Ok so with this particular chapter, some of you are going to hate me and some of you will love me. Just don't give up on me yet ok? Oh and sorry for it being a little short. Well go enjoy!

~Alex

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"Are you sure about this?" Bailey whispered to me.

"Positive. You don't have to tell them anything you don't want to, just be yourself and stop worrying so much. You've lived with these people for how long now?"

"A few years, but, Maggie, I've never really talked to them."

"Well you will today," I pulled on her hand and all but dragged her over to the picnic table where Cece, Elli, Connor, Davo, and Andrew were sitting. "Hey guys!" I greeted them.

They all turned to return the greeting with a smile but the smile faded when they saw Bailey.

"Uh...hey Maggs..." Andrew said, looking confused. "Who you got there?"

"Well, I think you all know Bailey. She will be hanging with us from now on."

They all gave me a quizzical look but voiced no objections.

"Andrew, scoot over." Andrew moved over some so Bailey and I were squeezed between him and Cece.

"So..." Bailey hesitated. "I don't think I've ever actually introduced myself properly, and though Maggie did a wonderful job, I'd rather do it myself. So...uh...I'm Bailey, It's nice to meet you."

There was a short awkward silence before Andrew cut in. "Hey Bailey, I'm Andrew." He smiled reassuringly at her. "It's nice to meet you too." I mouthed 'thank you' to him and he gave a slight nod of his head and smiled. After he had finished it set off the introductions around the table, everyone saying their name and beginning to talk to Bailey, saying that they were glad to meet her and asking her unimportant, ice-breaker questions. Once everyone started to talk, Bailey relaxed and seemed to actually be enjoying herself. I could tell she was going to fit in really well, even if she never did tell them the truth.

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I awoke to the soft pitter-patter of rain against my window. I jumped up like a kid realizing it was a snow day, and ran down the hall like a mad woman. As I all but flew to the front door, I accidently awoke Davo who was still sleeping on the couch.

"What's going on?" he asked, alerted.

"It's raining!" I squealed, jumping up and down and clapping my hands.

"Yeah..." he said, looking at me like I was crazy. "So?"

"Ugh," I groaned. "Come on!" I grabbed his hand and dragged him out to the front yard. As I left the house I felt the first of many raindrops plop onto my nose. I took a deep breath as the sheets of pouring rain soaked me through, though it wasn't that great of a feat since I was still in my PJ's that consisted of flannel short-shorts and a cami. The air was cool and fresh, like it always was when it rained.

When I was younger I would dance in the rain with my mother, often to the tune of her chime-like voice filling the air with the whimsical notes of "Singing in the Rain."

"I'm singin' in the rain," she would sing. "Just singin' in the rain! What a glorious feelin'! I'm happy again."

And, for however short a time, we were happy again. We could dance and sing and splash our worries away for however long we could without catching a cold, though we often did anyway.

A single tear rolled down my cheek, only discernable from the rain by the warm trail it left behind, as I danced and remembered. I spun in a circle with my arms out wide, loving the feeling of the rain on my bare skin.

It had been so long since I had felt the rain. I mean, sure, it had rained a lot since the last time I had done this...but...since my mom had died...I had never felt the same way. Every time it rained I sat in my room with the curtains blocking out all light, crying my eyes out. A smile spread across my lips as I turned to find Davo.

"Come on Davo!" I yelled. He was standing as close to the door as he could get without actually being inside the house.

"No way Pix! You can catch the flu if you want but I'd rather not!" He yelled back.

A sly grin sneaked across my face as I raised my hand toward him.

His eyes narrowed. "Don't you da-" his words were cut off as I lifted him into the air and into the rain.

"Put me down!" he demanded, flailing his arms about.

"Ok!" I lowered my hand and dropped him; butt first, in to a nice deep puddle.

"Hey!" he yelled, jumping up. "That was so not fair Pixie!"

"What's your point?" I smiled. "Hey since you're already wet you might as well have some fun!" I grabbed his arm and pulled him behind me as I ran across

the yard. He kept up well as we ran. We began to dance together and twirl in the rain, getting out feet dirty with the now-muddy earth beneath us. He laughed, a deep rumble in his chest that could out-match the thunder, when I slipped and fell into a puddle.

"Now you know what it feels like!" He put his hands on his knees to support himself as he laughed harder and harder. And his laugh was just so happy, so genuine, that I couldn't help but laugh too. I stood up and swiftly pushed him, head first this time, into the puddle.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, brushing some mud off of his golden brown hair.

"That's what you get!" I started to run away but I could hear his sloshing footsteps in hot pursuit.

Davo caught up to me and grabbed my wrist "I got you now-" His words stopped short as I spun into his chest, my soaked body pressing against his. I could feel his warm breath tickling my wet nose as we stood there, unmoving.

A strange look came over his eyes as he reached one hand up to gently caress my cheek. He ran his thumb from my nose to my cheek bone and back again,

making me shiver. His hand found its way around my neck and pulled my face, ever so slowly, closer to his. Just as he was about to press his lips to mine I

was ripped from his grasp.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Andrew growled at Davo, his hair beginning to clump together from the rain.

Davo didn't answer; he was still standing there, stunned.

"Come on Maggie, we're leaving," Andrew began to pull me towards the house. This seemed to snap Davo back to his senses.

"Maybe she doesn't want to go with you," He glared at Andrew as he grabbed my other arm, jerking me towards him.

"Well I doubt she wants to stay here with you," Andrew yanked on my arm, pulling me closer to him again.

*What are we? A tug-of-war rope?*

"Ok both of you cut it out!" I yelled wrenching my arms from their grasps. Before I could utter another word, Andrew leapt at Davo. Davo instantly shifted into his light brown wolf form to join Andrews almost-black one, and fought back.

I watched in shock as they rolled in the mud with teeth and claws barded like knives in search of flesh to rip. Cries of pain and anger erupted from the tussling ball of fur.

"Stop!" I yelled. "Stop!" I put both of my hands out and ripped them off of each other, each one snarling and snapping as they hung there, helpless in the air cluttered with the falling drops. "Both of you cool it! Now!" I put them back on the ground but kept them from being able to get near each other. "Davo, go

inside." I ordered "Andrew, I need to talk to you."

They had stopped the snarling but still glared at each other with murder in their eyes. I released Davo first and watched him closely as he trotted silently into the house. I walked over to Andrew so I could stare him strait in the eyes. I released him and he stayed where he was.

"Shift back. Now." He did as I said without hesitation. Smart move on his part.

I looked around at the people standing in the door way that now had their full attention trained on us. I motioned for him to follow me and walked into the trees, away from the penetrating eyes of the shocked spectators. The rain slightly let up under the covering of jade-green leaves. When we were just far enough in to be out of sight I whirled on him, almost making him bump into me. "What the hell was that?!" I yelled, throwing my hands in the air.

"He was about to kiss you." He said the last two words with disgust.

"Even if he was, how is that any of your business?!"

"Because it just is Maggs, drop it please."

"No I will not drop it!" I screamed. "You just freaking attacked Davo for no good reason! So what if he was about to kiss me?! Why do you care?!"

"Because I love you!" he bellowed.

My mouth dropped.

'Andrew loves me?'

"You...you what?"

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before stepping closer to me. He placed his hands gently on my shoulders and looked longingly

into my eyes.

"I love you Maggs. I always have. Ever since kindergarten. That day you fell off your chair and hurt your arm...you remember that? You were crying and I held you until you stopped... Ever since that day I've loved you. You're my best friend Maggs. I know you better than anyone else. I may not have some annoying little nickname for you like 'Pixie' but I love you more than Davo ever will. I couldn't let him kiss you. I just couldn't. I. Love. You."

Before I had time to react, he had grabbed the back of my neck and crashed his lips to mine. His lips were gentle but needing as they moved against my frozen lips. At first I stayed absolutely still, not responding, but not rejecting either.

Before long the feeling of his lips against mine blocked out any other thought in my head and I kissed him back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against his. His hands traveled down my sides and rested on my hips pulling them closer to his body. I weaved my fingers through his soaking-wet hair in an effort to pull him even closer, if that were possible. Everything else in the world seemed to disappear as my lips moved in sync with

his.

A shower of sparks flooded my body as we held tight to each other, never wanting to let go. A warmth like nothing I've ever felt before surged through me, intensifying with every second we held to each other. His hand caressed my cheek as he pushed my back against a tree. Every thought in my brain was now trained on his lips against mine; everything else had been washed away with the rain. There was no thinking, only feeling.

We broke for air, our breathing labored and shallow, our bodies still pressed to each other. That few seconds was all my brain needed to kick back into gear.

'What am I doing?'

I pushed him away, a confused and hurt look crossing his face.

"I...I have to go." I turned and ran as fast as I could back to the house before he could reply.

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Sorry if that was a little awkward. I'm not really the romantic type so if, throughout this story, the romance scenes are kinda weird, sorry about that.