Let's just get down to the point: I don't own Drake & Josh characters or anything like that. "Collide" is sung and written by Howie Day.

Just when Midie softens the previous blow, she gets ready to deal out another. This is the longest chapter in the story. It's a very important chapter. Were your predictions right? Find out...

April arrived and the school was abuzz with anticipation. Seniors were graduating in a little over a month. They'd finally be free. Things would go their way. Drake wasn't so sure as he walked through the halls though. After the news he'd received the previous night, everything felt hopeless. He'd gotten off the phone with Cassandra and then... He sighed and walked up to Cassandra's locker, looking unhappy.

"What's the matter Drake?" Cassandra asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

"It doesn't look like nothing."

"Well it is nothing," he snapped. His face softened as he realized he had just yelled at Cassandra. "Sorry, I'm kinda tired today, that's all."

Cassandra looked at Drake. She was worried about him. He had sounded a bit excited when she got off the phone with him last night. What was with the sudden change in his attitude?

"Hey Cassandra!" called Mindy, running up to her friend. "My letter came! I got in! So did that John guy from your calculus class. Did you get yours?"

"Yes," said Cassandra.

"What letter?" asked Drake. Then he realized, the letter that would separate them next year. The letter that could possibly end their relationship. "Never mind. I know what you're talking about now."

"I got in too," said Cassandra. She glanced at Drake.

"I see," said Drake.

"That's great!" said Mindy. "We could be roommates next year!"

"Yeah," said Drake, his voice sounding a bit harsh. "You two have fun in your high end university with John. I've got to get to class." He left both girls standing there, looking shocked. Cassandra knew this was more than just a CD.

"What's with him?" asked Mindy.

"I don't know," said Cassandra. "He was fine last night."

"Well, he's Drake. I guess you could leave it to that."

"He's never talked to me that way before," said Cassandra. "Something has to be wrong." She headed to her first class of the day.

"Hey," said John as she sat down.

"Hi," she replied.

"Something the matter?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied. "I heard you got into your first choice."

"Oh yeah, didn't you apply there too?"

"Yeah, I got in."

"It's a good school. You should really consider going there next year."

"Well..."

Cassandra went to her cooking class. She waited impatiently for Josh to arrive. When he did, she practically charged at him.

"Josh!" she exclaimed. "What's the matter with Drake? He was fine when I talked to him last night. Now, he seems really upset."

"I know what you mean," said Josh. "He suddenly became really irritable last night, and I don't know why."

"He just snapped at me this morning. He's never done that before. I don't understand it."

"I'll try to find out," said Josh.

Drake and Cassandra hadn't spoken much the rest of the day. Cassandra thought it best not to bother Drake that day until Josh came up with something. She couldn't understand why he was acting the way he was. She didn't press the issue. She'd let Josh handle it when he could. Now, Josh was standing in the middle of his bedroom with Drake at the computer, staring at the same email he had opened half an hour ago.

"Drake," said Josh. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No," said Drake flatly.

"It's just Cassandra said you were acting a bit odd today, and I wondered why."

"Look, I just didn't get enough sleep is all okay? Why do you need to keep bothering me about it?" Drake got up and slammed the door to their bedroom.

Josh stared at the closed door. Now he was storming out of rooms and slamming doors? Josh would have thought this was Drake being Drake. What made him concerned was the fact that he had snapped at Cassandra. He never did that. Granted, he hadn't said anything to hurt her feelings, but he said enough to make them both concerned about him. Josh shook his head and sat down to check his own email. As he logged into his account he saw a letter sitting next to the computer. It was something about a record company. Josh picked it up. He wasn't one to read someone else's mail, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong with Drake. Josh began to read:

Mr. Parker:

Thank you for sending us your demo CD. We apologize for any inconvenience the time it took for this reply to reach you may have caused. You must understand that we receive many submissions daily and can not award contracts to all of them. We apologize, but we can not award you a recording contract. Perhaps you may find a deal under a different label. Again, we apologize and wish you luck in your future music endeavors.

The letter was signed by some executive. Josh could tell it was a pre-written letter and had a stamp for the signature. He glanced at another letter below it. The contents of the letter were similar. A light bulb went on in Josh's head. Drake was upset because these record companies had rejected his band. That was it. Josh could understand Drake felt upset. It wasn't the end of the world though.

Just then, Drake walked back in the room to find Josh holding both of his letters. His expression became angry.

"Isn't it illegal to read someone else's mail?" Drake snapped.

"Drake, why didn't you say anything?" asked Josh. "We would have understood."

"No you wouldn't have," Drake said. He ran out of the room.

Josh watched his brother fly out the door and quickly tore after him. Josh found his mother downstairs.

"Where's Drake?" he asked.

"He just left," she replied.

"Oh. Did he say where he was going?"

"No, sorry Josh. Is he okay?"

"I don't know."

Josh ran back upstairs and dialed Cassandra's phone number.

"Cassandra?" Josh said when he heard someone answer the phone.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Oh, Cassandra. Listen, Drake just took off. I don't know where he went. He was so angry. I didn't know what to do..."

"Whoa, slow down. Why'd he leave?"

"He got rejected by two record companies. That's why he's been so upset. He went over the edge when I found out. Now he's gone. We've got to find him."

"Okay Josh, we'll split up. He can't have gone far."

Cassandra drove for a while. She hadn't found Drake yet. Josh hadn't called either. She was really starting to worry. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Josh's number.

"Hi, Josh?" she said. "I haven't had any luck." She rolled down her window a bit to get some air. She heard a car turn the corner and looked up to see the end of Drake's car finish turning. "Never mind Josh, I see him." She hung up and started to follow Drake. She tried to avoid having him see her. He drove to a small park and got out of his car. He sat underneath a tree and hung his head. Cassandra looked at him. All this because he had been turned down? He had known it could happen. Why was he so depressed about it? He knew it was hard to get a deal. She got out of the car and slowly approached him.

"Drake?" she asked, gently touching his shoulder.

He jumped and looked up at her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was worried about you," she said.

He looked away from her.

"Don't be this way just because you lost a record deal," she said.

"I feel like a failure," he said.

"Drake, don't beat yourself up over it. Lots of great musicians never get signed. It's not because they're bad. It's because the music business can be a cold, cruel world unless you know somebody or you get on American Idol, and even that path is starting to become less of a way to go."

"It's not just the contract," Drake replied. He sounded like he would cry.

"What's the matter Drake?" Cassandra asked. She sat down beside him. Of all the times he had been there for her, she realized, this time, he needed her.

"Nothing is going right. I didn't get the contract. I guess I'd get over that eventually. I just keep thinking that next year we won't be together anymore."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Come on," said Drake. "You got accepted into a high ranking school. Of course you should go. I can't though. I'm not good enough for it. I won't be at school next year with you. I'm not good enough for you. I was right when I said it at Homecoming. Maybe you should date John instead."

"Drake!" she said. "You've never not been good enough for me. I told you at Homecoming. I meant it then, and I still mean it now. As for John, he has only ever been a friend. He did have a crush on me, but it's done with. He never acted on it since he found out I was with you. He understands that I really care about you. As for that school, I'm not going there. I decided that before I got the letter. I looked into their programs, and the program I want to get into is better at the school where you'll be. I want to be with you anyway. It isn't the only reason, but it's a part of it."

"You...you are going to college with me?" asked Drake.

"Yes," she replied. "Drake, I didn't know you felt this way. You should have told me before."

"I guess so," he replied. "I just have a lot of things happening lately. It's been a huge year. Maybe I got a little hung up on the contracts. I shouldn't have. You were right last year. I should focus on college. I realize that now. I just still have that fear of rejection, and when it happened, and when I thought we might be over with..."

"Drake," said Cassandra softly. "Don't be afraid of something because you might fail. You have beautiful dreams. They may change their shape over time, but they're ambitious like you. I haven't met anyone so involved in his music since Matt died. Matt wanted to get a deal too. He was rejected a lot. He got a few gigs but never a major one. As far as we go, I don't know where we're going to be in the next few years. Let's not worry, okay? Everything has turned out for the better so far. Things will be fine. Whatever is meant to be will happen. Right now, I know I love you. Right now, that's enough."

"I know," said Drake. "I love you too. You're right, it should be enough. Thanks for everything. I couldn't ask for a better girlfriend."

"No problem Drake," Cassandra smiled. "I think you should head home. I think your family is getting worried."

"Yeah," said Drake. "I should apologize to Josh. I owe you an apology too. I shouldn't have gotten upset with you today. It just scared me. Change isn't something I handle well. Just ask Josh. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course I do," said Cassandra. She kissed him. "Just promise me you'll talk to me or Josh or your parents next time something is bothering you this much okay?"

"Okay, I promise."

They stood up. They got into their cars and headed to Drake's house. When he opened the door, he was a bit nervous about what his family would say to him.

"Drake!" said his mother. "Where have you been? We've all been worried sick!"

"I'm sorry Mom," Drake replied. "I just had to work through some things."

"I see," said Audrey. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Drake replied.

Audrey walked up to Drake and hugged him.

"You know you're important to us, right? We all care about you no matter where your life takes you. In the end we hope you're happy. That's all I want for you."

"Thanks Mom," said Drake. He turned a bit red because Cassandra was standing there.

"Oh, hello Cassandra," said Audrey. "Thank you for finding him. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Sure," said Cassandra. "Let me call my parents."

Drake pulled Josh aside.

"Hey look, I'm sorry about earlier," Drake began.

"Hey man, it's cool," Josh replied.

"You sure?"

"Of course. We're brothers aren't we?"

Okay, this is still no where near done. They're gonna finish high school before this story is over. If there's no updates this week, well, test upon test upon test. I might get in some chapters, I might not.