Kai blushed, because she had been flirting with him after someone had asked him if he was going to have a go with her. She didn't think she was helping anything. "I didn't realize I was so well known," she cocked her head. Kai felt a dangerous curiosity about the way he had responded. He wasn't specifying, but he seemed indignant. She smiled, when he told her to stay away from them. She was tempted to tease him. She wanted to ask if he said that so she would only be with him.

She knew that he could always say that he just had a friendly concern for her, so she might only embarass herself. Besides, he hadn't said anything about commitments, so she didn't want to hint at something like that. "Okay. I'll try," she told him. She wondered if Eric felt any of the posessiveness that she felt for him. She didn't want him to be with any other girls. She was glad to make it back to her chair. She escaped Daniel, and she could separate Eric from Harper's clutching grasp.

She looked down at her leg where he had put his hand. She hadn't meant to, but he put his hand on the knee where the split was. She scooted closer to him, hoping that if Daniel and Harper got the hint, they would back off. "Here, we can share," she told Eric, pushing the plate in his direction. She was glad that Eric was subtly telling her that he didn't care about what Harper did. She realized she should have gotten Eric a refill. Kai didn't want to speak to them anymore, so she kept her mouth shut. They were putting a cloud on a day that was supposed to be fun.

~~~~~~~~

Harper told Daniel later that she had noticed that Kai's dress was the same color as Eric's eyes. At first Daniel was indignant that she had paid that much attention to Eric. After he realized what that could imply, he felt put out that he had been so rejected by Kai. However, he couldn't do anything. He also couldn't condemn Harper, when he was doing the same thing. She did have a defense. He made up his mind that he would find a way to get under Kai's dress. He wasn't sure when he would have the opportunity.

~~~~~~~~~~~

They had tried to escape Daniel and Harper, but it was surprisingly hard. It was nearing the time to end prom, and prom king and queen were about to be announced. Kai didn't think either of them would be in the prom court, so she stood with Eric quite far from the stage. Everyone who was eating or dancing had to stop what they were doing. Most of the people who were kissing broke off for a moment. They had more fun once they escaped the other couple, but it still hadn't been as fun as Kai had expected.

They called up the prom king, and it was Daniel. He smiled and waved at everyone. Kai was astonished, when they announced her name. Everybody started clapping and turned to look at her. It wasn't exotic Harper? It was Kai. She could feel Harper's poisonous glare as hse went up on the stage. Daniel walked over to give her the normal congratulations. Normally, it was a quick hug or a handshake. She tensed as he came closer, and stiffened when his head dipped down and he was on her lips.

She didn't do anything, and she was astonished that he would do it in front of everyone. She wanted to pull away, but by the time she had gathered her thoughts, he pulled away. It had been a posessive kiss, and he had locked lips with her. For some reason she thought it was a good sign that she hadn't felt his tongue. She was surprised at the feeling, and she began to feel nervous. What was that supposed to mean? She realized that he was good at kissing, and he must have a lot of practice.

She gave a short speech thanking everyone for voting for her. Some music began, and she would have a dance with Daniel. He extended his hand, and she accepted it. It was a slow dance, which was awkward. She did the other version instead of the one she had done with Eric, so that she had one free hand, and she could easily push him away. It was nearing the end of the dance, and he bent down to kiss her again. He began to hold onto her tighter. He felt very strong against her, and she began to feel some fear. (Edit) What had she done wrong? How had she encouraged this? She knew that she had never flirted with Daniel. (edit)

Where was Eric? Hopefully, he didn't think that she had done this willingly. She could see a few of the males giving Daniel envious looks. She had a feeling that Harper was glaring. She began to worry about everything would happen, and she felt a few tears roll down her cheeks. Why did guys think they could do anything to girls? Where was the respect? She wasn't sure if she could ever look at a male the same way again.

~~~~~~~~~

Harper was angry, when Daniel kissed Kai. She started walking over to Eric hoping to hurt Kai. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she wanted to do something. Everything was ruined and it was all Kai's fault starting with the fact that she had won prom queen. "Hey Eric," she smiled leaning in very close. She hoped that she was blocking his view of Kai and Daniel. "I guess we were both betrayed by our dates. It looks like she secretly liked him, and doesn't care about you."

Eric didn't verbally respond to her comment about not realizing that she was so well known. He just shook his head. She was more well known than he was for sure, but she wasn't known enough for everyone to know her by name. The guys here just wanted to "know" her because of her looks tonight, and as far as Eric knew, she was still a virgin. Not every guy here was chasing after her, but as he took another look around the room, more males than he would like were still turning their heads just to look at her for a bit.

It was strange, because he knew he and Kailey weren't a real couple yet, but he still felt this protectiveness for her. But it wasn't just the normal friend to friend, I care about you protectiveness. This kind went deep, down into the roots of his heart, the kind that sparked a jealous flame so easily. He nodded when she said she would try to stay away from guys like the two he'd just spoken with. "Good." he said, feeling like a father. He was glad she hadn't tried to make a joke or tease in that moment, because he had been completely serious, and he was deeply concerned for her. If she had made a teasing remark like she sometimes did in a serious situation, in this case, he would have felt like she wasn't taking it seriously. Guys like that could potentially be very dangerous, especially if they had high expectations and a strong desire to have control over others.

When she and Daniel returned from the food bar, Eric was both relieved and stressed. He didn't want Daniel or Harper anywhere near them, but he was very happy to have Kai back by his side. As she started to scoot her chair closer to him, he slid his hand onto the inside of her leg to wrap underneath her knee in a gentle motion, helping pull her over a little as well as scooting his chair closer to her. He knew it was more of a move for someone who was a confirmed couple, or a married couple, but he was feeling this flare of possessiveness and protectiveness over her in a strange way. Never had he felt this way about anybody else.

She kind of pushed her plate in his direction, saying that they could share the food. He gave her a small smile, a glimmer of affection in his eyes, before he took a glance back at Daniel and Harper, his expression returning to solemn. But his eyes glowed with suspicion and protectiveness, and if Kailey happened to look close enough, she would be able to see and feel just how protective he was, and that he felt the same sense of possessiveness over her that she felt for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was now time for prom king and queen to be announced. Eric knew good and well he wouldn't have made the court. Not unless it was some unimaginable prank like in Stephen King's Carrie. He did think Kai was popular enough to win, and the way so many people were looking at her tonight, he didn't find it impossible to believe she just might. But she didn't think so, and so they stood pretty far from the stage.

The king was announced first, and Eric wanted to roll his eyes at the name announced. It was Daniel. Of course it was Daniel. Which would mean the prom queen would undoubtedly be Harper. Not because they had come together, but because she was perhaps one of the most popular girls in school, and every guy knew she wasn't exactly one to keep her legs closed.

But he felt a huge pit in his stomach open up when Kai's name was announced for prom queen. He'd thought she had a chance before, but as soon as Daniel's name was called, all those chances seemed to drop in percentage for him. But now...

He gave her a small smile, but it was more shock and worry in his expression than anything else. He stood back, watching her go up on stage with him. He came towards her, to give her the natural congratulations before the king and queen dance, but Eric's entire body stiffened with shock, anger, and jealousy as Daniel leaned in and gave her a kiss. On the lips. His heart sped up rapidly, nerves taking over the previous emotions. Why hadn't she pulled away? Why hadn't she tried to stop him? Or duck around it? He tried to reason with himself, tried to tell himself that she was probably just shocked and overwhelmed, and didn't want to make an even bigger scene in front of everyone. But he couldn't help but still have that nagging thought in the back of his mind that maybe....maybe she had feelings for Daniel too. It looked like a pretty possessive kiss, even from where Eric was standing, and he knew Daniel had experience in that field. What if his kiss had been so good that even she fell for him hard and fast?

He wanted to be able to listen to Kai and the words she was saying on stage, but he just...couldn't focus. He was starting to panic just slightly, worrying about his plans after prom. Would he even ask her now? What if she said no? What if she said no, and decided to date Daniel instead? He stood there, looking at the floor, his body working itself into an attack. He was beginning to get very cold, even though it was pretty warm in the room. He didn't think he could bear to watch Kai and Daniel dance together.

So he didn't. He kept his eyes on the floor for a good amount of time, so he'd completely missed the kiss and the subtle movements Daniel was doing to her. He raised his head at Harper's voice, and backed up into the wall a little, trying to get away from her. But that only put him in a worse position. Her body was blocking the view of Daniel and Kai, and she began pushing him seductively up against the wall as she spoke, her words reaching his ears and twisting the knife even deeper into his back.

"Please get off of me," he said quietly as she began running her hands up his chest and leaning in even closer. As she leaned in, probably trying to get at a kiss, Eric's vision was cleared and he saw what was happening. Anger like no other he'd ever felt in his life shot through him, and his body reacted as such. He shoved Harper off of him, probably more harsh than he should have.

He was more angry now than he'd ever been. More angry than he'd ever been at his father during one of their spats, more angry than at the two seniors, more angry than he had been at God for taking his mother away. As he got closer, he saw the tears running down her cheeks, and as soon as he reached them, he grabbed Daniel by the shoulders and pulled him off of her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he yelled at him. He was jealous at the fact that he'd kissed Kai, and that she really hadn't done anything to stop it, but that petty little jealousy was far overridden with fury at how Daniel could do such a low down, pervy thing to a respectable young woman. Eric wasn't normally one to cuss, but he was so angry that the words just began flowing out of his mouth, and he made sure to stand firmly between Kai and Daniel so no further actions between them could happen.

He remembered the promise he'd made to her father about keeping her safe, and making sure nothing happened to her. Guilt rushed into him for being so anxiety wridden that he hadn't even looked up to keep an eye on them. This was his fault, he should have been watching.

"Touching a young girl like that! What kind of shitty ass person would do that?! Especially in front of everyone!" He tossed a hand, the crowd of people now hushed and watching with wide eyes. Some had missed completely what had been happening, so they were clueless as to what Eric was yelling at Daniel for, but most knew good and well, and everyone was silent. Eric walked up to Daniel, and Daniel was fairly tall, but Eric was taller.

"Don't you ever fucking touch her like that again." he said through gritted teeth, poking him harshly in the chest. He turned and looked at Harper, who was still standing at the wall where he'd left her, her face solemn and ashamed. He looked to Kai, his anger still burning like a wildfire, but his heart snapping in two at the tears on her face. He shot one last look at Daniel, daggers in his eyes, and grabbed Kai's hands.

"Come on," Was all he could say to her right now, here in front of everyone. He had to really support her as they left the cafeteria, and the further they got down the hallway, the more panicked he became. He didn't know what to do to console her. Once they were further down the hallway, enough to where the music was just faintly heard, he helped her sit down against the lockers.

The hall was mostly dark, but the lighting from the windows gave off enough to be able to see facial expressions and such. "Kailey," he said, his voice a whisper laced with panic and concern. "Kailey I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He sat down next to her, taking her hands in his. Just looking at her made his eyes tear up, and tears started to fall slowly down his face. He didn't know what to do, he was so overwhelmed and scared, and he couldn't believe what had just happened to her.

He put an arm around her and pulled her into a tight hug, placing a hand on her head so she could rest it on his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears running smoothly down his face, and he brought his legs up, curling around her like a cocoon of love, warmth, and protection.

She hoped she still looked nice and put together after all of the dancing. Kai had frozen uncertain what it meant, when Daniel dipped his head towards her. What was she supposed to do? She hadn't expected a kiss at all, but he didn't kiss her long enough for her to think to pull away. His kiss had stunned her silly. She found herself standing there slightly dazed. For a moment she considered that he might actually have feelings for her, but she remembered he would have had plenty of practice to be good at it.

She shook off her silliness. When Daniel kissed her the second time, she stood there frozen still crying after Eric pulled him off of her. She covered her face with her hands. She didn't care about anything right now. Part of her wanted to stop crying. She was starting to look messy, and she didn't want everyone to see her crying. She only barely managed to keep herself from making sound. Tears continued to flow down her cheeks, but at least she was silent. Flirting with Eric seemed like a distant memory. She couldn't believe it. The way Daniel had touched her in front of everyone without her consent.

She had even tried to get away from him. Nobody had told her that some guys were bold enough to do that in front of everyone. She had never expected no one to help her. Was it her fault? All the people at school often blamed females for whenever a male took advantage of them. They always said that the female had encouraged the male. What had she done that told him behavior like that would be okay? She was pretty sure most of them thought that she was a virgin, so why would they think she would let anybody touch her.

She was mad as she could feel all of the feelings in this room. She wanted to scream at everyone that she wasn't some object for someone to exact pleasure from. She was glad that Eric had gotten between her and Daniel. She wasn't sure if she could ever look at him again. She wasn't sure if she could ever wear a dress with a split in it again without feeling revolted and violated, especially, not to some party for her age group. She felt so dirty and she wanted to wash her mouth out. What if Daniel got her sick?

Her dress was disheveled from where Daniel had touched her, but she didn't care enough to put it back into place. By this time they had attracted everyone's attention. Even the few people who still kissed through the announcements turned to stare at her. Inside of her she felt nothing. However she couldn't stop crying. Snot was beginning to run, and she didn't have anything to wipe her nose with. She wondered what everyone thought, and she let her mind open up to them. She wanted to escape her own emotions for a while. Some of them were confused. Some of them were disgusted. Some of them thought that Eric was just jealous. Most of them didn't seem to care.

She removed her hands from her face. She was breathing heavily, and she looked up at him her face reddened. She wasn't willing to move by herself, so he had to physically coax her along. She had felt Eric's scorching anger. She hoped that none of it was forcused on her. She felt that she had failed everyone. When they exited the cafeteria it changed to more anxiety and worry. Her head was beginning to hurt and tingle. The tips of her fingers were tingling too. She was hiccuping, because of how much she had cried.

The hall was dark. If she weren't so empty, she knew that she would be scared. Her parents told her never be alone in the dark with a boy. She reminded herself that it was Eric. She could trust him. He sat her down, and she sank sort of curled. She felt like she should say something, but she couldn't find any words. She didn't want to open her mouth. She didn't want to tell anybody or talk about it. She leaned towards him, trying not to get his clothing dirty with her running makeup and snotty nose.

She looked up at him her eyes becoming swelled with crying. His concern for her brought on a new waves of self remorse and made her feel worse. A new wave of tears began flowing down her cheeks. He was crying too, so she knew she would be crying for a while yet. She hated causing him to cry. She curled up sheltered under him. His chest was firm against her, and it had a pleasant warmth that made her feel safe. She closed her eyes with a few tears leaking down her cheeks.

She wasn't sure if she would be able to face the school again. She was ashamed that she would have to tell her parents what had happened. They had trusted her. How would they react? Would she ever be allowed to leave the house again? She found herself inching closer to Eric again, hoping that he would hold her close. She didn't want him to let go yet. She was a little embarrassed that she was trying to get close to him. She hadn't ever done that with anyone, since she was a little girl. While she might initiate a hug or something, she hadn’t felt like she ever had acted this pitiful.

Eric was the only reason why Daniel had stopped. No one else had done anything. Finally, she stopped crying. She forced herself to stop crying, because she had cried for long enough. She wanted him to take her to his car, but she didn't want to go home. She wanted to go home, but she didn't want him to stop hugging her, and she was scared of her parents. She felt like she should stop wanting him to hug her, but it was making her feel safe. They sat like this until her crying slowed.

"I'm ready to go to the car now," she told him. She made no move to unravel herself from his side. She felt silly as he carried her to the car, but she didn’t want to be too far from him. What if Daniel was somewhere nearby? She tensed and clung to Eric, when she noticed Harper walking by. She had someone else besides Daniel with her. Harper didn't look their way, and she relaxed once she was gone. By the time she had reached the car, she had begun to cry again. She felt a little ready to talk. She felt that she needed to say some things to him. She wasn't sure when her parents would let her out of the house again. She wondered if for this talk, she should be as close to him as she had been in the hall by the lockers.

She wanted to be close to him, but it was hard to be near each other if they both sat in the separate front seats. He put her down temporarily to open the door, and she felt herself get nervous and wobbly away from him. He let her into the backseat, and he sat near her. She scooted back over to him, and leaned against him. She hoped that he would hug her, but if he was mad at her and moved away that would hurt more. "My parents won't ever really know what happened even when I tell them.....That's why I have to ask you this. Did I mess up? Is it my fault this happened?" her voice broke and she was crying again.

"Was there something I could have done to stop it?" She remembered how he had held onto her. She shuddered as she remembered his tongue and his hand. Should she have tried harder to get away? Should she have been able to anticipate what was going to happen? "Are you disappointed with me?" she sniffled. Was he mad at her? Did it seem like she had been disloyal even though they weren't officially together? Had she in any way encouraged Daniel?

She remembered being jealous of Eric and Harper for a while. Her feelings were eased, when he had worked with her to show that they weren't welcome. If she had hurt him that way, was there some way she could make it up to him or make him feel better? "I promise, I didn't mean for it to happen. I tried to get away. Maybe I didn't try hard enough. I didn't know what to do," she sniffled. It didn't start registering until now how mad Eric had been. He had cursed pretty badly at Daniel, and she had never heard anything like that come from him.

Eric couldn't bring himself to part with her, he couldn't let go of her. As she looked up into his face, his heart broke even more for her, and he pulled her somehow closer, almost pulling her onto his lap but not quite. He just sat there with her, the hall silent except for the sound of her crying and the distant noises of prom still going on. He was still burning with fury at Daniel, but none of his anger had ever been aimed towards Kai. He knew she could probably still sense his anger crackling deep within his mind, but he was still scared and worried for her, and more than anything in this moment he just wanted to be the comfort she needed.

He realized she probably was unable to speak about the events that had just happened, and that she probably didn't want to. She'd been violated, but he still didn't know just how close she had come to losing something that she wasn't meant to lose yet. It was heartbreaking to see her like this. Never had he seen someone act so helpless, and he couldn't imagine how traumatized and confused she must be feeling.

How could anyone....anyone....ever do something so nasty to a girl like her? He felt her inching closer, and his worries about her liking Daniel instantly vanished. There was no way she could, not now. He held her tightly, and he didn't even care if her makeup or tears ruined his clothes. He realized that he'd left his tux in the cafeteria, draped over the chair, but he didn't much care. Slowly, her crying ceased, but he still couldn't bring himself to let go of her. His tears had stopped long before now, and he'd just sat in silence with her in his arms, patiently waiting for her emotions to die down.

She claimed she was ready to go to the car, but she made no move to get up or leave. Quite frankly, he was glad she didn't. He didn't want to move, his body felt weak, tired. He just wanted to sit here with her more, hold her more. "Okay," he whispered. He reached over and lightly brushed some of her tears and running mascara off with his sleeve, tucked some loose hair behind her ear, and shifted his position, scooping her up into his arms.

His arms slid under her legs, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on tightly. She was light, being thinner and shorter than he was, and it was no struggle at all to carry her. Harper passed by, but didn't look at them, and as they left the school building, he noticed some other couples racing to their cars, laughing like idiots and flirtatiously grabbing and touching one another. It was obvious what would be taking place soon for them.

He reached his car and set her gently down, stabalizing her for a moment to make sure she would be able to stand, and then unlocked it, opening the back door. He wasn't planning on driving anytime soon, and he wanted to make sure that he was able to pay attention and really listen if she needed to talk. He could have let her sit in the passenger side and himself in the driver's seat, but if she was wanting comfort, it would be awkward to hug in the front.

It was much easier and roomier in the backseat, and if needed, he could lay down with her. He had realized that she had begun to cry again, and he was mentally preparing himself for another emotional tidal wave. He let her slide into the seat first, and then he went after. He reached out and shut the door with a soft thunk. She scooted over and leaned up against him, and his muscles once again relaxed, and he wrapped an arm around her.

She started to talk, and as the questions began leaving her mouth, he already could feel his own tears beginning to well up again. How could she think that? Why would she think it was her fault?

"Kailey, no," he whispered. She talked over him, her emotions strong and her crying increasing again. He could feel the trembling in her body, and that only made him pull her closer. She asked heartbreakingly if he was disappointed in her, and he shook his head, a tear sliding down his face.

"No, no, of course I'm not disappointed in you." he crooned, giving in and pulling her onto his lap so he could wrap his arms around her better. He was so angry at Daniel, at how he had gotten up the nerve to do such a thing to her. "Kailey please," he said. "Please don't think this is your fault. It's not your fault at all, it was his. Completely his. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry..." He wanted to ask how he'd touched her, and how far he'd gotten, but he didn't think now was the time. He didn't want to upset her even further.

"I'll explain everything to your parents," he said softly, his heart hammering at the very thought of doing so. "You don't have to worry about it." He brought her hand up to his face and kissed it a couple of times before lowering his head and kissing her softly on the forehead. Not in an attempt to seduce her or get her to do something sexual like Daniel had, but as a way to comfort, to show that he cared. That he loved her, that he wasn't mad at her for anything that had just happened.

"You mean so much to me, Kailey," he whispered, pulling her close and closing his eyes as he rested his head on top of hers. "I'm so sorry I didn't see it sooner. I'm sorry I couldn't stop him sooner. I promised your dad..." His voice cracked and broke on the last few words, and he couldn't stop the next few tears as they slid down his face. He was so immensly guilty about it, and he felt terrible for breaking such an important promise. For letting something so serious happen to her. Something that could potentially give her PTSD or a very real fear of men.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, his voice a whisper so soft it could barely be heard. He kissed her cheek, and adjusted his position to where his back was leaning up against the car door, so his legs could rest on the seats. He held her tightly in his arms, but gently, as if she was made of glass that could break at any moment. His heart beat steadily, echoing in his chest as he laid with her.

Nobody seemed to care except for her clueless parents at home, and the boy that was sitting with her in the hall. While she could sort of understand people sleeping around and not having a constant relationship, she didn't understand why they would want to do it with someone who was unwilling. She felt saddened that it took this during prom night for her to only focus on his thoughts. It was mostly because his thoughts and feelings were quite strong, and he was the only one around.

She touched on him being jealous, and she hoped that would soon go away. She didn't realize that he had left his tux, but she did feel like they had probably forgotten something. Even though she said that she was ready to go to the car, she really meant she wanted more privacy, and she wasn't crying as much, so they could start heading home. She didn't really want to move, but she sort of wanted to start the process. She wondered if she should tell Eric. Her parents were sure to want to hear it from her.

He wiped some makeup off of her face, and straightened her hair. He shifted positions, and for some reason she tensed thinking he was pulling away. She reminded herself that she had said they could go to the car, so that was what he was doing. She felt a little childish to let him carry her, but not enough to ask him to put her down. He carefully supported her with an arm under her legs. She clung to his neck probably more than was needed. She ignored all of the other couples.

While it might disturb her, the only ones who would get a reaction out of her would be Harper and Daniel, unless someone came up to speak with them. When she realized that Eric wasn't going to move away, she began to relax a little too in the backseat of the car. She was half expecting him to say that it was at least partially her fault. It seemed that all the people at school normally blamed the female for flirting and asking for it. The thing was she hadn't flirted with him or done more than be polite.

She could hear the tears in his voice again. His voice was soft, and she didn't detect any anger directed at her. She decided to take him at his word. She willingly wriggled herself further onto his lap, when he started pulling her onto it. She wasn't sure if she was helping or hurting him. She wasn't sure if she should go ahead and tell him what happened or if she might need someone to tell later. She snuggled herself so that she was more comfortable. She could hear his thoughts asking what had happened.

She didn't blame him for wondering. "If you are going to explain everything, I guess I'll have to tell you what happened," she felt tears welling up again. She would be slightly embarrassed to recount the story, but she felt that he should know. She wasn't constantly crying anymore. It was only a few tears when she got more emotional. She was scared to tell them herself, and she knew they loved her. It was very brave of Eric to volunteer to explain.

Her eyes widened, when he kissed her hand. That was unexpected. She relaxed against him again happy to know that he wasn't revolted by the way she had been touched, or at least not revolted by her. She felt disgusted with her own body after it had been touched like that. She uncurled her arms and wrapped them around him. When he apologized all she could think was that no one else had stepped forward. She went from recovering from crying to herself sobbing, "I have to thank you. I might have gone to prom with him. No one else tried to stop him."

She decided this was the opening and she needed to tell him. She leaned forward, so that she could look at him. She began to regret her choice, because she wasn't sure if she wanted to see his facial expressions, "I could tell from his thoughts and feelings. He wanted to go all of the way. I'm not sure when and where he planned to do it, but that's what he wanted." She stopped a moment. She had managed to stop crying while she narrated her story, "The first kiss was just lips, and I was too surprised to do anything. I wasn't sure how to react, so I just went along like nothing happened."

She shuddered a little, "The second time he kissed me, it was with his tongue. I tried to push him away, but he was too strong. He put his hand on the leg with the split." She felt a few more tears leak out, "I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a split in a dress again. His hand started going up under my dress, and I tried to stop him." She had slowed him down, and he hadn't been able to explore as freely or quickly. She didn't want to go into anymore detail than that. "I was really scared. I couldn't get away, and nobody was coming to help me," she said in a hopeless dark little voice.

She was finding men scary. First Mr. Godfrey, and now Daniel. What if Eric turned out like his father? She shoved her fears away. She hugged him again as an acception of his apology. She was surprised, when he kissed her for the third time on the cheek. She knew they weren't sexual, but it was a lot of kisses at one time between normal friends. She moved to look into his eyes after he kissed her. It was hard to see their eye color in the dark. It amused her to think that a few weeks ago the important thing had been going to prom and finding a dress in his eye color.

She gently reached a hand to his face, "Thank you for being here." She sagged against him for a moment, "Momma said if anything happened between us, I have to tell her." She was thinking about his kisses. While it might not seem like a big deal to them, her parents were sure to freak out. They would probably have preferred that she call them instead of going home with another boy. She was too emotional to think clearly, which was why she had gone with Eric.

She trusted him before prom, so she could still trust him now. She adjusted herself to be more comfortable in his new position. Her head lay across his chest. It was sort of fun to listen to his heart beat through his chest. His heartbeat helped her relax, and it was tempting to go to sleep. She felt safe and comfortable here. However it wouldn't be easy sleeping in a prom dress. She wished that they could get someone to drive them home, and that she could stay in this position.

She knew she wasn't supposed to, but her eyes were fluttering wanting to go to sleep. She moved slightly so that she was embracing him. It would be harder for him to sneak away. Now she had something else to worry about. Was she begin too clingy? She decided it didn't matter. She had gone through something awful, and any good friend would be willing to put up with her for at least an hour. All that meant was she needed to let Eric drive them home before he got tired of her.

He nodded as she said that she was going to have to explain everything. He was eager to know, but at the same time he didn't want to. He didn't want to know what awful things he had done to her, but at the same time he did, because he needed to tell her parents, AND he needed to know if he should take the risk and time to go beat someone to a bloody pulp tomorrow.

He felt her arms wrap around him, and even though he was nervous to hear her story of what happened, he felt safe and warm with her so close, and he hoped he was giving her that same comfort. For a little while there, she had been doing really good recovering from crying, and he'd stopped himself. But then she began to sob, her emotions like a roller coaster, and he once again felt his heart drop and go out to her. She thanked him for going with her, and stopping Daniel, and those words alone braced him for the impact of what was to come.

If she was reacting this way just thinking about it, he couldn't imagine the trauma she must have gone through, and what he did to make her feel this way. She leaned in closer and began telling him what had happened, and he couldn't bring himself to make any other facial expression except for concentration. But he did realize the fact that his jaw was clenching slightly in anger, and tears were once again starting to mist over his eyes.

He was so angered by this, so incredibley mad at Daniel! How could he have done such a thing?! He understood sexual urges and intentions, it was something everyone struggled with at some point in their lives. Eric's own struggle had begun in middle school. But he'd had his mother to talk to about it, then, and after awhile things subsided. He no longer dwelled on thoughts like that for long, he didn't let it consume him like Daniel obviously did.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated again, anger bubbling fiercely inside his chest. "Son of a bitch, I tell you what." he whispered, shaking his head and clenching his jaw tighter. He wasn't going to get away freely with this. Daniel needed to know not to mess with anyone under Eric's protective wing, especially not Kailey. She thanked him for being here with her, placing a hand softly on his face.

She said that her mother had told her to tell her if anything happened between them, and he fidgeted nervously. If things had gone the way they were supposed to tonight...it would have all been fine. But they hadn't gone to plan, and he and Kai were still nothing but friends. He placed his hand on her own which was still on his face, and gave her a small smile.

"Well..." he said quietly. "I guess I'm in trouble now." He let out a small breath, half joking but half serious. If she told her mother what they were doing, he was sure to be trusted no longer. He already knew that he would probably be distrusted by her parents completely as of tonight after he explained things to her father. But it would be worse if she told her mother that he had kissed her or that they were cuddling in the backseat of his car.

If word got back to his father....

He shook his thoughts clear of that. He would cross those bridges when he came to them. All that mattered right now was Kai, and she needed his comfort. She adjusted her position along with his, and wrapped her arms around him tightly as her head laid on his chest. He held her close, each passing moment more comforting and peaceful than the last. He realized more and more how badly he wanted this.

How this all could have been official tonight if it weren't for Daniel. He wanted to be able to tell her that he loved her without any hesitation or fear on either of their parts, he loved this feeling of closeness, the feeling of their heartbeats combined. The peacefulness of this moment. He knew the dance would go on for a few more hours, because it was only 11 o clock, and by the time the dance was done, the whole group of kids would get on a bus and go to a rented out arcade or something and hang out and have fun there until at least 5am before heading back and coming home.

If her parents were expecting Eric and Kai to stay for all of it, the two could potentially have a long time to spend alone together, to catch up on feelings and emotions, and just be there for each other. But he knew that he should get her home at least within the hour so he could have time to explain what had happened, and so that Kai could change into something more comfortable and have some much needed family time.

But he found himself helpless and unable to move as she laid there with him. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to leave at all. He just wanted to stay here and hold her in his arms until she didn't want him to anymore.

He ran his hands gently up and down her back, tickling her comfortingly for awhile before absent mindedly playing with her hair. He was growing tired, but he was used to being up into the early hours of the morning, so it was nothing he couldn't handle. After several long and peaceful moments, his anger at Daniel started to fade. He didn't want to be constantly thinking about it. He wanted to just be here in this moment, and be the support Kailey needed right now. She didn't need to feel his anger.

He knew he wasn't supposed to, but he couldn't help kissing her again, then holding her tightly in his arms. He could feel his heart speeding up just slightly, but it wasn't because of nerves. It was a strong feeling deep in his chest as he held her, and he realized in that moment that his long time crush had just became a little more than just a liking.

He didn't know how the heart and mind worked together to form such a feeling as love. Perhaps it was a bit of a strong word, but he really felt it for her. Something deep within him just seemed to click, and his liking for her had grown a size or two into the first stage of love. Actual, real, genuine love. He found himself wondering if she could sense it from his brain, or if she was too tired to be feeling much.

He found himself really wanting to kiss her properly, but he was afraid to do so. He didn't want to scare her away or make her think he was anything like Daniel. But the more time that passed, the more and more he continued to think about it. Would she let him? Would she pull away? Would she be too scared? He didn't know, and the questions continued to spiral. He finally remembered what they'd talked about in dance class so long ago, and how he'd apologized for not asking her first.

Now more than ever he would need permission.

He knew she probably felt disgusting by Daniel's actions and what he had done to her, but it was just because he hadn't had consent, right? Because he'd enacted a sexual engagement with a hideous intention, and because he didn't love her like Eric did. He didn't feel or care anything about her. All he wanted was something he couldn't have.

"Kailey," Eric said quietly after a long moment of debate. He was holding her close, but he made sure to release his grip a little bit so she wouldn't feel like he was trapping her down or forcing her to do anything, and that she could back up or move at any time she wanted to. "Can I kiss you?"

He felt a bit strange asking, but he knew in this moment it was the right thing to do. He didn't want to slip up and make a mistake and make her scared of him. He wouldn't be heartbroken if she said no, because after all she had been through something horrible. But at the same time...he wondered if a kiss from someone who actually loved her, who actually cared about her, who didn't want to push any limits...would help.

He wondered if it could possibly show her what the difference was between advantage and real care, and if she could feel the difference. Not in how they kissed, because obviously Daniel had far more practice, but in how it felt internally. How much more at peace it felt to kiss someone you cared about rather than someone who you didn't.

She couldn't find a way to comfort Eric and calm him down. She couldn't say that it was okay, because it hadn't been. However she wasn't sure if it would have made much difference how much sooner he had rescued her. She didn't want to say that it was okay now, because she still wasn't sure the effects this night would have on her. She was curious what he had been doing when Daniel kissed her. She also wondered how he had known to stop him. Just because they were kissing? Some other visible sign?

She wasn't sure how to ask that question though. It might sound rude and she didn't really want to relive it. Now that she was safely snuggled with Eric, it all seemed like a bad dream, and that it couldn't have happened. She felt that she needed to warn Eric that she had to tell her mother what happened between them. Hopefully, knowing they had someone keeping them accountable would help them make good choices. While she didn't think her mother would find out about the cuddles and kisses, at least the kisses, she was sure to make a big deal out of it, if she did.

At the moment Kai didn't feel like she was doing anything wrong even though her parents probably would not approve of the platonic kisses. Sometimes her parents surprised her, and she was never sure what they would think. She believed that since she had been traumatized, she would be able to get away with more. Mainly, she could plead temporary insanity, as long as she told them. She gave a small smile hoping that wasn't true. She didn't want Eric to have to face her angry parents.

She didn't think they had done enough for them to not see each other, but her parents probably would tighten up the chaperoning. She didn't think her parents would distrust Eric, because he hadn't been watching her. They might be leery of him, because he kissed her though. He had been the only one to stop him. She didn't realize what exactly had caused him to not be paying attention though. That might have made her think differently. She began to calm again, as she started trying not to think about what happened.

She didn't have to worry about it until she went home. Surprisingly, her parents hadn't given her a curfew. She did feel that if they stayed out later than midnight, it was implied that she should check in with them. She should probably do it sooner than that, but they might go home before then. She was glad that Eric wasn't making any move to continue on. Either he was being patient with her, or he was enjoying being here too. He was surprisingly still. She liked the feel of her hair being played with, but she didn't say anything or move.

By this time Eric's anger was fading too. She moved her head slightly, because she was feeling something unusual. Her eyes widened, when she realized that it was a deep affection for her from Eric. She manuvered herself so that she could look at his face better. Before he asked she could feel one question in his mind. He wanted to kiss her. She studied him trying to figure it out. She had been wanting to kiss him for a long time, but she knew they couldn't. They weren't a couple, and she had set down some pretty basic guidelines.

It had already surprised her the fight she had to have to follow it. Was this an appropriate time to kiss? While she appreciated the thought, because it made her feel a little less contaminated or disgusting, should she let him? She knew it wasn't wise to let her feelings dictate what they should do, and she should use her head, but she found that even with all she had been through, she wanted that kiss. He was holding her close, and he loosened his hold on her. She was surprised and saddened assuming that he was going to drive her home.

She was mentally preparing herself to get up. She froze as he asked the question. She turned it over carefully in her mind. She was still in the position where she could see his face, and she studied him. She knew that she looked surprised, hesitant, perhaps even scared. It felt like such an odd thing to want. Finally, she found her voice, "Are you sure?" her voice was hesitant. "You actually want to kiss me?" her voice sounded a little mind blown. After Daniel had touched her he wanted to kiss her!

She was blushing again like she always did, when they started talking, "I....I do want to kiss you. I don't want you to think that's why I may say no." Did she want him to know that she wanted to kiss him? She was becoming confused. The last time she had almost kissed him, she was pretty sure that she hadn't been very secretive about it. It was probably good to let him know that even after this night she still had the same feelings. What kind of kiss was he thinking? He had already given her some, so he must be thinking of something more intimate and probably less platonic.

She felt embarassed to have to point this out, "I have no idea what Daniel could have passed to me. I don't want you getting sick or getting in trouble with your dad." If she had gotten something and passed it on to Eric, it would be scary if Eric had to tell his dad when they went to the doctor. "And we're not a couple," she was referencing her guidelines. Was he obliquely implying that he wanted them to be a couple? She wasn't going to ask that question, but she was confused. "Besides, I don't know how my parents will react. Are you willing to face them?"

She moved her face closer to his, and looked him in the eye, "Why do you want to?" she asked. It was a question she wanted the answer to. It felt awkward giving someone permission to kiss you. She felt that her common good head sense was being overridden by feelings. She had been pretty emotional this night, so it wasn't as surprising that her decision was more feeling led. Even though it went against her common sense, she gave a little head nod, "You may kiss me," she told him hoping that he had thought about all of those other questions she had brought up before he made his choice. She tensed instinctively before she told herself to relax. She would be a little disappointed if he didn't, but she thought if they used their heads and not their hearts, they probably wouldn't kiss. She knew her expression was probably curious and cautious.

Eric laid there with her in his arms, and studied her face as she looked into his. She asked if he was sure, and even though it was a serious question and situation, even though she looked scared, he still couldn't hold back even the smallest of a smile.

"Of course I do." he whispered, running his hands gently up and down her arms a couple of times. His heart fluttered when she admitted that she wanted to kiss him, but sank slightly as she started pointing out the obvious things. He really didn't know what kind of things Daniel could have passed to her, but...he found that he really didn't care if he got anything or not. Sure, he would be in huge trouble, but it was something that could be fixed, and....Kai was worth it.

He quietly considered everything she was saying, listening to her reasons. He knew his heart and feelings for her were starting to override his practicality. But tonight was supposed to have gone differently, tonight they were supposed to be officially a couple! If Daniel hadn't have done what he did, he wouldn't have to carefully consider things like this, because she would be his and he would be hers!

She pointed out how she didn't know how her parents were going to react, and that alone should have been enough to convince him otherwise. That should have sent up a red flag, a mental flag that said, Don't push it! But...he didn't want to have to worry about it. Her parents had given permission for him to date her, which in turn meant that they had given permission for him to kiss her. Right?

She asked a final question, and normally that kind of question would add so much pressure onto his shoulders, and he would have a build up of anxiety and fear. But...not this time. Because he was confident in what he was feeling. "Kailey I want to kiss you because I love you." he said softly. "I want you to know that I do, and I want you to know that just because something like that happened to you, that doesn't mean that my view on you has changed. If anything it's stronger now than before because...well because now I know how angry it made me to see that. How protective I felt over you." He paused, his heart thudding steadily in his chest. He took her hand and gently placed it on his chest so she could feel it.

"I don't think I've ever felt so strongly about anyone in my entire life." He wanted to tell her what he had been planning to ask tonight, but he wasn't sure how she would react. Would she be too overwhelmed? Probably. So he dialed it back and he decided against telling her. "I just...I was so mad at him. But I was never mad at you. What happened was not your fault, and I don't view you any differently than what I did before. You mean a lot to me, Kailey. I just...I can't say it enough."

His heart lifted again as she gave him permission, and while his practical side was telling him not to, his heart was screaming to do so. He'd been waiting so long for this, and he felt like while it may not be the most appropriate of times...that they both needed it. He knew they were just friends, and that's all she was seeing. But he was seeing more. Much more. He was hoping that they wouldn't be just friends for too much longer. And while he wanted to be hers so badly, if she didn't want to be his he wouldn't push it any further. It would hurt for awhile, but he just wasn't willing to give up a friend like her over something like an attempt at a romantic relationship. If she turned him down when he asked, he would be okay with it.

That question was a little while off from being asked though. He didn't want to put her in that position, not after what she'd just gone through. She needed time to figure things out and straighten out her feelings and emotions before he dropped a bomb like that on her head. But when she told him that he could kiss her, all these emotions of his began to creep and bleed into his practicality, and his mind was made up.

He put a hand gently on the side of her face, and leaned up, his lips meeting hers softly once again, just as they had so long ago at Daniel's party in the closet. But this time wasn't just short and sweet, it wasn't a nervous, fleeting kiss. He was confident in his feelings for her, and he wanted to prove it. While he was aware and knew that he couldn't and shouldn't go too far, he wasn't going to waste this opportunity either.

It was so strange, how it felt so right when they kissed. Even way back in the closet, that brief little kiss had felt...right. He never slipped her the tongue, he never touched her in a way that she wouldn't like or want, but it was a far more intimate and passionate kiss, a kiss like he'd never given to anyone before, and something he never wanted to give to anyone else.

His heart sped up as it would for anyone naturally, and he found himself wrapping his arms around her body once again, still aware enough to not hold her too tightly so she wouldn't feel trapped. He'd never, ever felt this sort of passion and love for anyone before in his life. Each beat of his heart sent a shock wave through his chest and down into his stomach, one that oddly hurt but at the same time was addicting.

He was passionate, but gentle. Nothing about this kiss said forced, but it was stronger than anything else he'd ever done. The longer they kissed, the more and more he felt like he couldn't escape. He couldn't stop, he couldn't pull away. He knew he should, but it felt good.

I can't stop. he thought to her in a plea for help. I don't want anything more to happen, please stop me. He hoped that she heard him, he hoped that she wasn't too caught up in her own emotions. Because one of them had to be strong, and he was noticing very quickly that he wasn't the strong one. He didn't like pushing things onto other people, but this time it was all on her. He was someone who'd lacked love for years, someone who yearned for it deeply, and kept those feelings locked and hidden away. Once they were released, once he felt how beautiful it was, it was so hard to pull away. So hard to stop and lock them back up in the dark. The last thing that entered his mind before they stopped was,

I'm going to be in so much trouble.

It was becoming broader and broader, but she couldn't stop it. A gentle warm feeling spread through her, because love couldn't be killed. If it was real love nothing would stop it. Kai was already so close to him, that she couldn't curl up any closer. She felt a few happy relieved tears roll down her cheeks. He didn't think any worse of her, and she was ridiculously pleased that he wanted to protect her. She was glad that he was spelling it out for her, because even though she was a mind reader, she had been oblivious.

She knew that real love was more than the feeling, and Eric had never done anything that she would consider unloving. It was nice that he felt comfortable to tell her that, and he didn't seem nervous at all. He moved her hand to his chest, and her smile became a little shy one as she felt his heart beat. What he was saying made her want to impulsively kiss him. Instead she tightened her hug for a moment, "Thank you Eric." With her parents she often took their love for granted, but she could knew that this was a very serious gift given to very few people.

"I love you too," she told him with a little smile. She wasn't love starved, so her feelings weren't quite as strong as his, but she knew that she did love him. She couldn't even pinpoint exactly what she was thankful for. She found it hard to believe that he had never felt as strongly about someone as her. Little ole her had somehow captured his heart. She knew that somehow they were more than friends, but they hadn't labeled their relationship yet.

She wasn't sure how that worked out or what it meant. She knew she wanted that relationship, but she realized that she had a lot of things she needed to figure out. She wasn't sure how much time she would need or what she needed to figure out, but there was a huge jumble of stuff to work on. At this point she had moved back so that she was near his face again. A bit shamelessly her gaze darted between Eric's eyes and his lips. She was waiting for him and waiting for some sign.

A ripple of anticipation and excitement went through her as he put his hands on either side of her face. She put her hands on his neck and jaw and moved forward to meet him. There was no awkward banging to dispel the moment. It happened smoothly and gently. At first she waited for him to see what he was going to do. She was surprised at how confident he felt. There was no hesitation or fear, and there was only a strong certainty. It wasn't uncertain and timid like the first time, and this one lasted.

When she was sure it wasn't going to be a peck like last time, she returned it in her own gentle way. It surprised her how right this felt. This was where she was supposed to be. This was where she had wanted to be. She found herself trying to move closer. This was communicating their feelings better than words. It was much different than it had been with Daniel. The same emotions hadn't been there, and this time she wanted it. Above all she could tell that she had the choice to end it, and she just had to pull away.

As they kissed it began to take on a different feel, and she could feel little red flags being raised. She could feel that this was his vent for all of the years that there hadn’t been love. It had all of the desire for being loved and to love someone. It wiped away any minor little feelings that Daniel might have been able to raise with his experienced kisses. It felt good and she didn’t want to stop, but she could feel them approaching some invisible line, and she wasn’t sure what would happen once they crossed.

When he began to speak in his mind, at first she was ignoring his thoughts, because she was so caught up in the feelings. For a moment she waited not wanting it to end. Her eyes widened as she understood what he was saying. She had been enjoying it, and she probably wouldn’t have pulled away if she hadn’t been scared. It was harder to stop even with fear telling her to stop. Finally, she gathered herself together and pulled her mouth away. She embraced him glad to have felt his love, but she was trembling a little.

She hadn’t realized how easy it was to get caught up in the feelings, and she was scared of what could have happened. This night was something she would think about for a long time. After that kiss she wasn't sure if she could count the other ones with Eric. She wondered if maybe it was a good thing that Daniel had happened. She might not have pulled away from Eric and then where would they be. She could feel his emotions running rampant.

It was beautiful and she was glad to have experienced some of it, and that she could feel his feelings. She didn't want to release it entirely yet. Perhaps not such long extended kisses, but she wanted a few more. She knew that it hadn't been enough time for their feelings to cool down, and if she kissed him again, it would defeat the purpose of pulling away. She relaxed against him. She felt his last thought.

I'm going to be in so much trouble.

She was going to have to tell her mother about all of that. It might have helped her fears more, if they hadn't begun to lose control at the end of the kiss. It showed her that they weren't near as scary, when done with the right person. She would still be able to look forward to it, as long as it was the right person. What scared her was that even if they had the best intentions they still lost control. Her body was still urging her to kiss him, but she didn't move. She hoped that she wouldn't have to pull her body away from him, because she was still enjoying the closeness of being together. She wanted to ask Eric what had happened, but she wasn't sure if he had the answer. She was beginning to think that they needed to go home before something else happened.

Eric opened his eyes as she pulled her lips away, and while he never wanted it to end, he was gratefully screaming internally that she'd heard him. He hadn't wanted to cross any more lines than he already had, and he was so grateful that she'd heard his plea. She embraced him in another hug, and he could feel her body trembling. He was too, a bit scared at the fact that he'd been so deeply entranced. He never thought how strong emotions like this could be, and while he'd struggled with a few things relating to this in middle school, he'd never quite understood why everyone was always talking about it.

But he knew now.

He knew now, and he was glad he knew. Because now that he did, he knew what his body felt like when nearing that border, and he'd be able to work on self control whenever he felt that feeling creeping up on him. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and he tried to calm himself down by doing so. He ran his hands up and down her back in that comforting tickle again, trying to part his mind from the experience. He'd never wanted to go further than that in his life, not before now. But now that he'd graced the tip of that iceberg, he wanted more. So much more. But he was happy to wait for it.

Especially if waiting and doing things right would result in that experience being with her someday. He closed his eyes again, holding her tightly in his arms. She was relaxing up against him, and once again he never wanted to leave. He didn't want to disturb her. It was comfortable.

"Thank you," he whispered to her. Those two words meant several different things for him. He was thanking her for hearing him, for pulling away, for letting him kiss her, for being friends with him to begin with, for waiting for him to ask her to prom. He couldn't really imagine life without her in it now, even though he'd lived so many years without her by his side. It was hard to believe how quickly they had become friends, and how quickly he'd fallen for her. His tiny, petty little crush had turned into something much more very, very fast.

He'd fallen hard.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop." His voice was soft, as always. "I didn't mean for that to..." he trailed off, starting to panic a little bit. What would her parents say? Why, oh why did she have to tell her mother about this?! Surely he would be not allowed to spend any time alone with her after this. What had he done? Maybe he shouldn't have asked to kiss her, maybe this was all just one giant mistake. Had he seriously blown things to crap again?!

"I'm such a mess," he breathed, smiling to himself in the dark. He took one hand off of her back so he could push his hair out of his face. "I'm sorry you have to deal with it." He chuckled softly, placing his arm back over her. He didn't know what time it was, but he was sure it had been at least an hour since they left the building, perhaps a little more. As much as he didn't want to, he knew he should probably get up and start driving her home. He didn't want anything else to happen, and he knew her parents were probably a bit worried that they hadn't recieved a text from their daughter saying everything was fine.

It wasn't fine, it hadn't been fine. But everything was a little better now. He held on to her body tightly with one arm, and with the other pushed himself up into a sitting position, his shoulders leaning up against the back door. He randomly remembered the moment she'd tried to help him up off the floor the first day he'd come to her house, and how she'd toppled on top of him. How awkward that had been for the both of them. Now look at them. Here they were, just a couple of months later, sitting in the backseat of his car, her body draped over his and his arms wrapped around her tightly.

He couldn't help but smile at it. "You know..." he said after a bit, a small smile on his face. "After the course of this night...I don't think prom is really worth it, do you?" He gently lifted her chin so she could meet his gaze, his bright eyes sparkling in the dim light. "Except for ya know...this part of it." He gave her a playful grin and touched his nose to hers before giving her one last quick kiss on the lips. It was brief, short, and simple. Nothing that could spark anything more.

"I should probably take you home now." he said quietly. But even after saying that, they continued to sit in each others arms for a couple more minutes. Even though he may have started to slip a little too far when kissing her, he still was happy. He felt better now, more relaxed and happy. He started chuckling for no reason, sitting here with her in the dim lighting, and that chuckling turned into laughter.

He didn't know why, but he was just...happy. Happy to be with her, happy that they'd had this moment together. He didn't know what was so funny, so if she asked he couldn't give an answer. He was tired enough that almost anything could seem funny regardless anyway. After a small moment of that, they STILL hadn't moved. Knowing that they needed to, he decided to do something to get her off in a playful flirty way without being sad about it.

He tickled her sides for a second, so she'd squirm enough to let him get his legs out from underneath her. He giggled and twisted back around to how one was supposed to be sitting in a car. He smiled at her and pushed the door open, reaching out a hand to her before sliding out. He walked her around to the passenger side, let her in, then got into the drivers seat.

"Okay," he breathed, taking a deep breath and letting it out before sticking the key in and starting the engine. The fun was over, and now he would have to start mentally prepping himself for how he was going to tell her parents what had happened and why they were home early.

He spoke with her on the way back, still lightly teasing her and such to keep her mood at least somewhat happy because he knew the stress would be returning soon.

Once they reached her house, he pulled up and stopped the car. He shut it off and found himself just looking up at the house for a moment. He looked over at her, all teasing and joking now being shoved aside as a more mature expression took over his face. He was starting to get nervous again. He helped her out and walked her up to the front door. After a brief moment of hesitation, he lifted his hand and rang the doorbell.