• I had just finished setting up my party with Gabe and Drea's help when my mom walked through the front door.
    "Mmmmmm, hello Vanessa." She came over and hugged me. "The place looks great. And, hello Andrea and Gabriel." She winked at Gabe. She had been doing this an awful lot for the past week or so. I was starting to get suspicious.
    "Thanks Mom." I said, and kissed her cheek. I smiled at Gabe and he walked into the kitchen.
    "So, what time does the party end? I was wondering if I could stay the night with you girls and Gabe. I haven't stayed with you guys for quite awhile and I've missed you."
    Mom had been over to see us for about an hour or so everyday for the past week, but she hadn't really stayed much longer than that.
    "Um, I think around 1A.M. if you're lucky," replied Gabe from the kitchen. "But hopefully not too long after 3 or 4. I would like to have some real sleep tonight." He walked out of the kitchen and winked at me and I felt my face blush red.
    "You can stay mom. Um, If you want you don't have to leave at all. Nobody is going to be upstairs so you can stay up there if you want to." I told my mom.
    "Okay. Thanks Nessa."
    "No problem. By the way, the party starts at 7. It's about that time now. So, whatever you'd like to do is fine with me. Stay for the party if you'd like." I turned around and walked upstairs to get dressed.
    .................................................................................................
    Music blasted through the house and everywhere I looked I saw my friends dancing and talking. I was looking for Gabe. I hadn't seen him in about an hour. But I was happy enough for now, so I stopped looking when Benji, my best guy friend ever wrapped his arms around me. I knew it was him because he had kind of thick arms. He was tall and had olive toned skin. It was as if he had a tan all year round. I turned around and hugged him. He hugged me back, lifting my feet off the floor. He set me back on the floor and held out his hand.
    "Would you like to dance with me Vanessa?" Benji asked me.
    I then recognized the song playing. It was the song we danced to at my 17th birthday. We had been going out at the time. We ended up breaking up because he was moving. That's when I got with Gabe, and I've been with Gabe ever since. After he moved back though, I kept thinking things would go wrong and Gabe wouldn't get along with Benji. But they became instant friends.
    "Absolutely. I would love to dance with you Benji."
    He took my hand and lead me to the dance floor. We started dancing and after about 6 songs, I started to get tired. We walked to the nearest table and sat down.
    "So, how are things going for you and Gabe?" Benji asked.
    "Pretty good. He's really nice to me. He treats me good and he gives me space when I need it." I told him. "How is your mom?"
    "She is fine. You know, she talks about you an awful lot. She says she misses having you around so much.So you should come see her some time."
    "I'll be sure to come see her soon then." I chuckled. "You look great Benji. You've gotten taller." I laughed at the face he made.
    "You're looking pretty good yourself Vanessa. If you get any more good looking you'll have to tell Gabe to watch out. I might steal you from him."
    At that point Gabe walked over to where Benji and I were sitting.
    "Well, then I guess I'll have to keep a closer eye on Nessa. To make sure nobody else steals her from me." Gabe laughed and sat down next to me.
    "You know I wouldn't do that to you Gabe. You're my best friend, plus Vanessa deserves better than me."
    Just before Gabe or I could say anything, Andrea ran up to me. Out of breathe, she says, "Come outside. There's something you need to deal with. I don't think you're gonna be too happy."
    I got up and walked through the crowds of people on the dance floor with Gabe, Andrea, and Benji following me. As I neared the front door I could see 5 of my security guards standing in a circle. I had to have security guards at my party, because lately i've been having a problem with a couple of creepers. I had no idea who they were, but apparently they knew who I was, and they wanted to speak with me something bad.
    As I made my way through the people I saw a man kneeling to the ground. He was wearing a black traveling cloak and he had his hood over his head, to were I couldn't see his face. He was looking toward the ground.
    "Who are you and what do you want?"
    "I wish to speak with a certain Miss Vanessa Wright." a scratchy voice emitted from beneath the cloak.
    "You're speaking to her. What do you want?!" I said, starting to become angry. I wanted to get back to my party. "If it isn't important, you need to leave and never return to my home again."
    "You are in danger. You need to leave now. Take your things and go far away." said the man with an alarming tone.
    "Is this so called danger supposed to come tonight?"
    "Very soon Miss Vanessa. Very soon. Please go. Tonight."
    "No. Go away! If I ever find you on my property again, I will contact the authorities and have a restraining order put on you. What's your name?"
    "Please." He began to beg. He put his hands together and began shaking them.
    "Go away!" I stormed back inside, ordering the guards to throw him out of the gate and to lock all doors.
    ..................................................................................................
    I was saying goodbye to Benji.
    "The party was great Vanessa. But what are you going to do about that strange man?"
    "Thanks Benji. I don't know. He was quite weird, but I am beginning to wonder if he is for real. What if there is something out to get me?"
    "I'm sure it's just a plot or something to get the house or something. It's probably nothing."
    "You're probably right. I'll see you later Benji."
    He hugged me and walked out the door. Gabe walked out of the kitchen and came over to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me. Just as earlier starting slowly and getting faster and more intense. My hands tugging at his hair and our every movement making my heart skip a beat. Two and a half years and I still wasn't used to his touch. But god did I love him so much. He stopped kissing me and looked straight into my eyes.
    "What a night, huh?"
    "Yeah. I'm gonna go take a shower, okay."
    "Okay baby." He kissed me again. "I'll be in the room."
    I walked upstairs and stopped by my moms room to see how she was. She was asleep so I shut the door and turned off the light. I walked into my room and grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. As I walked out of the door, I grabbed my towel off the end on my bedpost. I walked across the hall and shut the bathroom door. I locked it as well. Gabe's and my bathroom was being re-tiled, so we'd been using Andrea's, who had decided to spend the night with a friend of hers. I turned on the hot water and stripped off my clothes. I stepped into the shower and as soon as I felt the jets of hot water on my body, my muscles began to relax. But for some odd reason I felt as if the water was below zero degrees. I stood under the hot water for a good half hour before I decided to get out. After I got dressed and dried my hair, I unlocked the door and walked across the hall to my bedroom.
    Gabe was sitting on the bed, going over some paper work. Probably from his dad. He sometimes revised papers and what not for his father.
    "What are you working on there baby?"
    "Oh, just some papers for dad."
    "Oh. Okay"
    I got up on my side of the bed and slid under the blankets. Gabe stopped working and put all the paperwork on the table next to his side if the bed. He too slid under the covers then, and he turned off the light. He put draped his arm over my waist and laid his hand on my stomach. I sighed.
    "Are we ready for this?" I asked him wearily.
    "Yes. We're ready. You're gonna be great, baby." He kissed the back of my hair.