Sneaking out was a lot harder than I remember it being just a few years ago. I don’t know if I was out of shape, or if my seventeen year old self was just really that talented. Either way, I was breathing as if I was trying to escape under water.

Panting, I finally managed to climb down Spencer’s window and get to my car. And I’m almost positive I probably woke up half the neighborhood when I squealed from falling when I was five feet away from the ground.

I guess I could have just used the front door seeing as I was twenty two, but climbing out the window was so much more fun. Starting up the engine, I watched the vehicle roar to life as my body put it in reverse as if it were a natural reflex. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but I did know where to start looking. I figured there was only a handful of places she could be. So it shouldn’t be too hard to find her, or at least I hoped…

I don’t know who was more nervous about Spencer going to the picnic. I don’t think I got more than an hour of sleep last night. And when my eyelids did close, I woke up in a cold sweat screaming. This shouldn’t bug me this much, but it did.

“Just tell your dad you feel sick,” I tried to convince Spencer as we sat on her couch waiting for her date to get here.

“He’ll never buy it. Plus this picnic means a lot to him,” Spencer sighed slouching down farther.

“Then, then, then,” I rambled trying to get my brain to think or something, anything! Standing up, I started pacing around her living room. “Tell him you have to come to my house, because I’m,” I scratched my head trying to complete the idea.

“You’re what?” Spencer asked.

“I’m having a mental breakdown,” I finished enthusiastically. Making me look like I was crazy, not having a breakdown.

“You don’t look like you’re having a mental breakdown,” Spencer looked at me confused.

“But your dad doesn’t know this,” I assured her.

“You do realize you just talked to my dad five minutes ago right?” she asked me deflating all my hope.

“Um, I could go home, call you, and tell you my cat died.”

“You don’t have a cat,” she shot down yet another idea.

“Spencer, work with me here,” I sighed.

“Ash,” Spencer stated grabbing my arm and pulling me down onto the couch. “You’re making me dizzy with your pacing.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. But just face it, I can’t get out of it,” she sighed. Admitting defeat, I laid my head in her lap, and felt her gently push my hair behind my ears.

“I guess,” I replied loving the feeling of her finger tips brushing my face.

“I appreciate you trying though,” she assured me.

“Yeah,” I whispered feeling helpless. I didn’t want her to go.

“Besides I guess it’s just one date. It’s not like I’ll have to go out with him after this picnic again.”

“Yeah, he probably wont want a second date after he sees your face anyways,” I joked.

“Oh you are a jerk.”

“But it’s cause I care,” I explained hoping I wouldn’t get smacked.

“Yep, sure that’s what it is.”

“It is. I promi…” I started, but was interrupted by the sound of the door bell.

“I’ll get it,” Arthur announced as he came down the stairs fixing his tie. Sitting up on my elbows, I wanted to get a good glimpse of the ass hole I was dealing with here. But when Arthur opened the door, I wasn’t prepared for this.

Bewildered, all I could manage to stutter out was, “Aiden?”

So far I had checked the beach, the harbor, the park we used to hang out at when we couldn’t think of anything to do, and the parking lot of the old bowling ally. There was only one place left that she could be. Gritting my teeth, I knew this conversation was going to be hard. She would either let me in, or break down slowly on the inside, letting the fire extinguish behind those radiant blue eyes. I had to phrase everything just right, and no matter what happened, I can’t back down.