The Edges of the Lake (Northside)

Raven had her bored plain face,

"Thank you Becca, I like yours too" She complimented, "And I'm Reading Inkheart, It's a great series...well so far." Raven looked up at the sky and it started to get cloudy.

Aw man I hope it won't rain. Raven thought in her head she didn't want to get her new book all wet. It started to get windy. Very Windy.

"I think we should go inside Becca," Raven looked at her, "I don't want to get wet."

"Wow, I never heard of it before." Becca said with a smile, "O.k let's go to the library then to talk!" Becca suggested looking at the cloudy sky.

Raven got up the same time Becca did and they left to go to the library. Raven felt a rain drop on her head and started running hugging her book. Once she was under the roof Becca came sort of wet and it started pouring. They went to the library

Nicolas just ran where his legs took him. Which was at the Lake. He would have ran more but, he needed to catch his breath. He collapsed by a large rock.

A hawk flew over head then landed on the rock. A second later, Diana sat in its place. "Are you okay?"

There was a couple of seconds of silence. Then: "What a stupid question Diana."

"I'm sorry... I was just..." Diana said flustered. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmmm... let's evaluate." Nicolas sat up. "My dad is dying, so yeah I'm just peachy." Nicolas said sarcastically.

Diana sighed and sat by him. "I'm sorry." She said sadly.

Nicolas felt slightly guilty. It wasn't her fault. "No... I'm... I shouldn't be nasty to you."

"No it's alright - "

"No it's not. My dad's in critical condition and getting angry at you is really pointless and stupid." Nicolas said. "Shiit. He's fuuucking dying - "

Diana eloped him in a hug.

Jogging to keep up, Darien followed the hawk towards Nick. He pulled the paper out of his pocket and skimmed through it again, slowing to a stop a few metres away from them, on a more level patch of grass.

Yes, he had read it right.

He almost felt sorry for Nick...but his hate was a little deep for that.

He felt like he shouldn't intrude...but he could hardly leave now...

"He's going to be alright Nick..." Diana said to him. He had to be. She couldn't even imagine what would happen if he wasn't.

Suddenly she noticed Darien a few metres away. She was stunned. She needed to think fast. It would be a good thing if Nicolas saw Darien now.

"What?" Nicolas felt Diana stiffen. "What's wrong?" He pulled away from the hug.

"Nicolas no wait."

But it was too late, he saw Darien and his eyes sharpened. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"Nicolas please..." Diana begged.

He turned and scrutinized her. "And even after all this... you're still going to go out with him?!"

Diana stuttered. "I... yes... Nick, he had nothing to do with what happened, he is as innocent in all of this as I am."

She flinched as Nicolas gave her an awful look of disgust.

"Nicolas...."

"No, I'm sick of you and - and him! I won't have it. He is the enemy! Why can't you see that?!"

"Nicolas..."

"Fucck it. You're effing grown up, you can make your own choices, choose your own sides. If you want to betray your family, go right ahead. I just want nothing to do with you." Nicolas turned away from her.

He was going to go for a fly. He didn't even want to deal with Vaight at the moment. He past by him wordlessly and headed to the stables.

At any other time, Darien would've gone after him...but today...

"Diana?" He hesitated, loitering awkwardly.

Diana hastily rubbed her eyes and hoisted herself up. "Hey. You've heard?"

Darien waved the letter half-heartedly.

"Call it intuition."

"You got one of those too huh?" Diana said nodding at the letter. "What does your side say?"

Darien shrugged. He could hardly say they were bragging.

"They say it was an accident." But secretly they're slapping them on the back... He added mentally.

Diana sighed. Well at least they were trying to be impartial.

"This is so silly. Nicolas' Dad been badly hurt because of some stupid rivalry."

Darien could only nod. "I wouldn't be surprised...They're just calling it an accident to avoid blame."

Diana nodded. "Was any of your family hurt?"

Darien shook his head. "A few burns, minor injuries, nothing really worth mentioning compared..." He let the sentence hang.

Diana nodded again in understanding. "Poor Nick... I don't think he'll ever forgive you for this."

"Me?" Darien almost scowled. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," Diana said. "You did nothing."

He's a Vaight. A voice in Diana's head said.

Words from her grandfather's letter echoed through her head. They're all the same. They don't have hearts. All they care for is themselves.

Darien's paranoia about double meanings kicked in. "...Should I have done something?"

A victorious letter filled with anti-Casillas propaganda was eating into his mind...His father's poisonous references spiralling in his skull.

Darien felt like he was being pulled in two directions...Diana, and his family.

And he wasn't sure he could handle the pressure.

Diana shook her head to shake the thoughts away. Darien was different. Really the stupid rivalry was just it, stupid. There really isn't any reason why they should continue it on. Look at Calista, she's a Vaight and she's perfectly lovely.

"No you shouldn't have done anything. And you shouldn't do anything either. Do not provoke Nicolas now, he's very vulnerable." Diana said.

Darien dug his hands into his pockets, along with the venomous letter.

"I won't...I'm not cowardly enough to hit people when they're down." Contrary to popular belief anyway...

"Promise me then, that you won't fight him?" Diana said looking at Darien expectantly.

Darien sighed. "Sure. But if he comes at me with a chainsaw, don't blame me."

Diana let out a breath of relief. "Thanks Darien." She gave him a quick kiss. "And he won't come at you with a chainsaw. Flame thrower maybe, not chainsaw."

Darien laughed half-heartedly. "Much better. Chainsaws just scream low-budget zombie movie."