Author's Note: Ok, this chapter's a little short, but it's a big turning point. Again, I'm so psyched that people like this story so much. I'm thinking this is about halfway! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Last I checked I still don't own anything...which is totally starting to suck.

Chapter 5: The Perfect Plan...foiled.

Ok, so he's here, and he's playing along, thank God. What was I so worried about? I mean, yes, it's a little awkward, but things are fine.

The brunch had gone smoothly, Julie noticed that Adam was keeping his distance, for which she was both grateful and resentful at the same time. Now they were all hanging out at the bar where Connie and her New York friends often spent their time. Suddenly, Connie's cell phone rang.

"Oh crap!" She said looking at it. "It's my boss, I'm so sorry guys! Hold on." She picked it up and left the table. "Hello?"

"Connie, hi, it's Nadine." She heard the cool voice on the other end.

"Hi Nadine, what's going on?" She said, gritting her teeth. The only thing she didn't love about her job was her demanding bitch of a boss.

"I have your story here, and Connie, I can't lie, it's horrible." Nadine sighed, "I need a rewrite."

"But Nadine, I have this week off. I'm getting married on Saturday, all my friends from…" Connie started.

"I don't care about your personal problems, Connie!" Nadine snapped. "Are you serious about writing?"

"Very serious." Connie panicked. "You know that but…"

"No buts," Nadine said sharply, "I need something else in two days. Nothing about high school girls sports, you obviously have no passion for it." Then she hung up. Connie walked back to the table to excuse herself.

"Hey babe," Alex said. "What's with the dragon lady?"

"She's scrapping my story; I have to start from scratch. I'm so sorry guys, I've got to go." She said gathering her things. "I have two days."

"But you took this week off!" Alex said, "She does know that right."

"Alex, I need this job, please understand that." Connie said. "Bye guys."

I hate her, I hate her, I hate her.

As Connie walked out the door, Guy walked over and took her seat next to Alex.

"So dude, I hear you hate hockey." Guy said. "What exactly don't you like about it?"

"Wow, um ok, I don't hate hockey," Alex tried to explain. "I'm just not much of a sports guy. I like the Yankees."

"Right." Guy smiled. "So, how long have two been together."

"About a year." Alex said.

"You hear that guys?" Guy said, "A year, and we only heard about him three months ago."

"Guy," Julie said. "Don't."

"You ever get worried man?" Guy said.

"What about?" Alex said, he was mostly confused but he was starting to feel hostile.

"You know that she'll do the same thing to you that she did to me." Guy laughed. Julie suddenly realized that he had probably had a few too many.

"And what did she do to you?" Alex said looking at him.

"You don't actually believe that best friends thing, do you man?" Guy said. "We were together for twelve years, practically our whole lives, and then she leaves, just leaves."

"Guy, come on man, stop it." Adam said, grabbing his shoulder.

"Shut up, cake eater." Guy said shaking him off. "Who's side are you on anyway? Always playing two sides right Banksie?"

"What are you talking about?" Alex said.

"You're just a replacement man." Guy laughed cruelly. "You were around when she realized what she wanted and I wasn't that's it." Alex got angry and punched him. Guy punched back. Suddenly everyone started shouting. Charlie realized that he had to stop it.

"Portman, Fulton!" He said.

"Yeah, we got it." Fulton said, they walked over and pulled them off each other. "Come on Guy, let's get you back to the hotel."

"Come on man!" Guy said. "I could take him."

"Yeah." Fulton said. "We don't want you to kill him. Let's go." They walked out. Alex went over and sat at the bar. Julie went after him.

"She lied." He said quietly.

"She thought it would be weird for you," Julie said, defending her friend. "She didn't think you'd want her ex boyfriend here."

"I don't care about that." He shook his head. "She said she had never had a serious relationship before."

"Oh," Julie stopped. She couldn't believe it, she really didn't know Connie any more.

"Twelve years?" Alex said. "Was it really that long?" Julie nodded.

"Yeah," She sighed, "From ten to twenty two."

"And what happened?" He asked.

"She left." Julie shrugged. "We all sort of moved on. But it broke his heart. He still loves her. But I wouldn't worry about her. I mean, did she ever tell you about any of us?"

"No," he said. "She always said that her life really started when she moved here."

"Wow," Julie said. "That stings a little."

"I'm sorry." Alex said. "I have to go. I have to talk to her."

"Listen Alex," Julie said stopping him. "Don't blame her ok? We do weird things to each other, the Ducks."

"Yeah." He sighed. "I guess so."