In a dull lighted alleyway

Tatsu nodded.

"Yes. The one three blocks away. How about you? Do you go to school?"

Dyah, what the heck. School is for normal people right?

"Yeah, I do, but since I wandered here, I don't go there anymore."

"Oh. You don't? If you want, you could come to school with me tomorrow and we could figure out how to get you in."

She blushed realizing that she might be sticking her nose in a place where it wasn't needed.

"If you want I mean."

Viola thought about this. She could leave tomorrow and go off by herself, living the way she is used to, or she can stay here, freeloaning, but having to be somebody else.

"I'll think about it," Viola said, smiling generously, "I mean, a sudden change of school without parent permission is pretty strange, isn't it?"

Tatsu nodded, slightly blushing.

"Yeah, I guess."

The microwave dinged and Tatsu put on a pair of oven mitts before taking the plate out. She set is down on the counter next to Viola, then pulled out a fork and knife from a drawer.

"Hope you like it," she said, taking off her mitts.

Viola smiled and took the fork, gently stabbing the chicken that was party covered in rice. She took a bite. Pretty good. "This is good," she said.

Tatsu bowed her head.

"Thank you. Would you like a chair?"

Viola hadn't noticed that she wasn't sitting.

"Sure."

Tatsu walked into the small, rarely used dinning room and came back into the kitchen with a chair. She brought it over to Viola, then returned to her spot but hopped up on the counter.

Viola smiled at Tatsu and thanked her. She took another few bites from her food. "How old are you?" Viola asked out of her curiosity.

"I'm sixteen," she replied smoothly.

She fiddled with a pad of paper on the counter next to her.

"How old are you?"

Viola took another bite of food. She thought quickly. Okay, sixteen years in the basement, how many years out of there? ummmmmm Well, it hadn't snowed, but I heard places like Florida don't get snow...

"I'm...16 also," she said, adding a smile to hide her nervousness.

Tatsu smiled.

"Neat. It's nice to have a friend the same age."

She looked around her spotless kitchen and blushed.

"I guess I seem kind of weird," she said, looking at Viola out of the corner of her eye. "With living by myself and being so clean and whatnot."

"I don't think it's anywhere near weird," Viola said without thinking. Then she realized, "I mean, it is the twenty first century isn't it?"
Viola sighed, "So, what do you do when you don't have people over? It seems like it would get pretty lonely..."

Tatsu shrugged.

"I usually write or draw or finish up undone homework. Sometimes if I'm really bored I'll clean for no reason just to get my mind off other things...but no matter what I'll have music playing."

Viola nodded. Not wanting to waste anymore of Tatsu's time by eating, she quickly ate away the remains of food on her plate. She then smiled and said, "Thanks for the meal."

Tatsu smiled and took the plate to the sink.

"It's no problem, I'm glad you liked it."

She grabbed a brush and started to wash the plate.

"Do you have a place to go? I have an extra room that you could stay in."

Viola blinked at Tatsu. "well, if it isn't too much of a bother to you. I mean, I already came into your house and got sheltered and I ate your food...." Viola's voice trailed off.

Tatsu shook her head and put the plate away.

"No no, no bother at all, and I'm serious. This is what I'm do. I'm very glad I was able to help. Don't worry about it."

She led Viola up the stairs to the uper floor.

"The bathroom is right here and your room is on the right," she said.

Viola smiled as Tatsu allowed her to stay at her house. "Thanks you very much," she said as she entered the empty room.

Tatsu stood in the doorway and surveyed the room. It was simple, a bed, bedside table, and dresser on one wall and a closet, desk, chair, and floor lamp on the other. A window faced the backyard.

"It's not much," she admitted. "But it usualy works. You can decorate it as long as they're things that you can take down. No paint please."

She looked around the room again.

"I have some extra shampoo, toothbrushes and such if you need some. Just come and ask if you need anything. I'll be in my room if you need me."

She turned to go.

"thanks you very much," Viola said to Tatsu, as she walked out the door, "I won't do anything to this room." Which was true in every way.

Tatsu turned and smiled at Viola.

"It's no problem."

Then she left and disapeared into her room.

Viola sat on the edge of the bed. I pondered about different things, and kept debating on if she should sneak out of here or not tonight. Tatsu seems pretty nice and all, but I don't know if she's just pretending...