"Thanks for your help today, Kelly."

I collect the rest of the foam lined coloring pages and hand them to Mrs. Rolland as she peered over her bifocals smiling at me.

"The children just love these. It makes coloring for them such a joy," She continues and takes them from me with a kind smile gracing her features.

"I'll see you next week." I give a little wave and begin to make my way out of the children's area at the clinic for the visually impaired. I've been coming to Greensboro since Nate's accident and dedicating my time volunteering every Wednesday after cheer practice. I told everyone I needed the hours for Dartmouth, but the truth is, it eased my guilty conscience knowing that I was making children without sight smile. Plus, I enjoyed it. I like coming here every week to play and color with the kids.

I grab my light jacket and push open the atrium doors. As I am walking down the concrete front stairs, my eyes glue onto the sight dogs training in the lawn. There is something magical about the way an animal can be so loyal that they could be the eyes for their best friend.

A whistle blows and I stop completely. Standing in the front row, towering over everyone else, is no other than Nathaniel. Next to him is the yellow lab, standing at attention at his feet.

My stomach erupts with butterflies but not in the way that I was becoming used to. I am still mad at myself for leaving Nate by himself at the diner. I know I told myself that I did it to protect him but really, I did it to protect myself.

I'm guessing Alyssa opened her big mouth to Danny about me sneaking off to Nate's the night of the party because he hasn't spoken to me since. Maybe this would be a good time to officially end things.

I don't realize I am pulling a deer in headlights look until the whistle blows again and I jump out of my skin. Shaking my head at myself, I turn to walk towards my car. I stop again once I am to my blue convertible and I can't help but look back to the grass. Except when I look back, Nate is gone. Instead he is strolling towards me with his dog back on it's leash. But he isn't purposely coming towards me. He rounds the curb before he runs into me.

I hold my breath until he passes. Wow, that was a close one. I turn and put my keys into the door to unlock it and finally go home after a long day.

"Ms. Henderson! Kelly! Wait!"

I squeeze my eyes shut and repress the urge to cry out. I was so close. I reluctantly pivot back around to see Mrs. Rolland gliding down the steps with my purse in hand, her tightly curled hair flopping in the light breeze.

It didn't go unnoticed that Nate has stopped as well. He has turned towards me with a confused look on his face. His dog looks up at him as if he is crazy to have stopped. I have to agree.

"You forgot your purse at the children's table, dear. I'm so lucky to have caught you before you left! That would have been an extra hour added onto your travel if you had to have come back." She is too nice in a young grandma who bakes you chocolate chip cookies and tells you how pretty you are way. Too bad I want to melt into the ground and take her with me.

"T-thank you, ma'am. That would have been..." I bite my tongue when Nate starts to walk towards me. "Unfortunate."

"Yes, it would have been. Well, I will see you next week." Mrs. Rolland says her goodbyes again and goes back inside.

I stay quiet, ringing the short pink strap between my hands. Oh man, it is unfortunate indeed when you get caught in the act.

"Kelly? What are you doing here?" Nate asks stepping closer, his dog in tow.

"H-hi there, Nate," I stutter. I have a hard time meeting his eye but that would go unnoticed, thankfully. "Didn't see you there. I, um, I was just volunteering at the clinic inside. I do that. Volunteer. I volunteer. Inside. Yup." I grimace and shake my hair out of it's ponytail holder.

"I didn't know that." Nate's face relaxes as if he is comforted by my discomfort. Oh how the tables have turned. "That's nice of you."

"Yeah..." Why am I being so awkward? This isn't fair to him. "Listen, Nate. I'm really sorry about the other day. I shouldn't have left you at Linc's by yourself. That was really out of line. That wasn't fair to you. This friendship just started and I don't want you to think that I take it for granted. Because I don't."

Nate stays silent as if thinking this over. And because there is silence, Kelly Henderson must fill said silence.

"I know I said that Danny and I were no longer together but that was just me thinking out loud. It was never really discussed between us but it's felt that way for a long time. It's been over for a while now but I just don't know how to break apart from it. I can't be around him, really, I don't know how to explain it. I'm sorry for kissing you--Not that I didn't want to because I did. Is that weird? Is that weird to hate your boyfriend and want to kiss your bio partner?"

Nate continues to not speak. It finally dawns on me that this is him being mad. It's strange, this calm tempered manner. I am used to screaming and things flying. I always took that as passion between Danny and me but now I'm not sure if that is what it is.

"And I hate my friends. They are rude and make me feel like I'm inside a box. Have you ever tried fitting inside a box? It's not easy. Especially when you try shutting the top because without tape it's kind of impossible--"

"I'm embarrassed."

I stop talking and look up at Nate's face in the sunlight. He looks the same, glasses covering his eyes, his lips set in a straight line. Everything is the same except he is going out of his way to not to look in my direction.

"Why is that?" I have the guts to ask.

Nate gnaws on his bottom lip. I have to look away before my mind goes into the gutter and I embarrass both of us more outside the clinic. His dog shifts unbalanced beside him.

"I took advantage of you."

My voice catches in my throat and I try to cover it up with a cough. Why was he even thinking this? I rummage through the memories of that night and I'm sure I would remember if something happened between us that was more than a kiss.

"No, you did not."

"Yes, I did," Nate says almost aggressively. He shakes his head and shifts on his feet as if he is planning on making a run for it. "You were drunk, Kelly."

I laugh and steady my hand on his forearm. Nate flinches and his dog barks once, making me jump back. Nate reaches down and pats it's head. I clear my throat in hope to gain my composure.

"If anything, I took advantage of you," I admit, looking down wearily at his yellow lab.

It is true. I did take advantage of him. He is so innocent and maybe kissing him wasn't the right thing to do. It felt right at the time but now I am not sure if I should've done it. It wasn't that I am worried about Nate, no, I am worried about me. I have dug and keep digging myself a hole that I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get out of.

"Either way, I'm sorry." I feel like Nate apologizes a lot.

"Nate, stop," I practically groan. "You have nothing to be sorry about. This is me apologizing to you."

This is so embarrassing. I never thought I would be apologizing for pretty much throwing myself at someone.

"Is that what you're doing? Apologizing? I thought we were talking about shoving you in a box and seeing if we can get it to shut."

I laugh, loving that he is joking around with me like he had done a few days ago. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. How is it that I can talk to Nate this way but not even my boyfriend of two years? How come I can trust Nate to be honest with me but not my best friend? Nate and I barely know each other and I feel like I am closer to him than anyone else.

It is strange, but in a good way.

"I can assure you that there was no advantage being taken, Nate. But I am sorry. I shouldn't have shown up at your place the other night. That was stretching boundaries." I don't think I have ever apologized so much in such a little amount of time. I'm sure I could apologize for many more things but one step at a time.

"Yeah, why did you come there? It sounded like you and your boyfriend were in the middle of something." I don't miss the way he voice catches when he says the word boyfriend. His cheeks dot pink and he shuffles from one foot to the other.

I wave my hand in the air as if to swipe this conversation aside. "That's a talk for another time. So," I say feeling like I could breathe for the first time in forever. "What's your dog's name?" I reach down and rub its ears earning a closed eye dog smile. But then it crosses my mind if I'm allowed to touch a sight dog in the first place. I straighten up and toss my purse into my car.

"Her name is Hannah. I've had her for a year now. I got her as a puppy when I was in the hospital. My parents thought it would be nice to have me focus on something to get my mind off other things."

My throat closes up and I suddenly feel sick all over again. I wonder if I can sneak away without going noticed. I stay quiet and force myself to smile down at the dog. She looks back up at me with her tongue panting out of her mouth.

"Anyway," Nate says looking over his shoulder. "My mom is waiting in the car. Or at least she should be. She went shopping while waiting for Hannah's class to be over."

"Do you want my help finding her?" I offer looking around the parking lot.

"No, that's okay. I'll just wait for her to come. Have a safe drive." Nate takes a step to the left dismissing himself.

I can't stop the words from tumbling out of my mouth but I wanted to spend more time with him now that the awkwardness is out of the way.

"I could bring you home if your mama wanted to spend her time shopping. I don't mind." I am already moving closer to him as I'm speaking. "We are going to the same place."

Nate considers this and for a second it crosses my mind that he might be thinking the same thing as me.

"We could take Hannah for a walk or something. Unless you have things to do, then I understand." I look down at the dog and it refuses to make eye contact with me. Humph.

"I guess it would be nice to let my mom have some more time to herself. She has this tendency of spending all of her energy on me." His cheeks tint pink and I can't help but bite my lip. I love when he blushes.

"She sounds wonderful."

"Most mothers are."

I loved my mother but she and I just had different views on life. She wanted me to find a man right out of high school and get married thinking it would set up for a stable life. But that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted a degree and wanted to travel. I wanted for so much that I knew maybe most of it I didn't deserve. Including the boy standing in front of me.

"Is that a yes?" Please say yes.

"Let me just call her." He walks away from me and turns his back while he put the phone to his ear. I give him his privacy while he talks to his mom.

I couldn't help but admire the way he talked to his mother. His voice hit an octave higher and his words are softer than normal. During the conversation she must have said something that embarrassed him because his eyes dart in my direction before he covers the receiver of his phone.

"Mom," he warns in a whiney voice. "I'll be home by dinner, okay?" He hangs up the phone and then gives a little tick to have Hannah bring him back to me.

"Ready?" I ask smiling so large my face is starting to hurt. I always loved seeing boys interact with their mothers.

He laughs a breathy laugh and nods, knowing that I heard him on the phone.

"So what are you eating for dinner?" I joke and watch for the blush to travel up his neck and to his ears.

"Shut up," he mumbles before Hannah leads him into my car and hops into the back seat, tail wagging and tongue hanging out in glee.

I wait for Nate to settle in and take this time to look him over. I feel like I watch him alot. I just can't help it. His whole body, from the top of his short brown hair to his blue Captain America shirt seem to glow golden under the late afternoon sun.

"Hope you don't mind dog hair on your seats," Nate says, breaking me out of my admiration. "Hannah sheds like mad."

I blink a few times before I answer him. I really needed to pull myself together. "I don't mind." I look behind us to see the lab has settled down, taking up the whole back seat.

The drive home is quiet. There wasn't much to be said. I am just happy that Nate is beside me, smiling and blushing at all the right things.

We stop for ice cream midway through and Nate laughs when Hannah decides to lean into the front seat to steal my vanilla ice cream cone before I can even take a bite. He laughs again when I shove the remains of his in his face. Hannah then bounces forward to take cleaning him up in her own hands.

My eyes dance over his face while his nose scrunched up as his dogs tongue laps over his cheek. His large hands rubs the sides of her head until she is satisfied with her clean up. He looks so happy right now, his cheeks flushed, eyes bright even under his glasses. Even his body language is opening up towards me as he angles his limbs towards the drivers seat as he pushes Hannah back to her spot in the back seat.

The top of the convertible is down and as we drive the wind stirs both of our hair, mine flapping in my face and Nate's barely moving. But his head is tilted towards the sun, his skin glowing under the yellow light.

He blushes when his hand grazed over mine when we went to turn up the stereo when a good song came on at the same time. I don't even remember which song it was because I blacked out when the oxygen was cut off to my brain. My heart nearly pounded out of my chest at the light feathering of his fingers.

The hour is up too soon and I feel myself dragging my feet at the thought of departing with Nate. All the lights are off in my house and I knew that meant that my father is spending another late night at the hospital and my mother is probably playing bingo with her friends downtown. She would surely drink too many Shirley Temples and crash the second she gets home.

Nate must have sensed that I am lollygagging because he slows his already slow pace. Hannah guides him back like a GPS and a part of my heart loves this particular animal because she cares so much for her owner. I feel like I owe her something which I know sounds silly even to my ears.

"Did you get that letter from Dartmouth yet?" Nate asks out of nowhere. We have reached his front steps and the closer we get to the door, the closer I feel to my sanity wafting away with the cool night's breeze. So many days have I thought about knocking on this door for several different reasons.

"No," I almost snap but catch myself. He is the first one to really ask about that and my heart gives a giant thump. "But thanks for asking."

"You'll get in." Nate rocks on his feet. Hannah whines at the fact that they are so close to home yet there's an annoying girl keeping her from her dinner.

I smile and before I can stop myself, I lean up and kiss Nate softly on the corner of his mouth. Nate gasps, or maybe it was me but I pull back quickly and press my lips together in a straight line.

"I'm sorry," I apologize. I am now the one wanting to bolt. Why did I do that just then?

"I-it's okay." Nate pushing up his glasses in a way that makes me want to break into a fit of giggles yet it is so intriguing.

I reach up and simply graze my fingers over the two scars right above his eyebrow. Nate brings in a shaky breath but he doesn't move away. It's like he's in some sort of trance, his mouth slack and his body slightly leaning into mine.

My fingers move down to the curve of his jawline, the muscle there hard and sharp. I hook my hand behind his ear, cupping his face, and rock up in my tip toes to bring his lips down to mine.

I sigh into the kiss, the feeling of his lips on mine exquisite. Nate pauses for only a second before his fingers find a belt loop of my jeans and brings me closer to him. This move surprises me and I let out a soft groan at the contact of our fronts flushed together.

My lips become frantic over his. With shaking hands, I bring both of them into his hair grabbing what I can. When the deep moan passes from his lips to mine I about lose it. His hand is now pressed flat on my lower back and his other one has moved to hook behind my ear, keeping me to him.

I skim my tongue over his bottom lip and without a second thought from Nate, he meets mine with his. My whole body has gone into overdrive when this happens and my knees buckle. Nate's grip tightens around my waist.

The North Carolina air though cool for the time of night has a way of leaving a balmy film on the skin making the temperature feel warmer. But with my body so close to Nate's and his tongue lapping over mine I feel like I'm over the top of a volcano.

But before I can fall deeper in, the Haynes' front door opens.

Nate and I spring apart. He freezes, his hands still in the places of where he cupped my face and his other levitating out in front of him like he needed the balance. I adjust my shirt over my hip and hold my breath to quiet my lust filled breathing.

"Hello," I innocently say, smiling a pinched smile at the woman now standing in the door way.

Either she is oblivious or she is being discreet about seeing her son making out with a girl in the front lawn, but she looks surprised when she see Nate standing outside. Her eyes then flick back to me.

"Hello there," the lovely woman beams down at me. "You must be Kelly?"

"Yes, ma'am." I reach up and tuck a strand of hair behind my ears. I didn't need a mirror to know that my face is bright red.

"Oh, none of that, dear, you can call me, Lucy." She reaches forward and rubs my arm in a friendly gesture. I look over to see Nate looking down at his feet. "Thank you for dropping Nate off. I was just finishing up some shopping and I was trying to decide between two different types of shoes so you swooped in right on time."

Her laughter is nice, much like Nate's in that manner, but hers makes me want to smile along with her instead of stare of her like a looney.

"Would you like to stay for dinner, dear? I made meatloaf." Lucy looks over at me expectantly and for a second I hesitate.

"Mom," Nate cuts in, his face blotching red. "I'm sure Kelly wouldn't want--"

"I'd love to," I say before he can finish. "That is if that's alright with you, Nathaniel."

Hannah wiggles out of Nate's grasp and padded her way inside the warmly lit house. Without his crutch, Nate appears lost and it makes me want to reach out to him and feel his hand in mine.