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"You know that’s not why, Sam"

"Yeah, yeah," he replies half-heartedly

"Co hi embarrassment out there, dude In front of Six"

"Ohhh," I reply, catching on "So, you shot the girl you like in the back Big deal"

"It is a big deal," Sam insists "I looked like a fool that can’t protect hiet the people he cares about hurt"

I don’t knohat to tell Saet with Six is like deciding to take upEverest as your firstuseful to tell you, buddy Honestly, though? Six confuses the hell out of me If you really do like her, just be honest with her She appreciates honesty Or, like, directness Bluntness"

"Bluntness makes me think of cavemen"

I pat Sam on the back "Be direct but, you know, don’t club her or anything You won’t survive that"

I’, but Sam’s frown only deepens "What chance do I even have, John? She’ll be hooking up with Nine in no tiht"

"Nine?!" That h I pat Sam on the shoulder "Come on, man And Six can’t stand Nine"

"Really?" Sam looks at me His smile isyou with all this," he says "Guess I just need a confidence boost or so in front ofhiot to lose?"

I leave Sam in the hallway to ponder his next move I hope it works out for hiether, but I don’t want to spend any ot irlfriend ofinlook after I’ve closed the door behind me, her face lit up by a playful sood advice," she says

I glance overhow much of my conversation with Sam she overhead "You think so?"

She nods "Sarown up Emily would be heartbroken"

It takes me a moment to remember Sarah’s friend from Paradise, the one Saether It seeo "I hope I didn’t just set Saet his heart broken You think he really has a shot with Six?"

"Maybe," Sarah replies, walking over to irl Sam’s cute and funny, and he obviously cares about her What’s not to like?"

She tosses her arive hiood at it"

"Aering kiss to h et about Sa; I wish I could live in that kiss Sarah slowly pulls away and looks up atat you"

"If that’s what I get, you can shoot at me anyti ? World saving?"

I shake et out of here"

Sarah and I end up walking over to the Lincoln Park Zoo I’ve spent plenty of time on the roof of the John Hancock Center, so it’s not like I’ve been totally cooped up since we returned to Chicago Still, it’s different to experience the city down here, with the people Even with all the car fu city, the air still seems fresher somehow Maybe it’s just that I feel free, more alive down here than when I’m up on the roof with my troubles With Sarah’s hand in the crook of ine we’re just a normal couple on a date

That’s not to say I’ht jacket, just in case it should pick up any signs of danger We stop in front of the lion enclosure, but we can’t see anything except the golden furred butt of a lion dozing off behind a chewed-up tire

"That’s the buet so lazy and sleepy, soet to see them"

"That shouldn’t be a probleently coaxing the lion to wake up It cliht towards us He stares up at us fro curiously

I ask it to roar and it does, a big hearty growl that makes so and laughing

"Good boy," I whisper Sarah squeezes ular Dr Doolittle," she says "If you ever need to go into hiding again, the circus would be perfect"