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"Moonflowers," I said, re plants class in Horticulture

Dante sly, were unlocked With delicate footsteps, I stepped inside

The chapel was lit by dozens of candles all arranged in a line between the two aisles of pews I picked one up and cradled it inback at Dante with a surprised sed me forward, and I followed the candlelit path into the belly of the chapel

It was dark and shadoith the faint sht reflected off the stained-glass s, covering the floor in a dark s were vaulted and covered in peeling frescoes of clouds and angels and beautiful wo hair

The candles led to the back of the chapel, behind the altar, and up into a narrow spiral staircase The wind rattled the s, and I looked back at Dante, as just steps behind razed the ends ofour shadows dance across the stone

We e of candles wrapped around a giant bell in theon my cheeks In front of me was the entire campus, now small, and behind it the forest and the rocky peaks of the White Mountains disappearing into the clouds

"It’s beautiful," I uttered, though it hardly described what I felt

"You like it?"

I turned to face him "I love it"

Dante studied ers down my arm "Renée, I--"

I looked up at hi my hands into the sleeves of my coat

Dante’s eyes searched mine "I can’t lose you"

My voice trembled as I stepped closer to him "Why would you lose me?" I said with a faint smile

He raised round, surrounded by candles, and listened to the wind

"If you could have anything you wanted, ould it be?" Dante asked as I rested ainst his chest

"To have ive that to you, I would," Dante said, kissing the inside ofit feel like dozens of white floere bloo across it

I turned to him "Then a kiss A real kiss"

Dante ran a melancholy hand down my cheek "I can’t"

"Why?" I asked, my face inches from his as I drew him closer He leaned in, unable to help hiThe air fluttered in o soft in his ar the at my neck as if it were clay And then suddenly he pulled away "I can’t--" he said "I can’t trust myself around you I can’t help myself"

"I trust you," I said softly

"Renée, what if I hurt you? I would never forgive myself"