Dear Diary

Chapter 23

I shook my head and focused on the conversation. No place for gloomy thoughts right now.

Somehow my sister and I ended up talking about boys and I honestly don't know how we even came to that.

"Any boy that's interested in you must come through me first," Ronan said and my sister turned to look at him.

"Why's that, lovey?"

Ronan shrugged his shoulders. "Well, she's my sister. I'm not going to let just any one be with her."

I smiled, touched by his words. The fact that someone was willing to defend my honour. I couldn't picture my dad ever threatening to break someone's nose: he's too kind for that. My mom would probably do it before my dad.

"What is your type though, Lizzy?" Sara asked, her dark eyebrows peaked in curiosity.

"Definitely a biker, eh?" Ronan teased - because he was one. 

I smiled. I was petrified of that machine. It could topple over any minute and you're going high speed! But it didn't mean I didn't find guys who rode them attractive.

"Yes, okay, but also the bad-boys as well, I think," I blurted out before I had a chance to register what I just said. 

A thought of Cole instantly ran through my mind and I tried terribly to keep from blushing.

"Oh, but what if you meet one of those surfer dudes with hair as long as mine?" Sara asked as she flicked her long chocolate locks over her shoulder. 

When she was in high school, she had an obsession with surfers, then she ended up with Ronan who's the complete opposite.

"No, definitely not," I laughed. "Surfers have always been a major turn-off for me. If anything, I'd picture myself marrying someone from the military. A man in uniform is what I like."

We all laughed, knowing that that would most likely never happen.

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Sophia shook her head as she closed her mother's diary. School had just finished and she was busy walking towards her bike when she decided to catch up on some reading. She wondered if her mother ever remembered that conversation when she married her father ... How perfect it all seemed.

Sophia was so deep in thought that it took a pat on her shoulder for her to realise that someone had been calling her name. She turned to see Luke smiling at her.

"Hi, Sophia!"

"Hey, Luke," Sophia greeted in a calmer manner. "What is it?'

"My mom would just like to apologize again for what happened last Sunday," Luke smiled and Sophia shook her head thinking back to what occurred yesterday at the third Sunday she had by the Woods.

"It's not her fault my hair caught on fire," Sophia reassured as she played with her now half-length ponytail.

"Yes, but she feels terrible about lighting that candle so close to you," Luke said.

Sophia shrugged. "Well, you can tell her that I was in need of a haircut anyway so she did me a favour."

They walked quietly next to each other for a moment and Sophia put the diary back in her bag. 

She heard Luke snicker next to her. "I must admit that was funny though."

Next thing he was in a full-blown laugh.

Sophia cracked the tiniest smile. Luke just had one of those laughs that could make anyone happy. It wasn't an ugly laugh though, it was a cheerful one. 

"I've never seen you run so fast! Have you ever thought of joining the track team?"

Sophia paused. Her mother used to do running. Did she inherit that from her? To be honest, Sophia never thought of doing extra-curricular activities. She never wanted to make a commitment only to leave in two months. She thought for a moment before giving a small smile. Maybe it was time for change?

"I'll think about it," she said and looked at Luke to see him staring at her with a soft smile.

"You know, you should smile more often. It suites you," he complimented, leaving Sophia a bit at a loss for words. 

She didn't know how to respond so she just gave a small, almost thoughtful hum and looked down at her boots, making Luke's smile broaden.

Yet, unknown to the two teenagers, someone stood lurking in the shadows, watching them with a heated glare.