"You're leaving again?" Amber's incredulous voice called from behind me. 

I'd practically flown down the stairs after hanging up with Opal and I wasn't about to waste time on pacifying my needy twin.

"It's important, Amber. Tell Mom and Dad that I might be back late," I said over my shoulder as I shoved my feet into my winter boots. It had snowed last night and I didn't want to faceplant because I was running around with my tractionless shoes.

"But I wanted you to take me to the mall!" Amber protested with a huff. 

I stood up and grabbed my coat from the closet. "Get Charlotte to take you. I'm leaving," I said shortly as I threw my arms into the sleeves and zipped up the jacket.

"No way! Then I'd have to spend my own money," Amber said with a disgusted sneer and I glared at her.

She's such a brat, I thought to myself in annoyance. 

I had always given in to Amber because when we were kids I was a bit of a terror toward her. Plus, I never had any use for the allowance Mom and Dad gave me so I honestly didn't care if Amber took it in the past. Things were different now though. The image of Opal's agonized expression after she had kissed my cheek and then said goodbye floated through my mind and I gripped my hand into a fist, promising myself that I would do whatever it took to get her to change her mind and trust me.

"You'll have to start figuring out how to live on a budget then, Amber. I'm not giving you my money anymore," I announced firmly before grabbing the keys from one of the hooks next to the door. 

Amber's expression looked so shellshocked I nearly laughed at her. But Opal was my top priority right now and I didn't want to waste any more time.

"Bye," I called over my shoulder before flinging the door open and shutting it behind me. I crunched through the thin layer of snow to my car and only took a second to swipe the brush of the scraper to rid my windshield of snow before jumping into the car and starting it up.

 Nerves plagued me as I made my way down the familiar roads to Opal's apartment complex. Things had taken a confusing and heartbreaking turn for the worst after my talk with Opal. I couldn't even imagine what she must have gone through to make her legitimately believe that she didn't deserve to be loved. I had been agonizing over leaving her in that state, but I just didn't know how to get through to her or how to keep her from blaming herself for Dad hitting me.

I'm so glad her aunt came back, I thought to myself through my nerves. 

I hadn't known what to do to help Opal and felt like a humongous failure, but it seemed like Opal's aunt must have helped her come to terms with some things. Even though I was nervous, I tried my best to stay calm so that I could react logically and rationally to whatever Opal wanted to talk to me about.

When I pulled into the apartment parking lot anxiety made my heart race and I gripped the steering wheel.

"Don't do anything rash. Just listen to her and be there for her," I told myself aloud as a mini pep talk.

I sincerely hoped that Opal hadn't told me she wanted to talk just to say she didn't return my feelings. But even if that were the case, I promised myself I would do my best to accept it and just support her as best as I could as a friend. Although that thought alone made my insides feel like someone was twisting them around out of some sick amusement.

Shaking my head swiftly, I pocketed the car keys and stepped out of my car, making sure to lock the door before closing it. Taking a deep breath of the slightly chilly morning air, I crunched towards the now familiar staircase that would take me to Opal's apartment.

As I passed the closed door of the neighbor I had ticked off when I was trying to get Opal to respond to me, I couldn't help but smile sadly. Even though Opal hadn't wanted to talk to me, she burst out the moment I was in trouble and tried to take the blame for me. Her selflessness always astounded me, but I hoped that maybe today she could be at least a little selfish with me. After all, I wanted the girl I loved to be happy.

I wonder if I shouldn't have said that though, I thought fretfully to myself as I stood outside Opal's door. 

I had never dated anyone before, although when I first got into high school my dad had tried to tell me I needed to have a high school sweetheart story for when I was a mayor, like him and my mom. I couldn't just ask out a girl I didn't like, so I just cautiously reminded him that both Grandpa and my uncle had married their university girlfriends and that had seemed to appease him.

After I had said my feelings out loud though I knew it was true. There was no one who made me feel so many different emotions as Opal did. For the first time I experienced jealousy, I had laughed until I cried, I felt protective of her on multiple occasions, and more than anything when it was just the two of us I just felt incredibly comfortable. It was like... the one place that I belonged in the world was right next to Opal.

I could feel my cheeks heating up from the embarrassing thought and I shook my head outside of her door. Pulling myself together and trying to mentally prepare myself for the worst, I cautiously knocked on the door. To my surprise, Opal's aunt was the one to open the door and she smiled up at me with such open affection that I was momentarily stunned.

"Nathaniel, thank you for coming. Come on in," Ms. Sato invited with a warm smile as she held the door wide open for me.

I blinked in surprise and then nodded, gingerly stepping across the threshold. When I saw Opal collapse on the living room floor last night I had wanted to rush over to her, but I felt like an outsider when I saw her aunt's frantic concern for her. Being invited in so warmly now gave me mixed feelings and I wasn't sure how to describe them.

"Thank you, Ms. Sato. Is Opal..." I started to ask but then the sound of a hairdryer whirring behind a closed door caught my attention.

"She's just getting out of the shower. Go ahead and sit down, she'll be out in a few minutes," Ms. Sato said warmly as she closed the door behind her.

Following Ms. Sato's directions, I hung up my jacket in their hall closet and left my boots on the mat near the door before following her into the living room. I tried to refuse her offer of tea, but she wouldn't hear of it and I found myself awkwardly alone in the living room, listening to the hairdryer blowing.

How much did she tell her aunt? I wondered cautiously as I glanced over in the kitchen where Ms. Sato was preparing some peppermint tea. 

I felt a mixture of relief and awkwardness when she pulled three mugs down from her cupboard. I assumed that Opal at least in part wanted to talk more about what happened between my dad and I, but I really didn't want to discuss it with her aunt. I was sure she would overreact and try to get me to call social services or something, but I couldn't let my own inadequacies cause my family to fall apart...

"Sugar or honey for your tea?" Ms. Sato called over her shoulder. 

I blinked and cocked my head to the side. I wasn't really a tea drinker so the question seemed a bit foreign to me.

"Just a bit of honey, please," I finally decided and Ms. Sato nodded while throwing me another warm smile. 

Ms. Sato really was a kind woman, although from what Opal had told me about her she was a bit of a firecracker. I was glad that Opal had someone that obviously adored her in her life. Especially since her parents had apparently been abusive.

Ms. Sato came over and handed me a cup and I was surprised at the white liquid in the cup with just a hint of green to it. She chuckled at my reaction and turned to go get the other two cups.

"I always mix some milk in with my peppermint tea. If you don't like it you don't have to force yourself to drink it," she said with a teasing glint in her eyes.

I quickly shook my head though and blew on the hot liquid. The whirring of the hairdryer stopped just as I brought the cup to my lips for an experimental sip. I was surprised at the subtle sweetness of the creamy tea and I found that I actually did enjoy the minty flavor.

Ms. Sato placed a second cup of tea on a coaster in front of the empty cushion next to me on the couch before walking over to an armchair and settling into it herself. Silence descended over us as Ms. Sato took a sip of her own tea and I tried to think of something to say. Usually, I had no problem conversing with adults since I interacted with the principal and the teachers on a regular basis as the Student Council President. But nothing about this situation was 'normal' and I found myself floundering.

"Opal didn't give me any details about what happened between you two."

Ms. Sato's words jerked me out of my flustered thoughts and I looked up and blinked at her as she smiled over at me kindly. I swallowed the liquid in my mouth quickly and nodded, not sure how to react to that, although I had to admit that I was relieved.

"I do need to thank you, Nathaniel," Ms. Sato said, her voice intensely serious. I blinked over at her in surprise and found that she was looking down at her cup with a furtive expression. "I only saw Opal a few weeks out of the year as she was growing up... Even so, I should have seen the signs of abuse. But I didn't."

My eyes widened at the pain in Ms. Sato's voice as she spoke softly to me. So she didn't know, I thought, feeling both sad and a little relieved. Sad because if her aunt had found out sooner I doubted that Opal would have become so emotionally scarred as she was now, but relieved because that meant that she hadn't been enabling the abuse knowingly and Opal really was in a safe place now.

Ms. Sato's eyes moved from her tea up to meet mine and I was surprised at the sad acceptance that shone from their dark depths. "Thank you for bringing it to my attention, Nathaniel. And thank you for doing your best to help Opal."

I nodded slowly, feeling a weird confidence fill me up as I met Ms. Sato's eyes. "Opal is really important to me, Ms. Sato," I said softly, not sure what else to say. I felt like I should apologize for making Opal go through something so horrible, but since she apparently hadn't told her aunt the details of my situation I didn't know how to bring it up.

The sound of a door opening immediately snatched my attention away though and I turned, watching as Opal gingerly stepped out of the bathroom. She was wearing a dark green turtleneck a few shades darker than her eyes and her white-blonde hair spilled over her shoulders, standing out starkly against the dark fabric. Her eyes met mine and I could see a myriad of emotions that ranged from fear to acceptance go through them. She gave me an awkward smile though and cautiously began walking towards me.

"Sorry to make you wait," Opal said softly as she stopped next to the armrest of the couch and looked down at me. I shook my head mutely, too relieved that she was even meeting my eyes to think of something to say. 

Ms. Sato cleared her throat delicately and pulled my attention away from Opal for a moment.

"I made you some tea, Opal. Go ahead and take a seat," Ms. Sato said with tenderness radiating from her words and expression. 

Opal gave her a natural smile and nodded quietly before gingerly walking past my legs and taking a seat next to me. She left several inches between us, but I was surprised that her cheeks were red as she reached for the tea mug and turned slightly away from me as she took a sip.

Is she overly conscious of me because I told her I love her? I wondered to myself as I tried to keep my own cheeks from turning red. I mean, I'll take that over her blaming herself for my dad hitting me.

As she remained looking away from me though I started to get worried. Is she embarrassed because she's planning to tell me to take a hike? I thought worriedly, but I mentally shook my head. Even if she does turn me down, Opal would never say it in a rude way like that, I scolded myself inwardly.

"Is it pretty cold this morning?" 

Ms. Sato's question pulled me from my mental tug of war and I blinked over at her for a moment before I could answer.

"Not as cold as yesterday. It always seems to warm up a bit right after it snows," I said a little awkwardly as I peeked over at Opal.

To my surprise, her back straightened and she looked towards the window with wide eyes.

"It snowed?" she asked with innocent excitement. 

I felt myself relax at this familiar expression of wonder that I had seen so much at the orientation race. This innocence was one of the things I liked best about Opal, and I was so glad to see that she was feeling more like herself now.

"Just a couple of inches. I'm sure it'll snow more in the next few months," I said with a smile and Opal glanced over at me with excitement dancing in her eyes. Suddenly her eyes widened though and she quickly looked away from me and took a hurried sip of her tea.

"Well then, after you've finished your tea why don't you two go on a walk?" Ms. Sato suggested with an air of perfect innocence. 

I glanced over at her in surprise though and found her giving me a meaningful look. Gratitude filled me at her thoughtfulness and I nodded my head quickly.

"Would you like to, Opal?" I asked cautiously, looking over at her. 

She was hunched over, resting her elbows on her knees as she brought her tea up to her mouth. She glanced up at me when I said her name and my heart flipped as her eyes met mine. She looked as nervous as I felt, but she nodded silently in agreement.

It didn't take long for us to finish our tea and soon Opal and I were bundled up in winter clothes and leaving the apartment behind us. I silently watched Opal as she took a moment to admire the snow and gingerly reach out and play with it a bit. But soon she straightened and met my gaze with a determined look in her eyes.

"Do you have somewhere you'd like to go?" she asked me calmly and I shrugged.

"My choice didn't turn out great last time," I pointed out with a half-smile, hoping to keep the mood light. Opal frowned sadly though and shook her head.

"I'm really sorry, Nathaniel," she said with misery in her voice. I winced, realizing yet again that my sense of humor was not my strong point.

"No, that's not... " I let out a sigh and shook my head, before smiling gently at Opal. "Where would you like to go?"

Opal blinked up at me and then glanced in the direction of the school.

"The greenhouse?" she suggested hesitantly and I immediately nodded my agreement.

"Sure! Do you want me to drive us there?" I asked but she shook her head.

"I'd like to stretch my legs a bit if that's alright," she replied hesitantly and I nodded once again.

"That sounds good," I said, tucking my hands into my jacket pockets.

We started off crunching through the snow and I couldn't help but think back to when Castiel and I walked her home that one time she stayed late. I'd been annoyed that Castiel tagged along, but it had been kind of exciting to discover a part of Opal's daily routine. I wondered what she thought about when she walked to and from school. I had been seeing her leave with Alexy and Armin a lot lately so I assumed they lived close by as well, but I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if I could walk her home every day.

Psh, like that could happen. I'm always too swamped with student council stuff, I thought to myself in embarrassment. But as we walked together in silence I couldn't help but wish I could make that a reality.

"Has your dad..." Opal trailed off halfway through her question and looked around awkwardly, as if not sure how to put into words what she was thinking.

"Has he hit me again?" I finished for her lightly. 

Opal turned her eyes filled with sadness and concern up at me. I hated that Opal blamed herself for what happened. Honestly, I had no idea how she even connected things together to figure it out, but I couldn't help but feel a small warmth in the pit of my stomach knowing that Opal cared enough to ask.

"No, he hasn't. He calls them 'motivational meetings' when he wants to help pound a lesson into me. It only happens once every few months at the most. It's not that big of a deal," I said lightly and Opal let out a small whimper. I glanced down at her and was shocked to see that she was close to tears.

"It IS a big deal," she protested firmly and my shoulders slumped. She cleared her throat though and patted under her eyes as if she could shoo her tears back inside her. "But I'm glad he hasn't hurt you again."

I slowly reached out and let my hand rest on Opal's head which was covered by a white knit beanie. She glanced up at me in confusion and I smiled down at her.

"Thanks for your concern," I said sincerely and her lips twitched up in a semblance of a smile.

It didn't take us long to get to the school property and Opal guided me confidently toward the back of the school where the greenhouse was situated. I was trying to come up with a way to filter my breathing so I wouldn't get an allergic reaction to the pollen, but as we walked into the garden portion where the greenhouse was located Opal turned and walked along the brick wall surrounding the tranquil spot. I frowned in confusion as I watched her brush the snow off of a length of the wall before she boosted herself up and patted the cleared spot next to her.

"Aren't we going inside?" I asked and Opal blinked in shock.

"Of course not. Aren't you allergic to pollen?" she asked in surprise. 

I chuckled, not even surprised that she still remembered such a small detail from so long ago. I walked over and gingerly sat down on the brick wall. It was achingly cold, but I eventually got used to it and gave Opal a grateful smile.

"Thanks for that. Let me know if you're getting too cold though," I said firmly. 

The last thing I wanted was to get Opal sick after all the emotional stress I caused her. She smiled sweetly and nodded at me, but then she slowly looked down at her hands that were clenched into fists on her lap.

"I... wanted to talk to you about my parents," Opal said hesitantly, looking like she could hardly believe the words were coming out of her mouth. 

Some of my nerves suddenly relaxed at this and I almost cried in relief that Opal was willing to open up to me. But I remained calm and nodded encouragingly.

"I'd like to listen," I answered honestly but frowned when Opal grimaced up at me.

"You may regret it," she said with a sigh and I frowned. 

After a moment I pulled one of my hands from my jacket pocket and laid it on top of Opal's hands. Her gaze jumped up to me with obvious surprise but I was surprised in turn when a shaky smile graced her lips and she wrapped both of her gloved hands around my bare one. A rush of happiness went through me and I squeezed the hand beneath mine encouragingly.

"My father has only ever cared about karate..." Opal started out, almost like she was rehearsing a play she had memorized.

I listened intently as she explained how her father ran away from home to pursue his career in karate, and how he became a bodyguard for a big-time businessman whose daughter he ended up marrying. I wasn't at all surprised to learn that her mother had been a model in her youth or that Opal was almost identical to her since Opal herself was one of the most beautiful girls I'd ever met. But I could tell the story was taking a turn for the worse as soon as she mentioned how her dad begged his wife to have a baby so that he could have a son to take over his karate school.

"Apparently the pregnancy was very hard on Mother," Opal said with so much guilt in her tone it was unbelievable. "There were several complications during the pregnancy and during the birth itself. She was put on bed rest for weeks afterward. Eventually, her modeling agency decided to drop her contract and left her behind, even though she was once their top model."

Sadness radiated from Opal's entire body and I wished I could put my arm around her shoulders to try and shield her from the oppressive feelings. But she was gripping my hand tightly in both of hers as if it was keeping her anchored, so I stayed still and listened without interrupting.

"As a child, I didn't really understand why my parents hated me so much. But one of my earliest memories is of a fight that Mother and Father had. Mother was yelling about how she never even wanted a baby and that she wasn't going to spend any more time raising me when Father was the one who had insisted. Or something like that," Opal muttered dejectedly. 

I was shocked at the detached sadness that she was giving off. There was no anger or grief or blame. Just guilt and sadness.

"Mother's modeling career never recovered after the pregnancy, and she could only find little jobs. But even so, she refused to have another child. Even though I heard Father pleading with her often to reconsider. Father was always so angry. His one goal in life had been ruined, all because I was born as a girl."

My entire body stiffened at that and I couldn't even believe the quiet acceptance that was in Opal's tone. How could her parents have been so neglectful and cruel to say such terrible things about her? It wasn't Opal's fault that she was born a girl! I thought in outrage, but Opal slowly looked up at me and I saw fear and a strange look of gratitude reflecting in her green eyes.

"Father would often hit me if I was in his way. As the arguments between my parents started getting worse and more frequent, he would start coming into my room after he had gone drinking and hit me because he was so frustrated." My blood boiled as I listened to Opal's story and I could not even process what kind of monster could do that to an innocent child. "But since I looked like Mother she made sure that Father wouldn't hit my face. She also was the one that convinced Father to teach me karate."

She let out a long sigh and I squeezed her hands that had gone unexpectedly limp. Opal didn't even flinch at the added pressure on her hand though and she slowly looked away from me.

"But I wasn't good enough. I was always injured and weak so there were several times I couldn't take the advancement tests and Father was disgusted with my lack of talent. So I tried to be helpful in other ways. I taught myself to cook so I could make good meals for Mother and Father. I always tried to get good grades so the teachers would have no reason to call them into school. But things just got worse and worse between Mother and Father until Mother finally decided to leave."

A single tear slipped down Opal's cheek but she made no move to wipe it away and she was still looking away from me as if she was lost in her memories. I desperately wanted to gather her in my arms and tell her that no one deserved to be treated the way she had been. But she continued to speak and I forced myself to listen until she was finished.

"I didn't think I would survive if Mother wasn't there to take me to the hospital after Father went drinking. So... I asked Auntie to let me live with her. I was scared and I ran away, even though I knew I might end up causing problems for Auntie. I was just... I didn't want to die..."

I couldn't hold back any longer. Pulling my hand from between hers, I reached out and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her against my chest as my other hand rested on the back of her head. My forehead dropped down to rest on top of Opal's white beanie and I sent every curse I could think of towards Opal's parents that I had never even met.

"Nathaniel?" Opal gasped, sounding both shocked and exhausted. I held her even tighter though and shook my head against the top of hers.

"I'm so glad you didn't die," I breathed out shakily, realizing that my whole body was trembling. "I'm so glad you moved here, far away from those monsters."

Opal stiffened and then slumped. I felt her hands coming to rest on my chest and nearly whimpered as she gently pushed against me, but I forced myself to let go of her. To my surprise though, Opal didn't move back as much as I expected. She even reached out and took my hands into hers as she met my gaze with a look of fear mixed with what I thought might be hope.

"Nathaniel... I told you all of this because I want to make sure you understand. I've been causing problems for the people I love since I was born. My parents have always said that I was a mistake... but... But Auntie said that when I am with her then I'm not a mistake."

A shaky smile graced Opal's lips and she swallowed before continuing. "Are you... Do you still have feelings for me? Even after what I shared with you?"

I blinked in shock at the unexpected question but my entire soul seemed to come into alignment as I gripped Opal's hands in mine.

"Yes. Your home situation has absolutely no effect on my feelings for you, Opal," I declared firmly. 

Opal's eyes widened and a strange giddiness went through me as she let out a shuddering, relief-filled sigh. But then she looked up at me with pain in her expression.

"If that's the case... then... I was thinking of taking the GED so I wouldn't have to graduate from Sweet Amoris High," she said softly. My eyebrows scrunched together in utter confusion and I shook my head.

"What? Why would you do that? Aren't you staying here with your aunt?" I asked in bewilderment and Opal nodded firmly.

"Yes, I'm definitely staying... but if I stop going to Sweet Amoris then you'll be the Valedictorian again..." 

Opal trailed off as conflicting emotions warred in her eyes and realization suddenly dawned on me. She was trying to protect me from my dad's anger. Letting out an incredulous laugh I dropped Opal's hands and once again pulled her into a hug. This time she seemed to melt against me, tucking her forehead against my neck and resting her hands on my knee.

"No way," I said firmly. 

Opal stiffened, probably getting ready to argue, but I stroked my cold fingers through her hair soothingly and held her to me tightly.

"Since our GPA's aren't technically weighted at Sweet Amoris, I'm pretty sure I can convince the principal to make us co-valedictorians," I said with a chuckle, slowly pulling back just enough so I could meet Opal's eyes but still keeping her in my arms. "Besides, we only have six more months to be in the same high school together. I would hate it if you stopped coming to school."

Opal's eyes widened and began to fill with tears, but these seemed to be of the happy variety since she was smiling.

"I would love to be a co-valedictorian with you. Do you think the principal will allow it?" Opal asked with hope in her voice and I nodded firmly.

"After everything I've done to help her run the school? If she doesn't I have enough dirt on her to blackmail her into it," I said, feeling oddly vindictive. 

Opal's eyes widened in shock and I laughed. But my boisterous happiness soon faded and I frowned down at Opal.

"Your dad isn't going to cause any trouble for you, will he?" I asked, concerned that this peaceful moment might come to a grinding halt. Opal's lips lifted into a conflicted smile though and she shook her head.

"Father has cut off all communication with me and Auntie. He... he wants nothing more to do with me," she admitted with guilt making her voice heavy. 

I wanted to teach that demon in human clothing a lesson for all of the anguish he put his daughter through, but I couldn't keep a sigh of relief from escaping me.

"That's probably for the best. I don't think he has a right to be anywhere near you," I said firmly and Opal awkwardly shrugged. 

Her feelings were obviously conflicted and I decided to drop the subject for now since there was another pressing topic we had yet to address.

"So, uh..." I said awkwardly, slowly releasing Opal from my hug. She cocked her head to the side with obvious curiosity, seeming to be relieved I was changing the subject. "I... kind of skipped some steps by telling you I love you already," I admitted with embarrassment. 

Luckily Opal's cheeks became as red as roses at my comment though and I was glad I wasn't the only one embarrassed.

"Usually you go out with someone for a while before dropping the "L" word... but I really do feel that way towards you, Opal. And I would like us to be together. As a couple. If you were okay with that..."

I trailed off as my embarrassment reached its peak and I could not BELIEVE how opposite of smooth I was. Opal seemed just as embarrassed as me though and I flinched when she suddenly slid off the brick wall. I watched nervously as she crunched in the snow a few steps and then turned so that she was facing me directly. Her expression was shyer than I had ever seen before as she looked at me through her bangs.

"If you're okay with me," she breathed out nervously before lifting her chin and meeting my gaze square on, "then I want to be with you too."

My body exploded upwards before I even fully grasped what had just happened. For the third time today, I gathered Opal into my arms. This time though she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me as well. She seemed cautious of my back, only lightly resting her hands on it, but I wouldn't have cared if she bear-hugged me. Having Opal agree to be my girlfriend was worth any pain.

I desperately wanted to kiss her, to try to show her just how happy I was, but knowing how emotional things had been for Opal held me back. Besides, I didn't want her thinking all I cared about was the physical stuff. There would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, I just wanted to bask in the unbelievable happiness that was surrounding me knowing that Opal had trusted me with her burden. And that she wanted to be with me.

I felt Opal's body shiver in my arms, and I decided that it would probably be best to head back. As we walked out of the school grounds I glanced down at Opal and found that she was smiling softly to herself as she looked at the snow along the sidewalk.

Feeling unusual bravery mixed with confidence I slowly reached out and took Opal's hand in my own. She blinked up at me, looking surprised, and before I could chicken out I slipped our joined hands into my jacket pocket. Luckily the pockets on my jacket were nice and deep and our hands fit snugly inside. Opal's cheeks lit up in a blush and I shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed but insanely happy.

"I've seen couples do this before; I always wished I had someone I could try it with," I explained and I could feel heat rising up my neck and into my cheeks.

That sounded so corny, I mentally chided myself. To my relief, Opal's face lit up in a delicate grin.

"It's nice. Much warmer," she commented a little awkwardly before turning away and smiling quietly to myself. Her fingers squeezed my hand hesitantly and I couldn't keep a massive grin from overtaking my face as well

When we got back to the apartment complex Opal cocked her head in surprise and pointed toward a blue Mercedes Benz parked next to my much more conservative car.

"That's Shin Woo's car," she explained. I remembered back to the man who talked to me last night. He had explained he was Opal's dance instructor and a family friend of sorts and it had been obvious how much he cared for Opal and her aunt.

"Should I head home then?" I asked, surprised at how much I DIDN'T want to leave Opal right now. She blinked in shock and my heart fluttered as she quickly shook her head.

"No, I'm sure Shin Woo won't mind. Unless you needed to get home...?" she asked hesitantly and I grinned widely.

"Nope. I told Amber I'd be out most of the day," I said with a soothing smile and Opal nodded with a pleased expression. We walked up to the apartment and I was surprised when Opal knocked on the door and waited for a moment.

"You knock on your own door?" I asked in surprise. Opal shrugged with a smile that seemed to be hiding a secret.

"If Shin Woo is here they may be having an important conversation. I wouldn't want to walk in on them," she explained in a whisper.

Before I could ask what conversation that could be though, the door opened and her aunt, who looked like she may have been crying recently, opened the door. She opened her mouth, looking confused, but then her eyes narrowed in on my jacket and I realized that I had yet to let go of Opal's hand resting in my pocket.

"Oh... I assume your conversation went well?" Ms. Sato said with a teasing glimmer in her eyes. Opal and I quickly pulled our hands from my pocket and I tried to casually cover the bottom half of my face to hide my blush.

"You got back just in time. Shin Woo came by to take us out for lunch. Would you like to join us, Nathaniel?" Ms. Sato asked with a kind smile.

"Oh... I wouldn't want to impose," I said awkwardly, but then Shin Woo came up behind Ms. Sato and smiled brightly at us.

"No such thing. Let's head out, I'm starving." 

Ms. Sato chuckled and grabbed her jacket. Opal looked up at me with a hopeful glint in her eyes and I smiled at her, nodding my silent agreement. I could hardly believe that things had turned out this way, but I was so grateful that even with all our issues, Opal and I could be together to help each other through them. 

A/N I love how adorkable Nathaniel is ^.^