***I'm legitimately surprised you all didn't murder me last chapter. I mean, I don't know about you, but I wasn't ready for marriage at seventeen. I still freak out when I remember I can drive to the grocery store at 2 a.m. without anybody caring -

But anyway, here we go. We're trying for two chapters, but I lost my phone and slept in late this morning, so with editing time it'll probably be late EST before ya get a second chapter. I have no idea what time zone y'all are in, and I don't need to, so I typically switch back and forth between EST and UTC when giving times for writing. I think that's prolly the best I can do LOL

Also, I've been waiting to use "Yours" by Ella Henderson for a song for 32 CHAPTERS, SO MAKE SURE YOU LISTEN TO IT-***

***(Jay's POV)***

Nya and I are utterly silent, staring at her phone in my palm.

Lloyd, however, chuckles over the speaker. "Like anyone would be stupid enough to marry a girl who's not even seventeen yet. Like anyone would be interested in marrying Nya for the sole purpose of becoming her legal guardian!" He laughs harder. "Oh, gosh."

Cole coughs. The rest of the line is silent.

"What?" Lloyd asks after a moment. "I feel like you guys are leaving me out of something here."

"Lloyd," Cole huffs, "you know very well who's stupid enough to marry Nya on short notice."

"Oh, really? I – oh." His tone shows realization. "Oh."

I look at Nya, who still can't seem to speak.

I can't, either. Too much...all at once...

Like, I mean, I've dreamed about marrying Nya and all, but not like this! I was thinking we'd get married because we were in love, not because we had to! And I'd wait at least a few years, just so we were both older and more mature. I had it all planned out – propose to her in a year and a half, get married another six months after that, start a family when we were a lot older.

"So when's the wedding?" Cole asks nonchalantly over the phone.

Nya sputters. "There is no wedding! There's no elopement, either! I – " She swears.

And it's not a mild curse, either.

I laugh nervously, fingering my shirt collar. "Wow, Nya. You don't want to be with me that bad?"

Her eyes shoot daggers at me. "I don't want to marry you just for the sake of changing guardianship! We've already done the relationship of convenience thing, Jay – back when we pretended to be together, remember? And I'm sick of it! I'm sick of using you, and I'm sick of being pressured into situations where we're stuck together!" She heaves a breath.

The guys and I are all silent, knowing not to interrupt Nya when she's like this.

She continues, "I'm barely seventeen! I'm not ready to get married! And Jay, you won't be nineteen for a few more months! My aunt and uncle aren't going to give their consent for this! Zane, why did you even suggest that we get married?"

"It is a plausible solution, Nya," he replies. "Though your aunt and uncle may not agree to your marriage, an underaged marriage can also be brought about by the approval of the courts. You would simply have to prove to them that a male of at least eighteen can care for you better than your current guardians and that you would not simply be a live-in girlfriend."

"There's no way they would listen to us!" Nya snaps. "Jay and I have been dating for a week. A week! Nobody in their right mind says, 'Hey, these two teenagers have been dating for a week. Let's let them get married and expect them not to get a divorce within the next year!'" Her cheeks are red when she finishes, and she looks up at me. "Jay, tell me I'm not crazy. This is a stupid idea, right?"

"That's...one way to put it," I swallow. "I...don't know that either of us are ready for that step."

"See?!" Nya exclaims.

"Yeah," Cole says, "but this is about Nya not having her elemental power taken from her. That's not right. You guys could have a marriage in name only until Kai recovers from his insanity, and then you could get it annulled or whatever."

Nya massages the bridge of her nose. "Cole, the requirements for marriage annulment are...that either Jay or I is forced into marriage or something. Or that one of us is intoxicated. Isn't that right, Zane?"

"You are correct," he answers. "Marriage annulment rests oftentimes on forced circumstances or naivete. For example, Nya, if you were a ninja and Jay were not, yet you did not tell him, he might be able to get an annulment of marriage if he found out about your deceit. Also, if your relationship were found to be incestuous, you could get a legal annulment."

Nya makes an ill face. "I...let's just disregard that last one, please. Jay and I aren't related." She plops down on the seat of the motorcycle, head in her hands.

I bite my lip and rub her shoulder, pondering things for a moment.

I've always known I wanted Nya in my life. Since the moment she agreed to be my girlfriend (for real), I've been saving up for something for her – a Ying-Yang pendant, actually. And I don't usually save for anything.

I kept working toward purchasing it even after we broke up. I guess I always hoped we'd get back together. And then I became obsessed with her, and then we put space between us, and now we're back together again. The whole time, I've been putting a little money aside when I can so I can buy her that pendant.

I know she's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.

And I know I don't want her powers to be taken from her.

I guess...she doesn't want to do this, but I might as well offer. Gosh, I wasn't expecting to do this right now.

"Guys?" I swallow, speaking into the phone.

"What?" Lloyd asks. He sounds displeased by this whole marriage-scenario.

"I'm going to...uh, going to have to call you back." I hang up.

"Nya?" I ask, sitting down beside her on the motorcycle.

"What?" she bites out.

"I have...uh, something I need to confess to you." I swallow hard.

Oh, gosh, I'm going for it.

"What is it now? This seems like a day for bad news." She huffs out a breath, then carefully twines her fingers with mine. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"When I first met you," I say, my voice weak, "you know that I was dating someone else."

Nya makes a disgusted expression. "Murtessa. She wasn't good for you at all, though."

I chuckle at her jealousy and protectiveness. "You're right. I'd been searching for the guts to break things off with her for some time at that point. And...you gave me the courage I needed to do that."

Her lips twitch upward, just a little. "I inspired you to break up with Murtessa the first time you met me?"

"Yeah. Uh...there's a reason for that." I laugh nervously.

She tenses. "Are you...breaking up with me?" she suddenly asks.

"No," I frown. "Why?"

Her shoulders relax. "No offense, but whatever you're trying to say sounds really off-topic from our phone conversation. I'm happy to hear you out, but...yeah." She shakes her head. "Go on."

"Well, see, the first time I met you...I may have kind of seen something unusual. Like...a picture."

She raises her eyebrows. "I'm more than a little confused."

"It was a confusing experience," I admit. "Uh...well, I was such a simp for you when we barely knew each other because...I sort of saw a...future with you? The first time I met you, I mean. Uh, see, it was like this image just ingrained itself into my mind. We were older – maybe early thirties? – and we were eating dinner. And we had...uh, kids?"

"I..." She closes her eyes.

"I know it's a lot to take in," I rush to say. "But I've always known we were one day supposed to have a future together, and that's why I followed you around like a lovesick puppy for two years before you even knew I liked you. I was so afraid of messing things up by asking you out – and I always thought you were into other guys – so I never said anything. I also didn't have the best self-image, if we're being honest."

"That's part of why you became obsessed with me, isn't it?" she says softly, still not opening her eyes. "You had self-image problems and needed someone to make you feel worthwhile."

"Yeah. That, and the promise I made to my mom to try for a romance again with you. She was really idealistic, and...I honestly shouldn't have taken what she said so far. I think she had this perfect image of us together in her last moments. She was about to die for you, you know. Maybe it helped her to think that we were destined for each other." I feel tears gather in my eyes.

Nya swallows. "Maybe. I still don't understand why you're telling me this now. I'm not going to let the guys pressure us into marriage, if that's what this is about. I know we're both wary of that."

I stare at her for a moment longer, then decide to go ahead and put my heart on the line to be shattered.

Instead of getting down on one knee, I just sit there, holding her hand. "Nya, I have something I need to ask you."

"Fire away. Nothing surprises me anymore." She finally opens her eyes, looking at the ground gloomily.

I take a huge breath. "Nya...I love you, and I don't want to marry you as a relationship of convenience."

"I know. Don't worry, I'm not going to let the guys force us into that." She finally looks at me.

"They don't have to." I smile goofily, trying not to reveal that I'm putting my whole heart on the line here. "Nya, I want to marry you for love."

Her expression becomes guarded. "Because you see forever with me, right? You've said that before. You want to marry me one day because you think we belong together."

"Yes, but Nya, I want to marry you now." Oh my gosh, I didn't know I had that much confidence in my system.

Nya balks, releasing my hand. She stumbles up off the motorcycle, facing the gas pump.

I hold in a deep breath. "So...will you do it? Marry me? Like, now?"

She pivots, her face hard. "I'm not going to let you do this."

"Do...what?" I frown. "Marry you?"

"Yes!" she yells. "You told me on the phone with the guys that we're definitely not ready for marriage! Now I know you're the kind of person to give up a lot for me, but – "

"Nya, that's not what this is about," I try.

She speaks over me. " – but this is too much. Regardless of whether you see a future with me, we're not ready for something as mature as marriage yet!"

"Nya, just listen to what I have to say here," I interject.

She goes on, "I'm going to pummel Cole and Zane for suggesting this! I know that marrying you now would only hurt us. When I eventually decide to get married, it'll be because I'm ready to settle down and make a commitment that big. I'm going to marry with the intent of forever, Jay. And I'm not going to hurt you by changing my last name to yours, then divorcing you as soon as Kai gets better! I don't need – "

"Nya, I wish you'd hear me out on this!" I yell over her rant.

She hears my loud tone and looks me right in the eye. "What?"

"I wish you'd hear me out," I say more civilly. "You gave me three wishes to make before you ran away. Now you may not be running away anymore, but I still have two wishes, right? So now I wish you'd listen to me instead of automatically saying 'no' to my proposal!" I stand up and join her next to the gas pump.

She chews her lip angrily, not meeting my gaze.

I guess that means she's listening.

I lace our fingers. "Nya, look, I don't want to marry you just so your power doesn't get stolen. I want to marry you because I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you. It's simple."

"We're teenagers," she swallows.

"We're older teenagers," I argue. "And lots of high school sweethearts eventually get married. We can just get an early start on the rest of our lives."

"That's not the way it works," she huffs. "There's so much we don't know about each other, Jay."

"Then we can spend the next ten or twenty or fifty years figuring it out," I shrug.

"That's not what I mean!" she cries. "I mean that there are secrets I'm just not comfortable with telling you about myself right now. I don't want those to come out and break a marriage. I don't take getting married lightly, Jay."

"Neither do I, but I still want it with you. And I'm okay with you learning to trust me with your secrets as we grow, but nothing's going to split us up again, Nya. No matter what you've done, I'm sure I can take it." I grip her hands tighter, daring her to look me in the eye.

She doesn't.

"You say that now," she forces out. "No, Jay. I'm not going to marry you. I care too much about both of us to do that."

I sigh, shoving my hopes for forever back into my head where they belong. "Okay. My offer's still open, if you change your mind." I shake my head, my voice coming out disappointed. "We're still a couple, right?"

"We're still a couple, Jay." She squeezes my fingers. "I know you're upset, but this is for the best, okay?"

"If you're not ready, then yes, it is for the best. Thanks for hearing me out." I feel like an idiot.

Nya smiles in pity, taking her cell phone off the motorcycle and sliding it into her pocket. "One wish left, Jay – though they really don't count anymore." She arranges herself on the seat while I just stare.

A car behind us honks, awaiting access to the gas pump.

Never have I wanted to give anyone the bird more in my life.

***(Nya's POV)***

The drive to Ignacia is surprisingly silent. I know Jay didn't want me to reject him. I didn't want to reject him, in fact, but I know that marriage is an all-around bad idea. Couples who get married so quickly invariably face marital issues later.

And I always choose my head over my heart.

Jay grips his arm tighter around me on the bike, his free hand holding my phone. "Your aunt's house is just up ahead.

Oh, great. "I don't want to go," I mutter.

I really wish I could accept Jay's proposal right about now, but it would be about not losing my powers. It wouldn't be about my feelings or his feelings or the choice to love someone for the rest of our lives.

"It'll be okay," Jay says softly, his tone a little less cold than earlier. "We'll find a way to fix this, Nya."

But in a way, we already did find a way to fix this – I could appeal to the courts for a marriage license.

It's so tempting, but I can't give in. I'm not going to break my heart, and I'm not going to break Jay's.

"That's her house," he whispers over my shoulder. He points to a home on the right.

I signal to pull into the driveway, and I see an elegant yet looming gray structure. It's far grander than anything I've ever lived in – it looks like a slightly smaller version of Skylor's home – but it's the last place I want to be.

I park the bike and turn it off, not leaving my seat. "We're here."

"We are." We both sound inexpressibly dismal.

"I'll...uh, help you get settled into your new room?" Jay offers.

I nod solemnly. "That'd be nice."

Still keeping one arm loosely wrapped around my waist, he slides off the motorcycle. I follow suit, climbing off the same side so we don't have to let go of each other.

This is hard.

We walk up to the door – a door I don't know whether to knock on or fling open. I technically live here now, but it sure doesn't feel like it.

After a moment of wondering the proper door etiquette for this situation, I give up and ring the bell.

Jay runs his hand up and down my side reassuringly, taking care to avoid my hips. My aunt would just love it if she saw him graze my butt or something. Not that Jay would mean anything by it – with his luck, it'd be a total accident, and he'd get chewed out for nothing.

The thought makes me smile, just a little.

The door swings open to reveal Sunny, looking a little more polished than she was at the breakfast café. Her hair is now pulled into a tight bun, and granny glasses are perched on her nose.

Jay speaks before I have the chance to say something rude. "Thanks for letting Nya and I ride together on the way back," he smiles congenially.

I mean, we kind of drove off without asking permission, but whatever.

My aunt nods curtly, stepping back from the door to allow us in. She motions to a shoe organizer on the floor. I guess I'm supposed to remove my sneakers here?

I'm so tempted to go outside, dance in a puddle, then run back in and drag mud through her house. Is that childish? Maybe. Fulfilling? Heck, yes.

Instead, I just slip off my tennis shoes and set them in one of the organizer's cubbies.

"Do you mind if I help Nya get settled in her room?" Jay asks. "We'd leave the door open."

My aunt looks like she's about to argue, so I casually draw a droplet of water from the air and plop it on her forehead. Jay tenses beside me in obvious disapproval.

Sunny looks like she might blow a fuse. "Fine." The word is cold, hard, and single – just like she would be if Uncle Herb hadn't seen something worthwhile in her.

I chuckle to myself at the idea.

"Where's Nya's room at?" Jay says quickly. Something tells me he's about to give me a lecture.

"It's upstairs," my aunt replies vaguely, not bothering to show us up. "Second door on the left."

"Thanks," Jay answers. He practically drags me away and up the stairs.

"Be nice," he hisses.

"She's a witch."

"A witch who has the ability to take your elemental power away," he reminds me. "And if you don't want to get arrested, I suggest you not threaten her so much." He locates my door and pushes it open to reveal a comfortable bedroom in shades of white and pastel pink.

You can tell my aunt is an interior designer.

Jay walks in and flops down on my bed, displacing a pink teddy bear that looks like it was made for a five-year-old. I, on the other hand, stand still as a tree in the doorway. I'm not going to enjoy whatever furnishings my aunt gave me. I won't give her that pleasure.

"We should go out tomorrow," Jay suggests, staring up at the ceiling. "We should have our Tiffany's date in early celebration of your birthday. Who knows what will have become of us a week from now." He looks at me pleadingly. "Please reconsider what I said, Nya. Even if you don't want to marry me for real, I'd still take the bullet for you and become your legal guardian."

***Music Cue***

"We'll find another way, Jay. Marriage isn't going to work." I can't take a divorce.

He releases a strangled breath. "There may not be another way, and I don't want you to lose your powers or be four hours away from everyone you love, Nya. We need each other."

I shake my head. "I don't need anyone. I'm not that dependent."

"You can be independent and still need other people. For example, there's nothing wrong with depending on someone to cheer you up. Yeah, you may not need someone to perform basic life functions for you, but you can still need people."

"Well I don't."

He closes his eyes and heaves a sigh. "Sometimes, I wonder why I bother arguing with you." He sits up slowly. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No," I say a little too quickly. "I...like having you here."

"I like eating cotton candy, but I'm not overly disappointed when I don't have any. Is that the way you think of me? Am I like cotton candy to you – nice, but...unnecessary?"

I cross my arms. "Look, I feel differently about you than I do about my favorite food or color or movie, okay? You're more important than those things. That still doesn't mean I need you or anyone else."

He shakes his head, looking glum. "Whatever. Forget what I said."

I stare up at the ceiling to hold in the tears brimming in my eyes. "Maybe I can't commit to you in the way that you want, Jay. If it's going to be a problem for you that I don't need other people – "

"Don't even go there, Nya. I'm not leaving you just because we disagree on stupid stuff."

"It doesn't seem so stupid to you." I flop down on the floor, my back pressed up against the wall.

"Well, words matter to me, okay? And learning to live without certain words is hard – words like 'need' and 'love'. I'm trying my best not to make you say those words, but I want them so bad."

"Jay..." I release a breath, rising and coming to sit beside him on my bed. I wrap my arms around him and give him a tight hug. "You know I've changed since February. I don't want to tell you I love you if things aren't going to work out between us. We've already broken up once."

"The thing is, I'm so sure about our future, and you seem so doubtful. I know we've been together a week, but we've cared about each other so much longer." He hugs me back, sending me a weary smile. "I really need to leave and find someplace to stay for the night. We took too long on our drive, and it's already four in the afternoon."

"Do you want me to come with you?" I ask.

"I want you to try to smooth things over with your aunt. If you're unable to get a new guardian, the only way you can avoid having your power taken is by convincing Sunny that elementals aren't so bad. I don't want you putting her in the hospital to escape her clutches – you'll end up in prison or something."

I sigh, knowing he's right. "Okay."

"I'll be here tomorrow morning for our date. Think of some fun things you've never done before. I already have a few plans, but they're a surprise." He kisses the tip of my nose. "Call me if you..." He hesitates at the words 'need me'.

"I know," I whisper, holding him tighter.

He squeezes me back, then stands and leaves, giving me his signature comedic smile and a wave. He then closes the door and walks away.

I sit there for a moment, staring after him.

I'm such a chicken. I'm letting the one person who's always been there to cheer me up – yes, always – walk away upset. And it's all my fault because I'm a coward.

I jump to my feet, racing over the carpeted floor and out of my bedroom. I see Jay descending the staircase and yell, "Wait!"

Oh my gosh, my heart's racing faster than the elemental master of speed.

Jay turns toward me slowly, furrowing his forehead. "What?"

I breathlessly beckon him to where I stand at the top of the stairs, wiping my sweaty palms on my blue jeans.

Still looking utterly confused, he frowns and walks back up. "What's wrong?"

As soon as he reaches me, I pull him into another hug to hide my miserable blush. My voice barely a whisper, I swallow, "Jay...I forgot, um, to tell you before you left...that I...love you."

My excuse that I don't want to tell him I love him until I'm sure of our destiny no longer works.

Because I see a future with him, as well.