"Maxine...I-I..." I could not find the will to speak. My body stayed in place, both of my hands and legs quivering.

"May I come in?" Maxine asked. She held up the key in front of me. "I have the key."

"Uh, sure. I guess." She handed me the key, and I took it and unlocked the door. I pushed on the door, and the door swung open, making a creaking noise as it did so.

Creak!

I motioned for her to come inside. "Ladies first."

She giggled. "Such a gentleman."

I blushed.

Nigel, what is wrong with you?

Maxine went in, and I followed her. When we got in my house, I closed the door and locked it. "My father has the other key to get inside the house," I stated. "This is for our protection. You know. In case that somebody desires to enter the house, like a burglar."

"Smart thinking, Nigel," Maxine complimented.

I blushed redder.

Stop blushing!

"Why do you not take a seat?" I led her to the living room.

The living room was huge. It was probably the biggest room in the entire house. The walls were painted light blue, and covering the floor was a dark blue carpet. There were two couches on opposite sides, a blue couch on the left and a dark red couch on the right.

"What a wonderful room," Maxine commented, observing the room. "I like the colors."

"Thanks," I thanked her. "I did not pick the colors, and neither did my father. The room and everything else were this way when we moved into this house."

"Does not matter. You guys picked a wonderful house to live in."

"We most certainly did." I gently rubbed the stone against my thumb. I had almost forgotten that I was still holding her necklace. I raised up the necklace, and her eyes bulged upon noticing.

"My necklace!" She quickly grabbed it out of my grasp and hugged it tightly. "Oh my goodness. I was wondering where it was."

"You gave it to me to examine. Remember? Before the bus crash."

"Oh. Right."

"Speaking of which..." I sat on the blue couch. "...you are supposed to be dead."

"Dead?" She sat next to me.

I could feel my cheeks getting hot. Sweat poured from both my forehead and palms.

What has gotten into me? I normally do not act so nervous. Unless...

...oh, no.

I had a crush on a girl.

Aw, man!

I took several deep breaths, trying to remain calm.

"Nigel? Is something the matter?" Maxine said.

"N-nothing," I stammered. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There. That is much better. I was finally calm. I turned to her. "As I said a minute ago, you should be dead."

A confused look appeared on her face. "Why?"

"The doctors...they said that you were dead. You died at eleven o'clock."

She eyed me suspiciously, and then suddenly burst out laughing. "Good one!"

What was so funny?

"That is what they said! I swear!"

She shook her head. "Nigel, it is not nice to swear."

I looked at the wall. I wanted to bang my head so badly. But that would have hurt.

"I am serious!" I exclaimed angrily. I wished that my fellow peers would take me seriously.

Maxine stopped laughing. She glanced at her necklace, her fingers rubbing against the smooth stone, and then put it on and sniffed. She did not say anything.

A wave of guilt splashed right on top of me. "Maxine..."

Still nothing.

She stood up and walked out of the room.

I let out a heavy sigh. Great. Just great. I got her upset.

I got up and hurried after her. "Maxine, wait," I pleaded. "I am sorry. I did not mean to snap at you. It is just...people do not take me seriously, and when you laughed...I am not going to lie. It kind of ticked me off."

Maxine moved her head in my direction. "I am sorry too," she apologized. "It was just how you thought that I was gone. Gone forever. And here I am, alive and in the flesh."

I gently grabbed her hand and held it in mine. "I would still like an explanation on that."

"Of why I am alive and well?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, there is not much to tell." She gripped my shoulders and smirked.

And then she began to change.

To blackness.

"Especially when I am not the real Maxine."