Author's note: First of all, I am completely surprised by the warm reception! A lot has happened in my life which prevented me from writing, but reading your reviews have rekindled my desire to write! Let me know if you have any ideas or questions. Hope you enjoy!

Sakura is unable to explain the warm, tingly feeling in her stomach as she and MJ walk up to the house. The music only seems to get louder with every step. Ahead of them, she can recognize Betty Brant chattering excitedly ("Do you think Spider-Man's gonna show up!?") to Liz who flicks her eyes to the newcomers and smiles.

She waves feebly to the senior before MJ drags her to the kitchen. Her curls disappear behind the refrigerator door. "You want anything?"

"No thank you," Sakura declines. She rubs her arms while looking around. In the distance, a crash can be heard followed immediately by laughter. "So… This is a party."

She sees Flash bobbing his head to the music and fiddling with the controls. The stream of partygoers don't seem to be decreasing. Alcohol is passed around.

"Don't see what the fuss is about, if you ask me," MJ tells her. She rinses an apple and bites into, looking behind the shorter girl. "Look who's here."

Sakura whips her head around. She first sees Ned and his hat, then she sees Peter. The butterflies return full force. "H-Hey!" Her voice squeaks.

"Can't believe you guys are at this lame party," drones MJ.

Peter locks eyes with Sakura, both of them struck frozen for some reason. The spell is broken when Peter cracks a smile at her, which she returns.

Ned looks at MJ, bemused. "You're here too."

MJ raises an eyebrow. "Am I?" She says mysteriously, then leaves with a crunch of an apple.

Sakura doesn't want to leave yet. She wants to stay. Here. With him. But a voice calls out to the two boys and she feels her feet carry her next to MJ.

Sighing, she follows her friend to the couch. "You're right, this is a lame party."

MJ bumps her shoulder with Sakura's as comfort. "Just talk to him. Please. I cannot stand another day with you guys gazing longingly after each other."

"I don't gaze after him!" Sakura denies, her ears resembling tomatoes. Her eyes dart after the brown-haired boy for a second, but he's too busy talking to Liz to notice. "Besides, he keeps on avoiding me."

They both wince when Flash starts taunting Peter. They watch as the latter eventually leaves.

"Well this has been a complete waste of my time," MJ mumbles.

Sakura thinks the same silently, but outwardly flashes her friend a smile. "The night is young, MJ." She dashes off to the kitchen.

MJ furrows her eyebrows as the half-Japanese girl hands her a red solo cup filled with alcohol. "This is so unlike you. Are you okay?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Sakura tilts her head back and drinks it all in one gulp. She beams at MJ. "See? I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

MJ begins to say something ("Wha-") but then Sakura snatches her cup and gulps it down as well. She regards her friend with curious eyes. Already, the short girl is back with more alcohol - only this time she brought a whole bottle. MJ's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "Woah, Saku-"

"Relax, would you?" Sakura pours herself another cup. "I honestly don't feel tipsy."

"Sakura, don't be a dumbass over some boy! This is the first time you've ever drank, and your parents would kill you if you go home like this."

Sakura blinks. "Really?" Was it really the first time she drank alcohol? Her brain says no, but the vomit that bursts from her mouth says yes. Luckily, she manages to grab a vase. She pities the poor soul who would have to clean it up.

"Can we go already?" MJ sighs, but dutifully helps Sakura pull her hair back.

Words get stuck in Sakura's throat as she is hit with a memory of a large-bosomed blonde woman, a girl with short raven locks, and her (with pink hair!) toasting glasses and chugging bottle after bottle. Her stomach makes a gurgling noise as she stands to her feet.

"I think I just remembered something…"

But that can't be a memory. Because Sakura doesn't have pink hair. Nor does she have toned arms, or calloused hands, or muscled thighs. That vision of her could only be fake. Something her mind made up while she was in a coma.

"Nevermind, it's nothing."

MJ hoists one of Sakura's arms over her shoulder and together they start walking to the door. They pass by Flash who was starting a chant with their classmates. "When I say Penis, you say Parker!"

Sakura finds herself shouting to him as MJ drags her away, "Hey, have you ever noticed how your initials are literally E.T.? That explains so much, really."

Flash splutters behind them. On the way, they pass Ned who was talking to someone on the phone. "Ooh is that Peter?"

"Yes," Ned says in surprise, "Wait, no-"

Sakura grabs the phone and presses it to her face, "Heeey, Pete! Where are youu?"

"Sakura? Are you-are you drunk?"

"No, I'm not even tipsy I promise!" She hiccups. "I miss you Peteyy."

"I-I-"

Sakura feels the urge to vomit once again. She grabs around blindly for a container. When she's finished, she realizes that she puked on Ned's hat. "Oh… I'm so so sorry, Ned."

MJ lets out an aggravated sigh. Ned looks like someone kicked his puppy. "It's alright, Sak."

"I'll buy you a new one," she tells him. "Maybe even two. Or five. Or ten! You could share them with Peter."

Ned shakes his head, sharing a look with MJ. "It's really fine. You guys take care."

"Bye Neeed." Sakura giggles as MJ pulls her away.

They walk home together, having been neighbors since Sakura moved last year. But Sakura doesn't remember that, MJ thinks with a frown. She keeps an eye on the drunk ("I'm not even hic tipsy!") girl as they near their homes.

It had only been an hour into the party when Sakura got drunk, so thankfully her parents wouldn't be home yet. MJ reaches for the keys on Sakura's back pocket. The latter giggles and says in a whisper, "That's tickley."

Once the door is unlocked, MJ drags her friend inside. They quietly creep past Daiki's room where zombie screams can be heard. The curly-haired girl sighs as they finally enter Sakura's room.

Sakura jumps on her bed. She bursts into tears. MJ feels a mixture of exasperation and a migraine coming together.

"It hurts, MJ," cries Sakura. "My head is constantly in pain. I can't distinguish between what's real and what's not. My mind tells me that we used to have movie nights every Friday night, although it doesn't tell me why we don't do that anymore. It also tells me that animals can talk and that I don't have a brother. It's like I have two completely different sets of memories!"

Sakura directs her swollen-eyed stare to MJ, who fidgets. "And you guys won't tell me what really happened the day I got into an accident. It's always some vague bullshit."

MJ sits down beside her. "I'm sorry. We're just trying not to overload you with it," she explains, "especially since you're already cramming tons of schoolwork information inside your brain."

"Why does Peter avoid me?"

MJ looks at her with uncertainty. "I think he feels guilty."

"Why?"

"The day you got into the accident… You were supposed to meet with Peter for a project but he didn't show up. Apparently he was away on his internship and forgot to tell you to reschedule. Before you could leave, the cafe you were in was being robbed. You were so stupidly brave." MJ's voice wavers in a brief moment of emotion. "You stood up when the robber pointed his gun at an old man. The robber pushed you back."

As MJ was saying this, Sakura sat quiet, listening. Her mind conjured hazy images as MJ went on.

"You hit your head pretty bad."

"Oh," says Sakura.

"When Peter got back, he visited you everyday. He talked to you while you were… asleep."

"Why won't he talk to me now?" Sakura asks. "It looks like he wants to, but at the same time like he doesn't."

"I don't know, Sak. Maybe you gotta make the first move."

They stare out her window, where the stars wink at them. Sakura presses a hand to her head. Neither of them notices the weak greenish glow it emits.

The next morning, Sakura waits near Ned's locker to apologize. She's been kicking herself mentally since she woke up.

"Hey."

Sakura jumps. Wide green eyes connect with shy brown ones. "Peter!"

"Uh, Ned told me you got pretty drunk last night," Peter says. "I didn't even know you drank."

Sakura nods her head jerkily. "Yeah, yeah, no. It was a mistake. I thought I could handle it."

"Yeah…"

They were silent for a moment.

"I'm sorry!" "Wanna hang out?" They say at the same time.

Sakura blinks, tilting her head. "Sorry for what?"

"Just… everything," Peter whispers. "I know we haven't been as close as we were before… you know."

Sakura shrugs her shoulders as her fingers fiddle with the hem of her shirt. "That's the thing, though. I didn't know how close we were before, because you won't talk to me or help me remember."

"That's true," the brown-haired boy admits. He can't look her in the eyes. Then he shifts his gaze up and suddenly they're locked in a spell once again. He can't help but note that her eyes looked greener than the last time he saw her. He clears his throat. "How have you been?"

"Fine." Sakura can't find another word for it. "I guess."

"Let me make it up to you." Peter looks at her hopefully, fingers tight around the straps of his backpack. He feels nervous when she doesn't reply. Tentatively, he lowers his left hand to touch her right hand. He doesn't understand why he's doing this, but he intertwines their fingers together.

An image of them shoulder to shoulder as they watch a movie in his room with Ned and MJ flashes quickly in her mind.

Sakura opens her mouth in quiet surprise. She slowly brushes her thumb with his. "Okay."

A smile stretches Peter's face, which Sakura reciprocates. They hastily let go of each other's hands when they hear Ned call for them in the distance.

"I'll call you tonight," Peter promises.

Sakura beams at him. "Can't wait."

He didn't call her. She chucks an eraser to the wall.

Sighing, Sakura returns to her notes, deciding to study for nationals instead. They would be going to Washington, D.C. the following day. She had a good grasp on all of the subjects, but it never hurts to review.

She doesn't see the crack where she threw the eraser.