here we go again

Angie wondered if the 13th on a Monday could be a lucky day. Well, she was after all in the corner booth with Max, which kind of made her dizzy. Even after all this time.

"So what about Prom?" He wanted to catch up. He even brought her a strawberry milkshake.

"What about it?" She wouldn't dare smile too much. After all, he was history. Perhaps her first crush, but she was past that now. She sipped the thick goodness of the shake and contemplated just how to keep her secret quiet.

After all, she'd done so for months now. And yet, every time she closed her eyes, she only saw Roman's face. Yes, she was helping Roman.

It was the dead of winter, when Abe noticed him in the woods behind his house. Naturally, she nor the little one, she baby-sat, never ventured far. Especially, in these sub-zero temps. But Roman didn't even have a coat. Hardly a sweater.

Of course, Abe knew where the clothes were, his dads were taking to GOOD WILL. Abe and Angie dug through the mess of clothes and found an old coat, pants, long sleeve shirts. All the while he ate cereal in Ruben and Dorian's kitchen.

So, Roman came back the next Saturday and the next. Little by little Angie was learning he was living on the street, to get back at his parents.

"Well, I think you're an idiot." She soon told him. "What is wrong with you?"

She didn't want to be smitten with him. She didn't want to like him, but she couldn't help it.

Of course, he told her about this girl. A girl he couldn't find. How close he was, but then he was thinking now that she didn't even want his help. She might not even be in this country, any longer.

It was plain to see Roman did need help. Angie gave him some addresses, even her own, where he could possibly get something, even if it were Little Debbie treats. But it was usually, hide and seek with Roman. Maybe he was the one mental. But she couldn't help it. He was always on her mind. She didn't have time to think about prom.

"You and Sawyer still together?" Max wanted to know.

"Oh yeah." But even when she kissed Sawyer, someone else came to mind. She'd just have to ride this out, she supposed. But it was a sad feeling that some day she would think of Roman like she thought of Max. Just a past of someone she once fancied.