In the blink of an eye, the weekend has come and gone. The pair didn't see each other after Friday night, but they texted back and forth like crazy. Neither one missing a thing from the other's life.

Krystal did as promised, spent a lot of time with her family. She visited Oma on Sunday with her father like she was starting to do again.

Despite the years of Krystal's  absence, they fell into a routine. A new one, just the three of them. They had lunch and talks about everything. Just before they left, every time Oma would tell Krystal how glad she is to have Krystal back and that she can't wait to see her again next weekend.

Blake, had the monotonous task of going house hunting with his family. Hannah was looking to buy a condo and would rent out the second bedroom to Gabriel. Surprisingly, the sisters got along well and didn't have issues living together. The issues usually came into effect when Blake was involved, Hannah was much softer with him than Gabriel. The girls wanted Krystal to come along but Blake refused to put her through that torcher.

"How was the house hunting?" Blake groaned.
"Awful, they didn't like a single place. They kept complaining the closets were too small." Krystal chuckled, she understood his frustration
"Nancy was like that too, never enough room for her wardrobe. I think it's a girl thing."
"Do you have that issue?"
"No, I'm a moon girl, not the same core values." Blake was amused by her joke.

I'm glad she can joke about herself. It's nice seeing embrace her scar.

"I'll keep that in mind." She bumped his shoulder playfully.
"Whatever." A lull of silence pulled between the two of them.
"I noticed Ted doesn't hang around much anymore." She stated.
"Yeah, he's an asshole," Blake said casually.
"What happened?"
"He was an asshole." Blake avoided meeting her eyes.
"What makes him an asshole?"
"He just wasn't nice, Krystal." She studied his profile.
"He was making fun of me, wasn't he?"
"Yes, but-"
"Blake." She stopped him. He snapped his mouth shut. "People will always make fun of me. I know this, it doesn't bother me anymore. You don't need to protect me." She held her bag straps in her hands, pulling them tight to her.
"Krystal, it's a scar. It's not anything more than a memory for your skin. There is no justification for people being mean about it. Everyone has them. I have mine from mosquito bites and when my sister cut my leg with her bike. You're beautiful regardless. People need to look past that. There is nothing wrong with you."

His words his me like a ton of bricks. Someone being so confident in me. Willing to break long friendships over, over someone as simple as myself.

"You shouldn't have ended a friendship over me. That's stupid." Krystal countered.
"What if I'm saying your friendship is of more value than his was?" Blake gazed at her.

Does he know all the right things to say? The things I want to hear, need to hear. Blake found me more valuable than Ted. In my selfish way, I was glad. I found Blake to be of great value myself too.

"Well." Was all Krystal could say. Blake smiled because he knew she was speechless.

Ted and I had been friends for years, yes. I think our friendship changed somewhere between the beginning and now. We became two different people. We stopped caring about each other less and less. It became more about image and pack instincts instead of true caring. That's where Krystal came in. It took time, but she cares. I care for her too. I don't wish Ted ill will,  but our friendship has run its course.

"Thank you." Krystal finally said to Blake.
"For what?"
"For finding value in me." He smiled down at her.
"I didn't have to find it, it was already there. I  just acknowledged it."

I think Prince Charming goes to my school, alias being Blake Hardy.

🌙  🌙  🌙  🌙  🌙  🌙

At home, Blake found himself rereading the same page over and over again. No matter how many times he read the word on front of him they never stuck. Slapping his bookmark between the pages, he slid it off his lap and onto the bed. The ceiling was calling him. Really, his thoughts were calling him and the ceiling was a perfect backdrop.

That day in the planetarium she was so lost in the stars, she didn't even notice I barley even looked at the screen. I was too busy looking at her. "Wow, it's so beautiful. I could stare at this all day." I did the complete and total cliché thing and agreed while watching her. And the day at the diner, I think that's when our friendship started to turn. "Well, if you're willing, I guess I could take you up on the offer." Right there, when I made a horrible statement of inviting myself to go see her grandmother again after years, but she agreed anyways. That's where I think we slowly started to become friends. The drinking coffee and sharing stories. And the first time we had lunch together. The first thing she said to me was; "You know you're ruining your reputation by sitting with me." That was the day I told her we were friends. It felt good to bridge that gap. I fear I've come to another one. A bridge. Krystal and I are close, I don't want to lose that nor her but-

A knock echoed in Blake's room just before the door opened.
"Dinners ready." Hannah leaned in the door frame, studying her little brother. "You okay?"
"Uh, yeah, just thinking."
"See that is a problem." Hannah smiled at Blake, he rolled his eyes and climbed out of bed.

Around the dinner table the passed dishes and talked ideally.
"Blake was day dream when I got him for dinner."
"I was not!" Blake held the corn hostage from his sister. "I was trying to take a nap."
"With your eyes open?" Shaw gave him a smug look.
"Bet you he was thinking about Krystal." Hannah pointed her fort at her sister.
"I second." Blake rolled his eyes and still held the corn.
"Can we not? I was tried. I wanted to take a nap but couldn't fall sleep so I was staring at the ceiling." He explained, again.
"Oh your father does that too, dear." His mother jumped to his rescue, Blake shot Hannah a tight lipped grin. "But that usually means he has something on his mind." The girls erupted in fits of laughter.
"Okay, whatever." Blake passed Hannah the corn and kept his head down.

The rest of the dinner jokes about Blake and Krystal circled the table, everyone joined in, but Blake. He wanted to be an ostrich with his head in the sand. The girls pushed him and made a volley of jokes. The could have filled an entire book with Blake's embarrassment from tonight's dinner.

After the free comedy show; topic Blake Hardy's love life, the boys went it to the garage to do some work. For awhile they worked in silence, both of them putting tools away and restocking boxes.
"You know, Krystal is quite a girl." Office Hardy broke the silence.
"Dad, please. Not you too." He groaned.
"Sorry, I'm just saying."
"Well, if you don't remember dinner, everyone made a pretty big fuss on the topic." His dad chuckled.
"I remember. We just like her, that's all." Blake said nothing. "I know you like her too." He finally added.
"Yeah dad, we're friends." Mr. Hardy turned to face him.
"Son, you are-" Blake's phone buzzed in his pocket. In one sweeping motion, quickly drew it out. The only person who texted him anymore was Krystal. Meet me at Nancy's spot? Blake would never say no.
"As much fun as this is dad, you know, being harassed about Krystal and the feelings I do or don't have, I'm going to go hang out with her." Mr. Hardy gave him an understanding smile and nodded.

An amber glow filled a small space near the cross. Krystal was already there huddled under a blanket.
"Nice lantern." Blake commented as he approached.
"Thanks, it was Nancy and mine. We didn't actually go camping, but we would build forts and have sleep overs and you can't just use any light. You have to pretend your camping." He laughed as a childish grin filled her face.
"You okay, though?" Krystal scooted closer to him and threw the giant blanket over his shoulders as well.
"Yeah, was bored and wanted some cake." She pulled out the box from her side. Oma's favorite type of cake.

I'm glad he came out. It would have been lonely eating this cake out her with just Nancy. The more I've gotten accustomed to being with Blake, the more lonely it's felt with  Nancy. I guess that's what happens when you start living again, the dead become less lively.

"Oma would be heartbroken if she knew we eat this cake without her." She giggled.
"Oma eats it all the time without us, we're allowed."

They huddled in closer, knees touching and scarfed down the cake. Blake's phone buzzed in his pocket. Sighing, he rolled to the side to pull it from his back pocket. Glancing at his screen, he read the message from Hannah quickly.
"The family says hi and wants you to come over this week." Krystal laughs, falling into Blake's shoulder.
"Hi Hannah and I'd love to." Taking his plastic fork, she whips it across the grass.
"Hey!"
"Now the rest is all mine!" She threw her head back in laughter. Blake grabbed her fork from her hand and fed himself another piece of cake.
"Nope, the rest is all mine." He grinned, keeping his lips closed because his cheeks were full of cake.

I know this is supposed to be scary and thinking about it is, but falling for Blake, the actual action of it is nothing. It's easy. It's like singing Rocket Man.

She has never looked at me that way before.