Chapter Four

I pull into the parking lot of the San Francisco Zoo.

Amy claps her hands together. "Thank goodness it's the first Wednesday of the month!"

"Um, why?" I ask, slamming my door shut and jamming my keys into the keyhole. I twist the key and lock the car. As Amy answers, we walk to the entrance.

"Because the first Wednesday of the month equals free admission!"

"Oh, sweet," I say, putting my wallet back into my purse. "What do we have to do?"

"I can answer that."

I look over at the employee handling the entrance.

I gasp.

"J-Jessica?" I ask, my heart pounding against my chest.

"Yup!" Jessica smiles. "What's up, Kimmy?"

Jessica is Jackson's twin sister. I don't like being around anyone that associates with Jackson. It just makes me uncomfortable and scared.

"Er… My friend and I would like to get in, please," I say in an accidentally cold way.

"Oh," Jessica says, her smile fading a bit. "Yes, of course. I just need to see your driver's license, you I.D., plus photo, your phone, your name and address, and you're good to go!" Jessica looks up from her small slip of paper she was reading off of.

After a couple minutes, I get everything Jess needs and place it on the counter she sits at. She looks through it and looks up. She smiles, handing all of my things back.

"Thanks!" she says, and waves happily as we enter the zoo.

"Thanks…" I mutter as Amy looks around I suddenly look back at her and clear my throat. "Lead the way, Amy!"

Amy blushes. "I-I've neer led anything before."

"Well, what's your favorite animal?"

"Oh!" she says. "That's easy; a snake."

"To the reptile house, then!"

Amy smiles and nods. She looks like she's about to start walking but suddenly stops. "But we have to walk side-by-side. I don't like leading."

I chuckle. "Whatever you say goes!"

We walk to the reptile house and start looking around. I slip my hands into my zip-up sweatshirt pocket and smile as Amy looks around in awe. We make sure to see every single snake. I can tell Amy doesn't want to miss anything.

After we finish at the reptile house, Amy makes me decide where to go next. I decide to go see the wolves, the tigers, the elephants, and giraffes. After about an hour or two of being at the zoo, I get us ice cream at one of the stands.

Amy stares at her strawberry ice cream hesitantly. "You really shouldn't have," she says guiltily, gazing at me.

It's at this moment that I realize how bright her blue eyes are. So shiny, sparkly…