Edmund was sitting in front of the library, his head supported by his right arm. He was about to go to Ashley's house when she came running from the corner of the street. He quickly stood up.

"There you are!" Edmund exclaimed. "What took you so long?"

"Hide me!" Ashley screamed.

"What?"

Suddenly, a group of boys came from the direction she came from. One of them, the biggest one, yelled, pointing to her. "There she is!" Then they came running toward the two of them.

"Let's run while we can!" she said, grabbing Edmund's hand. He could feel the hairs on his neck stand up when he felt her hand.

"No. I'll handle this."

"Edmund Pevensie, if you get hurt on my account, I am never going to forgive myself."

"Just get inside the library and stay there." He replied, letting go of her hand. He wished he hadn't done it, but he had to.

Ashley looked worried and said "Okay." And walked away.

Edmund tried to feel relaxed, but found it hard to swallow. The boys walked over to him. Edmund knew at once who they were: it was Simon McCallister and his gang.

"Hey Edmund, where's Ashley? We need to talk." Simon asked.

"Yes. But, why should I tell you?"

"Because if you don't..."

"Would you stop? First, you fight with my older brother: I still have a bruise for that. Now, you're messing with her. For heaven's sake, you're fighting with a girl! Can't you clean up your act? Just once?"

Simon was about to hit Edmund when Ashley turned back.

"Don't you dare hit him!"

"Watch me!" he yelled, raising a fist.

He ran in front of him and kicked his shin. Edmund was still waiting; the other boys were already helping Simon up, who was still screaming because of his shin.

"Ashley! You're dead now!" he yelled.

He was about to hit her when Edmund suddenly punched him.

"Ashley, go inside." Edmund yelled. Everyone on the street was already looking at them now.

"No! This is my fight, I'll handle this. Look out!" she screamed.

Edmund looked around and was almost hit in the face.

"Just get inside!" He yelled in a voice anyone hardly obeys.

She walked up the stairs and was about to enter when Simon yelled "This is what you get for letting her kick me!"

Ashley ran back and hit him on the side, which she knew was his weak spot.

"Edmund let me handle this!" She said, facing him.

"No! I can't let them hurt you!"

Simon was standing up, about to do another attack when she raised her fist. Edmund stared at her, surprised at what she did.

"What?" she asked.

He pointed to the person behind her.

She turned around and saw Simon, lying down, with a black eye. "Oh."

"Let's get inside. You don't want to know what's going to happen next." Edmund whispered, dragging her up the stairs.

They went inside and headed straight for the shelves at the back of the library.

"How'd you do it?" he asked.

She wouldn't reply. She didn't want to say anything.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, looking at her. If you heard his voice, you would have heard a very concerned tone.

"I don't want to talk about it." She replied, getting a book.

"What were you fighting about anyway?"

"It's nothing." She replied, flipping through the pages.

"Come on. You can trust me."

She closed the book and put it back on the shelf.

She shivered and started to talk.

"Well, when we were kids, I was his best friend. After a few years, he, well, started to like me. At the time, my father told me we were going to move here. You can only imagine his reaction when I told him that. He kept telling me not to go. But the last time he told me, he added something."

"What did he do?"

"He...kissed me."

Edmund turned white in the face. At the same time, his hands grew cold and sweaty.

"When he kissed me, I was about to talk, but he interrupted me. He asked me if I could be his girlfriend. Instead of answering him, I punched him."

"Why'd you do that?" he asked, holding her hand.

"I don't know. I just did."

She looked around and continued.

"That was the last time I talked to him. At least, until he moved here."

She shook herself and said "But that was a long time ago."

"And he's not over it?"

"I guess so." She replied, looking away.

Suddenly, the librarian found them. "There you are. It's almost closing time."

"Oh. Sorry to bother you. We were just about to leave. Come on Ashley."

They walked out of the library in silence.

"I'll walk you home, okay?" he asked.

"Okay." She said. Edmund saw her blush.

When they got there, he walked her up to the door. "Well, bye."

"Bye." She said, holding the doorknob.

She was about to turn it, then changed her mind. "Edmund!"

"What?" he asked, turning around.

She ran to him and said "I almost forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"To give you this." She replied. And with that, she kissed him.

"Bye." She said again, walking to the door.

Edmund was speechless.

Edmund arrived home, still quiet. Peter saw him enter the door.

"Well, someone's suddenly quiet today." H e said.

"Peter." Susan snapped. "Hey Ed."

"Hello."

"Whoa. What did I hear? Was that an appropriate greeting?"

"Umm...yeah. I guess."

"So, how was your 'date'?"

"What date?"

"You know...at the library."

"I did NOT go on a date. She asked me to go with her."

"Whatever Ed." Peter said, turning his back.

He went up the stairs and into his room.

"Now, where did I put that thing?"