(Carrie's POV)

I was downstairs, cutting a tomato for my sandwich, when I heard a sound from upstairs. I couldn't quite make out what it was. I listened closer, and realized it was footsteps, and a voice. Two voices. The only person here other than me is Larry. Intruder. I clutched the knife I was holding and walked to the base of the stairs.

I slowly walked up, trying not to be heard. When I got to the top, I stopped and listened. The talking was louder, now, and it was coming from…MY ROOM! I rushed to the door and looked to see Corey and Larry hugging. Corey jumped away from Larry once he saw me. I was confused, but my confusion was soon taken over by rage.

(Corey's POV)

I gulped as I saw Carrie in the doorway, holding a knife. That's it, my life's over. She didn't say anything, she just stood there looking pissed as hell.

"Riffin…" She growled as she raised the knife she was holding. I backed up a little. I could see Larry sitting on the bed, looking between me and her with a scared look. Then, she charged. Just before she reached me, I sidestepped and went over the bed, going for the door.

"Carrie, don't! It wasn't him!" I heard Larry yell. I looked behind me to see her going at me again. I got out the door, and she was right behind me. Before I could turn to go down the hallway, she cornered me, pointing the knife at me. I panicked.

"IT WAS LANEY!" I blurted in desperation. She suddenly dropped the hand holding the knife.

"What?" She asked, looking completely confused. What was really strange was that she was completely calm now, like she hadn't just tried to kill me with a knife.

"It was Laney!" I said quickly, holding my hands up defensively. "It was her fault! She set me up to make it look like I was cheating on Larry!" Carrie paused for a second, then looked at Larry, as if looking for confirmation. He nodded, and she looked back at me.

"Oh, well, okay." She shrugged. "I actually wasn't mad at that. I realized that you two must have made up for some reason, since you were hugging. I just wanted you out of my room." My jaw dropped. She tried to kill me…just 'cause I was in her room?! What is wrong with this girl?!

"What?!"

"What?" She said nonchalantly. "I don't like people in my room."

"He's in your room!" I said, pointing at Larry.

"He's an exception." She said. I just sighed and shrugged it off.

"So, we're cool?"

"For now." She said. "Now, tell me about this thing with Laney again. She…set you up?" I nodded. Larry came up to us.

"He said that she tricked us into going to the same place so she could make it look like he was cheating on me, and I would see it." Larry explained.

"So, she was the one who broke Larry's heart?" I nodded again. A sadistic smile appeared on her face as she lifted the knife once again, running her finger across the blade. "Then we'll just have to…pay her a visit." Okay, she was freaking me the fuck out.

"S-seriously?" I asked in a scared tone. She laughed and dropped the hand once more.

"Kidding, Riffin. Of course not. I'm not psycho." She said, playfully punching my arm…which actually hurt.

"I beg to differ…" I muttered under my breath. That's when she really punched me. All I can say is that I'm lucky nothing broke with that impact. I held my arm.

"What the hell?!" I said loudly. She stuck her nose up indignantly.

"That was uncalled for, Riffin. If you're rude to me, I'll be rude right back." I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever." I said as she began walking down the hallway towards the stairs. "Uh, where are you going?"

"To pay your little friend a visit." I walked up to her.

"Excuse me, but I don't think you're involved!" I said a bit more harshly than intended. She, however, wasn't fazed. She grabbed my wrist, and pulled me closer until her face was inches from mine. Her expression became very serious.

"Listen, Corey. She hurt my best friend. I think that makes me somewhat involved. I can't just sit by and brush it off like it never happened, whether you like it or not." She let go of my wrist, leaving a red imprint of where her hand had been. I stood there, slightly shocked. She called me Corey. She never calls me that. It's always 'Riffin,' 'Loser,' or 'Groj-dork.' Not only that, but it also seemed like she was a different person. She was less childish, and a bit more serious. I also saw…kindness. She was trying to hide it, and was doing a good job, but it was apparent in her eyes when she was talking about Larry. This is one side of Carrie I don't know. A side that she didn't want me to know. I smiled at this discovery.

"Lead the way, princess." I said. She gave me a warning look and started walking down the stairs, Larry and I following right behind. We left Carrie's house, and headed for Laney's. I didn't really want to talk to her, or even see her, but I had to know what was going through her fucking skull when she did what she did. When we got to her house, I knocked on the door. It was opened by her mother. When she saw me, her face fell slightly.

"Ah, Corey. Come in, come in." Why did she want me to come in?

"Uh, okay." I said as I stepped through the doorway, motioning for the others to follow. We walked into the living room. "So, uh, what do you need?"

"It's not what I need." She said softly. "There's someone who owes you an apology." As if on cue, Laney walked into the room, head down. She stopped a few feet away from me, and looked up. Her makeup was running, and she looked like she had been crying for a long time. I felt all anger immediately melt away as I looked at her.

"Lanes?" I asked, worried.

"H-hey Core…" She mumbled. I walked up to her and put my hands on her shoulders. I asked her the one simple question that's been on my mind all day.

"Why?" She looked up at me, her lips quivering. I saw fresh tears start rolling down her face. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around me, giving me a tight squeeze, and started bawling into my shirt.

"I'M SO SORRY, COREY! I DIDN'T MEAN FOR ANY OF THIS! I WASN'T TRYING TO HURT YOU! I DID IT BECAUSE I'VE LIKED YOU FOR SO MANY YEARS! PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!" My eyes went wide as she let all of her emotions pour out. She…liked me? Well, that explains a lot. As she continued with her muffled apology into my shirt, I hugged her tightly and rubbed her back. Her mother and father were standing by, watching her with sympathy. When she was finished her apology, I spoke.

"Shh, shh. It's okay." I whispered, rubbing her back. "I don't hate you, Laney." She lifted her head to look up at me.

"Y-you don't?" She said, attempting to choke back a sob, but failing miserably. I pulled her towards me so her head was resting on my shoulder.

"Of course not, Lanes. You're my best friend."

"B-but you sa-said I wasn't in the band. Yo-you said-"

"I know what I said, and I hate myself for saying it. I didn't mean a word of it." I said, hugging her tighter. I heard her let out a shaky sigh of relief as she hugged back. I looked over to Carrie and Larry. Larry was smiling, and Carrie had lost her whole tough-girl demeanor. Her face softened at the sight. I looked back to Laney as her crying turned to shaky breaths, and her breaths turned to slight sniffles. "You okay?" I asked her. She nodded, pulling away from me.

"Thanks, Core." She said, smiling. I smiled at her, then gave her a serious look.

"This doesn't mean I'm not still angry with you, 'cause I am." She lowered her head again.

"I know. I'm so sorry. Believe me, if I could take it back, I would." I smiled at her again.

"I know." I said simply.

"C-can we still be friends…?" She asked sadly, as if she was expecting me to say no. I grabbed her hands and sighed.

"Laney, no matter what happens, you will always be my best friend."

"No matter what?" She asked, resting her head against my chest.

"No matter what." I repeated, holding her close.