At 6 p.m. on a Sunday evening in December, Asterix, my golden retriever, decided to run off in the 100-acre Oak Creek park.

It had started to drizzle when I finally managed to find him. He was sitting on the small wooden pier in the central pond that was occupied by ducks in the summer, apparently deep in conversation with a teenage boy. The only feature I distinguished from where I was was a small tattoo of flying birds on his right abdomen.

"I really need somebody to talk to, you know? I mean, you probably wouldn't know, you have a perfect family who lives in the northeastern corner of the park. I live in the south side, and you'd be right to assume my life is a mess. My dad is a total drunk, even though my mom died in a drunk driving accident. My brother died from...smoking issues. Truth is, I've  never actually drank or smoked anything. Some days, I just wish somebody cared enough about me to actually want to get to know me, not like the girls who just think I'm hot and worth 'fixing,' only for me to disappoint them. Look at me, I'm talking to a dog. You're definitely more understanding than any human I've ever met." He rubbed Asterix's head, to receive a doggy kiss in return. "Seriously, where is Audrie, though? She doesn't seem like the type to just let you run around."

He spotted me near the trees. "Hey Audrie," he said. Closer up, I could tell that it was Hadrien Syms, everybody's favorite bad boy.

"Umm...hey," I greeted. "How do you know my name?"

"I just know about your not-very-secret crush on me. A bit cliché, is it not?" He stood up and handed the leash over.

"If you wanted a bigger cliché, I would be the reason you stopped smoking and drinking, and we'd be meeting at the movies, completely overdressed, and then you would give me your jacket because for some dumb reason, I was wearing a sleeveless dress," I joked. "How are you not cold?"

"I deal," he shrugged, despite his obvious shivering, but I took off my black windbreaker and handed it to him. "You sure?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought it was supposed to be the other way around."

I smiled. "It's cool. Just give it back at school or something. Nice tattoo, by the way."

"You're into that stuff?"

"Not really," I admitted. "But I think it looks good on you."

"Thanks. A lot of people think it's lame, but this duck pond was my mom's favorite place. And I like the symbolism of ducks in general."

Hesitantly, I said, "I know we've only been speaking to each other for about ten minutes, but, Hadrien, I think you're somebody special. Know that you don't ever have to live up to those images."

He didn't say anything, but he surprised me again that night when he hugged me.