Nick sighed deeply,he had literaly only two more days left.He didnt want to face it,he wanted to turn back time.Yet everything in the past felt painful.Miranda for the most part.His heart ached.

He didnt answer her,he kept looking down at the grass,thinking about when he would leave,how he would leave,ect.He finally broke from his gaze,but not to look at her.

"No.."He said finally.

Joe's stomach turned. She knew he would say no but it didn't change the fact that it almost broke her on the inside. You could also tell that from the outside. She gave off a vibe of almost being hurt. But that wasn't the best way to desribe it. She didn't dare to look over at Nick, but yet she wanted to. She knew if she did though she would start to probaly cry. Her mind waundered trying to think of somwthing to say to him.

"Well whatever then."

Joe tried to keep her voice as montone as she could but you could still tell she was saddened and dissapointed.

Nick looked down again,Well whatever then,almost like she didnt care.Yet he could hear the sadness,the dissapointment.He wouldnt do this to her.He needed her to hate him,so he wouldnt hurt her.Atleast,..thats how he felt.

"Joe im sorry.."He began then stopped.

He got up,brushing off his jeans,he wanted to do something,but he felt he couldnt.She would have to hate him for leaving her,she just had to.He shook his head again,his goodbye,he wasnt going to let it be unremembered.He kissed her softly on the cheek,then started to walk away.

Joe could feel her voice choke as Nick kissed her softly on the cheek. He then started to walk away. She wanted to do something.

She felt herself get up and run towards him after a minute of just sitting there watching him. Joe felt like she couldn't just let him go off. Her voice was still chocked down.

"Please Nick just..."

Joe turned him around and planted a kiss on him lips. She couldn't help it. It was almost like she wasn't doing it. She couldn't hold the tears anymore. Soft trickles of the salt tasting tears rolled down her cheeks.

He kept walking,thinking,she was just going to sit there and watch him.He could feel pain shoot through him,his bestfriend,...who he felt possibly more torwards,just watching him.

She had said,she was falling for him,falling inlove with him.He closed his eyes as he kept walking,then he heard her voice,then he saw her,then he was kissing her.He broke away first,a little shocked he looked at her,her tears,he felt guilt wash over him he didnt want her to cry.

He hadnt moved,they were still less then inches apart,he wiped away some of her tears."Please...dont cry.."Was all he could manage to say.

"I am... I'm not... trying too."

Joe choked on her words as she tried to speak. She must of taken Nick by extreme surprise cause he had that look on his face at first as though he didn't expect him. His hand flet warm on her face as she wiped some of the tears away. She took the palm of her hand and wiped away more.

"It's just... I don't want to be choked off." She said had finally said. "Like... I know that it's not totally 'i'm never talking to you again'. It's just... I don't know. Please just don't choke me off. I can't help it. It's just... I don't even know what I am saying."

Nick let out a sigh,he dropped his hand back down to his side,sliding it back into his pocket."I promised i would write...remember?"He asked his soft cracked in a way,asthough he wasnt saying what he wanted to say.

He swallowed hard."Joe..please..i..have to go...i..im really sorry joe i..i really am.."He tried to find the words but he kept lieing to her.He started to walk backwards slowly,a saddened look,a regretful look on his face.

He shook his head,as he turned back around and started walking away again,slowly,almost as if he was dragging his feet.He wanted to say,i love you.. but he couldnt bring himself to say it.

Joe didn't say anything as he walked away. She droped to the ground and kept crying. Why did this have to be so emotional? She chocked on words she wanted to say so bad. She wanted to say something.

"I love you Nick." She said outloud to herself.

It was in a normal volume of a voice. But if Nick was to hear it at all from where he would be standing it would sound more like a whisper if his ears caught the words escape her mouth. Joe kpey stting where she was wipping awya her tears with the sleev of her shirt.

Nick stopped.He heard the words,they seemed to wisp past him,so he could barley hear them.He turned around slowly,a slight dazed look on his face,the words seemed to repeat themselves.

I love you Nick....he wanted desparetly to run back over to her,he just didnt know what to do.He stood there,he had two choices,run back over to her,help her,tell her,or he could turn back away.

He felt emotionless,..weightless,he didnt move.He just stood there,he opened his mouth to say something,but there was nothing to be said.

At first Joe didn't see him turn around. Her gaze was plastered onto a small ladybug in the grass. Every few moments she would wipe her cheeks or eyes from the tears she couldn't help. After a few moments she looked up to see Nick had turned around and was now looking in her direction. Her blue eyes only seemed to sparkle more-- now that they were glazed with tears. thoughts buzzed through her mind as to what he was doing, what he was going to do. She sat there and waited for the rest of his reponse.

He stood there,his mind raced with thoughts of miranda,and how deeply he felt about her.Then he began to feel for joe,he never told miranda what had happened.

He swallowed hard,he began to turn away,feeling it was for the better,she would have to begin to hate him for pushing her away,..right?But he wanted to go back over to her,it must have taken alot,to admit that,..for her to say she loved him.The word love ranced through his mind.

Nick turned back around,he started to walk over to her,then he began to sprint.He sat down next to her,not daring to say anything at first,he pulled her into a kiss then whispered,"I..i think i love you to."

Joe could feel herself breaking as he started to walk away. She looked down at the ladybug again. The tears wouldn't stop-- they couldn't. She looked up again at Nick and saw him turn around. She felt the warmth of him as he took her and kissed her. She arms found there way around him body. I..i think i love you to. Joe choked on a a small laugh and the smiled. She could feel her heart racing. It felt so fast-- as though it was skipping several beats. Tears still trickled down her cheeks.

"I know I love you." She wispered back.

Nick gave a weak smile as she laughed.Atleast she smiled.His hair moved slightly in his face and he looked into her eyes,in a slight admiring way he smiled.

"I..i was afraid to tell you..how i truley..felt."He managed to say,still in a whisper he felt stupid.He pulled slightly from her grip,re-positioning himself,and he moved her onto his lap in a way.

"I still..kinda am.."He said.

"Well I was too. I hate admiting how I feel, to anyone." Joe admitted to him. "Why are you still?"

She still spoke quietly. Joe couldn't really raise her voice without starting to choke on her words again. the tears were starting to slow down.

Nick looked away,almost ashamed of what he was about to say to her.

"Becuase...i dont want to know what could have been...between us.Becuase..im leaving."He said swallowed hard.Her words echoed inside his head and he sighed,
I know I love you.

"Oh yah..." Joe said with her voice fading a bit. "That is I guess understandable."

Once again she was trying to think of things to say. She felt almost guilty with him want to stay. Envy filled her. Envy of whatever event or happening that was taking him away from hogwarts.

"I just wish... I wish you could stay."

Nick didnt know what to say.So he didnt say anything.He sat there,on the grass not saying a word to her. Guilt filled up inside of him,his head swirlled.He should have kept walking.

He looked down at the grass.He swallowed hard again,thinking,the guilt only building up inside of him.

"Can't you just... just find some way?"

Joe felt bad for keeping pushing the the fact she wanted him to stay. But she couldn't help it. She bit down on her right lip ring as she tried to find something else to say to him.

Nick shook his head."No.."He said solemly.He looked back up at her,"You..im sorry..that you fell for me Joe..i really am sorry."He said.

He looked away,he couldnt bear to look at her again.He felt terrible.He stood up,looking down at her for a moment,then looking away.

You..im sorry..that you fell for me Joe..i really am sorry. Joe thought about those words. the ran through her head as she watched him get up.

"You didn't mean for it to happen. you don't need to apologize for anything. I am sorry I fell for you. I mean like... All this just... mess. But you know. I don't regret it or anything. It's not going to change a thing."

Her words comforted him.They seemed to pull away at the guilt,he smiled.He got back down on his knees."I dont regret anything either,please,know that.."He said then kissed her again."This is goodbye joe....you wont be seeing me again."He said softly.He got up again,and walked to the castle.

Joe watched him turn around for the third time She knew she couldn't get up and chase after him even though she wanted too so bad. Just as she stoped crying she started again. She took in slow deep shaking breaths as she just contiuned to watch him.

"Good bye Nick." she said to herself.

Chris smiled at her and got to his feet.
"Now that I'm yours, I really can't deny you, can I?", he said and grinned at her. "Just kidding, I'd love a walk - my legs are cramping up."
He offered his hand for her to grab hold and get up.

Ray waited for a boy... When will he arrive... He made sure that the letter will arrive to its destination.

Antwone walked around the corner of the castle wall with parchment in his hand stating:

Quote:

Meet me at the wall.

He had been debating with himself whether or not he should come down and comply to the letter when it was not signed. He wanted Sho to come along but he could not find him anywhere.

As he turned another bend in the castle he saw a student clad in Hufflepuff robes who seemed oddly familiar to him. Could he . . . ?

"Excuse me, do you know this handwriting? Someone sent me a note by owl asking to meet here."