"Anything is fine," I replied softly, a lightness in my voice I hadn"t intended. This morning, which I"d expected to be incredibly difficult, had suddenly become bearable, even sweet, because of a slightly childish battle over milk and his clumsy, sincere care. For this moment, at least, I was willing to believe that the reflection of me in his golden eyes was truly one of a kind. *** The slightly charged atmosphere from the milk incident lingered until the end of the school day. Luke still insisted on walking me home, but instead of heading straight there, he took my hand and led me toward our secret clearing. The setting sun painted the sky in warm shades of orange and red. Grass blades swayed gently in the breeze, everything bathed in a soft, golden light. Walking the familiar path, wat
