A/N: Thanks again for all the helpful reviews. I love to hear what you guys think! No big event in this chapter, just moving the story along. I have some great situations I want to get to that may or may not have been done before in some way, I'm not sure. But again, I have the way I want them to be done, sooooo, until next chapter…

Ch. 10 More than Just Safe

"Rayanne, I don't…I mean yeah, Jordan made a mistake and he apologized, and he's trying to make up for it. But you…you were my family. What you did was more than just a mistake," Angela tried to explain. "It was a, a betrayal."

There, it was out. How Angela really felt about Rayanne and her 'mistake.' She went on, "And I just don't know how to…I mean, I just don't see…I don't know, Rayanne. I…I just, don't know." The pain was too much for Angela and it was her turn to show her back to Rayanne.

Angela's rejection, her admission that she would not be forgiving Rayanne now or maybe ever, hit Rayanne hard. In the fog of her alcohol laced brain, she processed this rejection as she did those from most other people who tried to look down on her. "Yeah, well I hope you two will be happy. Catalano's a little quick on the draw, if ya know what I mean. But maybe he can satisfy someone a little less practiced."

Rayanne threw her flask in her bag and headed for the door. All her defenses were back in place, the moment of softness gone now. Her comment had the desired effect on Angela, she noticed as she saw her turn sharply back toward her in shock and anger. Rayanne always did know how to get someone's attention.

"I can't believe you. You want to be mad at me? I know you're just saying that because you're mad…and because you're…because you've been drinking. But that doesn't make it right, Rayanne. You do not have the right to be mad at me, you know? You just, don't."

Rayanne stopped halfway out the door when she heard Angela's last words. "I'm mad at me," she said softly, almost inaudibly, and then turned to face Angela once more. "I think I'll always be mad at me. Guess you know what I mean, huh?"

With that, Rayanne was gone, leaving Angela to feel slightly deflated after her explosion of anger, and mostly miserable. It was clear Rayanne hated herself and what she had done just as much as Jordan had. But somehow, Angela just wasn't able to get past it with Rayanne.

It hurt so much more to have the one person who knew everything Angela had ever thought or felt about Jordan betray her with Jordan. She missed Rayanne, and felt bad that she couldn't forgive her, but she knew she'd never be able to go back to the way things had been with her. She'd certainly never be able to trust her with any of her innermost secrets again. Angela was reminded once more how quickly the heights of joy could come crashing down to the pits of hell.

The bell rang and students poured out of classrooms into the hall and into the bathrooms. Sharon walked in and saw Angela standing in the corner, tears welling in her eyes. "Aw, Chase-face, what is it? What's Jordan done now?"

Angela knew Sharon was just trying to be a friend, but honestly, if one more person made a crack about Jordan and how they thought he'd screw up again, she thought she might scream. First Rickie was against him and pulling for Brian, then Rayanne and her snide remarks, which technically should not count like at all, and now Sharon was piling on with the rest of them. And it wasn't even first period yet!

Angela wiped her cheeks and replaced her tears with some indignation at Sharon. "What Jordan has done now is to live up to all the dreams I've had about him for so long, Sharon. But thanks for your support," Angela tried to keep the spitefulness out of her voice, but the wounds from Rayanne were still pretty raw and she just really didn't have the strength to pretend like she wasn't hurt.

"Angela, I'm sorry. Look, I didn't know…I mean, what happened? If Jordan just fulfilled all your dreams, then why the sad face?"

"Because Rayanne just left. Let's just say it was not a friendly conversation," Angela said as she turned to face the mirror and try to compose herself.

"Look Angela, I know Rayanne did the worst thing to you, I mean THE most awful thing. But I know that she feels like the lowest form of life about it, too. I know she wants to try to make it up to you. Maybe you should just listen to what she has to say," Sharon tried to coax Angela as gently as she could.

"Sharon, listening to Rayanne this morning is not an option. First of all, she's drunk already, and second, …" Angela began, but was cut off by Sharon's shocked response.

"What? She's already drinking? It's only 9:00 in the morning," Sharon gasped, truly horrified.

"I didn't say she was drinking. I said she was drunk," Angela shot back.

"Oh, 'nuff said," Sharon nodded understandingly, effectively ending that topic and turned her interest to the other topic, namely Jordan Catalano. "Sooo, tell me how Jordan managed to 'make all your dreams come true,'" she whispered in Angela's ear as they headed out the door to first period.

"Sharon, it was so, so incredible. We went out last night and he said such sweet things, and he did such, wellll, such hott things, and…" Angela couldn't help but smile a wicked little smile as she said this, which caused Sharon to squeal with delight.

"Oh my God, Angela! You mean you and Jordan, you, you finally…?" Sharon couldn't believe it.

"Well, technically, we did sleep together," Angela smiled even bigger as she shared her most precious tidbit of the evening with Sharon. Funny how she had lost Rayanne almost at the same time she had found Sharon again. "I mean, we talked about, everything, and then we made out like crazy. Remember how you told me that one night you just knew you were like, ready? Well, last night I knew I was, too. But then I thought of him being with Rayanne and, well, then we ended up talking even more. The next thing I knew we were waking up together. He just held me, Sharon. He just held me and, and loved me. And I loved him back. And I'd really appreciate it if everyone could stop waiting for him to hurt me again. It is not encouraging."

Sharon was about to sympathize with Angela about her situation, but just then Jordan came up from behind them and pretty much wedged himself between them. He still wasn't comfortable around Sharon, which was apparent from the way he kind of rolled his eyes at her as he turned his back to her, facing Angela.

"Hey," he said in his usual, velvety smooth voice that seemed to be reserved for Angela alone. Jordan really couldn't wait for school to be over today. He just wanted to be alone with Angela again. It seemed like everywhere he turned, there was another one of her friends who like, didn't want them to be together, or something. First that Brain kid, and now this girl, who never missed a chance to sneer at him.

If Jordan had only turned around to see her today, he might have noticed the small smile on Sharon's face as she watched Angela break into the most blinding smile she'd seen on her face in a long time. For that, Sharon decided to give the guy some credit, and a chance, for now. "I'll see ya in bio," she said around Jordan's shoulder, which was firmly planted in front of her face.

Angela just nodded in return. "Hi," she couldn't wipe the smile from her lips as she stared into Jordan's bright blue gaze. He was here, right here in front of her, where she had always wished for him to be. And he wanted her to be right in front of him, as well.

Angela thought briefly about what all it had cost her to be with him right now, but she knew no matter what the price, this was where she wanted, needed to be. Somehow Jordan took away all the disappointment of her friends' doubts, the pain of all that Rayanne said, and replaced it all with a calm, comforting sense of everything being alright. She just wanted to wrap herself around him and feel him wrap himself around her.

Jordan was staring at Angela's lips, oh man, those cherry red lips, all full and soft, and remembered that he'd been nibbling and sucking on them just a little while ago. He wanted them again, but they were both about to be late for class. He looked into her beautiful eyes that were like, sparkling as she smiled at him. Wait, were they sparkling with her smile, or were they like, wet? "You been crying?" he asked her, his smile suddenly disappearing.

"It's, no, I mean…I gotta go. I'm gonna be late for bio. I'll see you in English, O.K.?" Angela hated to walk away from him at that moment. She really just wanted Jordan to hold her in his arms like he'd done last night. Everything that was wrong in her life seemed to disappear when she was in his arms. It was like she felt more than just safe there. She felt happy.

That's where she wanted to be now, but when Jordan asked about her crying, Angela didn't feel like telling him about Rayanne. She really wanted to forget about it and she knew Jordan was waiting for her to forget too. But she couldn't forget just like that, especially when she kept being reminded by everyone else around her. Angela couldn't wait for school to be over today, so she could be alone with Jordan again.

Jordan was left standing in the hall as the bell rang. He didn't understand what had happened. He couldn't help feeling like just when he thought he knew Angela, they were like total strangers again. It was almost like she was avoiding him again. He sighed heavily and turned around to realize he was alone in the hall. Hell, he thought, he was already late. May as well go ahead and skip now, Jordan rationalized, as he headed back out to his car.