Johnny had originally planned to spend his day riding the subway's route numerous times, when a familiar girl stepped into the small, cramped car.

Before he left, as usual, Frank would give Johnny a little nod, as if that sufficed for asking about his day and where he was going, and Johnny would step out of the front door and onto the snowy porch. He would meander around in the cold, going nowhere in particular. But today had been an extremely cold one, and the fastest way home was through the subway.

Upon riding the subway for more than a few hours, Johnny realized that it was quite an entertaining thing, to people-watch and stand up and sit down and lean on the poles and make small conversation with the homeless. It was amazing, how many things he found himself doing for entertainment. Lately, he had been sitting on park benches and riding public transportation a lot. It seemed to be his favorite.

"Oh, look who's here!" Exclaimed a familiar voice, and once again, Johnny looked up to find Aria, smiling her usual meek smile as she took a seat next to him. "I always seem to be bumping into you. We must be on the same agenda."

"Yeah, it does seem that way," Johnny replied, halfheartedly smiling back. "On your way home?"

"Nah," Aria looked up at the flourescent light, and rubbed her eyes. "I was thinking about taking a walk."

Johnny laughed, "Hm," he rubbed his hands on hispants,trying to generate heat. "I was going to do that. The subway, although entertaining, is beginning to rot my mind."

"Well, why don't you come with me?"

Well, why don't you come with me? Johnny had never been invited anywhere. Even if it was just because "they were on the same agenda". Either way, it made his day.

The rest of the day was spent with Aria, walking through the park, eating, and walking through the city a little more. The weather was indeed brisk, but in a good sort of way, Johnny decided. The kind of wind that blows your hair around without messing it up. The overcast that doesn't make you feel gloomy, but instead gives you some sort of gray inspiration. The sky was just so big and ... endless. He could barely keep himself from collapsing on the ground and just... watching it.

It's funny, Johnny thought. Aria was actually enjoyable to be around. He had never really spent time with anyone alone, and it was nice. He was able to talk to her as if he had known her for longer than he actually had. Maybe this is what a friendship is like...

They walked off in one direction for a while. It was a winding dirt road, that seemed to be going nowhere. They thought about that possibility, but kept walking. Seemed as if no one had walked this path for years, as if the dirt was starting to collect dust.

"This is really cool," Aria mentioned. "I mean, it's really cool to get away from the chaos of the city."

"It is," Johnny agreed. "I wish I could just live in a place like this. I don't need people to get in my way. I'd be perfectly happy, in some solitary place like this."

Aria asked, in somewhat of a hurt tone, "You... you wouldn't miss anyone?"

Johnny paused. "...I can't say I'd miss a lot of people." He paused again. "But..." he then said slowly and softly, stopping inbetween his words, "I'd miss you."

There was silence for a minute, as they shuffled their feet.

"I like you, Johnny," she smiled. She sat down on the grass that bordered the path, and motioned for Johnny to do the same.

More silence. She finally spoke up again. "But.. why are you always so down?"

Johnny let out a silent sigh. It was one of those... questions. Where are your parents? You've never been to school? Why don't you ever smile? "I guess... my life hasn't been as enjoyable as it should be. Have you ever felt completely alone?"

It was kind of a weird question to ask. But, that was the only way he could describe his emotion. She replied an indecisive 'no', and he continued, "Well, I guess that's just ... I guess that's just it." He picked at the grass around him in kind of an ashamed embarassment.

Aria suddenly wrapped her fingers around Johnny's frail hand. He flinched, but looked up from the grass and smiled genuinely. "You shouldn't feel that way."

He looked back down, "That's not even the half of it."

"It's not?"

Johnny half moaned, half sighed. "I used to live... with my parents. I've never actually lived anywhere else. I just left, because my parents are alcoholic retards," Johnny pointed to some purple bruises on the back of his neck. "I had nowhere to go, so I kinda roamed around for a couple of nights. This guy, Frank, brought me into his house after I cut my hand on a piece of glass, because I happened to be sitting on his front porch."

He looked up again to see Aria, and the biggest look of concern he had ever seen,even biggerthan Frank's, when Johnny was showing him his injury. He didn't stop his story, though. "I didn't really want to be saved. Honestly, at the time, I would have rather starved or frozen myself to death. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I tried to get hit by oncoming trucks. Multiple times. For entertainment."

"I hate blood. But I just wanted to rip myself apart. Because I don't belong." He sighed, again.

Aria stuttered, looking into his eyes, finally half-understanding the despair they held. "You do belong, Johnny."

"Promise me, you'll never try to kill yourself?"

"I guess I can promise that,"he replied, andlooked up.

Johnny'seyes. They weren't just tired. They were exhausted, miserable, waiting for something to come by. And she hadn't realized it until that very moment. She imagined him kneeling on the road, or whatever ... his disappointment when he hadn't been hit.

He needed someone to love him.

And neither of them had any idea why Johnny wrapped his skinny arms around her, or why Aria touched her shaking hand to the back of his bruised neck, or why their lips had met, and had not parted for quite some time. But neither of them seemed to mind.

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Ehm. Ahem. Sorry if this chapter was EXTREMELY cornball. I've been listening to Imogen Heap, the Shins,and the Postal Service. :D Yyyeah. So the title of this chapter is from a Shins song. I thought it somewhat fit.

Thanks for the reviews, guys! You seriously make my day.

I've re-written this chapter about 5 times. That's why it's taken so long to get a new chapter up. I had written it so that Frank would get on the subway, then I wrote it so that Veronica had left Frank (because I just hate her character --she bores me to death), I wrote it similarly to this version, but I just didn't like it.

I'm still not that happy with it, but it's a MAJOR improvement. All I know is that .. I know how this story is going to end.

I can't wait for that chapter.

So anyway. Sorry if this chapter kinda sucks.