Well ok, I am kinda having fun with this one so I'm posting this chapter at the same time as well. I only just noticed that the bold and the italics haven't come up on other chapters, that's a shame, I will try to get them to work this time, so sorry for the confusion. Thanks again to those that have read and reviewed up to 16, hope you like this part as well, it is a little off the main characters but there has to be something happening at the same time Dante is searching for Elli, right? Well on with chapter 18!

Chapter 18: The Cooking Festival

Dante's P.O.V

It had been a whole day since he entered the city and already he had provisions and survival tips for his search, he was going to go mad if he didn't find her soon, let alone search for her. The one thing playing in Dante's mind was that the distance between himself and Elli was widening and if he sat here and did nothing he might not be able to find her, and he was not going to let that happen. As if by a summons Aqua popped into the room and announced that it would be a good time to leave and begin the search now, everything was packed onto Night and the horse had been washed and brushed. Dante practically ran through the door swooping Aqua and Bold up on the way. Dante ran to the stables only half listening to what Aqua had been saying, he could repeat it. Dante jumped on Night's back, gave the groom some money for taking care of Night and galloped to the north at record-breaking speed.

Ann's P.O.V

Ann dressed and did her makeup similar to yesterdays, she knew the town would see it as a bit odd but hopefully they would accept it as a teenage thing. She readied and went to get her meal from the inn counter where she had left it. There were no customers this early on in the morning so all was peaceful in the inn. Ann gasped in horror at what was on the table; the cake she had made for the cooking festival (low in sugar, but high in good taste) had been sabotaged. Ann looked at it in horror and began to panic.

Ann could not lose this year, not with Cliff watching, so she began making another cake. Ann spent the rest of the morning making it and realized that it was now time for the judging. Ann grabbed the cake and raced to the square where she put her cake on he table saved for her, just in time too. The judge came round to her table and tasted the cake.

"Oh dear, what did you put in this" He spat "It tastes like salt!" He squealed and walked off.

Ann felt crushed, she didn't understand, she used the ingredients she normally used to make that cake and everyone usually loved it. What had gone wrong? Ann didn't have enough time to think on it, everyone in town was in hysterics and they were all looking at her, what were they laughing at, even Cliff was almost doubled over with laughter. Ann had just lost and been publicly humiliated, she was in no mood to watch the entire town laugh at her.

"What is so funny!" She said angrily, but everyone was laughing so bad nobody would answer her. She decided to ignore them and taste the cake for herself.

Ann picked up a spoon and went to take a scoop out of her cake. As she lowered the spoon to the cake she caught her reflection in the spoon…she looked HIDIOUS! She was covered in flour from the cake, her face was covered in mixture and powder, and her clothes were also covered in crumbs and flour. She caught site of her makeup when she noticed her face and she almost squealed, she washed her hands and face before she begun making the cake and now the makeup had run down her cheeks and was covered in flour, and her hair! Her hair had flour in it and it had been caught while she was cooking and now it stuck up all over the place.

Ann looked at Cliff who was talking and laughing with some of the others guys, they were talking and laughing; about her! She threw the spoon down on the table and ran as far and fast as she could, she ran to the peak of Mother's Hill. Ann sat and cried, she was embarrassed, humiliated, and even worse, by Cliff. She could feel the tears washing away the rest of the makeup under her eyes and imagined the sight she must be now. She let the tears flow from her eyes, she hadn't cried in a long time, but this was just too weird, the whole town had seen her while she looked like a complete idiot, this had to be the worst day ever!

Ann's sobs carried throughout the peak but you would only hear them from the mountain, nowhere past the base. Ann heard footsteps and expected to see her father walk out of the bushes and comfort her; that as not exactly what she go.

"Are you alright Ann?" Came the unsure voice of an angel. Ann kept crying as she tried to burry her face even further in her knees and hands.

"Umm, I guess not, listen I'm sorry about laughing at you today, I didn't mean anything by it, you know I wouldn't purposely try to hurt you" Said the same voice, Ann almost recognized the voice, but her mind was focused solely on her crying, she couldn't stop herself, Cliff had seen her and laughed when she made a complete fool out of herself.

"Ann, please…. look at me…. I'm begging you, please…" The voice came again. Ann just remembered that the whole town had seen her this way so this person couldn't possibly care now. Ann raised her head and looked in the direction of the voice; as soon as she realized who the voice belonged to she turned and buried her face again. It was Cliff.

"Look Ann, I know you, only a few days ago you started getting self conscious about your looks, a few days prior you wouldn't have cared if the entire town caught you in nothing but your bra and undies, what is wrong, it's something more than embarrassment I'm sure" Said Cliff, he did sound worried, he did sound like he cared, but he didn't sound in any way like he was having a joke. Ann only continued to cry, he was right, but she couldn't just turn around and say it was all because of him.

"Ann, please, your like my closest friend, talk to me, tell me what's wrong" Cliff pleaded with her, she could hear the pleading in his voice, he really did care.

"Look Cliff…I….I like you….I mean, I don't know how to explain it but….A few days ago, after you stopped staying at the inn I started to realize how much I missed you, when I looked in the mirror I didn't see anyone worth spending time with so I got all dressy, I saw you eyeing me at the farm like it was appealing to you, and I thought that if I kept it up you might….I don't know, I don't know what I was thinking, I'll go…" Ann said, she was really crying now, she just told him everything, she had had to, there was nothing else to do.

Ann got up to leave and she went to brush some of the flour away from her face. Before her arm reached her face Cliff had a hold of it he was stopping her from wiping the flour from her face. Cliff looked deep into her eyes and grinned, she looked away crying. She was crying, he must think she was such a loser. Cliff leaned into her and whispered in her ear…

"You could turn up in front of me exactly how you are, covered in mud with, only your bra and undies and you would still impress me" He sounded cunning and she knew if she looked at him he would be grinning wickedly. She had stopped crying and thought she was ready to face the grin and the any joke he might be about to make. She turned her face to face his, her flour and makeup covered face. He didn't even leave a heartbeat before he leaned in again and kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth, she let him roam and conquer, he was kissing her! Ann's stomach did summersaults and her heart would have jumped into her throat and out of her mouth if it weren't covered by his.

When they both pulled away for air he smiled at her, his deep brown eyes ready to penetrate through her skull. She looked back; still amazed that he had actually kissed her, covered in makeup and flour and now the town fool, and he had kissed her. She smiled back at him after a moment and he closed in to kiss her again. She surrendered completely and wholly; she knew this was what she wanted, but since when did she get what she wanted?

He pulled away again and he slipped his arm around her waist as he began to lead her back to the farm to wash up. Ann let herself be lead back to Oakhurst, she would enjoy a nice bath, she had no clothes to wear though, what was she supposed to change into?

Ann got into the bath he had prepared for her and relaxed into the bubbles, she washed and calmed herself. Cliff strolled in and leaned against the wall, Ann went far down into the water until from her chin up was the only flesh showing, he may have kissed her but they weren't married yet, showing him everything would be indecent. He only looked at her smiling, she smiled back and he said in a low voice.

"You are beautiful, no matter what you wear" Cliff sounded very much a cunning wolf ready to pounce on his prey, but he stayed where he was.

"Thank you" Said Ann unsure of the reply you were supposed to give someone when they said that to you, that was not the sort of thing she got often.

Cliff only smiled at her and placed a towel and some clothes on a rack in the bathroom, he left afterwards and went outside, she thought he did anyway. She got out and dried and dressed quickly, he had got her her clothes from her place, including PJs, was this supposed to be some kind of joke, or a subliminal invitation? She didn't know, but the sun was still going to be up for a few minutes; enough time to get home, so she got dressed in the overalls and went outside. Cliff had no shirt on again and was milking a cow now instead of shearing a sheep. Ann walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind him his broad shoulders and back towards her, she was leaning against paradise itself.

"So you are feeling better, good, cause I was thinking that maybe you would join me for a sleepover, it will just be the two of us. Of course there is only Dante's double bed in the farm house so you can sleep there, I'll sleep on the sofa, ok?" Cliff sounded like he meant it and she would not give up a night with him for the world, she could continue to kiss him until the end of her days.

"That would be wonderful" she said grinning in his ear.

"Good, cause I wasn't going to let you leave anyway, we have a lot of things that we have to do tonight, and one of them is get to know each other" Cliff had such a wicked grin on his face she could almost assume that he meant that in a non-innocent way, the boy did have a way with her, well he had his way anyway.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Cliff, and quite frank-" that was as far as she got before he scooped her up and strolled towards the house. He whispered in her ear…

"Well if you don't know…." She grinned and blushed the most amazing pink she was sure, Cliff however, grinned wickedly and took her inside the farmhouse, the rather mansion-like farmhouse. As he took her in she could see the Sprites again; laughing and cheering as they took the cow back into the barn. Cliff whispered again…

"I guess I'll have to show you…."

Again, thanks for reading and reviewing, i have an idea where this story is going and again, there is no sudden ending anytime soon (not unless i get bored of writting, which won't happen P) so sorry agani for those who like a short story, but this one could end up 30+ chapters. Thanks again.