FE Frog: Yup, last CHAPTER... :( But there's still an epilogue... AND A SEQUEL! Surprisingly, I actually have a plot planned out for the sequel O.o Imagine that!

ANyways, thanks to the following reviewers for sticking around!

Trueblade Hinata
xLinkk
HotDiggetyDog
(What would you prefer me calling you...? Or leave it as that?)
spygirly

ENJOY!


Nephenee woke up to sunshine pouring into her room from her window. I don't want to go to class today... She groaned, putting her pillow over her face. I'm definitely not going to class today... Maybe I'll get Marcia to drop off my essay or something... She rolled over to look at the phone on her table, right when it started ringing. With a groan, she reached out and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Neph? Is that you? You sound, like, dead."

Nephenee's eyes lit up at Adriana's voice. "Age! Why are you calling so early in the morning?"

"What are you talking about? It's like... 10 already."

Nephenee looked over at her clock. It read 8. Right... Time difference. "Never mind. What's up?"

Adrianna laughed, "Well, I was just wondering why you were on the NEWS! What's up with you and the noble? Has being around the rich and famous gotten to your head?"

Neph fell back on her bed, "Oh. That... Uh, well... I actually don't know. It really isn't at ALL what those reporters make it sound like..." She bolted back up again, "Wait... How did you know it was me? They never said it was me!"

"Oh yes they did. They even have a picture of you two at some cafe!"

"Oh shit..."

"Neph, are you okay?"

Nephenee hung up, not even thinking of feeling bad for her sister who was just cut off. She ran into the living room and turned on the TV. Just her luck they were replaying the morning's celebrity news. There was a picture of her, and it did look like they were on an actual date... No, no, no!

And then there was a knock on the door. Nephenee cautiously went over to the door and opened it a crack.

"Nephenee O'Malley? How did you and Geoffrey Delbray meet?"

"What was it like being with Geoffrey?"

"Were you trying to make Elincia mad?"

So many questions, so many reporters, so many CAMERAS. Nephenee immediately slammed the door and locked it. They pounded on the door while Nephenee sprinted to her bedroom and hid under the covers. Why me? Why ME?

The pounding had long stopped. Although it took a while, and Nephenee waited another hour after that to get out of bed. She didn't want to stay in bed. She went to make herself some lunch, then get started on a giant project she had for one of her classes that was due the next month. Why not get it over with? And at least then I'm doing something productive along with staying away from them...

Eventually, Marcia and Calill also had to battle their ways through the crowds to get into the apartment.

"What the devil have you done now?" Calill screeched as she dropped her shopping bags (didn't she go shopping yesterday?)

Marcia huffed, on the couch watching TV. "Someone has been tipping them off on something that isn't even true."

Nephenee took a sip of tea and changed the channel to a random cartoon.

Calill crossed her arms, "Well... What does Geoffrey have to say about it all?"

Nephenee looked away from the TV and shrugged. "Haven't heard from him."

"I didn't see him when I went to drop off your essay either."

"He's probably embarrassed by the whole thing..." Nephenee said, changing the channel again, "He's in a scandal with a commoner, why wouldn't he be?"

Marcia rolled her eyes, "Oh for the Goddess' sake... Stop being such a pessimist! I can tell you one thing: He really likes you."

"As much as I hate to admit it..." Calill sighed rather melodramatically, "I agree. He does."

Nephenee pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin there. She looked out the window-wall and swallowed, "I hope so..."

Almost a week had gone by. Nephenee took only one more day away before heading back into classes... Only to find everyone staring at her almost the whole time. She saw Geoffrey in one of the groups, but left before she made a fool out of herself in front of him. She'd already put him through too much.

The reporters also didn't quite lay off completely, but after she continued to ignore them, they gave up even trying.

On several occasions, Marcia and Calill managed to ward them off. Marcia used force, where as Calill... Calill enjoyed the attention and thus scared them off in her own, special way.

Nephenee was headed to class, sighing in relief that no reporters bombarded her. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, and her hat down more over her ears. The beginning of November was so cold... And remembering that mid-terms were coming up didn't help.

Nephenee walked into class, brushing off her feet by the door before going to sit down. People were staring and whispering. Nephenee subtly scanned the room, finding about 50-80 different pairs of eyes on her... And from what she could faintly hear, they weren't saying the nicest things either... And then the door opened and the more people were talking. Nephenee knew who it would be, but she looked back anyways, eyes widening when she found him staring right at her. She turned around and shrunk back in her seat. Just try to get through class. Try.

Nephenee had never felt so relieved in her life when class ended. She almost ran from class, not looking back.

She scurried through the entrance of her building, not knowing who was walking in the opposite direction until she nearly smashed into them.

"Nephenee?"

Nephenee looked up from the books she was picking up off the ground, eyes widening.

Lucia raised an eyebrow, but a smile was still plastered to her face. "You're in quite the hurry, aren't you?"

Nephenee got stood up, tucking her hair behind her ear... And then letting it loose again when she realized that would show more of her red face. "Erm... Yes... No... Sort of."

Lucia chuckled, "You're hilarious." She bent over and picked up a piece of paper, "You forgot this."

Nephenee snatched it away, face reddening even more at how rude that had been, "Thanks... I should probably be going..." She looked down as she maneuvered around the noble woman.

"Nepehenee?"

She stopped and looked back.

Lucia almost looked apologetic, "I'm sorry for all the trouble the reporters have been causing you. I don't know where they got any of the information that they did, but... Don't worry about it." She smiled sweetly again and rubbed Nephenee's shoulder. "Everything will be fine." A devious glint appeared in her eyes, "Just ask Geoffrey if you need any help. He's good with this kind of stuff."

Nephenee tried a smile before spinning around, "I'll be off then."

"I'll see you around."

Sure.

"How long do you think it will be until this all dies down?" Nephenee asked, rocking back and forth on the sofa in her pajamas.

Calill shrugged, "Who knows? It's already starting to, so I'm sure it will be done by around Christmas."

Nephenee groaned, "That's in over a month!"

Marcia looked up from her book, "Neph, welcome to the world of the rich. It's how it all works."

Nephenee pouted, "Well, I don't like it." She looked down at her feet, "I don't like it at all."

Nephenee managed to coax herself into going to class the next day, whether Geoffrey was there or not. When it ended, she jumped up from her seat to leave. Out the door, through the snow... Stop. Nephenee looked back when the hand grabbed her arm.

Geoffrey let go, face grave, "I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble."

Nephenee's mouth was hanging open, just as it did any other time she saw him. It was so hard to want to ignore him when he was so perfect.

"If you hate me, that's fine. Hit me too, if it makes you feel better. It probably would make me feel a lot better."

She continued to gape. Finally, she blinked and recovered. The absurdness of what he was saying sank in as well. She raised an eyebrow at how he stood there, eyes closed and braced for either a punch to the gut or a slap to the face. "Why would I do that?"

Geoffrey opened one eye, followed by the other when he realised she wasn't going to do anything. "Do you... hate me?"

"No."

He relaxed, "Oh, well that's a relief." He looked down awkwardly, "I'm still sorry for everything, though."

Nephenee bit her lip, "It's okay... I know it wasn't your fault..."

Geoffrey sighed, "But it was. I can't believe I'm actually telling you this, but it's true. I do like you, alright? I don't know why. It's not usually a feeling you can describe. You showed me what I was missing out on. I thought Elincia was the best I could get, but you showed me I was wrong. I know you could probably never feel the same way..." He shook his head, "I sound like such an idiot now..."

"No." Nephenee felt her eyes water. He did like her! They were right! They were all right! Even on the brink of crying, Nephenee couldn't help but laugh.

"So now my idiocy is funny?" Geoffrey stared at her, either appalled or... simply shocked.

"Not at all!" She wiped her eyes, the tears releasing themselves while she laughed, "If anything, I'm the idiot!"

Geoffrey seemed completely and utterly confused.

Nephenee managed to calm herself slightly, "Geoffrey... I've had this ridiculous childish crush on you since you sat beside me on the plane. I can't believe I'm telling you this, but... I was convinced I was even in love with you."

Geoffrey blinked, speechless. And then he stepped forward and put a hand on her cheek, gently wiping away one of the joyous tears. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that." He leaned down.

Nephenee could have sworn her heart just stopped when she felt his lips against hers. Slowly, she closed her eyes, melting into him.

Geoffrey suddenly pulled away when something cold had landed on his nose. He looked around and smiled. I was snowing. How appropriate. Then he looked back at Nephenee, who smiled back. He turned his smile to a devious grin, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Nephenee cocked her head to the side in question, but was soon answered when a snowball was coming her way. She ducked just in time, making a snowball as she did so, "You're on!"

November 21st

Dear Diary,

So maybe Sienne wasn't so bad after all (sorry for not writing in so long. Been so busy...) It's only been a week, but Geoffrey's actually really good about the press and what not. Yeah, they're back... But I've got my own peronal body guard now! Of course, he doubles as my boy friend... Does that count?

Ah yes, and Christmas break is coming up soon. They've even started playing Christmas songs on the radio... That bothers me. Christmas means snow, which means cold... Which usually means shovelling. But I'm not at home anymore! I don't do my own shovelling (who in Sienne does? That would be a laugh, seeing the Apostle out shovelling the staircase to Mainal.)

Ah yes... And mid terms were a pain, ut at least I had m studdy-buddy back. I'm pretty confident I did well.

Oh... Sorry I need to cut this one short, someone's at the door (Geoffrey perhaps? Or maybe that Shinon guy Marcia's STILL obsessed with.)

-Nephenee O'Malley


FE Frog: Aw :( I'm sad now... It's more or less over... Oh well. I'm going to miss Marcia and Calill for a while too (unless I manage to fit them into the beginning of the sequel...)

Anyways, thanks everyone for putting up with my takes-me-forever updates XD It's seriously taken me 2 YEARS to finish this!

REVIEW! (It makes me happy. And I like cookies... If that has anything to do with that...?)