Greg smiled evily as he crept down the deck's stairs, peering over his shoulder at the seemingly still house; he has successfully tricked his mother. He claimed he didn't 'feel well' so he could skip Dream Street practice that afternoon. Lockign his door and installing a decoy in his bed, he slipped out the sliding door to the deck. He just needed to think some things through without any distractions.

Trecking through town was something that he thoroughly missed. Main Street was its busy self, exploding with cars, people and animals. Occasional honked screamed through the tranquil atmosphere, disrupting the balance of nature and technology. Greg's adidas sneakers smacked the gray grease-spotted sidewalk faintly, his lungs expanding with cool, spring air. Sun spilled on the lost lover, trying to help him find his way through the dust. His eyes whizzed past vibrant store displays until he stood stand-still at the corner by Aunt Mary's; his mind juggling the thought of stopping in for a bite.

The parlor was resting in its usual quiet state before school let out. Only one person occupied a familiar booth; Danielle. She was sitting there, more interested the article on Josh Harnett she was eyeing then finishing her slice of pepperoni pizza. Greg looked over at her curiously until Val called to him like an older sister.

"Ah," she said, her smile shimmering like the hope diamond. Greg was always welcomed here. "My man, the usual?"

"Yes," Greg replied, shooting a sweet smile back as he walked to Danielle's table. Danielle's head was a rocket, shooting up from its base at the article. She took a breath, a little startled by seeing Greg standing next to her.

"Greg," she smiled surprised, holding her hand strongly to her heart and laying down the 'TeenPeople' on the table. "Sorry, I was indulged in Josh Harnett."

"Mind if I sit?" Greg asked politely, motioning to the black empty bench that stood in front of her.

"Of course not," she replied as Greg slid in. He drummed his fingers on the table till Val brought out his pepper and olive pizza and a cup of Pepsi. He thanked her as she glided back to the counter. "How are you? I haven't seen you in a while..."

"Been busy," Greg sighed, cupping his Pepsi in his hands gently, watching the bubbles float from the abyss of the cup. "I haven't seen much of Railyn since I've been home either."

"Ahhh," Danielle nodded dramatically, her curly red tendrils bouncing up and down like well-oiled springs. She rested her arm on the back of the bench, her eyes scanning Greg as a sly smile slipped on her face. "Do you know how into you she is?"

Greg started to blush under the skin. "Really?"

"Duh!" Danielle shouted, chomping a steamy bite away from her slice. "Anyone with eyes can see that. And I bet you feel the same way."

"Yeah," Greg replied honestly, bubbily liquid surging into his mouth. They sat in a cloud of silence, devouring their italian treasures till Greg sliced through the air, "Can I ask you a question?"

"'Course," was Danielle's reply, dabbing lightly at smeared sauce hugging the corner of her mouth.

"What's wrong with Railyn?" he blurted, shoving his plate aside, not knowing if that was the right way to put it.

Danielle's mouth and fingers tightened like Greg's question was a wrench. "What did she tell you?" Danielle pryed, her eyes darting to her Mountain Dew and her fingers drawing circles on the table cloth.

"That she gets hurt easily," Greg admitted, dripping some lonley cheese from the paper plate hungrily into his trap to join the other delicious items in his stomach. "But it didn't seem...like, I don't think she told me the truth."

Danielle was brainstorming what to tell Greg as she tossed the napkin on her plate. It was hard to tell if Railyn was lying or not and he seemed to break the code somehow. Winds of trust misconstrued her brain waves. "Listen," Danielle started, leaning closer to him to assure no one heard, "She gave you the story about her parents dying in a fire, right?"

"Right," Greg replied, every second plunging him deeper and deeper into a strange pit of disarray.

"Well, I always told her to be truthful about to people, you know, let them make their own conclusions," Danielle started, pointing to herself. "But, that isn't how her parents died." Her eyes skipped to the window, then back at Greg. "I don't think it's right if I tell you. She trusts me, you know. You should find out from her. She'll tell you when the time's right, I know it. Besides, if you knew the truth, you would understand her dispositon."

Greg respects Danielle's devotion to Railyn, but none of this made sense to Greg. How could Railyn not trust him when she ran into his arms that stormy night? Did the darkness impair her judgement? Did she trust him at all? He leaned back, eyes laying lazily on the ground; his mental and physical strenght was draining out of him like a leaky faucet.

"Well," Danielle started, her heart feeling a little dark after pouring that shower of news on Greg. But what would he have done if he was in her place? Probably wished he was dead by the way Greg looked at Railyn. She took a quenching sip of her soda, trying to scruff away the lump forming in her throat. "The 2nd's the day, right?"

"Sure," Greg's mouth involuntery replied like a machine. "At 7, right?"

"That's right," Danielle replied with a smile, grazing Greg's hand. He shuttered out of his slump and looked up, his eyes hazed over. "She'll love it," Danielle whispered. Walking it town left Greg with more confusion, more unanswered questions than before.