Disclaimer: I still own nothing. :( Boo. Well, I own the OCs.
A/N: GARGHH. I hate school. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. I have to go practice lines for drama class (the teacher asked me why I wanted drama (which I didn't) and I said to her "I don't know...I'd rather be writing the lines then preforming them" and she just laughed.) I was hoping she'd not make me perform tomorrow. BLAH. And Math...let's not even let me get into that, or my rant will be longer than my chapter, haha. I won't be updating until the weekend probably. I'm sorry, just so much work to do. :( Lol. And again I ask: check out littlerascalash's stories! They deserve more credit. She writes like whoaaa. :) Anyway, enjoy. ;)

-Shannon's POV-

I can't face her. No, not now. Not after what I've done. Holy shit, what have I done? I'm fucking horrible. She's going to hate me more. No, she's not just going to hate me; this girl is never going to speak to me again.

I pace around the kitchen of my house, my three dogs following me around, eyes gleaming for something to munch on. Charity is going to hate me forever. Maybe one day she wouldn't of but now, she really is going to. I'm so screwed.

My cell rings in my pocket, nearly making me jump out of my skin. "Ello?" I mumble, mind still racing wildly. "Oh, hey, Matt. What's up? How was dinner…no, I'm fine, I am. What? No! …um, well, I'm sort of busy…no, really, I am. Matt please don't come—"

He hung up on me! He, Beth, Jeff, and Charity are on their way over from dinner. The dinner I said no too, though I can feel my stomach rumble. I can't eat…I'm too fucking guilty to eat, especially in front of her.

-Matt's POV-

"Shannon is acting really, really weird," I state, hanging up the phone on him and announce to the car. "He doesn't want us to come over. Says he's 'busy.' Why do I not believe that?" He really is, his voice was nervous, like he did something wrong. I can't figure out what his problem is.

"Maybe he really is busy," Jeff says, snickering.

"What could he be possibly so busy with for so many hours of sitting at house?" I challenge.

"Think about it," Jeff replies. "He could be working on a drawing for a tattoo, don't ya think?" I eye Jeff through the rearview mirror, eye with raise of my eyebrows. "He could be," Jeff grumbles. "Or did you forget he owns a tattoo shop?"

"How can you not have visitors when drawing, Jeffrey? Don't you think that's a little bit—"

"Boys, just shut up and head over there. We'll see when we get there, won't we?" Beth says, leaning against Jeff, holding him protectively. His tattooed arm is slung over her shoulder, in the same fashion.

"Yeah…really," Charity mumbles next to me, studying her nails. She was quiet throughout dinner, but she didn't seem on the verge of a mental breakdown, so I figured she was okay. After all, her eyes were dry.

I smirk a little and narrow my eyes. "Gonna gang up on me now, too, huh? I'd say this is not a car of MFers," I tell her. She looks about ready to protest, but then she finally hears my playful tone I guess.

"Definitely not. I'd say it's a car full of Edge-heads," she says with a smile. If it would have come from anyone else I probably would have backhanded them, but for once, I'm okay with what she said.

Jeff and Beth crack wide smiles on the backseat, eyes studying me for what I'm going to do in response. Smirking, I clasp my arm around her, and attempt a to hug her. "You're a smartass, you know that don't you?"

"If I say yes will you keep your hands on the steering wheel so we make it to Shannon's alive?" she replies. Oh, this girl is good. I almost forget that her brother just died…she certainly isn't acting like it. Actually listening to someone for once, I squeeze her shoulder once more, and put both hands on the steering wheel, rolling my eyes.

"I wouldn't expect the driving to get much better," Jeff calls out from the back.

Charity giggles, smiling toothily. Keep her smiling, just keep her smiling and her mind off Penn, I think, staring at Jeff's reflection in the mirror. "Nero, unless you want to walk the rest of the way, I'd suggest you can it, little bro."

Minutes later, I park the car outside Shannon's, and hop out, quickly so I can help Charity out. A girl can't resist a gentleman, right? Wait, what am I doing? Shannon likes Charity. Charity might like Shannon. I need to stop thinking stuff like this…SHANNON LIKES CHARITY.

Damn, I'm stupid.

Jeff doesn't bother to knock when he enters Shannon's house, only to find Shannon sitting down on the couch, head in his hands. "Yeah, you look so busy," I say sarcastically. "Don't hurt yourself in that busy thinking."

"Shut the fuck up, Matt!" Shannon hisses, eyes meeting me before his tense voice does. I notice Charity widen her eyes and take a step back.

"Touché," I reply with a nervous laugh. Jeff gives me the same 'what the hell?' look that I send him out of the corner of my eye. Shannon is not one to be like this. I seriously hope he isn't still upset about what Charity said to him, she just seems confused.

"What do you guys want?" he asks, just as his dogs come running up to the four of us standing awkwardly inside his home. "I'm doing…stuff."

"What, burning brain cells?" Beth mutters. You shouldn't have done that, Beth, I think, and bite on my lip, waiting to see what would happen.

"Leave me the fuck alone, Beth," Shannon says, turning his back to us. "I…go. Just go," he murmurs, voice childish sounding and cold. "I'll give y'all a call later. Alright?"

"Um…'kay," I answer for all four of us, but don't leave. "Shannon, is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," he replies, voice curt like a business man. "I just want to be alone right now."

"Alrighty. Give me a ring if ya…need anything," I murmur, and raise my eyebrows as we walk outside into the darkness. "That was weird," I whisper, as Beth shuts the door behind her. "He's…not acting right."

"No shit," Jeff says. Beth nods at me, her eyes saying the same thing. "What is wrong with him?"

Charity is staring at the house though, eyes watching the shadow of Shannon's figure, eyes curious. I don't have the nerve to ask her what's she's doing when she walks up to the window and watches. I can't see her face now, but her body stance screams curiosity too.

"Charity?" Beth asks, her face now in the same expression as mine. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine," she murmurs, though her body doesn't move. Jeff and I glance at each other, unable to move ourselves.

"Are you ready to go?" Beth continues.

Charity turns around, eyes sad—understandable—but her face says something else. Not only is it screaming curiosity now, it says something else, of which I am not sure of. She doesn't say anything as she shakes her head no, eyes narrowing to look around the surrounding area.

I send another puzzled glance to Beth and Jeff, both of which shrug in response.

"I'm going to say," she says firmly, finally, and smiles. "I think Shannon and I need to talk a little. Is that okay? You guys can go. I think things will be fine after…I'll have him drive me home," she explains.

I want to tell her no, saying she's hurt and grieving, she shouldn't be arguing with Shannon about where their relationship stands at this point (regardless of how I'm pushing my way in) but I find it odd that I don't say anything. I want to, like I said. Something just tells me though, this needs to happen.

"Okay," I murmur, to which Beth and Jeff are still silent. I think Jeff now knows something is up between Reject and Charity now, but isn't sure what it is, though last night's games said something.

Beth's face is twisted, sort of concerned and confused, it's almost motherly. She nods though, smiling weakly at Charity. Charity gives her a similar smile on her own face.

"I'll see y'all soon," Charity says, as we head toward the car and get in. She watches us for the longest time as we pull out—I notice through my rearview mirror—before turning around and facing Shannon's house.

-Shannon's POV-

Why didn't she leave with the rest of them? Oh God, please don't tell me she knows…I'll die. There has to be a reason why she is still standing out there, facing the window and looking at me. I see it through the reflection in the TV. She's just staring at me, eyes questioning and curious.

I have to get up and see why she's staring at me…it's giving me the creeps. When I stand up, she doesn't move, but her face changes. She seems a little scared now, which worries me more: don't let her know!

Opening the door, I peek out and see her staring at me, eyes cheerless. "Hi?" I ask, my tone really unsure. Moving to the side, I motion to the inside of my house, to which, before she says a word, she steps into. "Charity?" I continue after her, as she wanders around my living room. "Charity? Look, I'm sorry about your brother. I can only imagine what you're going through…"

She turns around, facing me, tears gleaming in her eyes. Damn! Of course it wasn't about her brother, had I forgotten our past that quickly? I'm really a fucking idiot. Now I'm making her cry…DAMN IT. "This isn't about Penn," she whispers. I'm going to assume Penn is her brother. "It's about what's been happening between us."

With that, she sits on my couch, just as my female dog hops on next to her. She doesn't say anything else to me, but begins petting her, smiling at the tan dog.

"Right, 'course," I mumble, sitting down next to her. "I am sorry…I just—"

"Let's not do apologies, Shannon. I just want to make this stuff stop being awkward between us. You're right, I do like you. You're a smartass and one of the most fucking annoying people I have ever met in my life, but you're sweet. Not many people would pay for a girl they just met and her tattoo, don't you think?"

I want to smile at what she says, but guilt is ridding me. "I'm not like other guys," I manage to mutter, feeling horrible about myself.

"I know," she replies, a tiny smile on her face just as OZ comes running in, and hops onto the couch next to us. She smiles at him too. "You're different…" she trails off. "2BME."

"Right," I say, releasing a tiny smile. "2BME."

"Mhm, right. Anyway, it's just…I felt something I'd never experienced before…truth is, I've only had one steady boyfriend, and the kiss we shared yesterday morning was like…off this Earth compared to the kisses that my boyfriend produced. Yours seemed realer…more caring…I…I sound like an idiot," she mumbles.

I turn to her, myself feeling like the idiot. "No, no, you're not an idiot. The truth is…you're a better kisser than my ex-wife," I admit. "But, you're not an idiot. I…I really, really don't know how to explain it, but when I first saw you with Beth…and how she was yelling shit at me…I didn't even hear her…I was blinded by you and you're beauty."

"That line has been so overused," she mumbles, rolling her eyes. "Thank you, though."

"I'm a little corny at times," I reply. "But, look, Charity, and don't take this the wrong way…especially after the times I've been an idiot…which was a lot in the past four days…I can't be with you right now." Her facial expression falls. "I can't explain why right now. Please don't think it's not because I don't like you…because I do. I just can't risk this."

Angry flares through her eyes, a deep glow in the grayness that scares me. "You're fucking shitting me, right? Please tell me you're shitting me. Right? Right? Do not tell me after I pour my fucking heart out to you, right now and you're going to tell me this! You begged me the past couple days and now—" She's crying, fuck. I can't be with her, I can't. This can't happen like this, no sir.

"Charity, I'm sorry. Look, I'm sure you're a little over emotional right now, that's okay and—" FUCK.

"A little over emotional right now, Shannon? A LITTLE OVER EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW? YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LOSE A SIBLING! DO NOT TELL ME I'M A LITTLE OVER EMOTIONAL!" She is really screaming at me, I have to wince. "I'm leaving, and this time, when I say it: don't talk to me and I mean it. Don't talk to me ever again, Shannon Moore. Figure us over before we even started," she says, venom dripping from her mouth. The dogs are barking around us, confused by the angry energy.

She lunges toward the door, stomping the entire way. "Charity, wait, please, at least let me drive you home," I whisper. "It's a while to Matt's house." She doesn't turn around but stops. "Better yet," I say, thinking fast. "I'll just call you a cab." She waits at the door as I stand and call, eyes looking towards the floor. When the cab arrives, she gets up and walks out, without another word spat at my face. And again, I'll say: I'm a fucking idiot.

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