• It was late at night when Dale finally found Gwen in a dark corner of campus. She saw him in her peripheral vision, and hastily brushed her tears away. He slowly came closer and sat down next to her, sliding his arm over her shoulder.
    “You to fought again didn’t you?” he asked, already knowing the answer. Gwen didn’t say anything; she merely shrugged and turned her face away.
    “Come on Gwen, you have to talk about it sometime.” She flinched as Dale shook her a little and she pulled her left arm away, cradling it with her other arm. Dale automatically knew how the fight had ended and he was furious.
    “Eddy hit you again, didn’t he!?” his answer was the slight whimper as he accidentally jostled her arm,
    “How can you live with this Gwen? It’s not like he’s changed since you first met, it’s ALWAYS been like this.” He pulled her into his arms, her head on his chest, as his last statement made her start crying again.
    “He says he’ll change, please Dale. Just give him some time.” Dale let out a snort,
    “Time? Isn’t that what I gave him last time?” Gwen pulled away and glared up at him.
    “Oh please Dale, don’t act like that. You never liked him, we both know that, and so dose Eddy.” Dale looked at her for a long time, contemplating his answer before he finally gave in,
    “You’re right, I’m sorry…” She nodded, excepting his answer, and then put her head back on his chest. After a long time Dale spoke again,
    “You know… I’ll always be here for you…no matter what.” Gwen smiled a little at this,
    “I know Dale, and you always have been, ever since 8th grade.”
    “So you remember then? You remember what I told you, and how I felt.” How I still feel, Dale added in his head.
    “Yes, I do. You said you liked someone…I asked who. You told me she was beautiful, smart, very ticklish, and that she had a beautiful voice.” Gwen smiled at the memory,
    “Did you ever figure out who I was talking about?” Dale asked, hoping that she had guessed right. Gwen was silent for a while then nodded,
    “Who then?” Dale challenged.
    “Me…” Gwen whispered not daring to look up at him as she said it. Without thinking Dale placed his hand behind Gwen’s neck and tilted her head back. He kissed her mouth, slowly and softly. She pushed away, scrabbling to her feet.
    “Dale! What’s wrong with you?” he slowly stood up and took a step towards her.
    “Me? I’ve loved you since we first met, and I have to sit on the sidelines as some a** hole ruined your life! He doesn’t love you Gwen, he never did! If you haven’t noticed he’s not here to see if you’re ok or to apologize, he doesn’t care that you’re out here crying or that he’s slowly killing you! I’ve been here every time you’ve fallen, and you still go back to him in the morning!” Dale took another step forward moving to embrace Gwen again. She stepped back tears streaming down her cheeks again.
    “Stop it Dale. Just STOP IT! I know you’ve always been there, I know you love me, I know Eddy never will be there for me, I know he will never love me, but I can’t leave him! I just can’t! Please! Don’t make me chose between you or him…I couldn’t bear the thought of losing either one of you…” Dale shook his head and whipped away the rain that had started to fall as they stood there.
    “I can’t…no…I won’t live like this Gwen. Losing a race where you are at the finish line and the winner’s heart is not in the race at all…just give me a chance Gwen…that’s all I want. A chance to prove myself…just once.” Gwen shook her head slowly backing away, when she was almost 5 feet away from Dale, she slipped on the rain covered side walk and fell, bumping her arm on the bumpy brick wall behind her.
    “Are you ok?” Dale asked as he rushed forward to help her. Gwen nodded, bighting her lip and wiping away fresh tears. Dale held her again for a long time, the rain slowly drenching his shirt.
    “I wouldn’t hurt you…I wouldn’t get mad at you,” Gale snorted at his remark.
    “Maybe you wouldn’t aim to, but you would in the end.” Dale shook his head at this.
    “No, never. I would never hurt you, or yell at your, or break your heart.” Gwen tried to push away, but Dale held her tight.
    “Stop it Dale please, I know all of this. I knew you loved me long ago…Do you remember that one day where we skipped class to practice for the play? And we ended up playing hide and seek in the dark? When you pulled me into the costume room to hide, I could feel the tension in the air and all I wanted to do was turn to you and kiss you but I couldn’t! And I still can’t...I’m trapped…I’m a bird locked in a cage and you are the sun tempting me to try and escape…but the hand that holds my leash is strong and will not let me go” Dale tipped Gwen’s head back and stared into her eyes.
    “Then you must fly away while he sleeps.” And with that, he kissed her again. Only she did not pull away this time, she knew all he said was true and that he loved her very much, but she had never believed in happy endings…