"You're going to run away?" Chris was dumbfounded.

"Yes." Briar wasn't joking.

She ran and gave Chris a hug. It didn't take long for her to run back up to her room. She grabbed her over stretched back pack and filled it with as much stuff as she could get her hands on. She knew that she still had to pack more than just clothes and she made sure she didn't forget those important items.

Briar quickly ran down the stairs and grabbed her house keys before running out her front door. Chris was still standing in the same spot where she had left him minutes ago.

"Thanks Chris!" She quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek before running off.

Chris was still in a confused shock, not really knowing what to do.

With her heavy bag on her shoulders she ran down the street hoping to catch up to Asa. She turned the corner and looked for him. It took a moment to spot him all the way down at the other end.

"Asa!" She tried to yell after him. Her attempt not working.

Briar continued to run. The weight of her bag was slowing her down, but she was still able to follow him.

"Asa please slow down!" She tried again. He still didn't hear her.

As she finally turned the next corner, Briar briefly caught a glimpse of Asa walking into a house. It was clearly his. She took her time making her way there. In her head, she thought of what to say when someone opened the door.

Standing in front of his front door, she never could imagine being this nervous. She took in a deep breath and finally gave her first tapping on the door. Soon after a woman answered.

"Oh hello, what could I help you with?" The woman had a big smile on her face.

"Hi..." Briar was still feeling the nervousness. "Is Asa home?... He forgot his..." She pulled the first thing from the closest pocket in her bag. "...Keys. Uh... The keys for the science lab at school."

The woman looked at the keys wondering why there was so many keychains attached to it. She didn't question it. "I wasn't aware that Asa had a science class this semestre."

Briar came up with a quick lie, " Oh he doesn't. He's helping me with some homework and stuff."

"How nice." The woman smiled again. "Why don't you come in."

"Thanks." She told the woman as she lead her in to the house.

Briar was mesmerized by how big the house's foyer was. There was the traditional long curved staircase that she saw in almost every movie about some random rich person. It was almost a fairy tale and from the outside you wouldn't expect something like it to fit inside.

"Asa you have a friend!" The woman yelled up to him.

"Coming!" And within seconds Asa was standing at the top of the stairs.

Briar looked up at him and on the inside she felt her heart melt. She could barely keep her feelings at bay. He stood there with so much power that it took over her entire being. She seemed to get lost in all of him.

"Oh, uh... Hi Briar." Asa was surprised to see her in his home. "What are you doing here?" He was coming down the stairs.

It took Briar a second to snap out of her trance, "Hi Asa. Um... You forgot the keys to the science lab."

Asa was catching on that Briar wasn't just there to hand him the keys to her house. He knew that she needed to talk to him.

"Thanks." He grabbed the keys from her. "I guess I should pay more attention where I leave these." He smiled down to his feet. He knew he had to get rid of his mother for a second. "Mother, could you give us a minute?"

"Of course dear." His mother turned to him. She quickly had a thought, "Briar why don't you stay for supper."

Asa's eyes quickly grew wide without catching his mother's attention. He looked to Briar who was gladdly smiling.

"I would love to Miss..." Briar didn't know their last name. She never even thought of it.

"Oh, sorry." Asa apoligized, "This is my mom Jill and my dad who hasn't arrived yet is Dill."

Briar smiled, "Matching names, how cute."

"Well I'll let you two talk." Jill told them as she returned to the kitchen.

Briar had a little bit of a laugh. She adored how cookie cutter Asa's family seemed to be. This was nothing she had never experienced herself. She always saw her family as being pulled apart. Her mother left her and her dad was always busy with work. On top of it all she knew none of her extended family.

She looked back at Asa, "So Jill and Dill." She poked a little fun at him.

"It's short for Jillian and Dillard." Asa told her.

"And what about this last name that I dont know?"

"It's Parks."

Briar looked in to his eyes, it never got old for her, "I like it. Parks."

He smirked back at her. He knew that they probably wouldn't have much time to talk alone. "May I ask why you are really here?" He whispered.

"Asa," She made sure he was paying attention, "Run away with me."

"Run away?" He was not expecting this.

"Yes! I know I'm insane, but please. I've never wanted something so much in my life."

They both stared at each other. Briar was waiting for his Response. Asa still didn't know what to say. It could have gone on forever, but Asa's father walked thru the front door breaking the moment.

"Oh hello." Dill wasn't expecting to see anyone as he walked in.

Asa took charge on an instant. "Father, this is Briar. I'm helping her with school stuff."

"School stuff?" Dill was confused by the wording.

Briar butted in, "Science!"

"I didn't know of this." His father replied.

Briar answered all his questions, "We started today."

"How nice." Dill continued. "And I assume Jill invited you for dinner?"

"Of course. How could I refuse." Briar didn't hesitate.

She was amazed at how well behaved she was being, although she always tried to be polite when visiting anyone's home, except for maybe Chris'.

Dill was already on his way to go see his wife who was preparing dinner.

Not really wanting to talk about what Briar had asked him just before being interrupted, Asa changed the subject. "I should warn you that my mom's cooking isn't really good."

"Oh okay. I think I will be fine." She tried to hide the smallest of fear.

"You sure?" He tried to convince her of more doubt.

Asa then lead Briar to the dinning room. Compared to the foyer, the rest of the house seemed to be more compact and close together, which resembled what you might expect from the outside. And although the house was fairly new, the furniture inside gave it a nice tone down.

Once in the dinning room, Asa pulled a seat out for her.

"Thanks." Briar peered up at him.

"No problem." He responded.

Dill was sitting in his usual spot at the end of the table where the places were all set. Moments later Jill walked in with that night's supper. On first glance, it looked very delicious and the smell was a delight. Briar didn't know why Asa seemed to hate his mother's cooking so much.

"Looks wonderful dear."Dill commented as Jill sat down on his right side.

The food was passed around and Briar didn't take much, just a little bit of everything. She wasn't that hungry and she wanted to take Asa's words to heart. Looking down at her plate, she still didn't see the dark side of what could potentially be wrong with the food. Briar took her first bite. For a second she didn't notice, but then she could taste the dry bitterness of what was supposed to be mashed potatoes. She kept her feelings to herself and turned to Jill.

"It's delicious Miss Parks." Briar told her.

"Why thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it." Jill was glad to hear the compliment, although she was always glad to get any kind of complement.

The rest of the dinner went on without any kind of hiccup. Briar kept to herself and tried to enjoy herself as much as possible. She answered questions that Asa's parents were dying to know, even if there wasn't much to say.

After dinner, Asa walked Briar to the door. He couldn't believe that they had managed to keep up this fasade of tutoring the whole night. He desperately wanted to put his arm around her, but he knew that he couldn't do it while his parents were around.

Briar, now back at the front door, grabbed her back pack filled to the rim and said her goodbyes. "Thank you very much. I had a wonderful time." She kept it sweet and simple.

"Well it was very nice having you." Jill reciprocated.

Asa opened the door for her and Briar smiled as she left. Briefly she looked to Asa, still awaiting his answer. He didn't say anything.

It had gotten really dark, but all Briar wanted to know was what Asa would answer. She felt like she couldn't leave. She walked around the home looking for the window to his bedroom. Finally a light turned on in the only window on the left side of the house. She could see his sillouette. There was no way she was leaving now.

It took her a moment, but Briar turned to her back pack and started digging. She grabbed a handful of socks. Her first instinct was to roll them up in to individual balls and throw them at the window. They weren't loud, but it was hard to miss a shape that big.

Asa opened his window and saw Briar standing below. He couldn't believe she was still there. He took his time to start talking, he knew he had to be quiet.

"You're serious about all of this aren't you?" He knew she wouldn't give up.

"Yep." She had a grin on her face looking up at him.

"Briar I can't." He felt dissapointed with himself.

"Why not? Asa I don't know anybody who needs to catch a break as much as you. You think you know the world, but do you really?"

He took a little time to think of what Briar was telling him. He knew that deep down that she was right, but he couldn't just leave everything. The more he thought about it, the more he was trying to find reasons to stay. Then a million other reasons would come in to his head and show him otherwise. This was a once in a lifetime kind of offer. And what about that spark? Looking at Briar gave him that feeling. It overpowered everything.

Asa looked once more down at Briar, she was still waiting. He left his window and turned to his dresser. He grabbed the first drawer and then went through the others as fast as possible. He grabbed the biggest duffle bag he could find and filled it to the top.

"Fuck it." He said soflty and threw his bag out the window making sure it didn't hit Briar.

"Wait, you're actually coming?" She was almost crying tears of joy.

He smirked down at her, "Give me one second."

Asa looked back at his dresser and reached under it to grab his stash of money. He had been saving it up since he was a little boy, hoping to keep it for something incredible. Then he grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. He wasn't going to leave his parents without any explanation. He turned off his lights.

He went back to the window and carefuly put his legs thru. He may have only been on the second floor but it still was a long drop. He held on for a split second before letting go dropping to the ground with a big thud. For a moment he made sure his parents heard nothing, then he turned to Briar.

He took her in his arms and kissed her like they had been separated for eternity. She had a tear roll down her face. Asa wiped it away with his thumb.

They each grabbed their bags and grabbed each others hand. They got out of there as quickly as possible.