I'm sorry it took so long, once again. I'd like to give some credit to hersheys-kisses, without whom you would have this chapter a lot later than you have it now. Also, to Ohyeah100, who seems to have read the whole thing in one go, this one is less of a cliffhanger, I hope you'll enjoy it.

-

She pulled back slowly and looked at him, a hint of wonder barely visible in her eyes. When he met her gaze she looked away and he saw her teeth bite her lower lip, the one that was still slightly flushed from the minutes before. He smiled weakly. She turned back to him and smiled lightly. The air had grown awkward and they fidgeted nervously.

"So I've known you for about four days, and I've kissed you twice," Lizzie said, running a hand through her hair.

Her statement didn't make the setting any less uncomfortable, but at least the silence was gone. He chuckled softly and had opened his mouth to say something when Lizzie's father's voice rang upstairs to signal dinner.

-

The families enjoyed themselves at dinner, like always, listening to the seagulls and the crash of the ocean, and catching up with each other because apparently they hadn't finished that yet. The two teenagers, however, were silent throughout dinner, responding only, and briefly, to questions thrown their way.

Somewhere over the course of dinner, Matt had arranged an early dismissal for all those present under the age of eighteen, and the chosen three promptly perked up and started to go inside.

"We'll go out for ice cream," he argued, "I haven't hung out with Gordo yet!"

The four adults smiled and Lizzie, Gordo and Matt happily jumped up from the table and cleared their plates. They rushed through the house without a word, like three teenagers about to encounter their first outing after two month's grounding, yet once they reached the street in front of the house, Matt announced his departure in favor of Lanny's house. Lizzie and Gordo stood awkwardly, looking at each other when they thought the other wasn't returning the glance.

"Ice cream?" Gordo offered, reverting to the original plan, though clearly trying to break the ice.

Lizzie smiled nervously and nodded. They continued in silence, the stars twinkled above, mirroring the nonexistent conversation between the two friends, almost as if they were winking down upon them.

They approached the section of town where the ice cream store was. It was quite this time of year, even though there were many stores alight with as many lights as a Christmas tree. Gordo opened the door for Lizzie, who smiled a quiet thank you before continuing inside.

They both ordered cones, chocolate and strawberry, respectively, and Gordo insisted on paying for both. They hadn't spoken since before dinner.

He opened the door again and Lizzie said "Thank you," this time before walking past him.

"Where's that park we were at the other day?"

"Over here," Lizzie pointed and they walked across the street to where a dirt path branched off of the cement sidewalk.

They didn't talk as they walked down the dirt path. Lizzie felt Gordo look at her, and she looked away, at the ground, at the trees, at the sky, just not at him.

"What are you looking at?" he asked her, trying to start a conversation.

"What?" Lizzie's head shot up as she was startled out of her reverie. "I wasn't looking at anything," she looked at him, a deer in headlights, realizing her mistake only after she'd said it.

He stopped walking. They were well into the park by then and the sun had started to set. He grabbed her shoulders and told her to look at him. She did.

"Why are you acting this way?" his voice was softened, defeated almost, as his blue eyes searched her green ones for an answer.

"I don't know," she replied just as quietly. She didn't look away from him. "It just happened so fast. I feel like I don't know you, even though I know that I do."

This time she looked away. She looked over to her side, over the lake, which was sparkling quietly underneath the setting sun. She felt small right there, at that moment; overwhelmed. She felt small next to Gordo, the boy whose chin she came up to, the boy who had not yet released her shoulders, the boy who was making her shiver and calm at the same time. She felt small near the trees that towered above them. She felt small because she was a speck of dust to the world, yet somehow she knew she was more than that to the boy in front of her, and that alone cause her to look back up at him.

He smiled down at her, and in spite of herself, she found herself smiling back up at him, closing her eyes when he tucked a blonde curl around her ear. He stroked a thumb over her cheek.

The effect was startling, to say the least. She saw nothing but black behind her closed eyelids, yet it seemed that all of her other senses had been multiplied to a staggering degree. His hand on her left shoulder seemed to mold into her, the thumb stroking her cheek sent tingles through her, and by some means she had never been more comfortable, never felt more safe or content, and for the first time that day, she found that she wasn't afraid of him anymore.

"Are we okay?" The question brought her back, and she inwardly smiled, because she finally knew the answer.

She nodded and folded her self into him. He put his arms around her and pulled her closer, rubbing her back lightly. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, tightly, as if he would disappear if her grip was loose. He seemed to notice, and kissed the top of her head in reassurance. She dug her head into the crook of his neck.

They pulled away and walked to the lake, around it, doing nothing but talking with each other, catching up on a day of silence. Then they headed back towards Lizzie's house.

They preferred the beach.