A/N (get used to these :D): sorry for the very, very, very X 10 late update. I get lazy a lot, not to mention I just don't know what to write, and school/ college apps(oh, the horror)/ SAT's are getting in the way. Unlike most writers, I don't have a timeline or plot already set out, I just kind of do it as I go (I know, it's horribly irresponsible of me, but whatever). So I apologize in advance for all sporadic updates and lateness. :D


Oh Great. Just Typical.

4. Mood Rings

Nobody understood what had happened. One moment, Risse was smiling and choking on her own laughter, and then suddenly, all traces of mirth and laughter slid off her face.

Although outwardly calm and with only a mildly concerned look on his face, inside Kaden was still in shock over the sudden and drastic change in her manner. She's like a mood ring, changing colors ever second. What's next? A-

His thoughts were abruptly cut off when Risse suddenly threw off the covers, nearly tossing Denny onto the ground.

Damn, she's got some nice legs. Must be from running or something. So long and-

"Risse! What's wrong?" Half on and half-off the bed, while clutching the covers, Denny pulled herself back onto the bed and interrupted Kaden's thoughts again.

"My dad!" Risse cried. "Oh my god, he must be sick with worry."

While he had been distracted in his… wayward… thoughts, Risse had managed to rocket out of the bed, and was scrambling around the room, trying to find her shoes and jacket, while Dorothy and the other boys just stared gape-jawed at the blurry little blob flying around the room for her things.

"But it's not even 10:30 yet! It only just got dark a couple of hours ago," Royce said, flabbergasted.

"I know, it's just- Oh man, where is it? I have to- Wait, my jacket pockets? Yea… You see, my- Ah ha! Success!" she crowed happily, waving a small white cell-phone in the air.

"Care to finish your sentence?" Kaden asked dryly, smirking when she glared at him. And there goes that mood-changing thing again.

And then, as if on cue: "Mood ring, oh mood ring, please tell me, when will you bring the key? To unlock this mystery; of girls and their emotions, play it back in slow motion…" the song softly played from the cell phone Risse was still holding triumphantly in her grasp.

Losing the "victory" pose, Risse fumbled around with the phone for a moment, swearing when she almost dropped it while trying to open it.

"Damn it… Ugh. Ack! Okay, wait, hello?" she said breathlessly into the phone. "Hey dad, I know, I'm sorry. I'm okay. Don't worry. I'm fine," she continued, not even pausing to take a breath. "Really, I'm okay, calm down, I'm totally fine. I just got momentarily distracted and lost track of the time; you know how I am."

Feeling five pairs of eyes boring into her back, she turned around only to catch the anxiously watching group guiltily avert their gazes, some of them finding a distinct interest in the ceiling and in their fingernails. Only Kaden kept his gaze on hers, his unusual colored eyes staring unflinching into her green ones.

For some strange reason, despite her previous annoyance with his haughty (Ho ho, but man, he sure is a hotty…I'm so clever... Ha-ha.) and cold manner, she found comfort in his calm, steady gaze.

Hearing her father's frantic voice brought her concentration back to the matter at hand. Her eyes still on Kaden's, she said began to speak soothingly into the cell phone. Everyone else leaned slightly forward, trying to catch her half of the conversation on the phone, all the while feigning disinterest.

"Yes I know, I'm sorry you worried so much… I guess I couldn't hear my cell phone ringing… I didn't mean to lost track of the time… Yes, like I said dad, I'm fine… I'm at a friend's… Denny, Kaden, Ian, and Royce… No, they're not all boys… (Ian snickered right then) I'll be home soon… You want to talk to someone here?" she ended, her sentence ending on a surprised note. She looked around the room until her eyes fell upon Dorothy. "Er, well I guess you could talk to Dorothy. She's my friends' grand- I mean, she's the adult here," she hastily changed upon Dorothy's affronted look.

"Um, would you mind talking to my dad? He gets worried really easily, and I think he needs someone who's an adult to reassure him that I'm okay. Our family has had a bad history with… accidents… And so my dad gets really over-protective," she explained embarrassedly, her hand covering the mouthpiece.

"Of course dearie, just give it here," she said understandingly, placing her hand out for the phone. "Hello? Mr. O'Bannon? Yes, this is Dorothy Tesler, how may I help you?" she asked regally.

There was a deathly silent pause. Which then broke.

"EXCUSE ME SIR?! THERE'S NO NEED TO RAISE YOUR VOICE TO ME! WHY I NEVER-" she broke off abruptly, her features softening and a slight smile surfacing. "Yes, I know, it's alright. I understand. Don't worry, Risse was just feeling a little tired today so we let her rest a bit in our home… Oh no, it was no trouble. Risse is a wonderful girl. And don't worry I'll have my grandson" (she rolled her eyes right then) "-drop her off as soon as she gets her things together," she finished. "No, no, it's no problem. She'll be home soon… Yes, good night."

She handed her phone back to a bright red Risse who took the phone back with a mumbled "thanks".

"Yea, okay dad. I'll see you soon. Bye!" She snapped the phone shut a collapsed back onto the bed and let a big sigh.

No one spoke again for a moment. Then, suddenly, Ian said, "Okay, so what in the hell just happened? Again."

They all stared at him and Denny sighed. "Oh Ian. For a smart guy you can be amazingly slow sometimes."

"Don't worry. It's nothing bad. It's just that my dad tends to get worried really easily and likes to keep in touch regularly whenever I go out," Risse explained wearily. "Like I mentioned before, my dad and I have gone through some pretty rough times, so he's gets worried a lot."

"Well now, let's not give your father anymore reason to worry. If you have all your things, I'll have Kaden drive you home," Dorothy said briskly.

"Oh, oh, me too! I wanna go too!" Denny said excitedly.

"Honestly Prudence, are you lacking that much in a life that even a simple car ride holds thrills for you? Oh you poor, poor girl," Ian mocked as he sauntered over to the bed.

"Oh Ian, you're just too funny," Denny cooed, fluttering her long, thick eyelashes. Then, she suddenly yanked hard on the blankets, pulling the sheets out from under Ian's feet where he unwittingly stood.

"Bite me," she snarled to the now-sprawled Ian lying prone on the ground.

Rubbing his pained backside, he gave her playful wink. "Oh gladly. Where?"

Throwing him one last fulminating glare, she grabbed Risse off the bed and dragged her towards the door. "Come on. If I spend one more minute with all these idiots," she raged, ignoring Royce and Dorothy's insulted "hey!" and "excuse me?!", "I'm seriously gonna break something… Or someone," she added menacingly, shooting a look at Ian.

"Yea, I better hurry anyways. Thank you so much Dorothy, for everything. I'm really, really sorry for all this happening so randomly," Risse said apologetically.

"Nonsense, it was quite enjoyable meeting you. I don't believe I have met such an interesting person in a very long time. It was indeed quite a pleasure," Dorothy said in her slightly haughty manner. "Do come again."

Risse's smile was bright and honest. "I'll try, I promise."

"Ladies, if you're done," Kaden said.

Her smile faltered slightly at his cool and unemotional tone. "Er… Yeah, sorry Kaden. Thanks again every-" she stopped abruptly. "Dorothy, Denny," she said kindly, smiling widely. She shot a mock glare at the rest of the boys. "Ian. Kaden. Hippo," her smile broke free upon the last name and she burst into laughter, collecting her things and racing out the door, escaping from Royce's indignant yells and curses.

Her playful expression soon changed into one of awe and wonder, as she surveyed her surroundings. The Tesler home was more like the Tesler Mansion. She'd always read about such homes and seen them on TV, but she'd never really thought that people actually lived in such homes. The "rich neighborhood"? More like the royal neighborhood.

"Come on Risse. We better you home."

Denny's voice broke through Risse's fog of wonder. Catching her open-mouthed expression, Denny laughed. "Yea, I know. The house is a bit much, but it's been in the family for a while. I'm pretty sure that we only use a about a fifth of the entire estate, but my parents and Dorothy refuse to sell it and move."

"Don't you get lost?" Risse asked in horror, her mind reverting back to her pre-navigation system days when she first began to drive. Oh the horror of freeways and cul-de-sacs, she thought with a shiver.

"You get used to it after a bit. Besides, it's pretty fun. When Kade and I were younger, we would always go 'exploring' and find a bunch of random things," she said fondly, descending down the long, grand staircase with Risse. "I'm pretty sure there are still rooms that we don't know about."

"Speaking of Kaden, where'd he go? Wasn't he just behind us a second ago?" she asked looking around confusedly.

"He probably took the elevator down to the garage. We can just meet him in the front. He'll bring the car around."

"Oh." Still floored by the idea of an elevator in the house, Risse blankly followed after Denny toward the heavy oak double doors. It was then that she noticed the stiffly standing old man, whose uniform was so severely starched, that it looked like his shirt was going to snap in half. He opened the doors before the girls and gave a slight bow. "Ms. Tesler. Ms. O'Bannon. Have a good evening."

"Thanks Gary!" Denny said gaily. "Be back in a flash!"

"Er. Yes. Thank you very much sir." Risse stumbled over her words, not knowing what to say to the complete stranger who knew her name. Oh wow. An honest-to-goodness, real butler. So they really do exist! Except I always thought they were named like Farley or Summerset or something. Gary?

As soon as the two girls were outside and the doors were shut behind them, Risse asked, "Um. How did he know my name?"

"Oh, Gary knows everything. Kade and I really have no idea how it is, but he just seems to have some kind of superhuman power."

Risse laughed at the image Denny's words projected in her mind. She should imagine frail ol' Gary ripping open his starched shirt Superman style, revealing an emblazoned "SG" on his chest.

"Oh by the way, I meant to ask you this earlier, but why is it that you call Kade, Kaden? Not even our parents do. I think you're the first person to in like, 15 years, other than Dorothy," Denny asked.

Risse thought over that for a moment. She really didn't know, and she told Denny as much. "I guess to me, that just suits him more. Or something. I guess."

"Yea well I'm surprised he even let's you. Normally he gets really irritated when someone calls him 'Kaden'" She gave her a thoughtful look. "He must really like you," she said suggestively, only to laugh out loud at the look of horror on Risse's face.

"Like me? We barely even spoke two words to each other! Besides, your brother's totally-"

"I'm totally what?" said a cold voice behind her.

Oh man