I like the way David drives the car. He has a relaxed driving style.

"Martha, can you tell me where we are going?" He flashes a beautiful smile.

"You turn left, don't worry."

"Come on, you can't keep me on my toes like this."

"Of course you're too impatient. You just have to wait."

There is silence, but it is short-lived. "I'm curious. What if you were taking me into the woods to kill me?"

I shoot him a dirty look. "Do you think I would be able to do such a thing?"

"I don't know, there's a lot of that going around." He turns to the left.

"Heh, yes. Millions of boys are killed in the woods by a girl."

He reflects. "What if you are the exception that proves the rule?"

"If you don't stop, I'll take you to the woods." I smile.

"I don't know if I'd like the woods at night."

"Why not? The leaves on the ground crunching, the damp ground sticking to your shoes, the wolves in the distance howling at the moon, and... Zac!" I strike him in the side with my hand.

He winces and swerves with the car. "Are you crazy? You scared the hell out of me!" He gives a nervous giggle.

"Did you get scared?"

"Who? Me? No, no, it's fine."

"Say you got scared. At the intersection, turn right."

"I didn't expect that. You did it suddenly." He scratches the back of his head and turns right. "Anyway, there are no leaves on the ground at this time in the woods."

"You say that."

"I'm not saying it. That's the way." He widens his eyes. "I get it! You prepared my deathbed with leaves."

"And a few scented candles here and there."

"Nice. Is it for atmosphere?"

"I don't know if it's more creepy or romantic..."

"I'd say creepier."

I pretend to reflect. "Yes, I would say so. Turn right again and we're almost there."

"If it weren't for the fact that you engineered all this to get me to pass away, I'd say we're on our way to school right now." He turns right.

"You think so?" I wiggle my eyebrows up and down.

"What? Don't tell me you're going to kill me with history repetitions."

"Everyone has their own methods. These are mine." We're there. "Go into that alley."

"I can't believe you really want to kill me from boredom. If you had told me, I wouldn't have come."

I tap him on the shoulder. "Park."

There's the school wall. An overwhelming feeling reaches my chest. I run out of air and feel that I lack strength. Maybe I shouldn't have come here. I didn't think this place would have this strange effect on me. I wonder if I'll ever be able to erase this feeling now that I'm with David.

"Martha, what's wrong?"

I come to my senses. "No, nothing. It's just that school at night has a strange effect on me."

"Me too."

"What feeling do you have?"

"I don't know, in the morning, so many things happen in there and now nothing is happening. I don't know, it's strange."

"You mean 'for now' nothing is happening."

David looks at me dumbfounded. "What are your intentions?"

"We're going to climb over the school wall today." I get out of the car.

"What? Look what I have to do."

I close the door. "Come on, come on. I'll show you it's beautiful inside."

"Don't you think we might get in trouble?"

"Nothing will happen. I promise." I approach the wall. "Come, you have to help me."

"Should I pick you up?"

"No, put your hands like this." I cross my fingers as Paul had done. "And I give myself a push up."

"A little turbulent for a first date, don't you think?" He hints a smile.

"No, business as usual."

He walks over to the wall and crosses his fingers for me to get on. I've done this before, I should make it safely.

I put my foot on his hands and lean on his shoulders. "I count to three. Then, you give me a push."

"Of course it never gets boring with you, huh?"

I smile. "3... 2... 1..." I extend my leg and David gives me a good push to climb up. I grab the rough wall with my hands. "I've got it. Push me a little higher."

I put my knee on the wall. I've made it. I straddle the wall. "Quick. Your turn."

"Next time cinema?"

"Next time cinema."

He finds the slots in the wall that Paul had found and, without me giving him any other directions, in a moment he is up, facing me, straddling the wall.

"Do you guys all know how to climb over like this?"

"I don't know all the boys in the world."

Our shoes touch, just like that time. Why do I think of Paul again? I retract them.

"You should get down now, and then while I get down, you accompany me in the movement, okay?"

"Ah, first you take me to school at night and then you don't even know how to get down by yourself?" He looks at me with those soft eyes of his.

"Please." I blink to soften him.

"Do you have something in your eye? Let me take it out for you." He moves my hair with one hand and opens my eyelids with his index finger and thumb.

I laugh. "Has it come off?"

"Not yet. Maybe I need to take a closer look."

He moves closer and brings my legs onto his thighs. I am wrapped around him, he brings his hand behind the back of my neck and we kiss.

I like his kisses, they make me feel good. We continue kissing and I bring my hands into his hair. David is really nice, I feel good with him, but why am I still thinking about Paul?

I pull away. "I think that thing in my eye has come off."

"Do you think so? It doesn't look like it to me." He moves closer to give me another kiss.

I place my hand on his chest to stop him. "I want to take you somewhere."

Defeated, he lowers his head. "Isn't being on the wall enough for you? It's beautiful here. You can see the school, the streetlights on, the basketball court, that beautiful oak tree."

"You like the oak tree too?"

"Yes, it has always given me a sense of serenity. Then I like it when the wind moves the leaves, makes that strange noise."

"I like the rustling of the leaves, too."

"That's it, what's the word. Rustling."

I can't tell him that sometimes I think nature is trying to tell me something with those sounds, he would think I was crazy.

David looks at the tree, I hadn't noticed it had this nice profile. "If I tell you something, will you take me for crazy?"

"By now, I'm ready for anything."

"Okay, but don't laugh."

"I promise."

He takes a deep breath. He is opening up to me, I think he wants to tell me something deep. It's not for everyone.

"Sometimes, I think there's something more behind those sounds of wind and leaves and nature in general. I don't know how to explain it."

"Like nature wants to tell you something? Maybe suggest things to you?"

He looks up. "Yes, now you'll want to drive away in my car, leave me here and call the police."

"No, indeed. That's a good thing you told me."

"Is it?"

I take his hands. "Come with me. I'll take you to a wonderful place."

He caresses them with his thumbs, then slaps my thighs twice with both hands.

"Ouch." I laugh and nudge him.

"So I'll come down first and then help you. Let's go to this place."

I remove the legs I have on him, he jumps and cushions on his legs.

"All right, I'm coming down now."

This is the most dangerous part of all, I can do it a hundred times, but I will always be afraid of smashing my face against the wall. I want to make David see me brave.

I adjust the headphones on my neck and stuff the Walkman neatly into my pocket.

I bring my leg down and drop down. David's timely hands grip my ankles.

"Now I let go."

"I got you, go."

Hands off, David slides me into his arms. The landing was very light.

"See. I got you."

"I saw. You did great."

"Where is this place?"

"Follow me and you will find out." I take his hand and lead him with me.

We walk in the silence of the night, I'm not so afraid now. Yes, sure, I still think there might be a serial killer around every blind corner, but it's different now. I don't feel that bad feeling anymore, only the positive feeling of adventure is left.

"Martha, do you do this often?"

"Not all the time. Just a couple of times a week. Usually, on Wednesdays and Fridays."

"On other days of the week, do you sneak into people's apartments?"

"I'm working on that."

We get to the bush, and behind it is the step ladder. I pick it up and place it on the roof wall, above the half-broken door.

"Would you like to go up there?"

"It's a sight up there. I'll show you."

I go up first, he follows.

"Wow, it's true. It's beautiful from here."

"I told you so." I lie down, David does the same.

"How did you discover this place?"

I can't tell him that Paul introduced me to it. What do I tell him?

"You didn't know it?"

"No, this is the first time I've been up here. Not to mention it's night, the school is closed, and I think it's a crime what we're doing."

"We're not bothering anyone."

"True. It would be worse if we entered the school, maybe by breaking in the door." He laughs and looks me straight in the eye.

"Yes, that would be worse." I squeeze his hand.

I hope the story about the principal's office never gets out. Not so much that it's a crime. I mean, something like that I would never do again for any reason in the world. Once was enough to realize that it was bullshit. I was very lucky that the principal didn't call the police. I get chills just thinking about it. Besides, that stupid Test, it got me close to Paul and it was the worst thing that could have happened to me.

"Martha, what are you thinking about?"

"No, nothing. I was thinking that I like your hair." My fingers run through his hair.

"Do you like it? I, actually, was planning to change it."

"Do you want to do a new hair style?"

"I was thinking of getting blond hair."

"You want to get blond hair, did I understand correctly?"

"Yes, but not all blond. Just a few strands here and there."

"I don't know if you'd look good."

"I want to try. If they don't look good, I'll do it all blond or take it all off."

"No, not all of it! I like your hair."

He rotates his body toward me, we are glued together. "I like your hair too."

Our lips meet again, this time with our bodies attached. His legs cross with mine, his abdomen pushes against me, his chest finds mine.

With David it's different. He may not be Paul, but I really like him, and I hope it goes well between us. I really think he may be the only one who can make me forget that bad story.

"Martha!" It's Paul, his head sticking out of the ladder.

The kiss breaks off. What is he doing here?

"Paul, what are you doing here?"

He looks down from the ladder. "Nothing I just came for a walk."

"At night? By yourself?"

"Is Martha up there?" It's Jasmine.

"You wanted to bring Jasmine. Tell the truth?"

"I see that instead you wasted no time and brought David up there."

Jasmine shouts. "Is David there too?"

Paul looks down. "Don't shout!"

David looks at me displeased. "That's why you didn't answer my question. You had already been here, with him."

"No, wait, I have to explain how things happened."

"Martha, you lied to me."

"I didn't lie to you, I just omitted this. I was going to tell you later."

"Later when?"

"At another time."

David stands up. "I guess." He looks in the direction of the oak tree. "For me, the date is over here. I'm leaving." He stands up.

"No, wait. I want to explain everything to you. Let me explain, please." I grab his wrist to hold him back.

"Today, I won't listen to you. You can explain it to me another day."

I stand up. I cannot make him leave. I really care about him. I want to start from scratch.

David stands by the ladder, staring at Paul. "Move over I have to go down."

"Are you done yet? I'll come by later if you want."

"Stop it, don't be an asshole!"

"Who did you say asshole to?"

"I told you, because you're being an asshole."

Paul climbs to the roof. "Say it again if you dare."

"I don't want to fight, I just want to get off this place and go home. You, on the other hand, are provoking me. Why don't you go home to Dad?"

Paul's eyes widen, he nudges him, and David steps back.

"Guys, take it easy." I step between them.

Paul glares at him. "Don't bring my father into this!"

"I didn't offend your father. I just wanted to say that you should leave me alone and that I want to leave."

"You brought up my father." He gives him another shove, this time David reacts almost at the same instant, returning it.

"Paul, I don't want to fight."

He gives him another push. "Have I seen you circling around Jasmine like a fly?"

"No, you haven't. That's your impression. I'm done with her."

But why is Paul acting so quarrelsome? I didn't imagine he was like this, I don't recognize him.

"Oh, yeah? You're done? And now you zone in on Martha?" He approaches with a hard face.

I interject. "Paul, what are you saying? You're scaring me. Take it easy."

"Martha, be careful. There is a lot of bad talk about David. They say he enjoys ruining girls' lives."

David gives him a shove and Paul throws a punch.

"Stop, stop."

Paul catches David in the legs and knocks him to the ground.

"What's going on?" Jasmine screams.

The two continue fighting, rolling, tugging, punching each other.

I rush toward them, wanting to break them apart, but I feel they are too stiff, both of them are doing too much force for me.

"Enough! Stop!"

Rolling around they push me, the Walkman comes out of the pocket and the headphones come off. I try to grab it on the fly, but I can't. It rolls on the roof, the sound of plastic hitting the surface chills my blood. I jump to grab it, but I lose sight of the Walkman. It has fallen down.

I can't curb the momentum I've given myself and find myself with my body half out and half in. I am hovering and a scream escapes me.

I'm falling! I am falling! I am falling! I can't climb back up with my whole body onto the roof. I am holding on with all the strength I have, my nails are screeching, the rubber of my shoe is friction and looking for more support. My muscles are failing me, I have no strength left. I also put my other hand on the roof, but my leg can't take it anymore and slips off.

I am clinging with only the strength of my arms, and this is running out. I send out another scream, the pain under my fingers is unbearable, the muscles in my forearms could tear at any moment.

Maybe if I fall off my legs I won't die. Time to think about which foot bones I might have broken that I see David's head sticking out of the roof.

"Martha, I'm going to take you now."

He grabs my hands and pulls me upward. I manage to put my feet on the wall and give myself a few thrusts. David's face is red from exertion, but he keeps pulling me. My knee is on the roof, one last effort and I am safe. He collapses to the ground and I am no longer hovering.
I am alive!

I was about to die, my heart is racing, my breathing is labored, my hands hurt.

I am shocked. The Walkman! I crawl to the edge of the roof. It is destroyed.

The only thing I had of my father's is on the ground, split open, just like my heart now. That crack that had been branching deep inside for some time has now completed its journey. It has completed what it had begun, accomplished its goal. An abysmal inner emptiness that can only be filled by endless pain.
A pain that no one can ever take away.