I quickly tore away from him, my eyes wide and my heart racing.

"No..." I whispered.

"What's wrong?" Carlos asked.

"No...I can't...I can't do this." I jumped to my feet. "I won't get hurt again. I won't." Then I turned and ran from the room. I ran from the house, and my legs carried me far, far away from there. I had to get away. Then I spotted it. It was a swing set. I don't know what a park was doing in the middle of LA, but I didn't care. I ran to the swing and practically threw myself into it, tears blurring my vision. They slipped down my face in silent misery.

"What's the matter, Kaylee?" a voice asked me and I saw that it was Carlos. I hadn't even known that he had been following me. "Did I do something wrong?" I shook my head, my tear droplets landing on my jeans.

"Then what is it?"

"Why did you kiss me?" I blurted out.

"I dunno...it just kinda happened. But I kinda really like you now..."

"Why?" I shouted. "Why don't you like some other girl in the Palm Woods? One that's normal?"

"Normal is boring."

"But...why do you want to be with someone who..." I struggled to find the right words. "...who...has so many...issues...?"

"I don't care about that. I've never really felt about you this way before...but you're beautiful and funny and smart..."

I snorted. Smart? Yeah, right.

"...and you're brave, and if someone makes you mad you don't think twice about kicking the crap out of them, but you're also sweet and kind and...I don't want to be with anyone else."

When I didn't reply, he said, "I care about you, Kaylee. How can I make you believe me?"

"Promise!" I cried. "Promise that you won't ever, ever hurt me." Carlos got down on his knees in front of me.

"I always keep my promises. But I also never make any promises that I can't keep." I closed my eyes to keep myself from screaming out loud as my whole world crashed to pieces around me. Carlos grabbed my hand. "I promise to never, ever hurt you, Kaylee Rocque. Ever." I opened my eyes and saw him looking at me. He was looking at me the way Kendall looks at Jo, or how Logan looks at Camille. Like I really mattered. Then he let go of my hand, and I clutched the chains on the swings with both my hands as Carlos got up and dusted the woodchips off his pants.

Then he walked behind me and started pushing me on the swing without saying a word. I didn't say anything either. I didn't want to ruin the moment by opening my Big Mouth. I stared up at the pure blue sky, and all of the fluffy clouds.

"I want to touch the sky, Carlos." I whispered. "It's all I've ever really wanted." At first he didn't respond, but then he brought the swing to a gentle stop. He put his hands on top of mine, on the chains of the swing.

"I'll get you a piece of the sky, Kaylee. I don't know how I'll do it, but I will."