Thorne's P.O.V.

"You're crazy," he told me. I smiled, flipping through the files.

"Why, thank you ALAN!" I chewed on his given name like it was a particularly delicious tortilla with honey.

He snorted. "Stop that," he demanded. I grinned and pulled out the file of Robyn Sienna.

"Rachel's isn't here, I'll read Rhythm's," I told him. He looked at me strangely. I shoved him with the heel of my hand. "You know you think I'm smart Alan dearest," I said jokingly.

He rolled his eyes. "When pigs fly."

I pretended to look out of a window. "HEY, LOOK, A PIG!!" I shouted.

He laughed. "You're really crazy," he said, point of view changing ever so slightly.

"Nothing I haven't heard before," I said, glancing back at Rhythm's file. "Hey, are Pendanski or Mr. Sir coming?" I asked him, hearing a noise.

"Nah, but Ziggy is."

I threw the file back in the basket and hurled myself into a chair, knocking it backward a little and causing Squid to trip and fall down on my lap. "Hello Zigzag," I said, pushing Squid off of me as my kind-of boyfriend walked in. He looked between Squid and I.

"What were you guys doing?" he asked, not specifying which of us he was asking, but making direct eye contact with me.

"Nothing!" I said too quickly and making myself sound suspicious. He looked back and forth between us again. "Zigzag. We weren't doing anything," I reiterated.

Squid looked confused for a second and realizing what Zigzag was thinking he said "Naw! Zigzag! Ewwww, gross! Seriously! I'd never, ever touch that girl. That's gross," he said. I shoved him again.

"Thanks Squid." We all three burst into laughter. Finally we caught a hold on ourselves and I pulled them both up from where they'd crumpled on the floor with mirth. "C'mon boys, let's go. Pendanski will be here any second," I said pulling them out. When we reached the tent we all collapsed onto a cot, which we soon realized was a bad idea.

Squid jumped up. "If that thing collapses I won't be on it," he said laughing. I kissed Zigzag on the cheek.

"Its funny how you can have so much fun in this hell hole," I told them smiling. "What do you miss most about home?" I said directing it toward them both.

Zigzag pondered for a moment and said "I miss my sister, even my parents..." I put my hand on his shoulder. I looked over at Squid.

"What about you Squid?" I asked him. He sniffled and didn't answer. I stood up, a little shocked, and moved toward him. "It's OK Squid, you don't have to tell us," I whispered. He looked through me, even though I crouched in front of him, one hand on his knee.

"I don't miss anything," he whispered, still sniffling slightly. I pulled myself onto the cot and pat his back. I was not at good consoling people but kept rubbing his back awkwardly. Finally the intercom blared for supper. I touched his shoulder lightly, standing up.

"You boys coming?" I asked, moving toward the door. Zigzag came up and put his hand on my side.

Squid sniffled again. "No, I'm not hungry," he said leaning back on the cot.

"Squid, I--"

"Just go!" he cut me off. I gave him one last look and walked out.

Squid's P.O.V.

I sniffled a couple of times, watching Zigzag and Thorne get farther away. I wiped at my eyes. It was true, what I'd said earlier. I didn't miss home at all. Now I actually had friends, one small improvement. I got up and went over to my cot. I lay on my stomach and pressed my head into the pillow, ignoring the smell. I sniffled a little and tried to keep myself from crying. I hated crying more than almost anything else in the world. It had been beat into me from a young age that crying was something you never did, ever unless something was horribly, horribly wrong. And even then you might be on the receiving end of a glass bottle being thrown at your head. Suddenly I felt a hand on my back. I jumped up quickly and whirled to face the person who was sitting on my cot. It was Rhythm. "I came to see if you were alright...you didn't come to supper...I...are you OK Squid?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Can you leave me alone? I'm not hungry." She nodded.

"Well, I'll stay here with you," she said. I glared at her.

"I want to be by myself." She gave me a calm look.

"Squid, everyone else might act like you're fine and dandy, but you're not OK. You're so...you sit around like you're fine...but I can tell you don't feel as good as you pretend to," she whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear. I told myself she was wrong. I didn't need anyone. She looked at me, eyes searching mine. "Squid, I had a bad childhood too," she told me nervously. "You're not the only one with a terrible past you know." She stood up. I looked up at her, still sniffling, trying to block out my own weakness. I really didn't want her to leave. I wanted to hear more about her and try to forget about my troubles. She made as if to leave and I grabbed for her wrist, missing it and instead touching her hand.

"You can stay." She looked down at me, not moving her hand from under mine.

"Thanks Squid." I gave in and smiled at her. Suddenly I felt all embarrassed and giddy. I felt myself blushing and moved my hand from hers. She must have noticed my nervousness and she blushed too.

Rhythm's P.O.V.

I sat down on the cot across from him and sighed. "So, you want to hear about me?" I asked. He nodded.

"I guess."

"Well, my mom died when I was six," I said, already sniffling and trying to choke it back. "My dad killed her...stabbed her in the heart and throat 40 times...I watched him do it. I was the only witness and I wouldn't testify against him. I was afraid he would kill me next." He looked like he was about to say something but I kept going, afraid that if I stopped talking my emotions would get the best of me. "Then the abuse started." I choked back some tears and continued. "First emotional and then physical...he broke my leg when I was 12, he threw me down a flight of stairs..I covered up for him then too, I told the people at the hospital I got in a fight and got pushed down some steps." I looked up at him. He looked at me, concerned, brown eyes finally searching mine. I looked away again. "I always took up for him. I stared drinking, and hanging out in gangs...they were my only escape, besides music...music was my only friend." I hid my head in my hands. Maybe I wasn't strong enough to tell my story after all.

He came over and sat beside me. "I'm sorry Rhythm...I'm so sorry," he touched my shoulder gently.

"You didn't kill her, why are you sorry?" I asked him. He pushed my bangs out of my eyes and hugged me, pulling me closer to him. I couldn't stand it any longer and broke into tears. He whispered soothingly, words of no meaning in my ear. I didn't know what he was saying but it helped nonetheless. When I finally got a hold on myself I pulled away to see that he had been crying too. I sniffled and wiped at my eyes. He turned his head so I couldn't see his puffy red eyes and tear stained face. I didn't care what his face looked like. "Thanks," I whispered, a smile finally breaking through the last of the tears. He turned around to face me again.

"For what?" he asked.

"For listening to me and calming me down," I reminded him.

"I should be thanking you," he said. "I'll tell you about me..supper is almost over...later" he said. I nodded and looked up at him. He blushed and pushed my bangs out of my eyes again. "Rhythm..." then he leaned in and kissed me. I blushed furiously the whole kiss through. When it was over I stuttered and looked at him, still blushing. He looked at his feet, looking sheepish. Then I saw Zigzag and Thorne outside of the tent flap. They were sitting on the steps looking in at us. Well, Zigzag was sitting on the steps and Thorne was sitting on his lap. Zigzag's face showed no emotion but Thorne looked like she was about to either burst with happiness or cry. I blushed redder, if possible, and stood up. Squid, noticing them too, followed suit. His face was on fire like my own. Zigzag didn't even blink.

Thorne smiled. "Hey guys," she said slyly. I tried to smile but my mouth wouldn't listen to my brain.

Squid stammered. "H-Hi," he said.

Zigzag's P.O.V.

I was speechless. Which is weird for me. I rubbed Thorne's arm absentmindedly. I told myself that from that point on I had no more worries about Thorne and Squid. I looked over at he and Rhythm. They were both staring at Thorne and I. Thorne stood up and smiled nervously. I got up too, wrapping my arms around her from behind and resting my chin on her shoulder. She kissed my cheek and shook me loose, walking into the tent. "So, you guys are an item now, yes?" she asked. Rhythm looked like she was about to faint from embarrassment and Squid looked like he wouldn't be long to follow her if she did. I finally smiled.

"Well, you watched us, we'll watch you Squiddly," I told him. He grinned shakily.

"You act like you saw a ghost," Thorne grinned. "That was really sweet," she said. She walked over and pat him gently on the shoulder. Then she looked over at Rhythm. "I told you he liked you and that he was sweet when you get to know him."

"What?" Squid asked, looking confused. She smiled at Rhythm and Rhythm smiled at her.

"It's a girl thing I guess," I told Squid. He nodded seriously. I cracked up. Thorne gave me a weird look and smiled. She pat me affectionately on the head.

"He has problems but you can't hold it against him," she told Rhythm and Squid. They both started laughing. At about that moment X- Ray and the boys walked in.

"What did we miss?" X-Ray asked. The new girl, Rachel, stood outside the tent flap watching us uneasily. I put my arm across Thorne''s shoulders and hugged her to me protectively. She grinned and kissed me on the neck.

"Stop it, lovebirds," Magnet said. I winked at him. Rachel glared at us and turned around. She walked towards D- 2. I watched her until she was out of sight.

"What's her problem?" Armpit asked.