Gaia was doing homework when she got a Message from Rue. She hasn't talked to rue since the Halloween party. Even though she was being nice that night, she still harbored some feelings against one of her former best friends.

I cracked the code. I knew what was happening and why! Now I needed to get confirmation. But first, I needed to get forgiveness.

Lexi told me why Gaia barely acknowledged my existence. Hopefully, she doesn't close the door in my face.

Rue: I'm here. I need to talk to you.

Gaia rolled her eye in annoyance. She went downstairs and opened the door to see Rue pacing back and forth.

"Jules isn't here if you're looking for her," Gaia said deadpan.

Damn! I really fucked up. I need to make this right if im gonna get confirmation.

Gaia tried to close the door, but Rue stopped her" Wait! GG!"

" What? what do you want?" Gaia asked coldly.

" Gaia! Can I come in? I need to talk to you. " Rue pleaded. She had stopped pacing to focus her eyes on her friends. Her arms started to swing as if Rue couldn't stand still.

" I don't want to talk," Gaia flatly replied.

Rue started to pace back and forth. She had practiced what to say but completely forgot when Gaia's unforgiving eyes laid upon her. She avoided her stare and ranted," Look, GG. I-I know I've messed up. I know I have abandoned you these last couple of months, b-but Im sorry, OK? You're one of my oldest friends and one of my best friends, and I've been so wrapped up with Jules that I left you to the waist side. I'm so fucking sorry for that, GG."

Rue kept rambling while Gaia looked at her in realization.

" Fuck, she's manic" Gaia pinched the bridge of her nose. She wanted to confront her about how she was feeling, but Rue being in an obvious episode made her back off.

" We can talk about it later. Now, what do you want?" Gaia moved out of the way to let Rue into her house, which she quickly moved in.

" Is there anyone here? Do we have to talk in your room?" Rue questioned Gaia. Rue was looking around, paranoid.

Gaia nodded, slightly worried seeing her friend in this state. She knew she wasn't using her medicine since she was an addict. This must be rough for her.

" I'm a fucking genius, Gaia. I found out what's going on with you and Jules!" Rue grabbed and shook Gaia's shoulders in victory.

" What?" Gaia asked, fake confused. She wouldn't spill anything until she heard what Rue " found out." Knowing Rue, she got the wrong answer with the correct information.

Gaia walked to the kitchen with Rue right behind her.

" Don't play dumb. I know you guys have been keeping a secret together. And I know what it is," Rue scoffed. She rubbed her hands together as she continued to pace back and forth.

"Rue, what do you know? " Gaia questioned. She folded her arms, already exhausted from this conversation.

" I know you and Jules are in love with Nate, and that's why you guys lied to the police for him."

Gaia looked at her friend as if she had sprouted two heads.

" In love?" Gaia asked in a whisper.

Rue looked side to side, then back to her " U-Uh yeah?"

Gaia stood there for a couple of seconds before she started to chuckle silently until it led to a fit of laughter. Rue watched, confused and embarrassed about Gaia's reaction.

" Is that what you gathered, Rue?" Gaia cackled. She filled her teapot with water and started to heat up the water.

" So... I'm guessing that isn't what happened?" Rue sulked. She looked down as she played with her own fingers.

" No offense Rue but hell no!" Gaia laughed. She wished it was just as simple as we were both in love with him.

"Damn it! I thought I fucking had it," Rue whined as she stomped her feet in frustration.

" Tea?" Gaia offered. Rue sighed loudly and shrugged in response. She sat down at the table and took the tea Gaia had poured.

The two sat in comfortable silence, sipping the Chamomile tea Gaia made for them.

" Do you feel better?" Gaia asked Rue.

" Yeah, actually, I feel calmer. What the hell is in that tea?" Rue chuckled. She scratched the back of her head in awkwardness.

" It's a secret." Gaia winked.

Rue and Gaia finished their tea, and Gaia put the cups into the sink, deciding to wash them later.

"Look, GG, I know something happened to you and Jules. Obviously, I don't know the details, so that's where you come in. Tell me what happened," Rue begged.

Gaia contemplated if she should talk or not. She knew she would leave Jules out of it but could she trust Rue not to tell fez.

Gaia let out a huge sigh and answered, " All I can say is that my past has come to haunt me even more, and it's not safe."

Rue's eyes lit up. She hoped for a more straightforward answer, but she wasn't complaining. However, from the coded answers she gave her, she figured out it had something to do with that psycho, Harvey.

Rue leaned closer with a scared look, "Is Harvey a part of it?"

Gaia's leg was bouncing up and down from pure anxiety. Thoughts of people getting hurt flooded her mind. She put her head down in hopes that it would soon leave. Fuck she needed another line of Vicoden!

" Fuck! I'm so sorry GG. I didn't know it was this serious. " Rue said with sadness in her voice. Even though she wasn't big on physical touch, she rubbed her friend's back to comfort her.

Gaia was at the Howard's house, spending time with Lexi and waiting for the meeting Cassie called to start. The girls came in one by one. Gaia greeted BB and Kat warmly but gave a short hello to Maddy. Maddy was happy that Gaia began to acknowledge her presence instead of pretending she wasnt there. It was some progress, at least.

Gaia sat in between BB and Cassie. She wanted to be by Cassie's side since she had a rough patch with Mckay. However, she didnt know Maddy would have been sitting right across from her.

Once everyone showed up, there was an awkward silence over the whole table. There seemed to be tension between everyone at the table.

Kat was the first to break the silence. "I don't know what you're gonna say, but this feels like... really dramatic."

BB nodded in agreement. "Yeah, this is spooky. "

" Wait? are you dying?!" Gaia exclaimed.

Cassie shook her head. "GG, I'm not dying!"

" Fuck! You had me scared," Gaia laughed nervously.

Cassie looked around the table before saying, "I just, I need your advice on, like, two things. And I need you guys to promise me not to say a single fucking word."

All the girls nodded in response, agreeing to her terms.

The blonde continued," So, the night of Daniel's Halloween party, something happened."

Gaia and Kat made eye contact. Kat looked spooked hearing his name brought up. Cassie continued to explain the whole situation. How cheating with daniel and wanted to tell Mckay.

Maddy scrunched up her face in confusion. "Wait. Am I hearing this correctly? You want to tell McKay that you made out with Daniel at the carnival and on Halloween?"

" Yeah, but, I don't... I don't have to say it's Daniel." cassie replied nervously.

"Bitch, that's the craziest idea I've ever heard. Right?" Maddy asked the table for backup.

Gaia just held Cassie in support. She didn't like that cassie had cheated on Mckay but their relationship was never solid in the first place.

"For sure." BB agreed.

"Yeah, but I want to be honest with him. " Cassie responded

" If you want to be honest. Be honest. " Gaia encouraged Cassie. Cassie gave her a small appreciative smile.

"Eh..." Lexi winced at Gaia and Cassie's option. She disagreed it was a good decision to make. Gaia shot Lexi a really look. Lexi mouthed sorry to her friend.

Maddy shook her head. "You cannot tell McKay."

"But it's not like I cheated-cheated." cassie frowned as she defended herself. She was still in denial about how bad the situation was.

"Kissing is worse. It's so much more intimate. And if anybody brings it up, you deny, deny, deny." Maddy reiterated her point.

" Not everyone is comfortable lying, " Gaia shaded Maddy. Maddy looked at her former best friend with a sad glare.

" Okay, but I just don't want there to be something this bad between us forever." Cassie expressed her concern.

" Hey, tell him if you can't live with that on your conscience. If he breaks up with you, you'll be fine. I'll be here for you." Gaia grabbed her hand in support. Cassie held her hand tightly in response.

Cassie loved the support Gaia gave everyone. Gaia made everyone feel like one of the most important people in her life. Cassie craved that type of attention and care from the boys she dated.

Maddy was looking on with slight sorrow. She missed Gaia's motherly aura. Maddy missed their talks and how Gaia would give encouraging words. She missed her friend.

Kat interjected with a cold statement, "I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like you guys are gonna be together forever."

Everyone looks at Kat, slightly taken aback by her harsh demeanor.

" Kat, what the fuck is your problem? You're being a bad friend now. You were a bad friend to me, and this whole new personality is seriously unlikeable." Maddy checked Kat.

"World Star!" BB shouted and laughed.

" Why, because I won't sit and listen to you bitch and moan about your psychotic, abusive boyfriend who you've literally broken up with a thousand times?" Kat spat back.

Gaia's eyes went back and forth from Kat to Maddy. Even though she didn't fuck with Maddy, she did have a point about Kat's personality. Just like she was concerned that Kat's side job had left her cold and jaded. However, Kat was also correct. Even before Gaia and Maddy's blow-up, Gaia was drained from talking about Nate and Maddy. She felt sucked in by their toxic, restless relationship. Plus, Maddy couldn't be too mad at Kat when she was shitty towards Gaia.

Gaia gave an encouraging smile to Kat. Even though she's been acting colder, Gaia was happy Kat stuck up for herself.

Maddy responded angrily, " It was literally the lowest point in my life, so, yeah. That and the fact that you're just fuckin' mean."

"Maddy, ever since I've met you, all you talk about is yourself. Your clothes, your boyfriends, whatever superficial shit you think is so fucking important. Sorry I'm no longer interested." Kat defended herself.

Gaia's head had started to hurt from the back and forward between Kat and Maddy. The bickering wasn't helping the anxiety she had been plagued with since the carnival.

" I don't know about everyone else, but I miss the old Kat. You know, the one who had a sense of humor and wasn't a fuckin' cunt?" Maddy put emphasis on the word cunt.

"Damn," BB exclaimed.

Kat was hurt at Maddy's words but didn't want to show it. She stood up and left the table. Gaia got up quickly and followed her to the front door.

Gaia gave Kat a hug before she could leave " Don't let her get to you, ok?"

" I'm not. I'll call you later," Kat responded, to which Gaia nodded. Kat left the house.

Gaia went to Lexi's and Cassie's bathroom to snort some Vicodin to calm her nerves. She sat on the toilet to calm herself down, slowly letting the drugs take over.

Gaia her a soft knock from the other side of the Door.

" Are you alright GG?" Cassie asked. She was concerned for Gaia when she saw her holding her head back in pain when Kat and Maddy were fighting.

Gaia opened the door, feeling better from the Vicodin " I'm better. Just had a slight headache. "

" I'll get you some Advil. " Cassie ordered. Gaia sat on the couch while Cassie came back with Advil and water.

Gaia thanked Cassie, taking the pills with the water.

" Are you feeling better?" Cassie asked while stroking my back.

" Yeah, thank you," Gaia thanked Cassie.

" No problem," Cassie replied.

The two sat there in a healthy silence until a thought popped into Gaia's head.

" What was the second thing," Gaia asked.

" What second thing?" Cassie responded, confused.

" you said you needed our opinions on two things. I only heard the first one," Gaia explained.

Cassie got anxiety in the pit of her stomach. She was contemplating if she should tell Gaia. She was close to the girl, close enough to consider her a best friend.

Cassie's eye's started to water before she spoke, " Can you promise not to tell anyone?"

" You know I don't do that" Gaia held Cassie's hand.

Cassie's mouth started to tremble, and tears flowed out as she said, " I'm pregnant."

Gaia gasped in shock before she pulled Cassie in for a long and tight hug. She whispered encouraging things in her ears as cassie cried on her shoulder.

The drugs started to hit very hard, making Gaia blurt out, " I was pregnant too."

Cassie stopped sniffling and pulled back from Gaia in shock

" Gaia! You were?" cassie asked, wiping her tears.

" Yeah. It was last year before the beginning of summer I got pregnant. " Gaia confessed.

For some reason, at this moment, Gaia felt Cassie was trustworthy to tell this information to. She didn't want Cassie to feel alone.

" wait, so that means it was...NATE'S?" Cassie's eyes bugged out when the realization hit her.

" Yeah. It was Nate's. That's why I went crazy during my sophomore year. That and other things," Gaia explained. She played with her fingers, feeling exposed and vulnerable.

" So you had an abortion? Did it hurt? How long did it take?" cassie questioned. she was thinking of having one, so she wanted some insight into how the process went.

"... I didn't. I-I lost the baby," Gaia explained.

Cassie looked at Gaia with sorrow. The girl who seemed to have it all together harbored this dark secret. The two sat in silence, neither knowing what to say next.

Cassie spoke up first by saying," Im glad you felt like you could trust me with this."

" of course I do. And I want you to know that I will support any decision you make. If you decide that you can't, I will come to the clinic with you, too, ok?" Gaia reassured Cassie, making cassie smile.

" Okay," Cassie responded, pulling Gaia into a hug again. They held each other in their arms for a while.