A/N: THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE GREAT REVIEWS! I was seriously impressed with the number of people that responded to my little threat. Sorry about that by the way. I could never actually stop writing, but it's really nice to know that people are reading and they're liking the story. Also, this story does accept anonymous reviews now, I didn't actually know it didn't before, so not having an account is no longer an excuse to not review. And my other stories accept anonymous reviews now as well so review them too.

To show my appreciation for the great reviews I tried to get this chapter up as soon as possible, but unfortunately my week was incredibly busy as usual so this is actually as soon as possible even though it's been about a week.

Enjoy!

I've been sitting on my bed just thinking for hours now. I have no idea what to do next. Everything has gone a different direction than I was expecting.

She kissed me. I can't believe she kissed me. It was what I was hoping for, but still…I guess I never really thought it would happen. Then she tried to end everything, but when I kissed her she was mine completely. In that moment I could feel the desire in her and it wasn't the desire for me to stop and end it like she said, but to continue. If it wasn't for that fire alarm I don't think she would have wanted to stop and I know I didn't want to stop.

So, I've just been sitting on my top bunk thinking about what to do next. After hours of thinking the only thing I've come up with is to see what she does next and figure out something based on that.

Waiting for her was the conclusion I was once again deciding on when Chase came back through our door. I thought he forgot something since he had just left less than a minute ago, but then I saw Dana behind him.

Chase seemed confused as Dana was pushing him back into our room. She had been partially hidden behind him until they were both in the room, the door shut, and they came to stand in front of my bed. I saw her face then, her eyes, she's been crying. And suddenly there is this aching pain in my chest. I've never seen her cry and I never want to see her cry again. Though technically she's not crying now, but it's bad enough that I can tell she has been.

I have a bad feeling about this, a very bad feeling. It is still Wednesday; the day absolutely awful things just seem to happen.

Chase started to move back towards the door and Dana grabbed him, "Chase just stay and Logan stay exactly where you are and um…Chase if he comes toward me stop him." I was about to ask what the hell was going on when she continued cutting me off, "Logan just let me say this, okay?"

Chase sat down on his bed. Dana stood in front of my bed with pleading bloodshot eyes and though I can tell this is going to go very bad, I simply can't refuse her. I stayed silent and nodded.

She looked down. She has been wringing her hands and I think I just saw something shiny on a very important finger…but that can't be right. He couldn't have…she couldn't have…it's impossible.

She looked back up at me with determination and began, "Logan this is over. Whatever it was, whatever you were doing or thinking with all of it, it doesn't matter, its over." She uncovered her hand and held it out plain for me to see…Oh God no. She went back to wringing her hands and her eyes look so much sadder as she confirmed, "Sam gave me a promise ring and I've accepted it." I just…I can't even think. This can't be happening, but she continued while fighting back tears that were already in her voice, "So…let's just forget about all of this. We have classes and basketball together…so maybe it would be best if we just pretend that none of this ever happened." Her sorrow filled eyes were locked with mine. I can't believe any of this is happening. It has to be a nightmare. This can't be real. The closest to tears I have ever seen her she continued, "You…you have to be in my life but…I can't...I can't…" she struggled as a tear slipped down her cheek that she hurriedly wiped away and rushed looking away at the door, "I'm with Sam." And she quickly made her way back to the door, but paused with her hand on the door knob and said in a watery voice, "Goodbye Logan." And then she was out the door in a split second.

That didn't just happen. This can't be happening. I…I can't even think…she did not just choose him. She can't just choose him. She doesn't even love him…I could have sworn she doesn't. No, she doesn't I'm sure of it…I was sure of it.

She's wearing his ring. She accepted his ring. She chose him. And I did nothing. Should I even do anything?

"Are you okay?" Chase asked sheepishly from the bottom bunk. I forgot he was even here.

I don't know how to respond to that. She looked…miserable why she was ending it, but she's wearing his ring. She told me it's over and she chose him. She chose him.

Taking my silence as a no Chase offered, "I guess we'll be miserable together."

Miserable…I should feel miserable, but I'm just numb still in shock that any of this happened.

The door swung open again and my immediate hope was that it was Dana coming to take it all back. Of course it wasn't, it was Zoey.

Her rushed entrance gave Chase a startle. "Oh…uh hey," he awkwardly stuttered.

She grabbed his hand and stood him up right in front of her. She didn't let go of his hand as she said, "Look, I didn't know what to say last night. I was shocked and…I just didn't know what I wanted. But, I haven't talked to you all day and I missed you. I don't know exactly what I feel for you, but I think it's something. So, would you rather have an awkward friendship or would you rather try to find out what this is between us?"

That was my line. I mean it was supposed to be my line, the one we planned for the game Chase didn't show up for earlier.

Chase's face broke out in a wide smile as he replied, "Do you want to go get a smoothie?" Zoey copied his happy grin as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly as she let out an excited squeal that shows that she spends way too much time with Nicole. Chase continued while happily hugging her back, "Then maybe tomorrow we can go to dinner or something, but we'll have to go somewhere different then wherever we go for lunch."

Zoey let go and stepped back a little holding both of his hands and said happily, "Absolutely."

They headed out the door hand in hand, but before the door shut Chase came back in and said to me, "Apparently things get better and I'm sure they will for you too." I noticed Zoey giving him a confused look as the door was shutting. He's probably going to tell her everything. I guess it doesn't really matter she already knows more than most people anyway.

Somehow though, I have the feeling that things won't work out for me like they are for Chase and Zoey.

She chose him. The fact that I thought she looked like she had a heavy heart while she ended it or the fact that when I kiss her I don't think she loves him, are probably not really facts at all. They are my wishes, my dreams, my desires that I have deluded myself into thinking are real. The only thing that was really real was her words, her ring. She chose him.

And him…I should have killed him when I had the chance. How dare that cheating son of a bitch give her a ring! A ring! I can't believe the lengths that asshole is willing to go just to get her into bed. I know he says he loves her, but if he loves her then he wouldn't be able to kiss other women, to sleep with other women. I've never been able to.

I know, Logan Reese "ladies man" never been with a girl? Yeah, well, I've been in love with Dana for a long time. And before anything ever got very far with another girl the guilt would settle in. The guilt that I knew I was in love with someone other than the girl I happened to be with. Then after Cathy I never let anything happen with any girl really out of fear that I would slip up and say Dana's name again and maybe I wouldn't be able to bribe the next girl. And that jack ass Sam doesn't seem to feel any of that guilt and doesn't worry about saying the wrong name, he just keeps choosing to be with other girls. And she just chose him.

She can't love him though, she just can't. She kisses me and…she means it, I swear she means it. And you can't kiss someone like you mean it if you're in love with someone else. I know you can't.

Still, she ended it. She pleaded with me with those sorrow filled eyes for it to be over and as much as I want her and need her, how am I supposed to refuse her when refusing her will probably only hurt her more. As much as it breaks my heart I think it's over.

It's over. She doesn't love me. She doesn't love me…but, I still love her.

I laid down on my bed and slipped into a state between awake and asleep. I watched the shadows on the wall change with the varying degrees of light that entered the room with passing time. I heard Chase and Michael going about their nightly routines, heard them sleeping, heard them get up and get ready in the morning, heard them leave, and I just stayed there, in bed, numb. Screw my classes, I don't even care. As pathetic as it sounds I don't have a reason to get up everyday anymore. So, I didn't get up.

I miss her. I should have never done any of this. At least then I wouldn't have known that she doesn't love me. I would have wondered forever, but I would have remained her friend, I would have never hurt her, and I would have never known that she doesn't love me.

The window is open and some girl (most likely) is listening music pretty loud because I can hear it. Crappy song after crappy song played until it was nearing the end of lunch break and Dido's "White Flag" started playing.

I will go down with this ship

And I won't put my hands up and surrender

There will be no white flag above my door

I'm in love and always will be

I like the sound of that. Maybe its destiny, maybe fate is telling me to continue to fight for Dana. I'm in love with her and I always will be and maybe I shouldn't just surrender like this. Although, if I really think that fate is trying to tell me something from overhearing songs some girl plays then it's also telling me that I'm a "Redneck Woman," and the "Girl All the Bad Guys Want," and apparently a "Beautiful Disaster." Yeah, I think it's just my wishful thinking again that has me hoping fate played that song as a sign.

Chase and Zoey came in hand in hand. I guess their first day as a couple is going well. I glanced at the clock, school is out already; it feels like just minutes ago that she chose someone else.

"Logan get up and get down here now," Zoey ordered. I don't know what she wants and I don't care.

Since I didn't respond verbally or physically Zoey said, "Fine," and she and Chase climbed on each end of the bunk bed and began trying to shove me off.

"What the hell!" I screamed trying not to fall off my bed. They still shoved so I caved, "Fine, fine, I'm up." I said as I got down and sat on the couch.

Chase sat on the couch next to me and Zoey sat on the coffee table across from me.

Zoey began, "Chase told me about what happened with Dana yesterday." I knew he would. She continued, "I know she's wearing a ring from Sam…"

"Son of a bitch," I muttered under my breath at the mention of that cretin's name.

"What was that?" Zoey asked interrupting whatever she was going to say because apparently what I said wasn't as quiet as I thought.

You know what? Screw it, none of it matters anymore, I don't give a damn about anything so, "I called him a son of a bitch, because that's what that cheating bastard is. Yeah, I said cheating. I caught him here, when he said he was at school, with another girl. Then he has the nerve to go and say he loves Dana and give her a ring…I should have killed him when I had the chance."

Zoey and Chase look completely shocked and didn't say anything. In the silence my anger stewed. I can't believe she chose a guy who is such a…slime ball.

Chase composed himself from the shock first, "Wow, um…then you really need to hear what me and Zoey found out, well really it was her."

"Yeah, um…" Zoey began trying to gather her thoughts, "so Dana was wearing the ring today, but all day she seemed like her mind was completely somewhere else and she kept playing with it, letting it slip on and off of her finger repeatedly. Then yesterday I was trying to be on her side too, which I thought might actually help you, and I talked to her after I pulled the fire alarm." What! "Sorry about that by the way, I know it's probably not how you wanted that to go, but don't worry, just listen I'm getting somewhere good." She better. "Anyway, I talked to her and I asked her what it felt like to be with you and by the answer she gave I started to think even more than I already did that this thing between you two isn't one sided. Then Chase told me what happened last night and Dana was wearing the ring today, she hadn't changed her mind, but…it just didn't make sense to me. Then I started thinking of what I said to you yesterday at lunch about how I kept ignoring all the signs over the years that you're in love with Dana and I started to think about her and I remembered something that I wrote off at the time as being some fluke thing. Around the end of last year I was giving Jeremy Farmer a ride, because of safe ride not by choice, and his jaw had healed so he was talking. But, you know the guy's a jerk, so I never really paid much attention to anything he said. He said something about Dana though. Without the colorful language he said, 'If she could have managed to say the right name my jaw wouldn't still be killing me.' I didn't think anything of it at the time because he was drunk and he called her a lot of names along with that and it was pretty obvious he hated her."

"What does this have to do with me?" I interrupted. The last day has been really crap-tastic and I just don't have the patience to listen to Zoey ramble worse than Nicole.

"Be patient," Zoey ordered, "you'll be thanking me in a minute." I hope so. "So, I thought that that may have been one of those things I shouldn't have overlooked and I told Chase and we went to investigate at lunch. We found Jeremy in his room. He didn't want to tell us what happened because apparently after Dana broke his jaw she threatened that if he ever spoke those words out loud again she would castrate him. So, I had to threaten that if he didn't tell me and Chase then we'd make sure his…you know…wasn't the only thing he lost. Then I promised that it wouldn't get back to Dana that he told, but it's going to have to." Oh, get to it already and God please let it be good. "October of junior year there was that party off campus at Larry Goldberg's house and Dana went with Sam. Sam drank himself dumb as usual and that was before Dana suddenly stopped drinking at all. I always thought that it was because she drank more that night than she had ever before and she must not have liked the after feeling, but I'm not so sure now. Anyway after lots of drinks the two of them were making out in some corner and Jeremy was near by and he heard Dana moan, 'Logan.'" HELL YES! This is just too good to be true. I must be dreaming. "Sam was apparently too drunk to notice and while Dana was drunk enough to make the slip, she did notice it and Jeremy noticed her notice it. Being the jerk that he is he decided to taunt her with bring it up and threatening to tell Sam and you and that's when Dana hit him." Wow, wow, wow. She said my name. She said my name.

As great as that is the fact remains, "But she chose him," I said more to myself than to them.

"But after learning all of this neither of us think that that's what she really wanted," Chase declared.

"You have to fight for her," Zoey directed.

I really wish I could, but, "She doesn't want me to."

"Trust me Logan, all of this tells me that she doesn't know she wants you to, but she wants you to. And if you do fight for her I think you're they guy she's going to end up with, I know you're the one she's supposed to be with," Zoey argued.

I really really can't resist anymore, "Yeah, okay, I won't give up." I never wanted to give up. Just, God, please don't let me hurt her by doing this.

Chase gave me a pat on the back and Zoey hugged me and said, "Okay I'm going to go and try and talk to her and confront her about everything and then you should give her some time to think so I'll call you a while later then you can go over and do whatever."

Right, what am I going to do? She asked me to leave her alone and this is probably going to be my absolute last chance to try and get her so what do I do?

As Zoey was walking toward the door she stopped and helped to answer my unspoken questions, "Have you ever told her that you love her?" she asked me wonderingly.

"No," I replied simply, it's always seemed too soon.

She simply said, "Maybe that should change," and left.

Maybe that should change. If this is my last chance and she's already told me she chose him then I really have nothing more to lose. I guess I could lose her for a second time, but it also might just maybe mean (if Zoey, Chase, and those possibly imagined facts are right) that I won't lose her at all.

So, I showered, and got ready to go. I pulled this gift I got her a while ago and never really thought it was the right time to give it to her but now its seems like it might be my last chance to give it to her.

I sat back down on my bed and waited. Zoey only left to talk to Dana like forty minutes ago so I probably have a while to wait. When my phone rings though, I'm going to have to go in for the final round. This is it. It's my last chance to touch her, to kiss her, to tell her she's gorgeous, to tell her how much I want her, how much I need her, how much I love her. And either it's going to be the last time I tell her I love her or it's going to be the first of many.

Sam, should I tell her what a bastard he is? Hmm…no; I don't think that's the best way to do this. First, it would probably look like some pathetic attempt to get her to hate him and chose me by default and she probably won't believe me since I don't have real proof. But, more importantly, I don't want her to choose me just because Sam's an ass. Still thinking that he's a great guy, I want her to choose me because she wants to choose me.

God, I hope she chooses me. I don't know what I'm going to do if she doesn't. I don't even want to think about it; I just want her to choose me. I want to say "I love you" for the first time but not the last. I want to be able to tell her I love her whenever I want to; even if it's a million times a day for every moment I think of her. I just really want her to choose me.

Last year she said my name and when she chooses the guy she really wants to promise forever too…I hope she says my name again.

A/N: First, I'm really sorry for all the typing errors throughout the story. I never get to sleep much anymore so I'm only ever half awake which causes me to overlook mistakes easily no matter how many times I proof read. I am going to try and fix all of them eventually.

Second, I have a bunch of rambling on my profile and I'm probably going to delete it all soon, including the recently added "About Me" section. So, check it out if you want, it's probably going to be gone in the next week.

Third, the next chapter is the climax. My goal with the next chapter is to leave you speechless and I'm pretty confident it will. A great way to get me to update is to REVIEW and make me feel guilty for leaving you guys hanging and honestly if you REVIEW enough you may persuade me to blow off some stuff I should be doing to write and update soon. So, thanks for reading and you know what to do next.