Chapter 15

Our presentation went well. We haven't much in school since. It's currently a Thursday morning and as usual, I wake up nice and disoriented.

The dreams I have had the last couple of nights have been weird. I haven't had a nightmare in about 3 days but I've had this reoccurring dream. I'm walking through some sort of festival, holding someone's hand. The guy's hand fits perfectly in mine and he walks ahead of me. He has dirty blonde hair that blows in the wind. And right before I wake up, I see his smile.

I don't know if it's supposed to mean something or not but I can't shake the feeling that I know the person.

"Lena let's go. We're going to be late." I can hear Dad call from downstairs, shaking me out of my daydreams. I head down with my backpack in tow and get in the car.

When we pull up to the school, the gang is there waiting for me.

"Why do you look so weird?" Of course that's the first sentence out of Ashton's mouth.

"Why does your face look so weird?" I ask him right back.

"No seriously, wait. Are you wearing makeup?" Abby asks while her face contorts into something like I've never seen before.

"Yes. I woke up early and got bored. Is it a crime to wear makeup?" I push past them and start walking into the school.

"When its you, yes." Sam asks when he comes up next to me. "What's the real reason?"

"Mom just told me to look good today. She wouldn't give me anymore information than that so I just did what she said and left." I open my locker and throw my stuff in there and get my books for first period.

"Your mother is a scary woman." Sam replies.

"You can say that again."

We continue about our day as usual. Everything seems to be going as normal but when I walk into chemistry, the teacher smiles a little in my direction. I nod it off and go to sit at my desk. Alex isn't here yet which I find kind of strange since he always beats me here.

When there is only thirty seconds left until the bell rings, he walks in with a smirk on his face. He comes and sits next to me like nothing has happened.

"What did you do to your face?" He asks nonchalantly. He analyses my face with an almost sneer.

"Is there something wrong with it?" I ask, turning away from him.

"Nothings wrong with it. I just prefer you with no makeup." He replies as he takes out his notebook and starts to write. I'm taken aback for a moment.

"I don't live to please you do I?" I return.

"No," he pauses and I think he won't say anything else until he adds, "But you could."

His smirk is bigger than any I've ever seen. I grin to myself, "You wish."

There is only ten minute left in class. I notice how the teacher cut his lesson down to be shorter than it normally is. Now we're just going through and finishing up any work that we may need to do for another class. Of course, I already finished my other classes work, seeing as how I didn't have much to finish. I'm reading what most people call a classic, "Fahrenheit 451"

"What are you reading?" Alex nudges me with his elbow. I don't look up.

"A book."

"I can see that much. What book is it?" He tries to read a little bit over my shoulder. I push him away.

"Fahrenheit 451." Turn away from him and read.

"Sounds like a-" he gets interrupted by the intercom coming on.

"Ich bin hier, kleine, Schwester." I hear the deep, yet familiar voice say.

"What did they say?" Alex asks.

"I'm here little sister." I reply without looking at him. I look at the door, at the person standing inside of it.

Sebastian is standing there holding a bouget of flowers. A small smile is playing at his lips. He is in full uniform yet I can see how different he looks. He is much more muscular now and his skin is a little darker. But here he stands in the door of my high school.

A tear slides down my cheek before I have time to stop it. I suck in a sharp breath. Before I know what I'm doing, I'm running and jumping into his arms. I jump on him so hard that he stumbles back a step and laughs against my hair. I laugh in the midst of crying.

"Its ok. I'm home now." He says while rubbing done my hair and holding me up. I'm practically squeezing the life out of him.

"I know." He sets me down and pulls back to look at me. "Do you know anything about Eric?"

"He's still stationed out west but he should be getting home soon. I'm sorry it took so long for me to come home. I wanted to come back so many times but I couldn't leave."

"It's ok." I hug him again, "You're back now. You're back."

He smiles against my neck and tells me, "Go get your stuff, let's get out of here."

I pull away and walk over to my desk. I wipe at my eyes to wipe away all the tears. I look up and see Alex looking at me weirdly.

"What?"

"Nothing, its just, well, you really can show your feelings." He shakes his head and grins a little, looking down at his work.

I shake my head and grab my stuff. I head back to the door where Bash is waiting for me. I smile to myself and head in his direction. When I reach him, he slings an arm around my shoulders and leads me down the hallway.

"So who was that boy eyeing you up?" He asks like it's no big deal while I start choking on oxygen.

"I'm sorry what?"

"That guy you sit next to. I saw the way he was looking at you. It's like you were his next meal. I saw the hunger in his eyes. I'll kill him if you need me too. Although I'm pretty sure your perfectly capable on your own." He squeezes my shoulder for emphasis but keeps us walking.

"Alex? I don't even think you could call him a friend. He just makes snide comments but he's harmless I think. Mom and Dad have met him. They seem to like him but I don't really see anything."

"Why have Mom and Dad met him?"

"He came over because we had to work on a project. You know how Mr. Foust is." I open the door to the parking lot and look out. "Where are Mom and Dad?"

"What do you mean where is Mom and Dad? They don't know I'm home. I came straight from the airport." He looks at me like I should know this.

"So how will we get home?" I push back the questions swarming in my head. I'll consider them later.

"I called Corbin. He's going to take us." Corbin is Bash's best friends from high school. He was kind of like a 3rd brother to me growing up.

"Ok."

---

"How are you going to tell them?"

"I don't know. I was thinking you could go in first since they think you're with Sam or someone and then I could just come in after you." His leg is twitching and I can see it.

"You're nervous aren't you?" I grin a little without meaning too.

"Maybe." He says.

I open the door and step into the foyer and set down my bags. Everything seems to be normal, until mom comes in.

"So... Did he ask?" She asks, a huge smile plastered in her face.

"Did who asks what?" I couldn't be more confused right now.

"Oh. He didn't. That's fine. He may not of had the right moment. Wait why are you standing like that? You look all nervous and..." She sucks in a sharp breath when Bash steps in behind me. I watch the tears roll down her face. She runs up and throws her arms around her neck while she starts to sob.

"What's going o-" Dad pauses mid step when he sees his son. He walks slowly, as if he almost doesn't believe he's really here. "You're back."

"Yeah. I am." Bash says back when he pulls away from Mom a little.

Dad seems to consider his response before he slaps him on the shoulder and says, "And you didn't call? I thought I raised you better than that."

Dad gives him the biggest hug I've ever seen him give anyone. I can't help but smile to see how happy they all are. I sneak past them and head up stairs to my room.

I flop down on my bed when I hear my phone start ringing. I pick it up and see that Eric is facetiming me.

"So I see you all got the surprise." He says.

"It would have been better if it came as a package deal with the both of you. When are you coming home?" I roll over and lay my head on my pillow.

"Soon. I'll be home soon little sis." He smiles at the end.

We talk for as long as we can before he has to go back to his duties. I've missed being able to talk to them much less being able to slap them in the face whenever I want. I don't think I'll ever get enough of seeing my family happy like this. I just hope it doesn't have to end.