A/N: I can't tell you guys how sorry I am for taking so long. I have just been on a long mental vacation. I really have not had much motivation to write lately, not because of you all, but because how tried I have been from basketball and marching band. School starts Monday, so I have no idea how hard every night will be. I will try to do as much as possible, but we have a very, very hard marching schedule.

A/A/N: I also would love to thank everyone for their reviews. I am sorry if I offended anyone by the music thing. I am always listening to CDs while I write, so yeah, that's how I got the idea.

I want to thank you
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you
is having the best day of my life

Abbie placed the phone on the stand before rolling her eyes at Olivia. Like her and Alex could ever be best friends. They were way too much alike. That could be why Olivia liked both of them, but their proud, completive sprites made it hard for them to like each other more than necessary.

"So, who are you bringing? Fin?" Abbie asked, writing down the final answer as they watched VH1.

"Oh, yeah…" Olivia said after a moment, slamming the book shut.

"Cool, I like him."

"Just stay away! He is so mine!" Olivia joked, standing up before looking at Abbie mischievously.

"What?" Abbie asked carefully.

"You still owe me Ben and Jerry's," Olivia said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Yum!" Abbie screeched, getting off the couch and heading to the freezer. She pulled out some Phish Food and handed Olivia a spoon as she took her own. Olivia grabbed cokes as Abbie scooped them in bowls. Right before Abbie could sit back down on the couch, her cell rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey… um, it's Casey. You told me to call you," a voice said cautiously. Abbie quickly covered the speaker and whispered, "Casey," to Olivia.

"Oh, yeah, I was wondering if you were going to the dance thing Friday."

Casey voice stuttered as she said, "Um, Abbie, I don't know if I gave off the wrong impression, but I'm not…"

"Oh God, not like that!" Abbie quickly yelled, trying not to laugh. Olivia, however, was having the time of her life with that. "I'm having an after type party, or what not, and I was wondering if you wanted to come. It's a bring a date but they leave after a while and we have a girl sleepover party thing."

"Oh, well, I'm not sure if I will be allowed with the guys," Casey admitted.

"Well, we have already decided that parental guidance don't need to know about that fact or that there will be no parental guidance," Abbie informed her.

"Hmm… so basically a few girls spending the night?"

"Yea'hun," Abbie said with a smile as she looked at Olivia who was stuffing her face with the chocolate ice cream.

"Well, if that's the case, I, uh don't see why not," Casey said after a moment.

"Great, well, I gotta go," Abbie said quickly, trying not to laugh at Olivia. She waited for Casey to say goodbye before flipping the phone shut and throwing a pillow at Olivia.


Alex walked down the street towards the café. Her short heels clinched into the sidewalk with each step as she kept in tempo with the music on her mp3 player. Turning off the music right before she stepped into the café, and pulled the earphones out. Waiting in line, she wrapped her earphones around the iPod and placed it in her purse.

"Can I help you?" the college guy behind the counter asked her as he made a mocha icey.

"I'll have an mocha cappuccino," Alex said as she brushed back her perfectly straight blonde hair.

"Three seventeen," he said quickly, as he gave the icey to the customer beside her. Alex pulled out the money and handed it to him as she stepped aside. After a minute, Alex took the mocha and headed to a cushy oversize chair. She pulled out her Juvenile Law book and her iPod and worked on her homework.

"Hey girl," a voice said, pulling out her earphones.

"Oh, hi," she said to the Henry, a sophomore that was in her geometry class.

"What ya studying?" he asked, taking a seat beside her.

"Juvi Law," she said, holding up the book before getting back to studying.

"Okay, so what are you listening to?" he asked, trying to a conversation out of her.

"Bach," she said, barely looking up before writing down something in her notebook.

"Awe… never heard of them."

"Go figure," she sniped quickly, shuffling the book on her lap.

"So, are you ignoring me?" he asked.

"What gave you that idea?" Alex asked, not looking up.

"Well, just hear me out. Katie Simmons was suppose to go the dance with me, but they are leaving tomorrow for the cruise, and since rumor is you don't have a date…"

"So you want me as your replacement date?" Alex asked, taken back by his honesty.

"Well, yes, but no. Just, do you want a date to the dance or not?" Alex looked at him, not sure how to answer. He brushed back her and took out her earphone one last time. "Please."

"Fine, but there will be a catch," Alex said after turning the iPod off. "Abbie Carmichael is having a party thing afterwards, and you gotta go with me."

"You mean Tim's Abbie?" Henry asked.

"Well, yeah. Except, no Tim," Alex said, taking a sip of her mocha.

"Well that's cool. I guess I'll see you at school then," he said, giving her a cute smile before heading out the door. Alex rolled her eyes before putting back in her earphones and getting back to work.


Casey woke up at five on the dot. Rubbing her eyes, she got of bed and changed into her workout clothes. Unlocking the door, she headed down stairs to begin her morning run. Running three blocks, she got to the batting cage. She had half an hour to hit. She unlocked the door as she pulled her bag over her shoulder.

"Novak, your shoulder healed yet? I don't want you…"

"Don't worry Mr. Kolemeyer, I was released. Thank you for the key by the way," she said to the old man who was working mechanics.

"I swear Novak, you need to live some time," he said, squatting down as Casey put on her cleats.

"I will, once I make a college team," she said with a smile.

"Well you are going to kill yourself if you keep this routine, you know that sweetheart," he said.

"Thanks for the concern," she said, before standing up and pressing the buttons on the machine.

After twenty-five minutes, she got her stuff off and waved goodbye to Mr. Kolemeyer. Jogging home, she prayed her father was still asleep.

"Where have you been?" she heard a ruff voice ask as soon as she open the door.

"The cage daddy," she said.

"Why the hell do you waste your time with the damn sport anyway," he grumbled, fixing himself coffee.

"I'm going to take a shower," Casey said.

"Whatever, just make sure this place is clean before you leave," he hollered. Casey nodded as she left for her room quickly.

Emerging twenty minutes later, she had on sweat pants and a tight blue Nike shirt. Before packing her softball bag and her school bag, she put in some toast. She picked up the living room while she ate the dry toast and her father sat on the couch, watching Good Morning America. After everything was clean, she got her suitcase and placed it by the doorway.

"What the hell is that for?" he asked, getting up from the leather couch to go to his room.

"I'm at mom and Jason's this weekend. Jason is going to pick it up on his way to work."

"Whatever," he grumbled before going into his room and slamming the door. Casey yelled goodbye, but didn't care either way if he heard.

The walk to school was short. She didn't wait out side like most of the kids, but instead headed to her locker, planning to hang out there until Abbie showed up. However, by the time she got there, Abbie and Olivia were already there, both deeply involved in a conversation.

"Hey guys," Casey said quietly, opening her locker. They both said their hellos, before opening their circle for the new comer. "What you guys talking about?"

"Finals…"

"You guys have to take em?" Casey asked, amazed.

"Missed too much of Trig," Olivia confessed.

"Too much of everything for me," Abbie laughed, tugging on her ponytail.

"That sucks," she said.

"Yeah," Olivia said. "Hey, um I'm going to go find Alex, see you guys later," Olivia said quickly, heading down the hall.

Casey and Abbie said their goodbye after a few minutes of talking. Heading off to class, they spent their whole time reviewing.

All classes were like that. The day dragged on for everyone, and by the time it ended, everyone was ready to sleep. However, Olivia got the intelligent idea of meeting at the park afterwards.

So, Casey, Olivia, Alex, Abbie, George, Henry, and Fin met at the park, half of them excited they didn't have school tomorrow, the other half ready to pass out. Getting a Frisbee, they tossed it around for a while. After about twenty minutes, Casey and Abbie went off to find food and a bathroom.


Elliot walked hand and hand with Kathy in the park. They were talking; well she was talking, about retrying their relationship. Moving his arm around her waist, he pulled her in closer, kissing her on top of the head. He was still trying to figure out how in the world he was going to tell her about officially signing up last night. Of course they had talked about it before, but it was oblivious that she didn't take him serious.

"Hey, babe, can we sit for a moment?" he asked, leading her to the bench. She quickly took the hint, and stopped talking, looking at her boyfriend with concern.

"Elliot, is it about college? I still certain I am going to go to NYCU for Pre Med school," she said, brushing his large hands with her long fingers. He wanted to leave the city, maybe even the coast to go to college, and she knew that, but at the same time, they needed to be together if they would have their relationship.

"Kathy, I think that's cool and all, but… um… babe, at the end of summer, I'm leaving town?"

"Elliot, where are you going to school? You know you are going to have a hard time getting in if you…" Elliot put his index finger to her lips to quiet her concerned rant.

"Kathy, you know how I told you I wanted to join the Marines?"

"I didn't think you were…" He cut her off.

"Kathy, I leave for camp the third week of August. Kathy, I'm going to be a Marine," he stated proudly, wanting her reaction. She smiled, but he knew she was scared.

"Kathy, I won't be too far away…"

"Elliot, shh… I'm just scared, you know. There is a war going on babe. And I know you want to do all you can, and I promise I will support you, I just don't want to lose you, okay?" she said, kissing him passionately.

"Baby, I'll always be with you," he said, soothing her as he held her in his arms.

"I just love you so damn much," she admitted, lying on his shoulder.

"I love you too," he said, brushing her hair as he kissed her forehead.


Abbie read threw the last bit of her notes before giving a sigh and tossing the notebook off the bed. The chem. test should be easy since it was mostly multiple questions on the names. Trig, she wasn't even studying. However she was scared of the English Lit test because it had some Latin vocabulary they went over before she got there and the teacher only gave her the list two days ago.

Sighing, she went over the Spanish notes Katie gave her. She wasn't too bad at Spanish since a little less than half her town spoke Spanish first. But anyway, she would be up late studying, no matter how good down she thought she had it, it had to be perfect.


Alex ran her hands through her hair, frustrated as she went through her closet, looking for the dress her mother just bought her. Finding it, she smiled at the small, strapless dark blue dress that would fit her body perfectly. Sliding down into her underwear, she slipped into the dress. Fixing her hair and slipping into matching high heels, she grabbed the lace shawl and went to the bathroom to apply makeup and earrings while she waited for Nathan, Kyle, and Justine. Nathan and Kyle were brothers from St. Patrick's private school for boys in Upper East Side New York City. They lived by Alex's other apartment and their father was a business partner with Alex's. Justine was Nathan's date and for tonight, as a favor to Kyle, she was his. Kyle had just broke up with his girlfriend two days ago, but had a charity event he couldn't miss but could not go to without a date. Mrs. Cabot promised Alex a new dress out of the ordeal, so Alex agreed, even though she did not like Kyle to much.

She got a knock on her door a moment later and walked out of the room with complete poise. Kissing both Kyle and Nathan, she headed down to Kyle's BMW. Getting in back besides Justine Richard, she smiled at the beautiful girl with envy. She was easily a size 0, while Alex was a size 1. She was 5'7" with long blonde hair that laid flat against her shoulder. She was drop dead gorgeous and Alex knew she would look completely ugly beside the girl, so she made a mental note to split up as quick as possible.


That night passed quickly for everyone. Casey went over to Sammie's and spent the night talking about everything and stayed there until Sammie had to take her finals at one. Alex spent the night with Justine after the boys dropped them off at Justine's apartment in the Upper East Side. Alex and Justine were not really friends, in fact, besides the few "dates" they have been on with Kyle and Nathan they had not hung out at all, but Nathan and Kyle were both too drunk to get back to Alex's house, so Justine offered. Olivia stayed up on the phone with Finn and Abbie. Finn had gone over to Abbie's to study, not because they had the same classes, but Finn's house was overly noisy and Abbie liked the company since her dad left.

It was about 2 in the morning when Olivia hung up the phone. Finn and Abbie were still "working" but hadn't actually studied anything since 12. He never went home that night. Instead, slept on the couch, falling asleep with a Spanish book in his laps. Abbie woke up at two on the living room floor; using a quilt her mother gave her as a pillow. She saw Finn and decided against waking him, and instead, got up and went into her room to change into pajama pants and a tank top and fell asleep in her own comfy bed.