My eyes opened to the sun shinning through my window. I was up very late last night and couldn't bring my self to get out of bed. I snuggled under my thick comforter as I heard footsteps out side my bedroom.

Aaron stuck his head inside the doorway. He noticed I was still asleep, even though I was peeking through with one eye.

He was wearing a yellow tee shirt and baggy jeans. Aaron sat down on the side of my bed. His hand stroked my cheek ever so gently. Then he leaned down and kissed my cheek.

I didn't move.

He sat back up and stared at me for a few seconds.

I turned onto my back and opened my eyes. "Are you going to wake me up like that every morning?" I asked, sitting up. My golden hair tickled my bare shoulders.

"If you want me too," he said, coming in for another kiss.

I looked over at my clock. It read ten-thirty.

"I think we need to do something special today," Aaron said.

"Like a date?" I asked.

"Sorta' I guess, what do you want to do?"

"It's such a nice day; let's go to the pool or something."

"Sure, as long as you won't just sit and tan the whole time."

"Oh, you don't have to worry, I don't tan."

The air felt like an oven when Aaron and I reached the pool. We laid down our towels and lunch and took off for the water slide.

"I hope the water's not freezing," said Aaron taking off his tee shirt.

"Yeah, I know. It never fails, once you get out of a freezing pool, the wind blows right by."

Aaron chuckled.

"Oh, and by the way, I wore a bikini this time."

Aaron laughed again. "What do you mean?"

"In church Mike told me that you said I would have looked better in a bikini."

Aaron's eyes widened. "What a loser, I should have never told him anything."

We walked over to the water slide line.

"It's ok. I'm pretty used to it," I said.

"Yeah, me too. Everywhere I go, girls always stare at me and whisper. I used to like it but then it just got annoying and figured that it was never going to end."

"I guess the girls at my school got carried away."

"Yeah, that was the worst girls have ever gotten. But it's even worse if I start to show interest in a girl."

We moved ahead in line. "What do you mean?"

"Well all of the guys that like the particular girl hate me. That's why I've never had a girlfriend."

"YOU'VE NEVER HAD A GIRLFRIEND?"

Aaron smiled. "No, because the guys threaten me so I just back away."

"So what happened with Josh, he didn't threaten you?"

"Well no and this time it was only one of them."

We moved up onto the top of the slide.

"Wow that must be really hard."

"Yeah, I hope this doesn't make me seem like I'm bragging."

I sat down on the top of the slide.

"No, not at all." I pushed myself down the slide. The water was warm under my legs. As I came to the bottom, I moved side to side. I plunged into the cool water. My hair came from behind me and floated in the water.

Aaron came a few minutes later. He made a big splash.

I waited on the side for Aaron. He came to the surface and shook his head. His hair was messy cool and the water on the body shined I the sun.

"Awesome," he said.

A breeze blue by and the water turned icy on our skin.

After a few hours we went back up to our stuff to eat lunch.

"This was the perfect day," I said.

"Yeah, and I'm glad I got to spend it with you."

"I am too, especially since you will be in school next week and we will only have afternoons and the weekend."

"Ya' know I was thinking last night. We have a great relationship. Would you consider us friends or girlfriend and boyfriend?"

"I'd consider us very good friends, if you know what I mean."

Aaron looked down at his sandwich, slightly disappointed.

"Unless you want to consider us more than friends. I'd like that."

"Yeah, I would."

"Just think of you friends' faces when you come home from spring break and bring back a girlfriend."

Aaron laughed. "Yeah, and this time no one can take you away from me."

I smiled and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"I hope I'm not rushing you or anything," said Aaron.

"I found out about your last boyfriend."

"How?"

"Blondine told Mike and Mike told me. She said you never dated again. I only found out last night, after I had kissed you."

"Wow, I totally forgot about Nick. I guess I just needed the right person to come along."

Aaron smiled and kissed me.

"I guess I did too."

We had a great time at the pool that day. I now officially have a boyfriend and am now completely over Nick. I have never felt so loved in my life and I never thought being happy again would feel this good.

I was all packed and ready to catch my plane when Blondine knocked on my door.

I noticed she had her suitcases and purse with her.

"Hey Blondine what's up?"

"Surprise!" she said, bringing her suitcase inside.

My mom came to the doorway. "Holly, your dad and I have though that since the boys will be in school, we could bring Blondine along for when you want some girl time."

"Oh my gosh, this is awesome!" I said. I ran over and hugged her.

The guys came into the living room.

Mike came in and kissed Blondine on the cheek. "It was my idea," he said.

"You're a remarkable person," I said. I hugged him then retuned to my boyfriend.

"Well we don't have to leave for a few hours," said Mr. Marshall. "Let's all relax in the living room with a few beers."

"What do you mean?" my dad asked. "You got the eleven o'clock flight didn't you?"

"No, I thought we were supposed to get the one o'clock flight."

"Awe shit," my dad said.

"Guess we won't be flying together," I said to Aaron.

"Well, we can make it work," Mike said. Blondine can ride with us and Aaron can ride with you guys."

"I suppose that could work," said Blondine.

My family and Aaron left for the airport. It was very busy and the plane smelled like plastic.

I sat by the window and Aaron sat on the outside."I'm going to try to sleep most of the way," said Aaron, pulling out his pillow.

As the plane started to lift off the ground, I pulled out my diary.

"Dear Diary,

This week seems to have gone by so fast and I can't believe I haven't written. I have so much to catch up on…"

I started with the first band practice that Aaron ever saw and continued up until we got on the plane. I also mentioned that Blondine is coming with us. It is sure to a blast.

"…Aaron has told me that he has a great place to take me. I hope it's a great make out spot! Now I get to go to his school, I wonder how the guys will react to me? Probably not very strong, but it's not like I need one more person to like me. I love Aaron and I hope we will have a great relationship.

Love,

Holly"

Aaron shifted his body as I closed my diary. He looked very cute sleeping.

I smiled and put my diary in my backpack. I pulled out my c/d player and tuned out listening to the music.

We landed about five hours earlier. Aaron had woken up by then and couldn't wait to get home.

"I think I'm going to take you up to devil's den first, then I'll take you up to the hot spring."

"As long as I'm with you," I said.

He smiled.

"What should we do while we wait for the rest of the group?" I asked.

"Well, I was thinking we could go eat dinner," my mother said. "Because by the time we rent a car, drive to the restaurant and get a table it should be dinner time."

"Yeah, I'm hungry," said Aaron. "I know a great place to go and eat."

Aaron took us to a burger joint just outside the air port. It was a McDonalds set up but with more class.

"Well we should probably go and pick up the rest of the group," my mother said, looking at her watch.

My dad asked for a check and we left.

At the airport, there was a wide culture mix. Americans, Europeans, Africans, Asians. What fascinated me most was a man in a turban that ran by.

Suddenly my parents yelled "get down!"

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Didn't you hear that gun shot?" Aaron asked.

"No!"

"Well there was one pretty close."

Security guards came from all directions. They were all running down the escalator to a lower port.

I heard a cry of pain. It was not any ordinary scream, I new whose it was. I got out from under the bench and ran toward the escalator.

"Holly? Wait! Where are you going?" yelled Aaron.

"Holly get back here," hollered my dad.

I didn't listen to them. There was a big circle around at the foot of the escalator.

I looked around; I saw the Marshall's and Blondine in the middle. A person laid on their back from the gun shot wound.

I ran down to meet them. Paramedics were pushing aside the mob and the police were arresting a man.

As I came though the horde, I found the Marshall's and Blondine. Although, their faces weren't as happy as they were before.

Blondine's face was wet with tears and Mr. Marshall held his wife tightly in his arms.

I looked down at the bloody body being pulled on to the stretcher. It was Mike.

"Blondine?"

She looked over at me. Her face was red and wet. She ran over and hugged me tight. I started to cry to.

"It's not fair!" she cried. "That man was trying to kill someone else and hit Mike instead! The police man told us."

"Blondine I'm so sorry." I leaned back. "Is he going to be…ok?"

She wiped tears from her eyes. "I don't know. He's still breathing. The built went into his chest."

A tear rolled down my cheek. "All we can do is pray and hope," I said.

The parents finally came down the escalator. Aaron sat over on a bench. His head held his hands.

"I'm going to the bathroom to wash my face," said Blondine.

"I'm going to try and comfort Aaron, ya' know there's a lot of him."

Blondine made a weak smile. "Yeah." She turned towards the bathroom and I made my way over to the bench where Aaron sat.

I sat down and put an arm around his broad shoulders.

He raised his head slightly and dropped his hands. His face tried to hold back tears.

"I'm so sorry Aaron."

"There's nothing you can do about it," he whispered. "I still have another brother."

"Aaron don't say that, Mikes gonna make it."

"No, he won't. Luck doesn't run my family."

"That doesn't mean anything. I know he was like, your best friend but if you have hope then, amazing things can happen. You're a strong person. You have to be strong no matter what happens."

"How would you know?"

"Because…this isn't the first time someone close got hurt."

Aaron looked up finally. "Yeah, I guess your right."

Instead of saying "duh" I responded, "Yeah, but I acted just like you. I knew Nick wasn't going to make it, and well he didn't."

Aaron put his arm around me.

I smiled and hugged him tight.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too."

Everyone sat in the hospital too anxious to talk or move. Aaron held Blondine and I tight. I let Aaron hug Blondine, but just this once.

Finally a nurse came out.

"Marshall?" she asked.

We all sat up.

"Yes," said Mr. Marshall.

"Your son Michael…," she shuffled around some papers.

"Yes?" asked Mrs. Marshall.

"Is going to be fine, he will have to go under surgery immediately to remove the bullet and will be home in a few days a good as new."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"See Aaron, a little hope can go a long way."

Aaron kissed me. "I don't know what I would have done without you."