She said no…that it was okay. I briefly wondered why she would tell me something like that and not want to go look for them. The next words that escaped her lips almost knocked me to floor. Isabel Evans, my dream girl since…well since I ever even started dreaming about girls at all, was standing there on my front porch telling me it was okay to kiss her.

Did I? you ask? Of course I did, even though her reasons for doing it may not have been because she might actually have wanted to, I was more than willing to oblige. The kiss itself was pure bliss for me, and I know this may sound cheesy, but I actually felt the earth move. I guess that really does happen when your one and only dream comes true.

After those few precious seconds we broke apart. I asked her if she saw anything.

"Nothing," she said, "Nothing relevant to the current crisis."

Still to stunned more any meaningful words, I merely stated that I'd be available for further experimentation, you know… 'Whenever.'

I could not have mentally or physically prepared myself for what would happen after that day. It started casually at first. She would come over to my house maybe once or twice a week.

"Just to say hello," she always said.

Me being the lovesick puppy I was (and still am) welcomed her without a second thought of why she was picking me of all people to hang out with. She was more chatty than I've ever seen her too, but I didn't question it. I thought that if I did she might reverse back into her snobbish character and leave in a huff. It took me awhile to catch what she was trying to do at first, she would let a few of her personal memories slip out in our conversations. For example we'd be talking about history class or something, and she would suddenly reminis about a pink teddy bear named 'Cosmo' she slept with when she was nine.

Since these moments were so scarce and scattered I couldn't put together that she was trying to open up to me. I was just so happy she was talking to me at all. It went on like this for awhile, and every time she would open up in that little hidden way of hers, she would come over more often. It went from one to two days a week, to three or four. Each day she was a little more brave than the previous one, telling me her heartfelt opinions on things, not what people would expect her to say.

Despite my happiness that she was opening up to me like this, I couldn't help but question her reasons for doing so. Was she doing it because she wanted to be the best of friends? Did she want another brother to count amongst Max and Michael? Or maybe it was because she actually wanted to be with me, more than any platonic relationship would allow. 'Ha,' I thought to myself. Isabel was telling you some of her most treasured thoughts because she was starting to think of you as boyfriend material, yeah…right. I continued to doubt myself like this for some time, until that one night. Isabel showed up at my house once again, but this time I could see that she wasn't just coming over to chat. Her eyes were red and puffy, obviously she had been crying for some time. I instinctively grabbed her hand and led her into my room. Once the door closed behind us she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tight.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying not to think how good her hair smelled or how great it felt to have her in my arms.

"Oh Alex," she said. "I've been meaning to do this since that morning but I've been to afraid.

"Do what?" I asked. "I know I can trust you," She continued, "I always have. Even after I saw…"

"Saw?" I questioned.

She lifted her head and looked me square in the eye.

"I have to be honest with you Alex," she said. "When we kissed, I saw…saw everything."

"Everything?" I wondered aloud.

"Everything," she confirmed. "All the thoughts you'd ever had about me. They were just so sweet, but I was still afraid."

"I thought you didn't see anything." I said.

"I didn't see anything concerning Max's whereabouts," she said. "But I did see you."

I was beyond embarrassed at that point. How do you think it would have felt to have your ultimate fantasy actually see all said fantasies about them? That thought took most of my attention for a few minutes till I remembered she was afraid of something.

"What were you afraid of?" I asked softly, leaning my cheek against her hair.

"I know all you've ever said was that you wanted the real me to be with you…" she began.

"Yes," I said urging her to go on.

"Well I was scared that if I did show you the real me…she wouldn't be the girl you had all those wonderful thoughts about." She confessed in a shaky breath.

"Isabel," I said returning her eyes to meet mine. "You have absolutely nothing to fear with me. The real you is what I have always dreamed of, no matter what. I could always tell that the ice princess thing was all just an act. I knew there was more to you than you ever let on, and that girl is just as beautiful on the inside as she is out."

"Really?" she questioned with more tears welling in her eyes.

"Absolutely," I assured her.

The tears slid down her cheeks as she let out a happy little sigh of relief. I brushed some hairs away from her forehead and ran my fingers down her tear stained cheeks. She looked so deeply into me with those beautiful blue eyes of hers, ran her hands up my back, and kissed me. The feel of her lips pressed against mine caused me to go lightheaded. This time it wasn't because she was looking for her brother, it wasn't because she felt left out; it was because she wanted to. She wanted to kiss me and that made it all the sweeter. She broke away but squeezed me tighter.

"Don't ever leave me," she said against my shoulder.

"Never," I promised. I then told her that no matter what I would always be there for her, always.

Things change a lot after that night. Isabel chose to longer run with the 'in' crowd. Her whole ice princess persona (pardon the pun) had melted. She didn't act haughty, or arrogant, goddessy anymore. She now spends her time with the group but mainly with me. She now comes to me with all her problems. Big or small she knows I'll be there to lend a sympathetic ear. Sometimes she'll want my advice, but mostly she just wants to me to hold her, pet her hair, and listen. When she feels better she'll kiss me and giggle. She smiles and calls me her rock. Whether or not she had bad day, she always leaves my house with that gorgeous smile she only gives to me. I asked her once why she did it and she just told me how lucky she was to have such a great guy like me. I don't think I could have blushed a deeper crimson at her comment.

Everyone notices how much more she smiles lately. Max even went so far as to thank me for finally making his sister happy. They all tease me because I can't ever seem to get this content little grin off my face. Maria once said my happiness practically beams off of me, that she could feel it twenty feet away. I just laughed. I'm just so relieved that I can finally say without fear of rejection or ridicule that I do indeed love Isabel Evans. Because now I can truly believe that she loves me back.