Author's Note: Okay, I'm back! Summer has begun and it's time to get back in the swing of things. I'm sorry this chapter didn't come out exactly in the middle of June. I had some personal problems that let's just say didn't put me in the mood to write. Fortunately, things are better now and my mind is a lot more focused. I really hope you enjoy the second to last chapter!

Looking Into A Mirror

SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2011

I kissed the figure passionately and the silhouette soon came into color. It was Margaret, wearing a yellow rain coat. I could tell she was surprised by the kiss, knowing I was still mad at her. This was my parting gift.

I stopped kissing her and looked in her eyes, "That's what you missed out on. Goodbye Margaret…" I walked away from her, leaving her standing under the flickering street light.

I popped out of bed and took a deep breath. I guess that closure I always wanted from Margaret, will remain nothing but a dream.

It's been a while since I've heard from Lizz: I saw her on the 12th and 14th but now I haven't seen her at all. No visits to the park or coffee shop. Not even phone calls or texts. For some reason, I couldn't help but feel worried about her. I kept trying to find times during the day to call her, but I was just so busy with work. Every time I didn't get a chance to talk to her, I kept getting the feeling something bad happened and it made me even more anxious.

It wasn't until after dinner, that I actually got a chance to call Lizz. I was on my way upstairs so I could talk to her in private on my cell.

"Hey Mordecai, you're going to bed this early?" Rigby asked while he was sitting on the couch, stopping me in my tracks.

"Oh no, I just need to handle something real quick."

"Oh okay, well when you're done you want to some Dig Champs for a bit."

"Yeah, sure, just hold on."

I sat on my bed waiting for Lizz to answer after I dialed the number. With every second that passed where she didn't answer, I really was beginning to worry.

Come on Lizz, pick up…

A voice soon answered.

"Hello?" It was Lizz, sounding like she just woke up. I had a breath of relief.

"Uh hey, it's Mordecai," I stammered.

"Mordecai?" Lizz yawned.

Maybe I shouldn't have called so late.

"Oh, Mordecai, hey what's up?" Lizz finally said clearly.

"Well I just wanted to call you, see if you were alright."

"Yeah, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

' "Well I haven't seen you at the coffee shop or the park the past few days."

She sighed, "Look, I don't know if you realize, but I'm still pretty down about what happened, so I stay home and sulk. It's my own way of healing."

"How long do you think it will be until you start to feel better."'

"Who knows…" Lizz paused. "May be a long time until I come out of this house. Out of this…box."

I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. This really did hurt her to the point where she can't even she just sounded dead inside.

"Lizz, listen I. I know what you're going through. I understand how you feel, but trust me, staying in the room won't help anything in the long room."

Lizz didn't say anything for a few seconds, but when she did, she sounded pissed, "You know, I'm getting really sick of you saying that."

I was taken aback, "Saying what?"

"That 'you understand how I feel' or 'I know what you're going through'. You keep saying that, but I don't really know if you mean that, because you barely spoke a word of what happened. Yet, I opened up to you and said everything to you."

I held the phone for a while, feeling beaten.

She had a point. I guess I would sound like a BS'er, claiming I can relate, but with no real evidence. I don't know why I never told her, it's not like it hurts for me to talk about it anymore.

I took a deep breath, "Okay, I'll tell you, but you can't go spreading it around. It wouldn't help if it did."

"Okay, I won't. Now come on, let's hear it."

"…Alright, I have…had this friend, Margaret. I knew her for two years, since the day I started working at the park. I had a crush on her for the longest time, but I could never find the courage to tell her. We were still good friends, but just never became more-"

"Wait a second," Lizz interrupted, "I think I've heard that name."

"Really? She's a red robin."

"Hmm…I think…I'm not sure, keep going and maybe it might be the Margaret I think it is."

"So, about a few months ago, she asked for my help with this project…"

I had to stop talking for a second, as I soon felt sick to my stomach for some reason. A flash of the memory popped in my head:

"Maybe I can help."

"Really Mordecai?" Her eyes brightened again.

"Yeah, I mean I don't have much work to do, and besides I'd love to help you." Love…if only.

"Oh thank you Mordecai!" She went from behind the counter and hugged me. I slowly wrapped my arms around her, but tried to make it friendly so I wouldn't creep her out. Alright Mordecai, don't get too excited. We both let go of each other at the same. Margaret pulled out her notepad and wrote something down, then handed it to me. Her number. Ooooohhhh! "Call me tomorrow and I'll pick you up so we can go to the library."

"Don't help her man…" I whispered to myself.

"What?" Lizz asked. She must have heard me.

"Nothing, sorry. So anyway that project went well and our relation grew greatly. Then I helped her with this other project and she invited me to her house where she told me this secret: She was raped a little over two years ago, by the boyfriend she was still with…God, did I hate him…"

The bag shook harder. Left, right, left, right. I could see Repar's face and I wanted it gone. I threw a left punch, then a right, huffing between every punch. The punching bag flew back a little on the chain. Punch after the punch, the bag looked like it would fly off the chain.

I had cut to the chase and told Lizz of my relationship with Rhonda and Shell. I told her about the fight Margaret and I got into and how that lead to a chain of bad events: Losing Margaret as a friend, realizing why I never heard from Rhonda again and finding out the truth behind Margaret's lie.

Every time I went over those events, that feeling in my stomach got worse. I felt my body heat increase from all the emotions returning as I recalled them. I felt worn out after it all.

"So now you know, how I can relate to your situation. I've been betrayed and hurt, just like you."

Lizz didn't say anything.

"Whenever I saw you sitting alone at the coffee shop, sulking, looking miserable, I saw myself, especially after you told me what caused you to be that way."

She still said nothing.

"I went through a really bad depression. I stopped being myself, became more distant I was always sad and barely happy…" I began to choke up. "I hated that feeling! I hated feeling betrayed and lied to. It's the kind of feeling I wouldn't wish on anybody, especially my friends and I consider you a friend."

Still quiet.

"Look, don't do what I did. Don't just stay secluded from the world feeling sorry for you self. Go out and take a walk like you did at the park with me. Talk to some friends or something. You can't let what some douchebag did, ruin who you are. You have to…you have to move on." My voice felt shaky saying that. "I probably don't… really have a right to say that because I'm still moving on and talking to you about this proves that. I feel upset just talking about it…but it's a hell of a lot better than when I couldn't even get a sentence out about this, without losing it."

I took a deep breath and sighed. I still didn't hear anything from Lizz.

"You there?" I asked.

She finally spoke up.

"You know, I think I know that Margaret…I heard rumors about her, similar to what you just told me. Now to know you're side, I feel so sorry for you."

"Don't. Like I said, I'm getting better. Lizz, I'm only saying all this to help you. I don't want you to go through what I've went through.

"I know Mordecai, thanks…" she didn't say anything for a while. All I could hear was her sighing and sniffing as if she had been crying. "Goodnight."

She hung up and I put my phone down, taking in a deep breath. I heard the door slowly creak open. I turned my head and saw Rigby peeking in.

"I uh…I heard the whole thing…" Rigby admitted. "You said you'd be back real quick and you know impatient I can be, so I went to check on you. You okay?"

I cracked a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just worried about Lizz."

"Well you got to talk to her about it."

"Yeah, but…Rigby, I realized I'm not over this. You heard me, I get upset just mentioning it. If only there was some way to just forget about it all. I'm sick and tired of it always being in my head."

Rigby just looked at me, wanting to say something, but was stumped, "I wish I had some advice for you on that one."

"It's okay man. I'll probably get some insight from Skips about it tomorrow. But still, thanks for checking up on me."

"No problem bro. So, you still in the mood for some Dig Champs?"

"I guess…" I joked. "After all, I kept you waiting for all that time, right?"

Rigby smiled, "Yeah." He went downstairs and I got up from the bed and followed him.

She'll be okay Mordecai.

The final chapter will cover 2 days and an epilogue. The date of its release is on my profile and I shall not be late for that one.

Also, another announcement, I now have a DeviantArt account and my username can be found on my profile. It will have short stories and poems, along with some stray artwork I may do.