Gentle music created a romantic mood, and an invited singer was singing "I love you!". Candy and Neil were spinning around in a dance, and strange shyness came back to the girl.

It was a new, unexplored feeling growing inside of her, it made her confused, soft, unprotected… She understood that Neil would most probably try to kiss her at the end of the date, but didn't know if she wanted to stop him from doing so, or if she was longing for the moment.

"What's happening to me? What?" miss White kept asking herself, looking up at her dance partner and then immediately lowering her eyes and blushing. What was it – a craving for love, a sudden resentment towards that woman, or just a very long courtship that had finally melted the ice in her heart? Or was he just so attractive this evening that even she couldn't help noticing it? Or had he just grown up, and she only noticed it now? Why did his eyes seem so tempting, passionate and tender at the same time?

Why had his smile disarmed her? Why did dancing with him make her so stupid?

Despair. Yes, it was all about despair… Or not, or it was just a turn of events. Why then had she denied Mr Albert's love?

Candy stumbled, completely lost in her thoughts, or just because Neil stopped.

By the concentrated look on his face the girl understood he was going to kiss her. That was the moment! If she wanted to stop him from doing it, she had to do it now! Yes… Now.

Their lips came together, and Candy closed her eyes, having completely surrendered to the sensation. This new feeling inside of her was relishing, breathing and growing. Her heart was beating faster with each second, and she thought she was going to run short of air. Obeying her new feelings, the girl put her arms around Neil's neck, then touched his hair, tousling it, overwhelmed at her sudden boldness.

When their lips came apart, she hid her face in Neil's shoulder, still holding her arms around his neck, and his passionate voice whispered in her ears: "My love! My only love! My sweetheart..."

…When Candy was getting into the car to get back home, they couldn't separate from each other even for a moment. They held hands, even if it wasn't very comfortable. After some hesitation, the girl gently put her head on Legan's shoulder – a touching gesture of trust – and felt how he froze, afraid to frighten her away, like a small bird.

"You're going to laugh at me," whispered, or maybe thought miss White.

She anxiously looked up at his face, always so arrogant and cold, but he smiled so warmly and openly, as if he had always waited for this question-slash-confession:

"Why should I laugh at you?" smiled Neil and raised his eyebrows, and his face was so open, kind and cheerful, that this new feeling inside of Candy woke up again with renewed energy, and the girl dropped her eyes.

Indeed, why should he laugh at her? How could one laugh at love?

They were standing on the doorstep, unable to part. His hands were so warm, and his eyes softly gleamed. That's interesting, brown eyes become so tender and deep, when they reflect the light of Love…

The lovers silently walked to the door, Candy opened it and they came in. Neil quietly closed the door, and the girl looked up in surprise – she thought he would say goodbye, but…

Neil embraced her, pulled to himself and started showering her face with kisses. A warm wave ran through the girl once again, she held the man to keep her legs which had become wobbly and disobedient. The kisses became more passionate, his lips went lower and were now kissing her neck. This sensation was intoxicating, a lingering feeling was stirring in her stomach, and his hands holding her were so strong and firm...

The thoughts lost their clarity, but when Legan started to skillfully unbutton her dress, Candy panicked. Her body resisted her mind, but… it was very fast, it was wrong!

"Neil, I…" whispered Candy, trying to put her hands between their bodies to push him away, but her arms had become so weak and clumsy that he didn't even notice it.

"I love you," he said hoarsely, and his arm slipped under her dress.

"Neil!"

"Yes, I know, my love…" he maundered, and started to touch her in such places that she had no idea about.

"Neil, I…" the girl resisted stronger, terrified by the thought that if she didn't stop him now, it would be too late afterwards.

Feverishly pushing Legan back, Candy begged again:

"Neil… Please!"

This time he heard her and looked at her frightened face in bewilderment.

"What's wrong?"

Miss White gathered all her will together, she was gasping for air, out of breath. And this damned feeling inside of her stomach demanded his touch, and come as it may! For the last time, Candy took a deep breath and tried to speak as loud and confident as she could:

"Neil, I can't… No… Don't… Please, don't!"

For some time, Neil kept looking into her eyes, but she maintained his gaze. Then he pushed her back so hard that she fell down.

"Whatever you say."

The door closed with that clear sound showing that the person would have taken great pleasure in slamming it as hard as possible.

The girl jumped to her feet, ignoring the bruise on her hand and a graze on her knee, so fast as if she was being chased. With shaky hands, she locked the door, then pulled a dresser, a table and a couple of chairs to the door.

Having barricaded from him, or maybe from herself, Candy sat on the floor and put her head in her hands. A terrible monster inside her stomach tortured her body with an unsatisfied desire.

The realization that she had acted right did not soothe her – instead, it was only tormenting her, and Candy started crying as bitterly as never before. Everything had been destroyed, trampled, corrupted!