when the ends meet

"No, no....you said yes," Parker remembered. Of course, it had been three in the morning, but he remembered what Kat said. She was not asleep when she said it, either. "You said I could move in as soon as school is out. "

"Technically, I won't be out of school until the very end of May." She smiled. "You'll have to wait."

"I don't think so." Parker shook his head. "I said I was leaving and I'm not moving back." His eyes focused on the outcome. Definitely, a serious stare. He meant business.

He could see that unsure look on her face as if she must have been completely out of her mind or high when she said that to him. But she wasn't. It sounded very clear headed, at the time. And it was the biggest news he'd ever heard in his life.

"We should really think about this." She sighed and went back to cutting up tomatoes for a chef salad she was making for them. "You know, Bella and Fish will be moving out and Emily, I have no idea what they have in mind next. I just thought, you know-" She shook her head.

"Look, it'll be fine. You'll see." He winced.

She just faked him a grin and looked out the back window as if somebody might be very well watching them, right now.

"Who really cares what the neighbors think. Besides, Mrs. LaBarren has to be the oldest hippy chick, I know. She's gonna give you the thumbs up." Fish had told him to make friends with her and he had. He brought home library books for her and made sure all the light bulbs were changed in her house.

"All right," she winced as if she needed to shut him up. "Just move in now."

"Seriously," He smiled. "You mean it?"

She nodded with a smile as if she didn't want him to think she was that happy about it, but he could see her smile really slipping. She was ecstatic. She stopped making the salad then, and he wrapped his arms around her. It was really a good feeling to feel he belonged somewhere.