Discover More About Polyplacophora

Discover More About Polyplacophora The term Polyplacophora refers to a class of marine life that are part of the mollusk family. The tongue-twisting word is Latin for many plates. The animals in this class are commonly known as chitons  and they have eight overlapping plates, or valves, on their flat, elongated shells. About 800 species of chitons have been described. Most of these animals live in the intertidal zone. Chitons may be from 0.3 to 12 inches long. Under their shell plates, chitons have a mantle, bordered by a girdle or skirt. They may also have spines or hairs. The shell allows the creature to protect itself, but the overlapping design also lets it flex in an upwards motion and move. Chitons can also curl up into a ball.  Because of this, the shell provides protection at the same time as permitting the chiton to flex upward when it needs to move. How Polyplacophora Reproduce There are male and female chitons, and they reproduce by releasing sperm and eggs into the water. The eggs may be fertilized in the water or the female may retain the eggs, which are then fertilized by sperm that enters along with water as the female respires. Once the eggs are fertilized, they become free-swimming larvae and then turn into a juvenile chiton. Here are a few more facts that we know about Polyplacophora: The word is pronounced  poly-plac-o-for-a.Chitons are  also referred to as  sea cradles  or coat-of-mail shells. Other names they are recognized by include loricates,  polyplacophorans and  polyplacophores.These creatures are not commonly seen by beach-goers, as they live in rock crevices or under rocks. They can also live on rocks.Polyplacophora are found in cold waters and in tropical waters. Some live in tidal zones and can hold up to air exposure for periods of time. Others can live as deep as 20,000 feet under the surface of the water.They are only found in salt water.  They like to stay close to home and exhibit homing, which means they travel to feed and then return to the same spot.  People eat these sea creatures. They are commonly served throughout the Caribbean islands in places such as Tobago, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, and Trinidad. People in North and South America also eat them, as well as those in the Philippines.Similar to a mussel, they have a muscula r foot that allows them to move. Also like a mussel, they have strong adhesion powers and can cling quite powerfully to rocks in the ocean. There are both male and female chitons, and they reproduce externally.They eat everything from algae and diatoms to barnacles and bacteria. References: Campbell, A. and D. Fautin. 2001. ​Polyplacophora (Online), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed August 23, 2010.The Polyplacophora (Online). Man and Mollusc. Accessed August 23, 2010.Martinez, Andrew J. 2003. Marine Life of the North Atlantic. Aqua Quest Publications, Inc., New YorkUniversity of California Museum of Paleontology. The Polyplacophora (Online). Accessed August 23, 2010.

Policy argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Policy argument - Essay Example Accordingly, this paper would be divided into several categories wherein reasons for the cessation of troop deployment to the Iraqi and Afghan warzones would be in the best interest of all the stakeholders, including alternative policies currently undertaken and feasible proposals by respective governments. First and foremost however, a factual backdrop would be necessary regarding troop deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq. In February and March 2009, respectively, the Obama Administration declared its strategy to amplify troop deployment levels in Afghanistan, while providing for the decrease of troop deployment levels in Iraq. In Afghanistan, 30,000 more troops are deploying this year while in Iraq; troops will gradually decline to 35,000 to 50,000 by August 31, 2011 with all troops to be out of Iraq by December 31, 20111 (Belasco, 2009). The possibility of increase in troop deployment in the aforementioned warzones has been met with reluctance, and even expresses political disappro val by several of the stakeholders. Conversely, the counter-proposal of withdrawal is constantly gaining support, from the US and the invaded countries themselves. In the case of the United States of America, public support for the war has constantly waned. Both public opinion and government policy require the means to cease or at least lessen further war expenditure and troop deployment. Recent events relative to the conduct of the war continually depreciate popular support at home for the United States. US military causalities in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Enduring Freedom total to 6049 soldiers killed in action, further fanning public outrage against the conflicts, apart from hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq2 Accordingly, the economy of the US is also one of the major concerns. The  financial cost of the war  for the US has reached almost $845 billion  to the U.S., while the entire cost to the U.S. economy is projected to amount to  $3 trillion, a majority of which to be shouldered by American taxpayers.3 The conflict has also disrupted Iraqi  oil  production, which has spawned energy security concerns such as significant increases in the price of oil, thus disrupting the world economy. 4 The conflicts also have had adverse effects for international political relations. These include the circumstances of the legality and morality of the invasion, including the refusal of the US to comply with UN Security Resolutions and international law. Public opinion of several countries and diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries and their allies has also been severely affected. The US has been portrayed as imperialists and hegemons, effecting to massive protests not only in the Middle East, but also in Europe and even the US itself, drawing comparisons of the war to the Vietnam War 5. With regard to Afghanistan, political analysts have asserted that the democratization and develo pment of the country has been obscured by a â€Å"lack of agreement on objectives, a lack of resources, lack of coordination, too much focus on the central government at the expense of local and provincial governments, and too much focus on

Fashion Design And Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Fashion Design And Architecture - Essay Example The type of construction that is done depending on the preference and culture of the people at that particular time. It is for this reason that architecture is known to protect the culture of a given people over time and in most times act as cultural symbols. Due to this, we are able to learn the civilization of past people and how they lived during their times. The practice of erecting buildings can be seen as an art and in many cases, architecture is used to refer to buildings especially those constructed over a given period of time. There are various levels at which architecture can be done from the small-scale level that involves the construction of small-scale buildings such as kennels to the large-scale constructions of skyscrapers and water dams that can be seen in various parts of the world such as China and the western parts of the world. Design, on the other hand, can be described as the process of creating something with a given plan that is important to the making of a ne w system that can be used for various purposes. In software constructions, designing can be said to be the process of coming u with a blueprint of a software just before it is constructed. In architecture, the too design is one of the most important processes. The design is done with an intention of creating something new in the environment and creates unique things that have characteristics that have never been seen before. Design can also be described as the long process that is used to achieve particular set goals.  ... The practice of erecting buildings can be seen as an art and in many cases architecture is used to refer to buildings especially those constructed over a given period of time. There are various levels at which architecture can be done from the small scale level that involves the construction of small scale buildings such as kennels to the large scale constructions of skyscrapers and water dams that can be seen in various parts of the world such as china and the western parts of the world. Design on the other hand can be described as the process of creating something with a given plan that is important to the making of a new system that can be used for various purposes. In software constructions, designing can be said to be the process of coming u with a blueprint of a software just before it is constructed. In architecture too design is one of the most important processes. Design is done with an intention of creating something new in the environment and creates unique things that hav e characteristics that have never been seen before. Design can also be described as the long process that is used to achieve particular set goals. These set goals in most cases involve unique accomplishments. Fashion design is an art of applying natural beauty and design to come up with clothing and accessories that are acceptable to different people considering their gender, age, and the trend of time in which they are. Fashion design can be influenced by a lot of different factors top of which is climate. It is because of this that fashion designers work to accomplish their goals in different ways. The design is a continuous changing process as they have to work hard to match the consumer demand which keeps changing most of the time. For any designer to be successful, they

How the Essays Self Reliance by Emerson, and Resistance to Civil Research Paper

How the Essays Self Reliance by Emerson, and Resistance to Civil Government are Examples of Transcendentalism - Research Paper Example Everyone has their own way to perceive things and this is what transcendentalism is all about. When one looks deep into himself to find out meanings and reasons of things he connects himself to God. This helped in strengthening the belief that God was present. According to Quinn and Edward (2006), when one gets to know about himself and finds God then he feels the existence of a â€Å"microcosmic† world. According to Emerson (1995, p. 20-30), nature is an â€Å"organ† through which God speaks to an individual. He regarded God as â€Å"universal spirit† in his writings. One is born with religion, culture, laws, rules and society. One has to follow the rules and regulations set up by them. When one is born as an individual, he should have the freedom to think deeply and to connect with his inner self. He should be able to find meanings himself. He should find his God himself and live life accordingly. This is what Transcendentalism is all about; to know oneself. It is not something chaotic or going against the government or laws but it is just about exploration of one’s own self. â€Å"Self Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson and "Resistance to Civil Government† by Henry David Thoreau is perfect examples of it. Part. 2: Emerson and Thoreau: transcendentalism Emerson was a great written, philosopher, poet and lecturer and was born in May 25, 1803. Oakes and Elizabeth (2004), write about Emerson as someone who believed in â€Å"individuality†. Emerson saw imagination and human thinking in a very different way. He said that the thinking, imagination and perceptions of human beings are made by nature, which according to him is an organ that is used by spiritual entity to speak with humans. He focused on discovering one’s own self. Henry David Thoreau was a great philosopher and was student of Emerson. They both shared a great thinking and are the most prominent names when it comes to transcendentalism. It is said that the person who knows himself is the one who knows the real meaning and reason of his existence. People are too busy in everyday lives that they do not focus on their own self; they do not have time to communicate with their own soul and that results in lack of self awareness and distance from godliness. 2.1: Individualistic approach The essays "Self Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and "Resistance to Civil Government" by Henry David Thoreau are examples of Transcendentalism as they convey the â€Å"individualistic† approach in them. Both Emerson and Thoreau discuss in their respective essays that one has to have knowledge of himself and connect himself to nature instead of relying on experiences. According to Emerson (1967, pp. 20-30), a person should have full right over his decisions, his behaviors should not be shaped by the rules made by societies and government and he should be a free man. In the essay â€Å"Self Reliance†, Emerson has written according to the most important principle of Transcendentalism which is to be free from rules and obligations and live life as an individual. In the essay â€Å"Resistance to Civil Government†, Thoreau discussed individualism in detail and in its real spirit. As Thoreau (2009, p.4) said that humans should be â€Å"men first, and subjects afterwards†. His writing compels one to think as an individual who is free from boundaries and rules. A man has to think as an individual first, discover himself and think about what he thinks is right and wrong by getting to know about himself

Speech And Language Disorders In Children Young People Essay

Speech And Language Disorders In Children Young People Essay An amazing experience in every parents life is hearing their child speak for the first time. The first utter of dada or ma-ma is remarkable. This is the first step in a childs life to be able to verbalize with the world and explain his or her needs. The extraordinary part is how fast a child grasps language and the grammar that goes along with it. The normal age for children to start using words in the correct context is 12 months. Then there is an exponential growth in vocabulary and by 24 months children are stringing three or four words together to create sentences. By the age of three, children have the ability to ask questions, answer questions, and express themselves. This of course is for a normal developing child. For children with a delay in speech capability these milestones take a much longer time to reach and make it difficult for children to communicate their needs. This becomes problem if it goes untreated because of difficulties with school and social situations, the c hild also has difficulty asking for what he or she needs. There are many explanations to why this happens, hearing loss, bodily trauma such as traumatic brain injury, and apraxia are just a few of the multitude of reasons a child can be delayed in speech. Having an evaluation by a speech pathologist is the best way to see if a child has a speech delay or a learning disability because some of the same symptoms can mean either or both. The sooner the speech delay is recognized the better because the best treatment can be assessed and the delay can be monitored, and evaluated to see if treatment is necessary. If treatment is necessary the speech pathologist can decide the best method for the child depending on the severity and age of the child. This gives the child the best opportunity to recover from this either speech delay or speech impairment. Statement of the Problem Being able to understand young children can be challenging because their language skills have not fully developed. This is difficult, but what is more difficult is when a child has a delay in language and speech development. This is frustrating for the speaker and for the listener to understand what the speakers needs and wants are. This makes learning difficult and if these language problems are not eradicated many children go into special education because of their inabilities to use their language skills correctly. McCormack. McLeod, McAllister, and Harrison (2010), found that both the young people and their significant others acknowledged the importance of appropriately understanding and responding to communication needs in order to create a positive QOL (p. 386). The children are aware that their speech impairments or disorders can affect how they live their lives and the opportunities that they can lose it their speech issues go unattended as well. The methods used to correct s peech issues usually include working with a speech pathologist and doing different exercises to help with the speech issues. Parents or teachers are the first to take notice that the child needs to be tested for speech and language delays. McCormack, et al. (2010) state, The decision to seek and receive intervention for young children with speech impairment typically is made by parents or teachers on behalf of the children, as opposed to adults with communication impairment who make this decision of their own accord (p. 381). These children are not necessarily aware they need help, but they are aware that they speak differently and this can create issues with making friends and being able to communicate needs successfully to people that are not close to them. Without help these children can grow up without having the same opportunities as children with normal speaking patterns. The earlier these problems are addressed the sooner therapy can begin and the more likely these children w ill grow up having a regular life with normal prospects at school and at jobs. Beginning list of Terms Apraxia- The inability to perform complex movement like those used for speech, this usually occurs following a brain trauma or damage. Morphology- The use and understanding of minimal units of meaning. Phonology- Language manipulation of sound according to the rules of the particular language being spoken. Semantics- The study of language meaning with the use of words and phrases. Specific Language Impairment (SLI)- is a diagnosis when a childs speech is delayed because of no other apparent physical or mental reason. Speech Pathologists- Someone who specializes in speech and language disorders. Syntax- The principles, grammar, and rules for assembling sentences in language. Telegraphic Speech- The use of one verb and one noun that toddlers sometimes use to ask for things they want. This speech pattern begins around age two. Limitation of Study In recent years there has been many studies done on speech delays and speech abnormality in children. Before the 1970s there was not much information on were speech impairments came from. There were many theories on hearing loss and substandard parenting but not much on genetics at the time (bishop, 2006). Currently the studies on speech impairment are limited to studies that are updated after a few years to see progress. The advancements on speech therapies and modern techniques are not old enough to do studies on children that have gone through these sessions and become adults to see if these therapies are life changing or if some symptoms return with age and if sessions are stopped. This information will only become available with time to see if any of the problems arise with age. Theoretical Foundation Two theorists that have studied how children discover speech are Albert Bandura and Noam Chomsky. These men did not study delays in speech but they did theorize how children learn to speak so these theories can be applied to how delays and impairments can happen in children. Chomsky felt when children are in-between two and three, they start putting three words together, creating simple sentences. While it is true that children learn rules of adult language, they often over generalize language at first. If they hear something is plural, such as cats, then they are likely to put s on other words were it is not appropriate to make it plural, like moose or fish. With children with speech impairments these overgeneralizations with language do not always disappear like they do with children with normal language skills. After three and between six children have a language transformation (Crain, 2005). They start rearranging the sentences almost perfectly. At about the age of seven children start to understand the use of passive voice (Crain, 2005). With a child with a speech impairment of delay this transformation can take much longer to accomplish, or not at all without the proper treatment. Bandura theorized that children learned through observation. They model after what they hear their parents say. They cannot model identically but usually the language rules that go along with the language they are immersed in are mimicked and learned (Crain, 2005). This can be a cause of speech impairment such as a stutter if their parent stuttered. If Banduras theory was solely then only true theory about speech the only children that would be impaired in speech would be those with parents that were impaired in speech. Speech impairment can also influences cognitive behaviors. This can create anger and embarrassment if the speech impairment is not corrected as the child gets older and becomes more aware that they way they speak is different then those around them. The psychological distress that children can go through when they have speech impairment can be seen when they have problems socializing. Speech impairments make it difficult for children to socialize with other children because children with normal speech can be unaware of the delicacy of the situation. They can say things that can be hurtful and this can make it tough to build relationships. It can also be difficult for these children to go to school because they usually need speech therapy and this can be embarrassing for some. Having a speech impairment or delay as a child can be mentally difficult because it affects not only verbal but also emotional parts of their life. Literature Review Definition of speech and language delay The most basic definition of speech and language delay is when children do not start speaking and using language skills the approximate age of the majority of other children. Without treatment by a speech pathologist or therapist the symptoms can continue or become worse. This can lead to difficulties in learning and cognitive development as the child ages. These speech and language delays can be attributed to a number of different causes which include, hearing loss, brain injury or retardation, and commonly specific language impairment when no other issue can be found with the childs other physical or mental capacities. Symptoms of speech delays The symptoms of speech and language delays are vast and can vary from child to child. While one child can have difficulties with sentence structure and omitting words, another child can have a problem with deleting letters from single words in sentences spoken. Deletion

Staffing Orgs DELL :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Staffing Orgs DELL Dell's mission is to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve. In doing so, Dell will meet customer expectations of:  · Highest quality  · Leading technology  · Competitive pricing  · Individual and company accountability  · Best-in-class service and support  · Flexible customization capability  · Superior corporate citizenship  · Financial stability -Dell Mission Statement Company background Dell’s vision of excellence through quality, innovation, pricing, accountability, service and support, customization, corporate citizenship and financial stability is clear. This mission statement is clear and easy to understand. Producing quality work that leads to the achievement of these lofty goals becomes much more complicated than writing a simple mission statement. One thing is clear, the core capabilities of any business stem from the employees that comprise it. With over 36,000 employees, Dell is a member of the rapidly changing and expanding computer technology industry. This industry had achieved enormous growth in the last decade. Dell’s stock rose 29,000 percent in the 1990’s and as of the second quarter in 1999; Dell was tied for first place in the market. Dell faces stiff competition from technology giants such as IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Compaq. With such robust expansion in the technology industry and the economy, it is becoming increasing difficult for companies such as Dell, who experienced a 56 percent growth in workforce in 1999, to fill positions with quality applicants. Dell is currently seeking applicants for positions in sales, corporate finance, engineering, manufacturing, and most especially, information technology. Dell currently hires approximately 2000 employees a quarter. With such rapid growth and expansion the temptation surfaces to simply fill a position with a body. â€Å"Unless you have a go od process in place, you run the risk of not always hiring the best people. There can be a tendency to say ‘We need people so badly, a fresh body is better than no body,’† as summed up by Steve Price, vice president of human resources for Dell’s Public and Americas International Group. To avoid this scenario, Dell has created a web-based Organizational Human Resource Planning (OHRP) process. These processes help a business unit focus on and anticipate growth and staffing needs. In addition the OHRP process allows managers to do their own succession planning, identify key jobs, and formulate competency planning and employee development. The OHRP process also tries to pick out qualities new employees will need by analyzing the skills and qualities of current top performers.

The ring of the phone made my head pound

The ring of the phone made my head pound. I covered my ears as I walked towards the phone in a fragile manner. After a long night out in London, the sound of the phone was particularly what I wanted to hear. I scrambled over the edge of the sofa and clumsily grabbed the phone. â€Å"Hello?† I said sleepily. â€Å"Hi Chrissie, how are you? Feeling any better?† â€Å"Oh hi Will, I actually feel terrible, I could do with some fresh air.† â€Å"Good because I want to take you out somewhere, I haven't seen you for ages!† He was right. It had probably been six weeks since we had seen each other properly, and he oldest and best friend. I asked him where he suggested we went. â€Å"I don't know, maybe I'll drive us out to my Aunt's old cottage in the country. Get away from it all.† It definitely sounded appealing. I needed it and so did Will. He had left for America and had been gone for three long weeks. When he got back I was working and couldn't meet him. Then I became ill. â€Å"You're on!† I said excitedly. â€Å"Can't wait, bye!† He sounded pleased. Those few precious moments I had with him were fantastic. We had so much fun. I sprung up and bounded into my bedroom. Five minutes later, I appeared, pulling on my jacket. I turned of the television. The buzzer rang. â€Å"Delivery,† giggled Will. â€Å"Come on up.† Will had always been a joker, ever since we were in our earliest school days. I opened the door and I was greeted by Will. A huge banana grin spread across his face, he had a glowing tan. He had one of those smiles that lit up the whole room. I shut the door and locked it behind me. When we got to the bottom of the stairs, he turned to face me and opened his arms; I threw mine around his neck. He buried his face in my hair, squeezing me tight. â€Å"Come on, we can catch up on the way.† The tone of his voice was a happy one. I hurried into his mini cooper. â€Å"It's alright for some!† I thought to myself. I sat down and did up my seatbelt. â€Å"What have you been doing since the last time I saw you?† he asked, turning on the radio. â€Å"Not much because I've been off work, but Tom and I did go down to his mum's for a couple of days, but that's about it.† Will had always been uncomfortable about me and Tom. He thought that Tom wasn't good enough for me. But he lived with it, after all he was my best friend. As my boyfriend, Tom thought that I spent too much time with Will. â€Å"What did you get up to in America?† I said, trying to change the subject. â€Å"Erm†¦,† he stalled for a moment. â€Å"I did lots of photo shoots and recorded and interview for a chat show.† There was silence. My life seemed so boring compared to his. He was always bounding off somewhere or another flash. â€Å"Do you know what?† I whispered. â€Å"What?† replied Will. â€Å"I want you to sing for me.† â€Å"Why?† said Will sounding rather shocked. â€Å"Because the last time you did we were about eighteen.† He turned up the car stereo and skipped to track fourteen and doing as he was told, he softly began to sing: â€Å"Cut to the chase, your pretty face, search outer space, leaving no trace.† I closed my eyes, tipped back my head and let the words wash over me, like waves onto the sand. At school everyone had nicknamed him Golden Tonsils, and now he fitted that name more than ever. As his voice faded I flicked my eyes back open and looked at him. â€Å"Let's play a game!† he squealed with a childish glint in his eye. â€Å"Okay, let's play name that tune, you start.† He began to hum. About an hour later we pulled up outside his Aunt's old house. It was beautifully situated, at the top of a small hill. Will got out and opened the garden gate. I followed him round to the back of the house. I slumped into a patio chair. â€Å"We can eat our sandwiches and stuff here,† he said. â€Å"Okay, I'll have chicken please!† Will walked off into the house to make lunch. Suddenly my phone began to buzz on the table. I picked it up and answered it. â€Å"Hello?† I asked. â€Å"Is Tom there?† said the voice. â€Å"No I'm sorry he's not here at the moment, can I ask who's calling?† â€Å"It's Lucy, his girlfriend.† I froze in shock. â€Å"Alright I'll tell him to call you.† The phone dropped from my grip and my eyes filled with tears. â€Å"What's wrong?† questioned Will concerned, as he appeared in the doorway. â€Å"That was Lucy, Tom's girlfriend,† I mumbled. â€Å"But what?† I broke down in tears. â€Å"Oh Chrissie,† he said coming over to me. He understood and knelt by me to put his arm round my shoulder. I felt safe in his arms, they formed a protective circle. â€Å"I should have listened to you Will, you were right all along.† â€Å"Shhhh, don't say that,† he cooed. I sobbed, letting my head drop onto his shoulder. He lifted me up as though I was a feather and sat me on his lap. I cried for what seemed like hours. I was interrupted again by my phone ringing. I turned to look at it, it said: â€Å"Tom mobile.† Before I got chance to answer it Will cancelled the call. â€Å"I don't want him to spoil our day,† he said firmly, â€Å"I'm glad you told me everything instead of bottling it all up.† â€Å"If you say so.† â€Å"Well what do you want to do?† â€Å"I want to roll around on the grass and get really mucky!† â€Å"You asked for it!† he yelled standing up and throwing me onto the grass. I screamed and tugged at his leg. He tumbled through the long grass, down the sloping garden. We landed in a patch of overgrown plants at the bottom of the hill. As he turned around I grabbed a handful of mud and threw it straight at his face, it dripped down past his nose. He gasped and fell about laughing. The phone rang again. I had to answer it. â€Å"Hello,† I said slightly out of breath. â€Å"Chrissie, why did you hang up on me?† â€Å"Just leave me Tom,† my eyes filled again. Will grabbed the phone and hung up on him. Tears slipped down my cheeks and plopped onto the grass. â€Å"It's alright Chrissie, you don't need him, and I always knew he didn't deserve you.† â€Å"I should have listened to you Will.† â€Å"It's alright.† He encircled me with his arms again. After a short while he suggested I went to wash all the mud out of my hair. â€Å"There's a shower in the main bathroom, you can use that, I'll use the en suite.† I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. When I got out, my clothes were no where to be seen. I wrapped a towel around me and stepped out into the hall. I was face to face with Will. â€Å"Just thought I'd tell you that your clothes are in the washing machine, we'll have to find you something to put on.† We scrambled through a wardrobe. There was one of his infamous sleeveless tops and some of his Aunt's skirts. â€Å"Thanks,† I said waiting for him to leave. I got changed and walked into the kitchen. Will roared with laughter, the top almost reached my knees. â€Å"How can it be dark?† I asked sliding onto the worktop. â€Å"Well you were in there for half an hour! â€Å"You're kidding!† I said, shocked. â€Å"Nope, do you want coffee?† â€Å"Yeah, sounds good.† I followed him with my steaming mug into the living room. We sat on the sofa and sipped our coffee. â€Å"Will, if you don't mind me asking, did you meet anyone in America?† I asked cautiously. â€Å"Of course I don't mind, I tell you anything and everything! There was one, but we just had a couple of drinks.† â€Å"What was she like?† I asked turning to face him. â€Å"She was really nice, I wish I got her address so I could write to her.† â€Å"Didn't you even get her phone number?† Will was normally more organised than that, I was surprised. â€Å"No, I was going to get it but she had to work on the last day.† I felt sorry for him. â€Å"Anyway, tell me how the article went.† â€Å"Great, the editor loved it, I was really happy with it.† We fell into silence. He looked at me with sympathy in his eyes. We talked late into the night, until I drifted off. The crash of thunder echoed around my room. I sat bolt up right in bed. I gasped as the thunder struck again. I ran from my bed and opened the door. I knocked on the guest room door. â€Å"Come in,† whispered Will a few moments later. I tip toed in and stood at the side of his bed. â€Å"I'm scared of thunder,† I quivered. â€Å"Come in here,† he said lifting the covers back. I slid I and his put his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"You're shaking! Why are you so scared of thunder?† he asked after pausing. â€Å"One summer when we were all on holiday abroad and I was only five, I was outside and it started raining. All I can remember is not being able to find my mum. It began to rain hard and I hid in a corner. The thunder was booming so a man took me to the rep. I was alone for hours and I was so scared that something had happened to my family.† The thunder clapped again, but louder. â€Å"I hate this,† I said over the roar of the thunder. â€Å"You need to ignore it.† â€Å"How can I do that?† â€Å"Close your eyes.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Just do it,† he said gently. â€Å"Now you just need to calm down and relax.† He pushed my head back against the pillow. I felt his hand on my forehead as he massaged my temples. The thunder rumbled again but I didn't jump as much. â€Å"That's better, ignore it.† I yawned. â€Å"Go to sleep,† he whispered. It wasn't that hard. As his lips pressed against mine I shivered. â€Å"What are you doing Will?† I asked as he kissed the side of my mouth. â€Å"Don't you want this?† he asked. I felt intrigued. I nodded â€Å"Kiss me,† he whispered.† He didn't waste a second before kissing me again†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Suddenly I was awake, sweating slightly. It had seemed so real, I couldn't believe what had just happened. My feelings had been so muddled recently I didn't know what to make of it. As the first beam of sunlight hit my face, I jumped up. It was Monday, work again. Will had already gone. I dressed quickly and grabbed my car keys and headed for the door. It had been mad couple of days. I arrived late so had to get straight to work. â€Å"Where are the questions I'm supposed to be asking that guy today?† I asked running clumsily through the office door. â€Å"Over in your tray.† â€Å"Right, thanks.† I picked them up. â€Å"Room two,† said someone walking past. I hadn't really got over the shock of my dream. I pushed open the door and the guy stood with his back turned, having his make up done. â€Å"Typical,† I muttered under my breath. He turned around. It was Will! â€Å"Oh my Will, what are you doing here? I didn't know it was you I was interviewing.† â€Å"Hello Chrissie.† I was not impressed. I looked at him and remembered why it felt weird. I blushed. â€Å"Um, do you want to sit down?† I asked, not taking my eyes off the paperwork in front of me. He nodded. His huge eyes sparkled and he was smiling slightly. I had butterflies. He sat down in a large chair in front of me. â€Å"So, Will, what's the title of your new album?† â€Å"It's called ‘From Now On'.† I wrote down every word he said. â€Å"What's your favourite song on it?† I asked still not taking my eyes off the paper in front of me. A door somewhere clicked, and closed. I could sense we were alone. â€Å"When is it released?† he sighed. â€Å"Chrissie look at me.† I didn't. His finger slid under my chin and he pulled my face up to look at him. â€Å"What's this all about? Why are you acting strangely?† â€Å"Nothing,† I said, but my voice shook. He was beautiful in the dim light of the room. â€Å"Chrissie, what's wrong,† he repeated quietly ad I stared at the floor. â€Å"Answer,† he started But I silenced him with a finger to his lips. I put my head forward and captured his lips in mine. My eyes fluttered closed as I kissed him gently. I thought: what am I doing? This could ruin everything. I wondered whether to tell him about my dream. It might unnerve him to discover that his best friend could quite possibly be in love with him. â€Å"Will.† I managed to look him in the eye. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I've got something to I think you ought to know,† I said nervously. I took a deep breath. â€Å"After some of the awful experiences I've had in relationships recently, it made think†¦.† â€Å"Go on,† he said cautiously. â€Å"I think, no I know that I want you.† He looked away, and seemed confused. My heart sank. I knew I would regret telling him because I could now loose him as a friend. â€Å"I'm sorry, I was crazy to ever think you would feel the same.† â€Å"Well as it happens I've got something to tell you too Chrissie. I wanted to tell you before but I thought it would break you.† I felt awkward and tense, wondering what he had to tell me. Whatever he was going to say, looked like it was going to be bad news now. â€Å"While I was over in the States, they offered me a fantastic contract; working over there with a fantastic manager and a tour of my own. It's always been my dream to break America. But I came back here to think it through before making any decisions. It's such a huge step to take, to move away from all my friends and family because it means living there for three years.† â€Å"Oh.† I was so sure he'd take it. â€Å"I've thought long and hard about it and I've decided that I'm going to do it, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.† I felt myself well up. Not only had I ruined my friendship with my best friend but I wouldn't see him for three years. â€Å"But,† he took a deep breath. After what you've just said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"I want you to come with me!†