tag...she crept forward and hid on the other side of the fountain where they couldn't see her.

She knew she was acting stupid and it wasn't nice to ease drop...but she was bord with herself and had nothing better to do.

Then her ears picked up on what they were saying, Steve's sharp voice and Michael's soft smooth one.

"Monica is a great lay...but nothing special." She heard Steve say.

"Asshole," she thought to herself.

"Then why do you keep on sleeping with her?"

"Hell! I need to find something to stick it in...and my hand just doesn't do it."

"Nice...real nice Steve." She heard Michael and smiled knowing he was rolling his eyes.

"I like a girl who doesn't give it up that easy...kind of acts like a prick like me, but when it comes down to getting what we want...I'm the best thing she ever laid eyes on."

Steve stressed the word "Laid," when he said his tiny speech and the sound of him taking a gulp from his coffee filled the air.

"Sound like you got it all worked out..."

"Please, if we're the only ones in arm's reach I guess it's going to have to be Nicole."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah...I mean come on look what we have, Nicole who seems to be a cherry and only wants that punk Terry to take care of that."

"Norma..." Steve didn't Finnish and kept on laughing.

"Luda I haven't seen that much and she's going to be a Mom...so no thanks."

"And then Ana..."

Ana stopped and tried to get closer to hear what he was saying over the running water.

"Big tits...nice ass, hell I don't even know what's stopping me! We could play doctor together!"

Steve's loud and nerve biting laughs filled the mall and Ana felt disgusted.

"Don't talk that way about Ana." She heard Michael say in a firm voice.

Steve's laughs went down a little

"What's wrong...she looks like a nice screw, I mean she's a girl...I'm a guy."

"I don't think she's about to jump your bones...she isn't that type of girl."

"What? You tried all ready?"

Ana made tiny fists and wanted to jump over and rip his fucking head off then.

"Your a real jerk Steve..."

Michael then stood up.

"Ana's smart, beautiful, and has respect for herself...so don't go talking that way about her like she was some kind of slut."

"Hey! Easy down buddy...I was just kidding."

"Yeah I'm sure..."

Michael's footsteps then started away and Ana watched him walk away as Steve muttered something under his breath and kept drinking his coffee.

Ana felt hurt inside...but deep down she was happy Michael stood up for her.

Very slowly she walked away and tried to find him.

A few minuets later she found him in the bookstore laying back on one of the couches with his eyes shut.

Ana watched him for a minute and smiled.

"Hi Michael..."

He opened his eyes and smiled.

"Hi Ana...thought you were on the roof with the others."

"I was...but they started my favorite game."

Michael smiled

Ana then looked at him and walked over and sat on the edge of the couch.

Both looked at each other and Ana then smiled.

"Thanks...."

Michael smiled but looked confused

"For what?"

"For being my friend..."

Both didn't say anything and Michael smiled and then shifted and swung his legs over and stood up.

He looked down at her and both couldn't find the words.

"Wish I could be more..." He said in such a low voice she almost didn't catch it, so soft he must have been thinking out loud.

His eyes seemed lost and just then Ana knew it dawned on him what he just said...but before he could react Terry came running in laughing with Nicole, pulling Michael away.

"Michael come look at Monica and Norma...their trying to stand on a skateboard."

They both were cracking up and Michael snapped away from her eyes and looked at them and smiled.

"Come on Ana!"

Ana smiled and got up and they all rushed over to sporting good's store.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with laughs as they all took turns on the skateboard and fell off.

Nicole brought out her camera and even took a few photos.

Everyone was having a great time and Nicole even took a photo of Ana and Michael standing together, Michael put his arms around her waist and Nicole caught them laughing.

She then took all the photos that had spit out and walked to one of the tables for them to develop.

Everyone laughed and Ana seemed to forget what happened...but each time she looked into Michael's eyes she knew their was a possible future for them and maybe...just maybe it could work.