Hey, Nukia here!

This fanfiction is a side story to Beyond This Love.

I don't know if any of my old readers are reading my rewrites anymore, but I'm going to keep going. This is another random chapter, I like doing character development and writing random ideas.

But thank you for the reviews, favorites and the alerts! Also to the unknown people who read my fanfictions, I promise it will pick up at some point! If you don't like it, then don't read it.

Chapter 24!

I ended up staying with A for over an hour in the attic, we sat and talked about what we were going to do about our relationship. We decided in the end that it would be best if we kept it to ourselves for now, it will be our little secret until the time was right to share it with everyone else in the orphanage. I glanced at A's watch and realized I was late for my kitchen duties, I said my goodbyes to him and quickly left the attic. I hurried all the way to the ground floor of The Wammy House, I ran along the corridor that led to the kitchen and stopped when I got to the kitchen door. I stood on my tiptoes and looked through the window of the door, the kitchen staff were all busy preparing meals for the students. I wiped my mouth with my hand, I took a deep breath as I opened the door to the kitchen and entered the room. I smiled at a couple of the kitchen staff and said hello to them, none of them seemed to be bothered that I was late. I spotted Rose taking some jacket potatoes out of the oven, I walked over to the coat rack and smiled at the head of the kitchen.

" Sorry I'm late Mrs Milder, I had to finish some course work before I came down to help!" I said as I took a white apron from the coat rack and quickly put it on. " It won't happen again, I will make up the time!"

" It's fine, you don't have to make up the time..." She said as she held a hairnet towards me. " Pop this on and get stuck in, we've got 2 hours left until dinner is served. You can go and help Rose with the jacket potatoes, Mr Wammy as arranged everything so you don't have to worry..."

" Thank you Mrs Milder!" I smiled.

I took the hairnet from her hand, I put it on and tucked some of my loose strands of hair inside of it as I stopped by the table Rose was working at for the evening. She gave me a hug when she saw me, she told me that she had missed me and she also told me about her new tea house business she had opened in a cottage not far from here. Apparently her business is doing really well, I'm happy she's doing something she wants to do with her life now.

" What do you want me to do?" I asked.

" Well my dear, I need someone to grate that block of cheese for me..." She answered as she removed some tinfoil from a tray. " I know it's not an exciting job, but it needs to be done for the jacket potatoes. Remember to cut the cheese into smaller blocks first, I don't want a repeat performance like the time you grated your knuckles inside of the cheese. I don't think shredded knuckle jacket potatoes sounds very appetizing, do you?"

" I was 9 when that happened, I've grown up loads since then..." I smiled.

" That is true, you're not my little Elizabeth anymore..." She chuckled. " Let's stop gasp-bagging, we've got a job to do! We can have a little chat at the Bonfire display, I'll be there to serve the food and keep an eye on some of the young ones for Mr Wammy..."

" Okay..." I nodded.

I grated the cheese like Rose had asked me to do, I topped the jacket potatoes with the cheese and then wrapped the potatoes in tinfoil to keep them warm. I also helped with the toffee apples, it seems that Watari pushed the boat out when it came to calendar events. When I had finished in the kitchen I helped to take all the food to a little white marquee that was setup on the grounds, there were tables and chairs set out as well. Some of the students had helped to build a bonfire, it wasn't to big and some of the younger students had made a Guy Fawkes that looked like Mr Ruvie.

I said goodbye to the kitchen staff, I needed to go and get changed for the Bonfire display. It was getting cold out, so I had decided to wear my jeans and a t-shirt. I quickly got changed in my room, I put my red coat on and found my pair of black woolen gloves in my dressing table's draw. I stuffed them into my coat pocket, I put my white fluffy earmuffs on and fastened up my coat. I left my room, I hurried along the corridor and made my way to the main entrance of The Wammy House. I followed behind a group of young students as they walked through the entrance's doorway and down the stone steps to the pathway, it seemed that most of the students were already outside.

The Bonfire had already been lit, I saw Watari standing with a group of students and Mr Ruvie. I walked over to the food marquee, I walked inside of the it and smiled at Rose. The marquee was quiet empty with only a few students eating chocolate covered oranges in the corner of the marquee, I picked a chocolate apple from a tray and took a look at the rest of the food. There was jacket potatoes topped with cheese, toffee apples, chocolate covered strawberries, prawn balls, hot homemade vegetable soup, BBQ chicken, chips, sausage rolls and meat filled pies.

" Is that all you're having my love?" I heard Rose ask." Your Aunt would be spinning in her grave if she knew you were not eating the right kind of foods, come and have some of this vegetable soup..."

" I'm not that hungry right now, I'll come back in a while for some savory food..." I replied and took a bite out of my chocolate apple. " Save me some of the soup, I think I'll be needing it later seeing as it's cold outside of the marquee..."

" Okay my dear, you go and have some fun!" She smiled.

I said goodbye to Rose, I left the marquee and went to join a few of the other students. I spoke to a few of them until they decided to get something to eat, I continued to eat my chocolate apple and stared at the Bonfire. I felt someone take hold of my hand, I looked over my shoulder to see A siding behind me with a smile on his face. I gave him a quick smile and pulled my hand away from his hand and laughed softly as I pushed him away from me.

" You've got chocolate around your mouth, you're such a messy eater!" He chucked and gently nudged me with his arm. " I can't take you anywhere without you making a show of yourself, it's a good job you've got me to look after you from now on..."

" I'm an embarrassment to myself, thank you for telling me..." I said as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. " You shouldn't really be holding my hand in front of the other students, what if someone saw us? We're meant to be keeping it a secret, we've just got to act discreet at public events so no one notices..."

" Alright, so how did the cooking go in the kitchen?" He asked. " Looking at all the different kinds of food in the marquee is telling me that it went all to plan, so much food! I've already ate three toffee apples, two jacket potatoes and some spicy prawn ball thingys with a creamy chive dip. I've got my eyes set on some of those meat filled pies as well, I'll be sleep tonight!"

" It went well, I helped to make the toffee apples and topped the jacket potatoes with cheese. Did you try the chocolate covered oranges yet?" I asked with a laugh. " You're so greedy, save some food for the rest of us!"

" Hey, I'm a growing boy!" He smiled.

" That old excuse is wearing thin now, I don't believe you..." I smiled, I took a bite of my chocolate apple and licked some apple juice away from my lips. " These chocolate apples are delicious, I've had so much chocolate today. I'll end up having a sugar high for the rest of the night, I won't able to sleep for hours which is probably a good thing. I have a paper I need to finish for literacy by tomorrow, maybe I should try those chocolate covered oranges after all..."

" Nothing wrong with a lot sugar in your diet, it keeps your brain ticking..." He said as he glanced around at the other students. " I've got a secret, can I whisper it in your ear?"

" Sure, be quick well no one is looking..." I replied.

I felt A place his hand on the lower part of my back, he leant forward towards my ear and began to whisper into my ear. He told me that the cheese was the best part of the jacket potatoes, he also told me that I looked cute in a hairnet. I bit at my bottom lip and looked down at the ground as I felt myself blush, he's such a sweet person. I laughed quietly as he continued to whisper nonsense into my ear, I looked up from the ground at the Bonfire and saw Nonie watching me. She was standing with a group of young students near a table full of hot drinks, I gently nudged A away from me with my elbow and spoke quietly to him.

" I think we have caught Nonie attention, I think you should go and mingle with a few other students for a while..." I said quietly with a smile. " We can meet up later when the fireworks begin, I will go and sit on that bench over there until then..."

" Nonie is always watching us, you shouldn't take it personally like I've said to you once before..." He said and put his hands in his coat pockets. " But I get what you mean, I was kind of public displaying it far too much to just now. I'm going to see where Backup is hiding, I've not seen him for over an hour now. Maybe I'll try some of those chocolate covered oranges you spoke about, they sound good. Do you want anything from the food marquee?"

" Soup, I would like a cup of soup please..." I replied.

" Alright, I'll hang inside of the marquee for a while and meet you after that with your soup..." He smiled." I'll see you in a while, don't get anymore chocolate around your mouth well I'm gone!"

" Okay..." I nodded.

I watched A walk over to the marquee where they were serving the food, I took a bite of my chocolate apple and walked over to the bench. I sat down on it and watched some children running around with rainbow sparklers in their hands. I looked over at the Bonfire when I heard some children laughing, someone had thrown the Guy Fawkes on the bonfire to early. I saw Mr Ruivie walking over to the group of young children yelling and waving his arms around in the air, I couldn't help but laugh at him. I felt someone sit down on the bench, I looked over to see Backup perch on the other end of the bench with a plate full of chocolate covered strawberries and potato wedges.

" The mischief of children, isn't it delightful?" He said with a smirk as he rested a chocolate covered strawberry against his lips." Look at the Guy Fawkes burn, fire is an impressive way to cleanse the human body you know. It burns all of your sins away and leaves you vulnerable, basically innocent all over again..."

" A is looking for you, why don't you go and find him..." I replied. " He went in the food marquee about 5 minutes ago for some more food, he's been wondering where you've been hiding for the last hour. But looking at you now I see you've raided the food marquee, I'm surprised there is any food left for the other students with you pair around..."

" I have already seen him, he was talking to a girl called Autumn about Pavlova and toasted marshmallows..." He chuckled, he held his plate towards me and popped the chocolate covered strawberry into his mouth. " Would you like strawberry? The saltiness of the wedges as soaked into the chocolate, they taste rather good in a rather strange way..."

" I'm okay thank you, but thank you for your kind offer..." I replied.

" You're welcome, I guess that means there will be more for me..." He smirked.

I turned my attention away from Backup, I listened to him eating his food and sighed deeply to myself. I took another bite of my chocolate apple and continued to watch Mr Ruvie yelling at the group of children near the bonfire.

I've been seeing A for over 6 months now in secret, we just act normal around our friends and the other students so we don't draw any attention to us. We spend an hour a day together in the library or the attic or just walking the orphanage's ground, it's easier this way and no one suspects a thing. I have woken early this morning, it was 6:15am and I was going to go out running with A. He normally went running with Backup, but Backup was in isolation again for stealing chemicals from the science lab. We had arranged it with Watari, he was fine with it because he preferred students to go running in pairs or groups in case anything happened well we were out.

I had to get dressed in my gym kit which was a pair of black shorts and a green t-shirt, I didn't own any clothes for running. I tied my hair up into a messy bun, I put my blue coloured sneakers on and left my room. I quietly closed the door behind me, most of the students didn't wake up till 7am. I walked along the corridor as I curled a piece of my hair around my finger, I heard a few children laughing from one of the rooms as I passed by it and laughed to myself. I hurried down the two flights of stairs to the ground floor, I waved to a few cleaners on the main staircase and walked through the main entrances of The Wammy House.

I ran down the stone steps and jumped from the last step, it was a nice this morning. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the whole of the orphanage's grounds were empty. I did a few stretches well I waited for A, I shook my hands and feet well I gently jogged on the spot. I sighed as I turned around to face the stairs, what's taking him so long? I walked over to the steps, I sat down on one of them and stretched my legs out in front of me. I looked over my shoulder when I heard footsteps, I saw A standing at the top of the stone steps and I smiled at him as I got up from the step. He was dressed in grey jogging bottoms, a white hoody with finger-less black gloves and white sneakers.

" What took you so long?" I asked.

" I overslept, I was up till 1am finishing a few essays..." He replied as he jogged down the steps towards me. " Are you ready? I'm only going to take you for a short jog alone a trail in the woods, I'll go easy on you..."

" Yes, I've even stretched well I was waiting for you..." I replied.

" Good, let's go then!" He smiled.

I watched him jog past me, I followed after him down the pathway and pulled my shorts up as I jogged. It wasn't long until we got to an old green iron gate that led into the woods, he opened the gate and held it open for me. I walked through the gateway, I carried on walking down the trail and stopped by a tree. I pulled my shorts up again as I saw A jog past me, I quickly followed after him and tried to keep up with him.

" Slow down!" I said as I managed to catch up with him. " I thought you were going to go easy on me, will you please jog at my pace!"

" I am going easy on you, it's not my fault if you've got short legs!" He chuckled.

" Hey!" I laughed as I quickened my jogging pace and overtook him. " Take that back!"

" I'm telling the truth though, you're short!" He said. " Try and keep up with me!"

I saw A sprint past me, I began to run as fast as I could down the trail. A is a really fast runner, but I guess he as to stay fit and healthy for his future career. I began to pant as I ran up a hilly part of the trail, I stumbled a few times on some twigs and stones. I began to slow down as felt a sharp pain my side, I stopped by a tree and yelled to A.

" My side hurts, I think I've pulled something!" I yelled.

I watched A spin around and run back down the trail. He stopped in front of me, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head as he whispered sorry to me. He pulled himself away from me, he walked over to the edge of the trail and unzipped his hoody.

" Are you alright?" He asked.

" I think I've got a stitch, I need to sit down for a while!" I panted, I rested my hand on a tree and placed my other hand on my side. " I don't know how you do this every morning, this is the first time I've ever been jogging in the woods and I'm exhausted already! I know I take gym class, but this is not like climbing a rope or sparring or tennis! My feet are killing me too, my chests hurts and now I'm realizing how unfit I am!"

" You'll get use to it, you just have to run each day and your body will get use to it!" He said as he stretched his hands above his head. " Come and sit down by the stream, you can bathe your feet in the stream well you take a break..."

I nodded my head and carefully walked down a little slope, A was already by the stream taking his sneakers off. I stumbled on a few stones before I got to the stream, I sat down next him and removed my sneakers. I placed them down next to me, I took my socks off and dipped my feet into the stream. The water was freezing, but it felt so good on my aching feet. I let out a squeal as A splashed me, I kicked some water back at him and laughed when it splashed him in his face.

" So mean!" He whined and wiped the water away from his face with his hoody's sleeve. " I'm soaked through now, it's a good job I love you or you'd be floating down the stream by now..."

" You love me?" I asked.

" Yeah, I guess I do love you..." He replied, he tucked some of my hair behind my ear and ran his hand down neck to my shoulder. " Have I ever told you that you're as short as tree stump?"

" Hey, no more short jokes!" I frowned with a laugh and shooed his hand away from my shoulder. " Now that was mean, take that back! I can't help being short, it's in my genetics from my Mother's side!"

" I was joking, I take it back!" He laughed.

" I know, I was just teasing you..." I smiled as I cupped arms with him and took hold of his hand. " It's so quiet and still in this part of the woods, do you come here often?"

" That just sounded like a bad chat up line, but yes I come here sometimes. Me and Backup always jog past the stream and climb a few trees further along the stream, there is an old tree house further down the trail as well..." He replied as he pointed down the stream. " Do you know if you follow this stream you'll end up at that bridge near to where you use to live, your cottage is about 9 miles from here..."

" Really?" I asked.

" Yeah, also if you keep following this stream you'll end up at a little cabin where me and Backup sometimes study..." He replied. " We'll be going there again in a few weeks time for private studies with L and Watari. It gets us away from the bustle of The Wammy House, we get to experience a few different lessons well we're there too..."

" What kind of lessons?" I asked.

" I can't tell you, its confidential information..." He replied, he let go of my hand and got up from the ground. " Come on, we better be getting back before breakfast is served. I've got to shower before the days lessons begin as well, I've also got to make sure Nonie is awake. She's got a habit of oversleeping these days, I think she's studying to hard..."

I quickly put my socks and sneakers back on, I got up from the ground and brushed some dirt away from my butt. I walked with A back up the slope, we walked back along the wood's trail and made our way back to The Wammy House.