The next morning, Mikey and Mouth had to go back to Astoria. Randi's fight with Mikey had drained most of her energy. She didn't talk to anyone, figuring that they would all be upset with her. She spent the morning as a shadow around the house, stoic as the guys got ready to leave.

Chris, Gordie, Teddy, and Vern came over to say goodbye to them, but Randi just watched from her window. When Brand showed up to drive them home, Randi finally went outside, and leaned against the porch railing, watching the two Goonies load up the Walsh station wagon.

Mikey got into the car, but Mouth walked over to Randi.

"Rans, don't do this," he pleaded. "You're cousins, best friends, Goonies. Don't let him leave without saying goodbye."

"Bye Mikey," Randi called out, still staring straight ahead.

"Bye," Mikey returned with no emotion.

Mouth rolled his eyes. "It's a start," he mumbled. He grabbed Randi by the shoulders. "Listen to me for a second. I'm going to be serious."

"That's new."

"Shut up. Listen, the whole me-and-you thing, it's over. It didn't work. I mean, I should be the hurt one, but I'm okay, I got over it. It was a fucked up little thing that our parents thought was a good idea. Don't let it skew your concepts of love. Don't let this dumb little thing ruin any chance you may have at a relationship. You're really great Randi," Mouth said. He kissed her, and it let loose a flood of memories.

It was raining in Astoria. Randi was creeping down to Mouth's house. She climbed up to his window, and let herself in. It was always unlocked.

"Hey Mouth," she whispered.

"Randi! You're soaked, what's up?" he asked, getting up.

"I have to talk to you," she said, almost desperately. Her eyes were red and puffy.

"What's wrong?" Mouth asked.

"I can't do this," she sighed. "I can't be with you. I know it's what our parents wanted for us, but I can't."

Mouth was silent, which really was a first for him.

"I guess I thought it was right...I mean...everyone thought...it was okay. But I never really felt..." Randi trailed off, trying not to cry.

"So..." Mouth digested the information, "You never cared about me?"

'Mouth, don't do that," Randi pleaded. "I care about you as a friend. You are very important to me, we're Goonies man," she took his hand. "But I can't love you. I'm sorry."

"Can I just...just one for goodbye?" Mouth asked gently. Randi nodded, and he kissed her.

Mouth pulled back. "Bye Randi," he said, and got into Brand's car.

Randi said nothing. She put her hands to her lips. Her emotions wavered from shocked at first, then to a nostalgic sadness, and once her senses kicked in, anger. She was standing there for about three seconds when a voice jolted her.

"Did you just kiss him?" Teddy asked in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" was all that Randi could say.

"I came to talk to you, but that's beside the point," Teddy said, "I saw you kiss him-"

"It's not what you think," Randi said, surprisingly calmly. She was trying to keep her head.

"I'll tell you what I think," Teddy said, starting in on her. "I think you wanted him here so you could be with him. And I totally believed all that 'Oh I hate Mouth so much' crap."

"No," Randi's voice was thick, "I just-"

"He slept in your house! I don't know what you did," Teddy accused her, without full out accusing her.

"Are you implying that I cheated on you?" Randi asked, hurt.

"It would explain why you've been so distant lately," Teddy scoffed. "I can't believe you would cheat on me with that pussy."

"He's not a pussy! He's my friend," Randi cried, "And I didn't cheat on you!"

"I saw it with my own eyes!"

"You can't see for shit, four eyes!" Randi yelled.

Teddy looked wounded. "Why don't you go screw Mouth? Or if he's too far, Lachance is right over there," Teddy jerked his thumb towards Gordie's house.

Randi's jaw dropped. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Teddy brushed his hair away from his face. "I don't know," his dark eyes settled on Randi. "This just isn't working. I don't think you really care about me. And you have no idea what you want."

"You're breaking up with me?" Randi asked, her eyes wide.

Teddy nodded. He gently punched her shoulder. "See ya round," he mumbled, and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

Randi just stared at him for a moment. "What the hell?" she cried in anguish, and sat on her porch, her head in her hands. She was crying, but she was more confused then sad.

"Randi," a familiar voice called. Randi looked up through her tears to see Gordie trotting over. He crouched down next to her. "What's wrong, what happened?" His voice was filled with panic and concern.

"...Teddy..." Randi hiccupped, calming herself.

"Did he hurt you? Where is he, I swear, I'll kill him if he hurt you!" Gordie stood up menacingly. Well, as menacing as Gordie could get. Randi tugged on his arm and pulled him back down. She took a deep breath and swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Gordie, chill. I'm okay. He broke up with me," she said finally.

"I'm sorry," Gordie said, and he put his arm around her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I will be." Gordie waited for her to offer him a shaky sarcastic smile. She didn't.

"Did he tell you why?"

Randi didn't answer.

"You don't want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. They were silent for a moment.

"I am so going to kick Teddy's ass," Gordie mumbled, half to himself.

Randi moved away from him. "What's gotten into you? You know you can't do that, Gordie. As upset as I am now, he's still our friend."

"I know," Gordie sighed.

"I mean, why are you so protective of me?" Randi asked. "I mean, you weren't happy that I was going out with Teddy in the first place, and then the spying, and the, erm, lake..."

"I just knew something like this would happen I guess," Gordie mumbled, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Why though?" Randi asked.

"You really wanna know?"

"I asked, didn't I?"

Gordie sighed again. "I love you."

Randi's eyes grew four sizes, but she said nothing.

"I love you. I do. I love you so much it scares me sometimes. You are the first person I think about in the morning, and my thoughts are on you long after you leave at night. You are everything to me. You're my whole world, my fun, my happiness and my laughter...my life.

"I could do the traditional writer thing and compare you to an angel, but you're not an angel. You're not some far away distant perfect that no one can ever reach. You're like a faerie, a shining light, a cool breeze, a refreshing rain, with the most mystical beauty. Because you are beautiful, no matter what you think or say. You're beautiful to me. There is no one more real than you. You would risk your life for your friends, help anyone you could, or even, befriend a sad, lonely boy at camp," Gordie smiled, "You are so passionate about life, and you are so amazing Randi," Gordie put his hand on her shoulder, "And I love you. Every amazing part of you, every sad part of you, and every thing you are. And I couldn't go on keeping it inside of me another second."

Gordie took a deep breath and looked at Randi, waiting for her response. Her mind was racing. Everything was just happening around her, and she was blind to it all. Teddy, Mikey, Mouth...they all saw this coming, why didn't she? But she knew it too, she had been trying to ignore it, to deny it, because it would make everything more complicated than it already was. It was all too complicated for her.

"Randi?" Gordie asked gently.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Randi said in a low, angry voice.

"What?" Gordie was taken back.

"Oh, I'm sorry Gord-o, that's not what you wanted to hear, is it? Did you want me to throw my arms around you and confess my love for you?"

"N-nn-o," Gordie stammered.

"What the hell do you all want from me?" Randi yelled, cutting him off. "I'm 15 and I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown! I'm just a person, I'm weak-willed. But I have a heart and I have a soul! I'm not you're fucking toy! What's gonna happen when you don't want me anymore, when you tire of me?" Randi asked.

"That wouldn't happen," Gordie insisted.

"Oh, sure it would. You're just full of promises now Gordon Lachance. I can't take all this! What do you want from me?" she repeated.

"Don't you remember?" Gordie asked, his own voice rising. "At camp?"

"If you felt this way all along, why didn't you say anything when I first got here?" Randi practically screamed.

"I had to wait for the right time...but then, you and Teddy..." Gordie trailed off...his eyes low.

"Well the right time was back then, and it's gone now. It's gone now, Gordie, do you understand?" Randi sighed and walked off.

"Randi, wait," Gordie called, but Randi broke into a run, and Gordie was smart enough to know not to chase her. "I just want you to be happy," he whispered after her, letting the wind blow his words away.