~*the Last*~

Spring had to be Janey's favorite season. The flowers started to bloom, school was nearing an end and the days grew longer. Skipping lightly down the street going particularly nowhere, Janey was momentarily lost into her own world. The cool May wind whipped her hair about in its ponytail and Janey felt at piece with the world. That is, until she went flying to the ground when something heavy banged right into her.

She hadn't seen it coming. How could she have? She heard someone faintly calling her name and her head was pounding. She tried to tell the person to go away, that she wanted to sleep, but the person continued to shout her name.

"Janey! Janey wake up!"

"Mmm," she mumbled, finally fluttering her eyelids open. Standing there above her was Teddy and he looked quite hysterical. His hair was mussed, his eyes wide and frantic, the blood drained from his face. Janey realized she was lying sprawled out on the sidewalk, and she felt something trickle down her lip. She touched the soft spot and realized she was bleeding. She sat up quick and felt most sick, so she lay down again.

"Whoah," Teddy muttered, kneeling down and helping her sit up gently. "Take it easy. Now, can you remember what happened?"

Janey tired to remember what had happened. But it was blank, nothing. All she remembered was walking happily down the street, not bothering anybody when all of a sudden she was thrown into sudden darkness.

"I don't remember," she muttered, rubbing her head. "Shit, my head hurts."

Teddy nodded. "Yeah, you got yourself a nice goose egg there. I was just walking down the street and I found you lying here unconscious. You scared the shit out of me, you know that?"

Janey sat up a bit more and Teddy moved to help her. "Why did I scare you?"

"Because I didn't want you to be hurt!" Teddy said defensively.

Janey grinned softly and Teddy helped her stand up. She staggered a bit, and then rubbed her head vigorously. "I wonder what happened."

Teddy shrugged and watched her standing there, swaying a bit and looking confused. Her usual neat hair was unkempt and she had scratches all over her arms and legs. She looked a real mess. He took pity on the girl. But why had he suddenly felt so horrible when he saw her lying there?

"Here," Teddy said, holding out his hand. "Let me walk you home. You're a real mess."

Janey shrugged and moved toward his outstretched hand. "Thanks Teddy."

"You're welcome."

"Teddy," Janey began as they walked toward her house, Teddy holding her hand. He felt oddly warm when he held her hand and he wanted to take care of her and know everything about her. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Teddy glanced at her and shrugged. "Because you're letting me."

She smiled wistfully and carefree. Her smiled looked almost tainted, as if she had so much behind those eyes that no one could even begin to understand.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

Janey grinned and began to swing their hands. "For being nice to me. It's nice to have someone to talk to."

"It's nice to have someone who wants to talk to me."

Teddy looked away for a moment, letting the comforted silence entrance both of them. The wind played with their hair and blew a gentle breeze, somehow making the world seem a little smaller.

~*~*~ ~*~*~ ~*~*~ ~*~*~

Grace lay down on the grass on her front lawn, drinking lemonade and watching the clouds. It had been many months since she and Gordie had broken up. Not much had changed. She'd talked to him a few times, here and there, but other than that the heart ache was still there. Things would probably never be the same.

It was a shame to have something that was once so pure and beautiful, now gone and forever lost because of one little mistake. Grace forgave Gordie, they both knew that. But she would never forget.

The days seemed to roll by so fast now, like nothing. When Grace awoke in the morning, there was nothing to look forward to anymore, no one who could brighten up her day the same way Gordie had brightened up her day so many times before. She wondered sometimes if she would ever find someone she loved who would love her in return, purely and wholly. The pain of losing Gordie was gone now; the sick feeling in her heart was gone. Every time she saw him in the hallway at school or passed him by at lunch, there was this numbness left, and she felt nothing. She no longer wanted to cry every time she saw him smile. There was no feeling with Gordie anymore. No feeling at all.

Faye and Grace weren't as close anymore either. Grace couldn't blame Faye; she was always with Chris and Gordie. Faye had been best friends with Gordie long before she had even met Grace, and she respected the loyalty she had for him. But Grace knew deep down, Faye wanted to defend Gordie's feelings.

She was always alone now, Grace. Faye was still her best friend, but things were different. It was awkward now. Faye sat with Chris and Gordie at lunch and Teddy and Janey, while Grace didn't even want to attempt it. She usually ate with her other friends or skipped lunch altogether. Some things just never are the same again.

The sky was clear now, and Grace looked up at the clouds. She figured the way she felt now, all the angst, was just part of growing up. Rolling over, she picked up her mother's book she had been so afraid to open and read, that is, until now.

Carefully opening the book, she paused to read the first page. It was a letter to Grace herself, from her mother. Grace tried to hold back the tears she had fought so hard over the years to never show. Slowly, she read the small message.

'To my beautiful daughter, Grace. From the moment you were placed into my arms and I looked into your beautiful eyes, I thanked God for blessing me with something so fragile and delicate, something so precious. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you, to watch you grow up, to be there for you when you needed someone. I'm not perfect, my love. I'm far from it. Sometimes life isn't satisfying, Grace darling. You'll understand it when you are older, you'll understand the feeling of normalness, of never knowing any other life but the one you've been living. Grace, don't ever blame yourself or your father for my absence in your life. I love you, Gracie. I will always love you. You are my daughter, my angel, my little flower.'

Tears blurred Grace's vision as she read the message, and she smiled sadly. She closed the book softly, and closed her eyes. She was going to get through this; she was going to find happiness once again in her life. Grace suddenly felt ashamed to have been so upset for so long about Gordie. It wasn't the end of the world, it was one loss.

Grace knew then, that at that moment, she was going to be okay.

~*~*~ ~*~*~ ~*~*~ ~*~*~

Halle hummed softly as she sat on her porch, watching the wind play with daffodils. The world was calm for once. Nothing was wrong. She felt safe. She felt secure. She felt alone.

She wasn't expecting what happened next. She wasn't expecting Gordie LaChance to come walking up her front porch and sit next to her. She hadn't talked to him since the dance more than five months ago. But when she blinked several times and was sure he was really there, she turned to him slowly.

"Hi," she said softly.

Gordie looked at her gently. "Hi."

Halle looked away into the sky and sighed. "I love the clouds."

Gordie looked up too, and then back at Halle. "Me too."

"Gordie, why are you here?"

Halle watched Gordie's eyes look hazily into the vacant street, and wondered why she wasn't melting at his placid look. She had realized that she wasn't in love with Gordie, on the contrary, she was more in love with the idea of having someone like Gordie. She still cared very much for him, but she realized she didn't want anything more than his friendship, but this was the first time he had talked to her since the dance.

"I'm sorry."

Halle arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

Gordie shrugged. "For everything. I've never appreciated your beauty before."

Halle looked away.

Gordie looked at her, looking away.

He sighed softly, and then gently placed his hand over hers. "I need you Halle. I've never realized it before, but I need you so much it hurts. I need to be able to talk to you, to laugh with you. To be your friend."

Halle grinned sadly, almost regretfully.

"I need you too, Gordie."

And as much as she hated it, Halle Chambers knew she meant it.

~*~*~ ~*~*~ ~*~*~ ~*~*~

"Look how pretty the sky is."

Faye and Chris sat up in the tree in the empty field, watching the sky steadily turn bluer and bluer.

"You know," Chris said, adjusting his sitting position on the branch. "I can't believe the school year's already ending. So much has happened in so little time."

Faye sighed. "I know."

It was true. So many things had happened over those six months, it was scary. Faye almost felt like a different person somehow, unsure of the reality and truth of things. She had learned so much about herself, about others, and about emotions she never even knew she had. Looking over at Chris and the way some of his hair hung loosely in his eyes, she grinned to herself.

"What are you grinning about?" Chris asked, smirking slightly.

Faye shrugged. "I don't know."

They sat there for a few moments, enjoying one another's presence. The silence was comfortable to both, and made them feel pure.

"You know what?" Chris said suddenly.

"Hm?" Faye asked, arching an eyebrow and leaning her body against Chris'.

"I love you."

Faye looked deep into his blue eyes and was surprised to find how sincere they looked. She knew that they cared deeply about one another, but to actually have him tell her made her feel so lucky she wanted to cry.

"Really?"

Chris chuckled softly and placed his hand gently on top of Faye's, loving the feeling of softness and warmness.

"Really, really."

Faye grinned slightly, and looked up into the sky. "I love you too."

Silence overtook them again and only when Faye saw a butterfly dance lazily by them, did she finally speak.

"Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you thinks gonna happen?"

Chris looked down at Faye. "What do you mean?

"I mean," she sighed. "It's different than it was before, Chris. With Grace and Gordie apart, it just feels so strange. I miss the old times."

Chris nodded. "Me too, Faye. Me too. But you know what? That's life. We can't help it."

"I know. But...I miss the way things used to be...I didn't have to worry so much then."

"Yeah, I know." Chris looked out into the sky and his eyes were so full of compassion it took Faye's breath away. "Faye..."

"Yeah?"

"I know a lot has changed," Chris began. "But one thing is always going to stay the same. I love you, and I'll always love you for as long as I know. And that's not going to change. Ever. I don't want to lose you."

"Chris, I'm never going anywhere without you."

They sat there in silence, watching a few more butterflies dance lazily around them, entrancing both in an intangible beauty neither had ever known.

Faye touched Chris' face softly and smiled; thanking the heavens she had finally found her love.

~*~

[The End! :) thanks to everyone who inspired me throughout this story *my reviews!* Love & Strawberries to you all! The Good Girl]