Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the TV show Higher Ground…I own
nothing!
Author's Note: It looks like I took a lot longer than I thought I would…Sorry!!! I've been having trouble deciding how to end this. (This is, after all, the last chapter.) Just so that you know, this chapter is going to be a bit about everyone, so that I all the loose ends get tied up. Anyhow, thanks to all those who have been faithfully reviewing, (you know who you are). I am and will always be eternally grateful. Now, on with the show!
1 Chapter 14
The large campus seemed immense as Daisy glanced around, searching for Ezra. Despite asking to speak to her, the dark haired boy was nowhere to be found. Pouting slightly, Daisy wandered a little more until she found the teenager sitting on the steps to his dorm.
"You wanted to talk to me?"
"Don't say anything, just follow me." Ezra replied. His straightforward command startled Daisy, but she obeyed Ezra's orders.
They walked in silence for a few minutes until curiosity overpowered Daisy's desire to be silent.
"Where are you taking me?" she questioned as she followed Ezra through the woods. Seconds later they arrived at the lake.
"Here." Ezra said, motioning to the body of water that glistened before them.
"The lake?" Daisy rolled her eyes.
There was a pause as Ezra sat down on a log. Hesitantly, Daisy followed suit.
"I want to apologize." Ezra stated quietly.
"For what?" Daisy asked.
"I got scared. I mean, what if we start dating and you discover that I'm not what you want?"
"Ezra I want someone who understands me. Someone who cares about me, and who might eventually learn to love me. Even if my past is a little…" Daisy trailed off, searching for the right word.
"Out of the ordinary?" Ezra offered.
"Well that's certainly an understatement." Daisy chuckled softly. "But yeah."
"I think I could handle that." Ezra smiled and was surprised to see Daisy smile back. Hesitating, she bit her lip.
"Ezra, will you be my boyfriend?" she asked.
"It would be my pleasure." Ezra replied, taking her hand in his and helping her up.
Slowly the two teenagers made their way back to the campus, hand n hand.
* * * * *
One month later, life seemed to be settling into place. The days passed at their regular slow pace, and things were beginning to return to normal…or at least as normal as they could get. Leigh was off newbie restrictions, and was settling nicely into the group.
The Cliffhangers sat in the lodge after group, absorbing the pleasant silence that circled around them. Shelby disentangled her hand from Scott's and made her way over to where chase was sitting by himself.
"Want some company?" She asked.
"Sure." If Chase was surprised by the offer, he hid his emotions well. Moving over a little, the athletic teenager made room for Shelby next to him.
Shelby watched with a discrete smile as Chase's eyes drifted to rest on Leigh, who was sitting by the fire reading.
"How are things going for you two?" Shelby asked, glancing at Chase.
"We're kind of at an impasse right now." He replied, not taking his eyes off the auburn haired girl. "She still won't let me kiss her." He explained hesitantly.
"What's her favorite color?" Shelby asked in reply, receiving a bewildered look from chase.
"I don't know. Why?"
"What book is she reading?"
"Um," Chase strained to see the title of Leigh's book. "Romeo and Juliet?" he guessed.
"Why is she at Horizon?" Shelby asked yet another question.
"What's with the interrogation?" Chase asked, fed up.
"Chase you know nothing about her. Take the time to get to know her, and then maybe your luck will change."
"You think so?"
"I have a feeling she just doesn't want a repeat of what happened with you and me." Shelby answered.
Chase looked away, his gaze falling to the floor. There was a tense silence as he waited to see if Shelby would continue. There was so much more that she could say; so many more possible reasons for Leigh's apprehension that Chase didn't think he cold handle hearing more. Shelby must have noticed his pain, because she quickly made up for the comment.
"Give her time. She'll come around." Shelby finished before rising and beginning to make her way back to the couch where Scott was waiting.
"Shel?" Chase called just before she got out of earshot.
"Yeah?" Shelby turned around.
"I'm sorry." Chase's voice was quiet, and barely audible. Shelby nodded slightly.
"I know." She replied, and without hesitation she made her way back over to Scott.
Once she was comfortably seated between Scott and Daisy, a small smile drifted across Shelby's lips. She watched in content silence as Chase got up and made his way over to Leigh.
"Can I sit here?" Chase asked the auburn haired teenager. Leigh nodded and eyed him curiously as he sat down next to her.
There was an awkward silence as Chase struggled to think up an intelligent conversation starter.
"What book are you reading?" came his not so intelligent question. A quick look of confusion passed across Leigh's features, but she hastily hid her amazement.
"Uh, The Beach by Alex Garland." Leigh replied, glancing down at the book that lay open in her lap.
"Is it any good?" Chase inquired.
"Can I ask you something?" Leigh asked, curiosity winning over her mind.
"Sure." Chase replied, unfazed by her changing of the subject.
"Why did you come over here?"
"You looked lonely." Chase replied sincerely. Leigh stared at him for a few seconds.
"Oh." Leigh paused, questioning his honesty. "Thank you." She said finally.
Shelby's smile widened just a little as she observed the conversation from a far. She turned to face Scott, who was absent-mindedly playing with a piece of her hair.
"That's so weird." She said out loud, not really meaning for anyone to hear.
"What is?" Scott asked, following her gaze to rest on Chase and Leigh. Understanding crossed his features, and he said what everyone was thinking.
"I never thought that he could change. It's kind of a miracle."
"Well, you know what they say." Daisy spoke up.
"No, what do they say?" Shelby asked, glancing at her friend.
"Peter's a miracle worker." Daisy smiled wryly.
"We owe him a lot, don't we?" Ezra said from his end of the couch, next to Daisy.
"A lot of us owe him our lives." Scott added. "Or at least I do."
"No, you owe me an honest effort to be strong, and to have hope." All four teenagers jumped in surprise as Peter spoke from where he had appeared behind the couch.
"Why do you always do that?" Shelby asked angrily, calming herself down.
"Seriously, are you trying to give us heart attacks?" Ezra asked.
Peter just chuckled to himself as he wandered away.
* * * * *
The air was crisp and black shadows seemed to move on their own as Shelby and Scott made their way down to the docks. The sky was strewn with a handful of stars, casting their iridescent glow across the earth as the wind whispered of the world's many secrets.
The couple sat down on the hard wooden structure, using a warm wool blanket to keep away the cold. They stared at the sky for a few seconds before Scott turned to look at Shelby.
"I'm proud of you." He whispered softly in to her ear.
"You sound like Peter." She laughed uncomfortably. It took a second for Scott to notice his girlfriend's uneasy tone of voice, but once he had, his forehead was creased with worry.
"Shelby, what's wrong?" he asked quietly. Deep within his heart he prayed that she would have the strength to be honest; that she would find the power in her heart to overcome the pain that fought a relentless battle within.
"Nothing." Shelby replied distantly. Her eyes never left the stars.
"Shelby," Scott's voice was gentler now as he turned her face to look at him. "You can tell me. I'm here for you."
Shelby's troubled blue eyes met with Scott's hopeful ones, and she hesitated slightly before the truth was released.
"I'm worried." Shelby admitted as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "For once everything seems right. Life is actually good, and that scares me." The blonde paused, not used to opening up this way.
"You don't have to be scared Shel." Scott tried to encourage her.
"I know." She cut him off quietly. "I just have a feeling that something is going to go wrong. Something always goes wrong right about now; right when life seems perfect."
Scott smiled to himself.
"Not this time Shel." He kissed the side of her head as she leaned back against him. "This time there's going to be a happy ending."
Second chances had been given, and life would go on. There would be more pain, more tears; more heartache. But nothing would be as hard as the battle they had just won.
Ok…That's it…Stupid, sappy, retarded, and badly written, I know. But if you have a spare moment, please, please, please review! I know this is low, but I'm on my knees begging!…..Can I ask for 5 reviews???
Author's Note: It looks like I took a lot longer than I thought I would…Sorry!!! I've been having trouble deciding how to end this. (This is, after all, the last chapter.) Just so that you know, this chapter is going to be a bit about everyone, so that I all the loose ends get tied up. Anyhow, thanks to all those who have been faithfully reviewing, (you know who you are). I am and will always be eternally grateful. Now, on with the show!
1 Chapter 14
The large campus seemed immense as Daisy glanced around, searching for Ezra. Despite asking to speak to her, the dark haired boy was nowhere to be found. Pouting slightly, Daisy wandered a little more until she found the teenager sitting on the steps to his dorm.
"You wanted to talk to me?"
"Don't say anything, just follow me." Ezra replied. His straightforward command startled Daisy, but she obeyed Ezra's orders.
They walked in silence for a few minutes until curiosity overpowered Daisy's desire to be silent.
"Where are you taking me?" she questioned as she followed Ezra through the woods. Seconds later they arrived at the lake.
"Here." Ezra said, motioning to the body of water that glistened before them.
"The lake?" Daisy rolled her eyes.
There was a pause as Ezra sat down on a log. Hesitantly, Daisy followed suit.
"I want to apologize." Ezra stated quietly.
"For what?" Daisy asked.
"I got scared. I mean, what if we start dating and you discover that I'm not what you want?"
"Ezra I want someone who understands me. Someone who cares about me, and who might eventually learn to love me. Even if my past is a little…" Daisy trailed off, searching for the right word.
"Out of the ordinary?" Ezra offered.
"Well that's certainly an understatement." Daisy chuckled softly. "But yeah."
"I think I could handle that." Ezra smiled and was surprised to see Daisy smile back. Hesitating, she bit her lip.
"Ezra, will you be my boyfriend?" she asked.
"It would be my pleasure." Ezra replied, taking her hand in his and helping her up.
Slowly the two teenagers made their way back to the campus, hand n hand.
* * * * *
One month later, life seemed to be settling into place. The days passed at their regular slow pace, and things were beginning to return to normal…or at least as normal as they could get. Leigh was off newbie restrictions, and was settling nicely into the group.
The Cliffhangers sat in the lodge after group, absorbing the pleasant silence that circled around them. Shelby disentangled her hand from Scott's and made her way over to where chase was sitting by himself.
"Want some company?" She asked.
"Sure." If Chase was surprised by the offer, he hid his emotions well. Moving over a little, the athletic teenager made room for Shelby next to him.
Shelby watched with a discrete smile as Chase's eyes drifted to rest on Leigh, who was sitting by the fire reading.
"How are things going for you two?" Shelby asked, glancing at Chase.
"We're kind of at an impasse right now." He replied, not taking his eyes off the auburn haired girl. "She still won't let me kiss her." He explained hesitantly.
"What's her favorite color?" Shelby asked in reply, receiving a bewildered look from chase.
"I don't know. Why?"
"What book is she reading?"
"Um," Chase strained to see the title of Leigh's book. "Romeo and Juliet?" he guessed.
"Why is she at Horizon?" Shelby asked yet another question.
"What's with the interrogation?" Chase asked, fed up.
"Chase you know nothing about her. Take the time to get to know her, and then maybe your luck will change."
"You think so?"
"I have a feeling she just doesn't want a repeat of what happened with you and me." Shelby answered.
Chase looked away, his gaze falling to the floor. There was a tense silence as he waited to see if Shelby would continue. There was so much more that she could say; so many more possible reasons for Leigh's apprehension that Chase didn't think he cold handle hearing more. Shelby must have noticed his pain, because she quickly made up for the comment.
"Give her time. She'll come around." Shelby finished before rising and beginning to make her way back to the couch where Scott was waiting.
"Shel?" Chase called just before she got out of earshot.
"Yeah?" Shelby turned around.
"I'm sorry." Chase's voice was quiet, and barely audible. Shelby nodded slightly.
"I know." She replied, and without hesitation she made her way back over to Scott.
Once she was comfortably seated between Scott and Daisy, a small smile drifted across Shelby's lips. She watched in content silence as Chase got up and made his way over to Leigh.
"Can I sit here?" Chase asked the auburn haired teenager. Leigh nodded and eyed him curiously as he sat down next to her.
There was an awkward silence as Chase struggled to think up an intelligent conversation starter.
"What book are you reading?" came his not so intelligent question. A quick look of confusion passed across Leigh's features, but she hastily hid her amazement.
"Uh, The Beach by Alex Garland." Leigh replied, glancing down at the book that lay open in her lap.
"Is it any good?" Chase inquired.
"Can I ask you something?" Leigh asked, curiosity winning over her mind.
"Sure." Chase replied, unfazed by her changing of the subject.
"Why did you come over here?"
"You looked lonely." Chase replied sincerely. Leigh stared at him for a few seconds.
"Oh." Leigh paused, questioning his honesty. "Thank you." She said finally.
Shelby's smile widened just a little as she observed the conversation from a far. She turned to face Scott, who was absent-mindedly playing with a piece of her hair.
"That's so weird." She said out loud, not really meaning for anyone to hear.
"What is?" Scott asked, following her gaze to rest on Chase and Leigh. Understanding crossed his features, and he said what everyone was thinking.
"I never thought that he could change. It's kind of a miracle."
"Well, you know what they say." Daisy spoke up.
"No, what do they say?" Shelby asked, glancing at her friend.
"Peter's a miracle worker." Daisy smiled wryly.
"We owe him a lot, don't we?" Ezra said from his end of the couch, next to Daisy.
"A lot of us owe him our lives." Scott added. "Or at least I do."
"No, you owe me an honest effort to be strong, and to have hope." All four teenagers jumped in surprise as Peter spoke from where he had appeared behind the couch.
"Why do you always do that?" Shelby asked angrily, calming herself down.
"Seriously, are you trying to give us heart attacks?" Ezra asked.
Peter just chuckled to himself as he wandered away.
* * * * *
The air was crisp and black shadows seemed to move on their own as Shelby and Scott made their way down to the docks. The sky was strewn with a handful of stars, casting their iridescent glow across the earth as the wind whispered of the world's many secrets.
The couple sat down on the hard wooden structure, using a warm wool blanket to keep away the cold. They stared at the sky for a few seconds before Scott turned to look at Shelby.
"I'm proud of you." He whispered softly in to her ear.
"You sound like Peter." She laughed uncomfortably. It took a second for Scott to notice his girlfriend's uneasy tone of voice, but once he had, his forehead was creased with worry.
"Shelby, what's wrong?" he asked quietly. Deep within his heart he prayed that she would have the strength to be honest; that she would find the power in her heart to overcome the pain that fought a relentless battle within.
"Nothing." Shelby replied distantly. Her eyes never left the stars.
"Shelby," Scott's voice was gentler now as he turned her face to look at him. "You can tell me. I'm here for you."
Shelby's troubled blue eyes met with Scott's hopeful ones, and she hesitated slightly before the truth was released.
"I'm worried." Shelby admitted as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "For once everything seems right. Life is actually good, and that scares me." The blonde paused, not used to opening up this way.
"You don't have to be scared Shel." Scott tried to encourage her.
"I know." She cut him off quietly. "I just have a feeling that something is going to go wrong. Something always goes wrong right about now; right when life seems perfect."
Scott smiled to himself.
"Not this time Shel." He kissed the side of her head as she leaned back against him. "This time there's going to be a happy ending."
Second chances had been given, and life would go on. There would be more pain, more tears; more heartache. But nothing would be as hard as the battle they had just won.
Ok…That's it…Stupid, sappy, retarded, and badly written, I know. But if you have a spare moment, please, please, please review! I know this is low, but I'm on my knees begging!…..Can I ask for 5 reviews???