Disclaimer: I don't own. I swear.

A/N: Thanks to all who keep reviewing and reading! I always appreciate it!

It was chilly on the roof--a little colder than Lizzy might've liked, considering she had been in such a hurry to hightail it out of the apartment that she hadn't brought a jacket along with her. Lizzy shivered, pulling the sleeves of her hoodie over her hands to keep them warm. It was freezing outside, but luckily it wasn't snowing. The frigid air blew through her dark locks as she stared at the street below. Various people were making their way home from their New Year's celebrations. Some were drunk and would yell into the night, laughing.

The noise didn't bother Lizzy too much; she was deep in thought, thinking about how Paul's kiss had effected her. She didn't know how to handle it. It was a good kiss, there was no doubt about it…but it was weird. She'd known Paul since they were kids--he was like a brother. It was all too confusing.

Lizzy wasn't left alone with her thoughts for very long; she heard the door to the roof open a few short minutes later, and she knew it could only be one person. And that person was Paul. She didn't say a word, only listened to the sound of his footsteps approaching. Paul paused, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He knew that she knew he was here, but yet she chose not to acknowledge his presence. A long silence passed with the two of them standing there awkwardly before Paul managed to finally speak. The silence was killing him.

"Lizzy…" he said softly. "That kiss…"

Lizzy turned around to face him. "That kiss wasn't like the time you kissed me when we were five and joking around. It wasn't supposed to happen."

Especially in front of my entire family, Lizzy thought, As if it hadn't been awkward enough already.

"Wasn't it?" Paul countered. "Because I didn't see you trying to stop it. As I recall, you kissed me back, Lizzy."

"I was confused," she admitted. "I still am. I…I'm afraid that, if something were to happen between us, it could ruin our friendship. And I don't want that, Paul."

"Nothing would happen."

"How can you say that?" Lizzy asked, throwing her hands up in the air, exasperated. "You don't know. I mean, we could break up and completely hate each other afterwards. I can't loose your friendship. I won't risk it."

Paul shook his head, laughing sarcastically. "Funny thing to say, especially when you're moving to New York after graduation."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're leaving me in Florida. That pretty much ends our friendship."

Lizzy sighed. "No, I doesn't. Is that the reason why you're kissing me all of a sudden? You're upset that I'm leaving? Paul, just because I'm going to live in New York doesn't mean we're not going to be friends anymore. I wouldn't do that to you."

"A long-distance friendship? Yeah, how long do you think that would last?" Paul questioned. He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "And, just so you know, the kiss wasn't about that."

"Then what was it about?" Lizzy asked, throwing him a puzzled look.

Paul paused, hesitant. He wanted so much to tell her how he felt, but he couldn't form the correct words to get his feelings out. He stared down at his feet, trying to collect his thoughts before he actually said anything. When he looked up again, Lizzy had one hand on her hip, waiting curiously for his answer.

"I don't know how you haven't noticed it before," he said to her, half-laughing. He was nervous as hell. It wasn't everyday that you confessed something of this magnitude to the girl you've known practically your whole life. "I kissed you because I care about you. More than a friend would. I…what I'm trying to say is…I love you, Lizzy."

To say that Lizzy was shocked would be a very large understatement. She gawked at him, rendered momentarily speechless. Seeing the look on her face, Paul stepped closer, and tried to offer some sort of elaboration.

"I know it's crazy to hear this from your best friend," he said. "But I guess--especially recently--that I've always had this crush on you. Then I finally realized that it was something a little more than a crush. I…just needed to tell you before you moved away to New York."

"I don't know what to say to that, Paul."

"You don't have to say anything," he replied, looking hurt, but trying his best to hide it. "I just wanted you to know."

Suddenly, Lizzy was angry with him. And somehow, she had a feeling that it was because he hadn't said this a bit sooner. Although, she was too stubborn to admit to herself--and Paul--that maybe she, too, felt something for him.

"Sorry," she said. "but I don't think a long-distance relationship would work out any better than a long-distance friendship."

Lizzy walked away abruptly, barging through the door and back into the building, leaving Paul in her wake. Once he heard the door slam shut, he let out a frustrated groan. He thought it was better to stay on the roof for awhile, so he started pacing and tried to clear his head. Once he got bored of pacing, he stood at the side of the roof, wondering why his talk with Lizzy hadn't gone as well as he had hoped it would. He almost regretted saying those three words to her--almost, but not really. He'd seen that look in her eyes several times when they were together. It was the same look he got whenever he was lost in her eyes. She had to feel something for him. Otherwise, she would've never returned the kiss. Paul desperately wished that she wouldn't be so stubborn and just admit it to him.

Paul heaved a sigh and sat down on the roof, knees up. There was no way he'd be able to ignore his feelings for Lizzy, even if she wasn't exactly open to returning them…yet.

"…Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
will never die
And I love her.

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
will never die
And I love her, ooh…"

-------------------------------

Lizzy stared at the patch of light that was on the wall, streaming through the window from the street lights outside. She was lying on her side on top of her blankets, still in her regular clothes. She wasn't tired, she just needed some time to herself to think things over.

The Harrisons had left ten minutes after she'd returned to the apartment, saying they'd be back on the second of January to take her and Paul to the airport for their flight to Florida. Once they had departed, Lizzy went into her room, while the festivities continued in the living room. Even now, she could hear the adults laughing and joking around over a game of what she guessed was poker. Normally, she'd join in on a game--her uncle Max was always an interesting person to play poker with--but now her mind was still reeling from the talk with Paul. She doubted that she would be able to concentrate on a card game.

Lizzy couldn't fully grasp the fact that Paul had said those three words.

I love you.

Needless to say, she'd been taken aback by it. She hadn't expected her best friend to profess his love to her. Although, she was pretty flattered. Lizzy had never had a guy her age tell her that, much less look in her direction like they did to the more popular girls in her grade.

The teenager's thoughts were unexpectedly interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door. Lizzy sat up, and told whoever it was to come in. A tiny part of her hoped that it wasn't Paul. She didn't feel like enduring another awkward, tense conversation with him. She was relieved, however, when the door opened and Sadie entered.

"Hey, sweet pea. You up for a dose of girl talk? You look like you could use it." she said, smiling, as she closed the door behind herself. Lizzy moved over and sat with her knees drawn up, hugging a pillow to her chest. She nodded, and Sadie took a seat beside her.

"I happened to see you and Paul kissing at midnight…and you seemed upset. I thought you and Paul were best friends--what's the deal?"

"I don't know," Lizzy sighed. "We are best friends. But now Paul wants us to be something more."

"And you don't want that?"

Lizzy shrugged. "Too be honest, Sadie, I don't know what I want. I kissed him back…but I just feel so confused. It's weird to imagine me and Paul having that sort of relationship."

"Well, do you like him?" Sadie asked, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of Lizzy's hair behind her ear.

"I…I'm not sure. I mean, he threw me off a little when he told me he loved me."

"Do you think you might feel the same way about him as he does about you?"

Lizzy thought about it, picking at a loose fabric on the pillow she was holding tightly to her chest. Paul was good-looking, but it wasn't just about his looks. He had a great personality, and he had always been the one person that she got along with the best. And for as long as they'd known each other, Paul had always been there for her through everything. So, why couldn't she like him? It made perfect sense for them to be together in that way.

"Yeah," Lizzy said at last. "Yeah, I guess I do."

Sadie grinned. "There's nothing wrong with falling for your best friend, Lizzy. Believe me. The person you love should also be your best friend. Most relationships work out that way."

"But…I'm just afraid it might ruin our friendship. You know, if we broke up or something." Lizzy admitted.

"Love is about taking risks," Sadie stated. "Give Paul a chance. You'll end up regretting it if you don't."

"Okay," Lizzy agreed. "Thanks Sadie."

"No problem, darling," she said, getting to her feet. "I'm always here to talk. Or listen…to whatever. Just to let you know."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Lizzy said again, and Sadie left, leaving her alone to dwell on her decision.

--------------------------

Paul managed to regain his sleeping space--the couch in the living room--a little after three-thirty in the morning, as soon as all of Lizzy's family members shuffled tiredly and a bit drunkenly out the front door and to their respective apartments, sleeping or half asleep children in tow. Now, it was nearly an hour later, and although he felt tired, Paul couldn't sleep. He kept replaying the conversation that had taken place between himself and Lizzy in his mind. He kept thinking that maybe he shouldn't have said some of those things. Like telling her that he loved her. Maybe saying he liked her would've been a better choice--he felt sort of bad for scaring her away.

Paul gazed up at the ceiling, wishing for sleep that unfortunately did not come. He laid there for a few moments, darkness and eerie quietness surrounding him. That is, until he heard a door open in the hallway. Thinking that it might be one of Lizzy's parents, Paul shut his eyes, trying to force himself to get to sleep. With his eyes still closed, he listened to the person's footsteps; light and sort of quiet, like he or she was trying to make sure they didn't wake anyone else up. Paul was startled to hear the footsteps drawing closer, not fading into another room, like the kitchen or the bathroom. Still, he kept his eyes closed. A moment later, he felt a presence hovering above him, and a soft, beautiful voice talking to him in a slight whisper.

"Love, love me do
You know I love you
I'll always be true
so please, love me do
oh, love me do

Love, love me do
You know I love you
I'll always be true
so please, love me do
oh, love me do…"

Paul opened his eyes, instantly recognizing the voice. He sat up, surprised to see Lizzy standing by the couch. He stood up and was about to say something when she silently told him to not to. She needed to tell him--tell him that she was ready to give him a chance.

"Someone to love
Somebody new
Someone to love
Someone like you

Love, love me do
You know I love you
I'll always be true
so please, love me do
oh, love me do

Love, love me do
You know I love you
I'll always be true
so please, love me do
oh, love me do
Yeah, love me do
Oh, love me do…"

And that's about when she kissed him. Her lips collided with his, and neither one of them held anything back this time. There was no awkwardness, no fear. Just love, and thought that what they were doing was right. Paul was surprised by the gesture, but welcomed the kiss, knowing that he'd been right all along. Lizzy did love him. He placed his hands on her waist, her arms already encircled around his neck. They shared the kiss for a little longer until Paul broke from it, grinning.

"I decided that I want to try the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing." she told him, laughing.

"So I see."

"If it's okay with you and everything…"

"I'm not protesting."

"Good." Lizzy smiled. Paul returned the smile, brushing his fingers along her cheek. "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course I do."