Chapter 17:

"I can't do this." Kasey pulled back abruptly from Kevin's arms and Kevin's kiss. "I thought I could, but I can't."

"Wha..? Why?" Kevin still looked a little dazed.

"I can't Kevin. I.....I....I moved on." There, she said it, although it was much more scary saying it out loud than in her head. That meant it was true, she couldn't hold back now.

"Moved on?" Kevin stared at her dumbfounded.

"I didn't want to. I don't want to love somebody again, but I can't help it. I thought it was still you, but it's not. It can't be." She shok her head. "This wasn't supposed to happen. He's not supposed to just weasel his way back into my heart like this. Not that easily."

"Kasey, are you okay. You're rambling." Kevin asked concerned. "Did you hit your head."

"No, I'm fine, just confused." She looked up at him. "I think you should go, Kevin."

"Kasey, I....." He protested.

"No, Kevin. You had your chance and I tried to give you another, but my feelings for you left when you did." She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah well." His old mask of indifference took place on his face again. "Then I'll go. See ya around then." He stalked, off, shoulders slightly slumped.

Kasey turned and headed back inside her dormroom. What was she going to do? Max wasn't supposed to be in her heart like this, not after what he did. What, one kiss and now he's the only one she thinks of when she's kissing a guy? Max was supposed to be out and stay out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~

"So, what exactly happened during that Romeo and Juliet scene after I left?" Tristan asked, hesitantly taking Rory's hand in his. He wa relieved when she didn't pull away. She just continued to walk beside him on the way to the new Jazz club.

"Paris ended up playing Romeo." Rory grinned at the thought. "It was actually rather horrifying."

"I'll bet. She kissed you. Eww, Paris's lips, lips of Paris on my Mary." Tristan made a face.

Rory laughed. "It only for a second, but I'll with you on the ick factor."

"So, I bet Bagboy was happy with my departure." Tristan laughed dryly. "Probably doing a happy dance because I wasn't in the picture."

"Don't be too sure. He still had Jess to contend with and Jess is a bit more annoying than you are. Mostly because he's just rude and doesn't give a damn about what other people think or anybody's feelings. I was the only one who really got through to him." Rory sighed and looked up. "But, I guess that wasn't enough to make him stay. He and Dean got into a fight right before he left."

"Why?" Tristan asked, somewhat interested.

"Because Dean saw me crying. Jess and I had been making out and things started getting a little too out of hand and I panicked. Jss is from New York and I don't doubt the fact that he's not a virgin, just like I don't doubt the fact that you're not a virgin." She shook her head. "We were at a party and I fled from the room. Dean saw me come out in tears, saw Jess chase after me, put two and two together and upunched Jess in the face. It turned into an all out brawl."

"Sounds like fun. I'm sorry I missed it." Tristan looked closely at her. "But, if I had seen you come out of that room in tears, Dean would have had to take whatever was left over, which would probably be the kid's corpse."

Rory smiled up at him. "Thanks Tris. That's means a lot to me."

"Anytime Mary. I'd never let anyone hurt you, not if I could stop it." Tristan gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "So, you up for some dancing?" He gestured to the Jazz clb, 'Blue Moonlight.'

"Yeah." Rory grinned, the sadness wiped away from her face. "Let's!" She linked arms with him and they made there way into the dance club. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~

"There. See, this isn't so hard." Andy grinned, as he held Mara loosely around the waist. "You handle this."

Mara grinned at him and gently played with the ends of his hair, while her arms were around his neck. "My fast dancing leaves something to be desired."

"That'll get better with practice. Plus, I am pretty sure Kasey is a far better teacher than I." Andy chuckled. "You didn't think you'd get the hang of it on your first try did you?"

"Well no, but it's still a bit disappointing." Mara admitted, blushing pink.

"You didn't do too bad. Plus, by the time Kasey is done with you, the next time I take you out dancing you'll be a pro." Andy grinned.

"Next time?" Mara questioned, staring at him in surprise.

"Well," Andy's grin faded and a look of panic crossed his face. "There will be a next time, right?"

"Well, yes, but you actually want a next time?" Mara blushed furiously.

Andy's confindence returned and he laughed. "Of course. I'm having a great time with you tonight. I'd love to take you out again."

"Really?" Mara asked, hoping it was true.

"Really." Andy repeated firmly. "I like you."

"I like you too." Mara blushed again. She seemed to do a lot of that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~

Max whistled to himself, as made his way back towards his dorm. He'd have it all to himself. Tristan was out with Rory, Andy was out with Mara, Ben was never home anyway and he'd enjoy the peace and quiet.

'Hmm, I wonder if Kasey's home alone?' Max thought, before chuckling to himself. 'I could go see if she wants some company before I head upstairs. Just as friends of course. Gotta take things slow.'

Max looked up as he prepared to enter the building and had to do a double take. Kevin James was walking straight towards him, shoulders slumped and looking defeated. He looked past him and saw Kasey's door close.

"Knightly? What the hell are you doing here?" Kevin's voice brought his gaze back to him.

"I could ask you the same question, James. I go here. This is my building." He practically snarled at Kasey's Ex.

"I came to visit, Kasey." Kevin shot back.

"Well, from the look on he face I'd say she wasn't too happy to see you. Maybe Saunders has a brain after all." Max smirked, watching Kevin's eyes narrow in anger. He loved pissing this guy off.

"Back off, Knightly." Kevin snapped. "It was kind of bad, she's upset right now!"

Max snapped. "What the Hell did you do to her?" He growled, practically shoving his old clasmate against the brick building.

"I didn't do anything. I came here because I wanted her back. I thought she did too seeing as she kissed me, but then she power freaked and started mumbling something about not letting him get back into my heart so easily and she told me she moved on." Kevin glared at him, before his eyes widened. "Holy Shit! Doesn't Chris go here? She can't be falling for him again!"

"Gotta go!" Max let him go and ran off down the hall, before pounding on Kasey's door. "Kasey! Kasey, open up!"

"Go away, Max!" She mumbled through the door.

"We've got to talk. Open up!" Max pounded again, before the door swung open to reveal a tear stained Kasey. "Son of a Bitch, didn't do anything to you, my ass!" Max growled, pushing past her and closing the door. "What happened?"

"He, he, he....." Kasey looked up at him a moment, before new tears poured down her face. "I don't know how to explain." She mumbled, before burying her face in his chest.

Completely taken of guard, Max didn't know what to do, except wrap his arms around her and stroke her hair gently until she calmed down.

Ooh, I wonder what'll happen next! You'll have to review to find out!