"Why are you all dressed up? I thought you weren't going to school today." Lucy asks Mary.

"I'm not. Wilson's coming over today to spend the day with me."

"Does Mom know about this?"

"She suggested it."

"Wow. OK, have fun."

"Oh, and um, Luce, if anyone asks you, I'm sick and you don't know when I'll be back in school, okay?"

"Sure. When do you plan on going back, though?"

"I don't know, when I'm ready. And as far as I know, neither mom or dad has talked to the school yet about this, so I'd have to wait and see what they say anyways before I make a decision."

"When do you think you'll be ready? Next week?"

"My goal originally was Friday, but rethinking it now that seems way to soon."

Eric calls out Mary's name, and she sighs and walks downstairs.

"Look, I didn't talk to your school yet, but I was thinking maybe after I dropped off all the kids we could go in and talk with Ms. Russell."

"Uh…I don't know. Wouldn't it look weird if I just walked in like that? Someone might see me and find out what happened."

"I guess your right."

"I will come along for the ride; I'd kind of like to get out of the house. I'll sit in the back of the van so no one will see me."

"OK. I was still planning on going in and talking with Ms. Russell after I dropped all of them off though."

"Well, maybe you could talk to her by yourself or ask her to come out to the car and talk with me. It's too risky to go in there, walk into the principal's office with you, walk out, and go home."

"I know. But no matter what we'd like to believe, we both know that sooner or later everyone is going to find out."

"Yeah, but I don't want them talking about me when I'm not there to defend myself."

"Maybe you should just stay home and wait for Wilson then."

"Fine."

Mary sits down in a chair and watches the rest of the Camden clan file out and go to school. She waits with her mother for Wilson to arrive. When finally does show up, Mary grabs his hand a drags him up the stairs to her bedroom. She sits down on her twin-sized bed, and Wilson sits next to her.

"What's wrong? Why did you pull me up here?"

"Because I don't want to be downstairs anymore. Besides, I feel more relaxed when I know we're completely alone."

"OK. So, did you think about everything we talked about?"

"Yeah."

"And what do you think?"

"I think I can do this now, hopefully."

"Good. But you won't need hope; you'll need help. I'll be here to help you and so will your family."

"That's what everyone says. I don't believe them though, or you either. I believe that you'll be here for me while I'm pregnant, and maybe a little while afterwards, but not forever."

"Well, you're right. I'll be here for you whenever you need me, so I won't be here for you forever, because you're not going to need me forever."

"How do you know?"

"Because, you are strong enough to do it by yourself if you have to."

"But I don't want to do it by myself. I want to do it with someone else, have my baby grow up with two parents, not one, and share they joy of having a child with someone," she says, grabbing Wilson's hand, "even if it isn't their own."

"I know what you mean. I still want the same thing."

He puts his arm around Mary, and starts to space out. Mary turns her head and looks at him.

"Are you ok?"

"What? Uh…yeah, I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine."

"Its nothing-bad memories-I'm ok."

"No you're not. Don't lie to me. Talk."

"I was just thinking about Billy's mother."

"Oh. Sorry, I'll stop."

"Its not your fault. So what did your parents decide about school?" He says, tying to change the subject.

"My dad asked me to go with him this morning to talk to my principal, but I would have to be seen and actually go into the school. I told him I was afraid of being seen, but actually it's the other way around. I'm afraid of seeing people. It's been nice being home, and choosing whom I talk to and when I do it. I really don't want to see anyone yet. I'm afraid that someone will say something, and for some reason I'll just start crying and I won't be able to stop. I did that the other day. It really scared me. And I know that when I eventually do venture out into the real world, no one's going to be stepping on eggshells anymore. I don't want anyone to hurt me again. Right now, I feel almost as if I'm in control. When I'm at school, I know I won't be. The thought of going back there today was too much.  And as far as I know, my dad isn't back yet from talking to her."

"Did you tell anyone this but me?"

"No, I couldn't. I didn't really have the chance to, either."

"See, that isn't good. You have to start talking more, opening up little by little. You can't keep everything bottled up, because one day it'll all erupt and it won't be pretty."

"I don't want to tell anyone anything. I don't trust anyone, except for you. I trusted Robbie and look where that got me." She smiles and her eyes get teary.

"Then if that's the way you truly feel, you have to start opening up to me more. I can tell that your holding a lot back from me. I'm not going to judge you or laugh at you, or anything like that. I care about you, and I want you to feel that everything's all right."

"I- I'll try. Actually, being completely open, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. But, I don't know if I should."

"Why, what's going to happen?"

"I- I just don't know." She says, starting to cry.

"You don't know what?"

"How you'll react. I'm scared."

He notices her tears, and pulls her close to him.

This isn't going right. But I don't want him to let go. What should I do?

 "How I'll react to what?"

"You know, maybe now's not the best time."

"Uh…ok, if that's how you feel. You're confusing me, though. You sure you don't want to talk? You sound really upset."

"I'm not upset. I'm extremely confused. I don't know how to say this and I don't know if I want to."

Wilson realizes what she's trying to get at. "Well, if I'm thinking what you're thinking, I think you should talk about it now. I'm going to be here all day, and we could work anything out if we have to."

Mary leans closer into him, and tries to stop her tears. "I don't know how to start. Do you have anything you want to say?"

"I care about you a lot, and I don't want to see our friendship suffer. If we do get together, I think it would be too tough on both of us if we break up."

"I was thinking the same thing. But it keeps haunting me: What if we don't break up? If things stay the way they are right now, I don't see why we ever would break up."

"Things aren't going to stay the way they are right now, though. You're life is going to change so much in the next year."

"I know, but this is what I want. I just want you to hold me, to kiss me, to be here for me. You're a great friend, and I really appreciate you, but I want you as my boyfriend."

"Yeah, but-"

"Let me finish. But as much as I want that, I don't know how I feel about it. Sitting here with you like this feels so right. But then if I think about us actually together, it doesn't feel so right anymore. It doesn't feel wrong; it just feels like bad timing. That's why I'm confused. I think I know what I want, but the more I thought about it, the more I doubted it. Now that I'm actually here with you, with your arms around me, all my doubts are gone. I want to be with you. All of this just feels so strong so fast- too fast- but I can't help it."

"Mare, look at me."

Wilson stares into Mary's eyes, and peers into her soul. He can see that her feelings are pure, and that she has completely fallen for him, but has really tried not to. He doesn't know what to say to her, and can see the hurt forming. She turns her head away from his, and scoots away from him.

"I'm so sorry. See, I knew this would happen. That's why I didn't want to say anything to you. I am so stupid"

Wilson takes Mary face in his hands and turns it towards his. He leans down to kiss her, and just as their lips are about to meet, Annie calls them downstairs. They quickly pull away, and turn from one another. They both smile slightly, and get up to walk downstairs. They get to the bottom of the stairs, and Mary speaks.

"Wilson, are we OK?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, good."

Wilson begins to walk down to the first floor, but Mary puts her hand on his chest to stop him.

"Wait. Not a word of any of this to either of them, or to anyone."

"Ok."

"And don't tell them anything I've said to you about anything that's happened to me. Everything I tell you I say in confidence."

"Fine, I won't bring any of it up. Don't worry."

"One more thing. We still have to talk later about all of this."

"I know. I was planning on it."

"Mary! Are you coming down?" Annie yells up.

They walk down the stairs, and into the kitchen to talk Mr. And Mrs. Camden.