From where we were, the garden was nothing more but a spec, though we still weren't that far from the dock. The night was quiet, peaceful. All I could hear was the trickle and small waves that rocked the canoe. Star and I each were rowing, both our oars rowing on different sides of the canoe, though I felt like we weren't really moving, just drifting.

I finally stopped to realize we were just going around in a circle. "You think we're doing this right?" I asked her, studying the way the small wooden canoe would spin around in the lake.

"What makes you say that?" Star answered my question with another question.

"Star, we're going in circles." I finally said. To this, she stopped her own rowing of her own oar.

"Yeah," she chortled. "I should've mentioned this earlier but I really don't know how to row a boat."

Her remark made us both laugh and for a while, we remained drifting while stargazing, not worrying about where the lake's subtle current took us. It grew so silent and still, that I actually became lost in thought, thinking about nothing yet everything at the same time.

I had hardly noticed when Star had scooted just a bit closer to make herself comfortable while laying her gentle head on my shoulder. Next came her hand, intertwining itself with my own hand until our fingers were laced together. I could actually feel the fever reach my face and I dropped my head with a smirk.

I felt my stomach twist and churn, almost a mix of nervousness and joy. It was almost like that same feeling I had when I had first saw her in the Underworld. A wave of heat had come over me and my nerves became shook. My heart roared and sang and thumped inside me, each heartbeat rising something up. I couldn't tell if it was going to be a full-hearted howl or the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had earlier.

"I missed you." She then mumbled.

"I-I missed you too." I found my own voice come out in a whisper.

The silence between us stretched on once more for a few minutes. Then Star sprung up, almost like something had caught her attention. "Did you see that?"

"See what?" I asked, following the direction of where she was looking, ahead of us.

A few seconds passed by and she spoke again, this time, gasping and pointing. "Right there! See?"

The canoe began to rock back and forth from her sudden movements. She was leaning on the side of the canoe now, tipping it slightly to the left. "Look, it's blinking!" She said excitedly.

"Starrr," I cautioned her, gripping onto the canoe's right side, hoping to even out the weight. "The boat! It's gonna tip!"

She must have been focusing hard to catch what she had missed and was now pointing to her right. "It's over there now! Look!"

A subtle and quick flash of a firefly had went off in the distance, just barely above the water. I had seen it where her finger was pointing. Just then, she had leaned forward more and the boat began leaning more towards the left, unable for me to stop it.

Just as I had predicted, we both tipped to the left, falling headfirst into the lake, the canoe tipping completely over. I was drenched immediately and flailed my arms in a frenzied panic. I started clawing at the water and trying to swim upwards.

When I found my head above water, I clutched onto the boat as a flotation device, afraid I might drown.

"See? What did I-" I scanned the water, though it was strangely and unsettlingly quiet. "Star?"

I called out her name but my only answer was the swishing and swaying of the water. Thinking the worst had happened, I inhaled deeply, held it, and dove. I only made it a few feet down before fearing my own worst-happening and scrambled back up, to the safety of the upside down canoe. Then I went again. Twice. Three times with no use as I had to spit up water from my last attempt.

I was frantically trying to think of what to do next, contemplating as I held onto the canoe for support. That's when a splash of commotion from behind and a pair of arms reached up and wrapped themselves around me from behind.

"Boo!" She let out a startling exclamation as I yelped out too. My first instinct was to try to shake her off and as soon as she did let go, I was able to turn around and see her face.

She was smiling a giant, beaming smile, though I wasn't. "What the hell were you thinking? You scared me to death!"

Now her smile was completely wiped away. "What? Calm down, Marco. I was just-"

"Calm down? Don't tell me to calm down, Star! I don't even know how to swim!" My voice was furious and booming. Star had become almost inaudible. Her voice was no more than a bunch of mumbles and mutters.

"Wha- yes, you do. We used to go to the beach all the ti-"

"No. I don't, Star!" I interjected. With that, my wings began to flap and lift me up. I flew back to the dock, leaving Star behind in complete bewilderment.

...

STAR

• ☆ •

"Marco, wait. I didn't mean to..." I had been tugging the canoe onto the tide just as I watched him stomp away. By the time I had caught up with him, he was halfway through the garden. He didn't stop until I had raged on more. "Why do you even care so much? It was just a harmless joke?"

To this, he ceased in his tracks then turned around and trudged heavily up to me. He didn't stop until we were inches apart. Now that he was closer, I could see the tears in the corners of his eyes and his face was a blushy red. It startled me at first, but then he cupped my face with his hands and lifted my face so he could gaze upon me better.

He wanted to lean in and go further, but something had stopped him. "Marco?" I said softer.

I could feel his lips lingering, yet he never leaned in. He was stuck in place yet I wanted to let him make the next move. If I had to be the one to do it, I wouldn't know if he really would lean in first.

We stayed that way for many agonizing seconds which felt like an eternity. What was he doing?

Kiss me, you stupid idiot!

...

MARCO

• ◇ •

Kiss her, you stupid idiot!

I was too slow and I began to find worry in her eyes. I could see how she wanted to ask if I was okay. She always worried about me. I couldn't blame her though. I did the same with her.

She began playing with my wet hair, parting it out and away from my forehead, to the left. She liked it parted to the left, I soon noticed. I also couldn't help but notice her face reach a tint of red.

Her deep baby blue eyes locked with mine as if she was in some sort of trance. She liked my eyes. If I stayed like this forever, she could too. As long as she was able to watch my eyes forever, she would never be bored. I could tell this by the way she stared into them with a strong and hefty intent.

"Well," A man's voice broke out, startling my heart and bringing it to a jumpstart of an erratic beating. Star had gotten so frightened too, that she had immediately backed away. "Seems like we need a reminder of the rules here in the Above. Miss Butterfly..." I turned to look at Star, who was silent and bowed her head down so that she was making direct eye contact with her feet.

During his statement, he only made eye contact with me for a split second, then towards Star. He was the same man who I had met in the interrogation room.

"How did you know I was here?" She responded, though her voice was in some sort of uncomfortable, shameful murmur.

"Noah told me. He said he saw you two out here." Almost as if on cue, an angel with dirty blonde hair and beetroot eyes had appeared.

"Noah?" I repeated.

He looked at me for only a brief second though I was still able to make out his side stare, almost like a narrowed, disgusted yet sly glance.

Just his presence alone brought back that same gut feeling from before. It was undeniable this time, probably even worse and intense than before. It was so quick, I could have even missed it.

"Marco, this is Noah, an official of the Above's council." Star said matter of factly, though something about her statement unsettled me. It must have been the fact that "Noah" seemed a far bit too young to even be part of such a high calling. The only way he could've come to such a high ranking was if he had somehow slithered his way through the cracks.

At that same moment, the corners of my vision began to blur and I had to hold my head to steady the lightheadedness. Something inside me told myself that whoever Noah was, he was lying about who he truly was.

I knew now that I wasn't just imagining things. I knew my suspicions had been confirmed and the true nature of this angel was something far more sinister, more demonic. His familiar eyes laid upon me once more and I felt my stomach flip and flop. It sounded too unreal to even be true. It felt crazy to even think.

Tom.

I needed to tell Star.

"Hmph." The older angel said, a slight chortle as he finally studied us closer. "And next time you do decide to go out, I suggest we stay away from the lake?"

Heyo! It's me, Liv, duh. Anyways, HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT VALENTINE'S DAY AND I HOPE I MADE YOUR DAY EVEN MORE SPECIAL WITH ANOTHER CHAPTER YAY

SEE YOU IN THE NEXT UPDATE! ❤