We don't know if the Yakuza stationed someone in my neighborhood, or if Nobu sent people here earlier, so the demon hunters drive around the block and area a few times. To make doubly sure, Tyron parks on a road at the top of the hill, and the other two demon hunters walk over to my house and around the area in case something is visible on foot but not by car.

Tyron is friendly, but it's obvious he won't or can't include me. It's almost 2 am, and my questions can wait. My father's big show opens tomorrow. As Joel and Tyron talk, I contemplate writing a message to my father about what happened tonight. I don't know what he's doing to clear things up, but it hasn't worked so far. I'll leave out the demon and the fact that I'm some kind of witch. At least I'm not undead.

We're parked beside a fence. A high school athletic field is on the other side. Across the street is a communications company. Only a few houses are nearby. If the Yakuza know I'm alive, this would be the perfect place for an ambush. When I look around attentively, Joel and Tyron fall silent. They've been keeping watch while talking this whole time. None of us are on autopilot.

Eventually, I decide against the message to my father. He can deal with the Yakuza without worrying about me.

My fingertips stopped tingling awhile ago. That demon priest was scared when I touched him with them. The thing is, if the Yakuza come again, would the demon? Did I actually summon it and could I again? Should I? It's not predictable, so it might kill us all. It isn't a baby, but it isn't... wise.

I let Joel and Tyron talk. Alan might be in Yoga by now. After the two other demon hunters call and say no one is watching the house or the area, I write Alan quickly while Tyron drives us over to my house.

Alan, I'm safe at home with Joel as a bodyguard. The Yakuza think I'm dead and aren't looking for me. I'll call you in the morning. Let's go to my father's show together. I hope he's safe too.

***

Instead of saying goodbye, Tyron insists on inspecting the inside of the house. "I'm not going to let you go, Joel, just to find out later that you died inside."

My family fled, and I'm super excited to end this nightmare evening with Joel. I want to be Tyron's friend, but that will have to happen another time. Next time I'm about to die, I may be a virgin, I may not. Blush, wink. It's so hard not to push Tyron out the front door while yelling, "Be gone."

While we verify that the master bedroom is clear of intruders, I grab a pair of Mr. Lombardi's pajamas for Joel. I drop them off in my bedroom as we go through the rest of the house.

Tyron's polite and gloomy. He gives me a hug at the front door, but he keeps a column of space between us. He waves his hand mechanically. "Bye guys."

Joel lightly slaps the side of Tyron's head and laughs. "Don't be like that." Tyron pretends to karate chop him to death before he backs out the door.

My heart is as buoyant as wood. When Joel turns the locks, I leap around and pull him upstairs. "Joel, we're alone."

The last time Joel was here, he didn't see my bedroom. If I was older and more experienced, I'd invite him into the shower with me, but I tell him to wait, because I don't want things to go too fast, and that's fast, super fast. "I'm first." For a change, I don't compare myself negatively to his New York girlfriends. I don't worry they're faster, easier, and more interesting. I don't even worry that my mother will come home, because that's impossible.

I don't want Joel to get the wrong idea - we're probably not going all the way. At the same time, I don't want Joel to get any other wrong ideas either. We're going to wrap ourselves around each other and be wild. Like the moon. Like the ocean. We're going to celebrate life.

I wore the green one-piece dress for so long I may never wear it again. At the shower, I shimmy out of it with glee. After lots of body soap and water, I dry off and put on my least revealing pajamas. I feel sexy anyways, too sexy.

When I patter back into my room, Joel gets off my chair and stands up like I'm a commanding officer in the military. "Stop being silly," I say. "Go shower." He laughs and takes the pajamas. While he's gone, I slide into bed and think about him. His body. His smile. His butt.

Before, I wanted to be a famous pop star's personal assistant, because I can observe and blend in like a spy in a shadow. Now, I want to take charge and be the center of my world. Maybe I'll be a pop star.

When Joel comes back, I kick my feet under the blankets. "Get in here," I say.

He crouches down beside the bed and gives me a kiss. At first, crouching outside my blankets is parental, because I expected him to hop in, but the kiss is deep, exciting and rude. So rude. I slide my arms out from under the blankets and wrap them around him and over him. This is one thing worth living for. I don't know what the demon did to me, or if I'll see that weird demon priest again, but I'll figure that out later.

When the kiss ends, Joel sighs. He rests his face close to mine. "You're beautiful," he says.

Then he makes a funny face, grabs my extra pillow, and sits on the floor. "What are you doing? Get in here?" I say.

"You're only sixteen, Makiko."

"You're only seventeen."

"Yeah, but I don't live at home, and this is your bedroom, and your folks could come back. It doesn't feel right."

I push off my blankets and kneel on my bed. I lean forward and rest on my hands, so I can really see him, because he's lying on the floor with his hands behind his head. "Is it because of the demon?"

"No. Hell no." He gets off the floor and drapes his arms around me. "I mean, it did something to you, but that doesn't change how I feel."

I want to know what the demon did. I want to know why Joel said earlier that it's not exactly a demon. I just don't want to know tonight. Tonight, I want to curl up with Joel. "Are you sure it's not because I'm a demon-girl?"

"You're not a demon-girl."

"A witch."

"It's not that, Makiko. And I don't think they should use that word to describe the girls demons mark."

"Then why won't you get into bed?"

He smiles and lets go of me. He doesn't blush, but his body caves into itself, a giant fidget, a whole-body wince. "Because I really, really like you." It bursts out of his mouth like fireworks.

I hug my knees with my arms and let my body fall over onto the bed. My back is to him. He touches my waist, so I roll over. We're face-to-face. "Joel, I want to fool around with you, because I almost died tonight, and I really, really like you. Is that bad?"

He shakes his head, and lies down on the floor again, out of reach. "No, it's not bad." He folds his hands over his stomach. I lean off the bed. I have to place my hand on the floor for support. He twists his hips, so I can't swat at him. "You have hang-ups? Is that it? Wow."

"I don't call them hang-ups." He crosses his legs. "You're the one going to a school called St. Lucy's. Aren't you Catholic?"

"No, are you?"

"Yes. That's one reason I hunt demons. It's also one reason I'm not as easy as you seem to think." He smirks.

"Joel, I'm not going to attack you." I scramble out of my bed. Before I set the alarm clock, I pretend I'll jump on him, and he laughs. Back in bed, I lean off it and over him like before, with one arm holding me up. "Are you sure you don't want to snuggle with me in my warm bed? Sophia does. Cynthia too."

"I'm good, thank you."

I throw a blanket at his face. "Are they making you choose me or demon hunting?"

"Not exactly, but probably. I'm not going to wait and see, so I quit."

While thinking about that, I lie quietly. Considering the day I've had, it doesn't take long to get sleepy. "I love you, Joel."

"I love you too."

I lean onto my side and watch Joel's closed eyes and prone body. I want experiences, including a boyfriend, but a boyfriend will not help me figure myself out or make me happy. I have to do that, though a boyfriend is part of it. Or maybe a girlfriend. I don't know.

***

Someone knocks on my bedroom door. According to the clock, it's 8 am. No one is supposed to be home. My father's photography show opens in three hours, and the alarm is set for 9. I sit up. "Hello?"

On the floor, Joel leans on one elbow and stares at the door.

"Are you decent?" Alan Lord says. "May I open the door?"

"Yes!"

He pokes his head in. When he sees Joel on the floor, he smiles. Relief washes over his beet-red face like a summer breeze.

I didn't cover myself with my blankets, because my pajamas are bulky. "No offense, Alan, but how did you get into the house?"

He rolls his eyes. "The only hard part was Tyron-"

Joel pulls my extra blanket up with him when he gets off the floor. "Tyron was here all night?"

"When I showed up outside, we almost killed each other." Alan laughs. "He's in the kitchen whipping up breakfast." Alan sticks only his bald head into the room, but I notice he's no longer wearing yesterday's blue suit. This one's dark purple, and there are no bags under his eyes. He's ready for the day and for my father's photography show. "I had to make sure you were safe." He frowns jokingly at me. "I've been in the living room since about three."

When I hear that, I'm relieved that Joel played hard to get. If we had done anything and Alan had heard, how horrible.

"Is my father okay? Is it over?"

"It's over. He called sometime before four and said everything's resolved." Alan releases the door handle and tugs on his brilliant pink tie. "A limousine will pick us up here at ten for the opening of his show, so be ready."

"Does my father know about Joel?"

Alan frowns, then smiles. "I guess he'll find out."

"Where's my mother? Does she know?"

"I guess she'll find out." That's my mother's voice coming from behind Alan.

I jump out of bed to hug her. "Mom!"

Thank you very much, especially if you've read the entirety of QUIET. You are my hero!