Hey guys, New chapter! Sorry it took so long to update. I try my best to update when I can, but with finals coming up for me and writers block it just hasn't been updated. Sorry about the change in person in this chapter (I hope it's not bad or confusing. If it is please tell me), but it just didn't sound right to keep it at Jane's point of view the whole time, and it was hard to get across to you what I was trying to. Anyway, I'm gonna stop rambling now. ENJOY! (»»»» ←these indicate change in person –POV)

Chapter 9:

A couple of weeks had passed since the incident in the bathroom. No one dared bother Maura when Jane was around. It was becoming rarer and rarer for Maura to be without Jane by her side.

Every afternoon after school, Maura would sit on the bleachers in the gym and wait for Jane's basketball practice to be over. When it was over Jane and Maura would chat outside the school and then say their goodbyes once Maura's driver came to pick her up. Jane, then, rode her bike home.

One day after school, Maura was sitting in the gym reading a science book while Jane practiced. There was about forty-five minutes left until the end of Jane's practice, and Maura had to use the bathroom.

Maura walked into the bathroom only to be met with a pair of eyes looking at her through the mirror, Debbie. She was leaning in close to the mirror reapplying lipstick. "Hello, Bora." She hissed as she turned around, along with Emily and Kate.

"Hello Debbie." Maura responded as cheerfully as she could manage. She began to make her way to a stall before she was stopped by Emily.

"Where's your friend?" Emily asked almost threateningly.

"Why does it matter?" Maura tried to keep her cool.

"I know where she is." Kate spoke up. No one ever really heard Kate talk. It was normally Emily or Debbie that gave the insults (because that's mostly the only thing that came out of their mouths). Kate was known more for just being a little shadow, but when she did deliver insults they were brutal. "She's at basketball practice."

"Why do you hang with her anyway?" Debbie asked as she approached Maura.

"You know she only uses you for her grades." Kate seethed. "She needs to keep her grades up to be able to play sports," Kate joined the other two, to surround Maura, "and now that you're in the picture, she can use you for her advantage to help her."

"That's not true at all," Maura defended, "She has never asked me to do her work for her. Jane is very responsible."

"Or so you think. She's trying to gain your trust the most she can." Debbie sneered. "And, by the looks of it, you already trust her with your life." Everybody burst into laughter. "Just wait 'til she does leave you." Debbie added as she walked to the bathroom doors with the two others following. "Then you'll have to go back to your frogs and lizards and whatever else you like to cut up. Oh, wait, you still do."

After Debbie, Emily, and Kate laughed; they left. Maura was left to stand alone in the bathroom to replay everything in her head that just went down. She didn't know whether to cry or leave or to confront Jane.

She decided that this wasn't something to cry about. After all, that's not how her mother taught her to handle a situation. She could almost hear her mother's speech about 'That is not how ladies act. Especially not an Isles. I did not raise you to cry at everything. That is what babies do because they cannot communicate with words. Use your words, Maura. You are not a baby. You are an Isles.' After mentally listening to her mother's speech in her head, she decided that she would ask Jane about it.

After waiting for what felt like hours to Maura (in reality it was only about 25-30 minutes), Jane's practice was finally over. Jane and Maura walked outside together and walked to get Jane's bike from the bike rack by the fountain out front (like they do every day). Jane noticed that Maura was being unusually quiet.

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"Maura, why are being so quiet? You're usually spouting off random facts." Silence. "What's going on in that big brain of yours?"

"Jane," Maura started, but I could tell that she was struggling with what to say. The way she was acting was completely unlike her. Abruptly, Maura grabbed my arm and turned to face me. "Jane, why are you friends with me? No one's ever wanted to be friends with me before."

I was caught off guard by her question. I slightly chuckled nervously from uncertainty, "Wha- what do you mean, Maura? You're joking, right?"

"No, Jane, I'm not." She looked at me seriously. Then, she repeated her question again. "Why are you friends with me?"

"Maura, why are you asking me this?"

"Can you please answer the question?" She asked nearly impatiently.

"Ok, ok. Maura," I looked straight into her hazel eyes. "I'm friends with you because I like being friends with you. I've never had a girl best friend before and there is something about us that just… clicked. There is just something about you that draws me to you. Why no one else has taken the time to get to know you, I have no idea. But, I am absolutely joyous that no one else had taken you first because, at the moment, I don't know what I would do without. We can talk and share anything without any judgment on either of our parts, except maybe mine now and then," Maura chuckled, "but I enjoy spending time with you and your quirky self. I wouldn't dare think to do anything that would compromise our friendship. Maura Isles, I enjoy being friends with you." I inhaled and exhaled deeply. It was almost a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, Maura took my rant as a sign of me getting soppy, but I most definitely wasn't. She was clutching her chest and said in an almost pathetically, sweet, soppy tone. " Jane, that, that was so sweet. I had no idea that w—"

"Alright," I grabbed her arm to pull her along, "enough with the soppy love fest. I'm not that soft."

Maura's car and driver where already waiting out front for her. I got to my bike and pulled it out of the rack. We hugged and said our goodbyes only becoming more eager to see each other the instant we went off in our different directions. I could hardly wait for school tomorrow.

Even though Maura was feeling the same way I was. Unbeknownst to me, Maura was still questioning and analyzing our friendship to see if I really was being truthful with what I had told her; or if it was just a ploy.

Ok guys, that's the end of chapter 9. Since finals are coming up and I'm planning on going on vacation for a couple of days I don't know when I will update next. I will update ASAP. As always please review and comment. They are greatly appreciated. I hope you are enjoying this story and characters as much as I am. I can't wait for you to see where I'm going with it. Oh, and one more thing, I realize that I am getting readers from all over the world, I would find it fascinating to know what state or providence or city you're reading from. If you don't feel comfortable enough leaving that information I totally understand. I am not forcing it upon you. Moreover, Thanks again for your interest of where I am going with the story and characters.