Sorry for taking so long with this chapter. In last chapter's author's note, I mentioned a break from writing. Well that was my break...a five month break. Wow, now I feel like a jerk to those who actually read this.

Thanks to A Healing Heart for reviewing.

Chapter Seven: I Kept My Promise

After Mina and Mary walked into the house, Mina watched through the window as they walked off. "Can you help me with my homework?" Mary asked. Mina broke her gaze off the window and turned to Mary.

She smiled and said, "Alright. What do you need help with?"

Mark was still lost in thought as he walked back home. Do I love her? I've only known her for about a month, but I feel the same way about her as I did with Kristen. He continued to think as he neared his house. Even if I do love her, I doubt she loves me. I don't want to have to go through that again. It's best if we just stay friends for now. Mark broke his thoughts as he opened the door and saw Mina helping his sister with her homework.

Mina looked up after hearing the door open and smiled. She turned back to Mary and said, "You get now?"

Mary nodded and said, "Thanks, Mina!" Mina smiled, got up, and walked towards Mark. The two of them walked into the kitchen, where they could talk.

"So what'd they want to talk about?" Mina asked.

Mark shrugged. He couldn't tell her. "Nothing much, really. That's why I got back so fast."

Mina didn't believe him but changed the topic. "Do you mind if I stay here tonight?" she asked. Mark raised an eyebrow. "My parents are out of town, and I don't feel like going back to an empty house."

Mark didn't have to think before answering. He just said, "Sure. It'd be nice to have someone I can talk to around here."

Mina nodded and said, "I'm going to go home to get some of my things. I'll be back in a bit."

"I can drive your to your house," Mark offered.

"I'll be fine. Stay here and look after Mary." She walked out of the kitchen, opened the door, and walked out. Mark sighed and went over to the refrigerator. Might as well start cooking dinner, he thought.

Mina returned about half an hour later to the aroma of several foods. She saw Mark poke his head out of the kitchen and immediately realized he was cooking dinner. She put her bag in the living room and walked into the kitchen. There were plates of ham, fried eggs, and garlic bread and a bowl of salad with ranch and French dressing beside it. At the end of the table, Mary picked up her plate, brought it over to the sink, and cleaned it. She put it in the plate rack to dry and went upstairs.

Mark walked over and placed a bowl of rice on the table. "I didn't know you cooked," Mina said.

He shrugged. "My mom's not home much so I have to cook dinner for Mary and I." Two two sat down and began to eat. They finished half an hour later mainly because they talked more than they ate.

Mina offered to help clean the dishes and bowls, but Mark shook his head and said, "I can do it myself. Take your things up to my room. It's first on the left." She went to the living room to get her bag and walked up the stairs. At the top of the stairs was a hallway with four doors: two on the left, one straight ahead, and one to the right.

She opened the door to Marks room and walked in. There wasn't much to his room. Beside the wall to her right, there was an L-shaped desk and a short bookshelf with very few books. At the far wall to her was his bed. There was a single picture, sitting a wooden picture frame hanging on the wall above his desk. It was the exact same picture of Mark and Kristen that was in the living room. Mina dropped her bag in the middle of the room, and few moments later Mark came in.

"It's not much," he admitted. He went over to the closet and after a few minutes placed a mattress in the middle of the room in between the bed and the desk. He went over to the closet again and took out a can of Lysol and a bed sheet. He sprayed the mattress with the Lysol and placed the bed sheet over it which too was sprayed.

"You can sleep on my bed if you want. It doesn't matter to me," Mark said.

Mina dropped her bag on the mattress and said, "Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine on the floor. Thanks for letting me stay here." He nodded but did not say anything. He had a lot on his mind.

"I'm going to go for a walk," he said.

"You okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'll be back in a bit." He walked out of his room and downstairs. Mina went after him, but by the time she got to the bottom of the stairs, the front dor was already closing. If she was going to follow him, she had not time to waste.

"Mary, your brother and I are going out for awhile. We'll be back in a bit!" she called out from the bottom of the stairs. There was not response so Mina ran out the door after Mark.

She saw him at the end of the sidewalk, turning left. What a surprise. He's going to the lake. She started to run after him.

Mina had run nonstop to the lake because Mark was walking so fast. The lake was reflecting the orange glow of the setting sun. She quietly walked up to him, but did not get very far.

"I knew you'd follow me, Mina," he said quietly and turned around. She smiled sheepishly. "I supposed you want to know why I went for a walk all of a sudden." It was more of a statement rather than a question.

Mina nodded. Mark sighed and started to talk. "The others, Will, Trey, Richard, and Marissa, knew all a long that I love Kristen. They started to notice that I was acting the same way around you as I did with her." She nodded for him to continue. "They wanted to know if I love you," he said quietly.

Mina walked up to Mark and looked up into his eyes. "Do you?" she asked.

"I don't know,"

"Well, I love you," she whispered. She pulled him closer to her and pressed her lips against his. It shocked Mark at first, but he quickly return it. When they broke apart, Mark knew.

"Turn around and close your eyes," he whispered. She didn't ask why and did so. Something cold pressed against her neck, and when she opened her eyes and turned around she saw the Yin an Yand necklace around her neck.

"What?" she whispered. "But this is all you have left of her."

"Her memory still lives within me, and besides, I have you now," he said and held her in his arms. "I love you," he whispered.

With the glowing orange sun setting behind them, the two of them stood there in each others' arms.

I kept my promise.

Well that's the last chapter of Yin and Yang. I don't know whether I'm going to start a new story, or if I going to start a revision of my older stories, so just check back every once in awhile to see what's new.