A/N: Boy, you guys sure know how to make a girl smile like crazy amidst her hectic finals week. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR ALL THOSE WONDERFUL COMMENTS.

And because of that, here's a new chapter. Since we all want to hug Stella, I'm giving her a moment. And on Peyton, well – just bear with me. I'm not making her the evilness and all that. She'll have her epiphany oops, shouldn't have said that hahaha….

I've loved you then and I love you still
You're a friend of mine

I took the whole day off. I couldn't face Mac or any of our co-workers after that whole episode. On my way out, everybody was asking me was I all right or they would just say that all would be okay soon. And who said there are no good New Yorkers?

I avoided Mac's office on my way to the elevator. I literally took the fire exit to the floor below and took the elevator on my way to the parking lot. My mind was swimming with random thoughts, anything that could keep me from thinking about what just happened. I need to get my frustrations out. Maybe I should take a page out of Danny's book. Prattle everything out to any random person I see, complete with hand gestures and walking around like crazy. One problem, Danny has Flack to talk to. My version of that just lost me… or I lost him.

I don't really know now. Did I lose him or did he lose me? Or did be both lose each other? A fresh batch of tears threatened to escape my eyes. Yes, I lost the only person that mattered in my life, made me feel that I was important to somebody. Now… I'm purposeless again. He found what he was looking for – and he chose her over me.

Who am I fooling? Mac saw me as a friend and nothing more. It's me who saw him as more than that yet our friendship came first. I realize it too late that I was alone in that plight.

All she wanted to do was to make friends with you on the team and this is how you respond to that? He made such a brash judgment about me – the first time he did so. What happened to "everybody has a side and we need to hear it"? Obviously, he didn't want to hear my side. Is that what 'love' does to you: make you forget the other people around you in favor of your significant other? I haven't been in love – real love – so how should I know?

But wait… I have been in love. Hopelessly in love with such an insensitive man. Heck, I love that insensitive man. And his name is Mac "everything is connected" Taylor. Well, we're not connected anymore. Or are we?

I arrived home that night to an empty apartment. I stripped it of every little thing that reminded me of Frankie: all the artwork, new wall treatment, splurged on new carpets and a new bed. All that remained were the memories.

A nun back at the orphanage told us once that you keep pictures of people you love because you can't be with them all the time. Maybe that's why my mantle is decorated with different candid pictures of Lindsey, Sheldon, Donnie, Danny, even Aiden, Sid, Jane… and Mac. A lot of pictures of Mac. And most of them are with me – his arm around my shoulders. I recently put these pictures up because it felt a bit lonely.

Oh don't tell me that I must take all of his pictures away also. No, removing them from my house is a little drastic for a little episode like that. I'm sure we'll get over it, him faster than I could, as always. But then again, that doesn't make it any less painful. Can we still mend the tear between us? Can we salvage whatever's left in our so-called 'friendship'?

Even if I was the one who technically 'broke it off', I hope that things will get back to normal.

Bonasera, stop it! You're going to cry again…

mj0621 – too bad I have to wait until April of next year until I see how she really is. But in my SMACked world, she's the antagonist… for now.

To all – thank you so much for the incredible reviews and comments! hugs