By the time Gregor and I had decided that it was time to go, I was slightly red-faced and my leg muscles felt like jelly. I knew I'd scraped my knees when I had taken one of my many spills throughout the night … although, I don't think I flashed anyone on my way down. I'm counting that one as a success. Aside from the tumbles, roller blading was awesome. Even if I included the falls, it was still awesome.

As Gregor pulled his car into my driveway, the excitement still lingered. And then, something dawned on me. I may not know much about dates but, I did know this: at the end of the date, in front of the girl's house, is when the boy expects a kiss. There was a flare of nerves in my stomach. Gregor was perfectly nice. I was quite sure that I wanted to see him again. However, I was not sure that I wanted to kiss him now, right this minute.

"You can breathe," Gregor rumbled, making me jump out of my thoughts.

"What?" I squeaked. "I'm breathing."

"You don't …" Gregor stopped and then began again, "I don't expect you to kiss me right now, Sam. I don't think you want to."

"Gregor, it's not that –"

He stopped my words with a chuckle. "I don't think it has anything to do with you not liking me. I am convinced you like me. I just don't think you're ready to kiss me. That's all right."

Immediately, the nerves in my stomach lifted and I began to relax. I'd never had to really deal with male expectations before. Phantom had never really led me to believe he had any expectations of me (though I'm sure that he did) and I'd never run into any sexualized street harassment like I knew some girls had. Tara, particularly, experienced it often. She responded by flipping them off and screaming expletives back at them until they looked away from her, red-faced and ashamed. I never had the courage to do that, and often stepped away from her while she was doing it, slightly embarrassed on her behalf.

"R-really?" I stuttered, wanting to clarify. If he truly didn't have that expectation, I might have met one of the most considerate guys around.

"Yeah," Gregor nodded. "Although, there is one thing I'd like from you."

"What's that?" I asked, the nerves sneaking back into my stomach slowly.

"I would like a second date, if you would like to see me again."

"I would," I told him, grinning. "I really would."

"Great," he replied, grinning back at me. "My Uncle is having a little barbeque this weekend. It's nothing big, just a few people relaxing by the pool. I thought that might be a nice thing and, afterward, if you wanted to, we could watch a movie."

"I think that sounds nice."

"You're not just saying that, are you?" Gregor questioned, and I thought that he sounded nervous.

The fact that he sounded nervous was cute.

"I'm not, I promise." I smothered a yawn and knew that it was time for me to go inside; roller skating really takes a lot out of a person. "How about a hug before we call it a night?"

"You have wonderful ideas, Sam Manson."

I stifled a giggle but not the subsequent grin as we both leaned forward and met over the console. Although it only lasted for a moment, I was basking in the feeling of being held even though his seatbelt was digging into my chin. There's nothing quite like having close contact with another person. There's nothing like feeling the rise and fall of their chest and of knowing that their heart is beating because you can hear it. A feeling of nostalgia welled within me as another boy's heartbeat rose in my memory, clearer to me than my own heartbeat.

I forced Phantom away. He had no place here, in this pretty green car owned by a boy who wasn't him. He didn't belong in the same space as this boy with thick arms and a disarming smile that didn't hide anything. Phantom was not welcome when I was moving on with a boy who smelled of Chocolate Axe and asked me questions about my life, because he already knew that I was worth knowing as a person and not just something to use. The boy I was in this car with was not the boy who had hurt me. The boy who had hurt me no longer had a place here.

"I'll see you Saturday, then?" I guessed, as Gregor hadn't given me the exact day.

He nodded. "Four o'clock. Would you like me to pick you up?"

I shook my head. "I can drive myself. Just … text me the directions, okay?"

"Okay," he said.

I let myself out of the car. As I took a step toward my door, I heard one of the car's windows roll down. I paused in mid-step as Gregor called, "I really can't wait to see you again."

I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and tripped over my own feet the rest of the way to my front door. I couldn't help it; he honestly seemed great. He'd complimented me several times throughout the course of the night; he'd asked before he took my hand when we were roller-blading; and he really seemed excited to be spending time with me. I hoped that last one wasn't just in my head. Though I'd been hesitant about the idea of dating in general and even more so when it came to going on a date with a stranger, Gregor seemed fantastic. Even if this only turned out to be a summer fling, I had a feeling that this was going to be a good experience. Exactly what I needed.

I was heading up to my room when my mother's voice stopped me.

"Did you have a good night, honey?"

I turned to face her, just as her head peered out of the upstairs study doorway.

I nodded.

"I can tell," Mother confided. "Only girls who've had good nights play with their hair."

I dropped my hand away from my scalp as if I'd been burned. I hadn't even realized I was playing with my hair.

"Mother!" I scolded, realizing exactly what my mother could have been implying about my night. My blush deepened, but for an entirely different reason. "It was only the first date!"

My mother's usually porcelain cheeks turned bright red. "Samantha, that's not how I meant it and you know it!"

"Well then don't be so suggestive then," I shot back, placing my hands on my hips. "Goodness; you'd think you'd learn."

"Maybe you shouldn't be so filthy-minded," Mother returned. "I thought I raised you to be a pure little girl."

Pure, my mind chortled, sarcastically flashing to my one sexual encounter.

"You know that I've always tried to be the little girl you raised me to be," I responded, avoiding the topic of sex entirely. My mother had never even attempted to give me 'the talk' and I certainly wasn't in a hurry to bring that fact to light.

"Mmhmm," Mother hummed, not even dignifying me with a response. "Get to bed. It's late."

"It's only like, eleven!" I protested. "And I'm eighteen."

Mother laughed. Not like her usual poised giggle or gentle chuckles. She full-out guffawed at me. "Out of all the things you could use your rebellion on you decide to wage war on a bedtime? And a barely suggested bedtime at that? Oh, Samantha. I love you so."

She pretended to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. Or maybe there was actually a tear there. I don't know.

"I'm going to bed," I announced, unnerved at being laughed at so ferociously.

As I turned the corner into my bedroom, Mother yelled after me. "I know!"

Did … did she just manipulate me? I almost turned around to go and confront her on it, but I didn't. Instead, I shut my door loudly so she would know I wasn't going to acknowledge her petty manipulation. I was eighteen years old and I was not going to bed because my mother told me to. I nodded to myself, internally celebrating my small victory.

With my victory, there came an issue: I was tired. I wanted to go to sleep. Roller-blading had made me exhausted. I had gotten bumps and little scrapes. All I wanted was to turn my fan on, curl under my sheet, and pass out with the good vibes from the night hopefully carrying into my dreams. But I couldn't. If I did, then it would be like giving into Mother and though this might have been the most useless thing to protest about (as she had so scathingly pointed out), I couldn't give in. I had to stay awake at least an hour and then I could go to bed, snuggled with my little triumph.

Well, just because I wasn't going to sleep didn't mean I couldn't physically be in my bed, right? Right.

Stripping as I made my way to the piece of furniture, I pulled my phone out of my purse. I had ignored it all night in favour of focusing on Gregor. I hadn't wanted to be one of those people who spent all of their time on their phone. It really wasn't that important that I be glued to the technology anyway. However, in my absence, I had managed to accumulate three texts, all on the same subject: Gregor.

Tara: Date tonight, right?

Leslie: Bow chicka wow wow? No. Still bangin' in the skirt. Want deets asap!

Tucker: Was he nice to you?

As early as I claimed it was; Leslie was probably asleep. Ever since she'd had her baby, she barely stayed up past ten at night. Gavin didn't really sleep through the night and she wanted to get as much rest as she wanted before he started screaming for her. As for Tara, her overly-strict parents had started taking her phone at eleven every night. I'd have to answer the both of them in the morning. As for Tuck, I always knew he was up for conversation.

Me: Yeah, he was really nice. I like him.

Tucker: good.

Me: Are you being sincere?

Tucker: Absolutely! Just because Danny is my friend doesn't mean you aren't. I know he was an asshole and I know you don't deserve an asshole.

Me: Thanks Tuck.

Tucker: So … what did you do on this date?

Me: Do you really want to know the details?

Tucker: Honestly, my big concern is whether or not you kissed him.

Me: You're turning into a gossipy girl!

Tucker: Fuck that! Now answer the question.

Me: I didn't see a question there.

Tucker: Smart-ass.

Me: No.

Tucker: No you're not smart?

Me: No, I didn't kiss him, moron.

Tucker: Oh. Why?

Me: It didn't feel right to kiss him tonight. Maybe on our next date.

Tucker: When is your next date?

Me: This weekend. His uncle is having a bbq.

Tucker: His uncle? Sam … be careful.

Me: I keep hearing that around you guys. What's going on?

Tucker: Um. Nothing you need to worry about, okay? I just … be careful. Promise me.

Me: I promise. I don't go looking for trouble anyway.

Tucker: Good.

Me: Anyway, I should get to bed. It's midnight.

Tucker: Night. Sweet dreams.

Me: You too.

I plugged the charger into my phone and placed it on my bedside table. As I flipped over and faced my balcony, I tried not to think about what Tucker had said. It was too cryptic of a message to do anything but bother me, anyway.

Still, I dreamed about it.

Be careful. Be careful. The words rang in my head as I stumbled around in the dark, running into cell bars every time I turned around. There was a spot of white ahead. I raced forward and ran into bars again. I stretched my hand out, trying to grab at the white. I hit something solid. Gregor turned around but as he smiled at me, he began to transform. Phantom began to bubble out of his features: white-haired; gleaming; just as beautiful as I remembered him.

I woke up drenched in sweat, screaming my head off.

I don't own anything recognizable. Sorry this is a little late; I'm currently switching computers and I jut got Microsoft Word tonight!

~TLL~