A/N: Wow, I'm falling behind! I'm only 7 chapters ahead now :p

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CHAPTER TWELVE

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The girls were talking when all of a sudden; Gabby heard her cell phone ringing.

"Hold on, let me see who it is." She pulled it out and saw the caller ID. "It's Troy. He promised never to interrupt our girl's night unless it was important. Do you mind if I take it?"

"No, go ahead." Taylor turned her concentration onto her nails. She was busy painting little daisies on them.

Gabby flipped her cell phone open and said "Troy! What's the matter? Why are you calling?"

"Gabby, I know this might not be classified at the same level as a fire, or an earthquake, but I need to tell you something."

Troy explained everything, leaving out the part about Chad's crush. Gabby agreed to tell Taylor about the plan, and how Chad was just trying to protect her.

Gabby hung up, and turned to Taylor. "Tay, you know how you said you were surprised at how nobody bothered you once they'd found out about you being a former cheerleader?"

Taylor nodded. "Yeah, although I wasn't really paying attention that day."

Gabby explained to Taylor what they'd done. As Gabby had thought, Taylor didn't like the fact that she had been inadvertently leaning on other people. But, as Gabby explained, she needed them. Taylor understood, and said that she was glad that they had done it.

"Taylor, there's something you need to know. It was Chad's job to protect you in English, and in your study period. But he didn't want to tell you that it was his job to protect you, so he lied about liking you."

Taylor's eyebrows shot up. She was quiet, thinking very hard. Oh man, after what I said to him. I feel terrible. But do I feel terrible because I yelled at him - or is it because I'm disappointed he doesn't like me back?

"Tay?" Gabby said.

"I think I need to apologize to Chad." Taylor whispered, and left the room. She went into her father's study and picked up the phone. She looked up the Danforth's in the phone book and dialled Chad's number.

"Hello?" A woman answered the phone.

"Hello, may I speak with Chad, please?"

"Just a second." Taylor waited, wondering how exactly she should say what she needed to say.

"Hey, Chad here. What's up?"

"Chad? This is Taylor." Chad almost dropped the phone.

"Oh, um, h-hi Taylor. Why are you calling?" Chad said warily.

"Gabby just told me about what you were doing. I'm calling to apologize for yelling at you. I jumped to conclusions and said some pretty mean things. Will you forgive me?"

"Oh sure, Taylor. I'm just glad you know the truth now. Now we can be friends?" He said hopefully.

"Yes, friends again. So, just to be clear, you don't like me?"

Oh man, how do I get out of this one? Suddenly, he heard his mom calling him. "Oh, hey my mom's calling me - " Chad was interrupted by his mom, who was on another phone.

"Chad, honey, listen can you continue this another time? I need to make a very important call."

"Sure mom. I can continue talking with Taylor on Monday at school. Right Taylor?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll talk to you on Monday. Bye Chad." Taylor hung up, realizing that Chad never did answer her question.

"Bye Taylor." Chad hung up, smiling to himself that he had avoided answering her question. Hopefully she'd have forgotten all about it on Monday.