The hottest day of the year calls for lemonade and a best friend. Cal had whipped up a double batch of lemon juice with a lethal amount of sugar, the way lemonade is supposed to be. Nothing gives you a buzz quite like Cal's lemonade. I only say this because I don't know what liquor can do to me yet.

"Good morning," Dill greets through the screen door window.

"Good morning, Dill," me and Cal greet him back in unison.

"Making lemonade today, ma'am?"

"Yes, sir," Cal replies while Dill wraps his arm around me and kisses my cheek. I don't kiss him back because I can see that black cornea of Cal's right on the edge, glaring at me. She's like a hawk and she's still got me and Dill for her prey.

"Let me pour you both some," she politely offers. "It's ready and it's hot out there. Day like today all of y'all are gonna need your liquids."

"Thanks Cal," I say as she hands me my full glass.

"Thanks Cal," Dill repeats me when she does the same for him.

"What are y'all doing today?"

"I don't know," I say while looking at Dill. "What are we doing today?"

"Want to just sit on the swing? It's too hot to walk all the way down to the Eddy."

"Sounds good to me," I say, taking his hand and heading out the screen door.

"Don't stay out too long, you'll get burnt," Cal warns as we are just outside.

"Okay, ma'am," Dill replies.

I was just happy that was all she had left to say. Although the wariness is still there, she is getting a lot better about having me and Dill just be. I don't know if Atticus secretly told her to back off or she did feel genuinely sorry about how she acted the first part of summer. I like to think it was the latter.

The wood of the porch and the dirt pavement burnt the soles of my bare feet. After all these years of hot Alabama summers, one would think I would know better than to do that. Dill, being the intelligent man that he is, had his casual shoes on with socks. He noticed my rather self-induced discomfort and picked me up. I don't remember anyone picking me up like this since Bob Ewell attacked Jem and I. Dill had carried me up the steps the same way Atticus had done all those years ago. It felt like heaven to me and I hated it when he gently put me on the swing. I took his face in my hands and kissed his lips. I hope the feeling of his lips never grows old.

"What's that in your pocket?" I asked when he sat down. I never noticed the bulge in his right pocket when he came into the house.

"It's my surprise for you," he replied with a swig of lemonade.

"For me?"

"Yeah," he set the lemonade down and got up to get my gift out of his pocket. He had unwrapped it and I realized it was a small box.

"Oh my God!" I gasped out loud. It was a ring! He bought me a ring!

"It's your birthstone: crystal. All April babies should have a crystal."

"It's beautiful," I say as he slips it on my right ring finger. He kneels down and rubs my legs.

"Scout," he says, still rubbing me. "I wouldn't call this an engagement ring but more like a promise ring."

"Promise ring?"

"Promise me that you will love me."

"I do, Dill. You'll always be a part of me. I love you."

"I love you."

That was when we hugged each other. It was one of those never-let-me-go's. I glanced over to Miss Maudie's yard. She had been watching us with a smile and an a-ok sign. Miss Maudie, I pray you have felt like this once.