Elle was fuming. Uncle Axel decided that work was important and left, leaving her alone with Tal. She would come up with several scenarios that would prove that this was a bad idea on many levels. They knew nothing about this boy, they found him on the beach for goodness sake! Elle knew that if her mother was here, this never would have happened. If she didn't have to come, this never would have happened.

Elle stormed into the living room where Tal was sitting quietly. He was perched on the edge of one of the armchairs like he was afraid to lean back into it, as if it would swallow him up. He kept looking around the room like it was the strangest place he'd ever seen. Now that he was cleaned up and actually dressed, he looked like a normal person. His shoulder-length blond hair was clean and his pale skin was smooth. He would have been kind of cute if he wasn't completely weird. She stopped in front of him and cleared her throat. "Okay, listen here," she began. "I don't know who you are-."

"I'm Tal," he interrupted. Elle didn't know if he was genuine or was being sarcastic. Either way, she wanted to strangle him.

"My uncle won't explain the story so now its your turn."

"For what?"

Elle crossed her arms to show she meant business. "To explain what happened to you. Who are you and how did you end up on the beach?" There was a long silence as the two stared at each other. Tal had a suspicious deer-in-the-headlights look that told her that he did not look forward to answering this question. She could almost see him thinking of a cover up.

"I w-was out at sea on a boat and I f-fell off and the waves carried me to the beach."

That was the lamest story she ever heard and she spent a lot of time as a library assistant hearing all the apparent calamities that befell the books that were supposed to be returned on time. Elle narrowed her eyes and leaned in closer. Tal's bright green eyes widened and he leaned away. He was obviously uncomfortable in her presence and she wondered if she could worm out the truth if that. "You're lying," she said in a low voice. "Where are your parents? Why have't you called for anyone to take you home?"

He was actually shaking. "Please stop asking me questions. As soon as my leg heals, I'll go. I promise."

That was what she was ultimately hoping for but she had a feeling he wasn't going to give her the answers she wanted in the meantime. Tal was either going to cry or run away and then she would really get it. She was still humiliated over the incident earlier. The look of pity that Tal gave her was the worst part. It made her angrier than being called out in front of him.This ragged, naked boy had the audacity to feel sorry for her?

"I'm going upstairs and you stay here and try not to do anything destructive," Elle ordered. A part of her felt a little awkward telling a teenage boy what to do, but she felt she had to lay down the law or this would not go well. If she had to stay here, he wasn't going to make it any worse than it already was.

Tal wrinkled his brow. "What am I supposed to do?"

Elle let out a frustrated noise. "I don't know. Watch TV, read a book, do a puzzle! I'm not here to entertain you as I have more important things to do." With all the excitement, she had nearly forgotten about her mission to learn about her father.

As she walked up the stairs, she could have sworn Tal asked himself, "What's a book?"

She decided the best place to start was the room with all the boxes. Maybe she would find letters written between her parents, hopefully with his name on them so she could track him down. Elle had only gone through one box when she heard a loud, high-pitched noise coming from down stairs. "What the-?" The noise came again, sounding like a shrieking dolphin in pain. Elle thundered down the stairs and saw Tal leaning out one of the windows. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Elle screamed.

Tal jumped and hit his head on the top of the window pane. He whipped around, his face bright red. He opened and closed his mouth several times, looking like a gaping fish. "I-I w-was-"

"Save it," Elle snapped, holding up her hand to stop him from speaking. She obviously couldn't leave him alone. He was unpredictable. What if he jumped out the window or something? "Come with me. If you're going to stay here then you can help me."

Tal seemed grateful that Elle wanted him to help her, but she wondered if he cared about her quest or just wanted to get on her good side. Elle didn't want Tal blabbing to Uncle Axel about what she was still doing so she gave him as little detail as possible. "If you find anything that looks important, anything that may give me information about people, show me." After ten minutes, she began to regret that choice.

"How's this?" Tal handed her a child's drawing of a sailboat.

"How on earth is this helpful?" Elle snapped, tossing it away in disgust.

He shrugged innocently. "It may be a message about a boat coming."

"If you're going to make this into a joke, you can go back downstairs and sit alone!"

"Maybe if you actually told me what you were looking for, I'd actually be able to help!" Tal shot back angrily. Elle scooted back a few inches in surprise. She thought Tal was a pushover but he was more aware then she realized. Uncle Axel was right. She should be treating him better than she had been. Like a real person with feelings.

Elle sighed in defeat. "You're right. I-I'm sorry. I had been trying to keep you in the dark so it could be kept secret."

His eyes lit up. "A secret?" He looked so much like an excited young child, Elle nearly laughed.

"Wait here." Elle ran to her room to get the photograph. Pulling it out of the book, she hesitated. She wasn't sure if this was the best idea, but she had a feeling that if she told Tal to keep it secret, he would.

Tal carefully studied the picture as Elle told the story. "All I know it what he looks like, nothing else," she finished. "And I need to find out more."

"You said he was lost at sea?" Tal asked. When Elle nodded, he shifted uncomfortably and bit his lip. "Well maybe he's-"

"Dead?" Elle interrupted. That was something she had suspected for the longest time. She would have believed it a long time ago if her mother had actually gone out and said it herself. "I know that its possible! But I want to know who he is. Or was," she added quietly. "If you were like me, wouldn't you like to know who your real parents are?"

Tal nodded. "Yes, " he said sadly. "I really would." His eyes welled up with tears and he looked away quickly.

Suddenly, there was something that was stirring in Elle's mind that she hadn't considered before. Perhaps the reason Tal didn't have anyone to call. She couldn't believe it. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Do you not know who your parents are?" she asked softly.

"No, I don't," Tal sniffed. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "My father left before I was born and-and my mother left me when I was two."

"I'm so sorry, " Elle said numbly. This wasn't anything she had ever expected. She had only been trying to get Tal to see her point of view, but now she knew he understood probably better than anyone. "Could I help you find them too?" she asked.

Tal shook his head. "I don't know anything about them. My father, well the person who I consider my father, found me alone so he can't tell me anything." He sighed. "I never really thought about them until now, but what you said about your father made me think I should."

Elle tried to think of something to put Tal at ease. "But you have your father with you, who you know and love. Isn't that enough?"

He stared at her blankly. "You have your mother and Axel. Isn't that enough for you?"

She was speechless as Tal turned her words against her. She wanted to argue that it was completely different, but it really wasn't. Tal made her sound like a hypocrite.

"But," Tal began, making Elle look at him, "maybe it isn't. And you have a lead where I do not." He handed her the photo. "So I'll help you, Elle." He gave her a tiny smile.

Elle could have burst into tears. Tal would never know who is real parents are but he was willing to help her. "Thank you," she said gratefully.

"You're welcome," he said. "I'll open every box in this room if it'll help."

And that is exactly what they did, but it was all in vain. There were plenty of photos and certificates and letters with her mother's  picture and name on it, but none as possibly her father's. Once, they found a letter between her and a boy named "Justin P." but a high school yearbook proved he was not the right person. The picture of her father was nothing like this freckly boy grinning toothily at the camera.

The two of them stared at all of the empty boxes in defeat. "Well, that's everything," Tal said glumly.

Elle was about to admit defeat when, suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head. "Wait," she said slowly looking around. "This isn't the right place to be looking for information."

"It isn't?" Tal asked, confused. "Where else could we look?"

Her mind was whirring. "My parents were married, this much I know. If they got married in town, there should be a record of it!"

"So?"

She smiled excitedly. "So his name will be on the certificate!" Without waiting for Tal, Elle jumped up and ran out of the room. Her heart had been lifted at this chance.