Chapter 3

Tori and I walked to the beach together.

When we got there, I stretched out on the sand and felt the warm sunlight.

It was surprisingly warm for a winter day.

Tori laughed and I looked up at her and smiled.

But she blushed and quickly turned away.

She sat down beside me and began reading her book.

"Whatcha reading?" I asked curiously.

She jumped a little, being separated from 'her own little world' and then blushed.

Blushing was her specialty.

"Oh… Um… It's a book about a brave knight who travels to an unknown village and looses his memory." she explained. "Then, he rescues the village from a wicked beast! And all of the fathers in the village want him to marry his daughter. But he chose a orphan maid girl, who was both beautiful and quiet. Or at least… so far. I'm not sure why he chose her. But I'm nearly finished!"

I shook my head, awaking myself from a daze. She talks fast when she's excited.

"Sounds cool. What's it called again?" I asked.

"One Small Voice." she said dreamily.

I looked and saw that she was 80% thru with the book.

"And when did you get this?" I asked.

"Earlier this morning at the library. I've been reading all day!" she exclaimed.

I knew that the library opened every day, except holidays, at nine.

She was always the first one there too. Russell told me.

I checked my watch. It wasn't even noon yet!

"You've nearly finished that book, in only two and a half hours?" I asked, amazed.

That book was nearly five inches thick!

"I…uh… guess so…" she said, a little shocked herself.

I laughed and laid back down. "Only you." I said.

She didn't quite get what I meant, but she went back to reading anyways.

We sat there on the beach for about an hour, and then I sat up and stretched.

"Wanna go get something to eat?" I asked.

She blushed and asked, "Like a… date?"

I smiled and stood up. "Yeah. I guess you could call it that."

I helped her up, and we walked side-by-side to the only place you could get food in this town, Emmett's Bar.

I ordered the food and we went to find a table.

After we ate, I realized that the Sacred Night Festival.

"Oh No!" I thought. "Godwin and Jasper are going to try to make me go with their daughters!"

It's not that I hated them… it's just… it would be too awkward…

I would rather just go with a close friend.

I looked at Tori, who was quietly reading her book, and I got a great idea!

I liked Tori as only a friend, but I liked her the most out of all the girls in town, so I guess I could go with her!

I paid the bill, and then led Tori outside, to where we could be alone.

"So…uh… Tori…" I started. "D-Do you have any plans tomorrow?"

"Y-You mean for the Sacred Night?" she asked. "No. Why?"

I took a deep breath. "You wanna go with me?" I asked.

Tori blushed darker than I had ever seen it before.

"W-WHAT?! Y-You wanna go… WITH ME?!" she asked.

"Yeah." I said, a little nervous myself.

In the three years I had live in this town, I had never asked a girl out. Not even once!

"I-I-I'd love to go…with you…" she whispered.

"Great!" I said. "Where should we go to celebrate?"

"M-My place… If that's okay…" she said. "I-I think my mom would like that…S-Since Zavier is going to Mist's…"

Wow. Zavier had finally made a stand!

"Okay. I'll see you there tomorrow!" I said as I began to walk to my farm.

"O-Okay…" she said nervously.

I walked in my house and plopped down on the bed.

"I'm beat…" I thought to myself. "I don't know how I'm going to get outta this one…"

My eyes grew heavy, and I fell asleep.