Author's Note: Okay, I need to address something from the previous chapter. Remember when Mordecai got Lizz's number? Yeah, forget about that. That wasn't the original idea; I don't know why I put that in there. They just meet and say goodbye, with Mordecai not knowing when he'll see her again (not in a sad way, but a curious way).

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!

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JUNE 26th, 2011

The vacation was over. The gang and I came back home two days after the outing with Keith. I had mixed feelings about the vacation. On one hand, I got messed up in the head by Rhonda and Shell but on the other, I got to hang out with my cousin and meet a new face. I'm still skeptical about her though, but it's not like I'd actually ever see her again. Not a huge problem.

Rigby got to give the prize he won to Eileen, although his body was still banged up. Still, he found out it was worth it to see her happy.

I know; it's very cute and sweet.

And Keith let me borrow "The Answer Book". I keep it under the bed and ask it questions every now and again; mostly just asking dumb questions with pretty funny results: Cheers me up.

It was a Saturday afternoon, slow work day. Rigby and I were just on the couch watching TV; neither one of us talking that much. It was just that lazy of an afternoon. The sun was almost done setting, leaving its last beam of light in the living room. There's something about the orange light that illuminates the room, that seems to make you very calm and nearly tired.

That was all stopped when I heard Benson call for me.

I turned around and saw him walking down the steps and stopped midway.

"I need to see you in my office," he said.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble. It's something else."

"Alright..." I got up from the couch doubtfully. "Be right back Rigby."

"Yep," he said dully.

I followed Benson up the stairs, but my heart started to beat fast, mostly out of anticipation. What would Benson want to talk to me for out of nowhere?

He led me into his office and gestured for me to take a seat across from his desk. He sat in his seat and took a deep breath.

"I've been trying to think of the right time to tell you this," Benson started. "I couldn't tell you while you were on vacation, nor could I have told you when me and the others were there to visit you."

"Well what did you want to tell me?" I asked.

"...It's about Margaret..."

I groaned immediately, "My god Benson! I'm over her! I don't want to talk about her anymore."

"Listen, as your boss and someone that cares about your well-being, I beg of you, listen to me," his tone of voice surprised me. He sounded more like he was pleading for me to listen, rather than force me.

I complied and let him finish.

"Now while you were in South Carolina, I was looking through the basement and found this antique that could probably be worth some money; Enough so that the rest of us here could afford the trip to see you. So, I went to the pawn shop and saw Mr. Ken helping a customer. Once he was done with them, I gave him the item, did the transaction, and everything was fine. When I went to leave, Mr. Ken stopped me and walked me into his office, said he wanted to talk to me."

"What did he want?" I asked.

"Well he said something that at first troubled me. He said: You need talk to Mordecai. I asked him what he wanted me to tell you and he responded: Just...tell him to stay away from my daughter."

"What's that supposed to mean?! She stopped talking to me!" I raised my voice.

"Calm down, let me finish. I told him exactly what you just said: That Margaret stopped contacting you first. Mr. Ken explained, that the reason he wanted me to tell you to leave Margaret alone, was because she told him you were making her uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable? How?"

"She told him how you were really clingy. That you kept saying, "I love you" and that you were very protect-"

"Woah, woah, woah! Hold on! I did all of that after she told me she was raped." I was steaming. This is what Margaret was saying about me?

"Okay, Mordecai, what I'm about to tell you...just try to keep your cool." Benson took a deep breath. "I told him everything you just said. That you only acted that way because she told you she was raped by her boyfriend... And that's when Mr. Ken gave me this weird look. He asked me to repeat myself and I did. I even let him know, that by what Margaret told you, he knew about the rape too and forgave Repar. I also told him of the medical problems Margaret got because of the rape. I told him every single detail."

"What are you getting at?" I asked.

"...Look, I let him know that Margaret told you her rape occurred a little over two years ago. He told me, that during that time, she was medically sound. She had no symptoms of a rape victims: No mood swings or depression. She was cheery during that time. After hearing that...I don't know but..."

"But?"

"When Mr. Ken said that, I couldn't help but think that, maybe...I think, Margaret lied to you..."

I shook my head at the mention of that and started to laugh nervously. "Please. Come on. If that's so, then explain her insomnia and the eating disorder?"

"I asked him that and he told me she's had those medical conditions for a long time. Way before the time that she told she was raped; like in high school!"

My hands started to tremble.

No...no way...no way...

I spoke out of denial again, "No, absolutely not."

Benson sighed out of frustration, "Before I left the shop, he told me he'd ask Margaret about this. He swore that Margaret was never raped. The next day, I came back to the shop, and he told me that questioned both Repar and Margaret. Repar swore on his life he never raped or assaulted her. And when Mr. Ken questioned Margaret, he said, "If you lied about this, you need to apologize to Mordecai." You know what she said?"

"What?" I asked.

"She said she'd apologize."

"..."

"Mr. Ken told Repar about the lie she told and he was furious and broke up with her. Then a few days later, I see her dating that guy I told you about when I called you, Jeremy."

"...So when you called me that day, you couldn't tell me all this?" I questioned.

"Again, do you really think I could tell you something like this on your vacation? Look how you're reacting now. You're tearing up."

"Really?" I put wing up to my cheek and it felt wet from one tear going down.

The room got quiet. My mouth was partly opened, my eyes twitched, my palms sweaty. I thought about everything that was told to me.

All of those sleepless nights?

No...

All of that worry?

No...

All of that hatred...to a guy who was innocent all along?

No...

All that stress...frustration...all from a lie?

No, no, no!

"I can't...I can't..." I said in a shaky voice. I stormed out of Benson's office, went into my room, and locked the door. I leaned back on the door and slid down to the hard wood floor, putting my wings on my temples; my head pounding.

If this was true...if she really did lie about this...

I felt so...manipulated. Like my emotions have been played with and manipulated. All that "Move On" progression was gone. Gone! I felt like I was from the very beginning of my depression. I was in complete disbelief and anger...and sadness.

I remembered the day Margaret told me she was "raped". I remembered her face, and how there was not even one hint of deception, as if she actually believed in this lie herself. I quickly got up and grabbed my phone. And then went through my pictures, looking at every one with Margaret. She always had a smile on her face, seeming so nice. How could a girl like this have come up with a lie so horrid? So manipulative? This wasn't Margaret.

Who was this girl?

My finger unconsciously moved to the options button, showing:

-Crop

-Copy

-Delete

-More

I went to the "delete" option.

Click

[Are you sure you want to delete?] The phone displayed.

Yes.

The picture was gone, but then it showed another picture of Margaret.

-Options

-Delete

-[Are you sure you want to delete?]

Yes.

Another pic.

Delete.

Then another.

Delete

Delete...

DELETE.

I repeated this process until no picture of Margaret was left.

Then I saw pics of Shell and that one pic of Rhonda.

They were also two women that showed their ugly colors. Hurt me.

Delete.

Delete.

The pics were gone, but it wasn't enough.

I went to my text message archive and saw the texts threads from all three women: 100 texts to and from Margaret, 50 from Rhonda, and 20 from Shell. As I tried to delete those threads, the phone froze. Out of frustration, I threw it at the wall, making the phone bust open making the battery fall out.

I put my face into my wings. I was crying, but all the tears came out slowly. My head was hurting more. When the hell did shit start hitting the fan? When could I have avoided all this. Being pulled into a lie, getting my hopes up for a girl over the phone, or constantly being in the friend-zone with one of my best friends?

I wanted to wake from this; hoping that this was all a bad dream. But I knew better; this was reality, and a bad one.

And even if this was all a dream, I don't think I'd ever wake up. I'd just be trapped.

Now in case anyone was confused on how the "he said, she said" dialogue was formatted, I apologize. I tried to make it as clean and understandable as I possibly could.

This is the last big turning point of the story and then we'll be near the ending of this story.

Also, I have the actual picture I took of the page "Move On" from the Answer Book that I would like to put as a cover. Problem is, I don't know if that would be considered copyright infringement. If anyone know if it is or not, please PM me and let me know.