Sorry for leaving it so long again! Now in my defense I've been busy with school, and my grandmother got sick just before Christmas, so we had to go visit, and then she died about a month ago and now my other grandmother is sick, so everything's been a bit weird. And then I fractured my wrist tripping over (very embarrassing, my friends took photos of me lying there in pain on the floor before helping me up and getting me to the ER).

Now I warn you, this is not very good.

Somebody Hates You

Phoebe's hurt me, more than I'd admit to Piper, who has begun her mandatory attempts at reconciliation between me and Phoebe, fulfilling her role as the peacemaking middle sister perfectly.

All I say to Piper is, "Forget it. Phoebe isn't my responsibility anymore. She can do what she wants."

Like she isn't already.

But I still can't help watching Phoebe whenever I see her at school, surreptitiously, of course, I don't want her knowing I still care. Because she sure doesn't seem to. She spends every lunchtime with Cole and his friends, and I wish I could make her understand why she and Cole can't go out, that I'm not trying to make her unhappy or to be Mom. I just want her safe.

The reason I spend so much of my time watching Phoebe is partly because I'm avoiding Andy. If I don't see him, I can't ask him about Friday, and I can tell Grams, perfectly honestly for a change, that I haven't seen him. And if he's insulted or hurt by my behavior, then that's just too bad. In fact it's for the best. I don't know what I was thinking in the first place. He just doesn't fit in with my friends, and the idea that I might actually like him and that he might actually like me can only mean things will end badly.

I'm pretty sure he is hurt by me avoiding him, or at least annoyed, because by Thursday he's stopped trying to talk to me. With Phoebe, and now Andy, ignoring me it's starting to feel like everyone hates me, when in reality all of my friends are still talking to me. They just don't feel much like my friends anymore.

"Have you asked him?" Grams asks me that evening as I'm sitting at the dining room table desperately trying to understand my Latin homework.

"Oh, I…uh, I haven't really seen him this week, so I didn't get a chance to…" She's not buying it.

"He's in the same classes as you, isn't he?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"Is he not in homeroom with you too?"

"Yeah, but-"

"And has he been absent this past week?"

"Not exactly-"

"So what is the problem?"

"I…I don't even like him Grams, so there's no point in inviting him over. I haven't even spoken to him this entire week." Only half a lie.

"You don't 'even like him'?" I don't like the way she's imitating me. "Is this where Phoebe's getting it from?"

"Getting what from?" I ask wearily.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. What kind of example is this setting to your sister, a different boy every week?"

I note that she doesn't say sisters, plural. Piper's excluded. Again.

"It's not a different boy every week," I say, trying very hard to keep the annoyance out of my voice. "Am I not allowed to change my mind, once?"

"Not when it tells your sister that it's okay to behave like that…where is your sister?"

Phoebe's not home?

"I'm not sure…I think she said something about working on a project in the library after school…"

"You think?"

Grams rolls her eyes in exasperation and disappears into the kitchen, perhaps to try Phoebe's cell. I don't know why I bothered covering for the little slut.

The doorbell rings, and I drop my pen in exasperation. Caesar will have to wait. I open it expecting Phoebe to be there having forgotten her key, but she isn't. I bite my lip, and glance behind me.

"Hi," I say, stepping onto the porch and pulling the door behind me so Grams won't hear or see.

"Hi…" He replies, looking confused.

"What do you want?" I ask, folding my arms. Then I realize how rude I sound. "Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like that. I just meant…" Why would you be here after how I've behaved? I don't say it.

"Have I…have I done something to upset you? I know Friday sucked, but…if I could have changed that then I would have, I-"

"Stop it," I cut in, closing my eyes so I don't have to see him.

"Prue?" He asks uncertainly when I don't say anything more.

"You didn't do anything," I mutter. "I just think you should…I should stay away from you."

"Why?"

I open my eyes again.

"I just should." I shoot a nervous look behind me again, in case Grams is wondering where I've gone. "You shouldn't be here."

"Why the hell not? You aren't exactly giving me any reasons for anything, are you? I've spent the entire week thinking I've done something terrible to you, and actually it's because you don't feel like bothering to tell me that you don't want to see me anymore!"

"That's not fair!" I exclaim. "Okay, it is," I correct, seeing his face. "But it isn't like that!"

"So tell me how it is."

"I can't. Not right now. Please just go…"

He only seems more confused that he was when he got here, but he obliges me.

"Fine, but we're going to finish this tomorrow. Don't you dare act like I don't exist."

"I won't," I promise, already inside the house and shutting the door.

Okay, I basically have the next few chapters done, but I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to upload them, because I'm going to stay with my grandmother to help her out with everything when she gets out of the hospital, and she doesn't have any internet connection, and when I get back it'll be my finals, but hopefully I will find time in-between.