Episode XVIII: Confession (Interlude)

Jayden made it down to his kitchen where he saw his mother and older sister talking. Whatever the two were talking about must have been really important seeing as that neither woman looked up to see his arrival.

"…Today after school lets out." Manny concluded. "With it only being a half-day, it shouldn't take that long."

"Sure. I'll be there." Danica said before looking up to see Jayden. "Speaking of being there, you have one day left. Excited?"

"Terrified is more like it." Jayden responded. "Yesterday's practice went well, but I think we can do better. And today is only going to be a small rehearsal to wrap everything together."

"Seems as if you're taking this music thing seriously." Manny said with a smile. "Any reasons why?"

"Groupies." Danica murmured.

"No." Jayden said glaring at his older sister. "It's just that, it's the other dad, you know? He gave up on music because it was his duty to take over the business. Well, now that Danni's already staked her claim, I'm free to continue what he wanted to do."

"Makes sense to me." Danica said.

Manny ignored her daughter. "Jay, just make sure that you're doing what you want to do, okay? I don't want you growing up old like your parents. Sometimes it's okay to crawl from beneath the thumb you're under."

"Try it and see how much you like it." Danica said. "All there is is more rules, harsher punishments, and younger siblings. Hundreds and hundreds of younger siblings." Manny swatted Danica with a rolled up newspaper. "Ow!"

"We do not have hundreds of kids!" Manny chastised.

"It feels that way." Danica said rubbing her sore arm.

"So," Jayden said. "Who's taking me to school?"

"I am." Danica said rising from her seat. "Let's go before I get hit for speaking the truth again." Manny swung for Danica, who dodged. "See ya later Mama!"

Jayden watched his older sister hurry out of the kitchen and eventually the house. He looked to see his mother, surprisingly, smiling.

"You okay?" Jayden asked.

"Yeah." Manny answered. "Just thinking where I would be without my children."

Jayden shrugged. "I don't know but-"

"Tyrone! Hurry up!" Danica called from the front door.

"Go." Manny said with a giggle as Jayden's reddening face showed his dislike for his middle name.

Aaron stared at Jordan. "Long night, huh?"

Jordan scoffed. "You were there."

"Was he now?" Chandra asked with a smirk. "I always knew that you two had a thing for each other. Now I'm certain."

"No." Jordan said. "We were on the phone. I was talking about…"

"About what?" Chandra said. "Your future? Your wedding? Your kids?"

"Her grandfather." Aaron stated, causing Chandra's smirk to disappear. "That's what we were talking about."

"Not that it's any of your business." Jordan said before walking off.

"She that messed up?" Chandra asked Aaron.

Aaron nodded. "And more. That's why I was talking to her."

"…You're a good guy A.J," Chandra said. "Just wish you weren't a pushover."

"Whatever Bambi." Aaron replied.

Nicole hummed a tune in her head as she gathered her morning books. She felt good today, great actually. In her head, nothing could ruin this day.

"There you are." Helen said, causing Nicole to smile at her friend. "Wipe that stupid smile off of your face. Where were you yesterday? We had a mandatory meeting!"

"It was mandatory?" Nicole asked in a confused tone.

"How could you not know that it was mandatory? I'm co-captain!" Helen said.

"Look," Nicole said. "I just had something better to do."

"Better?" Helen questioned with a frown.

"Yeah, better." Nicole said. "So, if you don't mind, I'm going to go to class. See you there Helen?"

Nicole attempted to step away, but Helen roughly shoved her against the lockers behind her.

"Listen here Nicole," the shorter girl hissed. "I don't know what the hell crawled up your ass in the last few days, but I suggest you dig it out and dig it out real fast or it'll be joined by my foot."

Nicole moved Helen's hand off of her.

"You may run the cheerleading squad Helen," Nicole said. "But you don't own me, got it? If I want to hang with anyone, I will."

"If you want to hang so badly, get some rope and find a ceiling." Helen said.

"You're such a bitch." Nicole said before Helen slapped her across the face. That slap stung severely and it took all of Nicole's willpower not to cry. Helen was amazingly strong for her size. "You're just proving my point."

"Forget what Jayden said," Helen said stepping closer to Nicole. "If I hear you say that again, I'll make sure that it's the last thing you say alive. Stay away from me. Go run off with whoever it is you're screwing. As of this moment, you're just another one of them."

"Them who? Those you can't scare into doing your biddings or those who actually has a chance to steal Jayden away from you?" Nicole shot back.

Helen gave a heavy sigh. She really did not want to get suspended this year, especially not with Nicole. Of all the girls she knew, Nicole was the only one that she had never physically harmed before today.

"You know what, go." Helen said stepping away. "Just remember what I said. Keep your tongue in check."

"I knew it." Nicole said. "It's both of them, isn't it?"

"No." Helen replied. "You want to know why? The only person that has a shot at my boyfriend is my cousin. And I don't need you to fear me."

"Yes you-"

"I go looking for you, and you're here with Nicky?" Helen did not turn to Jayden, though Nicole did. "What's going on? And why is Nicky's face red."

"See you around." Nicole said using Jayden's entrance as an escape.

"Helen?" Jayden said.

Helen turned to Jayden. "It's bad Jay. Real bad."

"Come on. Talk to me." Jayden said as the two began walking the opposite way from their class.

Amber paused at the water fountain, getting a sip of water, before heading back to class. However, before she reached her class, she walked past James in the hall. She kept her eyes straight while he glanced at her.

"Amber." Amber took an extra step before stopping and looking at him. "Can we talk?"

"About?" Amber asked.

"Everything," James responded. "I know that you're still pissed about Mary-Jane and I, and I get that. I should've come to you like I said I would."

"Really?" Amber said boringly.

James sighed. "Just, just give it a chance."

"It? James, you sound as if we're all a couple." Amber said. "I don't do threesomes."

"I mean why don't you bring along Steven or Marc and the four of us will have like a double-date?" James said. "I don't want us to be enemies and I hate to see you and Mary-Jane fighting. So what do you say? Give it a chance?"

"No." Amber answered. "And I never will."

With that, Amber continued walking to her class.

"You're not making this easier!" James called to her, but with no avail. Amber continued walking without giving him another chance to continue. James sighed. "Whatever."

Due to the shortening periods, Scarlett found herself in her father's class faster than she expected. And strangely, she was the first one there.

"This is a first." Coach Blue said, giving his daughter a warm smile.

Scarlett shrugged as she sat at her desk. "There's a first for everything."

"Where's your cousin? You two usually walk in here together." Coach Blue said, now drawing a few 3-dimensional shapes on the board.

"I don't know. With J.T more likely." Scarlett said as some other students walked in. "So what are we doing today?"

"Wait and find out." Coach Blue said.

Scarlett pouted. "Daddy! I just want to know."

"Sorry Princess, but no-can-do. You're going to have to wait." Coach Blue said.

Scarlett ignored the way he referred to her, seeing as she did cross the line of mixing their personal lives with their professional lives. Sometimes she hated being in her dad's class. She turned her attention just in time to see Helen and Jayden walking into the class. From Helen's facial expression, Scarlett knew to expect some fury slip from her cousin's tongue. Plus, Jayden stood at a noticeably farther distance away from Helen as they talked.

"What's eating you?" Scarlett asked as Helen sat down across from her.

"Nicole Campbell." Helen said. "That stupid tramp ditched practice yesterday for some guy and now Bambi has her slot at the next game."

"Okay? What's so bad about that?" Scarlett replied.

"Helen thinks Nicky left with Nathan or one of his goons." Jayden answered.

"Oh." Scarlett said, understanding fully now. "Then why not just go find Laura? I'm sure she'll tell you, seeing as that both Scooter and Nate seem to be too terrified of you to say anything."

"That's why I'm going to find out." Jayden said. "But, I'm sure Laura will give me some back-talk that really has nothing to do with Nicky at all so-"

"I'll get to the bottom of it." Helen interrupted. "And I'm using my favorite method."

"Shoot first and aim second or shoot and ask questions later?" Scarlett replied.

"…" Helen was silent for a moment before smiling. "Both."

Jayden sighed. "The people I know…"

Manny stared at herself in the mirror, smoothing her shirt down.

"You know," Maxwell said, startling her a bit. "The first time I saw you do that is when you were pregnant with Danni. There isn't another one, is there?"

Manny smiled. "No. I'm just going to meet my friends later on and I wanted to at least look decent."

"Decent is when you're sleeping. Beautiful is when you first get up in the morning. Stunning is when you actually put forth the effort." Maxwell said, wrapping his arms around her. "And breathtaking is when you wear nothing at all."

"Max… I have to go." Manny said, trying to ignore the small kisses he placed on her neck. "This is important."

"I know." Maxwell said standing up straight. "He was like a father to you." Maxwell smiled. "And part of me does wish he was. Your dad hates me."

"Well," Manny replied. "You do have a way of talking back with little to no care about his feelings."

"His feelings always seem to contradict yours for some odd reason." Maxwell said.

"Give him a chance." Manny said, staring at the reflection of her and her husband. "He's trying."

"Now." Maxwell responded as he looked at their reflection. "You know, we do look good together. I see what Forbes was talking about."

Manny giggled. "It's because of me."

Maxwell smiled. "Of course it's because of you. Now, how about we go meet up with your friends so we can hurry up back here and have Happy Hour? What do you say?"

Manny smirked. "Make it two and you have a deal."

"It's an early release today, remember?" Maxwell said, gaining a pout from his wife. "But tomorrow is a full day and I don't have anything planned. And Danni's leaving tonight. So we can have several Happy Hours tomorrow."

"Deal." Manny said with a smile. "Now, let's go."

After the final bell, Jayden found Laura walking towards the gym.

"Hey," Jayden said gaining her attention. "I have to talk to you."

"Really? Finally giving in, Jayden?" Laura asked.

"No." Jayden said. "Something tells me that you know what's going on with Nicky and I want to know what it is."

"Tch, figures." Laura said rolling her eyes. "Look, Nathan and Nicky have this thing going on. I don't know if it's screwing every other hour or love or whatever. But she's following him around like Dash did me."

"So, there's a chance that the feeling is mutual?" Jayden responded. Laura frowned. "Oh don't act like you and Dash aren't friends. I wouldn't be surprised if she was your only friend."

"And how would you know?" Laura asked.

"Because you call her Dash." Jayden said with a smirk. Laura opened her mouth to reply until she realized how right he was. "Now, on to Nicky and your loser running mate."

"I can't help you with that." Laura said. "And believe me, there is nothing more I want to do next to dropping that annoying slut off with anyone I know won't be around me."

Jayden glared at Laura. "You're not lying to me, are you?"

"And if I was?" Laura shot back.

"Hey Laura," Nicole said, gaining their attention. "Nate says are you coming?"

"I'll catch up to him later." Laura said. "Now go." Nicole nearly ran off at the command. "See what I mean?"

"She's his errand girl." Jayden said.

"Yep." Laura replied. "So anytime you want to swoop in and do your 'saving the girl' thing, you can."

Jayden smirked. "Good luck."

"What?" Laura shouted as Jayden walked off. "Get your ass back here and take her already!"

"I can't." Jayden replied. "Helen told me to stay out of it."

Laura wanted to throw a book at him, but had none to throw at the current moment. She then chose to give him a stiff middle finger.

"Ms. Reynolds." Marco said.

Laura gave a heavy sigh. Jayden McDuelle was always going to be her number one target and she would get even with him so long as she drew breath.

"Are you sure you're not going to stay for the memorial? They said that they would be building it later on." Dustin said to Jordan.

"No." Jordan said grabbing her backpack. Jordan closed her locker door. "Say, A.J, do you think you can help me out with some of the science homework?"

"Um, sure." Aaron said.

"Wait. You're skipping your-"

"No." Chandra said cutting Dustin off. "Don't."

"See you guys later." Aaron said. "Come on Jordan."

"Sure." Jordan said walking away with Aaron.

Dustin frowned. "What was that all about?"

"She's having a hard time coping with her grandfather's death stupid." Chandra replied. "Any ordinary day, I would've loved to jump on the A.J dating Jordan bandwagon. But today is different."

"Well, are you coming to the memorial with me?" Dustin asked.

"I'm going, but not with you." Chandra said. "You should've picked better friends."

Dustin watched the girl walk away with a heavy sigh.

"This stinks." Dustin said to himself.

Kelly sat down at the table with Jayden, Shane, Dakota, and Jacob.

"I can't believe that she isn't coming." Kelly said to Shane. "I mean, this is goody-goody Jordan skipping out of the making of his memorial."

"She'll come around, I'm sure." Shane said. "Besides, it's not like she's wandering the streets alone. A.J is with her."

Jayden's eyebrow rose at the statement. He mentally pictured his brother dating his best friends' younger sister. It was clearly easier to picture than him dating Kelly, though he was not against the idea completely.

"This memorial will be placed beside J.T's, huh?" Jayden said. "I wonder how many people will be there. It's going to be crazy if it's anything like the funeral."

"I know." Shane replied. "But I can't say that I hate it."

Kelly grinned. "You shouldn't. You only have twenty-four hours to prepare for one of the best nights of your life."

"She's got a strong point." Jayden said. "Say, Jacob, did you give out your tickets?"

"Not yet." Jacob said. "I'll probably give them out to whomever wants them."

"To some girl I bet." Shane said. "Like Laura or Scarlett or Nicky or Jackie."

"Three of the four I find highly unlikely for him to get to." Kelly replied. "Not downing you or anything Jacob, but Laura, Scarlett, and Jackie seems to be preoccupied at the moment."

"Say," Shane said looking at Jayden. "What's Nicky's deal? I saw the way she left earlier today and Helen didn't seem to like her at all."

Jayden shrugged. "Wish I could say."

"I can't believe that everyone is so worked up about that memorial." Jordan said to Aaron. "What do you think?"

"I think you need to let it out before you blow up into a million pieces." Aaron said. Jordan rolled her eyes. "Come on Jordan, one second you're mad and the next you're crying. Would you just let it all out instead of trying to ignore it?"

"You don't know what it's like." Jordan said sitting on her bed beside Aaron. "One day, I feel good. I feel like he's going to be in his office talking to Scarlett like every morning. I feel like when I return home, he's on the phone with Mom making sure our homework is done. And every so often he's walking into Mr. Isaacs's class to make sure that the gifted students are all taking apart of the class."

"But?" Aaron asked.

"Other days I feel…" Jordan paused. "Lost."

"Lost?" Aaron questioned. "Like you don't know where you are or you don't know where you're going?"

"Both." Jordan answered. "Like I wake up in this different place where everyone is lying to make me feel better. Even you."

"I'm not trying to lie to make you feel better." Aaron replied. "I'm just trying to help you get through this."

"You and no one else. Kelly and Shane want to baby me into just crying my eyes out." Jordan said.

Aaron grinned. "I think they've got a camera somewhere, waiting for you to breakdown."

Jordan gave a soft laugh. "Probably!"

Aaron watched Jordan laugh for a moment, happy to see that this was an authentic laugh. But, as much as it pained him to see her hurt, he had to get her to that memorial one way or the other.

"So," Jordan said. "What do you want to do?"

"Honestly, I planned on going to Snake's memorial." Aaron answered.

"Really? So why not just go?" Jordan retorted in an angered voice.

Aaron sighed. "You asked what I wanted to do, not what I was going to do. I'll stay here with you until you're ready to go."

"I'm not going." Jordan said defiantly.

"Today. You're not going today, and neither am I." Aaron said. "But you will go, eventually. And I will go with you."

"Really? Why not just go without me?" Jordan asked.

"Like I said, I'm going to stay here until you're ready to go." Aaron replied. "So, what do you want to do? And don't force yourself to go to the school on my sake."

Jordan shrugged. "I don't know. I just want to sit around and do nothing, I guess."

"Then let's do it." Aaron said.

Emma looked at the memorial. She smiled happily as she eyed the student-principal memorial of J.T and Mr. Simpson.

"I can't believe that we didn't think of this earlier." Manny said to her friend.

"I can't believe you got all dressed up for this." Gavin responded. "You and your old friend."

Paige looked at herself. "This? I just threw something on."

"Sure you did." Marco said, gaining a nudge from his wife.

"I told you." Maxwell muttered.

"Well," Jimmy said. "Should we let them in now?"

"I guess we can." Emma said before looking at her brother. "What do you think Jack? Should we let them see it now?"

"Yeah." Jack said.

"Of course we let them in." Danica said before going towards the doors with Jack. "Gosh Jack, you sound as if you're that loser from back then."

"We all can't live like you." Jack said with a grin as the two allowed the other students to enter the area.

"About time." Helen muttered as she walked past the two.

Danica crossed her arms. "Impatient brat…"

"Hey," Jack said. "Isn't that your brother's girlfriend?"

"What's your point?" Danica said. "She's still bratty."

Jayden, Shane, and Kelly looked at the memorial.

"Granddad would be proud." Kelly said.

"I'm sure he is." Shane replied. "Now, if only I could somehow stay out of trouble, I'm sure he'd be happier. Too bad."

Jayden smirked. "Come on Shane. One day without getting on your teachers' nerves can't be that bad. Maybe you should do your homework."

"I'm dying just thinking about it." Shane said.

Kelly scoffed. "Figures."

Helen looked at Scarlett before sighing.

"Well," Helen said. "I guess you'll be stopping here every morning to do your usual chat, huh?"

"Is it that bad?" Scarlett asked.

Helen shrugged. "I guess it's better than some other people I know."

"Can you let the Nicky thing drop?" Scarlett questioned.

"No." Helen answered. "Do you know the only thing worse than Nicole hanging with Nathan? Bambi moving up in ranks under Mary-Jane's orders. Now that's a worse."

"This will come back to haunt you, you know?" Scarlett said. "You're just doing the same thing you told J.T not to do."

"I'm not going after Nicole. In twenty years, when my kids are riding in the back of my car, I'll point out the window and tell them just how bad and stupid it is to let losers run your life. I won't use her name. I'll just say her name is Nicky." Helen said.

Scarlett smiled. "Helen, that is her name."

"No. Her name is Nicole. Nicky is the fun-loving dipstick that I actually enjoy being around for a minimal time until she gets overly excited." Helen replied. "She and Nicole are two totally different people."

"Yeah. Whatever." Scarlett said.

Laura openly gagged at the sounds of Nicole's giggles. She looked at the dark blonde sitting up against Nathan.

"I never knew you were the jealous type." Ethan said.

Laura shot him a glare that told him to hush, which he did. Torrie, on the other hand, was not so easily scared.

"You're not, are you?" Torrie asked.

"Why the hell would I be jealous of Nicole?" Laura questioned.

Torrie shrugged. "There are only two boys I know that you're around most of the time, Ethan and Nathan. And since you and Nathan go to the same school, I just figured you'd have more of a bond with him than Ethan. You obviously hate Scooter."

"You do too." Ethan added.

"True," Torrie replied. "But we're not talking about me, are we?" Ethan gave a small shrug. "Now, Laura, are you jealous?"

"No. I'm pissed off." Laura said. "You know how Jayden always seem to stop us from having fun?" Ethan and Torrie both nodded. "Well, he said that he wouldn't get Nicole away from me because Helen told him to stay out of it."

"I'm missing the point." Torrie said.

"Everyone knows that that loser can't stand to see a female throw her life away to drugs and alcohol, especially a friend." Laura explained.

"Oh…" Torrie said. "Wow. Helen got him to change that much? Always knew we were related." Laura scoffed. "Hey, she does have the Coyne dominate gene."

"There is no gene more dominate than his, trust me. I can seduce your brother. Hell, I could probably make you horny." Laura said. "Jayden, no. It's like he's gay."

"Or just not interested in you." Torrie responded. "Don't ruin it for the rest of us because he hates you. I haven't done anything wrong."

"Well, when I finally get the chance to shoot him, I'll do it for me and only me." Laura said. "Just as soon as I find a way to get away with it and kill Nicole with him."

"Good luck." Torrie said.

"Seriously Laura," Ethan said. "Why can't you let Nate be happy for once? Do you know how long it is since he's scored him a girl? A good-looking one at that?"

"Blame Kelly Mason. She's been playing hard-to-get with him since the dawn of time." Laura replied. "And is it my fault that he is unattractive and obnoxious?"

"Speak for yourself." Torrie said.

Laura's face scrunched up. "You're disgusting."

"Hey," Nathan said to the group. "Now that you're done talking about us, we're going to go get something from the store. You want something?"

"No. But don't forget to buy a fresh pack of condoms. I'd hate to see the little bastards you and Nicole can produce." Laura said.

"Whatever." Nathan said. "Jealous."

Laura's eyes nearly shot through the boy as he and Nicole walked off.

"You know Laura," Torrie said. "I don't see what's wrong with this. I mean, on the bright side, he's going to stop looking at you whenever you wear that sports bra."

"Whatever." Laura said. "I still say that this is all Jayden's fault. And I will get even. I always do."

Aaron walked into his house, half expecting one or the other parent questioning his whereabouts. When he entered the entertainment room, he saw Danica sitting on the couch talking on her cell phone.

"Talk to you later. Bye." Danica said before hanging up. "Hey, A.J, sit down. I was just about to go hunt you down."

Aaron frowned, but sat on the couch beside his older sister. She gave him the kind smile he once fell for when he was younger that always suckered him into a prank from her and Sophie. He would not fall for another again.

"I wanted to talk to you about your situation." Danica said.

"My situation?" Aaron repeated confusedly.

"Yeah, stupid, your situation," Danica retorted. "You know. You and Jordan?" Aaron's frown returned and deepened. "Oh don't play dumb. You two have been spending an awful a lot of time together. In fact, if you'd been Jayden, I would have suspected you two to be sleeping with one another. But we both know that you and Jordan will probably never do that, don't we?"

"So you wanted to talk to me about-"

"Seriously, I wanted to wish you luck for the time I'm going to be gone." Danica cut in. "You're trying to help her over Snake's death, but eventually you're going to have to bring her into reality. She's got to understand the whole circle of life thing. I also wanted to tell you that in the future, and I'm hoping sooner than later, she's eventually going to grow on you and vice versa."

"And how do you know that?" Aaron asked.

"Because A.J, I've seen it. And it happens. So, don't get nervous. Don't get scared. Just go with it, okay? Sometimes being more than friends is better." Danica said as Jayden walked into the room. Jayden began to walk out of the room just as fast as he entered before Danica spoke. "Wait a second," Jayden groaned. "I want to talk to you two."

"Danni," Jayden said. "If you don't mind, I have a computer upstairs in my room that will allow me to watch TV on it. So I'll let you two-"

"Sit. Now." Danica said. Jayden sat at the computer desk, facing Danica in the chair. "Now, A.J, like I said, it will happen. There're too many obvious signs. Just remember to not panic." Aaron nodded. "Go." Aaron stood up and almost ran out of the room. "Now, you."

Jayden's eyes followed Aaron until he could no longer do so. He envied and hated his younger brother so much at the current moment.

"This has something to do with Helen, doesn't it?" Jayden asked.

"No. Just you." Danica said. "See, I'm going to France for a while and then back to L.A. And when I return, if you and Scarlett are not dating or have not dated, I'm going to simply kill you. Capisce?"

"You're kidding." Jayden said. "Just why in the world would I want to dump Helen for the sake of Scarlett?"

"I think I made that clear. I'm going to kill you otherwise and tell our parents I did so. It's not like they can rejuvenate you or anything." Danica replied. Jayden sighed. "Look, little brother, I'm not trying to get into your business or anything. Well, not anymore. But I want you to be completely happy. And I'm not stupid or deaf. I heard what you told Scar. How you choose not to break up with Helen to avoid looking like the bad guy."

Jayden frowned. "How'd you hear that? She told you?" Danica nodded. "I knew it. You two are in on some kind of scheme. But believe me Danni, I will let life take its course. If it happens, it happens. I won't stop it."

"Not good enough." Danica said standing up. "I have to go. Remember what I said. Oh! And know that you actually made Scarlett feel quite bad when you did say yes to Helen for the dance. We both know that she'll never swallow her pride to admit what she feels and it would have been easier on her if you said yes to Nicky or Kelly. You know, people that aren't her cousin and that you're not all too attracted to."

"Where are you going with this?" Jayden asked.

"She just needs someone that understands her without her saying anything." Danica answered. "And I think we both know just who knows her well enough to feel whatever she's feeling without her saying anything, right?"

"Danni, Helen and-"

"She'll get over it." Danica said. "But, like I said, it's up to you. Au revoir!"

Danica walked out of the room, causing Jayden to sigh and lean back in the chair. She always could make him feel bad about himself.

Fiona Chessex walked to the door. She was not accustomed to having visitors at night, sans her family and occasionally her neighbors, but in both cases she knew beforehand.

"Danni?" Fiona said looking at the young woman. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to speak to Scar before I left town." Danica said. "Is she up?"

"Yeah, I'll go get her." Fiona said before walking further into the house.

Danica tapped a foot impatiently as she waited on the porch. The old her would have just walked into the house and went to Scarlett herself. But, her parents had taught her finesse and grace. And they had nearly beaten every form of respect into her throughout her life. So now, the only sign of impatience she showed was a simple tap of either a foot or a finger on a table.

"Hey," Scarlett said stepping out onto the porch. "What's up?"

"Here." Danica said handing Scarlett a ticket.

"What's this?" Scarlett asked.

"You said that you wanted to get to that show, right?" Danica replied with a smile. "Just make sure that you thank me when I come back."

"What…? How'd you…? Are you serious Danni? You're leaving?" Scarlett questioned. Danica nodded. "Oh, okay. Well, um, thanks. I'll-"

"Go." Danica said. "And if you don't go, I'll make sure that the ass-kicking I'm supposed to give Jayden if he doesn't go through what I said goes to you instead."

"Fine, fine, I'll go. It's not like anything's going to change." Scarlett said.

"You'd be amazed." Danica said turning around. "Well, I'm off. Tell Helen to call before doing that. She'll know what I mean."

Scarlett idly thought about the statement as Danica crossed the small lawn in-between the two driveways and got into her car. Then she thought about whatever Danica told Jayden to do. Whatever it was, it must have been important. Finally, her mind came to the ticket in her hand. She had been a bit down that no one had offered her to come with them, seeing as she thought they were all good friends. But now, she had a likable excuse and a ticket to get inside.

"Thanks Danni." Scarlett said before pocketing the ticket and going into the house.

"She leaving?" Helen asked. Scarlett nodded. "Thank God. Another day and I thought I'd go mad."

"I'll miss her." Scarlett said.

Helen smirked. "Not turning sides on me are you?"

Scarlett glared at her cousin. "No!" Scarlett then frowned in confusion. "She also said call before doing 'that'. What is 'that' exactly?"

Helen's face immediately turned red and she began going up the steps.

"Don't worry about it!" Helen called.

Scarlett's face then turned into realization as she burst into giggles.

"Helen! Oh Helen!" Scarlett called as she walked up the steps.

No matter what happened next, Scarlett would always remember Helen's one true weakness. She was completely embarrassed when it came to 'the talk'.

"Helen," Scarlett said in a sing-song voice as she entered Helen's room. "I think someone needs a talk about the birds and the bees."

"Get out!" Helen yelled throwing a stuffed rabbit at Scarlett.

Scarlett laughed. Payback never felt so good.