"What have you been thinking about all night Brooke?" Micheal astutely asked as they emerged from the movie theater into the dark night.

    "What do you mean?" She responded innocently, folding her arms across her chest.

    "I mean the fact that ever since this night started you've been somewhere else.  Can you even tell me what happened in the movie?"  His tone was polite, but pressing.  She could tell he wasn't mad, just curious as to why her behavior had changed so drastically since early this evening when they met.  Brooke sighed, she hadn't thought he noticed her distance, and she didn't even think she could tell him what movie they had seen, much less what happened in it.

    "I'm sorry Micheal.  I know I'm a little up in the clouds tonight.  It's a long story and I don't really want to get into it."  She shrugged.

    "That's fine." He said dejectedly, but continued.  " So what do you want to eat? Because I don't know about you but I am starving!" he smiled.  Brooke was relieved he hadn't pressed about what was bothering her tonight, it wasn't something she could talk about to anyone, much less someone she had only met today.  They both decided to eat at the small all-night diner that was about a block and a half from their apartment building, the movie had gotten out late and by the time they sat down and ordered their food it was almost one in the morning.

Brooke was starving, but food was the last thing she needed right now.  She stirred a french fry aimlessly in the small pool of ketchup on her virtually untouched plate of food as she stared into space.   Micheal tried to talk to her, but his efforts were futile,  she could feel his frustration and hoped he wouldn't end the date after they were done eating, or after he was done eating.    Micheal began to speak and she cringed at the thought of going home, but instead he suggested they take a walk, he obviously sensed correctly that she wasn't planning on eating the fries that sat before her.

 Brooke agreed to taking a walk, she didn't care what they were doing as long as she didn't have to go into that apartment, where she knew his letter lay on the floor.   She couldn't face reading that letter again or watching the clock all night, knowing he might be waiting for her, she just wanted someone to take her mind off things, even though Micheal had been unsuccessfully trying all night long.

 
    She and Micheal eventually stopped and sat down on a bench that was on the side of the street, the silence between them was awkward, neither of them knew what to say.   Brooke stared down at the ground while he leaned back on the bench looking up at the sky, she was convinced he had given up trying to make small talk.  He must think I'm the most boring human in the world, she thought glancing over at him.  She felt bad, this had turned out to be a horrible night for them to go out.  Hopefully he'll give me another chance, she thought as Micheal suddenly spoke.

    "Wow."  he proclaimed.

    "What?" She asked, looking over at him.  His hands were folded behind his head, leaning comfortably back on the bench.

    "Look up there." He said pointing to the sky.  Brooke looked up, nothing seemed out of place or particularly amazing to her.

    "I don't see anything." She said.

    "Just look how bright the stars are shining tonight." He said full of amazement, his comment sending her thoughts reeling to Kevin, of the things he had said to her before, of the necklace he had given her because of that moment and finally of the letter he had written her tonight.

        "When you walked out on my balcony that night it was like the stars shone brighter for me.  People don't feel that way every day ---- Brooklyn, you are my star, everything in my world is better now because of you. ---- Please come to my house tonight, the door will be open.  I'll wait for you, all night if I have to. "
 

    "Um I think we should get back now Micheal, it's getting really late." She said abruptly, standing up and walking briskly down the street.  He got up and followed, jogging a little to catch up with her, confused as to why what he said had made he bolt like that.  He finally caught up to her.

    "Brooke?  Is something wrong?  Did I do something, say something?" He wondered.

    "No I'm just tired, it's been a long day." She lied, as she practically ran down the street.
 

Micheal gave her a quick peck on the cheek as they finally reached her apartment, and Brooke said goodbye telling him to give her a call.   She watched him leave, giving a small wave before he turned up the stairwell.  Once he was gone, Brooke took off in the other direction,  running down the stairs, searching frantically in her purse for the car keys she was sure were in there.   Finally she found them as she emerged from the building, quickly getting in her car and speeding off down the street.
 

        Brooke  neared Kevin's house, it was almost three in the morning, and she still didn't know if she wanted to talk to him.  All she knew was Micheal's statement had brutally reminded her of Kevin, and she immediately felt the need to do what he had asked in the letter, she had to come, although coming here and actually talking to him were two different things.  She didn't pull into the driveway, instead choosing to park down the street and walk, her mind still wasn't made up.    She walked slowly and as quietly as possible down the driveway, her whole body tense with nervousness.

    "He's probably sleeping by now anyway." She said silently to herself, but noting at the same time there were lights still on in the house.   She arrived at the steps and walked up slowly and quietly, the heavy wood door was open, and a small screen kept out the summer bugs.  She glanced inside tentatively.

He was waiting for her.

    Tears immediately came to her eyes as she watched him pace back and forth in his living room.  Music was playing quietly, although from where she stood she couldn't tell what he was listening to.   Kevin hadn't seen her standing there and had moved to the couch, sitting down in a frustrated fashion, wringing his hands through his hair, and glancing at his watch every few minutes.   She watched him for awhile, even looking at him was hard for her, she had seen him once since that night in the cemetery, and that was two months ago.  Maybe this was a mistake, she thought, being near him is too complicated.  Drops rolled down her cheeks as she stood in the doorway,  and suddenly all her courage was gone, she needed to leave.

A loud creak sounded as she took a step back, and she watched as Kevin stood up and spun around, saddened eyes locking with hers.   Brooke was frozen still,  she wanted to turn and run, every part of her was terrified that he was going to say something hurtful to her again.  He didn't come closer, he seemed to be as frozen in the spot as she was.

    "I didn't think you were coming." he said meekly,

    "Neither did I." Se replied, holding back her emotion, thankful he couldn't see her tears through the screen door.

    "I'm glad you came Brooklyn."

    "Don't call me that." She cried angrily, a small choke of tears escaping.

    "What?"

    "Brooklyn....You can't just do that Kevin.  You can just hurt me the way you did and go right back to being the same way with me because you suddenly realized you were sorry."  She screamed, covering her face with a hand, trying to calm herself down.

    "Don't you think I know I hurt you." He said, stepping closer, but stopping as she held up a hand.

    "At least come inside." he begged.  She started to protest, but she didn't like talking to him through the screen door.  Stepping slowly inside, she stayed in the area of the door, not wanting to be too close to him.

    "Brooke.  I know I hurt you, and as much as I tried to deny it to myself, I know I need you near me.  I  don't want you to slip away from me anymore than I already let you."  She saw how red his eyes were.  Seeing his sadness was getting to her and she turned her head to avoid looking at him, painfully holding back her tears again.

    "I can't Kevin.  I can't go back. "  Brooke swallowed heard, her mouth was dry and emotional lumps were lodged in her throat.  "You killed something in me that night and I don't know if it's something I can ever get back."

Kevin dropped his head over her words, they were like a knife to his heart, and he desperately fought the tears she was evoking in him.

    "I couldn't take being hurt like that again.  Not by you!"  She finished, finally deciding to go.  She turned to leave as he raised his head.

    "Brooke please don't leave." He pleaded.  She didn't stop.
 

As her hand pulled open the door, the music that had been playing quietly in the room suddenly boomed loudly, stopping Brooke in her tracks, beckoning her to stop.
 

Boyz II Men's 'On bended knee' continued to play and she held tightly onto the door frame.  She didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry over the manner in which he had chosen to keep her from leaving, but as she turned around, the expression on his face squelched any laughter she had in her.  He stood before her, hand on the stereo, the most pained expression on his face.

    "Kevin." She said shaking her head, letting go of the door as he began walking closer.

    "Please Brooke!  I know I'm sorry isn't enough.  Please don't go."  He said as he stood in front of her, tears slipping from his eyes. "I'm sorry"  He cried, falling to his knees at her feet, his head pressed against her stomach.  "I'm so sorry Brooke."  His arms encircled her waist as he continued apologizing.

    "Kevin." She cried again, her hands on the sides of his head.
 

    "I don't want to lose you Brooke.  I don't want to live my life without you in it, not anymore, not ever.  I don't.  I can't.  I love you too much Brooke.  Oh God, I'm so sorry."  He cried, his voice muffled by her body, his tears soaking her shirt.  Brooke stepped back from Kevin, crying harder as she watched him look up at her, his face wet with tears and knowing too much damage had already been done, damage she didn't think anything could fix.

Brooke took another step back, shaking her head at the man who she had loved so completely, but who had broken her heart so badly.

    "I can't."  Brooke cried to Kevin, quickly opening the screen door and running as fast as she could to the car that sat on the side of the road, not turning to see if he had followed her, the music still playing in her ears.