Alex woke up at eleven the next morning. The day was warmer than the one before and she was meaning to meet Emmy and Dixie downtown by midday. She scrambled out from under the covers and stood up and stretched. Her room was painted blue, and the walls were tacked with posters of old movie. A large one of Casablanca hung next to her wardrobe. She kissed Humphrey Bogart good-morning and pulled an outfit from the closet.

When she was dressed in a comfortable pair of cargo pants and a lime-green baby tee she went to the mirror to do her make-up. Red hair straight and loose, freckles dancing with gloss and mascara, she was ready for the day. She passed the bulletin board with pictures of her friends and went downstairs for breakfast.

Her parents owned the third largest farm on the island, after Green Ranch and Moore Farm, and their large, white farmhouse was comfortable and cozy. Her mother was waiting with a plate of waffles and orange juice. She was talking on the phone with someone in New York about the telephone line. Alex helped herself.

She needed to be downtown in half and hour to shop for dresses for the Festival with her friends. She was, so far, dateless, along with Sea. Chloe was going with Dave Gebhard, and Emmy had found herself with Alex's ex, Colin Shore, and Dixie was paired up, as they all knew, with Jason Stevenson. Alex didn't mind going dateless again; it was just that she was tired of being unwanted. Her relationship with Colin had been fun, but tame, and father too short for her liking. She put her empty plate and glass in the sink, waved goodbye to her mother and went outside.

The farmlands were green with newborn crops. She could see her father working a few hundred feet away. Another figure stood near the gate, watering her mother's flower garden. Confused, Alex walked over.

"Excuse me?" she called. The figure didn't hear her. "Excuse me!" she shouted. The figure stopped the hose and looked up. Alex recognized him as Sam Jackson, from her English class. He was decent looking without his glasses. He replaced them. She made a face.

"Hey Alex." Sam waved.

"Hi Sam… What are you doing in my garden?" she asked.

"Er, your mom hired me to water the plants until the end of the summer. I kinda needed the money, so, yeah." He shrugged. Ale nodded awkwardly.

"Well. Have fun. Bye."

"Bye Alex." He called.

Dixie and Emmy were waiting outside the flower store, cocaine addict sunglasses shading their eyes, talking about the Festival. The Festival had been very selective in the time of their parents, almost like a debutante ball. These days it was simply a fancy party, attended by everyone in the town. It was generally thought that everyone should, and would have a companion, but regulations had relaxed slightly.

Alex hurried up to them.

"Sorry," she muttered, "Am I late?"

"Nope." Emmy responded, checking her watch. "Twelve seconds early in fact. My mom and I stopped by earlier to by lilies for my brother's date's corsage tomorrow."

"Who's he taking?"

"Micheline Burns." Emmy made a face.

"Oh God." Dixie said, this fact having only just dawned upon her. "Your poor brother."

"Whatever." Emmy sighed. "He's going no where anyway. Let's go. The place'll probably be packed soon." The other two agreed and they made their way through town to the little formal store, built into a hill beside the church. They went in and dispersed, Dixie heading for the pink and Alex heading for the black. The little old lady who stood behind the counter took Emmy upstairs to show her some shoes.

The bell on the door rang a second time and two other people came in. Alex looked up, but didn't see anyone. She sighed, finding nothing good in the dark colors rack, or nothing that was her size. She hunted around a little more and, finally, she saw it.

The dress hung in the wrong section, which made it stand out against the others. It was light green, bordering on blue, with a fine network of gold and silver leaves embroidered on the bodice. Alex reached for it, and so did someone else. She tugged on the hanger, and so did the other person. Alex looked round.

The other girl pushed her loose her behind her ear and looked back at Alex. It was Kayli Moore. Alex exhaled angrily.

"Sorry." Kayli blushed. "Here, you have it. It'll look better on you." She let go of the hanger. Alex looked at her.

"What?" she asked.

"It'll look great with your hair." Kayli said. She looked tired. "Please, I insist."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked, cocking her hip. "I mean, if you want it, you can have it."

"I'm serious." Kayli smiled. "Just by the look on your face I know you want it more than I do." She pushed the hanger further into Alex's hands. "I'm just, tired of all this bickering." Alex looked down at the dress. It was smooth and silky in her hands.

"Thanks." She said. Kayli smiled and disappeared into the field of dresses.

"Who was that?" Emmy asked, back at Alex's side. She waved about a pair of bright turquoise stilettos. Alex bit her lip.

"Kaitlyn Moore." She said.

"Eugh." Emmy snarled. "What'd she want?"

"She gave me a dress." Alex said quietly.

"Ooh, pretty." Emmy grinned. "I'm going to look at the blue stuff."

An hour later, they bought their dresses. Dixie had found something dark pinky-plum colored with a lace up bodice and Emmy had discovered a turquoise tube dress to compliment her shoes. As they left, happy, Alex spotted Kaitlyn scanned dark red dresses. She meant to say thank you, but Dixie was pushing her out of the door, wanting to know why it was that she wasn't moving.

She said goodbye to Dixie at the flower shop and to Emmy at her house near the vineyard and then walked back home and went through the gate to the farm.

"Hello." Said a voice as she did. She turned. It was Sam again, his clothes covered with dirt and soil, grinning. Alex almost laughed to see him.

"Hi." She said, uneasily, not knowing his intentions.

"Find something good?" he asked.

"Yeah actually. Great, in fact."

"Good," Sam smiled. "So." He began, "Is anyone taking you to this thing tomorrow?" Alex grimaced. She knew what she was coming.

"No." she shook her head. "But you know, I'm really okay with-"

"Wannagowithme?" Sam asked quickly, nervously.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Do you want to, I dunno, come with me, maybe?" Sam asked. Alex thought about the best way to answer the question. Sam, she assumed, may have been a lovely guy underneath it all, but she wouldn't be caught dead beside him in formal wear. He was geeky and nerdy and he collected Magic cards.

"Oh, Sam." She said, "I just, I sort of, I'm sorry. I just prepared to go alone and-" Sam's face fell and fell and fell. Alex felt awful.

"You know what?" she asked. "Yes. I'd love to go with you." She smiled. Sam looked at her.

"No, you don't have to say you will 'cause you feel sorry for me." He shrugged, taking off his gardening gloves. Alex sighed.

"No, Sam. I want to. Really. Pick me up at eight, alright?" she said. Sam looked at her, then he looked at the flowerbeds. He looked back, smiling.

"Okay."

"Great." Alex smiled. "See you then." She walked back to the house and went upstairs. She hung up the dress and went to take a shower.

It was one o'clock in the morning when Jason's mother had finished fitting his tux. She'd made him stand on a stool while she stuck pins in his clothes, and sometimes his skin, tutting about how much he'd grown. Her excuse for subjecting him to such torment was that it would be her last time doing such a thing since he was going off to college after the summer.

Jason went up to his room. He and his family lived on the top, smaller level of the inn, where they could make as much mess and noise and they wanted. People were still drinking in the bar by that time, including Jack Moore, who'd shot him a scalding look as he'd gone upstairs.

Jason laid down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Then he got up and went and sat in front of his desk, rummaging around in the drawer for a bundle of loose letters, college acceptances.

He'd been accepted to North Western, Yale, Columbia and, his first choice, NYU, the letter he'd received just today. He couldn't help but be happy. He flipped through the envelopes, not believing his luck, a photo fell out from the back of the stack.

In was a picture of he and Kayli, walking on the beach one evening. They hadn't known Rowan was following them with a camera and had both looked back to see a flash. They were holding hands, and the photo's levels were awry and in bad contrast. He looked at it. The picture was two years old. His hair was cut shorter in the image, he touched it now, needing a haircut. Kayli's face in the picture was caught in between surprise and delight. She looked so lovely, it hurt to look in her eyes. That was almost the way he felt now, too.

He wasn't entirely sure why'd they'd broken up. He could only assume it was because of her little confidence in the relationship. Whenever he'd kissed her, she'd pull away to smile or to blush, as if she felt they were being watched. Whenever he held her, she was so petite and slim, he felt she might break apart in his arms. Physically, he never felt free with her. On the other hand, she'd always listened when he'd talked and always laughed at his jokes. Other than Rowan, she had been his best friend. He could connect with her, and he assumed that's why he'd tried to part as friends. Now they talked briefly when they encountered each other and there was little to discuss in common between them. He turned the photo over.

He had a thing with Dixie now. He knew it wouldn't last long, but it was fun and it worked for him to itch a scratch like that. He would have felt bad, but he knew she felt the same way. He wouldn't classify them as a couple, but really, he didn't know what people were saying.

A crumpled five-dollar bill lay next to the envelopes on the desk where he'd emptied his pockets the night before. That hit him with a sharp pang of guilt. He realized how awful he must have made Kayli feel. It was explainable from his point of view, but hurtful from hers. He cursed himself.

He moved the money under the envelopes and got up. It was one thirty. It was time for bed. He looked out of the window for a moment, across the faintly lit town. He told himself that things should not be so uncomfortable and difficult. With a final sigh, her pulled off his shirt and changed for bed.

The following evening, Kayli, Aja, Mickey, Iza and Ren crammed into Iza's room, the closest to the square, changing and getting ready for the Festival at eight. Ren was complaining about how fat she was, while Aja was stressing out about looking like a pineapple in her orange dress. Kayli sat in front of Iza's mirror wardrobe, stroking mascara onto her long, thick eyelashes. Her dress was a deep blood red halter with a low back. Her hair was half up and half down. Ren came down and crouched in front of her.

"Don't feel bad." She said.

"Why should I feel bad?" Kayli asked, smiling. She recapped the mascara. Ren bit her lip. "'Cause I don't have a date?" she filled in the gaps.

"Yeah." Ren said.

"Ren. I'm fine, really I am. Besides this way I'm not committed to one thing." She smiled.

"That's what I like to hear." Aja said from across the room. "How do I look? Less fruitarian, I hope?" Kayli and Ren smiled.

"You look beautiful." Kayli said, standing up and smoothing her dress.

"Psh. I probably look like shit compared to you. Jason-boy'll definitely lose it tonight." Aja laughed. Iza shot her a look.

"I thought we weren't supposed to mention the J-word tonight." She snapped.

"What? Jesus?" Mickey asked from the corner where she was hanging chains from her ears. "Juice? Jedi?" Iza groaned with boredom.

"Why do I even try?" she asked, opening up a little case of sparkling powder, which threw dust into the air.

Fifteen minutes later, they were ready and trooped downstairs to a room containing many people. Iza's parents had a film camera going, which made them all shrink back and cover their faces, afraid of being documented. Four boys were sitting on the sofa, watching college football, dressed in tuxes, not taking the slightest bit of notice.

"Gentlemen!" Mickey snapped once Iza has successfully disarmed the video camera. "You're ladies are present!" The boys quickly got to their feet, then looked at the five girls, smiled spreading along their faces.

"Well you sure clean up nice," said Luke, taking Mickey's arm in his own. She grinned proudly.

"Now why don't you say anything like that to me?" Iza asked, going over to hug Peter Northern, her long-term boyfriend. Pete bit his lip, trying to think of an answer.

"Well, you're beautiful, period, so…" was the thing he came up with. Iza giggled and kissed his cheek. Ren silently, as was her nature, took her date, Mark Worsham, by the hand and smiled.

"Well, I guess that leaves me." Kayli heard her brother's voice. Rowan came around the sofa and took Aja by the waist. She smiled happily and looked over at Kayli, standing alone.

"Oh, sorry." Rowan feigned surprise. "I forgot about you." He took Kayli's hand in addition.

"Of course you did." Kayli said. "Wow. What a pimp you are, Rowan."

"I know." Rowan said. "Time to show my arm candy off, Let's go." He steered the two girls towards the door and the rest followed. They said goodbye and thank you to Iza's parents and left for the town-square, following the sounds of music.

Alex had never been crazy about the Mineral Town Festivals. They were always the same, always with the same people and the same sort of couplings. Sam had picked her up at eight, right on the dot. He cleaned up nice, she observed, though he could still lose the glasses. He gave her a corsage of white roses and offered to carry her across the vegetable patch, which she responded to with a laugh, taking off her shoes, and tiptoeing through the wet grass herself.

By the time they got to the town square, Alex did not regret accepting Sam's offer. He was sweet, polite, and funny in his old-fashioned way. She wondered what her friends would think.

The lower level of the town-square lay siege to the teenagers. Above, the adults tried to enjoy themselves on the higher level, but used their position to watch their children with a protective eye. As Alex and Sam arrived, they saw Rick escorting her sobbing daughter, Rachel, out of the square for a stern talking to. Alex sighed.

"Er, should I get you a drink?" Sam asked.

"Sure." Alex smiled, "Let's go together." She took his arm and accompanied him to the snack table. She felt like a princess in her dress, and she couldn't wait to dance in it. They filled up two cups and Alex looked around for her friends.

"So how much is my mom paying you?" she asked Sam, nonchalant.

"About five bucks an hour." He shrugged. "It's alright. I like the work. It's therapeutic." Alex smiled.

"You nerd." She said.

"What?" Sam laughed, "Is it embarrassing that a guy likes gardening?"

"No." Alex bit her lip, "It's just I don't understand what draws people to the farm life. The only thing I want to do is get away from it." She sipped her punch. It was fruity and nonalcoholic. She didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

"Really?" Sam asked. "You don't find it peaceful?" he looked hopeful. Alex was about to answer when someone stopped in front of her.

"I knew you wanted it!" said Kaitlyn Moore's voice. Alex looked at her, surprised. "You look great!"

"Thanks." Alex said. Normally she would have accused Kayli of buttering her up, but her voice was very genuine. She smiled. "You look amazing too." That wasn't a lie. Part of the reason why Alex resented Kayli so much was the sheer fact that Kayli was beautiful. If she lived in the city, there was no doubt she'd have been snapped up in an instant by a modeling or talent agency. For some reason, that irked Alex beyond all reason.

"Thanks." Kayli grinned, looking truly grateful. "You two have fun. Hi Sam, nice to see you." Aja Sabela swept by and took Kayli away with a smile to Sam and Alex.

"I thought you two hated each other." Sam said.

"I guess not so much these days." Alex shrugged. "I guess I just never wanted to see the nice side of her before now."

"There you are!" Alex heard Chloe's voice and her friends quickly arrived.

"You look splendid, darling." Dixie cooed. Her eye fell on Sam. "Hey." She said with an air of disgust.

"Hi." Sam said in return.

"Are you two here together?" Sea asked, pointing from Alex to Sam. Her fingernails were painted blue. Alex nodded.

"Yeah." She said, without holding back. Her friends smiled. Chloe and Emmy looked surprised, Sea: confused, Dixie looked a little disgusted.

"That's nice." She said.

"Mind if we steal her for a moment or two, Sam?" Emmy said, grabbing Alex's hand.

"Sure. I'll just be here." Sam grinned. With that, Alex drank the last from her cup and was spurred to the other side of the square.

"What are you doing here with Sam Jackson?" Sea spat immediately.

"I dunno. He asked me, I was dateless." Alex shrugged. "He's a sweet guy. Seriously. I didn't know you guys could be so dismissive." She frowned.

"Well, we're not, we just-" Emmy began.

"Hold it." Dixie said. She'd spotted Jason moving through the crowds towards the corner where Kayli stood, talking with Mickey Burns and Ren Frank. His hair was gelled into a careless Mohawk and he looked gorgeous as usual. "Sorry, ladies. Got a fish to catch." With that she hurried off. The other four watched her as she placed herself before Jason and put her arms around his neck, eyelashes fluttering. Alex groaned.

"Please tell me you guys think this whole Jason thing is annoying too?"

"Definitely." Chloe nodded.

"It's too much." Sea made a face. Her long brown bangs fell in her eyes.

"I hope it's a phase." Emmy quipped, looking concerned.

"Better be a phase." Alex said. "Come on, I want you guys to meet Sam. He's a great guy."

Dateless, Kayli didn't find herself needing much more attention. Aja and Rowan had first been anxious to leave her alone, but when they found she was getting just enough attention without a date, they went off to get something to eat, flirt and dance. Kayli had been immediately approached by James Dawson from her science class.

"Hey Kays." He said.

"Hi James. How're you?" she'd asked, sipping her punch and leaning against the stone build-ups on the edge of the square.

"Alright." James sighed. "What're you up to?"

"Watching my brother get his freak on with my best friend, actually." Kayli smiled. "Disturbing stuff like that." James laughed. He was wearing a pink shirt under his tuxedo jacket, something he did to mark himself as someone not attracted to women.

"I might have to fight Aja off. Your brother's a serious hunk." He teased.

"People keep saying that!" Kayli burst into laughter. "Not you too!"

"Sorry, sorry." James said. He took the cup from her hand. "How about a dance?" he asked.

"Strictly platonic?" Kayli checked with a smile.

"Babe, it's me." James responded. "Come on, it's Fly Me to the Moon. I know you know it." He took her hand without response and took her to the central dance floor.

The music at the festivals was generally cheesy old-time songs blended with what was in. Kayli liked it. Everyone knew the words that way and everyone laughed whenever they played the Spice Girls, and everyone joined in when the DJ played the Beatles.

After dancing with James, there was a slow song, which he allowed her to dance with a few straight suitors. Over the shoulder of one, she saw Dixie and Jason. She was surprised to see the two of them dancing. She hadn't expected that much commitment from either of them. Dixie had her arms around his neck, her head resting against his shoulder, eyes closed, happy. Jason looked thoroughly uncomfortable, eyes open, seeing people watching them. Kayli relished his embarrassment.

Mickey and Ren came over to talk to her after about an hour. Mickey was complaining about Luke's sister Emmy trying to get between the two of them. Ren gushed that Mark was going to kiss her during the final dance. She needed to touch up her make-up.

It was then that Kayli saw Jason coming towards them, or seemingly towards them, through the crowd. She swallowed and looked down, trying to laugh at Mickey's joke about how large Emmy's teeth were. Dixie emerged from the crowd and swept him up. Kayli was silently thankful.

It was eleven thirty when she decided it was best to leave. She was truly tired and her feet ached. Aja and Rowan pleaded with her to stay until the end, they were holding hands by now and casting long looks on one another.

"No, really." Kayli smiled. "I'm fine. I'm just gonna go shower and read, or something. I have to get this hair gel out." She said.

"Are you sure?" Aja said. "I mean, Prince Charming might turn up by midnight." She looked hopeful.

"I don't think there are any Prince Charmings left on this island." Kayli smiled sadly. "I'll be fine."

"Want me to find someone to walk you home?" Rowan asked.

"I'll be fine." Kayli repeated with a certain intensity. "James Dawson wanted your phone number, by the way. Is it alright that I gave it to him?" she teased her brother. Aja's gaze stiffened. Kayli took the moment to slip away down the steps and out into the dark, cold summer night.

"She better've been kidding." Aja said finally.

"Yeah, cause I'm going to cheat on you with the island's resident gay guy?" Rowan asked.

"It wouldn't really be cheating. It's not like we're going out or anything." Aja said dismissively.

"I was going to ask you when this was over, but I think I like James's odds now." Rowan yawned, checking the crowds for the boy in the pink shirt. Aja looked at him.

"You were going to ask me out?" she asked.

"Yeah." Rowan shrugged, uncaringly. "Maybe." Aja gave him a look. "Want to go out some time?" Rowan said, a smile spreading across his face. Aja did not reply. She smiled and put her head on his shoulder. It was a yes.

"Lo and behold!" Rowan remarked as his best friend suddenly hurried up. "Jason, what do you want, I'm kind of busy here?" Jason made a face.

"I got rid of Dixie finally." He said. "Where'd she go? Kayli?" Rowan stood up from where he'd been sitting on the edge of the square.

"Why?" he asked, suddenly serious.

"Just to talk." Jason said, putting his hands up. "Come on, you know me dude. You know we're over. I just want to talk to someone who isn't obsessed with me. Or," he gestured to Rowan and Aja, "has their hands full." Aja made a face. Rowan pondered it for a moment.

"She went home. Like two seconds ago. If you hurry, you'll catch her."

Kayli was humming "Traveling Soldier" as she walked home barefoot, shoes dangling from her left hand. The moon was full and bright and she enjoyed the dying sound of music coming from the square behind her.

She was quietly aware of someone following her, running. She stopped at the crossroads of town where an old-fashioned lamppost illuminated the central street.

"Hello?" she called.

"Kayli, wait." She heard Jason's voice and stood, confused. He slowed his run to a walk as he entered the circle of light.

"Jason? Hi. What is it?" she asked.

"I've been trying to talk to you all night." He said.

"Get a bit distracted?" Kayli folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. Jason knew the face all too well.

"I thought you'd say that." He said, taking a step into the light. "I'm sorry about last night. You still want your money?" he asked.

"It's fine." Kayli said, a little puzzled. "Why did you run all the way here to tell me that. That's not like you." Jason took a deep breath and looked her in the eye.

"I want you back." He said. Immediately afterwards he looked as if he'd made a mistake and it hadn't been his intention to say that at all.

"What?" Kayli asked.

"Here, you look cold. Take my jacket." Jason began to take it off.

"No." Kayli said, "I'm fine." She stood silent for a moment or two, wondering what on earth he was going to say next.

"I was thinking today. I was just, going through some college acceptances and I into got the one I wanted. And then I thought about you and about all this." His eyes were pleading, he stepped closer still. "And I realized, I don't want any one else before I go. I just want you. I want you one last time before I have to go."

Kayli studied his face.

"I'm sorry." She said stiffly. "But it's not all about you. I'm not okay with some kind of fling just cause you can't find it anywhere else."

"Yeah. I know." Jason said. That response surprised her. "I'm sorry, I just- I just had to tell you, someone." Kayli stood silent. She didn't have anything to say.

"Can I walk you home?" Jason asked. Kayli looked at him. Their eyes met again, but this time with a melancholy longing. Maybe she should take back what she said.

"Alright." She said slowly. Jason took the shoes from her hand to carry them for her. "Won't Dixie want to know where you've gone?" she asked, beginning to walk, him at her side.

"I don't care." Jason said. "I can't have a conversation with Dixie without it leading back to her and how important she is." Kayli smiled in the dark.

"Well, hate to say I told you so." She said, trying to shake of the awkwardness of their previous conversation. Jason exhaled quietly and didn't say anything.

"I was going to ask you to dance." He said. "But, you were busy."

"I wouldn't have said yes." Kayli responded. She didn't know if that was wholly true or not though. Even in the dark, with their closeness, she found it difficult not to take back what she'd said before and accept his offer, just to scratch an itch.

"I know." Jason said. He stopped at the gate to the Moore Farm. "Can I walk you to the door?" he asked with a smile. Kayli stepped through.

"Sure." She said. "I'm using the stairs anyway. Mom and dad didn't want me to wake them up."

"Probably for the best." Jason said. He knew how Jack felt about him and his daughter. There was history there that didn't need to be repeated. Kayli had a set of wrought iron stairs leading up to her and her brother's balcony and French windows. They began to climb them and stopped at the top.

"Can I have my shoes back please?" Kayli asked, reaching for them in his hands. Jason held them out of her reach.

"Not yet." He smiled perfectly. "Where's my goodnight kiss?" he asked. Kayli tried not to frown.

"Don't say that. Here, give me them." She said, eventually getting them out of his grasp. She smiled when she looked at him.

"It was worth a shot." He shrugged. Kayli set her shoes on the step and looked down at him. Standing on the stair above his, she was just few inches higher than he was. She touched her hand to his cheek.

"Who would've known you were going to grow up so," she pondered the word.

"Dashing?" Jason suggested, "Sexy? Perfect?" Kayli shook her head.

"Scoundrelous." She smiled. She dropped her hand. He caught it.

"I still love you." He said, looking up at her. Kayli froze. She almost asked him to repeat that. The wind whistled around her shoulders and her elegant neck and collarbone. She wished she'd taken him up on his offer of a jacket.

"You never said you loved me in the first place." She replied quietly.

"That was a mistake." Jason whispered. Kayli felt herself begin to tremble with anticipation.

"So is this." she responded and leaned down to touch her lips to his. He didn't react at first, as if she had taken him by surprise, but then he took her waist, holding her tightly to him and kissed her back. Kayli put her hand to his face. It all felt so good and so natural to be in his arms. She felt like she fit somewhere again. I bet that's what all the girls think, she thought suddenly, she pulled back.

"I can't." she said. Jason stared at her, eyes desperate.

"Don't." He murmured. "Just… kiss me." He planted another on her lips and she couldn't help but respond. Fuck all, she thought. True, it was his last summer here, she might as well stave off getting over him until he was gone for good. They sprang apart when they heard someone else step onto the stairs and begin to climb.

"Rowan." Kayli whispered intensely.

Jason kissed her one last time before he turned around. Rowan stood a few steps down, looking at the two of them.

"What're you two doing?" he asked quizzical.

"Jason just walked me home." Kayli said quickly.

"Yeah, I was just leaving." Jason said. "How'd it go with Aja?" He changed the subject seamlessly.

"Good. Fine. We're going out." Rowan nodded, coming up the stairs to stand by his sister. Kayli smiled. They were in the clear. "You alright, Kays, you're shaking." He said, looking at his sister.

"I'm fine. Just cold." Kayli lied immediately.

"Yeah." Jason said, "I offered her my jacket, but she thought that would be too romantic for our status." He and Rowan laughed. Kayli smiled nervously.

"Well, I'm going to go to bed. You two can chat about girls, just leave me out of it. Night." She got up from the step and walked over to her French windows.

"Night Kays." The two boys responded together. She slipped through the glass and drew the curtains. She sat on her bed, holding her head in her hands. Then she got up again, restless. She pressed her fingers to her lips where he still lingered. She shivered uncontrollably with shock and pent-up nerves. She picked up her notebook and a red pen and wrote in large letters on the first page, "Forget him. Forget him."

She would. She would forget him. She'd had her last kiss, he'd gotten his wish to have her one last time before the end of the summer. Unless that hadn't been what he meant..?

"Shit." She said at last. She shut the notebook and put it back in the shelf and began to unzip her dress and get ready for bed. She went to bed with him still on her lips, the smell of him still lingering on her body. Under the covers she gradually grew warmer and slept.