Yet again I have not updated this story; really I am sorry to any fans. This is going to be a longer chapter & the last as I have others stories that need continuing. For everyone who's reviewed, thankx, for everyone who hasn't but read the story, please tell me what you think.
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"I am terribly sorry Vice Principal. I intend on finding the individual responsible and harshly punishing them," Dean Brock shook Crubbs' hand. "No one seems to have been injured; we'll all manage. Don't worry about it, Tim," Crubbs nodded at the older man and turned to address the crowd of 8th graders.
"Now, I realize you have all just gone through a very stressful situation, but I'd still prefer us to continue to Peach Grove. Unless you'd all like to return to Polk a little early," with those options, nearly everyone was voicing excitement for the estate over heading home early.
"Dean Brock is allowing us the use of locker rooms in the stadium. You have fifteen minutes to change into drier clothes and report back here." The students quickly hauled out their luggage and entered the stadium to search for the locker rooms. Fifteen minutes later, everyone returned in slightly different outfits than before.
"Moze, I still need to talk to you," Ned caught hold of his friend's hand as she had just re-packed her suitcase. "Well, we don't have much time, but why not tell me right now?" Moze looked down at her hand which was still held tightly in his. Ned quickly broke the connection.
"OK, well I had wanted to tell you that…" Ned seemed frozen in time. Moze waved her free hand in front of him. "Ned, are you OK?" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him gently, "Ned?"
Three semi-violent shakes later, Ned finally snapped back to reality. "Oh, Moze, sorry I just…spaced out," he held his hand to his head. This is really not the right time or place. What am I thinking? What is the right time and place to tell your best friend that you might not just like her as more than a friend, but maybe even?…You need to tell her something, Bigby, something.
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The bus ride to Peach Grove wasn't very long, but Ned could feel his pulse racing just being beside Moze. He had no idea what or when he was going to talk to her. She kept glancing in his direction trying to figure out why he seemed to be shaking slightly. She even trying to calm him by putting her hand on his shoulder, but he nearly jumped out of his seat at that.
He never acts like this. And usually I'm the one that can comfort him, unless he's acting so weird because of me. Ugh, it's about that stupid kiss, I wish it wouldn't have happened. Well… I love that it happened; I just wish things wouldn't have gotten more complicated between us.
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"Here's the bedroom, note the tall headboard, a common element of the time period," the tour guide seemed more bored than the employees at the capital's museum. The class had been separated by homeroom this time, but Ned was quickly losing his nerve to talk to Moze. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about Suzie being anywhere nearby.
"And here we have the sitting room. The state has done their best to preserve as many elements from the original Governor's mansion as possible. If you look, you will see that this is no ordinary piano, rather it is a nickelodeon," the guide gestured toward a beaten down keyboard lining the wall. (AN: yeah, it's an instrument)
When the tour finally ended an excruciatingly long half hour later, the students were directed back to the buses that were to take them to another museum adjoined to a restaurant. Ned, Moze, Cookie, Lisa, Jeff, and Martin all sat at one rather large table as they hurried through lunch. The six teens were quite surprised to see Loomer and his minions joined by Missy and two minions of her own.
"Wow, that's quite a sight, I mean Missy and Loomer. I hope they aren't going to double their bullying skills, I mean Missy doesn't beat anyone up, but she is pretty scary, and she," Martin stated in the midst of yet another ramble. "Yeah, Martin, it's a pretty weird sight, but they kind of match. Besides, if Loomer is distracted with Missy, maybe he'll leave me alone for a while," Ned casually remarked.
Pleased that Loomer would be more distracted than usual, Ned focused on his forming plan to talk to Moze, alone. He knew there would only be one time during the field trip he could talk to her, when they finally got back to Peach Grove. He would ask her to meet him somewhere and either confess how he felt right there, or at least ask her to the dance being held that night.
"Ned, hey Ned, lunch is over. It's time to head back to the estate," Moze gently nudged him in the side; he had been day-dreaming for a while now. "Did you space out again?" she smiled playfully at him, he nodded sheepishly. "You seem to being that a lot lately."
"Yeah, we'd better get going," he stood from the table pulling her arm with him. The pair headed back to the bus taking a seat behind Claire and Matt. "Hey, Moze, Ned," Claire greeted; Matt gave a wave to the pair. Ned was amazed that he was actually glad that Crubbs interrupted his thoughts with his usual announcement for the students to be on their best behavior.
After another directing around the grounds of Peach Grove, the students were told they had free-roam of the estate. Moze felt her pulse quicken as Ned grabbed her hand. "I have something to tell you, let's head to the garden," he quietly said to her. She felt a blush creep into her cheeks even after he let go.
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The pair reached a surprisingly empty garden and headed toward a stone bench near a lilac bush. Moze slowly approached her best friend and took a seat beside him on the bench. She laced and unlaced her fingers avoiding Ned's clear blue gaze. From the corner of her deep chocolate eyes, she noticed he was avoiding looking at her as well. He was raking through his brown patch of hair with his left hand; the right gripped the stone bench quite tensely.
"So," Moze noticed Ned jump slightly at the sound of her voice, "what was it you wanted to tell me?" Ned seemed to regain his thoughts of why they were here and turned to face her. Moze still held her gaze to her hands in her lap. Ned grabbed her hand again and directed her eyes to his.
The two best friends looked into each other's eyes for a few minutes before anything was spoken. "Moze, I…I want to be with you," Moze sat puzzled at the statement, what was Ned implying. "Uh, Ned, you are with me," he shook his head slowly. "I meant I want to-will you go to the dance with me?"
Moze blinked several times, making sure that it was Ned asking her to be his date. "Are you serious?" he smiled and gave a small laugh. "Duh, I'm serious. Why wouldn't I be?" Moze turned her eyes to the purplish bush behind the bench. "You just broke up with your girlfriend," she quietly mumbled.
"Moze, trust me, being away from Suzie has made me finally see clearly, well, I guess Cookie would probably take some credit as well," he responded. Moze felt a sudden smile crease her face. Of course, who else but Cookie would be giving Ned advice; I guess Cookie is probably a bit better than Gordy in some ways.
"What exactly did Cookie help you figure out, then?" Moze stared into Ned's bright blue eyes. "He showed me that I'm not imaging my feelings for you, I want to be more than your best friend, Moze." Moze was unsure how to respond to that. She had recently been considering a relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend between Ned and her, but how real was the idea.
"Ned, I-I'm scared that being more than friends would actually ruin our friendship. I never imagined telling you, but I like you a lot, as more than a friend," the two held one another's gaze. Moze searched Ned's eyes for his response, beyond his piercingly bright eyes, she thought she saw hints of disappointment and maybe longing, even sadness.
Ned didn't know of any other way to prove to Moze that he was willing to risk anything to be able to kiss her and be able to hug her more tenderly. With their faces only a few inches apart, Ned leaned down to kiss Moze for the second time in the past twenty four hours. She backed away though instead.
"No, I just don't think you realize what we'd be giving up in the chance that we broke up," Moze turned away as tears pricked at her eyes. "I do realize what we'd give up, but I don't want to grow through life wondering 'what if.' Moze, how long do you expect to hide your feelings?" he turned her back around to him.
"Come with me to the dance, at least give it a chance," Moze wiped her eyes and silently nodded. "I guess we both deserve at least one chance."
The rest of the field trip passed in a blur from the unexplored parts of the estate to collecting luggage from the hotel to the long bus ride back to Polk. Ned and Moze had opted to separate and Ned now sat with Cookie as Moze joined Lisa a few seats ahead.
"I was right, huh?" Cookie tried to avoid an 'I-told-you-so' tone. Ned nodded. "Cookie, I don't want to not be friends with Moze at any point in my life, but I don't want to wonder for the rest of my life if we couldn't be happy as a couple," Ned chided himself as he buried his face in his hands.
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Hours later, Ned glanced across the dance floor as a slow song began to fill the dimly lit gym. Too nervous to actually go on a real date with Moze, the pair had agreed to just attend the dance separately. Matt and Claire held each other close; Cookie and Lisa were in a similar hold to each other. Several other couples graced the dance floor, some more odd than others, this mainly included Seth and Evelyn and Loomer and Missy. Creepiest couple ever, but they definitely fit together well.
Ned finally found Moze standing amongst a group of other girls who he recognized as some of her teammates, luckily Suzie was not in the group. As the group disappeared as several of the girls were asked to join the crowd of couples, Moze remained alone.
"May I have this dance?" Ned held out his hand at the distracted brunette. She looks amazing. Moze's long brown hair was gently curled and pinned together at the nape of her neck; a slender-fitting red blouse gracefully hugged her developing curves and covered the waist of her denim skirt, black flats gave her only the slightest effort for extra height.
"Sure," she replied slightly embarrassed at Ned's scan of her outfit. She took a second to look him over as well. A royal blue polo casually hung on his slim frame; he also wore tan kakis and his 'dressier' black sneakers. His brown hair remained in its classic messy-neatness.
As the pair entered the dance floor, Ned noticed nods of approval from Cookie and Lisa, as well as Gordy who had hidden himself in the corner of the room. He and Dr. Xavier were some of the chaperones, to Gordy's disappointment; he was still pretty creeped out by the woman's obsession with him.
Ned's arms circled Moze's waist as she gently placed her arms on his shoulders. They both blushed at the intentional contact; usually it was either some sort of an elaborate plan or some odd accident that caused them to be in such close contact.
"You look really beautiful, Moze," Ned spoke into Moze's ear. "You don't look so bad yourself," she replied with a smile. The pair stared into each other's eyes for quite some time, not even realizing when the song ended.
"Ned, I've been thinking, I don't want to wonder 'what if' for the rest of my life. I-I want to try being your girlfriend," Ned stopped his dance partner in mid-turn. Did she really just say that?
"Are you serious?" Moze laughed at the exact match of her question only a few hours earlier. "Duh, I'm serious," she replied pulling Ned closer to her until their faces were a mere inches apart. He smiled breathing a sigh of happiness. She matched his smile with one her own. The dance suddenly became a lot more fun and less stressful as the pair of 'just best friends' stayed on the dance floor no matter slow or fast song.
When the night finally ended, Ned walked Moze to her door as the pair had gotten a ride home from Lisa's parents. "I had a great time, Ned," Moze smiled as she leaned against the banister of the front porch. "Me too," Ned replied standing beside her.
"Moze-Jennifer Moseley?" Ned cleared his throat and Moze turned to the blue-eyed boy. "Yes, Ned?" she asked. "Will you be my girlfriend?" Ned was blushing a severe red, earning him a giggle from Moze. "Yes, Ned Bigby, I will be your girlfriend," the pair hugged and stayed in each other's arms for a few seconds before sharing an innocent kiss as boyfriend and girlfriend.
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Semi-short ending, I know, but I've been neglecting this story & I feel that this ending is just enough to imply that Ned & Moze will at the least survive high school as a couple. Thanks to any of my readers & my awesome reviewers.