A/N: My apologies for not updating for so long. I am truly sorry. It's been hectic around here, anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Strange Days at Blake Holsey High, I only own the two characters I made up in this chapter.

"Truth Hurts"

Chapter 2

Wednesday February 22

Marshall woke up to the annoying beeping of his alarm clock. He barely opened his eyes as he reached over to turn it off. It was 7:00 and he had only gotten two hours of sleep. He was so not in the mood to go to class this morning. He knew everybody would be talking about Lucas, not like they really cared about him. He rolled over and and went back to sleep.

He woke up five hours later to the sound of someone knocking on his door. He sprung up out of bed anxious to see who it was and hoped they had something good to tell him. He put on his robe and walked to the door.

"Vaughn, what are you doing here," asked Marshall.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay, you didn't come to class today," said Vaughn.

"I'm fine. I was just tired, but I feel wide awake now," said Marshall.

"Good, I've got some news about Lucas. I overheard Madison tallking to another cheerleader about Lucas. She said two of the football players beat Lucas up and that he got what he deserved," said Vaughn.

"What does that mean? Got what he deserved? What did he ever do to anyone?" asked Marshall.

"I don't know. We should probably talk about what we're gonna do," said Vaughn.

"We," Marshall asked.

"Yeah, we should definitely find out who did this and take care of them," said Vaughn.

"We should talk at lunch. Let me get dressed."

Vaughn went out into the hallway. Ten minutes later Marshall came out dressed in his uniform. They walked to the cafeteria.

As Marshall and Vaughn were walking by Principal Durst's office, Principal Durst came out and said, "Marshall, may I speak to you."

"I wonder what that's about," said Vaughn. "I don't know, I'll meet you in the caf in ten," Marshall said to Vaughn.

Marshall followed Durst into the office somewhat nervous.

"Marshall, I just spoke to Mrs. Randall and she said Lucas will be released from the hospital later today. He should be back about 5:00. It would be nice if you, Vaughn, Corrine, and Josie were waiting outside to greet him."

"Yeah that sounds great. I'll go tell them."

He got up and walked to the door. Just as he was about to leave when Principal Durst said, "Hope to see you in class tomorrow."

He walked to the cafeteria wiht a new found spring in his step. He was so happy Lucas was coming back. His smile soon faded though when he thought about what he had to do.

He walked into the cafeteria to find Corrine and Josie sitting with Vaughn.

"Hey Marshall, how you doing," said Corrine.

"I'm fine," Marshall said as he sat down.

"Jeez you all look like someone died. I've got something that'll cheer you up. Lucas will be back around 5 tonight. I was thinking we could wait outside of the school for him. Corrine, maybe you could make a sign," Marshall said with a smile.

None of his friends were smiling. They looked very serious.

"Marshall, we have sometihng to tell you," said Vaughn.

Marshall's smile faded and his heart sank. His eyes narrowed and he looked just as serious as they did, "What is it," he said.

"There's a rumor going around that Lucas and you are going out," said Josie.

"What!"

"Everyone's saying Lucas is your boyfriend," said Corrine.

"Who did you hear this from," asked Marshall.

"I heard Madison say it to her friend," said Josie.

They all looked at Marshall vey curiously, like they wanted to know something.

"And you believe her," he said sounding stunned.

"Well it's just that you did dream about each other," said Corrine.

"Yeah and whatever we felt for each other faded. Do you still feel something for Z," Marshall asked Josie.

"Well no, but it's just that you and Lucas are really close," said Vaughn.

"Nothing is going on between us. We are close because he's my roomate and my best friend, but that's it I swear," said Marshall.

Marshall got up slid his chair back into place and stormed out.

"You think he's telling the truth," said Vaughn.

"I don't know," said Josie. Corrine just shook her head. "Marshall doesn't lie," she said.

Vaughn found Marshall sitting at one of the tables outside of the school.

As he came up behind him, he put his hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay," he said as he sat down across from him.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm okay, i won't break."

"Sorry, we're just worried about you."

"Well don't be. I'm fine."

"Alright, what are we gonna do," said Vaughn.

"I have a plan. You have football practice after school today don't you?"

"Yeah at 3, why?"

"You need to find out who did this to Lucas. Do you have any idea who it was?"

"I don't know who did it, they're all pretty good guys though. Don't you think we should leave this to the police," said Vaughn.

"The police won't do anything. They have to pay for what they did to Lucas," said Marhsall.

Marshall didn't have a violent bone in his body. He normally wouldn't want to see harm come to anybody, but attacking Lucas was the same as attacking him.

"Is anybody on the team left handed," asked Marshall.

"Yeah one guy is, why?"

"Lucas' left eye was bruised, which most likely means the person who punched him was left handed," said Marshall.

"Chris Walker is the only leftie on our team," Vaughn said.

"Does he have any close friends on the team?" Vaughn thought for a second.

"He hangs out with a kid named Danny Christensen," Vaughn replied.

"I have a plan," said Marshall.

What Vaughn and Marshall didn't know was that someone was listening to their entire conversation and had heard the whole plan.

Principal's Office

Josie took a deep breath and knocked on Principal Durst's door.

"Come in," called Principal Durst.

Josie came in and sat down.

"Miss Trent, what seems to be the problem?"

"I need to know where Professor Z went."

"May I ask why?"

"I really need to talk to him."

"Unfortunately I don't know where he went."

"Well can you tell me this, was he fired because of me?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?"

"Did you find out about us?"

"As a matter of fact I did. A student came forward and told me what happened between you and Professor Z."

"What student?"

"I'm sorry but that's confidential."

"Is there any chance you will give Professor Z his job back?"

"Im sorry, but that's impossible. He broke the biggest rule a teacher could break."

"It wan't his fault. We only kissed once. He didnt even kiss me, I kissed him. He put a stop to it right away. It wasn't our fault. An experiment went wrong and caused us to do things we wouldn't normally do. You know how strange things always happen here."

Josie couldn't stop talking, the words just came tumbling out of her mouth. She had to get Z his job back.

"Alright Ms. Trent, considering the special circumstances, I will give Professor Z his job back and put him on two months probation. I'll call him as soon as you leave."

"So you do know where he went."

"If you must know, Ms. Trent, he told me he was going back to the all girls school where he taught before he came to Blake Holsey."

"Thank you Principal Durst. You won't regret this."

"I better not," she said as Josie got up and left the room smiling.

Football Field

Marshall sat on the bleachers waiting for football practice to end. He had butterflies in his stomach. He was nervous, but he knew what he had to do. Vaughn ran over to him.

"Practice is halfway over, but Chris and Danny aren't here yet," said Vaughn.

"That's weird, maybe we should put this off until tomorrow," said Marshall.

Just then a student ran onto the field yelling, "Coach, Coach come quick." He turned and ran away. The Coach and the rest of the team followed.

"I wonder what's going on," said Marshall.

Marshall stood up and he and Vaughn ran after everybody. Oddly enough they were at about the same spot where Lucas was found. They both fought through the crowd of the burly football players and saw two students lying on the ground bloody and beaten.

"Chris and Danny," Vaughn whispered into Marshall's ear.

Vaughn and Marshall turned to each other, thier mouths wide open. A few football players picked up their fellow teammates and brought them to the front of the school.

After the ambulance pulled away Marshall and Vaughn went to Marshall's room.

Marshall's Room

Josie went to Marshall's room. She walked in to find Marshall sitting on his bed and Vaughn on Lucas' bed.

"Do you have any idea who told Durst about me and Z?"

"Probably the same person who spread the rumor about me and Lucas," said Marshall.

"Do you think Madison caught us kissing and told Durst," asked Josie.

"There's only one way to find out. Ask Madison," said Marshall.

"Hey Josie did you hear about Chris and Danny," asked Vaughn.

"The football players, Yeah I heard the sirens and someone came into the rec. room and said they were found in the woods. Why would anyone want to beat them up?"

"Because they beat up Lucas," said Marshall.

"We were planning on beating them up," said Vaughn.

"But someone beat us to the punch so to speak," said Marshall.

"I wonder who did it," said Josie.

"So you'll back us up, right," Marshall asked Josie.

"Of course."

"Wow it's almost five, we should go get Corrine," said Josie.

They all went to Corrines' room. Josie knocked on the door and opened it before she heard a response.

Corrine was laying on her bed crying. Her sign for Lucas was on the floor at the foot of her bed.

"Corrine are you okay," said Josie.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She got up and wiped her tears.

"It's almost five, we should really get going," said Marhsall.

They went outside and sat on the stairs, when they heard a car pull up.

Mr. and Mrs. Randall got out first and helped Lucas out of the backseat.

Lucas slowly got out of the car and walked towards his friends and smiled.

"Welcome back Lucas," they all yelled at once. Corrine was holding up the big yellow sign she made.

Marshall was the first to hug him. "Welcome back buddy," he whispered in his ear. He then stepped back.

"Hey Lucas looking good," said Josie. She gave him a big hug.

"Good to see you," said Corrine wiping a tear from her eye.

"Its good to have you back," Vaughn shook his hand. "Good to be back," Lucas replied smiling.

"Alright guys, Lucas should really be getting back to his room. The doctor wants him to take it easy for a couple of days," said Mr. Randall.

"Dad I'm fine, I can walk on my own." His father stepped back. They all stepped aside and Lucas walked into the school. Vaughn, Corrine, and Josie went back to their rooms. Marshall led Lucas and his parents back to their room. Marshall went in to the room while Lucas said goodbye to his parents.

Lucas opened the door, walked into his comfortable room, sat down on his lumpy and familiar bed, and took his shoes off.

"You need help?"

"Marshall I can take off my own shoes."

"Sorry. just trying to help."

"So did I miss anything while I was gone?"

"Not much, Madison spread a rumor that you were my boyfriend and she told Durst that Z kissed Josie and he was fired. Vaughn and I figured out who put you in the hospital and we planned on putting them in the hospital ourselves, but the funny thing is before we could, we found them beaten in the woods in about the same spot we found you, but other than that it's been pretty quiet around here."

"Wow, how did I miss all that in one day?"

Marshall just laughed.

"I cant believe Z was fired," said Lucas.

"I know, but to tell you the truth I was more concerned about you."

"Well don't be, I'm fine. How did Madison know we were going out," asked Lucas.

"She probably saw us kissing. Wait a second, are we going out?" "Well yeah I thought we were," said Lucas.

"We just kissed a few times."

Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"So you just want to be friends," he said.

"I think that's best at least until we graduate," said Marshall.

"Whatever Marshall, I'm tired. I'm going to take a nap." He layed down with his back to Marshall.

Marshall just got up and left.

After dinner, Marshall, Vaughn, Corrine, and Josie went to the rec. room. Vaughn and Marshall played foosball while Corrine and Josie were sitting on the couch talking. No one else was in the room and it was oddly quiet, except for the sound of footprints. The door opened and two policeman walked in with Principal Durst.

"Marshall Wheeler. Vaughn Pearson. You need to come with us to the station. We have a few questions for you."

The two policemem led VAughn and Marshall away, no need for handcuffs since they weren't under arrest.

After they left, Josie went up to Durst, "Did you talk to Professor Z? Is he coming back?"

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but Professor Z never arrived at his old school. No one knows where he is," said Durst.

A/N: There will be more Z and Josie in the next chapter, I promise. Just keep reading and all will be revealed. Please review, the sooner you review the sooner I'll update!