Anne (operator): Hi it's me. I'm probably out with no phone, or cooking or going to your place already. So leave a message! If this is Ares, I'm doing good in here but I miss you!

Ares: Ey, how's Paris? Your operator message is cute by the way.. I miss you too. Uh, I'm so bored, doing all these essays and college assignments. I kind of wish you were here now. You know Alexa is doing fine, I've just taken her to the pet shop for grooming. Your apartment is clean, your room is neat, the janitor is being very careful because your sketches are like everywhere. I guess he's afraid that you'll get mad if he put them in an 'inappropriate' place, so, he handed me all those. Call me when you land. beep

Blair sighed, "I wish Enrique would call.."

I laughed, "isn't his voice so good?"

"Who, E?"

I didn't hear her saying that. I just kept on laughing and smiling.

"Oh, Ares. Of course. Yeah yeah.. Loveeebirdsss are so around you."

"I think I'll replay."

"Hey there's even more!!" I threw myself to the bed and took a pillow.

Ares: So.. please please tell me about you and Blair and all the dance tour and test. I love you Annabel. Call me back. I love you. Oh I've said that. Okay I love you again. beep

"OMG that, is like the best voicemail ever. How can a guy be so cute?" Blair said.

"No idea",

said I.

That night I just slept so tight. ♥

Where were the sparks I was supposed to have? Where were the butterflies that usually lived in my tummy? Were they gone already? Or were they just still hibernating? Where were that hummingbird my heart would normally beat when I was around him? Just by hearing his voice 3 seconds long, I supposed, my heart would drum for 15 minutes long after. I was supposed to have all that NOW.

"Anne,"

I looked up to him. I was sitting on the back passenger seat, leaning my back on the door so I faced toward his direction. And he was sitting right in front of me. I should be... feeling the super, very beautiful atmosphere that was surrounding us.

We were up the hills. We could literally see city lights flickering from here. Around the car was empty field, but I actually found it calming. And the wind made it chilly.

But I really didn't know what I was exactly feeling. It was... bizarre.

He tried to reach my hand. I let him. I didn't want things to get any worse, it was the worst situation already. "what's wrong with you?"

He tilted his face, trying to get me looking in his eyes. "Hey," he tightened his grip, "I can't read your mind.. okay? So will you please tell me what's stuck on your mind?"

Nothing was stuck on my mind. It was all stuck around my tongue.

"I don't know, Are. I can't talk much tonight. I'm sorry. Please understand." There.

He breathed in, then out. Unlike what I've predicted, he said, "I'm fine. It's you that I'm worried about."

Sweet. He's weird tonight.

I forced a smile. "Thank you," I pulled myself close to him and lean myself in his open arms, "it's chilly."

He kissed the top of my head. "I know. Uh, sorry for tonight. I think I messed up with bringing you to the wrong place. I was thinking that you need some rest from the dance thing. I thought you need some quiet place where you and I could just be together alone, so there's nothing else could bother you. You know, I'll always be there for you to yell at."

I couldn't see him but I know, he smiled when he was saying that.

"I'm so blessed."

He laughed, "What?"

"To have you here."

I could feel that he smiled again. "My pleasure." Then he messed my hair. And we just sat there in silence.

Until he broke it, "Are you sleepy?"

"Uh, a little?"

He laughed again, "Wait right here."

"Where are you going?" He didn't answer. He just popped out of the car and I could hear him opening the trunk. I was too sleepy to move. After a few seconds, he got back bringing me a seemingly super warm blanket. "Whoa, you have a blanket in your car?"

"Yep. You have no idea of what else this car could contain."

Now that sounded scary. I laughed effortlessly. "I'd like to know."

"Well." He sighed, "You have to find out yourself."

"Dude, you sound like a psychopath." I raised an eyebrow.

Now he laughed even louder, "Geez, don't dude me! I'm your boyfriend!"

Everyone really has to see that face. LOL, it was his most ridiculous face EVER. I'd like to rewind that face and pause it, give it to him 'til he die laughing at his own face.

Kidding.

"Take this. You're going to die cold if you don't take it now."

So I did. I was FREEZING. "Thanks."

"Yep."

My mood was just slowly getting way better. And that was the last thing I remembered him saying that night.

...

"Anne, Anne come on, wakey wakey."

I heard him whispering in my ear, and felt his hands slapping my cheeks tenderly. "Come on, you have to see this."

I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. Still heard his voice. "Gosh, you sleepyhead."

I didn't hear anything for seconds. So I relaxed my eyes to get my way into another deep sleep. But just as I feel myself calming, I felt somewhat flying. Something, or someone was carrying me. But I knew it had hands. So it's a someone!

I opened my eyes. HE carried me. "WHAT ARE YOU DO...OUCH!"

Yep, my forehead hit the edge of the inner roof.

"Whoops! Sorry! Seriously I'm so sorry, Anne! You okay?" he panicked.

I saw something moving on the ground. Eight legged. "Look out! Spider!"

"What where?!" He spun around, still carrying me in his princely grip. He panicked even more. And he accidentally slipped because the ground was wet of the seemingly pouring rain last night. That means,

He slipped. I fell.

"Ouch!" He yelled in pain.

That was funny though. I laughed, "You okay, Ares?" That scene was actually really funny I couldn't help laughing.

Seeing me laughing like that, he laughed too. "Yeah I'm fine," laughed again and coughed, "You?"

"I'm cool," still laughing, "what were you trying to do??"

"I just got to get you see this." He said. His face turned serious and soft at the same time. He pointed at a little bright direction. I looked the way.

I swore it was the first real sunrise I ever saw. It was... magical. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The sun was so little and yellowish, while the sky was still dark blue. I could see a group of birds flying above us, twittering.

I could probably say it was the best thing I ever saw right after I woke up. Ever.

"How could you?" I was still amazed I didn't look at his face when I asked him that.

"How could I what?"

"All these... I mean, it's nice, very."

"Just nice?" He tempted.

"Okay. Beauti..."

"Stop right there. You haven't seen it all."

I had no idea what he had done for me. It was all too good to be true. "Close your eyes." He ordered. I closed my eyes and he walked behind me, gripped my right hand and closed my eyes with his left.

"Ta-daa!" He let go of his grip and let me open my eyes.

I saw two folding chair, a pack of firewood, a few raw sweet corn and a barbecue grill. I suddenly ran out of words.

"Err, what do you say?" He smiled but looked unsure. I know this is his i-am-afraid-that-you-think-this-is-all-too-much face.

"Err, I can't say anything?"

He looked relieved now. "Well, you don't have to say anything. I told you, you have no idea what my car could contain. Now let's just eat, shall we? Oh, you like roasted corn right?"

"I do!" I smiled wide.

"By the way, Ar." I started talking again. I knew by the time that I did love him. It just needed some time to be re-revealed.

"Yes?"

"Thank you, so much."

He replied by simply hugging me. Said,

Tears started streaming down my face. So that was why you had been trying to be so good to me the whole night, although I kind of ignored you. Best overnight scene I had ever played in life. I love you, A.

I was looking down the streets behind the Shanghai Arts Building. 9 P.M and it was still crowded with the crews around. I had just performed in a musical. Being one of the dancers, for me, was a great great accomplishment. I've loved dancing since high school, and I applied a form to the Shanghai School of Performing Arts. People told me that they were opening an audition for a musical. I got accepted, and well here I am.

"There you are! What are you doing here?"

That was Blair, my dancer friend.

"Hi, B! I'm just... I don't know," I laughed, "what am I doing here?"

She laughed, "Ah, let me guess. You're looking for some fresh air?"

"Um, yeah I guess I am.." I answered.

Blair took a seat next to me. She looked just great with the glittery make-ups she hadn't cleaned yet. "I was just wondering, hmm."

"About what?" asked I.

"How is Ares doing?"

My heartbeat stopped. "Ares? Why would you ask that to me?"

"Come on, Anne. Everybody knows you're both in love with each other. You guys are together right?"

I sighed. Yeah right, everybody knew.

Everybody but us.

"Were. I don't know, B.."

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

"I..."

"Guess who." Two big hands closed Blair's eyes.

"Hey! I know who you are... Enrique!" She laughed. He laughed and released her face.

"Hey Annabel, how was the show?"

I smiled, "Hi, it was a wrap, anyway."

"I shouldn't have asked," he smiled and shook my hand, "well Blair, I guess it's time for me to drive you home?"

"Guess it is." She smiled so wide at him, then kissed my cheek goodbye, and in a second she was already in Enrique's car. I, myself, took a glimpse at the opened back door, and got inside to take my super huge bag.

....

I stood in Helmingway street, tried to catch taxi. It was a little hard to catch a taxi around the building this late. A light blinded my eyes, but that was a light I recognized. His car's.

That mini cooper I had been in hundred times, stopped in front of me. His eyes met mine. He studied my expression.

"Annabel? Is that you? What are you doing?"

I gasped. I still couldn't believe that I'd meet him, in a place like this. "Y-yeah it's me. I'm waiting for a taxi to get home. You?"

"Geez why didn't you call?" he got out of the car and walked me to the passanger door, "I'll drive you home, okay? Oh and wear this, you're cold." He took his jacket off and gave it to me. God, I still remembered his smell. That manly smell I've always adored. I didn't complain. Yes I was cold, and had nothing but a Yuan in my pocket. I didn't really know the way from here to my apartment. And I miss him. He opened the door and got me inside.

He came in. He looked at my face. He really knew how to grow a smile on his already beautiful face. And on mine too. "So, your apartment huh?"

"Only if you want to."

He sighed. "Well," and drove his car through the bright streets.

...

I turned my apartment's light on. The very same apartment he and I studied, watched movies, and cooked, back in high school. 2010. I let him in, still wearing his jacket. I turned the heater on.

"Shoot it's not working. I forgot to tell the apartment owner that it's broken."

He laughed, "Well then you're just gonna have to wear my jacket on... til morning comes."

"Well, I'm having a bad cough actually. And a heavy flu."

"Well, I'm always a Hercules."

"Okay then. Hey, do you want a cup of tea? Or coffee?" I asked him.

"Coffee will be nice."

I took a few steps to the pantry. Made a cup of coffee, and poured a glass of milk. I watched him from here, how beautiful he was. How gentle and pure his behavior was. How I missed him so much, I could never tell.

"Here," I said as I handed him the cup. "No sugar."

"You still remember that?" He laughed and made a crooked smile.

"Sure I do. I used to make you 2 cups everyday, remember?"

His smile grew even wider, "Course."

I sit on the classic couch, next to him, holding my glass of milk. "Strawberry," he mumbled.

I throw my head on the couch pillow. "And you remember that."

He sighed. His eyes studied the whole room, and stopped at one point. I realized, and moved my sight to where his eyes had stopped. "Is that my guitar?"

I really didn't notice that it had been there all along the years. I thought it was already taken by people from the apartment's cleaning service department, years ago. "I think so. Geez I didn't notice that it's still here, seriously."

He walked to the guitar and took it, played the intro of a song both he and I always sang back in high school times. David Cook, Always Be My Baby.

"We were as one, babe, for a moment in time, and it seemed everlasting that you would always be mine..." He gazed at me. "Come on, sing along."

"Now you wanna be free.. So I'm letting you fly..." I sang. Watching his fingers playing the guitar, and smiled in astonishment.

He stopped playing and for the 100th time tonight, his eyes met mine.

"I miss you."

"I've missed you. Always have. Always do," he said, with that killer smile every girl would die for to have one from him. "Come here."

I put my head in his chest. His hug was still the same, comfortable, bear hug. I smelled his perfume, long. I never knew I could feel this happy with somebody I never met for such a long time. He kissed the top of my hair, releasing his hug.

"I have to go," he stated.

"No you don't," I asked. My head's still in his chest.

"Annabel," he called my name.

I sighed and finally released him. Looked him in the eyes.

"I have to go now..." he caressed my cheeks. I kept quiet in disagreement. He smiled and continued, "we're gonna have to do some catch-ups, alright?"

"Seriously in need."

He laughed, stroked my hair. "Tomorrow. I'll pick you up. Are you still dancing?"

"Yes I am, guess where!"

"Huh? New York Ballet Academy?"

I shook my head. Smiled. He read my smile. And,

"GOD! SHANGHAI SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS?"

I nodded, laughed out loud. He reflexly hugged me once again. "I can't believe you finally made it, Anne! I'm so proud. What else did I miss??"

"Much!!! But you said you gotta go.."

"Yeah.. So tomorrow it is! I'll pick you up, at the dream school?" He winked. We laughed and I hit him with a pillow.

"Yes please!" I was still in excitement.

"Okay I gotta go. Let me walk you to bed okay?" I didn't disagree.

I got in to bed. He pulled the blanket over me. "Thank you, so much, Ar."

"Course. Now sleep," he stroked my hair and whispered, "sleep tight."