Lilly's Memoir
Chapter 12— Realization of a Brutal Truth
The following day at my exam tutorial classes, my mind couldn't stay on my work at all. My thoughts were drifting consistently to the kiss Cal had given me the night before. I wasn't talking to anyone much, indicating that something was obviously wrong, but most people simply thought that it must have been Rose's memorial that was still affecting me. None of my friends asked me what the matter was, not even Kyle.
The thing that was bothering me was that I had committed my life to Kyle no matter what, and I wasn't about to allow myself to fall out of love with him, over Cal. It had to stop; Cal would have to stop giving me kisses, and stop giving me comforting glances, or showing me kind gestures. Whether or not I wanted to admit it, I liked every minute of it, and was getting too comfortable with it, which was precisely the reason it needed to stop. What was Cal trying to do? Was he trying to seduce me after all? A kiss on the lips couldn't possible mean nothing. I'd never seen a kiss on the lips that wasn't done out of lust or love; I'd never even seen him kiss Rose on the lips, for goodness sake!
That afternoon, when Kyle was walking me to Cal mansion after class, I had made up my mind to confront Cal, to give him a piece of my mind, and make it stop before it could get out of hand. For most of the walk I hadn't noticed, until he commented, that Kyle had been constantly stepping up his pace to keep up with me, because I had been walking fast, eager to get home.
"What's gotten into you today?"
"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion without shifting my glance from the road ahead of me.
"In school, you kept a scowl on face all day, you hardly spoke to anyone, paid no attention in class, and now you're speeding home as though there is no tomorrow. Slow Down!" He exclaimed, taking hold of my hand to stop me from walking.
"OW! What did you do that for?"
"Slow down, damn it. You clearly haven't heard a word I just said. What on earth is on your mind that has you behaving so antisocial?" I sighed, unsure of how I was supposed to tell him what I was feeling. I couldn't possible tell him about the kiss or he'd most definitely want to rip Cal's head off. "Come on, what is the matter?"
"It's nothing."
"Yes it is, and I'm not letting you go until you explain to me what is wrong. I know it has nothing to do with Rose, so what is your problem?"
"Okay, fine, I'm just feeling miserable from yesterday's incident. I know people were wondering why the right side of my face is swollen, although the swelling has gone down significantly that's to the buckets of ice I had to use, and I was feeling self-conscious."
"That's it? You've been brushing everyone off because of a silly bruise on your face. I'm not buying it. There's more to it than you're telling me."
"No there isn't. Now can I go home now?" I said, turning away from him, but he pulled me back.
"What is it Lilly?" he asked, this time holding me by the shoulder. I didn't want him to find the truth in my eyes so I looked away form him, but he didn't hesitate to pull my face back to his. 'Look at me. Why aren't you telling me? Whatever it is, maybe I can help. Just tell me what is on your mind…please?"
"I'm just irritated. Everyone claims that they care about me so much, yet it seems as though the world is against me. Everyone continuously pushes the idea that I should abandon the thought of us, and think about a proper courtship."
"And you're actually considering it!"
"No, of course not! How could you even presume that I'd break my promise to you? I'm sticking to my promise; I'm going to marry you and that is final."
"Well then, why are you allowing it to bother you to much?"
"It's just so upsetting. I don't want my mother to do something stupid, like send me away to university in England to find a suitable husband…unless, you come with me!"
"Actually that wouldn't work out either."
"Why not, are you not going to university to study business? We could lie and claim you are going somewhere here, but you really go to the same university that I go to, we get married and come back and surprise them!"
"Well that would be a good idea if I were still going to university."
"What? Why aren't you still going?"
"Well, it is official, as of today, I am taking over my father's business. In his Will he handed it straight to me, so his second in command will be in charge until I finish school, when I can finally take over."
"Really? But Kyle, that's fantastic! You own your own business before your 17th birthday! You don't even have to study business; you're jumping right into it. First hand experience is always the best experience."
"Yeah…I suppose it is. I plan to go nationwide, rather than just state-wide, that should help with exposure and profits."
"Of course. I'm so proud of you, Kyle, this is wonderful news."
We continued our walk home more slowly than before, talking about Kyle's plans for the dairy business. I took particular interest knowing that he was going to suggest these identical plans to his father before he died, but never got around to. He told of his plans to produce a wider variety of dairy products, such as differently prepared cheeses, yogurts, and chocolate. He even told me that he was thinking of keeping the bulls to sell as meat, and the cows for milk, until they reached a certain age. His plans sounded fascinating, and I was surely hoping that he would eventually reach his goal.
But none of these great ideas took Cal's kiss off my mind. I was still determined to lay the cards out on the table as I reached inside the house, which was exactly as I did. I entered the house in a rage, pushing passed the servants yelling Cal's name, although I knew he was closed inside his office working.
"Cal!" I yelled as I banged on his door and entered before he could even approve my entry. He seemed quite taken aback by my entrance, but I quickly saw the flames develop in his eyes as the anger flared up in him.
"Lilly, I am working! What if I had been doing business with someone professional in here, as you stormed in? You can't just barge in here like that! What is wrong with you?"
"What was that about!" I exclaimed, slamming my hands down on his document cluttered desk.
"What was what about?"
"That kiss!"
"What kiss!"
"Don't play stupid with me Cal! The one you gave me last night." He looked at me almost blankly, although I knew he knew exactly what I was talking about. "The one you gave me after you turned off the lamp last night; what was that about?"
"Oh for goodness sake Lilly, that meant nothing," he said, brushing me off.
"Really Cal? I don't call a kiss on the lips a meaningless kiss!"
"Well, that is where we differ. Growing up, that was quite customary in my family."
"Give me a break Cal. What are you trying to do? Seduce me so that I would give up Kyle? Because if that is in fact the case then you can simply forget it!"
"Ha-ha, don't be absurd, Lilly. As I said yesterday Lilly, 'If I wanted to seduce you, I'd have done it already.' Why on earth would I seduce you to get you away from Kyle if I'm quite capable of other, more effective means? Ha-ha, I wouldn't seduce you. What sort of man would I be if I were to seduce my dead fiancée's sister, especially against her will? I am a man of dignity, who takes pride in living honestly, not someone from the lower class with no values."
"Sure you are! That's why you make a living through bribes, and are disloyal to your so-called friends simply to make an extra dollar. Wow Cal, you really are a dignified, honest man indeed." I said sarcastically, placing my hands on my hips and looking at him in disgust. I could tell that Cal wanted to burst with anger, but knew that I would just fire back.
"You know what Lilly; I've had enough of this. I am busy; I have a lot of work to do. So if you don't mind—"
"Cal, it has got to stop. I don't want you kissing me again, especially on my lips, is that understood?"
"Lilly, I have no time for this nonsense or your immaturity. "
"Answer me, damn it! Is that understood?"
"For the last time Lilly, any kiss I give you means little to nothing at all, and I am sticking by my story. I am not going to make promises to you for something that is all in your mind."
"This is not all in my mind!" I bellowed in disbelief.
"Yes it is Lilly. Perhaps you want the case to be that I am seducing you because you don't want to admit that you are, in fact, falling for me."
"How dare you even suggest that I'd fall for you! I'd marry a horse before even dreaming of marrying you!"
"Good, at least we have that cleared up," he commented with loathe in his voice. "So, if that is all, would you please leave me to my work? This useless argument has set me behind, and I'm not prepared to miss my deadline over something stupid."
"Of course, nothing is more important that Caledon Hockley's business deals," I replied rolling my eyes in disgust. His glare was piercing and I knew that if it weren't a crime, he'd want to strangle me.
"Well yes, you're quite right; nothing is more important than my business. Now would you please leave?"
"Cal, I'm not finished—"
"Well, I do believe that I am. I refuse to discuss this nonsense any further!" He yelled in absolute exasperation, as he rose from his seat and literally dragged me out of the room by my ear, quarrelling with me as he pushed me out, and slammed the door behind him. I was infuriated and began quarrelling outside the door, but attempting to reopen the door proved that he had locked it behind him. My frustration became so overwhelming at that point, that I lost my temper and kicked the door with as much force I could possibly stir.
"ARGH!" I screamed before turning on my heals and storming down the hall toward my bedroom. From behind me I heard Cal storm out of his office and begin yelling after me.
"What the hell is wrong with you! Get back here, Lilly! You have left a dent in my door!"
"I don't care! You should have thought first before you decided to drag me by my ear!"
"You were being a brat, as usual; it was a punishment well deserved! That doesn't give you right to kick in my door. This is not your property, and not your house, and I will not tolerate your adolescent tantrums under my roof!"
"Well kick me out then!" I yelled back as I continued toward the bedroom that I occupied every weekend.
"Quit giving me cheek, Lilly!"
"I'll quit giving you cheek if you will quit being an infuriating bastard!" I yelled just as I entered my room, slamming the door behind me, and began thrashing around. "ARGH, I hate that man!" Just then Cal came bursting through the door.
"I wouldn't doubt that you hate me, probably just as much as I loathe you right now! How on earth am I being a bastard? You are the one who came bursting into my office in a rage over something as petty as a kiss." In anger I picked up one of the perfume bottles on my dresser and pelted it at him, hitting him square in the chest. This action only angered him more than he already was, and he strode over to me grabbing hold of me by the arms, and giving me a heavy shake. "My goodness, this is exactly the shit I'm talking about! You have fits over nothing! I'm just angry that you kicked a hole in my door and frustrated because I was unnecessarily disturbed from my work. This could have been discussed at a more appropriate time. But of course, Lilly Bertha DeWitt Bukator must be so bloody selfish and have everything her damn way! This is why your mother is god damn hard on you; because you behave like a rotten child with no proper upbringing!"
"I am selfish? How about you Cal? You've done thousands of selfish things in your life that I wouldn't dream of doing! Your famous words are 'I always win one way or another', yet you say that I am oh so selfish. All you had to do was tell me that you wouldn't kiss me again, and I would have been happy."
"I told you that it meant nothing, Lilly, and you continued to oppose me and turned it into something it didn't need to be!"
"You expect me to simply let it go just because Caledon Hockley says to? I am not that easy, Cal and you know that. You still haven't promised me that you won't do it again, damn it! What am I supposed to think when this wasn't the first time that you've done that, and when you've made advances on me so many times previously? Whether or not it meant anything I want it to stop!"
"Fine, I'll admit; there were a few times that you reminded me of your sister, and yes I did want to kiss you, but most times they are simply me showing you affection, meaningless," he said looking somewhat defeated, but still exasperated.
"Exactly, and it needs to stop. You make me feel uncomfortable."
"Fine, if that is what you want I'll stop showing you any sort of affection, since you obviously don't what me to show that I care for you. You are the most confusing girl I have ever encountered; one minute you are telling me that I am a bastard for not being caring enough to you or your sister, and then when I begin to show you any affection you reject it. There is no pleasing you, is there? Goodness, you can be excessively selfish sometimes! For once in your bloody life, be grateful! If that is how you going to behave then don't even begin to expect me to defend you in your battles anymore. If you get yourself into a mess, you can find your own way out; don't even bother to turn to me for help!" He said, glaring after me as he stormed out of my room and back to his office.
What he had just said struck me like a brick. As I shut the door and slid down to the floor, I realized that I had just pushed Cal away. It wasn't my intention to suggest that I didn't want his support or friendship; I just didn't want him to kiss me. I spent the next three days thinking, wondering whether Cal had been telling me the truth, or if I was overreacting. He and I hadn't spoken at all, as much as I sometimes wanted to, and I didn't know how to approach him, or apologize to him, or if I even should apologize to him at all. I kept thinking again and again about his words: 'Perhaps you want the case to be that I am seducing you because you don't want to admit that you are, in fact, falling for me.'; could he be right? Was I really beginning to fall for him on my own free will, was it simply an infatuation, or was he using reverse psychology? It was true that I was physically attracted to him, he was a fantastic kisser, and definitely someone you wanted to hug…but this didn't mean that I was falling in love with him…not over Kyle. But then why did I sometimes get butterfly sensations in my stomach even just by seeing him smile? There were only a few girls I could confide these thought in, which is exactly what I did.
"I am so excited for our graduation; I'm getting my dress custom made!" exclaimed Hannah joyfully as we walked home from school.
"And who exactly to you have to show it off to? Your father isn't even allowing you a proper escort," said Anna-Belle, rolling her eyes. "I'm only excited because I'd be finished with Mrs Hamilton. She never did enjoy my presence. My concern is not the fancy dresses, tuxedos, and popular dances, or escorts for that matter, because my parents promised to take me to Italy for the summer holiday."
"Boast, why don't you? Some of us are not quite as lucky as you are, and can only look forward to the party aspect of graduating. Hopefully I will meet the man of my dreams in the process."
"Ha-ha, don't be ridiculous Hannah, unless you want to steal someone else's escort. Then what would people think of you?"
"Oh for Pete's sake, a woman can dream, can't she?" replied Hannah, as everyone laughed, except me. Usually I had the most prominent laugh out of all of us, which made it quite noticeable to the other girls that I hadn't been paying much attention to their conversation at all.
"Lilly, what is the matter?" asked Clarisse.
"Cal…"
"What has he done this time that has you so worked up?"
"I don't know if you've noticed, but I've notice that he has increasingly been behaving very strangely around me, especially since the sinking."
"Well, I have noticed that you two are rather closer than you used to be, but I haven't been taking much notice of it. Perhaps he has put a value on your life since that tragedy. It must have traumatized him," said Hannah, obviously not understand the seriousness of the situation.
"Well, strange in what way exactly? What has he been doing? Give us something to work with," said Charlotte, seeing my incredulous expression.
"He's becoming a lot more physical with me. He's hugging me more, spending much more time with me, defending nearly all my actions…he actually takes my advice these days, when it comes with his pathetic business."
"And you are complaining because?" asked Anna-Belle, shaking he head in confusion.
"It is disturbing me! I'm beginning to wonder whether he is attempting to replace my sister with me."
"Or perhaps he has simply realized since the sinking that you are in fact a good person, and no one to be his arch enemy."
"That is what you'd think, because you haven't seen the way he is progressively moving. If you knew all the things he's said to me, the way he's treated me, and the things he's done to me, then you'd say differently!"
"What has he been doing then? You make it sound as though the man has been sexually assaulting you."
"Well, it all began before we even went to Europe…" and I continued to tell them the story, all the details of how he'd been attempting to get on my good side, all the times he'd ignored me just to get on my wrong side. I told them of all the rows, all the fighting and tackling, and finally the increasing tenderness he'd been showing me. Each of them gasped when I told them of the kiss Cal had given me on the Carpathia, but instead of being disgraced, they were more interested in finding out what it was like. After scolding them I continued to tell them about his attempted advances and the unexpected kiss only half a week prior. "We haven't spoken since I confronted him. He continues to give me the cold shoulder anytime we are in the same room."
"Well what do expect if you accuse him in that fashion?" said Charlotte.
"Don't tell me that you actually believe that he is innocent?"
"In fact, I do. I think that you, Lilly, are overreacting."
"My goodness, Charlotte! What part of a kiss on the lips is plutonic? Please tell me, because I'd really love to know, then perhaps I would stop accusing Cal!"
"I can defend him in that sense, because that is quite normal in my family. Half of my family is Russian and that is part of our culture, and I also know quite a few other people who share a similar culture. It is a matter of knowing the difference between passionate kissing and a meaningless one."
"Fine, maybe that one was plutonic, but what about the one on the Carpathia? You can't possibly claim that meant nothing; after all, he made me promise I wouldn't leave him."
"Well, I can't say for sure what was meant by that one, but I think that he was just off his head at that point. He'd just 'lost' his fiancée, and it drove him insane for a while. That is nothing abnormal. If Kyle had had that fate, you would have reacted similarly. I suppose that you do sometimes in fact remind him of your sister, and he has his moments, but I can't say that that is his intention. That certainly is not the impression I am getting."
"Good Lord, that is ridiculous."
"No, actually I completely agree with Charlotte," said Clarisse, followed by agreeing nods from Hannah and Anna-Belle. I rolled my eyes in disbelief. How could my friends defend Cal and not me?
"You girls are the WORST friends a girl can possibly have!"
"Well is that not why you love us so much?" said Charlotte stupidly, and I couldn't help but blurting out a small laugh.
"You damn well know it, that's why you take advantage of it."
"Well, you did ask us to be honest about our opinions, so in reality we've done you a favour. In any case, you can't deny that some part of you wants that man, no matter how much you love Kyle. What woman in the Philadelphia society, young and old, doesn't wish they could have a chance with Caledon Hockley? He's the most desired man in town. You really should consider yourself lucky."
"Ha-ha, speak for yourselves. If any of you only knew him the way I do, you'd think differently. That man has some severe issues, and is selfish like no other. If he doesn't get what he wants he is comparable to a 2 year old when his mother doesn't allow him to play with his favourite toy." I replied, laughing at the stupidity of charlotte's suggestion.
"Oh come on Lilly, how bad can he be? I'm sure he is no different to any other man," said Clarisse.
"Okay fine, I'll admit that he is very, very handsome, has a gorgeous smile, always smells good, is a fantastic kisser, and hugs like a god, but that doesn't mean that I want him, because Kyle is so much better."
"So you do admit that part of you wants him!" exclaimed Charlotte as the other burst into laughter
"I don't want him! Why would I want him, when I have a perfectly perfect relationship with Kyle?"
"Well then, Lilly, if you won't take him, then I'd gladly have my way with him."
"Have fun Charlotte. I wish you luck on that one," I said laughing, knowing that Cal wasn't quite as easy to impress as anyone thought; when he wasn't interested, he most certainly, without a doubt, was not interested, and wasn't' afraid to make it known.
As the week continued, all through my first week of final examinations, my mind was filled with thoughts on the conversation I had had with the girls. Could they possibly be right that I was over exaggerating, or that a part of me surely did want to ditch Kyle for Cal? It had never really occurred to me how attracted to Cal I actually was. I'd denied it so much that I had in fact been able to convince myself that I truly didn't want him…but that couldn't possibly explain why it was that Cal gave me butterflies, or why I would get jealous if his attention was set on someone else and not me. It surely didn't explain why I loved to get hugs from him, or how much I truly enjoyed kissing him, or even how I actually loved to pick a good fight with him. Finally, as the weekend arrived, I had faced facts that I did have a strange infatuation with Cal, but that my 'no kissing' policy would still be in effect. I concluded that I should apologize to Cal, and set the record straight: If I were to promise to stop throwing temper tantrums on him, then he would have promise to never kiss me, only hugs were allowed. I couldn't afford to have a stupid infatuation with a man, more than a decade my senior, destroy a love that could last a lifetime.
That Friday, as always I went straight to Cal's house once school was over, and of course, Cal was closed behind his office door. The dent from my kick remained there, and I looked at it in disbelief; I had really lost my temper quite badly to have been able to kick a hole in the door, and I felt a twinge of embarrassment as I knocked on his door. I opened without getting approval, but this time I thought it appropriate to simply pop my head in rather than burst in.
"Hi…" I said shyly. "Is it okay if I come in, or are you busy? Because, if you are busy, then we can talk later."
"I am busy…" he replied without taking his eyes off his work, so I proceeded to exit, but he stopped me, "…but, since you are being polite, and are not in a monstrous rage, I am willing to take a short break." I eased my way in, and closed the door behind me before finally laying my eyes on him. 'God! What is wrong with me!' was all I could think as my heart gave a lurch; he was looking astonishing, his gaze on me was soft, and a few strands of hair were falling in his face…and white was definitely his colour.
"Well, that was exactly what I came to talk about. I'm really sorry about the way I acted the other day…sometimes I take my emotions overboard…and I'm sorry about your door."
"Hmm, I was wondering whether or not this day would come at all," he said, gazing at me with a stunned glare. "…but your apology is accepted. I suppose I too am to blame for you reaction, because I can't lie and say that I didn't provoke you; so I hope you will accept my apology."
"No, that's alright. I had a lot of time to think about what happened and I realized that perhaps I was being too harsh, and misinterpreted your intentions. I wanted to apologize earlier, but with my examinations, I was busy, and I was also rather nervous. I wasn't sure if you'd accept my apologies or not; every time I saw you, I felt as though you were giving me the cold shoulder."
"Well, that is the same way I felt about you; I was keeping my distance to avoid conflict. So I suppose we were both unsure of how to approach the next. In fact, I am still quite unsure how to approach you."
I giggled before I walked up to his desk, "Well, after rethinking it a bit, I have come to the conclusion that you may hug me, but the kissing rule remains in place."
"I see…so, not even a kiss on the cheek?" he asked, almost begging me not to be so extreme, and I sighed in thought before I replied.
"Fine, a kiss on the cheek is fine, but nowhere else! Do we have a deal, Mr Big Businessman? After all, business is your area of expertise." I said with my hand stretched out in order that he might shake it upon agreeing, and so he did, pulling me around his desk to hug me. I remained convinced that Cal was attempting to replace Rose with me, but I supposed that these were temporary emotions that he would eventually get over, and find someone who could fill that void. But for now, I felt that I could live with his tenderness; it certainly was a change that I could handle.
"Sooo, I expect you are excited for your graduation," he said as he sat me in his lap.
"I still have another week of examinations, Cal."
"Well, that doesn't mean you can't look forward to graduating, after all, you will be finished school, and ready to start a whole new life, ready to take on the world as a new woman."
"Well, yes, I guess I am looking forward to it, but I'm not sure how different life will be, or if it will change at all. What will I do with my free time?"
"Well, you can focus more on your singing, and perhaps even beginning a career in music; make a name for yourself."
"Like Mme Aubart, I suppose, but that won't be quite different, will it?"
"Yes, I believe you can say that. I think you might get the opportunity to travel more, you could be known as far as Europe perhaps; that would certainly be different. But you are forgetting that very soon you will be at a ripe age to marry, and that will most definitely change your life."
"Ha-ha, don't even begin that marriage talk; it'll only create sour feelings."
"As you wish, my dear. As much as I am enjoying this Lilly, I really must remove you from my office now," he said light heartedly, and I giggled.
"Of course, you must continue coming up with more clever ideas to lure people into your business cons. Don't worry to have me removed, I'll see myself out," and with that I left on a much happier note, but as the day grew to night, my thoughts on graduation grew. Usually one would be excited about graduating and beginning a new chapter in their lives, but for me there was something missing…my father. My father had passed just a couple months before my 16th birthday, nearly a year ago, and hence my dreams as a child were shattered. He place a gigantic role in my upbringing and was such a significant figure in my life, and I had always looked forward to sharing the Father/Daughter dance with him at my graduation and wedding, but I was never going to have that opportunity.
Later that night, as I attempted to sleep in order to be refreshed for dress shopping with my mother the following morning, I heard a tap on my door and knew it could only be Cal.
"I came to tell you goodnight," he said quietly as he made his way in with a glass of brandy at hand.
"A brandy just before you go to sleep…interesting."
"It helps me sleep when I have a lot on my mind; it is a stress reliever."
"I should try that."
"No you shouldn't; you begin to depend on it…alcohol and cigarettes are extremely addictive."
"Well, I definitely know the effects of alcohol quite well." I gave him a small smile as he knelt down at my bedside. "Cal, the topic of graduation has been on my mind all day, and after heavy thinking, I have a request to make."
"A request?" he asked in confusion.
"Yes…well, you know that at these graduation parties, the first dance is always a Father/Daughter dance. Growing up I always looked forward to being able to dance with my father at my graduation and at my wedding; Rose had the opportunity to dance with Father at her graduation just before he died, but of course I will never get that chance. I don't want to be the only girl to sit back and watch as all the other girls share that moment."
"How do you know that you will be the only girl?"
"I've known these girls for the majority of my life, and all of them still have their fathers, or step fathers in some cases. I am the only one without a father to share that moment with. So, I was wondering if you would do me the honour of coming in his place." Cal was silenced by my request for a moment, fairly shocked that I'd turned to him for such a favour, but soon gave me a positive answer.
"Of course. I wasn't initially planning of attending, because I thought you ought to make the best of it, but if that is what you want, I will surely attend."
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to; it's just that it would mean a lot to me."
"Don't be absurd Lilly; you might not be the sweetest candy and might be intractable sometimes, but that doesn't mean that you should be deprived of something that would make you happy. You were close to your father, and I understand how important this is to you. That night is about you and you deserve to get what you want." Tears began to fill my eyes; Cal had no idea how important it was to me. All I could do was thank him with a hug, because I was practically speechless. He eventually got up to make his leave, but half way to the door he turned back to me with an expression of utter perplexity.
"What?" I asked, bemused by his bemusement.
"Frankly, I am quite flattered that you would pick me of all people to take your father's place, but why would you choose me?"
I was quite unprepared for this question and quite honestly I wasn't sure myself why I had chosen Cal. "That is a good question. I guess after everything that has happened in the passed few months, I think I have come to appreciate you more and more. There is something about you that I can connect with, like we have an understanding of one another. I suppose that is a trait my father used to have."
"Well, like I said, I am quite flattered, and in fact happy that I have finally managed to get on your good side, even if we do have frequent disagreements…at least you can see some good in me, and not just a villainous character."
"I always knew it was there, I just wanted to see it, and I am glad that I do, believe me."
Cal gave me a docile smile and a slight nod before wishing me a good night, "I'll see you in the morning," and with that he left, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Author's Note: Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews, I am glad that you are liking my ideas thus far, and hope that i can keep up the good work. The reviews drive me to write the next chapter, especially when I am suffering with writer's block. Anyhoo, if any of you guys or on Myspace, feel free to send me your URLs in the reviews or something( for some reason my URL isn't showing up here...which sucks), it'd be cool to virtually meet those reading my story. I'll try puttingmy URLon my profile. Laterz