Parker and Christine were face-to-face having a conversation. Parker had pulled Christine out of dance practice to talk. He was at the high school to see the team practice. He was supposed to audition for a minor league baseball team in a few days.

"I want to ring his neck."

"Parks, it's been two weeks. The test was negative, not positive. Mike and I aren't talking. Cathy told me Ange beat Mikey with a newspaper after Mom called her. I am moving on!" Chrissy exclaimed at her brother.

"Fine, I've got my car. Dad told me Brittney picked you up so I'll give you a ride home."

"No need. Tyler's taking me home." Chrissy said nonchalantly.

"Tyler? The quarterback? Moving on a little too fast aren't we?"

"Not like that Parks. We're friends. Just friends. And not like Mom and Dad told everyone, we're just friends." Chrissy said, walking back to the girls on the track.

Jennifer Lopez's 'I'm Into You' played loudly for the dance team. Chrissy could see Morgan on the other side of the track practicing with the cheer squad. Brittney was in dance formation as Chrissy was walking back. Tyler stopped her with his smile not even five feet from the group.

"So what are we up to after this?"

"Well, I want some chili cheese friends."

"Anything for a best friend." Tyler said smiling.

Everyone thought something was going on between the two, even her three best friends. Chrissy really didn't care, she and Tyler had secrets, and no one needed to know. She knew there was no they would ever become a couple, kiss or anything that couples did. Chrissy smiled as Tyler jogged back to football practice. Chrissy saw Mikey looking at her from the bleachers with Vince. Vince knew she hated that Mikey looked at her. Chrissy rolled her eyes; she was not ready for his eyes on her. Yea, her feelings were still there. But Mikey was a dick for everything that had happened with Sammy. Chrissy had the urge to go smack her with Sammy's own pom-poms. She didn't see how Morgan cheered with that muskrat. Brittney smiled knowingly as Chrissy rejoined formation. Chrissy gave her best friend a look.

"No Britt. We're just friends."

"I believe you. See Mikey checking you out."

"Gross." Chrissy mumbled but her best friend still heard, inciting laughter in her.

"You love that boy girl, we both know that. You just need to show him what he's missing."

Chrissy smiled at her best friend, she knew Brittney could always brighten her day.

The next afternoon (Friday) ….

Michael could hear the punching bag being beaten as he descended the stairs to the basement of the Booths' house. When he had finally come fully into the basement, he saw Christine with headphones on beating the bag like it was him. Whatever song she was listening to had her going too. He knew this was partly his fault, he had seen her fight the bag before but never with this much passion. Her ponytail swung around her with every swing, she moved gracefully but with power. Michael approached with caution seeing as he was behind her. He tapped her shoulder, ducking just in time. Christine had turned around swinging, mad at being disturbed.

"Hey." He said waving at her.

Christine rolled her eyes, scrunching up her lips, and pulled her headphones out of ears.

"What are you doing here?"

"Staying the night. Couple of other guys from the team and wrestlers are too."

Christine raised an eyebrow, shaking her head.

"What are you doing down here I meant?" Christine said, clarifying the situation.

"Can we talk?"

"We're talking."

"I meant about the pregnancy test. My mom nearly beat me to death with a newspaper."

"Cathy told me. I laughed."

Michael nodded, he deserved that. Chrissy sat down on the stool, gesturing for Mikey to sit on the one next to it.

"You could have told me."

"None of your business unless it was positive. You're not my boyfriend."

"But Tyler is?"

Christine actually burst into a fury of laughter at his comment.

"Like everyone else, you're drawing inaccurate conclusions. Tyler and I have nothing going on. Friends, that's it. Believe it or you don't." Christine said smiling.

"If you told your mom, you knew there was a possibility she'd tell mine."

"I never told my mom a thing. Someone else told her. I don't really care. I'm on the pill now."

"So you're having sex with Tyler?"

"Did I not just say nothing is going on with me and him? … Really ?"

"It's just that … I don't Chrissy. You've got me confused."

"You had me confused for a while. See? It's not fun."

"Can we just hang out again, please?" Michael basically begged.

Christine wanted to hang out with him, but not until she was over him. Or at least over him enough.

"No. Not yet. And I don't know when. … Now I really need to get back to boxing. I've got a match in three days."

Michael nodded his head as Chrissy got back up to her feet.

"Good luck." He said to her, looking her right in the eyes.

He saw acknowledgment but he also saw resistance and he knew she was hiding something.