Troy's POV

It's not often you meet your long –lost best friend in the middle of a vacation with your other close friends.

Gia's expression was so shell-shocked; my immediate thought was 'I don't think she'll ever be able to speak again'.

I mean, like, you're in the middle of a boring class, just passing notes to your friends when, BAM, Pikachu jumps from the window into your lap, followed by Percy Jackson chasing Mrs. O'Leary , who's jumped onto your chemistry teacher.

I know. Like, whoa.

Chase, having cleaned up the mess caused by Gia's smoothie, was grinning amiably at her, seeming to think she was swooning, and obviously not recognizing her. Jake, Noah and Emma were staring at Gia in utter confusion, because, duh, they did not know Chase. I was trying not to faint, and Gia looked like she was trying to remember how to breathe. Neither of us was able to say anything, and the other three did not know what to speak about. Chase was the only one capable of getting his vocal cords to work, so he did.

"Hey." He looked at Gia with a little uncertainty, as if picking up on her expression. "You okay?"

Gia make a sound like she was choking.

That kind of made me regain my senses and I gently put my hand on her shoulder. "I don't think so," I said, grinning at Chase sheepishly.

He frowned at her. "But why-"

"It's you." Gia whispered her eyes still as wide as saucers.

"Um, yeah?"

"It's me, Chase. Don't you remember?"

His arms went slack. "Oh. My. God."

He moved really fast for a normal teenager, and his arms were around her before I could say Power Ranger. He hugged her so tightly; I thought Gia was going to get crushed. But, when I looked at her, she was grinning like Vrak never existed.

"Chase," an annoyed voice came from behind her. "I think that kind of harassment is illegal."

A serious girl with blond hair in a ponytail, brown eyes, glasses and a frown was glaring at him.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

Chase pulled away, and his eyes were bright with tears. "Kendall, it's-"

"Shut up." She growled. Then she turned to Gia with a grin. "I've been waiting for you… and please excuse Chase. He's the most flirtatious worker I have ever come across. I knew he would do something, but I seriously didn't expect him to do that."

Jake was glaring at him too. "I'd ask him to behave."

Chase looked at him.

"Kendall," Gia was still grinning. "You don't know why."

Kendall frowned.

"I've known him since we were kids."

Emma's jaw hung open. "What the heck?"

I sighed. "I'll explain."

And I did.

By the time I was finished, everyone was looking like Emma, except Gia and Chase, who were grinning and had an arm draped over each other's shoulders, like they couldn't let go.

It kind of made them look ten years old again.

"All right then." Kendall was the first to recover, and was smiling at them. "Chase, you can show my cousin around. And maybe introduce them to the team."

"The team?" Gia raised her eyebrows.

Kendall bit her lip. "I know I shouldn't," she said, looking at Chase, who'd opened his mouth to speak. "But she'll help. She's strong. And we need her help. She's smarter than you think."

Gia tilted her head to the side.

"We have a lot to discuss." Kendall nodded at her.

Gia looked at Chase, who held her close. "I'll explain everything." He promised.

Gia frowned at me uneasily, and part of me felt ecstatic it was me she'd looked at for support. Then she left.

"What about us?" Noah asked Kendall.

She smiled. "I'll show you around. Let the best friends catch up, right?"