Disclaimer: I don't own the BSC or any characters. Just the plot.

Changing Lanes

Chapter 5: Dark on Fire

/

It's been one week since the tutoring session and I've seen Cary four times. We haven't spoken one word to each other and it's just left me more confused. Had I done something wrong? I still hadn't told Claudia or Mary Anne. I didn't know how I was going to tell them. How are you exactly meant to tell your best friends that you've been making out with your number one mortal enemy? I hadn't expected Alan Grey to be standing in front of my locker first thing in the morning. "What do you want?" I asked him as I pushed him out of my way.

Alan laughed and scratched the back of his head. He was nervous for some reason. "I need your help." He said. "I'm thinking of surprising Claudia with a present. Something I haven't given her before. I want to give her something out a reason behind it."

I spun the dial. "You really think that I'm the best person that you should be asking about a present for Claudia. Claudia and I are polar opposites when it comes to interests."

"But you've known Claudia for ages, for years."

"Still doesn't mean that I'm into the same things as she is. You know that."

"What am I meant to do?" He whined.

I paused. I felt bad. Alan had been Claudia's boyfriend for four years and she was happy. Why was I holding onto a immature grudge? I closed my locker and turned to him. "Ask Mary Anne. She's great when it comes to gifts."

Alan broke out into a laugh. "Thank you, Kristy Thomas!" He shouted and began to walk away. He stopped and walked back and leaned in close. "By the way, I know everything." He whispered for taking off again.

I stood there, blood rushing to my head. Cary told Alan? Cary told Alan what happened between us? I hadn't even told my best friends. What if Alan was going to tell Claudia? Oh my gosh! I screamed in frustration. People around me stopped and stared at me. "What?" I sneered at Justin Forbes as I walked off.

/

It was study hall and today it was in the library. Three classes were jammed packed into the one library and the teachers seemed to not care about the chaos that was starting to ensure. Mary Anne was elbow deep in her World History oral project and Claudia had gone up to the art room, so it left me with nothing to do as I had finished all of my projects and homework. I walked around the library, occasionally taking a book off the shelf and flicked through it. I wandered around aimlessly until I stopped. Cary was standing in the biology section with a open book in his hand, reading. I stood there awkwardly, staring at him. What I was I doing? I wanted to slap myself silly.

Cary looked up and smiled. "Bored?" He asked.

I moved forward. "Yeah, I have nothing to do really." I pointed to the book in his hand. "Your in biology?"

Cary laughed. "No, I'm not smart enough for that. I just find it interesting to read about. That's all." He closed the book and placed it back onto the shelf. "So..."

"So..." I repeated. It felt awkward. The last time we saw each other, alone, ended us making out on my desk. "This is awkward." Thank you for stating the obvious, captain obvious!

"I know." Cary said. "I don't think there has been this much silence between us ever."

Middle school Cary and Kristy used to fight like cat and dog. High school Cary and Kristy can't even look at each other. "I don't know what makes it so weird." Except for the fact we keep making out with each other. Except for the fact that there is this weird, awkward silence between us. Except for the fact we're meant to hate each other.

Cary grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. "It doesn't have to be awkward..." What was he hinting? That we actually start dating? Oh my, would my friends laugh at me then definitely. "But for years you've been saying you hated him and now you're going out with him?"

I looked up at him. "What do you mean it doesn't have to be awkward?" I asked. I couldn't help but smile.

Cary smirked and raised his eyebrow. "I suggest that... we you know..."

I bit my lip. "Are you asking me out?" I asked. I felt another smile forming on my face. I am smiling because Cary Retlin is about to ask me out. I need someone to slap me.

"I might be." He said, letting out a laugh. "No, I'm going to be a man and ask straight up. Kristin Thomas, will you go out with me?"

I frowned and punched him in the arm. "As long as you don't ever call me Kristin again."

/

I had gotten out of social science early and I was sitting at our usual lunch table alone. That's when it hit me. I am going out with Cary Retlin. I am Cary Retlin's girlfriend. What have I done with my sanity? Am I dreaming? Have I lost my marbles? Am I going into a mental hospital any time soon?

"Earth to Kristy!" Claudia said as she sat down in front of me. "What's wrong?" She asked, taking a bite of her lunch. "You look like you saw, like, Mrs Goldstein and Mr George making out. That's the only thing I could think of that would make you have a face like that."

I looked up at Claudia. She has been dating Alan Grey for years and before that, they kind of hated each other. Now they were most likely to be our prom king and queen. They worked out just fine. "Claudia." I said.

She stopped chewing and looked at me. "Are you pregnant!" She exclaimed, throwing her fork on her tray.

"No!"

"Good!"

"I'm going out with Cary Retlin!"

Claudia stared at me. "What?" She slammed her hands on the table. "You're going out with who?"

"Cary Retlin?" Claudia sat in her chair stunned.

"What's with you two?" Mary Anne asked as she sat down next to me.

"Kristy's going out with Cary." Claudia said, without taking her eyes off me.

Mary Anne turned to me. "Is that true, Kristy?"

"I...I...It might be?" I squeaked as I turned towards Mary Anne.

Mary Anne squealed. "Oh my god! I always hoped you two would get together!" She clapped her hands.

I stared at Mary Anne. "What?" I asked. "You thought what?"

"How did this happen? Who asked who out? When?" Claudia asked, her eyes were wide and looked kind of crazy. This is not the reaction I thought was going to happen.

"Um, I don't know. He did. In study hall in the library."

"I wonder if Alan knew he was going to do this. I can't believe you have a boyfriend, Kristy!"

"Thanks." I heard a sniff. "Are you crying, Mary Anne?" I asked, as I turned to her.

Mary Anne eyes were red-rimmed. "No!"

/

Sam's car is in the driveway when I get home. Watson and Mom's isn't which makes me feel a little weird. I'm about to interrupt Sam and Stacey's "special time". I saw Cary briefly after classes. It was still a little awkward, probably thanks to Claud and Mary Anne who seemed to hover and kept giggling, but something seems natural. I open the front door and the house is silent. I don't hear any giggling – the usual signal that Stacey and Sam are both here. I kick my shoes off and walk towards the stairs. Maybe it's just Sam whose home. I'm pretty sure I had seen Stacey standing out the front of the school as I left. I open my bedroom door and drop my bag. I flick my computer screen on and my email is still open. Jessi's email is still unread. Just because of Mallory said, I couldn't be rude and not reply to her. Jessi and I were on way better terms than I was with a lot of the ex-BSC members, including Abby, who I was close with before high school.

Hey Kristy!

How's everything in Stoneybrook? How's senior year treating you so far? Are you excited? You're graduating high school soon! It sounds exciting to me anyway! New York is amazing this time of the year, like always. Central Park reminds me so much of Stoneybrook, especially all the fallen leaves. I miss it. School's okay. Tenth grade isn't exactly what I thought it might be like. I was hoping it was going to be a little more easier than last year but I guess not. The level of intensity is so high, I can barely manage it sometimes! Sometimes, I wish I just stayed at my old dance school out at Stamford. You should see Squirt now! He's gotten so big! He's just one year away from starting kindergarten! Can you believe that? Becca's in the seventh grade now. I remember what it was like being her age. I remember just wanting to be twelve so bad, because I thought it was going to make me sooo grown up. Hahaha at myself for back then. How's everyone? How's Mary Anne and Claud? Are Claud and Alan Grey still going out? Wow, they will have been going out for four years sometime next year, hey? Jeez, time flies. I miss everyone so much. I think I heard Mom and Dad talking about coming to visit for Christmas. Aunt Cecilia still lives there, so, I think Mom wants to spend Christmas out there this year. We should definitely catch up if we do. I gotta go and do some homework now. Write back soon, much love, Jessi.

I sat at my computer. Jessi visiting at Christmas time? I wonder what would happen if she saw Mallory. Would they return to being best friends? I knew Jessi was friends with some girl named Alicia, and I'm pretty sure she was now Jessi's best friend. It was so weird how Jessi and Mallory turned out so different. Both of them had so much in common and now I bet they couldn't even carry a conversation.

Hey Jessi

Everything's good out here. I've got so much to tell you... Starters, I'm now going out with Cary Retlin... Yeah I know, left field much. He asked me out today during study hall. If you do come out, I'll tell you the full story. I think I could write a novel with that story. Secondly... Mallory's back. Sophomore at SHS as of last Monday. Rumour mill is that she got kicked out of her boarding school. She and I had some kind of run in the bathroom and she told me she hasn't talked to you since the summer after seventh grade? I'm pretty sure that's when she told me. She's not the Mallory we grew up with. I don't even know if she still writes. I've heard she's been hanging out with all the burn outs, you know, Chris Brooks and Noah Fein, yeah they aren't the best people to hang out with, or I've heard. Ah, I miss Squirt. I bet he's just as cute as when I last saw him. Wow, Becca's 12? That means most of our old charges are about that age and almost ready to graduate middle school! That makes me feel a bit older... I've picked out a few colleges, I'm pretty deadset on Michigan State. I hope I get in. Mary Anne and Claudia are great. Alan and Claudia are still together, I can't believe it as well. I'm pretty sure it's four years in May next year. Claudia and him are both applying to all the same schools so they can be together. I bet they end up married and being our prom king and queen. Well, I'm going to go, talk later! Kristy.

/

Mallory Pike is suspended Friday morning for being caught smoking pot with Chris Brooks and Noah Fein outside the science labs on Thursday afternoon. That was a speak of the devil case, especially after the email I sent Jessi back. I find out as I'm walking past Janet O'Neal and Rachel Robinson towards first period. I couldn't help but snigger a little bit after I heard. I really don't feel sorry for her, I feel sorry for her parents for having to put up with her. I've never been in a relationship before, so I'm not used to Cary being with me every second. As I walk towards our usual table, I notice that I'm going to be the last one to arrive, Mary Anne, Claud, Alan and Cary are all at our table. "Did you hear about Mallory?" I asked as I sat down next to Cary.

Claudia nodded, swallowing. "Yep. I heard Janet O'Neal and Rachel Robinson basically announce it to everyone in the bathroom this morning."

I felt Cary's hand rest on my knee. I froze. His hand felt like it was on fire. I felt an urge to grab him and... but I blinked and the urge went away. His hand and the heat I was feeling from it, didn't. "Do you know how long she got suspended for?"

"Two weeks and I heard she has to attend some therapy sessions as well."

"I can't believe Mallory Pike smokes pot." Mary Anne said, frowning. "I mean, I know people do it, but I can't believe she'd do it, you know?"

"I know, can you imagine how much trouble she's going to get in with her parents?" Claudia asked. "Getting kicked out of boarding school and now this, dude, if this was me, I'd be dead already for just getting kicked out boarding school."

"Same. You could you imagine what my dad would do to me if I ever did that?" Mary Anne asked.

I laughed. "Your dad would probably just makes you wear pig-tails and make your room pink again."

Mary Anne paled. "Please no!"

"So!" Alan said, interrupting. "A little birdy told me Cokie Mason's having another party this weekend!" Great. Claudia was dragging me to another party, so she could ditch me for tequila and Alan. I had heard about Cokie's already, I was just hoping nobody was going to mention it.

"Are we going?" Mary Anne asked.

I shrugged my shoulders and turned to Cary. "Are you going?" I asked quietly.

He smiled and shrugged. "Only if you are." He said.

I rolled my eyes. "Claud, you going?"

"Yes! Of course!" Claudia replied. "I love any excuse to party."

I coughed. In reality, Claudia liked any excuse to drink tequila and sleep with Alan. Cokie Mason having another party wasn't exactly a good thing. It would be my first as Cary's girlfriend. Did this mean we'd have to be like Alan and Claud and all over each other in public?

"Earth to Kristy?" Mary Anne asked, waving her hand in front of my face.

I blinked. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" She asked, giving me a small smile.

I blinked again. "Yeah."

I was totally not okay.