please don't hate me. i swear chapter four of ftp will be finished soon. i just have a few more things to add to it before i post it. it'll be up, i promise. in the mean time, please enjoy the companion to naturally. i don't guess you have to read it before this one, although i do advise doing so.

this is from chris plovert's pov; it's massie and landon's change from his eyes. if you don't remember, he was massie's sorta-bf before landon came along. oh, and if there's twentythousand mistakes in this, i apologize. it's 3:13 in the morning here and i don't feel like editing.

seasons change

—a one shot companion to Naturally—

Massie never really thought we were ever together.

I always thought that we were.

It wasn't necessarily that I thought we were going to be together forever and whatnot. We couldn't even technically be called a couple. We were always on and off, kind of whatever mood we were both in at the time. It never lasted more then a few months at most before we'd take a break for a little while, but at least I knew that we were going to get back together. She was my sort of fallback, in a way.

When I look back on that, I really sounded like a douche. Like I was just using her or something. But that wasn't true. I loved Massie. She was my best friend. I guess I just always figured that if she was my friend, she would be there as a girlfriend too. That's probably why we could never really stay together for too long: we were meant to be more friends rather then together.

Either way, I cared about her. Either way, it killed me when she met Landon Crane.

It was so surprising how it all went down. One day she was finally agreeing to leave the house to go to one of Cam's parties, the next she was riding on a stranger's motorcycle and playing pool.

Yeah, not even swimming in one. Actually playing the game.

You could only guess at how this disturbed me. It's not even that I minded that she was seeing someone. With our on-off thing, it wasn't an order that we had to stay single. Hardly. It was just bothersome at how. . . infatuated she was with him.

Massie Block: the mother hen of our group. The one who would rather babysit little Todd Lyons then go out on a Friday night. The one who was always warning the girls about guys, guys like the one she was seeing. Guys like Landon. She started changing, and I wasn't so sure I liked that it was happening with the particular guy it was happening with.

Crane was fine. I didn't really know him all that well. He was new and was joining the soccer team the next year, so it was mandatory that he went to the practices during the summer. There was always just something a tad off about him. He stayed to himself most of the time. The thing, though, was that you never saw him not doing something. He was constantly moving. Once practices were over, he was on his motorcycle and gone, zooming off to do whatever it was he did. He just did it alone, which was weird.

Like I said. He wasn't necessarily a bad guy. I just didn't think he was a good one either.

The night that Massie and Crane met was the night I mentioned before. The one where she went to Cam's party. It took a damn long time for the girls to convince her to leave the house ("But I have a Library Council meeting early tomorrow morning and I don't want to stay out late; I'm practically the Librarian's co-captain for goodness sakes!") and when she finally did, she still wasn't acting very lively.

That was another thing about my Massie Block. She wasn't one of those girls who contradicted themselves. She only lent out the advice she believed, and she followed that advice for every word. If you had prior engagements that were important, than you really shouldn't spend all your time in ways that can interfere with those engagements.

The guys and I got there before the girls did. I had just cut off ties with Layne Abeley, she was touring colleges over the summer and we decided it would be best to separate, so I wasn't really in the mood to be at a party, but when everyone mentioned Massie was attending, I changed my plans.

She wouldn't have approved.

It was pretty noticeable when they finally arrived. Alicia Rivera always had been on the dramatic side, so when the door flew open and someone yelled—probably from being hit with it—I knew they were here. To prove my point, she came bounding up to the table where we were playing quarters and slid into Derrick Harrington's lap. Just a few moments after her loud arrival, Massie and Dylan said a quick hello to our group before Massie whispered in Dyl's ear and they left in a rush.

Yeah, you heard right. Leaving. Again. I felt so unappreciated. You know, if Massie wasn't nonstop ignoring my existence in our in-between times, I really would have felt offended.

However, since she normally did, it didn't bother me all that much. I didn't figure she'd be very happy about the party anyway so I wasn't much planning on a lot of excitement on her part. Nevertheless, I went stalker and followed the pair out of the kitchen and down the hall. Kemp Hurley called my name to see what was up, but I easily shooed him away and continued my trek.

When I had rounded the corner of the hall, I found Marvil sitting with her back against Cam's bathroom door, jabbering on. Her green eyes were large in an animated way and she was gesturing wildly, even though no one was there to see her do so. At first I thought the girl was going crazy, talking to herself, but I soon heard someone laugh from behind the closed door. Massie. I could recognize her laugh anywhere.

I stayed out of sight, and despite that annoying voice in my head telling me that I was being a bad person, strained to hear what the two were talking about. When I listened hard enough, I could make out most of the conversation. Dylan found another crush, apparently, and was telling Massie about how he's on the soccer team. It was the new guy, Landon. He was the only new member we had gotten this summer.

Once Massie was finished in the bathroom and had opened the door, I could practically hear Dylan pounce into the room. She continued on about how Massie had really got to see the guy and how amazingly "yummy" he was. Massie, for the most part, just laughed and ignored Dylan's claims. I couldn't blame her. The girl had a new crush every day. And she had a boyfriend!

I hurried away when I heard signs of their departure, so they wouldn't know that I was eavesdropping, and spent most of the rest of the night watching as Massie danced and enjoyed herself. But not in a creeper way. Just in an I-expect-that-we'll-be-together-again-soon-since-we're-now-both-single kind of way. Plus, Massie was my best friend, and some of Harris' college friends liked to get a tad handy with her. She seemed to be having fun though, which I was happy with. I knew she needed to get out more often.

After a while, I saw a flash of her long brunette hair fly by as she headed out the front door. That was my chance; I could catch a minute alone with her. And she'd be calm and happy. Summer nights always made her that way. Summer was always her favorite season; that's something that I had learned and experienced throughout my years of knowing her. She liked the freedom she had with summer, even though she never actually took advantage of it. I suppose it was just the thought that counted with her. She was sweet that way.

Pushing through the people was a pain in the ass, seeing as I had to pass through the mass of writhing bodies. It took me a few minutes—Kristen had to ask where Claire was and I had to tell her that I didn't know—to get to the front door, but when I finally made it there, I stopped dead in my tracks.

There she was. Throwing her tanned leg over the seat of a bike.

Not even a bike. A motorcycle.

With the Crane kid.

Did she even know him?!

I was about to bulldoze my way out there and see why the hell she—my Massie Block, the one who hated motor scooters—was getting on a bike with a stranger when I noticed something. I'm not even sure what it was I noticed. But there was an obvious difference in both of the people standing in front of me.

They were watching each other with a strange gleam in both of their eyes. In a wary way. But at the same time I could tell that Massie somehow trusted the guy—once again, did she even know him?—and that Landon seemed to find interest in her. But not in a get-in-her-pants way, as I almost would have expected. He had that whole bad boy thing going for him I guess. But it wasn't like that. It was like he was genuinely interested; like he just wanted to maybe get to know her.

I was so distracted with all these thoughts rolling around in my mind that I forgot to move and find out what was going on until I heard the revving of the motorcycle.

"What's your name again?" I vaguely heard her yell over the roar, as she wrapped her arms around his chest.

"Landon Crane." He smiled, and before I could stop her, they were gone.

Damn.

--------

After that night is when the girl I knew since middle school started changing. She started putting things that she once obsessed over, things as Library Council, on the sidelines to make time to go to our practices. The first time was the morning after the party, actually. I about flipped when I saw her sitting on the bleachers, headphones plugged into her ears, head nodding slightly, looking way laidback in a pair of cutoff shorts and a cardigan.

Was the meeting canceled? That was the first thing to pop into my mind. Or was I just imagining that the girl sitting there was Massie Block: book-loving extraordinaire?

She had waved over at me when she caught me gawking and smiled as she made her way to the field. "Hey, Chris," she said, and yawned. I noticed the light circles under her eyes. "What's up?"

I eyed her strangely. "Just practice, as you can see." I gestured to her. "What are you doing here? I thought the council meeting was today."

"Way to greet me," she laughed sarcastically. Then she shrugged and rubbed her arm, looking uncomfortable. "Sarah told me she could cover this meeting on her own and email me what they went over." She frowned then and looked away worriedly. She never missed meetings. Like, ever.

"Massie," I exclaimed, "you have never skipped anything in your life just to watch us practice! None of the other girls are even with you. And you look tired."

She sent me half-glare, although I don't think she meant to, or that it really had any menace to it. "I didn't get as much sleep as usual last night. It's no big deal. You should be glad I'm even here. I'll be you guys' cheerleader. Go team and all that."

I grinned at her as she yawned again. "Go team, indeed. I have a feeling you'll be an—"

"Massie!"

I looked over and—whoa—Crane was jogging our way. He was awesome but silent. Why was he talking? I glanced at Massie questioningly. She didn't know that I saw her last night, and I didn't much plan on telling her that I was listening in on them. Her eyes were nowhere near me though. Instead she was grinning at Landon as he stopped next to us.

He smiled at her and gave me a nod of acknowledgement. What the hell? "You came," he said.

Massie flashed another devious grin. Hey now.

"Sarah didn't need me today."

She said it like it was no big deal, even though she looked slightly guilty for skipping earlier. He nodded, eyes knowing. Apparently he knew who Sarah was. Apparently she told him about her meetings.

Apparently he didn't just drop her off last night.

--------

If you wanted one of them, you got the other as well. Your pooch need a new sweater? Just visit the store down the block and you'll find her petting the customers' animals as he found accessories.

Out of sugar? Of course you'll see them buying candy and laughing in the aisle next to you.

Gotta get new cleats? Say hello as Massie chats up the owner of the store and Landon tries on shoes.

I was happy that she was happy. I didn't think Landon was bad for her. I just wished she wouldn't have left me behind so quickly.

--------

I learned to accept the couple, who made it official just before our senior year started, but only with the help of Layne.

Yep. The same one that I broke up with at the beginning. It came as a surprise to me as well.

She came back a few weeks before classes with an ecstatic outlook on life. She was doubly excited when she learned that we would be attending the same college, since she'd chosen on the trip, and whether it was all that destiny stuff or just plain attraction, we were drawn back together.

Things were easy with Layne; not so roller-coaster, mostly friends stuff like with Massie. Layne enjoyed what I did. She missed art classes and visited practices for me. She had a smile meant especially for me.

I had the same smile for her.

Some people like to say that certain couples were simply meant to be. I think me and Layne were meant to be. But I really think it only happened because of Massie. If she hadn't found Landon, then chances were that'd we back together by now. I may not have liked him stealing her at first, but now I appreciate it. He changed her for the better. He changed me for the better.

Because no matter how much I loved Massie, I loved Layne more.

Summer might have been Massie Block and Landon Crane's season. But the world keeps moving and seasons do change. I found out that fall was mine. Mine and Layne's, together.