I would like to start off with apologizing for being MIA the past few weeks, I was reeaaally busy. :/ Thank you so much for all of your reviews since then; you guys really are the best. 3
I would also like to apologize for the fact that I made this chapter so short, but I'm kind of in a slump, and I know it's way too early to be using that excuse. But, I know where I want this to end up in the end, I'm just having some trouble getting there. :/ So, if there's anything you could possibly donate to help me out, it would be greatly appreciated. Love you guys so much. xx
- Veg

My face slowly moved forward until my lips touch Vera's soft, trembling ones. She hesitated, obviously nervous, before reacting and actually returning my kiss. My hands carefully moved from holding her face to around her waist. You know, some people (well, some girls) normally talk about feeling some type of "fireworks" when they kiss someone they truly care about- or, maybe they see them? I'm not sure how exactly you feel a firework. Whatever, that's not important. I've neither felt nor seen fireworks in even one of the million kisses I've shared with a million different girls. I've never gotten that…feeling.

And I didn't get that with Vera. I didn't feel the "fireworks."

But, that's because…that's because I felt something much more than that. Don't think of fireworks when you hear that, though. These weren't fireworks. Try a billion sticks of dynamite in the middle of a forest fire-that's what it felt like, and this is the only time I've ever felt like that. And it only made me want more.

"James," Vera suddenly jerked away and took a step back. The facial expression she held was a combination of surprise and fear.

Only made me want more of what I can't have…

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, the puppy still in her arm. "I-I…I'm just…I can't do this. I'm sorry." She tried to look away, but I gently took her face in between my hands again and stared into her eyes.

"Vera," I softly said, finally making her look up at me before carefully pressing my forehead up against hers. "You felt that too, didn't you?" We were close to the point where my lips brushed up against hers when I spoke, only bringing them to lock with each other again. Vera let that one last a bit longer, and when it was finished, she looked...surprised. "You know," I tell her with a smile, "A kiss feels a lot different when it's shared with someone you actually care about."

"James, I can't…" She bit down on her trembling lip and looked away from me once more. "This just isn't fair- to any of us. You, me…David-"

"You've got to be kidding me," I immediately replied, taking a sudden step back. "Why the hell should it matter to either of us what's fair to him? He's awful to you." Vera looked as if she was going to break down in tears.

"James," her voice was shaking, "Don't say that."

"I know you think you're doing a good job of hiding it, but I know what's going on. I know what he's doing to you…how he's treating you." That's when the tears started spilling out. "Vera, please…talk to me. I want to help." I reached out to comfort her, but she immediately turned around. She quickly scurried away to return the animal to his cage, and then the rest of our night was spent in sufficiently awkward silence.

Vera and I haven't spoken since that night, and I honestly think she's been avoiding me. She hasn't been at the shelter in quite a few days. Well, in that case, I can only hope that it's because she's avoiding me, and not because she got hurt again.

It's raining again. Rain, I guess you can say, is something I love and hate at the same time. I love the sound of it, as cliché as that may sound, and I love the peaceful, serene mood it always seems to set. I remember when I was a kid and would have to stay in on a rainy day. I'd sit by my bedroom window and just watch the raindrops race each other down the glass, making bets with myself on which one would reach the bottom first. On the other hand, I hate storms and being outside in the rain. I hate messing up my clothes, and of course, getting my hair wet.

I stare out at the window, watching the little water droplets race down to the bottom. My eyes locked their gaze on the one that seemed to continuously swallow the other raindrops, transforming into one giant one itself. "I know your secret," I hear a voice tease from behind me in a singsongy tone, bringing me out of my thoughtless state. I spin my (well, Vera's) chair around, only to see Zach, leaning up against the doorframe with his arms crossed across his chest. Oh, great…

"What secret?" I stupidly question, slouching back in the chair, only praying that he's not talking about what I think he is.

"Oh, come on, James. I know you're not that stupid," he scoffs. "I heard about the, uh, incident that went on here the other night." I glance back out the window. Damn, I lost my raindrop.

"Where has Vera been?" I quickly attempt to change the topic. "Is she okay?"

"Oh, she's fine," he practically grunts in reply. "But that's not what we're talking about right now. What went on here last weekend? Vera sucks at providing me with details."

"Nothing," I plainly tell him, kind of embarrassed that he knows now. "We just got a little…emotional, that's all." Zach rolls his eyes at me, clearly frustrated with the fact that I definitely wasn't providing him with what he was looking for.

"Why? What happened?" He over-excitedly questions. "I know that can't be all you have to tell me."

"Zach…have you ever noticed how David-"

"James, stop changing the subject!"

"-treats Vera?" He looks as if he's about to go on another rant, but then quickly stops when he realizes what I'm asking.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, to start off…he's a jerk."

"Yeah, I knew that," Zach snorts in reply. At least someone agrees with me- well, I don't think Mrs. Partrov is too fond of him, either…

"And…I don't know. He's just so controlling…and manipulative and even aggressive…" Wow, look at me using big words today… "It scares me- for Vera's sake."

"Well, I'm not going to jump to any conclusions, but I can tell you one thing: Vera's not happy with him. That's a given. And since you came around…" His sentence trails off and he takes a moment to lightly chuckle.

"What?" I suspiciously question, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"You really are dense," he sighs, shaking his head at me. "I've just happened to notice how…happy she is with you." He shoots me this look that really gives me a sense of how important this must be. "That girl thinks the absolute highest of you…she talks about you like you put the stars in the sky." I couldn't help but smile to myself a little at his statement, and Zach is quick to roll his eyes at me and lowers his voice to a mumble. "Don't let it get to your head or anything…"

"Sorry?" I plainly ask with a shrug, even though I'm not really.

"Look, James…all I have to say is that I know you, and I know your type-"

"Oh, really?" I cut him off, clearly offended.

"Uh, yeah," he scoffs, giving me more sass than I would ever expect coming from a guy. "Because if you were smarter and attracted to men, you'd be a more ignorant version of me with a less tasteful sense of fashion." Wait…what? Did I really just get insulted three times in one sentence…? "Anyway, what I'm saying is that Vera's a nice girl, and the last thing I want to see is some jerk hurting her again." I was about to defend myself, until he started talking again. Then again, Zach never really stopped talking…ever. "Not that I'm calling you a jerk…just…don't do this to her if it's just because you want to hook up or some shit like that, because if you do, you'll probably wake up the next morning with your foot rammed down your throat." I shudder at the thought of how that would exactly feel. "So…now that that's out of the way, would you care to tell me exactly what went on here the other night?"

"Nothing, really- we kissed." Zach gives me this bored, blank stare and I innocently shrug in reply. "Twice."

"And…?" He finally asks, hinting for me to continue on with my lousy story.

"Zach, have you ever kissed someone and felt that…"spark" people always seem to fantasize over?" Zach's lips immediately curl in to an amused smirk.

"Sounds like someone's in love," he teases. Great, here we go again…

"Uh…let's not use that word just yet…" I awkwardly reply. Love…what an interesting word to be used by me. It just doesn't seem to fit who I'm used to being.

"Whatever you say," he scoffs. I stare at the window again, preparing to mentally race the raindrops once again, trying not to think of what Zach had just told me.

"Sounds like someone's in love."