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I wandered past the college party, ignoring the catcalls and invitations to join them, and found an eround I looked in all directions,sure no one could sneak up on that spot, then sat, trying to ignore the anxiety htuneasily through my head: Was I in trouble? Had someone in town seen me naked and tracked me down? Was it someone from my past? A previous foster parent? Did he ask for me by name, or show a picture, or what?

I was so wound up inbesideIt’s beautiful"

His voice was littledown at him and ready to sprint

"I didn’t ain?" he asked with mild amusement Curiosity danced in his dark eyes

I sed a lu for me"

He stood "What do youfor …if that was a piece of inforer "Never ain, reaching out to touch ertips caht "Wow Where did you get this stuff?" He blew on his fingers and the dust sparkled a hundred different colors in the air before settling on his jeans

This stuff? Oh, I tried to turn into a snake with scales and a forked tongue this afternoon and it backfired, I thought sarcastically I wondered how long he’d stick around once he found that out

"I don’t reto eat?"

I looked at hiether?"

"Yeah, you and lanced at his leather-banded watch "I know this place--"

"I’ht"

"Where do you work?"

"The Navajo Mexican, with Yana"

"What tio," I blurted, striding away Yana was on the other side of the park looking for one," she called "Police caht while they do a background check"

My shoulders relaxed as if the weight of the world had been lifted frolanced overat me, a frown on his face I felt a feathery touch on ers over litter crap is really freakingout of your skin" She brushed her fingers over her eyelids and they shi how she’d feel if she knew she was putting disintegrating snake scales on her eyelids "What’s the occasion?"

She blushed "José hired a new dishwasher He rides a motorcycle and has a tattoo of a tarantula on his hand," she said with a sht Not only did I drop a tray of drinks on myself, I slipped on the spilled soda and beer and landed in it The liquid soaked into ed to crash into Yana while carrying a scalding plate of fry bread sreasy cheese The beans and h the fabric I tore e boys I’d been waiting on cheered and clapped, and left iving a child an alcoholic e professor the otten to put the pot back on the hot plate

To make matters worse, I’d been too busy to ask Naalyehe about the stranger

At a quarter past ten, whenin, I made my way to the kitchen

José, Naalyehe, and two part-tihing

"Can I talk to you, Naalyehe?" I asked

All four ie Mae," Naalyehe said He put down his washcloth and steeredJosé’s car was the only vehicle parked in back

Naalyehe studiedI should know about?"

I sighed, blowing loose wisps of hair away fros

"You do not need to fear me," Naalyehe said, his voice soft "But I need to knohy thatfor you"

"I don’t knohy" That question had been running laps through ht "Did he tell you his name?"

"I asked He refused"

"Well, what exactly did he say?"

"He said, ‘I’ie Mae Mortensen She has black hair and pale eyes and is eighteen years old I was told that she works here Have you seen her?’ " Naalyehe repeated in monotone

"What did you tell hidalena, and my only employees with black hair have dark eyes"