Me: MWUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I'M BACK, MINIONS!! *ahem* Anyways, here's the next chapter in Forever Isn't Long. REMEMBER TO SLAP ANYONE WHO EATS PUPPIES, OK?

Random person in my head: No comment.

Chapter 4: Effing Epic Fail, dude

When I woke up from my restless sleep, it was 6:42 AM, around the time my parents got up to do their doctor work, or whatever it was. I yawned and stretched, jumping out of bed and pulling on my mix-matched skull and candy bar socks, I made my way to the door. Cautiously, I opened the door without a creak and tiptoed into the hall, running a hand through my hair. I heard Mom and Dad talking quietly in the kitchen, so I crept down the stairs and ducked down under a chair on the landing.

"Charles, she doesn't have enough money to even get through the week! Can't we do something for the poor girl?" my mother pleaded with Dad, and I instantly thought that they were talking about me. But how did they know? None of my family members even knew Albatross and Fitch had burned down.

Either way, I stayed behind the chair and eavesdropped silently.

"No, Martha," my father said firmly but calmly, "I want to see how she deals with this on her own. We can't just go barging in on her life."

"But she's barely out of high school! She won't be able--"

"Martha, my dear." Dad stroked her hand, leaning in closely. "She's not just a little girl anymore. Even if you don't think so, she's grown up dramatically, and she needs to experience the world on her own. If she really goes down, then we'll help her, but I want to ride it out."

Mom sighed and nodded. "Fine. But the instant she needs help, we're giving her some money!"

"I know."

Well, that made me shrink back up the stairs and into my room, where I fell on the bed. They weren't going to give me money until I really needed it. Probably when I was wearing rags and Lizzie was just a sack of bones and dust. It really killed my mojo, and crushed my confidence. There was no way I could ask them now, since I had just heard them talking about it.

While my head was smothered into my pillow, someone knocked on the door.

"Go away," I said, muffled, and turned over.

"Thea? Can Olli and I come in?" a small voice asked, and I realized it was Mae. I got up and unlocked the door, opening it to reveal Mae clutching her stuffed bunny and Oliver holding his G.I. Joe action figure.

"What's wrong guys?" I questioned, shutting the door again after my siblings walked in.

"Someone keeps knocking on the window, Thea!" Olli said, fear making his voice even more shriller than it was before. That made me stop, and I stared at them.

"Someone...keeps knocking...on your window? I asked slowly, trying to comprehend what my brother had just said.

They nodded vehemently, and I put a finger to my mouth, grabbing my aluminum baseball bat from off the dresser and opening the door. Olli and Mae stared after me as I sneaked to their room, raising the baseball bat like it was a bo-staff or something. When I walked silently into Oliver and Mae's bedroom, and snaked across the carpeted floors to the window, where something-or indeed, someone- was knocking loudly on the window.

I took a deep breath and held the bat, and pulled back the curtain, preparing to swing.

It was Jude Lizowski, sitting on the cedar branch and rapping on the window.

I breathed out a sigh of relief and opened the window. "Jude! Dude, you totally freaked my brother and sister out! What do you want?"

He gave me a lopsided grin. "We're all going to see a movie today. You wanna come? Snacks are on Wyatt and me."

I considered the price of a ticket, and nodded. Since it was Saturday, it would only cost me two bucks for a ticket. "Sure. What time?"

"Uh..." He tried to remember, and smiled when he did. "Seven."

"Cool," I said, and was about to close the window when I added, "But next time, if you're gonna get the window address wrong, can't you wait until the afternoon and come to the door, Geroldimo?"

"No way, bra. I feel like a monkey chillin' on this tree."

I giggled and pushed him lightly, making him lose his balance and crash to the soft grass. "Ouch."

"Good-bye, Jude. Don't be late!" I called down to him and closed the window, pulling the heavy blue curtain back over it. Olli and Mae were standing in the doorway curiously, staring at me.

"Who was that, Thea?" Olli asked quietly, setting his action figure back on his bed. Mae still held her bunny though, but I didn't care.

"A friend, Olli. Just a friend, " I said warmly and tucked them back in, kissing each of them on their foreheads. "G'Night you two, and don't let the...morning bugs bite."

They both giggled softly and I stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind me. I sighed and slid down the wall, resting my face in my hands. I was still bummed about the whole thing with my parents, and I was wide awake.

Knowing that there was no possible way to go back to sleep without killing myself, I went innocently downstairs, hoping that Mom and Dad hadn't noticed me spying on them. No one was in the kitchen, so I made myself a bowl of Raisin Bran Flakes (which I absolutely hate) and slumped into the couch in the living room, turning on the TV. The morning news was on, but I didn't pay attention to anything.

I was thinking now about the movie, and deciding I would only get a slushie or pop. I usually got popcorn, candy, and a drink, but I was totally riding my money, so nothing unnecessary was gonna blow my money.

My cereal was beginning to turn soggy and even nastier than it was before, so I dumped it in the sink and turned on the garbage disposal, and the rumbling made me jump. I was completely unaware of someone sneaking up on me, holding a cell phone.

Eat jumped me, and I crashed to the floor while he tied my hands and feet together. I looked at him with a confused stare on my face. "Uh, Eat? Can I ask why you're tying me up?"

"Because," he grunted, "we're going somewhere. I don't need you running off while we're walking."

"..."

What did I do to deserve being tied up and hoisted over my big brother's back like a package? I didn't even know where we were going.

"So...where we goin'?" I asked casually, my chin bumping painfully into Ethan's back.

"Not tellin', JoJo." What a wonderful, informative answer. I rolled my eyes and sighed. Eat usually-make that never- tied me up and carried me unless we were going somewhere he know I wouldn't like. I had a feeling in my gut (which Eat's shoulder was digging into) that this wasn't gonna turn out so well.

Eat and I travelled away from the house, turning corners and waving to our neighbors, who looked at us strangely. It wasn't everyday that you saw a girl being tied up and carried on her brother's shoulder, looking bored. But hey, this was Canada. Anything could happen.

Finally, Eat untied me and sat me on the ground, and I stretched. He pointed to the building behind me, and I swiveled around. We were at the mall.

But why would Ethan need to restrain me while we were going to the mall? I mean, it would be perfectly understandable if he was taking me to the circus, but this was a mall. Really?

"Huh," I said and shifted my weight to my other foot. "So, lemme get this straight. You tied me up and held me so we could go to the mall?"

My brother nodded and grabbed my arm. "C'mon. We gotta go in."

Then I remembered my pajamas. I dug my heels into the sidewalk, forcing Eat to stop dragging me. "Um, I'm not going in there in pajamas, if ya know what I mean. This is a public place, Eat."

"Don't be a wuss. It's just the mall, everyone in here has seen you in your pjs. What's the big deal?" He continued dragging me into the mall, and I sighed bitterly. If I was going to be embarrassed for life, I might as well go along with it instead of putting up a fight.

All of my friends, except for Jonesy, were sitting around our usual table by the lemon, but there was something off. At first, I couldn't figure out what it was.

But then I realized there was another person at the table. Not one of my friends, either.

She had unbelievably fake blonde hair, and her perfectly manicured nails were digging into the poor table, making dents with the french tips. She had shades on, and her Coach purse was hung from the back of her chair. And then I saw who it actually was.

Jacky.

Why the hell was that dog here? Last time I checked, she wasn't apart of our little band. In fact, I didn't think my buds even knew her! So why was she sitting impatiently at our table, relaxing as if she owned the place?

Don't punch her yet, I thought angrily and clenched my fists, gritting my teeth. "Ethan...not that I don't mind, but why is your girlfriend sitting at my table?"

"Because today's the big beauty pageant, remember?" Eat said and I smacked my forehead. Duh, Jackass Jacky would be here for a little beauty competition. I snickered, thinking that Jacky thought she was pretty.

About as pretty as an elephant's butt.

All of my friends looked up when my brother and I walked up, but Jacky only stared at Eat.

"Finally, Ally! It took you guys long enough to get here," Jen muttered and stuck a finger at Jackass. "We've been sitting here for twenty minutes with Blondie, and she's annoying the hell out of me."

Well, that made two of us. "Sorry. Ethan here decided he needed to tie me up and carry me on his back, like I'm some effing package. Oh, and ignore Blonde Bitch over there."

Jacky growled at me and Eat shot me a warning glance, but I shrugged it off and sat down next to Jude. He looked at my pajamas with his eyebrow raised.

"New style, bra?" he said dubiously, feeling the soft material and smirking. Why did that make me blush all of a sudden?

"Yeah. You like?" I said, standing up and fake-modeling. All of my friends and Eat chuckled, but Jacky just rolled her eyes and latched onto Ethan like a lost puppy.

"Ethan, baby, can we go now? I wanna go fix my make-up," Jacky whined and kissed Eat's cheek to add some effect, and my big brother went head-over-heels.

"Uh, sure, Jacky." He turned to us in a daze, barely focusing. "See ya, guys."

Jeez, sometimes my brother can be so...boyish.

Everyone must've noticed I was spaced out (or it was showing on my face, either way) because Jude poked my cheek. I stared at him.

Jude turned back to me. "I love."

I giggled and poked his arm, and he poked my stomach. "Who wouldn't?"

Nikki spoke up next. "So, what are you gonna do without a job? I mean, I hate working at The Khaki Barn, but it's a sure-fire way to get some mulah."

I shrugged boredly. "Dunno...chill with you guys, ya know?"

They all nodded in understanding and we sat in a comfortable silence, and I thought about how I was going to make it without a steady income. Lizzie would probably be Ok for about two months, but I was a human. I needed a regular supply of food and water, and I was already dangerously low at the moment.

"What was that for?" I asked and he sighed.

"Bra, we've been calling your name for, like, ten minutes. You Ok?"

"Yeah," I lied, but he saw through it. The blonde scooted closer to me.

"Ally, you still bummed about your job?" he asked softly, and I sighed heavily.

"Pretty much. My parents won't give me any money, and I'm seriously low on food." I put a finger to my chin. "I'll probably be out in about...a few days."

Jude shook his head. "Harsh. I wish we could find out who did this to your store, Ally."

I snorted. "Like I hadn't thought of that."

Then Jonesy's eyes brightened. "Wait! Hold everything! Don't move!"

We all turned to him, confused.

"Uh, Jonesy? We weren't moving in the first place," Cait said, rolling her eyes. Everyone snickered.

"Whatever. I will be right back," the Hispanic player exclaimed and ran away from the table, dragging his chair with him. Ron caught him and wrote him a ticket, but Jonesy ate it and continued on his way. I rolled my eyes, like Caitlin, and decided I was going to hide my face. I shook my head so that my pitch-black hair was hanging down in front of my eyes and I twirled my thumbs.

"Where do you think he's going?" Jen asked, not really showing much enthuisasm. I shrugged.

"For all we know, he could be blowing up the mall." Then I laughed darkly to myself. "But then again, Jonesy's too weak to do that."

Again, we chuckled quietly. This was why I loved my friends, because we could laugh at just about anything and not even think about it. I played with one of the black-and-gold strings on my shirt, and Jude decided to play with the other one. For some reason, it made me red in the face, and I played with his fingers. I dunno why, but they just looked so interesting at the moment that I didn't even care.

We probably looked like a couple to passerbys, because we got some smiles and nods of encouragement from people ranging from teens to senior citizens. Weird, huh?

Finally, Wyatt broke the silence by standing up. "Well, I'd love to sit around here and fart all day, but I gotta head to McFlipsters. See ya."

And with that, the African-American teenager waltzed away. Nikki stood up, too. "It's time for the daily Khaki torture. If I die, tell Jonesy's he's an idiot for me."

I smiled. "He already knows that."

She shrugged. "Tell him again," and walked off. So it was just me, Jude, Jen, and Cait. I sighed and swiveled back around in my chair, my leg brushing up against Jude's. He muttered something under his breath and I leaned in closely.

"What was that, Geroldimo?" I asked suspiciously, pinching his cheeks. He winced and smiled at me.

"Nothin'..." he said quietly, moving back my hair. I scowled and moved it back. He pushed it back again. I smiled, knowing I wouldn't win this battle, and pulled his hat down over his face.

"If my hair can't be in my face, then your hat can't be out of your face," I giggled and held his beanie there, not letting go. He laughed and tried to pull my hands off, but I latched on and bit his prying hands lightly. He mock-gasped and chuckled, moving his hands to my stomach and tickling me fiercely. I bursted out with laughter and let go of his hat, trying to stop his rapid hands.

"S-Stop Jude!" I screamed, finally shoving his hands off of me and wiping away a fresh tear. He just smirked and repositioned his cap, leaning back in his chair.

"Whatever, bra. My hat's part of my identity, or whatever," he said calmly and I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, whatever you say." Jen and Cait were giggling for some reason, and I turned towards them.

"What happened to you guys?" Then I rolled my eyes again. "Wait, don't tell me. You saw a cute guy, and now you're going nuts over him."

Jen and Cait shook there heads and giggled again, and I sighed. "Well? I'm not gonna sit around here and chew air. What's up?"

Cait stifled a giggle and managed to bust out, "You and Jude really look like a couple!"

My world froze and my jaw snapped open with a loud pop and I stuttered, "W-W-What?!"

"You heard us," Jen laughed, "you and Jude look like a couple. How hard is it to accept that?"

Now, Jude was looking totally relaxed and not affected by this at all, but I on the other hand, well, I wasn't any Jude Lizowski. Caitlin and Jen were suggesting that we were a couple? A dating, loving couple?

No way, Jose.

"Uh, yeah, thanks for the offer, Jen and Cait, but I'd rather..." Then I stopped and snuck a quick peek back over to Jude, who was actually showing some emotion on his usually relaxed face. And the most surprising fact was, it looked like he was a little...hurt. Maybe Starr was actually dating one of the Gothic dudes, and he remembered or something. But the really weird part was that he was staring at me.

"Mhm, sure, Althea. Whatever," Cait snickered and started making a squishy for a tough-looking jock. He was probably the football captain, from the way a skimpy cheerleader was hooked onto him. It sickened me.

I sat back down next to Jude, but he was still staring at the spot I had been at before with a pained expression. It worried me. I stroked his cheek and said gently, "Jude, what's wrong? Is Starr bothering you again?"

He took a moment to respond, but he lightly shook his head and slowly reached up to my hand and put his over mine, and then smiled slightly. "Nothing's wrong, bra. Not now."

Ok, officially weird, I thought but shrugged and hugged the blonde skater, still holding his cheek. I might have not figured out what to do about the money problem, and how I was dealing with Jude, but I absolutely was certain about one thing.

Jude cared for me.

I cared for him.

And I really wouldn't have it any other way, because forever isn't that long, if you really think about it.

Me: Ok, I really need some feedback about the ending, because I was finishing this up at midnight, and it might seem a little rushed, but I'll remake the ending if more than 5people want it that way. So press the button that says 'Review' (or something related to that) and do your civil duty as a fanfic reader!

R&R!!!! =D