Jamie was right on time to meet Reid for lunch. She felt weird being back at Spenser Academy after so long. And she looked rather our of place in her ripped, sharpie-covered jeans and her Dior black halter top while all of the students wore their dreary school uniforms.

Reid waited for her in the Quad. She could tell that something was bothering him. She hoped he hadn't gotten accused of fighting because of his busted and swollen lip. Spenser Academy had a strict zero-tolerance policy about fighting.

Before Jamie could catch Reid's attention, Aaron intercepted her path. His eye looked awful from where Jamie had hit him the night before. It was all Jamie could do not to laugh at him. "Jamie, listen, I'm sorry." Aaron was actually apologizing. For him, that was big. Jamie knew it was a hard thing for him to do and respected that. "What I said about you…I was really drunk…it was still completely out of line."

"I'm sorry too," Jamie said, pointing timidly to the red, swollen bump where his left eye had been the day before. "How is it?"

"Not so bad," Aaron lied with a grin. He wouldn't ever admit to her how much it had hurt. "Jamie, I was a jerk. Can you give me a second chance?"

"I'd really like that," Jamie said, smiling.

"Good." Aaron leaned down and kissed Jamie. She kissed him back. Reid walked away confused and disgusted.

"Why don't I pick you up later and we can go to dinner?" Aaron suggested.

"Yeah. Pick me up at eight?"

"Perfect."

"I have to go. I'm meeting Reid for lunch." Jamie looked around and saw Reid walking away in the distance.

"Reid!" she called after him. He didn't turn around so she ran after him—shouting goodbye to Aaron at the same time.

"Reid!" Jamie finally caught up to him and he stopped. "What's up? I thought we were having lunch."

"And I thought that you were smarter than this!" Reid's temper often-times (like right then) got the best of him. "What were you doing kissing Aaron? He's a little shit Jamie!"

"He's your friend Reid! And he was apologizing for what happened last night—not that that is any of your business. I like him. He's funny and charming and sweet and new and different and exciting and dangerous. And he accepts me."

"What about me? Am I not all of those things to you?"

"You are all of those things—and more. You know that." Jamie didn't understand where this conversation was going.

"Then why Aaron?"

"Reid, what are you saying? You want me to pick you over Aaron? You suddenly want to start dating me after we've known each other our whole lives?" Jamie was so confused. She searched Reid's deep blue eyes looking for answers, but there were no answers to be had.

"I don't know." He really didn't know. He didn't know what he had meant. He didn't know what he was saying—the words had just sort of blurted out. He didn't know what he was thinking. "All I know is that I don't want to see you get hurt again Jamie. Especially by Aaron Abbots."

"Is he really that much worse for me than you are, Reid?"

"What? Jamie, I would never hurt you. Don't you know that?" Reid was hurting in a place he had never hurt before, somewhere deep inside of him. Jamie's words had hit him like a brick wall.

"Really Reid? Have you ever been with a girl for more than a few days? I'm not the kind of girl you're looking for."

Jamie's words were so soft, but they still knocked the wind out of Reid's chest. "I'm really not very hungry right now. I'll see you at home." Reid started walking away again.

"Reid?" Jamie called. "Reid!"

Jamie could feel the tears pricking at the back of her eyes. What had just happened? Had Reid really wanted to be with her?

Aaron saw Jamie sitting on a bench and sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You okay?" She looked like she had just lost her best friend in the world.

Maybe she just had.

"Yeah. I'm just a little confused. Stupid fight with Reid and everything, you know?" she answered. Reid and Aaron had had more stupid fight over the years than Jamie could count. She knew Aaron would understand.

"Anything I can simplify for you?" Aaron asked with a suggestive grin.

"Maybe." Jamie smiled, looked up into Aaron's eyes, and moved in for the kiss.

"I think you're late for class," Jamie said between kisses.

"I think I am," Aaron agreed, though he didn't make an attempt to get to class. The bell rang for the last time before students were counted tardy. Aaron didn't stop kissing Jamie or make his hands stop slowly searching the inside of her shirt as she was wedged between him and the wall of the empty swim team locker room.

"I have to go," Jamie told him, also not stopping herself from continuing to search Aaron's mouth with her tongue.

"Then go."

"Mmm…you first."

"Jamie?" It was Caleb. Shit!

"Caleb!" Jamie jumped at the sound of his voice, suddenly eager to separate from Aaron.

"What do you want Danvers?" Aaron asked him.

"I'm meeting Coach Pratt here." Coach Pratt was the swim coach and Caleb was his golden boy senior Captain.

"Tyler doesn't need to know about his." Jamie looked pleadingly at Caleb.

"No. He doesn't," Caleb agreed hastily. Fuck, I didn't need to know—or especially witness—this either, Caleb thought.

"Bye Aaron." Jamie promptly headed for the door without looking back.