There I was again, feeling sorry for myself, walking a little too fast, thinking a little too slow. I wouldn't let the tears fall though – he didn't deserve that right now.

It's not that I'm big on parties. It was him, alone, in that crowd, with those people, so very different from us, from me. Him and Gwen, holding hands and acting like that's how it goes, every high school night. Does he even know that after she graduates she will turn her back on him in two seconds? Or maybe that's what she wants; to be close to the Strongholds.

I couldn't believe Gwen really cared about him.

There was only one place where I could go and not feel miserable. Paper Lantern.

This place brought all sorts of memories. Memories from when I was little and mum used to take me here on my birthdays, memories from fifth grade when, after falling for Will, I came here hoping to find some fateful sign in the cookie fortune that would tell me if he liked me back, memories from every rainy afternoon spent here reading and making figures out of noodles.

And there was the recent memory of one evening here with Warren.

It was strange how I remembered that last, since I saw Warren every day, talked to him, sat close to him, flirted with him to make Will jealous. How ridiculous.

Pondering on my behaviour now I was completely disgusted with myself. Instead of trying to be a nice friend to him I had been a terrible one. And I think I had been a terrible one with all my friends, lately. Will just got to me.

I sat down at my usual table and put my head in my hands trying to wash away the arguments in my head. Oh, no, there they were again, tears.

'Hippie…?'

Damn. I looked up trying to smile. I had completely forgotten.

'Warren,' I sort of shrieked. 'Hi.'

'Are you okay? You look terrible…'

'Oh, my cat just died…' I said waving my hand, laughing bitterly.

'Your cat?' he asked amused. He was holding two trays in his hands. He nodded at me and went to serve the customers. I waited, though I didn't know what for.

He came back, this time bringing tea.

'So, what did really happen?' he said sitting down.

'I told you.'

'You're not getting out of this one, you know,' he said warningly.

'You already guess, don't you?' I said sighing.

'Will.'

'Yeah…'

'What did the idiot do now? Don't tell me he rejected you when you told him?'

'I didn't confess. Well…I think I wanted to tonight, I don't know. He threw this big party and he didn't invite any of us…you know, his old friends. I went there…and he and his little girlfriend just blew me off. He belongs to that crowd now. He has forgotten that I've known him for…well it doesn't matter anymore,' I said taking a napkin to wipe my tears.

'Douchebag,' Warren agreed. 'Look, don't tear yourself up for that guy. He's not worth it. A guy who can stand Gwen for more than one minute is either pretty strong or pretty dumb. I'm opting for the second.'

I almost laughed and took a sip of my tea. He was being incredibly nice and he didn't know how much I needed that right now.

'He can be thick. But he was never this thick…'

'Guys get that way when they're after girls,' he said handing me some cookies.

'You don't get that way,' I suddenly blurted out. I quickly looked down embarrassed. I had no idea where that had come from, since I didn't even know if it was really true. Somehow I felt it.

He raised an eyebrow and half-smiled. 'I don't have a reason to get that way.'

'Well…you're a…dependable person,' I stuttered. 'A great one actually.'

'Hard to believe but I'll play along. So what if I'm nice?'

'Girls…like nice,' I managed another awkward sentence again.

'Like Will?'

'Like you too.'

'Not interested in them, if they're after nice,' he replied.

I blushed and remained quiet. He probably thought I was a huge moron.

'Well, Will is out of that category,' I mumbled at length.

'Come again?'

'I mean he's not nice anymore.'

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

'You know what I think? I think you're an innocent, little girl who has just lost her teddy bear.'

I stared at him confused. Was that good or bad? I couldn't tell.

'I'm not a little girl.'

'Sure you are, you're always too nice for your own good. You get hurt a lot of times.'

'That's my fault then?'

'Part of it. Why did you let him blow you off?' he inquired expectantly.

I had to admit, he had a point there, a pretty good one.

'I guess because…I'm used to tagging along after him. I've always been there…'

'Yeah but not as his dog…Grow a spine hippie. Tell the dumbass off.'

'Oh, I know you'd enjoy that kind of show!' I exclaimed smiling.

'Who wouldn't?' he said grinning.

Warren had made me smile. I wanted to hug him, somehow, to thank him.

'Thanks…' I said softly.

'What for?'

'Raising my spirits.'

'Yeah, well, no one else will apparently,' he said alluding to my other night at the Paper Lantern when I got stood up.

And then it dawned on me that he really had been the only one to comfort me the past few weeks. Maybe when I decided to come here tonight it wasn't just because of the wonderful place, it was because of him. Because he was part of my memories of happy places.

'Tomorrow, when I see you in school, you'll still be cold, withdrawn and distant, won't you?'

'Probably…'

'So, I only have nights with you. At dawn you turn back into a sulking brat,' I teased.

'Same here…' he muttered.

I lounged my fist playfully towards his shoulder but he caught it.

'And you call me violent,' he replied.

He still held my hand and as my palm opened he looked at the lines in them.

'You have very soft skin,' he remarked.

'Yeah, well, I bathe in young maidens' blood.'

'You watch too much prime time,' he said chuckling.

Feeling a little uncomfortable in that position I tried changing the subject.

'When do you get off work?'

'In an hour,' he said letting go of my hand.

'Well, I'll wait for you. Maybe we can walk home together,' I said smiling.

I hope it hadn't sounded like that…I was afraid to go home alone, because he made me cheerful.

Something similar to surprise flickered across his face but he agreed.

I ordered some caramel apples and I watched him come and go.

Later that evening we were walking together down the street, looking at the stars, talking nonsense and I didn't know that Will had spotted us from across the street. Apparently, he was looking for me.

I don't know what he saw, but I knew I was happy that night, walking with Warren Peace…talking nonsense.