He chuckled, “Or something.” He smiled, and pushed back my hair from my face. “I missed your morning hair,” he sighed.

“I just missed you,” I said touching his cheek with my hand. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted this again.” I reached up so our lips could meet again.

He began laughing, “You’re ringing,” he said.

I reached over to get my cell phone. “It’s Erich.” He nodded, and I got up to answer it. “Erich, is everything okay?...I’m sorry, this’ll be the last time, I promise…I’ll be home soon, just tell Ma that we went to the mall…Yes, I’m okay, I am. I’m better than okay, I’m perfect,” I looked over to Gerald and he winked at me. “I’ll call you later, bye.”

I got back into bed and rested my head on his chest. He played with my hair. “Should we start heading back so your parents won’t worry.”

“Soon, but not yet. I don’t want this morning to end,” I sighed.

He checked his watch, and began moving. “Okay, soon is over. We should starting walking. There’s a long walk to go.” He changed back into his own clothes. “Do you want to use the bathroom first?”

I got up, “What a gentleman!” I went to the bathroom and washed my face and gurgled water in my mouth. I felt my clothes and they were warm and dry because of the heater. I changed back into my own jeans and shirt and put my hair up in an elastic.

He was all ready to leave. “Wow, you must be in a rush to get me home.” Suddenly the whole feeling of last night went away, and reality set in. He probably wanted to just forget whatever happened.

I left the room first, and made my way to the front desk with Gerald right behind me. It was the same girl last night behind the desk. She raised her eyebrow at me. “So where’s the boy you were with last night?” She looked behind me.

“Her boyfriend’s right here,” Gerald came behind me and put an arm around my waist. “Thanks for everything. The clothes are in this bag, and this is the key. Thanks again.” He put everything in front of her.

I saw her expression fall, “Yeah, thanks.”

He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door, and twirled me around. I laughed.

The weather was perfect. It was better than perfect! The sun was right above us and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. He intertwined our fingers as we walked. “You didn’t have to be rude to that woman.”

“Excuse me? That WOMAN wanted my boyfriend. I think she deserved the way I treated her.” I said.

He laughed, “You could be so young sometimes.”

I was actually struck by this, and I pulled apart from him, “Sorry your high school girlfriend isn’t acting so much more mature. And don’t act like you’re some big shot, you’re just one year older than me, remember that, Ah!!!”

He came behind me and lifted me off my feet. I laughed, and his lips were at my ear, “You have some snappy come backs. I guess that’s my fault for choosing someone younger.” He set me down and began tickling me.

“Ge!, Stop!!!” I ran out of breath quickly and my chest began to hurt. “Stop, please, I can’t breathe!”

He let go, and ran up ahead. I chased him and jumped on his back.

Gerald grunted, but didn’t fall over. He pushed me up higher so he could walk more comfortably.

My hands were loosely around his neck. “So what were you doing when we were apart?” I asked him.

“Well, do you want the heartbroken version or the fast version?” He asked.

“Can you mix both of them together?” I said. I did want to know if he was hurting, but I didn’t want it to last long because I didn’t want to cry anymore. As of today, there’d be no more crying, I decided.

He sighed. “Okay, let’s see…when I left, Isabelle had connections in her old town, which wasn’t that far from here. She was able to get us an apartment using her feminine abilities. And let’s just say that Chris wasn’t happy about having his baby sister use flirtation on that level.” We both laughed. “But she also got a job as a waitress which helped pay rent.”

“But you guys didn’t have to start all over right?”

“No,” he answered. “We had bank accounts and all of that, but we still had to make a living now that we were on our own.”

I nodded, “So how did you end up back here?”

“I was looking through the newspaper and I saw an ad for an opening act at the studio. I thought it was a good idea, I’d be able to look after you and make a living at the same time.”

I smiled, and kissed his cheek. “So when does the heartbreak come?” I chuckled.

“Oh, you have no idea what I needed to go through being so close to you, yet not being able to be with you.” He said, letting me down. “I’d leave early enough so I could see you get off school, just to know you got home safe. On my way back home after playing a set, all I could think about was you. I remember this one night when I was riding home on a bus, your red eyes were all I could see. I still remember you having your arms over your chest, protecting yourself. You were wearing grey sweats, and your hair was up, and it looked like you had no make up on…”

I remembered that day. It was the third day back at school. I didn’t care about anything anymore, and apparently not the way I looked either.

“You looked so sad, so fragile, so…broken. Remembering it that night, and knowing that I caused it…let’s just say I shed a few tears.” He sighed.

I grabbed his hands, and we stopped walking. I wrapped his hands around me, with our fingers still intertwined, “But I’m not broken anymore.”

“I just don’t want to see you like that ever again.”

“Then don’t ever leave me again,” I let go of his hands and wrapped it around his neck.

He chuckled, “I learned my lesson. I just don’t know what to do actually fix this.”

“Tell me you love me?”

Gerald leaned down to kiss my lips soft and tenderly. “I do love you. More than anything.”

“Good,” I kissed him again. “You better,” I said, putting a light spin on the mood.

“Now let’s get you home.”

He walked me to the front gate. “All the cars are here, I think it’s better if we wait until we tell my parents. They’re not exactly pro-relationship right now with me.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

I smiled, “See, your high-school girlfriend can be smart.”

“I never insulted your intelligence.”

I laughed, “See you tonight?”

He put his hands on my neck and began gently, sending chills down my spine. “I’ll see you whenever you want to see me, pretty girl.”

“Then I guess you’re never leaving,” I answered.

“I’ll come back as soon as I can,” he gave me a peck on my lips that had to last me until then.

He walked away, “Ge!” He turned around, “I love you.”

“I love you, too, pretty girl,” he smiled and continued on his way.

I slowly made my way back into my house, and all eyes me. “Good morning, everyone…”

And the last person who turned to look at me was Erich with a sorry look on her face.