The light faded and they found themselves stumbling around in a familiar forest. They were back home but they could only feel half happy.
"I told you guys you could go without me". Rwen sulked. "What if I never see Elrod again! My night in shining armor!"
"Don't be such a drama queen, I thought you hated him, Lord Oldin now..." Candy trailed off with a dreamy look. "He can haunt my dreams!"
"Alia! Candice! Rwen!"
Someone was calling for them! Alia stumbled forward, trying to find the voice.
Suddenly the trees parted and she saw people, modern people. She was still a bit dazed and blinking, her vision was foggy.
"Alia!"
They were getting closer and the next thing she knew, she was suffocating in a warm, tight embrace and some strong body spray, wait! she recognized this smell. Aiden!
"Aiden?!" she half asked as he backed away and she was allowed to breathe again. They were surrounded by if not, their whole year group.
"Rwen!" Kelly ran forward to wrap her arms around a very confused Rwen. "We found you!" there was even some subbing in her voice.
"It's not like we were gone for that long" she muttered trying to free herself from her crab like grip.
"Are you okay, you are not hurt?!" Their eyes met after his quick examination and he released her hand, looking away and scratching his head.
"I.... am. Fine". Alia drawled. Meeting his eyes once more. "Now".
"Oh" he whispered.
He left to have a look at Rwen and Candy.
"Michael call the police and tell them we found them". He was back to directing in an instant. "We need to take you to the hospital to make sure you guys are okay". He explained. "I'm going to call your parents and tell them we found you".
"Technically we found our way back!" Candy was not liking the damsel in distress role at all. "And we are fine!"
They ended up at the hospital, despite her protests.
And after some expert examinations, were deemed 'okay'. Well Candy and Alia. Rwen had finally broken down and the doctors did not know what to make of it.
"WHYYYYY! I finally found the love of my life and we had to separate. It's just not fair. Why does my fairytale have to be so tragic! It's just like Romeo and Juliet only no its like, like star crossed lovers, forbidden to be together. Trapped in two separate worlds. So close, yet so far away!" She ended dramatically before bursting into tears again.
The police were waiting outside and they would have to give an explanation for their disappearance.
"Uh Uh!" Candy perked up "let's tell them we got kidnapped by ninja burglars oh no better yet organ harvesters. But I used my two years of karate training, huwahhh!" she did a series of kicks. "And nocked them out, then we escaped!"
Alia did not have to say she did not like it.
"C'mon you all got to play the hero, just this one time! Do it for me!"
The Doctor watching both girls was having second thoughts on his examination.
"It seems they might be suffering from a concussion". He explained to the officer at the door.
And so they were forced to stick to that story.
"We left prom early because of Candy's prank and I was upset with them so we were arguing and I got even more upset and went into the woods to calm down and they came and found me and on our way back, we fell into a crater and I don't remember anything except us waking up and crawling out". Alia exclaimed.
"Lies!" Rwen yelled. "You forgot to mention Elrod, my knight in shining armor, who fought so valiantly against beast... what was his name again?"
The police left on that note, then the Lentlys arrived and there was more hugging and crying mostly from Rwen she was loving the air. And the attention.
"Okay apart from the concussion and some mild dehydration I think she will be just fine". The guy in the white coat announced.
"Really doctor? What about my broken heart?! It really is broken".
"Yeah she's fine" Candy concluded.
Just then the door was flung open, to the extent that it banged against the wall.
"My babies!" A familiar blonde ponytail appeared followed by a woman in black.
"Mother?" Rwen and Candy could not help their bewilderment.
"Don't you worry, I'm here now. And I'll make sure to never let you out of my sight again!"
The words sank in all too quickly.
"Mother?"
Candy fixed her father with a questioning look.
"She's sueing for custody". Mr Lently sighed casting his gaze downwards.
But that's another story.