I would like to recognize peachie1st for his marvelous beta-work. It is because of him I was finally able to update. We have one more installment after this. And now that I have a terrific beta, there is only one thing I need to update ASAP... Feedback. I definitely hope this chapter elicts a response from you.

Of Like Mind

I hit the pressroom light switch after I entered, gently closing the door behind me. Out the window I watched evening fall, taking a moment to celebrate in the day's end. Time stalled on several occasions today, when my thoughts were dawdling on the previous night, on Lola and Chase.

I'd had study hall with Lola this morning, and she was unquestionably evasive. Stacey Dillson had leaned over our table to confirm whether Lola had gotten back together with Vince. When Lola didn't comment, Stacey leaned closer to ask again. Her backpack slid from her lap, and hundreds of cotton swabs spilled all over the floor. Stacey began to cry at the mess and by the time I'd finished helping her collect up every last swab, Lola had departed.

Chase and I shared an after-lunch History class. We sat together as usual, engaging in many rounds of tic-tac-toe, although neither of us spoke. I felt as disheveled as he looked, and in a silent accord we agreed not to ask the other what was wrong.

The rest of the day seemed to wear on at a painfully slow speed. During gym I had to bite my lip to keep from snapping at the coach when she insisted I hadn't run all 10 laps, although I doubted she could count that high. I had to run 3 laps more than everyone else, and as a result of finishing last was instructed to clean up all the equipment the sophomores had left out.

I skipped dinner to retreat to the pressroom, where I knew I could bury myself in work and forget the problems tugging at my heart. It was Sunday night, which meant I had to go over the weekly issue for the next morning.

My staff had left the newsroom door open, knowing their president well enough to anticipate a visit that evening. I threw my knapsack onto a nearby table and plopped onto a swivel-chair in front of the computer. The next day's articles were open on the screen, still and awaiting my approval. I willingly pushed my troubles aside to become lost in their words…

After some time I blinked, taking a conscious breath and pulling my gaze away from the screen. After reviewing the editorials and editing bits here and there, I was satisfied with everything presented, however unsettled by something not present. Rebecca Browning's submission for her advice column was missing. She'd probably forgotten to turn it in.

I had to call her… except I didn't have her phone number. Grr.

Frowning, I began to surf through the 'contacts' list on my phone, hoping to find someone who was close to Rebecca. I almost reached the M's when the newsroom door opened. In walked the 5'6 brunette, adorning a baby-blue "Vegas" top and a jean-skirt that covered half her thighs. "I knew I'd find you here. Having fun pointing out all our mistakes, Zoey?"

I held back the retort that hovered on my lips, instead stating coolly, "Your article is missing."

Rebecca held up a translucent CD case. "That's because it's right here." She tossed the case onto the table next to me, not bestowing me with a glance as she began walking around in her overly sultry manner.

Refusing to appear offended or annoyed by her company, I slipped the data disk into the computer and prepared to go over her article. The file barely had time to load before her arrogant voice rang again. "So, how does it feel? Once again you've retained your hold on Chase. You have this down to an art now, don't you?"

Don't do it. Don't listen to her. Ignore her and she'll leave.

"Of course, it was probably less of a challenge this time, since your little friend wouldn't dare make a move without darling Zoey's permission. Poor thing probably didn't know she had a better chance of finding a needle in a haystack than receiving your blessing. I wonder how she planned on telling you about her little crush…"

Rebecca's voice escalated an octave as she mimicked Lola. "Hey Zo. Guess what? I'm in love with your ex-boyfriend! I hope that's okay with you, because I've really enjoyed going on secret dates, learning French from him, teaching him yoga-"

"Stop it!" It was so hard to dismiss her remarks, especially when she was breeching on such a sensitive subject with such malicious insight.

Rebecca leaned against the desk beside me, no concern for my personal space or the negative aura I was giving off. She glared down at me with that 'holier than thou' smirk I despised her for. "Uh-oh, have I pressed someone's buttons?"

"You have no right to dictate about my life. You don't know anything about this."

"I'm just looking out for you… You stole Chase from me, and now you steal him from someone else. Theft is a felony, you know."

I turned to face her, not giving her the satisfaction of cowering from her glare. "I didn't steal Chase from anyone. He wanted to break up with you, and…" I couldn't think of what to say regarding Lola.

"And what? And you think he's better off without me?"

"Well yeah, but that wasn't what I was-"

"You just can't help hogging Chase all for yourself, can you? You always have, even before you started dating him."

"Why don't I deserve to be with Chase?" I snapped vehemently, hoping to catch her off guard. But she remained perfectly calm. Rebecca always seemed prepared for anything.

"Because he could be happier with someone else." Her snipe was cold and unhesitant. "And if you really loved him, you would see that, even though he doesn't."

She continued, unconcerned with my lack of response. "Chase is so blind when it comes to anyone's feelings. He didn't even realize I liked him until I kissed him, and that was a whole month after we started hanging out. He is so absorbed with his own emotions that he is oblivious to what others are thinking."

I unintentionally nodded. I meant to say something, and I really tried, but Rebecca looked so resolute that I had no fervor to interrupt.

"Haven't you ever noticed how Chase hates change?" Her question was more of a statement than an inquiry. "He likes knowing what's going to happen to him. He wants everything to be nice and neat, no complications. He once told me that the day he met you he predicted he would spend the rest of his life with you." I felt my face grow hot, disconcerted by how much Chase had revealed to his ex-girlfriend. "He became so revolved around you that… yeah, he became obsessed. Maybe he was in love with you, whatever… that is, until he met me." She didn't bat an eyelash when she added the boast in afterthought.

"I showed him what is what like to have someone reciprocate your feelings. I showed him that it was okay to admit what he felt. I made him feel special, and I can't tell you how happy I was at the end of the summer when he told me he didn't think he loved you anymore."

Despite myself, I twitched uncomfortably.

"Of course I didn't believe him. Especially after I arrived at PCA and you walked in on us. Oh, in that moment I just knew the entire summer I'd spent with Chase meant nothing. This was your territory, and I had no power over Chase here. Of course, I tried to keep him. I tried to distance you from him. Yet, simple-minded, nice and neat Chase Matthews didn't want any complications to his 'love Zoey for eternity' plan. And so came the end of me."

She was doing such a good job of hurting me. Though honestly I didn't believe that was her intention anymore. Rebecca spoke with sincerity too deep to be fabricated, and what was worse: the longer her words had time to seep in, the less ridiculous they sounded.

The hostile brunette broke eye contact, looking to the opposite wall in a foggy gaze.

"I finally figured it out, you know. It's not you he loves anymore or… unfortunately… me. It's love. Chase Matthews loves being in love. It fuels him. I think he was so used to being in love with you that he never considered falling out of it. It was as natural to him as breathing. Love usually is…

"When you two broke up, after you made it clear to him you didn't love him or you were too busy for him or whatnot, you broke your spell over him. And now he's finally free…" Suddenly her cold tone vanished, and a new emotion- dare I say distress? - peaked in her voice. "You just couldn't have let him go two years earlier, could you? I could have been the one who made him happiest."

I truly doubted that, but made no effort to say so. My heart wasn't intent on inflicting more pain.

"Now I'm not the only person Chase can't be with because of you."

Looking down at my lap, I rubbed my thumb over the opposite palm while I tried processing her words. Whenever I talked with Rebecca, I always had to prepare my words to attack or insult her. But this time, without the desire to hurt her, speaking the truth was all I could do. "I didn't mean to do this to Lola."

I felt a small portion of my heart lighten. How good it felt to vent, even to someone I detested as much as Rebecca. "I don't want to make her upset. She's my best friend. I love her like a sister, and I would be supportive of any relationship she had… just not this one."

I waited for the piercing sound of Rebecca's voice to ring as she mocked my admission, but she remained silent, her focus falling to the ground but her body turned at me to suggest she was still listening.

"Why did she have to choose Chase? Why couldn't she stay away from the one guy I ever loved? She could have had anyone! She dated more guys than I have fingers and toes, and she never once told me she felt anything more for Chase than friendship."

Rebecca looked up, her face scrunched together in confusion. "Someone told me they dated for like a week in freshman year."

"Well yeah, but that wasn't anything. Lola said they didn't click…"

"Huh, you mean he didn't click."

I shook my head. "She never mentioned it again. It was just a crush. I didn't even consider that she still had feelings for him after that."

Rebecca sighed before she spoke. "In my experience, feelings don't die. They just remain dormant until something brings them out again. Usually we can suppress our feelings and keep them under tabs. It's the ones we can't control that we have to worry about."

She astounded me. "How do you know so much about all this," I couldn't help asking. I had never realized Rebecca was so knowledgeable, even after reading her newspaper column.

"Oh, believe me, I've made every relationship-blunder in the book. My parents are both psychiatrists, and while I was growing up they were always talking about love and its effect on people. They think they are experts, so they are always trying to butt in to my personal life and fix all my problems for me." One couldn't miss the resentment in her tone.

"It sounds like they care about you."

She gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Uh-huh. Well maybe you see it that way, but in reality, they watch over me to make sure I don't let them down. They want their precious Rebecca to be perfect in every way, and that includes avoiding embarrassments regarding my love life. Never mind that I'm old enough to make my own decisions. The second I make an error in judgment they ship me off to boarding school, where they don't have to worry about me screwing up their lives."

I began to notice I was breathing deeper, and wondered what had gotten me so flustered. Was it Rebecca shedding her prickly skin to reveal signs of humility? I could barely remember my angry feelings towards her as I observed her stepping down from her pedestal to meet me at the bottom. Nothing to lose, I inquired lightly, "What was your mistake?"

She lifted her head, and I could tell she was upset. Water formed a blanket over her eyes, and the inside of her bottom lip was caught in her teeth. For a moment, she simply looked around, and she didn't appear as though she would answer. Just as I opened my mouth to refute the question, the new Rebecca spoke. "I fell in love with the absolutely wrong guy."

Immediately one name came to mind: "Chase?"

At that she laughed. "Oh… no, no… Chase was my rebound guy, actually." She sniffed, pulling herself up to sit on the desk, letting her feet swing. "His name was Randy. I met him at school in my freshman year. He was everything I could have wanted in a guy. Handsome, funny, charming, smart, compassionate…" bliss appeared in her voice as she continued on, "I was crazy about him. But I wasn't supposed to be."

"What was wrong with him?"

Rebecca turned to face me, her face dour but firm. "He was my English teacher."

It took every ounce of self control I had not to burst out laughing. I didn't want to seem cruel, because of course this wasn't a joke, but it was so unexpected that I had to restrain the ticklish sensation bursting inside my throat.

Apparently I didn't hide my laughter well enough. Rebecca's eyes triggered recognition and I thought she was going to bark at me. Instead, to my great surprise, she gave a soft, distant chuckle. "Yeah, well, I didn't think it was that funny at the time… Of course he had no idea how I felt. I was so in love with him though. I did everything I could to be around him. I even cut some wires in his car after school so that he had to stay and wait for a tow-truck. I stayed behind to talk with him."

I really wasn't shocked by the confession. The act had 'Rebecca' written all over it.

"I was so broken hearted when he announced that he was moving to Montana to be closer to his family. I cried for days. My snooping parents kept asking what was wrong, but all they figured out was that I was upset over some guy. That was when my Mom started suggesting more 'outings' with her friends and their sons. That was how I met Chase… We were both getting over someone at the time, and I guess that brought us together."

It was so bizarre to hear about all this, to think that Rebecca, someone I had for years considered a rival, could have such a compassionate side to her. I shifted in my seat, opening my mouth to form mute syllables. "I had no idea…" was all I could muster. A simple half-sentence to sum up all she had said. I felt a familiar sensation rise, one which I would have never before put to this girl: sympathy.

As it turned out, that was not what she wanted. Rebecca snapped her back straight, and the temporarily fallen mask returned over her face. "Well it doesn't really matter now, does it? We can't go back and undo everything bad that's happened to us. Chase was the one guy I could really see myself with. I didn't get to keep Chase because you wouldn't let go of him when he was mine. I won't have that chance again… but someone else might. And now you have the opportunity to do the right thing." As though nothing had changed, as though she hadn't just bared her soul to me, the brunette hopped down from the table and straightened her outfit.

I stared, amazed at how quickly she could shift personalities. "How? I don't even know what the right thing is."

Rebecca stared back, and instead of immediately speaking gestured toward the computer. "Why don't you take a look at that article I just submitted? You might find Phase 4 of particular interest." With that too-confident sway of her hips, she turned her back to me and used a lazy "later" to anchor her departure. The door shut slowly behind her.

I took a moment to question whether I had hallucinated the entire event. It was all too… dream-like. Running my hand through my hair, I faced the computer, where Rebecca's article sat open on the screen. In large, bold letters across the top of the document read, "Coming to Terms: The Core Phases of a Break-Up".

Below that Rebecca had summarized the steps, and I read each title slowly. Phase 1, Discovering... Phase 2, Denying… Phase 3, Avoiding...

And Phase 4…

Accepting.

A Wandering Mind

It was times like 5:48 AM when I wished I didn't need to sleep. I lay awake in bed with my thoughts playing like film against the projector of my eyelids. It was a wonder any senior could sleep in the few weeks before SAT testing. Studying, as well as other concerns left me exhausted by each day's end.

I turned over on my side, blinking against the darkness of the dorm room. The only sound came from Quinn's light snores, which grew louder every time she shifted under the sheets. I propped my head up on my hand to watch her as she giggled in her dream and mumbled to someone named "Albert". I shook my head. For Logan's sake, I hoped she was talking about the dead scientist.

Weary from trying to sleep, I sat up and pushed the covers aside. I swept my palms across my face as I stood and began to search for any type of clothing. Eventually I found a pair of jeans and purple tank-top. I twisted them over my body, flattening the cloth to my skin before reaching for a brush to untangle the night's torment on my hair. Not overly concerned with my appearance (because who was up this early on a Saturday?) I slipped from the room, strolling down the hallway and out the door.

While I enjoyed sleeping in as much as the next girl, I allowed myself a pleasant moment to inhale the morning's perfume of dew, grass and damp concrete. I was always amazed at how different the world looked when one simply removed the flustering people and blinding sun. Everything seemed peaceful and carefree.

I continued my trek across the campus, internally attempting to barricade my thoughts of school and friends behind an imaginary wall, and failing. Alas, nothing seemed to be of my control anymore, not even my wandering mind. I surrendered to the fact that my conscience would not be rid of its guilt until I confronted the source. But far easier said than done, as I was not adamant of any opinion I held on Chase and Lola's relationship. What Rebecca had said the previous week struck my core, and her words were giving me migraines as they echoed loud in my ears. If there was anything I disliked more than my own problems, it was that Rebecca seemed to have all the answers.

The sky was just starting to brighten, night cowering from a sun who peaked above the coast. I slowed my pace when I arrived at my favorite spot on campus, pausing to spot a figure slouched over one of Sushi Rox's outdoor tables. His head was bent over and his facial features covered completely, but I knew that head of bushy black hair better than my own dirty-blonde locks.

"Chase," I called to the boy in shock.

He lifted his head, granting me access to the most beautiful pair of eyes ever bestowed on an individual. He reacted as I did, exhaling my name with a surprise that was quiet but friendly. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I approached his table to sit next to him.

"It's really quiet at this hour. It's a nice time to get my head together." Chase suddenly grabbed my arm and stood. "Let's walk."

And so we did. I felt as though we had the whole world to ourselves as we strolled together, his arm occasionally brushing mine and causing my heart to stop. I took hold of my right hand with my left to refrain from lacing my fingers with his, and in a final effort to remove myself from temptation took a casual step to the side.

He was the first to speak, as had become the norm since our breakup. "And why are you awake at six in the morning?"

I waited for a lie to form on my tongue, parting my mouth to release whatever excuse arrived first. "I couldn't sleep. I've got too much on my mind." Immediately I frowned. That hadn't been a lie.

Chase looked at me quizzically, continuing to saunter in his individual motion. "School?"

"Among other things." My mind was on overload, too tired to make up fabrications. Suddenly I felt scared.

"Like what?" He inquired, but before he gave me the chance to reply he added, "Guy trouble?"

I almost laughed, instead aiming a confused stare his way. "Hardly," I stated as though the answer were obvious. "Not another guy, anyway." No! No, I hadn't said that. I take it back, I take it back…

"Oh," he responded amidst my silent pleas.

Frazzles, why did I have to come out today? Why couldn't I just sleep in like a normal kid?

"How are you doing?" His question came out of the blue.

I knew what he was referring to, but didn't make an effort to reply. Without the clarity to think, I was afraid of what I would say. But when he gently spoke my name with that sweet curiosity, I couldn't refrain any longer. "I'm okay." Yes! A lie! "How about you?"

He only shrugged, which told me he wouldn't lie as I had. He was never a particularly convincing liar anyway.

We continued on in silence, stepping onto the grass and grazing across the lush field. The wind had gotten steadily stronger, and several times I had to push my hair out of my face. Each time I lowered my hand I looked over to see Chase staring at me, his expression completely blank. That was quite a feat for him. Chase had always been easy to read.

"This stinks."

The two words practically knocked me off my feet. I halted my eyes on Chase as he too stopped to turn. His eyes were slightly squinted in an effort to see past the rising sun, but his expression had not faltered.

"What stinks?"

Pushing his hands into his jean pockets, Chase waved his elbows outward. "This. Everything. It was exactly what I didn't want to happen."

I let my head droop, prepared to accept more blame. "I know. I'm sorry. I really don't-"

"It's not your fault," he interrupted, bending over to catch my gaze. I looked up again. "I didn't ask you out for years because I knew that, if the worst happened, I'd lose you for good. I didn't think about losing everyone else too… It would have been best if we had just stayed friends."

"Losing everyone else?"

"You can't say you haven't noticed."

I had noticed. Chase and I were the center of our group, and I had soon determined that by breaking apart, we broke our circle of friends apart too.

"Yeah, I noticed." I took a small step towards him. "But we were all friends before you and I started dating. Why can't it be that way again? Why can't everything be the way it was before?!"

The reaction I received was not at all the haphazard, hopeless response I expected. Instead, it was a reflection of Chase's inner child, a random pick at humor which sent nostalgic jolts throughout my body. "I could call my fairy godmother and ask her to turn us back to pumpkins at midnight…"

For several seconds I stood agape. He had chosen the worst possible time to be corny, and yet the smile that jerked at my mouth was anything but forced.

I prepared to point out his incredible immaturity and inability to remain serious for more than a moment when I heard a sharp, long hiss. I barely had time to jump when I was shot with a heavy, cold sensation from behind. I shrieked, only to be doused by water from several others directions. I fell over in surprise, leaning into Chase's chest as I recognized that the water sprinklers had turned on. Half a dozen were nearby and twisting wildly, completely unaware of our presence and spurting carelessly.

Chase's shirt was already drenched and cold to the touch. I felt an arm wrap around my side and was pushed forward. Chase seemed to gain composure just after I did, screaming over the loud sizzle of the sprinklers: "Go! Let's go!" Together we darted back across the field, sliced with streams of water as we scrambled.

Everything was a blur of tangerine sky, flying droplets and never-ending green grass. We crashed through rainbows formed by the water falling around us, and toppled over a few times due to Chase's clumsy feet. Each time I grabbed his arms to lift him off the ground and we ran again, strands of hair whipping my face and sticking to the sides of my neck.

We rushed onto the patio, coming to stop near a bench. I placed my hand across my heart as I attempted to catch my breath, my throat stinging from restriction of oxygen. After a moment I turned to look over the field. The sprinklers continued to cheerfully dance, completely unaffected by our trample across their turf.

Feeling my heartbeat slow against my chest, I straightened up to look at Chase. He was leaning over the bench, taking deep breaths and shaking his head with disbelief. His hair was, amazingly, even more bushy and disorganized. Grass stains were burned into his clothes and palms, and one lightly inked onto his left cheek. Dirt clung heavily under each of his fingernails, and upon staring down at my own hands, I saw this was also true of myself. My hair felt filthy, and I didn't doubt my head was now home to at least half a dozen mud-infesting bacteria. My poor flip-flops hadn't survived the sprint- the plastic separator of my left shoe had broken from its base, swinging out from between my toes.

I felt a sensation rise deep inside me, a feeling unparallel to any I'd felt within the past several months. Uncontrolled and too strong to contain, it burst from inside of me…

A laugh.

And I couldn't stop. The ticklish impression blazed within my stomach, so strong I placed my arm across my diaphragm to keep myself balanced. My laughter rang even louder as I continued to stare at my partner, drenched to the bone and looking as though he'd been in a brawl with a tractor. I closed my eyes to savor the sensation, completely reveled in the endorphins spilling into my brain. I was alone in my happiness for only a second more before Chase joined in. We took in everything that had happened and released it through our unshakable laughter, so unsteady by the rush of emotion that we shuffled to take each other's hand and hold ourselves upright.

I don't know how long we remained this way, but it was all too short. I used my free hand to rub a tear from my cheek, the first in my life to not result from sadness. I opened my eyes fully to catch Chase gazing at me, beaming as bright as I'd ever seen him. He looked as though he didn't have a worry in the world, and I felt equally as serene.

Ecstasy did not prevent me from noticing, however, what small proximity remained between Chase and me. As he remained in his haven of joy, I felt my heart pucker with awareness.

Suddenly, I knew deep within my soul that if I were to lean in and kiss Chase now, he would not pull away. I knew this with such certainty it was soaked into my being. I knew I could apologize for everything without fear. I could have him back. There was no doubt in my mind Chase would forgive me for not being there as I should have, and the future he'd imagined for us would form before us. We would be together forever, just as soon as I was to tell him I loved him. It was all in my control, all mine to own, if I simply pressed my lips to his…

And I felt like the strongest person in the world when, instead, I backed away from his embrace.

As quickly as the moment had come, it was gone. The vision of what-could-have-been dimmed in Chase's eyes, but his glee was still apparent.

"Well, that was unexpected!"

It took me a second to realize that he was referring to the sprinklers. I broke from my thoughts to rejoin reality, which already felt different against my skin. "Yeah," I giggled consciously after glancing down at my clothes. "I look like a wreck!"

"Not compared to me," Chase picked at his own destroyed attire.

"How were we supposed to know the sprinklers turned on this early? Shouldn't there be a sign or something?" but I was far from complaining.

"Should we go wake up Dean Rivers and ask?"

I burst out in laughter again, lightheaded with growing ease. "He'd probably have a heart attack, seeing us this way. We'd be the Evil Grass Trolls coming to take over the planet!" I raised my arms and curled my fingers, doing a Godzilla impersonation.

We continued to pick fun at ourselves as we made our way back across campus, screaming and running at any early-riser who dared to give us a funny look. All the tension, doubt, and pain between us dissipated so quickly that I could barely recall its presence.

I then came to realize that nothing was really broken. Hearts could be mended and relationships revived. The only difference now was that I was ready. I was ready to face what I'd been hiding from. I was ready to confront fear and challenge its brutality. I was ready to accept destiny and live with the aftermath.

But more than anything, I was ready for healing.

A Beautiful Mind

It was the day before SAT testing, but this Thursday would be better remembered as the day Sandy Palmer made a costly mistake.

Sandy was a social climber, who had been thrilled when hot quarterback Vince Blake started to notice her at the beginning of the year. Soon after his break up with Lola, she had made sure she was right at his side to help him pick up the pieces. And soon, Sandy was was bragging to her friends that she was Vince's girlfriend.

But it wasn't meant to last. According to a source close to Sandy, Vince had begun taking interest in Lola again, while he and Sandy were still together. Furious, the drama queen broke up with him in hopes of showing him the error of his ways. The plan backfired, as the football star instead went to back to Lola to see if they could work things out.

From there most students assumed Vince and Lola were crazy about each other, hence their on-and-off stages, and had I not heard Chase and Lola's conversation in the library, I might have assumed the same. In actuality, I figured Lola was with Vince only because she couldn't be with Chase.

Chase and I were as close as second skin once again; everything I could want from a best friend. Lola, on the other hand, had not reconciled with either of us. She kept her distance from everyone but Vince, and before long word-around-the-campus was that they were in love.

This suggestion made Sandy Palmer furious. And not one for subtlety, Sandy chose to make her bitterness known through a well-planned, humiliation-inducing prank.

I had suspected something was up this morning when I spotted Sandy sweet-talking some younger students. I pointed them out to Chase, and he agreed it was peculiar. We approached the students after Sandy departed, but they refused to tell us what she had said. We would find out a few hours later.

Lola was walking outside alone, on her way to lunch, when they struck. I was still in English class and jumped from my seat when I heard her screams. The teacher appeared bewildered and muttered something I didn't catch. The high-pitched squeals were deafening, so theatrical I had no doubt they were Lola's cries. Completely forgetting I was in class, I ran out the building to find her.

When I spotted her in the courtyard, I saw that she was surrounded by six… students?

It was hard to tell who or what they were, because they were all wearing costumes. One was dressed as a chipmunk (or was it a beaver?), another as the grim reaper, a dinosaur, a mummy, a scarecrow, and the Hulk. They had joined hands and formed a circle around Lola, trapping her. They were dancing and chanting loudly, and then laughing as each one took a turn mocking her. Poor Lola was covering her ears and stamping her feet, still shrieking at the top of her lungs. Some would consider such a reaction irrational, but there was nothing rational about Lola's fear of big costumes.

"Hey!" I called out uselessly. A crowd of spectators had formed and it took awhile to weave throughout the groups of peering students. Some were laughing at the spectacle, others looked on with concern.

A wave of gasps came from the spectators when each costumed figure stopped dancing and pulled out an object from underneath their clothing. The shouted in triumph as they shot Lola with ketchup, cheese-whiz, chocolate sauce, crazy string and shaving cream. The brunette held her hands out in a futile attempt to defend herself.

Before I reached her she was colorfully decorated from head to toe.

"Stop it!" I tugged on the scarecrow's shoulder, managing to pull him backward. Without hesitation he turned and squirted ketchup at my chest. He laughed manically when I froze, stunned by the sensation of cold ooze dripping down my shirt. I looked down at my favorite halter-top, completing drenched in red, and felt my anger rise.

"Oh, if you only had a brain…" I threatened in a low voice, taking a small step forward.

I'd never seen a scarecrow run that fast before.

When my attentions returned to the rest of the group, I saw that the costumed figures were being restrained. A teacher had the dinosaur by his forearms, while some football players, all friends of Vince, had the others in headlock. Some of the costumed figures began to whimper, clearly intimidated by the older, much larger athletes glaring down at them. Within the sea of people, Lola sat crouched on the ground, her palms over her ears and eyes squeezed shut.

Instantly I went to her side, grasping her gently. At first she fought me. I identified myself aloud, and after a moment of reassurance Lola willed herself to stand. Neither one of us looked back as I led her away from the havoc and into our dorm hall.

We ignored the startled glances we received walking down the corridor. I kept Lola along the left, steering her away from our dorm room. Instead I ushered her into the bathroom.

Nobody was in the showers, although I don't suspect many showered at noon on a school day. I flipped a light switch with my elbow, and watched rows of lights turn on in a domino fashion, illuminating the large lavatory. There were ten showers on each side of the room. I took Lola to the nearest one and released my hold on her.

"I'll go get your towel and a change of clothes. I'll be right back."

When I returned, Lola was standing under the showerhead, water running like a waterfall down her body. I placed her towel and clothes on a bench, never taking my eyes off her. She still had all her clothes on, and the colors spilling from her hair onto her face made her look like a clown; a tired, pathetic clown.

How had she gotten here? I reflected nostalgically. My best friend of four years, looking hopeless and friendless; like I had felt for a great portion of the year. She had been acting like a zombie, with no emotion and no motivations. And it was partially my fault… Alright, more than partially.

"I'm sorry."

By some freak-of-nature jinx, we said these two words at the same time.

Lola dropped her head forward, spurting water from her mouth and staring agape. "What did you say?"

"I'm sorry," I repeated with the same sincerity.

Her blank expression relaxed into subtle sadness. "It's not your fault. You didn't tell those kids to whirlpool me."

"No. Sandy Palmer did."

Her expression remained the same, but her eyes seemed to fall farther back into darkness. "Ha, one more person who hates me. I suppose I won't be nominated "Most Likeable" by the yearbook committee this year."

"Who else hates you?"

Silence. "I hate me."

I wanted to burst into tears at her confession. She continued to speak though, pouring salt on an exposed wound. "How did I mess everything up? I screwed up my own life, and Chase's and yours. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I don't even remember how it started! But I know it's my fault and… I don't know how to fix it."

"That's how I feel, too." How could this possibly be? How could Lola and I, having taken two separate routes in this maze of complexity, arrive at the same place? "You shouldn't feel that way, though."

Lola shook her head. "Zoey, you have no idea what I've-"

"Yes," I interrupted sternly, "I do. I was in the library the night you and Chase fought."

I watched Lola's pupils triple in size. Her teeth appeared, and they bit down on her lip. I couldn't tell if it was water from the shower dripping down her cheeks, or she was crying. When her voice echoed throughout the room, it was barely above a whisper. "You were there?"

"Yeah…" I gave a whimsical smile. "You know what a study freak I am…" I broke eye contact, shifting my gaze off into space to collect my thoughts. My senses were blurring under her stare, under the strain her sorrow placed on me. Thankfully, she did not try to speak while I composed myself.

When I spoke, I couldn't form but two words: "I know."

It felt so powerful for such a small statement. A vague admission on its own, but Lola understood my reference, I could tell. There was a hitch in my breath before I clarified, "I know about you and Chase."

Lola turned and shut off the shower. Her hand remained on the nozzle, as did her focus. "There is nothing going on between Chase and me." Her response was feeble at best.

"Yeah, but you want there to be."

She didn't deny it, and I didn't expect her to. Lola looked up at the ceiling behind me, leaning forward on the wall, possibly to steady herself. I could tell from her eyes that she was off in a distant land now. Her voice suggested as much. "Chase likes fruit loops with his ice cream."

"What?"

She nodded. "Yeah… He's really good at finding mistakes in movies too. You know, like when the camera angle changes and suddenly the cell phone is in the actor's other hand, or their hairstyle is different or their earrings are missing. He notices stuff like that, stuff I completely miss… And I swear he can make anything funny. He can twist things and scenarios so they seem silly and harmless, and when I'm with him it's like… 'How can anything in the world really be bad?'… And he insists on wearing his shoes all the time! He never takes them off! I asked if he had some kind of deformation going on down there, but he says he just doesn't like his feet. He refuses to let anyone see them. It frustrates me so much!" Lola returned then, to the present. Goosebumps rose on her arms from standing wet in the middle of the shower. She faced me, and in the most serious tone I'd ever heard from her, she asked, "Have you ever seen his feet?"

I swallowed. "Yeah, I've seen his feet. He says he has Kevin Spacey feet… They're really rectangular…"

Lola's face drooped. Too late I realized that, once again, I had highlighted my distinct relationship with Chase. Quickly I tried to defend my answer, "It's not like it's a big deal, Lola. He'll show you his feet someday."

For a long moment Lola did nothing. Finally she double-blinked and stood up straight. She exited the stall and lifted her towel in the air, wrapping it around her breast and tying a knot under her arm. "It really doesn't matter."

Oh, but it does. And you know it. "Chase just doesn't know how important it is to you. If you tell him he'd-"

"He'd what?! Zoey, none of this makes any difference."

"It can. If you explain to Chase how you feel-"

Content on not letting me finish a sentence, she interrupted again: "Why would I do that? I don't want to alienate him or push him away. It's not like we're ever going to be together like that. You said so yourself that no good friend would fall for her best friend's ex! And you were right! This is all just some stupid mistake, and I promise I won't do anything to hurt your relationship with Chase anymore than I already have."

"Hang on. First off, you haven't done anything to hurt my relationship with Chase. We broke up because of our own problems. It's not as though you stole him away from me. Second, no, it wasn't fair of me to tell you off like I did."

"Of course it was!"

"No, it wasn't! Chase may be my closest friend, but that doesn't mean I own him. And no matter how much I may love him, I don't have any right to say who he should and shouldn't date. Chase is his own person and I have to let him be that person. I wouldn't be any kind of friend if I didn't."

At that moment I felt so much older. I felt as though I had stepped outside myself and seen that, yes, this was the truth. And now I could do something right with this knowledge. Like not let my best friend throw away something special.

"Zoey, Chase and you have always been-"

"Yes, we have. We've always been. But now we're something different. We are different people, and we want to live different lives. That doesn't mean we are going to grow apart… It just means we won't be growing together. And…" I felt my heart pour into every word, "I can't think of a more perfect person for Chase to grow with than you."

It was like she burst. Lola gave a squeal and dragged me into a hug. I responded whole-heartedly, squeezing her with equal vigor. We hung there, two friends who had come so far and conquered so much. I heard her say into my ear, "I can't believe I'm friends with someone as unbelievable as you."

I laughed freely. "Don't let Quinn hear you say that!"

"Don't let me hear what?"

We pulled from our embrace to find Quinn standing in the doorway. She took in our attire and raised one eyebrow. Lola and I glanced at each other, realizing that we hadn't really washed off. The ketchup from my shirt now smudged her towel. We burst with anew laughter.

Quinn pursed her lips, surprised by our giggling. No doubt she had noticed our recent tension. But the bright scientist made no mention of what she was thinking. "I came to see if you were okay, Lola. The boys just told me what Sandy did to you."

Lola beamed, no longer fazed by the incident. "Yeah, it was pretty scary. But I'm completely over it now." Her mood was dainty. She started to sway back and forth to a silent rhythm.

"Well, you're a lot more forgiving than the guys are. We're meeting them at nine o'clock tonight, so make sure you two are ready by then."

"Ready?" I questioned. "For what?"

There was something devious in Quinn's smile, something I had always attributed with Logan. "Payback." The grin remained on her face as she exited the bathroom.

Lola and I looked at each other with matching expressions of bewitched, bothered and bewildered. "Payback?" She laughed. "What do you think they have planned?"

I shook my head. "No idea. But I'm so glad we're on their side!"

Slipping off her towel, Lola began to remark on Sandy Palmer's potential fate when she stopped, remembering something. "Oh my gosh, Zoey! We can't pull a prank tonight! We have SAT testing tomorrow!"

She was right. I had completely forgotten. For a fraction of a second I began to prepare my apology to Quinn and the guys. I'm so sorry everyone, but SATs are tomorrow and I just have to study…

But as quickly as the thought arrived, it evaporated. "It's okay. We'll get back in time to cram if we have to."

Lola looked as though she'd seen a ghost. She jumped forward and shook my shoulders. "What have you done with Zoey Brooks?! Give me my best friend back! Let her go I tell you!"

"Stop it!" I pushed her away none too gently.

"But seriously, Zo. You don't have to do this. We all understand that you don't want risk missing SAT questions because you didn't study tonight."

My smile didn't falter as I responded in private irony. "I don't mind."