Well, TMI, I somehow picked up on your oh-so-subtle suggestion and decided to list my reviewers. Since I haven't done this before, I'm doing everyone that reviewed since I started the story. So, here I go:

Yreva13

TMI (of course...your reviews keep me mildly entertained for the 5 seconds it takes to read, and understand, them)

deathtobieber

Ally

fanglover18

Jace'n'FangLover

BOOKNERD101

water wolf 100

ReErEe2015

PANTHER-PRIDE

FallenSnowAngels5297

Chocogirl24

conti siegel

You guys are good for my ego. 3 And I checked out most of you guys' profiles, and a lot of you are REALLY good!

The second the bell rang, I grabbed my stuff and headed for the library. I had messed up the biology test so bad, Mr. Righton was letting me retake it, which was unlike him. But when your 88+ student gets a 54, you're gonna do what you can to get your class average up. And hey, I wasn't complaining.

"Scuse me, man on a mission here..." I mumbled, weaving my way through the throngs of people yammering away about there plans for the upcoming three-day weekend (gotta love those teacher workdays), straining against the current; most people used study hour to go out on the quad and mess around. I was usually part of that vast majority, but like I said, retest.

Finally, after one squashed foot and a bruised arm (seriously, dude, running through the halls with a computer cart is NOT a good idea and will injure everyone in the vicinity), I made it to the safe haven of the library. The librarian, Mr. Lazzara (though he let me call him Michael 'cuz he's cool like that), gave me a quick half-wave before turning back to the kid who apparently was helpless when it came to locating a book and required assistance. Whoa, run-on sentence there.

I sat in my usual chair, next to the mural of the Riverview Raiders and under the biggest window. It was a much sought-after seat, but one black eye given to a certain freshman cleared that right up. Who knew?

Anyway, I pulled out my biology book and crammed like I'd never crammed before. I don't think I actually got a sentence of it it; my thoughts were more along the lines of Oh crap, gotta study, gotta study... than they were Ribosomes are found inside the walls of one's prokaryote. Cram, Max, CRAM!

"Umm...Max?"

I hesitated to look up and stifled a groan. I knew It wasn't Sam awkwardly standing by my desk this time, instead it was someone...I didn't really know how to describe.

"Yeah, Nick?" I replied, straining for an off-handed tone. It came out much more strangled than it had in my head. Of course, my head was still kind of caught up in the difference between a eukaryote and a prokaryote.

I looked up at him through my hair, and his eyes flashed with relief. His deep, obsidian...oh never mind.

Only I could be mildly furious with someone who had totally ditched me for Lissa Monroe of all people, and then proceed to make an smitten comment about their eyes. Okay, maybe Ella could do that too. But whatever.

"We haven't been talking for a while, and I wanted to know what was wrong."

My mouth dropped open, and I quickly snapped it shut. IDIOT! Idiot, idiot, idiot! How do you get so stupid?

"Well..." I began hesitantly, "I guess I was kind of uncomfortable, you being with my mortal enemy and all. Plus, you've been sort of blowing us off."

"I mean, we have to work on our project!" he defended. And I need to work on my test, but here I am talking to you.

"All the time?" I hissed, already feeling raw rage bubbling in my stomach.

"We want to get a good grade." He replied, his eyes flashing; but this time, not with relief.

"Oh, so you expected extra credit for a detailed map of each other's mouths?" I half shrieked.

"Wait, what?" he said, all defenses down. He really was confused.

"You and Lissa," I replied, my awkward meter going off like nuts. "In Mr. Fab's room. It appeared to be a very intense game of tonsil hockey."

"Wha-" he began, then trailed off, his face turning pink. "Oh, that." he mumbled quietly.

"Yeah, that." I replied truthfully. "I've seen her go through three boyfriends a month, and I'm not too keen on you becoming one."

He nodded slowly. "I guess I get that," he said finally. With an edge in his voice he added, "seeing you with Sam was pretty unsettling."

"Why?" I said curiously. He was such a nice guy.

"He's, like, a total male chauvinist. Didn't you know that?" He said, with genuine surprise.

"Um, no." I replied, a chill going down my spine. I trusted Nick WAY more than I trusted Sam, even with the recent crap we've been through.

"Well, he is." he replied simply, wordlessly signifying that he was done with the topic. "But...are we cool?"

I held out my hand for him to shake. "Yeah. You are expected to sit at the usual table at lunch. No buts."

Nick flashed me a rare half-smile, and I hesitantly smiled back at his retreating figure. Okay, back to prokaryotes. Oh joy.

"Look who's come crawling back," Tess drawled, putting her hands her hips in mock disproval. His eyes held the ghost of a smile, which was pretty much the Nick equivalent of explosive laughter.

"What? Is Nick here?" Iggy asked from behind her. "If so, it's about time."

"Yeah, he's here." I replied, plopping down into my usual seat in between Tess and Nick. "My amazing persuasive prowess brought him back."

Nick slid silently beside me, taking in the familiar scene, almost kinda sorta in some respects smiling. But you take what you can get from him.

I was smiling too as I ate my chicken sandwich, the one thing our cafeteria didn't totally screw up. It was nice to have him back.

"So, how'd you do on your biology test?" Ella asked, poking at her own mac and cheese. Mistake of a lifetime, Ella dear. I don't know of a single person who has eaten their macaroni and been there the next day to tell the tale.

"I actually did mildly okay. Like, an 85 or something, I can't remember. Don't ask me how, I don't know." I replied, and Ella took on a look of mild surprise.

"Good for you." Iggy remarked. "I, on the other hand, aced my honors science pop quiz today."

"Because it was on chemical reactions!" Tess accused.

"Yes, you can't deny that I'm something of an expert on the subject." Iggy replied, pleased with himself. Tess rolled her eyes, mumbling something including the words 'narcissistic', 'pyromaniac', and 'imbecile'. I couldn't agree more.

"What did I miss?" Nick said abruptly from beside me.

"Yeah, while you were off with that sl-" Ella started angrily, but Tess, peacekeeper she is, cut her off.

"I made Jazz Band!" she said cheerily.

"I almost cut my hair, but forgot to," Iggy chimed in. I rolled my eyes.

"I got a date for the All Hallow's Eve part-ay!" Ella added, doing a little dance in her chair.

"Wait, wait, wait. All Hallow's Eve party? When did this happen?" I asked, nonplussed.

Ella turned to me, dumbstruck. "What are you, a hermit?" She exclaimed, flinging her hands out. "The posters are everywhere!"

Now that she mentioned it, I did remember seeing one or two posters in every hallway of every facility I've ever been in for the past five months. Selective memory, I guess.

"Who're you going with?" Tess asked curiously. Ella had never really 'made a move' on anyone, even though she was the one ranting about how supermegafoxyawesomehot (A VERY POTTER MUSICAL REFERENCE! WOO-HOO!) so-and-so was 24/7.

"Well...you know Keith, right?" she said slyly, and Tess grinned.

"Good for you!" She commented, sinking her teeth into her own chicken sandwich.

"Oh, and Max?" Ella said, staring me down. I blinked and looked up at her.

"Yeah?" I said, preoccupied with my fries. Seriously, I swear to God that the one on the left moved, no joke...

She turned to me, eyes boring into my skull and searing my brain. Ooh, descriptive language. Nice.

"It's not over yet. The game. It's still going."

I closed my eyes, slumped in my chair. Iggy and Nuck would just have to wonder what she meant, but Tess, Ella and I knew.

I was getting a date to the party. Apparently, a date with Sam just wasn't enough.

Sometimes, I really hate my friends, you know?

SORRY! I know Thanksgiving Break is supposed to be when you update every day, but I was visiting relatives in Baltimore, and I was a little preoccypied with the adorable baby and the recent brain surgery patient to update. Any way, there wasn't even a computer.

C'mon guys, you know the deal. It's really not that hard. In fact, I myself find great pleasure in coming up with creative reviews (or, more often, ways to threaten authors into updating). Feel the pressure. FEEL THE PRESSURE I AM SENDING THROUGH MY KEYBOARD INTO YOUR SKULL. YOU MUST REVIEW. YOU MUST REVIEW NOW.