Chapter Four: No Other Girl in the World

Author's Note: This episode's a bit short, but I think it says everything I wanted to say just now. There is so much going on in this story, and so much about to happen... you guys are going to freak out! :) Thank you SO much for reading this! Love you all! Enjoy!

Adam and Eli sat in the hallway and ate ham sandwiches in silence. Adam knew Dahlia would never talk to him now. He had never been good at expressing how he felt. If he could just find a way to explain why he hadn't told her he was leaving... maybe he could salvage what pieces remained of their shattered friendship.

"So... you said you guys were best friends, right?" asked Eli, taking a bite out of his ham and cheese on rye.

"Right."

"So you told each other everything. You knew all her deepest, darkest secrets?"

"Every single one." Adam said with a full mouth.

"What made this secret different? Why couldn't you tell her you're transgender? I mean, if you were really that close..."

"It would have ruined everything, Eli." Adam swallowed, the continued. "We weren't just friends, we were... more than that. And if I had come out to her as transgender and she had..."

"If she had what, Adam? What would have been so bad?"

"Remember when Bianca found out?"

Eli nodded. "Oh."

Suddenly, an obnoxiously loud Alexisonfire song blasted from Eli's back pocket.

He flipped open his cell phone and put it to his ear.

"Clare?"

Adam leaned over and put his ear close to the phone so he could hear too.

"Eli... Eli, Bridget, she's... oh my goodness... Dahlia... you need to... I can't even... where are you?"

"Whoa, whoa. Clare. Slow down. Breathe. What's wrong?"

"Bridget...in the bathroom. She hit her."

"Who got hit?"

"Dahlia!"

Adam's stomach flipped over and he put his ear even closer to the phone.

"Who's Bridget?" Eli continued

"Dahlia's girlfriend."

Adam sat up straight and stumbled to his feet, taking his ears as far away from the phone as he could get.

Eli spoke to Clare quickly and hung up the phone.

"Adam..."

"It's okay. No, I'm fine. It's been a year, right? I mean, she was bound to eventually get a girlfriend..."

"...One who hits her, Adam."

Adam suddenly remembered the girl from the auditorium. The other dancer who had treated Dahlia like a slave. Why would Dahlia be with someone like that? What had happened to her?

"What do we do?" Adam asked.

"I'm going to go find Clare. She needs me right now. You know who needs you."

Adam sighed as Eli walked away. He knew what he had to do.

He didn't have to walk very far to find who he was looking for. He turned a few corners, walking aimlessly, and there she was. Just the tall, thin, gorgeous dancer he wanted to talk to.

"Hey!" he called "Your name's Bridget, right?"

Bridget turned and looked him up and down. "Do I know you?"

"My name's Adam. You're a friend of Dahlia's, aren't you?"

"...You could say that. What do you want?"

Adam took a deep breath, searching for the words to explain how he felt. He decided not to think, and just started talking.

"Dahlia Davis is an amazing person. She's brilliant, and hilarious, and confident, and beautiful. She takes off her shoes and runs into the water with no fear. She twirls in the sunlight just to feel the wind on her face. She's strong, and bold, and talented, and you're taking all of that from her. You're sucking out her soul, and I'm letting you know now that I'm not just going to stand by and watch. Dahlia Davis is not someone you push around. She's someone you take care of, and treasure, because there is no other girl in the world like her."

"...That was a very nice speech, Gracie."

"I – wait, what?"

"You're Gracie. I knew I recognized you. Dahlia keeps a picture of you in her wallet at all times. She doesn't think I know, but I needed twenty bucks one time, so I took it, and there you were."

"She... what?"

"Well this has been very interesting, Gracie, but I've got to go. I'll be sure to... what was it? Treasure Dahlia for you." Bridget said as she walked away.

Adam didn't know why he was so surprised. After a day like today, nothing should have been able to shock him anymore.

But then he caught a glimpse of Dahlia out the window of the front doors, and he didn't think he'd ever stop being shocked by her beauty.

"Adam! There you are!" Clare called, as she and Eli walked hand-in-hand toward him.

"How are you doing? Did you talk to Dahlia?" Eli asked

Adam shook his head. "No. But I did have a lovely chat with her girlfriend."

"Oh, Adam, you really shouldn't have done that. You don't want to make enemies on the first day of school..." Clare said

Adam looked out the window again and saw Dahlia glaring in at him with the same look of complete loathing she'd had on before.

"I think it's a bit late for that, Clare." Eli said