Abby was brushing her hair when she heard a knock on the door.

"Abby, it's me, can I come in?"

"Sure."

Cree entered. "So I was thinking of trying for another teen meeting tomorrow. Do you think the boys can handle being in the same room together?"

"If not we can just sit back and enjoy the slap fight," Abby grinned.

"We should really sell tickets or something."

"We'd make a killing."

Cree chuckled.

Abby struggled with a stubborn tangle and muttered to herself. "Ugh, stupid hair."

"Here, let me help you with that," her sister offered, reaching forward to take the brush from Abby's hands.

"Thanks. Long hair's such a pain sometimes. I've been thinking of chopping it off."

"Really? I've been thinking of growing mine out. Besides, you have beautiful hair. Has Chad seen you with your hair down yet?" She asked, her voice becoming impish.

"Of course not. Why would he?"

"I bet he'd melt at the sight of you. You should wear it down for your next date."

"Cree, how many times do I have to tell you that Chad and I are not dating?"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'll stop teasing you. I know you like to keep your secrets."

Abby sighed. I wish Chad would just tell her already before I throttle her.

"You should at least wear that shirt I gave you on your next date."

"Cree…" Abby said threateningly.

"I'm shutting up now, I promise!" she laughed as she put down the brush and started braiding her little sister's hair.

Chad did try to kiss me when I was wearing that shirt, but I don't think it had anything to do with what I was wearing. She looked up at her older sister's reflection in the mirror before her. I wonder if you'd encourage me to wear it if you knew that? She studied her sister's face as she braided her hair. She looked happy. She seemed happier ever since she patched up her friendship with Chad…if that was the word for it. And yet…Abby was fairly certain that what her sister felt for Chad was more than friendship. So why is she still with Maurice? Why does she keep pushing Chad and me together?

"Sis," Abby started tentatively, "I'm…glad you've been happier lately."

Cree looked up and met her sister's eyes through the mirror.

Abby was thankful, it somehow made it easier to talk to her. This way she could see her own face exactly the way Cree was seeing it. "For a while there, it seemed like you were really depressed."

"Yeah…. For a while there, I was."

"But you're okay now?"

Cree smiled. "Yeah, I'm good now."

"So is it…because…?" She stopped and considered. She didn't want to cause another breakdown in Cree and Chad's relationship. But she really wanted to know what was going on in her sister's head. Why was she so sad then? Why is she okay now? Does she really want Chad and me to be together, or does she want Chad for herself? "So…why are you happy now?"

Her sister laughed and returned her attention to braiding Abby's hair. "And you say I'm the nosy one." She braided in silence for a little while. "I don't know. I guess it's because you and Chad are dating now."

Abby stared at her sister's face through the mirror, and could clearly see the confusion and disbelief in her own. "…really?"

Cree chuckled. "Well, that's part of it." She still focused on braiding. "It's kind of complicated. You see, it's because you and Chad are dating that I can be friends with him again."

"I don't follow you."

Cree sighed then laughed a little then smiled contemplatively. "Well…I guess I should say…and don't be angry with me, but you were right back then; I did sort of have a crush on Chad. He's my best friend, and he's cute, and it just sort of happened. But I'm dating Maurice, and when I realized that I had a crush on Chad—a little, tiny one, mind you—I felt that I couldn't be friends with him anymore, because…I don't know, it just wouldn't be right. But now you're dating him," she said, brightening, looking up to see her sister's reflection. "So now everything's okay."

Abby shook her head slightly. "How does that make everything okay?"

Cree was finishing the braid. She reached for the band to hold it in place. "Because now that you're dating Chad, I know that nothing will ever happen between him and me. Because he's your boyfriend, so now it doesn't matter what silly little crush I used to have on him—which is ancient history, by the way—because you're my sister, and I love you, and I'd never, ever do anything as horrible as getting involved with your boyfriend. I wouldn't." And then she beamed at her sister and hugged her tight.

"But…." Abby could see it in her own face—her uncertainty, her frustration, her remorse. So does that mean if she knew the truth…? "So you wouldn't be friends with Chad if you thought I wasn't dating him? Even though he's your best friend? Even though you're miserable without him?"

Her sister laughed. "Miserable without him? You make it sound as if I were in love with him or something." She stood back and admired her sister's hair, now bound in a long braid. "It looks good," she commented, "but consider wearing it down for special occasions, you know?" She winked and headed for the door. "And don't forget the meeting after school tomorrow."

Abby sighed and shook her head. Cree's logic was so flawed and so precariously balanced, if she tried to set things right all she'd end up with is the emotional equivalent of an avalanche.

Why don't you just dump Maurice? She thought furiously. Can't you see he doesn't even like you? But the one she was really angry with was herself. She bit down hard on her lower lip and turned away from the mirror, not wanting to look at herself any longer. Her sister's words ran through her head:

"I'd never, ever do anything as horrible as getting involved with your boyfriend."

Abby remembered her pathetic, awkward kiss with Maurice, months and months ago. Cree may have betrayed the Kids Next Door, but she herself betrayed her own sister.

I'm a horrible person.

---

During their next walk together, Cree had decided not to bring up the last incident with Chad and Maurice. Not surprisingly, Chad didn't either.

Cree was glad to be able to talk with Chad again. For a while it seemed she had lost her best friend. And while their conversation covered almost any topic imaginable—reality T.V. shows, whether Braille had an Asian language version, what the mystery meat was in the school's shepherd's pie—neither of them ever brought up the subject of significant others. It was understandable in Chad's case; he didn't like Maurice, why would he bring him up in a conversation? But Cree sort of felt she should be doing her sisterly duties and nosing around, finding out what he feels for Abby, if his "intentions were honorable" and all that. And she meant to, time and time again. But she kept putting it off, or the conversation went another way, or she just plain forgot. Anyways, she was certain that Chad meant well. After all, she knew him, he'd never do anything to hurt her sister. So it was okay that she never talked to him about their relationship. Wasn't it?

They entered her house together and stepped into the living room.

"Abby?" Cree called. "Are you here?"

"Yeah," they heard her voice from upstairs.

"How about Maurice?"

"Not that I know of."

"Well, Chad's here, so you should come down. We'll start the meeting as soon as Maurice gets here." She turned to Chad. "You can sit down. I was thinking of having the meeting in the living room for a change. Cozier, don't you think?"

"I guess?" he replied.

"I'm going to fetch some things from my room. Be right back!" She dashed up the stairs as Abby was headed down them.

"Where are you going?" asked Abby.

"To my room to get my notes."

"You have notes?"

"Of course, I'm not leader for nothing." Cree stuck her tongue out. "Well, actually, they're old notes. And I kind of forgot where I put them," she admitted. "But I'm sure I'll find them soon!"

"Good luck," Abby replied flatly.

She walked into the living room where Chad had just found the T.V. remote and was settling down on the couch.

"Hi, Abby," he said, glancing up at her.

"Hi," she mumbled, plopping herself down on the other end of the couch.

She noticed him look at the remote, then at her, then back at the remote again.

"Go ahead and watch T.V."

"Uh, no, I was just…holding this," he faltered, and put the remote down on the coffee table. He turned to her. "Are you doing okay?"

"Sure," she said in a tone that didn't sound okay at all.

Chad frowned and stared at the remote control again. But focusing on Abby, he asked, "So…how are classes?"

Abby let out a sort of half-laugh. "Thanks for the effort, but don't bother." She looked towards the stairs and scooted closer to Chad. "I take it you haven't said anything to Cree yet?" she questioned in a low voice.

"Not yet. But I will—"

"That's the thing," she interrupted. "I…don't know if you should."

"What? But you're the one that's been pushing me to tell—"

"I know, but…." She paused and sighed. "Maybe you're right, maybe it would mess everything up. Maybe…I don't know, maybe it would be better to leave things alone."

Chad stared at her for several long seconds. "Are you sure you're feeling all right? You don't seem to be."

Abby looked at him, almost suspiciously. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I don't think so." He spoke slowly and seriously. "I know we haven't had that many conversations, and I guess we don't really know each other that well, but in the past you've only given me good advice and everything you've said has always made sense. But this doesn't."

She lowered her eyes, wincing as if in pain. "You don't understand. I didn't understand. I still don't. It's just…everything's so complicated."

Chad listened to her then continued talking at a ponderous pace as if each word were carefully weighed and considered before being spoken. "Yes…and no. I think…I know, actually, that I've been over-thinking all this. But when it comes down to it, it boils down to this—I love Cree, and I need to tell her. Everything else is irrelevant. I…I just need to get the courage to say the words. But once I do—once I find the right time and finally tell her—then everything…should be all right." It wasn't phrased as a question, but Abby could feel his eyes asking for her to corroborate.

She continued to stare at the floor, wishing she could feel as optimistic. But it wasn't her job to crush his hopes. "Yeah…I guess you're right," was all she could think of to say.

Chad studied her. "Do you want to talk? I hear people say I'm good to talk to." He smiled slightly.

She laughed a little, very little, and said, "I…I…don't know." She met his eyes for a moment then looked away again. "I just…." She trailed off.

"It's okay, you don't have to. But if you ever want to…."

"Maybe." She looked back at him and managed a smile. "Not now, though. I don't think I'm ready to. Not quite yet."

---

Cree stood pressed against the wall of the stairwell, hidden from view, eyes shut tight, hands clutching her forgotten notes to her chest. She had seen something she probably wasn't supposed to see. She had found the notes and had headed back downstairs and caught a glimpse of her sister and Chad sitting together on the couch. She couldn't see Abby's face, but she could see Chad's perfectly. He was gazing at Abby intently, whispering words to her in a voice too low for Cree to hear. I looked like he was confessing his love to her.

Her hands pressed against her painfully pounding chest, as if to hold her heart still. I'm happy for them. I really am….

She gasped in surprise when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," she called in a strangled voice, forcing herself to descend the rest of the stairs, straightening the crumpled notes. She opened the front door to see her boyfriend on the other side, and couldn't understand why the sight of him wasn't a comfort.