___________________________________

" It's not like love at first sight, really. It's       more like...gravity moves...suddenly. It's not the earth holding you here anymore, she does...You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend."
- Jacob Black, Twilight

____________________________________

•••

" Okay " the boy started, " But you have to come and get it." The boy proposed, his hands extending the book temptingly towards her.

•••

     Upon hear those words Lilith shook her head in disapproval.

Who is this strange boy? And who does he think he is?

" You know you shouldn't be there, you should get out before someone sees you."  The girl says, searching left and right for any sign of bystanders.

The boy who had once been covered by the shade of the trees, stepped out in confident strides. His appearance much more visible to Lilith now.

The boy stood a head above Lilith, light brown hair and bright golden eyes. Something about the way he stood felt powerful, important even.

She noticed how the boy never crossed the engraved stoned path that was meant to keep them safe. He stood there and stared into her eyes with a look Lilith couldn't comprehend.

The small moment disappeared when the boy cut the silence.

" What is your name young flower? " Lilith didn't question the sobriquet, instead extended her hand towards the strange boy.

The boy didn't seem bothered by the fact that he stood on the wrong end of the path and Lilith justified his actions as brave foolishness.

She understood now that his stubbornness wouldn't allow him to follow Lilith's  request on crossing over to safety.

She knew eventually his courage would fail him and soon enough he'd join her at any moment, so she dropped the subject at hand.

" I'm Lilith or Lily, kinda like a flower." Lilith flashed him a kind smile, polite like her father had shown her. She held back a girlish giggle at the likeliness it held to her given sobriquet.

The boy took her extended hand and shook it lightly, afraid she'd disappear in the process. Another part being, he couldn't grasp the idea that HIS very soul was standing within his reach.

Lilith assumed it was because she had 'cooties'. Being a decade old meant boys around her age avoided her, in fear to catch a case of 'cooties'. Lilith found it ridiculous, especially since her daddy told her boys were the ones with cooties not girls.

" And your name strange boy?" Lilith questioned, curious as to who he was and what family he belonged to in town.

Maybe he was a city boy, a visitor outside of Aberdeen. Lilith bit back the thought, knowing full well they rarely, if not ever get any visits from outsiders. So who was this boy? And what was he doing in the woods?

The boy caught on to her curiosity and took a small step forward, once again never crossing the tar and flashed her an award winning smile.

" Elijah Alexander Knight." The boy grinned proudly, pleased at mention of his family name.

Lilith assumed he must've belonged to a higher well-off family, could explain why she'd never heard of it before. She understood surnames were taken seriously by the men in her town, it was an excuse to boast their incomes and property ownership.

"Well then Elijah, May I have my book back?" She asked politely, with manners beyond her age.

Elijah's heart warmed at the young Lily in front of him, so delicate..so beautiful was her soul. Her beauty radiated from her and knocked the wind from his chest.

He decided to tease her, see how far her manners would go till she had enough of him and stepped past the shield that kept him from her, to acquire her mere human book.

How well did they teacher her? How far had they gone to warn her? And how much did she know about them?..Was she even aware?

"Only if you come and get it." Elijah was now closer to the shield, close enough for young Lilith to reach in and grab it. Doing so would leave her vulnerable to his grasp, yet the boy decided against it, today was not her time.

•••

Lilith reached over to his extended hands and grasp the book in her arms, but not before noticing the strange necklace that hung around Elijah's neck and the matching bracelet around his wrist.

At first Lilith hesitated, thinking it would be impolite to ask such a question when surely it was none of her business, but her curiosity won her over.

" What does the symbol mean" she blurted all the while she reached over and lightly touched the bracelet on his wrist.

She quickly retreated her hand back with a blush ashamed of her actions. Unaware of the affect the simple gesture had on the young boy.

" Sorry " she whispered, " I didn't mean to be so rude." Taking an embarrassed step back.

The young boy reacted quickly to her advances and grabbed her wrist softly, ignoring the shields consequences and kept her from stepping back.

" It means 'to be bound by soul' " he paused,       " It's important to my tribe..well community" he smiled, ignoring the slight burn of the enchanted shield.

Lilith was taken aback by his response but only because he looked to be in pain while he said it.

" Are you hurt?" Lilith asked worriedly, afraid Elijah was in terrible pain. She unknowingly reached over and stepped over the field to aid her newfound friend.

Her actions didn't go unaware by Elijah and her trust was enough to send him over the hills. His wolf was ecstatic and so was he.

"Do you like my bracelet Lilith? " Lilith's eyes raised from examining his wrist to meet his golden eyes.

"I do, it's beautiful." the young girl blushed. It didn't take long before Elijah reached over and secured the bracelet to her small wrists.

Lilith felt a warmth where the bracelet was placed, a soothing burn is how she'd describe it. Looking down, she noticed the symbols engraved were burning a bright gold.

The young girl was astonished by the beauty of such a simple bracelet and was curious as to why it lit up the way it did. Guilt followed suit as she realized she didn't have anything to give in return.

The boy took in her excitement and the joyous expression on her delicate features as well as her guilt he could now sense due to the bracelet that embraced her wrist.

Oh how unaware,

Unaware she was his greatest gift she could give him.

•••

Penny for thoughts?...

-A