For anyone interested, the only couple I know that will be together at the end of this story, Matt Sumter (Backpack Boy) and Claire. Everyone else is still in the works.

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Moze was very glad she wasn't rooming with Suzie or their fight would've likely started again before the class left for the picnic.

"Jennifer, Missy asked me to invite you to sit at our table tonight," Tracy stood next to Moze as both girls checked their hair in the mirror.

"Oh, sure, I'll sit with you guys." Tracy dialed Missy's number on her cell. The blonde girl sounded happy that Moze would be joining them, surprising two of her roommates with the news.

The bus ride wasn't quite as tense as before since Lisa joined Cookie across from Ned and Suzie, but the actual couple still wasn't talking.

Moze joined Missy, Stacy, and Tracy on the other bus.

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"Okay everyone, we have a variety of sandwich boxes you can choose from. Bottled juice or water is in the coolers," Mrs. Wolff gave instructions for the students to get their supper. Twenty tables sat under a very large shelter, nearby a large fire-pit was surrounded by many log benches.

Cookie along with Lisa, Matt (Backpack Boy), Martin, Claire, and Jeff all gathered at a table away from Ned and Suzie, the couple seemed to be in the midst of a fight. Cookie gave a confused wave to Moze as he noticed her sitting with Missy and the Oboe twins.

"I'm glad we're outside tonight, that museum was awful," Matt laced his fingers with Claire's. "At least we were in the same group," Claire responded laying her head on his shoulder.

"Why isn't Moze sitting with us?" Coconut Head glanced to the table Cookie waved to.

"My guess is that she just wanted to avoid Ned and Suzie, kind of like the rest of us," Cookie glanced to the rest of the table. An awkward silence followed.

"True, but she and Suzie were giving each other pretty harsh glares on the elevator, I thought they were friends," Claire looked to Lisa who hadn't spoken of that afternoon's battle to anyone.

The petite brunette only smiled as the rest of the table followed Claire's gaze.

"Um, let's just say there was a very heated discussion earlier today. It doesn't look like either girl has calmed down yet."

"Alright I now have another reason to avoid Ned and Suzie; would you like to hang out tonight, Lisa?" Cookie held out his hand to escort Lisa to another part of the school's camp site. "Simon, why don't we go for a walk?" Lisa took Cookie's hand as the pair strode toward some trees.

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"Alright Moseley, spill, you've looked at their table like twelve times in the past three minutes," Missy wasn't exactly an A-average student, but when it came to middle school romance, she was well-studied.

"If I'd known you were going to interrogate me I would've sat with someone else," Moze glared back at the brown-eyed blonde. Missy's obsession with Ned had finally taken its course and she was looking for a new obsession, and some new gossip.

"Look, I'm trying to be a better person, plus I know you like him. I think he's the only one that doesn't know," Moze sighed, Missy was absolutely right.

Wait that must be why Suzie blew up at me. When did she figure it out though? I didn't even start to feel anything until like maybe a few weeks ago, okay so maybe I starting noticing that I felt different around him since last summer, but nothing was really there till a few weeks ago.

"I gotta go," Moze stood from the table collecting her trash. After tossing it in a nearby trash can, she took a spot around the fire-pit as the sun began to set.

"Ned, do you honestly think I'll buy that 'we're just friends' line anymore. I want to know what's really going on," Suzie did her best to keep her voice low enough so that only Ned would hear her.

"I don't understand why you don't believe me. I'm going out with you, not Moze," Ned tried to hold Suzie's hand; she recoiled wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm constantly competing with her though. You kept saying 'Moze would have said...' or 'Moze would've loved this," clearing his throat, Ned focused intently at the table.

"You heard me every time I'd say something like that?" Suzie nodded. I really need to work on keeping my thoughts in my head, wait she didn't hear that right, good she doesn't seem to have.

"Ned, I need you prove to me that you care about me more than Jennifer," Ned glanced up from the table; Suzie was now reaching for his hand.

"How would I do that?" he lightly gripped her hand. "You break your friendship with her, you could say goodbye to her first, but that's the only way I can truly believe you."

"What?!" the entire class looked at Ned as he had jumped from his seat. "Ned, we don't need to involve the rest of the class," Suzie motioned that he control his voice.

Ned leaned on the table and looked Suzie directly in the eye."Suzie, I really like you, but you want me to give up my life-long friendship because you feel threatened. You hurt me pretty bad when you moved, Moze was there for me, how often have you?" Suzie was speechless, but with Ned so close she felt like just kissing him so he'd stop talking.

When she was about to do just that, he pulled back burying his hands in his pockets. "I-Moze has been my friend for so long; I don't know that I can give up everything to be with you. I'm going for a walk," Ned started off into the nearby trees, escaping the view of any of the teachers or chaperones.

I should have known; he'll never pick me over Jennifer. Why didn't I try to find a way to stay in Raisburg, or just not come back? I could go for a walk right now too.

Ned reached a clearing in the trees after a few minutes, he also found about ten other students who had wandered away from the site unnoticed, among them were Cookie and Lisa.

"Hi guys, enjoying the picnic?" Ned's tone was a very sarcastic happy. Cookie still smiled with his response. "Yeah, we're having an awesome time, how's it going for you?" Ned shrugged.

"I've had better days, but anything's better than the museum," the tall African-American boy gave his friend a pat on the shoulder. "Hey, we can play video games or something later, help you get back to 'happy Ned," Ned laughed. "Thanks Cookie," Ned was glad he could actually talk to Cookie without Suzie around. "Anything exciting happening between you two?" Ned lightly elbowed Cookie in the stomach.

"Well, Simon will be my date to the dance tomorrow night, right?" Lisa took hold of Cookie's hand. "Of course, I'd be honored to be your date, Lisa," the two smiled at each other and started walking back to the fire-pit. "See ya later Ned," Cookie called to his friend. "Yeah, see ya...he can't hear me anyway," Ned spoke to himself stepping farther away from the trees.

"Shouldn't you be making up with Suzie?" Moze had left her spot at the fire-pit once she saw Ned leave unaccompanied. "Hey, I haven't talked to you much this week… I miss that," Moze blushed standing beside Ned."I've missed talking to you too, but we can talk right now can't we?" Ned smiled as he looked at Moze; she noticed he had been blushing as well.

"Sure we can talk right now, so, anything exciting happen with you?"

"Not really, what about you?" Ned shook his head. Moze laughed, "Well, this is a great conversation." Ned laughed too still smiling as his blue eyes locked with her brown eyes. He stepped a little closer to her. Ned wanted more than anything just to forget about Suzie and kiss Moze; Mr. Sweeney's voice interrupted his plans though.

"Students, we need you all to gather around the fire-pit, we'll be counting heads, so no one is allowed to sit this out," Ned groaned as Moze headed back through the trees. She motioned for him to follow.

Yet again Sweeney is my least favorite teacher. If only he'd waited like another seven seconds to talk, I could've kissed her and, well I can't think of anything else I would've done.

Moze was somewhat thankful that Ned didn't immediately follow her, she ran her fingers through her long brown hair. Why can't I just forget about him? Ugh, he had to step closer to me, I can barely handle being like five feet from him let alone five inches. You can make it through this Moseley, somehow.

Moze made her way to the fire-pit as Ned finally came through the trees. He reluctantly sat down on a bench beside Cookie. Suzie looked like she was in torture as she sat beside Missy and the Oboe twins. Moze was on the other side of Lisa who was next to Cookie.

"Now, I'd like to tell you all what we have planned for tomorrow, but first I'd like to thank you all for having good behavior in the museum, even though I understand many of you didn't find it very interesting," Sweeney glanced around the circle seeming to eye Ned a little longer than anyone.

"Tomorrow we will be visiting the University of Iowa where we will be viewing a demonstration by a young man and his lab partners who must perform a demonstration as well as write a thesis in order to graduate. I haven't been given complete details, but the dean guarantees an amazing experience."

By the time Sweeney finished explaining the next day's events, the sun had set. The teachers and chaperones began a fire and asked who wanted s'mores, nearly everyone raised their hands. The fire roared for about two hours before the students had to return to the hotel.

When they finally made it back to the hotel it was 10:30. "Okay everyone, you will not be required to be in your rooms until 11:45, your sound curfew is midnight. Get plenty of sleep or you won't enjoy tomorrow, believe me," Vice Principal Crubbs announced as the students stepped off the buses.

Cookie and Lisa went to a lounge room the school had reserved, Ned followed. He found that Seth, Evelyn, Mike, Missy, Loomer, Suzie, and Moze were also in the room. "Let's play a game," Evelyn announced. Everyone just sort of quietly agreed, Evelyn was not a person you wanted to make mad. "What game are we going to play though?" Loomer glanced around the room, but no one had an answer.

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Okay, at this point, Ned doesn't want to choose between Suzie and Moze; he does still somewhat like them both. If you don't know who Mike is, he's the dark-haired jock from season 3 mostly, the one who actually talks on occasion. Please review!