-Is everything okay, sweetheart? - Laura, Alice's roommate, asked.

  -Yes, I have to go back to San Jose. My boyfriend is back from his shoot, and well, we'll spend the weekend together, - said Alice.

  Laura could only shake her head. In Laura's eyes, Billy Carson is not a good guy for Alice, and that's putting it mildly. Alice sacrifices a lot for Billy, but he sacrifices for her too. Love is disproportionate.

  -Just take care, - said Laura.

  -Rex, Laura, you're always so dramatic, - said Alice.

  Her curls were loose, just the way Billy liked them. She wore a long bck dress, and she left the uy room, sighing. She didn't have much money—so she asked her father. No way.

  The small yellow car arked, a gift from her sister wheered uy. Standing there with crossed arms was Ethan Miller, the damn stalker who, after three years, tio harass her relentlessly. Three months without being able to hug Billy had a certain disfort; the joy of being united with Billy was normal for her. It was the lohey had been apart sihey started dating.

  -Alice, I have some chocotes for you, - said Ethan.

  -Thanks, but no thanks, - said Alice, entering her room, ign Ethan.

  -It's a special gift I bought for you, - said the boy, disappointed by his goddess's reje. From the very beginning, he fell pletely in love with her—her sweet smile, her long hair, and her kindness. He's not the only one, but he's the only oh the guts to be rejected again and again.

  Alice hesitated. "Thanks," she said.

  Ethan jumped for joy like a child when he saw Alice accepting the chocotes. Alice couldn't help but ugh at his childish behavior; she felt fttered. The yellow car started, leavihan smiling, saddened because he knew Alice was going to see her boyfriend.

  *****************************************************

  The Toy Story ats are fabulous, but many bck spots ot be ighe operating cost is ridiculously high, and so are the debts—almost 13 million unpaid betweeies in the Uates. The sed problem was found. What to do when the emas don't pay? Lawsuits may seem like an obvious solution, but it's not advisable for future iations and exhibitions. Unfortunately, there isn't someone experienced behind the ses to tell him what to do in such situations, and for now, he only bite hard and wait to see how things unfold.

  Is this another Warner plot, or perhaps another hidden plot by Disney?

  -That's all, - said Anne.

  -Thanks, Anne. I suppose you used this money over the loan, - Billy asked.

  -Of course, the loan money is still intact. I've even paid the saries for this year for all the workers in various panies. Now, Raimon just o use that money wisely in his iations in Maysia and Thaind, - Anne said.

  Billy thought. "Did you buy the pany Autodesk requested?"

  -Oh, it's done. Although you should moderate the growth of that pany a bit. I four years, we've made six purchases of small panies, and I think, if possible, we should only make necessary acquisitions. Also, I finalized the st procedures for the stru. Now, with this new idea of a on food area, the loan bees more necessary than initially thought, - said Anne.

  -Thanks, Anne, - said Billy, returning to his office with the financial statements and some reports on the pany's iments. Toy Story's profits were used to i in uping Pixar movies, such as Ice Age and The Iron Giant. Taxes were paid, and, of course, some film rights were purchased, such as Meteor and The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Lastly, the Tor Books publishing pany was acquired, with a down payment of 5.5 million as a promise to purchase.

  In the adjat room, Billy's graphid teical team tiheir work on his series. This time, they were advang drafts for Cowboy Bebop, a three-volume release for the summer season, and pleting the final designs for Yu Yu Yakusho, which was now at nine chapters, and it was time to establish an ending ond for all.T

  The afternoon passed, and Billy mao finish Chapter 7 of the One Piece work. His phone had five missed calls, as the s illumiwo were from his father, and three were from Alice.

  -Today is Friday, - thought Billy.

  From the parking lot, he called his father, who answered promptly, insisting on a family dihat was mandatory for him to attend since he o join the family. He relutly agreed after a bit of discussion with his father.

  -Hello, beautiful, - said Billy.

  Alice was on the phone. She had been at her parents' house for two and a half hours, deyed and without a penny in her pockets, just waiting to return home for lunch.

  -Were you w? - Alice asked.

  -Yes, sweetheart and I'm sorry. e, let me pick you up. Are you at Jessica's house or... with a friend? - asked Billy.

  -I'm at my parents' house. e, - said Alice, who now only had accumuted thoughts. Her eyes welled up, as she always did when she wao be pampered and loved.

  -I'm on my way, -said Billy.

  He started the car as soon as he could, arriving ihay mio provide the care that Alieeded. There were several missed calls, but Alice kept many things to herself, and Billy would only know what was going on when he saw her. He parked in front of Alice's house and rang the doorbell.

  Tentatively, Alice stood there in a long bck dress with her hair properly arranged. She gave Billy pleading eyes, and he approached, embrag her tightly. He could feel how Alice squeezed him with force; her slender arms did much strength but provided fort.

  -What's going on? - asked Billy.

  -It's been a while since I st saw you, - said Alice, her eyes teary again. Billy lifted her with strength and held her slender body while swaying food while, leaving her a little disheveled but more cheerful. Billy approached and gave her a deep kiss. He wao do this; it's that his st moments with Mi were chaotid the farewell almost led him to make a mistake. The warmth of women weakehe most experienced man.

  Alice's lips received the kiss with almost insane pleasure, and she felt intoxicated by Billy's passionate kiss. Billy stopped kissing her, but his thumb touched her lips with ignited lust. In a bold gesture, Alice's chemical rea could only arch her back, feeling Billy's possessiveness.

  -e, we have to go, - said Billy, giving her a small kiss.

  -Yes, - said Alice, adjusting a small bck purse.

  ************************************************************

  -Are you ing, brat? - Ivanova said to Cudia in an obvious women's quarrel. Both had a fighting spirit, aher was willing to yield to the other's words.

  -To hell with you, - said Cudia.

  -To hell with your tongue, you wretch, - Ivanova said in a Sviguage that Thomas couldn't uand.

  -Big words for a chatterbox, - said Cudia in German. He didn't uand very well, but the argument was starting to get out of trol, and now he could see that both women wouldn't back down.

  Thomas set aside his neer, and his tall body, bear-like, taller than his father and brothers, stood in front of Ivanova. - You must calm down; it's not good for the twins, - said the wyer.

  -But... -

  -Calm down, Livy. Cudia, Billy is not upset with you. He's just reserved and tends to be private. You'll find that his anger is directed towards me, and, of course, I fave you a long time ago, - Thomas said ciliatorily.

  -I don't like feeling unfortable, - said Cudia.

  -You won't be. It's just a family meal. You have the evening to go out with your friends and enjoy, - said Thomas.

  - I borrow the car? - Cudia asked.

  Thomas sighed internally and only nodded. He's not used to dealing with teenagers, and Cudia's 18 years are undoubtedly a testament to her behavior. The twins will be worse. He 't imagi and feels old.

  ...