I walked out of choir quickly, not saying a word. Rin was waiting for me at the door of the school. He'd started doing that ever since our visit to Mephisto.

I kept walking without looking at him. He stopped, and I ran right into him.

He turned around. "What's wrong?"

"Mmm…" I muttered, pushing past him.

"Hold on a second!" He grabbed my hand. "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk," I whispered.

"Why not?" he pressed.

"Izumo…she said she hated my voice and that I shouldn't talk," I muttered.

Rin frowned. "Why does that matter? Just because she said that doesn't mean you should listen to her."

Later, Aria visited me.

"So, I hear there's a big dance coming up at the school," she said, sitting down on the bed.

"Yukio tell you?" I asked, curled up on Rin's bed. He was at the dojo.

"Yeah…" she replied. "He and Shiemi are going together. Rin asked you, didn't he?"

"Yeah," I said, smiling a little.

"Well, just make sure he's not playing you," she said, leaning in. "Guys do that sometimes. Ever heard of a pity date?"

I looked down, suddenly unsure. Was that possible? Could it be?

Later, when Rin returned, I couldn't keep my worry to myself.

"Rin… something's been bothering me," I said quietly.

"What?" he asked, looking concerned.

"You didn't… ask me to the dance out of… pity, did you?"

"You… you thought you were a pity date?" he asked softly.

"I… am I?" I murmured. "I'd just like to know."

Rin shook his head. "I wouldn't even be going to that dance if you hadn't wanted to go so bad," he replied.

I reached over and hugged him.

Xxx

Why would she even think that I'd make her a pity date? Rin wondered. Does she not trust that I'm trying to be a real friend? He'd thought about asking Fujimoto for advice about Lia, but he couldn't bear how everyone seemed to avoid talking about her.

He sat up, looking at Lia, who'd fallen asleep on his bed. That's when he realized. The reason this wasn't working wasn't because of what she thought—it was because of the way he'd been acting.

She shared everything with him: what scared her, what made her cry, what made her laugh. And he listened, tried to keep up, but he told her nothing about himself.

When they were younger, he'd talked all the time about martial arts because she was so interested and always asked questions. But now… had she lost interest?

Suddenly, he felt a pang of fear. "Did you lose interest, Lia?" he whispered without meaning to.

He watched her face, hoping she wouldn't wake up, but she did.

Xxx

"Honestly, Rin, if you're going to be up this early, could you at least keep it down—ah… what's wrong?" I asked, noticing his troubled expression. "Did you have a nightmare or something?"

"You never ask me anything anymore," he said simply.

"Huh?" I replied, taken aback.

"Oh, whatever, it's stupid," Rin muttered, lying back down.

"Oh no, you don't!" I said, sliding out of bed and crouching beside the futon. "Tell me what's going on."

"It's stupid!" he exclaimed, making me jump. "You talk about yourself all the time, and I never tell you anything!"

"You're just scared," I said calmly. "You have trust issues."

"Did your therapist tell you that?" he snapped.

"What?" I asked, hurt. "Do you… think I'm crazy too? Is that why you're scared to talk to me?"

"No, Lia, I didn't mean that," he said, regret flashing in his eyes.

I turned toward the door. "Goodnight, Rin. And since I'm probably going to America in the morning, goodbye."

Maybe she's right, Rin thought, his heart sinking. Maybe I have thought of her as the 'crazy girl'… But that was before I really knew her. And if she went to Mephisto to get permission to leave, he'd punish her. And it would be his fault.

He sprang to his feet, chasing after me. "Lia!"

"What's going on?" Shura flicked on a light in the living room just as Rin caught up to me. "A lover's quarrel?"

"Shut up!" Rin and I said in unison.

"Where are you going?" Rin asked, blocking the door.

"The Order's headquarters," I replied. "I need to get permission to leave, one way or another."

"Don't be an idiot," Rin said. "The last person who asked Mephisto for permission to leave got maimed. You're staying right here.

"I'm not staying where everyone thinks I'm crazy," I said, anger bubbling up. "If I wanted that, I'd go back to the institution."

"Let her go if she wants to leave, Rin," Shura said with a shrug.

"No," Rin said firmly. "She doesn't really want to go."

"Yes, I do!" I insisted.

"Fine, then," Rin said, exasperated. "All those times you defended me to Mephisto, I never asked you to. But now, the one thing I ask from you, and you won't give it to me!"

"And what is that?" I replied sharply.

"For you to stay," Rin said, his voice softer. "Listen… if I thought you were crazy… I wouldn't have let you close to me. I don't trust just anyone."

I was stunned into silence. "Then why don't you talk to me?" I added, noticing Shura was still lingering nearby. "And Shura, please—this isn't for your novels."

She laughed, but eventually walked off, leaving us alone.

"You were right. I was scared," Rin said quietly. "But it wasn't because of trust issues. It was because I… didn't want you to think…"

"You're afraid I'd look down on you," I murmured, finally understanding. "Rin, I've admired you since I was a little girl. How could I ever look down on you? When you want to talk, I'm here to listen. And I'll ask questions again, if that's what it takes to help you open up. Now, can we go to bed? I have an English test tomorrow."

To my surprise, Rin took my hand and gently led me back to the bed, almost like I was a little kid.

Sometimes it amazed me how he could be so… gentle. No one treated me that way. And no one had smiled at me before I fell asleep—not since my parents in America.

I wondered if I could call them..