Two chapters in one day?!?! Wow. But this was really supposed to be attached to the last one, so it's kind of cheating. Anyway, hopefully that makes up for the fact that I haven't updated my other story in pretty much forever. Well, it probably doesn't, but still. Kay, enjoy chapter... 2.5 haha.

Chapter 3

There was a sick feeling in the pit of TK's stomach. How did he always manage to turn everything important to him into a fight? Twist his concern to worry, worry to fear, fear to anger? He hated the look he saw on her face, hated watching her cry. Why was it always her? Because she's important, he thought. It made sense; she was more important than most anything in his life right now. And the more important something was, the harder it would be to hold himself together. At least so long as that something was a someone, and that someone was his best friend. And she had managed to seclude herself from everyone while he was gone. It was probably these kids. Shallow, idiotic jerks who wouldn't know a good thing if it-

"Dude- What'd the paper ever do to you?" TK glanced down; there was a hole in his paper where he had been erasing for the past two minutes. Great. He dropped his pencil irritably and shook his head. "This doesn't have to do with the reason you disappeared during lunch today, does it?" Davis asked, checking his answer against Ken's, whose paper was significantly neater and more finished than either Davis' or TK's. "Is it a girl?" he teased.

"It's not like that," TK mumbled. "And I just about screamed at her today, so it wouldn't much matter if it was."

"Dang, TK. Just text her so you and mystery girl can make up already, you're freaking pitiful."

TK rolled his eyes but Ken cut in, "He's actually right, TK. If you're this upset over her-"

"I'm not upset." TK saw the looks on his friends faces and corrected himself, "Okay, I am, but I don't think she really wants to talk to me."

"Yeah, well I don't think we'll be able to put up with you like this. Call her." Davis spoke over the bell as Ken stood, his homework already finished. "And soon," he added. "We've got practice tonight."

TK pulled his phone out of his back pocket and stared at it. He had gotten her cell phone number from her the day before. He selected her name and typed a message reluctantly, hitting send before he could change his mind.

Hey I'm worried about you. Call me around 5? Bball practice.

He hurried down to the locker room after school and changed, his phone beeped as he was pulling his sneakers on. He checked it, running a hand through his hair nervously. There was a snort from his right: Davis. "She can't see your hair TK." Heat crept up his neck, but he ignored the comment. 'One New Message'.

Sure.

TK took a deep breath, "Sure" wasn't fantastic, but it was something. At least enough to let himself relax during practice. He stuffed the phone back in his gym bag before leaving to join the rest of the team.

TK grabbed the phone on the first ring, "Hello?" he spoke quickly, anxiously brushing the hair out of his eyes.

"TK?" her voice was soft and clear; TK felt a smile appearing automatically on his face. He walked to his room and closed the door, making sure that he was well out of earshot of his mother.

"Kari," he breathed, closing his eyes in relief. "Thank goodness, are you okay? I'm so sorry about today, I mean I never meant to-"

"You're sorry?" she asked quietly, catching him off guard.

"Yeah, Kari. 'Course I am, I- I was acting like an idiot today." There was a pause, and for a second he thought she had hung up.

"My dad died." Her voice shook slightly, "A couple of weeks after you left."

"Kari, I'm…" but TK wasn't sure what he was. "I'm sorry I wasn't there- for you. I- I should've been." She was quiet for well over a minute this time but he heard her take an odd sort of gulping breath. She was crying again. And he hated it again. "Kari?" he whispered gently.

"Yes?" her voice was even softer than before, barely audible.

"I'm here now. And I promise I'll be here. And I don't now if there's other stuff I missed, but I'm here for that too, if you need me to be."

"There is," she spoke again, her voice slightly stronger this time.

"You can call me whenever, Kari. Just like before. And I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked tentatively.

"Mhm… TK, I don't want you to, to blame yourself for all of this, okay?" Something about the way she said it made him nervous, she wasn't just talking about what had happened that day. "I had kind of a bad day yesterday, and I was already a little upset."

"Okay. I'm still sorry," he added.

"I know. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He liked being able to say goodnight to her again; he wanted to say more. "Sweet dreams," he whispered. There was a soft click as she hung up, and TK ran his fingers over the frame of the photo he had been staring at for the past two days. He and Kari, smiling at the camera, his arms wrapped across her shoulders. Something pulled deep in him, something that made him want to hold her against him like that again, something that made him want to hold her there and not let go, keeping her away from whatever else had happened since he left. Whatever it was, it made him feel terrible about that, how could he have left her? Just have abandoned her like she wasn't worth anything to him? "What have I done to you, Kari?"

Yep, there you go. TWO(ish) chapters. Reviews are always great. Merry Christmas! -love