Chapter Two: And so it goes

Right, I can't fall asleep ever since I started this thing, so here goes another hour or two of this forbidden and, oh so incredibly, scandalous tell-all! All right, bad Valley Girl impersonation, but what can I say? I can't do everything.

I promised I wouldn't take you through the years, and I bet you all are happy to hear that I'm going to stick to my word—there's nothing worse, in my opinion at least, when someone goes back on their word. Right, that's a little bit off-topic, so shoot me.

Well, the years seemed to pass as quickly as bass kicks in a song and, for the most part, I'm glad they did. Senior year was on all of the 06'ers minds when they said goodbye to their friends of 2005. In my group, it finally dawned on us that we were the top of the Untouchables now, the newly instated elite. If anything went down, we were the cause of its going down. That thought scared the shit out of me at first, but then I remembered something Dani said to me over the phone: "Breathe, kid. You're an upperclassman now. If anything, people will love you even more for your screws ups. Haven't you ever read The Scarlet Letter? You're Reverend Dimmesdale, for crying out loud." I slept all through Sophomore English, so I had to Google him, but I found something interesting out: the town loved him when he said he was the worst, the most sinful, the evilest of them all. His passionate and solemn teardowns of himself made the consensus appreciate him more—heck, there were more offers of girls on his doorstep than Nathan Scott himself (I'll get to that later). The town just thought the loving and wholesome Dimmesdale was being hard on himself when really, and here's the irony, he was holding in one of the most unforgivable and unredeemable of sins--adultery.

The more research I did on the book the more I saw that Dani had dropped me another bread crumb of knowledge to help my little bird-sized brain out. This 200 year old book was so symbolic to how Tree Hill High was ran and seen from an Everybody perspective. The Untouchables were these holy elite that held so much power and fear and awe about them. We made sure our illogical rules were followed by public punishments for anyone who decided to break any of the social laws. Our lowly peers were so afraid of the mocking, the branding of hurtful names, and the stinging of rejection thrown at them in front of the entire school that they made sure not to do anything unacceptable, at least in the eyes of the Untouchables. And I was Dimmesdale, the single glimmer of hope for the Everybody's. But the funny thing was as if Dani was setting me up for my fall. Why? Because at the end of The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale's sin is found out after many years of burying it deeper and deeper in his heart, and then he was detested by those who loved and honored him. I guess I saw that as my cue for my last mission as double-agent for Operation: K-Roe—to 1.) breed the newest Karen Roe-like girl to be exactly that, Karen Roe, and then finally 2.) accept my fate as Dimmesdale.

I'm sure a few of you are thinking something along the lines of this: How could you be found out if you never committed the crime of going down the social latter to begin with or at least confess your crush-from-afar for Lucas? Well, you're right, I can't. But that's not it—I was going to finally make the plunge and in full force after I made sure my younger sister understood Roe-ology, Danism (which I seem to find even more mind-blowing now after actually getting it than when I was fifteen), and finally my thoughts and opinions on being an Untouchable. I was going to be Obi Won-Kenobi like I had been waiting for for three long years. I could almost taste the freedom awaiting me… I could see why Dani was so happy that day on the pier, she was free. Gosh, I couldn't wait to have that.

By mid-summer, the Untouchables got a list of thirty Freshman who were said to be of par. Fifteen boys and fifteen girls, respectfully, were given the okay by our alumni of the latest graduated class. Those Untouchables were either family or acquaintances in some way to these kids who had the potential to make heads turn, hearts race, and hormones go wild just by their presence.

The guys took the boys list and started scouting them out, bringing along a few girls to see if the golden number three was achieved for the unknowing "pledges." If the guys saw what the liked, they would report it back to the base, which was the school gym. (Remember, we had multiple copies of the school's keys, and we made use of them in more than one way.) The boys who didn't cut it were crossed off the list, making more room and time for the boys that did have what it took to be primed and primped to be a successful Untouchable. Further achievements and bonuses were added on to their profile, like their parents' salaries and inheritances. Finally, we would have seven male Freshmen with the tantalizing U stamped across their profiles.

Then the field work was the girls' turn, plus a few guys to get their fantasy take on the girls. Us girls were usually harder on the pledge-girls, well, because these girls would someday take our place as the girl and we wanted them, our younger sisters, to say that we made them who they were. So our first cut was greater than the guys' initial one: eight girls. There wasn't a set number of how many girls or boys that had to become an Untouchable; actually, there was a class that only had five total Untouchables for their class one year because they were with a bunch of penniless uglies. So how many Untouchables for each generation there were was really up to how specific they're older brothers and sisters were to sticking to the ideal Untouchable. My class was pretty strict when it came to them, and like I earlier said, especially the girls. So when we brought our results back to base and saw what information the guys had gathered from AIM chats, school records, and what their nerds could hack open in their personal computers, we all went on a roaring rampage of finding the '10er Untouchables.

Finally, when a handful of Untouchables had their favorites, people started to vote. I liked this one girl who was rumored to be slightly like Karen but, at the same time, not really. She wasn't said to be a Miss GTS at all, quite the contrary. If anything, she was a lot like how I was at the present. She attended 17 and older concerts, seemingly always finding her way in even though she was only fifteen, got smashed at parties held by some of the Everybody's, and skateboarded with ordinary skaters.

"I don't know, Peyton," Brooke said pulling her hair back into a ponytail, "this girl has hung out with the Everybody's already. Hell, I bet she's made out with a few of them."

Rachel now stepped in, who was called Becky-Resurrected (and she really loved it when people whispered that… I was only thankful that Brooke wasn't considered to be her). She had a snarl placed on that mug of hers, "Brooke's right, Peyton. Wake up, she's been touched already. Who's to say that the Everybody's she hung out with at those parties or skated with won't say 'hi' to her in the hall?"

"God forbid they say 'hi' to her, Rachel." I spat back exhausted that no one saw what I saw. "It's not like guys haven't ever said that to you, especially after your underwear incident."

She gave me the dirtiest of looks I am proud to say was ever thrown at me. "I thought we all agreed that wouldn't be brought up again?"

"I thought it wouldn't, but I know a few guys that still bring it up," I cheekily threw back. A few of the Untouchables, mainly the guys, started to quietly laugh.

I continued on, feeling a little more confident than I did before. Pissing those people off, especially the ones who took this far beyond serious, was fun. "So what if she's been to the Everybody's parties every now and then. I know I have been to one of their parties—and so have you, Rachel. She was just doing what all want to do on the weekends: get wasted."

A few 'amens' were said and high-fives were given after that specific remark.

Bevin then stepped in, "Peyton's right. I mean, when I was her age I was hanging at high school parties not really knowing which ones weren't socially retarded or not, I just went to party."

Bevin reminded me of Faux-Opossum Dani, except there was nothing Faux-Opossum with Bevin.

"Thanks, Bev," I said and she gave me a 'no problem' smile, which was genuine unlike other smiles smiled by the Untouchables. "She's like Karen Roe personality wise not action-wise. So that just means we'll be saving time that we'd have to spend to get rid of that title for her because she doesn't have the GTS persona at all."

More of the Untouchables heads started to nod in agreement—way more than when I first started to make my case.

"Hell, she's hot, why wouldn't we want her?" Tim burst out like he usually did. A few of us girls always wondered which idiot really pulled for Tim four years ago and then how the hell they actually got him to become an Untouchable. We talked about this far more times than Bevin could count to.

Nathan finally chimed in, like I had hoping he would, "I think she's a lot like Peyton." More people started to nod after hearing Nathan's perspective probably more out of respect for Nathan than for his opinion. He then sent me this flirty smile, which I must say was really nice to be on the receiving side of. Brooke then winked over at me and smiled—she must've thought that he was digging me.

"I still don't think she's worth it." Rachel rang in again, but everybody had already made up their mind once Nathan sided with me.

"So it's settled," Brooke started as she made her way over to the white board and picked up the red erasable marker to mark a 'U' over the girl's profile, "Madison Cooper is an Untouchable." Everyone started clapping, except say Rachel and I (we were too busy wishing a bus would run the other over).

I think I felt so much excitement at that moment than I had for my entire Sophomore and Junior years combined. I wanted to smile so big, but I knew people were watching, calculating even, so I couldn't show too much favor by a smile. After all, the girl had the ability to knock me down a notch as a the girl, and I had a "rep to protect" or whatever crappy rule had to be yet again followed.

And that's how Madison became an Untouchable and my little sister. Rachel tried to become her older sister just to spite me, but everyone thought I should be since I was the one really pulling for the girl. Brooke helped me a lot in that department just dropping subtle threats of slipping Rachel's many secrets she accumulated throughout the years.

My friendship with Brooke seemed to blossom more and more with each passing year. She didn't become the thing I feared she would, but she was still a little promiscuous-- that she said was "on her terms." Boys were like a great pair of shoes to her, she couldn't get enough of them. Even though we were BFFs, she still didn't tell me her deepest, darkest secrets and I didn't tell her my one: Lucas. It's not that we took this whole Untouchables thing seriously, actually we were the two that stepped on the most toes (more so me, I just dragged her along for the ride, much to her dismay sometimes), we just knew that we couldn't trust anyone, not even our best friend. Sad, yes, but we both respected our unspoken understanding for the long run. Though there were times when I longed to tell her that I didn't really like the guy I was screwing around with, who others deemed my boyfriend instead of me, or that the cute loner in the courtyard or in the back of the library reading Whitman or Fitzgerald was really the guy I desired-- or dreamed about even. But I didn't… not even once. Of course, there were times when I came so close to it that the secret was on the tip of my tongue, teetering back and forth on oblivion, I just didn't have the guts or the trust to do it. So it crawled painfully back down into its dark, dark hole and existed quietly.

But like the BFF Brooke was, she knew I never liked the guys I dated casually. Sometimes I wondered if her hormone radar picked up on my case just like Dani did so long ago—even as far back as Freshman year. However, then Brooke would say something so outrageous that it would throw me off my track and the thought, "Nah, she doesn't know," would come to mind. She was the perfect friend, even if we left many things unsaid.

Finally, the summer bowed and bid goodbye, my final year of high school lay before my feet. The newly sworn in Untouchables found their titles with allure and expectations they never dreamed of ever having. Of course they wanted to be one ever since they attended a basketball game and became aware of who sat with who because of who they were, not because the seat was open. Or possibly when they saw us at the pier at night, if they were training for an upcoming track meet, or even at their parents' parties that our parents and families were invited to—seeing us Untouchables gather in a quiet corner, whisper and scheme of slipping out unnoticed. Shit, these kids worshipped the floor we walked on and now they were one of us.

Though, like many of the Untouchables were worried about in the elimination process, a few of them spotted my younger sister talking to a skater. Rachel threw my one of her classic "Told Ya" looks with that retarded smirk in place, and I walked off to intercept the misbehaving hatchling. Groups of people dodged to let me pass and my U.F.'s, who hadn't seen me all summer or (actually) had, stopped steadfast and just watched me walk by them, mouths agape and all entail. I walked right up to the two and my presence was immediately understood by the Sophomore skater kid (who's name is Jeff, a really nice guy even if he got high every once and awhile). Madison, seeing his definite 180, turned around out of curiosity to see what could've been so awe-inspiring to her friend: me.

Of course, she didn't think much of me telling her what to do and I couldn't have been more proud. Madison saw the pride in my eyes and suddenly understood why I chose her. She was wittier than I was at that age, and thank God I got a girl who could think quickly on her toes 'cause I'm definitely not the most eloquent or articulate when it comes to explaining. Taking my lead, she followed me back to where the Untouchables sat. We sat under the maple tree in the center of the courtyard… where everyone could glance over at us whenever they wanted to. A few of the Untouchables, the ones that were in Rachel's pack, made snide comments about Madison's actions when we came back over, but they all backed off when Nathan told them to shut up already.

I haven't told you all about Nathan yet, have I? Well, like I said in my last podcast, he was the star of the basketball team and Dan Scott's son (and secretly, which I thought was always the most intriguing of all details, Lucas Scott's half-brother). What I didn't tell you, and only hinted at, was that he was a lady's man. Every guy at the Tree Hill High, unless he was gay, believed that Nathan was a true womanizer who knew exactly how to dial a girl the right way. Nerds asked him advice about asking a girl out and freaks came up with comical tall tales of his various partners, who consisted of the Danielle Jacobs, Rachel Bilson (remember, the freaks came up with this shit), and a handful of MILFs.

Girls didn't say anything different though. The few girls that Nathan actually slept with, one actually being Dani, spoke nothing but praises for him. Not just sexually though, more on the subject of his character. He was nice to the Everybody's and even stuck up for a few of them that helped him out with his homework a few times. But what only the girls who went out with him would know is that he's a good listener and trusted them with some of the most could be humiliating of secrets. Hearing about an Untouchable that actually trusted someone was nearly unheard of, and Nathan was the black sheep in that category. I couldn't even trust my best friend about something as simple as liking a certain guy, but Nathan trusted his girlfriends with some heavy stuff. All the girls that went out with Nathan had all graduated and it just goes to show you how his trust kept their mouths shut about his secrets, except save for Dani's slip about Lucas to me, but that wasn't told as gossip among others so she could be known for having a juicy secret. Dani told me because 1.) it related to Karen Roe, her idol, and 2.) it was about Lucas, the guy for me. She didn't gain anything from telling me.

Nathan was also said to be a great kisser, which is no surprise since Dani basically let me in on a few things she taught him (she was his first for everything basically). Then another thing people said about him was that he was an incredibly sweet guy, and I would have to give that one to Dani again because she made sure he stayed the same guy she first started to like, which is a hard task when it comes to popular guys (they all seem to turn out to be dicks by the time their Freshman year is over). And then another not-so secretive detail about Nathan was that he was fun to just hang out with even if it was just a walk on the boardwalk.

Really, it was no wonder that he became the "the" guy for so many girls by the time he was a Sophomore and the older he became, the more and more piled up into one mountainous-like form from almost the entire female student body. Sometimes I even wondered what it would be like to shove him into a utility closet and make out with him, but then Lucas' face would pop into my mind and I knew which brother I really wished I could do that to and not be seen as any different.

And so it goes, just like it was back in Freshman year, I still liked Lucas Scott the Loner. Three years had passed, a handful of guys too, and I still found the blue-eyed boy as captivating as I did back then.

I earlier mentioned seeing him in the back of the library reading all sorts of poetry and classic American novels. I came to find out that that was where his haven was in the school, the last place an Untouchable would dare to hang out, let alone be found in for more than five minutes. I actually accidentally stumbled across it when I was looking for some T.S. Eliot for an independent study project in Sophomore English (I was kind of surprised I was awake long enough at all in that class to have heard the name T.S. Eliot, so I just decided to look for the dude because he sounded familiar on a list of authors that sounded so unfamiliar). I was walking back to the poetry section of the library, probably one of the most loneliest and untouched areas in the whole library because poetry is boring, at least to flat, superficial, obvious-needing teens, which takes care of the majority of the student body. Perhaps that's the reason why he chose that specific section: there wouldn't be as many visitors or airheads. So there I was with Bevin walking towards the quietest part of the library in a very raucous manner where we came across him.

"Peyton, where are we?" Bevin squealed as she grabbed my arm for dear life so she wouldn't fall over, she was laughing so hard at this said 'retarded project.'

"Ugh," I said in between laughs, "I have no idea, but I think this where the poetry is."

Bevin pulled me to a halt with a fake frightened look on her face. "That's way too deep for me—I might get lost in the words about buttercups and dew covered grass."

We started to howl like a pack of wolves at her statement. We had way too many energy drinks that morning than we could count because we always thought English was too doldrums-y.

Finally we turned the last corner and found something more than expected: my the guy. Lucas looked up at us as if we just rained on his parade. Irritation seemed to flash in his eyes.

"Whoops!" Bevin let out as she quickly stopped. "We didn't know someone was back here." She turned to me and whispered with this total Bevin smile in place, "Let's get out of here, he's going to just stare at us the entire time." After she said this she started to pull me away, my feet following hers during our makeshift exit.

I wanted to just nod and agree lamely, so I wouldn't have to deal with explaining to Bevin about why we should stay, but I found my secret speaking more for me. "No, we're already back here—we might as well just grab the prettiest book," Bevin laughed at the 'prettiest book' part, "and then we'll leave. I don't want to make up some shitty lie to Ms. Tight-Ass because we didn't find a book."

She giggled again, "All right, but let's be quick… he supposedly likes me."

And at that I laughed. "Oh really?"

Bevin nodded as if it was a known fact. "Rachel said—"

"Whoa, if Rachel said it, then that means it's definitely not true—no offense, any guy would be mad not to like you—but Rachel says she has the most U.F.'s but we all know she's just saying that because she wants to feel special. C'mon," I said dragging her back to where we just left.

"Back so soon?" Lucas breathed in under his breath, obviously not really liking our presence in his escape.

Looking at the spines of dusty novels, I jabbed, "Good observational skills, Captain Obvious." After realizing what I had just said my heart started to race with anger against my rebellious mind. 'Damn it, damn it! Good job, Peyton, make him hate you instead of mildly dislike you. You're definitely winning the Smart Ass award now.' I found myself thinking vehemently.

I looked back over at him, seeing that he was smiling bitterly knowing that he just got 'served.' "Sorry," I found myself saying even more automatically. Bevin looked over at me with wide eyes as if saying 'don't egg him on.' I smiled a small smile and continued my search.

He laughed a bitter laugh, "Riiight."

I didn't have a chance to say anything back because Bevin grabbed two miscellaneous books and shoved them into my hands and pulled me out of the area.

That ordeal definitely wasn't the fondest of moments for me, especially since he found me as an annoyance when I really wanted him to see me like my U.F.'s did, likeable or at least desirable. But alas, the boy I liked, didn't like me. I guess it was my turn to face the facts like so many girls in the Everybody's had to when they liked one of the Untouchable guys: just because you really liked them, they didn't have to like you back. My case probably didn't hurt as worse as theirs because my liking was never projected. But nonetheless, I found myself wondering if I wasn't pretty enough or skinny enough or, hell, nice enough.

But like anyone else who liked someone, I started to go to the library more often. I didn't venture back to his area again until Junior year where I was yet again having to do an independent study, and like last time, he was there. But unlike last time, he didn't make another wise-ass comment. He just merely looked up to see me, Peyton Sawyer the damn Untouchable, was there and then back down at his worn copy of Walden. I suppose after that little meet-up of sorts, I came out a little bit happier than my last run-in with him there. Lucas was at least conspicuously indifferent and not full out hostilely indifferent. A major improvement in any case for someone who needed just the tiniest of hopes to continue on with this one-sided forbidden love with reason and logic backing it, minimally at least.

I guess now that I think about it, it was Madison who kind of nodded me off to going back to the library like I did in my Sophomore and Junior years. She didn't know that she did of course, but seeing her 'hell with it' attitude was reinvigorating to see again—something I hadn't seen since Dani and I went on those drives. Dani was still like that in our phone conversations, but seeing it again was just amazing.

So there I was again, the first day back at school in the library, waiting. I didn't expect him to be there right away, heck, I didn't even know what his schedule was like. I was just there to maybe catch a glimpse of him, to see him maybe in better spirits than he usual was in school... and more like he was at the River Court. But this is high school, when are the Everybody's in better spirits when someone of superiority is around them, disconcerting them? Though, as if fate decided to step in, Lucas walked through the library doors like a the guy was supposed to: with allure.

Man, was I in awe. I bet some of you are laughing at that, but you would understand if you had a crush and you didn't see them for at least three months and then suddenly, unexpectedly seeing them for the first time since the end of the last school year. It's awe-worthy, in my opinion, especially when it comes to him.

He had a nice hair cut that suited him well, not saying his hair wasn't good last time, but hair products actually in his hair made his hair seem even greater than before. He was wearing his usual band tee (Radiohead, to be exact, which I found to be unbelievably hot—a guy wearing good music is sexy), worn jeans, and black Onitsuka Tiger kicks. His iPod was readily in-place, but he took the earphones out when he saw the librarian and began to chat with her. I was hypnotized like no other time in my life, especially in public.

That's when Brooke ran up behind me.

"P. Sawyer," Brooke squealed loudly, making both the librarian and Lucas turn around and give us weird looks, which must've reminded Brooke of what she was witnessing before she made her presence known. "Damn, I can see why you are totally checking that guy out!"

I felt all the blood in my body rush to my face-- I was blushing so badly-- I could hear my heartbeat pound in my ears, and I felt a little light-headed. I began to stammer an explanation out, but Brooke waved me off. "Shit, is that Lucas the Loner? Man, what the sun and some fresh air can do for some people!"

I was still a little out of it when I finally realized what Brooke is saying and the protective side of me, which usually only came out when it came to Brooke, chimed in. "Brooke, don't say that too loud, you never know who's listening."

"Please, I'm tired of this 1984 crap when it comes to us. I think it's perfectly healthy to have Eye Candy, no matter if it's an Everybody." She said in a completely matter of fact way still looking over at Lucas. Brooke always bent the rules when it came to boys, like I said, boys were her weakness, and in those moments, she reminded me a little bit of Dani. "But nonetheless, you are speaking some truth!" She took my hand and pulled me up, "We better get out of here before rumors start milling around about Untouchables outsourcing their U.F.'s by doing the work themselves."

"Economy and gossip were always your strong suits," I laughed as I grabbed my messenger bag and walked out arm and arm with my BFF.

I'd be lying if I say I wasn't afraid of what was churning around in Brooke's head at that moment. But for some reason, I trusted that it wasn't the Untouchable Brooke planning to use it as dirt later on down the line, but really Brooke, the girl I've always had by my side ever since we were nine. For the first time, in the better part of four years, it was the truest moment in our friendship from my side. She suspected my appeal for the guy, at least physically, and was okay with it. Brooke knew my secret, partially, and I felt all right with her knowing it.

And with trust on my mind, brings me to my sisterhood with Madison. On our first "penciled in" hang out, Madison and I just drove, like Dani and I used to. While we were driving past the River Court in my black 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente, I told her to tell me her darkest secret, and she did willingly because, from what I could see, she knew it was a trust game I was playing with her.

"What's yours?" She asked back, squinting her eyes so she could make me out with the sun doing its darnedest to keep her blind. "If that's all right?"

"First rule: don't ask 'if it's all right.'" I told her right away. "You're an Untouchable now, the only people you need to worry about are Untouchables, and as long as you have me, you're going to be 'all right.'"

She laughed at that.

"You see that guy out there, shooting hoops with the blonde hair?" I confidently asked her. She just nodded in response, "That's my darkest secret."

I could tell that Madison understood, but she didn't fully, so I elaborated for her. "I mean I like him… he's the guy for me."

Madison smiled and said, "I knew it! I just knew it!"

"Knew what?" My fear getting the better part of my logic and nerves—was my attraction that noticeable?

"Don't get your panties in a twist," she teased. I loved this kid and it was just our first drive. I wish I was so much more open with Dani back then, we would've had such a better time in half the time. "I mean, y'know when you came to get me away from Jeff—I mean the Skater kid--"

"I know who Jeff is," I told her quickly.

"Oh sorry, but anyways, when I gave you the meanest look I could rile up, I saw something I didn't expect as your reaction: pride." Madison answered my question with an excitement I didn't expect to see from her. "I knew you were unlike the others at that moment. You were like me."

I could only fathom the comfort she got from knowing that I was like her. It must've been akin to what I felt when Dani started to spell her wisdom out to me in doses.

I smiled over at her, happy that she was all right. "Y'know, I think this is the beginning of a brilliant and prosperous sister relationship."

From that moment on, Madison learned of the great secrets of being an Untouchable when you really wanted to be a regular Everybody. She learned the loop-holes, the theatrics, the great skills passed on from Karen Roe down to Dani's older sister's older sister, down to Dani's older sister, down to Dani, down to me, and finally down on to Madison herself. A five-four year generation ritual that sprung some hope in all five of our lives: a Gandalf, an Obi Won-Kenobi, a Dumbledore, a Hester Bangs, a voice of reason in the middle of all this madness called high school. She was all right, and so were my four predecessors because she was all right. We were guaranteed at least another four years of hope within the Untouchables' ranks.

With mission A of an A-B operation under my belt, I was well on my way and it wasn't even the second week of my Senior year. But I knew I was going to need at least a month or two to get my courage up for initiating the second part of the course of action, my Fall as an Untouchable.

Author's Notes:

I just wanted to clarify that in this story Rachel has lived in TH for all of her life just like everyone else. She just had a "disappearing" year where she went off to fat camp in the eighth grade, which is why when she came back for her Freshman year, she was voted in as an Untouchable. Her "rockin'" body put a spell on many upperclassmen.

This chapter is two pages shorter than the prelude, so I hope it went by quicker. Lol.

I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. I was going to take another route, but when I woke up this morning another storyline hit me, one that I liked a whole more. Hopefully you all liked it. :)

Thanks again for reading, it must've been a long one! Lol. Thank you though, I really appreciate it. Also, thank you for my reviews! I love hearing what you all think, even if it's constructive criticism. After re-reading my first chapter, I found so many grammatical errors, so I tried to proofread this one more extentsively. Therefore, there won't be as many in this one. So thanks for putting up with those in my last chapter! Lol.