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[x-havok.livejournal.com]

In a plot by Mailani and Jared, Lorna goes to an end of the semester party where an unknowing Alex is hanging out with his friends. They talk and maybe would have worked something out, when Alex's new girlfriend shows up. Can you say tension?


Mailani fussed with Lorna's hair for another minute until the green-haired woman pushed her away, laughing. "Stop that! I told you, I'm just here for the papers and that's it. I don't need to look pretty." It was perfectly useless, of course. Mailani just blinked those big dark eyes and ignored her.

Mailani clucked her tongue at Lorna and made a face, "You took care of that. For parties, you look pretty. That's how it works here." Her tiny hands darted back in and pinned a flower in place. "There. Now you are ready." She caught Lorna's hand and dragged her down to the beach, laughing as they went. The beach party was well started by then and some one had already built a fire despite the heat.

"Race ya to the fire!" Alex shouted at Jared and Vida as they all jumped out of the surf. While the fire pit was being set up, a bunch of the college kids had gone out surfing. Alex, of course, joining them. But he had also promised Jared’s younger sibling a game of Frisbee with Crush before dinner thus why he was leaving the glorious ocean.

“Hey! Giving up so soon, Summers? The waves wipe your ass enough for the day?” shouted Vida as the dark hair girl in the white top and shorts put her board under her arm and headed back out with a laugh.

Jared and Alex just exchanged laughs before Alex called back. “Right Rocca! I’ll come fish you later after your next wipeout!”

The two males, with boards under their arms, headed up towards the fire. Once there, they stuck their boards standing in the sand and Alex went over to grab the Frisbee and whistled for Crush. Jared, on the other hand, went looking for Mailani and their unexpected guest.

Mailani left Lorna standing alone and ran up to Jared. "I nearly held a gun to her head to get her here. You didn't tell him, did you?" she asked urgently, keeping her voice low. Mailani wasn't exactly hoping that Lorna and Alex would reconcile but she did want her friend to at least have a chance to talk to him.

"Of course not!" Jared said slightly indignantly. "And I have him pleasantly occupied at the moment thanks to my squibs." He walked past her and up to Lorna to give the other a hug,. "It's good to see you again Lorna."

Lorna hugged him tightly, "It's good to see you too. How is he? Okay? What did he want to do about all this?" Her hand gave a general wave indicating the party. She'd made Mailani swear on her mother's grave that Alex would be given the chance to set up how this night would go. She wasn't going to ruin his night. After all, she'd done enough to him in the past three years.

Jared gave her a blank look. "Lorna...he doesn't know you're here..." He looked past her at Mailani. "She doesn't know?" Then he shook his head. "Alex is doing alright. But somehow that worries me even more."

Mailani covered her face with her hands and groaned then smacked Jared on the shoulder. "You were supposed to cover!" She smiled brilliantly at Lorna. "Um...aloha!"

Lorna made a grab for her but just missed as the pretty island girl dashed off like she knew exactly how dead she was if she was caught. Her good mood ruined, Lorna frowned at Jared, "She lied to me. That horrible little...I should go. I...if he's doing okay then seeing me is just going to make things weird."

"No." Jared said firmly. "This will be good for the both of you." And with a smile, he grabbed her arm and led her towards the party. "Plus, Mailani tells me you needed a vacation so a vacation we can provide. You can't come to Hawaii and have a bad time."

"Native Hawaiians are pushy, wicked, bossy people," Lorna told him spitefully, looking down at how his hand encircled her entire arm with ease. "I don't need a vacation. I just came to take care of some paperwork for school. Don't make this awful!" Her voice hushed to nothing as he propelled her toward where Crush was romping with Jared's little brother.

Jared just happily ignored her. Alex had since joined the young Hawaiian and golden, chasing the two equally and earning happy squeals and barks. "Hey, Sky, take Crush into the surf hey?" Jared called to his little brother, "I need to talk to Alex." the young boy nodded and grabbing crush's collar dashed off. Alex on the other hand stood up, still chuckling and wiping sand off him. "Yo, what was that..." he stopped mid sentence when he looked up to see who Jared was standing with.

"Alex...um...hi." Lorna wrenched her arm away from Jared and then, in a moment of weakness and utter cowardice, ducked behind him. Maybe Alex would pretend he hadn't seen her. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Still in shook, Alex ran a hand through his hair, looking many shades blonder due to his now very tanned skin. He licked his lips before he replied softly, "What are you doing here?" So many thoughts raced through his head; anger, hope, fear...and he couldn't decide on one so he stayed with shocked. She was the last person he thought he was see that night.

Jared stepped aside in the most unhelpful manner possible and Lorna sighed in defeat. "I'm just here wrapping up some school work and dealing my half of the lease. Mailani insisted I come to the party. ...you're looking good." She bit her lip. He did look good. She'd...well, not forgotten but the memory of how he affected her was dimming. It hit back full force now.

Alex wasn't sure at all how he felt. He had been trying to move on for long...and now here she was. Looking beautiful as always...but no. Not his anymore. "Did you get the thing in California then?" He asked softly, putting his hands in the pockets of his shorts. For once, he wasn't wearing his suit, as it was still drying out from surfing yesterday.

This was a mistake. She should have stuck to her guns and not let Mailani talk her into this. Lorna didn't need this in her life right now. She couldn't handle feeling this uncertain. "Californ...oh, Berkeley? No, I...I'm actually back at the school right now. I thought it would be a good idea if I..." she couldn't believe how surreal this all was. "Um. Look, I'll just go, okay? I'm sorry I barged in."

It was more instinct than thought that led Alex to reaching out and taking her hand, though he immediately dropped it as though he'd been burned. What the hell was he thinking? "No, please stay. Enjoy the party. Jared always says can't come here and have a bad time. Plus, a lot of your friends are here...I...well they would like to see you..."

Lorna's fingers curled like she could hold onto the feeling of his hand on hers, wistful and hurting. "Okay then. If you really don't mind." She had thought that she missed him in the way that you do old loves that you're getting over. But that was back in New York. Standing in front of him, missing him hurt so much more. "Alex...I..."

“Hey there, Alex! Who's your friend?” A tan girl of part Hawaiian decent suddenly attached herself to Alex’s side. Her black hair was cropped short and had a streak of white near one temple and pink at the other. Her bikini top and shorts were both soaking. A look of recognition crossed her face. “Dude, no way! You're that Lorna chick! Alex’s ex! Hey!” She held out a friendly hand.

Alex almost winced at how upbeat Vida was but silently thanked god she’d interrupted that moment, as he’d been afraid with the tone Lorna had started in. “Lorna, this is Vida.”

After shaking her hand, Vida proceeded to grin happily and grab onto Alex’s arm. “His girlfriend.”

Lorna made a noise like she'd been punched and turned very pale. "I...it's nice to meet you." I hope you die a very painful death., she thought as she fought to put a smile on her face. "Alex, I...it was good to see you. You should come back for a visit soon. Parent's day is right before graduation. Get your grandparents to come for a reunion or something."

"I'd rather not." Alex said softly. He and Vida had just started dating and this was not how he had wanted Lorna to find out. Not to mention, how could he explain that he still loved her...but didn't trust her anymore, especially with Vida standing right there. "Plus, I have an internship at Vida's mother's volcanic lab that starts right after school. " He added almost as an excuse. It was so easy to forget his pain here, when he was just faced with it everywhere in New York.

"Yeah Mom needs him right away. She says she's never had a better assistant." Vida was practically beaming as she leaned in to give Alex a playful kiss on the cheek, which did earn a small smile from the blonde. Vida's playful nature was infectious.

A very painful death. Involving bees. Lorna revised. "Oh, right. Well, congratulations with that. Who is your mom, Vida?"

"Professor Rocca. She has a lab monitoring many of the local volcanoes." Vida announced proudly.

Also known as the department head. Lorna had taken a class with her. She was brilliant, demanding and one of the top minds in the field. Lorna would have killed for that internship. Her pride that Alex had gotten it was unalloyed--her imminent tears not withstanding. "Oh, wow. That's really fantastic, Alex." She looked away over her shoulder, searching for Mailani. "Um. I need to get going. I'll see you later. Good to see you both."

There was so much Alex wanted to say to her, but couldn't with Vida there. The girl had helped him through a rough time; she deserved better then that just because Lorna showed up. "It's good to see you Lorna. Make sure to say hi to Crush before you leave. he's missed you and Lili something awful. He even chews on his own tail now..."He trailed off for he could have kept talking forever.

"Lili misses him. Moving away...I think it broke her heart. No one puts up with her like he did." Lorna gave him a sad smile. "Maybe I'll send her on a vacation. She'd like to visit again. We'll...have to keep in touch." She gave Vida a half way then beat a hasty retreat. She wanted to be well away before she started to cry.

Alex stared off after her and would have continued for a long while if Vida hadn't dragged him back to the party where the keg was finally being tapped as the pig was coming off the fire for dinner. He managed to smile and even laugh that night...but his heart just wasn't in it.