POV: Alan

We finally get there and Melody looks confused.

"Alan, where are we?"

"Just come on, it's a little bit of a walk, but it's not far."

We walk for a little bit, and I can tell that she knows where we are.

"Is this?....." She asks.

"Yes, yes it is. Ha ha." I reply. "I come here when I have to escape the world when I feel my world is falling apart. Now, do you want to sit on the edge?"

"Sure."

She gives me a questionable look as we sit down, and asks, "Aren't you going to ask me to finish my story? Or how my situation is at home? Or if I could even tell the difference between you guys? I mean I am still very confused on the names and why I am still able to go to this school......" She speeds up as she was talking and then trails off at the last sentence.

"Melody, I have two daughters and one on the way and a wife, so I might know how to handle the ladies in my life. *cough* sometimes *cough*, but I don't pressure them into telling me anything if they don't want to talk. I am patient, as I have learned from being in this band if you know what I mean?" She cocks her head to the side, so I guess she doesn't know what I'm talking about. "You can tell me if you want, or if you want to wait, or even if you just want to sit I am just here.....

Oh yeah and one more thing. If you don't know us by name, how come you were screaming my name as you were flying down the stairs to meet me and Izzy?"

"First, Alan, it's Izzy and I.... I think."

"Haha you and Caleb will get along great!"

"Which one is that again?"

"Never mind, I can help you with that later... Continue."

"Ok, well Izzy sent me a message with the song this morning with a video of you guys singing 'Help You Stand', so that's why I was filled with emotion in the car. I was reminded by you that there are people put here to help me, and that song came on which gave me this weird feeling.

And second of all, I don't like that it's this nice outside. My mom must have left the windows open. UGH!"

"Haha that's kinda funny but it's ok if you were excited. I would have jumped if I saw my childhood came knocking at my door when I was your age.

"Yeah.... Ha.... but the thing is that I didn't want Izzy to know that I actually wanted to go."

"Why is that?" I question, but I don't want her to pressure into telling me because I knew the situation. I wanted her to tell me.

"You probably know already from my mom," she has this sad far away look in her eyes.

"I wanted to hear from your perspective."

"It's just... I don't... (Huff)...... ok, it's just my family's money is tight and I know that. My mom tells me not to worry, but this has to do with me too. I didn't think we would be able to afford it, so when Izzy kept asking me, I just made up excuses. I told her that the only way to get me to come was if you guys personally invite me."

"Yeah, that's why I was the one sent over between the four of us. Chad and Joey would have been fighting over your green backpack and shoes and we needed Caleb back at the "fort" to hold it down. They think I'm the 'wisest one' to come and talk to someone."

She hugs me, "You are, Alan, you are one of the only people.... Actually the first person.... That I could trust to talk to. You were calm and didn't over react or jump in at anytime you felt like it, and you were one of the only people that actually didn't pressure me to talk. I love that you are more like an older brother than therapist."

"Well uhh... I will take that as a compliment."

We sit there for a few more minutes enjoying the view. Then I spoke again, "How did you know my name then?"

"After Izzy sent me that video I looked you guys up on YouTube because I knew you guys did covers, but actually never heard your originals. I never knew that you DID originals. After I typed your name in I found 'Can't Get Over You' and listened to it.

After I finished listening to it, I found that you did like this sort of 'Behind the Song' for it and I was in tears after. I also saw that you did a video on the chords that went with the song, so I tried to play them with my own old friend. The strings were old and were WAY out of tune no matter how hard I tried. I knew I couldn't get new strings if I broke them, so I gave up and tried to play it anyway. My fingers hurt after not playing it a while,

Of course with the horrible strings it didn't sound the same, but I knew that it sounded pretty close. You said your name was Alan, so that was how I knew you, but there was something weird. One of the band members didn't look the same."

"That was actually an old band member, Kyle Kupecky, and after he left after God called him to go solo, Joey came and joined us," I said.

"Oh ok thanks! Yeah that makes sense."

"Before I ask you something.... Do you want to hear my answer to your money problem?"

Her eyes sparkle, "Yes please."

"Well when we advertised the school, we knew there was going to be Lightbulbs that would need help with a situation like this. (I almost said that also needed the grace of God but I didn't want to scare her off I could tell this wasn't the time yet to bring it up. God will let me know when.) We said to the peoples that if anybody needed help that they had a fundraiser planned. We didn't come up with anything. I thought of an idea, but never told the guys yet and have to get their approval until I can tell you."

"Oh my gosh thank you! Yes I will help in any way I can. I will work, or fundraiser, or anything to help. Now what do you want to ask ME?"

"Let's go back to the car and see."

"Ooooooooooo pleasepleasepleaseplease just tell me!!!!"

"Nope the surprise is in the car. Don't worry we will come back. We need to anyway."

"Wow Alan and I thought you were going to be my favorite.•

"You haven't even met the others, you can't decide if you haven't even gotten to know them. And I know I'm your favorite."

"Nope not anymore.... That Caleb guy looks promising.... Or that other one."

"You're joking."

"Am I?" She gives me a light shove and starts lightly running away to the car. Whew she is fast.

"COME ON SLOWPOKE I BET YOU CANT CATCH ME!!!!"