A few days passed and I started getting use to the Adler house. I would go to the lake sometimes just to think.

I was beginning to feel like I was part of a whole family.

Richie and I had a few kisses here and there and on the second day that I was staying there, he asked me to be is girlfriend. I was flattered and stunned that anyone would want to be my boyfriend. I always had lacked on self confidence so I was glad that someone liked me for me.

After dinner, I went up to my room and wrote in a little journal that my mother gave me before she passed away. She said that I should write in it at least once a week and jot down the important things and what happened that day or week.

She decided to give me the journal that she had growing up. I really enjoyed reading about some of the things that happened to her. My life seemed like nothing when I read what she wrote.

A whole bunch of exiting things happened to her and it was nothing like what I go through.

Nothing, and I mean nothing too interesting happened to me. Unless you call getting into a strangers car thinking it was your mom's car interesting. To me, it was just awkward.

Later that night, I was walking to the lake to get some fresh air. It was pretty dark out but with the full moon, I could see pretty well.

I looked down at my Swatch and it read 10:26. I know it was a little late to be going to the lake but whatever. I normally like to think somewhere where it is peaceful, when no one is around, and I thought that the lake was a perfect place to do that.

I walked up to the lake and sat down on the sand. I sat there for about thirty minutes until I heard a snap.

I just let it go, thinking it was an animal.

A few moments later, I heard another snap.

I jolted around to see Richie standing there.

I let out a sigh. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he said. He was carrying a paper bag. "Umm... I brought you some cookies in case you wanted any." He walked over to me. "You've been gone a while and I thought I could find you here."

"Thanks." I looked at the lake again. "I just needed an escape from life for a bit, that's all."

"Well I' sorry for disturbing you. I could leave if you'd like?"

I looked behind me and at him again. "No. It's fine. You can come sit." I said, gesturing for him to come sit beside me.

He walked over and sat down. He dug into the paper bag and pulled out a cookie. He handed me it and I ate it.

We both sat in a comfortable silence.

When both of our heads turned sideways and our eyes met, I smiled at him and he smiled back.

Without much hesitation, we both slowly leaned in and kissed.

When our kiss deepened-

"Eww! Stop the PDA." We both heard from behind us.

We looked back and saw Cheryl. She stood there with a gross look on her face. "You know, you can get pregnant when you kiss. Right?" she squealed.

Richie looked at her with confusion. "No, you can't Cheryl! Go away!"

"I'm gonna tell mom!" she yelled running away.

"No, you won't unless you want to get yourself killed," he shot back at her.

When she was gone, Richie turned back to me.

"Ugh. I hate her sometimes," he said. "She's always in my business. She's suppose to be in bed right now. But she just had to see what I was doing."

"It's okay. When she gets older and realizes what privacy is than she won't get in your business anymore." I said, trying to make him calm down.

"Hopefully," was all he said.

"At least we're alone now." I said.

"Yeah, but my sister just walking in like that just bugs me." He said putting his head down in his hands.

I thought for a second and then I tapped his shoulder.

He lifted his head.

"Hey, just think when she gets a boyfriend, you can accidentally walk in on them and she would get pissed, but at least then she will know how you feel." I giggled and he joined in.

"Yeah," he said smiling. "That's actually not a bad idea. You're a genius."

I sat up properly. "Well thank you kind sir."

He imitated me. "You're very welcome my lady."

We laughed even more.

We both sat there, gazing into each other's eyes.

I looked away and looked up.

The moment was perfect, the full moon and the stars lit up the sky.

Richie's hand took ahold of mine. "Hey," he whispered. "Look at me."

His warm breath brushed against my cheek, indicating how close his head was to mine.

I looked back at him.

His hand stroked my cheek and he put his free hand on my waist.

We both leaned in as our faces were only a few inches away from each other.

My eyes slowly closed and just then, his lips pressed against mine.

His lips were soft and gentle on mine. They lingered in that position for a moment, and then both of our lips spread.

I found my lips spreading over his too, as if the belonged there. Like two puzzle pieces that fit together.

I melted into his arms as my heart fluttered.

We weren't two separated people anymore, we were joined together, as one.

I raised my hands and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Our spread again as we deepened the kiss.

My heart started to beat faster and I smiled.

I could feel him smile back.

Goosebumps formed when his hands slid under my shirt and up my back.

I gently gripped my hands in his soft hair.

And right then, it felt like a spark just blew into a thousand pieces between us. The feeling of love and passion explored me and went through my body.

When we pulled away, Richie rested his forehead on mine and we just stared at each other, breathing heavily.

This was the moment. This was the time. This was the boy. I loved Richie. So much.

"Ugh," we heard from behind us. It was a low, deep voice that scared us both.

I quickly turned around to see a figure in the darkness and something in his hand.

I tapped on Richie's leg to see if he saw the same thing that I was seeing without looking at him.

He put his hand on mine, telling me that he saw the man too.

"Hey Jessica," the man said walking towards Richie and me as we backed up.

I looked at the man in fear. "W... who are y... you?

He laughed in a menacing tone. "You don't know me Jessica but I know you. In fact, a whole bunch of people in my family knows you."

"W... what d... do you w... want?" I asked, stuttering over my own words.

The man walked forward again and it was now visible that he had a syringe in his hand. "Let's just say that when my family has an eye on a target, we don't let them go. We have a specific taste for certain people."

My hands started to tremble as I knew that if I didn't do something fast, I was probably going to die. I didn't know what was in the syringe. It could be poison for all I know. I lost all sense of reality until I felt Richie take his hands off mine and pulled something out of his back pocket of his jeans.

He placed an object in my hand.

I brushed my fingers around it and I could feel that it was a pocket knife. I didn't know why he would carry a pocket knife with him but I was kind of glad he did.

I knew what I had to do with it.

I opened up the knife and pointed it at the man. "Don't get near me or I'll hurt you!" I yelled at him. My shaky hands just made me feel less confident in cutting or stabbing him if he came close to me.

"It's okay precious," he said walking closer and closer to me. "It's only gonna hurt for a minute and then you won't feel a thing."

I held out the pocket knife further. "I SAID, DONT GET NEAR ME!" I said, starting to cry.

I could feel Richie get up from the ground. He tried fighting the man but got knocked down.

I started to cry harder knowing that now, the closest person to me was the man.

"Now come on," the man said, now only a few feet away from me. "It's only going to feel like a pinch."

I backed up further with the pocket knife still in hand as the man lunged forward and dug the syringe into my arm. I yelped in pain and without thinking, I ran the blade of the pocket knife in his lower stomach. I fell down to the ground, clenching my arm. I screamed again. The pain kept running up an down my arm.

I saw the man holding his stomach with an evil grin on his face.

My vision started to get blurry as I saw Richie get up from the ground and come towards me. He kissed my forehead. "I'll be right back. It's going to be okay," he said taking the pocket knife out of my hand and ran right towards the man. He got it so the man fell down and Richie was now on top of him.

"DON'T YOU EVER HURT HER AGAIN YOU BASTARD!" he screamed at the man.

I saw him stab the man. I shut my eyes and clenched my arm harder.

I saw him stab the man again. "I HOPE YOU DIE, GO TO HEAVEN, GET REJECTED BY GOD HIMSELF. THEN GO TO HELL, DIE THERE AGAIN, AND GET REJECTED BY SATAN."

I guess the man learned his lesson because the next thing I knew was that he was running away, limping, and clenching his stomach.

Richie stood there in shock for a moment realized what he had done to the man. He dropped the pocket knife.

My vision was getting more blurry by the second. "Richie," I managed to get out.

He turned around and ran towards me. He knelt down beside me.

"I... I can't move." I said, taking a gulp. "H... help m... me."

"Uh..." he said putting his hand on mine for a split second. "I... I'm gonna take you home. It's all going to be okay." He said as a tear slid down his face.

I could feel him scoop me up into his arms and start to run.

I looked up at him while he was running and he looked down at me. I could feel the rhythm of his feet hit the pavement ground.

My vision went blank and I lost all of my senses.