The Sequel: The Year of Separation

Chapter 3

Nicky's was packed tight and Abby was sitting with Thea drinking soda keeping an eye on the boys, but mostly trying to relax.

Where was my other friends?


Yes, Kylie volunteered to help Rae and Serenity study for a Biology test. So I now had to sit here trying to ignore Pogue and Kate because I felt really guilty, confused and nervous. Thankfully for me, Thea was more focused on Reid and his starting addiction, Abby internally complained.

Turning her focused away from her train of thoughts, Abby checked to see if Thea was on to her.

That's interesting Chase is jealous and upset at Caleb. He must be getting beaten in the game. Reid now is, well, there's a shock, horny….

Abby smiled and thought, Good.

Pogue was now standing by Caleb and Chase playing foosball while Kate was sitting with Sarah.

What just happened? Nothing a little dancing won't fix.

Abby glanced over to Sarah's thoughts and saw Kate give her a coin for the jukebox. She strutted to Caleb as "I Love Rockin' Roll" played and it was cute that Pogue had to turn Caleb in the right direction.

As they started to walk to the dance floor Pogue sent a quick glance at Abby, who quickly looked down at the drink in front of her. Pogue’s voice echoed softly in her mind,

I shouldn't have been so straight forward.

Abby thought, it was more her fault if anything.

Abby hated that he made her crazy and feeble by just looking into his amazing eyes. Abby sighed again at the feeling of not being in control again. She grabbed her purse and swiped Reid's pack of cigarettes off the table. I guess bad habits don't die, Abby thought as she went outside around the back of Nicky's to have a smoke.

As she took a long drag she remember about Thursday night, the night she almost broke her promise.

Abby was writing up a paper for English class in her dorm when someone knocked on the door. She sighed at the fact she was almost done with the retched paper and walked over to the door to find Pogue. She gave him a quick worried glance because he looked miserable. This indeed had Kate written all over it.

Abby said as she let him inside, "Pogue, if you're looking for Kate she's not here. She mumbled something about going out and not being back until Saturday." Abby sat back on Kate's bed to her lap top, while Pogue just leaned against the wall. Abby added, "Don't mind the mess. My papers took over my bed, so I'm using hers. Don't tell her."

Pogue smiled and said, "I won't. I promise. But I wasn't looking for her. I actually wanted to talk to you." Pogue said quietly.

Abby put the computer down and looked up while patting the bed, "Come and talk."

He slowly sat on her bed making it sink deeper and said, "Kate and I got in a fight. And this time I think it's really over."

She scooted closer and asked, "I know this is a stupid question, but are you okay?"

Pogue turned to her and said with a smile, "Surprisingly yes. I actually feel relieved." Abby was taken back a little how he bounced back so quickly and thought surprised, Sure they got in fights all the time, but this time it was the real deal, right?

"Well I don't know what to say then. I'm happy for you?"

Pogue laughed and said a little sad, "Thanks."

He got up and started to head for the door, "Pogue?" He turned around and Abby gave him a hug, "Just letting you know, in my opinion, she didn't deserve you."

Pogue wrapped his arms around her and said huskily, "That means a lot, Abs." She made the mistake of looking into those hypnotic eyes which turned her brain into mush. Pogue kissed her and she kissed back, more urgently, and soon led to them making out on Kate's bed. It wasn't until a couple minutes later she realized this was wrong!

She pushed him back and said in a ragged breath, "We shouldn't do this. You don't even know if you really broke up with Kate?"

Pogue said unfazed, "I'm pretty sure it's over. I'm over her."

Abby continued to say, "Even so, you just 'broke up', this is too fast and you have hurt feelings and…."

I can't afford to get close. I promised, she thought defeated.

Pogue's face turned somber as he got up saying, "Do you think I'm using you as a rebound?" Abby had her mouth open, but nothing could come out. He grabbed her hand, "Abby I've wanted to be more than friends for a long time. I really like you."

Abby was flabbergasted and it was painful, but she forced herself to say, "Pogue I can't."

Pogue asked, "Why not?"

She glanced at the floor, "Because I don't think I could ever return the feelings you want from me. I'm just not ready for a relationship. Please, can we be just friends?"

Abby was starting to cry because she wanted and craved for more. Pogue's face collapsed in disappointment, but as he looked up to Abby, who was crying he said, "Alright, Abs. I'll do whatever you want. We'll be just friends." He hugged her tight as she sobbed into his shirt.

Abby lit another cigarette. No one, not even Kate, knew what happened on her bed that day.

The sound of yelling came from further to her left and she stepped closer curious to find out what was going on. As she inched around the corner, she saw the boys were yelling at each other, and all of a sudden Reid threw a trash can at Caleb, which he deflected. Caleb threw Reid back into the air to land on empty beer bottles.

Out of instinct Abby gasped catching Pogue's attention.

Oh shit!

They stared at each other before Pogue moved to stop Caleb from killing Reid. Abby fished her keys out and drove in her car around for a while. What the hell am I going to do now? Pogue caught me and now they'd probably be worried that I would spilled their so called "secret."

Abby rolled her eyes and parked the car, trying to figure out a plan. After rattling her brain, she decided to act with ignorance. She was going to get an Academy Award for this performance.

Meanwhile, Kylie had offered to help Serenity and Rae for their Biology test that was on Monday. Kylie opened her text book to chapter 5: The Biological Classification, when Rae stood up grabbing a coat, "See you later. Thanks for the tutoring."

Kylie stared at her, "I didn't even start…." Rae closed the door and left.

Serenity said, "Shall we continue?" As Kylie asked her questions on the material, Serenity shifted in different positions.

Kylie sighed, "Do you need to go, too?"

Serenity smiled down at her hands nervously, "No. I'm bursting to tell someone, but if Abby were to know. Well let's say I'd be dead."

Kylie asked ridiculous questions to lift the tension, "Did you use her English paper as your own again? Or switch her shampoo with temporary blue dye."

Her brown eyes met with Kylie and she snickered, "No, much, much worse. Swear to not let Abby know."

Kylie leaned in, "Okay, I'm dying to know now. I promise."

Serenity said out fast, "Chase and I have been dating."

Kylie stared at her before she said, "Well, yes, that is naughty. How long?"

"Since Freshmen year,"Serenity replied letting a sly smirk appear.

With her mouth hanging open Kylie pretending to be shocked. "What! No way."

Serenity squinted her eyes suspiciously. “How do you know?”

Shaking her head, Kylie said, “Just the way you acted the day he disappeared. You were too distraught.” Being on that topic Kylie added, “So where did he go?”

“He went to find the truth of his real birth parents or a.k.a his powers.”

Kylie leaned in, “Did Chase find him?”

“According to Chase, he did. And he found out his scum of a father gave him away to the first person he spotted after he killed his wife. Apparently he didn’t want to settle down.”

“Holy shit,” Kylie whispered, “That’s why there was no legal document of his adoption. His father just auction Chase away.”

“Crazy right. What next soap opera will the Putnam family have?” Serenity joked to lighten the tension and then looked down at her book, "So now that you’re all caught up, I can tell you about how I went on a date with Chase to see a Brad Pitt flick and had Kate tag along because Pogue bailed to work on his bike.

Back on his bike now, Pogue had done everything. He looked everywhere for Abby, asked her friends if they had seen her and even tried to call her multiple times, but they all went to voicemail. It was around midnight when he pulled up to his apartment to see Abby's car.

He quickly raced to his door to find it unlocked. Opening it up he scanned the room to see Abby sitting on the couch watching his TV that held the total of seven channels. Pogue slowly sat on the couch beside Abby, hoping not to freak her out more than she probably already was.

She turned to face him, "You know this place isn't safe. I just told Joe Schmuck out there, that I was your girlfriend, and he gave me a key like that." Pogue was a little startled by Abby's teasing.

He shifted and said hesitantly, "Do you want to talk about anything particular you saw today?"

Abby said straightforward, "Yes, actually. You idiots should stop fighting each other." Pogue smiled and shook his head amazed at how Abby always surprised him.

Pogue said to clarify, "I'm talking about the magic?"

"You mean the nonsense voodoo you claim didn't exist." Abby responded back to Pogue’s question.

He said impatient, "Now you're just staling."

Abby sighed, "Pogue, I don't care as long as you guys don't hurt anyone, especially yourselves."

He scratched his head, "So that's it?"

She smirked, "What, you expected me to scream, cry, maybe faint? I'm okay with it, but the question is are they okay with me knowing the secret?"

Pogue rubbed the back of his neck, "Umm…they don't know you know yet."

Abby said surprised, "Oh. You didn't tell them."

He said, "Yeah, I just didn't want to make them freak out more than they are now."

Abby was intrigued, "Yes, I noticed Caleb and you were jumpy all day. What's got you all wound up?" Pogue paused thinking if he should explain more than he had too. Bumping his arm, Abby added, "You can trust me, Pogue. I did after all make a promise freshmen year to keep your secret. Remember?"

Pogue smiled thinking back on that fond memory. "You're right. Well someone in our group has been sending a…darkling to Caleb."

Abby asked truly puzzled at the term, "What's a darkling?"

"Basically it's a threatening message saying "you're next. Did you see the paper about the kid that died at the Dells," Pogue explained.

Abby straightened up, "Yes."

Pogue inclined, "Well who ever sent the darkling used his form. Caleb thinks its Reid trying to mess with him."

"Reid wouldn't do that. Even that's too dark for him." Abby said in deep thought.

Pogue nodded his head in agreement, "I've been thinking about it and I was starting to come up the same conclusion. I just don't know who it could be."

Abby's stomach knotted as she got a gut feeling who the true culprit was.


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