A sixteen-year-old, junior in high school. You'd think she'd be done with playgrounds, by this point in her life. But no, immaturity, especially of this sort, was a talent of hers. She'd still go trick-or-treating on Halloween, even. Though the girl was short enough, at only 5'0, that when in costume many adults didn't realize how old she actually was. A definite advantage, because free candy was always good. Except when giving by suspicious-looking strangers on non-Halloween days. You know, the ones who look like exactly the type to lure a little girl away from her parents and then kidnap her. Well, she was no longer a little girl, but she still had that slight fear.

Which made it slightly odd for her to be hanging out around a playground at night -- which is exactly what she was doing -- but there was no better time to be there. During the day, she'd get odd looks from both parents and children.. obviously thinking she was some sort of kidnapper. Or drug-dealer. Crazy assumptions. She wouldn't even give out candy, actual candy, to other kids.. because she'd want to keep it for herself? So if she did happen to be into drugs, why would she want to share them with anyone else? And what the hell would a sixteen-year-old do with a kid she'd taken? Seriously. Parents could be very irrational.

But anyway. Immature or not, Rowan was in the playground at midnight. And despite the dark, she stood out quite well. Her silver pants, like skinny jeans made from some sort of shiny material, reflected any available light. And her shirt.. long-sleeved, skintight, and white.. didn't do much for blending into the shadows, either. And so even with the faint lighting from a few street lights, anyone passing by would be able to see her clearly. And anyone who knew her, would most likely be able to recognize her even without a good look at her face... by the outfit and where she happened to be... or, when she happened to be there. How many other people really hung out at a playground at this time of night?

And from the looks of it, none. Because as far as Rowan could see, the place was deserted except for her. And that was a disappointment.. while she could handle being alone, usually she'd just rather not. Anyone was better than no one, right? Well. Maybe not anyone. She wouldn't be too thrilled to run into one of the actual kidnapper/drug dealers that parents always assumed her to be. Okay, a drug dealer wouldn't be so bad, as long as it wasn't a violent drug dealer. But a kidnapper-type would probably have her hiding in fear, whether or not she was actually the type someone would bother to kidnap. She'd read too many messed up books involving that kind of thing.

Hearing a 'boo' whispered into her ear, Rowan almost jumped up and ran. But arms were wrapped tightly around her, preventing that kind of thing. And maybe it was a good thing, because as soon as she had a second to think the situation through, instead of just react automatically, she figured there was no reason to be running. Though she'd just been considering all of the awful people she could run into at a park at this time of night, she knew one thing: none of them would be whispering boo in her ear.. Which left a few possibilities: either this was some stranger who enjoyed scaring people he (because she could tell it was the voice of a guy) didn't know, or this was one of her friends. And the second of those two choices seemed much more likely.. Especially considering that the voice sounded very familiar. And him licking her face confirmed her suspicions: It was Seth, not someone creepy. Even if some people might consider him creepy (but those same people would consider Rowan to be equally creepy, so..)

Turning around in his arms, to face him, Rowan smiled. "You scared me half to death," she accused, though she didn't look angry.. just a little shaken up from it. "I was just thinking about all the awful people I could be running into, and then you sneak up on me.." Rowan laughed, looking up at him. "But since you're here, I guess I don't have to worry about all the scary-type people?" Hmm, she still had this childlike idea that he was invincible.. maybe, because she'd known him since she was a child. He was older, and it always seemed like he was stronger and braver.. She used to think he was the most amazing person in the world. But then he'd left, and she hadn't seen him for a while, and she realized that maybe he wasn't perfect. But that still didn't get rid of all her childlike ideas. In her mind, he could beat up all the bad guys. Invincible.

And so she always felt safe with him, like he'd protect her if anything bad happened. She couldn't explain it, it was just how things were. Kind of a silly thought, considering he wasn't all protective of her like an older brother or parent might be.. Meaning, he was always willing to get into trouble with her, rather than make sure she was 'good'. But he was her friend and he probably wouldn't be if he wasn't willing to do anything that she considered to be fun. And fun often included breaking rules, it was as simple as that. "What're you doing here?" she asked after a second, curious. Not everyone came to the playground at this time of night, after all.

Rowan couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Seth being an awful person here to rape her. Right. Although, maybe other girls could possibly worry about that.. he did, after all, have an obvious punk look to him, something that caused quite a few people to immediately assume things. Like him being dangerous. But she knew him too well for that. If anything, he'd always protected her. Never tried to hurt her. The worst thing he'd ever done, the only thing really that hurt her, was leaving like he did, disappearing from her life completely for a few years. But she'd forgiven him for that quickly, not wanting to miss out on having him now because of something from years ago.. what good would that do her?

Maybe the girl was too forgiving, though. Too trusting. Honestly, she had the silly little belief that everyone was really a good person. Maybe because she couldn't imagine ever wanting to really hurt someone on purpose, she assumed everyone else was the same way. And so she maybe someone would hurt her, and she'd forgive them just because she'd assume they hadn't meant to and they had a good reason.. And, maybe, this was was why she needed friends like Seth. You know, people who were less naive and a little more informed about reality. Like the fact that some people do want to hurt you, it was as simple as that.

"Oh yes, I'm sooo scared that you'll rape me.." she said, with another laugh. Besides the fact that he wasn't a rapist-type, she always assumed he saw her like a little sister. And if he wasn't a rapist type, then he most definitely wasn't an incest-type. The fact that Seth usually maintained some sort of physical contact when around her meant nothing.. he was like that with everyone. And she was, too, actually Something about being able to feel the person there, like a reminder that they really were right there with her. She couldn't explain it. But she was often hugging her friends, or occasionally sitting on them or holding onto their hand or.. something.

She watched as he slid down the slide and stuck his tongue out at her, and she stuck her tongue out right back. "Race you to the top!" she yelled over to him, referring to the very highest slide, decorated to look like it came down from some sort of tower, attached to the big play-structure. Of course, she had a huge advantage here.. considering he was over by the other slide, while she was at the base of the structure.. all she'd have to do was get to the top. He would have to get to where she was before getting to the top. So she gave him a few seconds to get started, then hurried up in the direction of the tower-like thing.

"Only forty-eight?" Rowan asked, a teasing tone to her voice. "You'd never rape me. I'm too cute," she declared, with a grin. As if being too cute would prevent someone from wanting her. Well, maybe. If she was cute in that little-kid way. Which, some might say she was.. oh well. Cute like a little kid was a whole lot better than not cute at all, wasn't it? Even if you did happen to be interested in a guy who was a few years older and much more experienced in general than you. Because, she kind of figured that a guy like Seth didn't go for 'cute'. But then again.. how was she to know?

Err.. There was actually quite a lot she didn't know, about him and that sort of stuff. She assumed he was experienced because he was older, and quite good looking, and in a band.. A guy like that would have plenty of girls interested, wouldn't he? Even for just those shallow reasons. And then any girl who actually knew him, would have even more reasons to be interested.. meaning, there were sure to be plenty of people willing to have sex with him. And so there was no doubt that he'd done it. And she was just assuming (more assumptions here, of course) that his type was.. well, not like Rowan. But kind of sexy and older and.. She wasn't sure exactly.

But not her. She couldn't picture him being interested in her. For one thing, though Rowan had kissed guys.. she'd hardly gone beyond that. She was only sixteen, and a bit inexperienced with that sort of stuff, for her age. Also, a bit naive you could say. She didn't want to just have sex with the first guy willing. Even if plenty of other people were the type to do that, it just wasn't her. She kind of wanted to be in love, though she knew maybe that was a bit silly.. How many people seriously waited for love anymore? How many people even believed in love anymore? But this was Rowan, here, and she'd never had the most accurate view of reality, preferring her own more idealistic one.

"Ow," she said, laughing a bit, as they landed with a bit of noise. "Meanie." But it was obvious that she wasn't upset whatsoever, because liked his arms around her. And instead of pulling away to stand up, she snuggled a bit closer to his warm body, holding on so that he couldn't let go of her just yet. "Now you're stuck with me," she informed him. "It's your punishment for being a great big bully." And yes, she was calling him a bully, for making her slide down the slide with him, something she hadn't even minded. She could have a bit of an immature sense of humor that way.

Rowan stuck her tongue out at him, too. Kind of like revenge? Despite has warning from the last time she'd done that, that he might just bite it off. "But you didn't rape the hedgehog.. did you?" Her immature fire-year-old look was replaced by a slightly disturbed expression, as she thought that over. Raping a hedgehog..? "Or are you wanted for hedgehog rape in forty nine states? OOH! I bet you are. I bet that's what you spent all those years doing, not touring with the band at all.."

Although, thinking about that, she realized she really didn't know much about what he'd been up to while he was gone. For all she knew, he really was off traveling to 49 of the 50 states to rape hedgehogs.. Okay, she seriously doubted that possibility. But still. Anything could have happened, for all she knew. Maybe he'd joined the circus and traveled with them, falling in love with a a tight-rope walker and.. Rowan actually laughed at this thought. Her ideas were getting a bit ridiculous.

In reality, he was likely to have gone off with his band, did the whole rock star thing for a while.. drinking, drugs, sex, whatever. And then.. something, to make him come back. Because she kind of doubted that he just decided one day, that he was sick of that life and would rather go back to school. So there had to be a reason.. but Rowan wasn't about to ask him, now or ever. He'd tell her, wouldn't he? If he felt like she should know. And if he didn't tell her, there'd have to be a reason.. Honestly, she expected to never really know everything that happened while he hadn't been around. Just like he'd probably never know everything that happened with her, however generally uneventful it had been.

"I can't look at it.. it's on my head.." she complained, slightly whining, but smiling. "Besides. I bet Rowan's still cute even with bed head.. But is Seth?" With that said, she reached up to ruffle his hair a bit, making sure she got it plenty messed up. "Torture, isn't it? Being stuck with me.." She grinned, but that was interrupted by giggles as he tickled her side. Rowan was very ticklish. "Meanie," she accused, though the word was mostly lost among all her giggles.

Rowan could feel her heart actually speed up as his lips brushed against hers.. "Seth," she said, with a bit of a grin, "If that's you're way of convincing me not to stick my tongue out at you.. It's not very convincing." And with that said, she stuck her tongue out at him again. Did he have any idea that she liked him, she wondered? Because she did, of course she did.. But she couldn't possibly be his type, could she? Rowan had tried to figure it out a million times, if there was a chance he might. But she usually ended up convincing herself that he thought of her like a little sister or something.. Not someone he'd be interested in. And sometimes, she wondered why he was even friends with her. Just because they lived on the same street when they were kids?

"HA! Now I can blackmail you," she said, laughing. "What do I get if I don't tell the hedgehogs?" Of course, Rowan probably had plenty of little things to blackmail him with, things that had happened when they were younger that, maybe, he wouldn't want other people to know now. Or maybe not. Maybe he didn't care.. But she knew he'd know a few things that she wouldn't exactly want to share with the world. Like the fact that for a whole year, her favorite music was those pop-singing girl groups like 'Play'.. you know, the ones where no one can really sing but the 14-year-old girls just look so unbelievably cool that all the little 11-year-olds can't help but love it? Yeah, Rowan had been one of those obsessed 11-year-olds. And Seth had probably been forced to endure listening to that kind of stuff for at least a few hours a week the entire time she liked that kind of music.

That was the weird thing about childhood friends, people you'd known forever. But the good thing, too. See, they knew all those embarrassing little things that you'd want to forget about, that you'd never tell someone now. And they still liked you. How many of her friends from just high school could she tell about that kind of stuff, without them maybe thinking less of her? Even if they had equally embarrassing aspects from before they were teenagers. When you meet someone at this age, don't you like to leave the impression that you were always this cool?

"Am not an underachiever." But she looked up at his head, and grinned. "Darn. Still cute." Cuter, actually, with his hair all messed up... but maybe she wouldn't tell him that, or where was the fun in messing up his hair? "I'll.. beat you up.." she threatened, between laughs while being tickled. "If you don't stop.. tickling me." As if she could actually beat him up.. although, she was pretty good at fighting if she fought unfairly. You know, biting, scratching, pulling hair.. ha.