“Come on, let’s go for a walk.”

“Okay,” Evan smiled.

“We’ll be back,” Serena threw over her shoulder.

“Evan,” Shane called, “we need to talk,” she told the teenager.

“Now?” Evan whined walking to the door.

“It can wait. But not for long.”

“Okay… when I come back?”

“Yeah, when you come back.”

Shane watched the girl disappear out the door.

“Well, now that The Kid is gone, get the board. I know tons of dirty words,” Alice smiled.

“Probably done some of them, too,” Tina laughed.

“Hey, I’m not the freak around her,” Alice said looking at Bette.

All eyebrows went up and Tina smiled to herself.

*****

“Serena, I don’t think I can walk any further,” Evan huffed holding her side.

“We’ve barely walked a mile,” she said stopping.

Turning around to face Evan, she saw the girl leaning forward bracing her hands on her knees. A light sheen of sweat had broken out on her forehead.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Serena quickly apologized standing next to Evan.

“I just need a minute… to rest.”

“Come. There’s a log we can sit on,” Serena said guiding Evan by the elbow.

“*****,” Evan breathed grabbing her side.

“What? What is it?”

“My side.”

“It hurts. I did that. When I landed on you from the bus jerking.”

Evan eased down on the log. Serena sat next to her and reached out to touch her ribs. With the sleights touch from Serena’s hand, Evan jumped.

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Hhmm,” Evan moaned.

“Maybe we should head back.”

“Can we sit here for a while longer?” Evan asked taking Serena’s hand.

“Sure.”

They sat side by side in silence enjoying the nature that surrounded them.

“It’s beautiful out here,” Serena said out loud.

“Almost as beautiful as you.”

No longer lost in mother nature, Serena turned to look at Evan ready with a compliment of her own. But what she wasn’t prepared for was the look of pure love and sincerity emitting from Evan’s eyes.

“I think you’ve made me speechless,” Serena said softly.

“Not completely,” Evan laughed, “but I can make that happen.”

Serena quirked her eyes with the thought of Evan’s promise.

Evan tried inching closer but stopped, hissing in pain. Without a word, Serena closed the small distance between them. She lifted Evan’s chin with a finger and kissed the middle of her forehead. Then the tip of her nose. The left eye. The right. Pausing, she waited a breath for Evan to open her eyes. Looking deeply into the girl chocolate orbs, Serena searched for the answer she had prayed for many years ago. And as the realness of it traveled to the surface, Serena felt her heart quicken. She had finally found what she had always hoped for… honesty. She dipped her head forward, capturing Evan’s lips lightly and then hungrily feeding her overwhelming emotions. As if thinking she was alone in the ephinany, Serena was surprised at Evan’s equal need to become apart of her.