It had only been a few weeks since Gavin had moved back in with her. In the beginning, he shied away from her and the other house living in complete solitude. Whenever he saw her, he'd run back into his apartment. She wondered if every time he looked at her he saw the betrayal. She wondered why every time she looked at him she wanted to shake some sense into him. All he did was sulk and it was driving her crazy! His air of depression was even filtering onto her, making it almost impossible to work happily. What relationship the two had once had didn't matter because it was over.

But then something changed. He'd make up excuses to go to her house. Then he started to come over to the house and watch television with her. The two started to talk and laugh together again. Gavin had even picked flowers for her to keep in the house. Now after two weeks of being reacquainted, the spark that was once gone had somehow reignited in the two friends, even if it was only a flicker of what they once had.

"Gavin, I'm sorry if I ever hurt you. I honestly, with all my heart, didn't mean to betray you. Not you. What I did was wrong and there was no excuse for it," Gena said looking deep into his dark brown eyes.

"I know, Gena. Now that I know what you went through with Philip, I understand. It hurt though, what you did. After I left school, I thought about nothing except you...and losing you. I shouldn't have sent those letters back with out reading them. Then I would have known sooner about how you were treated by that jerk."

"Oh Gavin. It's in the past. I will never forgive myself for what happened, but I want to get passed it. Please don't turn away again."

"I won't. I care about you, Gena. I don't want you to forget that," he said warmly. "Hey you," he said while trying to tickle her sides. She fought him off quite easily for which he was very surprised. "Get dressed. We're going out to dinner tonight."

"Are you serious?" Gena asked with an anticipated grin on her face.

"I'm dead serious. You have, oh, ten minutes to get ready starting ....now."

Gena ran upstairs to her room and opened up her closet. She found a pair of Capri jeans and a cute strapless olive-colored top. She quickly got dressed, brushed her hair, and put on a little make-up. Before she knew it, she had gotten ready quicker than she ever had before.

'Boy am I glad that I had showered earlier today. Otherwise I would have taken me an hour and ten minutes to get ready.'

 Gena ran downstairs and was shocked to find Gavin dressed up and waiting for her. She walked down next to him and he offered her his arm

"You look beautiful," he said.

"Why thank you," she said, blushing a slight. "You look very debonair."

The pair walked towards Gavin's red Mercedes outside of the house.

"Aren't you going to open the door for me?" Gena asked as Gavin was already moving to his side of the car.

"Oh! I forgot! I'm sorry." He opened the door and helped her inside.

The pair sat in a nervous and anxious silence until Gena broke in.

"By the way, where are we going?"

"To the new restaurant in downtown Spring Cove. It's called the Zebra Room."

The two arrived the new restaurant. The building was very modern and contemporary. Gavin pulled up to the curb and let the valet take the keys to his vehicle. He then moved over to the passenger side and offered his hand to Gena. She could see why the restaurant got its name; the interior walls were painted in a zebra pattern. Groups of people were already in the room eating and having drinks. Gena and Gavin were seated in the corner of the room. A dim candle burned on the table while the two perused the menu.

"What are you going to have, babe?" Gavin asked Gena.

"Did you just call me babe?"

"Is that alright?"

"It's fine, I was just surprised. Anyway, I think I'm going to have the grouper. It sounds pretty good."

"That does sound good, but I think I'm going to have the pesto chicken."

Before long, they had their food and began to eat. Both meals were delicious and filling. The two had wonderful conversations and shared some intimate moments. He was holding her hand and caressing it gently.

"God, you are so beautiful, Gena. Your eyes are absolutely amazing."

"Thank you. My eyes, and my smile, are hereditary. A few members of my family had them too."

"Oh really. That's cool. You must have a good looking family then."

'Had a good looking family,' she thought sadly.

"Excuse me," she said as she stood up from her seat. "Gavin, I'm going to use the ladies room. I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here waiting for you," he said with a smile.

Gena winked at him before she made her way across the room towards the bathrooms. She walked by many tables where couples and their friends were laughing, joking around, and having a good time. She passed one table where a striking blonde was sitting with her date. The blonde was slender and had a delicate body. She looked no more than seventeen years old, but there was something about her that seemed older. Maybe it was her eyes. Her blue eyes were vibrant and a crisp blue. When the light hit her eyes, they glittered like the Hope diamond; but there was a part of them that seemed to have seen so much in a short life.

Being a fashion designer, Gena also noticed that she had very good taste in clothes as well. As a vampire, she noticed her slender neck and her pulse thrumming through her body.

'I really have to go out and feed tonight.'

There was something else about her. Gena's senses were ringing off the chart like there was something very powerful in the restaurant.

The blonde continued to talk to her partner, whose face was hidden behind the menu he was viewing.

"You know, it shouldn't be this hard for you to pick something to eat," the blonde said as she sipped her martini.

"Yeah, I know, but you know I have weird tastes in food," her partner said as he started to lower his menu.

'That voice...I've heard that voice before,' she thought to herself.

She passed by the table as the male was lowering his menu. His hair was dark, wavy black and perfect. His face and body would rival only the Greek god's. His smile made women drop. And his eyes; it was his eyes that sealed it. They were the unmistakable green of the forest.
"Oh my god," she said softly.

He continued to talk to his beautiful counterpart; never noticing the he was being stared at. Gena tried not to be she couldn't help it.

'It can't be. He's dead! He died!'

Her fixation with the man caused her to run into a waiter with drinks, which spilt all over the floor and herself.

"Damn! I'm so sorry," Gena said.

"It's ok," the waiter said.

The blonde woman came over to Gena.

"Oh, you're covered with drinks. Let me help clean up. Stefan, can you hand me some extra napkins?"

The dark man from the table lifted his gaze slightly and handed the blonde a handful of clothe napkins.

'Stefan,' she thought to herself.

As if he heard her thoughts, he looked straight at her.

"I'm fine...I gotta to go...excuse me," Gena said as ran out of the Zebra Room.