This is set on the day that Danny and Archie fought. It is after school and all the students have gone home except Lacey. She is sitting on the front steps of school waiting on Archie, who is in detention. Danny is seeing the schools therapist.

God, how did my life get so screwed up? Two weeks ago everything was perfect. I had a great boyfriend, cool friends, and a reliable BFF—well sometimes. But now all of that is gone. My boyfriend is always angry, I'm just figuring out that my friends are more cruel than cool, and my BFF is now…dead. Everything that seemed so great was now so awful. Everything I thought that 'seemed' okay was a complete and total lie. I haven't been myself in a long time. Five years to be exact. I thought this was the new me. I thought I could create a new person and leave that part of me in the past. That part of me that was so hurt, confused, and no longer had a reason to smile anymore. Little did I know, I would be losing my best friend Jo and all the memories we shared together with Da…Ugh! Why can't I stop thinking about him? You want to know why? (I really hate my internal monologue sometimes.) It's because he is the reason you actually want to remember all of those old memories, why you miss being friends with him and Jo, and why you wish you were the 'old and real' you again.

"Eh um."

You have got to be kidding me. Maybe if I shut my eyes long enough, he'll leave.

"Can I sit here?"

Who was I freaking kidding? Ignoring him hasn't worked in the past, so why will it work now? He's Danny Desai for crying out loud!

"I'm pretty sure you're going to do it anyway." I look over to him and he's smiling and ALREADY sitting. Figures. How can I hate and love a smile so much at the same time?

"You know me so well Lacey. But then again, we have been friends for 16 years, right?"

"Wrong. We were best friends for 11 years and then you left…me." Jeez why did I say that? Now he's going to know how much I missed him. Don't show your vulnerability!

"So you admit it! You missed me because I was your favorite person," Danny said, running his fingers through his hair, while feigning a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Leave it to Danny to always make light of a conversation. Always trying to make it better for me, despite his own feelings. "What? I didn't say you were my—"

"I know you didn't. I just know I was because you were mine."

I could tell he was going for humor but the way he uttered that last word did something to me. He was in pain just as much as I was. He missed me too. And he is right, he was my favorite person and might still be. No matter how much I try to hate him, I can't.

"You're right," I surrendered. Those warm brown eyes and that gentle smile reappeared.

"And Lacey, I didn't mean to leave you. I fought so hard so I could stay with you guys. I even wrote you a bunch of letters. But writing the letters was easy. Thinking about what I was going to say when I actually saw you was something I couldn't quite conjure up. But I knew the words would flow right out of me the second I saw your face." God help me, I can't breathe.

"What I'm trying to say is this, I want you to know that I understand where you're coming from. Jo has always been quick to forgive people but everyone is different. I didn't come back here expecting us three to be friends again but when I saw you in the hall that day, I just had to speak to you. I miss what we used to have. I miss us. And I don't want to rush you. Not until you're ready to let me back into your life. But I'm begging you Lace, please don't let it be long before you find yourself back to me. I don't know how much longer I can take not having you in my life. I need you Lace. I'll always need you."

He lifts up his hand and places it on my cheek. As I shut my eyes to the warmth of it, the same feelings I felt for Danny when I was 11 was back but even stronger than before. I need you too Danny but I can't say it yet. I lightly touched the hand that held my face, hoping Danny will understand what I wanted to say. Please know Danny, please understand. And I felt it as it rolled down my cheek.

"Don't cry Lace," Danny whispered. And I was in awe because I didn't know I was crying…because Danny gently kissed my tear away…because I wanted him to not only kiss my cheek but my lips as well. I could see that he wanted to kiss me too and that scared me, yet all I can feel are my feelings for Danny overpowering that fear…those old memories and now new memories flashing through my mind. The way his eyes melt when he looks at me, the way his hair is always messy but still somehow perfect, the way his lips curve when he's smirking at me, the way he's looking at me right now.

"Danny…" I can barely hear my own voice and my hands are shaking. My heart is pounding in my ears and I think he's going to kiss me.

BOOM! I looked back startled and saw the door opening wide and hit the brick wall.

"What the hell socio?! Get away from her!"

"Archie no!" I quickly stood up and put myself between the two. "Stop it now!"

"I'm coming from detention and you're here with the reason why I was there in the first place!"

I looked back at Danny and his face was expressionless. Except for his eyes. I can see the fire in them. I pleaded at him with my eyes, hoping he understands what I'm trying to convey. Please Danny, don't fight him, please.

Danny nodded his head a fraction but I knew he was agreeing to what I was asking of him. He stood up.

"Dude calm down. Nothing happened." His voice was eerily calm.

"Then why is she crying and why the hell you didn't back away from this creep? His hands were all over you?!"

Archie is pissed but I have handled worse. "Look Archie, I was upset about something and Danny just wanted to help, okay? Now let's go." I pulled on Archie's hand, still between the two, but he wouldn't budge.

"Upset about what huh?" he stepped a little closer to me, closer to Danny. I looked back at Danny. His fist was clutching his backpack strap so hard that his knuckles were whitening. "Danny please don't—"

I heard the door open again. This time it was Principal Tang. "Mr. Desai, I understand that your therapy session went well and was over about 15 minutes ago. Why are you still here? And no less with Archie? Ms. Porter, care to explain?"

Oh shoot! What do I say? "Um, we were just—"

"Just settling our differences sir." Danny stepped in for me as he always did when we were eleven. "I just finished apologizing to Archie here and was waiting to hear his apology sir." Danny, the definition of charm, bull crap, and just downright hilarity!

Principal Tang, Danny, and I looked over to Archie waiting. He glances at me in awe "But babe—"

"You don't want to get into any more trouble, do you babe?" I couldn't help but look over to Danny with his infamous smirk in place and with mines to match no less.

Archie overly sighed. He is so dramatic. He looked at Danny totally ready for round two. "I um…I apologize soci-I mean Danny."

Danny grinned so hard, I thought his teeth were going to crack. I tried to hide my smile but Danny could always tell when I wanted to laugh. He winked at me.

"Okay now, off you go. See you three on Monday." Principal Tang went back inside.

Archie placed his arm around me possessively to irk Danny. "Try that again socio or I'll—"

"You'll what?" Danny's jaw was clenching. Oh no…

Suddenly, Danny burst out into laughter. "Why would you want to hurt me? I'm just your friendly neighborhood spider-man." At that, I had to laugh. I remember us reading those comic books together as kids.

Danny's laugh brought me back out of my reverie. I looked at Archie and his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. Oh boy.

"Have a goodnight Lace." And his brown eyes and beautiful smile melted the way they always did. Reserved only for me.

"Goodnight Danny." I waved, watching him walk away from me. And for the first time, I let myself picture Danny as more than just a friend, wishing his arms were around me instead.