So sorry I took so long! I've been so busy...I had a research paper to write and just trying to get caught back up in my classes, it's been so hectic! I'm wrapping the story up, if you can't tell already. Who is excited for the ending? I know I am! This'll be the first fully finished story I'll have on here. Maybe then I can get to finishing my stories I've left hanging...or write another HOA...or both? haha we'll see. Thanks for your patience!

Amber woke up and noticed Nina wasn't sleeping in the bed next to her. She sat up, confused, and looked around the room. Everything was how it had been when they went to sleep the night before. She got up and quietly went up to Fabian's room to see if Nina had somehow found her way there. She quietly creaked open the door and saw Fabian sleeping soundly in his bed. She rolled her eyes and walked over to his sleeping form.

"Fabian wake up." When he didn't respond, Amber smacked him on the head. He jolted up.

"Amber! What was that for?" he asked, rubbing the spot she hit.

"Where's Nina?"

"How should I know?"

"Because you're Fabian and you two always know where each other are."

"Well, I don't." Amber sighed.

"Okay, come on then."

"What?"

"We're going to find Nina. Now hurry up and get dressed." Amber walked out of the room, leaving Fabian to get ready. While Fabian was upstairs, Amber went down to see if Nina was somewhere down there. Instead of finding Nina, however, she ran into the lady she met yesterday.

"Oh, hello! Do you know where Nina went?" she asked. The woman nodded.

"Nina and Ms. Werling [Aunt Catherine's married name, for those who are confused] went to the funeral home early. When you and the boy are ready I will drive you over," the lady replied in a thick Spanish accent.

"Thank you," Amber replied nodding. She went back up the stairs, running in to Fabian half way. "Oh, Fabian," she said, looking at his jeans and t-shirt. "You have to change." Fabian looked at her confused.

"Why, exactly?"

"Because when we're ready the maid, or whoever she is, is going to drive us to the funeral home." Fabian made an 'O' with his mouth.

"I almost forgot. Today's the day..." Amber nodded.

"It's a little hard to forget, don't you think?" Amber looked away. "Do you think she's okay?" When Fabian didn't respond, Amber nodded. "Right. I thought as much. I'll see you in five." Fabian nodded and walked back upstairs to change. A few minutes later, they were in a car that seemed to be taking them further into the middle of nowhere. After about twenty minutes, they arrived at an old looking church. It wasn't as depressing looking as Amber had thought it would be. There were people everywhere, talking and laughing. Children were running around and playing on the playground and in the old baseball diamond. Amber leaned forward in the car.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Amber asked. "Everyone looks all happy...and stuff."

"Si," the woman replied. "Nora was very loved by everyone. She was a happy person. She would want us to celebrate her life, rather than mourn her." The old woman pulled into the packed parking lot. Amber and Fabian got out and looked around for Nina, who was no where in sight.

"Hey!" a voice greeted from behind them. Amber and Fabian turned around to see Jaime and and Bailey standing behind them.

"Oh, hello," Amber replied. Fabian nodded at them. "Have you guys seen Nina?"

"She's in with Father Andrew with Aunt Catherine and my grandma. She should be out soon; my mom said that they probably would wait awhile to go through everything with her, something about her being emotionally unable to deal with it all." Jaime shrugged before straightening up. "Oh, hey Jonah!" she called. Amber and Fabian turned around to see Jonah walking towards the group, a frown on his face.

"Where's Neens at?" he asked. Bailey started to answer, but was interrupted when the church bell began to ring.

"Well, time to go in," Bailey said. The group headed into the church where they were ushered towards the pews. The ceremony started a few minutes later. Amber and Fabian looked around for Nina, but she was no where in sight for the duration of the whole thing. After the ceremony, they went out to the grave yard and gathered around the freshly dug hole. Noticing that Nina was still no where to be seen, Fabian finally decided to ask where she was now.

"Probably watching from the church," Jaime replied, pointing to a window on the second level of the church. Though he could not tell if there was a face looking down, Fabian could see the curtains pushed aside. "Nina doesn't-Nina has never really liked being around graves. It just brings back so many bad memories for her, you know? She was so young when her parents died that the only memories she really ever had of them were staring at their stones. I mean, going she used to get panic attacks just driving by the grave yard because she was so freaked out, but that's all understandable, you know? It is one of the reasons she left for boarding school." Jaime blushed. "But I'm sure you know all about that," she rushed out.

"What's understandable?" Amber asked, joining the conversation.

"Nina not being down here. After awhile it turned from just this one to pretty much any graveyard we passed. England has cemetaries, right? You must've seen her freak out a few times. It's not like it's easy to miss or anything." Amber and Fabian looked at each other. That was definately not something that Nina had mentioned to them, not something that they had experienced. Before either could respond, Father Andews had started talking again. Fabian couldn't help but focus his attention on the window Jaime had pointed out. A couple of times, he could've sworn that he saw something-someone moving around behind it but he could never be quite sure. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone start walking back towards the church. He looked over to see Jonah walking quickly away from the group, Ayla following far behind at a much slower pace, almost as if she didn't want him to notice she was behind him. Fabian put his hand on Amber's shoulder and whispered to her that he would be back. He quietly removed himself from the crowded group and headed off in the same direction he had just seen Jonah and Ayla disappear to.

Once inside the church, he followed the pair all the way to the other side and up a flight of stairs. Instead of just barging in after to figure out what they were up to, he hung back at the top of the staircase, concealed behind a wall. He watched Jonah open a door and Ayla wait quietly until he was in the room before sneaking towards the door and inching it open. Once she was inside, the door still cracked, Fabian hurriedly raced to the door and listened carefully.

"Nina...we need to talk," he heard Jonah say.

"Can this wait Jonah? I'm really not up to it right now," Nina replied.

"No, Neens, it's important. We need to talk about things...about us."

"What 'us' Jonah?"

"Look, I know we've had some problems lately, but we can work them out! Just like we always did!" Fabian noticed Ayla had somehow managed to make her way unnoticed over to the bookshelves in the corner which she was now hiding behind.

"Jonah..." Nina's voice trailed off. "Jonah, we're different people now. There is no 'us.'"

"What?"

"Don't seem so surprised. What about that girl you said you were talking to a few months ago? She seemed nice."

"She didn't mean anything. She wasn't...she wasn't you. I thought she was, but she wasn't. I want you Neens," he pleaded. He reached out to grab Nina's hand, but she pulled away.

"Jonah...I can't. I'm with Fabian. I'm sorry. I really like him. I just...can't." Jonah looked stricken, he eyes wide like a little sad puppy.

"What does that, that loser have that I don't?" Nina looked at Jonah tiredly.

"He listens. We have things in common. He-I...We...I'm happy with him. We don't fight all the time and even if we do it doesn't last long at all. He tries to cover it up when I catch him looking at me, even though I know he was...he holds my hand...he wants to take things slow. Not fast like it was with you. I feel...special, you know? Not like I'm just another one of his conquests."

"Is that how you felt with me?" Nina sighed again.

"I think we both know we were always better as friends." Fabian watched Nina slowly walk up to Jonah and give him a soft kiss on the cheek before walking towards the door. Fabian stepped back and waited for her to come out. She looked surprised to see him there. "Fabian!" He pulled her into a hug, to which she laughed in response. "How much did you hear?" she asked.

"Enough," Fabian replied, putting his arm around her shoulders and leading her back down the stairs. "So...am I really that obvious when I stare at you?" Nina laughed.

"You're pretty bad..." Fabian simply smiled, and the two went down stairs. Back in the room Nina left Jonah in, Ayla moved from behind the shelves.

"Ayla?" he asked. She only looked back at him. "Hey, I need your help again," he said, walking towards her. He reached to put a hand on her arm but she jerked away. He looked at her questioningly. "Ayla, what's wrong? I'm so close; I just need to figure out a way for them to get in a really huge fight this time. No more baby tricks, I'm going to have to make sure that Nina won't even give him a second glance after this!"

"Jonah, I've been thinking, and maybe…" her voice trailed off as she second guessed telling him what was on her mind.

"Maybe what?" he asked, grinning at her.

"Maybe…maybe it's time for you to give up on your tryin' to get Nina," Ayla said, looking away.

"What?" he laughed. "What are you saying? You know how I feel about Nina. We're meant to be together." Jonah started to walk back towards the door, expecting Ayla to follow him like she always did.

"I know, I know, but maybe it's time to toss in the towel. I mean, with everything that's gone down lately, you know, with her Gran and everything…maybe you should just give it a rest for a bit."

"Your voice sounds different. Less…I don't know. You sound more grown up. More..." He snapped his fingers as if trying to remember something he'd forgotten. "I got it! It's the accent. Finally sound like you're from Wells County! And here I thought you were immune to it!" Ayla closed her eyes.

"Don't change the subject, Jonah."

"Aw, come on Ayla, don't be like that! You know how I feel about Nina!"

"And what about how I feel about you?" Jonah stopped in his tracks.

"What?" His smile faltered.

"Jonah, you're so obsessed with getting Nina to like you, you don't even think about anything anymore! In two days, Nina will be back on a plane to England, back to her fancy British school with her fancy British friends. And now…there's nothing keeping her here. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Jonah started walking back towards her.

"No, Ayla, I don't think I do. What are you trying to say?"

"Nina has a new life. She has a boyfriend, Jonah. That Fabian kid? They're head over heels for each other. Everyone can see what they have is the real deal. And when Nina leaves…she won't be coming back. And then you'll be all alone because you can't see that there is someone right in front of you who loves you like Nina never will!" She could just feel her eyes watering as she said it, could hear the desperation in her voice.

"Look, Ayla, I know we had a thing while Nina was gone, but that's all it was; a thing. While Nina was gone. But now she's back. And as long as I can convince her that it's for the best, no one, especially not some guy she's known for all of two seconds will be able to get between us. Ayla, Nina and I belong together." Ayla looked at him wearily.

"And what about us? You know, I've tried so hard to be the type of girl that you always said you wanted. God, I acted like such a…such a…such an airhead! And all because I thought that it would make you want me more than..." Ayla's voice trailed off. She looked down.

"More than what?" Ayla took a deep breath as she looked back at the angry boy in front of her. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"More than Nina. But now I can see that no one will ever be able to measure up to the pedestal you put her on, Jonah." Her voice cracked again, and that was when small tears starting making paths down her face. "She will never want you like I do. That is something I can promise you; she is in love with someone else. And nothing you say or do will change that."

"I thought you were on my side, Ayla. I guess I was wrong." He turned to walk away, but Ayla grabbed his arm to stop him.

"I am on your side. But you're fighting for the wrong thing. Don't you see that? You're fighting for someone who doesn't want to fight back for you. Alls that's going to happen is you're going to get hurt." Ayla let go of his arm and took a step back. "And maybe this time I won't be here to make it better."

"What are you trying to say?" Ayla pulled out a brochure from her pocket and unfolded it. Jonah snatched it from her hands. "What is this?"

"It's for an art school in New York; a scholarship program. Nina showed it to me. She wanted me to try and apply."

"What, and you actually want to do it? For what? You have the drawing skills of a beaver who was born without any little fingers or claws or whatever they're called!" Ayla grabbed it back from him.

"For my writing. And I already got in, Jonah. I talked to my parents, and I'm going starting next semester."

"So now you're leaving too? That's just…that's just great. You know, you and Nina turning your backs on all of us here is sure getting real old real fast."

"God, Jonah can you even hear yourself? Remember when the three of us used to talk about getting out of here? You wanted it just as much as we did. In fact, if I remember it correctly you and me wanted it a whole hell of a lot more than Nina did. And I really thought the three of us would do it together, too. But then you got so obsessed with tryin' to win her over and then she moved to England for school and I really thought you and finally been cured of your Nina Fever but then here she comes right on back after her Gran dies and you start right back up again. But what you don't see is that Nina has changed. She has awesome friends and a really sweet guy who thinks she's the best thing that's ever existed. I want that. I...really want that. And, you know, who knows? Maybe in New York I'll find someone like Nina did; someone who actually cares about me." By now, Ayla had found her way to the door.

"What are you talking about, Ayla? I care about you!" Ayla gave a bitter laugh.

"Well ain't that the canary singing a different song. All you care about is yourself. And, honestly? I'm done. Nina's friend Amber was right. You're not worth trying to change for. Maybe you were before…but I don't even know you anymore, Jonah. You tryin' to get Nina? It's taken over your life. It's taken over you." Ayla took a deep breath. "For what it's worth, I really am in love with the Jonah that I knew while Nina was gone, even if he's gone now. Goodbye Jonah." She gingerly shut the door and started the long trek her house, leaving Jonah behind for the good.

[A/N] Soooo what did you all think? Again-sorry for the long wait! I'll try to wrap it up quickly.

xxxMere