"Hey Suze," Mel called out as she waved.

Her friend waved back and jogged toward her.

"What do you want to do today? It's Sunday and I haven't got a thing planned."

"First, my hair needs a trim. Where do you go for yours?" Mel asked.

"Just to one of the cheap chain places. I keep mine all the same length so if that's what you want, they can't really screw it up."

"Are they open on Sundays?" Mel asked

"Never go in there on the weekend. It's a zoo. I usually make an appointment between classes on a Tuesday or Wednesday when it's not as busy. You can do it online. I'll email you the link. I love your hair. You got so lucky the perfect amount of curl. Body with no frizz like mine."

"You look good though," Mel said. "I love your color."

"The only good thing about it," Suze said ruefully. "Do you want to go for a bit of a hike? I've got my car with me today."

"That might be the best idea ever. Do you think we could take Smoky with us?"

"Your cat? You're kidding right?" Suze looked at Mel like she'd grown a set of horns.

"Sure. I got him a harness the same day I officially adopted him. He's a giant Maine Coon. Smoky is five months old now, and since he's a pure bred and came from a pet store, I don't even have to get him neutered if I don't want to."

"You never told me how you got him."

"Are you okay with cats? I mean I can leave him at home if you want, but I usually take him for a walk everyday. I can do it later too."

"Let's get him. I've got to see this. A leash trained cat. I didn't think it was possible. Come on, I'm parked around the corner."

Suze's car was a classic VW Beetle. She had it painted like Herbie from the Disney movies. Complete with racing stripes and the number 53, Mel thought it was the cutest car ever. She even had a standard transmission.

"It's adorable!" Mel said as she buckled her seat belt. "I've got to learn to drive, but I don't have a car to learn on."

"You never told me why you were home schooled. You should have your drivers license by now. It's a rite of passage. Everyone gets theirs on their sixteenth birthday."

Mel blushed bright red.

Here it is. Time to confess. I never thought It would happen this quick.

"Shit. I'm sorry. I had no idea we would get to be such good friends. I have to come clean and if you don't want me around anymore, I'll understand."

"What's so bad you would say that?" Suze asked as she released the parking brake and pulled out of her parking spot. "Give me directions to your place."

"It's not too far from here. I walked over. The pet store where I got Smoky is right there," she pointed to it as they passed it. "Up three blocks, turn right and then right into the alley halfway down the block."

"Okay, that's easy enough. But what's so bad about your life? There's nothing wrong with you, other than some anxiety issues. But if people were honest, almost everyone has had a panic attack at some point."

Mel bit her lip before she took a long deep breath. She should have been honest with Suze right from the start, but there were too many kids around listening to them talk.

"I'm a convicted arsonist." She closed her eyes and waited for Suze to tell her to get out of her car.

"Framed, right? Has to be. There's no way you're that kind of a bad seed."

"I can't believe you said that. Yes, I was framed. And I didn't remember most of what happened when I got caught in the fire until the last couple of months." She was trembling, and tears were threatening again.

"Well, I'll help you prove it." Suze turned into the alley and the last leaves piled against the buildings swirled into the air behind her car.

"Slow down, there's a parking spot for me on the left. You can use it. I live up there." She pointed to the two doors on the landing above them.

"You live above Cozy Corner? Have you seen the write up? Gregory Ste. Claire just did a review!"

"He said he wasn't going to do it. He wanted to keep this place to himself, but when Elena invented the Rueben Roll, he couldn't stop himself."

"You know him? No way." Suze's eyes were round, and her jaw dropped. "You've been holding out on me."

"You'll never believe how we met. Everything about this summer after I was released has been like a dream. I never thought my life could be this good."

"Released?" Suze set her parking brake. "Oh, man you were in Juvenile Detention?"

"God, I love having a friend who thinks and puts two and two together."

Suze giggled. "Of course, I can put two and two together. I'm going to be an accountant. But forget the hike. We've got to talk. You're going to tell me everything."

Mel wiped the tears that escaped off her cheeks with her fingers. "You must think I'm crazy. I cry about everything. My emotions are right there on the surface. I didn't know you could have so many kinds of tears."

Suze reached over to squeeze her shoulder. "So, what. You're entitled, girlfriend."

"Come on. Let's go upstairs." Mel got out of Herbie. Disney Movies happened once a month as a treat. If you weren't locked down because of some infraction or another. The Love Bug was her favorite. Another sign she had the best friend ever in Suze. She had to know how she got him.

"I'll tell you everything if you tell me how you got Herbie as your car."

Suze took the stairs two at a time. When Mel caught up with her, she raised her right hand for a hive five, and said, "Deal."

Mel dug her key out of her pocket and put it in the lock. Her heart dropped into her stomach.

"Suze, the lock is open. Oh my God, Smoky." She put her hand on her chest as her heart started to pound. "Who's in there? I know I locked the door. Both locks."