Hey guys. I promised you a few chapters by tomorrow, and like I said I've been working on them, still not completely satisfied yet. This is just a little something that I thought I would add today. It's really just about Lacey's feelings, Danny's gone, how will she handle it? Tune in for more. And keep writing reviews! Those really keep me going! Enjoy.(:

Lacey woke up longing to feel Danny's warm body next to hers, but sadly he was not there when she awoke. It was dreadful what was happening to him. Lacey and Danny were barely given a chance to allow their relationship to blossom and now he was moving to the other side of the country. She knew that Danny wanted last night to be special, a physical profession of his love for her, and it was just that. But it only made saying goodbye to him all the more difficult. She smiled in reminiscence of their late night festivities. Danny was too good for it to have been his first time. He seemed to really know what he was doing, or maybe it was just the passion of the moment, the way they both knew each other. It was as if that closeness, the vulnerability of basking in one another's nakedness and sharing something so valued, so concealed, it was effortless with him. Lacey, lying there in her bed for several moments, pondered the complexity of their relationship. But she remembered Danny's promise to her. She wanted to have the confidence to believe him when he said he would come back to her, but she could not ignore the overwhelming doubt that lingered in the back of her mind. What if he never came back?

Lacey had to physically drag herself out of bed that morning. She had to be at school early to make up a quiz that she had missed when she cut class to meet up with Jo to discuss her suspicions of Cole. She did not get overly dressed, nor did she put on a lot of make up. Perfecting her outward appearance seemed to be a colossal waste of time and energy considering the way she was feeling.

When Lacey arrived at the school, she noticed that Cole was already there too. He was sitting at a desk in one of the classrooms, with the lights turned off, just staring blankly ahead, at nothing in particular. Lacey was just walking by, but when she saw Cole she stopped, and went back to talk to him.

"Hey, what are you doing here so early?" She squinted. Cole's eyes were blood-shot, and his hair was in disarray. Much like her, he had not bothered to put much effort into his appearance either.

Cole put his hand over his mouth, and took a moment before giving a response. "I killed him." He said softly, never looking up at her.

"Killed who Cole? What are you talking about?" Lacey shifted on her feet.

"Archie," he inhaled. "I killed Archie."

Lacey did not know what to say. Was this an actual confession or was Cole holding another burden? "Come on, I know you didn't kill him." She sat down at the desk beside him. "Cole you're a genuine, sweet, caring guy. You could never do something so-"

"Yes I could have!" His voice rose anruptly.

There was silence between them.

"I held a grudge against Archie for what he did to me. He tried to apologize, but I told him to go to hell." He paused, resenting himself for the words he would say next. "I went to his party, only to give him his crown, since I had accepted it in his honor, and he invited me to stay, but I told him-" Lacey heard Cole's voice break, tears started to swell in his eyes. "I told him, 'kill yourself, nobody likes a jackass' and a few days later, I found out he was dead." Cole began weeping uncontrollably.

Lacey rushed over to hug him.

"He was my captain, I should have respected my captain," he cried.

"It's okay Cole. Listen, you didn't kill Archie. Okay?" She was on the verge of tears herself. "What Archie did to you was a terrible thing. You could have fought him, or planned to seek revenge against him, or anything, but you didn't, because that's the kind of person that you are." Cole's tears started to die down. "You have so much integrity, and I mean that." She really did mean it. All of Lacey's prior suspicions of him now seemed remote, and foolish of her. She knew even then that Cole had not done it, but was just desperate to solve the case for Danny.

Lacey continued, "Archie would be proud of you as the new captain of the soccer team. I know your last interaction with him wasn't your best, but Archie knew you. He knew the kind of guy you are, and he knew that you would never dishonor him, or the team."

"Thank you Lacey." Cole dried his tears. He exhaled deeply. "And I know that this must be difficult for you too." Lacey looked down. He grabbed her hand, seeing that she too needed to be comforted. "It's not disrespecting Danny if you cry over Archie." She refused to look at him. "You guys had a really great relationship at one time. I know you always try to be strong, but you've got to be hurting too." Lacey was fighting back the tears. "Lacey, you loved him," Cole said finally. "It may not have been as strong as the love you have for Danny, but you loved him, and that's okay."

Lacey nodded her head silently, the tears started to form themselves despite her attempts to withhold them.

"Just get it out of your system."

Lacey finally allowed the tears to stream down her cheeks. Like a rushing river, they jetted from her eyes. All this time she had been trying to be strong for Danny, and strong for herself, that she neglected the inevitable feeling of grief and mourning. Her uneasiness about Danny being gone was partly because she was trying to digest the fact that Archie was gone forever, so she projected the false feeling that Danny would be too.

And Lacey cried, and she cried as if no one was watching. And in her moment of sadness, she never felt more relieved.