A/N. …You guys are so cruel. I plan to update Sunday, but soon as I post the chapter, I get reviews. And reviews. And reviews. And seeing about 20 reviews or so...

I FELT SO GUILTY, but seriously, Curlscat and I talked how we felt neglected from the disappearance of reviews, and I felt that I take a few days for myself. ;D But now I know a method of getting you all to review:

Tell the reviewer you're not updating until next week

Do the question of the week

Hee, hee, hee. :D Just kidding, but I might do that first option to get you guys to review once in awhile, but I think I'm going to stick with doing those questions of the week. :D

But hey, I updated a day early! Yay! That means I've updated six times by next Saturday! I was in a good mood after I took my test, so I decided to come bearing a chapter. It wasn't bad at all –the test, I mean. Casey was probably trying to make me fail. HAA! The test wasn't hard, but it wasn't easy either. The only thing I didn't like about the test is that I didn't see anyone from my school there. D: That was depressing. I had to sit in the waiting room/auditorium in the corner all by myself. D: But the test was really understandable (excluding most of the math section…I think I failed, lol). :D Thank you, though, for all wishing me good luck on my test! Hopefully I get something good out of this. :D

Anyways, I'll just announce the winner of last week's (OMPuckin'G; yellow.r0se, how do you pick from all these lovely answers?) question:

Congrats 'Warisha' for your review…

"Oops, I forgot to answer the question of the day. Hmm... I think I'd like to stay 15 to 16 years of age forever if I could. Why do you think people call it sweet sixteen? It's because it's a special age that shows that you've reached maturity officially and can be treated like an adult! You can drive when you're sixteen and you can still goof around like a kid when you feel like it. Everything great rolled up into one age! Plus you could throw a huge sweet sixteen bash every year and get tons of presents! (That's my favorite part.) Also I think all the books I read about staying a glorious sixteen or seventeen year old as an immortal has got to me!"

So, this chapter is dedicated to you, Warisha! ^^

My Answer to My Question: I like 14. Just because I like the number 14. XD And, at my school, you're at the top of the school. If I liked 15, I'd be at the bottom of the high school chain, so 14's awesome for me. Also, I get to stay at my school and I love that! I'll never get tired of their Bosco sticks. XD

(MORE REPLIES ARE AFTER THE CHAPTER!)

Big pat on the back to Rosebud143 for she-knows-what! :D Cyber cookies for you!

Question of the Week/Day: If you were any inanimate object, what would you be and why?

BY THE WAY, THIS IS FOR THE STOVE vs GRILL DEBATE: You can do either. It's just more common to cook on the grill. :D YAY! It's settled! Now let's all go out for some steak and Mustardseed! Wheee!

Here's the next chapter! (By the way, there's no MS –lol, Multiple Sclerosis, Curlscat- in this chapter, sadly. D: But, read the chapter still? Please? *puppy dog look* Darn, it doesn't work with me and my bug eye glasses…

Chapter 28: Depression Denial

"D, let's go swimming!"

I looked up at Ariana as she hovered over me, her hands on her hips. I raised an eyebrow.

"Right now?"

"We've been here for four hours, and all you've done is sit there and be depressed," she accused.

"I haven't been depressed," I accused, frowning. "What is there to be depressed about?"

"Hmm, let me think," she started, putting a finger to her chin. "Could it be that Mr. Firay isn't here?"

"What? No! I-I… it isn't that," I stuttered, feeling my face heat up.

Ariana rolled her eyes. "I don't see why you don't just tell him you like him."

"Shh! Lower your voice!"

"Sorry," she said, quieting voice. "But if you like him, I think you should just tell him."

"I can't!" I cried, my eyes widening. "Ariana, you don't understand the situation."

"What's the situation?"

"Oh, I don't know… he's a teacher and I'm a student?"

"And?"

"That's illegal, Ariana."

Ariana waved her hand. "You're a senior. It shouldn't matter."

"He doesn't even like me," I continued, digging a hole in the sand with my bare foot and burying it in it.

Ariana heaved a sigh, shaking her head. "You don't know that."

"He's got a girlfriend."

Ariana's eyes widened in surprise. "Did he tell you that?"

"Well, not in those words," I responded, biting my lip. "But lately he's been going on dates."

Ariana rolled her eyes. "Amiga, it sounds to me like your making up excuses not to like him."

I gaped at Ariana, unable to think of a reply. She frowned at me, crossing her arms.

Was I making up excused not to like him? No, that wasn't it. I was just being rational. Yeah!

"I'm just being rational," I explained, furrowing my eyebrows. "I don't want to get my hopes up."

"Well, even if he doesn't like you, there's something special about you to him," she pressed. "Why else would he keep making you stay after school?"

"Because he's a black mailing devil," I muttered.

Ariana sighed. "Daphne. C'mon."

I glanced up at her with a frown. "Ariana, let's forget about it. It's wrong, and impossible, and I just don't want to think about it anymore, okay?"

"Fine you keep on making up excuses," Ariana responded, her face serious. "But when he stops chasing after you, and you lose any chance you have with him, don't come crying to me. You need to stop thinking of wrong and right, Daphne, because when it comes to love, there's no such thing. When you love someone, nothing should be able to come between the two of you. You're just going to be hurting yourself thinking along the lines as 'he can't like me, it's impossible'. Nothing is impossible, nada es imposible."

And with that, she turned and started walking away from me. I watched her walk away, my mouth hanging open slightly.

My best friend had just scolded me about love.

Her words sunk in to my mind, and I knew she was right. I groaned, putting my head in my hands.

I was making up excuses. But it wasn't that I didn't like Mr. Firay, no, I knew I liked him, loved him. But what was there not to love? He had beautiful blue eyes that seemed to pierce right into your soul. His somewhat messy, blonde hair could make him look boyishly cute, or look like a young handsome man. Sure, he had a split personality, but it was sort of a charm point.

I groaned again. But there was something else that kept me from really accepting my feelings, something I didn't want to admit to myself.

I didn't know anything about Mr. Firay.

What I liked was his looks, his actions, and personality. But I didn't know a single thing about his past, besides that he was a gang leader, and he did something that now has the gang wanting him dead. And I didn't know what that was.

What if it was something really bad? Would that change my views of Mr. Firay?

I rubbed my forehead, trying to clear my thoughts. For now, I couldn't let Mr. Firay know of my feelings. I didn't want him to think they weren't real. That I was just like all the other girls at school. For now, I'd deal with my unrequited love, even if it hurt. I could deal with it…gosh, I'm turning into a mushy pile of mush.

My phone suddenly went off and I jumped, my heart rate spiking. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. The caller I.D showed Wendell. I flipped open my phone and put it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Daphne! How's the beach?"

"Okay."

"You sound excited," he commented with a chuckle.

I laughed. "Don't I? I thought you were working."

"I am," Wendell responded. "I'm on break."

"Oh. How late do you have to work 'til?"

"Closing."

"Fun," I responded, playing in the sand with my feet again.

"Is Firay there?"

"No."

"That's why you sound so depressed."

I opened my mouth in shock, narrowing my eyes. "I'm not depressed! You're just like Ariana!"

"Hey, I'm just stating the truth," Wendell defended, amusement in his voice. "Admit it."

"Have a good shift, Wendell!"

"Daphne—"

I snapped my phone shut in a huff, blushing furiously. I wasn't depressed! I was just…

I looked around me to see I was the only one sitting on the bench, dressed fully. Everyone one else was running around the beach playing Frisbee, or volleyball, or they were playing in the water.

I scowled.

I wasn't depressed.

Kicking up sand, I stood up, marching towards the changing area with my bag. I didn't need Mr. Firay to have fun.

Ariana mock wolf-whistled at me when I came back to the beach after changing into my swimsuit. I blushed, glaring at her.

"Nice legs, daisy dukes, makes a man go," she paused to wolf-whistle again. "The bikini top is a nice addition. Muy caliente!"

"I hate them though," I muttered, crossing my arms in front of my chest subconsciously.

I glanced at my blue and white bikini top. It was tied by strings, which I thought was a bad idea. There were some real olives in my grade, and I didn't really want to take the chance of having one of them untie my top.

"If you don't like bikinis, then why are you wearing them?"

I gave her a sour look. "My mom replaced all my swim suits with bikinis. She took my board shorts too, and there's no way I'm walking the beach in just a bikini."

"Flaunt what you got, D," she told me, rolling her eyes.

I stuck my tongue out at her childishly. "Sorry, I like having some modesty."

She just rolled her eyes at me. "Come swimming."

I shook my head. "I'm going to go for a walk. I want to go check out those rocks." I pointed to the stones in the distance that led out into the ocean.

"Ooh! Can I come?"

I nodded. "No Josh though."

We both glanced at Josh, who was roughhousing in the water with some boys from our class. Ariana smiled for a second while staring at him, but then turned back to me, waving her hand dismissively.

"He won't even notice I'm gone."

I chuckled, pushing my hair behind my ear. "Fine, let's go."

Together we started down the beach, walking along the thin wash of broken waves. Our feet splashed in the shallow water, the current trying to drag our feet back to see. Ariana began hopping over the small waves of foam that came after the wave breaks.

"I want to skim board," she complained, kicking a wave, and sending the water spraying up at us.

I winced at the cold feeling on my arm. "Did you bring a skim board?"

"No," she muttered moodily.

I laughed, pushing her slightly. "Then that's your own fault. Borrow one from someone."

Ariana sighed. "I guess I'll have to at some point. But it's almost curfew. I'll have to do it la mañana."

The walk to the rocks was taking longer than I had expected. I must have misjudged the distance. The closer we got, however, the larger the stones appeared. Ariana sped up slightly.

"Look at that!" she cried, her eyes wide. "It's like a fort! Hurry, D!"

"Ariana, we still have a way to walk —argh!" I cried out as she suddenly grabbed my wrist and started sprinting. "Ariana!"

"C'mon, c'mon! Rapido!"

I scowled slightly, but didn't dare to stop running. Knowing me, I'd probably end up tripping over my feet and falling into the water.

When we finally reached the boulders, we were both panting, and holding stitches in our sides. I leaned against one of the large, cool, black rocks trying to catch my breath. Ariana regained her breath quicker and admired the stones.

She started climbing one, and I followed in pursuit. The top of the rock was flat, and stable to stand on. Ariana started hopping to the next one, which had a two feet crevice between the one I was on. I stepped over it cautiously, looking down to see a black hole.

"Ariana!" I cried as she jumped from the boulder, into a crevice.

"Follow me," she responded.

I looked over the crevice to see Ariana at the bottom looking up at me. The crevice was taller than her head. I nervously lowered myself down, dropping onto the sand. Ariana started walking down the crevice and I followed, running my hand against the moist rock walls.

Ariana turned a corner, and I followed, surprised to see it led to a small section of the beach, even though stones sectioned it off. Ariana turned and grinned at me.

"This is so cool."

I couldn't help but return her grin with one of my own. "You've always been good at exploring."

Ariana smirked smugly, before walking to the other side of the small beach area. I followed, staring in wonder at the area I was looking at. It was literally a part of the beach that was sectioned off by rocks. The large black stones even went about ten feet into the ocean, and the tops of the walls also went higher than the flat tops of the boulders we had first came off. It was totally private.

"I bet people like to have sex in here," Ariana commented, grinning cheekily. "It's so private, privado."

"You have such a dirty mind," I responded, rolling my eyes.

"Check this out."

I walked over to where she was, and peered around her. There seemed to be a tunnel in the rock.

"Should we go in there?"

I shook my head. "There's probably only trash and stuff. Let's go climb the rock pier before the curfew comes."

Ariana stared longingly at the small cave before sighing. "Si."

We made our way out of the little private area, and with some effort, pulled ourselves out of the crevice and onto the flat stone. The sun was beginning to set now.

"Should we go back?" Ariana asked.

I glanced back at the beach where our class had set up, and could still see people playing in the water.

"I think we're okay," I told Ariana, who was also looking.

"If we go fast, right?"

We nodded at each other and started carefully climbing across the rocks that led to the rock pier. I wanted to make it out to the last stone. There were puddles of water on some of them, and every now and again I'd step on one and scare myself.

Ariana was kicking a pebble, expertly getting across crevice after crevice as I barely managed to stumble from rock to rock without falling in one. There was a large crevice between the stone and the one we were currently on, so Ariana gave a hard kick to the rock, sending it soaring. It went way past the other one.

I snickered as Ariana flushed in embarrassment.

"Ow!"

Ariana and I looked at each other in surprise and scrambled across the crevice, looking down the other side of the rock. A pair of teenage boys was standing below us. One of them had shaggy black hair, and the other had a buzz cut. The one with the buzz cut was holding a hand to his head and holding the pebble in his other hand.

Ariana jumped down before I could stop her, and jogged up to the boy with the buzz cut.

"I am so sorry!" she apologized.

"I think I'm bleeding," he said, pulling his hand away from his head for a second, before quickly replacing it. "Yeah, definitely bleeding."

I rolled my eyes. Yeah right.

"Sorry!" Ariana apologized again, sounding flustered. "Let me check it out."

Ariana reached a hand up to the teen's head, but before I could protest, the teen grabbed her wrist, a smirk spreading across his face. I immediately tensed up, watching them carefully.

"Let go," Ariana demanded, trying to yank her wrist free.

"Are you alone? You don't look busy right now, so why don't you have some fun with us?"

"I'm here with my boyfriend," Ariana retorted, trying to pull her hand away.

I scowled, preparing to shout at the guy. Then the guy with the black hair finally made his move, grabbing Ariana's other arm.

"It'll be fun," he told her.

"Let go!" Ariana repeated, with more force.

I caught my breath and watched nervously. What should I do? Go get someone? No, there wasn't time for that.

I realized they hadn't noticed me, so I quietly backed away from the rock, and started going around it. I could hear Ariana's angry voice and the boys' joking ones as I slyly came up from behind the boys. I quietly begged Ariana not to look at me.

"Stay still," the one with the buzz cut said, jerking Ariana's arm hard.

"Ow!" she cried, being pulled forward.

I quietly dropped behind the pair of boys, trying to make the least amount of noise as possible. To my dismay, I landed with a thud. They heard me land, and turned in shock.

The buzz cut boy smirked. "I see you want in on the fun."

Without thinking, I punched the buzz cut teen in the face, using my full force. He let go of Ariana in surprise, stumbling back a few steps. I silently scolded myself. I needed to stop punching people.

After I got Ariana away.

I turned to the shaggy haired one, holding up my fist threateningly.

"Let her go."

He snorted. "You may have caught him off-guard, but you won't—"

I sent my fist into his face, cutting him off. Ariana managed to free herself, and started sprinting away, grabbing my arm and dragging me with her. The buzz cut guy looked up at me with a scowl and flipped me off.

"At least I wasn't beat by a girl," I yelled back childishly, rounding the corner with Ariana.

We scrambled up the crevice, quickly making our way across the rocks, and back to the beach, were we continued running back to the class site. My feet splashed through the cool water as I kept throwing cautious glances before me.

I wasn't that worried. I had taken on a gangster before; I could take on two teenaged guys.

We didn't stop running until one of the chaperones on the trip was in our sight. We slowed gradually to a walk, and the finally slumped onto the benches, out of breath. I leaned back, my throat burning.

"I hate running," I panted.

"Where," Ariana started, taking a deep breath. "Did you learn… how to punch... like that? I thought you couldn't even make a fist."

I gave a noncommittal shrug of the shoulders, and Ariana let it go.

Like I would tell her I needed to learn how to punch someone because I was involved with gangsters. Hah. Of course, I could tell her that I learned it when I was young, but that'd make more complications.

"If anyone asks, that didn't happen," Ariana said seriously, her breath regained. "Josh would kill me."

"I'm bleeding," I mocked, a smirk on my face.

Ariana scowled. "I was being polite."

I rolled my eyes. "This is why I don't like the beach. There are tons of perverts around, waiting to scoop up girls in bathing suits."

Ariana stuck out her tongue. "Not always."

I laughed, letting out a sigh of relief with it. At least it wasn't anything serious. I have expected something like that to happen anyway. I mean it happened in movies all the time.

Suddenly I remembered we hadn't made it out to the last stone on the rock pier.

I groaned and Ariana looked at me with a worried expression.

"We didn't get to go on the rock pier!"

Ariana shoved me hard. "There's always tomorrow."

A/N. Sorry it's short, and filler-ish. I was stuck, but I really wanted to post something for you guys. I forgot who, but someone said this is 250-300 pages long like a real book! ^^ That's awesome! Thank you…*checks* ! :D That's really cool. :D And I'll probably take you up on that offer. ;D

Replies, replies, replies: (WARNING: IT'S VEERRRYYY LONG!)

Warisha's first review of Ch. 27: XD I promise, I will try. I didn't really plan for this story to be a magic filled story. :/ More like an AU one, but I'll see what my brain comes up with. Lol, I can't predict the future, silly. ;D Daphne and Mustardseed will get married if they want to! Well, here's the chapter so you waited patiently enough –I'm proud! Thanks! OMG I'm shaking –I'm so scared of what I got for the Duke TIP –I'm freaking ouuuutttt, man! Awww, that warms my heart. You'd rather read than do school work. Thank you. ^^ Warisha's second review of Ch. 27: Lol, you have really good reasons! XD

Fanficlover: Aw, muchas gracias, amigo! ^^ Thanks so much! Here's the update! ^^

Cat: Thanks! XD Hee hee. I friggin loved writing that part. That was so much fun… Yes, Sunday. You waited until Saturday though; here's a cookie. *gives* :D Lol, I promise. Cross my heart, hope to die I will write a juicy fighting scene (at least, to me it'll be juicy. But an FYI: I have almost 0 experience with writing about fighting so if it turns out bad, lo siento. :3)! Cat's Review, Number Two: Lol. XD Ah, that's true. I was 11 in 2009, and that was probably the best year of my life. My friends and I were so close, and no one had switched schools, or suddenly be cold to each other…*sigh* I miss those times. Anyways, lol. I don't like chores either. Unless I get something like a hug or a big thank you –not necessarily money, I don't really need money…..OH. Now, I understand TheyCallMeRed's 'Don't Hate Me For This' (I didn't see the 'Cat'. :D). Nevermind. Lol, you two remind me of my friend and I. I'd be TheyCallMeRed, and you, Cat, would be my friend Ariana. XD Anyways, muchas gracias for the review! Cat's Review, Number Three: Yeah, I know. I cook on them sometimes. Thanks for saying so!

TheyCallMeRed: It's fine. I've cooled down now. I think I needed that break, actually. All the stress of writing and studying was getting to me. I feel better now. Sorry you had to wait, but hopefully this week's actual five day update will be awesome for you, along with this early surprise update. 1. MS just likes Daphne's name. ;D 2. Lol, I know they're better on a BBQ (trust me, I have BBQs every time we watch a Manny Paquiao fight and I learned to make them when I was like 11 or so.), but think about it: Daphne lives in quite a small apartment in New York City. Do you think they have a big back yard or something where they can have a BBQ? And well, MS is a really good cook –so says my story, so he should be able to make a stove-cooked steak taste as good as a BBQ-cooked steak, right? 3. Oh, no! Not at all. Henry and Basil are in New Jersey for work and stuff (Basil actually is just tagging along. :3); they're not divorced. I didn't mean to make them sound divorced… Yeah, I'm happy, thanks for saying so. xD It's Peace, Love, Happiness, Food! TheyCallMeRed, Review Number Two: Lol. I'm 13, and pretty happy.0.o? Why would I hate you?...(Oh, I see the word 'Cat'. :D) I have crushes too, you know. (*cough* Puck *cough* Mustardseed *cough*) I freakin' love Artemis! But yeah, I don't think I could swear off boys. XD Me too. I'm Matttian, but Mythology's interesting too.

ANannyMouse: (love your username by the way) Lol, that's okay. To the beach. This chapter said so. :D That makes sense. :3 But I'm too stupid to know that. XD I explained that in the chapter –she was kind of a ditz before she was kidnapped and all that. And when her family returned to NY, so did her ditzy personality [return]. That's okay. :D Yeah, I mean, imagine Henry bubbly…you can't right? LOL. :D Yeah, and they're going to appear sometime in the story. :D Lol, I know that. :D I explain it at the top A/N. ^^ Today's Saturday though. ;DDD

I WILL REALLY START THE 5 DAY UPDATE TOMORROW! BE READY! AND HAPPY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE IT! ^^

~Lara