A few days later: Autumn and Mike have moved closer to Polybotes. (Mikes had to drag their shelter along.)

Autumn's POV: I couldn't believe it. The guy I both hated and loved was now my boyfriend. I'm pretty sure he's proposing soon, and if he does, I have no freaking idea as to what to say. I mean, I love him and all, but I'm not sure I'm ready for marriage. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'm too young.

Today is Mike's birthday, which means he's turning 20, although the fool acts like he's half his age. I'm only 19 and 1/2, a year away from adulthood!

Okay, I admit it, I'm stalling. I still love Shawn, even if he is dead. I don't think Mike would appreciate that I still visit Shawn in the underworld sometimes.

"Cals!" Mike called out. "Yeah?" I responded. He beamed. "It's my birthday!" "So?" Mike pouted. "So...you have to make me a cake!"

I snorted. "Says who?" "Says me!" It went on like that for a while. Finally, he went away. I wanted to make him a cake to celebrate both his birthday and our relationship, but it's not like I could just go to Target and buy dough and stuff. I got inside our little mud-stick hut and thought about what to get Mike.

Like I said, I can't run to a store to buy food, so naturally, I did all the cooking, no cakes included. I went outside to pick some fruit, anything that I could find. Being around Katie a lot gives me a good sense of what plants to eat and what plants not to eat.

Ugh, Katie again. I feel kind of bad about ignoring her. It probably ruined her date with Travis, too, knowing the friend that she is. She's loyal, and always tries to pick what's best for me. But she doesn't always pick the right choice. Then again, I wouldn't have gotten to know Mike better and help him get the demon out if she hadn't sent me on the quest.

I managed to push thoughts of Katie out of my head to continue gathering food. I found a couple of strawberries, about 6 of them. I also picked 33 blueberries off a nearby tree. I washed the berries in a stream a few yards away and went back to our shelter.

I set the berries in a wooden bowl I had carved a few days earlier, because I had been bored at that time. I then rushed outside, again, to find something cold to put the berries in, or the would spoil.

I told Mike where I was headed, but he frowned. "We were attacked just the other day, Calla! Who says it's over now?"
I just groaned instead of answering. "It's a simple task, Mike! I'm not running off to jump in a bomb pit!" (Who else has read the bluebonnet book, Sky Jumpers?) "Fine." He glanced at his solar-powered watch. "But when five minutes pass, I'll go looking for you."

I hugged Mike. "Thanks." I said, and spun around. "Remember," he called after me. "Five minutes!"

Three minutes had passed, and I didn't find anything! Not a single thing! I kicked a medium-sized rock in frustration, thinking it wouldn't hurt, but it did. It hurt like Hades.

"Ow!" I yelped. I took a closer look at the rock, which looked very ugly coated in dust and grime. I blew some of the dust off the rock, and to my surprise, it was actually a mini, beat-up cooler. I took it down to the stream and washed it as well. I didn't know if it worked or not, but at least it was something we could put our belongings in.

After washing it, I took it back to Mike, where he was waiting, arms crossed. "Calla..." He took a deep breath and tapped his watch. "Fourteen minutes. Fourteen, Calla! Four! Teen! Did you know how worried I was? You should've at least told me where you were going, so I would know where you were and make sure you were okay!"

I huffed indignantly. "I was nine minutes late." I muttered under my breath. Mike sighed and wrapped his arms around me. "Don't scare me like that." He murmured into my ear. "Sorry." I apologized. "It's okay." He said. "Now, what's this that you brought?" I smiled proudly. "I found a cooler. But I don't know if it works."

Mike stuck his hand in it. "Sure does." I was surprised. "Really? When I found it, it was all beat-up and dusty." Mike ignored me and fumbled with the cooler. Finally, he opened what looked like a false compartment.

"Aha!" He grinned and held up a cube. "Plastic ice." Plastic ice was basically like normal ice, except it lasted longer-we're talking weeks longer-and was contained in a plastic cube or sphere.

A couple of hours later, we had put the berries in the cooler along with a few peaches we found and I had cooked a pretty good stew. After we ate, Mike took me outside. The sun was still in the sky; it was about 5:30 P.M. We looked at nature for awhile, then we stood up and stretched a little. I turned to face Mike, and I could see sort of a romantic light in his eyes.

Suddenly, he got onto one knee and took both of my hands. I knew what was coming next, and I wasn't prepared at all. "Callista Autumn Carcellan, will you..."

Author's Note

=========================

Ooh! I bet you know what's coming next! Or do you? Until next time,

Save the world

Read fanfics

Ship Caleo

Fight monsters

Love ice cream

~DragonsOfIceCream