Weekends, weekends, weekends, why they hell are they so short, again? Someone remind me? 18 more school days until I'm on summer break! Can't wait, can't wait! I'm falling behind in my classes and will probably fail. But with wrestling on Mondays and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and once a month on Sunday, well it kinda shortens the future from where will I be in the next 10 years to where am I able to be on Tuesday that has cable? This kinda rhymes, but as the clock ticks forward I lose more time. Shutting up now, please don't have a cow. I really really mean it….anybody wanna peanut?

That was totally called for cuz I was bored on like Thursday or something so I watched Princess Bride up to the beginning of the fire swamp. And I love Andre the Giant (who doesn't?)

---

Shannon looked down at Jeff who was grinning like an idiot, then up at Candy who looked like an Amazon warrior. Her black dress was either ripped, or had a very well placed slit for fighting, up her right thigh. The top of the dress showed off just a hint of her perfectly rounded breasts, and then came up and tied behind her neck. He could see that Candy was breathing heavily and a flush was starting to creep up her neck. Her hair was in wavy disarray around her face and he wondered to himself if it would look like that just after sex.

A grin split across his face, Shannon walked up to Candy and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before undoing her iron grip from around Jeff's ankle. As he did he noticed that the dress swooped down in the back, displaying her tattoo.

"You look, beyond description," Shannon said, keeping a hold on her hands when they tried to fly up to her hair.

"Oh, but my hair…" Candy pouted.

Shannon ran his fingers through it, tucking a lock behind her ear. He bent in and whispered into her ear, "It makes me want to skip dinner and go straight to dessert."

Jeff discreetly left the room.

"Trying to get in my pants on the first date, huh? Better be a really good first date," Candy said, heading for the door.

Shannon followed her closing the door behind him, "seems to me I woulda been 'in your pants', as you put it, a while ago, if we hadn't been so rudely interrupted."

"Slow yourself, I'm not as easy as you think," Candy turned and smiled at Shannon.

"I don't think you're easy at all."

"No," Candy said, raising her eyebrows and grinning.

"No," Shannon said, shaking his head, "I just think you want me."

"Come on, lover boy, you promised me food," Candy said, turning back towards the car.

"Ah, ah, ah," Shannon tsked, holding the door closed. "You gotta put this on first," he said, holding up a blindfold.

"Hell no," Candy laughed, backing away.

"Mmmmm, I think yes."

Candy resigned, shaking her head, "You're gonna draw this out 'til the very last second?"

"Yep," Shannon replied as he tied the blindfold on.

He opened the car door and guided her in. Candy felt his warm body as he leaned over her and buckled her seatbelt.

Shannon made sure all her appendages were safely tucked inside the car, before closing the door and walking around the front of the car.

"So…why all the cloak and dagger," Candy asked, as Shannon started the car and backed out of the driveway.

"I can't tell you," Shannon joked.

"Why not?"

"Cuz that's all part of the cloak and dagger."

Candy pouted in her seat, "I think I already said this, but I really do hate surprises."

"And I think I've already said that you secretly love them."

Candy didn't reply. She crossed her arms over her chest and slunk into the seat.

Shannon sighed, "For future reference, what are some other things that you hate, that you secretly still hate?"

Candy didn't reply.

"Please baby," Shannon said, grabbing one of her hands.

Shannon saw her mouth quirk.

"Pretty, pretty please?"

"Fine, but I'm only telling you for my benefit and I'm talking to you under protest. I also hate snakes…"

"Okay, I can get that one."

"Don't like spiders…"

"Understandable."

"I detest Barnes & Nobles…"

"That one…I don't get."

"It's a reading thing. No, not even a reading thing, it's logical. Did you know it costs twenty-five dollars to sign up for Barnes & Nobles rewards program but it's completely free to sign up with Borders?"

"I did not know that…"

"And Borders has a wider selection, friendlier staff, and their bathrooms are like ten times cleaner than Barnes & Nobles."

"That's…really interesting…"

"Are you laughing at me? Oh my god, you're laughing at me."

"I just…didn't know…you were so opinionated," Shannon words were broken apart by fits of laughter.

"Okay," Candy said, throwing her hands in the air, "can someone please remind me why I like you?"

"I'm sorry, baby."

"Nope," Candy said, shaking her head, "I don't forgive you and I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Ooooh, come on, I'm sorry."

Shannon sighed. Candy's head jerked up when she felt Shannon pull off to the side of the road.

Shannon turned her head towards him. Candy felt him lean in and his breath against her face.

"I'm gonna kiss you now," he whispered, "then you're gonna forgive me and tell me what else you hate."

One of his hands held her jaw lightly, while his other hand snaked around to her back, his fingertips trailing lightly along its smooth contours.

"Okay," Candy breathed.

Shannon closed the short distance between them, molding their lips together. Candy's arms reached out blindly, wrapping around Shannon. Candy tried to lean closer to Shannon, but her seatbelt pressed against her chest, holding her back.

"Fuck, get me out of this thing," her hands fumbling around for the buckle. Shannon pulled away.

"Hey, where'd you go," Candy whined.

"Back to my side of the car before I lose all control and have my way with you right here." Candy could visualize him running his hand through his hair.

"I wouldn't stop you."

Shannon groaned, "I hope you know you're killing me."

"Good. Cuz I'm still angry at you."

"What?"

"Mmhmm."

"And when do you plan on forgiving me," Shannon said as he pulled back on to the road.

"The second you get this stupid blindfold off my head."

He sighed, "What else do you hate?"

"Cherries…

"Cherries?"

"And bananas…"

"What do you have against cherries and bananas?"

"I dunna know, I just don't like 'em."

"Well, I'll make a note of that."

"While you're making notes, make sure to underline, capitalize, bold, and italicize the fact that I DON'T LIKE SURPRISES!!!"

"We're here," Shannon said as she felt the car roll to a stop.

"Great," Candy said, reaching for the blindfold, but Shannon stopped her.

"Don't peek," Shannon commanded as he got out of the car and came around to her side, opening the door.

Shannon leaned in undoing her seatbelt, and helping her out of the car.

"I probably look like an idiot," Candy said as she thought about all the people who were most likely staring at her.

But as she listened she didn't hear whispers directed towards her or hushed laughter, in fact she didn't hear anything, maybe a few crickets but that was it.

"Don't move," Shannon told her as he went to the trunk and got something out of it.

"Hey Shannon," she called out.

"Yea, babe."

"You aren't gonna like kill me in the middle of the woods, are you?"

"Course not," he said, coming back to her and guiding her forward.

"You sure?"

"Yea," he said laughing, "I'm sure I'm not about to kill you in the middle of the woods."

"All right…"

Shannon continued to guide her, well Candy tried to guess where they were, but she still wasn't sure.

"People know I'm with you."

"Candy, would you just trust me? I have no intention of murdering you. I'm wooing you."

"Well, the whole blindfolded and led along like a puppy thing are really clashing with your wooing, so if we could step it up a little…"

"We're here. Just stand there for two seconds so I can do this right."

Shannon rushed away from her, when she felt him back at her side she asked, "Can you take this off now?"

Shannon moved behind her, undoing the blindfold and letting it fall around her neck.

"Oh my god, Shannon…"

"Was this surprise worth it?"

"It's…it's beautiful."

They were standing in a clearing, surrounded by woods on all sides. The black sky stretched out above them filled with twinkling stars. A blanket was laid out in front of them with a picnic basket on it.

Shannon led her forward and she sat down next to him. He opened the basket and started pulling out dishes.

"Close your eyes."

Candy resisted, "I just spent…"

"Was the last surprise worth it?"

"Yea," Candy mumbled.

"Then close your eyes."

Candy did, she heard things rustling around.

"Now open your mouth…open your mouth, Candy."

"Oh my god," Candy said, swallowing, "that's my mom's secret meat sauce. I'd know it anywhere. I don't even keep a written copy of that thing. How the hell did you make it?"

Shannon just smiled at her, opening the rest of the dishes and passing her a fork.

"Italian food makes me so happy," she said taking a bite. "The stars make me happy," she looked up. "And you make me happy," she leaned over kissing him.

"Making you happy makes me happy."

"You know, I always used to think that was such a cliché, but I get it now."

They sat eating, talking about anything and everything.

Shannon packed up the basket when they were done. Candy and he lay back on the blanket, staring up at the stars.

Shannon reached over holding her hand in his and they lay there is silence.

"I hate sunsets," Candy said suddenly.

"Huh," Shannon asked turning his head from the stars and looking over at her.

"Well, most guys if they were taking a girl out for like a moonlight picnic or whatever would have started just before the sun set so they could get all lovey dovey watching it when it did. But, you didn't come pick me up until well after the sun was gone and I can't figure out if you did that on purpose or if it was a coincidence."

Shannon just cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Nevermind…I just…hate sunsets…"Candy said quietly, trailing off and looking back up at the flickering stars.

After a period of silence, Shannon mumbled something.

"What," Candy questioned, looking over.

"I don't like sunsets either. I mean, I guess they're cool and stuff, but I think the night is so much more beautiful and even if you do watch the sunset first, night doesn't really start. The stars aren't shining their brightest, the moon hasn't reached its peak, and the animals of the night aren't out and about. You have to wait for night to set in. Its peace and tranquility are like a drug. Everything is the right temperature, the right color, the right volume, at night everything aligns. If it was night all the time…" Shannon let the sentence linger unable to put the outcome in words.

Shannon looked over at Candy afraid her facial reaction would declare him a babbling idiot, but she smiled at him as is she knew exactly what he meant.

Candy squeezed his hand unsure how else to communicate the emotions that welled up inside her knowing he had the same deep devotion to night as her.

Shannon rolled onto his side, keeping his movements calm and slow, judging her reactions as he went. He rested the side of his head in one hand that was propped up on an elbow, while he reached across Candy's face, stroking her cheek with the other. Making eye contact with her, he lowered his head until his lips rested lightly against hers.

---

Remind me at the end of all this, when our trip together is over and we reluctantly part ways, to tell you why I started crying when I wrote the scene where they are kissing in the car. It'll make you cry too.