April 2

Kay and I attended that same party that night, the one where AJ refused to leave Ashley, following her around like a little lost puppy. Neither one of us drank anything, but Kay did hoist some guy over the beer keg.



The next day, it rained. All day. I grabbed my umbrella and went to the student union for my art history lecture class.



I walked in about ten minutes late, because the doors were so jammed...



...only to find Anastasia, THE infamous Anastasia, she of the designer clothes and the regal aura, sitting in the front row. I knew it had to be her because her designer perfume permeated the room.

I took a deep breath, calmed down, and found an empty seat behind her. I thought Ashley was intimidating but she's small fry compared to Anastasia.



The professor was Madeleine Noetal, a cultured woman with a tanned complexion and reddish brown hair. While she went over estimated dates of prehistoric drawings found on caves, I began to appreciate some of the artifacts I'd found in my mother's private museum in Sunset Valley.



After class, I saw Anastasia's limo disappear to heaven knows where.



That evening, I met AJ at Simburger. And I brought my concerns about Ashley to him. "You like her, don't you?"
AJ shrugged. "She's alright, I guess."
"Hah, at the party you never even left her side, kept following her around like a little lost puppy."
"I just kept her company, that's all."
"AJ -- come on, you have a crush on her, admit it."
"I think she's cute -- ok, I think she's gorgeous and I want to get to know her better."
"I don't know -- something about her, is just not sitting well with me."
"Maybe if you'd talk to her, I mean, she seems friendly enough."
"That's just it," I said, "it seems like she's TOO friendly. Something's up. I don't know what it is."
"Sage, you've objected to every girl I've shown any kind of interest in."
I laughed nervously. "I haven't objected to anybody, really. I hardly even know her. Or anyone else you've brought home."
"When the rumors came out that I was dating that chick Alex you pitched a huge fit."
"I did not!"
"You did too. And when it turned out that it wasn't true, that we're only working together, you were so happy."
"Look, I don't want to see you get hurt, AJ. You're my brother and I love you. I don't want to see some girl break your heart, that's all."