They met at the front gate to the park the next day for his final test of will. Sally understood that they needed a quiet place, where they would not be disturbed nor disturb others. A classroom would be ideal, but it is Sunday and the school is closed. Since she did not want to make him wait for her answer, the pond in the park had to do.

"So, what are we doing today, Sal?" Sam cheekily asked.

The auburn-haired girl gave him a warm smile. "Before we get started, I have one question for you."

"Hit me." He responded, glad that she is taking an interest on him.

"Well, I was wondering, why did you pick me? There are many other girls in school who wouldn't make you go through this." She wondered.

Sam looked serious for a moment, then spoke in French. "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur."

She recognized the quote immediately, and completed it. "L'essential est invisible pour les yeux."

One only sees clearly with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes.

"Le Petit Prince." Sally acknowledged the reference. "It's one of my favourites. How did you know?"

Sam shrugged. "I just like it. I'm glad you do too."

He looked off into the distance for a moment, then back at her.

"The other girls would be..." He paused, looking for the right word. "Dull. For all the grief I've been through, it's been nice spending this time with you. I'm happy, and I don't want to stop."

Sally nodded. "I guess I can see your point, and I have been having fun, too. Not just because I've been making you suffer, but because I'm seeing you for something I didn't know you were, and that's great."

"Well, then, I'm happy that you're actually giving me a chance to surprise you, and I hope I get to surprise you even more." He grinned. "I'm still a penance short, though, and now I'm especially pumped to beat it. What is it?"

"Let's get to it, then." She smiled. "It occurred to me that we've had direct penance for bullying and for physical violence, but we haven't had any for your vocal dislike of nerds and your concealment of your own capabilities. So, we're going to have a debate. One of the philosophical classics, is determinism compatible with free will?"

"So, if I beat you in a debate, you'll go to the dance with me?" The football player asked.

She shook her head. "You don't have to win. You just have to actually try. You can even choose either side of the debate."

"So, what you're saying is that I can't keep hiding my philosophical bent if I'm going to date you." Sam said, thoughtfully.

Sally nodded. "That is, indeed, exactly what I am saying."

The blond boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then shivered all over. He opened his eyes and nodded. "It's a deal. I'll take compatibilism."

"Agreed. I'll take hard determinism, then." She said, taking his hand and leading him into the park.

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking over at their linked hands. "Is there a stage and the entire school waiting for me inside?"

The auburn-haired girl chuckled. "No, of course not. That would be just wasteful. I just thought that, if we're going to have a philosophical argument, then walking around the park would be a nice way to do it. I can let go of your hand if it makes you uncomfortable, though."

"NO!" He shouts. Recomposing himself, he continues. "No, I mean, it's fine if we're holding hands, and yes, it would be nice to talk while having a walk in the park."

"Let's go, then?" She nudged.

Suddenly, a voice sounded from the sidewalk. There was a girl pointing at a building off to the side.

"Hey, there's smoke coming from that building over there!"

The couple turned to look. Sally saw a young girl, probably about ten, open a window on the third floor. Smoke came billowing out.

The girl coughed, then screamed, "HELP ME, PLEASE!"

Several of the onlookers pulled out their phones and called 911.

Sam, in turn, grabbed a water bottle and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket in a rush. He sprinkled water on it as he ran toward the building.

Suddenly realizing what he was doing, Sally shouted, "Sam, no! Don't do this!"

It was too late. He covered his nose and mouth with the handkerchief, then hardly broke stride as he burst through the front door.

A heart-stopping moment later, and she saw him through the window, taking the girl by the hand and leading her away. The smoke coming out of the window was getting thicker, and the sound of sirens was rapidly getting louder. An ambulance arrived first, followed shortly thereafter by the first fire truck.

Sally ran to the truck, and a woman was already there, reporting on the situation to the firefighters. Flames were flickering out the window the girl had been at, and the firefighters were just preparing to go in when Sam burst back through the front door, carrying the crying girl.

The paramedics lay both Sam and the girl down and assessed their conditions as the firefighters quickly questioned whether there was anyone else in the house. Fortunately, it seemed that the girl had been alone, and the house was now empty.

As it became clear that, other than minor smoke inhalation, they were both okay, things quieted down and the firefighters knocked the fires down from outside with high-pressure hoses.

Sally slipped over and knelt next to Sam.

"That was a very foolish and very brave thing to do." She said, her eyes starting to water.

He coughed, and said, "But I chose to do it. Free will. Gotcha."

"You're a dork." The girl responded, almost crying.

"My throat is sore. I guess I can't finish the debate before this dance." He declared, a grimace on his face. "I'm not giving up, though. Can we try again before the next one?"

"It'd be churlish of me at best to not count heroism and self-sacrifice in your favour." Sally leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Yes, Sam, I will go to the dance with you."


He arrived at her house, carefully dressed in a shirt and tie with nice slacks. Placing one hand behind his back, he rang the doorbell.

The door opened, and there stands Sally, dressed in a sapphire-blue dress, her hair carefully set, a light touch of makeup on her face. He felt awestruck, and her smile at him made his knees feel weak.

"You look spectacular, Sal." He managed to say.

"The girls decided I needed a makeover. Alicia and Felicity are merciless." She informed him, ducking her head a bit in embarrassment. "I can't argue against results, though."

"Vivica didn't join you?" He asked, out of lark.

"She did. I have enough pepper spray concealed in me to disperse a prison riot."

He chuckled before pulling his hand out from behind his back, revealing a rose corsage.

"For you." He spoke.

She took it with a blush.

"We match. I have something for you as well, actually." She said, pulling a small pin from her purse and placing it in his hand.

Looking at it, he saw that it was a small image of a fox, and he was puzzled for a moment until understanding dawned upon him.

He smiled and said, "Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé."

It was another famous saying from Le Petit Prince. You become responsible forever for what you have tamed.

"I'll be your fox if you'll be my rose." Sam offered.

Sally kissed him softly on the cheek. "It's a deal."