The next few weeks grew busier for Krista, with every day seeming to bring a new event or activity. With the development of her father’s computer store quickly progressing, she found herself helping him out for a few hours every weekend; she was even at the store on some weeknights depending on her homework load. Any complaints she had had about the level of music the jazz band was playing went out the window as Mr. Brannigan informed them that now that they had gotten their stride, “baby jazz� was over, and they began to tackle more challenging pieces. Q’s rehearsals were also intensifying as Krista waded her way through old songs and tried to learn the new ones that kept coming in a never-ending stream of creativity. It was just as well she didn’t yet have the courage to bring any of her music to them; at this rate, there would be no room for it.



She had also finally begun to make friends and create a social circle of sorts for herself. She was pleased to find that there were quite a few genuinely nice, interesting people in many of her classes, and she began to spend time with some of them outside of school. Marshall remained a fixture in her social life as well, continuing to give her parents false hope. She didn’t know which was worse: having them constantly checking in to see if she was dating anyone at all, or having them interrogate her about how things were going with a particular boy. She bounced between being amused, annoyed, and relieved that they would never think to question her about the person she was ultimately spending the most time with.



It may have been the intense conversation that they had shared the night of the movie, or just that enough time had passed for them to get used to each other, but she and Taryn were spending more and more time together, embarking on what was without a doubt a friendship. In the beginning there were a few more outings like the Spoken Word event wherein Krista would tag along with Taryn and TJ, feeling very much like a third wheel. They had also gone on outings with their parents; Cheryl, true to her word, had provided the Evans with maps and brochures for things to do in and around the city, and whenever Krista found herself dragged off to a museum, she made sure to rope Taryn and Jay in too.



As the weeks passed and September bled into October, Taryn began asking her to accompany her places or do things with her that didn’t involve anyone else but her; no TJ, no Jay, no parents. It had taken Krista by surprise at first; she could not fathom why the other girl had taken a sudden interest in hanging out with her, but she was not about to question it or pass it up. She was strong in her resolve; she would work her way through her crush on Taryn, and be a good friend. It worked with Diana, it could work with her.



It started slowly, with Taryn inviting her out to have coffee, or go to a movie, and the outings grew into full-day events: the Sportsplex to watch the skaters going at it on the half-pikes and ramps; walking trails at the Desert Wind Park, and visiting their bird habitat and botanical garden; driving out to Tempe to hang out at the lake.



And the dairy farm, Krista thought, shaking her head in bemusement at their latest adventure as she washed her hands with the antibacterial soap provided at the row of sinks.



“What are you shaking your head about?� Taryn queried from her side, rubbing the clear liquid into her own hands and scrubbing.



“I’m thinking about how you’ve got me at a dairy farm. Who randomly takes trips to dairy farms? Who milks cows for fun?�



Taryn looked pointedly over her shoulder at the mob of people gathered around the pen containing the calf they had just milked, vying for an opportunity to try it themselves. Krista laughed and shook her head again. The crowd at the farm was made up of two types of people: little children and their parents. Of the few teenagers there, she and Taryn were the only ones who did not look as if they had been dragged there kicking and screaming.



“I can’t believe I touched an udder,� she said, looking at her hands and shuddering at the remembrance.



“And I got it on film,� Taryn smiled wickedly, patting the pocket of her jeans that held the small digital camera. “I’m thinking about writing a guest piece for the school paper. What do you think?� She jumped back as Krista flung water on her.



“So, we’ve petted pigs and goats, milked cows, learned about the process of dairy farming…what’s next?�



Taryn glanced at her watch. “Oooh, hay ride. We’d better get going if we wanna get seats.�



“Hay ride.�



“You’re not in New England anymore,� Taryn teased.



“Hey, we have hay rides in Massachusetts. We farm,� Krista retorted in mock indignation as she followed Taryn. It had been a weird idea for a trip, further affirming her opinion that Taryn was a weird girl. It had taken Krista a second to even understand what Taryn had been proposing when she asked her if she wanted to go, but it had never occurred to her to turn her down. If Taryn invited her somewhere, she was going to go. No question. And as usual, she had wound up having a great time. Now they were off for a hay ride, something she had not particularly enjoyed the one time she had tried it, but in the exciting, mystical world she lived in when she was with Taryn, the prospect of being itchy and sticky did not faze her at all.