Disclaimer: If I owned the sons of Ipswich, I wouldn't be writing. J

- -

Sarah chalked her crying fit to hormones and left it at that. I wasn't so sure. She was hiding something. That I knew for sure when I realized she was spying on me. I was actually glad she was so bad at it. I'd seen her get on my computer and look at my files and go through the boxes under my bed, which happened to be only photo albums, sweaters, and text books.

How'd I see her do all this. Something akin to what an ignorant person would call a crystal ball. It really was an orb I had had placed in a pendant setting. I used my powers to access it when she locked herself in our room. At first, I had wanted to make sure she was doing anything stupid like taking pills or cutting herself, both of which I had seen in this type of situation.

I hadn't talked to Reid very often after the hysterical Sarah incident. He said he had a history thing, but seeing he wasn't going to school at the moment… I figured he was just helping Caleb through the whole 'pregnant girlfriend, lets go tell the parentals and pray they don't cut us off' thing. I wasn't worried.

Tyler and Alona didn't seem affected much by the Caleb-Sarah thing. In fact, Alona never mentioned anything about it. Either Tyler hadn't told her or, no one had told Tyler. Either way, I wasn't going to blurt it out.

I'd seen Kate in class, but we had still never officially met. I'd seen her at the charity thing with Pogue, so I recognized her, but I kept away.

With Sarah going through my things, I didn't really feel… free at the dorms. It felt like being back at home, only my mom didn't mess with my room as much as with my head. I called my grandmother and asked to stay with her for a bit. She said yes. I told Sarah that my Grandmother had wanted my help with her house temporarily while she cleaned house with the help.

I kept Alona up with the switch by I didn't tell her why. We had figured at a young age not to ask that question a lot, so she didn't ask. I saw her at lunch every day though. Usually, I felt like I was interrupting her and Tyler time, but hey, I didn't mind.

- -

2 weeks later…

When Reid finally called for a conversation lasting more than a few seconds, I knew something was up. "Okay. Jig's up. What do you want?" I asked while I worked on the ending to my paper. It was due Monday.

"Your going to that big ball thing, right?" he asked nervously.

I smiled "The governor's ball? Yeah, why?"

"Oh good." he breathed. "My mom always goes and she's insisted on bringing me this year…"

"Say no more. I'll meet you there?"

I could almost hear him smile on the other end. That's why I wasn't worried. "Okay."

I hung up with him after a few little updates about each others lives. "Done." I smiled, saving the file.

"Cookie?" I heard from the door. My grandmother stood there smirking with a tray full of chocolate chip cookies. My favorite.

I walked over and grabbed a few. "Thanks Grams."

She nodded and put the tray on the bed. Crap, I thought to myself. I had forgotten chocolate chip cookies meant we had to talk. "I know why you're here."

"I know you know. I told you."

She shrugged. "Then you know you need to go back."

I sighed. "Grams-"

"Don't 'Grams' me." she said with attitude and I laughed. She waited for me to look her in the eye. "You need to face your life. You can't just hide out up here."

"Why not?" I asked honestly.

She placed her hand under my chin. "I've lived my life. It's your turn." She laughed. "When you're my age, you can hide out up here, but until then, visits only."

"You could just tell me your sick of me." I said laughing.

She picked up the tray smiling. "I could never be sick of you, dear." She turned to leave and called out behind her. "You better get a move on Cinderella, if you want to make that date."

I smirked at her and turned to unplug my computer and for the first time noticed that she had packed me up while I was talking to her. I laughed and grabbed my bags hurrying down the stairs.

- -

Kate watched as Sarah went through my stuff. "What do you mean you don't trust her? What are you, paranoid?"

Sarah shrugged knowing her friend wouldn't understand, not knowing the truth about her boyfriend. "I just don't trust her. Call it intuition."

"I call it insanity." Kate quipped as Sarah dug around in my closet.

"Can I help you?" I asked at the sight. I almost felt bad when Sarah banged her head on the wall coming out. Kate must have found it hysterical, because she literally fell on the floor laughing.

Sarah came out blushing. "I'm sorry. I was looking for a sweater I could borrow."

I flashed her my fake smile, not like she could tell the difference. "My sweaters are under the bed." I said cheerfully as I dropped my laptop on my desk. My other bags were still in my car and my dress had been delivered to my mother's house, but, I'll admit, I had stopped by to spy on Sarah.

I turned to a still giggling Kate. "Izzy."

Kate smiled. "Kate."

I nodded. "Yeah. I think I saw you at the charity benefit a few weeks back." I commented as I grabbed my makeup compact and tossed it into my purse.

"Yeah." She seemed surprised I remembered her. "We have a class together too."

I nodded again. "So, you came back." That was Sarah.

Shooting her a smile, I grabbed some jewelry out of my case noticing my orb pendant. "Yeah. My grandmother finally let go of me. Don't wait up tonight though."

"Hot date?" Kate asked, ultimately interested.

I smiled inwardly at the thought of taking Sarah's BFF. I immediately scolded myself for being so mean to a pregnant girl and turned to answer Kate. "As it happens, I'm going to the governor's ball with Reid Garwin."

Kate grinned. "I know him."

I shrugged. "I figured. I think your man's friends with him, right?"

"Great memory." Sarah commented almost coldly. Ah chica, your gonna have to do better than that at hiding your emotions if you stay in this city.

"Well, you know. After years of the same people, you notice the newbies." I commented flawlessly.

Kate interest didn't deter. "Wasn't it your place."

I laughed. "The hall, right?" She nodded and I followed. "I own the place. It used to belong to my dad, but when he passed, my sister and I split the businesses."

"Your sister?"

"Alona Tempest." I looked over to her and saw she hadn't made the connection to the girl she had met two weeks earlier. "I think she's dating a friend of yours too."

Kate's face brightened. "Tyler's new girl?" I nodded and she immediately got swept up by confusion. "Are you two the same age?" I nodded again and let her continue with the sentence repeated to us throughout our childhood. "You guys don't look anything alike." she said in disbelief.

I shrugged gathering up my jewelry and the extra underwear I had wrestled out of my drawer. "You know, everybody says that." I said joking with her. I sent Sarah a wave and said goodbye to Kate before leaving to my car. "I'm late. I'm late. I'm late."

- -

I had a great time, and that is definitely saying something. I knew I couldn't get away with a black dress again so I went for the opposite, a white ethereal looking ball gown. Reid met me at the party by telling me I was late. I responded with "A princess is never late, all others are merely early."

After meeting his mother, I went to mine to check in and have a civil conversation. Then, we promptly landed at the open bar and made fun of all the people coming in. We had a lot of fun when Alona showed up with Tyler. They did all the cutesy couple things and had us laughing our butts off.

Of course, when Mrs. Randall showed up, Reid surprised me by become the first male member of the gossip club. It was amazing considering that Mrs. Randall threw everything she had, including menopause, to make him leave. He stood steadfast and enjoyed it when the women started in on the latest gossip. I listened especially to the part where people had seen Victoria Bellows with Gavin about the time she had gotten pregnant. The newlywed was seen arguing with her hubby about it. I was just happy it had happened after the wedding.

Later, after I received the good news from Mr. Beckett himself that I was getting the contract, I and my happy ego was able to talk the Randalls (old money) into totally redoing their wedding, and at Tempest Hall.

Reid drove me to my mother's house. "I had fun."

I smiled at him. "I did too." I waited a second before moving over to him and capturing his lips in a kiss. When I pulled back, I smiled at him sweetly (who woulda thunk it was in me) and walked up to the house to change. He watched me to make sure I got in okay before driving off. It was sweet, strange but sweet.

- -