A/N: sorry about the double-posting of the last chapter, I didn't get a notification that the first one had posted so I tried again.

"KORY!"

The redhead was, for the first time, on the receiving end of a bone-crushing hug. Gar had known she was coming, but actually seeing her back in America was so exciting that he'd startled even Rachel with his exclamation. Kory happily returned the hug, smiling at her more reserved friend. The two of them had come to pick her up from the airport in Gar's mom's minivan. After their initial greetings, Gar and Rachel helped Kory with her luggage and they left for JCU.

Ever since she'd landed, Kory had been on the lookout for Koma. Of course, her older sister was currently on a plane back to Tamaran, but Kory worried that if something had gone wrong, Koma would see her in Jump City and know about her parents' plan. The elder sister had accepted Myan's lie without question; her greed was more powerful than her skepticism. Luane had scheduled the flights so that Kory and Koma wouldn't meet, but delays could always happen. Despite her parents assuring her that all flights were on time up until she had to turn off her phone in the plane, Kory was sure Koma would be just around the next turn, livid that Kory was not on Tamaran like she was supposed to be. As her friends drove her away, though, Kory relaxed a little. Koma was gone. She was free.

All that remained was Richard. Kory had been in a state of shock about what Rachel had told her, and for the most part she still couldn't believe it was true. That nagging voice in the back of her head continued to tell her the evidence suggested otherwise, but she refused to look at a single teen magazine or tabloid for fear of confirming those suspicions. All she had to do was avoid him. Then she'd never know. She'd never know how she had fallen victim to his game, the lengths he'd gone to manipulate her, the extent of her own foolishness, how wrong she was to believe he ever loved her...

Kory forced herself to listen to Rachel and Gar's bickering. Gar was driving, and contrary to what Kory would have thought, he drove at a snail's pace. Rachel was tapping her fingers on the passenger's side dashboard impatiently, periodically reminding him of the speed limit. A line formed behind them, but Gar insisted on inching along.

"He's only doing this because I said I didn't trust him to get us there and back in one piece," growled Rachel to Kory.

"What? How could you accuse me of making you eat your words?" Gar replied with mock-offense. "I'm just a really safe driver, Rae."

Rachel muttered a few choice words under her breath, and Kory giggled. "Gar, this is very amusing, but I would like to eat dinner soon. Also, I believe Rachel is having the 'aneurysm.'"

"Oh, alright." He sped up, much to Rachel's relief. They stopped by a burger place on their way back to the dorms and listened to the misadventures Gar had had over the past three weeks. Kory observed that the two of them had spent a significant portion of their break together, after which both of them blushed and stopped looking at each other. Gar dropped the two girls off so he could return his mom's car. He promised to meet them again in the morning as they walked to their first classes of the new semester.

Once he had left, Rachel turned to Kory with a considerably softer gaze. "How are you doing, really?"

They'd talked a few more times over the remainder of the break, but Kory had asked Rachel not to mention Richard anymore. "I am well. I have had some time to consider things and am doing the 'getting above it.'" Rachel knew she was lying, but didn't press it. "I am very excited for the new classes I have chosen. Would you like to hear about them?"

"Uh..."

Rachel and Kory met up with Gar the next day. He had far more of a skip in his step than Kory remembered. She supposed it made sense; he had passed the classes he was worried about, even the one that had had a final right after his breakup. The confidence boost had done him well. He looked eager to begin the second half of the year.

"We should hang out, like for real, today," he said. "We were only at Burger World for like ten minutes yesterday. I say we have some fun before the work starts piling up."

"Where do you want to go? And we are not going mini-golfing again, Garfield, I don't think you're allowed back at that place," Rachel said before he could answer. She explained to Kory, "On the second hole he decided he wanted to play regular golf."

Gar pouted. "I didn't mean to smack that kid in the head..."

"Perhaps not, then," Kory decided wisely. "The mall of shopping? It has been many weeks since I last went."

"We could do that. What time do you guys end class?"

"Gar?" At the sound of another voice, the three friends turned around to see Terra standing behind them. She seemed uncertain and timid, especially when she saw the death glare on Rachel's face. "Hey."

"Hey, Terra," Gar replied, surprised. "How are you?"

The blonde shrugged. "Could I talk to you for a second?"

Kory opened her mouth, but Gar answered first. "Sure. Um, you look really nice, by the way." Her hair had been pushed back with a headband, so for once her entire face was visible. She smiled and her pretty blue eyes twinkled. Kory saw Rachel's shoulders droop almost imperceptibly. The former couple walked a few yards away.

Rachel and Kory made no secret of the fact that they were watching. "He will not reestablish a relationship with her," Kory assured Rachel. "He could not possibly forget how she treated him."

"Maybe she's better now." Rachel sounded even more monotonous than usual, her expression blank. "I hope it works out for them."

"Rachel," Kory breathed, resting a hand on her friend's shoulder. The other girl didn't move, watching as Terra did the same to Gar.

"She'd better not hurt him again." Rachel's voice had just a bit of a quaver to it. Kory pulled her into a hug.

Neither of them noticed Gar glance in their direction until the conversation turned and Terra's voice raised. Other passers-by had noticed as well. She had started yelling at Gar out of nowhere. His friends rushed to his side, unwilling to let him take any more abuse from this girl.

Terra rounded on Rachel as soon as she was close enough and seethed, "You absolute bitch." Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed off, leaving a surprised trio in her wake.

"What was that about?" asked Rachel. Gar looked quite stricken, but he calmed down enough to offer the two girls a small smile.

"She said she took my advice and started getting some help, so she was wondering if we could try dating again." A blush appeared on his cheeks, and he scratched the back of his neck, looking pointedly at the ground. "I kinda told her...that I was maybe...interested in someone else." His eyes lifted to Rachel and then quickly lowered back down. "That's all I got out. She thought it meant I was cheating on her while we were dating."

"With me?" Rachel asked, surprised. Terra's spiteful cursing at Rachel suddenly made sense.

Gar nodded.

Kory could hardly contain her excitement. Her eyes bounced between the two of them, waiting for something to happen. Rachel was staring, shocked, at Gar, who still refused to meet her gaze. Ten seconds went by in silence before Kory realized they needed her help. She nudged Rachel, a little harder than necessary, in Gar's direction, forcing her to take a step forward. Gar finally looked up, hope filling his expression, and suddenly the gap between them had closed.

Unable to stop herself, Kory squealed with happiness while her friends kissed, and promptly covered her mouth. The two of them separated, still appearing quite bashful. The redhead enveloped them in a tight embrace. "I am overjoyed for you both! How glorious! You cannot imagine how difficult it was to know how you felt and say nothing!" She released them amid choking sounds and held them at arm's length, beaming.

"Wait, what?" said Gar after he regained his breath. "How long...how long did you like me?"

For once, Rachel did not have a witty comeback. Her eyes widened in alarm, and she looked to Kory for help. Kory, however, was still far too elated to notice.

"I will give you both the 'time alone' to discuss your newfound relationship!" she chirruped. "I will meet you this afternoon, friends!"

Kory skipped away as Rachel stuttered out an answer, missing the widening grin adorning Gar's face. Her class would start soon anyway; she may as well be a little early. A small smile graced her features while she walked, and she greeted even vague acquaintances like friends, stopping to ask them about their breaks. Perhaps she could not find happiness for herself, but her two best friends finding it was just as wonderful.

The pathways were filled with couples, she noticed. Twenty minutes ago that would have dampened her spirits, but she would not let that happen now. Rachel and Gar, she reminded herself. Rachel and Gar. A pair of lovebirds sat on a bench near the path she was on, cuddling before class. Another couple held hands as they walked in front of her. Yet another kissed goodbye in front of a building. And another...the man of the couple was staring at her.

It was karma, he'd eventually figured.

Richard had spent years playing the field, no doubt breaking many hearts along the way. And now, when he'd finally met the girl who'd stolen his...

Screw karma.

If this was going to happen the minute he decided he was done with this game, then what was the point of changing his ways? His lifestyle was comfortable. He'd never gotten hurt being a playboy. He'd only gotten hurt when he stopped.

Every new girl was a disappointment. Through no fault of her own, it should be mentioned, but a disappointment all the same. None of them were Kory. None of them even came close. Their capacity to care was decidedly finite. And none of them were half as beautiful.

He still saw her when he closed his eyes. He still missed her every second of every day. He'd get over it, Richard told himself, as long as he kept trying to forget her. And then he'd never make such a stupid mistake again. Love wasn't for him. It never would be.

"Hey there, hotshot." A girl he'd planned on hooking up with that night approached him, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "It's not even bright enough for sunglasses."

"It's plenty bright." He had the sunglasses on all the time now, not because he was at all sensitive to light, but because weeks of sleepless nights had left him with noticeable bags under his eyes. And he didn't need anyone noticing.

"What time should I come over?" she asked. At least this one was straightforward. Some of the girls had tried to flirt and he would gag listening to them.

"Nine?"

"Nine sounds good." She ruffled his hair and said something else, but most of Richard's senses had suddenly stopped working.

Even over break, any time he'd caught a flash of red hair his heart would start thumping madly and his hopes would rise. But this time, it was different. This time, it was her. There was no mistaking it. She was several yards away from him, walking along with a smile on her lips as though she hadn't a care in the world. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. She was here.

She said she wasn't coming back.

Despite its normal action when he thought he'd seen her, Richard's heart quite literally stopped. No. No no no no no. Why hadn't she contacted him? Why had he found out this way? Why had no one else told him? Did anyone else know? No no no no. Why did she look so happy? Without him? No no...no...He'd known something was wrong from the moment he saw her, and the reason quickly became apparent as the girl next to him waved a hand in front of his face.

"Dick? You there?"

She knows what I've been doing. He nearly sank to his knees. It made sense. Every tabloid in existence had had his picture on the cover of one of their issues with a different girl each time. She doesn't want to see me. At that moment, Kory's eyes suddenly fell on him. Richard saw them focus in recognition, but as soon as her face fell he turned away. She'd looked hurt and wary and defeated and it was only because she saw him. He roughly grabbed the brunette at his side around the waist and tugged her along with him until they were out of her eyesight.

"What the hell?" she asked angrily.

"Sorry," Richard muttered. "Saw a girl, who...you know."

"Oh." She nodded in understanding. "Didn't understand how it was gonna be, did she?"

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Something like that." She didn't want me to know she was here. She didn't want to see me. She doesn't want anything to do with me. It's no wonder. All I've ever done is hurt her.

The girl kissed him lightly. "Don't worry, I'm pretty sure I know what 'one night stand' means. See you then."

Richard tried to say goodbye, but he had another realization.

It's for the best. Goddamnit. She knows it, and I know it now too. This way I can't hurt her anymore. It's for the best.