Still attempted her best to seem casual and calm as she rushed over to them and sat down, but they noticed almost immediately. "What's wrong?" Barthalameau asked.
     "Nothing," she said, then tried to change the subject, "Why are you out here?"
     "There are no cows and/or horses in his front yard, now, are there? But that's besides the point, Still, now what happened?"
     There was no getting out of it. The jig was up, Barthalemeau and Black could tell something was wrong by the look in her eyes. "Was it something that Zakary did?" Black asked plainly.
      "He did nothing wrong," Still defended, "He just, sort of... gave me a kiss."
Black pushed his arm out and accidently knocked Barthalemeau over, while pointing right in Still's face and screaming in unison with him, "YOU DID WHAT!?" Still blushed and looked away immediately, "Kissed him!" She snapped back, startled.
     "How could-- Why did-- What!?" Black gasped, "You've known him for a day, Still, that's so.."
      Still cut him off, "Hey, I did not kiss him, he kissed me, ok? I didn't ask for one." She still didn't look at them, ashamed in the back of her mind. If only her reflexes were as quick in danger as they were in pressuring situations, she would have pushed him back much sooner. Kissing someone after only a day of knowing them was definitely not something she would do.
     Black has calmed down by then, no longer with his jaw open, but instead his face held an expression of anger and confusion. "So, what, did he shove his tongue in your mouth or something?"
      Still stared at him then, "No!" she gasped, "It lasted no more than 2 seconds. No lip movement, nothing."
      "Then.. why are you so horrified, if it was only a few moments?" Barthalemeau interrupted.
     "Probably because he was a creep or something." Black replied.
     Still shook her head, "No, he wasn't a creep," she began, "He was nice. Zakary acted like a complete gentleman. The problem is that I just didn't want to kiss him. I'm not going to lie to you guys, I happen to think he's good looking..." At this comment, Black looked away suddenly, "but nonetheless, I'm not attracted to him. It's physically impossible for me to like someone unless I know them well enough. The kiss left no feeling."
     "So.. your shook up because you didn't like him, and he kissed you?" Black asked.
     "Basically."
     "Then.... Why didn't you pull away?"
     Still blushed, "I didn't know how to react. It happened too fast. My thinking reflexes don't work quite as well as my physical reflexes, especially in situations like that."
     Just then, Zakary appeared in the distance, walking closer to them. Still looked towards her aquaintences, a worried look in her eyes. She was scared and unsure what to say to him, and Black knew it. What should he do? Zakary was but a few meters away, walking over fast. He approached quickly, rotating his eyes between him and Still. Zakary planted his feet in front of them, and spoke, "Can we talk?"
     Still glanced at Bartee and Black. if they stayed close enough, Black would be able to hear the conversation, and could break it off if anything bad happened.
     "uh huh," she said, standing up. They walked only a few meters away, Still stopping him short to make sure that they were in close enough ear shot for Black. Still and zakary were standing behind an oak tree, large enough to cover both their bodies from the others. Black and Bartee had to sight of them.
     "I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted," he began, "It was probably too early for it." He shook his head and then looked into her eyes. His gentle and compassionate glare made her uneasy. He liked her too much for comfort. "It's okay," she whispered, shaking her eyes away from him.
     "Can we restart?" he asked, "We don't have to be together immediately at first, we can be friends for a while. But I've grown to like you, Still, I really have."
     "Uhh.." Still began, searching for the right words, "I'm sorry. We have to get going. We can't stay here."
    "That's no problem, my parents wouldn't mind me taking a vacation. I heard you guys talking this morning about how you'll be taking hikes this entire summer, the folks won't care at all as long as I phone."
    "Uhhm.."
    "Come on, Still, I can tell that you find me attractive. I know that you like me."
    Still looked away again, searching for some other excuse. What could she say? She couldn't deny it, he was right. She had looked at him multiple times to get a good look at him. Not only that, but Still had no good excuse for him not to come along. She couldn't just come right out and say, 'Sorry, we're going to find Satan, find out some way to get our humanity back, and live happily ever after.' Still was stuck. She hopelessly struggled with her words, trying to find the right excuse.
     Just then, Black appeared on the side of the tree, his head popping over the edge. He had gotten there so suddenly and quietly that he made Still jump with a quiet "Eek!"
    "Sorry, Zak-ohh, but you can't come," he said, "It'd be awkward between us."
    "Oh yah, why's that?" Zakary shot back.
     "Yah.." Still repeated, unsure of his plan, "Why is that?"
     "Don't play stupid," he stared at her, urging her with his eyes to play along, "It would be extremely awkward, right?"
     "Uhh, that's right, extremely."
     "Well?" Zakary pressured, "Why?"
     "Because.." Black began, obviously having to force the next words out of his mouth, "Still and I.. are a couple."
    "What?" Still and Zakary gasped in unison.
    "That's right," he said again, "A.... couple." He swallowed hard, trying not to choke on the impossible phrase. Still and Black, a couple?
     Zakary looked between them, "I find that improbable, Black." He said, "Seeing as how I kissed your girl and you did nothing to me, not even speak to me about it."
     Black smiled then, the next part of the plan was obviously the best for him. "Oh, how foolish of me," he grinned, "I must have forgotten."
     Black shot his fist forward, right into 'Zak-ohh's' cheek, faster than a blink. It struck him as a shock, almost knocking him out cold when he landed on the ground with the loudest "thump" you would think possible.
     "Black!" Still screamed, "What did you do!? You could have killed him with your strength!"
     "Relaaax, I used less than half my strength. Much less. He's fiiiine," he said smoothly.  Still whimpered and knelt next to zakary. "I'm so sorry," she whispered slightly, putting his arm over her shoulder and picking him up effortlessly.
     "What are you doing, Still?" Black stared at her, a slight sense of fury behind his eyes.
     "We can't just leave him here," She explained, "We have to atleast take him inside."
     "Do whatever," he replied, trying to hide his annoyance and anger with casuality, "I'm getting out stuff ready to go. Later, Zak-ohh," he said to him with a flick of his hand as a wave. Zakary only grunted in return, a bit disorientated from the blow. He didn't have a concussion, luckily, nor anything too harsh.


     Still met up with Black and Barthalemeau on the dirt road, everything ready to go. They didn't speak right away, but as they turned off of the dirt road a quarter of a mile later, it was then when words were spoken.
     "A couple," Still muttered, "Good one."
     "Mmhmm," he replied.
     "You didn't have to punch him, though. A simple threat would have been acceptable."
     "I guess.. but come on, Still, he was asking for it. I hate that smug little--"
     "Why?"
     "Why not?"
     "He did nothing to you, Black."
     "I worked all day while you swept for 10 minutes."
     "Ohh, whatever, you were done in 20! It took no time at all for you, Black. You have fast reflexes and harsh strength, you brushed that dirt off in a matter of minutes for each saddle."
     "Well, still, he had a bad attitude."
     "Explain?"
     "He just did."
     "Hah," Barthalemeau interrupted, "Jealous?"
     "No!" He snapped back, "Of Still? Hah, good one, Bartee. I wouldn't be attracted to that in a thousand years."
     "Wow. Thanks, Black."
     He sped up then, keeping a safe distance between them. He, obviously, was getting aggravated. It was safest to leave him alone.
      Still stared off into the distance, thinking about the entire morning. It was already 12:00, the sun was in the middle of the sky.
     She had just narrowly escaped a boy whom she hadn't liked, by another who possibly hated her.