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Chapter Thirty: You Don't Know Me


Becky walked across the lawn, her fist clutched around the locket. I let the seat belt slide back into it's socket and climbed out of the car. She was almost to the sidewalk as I moved around the nose of the car. On the porch, Bradley and Bruce were standing just outside the door, Bruce holding onto Scooby Doo, who struggled to follow after Becky as she stepped onto the sidewalk, her eyes boring into me.

She shook her fist, the locket danced beneath it. "Where did you find this?"

"It was in my bed," I said. "It probably fell off when we... you know." Becky stared down at the locket. "I figured it was probably really important to you, I saw it had your mom's picture in it."

Becky nodded.

"I just wanted to return it. I found it when I got home from Ellen."

Becky looked up at me. "How could you do that? Put me on the spot like that?" she asked.

"I didn't know how else to make you listen to what I had to say," I said quietly.

"I didn't want to hear what you had to say," she answered.

"But I had to say it," I said.

Becky put the necklace on, tucking it behind her shirt. She folded her arms across her chest. "Everyone in Los Angeles saw that. My Dad saw it. Bradley saw it. Donnie Wahlberg saw it. Everyone saw it." She shook her head, "It was humiliating."

"I'm sorry." I hadn't even thought of that aspect of going public like that. I hung my head. Again with the only thinking of myself, I thought. At least it was getting easier to apologize for it.

Becky sighed, "My dad and Bradley think I should give you a second chance," she said.

"They do?" I looked up.

"Yeah," she said, "They do."

I all but stopped breathing, not daring to moving or interrupt the balance of whatever it was that was shifting to make that even a possibility. Alternate universe maybe? Had I stepped through a green pipe and landed in an another world like Mario? I waited. Then, whe several long, breathless moments had passed, I whispered, "What do you think?"

She hesitated. "My dad asked me if I was in love with Nate or with you. I asked him what he meant and he asked if it was about your name or your black hair and glasses and the things you'd told me about 'Nate' or if it was the person that made me laugh and who ate breakfast with us and kept me company at the Oasis in the mornings, the person I debated with over my geekdoms with."

My heart slowed in anticipation.

"And I realized he was right. It really had nothing to do with 'Nate' or the things you told me about yourself, it was about who you were on the inside and the things you said that couldn't have been lies." She paused. "But I still don't know how to trust you."

"I can earn it back," I whispered. "I'll do anything."

"Anything?" Becky asked.

I nodded.

"Then pretend you don't know me." She paused, then she turned and walked back to the house, climbed the steps, and went inside. Bruce stared after her, then looked out at me with a questioning expression on his face. I shrugged. Bradley went inside after Becky. Bruce hesitated, glancing between the door and me, and then finally stepped inside and the door closed behind him. I climbed into my car and drove home, completely confused.

When I got home, I signed onto WOW to see if she'd sent me a message or unfriended me or anything. But she still hadn't been online. I sighed and went to get a drink, my mind still reeling over what the hell she could've meant. Had it been a command to leave her alone? Or was it an invitation to reintroduce myself? Had she expecte me to follow her into the house or to knock on the door? Was I supposed to show up at the Fresh Oasis and maybe try to order a medium again?

I went upstairs and set my alarm clock so I wouldn't forget to set it later so I'd be up in time to go to the Oasis first thing in the morning.

When I got downstairs, my computer was blinking.

I looked.

I had a message from Princess Neryls.

[PrincessNeryls] says: AFK as usual i see
[PrincessNeryls] says: how would u feel about a rondezvous?

I sat down at the computer, my heart racing.

[NatetheGreat] says: Are you a granny porn model?
[PrincessNeryls] says: Do you have a problem with that?
[NatetheGreat] says: granny porn is sexy
[PrincessNeryls] says: so theres this smoothie shop on central...
[NatetheGreat] says: fresh oasis
[PrincessNeryls] says: go there tomorrow around lunch
[PrincessNeryls] says: I'll be there.
[NatetheGreat] says: How will I know its you?
[NatetheGreat] says: besides the fact that you're obviously world famous for your granny porn
[PrincessNeryls] says: you'll know.
[PrincessNeryls has logged out.]