Please don't kill me! I've been dreadfully busy with school and US History AP has consumed all my free time. Better late than never though, right?

"You what?" I walked away from the ledge, distancing myself from him, and stopped to analyze what just happened.

Patrick Verona, the quintessential bad boy, had just caressed my cheek! He just touched me in a way that could only be construed as caring. My heart, quite literally, was on fire. My breaths were coming in ragged; it was like Patrick had just… I don't want to go there. He had probably used this line on a hundred different girls before.

"Are you hard of hearing, Kat?" I spun around and faced him, witnessing for the umpteenth time the appearance of his trademark grin. "I said that I find you interesting and I want to know everything about you."

Even though there was a good five feet between us, those words had the same effect on me as his hand touching my cheek.

"Oh…" I really didn't know what else to say.

"The famous hell cat has been rendered speechless?" He chuckled and I suppressed the urge to run over and slap him. "I must have magical powers… maybe the vampire rumors are true, after all."

"Let me find a wooden stake then." I needed to get control of these damned teenage hormones before he said anything else even remotely tender and I flung myself at him. If I knew anything about this guy, it was this: he went through girls like underwear. I didn't want to be one.

"Sheeee's back, ladies and gentlemen!" He hopped off the ledge and quickly closed the distance between us. He snaked an arm around my waist, which (I admit) I half-heartedly pulled away from, and half-drug me back to the ledge. He released me, before returning to his seat overlooking the city below.

"Looks like your magic was merely temporary." I pulled myself up beside him and he shot me a grin.

"I'll have to try harder next time." He returned in a tone that convinced me that he was somewhat serious. We sat in silence, listening to the muffled sounds of life below us. Usually, these long stretches of time without conversation would have driven me insane, but with Patrick? I dare say it was… pleasant.

"Aren't you going to ask?" He questioned after a little while.

"Ask what?"

"Well, my secret. When I make promises, I try to keep them. If you don't ask, I can't uphold my end of the bargain and then where would we be?" He looked over at me with, you guessed it, a great big smirk plastered on his lips.

I turned to face him, "I already asked, didn't I? I asked you why you were doing this."

"That doesn't count."

"Why not?"

"It just doesn't."

"Yes, it does, Patrick. One secret for one secret."

"I'm giving you a chance to get a free one and you're arguing with me?"

He had a point.

"If you're giving me a free one, I have to give you one too." I wasn't going to live in debt to this half-man with a smooth, deep voice that…
It was official: Bianca was going to die. Those horrible sappy movies on the DVR were really getting to me.

"No complaints here. Just remember, when the time comes for my freebie, it was your idea."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Verona."

"Nice comeback. The use of my last name really made it a classic." That same, "I've got you now" smirk was on his face.

I glared at him. Stupid, stupid boy.

"Are you gonna ask me that question or not? I'm starting to think you just want to tell me your secrets, no strings attached, but your pride wouldn't let you."

"Who's the guy in the keychain and why are you so protective of it?" I burst out, hoping to silence him and stop his endless mockery.

It seemed to do the trick. The smirk disappeared and he slowly got up from the ledge. He had a faraway look in his eyes. Patrick looked so lost and desolate that I resisted the urge to go over and hug him.

"Never mind, forget I even asked…" He shook his head and looked me directly in the eye.

"It's my dad." He was quiet, never breaking eye contact. "And I killed him."

fin.

This chapter was a little short, but necessary- I wanted a cliffhanger of gigantic proportions. The next one will be much longer, I promise. Hopefully I can write it and post it by Sunday.

Special thanks to RebeccaUK for getting me to write this, haha. Your message, dear, reminded me that I had a story to finish!

Thank you for reading and don't forget to review. :)