i threw my head back and laughed, "no, miss lane, i'm not a stalker. i just wanted your number in case i needed you to help me home some night." i was even impressed at how quickly i came up with that one.

"how did you know i was here?" she curiously asked.

"denny pointed out that he saw you walking down the street, and i asked him to stop."

"why?"

"i don't know. i guess i just thought i'd say hi." her questions were starting to irritate me, but turning me on at the same time.

"then you could have just called since you have my number and all," she smirked as she waved her hand.

"miss lane, enough with the questions please," i sighed.

"can i ask you one more thing?" she innocently asked.

i narrowed my eyes at her as the corners of her mouth turned up.

"what is it?" i asked quietly.

"could you please stop calling me miss lane, and just call me ellery?"

"it would be my pleasure, ellery," i smiled as i slightly tilted my head.

i loved saying her name as it was unique. she was unique, and she made me feel different when i was around her. hell, i haven't felt the same since i saw her in my kitchen. i looked over at her sketch pad and watched her as she drew two people. her drawing was amazing, and i could only imagine what her paintings looked like.

"what are you drawing?" i asked her.

"the bride and groom over there," she pointed.

"why?" i asked curiously.

"why not? they're a cute couple, and i think it would make a good painting. i'll call it 'a wedding in central park'."

"and what makes you think someone would buy that?" i'm pretty sure that came out the wrong way.

"people love weddings, and i'm sure any couple that got married here would buy it as a memory of the beginning of their life together."

"it's all a bunch of shit if you ask me," i mumbled.

"what is?" she asked as she tilted her head to the side.

"weddings, starting a life together, relationships; all of it. you even said it yourself that nothing lasts forever."

"well, a lot of people believe in the happily ever after and the fairy tale relationships. let's not take that away from them," she softly spoke while drawing.

"do you believe in any of that?" i asked her not knowing if i wanted to hear her answer.

"i don't know. i thought i once did, but i'm not so sure anymore."

i stared down at her pad and watched her draw. the scars on her wrists became more visible with each stroke of the pencil. i put my hand on hers and stopped her from drawing. she looked at me as i turned her wrist over and lightly rubbed her scar with my thumb. she froze at my touch. her skin was soft and warm. i don't know what possessed me to do what i did, but i needed to touch her.

"tell me about your scars," i said as i looked directly in her eyes.

i could tell she was uncomfortable so i gently laid her hand back on the drawing pad. she looked down as she spoke.

"i made a mistake. i was young and stupid, that's all."

"everyone is young and stupid from time to time, but they don't try to kill themselves," i said in an irritated way as the memories of amanda started to rush through my mind.

"connor, you don't know me or anything about me. we aren't friends remember, so what happened to me in my past is none of your business," she snapped at me.

i stared straight ahead and found that i couldn't look at her. i never should have said what i did. i'm sure she probably hates me now, and i wouldn't blame her.

"i apologize," i said without looking at her.

she looked at me, and i could see a slight smile on her face out of the corner of my eye. she got up from the bench and asked me if i wanted a hot dog. i didn't want a hot dog. what i wanted was to take her to a nice restaurant for lunch because i had something that i needed to discuss with her.

"no, i don't want a hot dog. if you're hungry, then i'll take you to a proper restaurant for lunch," i said.

she laughed as she turned her back to me and started walking away. "suit yourself, mr. black, but i'm going to get myself a hot dog from the hot dog stand."

i got up and quickly caught up to her. this girl was stubborn, and i didn't know how to handle it.

"you don't listen to anyone, do you?" i asked.

"no, i do what i want," she smiled.

"i can tell," i mumbled under my breath.

we approached the hot dog stand, and she asked me again if i was getting one. i guess i was giving in and eating a hot dog. i frowned as ellery lightly smiled. i paid for the hot dogs and then took mine over to a small wooden table and sat down. ellery stopped at the condiment stand and topped her hot dog with just about everything there. god, it looked disgusting. she looked happy as she walked over to the table with a smile on her face, and her ponytail was swinging from side to side.

"that's gross," i said as i took a bite of my plain hot dog.

"gross? no way man, this is heaven," she said as she took a large bite.

"you do realize how bad that is for you, right?" i asked her.

she put her finger up, "you only live once, so we should make the best of it." i tried to hold back a smile, but she was so damn cute when she did that, so i couldn't help it. she saw me and smiled too.

"here, take a bite," she said as she shoved her hot dog in my face.

"no, get that out of my face," i frowned.

"not until you take a bite, connor, then you can judge if it's gross."

ellery kept moving the hot dog closer to my mouth. i rolled my eyes and finally took a bite. she grabbed her napkin and wiped the corner of my mouth. i put my hand on hers and stared into her eyes.

she smiled and told me that i had a glob of ketchup on me, and she didn't want it to get on my shirt.

she smiled as i thanked her.

it was a beautiful afternoon, and central park was certainly the best place to enjoy it. there was no place that i wanted to be but here with ellery. she was a refreshing change of company, and i enjoyed every moment that i spent with her. i watched her as she took the last bite of her hot dog and gently wiped her mouth with her napkin. i was beginning to feel nervous about what i wanted to ask her. i didn't know how she was going to react, and i was fretting that she'd never want to see me again.

"if you don't mind, i want to ask you something," i spoke.

"go ahead," she said.

"i gave some thought to our recent outing, and i was wondering if you would be interested in being..." i stopped because i didn't know how to put it.

"being..." she motioned for me to proceed.

i cleared my throat and took in a sharp breath, "would you be interested in being a companion?"

she narrowed her eyes at me. "what? i don't get it."

"would you be interested in being a person who would accompany me to certain functions, no strings attached, and i would pay you of course."

she spit out the water she was drinking. "what? you mean like an escort or call girl?!" she yelled.

"no, no! that's not what i meant, ellery," i tried to explain. "i mean like a friend."

"you mean go out as friends, like me and peyton?" she asked.

i ran my hand through my hair, and she lightly touched my arm.

"connor, if you want to be friends, then all you had to do was ask. actually, i already considered us friends, and there will be no money involved either," she smiled at me.

her words made me happy. of course she already considered us friends. she's one of the nicest girls that i've ever met, and i wanted to get to know her better, as friends of course.

"there's a benefit i need to attend tomorrow night. it's a charity function, and i need to attend to represent my company. would you like to accompany me?"

she lightly bit her lip and sweetly smiled at me. "i would love to go."

"i'll pick you up at 6:00 pm sharp," i smiled back.

as we got up from the table, i heard my phone chime. i pulled it from my pocket, and there was a text message from denny.

"am i to assume that you will not be going to chicago today?"

"no, i'm not going. i lost track of time, and it's too late. call jerry and tell him i'm sorry, but something's come up, and i won't be flying today," i messaged back .

we started walking out of central park when suddenly, ellery came to a halt, and i stopped beside her. someone had called her name as she looked over to the side to see who it was. i could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't happy. the person who called her name was her ex-boyfriend, kyle.

she introduced us and continually smiled as she talked to him. i was amazed by this woman as she could even hold a conversation with him after he hurt her so bad. the woman standing next to him was licking her lips as she eyed me up and down. ellery pulled kyle over to the side and told him to tame his dog. i laughed to myself at the spunk of this woman. i stood there smiling at her.

"what?" she asked as she looked at me.

"nothing, you're just..."

"just what, connor?" she asked as she looked at me.

"you're just full of life. let's put it that way," i laughed.

she smiled and bumped my shoulder with hers. i put my hands in my pocket and smiled all the way back to the car.

denny had the limo parked and was waiting for me. "are you getting in?" i asked as i held the door open.

"no, i'm walking," ellery said as she started walking down the street.

"elle, get in the car," i demanded.

"bye, connor, see you tomorrow."

i stood there with the door open and watched her walk down the street. what is with this girl? i slid into the limo, and denny turned around, looking at me with a grin on his face.

"she's quite a firecracker, connor; you've definitely met your match."

i sighed and looked out the window. "follow her, and don't stop until i say so."

denny followed ellery for about three blocks. she stopped at the corner, and i rolled down the window.

"are you ready to get in now?" i smiled.

"you never give up, do you?" she asked.

"no, not until i get what i want," i said.

she rolled her eyes and opened the door. as she slid into the limo, she smacked me on the arm and told me to move over. denny was watching through the rear view mirror, and he was lightly laughing.

as i moved over, i couldn't help but chuckle. i was glad to have her in my limo even if it was a short drive to her place. we reached her apartment, and as she was getting out, i lightly grabbed her hand.

"thank you for agreeing to come with me tomorrow," i said softly.

she looked at me, crinkled her nose, and smiled, "that's what friends are for."