Three Years Later…

It had been three years to the day since Jared had met Asia and still, he was too shy to talk with her. He was now sixteen with his hair a little shorter, but with the same wholesome face and lean muscular body. He had a good complexion despite the lack of skincare products kept in the stronghold.

It was 2:00 in the afternoon and Jared was headed to Quinn's room, which was next to his own. He wasn't fully dressed yet and was going to ask Quinn when they would head out to pick the weekly crop. When Jared neared the door, he heard voices in Quinn's room. It sounded like Creedy and a female voice chatting it up with him. Jared entered the room and saw Asia sitting on Quinn's desk, talking with the two men. She saw Jared and smiled, blushing. He threw up his hand to wave at them all, trying not to show a particular interest in her.

"Hey Jared." Said Quinn, "How's it?"

"Fine." He said, "Just wondering when we're going to pick the crops."

"In a few." Said Quinn, "Creedy and Asia are coming along as well."

"Hey Jared," said Creedy smiling, "Do you know Asia?"

Jared wanted to burst out laughing and say, "Of coarse I do! I've only wanted to sleep with her for 2 years!" But instead, he settled for, "I think so."

"Well, she's your age, well a year younger," said Creedy, "And she's a mighty nice girl."

Asia couldn't take her eyes off of Jared. Her silly fantasies that she'd had of him as a child had started to evolve into not-so-silly, romantic fantasies of explosive passions. She was no longer a youngster, but a young woman who wanted her needs met soon.

"Jared," she said, "I rarely ever see you and, I mean, we are about the same age so, maybe we should hang out sometime?"

Jared's heart beet quickened. "Yeah, defiantly." He said, in a voice too eager for his own good.

Quinn and Creedy looked at each other, smiling and shaking their heads slightly. "So, maybe you two should have some alone time, then?" asked Quinn, egging them on.

"Yeah, get to know each other a little better!" said Creedy.

The two men left Quinn's room for a few seconds and then came back.

"You'll have to do that somewhere else because this is my room." Said Quinn, laughing.

Jared and Asia smiled at him, not wanting to look at each other, and left the room.

"So…" said Asia, "Where should we go?"

"Uh, my room." Said Jared quickly.

Jared led Asia to the room next door and showed her to his bed. She sat on it and settled in.

"So," said Jared, "What do you like to do?"

Asia thought for a moment and finally said, "I like to draw."

Jared raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, I know… it's kind of dumb, right?"

"Not at all!"

Asia smiled, "I draw people, like, the human body."

Jared blurted out the first thing that came into his head, "Like, nude people?"

Asia giggled, "Like statues of nude people. Like the ones in the meeting area, the old ones."

"Oh yeah, I've seen those." Said Jared.

"I mean, I've always been a little too shy to draw a real man, well, naked…" she said, her cheeks turning red, "So, I settled for the statues."

They both felt a little uncomfortable talking about drawing naked people, so Asia changed the subject.

"What do you like to do?" she asked.

"I like to…" Jared started to say, but stopped. He really didn't know what to say. "I guess I like to watch the dragons."

"Really?" Asia asked him, "I've always found them fascinating as well!"

"Really?" Jared asked, amazed, 'I've never really met anyone who saw them as anything other than frightening and evil."

"They're frightening… but not evil." Said Asia, "I mean, they are really just misunderstood, right?"

"Exactly." Said Jared, smiled at her.

'This girl is really a very nice person.' Thought Jared, 'She's not just good for her looks. She's got a good brain.'

"Jared," said Asia, suddenly, "I'm really glad we can talk now."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I was always a bit of a shy girl." She said, "I really wouldn't know how to start up a conversation with you."

Jared laughed. "That sounds just like me." He said, "I mean, now I have someone I can share my dreams with and have good times with too."

"What about Quinn?" Asked Asia.

"Quinn's great, he's the closest thing to a father I've ever had." Said Jared, "But you are my age, and funny, smart, beautiful,"

"What!" Asia questioned at the word "beautiful."

"Oh, uh, I meant witty." He said.

"Oh." She said with a sad tone to her voice.

Jared was too busy trying to cover up what he had just said that he didn't catch it. He continued on in another conversation for a few minutes until he clearly saw that Asia wasn't even half interested anymore. They said their goodbyes and Asia slowly left Jared's room, finding every excuse she could to stay longer. It was clear to her that he was all she wanted.