A/N: Since all of your reviews were so amazing and a few of you used the word please once or twice (Henry!) ;) Here is the new chapter. Hope you guys like it and let me know what you think :D

Chapter 14

*Mitchie's PoV*

I should have known that this day would end badly when I opened my eyes this morning. My leg hurt like crazy and my head felt like it was about to explode. Not a good sign at all. I still dragged myself out of bed and limped into my adjacent bathroom. I'd finally loose this annoying brace this week. I could hardly wait!
After a short shower I was awake enough to master the stairs without having to fear for my life. The smell of warm chocolate chip pancakes greeted me once I arrived downstairs and I followed the smell all the way into the kitchen where Erin stood at the stove. This had to mean good news. Erin rarely got up early to make me my favourite breakfast.
"Good morning" she greeted smiling, setting a full cup of coffee in front of me.
"Good morning" I replied. "What are we celebrating?"
"Oh nothing" she waved off. "You just got nominated for a VMA, that's all."
I spit out the coffee I had just started drinking. Damn it, can't she wait for better timing? Wait, not the issue right now! "I got what?!" Erin walked towards me with a rug in her hand, quickly cleaning up the mess I'd made. "Mitchie!" she lightly scolded. "How often do I have to tell you not to spit your drinks all over the table? By now you are really too old for that!"
"Then you can't tell me news like that when I'm drinking!"
"Please, you're always either eating or drinking something. I should just cover the whole kitchen in foil. Then I wouldn't have to clean so much."
"Whatever" I rolled my eyes. Though I made sure that Erin had her back to me. I didn't feel like getting another one of her lectures this morning. "Let's get back to the important things… I got a nomination? That is amazing! How do you even know that?"
"Chris called an hour ago."
"Why was he awake this early?"
"I don't know. Probably some kind of meeting."
"Yeah, probably. Okay, I have to get going. See you later."
"Have fun… and pay attention at school!" I just smirked and waved at Erin before grabbing my bag and walking outside. Nate was already parked to give me a ride. This whole not being able to drive thing really sucks!

"Guess what just happened!" I grinned and got into the car.
"You've finally grown up?" Nate teased, pulling out of our driveway.
"Yeah, right. As if! No, you idiot I got nominated for the VMAs!"
"You serious?"
"Dead serious!"
"Wow. Congrats, dude. What category?"
"Damn. I knew there was something I meant to ask."
Nate laughed. "A Popstar but still as dumb as ever."
I placed a well-aimed hit against his shoulder. "You get nominated for something like that and we'll talk."
"Alright, I got it. Geez you might look like a girl but you sure hit like a guy!"
"Oh suck it up." I stuck my tongue out at him. Yep, just reinforce that I'm mature and grown up.
By now Nate had pulled up on the school's parking lot and we both got out. Caitlyn was waiting for us at our usual spot but I didn't look like Alex had gotten there yet.
"Morning" I grinned.
"Hi you two." Caitlyn replied. "What's got you so happy?"
"I-" I started off but got cut off by Mr. Martin. Where did he even come from?
"Caitlyn, I need to speak to you along, please." Mr. Martin looked at Nate and me meaningfully. I shrugged and we turned to walk away but Cait grabbed my arm.
"Whatever this is about I'll tell those two about it anyway."
He seemed to debate this for a second but then nodded his consent. He turned towards me and Nate which confused me. Didn't he want to talk to Caitlyn?
"I'm sure you've hear about the North wing incident?" We nodded. I've been asking myself since Saturday when I heard it on the news if Alex's accident might have caused that.
"And this would bring us to you, Caitlyn." He said and turned back to her. "We have reason to believe that you were the last one in the Science lab on Friday."
Caitlyn's jaw flew open. She glanced at Nate and me looking for help. "But I went straight home after I went to collect my things!"
"We have a witness who has apparently seen you in the lab on Friday afternoon after class." Mr. Martin said.
"Caitlyn couldn't have done it." I interrupted.
"Mitchie I know you guys are friends but-"
"No, you don't understand. Cait wasn't there when it happened."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I was there! We … I mean I was putting the tubes and chemicals away. I was the last one in the science lab on Friday afternoon and at that time everything looked fine."
"You're lying."
"Why would I be lying?"
"To protect Caitlyn. Besides you said we. So I would very much like to know who 'we' is. Now!"
"There was no one, Sir. Just me."
"Either you tell me the truth or you'll be expelled on grounds of deliberately setting fire to school property. You decide."
I hesitated a few moments. If I didn't say anything I was going to be thrown out. If I did tell him Alex would be expelled. Either way, one of us was utterly screwed. And if I explained that the whole thing was an accident? Would I still get kicked out of school? Or would I get away with a suspension? Should I risk it and leave Alex out of this?
"I'm waiting, Michelle." Mr. Martin's impatient voice ripped me out of my thoughts.
I sighed. She was going to hate me forever after this. "Alex" I said. "We were cleaning our workstation and Alex spilled a little bit of some chemical by accident. It was an accident. I'm a hundred percent sure we put the fire out. And even if not, no fire of that scale could've come from that little fire! I swear!"
"Whether or not it caused the fire is irrelevant at this point. But thank you for your honesty." With that Mr. Martin turned around and disappeared around the corner.

"You damn idiot!" Caitlyn shouted, slapping me up the head, hard.
"Oww" I yelled. "What the hell was that for?"
"Do you have any idea of what you just did?" Nate shouted now as well.
"And didn't you guys hear what he said?" I defended myself.
"You can't just sell Alex out like that! What on earth is wrong with you?" Caitlyn reached up to hit me again, causing me to quickly duck out of her reach.
Caitlyn took a deep breath, if to calm down or to start yelling again I'm not sure but I wasn't about to find out because just at that moment Alex came running down the corridor.
"Guys, guys!" She yelled excitedly. "I've got awesome news!" I tried to smile at her but the furious looks I got form Nate and Caitlyn made that task pretty impossible. "What's going on?" Alex asked confused, skidding to a stop in front of us.
"I have to tell you something." I started but was interrupted by Mr. Martin. Seriously, doesn't our principal have any other places to be? Especially right now!
"Alex, would you please follow me into my office?" He asked friendly, but firm.
She nodded perplexed. "Just tell me later." Alex told me and threw us a small wave before following Mr. Martin to what would probably not be a relaxing conversation.
"She will be absolutely right to forever hate you for this!" Caitlyn hissed before leaving towards he next class. Nate just looked at me and shook his head in disappointment. "I really thought you guys were starting to be friends now."
Great Mitchie, just great! You sure should get a medal for fucking up this royally.

Class went by even slower than usually but when I was the last one to get out of the room after the first class of the day ended, I longed for the senseless chatter of my class mates and teacher.
Alex stood outside the door and if looks could kill I'd probably fall dead to the floor.
"In there." She ordered and pointed towards the empty class room I had just stepped out of. Somehow I really didn't want to be in a room along with her right now. "Can't we just …" I started but got rudely interrupted. What is it with people today?
"Now!"
I sighed and limped back into the room, where I sat on one of the front desks.
Alex didn't say anything for a few moments and just stared at me. Finally she sighed and asked in a sad voice that I was definitely not anticipating. "Why do you hate me so much?" she asked. "I know for the longest time we weren't exactly friendly with each other but what did I do to make you act so ice cold towards me?"
"I don't hate you! And I didn't rat you out. At least not on purpose."
"Fantastic. So you didn't do it on purpose. Do you have any idea what this stunt of yours caused? Did you think, just for one second, about the fact that I could be kicked out of school for this? Did you even think at all?!" And there is the rage I was waiting for.
"It simply slipped out. And, yes I did think about the consequences, because Mr. Martin threatened to kick me out if I didn't tell him the truth on what happened."
"Well good for you that you told him everything, since you being in the clear is the most important thing!" The sarcasm and anger was biting.
"He was accusing Caitlyn. It just slipped out. What was I supposed to do?"
"Yes, great. I've got a suspension and you a clean conscience. Isn't that a fantastic deal?"
"You got kicked out?"
"No, it is only a two week suspension, but that is bad enough!"
"I'm really sorry, Alex, honest. I didn't want to rat you out, but I didn't know how to get out of that number."
"Your apology isn't helping me right now. And it doesn't mean anything anyway when it's not meant."
"But I do mean it! And I can't do anything but apologize. What's done is done."
"That's right. What done is done. And now I'm doing something else. Consider our truce as finished and non-existent." She grabbed her bag off the floor and walked towards the door.
"Alex, come on. You can't mean that!" I jumped off the table. She looked at me with a menacing glare. "Don't ever talk to me again!" she hissed and with that Alex was out the door.
"Why can't I ever just shut my mouth?" I mumbled to myself and slowly slinked down the corridor and out the door. The teachers would have to make do without me for the rest of the day, just like Nate and Caitlyn. I couldn't let my friendship with Alex be destroyed by this. And I won't stop before I've got her convinced. I can do this! I' Mitchie Torres for crying out loud!