A/N: Hey!

Thanks again for the lovely review Nne - always very much appreciated!

So what can we expect from this chapter?

...well read to find out!

Reviews are very much appreciated! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Recess or any of the characters.

Dedication: For anyone, anywhere, who has ever had to make a decision that affected their outlook on life.

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"Get down, guys! Don't be seen!"

"Teej, there's no one here, what's the point?"

"Come on, if we're going to do this we have to do this properly! There could be someone hiding anywhere! Like in that dumpster over there…"

"Spinelli are you ok? You just flinched."

"Yeah I'm fine! For God's sake can't you all stop asking if I'm ok all the time!"

"Ok chill, Spinelli. We're just trying to be nice."

"Yeah well maybe I don't want you to be nice, alright?"

"Guys, guys focus. We need to figure out how to get in."

"Well we can't do that without putting on a light or something first, I can barely see anything!"

"Does anyone have a torch?"

"I do, hold on."

By the sound of a flick all of their red faces were flushed with light. It was now getting increasingly dark and the hour was late, making the air chilled and silent. They all shivered slightly at the sound of the trees above them. Mikey in particular closed his arms further around himself.

Nervous glances were exchanged as TJ took out a pair of pliers from his rucksack.

"Err…Teej? What's with the pliers?" Vince asked.

"We need to cut through the fence – the lock on the gate is too thick."

Before anyone could protest the silence of the night was ruptured by scraping iron. There was an energy between them of wanting to muffle the noise, but any noise they made themselves would be also deemed as suspicious. Instead they kept still, hidden by the trees that they were entwined between.

There was a final crack of the wire and a rustling thud. TJ let out what sounded like a suppressed breath and grinned widely, "see? Easy!"

No one congratulated him, instead a few rolled their eyes and others led the way through the hole that TJ had cut.

The playground they had stepped into seemed like their own, but deceased. Swings screeched as they swung in the wind, the breeze whistled and circled through the skeletons of the jungle gym and the cheese box. As they dared to press forward, the shadows of trees and the school loomed over them like a silent ghost.

"Keep hidden you guys." TJ whispered.

"What's the point TJ? He wouldn't be here! There's no one around!" Vince whispered back. However, at the moment he finished his sentence, a harsh light flooded their faces into bright white. They all hastily scurried into a bush and peered out from between the branches. A car's headlights were visible from the side of the school. They were behind the fence that they had all previously tried to get through. They slowed at it and the driver got out and undid the lock, then hastily looking around they returned to their car and drove through. When they had parked squarely in the centre of the playground, the driver got out again. His silhouette could be seen trekking across the grass to the gate and locking it firmly.

"Who is that?" Spinelli asked, breaking her previous stubborn silence.

"I don't know. Whoever it is, they have an amazing car and don't want to be followed." TJ replied.

"Or they are being followed." She said. She could not hide the fear and concern of her voice. Everyone looked at Spinelli's stone-like face; her eyes were glazed in an expression of deep contemplation. Almost spirit-like, she rose from her seat and walked to the car.

"Spinelli, stop!" Vince whispered as loud as he could without being heard by the driver. Spinelli pretended not to hear and carried on. TJ reacted quickly by sprinting to her and throwing himself on top of her, securing her to the ground.

"Let go of me!" she screamed, her voice being heard by the driver who quickly turned his head to the bushes.

"Spinelli, shut up!" TJ spat, trying to cover her mouth with his hand. She bit it and spat in his face.

"I can't take this anymore, TJ!" she screamed at him, hauling herself up so she was standing at his height. Growth had made TJ a tall boy, but for what she lacked in height, she made up for in strength and anger. "I can't sit by and watch while you destroy the best friend that I have ever had!"

The rest of them stood, dumbfounded and the figure retreated inside the school.

"Spinelli, what are you talking about? We're your friends!"

"NO!" she shrieked, her voice producing such high volume that the birds that were previously nesting in their trees flew out of them with terror. "YOU ARE NOT MY FRIENDS!"

She shot a look at TJ and he knew what she was thinking, he grabbed her by the wrists, her fingers shaking in frozen claws. The moonlight that had just appeared from behind the clouds was now illuminating her face, and the tears that were falling from it.

"Spinelli, calm down. Please. Let's not do this now." He tried to reassure her.

"Oh yes, that's right, let's leave everything until YOU'RE ready, shall we? What about me, huh? What about what I want?! Do you even care?"

"Of course I do! You know I do!"

"Go on then TJ, tell me what you decided!"

"What?"

"You know what! Tell me, right now! Do you love me?"

"Spinelli, don't-"

"GO ON!"

"Spinelli, please!"

"JUST TRY ME!"

"OK! I LOVE YOU, OK!"

Silence struck. Only the sound of everyone's shaking voices and beating hearts could be heard. TJ's and Spinelli's locked stare shook from his proclaimation. TJ's furious face slowly melted into compassion. A few seconds passed and it seemed as if she was going to throw her arms around him in a relieved embrace. However, Spinelli abruptly threw her hands away from his grasp. He jumped back in astonishment, and a gasp spread through the group.

"WELL I DON'T LOVE YOU!" she screamed. It was as if a realisation has suddenly burst in her mind – a decision that suddenly cleared all of the smoke that was previously suffocating her thoughts. Her heart felt light with the release of anxiety, she no longer wished to worry about what TJ thought of her, and now she had the option to leave or stay – she decided to seize the moment, and seize the person that she knew she really cared about. With a defiant stare and relish of his shocked expression, she commenced in a sprint towards the school, the sound of TJ's shouts after her being carried away like dust on the suddenly colder wind.