The first time they kissed was in the rain.

It was cold. Mid November. The rain had been heavy all day, and while it had subsided a little, a heavy tattoo still beat the gleaming silver pavement. Thin traces of white light that were the raindrops streaked down, scattered. The pavement shined like silver. They stood under a lamp post, gazing at each other's golden faces. Looking up, Allie could see past Tony to the dying, curled leaves of the tree above them, and rain streaking the past the glimmering yellow light from the streets lamp. In the daylight those leaves were gold and fiery orange. Now you could see their skeletons, and they were pale, ghostly grey. And Allie felt saddened, as though she had invaded a little part of nature's privacy by seeing this.

"Thank you for walking me to the bus," she said.

"Thank you for coming," Tony said.

There was a pause. Allie's heart was beating very fast.

"I..." Tony started, but she never finished, because Allie took hold of her hand. Looked into her face.

"I really like you, Tony." Allie stood on her tip toes. Tony grasped Allie's other hand. Tony seemed to have forgotten how to breath. Allie's hair was sparkling with raindrops. She could see tears clinging to her eyelashes. She was far too close.

Allie could have counted the freckles on Tony's nose.

Tony whispered, "I like you, too."

Tony drew Allie close to her. Their chests pressed against each other, hot.

Allie closed her eyes. For a split second Tony thought about stopping her and running. Everything collapsed around her. But then, in a rush of colour, there was a pretty girl in front of her, holding her hands, and the moonlight was falling on the street, and the rain had dimmed to a mist that made everything look glittery. And Tony forgot. She forgot her fears. She forgot her father. All that existed was here under this streetlight, and she was fine with that.

Tony closed her eyes and held Allie close and then they were one and she tasted so good and this was amazing...

After they'd broke apart they stood as close as they had been, looking into each other's faces.

"I have something for you," Allie breathed. "I wasn't sure if I should give it to you, but... here."

And she untangled herself from Tony and reached into her pocket, pulling out an envelope.

"Open it when you get home, okay?" she said breathlessly. "I don't want it to get wet."

Tony nodded and pocketed it.

*

Later, when Allie was on the bus home, Tony sat with her bed with her legs crossed and opened the envelope. Inside was a small card, upon which was painted a beautifully detailed telescope in watercolour. Tony stared at it. It was really very good.
Heart thudding a little, she opened the card and read:

"Dear Tony,

You are the king of pockets full of strangest things. You have a lighter, we light a fire. In any weather, we were onto something major. Wading through the mire, tripping on the wire.
And there's something in the first coming from the sea, calling like the loons it echoes through the trees. We believe in love.
Something caught that night. Your hand all wrapped in mine. Our minds slowed like the sun on the coast. Lost track of time, I ran home with you on my mind, seashells in the woods. No one understood.
And there's something in the forest lighting up the night, dancing on the waters, ripples in the skies. We believe in love.
Just lying on the grasses, until the silence makes us restless, I will never, never forget what this feels like.
There's something in the forest coming from the sea, calling like the loons it echoes through the trees, we do believe in love. We believe in love.

P.S
I hope the card isn't too cheesy, but I really like that song and I know you like space."

Tony burst into tears.