"That was fabulous," Ashley said as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin. She dropped the napkin beside her plate and looked up at Craig. "Did you make this yourself?"

Across the table, Craig let out a sheepish smile, to which Ash smiled as well. He grabbed her hand and said, "Well, it all depends on what you mean by 'this'."

"Okay, so who made the garlic bread?" Ashley asked.

"Uh…that would be Marco," Craig answered, feeling a little defeated. But Ashley only smiled at him, which made him feel slightly better.

"Okay, and the pasta?"

"That would be…Marco."

"The salad?"

"Del Rossi."

"So, how about the cake then."

"Oh, well, that was all me," Craig finally said happily. He smiled and leaned back against the back of the chair. "I made that cake."

"Really now?" Ashley said.

"Well…to tell the truth, I actually bought the cake from the bakery," he answered truthfully. "But, I did make the effort to go down to the store and pick up the cake."

"Yes you did, and I'll give you credit for that," Ashley said, leaning over the table to kiss Craig.

"Thank you," he said back as Ashley sat down again.

"So, Marco was in charge of the food, huh," she said. "What about the decorations? Did you get Michalchuck, Aden, and McGregor to help out?"

"Actually, the decorations were made possible by Del Rossi, Nelson, and Nash."

"Well, remind me to thank all three of them. The Jeremiah-Manning household is much more romantic now."

"And it has never been before?"

"Not really," Ashley answered, with a little grimace. "Not with all of Angie's toys lying around."

"Well, I cleared all of that just for you, Ms. Kerwin."

"So, are we all done down here? I'd like to see what upstairs looks like," Ashley said, a little excitement and anticipation in her voice.

"It looks exactly the same, Ash. Just with a bit of…"

"Of what, Manning?"

"You'll just have to see," Craig said with a mischievous smile on his face. He got up from his chair, collected his plate, and went over to the other side of the table to gather Ashley's dishes. "You can head upstairs, Ash. It won't take me too long to wash these."

"No, let me help. I mean, it's the least I can do for you, after you and the others put so much effort into making this night perfect."

"And…what is the verdict?" Craig asked as Ashley took her place beside Craig in front of the sink.

"Well, since the night isn't fully over, I can't really give an overall verdict. But what I can tell you that tonight, so far, is going so well and nice, I feel like I'm floating on Cloud Nine."

"That's exactly the answer I'm looking for," Craig said. He kissed Ashley on the cheek as he turned on the faucet.

Once all the dishes were finished, it was time for Craig and Ashley to exchange presents with each other. Ashley wanted to go first, and because Craig wasn't quite ready with his present, he let her go first.

"All right, here," she said, placing a nicely wrapped box on Craig's lap. There's a big bow on it, and there's no space for a gift tag that says 'To Craig, XO Ash'.

Craig lifted it up from his lap and shook it a bit. "It's a bit on the heavy side, isn't it?" he said with a smile. He turned to Ashley and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "This isn't one of those gifts where you constantly wrap a box in another box until it's really tiny, is it?"

"Well," Ashley said with a playful smile, "look for yourself and see."

Craig did as he was told, unwrapping the gift slowly, so as to save the wrapping paper and place on his locker, or so he told Ashley. When he finally got to the box part, he cut up the tape pieces and practically pulled off its cover, the anxiousness finally settling in.

"Hawksley Workman? Where'd you get this shirt from?" Craig demanded of Ash. He held up his band tee. "You know I love this guy!"

"I know, that's why I bought that shirt," Ashley answered. "It was one of the few that was in that vintage T-shirt store you love so much. Ellie, Marco, and I walked in and that was the first thing that caught my eye. I knew you'd love it, but I didn't think you'd like it this much!"

"I love it, Ashley!" He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Man, this is so amazing. I am wearing it first thing on Monday. All right, my turn." He put the box on the side, but Ashley held his arm, as if to tell him to stop that.

"Hold on, Craig, there's more in there," she laughed. She grabbed the box and placed it back on his lap.

Craig rummaged through the tissue paper, looking for his remaining gifts. "What's this?" he asked, pulling out a little tiny booklet. He flipped the pages.

"That, my dear, is a coupon book for little things," Ashley responded. "I know, it's a little weird and corny. But I got the idea from that vintage T-shirt store. They were handing out these little coupon books when I went there."

"'A day of Ashley-free activities'?" Craig asked, quite confused. "What do you mean by this?"

"Well, it means that, if things are a little crazy at home, or school, or anywhere in general, just hand this coupon into me, and I'll know when to back off."

"Well, that's one coupon I'll never use," Craig said. He flipped the booklet to a newer page. "Hmm…'free backrub from yours truly'. Now this, I like."

"It's lame, I know…" Ashley said to herself, mostly.

Craig turned to her. "What? I didn't say that. It's not lame at all. It's great." He put the coupon book on top of the shirt and continued looking through the box. "Oh, what's this?"

"Open it," Ashley urged, opening the cover for him.

"Well, let's see," Craig said, leaning back on the sofa, crossing his legs in the manly way, and placing an arm on Ashley's shoulder.

"My Craig," he read. "This is a book that shows my whole soul, something you know inside and out, as if it were your own. All these poems, though some are not original, are all the feelings I feel when I think, speak, listen, or see you. I hope you keep this close to your heart, as I have put so much of mine in it. I love you, Craig, with my whole heart, soul, and body. Ash."

Craig turned to Ashley, who was closing her eyes, as if embarrassed by her own words. He rubbed her shoulder with the hand that was wrapping over it, and kissed her forehead. Then, with the hand that held the book, he turned the page to find a poem to read out loud.

In Your Light I Learn How to Love—Rumi

In your light I learn how to love.

In your beauty, how to make poems.

You dance in my heart,

Where no one sees you,

But sometimes I do,

And that sight becomes art.

"So, I'm your muse, too?" Craig asked Ashley, whose eyes were still closed, but her head against Craig's shoulder. "Ash? You okay?"

"Uh, yeah," she said, opening her eyes. "I was just reciting that poem by memory. I just really liked that poem."

"Me too. Now, let's read one of yours," he said, turning the page again. He stopped at a page and automatically knew that Ashley wrote that poem on that page.

Goth Girl and Photo Boy

Dressed in all black, vampire in disguise.

The world seemed such a dark place.

Nothing seems to fit right anymore.

Camera in hand and walking down the halls,

Girls staring and watching this guy with passion.

No one seems to know who he is.

Goth girl falls in love once,

With basketball boy, King of the Court.

But her hearts breaks, for she has changed.

Photo boy falls in love once,

With a child lost in naïveté.

But he seems to be growing into maturity.

But on school assignment,

Did Goth Girl and Photo Boy meet.

And nothing seemed to be the same again.

What happens when two worlds,

So different, so unique,

Harmonize with one another, so genuinely?

"So, I'm guessing that I'm the Goth Girl?" Craig asked, making Ashley laugh. She slapped his stomach gently.

"Only if you want to be, Craig," she answered him, her laughter stopping. "Want to read another one?"

"Sure, let's read another one," he said, turning the pages, passing the longer poems and the poems by other poets. Then finally, he stopped at something he liked.

For Reassurance, There You Are

It's all right.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

No one's laughing at you.

I'm here, here for you.

Don't worry, just hold my hand.

Don't be scared, I've got you.

Don't cry, you'll make me cry too.

If you're lonely, come talk to me.

If you need me, I'll be here for you.

Believe me, love, because it's all true.

You say those words everyday.

With every touch of your hand,

With every smile you make.

With every laugh you break into.

With everything you say,

With every beat of your heart,

I believe you and all you do and say.

Your reassurance is lovely.

"Wow," Craig whispered, still looking at the page. It was as if he was trying to get all the words to sink into his head. He looked down at Ash, who was looking back at him.

"You like it?" Ashley asked.

"Well…can't say anything bad about it because it's just…I don't know…"

"Too much?" she asked.

"No, not too much. Just…it's the deepest thing you've ever written. I mean, for me." He closed the book. "No one's ever written a poem about me. I just feel so…I don't know. So…lucky…happy…conceited. Anyway, are you ready for your present?"

"Oh, you mean the song?" Ashley said, which stopped Craig midway from putting his gifts back in his box.

"What? Who told you about that?" he said, turning to her.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I had to ask around. And Marco broke and told me," she said, holding a sympathetic look on her face.

"Well, he told you, did he?" he asked, pulling up his guitar from beside the couch. "It looks like someone's going to die soon, if not be kicked out of the band first."

"Craig!" Ashley giggled, slapping his arm. He turned to her and smiled. Then, he turned back to his guitar, as he was tuning it. "So, did you just write this song or something?"

"Well, it was something I was working on for the past three days. It's new, no one has heard it before, except for the band."

"Ah, I see. New material, not to be heard by anyone else," Ashley said, nodding her head.

"Well, it's exclusively for you, Ms. Kerwin, as it's named after you."

"Oh, wow. Maybe, when Downtown Sasquatch gets famous, the song will be like one of those where everyone wants to know who Ashley Kerwin is," she said with excitement, but Craig knew she was just joking.

"Ash, you are on crazy girl, you know that right?"

"And that's why you like me, don't you?" she said, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, that's why I like you," he said, turning his head so all Ashley while she was attempting to kiss his cheek was lip.

"All right, so this song…" Ashley said, pulling apart from Craig's lips.

"Yes, the song," Craig replied, pressing his hands down on the strings. "So, let's do this, huh?"

"Yeah, I want to hear the song," Ashley said.

"Okay, this song is called 'And You, Ashley Kerwin', because, well, it's about you," he explained. He strummed for a while, and then finally, lunged into song.

Do you know that you kill me?

Every time you say you love me,

Because I die and go to heaven.

And do you know that when I die, you save me,

Because your kisses, they revive me.

I'm waiting to die again.

Do you know that when I'm waiting?

Always anticipating, my heart just stops,

Because you smile that smile

That makes the whole world stop.

You have a beauty that so hard to find.

You have a song that no one else can rhyme.

You have a spirit that flies so high.

You have a heart that lasts all time.

And you have a soul that's deeper than mine.

And you, Ashley Kerwin,

You speak to me so well.

You're not like anyone else.

You actually know who I am,

Without asking who I am.

And you, Ashley Kerwin,

Are the owner of my heart,

You have been from the start.

And you keep it so well,

From being broken for anyone else.

And you, Ashley Kerwin,

Are special because you love me,

Like I love you, always.

As Craig strummed the last chords of the song, Ashley's eyes filled to the brim. She looked up at Craig, and when he looked down at her, she wiped away her falling tears and said, "That…that's a…I mean, it's really…you know what I mean when I say that…wow, I'm speechless."

"Is that a good kind of speechless, or a the bad kind?" Craig asked, unsure of the answer.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked, a smile playing on her face.

Craig placed his guitar on the ground and then turned to kiss Ashley. "I think it's the good kind."

"Well then, there's your answer." She rested her head on his shoulder and said, "That's one of your better songs, I think."

"Only because it has your name in it," Craig joked.

"Shut up, that's not the reason. I liked it a lot because it makes me feel special, the way you describe how I make you feel. I didn't think I had such an impact on you, or anyone else."

"Well, I learned to write good lyrics from the best."

"Miss Kwan taught you how to write lyrics?" Ashley teased.

"Well…no, actually, yeah. But she wasn't the best." He kissed her forehead. "You are."

"Oh, Craig, I love you," she sighed.

"I love you too, Ash," he told her, but not because he felt complied to do so, but because he actually, truly knew he loved her. And Ashley knew that, one look in his eyes, and she knew that he loved her, and with every beat of her own heart, that she loved him back.

"I think it's time…to go upstairs," she told him in a whisper.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her, just to make sure that she didn't feel pressured to do it.

She looked up at him and replied with a nod and a kiss. And with that, Craig swept Ashley off her feet, literally, and carried her up the stairs and into his bedroom, where they would spend the rest of the night in each other's grace, love, and passion.

Sorry to have made you guys wait so long for this. You can blame the stupid writer's block and school…ha, typical excuses, huh? Anyway, chapter five will be up shortly after.