It had been a few weeks since the 'phone incident' but Caitlin was still holding it against me like a dog with a bone. Whenever I wanted to go out with friends or my sister she would sigh and mutter something about leaving her hanging again.

Then I'd have to fuck her before I was allowed to leave. The sex was fine, but it was starting to feel more like a chore than something to enjoy. Nevertheless it was a relationship and I was damn well going to make the most of it.

I'd been trading texts with Lilly every day and we only became closer. She hadn't brought up the crystal thing for which I was grateful.

I'd been thinking a lot about that. I ran over the conversation again and again in my head, picturing Lilly's face as she'd said those things. Not once had the look of absolute certainty slipped from her. She had not faltered. She'd looked absolutely certain.

I couldn't get the image of her face as she'd said I'd made her crystal glow green out of my head. She had seemed to be feeling a mix between happiness, determination and something else I couldn't quite pin down. Pride?

I would kill to get out of here for a day.

I needed to relax. All the pressure from Caitlin and the sneaking around to hide how much time I spent sending Lilly texts was taking it's toll. I was stressed.

I slid out of bed, being careful not to wake Caitlin, and went over to my wardrobe. I had a sinking suspicion that I only owned bikinis and that feeling was soon justified.

I made myself some coffee and sat on the sofa, settling down to watch a movie. It was a mindless action film and I soon became lost in it.

I only looked away from the screen when Caitlin came into the room yawning widely.

"Good morning," I said.

"Mornin'." She replied flinging herself onto the couch beside me. She cuddled into my side and I wrapped an arm around her.

Caitlin leaned up for a good morning kiss and by the end of it I was on my back with her hand up my top. I sighed, knowing where this was going.

Why couldn't we just have a normal good morning kiss and not have it ending with us sleeping together?

She wanted to wear a bikini. A bikini! Was she trying to kill me?

Every time I tried to reply an image of her wearing a bikini flashed unbidden in front of my eyes and my heart rate accelerate a million times.

I imagined her in a black one, which stood out against pale skin. In a striking red one which looked fabulous. The worst was a white one which she had already been swimming in and was almost translucent.

Someone's fist slammed against my door and it instantly snapped me out of my trance. My stomach swirled with guilt, realising I'd been fantasising about Miss Hart. Again. I had to stop this. She was taken.

I tapped out a quick reply, then opened my door. Sophie stood there, her eyes wide and filled with tears. My heart sank and I quickly pulled her into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me and sitting her down on my bed.

"What happened?" I asked, fully expecting her to burst into tears at any moment. But she surprised me, not saying a single word, just staring at her hands and seeming to fight the upset she obviously felt.

I knew it was just a waiting game, that before long she would crack and tell me.

I quickly checked my texts.

I mindlessly agreed, my mind not on the task. I then asked her to excuse me for a while as I comforted my friend

and turned my phone off.

"I had a dream about him."

There was a long pause.

"He was standing on a white road, surrounded by black silhouettes. Then blood starting pouring out, everywhere. His nose, his mouth, his eyes, even his ears. He just stared at me. His eyes weeping blood and he just stared at me."

She didn't have to specify the he - I knew it was Harry. My minds eye painted a horrifying image of him with blood pouring out of his orifices and I gulped.

"That's..."

"Some messed up shit, I know." Sophie sighed and picked at the skin around her nails. She was frowning intently at my carpet, deep in thought.

I left her a while then wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tight.

"It's going to get better."

"Oh, I know that. I know why I dreamed that, but it's very different analysing things when you've experienced them."

"Emotions getting in the way?" I asked.

"Exactly."

"Maybe you should get a therapist?" I asked but she pulled away and shook her head.

"I know how to deal with it, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Alright," I smiled, "good."

"So how have you been?" She asked, "What with your new soul mate and all."

"It's been fine." I said simply, not wanting to go into details.

"Have you been out with him yet? Have you told him about the... you know..."

"Yes." I said, "I told her. She didn't take it well."

There was a long silence during which the room got warmer by at least twenty degrees.

"Your person-thing is a girl?" She asked.

"Yeah." I couldn't look at her so I didn't know how she was taking it. Her reaction came as a huge surprise.

"That's so great!" She squealed pouncing on me and locking me in a full bodied hug.

"Uh... Sophie... Sophie! I can't breathe!"

"Sorry." She immediately released me and stared into my eyes. "What's she like? Is she hot?" I stared at her in shock. Why was she taking this so well? "What?" She demanded. "I'm bisexual. Plus I always had a little suspicion about you."

"What?" I was stunned, "How did I not know that?"

"I don't talk about it much. Some people will react badly, I don't want them to be afraid of my

gay germs or something." She didn't look like she cared at all.

"But you're bi." I said, "You're into guys too."

"It doesn't matter to them. If I so much as look at a girl they assume I'm a lesbian and that I'm about to force them into bed." Taking in my expression she shrugged. "People are narrow minded."

"All of them?" My stomach had clenched and I suddenly wasn't sure about this relationship I was hoping to have.

"There are lots out there who don't care but you have to be careful." Sophie smiled at me comfortingly, "Tell me about your girlfriend than?"

"She's not my girlfriend." I admitted.

"Not yet." Sophie corrected, "who could resist you?" I glanced at her sharply. She smirked, "I know, I know, you're taken."

"She's hot." I said, "I've sort of liked her for a while."

"Where did you first see her?" She asked, looking interested.

"In school." I said then blushed.

"Was she your friend?" She asked.

"No." I replied slowly.

"Was she your worst enemy?" She was barely containing laughter.

"No." I waited, watching her.

"No way!" She said, "she was NOT your teacher!" I nodded, blushing. "That was my dream for years!"

"You wanted to get with my teacher?"

"No, smart arse. I wanted to get with my maths teacher. Man he was hot. But he was married so I had no chance." She looked dreamy.

"Sophie!" I hit her, "that's just wrong!"

"You're going to be doing worse with her than I'm imagining so leave me alone!" My face turned red, the way it always did when anyone mentioned sex.

"Shut up." I knew that if I heard any more I would become as hot as the sun, and not in a good way.

Something seemed to hit her and she gaped at me.

"Have you told your parents?"

"No," I admitted and her eyes grew wide and troubled.

"How do you think they'll take it?"

"I don't know." My worry was evident in what I said next, "do you think they'll be okay with it?"

"I couldn't say." She replied, after thinking about it. "My parents didn't take it very well when I first told them but eventually they came round."

"Huh..." I said, desperate to ask more but not wanting to seem too anxious about it.

"Your parents are nice, I'm sure it will be fine."

"Yeah, I hope so."

***

Saturday came quickly and before I knew it I was in my dad's car and on the way to Miss Harts house.

This morning had been tricky with my father asking difficult questions about why I needed his car. I said that I was going to a spa but told him it was with Sheridan and Tanya, and he bought it! I nearly jumped for joy when he handed me the keys.

Now, as I drew up outside a bungalow; which the satnav informed me was my destination, I wasn't feeling so happy. I was, in fact, rather queasy and didn't want to go ahead with this. But I'd already text her and couldn't leave.

Five tense minutes passed before the door opened and Miss Hart exited, wearing a pale blue top and a pair of jeans, a bag hanging off her shoulder. She looked a bit ruffled but for all I knew she'd only just gotten up.

She climbed into the seat beside me and grinned.

"Lets get this party started!" She was hyper and it was infectious. Soon we were both dancing along to the radio and singing the lyrics at the top of our lung.

When we reached the spa and I shut off the engine, the sudden silence was heavy.

"Come on!" Miss Hart yelled and leaped from the car as though she had springs in her butt. Laughing, I got out and locked the door then had to run to catch up with her as she bounced towards the door.

As I watched her I shook my head. This was the complete opposite of the Miss Hart I saw in the classroom. That Miss Hart was mature and always serious, rarely smiling. This Miss Hart was childish and took delight in everything and to be honest I preferred her this way. Just so long as it wasn't constant.

She stood outside the door and watched me with shining eyes.

When I caught up with her she threw the door open and darted inside, sticking her tongue out at me when it closed in my face.

"This is going to be great!" She whooped as I pushed open the door. I could only follow.

The man at the reception smiled at us, "what can I do for you two lovely ladies?"

"I booked us in for the day." I told him. He typed something on the keyboard.

"Great. You have a massage first, then you'll be relaxing in our hot tub with a two course lunch to follow. After that you'll be getting the best beauty treatment we have to offer, not that either of you need it," he winked, "and to round off your day you can relax in our Olympic size swimming pool before a spot of dinner or the drive home."

He pointed us in the direction of a doorway and told us that there were people through there who would tell us what to do.

***

The massage was great even though I couldn't get into it at first.

For the few minutes minutes I was too fascinated by Laura's back. It was smooth and looked soft but when she moved it rippled with muscle. I was immensely jealous of the man whose were all over her.

My heart nearly stopped in my chest when I met her eyes and found her smirking at me.

"What?" She looked smug, clearly already knowing 'what'. I simply shook my head and looked away

Even her smirk was beautiful. How is it possible for someone to be that perfect? How is it possible that I get someone like that?

'You're not with her.' The voice in my head whispered slyly. It was right too, I wasn't. Maybe I wasn't meant to be, maybe the crystals had messed up.

Was that even possible?

I don't think so. Dad had never said anything to me about it and surely he wouldn't miss out something as important as that. Unless... A terrible thought struck me. Perhaps he couldn't to accept that because of Harry. Maybe he wanted to think that it was Harry's fault and not the crystals.

Somehow I doubted that was true. People will find anything to blame instead of dealing with the loss and I suppose some would even blame the victim, but I knew my father wasn't like that. He didn't have it in his heart to be that way.

Just like Harry.

I battled the pull to sink into thoughts of my lost brother, but it was too strong and I surrendered myself to awful memories that made my heart ache. If only there was a massage to ease that pain.

"Lilly?" Miss Hart's voice filtered through the mess that was my brain. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." I stood up, not entirely focused on my surroundings.

As I was climbing into the pool I felt eyes on me. I turned around quickly and Laura jumped. She had been standing right behind me; so close I was almost nose to nose with her.

She stumbled back and for the first time I took in her appearance.

He bikini was not red or black or even white, thank god, but a deep emerald green which brought out the green in her eyes and simultaneously complimented her skin tone beautifully. I tried to ignore the muscles on her stomach and along her arms as I looked, but I couldn't get them out my head.

She looked strong. She probably got that from karate.

'Must be great in bed.'

The thought sprang unbidden into my head and my face burned. The worst thing was, once it was in there I couldn't get it out.

It was going to be a long day.

***

We were driving home before I knew it. The radio wasn't on this time and it was quiet, but comfortably so. Laura was watching the road with glazed intensity and I wondered what she was actually seeing - what she was thinking.

I could have entered her mind but that was rude and she didn't have any way of keeping me out. Dad had told us that we could only ever enter a person's mind without their consent when we were searching. Which I clearly wasn't, so I had no excuse.

That didn't stop me wondering though.

I stopped the car slowly, not ready for it to be over yet. I didn't want her to go but she prepared to climb out the car and I said goodbye.

There was one redeeming feature. As she leaned in to hug me, she whispered, "we should do this again sometime." Then she released me again and spoke normally. "Bye. I had an amazing day. And Lilly... soon, okay?"

I nodded and watched as she walked to her front door. It was flung open before she could touch it and a woman emerged who kissed her fully on the mouth, while I watched numbly.