I ran faster this time, but it felt all too familiar.

"Stupid boy! Get back here!"

I was still running. My lungs were threatening to give out. My ankle was killing me, and I couldn't feel my arm. Was this a dream?

Tripping over my own feet, I forced myself to keep going.

"You little coward! You can't run forever, and I'm always one step behind you!"

He was right. I couldn't go on any further. My ankle was killing me, and he was always faster than me in the end. I collapsed onto the ground. Looking behind me, I saw my dad laughing. Taunting me with the knife in his hand as he ran towards me. I looked ahead and instead of more houses, I saw a huge cliff. This all seemed familiar...

Should I wait for the wrath of my father, or should I roll off the cliff?

Who am I kidding? Any fate is better than the countless things he could do to me.

I gave in, rolling over the edge. I let myself feel the wind against me and the gravity pulling on my body. I braced myself and accepted the inevitable. I was gonna die

Alone....

I look up at the sky one last time. There was a figure falling towards me.

"Virgil!"

Was it my dad, still determined as ever?

"Virgil!!"

The figure appeared to be an angel. Though I didn't get a good look at the face.

I was about to hit the ground.

"Virgil...!"

---

Virgil's p.o.v.

Tuesday

"Virgil!"

I bolted up right in my seat, looking around frantically. I held my chest where my heart was, checking to see if I was still alive.

Sure enough I was. Roman was in the drivers's seat, holding my hand. We were parked in a parking lot somewhere I didn't recognize. Roman looked at me, worried.

"Morning.." I said groggily.

"Are you ok?" He began, before talking so fast I could barely hear him. "I was driving and we made it to our destination and I was about to wake you but then you started shouting my name and you looked scared and..! And-"

"Ro, I'm alright now. It was just a bad dream."

He looked at me, still worried. "Are you sure?"

I put my hand on his cheek and kissed him. Pulling away I smiled as he stared flustered at me. "Yes."

"O-ok.." Roman said, already in a daze as I cupped his face in my hand. I laughed quietly. He was such a dork.

"So, this is where we're supposed to be?" I asked, confused. We were parked along a long windy road in the middle of the woods.

Roman snapped out of his daze, climbed out of the car and opened my door. He held his hand out to me.

"My love. Your break awaits."

I blushed, smiling as I took his hand. I let him help me out of the car. Once my door was shut, he led me down the windy road.

Only it wasn't a road. It was a driveway. At the end of the driveway was a large cabin. It could've been a mansion. It was absolutely beautiful. And not only that, the cabin was on the edge of a huge lake.

Wait a minute..

"Are we at Lake Erie?" Roman smiled, nodding.

"Surprise! Have you ever been?"

"Nah, too much money. And dad hates large bodies of water."

"Well, I'll show you everything you want to see."

He took my hand and off we went.

---

I took Virgil's hand and walked with him to the front door of the cabin. I was still worried for Virgil, though. I was going to wake him anyways, but he started murmuring my name. Slowly it got louder and then he woke up.

I wasn't going to let this go, but I also wasn't going to let it ruin our day together. This might be the one chance we get. After all, we're only escaping reality for a bit. Unfortunately we can never leave forever...but I'd escape with Virgil for as long as I could.

I unlocked the door and stepped inside. I let go of Virgil's hand. "Just stay there for a minute, I need to grab some things and then we can go."

"This isn't where we were going?"

"No. Do you get sea sick?"

"No?"

"Good." I quickly pecked Virgil's lips and ran up the stairs. Getting a huge bag, I put life jackets, towels, and food in it. I grabbed keys out of the drawer in my room.

Swinging the duffel bag around my shoulders, I grabbed my sunglasses and a spare pair for Virgil. I walked back down the stairs, but Virgil wasn't where I'd left him.

"Virge?" I walked through the hall. Virgil was at the glass back door, staring out at my family's boat.

"Is that yours..?" He asked in awe. I sighed, a bit disappointed. I wanted it to be a surprise. "Yeah. Not a yacht but it's nice."

Virgil turned to face me. He was clearly nervous. "I-I've never been on a boat before.." I smiled sympathetically at my Virgil, placing my hand on his cheek.

"If you want to, we can just stay here instead. I don't want to do something you're not comfortable with."

Virgil shook his head. "Nono, I-I can. I'm just a bit anxious. Big surprise.." He laughed nervously.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I-I think-I mean..yeah."

"Virgil.."

"I am, really!"

I sighed. "Alright. But if you want to get off, tell me. Understand?"

He nodded. "Good." I said. I opened the back door and let Virgil out first. We walked on my dock out to the boat. It wasn't a yacht, but it was a sailboat with a few rooms underneath.

Climbing on, I grabbed onto one of the ropes, holding out my hand for Virgil. "I-I can handle it.." He said, dismissing my hand.

He tried climbing onto the boat but slipped on the edge. I lunge forward and catch him in my arms as he clings onto me for dear life. His body was dangling over the edge of the boat, his feet inches from the water.

"Roman, Roman don't let go. Don't let me fall!"

"Calm down, love. I'd never let go of you." I said as I helped him up. As soon as his entire body was on the boat, he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. He was whispering as he shook in my arms.

"Don't let go..don't..."

My heart broke. I didn't want to let go of him, I don't.

I hugged him back, stroking his hair. I whispered softly back to him. "I will never let go of you, Virgil." I honestly didn't know who I was trying to convince. Virgil or myself.

And then, I made up my mind. I was choosing Virgil. Screw Remus. Screw Deceit. If that was even his real name. They have nothing to hold against me. And besides, Virgil is worth it.

"Promise?" He asked, as he calmed a bit. I smiled and kissed his head. "I promise."

He stopped shaking, and just held onto me. Eventually I tried to stand up, but Virgil wasn't letting go of me. "Virgil, I need to move the boat." He nuzzled his head into my chest.

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"No."

"Why?"

"You're warm."

I laughed at how adorable he was being. "Virge, I'll make you a deal. If you let me get the boat moving, we can cuddle for as long as you want later."

"Hm. Tempting offer."

"So, do we have a deal?"

He nodded, letting go of me. "I suppose. Don't go back on your word, though. Got that princey?"

"Got it."

I stood up and walked over to the wheel. I started the engine. "You may want to sit or hold onto something."

Virgil listened, and held onto the railing close to me. I untied the rope on the dock and began to back out of the more shallow water. I made a turn and began driving along the lake. The wind was blowing through my hair. I looked over to see Virgil's hair was facing the same fate. I got to see his beautiful eyes. He noticed me staring.

"Watch the road, princey."

"There is no road, love."

He rolled his eyes, smiling. "You know what I mean." I smirked. "Then stop distracting the driver." Virgil got up and slowly made his way to me, hugging me from behind, resting his head on my back.

I was steering for about an hour before Virgil wanted to stop. I then obviously started my stream of questions. "Are you ok? Do you feel sick? Should we go back? Is it too much? Am I too much?"

"Roman." He said sternly. I prepared myself for the worst. "I am the best I've felt in a while. I feel like I never want to go back. This is just enough, and you are everything I could ask for. I just want to stop and talk for a bit with no distractions."

"Oh, ok. Sorry if I asked too many questions I know I can get like that sometimes and I don't know I'm sorry being weird I'll shutup." I said quickly.

Virgil let go of me as I stopped the boat in the middle of the river. Once it stopped, I walked past Virgil and sat down on the edge of the boat, putting my feet in the water. He walked over and sat next to me.

"Roman, are you ok?"

I didn't answer. I felt extremely guilty. I felt stupid. Insecure. This was stupid. I was taking a guy I'd only met yesterday to Lake Eerie and I was already head over heels for him. He probably thought I was a creep. Was I?

"Roman.."

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'm ok, don't worry, love."

"Ro, I don't buy that for a minute. Now tell me what's wro-" I shut Virgil up the only way I could think of. I grabbed the collar of his hoodie and kissed him. I didn't want to discuss my dumb insecurities. Not giving Virgil anything else to worry about.

His eyes widened, but nevertheless he kissed me back. They started off soft and kind but grew faster and more passionate. I slowly pushed Virgil back so he was laying on the floor.

Needless to say, I successfully distracted myself and Virgil.

---

Virgil's p.o.v.

Hours after Roman's odd behavior, we had a..nice time..and after that we went swimming. I was nervous at first cause I couldn't stop thinking about how deep the lake was. Roman eventually coaxed me in and we had a lot of fun.

After we dried off, we cuddled like Roman had promised. We talked with each other and got to know each other a lot more than we did before. I know it's cheesy, but now I feel like I've known Roman forever.

Now the sun was setting. We'd have to leave soon, but Roman apparently had one last surprise for me.

He stood up and held his hand out to me like the prince he was inside. "My love. May I have this dance?" I looked at him funny. "There's no music-"

Of course, just like some cliche romance movie, a song started playing from the speakers of the boat.

I smiled and took his hand. As I stood up, he put his hands on my waist. I put mine on his shoulders. "I'll lead." He said, smiling softly. Clearly he got the hint that I'd never danced before.

"The moment you arrived

They built you up

The sun was in yours eyes

You couldn't believe

Riches all around

You're walking

Stars are on the ground

You start to believe it.

Every face along the Boulevard

Is a dreamer just like you

You looked at death

In a tarrot card

And you saw what you had to do.

Nobody knows you now

When you're dying in LA

And nobody owes you now

When you're dying in LA

When you're dying in LA

When you're dying in LA

The power

The power

The power

Oh the power

The power

The power

Of LA!"

Roman led, and I gradually caught on. I wasn't as good as him, but it was still magical. He twirled me and dipped me and held me close. He was amazing.

"Nights at the chateau

Trapped in your sunset bungalow

You couldn't escape it

Yeah

Drink of paradise

They told you

'put your blood on ice'

You're not gonna make it

Every face along the Boulevard

Is a dreamer just like you

You looked at death

In a tarrot card

And you saw what you had to do

Nobody knows you now

When you're dying in LA

And nobody owes you now

When you're dying in LA

When you're dying in LA

When you're dying in LA

The power

The power

The power

Oh the power

The power

The power

Of LA!"

Eventually Brendon stopped singing, but the strings in the song kept going. Just as the song ended, Roman dipped me back and kissed me. I felt alive.

Still dipping me, our lips parted and he looked at me, smiling. "Virgil Kuznetsov, I may not have known you long, and forgive me for saying, but I love you with all my heart."

My heart melted. "And I love you Roman Rosales."

He put his forehead against mine. Roman started laughing. No wait...

"Roman are you crying??" I asked worridly. He lifted me back up and his his face from me.

"Nono, there's just something in my eye."

I made him turn to face me. Sure enough, he was crying. I lifted my hand to his face and wiped away his tears. He leaned into my touch.

"I'm not sad, really. I'm just..so happy. To be here, with you. " He said, laughing breathlessly (while also still crying).

I smiled sadly. Even if he was happy, I couldn't stand to see him cry. "I didn't know I was that important to you."

He hugged me, resting his head on my shoulder (it was an awkward-ish hug cause I'm much shorter than he is). We stayed like this until the stars began to come out. Roman eventually let go and started the boat again, steering back to the cabin.

-

I was driving us home. Roman was absolutely exhausted so I let him sleep in the passenger seat. Driving at night made me a bit anxious, but it wasn't too bad.

Dying in LA was playing quietly in the background as I drove. Roman was sleeping soundly next to me. He was so peaceful.

I loved Roman. I still don't see how he could love me, but I force that out or my mind for now. I've never felt this happy and loved since...god, I can't even remember.

I love Roman.

Because with Roman, I'm alive.

--

(Sup lads, just a heads up. The logicality chapters can run on different times than the prinxiety. The prinxiety chapters are around a day ahead at the moment. But yeah. I'll go back and put days of the week when the day changes. Cya! -Manzana)