As tears flowed freely down my cheeks, my vision blurred and when I couldn't run anymore before knocking myself down in the streets, I came to a halt. I was panting slightly but it has nothing to do with the physical exercise. Being the proud person that I have always been, I decided that crying in the public was undignified. Although there were not many people on the streets, I wiped my face and pondered on where to spend the night.

Joey's house was out of the question because I figured before I could so much as to open my mouth and ask him to allow me to stay for the night, he would've had called my father and demanded that I go home. Joey may be lenient with me, but more often than not, he was like a second parent to me.

Ivy's house? Her mother would freak out if she hears that her daughter has been associating with a runaway juvenile. Juvenile? Well, according to the law anyway. It seemed that I had no place to go. I was toying with the idea of walking the streets until daybreak when I heard my name behind me.

I turned and to my mortification, it was none other than Dante. I put on a smile for his sake and greeted him. He didn't seem to notice my teary eyes or that I was roaming the streets late at night.

"Hey, you free?"

I nodded.

"I was going to have supper, wanna come along?" he smiled engagingly.

We chatted for half the night before we had to be chased out of the café we went to because it was closing time. We strolled slowly along the quiet streets; each lost in our thoughts.

"Brenda, how long have we known each other?" That was a strange question to ask. Coming from Dante, it was nothing unusual though. If there is anything I learnt about him, it is never to expect anything usual.

"A year or so. Why?"

"Well, nothing, just wondering how good I am a friend to you, and vice versa."

I was silent for awhile as I chewed over his words. I tried to guess what he was driving at but didn't succeed. Was he trying to ask what I was doing out in the streets in the middle of the night? I ended up staring at him blankly.

Dante sighed.

"Well, never mind. So, are you going home? Come, I'll send you home."

I stopped in my tracks and announced that I was not going home. Dante looked at me for awhile and nodded without pressing a reason for my irrational behaviour. He seemed to understand.

"Well, there has to be somewhere you want to go. What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. It will be sometime before I return home. I guess I need a place to stay for the time being. "

"How about Joey's place?"

Even though I failed to mention Dante to Joey until today, I had told Dante about Joey a few times and he knew how close Joey and I were. I shook my head at Dante.

"Well, come to my room then."

I turned to him in alarm.

"If you want to, of course." Dante added. "I mean, it's alright on my part. The hall didn't set any regulations about us bringing friends over or anything."

"It isn't that and you know it, Dante."

"I won't try anything. Trust me." He lifted up both hands in an innocent gesture.

I pondered over his suggestion for awhile. It seemed like a good idea, except that Dante happened to be a close friend and I happened to like him very much. I knew that if I were to share a room with him, whatever left of my reputation in campus would be in tatters very soon. Well, I thought as I remembered the looks Ivy had given me in school whenever Dante was around me, as though it is in any better state now.

Heck, I thought, what could possibly happen? As long as we maintain our decorum, things shouldn't get out of hand, right? Besides, as soon as I got my own room in the hall, I would move out of his room. I thought about the additional cost of rental fees and cringed inwardly. However, I figure living alone and paying for myself certainly beats facing possible quarrels at home. I knew I was being obstinate again. And childish.

But I was really too exhausted to think any further than where to go for the night. I agreed to Dante's suggestion and headed for the campus. Dante spent the night (or whatever that is left of it) on the floor because he gave up his bed for me. I fell asleep almost as soon as my head touched his pillow. Despite the turmoil my mind was in, I had a peaceful night.