Tawny looked at the algebra test in front of her and gave a big mental sigh. She hated math. Luis and her always studied together. But this week he hadn't had time because he had been out with Stephanie, to ball games to watch her cheer, to the mall so she could get some new shoes for that weekend, to the movies with her. It seemed never ending. He never had time to hang out with her anymore, his supposed best friend. Tawny grabbed her book and stalked out of class. And now this. She glanced down at the big red C minus on her paper again. "Crap!" she said out loud, shoving the paper inside her book and throwing them into her locker.

She looked down the hallway just in time to see Luis and Stephanie stealing a kiss before the bell rang, signaling the start of classes. Her heart clenched in her chest. Why not me? She thought pitifully. She had to have him. He was her soul mate she was sure of it. But how she could get him was a mystery to her. Then, like a ray of sunshine sent from heaven above, a light illuminated a piece of paper on the bulletin board. She stepped closer and read, a big grin crossing her face:

CAMPING TRIP
AGES 15-18
SHAREWOOD FACILITES
Good food, Great fun, and Enough Memories to Last A Lifetime.
Contact Angie Mays, Director

"That's it!" she yelled, causing several students in the hallway to stare. But Tawny didn't care. This was the answer to all of her prayers. She grabbed the paper off the board and ran down the corridor to her next class.

She burst through the door and rushed over to Luis's desk that was right by hers and smacked the paper in front of him.

He slowly looked up at her and gave a slight smile. "May I help you?" he asked.

"This is it, Luis. Look at it. It will be so much fun! It can be like a senior thing, you know? One last trip to say goodbye." she told him, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"But Tawny, we're going to the same college, hun. It's not like we're saying goodbye."

Tawny gave a small smile; her eyes filling with unshed tears. "More so than you think, Luis, more so than you think."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, concern marring his features.

"Just say you'll go, ok? Please, Luis, for me?" she begged.

"Yeah, ok, I'll go, if it means that much to you," he said, shrugging.

A brilliant smile spread across her features. "Thank you, Luis!" she said, hugging him. "You're the absolute best!"

She started to pull away from the hug, but something stopped her. Something caused her to hesitate, gazing deeply into his dark brown eyes. They were close enough to kiss and at that moment, everything else disappeared for Tawny. She and Luis were the only two in the room, held close by a magnetism that she always knew was there, always hoped was there.

She slowly leaned closer, wanting to kiss his lips. Closer...

"What are you doing?" a high pitched voice squealed behind them.

Tawny shook her head, trying to break the spell that she had just been captured in. She looked at Luis, to see if he had the same effects she did, only to find him staring at her in a most peculiar way.

"What were you doing, Tawny?" he whispered.

Tawny bit her lip. "I don't know," she returned.

"I will ask once again, what the heck is going on here, Luis?" Stephanie Jo Hatcher demanded as she squared off in front of them.

"Nothing, Stephanie, Tawny was just showing me this camp we're going to this weekend. Just a weekend, nothing big."

Tawny's heart sank. Nothing big. Just Tawny, nothing big at all.

"What about me? What am I going to do for a weekend all by myself?" she squeaked, obviously annoyed.

Tawny held her breath, waiting his answer.

"Now Stephanie, you know you are welcome to come along if you like, but you don't really like the outdoors at all and that's what this camp is all about."

Tawny walked away. She couldn't stand to be near either of them after that. She sat like a robot through the rest of class and then walked home alone, as she had for the past few weeks. She skulked through the house and down to her room, deep in thought. She lay down on her bed and buried her head in her pillow, trying to relax the tension from her body.

"Bad day?" Luis said from the doorway.

She didn't even move. She knew that he would come eventually. "Don't you ever knock?" she asked into the pillow.

"Not usually," he said. She heard footsteps coming towards her, muffled by the sound of carpet. The bed sank with his weight. "Wanna tell me what's wrong, babe?"

She gritted her teeth and turned toward him. "Don't call me that."

He looked surprised. "Why not? I've always called you babe."

"That was before her. Everything has changed so much. I could make a time line. BH and AH. Before Her and After Her. Before Her, life was great. Every day was a good day and all the birds sang in the trees, happy to be alive. The sun loved to shine and you actually hung out with me, talking to me and being with me. After Her, the birds died of too much perfume inhalation, the sun was blocked by her big head and you don't even seem to know me anymore. It hurts, Luis."

Luis shook his head. "Now I know that I have been hanging out with her a lot, but I can't believe you said I don't know you. I've known you since junior high. You're my best friend."

Tawny gave him a small, sad smile. "You used to know me. You used to know everything about me. I brought everything to you and we worked things out together. It's not that way anymore." When he shook his head in denial, she continued. "What did I get on my last math test, Luis? Any idea? Do you even care?"

"I don't know what you got, but I'm sure it was good. You've been doing a lot better. And of course I care. You're my buddy, Tawny. I care about you."

The knife shifted in Tawny's heart at that last statement. If he knew how much she wanted him to say that and mean it in a different way. "I got a C minus. I didn't have anyone to explain the problems to me. I didn't understand any of the word problems and the linear equations just threw me off big time."

His face fell. "Tawny, I'm so sorry. I should've taken time. I should've…" he paused, running his hand through his hair. "I messed up big time. I'm sorry. Its just Stephanie demands so much attention. It's not that I mind giving it to her, it's just that I don't have time for anything else. But, you'll have my full attention this weekend. It'll be just you and me at this camp of yours. Stephanie can't go because she has a cheerleading thing. I'll make up for it there. Deal?"

Tawny's eyes widened. "Really? Just you and me? Like the old times?" She grinned when he nodded his head.

She stuck out her hand and he shook it, and the deal was sealed.