*AHEM*

Make way for the next chapter.

Alright then. First and foremost, apologies. I'm sorry I wasn't able to update earlier. I was busy trying to search for theaters where I could watch Matrix2. That was since last Thursday when the movie first showed here. My friend and I were quite busy surfing the internet for sure seats. And last night I finally got to see it. So… I'm back!

By the way, one minor mistake again. The day when Lucius and Sirius fought each other in the Great Hall was a Sunday. Sometimes, I get confused with my outline, I forget what day it's supposed to be. But, that's everything.

Yes. But first, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who started reading, still reading… and reviewing my story.

mutsumi: aah… Malfoy… hmmm… anyway, hydee finally submitted a review! I dunno what she ate. :)

Eleanor

me

Kimmie Meadows

oobergoober

Little House Girl

Kimmi

Frankie

moozy

~*~ME~*~

Spirited Phoenix

catgoddess13: No, not really. I didn't really got the flower part from Sweet Home Alabama, although I was thinking it. I got it from Gilmore Girls, when Lorelai's boyfriend Max (I think that's his name), sent her one thousand yellow daisies (if I remember correctly, those were daisies) – no more no less – to propose to her again.

Random Thoughts: sorry for all the mush. Just couldn't help it.

Dawles

cRaZiiBuM316

tom girl

hydee: Yes, Toni told James that Lily went out to find Remus. That would imply that Toni had probably bumped into Lily. And no, it does not mean that because Lily was searching for Remus, she knew about Lucius. She just needed someone to talk to. I wrote there "Lily badly needed reason. And the only person she could think who would be able to provide her with that was Remus." James was driving her crazy. She couldn't talk to Sirius. The issue wasn't yet settled. She couldn't talk to Peter. C'mon, she just didn't want to. Because at that time, she was closest (and most vulnerable, actually) with Remus. Okay, about the other thing, remember that Lily left James in Hogsmeade? And James only returned to the castle after about half an hour? I dunno about you but I cannot walk in a hurry when I'm depressed. And finally, I don't want HIM in my dreams. I don't want him singing to me anywhere! He's yours now and forever. :) Right, mutsumi? Right!

And never forget: JK Rowling owns everything. Everything else you don't recognize is mine.

Okay, now that's over with, I present to you… Lily's reaction.

.

am i real... do the words i speak before you make you feel... that the love i have for you will see no ending... - rivermaya, "214"

~*~*~*~.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: Requited; Unrequited

It almost felt like a bullet went straight through her heart without her feeling it, that she had no time to react. That moment when one looked so confused as to why the person in front of them appeared to have seen a ghost – just wide-eyed, expecting some sort of response or at least, some movement.

Lily stared at him. Just… stared at him. She seemed to be waiting for the punch line. Maybe it was a joke? Did she actually hear him say those words? Was she dreaming? No, maybe she was having a nightmare. Yes, James saying those words felt like an omen.

My goodness!

The world might be coming to an end!

And still after a couple of excruciating minutes later, she was trying to absorb whatever he said. But however she tried to jumble the words up. It always resulted to him saying, 'I love you.'

She blinked as if to bring back consciousness into her body. She tried to say something. Anything. Just a sound out of her mouth would do. And after a bunch 'wh-wh-wh-wh' she finally managed to say it. Or maybe, blurt it out. "What?"

Then, it was James' turn to pull himself together and realize what Lily just managed to say as a response. "That's it?" he said. The disappointment in his voice was so apparent; doubled with the dejected expression on his face. It was almost pitiful. But he tried to erase it all and administered himself to a chuckle. "I told you I love you and that's all you can say?" he asked again. Okay, he tried not sounding like he was starting to choke… but he wasn't exactly being successful in doing it.

Lily's mouth hanged open at the said of that. "Huh!" she breathed out. Was what he said ridiculous or was it ridiculous? Okay, so he wanted a response more than 'what?' then she'd give him a response more than that. With wide eyes, and an expression of utter disbelief, she exclaimed, "Are you insane?" and she started pacing the room in uneasiness.

"No, Lily—" James called as he followed the panicked Lily around the room. "I'm serious," he insisted.

Lily stopped for a split of a second to get a point across. "You're not even sure of that," she said, shaking her head, and then went back to panicking.

"Look, maybe… I may be the last one to realize it but I'm sure, alright? I'm sure of it."

Lily halted. She turned to face James and flashed an expression like she was going to put some sense in their conversation. "James," she calmly said, clasping her hands together like a teacher calling the attention of her little students. "You're with Sarah." No need for some more sense. That was basically it.

James paused for a while. Yes, he was with Sarah. At that time. But… but… "But that's before I realized I'm supposed to be with you."

Lily rolled her eyes like James was getting all delirious, rambling whatever pointless… points… he had brewing in his mind. "And it won't be long – no listen to me," she abruptly interrupted when James opened his mouth to retaliate what was still unsaid. "It won't be long enough till you realize you're supposed to be with someone else not me." That was the unsaid. That was what James was going to retaliate.

But then again, he was never the charmer with words. Because all he could come up as a response was, "It's not going to be like that."

"It's going to be like that," Lily replied in conclusion, shaking her head in disagreement. "It always has been and it always will be." She paused, realizing that James suddenly looked away from her. "James, I'm sorry." It wasn't the sorry someone would give and then say, 'fine alright I'll do what you want.' It was the sorry that meant, "I'm not sure if I'm going to feel the same for you."

Ouch.

She tried to catch his gaze one more time. But he wouldn't let her.

A deafening silence had fallen between them. And she wasn't the one to endure that right then.

And so, she left the room… and James.

Monday morning.

James woke up with only one thing in his mind. Or maybe not one thing but that morning, he was going to convince Lily that he wasn't lying. He was far from lying.

The first thing to do was find Lily, talk to Lily and convince Lily…

But then, considering Lily's stubbornness, he might end up doing it for the rest of the day.

Yeah… for the day.

Like he had that kind of convincing powers against Lily Evans.

Ready…

Set…

Start with breakfast.

"Hey, Lily, can I talk to you?" James called. He was standing beside her, who was sitting in her usual place at the Gryffindor table.

Lily, at the sound of his voice, sat straight up all too suddenly like she just remembered something so important that she forgot to do. "Uh…" she trailed, at the same time trying to think of an excuse. Any excuse. Even the lowest of the excuses. "I'm gonna be late for something," she replied, standing up from her seat. "Maybe later," she said, running off from him. She never even gave him a chance to say what he wanted to say. She just took off. As long as she was away from him, she felt… well, stable.

Monday afternoon.

Alright, maybe his morning goal wasn't exactly fulfilled. But then again, his only rational defense was that 'it was Lily.'

He tried. He tried in the first class. He tried in the second class. He tried in between classes. He tried. He…

…wasn't exactly good in trying.

But still, he'd try.

Again.

The bell rang and James ran from his seat and straight out of the room. Then, he hurried to wait for her. He waited for Lily to come out of her class. As usual, there was a swarm of students in the hallway and those that were coming out of the classroom were pushing him out of the way. And the more students came out, the more he was pushed farther from the classroom door.

But he didn't care. He craned his neck to see through the students and what do you know… there was that unmistakable red hair.

And apparently, from the way Lily suddenly took a u-turn and walked hurriedly toward the other direction, he knew that she saw him.

First, she told him it was impossible.

Then, she told him she couldn't feel the same.

After that, she avoided talking to him.

And now, she wouldn't even draw near him.

Tell him how crappy the day had been… he'd tell how awful his life was going. He didn't dare to follow her anymore. He resigned to his unrequited feelings. Maybe she was right.

One day he'd fall in love…

…and she'd never love him back.

The next day, James devised a plan so that Lily would talk to him again. It was a picture perfect plan. But the cost wasn't an easy thing to give up.

He was Head Boy. She was Head Girl. The Yule Ball was that coming Saturday. And he knew… she had better talk with him or the dance would collapse.

That was the picture perfect plan.

And the cost?

"James, please let's not talk about this again," Lily uttered, the moment James sat beside her during breakfast.

"I'm not. I'm not," James replied, forcing the words out of his mouth.

That was the cost.

"I know. You wouldn't feel the same about me," he reiterated what Lily told him before. He struggled to sound like it wasn't a big deal anymore. He was over it. He was over it. He was… trying to convince himself that he was over it – her. But how could someone be over someone in two days?

Lily nodded. "Good," she muttered, forcing a weak smile. God, that was awkward. Sitting with him after what he had just said. She didn't really know if she was going to believe him. But, as long as he wouldn't raise the subject again, she was going to be fine. They were going to be fine.

And for the rest of the conversation, James stuck to his vow. No other matter but Yule Ball matter.

And they were fine.

Transfiguration could've probably been the most tiresome course that the students had. Well, maybe except for Potions and Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts and Arithmancy and…

The point was, only Professor McGonagall could make one long agonizing class duration turn into a chase for time. With what? With an exam.

Yes, some students might be imagining her rub her palms together in great satisfaction as she laughed wickedly thinking how they were going to suffer through that Wednesday morning with a gruesome exam.

Every student was deep in concentration, their heads buried in their parchment. Except for one. It wasn't because she wasn't ready for the test, but Lily had been turning her head to take a look at Remus who was sitting at the back row. Yes, he was back. And she knew why. Full moons were over. And her wait was over.

For a while, her gaze rested on the boy who was sitting at the back. She seemed to becoming a little impatient as she bit her lip hoping that he would look up and at her. But her thoughts were interrupted with a tapping of a wood. The sound was awfully close and she realized why. She looked down on her desk and saw a wand, looked up and saw McGonagall beating her wand on her table, giving her a warning look. "I'm… sorry," she mumbled, as she went back to concentrate in finishing her test.

Now, every student had his concentration on the test.

After several grueling minutes later, Lily was suddenly distracted by a figure that passed through the aisle. She didn't refuse the urge to look. She saw Remus had already completed his exam and he was already submitting it to the Professor. And so, she looked down on her own exam and realized she had only one question left. One question left. Remus was leaving the room. One question left. She held her head between her hands as if she was trying to squeeze the answer out of her brain. Then, like a light bulb suddenly illuminated above her head, she hurried to write her final answers.

"Remus!"

He stopped walking and turned around. He found Lily panting, ostensibly running to follow him. He didn't say a word. He just stood and waited for her to reach him.

"Can I talk to you?" was Lily's first words as she stopped before him.

Two figures walked among the grounds that morning. Lily and Remus knew that they had still a few minutes until the school bell would ring. No one could hear.

"How – how are you?" Remus asked. His tone was of much concern and apology.

"I'm fine!" Lily replied with much enthusiasm, as she smiled widely. He was trying to comfort her. Now, she was trying to comfort him.

Remus smiled weakly. He knew she wasn't there just to say that she was fine. That everything was fine. He had a secret revealed. And it was unintentional. And it wasn't just a secret. And he knew he had some explaining to do.

And he was right. After a while of silence between them, she asked him about what happened. And he much obliged on telling her about his story. About him being attacked by a werewolf when he was a kid. About him being one. About how he retreated into the Shrieking Shack through the Whomping Willow every full moon. About how his friends tried to spy on him since first year. About how they found out later on. About them finally mastering the transfiguration into being Animagi when they were in their fifth years. About how ironic it was to still love the night sky. About being afraid that other people would stay away from him when they find out. About how he was afraid that she would stay away from him. About… hating himself right then for having her find out in a very horrific way.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he said weakly.

"It's alright," Lily replied convincingly. "My arm's fine. I'm fine."

Then, Remus halted and faced her. He had to ask. He just had to. "Lily…" he trailed, maybe looking into her eyes would give him the answer without asking the question.

Then, Lily smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry," she said, as if reading his mind. "I haven't told anyone. Not even my friends."

And that was when Remus breathed a sigh of relief. His face suddenly shifted to that of contentment and calm. "Thanks," he muttered with a nod. And a smile. A genuine smile.

"Remus…" Lily began once more. This time, it wasn't about what happened. Wasn't about what was done. This time, it was about what was said. "Remember what you said about James?"

Remus smiled involuntarily… and widely. "For what it's worth," he started, looking her in the eye. "I've never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you."

But instead of her face lighting up, Lily took a deep breath and looked as if she was just about to tell that someone had died. "Actually, that's what I want to talk you to about."

Remus quietly entered the boys' dormitory and saw James lying awake in his bed – doing nothing but sulk. Sulking James. About a girl. Now, that was new to him. He took a chair and placed it beside James' bed. He turned it around and sat, resting his arms on the back of the chair.

James knew who entered the room without even looking once. For the past years that they were living together in one dormitory, everyone had memorized everyone else's way of entering the room. Further, he knew that Remus was just sitting beside his bed.

Looking at him.

Saying nothing.

Creeping him out.

"What are you doing?" he asked the roof of his bed. Apparently, he was talking to Remus but he refused to look at his friend.

Remus shook his head and chuckled. Sulking James. About a girl. He couldn't get over it. That was really new to him. "You look like sh—"

"DON'T!" James interrupted so suddenly as he raised a hand of protest that, indeed, Remus stopped whatever he was trying to say. "Even say it," James said, finishing his sentence. "I have every right to look like this," he groaned, as he tucked his arms under his head and continued being pathetic that Remus had to let out a short laugh.

"I don't remember myself looking like…" Remus trailed, unable to word how James appeared to be at that time – priceless sulking James. Couldn't quite grasp it still. "Like that."

James sat up and looked at Remus. He knew that his friend wouldn't be going anywhere else soon. Remus was there and apparently with a purpose. "You told her you liked her," James began, using his recently gained knowledge about Remus finally telling Lily that he liked her; well, used to but still… "and you found out that she treats you like a brother."

He paused. "Fine!" he exclaimed for no other words could process in his mind, as he flashed an expression that seemed to be saying 'you're the luckiest person on the face of the earth right now!' "And then…" he started again, "when I told her the same thing, she ignores me," he concluded as he looked at Remus expecting some sort of agreement. But all he got from his friend was a smile so wide it was starting to drive him crazy. "What?" he demanded, with knitted brows and narrow eyes.

"I don't want to hurt your feelings but maybe because you're uh…" Remus trailed mockingly. He looked up at the ceiling pretending to be searching for the right word to describe James. "A player?"

James threw his friend a stabbing look. And with a frown, he said flatly, "You suck in comforting people."

"I'm only trying to make you see how Lily sees you," Remus defended. "Listen," he said, as he moved the chair he was sitting on closer to the bed, when James lay back down to ignore him. "Lily is the type who plans today for the next ten years of her life. She's not bound to enter into a relationship where she feels like it's going to end in ten days."

James snorted. That was definitely the last reason that he expected to hear; all because, "So you're saying she actually saw that in Malfoy?" he demanded. That was ridiculous! "The little wretched guy has actually given that impression on Lily?" he continued sounding more and more unconvinced. He took a glance at Remus for some reply. And when all he got was a shrug, he rolled his eyes and then said, "I don't even want to think in what angle I'm supposed to find that ludicrous." And then, after a deliberate pause, he blurted out, "I mean, she was totally into me in our first year."

Oh yeah. Sometimes he could be so deep…

"You know what? Maybe it's because of your problem with overconfidence," Remus joked, as he stood up concluding that James had probably, finally lost it. "Why don't you give it time? Maybe then she'll see you in a way no other person sees you."

"Thank you! For this pep talk!" James blurted out sarcastically. "Now I feel like jumping off the rooftop."

Sulking James.

About a girl.

Remus just wished he had a video camera or something to remember that moment. But since he couldn't have any of that, he grabbed the pillow under James' head. And before James could even complain about it, he threw the pillow jokingly on his friend's face while saying, "Get up! Be normal. Maybe she'd like you that way."

Getting himself so engrossed with Head Boy responsibilities wasn't exactly normal James… but the alternative being never talking to Lily again, he opted, instead, to busy himself with the Yule Ball that Saturday.

Lily, on the other hand, didn't fail to notice that James had been putting much effort about the Ball. For the last two days, she usually met him entering the Head Prefects Room to ask her if there was anything else he could do to help.

Only days had passed and their situation was still awkward. But as long as James kept to his word not to talk about it, everything should go on smoothly.

"Hey," he greeted her when she was just on her way out the room. "I just went to Professor's Flitwick's office. All decorations are ready for arrangement tomorrow morning."

"Great. Thanks," Lily replied, smiling.

"So, where are you going?"

"Oh, kitchen," Lily answered as she held up the list of food to be served. She was going to make sure that everything was ready.

Yes. That was their conversation for the past week. It was becoming monotonous and crazy in its own way. But still… "Let me handle that," James offered, as he reached his hand out to take the list from her.

"Alright…" Lily said quite hesitantly, as she handed him the piece of parchment. "But that will leave me with nothing to do."

James shrugged. "Why don't you go to the common room and rest?" he suggested. "Tomorrow's gonna be a long day."

Maybe in another time and definitely in another situation, Lily would've refused the offer. But at that time and definitely with their situation, she just accepted. She didn't want any argument. Besides, since James was offering the chance for her to relax so willingly… "Okay," she nodded.

James ran to the kitchen to do his errand. The Yule Ball was going to be held the next day and because he had been working so hard for the past week, there were times that he forgot that the dance was supposed to be fun.

The dance…

Dance

Head Boy and Girl opening dance!

He suddenly remembered as he was walking to the kitchen. He slowed down realizing some dreadful fact he forgot to attend to.

Uh-oh.

Lily stretched herself by the hearth in the common room, doing the very thing that James had requested her to do – relax. And the moment her back touched the soft cushions of the seat, she was more than happy to never get off it again.

Then, from out of nowhere, she realized that Kiara was already standing beside her. "Hey, have you seen Vince around?" Kiara asked, without really fixing her eyes on Lily. She was searching the common room as she waited for an answer.

"He's in the dorm. Probably sulking. I don't know," came Lily's response.

"Okay, listen," Kiara began, sitting beside her friend. "I've been doing a lot of thinking and… do you think Vince can dance?"

Lily snorted. Some serious question that was. "What?" she exclaimed, finding the question quite silly. "You've known him for seven years and you're only asking that now?"

Kiara paused for a moment realizing that Lily had a point. Yeah… as far as she knew Vince couldn't dance. "Okay. Rephrase. Rephrase. Do you think he's already learned to dance?"

"Probably," Lily replied with a chuckle. "Yeah!" she suddenly blurted out, remembering something. "Yes. Last year, the girl he took to the ball taught him how to dance. I heard he's gotten pretty good."

"Great. Thanks. Bye." Then, Kiara left the room.

Lily would've had time to get confused and ponder on what just happened. But apparently, she couldn't because Toni came into the common room – after Kiara left – followed by Sirius who looked very much worried.

"I have a problem," was Toni's greeting as she walked to Lily.

Lily's eyebrows furrowed, wondering what was wrong with Toni. "What?"

But before Toni could open her mouth to answer, Sirius ran to her and pleaded. "No…" He was afraid that she might make a scene in the common room.

Little did he know… that wasn't it.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, getting a little more confused by the minute.

Sirius sighed audibly and answered. "I told her about being an illegal Animagus," he whispered.

"No. That's not it," Toni said to him flatly. Then, she turned to Lily and told her what was it all about. "Sirius can turn into a humungous black dog just like that," she said as she flicked her fingers with the word, 'that,' "but he can't dance!"

"Oh," Lily mumbled. She looked at Sirius as she tried to hold back a smile. Poor Sirius. "You've attended three Yule Balls… and you still can't dance?"

Yes. That was true. Sirius attended the Yule Ball every year and why didn't he learn to dance? "Well…" he trailed turning to Toni who narrowed her eyes at him.

"I. Am not. Going to sit the whole ball making out with you," Toni uttered, reading what was in her boyfriend's mind.

"Oh," Lily muttered again. So, that was how he lasted three school dances. "Sorry I asked."

"Hey, nobody's perfect," Sirius said to Lily, defensively.

Now, Lily wasn't only trying to hold back a smile, she was trying to stifle a laugh. "What do you want me to do?"

And Toni didn't waste any time. The dance was tomorrow and Sirius couldn't freakin' dance! "This will be a huge favor considering you have a lot on your mind right now but do you know anyone who can teach this boyfriend who can't dance to dance?" Apparently, she didn't waste any breath either.

"Wait a minute," Lily began. Then, she turned to Sirius remembering the Head Boy and Girl opening dance for the next day. "James can dance, can't he?" she asked quite cautiously; afraid that someone might just blurt out the word NO! in the middle of her sentence. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Because…" Sirius trailed.

"Because of course he's embarrassed," Toni interrupted, answering for him.

"Then, why don't you just teach him?" Lily asked Toni.

"You know she has a point," Sirius insisted, looking hopefully at Toni.

Toni crossed her arms and shook her head. "I can't teach anyone to dance. Besides, I don't lead."

"Neither do I," Lily also said.

"Uh, Toni," Sirius tried to get back into the conversation that involved the three of them.

"What?"

"James can't dance either." There it was. The bomb had finally dropped. "He's worse than two left feet." He paused when he caught a glance of Lily who looked like she was in a state of shock. "Well, not really… worse… you know. Just – just not… good."

Yeah. That would help.

"He can't dance?" Lily asked with eyes opened wide, as if what was said wasn't clear enough.

"No?" Sirius replied, now sounding as if he wasn't sure of the answer. "And I guess that'll be a problem with the opening dance, right?"

Did that have to be asked?

"Is that even a question?" Lily blurted out as she stood up and looked like she was going to the boys' dormitories.

Toni and Sirius followed her without asking any more questions. Maybe she had a plan?

Just then, Kiara entered the room again, holding something behind her back. "Where are you going?" she asked Lily and Toni in particular. Because Sirius walking toward the boys' dormitories wasn't exactly unusual.

All three stopped in their tracks as they waited for Kiara to reach them. "James and Sirius can't dance," Lily uttered. "We're going to ask Vince to teach them."

"Wait a second. Let me talk to him first," Kiara said, as she hurried to the stairs on the way to the boys' dormitories without even stopping by her friends. She just went ahead.

And sensing something big was going to happen, Lily and Toni decided to follow her.

"Wait here," Toni told Sirius before she left him.

Still with whatever she was hiding behind her back, Kiara knocked on the door of Vince's dormitory vigorously.

After about a minute of furious knocking, Vince opened the door. He had been apparently sleeping as he yawned and rubbed his eyes. At first, he didn't notice that those were girls that sauntered in the room one after another.

"Hi!" Kiara greeted with all smiles.

Okay, that was a girl's voice. Then, that was just the time he realized that it was Kiara, Lily and Toni who were banging on the door a minute ago. "Uh – hi? What are you doing here?"

Then, ignoring the fact that Vince wasn't exactly fully awake from his nap, Kiara brought about what she was holding behind her back and handed him… a long-stemmed red rose. "Here."

And so Vince awakened!

However, though he had accepted the rose from Kiara, he was more confused than ever. "What's – what's this…? What's going on?" he had to ask as he looked at the three people around him, still dazed.

"Listen," Kiara began. Now, Vince had someone to focus on. "I know… this may be so last minute." She paused and then continued, while waving her hands furiously in the air to relieve some panic out of her system. "And you're probably going to have more than second thoughts about this and…"

Vince took a step toward Kiara and shook his head as he held her arms down to calm her from her panic. "Kiara, what are you trying to say?"

Kiara took a deep breath and for a minute she was talking in her head, formulating the best possible way she could say what she wanted to say. "Vince." She paused when he held her waving arms back down again. "When you agreed that we stay as friends," she continued, now her hands couldn't wave furiously in the air because Vince already had them in his hands. "I didn't realize you'd still be willing to make a fool of yourself or put yourself in danger and… you'd never know how much I really appreciate that."

Well, that didn't accurately explain the rose he was holding right at that moment but then maybe… that was… it? "Uh – w – I – uh – thanks, I guess," Vince replied, scratching his head.

"And how it changed my mind," Kiara finished.

And everyone in the room froze.

Wwwwwwwhaaaaaaat?

"Vince, will you be my date for the Yule Ball?"

Shocked. That was what Vince was.

Completely.

He was speechless for a second. And by the time he was able to make some sensible sound out of his mouth, the words would want to make the other two girls in the room shout 'just say yes for the love of god!' "Are – are you sure?" was what he said. "I – I mean, that's for tomorrow, right?"

Yeah, sometimes when a person had finally gotten what he wanted, he would turn around and say something as stupid as that.

Kiara smiled widely. "Yeah," she replied with a nod. Then, as if they weren't close enough from each other, she stepped closer to him and planted a kiss on his lips. "Okay, now," she said, after paralyzing Vince with more shock. "Can you teach a couple of guys to dance?"

"WHAT?"

"Uh-huh," Kiara replied. "Thanks," she said, not really waiting for any reply. Then, she kissed him again on the cheek and left the room.

With his mouth hanging open – and still holding that long-stemmed rose in his hand – Vince watched as Kiara walked out the door. Then, he noticed that Lily and Toni were still standing in the room, apparently also amazed. "What – what – what did just happen?" he asked them, quite unsure if he was dreaming or what.

Lily smiled widely and patted Vince on the shoulder and declared, "You have a date!"

~*~*~*~.

i've never been one to hang my heart on a thread... but you spun me around and you loved me instead... - jars of clay, "i'm alright"

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Okay, no cliffies this time. Now, be kind and review. :)