Aaron's backyard was composed of a vast plane of land that was separated by stone steps every few metres. The wind was blowing pretty hard, but Hebe ignored it and looked on. There was a swing set at the top of the staircase, by the crab apple tree. Hebe grinned delightedly and ran up all thirty-two steps, skipping two at a time.

"Hey!" Aaron called from behind her. "I call the red swing!" At the sound of his dibs, Hebe went for the red swing immediately. He ran after her. There were two other swings, one orange and one green.

"Oh, eff you," he frowned, taking the orange swing instead.

"Why does it matter if you can't have the red swing?"

"Because I like it best. The orange one was Selina's, the green one..." He trailed off, his eyes losing their light. "And the red one's always been mine."

Hebe was never one to pry anyways, and she let it go, shrugging and seeing how high she could get.

"You know, swings are my favourite part of the playground, because you don't actually need to do anything on them. Just sit and enjoy," Hebe felt like she was talking to herself. "Feel the rush of the wind in your ears and hair, but you don't get tired like if you do when you're running." She felt like she was talking too much, and broke off immediately.

"You don't like running?" Aaron gaped at her, trying to get higher than her at the same time.

"ARE YOU KIDDING?!" Hebe shouted back at him. She figured he wouldn't be able to hear her too clearly, what with the wind howling in their ears. "I LOVE RUNNING!"

And suddenly, Aaron was off the swing, which was now swinging wildly back and forth from the impact of him jumping off effortlessly. He stood in front of her, where she could easily kick him. Hebe shrieked and forced the swing to go aside, slipping off as she did. For a second, it was like slow-motion, and then, with a soft thud, Hebe landed on Aaron, who groaned.

"Agh!" Hebe jumped up immediately. "Sorry!" Aaron waved a hand at her, signalling that she should help him up. She did so apologetically, but trying not to laugh at the same time. He looked a little ridiculous, lying there in the grass, with leaves in his hair. He took her hand and yanked her down onto the ground with him.

"Gah!" Hebe yelped as she went down with him. "What?!" She lay there on her stomach beside him.

"Revenge," Aaron whispered in her ear, and Hebe rolled away from him, face turning red.

"I'm leaving," she said hastily, eager not to let him see her face. She got up and found her hand stuck in his iron grip. Turning back to see what he was doing, holding her hand like that, Hebe just about died when her eyes came in contact with his big pouty face.

"Come on, sorry. Just watch the clouds with me, 'kay?" Hebe obliged, feeling equivalent to a dog, with Aaron as her trainer. She lie on her back beside him.

"Don't you think they've noticed we're missing yet?" She whispered lazily, her eyes closing slowly. It was warm down on the ground, where the wind couldn't reach them. Her lips curled up slightly as she fell asleep.

--

Sorry, sorry, sorry, I repeat in my head. But I couldn't resist. I mean, would you be able to if a pretty girl was lying there, all asleep and cute and everything?

I sort of kissed her. But it doesn't count, because it was only on the cheek. I mean, even I'm nice enough to preserve . What if she hasn't had her first kiss yet?

I stole a girl's first kiss, and even though she didn't mind later, she started crying right after because she wasn't expecting it, and she wanted to save her first kiss for her boyfri--I never said that.

So I poke her until she wakes up and nearly bites off my finger, and then we race back to the house. She wins by a long-shot, and I really hate to admit it, even though it's true.

--

[[initially wrritten & added on april 25