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Chapter 9: One Down…

He was lost in darkness. There was a light be he felt uneasy about it. He wasn't sure that he should enter the light unless he knew it was okay. He looked to his companions. Most agreed to head towards the light but one was unsure. He walked forward and noticed a small hole that only two could fit through. He had to make a choice, he had to-

The demonic alarm clock awoke him from his sleep.

"That was a weird dream…" Aiden thought to himself as he fought his alarm clock for silence. He went through his morning routine and headed to the bus stop with more thoughts flying through his head than yesterday. He wondered if he should get permission from his friends and her parents. Her mom seemed up to the idea but Aiden never met her father.

"Well, if I get a good response from everyone else then I will ask her parents."

The bus came and Aiden followed the others on. He took his seat from the day before and stared out the window. Before he knew it he arrived at school. He found the others by the tree and decided now would be the best time to ask. When he got there he noticed a newcomer who was probably Jackie. She had long black hair and was wearing tomboyish clothing. As he walked closer Jed introduced him.

"Jack this is Aiden, Aiden this is Jack."

They shook hands and Jackie said, "Nice to meet cha." She was chewing gum that was overbearingly minty.

"Likewise.' He responded. "Now, I have something important to ask all of you."

"Well, I have there attention gulp, here it goes…"

"I would like to ask if you guys are okay with me asking Katie out." He tried to say it as delicately as possible but it was hard to make the words come out of his mouth.

The others talked amongst themselves for a moment and after a bit of discussion and one somewhat crushed Skye later Jed spoke up and said,

"You have our full support."

Aiden mentally leaped for joy and asked another important question.

"Well, one down three to go. I still have to ask her parents."

"I think you'll do fine kiddo," Jackie said with a smile, "Her parents are plenty nice and I see no reason why they wouldn't like cha."

"I hope so…" Aiden said distantly. "I just have to take it one step at a time."

They entered the school silently and went to math. The class was the same old same old. All his other classes were no exception. When he was getting his stuff to go to lunch Aiden remembered something.

"I still haven't looked over that note." He said to Jed who was leaning against the locker next to him.

"Do you have it with you?"

"Yea, it's in my backpack…" Aiden searched through his backpack and found the note in the bottom. "I'll read it at the table, no use repeating myself fifty times."

Jed nodded and they headed towards the lunch room. As they sat down Skye and Jackie were already eating but Rose wasn't there yet. Aiden grabbed a leftover tuna sandwich from his lunch bag.

"I've eaten almost nothing except tuna for the last to days." He thought to himself.

"Oh well, it's not like its bad or anything."

Rose took a seat at the table seconds before the bell rang and Aiden decided now would be as good a time as any to read the note. He pulled it out of his pocket and skimmed over it. It was a stupid apology letter. He didn't even feel like it was worth reading so he just passed it around the table. When it got back to him he crumpled it up and threw it into the garbage.

"I thought it would be a wee bit better than that." Jackie said.

"Yea…Hey! Wait a second, how did you know about that?" Aiden said in pure confusion.

"Jed called me." Jackie explained. "Ya don't think I'd be that far out of the loop do ya?"

"I suppose not…" Aiden said as he went back to eating. "Anyways, why weren't you here yesterday Jackie.

"Well boyo, I was hackin up me breakfast." She answered.

"Ouch…" Aiden said, feeling her pain, he had barely been able to keep his food down the night before his first day.

Jed changed the topic before he threw up his own lunch.

"So how do you think you're going to go about askin Katie's parents."

Aiden swallowed and answered uncertainly.

"I'm not quite sure but I think I have a plan."

"Well lay it on us boyo." Jackie said impatiently.

"Well, if you could Katie out of the house I could have a conversation with her parents."

"And how do you suppose we do this?" Jed asked.

"I don't know…what do you guys usually do together?"

"Give us till five tonight, I have an idea." Jed said, with a smirk on his face.

A/N: Bum bum bum!!!! Things are going to get really fluffy in a chapter or so. I also have some really awesome plans for my next installment. Ever wonder about Aiden's home in the desert? What did he leave behind? Read my next chapter to find out…maybe.