Friends or More?

Mal continued to walk along, having no idea where he was leading them, or even sure how deep into the forest they were at this point. For all he knew, he was getting them completely and totally lost. "My family?" He shrugged. "Nothing too interesting. I have two older sisters, one of which is married, the other is travelling the world. We used to all be pretty close but we obviously don't see each other much anymore." He ran a hand through his hair, looking sad for a moment before shrugging it off. "Then there's my mom and dad. We're not really... close." He wondered if he should ask her in return, but wasn't sure if that was a good idea after their conversation about her sister earlier.

"Oh I'm sorry..." She muttered and looked around. Her hands shook as they walked deeper into the forest. "Where are we going?"Preslea said nervously. Being lost was one of presleas worst nightmares and she didn't want to be stuck there.

"Nah, don't be sorry. It's not your fault and I'm used to it by now," he said, shooting her a reassuring smile that soon crumbled when he heard her nervous tone. "I don't know, somewhere. Why? Are you okay?" He took a step towards her, brows knit together. "We can turn around if you want."

"Pinky promise." I sat up and linked pinkys with him. "Mal, have you ever loved anyone?" she asked and laid her head on his shoulder.

(i don't think that was the reply that was supposed to go there :p)

(Ohhh...uh. Yes.."

Puppy wrote:

"Nah, don't be sorry. It's not your fault and I'm used to it by now," he said, shooting her a reassuring smile that soon crumbled when he heard her nervous tone. "I don't know, somewhere. Why? Are you okay?" He took a step towards her, brows knit together. "We can turn around if you want."

Kitteh wrote:

"Pinky promise." I sat up and linked pinkys with him. "Mal, have you ever loved anyone?" she asked and laid her head on his shoulder.

(are you sure? 'cause it's the same response you posted on the college thread
or is my computer just being screwed up?)

Preslea nodded weakly and bit her lip. "Yeah..Yeah, I'm fine." She put on a smile and hugged herself. "Let's go.." She stood behind him and stayed close.

He frowned more, taking a few more steps before shaking his head. "You don't look fine, are you sure you're okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned and worried that he'd done something wrong.

"Yes! I'm fine!' She said holding onto his jacket as it got darker. "Please keep moving.."

"Okay..." He didn't sound convinced, but didn't protest anymore. If she didn't want to talk about it, then he wouldn't push her to. Still, he linked arms with her and gave her a reassuring smile in hopes that it would help.

Preslea smiled softly and leaned against him, hiding from the dark. "Hey Ma-" She heard a noise and screamed, jumping into his arms. "TAKE ME BACK TAKE ME BACK!" She said quickly and shook all over.

(I'm laughing so hard because all I can see is:
)

"Whoa, hey!" he said in surprise, holding onto her. Which, thanks to his lack of strength, was not as easy as it looked to hold up her tiny frame. "Pres, it's okay." He nodded at the squirrel that had leaped out of the bush, stared at them quizzically for a moment, and then darted away.

(OMG YES!)

Preslea hid her face. "MAL, HOW WAS THAT A SQUIRREL? IT MADE TOO MUCH NOISE! MALLLLL!!!" She started to cry and shook in his arms.

(*takes a bow*)

"It's okay. It was probably just running around or something." He held onto her tightly and let her cry. "Are you sure you don't want to head back to the school?"

"Yes please." she whispered and held him close. "Pleasepleaseplease"

"Okay." He nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulders in hopes it would help her calm down even a little bit. "We'll head back, and it'll be okay." He looked around, not really sure which direction led back to the school, or the path they'd been on earlier, but tried not to show his worry. He turned them around, pretty sure that this was the right direction, and began to walk.

Preslea followed closely behind. "Mal, are there really monsters here?" She asked starting to move faster.

He shook his head. "Probably not. I mean, it's a school. They're not allowed to endanger their students' lives, right?" He was pretty sure Mystal was supposed to be a safe place, and no staff had actually warned them about going in the forest. It'd only make sense that the forest would be safe.
At least that was what he hoped.

"I hope not!" She said starting to run. "I DONT WANT TO GET EATEN." she reached to the end where they started. "Thank god..,"

"I wouldn't of let you get eaten," Mal insisted once they'd gotten back to where they'd started. He was pretty impressed with his own abilities to get them back to this spot, considering the fact that he'd guessed pretty much blindly. "I'd protect you!" He pretended to wield an imaginary sword and waved it at an imaginary monster.

Preslea giggled and pretended to be a princess. "Oh Mal, thank you!" she twirled around and hid behind a tree.

Mal pretended to search for her before loudly announcing, "The princess has been kidnapped! I must save her!" He then began to battle an imaginary dragon, laughing the whole time. After a few seconds of a very "intense" battle, he ran behind the tree and hugged her around the middle, swinging her around. "I saved you!"

"Oh Prince Mal, You saved me!" She grinned and giggled when she twirled her around. "You slayed the dragon and now, you are my knight in shining  armor!"

He let go of her and bowed dramatically. "It was my honor Princess Preslea." He then stood up and grinned at her. "I would fight a thousand dragons for you. They are no match for my strength and fantastic swordsmanship."