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Fan Fiction

Title: Love is paradise
(Love has dropped by)
Author: Trang Le Thu
Genre: Romance
Started: 21. December 2001

© Trang Le Thu 2001
Disclaimer: This story is a purely fiction. Nothing here is true!! All Hawaii descriptions come from the internet and guide books.

PART 5

The part 4th's question was: Will Agnes break up with Scott?? A half of you want it to happen, but the other half don't. Since I have got some story lines from Barbie (thanks) who decided that Agnes will continue her relationship with Scott and they will break up another time, with a better reason. And sorry for a little late. I was very busy with my school and I wasn't sure which option of the vote booth would win. Please, vote and submit your comments.

The early morning sun burned at Agnes's eyes as she sat wearily in front of the hotel the next morning. It was only 7:45. Way too early to be up sightseeing. Scott had tried to do her a favor by reserving a spot for her on the volcano tour, raving about how she couldn't visit Hawaii without taking it.
Agnes knew she would eventually welcome the escape, away from Paddy and away from her relationship woes, but as of right now, she wasn't too thrilled about being out so early. She had hardly gotten any sleep last night. Once Scott had fallen asleep, she had paced around the suite, her mind heavy with confused thoughts. This trip was supposed to bring her and Scott closer. Yet ironically, he had never felt so distant…
She fumbled in her backpack, cursing the sun. She found her sunglasses wedged beneath her book and Discman, miraculously still in one piece. Slipping them on, she settled back on the bench, closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. During her previous night's insomnia, she had decided she would talk to Scott tonight, no matter how late he came home or how tired he was. She needed to understand why he had become so distant, so distracted, so cold. Denying that a problem existed would not make the problem magically disappear. She had learned that from her med school struggle.
And that was another thing. She repeatedly tried to reach out to Scott, seeking his advice and comfort, but he never seemed to be willing to sacrifice his time to just be there for her. She remembered back to the early stages of their relationship when they would just sit and talk for hours about life, loves, dreams, fears, hopes… but then Scott got his job right after graduation and everything changed.
"Could it be?? Agnes is alone again? This sure is a change!" the wisecracks that interrupted Agnes's thoughts could only have come from one person.
She turned around and sure enough saw Paddy approaching, followed by the rest of the guys. They were all sporting backpacks, hiking boots and tour maps. Agnes groaned inwardly, cursing her bad luck.
Paddy plopped down next to her, grinning broadly as he draped his arm around her shoulder.
"What a coincidence! We'll be graced with your presence on this tour? Oh happy day!!!"
"Get your perverted paws off me." Agnes shoved his hand away.
"That's not what the ladies were saying to me last night."
Agnes smiled smugly.
"Oh that's right… my bad. They couldn't have said anything to you because you were… stood up!" 
"So were you."
"No I wasn't. We went through this already."
"Yes you were" Paddy persisted giddily in a sing song voice.
"Was not. You're just trying to rationalize it to salvage your bruised ego."
"Was too. Any last minute cancellation of plans is a stand-up in my book."
"Your book? You mean you actually know how to read?"
Joey pushed Paddy to the edge of the bench and sat down between him and Agnes.
"Guys, I know this verbal sparring has become your favorite little game, but it's way too early in the morning for us to be hearing it. Think you can call a… oh lets see… a 10 hour time out maybe??"
10 hours. Agnes didn't think she could survive even a half hour with Paddy today. Not the way she was feeling this morning. She had been looking forward to the solitude, and she knew she wouldn't have any as long as Paddy was within the same five mile radius as her.
"Um guys, I think I'm actually gonna pass on the tour" she said quickly, standing up. "I'm not feeling too hot this morning. So… have fun and tell me all about it when you get back."
Slinging her backpack across her shoulder, she started to walk away, but Jimmy grabbed the strap on her bag, pulling her back towards him.
"Not so fast. You can't back out now."
"And why can't I?" Agnes asked, playing along as she turned around to face him.
"Because… I'll bet you've never seen a volcano before" Jimmy said, smiling an irresistible smile.
"Sure I have. They are those big mountains that puke lava."
"Interesting analogy" Joey teased.
"And may I ask where you saw those volcanoes?" Jimmy persisted.
"Hmm… lets see… There was Volcano with Tommy Lee Jones, Joe vs. the Volcano with Tom Hanks-definitely not one of his better roles, Dante's Peak with Pierce Brosnan was my favorite… Should I continue?" She tried to disguise her smile when she saw Jimmy's frown of disapproval.
"You watch too much TV" he scolded lightly.
"No one could possibly watch as much TV as Paddy" Johnny pointed out.
"Hey, TV is chicken soup for the soul" Paddy bragged proudly.
"You don't have a soul, remember?" Joey busted on his younger brother. "You sold it for your sex symbol status."
"Whoa! Hold up!" Agnes yelled, interrupting their jesting. "Paddy is not a sex symbol. Brad Pit, Keanu Reeves, George Clooney-those are sex symbols. But Paddy? Definitely not."
"To ten year old girls he is" Maite cracked, causing Agnes and the rest of the guys to burst out laughing.
Paddy stood up jovially and confronted Agnes. After her faint meltdown last night, he knew he had the upper hand, so he would now approach any pending argument good-naturedly. That would be sure to get under her skin.
"Honey, you really must be living in the Dark Ages if you can't admit the obvious. I am a sex-symbol. Girls want me and their mothers want me! long brown hair, kiddy look and all!!"
Agnes fought the urge to smile at his boyish retaliation, thinking a 'so there' and him sticking out his tongue would have been an appropriate finale. Rolling her eyes in a bored manner, she was about to leave again when the tour bus pulled up, honking to announce its arrival.
"Oh gee" Jimmy said sweetly. "The bus is here. You can't back out now and insult these kind Hawaiians."
"But I really don't feel so good" Agnes protested desperately. "I get motion sickness" she lied.
"That's okay" Miate said, draping his arm around her shoulder and leading her up the stairs to the bus. "If you feel sick, just puke on Paddy. I'm sure you'd enjoy that."
"Hmmm… I think I would". Agnes turned and shot Paddy a malicious grin. She expected to see him scowling at her, eyes narrowed in frustration, but instead, he was just standing there, smiling an invincible smile which Agnes would almost dare call sexy if she wasn't so proud.

Agnes had taken a seat next to Maite on the bus and had gotten so wrapped up in her humorous anecdotes that she didn't even realize they were at the airport when the bus came to a stop. She followed Maite outside, still laughing at her sense of humor. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when she stepped off the bus and saw the tiny plane waiting up ahead.
"Oh no" she groaned. "Please tell me that's not for us."
"How else did you expect to get to Maui?" Joey teased, draping a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Swim?"
"Gosh! Is Agnes actually afraid to fly??" Paddy gasped dramatically. "Poor baby. I can hold your hand if you like."
Agnes pushed him away, rolling her eyes.
"I am not afraid to fly. I just don't like little planes like that. They make me nervous."
"The ride is pretty short" Jimmy assured her. "Only a half hour or so."
"It doesn't matter if we're in the air a half hour or a half second. The point is that we're still in the air."
"My offer still stands" Paddy wisecracked, enjoying seeing Agnes so unnerved.
"I'd rather crash and burn" Agnes shot back sweetly.
"Fine. Suit yourself." He shrugged in amusement and ran ahead to catch up with Jimmy and Johnny.
Joey nudged Agnes from behind.
"Come on. Before there's no seats left and you'll have to sit on Paddy's lap."
Agnes's eyes widened at the frightening thought, which served its purpose to get her moving. She jogged towards the plane with Joey at her heels, silently cursing Scott for getting her involved in this mess.
The tour guide frowned when he saw her and Joey ascend the stairs, realizing he had to somehow fit two more bodies in a plane built for 10 which was currently holding 12.
"How bout we just tie them to the roof?" Paddy cracked when he saw the tour guide's frustration.
"How bout we throw you in the engine-while it's spinning?" Agnes countered, gingerly making her way through the claustrophobic aisle.
Joey followed suit, but he wasn't as nimble. He accidentally tripped over a woman's bag, grabbing onto Agnes from behind for support.
Agnes lost her balance and stumbled backward, landing directly in Paddy's lap. She turned around to look at him in surprise and couldn't help but blush slightly at the awkwardness of the situation.
"Hey now, guess you changed your mind about holding my hand" Paddy joked as he helped break her fall. "And it looks like you want even more than that, too."
His touch disoriented her that she was unable to think of a quick enough comeback, so she just grunted and pushed away from him.
"Thanks a lot Joey" she muttered after squeezing in beside him.
"Sorry about that. " He smiled sheepishly.
"Don't apologize Joey" Paddy called over to him. "She knows she enjoyed every second of it." He flashed Agnes another one of those borderline arrogant-but-sexy smiles.
"Mmm… I don't think I was quite as excited as you were" she countered back slyly, shooting him a knowing look.
This time it was Paddy whose cheeks turned bright red at her insinuations as Johnny and Maite snickered from the sidelines.
"Quit it guys" Jimmy hissed at them. "Act your age please."
"Sorry Jimmy" Agnes apologized quietly. She snuck one last glance in Paddy's direction, wanting to gloat over her victory, but his embarrassed moment had passed and he was regarding her smugly once again. 
"You know you liked it" he repeated.
Agnes laughed at his naiveté.
"Don't flatter yourself."
"But you did" he persisted. "I saw the look you shot me."
"You're sick."
"And you're lying."
"And you're perverted."
"I'm a guy. That's my job."
"Guys!!!" Jimmy intervened again, frowning in disapproval. "Am I going to have to separate you two?"
And elderly man spoke up from across the way.
"Please do. They're driving me up a wall."
"Now you know how we feel." Maite laughed.
"Why don't you just stop all this bickering and just kiss? It's so obvious you want each other." The man shook his head in wonderment as he addressed Paddy and Agnes.
Agnes coughed at the accusation and Paddy laughed it off, both slightly embarrassed by the stranger's bluntness.
"You've got it all wrong, sir" Agnes told him politely. "I already have a boyfriend."
"Since when has that stopped anyone in the past? Bill Clinton had a wife!!" the man said.
By now the entire ensemble of tourists had stopped their individual conversations and were listening with interest to the scene which was developing before them.
Agnes did not like how silent the plane had become. Everyone was watching her, probably waiting for some lame rationalization.
"You do have it all wrong, sir" Paddy spoke up to defend himself more so than to defend Agnes. "She annoys me to no end. I don't even like her. She's the one who has a crush on me." He winked at Agnes, grinning broadly at his deliberate fabrication.
Her mouth dropped open in shock, but then she quickly composed herself once she thought of an appropriate comeback.
"Paddy thinks every girl on this planet wants him, she shot back angrily. He's an arrogant, egotistical womanizer."
"That's not what you were saying to me last night" he replied suggestively.
"Last night where? In your pathetic little dreams?"
"No. In my satin-sheeted king size bed."
A few of the elderly ladies snorted in horror and regarded Agnes with distaste.
"Enough!" Jimmy reprimanded Paddy sternly. "This isn't a joke anymore!" He turned to the rest of the passengers and smiled sweetly. "You'll have to excuse those two here. They can be so childish at times."
"But I still say they belong together!" the old man spoke up and the crowd erupted in a chatter.
Jimmy shook his head and waved a hand to silence them.
"She has a boyfriend and he has a zillion girlfriends. Hell would freeze over before the two of them ever got together." 
He shot Paddy a smug look, but Paddy dismissed it confidently. Jimmy could doubt him all he wanted, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he proved him and the rest of the guy so completely and utterly wrong.

Agnes couldn't bear to look at Paddy for the remainder of the flight. She was seething-both from embarrassment and anger at his stupid lies. He thought it was all a joke, this immature game, but Agnes didn't share his sick sense of humor.
When the plane landed a half hour later, she dodged Paddy and hurried out with Johnny and Joey. She hadn't fully cooled down yet, and if Paddy knew any better, he'd stay well out of her way.
Once Agnes was out of earshot, Jimmy slapped Paddy on the back of his head.
"What did I warn you about that big mouth of yours? Do you realize that all your sick lies could get back to the media?"
Paddy rolled his eyes and laughed at Jimmy's exaggeration.
"Relax, Daddy. They're all senior citizens on that plane with us. They're clueless. Besides, I was just having a little fun."
"I'm sure you were" Jimmy chided. "If your plan is to win Agnes over by alienating her, then your brain is smaller than I thought."
"Agnes enjoys the jesting."
"Oh yeah. She sure looked real happy back there."
"Of course she didn't. She'd never admit it. But I made her laugh last night, and that, my brother, is a major accomplishment."
Jimmy shook his head in wonderment.
"You really know what you're doing, huh?"
"I sure do. I got my game plan all stored up here." He tapped the side of his head proudly. "It's only a matter of time now, Daddy. Watch and be amazed."
He smiled in reassurance and ran ahead to catch up with the rest of the guys and Agnes.
"So what are we doing first?" he asked eagerly.
The tour guide, who was leading the group, pointed over to a mountain in the distance.
"See that beauty of a volcano? That's Mt. Kilauea. For those of you with young legs, I'm taking you to the top."
"What about the older folk?" Joey whispered smugly.
"They wanted to come to Maui for shopping."
"We'd be happy with that" Maite offered eagerly. "Forget the hike."
The rest of the guys agreed in unison, but the tour guide held up his hands to silence them.
"I can't let you do that. Tourists who refuse to make this hike miss out on the complete Hawaiian experience."
"We got the complete Hawaiian experience last night" Joey cracked. "Hula dancers and all."
Paddy snickered and slapped him a high five, while Agnes snorted in disgust at their rudeness.
The tour guide smiled secretly, remembering back to his teenage years.
"You're right. The hula dancers are one essential part of the Hawaiian experience, but so is this hike. Once you reach the top of the mountain and are standing there, looking out over the whole island… I don't want to give it all away now. Let's just say it's a totally… orgasmic experience."
"Now you're talking" Paddy replied eagerly. "Lead the way."
"Alright" the tour guide said happily. "I knew that'd convince you. I just have to pick up another group and then we'll be set to go. Meet me out front of the airport in 15 minutes, okay?"
Jimmy saluted him jovially.
"Got it." He turned to the rest of the guys and asked "Are you sure you're up for doing this? I don't wanna deal with your complaining all the way up there."
"Us? Complain?" Maite asked, feigning innocent shock. "Never!"
Jimmy snorted in disagreement.
"Stop picking on us all the time. How 'bout Agnes?" Paddy challenged good-naturedly. "Why don't you ask her if she's man enough to make this trip?"
"And why don't you stop whining like a five year old?" Agnes countered back, still bitter about his early jesting.
"Me? Acting like a five year old!? You're the one who's pouting because I got the better of you back there."
"I wouldn't waste my time pouting because of you. And like I already said, this isn't a game, so you can stop your immature gloating."
"If it is a game, then you're even, okay?" Johnny intervened impatiently. Agnes cleverly embarrassed you and Paddy you retaliated. "So please shut up-both of you."
"She didn't embarrass me!" Paddy protested.
"Yeah sure. That's why you turned beet red." Agnes snickered, unconvinced.
"It was hot in that plane-I was getting claustrophobic."
"Whatever." Agnes waved a nonchalant hand in the air and walked on ahead.
"Hold up! Paddy yelled, running to catch up with her. What about that seductive smile you flashed me after landing on my lap?"
Agnes spun around in disbelief.
"What!?!?" she cried.
A few kilometers away, Joey shook his head wearily.
"It's gonna be a long day", he muttered to the rest of the guys."
"No diggity" Maite agreed.
"No doubt" Johnny and Jimmy added simultaneously.

"So Paddy says you're gonna be a med student" Jimmy said to Agnes, trying to make friendly conversation as they walked.
The morning had given way to an insufferably hot and balmy afternoon, making each step more intolerable than the last. The tour guide had sensed the group's exhaustion, assuring them that they were more than halfway to the top.
"Yeah" Agnes said breathlessly, wiping a hand across her sweat-laden brow.
"That's so awesome. You must be really excited."
If she heard that remark from one more person, she was going to scream. Sure she was excited-or at least she would be once she got over her anxiety. And she would get over her anxiety once she found someone kind enough to lend a sympathetic ear.
"Definitely". Agnes flashed him a fake smile of reassurance and then quickly tried to change the subject. "I wonder how much longer. The view he keeps bragging about better be worth this work-out."
"Tell me about it. My legs are starting to cramp up."
"Hey, I thought you guys were in perfect shape" she teased, nudging his shoulder. "That's a workout every night you're on stage."
"So you've seen our show?" he asked in surprise.
"No… it was just an assumption, but I guess a lucky one."
"Are you a fan?" Jimmy smiled warmly at her and raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"Is that what you ask all girls who are too old to be teenyboppers?"
Jimmy blushed, trying to hide a shy smile.
"Actually, I've never asked anyone that question before. But I'm just trying to make conversation… so… are you a fan?"
"No. I mean, I know of you and when your song comes on the radio, I don't change it, but I don't think I'm qualified enough to be called a fan."
"I knew you'd never admit it" Jimmy teased, flashing her a smug look.
Agnes opened her mouth in feigned shock and was about to defend herself when Joey called Jimmy to join him up ahead.
"Let me go see what he wants" Jimmy said to her. "I'll be back."
"You better. This conversation is far from over, buddy."
He chuckled and jogged to catch up with Joey and Paddy who were farther down the trail.
Paddy, noticing Jimmy had left Agnes alone, silently praised Joey and fell back from the group, waiting for Agnes to catch up with him.
"So, are we having fun yet?" he cracked as she approached, taking a drink from his water bottle. He immediately spit it back out, coughing as he wiped his mouth. "It's hot" he groaned and proceeded to dump the rest into the bushes.
Agnes resisted the urge to smile at his bad luck and continued walking past him.
"I said, are we having fun yet?" he asked again, hoping for some kind of response.
"I'm having a blast" Agnes lied convincingly. "Too bad you're too out of shape to handle a hike like this." She smiled sweetly and watched his brow furrow at the unexpected insult.
But he let the insult slide, because he realized the guys had been right. He didn't have too much time left with Agnes, so he had to cut down on the verbal sparring and start picking at her brain a little more. He needed to find her weak spot-whether it was her shaky relationship with Scott or some deep inner struggle-and just work from there.
"So Scott came back after midnight last night, huh?" he asked casually, changing the subject.
Agnes shot him a suspicious glance.
"How do you know when he got home?"
"Because he answered the phone when I called."
Agnes stopped walking and turned to face him.
"Wait a sec. You called my room? When and why?"
Paddy shrugged and flashed her an innocent smile.
"Last night. Just wanted to check up on you-see if you were okay being alone. But then Scott answered so I hung up."
"Gee how immature" she said, rolling her eyes.
"Would you have rather Scott know another guy was calling for you?" Paddy asked slyly.
Agnes snorted in amusement.
"You are not 'another guy'. You are not Scott's competition. You are just a pesky, annoying, bratty little boy next door who has nothing better to do with his time than make prank phone calls" she huffed back, and continued walking again.
"Hey, that call was made out of genuine concern!" Paddy protested, sour because she had once again referred to him condescendingly as a 'boy'. You're just bitter because that call must have interrupted some hot and steamy extracurricular activities!"
Agnes spun around angrily.
"Don't even go there" she seethed, pointing a warning at him.
Paddy surrendered, holding up his hands in defense.
"Fine. I'm sorry. Just don't ridicule what I thought was a kind gesture. And stop referring to me as a boy" he added firmly.
"Well don't insult my intelligence by thinking I'm not capable of taking care of myself."
"Alright then. You're a woman of the 90's. You go girl." He snapped his fingers with a dramatic little shake of his hips.
Agnes shook her head, bit her tongue and walked away, too hot and too cranky to continue their sparring.
Paddy didn't hurry to catch up with her this time. He ambled slowly a few feet behind her, pondering over her so-called soft spots. So far, he learned that she became uptight and defensive about her relationship with her boyfriend and her pending med school enrollment. He racked his brain trying to somehow fit the pieces of the puzzle together, but came up empty. The girl was a complete mystery. It would take him weeks or even months to figure her out-not the 4 days he had remaining.
He sighed aloud in despair, causing Agnes to turn around and regard him curiously.
"What's you problem?" she sneered.
Paddy hadn't realized his sigh had been so loud.
"I'm hot, tired and thirsty" he grumbled.
"Join the club."
"But I thought you just said you were having a blast."
Agnes cursed inwardly, realizing her blunder.
"I lied."
"I thought so" he said, smirking from ear to ear. "But I'll let it slide if you'd share some of your water with me" he bargained, patting her backpack.
"What makes you think my water will be any colder than yours was?"
"I don't know. You're the smart med student. You probably brought an ice pack in a cooler or something." He noticed she flinched when he had called her a med student.
Agnes looked up at his sweaty, flushed face and her doctor's instincts kicked in. Despite the fact that she was loathe to help him, she knew he would be at high risk of dehydration without any water, and they would really be in a pickle if he collapsed here, in the middle of nowhere.
"Let me check" she muttered, sliding her backpack around to her front.
She was too focused on rummaging through her bag that she stopped watching the trail ahead of her, which had dropped off to a steep decline. She accidentally stepped on some loose rock and quickly lost her balance. Paddy leapt forward to grab her just as she was about to stumble down the slope. He snatched her away from the edge, pulling her into his arms. She tightened her grip reflexively as she eyed the drop off the path, her heart racing wildly from her near accident.
"The pesky, annoying, bratty little boy next door to the rescue" Paddy said with a relieved laugh. Agnes's almost-fall had given him quite a scare as well, but he relaxed when he realized he still held her in his arms. She was short, so her head nestled perfectly against his neck, his chin resting on her hair. He shifted his hands from a protective grip to a gentler embrace.
They stood still for a moment longer before Agnes pushed his arms away, propelling herself backward. Paddy grabbed her wrist before she came too close to the edge again.
"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.
"I'm fine" Agnes answered dazedly, still a little disoriented. Releasing herself from his grip, she reached into her backpack and finally found what she had been looking for. She pulled her water bottle out of its ice pack and tossed it to Paddy. "Thanks" she said sincerely.
Paddy caught the bottle, and his face lit up gratefully.
"It's cold!" he exclaimed, savoring the two long gulps. Saving the rest for Agnes. "You're welcome" he replied just as sincerely, giving her a friendly smile.
Agnes caught the bottle and returned his smile with a half-smile of her own. Then she turned and began making her way gingerly down the slope, being extra careful not to slip again.
Paddy watched her for a minute, his previous despair mingling with new hope. They had found themselves in an embrace, not one but two times already today, and as if that weren't enough of an accomplishment, she had smiled at him again as well. An actual, honest to goodness, sincere smile. Smiling at the thought, Paddy then proceeded to follow her down, looking forward to the next time fate would land her in his arms.

Agnes swore that would be the last time she'd be in Paddy's arms. Even if it meant tripping over her own two feet or falling off a cliff next time, she would not allow herself anywhere near his embrace. Besides the sense of personal satisfaction she had glimpsed in his face which irked her to no end, the way that she had just felt with his arms around her disturbed her even more. Her skin still tingled from the memory of his touch. What was it about this boy that despite his arrogance and annoying demeanor made him still so undeniably attractive?
Agnes threw a casual glance over her shoulder at Paddy, who was carefully descending the slope which she had just traversed, and a slight blush rose up in her cheeks when he looked up and met her gaze.
"I'm coming, I'm coming" he called, still smiling triumphantly at the progress he had made.
"I wasn't waiting for you" Agnes called back airily, and began walking again. "Just checking to see if you were still back there."
"Thank you. You're so kind!" Paddy called dramatically, and once he safely reached the bottom, he ran to catch up with her. "So are you sure you didn't twist an ankle or anything?"
"I'm walking, aren't I?"
"Yessss… but knowing stubborn little you, you'd probably deny you were hurt and fight to walk it off, making it ten times worse by the end of the day."
Agnes narrowed her eyes and flashed him an amused glare. "My ankles are fine. But as for my shoulder, you practically ripped my arm off."
"Would you rather I had let you fall?"
"I would have caught myself in time or broken the fall somehow."
"Sure you would have." A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Agnes refused to pursue the matter any further. She remained silent and rubbed her shoulder which was quickly becoming quite sore.
"I can massage it for you" Paddy offered in jest, reaching out to her.
Agnes dodged his hands, scoffing at his offer.
"I'd rather live with the pain."
"You're still mad at me, aren't you? For before on the plane?"
"Maybe."
"I guess I was a little out of line."
"A little? You practically gave all those old ladies heart attacks!" Agnes tried her hardest to remain angry at him, but looking back on it now, it seemed almost comedic in a way.
Paddy chuckled at the reminder and could tell by the sound of Agnes's voice that she had actually lightened up about it.
"You know I like busting your chops. It turned out you did a pretty good job of busting mine, too" he added shyly, still a little embarrassed.
"Ah, you're admitting it."
"Maybe… Maybe not. You still need a lot of practice, though."
"And you need a more productive hobby."
"I've got lots of hobbies" Paddy protested, playing along with her.
"I'm sure you do. Combing your hair, hitting on every girl you see…"
"And don't forget rescuing damsels in distress" he added, smiling that irresistible smile of his.
Agnes was momentarily taken aback by his response. She had been trying to push him away again, keeping him at a safe distance in order to prevent any further dangerous emotions like what she had felt while in his arms. Yet it wasn't working.

The question was: Will Agnes stop defending and yield to Paddy's charm?
Answers: 85% votes for 'Yes' and 15% for 'No'

{ PART 6 }