Everything and everywhere hurt but the pain was all worth it. I would do it all over again without thinking twice. Matthew had definitely not expected me to fight him but he should not have insulted Willow in the first place. I had been calm as he ran his mouth about me but the one thing I refused to entertain was him talking schmuck about Willow. Willow deserved respect and Matthew was not capable of that. He didn't even deserve to mention her name or be in her presence.

I lay on the ground feeling as if my whole body was on fire except for the hand Willow was holding. Her being safe was all the assurance that I needed to prove that I'd done the right thing. Playing the police sirens had ended the fight and gotten rid of everyone but she should have let me get a few more punches in. Matthew deserved more than he got but I guess I had to be content that I'd hurt him as much as he hurt me if not more. I'd also broken his stupid nose and that was a win for me.

"Henry I have an idea but you're not going to like it."Willow announced looking down at me.

Even with one of my eyes closing shut, I had to admit that she was still the most beautiful girl to exist.

"What?"I mumbled in a daze.

"You need to ice your body and since I can't carry you to the car, you have to get into the lake, it'll help."She suggested.

I would have burst out laughing but talking hurt so laughing would hurt even more.

"Are you crazy? I'm not getting into that lake. It's freezing, I'll die."I choked out.

"Then get ready because tomorrow you won't be able to move."She countered.

"I'll get hypothermia."I argued.

"No you won't but it's your call. Let's just stay here until you feel well enough to move."She said sitting cross legged next to me.

I was definitely not going to feel any better. The pain was getting worse by the minute but I also knew Willow was not strong enough to get me to the car all on her own. The more I thought about it, the more enticing her lake idea seemed.

"I'll get in under one condition."I bargained.

"What?"

"That you get in with me."I replied without missing a beat.

"I'm not hurt. Why should I get in?"She asked.

"For moral support and also because this is your fault."I answered.

"Excuse me but I didn't ask you to fight your brother for me."Willow yelled and I realized that I'd said the wrong thing.

I didn't want to fight with her especially since if she decided to leave I'd be all alone in the woods with no way to get home.

"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I told you we should not have come to this party but you insisted."I explained.

"That's still no reason to beat your brother."Willow reasoned.

It was useless fighting with her. I was the one in pain.

"You're right, I'm sorry. Help me up. I'll get into the lake."I requested.

Willow glared at me and I thought she was going to get mad and leave me there but she surprised me by standing up and taking my hands in hers. It took everything in me not to yell out in pain as I stood up. She draped one of my arms over her shoulders as she put the other one on my waist to support my weight. I could smell her hair since I was half leaning on her and she was shorter than me. It smelled of peaches and a little bit of smoke because we were by the fire.

Each step hurt but Willow was stronger than I thought so her support helped out a lot. The boardwalk was only a few feet away but it felt like miles.

"You need to strip so you don't get your clothes wet."Willow informed me.

"If you wanted to see me naked, all you had to do was ask."I teased.

"This is not the time for jokes Henry."She scolded.

"Yes ma'am."I mumbled.

Willow rolled her eyes at me as she let me go. She turned around to give me my privacy.

It took me ten minutes to perform a task that would normally take a few seconds. I left my boxers on because there's no way I was going skinny dipping. I limped to the edge of the lake and dipped my toe in.

"Fuck no!"I cussed stepping back.

"What's wrong?"Willow asked, her back still turned to me.

I had no idea why she was looking away. It's not like she hadn't seen me in such a state of undress before.

"Too cold."I replied.

"Don't be a baby and get in."She mocked.

"You get in."I countered.

"You know what, fine I will. You're being such a whiny baby about it. I'm sure it's fine."Willow mumbled as she started getting undressed.

Unlike her I didn't do the polite thing and look away. I stared at her the whole time as she revealed more and more of her skin to my greedy eyes. Her skin glowed under the moon and fire in the distance. All I wanted was to pull her close and feel her skin on mine but I didn't want to seem creepy so I held myself back.

She finally turned around dressed in a black matching set of underwear. My thoughts went into an overdrive seeing her so exposed but I tried my best to reign in my thoughts so my manhood didn't misbehave.

"Ready to do this?"She asked stepping closer to me.

"No but I'll follow you so ladies first."I offered.

"You're not saying that to be polite but because you're actually scared."She retorted.

I didn't bother arguing with her because she was definitely right. Willow dipped her toes first to test the water and her reaction was just the same as mine.

"Fuck fuck fuck. That's so cold."She yelped jumping away from the edge.

"Told you."I replied earning myself another eye roll.

"We have to do this, or your body will be more black than mine by tomorrow."Willow declared making me smile.

"Together."I suggested holding my hand out for her.

She looked at my outstretched hand skeptically before linking our hands together.

"Like ripping off a bandaid."I muttered.

We walked closer to the edge and Willow tightened my hand in hers and she started counting down from five. When she got to one we both jumped in and somehow lost hold of each other. The water was colder than I had anticipated and it immediately numbed all my senses taking my mind off the pain. I emerged sputtering water as I cleared my hair from my face. Willow emerged too teeth clattering as she glared at me.

"Y-ou a-r-r-e s-oooo g-oi-ng to pppp-a-y f-o-r this."She stuttered unable to talk properly.

I would have found it funny were I not freezing my ass off too. Instead of replying I swam towards her and pulled her body flush to mine. She didn't protest, just wrapped her body around me like a vine. Our bodies were still very cold but we still had enough body warmth to keep us from freezing to death. Willow's body on mine reminded me of the dance we had shared before everything went to hell.

Willow had been tipsy so she had been a little outgoing than usual but I had not been expecting her to grind herself on me. I had been so hard in that moment I was surprised I didn't make a fool out of myself by cumming in my pants like a middle schooler. Willow was blessed with hips and a voluptuous ass that she definitely knew how to put to good use.

"You seriously can't be getting a hard on right now."Willow exclaimed and only then did I realize that my wandering thoughts were working against me.

"Sorry I can't help it."I apologized feeling embarrassed.

"It's okay. I should take it as a compliment I guess, unless your thinking about someone else and if that's the case then you pervert."Willow scolded.

"I can assure you that the only person on my mind right now is the one in my arms."I replied tightening my hold on her.

"I better be."Willow mumbled snuggling into my chest.

I wasn't in pain anymore thanks to the cold water numbing my body but I could still feel Willow on me. In that moment as we floated in the cold water the girl of my dreams in my arms everything felt right. If getting beat up led to me holding her then I'd get beaten up a hundred more times as long as the end resort was the moment I was currently in. It was pure bliss and I never wanted that feeling to fade.

Matthew had set out to win Willow's heart and if he had been genuine about it maybe he would have succeeded. He risked his own reputation, went against his own believes and lied just so he could get Willow. He believed she was all that and even though his methods were messed up, they still mattered. If Matthew had been willing to do all that why wasn't I strong enough to ask her out.

Feeling courageous I decided to take a leap of faith. I refused to start a new year still scared. I would lay out my heart for Willow and hope that she wouldn't trample all over it.

"Willow I need to ask you something. "I started grateful my teeth weren't chattering.

"What is it?"

I took a deep breath, gathered my thoughts and spoke my truth. There was no one around to interrupt me especially my stupid brother who always ruined things for me.

"I like you Willow, I have for a very long time and it has taken me months to finally get the courage to tell you how I feel but I can't hold it in anymore."I confessed.

Willow had definitely not been expecting that. She looked at me wide eyed, her breathing accelerating as her heart beat faster against my chest. I decided to continue because I had so much more to say.

"I know this is a shock to you but this is me, Henry asking you, Willow to go out with me and before you say no please hear me out? I'm not the kind of guy who puts himself out there but for the past few months ever since I met you things have changed. I smile more, I talk more and I'm the happiest I've been in a while. I like you and I know you like me too otherwise you'd have already pushed me away like you do all other guys who ask you out. There's something between us and I would really like to explore the possibility of that with you. I will forever regret it if I never take this chance to ask you out so what do you say. Will you please go out on a date with me?"I asked feeling free that I'd said everything I'd been keeping in for months.

I expected Willow to give me one of her sassy or smart remarks but what she said next took me by surprise.

"That's a very compelling argument Henry and you're right I do like you. It's been an amazing few months getting to know you and I too will beat myself up if I don't say yes to the possibility of what we can become so yes, I will go out with you."She replied.

The overwhelming happiness I felt in that moment hearing her say yes and confess that she liked me too didn't compare to anything I'd ever felt before. I hugged her close to me whispering thank you over and over again unable to contain my joy.

A ticking noise interrupted us and I realized it was the alarm I'd set for ushering in the new year.

"What's that?"Willow asked hearing it too.

"Five seconds to new year."I replied counting down.

Our gazes locked and I had not been expecting it but when the timer hit zero Willow kissed me. Her lips were warm compared to the rest of her body and tasted of beer with and underlying taste of the mint gum Willow liked making bubbles with. I didn't care about any of that because all I could feel were her soft lips on mine and her hands on my body. Her soft fingertips played with the hairs on my neck, our legs tangling together and lips moving in sync. All too soon the kiss ended and we pulled apart.

"Wow."I breathed my forehead on hers.

"Wow indeed."She heaved and I smiled.

A loud explosion next to us alerted us of the firework display exploding all around us. We looked up and it was magnificent. I'd never seen fireworks so close before and I had to admit they were beautiful. Not like the gorgeous beauty in my arms but close.

"Happy new year Willow."I whispered.

"Happy new year Henry."She replied looking at me.

I wanted to kiss her again but I knew she had only kissed me because of the tradition that came in with ushering the new year. I kissed her forehead my lips hovering over her skin longer than normal. Now that I'd tasted her lips I would do anything for it to happen again no matter how long it took.

"Are you feeling any better? We should get out before we get sick."Willow suggested.

"Yeah I'm all numb and we should hurry before my body realizes what I'm upto."I replied disappointed that I had to let Willow go.

We both jumped out of the water and got dressed quickly. We ran to the car and Willow chose to drive having already sobered up.

"Thank you for saying yes."I whispered as soon as we were back on the main road.

"There's no way I could have said no."She replied boosting my confidence.

My new year was off to a great start and it was all because of the gorgeous beauty behind the wheel.

"I meant what I said. I really do like you and you have changed me for the better."I confessed.

"I like you too Henry. I didn't expect to, I wasn't even trying to but it was hard not to. I've never dated anyone seriously before and I know this is not casual so please go easy on me."She pleaded.

"We'll take things slow together at our own pace."I assured her.

She gave me a grateful smile as she concentrated on the road. It had been a while since I'd dated too but I felt secure that Willow and I would figure it out together. One thing I sure of was that I was not letting her go. It had taken me months to get the courage to ask her out and I was going to hold onto her and show her every minute that she had done the right choice of agreeing to go out with me.

I liked Willow and she liked me back. That was all that mattered.