Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)

Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/Scent/Index.html

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/\ {* ~ *} /\ MINDY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\ ~ (MONDAY MORNING, MINTZLER CAFETERIA) ~

You know since this whole thing with my arm being hurt that I been acting differently, right? Course you have, with the whole Dakota/Courtney drama how could you not (if not how about going back and reading the other chapters? OK, I'll wait. lol.). Anyway, now with Courtney by my side, as you know, I feel so much more confident and able to stand on my own two feet. Even to the point of going to eat in the cafeteria for the first time since 'Shrek' hurting me. Courtney said she'd be a few minutes late and I decided to go on ahead and show her and everyone else that the old wimpy scared of her own shadow Mindy was gone. Sooo...what happens? I got scared. lol. No, really, I just had got my tray and was headed to my seat when I spotted Veronica struggling with her own tray a few feet behind me. I found a seat for myself and watched her as she struggled again. She finally did get to her seat and to my shock caught me looking, I snapped my head away and felt that old fear take me over.

"She don't do you this way anymore" I said to myself and clutched my hand around 'my protection', which was tucked away safely inside my sling, and let the fear grow and then willed it to turn to anger. Finally getting a huge rush of confidence I looked up and expected to see her giving me a death look. But she wasn't. She was instead struggling to open a carton of milk. One arm in a cast part way up her forearm and the other in a sling. I don't know why I did this, but I did. I got up and walked the few feet from my table to hers and boldly sat down opposite her. She looked to be in total and complete shock as I stared her down and took the milk and expertly opened it with one hand and pushed it back across the table to her.

"What the hell?" She asked. "You're being nice to me?"

"Not really, I wanted to show you I'm not afraid of you anymore" I said.

"Obviously not" She said as she held up her cast covered wrist.

"That has nothing to do with it" I said, "I'm not afraid you anymore...and I never will be again."

"If I had a stun gun I wouldn't be either" She said.

"You've terrorized me every day I've been on this campus" I said. "I never did one thing to you and you hate me for no reason."

"Well..."

"Fuck you Shrek" I said as she looked at me in shock. "I wish you could feel how it is to be scared out of your mind every minute of the day and night. Never wanna be alone, scared to walk down the hall and take a shower by yourself. I HATE YOU."

"Sorry..."

"I hope when you get better you do start something with me again, cause next time I'm gonna hurt you" I said as I pounded my fist on the table. "I'll pay you back for making me scared."

"MINDY" Courtney screamed from across the cafeteria and came tearing across the room. Stopping almost out of breath and pulling me up and behind her as she reached into her bag. I hugged her and stopped her as I said, "It's OK, she didn't start this I did."

"Huh?" Courtney asked as she turned and gave me a confused look. "Why?"

"I wanted her to know I wasn't scared anymore" I said as she grinned and kissed me. Such a good kiss too.

"I sooo like bad ass Mindy" She said.

"EWWWWWWWWWW" Veronica said as Courtney's smile left her face and she turned to face Veronica again. "Look I don't want any trouble..."

"Fuck you Shrek, you started this war" Courtney said as she leaned on the table only a few inches from Veronica's face. "Now it's your turn to be scared daylight to dark."

"What do you mean?"

"Mindy is my girl now..." Courtney said and then looking back to me and asking, "Right?"

"Yes I am" I said as she smiled and turned back to Veronica and went on, "As I was saying, you made the worst choice of your life in picking on Mindy, cause now she's got me on her side and I wrote the book on payback. So if I was you I'd head back to the dorm or stall or whatever they keep you tied up in and stay there. Cause the minute I catch you alone, sizzle sizzle bitch."

"I'm so sorry" Veronica said as I pulled Courtney away and made her follow me out of the cafeteria. Finding a quiet spot by the gate out front.

"Calm down, I'm fine" I said, Courtney with her back to me now and trying to control her temper I think. "Look at me?"

"I'm just so sick of seeing you scared" Courtney said. "And I'm not protecting you like Dakota did or whatever, she just makes me insanely mad."

"Thank you" I said as I kissed her once and then again until she smiled and pulled me into her arms. "MMMMMMMM yeah take advantage of me."

"Ummmm...wait, the whole Shrek shit made it slip my mind, but did you take one of my pills?" She asked and I knew she'd find out. I did it cause my shoulder was killing me last night and she was sleeping peacefully. And it slipped my mind, but I was gonna tell her.

"I did" I said. "You were sleeping so good I didn't wanna wake you and my shoulder was hurting so bad I was about to cry. I'm sorry."

"It's OK" She said softly and kissed my cheek. "Next time wake me up."

"But why?"

"Because those things are addictive" She said. "They are Mindy and you are not gonna get hooked on them."

"OK, no more I swear" I said honestly.

"You were hurting it's OK, but next time you wake me up and I'll get it for you if you're hurting that bad" She said.

"I been a bad girl huh?" I asked as she grinned. "Wanna take advantage of me for payback?"

"I'm serious, OK?" She asked and kissed me.

"Yeh I got it" I said softly. "But if you don't wanna take advantage of me it's cool."

"Again...I have never done that" Courtney said as she shook me in her arms, making me giggle. "You Mindy Sullivan are gonna take advantage of me. Unless all this smack you been talking about laying every girl in Minnesota is just that."

"Ohmigod I never said that" I said as I covered my face and blushed a deep crimson mask as she laughed. "I am no whore..."

"I will be...for you" Courtney said as I smiled and hugged her. Feeling her kiss my cheek and hug me back and in that moment just wanting to feel close to her.

/\ {* ~ *} /\ CHLOE'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (MONDAY AFTERNOON, MOLLY'S DORM ROOM) ~

"Hey my girl" Molly said as she came through the door of her room and saw me sitting on her bed with my laptop across my thighs. Me quickly canceling out of some windows. She sat her book bag down and watched me with an amused smile. "More porn surfing?"

"Noooo" I said and knowing it was at least a small lie. I was reading a story on a porn site but the story didn't have sex in it.

"So now you gonna start lying to me?" Molly asked with an almost evil grin.

"I am not lying, I was reading on nifty.org, and the story I was reading didn't have sex in it" I said honestly.

"What a waste of time that is" Molly giggled as I groaned. "If you gonna read, find something with a lot of sex in it."

"I'll have you know Molly Harris..." I said with a dramatic pause as I closed my laptop and sat it aside. Then rising and pulling her to me by the collar as she smiled knowingly. "...I don't need a story to get me going, I got you."

"MMMMMMMM so true my glowy" Molly said as she kissed me softly. Molly jerking away suddenly and putting her hands in her hair, "Oh fuck, I totally forgot, I got a note from the administration office about me having a package."

"You?" I asked. "Who would be sending you something? I mean your Mom and Dad..."

"I dunno" Molly said. "But I'm definitely gonna go and find out. Wanna go with me?"

"Is it OK if I stay here and take a nap?"

"I'll crawl in with you when I get back, OK?" Molly asked as I readily agreed to that arrangement and kissed her as she hopped off the bed and closed the door as she exited. I stretched, placed my laptop back in it's bag and had just laid down when the phone began ringing. I took a deep breath and said a small prayer that it wouldn't be bad news. "Hello?"

"Molly? Is Molly there?"

"No she just left, be back in a while" I said, "Who is this?"

"OH boy, this is her new...girl...friend?" She asked. Me knowing already who it was and getting ready to hang up when she went on, "Look, Chloe is it?"

"Yeh, Holly right?"

"Yes and I know I'mma stupid bitch and all but this is very important please just let me speak to Molly" Holly said in a pleading voice.

"She really did just leave on her way to pick up a package at the administration building" I said. "I can tell her to call you when she gets back."

"Oh lord I am so screwed" Holly said, "I've screwed everything in my fuckin life up. I can't do anything right."

"Whoa, first take a deep breath and calm down" I said softly, "Having a panic attack is not gonna help anything. Tell me what's wrong?"

"I jumped Megan about some shit, Molly's ex?"

"Yeh"

"Well, she lied to me about a bunch of shit, including her and Molly not breaking up" Holly said. "She admitted it and I went blitzkrieg on her ass. She had a meltdown and ran out of here crying. That was like two days ago and her Mom called a few minutes ago and said Megan attacked her. She's got some bruised ribs and all. Her mom not Megan, and now Meg is missing and no one has seen her."

"And how does this involve Molly?"

"Cause she could be headed down your way" Holly said as my heart almost stopped. "Or could be hiding out two houses down I have no idea."

"I can't deal with this" I said, "I swear I will hurt her if does come down here. Molly is everything in this world to me..."

"Repeat that?" Holly asked.

"I said I love her" I growled, "She's soooo good to me, my ex Maxie, used to beat me for sport almost. Molly showed me the way love could be. She's my dream come true. I can't take losing her."

"She feel the same way?"

"Why don't you come down here and let me show you" I said, "I'm serious, you come down here and I think you'll see why we're so good together."

"Molly will be mad at you for inviting me" Holly said. "After the shit that went down I know she hates me now. But I honestly had no idea you were into her this deep."

"Molly believes in me and I'll take the heat for it, you coming?" I asked in a determined voice.

"I think I can scrape together some gas money" Holly said. "Times are tough."

"You get down here I'll help you get back" I offered, "I got some money stashed away."

"Gimme about four or five hours and I'll call you when I hit town" Holly said, "Is that OK?"

"See ya then" I said softly as the other end of the line went dead. Me wondering if I had made the right decision.

/\ {* ~ *} /\ SARAH'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (MONDAY Late AFTERNOON, FAST EDDIE'S EATS) ~

Hi, I'm Sarah Rae, you know Tay's (Maxie) 'new girl', nice to meet you guys finally. Since me and Tay have been going so good I thought you might wanna know a little more about me. I'm originally from Portland, Maine and came to the land of 10,000 lakes (Minnesota) to get away from an abusive ex-boyfriend and a pair of divorcing parents. Who are very much in a literal civil war over money, property and my love. So I got the hell out of dodge and this was the place the money ran out. Lucky me. Wait, I'll bet no one ever mentioned that 'Mintzler Prep' & 'Fast Eddie's Eats' are both located in the center of the small town of Thief River Falls, Minnesota huh? Well it is, and Thief River Falls is such a nice place to live too, quiet, clean, nice folks, reminds me of home. Although it's so much better in certain ways, Maxie being one of the main reasons why I suddenly can't picture going home again.

Anyway, enough about me, this was a Monday afternoon and as has been happening lately, Eddie's was packed and I was about to lose my mind because being the only waitress on my 4pm to 2am shift Eddie runs me ragid sometimes. This was one of those days and even though Darlene helps all she can it's just so overwhelming when people just keep coming one right after another. I often take a moment to look at that help wanted sign that has been sitting in the window for weeks now and wish someone would come in and ask about it. Not like Eddie would hire anyone anyway, he's turned down two straight girls who seemed perfectly OK to me. That's when she walked in, picking up the 'HELP WANTED' sign as she did. The first thing I noticed about her was her tight ass jeans and skin tight t-shirt, OK I'll admit it since I been with Tay I've been checking a few girls out here and there. She was definitely the hottest one I'd seen wander in here in a long while, with exception of Tay that is. I poured another cup of coffee for one of our regulars and headed to the front to greet her. Praying she was looking for a job.

"Looking for work?" I asked, sitting the coffee down.

"Yes and I'm willing to do anything" She said with pleading eyes. Eddie came out of the kitchen and eye balled the girl, me knowing he'd already made up his mind about her.

"That's the man to talk to" I said as she showed Eddie the sign.

"Please tell me you're still hiring" She said.

"If you got experience" Eddie said as he leaned across the counter and she seemed now to be heartbroken. "Do you?"

"No, I'm just 17 but I swear to you if you give me one shot..."

"Not interested" Eddie said cutting her off rudely. I lost my temper.

"Damn it, give her a chance" I snapped. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. "You and Darlene can't run this place by yourself not with this crowd and if you don't hire someone else to help me I'm quitting."

"Sarah you're not gonna quit" He said softly.

"Eddie is it?" The Girl asked as Eddie nodded and Darlene joined us from the kitchen.

"My name is Megan Lansbury and I'm a hard worker and a fast learner, but no one in this friggin town will give you a chance" She said as I smiled and moved beside her. "I am begging for one chance, I know I can do this job. If I can't, you only have to pay me for one day or whatever I work and I'll never bother you again, please?"

"You're hired" Darlene said firmly.

"Ohmigod really?" Megan asked, Darlene nodding her head to confirm it. Eddie looked about ready to blow his stack.

"Eddie Emory Castle, shut up" Darlene said, "You're hiring her and giving her a fair chance or Sarah and me both are going home and not coming back till you do."

"OK, OK, I know when I'm beat, when can you start?" Eddie asked Megan as I bumped her shoulder and saw her give me a dazzling smile.

"Right now" She said with a huge smile. "I have no other plans, ummmm....can I ask one huge favor?"

"Yeh?" Eddie asked with a very concerned look.

"Ummmm...can you like pay me at the end of the day if I work out just for today..." She said and trailing off.

"Sweetheart if you're hungry..." Darlene said with a gentle touch to Megan's hand, "How about you eat something first?"

"Eddie makes the best breakfast in town" I said as Eddie smiled.

"Yeh I could eat" Megan said softly as she sat down at the counter.

"Maybe she can get me my eggs in under two hours" Mel said as everyone laughed. Me turning and flipping him off.

/\ {* ~ *} /\ CHLOE'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (MONDAY Late AFTERNOON, MOLLY'S DORM ROOM) ~

"You will not believe what I got..." Molly said as she came though the door with a box in her arms and saw me sitting on the end of the bed nervously. Molly being Molly she immediately clued in and asked, "Chloe something wrong?"

"I did something and I'm pretty sure you'll be mad" I said as she tensed up it looked.

"OK, just tell me" She said as I looked up at her. "Is it something bad?"

"You're sister called and said that Megan and her had a fight and Megan beat the fuck out of her Mom and ran away and she thinks Megan might be headed this way for some reason" I rambled and going on before Molly could respond, "Then Holly asked me something like if I loved you, I said yes, you were my everything and she didn't believe it, so I told her to come down here and let me show her and she's coming."

"What?" Molly asked as she sat the box down and seemed to be shocked to her core. "Why did you invite her?"

"I...I..."

"WHY?" Molly screamed as she pounded a fist on her desk and turned to me. Having momentary flashbacks of Maxie I covered my ear and slumped to the bed and said in a pleading voice. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad, please don't hit me."

"Whoa" Molly said as she froze, "No No, Chloe it's not like that..."

"Huh?" I asked as she dropped to her knees beside the bed and touched the hand now covering my ear gently. "Please don't hit me, I love you so much."

"Never" She said gently, "Look at me please?"

"I'm sorry..." I said as she kissed my cheek and grinned. She took my hand as she stood.

"Come up here please?" She asked as I stood too and she hugged me. "Never would I hit you, remember I promised you that?"

"Yeh I remember" I said. She gently caressed my cheek and I smiled as her hand slipped back and touched my ear. "I was scared that you changed your mind..."

"I'd never forgive myself if I hit you like that" She said. "I'm sorry for screaming ok?"

"I forgive you" I said and hugged her and felt her start to cry softly. "What's wrong?"

"I love you so much" She said as she touched my cheek, "I swear on my heart I'd never hit you like Maxie did. You're my everything Chloe. I love you with every beat of my heart."

"I know baby, stop crying ok, I love you too" I said and kissing her softly. "First time we ever fought."

"Had to happen" Molly said with a kiss to my cheek. "You're always being mean to me."

"How about I be mean to you right now?" I asked.

"I got a better idea" She said and kissing me softly and so perfect in that moment. "How about three or four hours of love making?"

"Oh wow, I am so liking this all the pleasure I can take thing you do" I said as Molly grinned. "You are so good to me."

"How many times did I make you go...pop...last time?" Molly asked as she kissed my cheek softly. "4 or 5?"

"5? Maybe more I lost count" I said. "You just make me feel so good and you're offering to do it with no strings attached, it's nearly impossible to say no."

"MMMMMMM and I must be good cause you always return the favor" Molly said as she began to unbutton my blouse. "Right?"

"Funny thing is, every time you do that rolling thunder on me, it just makes me want it more" I said as I kissed her. Noticing the box now sitting on the desk. "What's in the box?"

"Oh shit, the box" She said as she turned and picked it up. "You won't believe what my Uncle Robert sent me."

"What?" I asked and saw her pull out a shiny looking box with pictures on it. "Panasonic Palmcorder?"

"Uh huh" Molly said as she handed me the box.

"This is so fuckin cool" I said as Molly smiled and joined me on the bed. "Thirty gig hard drive, that means you won't need tapes."

"Seriously?" She asked as I laughed. Something I have learned about the girl I am in love with is she is seriously electronically challenged. It just mystifies her. "Like that will help me."

"No it's easy, you just click record" I said as I kissed her softly. "And it's all stored on the hard drive, it's like a computer."

"Does it play video games?" She asked as I groaned and she laughed. "Open it...oh boy, I got an idea."

"Yeh?" I asked while in the midst of tearing at the tape holding the box closed.

"Can we like set this up and just let it record us?" Molly asked.

"Yeh I bet, why?"

"Think about it my girl" She said with a kiss to my cheek. "We could record..."

"Nooooooo" I said firmly as she grinned. The box popping open as she looked down and I pulled out the shiny new camcorder and was floored by how cool it looked. "We can't right now anyway."

"Why?"

"Two reasons...your sister" I said as the smile left her face. "And this needs to charge for at least 12 hours."

"Ok" She said simply. I so desperately wanted her not to be mad at me that in that moment I made a proposal that I figured I'd come to regret later on.

"Molly, I'll make you a deal" I said as she looked at me.

"OK" She replied simply.

"You stop being mad at me for inviting Holly and give her a chance" I said and showing her the camcorder, "And when we get time alone again, you can turn this on and we'll do what ever you want."

"No" She said firmly as she rose, taking the camcorder away and setting it on her desk before pulling me up and into her arms. "I'm not mad anymore, and you never have to bargain with me to stop being mad. Especially with sex."

"But I wasn't..."

"I promised you I would love you honest and I will" Molly said. "I'm ok with Holly coming down here."

"I love you more every day Molly Harris" I said as I kissed her and thinking again about her camcorder idea, it suddenly had a completely new appeal to it as I said, "What if I volunteer to be your co-star in a video?"

"MMMMMMMM only if you want" She said with a huge smile.

/\ {* ~ *} /\ SARAH'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (MONDAY NIGHT, FAST EDDIE'S EATS) ~

"You sure are the best thing Eddie's done for this place in a long time" Mel told Megan as I came by with some coffee. "Eggs were perfect and you didn't spill them once."

"Thank you" Megan said, beaming a smile as Mel laid two dollars on the table as a tip.

"Do you have a tempature or something Mel?" I asked as Megan gave me a confused look.

"I do not, I'm trying to be nice" He insisted.

"Well stop that it's giving me the creeps" I said as he gave me a mock dirty look and Megan laughed. The place had cleared out almost completely by now as Mel made his way out. I took a place at the back booth across from the jukebox and rested for a few moments. Watching this Megan girl sway around. Boy now that girl could get me in some serious trouble with Tay if she was anywhere near interested in me. Thankfully she's no doubt straight. She sat the coffee pot back on the warmer as the last customer cleared out and came back a moment later. Pretending to look at the jukebox for a long moment I noticed and no doubt wanting an invite to sit down. "Join me?"

"Sure" She said as she slid into the booth on the opposite side. "How do you do this every day?"

"You get used to it" I said.

"I'm so tired..ummmm...they any hotels in the area?" She asked.

"You mean you don't even have a place to stay?" I asked. She simply nodded her head no and offered no other reply. "You can spend the night with me. Hard couch but it's free."

"I don't know what to say" She replied with a smile crossing her face. "You've been so nice to me and you don't even know me."

"It sucks being alone in the world and running from your past" I said.

"I promise I won't take anything, I just need..." She said as she took a deep breath. "...I don't know."

"It's ok, when you're ready to talk, we can" I said as to my shock, Maxie came through the door. I wasn't sure if I should go and meet her and explain that Megan had no idea I had a girlfriend. I mean who knew how she would react. But before I could do anything Maxie spotted me and came back, smiling as I stood and was about to say something when she stopped in front of me.

"Hey my beautiful Sarah" Maxie said as I smiled and let her kiss me. No stiff lipping it this time, I thought, as her lips felt so relaxed and perfect as they moved against mine in a slow and steady that made me clutch onto her jacket for a long moment. Parting we both smiled at the other.

"Hello!" Megan said as I looked at her and saw a shit eating grin on her face. Knowing she wasn't exactly sickened by the display.

"Who's the new girl?" Maxie asked as she slipped behind me and hugged me proudly.

"Megan Lansbury" Megan said and was obviously making eyes at Maxie. "And you cutie?"

"Tay, and she is mine" I said firmly as Megan laughed.

"Flirting, not gonna try and break you up" Megan said.

"Maxie, but she calls me Tay" Maxie said and then thinking for a moment before asking, "You said Megan Lansbury?"

"Yeh" Megan said.

"Why does that name sound familar" Maxie asked.

"Beats me" Megan said as she suddenly got nervous and darted to her feet and headed back towards the front.

"Molly" Maxie said as Megan stopped dead in her tracks and looked back.

"Huh?"

"This is crazy I know, but Molly Harris, this girl I know, mentioned a Megan one time and I swear she said her last name was Lansbury" Maxie said. "But then I don't remember things to well."

"You...you...you said...M...M...Molly Harris" Megan said in complete shock. "How do you know her?"

"We got history" Maxie said simply. "Why?"

"What the fuck do you mean history?"

"We go to Mintzler Prep but she pretty much hates me, you know her?" Maxie asked. By the time I was stunned to silence.

"Babygirl" Megan said softly as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Huh?"

"I don't know how I didn't put two and two together" Megan said, "I hitched a ride with some dude headed West out of Green Bay and he dropped me at the city limits here."

"What does that have to do with Molly?"

"She goes to Mintzler and she's gonna think I come to cause trouble with her and her new girlfriend" Megan said.

"Her new girlfriend is my ex" Maxie said as Megan started to laugh.

"I am so stupid it's not even funny" Megan said as she sat down in the next booth. "I try to run from my past and end up right down the road from it."

"You didn't know Mintzler was in Thief River Falls?" I asked.

"No, I knew where it was" Megan said, "But see last night I fell asleep in the passengers seat of this guys truck as he drove, lucky he didn't hurt me. But anyway, when I woke up I had no idea where we where. He found out I was only 17 and dumped me at the city limits. I was so worried about eating and just surviving, Molly didn't even come to mind until you mentioned her."

"Well then whats the big deal?" Maxie asked. "She's on campus and your here. So you don't have to see her."

"Yeh, as long as you can keep a secret" Megan said.

"Of course" Maxie replied. "Molly and Chloe are really in love, I don't wanna see anyone screw with that. As bizarre as that is to say."

"Nothing weird about that, you wanna see her happy" I said as I touched Maxie's hand. "That shows real progress on your part, Tay."

"So you left this Chloe girl for Sarah?" Megan asked.

"No, I hit Chloe one too many times, among other things and she left me for Molly" Maxie said, "But she had sorta been into Molly ever since she met her. So after I realized it was over, I met Sarah."

"And now you love me" I said as she smiled and let me kiss her cheek. "No more Chloe talk, that's over and you're gonna cry about it. Please?"

"Yeh" Maxie said and kissing me as we both grinned.

/\ {* ~ *} /\ CINDY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (MONDAY NIGHT, MINTZ SUITE) ~

"Hey" I said coming into the room that I now shared with Shelby, seeing her sitting on my bed reading a magazine. "You ok?"

"Great why?" She asked as she playfully took my hand and started to swing it back and forth as I joined her on the bed.

"With all the psycho drama..." I said. "And you know what you're Dad said."

"Yeh, he's got a big mouth"

"Did you really have a breakdown?"

"I did, Mom just kept on and on one night about some stuff and I just laid down and started crying and begging her stop" Shelby said as I laced our fingers together. "Next thing I know some nice lady is waking me up and I'm in the psych ward."

"WOW" I said. "They keep you long?"

"Two months or so" Shelby said, "I pretended to be worse than what I was so I didn't have to go back to Mom and Dad's."

"It's bad when the nut house is better than home" I said as Shelby fell back on the bed laughing out loud.

"I actually met some nice people too" She said as she now lay on the pillow, "Places like that have such a bad rep."

"They helped you" I said as she grinned. "And then you come here?"

"I did" She said simply. "And for the first time in my life I am truly happy."

"All thanks to me" I said as she giggled and fought me playfully as I crawled over her thighs and pinned her down without much of a challenge.

"You have nothing to do...OHMIGOD" Shelby screamed as I attacked her ribs and she began squealing in laughter as I tickled her. "STOP, please Cinderella, stop..."

"You wanna rephrase that?" I asked, now laying behind her and moving an arm over her waist as she relaxed back against me.

"You know you make me so happy" She said, both of us now laying on the same pillow. Her hands touching my face as her smile widened and then drawing me to her as we kissed softly. "Who ever thought the Ice Princess would be this mushy."

"You did that" I said honestly and kissing her cheek. She yawned and stretched for a long moment.

"I'm so tired, you feel like turning in early?" She asked as I rolled over, now across her stomach and pushed the door to our room closed and then kissed her once more and said, "No other place on earth I'd rather be."

"Good cause sleeping without you is impossible" Shelby said as I rolled off behind her and pulled her favorite blanket up and over us as she turned off the lights. For once the room was quiet, no piss fights, no bitchin, nothing, just me and Shelby in our room, being together. She moved back a bit and I wrapped my arm around her. She closed her eyes and was about to drift off when I whispered, "I love you Shelby Parker."

"I love you too Cinderella" She said softly as she rolled over and snuggled up to me. Almost like she wanted to be protected. Something I was so happy to do. So happy you just wouldn't believe it if I told you.