| "AJ!" Kevin caught up to him right outside the hotel. "I told you not to go after her." He snapped. "She's never even told me what exactly happened. You're not going to be able to help. She won't talk about it with you." "I don't want to help." AJ snapped back. "I'm not trying to get her to tell me everything. All I want is to apologize, okay?" He started running after her again. Kevin wanted to keep after him, but he didn't. He knew AJ. When he set his mind to something, he was going to do it. No matter what. "Tara Anna!" AJ yelled. He was closing in on her. "Tara Anna, wait." She turned around and looked at him, then quickened her pace. "Please." He shouted. She stopped. Completely out of breath and sweaty, her dress dingy around the hem, where it had dragged on the ground, she looked at AJ. Her face was no longer made up like a pretty china doll, all her make up was smeared from her tears, and she was shivering in the cold. She looked so completely helpless and alone, that AJ couldn't help step up and wrap his arms around her. And, inspite of everything, she leaned into his chest and huddled against his body. "Tara Anna," he whispered to the top of her head. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you." She whimped. "I know." She said. AJ barely understood her, because she was speaking through her tears and into his chest, but he caught fragments of the words. "I'm sorry I ran away." AJ took her shoulders and guided her to a bench a few feet away. He sat down, and Tara Anna rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm just so sensitive about that. Ever since what happened to Micheal, all sex seems evil. And sex with out love just seems so bad that I can't even find the right words." AJ wasn't sure what to say. He never had to deal with anything like this before. He didn't know what to tell her. "I've never met anyone like you before." He said finally. Tara Anna sniffed and looked up. "What?" AJ laughed a little. "Sorry. That came out of no where." He wiped a peice of hair off her forehead with one of his fingers. "But I mean it. It's not every day you meet someone as pretty, and intersting, and fun, and sweet as you." She pulled away a little. "I'm not saying I want to have sex with you." He said quickly. Tara Anna laughed. "I think that would be a turn off to most women." She said, leaning back on his chest. "Well, I'm hoping you're not most women." He smiled down at her. "Look, whatever happened between you and Micheal, it shouldn't matter now. He's an asshole to do anything like that to you. But you can't give him the satisfaction of ruining your life." Tara Anna looked up at him in surprise. "I've never met anyone like you before, either. That was amazing. You always know exactly what to say. And it's like, with you, I'm not as worried about touching and stuff. You make me go back to the person I was before Micheal." "No one's ever said anything that meant so much to me before." AJ told her sincerely. She smiled up at him. "No one's ever said anything that meant so much to me, either." She told him. "That thing you said about Micheal. I don't think I'll ever forget that." "I know I'll never forget you." Tara Anna told him. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, and looked away. "What?" AJ asked. "What were you going to say?" "I was going to ask you something." She said softly. "What was it?" Her eyes met his. "I was going to ask if I could kiss you." She whispered. AJ looked down at her. What he'd seen in her in the last few minutes was a total change. A complete metamorphasis from a cute girl into a beautiful woman. And something else about her had changed, too. She didn't look like shit any more, despite her hair and dress and make up. She was nothing short of striking. AJ didn't bother answering her question. He leaned in, and touched her lips to his. She tensed up ever so slightly, but then returned his kiss, however hesitantly. "Thanks." She whispered, breaking their contact. AJ grinned down at her. "Any time." He assured her, raising his eye brows suggestivly. Tara Anna giggled, and hit his lightly. She leaned on his chest again, and she took a strand of hair between his fingers, braiding it into a thick plait while she talked. "I'm going to try to live my life again." She said bravely. "I'm not going to let that stupid thing with Micheal screw me over any more." A little uncomfortable giggle. "No pun intended." AJ tightened his arms around her, and kissed her hair. "I'm going to try and be strong for you." She told him, looking up. "I'm going to make you proud of me." AJ felt himself bursting with pride. So Kevin was finally wrong about something. And out of all the people in the world, including her own family, Tara Anna had chosen AJ to open up to. This was the greatest feeling in the world. He stood up, and pulled her with him. They stood staring at each other for a second, then AJ squeezed her as tight as he could, and whispered down to her, "I'm already proud of you. Her voice was soft and melodoius as she answered, "I was hoping you'd say that." |