Hey, I'm back! So...I did some writing while I was gone and I'm still in the process of going from writing on paper to typing on a computer, but the next chapter is already completed, I just have to type it up.

Also, thank you for getting the story past 100 reviews! That's fantastic! Some of the fastest reviews I've gotten in a long time! :D

Enjoy! :)

Joy looked up when she heard someone slide across the hardwood floor on sock covered feet. Jamie hugged her mother's arms and looked up at her with wide blue eyes.

"Mummy, why does Fiona have friends and I don't?" she asked.

Joy laughed softly. "What are you talking about? You have friends."

"But not a best friend like Fiona has Danni or a group of friends that like each other. All my friends don't like each other."

"Maybe you'll get a group of friends when you get a little older."

"And a best friend," Jamie asked expectantly.

"Just be patient, love."

Gracie tiredly flipped through her fairytale book, looking at the pictures and studying the colors and shades.

"Hey, Monkey,"

She looked up at her father.

"Someone's here to see you," he winked and Arthur rushed into the room.

"Arty!" she cried happily.

"Hey, Gracie, are you feeling better."

"A little," she shrugged. "Why are you here?"

"My mummy and your daddy said we can play." He grinned.

"Let's play Candy Land," she cheered.

"All my friends and most of the school are on that trip to London, so we could do tutoring outside. It's a really nice day out. Maybe we could go to the park?" Michael suggested when he reached the table in the back of the library.

Emily looked up and shrugged. "If you want, that's fine. I just thought you didn't want to be seen with me."

"Today can be an exception I guess." He smirked as they walked out of the library. They left the school yard and walked down the street that led to the park. Michael's gaze landed on Emily briefly, just in time to see her scrunch her nose in disgust, casting an irritated glance at the rose bushes that lined the sidewalk to their right. "You alright?" he chuckled.

"I don't like the smell of roses." She said sheepishly.

"You…you don't like the smell of roses." He let out a loud laugh, covering his mouth with his hands, in a way he didn't realize was just like his father. "Why not; you're like the only girl I've ever met than doesn't like the smell of roses."

"I just think the scent is…a little dull and not very pleasant." She mumbled, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Interesting," he chuckled.

"I know it's weird." She sighed.

"Quite," he agreed.

"Did you have fun with your dad?" Danni asked, stirring her coffee.

Leo nodded. "Were you totally lost without me?"

She laughed. "Oh, yeah, I didn't know what I was going to do with myself." She shook her head. "No, I hung out with Josh."

"Do you think he likes you?"

"Why?" she made a face.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I've been trying to figure him out. I asked him if he liked anyone and he ran away like he didn't want to answer me."

"Maybe he doesn't like anyone," she chuckled.

"Why couldn't he just tell me—?"

"Danielle Miller," a voice cut him off.

Leo's eyes widened as Danni's ears turned red from anger. She turned to Eric and narrowed her eyes.

"What do you want, you little cockroach?"

The brunette feigned hurt, placing a hand over his heart. "I just came to see how you're doing."

"Yeah, sure," she rolled her eyes and focused her on her coffee.

"What are you supposed to be?" he had directed this question toward Leo, whose mouth opened and closed, resembling a goldfish.

Danni stood up long enough to smack Eric upside the head, and then she sat again. "He's Leo, you idiot."

"Leo," he nodded, eyeing the shorter boy. "What, am I interrupting a date or something?"

Leo shook his head silently and Danni scoffed, "No, we're just friends."

"See, I knew you liked me." Eric smirked.

"You're delusional." She moaned.

"You're in denial." He winked. "See you later, Danielle."

"That weasel," she grumbled as he left the coffee shop.

"He's not that bad," Leo chuckled.

"He's so annoying and arrogant and has no respect for girls or personal space," she ranted, running her fingers through her hair, remembering the day she'd first met Eric Stanley.

Eleven year old Danni glowered at the school as Eddie pulled the car up to the curb. She turned to him with a deep frown. "Dad, can you think about the home schooling thing again? Just a little longer?"

Eddie chuckled. "What's so bad about going to public school? You've never had a problem with it before."

"I don't like going to new schools." She huffed. "It's hard making friends and the people are always so weird in different places. I'm used to Americans—these are Brits."

Eddie smirked in amusement. "Get outta here, small fry."

Danni rolled her green eyes and stomped out of the car. She pulled the strap of her bag farther up her shoulder and made her way to the two front doors of the school.

"Danni," Fiona exclaimed as she rushed out of the doors. She wrapped her up in a hug as Danni stood stiffly in shock. The shorter brunette pulled back, hands on her shoulders. "We haven't seen each other in forever! We'll have to talk later—I've got a rehearsal to get to!"

Danni stared after her with wide eyes before continuing on. She entered the school and ignored the looks she got for being new. And before she realized what was happening, she was laying on her back on the dirt, tiled, school hallway floor, staring up at the ceiling, her nose throbbing from being smacked in the face with a locker door. She heard some of the students laughing, but her attention was trained on the guy that had swung the locker open. He was laughing at her. The tips of her ears burned with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

Danni stood up and brushed off her pants before lashing out, landing a hard punch on his right shoulder. His laughter stopped and she could tell that the punch had hurt when he clenched his fist and crossed his arms defensively.

"It's not my fault you weren't watching where you were going, you know," he scoffed, his brown hair flopping over his forehead.

"You could have a little more respect towards girls and be a gentleman, you know." She retorted, brushing past him.

"I haven't seen a single girl today," he called after her.

"Go look in the mirror," she smirked, pushing the door tot eh head teacher's office open.

Leo watched Danni stare down her coffee, and when she blinked, he sat up straighter, glad that she was back to the present.

"Oh my, gosh, we keep running into each other," Fiona laughed, linking her arm with Josh's.

"No, more like we're both walking in opposite directions, on opposite sides of the street, and you go out of your way to annoy me because you're weird." He replied, pulling his arm away from hers.

"You and your jokes," she giggled. "You're so funny."

Josh rolled his eyes.

"So what are you up to?" She didn't take his arm again, but she did step closer to him, their arms barely brushing, to which Josh awkwardly moved away from her.

"Just walking," he sighed.

"I was heading to the party store; my birthday is in a few weeks. I understand yours is too?"

"Yeah, so," he asked irritably, and she took no notice to his tone.

"Am I invited to your birthday party?"

Josh glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "If Louisa invites you; I won't."

"Oh please, sure you would," she shoved his shoulder in amusement.

"Listen, Fiona, I kind of just want to be alone. So if you don't mind…" he drifted off.

"Oh, yeah, of course," she winked at him. "Don't have any fun without me."

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"Just one chance is all it takes. Can't change the past, but I can fight to change today. This is not the way that I thought I would turn out to be. Tragic yet but all that I got was more insanity. Broken everything that I touch just going against me. Got to get away..." -Madness In Me, Skillet

-Rachel