As sure as Kerry meant something to Michel, Michel still meant something to Kerry.

He saw it in her eyes, as well as felt it in the quick, gentle kiss he dared to give her.

And in a very long time –two years—his what-he-thought-was-blood-lust lust subsided.

Apparently, Kerry had walked all the way from SUNY to the park.

Nelle wanted Kerry to ride with Michel, but he lied, and said that he too walked to the park.

"How did you get here so fast?" asked Nelle. Though unbelievable, Michel knew how to make anything believable.

"I walk or run to and by the park every night. To keep in shape," he smiled. "And, honestly, my food is very hard to come to, since no one just serves it, but it can have a lot of sugar and oxidants, but there is some customer care around this area."

"Well, what is it?" asked Nelle.

"Don't worry about it," Michel disregarded the question, "I was able to find some before I met you guys." He noticed Kerry turn white.

"You okay, Kerry?" he asked, teasing, though ambivalent with worry.

"Yes, yes. I'm alright. Now–" she asked, distracting Nelle, "—where did you want me to go with you?"

"To the house Anthony rented to me and the gang. John wants to see you," said Nelle mischievously.

Again, Michel felt a stir of jealousy. He wanted to feed on John so he would leave his Kerry alone. But –again—his expression told them nothing.

Kerry sighed. "Eth—Anthony is my boyfriend again, remember?" She must have learned not to choke on the word boyfriend during his absence.

I wonder what else she has learned during my absence.

"That's right!" said Nelle excitedly. "Anthony, Kerry and I always double date. Do you mind that?"

"Not at all," he told Nelle, and turning to Kerry, "though you and I have much to catch up on. And: who is this John again?"

"One of the guys that went with me to your house, so we can negotiate. He still hasn't said anything about living there," said Nelle quickly, "though I think he said he will if Kerry does," said Nelle, lowering her voice at the last part.

An awkward silence filled the air for about five seconds, until Kerry interrupted: "Nelle, I'll walk with Anthony back to your place, yes?"

"Alright. See you two real soon." Nelle left quickly, and Michel knew she would tell the people waiting at the house about what she saw. He could not only imagine this John's face; he enjoyed it.

"Your lying skills have worsened," Kerry said quietly.

"How so?" asked Anthony, taken aback. Lying was one of his perfected specialties.

"I'm sure you did drive here. Nelle probably saw you coming out with your car, but forgot in the excitement of 'finding out' I had a secret boyfriend a couple years ago."

"I left it at my apartment near here," he lied.

"You have an apartment near the park?" she asked incredulously.

He continued to walk silently for a while, letting the lie sink in.

"I will soon," he said.

Aggravated, Kerry folded her arms on her chest, and also stayed quiet for a while.

A couple minutes or so went by, and he felt Kerry wanted to ask him a question, but he remained silent.

He never really broke the silence last time they were together. And although he knew he could lie to Kerry, he felt that she was much more sharper than before, and would catch on on things that would appear trivial.

"Why are you renting them your place?"

"I haven't been living in there for two years. If it continues to look empty, then they will try to trace the owner, which was me…thirty years ago."

"So you can definitely be from the sixties," said Kerry, and he heard some significance in the way she said it.

"I thought we had figured I was sometime between Erikson's America and Columbus's America," he said.

"I thought we had figured it was a 'joke,'" she rebutted.

"I thought you knew me as a liar."

"I just told you you're a bad liar."

"I just lied to you successfully."

"Whatever."

He smiled. "What are you going to tell your friends?"

"Hmm? About…?"

"Me, obviously."

"I was hoping you could tell me. You know our story better than I do."

"Are you sure?" he asked wickedly.

"Yes. I think. Tell me."

He began softly. "We met about a month or so after your accident. I had a sister who was also abducted, so we became good friends quickly –as we understood each other well. I asked you out, we went to a play, and the next day I took you to the zoo. I had barely turned seventeen, so I couldn't do anything about my parent's decision to move out of the state. I had to leave, we lost contact, etc.
"I promised to come back though, once I was economically stable again, which we both thought would be me being eighteen. I –if my math is correct –seventeen plus two is nineteen—came back almost too late, but you welcomed me back. Nelle could work as a witness. I am guessing she's the one who convinced you into your perm two years ago?"

"Yes—believable story. I could almost swear it was the truth."

"Say it," he said significantly. It took her a couple seconds to realize what he was talking about.

"No."

He gave her an innocent expression. "Please?"

She looked in his eyes, and faltered. She sighed. "You're still an outstanding liar. Happy?"

This time, he faltered in her eyes. They stopped right in front of his Victorian house.

"Almost," he said, and kissed her again. The emotions that were revealed two years ago were out in the open again, and although Michel was not very good in expressing his vampire feelings, he knew his feelings for Kerry had definitely been dormant these last two years compared to what he felt now. Even his blood lust could not compare, and for a vampire, that says a lot.

A bit longer this time. I would have posted it sooner, but no internet connection. Reviews? :)