Approaching Railyn's house was so strange to Greg; he hadn't seen her in 5 weeks. It was like walking up the stairs of heaven; you didn't know what to expect and that mixed of fear and intense anticipation flare inside your chest. He cautiously glanced at the house number to make sure he hadn't ventured to some stranger's home; 56 Main St., this was the place. The season was on the brink of Spring; ready to topple over to pastels, picnics, and khaki capris as a moment's notice. He slowly inched to the door, his tepid hand clasping the chilly door handle as the other one knocked violently. An older woman ajared the door, her eyes curiously locked on Greg.

"Hi," Greg said a little shyly. "I'm a friend of Railyn's..."

"Greg," the blonde woman replied all-knowingly. She gracefully extended her hand to him. "I know...I've heard good things about you. I'm Jane," she finished as she lead him into the house. "Railyn's upstairs redecorating the attic. Walk up the stairs, open the door in front of you and climb up."

"Thanks," Greg replied as Jane scampered away to the kitchen. She only smiled in responce.

Greg was a winded old man, climbing the first flight of white stairs laggardly. He reached the top; sunlight splitting through the multiple doorways standing tall. He turned the knob to the white door and proceeded up the spiraling staircase.

Greg surfaced to the attic to see Railyn delicatley hanging yellow fabric around the window, fiddling around with it as bit. She unsteadily stood on a folding chair, the chair weak like young branches fighting the wind. Her wavy hair swooped around her back as she moved. Her eyes were intensely riveting on her task, her hands delicatley weaving the fabric through the white rod. That gaze could freeze anyone in their steps, their eyes unwillingly seized by hers like a burly police officer. Her nose began to twitch, her head turning down to the floor. A monstrous sneeze echoed from her nose and mouth, causing herself to precipitate off the chair like a boulder from a mountain. She landed with a turbulent thud, a slight, shrill cry surging from her throat.

"Railyn," Greg gasped, racing quickly to her side like a valant knight. Her pain was quickly replaced by surprise, her crystal eyes locked on Greg as he helped her from the floor. They stood there for an elongated few seconds, Greg's hands supporting Railyn's arms and their eyes meshing with unrecognizable stares. Then, Railyn flared into his arms like a fish newly caught. Greg was a lost teddy bear, cherished and missed by a friend not long forgotten. Greg layed his arms low on her back, burying his face in her shoulder as if to never see the light of another day.

"Oh, Wow," Railyn finally managed to speak, releasing Greg from her compassionate hold. He gleamed the brightest smile as Railyn tried to fish for words. She shoved her hands in her green capris' pockets, leaning all her weight on her left side and nodding negligibly up and down. "5 weeks were much longer than I expected."

"You're telling me," Greg admitted, sweetly touching his hand to her arm. She glanced down, a shocking pain driving through her arm and a ghastly bruise filling her and Greg's eye. Greg moved closer, scrutinizing the purple-green circle on her arm. "What happened?" he asked conserned, his eyes discovering several simular circles spotting her arm.

"Oh," Railyn whispered, pulling her white shirt over the aches. For the first time, Greg obseved her body was held self-conciously; "I...I hurt easily. Ya know, girls who play hard get hurt hard. And, Man, I go all out!" Her overreactive cheeriness hid a horrid secret not even Greg could fathom.

"Right," Greg replied with uncertainty, his eyebrows scrunching together doubtfully. Does he know?, Railyn wondered, her Barbie smile unwavering from her face. "Is that all it is?"

Her smile vanish, frightened away by a blood-sucking ghost. "Well...of course, Greg. Why would I...I lie?"

"Good point," Greg responded, his face free of doubt but his heart not convinced. He sat down on Railyn's bed and she sat beside him, their legs inches from intimate contact. Railyn clasped her hands together, let out a long-driven breath and glanced at Greg, her eyes sparkling like when the rising sun hits the cool water of a lake. Greg looked over nervously at her. "So, tell me, Handsome," she pressed, shifting her body giddily towards him and tossing her hair beautifully behind her broad shoulders. "What was it like? You guys went all over the place, didn't ya?"

"It was incredable!" Greg shouted, his eyes lighting up at the thought of all the wonderful people and places he's seen. "It was so much fun. That was our first big tour, you know. Aaron has helped us a lot this past year. When we stayed at hotels, we stayed up all night talking and laughing and playing video games. I missed my family and all though..."

He was mezmerized by Railyn. She listened to him concentratedly, her head cocked slightly to one side. Her mouth was pulled in a relaxed smile and her lips were a kissable shade of pink. "Most of all," Greg continued, scratching nervously at the back of his neck, "I missed you."

Railyn's eyes blinked once, than twice. Greg held his courage in his clenched hands and leaned in to savor her lips, a taste he longed for for so long. Railyn backed away in shock. What was he doing? she wondered as his face inched closer and closer to her mouth. But then, all her doubts were tossed out the window. She smiled and inclined in...

"Railyn!" a shout came from downstairs, "We have to head to the hospital!"

Railyn and Greg opened their eyes, their mouths millimeters from sweet unity. They didn't know what to do. Railyn sighed, glanced down at the floor, then smiled. She placed a tender kiss on his cheek and raised from the bed. "I guess you better bounce," Railyn said sadly, walking to the door briskly.

Why was she going to the hospital? Greg wondered, his eyes scavanging a few cuts and bruises tattooing her ankles. She looked over her shoulder and motioned him with one finger to follow her, a mischevous smile glazing her face. He was her puppy, confusingly tredding behind her down the spiral stairs.