Sara was vaguely aware of the bright transition into the afternoon sunlight as she and Phedrea exited the auditorium. The rest of the casting and class had passed her by in a blur and if asked she would only have been able to tell you four things: 1- Phedrea had been given the part of Sir Didymus, 2- Taryn was to play the Goblin King, 3- she was to be the Princess, and number 4- she was slowly going very insane.

'Damn it! I thought I had conquered this part of me.' Her mind spat at her. 'Why did everything have to come back. I never wanted this; I still don't.'

"Sara! Wait!," a deep voice called out to her.

"Damn it! What now?," Sara practically growled as she turned toward the voice.

"Oh… um"

Sara flinched and mentally kicked herself as she looked into hurt brown eyes.

"I, uh, I just wanted to congratulate you on your p-part in the play."

"Oh, Liam, I'm sorry," she sighed and smiled at him. "Thank you. That means a lot to me. Really." Sara let her shoulders fall as she closed her eyes reclaim herself, mentally forcing her thoughts into a corner until she felt able to breathe. Grinning she looked back at him, "Don't mind me, Liam. I'm just tired and combined with the shock I just experienced, well," she paused, "I just feel like I am about to collapse. Maybe even check into a mental institution."

"And so the mighty Sara begins to feel her own humanity."

Liam and Sara broke out into laughter, Sara trying to force herself to look a little offended at her friend's remark.

"You're one to talk, Phedrea!" Sara managed to add just enough sarcasm into her comment to satisfy herself.

Phedrea smirked and lifting her head dramatically replied, "As I have continually told you, I am not human." Sara could almost believe that it was true. Phedrea had even managed to sound insulted in her dramatic pose.

"Well, your majesty, I am," Liam join in. "Although there are days I wish I wasn't," he added as an after thought.

"Who wouldn't," Sara agreed.

Another intermission of laughter ensued with the three friends only stopping when Sara straightened abruptly.

"Sara?" Liam questioned timidly.

She could feel it, it was right there, the area near her temple still tingled with the heat from the gaze she could feel on her. Turning she locked gazes with Taryn. Phedrea and Liam followed her gaze, curiosity and concern in their eyes. Liam paled slightly but his look was sharp and narrowed. Phedrea's expression was thoughtful, any other emotions masked from the outside world.

They held gazes for what seemed like an eternity, his mismatched eyes seeming to burn into her own. Sara felt as if he could see inside her, as if her entire soul was known to him. It was the look in his eyes. Arrogant. Prideful. Confident. Sensual… Sara shook herself at that last thought.

Since when had she easily fallen to a handsome face?

Since Devon, you idiot! she reminded herself. That was one mistake she would never make again.

Smiling she nodded to Taryn, "See you next class, Taryn?"

Smirking he began to turn to go, stopping to comment, "I hope not, Sara." Before she could comment on his rude reply he continued, "I would hate to go so long without seeing you." With that he turn and strode across the campus toward the dorm buildings.

Sara stared after him, watching is long confident strides, as graceful as they seem careless. "Well, that was interesting." she murmured to herself, forgetting that Phedrea and Liam were behind her.

"Indeed." Phedrea agreed.

Sara turned back to her, a confused look in her eyes as she remembered what she had been doing before Taryn had spoken.

"He is quite strange." Phedrea commented, her eyes narrowing in thought when Sara turned to glance at him again.

"Mmm…" Sara said noncommittally.

Liam clenched his fists as heat began to redden his face. Phedrea noticed first and Liam silently thanked God for small miracles because she nudged him, bringing him back to his senses. Regaining his composure before Sara turned back to them. Managing to convey indifference he suggested that they head back to the dorms so that Sara could get some rest.

Returning to their usual routine, they laughed as they headed toward the dorms. Liam complained that he would never get the hang of his European History class claiming that 'the past has no concrete use in the present' and that 'why should he be concerned with the history of another country'? Phedrea and Sara spent a good fifteen minutes between trying to explain, reminding him that he had been born in Ireland, and laughing as all of their efforts were batted away by his stubbornness.

"Your reasoning is not good enough," he claimed.

"Because you are not actually listening to it," countered Phedrea.

"What is your point?"

"That you're a stubborn, unmoving, ignoramus, and the exact reason why everyone should have to take the course." Grinning Sara continued, "You're part of the history that you are putting down and, sadly, in doing so, you are most likely making your ancestors very proud."

"And the down side of this is?" he continued, amused at the thought Sara had just stated.

"Don't waste your breath, Sara." Phedrea intervened before Sara could reply, "he is too stubborn to listen." Smiling she added, "And besides, your arguments are doing nothing, except giving him an even bigger ego."

Sara sighed in defeat as the paused in front of her and Phedrea's dorm.

"How come everything you say sounds harsh and insulting when Sara can say the exact same thing and make me proud that I am all those things?" Liam inquired, feigning hurt toward Phedrea.

"Talent, dear Liam, talent." she replied.

"Yes." Liam grinned, "Sara is very talented isn't she?"

Now is was Phedrea's turn to look hurt. "I meant me."

"Oh? You did?" he asked innocently.

"Yes."

"Well then, that just goes to show you how talented you are then doesn't it?" he said sarcastically.

Laughing softly Sara stepped between her two friends and taking a dramatic, woeful pose spoke to them, "Stop! I can't stand it any longer. Your bickering offends my ears."

All three broke out into laughter again.

How am I suppose to stay sane with such friends, Sara thought to herself smiling.

Catching her breath Sara stood up, "Well, I guess we better go in, Phedrea."

"Yeah." agreed Phedrea, the moment she had enough air to speak.

"You two seem very eager to be rid of me." countered Liam.

"How could you even suggest such a scandalous thing?" Phedrea prompted. "Far from it!" she declared as she rushed into his arms, "In fact, I demand that you come with us! I am almost certain that Jennifer would be most happy to share her bed with you. No one need ever know and if they should discover you," she broke away from him only to clasp him to her again, "then we shall declare our error to have been made under the protection of Love!"

Liam was caught somewhere between horror and amusement. Horror because of the mention of Jennifer, she had had an infatuation with him since had come to their dorm room to rehearse their lines for theatre. The amusement was because of Phedrea's acting and the thought of getting caught in the girls' dorm room and her actually using Love as an excuse.

Catching on Sara followed suit, "Yes, Liam, you must come with us. Love cannot be denied and with that on your side you have only us to consider," wrapping herself around his arm she continued, "and surely there is no objection in that area. Our consent is under no doubt and I am sure that Jennifer," she emphasized the name, "would never dream of denying such a thing."

"Yes!" Phedrea picked up the speech, "Come let us hear your decision."

They both grinned as temptation and horror warred within his eyes. Finally a victor was declared.

"Ladies," he began, he head drooping as he disentangled himself from their embraces, "I must follow the path of chivalry and decline. I would never forgive myself if I were to bring your virtue under speculation." They both heard the sarcasm in the last sentence and were both about to protest when he began again, "No! No more invitations fore I do not know how long I could decline your offers." Moving back he went on in false agony, "I will not tempt you with myself! No, Phedrea!" he turned to her, "I could not bear to have your reputation ruined." An evil smirk curved his lips as he began to move backward in the direction of his dorm. Making ready to run he finished his speech, "We couldn't have it said that Phedrea had begun entertaining the opposite sex. I mean, what would your girlfriends think of that?" With that he bolted, yelling over his should, "You see I have only your best interest in mind!"

Phedrea and Sara stood there in shock until the silence was broken by Sara's snickering. Smiling Phedrea looked over at Sara as she doubled over in laughter.

"I cannot believe he actually had the nerve to say that!" Sara said in surprise.

"It is about time he came to accept it," Phedrea replied, seeming amused. "Although I think that his pride has been hurt in admitting my sexuality."

Sara stared at her questioningly, "How so?"

A knowing grin spread slowly over Phedrea's face, "Because," she turned to watch his figure disappear through the dorm door before turning back to watch Sara, "with that comes the realization that I will always have more girlfriends than he could ever hope to have. I have become competition in his mind."

Sara smiled, "Come on, lets get inside. Now I really am tired. Too much laughing."

"No such thing," Phedrea commented as the entered the building.

The sun fading into the horizon cast shadows with it last colorful rays of light, dimming the campus, leaving the few people outside as living black statues. One of these living statues stood outside of the building the two girls had just entered. It was the figure of a man, legs spread in a dominant and comfortable stance, arms folded across his chest, and an amused smile lingering like the sun's light.

"Sweet dreams, Sara." his voice carried, a sigh on the wind, as it swept through the empty campus.

It echoed long into the night, lingering the longest one room specifically before fading completely into her mind.

Sweet dream…… Sara…