Secrets

Memory Lane

The loud and excited Clare family hustled through the entry atrium and directly to the Maternity ward at ORMC: MD.

"You will cease this nonsense at once!" ordered Madam Reinhold sharply.

The Family stopped dead aside from the youngest, a contraction chose that moment to ripple through Jennifer Clare's abdominal area and a pained gasp escaped her.

"Move aside," ordered Megan reaching for the pregnant girl, "hello darling, ready to have a baby?"

A whimper was her only response as she assisted Madam Reinhold in moving Jennifer to a room and bed.

"Doctor Ballias, fetch the necessary potions," Ordered Madam Reinhold.

Megan nodded her head in response happily slipping out of the crowded delivery room. Bridget Clare's vocals could be heard instructing her family to go wait in the waiting area from down the hall.

"What's all the commotion?" Rachel asked as she joined her friend at the potions cabinet.

"That highly anticipated baby is being born."

"Hmm," Rachel responded scanning the crowd making their way to the waiting room.

"He's there you know," Megan said with a wink, "and you KNOW Reinhold wants you to perform the DNA test."

A soft sigh was her response.

"Really Rach, today could be the day you can stop using the excuse," hinted Megan.

"Oh, yeah that's exactly what I'll say to him 'hey, I know we don't know each other but our best friends are married, and we shared a moment almost four years ago. Now open wide so I can swab your cheek to see if you're this chick's baby daddy,'" Rachel sighed. "Besides, It's not an excuse Meg, I genuinely..."

She stopped suddenly as her words were caught in her throat. There he was ten feet in front of her. My how he had changed, and yet stayed exactly the same. Her breath hitched as he laughed with Kellan Wakefield and Alex Clare. Seeing the three of them together took her back to Indigo Academy, Graduation Day to be exact.

**Graduation Night June 2014**

Rachel stood in front of the mirror and adjusted the glasses that sat on her nose making sure they were doing their job of hiding her eyes. Muddy brown hair framed her face and braces donned her teeth she nodded at her appearance satisfied with her look.

"Oh, hell no!" cried out Megan from behind her as she stomped into Rachel's dorm room, "you promised!"

"Meg," she sighed, "you don't get it, I have to."

"No, no you don't," Megan reached out and circled her wrist making the glasses fly off of Rachel's face and into her hands. Almost immediately her dull eyes brightened to a fully golden gleam, blonde hair cascaded down her back and the braces disappeared. "This is the last time over three-fourths of those people will see you. Let them at least see you... just once."

Megan Pattensen and Rachel Woods had met when they were eight, their first year at Indigo Academy. By their second week, Megan knew something was different about her friend. It took a month for her to discover that every morning Rachel hexed an ordinary non-prescription pair of glasses with an 'ugly duckling' curse.

When she confronted her, Rachel had told her it was because she didn't want anyone's attention. She simply wanted to learn and leave. That same day Rachel opened up to her about who her dad was. Megan promised to keep Rachels secret on one condition, she promised to attend their graduation ball without the hex.

"I kind of hoped you had forgotten that," Rachel mumbled.

"Well, I haven't let's be off!" she said grabbing her friend by the wrist.

"Where did you get all this excitement to go to a party?"

"I'll have you know, I'm a nervous wreck. But, if we don't leave now neither of us will and you drag your feet more then I," she explained smartly. "Besides, I promised a boy a dance."

Rachel gasped and gave her friend a playful look "awe, my Meggy-Weggy is all grown up! And dancing with boys! Am I Finally going to get to meet this mystery boy whose been taking up all your time lately?"

"Yes," she stated.

"Well then let us not doddle anymore, after you dear."

When they arrived at the ballroom the party had already begun, the customary dances already finished and the hired DJ already dropping bumping jams. The light smell of whiskey told her drinking the punch was out. Megan was still pulling on her arm until they reached the middle of the dance floor just in time for the DJ to start playing one of their favorite songs and dancing ensued.

"So where is this male friend," Rachel hollered over the music.

"Right there!" Megan squealed and ran off leaving her friend alone.

Rachel giggled and followed after her, a slow song had begun anyway, and she did not fancy dancing alone.

A light grip on her wrist from behind halted her; it lifted her arm gently and twirled her around bringing her to a stop up against a strong chest. A soft 'dance with me' was mumbled in her ear. She shuttered lightly as the breath on the back of her neck gave her chills; all she could do was nod.

He slipped his hands around her waist as she turned to face him. She snapped back to reality and looked up, right into the captivating eyes of one Dean McGuiere. Suddenly she never wanted the song to end.

Rachel watched a smile spread lightly on his lips and she almost melted.

"I don't know how this is possible, but I'm sure we've never Met I'm Dean McGuiere and may I just say... wow."

Her face warmed instantly with a light blush "um, thanks" she mumbled being otherwise speechless.

"Are you sure you went to school here?"

She nodded her head and smiled lightly at him. She'd had several classes with him over the years.

"You'd think I'd remember those eyes" she heard him mumbled.

Rachel was sure she looked like a tomato her breath caught in her chest as he inched closer and captured her lips.

"This is not what I was expecting tonight," she thought to herself.

She gasped lightly as his firm lips pressed against hers. He tasted of whiskey and chocolate she sighed and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue against hers pulling her deeper into bliss. Rachel slid her hands from his shoulders to the back of Deans neck gripping at the soft slightly damp hair on the back of his head.

The song ended and soon after so did the kiss. Rachel heard Dean swallow hard; he leaned toward her and pressed his forehead to hers as both of them tried to catch their breath.

Rachel stumbled forward when Dean was forcefully pulled away from her. A sharp stinging pain on the left side of her face pulled her out of her confusion. She gasped and placed her hand on her now throbbing cheek.

"How dare you," hissed Lillian Moore, "kissing another girls man. Get out of here you slut."

Rachel looked hard at Lillian and clenched her teeth. She shook her head turned on her heel and walked away.

"He's not worth it if he'd rather have her then so be it."

She didn't even look around for her friend or to see if anyone had seen the commotion, heck she didn't even look at Dean to see his reaction.

All sound drowned out around her as the beat of her own heart filled her ears. Rachel hadn't even realized she was crying until the tears dropped from her chin. She was back in her dorm before she knew it, snatching up the glasses from her dresser and sliding them up her nose.