This chapter does see a 4-year time jump. It's what I needed to get the story moving along at a faster pace for me. This chapter I have decided to split up, and the second half still needs to be written. I will try to get that up shortly for you all.

I am sorry about the small delay between chapters.
Enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

"What in the world happened?" Wade questioned, plopping himself on his friends' bed. For the past four years they meet at the Jammer on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. Every single Saturday. And today she no-showed. He heard the rumors. And he thought they were just that rumors. It sounded bizarre and a bit on the skeptical side to actually be true. Turns out it's true from what he can see.

"You're not supposed to be here," she muttered, keeping the ice pack on her eye. She's not up to having any visitors at the moment. Not after what happened earlier.

"Your dad let me in," he shrugged. "I had to make sure all was good, which it's not," he said. "So again what happened?" He asked, reaching out for the ice pack. "Whose fist did you run into?" He asked with concern, seeing his friends eye swollen as it will slowly darken.

"Lemon's," she hissed out, placing the ice pack back on her eye.

"Is that why Lemon had a bruised cheek and a busted lip?" He asked with a chuckle. Zoe nodded. "Does this have anything to do with Graham?" He asked, wanting to understand why they would fight for. That question is the most logical one.

"Yes and it's so stupid, but Lemon, no, she won't believe me," Zoe said frustrated, tossing the ice pack on the bed. "I don't even like Graham. I'm going to the dance with George, since you bailed on me," she pouted.

"How does going with George prove you don't like Graham?" Wade asked confused. As far as he knew they were friends and no other feelings were mixed up in that situation. "It's not like I picked the day we'd be heading outta town to visit my uncle Moe," he shrugged.

"Because in messed up Lemon fashion every girl has a crush on Graham. Like he's not even the cutest guy at school. Just because she likes him, it doesn't mean I do. He was asking me about the math packet for Monday. I even hinted to see who he had a crush on, Lemon of course," Zoe stated, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"So who do you like?" Wade asked, giving her a little nudge with his elbow.

"Yeah, not gonna happen," Zoe told him, shaking her head. "If I tell you it'll be all over Bluebell by tomorrow morning," she retorted. And she didn't feel comfortable talking about boys with Wade. For her, it's weird to talk about crushes on boys since she's been pretty much a 'boy' when they hang out. And she doesn't mind that. She gets enough girly stuff with her mom and other friends, that it's nice not to care about getting dirty.

"I wouldn't do that," Wade chuckled, failing at keeping a straight face. "Ok, I might," he relented. "That whole thing is left to AB anyhow," he nodded. "I'm sorry I missed the fight," he smirked.

Zoe gave him a shove. "Thankfully, no one saw it," she sighed relieved. It happened at the practice. She's taken to helping out a few days out of the week and Lemon barged into the practice, yelling at her over Graham. It really went from yelling to Zoe having Lemon's fist in the eye. She fought back. Maybe she shouldn't have, but Lemon didn't understand that she doesn't have feelings for Graham. "Dad isn't happy with me," she sighed.

"Does your mom know?" Wade asked.

"Nope. Dad thinks it's best to wait for her to come home tomorrow. That's when my real punishment happens. For now, I'm grounded, unless I want to apologize to Lemon. Which won't be happening," she stated. She's got no reason to apologize. Lemon started the whole stupid, pointless fight.

"Good luck getting that apology, you know as well as I do, the way Lemon can hold a grudge," Wade told her.

"Don't I ever," Zoe sighed, laying her head on his shoulder. "It would be so much easier if I could go with you and your family," Zoe suggested. It wouldn't happen, maybe before Lemon had the urge to start a fight, but now, she'd be stuck at home grounded.

"Trust me, if I thought I could talk my parents into it; I would. Jesse's been a bore since he's figured out his plans after high school, and I can't," he groaned. He's happy his brother has his life all sorted out, that doesn't mean he needs to hear about it nonstop.

"You're going to miss him," she said. She's going to miss Jesse when he leaves in the next eight to nine months. "I think it's more that you want him to stay and make something of himself here, because you don't want to lose him," she shared, chewing her lip.

"Maybe you're right," Wade shrugged. He, honestly didn't know how he felt. He wanted to feel indifferent to his brother leaving, not caring either way. That didn't happen to be the case because he does care. "Maybe Lemon isn't mad about you talking to Graham, and she's been trying to set you up with him," Wade suggested.

"I don't know if that's true," Zoe frowned. Lemon did talk Graham up whenever she had the chance to do so. "Then why start a fight with me over him?" She asked. That's the part that doesn't make any sense to her.

"Ok look, I don't know why Lemon did what she did, but I don't think it's because of Graham, I think it's because of George," he explained.

"That's worse!" Zoe exclaimed with a huff. "I only like him as a friend," she stated, itching to roll her eyes.

"But is that feeling mutual where George is concerned?" Wade asked, getting off her bed.

"You don't have to leave," Zoe told him.

"Yeah, I do. I told your dad, I wouldn't be long," he told her. "And you have enough things to sort out without me," he shrugged, leaving her be.

Her punishment is sorting things out with Lemon. And even though she's being forced to do so, she wants to. She wants to know what it is she did wrong to cause her friend to beat her up and stop being her friend. Not only does she have to figure things out with Lemon, but she also needs to figure things out with George. She only likes him as a friend. She doesn't want to be leading him on in any way.

"What do you want?" Lemon asked, sending an icy glare towards Zoe.

"To apologize, for what, that's why I am here," she told her friend, sitting down at the small table in the backyard.

"You know exactly what you did," Lemon huffed.

Zoe frowned because no, she didn't know what she did wrong. The most she did was talk to Graham and George. Even so, the fight had been about Graham and not George like Wade told her. And really it just confused her.

"I really don't," Zoe told Lemon, shaking her head. "I thought this was about Graham, but it was brought to my attention that it might very well be about George," she explained. "Is this about George? Did you want to go to the dance with him?" She asked. If that was the case, she could easily fix things.

"I knew that Graham likes you. That's why I was pushing you towards him. I figured then George would go with me to the dance," she sighed.

"Then why start a fight? Why didn't you just tell me ages ago that you like Tucker?" Zoe asked. It would have saved so much time and energy if Lemon would've been honest with her.

"Would you believe jealousy?" Lemon asked timidly.

"For you? Yes," Zoe nodded. "You do know that I'm going as friends with George, nothing more, I don't like him that way," she shared, wanting Lemon to understand where she stood with her feelings.

"Yeah, well, he likes you," Lemon huffed out.

"So I've heard," Zoe muttered. "That's why I'm going to visit him next. I'll clear the air with George, and you can go with him. Graham isn't so bad; it's only a dance," she grimaced. She had nothing against the boy, just didn't think they had anything in common.

"You don't have to do that," Lemon protested.

"One black eye is enough, don't you think?" Zoe asked, flashing a smile letting Lemon know she was joking.

"I'm sorry, Zoe. For the fight, for my stupid jealousy. For all of it, I'm sorry," Lemon apologized.

"Your forgiven," Zoe told her, getting up to hug her friend. Friends fight, and they make up. It's a natural part of life and growing up. She wasn't going to hold it against her.

"Can you not tell George that I like him? I don't want to ruin a good thing because of feelings," Lemon started, chewing her lip. Thankfully, her mama isn't home because a lady doesn't chew her lip.

"I promise I won't tell him," Zoe promised, holding her pinky up for a pinky promise. Lemon giggled, wrapping her pinky around Zoe's. Something's you just don't grow out of it. "I best be off," Zoe said, getting up.

"I'll call you," Lemon called after her. Either to tell Zoe what happened with George or to ask what happened with George. Zoe smiled waving to her friend, as she walked down the street.

As much as she wants to talk to George, she doesn't think she's quite ready for that conversation. Not to mention she doesn't want to lie to him on why she can't go with him to the dance on Friday night. She sure isn't about to break her pinky promise with Lemon. So instead of heading for George's home, where he is likely to be at studying, she headed for the baseball field.

She smiled seeing Graham working on his pitch. Which pitch he was trying to be perfect she wasn't sure. She hasn't watched much baseball. The gist of the sport she knows. Football is her go to sport to watch. That's the sport her friends play, and she likes to support them in the stands and not on the field as a cheerleader like her mom wants her to be.

"I wasn't expecting such a pretty audience today," Graham winked, walking to where Zoe stood by the fence.

She was right when she told Wade that she didn't like Graham. Nevertheless, in saying that he was a looker if that's your thing. His face is almost oval with a square jaw, he's got a dimple when he smiles on the right side. His eyes are a deep clear ocean blue, that offset his sun kissed skin. His teeth aren't perfect as he has braces to correct them. He doesn't have the biggest muscles for a kid their age, but you can tell that he works out. He's not the tallest boy in their grade, but he isn't the shortest either; his height is an average size. So yeah, maybe he's not perfect but who is? And honestly if she let herself, she might think he's sort of cute.

"I don't know how pretty one can be with a black eye," she retorted, giving him a smile.

"Even with the black eye your pretty cute, Zoe," he smiled. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks.

"Thanks," she shrugged. "I…um," she frowned; she hasn't thought through what she would say to Graham. He is going to the dance with Lemon after all.

"You what?" He asked with a teasing smile. "Want to reconsider my dance invitation?" He asked. She could see the hope wrote across his slightly reddened face. She didn't know if it was from the sun or him feeling embarrassed about something.

"Actually yes, if that's ya know a possibility," she confirmed. "And don't worry about Lemon, I've come from her place, and she's on board," she quickly tacked on.

"Are you sure?" Graham asked her.

"Yes," Zoe nodded. "I thought Lemon liked you, but I was wrong, and she wants to go to the dance with someone else and I was only going with George as friends," she rushed out.

"Thanks for that confirmation," he nodded slowly taking it in. "But I was referring to the part of wanting to go with me," he clarified, nervously.

"Oh," Zoe giggled softly. "I'm sure," she confirmed.

"Wade won't mind?" He asked. He, like the whole town knew they were friends, what he and the rest of Bluebell didn't know was what level their relationship is.

"Why would Wade care?" She asked with a frown. "We're only friends, nothing more," she emphasized. She didn't understand why people didn't think guys, and girls could be friends. It's possible.

"Okay," he smiled. "Want to have a go?" He asked motioning to the field.

"Rain check?" She asked, watching his smile falter. "I've still got to break the news to George, and I was only supposed to go to Lemon's and go back home. I don't want to risk it with the dance in five days," she explained to him.

"Then I won't keep you," he nodded. "I will cash that rain check in," he warned with a teasing smile, walking backwards to the pitcher's mound.

"I might just be looking forward to it," she smiled, quickly turning around to avoid him the sight of her bright, flaming pink cheeks. The chuckle that echoed around her, told her he caught a glimpse of it.

With Zoe on her way to George's, Graham got back to practicing and improving his pitches. She's still at a loss on what to say to George. The harder she focused on what to say the harder it is to figure out the right words to use as all of her words were failing her. It wasn't just about her not going to the dance with him and how he should go with Lemon. Nevertheless, she still needed to clear the air on that she only likes him as a friend and nothing more.

The noise coming from the backyard alerted her to where George happened to be. Instead of him being inside his nose in a school text book studying, he was in the backyard working out; shirtless, sweat running down his body, his abs starting to form. Maybe she needed to rethink her feelings for him. She shook those thoughts away; she couldn't do that to Lemon.

"Need a break from studying for the Econ test on Wednesday?" Zoe asked, making her presence known to her friend who happened to be lost in his own little world.

"That and coach wants the best," he shrugged, grabbing his towel to wipe his sweat from his face. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but anything in particular you need?" He asked, taking a few gulps of his water.

"A few things actually," she told him, placing her hands behind her back. "First off, something has come to my attention, and I felt I needed to clear the air here," she said motioning between the two of them. So much for keeping her hands still. George frowned waiting for her to continue. "I like you, George, but only as friend and nothing more," she quickly got out.

"Well duh," he laughed. "That's the same way I feel about you. Who told you I had a crush on you?" He asked.

"A few different people," she frowned. "So friends and no other feelings?" She asked him. If that is the case, then why was everyone going around saying he liked her for?

"I promise you Zoe; I don't have feelings for you other than that of a friend. I have my eye on someone else," he said, using his towel to hide the faint pink in his cheeks from Zoe.

"Who? Do I know her?" Zoe asked, curious.

"I would hope so, as you are friends with her," he chuckled.

"That's why everyone thinks you have feelings for me," she stated shaking her head. You've been watching her and not me," she laughed.

"I guess that could be it," he shrugged. Because he really didn't know. Heck he didn't know people were paying that close of attention to him to start a rumor or whatever that he likes Zoe, when that isn't the case at all.

"Why don't you ask her to the dance on Friday?" Zoe asked him. That way, she wouldn't feel so bad about canceling on him.

"I would but we're going as friends and she's got a date," he told Zoe.

She held her sigh in. She didn't like this part of telling him that no, she isn't going with him as friends. She hasn't been one that likes to bail on her friends, under any circumstances. And she knows that there is a better reason behind why she needs to do so, but she still feels bad about it.

"Actually George," she frowned. "That's the something else I need to tell you about," she told him. "I have to cancel on you because I agreed to go with Graham," she confessed.

"Graham? I thought he was going with Lemon?" He asked confused.

"He was but they were purely going as friends as they don't like each other, and he merely asked her because I told him no at first because I thought Lemon liked him, and she doesn't and after talking it over with Lemon, I decided to go with Graham. I'm sorry," she told him, checking over what she said, making sure she hadn't said anything about Lemon liking him.

"I don't get it, but I understand enough," he chuckled. "I don't mean to chase you off, but I need to shower and meet my family for dinner," he said. "Plus I want to make a small stop before meeting my family," he lightly shrugged.

"Totally fine," she nodded in understanding. "I need to get home anyway before I get in even more trouble," she stated, turning to walk back to the street the way she came.

"Did you figure out the reason on why Lemon pinched you?" He asked, holding his back door open. You couldn't believe the rumors that swirled around Bluebell let alone around the halls of school.

"I did and it was just a misunderstanding," she told him, leaving it at that.

It wasn't anyone's business as to why it happened. There's enough rumors about it going around that their classmates would rather believe them over the truth anyway. It was personal any how. And a bit on the silly side of things. Plus she wasn't lying when she said it's a misunderstanding, because that is the truth of the matter.

Getting home she took the phone to her room to give Lemon a phone call to go over everything that happened with Graham to every single world spoken between herself and George.

"So he was worried that I was dating Graham?" She asked hopeful.

"Not so much worried but more bummed out that you were going to the dance with Graham," Zoe told her. "Once I told George that I was going with Graham his whole demeanor changed, and I really think he likes you Lemon," she told her friend. It was known all over school that Graham and Lemon were going to the dance; she like many others believed they were going as a couple, turns out, they weren't.

"Do you think he's going to ask me to the dance?" Lemon asked.

"I would hope so," Zoe retorted. "I don't know when because he wouldn't say," she explained to her friend.

"That's not much help, Zoe," Lemon sighed out. "But now tell me about Graham," she insisted.

"There isn't much to say, Lemon. I agreed to go to the dance with him, and I can't see into the future," she sighed into the phone. "I've got to go help with dinner," she told her friend. She didn't and she felt sort of horrible about that small fib, but she couldn't stand answering the same questions about George or about Graham and the dance.

"How'd everything go with Lemon?" Her mom asked as they sat around eating takeout from the Jammer. A rare night for them in their house. Home-cooked meals were always cooked.

"Good," Zoe nodded. "We worked things out and it's all a big misunderstanding," she explained to them.

"That's good sweetie," Harley nodded, giving her a smile. She looked at her dad seeing that he wasn't his happy self. Between him looking glum and the takeout, she knew it was work-related.

"Everything okay?" She asked, swallowing the bite of chicken.

"It's nothing," Harley waved off. "Just work," he told her. And that was all she would get from that, since he can't go around telling his patients news and results.

"Sweetie, I was thinking we could go Wednesday to look for a dress. It will be easier if you know the color George will be wearing," her mom stated, not giving her any other option.

"I'm actually not going with George," she told her parents. "There was a change of plans today, and I'm going with Graham instead, but I will figure out the color for you," she said.

"Why the change?" Candice asked.

"George wanted to go with someone else and Graham wanted to take me," she summed it up. "And Lemon is cool with it because she has been trying to push me towards Graham, because of his crush on me," she quickly rattled out.

"Graham," her mom said in thought. "Is he the starting pitcher for the schools' baseball team?" Her mom asked, a bit gleefully.

"He is," Zoe nodded. "I don't know how it's going to be because I don't think we have anything common, so don't get your hopes up mom and dad don't worry about warning him off," she stated, wanting her parents to be cool about her date or non-date with Graham, she wasn't entirely sure what to call it.

"You never know," Harley told her. "I didn't think I had much in common with your mom, and we've made it work," he smiled. "You'll be amazed, not that I want my 14-year-old daughter dating," he stated pointedly.

"Oh there's no harm in it," Candice said. "Your dad is right; it may not seem like you have anything in common, but you'll be amazed at how well you get long and eventually find something you both like."

Zoe shrugged, because she just didn't know. The only sport she enjoyed watching is football. That's the sport all her guy friends played. A sport many enjoyed in Bluebell. Baseball might be the second favorite sport in town; she likes to think it is. But even despite that, she doesn't know what Graham likes besides baseball. Maybe, they will find common ground. And perhaps there's more to liking a guy than looks alone. She'll find out for sure in five days time.