Author's Note: This chapter is kind of heavy on the voiceover/Angela's thoughts, and is a different style than on the show, but I needed that to catch everyone up with the background for the new story. I hope you all enjoy!

Angela slips out the door, carefully running down her front steps while peering out from under her umbrella. The rain falls steadily, pouring all around her while her face lights up in recognition at something in front of her. She smiles and slides into a red Pontiac convertible.

It's been three months since the letter, but in all the scenarios I ran through my mind back then, I never really thought it would turn out like this. I don't even know what this is, really. I guess I should start at the beginning. At first, I was upset. No, that's the understatement of the century…

"Stop the car, Jordan." Angela says flatly. This is the first time she has dared to look at him for the duration of the ride. He glances up at her through the hair falling into his eyes, sees her face is deadly serious, and moves to pull the car to the side of the road. She looks at her hands crumpled together in her lap, and then takes a deep breath before starting to speak.

"Angela – " he begins.

"Look – " she says, then looks up at him once more. "You, um, you go."

"I-I just think you should know, you know, that I… didn't really write that letter," he stumbles. "I like, wanted to. So bad. To be able to. I just, I tried, and I didn't know how to say… what I really wanted to say. I knew I would just screw up again. And all I wanted was like, for you to look at me that way again. And then you did, and I just couldn't tell you the truth." Angela openly stares at him, biting her lip. I couldn't believe it. I mean, this is what I had been waiting for. For like months. And that's when I did possibly the first smart thing I had ever done when it came to Jordan Catalano. Or maybe the stupidest.

"Um, Jordan? I think… I think it's really great that you told me all that. I do, I really appreciate it. I just need some time to work all this out. And maybe it'd be better for us to just be friends. For now, at least. I don't know." He looks down, quickly masking his disappointment and hurt.

"Friends, yeah. Okay, like, friends who make out?" he half-smiles while gauging her reaction. She looks stricken for a second, then laughs suddenly and shoves his shoulder gently. He smiles broadly, genuinely. "Just thought I'd ask."

Angela sits in his car as he drives, talking animatedly about his band, on the way to school. She tucks her hair behind her ear and looks back up at him. So now, we're friends. Friends who make out? No. But there have been a few slip-ups along the way. Sometimes I'll accidentally catch him looking at my lips while I'm talking, or he'll grab my hand on impulse and fold it inside his own. Being together is like this habit that we can't just break. Not that I've been trying that hard. She nods and smiles widely in response to something he has said.

They arrive in the parking lot, and open their respective doors. Someone calls out to Angela and she grins and quickly waves goodbye to Jordan. Rickie appears and falls into step with her as Rayanne links her arm inside Angela's. And then there's Rayanne. How could I not forgive her? It took a while for her to, like, work up the nerve to apologize. I guess Sharon convinced her somehow. Things are still a little awkward all around though. Angela gazes at Brian Krakow and he returns the stare. They are walking in opposite directions, but he stops as she gives him a small smile and a little wave. He smiles back at her shyly but resumes walking as soon she passes by. Rayanne continues pulling Angela down the hall, flailing her unconnected arm around dramatically. They stop at Angela's locker, as Rayanne carries on and Rickie rolls his eyes. Angela smiles knowingly at him as Delia and Sharon approach and everyone exchanges greetings. Angela tunes out as they discuss something. Brian and I were never really the same after what happened. We talked, that night, though.

Angela gets out of Jordan's car and turns to look at the Krakow's house. She sees Brian up in his window and pauses to think. I always thought Brian was the one who hated change, who wanted to prevent me from growing up, from outgrowing him. I never realized that he could develop feelings for me. But he had changed, more than I ever expected, and I realized I hated that change more than anything. Suddenly she begins to march determinedly towards his house. Moments later, they are sitting on the steps to his front porch, both with their hands on their knees.

"I know what you're going to say," Brian says without pretense. Angela breaks her downward stare and looks up at him, surprised. "I know that you're like, in love with Jordan Catalano, and that nothing could change that. I just hoped… I don't know what I hoped." He looks down.

"Brian… God, I wish that I could tell you you're wrong. I wish that I could like you like that, but I think… You're just such a good friend, and I've known you for so long that I can't like, see you that way."

After that, we kind of went our separate ways. Rickie tells me what he's up to sometimes, that he's taking a new class at the community college or whatever. But he never stops by just to ask me a stupid question or to lend me something. He was always this constant in my life, no matter what else was changing. And I guess I kind of miss that. She smiles sadly, returning to the present conversation in which Sharon is complaining about Kyle. The bell rings and she begins to walk to class with Sharon as Rickie and Delia head off in another direction.