Author's Note: Another chapter, woo-hoo! And I will be updating Tis The Season. AFTER I get my mountain of homework down to a small hill, though.

Oh, and I have a new homepage; http://mine.at/mblow0t5 or http://mine.at/thelair (I got two cause some people have a hard time remembering "mblow0t5") The site has ALL of my work posted, including over 180 short stories, poems, rants and fan fics.

And also check out the Meek-Haiygn Press Official News Letter, featuring the writings of six writers, including myself. Zany and fun, go here to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Meek-HaiygnPress/

And now, on with the story!

The phone rang. Lara glanced at it. She knew it was Alex. He had been calling her for most of the evening and all of the afternoon. Lara groaned, she knew she would have to face him sometime, after the scene she made out in the woods. For Lara to be perfectly honest with herself, she was extremely embarrassed that she started screaming at the tomb raider in front of everyone, and that the students knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she and Alex had more than a business relationship.

The phone rang again. Lara bit her lower lip. She placed her journal beside her on the bed and sat up. The phone continued to ring. Lara sighed, then picked up the phone from her nightstand.

"Hello?" She asked, in dread.

"Lara, it's Alex." The voice on the other end of the line said.

I hate it when I'm right. . . Lara thought.

"Hi." She said, not sure of what else to say. The entire conversation was no doubt going to be awkward, after what had happened between them earlier that day.

"Hi." Alex responded.

There was silence.

"Do you need some help with something?" Lara asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"No, no, not really. I just wanted to know. . . I mean, since you've calmed down. . . . if you realized that you didn't mean all those things that you said, earlier."

Lara ran a hand through her long hair and rested her forehead on her palm. "I meant even single word, Alex."

"Oh."

Silence.

"Lara, I lo-"

"Don't." Lara snapped, lifting her head and pointing with her index finger, as if Alex could actually see her. "Don't start with that, again. You don't love me, Alex. I don't even think you know the meaning of the word."

"Lara. . . ." Alex trailed off.

"What?" Lara snapped, after several seconds of silence.

"Well, um, I wanted to know, if you'd like to go to the school's barbecue with me. Just as, well, business partners."

"Actually, I've already asked someone else." Lara lied.

"Oh."

More silence.

"Well, I guess I should be going. It's getting late."

"Night, Alex." Lara muttered.

"Night."

Lara hung up the phone and laid back in her bed. Now she felt guilty. Like she had been too cruel to Alex. Damn him. Lara thought to herself. Lara laid back in bed and made a frustrated sound. She had to find someone to take to the barbecue.

The barbecue was something that Alex had suggested, a break from all the hard work the students had been putting in. Lara had thought that it was a bad idea in the first place, but the students all seemed to like it, so, whether Lara liked it or not, the barbecue had been organized. She felt obligated to go, since she did own half of the school anyways. Besides, her not going might be seen as an act of cowardice. And as everyone knew, Lara Croft was no coward.

***

"Hello?"

"Victoria? It's Lara."

"Hi, how are you?"

Lara leaned back in her large bathtub, resting her head against the rim of the tub, staring at the design on the bathroom ceiling. "Alright, I guess. I'm in a bit of trouble right now though."

"Oh no, what happened? Did Mr. West do something?"

"You could say that." Lara muttered, blowing some bubbles from her soapy left shoulder. "But this isn't about Alex, the truth is, I need a date for Saturday and I can't think of anyone."

"Come on, Lara, don't you have a little black book?"

"Yes. I do. It had six numbers in it. Four don't work, one is now happily married and the other is currently in a mental institution."

"Ah. Well, I don't know how much help I can be. I haven't exactly been on the prowl for men for a while. Right now, one is all that I can handle." Victoria laughed.

"Can you think of ANYONE? I mean, I'm just about to ask Hillary to go."

"Oy, you must be desperate."

"No kidding."

"Why do you need a date anyways?"

"Because Alex asked me to go with him and I said that I was already going with someone else."

"Hm, bad move."

"I know, I know."

"Well, I know some of David's friends are available. However, I think you would have maimed them before the night is over."

Lara lifted her head. "I'm not going out with a footballer. I might be desperate, but that's where I draw the line."

"Oh, footballers aren't all bad."

"For you, maybe not. But I have yet to meet a footballer, aside from David, who I can stand."

"Hmm, how about Preston?"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"You know, Preston Miller. He's a journalist. I introduced you too at a party once. He spent the rest of the night glazing at you, longingly."

"Right, do you have his number?"

"Yes, somewhere around here.

"Good, then my dating problems are over. . ." Lara sighed happily and ran some more water into the bathtub.

***

"Lara, I hate to tell you this, but there is a car pulling up in the driveway. I think it's Mr. Miller." Hillary said, gently knocking on Lara's bedroom door.

"What?!" Lara exclaimed. She raced over to her night stand and glanced at the clock. "He's over a half hour early! I'm not even dressed yet!"

"Shall I show him in?" Hillary asked, after a pause.

"Certainly. And try to keep him entertained, because I might be a while." Lara muttered, turning back to her closet and the pile of clothing that had accumulated on her bed. For some reason, Lara felt particularly stressed out over this barbeque. It was the first time she would see Alex, since their fight and was so unsure about the future situation between them that she was filled with dread.

One step at a time. Lara calmly reminded herself. She approached her closet and picked up a simple black tank top and a plain pair of blue jeans. She set them on her bed and glanced at her reflection in her bedroom mirror. She felt odd, going on a date with Alex around. It made her feel like she was a teenager, trying to make Alex jealous by hanging all over someone else.

Lara assured herself that that was not what she was doing. She was letting Alex know that she was not assessable to him by dating another man. Lara glanced at her reflection in the mirror across from her bed. This is not going to work. Lara mentally acknowledged.

Lara glared at her reflection, then grabbed her purse from where it lay on her bed and walked out of her room. Lara descended the stairs to see Preston Miller, a rather handsome man with a gentle smile and soft eyes, talking to Hillary. Preston looked up at her, paused, seemingly in awe, then stood.

"Hello Lara." He said, warmly.

"Hello, Preston." Lara said, almost cautiously. She politely shook Preston's hand.

Preston smirked at the tomb raider, then took her hand and chivalrously kissed it. Lara raised an eyebrow. Hm, well, that was rather sweet. She thought.

"So, what time should I be expecting you back?" Hillary asked, as he retrieved Lara's coat from the coat closet and helped her into it.

"The barbeque is supposed to end around midnight." Lara informed him. "But don't wait up." She said. She was slightly concerned with the way that sounded, but she was too stressed out over the barbeque to really care what she sounded like.

"Well then, the night is young, let's be off." Preston said, offering Lara his arm. Lara accepted it as the two began to walk towards the door. "Should we take your car or mine?"

"Yours. Bryce promised to do some work on some of my cars in the garage. I'd hate to disturb him." Lara said. Preston opened the front door for Lara. "Bye, Hillary!" Lara called over her shoulder as she stepped out.

"Have fun, Lara." Hillary smiled. Hmm, better go make up the guest house. He thought to himself.

***

"Lara!" The tomb raider bearly had time to look up as Alex's niece launched herself into Lara's arms.

"Oof!" Lara caught the girl and hugged her tightly. "Nice to see you too." She smiled.

"I'm so glad that you could come." Kyra said, sitting on Lara's lap. "All of the boys said that you wouldn't cause you don't like uncle Alex. But I didn't believe them."

Lara flushed pink. Preston raised an eyebrow at her.

"You still like uncle Alex, don't you?" Kyra asked, looking up at Lara with her big blue eyes.

"Of-of course. We're great friends." Lara lied. "Why don't you go play for a bit, they're about to start the uh, talking. . . bits. Or something."

"Okay." Kyra said, shrugging her shoulders. "See you later, Lara!" With that, Kyra ran off to find someone else to talk to.

Preston adjusted his position on the large picnic blanket that he had brought. It was spread out over the grass around a large bonfire that was cooking the barbeque. Several of the students had brought blankets and were all sitting and chatting with each other while the food cooked.

"I know I shouldn't be asking this, but who is "uncle Alex"?"

"A prat." Lara mumbled.

"Beg your pardon?"

"He's my business partner."

"Alex West?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Didn't you date Alex for a while?"

"No. It was just something that the tabloids invented. I am in no way attracted to Alex West."

Preston made a thoughtful sound, but didn't say anything. Lara had a feeling that he didn't believe her. Lara hardly believed herself. Lara and Preston sat in an uncomfortable silence for several seconds. Finally, Preston broke the silence.

"Fancy a drink?" He asked.

"Certainly. Some alcoholic if they have any." She added, knowing that she was going to need a very stiff drink.

"And they say that British ladies don't hold their drink." Preston smirked, standing up.

"We'll see about that before the night is over." Lara commented.

Preston laughed, then walked towards the drink table.

Lara had been alone for no more than a few seconds before she felt a hand on her arm. She jumped and turned around to see Alex kneeling next to her.

"Hey, I don't think I've ever seen you in jeans before." He stated, sitting down beside her and gently stroking her arm.

Lara withdrew her limb from Alex's grasp and glared at him.

"I don't remember inviting you to sit here." She snapped.

"You looked so lonely." Alex said, blinking innocently at her. "I thought you were here with someone."

"I am. My date went to get me something to drink. Now, if you don't mind. . ." Lara trailed off hoping that Alex would catch her drift.

"No, it's no problem at all. I'd love to meet your date." Alex smirked.

No such luck. . .

"And what makes you think that he wants to meet you?" Lara asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Aw, I'm wounded, Lara." Alex said, grasping at his heart, he placed his other hand on Lara's leg and gently squeezed.

"If only. . ." Lara glowered.

"Lara?" Both tomb raiders looked up to see Preston holding two drinks, sit down next to Lara. "They didn't have any alcohol, so I got you some Pepsi." He said, handing her a drink. He glanced at Alex, then noted, much to his annoyance, that Alex had his hand on Lara's leg.

"You must be Alex West." Preston said, trying to keep a neutral tone.

"Sure am, who are you?"

"Preston Miller." He said. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too." Alex said, as he began to gently caress Lara's thigh. Lara smacked his hand and shot him a death glare.

"Why don't you go find your niece? I think she was looking for you." Lara said.

"Hm, okay. I'll see you later, sweetie." With that, Alex pressed a kiss to Lara's lips and got up before Lara could react. Lara whirled around and sputtered several incoherent phrases, then turned around, realized that it wouldn't do any good to yell at Alex's back.

"Lara, what just happened?" Preston asked, quietly.

The tomb raider laughed, nervously. "You'll have to forgive Alex, he's had a little bit too much to drink."

Preston raised an eyebrow at her. It was all too obvious that he didn't believe her.