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  The silence was awkward so I asked, “So have you been to this brunch place, Staufferman's, with June before?”

  She shook her head with a sly grin and said, “I've only known the girl for seven days, you silly bird.”

  I grinned at her slang and nodded and said in a mock thoughtful tone, “So, I've been friends with her for twice as long as you, that makes you the tag along.”

  She stuck her tongue out at me cutely as she crinkled her nose. Wow! Wait, what just happened? I feel like she just won. I smiled at her antics. Then we both leaned to look out the window at the wonders of New York City. It reminded me a lot of Seattle, but it was huge! I really haven't been anywhere except the Seattle area my entire life so New York was new and exciting to me. I smiled, wondering what mom would think of this. I really wish she would get out more.

  I murmured, “I've gotta get out there to explore.” The blonde haired angel with that cute strip of pink hair was nodding absently beside me.

  We arrived at our stop and disembarked from the bus then looked around. I heard her say, “Hmm...” and I echoed it, “Hmm...”

  She snorted and shot me a dazzling grin. I looked down at her and she was pulling up her cell. She pointed south! “That way!” Then she paused and comically turned one hundred and eighty degrees and pointed the other way and said sheepishly. “Umm... that way!”

  I couldn't stop chuckling at her, that damn smile of hers was infectious. A block later we wound up at Staufferman's Buffet. June was leaning against the building when we arrived. “Bout time you slackers.”

  I rolled my eyes at the woman and said, “Not all of us are blessed with our own transportation JW.”

  She laughed evilly and replied, “Well all you had to do was ask for a ride. I swear freshmen would forget their own heads in the morning if they weren't attached. Good thing too or we'd have like all theses headless frosh in class and people would be all, 'hey, he's got no head' and their friends would say...”

  A giggling Sammie broke her off. “Point made oh wise-ass one. We'll ask for a ride next time.”

  June nodded once in satisfaction and said, “Good, that's more like it Hank. Now let's brunch it up. I have ol' Willie, Kat, and Marie is in there holding us a table, this place is insanely busy on Sunday.”

  We joined the rest of our motley crew inside. I have to say, in an odd way, William is the exact sort of guy I would imagine for June. With her looks, her brains, and her humor, she has half the student body drooling over her. William reminds me of the scarecrow from the Wizard of OZ or even more apt, Shaggy from Scooby Doo. But he is intelligent and funny. June puts more weight on the personality than any other aspect of people. I respect her immensely for that.

  I got distracted when I slid into the booth seat beside Sam. I caught her scent again, gawd it was so... I don't know. There were three of us on this side of the booth, Kat, Sammie, and myself. Quarters were tight and my leg was touching Sam's. Just this simple contact was causing butterflies to well up in my stomach. Crap, I'm smiling again.

  I snapped my eyes across the table when someone was saying my name. June had a lopsided smile on her face. She and William had already stood with their plates. With the plate under her arm, she signed as she spoke, “Earth to the AJ. You gonna let the rest out to the buffet or what? Oh, and you might want to breathe.” She wandered off giggling something about the frosh.

  I blushed profusely and grabbed my plate and slid out of the booth, oh, and the breathing thing was good advice. I don't know how long I had been holding my breath. I whispered “Sorry.” Back to Sam and Kat. Sammie looked as embarrassed as me, but Kathleen and Marie were grinning from ear to ear. What are they smiling about?

  It was easy to see why this place was so popular, I must have gone up for thirds. I wasn't alone.

  We all just discussed life, hope, dreams, fears, the future. We were a tight knit group already with the school year just starting. I was afraid that Kat might be treated as an outsider since she was the only one in the group not attending the Academy. I didn't need to worry one bit. She fit in perfectly and has a wicked sense of humor. I was noticing a pattern. June surrounded herself with amazing people. I found myself wondering how I rated to be in their company.

  More often than not I got distracted by the feisty blonde one beside me. June kept tilting her head and looking at us as though she were contemplating something.

  I had to laugh, each one of Sammie's stories started with a different aunt or uncle. She had already shared with us that she didn't really have any real aunts or uncles, except maybe her Aunt Bobbie, she still wasn't sure about that one, but she loved them all as if they were. It was such a Sam thing to say.

  At one point, a guy accidentally bumped into another man near our table. The other guy was twice the first guy's size and got verbally abusive and pushed the first man. I started to stand. Nobody has the right to bully anyone! But a soft, warm hand on mine caused me to pause. I looked over to see Sammie with an almost pleading look on her face as the manager materialized and quickly diffused the situation and asked the larger man to leave, giving him a couple free meal vouchers for a future visit. She whispered, “You can't save everyone.”

  I squinted at Sam, why did she hold me back? Nobody should get away with bullying. Then she leaned in and whispered in my ear, “If the bloody Academy finds out you had been fighting they'd kick you to the curb. I've sort of... gotten used to having you around... and it would be a shame if you weren't there anymore. Besides, I saw the manager reacting as fast as you.”

  I could feel a blush burning on my face. What was wrong with me? She only said she'd gotten used to me. I nodded and replied quietly, “Sorry, I just have a thing against any form of bullying.” I hissed internally, remembering the stories of mother's attack from so long ago. It is the main reason I learned Aikido.

  She smiled and the butterflies started up again. What the hell did I find so... so... Sam, about her? I've dated plenty of guys and gals, but I've never been this nervous around a girl before. I felt like running really fast in tiny circles when I was around her.

  Before she moved back and continued eating while looking around the table at everyone she whispered, “And I love that fact about you.” Why were they all staring at us, smiling?

  At one point, Marie asked Samantha if it would be OK if she asked Brent out. Sam just grinned ear to ear and said, “See? Cute! I have no problem with it.” Was that the boy she had danced with the other night?

  After the meal, June offered us a ride back to campus after we all bid Kat and Marie goodbye. I looked down the street to see Central Park peeking between the buildings a block away, teasing me. I smiled and said, “Thanks June, but I think I might get in a little tourist action. I've never really been away from the Seattle area before and this looks like an adventure just waiting to happen here.”

  Sammie looped her arm in mine and said, “That sounds like fun, mind if I tag along? I've been to New York a few times when my moms were on tour, but I was young and don't remember much.”

  I just nodded, speech was beyond me at the moment as heat spread from our contact. June gave us a sly smile and a wink and said, “OK ladies, I'll see you back in the trenches tomorrow then.”

  We gave her hugs and bid Will farewell and the giddy blondie attached to my arm asked, “This is brill Abs, where to first?”

  Her face lit up as I said, “Ummm... Central Park?”

  Chapter 7 – New York

  We walked to the park, I was afraid to say anything or she might let go of my arm so we walked in silence. She finally glanced at me and asked, “You're so quiet, was I too presumptuous in inviting myself? I act like a bloody git sometimes.”

  Crap. I didn't mean to make her feel like that. I blurted out, “No. No, it's fine. I'm just thinking. I really enjoy hanging out with you. You are easy to talk to. I'm just not really good at the social arts.”

  She giggled and said cutely, “Oh, the social arts is it? Well, I think you do j
ust fine and I personally find you fascinating, and not just because your mother happens to be my favorite artist of all time.” I couldn't stop my smile.

  She stopped me on the sidewalk after we had crossed over to the park. Her sketchpad was up and her pencil was flying across the paper. She smiled shyly at me. “Mom described her first impressions of Central Park to me once. About the impossibility of it in the middle of the concrete jungle. I totally didn't get exactly what she was trying to tell me until this moment. Just look at it.”

  She pointed behind us at the city and she breathed out in wonder as she continued, “All the motion and bustle, it is almost a physical manifestation of chaos and anxiety. But it also holds excitement and wonder.” Her smile caused mine to grow bigger as she swung around to the park and said, “Then you have the serenity and beauty of nature to strike a resounding counterpoint to the city. It truly is a contradiction.”

  I caught a glimpse of her sketch, oh my god, it was like an impression of a huge city blending into a fairytale forest. It was phenomenal. It just made me wonder what else that book contained. She noticed me staring at it then she quickly closed it with a blush on her face and said quietly, “Sorry, didn't realize I was drawing.”

  I shook my head and replied, “No. It was good. I'd love to see more.”

  Now she shook her head and dropped her eyes, and said shyly, “They really aren't for anyone to see. This is basically just my diary.”

  I nodded in understanding then grinned at her and said with as much cheer as I could muster, “Let's get going. I want to find that big fountain that is in here somewhere. I see it in every movie about New York!”

  She chuckled and chirped out, “You mean Bethesda Fountain on the Bethesda Terrace?”

  I stuck my tongue out at her and said with mock dismissal, “Whatever, showoff.”

  She grinned and grabbed my hand and started dragging me down a random path in the park. Then she asked, “Didn't you look up all the stuff you wanted to visit while going to school here?”

  I crooked an eyebrow down at her, gawd I loved how short she was, than asked, “Like any normal person would do that rather than be spontaneous?”

  She mocked hurt. “Hey! I looked it up.”

  I nodded trying to fight back a smile as I said, “I rest my case.”

  She opened her mouth in smiling surprise and bumped her shoulder into my arm then teased, “You my lady, are no lady.”

  I chuckled with her as she dragged me through the park. I figured I had four years to explore anyway. You really could almost forget that you were in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world wandering through all the grass, trees, and nature. Our path brought us under a stone arch bridge that seemed to be straight out of a fairytale book.

  She noticed my interest as we passed under it and smiled at me and said, “This is the Ramble Arch Bridge. It is one of the many bridges in the park, I read that the design is reminiscent of the cobble bridges in the Canterbury area in England. It is also the narrowest arch in the park at only five feet.” She stopped and blushed then said, “Sorry, I sound like I'm giving a lecture. This just happens to be my favorite little bridge in the park after I saw it online I just knew I had to see it. I want to sketch it one day.”

  I shook my head, she looked so innocent, the way she was taking in the wonders around her. I murmured, “No, don't apologize, I find it fascinating. You really should draw it. We can sit down on the grass there and you can go for it.”

  She looked back at the arch behind us then nodded with an excited grin. We sat on the lawn and she opened her sketchbook. She tilted her head at the bridge cutely then took a deep breath, almost in trepidation then nodded once and put her pencil to the paper. Her hand flew as if on automatic as she stared at the arch over the path, barely looking down at the paper. What I saw... her concentration... the beauty and fluid motions of her hand... her total immersion into capturing the scene was... gawd, I was heating up in all the interesting places.

  I could watch her get lost in her own world forever. Then suddenly she shut the book and grinned at me and said, “Got it. Let's get you to the fountain before you turn into a pumpkin.” I chuckled at her playfulness and we stood. Before I knew it she was dragging me through the park once again like a little blonde on a mission.

  A minute later she brought me through some arches into a tunnel under a bridge, leading to the Terrace at the Bethesda Fountain. She froze when we were half way through the tunnel and looked up. I followed her eyes. I gasped at the colorful tiles under the arches. Then I grinned at her. I never would have thought to look up. She seems to find the beauty in everything, where most people fail to look.

  I couldn't stop my smile as she dragged me out of the tunnel, and there was the fountain! It was just like on television and the movies. I laughed and ran up to it. I turned and leaned back against it to take in the terrace. It was just as I had imagined. I grinned at her as she was just staring at me. I asked shyly, “What?”

  She looked away with a little blush and said quietly, “Nothing, you just look so bloody happy.” I hopped up and grabbed her hand and pulled her beside the fountain then stepped back and pulled up my cell phone then took a picture. It was hard for me to tell which was prettier, her or the fountain.

  After a few minutes we moved on, we spent most of the day in the park, discovering one wonder after another. Blondie was pointing out the variety of bridges in the park and saying, “I think most were constructed to add an organic and almost artistic feel to the intricate network of paths here. Each one holds a beauty of its own.” I smiled. Sure, I had noticed one or two but I was more intent on the destination than the journey and failed to notice a lot of them until she pointed them out.

  She really had an eye for finding the beauty around her without even trying, like she was constantly searching it out. Oh gawd, she just locked those ice blues on me again! Get it together Abbey! She tilted her head with a smile and asked sweetly, “What's up Abs?”

  I shrugged and replied, “Nothing, I just think it is cool how you seem to see that kind of thing.”

  She grinned and responded with, “A gift from my mumsy.” Then she timidly grabbed my hand and tugged me down a path. I looked down at her and she shyly looked up at me and asked, “Zoo?”

  I nodded once with a smile and affirmed, “Zoo!”

  It was dusk by the time we had torn ourselves away from the park. We both vowed to visit it as often as possible while we attended the Academy. We decided to walk the two miles back. She never let go of my arm, didn't she know what that was doing to me? Gawd it was tempting to just lean down and kiss her.

  We passed a little bistro close to campus, Sammie looked up at me with an impish look, and said almost like a chipmunk, “Sustenance?” I rolled my eyes with a chuckle and we went in and ordered some french dips and salads to go. She wanted to get back to the dorms and mine my brain for info on Mom for her project. I wasn't about to argue if it meant hanging around with her more.

  We got into her room and sat cross-legged across from each other on her bed and ate as we discussed the day. She was smiling at me and I realized I had unpacked the meal for us and aligned everything perfectly like I would for Mom. I blushed profusely as she bit her lower lip.

  She was so full of excitement and wonder I wished there was some way I could capture it. Hmmm... I started coming up with lines for my new spoken word project as I watched her. This would take it in an unexpected and exciting direction that I think I liked immensely!

  After the meal, she pulled out her papers and started going through them then inquired, “Her art style seems so realistic but I keep detecting some sort of structure to it. She can seemingly adapt it to any medium fluidly. How is she able to do that with so many materials?”

  I looked at her, brimming with pride for my mother, and explained, “Mom can see patterns and breaks it all down mathematically in her head. Couple that with her OCD and she can duplicate any picture she sees in her head
in a pattern across any medium.” I thought for a moment wondering how much Mom would want me to share.

  Then I said quietly, as if someone might overhear us, “Off the record, she sees the entire world in mathematical grids. She simply calculates the grid in her head against the time constraint and the amount of material she has available to come up with a solution that utilizes all of them to the fullest, while portraying the image she wishes to share with the world.”

  Her eyes got wide as she asked, “You mean she completely constructs each piece in her head before she even begins?”

  I nodded with a proud grin. Sammie's smile blossomed on her face and she said softly, “That's incredible.” Then she frowned a little and continued, “But you said off the record, so we can't share that.”

  Dammit, I don't like to see her disappointed, so I said, “I'm just not sure how much Mom would like for me to share. I have to fly back to Seattle Friday night because Mom wants me at a gallery showing Saturday. She says I calm her when she is out in public. Just a sec.”

  I held up a finger and pulled out my cell and dialed Mom. I grinned as she answered on the third ring. She always answers on the third ring and never before and never after. If she misses the third ring then she lets it go to voice mail and calls right back. Some people think her OCD is strange, I think it is endearing and I'd never want her any other way... She's my mom! I put her on speaker.

  Mom answered and gushed, “Hi baby girl! I miss you so much, how are things at school?”

  I grinned and said, “Hi mom! I have you on speakerphone here with my friend, Samantha Roth.”

  Mom got nervous and her stuttering started, “Y-you have me on sp-speakerphone?”

  I smiled and looked at an amazed looking Sammie and replied, “Yes Mom, but don't get nervous, she says she met you once when she was a little girl. Back when Silent Bob went missing.”

  Mom was quiet a moment then said, “I-I remember that. H-hello Samantha.”