Hey!! Thx to meXD for the review!!! Sorry it took so long to update!

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Chapter 3: Brownies and Hugs

I groan in frustration. Could this bus be any slower? Tawny and I couldn't live closer to each other, but the bus was going so slow. Living in Requa was boring, and he sometimes wondered why he even lived here. But of course he knew why his family stayed in Requa. His family belived mythical creatures lived, or live, in Redwood Forest National Park. And by "mythical creatures" they meant flying horses and woodsprites. Of course, he didn't believe all the rubbish his family did, but nevertheless, he was stuck in Northern Cali.

The bus rolled up to Tawny's stop, and she got on, her cheeks pink. She sat down next to me, mumbling a 'hey' that was interrupted by a huge yawn.

"Hey. So how bad?" I ask.

"How bad what?" She pretends not ot know what I am talking about.

I roll my eyes. "You know," I say, seeing her expression. "Your nightmare"

"How do you know if I had a nightmare or not, Jay?" She falshes me a smile, and then punches me on the shoulder. I bite back my cry of pain, because she punched me hard.

Rubbing my shoulder, I tell her, "I dont know what gave it away. Maybe it was the fact you yawned when you said 'hey'. No, no, I think it was the fact you were late to the bus stop. No- I got it. Maybe I know because you have had a nightmare every single day of this week Tawny!"

"How does the second reason prove I had a nightmare?" Tawny huffs.

"When you have a nightmare, you're too uptight to feed your horses fast enough, making you late. And I know you are late because you were out of breath when you sat down." I say, smiling.

"Fine, I had a nightmare"

"But you still havent answered me" I counter.

"It was an eight" she says, but it was so quiet, I barely caught her words.

"That bad, huh?" I murmer.

Suddenly, I am overcome with affection for Tawny, because I know she has had such a crappy week. So, as smoothly as I could, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close. She goes limp in my arms, and I squeeze her tightly. I glance down, my eyes traveling down her forlone face, to her collarbone. Shimmering on her neck, was a gold necklace with a gold horse pendant attached. It suited her, and I was admiring the contrast between her almost brown hair, and the gold from the pendant when-

"Jay"

"Mhmmm" I mutter, still transfixed by her necklace.

"Jay!"

"What?" Hearing the panic in her voice, I release my grip around her.

"Jeez Jay!" I see her gasp for breath. "It's one thing to confort me, but its a whole new subject when you're trying to strangle me!"

I couldn't help but smile at her expression. "Sorry," I mutter. I must have been distracted by her pretty necklace and not noticed I was increasing my grip. 'Oops!' I think.

I wonder what we are going to do after school today for the rest of the bus ride.

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I was waiting for Tawny at lunch, but she never showed up. I was really pissed because she usually trades lunches with me, and sh ealways brings good food. All throughout 5th period my stomach was growling, demanding food. Unfortunately, my belly's crys for help were so loud, the teacher had to turn around and ask if I was alright. It was so embarrassing. Every girl in the class was giggling.

Man, Tawny better have a good reason as to why he wasnt at lunch. Finally, the bell rang, and I gathered all my stuff and fled the room, my face burning. I was so glad that sophomores have free periods, because I sure needed one now.

I head to the library, where Tawny and I study during free period. I brush my hair out of my eyes.

I scan the room, and spot her at a table at the back of the library. She is bent over a large book, her hair hanging down, masking the page she is looking at. Her gold necklace glinted in the dim light of the library.

I sauntered over too her.

"Why the effing hell weren't you at lunch Everyone was laughing because my stomach kept growling during 5th period!" I whisper.

She opens her mouth to answer me, but my stomach interrupts her, rumbling so loud, I could swear the entire library heard. She starts lauhing- hard. Jeez! Was my belly really that hilarious? I found nothing amusing about my being hungry.

"Stop laughing!" I say, my stomach letting out a loud growl.

But Tawny only laughed harder. I sat down beside her, waiting for her giggles to subside. It took quite a while, because she would calm herself down, then look at me, then erupt into a fit of laughter. Unbelieveable. Her whole body shook in muffled giggles.

Finally, after forever, she looked at me properly.

"Sorry Jay. I was looking for this," she motions to the large book on her lap. Tawny sweeps her hair to the side, revealing that the book is, in fact, a large atlas.

"Oh, and I know you'd be mad at me for not being at lunch, so I brought you this brownie," Tawny smiled. She held out her hand, offering me the brownie.

It was huge! And it had fudge. My mouth watered. But the to my dismay, my stomach let out a huge gurgle. She giggled.

"Go on. Eat it," she laughed.

"I love you! You're my hero!" I take the brownie and start devouring it.

Her cheeks turn bright red, but she said, "I already know I'm your hero."

"But seriously. Thank you for the brownie." I hug her tightly, and remove my hands quickly before she has the chance to say I am choking her, or some other excuse.

"So what's the atlas for?" I ask.

"It's for this afternoon's activity. We're," she says, pointing at both of us, "going to Redwood National Park. Which is here," Tawny tells me, pointing to the map.

"But thats like three miles from my house. And yours," I say through a mouthful of brownie.

"So? You have your license, and I have a ride. It'll be fun. Pleeeease?"

"So you're counting on me to drive you there? Is that it?" I smirk.

"Noooo. I said I had a ride. I didnt say my ride was you, now did I?" she poked me playfully. It hurt.

"Oh" I said, dissapointed.

"Awww. Is Jay sawwwd?" Tawny croons. "Well, it's ok widdle buddy. You can meet me there. Ooooh! I know! I'll bring a little present for you. Or rather, a large one."

"Fine, I'll meet you there at what, five o' clock?"

"No way!" She looked disgusted at me. "I'll meet you there at 3:30 sharp. Got that? Not 5 o' clock, I told my mom I would already be home by five. Kay?"

"Got it. So you need help with French?" I ask.

"Yep. Let's get started"

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So wha'd you guys think??? Some more action between Jay and Tawny is comin' up. A little teaser is that there is a whole lot of blushing, flying, and green eyes in the next chapter. What do you guys think of Jay? like him? I did this chap in his perspective!!!! Review plz, i like to know what is good, and bad, about my writing! Bye!-

Sofie