“Love! That’s no reason to follow blindly. What if he gets bored with you and pushes you off a precipice or something?”

“He won’t.” Jess replied in earnest. Jason had already defended her once, and she knew he would forever.

On their first encounter, he saved her from a bully. He then went on his way, but she couldn’t. She stood there every day after that, and he smiled at her as he crossed. The simple friendship soon turned serious, and he took her to meet his parents. They refused. They didn’t want their son to bring home dog ticks.