Maka mumbled something in her sleep, rolling over onto her side right before her eyes shot open. "What's that sound?"

"A guitar." I said. "Technically a Fender Telecaster, but I don't wanna be that specific."

"Why are you in here?" Maka asked.

"This is a public room, Maka. Besides, I needed medical attention." I smiled.

"You don't look hurt." Maka said, and I lifted up my right pinky, showing her the band-aid. "Why didn't you cut your left pinky?"

"I need it to play guitar." I shrugged.

"How long have I been asleep?" Maka asked.

"A week. You have brain damage, and will never feel pain in your left leg again." I said gravely.

"What?"

"Kidding. An hour. Sorry about your head, by the way." I said.

"That was not funny! And how did you go from falling down to knocking me out in a few seconds?" Maka asked.

"I didn't wanna hurt you." I said.

Maka blushed. "Err, Riley, that sounds..."

"Oh. Oh! No, I mean, like, I didn't wanna hurt my friend." I said. "So, d'ya feel better?"

"Yeah. Where's Kylie? I hardly ever see one of you without the other." Maka said.

"She went with Patti for a tea party at Kid's." I said.

Maka nodded, then seemed to brace herself. "What happened to your father?"

"I told you."

"No, why did you say he didn't try to die alone?" Maka asked.

I sighed. "He drove a car off a bridge. I barely got out of the car with my life."

Maka was silent, then said "And here I was, thinking Papa wasn't a good father."

"It's the blood loss making her sound stupid." I said, beginning another song. "Just the blood loss."

Maka growled. "Maka Chop!"

"Dear god why?"

'Some say your troubled boy/Just because you like to destroy/ All the things that the idiots joy'

I hummed along to Franz Ferdinand as I walked into Kid's house (Rye had told me about them a year or two ago.) When I got to Patti's room, it was completely different than what I expected. Instead of a whole bunch of plush giraffes every girl (except Maka. Crona was there, though) was talking, and smiled when I walked in.

"Hey Kylie!" Patti said. "How's Maka?"

"Still unconscious. Rye said he was going to stay with her until she woke up, playing guitar." I said.

"That's a bit romantic, don'cha think?" Liz asked, painting her nails.

"Maybe." I shrugged, feeling a bit tired. I'm not used to walking, as odd as it sounds. "Hey Crona, not to be rude, but are you a guy or a girl?"

A couple of the people in the room's mouths fell open.

"I'm a girl." Crona said.

"Hm." I said. I wasn't about to let on that I had been proven wrong. "So, what are we going to talk about?"

"I wanna talk about-" Please, not giraffes "-boys." Patti said. "So, Tsubaki, do you like Black Star?"

"He's shorter than me, not to mention younger." Tsubaki said.

"He's gonna hit a growth spurt soon. I think every boy will." Liz said.

"Riley better not." Patti laughed. "He's freakin' tall!"

I shrugged. He was.

"How about you?" Tsubaki asked.

"You are aware that I'm not even a teenager yet?" I asked.

"How old are you, anyway?" Liz asked.

"Almost thirteen." I answered.

"You're almost a teen." Patti said. "Now, do you think any boys are cute?"

I thought about it (I didn't really have to; I knew I had a crush on a certain boy.) "Soul." I said finally.

A/N: Gasp! The plot thickens! I originally thought of Kylie being equal to or less than ten, but older than six. But that'd be pushing it. So congratulations, Kylie, you aged (at most) four years!

-MN1