Audentis Fortuna Iuvat

I didn't decline his offer to walk me back to the barracks. The plan was to go home with Swan, yes, but I explained to her quickly before I left that I trusted this boy and I really did feel like escaping the chaos of the swirling food and rising voices. He slipped his hand into mine and led me along the path with his trademark grin lighting up his face.

"Thank you for such a fabulous evening, Kerri." He said kindly.

I smiled up at him. I definitely wasn't a short girl but he was a very tall boy, I hadn't realised how tall until that night. "It's been my pleasure. We should do this again sometime."

He raised an eyebrow, "So you're not completely and utterly totally repulsed by me yet?"

I laughed, "Believe it or not, you're not a very repulsive person, Richie."

He pulled a face, "I'm not totally convinced but I'll believe you."

"What will it take to convince you? You're kind and funny and so considerate and thoughtful and just damn amazing!"

He shrugged the words off, "You're just being nice."

I sighed, we were halfway to the barracks and there was no one around. "I'm not a very nice person," I told him. "I don't give out compliments very easily."

Before he could protest or belittle himself, I hooked an arm around his neck and pulled my lips up to meet his. He stumbled backwards in surprise, but kissed me back all the same. I heard a splash as he stumbled into a puddle and he pulled back, screaming. I opened my eyes to see not a grin, but a grimace of pain. The scream came from the lips I had just kissed and I fell backwards in surprise.

"Richie? What's wrong?" Confusion and fear were plain in my voice, but I didn't care, for the concern there overruled everything else.

He was on the ground clutching his foot, in the dim light I could see the flesh starting to melt from his leg. I dipped my finger into the puddle he had stumbled into and I cursed at the acidic sting. "Centaur blood." My eyes widened and I turned back to Richard, pulling emergency unicorn serum from my pocket. "Medic!" I screamed. "Medic!"

Notes