Crank (Crank 1)

found emotions in turmoil.

Fear. Need. Concern. Lust.

And then he said the words

we were both afraid to hear.

I love you, Kristina.

I Was Cinderella

and Chase was my unlikely Prince Charming.

(Hey, I’d graduated from

knights to princes, even if they were unlikely.)

Suddenly I was very sure.

“I love you, too, Chase.”

For real?

I reached up and kissed him and it

was very, very real, despite the quite

surreal juxtaposition of colors

in the night sky.

You take my breath away.

“Make love to me. Please? I don’t

care who sees.” He might have.

But just then his watch beeped “two.”

No way. Come on, let’s go!

Well beyond the witching hour,

Chase hustled most of his guests

out the door. (A few were tied up

in the bedrooms.)

I didn’t want to piss off your parents.

We wouldn’t make it home until

almost three. But the E insisted

I remain hopeful.

“They’re always in bed by ten….”