#Author's Note# Hello there everybody. If you actually read these things, you should be very proud of yourself because I'm taking up this cough valuable space to try to explain some things that might have confused readers in the past chapters. First of all: Caitie had a crush on Jamie, not Val. This isn't a slash story (not that I oppose or condemn those kinds of stories: it's just not my thing). Secondly, Val and Jamie were not kissing or anything like that while in the closet. I wouldn't have left out parts that important (or entertaining…jk). The school *thinks* that they were doing that, and Caitie assumes that that was what was going on, but the only things that occurred in there were the things I wrote. Okay, lastly, I apologize for having some of the characters act out of character. I'll try to explain (throughout the course of the story) the things that were running through their heads when they did whatever it was that they did. Wow, this is long. Luckily for you, I'm done. Read on. (P.S. : There are more twists to come! =o)
Disclaimer: I don't own the show, and I'm not making any money off of it. Don't sue.
'I can't believe her. I can't believe she did that to me' thought Caitie as she paced under the bleachers during lunchtime. Her arms were crossed and she wore a fearsome-looking scowl on her face, one even blacker than the clothing she wore. 'She knew that I liked Jamie…and then she went and made out with him?! I can't *believe* her! Who the hell does she think she is?! I hate her. I hate him too! How could he have *not* known I liked him? I did everything except drool, for God's sake!' Her musings were cut short, however, with the coming of the woman of the hour herself, Val. "What are *you* doing here?" growled Caitie. "I came to explain-" started Val, but she was interrupted by the upset Goth girl. "Explain? Explain? You're here to *explain* why you decided to steal the guy *I* like this morning? How the hell can you explain something like that?!" shrieked Caitie. "Caitie, that's not what happened at all!" said Val, upset. "Nothing physical happened between Jamie and I this morning in the janitor's closet. We were just…talking," said Val. Even though it was the truth, it sounded lame even to Val. "Oh, really? So you two just *happened* to pick out a small, dark little area to go and *talk* this morning, hmm? So what did you talk about, huh? The correct way to get as disheveled as you can when you're not really doing anything?! Huh?!" asked Caitie. 'Oh. So she noticed that, huh?' thought Val. "So what was it you two were so urgently *discussing*?" yelled Caitie sarcastically. "We were talking about…" started Val. 'Oh great' she thought. 'I can't give away Jamie's secret, not now. We have to discuss what it is we are going to do about his…situation…first. I can't tell her now' she realized. The silence lengthened. With each passing moment it grew thicker, heavier, more tension-filled. "That's what I thought," said Caitie quietly, right before she turned heel and left. 'Wonderful,' thought Val sarcastically.
******************Meanwhile*******************
Jamie felt horrible. And not only in the physical sense. Today he'd accidentally destroyed the lily-white reputation of the greatest person he knew. And it was all because of her stupid need to constantly help people. "Way to go, Waite," praised some jock Jamie didn't recognize. Jamie rolled his eyes. His fellow male schoolmates had been clapping him on the back (he winced in recollection), giving him high-fives, and telling him comments like that all day. While Val had gone down in her classmates' opinions, it seemed that he'd moved up on the popularity ladder. 'Damn' he thought. Val wasn't the only one who'd lost her reputation.
**********************A Few Hours Later, After School********************
Val slowly walked into the EMS station, her head hanging low. Today was just not her day. 'I can't believe I acted that way this morning…what was I thinking, getting so close to him…dragging him into a *closet* for Pete's sake. What did I *think* people were going to assume?' Val sighed. 'That's right, I *wasn't* thinking. If I were, I would have acted calmly and rationally and dealt with Jamie and his…situation…in a mature fashion.' Val hugged her binder closer to her, as if doing so would gain her a reprieve from her mental lecture to herself. 'Yeah, like anything involving Jamie Waite could ever be calm or rational' she mentally scoffed. 'At least I'm the first one here' she thought, looking around at the empty room as she placed her things into her locker. "Hey Val," said a familiar voice behind her. 'Uh-oh.' she thought, turning around. 'My day just keeps getting better and better' was her sarcastic silent comment to herself. "Uh…hi Tyler," she said. He smiled at her. Her heart sank. 'Oh no! He hasn't heard!' she thought. Val contemplated what to do about her predicament while he walked over to the coffee machine and started pouring himself a cup. "Want some?" he asked, pointing to the black liquid in the pot. "No thanks," said Val. Her stomach felt like it was being twisted in a million different directions at once as she said, "Uh…Tyler, we have to talk about something…"
#Author's Note# Yes, I know this chapter is really, really short, but writing this story has depleted me of all brainpower for the moment (or should I just come out and say it…I'm feeling cruel today cackles hehehehehehe!). So what happens next? tauntingly Wouldn't you like to know? Come back later and see. Oh, and sorry if it kind of sounds like Val is going slightly mad…hey, that's a good title, I think I'll use it (wait, I think I saw that somewhere. Oh well, if you read this story and find that I've totally ripped off that phrase, then just tell me…as in, *not* a flame (even though all the reviews for this story have been wonderfully nice))…anyway, she's not. She's just stressed out and has a lot on her mind, and I, for one, find the repetitive use of "she thought…she thought" very irritating (thus the reason why it sounds like there are several people in Val's head…I couldn't find any other way to convey her thoughts without it sounding that way). Hope you enjoyed! Chow!