Mariana stood in front of her locker, trying her best to remember her combination. She pulled the paper on her notebook that said what the combination was as much as she tried it wouldn't open. She kicked the stupid locker probably someone wanted to prank her. "Maldita sea... locker estupido...."

Simon hears a bang and feels his locker shake. Peering from behind his locker door, he sees Mariana struggling with her locker. He gently shuts his own locker and walks over.

"Having some trouble?"

"Este... Yes..." She pointed at the lock. "I need my books and this stupid lock doesn't want to open."

"It's okay, let me see if I can help..." Craning his neck to see the combination on the paper, Simon gave the locker a try.

He could guess why she was frazzled this morning. "So, did you hear about those missing kids? And that creature they saw last night? Pretty crazy right?"

"Yes... pretty weird and crazy. It's messed up." She sighed. "One day you are here the next, who knows?" Mariana had composed herself and her voice was back to her monotone. "Thanks Simon."

"It's crazy alright. As long as we stick together, look out for each other, we should be fine. What are you doing after school?"

He turns the combination once more, muttering, "left 17 and..." nothing happens when he lifts the latch on the door. Leaning back over to look at the numbers written down he asks, "Is that a seven or a one?"

"that is a one... I write a little line on the middle of the seven." She nodded. "I am going to poetry night with Astrid. I don't know if Jono wants to meet up after class for the idea of well." She gave a depreciated chuckle. "it's stupid... and probably won't happen."

"Ah, so an eleven, let's give this another go." Simon starts turning the lock again. "Poetry night, that sounds... nice." He pauses to look up sheepishly at Mariana. "I'm sure it's cool, I just never get it. Poetry. It sounds pretty, but I don't get why people wouldn't just say what they want to say. You know, in plain words."

"People don't necessarily want to be direct when expressing their feelings or want other people to know what they feel." Mariana nodded. "Like feeling really sad but you don't want people to know."

"That's fair. I don't mind telling people if I'm feeling sad or whatever. But if I did, I don't think I'd want to say it in code either. Like if you're going to write poetry, no matter what it is you're trying to say, people are going to make some assumptions about you anyway. I think it just adds another layer of work to figure out what people are trying to say. It's hard enough already to communicate."

"I see..." She nodded. "I guess I can be honest with people that are close to me... but I hide from those who wish me harm... time and letters tells what is left... tic toc tic toc wasted time..." She started to recite. "I should write that down... but my notebook is in there." pointing to the locker.

"Oh, sorry." Simon turns back to the locker to put in the last two numbers and lifts the latch, this time opening the locker. "Open Sesame" he says with a flourish.

"Thanks..." She pulls our a black notebook and her pen. Mariana moved a stray hair behind her ear and smiled. "What was wrong with it?"

"I don't think anything was wrong with it. Sometimes these locks get sticky. Or maybe you were just a bit dyslexic with the numbers, I was a bit dyslexic with them... maybe I'm dyslexic? I do get numbers and letters mixed up sometimes." Simon kind of mutters to himself and seems to be pondering for a moment.

"Anyway, we got it open now. Are you excited for Mr. McDowell's class?"

"Huh..." She placed the notebook in the bag. "Not really, he thinks my poetry is too dark."

"Isn't that kind of the point?" Simon shrugged in confusion. "I guess there are plenty of poets who write nice, flowery poems, but aren't really famous ones the dark ones? Like Edgar Allen Poe and Lord Byron? Even Shakespeare has some dark stuff in there."

"Well, yeah... but some people want to be romantic and write for love." She nodded. "But if you see EAP, he also writes for love... The Raven is one that people think is dark and dreary, but it is a sort of love letter to his Leonore." Mariana closed the locker.

"Really, that's weird. I haven't read it or listened to the whole thing, I just know about the Simpsons episode where Bart was the raven."

"If you want, we can get together and show you." Mariana nodded.

Simon considered the offer for a moment. He didn't get invited out much and his father was always pushing him to be more social. "Sure..." Simon responds slowly, "I may not add a lot, but I'm game to see what's what."