A/N : Regarding some concerns of Spanish not really being used in this story, I've decided not to actually utilize it too much, unless its between Paco and certain people who should be able to speak Spanish, like his father and some friends I'm about to introduce into the story. Definitely not with Julia, and even if I do want to insert some, it would be brief and simple. I don't really understand Spanish... Wait, scrape that. I have no clue at all about Spanish and I'm trying to keep it to a minimum, so please understand. That's all! A short one this time, enjoy.

Paco

I screeched to a halt at the deserted lot near the peak of Roserade Hill and alighted from the motorbike. Julia wordlessly jumped off from Lucky with the gracefulness of a dancer and gave the lush landscape a sweeping glance. "It's beautiful." She said breathlessly as a gentle breeze blew across the land we were standing on, causing the trees to tilt slightly in the direction of the wind, the leaves dancing under the afternoon sun.

"Yes it is." I agreed, silently relieved that we were back on talking terms. "I came here all the time as a child." Nostalgia rolled over me like a wave and I gazed longingly at the unkempt stretch of grass ahead of us, swaying to the wind in what appeared to be a welcoming gesture. Memories came pouring back; each one sweeter than the previous. "It remains unchanged, still as beautiful as I last recalled." I took Julia's hand in my mine and we exchanged smiles. "I'm sorry for what I said just now, I really didn't mean it that way."

"It's alright," Julia whispered. "I forgive you." She gave my hand a little squeeze.

We started for the center of the grass patch, hungrily taking in the sights around us. Flowers bloomed in small groups under the shades of the looming trees, the tall grass whipping at our shins and ankles as we plowed towards the edge of the hill to get a better view. It was all so surreal I found myself wondering how people could be so ignorant of the incredible beauty of the land they were destroying for land to build estates or industries. After a few minutes of brisk walking and some complains from Julia about the insects that were disturbing her to no end, we found ourselves at the edge of the hill, overlooking the place we had been living in for as long as we could remember.

Maybe beautiful isn't the right word. I doubt there were any words in the English language capable of describing the view, but it's worth a shot. I won't even think of associating the splendid view with anything less than 'stunningly, achingly and absolutely gorgeous'. The sun sinking in the distance provided those rare, dying sunlight that were slanted at just the right angle to be reflected off the rosy red rooftops, glinting and gleaming. Cars were zooming pass on the roads, a battle of who would reach home first to enjoy their own personal space. The ocean stretched as far as my eyes could see, offering no signs of it ever ending. The ripples and flows of the ocean were pulling me towards it and I could just make out the cries of the hungry and circling seagulls, looking for their prey that resided just beneath the frothy waves. It was exactly the sight that would make someone treasure the life they have, just to be able to glance at such beauty from time to time. This, unfortunately, was exactly what I did not need when I was putting my life on the line every time I fight.

I became aware of Julia's slow and deep breaths as she too, observed the picture perfect scenery laid out in front of us like a beautiful art piece. "To think I thought the stretch of greenery before was beautiful." Julia laughed, shaking her head.

"It can't even hold a candle to this." I agreed, pulling out my camera from my bag. "We don't have much time left, sun's going to set soon. Better get started."

Julia nodded and took out the camera I had gifted her earlier in the day and turned it over in her hands, unsure of what to do. I sat back, arms crossed and watched with amusement as her frustration grew when she couldn't figure out how to get it working.

"I hate cameras." Julia finally declared a minute later, her lips curled in disgust as she regarded the appliance with much disdain. I chuckled and ignoring her glare, mercifully took the camera from her hand and showed her how to operate it. "It's simple really, you'll get used to it soon."

Julia set her glare on the camera that I returned her and sighed. "Why didn't Mrs. Peterson teach us how to use it before giving us the assignment?"

"She probably figured that we would have enough common sense to know how to."

"Are you saying that I lack common sense?" Julia narrowed her eyes at me, dropping the camera onto the grass, her hands at her hips.

"I'm sure you make up for it in other departments." I teased. With that, I let my eyes drop slowly down to her chest. Julia's face turned several shades of pink and she crossed her arms defensively over her chest in a weak attempt to preserve her dignity. "Hey, I was just kidding." I frowned when I saw her bite her lip and looked away. "You alright?"

She was silent for a few painful moments before she spoke. "I thought you weren't as shallow as other guys."

I groaned. "I'm not a saint, Julia. And I bet even a saint would have noticed that."

It was her turn to groan. "Stop it, Paco, please."

"Okay, okay." I threw my hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"It better not, or I'll…" Julia trailed off again, a smile tugging at my lips when I realized how many times we had said it the past few days. I was starting to like this game. Maybe a little too much, in fact.

"Or what?"

Julia shrugged, picking up the camera. "I'll get back to you on that."

"We better get start taking pictures," I took a glance at the sinking sun, aware of how much time we had wasted. "It's getting late." Julia muttered her agreement and we got to work. Taking pictures were simple; getting the right angle to catch the perfect moment was hard. It took a lot of maneuvering and craning of the neck to get in the right position, and even then, the light had to be at just the right angle for the lighting in the picture to be decent. It was a tedious task, but we accomplished it and were pretty satisfied with the results.

"You coming over for dinner later, right?" I asked as we were making our way back to the parking lot. "My parents are expecting you." My hand reached for hers naturally, claiming possession of her warm hands in the chilly evening air.

"Yeah," Julia said. "I just need to go home and change first." Even without looking at her, I can sense the anxiety in her voice.

"There's no need to be so worried, my parents are pretty laid back." I assured, squeezing her hand gently. "They probably just want to embarrass me."

"At least somebody is capable of that." Julia smiled as she climbed onto Lucky, this time with much more grace. I veered onto the road and started the long journey back. Night fell swiftly and silently, blanketing the hill with shadows and darkness. I felt Julia shiver behind me and a few moments later, lean into me for solace and comfort. I was enjoying the moment, savoring it and filing it into my mind to review later when I needed to make myself feel alive again.

"Julia?"

"Hmm?" She replied sleepily, her head on my shoulders.

"I'll have to go pick up Tristan after this, so it might be a while before I go and pick you up for dinner. Is that fine with you?" I steered the motorbike away from the dirt road circling the hill and merged back onto the highway, grateful for the smooth ride after the all-too-bumpy one just minutes ago.

"Yeah, it's fine with me." Her voice decreased in volume and her head grew heavy on my shoulders, her arms around my waist loosening a bit as she drifted off to sleep. I sneaked a glance at her face as she slept, the helmet obscuring most of it, but I can make out her eyes that were closed, and the long lashes above it. I sighed, surprised to find it almost wistful. I was getting too attached to Julia, and there definitely won't be a happy ending if it continued, but for now, I was too happy – or lazy, for that matter – to care.

Julia

I caught up on some much needed sleep on the way back and felt refreshed when Paco woke me up gently at my doorstep. "Wake up, Julia. We're here." His voice, deep and soft, awoke me from my slumber and I lifted my head drowsily, looking at our surroundings without registering much. "Julia?" He gave me another nudge with his finger and I finally got my bearings. I blinked a few times, willing the sleep from my eyes away with each closing of my eyelids.

"Good morning, Paco." I greeted him, rubbing my eyes as I slipped off the backseat, my back feeling a little stiff from the ride. He chuckled at my disorientation and gave me a kiss on the forehead, his lips warm against my cold skin.

"See you later, Julia. Go and freshen up." He gave me one last nod with a smile and took off, leaving behind a trail of dust. I dragged my weary frame to the front door and unlocked it before collapsing onto the sofa, just wanting to continue the dream I was having earlier before being so rudely awakened. Just when sleep was about to claim me again, I remembered the dinner and jolted up, the fog shrouding my mind lifting itself in about the same time as it took for me to stand up.

What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to go and clean up for the dinner! I took the stairs two at a time and entered my room noisily, much to the protests and grumbles from my brother who was taking a nap next door. I ignored his curses and stepped into the bathroom, letting the warm water wash away the grit or filth that had accumulated on my body from sitting in the grass. I took my time to condition and shampoo my hair before coming out of the bath, ready for everything and anything. Maybe except for meeting Paco's famous, opulent and smart parents. That, and maybe doing my calculus homework later at night.

I changed into a simple pink blouse and a pair of jeans before descending the stairs down to the living area and reclining on the sofa. I flicked on the television and let my mind wander as a replay of A Cinderella Story flickered on the screen. I had seen that movie a few times already, but the main reason that I wasn't watching it was eluding me. But I'm pretty sure that it's somewhere along the line that I have already found my prince.