Lera awoke with a start, sitting up. No bells sounded in the distance warning her that she must scuttle to class. The thought hit her suddenly. It was the weekend.

She rose to the privy and returned shortly.

Rounding the last corner before her dorm, Lera crashed into Saban, her books flying everywhere.

Blinking up at him, Lera managed to dodge his fist as it slammed for her face. Lera hated it how he attacked her un provoked.

This was the second time.

Succumbing to her instincts, Lera lashed out, her nails scoring three deep welts down his perfect cheekbone. He paused for a moment, tracing his fingers over his fresh wound as a small trickle of blood coursed down his neck.

Lera felt her muscles bruise as he slammed his fist expertly into her stomach, throwing her back against the wall. Lera coughed, choking for air as he drew his knee up against her face. Had he his her nose, it would have shattered. An instant bruise flitted across her eyebrow as pain shot through her temples.

Without thinking, Lera lunged forth, her tiny fist snapping aptly into his chest, one after another. When finally she stopped, her chest heaving with the effort of repeatedly punching her opponent. Saban took a deep breathe.

They both heard it at the same time.

Rhythmic footsteps heading there way.

Lera hightailed it to her dorm and locked the door behind her. Admiring her new bruises in the mirror before putting her newly gathered text books away, Lera cleaned her wounded face a little, applying a soft layer of skin coloured dust to her black eye.

Lera pressed her fingers to her temples, thinking that she really ought to get caught up in her Maths and History homework.

That can wait, she thought, the image of a bath flashing through her head completely welcomed.

A knock on her door brought her from her imaginations.

She opened the door without bothering to ask who it was.

"Hey! We're going down to the city.wanna come?" Carlyn asked, not waiting for an answer, but bodily dragging her from her room.

Solo, David, Stu and Logan were waiting by the barn, their horses already tacked up. As Lera and Carlyn headed to the barn, they were cracking jokes about how they only invited Lera because they felt bad.

A grin split onto Lera's face as she realised her horse had already been tacked up for her.

Swinging onto Faithful with some.okay a lot.of help from Drailin, the stable hand, Lera was all set to leave.

She smiled her thanks to Drailin, and trotted to catch up with Carlyn.

A spur of the moment thought mad her pivot around in her seat. "Drailin?" She called.

Drailin looked up from the broom with which he was sweeping the hallways with. "Yes?" He asked, pausing his work momentarily.

"Would you like to join us?" Lera replied, questioningly, "We are headed down to the city."

A grin flitted across Drailin's face and his eyes lit up. It gave Lera the distinct impression that he wasn't included much. He nodded and darted into the barn, calling that he would tack his horse quickly.

With Drailin riding a white mare named 'Everfrost', they set out for the hour long ride to the city.

At first it was awkward with Drailin tagging along, but soon they all relaxed, and by the time they arrived at the City gates, they were tossing insults around with Drailin like old friends.

Stu trotted up next to Lera, cutting her off from Solo.

"Hey" She greeted him with a nod.

"Have you ever drank?" Stu inquired, a playful smile on his face, and his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Lera was about to point out that she obviously drinks water every day with the rest of them, but she got a funny feeling that that wasn't what he was talking about.

"No.you mean alcohol?" She replied, tossing him a lopsided grin and receiving his nod in return.

"We could go to a bar.the Dancing Dove." He trailed off looking to her for a response.

Lera glanced around. It seemed that everyone was staring at her. She grinned and nodded.

Despite her friends assurance that the people who worked at the bar really didn't care that she was a girl and that they were underage, Lera felt a little uneasy about the whole affair.

Once Lera was comfortably squished between Logan and Carlyn, Carlyn ordered a round of whiskey for everyone, completely missing Lera's edginess.

Lera pressed the drink to her lips, tentively sipping. Once again everyone's eyes were drawn to her. She swallowed the liquid, and instant warm sensation tickling down in to her stomach. She grinned and took a bigger sip.

After three more rounds, Lera was finding everything hilarious, and she couldn't figure out why. Every time the waitress, Laughing Nell, passed by and Solo's jaw dropped Lera would laugh all the harder. She and the other found it especially funny when Nell, over by the counter, blew Solo a kiss and he nearly had a seizure.

Lera began noticing how touch Logan was getting. Not that she really cared, but it was just small things, like his arm touching hers, and him going out of his way to lean over her, his stomach pressing against her. His fingers would occasionally brush against her body, though it was hard to avoid seeing as how six of them were packed into a four person booth.

Lera was actively engaged in a conversation with Stu about purple ponies who steal grapes when Logan tapped her on her shoulder, whether by accident or no.

Lera swirled around, and her lips nearly brushed against his, his face was close to hers, so close it irked her. She tried to shuffle backwards, but Carlyn's attempt to strangle Solo across the table prevented her.

"Um.Logan?" She asked, curiously.

Logan seemed to snap back from wherever he was and he backed off.

The tingle of the short distance between them still fresh upon Lera's lips.

Somehow, nearing the end of their amusing, comfortable visit to the pub, Lera had managed to cross the table from underneath and she popped up next to Stu and David. Grinning, her face pink from amusement and drink, Lera leaned back, thankful to get away from Logan, who was acting oddly.

She felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks as she became distinctly aware of Stuarts hand pressing against her leg as she both struggled to remain upright.

Lera left the bar entirely incapacitated and seriously confused about some feelings.