No cars existed in the driveway, unless they were in the garage. He parked right in front where a tree stood in the way. The house was two stories, a light tan brick with a gray roof and the garage was connected. Sitting in the car for a second, he took in a deep breath as he thought once more about what he was going to do. He slipped the baseball cap off his slick dark brown hair and left it in the car between the seats.

Vesteva who was still inside in the living room sat there with Lee Lee in her lap, beginning to read a story. Her head was rested in her hand against the side of the couch, beginning to doze off to sleep. Lee Lee kept her awake though, bouncing up and down and shouting her name repeatedly. Ves kept letting out moans of boredom and tiredness, then trying to calm Lee down as she wrapped her arms around her little body. Her head began to wrap up in a headache but she didn't want to share that with her sister, she just wanted her to have a good time and not make her worried.

She was reading the story 'Goodnight Moon' to Lee in a low soft whisper while Lee laid her head against Vessie's shoulder. The two were immensely far apart in age, fourteen years to be exact, though the two bonded so close together. Their mother was gone so often that Vesteva has been taking care of Leehola since she was a baby. Changing her diapers when she needed it, making up in the middle of the night to soothe down her crying, help feed her at the dinner table.

When all was quiet the house range with the sound of the doorbell, disturbing all peace. Vesteva woke up abruptly, shaking Lee who was in her arms half way asleep. Turning her head around she brought the drapes back a pinch to see a man outside on the porch, rocking back and forth as he looked from side to side. She got up slowly, bringing Lee with her who was now asleep in her arms.

" Just a second!" she lightly yelled as she walked over to the front door.

She carried her sister into her forest looking room, placing her gently on the bed. Lee slightly woke up as she moved back and forth, flailing her legs about, trying to get the blanket over her. Vesteva helped, bring it up to her chin and then placing a light kiss on her cheek. The lights in the house were all off except for the one light in the living room where the two of them use to be.

She walked back over to the door and looked through the eye whole to see a face that she remembered exactly. The blue eyes stared straight back at her, the exact ones that hit her yesterday. She slid the chain lock out and then opened the door to see JC standing there with his hands in his pockets, looking as if he just slowed down from jumping around energetically. Vesteva's heart wanted to drop to the floor, and she wanted to slam the door right in his face. Why did he have to show up when she gave him a cold shoulder yesterday afternoon? He had no reasonable answer for being here, she didn't even know the guy. Her breath began to become heavier as he gave her a smile and a light wave of the hand doing a half circle.

" Uh, hi," was all Ves was able to squeak out. " What are you doing here?"

" You know, I was asking myself that same question while I was standing here on your steps." He chuckled while looking at the ground. Vesteva couldn't even squeeze a smile on herself from the comment as she stared right up at his face. His skin looked so smooth as the eyes just stood out as the attention of his face. The greatly noticeable jawbone stood out as the shadow hit against it on the left. " Can I come in?"

Vesteva just nodded as she placed her hair behind her ears, lowing her head to the ground, opening the door more wide. He nodded in response with his hands still in his pockets, walking slowly into the house and standing there when he was clear out of the way of the door closing. Vesteva stood there in green and blue plaid shorts and a white tank top with no socks. Her hair was scrambled about, laying down to mid arm. Her barely dressed body shivered when the light breeze hit her skin and she closed the door.

" You are going to have to be quiet, my sister is sleeping." Vesteva warned him. Clapping her hands together she nervously began straightening her fingers out while stumbling on her feet. JC turned around to face her, then she began to walk over to the pile of Barbie's that spread on all over the creamy colored carpet. " You can sit down on the couch if you want."

She got down on her knees as she started gathering the dolls in one arm. When she stood up to bring them into Leehola's room, pieces of loose clothing fell on the ground, along with little plastic accessories. Her small feet carried her as quick as she could, not noticing the objects falling from her grip. Seeing the bright pieces falling from her hands as she walked away, JC followed her, picking up them up off the ground and then trailing Vesteva close behind in the room.

The door with Minnie Mouse on it was half way closed. JC put his hand on the door as it squeaked open and he let himself in. He found Vesteva near the corner of the room where a large Barbie house sat on a plastic table. She was squatting down with her knees bent, placing the Barbie's carefully in the basket or in the rooms of the house.

" You dropped these," JC said, making Vesteva jump.

" Shh... my sister," Vesteva angrily whispered as she turned around and put her finger to her lips. "Thanks."

He turned his head, looking at each wall and finding the bed with the little girl in it. He walked over slowly and smiled as he saw her head barely sneaking out of the covers. Vesteva viewed up from the Barbi's, getting up from her position and standing next to him with her hands on her hips. Looking at her sister can just make her smile so easily.

" I'm guessing that's your sister," he whispered. Vesteva nodded silently. " What's her name?"

" Her name is Leehola, Lee for short. Now let's get out of here," She answered as she began to walk away.

When JC wouldn't budge for a second she put her hand on his forearm and slid it down to his hand. She pulled lightly and he quickly followed her directions. As they walked out, he closed the door quietly behind him and walked behind Vesteva back into the living room.

When they returned back into the living room, it now became pitch black outside with no sign of the suns colors. She sat down with one leg up on the couch and JC sat next to her, beginning to take off his jacket.

" Now I know why you volunteer at the hospital."

Vesteva gave out a large sigh as her eyes became wide and she looked away. Lying to someone she barely knew felt so wrong in her heart, though it seemed so right to cover up her embarrassment. Telling this man something so personal to her, she didn't even know if this guy was going to be here one day and gone the next. Just being in the same room made her very uneasy, she didn't know to act around him. It has been years since she's been in the same room as a guy, never even thinking about it, and here it is. Reality.

Two of them were left at the table with the quiet instrumental music played above in the speakers. Chris had left a slight earlier when he finished his dinner, leaving money for his meal. Abby sat there with her empty salad bowel pushed to the corner of the table, sipping her ice cold water that she needed a refill on. Justin tapped his fingers on the white table cloth, making a drumming noise that could be heard miles away in the silence of the atmosphere. Abby opened up her purse and pulled out an almost new pack of cigarrettes and placed them on the table. While she kept fishing through her purse to find something, Justin winced. It was all her could do to keep from grabbing the pack and throwing it across the room. Beginning to take her check book out of her small purse that sat on the table, she placed it on the table and opened it to the next available check.

" Now how much do you estimate it? I dented mostly the whole front of the car...," Abby dragged down while she wrote Justin Timberlake down for the payment to, and the date.

" You know, I got this. You don't have to pay anything," he generously offered, putting his hands in his lap. Abby gaped at him in awkward state of confusion.

" I can't let you do that, Justin."

" No really. I understand that with your standard of living, and you said yourself on the phone it would be hard for you to pay it, that I can cover all of it. Pretend that nothing happened," he smiled to himself.

Thinking that he was doing a great job at making a first impression, Abby slammed her pen down at his words, scooping her check book back into her purse. She angrily grabbed her cigarteers and pushed her wooden seat backwards while she stood up with both hands pressed hard against the table. Those words hit her like a tons of bricks, nailing right towards her heart. For someone she barely knew to say something like that about her way of living just flourished her body and brought her attention that famous people were just like she thought. All self centered and thought that money was everything in their lives. She could see right through him that first day he flared at her at the wreck.

Justin stayed still, opening his mouth as he became dumbfounded at her actions. There was in no way a reason for her to be exploding like this, he just offered to let her off the hook about paying.

" In my life, I have never met anyone as... as uncultivated, or as selfish as you!" She shouted grabbing people's attention throughout the restaurant. " You know, I gave you a chance to change. But to say something as low as that..." She shook her head slowly side to side as tears began to brim her eyes.

She wanted to throw herself onto the floor and scream out loud, or disengage her anger. But she sheltered her feelings inside by beginning to walk away. Eyes glanced, burning holes through Justin's skin as he put his head down from the inconsiderate words that have never hit him face to face. She speeded up to a light jog, almost tripping over the stairs, covering up her face to hide the redness.

Justin then stood up from his seat as he called her name out loud, but she ignored it like he never had met him. That's what came over her, wishing that she was paying more attention more to the road and they would have never crossed paths yesterday, and this never would have happened. Her breath increased becoming heavier as she pushed people's shoulders out of the way with her small body, shattering into the glass doors where she took off in a long run. Her legs carried her as fast as she could until she heard the sound of a person following behind her, repeatedly calling out her name. She shook her head back and forth, trying to gain energy, pushing her legs as hard as they could. Abby's purse went flying in every direction possible.

Becoming tired and weak, she started to slow down three blocks farther and she could feel that Justin was closely behind her. When she reached a stop sign, she felt like falling over into the grass and just lay there in the darkness like she was lifeless. Her anger wash out of her body, and she could just be alone.

She bent over and put her hands on her knees, breathing unexceptionally fast with her heart feeling like it was going to jump out of her chest. Heaving breathing was coming close behind her with the footsteps of a man jogging. Justin saw her standing there in a terrible position, wanting to help but didn't know how to show it. She looked back and she saw the shadow of his face in the moonlight, cringing her face and lowering it back down. Looking to see if any cars were coming, she held on to her hip from the aching pain and continued to trot across. Justin followed and cuffed his hand around her small arm.

" Don't you dare touch me!" She yelled, jerking her arm back into her possession.

She continued to cross the street, then stopping under the street light where she could see the glow on his face with saddened eyes. Abby couldn't come up with sorrow for this man while staring up at him straight in the eyes.

" Not only did you say that I was unstable but now you are stalking me? Is there anything else you want to add to the list since you are doing so well?" Abby yelled while tossing her arms in the air, stepping closer to his body.

" I... I never meant it in that way," he stumbled over his words, combing his fingers through his curly hair.

" Yeah? Well that's how it came out. Too late to erase the past now, Justin. I'll tell you what, for the money for the damages, just go to Vesteva and she can tell me. I don't want to hear your annoying voice or see your ugly face again." She lowered her voice to a whisper, hoping that he is now indulging in the pain that he put towards her. She never meant what she was saying but she didn't want to tell him that.

His eyes scrunched up, beaming in her direction as she turned her body away and resumed walking back home. In the distance you can hear the cries and screams from the school football game. Justin stood there under the spotlight of the street light with his hands down to his sides. Not knowing where to turn to, he watched Abby disappear in the darkness. He stood there looking in all directions at the unknown neighborhood, then turned around and sluggishly dragged his feet back to the hotel.

It was nearing seven thirty as JC and Vesteva sat on the couch together in the silence. They both had no idea on how to start a conversation between the two of them. They squirmed in their spots while the light from the stars and moon hit the living room creating some sort of light. Vesteva was looking around the room until she stood up and began to walk to the door. She crossed her arms and rubbed them from the coldness. " Maybe you should leave now," Ves said, putting her hand on the doorknob.

" Wait..., why? Have I done something?" JC said, standing up and walking towards her.

" Listen, you don't want to get involved with a girl like me so I better stay away before anything happens. Just go, please?" she announced, opening the door. She couldn't bare looking at his face, knowing those blue eyes were going to stare back down on her confusingly.

JC nodded his head uncontrollably, up and down as he patted his leather jacket pockets. The sound of Lee Lee interrupted the moment, calling out Vessie's name. Stepping out into the darkness, he walked through the open door that was held for him, seeing his car that was parked out front. Before he took the first step down the porch he turned around to see the slamming of the front door in his face. he could still hear the cries of her little sister while the name rang throughout his ears. In the window in the front his last look of her before he left was her running into the living room, closing the curtains.

Running to her sister's room she slowed down as she reached the door, then peering inside to the dimness, seeing her sister laying there with her eyes opened. Turning on the lights her sister reached out for her, holding her hands up for just one hug. Seeing her sister just wanted to make her cry but she didn't know why. She tried keeping it in but tears couldn't help but run down her face.

As she stepped over to her sisters bed, she knelt down besides it and wrapped her cold arms around her small body. Lee Lee wrapped her hands around her neck and didn't want to let go. She felt that tear from Vesteva that fell onto her shoulder.

Without unwrapping her hands she turned her face so her mouth came right to Vesteva's ear, " Vessie, why are you crying?"

With a sniff or two Vesteva released her arms and looked at her sisters blue eyes that she always wanted and tossed her head from side to side in a no manner. Clearing her eyes with her hand she nestled Lee back down with her head to the pillow. As she backed away, her sister didn't move an inch until Ves turned the light back off and was ready to shut the door behind her.

" Vessie?"

" Yeah?" She called coming back into the room.

" Will you stay with me for the night?" Her little voice echoed in the room. Vesteva hit her head against the wall silently and nodded.

" I'll be right there."

She left the door open just slightly, then ran up the stairs quickly to her room. It was painted light purple with furniture that she painted herself. Her tote bag was settled on the floor, all shriveled up from the rain, having the corners roll up. As she got a book to read and a pony tail holder, it sat right beside the dresser. In curiosity, she bent down to flip over the top and see her notebook sticking out. The metal binding wasn't shining like it use to. The picture of her and Abby from Abby's graduation that she printed out on the computer could barely be recognizable.

Staring at just that picture that stuck out it then hit her. All that writing in the thick five subject notebook that's she's been carrying around the past year, erased. She could just picture herself sitting back outside against the hospital building, listening to the rain fall like the sound of a type writer as it hit her bag. Then, she didn't even think about covering it with her body, just the tense feelings being around those two men, one who which came over unexpectedly for no reason.

Her breath became to worsen. Then, ripping the notebook out of the pocket, listening to the wires scratch across the material, she laid it down on the floor and eyed it. The words cut out from magazines looked like they were torn from a newspaper and glued on there. The colors were all faded, nothing was readable, the pictures you couldn't recognize anyone, and that was just the cover. Her hand shook when reaching out to turn the cover over.

November 13, 1997 was the first date written on there but it ran down the page as if the date was completely erased. All the feelings, the hate, the happiness that was written down the past years were completely gone from existence. The book acted as if her way to get away, who she always came to when there was a problem, when she wanted to cry. It was like a best friend, never an enemy because if you told you something private, it would never say anything back.

While turning the pages, Vesteva glanced at the black smudges that now filled the 300 some pages. In and out she breathed but it was impossible to keep it regular. Her head began to pound, wrinkling her face to keep her sobbing to herself. It was too difficult though with her sensitive heart, tears started to glide down her face in an emotional outfit. Turning the pages faster one by one, never could she find one page that was saved from the water. With anger now built inside her, knowing that she could have kept this from happening, she gripped the book into her hands. A tear fell from her cheek down to the book, but nothing could show because of how much damage. She took it in both hands and tried tearing it down the center. A small rip became in the center but she was unsuccessful. Instead, she opened it to the middle to see the month of June at the top with an unknown date. Extracting the pages out few by few, white crumbled pages were being scrambled about in her room.

Her skin became red, and when she was finished she was gasping out for air. If she haven't had heard her sister call her name in a loud shout, she never would have gotten off that floor in that second. Trying to clear away her face before entering her sisters room, her shirt became a slight bit doused with salty tears. Forgetting her materials upstairs, Vesteva decided not to run back upstairs because she was already out of breath.

She walked back into Lee Lee's room where she arose at the sight of Vesteva. She walked over to the bed and laid down beside her, keeping her body on top of the blankets while Lee's were inside them. She looked down and smiled at her in the dark, knowing that even though she couldn't see her, she was smiling right back.