Author's Note: This took exceedingly long to write and post. I APOLOGIZE 1000 times over. But I know most of your guys are TommyxLil fans and I think you'll like this particular chapter. At least. . .um, one certain part. Lol!

Oh, and it's a little longer then usual. You know, because it took so long and such. Lol. And also, I didn't get the chance to edit all of it, so there might be some grammatical errors that I will go back and fix another day. For now, just ignore them, please and ENJOY!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Part 10: Happiness

Lil sat down on the front step of the high school.

She looked at her watch. Tommy was always late to school, but this was a record. He had skipped one class and hadn't come back for the next or the next one after that. She wanted to comfort him. Get back on his good side.

Lil sighed as she looked down at her shoes. What she had done the night before was just horrible. Making Tommy choose between her and Kimi wasn't right. She knew that, but dammit! She liked Tommy first! She had been beside him longer than Kimi had.

It had always been them (Tommy, Lil, Chuckie, Phil, and Kimi), but she knew from stories her parents told her that Kimi had come some time after. She was a newbie that they all took her in as their own, which meant Lil knew Tommy longer.

She knew that sounded childish and it didn't matter at all, but. . .she wanted Tommy. He was her soul mate. He just had to be. Kimi would just have to settle for someone else because Lil was not going to give up!

"What are you doing out here?"

Lil looked up. "Tommy," she said. "I've been waiting for you."

He sighed. "What for?" he asked. "Did you want me to make a decision right her? Right now?" He shook his head. "You know," he said. "That was totally messed up and uncalled for. It was just unnecessary. That was-"

"I know," she interrupted. "I wasn't going to force a decision out of you."

Tommy looked at her, wondering. "Then what?"

"I just wanted. . ." she looked down, scoffing her shoes on the pavement. "I just wanted to let you know that you shouldn't worry too much about Grandpa Lu. You won't be able to help him that way and you're only troubling yourself."

There was silence, almost eerie and then: "Troubling myself?" Tommy asked. "I'm troubling myself by worrying about my grandfather's health?" He looked at her as if she had grown another head. "Do you want me to be selfish and just toss this aside? Forget that he's withering away in a hospital bed awaiting a surgical procedure that he may not be able to survive?"

Lil shook her head. "No," she said. "I just meant that-"

"You know," Tommy said, "I don't want to know what you meant. I will worry about who ever I want, whenever I want. I will not be some selfish bastard who goes around pretending nothing is going wrong!"

He stormed off and did not turn around when Lil called him back or even when she tried to stop him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Phil missed the good old days. The days when the whole gang went out and had fun. The days before Tommy became such a downer. The days before his sister started liking one of his best friends. The days before he started liking one of his best friends. The days before one of his best friends started liking one of his other best friends.

Basically. . .before everything became so complicated.

Kimi had gone back to class after they shared their "moment", but Phil was skipping. He didn't really feel in the mood for another boring lecture. Instead, he sat outside with the softy blowing breeze and watched the seniors as they made it to their cars.

Ah, to have privileges.

Lucky bastards, Phil thought.

One girl was the last to come out of the school. She smiled when one of the other girls called to her.

"Come on, Tiff!" The girl took her arm and pulled her along.

"Tiff" laughed. "Alright!"

She walked on as her friend let her go and took off to catch up to one of the guys. The girl hugged him from behind and he turned around. She slipped beside him and took his hand in her's.

"Tiff", the girl who arrived last, watched. Her eyes glistened with sadness and even from the distance Phil could see the threat of tears beginning in the corners of her eyes.

Phil shook his head. "Unrequited love," he said. "We're in the same boat." He stood and put his hands in his pockets. He teetered for a moment on his heels and then almost as if on cue, "Tiff" turned and their eyes met. For just a moment there was a brief understanding and sympathy.

"Tiffany!" another girl called.

Tiffany's eyes tore away from Phil and she jogged to catch up.

"Good luck to you," Phil whispered and he walked back inside.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Phil wasn't in class and it made Tommy wonder where he was. He was bored sitting there with no one to talk to and he didn't want to admit it, but he was scared. He was so afraid that his thoughts would wander back to his grandfather. If he didn't talk to someone about random things (which he knew he could trust Phil for)

It figures, he thought, that the one day I decide to come to class, Phil doesn't show.

He sighed and raised his hand.

The teacher was taken aback. "Yes, Tommy," he said.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" He asked and an uproar of laughter spread through the classroom.

When the teacher did not reply, Tommy said, "Please?"

The teacher sighed. "I should have figured," he said. "The hall pass is there." He barely even motioned toward the thing as he turned his attention toward the class again. "The answer is the frontal lobe." He turned toward the board and resumed his lesson, ignoring Tommy entirely.

"Thanks," Tommy said sarcastically as he stood up. He picked up the plastic hall pass from the teacher's desk and walked out of the room.

He walked aimlessly through the halls, looking at posters and banners created from different clubs. He yawned, closing his eyes and just as he opened them again, he bumped into someone. Papers and books spilled on the floor.

"Why don't you pay more attention next time?"

Tommy recognized the voice right away. He grinned as he kneeled on the floor, picking up the scattered papers.

"Sorry," Tommy said. "But you weren't paying much attention yourself."

Kimi looked up. "Tommy!" she exclaimed.

He smiled. For once he wasn't feeling bored (or pretending to be). He wasn't feeling anything but joy in seeing his friend's face.

"Aren't you suppose to be in class?" she teased.

"Aren't you?" Tommy replied.

Kimi laughed. "I have a pass," she said and showed it off.

"So do I." Tommy countered, showing her his hall pass.

Kimi looked impressed. "That's rare."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, dismissing her comment as he smiled.

They stood and Tommy handed her the loose leaf papers he'd picked up.

"Thanks," She said, smiling sweetly. After a moment her smile faded. "I wanted to ask you. . ." her drifted a little bit. She was unsure of how to put her words. Tommy could see it in her eyes just before she turned away: she was struggling for her next set of words. "Um, well. . ." she looked up at him. "How are you?"

It was hard to imagine that such a simple question could be so hard for a person to say, but he realized that this simple question wasn't simple at all. It was like a loaded gun. It could make him explode. It caught him off guard, but he wasn't angry. Instead he replied with a nod.

"Because," she began, her voice soft as silk, "you can talk to me, Tommy. About anything. You don't have to bare this alone."

She hesitated at first, but she reached out and gently touched his arm. The gentleness in her fingers sent a warmth in his arm that spread into his chest and seeped into his heart. It made him ache and want to cry. Her words and her kindness was what everyone else was showing him, but this. . .from her. . .it felt genuine. . .real.

She smiled sincerely, so softly, so comfortingly that it hurt. "Tommy," she said softly as she wiped a tear from his eye. It came to a surprise for him. He hadn't even realized he was crying.

Kimi reached out and wiped another tear away and it was when her finger tip touched his skin that he felt it: his heart skipping a beat.

"I just wanted you to know," she said, not trying to comfort him with words that everyone else offered him. She removed her hand from his arm and his heart began to race as he nodded.

She wiped the last tears from his eyes and smiled one last time. "I won't push you to talk to me about what it is that your feeling," she said. "But I'll be here whenever."

He nodded his gratitude and wondered why? Why was this happening?

"I have to go," she said. "I'll see you later?"

He hesitated. Was it safe to be with her? He nodded, cautiously.

She smiled. "Ok then," she said with a nod. "Bye, Tommy." And she walked back to class.

He watched her leave and lifted his hand to wave, but it fell on his chest, covering his heart. He tried to hide the sound of his thumping heart because he was sure it was echoing through the halls.

What is this?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You're in for a hard time, Tommy," Chuckie said. Chuckie had found Tommy sitting in a corner in the boys bathroom, looking at his shoes. He looked like little boy who had just lost his mother and was trying his hardest not to cry. It was heartbreaking to see. When Chuckie bent over and asked him if he was feeling ok, Tommy's head snapped up, realizing he was no longer alone and Chuckie could see the wake of tears.

The were sitting outside an old janitor's closet that was located in a small narrow hallway that was rarely ever used. The closet itself hadn't been used in years. It was a safe haven for kids who wanted to get away from the noise of high school life.

Tommy sighed and sniffed. He knew it, but he didn't want to go through with it. How could he possibly choose one friend over the other? And just because Kimi made his heart race (and. . .made him cry) didn't mean anything. It didn't necessarily mean he liked her, although, that's what most people would readily assume.

Maybe he just shouldn't choose. They were his friends. He loved them both, but no more than he loved Chuckie and Phil. They were all too much like family to see them any differently.

"You better now?" Chuckie asked.

Tommy nodded. He knew Chuckie was worried. He could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. He had scared him too. He hadn't felt so lost and confused like that in years, at least he hadn't shown it to anyone in years. But Kimi cut to his core. She was able to cut away at every layer, every boundary he put up in a matter of second with a few sweet sentences and a gentle touch that gave him shivers when he thought about it.

"Just keep your mind open," Chuckie advised.

Tommy turned to him a little confused by what he said.

"They both have qualities that would compliment your own," he explained. "Not only that, but they each have the potential to be the perfect girl for you."

He stared at Chuckie, trying to figure him out. "How so?" he asked.

"Well, " Chuckie began, "Lil is. . .unique."

Tommy waited for more. When Chuckie didn't say more he asked, "That's it?"

"She tries heard," Chuckie continued," and she speaks her mind. She does what she wants. She's independent and you're. . .well, a rebel. Different yet the same."

"O. . .k," Tommy said, waiting for more.

Chuckie cleared his throat, which made Tommy stifle back a laugh. "An independent person may sometimes be confused with a rebel, simply because both do as they please, they follow the beat of their own drum."

"Isn't the expression drummer?" Tommy asked.

"Not in this case," Chuckie said. "You guys don't follow anyone else, but yourselves, so it only makes sense to say that you follow your own drum rather than someone else's."

Tommy raised his brows. "Uh-huh."

"So. . ." Tommy said.

"So, Lil is most definitely up for an adventure even if it may lead to her getting into trouble as long as she feels it can be justified. And. . .you love adventures. Even if you haven't been on one is a while, you wouldn't turn down one if you had the chance. She'd go along for the ride. Plus, she wouldn't pass up an opportunity to explore herself.

Tommy thought about that. "Ok," he said, nodding. "What about Kimi?"

"Kimi," Chuckie said, "is sweet." He looked at Tommy and smiled sadly.

Tommy nodded, it was all he could do. He was confused by Chuckie's sadness. Did he think that Tommy wouldn't choose his sister? Was he feeling sympathetic?

"She's caring and very supportive," Chuckie continued. "She'll stand beside you no matter what you've done. Even if the whole world is against you, she'll defend you with every fiber of her being. She's got a huge heart and she can bring out that side of you that we haven't seen in a long time. Or maybe even a side of you that we've never seen."

Tommy looked at him and then turned away, his eyes cast down "Then she's dangerous," he said, his heart churning and his spine tingling.

"Yeah," Chuckie said, leaning his head back. "She makes Lil look safe."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Why was it that Phil never got in on any cool, heart felt conversations? He could have given Tommy some good advice too, dammit!

Like, stay away from Kimi, for example.

Whatever.

He walked down the hall unsure of where he was headed. He wanted to sit in that hall way. But he found Tommy and Chuckie talking seriously and it didn't feel right to interrupt them And something told him that the conversation would come to a complete halt if he were to interfere.

Phil stopped in mid-step, remembering that he initially wanted to go to the bathroom just to kill some time, but his stomach grumbled now.

Eh, I'll get something to eat, he thought. That'll kill some time.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ew!

Lil spit the cookie out. It tasted so bad! Tommy would not touch these things. They smelled pretty good, but that was their cover. They tasted horrible!

"Bleh!"

"Not so good?"

She turned to see Tommy standing in front of her.

"Can I try one?"

"You wouldn't like them," she replied. She wasn't going to admit that she had spent her time after school in the Home Ec room baking these cookies for him. The Home Ec teacher, Mrs. Wittenberg loved her and had no problem lending her some materials and one of the ovens in the class.

"Well, you baked them for me, right?" Tommy asked. "You even waited for me to get out of detention."

Lil stared at him, awed by the fact that he knew this. She nodded slowly.

"Plus," he added, "It would be uncool of me to not at least try them after you went through all the trouble." He took a cookie and gladly took a bite.

Lil watched him chew. He made a face as he swallowed, but he smiled. "Not the best," he said. "But not the worst either."

Lil smiled at that.

"Thank you," he said.

Lil's heart soared. She couldn't believe he had actually eaten that disgusting thing without spitting it out. "I'll try harder next time," she said.

Tommy sighed with a strained smile. "Listen, Lil," he began. He took a deep breath. Her heart sank.

Oh, no, she thought. Here it comes. He's turning me down. He's choosing Kimi. He-

"I want to apologize for blowing up in your face like that earlier."

Huh?

"It's just. . .I. . .it's hard, you know. With everything that's going on right now. I just didn't want to hear your empty words."

"Empty?"

Tommy shook his head. "No, no," he said hurriedly. "That's not what I meant. I meant. . .I just didn't want to hear that. Those words didn't mean anything to me and I took it all wrong. I was upset and I just threw it all back at you. I know you were just trying to help, though. And I'm. . .sorry."

Lil nodded. "It's okay." She was a little surprised. She hadn't heard Tommy say those words in a while.

There was a moment of silence between them that left them feeling a little uneasy, but Lil spoke, breaking the silence. "So. . .you want me to walk you home?"

Tommy looked at her and for the first time in a long time, he laughed. He laughed genuinely.

"Sure," he said. "Walk me home."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hmph."

Susie looked at Angelica and then at Lil and Tommy. They looked good together.

Susie took in a deep breath. They had just come out of a test. Chemistry. That was the hardest class Susie and Angelica had ever taken. The teacher was nice enough to let them have a retake on the last test they had. They were among 15 other students who took the retake and now all they had to do was wait for the results.

"They're cute," Susie said.

Angelica made a face. "Tommy belongs with Kimi," she said.

Susie rolled her eyes.

"Do I need to explain it again?"

"No," Susie said. "I didn't even understand it the first time around, I'm positive I won't understand the second time."

"Hmph."

Susie shook her head. "Let's just head home."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Grandpa Lu sat in bed. The lights were out and the hospital was dark. Everyone was suppose to be in bed, but he couldn't sleep. His surgery would be in another day. Tommy was probably in over his head with worry.

He needs to stop worrying so much, he thought.

With a sigh he rolled on his side, thinking about his grandson.

Just be happy, sprout, he thought. That's all I want for you: Happiness.