The next day she decides to go to town to buy something for her sister Erica, for not getting her into heaps of trouble last night, and for her new friend Rita and something for Sidhean. So, when she gets back, she has bought a really expensive gold chain, with the inscription "Erica" on it, a little flowerbox for Rita and a box of 'Thank you' chocolates for Sidhean and a new summery blue silky dress for herself.

She goes into Erica's room, but she is not there, so May decides to wait. Her mother and Victoria are also not there, because they are out looking for a dress for Victoria. She is going to a ball in school and some kind of boy she has got a crush on, has asked her to go with him. So, she is really excited to go and is making a fuss that she will not find the right dress. May on the other hand is hoping that Victoria will find, what she calls her perfect dress, otherwise she will have to listen to her moaning that her whole life is ruined.

After about an hour Erica comes back. May goes to her and hands her the chain. Erica is really happy. Then May tells her that she is going to go to see Rita.

She finds her in the forest sitting in the grass by the river. May goes and joins her. She gets out the flowerbox and hands it to Rita. Rita is overjoyed about the box, that she picks a blue tulip and places it together with the paper, she was writing on, into the box. They sit together in silence for a few minutes, listening to the steady flowing of the river, when Sidhean suddenly appears in front of them and makes them jump. May starts laughing and gets the box of chocolates out and hands it to him.

"Thank you, May", he puts it into one of his trouser pockets. He then gets a chain out of his other pocket and gives it to May.

"I want you to have this."

May opens it. Inside is a picture of him with his parents in a beautiful flowery garden. All of them are smiling. May shuts it again and looks up at him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know. What happened?"

"Nothing. I am still a normal boy, just that I'm a ghost by night. I then turn white in my face, I can make myself invisible, I can disappear and then reappear somewhere else and I have purple eyes." May laughs.

"I like your purple eyes."

Sidhean smiles back at her and sits down beside them. They talk for quite a while, when it suddenly gets dark. Then Sidhean turns white and his horse appears beside him. Sidhean realises it's late.

"I'd better bring you back out of the forest. It's too dangerous at night." He then takes them both back to the end of the forest.

"I have to go now. I'll see you two in summer."

He gives May a quick kiss on the cheek, then vanishes.

The two girls walk up to the village together. Then Rita turns around to May and says.

"Would you like to come to my drawing course tomorrow?"

"I would love to", May smiles at her.

She is happy to have found such a wonderful and caring friend. They walk up the path that leads from the forest to the village. At the top of the path May and Rita have to go separate ways, because Rita's house lies in the opposite direction.

* * * * *

May gets home just in time for supper.

"Where have you been, Maria?"

"I was at my friend's place."

Her mother doesn't ask any more questions. May finishes supper, goes into her room and writes into her diary. Suddenly her door slams open and Erica is standing in the doorway. May jumps and gets ink on to her nightgown.

"I am so sorry, May. I just came in to tell you that mother has said that she and Victoria are going to Victoria's dance class tomorrow and I am at art class. So, you will be at home alone."

"No, I'm not. Rita has asked me to go with her to her drawing course. So, I'm not there either."

"Oh, ok. Well, good night, May."

"Good night, Erica."

With that Erica leaves. May finishes writing into her diary, then goes to bed.