"OK," said Leon. "I think it's time to get going. I'm starting to get all pruney."

Jade took her hand from where it had been resting on Leon's shoulder and looked it over.

"Ha," she said. "Me too."

Leon took Jade's chin into his hand and placed one more kiss on her red, sensual lips. Jade's eyes closed, and a small smile remained on her mouth as he took his lips away.

Soon they were back on the shore and back in their clothes. After a brief drive, the two were back in front of Jade's apartment complex.

"Well," said Jade, hopping off the back of the bike. "I'm not sure how you're going to top that as far as exciting adventures go."

Leon flashed her a crafty grin.

"I'm sure I can think of something."

With that, he gunned the engine and peeled off. He could tell that Jade wasn't sure whether or not to expect a good night kiss, and Leon decided to make it easy for her. Besides, he didn't want to risk things getting too intimate, too fast.

God, he thought, driving back towards his part of town. What the hell am I doing? The last thing I need is to get involved with some girl from school, especially one who thinks my life is some kind of urban adventure.

He shook his head, realizing that he'd gotten too close.

And doing what we did in the lake, he thought. Stupid, stupid.

But as much as Leon realized that what he'd done might send a particular message, he couldn't help but realize that he wasn't playing any kind of game here – he genuinely was beginning to develop feelings for Jade. And this made him very, very nervous.

So much of his life was centered around the idea of saving money and getting the hell out of his neighborhood, off to someplace where he could use his degree to get a good job and leave this old life behind, bringing Hunter along when he could. Starting a new romantic entanglement this close to being done with everything just wasn't part of the plan. He didn't know what to do.

As he drove, he slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his jacket and felt for the bundle of money.

I still can't believe that Anton paid me this much for the job, he thought. This is more than I'll be making in a year at a regular job. I gotta do something smart with this, get next year's tuition taken care of, maybe start setting aside something for Hunter's college. Lord knows Dad isn't going to have the money for that.

He turned his thoughts back to Jade.

I need to take care of this little situation first, he thought. I need to put some distance between the two of us. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to have a hard time keeping my hands off her if the two of us are alone. Getting tangled up in something like this is the last thing I need.

After a time, he arrived at his house. Approaching the front door, he heard the familiar sounds of muffled yelling through the door, and Leon realized that he wasn't going to be lucky enough for tonight to be an evening where his father passed out early on the couch. He took a deep breath and opened the door, the sound of yelling hitting his ears as soon as he walked it.

Leon ignored it as best he could, stopping into the kitchen where his mother and father were and making sure that they weren't coming to blows. Once he confirmed that it was a standard screaming match, he stuck his head into Hunter's room to check on him. Just as always, he was playing Minecraft with his headphones on.

"All good, buddy?" he asked after tapping Hunter on the shoulder.

"Fine," said Hunter, taking the headphones off one ear. "Mom and Dad are at it again."

"Oh, I know," said Leon. "I could hear it before I walked in."

Leon looked over the new TV that he'd bought for Hunter and the new headphones, which Leon had picked out for their noise-canceling capabilities. Leon figured that if Hunter was going to have to be here for eight or so more years, he could at least not have to listen to the constant fighting.

"Come by if you want to hang out, dude," said Leon, mussing Hunter's hair as he got up to leave.

I gotta get him out of here, said Leon as he returned to his room. And that's where all my attention needs to be; I can't be sitting around daydreaming about some girl when I've got a little brother who needs my help.

Leon took the money out of his jacket pocket and looked it over. He hated having this much money in his possession, but he knew that he couldn't exactly swing by the bank and deposit it. Squatting down, he pulled up the loose wood floor panel where he kept things that needed to be hidden and dropped the bag inside.

Could be my ticket out of here, he thought. For me and Hunter both. Gotta make sure it stays hidden.

Once the money was stashed away, Leon plopped onto his bed, folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. After kicking off his boots, he quickly fell into a deep sleep, the events of the evening catching up with him.

His dream that night was strange. Leon had visions of being in the forest, in the same area where he walked through with Jade. But as he made his way through the trees, he realized that he had no idea where he was going. He looked around with frantic eyes, trying to spot some kind of landmark that he could use to orient himself. Nothing looked familiar, however. And just as the thought that he might be forever lost occurred to him, a figure stepped out from among the trees.

It was Jade.

She was as beautiful as ever, and dressed in some kind of flitty, white robe, like something from ancient Greece. In Jade's hair was a crown of leaves and flowers. The way she was dressed made him feel that she wasn't lost in the forest like him, but rather that she was a part of it, as though she could lead him out. She stepped out to Leon with a broad, warm smile on her face, as though there wasn't a thing he needed to worry about. Leon felt his heart slow as she approached. Jade extended her hand to him, and he knew that he needed only to take it. As soon as he touched the tips of her fingers, however, he woke up.

The alarm of his phone beeped incessantly from the other side of the room, and Leon struggled out of bed to turn it off. He checked the time, and saw that it was already morning. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the date and realized that it was the day of a major test in one of his business classes. Leon rushed through his morning routine, realizing that, as usual, his father was likely out drunk and wouldn't be getting up in time to be useful. His mother, however, was putting together a simple breakfast for them, and Leon helped by getting Hunter dressed and ready to go. Once Hunter was prepared for school, Leon rushed out the front door, hopped on his bike, and hurried down to the library.

Leon did his best to make use of the hour he had before his test, but all he could think about was the strange dream last night. Jade seemed to him like an invader in his thoughts, preventing him from focusing on anything else.

This is exactly why I shouldn't be getting involved with anyone, he thought. I've got a major goddamn test less than an hour away and all I can think about is some stupid dream.

Downing his coffee, he stared hard into the textbook, trying to soak up whatever information he could. But soon, the time to leave arrived, and Leon rushed out of the library and to the classroom where the test was taking place. He went through it effortlessly – despite not being able to study, the material was all subjects he was familiar with. The rest of the class day went as usual, and before he knew it, it was early evening and time to head back home. Leon's bike was parked on the other side of campus, and he decided to take the long way back so he could enjoy the pleasant, mildly chilly fall weather. As he walked, the sky began to darken and the clouds took on a thicker, soupier look. Leon realized that it was likely about to rain.

Sure enough, a little while later the sky opened up and torrents of rain poured down.

"Fuck, fuck," said Leon as he pulled the back of his jacket over his head in a vain effort to keep the rain from soaking him through.

A little later, however, the beeping of a car horn from behind him snapped Leon out of his daydreaming. Annoyed, he turned around to see a sleek, luxury car stopped behind him. He squinted through the rain to see who was at the wheel. Sure enough, it was Jade.

"Hop in," she said, sticking her head out of the window.

"I'm good, actually," said Leon. "Just walking to my bike."

"You're seriously going to bike in this?" asked Jade. "Don't be a lunatic."

"I've biked in much worse," said Leon.

"And look at you," said Jade. "You get on a motorcycle in this and you'll be soaked to the bone in minutes. Quit being stubborn and get in."

Leon hated to admit it, but Jade was right. Sighing, he hurried to the passenger-side door and got in. The interior of the car was warm and dry, and to his shock, as he settled into his seat his butt warmed up right along with the rest of him.

"What the hell?" asked Leon, scooting up in his seat and looking back.

"Seat warmer," said Jade, a smirk on her face. "Never seen one before?"

"Seat warmers aren't exactly a priority in the cars of people I know," said Leon. "You get anything fancy in your car and it'll get yanked out within a week."

"Too bad," said Jade. "They're nice."

She pulled out of her spot and headed back onto the road.

"Thanks for the ride," said Leon, his eyes on the rain outside as he tried not to look at Jade.

"No problem," she said. "Least I could do."

A moment passed.

"And there's more."

"More?" asked Leon, dread forming in the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah," she said. "You've been so great to me over the last week or so, and I figured that I could take you out tonight. Just for a little dinner to say ‘thank you'."

"Appreciate it," said Leon, "but that's OK. I didn't do what I did with the expectation of getting paid back."

"Well, duh," said Jade. "But that's why I want to do it for you. Come on – there's a perfect place near campus – nothing too crazy."

Leon clenched his teeth. He'd decided to slowly push Jade out of his life, and now here he was, in her car and getting offered dinner. Part of him knew that the best thing to do would be to ask her to stop the car, to get out, and to get back to his bike. But the greater part of him wanted to say…

"OK, sure," said Leon. "But nothing too crazy. Just dinner."

"Just dinner," repeated Jade, a pleased smile on her face.

They drove through the part of town around campus, a burst of lightning booming in the sky above. Leon felt weak for accepting the dinner, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't happy to not be driving home in this.

Not to mention, he thought, the company isn't so bad either.

He scolded himself for this thought right away. Leon knew that he shouldn't be thinking things like that. Still, as he looked at Jade out of the corner of his eye, her lovely profile illuminated by the street lights just outside of the car, he couldn't help but be struck by just how goddamned beautiful she was.

"We're here!" she said, pulling the car in front of a large restaurant with a curved driveway in front.

Moments later, a valet came and Jade handed him the keys.

"A valet?" asked Leon. "I thought I said ‘nothing too crazy'?"

"It's not!" said Jade, preparing to get out. "Now, come on."

Leon stepped out of the car and was presented with a large, stately restaurant decorated with Greek-style columns and other ornate design choices. He shook his head, realizing that what was a normal dinner out for a girl like Jade was likely very different than what he had in mind.

Moments later, they were in from the rain and seated at a table near the window. The seats afforded a nice view of the city through the streaks of rain on the windows.

"So," said Jade. "Now I get to treat you."

"Don't get too used to it," said Leon. "Where I come from it's considered pretty bad form to let women pay for things."

Jade rolled her eyes.

"Come on," she said. "It's 2018; women can do stuff like that now."

"If you insist," said Leon, limiting his answers to short, clipped responses.

Leon looked around at the elegant décor of the place, his eyes settling on his still-wet clothes.

"Can't help but feel a little out of place," he said.

"Don't worry about it," said Jade, her eyes on the menu. "My parents are regulars here; they're not gonna bat an eye at you."

Sure enough, when the waiter arrived he greeted Jade like an old friend. The two exchanged pleasantries before he told her about the specials of the evening.

" And a bottle of nice red," said Jade, after placing her order.

"Steak," said Leon, handing the menu to the waiter. "Rare."

"Very good," said the waiter before heading off.

"'Rare'?" asked Jade. "Gross."

"It's the only way to have a steak," said Leon. "Cooking just sucks the flavor out."

"I'll have to take your word on that one," said Jade. "And I'll stick with seafood; don't have to worry about how that's cooked."

Soon, the waiter returned with a bottle of red, pouring them both a few glasses. Leon sat back and took a sip of his wine, letting the rich flavor wash over his palate. His drink in hand, Jade looking as lovely as ever in front of him, the rain gently falling on the window, Leon realized that there were few places he'd rather be at that moment.

The dinner surprised Leon with how enjoyable it was. The two of them ate and talked, laughing and getting along like an old couple. And when the check came, Leon was quick to snatch it out of the waiter's hands.

"Here," said Leon, pulling out his wallet and sticking some money into the bill.

"That's not necessary, sir," said the waiter.

"What," said Leon, "she got you in on this too?"

"No," said the waiter, "look at the bill."

Leon moved his money aside and looked over the bill. Sure enough, it wasn't a true bill, but instead a receipt for a payment to an account.

"Gotcha," said Jade as the waiter left them.

"I should've known you'd have an account at a place like this."

"I told you," said Jade. "My family comes here all the time."

Leon smirked.

"Still want to try and tell me you're not a rich girl?"

"Fine," Jade said, throwing up her hands. "I admit it – my family has some money. But I'm not spoiled or anything, right? I mean, I try not to act like a little-entitled brat like other girls, right?"

Jade was right, Leon had to admit – she wasn't as bad as many of the other girls he'd met. Still, he couldn't resist the urge to poke at her just a bit.

"'Spoiled,' maybe not. ‘Naïve,' maybe a little."

"I'll take it," said Jade. "Now, let's get out of here; our little evening together isn't over just yet."

"I don't know whether to be excited or scared."

"Turnabout's fair play," said Jade as she got up from her seat. "You've been keeping me in the dark about our little field trips for so long, I think it's about time I returned the favor."

Leon smirked and the two of them headed out. Once back in Jade's car, the two of them drove out of the city. Leon looked around as they made their way down the road, recognizing the area as where he'd taken her before, the time when he wanted to bring her to the area where the animals were. Jade took the same dirt road and soon they were in a secluded area, the rain having slowed to a light drizzle that tapped gently on the roof and windows of the car.

"You miss the wolves?" asked Leon, looking around.

"No," said Jade. "Well, maybe a little. I just really liked this place, despite the lurking predators."

"So," said Leon, listening to the patter of the rain against the car. "You have something in mind?"

"Yes," said Jade, looking down. "I've been doing a lot of thinking about…whatever this is that we've been doing. And I realized that I like you- like, a lot."

Uh oh, thought Leon.

"And I came to a decision: I want you to be my first."