A/N: Hiya! I'm so exciteeedddddd :D Ya know why? COS I LOVE THIS CHAPTER! Okay, that's all (:

"Paul! Pass the fricken ball already!"

Wha- oh. I lazily tossed the football to me classmate. P.E. bored me unless I got t'talk to me mates. Speaking of mates...

"Hey, Mandy."

She turned around and smiled, "Oh, hey, Paul! I can't believe the teachers just let us sit here and do nothing! It's football, for Pete's sake! Oh well, at least we all get to hang out. Whaddya wanna..." There she goes, rambling again, I grinned to meself. She could go on fer hours if ya didn't stop her; I'd made that mistake plenty of times on the phone already.

"Mandy," I interrupted.

"Hm?" she paused and gazed up at me innocently.

"Ye were rambling again."

"Oh," she blushed slightly and I couldn't resist grinning again. She could be so damn cute sometimes. "So why'd ya come over here again?"

"Just sayin' hi. What, a lad can't come over and say 'ello' t'his favourite bird?" I winked teasingly, causing her to giggle.

She smiled shyly, "So I'm your favourite bird now?"

"Of course, darlin'! All those other girls are as fake as can be! They're all the same."

She beamed up at me and then playfully pushed me aside. "You're just sayin' things again."

"I am not! Why can't ya believe people when they speak the truth 'bout you?"

"Cos what they speak are only words." I didn't have a chance to counter that, however, because she ran off. I chased after her, and when I got close enough, I grabbed her shoulder and spun her round t'look at me.

"Mandy, what's the matter?" I asked quietly.

"Nothing! I-I just wanna play like the rest of the class!" Although she smiled, I could see that it wasn't real, and I didn't miss how her voice faltered.

"Mandy," I practically whispered. "Tell me."

Her lip quivered and she shook her head, the faux smile returning to her face. "Later, okay?" I stared at her doubtfully, but she insisted. "I promise. After school."

…

"It's later and after school." I caught up to her while walking home and she sighed.

"I really hoped you'd forgot."

"It was only ten minutes ago, love."

"You were never known for having the best memory."

"Well, you may be the exception, then."

She cocked her eyebrow then looked away. "You never stop, do you?"

"You know me well enough that it goes without saying."

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes. "I really do."

Tired of avoiding the subject, I stepped in front of her so she'd have to face me. "Tell me. Now."

She paused and seemed unable to answer until she whispered, "Because I don't want to get hurt again." Her eyes started to water and she looked so breakable, just like that night weeks ago.

I wrapped my arms around her before a tear could fall. "You know I'd never hurt you." She nodded against me, then tried pulling away, but I held her close enough that I could look at her. "I mean it, Bates." I caught a tear that trickled down her cheek. "I promise. Yer one o' the best girls I've ever known, and I've met quite a few. Yer real. That's hard t'find." You're everything I've been looking for. Even though I desperately wanted to, I couldn't say it; I didn't have the nerve. I couldn't just come out and tell her like I had with other girls. Then again, she wasn't like other girls, was she? I figured I'd have to tell her someday sooner or later, so I tried gathering up my courage. "Mandy..."

"Yeah?" She'd stopped crying, thank god.

"I...uh, well...y'see..." I tried to find the right words, but none came to me. Yeah, this was definitely different.

"Yes? What is it, Paul?" She looked at me expectantly, waiting.

"I think..." Another pause. "Just know that you mean the world t'me, okay? A-and...and that no matter what anyone else says, yer beautiful, and amazing, and a wonderful person, and yer really talented, and-"

She stopped me in the middle of me sentence. "Thanks, James." And she kissed me on the cheek. Kissed me. Sure, it was only the cheek, but still. Mandy kissed me. A huge grin slowly spread across my face as she hugged me. I was so overjoyed, I felt like I could tell her right then and there, so I tried once more.

"Mandy, I-"

"It's okay, James. I get it."

"Y-you do?" Shit, how could she know?

"Yeah! You don't need to say anything else."

"R-really?" I was so confused; who could have told her?

"You've been so great to me. Thanks. I'm so glad I met you." She smiled and I sighed, completely at ease.

"No, doll, you didn't get what I was going t'say!" I laughed. "Not in the slightest."

"Well, then what were you going to say?"

"I...um..."

"Oh, don't choke! Just tell me already!"

Suddenly, all my confidence drained away, but I still tried. I grabbed her shoulders and took a deep breath. "I...I like you."

She blinked a few times, and for a moment I thought she understood. When she didn't respond with anything, I started worrying. Oh god, what have I done now?

"Y-you're serious?" Her eyes were wide and she stuttered nervously.

"Mmhm."

I expected her to stare at me blankly, to do something, but not what she actually did. Before I could react, her arms were wrapped around my neck and she was holding me tightly, her smile shining brightly. "You have no idea how long I waited for you to say that."

I looked at her, stunned and pleasantly surprised. "Really?"

"Of course!" she giggled. "You caught my eye the first time I saw you."

Both of us were grinning and I don't think I've ever been happier. I was beginning t'get lost in her ever-changing eyes again. They were like a kaleidoscope of blues, greens, grays, and sometimes even yellow. It took me a moment to realise that they were gradually coming closer and by the time I did, the kiss from earlier had become insignificant. It may sound stupid and corny, but it really was all I'd imagined, and even better. After what seemed like forever, we broke apart and smiled again.

"Guess what."

"What?" Her head tilted to the side in question.

"You taste like strawberries."

A/N: EEEEEPPP~! :D YAY! YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY! I'VE BEEN TRYING TA WRITE THAT FROM THE START! And I know y'all have been waitin' fer that ^^ I just couldn't help myself, I had t'get it over with! IT WAS TOO MUCH ANTICIPATION FER ME TA TAKE! I'M NOT A PATIENT PERSON! AND BESIDES, THEY'RE SOOOOOOOOO CUTE :D Hahaha, I've become a fangirl for my own story XD Wow Mandy, wow. And I know I just posted the chapter in I'm Only Sleeping where Mandy and Paul kiss, but I'm in a Mandy/Paul mood! I can't help it! I'm a romantic, dammit! And yeah, I know this story isn't my best work, but it's my first story, it's SO cute, makes me smile, and entertains me when I'm bored/upset, so deal with it. REVIEW please, my darlings!