Hi everyone and happy SarahSunday! THANKS for all the reviews.. They make my day and I love reading them, I'm glad you still like this story. Cez, as for 'the other time'.. I considered their first kiss to be 'that' moment. So onto the next chapter, it turned out really long.. as for Mitchell's character. On the show (even though we've never seen him) I'd picture him to be this perfect gentleman, emotionally stable.. the opposite of Harvey. In this fic I kinda used him as a combination of things we know from Donna's previous relationships on the show.. also they're all teenagers and things are confusing.. and you might do things differently than when you're grown up...

Either way. I hope you do enjoy this chapter and would love to know your thoughts. X - M


180 DAYS OF DONNA

Chapter 4: THE MOVIE


She rolls around in her bed. She's restless, unable to sleep as her mind is working overtime. Pushing the covers aside, she swings her legs over the side of her bed. Slowly getting up, she shivers once at the temperature difference between the warmth of her bed and the rest of her room. Reaching for the glass of water from her nightstand, her feet start to move and she aimlessly walks through her room.

Only coming to a halt again in front of the window overlooking the garage. Taking a sip from the glass, she slowly places it down. Her head leaning against the frame, her eyes slowly adjust to the darkness outside when she looks at his window. The curtains half closed, but his room just as dark as hers.

The question the brunette asked her that afternoon coming to mind again. "Are you in love with him Donna?" Her eyes drifting from the window to the garages between their two houses. All the times they sat there, just talking about everything and nothing coming to mind and a small smile forms on her lips. It fading again when she tears her gaze back to her room, and she repeats the words she said that afternoon. "We're best friends."

It is too dark to really look at the pictures on her wall, but she knows what they look like. A school picture from the first year they were in the same class. One from summer camp years ago and another random one that was just them, the picture in question actually hung in a frame that read 'best friends.' She knows there have been times the line from friendship to something more was blurred or nearly blurred, but in love with him?

A soft giggle escaping her lips, she shakes her head. He's her best friend, why would she be in love with him if she has a boyfriend. Another chuckle escaping her lips when she realizes how weird Dana's question actually was, given the circumstances, she had kissed Mitchell right in front of the brunette not even ten minutes prior to the question. The thing that's bugging her most though, is how she interpreted Dana's question to be about Mitchell and how even then she couldn't, without a hint of doubt, say that she is.

xxx

Folding the emerald jacket around her chest, she lets out a breath. Trying to clear her mind after spending the day helping her mom clean her home office. She walks through her backyard, making her way to the picnic table on the side. The wooden object having been there for years, they rarely used it.

She lets out another breath. Taking one big step she stands on the bench for a moment, before finally sitting down on the table. Her hands running over her legs, the air outside chillier than it would normally be in the first month of school. She slowly leans back, lying down across the table. Her eyes closing when a ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds and covers her face. She smiles softly now, taking in the warmth.

Marcus looks to his left, spotting the redhead in the garden next to his own. "Perfect," he mumbles, burying his hands in the pocket of his sweater. His hand coming in contact with the folded piece of paper, he jumps over the small flowerbed separating the two gardens, making his way over to her. "Hey," he mumbles climbing on the table, he sits down next to her.

"He's not here," she answers without opening her eyes.

"I know," Marcus says, looking over his shoulder. His eyes meeting hers when she opens one. "I came to see you," he explains with a smile. Finally pulling the piece of paper from his pocket, he holds it up for her. "For you."

"Me?" Donna mumbles, her answer related to both of Marcus' statements. She pushes herself back up to sit on the table, taking the piece of paper from his hand. She slowly folds it open, her mouth dropping when she takes in the ticket. "You got them?" she mumbles in surprise.

Marcus nods. "Yep," he answers making a popping sound with his lips. "Harvey told me you tried to order them, but that it didn't work and they were sold out at the cinema…" he pauses for a moment. "Dad said we should just go a week later, but my classmate Jack works there and he still owed me a favour, so… This Friday. The four of us, like always."

Donna looks at the ticket in her hand and back to the young man she considers her own younger brother. "Tradition," she answers with a smile and he nods. She laughs then, remembering the last time the four of them went to the movies. She leans to her left, her shoulder bumping into his. "Please don't throw your drink over me this time."

Marcus throws his head back in laughter. "How many times are you going to hold that one over me," he counters and Donna laughs in return. "I promise," Marcus tells her then.

"I see Marcus told you the good news."

She hears his voice and her head instantly moves to the right to look at him. The bright smile plastered across his face the first thing she sees and it causes a strange feeling to form in the pit of her stomach. She tries to answer, but settles on a nod instead. The moment throwing her off her game, she looks up instead. Her eyes locking with his and she now wonders if it that was smart thing to do so.

"Yeah," she mumbles when she finally finds her voice. "Thanks," she adds now looking away. Her feet dangling down the table, she feels one starting to shake a little and she jumps of the table hoping the sensation would stop. "I uhm…"she briefly looks back and forth between the two brothers, her gaze soon on the ground and later her house again. "I need to go… Homework."

Harvey opens and closes his mouth, but merely frowns instead of commenting when he turns his head. Both his brother's and his own gaze following the redhead when she walks off. Marcus crooks his head looking at his older brother then. "What's going on with her?"

Harvey raises his shoulders, letting them drop again. "No clue."


xxx


Her hand trailing over the wall, she makes her way through the hallway during her free hour that Monday morning. Her hand lingers above the doorknob for a moment and she glances through the window of the door, separating the nearly empty classroom from the busy hallways. Looking over her shoulder once, she opens the door. Sneaking inside, she quietly closes the door behind her. A smile forming on her lips when she sees him sitting in the back. Leaning in a chair, legs propped up on a table and a math book resting on his legs. She lets out a breath and finally walks up to him. "Hey."

Mitchell's eyes flicker up in an instant, her sudden appearance taking him by surprise. He shakes his head for a moment, mumbling a 'hey' in return. "How did you get here? I didn't hear you."

"Transporter beam," she says with a smirk, pausing when she notices the frown growing on his face. "Star Trek?" she adds as explanation, but the frown on her boyfriend's face doesn't fade. "No?" she mumbles, shaking her own head in confusion. "Okay, well hi," she adds sitting down on the table next to him. "Logan told me where you were."

"Figured." Mitchell smiles, looking up at the redhead. His hand reaching for hers, he removes his feet from the table. Adjusting his position, he pulls her closer. "I have a surprise for you," he says, giving her a confident smile. She crooks her head a little when his hand slips from hers, reaching for his backpack instead. He pulls out two tickets, holding them up, his eyes locking with hers again. "You and me, this Friday night."

Repeating his words in her mind, her gaze slipping from his eyes to the tickets he's holding in between them. She reads the title, her mouth slowly dropping a little gasp escaping her lips. "Wow," she stalls looking up and down between the tickets and him, her mind going over her options. "I'd... I'd love to," she mumbles, "but… I… I already promised Harvey I'd go."

"What?" Mitchell replies, his face falling back into a frown. He leans back in his chair.

"But we could go to another movie," she adds, smiling softly at him. She tries to cheer him up a little. "Just us."

"So you're choosing him over me?"

"What," she mutters now, frowning herself. She lets herself slide of the table. Her feet reaching the ground again. "That's..." she lets out a breath. "That's not what I said," she says more confident this time. "I said I'd love to go with you, it's just that I promised to go to this movie with Marcus and Harvey almost a year ago."

Mitchell scoffs, pushing himself on his feet too. His mouth opening for a reply, but there aren't any words rolling of his tongue. Instead, he pushes his books back into his backpack. His motions making her roll her eyes, her head slowly shaking when he doesn't engage in the conversation they were having anymore. He swings his bag over his shoulder, she crosses her arms in front of her chest. Her gaze still narrowed in on him, but neither of them speaks. He's the one to break her gaze then, turning on his heel, he walks away.

"Mitchell!"

xxx

Mindlessly moving his fork through the salad on his plate, he pretends to listen to the conversation Louis and Rachel are having about the ballet. Rolling his eyes when he hears Mike agree to Rachel's analysis of the arabesque. He shakes his head, turning to face Mike. He gives him this look wondering if he's serious, because he's sure Mike, just like himself, knows nothing about the ballet.

"What?" Mike mouths without making a sound, briefly raising his shoulders. Harvey just laughs, stuffing his mouth with another bite from his salad, not even bothering to comment on his observation.

"Why are taking my girlfriend to the movies?"

Harvey's head pops up. A cough escaping his lips when he nearly chokes on a piece of lettuce. He demonstratively drops his fork, his hands pressed flat against the table. He turns to face Mitchell, both sporting the same stern expression. "What?"

"Donna," Mitchell argues, his right hand extended in the air. Pointing at nothing, but his movement and the raised voices of both young men wakes the interest of the others, who turn to look at them too. "You're trying to steal her away from me. "

Rachel looks surprised for a minute. The name of her friend's boyfriend on the tip of her tongue, but Harvey is faster. "Look, Mitchell," he counters, trying his best to tame his growing annoyance. "First of all, Donna isn't a thing one can steal, but since that's how you put it. I'm not trying to steal anything from anyone, but she's my best friend and I am damn well allowed to go to the movies with her if she pleases," he says, pushing himself on his feet now, towering out above the football player.

His brows only furrowing further, when the other man remains silent, he notices the redhead appear from the corner of his eye. Looking to his left, his gaze lands on his best friend for a moment and he sees the slightest hint of panic in her eyes. "Besides," he starts again, calmer this time. "Donna told me you asked her to go," he lies, facing Mitchell again. "And I told her it is okay if she wants to go with you instead."

"Ooh," Mitchell stutters now, missing how Harvey couldn't have known already. He takes a step back when Harvey reaches for his bag from the ground and the tray from the table and pushes past him.

Harvey shakes his head walking away while the silence of the group is soon replaced by whispers. His eyes flicker to the redhead one last time, he sees her swallow but neither of them speaks. He walks past her instead, dropping the tray on the cart and he throws his drink in the trash. Making his way out of the refectory.

She swallows, her chest moving up and down with every breath she takes, but she doesn't dare to look over her shoulder. The discussion her boyfriend and best friend just had still on repeat in her mind, she steps forward. Her eyes meeting Mitchell's at last, he walks up to meet her instead.

"So you are going with me."

The words more a statement than a question, she just looks at him. Confused and not entirely sure on what to do. "What?" she mumbles at last, hoping formulating a question would give her time to clear her mind.

"To the movie."

She lets out a sigh, looking down at her feet. Her mind telling her one thing, her heart another. "No." The word pronounced before she can fully register it, she slowly looks back up at Mitchell. "No, I'm not."

"But," Mitchell starts, taken aback by her answer. "But Harvey just said you could go with me."

She nods slowly, suddenly feeling the eyes of most people in the room still directed on them. She briefly looks to her left, crossing her arms in front of her chest before she looks back at him. "He did," she agrees to Mitchell's argument, "but Harvey said he wouldn't mind. He doesn't dictate what I do, like you're trying to do now," she pauses, her eyes pleading him to have this conversation somewhere with less prying eyes.

He swallows, his hand brushing past her arm. Guiding both of them back to the hallway, she turns around when she reaches her locker again. Her hands fumbling with her combination lock, her eyes flickering up to Mitchell again, she waits for his response. An apology, but when he doesn't, she sighs. Pulling her lock aside, she pushes the door as a barrier between them. Her hands resting against the shelve, she counts to three, before she faces him again.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, crooking his head to look at her. Giving her his puppy eyes.

"It's still my choice," she reasons then and he nods, mumbling an 'I know' in return. She bites her lip, her hand reaches for her jacket and she goes over her options instead. "I promised them," she whispers, more to herself than to him. "I promised," she repeats louder this time, looking back at Mitchell. "I promised him, his dad, his brother. We've been to these movies for years and I'm not going to break that promise."


xxx


She walks through the hallway at the end of Tuesday, swinging her backpack over her shoulder she makes her way back to her locker. Mumbling a greeting to the exchange student, she stays quiet herself. Thinking over the argument she had earlier that day with her boyfriend, the same argument she thought they had dealt with the day before. Turning the lock in her hand, she hears sniffles and sneezes coming from her left then. Stepping back, she pushes the door of the locker away, looking at the red watery eyes of Mike. "What's wrong?"

He sniffles, running the back of his hand along his nose. "I got paired with Louis for the physics project and we went to work on it," he pauses, sniffing once more. "But he has –"

"Bruno."

Mike looks up at the redhead. Frowning in confusion, but he nods at last. Bruno indeed being the name he heard Louis call the Birman cat. His reaction makes Donna smile softly. "I'm Donna, I know," she adds then, seeing her words make the new student even more confused.

"Will you please switch places with me?"

"And why would I do that?" Donna counters, crooking her head she makes her way back to her own locker.

"Because you think I'm nice?"

She smiles, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, but the new guy is right. "I do, yes," she counters, stuffing her books into her bag. She looks to her left again. "But what's in it for me?"

"Cats?" Mike smiles, putting up his best puppy eyes.

She closes her locker again. "You do realise you're not really making a compelling argument," she says, putting on her jacket. Slowly turning on her spot, ready to walk away.

"Okay. Okay. Wait," Mike calls after her, slamming his own locker shut. He runs up to her. "Let's make a bet."

"A bet?"

"Give me a minute and I can summarize every phone number in your phone."

Donna laughs, looking away. "Bullshit," she shakes her head. Pulling out her phone, she turns in over in her hand. "Be my guest," she adds, when he takes it over. Mike scrolls through her contact list, reading number after number. Donna lets her eyes drift from the new guy to the clock on the wall. "Ok, times up," she announces, pulling the phone back. She scrolls through the list herself now, trying to figure out with which number she's going to test him. "Marcus," she mumbles, looking back up at Mike again.

"Marcus," Mike repeats, closing his eyes for a moment. He pretends to think deeply. "4310555212."

"Wrong."

"I gave it backwards," Mike chirps, tapping at the screen. Making Donna check again, she stares at him with her mouth left agape. "It was too easy," he states matter-of-factly. "So a deal is a deal, right?"

"I recall you saying you could memorize every number from my phone."

"Do you really want me to?" He counters, crooking his head he looks at the redhead again who stays quiet for a moment, most likely counting her options. "Photographic memory," Mike says, tapping against his head.

"Fine. Deal," Donna sighs, giving in. "I'll work with Louis," she adds then, letting out another breath when Mike walks away. She mumbles a shit to herself, when it hits her. A laugh escaping her lips. "Ooh wait, mister photographic memory, who got expelled from Catholic School," she calls after him, making Mike stall and turn around again. "Don't think I don't know you pulled this stunt to get Rachel's phone number."

"I…"

"I know," Donna smiles smugly. "You think you're good, but I'm good too," she says. "And simply texting her isn't the way to win her over."

Xxx

Mike sits down at the kitchen table of his new friend. Extending his hand to the younger brother, who introduces himself as Marcus. Mike smiles, realising the number the redhead made him recite must have been from Harvey's younger brother. He reaches for his backpack, opening the zipper, he pulls out a stack of paper. Sliding the notes over the table towards Harvey. Pulling it back slightly when the other man reaches for the papers. "Thanks for Rachel's number by the way."

"I didn't get you Rachel's number."

"I know," Mike counters leaning back in his chair. "But I thought. WWHD. What would Harvey do?"

"And what would I do?" Harvey asks intrigued.

"Ask Donna."

He laughs now, letting his hand tap against the table twice. Pulling the notes towards him, he quickly glances over the papers. "You asked Donna? What about our deal?"

"I think our deal was better than her deal."

He laughs again, nodding his head because he already knows what must have happened. "She did her Donna thing with you."

"Yeah," Mike sighs, with a frown. "It's creepy."

"It's good," Harvey replies in a beat. "Did she find out what you did last summer?"

"Nothing but the truth."

"The ugly truth?" Harvey adds, wondering is the other guy will actually catch up with the movie titles, but Mike nods. "Scary story?"

"As good as it gets," Mike continues, dropping his backpack on the ground again, a smile growing on both their faces when they realise the other gets the references. "The good, the bad and the ugly."

"Tell me," Harvey says. "What is it?"

"It takes two to tango," Mike fires back, crossing his arms. Donna figuring him out without much effort now stopping him from being the only one that's going to open up.

"Look who's talking."

Mike nods, thinking for a second before he speaks again. "Orphan."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie?"

"Alright. Okay," Harvey gives in, frowning for a moment when he looks at the new kid. Feeling a bit awkward for questioning the guy's words, but he hadn't expected this. "Divorced. Parents."

"Since?"

"Last year," Harvey says. "When she went away."

"Seven years," Mike answers his own question in return.

"Accident?"

"Car crash."

"The unfaithful wife," Harvey counters, giving Mike the same curtesy in telling the reason without having to ask. He thinks about Mike's combination of answers for a moment and how he only joined their school two weeks ago, now making him wonder about the student's home situation. "Home Alone?" he asks at last.

Mike shakes his head. "Grandmother's house."

Harvey nods, not commenting further. He looks at the notes on the table again instead. "Thanks for this," he says then, signalling the papers again.

"Part of the deal," Mike answers. "Oh, and I got you the best lab-partner for the project," he adds.

Harvey frowns for a moment, shifting on his chair. "I already had the best lab-partner," he objects.

"Negatory," Mike shakes his head. "I'm the best lab-partner there is," he explains pointing at himself.

Harvey stares at the guy across the table for a moment. His jaw clenching for a moment he thinks about his now apparently former lab-partner. "I don't see how that's an improvement for me."

"I beg to differ."

Harvey crooks his head, trying to hold in a laugh. "Humour me."

"Well," Mike starts, pulling out some school records. He slides them over the table. "I checked. The last two years you teamed up with Donna. Both times you two got a B- and you need at least a B+ to get the GPA you need."

Harvey swallows once. Not having to look at the papers to know that everything the new student just told him is true. He looks back up, wondering how Mike got the information in the first place, but he counters with a different question. "You saying she isn't smart enough?" he wonders then with a stern look, leaning on the table.

Mike shakes his head. Not missing the sudden shift in Harvey's tone, his posture defensive maybe even protective. "I'm saying you can't afford to let yourself get distracted," Mike says, pointing at the paper he just placed on the table again. "Besides she got straight A's on all her other tests."

Harvey's jaw clenches again, he lets out a breath when he thinks for a moment. Not bothering to comment on the distraction statement. "Fine. Deal," he answers. "When do you want to start on the project?"

"The day after tomorrow," Mike suggests, packing his stuff again.

"Back to the movie titles?"

"No," Mike laughs, realising his answer was indeed a movie title. He gets up from the chair, bringing his bag to his shoulder. "Just can't sooner."


xxx


"Hey, you," he greets the redhead when he runs into her on the driveway between their two houses. He knows running into her isn't exactly what it is, as he'd been waiting there in front of his car for the past ten minutes, but he's barely spoken to her the past few days and he wonders why. "I heard I lost my lab-partner."

She looks up when she hears his voice, the way that made her feel a few days ago not forgotten. She swings her bag through the air, turning on her spot to face him. "Hey you," she uses the same words he just spoke to her, a smile forming on her face when he smiles at her. "Mike tricked me," she explains, raising her shoulders to indicate it wasn't something she could change.

"I know," he answers, pushing himself back on his feet. "Do you want me to give you a ride to school?" Harvey asks, signalling the car behind him.

"It's still clean," she objects, referring to the comment she made at the charity car wash.

He laughs, turning around he signals for her to follow him. His hand tapping on the hood once more. "Come on," he looks over his shoulder when she stalls for a moment. "You probably missed the bus already anyway."

She chuckles at his argument. "We live three blocks away from school, there's no bus." He rolls his eyes, signalling the car once more. She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding when her feet carry her across the drive way and to the green Mustang.

She quietly sits down on the passenger's seat, letting him do the talking for once, she still thinks about the look on Mitchell's face when she told him she would go to the movie with Harvey tomorrow night. "Him over me." She glances at him from the corner of her eye, swallowing when she spots the pendant still on his key chain.

"Right?" he asks again, now looking to his right when she doesn't respond to his earlier question. He notices the absent look on her face. The way she's staring out of the window and he can't help but wonder what's exactly going on. If has anything to do with the argument he had with her boyfriend earlier that week, but he doesn't ask. Not sure if he wants to know.


xxx


He opens the folded cardboard box, reaching for the chopsticks they got handed with them. He's never been able to eat with those, but they were at that shitty Thai place she loves, so he tries. They all try, but neither of the Specter men seems to possess the talent she has. He looks to his left, seeing his brother do an impression of the movie the four of them watched that night.

His gaze flickering to the redhead sitting next to him. She laughs at his younger brother, but her smile doesn't exactly reach her eyes like it normally would. "You okay?"

She briefly glances to her right. Her eyes locking with his, she presses her lips together in a thin line when she nods. Her chop sticks poking an egg roll. "I…" she pauses, letting out a soft sigh. "I was just thinking about my argument with Mitchell the other day."

"You regret going here?"

Gordon frowns now, taking one more sip from his drink. His gaze drifting from his son to the redhead. Donna swallows, looking up at his father now. She shakes her head. "My boyfriend wanted to go to this movie too. With me," she explains. "He didn't really like the fact that I already promised to go with you all," she adds raising her shoulders. "But it's tradition," she smiles at Gordon now. "Wouldn't change this for the world. He'll come around."

"He's a tool," Marcus mutters then, a tad louder than intended and Harvey drops his chopsticks in response. Nearly choking on a piece of shrimp this time, because he might have let that description slip every once in a while.

"Marcus," Gordon warns then, looking back and forth between his two sons and the redhead. "I'm sure he'll come around," the oldest Specter reassures her. "Besides, I can't blame you, honey. The Specter charm is hard to resist. I'm glad you're here."

Donna smiles softly. "It sure is," she agrees in a whisper. "And I'm glad too."

Harvey swallows, focussing on the cardboard box in his hand. Mindlessly moving some food around. The way she agreed to the charm thing, silencing him. Even more than usual, because he was always the one to listen, but he can feel his father's eyes directed on him none the less. He looks up for a second, noticing a look of understanding on his face that he can't really place.

He reaches for his cup of soda again then, bringing the straw to his lips. Emptying the container to the last sip, he lets out a sigh. "Ready to go?" he states rather than asks, breaking the silence. Getting up from his chair before the rest can answer.

xxx

He walks right beside her. His hands buried in the pockets of his jeans, his head low. He's staring at his feet, kicking a twig over the sidewalk on their way home. He listens to her talk. Humming in agreement to her analysis of the last scene. He laughs, his eyes closing and his head shaking slowly when she puts up a British accent and recites her favourite lines.

"What?" she mumbles when she notices his reaction from the corner of her eye. Slowly turning around on her place, she crooks her head just looking at him now. Shaking her head when he mumbles a nothing in return.

"You're weird," he answers giving in to her question look. Briefly raising his shoulders, he turns around her. His hand falling on the railing of the steps to his house. Letting his father and brother pass when she laughs at him in return, telling him he still chose her as his friend. He studies her face for a moment. "You really okay?" he asks again, now that they're alone.

She lets out a sigh, breaking his gaze and for a moment she hates that he's known her for over a decade. That he can read her too. She looks down instead, contemplating her answer. "He said this was a date." The words nearly inaudible, but letting out the words Mitchell said to her a few days ago, make her repeat them again. Louder this time. "Mitchell said he considered this to be a date."

He swallows, her words taking him off guard and he can't place the look on her face anymore. Confusion taking over, he opens his mouth to speak, the only words leaving his lips a repeat of what she just told him. "This… a date."

His eyes locking with hers again, both remaining quiet for a moment. The awkward tension tangible in the air only broken when both of them break out in a grin. A chuckle escaping her lips, she looks away. "That… would be… weird."

"Yeah," he agrees, slipping his hand through his hair. Another short moment of silence falling between them, he looks back up. "Because you're weird and –"

"With your dad and all." She mumbles at the same time, raising her hand signalling his house.

He looks to his right. His gaze resting on the open front door for a moment. "Yeah," he mumbles nodding, forcing another smile on his face. "Marcus.. and.. " he stalls looking back at her. "Wouldn't want them on our date," he adds.

A soft laugh escaping his already parted lips, when he hears the words coming out of his mouth. He just isn't one hundred percent sure whether that's from the absurdity of them or nervousness, but she giggles too and even if it's the first time the pure sound of her laugh leaves a knot in his stomach, he can't help but laugh along with her. "So," he starts once more, looking at her again. "Would he see us watching a movie at home as a date too?"

She raises her shoulders, shaking her head when she moves up and down the sidewalk in front of his house. "I don't know," she answers with another laugh, turning around again. "Maybe," she whispers after a few thoughts, letting herself fall down on one of the steps to his house. Her arms falling around her knees. "You know," she looks up at him, "it's just not fair. I bet it's because it's you, you know."

He hums in agreement, but isn't entirely sure what she means. He sits down next to her instead.

"I mean. Because his best friend is Logan," she clarifies her reasoning then. "It's not like I think they're on a date every time they play those ridiculous video games."

He laughs loudly at the image she just sketched. Shaking his head when he thinks over her answer. "Yeah," he mumbles, letting out another laugh. "But if you need me to talk to him, I would," he tells her. "You know that right?"

"Need?"

"Need," he nods.

She shakes her head, looking at the street ahead again. "Nah, I'm fine. Thanks," she says, her hands tapping against her knees. "Cause if I'd told him I'd planned this with Rachel it would have been fine. So it's his problem, not ours," she says. A smile growing on her lips when she remembers what she told Mitchell. "I also told him that I will not wait with talking about the movie, so that if he doesn't want to get spoiled he should just watch it by himself."

"Did he?"

She laughs, nodding. "Saw him waiting in the lobby of the cinema when we walked out." He looks in surprise, making both of them laugh again. "With Logan!" she adds, rolling her eyes.

"Bet they were on a date," he teases her. Nudging her shoulder with his, she grins at him in return.

"Obviously."


xxx


She lets herself fall on the couch next to Mitchell, pulling up her leg, she turns to face him. "And that last scene," she chirps, talking with her hands. "Wasn't that just amazing?"

"It was alright, I guess."

"Alright?" Donna repeats, taken aback by the lack of enthusiasm in his response. "But this is exactly the type of movie you like," she reasons, shaking her head in confusion. "How can you say it was just alright?"

Mitchell sighs, looking at the redhead. "It was alright, because I didn't get to watch it with my girlfriend."

She swallows, letting her arm drop on the backrest of the couch. She looks away, doing her best to not get annoyed. "I told you, I promised. Next time -" she pauses, looking back at Mitchell, but he shakes his head. Telling her she chose Harvey over him once more. "So we're back to this discussion," she sighs. "Again."

He raises his shoulders, not commenting, but they indeed were and she lets out another sigh. Pulling her hand back, she contemplates whether she's actually doing this again. But she wants to get to bottom of this once and for all. "You don't hear me complaining about you spending time with your best friend," she counters, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"But my best friend isn't a girl!"

"Ooh," she scoffs, her hand falling against her head. A chuckle escaping her lips when she realizes she was right all along. "So you don't have a problem with me spending time with my best friend, you have a problem with who my best friend is," she fires back.

"I never kissed my best friend."

Donna's mouth drops in surprise and she gulps once. "That was years ago," she answers shaking her head, she looks at Mitchell again, wondering why she ever told him that, but he had been the male lead she was supposed to kiss in the first place. "We were practically kids," she adds, referring to not just Harvey and herself, but even him. "He's my best friend."

Mitchell raises his shoulders again, his head slightly tilting. His motions telling her that that doesn't matter, not to him. She swallows fighting the tears, she looks away. Getting on her feet, she turns to look in his direction again. "You don't trust me," she states, taking a step back.

Ready to turn around, he calls her name. His hand reaching for her arm, she freezes when his fingers slide over her skin. She turns around again. "I do," he says. "I do trust you… I just…" he pauses, shaking his head he looks at the ground. Searching for words. "Look, I've never done all this before," he explains, letting go of her hand.

"I know."

"I…" he starts again, letting his hand run through his hair. "I think I just got a little jealous, because I like you so much," he whispers, giving her a small smile.

She presses her lips into a thin line, letting out breath she looks at the ground for a moment, but his words ease that nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach and she's never really been able to resist that small smile he's giving her. "A little," she counters then, looking him in the eye again, one eyebrow raised.

He chuckles. "A lot. I'm sorry," he says stepping closer. Hesitatingly he reaches for her hand, but she doesn't pull back when he steps even closer. His other hand brushing a strand of her auburn locks out of her face. "I really am sorry. I know he's just a friend," he whispers, his eyes locking with hers again. "You didn't comment on the other thing though."

She bites her lip, looking down for a moment. "I like you too."


xxx


Her hands brush along her skirt when she sits down on the edge of the improvised stages. Her feet dangling in the distance, she lets out a breath. Her head tilted backwards she looks up at the clouds cut out of cardboard that hang from the ceiling and she starts singing her song.

Three lines in, a male voice echoes through the room and she looks over her right shoulder. Blinking twice when she sees the male lead, Mitchell, walk towards her. She forgets her lines for a moment, nerves getting the better of her. She smiles instead, her gaze never leaving his when he walks towards her. Sitting down on the edge of the stage at last.

Mitchell's hand covers hers, she finally starts singing again. Both of them sing together now, their eyes locked till the very last line. He moves his right hand to her face, bringing a strand of hair behind her ear and his fingers brush over her cheek. Both of them smiling nervously, but she moves closer as scripted and so does he. His eyes closing first, she swallows one last time before his lips meet hers in a soft kiss.

One. Two. Three seconds.

She counts in her head as instructed, her hand moving over his cheek. She pulls back then, slowly opening her eyes to look at her opponent again. The bright blue eyes now turning a dark brown and when her fingers slide over his temple she feels the small bump of a mole. "Harvey?" she whispers.

"Hey you."

"Ooh my god," Donna cries out as she sits up in her bed, heavily breathing. Her forehead covered with a few droplets of sweat, she looks around trying to control her breathing. Trying to figure out where she is. "A dream," she stutters, finally feeling the duvet under her fingertips.

"Just a dream," she repeats to herself, letting out another breath as she looks through her room again. Her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. She takes in her bed first, it is still covered with her books and she realises she must have fallen asleep while studying.

Turning her head to look at the clock on the wall, she doesn't learn the time when her gaze finds the lamp burning in the room across the driveway first. Her stomach twists again and she lets herself fall back on her bed. Pulling the sheets over her head, she even turns her back towards the window. "It was a dream. It was a dream."

xxx

She manoeuvres through her room. Looking for her emerald jacket, scarves flying through the air left and right. Stuffing her books in her backpack at the same time, she runs around. Putting on her shoes, her hands running through her hair, she turns her auburn locks into a messy bun. Turning around again one more time, she spots her jacket on the chair in front of her window. Walking over to it, her gaze drifts of to his window and she sees how he's still slowly moving around.

She snatches her jacket from her chair then. Knowing that if she rushes now, she'll manage to get out of the door before he does. She also knows that would mean she's avoiding him and it's not something she ever pictured herself doing, but she hasn't slept since she woke up early that morning. The images of the dream still haunting her, she can't place why this dream is happening.

He's her best friend. Friend, that's what she told Mitchell. She's not in love with him, that's what she told Dana. Going on a date with him would be weird, that's what she told him. That's what he confirmed.

Swinging her bag over her arm, she looks over her shoulder one last time. Quickly making her way downstairs afterwards. Ignoring the questioning look on her mother's face, she declares she has to go and makes a B-line to the door. Pulling it shut behind her before her mother can even comment, she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she's greeted by the cold morning air. Staring at the closed garage doors, she jumps of the steps. Turning to her right, she quietly walks her way to school.

xxx

He struts through the hallway, turning around when he nears their lockers, but the redhead is still nowhere to be seen. Her mother's "she left in a hurry," still making him frown he leans against the grey metal cabinets. His arms crossed, eyes directed on the clock he watches the minutes till the first period pass by.

Sighing once, he turns around then. His hands reaching for the combination lock on his locker, quickly twisting the changing index to 80, 50, 00, 40. The lock opens with a small click and he places his jacket inside, his eyes focusing on the locker two to his left again, but she still wasn't there.

With two minutes to go, he enters the classroom. The first thing he notices is how the seat in front of his is still empty and he swallows again, but he spots her auburn locks from the corner of his eyes. His head slowly turning to the left. He sees her sitting next to Louis and he frowns for a moment, but remembers Mike tricked her into switching and guesses his friend to be Mike's former lab-partner.

She feels his eyes burning her skin and it takes every fibre in her being not to look in his direction. Only looking at him from the corner of her eye when she hears him sit down. She swallows and looks straight ahead again, still not feeling completely her old self. She puts up a bright smile when she spots her boyfriend walk into the room. He sits down in front of her and she leans over the table to give him a quick kiss.


xxx


The next two weeks are spend pretty much the same. They do walk to or back from school together from to time, but the conversations are about little to nothing and they don't really spend time together after school anymore. In the beginning it was because they were both busy with projects and studying for exams.

Afterwards it was as if their schedules just didn't line up anymore. He would have practice one day, she had theatre on the other. He'd promised to meet with the guys, she with the girls. It wasn't entirely coincidentally that her relationship with Mitchell improved for the better during those weeks. Making homework together often stretched into watching a movie and dinner.

Last night, the first night she stayed over at his place.

Besides making out, nothing actually happened because she told him she wasn't feeling well. She knows it's bound to happen eventually. It's part of being in a relationship, but she wonders if it might be too soon. She made a promise to herself, that she had to really like the guy and she does. She likes Mitchell, a lot and yet she wonders if this is what she meant with 'really' when she made that promise to herself.

"Honey?"

She looks up then, shaking her head to clear her mind. Not even realising she walked herself over to her mother's home office. She mumbles a greeting in return before stepping into the room. Pacing up and down twice, she finally sits down on the couch she's seen more than one patient take place. "Can we talk?" she asks then.

"Of course," her mother counters. Getting up from behind her desk, she walks over to the couch her daughter is sitting on and she sits down next to her. Studying her face for a moment, she covers the younger redhead's hand for a moment. "How are you? And you and Mitchell?"

"Good," Donna answers with a genuine smile. "We're good," she repeats again, adjusting a little on the couch. "We uhm... Tomorrow is actually our three month anniversary," she smiles then, her hands moving over her legs. She pulls the fabric a little, the date reminding her of her earlier thoughts again. "We uhm.. "

"Don't ever feel like you have to," Martha comments then, already knowing the direction of the conversation. She gets up from the couch for a moment, walking over to her desk for a moment. Opening a drawer, Martha pulls out a condom. Walking back, she sits down next to her daughter again. "But if you want to," she places it in her hand, folding her daughters fingers around it.

Donna swallows, looking down at their hands for a moment. Because she hadn't expected her mother to do this. "Don't tell your dad," Martha adds then and Donna looks back up, a chuckle escaping her lips at her mother's word and she thinks about all the other times her mother said then. Her father still calling the eighteen year old his baby girl.


xxx


She pulls the front door shut behind her. Bringing the strap of her purse over her shoulder. Her right hand holding onto her coat, she walks over the small porch to the steps. Coming to a halt when she sees him appear from the corner of her eye and something inside her aches. She tells herself she can't miss him, he lives right next door.

He's dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, earbuds in and he runs past her house, but comes to an abrupt halt when he notices her too. Turning around, he pulls the wire connected to the earbuds. Letting out a heavy breath, his hands falling on his knees for a moment. He stares at her, his mouth still left agape. She lives next door and they go to the same school, but he has difficulty remembering the last time he actually spoke to her. Really spoke to her.

She gives him a small smile, walking down the steps to the sidewalk where he's still standing. Trying to catch his breath. He pulls out his phone, stopping the playlist he was listening too and his eyes skim over her outfit for the tiniest of moments. "You... " he starts, taking another deep breath. "You... uhm, look different."

Feeling a blush starting to creep over her face, she looks down. Her right hand holding onto her left wrist, she tells herself she shouldn't let him have this effect over her. Especially because he basically said nothing special and she looks back up again. "I'll just take that as a compliment," she counters then.

He swallows his shoulder slumping a little. "Donna –"

A beeping sound catching her intention instead of him calling her name. She looks down, pulling her phone out of her purse. Checking the message, she looks back up again. "I should go," she says then, signalling the street, she closes the buttons of her coat with her other hand. "I'm having dinner with Mitchell."

He winds the white cord around his phone. Nodding at her words, he rocks back and forth on his feet. "Yeah… I should go too," he adds then. "Poker night with the rest."

She smiles softly, swallowing in the 'I know' because she did know, but he never told her. She learned that from Mike. "Well, have fun."

He nods again. "Aye, aye, captain."

He stretches his back, swallowing once while he watches her walk away. He only turns around when she disappears from his peripheral view, his eyes widening again when he now finds himself staring at the older redhead from next door. "Mrs. Paulsen."

The older woman walks to the edge of the porch. Her hands landing on the railing. "Harvey," she greets him in return and she studies his face for a moment. She knows it is none of her business, but maybe it's her being a therapist or her motherly instinct kicking in when she takes in the look on his face, but she has to ask. "Is everything okay?"

Harvey sighs once. The question not uncommon, from both mother and daughter. The woman opposite of him primarily asking it the months after his mother left. He doesn't speak, but raises his shoulders instead. Letting them drop in defeat again.

"You don't have to tell me," Martha answers. "But maybe you should tell her."

xxx

She laughs when Mitchell swirls her around on the music, catching her in his arms again. They dance around his bedroom. The night so far absolutely perfect. His hands holding her close at her waist, she lets her hands rest on his chest. Her fingers fumbling a bit with the collar of his shirt and she smiles when he tells her she looks beautiful. Nevertheless, the words, even though more expressive, lack that feeling in the pit of her stomach like earlier that day.

She doesn't allow herself to think much of it though, because he's said it before. She tells herself maybe that's why it doesn't have the same effect, bringing him closer instead. Her hand moving to his face, she kisses him instead. Her lips brushing over his, he instantly answers her kiss. His hand on her waist pulling her even closer, her hand slips over his face.

He frowns a little when her fingertips move from his temple to his forehead, because she's never done that before and he pulls back to look at her. A smile on his lips, he brings his left hand to cover hers when he waits for her to look at him again.

Slowly opening her eyes when his fingers cover hers, she realises what her subconscious made her do. Quickly pulling her hand back, it slips from his grip and he gives her a questioning look now. "Everything alright?" he asks, but she can't answer. The entire situation taking her by surprise, she just presses her lips into a thin line and takes a step back.

"I uhm… need to go."


xxx


She turns the cup of hot chocolate around in her hand. Blowing over the steaming content, she stares down at her feet resting on the seating of the picnic table. The events of the past few weeks running through her mind. Especially those of last night, one confusing her even more than the other, but they all point to the same thing. Something is off.

He lets out a breath. His pace slowing down for a moment when he reaches the edge of the grass, stalling a bit, he now takes a deep breath. Pushing himself further, her eyes closing when she hears his footsteps coming closer and they stay closed until he sits down next to her on the picnic table. "Hey."

"Hey," she whispers back, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. She notices how he's keeping his hands busy and she redirects her gaze on the cup in her own hands again. Both of them staying quiet for a moment. She's the one to break the silence, because if they talk she doesn't have to think about what she needs to do. "Harvey, what are –"

"You and Mitchell," he says then, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "It bothers me," he adds, looking in the distance again and she swallows biting her lip. "I know it's not fair, but it does," he adds calmly, she swallows once more. Her gaze lowering to the ground again when she feels the tears starting to well in her eyes. "You know just because it bothers me, doesn't mean –"

"I know," she cuts off his sentence. She can't hear him say it, the situation she's in confusing enough already.

"Because it would be weird and all," he mumbles, deliberately using the words she said to him weeks ago and the soft sound of a nervous chuckle noticeable through his breathing. She swallows, biting the inside of her lip. Her eyes closing, a single tear slips over her cheek and she lets her chin rest against her hand so she doesn't have to look at him.

"It's just," he pauses with a sigh. "We barely talk anymore."


xxx


Martha studies her daughter for a moment. The way she's curled up on the couch. Her arms folded over the backrest, her chin leaning on top of those and the way she's absently staring out of the window. It's the second day in a row her daughter looks so distracted.

She's not entirely sure what or if something happened between them the other night and she wasn't planning on asking, because she'd learned that letting Donna come to her was the best way to go and so far Donna had done exactly that. Except this time. She crosses the room, quietly sitting down on the couch next to Donna. Knowing something is going on for sure when the eighteen-year-old girl doesn't respond. "Donna, is everything okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Donna," her mother repeats her name, crooking her head. Her gaze remains directed on her daughter, who briefly looks at her.

"I'm afraid I'll lose him."

"Mitchell?" Martha asks, but Donna shakes her head and lets out a sigh. "Harvey," Martha states then and the younger redhead turns her head to face her mother. Nodding twice.

"He said we barely talk anymore."

Martha presses her lips into a thin line, looking at her daughter in understanding and at the same time proud of the kid she's known for years for opening up like that. Especially after everything he's been through. "Why do think he feels like that?"

Donna lets out a sigh, turning around even further. Her arms hugging her knees. "I pushed him away," she confesses then, letting her forehead rest on her arms for a moment to think over her actions of the past month. "I…" she mumbles, taking a breath when she looks up again. "I thought that would make things easier with Mitchell," she adds, her eyes welling up when she realises she might not lose just one, but both guys. "Everyone kept saying –"

"Why would pushing Harvey away make things easier with Mitchell?"

Donna crooks her head, staring into her mother's eyes. It sounding so logical when she asks her, it wouldn't. She shakes her head, because she wasn't even sure what she was thinking. "Because he's my best friend," she reasons then, "and Mitchell was… is my boyfriend."

"Doesn't mean you can't have both a boyfriend and a best friend," Martha answers with a small smile and her daughter nods again. Whispering her two most used words in her mother's direction. "Did he make you choose?" Martha continues, "Between him and Harvey?"

She lets her head hang low, a tear slipping down her cheek. She realises how stupid it sounds, how in any other situation she would have seen what was happening. If it had been about some of her friends, she would have been the rational one, but it was happening to her. "Yes," she whispers then, immediately shaking her head after the word leaves her lips. "No," she says now looking back up, her head leaning against the palm of her hand. "Not really, but …"

Martha stays quiet. Just looking at her daughter, she runs her left hand over her daughter's arm.

"I mean," she moves her hand through the air. "It came up, but it wasn't just that," she adds then. "It's everyone always assuming there's something more going on… Between Harvey and me and …" she stalls, shaking her head. "It is just so confusing... I had… so I pushed him away, but it didn't –"

"It didn't make things less confusing," her mother fills in then and Donna bites her lip, nodding again. If anything, she was more confused than ever. "Do you think there's something more between Harvey and you?" Martha asks.

"He's my best friend," Donna counters in a beat, emphasizing the 'best.' She closes her eyes then, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, she shakes her head when it dawns on her that that's exactly how she always answers those questions. "I," she starts now, her teeth scraping over her bottom lip for a moment. "I never really thought there was."

"And now?"

"Now?" Donna repeats in a whisper, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know."


xxx


He turns over another page of the book they're required to read for class. The content anything but interesting and he tries his best to focus on the story, but when he notices a light turning on in her room from the corner of his eye, his head snaps to the left. He can see her pace through her room, the way she's moving with her arms indicating she's talking to someone else. That person appearing in his vision soon enough and he tears his eyes away from the sight he doesn't want to see.

Closing the book, he tosses it aside. His concentration now completely lost, he rolls off his bed. Searching for his shoes, he quickly puts them on. Anything to get away from here and not having to see that. His right hand snatching his baseball bat and his sports bag from the floor, he storms out of his room.

Making his way down the stairs with two steps at a time, he brushes past his younger brother in the hallway without any form of greeting. Marcus turns around, narrowing his gaze on his older brother. "Where are you going to?"

"Practice," Harvey snarls back reaching for his jacket, his right hand reaching for the door. Opening it in one go, he steps outside.

Harvey's words and actions confusing Marcus even more, he rushes after his brother. Coming to a halt on the porch, he calls after his brother. "You came home from practice half an hour ago."

"Well, I'm going again," Harvey fires back without looking back.

xxx

It took two hours for him to cool down again. Two hours of hitting every ball the pitching machine threw in his direction to lose the feeling of an irrational irritation. Something inside him snapping when he sees his classmate; Mitchell. Not even just the guy, but them together. Him and her. He thought telling her it bothered him would help, her mother even told him to do it and yet here he was. Breaking his own record, because if anything acknowledging it bothered him made him more aware of how things were changing.

He lets out a breath, letting the bat rest on his shoulder as he walks back home. Passing her house first, he doesn't look up like he would usually do. Instead, he looks straight ahead at his own house. Fully intending on getting inside without letting anything bother him this time. However, halfway the driveway he catches a glimpse of her auburn locks dangling down the roof of the garage.

Quickly turning his head to make sure he actually saw that, he spots her lying down on the roof. Her hair hanging over the edge and he can't help but walk towards her. "Donna?" he mumbles, softly pulling on her ponytail. Dropping his hand again he waits for her reply, he watches her turn over. His gaze locking with hers, he notices how she's on the verge of tears and it's the one and only look he's never been able to handle. The bat slips from his hand and he swallows once.

"I'll be right there," he tells her then, quickly making his way inside. He rushes up the stairs, his leather jacket thrown aside on the landing. He opens his door in one go, directly coming to a halt again when he now sees her sitting on the edge of his bed. His eyes meeting hers again, he crooks his head and she presses her lips together in a small smile. Shrugging once before she lets herself fall backwards on his bed, her legs still dangle over the edge.

He lets out a breath. Contemplating on what he should do, he settles on sitting down next to her. His elbows leaning on his knees he looks over his left shoulder in her direction, but she just stares at his ceiling without further acknowledging him. Taking one deep breath, he breaks his gaze and lets himself slowly fall down next to her. His first eyes focussing on the dent in the ceiling they once made with a baseball, he turns his head to the left again. "You okay?"

She exhales deeply, still avoiding his gaze. "I will be," she whispers then and another silence falls between them. She doesn't dare to look at him, still being able to feel his gaze burning her skin.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks, still seeing the sadness on her face.

She laughs once, her eyes closing. "You?" she turns to look at him now. "You want to talk?"

He smiles now, because she saw right through him. "Well," he says looking at the ceiling again. "Not particularly, but –"

"Can we watch a movie?" she asks instead. Not in the mood to talk. He hums agreeing to her request and he pushes himself back up to sit. Reaching for his laptop from his desk, he pulls it on his lap. She follows his lead. Sitting back up, she moves back over his bed leaning against the headboard. He hands her his laptop then and she quietly takes it from his hand. "We're not watching clueless."

He fakes a pout. His hand falling against his chest, he pretends to be hurt by her comment. "It's one of the most underappreciated movies of our time, Donna."

"I know," she laughs, rolling her eyes because his argument is still the same. She opens an all-time favourite instead, The Breakfast Club.

Xxx

She looks down at her hands, the thumb of her right hand moving over the knuckles of her left hand. She hasn't been paying attention to the movie since the moment he hit play, it was a stall. A way of letting him be there for her, without her directly having to open up. She needed to clear her mind first, contemplate about how and what she was actually going to tell him. He caught her on the verge of tears after all and she knows all too well that even Harvey wouldn't let it slide if she left everything unspoken. She takes one deep breath, before she speaks. "I ended things with Mitchell."

He swallows once upon hearing her words. It not exactly the ones he expected to hear after seeing her teary eyes, but it came down to the same thing in the end. "I'm sorry."

She raises her shoulders, letting them drop again. It was her decision and it was one that had been in the making for a while now, but that didn't make it any easier. "He made me choose," she adds in a whisper, thinking about the final argument they had earlier that day.

"Choose?" he repeats. "Why? Between what?"

She gulps, looking down again. The words of how it came back to the boyfriend versus best friend discussion dying on the tip of her tongue, she can't tell him that. She settles on another ongoing issue instead. "I uhm…" she lets out a breath, not sure if she should tell him this either. But she needs to say something. "We… we'd been for three months and he… he wanted… you know," she mumbles, raising her shoulders again. "And I didn't, so –"

Hearing her explanation he's biting his tongue and he can almost feeling his blood boil. "Look, the guy is tool," he bursts out then. Finally being able to say that in front of her having a strange calming effect on him. "He doesn't deserve you," he adds looking to his left. "There are better guys out there. You made the right decision."

She nods. "I know," she whispers in return. Just two words but they answer every single one of his statements. Fidgeting with the pillow she pulled on her lap, both of them staying quiet for a while. The voices of Claire and Bender coming out of the speakers the only thing preventing the room from falling into complete silence.

"Ooh and don't worry," she chuckles a couple of seconds later, making him mumble a 'what' in response. "You don't have to show me that," she adds, pulling the grey pillow to her chest. He just frowns at her now. "Remember when I had that play," she pauses for a moment looking at him. "And I had to kiss the male lead?" He crooks his head now, a grin forming on his lips. "Well you don't have to show me this."

He stays quiet for a moment, her words surprising him and he isn't entirely sure how to respond or if she even expects him to respond. "Donna," he whispers her name.

"Ooh god," she exclaims then, throwing the pillow to his head. Another chuckle escaping her lips, she pulls up her legs. "No that's not," she says looking to the computer screen again. "I didn't end things because… Look he wouldn't have been my first. It's just that..." she stalls, looking to her right again. She finds him still frowning and she knows why. She never told him.

"Summer last year," she confesses. "Dad took mom and I to Florida and I met this guy. Stephen," she sighs, rolling her eyes. "And he was older, went to college in the city and I don't even know why I… but we did," she tells him, her jaw clenching a little. Regret now the word that comes to mind when she thinks back to that holiday.

He swallows, making himself sit straight again. He stuffs the pillow she threw at his head on the side. "You never told me that."

She gives him a faint smile. She indeed never did and there was a reason for that. Her eyes closing, she pushes the memories of seeing Stephen kiss another girl a few days later away. She thinks about his mother now, how Lily left months prior to that summer holiday. "I don't know," she lies, answering his unspoken question as to why she never told him.

Looking away from him again, she folds her arms around her knees. "So I made a promise to myself," she continues. "That I wouldn't do that again unless I… I really like the guy," she explains, looking at him from the corner of her. He stays quiet, but nods in understanding. "God," she sighs, "I ended things two hours ago and I can't even remember why I started dating him in the first place."

"You thought he was cute," Harvey counters, using her words from a few weeks ago.

She laughs, throwing her head back in the process. "Yeah guess what," she says, turning to face him again. "Turns out that's not a good enough reason." She bites her lip, letting out another breath. "From now on I'm not going to get into a relationship with a guy without being friends first."

"You were friends with Mitchell," he counters.

"No," she shakes her head. "We weren't. Not really. Not like..." she pauses, swallowing in the 'us' she looks away again. "It wouldn't have worked out anyway," she adds quickly. "If I didn't end things now, it would have ended a week later or a week after that. We were just too different, getting in the same repetitive arguments. It's not worth it. So, friends first then love, the other way around doesn't work."

"Then you're still going to lose," he states and she's the one to look confused now. "You know once you let yourself fall, you're done for," he adds, looking straight ahead. "Because if things go wrong then you not only ended your relationship, but also the friendship."

Her eyes search for his, but when his gaze doesn't meet hers she looks away too. "You think it's too much a risk."

He swallows, nodding once. "That would be weird.." He remembers her saying. "Yeah," he answers then. "Because if one friend were to tell the other how they feel and the other friend doesn't feel the same," he mumbles. "They..."

She bites the inside of her cheek, stopping herself from looking towards him again. She fills in his sentence instead. "They could never go back."