To say Tino had it bad would be an understatement. Carver had just about all he could stand about him talking about Tish. It was like he was a kid all over again. Every night, Tino would be on the phone with her. School and his part time job made it difficult to see her. Except for today, Friday. Carver knew because Tino told him an ungodly amount of times. "You think this shirt goes with these shoes?" Tino asked while looking in the full-length mirror on the back of the apartment door.

"No. Man T, what's up with the sudden caring about your shoes?"

"You know how Tish is. She expects everything to be perfect. How about this shirt?"

"Hell no! Give it up man." Carver said and going into Tino's room, retuning a moment later with a new charcoal gray shirt and black dress shoes. "Wear these."

"Thanks Carv! I think Tish will like this."

"You really have it bad don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I seen you obsesses about going out on dates before. But this takes the cake."

"This is Tish were talking about. Things have to be perfect!"

"Several years ago maybe, but you got to admit she mellowed out a lot in high school."

Sitting down on the couch to tie his shoes Tino answered. "Yeah she did. The thing is, we don't have much time together with her going to grad school. This is our first true romance; I want to make it rememberable. I care for her more then just as a friend. She's one of the few people who can accept me for who I am. She doesn't care about my insecurities or my neurosis's. She just likes me for me."

"If you say so. What are you two doing tonight?"

"On my limited budget? Not much. I have something in mind I hope she'll like."

"Do you want me to not be here later?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

"Well, you know. We, you know, talked about that. You know…" Carver walked up behind him and gave him a soft slap to the head. "Thank you. We talked, and we're not going to….Um….Until we're sure of our feelings."

Carver shrugged. "O.K. I'm going out later, if you're back before me and don't want me in here, leave a tie on the doorknob."

"Uh O.K.?"

"Tino, we need to be talking." Tish's dad didn't look too happy when he answered the door. All Tino could do was nod and let the older man lead him into the house. Once inside he saw Tish dress in a light purple blouse with a darker purple ankle length skirt. Not unlike she wore when she was younger. "I admit to not understanding courting ritual in this country."

"You're taking me to court?" Tino's voice was a panicked squeak.

Tish groaned. "He's not taking you to court Tino. Courting is another term for dating. How can you be this close to getting a collage degree and not know this?" Bringing her index and thumb with in a quarter of an inch of each other to demonstrate her point.

"Sorry, I panicked. I can't believe you told him about…."

"Us becoming boyfriend and girlfriend." She finished giving him a look meaning for him to shut up.

"When man seek the attention of woman, he ask father for permission." Her father stated.

"I understand. You're looking out for your daughter. I would very much like to have your permission to date your daughter….Please?"

"I like you Tino, you good man. My sweet bean like you very much. It not so simple tough. In old country, man must prove his worth."

Tino nervously swallowed and looked at Tish. She had a nervous smile, but her eyes said please. Gating as much courage as he could he looked the older man in the eye. "I would do anything to have the honor of dating Tish."

"Good, you needing courage." Her father's voice betrayed no emotion. Tino could only hope to live to see the next sun rise.

A few hours later Tino and Tish leave her house. Tino looks like he seen a ghost. "I'll be back around 10." Tish called out. Turning to her new boyfriend she squeezed his arm. "Thanks for going through with that."
With a distant look in his eyes he could only respond. "The goats….My God, why?"

"Just be glad you weren't asking for my hand in marriage."

He turned to her. "What would happen?"

"Let's just say it involves even more goats, yodeling, and a blood oath." He involuntary shivered. "So where are we going?"

"I have something in mind I hope you like. We're going to the big tree."

"Why there?"

"You'll see."

The sun was setting. The breeze was light. Two young lovers, hand in hand approached a mighty tree. "I know there is something you wanted to do. I don't really have a balcony, so this is going to have to do."

Her eyes widen in delight, a smile on her face. "The balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet?"

"Yeah, I'm a little rusty. So forgive me in advance."

She hugged him. "Help me up."

He did so and took a deep breath. Looking around the park to make sure no one else was in earshot. "But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." He blushed in part of what he was doing and in part because he forgot the rest.

This what she needed. A good five-mile run and a nice cool down shower. The last two weeks were hell for Lor. Learning that Tino and Tish spent the night, and the argument she had with Tish emotionally drained her. After stretching and a few quick warm up exercises she begin her run. As her pace increased her thoughts went back to a conversation she had with Carver the other day.

"He says they're officially a couple now." She could hear the pride in his voice. Why couldn't Carver just listen to her for once?

"Damn it, I told her it isn't going to work! She's going to break his heart!" Lor all but yelled into the phone.

"O.K. first: This is there decision. Second: Why do you care so much?"

"There my friends, two of my best friends! She's going away, and you know how Tino is. He is totally going to fall head over heals for her, you and me both know it."

"Good, he'll finally know what being in love is."

"He'll be devastated!"

"Maybe, but it's not our call. Those two all ways shared something. When we were kids I just thought it was some kind of imaged `geek` thing. Maybe when we were in high school…."

She cut him off. "They weren't dating in high school remember! They both admitted it."

"Yeah, after we both wigged out…Man that's an old saying. Anyway, when we asked about it, they might of panicked and pulled away from each other. Think about it Lor. When I was dating Moria, and you Thomson. We didn't hang out on the weekends as often as we once did. They got closer because it was just the two of them. Something could've happened if we didn't interfere."

"This is different, way different! They had sex!"

"True, but so what. They had a night together, and because of that there going to explore a relationship."

"It's not going to work!"

"It's there choice."

Stopping to get a drink at a water fountain in the park she heard a voice. "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet."

That sound's like Tish. Walking around she found her two friends. Tish was sitting in the big tree, while Tino was standing on the bench next to it. Something about this was familiar. A near forgotten memory came to her. "She's making him do Romeo and Juliet?" There was a sharp pain in her heart, she wasn't sure why. All she could do was watch them play this out.

It ended with Tino climbing the tree to kiss Tish. Lor couldn't watch, nor could she turn away. He looked so happy, so filled with joy and life as he kissed Tish. Tish ran her fingers through his hair. Her emotion was clear as day. Bliss. Pure and simple. "So, how was my performance as Romeo?" Lor heard him ask.

"Don't quit your day job." She heard Tish answer, teasing. With a giggle Tish pulled him into another kiss. It was all Lor could stand. She began to run again, this time back to her apartment.

Slamming the door behind her Lor just stood in her living room. There was a burning in her heart, not from the sprint back home. Form what, she wasn't sure. Why did it bother her to watch Tino kiss Tish? Was Tish right about her being afraid to be left alone? Lor knew the answer to that query almost immediately. Lor was many things, but she wasn't dumb. She just didn't have the patience for things she had no interest in. For the things that did hold her interest, she was a genus. One of the things she knew well was her friends. She knew no mater what they wouldn't abandon her.

Striping out her jogging attire, and throwing them into a pile of other dirty clothes, Lor walked into her bathroom. Flipping on the light, she paused to look at her self in the mirror. Her reflection reminded her of something. She wore it so often, that it became a part of herself. Held in platinum, and suspended by a long gold chain past her breasts was a colorless diamond. His parents presented it to her as a very kind and generous gift. Telling her that he loved her so much, that they knew he would want her to have something from him. This was the last of his mortal remains. The rest were scattered to the wind. She placed two fingers on the diamond. It always felt warm to her; it was the warmth of the love they once shared. She only removed it once since receiving it. It was when her and her friends drove to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Tino was concerned that someone might steal it, and convinced her to keep it in the hotel safe. That night, she got drunk while trying to get Tish to loosen up. She didn't remember how, or why, but she ending up sleeping with a stranger. She vowed to never remove it again!

Stepping into the shower, and after adjusting the water to her preferred temperature, Lor simply let the water fall on her. Not taking her fingers off the diamond she asked out loud. "Why does it bother me so much?"