Hey hey, remember me? Yeah, yeah. I know I said I was going to update
faster, but. . .forgive me! I've actually been busy breaking my back
lugging manga to my room, being mad at the Sam Goody's people, getting
bitten by ants and having my finger swell to unnatural proportions, getting
stepped on my horses and getting bruises on my foot, seeing my friends in a
play, and trying to end this fic!!!
I KNOW how I want to end this, but the words won't come out. I really need a laptop so I can write in my room in peace instead of being surrounded by my headache-inducing family.
Grrr.
Anyway, this chapter is a personal favorite of mine ~_^ I hope you all like it too, and think it was worth the wait!
And Lori C, that's 8 stars out of five? O_O Ha ha. . .I wish. I'm glad you like this fic so much ^_^ Edgar. . .I'll be stalking you -cough- until you review! Muhahahaha.
~Chapter Twenty~
I got a sickening, sinking feeling in my stomach the second Mom dropped us off at the hotel ballroom. Not because I was carsick---because I was so afraid I was going to see Shane.
"C'mon!" Julie and Allie cried, each pulling one of my arms. "Let's go!"
They walked happily into the mob scene that was students from our school; I was slow and looked gingerly at everyone. If I ran into Shane. . .I was probably going to take Mom's advice.
I could barely see anyone, though. People were already dancing, in groups, couples, or by themselves. A Machamp was helping out the DJ.
'Smart,' I thought.
People were buzzing around the food table like angry Beedrills. I could see two bowls filled with punch at the end of the long line of tables, and in between were snack foods, like brownies, cookies, and popcorn.
"Hey look," Allie whispered, pointing at the snack table. "They've got mints," she giggled. "I wonder what for?"
I chuckled, but I wasn't in the mood for jokes. I was just so scared I was going to see him. . .
But I didn't, not for at least an hour. Allie and Julie made me dance with them, and I did once I made sure there wasn't any sign of Shane. We found a bunch of our other classmates and were dancing and chatting with them about what we were going to do once we graduated. Everyone wished me luck on becoming a professional show jumper with Princess, but I knew deep down that would somehow never happen.
Soon, though, the DJ played what I had been dreading: a slow song.
Julie, Allison, and I had agreed to stake out the snack table once a slow song was playing---less people would be there then---but before I could join them, someone grabbed my wrist.
My stomach twisted. It was Shane. It had to be Shane. It. . .
"Hey Diana," someone said. I spun my head around. It was Mark, one of my classmates. I let out a huge sigh of relief. I spotted Julie and Allie by the food. They winked and started stocking up on brownies.
"Hi Mark," I finally said.
"Want to dance?" he asked.
I didn't really want to, but I was so incredibly revealed that it wasn't Shane that had stopped me, that I said yes.
Mark put his arms around my waist and I slowly put them around his neck. I had never slow danced with a boy before, so I was a little nervous. We just swayed back and forth, and instead of looking at Mark, I was glancing around at all of the other people dancing.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps. People were looking up to see who it was, but the Machamp had dimmed the lights for 'effect', so you couldn't see anyone's face that well. The person was walking towards Mark and I.
'Oh no,' I thought. I lost my breath. Mark was looking around.
"Excuse me," the person said. "May I cut in?"
"What? Oh. . .um, sure, I guess," Mark said. I had been closing my eyes, silently begging him not to say that, but apparently Mark didn't know telepathy.
"Hi Diana," the person whispered, locking their arms around my waist.
"Hi Shane," I mumbled. I didn't put my arms around his neck, but he didn't seem to care.
"I made it," he said. Like I had been expecting him or something. "Mom had a little trouble getting Princess back in her stall. She wanted to play with Red Spot."
"Mm hmm," I mumbled.
The slow song stopped, but Shane didn't let go of my waist.
"Let go," I said. I wanted to escape. Go to Allie and Julie. Anything.
But he didn't let go.
"Let go!" I said more loudly, and pushed him away. I walked to the other side of the ballroom---and I saw a large window of bead curtains. I walked through them and found myself in a little courtyard. I sat on the first bench I saw.
"Diana?"
I looked up. Shane had followed me. Again. Why couldn't he leave me alone?
Someone else came through the bead curtains---Julie and Allie.
"Diana. . .c'mon you have to have a brownie before they run out," Allie said, jerking her head a little.
"Yeah. . ." I said, wanting to get away from Shane.
"Diana, wait," Shane said softly. "I really, really need to talk to you."
I looked helplessly at my friends. They stared at me for a few seconds before spinning around and going back into the ballroom.
"Traitors," I muttered, not really meaning it. I just didn't want to be stuck anywhere with Shane.
I sat down on the edge of the bench, and he sat on the other side. It was silently for a few minutes before he started talking.
"So you're still upset over something that happened two years ago?"
I stared at the ground and crossed my arms. WAS I upset? I didn't know. . .but I did.
"No," I finally said. Shane looked at me, but I didn't look back. "I'm not upset."
"Then why do you keep avoiding me?"
I sighed. Tears threatened to come out of my eyes, but I held them back. "I. . .I don't know."
"I think you do know," he said quietly.
Neither of us spoke for another ten minutes, until I finally mustered up the courage. I still couldn't believe I was talking to Shane like this.
"Yeah," I whispered. "I was. . .confused. I didn't want to talk about it. I'm not good with talking about my feelings."
"I see," he responded, and looked up at the sky. "It's hard for me too. That's why I think actions speak louder than words."
I kept staring at the concrete. "You mean you couldn't find any words between Anthony beating you up and the shock of finding out he was making you do something really terrible, so you. . ." I trailed off.
"So I kissed you," he filled in. He actually sounded a little proud.
I didn't speak for a few seconds. So he had meant that kiss. He really meant it. It wasn't a side effect, or an hallucination---it was his feelings.
"But. . ." I whispered. I took a deep breath. This is what I had been wondering these two years. "But what did it mean?"
Shane was quiet before answering. "Diana. . .I knew from the minute I saw you, you were someone special." He looked at me, and this time I looked back. "I know when I was younger I was a real grouch and all of that, but I didn't really mean to be nasty to you. And I felt like I had to protect you. I swear, the most frightening moment of my life was when Princess took off and jumped over that fence. I thought you were going to be killed."
My eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yeah, Princess was a nutcase back then," he said. I smiled a little. "And. . .I wasn't really avoiding you on purpose. . .it was Anthony most of the time."
I shivered, not wanting to remember.
"But other times, I was just too scared to talk to you. I was afraid you were going to ignore me." He stared at his hand. "Like you've been doing."
"Shane," I started. I couldn't believe this. "I didn't really mean to ignore you. Like I said. . .I have a lot of trouble talking about my feelings. After you. . .you kissed me," my voice quivered on the words, "I guess I was shocked. I knew if we talked about it, well. . .well, we'd get in a conversation like this. Talking about our feelings. Which, I've mentioned, I'm bad at."
Shane smiled a little and looked up at me again, but the smile quickly disappeared. "Look," he said. "I haven't really said what I wanted to say tonight. What I've wanted to say for the past two years."
"What?"
Shane got up, pulled me to a standing position, and put his arms around my waist again. This time, I put my arms around his neck, as if I was dreaming.
Another slow song was playing from inside the ballroom. We rocked back and forth. I laid my head on his shoulder, and he lowered his mouth to my ear and whispered something I knew I would never, ever forget.
"Diana. . .what I've been meaning to say is. . .I really like you. In fact. . .I think I love you."
I gasped and brought my head up. Shane looked deep into my eyes---I think he was even surprised at what he said. I know I was.
Before I knew it, our lips met again.
And this time, I didn't mind a bit.
~*~*~
Stupid ant bite. GRRRRRR. Die ants, die! While I'm squashing all the ants that bit me last Friday, leave a review! ^_^
I KNOW how I want to end this, but the words won't come out. I really need a laptop so I can write in my room in peace instead of being surrounded by my headache-inducing family.
Grrr.
Anyway, this chapter is a personal favorite of mine ~_^ I hope you all like it too, and think it was worth the wait!
And Lori C, that's 8 stars out of five? O_O Ha ha. . .I wish. I'm glad you like this fic so much ^_^ Edgar. . .I'll be stalking you -cough- until you review! Muhahahaha.
~Chapter Twenty~
I got a sickening, sinking feeling in my stomach the second Mom dropped us off at the hotel ballroom. Not because I was carsick---because I was so afraid I was going to see Shane.
"C'mon!" Julie and Allie cried, each pulling one of my arms. "Let's go!"
They walked happily into the mob scene that was students from our school; I was slow and looked gingerly at everyone. If I ran into Shane. . .I was probably going to take Mom's advice.
I could barely see anyone, though. People were already dancing, in groups, couples, or by themselves. A Machamp was helping out the DJ.
'Smart,' I thought.
People were buzzing around the food table like angry Beedrills. I could see two bowls filled with punch at the end of the long line of tables, and in between were snack foods, like brownies, cookies, and popcorn.
"Hey look," Allie whispered, pointing at the snack table. "They've got mints," she giggled. "I wonder what for?"
I chuckled, but I wasn't in the mood for jokes. I was just so scared I was going to see him. . .
But I didn't, not for at least an hour. Allie and Julie made me dance with them, and I did once I made sure there wasn't any sign of Shane. We found a bunch of our other classmates and were dancing and chatting with them about what we were going to do once we graduated. Everyone wished me luck on becoming a professional show jumper with Princess, but I knew deep down that would somehow never happen.
Soon, though, the DJ played what I had been dreading: a slow song.
Julie, Allison, and I had agreed to stake out the snack table once a slow song was playing---less people would be there then---but before I could join them, someone grabbed my wrist.
My stomach twisted. It was Shane. It had to be Shane. It. . .
"Hey Diana," someone said. I spun my head around. It was Mark, one of my classmates. I let out a huge sigh of relief. I spotted Julie and Allie by the food. They winked and started stocking up on brownies.
"Hi Mark," I finally said.
"Want to dance?" he asked.
I didn't really want to, but I was so incredibly revealed that it wasn't Shane that had stopped me, that I said yes.
Mark put his arms around my waist and I slowly put them around his neck. I had never slow danced with a boy before, so I was a little nervous. We just swayed back and forth, and instead of looking at Mark, I was glancing around at all of the other people dancing.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps. People were looking up to see who it was, but the Machamp had dimmed the lights for 'effect', so you couldn't see anyone's face that well. The person was walking towards Mark and I.
'Oh no,' I thought. I lost my breath. Mark was looking around.
"Excuse me," the person said. "May I cut in?"
"What? Oh. . .um, sure, I guess," Mark said. I had been closing my eyes, silently begging him not to say that, but apparently Mark didn't know telepathy.
"Hi Diana," the person whispered, locking their arms around my waist.
"Hi Shane," I mumbled. I didn't put my arms around his neck, but he didn't seem to care.
"I made it," he said. Like I had been expecting him or something. "Mom had a little trouble getting Princess back in her stall. She wanted to play with Red Spot."
"Mm hmm," I mumbled.
The slow song stopped, but Shane didn't let go of my waist.
"Let go," I said. I wanted to escape. Go to Allie and Julie. Anything.
But he didn't let go.
"Let go!" I said more loudly, and pushed him away. I walked to the other side of the ballroom---and I saw a large window of bead curtains. I walked through them and found myself in a little courtyard. I sat on the first bench I saw.
"Diana?"
I looked up. Shane had followed me. Again. Why couldn't he leave me alone?
Someone else came through the bead curtains---Julie and Allie.
"Diana. . .c'mon you have to have a brownie before they run out," Allie said, jerking her head a little.
"Yeah. . ." I said, wanting to get away from Shane.
"Diana, wait," Shane said softly. "I really, really need to talk to you."
I looked helplessly at my friends. They stared at me for a few seconds before spinning around and going back into the ballroom.
"Traitors," I muttered, not really meaning it. I just didn't want to be stuck anywhere with Shane.
I sat down on the edge of the bench, and he sat on the other side. It was silently for a few minutes before he started talking.
"So you're still upset over something that happened two years ago?"
I stared at the ground and crossed my arms. WAS I upset? I didn't know. . .but I did.
"No," I finally said. Shane looked at me, but I didn't look back. "I'm not upset."
"Then why do you keep avoiding me?"
I sighed. Tears threatened to come out of my eyes, but I held them back. "I. . .I don't know."
"I think you do know," he said quietly.
Neither of us spoke for another ten minutes, until I finally mustered up the courage. I still couldn't believe I was talking to Shane like this.
"Yeah," I whispered. "I was. . .confused. I didn't want to talk about it. I'm not good with talking about my feelings."
"I see," he responded, and looked up at the sky. "It's hard for me too. That's why I think actions speak louder than words."
I kept staring at the concrete. "You mean you couldn't find any words between Anthony beating you up and the shock of finding out he was making you do something really terrible, so you. . ." I trailed off.
"So I kissed you," he filled in. He actually sounded a little proud.
I didn't speak for a few seconds. So he had meant that kiss. He really meant it. It wasn't a side effect, or an hallucination---it was his feelings.
"But. . ." I whispered. I took a deep breath. This is what I had been wondering these two years. "But what did it mean?"
Shane was quiet before answering. "Diana. . .I knew from the minute I saw you, you were someone special." He looked at me, and this time I looked back. "I know when I was younger I was a real grouch and all of that, but I didn't really mean to be nasty to you. And I felt like I had to protect you. I swear, the most frightening moment of my life was when Princess took off and jumped over that fence. I thought you were going to be killed."
My eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yeah, Princess was a nutcase back then," he said. I smiled a little. "And. . .I wasn't really avoiding you on purpose. . .it was Anthony most of the time."
I shivered, not wanting to remember.
"But other times, I was just too scared to talk to you. I was afraid you were going to ignore me." He stared at his hand. "Like you've been doing."
"Shane," I started. I couldn't believe this. "I didn't really mean to ignore you. Like I said. . .I have a lot of trouble talking about my feelings. After you. . .you kissed me," my voice quivered on the words, "I guess I was shocked. I knew if we talked about it, well. . .well, we'd get in a conversation like this. Talking about our feelings. Which, I've mentioned, I'm bad at."
Shane smiled a little and looked up at me again, but the smile quickly disappeared. "Look," he said. "I haven't really said what I wanted to say tonight. What I've wanted to say for the past two years."
"What?"
Shane got up, pulled me to a standing position, and put his arms around my waist again. This time, I put my arms around his neck, as if I was dreaming.
Another slow song was playing from inside the ballroom. We rocked back and forth. I laid my head on his shoulder, and he lowered his mouth to my ear and whispered something I knew I would never, ever forget.
"Diana. . .what I've been meaning to say is. . .I really like you. In fact. . .I think I love you."
I gasped and brought my head up. Shane looked deep into my eyes---I think he was even surprised at what he said. I know I was.
Before I knew it, our lips met again.
And this time, I didn't mind a bit.
~*~*~
Stupid ant bite. GRRRRRR. Die ants, die! While I'm squashing all the ants that bit me last Friday, leave a review! ^_^