"First, I'm going to marry you."

Becky laughed, "You really are crazy sometimes. Think about it, we haven't even bought a dog yet and to think that is what we planned to do after getting into the wrestling school."

Seth hugged her close and sighed, "We will buy the dog but we have to think of our priorities first."

"Buying the dog is a priority."

"Nope, marrying you is," he teased the small of her back with his hand, fingers drumming on her bare skin. They were lying naked on her bed after a long session of love making. The wind was chilly and cold as it blew through the open window but Seth's arms kept her warm and cozy. The weather screamed an impending rain as the wind blew hard against the trees. Seth was grateful Fergal allowed them to go home when the drizzle began. It gave him and Becky the whole evening to spend with each other and make love for good long hours without the fear of Becky's mother stumbling upon them nagging at the back of their heads.

"Why don't we leave the subject of marriage on the sidelines for now," she said.

"Wouldn't you want to marry me," he asked in all seriousness, causing Becky to look up at him, chin resting on his chest.

"Of course I would want to. I love you but we should concentrate on important things for now. The wrestling school and our grades should come first. We are so close to graduating and when we do, we have to find a job to be able to fend for ourselves. We will have to balance between the training and our work schedules. Things will be hard and we will have so many responsibilities on our hands. Making our priorities clear is very important and I don't think marriage is one of them. For now."

"I'm not saying we should marry now. That will be a very hasty decision. But I want to in the near future. I want us to be together. I don't want a situation where by you will have to leave for Ireland and leave me all alone here."

For Becky to say she knew exactly what Seth was talking about will be a lie. He was being irrational. She couldn't believe he was thinking of marriage at the moment. His eyes were blazing with resolve and any argument she might bring up will definitely lead to a quarrel she didn't want. Wanting to ease the tension, she placed a lingering kiss on his nipple, making her way up from his chest to his throat. "Seth, I'm not going anywhere. My mother has a stable job here. School is fine. I'm finally training in a wrestling school as I have always wanted. I have friends and an amazing boyfriend whom I love. I miss my father but Ireland isn't really the most nicest place for me right now. I love it here and I love you."

"I know," he said softly. "But sometimes I can't help but think of you leaving for Ireland. Our relationship and everything we have will be gone. Forever. Letters and calls can only do so much. It scares me sometimes."

She clambered up to straddle him, her orange hair falling onto his chest. He fingered a tendril, looking dreamily into her eyes. "Let's say, we are one in this and we want to get married," she humored him, "with what money do you think we can use to do that? And even if we had the money, do you seriously think our parents will agree? No matter how much your father likes me, I'm not sure even him will agree with this. He will think we are crazy."

"Then we will not inform them," he said it with such ease and confidence that for a moment Becky believed they could actually do it.

"I will tell your father to enroll you in the psychiatric hospital instead of your mother because you're clearly crazier than she is."

He flashed her a cocky smile, "Once we are eighteen, we can do whatever we want. We can get married, finish training and leave this miserable town to start our lives together."

The excitement on his face was so infectious that she couldn't help beaming down at him. "Alright Mr. Architect, I won't argue anymore. You have a point. That's like a year away for me. Eighteen is a reasonable age to do everything you are suggesting. Think of how exciting it will be for us to elope and get married."

"Even better, imagine the faces of our parents when they find out," he chuckled heartily. "My mother might probably pull her hairs out. I wish to live to see that day."

She smacked him lightly on the arm, "You're terrible." Her expression turned serious, "Hey, do you think we can get into WWE in the future?"

"Of course. We are talented. If they don't hire us, it will be their loss not ours." He assured her, cupping a breast in his palm and squeezing gently. He pulled her down to kiss her luxuriously, "You're good, beautiful and talented. Stop doubting yourself, will you?"

Sometimes it amazed her how much he knew her. He always says the same thing about her but what he doesn't know was that, sometimes she couldn't read him. Like the time they were just starting out as friends. She didn't even know he had a crush on her until he kissed her. Recalling that day brought a warm tingle to her toes, remembering the first time they kissed, the day she felt right at home in her new surroundings. She kissed him again, this time with much fervor and want than before and cursed under breath as she realized the stash of condoms were lying near her door, out of reach.

She squealed in surprise as he rolled her onto the bed, settling between her open legs. He ran a hand down the insides of her thighs, "What were you thinking of?"

"Um. . . . the condoms? They are so far away." In their hastiness, they had left it there after Seth had teared a pack open and entered her so sharply, she had screamed in pain and pleasure. An odd feeling, she now realized.
 
He chuckled low at the base of her throat, making her shiver. "It is beside the door. Your room isn't exactly a hotel suite you know." He stood up to retrieve the condoms and Becky felt an icy breeze sweep through her. She hugged herself as it began to rain in torrents, thunder booming in a distance. "In the future we will have a bigger room than this and a bigger bed. I promise."

He entered her slowly, "You're not exactly being fair to my bed. It has helped you a lot. It is even helping you now. Have some gratitude."

He began thrusting with quickened pace, "No complaints then." They lost themselves in each other before they heard the sound of Annette's car and Seth had to climb through the window and leave in the heavy rain.

The next day began as it had been for the past two months; Seth waiting in front of her house for them to walk to school together. But as she kissed him and whispered good morning, she noticed Holly fully dressed with her jacket over her arm and before she knew it Seth was dragging her to the car parked in front of his house. Holly's car. "Mom wants to give us a ride to school," Seth told her. "I couldn't say no."

Becky gave him a look that said she was okay with it. Seth's mother wasn't her favorite person in the world——she would prefer his father any day over his mother——but she knew she had to try for Seth's sake. The ride was much comfortable than Becky had expected. Holly was nicer to her than ever and it felt so nice for Holly to ask her about the simplest of things such as the school and even about their relationship.

"I can't believe it has been two months since you stole my boy's heart," Holly had said, laughing to herself while Seth blushed.

Two months, Becky thought as they got out of the car and Holly drove away to work. She had completely missed the first month with everything that had been going on. Now that she knew about the second one, she couldn't think of anything to give Seth. So she asked Mercedes, "What will be the ideal choice of gift to give to your boyfriend on a special occasion?"

"You want to give Seth a gift," Mercedes's voice was dripping with sarcasm and Becky wasn't sure why that was.

She shrugged, "Yes, it's our first anniversary——well it should be the second one—–but the first one completely escaped my mind. I need to gift him something but I don't know what."

"Well, you can't buy him flowers or chocolates. Those are for girls and boys are really complicated when it comes to gifts. Sex is something they really like. That can be your gift."

Becky shook her head, confused. "Sex can't be a gift. It's a sacred thing shared between lovers. I can't give myself to Seth as if I'm an object he has won."

Mercedes gave her a sharp look, "That's only your opinion Rebecca," unlike Seth and Josh that call her Becky, Mercedes strictly refuses to follow the rule. "All boys want is sex. Once they have sex with you, they dump you for another girl. It is the same with all of them and I'm sure Seth isn't an exception."

"How can you be so sure?" Becky was starting to feel slightly irritated, "I know Seth and he isn't like that."

"I have known him since third grade and you've known him for only like three months or so. Besides, boys are all the same."

"The fact that they run after you in school wanting to have sex with you, doesn't make you knowledgeable about relationships and sex. Seth hasn't ran after you like the others and I know he never will. He is not the kind to take things for granted. Maybe you should find someone who loves you. Only then you can understand what I mean."

Mercedes glared at Becky, taking offense. "You're right, I don't have a boyfriend nor someone who loves me like Seth loves you," her voice cracked as she said it. "Since he is your boyfriend, why don't you figure it out yourself?" With that, she stormed out of class for lunch.

Becky didn't press or try to resolve things after school. She wasn't one to apologize for something she didn't do and she wasn't about to break her rule for Mercedes. She very well knew it was jealousy and she was starting to get worried about Mercedes and her feelings towards Seth. Maybe she had made a mistake by asking her for advice in the first place but she had seriously thought Mercedes had moved on seeing how close she and Seth was.

The gift still lingered in her mind even during training but it soon came to her like a flash. "Can I get a tattoo?"

The artist showed her a toothy grin, "Of course. What will you like me to do and where?"

"Not today. Tomorrow when I have my boyfriend distracted, you know what I mean. I want something simple like his name or one of his favorite things, anything but it has to be special."

"Listen sweetheart, tattoos are special in their own way especially when it is dedicated to someone. We don't need any complex design or anything. Go for his name instead and I'm sure he will like it. Where do you want it though?"

"What about at the back of my neck?"

He nodded, "Alright, we will do it tomorrow."

"Thanks," Seth's arms wrapped around her waist just as they finished their conversation. Becky spun around to face him, afraid he had heard something. "You startled me."

He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent in. "Did that guy try to make a pass at you?"

"If that's a joke, it isn't funny." She looked around at the almost empty environment and noticed Josh standing alone, leaning against the wall with a somber look on his face. "What is wrong with Josh? He is unusually quiet."

"He fought with Mercedes. We were talking about the upcoming prom and Josh came up with this great idea of potentially being Mercedes's date. She didn't take it too well. Said something about you rubbing it in her face earlier that she didn't have a boyfriend and then she stormed off to the locker room. What happened?"

Becky sighed deeply. She needed to have a serious conversation with Mercedes. "Nothing. I will have a talk with her. Be right back." The locker rooms weren't many and being the only girl, Fergal doesn't allow her to use it often. She only used them depending on how many students are around at the end of the classes. Today, the locker room was quiet as she entered. She expected to find Mercedes crying on the floor but the room was empty. She knocked twice on the bathroom door. "Mercedes, are you there?"

She heard the sound of plastic groaning and a series of curses. Curiosity and worry took over her. She turned the knob and barged into the shower. Mercedes's frightened face wasn't what caught her eye first but rather it was the small, white bag on the floor which Mercedes quickly snatched up before she could take a closer look. The bathroom smelled weird. Mercedes herself smelled weird. Her brown eyes were hazy and unfocused. An uncomfortable memory came to mind but it was the smell that really had her reeling. She would recognized it anywhere. She had smelled it enough in her room back in Ireland, when she had been contemplating on whether or not she should follow her friend's advice and take it. "Is that drugs?"