"We are only a week away from our last summer vacation of high school," Aurora stated as she browsed a rack of clothes. She had convinced Belle to go on another shopping spree for their trip to visit her mom.

"It's hard to believe it's already almost here. So much has happened this semester," Belle agreed. She absently glanced at a rack of clothes and snuck a peak at her cellphone.

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Would you stop checking your phone every two seconds?"

Belle glanced up at her. "What?"

"Adam will text you whenever he gets a chance. He probably slept in after the late night at prom last night," Aurora said.

Belle put her phone back in her purse. "I'm sorry. We might be hanging out tonight and I'm waiting to hear from him so we can make actual plans."

Aurora grabbed a tank top and draped it over her arm. "You're obsessed with him."

"I am not."

Aurora reached over and picked up a pair of shorts off a nearby shelf. She checked the price, then added it to her pile as well. "Why can't you just be here with me for a little bit? I understand you're excited to see him... again. But I'm your best friend. I'd like to feel like you actually want to hang out with me as opposed to feeling like you're just using me to kill time before seeing Adam again."

"I'm sorry, Aurora."

Aurora was now flipping through a rack of sun dresses. She made a face when she didn't find one she liked. "Are we actually going to spend time together in No Cal? Or are you planning on spending all of your time alone with Adam?"

"Of course we're going to spend time together, Aurora. What has gotten into you?" Belle asked.

Aurora looked over at her. "I don't know. I guess I just miss you. We don't hang out as much as we used to. And when we do hang out, you're always checking your phone to see if Adam has texted you."

"I didn't realize... I'm sorry."

"I forgive you."

XXX

"Ariel!"

Ariel flinched when she heard her father's booming voice bellow from downstairs. She didn't have time to respond before she heard him storm upstairs and burst through her bedroom door.

"Your principal just called," Triton snapped. "You got kicked out of prom for drinking?!"

When Principal Clayton tried calling her father the night before, he wasn't home; so she managed to get through the night without getting in trouble. But, she knew he had to find out eventually.

"Daddy, I wasn't-"

"I'm so disappointed and angry with you, Ariel! You've always been so smart and responsible. What the hell were you thinking?"

"But-"

"Not only was it stupid, but it was also illegal. You could have been arrested last night, Ariel. Did you even think about that? Is having one night of fun really worth it?"

"I didn't-"

"Of course you didn't think about the consequences! You probably just gave into peer pressure." King Triton's face suddenly became red with anger. "This was that boy's doing, wasn't it? Did Eric force you to drink? What else did he try to convince you to do? Are you even still a virgin?"

"Daddy, stop it!" Ariel shouted. "Eric had nothing to do with this. And, yes, I'm still a virgin. One of the girls at school spiked my drink without my knowing. That's all that happened."

Triton rolled his eyes. "Now, Ariel. You've already been caught; just take responsibility for what you did and stop lying to me."

"I'm not lying!"

"Ariel, you're grounded until further notice."

"That's not fair! I didn't do anything!"

"Not another word, Ariel!" Triton turned to walk out of the room, but came face to face with Andrina who was now standing in the doorway.

"Dad, Ariel is telling the truth. I heard Snow White confess to spiking Ariel's drink to get her in trouble," Andrina told him.

Triton glanced back at Ariel. His expression softened and he sighed. "I'm sorry, Ariel. I should have known you wouldn't have done something like this. I'll talk to your principal and get this whole thing straightened out."

Ariel let out a loud sigh of relief. "Thank you, Daddy."

XXX

Belle didn't hear from Adam at all on Saturday. So, after she finished hanging out with Aurora that evening, she set out to find him. She knew there were only so many places she would find him. After looking for him everywhere else, she made her way to his tree house... at least, what was left of it.

Belle carefully walked through the woods until she came to the ruins of the treehouse. She found Adam sitting on a plank of wood beside it, rummaging through the remains.

Adam looked up when he heard Belle approaching. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hi." Belle stopped a couple feet away from him and nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Do you want some company?"

Adam nodded and moved over so she could sit down next to him.

"What are you doing here?" Belle asked.

"I don't know... Just looking around, I guess." Adam tossed a piece of broken wood aside and looked over at Belle. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," she stated. "I haven't heard from you today and I was worried something might be wrong."

Adam shook his head. "I'm fine. I just needed some time to think."

"Oh. Am I intruding? Do you want me to go?"

Adam reached out and took her hand. "Of course not."

Belle moved a little closer to her boyfriend. "So, what were you thinking about?"

Adam shrugged. "Everything that's happened this semester. How I've let you down and-"

"Stop. You haven't let me down," Belle interrupted. "Ya know, the best thing about this year coming to an end is that next year is an all new beginning. A chance to start over and forget everything that happened this year."

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I can't forget what I've done. I mean, I shoved you to the ground, Belle."

"Yes, you did. But I know you won't do something like that again. You're a different boy now than you used to be."

Only 4 chapters left...