[A/N] We are moving right along. ENJOY! :D

Chapter 6

Colt was practically skipping towards biology class the next day at school. He definitely had reason to be upbeat; he had finally talked to River and they ended their conversation on good terms. Progress was in the making.

Colt must have been wearing the goofiest smile on his face because Jet began the morning by teasing him. "You look too happy. Who are you and what have you done with Colt?"

"I'm right here, you ass."

"Ah, there he is." Jet laughed. "So I take it that the 'talk' went well?" he asked while they walked to their first class as usual.

Colt grinned. "Yeah, she said 'we'll see.'"

"Cool. Better than nothing."

"Yep."

"So, shall we celebrate?"

"Too bad we're too young to drink."

"That doesn't mean we can't drink."

Colt laughed. "Tempting…"

"Nah, just kidding." His friend laughed along with him. "So what's up with Rachel, then?"

"Nothing, Jet," he spat.

"Good then. That means she's up for grabs!" Jet smirked.

Due to Colt's uplifted mood, he and Jet had made it to their first class that morning with more than five minutes to spare. Unfortunately, as soon as he stepped foot in the door, his mood was dragged down by the voice of Rachel ringing in his ears. Colt groaned inwardly, and Jet laughed so loudly on his way to his seat that Rachel glared at him before addressing Colt.

"Jeffrey! Why didn't you return my calls the other night?" she practically spat. He had apparently hit a nerve.

Colt shrugged indifferently. "My cell phone broke."

She looked at him incredulously, which he ignored. He was, after all, telling the truth. He did throw his cell phone against the wall even though he had conveniently left out the fact that he had only done so because of her.

Rachel must have ultimately decided to believe him because she soon waved it off crudely. "Fine, you're excused," she said. "Anyway, I wanted to invite you over afterschool today so we can work on our project."

"Whatever," Colt consented dryly as if this afternoon was going to be a form of torture.

"Well, how am I going to get in touch with you since you don't have a cell phone anymore?"

"I don't know. Figure it out."

Rachel frowned. "Fine, I will," she said, accepting his challenge. "I'll just call your friend over there. And I'll see ya later because you don't have a choice in the matter." She threw him a fake smile, apparently satisfied, before sauntering off to her seat.

Colt gaped after her and rolled his eyes before making his way to his own seat.

Mia turned abruptly in her seat to face River, who sat behind her in class. "What I tell ya, Riv!"

"Tell me what?" River asked distantly.

Her friend groaned. "To have a little faith. In Colt. You talked to him last night, didn't you?"

But River didn't seem to be listening. After overhearing Colt and Rachel's conversation, she was now lost in her thoughts.

Mia shoved her shoulder. "Didn't you?"

Snapping out of her reverie, River faced her friend. "Didn't I what?" Mia crossed her arms and scolded her with a harsh look, and she immediately understood. "C'mon Mia, you cannot expect me to just take him back with open arms."

She cocked an eyebrow. "But don't you want to?"

"What? No! I mean… well, I don't know!"

Her friend laughed at her, and then held up three fingers. "Three words: Colt. Loves. You," she said, counting them off with emphasis.

River sighed. This was why she hated and loved her best friend; Mia was blunt and knew exactly what she needed to hear to slap her back into her senses. Biting her lip, she stole a quick glance towards Colt, who was now cracking up about something Jet had said before turning back to her friend who resumed her tirade.

"And four more words: Stephanie. Is. A. Bitch," Mia said, repeating the crude hand gesture and deliberately saving the middle finger for last.

River couldn't help but laugh at this. "This is true."

"Look Riv, I saw her the other day on my way to English, and she's as vicious as ever. Colt wasn't her only victim last year. And now, she's on the prowl again."

River frowned. "Jeez, what a slut."

Mia nodded. "Anyway, she's not the type of girl that gives up easily. But with Colt…" She shrugged. "Well, she did. Must have figured out that was a dead end rather quickly. That must say something."

"Maybe…"

"Maybe Colt is going to be a guy and fell into her trap. So what? But it's so sickeningly obvious that he loves you. He's trying to show you the best way he knows how. Like sparring you last night to get your attention and risking getting his ass kicked. If that's not love, I don't know what is!"

River grinned. "I really hate you, you know that?"

Mia's smirk was much too big. "Yep."

When the late bell rang, River caught herself staring at the very subject of their conversation, who had since sat down at his desk and was drumming his pen upon it. Mia was right. Colt deserved a second chance. He knew he had made a mistake and was genuinely sorry for it. She smiled inwardly as a feeling of lightness swept over her. River was ready to forgive him.

…

Lunchtime rolled around, and as soon as the bell rang, Jet met River at her locker and disregarded any female distractions that would delay him this time. For a second, he thought that he had heard Rachel call out to him before he left English class, but he had ignored it.

River was already waiting for him at their usual meeting spot, and together, they walked towards the student parking lot. Unable to stomach the food for another day, it was Rocky's idea to eat off-campus and suggested the Sandwich Shack. Rocky and of course, Tum Tum, were already at his car waiting for Colt when Jet and River arrived.

"Hey, sup guys," Jet said.

Rocky nodded in greeting. "Hey."

Jet realized quickly that one person was still missing, and he wasn't keen on waiting too long. His hunger could've rivaled Tum Tum's. "Those sandwiches sound good right about now."

"Colt needs to hurry up. I'm starving!" Tum Tum complained.

River grinned. "I wonder what's taking him?" she said, almost too eagerly. The day had given her time to be slowly reminded of her feelings for Colt. For months, she had tried to forget, but with her guard down, the nostalgia had come rushing back full force. Needless to say, she couldn't wait to see him.

Everyone seemed to question the same thing as they simultaneously gazed towards the direction of the school building. However, it wasn't long before said ninja came into view. The four watched him as he ran across the parking lot while Tum Tum waved his arms wildly in his attempt to hurry him.

Colt apologized when he arrived. "Sorry!" he panted. "I hope I didn't keep you guys waiting."

"Hell yeah, you did," Jet said. "My stomach is none too happy."

"Mine too," Tum Tum agreed, holding onto his midsection in hunger agony.

But Colt's attention was now focused elsewhere. River was standing across from him and had shot him a smile in greeting. "M-my… bad…" he said distantly. He didn't seem so sincere in his apology.

Jet pretended to be offended even though he was smiling, while Tum Tum rolled his eyes.

Rocky grinned. "Let's go. We can take my car," he told the group, leading them towards his parking spot.

Tum Tum's frown imparted his impatience. "It doesn't matter how we get there as long we get to eat."

…

From afar, a pair of hands with newly-polished fingernails was holding onto the steering wheel of a parked car. Checking her rearview mirror, her eyes peered through her sunglasses catching sight of five friends in the school parking lot. The woman rolled her windows down, allowing her a clear view of the lighthearted meeting amongst five youngsters, and she squeezed the wheel in anticipation.

The stranger continued spying as the five friends walked away together. She then adjusted her mirror, put her car on drive, and slowly drove closer to the school. Riding the break to even her pace with theirs, she stopped only when all five entered a single car.

An evil grin curled from the corner of her lipstick-stained mouth. "There you are," she said cruelly.

…

They reached the Sandwich Shack in due time, and since the five friends were regulars at the restaurant, they took their usual booth near the entrance as soon as they had ordered. Still, they didn't have to wait too long before Peter, the owner of the Sandwich Shack, arrived at their table to deliver their food. He had definitely missed their presence since they had not visited since school had started and was overly animated upon his stop at the table. Nevertheless, he was so busy with the lunch rush that he was unable to stop for meaningful conversation.

The hour lunch break seemed to last forever, but none of them were complaining in the least, especially Colt. He sat at the end of the table just diagonal from River, and when Rocky, Tum Tum, and Jet got up to play a game of pool, he and River were left alone. It was much like the first time he had ever told her he liked her, and the awkward silence that followed was also reminiscent.

"Colt—" "River—" The pair had spoken at the same time. Suddenly, they had become shy around each other. Why was this so weird? "You first," they insisted to the other.

Colt was smiling now. "No, really. You go first."

"O-okay." She swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. "Well, Colt, I-I think… well, no, I know… I forgive you."

Colt was speechless, but that adorably lopsided grin of his never missed a beat. "Y-you… do?"

River stood up, grabbing both of his hands to stand him up with her in the process. She smiled and hugged him. Colt fell into her warm embrace.

When they finally let go, he was tempted to pull her back into another hug, but abstained. As much as he had longed for her, he wanted to act cool about it. Still, her arms remained around his neck, and he grinned when she looked up at him. "I've missed you," he said.

River gave him a half shrug. "I guess I kinda missed you, too…"

"Kinda?" he cheeked.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Don't push it, Jeffrey Douglas."

He laughed, and she smiled shyly at him. Licking his lips, he leaned forward, but before River could meet him halfway, Jet's voice pierced their ears.

"Hey guys, I hate to interrupt, but guess who just walked into the door," he announced as he approached them.

Colt had never wanted to strangle his best friend's neck so badly until now. "Thank you, Jet, but I don't care."

"You are very welcome. And believe me, you'll care…"

"Heeey you guys!" Rachel's high-pitched greeting resonated throughout the restaurant. Colt groaned and looked towards the door as the blonde made a bee-line towards them. "I didn't know you guys were here!"

"Yeah, this is where we usually—" Jet started, but Colt elbowed him in mid-sentence. "Uh… I mean, this is our first time here. Because we like sandwiches. Ya know, they're really healthy, and uh..." He cleared his throat. "Well, I don't just like them. I love them. A lot. They are just fantastic."

Colt suppressed the urge to face palm, while River snickered behind her hand.

"Okay." Rachel stared at Jet skeptically, but shrugged it off. "Well, I was with my mom and she wanted to check this place out."

"Right," said Colt dryly.

"So Christopher, I was trying to catch you before you left English, but you must've not heard me. Afterschool, how about we all work on our bio projects together? At my house," Rachel proposed. "I already told Rosa, and she's in. She gave me your number if that's okay?"

Jet laughed nervously. "Well, then, I guess that doesn't leave me much choice does it?"

"No, I guess it doesn't," Rachel said through her giggle. She shot him a coy smile, which didn't go unnoticed, and River glared at her. It was only then that Rachel had become aware of her presence. "Oh, hey Casey, you and um… your friend are welcome to join us."

River quickly forced a smile to save face. "No thanks. I wouldn't want to ruin your fun."

"Yeah, you probably wouldn't have fun," Rachel said, shrugging. "Anyway, see you both guys later then." With that, she turned, swinging her blonde hair over her shoulder, and walked back towards the counter to pick up her to-go order.

Annoyed by Rachel's condescending attitude, River lunged forward after her, but was held back by both Colt and Jet. "I am going to kill her."

[A/N] Well, I'm glad Colt & River are finally on good terms. Teenage drama/angst is fun to write, lol. ;)

Anyway, the plot shall thicken from here on out. So 'til next time. & please Review. :D