Disc: Don't own 'em

Dedication: To the AMSU class of 2005….I love you all so much, and I would not have had the strength to do all I do without you….V, Feather, Didi, Lynch, Jazz, Vanessa….you all are my heart no matter what has happened….

A/N: so sorry about the EXTREMLEY long wait you guys….i dunno, I kinda of lost intrest, then their was my senior prom, which means of course, DRAMA with friends, and the guy, and graduation, and finals, and just saying goodbye to everything that was familiar to me these past 4 years….

"It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend"
-For Good, From the musical Wicked

LA, Cali.

Haley Elizabeth Gonzalez rolled over in her bed. Looking out on the beautiful LA skyline, she sat up. Reaching over to her nightstand she picked up the picture frame and studied the picture in it. Herself and Riley age 8, smiling happily at the camera. After her 8th grade graduation, her parents have packed her up and moved her clear across the country to California. God knows she misses Riley so much her heart ached as it is, but the phone call last night had been almost too much to take.

She had known that Riley was going through problems…but all of this was too much. And that was why she was leaving that afternoon for New York. Back home. Back to her best friend. Through the years they had been able to count on each other…and Riley needed her. Weather she admitted it or not, Riley needed her.

Bronx, NY

Riley sat in Mr. Santiago's class gritting her teeth. Jackie turned her head and smiled at the look on her face. Riley loved the man she really did….she wouldn't tell him that until graduation…but still there was absolutely no excuse for playing Meatloaf in class….she didn't care what his point was! The bell rang and Riley gathered up her books and headed out the door waving at Mr. Santiago as she passed him.

The teacher leaned against his desk and smiled after her. Turning to Jackie and Madison he asked a simple question. "Is it just me, or is she being NORMAL?"

Madison rolled her eyes and shoved her paper into his hands following Jackie out the door… "Santiago…Riley was never normal and she will never be normal."

Riley walked into Ms. De's office and threw her stuff on the table. Ms. De looked up and over at her and raised her eyebrow.

"Riley?"

"I'm fucking graduating. I miss my best friend. I'm…" Riley said

"Sorry?" Ms. De finished for her

"Yea that"

"Can I just tell you something Riley?" the teacher asked her

"What?" Riley asked flopping down on the couch

"Listen to your heart."

Later that day

Haley stepped out of the airport and looked around. God. New York was one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. She was a New Yorker at heart. No matter where her career or her life took her, the city that never sleeps was always at her heart. The people were amazing, the atmosphere one of the best….where else can you sit in park for three hours doing absolutely nothing?

Smiling Haley got into the cab and gave the cabbie the address for Riley's school. Her best friend needed her? She was there.

Riley sat in Ms. De's office, eyes closed listening to music as her friends chattered around her. Haley walked into the office and glanced around. Two female teachers sitting at a desk grading papers. One male teacher picking on two of the students. A group of girls around the radio. And her sister asleep on the couch. She smiled at the male teacher when he looked at her, and nodded towards Riley in response to the questioning look on his face. Walking over, she gently sat down next to Riley and shook her awake.

"Riley, c'mon lets go home" Haley said as Riley began to stir

"Hales?" Riley asked questioningly, not really believing her eyes.

"Yeah. Let's go"

Sometime later

"So wait, let me get this straight" Haley said, tucking her feet under her and taking a sip of her soda.

Riley paused, allowing Haley to take over the conversation.

"John wants revenge on you." Haley stated watching her best friend as she nodded her head in confirmation

"So he enlists Randy to help, and you fall for Randy"

"To put it lightly" Riley cut in

"And bam! You find out that they've been screwing with you all along."

"That's a nice way of putting it"

"Yea, well. Have you spoken to either of them?"

"I spoke to Randy yesterday….it was interesting"

"What happen?"

"I got even more confused"

"And John?" Haley asked pushing back her hair

"I saw him"

"Wait, wait, wait…you talk to Randy, but you see John? Riley…why are you seeing John when he was the evil mastermind person!"

"Not by choice. He came by the school to drop off something. Santiago got him out of there though"

"Santiago?"

"That male teacher…."

"How old is he?"

"23" Riley responded rolling her eyes

"That's like a five year difference, I say date him!"

"And I say INCEST!" Riley replied, her feelings for her teacher showing.

"Ahh…soooo do you miss him?"

"Santiago?" Riley asked puzzled

"No you idiot!" Haley said exasperated

"Idiot?" Riley asked goofing off

Haley rolled her eyes and hit Riley with a pillow. Riley giggled and responded.

"No seriously, who?"

"Either"

"I miss them both. I mean they managed to throw my world upside down in just a few months. John was my big brother…I thought I could count on him."

"And Randy?" Haley asked looking out on the New York skyline. The two girls were sitting on the balcony of Riley's apartment in the city. The sky was dark but the twinkling lights of the city were there. It was a beautiful sight to withhold, and it was comforting. Haley had always felt at ease looking out on the skyline, especially when she was confused or just emotional. It's easy to think that every single light that was on meant, that the person in that room was going through confusion or a problem. It made one of the biggest cities in the world seem not so lonely.

Riley sighed and played with the pillow on her lap before answering.

"Randy threw me through a loop. When I met him…that day, I wasn't expecting anything except friendship. Then he kissed me and it was like…wow. I mean I liked him prior yea. All I did was talk about him to my friends. It's a wonder they didn't throw me out a window. It got so that Jackie even took to showing me a stupid picture of him to make me smile when I was upset. I lived for our phone calls…even 2 am ones. I dunno something about him was comforting…and the fact that he was interested in me? I guess it kinda added to it. If I had known from the beginning that he didn't like me that way then it would have been alright. If he hadn't genuinely liked me, and my feelings for him hadn't grown…then it would have been ok. If all he had been doing was leading me on, it would have been fine! But I honestly thought he liked me at the time! All I wanted was friendship. He took the initiative and made it something more, by John's pushing I guess. But then he completely turned on me. And now he says that he's sorry, and that he does have feelings for me."

Haley pushed her best friend's hair back from her face. "Do you have feelings for him Ri?"

"I dunno. I guess I just want the friendship back."

And with that simple sentence from Riley, Haley knew that she wouldn't be able to help her friend with this one. Friendship was a fickle thing, you could spend years building it, and it can be torn down in seconds. It was complicated by so many things, by different people, by different interputations of situations…and between a male and a female…romance.

"C'mon Riles. We're going to the park tomorrow."

And with that the two friends of over 14 years went inside, both of their minds on the current situation, neither one knowing exactly what to do, both so desperately needing answers.