Nick walked Julia slowly up to her door, glancing at his watch. It read 9:56; he still had a few minutes left with her. She shivered next to him, and immediately he wrapped his arm around her shoulder trying to give her more warmth. Her shirt was still damp from the accident at the lake and he began to wonder what her father would say when he found his daughter wet.

When they reached her front door, Nick pulled her to him one last time, embracing her. "I hope you had a good time," he whispered, eventually feeling her return the sweet gesture, loving the way her arms wrapped around him nearly perfectly.

"I did," she answered lightly, her voice lingering in the air between them for a few extra moments. When she pulled away, her heart began to race once more, just seeing him so close to her. She was extremely nervous, yet excited, getting the same feeling she felt when he had first kissed her earlier in the night. Suddenly wanting him to kiss her one last time.

As if he read her mind, he let his hand fall gently around her waist and brought his lips down to her own. Giving her a sweet, short kiss. "I'll see you at school?" he asked, almost questioningly, fearing she would run from him again.

This time, she smiled, "Yeah." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, and then with one last touch across her cheek, he turned and left. Julia watched him all the way until he reached his car, seeing him climb in, watching her all the while. When she couldn't see him anymore, she turned and entered her house. Right on time.

Landon sat in the living room, reading a book, wearing his glasses. Glasses Julia for some reason always thought they looked ridiculous on him. He looked up when he heard her come in, not even bothering to look at the clock and smiled when he saw her. "Did you have fun?"

Julia blushed slightly, remembering the kiss at the lake, and smiled despite herself. "Yes, I did," she mumbled, "I had a great time."

Landon stared at his daughter for a few minutes, trying to figure out what it was about her that made him question where they went and what they did. Eventually he realized it was because her hair was damp, stringing together as if she had been swimming, and her clothes looked just about as wet. "Why are you wet?" he asked finally, still pondering. He knew more then anyone, how much she didn't like swimming, or getting wet period.

Julia smiled and said only two words, "The Lake." Without another word she turned and headed toward her room. When she reached it, she changed her damp clothes into her pajamas, and sat down onto her bed. Closing her eyes, she relived the night with Nick, over and over again. He was different, and she was tired of denying it, Nick was special.

When Julia woke the next morning, she smiled to herself as she crawled out of bed. Remembering the night before was all she could do that morning, reliving it over and over again, just as she had done the night before. Even through Sunday morning church Julia couldn't concentrate on the message.

Not that she always listened intently to every message, but she usually at least listened and took note on what was said. Luckily, Landon was never too into his faith, which made Julia much like him. He was always at the hospital and didn't really have time to read the bible, and he just believed treating people with respect and believing in the gospel. That was just about as far as Julia ever went with her faith too.

However, not only that particular morning but also the ones before that as well, she hadn't been able to really make sense of what was being said. She wanted more then anything to take after her mother, who she knew very well had a nearly perfect faith. According to her father, even when she died, her faith and beliefs never left her, she died knowing she was going to heaven; if there was one.

After church Julia told her father she was planning on meeting Nick at the coffee shop, they had first met. Landon didn't mind and told her to be back before nine, which wasn't too demanding since it was only noon when she asked.

Climbing into her car, she plugged her keys into the ignition and was planning on pulling out of the parking lot, when once again her eye caught the cross that dangled from her key chain. Doing just as she had done before, Julia pulled the key out and held the cross tenderly in her hand. Why Julia still kept it when she still wasn't sure whether she hated or loved her mother, she'll never know.

When she was a child the cross had caught her attention, and Landon thought it would be nice for her to have something that belonged to Jamie. The cross shimmered in the morning light, and for once Julia almost felt slight connection with her mother. The feeling that somehow she was being watched over...

Suddenly in the silence weighing down on her, her cell phone rang and brought Julia back to reality. "Hello?"

"Hey," came Nick's voice on the other end, "Do you still want to meet?"

She blushed slightly, once more reliving the night before. After a moment she answered quietly, her voice leaving her at the instant. "Yes."

When Julia pulled into the parking lot, she caught glimpse of Nick leaning against his car. She suddenly was overcome with nerves, not knowing what she was to say after the night they had spent together. She couldn't think of how she was going to react when she saw him. Should she hug him? Kiss him? Do both?

She wasn't even sure she wanted a relationship yet---sure the date had been perfect and Nick seemed like the best person she had ever met, but she still was cautious. Most of her friends who had been in the same place she was, thinking nothing could go wrong in the relationship, something always did. She wasn't sure if she wanted to take the risk of being hurt when so many others had been.

Fear rose in the pit of her stomach as she retreated from her car. What if Nick suddenly thought that after that night they were suddenly a couple? That would be an awful mistake! How would she get out of that one?

However, as she approached him, he didn't look like he was about to make it known they were together. He didn't kiss her openly, like she thought, the most he did was embrace her quickly then take her by the hand. Just being really casual and calming Julia's nerves drastically.

"Hey," he finally said when they made way into the coffee shop, "How was church?"

Julia thought about it for a moment and eventually answered, "It was good." Her reply was kind of distant, and Nick could tell straight off she really wasn't thinking about church.

After they ordered their coffee, they both slid into an empty table, sitting across from each other. "So," Nick began, obviously trying to start a conversation, but not knowing where to begin. Julia did.

"Well," she said, her confidence growing, "I believe it's your turn." She couldn't help but smile toward his confusion; he looked adorable when he was lost. Certainly not the stable guy she thought she saw before. "We're still playing the truth game, and I believe it's your turn to ask a question."

Nick smiled and nodded, actually giving thought into his question! Not just randomly throwing one out, Julia found she admired this about him. He seemed to think everything over before he reacted or responded. As she waited she studied his features intently, from his light green eyes, to the way his face curved, oh so perfectly, into an oval. His broad shoulders, made her want to feel them, along with just the way his body moved with different gestures. He was perfect! There couldn't have been any flaws with him at all.

"What changed your mind?" he suddenly asked, "About me, I mean."

Julia's eyes drifted away from him and she found them staring outside the shop's window, watching people walking down the sidewalk, or the cars flying by on the road. She wasn't exactly sure. She wasn't even sure now why he made such a difference. But, she didn't want to end the truth game, she wanted to know more about him, she needed to know more. Like why he was her father's patient, for instance.

"I don't know," she eventually said quietly, "You-- you stood out, I guess." She glanced at him, and she could tell he wanted more. "I couldn't get my mind off you. You were always on my mind, even when I didn't want it there." She suddenly drew in her breath; she didn't mean to say that!

Nick looked at her for a moment, then asked, "Why?"

"I—I can't explain," she said quickly, wondering why she was there to begin with. And suddenly felt the strong urge to give an excuse to leave. Running away, of course, was exactly what she was doing. But explaining something as complex as why she still isn't sure whether love really existed, would be too hard for her.

Yet, she already knew she was far too close to falling in love. She was boarding her very limits she had set for herself, and she was about to go over that forbidden line. Nick stared at her carefully, waiting for her to answer; an answer that would eventually never come.

"I—I should go," she whispered, grabbing her purse and pushing herself up from her chair quickly.

"Julia--," Nick tried reaching for her hand, but she was out of his reach before he had the chance.

Julia felt her heart pounding, and had to fight the strong urge to hold her tears from falling. What was she doing?! This was the guy she had a moment ago called perfect, yet one question comes up and she's running away from the situation again. When she reached her car, Nick was only a few feet behind her.

"Julia, please," he said shakily. Julia just kept walking, ignoring him, her heart breaking.

"I'm sorry,"

Nick proceeded behind her, "Julia, stop running from me!" When he saw that she obviously wasn't listening, and climbing into her car, he had to take up this chance to tell her exactly what was on his mind. Without much said he grasped her hand in his and just gently pulled her toward him. It hurt him when he felt her tense up, as if she didn't want to be there, and also telling him she was frightened of something.

"I really should go," Julia breathed quietly.

"What is it your not telling me?" he asked lightly, "I care about you so much, but you just don't seem to want to let me in." his hand played lightly down her hair and a little down her back as he held her close to him. The feeling of his hands moving sent shivers down her spine. "I've never felt this way before, Julia, you're the only person I want to be with."

The tears Julia tried to fight back suddenly fell from her eyes and slipped lightly down her cheek as she buried her head into Nick's chest. "I can't--," she paused and shook her head in frustration.

"You can't, what?"

Julia slowly backed from his arms, and looked down, focusing on the pavement. "I can't do this. We're not going to work – I'm sorry." She backed away from him, still keeping her eyes from meeting his. Nick didn't try and stop her this time. He didn't try and grab her hand or call out for her. Even as she entered her car, she heard nothing and felt her tears coming more swiftly now.

How could she have been so naïve? She was a fool; love was just the beginning of a crashing downfall. If she went to deep, she would be hurting herself in the end, just like her father was devastated, and still is, after her mother died years before. She couldn't handle the idea.

Her heart broke when she pulled out of the parking lot, and she knew this was the right thing. Despite what she was feeling, she knew she was only deceiving herself, trying to prove that she could really have fallen in love with Nick and everything being okay. With one last glance at Nick's staring figure, watching her drive away, she felt another set of tears forming in her eyes.

A/N I'm sorry it took so long for me to update this chapter... my computer wouldn't let my internet work!! But I have internet again.. so I'll be updating my next chapter soon! so plaz review and tell me what u think .