The long road home.

The dream is almost lost.

After helping Leena to clean up the tea, I had breakfast with her then departed, leaving only a Latimos C.D I brought for her, a promise to ring her and a tea stain shaped like Canada.

I find Sam sitting on a concrete seat outside the police station looking like a lost soul, when he sees me he gets this big smile on his face and practically jumping up and down like a toddler he hugs me, "Aimeeeeeee."

"Wooow," I say – low as I can go, "It was like one day."

"Yeah, but you were alone - all by yourself, I was worried."

I don't mean to but I kind of give a fake cough, "Sam you're an idiot, what about yourself? You were getting locked up and all."

"Well...yeah I was okay," and then with more enthusiasm; "but what about you? Where you scared?"

I smile a little, remembering the crying and how annoyed I was at him, I know I shouldn't but I say; "No I was fine, it was kinda fun."

"Oh," he tries to smile a bit; "That's great, I mean yeah... what did you do?"

"Well, you know the usual... Made a friend and went to a concert with her."

"Oh," he says again and we start walking- where? I'm not sure.

And then I remember about the money- the money that we don't have because I spent it all last night.

"Umm, Sam," I say.

"Yeah," he looks up from his pile of mud.

I stall; "Umm, check out this C.D I bought."

He takes it, "Yeah, nice."

I smile, bringing back feelings from the night before, "That's the band I went to see."

I can tell his mind is elsewhere, "They look... cool." The C.D holds his attention a moment longer before he looks toward a Fried chicken restaurant. I'm doomed.

"Yeah, soo we have no money left," I say it fast so that I won't back out.

"He stops in his tracks, "What?"

"I kind of spent it all last night, not that there was very much left or anything..."

"What? Aimee."

I flinch, "I'm really, really, sorry I knew we had hardly anything left and.."

"Aimee, I am starving, I am literally out of my mind hungry, I didn't eat a bite last night because I was so worried about you, and you spent our money on what? a C.D?"

I rather awkwardly put my arm around him; "Sam, come-on I said I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well I'm hungry and your sorry isn't going to get me any food." He shrugs away.

"It's not really my fault that you didn't eat though"

"Well, I was worried okay, you were out here on your own, by

Yourself."

"Well I wouldn't have been all by myself if you weren't trying such a hero, if you'd let me come to the police station rather than acting like I'm an incompetent."

He stares for a moment, then his jaw clenches and he nods, submitting; "Damn... actually you're right," he shakes his head again, "What a turkey."

He takes a seat on some hard stone, and I sit too- facing him. I wait for three minutes, listening to the sound of people talking in the street and smelling fried chicken in the wind.

"So are we good again?"

"Yeah... I just wish you could've let me blow steam a little longer."

"We can pretend you're still annoyed if you want?"

"Nah, the moment is kind of gone."

A few seconds of silence steals in beside us before I look at Sam again, "You are the weirdest person I know."

"Really?"

"Yep, mind you I don't really know many people, and I know you more than I do any of the others."

"...Thanks."

I shuffle over and rest my head on his chest, watching the world rise and fall with each of his breaths; "Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"How are we gonna get home?"

"I don't know Aimee, I really don't know."