okay, so it may be unclear how old they are. I only just decided that myself... but they're twelve. And if you get confused with any part of the story, please don't hesitate to tell me. I already have the whole thing planned out in my head but its so conusing I just wanna get it down on paper before I lose it. Haha.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I do not own The Clique or Lisi Harrison, and neither does anyone on Fanfiction

That night Massie didn't come down for dinner.

"Massie must have already gone to sleep. Would you check for me?" Derrick's mom asked before she kissed his forehead and slipped through the office door.

He walked up the stairs and wasn't surprised to see that Massie's room was dark. But when he turned the handle, it was obvious she wasn't asleep. He cracked the door open and stuck his head in.

Massie was sitting on her bed, hugging her big pillow and staring at the dark monitor of her laptop in front of her. She didn't even hear Derrick come in.

"Why do loved ones always manage to hurt you the most?" She was talking more to herself than to Derrick, and he doubted she even realized he was there.

"They know you the best?" She looked up, and he was surprised to see her eyes red. She nodded slowly.

A single tear rolled down, but it brought more with it. She turned away from him, letting them flow freely as she sobbed noiselessly.

Her eyes turned haunting as she stared at Derrick without really seeing him. The tears rolled down her face, down to her chin, and fell onto the bed one by one.

"I'm going to visit my friend Claire. She lives in Florida," Massie whispered. Derrick sat on the edge of the bed and touched her shoulder.

"When do you leave?" he asked softly.

"Two weeks," she cried out. Burying her head in the pillow.

"I-" her voice was hoarse, and Derrick quickly shushed her.

"Shh. Just let it all out." She looked up into his eyes again, this time really seeing him. Then she nodded and shut her eyes again.

After a while she wiped away most of her tears and cleared her throat.

"You should go back to your room," she said gently. He glanced at the clock. It glared back at him a daunting twelve o'clock. "We have school tomorrow."

She made no mention of what had happened to her, and he chose to ignore it as well. If she wanted to tell him, she would.

He got off her bed gently and made his way to the door. When his hand was on the handle, he turned and said,

"G'night."

"G'night," she replied quietly, watching as he shut the door soundlessly.

When he was back in his room he was too confused to do anything but collapse on his bed. But then his mom came in, softly knocking.

"Derrick, are you still awake?"

"Yeah," he grumbled. She sat on the edge of his bed and even through his sleepy haze he could see trouble in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

"I just got a call from London. Ah… it seems that… it appears to be… apparently…um, I mean, they just found Massie's mom, dead. She… killed herself with overdose."

The news struck him hard, and it immediately explained Massie's behavior.

"W-why?"

Mrs. Harrington shook her head sadly. "No one knows."

"What-" Mrs. Harrington shushed him.

"Don't wake Massie. Let her have one more night of rest before her world collapses." But it already has, he thought silently. Even so, he nodded slowly, and she gave him a tired smile.

"Try to sleep, dear," she whispered before closing his door.

Half an hour later he still wasn't asleep. A timid knock snapped him out of his thoughts. He had thought everyone was asleep.

"Come in," he said quietly. Massie slipped in, still hugging the pillow.

"Hi," she greeted. "I'm sorry… I… couldn't sleep."

"Oh," he said, sitting up. "I…"

"I know you know," she smiled sadly. "I heard your mother."

"I'm sorry." Even as he said them he hated how hollow they sounded as countless others before him had.

"It's okay," she tentatively sat on the edge of his bed and he immediately made more room for her.

"Do you know anything else?"

"My father tried to contact me but I ignored him."

"Why?"

"He says he knows why mother… went away. It's all lies."

"But I thought they don't know yet-"He fell silent as she slowly shook her head.

"I know. My father…" she spat the words out with more emotion than he had ever heard from her. "He was cheating on her."

Now, Derrick didn't think Massie would lie, but he did think this wasn't true. Perhaps she saw that on his face, for she glared.

"I'm right. I know about Patricia."

"Patricia? Who's she?"

Massie took a deep breath to steady her voice. She had cried enough: now wasn't the time to be weak. There were always plenty of people for that.

"I saw her with my father in his office." She shut her eyes and let out a bitter laugh. "She was my dad's assisstant."

Then she opened them and smiled sadly at Derrick. At least she had a friend like him to lean on. She couldn't remember when they had become friends, but it was obvious they were now. Only friends would stay up the whole night for her.

The next morning she was gone before he woke up. He glanced at the clock and saw that he had only gotten about two hours of sleep.

"Is Massie going to school today?" he asked when he went downstairs. Mrs. Harrington looked up, surprised.

"Of course. Now, mind you," she whispered, pulling him close. "Be nice to her, alright? She's one of the strongest people I've ever met but…"

Derrick nodded. "I got it. Where is she?"

"Waiting outside, I think." Derrick grabbed his bag and headed out.

Massie was waiting on a nearby bench, watching as the leaves swirled down with a sad expression.

"You ready?" Massie asked tentatively as she smiled and stood up.

"Yeah."

They walked in silence until Massie cleared her throat and said,

"I want to thank you, Derrick, for being so kind to me. The news really shocked me and here… I don't have many people to rely on," she said, the last part coming out more quietly.

He stared at her, astonished. "I mean, what else was I supposed to do?" She blushed.

"I… I just mean that not many people would stay up the whole night just to keep me company. Thank you."

He shrugged, not wanting to show his smile. She saw that it there hiding anyway, and grinned to herself.

Throughout the day Massie carefully avoided everyone, not even trying to raise her hand or talk to anyone. No one knew except Derrick, of course, but she didn't want to talk to anyone anyway.

Derrick noticed this, but also noticed something else. Sometimes she would be sitting there, frozen with her eyes glued to the floor, staring but not seeing. Then she would snap out of it and once or twice he saw her nonchalantly brush a tear off her face.

Cam stopped Derrick on their way to lunch and told him to walk with him.

"So what's with that Massie?" he asked as the hallways cleared out, leaving them relatively alone. Derrick tried to shrug.

"Hey, who knows?" Cam laughed, but he was distracted, Derrick could tell.

"Dude, what's up?"

"Do you think Massie likes me?" Cam looked at Derrick with an expression that he had never seen before.

"Honestly, I think she likes everyone she meets-"

"Not like that," Cam snapped. "I'm going to ask her out."

"That's awesome!" Derrick said, patting him on the back.

Secretly, he didn't think Massie would say yes, but she surprised everyone by doing just that.

"Massie's leaving in a week," Derrick told Kristen as they stood in the lunch line. She gasped.

"What? But she just got here!"

Derrick nodded sadly.

"She's going to Florida for who knows how long. Didn't she say anything?"

"No, me and Dylan never suspected anything," Kristen replied, a little angry. She had thought she and Massie were good friends. Apparently, not. Dylan came up, smiling.

"What's up, guys?" The two turned.

"Isn't Massie with you?" Kristen demanded. Dylan shook her head.

"You'd better go find her," Derrick said. "She's going through a rough time."

Dylan and Kristen marched through the cafeteria, with no luck. They were just about to give up when they passed by Olivia and Kori.

"-I heard her crying in the bathroom, what a freak!"

Kristen and Dylan looked at eachother before sprinting to the bathroom.

"Massie?" Dylan knocked softly on the only locked stall. "Mass, if you're there, say something."

"Hey, Dyl," Massie whispered back.

"You okay, honey?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah," Massie replied thickly, obviously trying to stop her tears.

"You're leaving?" Kristen demanded, forgetting to be gentle. It took a second, but Massie opened the door and stepped out, not surprised to see her two friends.

"Yes."

"Why?" Dylan and Kristen exclaimed simultaneously.

"Because," Massie's voice was regaining its normal tone as she checked her face in the mirror. "I have to stay there until the judge decides who I can belong to." Massie's words didn't match up to the tone in which they were said.

"What?"

"My mother died last week," she whispered quietly. "I…"

Kristen felt horrible for being even a little angry at her and quickly hugged her, Dylan doing the same.

"Oh my gawd," Dylan whisper- exclaimed. "I'm so sorry."

"How are you doing?" Kristen asked, concerned.

"I'm alright," Massie assured them half- heartedly. "But I don't think I'm up for Skye's party tonight."

"Of course not. How about we have a sleepover instead?"

"Thank you," she smiled. "But I can't. Derrick invited me to see a movie with him and Cam and two other guys, I forget their names."

"Oh, you must mean Kemp and Plovert."

"You know them?"

"I mean yeah," Dylan blushed.

"Then come along with us! It would be so much nicer not to be the only girl there."

"Awesome!" Kristen smiled.

After the movie Massie hung back with Cam. He knew what was going to happen- he was expecting it. Childish relationships never ended well.

"Cam, I think we should break up."

Cam nodded in understanding.

"You're right. To be honest, it never meant anything to me."

"I know. And who knows when I'll be back?"

Cam smiled, glad there was no drama to deal with.

"I know the friend thing never works out, but wanna try?"

"You've got a deal, Cam."

When they walked out Derrick walked beside Massie.

"What happened?" he asked curiously, noticing how Cam easily drifted away to Kemp and Chris.

"We broke up," Massie replied.

Derrick nodded. Then he glanced at the other five. Dylan was laughing with Kemp, while Chris was trying to strike up a conversation with Kristen but failing. Finally, he gave up, turning to Cam, who in turn started to make fun of his efforts.

Derrick and Massie glanced at eachother before laughing out loud.

Derrick and Massie stood in front of the airport entrance as his parents wandered off, leabing the two to their goodbye.

"Thanks for being like a brother," Massie smiled. Derrick smirked at her.

"Thanks for being a sister," he copied. Massie laughed and shook her head.

"No I'm serious," she insisted. "I'll be sure to Skype you, Kristen, and Dylan when I get there." She glanced at her watch and took a deep breath.

"My dad told me he wants to visit."

"That cheating, lying-" Massie shook her head.

"Don't. I can't forgive him after what he's done, but I can't find it in myself to hate him, either." She laughed at herself. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing," Derrick assured her. "He's your dad." Massie nodded, glancing at her watch again.

"It's time I go in."

Derrick held out his arms for a hug and she complied, dropping her suitcases and shutting her eyes.

"I'll miss all of you so much!" she whispered as she pulled away.

"We'll miss you."

Sighing, she picked up her bags and waved once more before disappearing into the security checking line.

Long after she was out of sight, Derrick raised his hand and waved sadly.

END OF THE TWEEN YEARS(Pt. I)

poor massie! and she was right about her dad, by the way. And the next chapter will be six years later, when the real drama unfolds...