This story wasn't done by a long shot. It was just on temporary hiatus while I finished up finals and suchlike. But now it's summer, and Age of Innocence is back in action! My chapters have gotten longer than they were in the beginning, which makes me happy.

Enjoy!

----- Age of Innocence Part 21 By: Ariel-chan -----

It felt strange, waking up beside someone, and stranger still when I remembered why. I'd never been in this position before, had distinct memories of waking up on my doorstep the first time I'd slept with someone. 'And kissing Danny for the first time, because his eyes looked so much like Paul's in the morning.'

I rolled onto my side, wanting to see Danny, to reassure myself that everything was real and he was still there. I wanted to see if he was awake yet, if his eyes were open. I wanted him to roll towards me too with his eyes smiling in the midmorning light.

He was asleep still, but I smiled at him anyway. All the worry, stress, and trouble of the conscious world had smoothed away from his face. Asleep, he didn't care about keeping his grades up or stopping Paul.

I propped myself up on one arm and caught a glance at Dane's clock on the other side of the room.

"Holy shit!" I yelled, sitting up in bed. "It's almost nine-thirty!"

----

I was jerked awake with a shock and a pounding heart by the sudden scream above my head. "What?" I asked loudly, sitting up slightly in time to see Toby vault over my prone body and dive for his closet.

"I'm gonna be late," he wailed. "You're gonna be late. Class starts at ten and it's nine-thirty!"

I sat up the rest of the way. 'Fuck. Well so much for enjoying the "morning after".' I looked at the alarm and pressed the "date" button, then looked at the calendar. No luck. It was still Wednesday.

I looked at Toby, who was struggling to put his jeans on backwards. Then I lay back down and pulled the sheets up.

Toby apparently didn't notice for a moment, but then he was shaking my shoulder. "Danny. Danny, you have to get ready."

'I guess he got his pants on, then.' "I don't have to. And since I don't have to, I won't. I'm taking the day off."

There was a pause as Toby considered that. "I've missed a lot of class lately," he said.

"You should go."

Toby's face drew up for a moment as he thought about that, then it cleared suddenly. "Alright," he said, buttoning up the shirt he'd snagged off the floor. It was rather wrinkled, but at least it was his. He'd survive. "I'll see you later." Then he dashed out of the room. There were some crashing, thunking noises from the living room, then the door slammed shut.

I lay back and closed my eyes. 'I'll go to my next class after lunch, but right now. I hope Toby's okay.'

The door slammed shut again, and someone kissed me on the cheek. I opened my eyes, and saw Toby hovering above me. "Meet me for lunch at the Student Union?" he asked nervously.

"Of course," I responded. "I'll see you then."

He nodded and leaned down to kiss me again in a way that was so needy and perfect that my brain (and the rest of me) started flashing back to the night before.

When he pulled back and waved goodbye he was blushing like a sunburned tomato, but I knew he was okay.

I licked my lips and settled back to sleep. Yeah, he was definitely okay.

-----

I was trying very hard not to think about Danny on my way to the fountain, and if just walking was distracting me, it was hard to imagine what would be going through my mind trying to sit through a boring psychology lecture. 'Plans for tonight? Or maybe just that kiss.' I felt myself turning red, and my face could've been used as a stage light when I heard someone wolf- whistle right behind me.

I spun around to see who it was, and Branden almost ran into me. He grinned. "Good morning, Toby. Sleep well?" I shook my head at him. "How do you know this stuff? Does anything ever slip by you when it comes to sex?" Some blond girl walking by looked at us curiously, but kept walking.

"Not when you confess so sweetly, Toby darling. Have fun?"

"Yes," I said loftily. "And I want to do it again and again until neither one of us can stand the next day." Someone giggled behind me, and my embarrassment came rushing back.

"Geez, Toby," said Branden, looping his arm through mine. "Stop acting like such a virgin. You young people are going to make me look old and unattractive."

I smirked. "Please, Brandy. That's not possible and you know it."

I hate to say it, but he practically squealed. "Oh, you called me Brandy! For that, I'm going to walk you to your first class and make sure the boogeyman doesn't get you."

I looked back at how far we'd already walked from the fountain. "Were you going to do that anyway?"

"Yes," he said smoothly, "but now I am going to do it with style," and proceeded to swish his hips back and forth with every step.

Helplessly happy, I started to laugh and found that nothing could stop me.

-----

I dropped Toby off at his class, and then headed off to the library to work on an essay on "women in the Russian revolution" for western civ. I was halfway to my destination when someone grabbed me by the arm.

Spun around, I found myself staring into the greenest eyes I'd ever seen, set in the face of a smiling Apollo of a man.

"Hello," he said, running the tip of one finger along my jaw. "You're the little guy who threw the book at me." He turned his head, so I could see the purple splotch on the side of his face. His grip on my arm tightened. "That wasn't very nice."

-----

End of Part 21! ^_^ I think this is the longest I've ever stuck with a story, and it's probably because I get so much encouragement and support. Please comment so I know you're still out there and enjoying this story, and if you're having any problem with the story or the way I write, don't hesitate to tell me in a review or e-mail me privately.

~*Ariel*~