Your fingers slip between hers and she smiles at you, her skin glowing in the sun. She looks back down her book and adjusts her reading glasses. You stare at her and she looks up, raising one eyebrow, her glasses slipping on her cheeks. You smile at her and her lips curl to a soft smile. She reaches out, threading her hand through your hair and you close your eyes.

::

She's crying on your chest, curled up like a child. You hold her, whispering, "It's okay. I'm here," and she peers up breaking your heart with that look on her face. You hug her tighter and she says, "I know." You can't do anything but this and it breaks your heart even more. You wipe her cheeks with your thumb but you can't make it go away. You can never fill the void her family gave her.

::

You taste her lips thinking how bitter-sweet they were, that you'll never get tired of them. She pulls back, eyes fluttering open and you touch her eye lashes. "What?" she says. "Nothing," you reply and she chuckles the way she does only in front of you. You hug her and she pats your back. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere," her voice sings, still chuckling.

::

She's screaming at you and you try not to scream back. "It's just acting," you say. "I know what acting is. I'm not some stupid bimbo like her," she yells. You feel your muscles tense and she prods at your chest. You step back. "I don't have to take this crap," she walks out, and so is the air inside you.

::

She gets up from your bed, draping your blanket loosely on her bare skin, sliding off her shoulder. She turns her head to her side and you see her lipstick gently smeared at one corner of her lips. No matter how many times you've seen her like this, it always feels like the first time. She mesmerizes you.

::

She's hiding behind her hands and you do nothing but laugh under your breath while you carry her in your arms. She sprained her leg and you always wanted to carry her like this. She slaps your shoulder and you jump, almost missing a step. You smile, seeing a shadow of a pout on her lips. She keeps looking down her side, grumbling. "At least I get some practice, when we finally..." you say. She blushes saying, "Whatever, just hurry up, before I stab myself to death."

::

She won't speak to you and you don't know what to do. You keep trying to apologize even when you know it wasn't your fault. She won't even look at you. "What do you want me to do?" you ask pleading and she looks at you like you're nothing. "Stop turning into my father," she says, walking away from you.

::

"You look like you need a shower!" she sprays water on your face with a hose. You almost drown. She laughs at you, a smirk on her face. "Why you," you run after her, catching her with soap.

::

You give her her coffee and she takes it in both hands, a shot of glee in her thank you. You sit across from her, observing her over her laptop as she takes the first sip. She has her glasses on again—she only wears them when she's writing. She says she wants to be a playwright or a novelist, and take up her masters in Europe. You ask why and she shrugs, taking another sip of her coffee.

::

She says she doesn't like chocolate but you get a box of it for her Valentines gift anyway. "Seven years, and you get me chocolate?" she grimaces and you laugh. "You didn't even get me anything,' you say. "Valentines is stupid," she pouts and you try not to pinch yourself. "Hence the chocolate," you take one from the box, smiling after putting it in your mouth. She takes a handful and you feel proud of yourself until she stuffs them into your mouth, storming childishly off.

::
"Why won't you let me help you?" you ask, catching her wrist in your grip. She pulls her wrist and you grip tighter. "Let go," she say, prying off your fingers with her other hand. "I'm not letting go," you say not realizing the hurt in her eyes. "Please," her voice shakes and you let go, almost falling off your feet.

::

She can't look you in the eyes lately and you know she's hiding something. You squeeze her hand gently and she pries her eyes from far off. "Tell me what's wrong," you say and she smiles weakly, pulling you forward as she walks ahead.

::

You open the door and she's standing there, drenched in the rain. You rush to her, taking her in your arms and you already know why. "Move in with me," you say and she just cries again, tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks. Now you can do something—you can give her everything.

::

You smile, feeling proud of yourself. You finally got it, after saving up for so long. You raise it up, watching it glint in the light. She comes in and you scramble to your feet, hiding the ring behind you as you welcome her back. She smiles, giving you a small kiss as her fingers run at the back of her neck.

::

You know she's a great writer and her work always sucks you in like you're part of the story. She's at her laptop almost all day, with her glasses on and a little crease over her nose. She's working on something but she won't tell you—she never tells you until she's done. You sit beside her and she gives you that look—no peeking.

::

A letter came in for her the other day and now you find it crumpled in the trash bin. You pick it up, smoothing it out with both hands. She got it, the scholarship she wanted years ago. Your heart aches a little, a small smile on your lips.

::

"I have to tell you something," she says and you get out the bathroom, toothbrush still on your mouth and she laughs from the bed, a book in hand. "Wha?" you ask, sitting next to her and she shakes her head, something in her eyes flickering. "Never mind," she chuckles, pushing you off the bed.

::

You shift on your feet. "Come here," she says, patting the seat beside her. You lick your lips, wiping your palms on your jeans. "What's going on?" she smiles, her teeth showing. You furrow your brows, shifting on you other foot. You've practiced this so many times, you're an actor for cris'sake! No, this isn't the right moment. You decide to put it off for another week.

::

You find her sitting alone on the beach side. She's looking at her palms, the waves rushing gently at the tips of her toes. Her eyebrows meet between her eyes like she's trying to burn through her hands. And you think she's adorable. Her hands fall to the sand, fingers digging. The wind rushes blowing the sand in her hands into the open sky and she smiles, breathing in. You decide not to surprise her anymore.

::

You wake up, finding her side of the bed cold. Your heart stops but you shrug it off, telling yourself not to worry and you get up from the bed. You feel colder somehow as you walk up to the bathroom. The living room is empty too, but note on the coffee table. "I'm sorry," the note says and you just want to scream.

::

You keep the ring in your jacket, holding it every time you miss her, knowing that she just needs to breathe and follow her dreams. So you keep the light on at the door and the key under the mat, holding a smile on your face as you wait for her to come back.

A/N: That was random and choppy... yes, yes it is. This is my first shot on Bade and I hope you can forgive me for my noobness and cliché.

Anyway, please do review (flames are encouraged but definitely no slaughtering me in the process, I don't wanna die yet).