Ten minutes later, we had parked the car and were headed back to the grounds. As we neared the entrance, we caught sight of the boys lingering outside. I smiled as I noticed the thick blankets Darien and Jarod were carrying in their arms, and felt a small shiver go through my body. This was going to be interesting evening, but I was sure I wasn't going to be complaining about it. The stars were out, a sliver of moon glowed softly in the night sky, and I would be under these celestial bodies with a man I was quickly falling in love with. A nervous excitement filled the pit of my stomach, and it only grew stronger as we approached the boys.
"You guys ready to head down to the lake?" Darien asked, smiling at me. I returned his grin shyly, and nodded.
"Yeah," Lita answered, falling into step with Nathan. "Let's go."
The rest of the girls followed suit with Zach, Mal, and Jarod in tow, but Darien lingered behind, looking slightly agitated.
"I tried to find Ren when I came back, because I knew he wanted to see you guys, but he wasn't in his room," his brow furrowed, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Maybe he's already down at the lake," I offered, attempting a helpless shrug.
"Maybe…" Darien agreed. "But it's really not like him to go places by himself… I don't know, I'm kind of worried about him."
"Ren's a big boy," I put in, hoping to comfort him a little, but not completely ignoring the guilty stab at my heart. "He can take care of himself."
Darien didn't look convinced, but he finally sighed and nodded. "You're right, he's probably down there already. You want to head down now?" he asked.
"Yeah," I answered. "Let's go."
We arrived at the bonfire five minutes later, and it was already crowded. I smiled as I took in the red-orange flames that leapt at the sky with gorgeous ferocity, and admired the reflection that glowed off the surface of the lake. The atmosphere was wonderful too. Groups had congregated together on top of wool blankets, and a few people had brought musical instruments out. It amazed me that individuals attending such a preppie school would be into jamming together like hippies at a beach party, but it was a pleasant surprise. Just as I noticed a young man plucking out a Jack Johnson tune, I heard Jarod calling my name. I turned to see our group of friends settling themselves down at a spot a comfortable distance away from the fire, and I started to make my way over.
"Serena," I heard Darien say from my right, and I turned to look at him. "I'm still worried about Ren, so I'm going to go look for him okay?"
I suddenly felt so guilty I could barely stand it. "I'm sure he's fine, Darien," I assured him. "He'll turn up."
"I don't know," he insisted. "Ren's got a few enemies around here, and well, I'm just used to looking out for him."
"You really care about him, don't you?" I wondered.
A strange expression crossed Darien's features, and for a moment, I was almost jealous. "He's my best friend," he finished. "I just have to make sure he's okay."
"All right," I relented. "I'll see you in a bit."
He nodded and strode swiftly away to his surely fruitless search for me. I sighed, feeling terrible, and starting make my way over to Raye and the others. Suddenly, however, my progress was blocked by a tall figure.
"Hey there," a decidedly masculine voice reached my ears, and my eyes widened as I looked up.
It was none other than Lucas Diamond, who would have looked incredibly sexy in his tight white shirt, denim jacket, and loose-fitting jeans--if I didn't know him better. A genuine smile graced his full lips, and in his smoky violet eyes, I could decipher an emotion that could only be described as desire. Oh, God.
"I'm Lucas Diamond," he said, extending a tanned hand.
"Hi," I answered shortly, ignoring the hand and attempting to press past him. He, however, quickly blocked my way.
"I haven't seen you here before," he observed huskily, leaning his head down to peer into my eyes. "Exchange student?" he offered hopefully.
"No, I don't go here," I replied coldly. "I'm visiting someone."
"Not Darien, I hope?" he asked, glancing back at Darien's retreating figure. "I would be so disappointed to hear that he had managed to capture yet another beautiful girl before me!" he joked, but I didn't laugh. "What's your name?"
"Serena," I said shortly, my irritation growing at his pathetic attempt to pick me up.
"Serena," he repeated, making an almost laughable attempt to make it sound sexy. "And why are you here, Serena?"
"I'm visiting my cousin, maybe you know him," I answered, offering him a chilly smile.
"Oh yeah? Who's that?"
"Ren Johnson," I replied, and watched with pleasure as his flirtatious grin faltered a little. "You know him?"
"Ren?" he repeated, then laughed. "Oh yeah! Nice guy, we're pretty close…" he lied, and I almost laughed in his face. "He didn't tell me he had such beautiful relatives, though."
"He didn't tell me he had friends that resort to petty flattery in order to pick up girls," I quipped, pushing past him. Diamond, however, did not get the hint, and remained right on my heels, grabbing my arm and turning my body towards himself.
"I'd be willing to resort to more than petty flattery to impress you," he insisted, giving my form a long once-over. I rolled my eyes.
"Not interested," I muttered, jerking my arm away and resuming my trek towards my friends, who were now watching the exchange with some concern.
"What?" he asked, catching up with me quickly. "You're not interested in me?"
"I don't repeat myself," I declared, leveling him with a steady gaze. "It's not my fault you're deaf as a post!"
A queer look suddenly replaced his angry expression, and for a moment, I was afraid of him. The fear quickly passed however, and after shooting him another glare, I squared my shoulders and made my way over to my friends.
"Are you okay, Serena?" Jarod asked quickly, looking me over to make sure I was all right.
"I'm fine," I assured him, then glanced back at Diamond, who was still staring at me with the same strange expression. "What a creep!" I exclaimed angrily.
"That's Diamond for you," Nathan agreed. "He and your cousin don't get along either."
"It's easy to see why," I muttered, before helping Zach spread a blanket out.
Darien arrived a few minutes later, looking very anxious. "I couldn't find Ren anywhere," he explained. "I'm really worried about him."
My distress must have shown in my face, because Raye immediately stepped in. "Don't worry Dare, I'm sure he'll turn up," she soothed. "Maybe he didn't feel well and he went back to the dorms."
"Do you think I should go check on him?" he asked.
"No," Raye answered. "I think you should do what he told you and take care of his guests. I'm sure wherever he is, he's got a good reason for being there."
"I can go look for him!" Mina suddenly interjected. "I mean, Raye, Jarod and I can head up to the dorms and make sure he's okay. If he's not down here, I'm sure he'll be up there," she insisted.
"Then I should go with you!" Darien insisted, and my eyes widened. Was it me, or was he a little too worried about Ren?
"No," Mina argued. "You should stay down here in case Ren comes back. I also don't want to leaveSerena here by herself, especially after what that blonde guy did to her."
Oh, good thinking Mina! I thought quickly.
"What?" Darien asked, whirling on me. "What happened?"
I almost smiled at the obvious concern evident in his face, and caught Mina's sly wink over his shoulder. "It was just this guy… Lucas something or other," I explained, shrugging nonchalantly. "He hit on me, and was a tad bit overzealous."
"Are you okay?" He asked, checking me over quickly. I laughed.
"I'm fine," I promised. "We Johnson's may be small, but we're a tough lot. We're pretty good at looking out for ourselves…"
At these words, I watched Darien visibly relax, and he smiled. "You're right," he agreed. "Okay, guys…" he called over his shoulder. "Go check the school." He turned back towards me and his easy-going grin seemed to melt into something much deeper. My breath caught in my throat, and I had to look away. "I'll stick around."
"All right then," Mina said, looking quite pleased with herself. "Raye, Jarod, do you want to go with me?"
"Sure!" they agreed.
"Can I come too?" Malcolm asked, and Mina faltered for a moment.
"Yeah," Jarod said, glancing at Mina to let her know that it would be all right.
However, she still hesitated for a moment, but then reluctantly agreed, much to Malcolm's disappointment. I could tell he thought she didn't want him to go, and I suddenly felt awful! My lies were causing trouble for everyone, and I could do nothing to fix it right now. After I sent Mina an apologetic look, they all headed up to the school to look for "Ren."
Nathan and Zach, however, had different ideas for Lita and Amy. Nathan wanted to go over by the music and try out some of the tunes he had been working on (a new discovery for me, I had no idea he played), and it proved to be a proposition Lita heartily accepted. Zach, on the other hand, wanted to break away from the fire and check out some of the constellations that were visible only at this time of year. Unsurprisingly, Amy was only too happy to go with him. That left Darien and I alone by the bonfire, and as our friends walked away, we became painfully aware of our situation.
"They did that on purpose," Darien finally stated, and we both started to laugh.
"I can't say that I mind, though," I returned softly, and his face quickly became serious.
After a moment, however, he snapped out of it and lowered himself into a cross-legged position on the blanket. After he was comfortable, he raised his eyes to me and patted the spot next to him.
"Sit," he urged, and I complied, settling myself next to him, but not too close. We were silent for a few moments, taking in the wild flicker of the growing flames, but he finally broke it with one of the most inane questions I've ever heard at such a romantic moment:
"What's your favorite color?"
I laughed outright, and he joined me, his deep tone sounded almost musical when mixed with mine.
"That is probably the most random question I have ever been asked!" I admitted.
"Well," he began, shrugging his shoulders. "I figured a game of twenty questions would lighten the mood. I'll ask you something, and then you can ask me… Deal?"
I grinned. "Deal--and my favorite color is pink, or blue, depending on my mood."
He wrinkled his nose. "Pink? That's the best you can do?"
I laughed. "Okay, carnation pink, or cobalt blue. Satisfied?"
He nodded after a bit of deliberation, and leaned back on his elbow. "Your turn."
"What's your favorite food," I wondered.
"Vanilla ice-cream on top of a hot cookie," he paused for a moment, thinking, and I was glad he failed to notice my knowing smile. "What's your favorite flower?"
"A rose," I answered immediately, and then blushed as I realized that's how he smelled. "Your favorite color?" I wondered, pressing on before I thought too much about his scent.
"Black, or red, depending on my mood," he added, offering me a sexy smile. "Cats or dogs?"
"Dogs," I decided easily. "Night or day?"
"Night. Summer or winter?"
I smiled. "Winter, I love the snow," I confided. "Same question…"
"Winter," he answered easily. "I love the snow too, and summers in New York City can suck. McDonalds or Burger King?"
"Neither, it's all about Subway!" I protested.
"Yes!" he exclaimed, slapping me a high-five. "Turkey or the BMT?"
"Turkey, with avocado and honey-mustard."
"Oh!" he moaned, wincing. "No way does a turkey beat the BMT!"
"With honey-mustard and avocado it does! I'm not a big salami person!" I explained, chuckling at his disgusted expression.
"That's blasphemy!" he declared, and I laughed heartily. "I suppose you're going to tell me you dislike pastrami on rye too!"
"Pastrami, no, but I hate rye bread… it tastes funky!" I insisted. He appeared to be deeply wounded by my response, but I couldn't stop giggling.
"Oh, it's over!" he exclaimed, his voice rising. "I can't be with a girl who doesn't like a good Rueben sandwich!"
I grinned. "So I was up for consideration, eh?" I batted my eyelashes flirtatiously, and he rolled his eyes.
"Don't be cute!" he warned. "I am still recovering from the fact that you don't like rye bread."
I laughed and shook my head. "What if I liked someone who did like rye bread?"
He started, and even I could hardly believe my brazenness, but I refused to look away from him. After a moment, however, he relaxed, and a soft smile formed on his perfect lips.
"I guess could live with that…" he admitted, and he reached down and took my hand.
"Wow, you two look cozy," a sneering voice broke through our moment and I raised my eyes only to see Beryl standing above us, one hand placed upon her full him. Her green eyes were filled with a quiet rage, and I couldn't deny that for a moment I almost considered feeling guilty about our innocent position.
However, this was my night, and there was no way this cheating bimbo was going to ruin it. So instead of running like a scared rabbit, I leaned in closer to Darien, laying my head on his shoulder, and shot Beryl a sultry grin.
"We are quite cozy," I admitted, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Darien shoot me a surprised glance. "I'm Serena," I said, extending my hand. She ignored it, however, and shifted her gaze back to Darien.
"What's she doing here? Is this some ploy to get me jealous?" She asked through gritted teeth.
"Of course not," Darien answered easily. "She's here visiting her cousin, and besides, I have no desire to get you jealous. If you are, it's all on you."
Her green eyes nearly blazed with anger at his casual response, and I had to stifle a giggle. She shot me a look that clearly said "watch your back," but I answered it with a simpering smile, and then watched her attempt to saunter away.
"Ex-girlfriend," Darien explained. "Similar to your situation with Seiya, but a little more devious. Took me a long time to get past her…"
I took in her long red hair, beautiful face, and gorgeous body. "It's easy to see why."
He followed my gaze, but shook his head. "It had nothing to do with how she looked. She was amazing when we first met--smart, funny, and sexy, but good too. Then she hit high school and figured out how desirable she was. With someone pushing her in the wrong direction, she became who she is today: someone I don't recognize." He shook his head, and then shifted his eyes to study me. "If you want the truth, I find you much more beautiful."
A tremendous amount of blood rushed to my cheeks at that last comment, but I managed to smile through my evident embarrassment. I realized after a moment that I was still holding his hand, and I gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked at me for a while, as if studying every contour of my face, and I let him.
"What's your favorite TV show?" he suddenly murmured, and I laughed.
"You're still stuck on that?" I asked. He chuckled low in his throat and wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close.
"You only answered six of my questions…" he explained. "I want the full twenty!"
I laughed and leaned my head against his shoulder. "Family Guy."
"Put me through to the pentagon!" he cried, doing a wonderful impression of Stewie, and we both cracked up. A moment later, his laughter stopped, and he looked me full in the face. "Do you believe in perfection?" he wondered.
I blushed, and looked away. "I thought it was my turn to ask you…"
He shook his head. "It was a dumb question anyway."
I smiled and snuggled closer to him. "I don't believe in perfection," I admitted. "But I do believe you can come impeccably close," I added, my voice barely reaching above a whisper. He craned his neck to look down at me, and his mouth twitched a little.
"I'm starting to believe the same."
It's amazing how quickly time can pass when you're falling in love. As I leaned against Darien that night, the hours passed like mere minutes. We gazed into the fire, watching as the flames dimmed lower and lower. We discussed both the mundane and deep, and for a blissful few moments I failed in my ability to concentrate as Darien absentmindedly caressed my arm between elbow and shoulder. The night was absolutely perfect, in all meanings of the word! A soft breeze was blowing through the cedars above us, and as I inhaled the woody scent, I was sure I had never experienced a moment so beautiful in all my life! It was truly amazing, and it was flying by far too quickly.
"What are you two up to?" A curious voice suddenly inquired, and I looked up to see Mina. She eyed the arm around my shoulder with keen interest.
"Enjoying the scenery," Darien answered, glancing at me and grinning. I laughed and shook my head.
"Well, we found Ren!" Mina informed us, and it was all I could do to keep from gulping. "He's sick," she explained, and I relaxed visibly. "Yeah, he claimed he's been feeling under the weather since detention, and probably wouldn't make it down tonight. He wanted me to say hi to you, Serena, and he wanted me to tell you that he'd see you later and to stop worrying about him!" She chided Darien, who laughed.
"Just wanted to make sure he was okay," he insisted, and Mina nodded.
"He's fine," she assured him, "but I'm going to join Malcolm and the rest of the group over there," she said, pointing to a group that was gathered around Nathan, who was strumming a guitar. "You two have fun," Mina said, winking. "And I'll be back in a half-hour so we can go."
My face fell at Mina's last words. The night really was almost over. In a half hour my pumpkin would wither, my dress would turn to rags, and my hair would fall out! God, being Cinderella sucked! No wonder my favorite princess was Belle.
"A half-hour huh?" Darien murmured from above me, and I leaned in a little closer before nodding.
"Looks that way," I agreed.
"Are you going to be visiting again soon?" he asked hopefully.
"I don't know," I admitted.
"Well, what are you doing Thanksgiving?"
"I don't know, probably spending it with family," I answered truthfully. "You know, tradition."
"Well, if you get any spare time, come up and see us. I'm not going home, and if Ren isn't, you could come see us both. I know he really wanted to see you," Darien said, smiling.
My heart sank. What could I say to that? Sorry Darien, but Ren and I wouldn't ever be able to physically exist together in the same room because, well, I am Ren! Yep, the one person you put your trust into is a fake! Oh, and by the way, I'm also falling in love with you! Could you possibly feel the same for me? I nearly sighed, but managed to look away before Darien could see the ever-lingering guilt in my eyes. I highly doubted he'd be able to give me a positive response after all of that.
"We'll see," I murmured, and he smiled brightly at me. I managed to respond with a believable expression, but inside I was screaming.
Still, fighting through my discomfort proved easy as Darien started talking about what he usually did for Thanksgiving.
"We always have Turkey," he admitted, laughing a little. "Raye and I always make the mash potatoes and green beans, and my mom and dad always stuff the bird together." He smiled. "It's the only time I can see why they fell in love," he confided, a small smile pulling at his lips.
"Do your parents not get along?" I wondered.
He shrugged. "They just don't see each other very often. I mean, right after they got married my dad started his internship at the hospital. By the time he received his medical license, my mom was pregnant with me. After she had Raye two years later, she got the job at the Metropolitan. Raye and I pretty much grew up with nannies and in daycare centers."
I frowned. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it really wasn't so bad. Our nannies were nice, and it wasn't like we never saw our parents, we just didn't see them as much as other kids. Besides, it isn't like they did it on purpose, they are just busy. When we do see them, we have a lot of fun, but sometimes you notice the tension their schedules put on their marriage and home life. They don't like it, but there isn't much they can do about it. Having busy parents has its drawbacks, but Raye and I have wonderful opportunities because of them."
"Do you want that for your own children?" I asked.
He hesitated for a moment. "You've got to understand," he began, "everything Raye and I have now, we owe to them. It's a very profitable lifestyle," he explained.
"I understand that," I assured him, "but is that what you want?"
"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "On the one hand, it has great benefits, but I wouldn't mind having a family one day that stays together… You know, everyone around the same table every night, reading bedtime stories to the kids, and kissing the wife goodbye every morning…" he glanced at me and noticed the small grin playing at my lips. "I know it's all kinds of lame!" he put in, throwing his arms in the air. "But someday, well, it would be nice."
"You'll never get it as a doctor," I said softly, and he jumped slightly.
"We'll see," he answered. "If there's anything I'm good at, it's making things work." I smiled, and we fell silent.
"What time is it?" I wondered, and he lifted his arm to check.
"Nine forty-five." he informed me, and I had to stifle a groan. Damn time and its persistence to move on! Why couldn't it be kind and slow down for just a few more moments? "You should probably be going…" Darien admitted reluctantly.
I nodded and grudgingly pulled away from him, feeling his warmth leave me, and was somehow reminded of a solitary footprint in the snow. I suddenly felt very lonely, and wished fervently that I didn't have to go. As I rose to my feet, I saw Mina and the girls making their way over with Malcolm and the rest of the boys in tow. The night was really over, and people were already starting to say goodbye. I could see them all exchanging numbers and affectionate embraces, and I smiled to myself knowing Darien would probably want to do the same thing.
"Can I walk you to your car?" he asked, and I nodded my agreement.
We fell into step behind the group, and after a few moments, Darien took my hand. I smiled in quiet happiness and leaned closer to him, letting our shoulders brush against each other as we continued to walk.
"We talk about you a lot," he said suddenly, and I raised my eyes in surprise.
"Who?"
"Ren and I," he explained, and a blush crept into my cheeks.
"You do?" I asked.
"Yeah," he answered softly. "You know, I never forgot that day at the café." He smiled, and his eyes settled upon the silvery shape settled against the base of my throat. "I never forgot that, either."
I grinned, and glanced down at my pendant. "I remember it was the first thing you noticed about me," I said shyly.
"Well, you'd be wrong there…" he paused, and for the first time I saw him blush. "Your pendant was my excuse to say something to you," he corrected. "The first thing I noticed were your eyes…"
I suddenly was aware that we had stopped moving, and I shivered as Darien moved closer.
"My eyes?" I repeated.
He nodded. "I know this sounds so stupid, but I'd never seen anything like them before." He suddenly reached forward and gently brushed aside a golden strand of hair that had fallen into my vision, and I trembled at his soft touch. "When I walked through that door, and saw you standing there, it was like everything stopped," he murmured. "And later," he looked away, "when you smiled at me… I couldn't breathe."
My throat went dry, and for a moment, I couldn't speak. Darien, naturally, took my silence the wrong way.
"God, I'm sorry! You must think I'm some sort of weirdo dropping you a line," he apologized quickly, but suddenly looked quite determined. "Look," he said gently, and stepped even closer to me. I wasn't sure how long I could take being at such near proximity to him. I could practically feel the heat radiating from his skin, and it was absolutely intoxicating!
"When I left that day," he continued, seemingly oblivious to my awe-struck state, "I felt such regret knowing that I had let a wonderful opportunity go by. Don't ask me how I knew, I just did!" He insisted, but I had no intention of protesting. "There was something special about you, and I felt like such a coward for not making a stronger effort to find out what it was. Ren has given me another chance to find out, and for that I'm really grateful, but what I want to know is if you felt anything that day we met… And if you did, where do we go from there?"
I gaped at him, completely blown away. How do I answer this? My mind had suddenly turned to jelly, and I was rendered speechless.
"Jesus, I'm totally freaking you out right now, aren't I?" He asked mournfully. "Ugh!" He growled, turning away. "Forget I said anything!"
"Wait!" I cried reaching out to him, but I pulled away just before I touched his tanned skin. I knew if I did, I'd lose complete control of myself and kiss the living daylights out of him. "Just wait a second."
"Yeah?" he asked, turning back around to face me. I stared at him, nervous and uncertain, but finally gave up and beamed at him.
"Of course I felt something for you," I said softly. "If I didn't, would I be here now?"
He smiled hopefully, but shrugged. "I don't know, you could have just come to see Ren…"
"Have you been paying any attention today?" I asked, incredulous. "If I had just come here to see Ren, would I have been practically throwing myself at you? I mean, I haven't exactly been subtle!" I commented, chuckling a little. "The truth is, I never forgot that day at the café either, and when I found a way I could see you again, I took it… I'm sorry I couldn't answer you right away, I was just a little surprised. I did enjoy your outburst though--it was very flattering."
"So you just let me go on like that?" he teased.
"Hey! I didn't exactly want to stop you!" I joked, and laughed.
He laughed with me, and reached out to pull me close. I stopped laughing abruptly, and sighed deeply as his arms tightened around me. I buried my face into his shoulder, feeling the hardness of his muscles beneath my fingertips. "You didn't answer my question," he whispered into my hair.
"What question?" I asked.
"Where do we go from here?"
I lifted my head and gazed deeply into his blue eyes. There was a whole other world within those depths, and there was nothing I wanted more than the time to explore them. They were solemn now, but in them I could decipher other emotions: desire, and something much deeper. Suddenly, he began to lean in, and I closed my eyes, gently reaching up to curl my fingers into his dark hair. He was so close, so deliriously close, and just as I could feel his warm breath against my lips, the mood was broken...
"Serena! What's the hold up? Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry!" Mina had suddenly sprinted around the bend of the path only to find Darien and I locked in a compromising position.
He laughed shyly, and quickly pulled away from me, much to my dismay. "It's okay, you weren't interrupting anything!" he assured her, but I could hear the restraint in his voice.
"I highly doubt that," Mina answered wryly, and I rolled my eyes. She turned to me, and I could see regret in her pretty features, but determination was there as well. "We gotta go," she said quietly. I nodded reluctantly, and turned to see Darien still standing there, suddenly appearing very shy.
"I have to leave," I said quietly, and he nodded in agreement.
"Come visit me soon?" he asked.
"I'll try," I promised.
I stepped forward, wrapped my arms around his neck, and stayed there for a few moments breathing him in. As I pulled away, I let my lips linger against his cheek, and nearly grinned at his surprised expression.
"Goodnight," I whispered, as Mina took my hand and started to pull me up the path.
"Goodnight," he murmured, and a few moments later, he disappeared from view.
"I'm so sorry! If I had known you guys were lost in some romantic moment, I never would have come looking for you!" Mina apologized fervently, but I barely heard her. For a brief few moments, Darien had been all mine, and although Mina had denied me something I'd been desiring for a long time, I had that--which was definitely enough.
Moments after we left Darien behind, we reached Mina's car only to find Raye, Jarod, and the rest of the girls standing beside it.
"What took you so long?" Lita asked, curiosity evident in her green eyes.
I shook my head. "I'll tell you about it later," I promised. "You guys have to get out of here!"
Mina nodded, and quickly embraced me in a tight hug. "Will you be able to get back okay?" she asked.
"I'll be fine. Drive safe, all right?" I said quietly.
"You got it little sister," she agreed.
I chucked softly. "Only by five minutes!"
"Still counts," she teased, tapping my nose with one long finger.
I smiled and turned to hug Lita and Amy, who looked about ready to cry.
"Come home soon, okay?" Lita asked.
"I will."
"Keep up with your studies!" Amy ordered, and I laughed in response.
"You have to tell me everything Nathan says about me tomorrow!" Lita declared, grinning mischievously.
"I think that goes for all of us!" Mina cried over her shoulder, as she opened her door and got in.
Lita and Amy laughed and gave me one last hug before piling into the car after Mina. A moment later, her engine came to life, and we backed out of the way while she pulled out. Suddenly however, Mina hit the brakes, and rolled down her window.
"I almost forgot something!" she called out. She reached for something beside her and held it out for me to take. I ran over quickly and reached for the small package cradled in her slim hand. "A little present. I thought it might come in handy!"
"Thanks," I said, looking it over. "What is it?"
"Open it up when you get home," she ordered. "I love you!"
"I love you too."
She smiled and drove away, lifting her hand once more in farewell just before heading out the gate. I watched her go with tears in my eyes, and prayed that this fiasco wouldn't go on much longer so I could go home again.
"You ready to head back, Serena?" Raye asked tentatively, laying a gentle hand above my shoulder.
"Not really," I muttered. "But I have to… Let's go."
I turned around and strode past a surprised Jarod, but he and Raye quickly followed me trying to ignore my muffled sobs.
Ten minutes later we were almost to Raye's dorm and I had calmed myself.
"Don't worry, it's almost over!" Raye pointed out. "You got what you wanted today… I mean, I've never seen Darien so happy! Or you!"
"I know," I agreed. "I just really didn't want it to end. Everything was so perfect, and we almost kissed each other! God, it was like a dream!"
"Oh, Lord!" Jarod moaned, and I laughed.
"Sorry, I don't mean to get mushy. I guess it's a girl thing," I apologized, and Raye smacked him.
"Don't listen to him. He's just being macho right now, inside he's a big puppy dog!"
"Or so she likes to think!" Jarod whispered in my ear slyly, but I saw the good-natured grin that flickered across his face as Raye fumed next to me.
She huffed for a few minutes, but soon after we all were laughing. It was so easy to be happy with them, and even though I was depressed that my girl-self had to be buried again, I realized that without this whole mess, I never would have made such wonderful friends.
Suddenly, a twig cracked in the bushes from somewhere behind us, and we all froze.
"What was that?" I asked, my voice full of fear.
"Shhh," Jarod hushed, placing a finger against his lips. "I don't know."
"It's probably a raccoon or something…" Raye said rationally.
We were all quiet, none of us wanting to consider if it wasn't. Half of Madison knew I wasn't a student there, and a girl on campus after the school closed was very suspicious indeed. Jarod stepped closer to the bushes, and began peering into the shadows.
"Jarod!" Raye whispered fiercely. "Get back here!"
For a moment, he didn't listen to her and continued to gaze into the darkness. Finally, however, he gave up and rejoined us.
"I don't see anything. It's probably just an animal…" he reassured me, but somehow, my heart didn't stop thumping.
"What if it wasn't?" I asked.
"Well, wouldn't they have made their presence known and gone running to the dean about an unknown girl on campus? If anyone's slinking around here after hours, they're serious narcs. Believe me, if there was someone there, we'd know," Jarod insisted.
I smiled, but I still wasn't completely at ease. Even when the path was far behind us, and I was out of my extensions and on my way back to the dorms, my fear remained. What if someone had been out there? Would they be able to put two and two together? For my sake, I hoped not.
This story is quickly winding down to the big finale, so stay tuned guys!
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