"Now, are you going to tell me your story?" Rae asked her.
Elissa sighed, and took a deep breath. "I guess I will, since I let you drag me this far..."
"I'm sorry," he apologized.
Elissa looked at him a little confused again. "What are you apologizing for? You didn't do anything wrong."
"I know, but these are your problems, and I know you don't really want me to get into your business like this. But I can't stand seeing you as sad as you've been lately. You always look depressed, and I just figured you would need a friend," Rae smiled a little as he said this.
"You must not have seen me before then. I've always been like this," Elissa sighed.
"Well, even if you have always been like this, I still think you need a friend."
"Thanks," Elissa smiled a little.
"Did you just smile?" Rae joked with her.
Elissa let out a small laugh, and then covered her mouth. "I shouldn't be laughing like this," she told herself.
Rae looked at her, and said, "You know, you should laugh more often. It's better when youre laughing, instead of when you're sad."
There was a knock at the door, and Rae yelled, "Come in!"
"Dear, is your girlfriend going to be staying with us for dinner?" his mom said, coming in the door.
"Mom...how many times do I have to tell you, she's not my girlfriend," Rae sighed.
"Okay, is your non girlfriend going to be staying for dinner?" she asked again.
Rae looked at Elissa, and Elissa nodded her head slightly. "Yeah, she is," Rae answered for her.
"Okay, you two just go along with whatever you were doing, and I'll call you when dinner is ready," his mom said, as she shut the door on her way out.
"I have a question for you," Elissa started.
"What is it?" Rae asked.
"Where's your dad? I've only seen your mom, and I was just wondering if you had a dad," Elissa asked.
"Oh, he's out hunting with my two brothers. They won't be getting back until Sunday. Why?" Rae asked.
"Do they get along?" Elissa asked, disregarding his question.
"Who? My mom and dad or my dad and my brothers?"
"Your mom and dad," Elissa answered.
"Yeah, why are you asking all these questions?" Rae asked her again.
"I'm sorry; I shouldn't be getting into your business like that. I've just never seen what it was like with a mom and a dad. I didn't know if they get along a lot, or if they don't get along at all."
It's all right. What do you mean you don't know what it's like with two parents?" Rae asked her.
Elissa sighed; it brought back some more painful memories. She looked away from him, and Rae asked her, "Is everything all right? Like I said, you don't have to tell me. You should go home after dinner. You're family probably doesn't know where you are right now, and they're probably worried sick about you, especially since you were running away when I found you."
Elissa sighed again, and a tear came down her cheek. "I'm not ever going home."
