Author's Note: Again I do not own Faking It or any of the characters. Reviews are welcome. Please enjoy!
Karma's POV
"Is he….crying?" Lauren's voice cuts through Karma's thought like a hot knife through butter. She turns around and sees Shane is indeed crying. He raises his head from his desk, "You're right. I am a terrible person. I outer you two as lesbians," indicating to Karma and Amy, "because I didn't want Lauren to win Homecoming Queen. I outed your pills," he looks directly at Lauren, "because I wanted to take you down." Finally Shane looks at Liam. "And I outed Duke because….I wanted to ruin his life." Wow. This is the most honest I have ever seen Shane. "Instead, he told me he loved me." Duke is brave….like Amy was when she told me she loved me. "And now, he hates me, and he should." Shane shrugs his shoulders. "I hate me." Woah. Hate is a little strong. I mean I really don't like Shane very much, I would never say I hate him. He's Liam's best friend, he's Amy's friend...I can't imagine how badly he is hurting right now.
Liam's voice is soft, "Shane, man, come on. Ease up."
Amy joins in, "You did a bad thing, but that doesn't make you a bad person." She really sees the good in people.
Lauren admits, "I've forgiven you, and what you did to me was way worse. Have you told him that you're sorry?"
Shane replies, "It's too late. He leaves in, like, an hour to train with some famous Muay Thai fighter." In an hour? Maybe we can still fix this for him. Prove that love can conquer all.
As Karma looks at the clock hanging on the wall, she says, "Well, then there's still time." She looks right at Shane with determination. "We're breaking you out of here." Lauren nods in agreement. Felix raises his fist above his head, "Ready to form Voltron."
What the hell is he talking about?
"The 80's animated show?" Oh my God. And his dad was worried about leaving him home alone all day? He's too much of a nerd to get into trouble.
"Nobody? Really?" Felix says in disbelief.
Play it cool, don't look like you're planning on breaking someone out of detention so he can go confess to his love how sorry he is for hurting him…
Principle Turner looks through the glass for a minute, checking on his students, then turns around and heads back to his office. As soon as he is gone Liam tells the group, "Okay, we have one hour until he checks in again." Not a lot of time..
Felix informs everyone, "But he locks the doors on Saturdays."
"Maybe we could get a key somehow?" Karma says the first thing that pops into her head. Felix could get a key off his dad somehow I'm sure.
"He's got it on his belt." Felix says. Oh, nevermind.
"Oh, what about the bathroom window?" Amy suggests. "It was open this morning."
"The bathroom window?" Shane asks skeptically. "That thing is tiny."
Lauren smirks, "Regretting that jumbo bag of Cheesaritos?" Grabbing her purse off her desk, she stands up. "Let's roll."
Karma and Amy grab their stuff as all six of them head out the classroom door. Alright time for mission impossible stuff!
Karma and Lauren lead the group down the hallway, when suddenly the girls throw their arms out to stop everyone from going any further. Shitttttt. Turner! Principle Turner is standing at the vending machine, debating with himself about whether or not he should get a snack. The group begins to walk backwards as quietly as they can. Shit, shit, shit. Don't make a sound
Karma frantically whispers, "How are we gonna get by him?"
Amy points to the wall, "Pull the fire alarm. Shane can sneak out in the chaos." Brillant! That would totally work
As Amy reaches for it, Lauren stops her, "Neh"
"What?" Amy asked confused.
Lauren explain, "Theo and I were about to get caught, so, I created a distraction." As she starts pulling off her gloves, "Didn't know those things spray permanent ink!" She shows the group her now blue stained hand. Ahhhhhh. I knew it wasn't a clerical error
"That's how you got detention." Shane says, taking the words right out of Karma's mouth.
Felix breaks the tension between Lauren and Shane, "I'll distract Turner." Oh no.
Liam asks, "How?" "I know what makes him tick." I can't believe he is doing this right now
"He's my dad." Felix confesses.
"What?!" Everyone but Karma is blown away. Well there's go that.
"Yeah. I don't exactly advertise it. It's not easy being the son of the most hated man on campus." Try being the daughter of the people who sold pot brownies to students and ended up arrested in front of the entire school.
"No, it's okay" Lauren, oddly enough, is the voice of assurance. "What happens in detention stays in detention. Right?" How very fight club of her..
"Right." Everyone agrees. Felix turns around and walks up to his dad, who is still at the vending machine, finally decided on what to get. Felix brings reminds his dad of a sex talk they had and how his dad had told him if he had any questions to just ask. "Why do men have nipples?" As Principle Turner leads Felix away, passing the rest of the group without noticing them, he begins to explain. What a weird way to distract a parent…..
"We'll never make it in time." Shane whispers.
"Yes we will. I got this." Lauren says as she pulls out her cell phone.
Theo starts up his police cruiser with Liam in the front seat. Shane, Lauren, Karma, and Amy are all squeezed into the back. "Handled. Book it Theo." Lauren says proudly.
We just might make it time. At least someone could have a healthy relationship. Jesus is everyone in this car in some kind of fucked up relationship? Lauren is dating the guy who arrested me and Amy, Liam and I…..I don't even know if there is a Liam and I anymore. Do I want there to be? Amy's over me and she had Reagan, but now that that's over, I don't know what she will do. Will she find someone new? I hope not. Not because I would be jealous or anything (totally would not be) but as her best friend I should take up most of her time. And movie nights. And cuddles.
"Oh I can't believe you stopped at a red." Shane complains. "What kind of granny cop are you? Can you just turn on the siren?"
"Look," Theo explains, "there are strict regulations governing the use of the siren."
"Ugh!" Shane groans. "And Amy, how could you possibly be carsick?"
I know how to fix this. I know how to fix almost anything when it comes to Amy. Karma rolls down the window next to Amy. "Stick your head out the window." Amy looks at Karma. She continues, "Dogs do it all the time and they never barf." Amy laughs and leans her head back against the headrest.
"I'm sorry I busted you about the check. That wasn't cool." Amy apologizes. Look at cute she is. I cannot stay mad at that face.
"No, I'm sorry." Karma begins with her own apology. "I was way too harsh about Hank. It's just," How can I say this where it doesn't sound like I'm overprotective? "I see how hard it is on you when he leaves," How hard you cry. How you ask yourself why you aren't enough for him to stick around. You should never ask that. You are more than enough. "And it just makes me a little crazy." Okay, maybe a lot a bit crazy. But that's what best friends do, right? They get a crazy about each other. Amy smiles.
"Glad you two made up." Liam interjects sarcastically into the moment. "We were all so worried." What an ass.
"Petrified." Lauren adds.
Shane loses his patience, if he had any, "This light is taking forever! I can't take it anymore" He stands up and reaches into the front seat, turning on the police sirens. "Go, go, go!"
Theo sighs as he accelerates, "I better not lose my job over this." If you do then we don't have to worry about keeping your secret. I'm getting so sick of secrets and lying to everyone.
Finally they pull up and see Duke loading his gym bag into the trunk of a black car. Shane almost falls out of the car in his rush to reach his love in time. "Duke, I'm so sorry…"
Amy makes a gagging noise, the whole car looks at her to see if she is going to throw up. I can't believe she is still carsick. We aren't even moving anymore.
Theo begs, "Please don't puke in the car. I'll find you some water." He unbuckles his seatbelt and off he goes.
Amy waves her arm in front of her, almost as if to clear space, "I need air." And she bolts out the door, leaving Lauren in the car with just Karma and Liam. Please don't leave us Lauren. If you leave then we will have to talk about the bribe, and I'm so not ready for that. I still don't know how I feel about it.
"Okay" Lauren says to break the tension. Then she too gets out of the car. Dammit Lauren.
Karma and Liam watch Duke and Shane. They can't hear their words, but they can see their body language.
Liam asks, "Do you think they'll make it?" They both know he isn't only talking about the boys they are watching. Karma, refusing to look at him yet, "I don't know. That was a pretty big betrayal." Like the worse kind. How can you sleep with Amy?! Gay Amy! My Amy! Is nothing sacred in this freaking group? "Even if Duke," Or myself "wants to forgive him-" or you… "he might not be able to." Why can't I get over this? Liam sleeps with everything that has a vagina. I should not be surprised he went for Amy. I don't have to be nearly as drunk as he was to know she's gorgeous and a great listener and oh, so kissable. Dammit! What is wrong with me today?!
"Yeah, well, maybe Shane," Or you "doesn't know what else he can do." Is there anything you could do to make me forgive you? You already got the drug charges dropped against my family, and the assault charges dropped against Amy. You've practically sold your soul to your father….You have done so much to make amends.
Karma finally looks away from Shane and Duke, and reaches into her purse. Reaches for the bribe check. As she holds it up to Liam, "I wish I didn't have to think about this." I wish I could be as sure of you as I am of Amy. I wish I knew for sure that I loved you enough to not consider, even for a second, never speaking to you again.
As Liam turns around, and looks Karma dead in the eye, "I wish I hadn't given you a reason to." This seems like closure...I think this is it for us. And I think I'm okay with this.
Karma watches, a little heartbroken, as Duke gets into the car and it pulls away. Shane looks like his whole world is crashing down around him. Oh shit, is that the time?
"Uh, guys!" Karma hollers. "We need to head back to school...like now!"
The door to the detention room opens and Turner is standing there looking around, scanning each of their faces in turn. Felix is standing behind him looking like he was ready to have a heart attack.
"You've completed your detention." Principle Turner states. "I hope you've all learned a little something about yourselves today," A little about ourselves, a lot about each other… "and I hope I never have to see you here again." Checking his watch, Turner says, "You're dismissed." Oh my God. I can't believe it's finally over.
As the six of them walk towards the student parking lot, Amy asks everyone, "So, where do we go from here?"
Lauren answers, "Home. It's over." We're just gonna act like none of this ever happened?
Lauren is headed towards Theo's car when she turns around and says, "Remember, what happens in detention-"
"Stays in detention. Got it." Felix finishes for her. "So, you're all gonna forget now that I'm going back into the school to join my dad."
Amy laughs. "Oh, we'll never forget. But we won't spill."
After Felix heads back, the last four of group splits apart. Girls going to the right, boys heading to the left. Karma is replaying the events of today in her.
"Are you okay?" Amy asks, worried about her friend.
No, I'm not okay. I'm very, very confused, a little heartbroken...shouldn't I be more upset about this breakup? I mean I was dating Liam for over a year..Amy was dating Reagan briefly and she was totally a mess after their breakup. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I mean that was a long time coming. I mean, I'm ready for a change, you know?" Something with less lies, no secrets, and certainly not a guy who is going to sleep with my best friend. "New leaf, new page, new haircut." Just something new. Maybe someone new…
Hank pulls up in his car, a huge grin on his face. Amy turns to Karma, "Want a ride?"
"Nah, I wouldn't want to intrude on father-daughter time." Besides, I have to figure some things out in my head. I need some nice alone time, just me and my brain.
Hank waves, "Hey, Karma."
"Hi, Hank." If he makes Amy happy, I'm happy…"Glad to see you weren't kidnapped in Syria." She jokes.
"You believe no one wanted me?" Hank goes along with it.
The friends part ways, Amy getting into her dad's car, Karma still standing on the sidewalk. Over the roof of Hank's car, she sees Liam in his car, buckling his seatbelt. He looks up, looks right at her, and drives off.
Why? Why do I hurt everyone who loves me. I hurt Liam so many times by usually choosing Amy over him, in some form or fashion. I hurt Amy by not loving her back, and I almost lost her because of it. I just don't know what to do. Can me and Liam even still be friends. Can we hang out, without fighting, or trying to cover up our secrets with sex and heavy make-out sessions that I'm really just not that into? Ugghhh, who knew detention could lead to such emotional rollercoaster.
As Karma starts walking home, tears of frustration start to flow. She doesn't even try to stop them. When she finally gets home, her parents ask her what's wrong and she says the first thing that pops into her head. "Me and Liam broke up today."
She is smothered with hugs, and manages to get free, and runs towards the house. She is crying on Felix's bed when he gets home.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I made the mistake of telling my parents about the breakup, and now they're smothering me with love and psychobabble about new beginnings and rising from the ashes-" If only they knew that was only part of it. Apparently, I'm having less than platonic thoughts about my best friend, who used to be in love with me, but I don't know if she still is, and if she isn't, then did I miss my chance? Do I want a chance? "And can I have my old room back just for a night? Please?"
Felix smiles, "Yeah, I'll just sleep on the couch."
Karma lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. "Hey," Felix turns around. Karma asks, "Have you ever had your heart broken?"
Felix looks uncomfortable. "Uhh, yeah, when my mom died."
Oh God! His mom died? I cannot even begin to imagine. I rely on my mom for everything. Poor Felix!
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Felix shrugs, like it's no big deal.
"How did you get through it?" Karma needs to know. If Felix can survive that heartache, there must be a way to get through this.
Felix walks over to the bed and sits next to Karma. "There's no magic bullet." Fuck.
He pulls her to him, "you just...you do it...one day at a time."
Karma spends the next half hour crying on Felix's shoulder. This is so nice of him, but it's not the same. Why isn't this making me feel better. I always feel better when I'm with Amy. She always makes the pain hurt less….Maybe that's the answer. Maybe that's alway been the answer. How can I figure this out. How can I tell if she still loves me..that way? I think I want her, in a more than friends kind of way. I do enjoy kissing her, and holding her hand, and spending nights with her wrapped up in each other's arms. And…..Shit. Yup, that all sounds like dating. I enjoy dating my best friend….