Stay With Me, Don't Let Go

"Will, please tell me where we're going!" I pleaded, as I jumped into Will's car.

He was going to take me to a 'place' for a surprise. After school, he had told me to go tell Mom and Dad that I won't be home until 10-ish. I asked him why a few times, but he just told me to do it.

So, I did it, and since my parents actually like the fact that I go out with my friends a lot, they didn't bother about asking questions [thank God!].

Now, me and Will were both in the car, with me begging for him to tell me the 'place' where he was taking me.

"Please, please, please tell me!" I begged, once again.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise now, would it?" he said, grinning at me in the mirror. I stuck my tongue out at him and made a face.

"Aww, you're no fair!" I crossed my arms over my chest like a five year-old.

Will just laughed and continued driving.

He was going to the right, to the left, to different directions which I wasn't familiar about. I knew my town pretty well, but I was sure we were out of town limits since I didn't know this place at all.

Will stopped the car in front of two big hedges, and parked beside it. I went out and looked around the place.

It was pretty lively - with kids playing ball, and lots of open shops. There were loads of houses and people all around, unlike the place where I live, which was always empty.

Will smiled at me and held my hand - don't worry, this is a perfectly normal thing for both of us - and walked over to a big silver gate, which was in between the two big hedges.

I couldn't look through the gate, since a) the iron bars were too close together, and b) the gate was way taller than me.

Will opened the gate and I saw a beautiful park now surrounding both of us. I was on a path which led to a fountain in the middle. It had a mermaid on it, which was blowing water out of a horn. It was really pretty.

On my left, was a big field for picnics with not many people in. And on my right, was a big park filled with children laughing and shrieking.

"What are we going to do here?" I asked Will, still admiring the view.

"We're having a picnic," he replied.

"Uh... Great," I muttered.

Will laughed. "Yeah, Lia, we're really gonna have a picnic without food!"

I made a face, while he went off to the car, probably to get the food and stuff, and I went off to find a space in the field.

It was Tuesday so not many people were there, apart from a few kids playing in the park, with their parents sitting on a nearby bench, and a couple on the field. Making out. Ugh, I hate it when people actually make out in public! Don't they realise how disgusting it is to watch them?

As I sat down, Will walked towards me, holding a picnic basket in his hands.

"What do you have in there, like a hundred apples?" I teased once I saw that the big basket was bulging.

He gave me a face while he opened the basket. It had sandwiches, a few drinks, apples, packets of crisps and - oh!

"Will! You got chocolate muffins!" I said, going all excited and giving him a hug.

"I knew it wouldn't be a picnic without chocolate muffins. For you, anyway," he answered and gave him a smile.

I grinned and took a muffin, nibbling around the edges.

Yup, chocolate muffins are my favourite food. I always do that anyway - nibble around the edges first, I mean, before takings bites.

"Why d'you take me here, anyway?" I asked, once I had finished my muffin.

"Oh, nothing, y'know, just hanging out."

I knew Will was lying because I noticed. He always did something weird and crazy when he was lying. And right now, he was arranging the sandwiches in the basket. Like I said, weird and crazy.

"Will," I said. "You've got something to tell me."

"N-no, I don't," he murmured and looked down.

"Will."

"Oh, fine, you got me."

"Spit it out."

"OK... Well, Lia, I've always wanted to tell you this but never really got the chance to. I had lame excuses - too shy, too scared, wondering on how you would react. And everytime I tried to tell you, but couldn't, I felt more and more guilty since I should have told you this ages ago.

"Anyway, I thought that today would be the right time... here in this field right now..."

Will was explaining all that to me with a brave, but scared voice. I could see his hands shaking as he fiddled with the grass. While he was saying all those things, he was looking down, not wanting to see my expression.

But I wanted him to tell whatever he was keeping from me properly.

"Is this secret serious, Will?" I asked, my own voice sounding worried.

"Very, Lia. I don't know how much it will affect you but like I said, you should probably know," he replied.

I gently put my hand under his chin and slowly pushed his head up so he was now looking at me right in my eyes.

"You can do whatever you want to me afterwards, by the way. Punch me if I hurt you, I don't care. But I want you to say something, though - how you feel too."

"How I feel? Are you telling me how you feel?"

Will nodded.

I didn't know how I sounded since I was really worried now.

I should tell him but I couldn't. He didn't feel the same way, I'm sure, but the right thing to do is tell Will the truth. How I feel.

"Seriously, Lia, I-I don't know how to put it into easy words," he muttered under his breath, playing with his fingers.

He had looked down, fiddling with the grass again.

"Will, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I don't even think I should know whatever this is."

He managed a small laugh. "I disagree strongly. But then again... I don't think I'm brave enough to say."

"You can say it however you want - I won't mind if the way you say it will hurt me."

I grinned at him as he looked up. I put my arms around him, patting his back.

"Take your time, I can wait."

"Thanks. Eat more muffins while I think this through."

I laughed as I grabbed the last chocolate muffin and nibbled.

After I had finished, Will sat up straight and sighed. "You can do this," he murmured to himself a few times, before starting to explain this 'secret'.

"OK, Amelia" - I gave him a look, although he called me my proper name loads of times [only when he serious, though] - "I've shortened my used-to-be-long speech. I just want you to promise me some things."

"What?" I asked, curiously.

"Promise me that you will say how you feel."

"I promise."

"Promise me that you'll forgive me."

"I promise."

"And finally, promise me that you'll still be my friend."

"What kind of a-"

"Just promise, Lia."

"I promise."

And that was when Will leaned down next to me, so his lips were level with my ear, and said those words I had been waiting for.