Chapter 4: Warm Bodies

Jennie would wake to the smell of food, looking at her surroundings before finding herself in her bedroom. She sat up in the bed, her mind running through all the memories she could remember. Her thoughts soon became consumed with the only memory she could think of, the family that she had met. She shook her head, knowing it needed to be erased. She raised herself out of the bed, noticing her clothes were still on. She looked around the room again, but the smell of food was calling her name. She stood up, her hand flying to her head as she began to feel dizzy. She could hear her bedroom door open, and she looked up with her palm touching her forehead.

"You're awake?" Minji whispered, walking over with a concerned look painted on her face. "I was coming to check on you. I'm so happy you're okay." She smiled softly, but Jennie could not find the energy to force herself.

"Yeah, what's that smell?" Jennie tried to change the subject quickly.

"We were cooking breakfast." She smiled and pulled Jennie's arm, guiding her to the kitchen. When she walked out of the room, she could already hear voices arguing softly through the kitchen. 

"She won't like that!" She could hear the demand in the voice before another followed.

"Everyone likes it. She will like it." Jennie and Minji walked from the door to the opened living room, peering into the kitchen.

"Look who is up." Minji cheered, getting the boys in the kitchen to calm themselves and turn toward her. Jennie watched both boys smile, Tae running over to grab her face. 

"Are you okay?" His hand touched her cheek, then her eyes before she swatted it away from reach.

"I'm fine. What's going on?" Jennie looked at Kai in the kitchen, who smiled softly and motioned for her to sit.

"We were just making breakfast. I was setting the table." He spoke, making Tae turn to make the most annoyed face at him.

"Let's eat." Minji pulled Jennie over to the table, grabbing Tae in her other arm as she led them both to their plates. She sat Jennie beside her, Kai taking the seat across from her, making Tae sit in front of Minji. She pulled back the cheekiest smile, excitedly pulling her chair forward. With the table being set, each with a bowl of rice in front of them. Jennie reached for her spoon, being the first to scoop the rice, but it was soon topped off with a piece of Hobak Bokkeum zucchini from the small bowl in front of her. She looked up to see Kai smiling, looking back down at his own bowl to eat.

"I told you, she doesn't like Zucchini." Tae reached up to grab the piece, but her hand stopped in front of him.

"I'll try it," Jennie said, looking to calm him down. She smiled at Tae, who sneered, hiding his face underneath his hair. He went to eat his own spoonful of rice before having it topped off with a half piece of an egg. He looked forward to seeing Minji looking at her own bowl.

"I don't like eggs," Minji spoke slowly and began to eat. 

Jennie stared at her food; everyone else had already begun to eat. She truly did not like zucchini, but she could see Kai's careful eyes watching her every move. She took a deep breath before placing the spoon in her mouth to start chewing, tasting the flavor of the zucchini. She held back her uneasy face by pulling back a smile that was infectious, to say the least. They all ate in silence, listening to the clinking of their utensils and everyone chewing. It was refreshing for them not to be headed anywhere in particular, but it was very awkward, to say the least. Minji and Jennie took glances at one another as the boys continued to only look towards Jennie. The girls tried to finish first, standing up to excuse themselves from the boys. 

"I actually have to get going," Kai broke their stride to the bedroom, having both girls look back in his direction.

"Here, let me walk you out." She spoke, turning to face him. He smiled, picking up the bag he'd left on her living room floor. Minji smiled before entering the kitchen to help Tae begin cleaning, his face visually upset. The two were left in the kitchen as Jennie and Kai made their way to the door and began to walk out. She pushed her hair back shyly, the thoughts of the night flooding her memory. 

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked, looking down at her, taking note of her nervous actions. She nodded, looking up at him.

"You guys didn't have to stay. I feel bad that I couldn't at least set a space." She held her head down, and it made him smile.

"You're okay. That's what matters." He looked away, looking at the sky as her eyes went to his face. He smiled to himself, feeling her eyes on him. "If you feel that bad, then you can just let me take you on a date." 

His hands slid into his pockets as he cocked his head to the side, awaiting her response. He watched her slow response, unsure of how to respond. He hesitated for a second, thinking before his hands pulled from his pocket to clasp together behind his head. 

"I'm still waiting on a note, so that could work too." He sighed, reaching the gate and walking out. "I'll be waiting." His hands dropped as he moved away from the gate, smiling at her before walking away. She stood in silence, watching as he never looked back towards her. 

Back inside, the two were washing the dishes, and Minji could not help but enjoy her time with him. He huffed over her, at one point their hands touching, and she could not help the redness that came into her face. Tae had been so distracted he hadn't even noticed, finally looking down to catch her eyes. They were caught in a gaze, him being stunned by her big brown eyes. He could not shake them. She was frozen in admiration, her eyes twitching from his hair to his lips, from his skin that molded a perfect chin to his neck, and she had to swallow. The sound of the door broke them both from their trance.

"Minji?" She watched Jennie come in, moving away from Tae to go to her side. Jennie smiled softly, looking at her friend, then back at Tae. "I think I'm going to rest. Tae can give you my extra key if you want to come back." She looked towards him, and he was completely unfocused on what he just heard.

"Sure. I'll go home and pack a bag." She smiled and tried to lead Jennie to the room, but a voice called to them.

"Here, you go. I'll make sure she's resting." He dried his hands, walked from the sink to Minji, and handed over his key. 

"I'll be back then." She smiled hopefully before leaving. Jennie walked to the room, listening as the door closed. She reached the front of the bed, yawning before she was yanked backward, falling onto a hard surface. Her hand instinctively went to the shoulder, but it was grabbed. She was now face-to-face with Tae. He locked eyes on her, watching her every move, from the blinks that she took to every breath that escaped her lips. He wanted to speak but could not find the words to say. She looked completely shocked, pulling her hand from his grasp.

"Tae-" He stared at her, his face closing in but stopping before he let her go with a sigh. He took a step back, going towards the door and staring forward as he called back to her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She looked taken aback about the moment that just occurred, swallowing hard.

"Yeah," She watched as he closed the door. She went to the door, listening to him pick up his things and leave. She lay on the bed, burying her head in the pillow. With so many things on her mind, she could not fall asleep now. Her mind and heart were focused on too many things, but the one sticking out the most was her family. She reached over to the side table, opening it to expose a journal. She picked it up, closing the drawer behind her. Jennie sat up on the bed, opening the book to show the front cover with a picture. Her eyes began to swell as she smiled at the picture. Her hand ran across the picture before wiping a tear as it quickly streamed down her cheek. She quickly looked up at the ceiling, taking a breath before looking back at the picture. She let her smile return as she studied the faces, sniffling to keep her breath steady so she wouldn't begin crying. 

"You've been gone too long." The words slipped from her lips, the same as the stray tear that lept to her cheek.

-

The house was quiet, the small baby sitting in its crib, breathing a slow hum that matched that of the humidifier close by. The room was closed off from the well-lit hallway that was filled with whispers.

"Actually, can you just leave? I think I'm just really tired tonight." The soft, irritated voice spread through the cracks under the door. Soon, creaking from the bed, it released some weight. The floor emitted soft steps as the door slowly opened, a young woman walking out, looking back at the little girl who sat on the bed. The door closed, and the woman left the door as she walked into the living room, noticing the man sitting on the couch. 

"How is she doing?" He whispered, opening his arms for the woman to lay down in them. She let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

"There is something she wants to tell us, but-" The woman sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know why she won't tell us."

"Honey, now Jennie will tell us when she is ready." He kissed her hand, reassuring her with a pat when he lifted his head to look at her. He pulled her close, and she sighed. "She is growing up; let her figure it out, and then she will come to us when she is ready." 

They settled on the couch, cuddling as the T.V. played a drama. The two eventually fell asleep on the couch while the show played quietly in the background. It would not be long before a sound shook them both awake. The man jumped up with his finger sitting in the middle of his lips as he moved towards the door. He heard a door being rattled, the screen door standing in between whoever was outside and the sleepy father, who was stunned awake. He used his other hand, motioning quietly for his wife to go. She slowly rose from the couch, and it was only seconds, just a few seconds that passed.

The door opened with a bang, slamming against the inside wall, and a shadowy figure began coming into the door. He walked in, facing the father, who had just moved towards the sliding screen door. The two men began fighting, the father holding on to the man's hands that were reaching down. The strange man kicked the father's leg, making him fall to one knee and struggle to raise himself back up. As he looked up at the stranger, he was punched in the face, falling to the floor before a bang sounded out within the walls. A pool of blood began to spread across the floor as screams and cries began to fill the sharp silence.

As the door rattled, the woman stood up slowly from the couch, taking a small step before hearing a loud sound. She watched her husband rise up to hide her shadow before walking to the door. She slid into the closest room, closing the door and reaching into the small crib that was set beside the wall. She held the baby close to her chest, moving to the closet and sitting in the back. The baby squirmed, laying on his mom's chest and whining as she began to hush the baby by rocking him in her arms. As the baby quieted down, a sound similar to a firework rang out, her body shaking, causing the baby to erupt in cries. She screamed, thinking of the reason behind that sound before crying into the crying baby she held. Their whimpers filled the entire house, leaving every other sound masked. Three more sounds similar to fireworks screamed out, silencing all other noise within the house. 

When the loud bang shattered the silence, Jennie was awakened from her deep sleep as loud grunts came from the living room. She jumped from the bed, grunts intensifying and footsteps that moved about in her brother's room. She quickly moved to her closet, waiting as the grunts subsided with a loud bang. She covered her ears, holding on to them, and through her hands, the sound of cries came next. She knew those sounds very well, especially since every night she slept next to her brother's room. She held her ears tighter, trying to erase the cries that signaled their presence in the other room. As Jennie held her body together, keeping her ears closed, the final sound that followed was three loud bangs. The bangs signaled an eerie silence that was even louder than the cries it replaced. Her hands did not move from her ears as more doors opened within the house, and a final bang was heard.

-

Small cries were heard from the bedroom to the doorway as Tae sat and listened to Jennie cry silently to herself. He held on to his fist, trying to prevent himself from walking into the room to comfort her. He knew what she was going through, his mother, and he had heard everything that night. His mother was the person to go and find that their house was broken into, immediately running home to call for the police. He remembers everyone panicking, and he knows that everything changed for her on that day. Yesterday. He sighed softly, looking down at his shoes and trying to take his mind away. He couldn't help her right now. 

It would be a few minutes before the cries slowly halted, and he knew that she was resting. He stood up against the wall, slowly opening the door and closing it softly. He stood outside the door, sitting on the stoop behind the gate as he waited. He watched as the sky opened up and began to start the day. The gate pushed open; Minji walked in and noticed him instantly. She smiled, moving closer to him with flirty eyes. He stood up with his hands in his pockets and began his descent down the stoop. She grabbed his arm, hooking both of her arms around it and staring into his face.

"She's sleep. Tell her I'll be back later with dinner. Are you staying over?" His face was looking straight ahead, and she wiggled his arm.

"Yes. When will you be back?" She shot a confident smile towards him, and his hand came from his pocket and was held open in front of her.

"Cell phone." She quickly took it out and handed it to him. "Text me your orders later." He put his phone number in by texting himself. He handed it back to her before abruptly leaving the yard and closing the gate behind him.

-

The weekend passed by slowly, with both girls being stuck to the hip. They spent the past few days becoming more acquainted and growing their bond. They spent every day holding each other up as studying became their main concern. It was the only thing to keep both of their minds clear enough to have a genuine conversation, for real smiles to be shown as glances were shared, cheerful conversations without pitiful eyes. The girls had now been starting their Monday together, getting to the school and splitting up. The first class was going to begin soon, and they had already gotten their morning coffee. The classroom was empty once again as Jennie walked into the room, going to her normal seat. She sat a little nervously in her seat, fidgeting as the time began to close in for the class to begin. She made sure to have her phone and notebook ready for the professor, with a note in her hand. 

The class soon started getting crowded, with students walking into the room and taking the seats that were open. The classroom was completely filled, every seat taken as the professor welcomed the students into the room. She turned to the person who sat next to her, smiling at the random woman whom she had not met before. She slid the note in her notebook as she began to take notes with a disappointed look on her face. She tried to keep her mind free of it, thinking that maybe he would just be absent. His words were still echoing in her mind as he flashed his smile. She tried to stay focused, getting the assignment she would now have to work on written properly so she would not forget. 

Jennie would move on to her next class, his words coming to her mind. By this point, she couldn't help but keep him on her mind. The thought of the two of them eating breakfast across from each other flashed across her mind, the glances that they both stole. The note burned a hole in her back pocket as she had to wait for the moment she could hand it back to him. The thought of them texting flashed before her, the disappointment she felt returning when the thought of their lunch passed her mind. They never got the opportunity to go, neither texting for the day. She snapped back to reality the moment that Minji tapped her shoulder, the sounds of the emptying classroom taking over. She looked towards Minji, laughing a little as she began to pack.

"I'm sorry. I was thinking." Jennie folded her notebook closed and stood up for a moment to look at Minji. 

"Where should we eat?" Minji asked, patiently standing idle for her friend, who slowly packed her things. They both stood straight, going to the door. 

"Why don't we go to the cafe?" Jennie asked, and Minji nodded. Jennie stopped for a second, turning around and then feeling in her bag. "Uh, I think I lost my phone. Can I meet you there?" She asked, turning to walk back towards the desk.

"Sure. When you find it, call me." Minji watched as Jennie began to look around the desks and start looking for her phone. 

She walked from the classroom, the door closing and Jennie standing up straight. The real reason she stayed was she needed to know why he was not there or why he did not text. She moved to the back of the classroom, sitting against the wall when he walked in, his bag held over his shoulder. Jennie stood up to walk towards him, and he had not noticed that she was back there. Kai placed his backpack on the desk as Jennie took out the note that she had long held on to. She walked slowly to the desk he was sitting at, lightly touching his shoulder before he swung to meet her gaze. 

"Hey." Jennie smiled and stuck out her hand to him with the note. "I'm sorry we couldn't-" His hand pushed away the note, making it fall to the floor.

"Don't worry about it." He turned his head away from her and began to open his textbook to the last page he took notes on. His pencil was picked up, and he began to write, and she began to feel annoyed. She was annoyed that he would be ignoring her and leading her heart in directions she wasn't sure of yet. As much as she had been hurting the past couple of days, the hope and bit of joy she found in his words and what he said. The way he seemed to care, the way he showed he liked her, was now being pushed away. He was not showing that at all anymore, and now she felt like she was being played for some sort of game. 

"What is your problem?" She asked, showing her annoyance in the words she spat out. He turned towards her, scoffing before turning away.

"Why don't you just leave?" He had his hand on his textbook, skimming through the words and trying to read.

"What did I do wrong?" She asked, and he ignored her. He took a deep breath, letting his frustrations out before she pushed his shoulders. "What am I doing so wrong?" She screamed a little louder, her voice causing him to spring up in his seat. He moved towards her, every step mocked in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing wrong? First, you bother me, then I keep seeing you, you take me as a joke, and then you smile after you've trapped me." He had now successfully backed her against one of the walls within the classroom and stared into her eyes. "Worst of all, you pulled my heart and made me think I had a chance." His face moved closer to hers as he stared into her face, their eyes moving in unison before he backed away. "Now leave before I steal you for myself." 

Jennie felt her heart racing from his body's heat radiating so closely to hers before he backed away. Her body was beginning to sweat with the thought of how close they were, and her eyes locked on to his. Listening to his words repeat like always, she thought. 'Now leave before I steal you for myself.' How would he be stealing her? She was unsure of the circumstances that he was speaking about. She was hypnotized by his words, hurt by his rejection, angry at his feelings toward her, but even more, she was fascinated by him. She wanted to know more, but she was not willing to put in her entire heart just yet. He was leaving her with so many unanswered questions, which is why she needed to ask only one.

"Is this a joke?" She was not sure about a lot of things, and it was getting hard to keep up with the interactions they continued to have. After all, he did not have to be the one to lead her on by getting her number, writing her notes, walking with her, or even being there. Her thoughts went back to every interaction, but how his eyes seemed genuine. She looked at his eyes now, which seemed to equal the same amount of annoyance as her.

"Joke?" He scoffed. He moved closer towards her, her back hitting the wall before his body pressed close to her. Her breathing became shaky as his arm went next to her head, giving off the impression from the night at Minji's. He leaned in close to her, their eyes dancing around as their bodies sparked with electricity. "All this time, I've been the joke while you have played with my heart." He whispered sternly to her, and her hands moved, beginning to form a barrier between the two. 

"You are the one who stirs my heart and then pushes-" Her hand movements began to become more boisterous, and he grew more frustrated as he grabbed the flaring arms and threw them against the wall. He held them there, staring at Jennie, who was in complete shock and searching for understanding. 

"I warned you. Now, you've made me into the bad guy." He leaned in, smashing his lips against Jennie's lips. She was still stuck against the wall, with no way to escape from the warm grasp that held her. Her arms were held above her head, giving her no reach to escape. The strong and warm body that pinned her against the wall was not allowing the slightest bit of movement as it pressed against hers. His other hand was snaking around her waist, pulling her closer before traveling up her neck. She could feel the goosebumps and shivers that ran through her spine as he pulled her deeper into the kiss. The time the kiss lasted seemed to pass by so slowly, their lips molding around one another until he finally pulled away. His grasp on her arms didn't loosen for a moment, holding them as he stared into her eyes. Jennie was still in complete shock with what had just happened, not sure what to make of the moment.

"This means you're mine now." He whispered, looking at her a little longer before letting her arms fall to her side. He picked her hand up to pull her in closer as his hands reached around her. "I know I didn't see you first, but now I can't let you go." At this point, Jennie needed to know what he was going on about.

"Wh-What do you mean?" She stumbled on her words, getting them to make a sound after a couple of seconds finally. His breath was sharp as he breathed, his eyes staring side to side at every feature of her face.

"I mean, you're mine now. I want you." He stood his ground, using his fingertip to pull her glance at him. "Be with me instead of him." He waited for her response, but it was more of a confused and unsure look that took over her face.

"Him?" She flinched her eyebrow at the word. Kai and Jennie were now looking at each other with completely questionable glares and uncertainty that they could not even begin to explain. Jennie needed to know who he was referring to, and she was not even sure where some of this information he spewed came from. Kai was holding back his annoyance, trying to give her the benefit of the doubt that she was not trying to keep both of them. He wanted to be the only guy for her, and now it was like she was pretending not to know anything. She turned her head to the side, and he raised an eyebrow to the expression.

"Your boyfriend." The words bounced through the air, and she tried to hit it away the moment it flew out of his mouth.

"I don't have a boyfriend." The words shot out quickly, leaving them both stunned at the announcement. The confused look they shared, glancing at each other to make sure lies were not hidden away.

"Who is the guy at your home?" He asked sternly, pulling the thoughts from her brain and getting his explanation. To his surprise, Jennie looked annoyed and smiled. She looked at the face of Kai standing before her, his look turning from annoyance to curiosity. His grip on Jennie began to loosen as he couldn't help himself. "Who is he?"

"Tae is just a friend." She smiled, not being able to help how handsome he looked when he was frustrated. "He is only a childhood friend." She reassured, and his expression lightened while she tried to hide her bashful smile. 

For a brief moment, they both felt silly concerning the entire situation before reality set in. They were in a classroom alone, their bodies pressed closely together, and now all frustrations were out of the way. Kai, realizing it first, picked Jennie up in his arms as he led himself to the wall. His arm touched first before he laid her back against it, his free hand resting on the back of her head. She smiled nervously at the thought of what was happening, feeling adrenaline pumping through her as his eyes flickered. In a split second, their eyes spoke to one another as her legs tightened around his waist, and her arms rested over his neck. 

He pressed his lips against hers, trying to make sure he wasn't hurting her but enjoying every bit of warmth they made together. She felt her body heat against his, and her brain took a major hit of serotonin, sending her into a dream-like daze. The two of them were dancing in the energy that surrounded them, their bodies, lips, and hearts moving as one in the room. The moment was soon interrupted, a vibration signaling their hearts and minds to awake, their lips sliding away. She stared into his eyes, and he gently moved to place her legs on the ground. Jennie's arms slid from his neck, and he slowly pulled his body from hers, leaving their foreheads touching as they stared at the other's lips.

"You're really mine now." He said, taking her hand and holding it to his lips. She smiled, bending down to pick up the note that had fallen to the ground from when she originally tried to hand it to him. He reached down, beating her to the note and shaking his head as he thought of his foolish moment. He landed on the chair, looking up at her and admiring her face as he realized that they were still in the classroom. 

"Why don't we grab something to eat after I get out of class?" He smiled at her, and she soon made a face of realization.

"Oh, no. I needed to meet Minji." She had completely forgotten, beginning to freak out as she made a motion to move, but his hold was still on her. "Here, how about you can come over for a bit this afternoon." Her classes for the day were completed, and she didn't want to miss lunch with Minji. Although she did have to do laundry later on, it would give her and Kai an opportunity to make up for the ruined lunch date. She made a move to grab her things before he completely held on to her, giving her a small smile. 

"Let's just have our date now. That way, I don't take time away from Minji." His eyes looked into hers deeply, scanning for the slightest notion of what she was thinking. The thought flashed across her mind, thinking about what she should tell Minji and whether she should let him skip class. The moment that she had thought about her decision and was ready, he stood up and dropped her hand. "Grab your things."

"Huh?" She was confused about why he stood up, interrupting the decision that she was trying to make.

"Let's go." He packed his textbook and notebook before swinging his backpack over his shoulder, waiting for Jennie.

"Now?" She was bending down to pick up her backpack, turning to see his greeting face at the door, waiting on her.

"Come on." He was smiling softly and pulling the handle to the door, allowing Jennie to walk through first before he began exiting. 

-

The two talked on the walk through campus, Kai being the most excited to hold her hand as they moved from hall to hall, finally getting to the parking lot. They walked along the sidewalk of the campus, talking about most things, starting with their favorite food. They discussed T.V. shows, music, and even movies that they happen to enjoy. The entire conversation was open, allowing both of them to communicate and joke without the awkwardness overcrowding their opportunity freely. The two of them created little faces when they realized they both liked the same thing before quickly listing the next.

As their journey up the hill began, the two of them laughed and giggled as they trudged closer to her place. She quickly began to find herself becoming more and more comfortable around him as they talked. She felt like they had been friends at one point, maybe even soulmates in another life. She looked bashful when the thought crossed her mind, making Kai smile as she tried to hide it. The infectious charm she had cast her own spell on him, and he found himself staring at her. He quickly realized her personality, being secluded and shy from the beginning, and how much she had opened herself up. His heart had finally answered what he was wondering about her. He no longer needed to know. 

The two walked down the street closest to her home, and they spotted a few markets on the strip. She would usually ignore them, never having a reason to stop for any of the items they offered. He, on the other hand, watched as she smelled the air around her, her face softening when she smelled the scent she enjoyed the most. He looked around, noticing the sweet potatoes that were being cooked, and walked over to the vendor. He smiled as he approached the woman waiting to take his order before soon handing the soft food to him. The foil protected it, but he could feel it was perfectly cooked. He smiled as he turned to see her. He held them in the air like they were trophies, making Jennie smile as he walked towards her, one arm stuck out with a potato. 

She smiled at the thought, taking the potato in her hand, absorbing its warmth as she thought to herself. He peeled it open, pulling back the skin to expose the steaming top of the potato as he took a bite. He smiled, showing with his eyes how much he was enjoying the simple food. He reached over to her, unwrapping hers as he waited for her to eat. She stared at him as he continued to chew on the food, and she was smitten by all his expressions. His hand reached out to hers, moving the potato to her lips, encouraging Jennie to eat as the two walked. She leaned down, parting her lips enough to take a small bite. The moment that she swallowed the food, she sighed with contentment at how delicious it was. 

He let a smirk escape as his eyes continuously flashed to her and how she enjoyed the taste of the potato. As the two walked, bumping into one another softly as they continued to eat, slowly approaching their destination. She held off on finishing hers. Seeing that he was enjoying the potato, she smiled and handed it to him to finish eating.

"I'm full." She remarked, placing her hand on her stomach as she made her face match. She stuck her other hand out, handing him the eaten potato, and he took it.

"Are you sure?" He asked, holding on to it as he searched her expression. She nodded, folding her arms in and continuing to hold her expression. He smiled at her exaggeration, peeling the remainder of the potato before eating it. 

Jennie continued to walk, him following close behind her as she walked in front of him. He could not hold back his thoughts, her walking in front of him and thinking about just her. Jennie could feel his eyes staring at her, thinking about their interactions and how sweet his words were. His words had been enough to fill her up, holding on to them like butterflies that could whisp away at any moment. She could not help but peer behind her, looking at the guy who stood over her, holding his deep expression. She shied away, turning her head to face forward. It was not much longer before she was home. She looked towards the gate of her home, seeing it sneak up on them as they continued up the hill. She followed the crosswalk, hearing his steps behind her as their small talk slowly stopped, intensifying the other sounds surrounding them. He sighed loudly, coming to her side and taking her hand tightly into his. Her eyes went up to meet his, and he held their hands in front of her face.

"This is our Day 1." He forced her to stop, looking at their hands that began to intertwine together as he kissed the tip of her knuckles. "I won't let you go that easy." He smiled, spreading to her lips as she let her head fall. She moved slowly, going down the walkway and now holding hands with him. Her thoughts raced over and over again as she thought of his words. She knew what they meant, and she knew that this was what she intended. Her eyes screamed as he opened the gate for her, allowing her to go in. As she led him to the house, she began to talk, her expression faltering.

"I don't have much, so I'm sorry." Her voice was soft as she opened the door to the house, and they walked in. "I can make us some water." Her hand dropped from his as she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. 

"I think it's fine." He smiled, capturing her attention as he began to walk around the room. He had been secluded to the floor the night that Jennie raced home. He thought about how he didn't want to leave her side, the whimpering cries that he heard still shattering his heart. He reached out to the shelf in front of him, noticing the books that she had piled up. He could not tell if they were in any particular order, picking one out. 

"I don't usually watch T.V. I like to read a little." She was shy with her response, making his heart ache for her as she watched her feet navigate to him. She held out one of the class cups filled with water, taking notice of the book that was in his hand.

"Read?" He looked intrigued, rolling the book on the back. He began to drink from the cup as he read the back of the book. She watched him silently, thoughts tracking her mind before she was pulled from her thoughts.

"What book are you reading now?" He asked, placing the book back and waiting eagerly for her answer. She smiled, putting the water down on the shelf before retreating to her bedroom. On her bedside table, she picked up a chapter book, pulling it close to her chest as she walked back out. Her arm outstretched as she handed the book to him, walking away as she waited for his reaction.

"Into the Wild." Her response was low, sitting on the bean bag as she waited for his reaction. "I sometimes find it nice when I can escape using the words of others." She took a long sigh, patting her legs as she tried to think of what else she could say. "Sometimes their words can take you away from a bad place, make you laugh, or even cry." She smiled to herself, her hands traveling to push her hair from her face. He stood there for a moment, stunned, before making a move to the bean bag. He sighed as he reached for her hand and pulled her up. He took a seat on the bag, pulling her into his lap as he wrapped his arms around her.

"How about I do it instead?" He smiled and held on to her as she sat with her back to him, and her hands fumbled with her fingers as he continued. "Let me be the one who takes you away. I'll make you laugh and smile, and if you need to cry, I'll offer myself to you." 

She turned to see him patting his shoulder. He smiled as he started to turn her in his lap, making her face him. He looked deep into her eyes, searching for an ounce of hope in what she might say or think as he confessed.

"You've been living so afraid of everything. Now, I want you to run to me and only me." He held her body in his arms as he stared, searching for an answer. He waited for what seemed like an eternity, his heart open to any words she would say.

Unlike him, she was digesting his words. They were dancing inside of her brain, every sound each letter made. She had felt like her heart was tugging to leave her body, running to him instead. She could not think; his words had completely taken over her entire brain. His confession played like a song that was never-ending. The moment that their eyes met, she could hear his voice echoing louder. She could not tell if it was her brain, her heart, or her mind playing tricks on her. This moment definitely did not feel real, and she hoped this wouldn't be something else for her to wake up from. His hand touched the side of her face, warming her cold cheeks as she was brought back. She finally acknowledged his presence, and it was real. He was really there, and she could feel his hand pressed against her face. His eyes were staring into her soul. It took a moment, but it was like he breathed air into her body as her chest rose. She stumbled on her breathing, taking a moment to collect her thoughts before letting her face fall into his hand.

"Okay." Jennie's words were silent, her eyes swelling with tears. She looked up, trying to prevent them from falling until his arm crashed around her body.

"Remember to run to me." He said as she slipped into his hold. He held on to her softly at first, then pulled her in tighter as he could hear her soft cries.

She held on to his jacket, hoping that the tears would stop. She found herself repeating the same thing that she had been telling herself for years. 'Don't be'. The words fell from her brain, flooding her eyes as her heart began to ache. 'Run to me'. Those words made her heart and body tremble. Her body sank against his as his hand rubbed her back. She soon found new words that bounced in her brain.

'Let me be the one who takes you away.' The words were spreading, and she was starting to fall in love with them. She sat up, looking at his face, which was filled with admiration for the person in front of him. She looked into his eyes, seeing a reflection of herself. The words soon filled her body, taking over every nerve, blood vessel, and cell that was inside of her. His words pulled and absorbed every inch of her body. She could feel herself molding into a new person, the energy she had been carrying around lifting itself. The energy was lifted, replaced by his soft words. His pretty words. Jennie felt her body tingle with joy; she felt like smiling and laughing. Her body could not help itself, leaning in until their lips met.

Their lips met with an intense spark, their feelings and energy combining into the moment. She let her arms wrap around him, moving her body closer. He held on to her tightly, his heart feeling her hands wrap around it as well. He could feel her creeping into his heart, the warm embrace wrapped inside of him. He pulled her back, getting a better look at her. He smiled as her red eyes looked at him, wiping the stranded tears that ruined her face. He looked at her smile that stretched, confirming his thoughts.

"I belong to you now." He put his hand into hers, pulling her closer to his body. She could feel his warmth engulf her body as he held her in a tight embrace. Their bodies sank into the bean bag as they clutched onto one another. He stroked her hair, pulling it from her face as he started to let the warmth overtake his own body. The two sat like statues with their bodies twisted together like a rope. Every inch of their bodies kept the other warm as they drifted off, neither of their grasps loosening as their breathing slowed.