Author's Note: (READ ME this time. PLEASE! Haha)

I've edited/changed this chapter a lot. I kept going back and forth wondering if I liked how I had everything play out but I think I finally got it with this one. I'm really not sure if you will all appreciate this chapter but think of this before you go into it. This story has all been in Serena's perspective. I had to think a bit like Mina for a while to really work this one out then it made sense because before, going in in the Serena mindset, I couldn't forgive anyone. But Mina's side of the story isn't shared so when it's her turn to speak, please hear her out. Am I sounding too much like a nut who thinks her characters are real? They are in my head so whatever. I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter or at the least get a bit of insight into another character's perspective because the entire story is very Serena-centric. I feel the story slowly coming to a close. My prediction is it'll be over before the end of August! (Start the new school year with a new tale maybe?)

Now... Read away.

You Again?

Chapter 30

The next week was full of avoidance. I never had to deal with Shields or Mina in person, but they found other means of communication. Kind of.

Everyday on my desk would be a vase containing a single budding rose with a plain note attached that had a phone number on it. I knew the number. It's now blocked on my cell phone. It's a number I'll never use again. And as for the flower? Everyday it got acquainted with my trashcan. I never asked how the flowers got there but I had a sinking suspicion that the profusely blushing Brad had something to do with it.

Then there was Mina. She called my home phone and only my home phone. She also always called at inconvenient times when I wasn't actually home and left a message. All it said was "Please call me."

I'm not sure what that's about. Does she even really want to reconcile? She has my cell; she could've called that. She knows my work schedule so it's not like she's unaware of the hours I'm not available at home. Does she really expect me to call her first? Really? I don't think so.

She attempted, if that's what it is, to make contact less often than Darien. She left her message twice on my phone, once on Monday and once on Friday and that's it.

It seemed I was getting off rather easily. No one felt too inclined to contact me. They seemed to be playing it cool. Clearly, they're fine with the situation.

Whatever, I am too.

Ray was a different matter. She called me everyday multiple times complaining about back pains or something of the sort. Sometimes it was to rant about Chad and every so often she'd put in a comment about my situation with Mina. And every so often I'd switch the subject. I'm not going to hang up on Ray, after all. Firstly, she's pregnant and scary. Secondly, she's Ray and scary. And thirdly, my friend list seems to be dwindling so I can't risk losing another one.

I found myself sitting around my apartment drinking tea and watching television too often. It felt like I'd aged about fifty years. Was this really my life? This? Work, television, and tea? Oh, and my cat. Can't forget Luna.

I should probably explain that one since no mention of a cat has hitherto been mentioned.

On Wednesday I found a cat on my doorstep.

No joke. I don't get it either. I've since put up signs on the building bulletins inquiring if anyone was missing a black cat with green eyes and a crescent-shaped bald-spot on the forehead. Odd little thing she is, I know.

But anyway, I couldn't let her stay outside. She looked so pathetic. If you know animals you know they have the most pathetic, love-me eyes ever. No one with a soul can deny them, especially a cat-loving soul like myself.

So after two days went by without anyone claiming her I felt it was okay to name her.

"Luna."

Perfect.

She meowed when I first said the name so I took it to be a good sign.

Now in case you're not paying attention, not only am I a twenty-eight year old sitting at home day in and day out watching television and drinking decaffeinated tea, but I now also have a cat.

I'm a spinster.

It's official.

I might as well get out the yarn and start knitting a scarf for the grandkids. Oh, wait! There are none. Even sadder. Maybe I'll knit a scarf for the cats.

Yes, cats.

It's bound to happen. I'm bound to adopt at least five more cats to complete the collection. They can't be alone after all. And everyone knows I need as many friends as I can get. The cats can be my friends… Yeah, sounds like a plan. I'll start getting my retirement in order too though the company may not like my early retirement much but really it's my last step in this process of decay.

It's over.

Get used to it, Sere.

My life continued like this for yet another week. No calls from Mina this week though Darien's flowers continued to come, but each day they changed now.

Once it said, "Stop being a Meatballhead." Not sure if that's supposed to be cute. It failed if it was.

Another time it said, "Your insurance is no longer valid, call this number." It contained the same number as usual and it was attached to a rose so it wasn't really convincing.

My favorite and by far the corniest said, "This rose is red, your eyes are blue. The saddest thing? I really miss you."

I passed one more Sunday with my new buddy Jimmy though this one consisted of conversation over Cocoa instead of crappy espresso shots. He was good company and before I left he had me promise to come by the next Sunday which I easily did seeing as I had nothing better to do, except knitting of course. Ray wasn't pleased with my absences from the lunches, neither were any of the rest of the girls who each made various calls with the moral being along the lines of "Please forgive Mina" or "She didn't mean to hurt you". They were lame excuses and I always managed to switch the subject.

I did have dinner with Ray and Lita one night just to keep things exciting. You know, to try to offset my other spinster habits.

The next Saturday as I was plotting the movie adventures of another spinster night the phone rang.

"Hello?" I didn't check the ID.

Mistake.

"Sere?" The voice was meek. It was one I recognized despite the unusual lack of confidence.

"Mina." I replied tersely, keeping as much emotion out as possible.

"I called a couple times last week, you haven't called back." Her voice was shakier than usual.

"I know. I didn't call you back. I'm surprised you don't understand that."

"I do."

"Then why are you calling, Mina?"

"Because you'll never call me again if I don't."

"I'll still never call you again."

"You will, too." Her voice rose a bit and she seemed more confident.

I laughed bitterly. "Not so much, Mins."

"I'm your cousin if nothing else."

"Congrats, but that tie doesn't help much now does it? Mom is long gone and Auntie Sue hasn't been inclined to extend an invitation for quite sometime. Connection severed."

"Mom doesn't invite people who don't welcome an invitation." She sounds almost angry.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means every time she invited you in the past she was turned down. You came to Christmas once, Sere, and all you did was mope in a corner with Granny's cat."

Oh God, me and cats again.

"That's because, if you didn't notice, Granny's cat is the only one that paid me any attention. It's your family, Mina. Not mine."

"It's our family, Sere."

"I have one connection and she doesn't care."

"Two. And mom paid you more attention that Christmas than me or any of the rest of us! And Granny Lynn? Are you really going to blame her for being a bit out of it the first Christmas after her daughter died? Really?" Now she sounds pissed.

"Are you really going to blame me for being a bit out of it the first Christmas after my mother died? I was 20." Now I'm pissed.

"You lost your mother, yes, but you still had an entire family that cared. An entire family whose phone calls you seemed to always miss. Whose invitations you always declined."

"They were pity invites, Mina."

"You really are insane!"

"Excuse me?" What the hell is her problem?

"You push everyone away. Everyone! Everyone but Sammy. The girls and I used to be an exception but I guess none of us are safe with you, are we?"

"What the hell?"

"You ignored the entire family, Sere. Everyone! And when they needed you most. Yes, you were twenty. But so was I! And Granny Lynn was a lot older and mom was a little more aged than we were but that doesn't matter when it comes to something like this. You should've stuck with us."

"This has nothing to do with anything." I stated blankly, resisting the urge to yell at her. If I yell it means I care.

I don't.

"It does. You give up on people too quickly."

"Really? And what do you think I should do now? Forgive you for what you did and sing Kumbya?"

"You have to forgive me." It came out as almost a plea. I don't know if it's that or if it's just her stubborn nature taking over.

"I don't have to do anything. Do you even know how you told me what you did? Do you? If you were in my shoes, it would be over."

"I wouldn't care who you slept with."

"Of course not, you don't care about who you sleep with!"

Silence.

It was deafening. It seemed to engulf the entire world until the pin falling a mile away stopped midair, retaining the silence.

"Can't imagine why I was so angry I told you it like that. Not at all." Her voice really shook now despite her attempts at hiding it and I could tell she was crying.

"Min…" I couldn't get out a word. I couldn't apologize to her. I just couldn't bear to. I'd already tried once and I'd been shot down and left for dead. She hasn't apologized at all. Hasn't even attempted to. This conversation was an attack. I can't say it. "I'm not apologizing. You called to accuse me? Fine. Congratulations. You've made your point. I'm a bitch. But you haven't even once said 'sorry'."

"Of course I'm sorry!" She sucked in a deep breath through her tears. "You think I'm happy not speaking to my best friend? You don't think I wish I hadn't slept with him? You think I believe that night was worth all this?"

"It was two nights. And, no, I really don't know what you think." I replied earnestly.

"Sere," She drew in another breath, "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry! It was before you started liking him, I swear. You hated him in high school! Hated him! I couldn't tell you then; I was ashamed. What reason did I have to bring it up after that? It was ancient history. Then four months ago... Well, he hadn't been in the picture at all in your life and I didn't want to bring up another one of my excursions to you. It wasn't exactly a proud moment for me and you were bad enough when it was guys you didn't know. What was I going to say? 'Something happened between me and your old nemesis'?" The thought of it again made me cringe but I said nothing, wasn't able to say anything. "Once you did speak to him again it seemed your hatred hadn't disappeared, so again I didn't want to bring it up. And after you started liking him... I just couldn't tell you that. I wouldn't. I didn't want to ruin something good for you, it still is good. The past doesn't matter. And I'm not excusing it because I know how I told you wasn't ideal in the least. I was hurt; I was angry. I projected. I'm sorry! So sorry. I can't say it enough. I can't not speak to you. I just can't. You're my best friend, Sere. It's just..."

There was a long pause.

"Just what?"

"Sometimes I just can't stand how you view me." She whispered it so lightly I could barely hear it but I know I did.

"How's that?"

"Sere," She started with another breath. "Sometimes you place judgement. Who am I kidding? Not just sometimes, always! You may not even realize it but you do. Your face is an open book. Anytime we talk about guys I can see your face attempt to close off but I see it anyway. You're judging me. You don't approve. You don't condone my 'behavior' as you called it."

I gave myself just a minute to process, to come up with a coherent response besides "Uh… Uh…".

"I don't," was my final reply. It's the truth. I'm not playing around it. She knows it and I know it.

"I know that." She replied calmly. "So what can we do about that?"

"Nothing." I replied.

"What if I told you I'm trying out abstinence?"

I froze. Excuse me?

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not having sex." She replied as though I didn't understand the word.

"I know what abstinence is!" What the hell? "Mina," How could I put this? "You abstaining has nothing to do with me. And if it does, you have more problems than I thought."

"It doesn't only have to do with you."

"Then why the sudden change?"

"I don't like the way you girls view me." As soon as I opened my mouth to interrupt she interrupted me. "It's not about that though. It's just… I've recently looked at myself and I don't like what I see either. Not all of it. But some of it."

"Explain." That's the only word I could manage in my befuddlement.

"I'm twenty-eight and I change the men I date more often than I get haircuts." For most people this wouldn't mean much, but Mina gets her hair at least trimmed once a month. "I don't want to be old with no one but my cat to comfort me, you know?"

"Oh, do I ever." I laughed slightly; looking down at Luna curled up on the couch far away from me. She'd be too tired to comfort me in my old age.

"I've always wanted a guy in my life but not in the way they are now, you know? I'm supposed to be looking for the 'one', not getting side tracked with the many others out there. You know me, Sere. I'm the same girl that used to dream about owning a real live Barbie house and getting a Ken doctor doll to sweep her off her feet."

I didn't say anything.

"Sere, I may not appreciate you passing judgement but I can understand it. And even though I'm saying all this, it doesn't mean I want you to continue judging like you do. You're almost a prude sometimes."

"What?" She sucks at apologizing.

"Just because you don't do something doesn't mean everyone else has to be like that. I admire you for keeping to it, though. I really do. That's kind of part of the reason I yelled at you in the mall. You're practically living out my Barbie dream story, just Ken isn't a doctor." I was going to say something but again she continued. "Though that doesn't mean the other part wasn't there too. You were judging me and I could tell."

"Last time I didn't do anything though. I was trying to defend you."

"But you'd been just as bad. Your defense is kind of shallow."

"So that means you have the right to—" Again, she cut me off.

"No, I had no right to tell it to you like that. I really am sorry about that. I am so sorry. You have no idea."

"Min, you've called twice. That's it."

"I figured you'd call me when you decided I was worth it." She laughed bitterly. "I never imagined I'd be worthless to you, that's all."

"You're not." I had to admit at least that. I owed her that much.

"Thanks." Odd reply. I heard a small laugh come from the other side of the phone and I couldn't help but chuckle a bit myself.

Before I knew it we were both laughing, together.

"You're not worthless. Thanks. Wow, aren't we great at compliments?" I said and she gave a small giggle.

"You sure know how to boost a girl's self esteem." Again, we gave into our mirth. Something I hadn't done all week. Something that Mina always allowed me to do.

"I miss you." I conceded.

"I miss you… I'm so sorry, Sere." She made a one-eighty back to serious and I switched with her.

"I don't know if I can forget this, Min." I had to be honest with her if nothing else.

"I don't expect that. I'm just looking for a bit of forgiveness." She waited. I waited. I waited to feel my forgiveness for her or to feel that it was possible.

"It'll come." I replied.

"Come home."

"What?" I questioned, confused.

"I'm having dinner with mom and dad next month. Granny Lynn will be there, obviously. Come home."

"We'll see." I replied, avoiding.

"Sammy has to come too. You guys haven't been with the whole family in a while. Please, Sere. It's one day- not even. One night."

"Okay," I finally agreed and I could almost feel her smile. I did hear her giggle.

"And Sunday lunch tomorrow, you'll be there?"

That I couldn't promise.

"Can't make it this time, maybe next one."

"Sere…" I could hear her concern.

"It's not all about you, you know. I have plans."

"Okay, I can accept that... for now." She conceded and paused for a moment.

"Love you, Moon."

"Thanks, V." I couldn't quite bring myself to say the words myself.

I hung up, not wanting to say or hear anymore.

That was more than enough excitement for one night in the life of a spinster.