Hi guys! Sorry for the delay. I have a karate tournament coming up, and I need to practice everyday. It's terrible! Anyhow, here's the latest installment. Enjoy!
Alanna ran up to her room, half in tears. "Why?" she asked herself, "why did I feel the need to just plop my lips on his?" She reached her door, and fumbled with the lock, trying to get it open. Finally, she threw open the door, slammed it shut behind her, and lay down on the bed. After crying silently into her pillow, she looked up right into a pair of purple eyes. Suddenly rage cursed through her. "Faithful! Why in the Gods' names did you do that?!"
Faithful, the picture of calmness, replied, "I didn't think you were going to KISS him." Alanna seriously thought she was going to maim Faithful when all of a sudden, the door connecting her room with Jon's flew open.
"Uh, Alanna," he began, unsure of what he was going to say next.
"He told you, didn't he?" she asked glumly. Jon sat down on the bed next to Alanna, and ruffled her hair.
"Gary? Yes. He was quite shocked and wasn't sure if it actually happened or not." The tiniest hint of a smile was on Jon's face.
"How could you smile like that? It's not funny! I just got carried away, that's all." She looked up at Jon with a sad look that melted his heart. He looked down at her and pulled her into his arms, giving her a huge hug.
"Well, you know what you have to do now, don't you?" he asked.
"What?" she replied, though she already knew the answer.
"Tell him you're a girl."
Alanna stared at him. "How can I? He'll be too scared of my homosexual advances to come near me again."
"Well, he's not afraid of Aria, is he?"
"Jonathan, you're absolutely right," she said jumping up. "I love you! But you do need to get out now!"
"Why?"
"I need to get ready for the party tonight!" She shooed Jonathan out of the room and sat down by her trunk. She opened it ands rifled through it. She only had another dress in there, and she pulled it out. "It's a good thing I'm telling him tonight. I'm running out of dresses."
"Girls are so vain," was Faithful's reply.
"Don't think you're forgiven!" she yelled at him. She went back to inspecting her dress. She had forgotten how pretty it was. The green brocade shimmered in the light, and it was complemented by a gold lining. She smoothed it out and tried it on. The neckline was tantalizingly low, and the green contrasted perfectly with her eyes.
"How do I look, Faithful?"
"You look like you might be a little cold tonight," he answered staring pointedly at her neckline. "So, hopefully that will make him want to warm you up."
Alanna scowled at him and opened her door carefully, making sure there was no one watching before she ventured out and down to the party.
* * *
At first she mingled, casually chatting with Delia, who glared at her when she saw Jonathan winking at Alanna. Alanna decided it would be best for her to leave the situation as quickly as possible. She started walking toward the door that led to the gardens. She suddenly found herself face to face with Myles.
"Hello, young lady. What might your name be?" he asked, a knowing smile on his face.
Alanna sighed inwardly. She loved Myles, but didn't want to officially tell him who she was. She knew he probably already knew. "Aria, sir."
"Aria? And which part of the region would you be from?"
"Uh…"
Luckily, Alanna was saved by a big man whose face she couldn't see since she was staring at the floor. "Hello, Myles. Are you deep in conversation or may I dance with the lovely Aria?" Alanna almost fainted. It was Gary! She looked up. "Come on, Aria, let's dance." She gladly took the hand Gary offered her and let him steer her on the dance floor. For the first few minutes of dancing, Alanna stared at the floor, afraid she would blush if she looked up into his face.
"I should tell him now," she thought to herself.
Before she could say anything Gary put his hand under her chin and propped her face up. "Look at me, sweetling." She had no choice to face him as she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. Soon the song was over.
"Should we go outside?" she asked, surprised that she asked such a thing.
"I was just about to suggest it myself. Gary took her by the hand and led her outside. They found an unoccupied bench, and while she sat down, she looked up. Alanna saw that the moon was still full, and again thought about the night being one for lovers.
They sat in silence for awhile. "This is ridiculous!" she thought to herself. "I'm telling him right now. She turned at looked up at him. "Gary, I-," she stopped dead. The look in his eyes excited her. She had seen that look on George's face many times, and on Jon's face, too.
"Shh," he replied, and without warning, slowly, positioned his lips on hers. Alanna nearly fainted. She settled into the kiss, drawing closer to Gary. Their kiss was suddenly put to a halt by a yowl. Gary pulled away and looked down. "Faithful?" he asked, incredulously. Before Alanna could say a word, Faithful pounced and landed directly on top of Alanna's head.
"Ow!" she exclaimed. "Get off!" Faithful, for once, listened to Alanna, and jumped off, and ran away.
She turned around to face Gary again, half smiling, but stopped when she saw the look an Gary's eyes. She put her hand to her head and suddenly realized…Faithful had run away….with her black wig! She looked up into Gary's eyes nervously.
"Alan?"
Ok, sorry to leave you there. I just like to draw out this story! I have a feeling that there will only be maybe 4-5 chapters after this one. Well, go and review now!
Tata,
Su