Disclaimer : I still own nothing, even after all this time.

Author's Note : Oh, my god. I can't believe it's been 9 months since I updated. Crazy. But hey, I'm back with this chapter, and there's just one more to follow. Hopefully it won't take another 9 months…

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Days passed, and initial awkwardness gave way to strained normality. Adam and Melissa acted the way they had always done with each other, but each seemed to be holding something back. However, they couldn't see it in each other – only the Ducks could see what was really going on. Connie and Julie had pieced their story together with what Adam had told the guys, so they knew that they both wanted each other, but were too scared to admit it.

The guys wanted to concoct some plan to make them admit their feelings, but the girls convinced them to wait. They knew Melissa, and knew that she'd react badly to it. It might even make things worse.

They left it too long. A month passed, and suddenly the dorms were a whirl of activity as their residents packed up for Christmas vacation. Melissa was flying out to New York for the holidays, and suddenly Adam felt it was too late to tell her how he felt.

Melissa sat in her dorm room, her suitcase packed and at the foot of her desk. She span idly on her desk chair, waiting for the call to tell her that her cab had arrived to take her to the airport. She came to a stop facing the window and placed an elbow on the desk, resting her chin on her hand.

The one item left for her to pack was her scrapbook. She flipped it open and flicked through the pages until she reached the last used page. Taped to it was the photo of her and Adam that had been in the photo album he'd given her, with the dried and pressed gypsophilia from her corsage placed next to it.

As she studied the broad grins on both their faces she felt a pang of regret. She knew she'd messed up by telling him the kiss meant nothing, because of course it had. She loved the guy, after all. Luis had been a mistake, but Adam? No way.

Now their relationship was different, and she didn't know how to make it right. Sure, they seemed fine on the surface, but there was something there, something indescribable lying under the surface that stopped Adam from slinging a comfortable arm around her shoulders, something that prevented Melissa from pinning him to the floor and tickling him mercilessly until he apologised for whatever he'd done to piss her off.

At the same time, she wasn't sure if she wanted things to go back to normal. She wanted their relationship to change, to progress…but progress to a place of love and harmony, not one of awkward silences and uncomfortable moments.

A knock at the door startled her from her reverie. After calling out for them to enter, Julie and Connie walked into the room.

"Hey Mel, we just came to say goodbye," Julie told her as she walked over.

"Yeah, we wanted to see you before the guys monopolised the goodbye time," Connie added, flopping onto the bed.

"You should just tell him, you know."

"What?" Mel looked up, and found Julie standing behind her, looking at the photo of her and Adam.

"Tell him. Banksy. That you love him, and you want to be with him. Before it's too late."

"I can't."

"Melissa!" Julie was exasperated. "I'm your friend, and you can trust me. And I am telling you honestly that right now, if you go and tell Adam that you want to be with him he will tell you that he feels exactly the same. Because he does. I can't promise you that everything will be wonderful and perfect forever, but I can promise you he wants the same as you. So why not give it a try?"

"I'm scared."

"Isn't it better to give it a go rather than live in fear? Think about when he took you skating. You were terrified, but it was better than being afraid all the time, right?"

"I guess…" she replied, slowly.

"So what are you waiting for?"

Finally Mel broke into a grin. "Thanks Jules." She gave her a hug, then grabbed Connie and squeezed her tightly. "I'm going to tell him!" she beamed, and practically danced out of the room.

XX

"So, you're single now," Adam said idly. He was sitting on his bed in the dorm room he shared with Charlie, waiting for him mom to pick him up. Charlie was across the room from him, lying on his own bed, lazily tossing a koosh ball in the air.

"Yeah. At last. I've missed it."

"Really? Isn't it nice to be with someone? To love someone, and care for them more than you care for yourself…to be there for them and know they'll always be there for you?"

"What have you been drinking Banks? Or have you just been reading your mom's trashy romance novels again?"

"You're so cynical Charlie Conway."

"You're so idealistic, Adam Banks."

"So what if I want to hold on to the thought that love is like that? Better being like that than being bitter and disillusioned."

Charlie fell silent, contemplating his friend's words. "I might not be disillusioned for very long," he replied, the now-familiar cocky grin coming to his lips.

"How come?"

"Maybe I don't like being single after all. Maybe I want to have another relationship. Maybe I'll try my luck with Melissa…" He gave Adam a sly sideways glance.

"Really?" Adam questioned tightly.

"Yeah, you know, she's a good looking girl…you wouldn't mind, would you Banksy?"

"No, of course not," he replied, even more tightly, his fists clenching around the bedspread.

"I have been feeling pretty frustrated since me and Linda broke up, if you know what I mean…"

"Charlie, I think that koosh ball knows what you mean."

Charlie had the decency to blush. "I just think, you know, when she gets back from New York, maybe it'll be fun to get my leg over…hell, I don't know if I can wait that long, do you think she's still in her room?" He actually started to get up.

"Who the hell do you think you are Charlie Conway?" Adam beat him to his feet, his face red with anger, eyes flashing. Charlie was surprised – he knew he'd been pushing Adam, had been seeing how far he could go, but he never expected this. Adam just didn't do angry outbursts.

"What does it matter to you? You said you didn't like her."

"How I feel about Lissy has nothing to do with this, and you know it. What matters is the fact that ever since we came to this school you've been prancing around thinking you're it. You're captain of a hockey team, not the king of the world, but you sure as hell act like it. You think you can walk all over people, use them, get whatever you want…and will you please get that goddamn, arrogant, shit-eating grin off your face!"

Charlie's smirk faded. "Well, what about you, Cake Eater? You say I think I'm better than everyone else, but what about you? With your money, and your good looks, and your charm…you think you're better than me just because you're rich."

"That is bullshit and you know it," Adam snapped. "I don't think that at all. But maybe I am – better than you, I mean. You treat women like crap. I treat them with respect. And that's what this is all about, isn't it? You're getting on my back just cos I don't act like a pratt." He put on a mocking voice. "Yeah, I think Mel is hot, I want to jump her bones…hey, do you think I have time to get my leg over before she goes home for Christmas break? Who cares that she's kind, caring, intelligent, funny…she's just a hot piece of ass, and I could do with another notch on my bedpost."

"Glad to hear you think of me that way," came a cold voice from behind him. Adam froze, and then turned slowly. Melissa was standing in the doorway, her eyes sending icy daggers his way. She span on her heel and stalked down the corridor.

"Lis, wait!" Adam overcame his momentary loss of speech and ran after her. "It wasn't me saying those things! Well, it was, but I didn't mean them, I was – "

"I don't want your excuses! Just shut the hell up. In fact, do me a favour, and stay out of my life."

With that she walked off again, fighting back tears, and this time Adam didn't follow.

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A/N : I'm sure it wasn't worth the wait – but hope you enjoyed it anyways.