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right then. But I didn’t. Instead I slipped behind the closest door. With the rooms empty, except for boxes, it was hard to tell what room I was in. The bedroom, I decided.
    â€œI can’t believe this is happening!” someone said. Looking around the edge of the door, I could see a guy walking out of what seemed to be the kitchen — a small, sunny room at the back of the apartment — his arm around a girl’s waist. They looked like they were in their early twenties. He was wearing a red bandana; she had long, dark hair that she wore in a braid down her back. It was tied at the bottom with a red ribbon.
    â€œI know,” the girl said in a breathless voice. “Me and you. Our first apartment. I can’t believe it either.”
    Just my luck, I thought. Bad enough I have to put up with Mom and Clay, but now I’ve walked in on another pair of lovebirds. I hoped these two weren’t about to start making out. After all, the moving guys would be back any minute with more stuff.
    â€œThis is so cool,” the guy said. “Our ownplace.” Then he leaned in like he was about to kiss her. Luckily the moving guys showed up right then. There were three of them now, but only two were carrying boxes.
    â€œWe’re all done,” the empty-handed one announced. He was the one who had handed me the box outside. “That’ll be two hundred and fifty bucks,” he told the couple.
    â€œYou guys were great,” the girl said. “Thanks so much for everything.” She took an envelope from her pocket and handed it to the boss.
    The guy shut the door behind the moving men. “Here’s to our life together,” he said. He was carrying two plastic bottles of spring water. He gave one to his girlfriend; then they toasted each other. Pretty corny, if you ask me.
    â€œWhat now?” The girl looked up at her boyfriend. When she giggled, I started getting nervous.
    â€œWe unpack,” the guy said. I nearly sighed out loud.
    He turned toward the room I was in and reached for the closest box, sliding it overtoward him. I was standing in the doorway, only partially hidden by the door.
    Our eyes met. When he looked at me, he didn’t seem afraid. Just curious. “What are you doing here, kid?” he asked, getting up from his spot on the floor and opening the door all the way.
    I didn’t say a thing.
    The girlfriend made enough noise for all of us, though. “Call the police!” she shrieked. “It’s the home invader!”

Chapter Nine
    The guy was standing so close I could hear him breathing and see the beads of sweat trickling down his neck. “I’m not the home invader,” I said.
    â€œWho are you then?” he asked me.
    â€œI … I was just walking by when the movers handed me a box.” I knew it sounded lame, but it was all I could think of. Besides, it’s what happened.
    The girl had backed up all the way to the window, and her face, which had turned almost white when she first saw me, was beginning to get its color back. “It’s really creepy the way he was watching us, John,” she said, her voice shaking.
    John looked into my eyes. “Did you take anything?”
    â€œNo way,” I told him, opening my hands to show him they were empty. “Besides,” I added, “there’s nothing to take. Everything’s packed.”
    â€œHe has a point there, Clarisse,” John said, turning around to face her.
    â€œWe should call the police just the same. He invaded our home,” Clarisse insisted. Her voice was high-pitched and whiny.
    How could John stand her? Then he said something that surprised me. “I know you’re stressed out,” he told Clarisse. “But everything will be okay. We’ve got each other, right?”
    When Clarisse smiled back at him, she didn’t seem so upset anymore.
    If John hadn’t been blocking my way, I could’ve made a run