She had to go right after that. I barely got to talk to her that day but I returned to the spot that I had first met her for the next two weeks. Aradia didn't show up for any of those days. Even during a thunderstorm I went to the field, wanting to see her again. Finally, after one month, I saw her again. It was dark outside, around midnight, and she was sitting on a swing, slowly pushing off of the ground a bit and just swinging, letting the creaks from the chains fill the silent night. I can't quite remember why I was out there. I think I just couldn't sleep. I do remember that I was staring at the sky because of how many stars were in the sky but I looked down to see her when I heard the creaking. At first, I didn't think it was her. She was wearing a maroon hoodie and skirt with the same color boots and the hood was up over her head, hiding her hair and some of her face. That is, until it slipped off of her head and her hair tumbled down her back like a slow waterfall. I took a small, cautious step towards her and just watched her for a bit without saying anything. She was staring at the ground silently, pushing the swing back and forth as her hair lightly lifted off of her shirt and settled back down again. After a while, she smiled and turned her head, looking over at me. "You warned me about creeps and then decided to watch me from the shadows? How much more creepy can you get?"

"I…" I was stunned. I could barely speak. How was she able to tell whenever I was there? Especially that time, I was completely silent! That was never revealed to me. "Uh… Thorry?" That was the first time I heard her laugh. It was beautiful, really. I could compare it to something else but nothing can compare to how beautiful it was. Nothing in the entire universe. So let's just stick to beautiful, shall we?

"It's fine. There's a swing open if you would like to join me." She motioned to the empty swing next to her which I walked over to and sat in but just stayed still. Aradia noticed after a few moments. "Swings are for swinging, you know."

"I know, I jutht…" I rubbed the back of my neck nervously and looked at my feet. "Just… Where did you go for the month? You jutht thort of…dithappeared." Her smile fell after I said that, causing me to feel automatically guilty. She looked away from me. Not at the ground just away from me.

"I…I was sick." She smiled at me again and even then I could tell that she was lying to me. Although, I didn't get mad or anything. After all, it was probably pretty serious if she needed to lie about it.

"Oh, alright. Tho anyways, what are you doing out here tho late, AA?" I offered her a small smile and slowly swung back and forth.

"So now I'm AA, huh? I like it. Oh, I was just bored. What about you, Sollux? What's your excuse?" I blushed way too often back then. So obviously, I blushed a bit more. Again. At least I finally managed to get that under control.

"I jutht couldn't thleep, that'th all."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Thadly. I've alwayth had a problem with getting to thleep. You probably wouldn't underthtand."

"Try me."

"No, I've told people before. They jutht call me inthane and run off."

"Well, Sollux Captor," She took my hand in hers and looked into my eyes, somehow locating them through my glasses, "I promise that I will not call you insane and run off." In that moment, right there in that small play ground, I felt like I could tell her anything and she would still treat me like this.

"I… I hear voices." Her smile faltered again. Did I say something wrong? She let go of the chain and held my hand tighter so I knew she wasn't going to leave but when she started to stand up off of the swing seat, I panicked a bit. What was she going to do? "Um… Wh-what'th wrong? Did I do thomething? I… I'm tho-" Before I could finish, she had her lips pressed against mine and her other hand around the back of my neck. They were soft, her lips were. It was amazing how soft they were. I never would have expected anyone's lips to be as soft as hers. Of course, nobody else's were.

"I have to go." She whispered after pulling away from the kiss. "See you later."

"Uh…" I watched her as she walked away, my usually pale face bright red and burning hot. "Thee you…" I felt something poking the palm of the hand that she had been holding and looked at the folded slip of paper in it. Unfolding it, I found what must have been her cell number scribbled onto the slip of paper in red ink with a "Call me!" written above it. When had she written that down, you ask? I have no idea. She just did that sometimes. "Oh." I shoved the slip into my jacket pocket and walked back to my house.