It had been a rough few months for Anne. She had a small mountain of work that never seemed to decrease and she had earlier been given another extra pile that was going to take the entire upcoming holidays to get through. She was fed up that the weather had been miserable for the last couple of weeks and she hadn't been able to get out of the campus. And on top of that she couldn't shake these terribly realistic dreams she kept having. They only happened occasionally but each one was almost like she was living out a rape, or some sort of torture here at the school. While she wasn't a stranger to what a REAL rape felt like she didn't really appreciate dreaming of different ones!

she had been to the school nurse for something to help her sleep better but had been shooed out as "Night terrors don't need medication" and that "She had better things to do than pamper to a silly girls dreams"

She had even brought it up with her friend, Maylie. But while she had tried to help in reality there was nothing she could do or say that /could/ help. But at least she had tried which had meant a lot.

Maylie. Thinking of her friend brought a smile to her lips. It had really been a long time since Anne had a friend she could actually talk too, and Maylie had proven herself someone that she could both trust, and actually relax around. After telling her about her past including the rape (which, when Anne thought about it, still made her wonder why she did tell her that! Especially on the first day they had met!), Maylie had become a firm companion and not once had she let her down.

In addition to that Anne thought, a small blush colouring her cheeks, she was also devilishly attractive. Especially the way that she blushed, that light pink spreading across her normally cheeks and offsetting against her pale skin, the way she bounced around when she got excited, and the way that gorgeous deep red hair flowed around her... And of course, there was how she looked in her swimming costume that PE lesson, climbing out of the water, her suit clinging to every inch of her skin as it trailed water, her nipples hard from the coolness of the pool...

Anne pulled her mind back into the present with a firm yank. "Enough of that." She thought hotly.

It had been a little while since Anne had been with anyone else. Her own rape those years ago had given her a certain aversion to boys, but she had had a couple of flings with another girl from school last year which, while highly passionate, were short lived and she was fairly certain her dreams didn't count. This had left her a little lonely and sometimes a lot wound up at nights with just an over-active imagination and her fingers at night on those few nights that her dorm to herself.

Anne took a look out of the window at the calm, clear day and shut her study book that she had been working on with a firm *snap*

"Enough of this" She said aloud with a little heat. "Its the first nice day in a week and I can get this done later. I'm going outside for a bit!"

With that she quickly shoved her book and notes into her bag, kicking it under the table where she was sat and headed for the corridor.

Boring. That's what the last few months were to Maylie. Endless routine. Get up, get ready, go to classes, study or do assignments, walk around, go to bed. Every weekday was the same. While the weekends gave some respite, the truth didn't change. On top of that, the weather had been completely dreadful. Wave upon wave of rain crashed against the ground of the island, uncharacteristically terrible weather for a climate such as the island's. It's not like Maylie didn't like rain. In fact, in small doses, she loved the rain. However, weeks of rain in a row, she did not.

The only thing that really brightened this time was that she had gotten to know Anne much better. Just thinking about her friend made her gut flutter with some feeling, one that she really couldn't put her finger on, other then that it was a warm feeling, like affection, and she kept finding herself drifting off in thought towards Anne, even when not intending to. Memories of Anne almost constantly distracted Maylie, even disrupting her studies! Sometimes more... private imagination of Anne came into her thoughts, but she forced herself to dispell them each time. It wouldn't do to think of one's friend in that way. Anne had opened up to her almost right away, and since then had been Maylie's closest friend out of her entire life. Maylie would do almost anything for her.

After waking up, immediately noticing for the first time in weeks there was sun, Maylie literally jumped for joy that the sun had come on a weekend day when she could actually enjoy it. Unfortunately, she wasn't even close to ready, having just woken up with a terrible case of "bed head." Gathering clothes, a towell, and necessary toiletries, Maylie went across the hall to the showers, stripping naked and stepping in one of the stalls after setting down her things, turning on the hot water. Letting the glistening droplets run over her, flowing down her body, running over the swell of every curve. After a moment of standing in the heated water flow, Maylie began to wash herself, cleaning her body and hair.

Once finished, she got dressed in a pair of comfortable jeans and a short-sleeved white blouse. Eating a light snack (consisting of a granola bar) and then brushing her teeth, she finally got out the door as the Sun was at its peak in the sky. Stepping out into the warm sun for the first time in what seemed like ages, Maylie walked in the grass fields for a short while, admiring the beauty of the place before simply lying down on the grass, sprawled out and staring at the sky.

Even in such a peaceful atmosphere, her thoughts yet again turned towards Anne, bringing a smile to her face and filling her with a warm, pleasant feeling. But that didn't last for long either as her imaginings turned toward another more personal route again, her mind filling with images of Anne in various states of undress, or of Anne wearing provacative clothing as she admired the other girl's body with her mind's eye...

Anne quickly traversed the almost maze like corridors of the campus with a fast trot, bursting out into the sunshine with a smile as she felt the sun on her face.

Pausing for a moment basking in the sudden heat Anne closed her eyes, turning her head to the sun and just stopped, breathing in the warmth.

A moment passed before she opened them with much more relaxed smile on her lips than what she was capable of even a few minutes beforehand. Making up her mind that she was going to avoid the forest and head over the grass fields (The forest after all would probably be rather muddy she thought) she started heading towards the edge of the campus.

Quickly moving from the building she passed a small group of other students that looked faintly disgusted at her smile and exuberance as she bounced down a flight of steps, her dark hair flying freely behind her. Or, perhaps they were just annoyed that they were studying and here was a student that didn't feel the need too.

Whichever it was Anne wasn't going to let the thoughts of another spoil a hour or two of freedom before she had to get back to her own study.

As she exited the school grounds she slowed as she saw a figure in the distance. Sheilding her eyes from the sun and narrowing her eyes she caught a flash of what seemed to be light reflecting off a deep orange.

Maylie? Anne wondered, her mind again turning back to her friend. Perhaps that was her! After all, there were very few girls she had seen with that colour hair. With a smile she turned slightly so she was heading towards the figure that she had seen (although she had now disappeared from Anne's vision - perhaps she had laid down in the grass?

Anne resumed a slow jog approaching where she had thought she saw that flash of red. As she crested the hill and there, lying on the ground, her long red hair spread as if a blanket under her, her eyes shut and a small smile playing across her lips lay her friend.
Anne stopped quietly for a moment, just watching her, her own smile broad as she took in a very relaxed looking Maylie, before taking a couple of quiet small steps closer so she was a mere few paces away and, her eyes dancing with mischief knelt down quietly and said, loudly,

"BOO!"

Maylie lay quietly in the grass, basking in the warm sunlight that had eluded her for so long. Each blade of grass bent back under her body, her hair splayed out around her and her arms and legs out wide. She was completely vulnerable, but completely at peace.

Well, at peace if you didn't count the more... inappropriate thoughts about her best friend on the island running through her head. Thoughts of Anne in her bathing suit, or in the shorter-then-it-should-be school uniform; or even completely undressed in her mind. To an onlooker, she looked as if she was having a very pleasant day-dream. While true, it of course didn't show all the picture.

"BOO!"
Maylie, completely scared out of her mind, literally jumped back and up, moving away from her "attacker" and sitting up at the same time, all the while letting out a frightened scream.

Realizing that Anne was the one who had snuck up on her, she clamped her hands over her mouth and blushed a very deep shade of red, hoping beyond hope that her friend did not somehow know what she had been thinking about. Heart still pounding nd adrenaline still rushing, she breathed deeply for a moment to gather her wits.

Once she had calmed down, she spoke, "D-don't do that! You scared me to death!" Both wanting to ensure that Anne did not scare her and wanting to keep the subject as far away from what she was thinking about as possible. Her face remained that same embarrased red, thoughts of what would happen if Anne found out about her daydreams whirling through her head.

Anne fell backwards at Maylies reaction, part reflex from her sudden movement and part shock in her reaction.

Quickly picking herself up she looked at her friend with concern written all over her face.

She was sat there where she had landed from her backwards peddle her face bright red, hand clamped over her mouth and her breathing was fast and shallow. She looked like she had been both frightened out of her wits and at the same time she looked like Anne thought she looked when someone caught her doing something highly embarressing...

But that wasn't important. She had just scared the wits out of her only friend here and her heart sank for a moment. Biting her bottom lip nervously Anne looked on, her green eyes wide with concern and guilt as she tried to decide wether she should give Maylie a hug or sit right here and wait for her to recover.

It was a testament to how close Anne felt to Maylie that Annes usual fight/flight reflexs were dulled enough and she didn't feel her usual urge to run away. A small part of Anne smiled at this as the rest of her being worried.

Maylie, getting her breathing back under control looked back.

"D-don't do that! You scared me to death!"

"I'm sorry!" Anne said, feeling really guilty.

"I saw you from over at the school and thought that I would come and say hello... After all its the first decent day in over a week and it looks like you had the same idea as me, to get out and enjoy it"

Pushing her hair out from her eyes Annes green eyes shone with worry.

"If you forgive me i'll consider myself owing you a favor" she said with a nervous smile, trying to relieve some her her own nerves and her friends at the same time.

Once calm, Maylie's blush began to fade, thankful that Anne hadn't asked what she had been thinking about. If she had... Maylie would have had no idea what to say, both being unwilling to lie to her friend and too embarrassed and afraid of rejection to admit what she had been thinking about.

Seeing Anne's eyes filled with worry and hearing her apology, Maylie's expression softened and broke into a small smile. Anne had only wanted to be playful after all. The bright sun shining off of her bright red hair making it almost glow. Brushing said hair out of her face, her smile widened, happy to see her friend, despite the greeting.

Approaching slowly as to not scare the other girl as well, Maylie wrapped her arms around the other girl in a warm embrace, saying "Apology accepted. It's nice to see you, by the way."

Pulling away short after, Maylie continued, "And you're right. I couldn't stand being inside. I mean there was nothing to do! I didn't really have much school work to do either, and even if I did it wouldn't have lasted long. School is easy."

As she spoke she couldn't help but admire Anne in person. The way her skin glowed softly in the sunlight, her jet black locks shining, green eyes dazzling... she really was beautiful. Realizing that the other girl was right in front of her as she thought such things, a faint blush reappeared to her face for a moment, before fading away as she dispelled such thoughts from her mind.

Annes body tensed for a brief moment as Maylie wrapped her arms around her. But only for a moment. With a smile transforming her face from the worried look she held a moment ago, she wrapped her own arms around Maylie giving her a solid, heartfelt and warm hug back.

"Its rather nice to see you too!" Anne said "And I really am sorry for scaring you like that!"

Stepping away, Anne brushed her hair out of her face as her eyebrows raised at Maylies next comments, almost incredulous. "Schools Easy?" She repeated. "How? Every time I finish a project they seem to give me three more and i never seem to have any time i /don't/ have work to do!"

Her face resolving to a wry smile Anne finished "Please tell me your secret!"

Looking a little more closely at her friend she saw a slight blush still on Maylies cheeks and she could have sworn a slightly unfocused look in her eyes

"Are you sure you're ok?" Anne asked with a note of concern in her voice, before Maylie could reply.

Maylie's smile widened as Anne did not tense up for very long at all. That always could bring a smile to her face, especially when Anne hugged her back! Maylie nodded at Anne's second apology, it was in the past for her already.

Maylie's blush deepened some as she replied to Anne's concerned question, "Huh? Oh, yeah I'm fine don't worry."

She continued speaking to say, "And school has always been fairly easy. I guess I'm just good at it. Academics come naturally to me. I'm what some would call... "book-smart." It's probably because of my I.Q., but I don't really want to brag or anything." Realizing that Anne was probably so curious because she struggled somewhat, Maylie continued, "Y'know, if you ever need help or anything, all you have to do is ask. That's what friends are for, right?

The blush remained this time, altough more out of an embarrased modesty rather then a fear of discovery, as Anne had appeared to Maylie as having not really noticed it, or if she had, not asked about it yet. Which was fine to Maylie, for obvious reasons.

Anne chuckled happilly.

"Careful what you offer! I'll be banging down your door at all hours and getting you to do all my work!"

Anne stood still for a moment, a smile playing around her lips and a small sparkle in her eyes, before changing the subject.

"So, where too? Its far too beautiful a day to go back indoors, so we can stay here or go or do you have anywhere in mind?"

Looking around the small rise on which they stood she could see the school gleaming in the sunshine, groups of girls moving around, but apart from that there was no other movement, the aside from a light breeze causing the grass in which they stood to rustle lightly, creating ripples across the hill.

"If i knew you were up here I would have brought up a picnic, although that would have interupted whatever you were daydreaming about before i tried to giving you white hairs" The last being said with a wink, her smile moving slightly to show she was teasing.

Maylie laughed lightheartedly, responding, "I didn't say I'd do it for you. I said I'd help you. There is a difference!" her own smile reaching her eyes as she admired Anne's bright green ones.

Maylie looked out over the field, watching the grass sway slightly with the wind, enjoying the relative calm. "I suppose we could wander around, no point in just staying in one place!"

At Anne's next comment, Maylie blushed deeply, embarrassed as her mind whirled for a way to respond, caught off guard as she had thought the other girl hadn't noticed. Luckilly, there was no way for Anne to know what she had been thinking about...

Her face still flushed red, she tried to respond casually, hoping that the other girl would pass off her obvious embarassment from steming that she had been caught daydreaming and unawares, rather then from what she had been daydreaming about, "Y-yeah... A picnic would have been nice, but it's too late now. And if you keep scaring me like that, it'll be the death of me you know. hmm... Why don't we go on another walk, but to someplace new this time?"

Anne forced the smile off her face and tried to put a scowl there. "No fair" She said, desperately attempting to keep the scowl there.

Failing the battle Annes face creased again as she beamed. Offering her arm she said "Well, since i'm one thats interupted your day, i think its only fair that you get to choose where to go!"

As Maylie took her arm (which only made Anne wonder that she rather enjoyed the feeling of Maylie on her arm nowadays - A far cry from those short months ago), they started walking, Anne glancing across at the furiously blushing girl on her arm.

"Come one Maylie" Anne grinned broadly as they walked "You are almost as red as your hair! You must have been having a very interesting daydream!"

Watching her friends flusted reaction to her question Anne added "You don't need to tell me if you don't want too. I'm just interested in what you think about in your spare time when you aren't working on your story"

Anne giggled giving Maylie a little nudge in the ribs with her elbow "And i promise to stop trying to kill you off too. If you died who would help me study?"

Maylie couldn't help but giggle at Anne's failed attempt at scowling. The two couldn't stay mad at each other - and they knew it.

Taking Anne's arm in hers, Maylie smiled and pointed towards the small forest on the other side of the campus, "Hey... I've always wanted to go explore in there..." She says as her blush begins to fade.

But it was to no avail, her blush simply came back up again at Anne's inquiry. Shifting nervously as they walked, she stuggled out a reply, "Um... well.. er... it doesn't matter. Although, I'm not sure it's possible to be as red as my hair..."

Maylie continues, trying to keep the embarassed blush down, "Well I would hope you would have more reason not to kill me then because I offered to help you study. My brian isn't all I'm good for you know!"

Anne chuckled. If only I had a mirror to show you how you looked" Anne said happilly. You could almost hide in your hair with your face that red!"

Deciding to let her friends furious blushing pass without further comment, as embaresing her further just didn't seem fair Anne continued. "Its ok though! I'll let you keep your daydreams to yourself... for now"

Letting the conversation move on naturally Anne finished "I'm sure you are good for many other things. I haven't forgotten how badly you beat me at that swimming race last PE session!"

Annes eyes unfocused on the little forest they were heading towards as her mind conjoured the image of her friend climbing out of the pool back at that PE lesson, her swimming costume hugging her form, it was Anne's turn to have her cheeks colour slightly, before shaking her head partly to clear the image from her mind, and partly to disguise the blush, letting her hair fall around her face.

"I've really got to stop thinking of her like that" Anne thought to herself, trying to banish the image. "Shes my friend!"

Maylie mocked scowling indignantly at Anne at her comment, trying to make herself mad at the other girl... and failing. Miserably. So she resolved to simply elbow Anne lightly in the side for retribution, letting out a giggle.

A moment later, Maylie was thanking her lucky stars that Anne had dropped her daydreaming. She wasn't she how much more of the other girls questions she could take before her face melted from the heat of the blood rushing to it. Hair color matching or not, she much perferred to keep her face "un-melt-ifyed," so to speak.

"You know, it really isn't an accomplishment to beat you in a swimming race..." Maylie joked, smiling lopsidedly at Anne.

Noticing her eyes unfocus and her face turn pink before she moved her hair to disguise it, it was Maylie's turn to be curious. "Now who's the daydreaming one? What were you thinking about, hmm?" she said in her best mock-detective voice.

As she spoke they reached the edge of the small forest, taking their first steps down a relatively narrow, but still wide enough to accomodate the two of them side by side, dirt path.

Annes face turned red again as Maylie asked what she was thinking. Stuttering slightly Anne began to brush it off "I-Its noth..." Then Anne looked across at her friend.

Maylie had put on a wonderful detective expression. Her hair was streming down her back, face uptilted ever so slightly and her Brown eyes gleaming in mirth. Her lips had a small quirk at the edge and her blush had faded to give just a hint of redness high on the cheekbones. Anne thought two things.

One was that she really did look devilishly attractive.

The other was that if she were wearing glasses Anne could easilly imagine them being pushed down to the end of her nose, with her looking over them as if she were a scientist-detective about to study her, or put her under intense questioning.

The later thought caused Anne to stop suddenly, blink, and beging to giggle as the image in her head resolved. Finding the image both wonderful and endlessly entertaining, Anne glanced up at her friends face which now showed the same look as before, now with a faint crease of puzzlement on it, and Anne's giggles got stronger at the entire image.