[You guys are beasts - I swear I am updating as fast as possible but my children and husband are starting to get a little jealous! Anyway, I love hearing from you all - please keep the feedback coming. :) As I've said before, the more you write, the more I write!]

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Across town – but a world away – Grayson and Emery were having dinner at the Whitehill residence. It felt to Emery that the tension in the air was so heavy breathing had become difficult – and yet, looking from her father to her mother, it seemed so much less visible to them. They were treating Grayson with the same friendly hospitality they always had. They even teased him lightly about the moniker the local stations had given him, as the Boy Who Survived the Bug.

Part of her wanted to shout the truth, to stand on the table and scream, "He's lying to you! To everyone! He hates everything we believe, and by the way I think I may have accidentally fallen for the son of the alien you killed!" but she didn't, because another part of her still had at least a bit of sense. And then there was the third part, the part that wondered if Grayson was right, and she had brought all this upon them – if she was the one to blame for all of it.

She realized her mother was staring at her expectantly.

"Hm?" she asked blankly.

"The asparagus, sweetie?" her mother gestured to the chafing dish at Emery's elbow. As the dish was passed around, her mother continued. "Honey, I think all this worry has been too hard on your system. You can't just pretend you're fine, sweetheart. We know what you look like when you get run down, and it's not safe."

Grayson cocked his head.

"Is everything okay, Emery?" he asked, all attentive concern.

"Guys, I'm fine. I think I just need a couple nights of really good sleep," Emery countered dismissively.

Grayson looked at Mrs. Whitehill imploringly. He really did have the "puppy-dog eyes" firmly in his wheelhouse, Emery noted. And the effects seemed to transcend generation. Mrs. Whitehill smiled at Grayson and patted his forearm where it lay on the table.

"We just worry a little too much sometimes. I'm sure Emery's right, dear. She just needs a good night's rest."

After dinner the adults insisted on cleaning up, and encouraged Emery and Grayson to hang out on the porch, where they could better appreciate the night breeze. No sooner had they sat down on the steps than it began.

"So, does your tattie boyfriend know you're just a bad night's sleep away from total catastrophe?" Grayson pulled no punches when others were out of earshot. It had been that way all day at school, too. From a distance, he appeared to be whispering sweet nothings in her ear… while in reality, she had been subjected to terrible name-calling and frightening threats of revenge against Roman and his family.

"You like the Atrians," Emery tried to counter for what felt like the hundredth time. "You defended Sophia when she wanted to swim, you helped me get Drake out of Vartan's pickup truck at Homecoming… I don't understand this anger."

Grayson laughed at her.

"Come on, Emery, I was trying to get you to look at me. You had friend-zoned me so bad, I needed something to set me apart, so I was the Atrian-lover for you," he said, calm now. Grayson rested his head against the porch column and closed his eyes for a moment. "Looking back on it, I can't really believe all the stupid things I did for love."

"Love?" It was Emery's turn to laugh. "Love was never a part of this. You clearly don't know the meaning of the word," she jabbed back. It had been a long day, and she was growing tired of maintaining the charade.

"Oh? Right, I forgot who I was talking to. So teach me, then, Emery. Tell me all about what it's like when he's with you." Judging by Grayson's voice, he was losing his cool.

"Does he make you see stars, Emery? Are there violins when he kisses you? Do you scream his name when you're screwing him? Hm? C'mon, spill it... What's alien sex like, Emery?" He threw the last part at her sadistically, and almost thought he had maybe crossed a line… No. She had. She had done this. She deserved to reap the rewards of her stupidity.

She was quiet for a long time, and finally Grayson looked over just to make sure she was still there. Emery had turned to face him and there was a hardness to her jaw now; she was done trying to use reason and kindness to fix him.

"I've never been with anyone. I'm a virgin, you asshole," she said flatly. "And I can't do this any more. Tomorrow, at school, we're ending this sham. I don't even care how, just as long as I can have you out of my life for good." She stood up and walked back inside without another word.

…

Tuesday's homeroom was nearly over. The Atrian 7 had been called away first thing for yet another meeting with Gloria, although when they returned they were eager to share their big news: the SEU busses would be returning to their more relaxed schedule, allowing the Atrians back into town.

The bell rang and Grayson walked over to Emery's desk to wait as she gathered her things. Suddenly he bent toward her and kissed her roughly, possessively, for everyone to witness. As he straightened up he winked at Roman; then he noticed a folded-up paper under Emery's chair.

"Hey I think this fell out of your notebook," he began, reaching for it.

"I don't think so," Emery responded… but Grayson had unfolded the paper and started to read it silently.

"Emery, what is this?" he stepped back in shock, holding the note out for someone else to read. Taylor immediately swooped forward – a good drama to start the day never hurt – and quickly scanned it.

"Oh my God! Emery! Is all this true?"

"Is what true?" Emery asked blankly… and then her eyes narrowed. She had said to end it, had said that she didn't care how…

"Grayson, what have you do -" but he cut her off.

"I- I'm sorry Emery. I think... I need some time alone," Grayson murmured in his most hurt voice, shaking his head and then pushing his way out the door.

Julia managed to snag the note from Taylor, and read it quickly, eyes wide. Emery tried to take the note next but her friend crumpled it into a ball and shoved it into her back pants pocket.

"Nope. You're better never knowing."

Most of the class had crowded around Taylor after she read the note; she carried them along with her as she swept out of the room to first period. The only people left were Lukas, Julia, Emery… and Roman.

"Julia, Taylor knows. In five minutes, the whole school will find out," Lukas interjected. "Emery should have a chance to defend herself."

"Yeah, well, she's not the only one," Julia replied, shooting Lukas a sympathetic look.

"What just happened?" Roman asked Julia in confusion. He could tell it had been bad for Emery, but there were too many details missing.

"Um, well, according to that note, which he apparently wrote by the way," Julia mumbled, eyeing Lukas sympathetically, "Emery and Lukas did the dirty at Homecoming… And like about 6 other times after that, including twice while Grayson was missing." Emery immediately blushed and looked away from the boys; Lukas clasped his hands over his gaping mouth and shook his head.

"Nononono, oh Em," he said, "I'm so sorry." For his part, Roman kept quiet by picturing 101 Ways to Crush Grayson Montrose. A few of them, at least, were just figurative.

"It's fine," Emery looked Lukas squarely in the eyes and smiled. She couldn't bring herself to look at Roman yet. "It's just Grayson's way of getting back at me one last time, by condemning me to social Hell. And hey – if I had to be a heartless two-timer, I'm glad it was with you, Lukas," Emery tried to joke. She reached out and gave her friend a warm hug. "I'm honestly fine, really. It had to end somehow. And I think I understand him a little better now," she added, thinking back to his accusations of the night before. She finally glanced at Roman, and blushed again. In Grayson's warped mind, she had cheated on him and needed to be punished, in a way that wouldn't risk exposing his own arson and fake kidnapping.

"Well," Julia thought out loud, "At least we won't have any problems finding an empty table at lunch today. To think, my best friend cheated on the Boy Who Survived the Bug - with my other best friend - all right under my nose!" At that Lukas finally laughed, and the warm resonant sound broke the stony mood.

Despite the judgment that inevitably waited for her on the other side of the classroom door, Emery felt lighter. The past week had been such a roller coaster. At least all she had to do now was ride out the storm of public shaming, and then hopefully she could move on.

As if reading her mind, Roman stepped to her side.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked, reaching for the door.

"Actually, I think I am," she smiled at him.