Complicated You; Sophisticated Me

"I think you'd better get back," Dylan said a few moments later, his hand still wrapped around Mika's. "Your dad might be looking for you now."

"I don't want to go back," Mika answered sadly. She didn't want to go back to the pavilion, to all those strangers, to her father who could care less about her happiness, to stupid Ember who appeared out of nowhere to ruin her life.

"Want to runaway? Just for tonight," he suggested, his face evidently as red as ripe tomatoes. "I'll have to return you, though..."

Mika's eyes widened as she turned to look at Dylan. He grinned widely at her, as if reassuring her that everything would be all right. She averted her eyes, blushing.

She had never felt so much love before. At first, she thought that it would be impossible for the both of them. She had no such intention of falling in love.

It felt great. It made her feel free.

Mika's hand on Dylan's tightened, and slowly, she agreed, her heart racing fast. "All right," she muttered.

Dylan stood up, carefully helping Mika to her feet.

"Damn things," Mika cursed under her breath, hating the stilletos she had been forced to wear. "How can girls manage to wear these...shoes."

Dylan chuckled amusedly, watching her. Mika looked up, glaring at him slightly. He turned back, gesturing for her to get on. "Piggyback," he said.

"You don't have to - "

"Just hop on. Your feet must hurt a lot. I mean, look at them. They're all red."

"I can deal with them. Stop that, you look like an idiot." Mika took off her heels as she walked ahead of him. The ground felt cold under her bare feet, but she didn't mind at all.

Dylan quickly followed after her. "You might get bruised. There are pointy stuff there, you crazy girl."

She turned to look at him, smiling. She had gotten used to doing that, but it never failed to surprise Dylan. It caught him slightly off-guard.

"It's nine p.m. already. Where do you want to go?" Dylan asked, averting his eyes and fanning himself.

Mika thought for a moment before she answered, "Grocery."

Dylan chuckled. "What? Why do you want to go to the grocery?"

"Oreos..." she said simply. "...and Pocky. Our favorite snacks. Remember?"

He nodded, this time walking equally beside her. "Then?"

"We buy fruits. For Granny Cordelia."

"Sounds like a great plan to me. So, we spend our very limited time together shopping for food, correct?" Dylan sighed jokingly. "Well, I don't really care...as long as I'm with you."

Mika blushed, but didn't say a word. She was too nervous to utter a word.

As soon as they made it to the mini grocery store, Mika found her way to where all the Oreos were. Dylan popped out from behind her with a blue basket filled with a pack of apples and a bunch of Pocky. Mika chuckled, throwing a bunch of Oreos into the basket. Then, they went to the instant noodles section, throwing in two cups.

After paying for their newly bought food, Dylan asked amusedly, "Gran's place?"

Mika nodded. "Yep, Gran's place."

Dylan looked at her feet, and then sighed. "All right, get on."

"I told you already. I don't need to."

"Come on," he winked. "You know you want to."

Mika shot him a glare as blood rushed to her cheeks. After several heartbeats, she finally agreed and let Dylan carry her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he started to walk.

"You're heavy," he teased.

"Shut up."

~

"I knew it," Gran said, in between chewing an apple. "I knew the two of you stubborn youngsters would end up together."

Dylan and Mika exchanged glances for a split second, and then fell into silence as they blushed red.

"I just knew it," Gran continued, chuckling. Then, more seriously, she added, "What do you plan to do now? Sooner or later, Mika's father would have to take her away."

Mika's gaze fell as she answered dejectedly, "I'll try to convince him. I won't give in to his whims."

"He's still your father."

"We'll think of something to do, eventually," Dylan cut in, pouring hot water over his cup noodles. "For now, I guess we'll just have to wait."

Gran smiled reassuringly. "It'll turn out all right, somehow."

~

Gran excused herself and went straight to bed, leaving Mika and Dylan. They sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor, both unsure of what to say.

Dylan broke the silence and whispered, "I don't want morning to come."

It was already eleven in the evening. The engagement party had ended an hour ago, Lyndon had told them. Kipp hadn't returned at the pavilion, that's why Mika's father hadn't questioned where she could have gone to.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to have to meet my dad. Tell him to leave me alone," Mika said shortly, reassuringly.

"But what if - "

"I hope not."

Silence.

Mika bit her lip as Dylan clenched his fists. This might be the last time they'll ever be together.

Tomorrow was a big question mark for the two of them, after all. Will they end up together, they wondered.

Or will she have to be engaged to Kipp?

The mere thought drove Dylan insane.

"If..." Mika began after several heartbeats. Dylan turned to look at her. "If...I don't manage to convince him..."

"Don't say that."

"You and I both know, Dylan. We both know...that it's the greater possibility."

Dylan averted his eyes bitterly.

"If I end up being engaged...and inheriting the Halloway business..." Mika continued, choking the words out. "I just want you to know that..."

Mika hesitated for a moment, her heart racing quicker than usual now.

Tears started flowing out of her eyes uncontrollably. It felt painful, knowing that the love she'd just realized, the happiness that she'd just started to feel, was going to be buried forever inside her.

It felt painful knowing that they can't be together.

"...that you were my saving grace. If I hadn't met you, well, I would have - "

Before she was even able to finish, warm lips pressed into hers.