• Love. It’s amazing, that word. Only four letters, something a little kid could spell, and yet the meaning behind it is so deep and so strong. And it has innumerable meanings. One can love their family, as well as their friends, and their more romantic relationships. Why was it love, of all the words I could have thought of, that came to my mind as I watched him kneeling there in the rain. His black hair was plastered across his face, almost shrouding his brilliant green eyes. His expression was sweet as he stared at the kitten sprawled in his large, sturdy left hand, and his coat, as dark as shadow, swung around his legs in the playful breeze.
    I remember being sad moments before I saw him. I think that I was crying. My eyes were certainly red and itchy. My face was wet, but that could have been the rain. Still, the moment I saw him, all thought of being sad had left me. All I could think of were his eyes, his lips, his face, his hands, and that expression he bestowed on the kitten, wishing that it was for me instead. By this time, he had realized that someone was staring at him, and he turned quickly, stuffing the kitten behind him and leaping to his feet, a depiction of fury. I still remember his first words to me.
    “What the hell are YOU staring at?”
    Pure poetry. Something worthy of Shakespeare.
    I shudder when I think about what I did next. As a teenager, whenever I ended up watching one of those romantic comedies, I would leave the room or hide or do something to keep myself from watching the awkward scenes. I just couldn’t stomach them. So why, then, was I so good at replicating the very moments I tried to avoid? I stood there smiling like an idiot, not even registering the meaning behind his words. Then, after a minute of me smiling silently at him, I realized what he had just said. I turned puce, covering my face with my hand, wishing I could just fade away like in the movies, where they cut the scene. But alas, I remained exactly where I was, hiding and yet still in plain sight. Definitely NOT like in the movies. Damn you, reality. “Er…I’m…uh…I-I’m sorry…? I…d-didn’t…hi.” I said brilliantly, still the deepest shade of red.
    His scowl lessened a fraction of a nanometer. “Hi.” By his posture, I could tell that the kitten was struggling in his hands, tired of hiding, wanting to play again. Slowly, coolly, he slid his other hand behind him to still the frolicking animal and muffle its incessant mewling. My blush slowly faded, though a hot burning sensation remained. His expression changed from one of anger to one of concentration, as the kitten was becoming harder and harder to contain. Now pretty sure that he was safe, and that I was in no danger, I strode towards him coolly, a smug smile now glued to my face, holding in my laughter as he still attempted to pretend he wasn’t holding anything. His eyes widened slightly, and he backed up slowly, using one hand to hold the kitten and the other to brace himself for impact with his surroundings, a couple of trees beginning to lose their leaves, and a large boulder.
    Now it was time to have fun. “What’s that?” I asked, cocking my head innocently to one side.
    “What’s what?” he muttered unconvincingly, glancing down.
    “That thing you’re holding behind your back.” I relished the faint coloration in his face.
    He dropped his hands, and I half expected the kitten to fall, but it remained hidden. “I don’t have anything.” He continued to back up, not looking me in the eyes. His blush got deeper. My smile widened.
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes.” He muttered at the ground.
    “Absolutely positive?”
    “Yes.” He finally looked me full in the face, stopping in his tracks. A faint wind blew again, ruffling his cloak, and sending a shiver through my spine. I ignored it. “I am hiding nothing.” He declared, right as the kitten clambered clumsily onto the top of his head, meowing loudly, its head lifted proudly in the air as it took delight in its monumental achievement. My eyebrows rose, laughter now apparent in my face. Still unaware of the kitten perched on his head, he failed to comprehend what was so funny. He looked at me defiantly.
    I reached up to grab the kitten so that it wouldn’t fall. The moment my hand moved, he flinched away as if I was going to hurt him. As if I was that strong. My feet, or rather, the toes that were holding me up so that I could actually get my hands near enough to the kitten, gave for a second. My arm wavered and touched his cheek as I grabbed from his head. I brought it close to my face and snuggled with it, eyebrows still raised. His eyes widened in shock, as if he had never experienced the sensation of touch. I smiled at him pointedly.
    “Can I have it? It is a stray, right?” he stood there unresponsively, still in shock from the moment of contact. I waved a hand in front of his face, trying to get a reaction. “Hellooo? Is anyone home?” He nodded slowly, as if shocked that I was speaking to him too. Suddenly, he grabbed my free hand with both of his own. I jumped, but I didn’t pull away. His face sprouted a smile, and it was so dazzlingly beautiful I became weak at the knees, though I’m pretty sure I didn’t show as much.
    “We should share it!! That way, I won’t feel guilty for handing it off to you and making it your responsibility.” He looked clever, almost somewhat hopeful. My jaw dropped. I couldn’t help it. Who would have thought this conversation would have gone so well so easily. I must have taken lots of time thinking about this, because when I once again registered his expression, his smile had fallen, and he looked embarrassed and sad. “Is that…asking too much?” I shook my head, and reset my expression.
    “No!! It’s fine if we share it…here…my phone number…and my e-mail…” I ripped a page out of a small green journal wedged in my pocket, and scribbled on it with a pen. Without looking at him again, I thrust the paper into his hands. He accepted it gratefully. When I looked up, his grin was back.
    “Great. Let’s meet here, same time same place next week. That okay with you?”
    I nodded. He turned and began to walk away. I called after him, “Hey! What’s your name?”
    He turned around, an expectant expression on his face. “Uh-uh.You tell me yours first.”
    “Me? I’m Kira.”
    “That’s cool,” he called over his shoulder as he began to stroll away again, “As for me? The name’s Rook.”
    Hello Rook, I heard my mind think, though I was sure I never got the words out. Still, as if by magic, my mind distinctly heard him responding, “Thank you.” I smiled and turned away, strolling leisurely towards home, barely registering that the rain was starting to pick up the pace. The kitten pawed at my arm, and I hugged it tighter, squealing with delight. Today was a wonderful day.