chapter 71
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Third Person POV
After about a few hours of hiking, the group finally made it back to their living quarters. They were all drenched in sweat, in which they immediately took a shower once they stepped into the house.
"Back to my question earlier, do you guys have any plans before graduation?" Jane asked.
"I couldn't tell you even if I could remember" Sofia answered. "There's just so much on my plate."
"Yeah, me too" Xena added.
"Ooh, I have an idea" Emma said. "Why don't we all make a bucket list? That way, we could all remember."
"That's...not a bad idea" Lucas agreed.
"Jane, bring the white board" Nathan asked.
Jane walked over to the tv, pulling out a small white board from behind it. She then walked over to the couches with a dry erase black marker.
"I already said host prom and the play." Jane started writing it down, putting a number one next to it.
"I don't know about you guys but I wanna jump Tod and his gang of fuckboys" Isaac said.
"Uh, no" Sofia argued.
"Wait, why?! I thought you hated them" Isaac asked.
"I do" Sofia answered. "But jumping them is gonna interfere in what I'm planning."
"What're you planning?" Nathan asked.
"Don't worry about it" Sofia answered. "I say leave number two blank for now."
"Alright." Jane wrote it down nothing for number two. "Number two shall be blank."
"But if it's not too worrisome, could you add getting a taste of alcohol?" Emma asked.
Zane smiled before got up from the chairs, silently walking outside towards the dock and sitting down. Xena soon noticed this, slowly following behind him.
"...You okay there?" Xena asked, sitting on Zane's right while he stared at the sun as it slowly began to set.
"Yeah, just got a lot to think about" Zane answered.
"...Would you like to talk about it?" Xena looked at him.
Zane turned to her slightly, looking into her eyes before sighing.
"...I've been thinking a lot, about that night we all had talked" Zane started. "Especially from what you and Sofia had said."
Xena furrowed her eyebrows.
"I really wish I had been there with you that day" Zane looked down. "No one deserves to go through that trauma, no matter what they did."
Xena slightly blushed.
"It upsets me, knowing that the only person you could rely on then was yourself" Zane continued. "What upsets me more is that...I kinda went through the same thing. Maybe that's why I feel some type of personal grudge towards Lyone."
"...Is that why you agreed to beat him up?" Xena mumbled.
"...Xena?" Zane called out.
"Y-Yeah?" Xena asked.
"I...wanna make you happy" Zane mumbled. "I wanna have more fun times with you, make sure nobody could hurt you like they did before, keep you safe from people like—"
Zane paused.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is...I want you to be in my life" Zane continued, blushing slightly. "I'm aware that this could inevitably change our friendship after today, but....I'm just drawn to you in a way that couldn't wait any longer. So....would you like to accompany this ignoramus out on a date, when this is over?"
Xena's whole face flushed red as she played with the sleeves of her grey hoodie.
"I...I—" Xena bit her lip.
You only get one chance to make a decision like that. So, you either live or live with regret.
Sofia's words rung in Xena's ears repeatedly as she tried to steady her breath.
Zane scratched the back of his head. "L-Look, you don't have to say yes. It's your choice after all, so I'm okay if—"
"Yes."
Zane's eyes widened as he heard Xena's words.
"Yes, I w-would like—love to accompany you on a date, Zane" Xena stuttered, biting her lip in a nervous fit.
Zane gave her a genuine smile. "O-Okay, cool!"
In that moment, Zane held out his right hand. Xena twirled her sweater a bit more before slowly reaching her left hand out to hold his, his thumb rubbing against her fingers.
"Why is is this, um....scarier than I thought?" Xena nervously giggled.
"I don't know" Zane chuckled.
Lillian stepped outside. "Hey you two, your friends are calling you ba—"
Zane and Xena turned behind them, their hands still connected.
"...Never mind, continue on!" Lillian smiled.
"No no no, we're coming back!" Zane yelled back.
Lillian smirked, laughing. "Didn't know love was in the air this time around."
Zane and Xena got up from the dock, unlocking their conjoint hands and walking back into the house.
"Good, you're back" Jane addressed.
"Why're you two blushing?" Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"N-No reason" Xena answered. "Anyway, why did you call us back?"
"Oh, right" Jane remembered. "You see, we finished all of our plans and wondered if you guys had anything to add."
"Yeah, actually" Xena answered. "...I'm planning to find somewhere to live so I can move out of my aunt's apartment."
"Where are you gonna move? Back with your parents?" Emma asked.
"Hell no!" Xena answered, crossing her arms. "I never wanna see those bastards again. And if I do...I'll curse them both out."
"So, we'll help Xena get out of her house." Jane wrote it down and numbered it.
"...Let's prank Vanessa and the principals, too" Isaac rubbed his hands together. "Give them a little taste of their own medicine."
"That I can agree with" Sofia agreed.
Jane wrote it down and numbered it.
"Alright, that's it for our bucket list" Jane said. "You guys ready to go back?"
"...Yeah" Isaac answered. "I'm ready to show those posers with legs what it really means to be a rainbow."
Aiden and Lillian both smiled from behind the stairs, secretly listening to their conversation with a smile on their faces.
••••••••••••••
1: Host the play
2: Help Emma get out of her household
3: Get a full on alcoholic drink
4: Help Xena get out of her household
5: Give Vanessa's group and the principals the prank of a lifetime
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Twisted Deception
Mystery / Thriller[Book #1 of Twisted Deception] "You people don't know a damn thing about us, don't even speak." **** Everyone knows that high school is always something to dread. GPA, friends, enemies, prom, graduation, everything that you think would make high sch...
