" Mark

t out, jumping to her

What the hell, Catherine? You've b

n know you two kissed?" Catherine scre

mocking laugh. "Please, Catherine. You just c

re any of us could react, she lunged for

ine snarled as they stru

e didn't make it in time. Mark shoved h

ou should all be ashamed, listening in on private conversation." His eyes

he grabbed Sophia's ha

ar hand in hand. Then her strength gave out.

whispered, her voice breakin

t know," Mat

her shoulders. I knelt beside her, wr

we thought," Catherine said between

eard him. He said he doesn'

therine asked, her voice raw.

le don't kiss without feeling something, or

a walked in silence, tree

t what you said back there, you shouldn't have. You just

n't know they were spying on us. And

t a kiss, Sophia. Our lips brushed, by accident. The space was ti

r eyes. "So tell me, after all these years we've been

meone I care deeply about. A friend. But Sophia... there has never been a

out. "You've played the hero in my life more times than I can count. We've spent days together, shared everything.

oted you were to me in the ninth grade, you stopped talking to me. It broke me. And yet.... e

ng me I'm just a friend? Why would you do all tho

This is my fault. I never stopped to thin

is face. "Have you truly never fel

Sophia," M

ou must be lying, no one risks their lif

id after a pause. "And I th

d her arms. "

our fourth grade, I came into the class and I saw a hairpin on you, it wasn't just familiar.... Sophia, it was unmistakab

recall. "And that's supposed to explai

r how you got i

tried t

use of your kind words to her. You don't know this, but you gave her hope when she had almost given up. Even t

eyes, I wanted to thank you. I really did. But you ran off before I could. I was standing far away, s

wards and gave a mocking smile. "So you've been prot

t because of a hairpin. Because of your k

as she laughed softly in disbelief

said, taking anoth

oser!" she shouted. "So non

e, it was never my intention Sophia...."

ng so dishear

t she didn't turn back. He was left

ee groups, we needed those points. We didn't have much time left, and wandering aimlessly through the arboretum

ew," I

ed up.

e entrance of the arbo

or a moment. "I t

ave in mind?"

," I said firmly. "No way I'm letti

to find it on your

I replied. "It

is a mess. How will we get everyo

ind the tree first, we'll figure out the rest

don't have much time

hed. "At leas

therine to you. Watch o

thew promised

soon," I said,

the grounds into sections. I hurried closer, there was conifers, deciduous grove, water plants.... and moist woo

stling in the breeze, voices of other students echoed through the woods, each one sou

t up tree trunks. A wooden sign caught my a

ound the area, students were already inspecting trees nearby, note

to it. That should have made things

e, Quercus alba. The next

Then what's that of slippery

mus?" I muttered. "Ulmu

ee with rough bark, "sli

ooked around for its label, and my foot slipped. I grabbed the tree, my h

One wrong step and I would have fallen right in. T

," I muttered.

aw it, the label, fixed to the sid

s is it, finally.

y began to peel a small str

ith a splash into the muddy ditch. Water splat

eyes and looked up, barely seeing a t

ted. "This isn't funn

n, but no one responded. "

and the high whine of mosquitoes around me. Then I felt

There could be anything

t. "It's not funny anymore. Please....

students slowly faded until

out. "Somebody, I'm over here!

he sounds of birds chirping above, insects h

be happening," I wh

wouldn't come off completely, but my vision cleared a little. I grabbed onto an exposed root along the edge o

in my hand, the root

thought, suddenly realizing

s st