A/N: I know you guys must be wondering why I updated just now, well, it's not that I discontinued this fic permanently, thank God I didn't. So I was kind of going out of my mind from my constant over scheduling especially when it's that summer. To help myself, I just took a short break from all the work and slacked myself throughout these past couple of days.

Ok, you readers must be just skipping this part and getting down to the chapter, on that note, let me just move on to the update.

Chapter 21

The Road That Lies Ahead

Dante felt indifferent as he took his first steps into his High School's crowded campus. Let alone the vivid expression in his face told as if he was a high school freshman all over again. It's been awhile since he was in school, one week to be exact, and even for a short period of time, to Dante it seemed like an eternity since he wasn't the type of student to ditch. Because of their training, Alastor took the opportune to talk to his teachers concerning his 7 day absence, apparently posing as the brother's long-lost uncle, much to their dismay.

Man, it's great to be back. The white-haired half-demon thought as he paced across the hallways.

"Dante, where've you been?" Conner, alongside Bridget, just popped out of scenic nowhere.

"Conner, Bridget, I was um…" Dante tried to remember the excuse they agreed on.

Damn it, what was that Alastor said? Forget it, I'll just make one up.

"Sick, you know just got the old fever." Dante continued with a wide goofy grin.

"That's weird. Our teacher said you and your uncle went on a vacation." Bridget pointed out suspiciously, finding the white-haired boy's answer wrong.

"Oh right, vacation yeah, I was…well, what I meant was. Sick…while on vacation." He just replied with an answer that was mashed randomly. Conner and Bridget stared at their odd friend with both a raised brow.

"So, um…how's it going?" Dante then asked, trying to change the subject. He suddenly noticed that Conner and Bridget were holding hand in hand. "You two...?" he gestured to make clear what he was trying to say.

"Oh, that, y-yeah," Conner replied, blushing a bit. "It's true, Bridget and I are…"

"We're dating now." The brunette finished for him with a happy smile.

"Dante, I almost forgot, here." The brown-haired high school student then handed him a flyer.

"What's this?" Dante asked, taking it and reading it over.

END OF THE YEAR DANCE

"HERE'S YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SPEND A SPECIAL NIGHT WITH THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE THIS YEAR!"

ALSO PERFORMING: THE BATTLE OF THE BAND 1st PLACE WINNERS

"Well, it's nice to have you back, dude. Catch you later." The couple then bade a short farewell after eyeing the clock; they were both about to be late for their first period class which was from across the campus.

"Hey, have you seen…" Dante tried to post a last minute question, but next thing he knew the two already disappeared in the crowded hallways.

Mary?

Soon, the young high school student walked by himself, he didn't mind the time as his class was fairly far, he'd make it as long as he kept an even pace. He then flashbacked to what happened yesterday, and he still couldn't shake the feeling.

"Wait, you're leaving?" Dante asked in surprise.

"I have taught you all that you know, there is no more reason for me to stay." Alastor explained as he was packing his items away. "Here, take this." He then threw to Dante his dragon-crested sword.

"Your sword?" the white-haired half demon remarked as he caught it. "But Alastor, I can't take this, it's your only sword."

"Go on ahead, you earned it." The lightning demon said with a grin, a grin the brothers have come to recognize during the time they spent with him.

"Alastor, thanks... for everything," Dante said, holding up the sword with pride.

"Take care of yourself boy, you and your brother. There are many challenges on the road that lies ahead."

"Well, you certainly took an early summer vacation." Woken from his thoughts, Dante suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him, a voice his ears hasn't heard from in a long time. Turning around, the white-haired half demon met eye to eye with non other than his brunette friend.

"Mary!" Dante said in surprise, not expecting to run into her so early in the day. And there she was, still had the same pretty little smile that Dante was entranced too, still having the cheerful voice that got him motivated throughout the whole day. "M-Mary, how's it going?" he asked, snapping himself out of the hypnosis given off by her face.

"It's been awhile since I've seen you around, I heard you were with your uncle." She mentioned as she started walking with him along the corridors.

"Yeah." He replied, scratching the back of his head. Dante then noticed that he still had the flyer Conner handed him awhile ago. Taking one last glance at it…

It's now or never…

"Hey, Mary, I was wondering…" Dante started while hiding the flyer from her view to avoid any miss calls.

"hmm?" she sweetly looked his direction with her red and blue eyes.

"I was just wondering if, by any chance, uh…" he continued, shades of red starting to grovel over his face.

"Are you trying to ask me to the End of the Year dance?" Mary then finished his question for him considering he was taking quite some time.

"Well…yeah, so what do you say?" Dante continued anyways.

Please say "yes", please say "yes"

"Sure, why not." Mary replied with a joyous smile, which in turn, put a smile on Dante's face as well. "But on one condition…" she suddenly added.

"What?" he asked, his expression shifting as this might be a bad thing.

"Promise me you'll show-up unlike last time." Mary said, they were both right next to her next class but Dante's is still from across the hall.

"Promise," Dante answered with a bit of relief.

"Oh, and you're going to be late for class." Mary followed up before entering her designated room.

Dante hastily looked at the wall clock to see that she was actually right, like always. "Ok, I'll see you later." Without a second to spare, the white-haired student sprinted off before he gets marked as tardy.

"Same old Dante," Mary laughed to herself as she took her seat in class.

To Be Continued…

A/N: Please review, please. I already did you guys a favor for continuing, you know. So please, review.