I slammed the door. Tsubaki stared at me as I stared at the door. Why was he here? More importantly how did he know where I live? He knocked again. We heard him through the door.

"Come on Maka. Don't be like that. You're acting like a little kid."

I didn't want to listen to his voice anymore. I thought I would never have to see him again, yet here he is on my front step. I turned to leave, completely fed up.

"Don't you want your necklace?"

I froze and touched the place my necklace would normally lay. I had completely forgotten that I had never actually taken my necklace back. That stupid piece of jewelry was causing so much trouble.

"I can get it from him if you want," Tsubaki offered.

I shook my head. I had to face him, had to at least end this with me on top. I only prayed that he wouldn't make me take it off of him. I didn't think I could handle that again. I put my hand on the doorknob and slowly let it open. Soul was leaning on the doorframe, calmly waiting for me. He was wearing a simple long-sleeved black tee with dark red jeans. I hadn't really taken him in the first time I had seen him. My surprise anger had blinded me too much for that. But now that I saw him, I knew something was off about him. He looked tired. Really, really, tired. He must have drunk a lot more than I thought. He had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept at all, not even a simple knock out like Tsubaki. For a moment I felt pity for him, but squashed it almost immediately. I didn't want to talk to him. I didn't want him to talk to me. I just wanted my necklace, the only thing that brought us together in the first place. He had a lopsided grin on his face so I could only assume that he was about to cause trouble.

"To be honest, I almost lost this thing like three times. The clasp is really loose. Probably how you lost it before."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out my necklace. He held his hand out to me, my necklace resting in his palm. I waited.

"So, you want it or…?"

He held his hand out farther. I waited. There was a catch and I wanted him to spit it out and get it over with. I knew that if I went for it he would only snatch it away and tell me I had to do some ridiculous stunt. I waited.

"Ok, you obviously don't trust me and I get that. So, here's what I'll do."

He bent down and placed my necklace on the floor, never breaking eye contact with me. He took a little longer getting back up. He turned around and started walking away slowly towards the black motorcycle; his apparently. I noticed that the handlebars had streamers like a girl's bicycle and it struck me as odd that I did. He climbed on and kicked the bike into ignition.

"See you around Maka," he promised.

He backed out of the driveway, then roared down the street. I looked down at the jewelry at my feet. He really had left it here. I bent down, scooped it up quickly and slammed the door.

"Wow, that was unexpected," Tsubaki said looking out the window. "Did you see the way he acted?"

"No, all I saw was him being on my doorstep that he somehow knew the location of," I said.

"No, I mean, did you see how slowly he moved? It looked like he was sore or something," she said ignoring my statement.

Tsubaki had always had a knack for knowing when something was in pain. All a part of her big sister complex.

"I wonder what he did last night."

"Probably some girl," I blurted without thinking.

Tsubaki smirked at my bitter tone. I put the necklace on and watched it slip off again. So, he hadn't lied when he had said the clasp was loose. Couldn't it have been loose when I needed it to be yesterday?

"So, what are you going to do now?" Tsubaki asked.

I palmed the necklace and made my way back to the kitchen.

"Nothing," I said as I picked up my soda glass.

"Nothing?" Tsubaki repeated.

"Nothing. I have what I need from him, and there's nothing that he needs from me. He's officially out of my life forever now and that is just fine by me."

I took a sip from my cup.

"So, do you want to go get your car?"

Two weeks went by without incident. Liz and Patty left on a month long trip with their parents as a last hoorah before they left for college. Tsubaki's brother was keeping a tighter leash on her ever since we showed up still slightly hungover. My dad was leaving almost every other day with some girl who came to pick him up in a black mini-van which made me wonder if she had kids. If I didn't know better it would seem to me that he was serious about this one, but I knew that would never happen. All in all, it left me alone in the house a lot.

I was pretty sure I would be able to deal with it, but I had to eventually admit it. I was bored. I was going to have a pretty lonely summer if I had to face these monotonous days every week. I rearranged my room, cleaned the house, read a couple novels and still had time left over to surf the net for whatever caught my fancy. I couldn't do this. I lay in my bed staring at my ceiling in my quiet room. It was too quiet. I stood and went to my dresser and opened the top drawer.

My small collection of CD's lay there and I looked through them. A Top 20 album Liz got me for homework after she found out I didn't know about some pop artists she was talking about. Under that was a mixed album that Tsubaki and I made, but it was when we were 10 so it was full of really terrible choices. Beneath that, on the bottom, was a scream album my dad got me as a last minute birthday present. I'm pretty sure he didn't even look at what he was grabbing when he bought it. I've never actually listened to it.

'I need new music,' I thought to myself. It was almost noon. If I left for the store now, I'd be able to make it back by at the very latest 2. I grabbed my wallet, my phone, and the car keys. I'm sure my dad wouldn't be back home until later in the evening so I saw no reason that I couldn't use the car. I pulled out of the driveway and took off towards the expressway.

I passed the old abandoned house on the steep hill just before the exit. It's been there longer than I can remember. There are rumors that people live there still, but I can't imagine anyone living in such a broken looking building. Kids go up there every Halloween and they always get chased out by an 'ogre' or a 'ghost', it changes every year. They were all, of course, just crazy stories, but it did make me wonder how long that house would last before the city tore it down. My mind moved on elsewhere as I made it to the highway.

Half an hour later I emerged in the next town over. There was a store that was solely about music. They sold albums, instruments, sheet music, and recording equipment. I stepped through the sliding door, the cashier only glancing up at me from the guitar in his arms. It was empty inside and that was fine by me. I started walking down the many aisles of music selections.

I wasn't like Liz and Patty with their pop music. Sure, I'll listen to it, but it was mostly about partying anyway, and I was obviously not the partying type. Tsubaki's indie music was really sweet, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't even bother with my dad's album because I preferred the lyrics not to sound like a tortured animal and screamo just didn't do it for me.

I went into the languages section and picked up a Spanish album by some guy named Prince Royce. That didn't sound very Spanish. I went down the aisle and picked up another one that was by a man called Josh Groban. That sounded pretty much like basic English to me. I looked up to see what other genres were around me when the entrance doors slid open again. The large man at the register looked up as well and stopped plucking at his strings to say,

"Soul! I thought you weren't coming in today."

Soul walked up to the guy and fistbumped him. I dove behind a row of CD's, crouching on the floor. Did I have to worry about this guy for the rest of my life? What was he even doing here? I got here first!

"You know me. Hate home so I gotta get out," Soul was saying.

'I heard that,' I thought to myself then shook my head for thinking like the enemy. Soul continued.

"So, business a little slow today?"

"There was a girl in here a little while ago but I don't know where she went," the cashier said.

"Look at you. So immersed in your playing that you let customers slip right through your fingers," Soul joked.

"As if you don't know the feeling," the cashier joked back.

They went back and forth a little bit more. I slowly crawled to the next row of music. If I could make it the next three rows towards the exit I'd be home free.

"Well, I'm going to get to work alright," Soul said.

"Ok, sure thing," his friend replied.

He worked here? I heard footsteps. I breathed a sigh of relief. He had just stopped for a quick gab session. Maybe now he would go to the back stock room or wherever he went while he was here. I stood again. As soon as I did I heard piano music fill the space. It was gorgeous and I wondered who the artist was.

"Hey, you're still here!" Cashier said noticing my return.

I waved awkwardly.

"See Soul, I told you I had one!" he yelled behind me.

The piano playing stopped. I turned slowly around. Soul was sitting at a large piano, his hoodie up over his head. He raised his head up just enough to laser me with those red eyes of his.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Maka," He said smiling.

I didn't answer. I palmed a random album from the rack next to me and basically ran to cashier guy.

"This it?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

I looked around for something to keep my eyes on and off to the side I saw a flyer for the Beginning of Summer Fair. I tried getting my dad to take me a million times but failed. I've tried going with my friends but somehow our plans fell through year after year. I've never been brave enough to go by myself so I've never gone.

"Comes out to a solid $11," cashier said.

I paid him and while he was putting the cash in the drawer he noticed my staring.

"You've ever been?"

"Huh? Oh, no."

"No? You don't like fairs?"

"I do. I've just never had anyone to go with."

He prints out my receipt.

"Soul goes every year. He's cool, he'll take you."

"No, way," I deadpanned.

He ignored me and yelled over my head.

"Hey Soul! Take this chick to the fair with you when you go! She's never been!"

I wanted to smash his guitar over his head. I snatched my receipt and my album from him and made a beeline for the door. There was no way I was getting caught up with Soul again.

"Ooh, you got rejected," I heard cashier guy say.

"I know, that's so uncool," I heard Soul reply.

I stomped to my car digging my keys out of my pocket. I was leaving and never coming back. Next time I'd get a Pandora account. I heard footsteps running quickly behind me and didn't have to turn around to know that Soul was giving chase. I ran the rest of the way to the car. I unlocked the door and opened it a fraction only for it to be slammed shut by a pale hand snaking over my left shoulder. I didn't want to turn around. Didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me totally pissed off. Didn't want to see that little grin on his face.

"So," he said his breath tickling the back of my neck. "You're a fair virgin."

I decided I didn't want the shivers he just gave me more than not wanting to see him. I turned around and became increasingly aware of his close proximity.

"What time should I pick you up?"

"You're not," I said and tried pulling on the door handle. He held the door shut. He smiled at my feeble attempt and that only angered me more.

"So help me Soul I will scream if you don't back off," I threatened.

He put a horror struck face on and said in mock fright,

"Oh no! Don't scream. God forbid you scream at an empty parking lot." He leaned in closer. "It might get its feelings hurt."

I cursed myself for going to the one store that was facing away from the street on the slowest possible business day.

"Look, Maka. I think we can help each other out."

"What?"

The phrase rang a bell somewhere in my mind.

"I have your keys and you need these right?"

I looked down at the car's empty keyhole, then back up to Soul's hand. It was dangling my keys by his head.

"How?" I asked shocked that I had missed his thievery.

"I need a date to the fair."

Wait, I recognized this.

"This is where you come in."

Oh. My. God! This was the same way he had forced me to be his date the first time. Holding my possessions hostage until I gave in. I knew how that particular night ended and I didn't want to go for a repeat performance.

"I said no, now give me my keys!"

He only blinked and continued in his script.

"Really Maka, I thought you were smarter than this."

I pulled on the door handle and Soul let go. I got in the seat and slammed the door shut and locked it. But, I couldn't leave, he had my keys. I slammed my hands on the steering wheel. Why did he have to do this again? This is all the cashier's fault for even suggesting the idea. It's Soul's fault for being so darn persistent. It was the universe's fault for throwing us together even though I clearly didn't want to. I didn't want to. Suddenly, I had a plan. I opened the door. Soul was still standing by the car, clearly pleased with himself.

"Ok, I'll go. Now give me my keys."

He couldn't keep my keys like he had done before with my necklace for insurance. This had to work.

"I'll pick you up at seven," He smiled.

He handed me my keys and walked away back to the store. I jumped back in my car, started it, and pealed out of there; my tires squealing on the pavement. I didn't want to go to the fair with him. He was going to have a date all by himself in my driveway because he could show up, but that didn't mean I was going to come out.

I stopped at a red light and for the first time looked at my purchase. It said, "Sleeping with Sirens." How does one sleep with a siren? If anything, that would keep me awake. Or maybe they meant siren as in that mythological creature that sang and lulled men underwater to a murky death. That also wouldn't involve much sleeping, unless of course you meant permanently. I glanced at the genre sticker on it. Screamo. Yep, today was full of history repeating itself.

"He said he was going to pick me up at 7 today."

"I thought you hated him Maka. Why are you going out with him?" Tsubaki questioned.

She had gotten her phone back today and we were catching up.

"I'm not. I just said that to get him to leave me alone. Not like he can drag me out of the house."

"OH, makes sense. You had me worried there for a moment," she laughed.

"What do you think you dad will say when Soul shows up in half an hour?"

I stretched back on my bed sighing.

"I don't know. Frankly, I don't care. I just want Soul to get the picture that I don't want him anywhere near me."

"He doesn't strike me as the type to respect personal space."

"You mean like how Black Star did? You know carrying you all over the place," I chuckled.

"I regret nothing," Tsubaki swore. "Besides, I really liked him. He's one of those hot-headed, egotistical, obnoxious types."

"Since when are you into that type?"

"Since one of them was nice enough to not take advantage of me when I was in a vulnerable state."

We spent a while more talking about that night and what happened between her and the physical manifestation of her celestial body obsession.

"Just wait until Liz and Patty hear about this."

"I know, they'll flip out when they learn about my horrible misadventures," I agreed.

We had tried contacting the Thompson sisters many times but they never responded. Our assumption was that their parents took their phones from them. Again. It was nothing new to us.

"Yah, Liz would go a little nuts. You know how she is, always one for the dramatic flair," Tsubaki agreed.

"I know she…,"

A rumbling outside interrupted my train of thought. I scrambled off my bed and went to the window.

"Maka? You still there?"

"Tsubaki, he just showed up," I said quietly into the phone.

I watched as Soul stopped his bike in the street. If he expected me to run out of the house ecstatically then he had another thing coming. But, then I watched in horror as he came off his bike, and up to the doorstep and knocked.

"Uh oh," I mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Tsubaki asked.

"He's coming to the house."

"Well just ignore him."

"I would," I said exiting my room. "Except my dad's home."

I stuck my head around the stairs and peeked at the entrance. My dad was going to answer it. My nerves immediately jumped in a slight panic.

"Uh, Tsubaki, I'll call you later," I said and quietly hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.

My dad opened the door. Soul was wearing a plain red t-shirt, black jeans and Vans. The exact opposite of what he wore last time he showed up at my house. Now he didn't look like some manipulative creature that my dad could automatically distrust.

"Hello, can I help you?" my dad asked.

Soul threw on his killer smile. I almost fell down the stairs.

"Hi Mr. Albarn. I'm Soul Evans. Can you tell Maka I'm here?"

My dad was no match for such sorcery.

"Oh, sure."

They both looked up at the stairs and I barely ducked in time.

"Maka! Your friend Soul's here!"

My dad spoke to Soul and said, "So, you going out with my daughter tonight?"

"Yes, sir."

"Ok. Take care of her."

My dad then turned and passed the stairs and noticed me at the top.

"Hey Maka what are you doing dressed like that? Your date's here. Go change."

I stared at him dumbfounded. He looked back to Soul and said,

"Come in Soul. She might be a while."

This rolling stone just wouldn't stop. Soul followed my dad past the stairs and wiggled his fingers at me, grin in place. I gritted my teeth. What kind of father did I have? I wasn't going out anywhere and no one was going to make me. I went down the stairs and joined them in the kitchen still wearing my sweatpants with pride.

"What's the matter Maka?" Soul asked me innocently.

I frowned at him. My dad came out of the fridge with a soda can and he looked at me studying my expression.

"You don't want to go do you?" he asked.

I could've cried with relief. My dad did have a heart. I nodded my head and he shrugged.

"That's ok. You two can hang out here tonight."

I had to scrape my jaw off of the floor. There was no way he was serious. He looked to Soul.

"She's home alone so much. I'm glad you're around."

Soul leaned his elbows on the island, head in his hand, clearly pleased with himself. I looked outside the window.

"Maybe I wouldn't be home alone so much if you stopped leaving with soccer mom out there," I said jabbing my thumb in the direction of the black mini-van outside. My dad choked on his sip of soda.

"She's here?!" he exclaimed ignoring the rest of my comment.

He abandoned his soda can and ran towards the door yelling behind him,

"Take care you two!"

The door slammed shut leaving me and Soul in an awkward silence. I took my dad's can and placed it in the fridge. I closed the fridge and leaned against it. Soul was staring at me. All hints of a smile gone. His laser-like eye were pinning me in place.

"Does that happen often?" he asked.

"Yep," I said quietly.

I became acutely aware that I was alone with Soul in an empty silent house and that was not sitting well with me. It would be less awkward if I just went ahead and left with him. I sighed, defeated.

"Wait here. I'll be ready in a minute."

I walked away from him, back up the stairs.