Two months had passed since Raye had disappeared. The police had given up so the family hired a private agency to find her. They were in charge of the search and had made sure it stayed out of the media to protect the family. They also didn't want to alert the kidnapper, if that was what happened.

Miki's parents wondered daily how something like this could have happened. No one except for Lucas and Miki really knew all of the details and they decided that it was best if they kept those details to themselves.

Besides, everyone was sure she had run away and would come home; at least that was what they told themselves.

A lot had happened in two months. The friendship between Miki, Kay and Damien had dissolved leaving Miki friendless at the school. Friendless except for one person. Lucas was the only one who remained constant in her life. They had grown closer while searching for Raye and they supposed they were more of a couple than friends now.

They kept this from everyone they knew, mostly for Miki's protection. Raye had a lot of friends and if they knew what was going on, they would make sure Miki paid.

Their relationship wasn't rock solid though. Even though he tried to break up with Raye he always remembered that her last words to him were that they weren't broken up and were still a couple. Those words haunted him and every time he looked at Miki he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

In his head he knew his relationship with Raye was over, and what he was doing with Miki wasn't wrong, but he couldn't seem to convince his heart to agree.

******

CHAPTER ELEVEN

She walked to school that morning with a slight skip in her step. She knew she should feel good about dating Lucas but she just couldn't help it. The fact that it was a secret made it more exciting as well. She was so wrapped up in her own pleasant thoughts that she walked right into another person on the street without even noticing.

"You know, I hear the word sorry goes a long way," he said.

Miki, who had walked right past, suddenly realized what had happened. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying any attention." She turned to face him and recognized him right away. "Oh, it's you. Never mind then."

"Thanks, you know, sometimes I wonder why I even talk to you."

"I wonder too. So what are you doing here library stalker guy?"

"You do realize I have a real name right?"

"Which you refused to tell me."

"Touché. So why don't you come up with a name for me then, besides library stalker guy."

"Hmm, oh, I know, I'll call you Leo."

"Like the movie star? I'm not sure I like being compared to a cookie- cutter image of what society dictates as 'cool', but he was a teen heart- throb and I don't mind you thinking of me in that way."

"Wow, that was really, um, wow, because I actually meant the author."

"So you have been paying attention."

Miki reluctantly admitted to herself that she did remember the details of that day. "Whatever, author, actor, I don't care, I'll call you Leo from now on."

"From now on? So I can look forward to seeing you again then?"

"In your dreams."

"You're right, because in my dreams you're always there my angel."

My angel? What was he thinking calling her that, but wait, that sounded an awful like something her admirer would write. "I knew it."

"You knew what?"

"It was you all along."

"Please, be a little more cryptic, I'll just try to guess at what you're talking about."

"It was you who wrote me those letters wasn't it? You signed them 'your secret admirer'. It must have been you, I mean who else would do something so weird?"

"Miki?"

"What?"

"I didn't write those letters. In fact, I have no idea who did. I kinda wish I had though now that I'm seeing you get so excited over it."

"But, how is that possible? No, you're lying, it was you, I know it was."

"Why is this so important to you?"

"I, I don't really know exactly. The notes just kind of made me feel better. They made me feel like someone was on my side."

"Miki, there are people on your side."

"Ya? Like who?"

"Me."

"Please, give me a break. You just like harassing me is all. Anyways, this is stupid. I'm sorry, I was wrong."

"You, admitting a mistake?"

"It had to happen at sometime right. There's just one thing that's bothering me though."

"What's that?"

"If you didn't write them, then who did?"

She stared blankly into the distance. Now that she thought about it the notes had stopped coming when Raye disappeared, maybe she really was behind it after all. Was it really so much to want to believe it was true?

She felt strangely disappointed from the revelation and walked slowly the remainder of the way to school without even a hint of a skip.

******

She told Lucas she would meet up with him after their respective practices. She liked the emptiness of the school and took her time to catch up with him.

Their meeting place was her locker and as she got nearer she felt her heart beat a little faster. There was something about him that made her feel happy although she could never determine exactly what it was.

Miki saw him standing there and a smile spread across her face. "Hi, sorry I'm late, I hope you weren't waiting for me for too long."

"Nah, it's cool, so I was thinking we could get something to eat before you go home."

"That sounds nice, I'd like that."

"Oh, and I almost forgot." He moved his hand, which until now was behind his back, ,to the front to show Miki what he had brought.

"A rose?"

"Not just any rose, a red rose."

She stood there stunned, then the words began to flow from her mouth without thought. "A rose for a rose." She was then surprised for the second time when she realized Lucas had said those words with her in unison.

******