Chapter One

As the wind swept around the small houses of the small town, the distant sounds of laughter and children filled the welcoming streets of Evergreen.

In the wide fields beyond the town three young adults were occupying the tall grass covered meadows.

Emily Smith, not only the youngest but the only female of the three friends, stood besides a canvas resting on a wooden easel, her long titan red waves tied back with a paintbrush. She had green acrylic paint across her left check and an amused look in her eyes. The 19 year old twirled the paint-covered paintbrush in her left hand while watching her two best friends run around the meadow childishly. She didn't blame them for enjoying themselves, it was their day off of work and they deserved to enjoy it.

Adrian Caparzo stopped running to look over at her. He shielded his eyes from the blazing sun and called out to her. He was too far away for her to hear above the roar of the wind so she opted to ignore him instead focusing on her painting.

Caparzo placed his hands on his slender yet muscular hips watching Emily. Caparzo stood topless with a rosary around his neck with black combats; on his feet he wore black working boots. His head was shaven giving him an almost aggressive look until you saw his soft brown yes. His skin was tanned from his African-Italian-American descent and his body muscular from working on his family's farm all day. He was older then Emily by two years and loved reminding her of it.

Jakob 'Fish' Mellish ran at Caparzo with full speed knocking the two of them to the ground. Fish was the same age as Caparzo with only a month between them. Fish was as scary looking as Caparzo but in more of a creepy old man way then Caparzo's sexy and dangerous manner.

Fish was also tanned but this time due to his Jewish bloodline. Fish's face was slightly chubby, his eyes a darker brown, with short curly black hair. He had a thin moustache above his lip. He was toned but smaller then Caparzo. Fish was wearing brown slacks with simple boots with a baggy white tank top. Around his neck hung a silver star of David. Fish's family were proud of their religion and gained lots of respect for it.

The two men wrestled on the floor laughing as eventually Caparzo won.

Emily looked up from her easel, a small illuminating her beautiful face. The two men stood up and began walking towards their petite friend, the sun hitting their backs as they walked.

"Wow…" Emily whispered.

The paintbrush began to move on its own accord, painting the two men on the canvas, as if they were destined to be there. By the time the two men reached her she was standing back to admire her own work. Fish sat down by the easel while Caparzo joined her side.

"You got talent Smith," Caparzo smiled, reaching into his pocket he pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"When you get cancer and die…" Emily sighed at him.

"Hey, at least I'll know I died a happy man," Caparzo laughed. "Right Fish?"

Fish laughed along with his best friend smiling sympathetically at the other.

"Thanks for the support," Emily muttered sarcastically at him, packing away her paints as Caparzo lit the cigarette.

"Your welcome, Peaches," Fish smiled, using his pet name for her.

"You two are as bad as each other," she glared at him.

"Change the subject Smith, this ones getting old," Caparzo sighed, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

Emily merely glared harder at him

"Oooh! Devil looks," Caparzo laughed, rapping her in a hug. "So, seriously now, when are you gonna put that talent you got to use?"

"I all ready told you, I've got a job," Emily looked up at him.

"What? As an art teacher?" Fish raised his eyebrows at her. "You got too much talent for that Peaches."

"Yeah well," Emily was growing tired of this conversation.

It seemed whenever the three friends go together this was all they ever talked about.

"Just drop it okay?"

"We'll drop it when you start using what you got," Caparzo took another drag.

"'Using what you got'," Emily imitated him perfectly to fish's applause. "Hypocrite."

She pushed Caparzo away quickly. She began walking angrily away from them further out into the field, Fish shrugged at Caparzo pulling shreds of grass from the ground.

"You go after her," he suggested. "I think you two need to talk about a lot more then art."

"Shut up," Caparzo glared at him, throwing his cigarette aside, he followed Emily.

Emily was sitting on the ground covering her knees with the knee length white dress she was wearing.

"Go away," she muttered as he sat down besides her.

"You know I'm not going to Smith," he reached out, stroking her cheek. "Come on Emzy, talk to me."

"I don't need to," Emily looked away from him, her cheek tingling from his touch.

She hated the fact that every time he touched her, her skin tingled and her heart rate quickened. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Best friends weren't supposed to feel like this, where they?

"Don't lie to me," Caparzo stood up, pulling her to her feet. "You can never lie to me."

"Wanna bet?" She pulled away, her cheeks flushing.

It was as the sun hit her, her hair gleaming crimson, her hazel eyes shining amber, that Caparzo's heart leaped out of his chest. It was the perfection of her, body and spirit, that confirmed everything he'd been feeling for the past years. His heart honestly and truly belonged to her.

He'd known her since the age of six and even then he's told his mom that it was her he would marry. He smiled suddenly at the memory of the child proclaiming his "love" and now he's heart was silently doing the same. Except this time he was sure it really was the real deal and not a childish fantasy.

"What?" Emily frowned. "What are you smiling about?"

"This…" He stepped forward pulling her against him.

Both their heartbeats quickened as he lowered his head to hers. Their lips met slowly, causing them both to hold their breath, closing their eyes to lengthen the kiss.

Fish looked away laughing to him, "always knew it would happen…"

As they pulled apart Emily stared at him for a few moments.

"Wow," was all she could say, causing Caparzo to laugh.

"Well, I suppose that's a good reaction." He smiled.

"She smiled back at him, then took hold of his rosary beads, using them to pull his head closer she leaned upwards, their lips meeting once more.

As they stood there in the long grass kissing each other, the only thoughts entering their minds was th4e belief that after this, nothing in their lives could possibly go wrong. Could it?