Kuratu waited in the cafeteria that day - usually, if there was any food left over, the lunch ladies let him have it for free - but there wasn't anything left today. He went through the rest of the school day feeling slightly distracted, because usually he at least had lunch.

Amelia and her parents browsed the stores and bought things. Amelia looked around and smiled as she got paint, brushes, and other art supplies. She grabbed what she needed and placed it in the cart. Her mother smiled and let her do these kinds of things all the time. They continued to shop then left to go buy clothes for the family.

After school, Kuratu put his things in his locker and then left. He worked at the mall as a janitor, and though it only paid minimum wage, it was better than nothing. He picked up a mop and bucket from the janitor's closet and began cleaning up a spill just on the edge of the food court, near a clothing store.

Amelai walked with her parents inside the clothing store and noticed a young man outside cleaning up at the food court. She quickly jumped in joy and looked at the drawing then at the man again. Was it Kuratu? She couldn't really tell until she saw his face so watched him for a while. Her while was cut short when her mother found her some dresses and other clothing pieces to try on. So Amelia did so after she handed her sketch book to her mother and ran to try everything on. Her mother looked at the drawing of Kuratu and smiled.
"Dear...I wonder how she met this young man."she said to her husband. He nodded and looked at the picture.
"He was probably standing somewhere and she decided to draw him without disturbing him.
Amelia then came out and nodded handing everything to her mother and taking her sketch book back.
It all fits mother...can you find me some hats, bows, ribbons, or goggles? Father can you help her please? she wrote. Her parent nodded and went off to look for things and little by little found things.
Amelia ran to the window and continued to stare at the man.

Kuratu straightened up and stretched slightly. Mopping was hard work. He ran his hand through his hair as he glanced casually into the shop, and his eyes moved back to the girl in the window. That was Amelia, wasn't it? He smiled and waved at her.

Amelia smiled and waved back. That was Kuratu for sure.
Amelia sneaked out of the shop and want to him.
'Hello Kuratu."she said in sign. Her parents began to pay for everything they bought.

'Hello,' Kuratu said, smiling a little. 'Careful there, it's wet.'

She smiled and nodded.
'Okay'
Umm...I would stay and talk some more, but if my parents see me with you they might get mad..I can introduce you to them, but I don't know if you want to know them yet. she wrote.

'I wouldn't mind meeting them,' Kuratu said, smiling gently. 'What are they like?'

They're very nice to me. They saw my drawing of you and thought you looked like a nice guy.
I agreed with them...but I have a hard time trusting guys now...it's a long story and I'm sure you don't want to hear it...I get scared. That's as much as I'll say. she wrote.
Her parents found her and called her.
"Amelia!"called her father. He mother walked towards them and smiled.
"Amelia dear, come now. we're going home."she said smiling and turned to Kuratu.
"Who's this?"she asked.
The boy from the drawing... Amelia wrote.
"Oh, well hello there. Thank-you for taking care of my sweetie!"she said and without another word gave him a twenty-dollar bill and grabbed Amilea by the hand and took her away.
Amelia frowned and waved.

Kuratu looked at the bill in shock. Twenty dollars? This was the equivalent of two hours of work! He looked up to thank the family, but they'd already gone. He put the money in his pocket and went back to cleaning, still surprised.

Amelia looked at him working and smiled shyly. A light blush covered her face. she wanted to go back and continue to talk but sadly they left and were now in the car heading home. She wondered if she would be able to see him later at the tree.
"Dear, you should have come with me. I met the boy from the picture! He was kind enough to take care of our Amelia. I gave him some money as a thank-you."said her mother.
Her father smiled and they began to talk about the boy and how he sadly had to go to work tomorrow.
Amelia just looked out the window sadly and hoped to see him soon.

Kuratu finished his work, and put his things away. His pay was two weeks away still, so he'd need to make the thirty dollars he had last. Should he spend it on food? But he could get some from school, though that was inconsistent. Should he get new contact lenses? He checked in his pocket and, sure enough, the ones he had on were his last pair. Thirty dollars got him an entire box, though it meant going two weeks without money and potentially with only a small meal each day.

Kuratu thought about it a moment. His vision was terrible and had been since he was a kid - by now it was at the point where he couldn't see anything without his contacts unless it was closer to his eyes than the tip of his nose. It meant he wouldn't know what Amelia was saying to him, and while he knew his teachers would make allowances, going the months it would take to earn this kind of money again would leave him with plenty of the headaches that came with blurry vision. Sighing slightly as he made up his mind, Kuratu walked to the Lenscrafter's.

Amelia got home and took her things to her room. She looked around and put away her new clothes in the drawer, and the art supplies in the closet. Then she went to the living room and looked out the window.

Kuratu put the contact lenses in his pocket and left the mall, biting his lips hard. Being homeless for four years had gotten him to the point where he could keep up like this for about three days without it getting unbearable, but that didn't mean the intervening days weren't bad. He ambled up and down the street near the park for a while; walking seemed to help.

Amelia ran up to her room and changed into a gray dress with a white pattern on it then put on some long white socks and black flats she had. Then she ran to her parents and asked if she could go to the park for a while.
They agreed but her father insisted that they all go. Her mother rolled her eyes but chuckled.
"Very well..."she said and soon, they left to the park.

Kuratu, his hands shoved in his pockets, looked up at the sky. He glanced to the side, and paused; there was an apple, mostly intact, lying on the grass - and it hadn't rotted. Was it worth taking? But he didn't have to eat yet...but it would be nice...Especially since it might be a while before he had his next meal...but still...should he? Shouldn't he? Kuratu bit his lips, bent down, and extended a hand towards it.

Amelia arrived at the park and walked around with her parents. She looked around for Kuratu, she found him reaching for something on the floor.
Mother, I found a teacher that teaches me sign! she wrote and pointed to him.
Her parents looked to where she was pointing.
"Who is it?"asked her father.
His name is Kuratu...I don't fully trust him yet, but he's a good teacher and he enjoys teaching me! she wrote again.
Her father looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"It's confusing...you don't know this guy very well, but he teaches you to speak in sign?"he asked.
'Yes' she said in sign.
He's the guy from the drawing. He talked to me a few days ago and that's how he began to teach me sign. she wrote smiling.
Her parents shrugged at each other.
"Well dear...why don't you say hello...and why doesn't he come to your house to teach you?"asked her mother.
He gets nervous I guess....he doesn't want to bother anyone. wrote Amelia shrugging.
Her parents watched her as she went to him and tapped his shoulder.
'Hello' she said in sign.

(Don't they recognise him from earlier? ^^)

Kuratu retracted his hand guiltily and looked over at her in surprise, then smiled a little. 'Hey,' he said. 'You live near this park, don't you?'

((Her father doesn't))

Amelia looked at him and nodded.
'yes' she said in sign. She took out her sketch book and began to write everything her parents said and handed it to him.
what do you say or think? she added after she finished writing.

(Ahh, right. Wasn't sure if her mother did or not ^^)

Kuratu was slightly surprised by the offer, but wasn't about to refuse. 'Yes-...if that's not too much trouble.'

Trust me, it's not. here's my address come on over when you can okay? she wrote and handed him a paper with her address on it.
So, what are you doing? Oh and when you DO come over, you can meet my parents...well my father anyway. she wrote smiling a small smile.

'I'm...not really doing anything,' Kuratu said. 'I can come over now, if it's convenient.'

Amelia motioned for him to follow her. she went to her parents and introduced him and explained the plan.
"Well, it's very nice to meet you again Kuratu!"said her mother smiling warmly.
"I wouldn't mind you helping in teaching her sign language, I honestly am busy with housework and my husband is usually at work. By the way my name is Jewel Spurrow and my husband's name is Etienne Spurrow."she added smiling.
"It's nice to know you've been teaching her little by little, and I would like for you to teach her sign."he said nodding.
"But it's up to Amelia. What do you think Amelia?"he asked Amelia.
She smiled and nodded.
"Very well then, if you can come today please do. You can get in the car with us."he said patting Kuratu's shoulder and smirking.

Kuratu nodded. 'It's nice to meet both of you. Thank you,' he said. It had been a while since he was last in a car.