Chapter 2

After he walked up the stairs, Lily finally looked at Kirk. She didn't say anything for a while, just looked and thought while Kirk squirmed under her intense gaze. When she finally spoke, he was startled. "Why Kirk? All I want to know is why, because as far as I'm concerned, we're over. Now."

"You really want to know why? I'll tell you why. You're too damn puritanical for me, hell for any guy. You wouldn't even kiss me until just last week. That was after what, almost a month of dating? We should've been snogging in private corners by now – but no, not with you. You've got to be practically a nun. Well, I can't live like that. I'm a guy. I have needs. And I realize that sounds clichéd, but I don't care. It's the truth." Kirk looked at Lily for a second more and then just walked away. He walked up the boys' dormitory stairs, to the room he shared with six other seventh year guys.

Lily didn't know what to do. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to beat Kirk senseless. But instead of doing those things, she walked up the boys' dormitory stairs and headed to James's single room. She walked in without knocking, knowing that he'd still be up and waiting for her. Without saying a word to each other, Lily walked over to James's bed and sat down beside him.

"He called me pur-puri-tanical…" was all Lily got out before she started sobbing, and even thought she was sitting on the bed, she crumpled into James's arms.

As he held her, James smoothed her hair and rocked back and forth, like his mother used to do when he was little and was upset. "Lily… Don't listen to that jerk, because he obviously wouldn't know a good thing if it hit him square in the face. If he can't respect you about that stuff, he wouldn't have respected you about anything else. And I hate to say it, but at least you found out sooner rather than later."

After a while, her sobbing quieted and soon stopped, but she kept her head buried in James's shoulder. Then, she almost whispered, "James, do you think it's bad that I'm not like other girls? I mean, that I don't do as much as they do."

"Lil, of course I don't think it's a bad thing. I think it's cool that you're sticking by what you believe. Not many people do that anymore. And besides, you wouldn't be special anymore if you were like other girls." James replied, closing his eyes and resting his head on her chin.

"But…" Lily said trailing off and looking up at James. "But wouldn't you like me more? I'm not stupid James. I know you've been really physical with your girlfriends. Wouldn't you like me even more, and maybe have gotten up the nerve to ask me out already, if I were more experienced?"

James looked down at her face, wishing that she didn't look so vulnerable and fragile, because it made him want to kill Kirk for making her feel like she wasn't good enough for anyone, when the truth was no one was good enough for her. He cupped her cheek with his hand and said, "You having experience like that wouldn't have made me like you any more than I already do, because I don't think that I could. And honestly if you were more experienced I think I'd have been more intimidated so it wouldn't have helped me ask you out." He just looked at her, not knowing what else to say or what to do.

"Well, we both know I've never been too shy about most things," Lily said pulling away slightly, "What would you say if I asked you out, right here, right now."

James looked startled for a moment, then relaxed and answered her, "Honestly, I'd say no. At least because of the right here, right now part. You need time to get over Kirk being an ass and I need time to get up the nerve to ask you out, because as much as I like the fact that you take charge and aren't shy about anything, I will be the one to ask you out. And you won't see it coming either – it's going to be a surprise."

Lily looked at James like he'd grow an extra head. After everything they'd talked about, he was turning her down. But she understood why, and it kind of scared her that James was being the level headed one this time, and she the impulsive one. When she thought about it, James was completely right, they both needed time to think about this development in their relationship and where it was going to lead. So she stood up, pulling James up with her, turned to face him and said, "I agree. I acted hastily and didn't think things through. I do need time to forget about Kirk. But I'm not going to wait for forever for you to get up the nerve to ask me out. I'm giving this a month. If you haven't asked me out by then, I'm asking you out myself."

James smiled and chuckled softly, "You got it Lil, one month." Then he leaned down and kissed her softly. "And I promise the surprise will be worth the wait."

"Okay James." Lily said smiling. "Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast?"

"Yep, see you at breakfast Lil. Goodnight and sweet dreams." James replied, as Lily walked out of his room. And he knew, somehow, that their lives had been changed forever.