Together: Sequel To Alone

Chapter 16 |Together, Together|

The next few days went on without a hitch, passing as usual. I woke up early, went to class, came back and dropped Ava off. She hadn't been as upset as she was on the first day since then, which was good, but I was still worried about her. Tobias had flown off the handle when she told him what the other kids at her school had said, threatening to strangle them himself, to which I scoffed. He had taught her a few blocks and punches, readying her to defend herself if need be. But tonight was different. Tonight, Tobias was taking me on a date. I didn't know where, and I didn't know what to wear, so I was panicking. He had told me that Ava would stay with Brooke in his dorm. 

Around three, I had taken off to pick up Ava, shouting a goodbye to Al. Tobias had expressed earlier that he felt guilty for making me pick her up, but I brushed him off, saying that it was fair since he had classes at three. I didn't mind though, Ava was actually really funny, though she didn't seem to like to show it . About ten minutes later, I had Ava in the car, driving back to the dorms.

Tobias said that I should just send Ava straight over to his dorm after school, so that's what I did, after telling her goodbye. My own dorm was quiet when I walked in, with Al being in classes. There was a surprise waiting for me though. On my bed was a mediterranean blue dress, adorned with rhinestones that rained from the neckline onto the skirt, a lace piece that was draped over the silky underneath. The number stretched down past my knees, it's straps thin over my shoulders. A note was settled on top of it also, Tobias's slanted handwriting dancing across the paper:

There's a park about a block away from here, meet me there at Five.

-T

With a smile etched on my face, I padded over to the shower, stepping in and letting the warm water rush over my body. Steam enveloped me as I stepped out a few minutes later, fogging up the mirror. I dried off, leaving my hair in blonde strands down my back, deciding to do something with it later. The stunning dress fit me well, showing off the few curves that I possessed. I threw on some mascara and concealer, not liking makeup much, before letting down my now-dry hair and plugging in a curling iron.

Twenty minutes and several burned fingers later, I had neat curls falling over my shoulders. With one final glance in the mirror, I threw on the least ratty pair of flats I could find and, grabbing my keys, walked out the door. By now, it was four forty-five, so I quickly drove down to the only park near campus, the one we had met Ava at. It was a little dark, with dimming light, but I still caught the trail of rose petals that rested on the grass, their vibrant color standing out against the dark green grass. They lead into a cluster of trees, their branches thick and dark brown and their leaves fragile and green. Ahead, I could see a dim glow between the towering trunks of the trees. A moment later, I was in a clearing, surrounded by towering oaks and the sound of late birds singing from their branches. In the center of the clearing was a table draped with a cloth, adorned with burning candles and a vase of tulips, with petals red as blood. A soft melody played, unobtrusively setting a romantic mood.

Then, from behind a tree, emerged Tobias. He was dressed in a sharp suit, black as night, with his usually tousled hair neatly combed into place. His brilliant blue eyes glowed in the candle light, shining with anticipation. With a brilliant smile, he came forward and pulled the chair out for me, gesturing for me to sit down. I did so, flashing him a grin as he pushed my chair forward. Silently, he walked back behind the tree and turned the music down a notch, so that it was still fairly silent.

" So?" He asked, still with the same bright smile on his face.

" You went all out" I chuckle " I forgot you were such a romantic"