----- You guys are so funny and so nice! Thanks for the reviews – I know I've probably said that, like, in every chapter but it's true. I really appreciate them! Annnnnd here's the next chapter! -----

"Ahmagawd guess what?" Kendra stands in front of my doorway in skinny jeans, a white tank top, and a Hollister sweater she got last week. I look up from where I'm sitting at my desk, studying for a science test. "Zac and Vanessa broke up." I say carelessly and go back to my books.

Kendra scoffs, "As if." Right. Because if they actually had broken up, her and her friends would hold a powwow and declare code red until ten minutes later when 'Zanessa' made up.

"Kenny, beat it." I mutter. "Do you not want to hear my, like, uber-important news?" Kendra gasps theatrically. "Would this news be in the gossip column?" I roll my eyes. Kendra takes this as an invitation to come sit down on my bed. "You know that book you heart times twenty?" she inquires. Heart times twenty? What the…Kendra notes my confusion, "The one you're, like, flippin' obsessed with?" she prompts.

Right. Twilight. Heart times twenty must translate into love. "Sure." I agree. "With the vampires!" Kendra squeals. What the fuck has gotten into her? "Yes Kendra! Twilight! Why do you care???" I yell.

Kendra stretches her hands out in front of her and examines her navy blue nails. "Do you think I should change the colour?" she asks, coming over to me and waving her fingers in front of my face. "I think you shouldn't change the subject. Kenny, why do you want to know about Twilight?"

She smiles a, 'Once more someone's interested in me!' smile, and I regret questioning her. Next thing I know she's dabbing her eyes and clutching her hands to her heart and being melodramatic – the story of her life.

"I broke it off with Scotty and now am in love with Bill only he likes Cassandra who is reading Twilight and so since I can't see any other reason for him to like her I must read Twilight too!" she nods like a broken bobble-head. "Maybe he just likes Cassandra because she's nice," I suggest, recalling Cassandra from Kendra's birthday parties.

Kendra gasps as if she takes offence to what I've just said, "Cassandra is a spiteful bitch!" she proclaims. "Kenny!" I shouldn't be so shocked to hear my sister swear – I mean, she has before. But I guess it's just the way she says it. Especially since Cassandra and Kendra have been friends since they were three – on and off friends, but mostly because as they grew older Cassandra chose to get A's on tests while Kendra chose A-list clothes instead.

"Look, Kendra, I have my own problems right now. So can you just take the book and leave?" I lean over and snatch Twilight off my bookshelf. I don't really feel that smart giving it to her – I'll probably never see it again, and if I do, it'll have pizza stains on it. But with Kennedy joining the dark side, I'd rather not add failing science to my so-far-horrible grade nine year and I just want Kendra gone.

"Ooh what what what?" she bubbles. "Nothing." I say through gritted teeth. "Is it to do with…with…Max?" She grins in a take that evil sort of way. "WHAT?!?!" I screech, "That's it Kenny. Get. Out. Now!"

"No no wait! I'm sorry, it's just, my friends and I saw you with him. And then I was like, 'Is my sister with a guy?' and then Jenna was like, 'Hell yes!' and then I was all, 'First time for everything I guess!' and then Sari goes, 'He lives on our street. His name is Max. My sister is gaga for him!' and then we were all, 'Uh-oh, drama!' and then Sari flipped open her cell and called her sister…" Kendra shrugs.

I glare at her. Kennedy has one sister. Sari. It's always been more than a little awkward, because for whatever reason the Powl family likes Kendra a hell of a lot better than me, despite the fact that Kennedy and Sari hardly ever talk to one another. But that's the reason Kennedy showed up. Because Sari called her – it wasn't just coincidence.

"Kendra, Kennedy is so mad at me now, you know that? She's gone off with Melissa." I hiss. "Melissa Trellis!" Kendra squeals, so self-obsessed that she couldn't care less about my plight, "Her brother Brody is sooo hot!"

"Great. So give me back my book and date him –" "Uh, hello, I already have!" She laughs as if I'm an idiot and skips out of my room finally. I slam the door on her.

God damn perfect princess!

***

In the days that follow, Kennedy just become worse and worse. She finally does talk to me in gym class – to point out that my shoes are hideous and I am in dire need of a new haircut.

"Wait!" I call when she's walking away, finished harassing me. "You found that note, didn't you?"

Kennedy smirks along with Ella and Kim. "You don't mean this note, do you?" Ella giggles, pulling a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket. And that's exactly the note I'm looking for. "Look, Ken, I don't know what it says on it – I never got to read it! Ms. Dumphrey caught us…" I try to explain but it was a mistake to use, 'Us'. "Forget you," Kim sneers, and the three of them trot off.

In Geography, Melissa has the nerve to ask if she can borrow a pencil. I smile sweetly and pull out a stub from last year. It's the size of my finger from being sharpened so much and has bite marks all over it.

"Ugh. That's the best you've got?" Melissa crinkles her nose. I want to remind her she stole my best-friends – but then she adds, "Generosity is so 2003!"

I think back to what Kennedy said when she got mad. Max is so 2003. This is just too much. "You're even using Kennedy's expressions now?!" I yelp. Max looks at me a bit oddly, "Just let it drop, Niomi." He mumbles. But I can't. Melissa finds this whole charade hilariously funny, "The 2003 thing? Please! That's a Melissa Trellis original." She brags, "Everything my friends say I thought up."

But that means…that means Kennedy was already planning to ditch me for Melissa. I just don't get it. Sure she was angry but I mean…I only gave her a day to get mad. She must have been hanging around Melissa much before that and…and…why?

***

I'm walking with Max. Not in any particular direction, but just walking. Even though Kennedy's upset at me, Max isn't. Thankfully.

"You know what you should do?" Max says. "What?" I question. "You should write Kennedy a letter. Maybe then she won't be so angry." He suggests. I just shrug. "Max, can I ask you something?" I inquire. "Yeah, anything." He replies. "Alright then. Can, um, can you read minds?" I want to know.

He smiles, "Nah." Which is weird then, because I swear that he's read my mind more than once.