~o~

Nina's Point of View

Rex was oddly very attentive all Mass long and his attentive face was simply adorable. Afterwards, I introduced him to a few little old ladies I was acquainted with who all told me that they thought he was cute and wished us all the best. When we rolled out of the church yard, a familiar song began to play on the radio and I saw the wary look cross Rex's look as I started singing along.

"You don't like this song?" I asked.

"You were listening to it right before you ran out of your room and disappeared for a week."

"Well, I told you I love sad music. This is a beautiful song."

"It is. I like it. I just...it reminds me of how much I hurt you." I leaned my head on his shoulder and continued singing.

"Remember how much I like it instead. Let it remind you of what you promised me."

"Could you let Rex focus on the road, please? Dying does not sound like a good idea right now. I'd like to survive to see the New Year," Zane said from the backseat.

Six, Holiday, Circe, Noah, Bobo, Rex and I sat on top of the Providence building and watched the fireworks light up the sky from town. The wind blew through my hair and Rex's hand warmed mine. I felt so happy to be there with everyone, that the thing keeping me from Rex was behind us and that a New Year was upon us. I wondered what lay ahead for us.

At about half one, Zane dropped Noah home and we all headed to bed. Rex headed to my room with me, hand in mine and we took out time getting there. We had made sure to get Six and Holiday to their rooms first and then, knowing we were the last ones about, we took our time walking through the halls. The door to my room opened and I pulled him in and let the door close behind us. I put my arms around him and his came around me and his lips were touching mine in less than a second.

The kiss was strong and urgent, sweet and very much overdue. The sensation of his lips responding strongly with mine and his arms tightly around me was smooth and seductive. His hunger was being fed into me. He was taking as much as he was giving. My own hunger was growing with his. Our passions were blending until they became one. I could read him and he could read me. Everything was exposed at this moment, everything in our hearts and our heads. It was like a two-way channel had been opened just by being lip-locked.

I broke away and watched his eyes dance with a wildfire that I was pleased to know I started.

"Sit," I told him. He obeyed and I tugged his jacket from his shoulders and he took it off. His strong, thick arms were mostly visible to me now. Rex was so beautiful to look at. I wondered if I could get him out of his shirt, too, but decided not to press my luck. I sat on his lap facing him, my legs on either side of him and he didn't seem to object. I just looked into his eyes for a long time. They were hungry...and curious.

"We aren't going to break any rules, right?" he asked.

"Nope. Just bend them a little." He smiled and his hand was on my thigh and I gave him back a half-smile. "I trust you." His lips came to mine again, still hungry, still passionate, still fiery and still purely spectacular. Wherever this boy learned to kiss, his teacher deserved kudos. Although he had cited me as his first kiss as far as he knew. If I really was, it just went to show how good we were together.

My hands roamed his solid, strong arms once before wrapping tightly around his neck. I leaned into him and he fell onto the bed, taking me with him. His hand roamed to my back and his fingers were stroking the spot where my scar was. His body and mine were pressed against each other. My breath began to thin and he broke our kiss. I moved my lips to his neck where I left a soft kiss but then stayed there, feeling his strong pulse. He sighed. He ducked his head down and brushed his lips on the spot of my neck below my ear.

"Just don't bite me," he said. I laughed.

"I gave up being a vampire years ago, don't worry." He laughed back.

"Good for me then." I sighed in contentment and allowed his scent to wash over me. "Are you tired?"

"No. I'm just...happy."

"Me, too. I'm happy we're together again. This is like reunion number two."

"Well, technically we weren't broken up. Just...not really talking...on your part anyway."

"I'm sorry—"

"Shoosh, shoosh, shoosh. We're over that. I'm just happy that I get to spend the New Year with you."

"Oh, yeah, why's that?" I looked up and he had a mischievous look on his face.

"Because for some odd reason, despite your vanity, recklessness, odd sense of humour and tendency to think you can control everything, I've fallen deeply in love with you."

"Odd sense of humour? What would you say about yours? By the way, you just described yourself there."

"Maybe, but I think you love me."

"But I do love you. A lot."

"But since I'm so much like you, doesn't that prove how vain you are?"

"But since we're so alike doesn't that prove how vain you are?"

"Maybe. But I'll tell you a little secret."

"Yeah? I like secrets."

"I think I love you just a little more than I love me. You know, just a little." He ran a hand through my hair.

"Really? I think I can relate to that."

"We can't stay like this all night, can we? Six and Holi'll have a heart attack if they find us."

"Maybe just another hour?"

"Yeah. Another hour. Sounds good." I removed my legs from his sides and stretched them out. "Wait, you should turn." He laughed and I tried to roll off of him but he kept me to him and shifted with me on him, totally messing up the bedspread. Maybe I should have cared. Maybe I should have thought that letting him stay there with no space between us was dangerous. Perhaps I should have gone to sleep a long time ago to be able to get up early as usual tomorrow. None of that mattered. I was too content.

"Hey, Rex?"

"Yeah, Nina?"

"Can we last forever?"

"Yeah. I'd like that."

"Me, too."