I often wonder.. [open]

[Shane Ross]

[Sure, I'll make the next one ]

Shane could tell from the expression on Diana's face what she worried about. He knew her too well not to. Afterall, this wasn't 5 years ago. Being caught didn't just get you a detention, but perhaps the frontpage of the paper. " We might get caught. Most likely not, though." He assured her. " I know this castle better than my own house. Which means, we'll have to take the secret corridors and whatnot. And basically just try to avoid whoever is patrolling the halls tonight. But once we figure out a place to go, we should be able to get there without a problem. It'll be intense...and dangerous." He said with a grin. Shane lived for things like this.

Shane laughed. " Please fire them then. Your fan club is trying to steal you away from me and I don't really like it." He teased. " If you fire yours, then I'll fire my 'I love Shane' committee. That sounds fair." He told her with a playful wink. Perhaps there weren't really fanclubs, but Shane was sure Diana did have boys after her. Which really, quite possible would make Shane a teensy bit jealous.

Shane grinned, hearing Diana's adorable giggle. That was just one of many things he liked about her. " Oh, I don't know. You tell me." He said, his grin growing slightly. He watched as she turned away. " Are you blushing again? Don't look away. Then I can't see your pretty face." He pouted. " I like when you blush." He said, giving her a cutesy smile of his own.

[Diana Fortuna]

[haha thankies]

Diana looked at Shane and smiled. "When have you known me to be afraid of a front page," she said lightly. "I mean... I guess I was kind of in one the other day," she blushed. "But it was all a misunderstanding," she said lightly. "The woman doesn't have her stuff straight," she said truthfully. "Anyways, it seems like we're going to have a blast," she said cuddling up closer to him.

"Ahh.. are you jealous Shane," Diana's pointer finger ran up and down his chest. "I don't see why you should be jealous my dear they have nothing compared to you," Diana's face was now only seconds away from his. "I mean you are Shane Ross after-all," she wrapped one arm around his shoulder lightly. "And yet I think this time you might have met your match Shaney," she laughed lightly scooting herself playfully to the other side of the bench. It was almost as if she was saying 'are you confident enough to make a move on me?'

"Tell you why I wasn't grinning?" Diana looked at him. "Well it had nothing to do with your words," she said untruthfully. Then when he caught her blush again, Diana laughed. "It's a rare occasion that I blush," she said looking back at him. "But I like it when you smile," she said smiling back.

[Shane Ross]

Shane nodded in agreement. " She'll do anything to get a good story. I really don't believe half the things she writes." He said, rolling his eyes. It was one thing to print the truth, but another entirely to twist it and try to ruin someone's life in the process. Shane thought it was pretty pathetic. He didn't like that woman one bit, though he knew for sure he wasn't the only one. He smiled, nodded once again. " I know! It's going to be like all the other times. Maybe better because we're older. And wiser." He added, grinning broadly. Plus now Shane knew more secrets of how to get around the castle without getting caught. That was always helpful.

A small smirk formed on Shane's lips as Diana's finger traced up and down his chest. She was teasing him, egging him on, and he was enjoying it. His smirk grew as Diana came closer, hearing her words. " You make another good point." He replied, his smirk growing into a grin. He raised his eyebrows slightly as Diana wrapped her arm around his shoulders before quickly scooting away from him. " I hope you know you're one of the only people in this world I'll let call me Shaney." He grinned. He closed the space on the bench between them once more.

Shane thought he felt his own cheek flush slightly. Shane? Blushing? Even just a little was rare...He smiled back at Diana. " Well I like making you blush." He whispered, barely inches away from her. He then did something he didn't expect to and allowed himself to place a soft kiss on Diana's cheek.

[Diana Fortuna]

Diana laughed lightly and nodded. "Yes well she is an utterly atrocious woman," she hissed lightly. It was apparent that Diana utterly detested that woman. "Yes older.. but I'm not sure if wiser would be the words," she laughed lightly. "I think we were wiser when we cared about getting detention," she shook her head lightly. The old days were really quite a laugh when you thought about it now.

Diana giggled and raised an eyebrow. "Oh well dear I think I of all people deserve that privilege," she said smiling and welcoming him as he grew closer. "So tell me... how do you like messing with a girl who is finally at your level?" she asked him curiously. Not a lot of guys liked the fact that she was more capable of getting what she wanted then they were. She guessed that was what intimidated them, but frankly she didn't care.

Diana laughed lightly, "Dear I think you as well are blushing." She could tell the blush since he was so light skinned compared to her tanned color. When he placed a light kiss on her cheek, Diana turned red. She wasn't only blushing but she was laughing. He was melting away her cocky cover and she would not allow that to happen. She trusted Shane, but she was afraid to trust a guy, that she thought as possibly more than a friend, with her emotions, let alone her heart.

[Shane Ross]

Shane smirked slightly, putting on a thoughtful look before answering. " Well, it is a challenge." He admitted to her. " But more fun all the same." He admitted to her with a playful grin. She was right afterall. Most girls were easy to get to, but Diana could always toy with his mind better than anyone. " So you really think you're at my level though?" He asked, in an almost challenging sort of way, perking a single dark eyebrow. She was. Yet, it was more fun this way. The more they toyed and flirted and teased one another, the more Shane loved it.

Shane rolled his eyes in a playful manner. " Yeah, yeah...I guess even the mightiest of us have to blush at one point or another." He said with a tiny grin. He knew Diana trusted him, and he trusted her more than anyone. Their friendship meant so much to him and his shift in feelings might not go over very well. He knew Diana was afraid to let anyone in. Giving someone your feelings made you feel vulnerable...to get hurt especially. Shane knew how that felt.

[Diana Fortuna]

Diana giggled at his words. "Do I think i'm at your level?" she said biting her lip and mocking a thoughtful face. "Well.. I must say that you do seem a bit lower than me huh?" she said with a smile. "I guess you are right, I am a higher level, thanks for making me realize that," she laughed and stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

Growing closer to him she smiled, "I like it when you blush." Then placing her head on his shoulder she thought. She could see herself falling for him. Shane and her had always been friends but now she was kind of wishing they could become more. She wanted to be with him, but if that meant it would ruin there friendship, then she wouldn't do it.

[Shane Ross]

Shane gasped dramatically, pretending to look offended. " You're saying that you're better than me?" He asked, placing a hand on his chest. " I'm really hurt...You might be right, but I'm still so hurt." He added, though he couldn't keep a straight face for long. He laughed when Diana stuck her tongue out at him. " Keep that in your mouth. Someone might take it as in invitation to snog. Or I might get the urge to bite it." He teased, giving her a small grin.

Shane's grin grew slightly more. " Thank you." He replied, as Diana rested her head onto his shoulder. Shane let his head rest on top of hers, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. He loved how he could feel so comfortable and at ease around Diana. There was no denying the fact that what Shane now felt for this girl extended above just friendship. He wanted to try and have something more with her, but he still didn't know how Diana felt.

[Diana Fortuna]

Diana giggled at his mock-dramatic reaction. "Oh it's ok love... you've gotten better than when I first met you," she patted his leg and giggled playfully. When Shane spoke of snogging, Diana raised an eyebrow. "Oh really," she giggled. Then with a burst of the moment she spoke, "What if it was and invitation, you just missed it." She smiled as her blue eyes met his.

Feeling his head rest lightly on hers made her stomach turn. She could feel herself falling for him. She was afraid and couldn't help but tell herself to stop falling. Shane was her friend and what if he didn't see her like that, then she'd just be playing the fool.

[Shane Ross]

Shane rolled his eyes playfully. " Well, thank you. I think." He chuckled, though there was a hint of sarcasm in his words. Of course, the majority of what Shane said was sarcastic. It was a second language. Shane couldn't help but laugh as Diana burst into a fit of giggles. He glanced down at her, their eyes meeting. He put on a wicked grin. " If I missed it, you could always send out the invitation again." He suggested. " Might catch it next time." Shane grinned, sending a wink in her direction.

Flirting was an act that came easily around Diana. She was so clever, funny, and pretty that Shane couldn't help himself around her. They always flirted and teased one another, but Shane couldn't help but think that the way they were acting now was something more than friendship. Even if only a little. Or he could be completely wrong. There was one way to find out and Shane wasn't sure if he dared to do it. Then again, it would be better than never knowing how she felt. " Diana...I'm about to say something and I really hope I don't sound completely stupid when I say it..." He began, unsure of what to say next. The words hadn't been planned.

[Diana Fortuna]

Diana smiled at his sarcasm and spit it back out at him, "oh it was a compliment." As he spoke on Diana couldn't help but feel the urge to do something crazy. "Ohh.." she smiled placing her hand on his stomach. "Well then I might have to send another your way," she smiled as her head tilted a bit playfully.

Looking up at him when he spoke her stomach turned. She really liked Shane a lot, and she was somewhat hoping it was something about that. "Just say it Shane," she smiled at him as she snuggled in closer to him. She wasn't exactly sure what he was going to say but God it made her nervous. And to make a girl like Diana nervous was a skill.

[Shane Ross]

Shane smirked slyly as Diana placed her hand on his stomach." I think you might have to. I mean, it sounds like a good idea." Shane replied playfully, the smirk on his lips growing. He wondered if Diana had any idea how badly she was teasing him at the moment. Even with just the way she was looking at him, added to the way she was snuggling up to him was a tease. This was a little rare. Usually it was Shane doing the teasing. She had been right in saying he had met his match.

Shane caught Diana's smile and it gave a little more nerve to continue. He hardly ever became nervous, but at the moment he was a little. " We've been friends for a long time, right? But lately, I've been feeling a little differently." He went on, trying to explain this. He chewed his lip a moment before continuing. It was a nervous habit. " What I'm trying to say is that I like you a lot, Diana. And I mean that as in more than just a friend way. A lot more."

[Diana Fortuna]

Diana giggled at his smile. "So what's on your mind Shane," she asked him. As she asked questions, her finger went up and down his stomach playfully. Ha, yeah he had met his match, Diana was one of the best flirts she knew; but, she did have to say that Shane kept up with her, so he could place up there with her.

Lifting her head from his shoulder she looked at him. There was a smile placed on her face. Diana had a feeling he was going to say this and she was happy that he did. "Shane, you weren't the only one thinking that way," she smiled at him. Diana had been thinking about that for sometime now. Placing a light hand on his cheek she looked up at him, "I was waiting for you to say something." She giggled lightly but throughout the conversation her eyes met his. She wasn't going to turn her eyes to a different direction. She wasn't ashamed of her liking Shane, and it seemed that she wasn't the only one who thought that way either.

[Shane Ross]

Shane smiled at her question. He put on a thoughtful look but barely took a moment before answering. " You." He grinned at her, feeling her fingertip through the fabric of his tee-shirt. He was being completely honest as well. Of course Diana was on his mind...How could she not be?

Shane felt a feeling of relief after he had finally told Diana how he had been feeling about her. He had been holding that thought in for so long, he was glad he had told her. He was even more glad when Diana told him she had been feeling the same way. Shane lifted his eyebrows slightly in surprise, smiling at her. " Really? Well, I was going to say something a long time ago, but wasn't sure how you would feel about it." He admitted, shrugging his shoulders. It had been obvious to everyone around them, how they felt about one another. Afterall, the way they flirted and teased eachother was a bit beyond friendship. Shane brushed a strand of Diana's hair away from her face, his fingertips brushing across her skin. " Well, I'm glad I finally said something." He smiled softly.

[Diana Fortuna]

"Me huh?" she smiled at him. "How so.. tell me," she giggled and flashed him a smile. She was curious to see what he was thinking. She always had been and if people were thinking about her, it was natural to want to know what.

Diana nodded when Shane said really. "Well you should have said something," she smiled and stuck out her tongue. "Making me wait... I have to say one of the only guys I would wait for," Diana smiled sincerely. She wouldn't have waited if it was any old chap. But really not a lot of people made her wait so she guessed that was what made her more allured towards Shane. When his fingertips lightly brushed against her skin she looked at him. "That makes two of us," she smiled at him and tilted her head playfully to the side.

[Shane Ross]

Shane smiled at Diana. " Lots of things." He said vaguely, shrugging his shoulders. He knew Diana wouldn't take that as a complete answer, though. Shane wouldn't have either. " Well...let's see...I was thinking about how pretty you are at first, and then I started thinking about how you had a cute laugh. And then I started wondering how I stayed only friends with you all this time when there was clearly so much more I liked about you." Shane smiled. He supposed he did have these same feelings for her all along. It just took a little longer to admit them to himself.

Shane laughed. " I was only making you wait because I had no idea how you felt about me." He smirked slightly. " But I'm happy you waited for me." He added on, his smile growing.