That night, I sneak out at 11:00 pm. But I don't go to the park. Instead, I walk toward the edge of town.

I know it's very, very dangerous for me to be traveling at alone, especially at night. Very dangerous. But I have to know. I need to find out if he's there.

I steadily jog toward the wealthy part of town, trying to remember the path Kian took me on a few days ago.

Finally I see it - a clear stretch of grass. I run the last part of distance keeping me from it.

There. On the slope. Kian. I see him.

Oh my goodness.... I see him!

I slowly approach him in the grass.

"You found me," he says, without even looking at me or really acknowledging my presence.

I can't speak. I found him.

"I thought you would."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I had to show you the meadow so you could find me. I knew I wouldn't be able to gather the courage to find you."

"You mean...you were planning on running away?"

"I knew it would happen eventually. Just not like this."

My voice rises as I speak. "You were planning in running away from me, leaving me worried and scared and hopeless?"

"I'm sorry. But you shouldn't be so attached to me."

"It's too late to change that, Kian."

"I know. I messed up. I should have just been persistent like you. Maybe you would have left me alone."

"What do you mean?" I take a step closer to him.

"I mean I'm no good for you."

"That's not true. Stop being like this. I'm not leaving."

"Look! Because of me, you refuse to be around anyone else. Why?"

"Because...because I like you."

"Natalie, Hayden was right. You've been acting differently ever since you stared hanging around me."

"Not really."

"Sure you have."

"Kian, ever since my parents died, I haven't been truly happy. I never got really excited about anything. I noticeably changed after meeting you. You're the one who made me happy. You make me smile more than anyone else has since that day. And I've had the same effect on you. Don't try to deny it. You know you care about me. Why do you want to push me away?"

"Because I care about you."

"So? I'm saying you've helped me. I never really noticed it until now, where I've fallen back into that hole I was in for years."

"It's not just that."

"Then what is it?"

He doesn't say anything.

And then I'm about to say something extreme. Something wild and crazy and maybe even stupid, and I'm not even sure if it's true. But I need to say it.

"Kian, I think I might...."

"Don't say it," he sits up and puts his head between his knees.

"Kian Aethelmaer, I think I love you."

"Why do you do this to me, Natalie?"

I smile a little. "You kissed me first. You started it."

He looks up with the smallest of smirks displayed on his face. I sit down next to him and grab his hand.

"I got my dress for the dance today."

"Seriously?" he says.

"Yeah.... I guess I never really gave up on you.

I look at Kian. He's really smiling.

"I'm not leaving you," I say. "So please quit trying to make me."

"I should, though."

"You're smiling. Don't deny it; I make you happy too."

"Okay, so maybe you do. That doesn't make it right."

"Shut up."

I pull him into a hug and he slowly accepts it.

"Have you given up yet?" I ask him.

He doesn't say anything.

"Kian."

"Maybe I have," he admits. "Maybe I have."

__________________________

Authors note:

Holy crap I just realized how short this is. Anyway...I might just publish the whole book today to get it over with. And I promise I will rewrite this book even bigger and better. It's probably best to do it right the first time but how do you do that? Okay well I'm getting lazy so bye.