It had been several weeks since Katie cried in my arms in the backyard. Things had been pretty awkward between us since then. This hadn’t stopped me from checking my backyard at least once every night to see if she was laying on my trampoline. I had hoped she would come back, but she never did.

I missed Katie. Not in a romantic sense, simply as a friend.

Or at least that had been the way it felt originally. But the more I saw her, the more I wondered if there was something else brewing beneath the surface.

So when I spotted her that night in my back yard, for the first time in weeks, I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed the blanket as I walked out.

“Want some company?” I asked, as I approached her.

“I’d love it.”

I handed the blanket over and jumped up beside her.

She began to wrap my blanket around her body, even though she was dressed much more appropriately this time around. She wore a light sweater and jeans. After getting some of the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, she looked at me. “Um…you could come share the blanket with me. You know, if you want. If you’re cold.” Her eyes started to dart everywhere but at my face. “But you’re wearing your hoodie, so I guess you’re probably not cold. Which–”

“You know what?” I asked, stopping her before she could say anything else discouraging me from getting underneath that blanket with her. “I’m actually feeling a little chilly.”

“You are?” She looked back up at me.

“Totally. But I wouldn’t want to risk my masculine pride.” I wasn’t actually cold. But the idea of cozying up with Katie in my blanket when she wasn’t crying was so damn appealing.

“I’d hate to wound your delicate sensibilities.” She smiled at me before laying down on the trampoline and lifting the blanket to give me space to come over. I didn’t hesitate.

We sat there in silence for several minutes looking up at the stars. I could feel her shivering against me, but she didn’t complain about the cold. I fought against the urge to wrap my arms around her.

“The stars are so much better here. Did you know that?” Katie’s voice broke through the silence. “Where I lived in Florida, there were so many buildings and so much light. It really dulled the sky.”

“It made that big of a difference?”

“Oh yeah. There are so many more stars here.” Her voice took on a dreamy tone as she stared in awe at the night sky.

I had never left River Valley; this was the only night sky I knew. In a small town that didn’t have much to offer, Katie found beauty in the stars. I never even imagined it might be something people would covet.

I looked up at the night sky, trying to see it through her eyes. The moon was full and shone bright through the darkness. The light coming off of it was almost painful to look at. Stars competed with their own light, not nearly as bright, but the pattern they produced across the sky was beautiful.

I couldn’t remember the last time I really stopped to look up, but it was freaking amazing. Maybe it was the fact Katie was curled up next to me; I could feel her body relaxing with every minute that passed. Maybe it was the fact I didn’t have to pretend out here. I was happy and felt a peace I hadn’t felt in months. Like I could actually breathe again.

“I’d love to see the milky way again,” Katie interrupted my thoughts.

I turned my head toward her. She was still looking up in wonder. “Let me guess, that’s something else you can’t see in Florida?”

“Not in Central Florida. Too much light pollution, I think.”

“I could take you to go see it.” I held my breath waiting for her response.

“Yeah?”

“Sure, why not?” I said, as if it were no big deal, but inside I felt nervous. “When do you want to go?”

“Right now?” she answered, her breath barely a whisper.

I looked back up at the moon. It was best to wait until it was a barely a crescent if you wanted to see the galaxy. “Katie, the moon’s too bright tonight. The milky way isn’t going anywhere.”

“You’re probably right.” She sighed before asking. “Hey, Julian?”

“Yeah?”

“Why aren’t you going to college?”

“A bunch of reasons, but mostly to take care of my mom.” I answered honestly.

“Do you hate it? Seeing everyone gone and knowing you’re still working at the diner?”

If it had been anyone else asking, even Gwen, I would have been pretty pissed. Because, yeah, I did hate watching everyone else start their lives without me. I hated seeing guys like Tyler and his buddies going to college when I knew I was just as deserving to be there.

I had a feeling Katie might be the only other person who understood what it was like to be dealt a bad hand, so I wasn’t mad at her overly direct question. “I won’t lie. It sucks. I wanted to be a doctor. But things came up and I’m trying to make the best of it. Staying angry won’t change anything.”

“I guess.”

“What about you? Were you planning on going to go to college? Do you hate being out here?”

She surprised me by leaning in closer to me and putting her head on my chest. This time, I did wrap my arm around her shoulders making it more comfortable for the both of us.

“Yeah, I wanted to go. But then my mom died and it changed everything. I still don’t know what I’m doing here. I don’t know what’s going on between me and my dad. But no, I don’t hate it. I have Gwen and–” Her voice stopped short like she didn’t mean to say so much.

“And?” I asked knowing what she wanted to say, needing to hear it.

“You.” She sighed. “Or, at least I think I do.”

“Katie, I’m not the boy I used to be.”

“I know that.” She answered.

“I don’t think you’re the girl who left either.”

Another sigh and then, “No, I’m not.”

I sat up a little, essentially pushing her back off my chest and willed her to look at me. “Katie, you have me. I can’t explain it. I don’t even understand it. But I think there’s something inside of us that recognizes each other, our souls maybe? I don’t know. But it’s there. You have me even if we aren’t the kids we were.”

She shook her head and smiled. “Oh, that’s smooth, Julian Alvarado.”

“I’m not trying to be smooth. I’m serious.”

“I hope so,” she said closing her eyes. “Because that little speech of yours? I feel it too.”

“I’m really glad you said that because I’m about to kiss you and I need to know I’m not the only one in this.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth popped open just a bit in shock. “You are?” Her voice was barely audible.

I cupped her cheek. “I am.” I whispered back.

Then I kissed her. She sighed and responded to my lips almost immediately, tilting her head to give me easier access to her mouth. It was perfect. As Katie’s arms wrapped around my shoulders, I eased our bodies back onto the trampoline. She didn’t stop me as I ran my hands though her hair, holding her face closer to me.

Her kiss was dangerous. I knew I needed to stop before it was too late. I wanted to keep this moment sweet, not taint it by taking it too far when we were still getting to know the new versions of us. Using every ounce of willpower in me, I pulled away and looked at her.

Her eyes were still closed and her mouth formed a pout. I chuckled at the sight. I couldn’t help it.

“What’s so funny?”

“The last time I kissed a girl out here, it was an awkward peck with a girl without fear.”

“Oh, yeah? And how did I stack up?”

“I’d say you’ve gotten better.” I said with a grin. “A lot better.”

She flopped on her back and put her hands over her face. “Oh my goodness. How embarrassing! I still cannot believe how lovesick I was.”

“Yeah, you were pretty much obsessed with me.”

She groaned, refusing to let me see her face.

“I don’t blame you,” I added playfully.

“Could this get any worse?”

“Well, I could admit I’m pretty much obsessed with you now. I think that would make us even.”

“Seriously, Rico Suave? You’d better be, because I don’t give trampoline kisses to just any boy.”

“I’m kinda hoping I’ll be the only boy.”

She sat up. “What exactly do you mean by that, Julian?”

What did I mean by that? I had a lot of shit going on, I didn’t have time for a girlfriend. Or at least that’s what I had told myself a few months ago. But for some reason, I didn’t feel the weight of everything when I was around Katie. I found myself more free to joke around and feel like an eighteen-year-old again.

“Honestly, I don’t really know.” I answered not wanting to make promises I couldn’t keep. “I’ve got a lot going on right now. But I’d like to explore what we have here. I want us to figure it out while being exclusive.”

“I’d like that.”

“I also want to take you out sometime. I can’t do fancy, but I’m hoping that doesn’t matter to you.”

“Trust me, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care about that crap.”

“What about that fancy car of yours?” I shouldn’t have said it. The moment had been perfect, but it still confused me how this girl could be so down to earth and yet go buy an expensive vehicle on a whim. It didn’t make sense.

“Yeah, I thought spending a ridiculous amount of money would help. That it would make me feel happy and ease the pain of missing my mom. But it didn’t. It turns out, the happiest I’ve been since my mom has died has been the time spent with my friends.”

Well, damn, I felt like a jerk. “Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. And I shouldn’t have done it. But it hurts so much. And I miss her so much.”

“Katie, I’m sorry.”

“But you know what? We were talking about going on a date and I think we should stick to that for now.”

“How would you feel about a trip to the caves?”

“I’d love that.”

“Do you work tomorrow?”

“Lunch shift.”

“Me too. Maybe we can go later that afternoon.”

“Yeah.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled in a way that made me fall for her just a little more.

“But we’re taking my car.” I said before leaning in and giving her one more kiss.

I kept it short and sweet, hopping off the trampoline as soon as our lips pulled apart. I reached out a hand to help her down. “Now, get out of here before I kiss you again and can’t stop.”