AN: next chapter!!!! What happens after the dance, it's pretty much just more Kori/Richard fluff. i do believe there will be one more chapter. Oh, and for your information, Kori is sixteen, Rachel is sixteen, Gar is sixteen, Victor and Richard are seventeen(they have early birthdays), that may get confusing later, Kori says she's known Rachel for fifteen years, that means they've been friends since they were one, which is weird anyway, but i'd thought i'd tell ya to not confuse you...or confuse you more, i'm not sure which.

Disclaimer: i own nothing that has rights in this chapter but i do own the story line.

ON WITH THE STORY


Chapter Eleven

About 1:30 a.m., Kori's bedroom

We ended up dancing the entire night outside in the rain, good thing its warm here in the fall, or we would've gotten sick or something. We were so soaking wet we had to break into one of the janitor's closet, using one of my berets, to get trash bags for Richard's car seats. Because we so could not ruin his seats…or so he said.

When Richard pulled up in front of my house I didn't want to get out, I wanted to stay all night with him but I knew it wouldn't go over well with my parents if they found out…and having a sister like Komi, they would find out. I gave him a sad look as I gripped his hand right before I got out of his car. As I was making my way out, he tugged me back into the passenger side. I looked at him confused and before I knew it his lips were on mine again. He kissed me sweetly for only a few seconds, then pulled back, "Goodnight Kori." he had whispered. All I could do was blush before I made my way, a little lightheaded, out of his car and to my front door.

I waited for his headlights to disappear into his large garage before quietly opening the front door. I silently made my way up the stairs, looked in the direction of my parent's room, saw that their light was out, and made my way to my room. They'd figure out I'd made it home safely tomorrow morning, no use in waking them up. On occasions like this they didn't have us, me and Komi, under a curfew so I really didn't have to tell them I was home if they were asleep.

I wiggled out of the wet layers of Richard's mother's dress once I was safely in my room and took a towel I had left on the floor earlier that day to ring my hair out with. I ran the towel over my body, getting the clammy feeling to go away, and got dressed in my pj's, a pair of short cotton shorts and an old tight t-shirt.

I made my way to my balcony, wiped out but had too much on my mind to go to sleep, and thought about all that had happened tonight. I was glad it had stopped raining and that the clouds had moved, showing the moon, a crescent.

I stared at it until I heard a guitar, a rather close guitar. At first I had thought my radio had mysteriously turned on, but then I recognized the song, it was a country song, and my radio wasn't on a country station. I looked around and the light in Richard's room attracted my eyes…and I saw with shock that Richard was the one playing the guitar. I never had a clue Richard played, let alone listened to country.

Then the song hit me, really hit me…it was "Like the Rain" by Clint Black and I understood why Richard was playing it. Then he shocked me again…he began to sing…Richard sang? Well, he obviously did, cause he was doing it now, and he sounded…great. He didn't really have a country singer's voice, he had a rock singer's voice, like Chad from Nickelback, but he made it sound heavenly, as stupid as that sounds.

"I never like the rain until I walked through it with you," he sang, "Every thunder cloud that came was one more I might not get through."

"On the darkest day there's always light and now I see it too

But I never liked the rain until I walked through it with you

I hear it falling in the night and filling up my mind

All the heaven's rivers come to light I see it all unwind

I hear it talking through the trees and on the window pane

When I hear it I just can't believe I never liked the rain

Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you

Liked the rain always calling for you I'm falling for you now

Just like the rain

When the cloud is rolling over thunder striking me

It's as bright as lightning and I wonder why I couldn't see

That it's always good and when the flood is gone we still remain

Guess I've known all along I just belong here with you falling

Like the rain I have fallen for you and I know just why you

Liked the rain always calling for you, I'm falling for you now

Just like the rain I have fallen for you

I'm falling for you now just like the rain

And when the night falls on our better days

And we're looking to the sky

For the winds to take us high above the plains

I know that we'll find better ways to look into the eye of the

storms that will be calling

Forever we'll be falling

Like the rain I have fallen for you, and I know just why you

Like the rain always calling for you, I'm falling for you now just

Like the rain I have fallen for you, and I know just why you

Like the rain always calling for you, I'm falling for you now just

Like the rain I have fallen for you, and I know just why you

Like the rain always calling for you, I'm falling for you now just

Like the rain

Like the rain

Like the rain

Like the rain

Like the rain

"Like the rain." He finished softly. I was almost in tears at how that song explained our relationship so well. I set there pondering for a few seconds when I noticed that he probably didn't mean for me to hear it, then I blushed, I pretty much just eavesdropped, even though it dealed with me.

I silently ran to my bed, grabbing my journal from my desk on the way, and settled in prepared to write. I set there a few seconds, and even though plenty had happened I couldn't write anything…my mind just pulled blanks when I put the pencil to the paper. After sitting like that for a few more seconds an idea came to my mind.

I made my way to the tree in between mine and Richard's bedrooms and silently climbed toward his window, careful not to slip on the wet branches. I made it across in one piece thank goodness and prepared for 'leap' to Richard's room. Lucky for me, his window seal was wide. I shimmied along a branch, holding on to the one above it to keep my balance, then noiselessly put one foot on Richard's window seal. I scooted closer and got my other foot on the seal. I took a few deep, silent breaths, glad Richard had his back to me, seemingly in deep thought, looking down in front of his guitar; and lunged into his room, landing as silently as I could, which was silent enough for Richard not to hear.

I snuck up behind him and snaked my arms around his chest. "I loved your song." I whispered in his ear.

I felt him tense in shock then melt into my embrace. "Thank you…you heard that?" he asked, and I was positive he was blushing, even if I couldn't see his face.

"Yes, I live across a tree from you, I was out on my balcony, of course I heard you." I replied, smirking against his ear.

He shuttered, and I'm sure it was because of my breath against his ear, before he smirked back at me. "Yep, been hanging with Rachel way too long."

"Yep, she's my best friend…it only took like fifteen years for her to rub off on me."

"Oh, I'm sure she's been rubbing off on you on purpose." Richard smiled.

I giggled then let go of him, despite his whimper after I let go, and went and set in front of him and his guitar. "So…play me something Mr. Mysterious, who never told me he could play a guitar, let alone sing."

"I only recently started playing and I've never been very confident with my voice." I gave him a stern look but before I could say anything he began to play so I shut my already open mouth. "This one I wrote."

He then began to softly sing about a princess locked in a modern day evil stepsister's shadow. It was a lullaby…well it was to me, because before I knew it I was curling up on Richard's bed and slowly dozing off.

Minutes later, well probably an hour later, I was only slightly aware of what was happening. I felt Richard's strong, warm hands scoop me up and press me against his chest, bridal style, as he silently snuck downstairs in his house and made his way to mine.

A little bit later I could feel Richard lightly set me in my bed. I blinked and looked up at him, it was difficult to see him because he hadn't turned on the lights in my room and it was almost pitch black; but for some reason I could see his smile.

"Goodnight Kori. Until tomorrow." He whispered.

"Until tomorrow." I mumbled, trying to whisper.

Richard just smiled at my sleepy language, kissed me on the forehead and snuck out my balcony. I smiled a little too late and snuggled into the covers Richard had so gently pulled over me, lavishing in the tingling Richard's lips had left on my forehead, before slipping into complete unconsciousness.


AN: Aw, how sweet. sorry if the song setup thing is weird, i couldn't figure out any other way to do it. hope you liked it. Review please and tell me if i goofed anything up.