THEY HAVE PUT A kind of band around my ankle. It sets off an alarm as soon as I should leave the University of New Haven and makes sure that I don't get the idea of running away again for eight months. As if I'm still planning to do that. I can't wait to continue my studies and spend time with Sydney. 

No one has told me how long I have to wear this ribbon, but that's beside the point at the moment. The fact is that I can go home and that's more than I expected. Who knows, maybe I'll end up back in that courtroom next week, or maybe my case will be declared closed and I'll be off this thing on my foot for good. I try not to think too much about what else might be happening, but what will happen in a moment. That's what I imagine Sydney and me ─ preferably alone and undisturbed. But I don't mind the company of Peter and Bronwyn either, if I'm honest. The main thing is that I am where I belong. 

I leave the building where the trial took place and see Sydney running towards me from a distance. Her light blonde curls flutter in the wind and the jacket she has put on over her dress almost slips over her shoulders. Her grin is wide and genuine and I can't help but let out a deep laugh. I haven't smiled once since the trial ten minutes ago, maybe because I couldn't quite realize it, but now I finally let go and open my arms. Sydney is clutching me so tightly as if she's afraid that I might be ripped from her arms again at any moment, but that's not going to happen. Not so fast, anyway. 

"Hey," she murmurs into my jacket with a sigh. 

I grin. "Hey." 

Bronwyn and Peter walk towards us, barely able to hide their smiles. "Hurry up, because we have a surprise for you, Dee." 

"A surprise?", I ask suspiciously. "I hope for your sake it's in the dorm because I'm not allowed to leave." I push my pants up a little and show my friends the strange hoop around my foot. "This thing is holding me there." 

"It could look prettier if you like," Bronwyn says as she eyes the grey thing. "Maybe I can embellish it somehow." 

Peter smiles thoughtfully at her from the side. 

"You're in luck," Sydney bobs up and down excitedly, "because the surprise just happens to be at Bronwyn's and my apartment." 

The car ride to the dorm takes a little while, but I'm not complaining. Sydney and I sit in the back of Peter's jeep while he and Bronwyn listen to loud music in the front and sing and dance to it. Sydney holds me close and buries her face in my hair while I touch her everywhere I can. We don't talk because nothing needs to be said. She knows my time in this cell wasn't good and I know she wasn't either, at least that's what I can see in her tired eyes. She seems lost in thought, but I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with me this time. 

"What's wrong?", I ask. 

She lifts her head with a sigh. "My parents and my brother worked it out." 

"Really?" Surprised, I raise my head. "But that's good, isn't it?"

"It's great, yeah." She strokes my cheek and suddenly blushes. "Is it wrong of me to think it's still better having you back here?" 

"No. I'd rather be with you than with my parents too," I admit. Just thinking about my dad's statement makes me angry and sad at the same time. And mom ... she didn't even try to defend me. 

"You'll talk it out," Sydney assures me. "At some point, you will sit down and talk it out. Even if I have to force you to." 

"How did you force Jeremy and your parents?" 

"I told them that Jeremy will be moving to Alaska to help the polar bears, which are threatened with extinction." 

"Why am I not surprised?" 

She smirks and pulls me a little bit closer to her. It's strange how normal this feels, even though Sydney and I have never had as much physical contact for so long as we have right now. How? I didn't allow it, after all. It looks different now, though, and I'm enjoying every second of this. 

It turns out that Peter, Sydney, Bronwyn, and Candice have planned a surprise party for me. I don't ask if they've even toyed with the idea that I might not come home at all, because obviously, they haven't. Balloons are hanging everywhere in Sydney and Bronwyn's shared apartment and there is a huge poster in the air saying "WELCOME BACK, DEAN!". Candice is already eagerly waiting for us and is like a changed person. Before the last party, she was still moody and sad about something, I noticed, but now she gives each of us a quick hug, takes photos, and contributes good humor. 

No one is complaining, of course, although it does surprise us a little bit. 

Candice has even cooked and baked. There's a casserole she made from her mom's recipe and for dessert some vegan muffins that taste really good. If I'm not wrong, Candice has put a lot of effort into it and our praise brings a blush on her face. I wonder if she often experiments in the kitchen? 

After a while, no one can hold back and I am bombarded with questions to do with my stay with the police and my interrogations. I tell them everything and it feels surprisingly good to get so much off my chest. Sydney was right then. As soon as you close yourself off too much, you start to break. Everyone listens to me intently and laughs at certain points, which I also have to laugh about afterward. 

Peter can't even stop laughing. "You called him 'Officer Redhead'? Did he ever hear you call him that?" 

"Absolutely not. You think I'd be sitting here if he did?"

Sydney props her head on her hands and smirks. "You call me 'Curly', you call Peter 'Pee' and you call an officer 'Redhead'. Are there any nicknames for Bronwyn and Candice too?" 

Candice rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, there are. I used to be 'Candy Crush' in high school because that was my favorite game." 

Sydney chokes on her muffin, laughing, at which point I pat her on the back. Gratefully, she smiles at me. 

"I'm so glad I got away with it," Bronwyn exclaims.

I grin. "Now that I think about it, you remind me of a brownie." Her darker skin and equally dark hair are the color of a brownie, anyway. Why didn't I think of this genius nickname much earlier? 

Brownie holds her fork in my face threateningly. "Don't even think about calling me that. I'm still the one who embellished your ankle bracelet." 

She has indeed done that. There is nothing left of the grey metal, instead, she has wrapped a light pink floral fabric over it. I wouldn't say I dig the color or the pattern, but I'm still grateful she even made the effort. 

"Where exactly do you sleep?", Peter suddenly asks me. 

I lean back a little and rummage in my pocket for the piece of paper with the dates on it. "My room number is 467. I don't know exactly where that is yet, but I'll probably find it out. I'm lucky enough to live there alone, at least that's what that one policeman told me." 

"I know where the room is," Sydney suddenly blurts out. Her cheeks take a pretty pink right after that. "I ... I can take you there if you want." 

Bronwyn bites off her muffin with a grin. "I think that's a brilliant idea." 

I wink at Sydney with a smile, "Yeah, I think so too. Do you want to ... show me it now? It's getting pretty late and I haven't slept very well the last few nights." I'm not the least bit tired. But I can't wait to be alone with Sydney and kiss her again. I'm not hoping for too much, I'm really not, and I'll only go as far as she wants, but I just want to spend the night with her. Even if we just fill it with talking. 

Candice starts clearing the table with a smile. "Have a good time then." 

Peter raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Yes, I wish you that too." 

"Ditto." Bronwyn wiggles her eyebrows and makes a kissy mouth, whereupon Sydney stabs her with her looks. 

I stand up and help Candice with the cleaning before I firmly grab Sydney's hand and pull her towards the door. She looks up at me and her blue eyes almost beam at me. Like an idiot in love, I leave the flatshare with the girl of my dreams, hoping that for once in our lives we can be undisturbed and that nothing and no one will interrupt us.

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