“Well I guess this is goodnight.” We do this every time we come home from going out. Then Michael pulls into his drive way and says something like “where have you been all night?” with a big grin on his face, the benefits of being neighbors. But this time he seemed more romantic.


I smiled at him and gave him a quick goodnight kiss. Shutting the door behind me, I got out of his tuck and went to stand in my drive way in the rain. He pulled into his drive way and got out of his truck. He looked at me and didn’t say anything. Then his mouth opened.

“I love you” he said so serious and loving. It wasn’t the goodbye I was used to… I blew him a kiss and went into my house. Clara was sitting on the couch.

“Hey.” She said to me.

I locked up the door and went to go sit next to her on the couch.

“Are you okay? You have been acting upset the past few days.” Clara and I aren’t the closes twins you’ll meet, but we are close enough to talk about girly things.

“Eh, I’m okay I guess. Its just Ryan broke up with me today.”

“Ryan? Meaning Ryan the football quarterback and Ryan the guy everyone loves?”

“Yeah, that Ryan.” She giggled with me. Then she sighed. “I can never have a relationship like you and Michael.”

Michael popped into my head. His beautiful smile laughing. “What?” I said to her. “You wish you were me? Clara, you are the most popular girl in school and what are you talking about having a relationship like mine?” but I couldn’t blame her, Michael and I have something special. “You have had boyfriends since the eighth grade!”

“But all those boys were not…real! None of them have been. They all just used me and didn’t love me like Michael does for you. Seriously Jenna that boy is mad for you. And I can see your love for him…” she pulled her legs to her chest and smiled. “Do you think your going to marry him?”

Ever since I was about 10, I have always dreamed of marrying Michael. And soon as Clara said that, I imagined it again. “Yes, I do…”

“See that’s love.” She said, sticking popcorn into he mouth. “And I hope I find that one day and not have these stupid boys. Like Ryan. I hate him.” she smiled at me. “Do you think I could borrow Michael for a week or two?”

I chuckled. “You’ll find your perfect man one day.” I opened my arms and gave her a hug. Like the real, good ones. Clara is the popular girl I wish I was, but she is my sister.

I smiled at her one last time and stood up to go to my room.

I flicked on the light. The clock read 11:05. It’s Friday night and I’m not tired. I looked over into Michael’s room and didn’t see a light on. So I grabbed my journal and started to write all the thoughts bouncing around in my head. The music coming from my iPod was soothing and helped me relax.
When I looked out my window I saw rain coming down hard and it started to storm. Even though I’ve lived here in Florida for a long time, I never get used to the storms. Like every time I kiss Michael. I still get that jumpy, heart racing feeling.
I glanced at the clock and I realized two hours have past. I had nothing else to write, I didn’t have homework, my room was clean, and Clara went to bed and hour ago.
The wind was howling outside my window, and the rain was pounding. I started to get a little scared, especially with my mom and dad gone for the weekend. I reached for the locket I have around my neck. I grasped it thinking it will protect me.
I pulled apart my curtains and opened my window painted with tears of rain.
Grabbing my jacked off my bed and throwing it on, I climbed out the window into the storm. I ran from my window to the one next door and saw lightning light up the sky. Reaching out for it, I knocked and saw Michael toss over in his bed and look at the window. He jerked the covers off of him and mouthed my name.

Again lightning flashed in the sky. He ran over to the window stumbling on a shoe on his way. I pulled my hood closer to my face.

He opened up the window and pulled my hand clenched to it up in his. Then he took my waist with his other and set me in his room.

“What are you doing out there in the storm?” thunder rumbled close by and I snuggled into his chest.

“I…um…got scared.” I said with a squeak at the end. Michael laughed at me.

He hugged me close to his bare self. “Jenna, you can’t just go out there in a thunderstorm. You could get killed.” He squeezed me.

“But my parents aren’t home and Clara went to bed. And like I said…I got scared.”

“You can come here whenever you’re scared. I’ll be here.” We just stood there hugging the lightning scratching across the sky. “Hold on.” Michael let go of me and went to his dresser. I walked over to his bed and sat down on it. He came back with clothes in his hand.

“Here put these on,” he threw me his shirt and a pair of his boxers.

“Boxers?” I laughed.

He smiled. “Yeah, you wont fit into my shorts, they’ll be like, pants on you.” I unzipped my jacket and pulled one arm through my shirt.

“Bathroom…is…um over there.” He said.

“No I’m okay, thanks.” I said to him winking.

Michael came over to the bed and sat down next to me. I pulled my other arm through. “Here let me help you,” he took the ends of my shirt and slid them over my head. He held my shirt and felt it in his hands.

I stood up and unbuttoned my shorts. They came off nicely and I pulled on Michael’s boxers. They fit Bermuda shorts and were really comfortable.
He handed me his shirt. “But I kind of like you with out it on.” He said and watched me put it on. I pulled out my hair from the shirt and laid on his bed next to him. He leaned his back up against his head board and I laid on his stomach, feeling him breathe. He stroked my hair.
“You sure you want to run away.”
“Only to be with you forever.” He said to me.
“When are we going to leave?” I asked him.
“You’ll just know, it’ll feel right.”
“Just make sure it’s before you move.” I said sadly
Sitting there in his dark room watching shadows of the rain from his window and him tracing my curves felt so right.
“So how come we never had sleepovers? It could have been that easy, one of us climbing through the others window.” He told me.
“Wow, I don’t know. We really could have gotten away with it.”
He started to chuckle, “let’s start tonight then.”
“Sounds alright with me” I said quickly.
He held up his hand and I placed mine against it and played with his fingers. Then he laced his through mine and we sat and talked.
The thunderstorm started to die down, but one huge bolt of lightning and scream of thunder ended it. I saw the lightning flash in the window and then automatically I gripped to Michael’s side. I covered one ear with my palm. He had his arm around me already but just tightened some. Then the thunders shocked me and I jumped.
“It’ll be okay, I’m right here, forever.”
I didn’t say anything, knowing that he would know all that I wanted to say. I traced my index finger around his pants line and around his belly button.
“Your skin is really soft.” I said to him.
“Like your lips.” I looked up at him and pushed myself up so I was at his level.
Slowly he came in for a kiss and stayed there for at least 10 seconds. I looked over at the clock. 3 AM. No wonder I was so tired.
“As much as I’m enjoying this,” I said to him while he was brushing his lips on my check, “I um…” then I thought about us not being able to run away and him moving. “Oh what the heck!” I turned my head to his and pressed my lips against his until I was on top of him with his arms tightly around me. We kissed hard and long though the night.