Chapter 13: Homecoming
Verity was gone the next few days, pleading with a judge to let her father out of prison. Reluctantly, the judge agreed, considering Mr. James never used any kind of weapons in the robberies he committed. Then, she worked with him to teach him all she knew about being a neutralizer.
Meanwhile, Warren had forced Speed and his hooligans to confess to their crimes. Royal Pain was indeed locked in solitary confinement with nothing to keep her sane. The rest of her gang got severe prison time for their second evil plot attempt. Speed would no longer be a threat to Warren's relationship with Verity.
Warren had given Medulla the charm Royal Pain had created to see if there was a way to destroy it. He warned him about touching it and Medulla took the necessary precautions, assuring Warren he'd find a way to dispose of it.
The Homecoming dance came upon them fast. Warren put on his dad's tux once again and headed to the school. Verity hadn't been returning his calls and he'd been working to make up hours. Since she was at home with her dad, he didn't see her in school. He was about ready to give up hope. Something always seemed to pop up when they least expected it to and ruin their chances of dating. However, the biggest reason was now gone and Warren was hoping once she got her dad squared away, they could be together.
Warren walked into the gym. Was it really just a year ago that Homecoming was nearly ruined because of Royal Pain? And it almost happened again this year. Did the girl have that much of a problem with having a good time? Warren sighed. It was also a year ago that he hooked up with his ex. Thinking about Freeze Girl just made him sad because it reminded him of Verity. This was supposed to be their night and she wasn't there. Feeling dejected and hurt, Warren walked over to a wall and leaned against it casually.
He looked up at the door a moment later. In walked a brunette in a long, pale blue sheath dress. It had thin little straps. Her hair was up in a wild mess of curls. Her green eyes were searching the room and rested on him. She smiled brilliantly at him, her eyes shining in delight. She pulled up the hem of her dress, revealing a pair of strappy blue heels and ran toward him. She jumped into his arms and kissed him soundly.
"Oh, God, I've missed you," Verity whispered, squeezing him tightly.
"Why haven't you been returning my calls?" He murmured into her ear, smelling the sweet scent of the shampoo she used.
"I'm sorry. I've been trying so hard to teach Dad how to control his powers, it's usually late when I check my messages. I should have sent you a text or something, but I know you had work this week, and I wanted to let you sleep." She looked up at him, her eyes sincere. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"Oh, I think that can be arranged." Warren put her gently onto the floor, his eyes gazing down at her hungrily. "You look amazing."
Verity blushed, which in turn only made her more beautiful. "Thank you. You look really great too." The look in her eyes told him she meant it. She dropped her purse and shawl, both in the same blue, onto a nearby chair. "Want to dance?"
She grabbed his hand and led him to the floor. His arms instantly wrapped around her, pulling her close. She looked up at him. "That's almost too tight."
Warren shrugged. "Deal with it. If I let you go, I may not see you for another week."
She smiled up at him, letting her fingers lazily tease his long hair. She twirled a strand around her finger, her eyes locked on his. "I don't think it will be that long," she murmured. "I was in agony without you."
Warren scoffed. "I'm so sure. I was the one in agony." His right hand slid a little lower on her back, dangerously close to her behind, while his left brushed a stray curl away.
"I can only imagine," she said, her voice low and sweet. "My poor honey." Her lips grazed his neck softly.
"Oh, don't tease me," he moaned. "I feel like I either never see you, or I get teased when I do."
"We could change that, you know." Her breath was warm on his neck. "It's not teasing if you follow through." She pulled back and Warren saw there was no hint of torment or mischief in her face. She was smiling up at him in complete adoration. "I've realized something this week, after seeing my mom and dad together."
"Oh, really?" He raised his eyebrow in question. "What's that?"
"Our relationship is similar to theirs." Her fingers continued to work their magic around his face. "My dad told me he and Mom met at Sky High. Their sophomore year. They started dating immediately. They got married right out of high school. And…" she paused for dramatic effect, then stood on her tiptoes and whispered, "They were just as crazy as we are about each other."
Warren felt shocked. "You mean, they would…"
"Screw around almost constantly? Ache to touch each other? Want nothing more than to give into their carnal desires?" She shrugged and looked up at him, her smile full of love and passion. "Yes, sirree."
That was all the reassurance Warren needed. If true love could be hot and passionate as well as sweet and tender, he wasn't fighting it another minute. He took Verity by the hand and led her to their things. Picking up her stuff and his jacket quickly, he made a beeline for the door.
"Well, it didn't take long for that to light a fire under you," she said playfully, her free hand stroking up and down his back.
He pulled her into him, his voice a low growl. "I need to think straight for five minutes. No touching."
Her hand slowly found its way to a spot it had only momentarily touched once before. "What on Earth do you need to think about so badly?"
Warren let out a moan of desire, mixed with frustration, his fingers brushing the straps of her dress off her shoulders. "A quiet place we can go to…talk…"
"I highly doubt you want to talk," she murmured seductively, her hands still massaging him. "But I know where we can go."
Then she led him up the hallway to the place where their contact started…and tonight would be consummated…
A/N: It's really awkward for me to end a story with a chapter that doesn't have a five or a zero as the second digit, but whatever. I want to end it now. I hope you all like the ending, and maybe, in the future, I'll write a sequel…we'll have to see! r/r…~Nelli~
