A/N: Here's the next chapter my loves! sorry it took so long, I have had sooo much work to get done. There will be a very brief mention of sex in her F.Y.I. Enjoy! ;)

She dragged her feet through the lobby, chocolate brown eyes scanning the small group in the rain. There were about twelve people, besides her mother, crowding around the taxi. The majority of the farewell party was here mother's side of the family like her uncle Charlie and her three cousins Jake, Logan, and Ryan. Jake was a senior and Varsity football player and ROTC member who felt that, since he was a year older than Dre, he was superior to her and his brothers. He was 6'3 with dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, tan skin, and muscles obviously. Logan was the smart one and a complete 360 from his older brother. He had his mom's dark black hair and steel grey eyes. He was only four inches taller than Dre, measuring in at 5'5. He looked very much like Dre with his dark hair, olive skin, full lips, and a round face. He was part of the debate team, drum line and rifle team. Dre and her two cousins all had a passion for ROTC

Ryan, on the other hand, was an average 15-year-old. He wore skinny jeans and T-shirts with his favorite Metal bands. He was a skater and got decent enough grades. He didn't really excel at anything, preferring to live "below the radar" and didn't trust the government. He smoked weed and cigarettes and drank all the time but never at home. No one other than his friends and Dre knew about it. She'd often asked him, Hell she'd pleaded with him to stop. And she was going to make a final plea with him. She was picked up by Jake and spun around twice, like always. "Gonna miss you munchkin." He said hoarsely in her ear, obviously he'd been woken up much earlier than he was accustomed to. Logan was pretty strong and wrapped his arms around her, smelling like the old spice she gave him on his birthday. He kissed her temple and released her. She saw Ryan trying to hide behind his shoulder length brown hair. She grabbed his jacket and pulled him into a large hug, "I love you, Ry."

He sniffed, "Love you too, Dre."

She whispered in his ear, "You promise me Ryan. Promise me you'll try to stop. If anything ever happened to you I would…" She trailed off. The whisper was urgent and sincere. Her voice was cracking with concern and it scared him to hear it. He looked her in the eyes, "I promise." Dre smiled a sweet smile and kissed him on the forehead.

Just before she decided to get in the car, however, he appeared. Her best friend Leo stood in dark wash jeans, a green cotton V-neck, and a leather jacket. They'd become rather unlikely friends during her freshman year, being only a year older. She ran to him and gave him a big hug. He wasn't her boyfriend but he'd done for her what every good boyfriend should do. "God I'm gonna miss you, Sweetheart." He said low enough for only her to hear. She resisted the urge to cry. She was going to miss this: His strong arms around her, him calling her Sweetheart which used to annoy her, smelling his cologne, wearing his clothes. Everything they did she was going to miss and the reality of the situation was like a knife through her heart. No more Leo to be there for her.

"How about one last ride, Sweetheart?" the Hispanic boy asked, his curly brown hair being plastered to his face. She looked to her mom. She seemed to understand and nodded gently. Dre smiled and so did Leo. He went to his bike and handed Dre her helmet and, after placing her helmet properly on her head, she got situated on the back seat of the bike, her small hands snaking around Leo's waist. He started the bike for her for what felt like the last time and she looked over her shoulder. She looked inside the taxi and saw her mom looking at her. Her mom was admiring how fast her baby girl has grown up. She sat on the back of the bike, brown waves flowing down her back.

She had suspected that they liked each other but saw something different from love in their eyes. Something she couldn't place. She smiled at them as they pulled off, the wind and rain didn't look like it would bother them. In fact, Dre thought, it gave her time to think. However, it was about something she'd rather forget. Her sophomore year, she and Leo had been at a party. Everyone who was anyone was invited and, being a cheerleader, Dre was expected to go. One of those unspoken requirements. So she went to her best friend, Rachel's, house.

Rachel's home smelled strongly of cigarettes and apples, she noticed. Rachel's mom quite frankly didn't care what they did so long as they didn't get caught doing it. Rachel brought out two different outfits. For Dre, it was a lace splicing off shoulder little black dress with silver heels and a long, thin necklace. Rachel wore a red cocktail dress with a tulip skirt and sweetheart neckline. The shoes were black with some bling on the toes and she had a thick black bracelet. They hitched a ride with Rachel's boyfriend and were at the house in less than five minutes.

It was a rather large house, the typical house you would see being used in all sorts of movies that had a house party. Dre quickly noticed all the beer that they had in the house. Tons of red solo cups that had spiked sodas and fruit punch decorated the tables and stairs and it wasn't long before someone gave Dre a spiked soda. She couldn't remember who but she did remember a drunken Leo wobbling over to her. The more she drank the more she could feel her inhibitions slip away. And before long, she and Leo had slipped away to an upstairs closet. She remembers being on her knees, his erection sliding down her throat, him guiding her head to meet his thrusts. Leo spilling inside of her mouth as she gripped tightly onto his thighs.

She pushed the memory out of her mind. Leo never talks about it except to apologize to her. He went to her apartment the next night and begged for her forgiveness while her mom was out and the kids were sleeping. "I'm not mad at you," she'd said "I'm mad at myself for not being smarter. I'm mad at whoever spiked my fucking drinks. I'm mad at everyone except you, Leo." She'd placed her hand on his cheek and he kissed her palm. He didn't leave her side until she was asleep and the next morning, she woke up in her room, smiling gently.

Now, a year later, she was going to say goodbye for a very long time. She held on to him even tighter as they got to the airport. She dismounted the bike and so did he with the taxi pulling up right behind them. The kids groggily got out of the taxi along with their mother. "Guess this is it Sweetheart." He whispered in her ear as he hugged her. "Oh, I have something for you!" he chimed. He pulled a bag from the pouch on his bike and handed it to her. Inside the little plastic bag was some of Leo's clothes that she loves. Her grin turned into a genuine smile. "Love you Lee-Lee." She mumbled.

"Love you too Andrea." He kissed the top of her head and she snuggled against him one last time. "Baby," her mom said, "It's time to go." She reluctantly let go of him and Olivia took her small porcelain hand and slipped it into Dre's. With one last smile she walked into the airport and boarded the plane but not before exchanging her sweatshirt for one of Leo's favorite brown leather jackets. She smiled, knowing she really must mean a lot to him.