”“Jeff, you hurt that animal,” Diana accused.The Prime stared at her. “I ... uh. He was trying to kill us, Diana,” he pointed out. “And be...ides, if he had hit the front of the crawler or this cage, he probably would have died. At least the wall is smooth and didn’t cut him.”“I don’t think we have to worry about his dying just yet,” Jasmine said as the bull’s eyes seemed suddenly to clear. A moment later, he shook his head, snorted, and slinging snot and blood everywhere, staggered upright. No. Finally she stood back up and faced me awkwardly. I had nothing to say. Of course I lusted after her but knew not what else or how else to approach her. To me I ran the marathon and couldn't get to the finish line, I had to quit. I turned and headed back to the garage door, "Well, I better get home. I'll tell mom that you wanted some blueberries." Wait!" Her voice was rather frantic and I turned to find her roughly rubbing her palms along the flanks of her black faded jeans. "Do you have to go. I stood there waiting for a few minutes for the sound of her leaving but not even so much as a single word much less her car pulling out. I now began to get nervous. I picked up my phone again dialing her cell number. Walking back into my hallway I could clearly hear the faint ringing of her phone through the wall. After six rings I was directed right to her voice mail. She was still there and didn't make a single effort to pick it up. Standing there for another six minutes I still hadn't heard. Surely the significancecouldn't escape her? Besides, I hoped to be home long before thatenvelope arrived. With my task completed, my mood brightenedconsiderably. I found myself purchasing the cutest red lipstick. It wason sale! I used the tiny mirror in the store to apply a coat to my lips.I smiled at my reflection; I was done pretending for Dad. The clerk's gushing that the color looked perfect on me only made mysmile widen. For the first time since I'd arrived, I became aware of.