She grinned as the rain hit her face, thrilled that she had outrun Billy thus far. She paused and turned, watching him slowly run behind her. Mattie stood, watching. He was different than any boy she'd spent time with before, and he amused her. She wondered why he'd come out in the storm -- was it just to try and defend her?
With a whooping scream, Mattie started running straight at him.
"CATCH ME!" she yelled, throwing herself into his arms. She never wondered if he wouldn't catch her. She just knew that he would.