Rachel could feel her heart beating sporadically. She tried to calm herself, but how could she when she knew she was going on a date with Jason. She was practically jumping out of her skin as Laurel's vehicle pulled up to the ball, she looked like a completely different person and she had to remember that for this night, she was Cindy and not Rachel. The light green eye contacts made her eyes look much brighter than their usual dark green colour.

She walked up the steps fiddling with the ring on her finger, it was her mother's wedding ring and she always swore to herself she would wear it on her first date in honour of her mother. The room was large and there were possibly too many people to count, she couldn't see Jason anywhere.

"Where is he Laurel?" she whispered to her friend.

"Relax Rache, I'm sure he's around somewhere, he wouldn't stand you up like that, he obviously liked you, I mean, he was ogling all over you while you were riding", Laurel told Rachel who lightly slapped her on the arm in return, "What was that for?"

"First, off, I'm no longer Rachel or Rache, I am as of now Cindy for the rest of the night and you will not refer to Jason as 'ogling' over me", Rachel said as she continued to search for Jason before giving an apprehensive sigh, "I should have known this would happen."

"Relax Rach-Cindy, I mean Cindy, he'll be around here somewhere", Laurel said before seeing him walk in the door opposite them, "There he is."

"Okay, wish me luck", Rachel said as she hugged her friend and walked towards Jason.

"Good luck Cindy", Laurel a as she smiled and watched Cindy greet Jason.

"You look lovely", Jason said as he grabbed her hand.

"Thanks, you're not too bad yourself", Rachel said, "You rode well today."

"You rode better but I should have known based on how I've seen you ride in the mornings", He told her as the quartet started playing there next song, "You know, it's a small town out here, I haven't seen you around."

"Well, I live on the outskirts", Rachel lied, she didn't want him to know where she really lived, "So, you've met my friend Rachel?"

"Yeah, she seems like a nice girl but I don't really know her that well", He replied, "But you're quite a mystery as well."

"Okay, ask me a question", Rachel requested with a smile dancing on her lips.

"Very well", He began but soon became distracted by her eyes, "Are you wearing contacts?"

"Okay, that counts by the way, and yes I am because my normal brown eyes are incredibly boring", She lied, she didn't have brown eyes, they were a dark green but she considered that the light green contacts looked better, "My turn, what do you think of Bianca?"

"She's nice enough I suppose, why? Is someone feeling a bit jealous?" He asked back with a joking smile and Rachel smiled back.

"Yeah, I think someone is a bit jealous but I don't believe that someone to be me", She said back as she gestured with her head towards Bianca.

"Ha ha, yeah, I think she thought I would be taking her", He said with a smile.

"Yeah well, I guess life has a way of throwing the unexpected at you", Cindy said with a sigh.

"What would you call unexpected?" He said as he noticed her mind slowly drift and eyes stare into space.

"Something like losing both your parents", she replied with a sigh.

"I thought you lived with your mum", He said inquisitively.

"Um, did I say that", Rachel replied nervously, "I meant step mother," and just as Rachel said that the clock chimed, she saw the face to see both hands pointing to the same number, 12, "Shit!"

"What?" Jason asked as he grabbed her hand as she was about to walk off.

"I have to go", Rachel replied as she slipped her hand out of his.

"Will I see you again?" He asked but she had already taken off, it was only then that he realised something was in his hand.

He opened his fist to reveal a golden ring with clear crystals carefully placed. He noticed an inscription on the inside and, upon closer inspection, read 'forever and always.'

Rachel ran off to see Laurel's car parked outside. Her friend had a worried look for Laurel knew what would happen if Carole found out about this.

"Took your time", Laure said as the two girls jumped into the car and sped off, well, only as the speed limit would allow, "You should know that I'm not running any red lights for you."

"Okay, but can you at least go just a little bit faster, Carole's gonna bite off my head if she finds out about this and you'll be left for the picking", Rachel warned and Laurel heeded this.

"Okay, fine, but just this once", Laurel said as they continued the drive home.

/\

Well, there you have it :D another chapter, sorry for taking so long, as I said in my profile I've been inexplicably busy with schoolwork and haven't had time to write so expect at least one more update during the Easter break.