A/N: Yeah, I don't know. Happy Reading!

She expected this, really, she did. Well, maybe she didn't. She should have, she would have from anybody else. But not Danny. She had the warning signs, and maybe if she had more girly training being a girly girl, she could've prepared herself better. Really, the way he talked nonstop about Lacey, how much he wanted her back in his life – you think she would have noticed. Not that she's interested in Danny or anything. Because she isn't. She just happens to have enough common sense to know that having a romantic relationship with Lacey would make Danny's school life harder. At least, that's what she's telling herself when Rico finds her, knees up to her chest, arms wrapped around herself, bawling her eyes out and rocking back and forth in their corner of McNally Park. He looks so startled (even though he was obviously looking for her) and it's almost enough to make her smile. He crouches down in front of her and carefully pats her shoulder.

"I think I can tell you're not okay, so I'm not gonna ask," he mumbles and slips his arm around her shoulders for an awkward hug. She bawls for a few more minutes, sucking in shaky, watery breaths, before she stops making noise and just hides her face underneath her messy blonde curls, leaning farther into Rico's side than she has with anyone of the male gender except for her father and Danny earlier in the night (but she's not thinking about that, she's not). He doesn't know what to do for her, so he rubs his hands up and down her arms and makes soft crooning noises until she's stopped shuddering and is staring blankly into space. "You know you're amazing Jo. Any guy would be lucky to have you." She laughs dryly, the first non-crying noise she's made all night.

"I must not be that great. Lacey really does have better hair than me," she says quietly and he leans his cheek on her head, not sure if it's really comforting, but he saw it in a movie once.

"Danny Desai is an idiot."

"You know, I'd think I'd agree with him on that. With his GPA being so high and everything," says another voice from the trees, one she is able to recognize immediately, despite five years away from it. The source of her tears (the first tears she's ever shed over a boy) steps out of the shadows and, yep, there's Danny Desai in all of his tall-dark-and-handsome perfection. She thinks it's the first time in all the years she's known him that she can't meet his gaze. For once, Rico doesn't descend into a string of nervous babbling trying to defend his statement. She feels him tense next to her and she gently squeezes his arm.

"It's okay, Rico," she murmurs softly. She can feel her friend's eyes on her, but she's staring at the grass with a renewed concentration, so she doesn't see his expression. He doesn't move for a minute and, when he does, he stands in front of Danny, shoulders squared and unflinching.

"I'm not the strongest guy in the world, you know, outside of the classroom, but you've already made her cry once tonight. That's one more time than I should have allowed, but I swear to God if you do it again, I'll kill you," his words hang in the air for a moment. "No pun intended," he adds. The crunch of his feet on the leaves grows fainter as he leaves them. Danny takes his place next to her, nestling into the patch of grass Rico had been in just moments before. She doesn't let herself lean into his side.

"I'm sorry, Jo," he whispers quietly. She laughs again, a dry, humorless sound, and pushes herself to her feet, looking down at him for the first time since she'd run from him at the Formal. His long, dark hair is pulled back from his face (not her favorite hairstyle, she likes it much more when it's wild and loose) and his deep brown eyes are apologetic as they rest on her face. She knows he really didn't mean to hurt her, but she can't help the resentment she feels. She had been so open, so willing with her second chances, and look where it had gotten her. His elbows are resting on his propped up knees and she knows how easy it would be to forgive him and go back to resting comfortably against his side. She shakes her head, her curls brushing her cheek.

"It doesn't matter. Lacey's very pretty," she says tiredly.

"That's not – It's not – "he begins, but she cuts him off.

"And she's not a mole person. I'm sure she'll help you fit in better," she snaps, perhaps a littler harsher than she intended, because he looks so hurt, but she knows if she kneels back into the grass she'll never be able to leave him. She's so tired of comforting him when she needs to be comforted too. So she squares her shoulders and turns on her heel. She can feel his gaze on her back.

Her dad is sitting on the steps when she walks in the front door. He looks like he's ready to scream at her some more, but she knows from catching a glimpse of herself in his police cruiser that her eyes are still red and puffy and she looks very broken. She stops inside the doorway and he's on his feet in an instant, offering his arms. And for the first time since Danny Desai has come back into town, she rushes towards them, crying so hard that he's the one who shakes.

"You were right Daddy."

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