Black. Aubrey sat up out of bed with that one word in her head. She was still living in her old dorm, but she wasn't sure if Link or Johnny were anymore, or if they were moving back into their house with their family. Family. Black. Aubrey threw the three fleece blankets layered over her small, waif like body and put her legs over the side of her bed. Standing up, the junior- now senior, actually- moved over to the dresser she kept all her clothes in. Pulling out a pair of yellow sailor shorts, Aubrey pulled them on after stripping herself of her flannel men's pajama pants. The she pulled her shirt over her head and cast about for a top. Finally deciding on a black, open back shift tunic, Aubrey pulled it on and then put on her Secret deoderant. Brushing her hair but leaving it down, Aubrey slipped her black flip flops on and then put her keys in her pocket.

Instead of taking her car, Aubrey headed for the short walkway between the dorms and the school building, which was locked for the summer. She looked around before dashing to the back of the school, stopping by a side door that she'd... accidentally jammed the lock to the last day of school. Wedging the door open by prying her fingers through the crack in the door, Aubrey slipped inside with a last glance behind her. She was in the basement of the school, and dashed to the stairs to take them up to the first floor.

Once there, Aubrey made her way slowly to the commons, seeing that all the tables were up and against the wall. It took her five minutes to drag one away from the wall and open it up again, and another five to drag it to the center of the room. It was dark, and she climbed up to the table surface and lay on her back on the round tabletop. Arms and legs splayed, Aubrey stared up at the ceiling with her large, dark blue eyes that were accentuated startling with mascara, an unusual event.

Sitting up quickly, Aubrey's excitement at the sight of her boyfriend bubbled over into her face, until she was reminded by his words the reason why she was here. "No," she said, almost snapping, but not quite. It was difficult to be curt with Nat, and she was immediately repentant about her rude tone when he hadn't done anything. Spinning toward him and throwing her legs over the side of the table, Aubrey threw her arms around Nat and squeezed him as tightly as her small arms could manage. "Sorry," she said into his neck, pressing her lips to the skin her face was against. "I missed you." Pulling away to look at his face, Aubrey felt all her excitement flooding again- her emotions were always so volatile and passionate when they came. Not much was ever mild about Aubrey, it was all or nothing.

"How was your trip?" she asked, trying to be excited for Nat. Which she was, but she would miss him when he left next year. At least they had the summer. Impatiently shoving hair back behind her ear, Aubrey blinked up at him from where she stood, a great deal lower to the ground. It seemed like every day the difference in height grew. "it's been boring around here. Letting go of the graduate except for his hand, Aubrey pulled him back to the table she'd dragged to the center of the commons, sitting down on the table and putting her feet on the seats. Nat was a welcome distraction, now even more than ever, if possible.

Aubrey bit her lip, unsure if she did or didn't want to discuss it, so she remained mute for now. She'd never told anyone about it, not even Link, to whom she confessed everything. Almost everything. But Nat was... well, Nat. And she wanted him to know. Part of her was just afraid of what he would think or say, not of her, but about the situation. It was her darkest secret, and it was about to come out. Smiling when he held her tighter, Aubrey held on to his shirt with her fists until they let go. "I'm glad," she said with a smile, feeling better already now that Nat was back in town. She didn't get to see many of her friends anymore. Link was usually hanging out with Dani, oddly enough. Now that Faye and Link had broken up, the girl wondered... and Johnny and Kalia, Aubrey couldn't find anywhere. Mark was in the youth detention center for three weeks, and Melody, Emylee, and all her other friends were off with either their boyfriends or family as well.

Aubrey's face brightened at Nat's smile, and laughed when the boy described his trip. "You didn't get to do any site-seeing at all? How deprived you where!" Sitting up straighter, Aubrey said once the thought occurred to her, "Actually, there are three or four students for next year who are already here. I've only met one though." Watching their twined hands, Aubrey blinked before taking a breath. "My dad's coming to Schuler," she said, ambivalence coarsening her voice more than the usual alluring, throaty tone Aubrey had.

Shrugging Aubrey said, "Out of touch. They've been busy, and I've been lazy." Seeing Nat's smile, Aubrey's own lips pressed into a toothless smile of her own. "What?" she prompted, wanting to know what was on his mind. She never understood him perfectly, and she loved that, it made things interesting. She pressed a small fist to her stomach on the side. She was hungry and feeling more energetic. Maybe she'd go for a run later. The senior hadn't jogged in a long time; it was probably the reason she was feeling so irritable. Running took away all her stress, made all her thoughts disappear until it was just herself and the trail.

"No Disneyland?" Aubrey said with a mock pout. "How horrible!" Clapping with her laughter, Aubrey said, "Mickey ears? So that my ears will finally match yours?" she teased. Her grin faded slightly when he asked about her father's trip, "It's a bad thing," she confirmed. She sighed. "He's the reason I met you, ironically enough. But he's hell. And he's going to suck me under with him," she said with a grimace. She's spent several years seeing a psychologist after moving to Top Sail, thanks to her father.

"True," Aubrey admitted with a laugh and a smile. The senior had been feeling pretty lazy and laid back. It was quite the contrast to her usual, busy and energetic, self. Running a hand through her long hair, which was coming down to her waist now that she'd gone almost a year without a cut. She'd had to get it cut a little shorter soon, so the oppressive heat of the summer didn't smother her. "So, you met some people you like? That's good." Looking at her own watch out of habit, Aubrey read the time. She always had to know what time it was, constantly checking her watch. It was part of her busy-bee makeup.

"Welcome," she chirped, grinning. "Quite unfair," she agreed. "But you will get to go before I ever do, so take comfort in that." Shrugging off his concern so he wouldn't see her own worry, Aubrey casual waved her hand at the air, as though brushing it aside. "I like that he's the reason we met too." She stared at the wall, well aware of her poor lying ability, not looking at Nat. She wasn't even sure how she'd actually managed to snag a minor, one-liner role in Wicked when the school had put the musical on. "I have no look," she said, frowning. "I don't have a problem, really, with you knowing. And there isn't anything to do, except bear his presence." Which Nat would not be present to experience, she was certain.

"I know," Aubrey said, exhaling loudly, her cool, minty breath blowing several strands that had fallen down in front of Aubrey's face upward before they floated back to where they'd been before. Shaking her head immediately, Aubrey said, "No. I'm going to take him around and then kick him out." She really didn't want him to meet Link or Nat- she didn't know what they would think, and she didn't want to know. If they saw him, she'd probably spill her entire history to them. "He just isn't a very good father- an alcoholic and all that." Aubrey made no mention of what more he'd done to her family. Watching silently when Nat answered a text, Aubrey said in response to Link's dialogue through Nat, "Tell him I said hi and not to worry."

Smiling at Nat, Aubrey said, "That's great. If I was you I'd worry I wouldn't know anyone." Smiling again when he continued, she added, "Well, I suppose it shouldn't be, but I guess part of me is glad you do. Then you'll come visit more." Feeling much better, Aubrey stood. "Well, then let's stop being lazy and do something, if you want." There were loads of options, including the new pool opened locally, the mall, the park, etc..

"I'll keep that in mind," Aubrey said, smiling. her dark blue eyes, in the dark lighting almost looking black, were on Nat's face when his lighter blue eyes met her gaze. "You're pretty great, you know that?" Aubrey told him, moving her hands to grip the sides of the tables as she leaned forward slightly. "So, are you staying in a dorm or are you finding an apartment in L.A.?" She didn't want to talk about her problems. She wanted to hear about college for Nat, since she would probably never get to experience it for herself. It was something she thought about a lot, and it made her wish that she'd studied a bit more in class.

"Well, I just wondered what it was like, being in such a large campus." Aubrey always thought she'd love a big city, but since she'd moved to Topsail from London when she was young, the senior had never really had the chance to learn whether she would like it. Aubrey grinned. "Okay," she said when he promised to visit. "I won't complain." Thinking, she added, "Maybe when I graduate I'll come down to L.A. and find an apartment. That would be cool." Frowning suddenly at the new question, Aubrey said, "Good question... Um, we could swim? Or go for a walk, or go to the mall. What do you think?"