Thank you to Sandra (SAUN-DRA) for writing this chapter for me. I will be finishing this, and many other of my stories, up soon.

I was sitting on Ellie's bed, desperately trying to think of a poem or new song. She was at her desk, doing something, but I wasn't paying attention. Just thinking of Jimmy and Craig. But then, I realized I was thinking more about Jimmy than Craig. My head said, "Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy...." and then just a whisper said, "Craig, Craig, Craig..." No, I definitely didn't have feelings for Craig anymore. I had this urge inside me to confide in someone. And that someone, luckily, was right by my side.

"Ellie, I have to tell you something."

She turned her chair around.

"Yeah?"

"Well, you know how I was "faking" going out with Jimmy to make Craig jealous?"

"Yeah."

"I don't want to anymore. I think I like Jimmy so much that, well, I don't want to fake anymore. You can't fake love."

"I guess not."

"So what do you think I should do?"

"Tell him of course! You can't just tell me and say to yourself it's all set. It isn't. Just go talk to him."

"Yeah. He'll understand. But it's strange. It's like back in 8th grade, when we were always together and a perfect couple."

Ellie smiled. "Yeah."

I could tell she missed Marco a lot.

"You know what YOU should do?" I told her.

"What?"

"You need to go and talk to Marco. Hang out a bit more. Tell him some personal things, and he'll feel more comfortable like when you guys were stuck like glue."

She smiled, but she was forcing it.

"I don't know. He's so into Dylan and everything. I just don't want to ruin it for him."

"You won't. He's one of your best friends. Trust me."

The day after I was at Ellie's, after school, I was rummaging through my book bag to find a lip gloss I kept store in there.

I decided it would be easier to dump everything on my bed, and so I did. But then I found something else. It was a folded piece of lined paper. I opened it. It was a letter from Craig. It said:

Dear Ashley,

I know what I did was wrong, and I feel horrible for it. You may not believe me, and you might despise me, but it's okay if you do or don't. I guess there isn't a chance between us, so I'm just writing this to say I'm sorry, but this time I really mean it.

-Craig

I felt a tear escape my eye. I knew it for sure, there was no space in my heart for Craig, but I yearned to talk to him one more time. His letter touched me. I felt as if this time, it was a true sorry. I looked out the window. It was raining. But I didn't care. I put on a jacket and slipped on my sneakers. Mom looked in the hallway from the kitchen. "Ashley, sweetie, where are you going? It's pouring!" Toby was at the table. "Just let her go," he said, not looking up from his game boy.

I ran outside, and headed toward Jimmy's house. I ran and ran, and even when I knew I was tired I kept running. By the time I got

there I was soaked, but I walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. Jimmy answered the door slowly. He looked shocked to see me there. I threw myself toward him.

"Jimmy, I really do love you. There's nothing else I want to do than be with you. I don't want to pretend anymore. This is real. I can feel it." We stood there for a moment.

And then,

We kissed