Setting: The Sunday after Blaise talks to Kate, 2 pm, Blaise has been let in to the Garwin mansion by the butler, Henry. After slowly climbing the stairs in thought, she finally reaches Reid's door and knocks after staring at the dark stained wood for minutes that drag like hours.

Note: The first ellipses is Reid opening his bed room door, wearing a pair of sweatpants. Reid's ellipses is him sitting down sideways at his desk and ignoring Blaise. The next time she speaks, she's crossed the room and is standing in front of him.

Chapter Thirteen: Knock, Knock

"Who is it?"

"It's the virgin Mary!"

"…I didn't know there were any virgins left in Ipswich."

"I guess you've still got some ground to cover."

"I'm a little too aware of that."

"…I've really missed you."

"Door's open, come on in."

"You're in my way."

"So do something about it."

"Reid, I didn't come here to play games with you."

"What do you want then?…Other than to steal my bed. Sure, go right ahead and lay down on my side. What's new."

"Heh, sry."

"See, if you were sorry, you'd move."

"Well, I'm about as spoiled as you are Reid so deal with it."

"Wouldn't have you any other way."

"You sure about that?"

"What do you mean…?"

"For the past couple of months, you've been really weird Garwin. You won't talk to Tyler unless you're picking a fight with him. You yank me around, tight with me one second and pissed off the next. You're moody and angry and you've been M.I.A. for the past week. I just don't understand what happened to my best friend."

"You know, I ask myself the same thing all the time."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Reid, I have made more than enough sacrifices for you, don't even try to act like I haven't held up my end of the friendship bargain."

"Oh, so this is completely my fault?"

"I don't even know what 'this' is Reid! I don't know what's happened to us! I don't get it, okay? And you wanna know why? Because you won't fucking talk to me! So either spit it out, or get over it."

"…"

"Listen…I know this is hard. I'm sorry for freaking out on you I just…I can't stand the thought of losing you. Not when I don't even know how to fight back. Not when we are so close to getting out of here and finally living free of the shadows of this town. Not when it's our last year of school and everything is rushing around me and I need you more than I've ever needed anything in my entire life."

"…Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can."

"Tyler's going to Harvard with everyone else, right?"

"Right."

"So how can you be okay getting so close to him this late in the game, just before you fly off to the other side of the country when he's got his whole senior year ahead of him. And then after that? He's staying right here Blaise, he isn't going anywhere."

"Because…I…"-

"I'm not gunna fight you on the idea that you love him when I know you do. Just like you love Kate and Pogue and Sarah and Caleb. The thing is, you're not in love with him. And that's what makes this whole thing so safe. You're not getting hurt by leaving and when you finally have to come home and face the music. Get married and have kids and fall into line with every other robotic June Cleaver on the block, you can just fall back on Tyler."

"And that's you're problem? That I'm not in love with Tyler?"

"No. My problem is that you act like you're in love with him when I'm the one you keep begging to follow you to California."

"Of course I do! You're my best friend Reid, I need you by my side. I always need you by my side. It sounds dumb but…I don't feel like I can do it without you. I don't think I can make it in California by myself."

"I have complete confidence that you could. You'd take California by storm and make everyone fall in love with you and you'd shine brighter than all the night lights and sunshine and sequence combined. But that's the difference between me and Tyler. He's willing to let you go out there and do all that on your own. And I'm just not. As much as you need me, I need you more. But I'm not gunna follow you just to watch you hold hands with a few more Tylers."

"So…you want me with guys who aren't safe…?"

"Exactly. I want you with me."

Gasp. Uh-oh!! Haha, stay tuned for more!! Btw y'all were AMAZING with those reviews, thank you so.so.so. much!! Like I said last time, 3 reviews and you get your chapter. And trust me, you want this next chapter -wink- haha. Happy reading!
-Rachel