My day went by slowly, working with people gets annoying sometimes, especially those customers that have attitudes, but by that time I was already used to it. Finally though I went on my break. Being that I was assistant manager I had a longer break then the employees, I had more freedom in general. I stepped outside, closed my eyes and took a deep breath in, savoring the sweet air, letting it clear my mind.

"Samantha." someone said. I caught my breath and my eyes shot open. I recognized the voice.

"Hey."

"How ya doin'?" Danny asked.

"I'm...just dandy, how are you?"

"Good."

"Great."

"Yeah...so you work here?"

"Yeah I do."

"Oh, so you don't work at that pharmacy anymore?"

"Nope."

"Oh, I wanted to ask if you guys carry any tea." he said sarcastically.

I looked behind me at the store. "Hmm...no I don't think we do sorry." I said examining one of the mannequins we had set in the window. "What was with that tea thing anyways?"

He shrugged and his eyes went all over the place. "I um...was sick. I felt like having tea. I thought it would sound stupid if I asked.."

"Right."

He blushed a little apparently embarrassed.

"So what where you doing in the park the other night?" I asked. This conversation felt nothing short of uncomfortable.

Danny looked at me he hesitated his eyebrows furrowed momentarily, like he had no idea how I knew he was at the park. "I guess, just hangin' round. How- I mean- why were you there?"

"Oh Right, I bought a dog I was taking him for a walk."

"A dog. Nice. What kind?"

"A Siberian husky, he's a puppy. His name's Finn. He's the coolest, plus my little brother loves him. So yeah. I was walking my dog, Finn."

"Right, cool."

"So are you up to anything today...or...just, roaming around, town?"

He sort of laughed. "I'm, just, hanging out I guess.."

"You have a place here?"

"Uh yeah actually, I think I told you before, I rented an apartment on Plains Rd. With my friend Mike. He sort of had this idea to do research here or something. I donno he said something about this place not far from here that's historical or something."

"Oh, yeah? What's he do, I mean his job, like a historian?"

"Close, he's writing a history book or something, I'm not sure."

"Oh." sadly I was interested. It was an opportunity, I mean, we didn't get new guys in Birksville too often. Actually we very rarely did. I wanted to ask if his friend was single, but I knew it would be rude, since Danny and I weren't really friends and all.

Then as if he read my mind or something he asked. "Well if your not busy this evening Mike and I, were gonna go out, you could come. We'd probably be going out of town since there isn't much to do here."

I was about to say yes I'd love too, but I remembered how hard it would be to find a baby sitter for Alex, on such short notice, unless I could ask one of his friend's parents if he could stay the night. Only if Alex complied. Therefor I really didn't know what to tell Danny.

"Well, I would actually like to but, I have to take care of my brother, unless I find a way..."

"Yeah sure, I could give you my number and if you can come, call."

"Okay."

"You have a pen?" he asked with a smile.

"Mm..no I prefer you write in blood actually." I said fishing a pen out of my bag and handing it to him. I had to stop looking in his eyes, they gave me the butterflies in my stomach. Not that I liked him, it was just his eyes, they had that sort of effect on me.

He scribbled down numbers and then gave me back my pen and a small piece of paper with his number on it.

"You'll call?"

I nodded. "Mhhhmm.."

"Kay, then I'll see ya."

"Yeah, later." I stood there for a moment, trying to remember the last time I had gone out with friends. It must have been nearly a year ago, with my father around and all, it was hard to get out of the house without taking Alex with me. I was always to afraid he might hurt Al. My stomach growled and I snapped out of my reverie. I decided to head over to the deli down the block.

The mind is a funny thing, you could think a million thoughts a minute. So on my short walk to the deli all I kept thinking was, imagining having a boyfriend again. I was thinking what if this Mike guy was cool. The last boyfriend I had was two or three years before hand. I never really felt it missing in my life until that moment. I knocked the thought out of my mind. I'm not that lucky. Why do I think that suddenly everything in my life will be perfect? Don't get your hopes up sweety, it's not gonna work out that way.

After work was over I went by the elementary school to pick Alex up. I asked him if he wanted to stay over at any of his friend's houses that night, if he felt like it. He said not really but if I wanted him to then he would. I couldn't help but ruffle his hair. Sometimes he could be the perfect little boy. Sometimes he couldn't.. But I just couldn't tell him to sleep at a friend's I would have felt overwhelmingly guilty for it, after he was such a good kid about it and all. I decided it wasn't meant to be, and there would be other nights when I would be able to go out.

We got home and I started brewing up dinner, I felt like cooking, which I usually didn't have time to do, normally I just ordered pizza or heated something frozen. I figured Alex needed a good home meal once in awhile. And honestly I wasn't even that bad of a cook. At least Al didn't think so. Finn had a good taste of the meal too. He seemed to like the chicken a lot. At around five my mom called up. She usually called every other day or so, depending on her flight and schedules. It was weird, on one hand I felt like she cared about us and on the other I felt like she neglected us.

"Hi Samantha. How are you sweety?"

"I'm fine mom how are you?"

"I'm alright, how's Alex how's he doing in school?"

"He's fine, his teachers tell me he's doing good, that he's spirited and everything."

"Excellent! Did you two have dinner yet? Oh how's your job doing?"

"Yeah I just made chicken and rice for us, oh yeah mom I bought a dog don't worry we're sort of house training him, he's adorable. And, um, yeah my job's doing fine."

"A dog? Well, whatever makes you kids happy. Listen honey, would you like me to come home for the evening? I mean I've finished early here so I can take a flight back home, I'd be there in less then an hour."

"Really? Yeah I'd love for you to come, I'm sure Alex would too. He misses you."

"Great, then I'll see you soon. Tell Alex I'm coming."

"Sure. Are you gonna stay over night? Should I set a bed?"

"I'm not sure we'll see when I get there. Bye sweetheart. See you soon."

"Bye."

Then I hung up. "Alex! Mom's coming home!" I yelled down the hall.

"She is! Really? When? Awesome she can meet Finn! You just talked to her? Is she gonna stay!?"

"She'll be here in about an hour. I'm not sure if she's staying or not, but go get dressed, its too early for pajamas anyways. I'm gonna go take Finn out. Keep the door locked and don't answer it for anyone, I have the key."

"Okay. Didn't you take Finn out this morning though?"

I raised my eyebrows and said in a funny accent. "Do you pee once a day little boy? Well neither does he."

Alex giggled. "Now go get dressed young man" I said and lightly kicked his behind.

I found Finn sitting on my bed, I put his leash on, which was a difficult task with the puppy licking me like crazy. Then I stepped out and headed towards the same park I was at the night before and that morning. I figured if he kept going to the same place to do the same thing he would slowly understand the idea. He did pee in the house twice though already. Luckily not in very noticeable places.

Once we started walked my brain started going again. I was thinking. What if my mom stays with Alex for the night. And I go out. I wont be back late, so if she needs to leave...Are you kidding? Your mother comes home once maybe twice a month and you hardly see, let alone spend time with her. But I wanted to go so badly. Who knows when you'll get invited to go out again? It could two months, a year, who knows. Your not exactly the popular one in town. There's hardly anyone left in this town that's your age.

"Stop it." I said to myself. I'm not leaving mom with Alex, God knows if she can even handle kids anymore. I winced and regretted thinking that. After all she was the one who raised me, for the most part. She hadn't done that bad of a job in my opinion. When I got to the park Danny was sitting there again, it looked like he spotted me first though, this time he didn't walk away he came up to me and said hi.

"Hey, you're here again."

"Yeah, you too. So this is that puppy you bought?"

"Yup this is Finn." Danny bent down and pet Finn and then stood up again.

"So what do you do here, by yourself?" I asked, I honestly was curious.

He looked down at the floor almost as if in shame. "I sort of...like...write..stuff."

"Really? Like what?"

"Short stories, poems and...yeah stuff like that." he said he looked up and smiled he seemed embarrassed.

"Really? I mean, you? You don't look like.." I looked at him, the first time I saw him-again- in the summer he looked like a Mr. Popular sort of guy. He still did. Not that he was so trendy or anything, he just had that air about him, with his backwards caps and baggy jeans.

"Yeah I know, I don't look it, but, it's just something I do. I guess."

"Well, I think that's cool, really." he smiled at me. God those freakin' eyes!

I sighed like a stupid school girl or something, I don't think he noticed it though, luckily. I don't actually like him. Not at all. I knew it for a fact.

"Thanks. So are you gonna come with us tonight?" he asked, I was hoping he wouldn't.

I bit my bottom lip. "I'm not sure, my mom's flying in and she only comes like once a month or something, I mean I want to, I'm just not sure."

"Okay then, we'll probably be leaving at around seven, like I said call, either way it's cool."

"Cool. Sure."

He took a step back like he was about to leave.

"Oh yeah, this Mike guy, how old's he?" I blurted out.

Danny's eyes tried to read my face, he seemed puzzled. "He's nineteen."

"Oh okay, just, um, curious."

"Right, gotta go, bye."

"Uh yeah bye."

When I got back home I found my mom in the living room. "Boy your quick!" I said. I hadn't realized how long I spent in the park. She smiled at me while listening to Alex. My little brother hardly acknowledged me, he was rambling to my mother about school or something. I couldn't help but smile it almost felt like a normal home. My brother called Finn over, of course my mom refused to pet the dog but she didn't seem to mind him much either, as long as he wasn't to close. We sat in the living room awhile and chatted. It was already 6:30, if I was going to bring it up I had to bring it up right then.

I sat down next to my mother on the sofa. "Mom would you mind spending the evening just you and Alex?" I asked. She looked at me questioningly and then smiled.

"You have plans?"

"Not exactly, I mean I do but I can cancel them, it wouldn't be the end of the world or anything."

My mom looked at Alex for a few seconds then turned to me. "Will you lend me a pair of pajamas?"

I couldn't help but smile. It was actually happening, I was going to go out. And hopefully, have fun. I could hardly control my excitement. I hugged my mom. And ran off to my room.