Here's the third chapter enjoy

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She couldn't concentrate, not really. Jo could faintly hear Rico's voice in the distance as he spoke, going on and on and on about their chemistry homework. Jo's mind however was on something else entirely ...more like someone else. It had been three days since she walked away from Danny, three days since she really spoke with him.

"Ok," The way Rico's tone changed dragged Jo away from her head. "Don't turn around and then look up." For some reason, no matter how many times Rico said that phrase to her, she always seemed to turn around. For some reason whenever Rico said those exact words and she turned around, Danny was always waiting on the receiving end.

Her heart skipped a beat and she quickly turned back to face Rico, tense, and nervous. "Is there any chance, that he didn't see me?" She's said these words before, she mused. Several weeks prior when Danny had returned for the first time, back then she was also trying to avoid him and just like that day he slowly approached her.

"Hey..." he trailed, Rico barely rose his hand to acknowledge him, Jo refused to look at him. She would not let herself fall apart, she would not be swayed by him, not again. There was a long strained silence that made Rico cough, he didn't like long uncomfortable silences. "Jo," Danny knelt down. Were they back to this? Back to Danny having to convince her to speak to him. "You have every reason in the world to hate me..." He began but she didn't look at him, if she did she would fall apart, she would forgive him. "I'm sorry."

"You've said that." She still didn't look at him. Sighing Danny looked to Rico who honestly gave him an apologetic look, they both knew there would be no talking to her, so without another word Danny stood and walked away.

"You're not going after him this time." It was more a statement than a question. Not that she didn't want too, not that she didn't feel like getting up and chasing after him. Shaking her head she smiled, a sad, lonely smile.

"No Rico, not this time." She sighed, looking down to their Chemistry homework, intending to forget about Danny for at least the next couple of hours.

.

.

.

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"Hi" His voice made her heart skip a long unnecessary beat. She had to calm her hands that seemed to threaten to shake. Closing her locker door Jo turned to look at the one person who could cause such an effect on her.

"Danny." she said, adjusting her bag and crossing her arms as she turned to him. She would remain completely and utterly calm. She was wearing the same muster sweater she was wearing the second day he had been back and strangely enough he was dressed the same too.

"Is your plan to never talk to me again?" He asked her and she shook her head.

"No, My plan is to only say what's necessary and nothing more. Last thing I need is you trying to work your charm on me again." She knew he did the same thing she did, they both very much thought back to their conversation in the diner when he claimed to be very charming, when he said 'worked on you didn't it' She knew he was thinking about it because she literally saw his face fall.

She didn't want to see that, not that face of utter despair so she turned away from him and walked to class, refusing to let her heart be swayed.

'You're nothing more than a burden to him Jo, nothing more than someone he is has to put up with' she told herself.

'So then why is he trying so hard to be near you? Why if you're such a burden to him, is Danny trying so hard to show you he's sorry.' the thought came from her subconscious but she refused to listen.

"Shut up!" The words stopped Jo dead in her tracks, she was passing by the Janitors closet when she heard them. The door slightly open and the lights off, but Jo was certain that was where the voice had come from. "You're going to ruin everything!" It was Sarita's voice, she recognized it.

Who was she talking too?

"The fall fest is this weekend, we'll go then, It wont be strange if we skip on the town festival, many people do." who were they going to see? Jo leaned a little closer to the door, curious.

"What if someone finds out, about Regina?" Jo's eyes grew wide...Phoebe? Was that Phoebe in there with her. "If they find out what are we supposed to do?"

"The only way they find out is if you keep doing things that make it obvious!" Sarita snapped, Jo could hear a hiccup escape Phoebe. "Lets go." With her heart in her throat Jo pulled away from the door and quickly headed in the opposite direction. Her feet were moving quickly without a particular destination.

What the heck was was happening? What did Sarita and Phoebe know? What were they hiding. She couldn't understand a damn thing. How was she supposed to process this? Could she tell Danny and Lacey without them thinking she was completely and utterly nuts? Especially Lacey who would defend them no matter what she said, because they were her friends. What if they saw her...would they try to kill her too? Without looking she turned the corner only to bump right into Lacey.

"Sorry," Jo didn't see her, not really too wrapped up in her mind to really care about being snarky towards Lacey. She was shaking and Lacey recognized that reaction as fear in Jo. Something had scared her...but what?

"Jo.." She said softly, looking into Lacey's deep brown eyes caused Jo to stop breathing. Would Lacey ever take her side and believer her?

No

She wouldn't.

'because she never saw you as a friend' It was a dark voice that whispered those words to her and caused Jo to move away from Lacey who had reached out to touch her.

"I'm fine." she forced herself to her feet and moved quickly away from Lacey who stared after her, confused and concerned.

She would have to figure this out on her own, without Danny or Lacey.

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