Chapter One

(Emma's perspective.)

"But do you think actual love exists?"

"Yeah sure, but we are young. Maybe we aren't meant to know what love is?"

In the Nelson's yard there were two shadows lying side by side gazing up at the stars. The stars were bright and ignited up the sky, it reminded Emma of a child's night light. They felt comforting to her. It gave her an assurance and safety. It might have been the fact that she once had a night light in her room. It protected her from the dark. The body next to her provided a relaxed atmosphere, where she could feel safe and free…which felt good. She had not felt so liberated in so long. At school she was never herself. So many eyes were on her… waiting for her to make another mistake. Like she was one big flaw. Her parents started keeping a closer eye on her after the incident with Jay. But for once in a long time, she could feel like the wind. Free.

Emma closed her eyes. It is amazing how you can just lay down next to someone and lose yourself. You forget yourself in them. In their thoughts, in your thoughts. For a while you forget where you are. It feels like you and the person are the only two people in the whole world. You are lost from reality, and nothing else seems to matter anymore.

"I have to go now Em. It's late. See you tomorrow night?" a deep voice asked as it dissolved into the darkness of the night.

"Sure. Same time, same place." Emma said in a hesitant manner. She did not want to cry out for him to stay. To tell him that right now… she needed him.

They both parted their ways. Just like every night. They never spoke a word in day light. They kept their romance a secret just for the two of them. Craig felt if he dare tell anyone about his secret lady … then that would ravage it all. He liked the mysteriousness. He liked the possibility of being caught. He never brought Emma back to his house. It was him always sneaking into to Emma's. He lived for the thrill.

Emma made her way back into her bedroom. That was one really good benefit of having the basement as a room. Besides the leaky faucets and the sound of the washing machine and dryer, it wasn't so bad. Emma could sneak in and out whenever she pleased. She had only been caught once. She felt like a master of sneaking out and getting what she wanted.

She carefully stepped down from her window, and breathed in a big musk of air. The familiar aroma of Craig's body lingered in her room. She loved the smell of him. She could taste the smell. Emma loved the way Craig's lips tasted. The way his smell tasted. He had a really particular scent. It was almost like honey. He left it behind, just like every night. On her covers, on her bed. It consumed the room. It consumed her.

Emma yawned drowsily as she stretched out on her soft bed. Even tired, She could not escape her many thoughts. What was she doing messing around with Craig? She felt so used. Maybe Emma was just the rebound girl and meant nothing? Craig had just gotten out of a relationship with Ashley. Maybe he was not ready. What if this was all just one big mistake? These thoughts constantly jolted threw Emma's mind.

Each night after Craig leaves, she is left alone. Feeling shame and guilt. She did not want him to be like Jay and Sean. That was old… she wanted something new. She wanted to fall in love.

Emma rolled over stubbornly, to see what time it was. The covers rolled with her making her quickly tumble off the bed. It was four o' clock. Later then usual, Craig normally left about one. Emma climbed back into bed and tucked herself in. She missed how her mom use to tuck her in. She also missed the way her mom would read stories to her. Emma slowly fell to sleep… thinking about how children have it easy. How a child just turns on a night light and all their fears seem to drift away…

Chapter Two
(Craig's perspective.)
"Where have you been?"

"Uhh… I had to get some air."

As Emma drifted into a deep slumber, Craig was attempting to sneak in. He had left the Nelson's house later than usual and was trying to be very quiet. As he approached his house he slowed down to a trot. From the outside, it looked like no lights were on. So he steadily lurked closer to the door, trying not to wake anyone that might be sleeping. His hands were shaking, as he took out his house key and unlocked the front door. His stomach began to crunch with big pangs of fear. Trying to be like a cat in the night, he steadily turned the door know and closed it with ease. He started tip toeing toward the stairs. Every step hit the floor with a soft thud. The house was so full silence, that if you would have dropped a pen the noise from it would have traveled throughout the house. Craig was just about to go up the stairs… when his worst fear happened. Craig was blinded from a blaze as the lights came on in a flash. He jumped back with fear.

"Craig, you know what's odd? I just came down for a glass of milk. I looked in your bedroom to check on you and your bed was empty," a displeased Joey said.

He had though he was safe, but Joey had caught him. Craig couldn't believe his luck. Just when he had thought he was safe he wasn't. It's always like that. Life's like that. When things are going great something comes along and knocks you down.

Craig thought carefully, and then thought of a quick lie. He told him in a quivering voice, "I was only out of the house for a minute. I had to get some air. I feel suffocated. Sometimes I like to be alone. Ever since I was diagnosed you have been acting like I'm a monster…like I'll attack the whole town if you don't watch my every move."

"Craig, I just want you to be safe," Joey had tears forming in his eyes "Okay? It's four o'clock in the morning. I wake up and you're no where to be found. I was worried."

"Okay, I won't go on the porch with out telling you first… now can I get to bed?" Craig remarked in a sarcastic manner.

Joey told him to get up to his room and to stay there. Craig went up the stairs leading to his bedroom, obediently. He thought to himself how close that was. How Joey could have not believed him and dragged it out of him. Joey was such a push over.

The truth was Craig did despise being watched. The badgering to take his medicine everyday never seemed to end. His only escape he could find from his illness seemed to be with Emma. She was the only one that seemed to understand him. He was a troubled maze… and she was the only one who could find her way threw it.

Sometimes she talked about the environment way too much but, it was cute. He enjoyed spending time with Emma. He didn't share everything with her though. Craig had not told her about his illness yet. He didn't want her to think differently of him. She might turn into Ashley. Then that would be one more person worrying about him. That's not what he wanted. He felt like maybe he just needed someone to love. He also liked having someone to look forward to seeing even if he did not want to admit it. Emma was the only thing he had to look forward to each day. She was his rose… and he her water.

Craig had several secrets. Everyone has them, little things they keep tucked away in places, hidden from the rest of the world. Craig kept his illness a secret from many people. Emma was another one of Craig's little secrets…a secret he actually liked.

He might like Emma but he wasn't ready for another commitment. Ashley had really hurt Craig. She had left him smashed in pieces. So for now keeping it a secret was Craig's way of controlling the relationship. He had the upper hand.

The next morning Craig was very drowsy and tired. His alarm clock rang, just like everyday before, and he rolled over for a few more minutes of sleep. After finally getting up, he went to the bathroom for a quick shower. The hot water was refreshing. He put on a blue share and a pair of jeans. Then headed down stairs, he could smell an aroma coming from the kitchen. Caitlin had fixed him breakfast but Craig barely touched it. He hated the way she made pancakes. No, she couldn't make them like a normal person; she had some way of messing them up. Her bacon wasn't much better. Craig took the toast to go and left for school.

It was damp and cloudy outside. The weather had been getting worse and worse lately. Caitlin had forced him to leave the house with some dorky umbrella. It was useful though, the rain thumped on the side walks.

He met up with Spinner on his way to school. Spin, had a car for a while, but he wasn't allowed to drive it anymore. Spinner had lost lots of privileges. He couldn't do certain things at school. One of the privileges he lost was being able to drive to school. All because of the foolish choices he had made the previous year.

"Dude, what is wrong with you? You look like you are going to barf." Spinner said as they walked toward school.

Craig thought to himself, classic Spinner, he had a way of choosing the worse words. As Emma would say Spinner often had "verbal diarrhea"

He hesitated for moment, thought about what Spinner had said, and then he blurted out, "I was up all night at her -" Craig stopped mid sentence, realizing he had said too much.

"Her? Who's her Craig? " Spinner babbled giving Craig a wink, "That's probably why you look so tired today."

"It was not like that okay… I just talked to someone very late last night." Craig said in a retaliating manner, "It's nothing."

Maybe it was something though. Craig kept having second thoughts… and then sometimes he felt like he actually loved Emma. His heart felt like it was on an emotional roller coaster. Up and down. He could never make up his mind if he really liked her or if it was all just a cruel game.

All day, he had trouble concentrating. All his thoughts seemed to come back to one thing… to her. When he passed her in the hallway he couldn't help but stare at her. At lunch, he didn't have a bite to eat. His eyes were fixated on her. When the final bell for the day rang, Craig couldn't have been more thrilled.

Now, all he had to do was manage to get out of the house. He had a plan. Craig was very tired from the night before so he would go home and go straight to bed. Joey wouldn't bother to wake him up for dinner and would let him sleep. So then when Joey least expected it, Craig would wake up and try to escape through the window.

Just as he had expected no one was home. So he went up to his room. His sheets were scattered across the floor from the morning. His bed was never made. Craig liked it that way. Why make it when you are just going to be climbing right back in? His eyes began to feel heavy and soon he was letting out loud snores.

The plan had worked perfectly. He woke up around eleven o'clock, ready to go see his secret lady. He changed in a matter of seconds and applied new deodorant. (He had to smell good!) The window made a creaking sound… as if it was pleading to stay closed… with a little frustration Craig lifted up the window. It did not look as easy as he had anticipated. The ground looked farther down but he couldn't turn back. Not if he wanted to see her.

He finally mustered up enough courage to jump out of the window. There was an enormous crackle in the middle of the night's silence as his feet hit the ground. Crackle.

"Calm down Manning, it was just a stick."

He leaned up against his house, catching his breath and trying to calm his nerves. Now, came the hard part. He had to get out of his yard. There were street lights shining brightly. Craig started lurching, staying right next to his house. He was almost at the front of his house. If he dashed across the yard, maybe no one would notice. He closed his eyes, and ran for it almost colliding with a street light. The rest of the way to Emma's was an easy walk.

He finally came to the Nelson's house. Every evening when he arrived there was always a certain light on. He suspected it was on to try and keep out intruders. Emma's light is always off until he gives his special tap. The sound of Craig's knuckles drumming on the window three times flashed a light on. A small blonde head popped out the window, giving him the okay to come in.

She tugged on his arms… trying to help pull him through the window. It was more pain than help. Craig's arm's ached when he finally stood in the basement. The sight of the basement was astonishing. You could hardly tell it was a basement. Emma had gone to a lot of trouble. There were candles lit and other things tossed here and there to give the room a romantic atmosphere.

Craig put his hands on Emma's hips and forcefully kissed her. He was kind of startled when Emma instantly jerked back.

"Craig" Emma spoke staring at him with a worried face, "I have to talk to you."