It rained again. And again, it seemed to be at Sage's will. I'm starting to really think that there's something to this. Is it stupid of me to think so, yes, but my brain's doing it anyway.

I met some new people today. Adam and Douglass. They're friends with each other and Micheal and Leo. Adam and Douglass couldn't be more different. Adam's so white he's red and Douglass is so black that coal would be considered white. They're both manly but Adam goes more for tactic and Douglass for technique. They know Kailey and Alex and his goons. Told me to stay clear of them. I thanked them for their belated information. They also know Sage. They tell me she's smart and sometimes a little bit of a smart-ass.

They told me this after I told them she was assigned to be my partner in a group project. Leo and Michael, knowing my feelings for her, freaked out. That was fun. We exchanged numbers and said we should set up a time to meet over the weekend.

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked her.

"...I don't know..."

"Great answer."

"I'm mad at you because you put yourself in danger but I can't help thinking that I would've done the same thing if I was in your shoes."

"...Now you're making me nervous."

"Aw," she reached up and tussled my hair.

"Hey, I need you to promise me that your never going to be alone around those assholes."

"Okay."

"No, I'm serious."

"I know."

"Then, why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's just nice to know that someone cares. Like, really cares." Her ears started to turn red again and she looked down.

"You know you're cute when you're embarrassed?" This was a bold move for me so I tried to keep cool on the outside.

"Shut up!" She punched me on the shoulder. "Hey, wait a minute. You never answered my question."

"Hm?"

"You come out of every fight untouched so how did you get those bruises?"

"I'm not fighting."

"What?"

"You said I come out of every fight untouched but I wasn't fighting."

"Why'd you let him beat you up like that?"

"Because I'm fighting without fists."

"But-"

I moved close to her and smirked as I put my finger over her lips to quiet her. "Shh." I paused before adding, "Some fights can't be won with fists." Then I turned and left as my cheeks went red again.

October is a great month here. Things finally cool down to a comfortable temperature. It was Saturday and Sage and I met up in a park to do some work on the chemistry project. The weather was perfect. Clear skies and all. She brought some food because it was around lunch time and shared with me. We finished the project. I was lying on my stomach in the grass and was about to get up when she came up and pinned me.

"Answer my question!"

"I did."

"With the most bullshit nonsense ever made up."

"Get off!"

"Tell me. Aren't you parents worried about it?"

That word hit me like a truck. Parents. One of them's dead and the other one caused them! Luckily, she couldn't see my expression change.

"Get off!"

"No! Tell me!"

I flipped over knocking her arms out from under her. She fell forward on top of me and landed on my chest. I turned her over so that she was on her back and I was on top of her.

"Why are you always bringing up the fact that I care?"

"What?"

"I'm flipping the question."

"Yeah, I know. You're really good at that."

"Do you honestly think that I'm the only one who cares? The only one who pays attention? The only one who listens?" I knew I had her by the way her expression changed. "You always underestimate yourself. Do you think you're not brilliant? You aren't pretty? Why do you always look at what you could've, should've, and/or would've done instead of looking at what you could, should, and/or will do?"

"..."

"Answer me," I said quietly after my little rant. "Tell me."

"I didn't realize I was asking such a sensitive question."

"You aren't."

"Really? What about, 'do you have feelings for me'? Is that a sensitive question?"

Shit. She's got the upper-hand again.

"You don't have to answer that one if you answer the first one."

Shit. I lowered my head.

"Why are you ashamed to tell me?"

"You promise you won't tell a soul?"

"I promise." She said it so solemn and serious that I knew she was telling the truth. My heart melted at the thought of showing her the darkness I keep hidden in it.

I looked around and lied next to her looking at the sky. "My mom gave me the bruises."

She didn't say anything and I was scared to look at her face. Time was passing too slow. I imagined the look on her face. My eyes were watering. Shit. I blinked and tears rolled down my cheek. She grabbed my hand and squeezed before letting her thumb trace its lines.

"Do you want me to hide you?" she asked.

"What?"

"You hid me before. Do you want me to hide you?"

"No."

"Okay."

We sat up on the hill and watched the sunset. She didn't ask anything of me. She didn't give me anything accept a hand to hold. That hand was all I needed. The stars started to come out and we watched.

"Hey," Sage said. "You know you can talk to me about anything right?"

"Yeah."

"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I thought you would tell people."

"Hm," she smiled. "I have no one to tell. No one who'll listen."

"Sage, um... there's another reason."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"I didn't want you to know."

"Why not?"

"I didn't want you to pity me. I didn't want to drag you into the darkness that I have to go home to everyday."

"You could never do that."

"I've done it to someone before."

"Then, that person doesn't see what I see."

"What?"

"Look." She pointed at the stars and the city lights. "It's only with the deepest darkness that you can see the brightest light." She waited before adding. "Sorry, that was really corny."

"No. It was poetic... and corny. But it's true and I like it."

"You know, when I get a job I want to live in a big city with skyscrapers, but when I'm old, I want a place in Australia somewhere, where I can look up and see the Milky Way as clear as day. I also want to see the northern lights at some point in my life."

"What else do you want?"

"I want to learn how to sail, surf, and fish. I want to see whales in real life. I want to see all that this world can give me and save a piece of it for the next people who have to live on it, just in case it's not as spectacular then as it is now. I want to have a white Christmas every year where I live. I want to learn a lot of different languages and I want to live life and love every minute of it. What do you want?"