It had been two weeks since I first met Abigail. Ever since that first day when I had met her, whenever I went back into the woods, Abigail was there. I dropped my backpack in the foyer, yelled to Mom that I was going on a walk, and then headed into the woods. Mom didn’t even respond- she had gotten used to me wandering in the woods after school, and was becoming more relaxed about it, allowing me to spend more time in the woods before she began to worry.

At first, I didn’t see Abigail anywhere- and then she dropped out of the tree above me, landing silently right in front of me.

“How do you do that?” I asked her.

“Do what?” she asked.

“That,” I said, motioning out of the tree. “Dropping out of the tree dead silent like that. You’ve got to teach me how to do that!” She beamed modestly and rolled her eyes.

“How’s public school?” she inquired teasingly, flopping back into a pile of leaves.

“Not bad,” I admit. “Just getting used to everything- you know how it is, starting a new school,” I added, sitting down next to her.

“Well, yeah, but you can’t use the conversation starter I used,” she said, pulling a leaf off my shoulder absent-mindedly.

“And what might that be?” I ask.

“‘So-and-so from Marnier High School says that they know you,’” she said, grinning. “They always go, ‘OH! I love so-and-so! How do you know them?’ And a conversation follows. It’s pretty easy, actually. Have you talked to any of your friends from Colorado lately?” I always found it funny how Abigail can change from one subject to another without even pausing- she did it often, and most of the time the second subject didn’t relate at all to the first.

“Not lately,” I admit. “I talk to Joe the other day, but I haven’t talked to Celia since two days before I moved…”

“You liked her, didn’t you?” Abigail asked softly, and I turned to her, surprised.

“How do you know?” I asked, and she shrugs.

“Just from the way you said her name,” she replies, shredding a leaf. “But hey- if it was that obvious to me, can you imagine how obvious it was to her?” she pointed out mischievously, nudging me with her elbow, and my face grew red.

“Am I really that obvious?”

“Duh! So did you two date, or what?” she asked inquisitively.

“We’re still going out,” I replied.

“Long distance relationship?” Abigail said knowingly, and I nodded. “I’ve been there. Believe me, they’re not that fun- especially considering your ‘significant other’ is on the other side of the country.”

“No need to remind me,” I replied, and she shrugged.

“You know,” Abigail speculated, after pausing for a few moments, “You’re a lot different now from when I first met you.”

“How so?” I asked, and she shrugged.

“Well, definitely more friendly, for one thing,” she replied, smiling. “And…I don’t know. Maybe it’s the fact that you don’t hate Maryland anymore,” she teased.

“Well, I don’t hate it anymore,” I admitted, “But it’s still really different from Denver. I mean, even the air is different- especially back here in the woods.”

“Don’t you love it, though?” she asked eagerly, throwing her head back. “The air, I mean- it smells green!” Suddenly, I understood what she means- it really did smell green, as ridiculous as that may sound.

We talked a few moments more, and then I recalled the history project awaiting me back at the house, so I bid Abigail farewell before heading back to my house. As I glanced back over my shoulder, I saw Abigail sitting alone, looking desolate and lonely. The sight unnerved me, and I turned back towards the house.