Page 17 of A Vicious Rumor

"You did?" She sounded a bit surprised.

"Yeah. Even went to the library to ask for help." I didn't know why I was suddenly pouring this secret out to her. Maybe it was because I knew she wouldn't judge me for it. It was a strange sensation.

She smiled just a bit. "I love the library."

I sighed and laid down on the grass. I could see her still looking out at the street from where I was laying down. "So, what was the most interesting thing you saw today?"

She turned her head to look at me. "You, of course."

I shook my head, brushing off her comment. "Nah. I'm not that interesting."

"Why are you here?" she asked me.

"'Cause my Dad's tired of me." It was out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

"I sort of doubt that," she said thoughtfully.

"You don't really know him," I replied.

"True," she replied. "What makes you say he's tired of you?"

I closed my eyes. "Sometimes you just know."

"I understand," Lily answered, and I believed her.

"Wanna get out of here?" I asked her.

"And go where?"

"Anywhere, nowhere, what's it matter?"

"Why were you looking for me?" she asked, not answering my question.

A cloud passed over us, momentarily casting us in a shadow. I raised my hand up to the sky and spread my fingers wide, trying to cover up the cloud with my palm.

"You were someone worth finding."

Her fingers wrapped around my wrist, and shivers ran up my spine. Her long hair slid against my arm as she pulled my wrist down. "You still have it," she said, referring to the bead on my bracelet.

"Yeah," I said sadly. "But it got cracked."

"May I?" she asked, tugging a bit at the leather band. "I'll give it back, I promise," she replied.

"I'll cut you a deal, Tiger Lily," I said, and she giggled at the nickname. "I'll loan you the bracelet, but only in exchange for your full name, address and phone number. That way I know how to chase you down for it."

"Fine," she said, leaving the bracelet on my wrist. "By the end of the night, you can give me your bracelet, and I'll tell you all those things."

"So, you're gonna spend the day with me?" I asked her, rolling over onto my side and propping myself up on my elbow.

"Were you going to give me a choice?" she replied.

I shook my head. "Smart girl."

6

LILY

I saw him at the top of the hill and locked eyes with him. He was just as I remembered him, except all grown up now. I supposed that maybe I looked that way, too. He stood there for a minute, and I was able to take all of him in. He looked tall, but not too tall, from this angle. His tanned skin reflected the sunlight, as did his black hair, which he left longer on the top than on the sides.

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