Junior year seemed to fly past us as we neared the end of our third year of high school, it was strange not having Michael around in the hallways. He had moved onto the next phase of his life and began to fly on a new set of wings as he shed away the pressures of becoming the CEO of Montgomery Inc. He got accepted into NYU's photography program and now he's excited about his new future.

I worried for my best friend about the pressure on her to excel and prepare her for taking over Montgomery Inc. Mother expected me to taking over Sousa Day Cosmetics as soon as I got out of college, and it made me sick to my stomach. Out of all the paths I had in front of me, becoming CEO of Sousa Day was the last thing that I wanted to do. But I didn't really know what I did want to do.

In late march another piece of my heart left me never to be brought back again, my little Letty left me and flew up to heaven. I had Letty for twelve years when she passed away, my dad had gotten her for me and in a way it was like losing him all over again.

I refused to leave the house for a week not wanting to see the outside world that Letty and my dad loved so much, all it caused was a sharp pain in my chest reminding me that they were both gone.

Emily had come to see me a couple of times just to be with me and to sit in silence, she knew how much they both meant to me and that I never really got over the loss of my father. It had been six years since my father had lost his battle to Lung Cancer, our family never had recovered from the loss. He had been the light of my mom's world, they fell in love so deeply that as a kid I had hoped that I would be so lucky.

Mom had double majored in Chemistry and Business while Dad has a Chemistry Major and a Economics Minor, together they built up a company that refused to comply with society. The made their products towards a certain age group but not only that, they also prohibited the sale of the products to anyone under that age of sixteen. My father despised the makeup world for putting such pressure on young girls to grow up so fast.

They were a power couple if you had ever saw one and they were completely enamored with each other, I suppose once you love someone so deeply that its hard to find light again once they are gone. Growing up she had been kind to me and still had a twinkle in her eyes, but as time passed it only seemed to fade farther and farther away.

A cold wind replaced the loving mother that I once knew, I tried to remember that this wasn't her. That she was just so deeply wounded by the loss of her husband that she was hiding deep inside, but I knew that the mother I once had was too far gone.

I had heard the doorbell and my mother going to get the person, I figured it was just Emily or some of the other dream team members stopping by for the next visit. But who opened the door shocked me, I was surprised that my mother had even let him in.

"Michael." My voice was raspy from the sobs that had been wrecking my body as of late, I just wished that Letty was next to me to cheer me up. She was such an amazing and comforting little bird.

"I'm sorry I took so long Sierra." He came over to sit on my bed so I scooted over a bit to make some room for him, the bed dipped down with his weight pulling me closer to him. I didn't want to look at him when I was such a mess, but of course he never cared about that.

He laid down beside me his eyes filled with worry for my sake, warmth radiating from his body and I couldn't help but lift my hand up to his cheeks. Such a short time had passed by and yet he had changed so much already while he was at NYU, he looked older for some reason but I couldn't place why.

"Michael." My voice cracked as I said his name again and I quickly made my way into his comforting arms, I cried into his chest as he whispered that everything would be alright in my ear.

"Please don't leave me." I whimpered into his chest overcome with the feeling of abandonment, father, letty, even mother, they all had left me. I couldn't bare the thought of ever losing the person I loved so dearly.

"I'll always be here for you my darling Sierra."  I felt him brush my hair back and place a kiss on the top of my head, he held me until I could cry no longer. My tears stained his shirt and yet I felt at ease in his arms, I feared that I would always mourn for my father no matter how much time had past.

But I knew one thing for sure, no matter how much time had past I would always... always feel safe in the arms of Michael Montgomery.

The world always seems so obnoxious when you wake up in the morning after drinking so hard the night before, some people call it hungover. I call it complete and utter annoyance, especially when you know that you have to be in for work in a few hours. The surprises never stop trying to one up themselves as you continue to drag yourself out of you bed.

I let out a low groan as I drug myself out of my comfy bed desperately needing a cup of coffee, I glanced towards my clock wondering how much time I had before I needed to be into work. My heart thumped in my chest as the small clock flashed 11:02, why hadn't my alarm went off!

I quickly rushed out of my room almost tripping on my covers, I couldn't even remember what had happened last night. The last thing I remembered was being at the bar, I really needed to stop getting drunk like this.

"Sierra, how are you feeling?" My heart leapt to my throat as I let out a scream from shock, standing behind me was one Michael Montgomery. I racked my brain trying to remember any detail to why Michael would have been in my home and sleeping on my couch from the looks of it.

"Not pleasant, everything is a bit foggy." I tilted my head towards him the normal level of distance between us as usual, still my eyes looked him up and down once. He didn't seem the least bit drunk, which means I probably made a fool out of myself last night. Or I worried him enough to cause him to bring me home himself and he looked after me.

"I figured as much, you were really drunk when I found you last night at Richie's." He moved around me to make a cup of coffee for the both of us, "You should really be careful Sierra."

It was a normal comment that any sane person would say, especially if you were someone's friend, but I couldn't help but hope that it was because he didn't want me with any other man. That he wanted to protect me himself, although that was still out of the question for us.

"I'm quite fine on my own Michael you know that." I put my hands on the back of the counter behind be standing beside of him, pushing away so of my wavy hair behind me.

"Didn't look that way last night when you were inconsolable." He responded not even looking up from the pot of coffee, "You shouldn't throw away your future for a few drinks at a bar Sierra."

"I still am as confused as I was ten years ago Michael, why can't I just find my path so that we can walk together on it." The memory came rushing back to me with little context, all I remember was crying out those words to Michael last night. I sucked in a breathe wondering what else I had said to him in my drunken state.

Anger flooded my veins around the topic that continually sprung up around this infuriating man, all this talk about a future yet nothing had changed. I gritted my teeth and my eyes narrowed a bit as determination flooded my very being, I couldn't be this close to him forever and not do anything.

"Right now I'm going to live in the present, please join me." I spoke and he turned towards me shocked at my words, I made my move then grasping the collar of his shirt and bringing his lips to mine. He stumbled slightly his hands wrapping around my waist as he hit the back of the countertop. My hands went to his chest and I could feel his heavy breathing and his heartbeat underneath my fingertips.

I parted our lips for a moment looking up at his widened eyes and for the first time I had ever known Michael he looked completely surprised. His lips were parted slightly and they were swollen from my kiss, his cheeks had a dusting pink on them as he licked his lips. That had been the first time I ever initiated a kiss between us, I wanted more.

"You crazy girl." He uttered and before I could raise my lips an inch forward to close the gap again he had already done so, his lips rushed into mine as a fire lit inside of us.

His arms pulled my closer to him as we kissed our tongues dancing with each other for the first time, he tasted so sweet and his body was extremely warm. A bolt of electricity shot through me as we danced together, my arms crawled up and wrapped behind his head.

"I love you." I murmured in between kisses and it was like lightning had struck him when I said those very words, like he was waking up from a good dream.

I watched as he distanced himself once more from me the moment fading away into a memory. His arms let go of me as he quickly moved away from me, his hand going into his hair as he bent his head down. He just kept shaking his head all the way to the couch, I frowned at him following behind him waiting to hear him speak.

"I don't care how long I have to wait my dear Sierra, I will love you with my every rise like the sun and every fall like the moon until my last day on this earth and beyond." His voice echoed in my head as another memory flashed in my head, where had the man from last night gone...

"Michael." He glanced up at me from the couch his face looking solemn like he had just done a grave sin, although in his eyes it probably was. "I love you Michael, and I know you want to wait so I will. But I think you and I both know that we aren't just friends like we pretend to be."

"I love you to Sierra, and I'm sorry to make you wait but I just want you to achieve the person God has made you to be." He smiled softly the words echoing in my head, I couldn't help but smile right back at him. Even though the last thing I want is to wait any longer, I should at least see through what God has shown to Michael.

"Just don't leave me yet ok." I asked as I made my way to sit next to him on the couch, my two birds sitting in their cages beside of us. He had already fed them and opened their doors, I couldn't help but smile to myself at his thoughtfulness.

"I'll always be with you darling." He responded leaning one arm on the back of the couch over me, I flipped the tv on just wanting to relax for awhile. I wish I had the confidence he had in our Lord that we would be together in the end, yet his faith was infectious. Emily had struggled with these things ever since I had known her yet his faith never wondered even once.

"Good."