I continued to march, trying to find the way out of here. Nicky and Milo were beside me again.

“Pepper Ann.”
“Yeah, Nicky?”
“Maybe Craig had a reason why Trinket and Cissy had to be there?” she reasoned.
“Besides, PA,” Milo said, tossing his baseball he had up and down, “Rare do you see them with Craig, if at all. Maybe there was just something important for them to ask Craig about.”
“Yeah, and I think know what it is,” I replied, thinking the worst.
“Maybe you’re a bit unreasonable, Pepper Ann,” Nicky said.
“Yeah, PA,” Milo agreed, “Things aren’t really what they seem to be. Maybe Craig has his reasons.”

Anyway, we continued moving, and I finally saw the in the distance. Yes! It’s the exit out of the park.
I looked at the people around. Their faces were still colored with laughter and happiness. Families, children, and friends move from all directions within the park and I’m in the middle of it all.
Lucky them!

“Uh, Pepper Ann,” Nicky tapped my shoulder, “Don’t look now, but Craig is right behind us.”
I looked behind anyway and there he was.
Before, I was really eager to see him.
Now, the fiery feelings inside me just make me want to get AWAY from him.
So, I then moved faster than usual. They did the same.
As we moved faster, I saw Craig move faster too but he’s still gaining on us.
I have to get away from him, I have to move faster, I have to…

“Hey, PA,” I heard Craig’s voice behind us.

Oh no! Too late!
I stopped. So did Milo and Nicky. No use getting away from Craig now.
Now I’ll have to listen to his “boring” explanation, if there is any.

“PA, “ Milo pleaded, “You have to talk to him!”
“I guess so.”
“Don’t worry, Pepper Ann, “ Nicky assured me, “We’ll be over there to play a game of catch again, okay?”
“Okay,” I lightly nodded.

Milo and Nicky started to play catch not far off from where I am. They were far from earshot. On the other hand, their eyes were on me and…

“Hey, PA,” I heard Craig’s voice again, now just right behind me.

I turned around.

“Oh! It’s you Craig,” I replied with sarcasm.
“Huh? What happened, PA? I was looking for you.”

Should I pretend I didn’t see them together?
Nope, since he’d ask me why I’m running away from him. That would be hard to answer.
I felt that I should tell him. It was the only way. Besides, I’d just be myself in telling the truth.
The fires continued within me.v I put them all together.
All the fires, flames, and everything that flared up in me, I had put them all together in one big hot mass. I felt like a mad volcano, ready to erupt.
Here I go. I let it all out.
3, 2, 1…

“I ASSUMED that YOU had fun with Trinket and Cissy back there, huh?”

There! I said it! That didn’t seem so hard!
But come to think of it, this was my first argument with Craig.
As I expected, he was silent. I knew he would be. Now he has to give me a very tall tale to get out of this one.
I waited and sure enough…

“PA,” he calmly replied, “Things aren’t what they seem to be.”

“Yeah,” I said with my arms crossed, “I heard THAT before!”

He then paused. I guess he’s just buying some time.

“I’m serious, PA.”
“Yeah?” I said.
“I really did come alone. Then, they saw me.”
“Yeah? Then, they hugged you right,” I pointed out.
“Well, yeah…”
“I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!”
“But wait, PA! Before that, they sat with me. Then, they asked me…”
“Let me guess, Craig: ‘Which among us do you like more?’ isn’t it?“
“No, PA. It’s not that…”
“Then WHAT?”

I stomped my feet. I was really anxious to know.

“Well, they like this particular guy. They wanted to know how to talk to him. I said that they should just be themselves. Just to be friends with him at first. Then, Trinket said, ‘Thanks a million, Craig.’ Then Cissy said…”
“Yeah, yeah! I was there when I heard that!”
“Oh, I see,” he calmly said.

He doesn’t seem to contradict himself. That means he’s probably telling the truth.
But nope! He’s not off the hook yet…

“I have another question.”
“Shoot, PA!”
“How can you be sure that it’s not YOU that they’re talking about?”
“Well, they gave me his picture.” He got it from his pocket and gave it to me.
“Hey! I recognize him,” I said as I looked at the picture, “He’s part of your band, right?”
“Right, PA!”

Oh yes! THAT doused the flames inside me. What a relief!
I looked at Nicky and Milo who were still distant from us. They stopped playing catch.
Instead, they had made “thumbs up” signs on both of their hands. Their faces seemed that they’re trying to ask me if everything is okay.

“Hey Craig what’s that behind you?” pointing at a random spot.
“Where?”

As he turned his back, I secretly made a “thumbs up” sign to Milo and Nicky.
They jumped for joy and they hugged each other.
Craig turned to me again scratching his head.

“Where, PA?”
“Uh, I meant there!” pointing to Milo and Nicky.

As he turned to look to them, they are already playing catch again.

“Oh,” he said, “so there they are! Why are they here, PA?”
“Well,” I explained, “Nicky needs to go out more often.”
“I see,” he says, putting his hands into his pockets, “They’re cool, you know?”
“Yeah!”

I smiled. Then, he smiled too.
Craig and I started to stroll into the park. Milo and Nicky followed, playing catch along the way.

“Craig…”
“Yeah, PA?”
“I’m sorry I doubted you.”
“It’s okay, PA. At least you’re honest and you spoke your mind.”
“Yeah, you’re right!”

Both of us stood at a grassy part of the park. No one else was near us.
Craig and I saw Nicky. She ran hurriedly after the baseball again.
Too bad! The ball just rolled down the lake.
Craig and I laughed as Milo and Nicky were at the edge of the lake bickering on how they would get that ball back.
I’m sure they would think of something and then they would play catch again.

“Uh, Craig, since we’re here now, what was it that you were wanting to talk about yesterday?”

He shrugged his shoulders and he took a deep breath. Then, he spoke.

“We’ve been friends for some time now. Right PA?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking.”
“What about, Craig?”
“For some reason, whenever you came to our concerts…”
“Yeah?”
“I felt like singing even more.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah,” he said, “Whenever you’re around, I felt happy about it.”
“Really?”

He nodded. Then, he began to look around. His face seemed a bit reddish now. Oh no! What does this mean?
I looked around too and I saw that Milo and Nicky were playing catch again.

“What was it, Craig?”
“Oh it’s just that…”

He stopped. He took another deep breath.

“It’s just that… Oh never mind.”
“What, Craig?”
“You wouldn’t want to know…”
“Come on, Craig?” I assured him, “It’s okay.”
“Really, PA?”
“Really.”

He took another deep breath.
But this time, to my surprise, he slowly reached for my hand and held it gently.

“Well, it’s just that… this. For some reason, you’re pretty cool to hang around.”
“Really?”
“Really,” he said as he slowly reached and gently held my other hand.

Oh my! He’s holding both of my hands and I let him!
I began to blush myself.

“Uh, Craig?”
“Yeah, PA?”
“Well, does this mean that…”
“What PA?”

This is it! This is it! I’m about to ask my first loaded question.
Here goes nothing…

“You just implied that you…”
“Yeah?”
“You… like… me?”

He looked up in the air. Then he shrugged. Then he leaned a bit closer.

“Well, it’s not that I… really like you or anything… it’s just that…”

Oh no!
He doesn’t like me! He doesn’t like me! He doesn’t…

“…I love you, PA!”

I was silent, I was stunned, I couldn’t move, and I just couldn’t say a word. I just let those words echo in my mind.
I… I don’t even know what to say.
Instead of waiting for an answer, he had slowly put my hands and his together. Then, he kneeled on his right knee on the grass and looked deeply into my eyes.

“But soft! What light through yonder window…”

I looked down on my kneeling Romeo.
I… I still just couldn’t say anything. I really couldn’t say anything.
I just GOT to say something. Anything!
Okay, I got it!
Here goes nothing…

“Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou…”

All of a sudden, something had hit me hard at the back of my head. I was off balance.
I began to slip and I began to stumble towards Craig.
In that split second, I closed my eyes bracing for impact.
Ooof.
I felt we both hit the grass. I was on top of him.
I opened my eyes and the next thing I knew…
…my lips were on top of his!
Oh, I’m so sorry, Craig. It was an accident! Really! I didn’t mean to.
If it’s okay, I’ll just let go now…
Ugh, but I can’t. I felt that his left arm was actually around me. I also felt his right hand against the back of my head so I can’t let go.
Maybe he doesn’t mind this at all?
Well, if that’s so, then it’s GREAT! YAHOO!
It’s DEFINITELY OKAY with me!
It’s a GREAT feeling!
It’s just so wonderful! It’s just soooooo wonderful!
I never felt this before!
He likes it. I like it.
He likes me. I like him.
He loves me. I LOVE him!

“Are you two okay?” Milo said, “I threw the ball too hard by accident.”
“We’re honestly sorry.” Nicky apologized.

Instead of answering, I wrapped my arms around Craig and we held each other tighter than ever.

“Uh, guys,” Milo said, “I said, are you two all right? Uh guys? Guys? GUYS! I SAID, ARE YOU TWO ALL RIGHT? ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? Oh, man, what’s the use! Hey Nicky, I’d say these two lovebirds will be busy for awhile, right?”
“Yeah, Milo!”
“I think our job’s done here.”
“I agree.”
“So, Nicky, do you want to go out and eat? Same place.”
“Oh I’d love to, Milo.”
“Let’s go then, Nicky.”
“Okay!”

It was my first real kiss… and surely, Craig is now my first…
Well… you know?