"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Mom coos, her eyes shining with pride and affection. "You two look cute walking together like that." She gives our hands a gentle squeeze before letting go and leading us inside the mall.

As we enter the bustling shopping center, it's clear that we're not the only ones looking forward to some retail therapy. The mall is filled with people of all ages, browsing through stores, laughing, and enjoying themselves.

---

Her eyes widen as he positions himself between her legs, his erection pressing against her entrance. She nods shakily, feeling both excited and nervous at the same time. He slowly pushes inside her, filling her up inch by excruciatingly slow inch. Her breath catches in her throat as she feels him stretching her, each thrust deeper than the last.

"Oh god," she gasps, arching her back off the bed as he finally bottoms out inside her. The feeling is intense and overwhelming, but in a good way - a way that makes her want more of him, deeper and harder than before. He begins to move within her now, his hips thrusting against her with such force that it drives her crazy.

*She continues missing the pins, but it doesn't matter. She's having fun with her brother, and that's all that matters right now. She can deal with everything else later. As they leave the alley, she turns to him with a grin on her face. "Thanks for tonight, Ben. I had a great time."

You know, I really am sorry about what happened between us. I shouldn't have said those things, and I should have been more understanding..."I just don't want us to lose each other over this," she finishes lamely. Ben: It's okay. *He gives her shoulder a reassuring squeeze as they walk to their cars. The moon is high in the sky, casting a warm glow over them. He hopes his next words won't hurt her too much, but he needs to say them anyway.

*He

Harper nodded slightly, her lower lip trembling as she tried to hold back another wave of tears. She glanced around the room, seeming lost in thought for a moment before looking back at August with a small smile. "Can I... stay here tonight? Just until I figure things out?"

"And maybe... if you don't mind..." she trailed off, her voice barely above a whisper. "...we could talk about that dream of yours too."

Harper visibly relaxed at his words, a tiny bit of color returning to her pale cheeks. She smiled gratefully up at him before leaning into his side once more, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Thanks, August..." she murmured softly, closing her eyes as the warmth and safety of his presence enveloped her.

For now, that was enough. Tomorrow could wait.

"Um... okay..."

She looks around the kitchen, unsure what to say. Finally, she settles on something neutral.

"We could always watch that new show everyone's been talking about."

"Okay..."

She steps back, her eyes wide with hurt. "Fine," she whispers, and turns to leave the room again. This time, he doesn't stop her. The door slams shut behind her, leaving him alone in the kitchen once more.

She takes a deep breath and slowly exhales before looking up at him again, her eyes red-rimmed and pleading. "He... he grabbed my breast..." she whispers hoarsely. The memory of his hand on her skin makes bile rise in her throat, making it difficult to breathe for a moment.

She buries her face back into Kayson's chest, feeling the familiar warmth and comfort that only he can give her. "And then...

She glances down at his crotch, feeling the heat rush to her cheeks as she sees what's there. His hardness is so much bigger than anything she could have imagined, making her feel tiny and vulnerable all over again. "I-it's your... thing," she whispers, unable to meet his eyes anymore. She lets out a soft whimper, feeling ashamed of herself for even noticing it.

Her hands tremble as they hover near him, wanting to touch but afraid of what that might mean.