• Chapter Nine!!!!!!!!!
    Sure as hell didn’t decide on my
    Death day!!!!!!!!
    I told Morgan to change into her pajamas and stand next to the stereo. I put on my pajamas and turned on the stereo extremely low, almost soundless. I knew that it was loud to us but it would be muffled to the others, who were sleeping, so they wouldn’t know what I was doing. I told Morgan to close her eyes and then got a small red and gold box no bigger than the round top of a soda can. I got down on one knee after putting the song ‘Here without You’ on by Three Doors Down.
    I started. “Morgan Johnson, in the light of this beautiful moon,” she opened her eyes and I paused as my heart started to beat faster “I tell you that I will always be here for you and will be happy with you forever with either choice you pick. As I stand before you and ask you the question that will intertwine our fates forever I want you to know that if you ever feel like letting go I will never let you fall, I’ll hold you till the hurt is gone, and as long as I can I’ll hold on with both hands ‘cause forever I believe there’s nothing I could need but you. With me you will never be alone. I ask you now… Morgan? Will you marry me?” I stop and stare into those still crystal blue-green eyes and she store back.
    “Robert… I love you. And you know I do. I just don’t think that getting married at the age of 18 is a good idea. I love you and promise to love you but now isn’t the right time. My dad would flip. I promise to marry you as soon as my eternal life kicks in. It hasn’t and I am starting to worry. Also I do not have a pack yet. I am not in one and…” she stopped and pulled me down to her level.
    The radio shut off and I carried her to the bed.
    “I was hoping that you and I could be in a pack… and maybe, just maybe, you would be the alpha?” I placed her on the bed and pulled the covers up so that I could only see her arms, shoulders, and head.
    I considered it and it seemed pretty reasonable to me. “Under one condition.” I paused and got down on one knee and in a second my entire throat went raw. “We will as soon as you marry me.” I promised getting into the bed next to Morgan. “I do love you and want this to be right. But since you haven’t frozen in time yet then we will wait till you do.”
    “Fine. But the thing is I don’t think that the person who bit me got deep enough and the venom didn’t settle so that’s why I didn’t freeze yet.” She said soothingly.
    “Then I shall bite you and you will freeze in time and we can be happy together forever.” I said rolling over onto my right side.
    I scooted up next to Morgan and she rolled over onto her left side. I wrapped my arms around her and she buried her head in my chest. We were both very warm and it just happened to be me who was the warmer one, so she pulled herself as close to me as she could get. She shivered and then fell asleep in my arms. I did what I said and took her hand in mine and she opened her eyes. I pulled her hand close to my face and studied it. There was a ring of six bite marks on the outside of it near her wrist. I traced it with my lips and then carefully placed my teeth over them. She gasped and squeezed her eyes closed. I pulled my face away from her and paused.
    “Please, Morgan, I cannot live without you and will not bite you and freeze you until you marry me.” I said placing my face on the top of her head. I whispered into her ear, “Please marry me Morgan. I need you. I will protect you forever as long as you are with me and love me back.” I said pulling the ring out of thin air. “This ring was my mothers.”
    The ring was 24 carat gold and had four middle sized diamonds on it. I pulled her hand near my chest and put it on her ring finger. She stared at it and a tear slid down her face,
    “I love you Robert and I promised that I will marry you when I can. How about this, we will be graduating in two weeks and I will marry you then but you have to freeze me on our honeymoon or else.” She said reburied her head in my chest and fell asleep.
    “Fine. Sleep well my princess. I will always dream about you and will be here for you always.” I said before falling asleep myself.

    We woke up at, almost, the same time and I made my move.
    “So, Morgan, will you marry me? I promise to love you as long as all eternity. Please marry me.” I paused and looked into her eyes and like Michael had said about her mother, even though they had different colored eyes, it was like you were standing on the edge of the world.
    “Yes, Robert, I will.” She answered looking back into my eyes.
    I froze and stopped breathing. I stopped breathing and did nothing. I leaned in and she did too. I froze and whispered into her ear, “Well this is your last day as Ms. Johnson so live as though you were human.”
    She pulled me in closer and leaned in. She kissed me on the mouth and pulled me down onto the bed. It took a moment for everything to register in my thick head but finally it did. I remembered telling Morgan to live today like a human and that’s what she was doing… living like her last day as a human. She pulled me as close as I could possibly get and placed her hand on my chest. I noticed that she was reaching for the buttons on my shirt and then noticed what she was trying to do.
    “Morgan now is mature. I know that I told you to live today like it was you’re last as human but this…” I leaned in and kissed her back.
    She successfully unbuttoned my shirt and was paralyzed by the thought of my chest. She locked her hands in my hair and started kissing me back. I was absolutely stunned too.
    “Morgan stop it right now. I refuse to do this and now of all…” I froze hearing the sound of breathing outside of my door.
    I threw on my shirt and pulled myself away from Morgan while getting the door. I paused at the door and listened to the others on the opposite of the door.
    “Enzo stop it now, I’m going to fall through the door!”
    “Casey knock it off!”
    “Naomi stop it now or I’ll be the one to push you though the door!”
    The voices murmured on the other side if the door. I pulled the door open and my four siblings fell through the door way tumbling on top of each other.
    “Hi guys what are you doing? I really don’t want to know but I figured I should ask.” I questioned.
    Enzo covered for them and answered my question “Well you know Rob we were just… ugh… just standing by the hall closet… um yeah there is no way to explain this is there?”
    “No not really. There is no possible way that you will be able to stop me from trying to kill you either!” I said taking off after Enzo.
    I sprinted down the stairs after Enzo and changed into a wolf in mid air. He changed as soon as he hit the last stair. We tore at each other and then changed into our human forms laughing like nothing had happened in the first place. I inhaled and felt a sharp shooting pain in my spine. I held my breath thinking that the less air I took in the less it would hurt. I was wrong. It got worse every second and soon I was in the hallway again.

    I ran and finally got to the light source. I touched it and it glowered. I noticed that it had my name written on it. It was an hour-glass. There were only a few grains of sand left in the top. The last one fell and I noticed that it was my life… that was what all the grains represented the days I lived. I had officially died… I would never see Morgan… again.

    End of Part One!

    Morgan

    Chapter One!
    I can officially die now!

    I raced down stairs where Vincenzo was kneeling next to the fallen Robert.
    “What did you do to him!? Vincenzo what happened?” I yelled as I approached them.
    “I’m not quite sure. I think he fainted. He just held his breath and collapsed. Naomi go get Godric, we need him.” Vincenzo demanded.
    I gripped Robert’s shirt and pulled him up. I locked my arms around him and pulled him up to the couch. I placed him there and sat on the arm near his feet.
    Naomi appeared in the doorway with Godric just seconds after I laid him there.
    He looked like an angel lying there, just so peaceful and perfect. Like at that moment everything really was perfect. It was like he was put there because he was meant to lie there. But… I was supposed to be there with him. We were meant to lie together until all eternity… until the sun burned us to the ground. I missed him and he was only there for two minutes.
    “Morgan… it will be okay. He will be fine. Godric will help him.” I felt two warm arms wrap themselves around me. “He will be fine don’t worry. Shh.” Vincenzo was trying to comfort me.
    I heard someone crying and sobbing. I got cold and noticed that the crying was coming from me.
    Vincenzo was right he would be okay. Everything will be better in no time. He will sit up and wrap his warm and comforting arms around me.
    It got a lot warmer and I thought that he was awake again. The pair of arms wrapped around me was not Robert’s they were Vincenzo’s. I didn’t want anybody other than Robert right now. The world would stop rotating any time now. I knew it. I let sobs generate from my chest again and couldn’t stop myself. Was he… dead? Another sob escaped me.
    “Morgan it will be fine. Please stop crying. He will be up any time now.” Vincenzo said wrapping his arms around me tighter.
    I pulled my eyes closed and started crying again. If only dad were here now. I placed my head on his chest as if it were he who was lying on the couch and not Robert. As if I were in Robert’s arms. I tried to open my eyes but it seemed that it was impossible. I didn’t want to open my eyes and see Robert lying on the couch unconscious. I wanted his arms wrapped around me. I wanted him no one else just… him.
    “Morgan come here. Let me talk to you. Morgan come here sweet heart. It will be fine. He will be alright.” Shamus said pulling me from Vincenzo arms.
    I broke into tears again. This was the worst day ever… Robert was not here to talk to me and comfort me. After all it was his Birthday. Dead… on his birthday? Was that even possible?
    I pulled open my eyes and pushed away from Shamus. Nothing could ever make this day good. It was like the world was going to end today. I was going to die. Today was the day I die. I had just made it official. I would die and go to see him… in heaven.
    “Morgan… come here I want to talk to you. It’s about Robert. Please come here sweet heart.” Godric beaconed.
    I followed his voice as I wiped my tears off with my sleeves. His arms wrapped around me and led me into the dining room. I could almost see through the tears that filled my eyes. They spilled over and Godric pulled me close and I buried my face in his shirt. I couldn’t control my tears as they spilled over onto his shirt soiling it. The day was getting worse.
    “Morgan… I love you. Please stop. You need to understand this. He will not come back. I don’t know what Vincenzo and Shamus told you but-” I cut Godric off.
    “He’s dead!” I sobbed.
    “Shh. Please stop crying sweet heart. Please. We will help you through this. Don’t worry.” Godric started.
    A knock on the door stopped my loud sobbing.
    “Hello? Is anybody home? It’s Barabus, Robert’s friend.” The voiced called.
    I wiped my tears off with my sleeve again and ran to Barabus’ voice, clumsily. I ran up to him and took the package that he held in his hands and pushed him out the door without saying a word to him.
    “Morgan? What’s going on? Are you okay? Where’s Robert? What’s going on? Please tell me. I need to know. Why are your eyes red? Were you crying? Is everything okay?” Barabus begged pulling my hands close to his chest.
    I broke into tears and sobbed into his shirt. He pulled me close to him and I couldn’t help myself. I just sobbed and cried until there were no tears left in me.
    He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me as close to him as he could get me. I wrapped my arms around him too. He stroked my head like Robert had. All the memories appeared in my head forcing me to cry again.
    Morgan. I will come back and save you. Love Barabus now and I will return and save you. Please listen to me. I miss you.
    I heard his voice in my head and missed him so much and didn’t want him to leave me. I sobbed and Barabus buried my head in his chest. His cold arms enveloping me.
    We went inside and called some friends, after discussing what had happened earlier that day, and decided on seeing an action movie. We picked the Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. We asked Vincenzo, Casey, Naomi, and Shamus, but only Shamus wanted to come. In the end the only people going besides us were Danny and Shamus. In ‘secret’ Danny had a crush on me and he didn’t know I knew that.
    Danny was a tall and skinny blonde haired basketball player. He had no one in his family that had played sports before him. His parents owned the sporting goods store down town and that was as close to sports as they were going to get.
    Barabus, on the other hand, was built a lot like Robert. The differences were that he had red hair and pale skin that was always the same color. He had dark eyes that looked like looking into a lake at night… but they were gorgeous. He had abnormally long canine teeth, but most people ignored that fact. His dark eyes glinted as we got into his Nissan Centurion. It was impressive. He was 17 and looked taller than 6 foot 3 inches. Was he still growing? Did he grow since the last time I saw him?
    I ignored the thought.
    We met Danny at his parents store at noon and caught the movie at 12:45. About an hour into the movie Danny was green so Shamus took him to the bathroom, and then home. I just couldn’t concentrate enough to watch the movie, because all I could think about was Danny feeling bad.
    “Morgan… do you like me?” Barabus asked on the way home.
    “What do you mean? Like you? Like a friend or… more.” I asked.
    “More… like you liked Robert. I mean more than you like that dork throwing up his brains at home.” He said.
    “Well more than Danny but… more like a brother. Not like a… a boyfriend. No.” I answered as he wrapped his gangly arm around my shoulder.
    “Okay. Just more than Danny makes me feel better.” He said.

    He drove me to Robert’s house and we were silent the whole time.
    “I’ll see you tomorrow at two and maybe we can try that movie by ourselves.” He said as I got out.
    “Yeah. Bye.” I said as I entered the door.
    Chapter Two!!
    Yeah Right!!
    “So do you feel any better?” Shamus asked as I walked in the door.
    “No, not really. Now Barabus thinks I love him because Robert isn’t around.”
    “How was the movie?”
    “Is that what we were supposed to be seeing? All I saw was Danny throwing up.”
    We walked up the stairs and Naomi sat in the shadow of the door to Robert’s room staring at me. Casey jumped out and yelled “BOO!” as I turned the corner.
    “Let’s go in my room and give each other a makeover.” She said pulling me into her room.
    I broke into tears as we sat down on her bed. I sobbed and cried until there were no liquids left in me. The day got better and then ten times worse in only an hour and a half.
    “He’s dead, Casey. He’s gone forever! He’s pushing up daises!” I sobbed.
    “Stop being so positive, Morgan!” She paused. “Don’t cry Morgan. It will be fine. Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.” Casey said scooting up next to me.
    A sob erupted from my chest and I heard his voice again and this time felt his arms wrap themselves around me.
    Please stop crying Morgan. I need you to stop crying and listen to me. This will be over soon. You will heal. Please don’t remember me. Forget that I existed and love Barabus like he were me.
    His voice soothed me and stopped the river of tears from flowing any further.
    Morgan. Love him and leave me…
    The tears flowed again and Barabus busted through the door scooping me up in his arms.
    He smelled of… vinegar and rust. The smell bugged my nose. He held me close to him as he walked me through the house and out the door. He put me down and we walked through the woods outside of Robert’s, or should I say what used to be Robert’s, house.
    It was amazingly beautiful and seemed like that every second seemed to last longer than it really did.
    He intertwined his fingers in mine and his hand was freezing cold, even colder than ice. Unlike Robert whose entire body was one hundred and nine degrees all the time… except for now? Now even his body was as cold as ice. Robert was dead though. Anyone that was dead was as cold as ice… after all that was normal.
    As we walked he started humming. It was beautiful. Almost like the world would stop and listen to just him… him and his tune.
    We walked for as long as it took me to stop crying.
    “Well. Are you feeling better now?” He asked pulling me in close to him.
    “No not really. But thanks for asking. What are you? I mean you are as cold as ice and heard me crying from… Wait. Where were you when you heard me crying?” I started.
    “I was right here where we are right now… three miles away from the house.” Barabus said.
    “You smell. Like… vinegar and rust. Are you a… this will sound silly but are you a... a vampire?” I asked pulling away from him but still leaving our fingers intertwined.
    “Are you a were-wolf? You smell like…” he sniffed my shoulder. “Like salt and old shoes.”
    “Hey I asked first. You answer.” I said probing the question at him again.
    “Let’s keep walking. I want to show you something.” He said picking me up in his arms and running with me there.
    He ran almost as fast as I did. Then he picked up speed. We must have been going the speed of light. We appeared in a small meadow in a very quiet and remote area.
    We were surrounded by a ring of trees and the sun was directly above us. He put me down and walked out to the middle of the meadow. His dark eyes glinted. At that moment the world froze and I felt an overwhelming amount of love for the boy standing in front of me. His eyes were shining as bright as stars.
    “You are a vampire!” I cried as I ran out to him and pushed him back. “You know we aren’t supposed to talk. Are there others of you? Do you belong to a coven?”
    “No. Just me. For now.” He said. “Do you still love me?”
    “What do you mean!? Love you. I was meant to be with Robert. You know that.” I said.
    “No I don’t know that. But what I do know is that you do love me… and more than you know too.” He said stepping out of the light and taking off at light speed.
    He appeared before me again a few seconds later.
    “Don’t pretend you don’t love me. You even know you do.”
    “Only too much Barabus. I’m only human.” I said as he intertwined our fingers again.
    “Let’s get you home. It’s getting late.” He said trying to pick me up.
    “No. Let’s race home. GO!” I shouted taking off at light speed before he could register any of it.
    We ran and I tripped over a few tree roots but all in all we were pretty even. Robert wouldn’t have let me run. It felt good to have the wind flow through my hair. The sweet scent of flowers and a new fallen rain blew past my face as I ran. Is this what freedom felt like? Had I forgotten this feeling? As if running for my life as a normal person with dad again was too hard to ask.
    Freedom felt good. Having it back after all that time without it was like seeing him standing in front of me again. Like nothing had happened. Perfect again… forever in harmony.
    We reached the door of the house and Vincenzo, Casey, and Shamus met us at the door.
    “I’ll see you tomorrow at 2 o’clock sharp. We’ll try the movie again.” I said leaving Barabus out on the porch.
    “Bye, Morgan. Feel better tomorrow. I miss you already.” He said walking to his car.

    As we sat down to dinner that night I heard his voice and this time couldn’t control the destructive feeling I got in the pit of my stomach.
    Morgan. Wait for me in my room and I will save you tonight. I will help you sleep and comfort you.
    I pushed my hands up to my temples and let out a yell of longing and misery.
    “Morgan!” All I heard was Vincenzo and Shamus’s voices as I fell over and fainted.

    I woke up with a pair of ice cold arms around me and didn’t bother to turn over and see if it were him.
    “Good morning sleepy head. Or should I say ‘well after noon.’” The voice said.
    I broke into tears and still didn’t turn over to see his face. The pain overwhelmed me. As soon as I stopped he turned me over and pulled me into his chest.
    “I know it hurts Morgan. You need to forget that he’s gone. I lost my parents and everyone else in my family. How do you think I felt?”
    “I want the world to end. Nothing is worth it anymore. The pain and suffering just hurts so much. This isn’t worth anything. I didn’t deserve him to begin with.”
    “No Morgan. I’m still here. I still need you. Please don’t leave me.” He whispered into my ear, his cold breath running down my neck.
    I shivered. If only he were here right now. He would know what to do.
    His voice came again.
    Morgan. He’s right. Forget me. Like you said I’m gone…probably forever too.
    Life was bad. No wrong… life was horrible.
    “You know that I can hear everything you are thinking right?”
    “Drop dead.” I stated.
    “No. Not as long as you are living I won’t.”
    “Then I’ll die.”
    “Now, Morgan that is the farthest thing from necessary. We all miss him. We know you need him.”
    “I was spoiled. I didn’t deserve him.” I said letting a sob escape me.
    Yes you did. You deserved me as much as I did you.
    That was wrong. I didn’t deserve him but he wanted me.
    “Do you deserve me?” He asked.
    “Go away. I need to be alone.” I told him pushing him away.
    “No. That’s the thing you need the least right now.” Barabus said.
    A memory burned in my mind.

    “Do you need a ride?” Robert asked.
    “Sure. I thought that you’d be out of school though.” I said getting into his Volkswagen bug.
    “Nope I missed you too much. How could I go the week and the weekend without you?”
    “So if I say that I missed you too, would that mean that we are dating?” I asked.
    “Why? You already know more about me than most people do. I’d say we were from the start.” He said taking one hand off the wheel and clasping it around my hand.
    The memory ended.

    I sobbed into Barabus’ chest again.
    His face… his perfect face. How much did I really miss him? Too much!
    Chapter Three!!!
    Return of the Were-wolf. Does that mean this is a movie??? I certainly hope it’s not one of those corny ninja movies!!!

    Barabus and I camped out in our special meadow for two days and then I finally had almost gotten over the tragic death of my loved one. We sat in the sun talking and listening to each other’s lives. Mine seemed to be absolutely fascinating to Barabus. As if it was like someone reading a book to him.
    “Well I built you something… follow me.” He said after I had finished my life.
    He brought me to a small opening tinier than the meadow we camped in. In the tiny clearing there was a sheet on top of two things that were a little taller than my waist.
    “Go ahead. Pull the sheet off.” Barabus said pushing me in front of him.
    I pulled the sheet off and under it were two motor cycles. One bike was red and the other bike was blue.
    “You built these!? Let’s ride them now!” I said as I got up on the red one and pretended to rev the engine.
    “Okay. You should really get a helmet first.”
    “I’ve got a thick head.” I insisted.
    “Do you know how to ride?”
    “Nope but I’ll catch on sooner than later.”
    “Sounds good to me.” He said throwing me the keys and kick starting his bike.
    At first I didn’t do badly until I heard his voice.
    Morgan is you crazy?! Stop it now. You’ll get yourself killed!
    I ignored the voice and went as fast as I could. Flying down the path going 100 miles per hour on a motorcycle! Dad would kill me if he knew what I was doing. Thank god he wasn’t here right now.
    Blasphemy! I thought. That’s exactly what he’d say! Or would granddad say that?
    I drove into a few trees and the last time the bike wouldn’t kick start so we called it quits.
    “You aren’t too bad for your first time ever on a bike. We should do this again. Let’s pack up and get you back to the big bad puppy dog’s house.” He said as we arrived at the camp.
    “Okay.” I said happily.
    I skipped all the way back home and bid fare well to Barabus at the door as he took off at light speed again.
    “Morgan…”
    I turned around expecting to see Shamus or Vincenzo but it was the most unexpected person of all…

    “Dad!? What are you doing here? I mean you aren’t out… why are you here?” I questioned.
    “I got back as soon as I could. I’m so sorry honey. You miss him don’t you?” Dad answered.
    “Well… not until you brought it up now. He told me himself to try and forget him…” I asked pausing.
    “He’s dead honey. What are you talking about?” Michael asked.
    We all got together in the dining room.
    “The other night after our… incident I heard his voice. He told me to try and forget him and that he would try and come back and save me.” I said pacing around the table of seated people.
    “I heard her talking in her sleep about Robert coming and saving her. It was quaint.” Vincenzo stated dryly.
    Morgan. I’ll see you soon. Do not miss me anymore.
    “He just said it! Morgan I’ll see you soon. Don’t miss me anymore!” I yelled at the un-believing group of people.
    “Morgan you are just imagining things. It’s normal.” Godric said.
    “But I’m not imagining it! You have to believe me! Please… Godric listen Please, listen A) his voice comes to me all the time every day at least ten times a day B) if Vincenzo heard me than why don’t you understand that I’m not faking? And lastly we all miss him so why don’t you hear him too!?” I yelled at the top of my lungs and starting to cry.
    “Morgan… honey even I miss him. I miss seeing you two wrap your arms around each other and seeing that look you two get in your eyes when he pulls you into his arms. But I have to agree with Godric. He is probably right.” Michael chimed in.
    “Dad! You have no idea how much I miss him! I absolutely need to see him soon or-” Dad cut me off.
    “That is how I felt when your mother left… never to be seen again. I felt that the world could finally end.” He said pulling me into a hug.
    A sob escaped me and the tears started to roll down my face again. He wrapped his arms around me and started stroking my head like Robert and Barabus did. That name. Barabus… like and angel’s name. Was he reading my mind right now?
    Get a life you loser. I need a moment alone. I thought hoping he could hear me.
    “Morgan don’t feel alone. We promised to help you through this and we will. Just take it all one step at a time.” Vincenzo said reminding me of that horrible day that he… died.
    The memory… all of it hurt so badly.
    Running down the stairs, only to see Robert’s body on the ground cold and angelic. The pain and suffering. It hurt too badly and the sheer thought of it made me ache again. From the inside out the pain didn’t go. The tears were warm and wet, trickling down my face. His body on the couch and arms, not his arms but Vincenzo, Shamus, and most of all Barabus’, wrapped around me trying to help the pain stop. In the end nothing worked and the pain was still there, like a deep flesh wound. It was made and would take a long time to heal… if ever.

    I fell asleep at about one o’clock a.m. after Barabus snuck in and I kicked him out.
    I told him he stunk too much to be in the house at night. It worked. He left and I fell asleep very quickly.
    “Morgan?” I felt two warm arms wrap around me. “Sleep well. I missed you.” An angelic voice said.
    “Dad… go away. We’ll talk in the morning.” I murmured.
    “Sure you need your sleep. But I’m not your dad. Go back to sleep. I need to go out.” The voice said.
    It left and came back in twenty minutes. The warm arms enveloped me again and I fell asleep for good.
    I woke up at 8:17. I rolled over and there was the set of warm arms and chest that had missed me so much. One and a half weeks… the last time I’d been held in those arms and pulled into that chest. It seemed so long ago. Yet the cold corpse and the horrible nights I had slept without them all seemed like a dream.
    “Nothing will tear us apart. I promise you that. Never again will I leave you like I did. After all we are getting married in four days.” He said pulling me into his chest as close as he could get me.
    “Never let me go again Robert. I missed you and would never have made it through if Barabus weren’t there. You should thank him.” I said kissing him on the mouth.
    “That no good blood sucker stole you from me.” He said pushing me away.
    “No, I didn’t let him, don’t worry.” I said sitting up on one elbow.
    He did the same accept this made him seem a lot taller than me. He made me feel miniature.
    “Let’s go give you back to your family now. They missed you more than I did. Trust me.” I said getting out of the bed I made on his couch and pulling him up and to the door.
    “Sure but first…” He leaned in and kissed me.
    I kissed him back. I locked my fingers in his tangled mess of brown hair and he wrapped his arms around my waist leaving me again enveloped in his warm embrace. We stood there for what seemed like forever. Usually he was the one to stop me but I had to pull away from him out of breath. He laughed at me.