I finally pulled apart from him, his face and eyes irradiating when his eyes bore into mine. Denver breathes deeply through his chest as I let my muscles relax a bit. Denver, I'm completely dizzy. I want to tell him, but of course, I don't.

"I want you in my life, Cassidy."

I almost fall from the bench. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am serious." He smiles softly.

"Sorry, I...I can't have anything serious." I am forced to tell him.

"Why not?" his voice is natural, and I wonder how he can be so calm all the time.

"I'm starting school tomorrow. I don't know what life will bring me. I don't know if I'll stay here in Madison," my voice breaks. This is the truth. I don't know anything. I don't even know why I came here in the first place.

"I'm willing to wait, however decision you make. I take the risk."

"I don't want to do anything I might regret later."

"Like what?"

"I can't even explain. I am not ready for a serious relationship."

I don't know any more excuses I can give him. If Maroney was here instead of Denver asking me the same question, would I have said yes to him? Deep inside, I knew things with Maroney were like turning to a dead end, and that's why I hadn't given up on him to begin with. I look at Denver, and his expression is a disappointment, but I can't help the situation to get any better.

"I'm willing to wait for you. Until you figure things out with your life."

"Why me?"

"Because I know you are the one for me. I know it." And then, just like that, Denver kisses me again. I allow myself to be wrapped in his arms, his lips slowly travel down my neck, and I feel the electricity flowing throughout my body. Somehow, I feel like a frog coming out of the water. I don't know where I belong. As an amphibian, I don't know if I belong on earth or in the water. For me, my life always had been between Chelan, and someplace else I never belonged. In conclusion, I was the frog who left Chelan for good, never returning to his pond.

"Cassidy?" I hear his voice again. It might have been a dream.

"Yes?"

"Should I ask you formally the question you've been avoiding since we met?"

"What question?"

"Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

***

Back home, I think of ways of how I might have hurt Denver. He'd wanted to spend more time with me, but I told him I had things to do. He is kind, and he deserves happiness, but unfortunately, I don't think I am the girl he is looking for.

TJ opens the door, his backpack hanging over his shoulders. He is still limping with a boot wrapped over his left foot.

"Hi," I say curiously with a faded smile on my lips. I'm glad TJ is back home. He always returns on Sunday afternoon, but I don't blame him for the circumstances he is facing now. "Back early this weekend?" It is all I manage to ask.

"I'm trying to take it easy this weekend. School starts on Tuesday."

"Don't remind me," I say to him, not very excited about school starting. Any other girl in my place would be more than happy to start her first day at UW Madison. "How did you work, by the way, with this boot?"

"I had to do dishwasher work, resting from time to time. The money will suck as a dishwasher, and I'll miss my tips." He smiles weakly while heading to the couch to sit down next to me. He places a house key over the coffee table. I stare at him in confusion, recognizing the key chain.

"No," I open my mouth big.

"You figure whatever you want. He was about to come up here when he saw me parking the car. I guess he knows you don't want to talk to him."

"You're right. I don't." I get the remote control, turning on the TV.

"Please don't put on Vampire Diaries," TJ begs.

I try to look for something else on Netflix. I have watched most movies.

"Look, I don't agree about the things he did or said to you. The guy seems to be a mess, but he is not a bad person. I am wondering whether he is going through some bad times? Too much baggage, maybe?"

I decide to tell TJ the truth. "Yes, too much baggage. Maroney is technically married. The supposed wife is the one who showed up here at five in the morning to harass me, and he won't do anything about it."

"Do they live together? Didn't you go to his place the other day? Had lunch with his family?"

"He is separated."

"So, what's the deal? Is he getting a divorce?"

"I don't think it matters if he is getting a divorce or not after what he did."

TJ sighs. "Life is complicated. I was seeing a woman in her forties. Well, she is divorced and has four kids. She invited me over to live with her, but I don't think I can."

My mouth drops in surprise. I suspected TJ was seeing someone but not someone as twice his age. "Wow. Is her house where you were staying all this time on the weekends?"

"Yes, but now we are over. She told me I have to pay for a hotel from now on. Her house is not a bridge to my job."

"She is right, though. You don't want to commit to her."

He smiles, "She said I was using her place as bed and breakfast with extra free services."

I smile back, "Is she wrong?"

"I didn't think about that way, but I have my life here, you know? My school and all."

"Does she want you to leave school?"

"No, she didn't say that." TJ breathes and changes the subject all of a sudden, "I heard there is a fraternity party tonight. Maybe we should go."

"You going to a party? Give me a break." I say in disbelief.

"I am a normal guy who likes parties once in a while. I just have to work to pay my bills because I don't have your father to pay mine." He affirms. "Don't take into consideration what I instructed my sister to tell your mom so I could get a safe place to stay. Besides, I stopped going out for a while after a bad experience at the dorm, but this is a conversation for another day. Besides, I don't need alcohol or drugs to have fun like most people here."

"I don't know..." I say. I'm a freshman, and you're a sophomore."

"So? I can drive my car there. It is junk, but I've been driving to the Dells every weekend, and it never broke down, so I guess we're safe for tonight." TJ stands up and heads to the kitchen, opening one of the cabinets, "By the way, Cassidy. I've looked for my pain killers everywhere in this house. Have you placed somewhere else? I've placed here," he points to the med cabinet.

"No, I haven't touched the kitchen cabinet."

"I think it was a bad idea letting Maroney walking out with your key. I know accidents happen, but you went somewhere else, leaving the door unlocked. I would not do that again unless you have a spare key or something to guarantee no one will come inside our apartment while we are gone."

"Are you sure they aren't in the cabinet?"

"I'm sure, Cassidy. Where would they be?"

"Who would come here and steal them?"

"Think about it. Your coworker, Jeff, has a lot of weird people coming in and out of his place. Now, the doctor will never give me a refill for those meds. Thank god I'm fine and handling well with Ibuprofen."

"Sorry, TJ. I should have called Maroney and get a hold of my keys before heading to the Taste of Madison today. But he upset me. I promise this won't happen again. He borrowed my key when we were at the lake so he could use the bathroom."

"That's understandable. Look, I also don't want to be nosy or anything like that, but you know Danika?"

"Yes, why?"

"She called me to let me know you were walking around with Denver. She implied something is going on between the two of you."

"Oh, she did?" I ask in surprise. I don't remember seeing her at the square, but I guess the world is too small.

"I'm not judging you, but people here like to talk. Really, Cassidy? You and Denver?"

"I'm not sure."

"I don't think he is good for you. I just want you to be careful. I worry about you."

"What's his problem?"

"He doesn't have his life together. Everyone knows that."

"I know how to take care of myself, TJ. I'm not interested in Denver. Besides that, he seems inoffensive. He won't kill a fly."

"Yeah, he won't, but a fly might kill him," he says with a grin.

"How long this fraternity party will last?" I ask, grabbing a light jacket in the closet.

"All night long and all day tomorrow."