Just little bit of plot-moving fluff before we get into the good stuff.

After the last chapter, I thought I owed you guys another installment. I like this one a little better.

It never crossed my mind at all.
It's what I tell myself.
What we had has come and gone.
You're better off with someone else.
It's for the best, I know it is.
But I see you.
Sometimes I try to hide
What I feel inside,
And I turn around.
You're with him now.
I just can't figure it out.

-A Little Too Not Over You, David Archuleta


The next day Wybie had decided to take the plunge.

He had to tell Coraline what he thought was going on, what he thought Sebastian was up to. She had been hanging out with that kid for at least a week now. Though they didn't exclude Wybie from any of their conversations, he avoided them both, both because he knew Sebastian was no good, and because just looking at them both together made him feel sick for a reason he couldn't comprehend. The only thing he knew he had to do was talk to Coraline as soon as possible.

When he met up with Coraline on the walk to school, he went over what he was going to tell her in his head once more. His mood slightly dampened when he caught sight of that stupid locket, he began.

"Hey Jonesy, can I tell you something?"

When Coraline turned to him, he was shocked. Her skin looked so much paler then before, making her freckles stand out even more. Her eyes looked rather dull and tired, but when she spoke to him she sounded the same as ever.

"Yeah, sure." She said, absently brushing back a strand of hair that had been caught in her mouth.

Slightly taken aback by her appearance, Wybie blurted out, "oh man, you look awful."

"Yeah thanks. Girls love hearing that." Coraline said sharply. Wybie felt a bit relieved that she still acted the same.

"Sorry, I just…" The boy shook his head, "anyway, it's about that Sebastian guy."

Coraline stopped walking, "what about him?"

"…I don't trust him."

Coraline raised and eyebrow, "what?"

"I just…I've noticed some really weird things about him, and the way he looks at you…He looks at you like you're something to eat. And that locket…and you and…" All that rehearsing what he was going to say had apparently gone to waste.

"What are you talking about?" Coraline looked bewildered.

"I just told you what I'm talking about!" Wybie was growing frustrated.

"I don't understand, Wybie."

"What didn't you understand?" Wybie looked back at her, "because I can start over--"

"I don't understand why you're telling me this," Coraline clarified for him.

"Because it's true!"

"Wybie I respect that you don't trust him, but I do. You don't even know him!"

"You barely know him!"

"I know him more than you do, and I really thought that was okay with you! Remember how you told me that I was going to make knew friends? You were okay with that then, why aren't you now?!"

"Because I didn't know you're first friend might be some soul-sucking monster!" Wybie couldn't keep himself from shouting. He really wanted her to understand.

"Wybie, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous," Coraline said, a steely note in her voice. She shook her head as though trying to clear the conversation from her mind, "look, I'll see you at school."

"Coraline, you're not listening to me!" Wybie called after her as she began to walk away. She turned around instantly, her eyes burning.

"Really?!" She shouted, "you'll have to let me know what the feels like!"

Wybie could do nothing but watch her walk away. After her silhouette faded completely, he looked down at his feet.

"Good going, Lovat." He told himself savagely, "you just blew it. You totally blew it."

As he slowly walked to school, knowing full well he was probably going to be late, one of Coraline's shouts had stayed in his mind.

"Wybie, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous."

Wybie sat on his bed that night, staring at his ceiling, counting the cracks until he just couldn't bring himself to do anything more than wallow in his own misery. Nothing in his life made any sense anymore.

Problem number one: Coraline's new friend was some sort of monster.

Problem number two: Coraline no longer wanted anything to do with him, the silent treatment he had faced all day was proof enough of that.

Problem number three, the most confusing one: Coraline thought he was jealous of Sebastian. The real problem was…maybe she was right.

Now, Wybie's scientific mind couldn't fathom this feeling. The burning in the pit of his stomach he felt when he saw her and Sebastian together, the warmth he felt when he himself hung out with her. These thoughts were completely illogical, implausible, and absurd. The only conclusion a normal person would come to was that he liked her. This was, of course, impossible.

Wybie Lovat did not like Coraline Jones. Not in that way.

Did he?

As he looked at Cat, lying on his chest and gazing at him intently, Wybie was glad that he was there just so he wouldn't be talking to himself.

"I tried to tell her Cat," Wybie sighed, "honest, I did. So, if she doesn't want to believe me, it shouldn't matter to me anymore."

Cat blinked.

"So why do I still care? She doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, so why should I care so much?"

Cat licked a paw and drew it over his ear before letting out a quiet mew.

"I know she's my friend," he said, as though answering Cat's unspoken question, "but I'm not her friend anymore. So now she's out with that Sebastian kid and I'm here on my bed, pretending my cat can talk."

If Wybie didn't know any better, he would've though Cat had rolled his eyes.

"I know what you're thinking," Wybie groaned, "you think I like her, don't you?"

Cat just purred.

"Well I don't," Wybie sad firmly, "I don't…think I do…"

It was at that thought that something clicked in Wybie Lovat's mind. His widened and he cursed silently before groaning aloud.

"Oh geez."

Wybie having a crush on Coraline Jones was impossible, illogical, implausible, and absurd.

But it was true.