Abby flopped down in a chair holding the flyer highlighting cap and gown fees and the upcoming graduation procession rehearsal. It was late April already, time really was flying, she thought. She sighed and closed her eyes. School was tiring, thankfully it was almost over. The doorbell sounded its little dinging tone and she got up to answer it.

Swinging the wooden entrance open, her eyes landed on David. It'd been a few days since their encounter and she'd been avoiding him not because of her being angry with him, but more in embarrassment of how she had acted towards him.

"David." She said his name the most monotone way possible and did not give him eye contact.

"Abby, I came to apologize for how I acted to you." Surprised, she slowly raised her head. He was holding a bouquet. "These are for you." He handed them to her. Their scent rushed through her nose as she placed it near the beautiful flowers. "Oh, and you're checkbook is in there too. I thought you might want it back."

"David, don't apologize. I'm the one who should be sorry. I don't know what I was thinking; Harvard will be great for my life right now. And I'm sorry for taking all my troubles out on you; I know you have some of your own." She looked down and shyly replied, "Thanks for returning my checkbook too." She sort of smiled.

"Didn't even take any money, aren't I nice?" He smiled.

"Yes. Do you wanna come in?" She opened the door further and did a cute little swing thing.

"I'd love to, but I've got to go to work in like fifteen minutes. We can do something this weekend, okay?"

"Yeah." She replied.

"No more ignoring me at school, people are gonna think we broke up." He added jokingly. "I miss PDA in the halls." He chuckled. She just smiled and waved. As he drove off she thought about their relationship or whatever still existed of it. She wasn't really sure how she felt about him anymore. It'd been three years. That was a long time and with everything coming up --- she didn't want to think about it now. She went to the kitchen, filled a vase with water and put the flowers in it.

"First of all, Ryan you're last display of behavior in this office was horrendous and I expect to never see anything like that again. I may have been wrong mixing business with family but I guess we'll see." She realized she was coming off a bit harsh again so she backed down. "So you have the new model?"

"Yes, right here." He pointed at the model which was covered by a white sheet.

"All right, shoot." Kiersten replied leaning back in her chair.

"Well, let me present to you, The Heights." He pulled off the sheet and stood to the side of it unveiling a breathtakingly intricate model of a swanky condo complex. This was what she had expected from him. It was gorgeous and as she sat there in silence inspecting it she found things all over the place that she loved, and even just the overall design was perfect.

She looked up and locked eyes with Ryan. "This is wonderful." She smiled. It felt odd to smile since she'd been in a crappy mood for a long time, which reminded her about something she had to do.

"Really?" He looked slightly shocked.

"Yes, I love it, Ryan. This is you, this is your talent. This is work from your heart, driven by the passion you have. The buyers are going to love it, so is everyone else involved."

"Well, that's what we want." Ryan replied.

"Yes it is. You know Ryan, I've been thinking a great deal lately about giving you a bigger role in the company."

"You mean like a partnership?" He asked.

"Yes." She replied.

"What about the mixing family and business thing?"

"Well, I've been a bit stressed lately and maybe I took that too seriously. You really have so much potential and you're not using it in full. I'd like to give you more input and a bigger office. Is that okay?"

"Of course! You want to give me more input, huh? Well in that case, I have new client for you." He smiled and sat down in the chair in front of her desk.

"I'll get it." Sandy replied checking on the pasta which sat cooking on the stove. He reached for the phone and picked it up.

"Hello."

"Sandy, hey I was just calling to tell you I'll be home in a while." Kiersten began.

"Okay, I'm about half done with the pasta. See you soon."

Abby was still listening after she picked up the phone, she didn't know her father had also, but as she heard them talk something had urged her to listen. So she did as quietly as possible.

"Wait, there's something else. I've been meaning to tell you this since, well since about a week ago. Sandy, I'm---I'm pregnant."

Abby slammed the phone down, startled.

"That was a cool concert." Michaela shoved her hands into the pockets of her black hoodie as she shivered a bit.

"Yeah, Modest Mouse is cool. A little too out there for most people, but I'm glad you appreciate their subtleties." He smiled wrapping his arm around her waist. I'd been less than two weeks now, but he was comfortable and so was she. They walked down the city streets in silence for a bit.

"So, how's your family?" She asked.

"They are fine I think, although I haven't actually talked to any of them in a long time. I should call them." Seth made a mental note of that.

"They seem nice, you should introduce me sometime."

"Next time I visit, you could come if you want."

"That'd be cool." She replied pushing a bit of hair out of her face with her black nail polished fingers. They arrived back at NYU in a few minutes since the venue was close to the campus. He walked her to the girls' dorm.

"I had a great time, Seth. I'm not usually into this love crap, but I am totally okay with you. You're cool. I mean we were friends first so, I figure, hell whatever." He leaned in and kissed her. He knew that what she had just said was a compliment. It may have been a little backhanded, but that was as close as she ever got and it was sweet in its own way.

"How was school Abby?" Sandy asked.

"It was fine. Pretty much over really since it's almost the end of my senior year. Not much left to do. A few papers but not much, you know I was actually thinking of finding myself a job to make some money for college next year. I mean I'll need to eat."

"Well, you can come work as a secretary for me until you can find something else if you want. You know it's important that family sticks together. Speaking of which, I have something to tell you." Kiersten began.

"Thanks for the job offer, we'll see, but don't bother telling me. I already know."

"You do?!" Both Sandy and Kiersten exclaimed.

"Yeah, I overheard you on the phone."

"Well, how do you feel about it?" Sandy asked.

"Well, at first I was freaking out about it, but you know now. I just think it's gross that you guys still have sex. I mean eeeww! I mean, is it even possible for this to happen? Statistically I think the odds are against you. But whatever, sex at people your age is just sickening."

"Go to your room!" Sandy bellowed. Abby jumped, confused at his sudden change in tone.

"What?" Abby asked.

"You heard me, go."

"What did I do?"

"You're disrespectful attitude in this situation is less than appreciated, go." He pointed upstairs. She rolled her eyes. Now he's having mood swings?

The spring charity carnival always came a little after the beginning of May in Newport and The Newport Group was always a big sponsor, so Abby was accustomed to going. David had offered to bring her there for their date Saturday, and she agreed only because of the promise of cotton candy. So as they wandered around the midway, they talked a bit but she thought more than she talked.

"Here. I'm gonna see if I can win this one." David smiled and stopped at a milk can toss game. He threw one ball, and missed. He threw another and missed again. He threw the last ball and it went in. "Did you see that?" He turned around and kissed her on the cheek. He picked out a giant stuffed monkey and then returned his attention to her. "Here, this is for you." He placed it on her shoulders. She shrugged it off.

"Thanks."

"Abs, what's wrong? You seem so out of sorts lately. I don't get it. Is it me? What's up?" The truth was she didn't really know herself, but she didn't feel right with him anymore. She took his hand and led him to a bench.

"Look, David. I really don't know what's going on with me right now, but for a while now I've been feeling like things were different between us. I know this sounds clichéd, but it really is me. I just don't think we are right. It's been three years, yet I don't feel that deep of a connection anymore. You're a really sweet guy, and I mean that, but I don't think we should see each other anymore. Seriously, I know how overused that statement is, but it's just how I feel and it's not right to lead you on anymore. Find a girl who can appreciate you for you, not someone defective like me." She looked at him. He looked firm, but somehow crushed inside. She'd tried to let him down gently.

"Abby, I really don't understand you at all sometimes. I've spent enough time with you to know that sometimes you act irrationally, now I don't mean that insultingly but you do, so this will blow over too."

"David, I'm serious. We're going too separate places, we had fun together but it's over okay. I don't want to harbor any contempt for you or you for me, so can we agree on just call it quits."

"I want what's best for you, so if that's what you want---I guess I'll have to go with it. Can we still like talk sometime?" He asked.

"Sometime." She replied.

"I'll take you home." He replied. As he drove the few miles it was back to the Cohen's house, he thought everything through again. He realized that he sort of felt the same thing she did. As if they were staying in it together for no other reason than just to be in a relationship, because it's all they had really ever known. He pulled into the driveway and turned the engine off.

Abby sat in silence, looking at the car floor wondering what she should say, or if she should anything. She turned to him. "You're a great guy, and I won't ever forget how sweet and wonderful you were. Thank you." She pressed her lips to his for the final time. He applied the same pressure back to the kiss. There was a mutual sadness in it. They still cared for each other, but in the end it didn't make sense. They both knew that.

"Abs, you're cool. I knew you were different from day one, even when you didn't think you were; when you were unsure of yourself. I hope you find someone who you can feel truly comfortable with." He pursed his lips together holding back an 'almost' tear. She opened the car door, shut it, and walked up to her house. He drove off into the distance and just for a second she missed him. She knew the empty promises of friendship wouldn't be real when they went to college. It was over.

Ryan opened the door, the scent of dinner filling his nose. He rushed to Anna and swept her up in his arms, twirling her around.

"Well, welcome home Ry. What's all this about?" She beamed as only she could.

"I have spectacular news for you. You're getting your own boutique, just like you wanted."

--------------

"Seth, it's great to hear from you. How are you?" Kiersten asked her son. It'd been ages since she'd seen him or talked to him.

"I'm doing good Mom; nothing monumental like an earthquake or anything, and I haven't been sucked into the matrix. How are you?"

"Things have been interesting around here, but I'll tell you about all of that later. Not enough time to tell you over the phone. Honestly, I wouldn't know where to begin. Do you wanna say hi to your father?"

"Sure." He replied a little confused.

"Hey son, how is everything?"

"Like I told Mom, nobody died or anything. I got a girlfriend, but other than that nothing major. How about you?"

"Work, work, work! You know how it is. It'll be great to see you at Abby's graduation."

"Yeah, oh that is in a few weeks isn't it? Almost forgot about that. They don't make kids like they used to anymore. Grow up so darned fast now. I remember her when she was knee high to a pig's eye---well maybe not knee high but at least she was much younger."

"Yeah, she's growing up." Sandy sounded a bit sad.

"Hey, is she home?" Seth asked.

"Yeah, you want to talk to her right?"

"If it's okay, yeah."

"I'll give her the phone." Sandy thumped up the stairs and knocked on her door. "Abs, its Seth. He wants to talk to you."

She opened the door and took the cordless.

"Hello."

"Hey, Abby what's going on?"

"Seth, it's good to hear from you."

"I miss you Abby. I may not have paid attention to you as much as I should have while I was at home, but since I've been away I miss us."

"I miss you too. But you're coming back for my graduation, right?"

"Yeah, and I'm bringing Michaela with me."

"Seth, are you sure she's as great as you say she is? I mean seriously, she sounds annoying. Goth girls and you are just not right together."

"Abby, I don't wanna start fighting. You just tell me you miss me and then jump into this. You should be happy for me. Come on." Seth sounded hurt.

"I'm sorry, you're right. I'll give her a chance. I'm sure she's nice." Abby sounded unconvincing.