fungirl123 @Payton - thanks! ^.^ Yeah, me too. :p

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! I'm so glad her dad is back. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - yep, replied! :) ~Lena~ Sweat beading down my spine, my face aching from all the smiling, and my feet hurting from the gladiator sandals that gave my feet no support, I pushed through the last thirty seconds of the show and waited for the curtain to close. It was pitch-black backstage as I waited with everyone for curtain call, then I stepped out, arm-in-arm with Julian. I couldn’t help but blush when the applause and shouting from the crowd got louder when I curtsied for all of them. It closed for the last time when I stepped back, and everyone backstage was shouting and clapping happily. Opening Night – Done! Only five shows left to do before it’d all be over. “My beautiful Hermia,” Julian whispered in my ear as we made our way backstage, finishing it off with a kiss on my cheek. I smiled up at him. “I need to get this dress off before we celebrate. See you in five minutes,” I told him, breaking away to head back to my dressing room. The hallway with all the rooms was dark, and a tall shadow loomed at the end. I flicked on the light, only to freeze completely in place. At the end of the hallway, right in front of my door, was a man with his back to me. He wore a navy blue suit and had his hands enclosed on a white hat behind his back. An Air Force uniform. But anyone could have a father in the Air Force at this school, right? It was all too much to believe. This couldn’t be true. But it was. I knew it was. My vision was suddenly distorted with tears. “D-Daddy…?” I stammered, putting my hand to the wall to regain my balance. And the next twenty seconds were a blur of everything. “Lena, is that you?” And in an instant, I was running at full speed and leaping into my father’s arms. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and my body trembled. Dad lifted me off the ground. “It’s me, Lena. It’s really me,” he whispered. The moment went too fast. I clung to my father’s body, taking in everything about him. His cinammon scent – the one I’d always associated with being brave – and the subtle stubble on his chin and the grey in his eyes. It’d only been a few months since I’d last seen him, but here I was, thinking he was dead somewhere in Afghanistan with no one there to care for him. “What…how…I don’t believe…what happened to you?” I whimpered, finally being able to stand on my own two feet. “I’ll explain it all soon,” he said, hugging me again, “But for now, I don’t want to think about it.” “Does Mom know you’re here? Elliot? Ollie? Liam?” I inquired, mashing the heels of my hands to my palms in attempt to stop my continuous sobs. But the tears continued to stream down my cheeks, smearing my makeup everywhere. “Elliot’s the only one who doesn’t know I’m here. I got here in the middle of the show and your mother told me to just come here backstage. I need to find your brother, now, though,” Daddy told me. I opened the door of my dressing room, saying unsteadily, “Give me a few minutes to change.” It still hadn’t settled it, but I need not continue to bawl my eyes out in front of my father. I shakily slipped out of my dress and into sweatpants and a sweatshirt, then tied my stiffly-curled hair into a ponytail. Still, I couldn’t make it out the door before collapsing into tears to the floor. He was alive this entire time. Probably near death at some point, but he was alive. Here. In America and not in the Middle East. I’d believed nothing in the past month except that there was no hope for my family. It’d been torn apart by one sentence: You’re father has gone missing. The vicious sobs racked through my body even when my father opened the door and sat down next to me, enveloping his strong arms around me. “I’m here…and not leaving you ever again,” he said, kissing my forehead. He had better be telling the truth. I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost him again.

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Sent the email; let me know if you got it. :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- OK. :) I went out after we finished talking and I just got back, so I'll check my email now. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - I'm about to email you right now as soon as this file uploads to the message. ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Haley- *sigh* It's OK, I'll just resend it. Hopefully it goes through this time. :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - ugh...not this again. :\ Upsetingly, no, I didn't get your email. Goodness, it's like our email addresses hate each other. The last email I got from you was eight days ago and I replied. Thanks, though, about my post! ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Yeah, I would love if that happened! :) Do you have any ideas on how we can play it out? I was thinking maybe Em can find out about Avery being depressed (or the other way around idk) and show her all the hate she gets, so they can bond over that. I’m not sure, let me know if you have any ideas. :) I’m just typing this out as I think of it, lol. :D And I think you did a great job on your posts; I can’t wait to read more! <3

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I emailed you back a couple days ago, just in case you didn't see it. :) And I loved your posts! <3

fungirl123 Worked on this for like an hour and a half…lol :p ~Lena~ “Evangelina, your dress is ready,” Jessie, the stage manager, informed me, poking her head into my dressing room, “So if you could just come into the costume room for a second, we can get it finished off.” I nodded, rising from my chair. Before I left the room, I glanced at my cell phone. Still, no call or text from Elliot. He hadn’t spoken to me for five days now. I just wanted to hear his voice. “Miss Andres…,” Jessie prodded. I looked up, trying to pull myself away from the screen of my iPhone. With a sigh, I followed her from the room and down the hallway. The entire cast of students was going back and forth between rooms, trying to calm themselves before the performance tonight. Yes, my heart was pounding with nerves and excitement, but my mind was elsewhere. I shrugged off the silky white robe that the costume designers had put me in while they were finishing off the changes in my dress. Angelica Smith, one of the fashion department students, took the white and purple dress of the hanger and slipped it over my naked body. The silk brushed against my legs and stomach lightly, and it felt as if I were wearing a nightgown. The white, floor-length, tool-less gown had one strap on right shoulder and a light purple scarf cascading down my bare back and to the school. The open back of the dress went to just above my rear and it the coldness sent chills down my spine. “Warn the makeup artist that if they get any lipstick on this dress, they’ll never hear the end of it from me!” Angelica told me, shaking her finger in my direction. I nodded my head once. Then she slipped the nude-colored gladiator sandals onto my feet and waved me off. I had to squeeze my way through the crowd in the narrow hallway that had all of the cast members’ dressing rooms. Only the leads – Theseus, Hermia, Lysander, Helana, Demetrius, Tytania, Puck, and a few others – got their own rooms. The background characters had to share with others of their gender. As I got closer to my dressing room, which was one of the last in the hallway, I felt two arms wrap around my waist and I jumped, a tiny, strangled cry escaping my lips. “Guess who?” a low voice whispered in my ear. “Julian, don’t do that!” I told him, angrily turning around and shoving him on the shoulder. And I instantly felt bad about it. My nerves and anxious thoughts were getting the best of me. I hugged his middle, burying my face in his chest and whispering, “I’m sorry.” “It’s okay. What’s on your mind?” he asked, putting his arm around me as we stepped into my dressing room. I’d confessed to him last night in tears over the phone – since it was past curfew and I wasn’t risking getting detention by visiting him the night before the play – about what had happened with Elliot. “Have you talked to my brother yet?” I asked, sitting down in my vanity chair. Julian had assured me he’d try to get through to Ell and get him to understand what I meant by it. “I tried, baby. Elliot’s just incredibly…hurt. I know it’s not all because of what you said. I think he’s just having a hard time with it,” he said. I heaved a sigh, staring at myself in the mirror. My hair was pulled up into a sloppy bun and I hadn’t bothered putting on makeup. It was a wonder Julian wanted to see me while my skin looked splotchy with redness – something that happened when I got nervous – and pale skin. And then, as if knowing what I was thinking exactly, Julian came up behind me and pressed his lips to the back of my neck, then another kiss on my cheek. “It’ll all work out. Just forget about all this for a night,” he said, entwining my fingers with his, “Put all of your emotions into this performance and show people, ‘Hey, I’m Lena and nothing is going to go between this part and me!’” I smiled. Julian always had a way of making me feel better. It was a wonder I hadn’t realized all of this so much sooner. I stood from my chair and walked around it, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissed him. Playfully, he held me around my back and dipped me down, my hair falling out of its bun and touching the floor. He inhaled, and in a soft exhale, he whispered, “My beautiful Lena.” I smiled, and he pulled me back up to my feet. I felt lightheaded, as if I could faint at any moment. And it wasn’t because of the nerves anymore. “I should get that makeup artist in here now,” I mentioned, fighting to pull my eyes off Julian, “And you should get yours done to, meh love.” I poked his cheek lightly, and pecked his lips once more before leaving the room to find one of the cosmetics department people with Julian following me. And just as I was stepping out of the room, I bumped into one of the students with a box of makeup. “There you are,” she said, smiling. We backpedaled into my room and she began on my makeup, then my hair. Each time the girl took the curling iron off my hair, the piece burned my neck. But it distracted me from the nerves that had re-settled in my stomach. * * * * Mrs. Hudson began the pep talk, but the words were going through one ear and out the other. I picked at my nailbed nervously, waiting for the curtain to open and for me to be out there. I just needed to get this over with. “Hey, Lena.” I felt a warm hand on my back and I looked up to see Juliet. I hadn’t even realized Mrs. Hudson was done with her speech. But that’s not what surprised me. Juliet actually had a sweet look on her face, not annoyed and ‘don’t-talk-to-me’. That was the first time she’d actually greeted me nicely since the beginning of the show. “Don’t be nervous. You were made for this part,” she soothed, nodding her head as if almost trying to convince herself. At least she was trying. But still…it was so sudden for her to be nice. I couldn’t help but be on edge. “I mean it,” Juliet added instantly, and I believed her. She continued, “I can tell that you’re nervous, but you’ll be fine – just breathe.” I took a deep breath. “Seriously?” I asked, unable to be lighthearted. If I wasn’t right for this part, she could easily do it for me. “Yes,” she whispered. “I mean…it’s not all about the show. I have a lot of other stuff going on right now and—“ “Evangelina Andres! You’re on in two minutes. Get to the wings!” a stage helper hissed at me. Juliet looked at me in confusion. “Huh?” I shook my head, saying, “It’s nothing important. I’ll tell you later.” And with that, I held out my arms and Jessie pulled my silk robe off that I’d had on before the show to keep me warm. The wings were crowded, but then I slowly glided out onto the stage and into the gleaming lights. One thousand people are looking at me. One thousand people are waiting to see who plays the amazing Hermia. Now – this is my time to shine. This part was given to me for a reason, and there was nothing else I could do in that moment but show it.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- No problemo! Can't wait to read what else you write! :D

fungirl123 @Payton - gracias! ^.^ And yeah, it's completely fine. I'm writing the paragraph about the play right now, then I'll be at break. :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks, you too! :D And yeah, I just went ahead and skipped to Thanksgiving Break for Avery since she had surgery and all. I hope that's okay with ya'll. I was just planning on her being super depressed when she returns. <3 <3

fungirl123 ~Lena~ “And may the Lord open the gates of heaven to Clara Elizabeth Florence Harper – daughter of Harold and Florence Windsor Harper; sister of Julian; and fiancée of Jason Till,” the pastor recited, placing a hand on the beautiful, gleaming black casket. I cleared the tears from my cheeks with my palms, squeezing Julian’s hand tighter in mine. The crowd that circled the small black tent in the cemetery began to depart, leaving only the Harper family standing before Clara’s casket. I turned to Julian, who had his eyes fixed on the horizon. “I’ll see you back at the school, then? You’ll be okay if I leave, I mean…right?” I asked, keeping my voice a whisper. “Yeah, I’ll see tonight,” he said. He finally looked up at me, then leaned in and lightly kissed my cheek. “Thank you for coming,” Julian whispered into my ear. I smiled, then said, “It was no problem.” Lie. This was the first funeral I’d ever been too since third grade – when one of my father’s military friends died – and I knew it wouldn’t be the last one before the year was over. Soon, my mother would be calling to tell me the date of my father’s funeral. I mashed my hands against my eyes, trying to block the tears path, as I turned from Julian and walked away with Elliot. He’d already called a taxi for us to come pick us up from the cemetery. We’d come here with the Harpers, but they were staying at the gravesite a bit longer. “Hey, what’s wrong?” Elliot asked, putting his arm around my shoulders. Trying to mask my crying was a failed effort. “It’s just…Dad…this funeral,” I sobbed, unable to get a full sentence out, “I just…don’t know if I can…handle another death.” Elliot stopped walking, and I almost fell forward. “Whoever said he’s going to die?” he asked, not even looking my way. He now had a grave look on his face that scared me. “It’s hard not to think of it, Ell. Don’t you think they would’ve found him by now? It’s been weeks,” I told him, trying to stop the tears flowing down my cheeks. My twin brother looked straight at me, raising his eyebrows and looking the most hopeful I’d ever seen him. “You can’t be the least bit positive?” I put my hand on his shoulder. “Elliot, how CAN you be optimistic after what’s happened? How can you still have any hope?” I raised. My voice shook with each sob. He looked away from me, and I knew he didn’t like my response. Elliot was an idealist, and – though I wanted good things to happen – I just needed to prepare myself for the worst. I couldn’t have my heart ripped apart even more. Neither could Elliot, my mother, Liam, or Olivia. But why did I just have to be the one to rip apart Elliot’s hopes? I, the one who had always been the one to look on the bright side. What was I turning into?

fungirl123 @Payton - fantastic posts!! :) Is Avery already on Thanksgiving break? Just wondering! :) Anyway, loved the emotion in the paragraphs. <3 <3

taylorswiftfan1233 Hey, sorry if those posts were bad guys. I wrote all of them last night. :) Anyway, just thought I'd let ya guys know that this is when Avery's going to start falling into deeper depression. :/

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ “Ave?” a voice whispered. The door slowly creaked open. I looked up from reading the comments on my Youtube Channel to see Kirsten standing hesitantly in the doorway. Since she hadn’t been mean to me or made me mad, I gave her a cheerful smile. “Hey, Kirsten! Come on in,” I said happily. She obeyed, shutting the door softly behind her. For a moment, she just stood there. But then she came over and sat down beside me, glancing at my laptop screen. “Still reading those?” she asked quietly. “Uh...yeah,” I said awkwardly, slamming my laptop lid closed. “Megan told me what happened,” Kirsten said. “Oh.” There was a tense silence, but then Kirsten cleared her throat awkwardly. “And I...I think that she’s right. You really shouldn’t be reading those comments,” she said. I stared at her in disbelief. “Are you seriously taking her side?” “No, of course not! I’m not on anyone’s side. I just think that she has a point in what she said about disabling the comments and stuff,” she said quickly, shaking her head. I sighed, rubbing my temple. I was tired of arguing with everyone. “Look, I know that I should probably disable the comments. But...it’s my video, and I want to know what people think about me. Some of them offer really good tips and are super sweet,” I said. “And I get that. But you’re still reading all the bad ones,” Kirsten replied. I was quiet. “Look, I just don’t want what happened to me to happen to you. I don’t want you to be the sad, depressed girl that cries herself to sleep every single night and picks out her flaws everyday in the mirror. If you did, you’ll start pushing your friends away like I did, and you’ll be so sad, Ave. And for you it might get even worse, because you’ll get hate,” she tried to argue. “I know. But I won’t be that girl! I’m going to that group and I honestly can’t see myself doing that,” I said, trying my best to hide my annoyance. “But-” Kirsten began. I cut her off angrily. “Kirsten, please. Just stop, okay? I know you want to help, but just leave me alone,” I said. She stood up quickly, walking away. “Fine, Avery. I just hope you don’t harm yourself,” she said, an edge of coolness in her voice. She strode out the door gracefully, not sparing me a second glance. I stared blankly down at my laptop. I was losing all of my friends. The only real ones I had were the ones back at Harper, but even they didn’t understand what I was going through. Would anyone ever?

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ (Cover Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxuOwkfAxTc) http://www.polyvore.com/end_up_here/set?id=77989678 I had uploaded another video, practically desperate to see how many negative comments there would be. Of course, that only resulted in more tears and Megan coming over to try and comfort me. “You’re not ugly, Avery. In fact, you’re NONE of those awful things that they said about you! Don’t for one second ever believe them,” Megan said firmly, hugging me tightly. “But, what if they’re right? What if I am talentless?” I cried, burying my face in my hands. Megan sighed, scooting away. “Listen, Avery. I can’t stand to see you like this. All you’re doing is beating yourself up like Kirsten did. If these comments bother and hurt you so much, then why wouldn’t we just disable them? That way, no one can write anything bad about you and you won’t be tempted to read them.” “No!” I cried quickly, looking up at her in surprise. She looked confused. “What? Why not?” “B-because,” I stuttered, unsure of how to explain it. No matter how much the comments were hurting me, I couldn’t bare to disable them. Over the past few days, I had gotten rather addicted to reading them, curious to see what people thought about me. “Avery, come on!” Megan cried, now exasperated with me, “You’re being stupid. Just disable them and you’ll be fine!” “No I won’t,” I snapped, suddenly defensive, “I want to know what people think about me.” “So what, you’re just going to read every single hate comment that gets left on your video and then come over crying?” she asked, clearly annoyed. “I won’t come over here crying, Meg. That was only twice!” I protested. She rolled her eyes, turning away from me. For a moment, there was a silence. “God. I can’t believe you’re doing this to yourself,” she said finally, shaking her head. She turned back to face me, her expression full of disbelief. “You’re going to get so depressed if you keep reading that crap. None of it’s true, but you’re already starting to believe it. I hate seeing you do this to yourself,” she whispered. “It’s nothing,” I said, clasping my hands together, “I’m fine.” “But you’re not. You’re hurting yourself so much by reading those. I can’t watch you do that to yourself, just like Kirsten did,” she said. A hint of bitterness had worked its way into her voice. I sat there in silence. “Disable them. Right. Now,” she said, enunciating each word firmly. “No,” I replied, amazed at the defiance in my voice. She threw her hands up in the air, now definitely angry. “Just do it! I’m your best friend, and I don’t want to see you beating yourself up all the time!” she said, “It hurts me, too, ya know!” “Then maybe I should just stay away if I hurt you so much,” I snapped, standing up. Megan stared at me, silent in shock. “You’re just like Spencer!” I yelled, resting my hand on the doorknob, “You don’t understand, no matter how much you say you do!” Megan winced, taking a quick step back. Her anger was gone; now she was just scared. I wanted to grab something and hurl it across the room, and watch in satisfaction as it broke into a million tiny pieces, but I resisted the urge. Instead, I grabbed the picture of Kirsten, Megan, and me that had been taken in eighth grade on our field trip to an amusement park. Since I was on the left side of the picture, my face smiling and bright, I quickly tore myself out of it. Megan gasped a little, rushing towards me. I quickly crumpled it up in a ball and threw it into the trashcan. “There. Now I won’t be hurting you,” I said in annoyance, handing the picture that now was only of her and Kirsten back to her. She took it into her shaking hands. “You’re so rude,” she said finally, glaring at me, “Maybe that’s why Spencer broke up with you.” All my anger vanished at that, and it was replaced quickly by hurt. I hastily opened the door, desperate to get out of there. Without looking over my shoulder, I stormed down the stairs and out the front door, not even bothering to tell Megan’s mom goodbye. If Megan didn’t want to be a part of my life, than that was fine. She didn’t have to be.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Spencer’s P.O.V.~ “Spencer, are you seriously still upset about that girl?” Ross asked, rolling his eyes in annoyance. “What’s it to you?” I mumbled, not even making eye contact with him. Ross was my older, annoying brother, that was only concerned about himself in life. He was in college, and just like me, was home for Thanksgiving. “Dude, come on. In a few more days, we’ll be having all our family over for Thanksgiving. You’ll have to pull it together,” he said. Krystal seized the opportunity to walk in at that moment, humming along to her music on her iPod. Her brown eyes landed on Ross, who was staring at me in annoyed silence, and me as I sat with my arms crossed and eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?” Krystal asked, ripping her headphones off her ears. She had always been that concerned, motherly older sister, and she could always sense when something was wrong. “Spence is still moping about that stupid girl that dumped his sorry butt,” Ross practically sneered. I whipped around to face him. “She is NOT just a stupid girl, you-” Before I could call him something really insulting, Krystal cut me off. “Whoa, calm down, guys.” She plopped down beside me with a smile. “Besides, it think it’s sweet that he still cares about her,” she said, shrugging her shoulders, “Most guys wouldn’t give a crap about their ex.” At that, she shot Ross a pointed look. “Hint hint, Ross,” she said bitterly. He looked up in surprise. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked defensively. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that you treat all your precious girlfriends like dirt just because you’re a stupid jock!” Krystal spat, obviously thinking about Ross’s last girlfriend. She had been sweet and everyone had loved her. They had been dating for almost five months, and Ross had even brought her home. We all believed that maybe he was finally getting serious about a girl and his future. But then he had gone and cheated on her, crushing my parents’ high hopes. Before Ross could defend himself, I stood up. “Whatever. You guys can sort this out on your own.” Neither of them got the chance to respond. Instead, I turned and stormed up the stairs. How could I have been so mean to Avery, and then just let her walk away? I was such an idiot.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ (Cover Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2OF1S3iSI) http://www.polyvore.com/ronan/set?id=76940792 “Okay, so this is a cover of me singing ‘Ronan’ by Taylor Swift. Personally, I’m not a big fan of Taylor, but this song by her is definitely my favorite,” I said, flashing a smile at the webcam. With delicate fingers, I began strumming the chords on my guitar. “I remember the drive home/when the blind hope/turned to crying and screaming why. Flowers pile up in the worst way/no one knows what to say/about a beautiful boy who died.” When the song had ended, I said, “Thanks to anyone that likes, comments, or subscribes! I love all of you!” Then I uploaded the video, praying that there wouldn’t be any hate this time. * * * I stared in complete horror at the comments that had been left on my video. *Oh, so you hate T-Swift, yet you sing her songs? So stupid!* *Eww, terrible song pick. It’s a bad song, but Ur voice made it even worse!* *Too bad that makeup you’re wearing can’t cover up your ugly self.* *Guys, stop hating on her. She’s done nothing wrong!* *I hate you sooo much.* *Freak!! No wonder everyone hates U!* *Gross.* *She’s not even pretty..* *U suck at everything!* *So ugly.* I couldn’t help it; I went through all the comments. There were a few nice ones, but suddenly, it seemed like the haters were targeting just me. Is this how celebrities felt when they got hate? I was too shocked to even close my laptop. I was just desperate to read more. I had always been one of those people that wondered what others thought about me, and now I was starting to see how everyone viewed me. I couldn’t help but read it all. When I had read the last negative comment, it was all I could do not to cry. How could people think those things about me? Was I really that ugly? Had everyone been lying to me all these years? Could I not really sing? Defeated, I sank down in my chair, wondering what I had done to make everyone hate me so much.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ The cold, winter wind howled around me, and snowflakes whipped around my head, causing me to squint as I hobbled on crutches up the sidewalk to Megan’s house. With shaky hands, I rang the doorbell. Only ten minutes ago, I had called and begged to come over. Of course, Meg had agreed, and told me that her and Kirsten would be here when I arrived. I bit my chapped lips, shivering. The door swung open, and Megan’s mom stood before me. “Hi, Avery!” she cooed, “Come inside, dear. You must be freezing!” I gave her a weak smile, stepping into the house. At once, I was met by warm air. I let out a huge sigh of relief, running a hand through my caramel colored hair. “How’s your hamstring? Are you recovering well?” she inquired, watching with concern as I balanced myself against the navy blue walls of the foyer. “It’s good. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow,” I said. She smiled. “It’s so great to see you, Ave. Megan and I have missed you being over here everyday after school,” she chirped cheerfully. Then she added, “Of course, Kirsten’s missed you too. She just hasn’t been over here a lot lately.” I nodded, but I could feel my body tense up at that. Had Megan and Kirsten been hanging out as much as before since I left for New York? “The girls are upstairs. I’ll bring up hot chocolate here in a few minutes,” she said suddenly, waving me away with a bright smile. I turned, and slowly made my way up the stairs, hobbling. God, this was all way too complicated. When I was finally upstairs, I knocked on Megan’s door. Kirsten opened it, and held it open widely for me so I could get through. As soon as I had sat down on Meg’s bed, my best friends turned to me worriedly. “What’s wrong?” Megan asked anxiously. “I-I don’t know what I did wrong,” I squeaked out, “I don’t get why this is happening to me.” “Awh, Avery. Is this about Spencer?” Kirsten soothed, wrapping me in a hug. “No. Go to my Youtube channel and read the comments that have been posted on my wall since this morning,” I managed to say. My voice shook. Kirsten and Megan shot me confused looks, but implied without questioning. Megan’s fingers flew gracefully over the keyboard, and she clicked the mouse on her Mac. “These are nic-” Kirsten started, but stopped talking when Megan interrupted her by reading one of the comments. “TheWantedForeverAlways4 says, ‘Ewww...how is this girl on the popular page? She sucks!” Megan shot Kirsten a look. “Kir, I don’t think that’s very nice.” Kirsten’s eyes widened, and she grabbed the mouse from Megan, scrolling down to view more comments. Together, her and Megan took turns reading some of the comments aloud. “Avery’s so pathetic. Acting all depressed and stuff. There are people with worse conditions out there, and she’s on here, singing about her feelings.” “She’s so ugly. I’m surprised her parents didn’t put her up for adoption as a baby.” “How could she ever have had a boyfriend?” “I’m glad that her boyfriend dumped her! LOL, he deserves better.” Finally, Megan slammed the lid of her computer down, eyes wide with horror. Kirsten’s expression matched hers. “How can people say these things?” Megan whispered finally, “They don’t even know you.” I couldn’t help but burst into tears. “I’m already hurt. Why do people want to make it worse?” I choked out between tears. “Oh, Avery, sweetie,” Kirsten said. They hugged me tightly again. Finally, after I had quit crying, Megan patted my shoulder. “Listen, they’re just jealous, okay? You’re so much better than them. You’re pretty, you have talent, you’re kind. There are always going to be haters online, and in real life, but you have to show them that you’re stronger than that,” she said firmly, a hint of gentleness in her voice. Kirsten nodded in agreement. “Don’t let what they say get to you, Ave. Trust me. It’ll tear you up inside, until one day, you just break. Like what happened to me,” she whispered, hugging me again. I felt a sharp pang in my chest. Kirsten had attempted suicide, and thought that I hated her. And here I was, crying in self-pity about a few haters on the internet that didn’t even know me. Maybe I was pathetic. Angry at myself, I pulled back and gave them a forced smile. “No, you guys are right. I can’t let what they say get to me,” I said, somehow managing to sound way more confident than I felt. “That a girl,” Megan cried, clapping her hands together. At that moment, her mother came in with a tray of hot chocolate and cookies. I shook my head, pushing away the hurt that had bubbled up inside of me. I was stronger than that.

taylorswiftfan1233 Awesome posts, everyone! :D @Lexi- Yeah, I think our characters can relate really well to each other. Maybe that's how they can become better friends? :)

fungirl123 ~Julian’s P.O.V~ I stood outside of the tall brick Episcopalian church that my family belonged to, waiting for my mom’s car to arrive. Jason’s BMW came first, and he stepped out, wearing his completely black tuxedo and an unreadable expression. He went straight inside, the photo album with pictures of him and Clara sandwiched between his side and his arm. He said a quick hello before entering, and I knew no one would be in the mood for conversation today It was so cold I swore it would be snowing by the end of the day. The frigid wind sent a chill down my spine, but my parents wanted to be able to walk into the church with me for the memorial service. And they needed to get here before I froze to death. For some reason, I’d always associated wintriness with death. When my great-grandmother had died when I was four, all I could remember was how frozen my legs were in the thin black pants I wore during the outdoors burial, which took place in the end of January. And then when my uncle Joseph died of pancreatic cancer in third grade, my parents had made me stay home from the funeral because the temperature had dropped below freezing and they hadn’t wanted me outside. It was a weird coincidence. I wore the suit Clara had bought me for my Dad’s fifty-fifth birthday party, after fifteen minutes even of my mom convincing me to wear it. “It’s one of the best looking things you own,” she’d argued. Honestly, the feeling of wearing something Clary had spent her own money on made my head start pounding. It was too overwhelming. Finally, my parents’ gigantic black SUV pulled into the parking lot. Knowing they’d carpooled with my frail eighty-five-year old grandmother, I walked over and helped her step down from her seat while my dad got out her wheelchair. Mom tapped me on the shoulder, saying, “Your friendsa are here, Julian.” Confusedly, I looked over and saw that Elliot and Lena were walking away from a taxicab that was about to pull out of the parking lot. Elliot ran a hand nervously though his dark hair and pushed the sleeves of his dark gray button-down up to his elbows. Lena, in her beautiful, long navy-blue dress that was accented with lace, spotted me and walked faster to over. “I didn’t know you guys would be here,” I mentioned when they fell into step with me toward the front door. “Sorry we couldn’t make it to the showing last night. I had yet another costume fitting for the show,” Lena apologized. My family followed closely behind us as we entered through the church’s large French doors. It wasn’t until we were steps away from entering the sanctuary that I felt a hand swiftly grab my shoulder. “Julian,” Lena whispered, her voice full of tension, “I need to talk to you. Can we go back outside for a second?” I turned to face her. “I’m already practically frozen, but sure.” I could not possibly keep the bitterness from my voice, no matter how much I loved this girl standing in front of me. But she didn’t seem to notice it. She took my hand in hers and held it up as we stepped back out into the cold wind. “I know this bad timing for something this big, but I don’t know how much longer I could wait to tell you,” she said, looking down at her black flat slippers. “What is it?” I asked, taking her hand in mine. She’d never hesitated to tell me something before. “I know I hated you when I first met you. I thought you were a spoiled rich kid who knew no reality. But there’s just something behind all that…I don’t know. You’re just…perfect,” she stuttered, taking me aback. But she went on, “And…I know you might not feel the same way, but I just…what I’m trying to say is…” She stopped and took a long, deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. “I love you, Julian. So much.” I dropped my hand from hers in astonishment. Her face became contorted in my vision. “I love you…Lena…,” I stammered, but quickly, I turned away, feeling the tears well up in my eyes, “Don’t just say that because you pity me. I’ve had enough of that.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “Julian, don’t say that. It’s just…with all that’s happened with my father…it’s just taught me that you can’t hold back on your feelings. One day, it can all just be ripped away from you. Like my mom and dad. They never got a chance to say goodbye…” I looked at her. She was crying, the tears streaming like translucent rivers continuously down her cheeks. I put my hands to her waist and pulled her toward me into a kiss. It didn’t last long – her sobbing and my shaking didn’t seem to allow it – but I rested my forehead against hers. “Lena, I’ve loved you for longer than you’ll ever know.”

fungirl123 @Kat - yeah, that was pretty good! <3 I'll write some more from Lena's POV when I finish with this post about Clara's funeral.

kjm109 *Juliet* The next few weeks flew by in a flurry of activity. The play was coming together but my room mates and I were all still avoiding each other. I couldn’t help but hope that we could eventually get over our stupid differences and start talking to each other again. Before I knew it, it was opening night and I was backstage getting into my costume, hair and make-up. “Ok, stand still for a minute,” The girl doing my make-up says. I don’t say anything but stand as still as possible while running over lines in my head. “Ok, we think that you’re done,” One of the girls says. “Oh, thanks!” I exclaim examining myself in the mirror. The girls slip out and what feels like a moment later there is a knock on my door telling me ten minutes to show time. I quickly slip on my shoes and head out. Techies are running around putting all the things in their correct places. I make my way over to where the directors are motioning for all the actors to come to, trying not to get in anyones way. I half listen to the teachers speech and half listen to the noise coming from the crowd. The actors begin to disperse to their opening spots and I found myself standing next to Lena who was nervously picking at her nails and slightly pale. “Hey, Lena,” I say. She suddenly looks up at me in shock. “Don’t be nervous. You were made for this part,” I say sincerely. Confusion fills her face. “I mean it, I can tell that you are nervous, but you will be fine just breathe,” I tell her. She won’t meet my eye but as we watch the lights dim she suddenly turns to me. “Do you really mean that?” She demands quietly. “Yes, now get out there,” I say giving her a slight push out onto the stage. “Thanks,” she says with a smile before running out to her first position. **** The loud applause from the audience fills my ears and I can’t help but smile. The play wen’t well, of course there was a few mess ups but in the grand scheme of things everything was a success. The curtains close quickly and all us actors move to congratulate one another. I find Lena first, “See I told you that you would do great,” I tell her. She beams back at me. “Thanks Juliet, I couldn’t have done it without your vote of confidence. And you were amazing too. I know how much you wanted this part though,” She tells me. “It’s fine, you know this fairy costume is rather amazing. I might like it better than yours!” I say teasingly indicating at my elaborate lavender ball gown dress (A/N so I totally don’t know what the costumes would look like but this is how I pictured Juliet’s I hope that it’s ok) Lena laughs and we move onto the next people. When I finally finish my congratulations I return to my dressing room and pull off my dress, hair piece and throw on my normal clothes. When I walk out into the lobby there are parents milling around laughing and smiling. It just reminds me of my parents and their refusal to come and a wave of sadness over comes me. “Juliet!” I hear. I glance up to see Jason pushing his way through the crowd towards me. Thankfully Jason is built like a football player so people immediately move out of his way. He reaches me and engulfs me in a hug. “You were fantastic!” He whispers. I smile and give him my thanks and he hands me a beautiful bouquet. “Oh my goodness you didn’t have to do this!” I exclaim. “Uh, yeah I did. Every beautiful actress deserves flowers,” He tells me. We have been hanging out in the past few weeks and just talking. Somewhere in our conversation I had mentioned how much I loved getting flowers after a performance and evidently he had remembered. “So the cast is going out to dinner, do you want to come with me?” I ask. “I’d love to,” He answers.

kjm109 @Haley, also I hope that you don't mind how I had Lena and Juliet make up. If there is something you want to change when you write yours feel free to.

fungirl123 ~Lena~ “She just keeps trying, but I don’t know how much longer she can go on,” Julian whispered. Only a night had gone by and I was back at his house. He sat on the staircase, his knees pulled up to his chest, his voice cracking with every word he spoke. Elliot and I had come here with him as soon as Jason had called, saying Clara wasn’t breathing correctly, even with the oxygen being pumped into her body. It all seemed to be coming so fast. Just yesterday, she’d been talking and happy and the everyone was smiling. Today, no one was allowed in the room – not even her fiancé, nor her own parents – whilst the doctors tried to get her system back to normal. I enveloped Julian in a hug, feeling how hard his body shook with fear and distress, though he refused to shed a tear. Just then, a shadow was cast over us. Elliot and I looked up to see Mr. Harper. “You kids need to get back to the school. All three of you’ve got classes in the morning. Things will be okay here,” he suggested, though it was more like a nicely-spoken order. Julian’s head shot up. “Dad, I—“ But his father put his hand up, signaling for him to stop. “I said, things will be okay here,” Mr. Harper repeated, “And the doctors don’t need three teenagers roaming about during this time.” Then he turned on his heel and walked back to his wife and Jason, who sat right outside the door to the family room. Julian’s head hung as we stood up and led him outside. Elliot lightly took the keys from his pocket and slid down into the driver’s seat. The drive back to Harper was long and silent, for everyone knew what was on everyone’s mind. * * * * I awoke at five o’clock the next morning to my cell phone buzzing on the bedside table, the wood making the vibration ten-times louder. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright white light my phone let off. NEW MSG FROM: Elliot *Get over to my room now* And right away, my pulse picked up speed. My hands shook as I slipped into a pair of sweatpants and into a baggy sweatshirt. A million things ran through my head as I looped around corners in the hallways of my dorm, running on my toes to avoid making noise and getting in trouble. Rumors said that the security cameras in the rooming buildings were turned off at night to save electricity, and I was praying those rumors were true right now. I just needed to get over to Elliot and Julian’s dorm room. As soon as I was standing at their door, panting for breath from running, I opened it. And just as I’d expected, Julian was sitting on his bed, hugging his knees to his chest. “I can’t...No…this isn’t right…” His voice shook, though once again he showed no sign of tears. Julian just needed to get this out. I ran toward him and flung my arms around him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me tighter against him. “No one understands,” he finally sobbed, “No one gets it.” I tried to wipe away the tears streaming down my cheeks. Elliot stared at the both of us, his eyes wide in something – confusion? sympathy? I laid my head on Julian’s shoulder. I didn’t ever want to let him go. “I get it, though, Julian.”

fungirl123 Happy Easter, everyone! <3 <3

fungirl123 @Kat - okay, but being the indecisive maniac that I am, I decided Julian's sister was going to die before the play (maybe a week before), so I have to write about first. Then I'll finally get to what I've been talking about!! xD

kjm109 So I am writing a post now and am just going to skip ahead to the play.

fungirl123 OH MY GOSH! xD Sorry, I'm kind of freaking out because one of my Figment buddies just made me a book trailer for Chasing Dreams. You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbpd-qEihkw&feature=youtu.be

fungirl123 @Payton - sorry, gotta apologize for going crazy repinning all of your funny quotes from TV and movies... :p Even had to make a new board for it. xD

fungirl123 ~Lena~ Seeing Julian in my physics class proved to be pretty hard. The darkness surrounding his eyes seemed to get worse, and he wore a somber look on his face all the time. Like the tears would well up in his eyes at any moment. This wasn’t the same guy that had spilled coffee onto my shirt during the first week of school. I walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, Julian.” He turned, a half-smile playing at his lips. I could tell it wasn’t easy for him to smile anymore. I can say the same about myself. “I’ve missed seeing you around,” he said, his voice softer than usual. I hadn’t seen him since Friday morning, when he was leaving to spend the day with his family, and it was now Monday. “Yeah…er – um, how’s your family?” I asked, sitting down next to him at the table we sat at. “Mom and Dad are just hangin’ in there. Same with me. Trying to let everything sink in,” Julian sighed, then quieter, “Clara’s fighting to keep a smile on her face for the rest of us.” “Julian?” I blurted out, taking a deep breath. He looked up at me, urging me to speak. “Can I go to the hospital with you? Just to see her. I mean, I wore her dress for Homecoming and I still haven’t met the girl who you’re always talking about,” I said. “Yes. I mean, she’s not even at the hospital anymore. They moved her to my parents’ house to be more comfortable. But yeah, I’m going over there after school,” he replied, not even hesitating. “Okay, let’s start class now!” Miss Hamilton’s voice rang out over the speakers that went with her microphone. I opened my notebook, ready for the pages of notes I was about to take on acceleration and other stuff I’ll never use in life, but my mind was centered around what exactly I would see later today when I went home with Julian. The day inched on like a snail, each class seeming like it took a year. But then I was meeting with Julian out by the main building where his mom’s car was parked. He leaned against the deep red Mercedes, his hair getting messy in the wind. “Ready?” he offered as I got closer. I nodded. “Sure.” Slipping into the passenger seat of the car, I sent a quick text to Emmaline. *I’m going on a short trip. I’ll be back before curfew. Don’t wait up, though. :)* Julian pulled out of the parking lot of the school, not a sound coming from his mouth. I couldn’t think of a single thing to talk about at this point. I didn’t want to be happy on the drive over there, and then all of the sudden have my heart sink when I got there. He pulled onto a road labeled “Florence Avenue” (the found of Harper Academy for the Gifted) and I was reminded that the family had so much money; they could have their own street. Julian stopped at the start of the street in front of a large wrought-iron gate. “Hey, Mike,” he said after pressing a red button on the wall of the guardhouse. A husky man’s voice came through the speakers next to it, saying, “Hey, kiddo. Go one through.” The gates slowly opened up. We rolled through a cobblestone street, surrounded by trees with fruit dangling from them. Then we got to the house, which I remembered from my interview with Mrs. Harper. A large white-brick, three story house that seemed to go on forever. The large driveway with a fountain in the middle. The gargantuan oak double doors at the front that had to be at least nine feet tall. This place was almost overwhelming, to be honest. Julian opened his door without a word and I followed him toward the house. As usual, the butler took our jackets. “They put her in the living room,” Julian whispered. We walked through the pair of staircases in the overpoweringly-huge foyer and went toward the living room. And there she was. A white hospital bed sat there and a skinny girl lay in it. Clara was pale…and I could tell that obviously was not her natural color. Her dark auburn hair – the same color as Julian’s – was tied into a bun on the top of her head. An oxygen tube was looped around her ears and underneath her nose. She was awake, her eyes drooping and evidently sad, but she looked as if she was fighting to smile. Yet, she still seemed to sparkle. Around her, I recognized Mrs. Harper and the man I took to be her husband. They sat on a couch together right next to the bed. Then a younger blonde man – maybe twenty – held Clara’s hand, smiling down at her. That must be her fiancé, I thought. All their eyes averted to us when we entered. “Hello,” Clara greeted, the question in her eyes. I could hear the fatigue even in that one word. I gave a small wave. “Guys, this is Evangelina. She’s my friend I go to school with,” Julian said, taking my hand in his and leading me closer to everyone, then he turned to me and continued, pointing everyone, “That’s my mom, as you know; my dad, Harold; Clary’s fiancé, Jason; and of course Clara, my older sister.” “The girl who borrowed my dress,” Clara grinned, “Didn’t you love it?” I nodded. “Of course. Nice to meet all of you,” I smiled. “You too,” Jason said, holding his hand out for me to shake it. “What’s the conversation topic today?” Julian said, plopping down on a couch and patting the seat next to him. “Books,” Jason said, shaking his head with a smile, “Clary wants me to go buy her the last book in that dystopian trilogy, but I keep telling her she doesn’t need another thing to get her nervous.” I thought it was just adorable how everyone had nicknamed her Clary. “Oh, come on!” Clara protested, “I read the first two novels. I waited a year for this one. PLEASE get it for me?” Her laugh was very breathy and it seemed like she was struggling, yet no one in the room seemed to care. Jason grinned. “Fine. I’ll go out tomorrow and get it.” “I knew I could get it from you,” she said, smirking up at her fiancé. Then she looked at me, beginnng, “Now, on the topic of my brother, how has he been behaving at that boarding school, Evangelina?” I shrugged my shoulders. “Very well.” “And how long have you two been dating now?” she asked. I froze, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks, “We’re not…I mean…we’re just friends – close friends.” I couldn’t even bare to look over at Julian. “Whoops,” Clara teased, smiling to herself.

fungirl123 @Lexi - thanks and I replied to your message! ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Great post and I emailed you. :) @Payton- Thank you! I loved your posts! <3 I feel as if our characters can relate, as they're in similar situations (kind of... maybe?) and I love that. :)

fungirl123 @Kat - do you care if I just go ahead and skip to opening night? :p I have absolutely no idea what to write about and unless something comes to me within a day, IDK what to do... xD

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Yup. :)

fungirl123 @Payton - awesome! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat/Haley- Followed you both! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Lol, don't worry, I won't think you're a stalker. Just don't be alarmed by my incredible amounts of boards. I have quite a few. :D @Kat- I'll just find you off Haley's. I don't have my last name on mine..just my first and middle name anyway(:

kjm109 @Payton, sure you can follow me. I'm not sure if I can give my last name on this site but if you can find Haleys and find me on that, or tell me your last name I can follow you and you can follow me back.

fungirl123 @Payton - yeah, sure! :) I just made an account not too long ago so like no one is following me so far. But, Payton, be aware - I'll probably repin like a TON of your stuff once I see it. Just don't think I'm a stalker or anything... :p

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat/Haley- I have a Pinterest too!(: Haha, I'm obsessed with it. I have over 10,000 pins. :P Is it okay if I follow you guys? If not, that's ok. I just wanted to ask before I did so(:

kjm109 @ Haley, no problem! I love Pinterest so much too!!!

fungirl123 @Payton - awesome posts! :) Sad, but good. @Kat - lol, I hope you don't mind I totally went crazy repinning your Disney board! :p I. LOVE. PINTREST.

kjm109 @Haley, so I was reading some of your figment stories (they are really good btw) and clicked on your blog thing which led me to your pinterest page. I hope you don't mind but I followed you!

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ http://www.polyvore.com/broken_heart/set?id=76806769 Spencer had came by yesterday to pick up his things. All my life, I had told myself that I wouldn’t be the girl that ate a carton of ice-cream in bed while watching sappy love movies if my boyfriend and I ever broke up. But I was. Currently, I was lying in bed, my covers pulled clear over my head as I cried into my pillow. An empty carton of ice-cream and a spoon were on the bedside table, and a stack of chick flicks were resting beside my TV. It had only been 24 hours since Spencer and I had broken up, but already I was that depressed girlfriend that wanted nothing to do with the rest of the world. My parents had tried to talk me into coming out of my room, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Everywhere I looked, it was a reminder that Spencer wouldn’t be here for Thanksgiving as I had originally planned. And that was like a slap in the face. Suddenly, my bedroom door swung open. “Okay, get out of bed, Avery!” Megan cried, her voice far too cheerful and full of optimism for me at the moment. “No,” I said, words muffled as I buried my face farther into my pillow. “Yes!” Kirsten said. At that moment, my blankets were snatched off of me and thrown aside. “Hey!” I screeched, sitting up. “You have to get out of that bed sometime, Avery,” Kirsten said knowingly. She plopped down onto my bed, shoving a new carton of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice-cream at me. “I brought you this. I know it’s your favorite,” she said, giving me an understanding smile. “Thanks, Kirsten,” I said gratefully, opening up the carton and scooping up some of the delicious, dairy treat. “Oh my god, you look terrible,” Megan said bluntly. I glared at her. “Sorry, sorry,” she apologized, holding up her hands in surender. “Your mom said that you’ve been crying non-stop,” Kirsten noted, leaning back and studying me. “Yup. I’ve gone through almost three boxes of tissues,” I said, rolling my eyes. I couldn’t help it. “Let me guess; you’ve been sleeping, crying, eating ice-cream, and watching chick flicks,” Megan guessed. “How did you know?” I asked sarcastically. She smiled. “Look, you have to get over him. I know it hurts right now, but honestly-” she tried. “I’m not ready to get over him. I love him so much,” I said, feeling more tears coming on. “What happened, anyway?” Kirsten inquired curiously. “He said some things about depression that I didn’t agree on. He said that we should just be able to snap out of it,” I said glumly. Kirsten looked away, biting her lip. “What a jerk!” Megan cried angrily, shaking her head, “Doesn’t he know that Kirsten was depressed? And that you’re in that group?!” “Yeah, he knows,” I said, swallowing my bite of ice-cream. “Wow. He’s pathetic,” Megan mumbled. I could hear the fury in her voice. “I just...I can’t help it. I’m still in love with him, no matter what he said. He’s always been so understanding. Maybe it was just a mistake. Maybe he didn’t mean any of what he said,” I said, trying more to reassure myself than them. “A mistake? Are you kidding me?” Megan snapped, raising her eyebrows. I shrugged, more tears streaming down my face. “I miss him already. We were supposed to have the perfect Thanksgiving together. I want to be snuggled up in his arms right now, laughing or watching a movie. I miss his voice and his cute, sarcastic humor,” I wailed, burying my face in my hands. “Oh, Ave,” Kirsten said soothingly, wrapping me in a hug. I only cried harder. “He’s just a guy. You’ll get over him,” Megan attempted. “He’s not just a guy, though. He’s so much more. He’s perfect,” I shouted. Megan scooted back a little, surprised. “Okay, okay,” Kirsten soothed, “Let’s watch another movie, shall we?” I nodded, sitting back and pulling my comforter up to my chin. Megan got up and popped in another movie while Kirsten watched me eat ice-cream with concerned eyes. It was going to be a long break away from Harper. ~Avery~ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnMP1oqPTto) Deep down inside, there had been a small part of me hoping and praying that Spencer would come back and apologize for everything that he had said. But that never happened. It had been two days since our breakup, and even though I wasn’t quite over it, I had still gotten dressed and was making a video cover. “Hey, guys, I’m going to be covering Rihana’s song ‘Cry’ because it sort of describes what I’m feeling right now. Anyway, hope you enjoy,” I said, forcing a smile. When I had uploaded the video, I let out a quick breath of relief. That had been more difficult than I had thought. I closed my laptop, feeling exhausted at the mere memory of what had happened between Spencer and I. Even though I knew that it probably wouldn’t happen, I still wondered if things between us would ever go back to normal.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Amazing post! :D ~Avery~http://www.polyvore.com/im_sorry/set?id=76709973 “I hate this stupid wheelchair,” I pouted, wheeling through the door that Spencer held open for me. “Doctor’s orders,” he said with a slight chuckle. “Yeah, well, I want to walk again. I miss it,” I complained. He smiled, placing his hands on the wheelchair and pushing me over to a table. We were at Bob’s Diner, a small, 50’s style diner a few blocks away from my house. They had the best food ever, and I was excited for Spencer to try it. It was a huge local favorite, and campers always ate there on the way to the mountains. After ordering our food and sitting back down at the table, Spencer popped a french-fry into his mouth. “Oh, wow. You were right,” he said in awe, “These are amazing.” “Told ya,” I smirked. “Much better than anything we have in California,” he went on, gesturing to the huge burger and plate of fries in front of him. I smiled, pushing the straw around in my soda. As we continued eating, I made sure to keep the conversation rolling so he wouldn’t get bored. That would be my worst nightmare ever. “Do you think I should keep up the video covers? I’ve only made two, but people seem to like me,” I said. “Of course you should! You’re amazing,” he reassured me. “I don’t get what makes me so different than any other Youtube cover artist. Like all the wannabe popstars that are hoping to get famous like Justin Bieber did,” I admitted. “But that’s exactly it. You’re different than them because you don’t really want to be famous and you’re not a wannabe,”: he pointed out. “True.” There was a silence as we listened to the music playing in the diner. Every now and then, I would glance over at the family at the booth across from ours. Their kids were eating contently, and even though there were five kids, they were overall pretty quiet. Suddenly, Spencer cleared his throat. “So...this might be an awkward subject for you, but can I ask you something?” “Sure,” I said, turning back to face him, “Anything you want.” “Are you depressed?” he blurted. My smile vanished, and I could feel my heart sinking in dismay. How was I supposed to answer that? “Sorry,” he apologized, quickly sensing my discomfort, “I was just wondering if you’re doing any better.” “Um, honestly, I don’t know,” I confessed, pushing a stray strand of caramel colored hair out of my blue eyes. “How do you not know?” he asked doubtfully. “I don’t know,” I repeated. Then I shook my head. “I guess I’m sort of depressed since I’m in that group. But I don’t cry all the time.” He nodded slowly, then continued eating. But he had a look on his face, like he was annoyed with my response. “Spence, what’s wrong?” I questioned, “Did I say something?” “No. I’m just wondering why you can’t get over it,” he admitted, not looking up at me. I stared at him in complete and utter disbelief as he went on talking. “I mean, I’ve never met anyone that’s depressed, really. Everyone back at my school in California was always pretty happy. So what I don’t understand is why you can’t just snap out of it and face reality. It’s not like other people are going to take much notice anyway. Right?” He still wouldn’t look up at me. “It’s different for everyone, Spencer. Some people are just better at hiding it than others,” I said finally, “You could be standing next to someone completely broken and you wouldn’t even notice it. And it’s not just something that you can get rid of overnight.” “But why not?” he protested, “If you have a good life, then why can’t you just get over it? What is there to whine about?” “Whine about?” I asked, my eyes narrowing slightly. He looked up, his dark brown eyes looking confused. “Yeah. Half of the people that are depressed just complain about their lives. RIght?” “Not right,” I said, crossing my arms. He shook his head. “Look, Ave, this might sound rude, but whatever daze you’ve somehow managed to get yourself in...just get yourself out of it. Snap back to reality. It’s not that hard.” “Are you kidding me?” I snapped, pushing my food away from me, “How can you say that?” “I’m just saying it because I want you to be healthy. We NEED you back on the team,” he replied, somehow not sensing my anger. I shook my head, eyes flickering. “Is that all you care about? What about me? I’m your GIRLFRIEND!” I said coldly, “Or have you forgotten?” “I-” he began, but I cut him off. “Look, I don’t know what planet you’ve been living on, but depression isn’t something you can just snap yourself out of. You feel alone, and like no one’s there for you. Telling people that are depressed to snap out of it is NOT something that you do, Spencer. Especially me. I thought you of all people would understand,” I said, voice rising. He was silent. “Just go back to California, Spencer. I don’t want you here right now. Oh, and I think it’d be best if we take a nice, long break. Maybe that’ll give you enough time to get your facts straight,” I went on, slamming my palm down on the table. He jumped a little, and heads turned to stare at me. With that, I pulled out my phone and sent Kirsten a quick text message. *Hey, come pick me up? I’m @ Bob’s.* “Avery, I’m sorry,” Spencer tried as I put my phone back in my bag. “Sorry doesn’t count,” I said quietly. It was all I could do not to forgive him right there on the spot; he had the most heartbroken, rejected look in his eyes. “Bye, Spencer,” I said, giving him one last look. He bit his lip, averting his gaze anywhere but me. Then I wheeled my chair out of the diner, not casting a second glance over my shoulder. As soon as I was outside, I let the tears stream down my face. No matter how much I loved Spencer, his words still hurt. Maybe I wasn’t totally depressed like some people, but I actually understood what they were going through. I would never, ever insult them. They were broken; just as my heart and soul was.

fungirl123 http://www.polyvore.com/fun_xd/set?id=72503182 ~Lena~ Late nights in the auditorium, Saturdays full of costume fittings, and weeks full of play rehearsal only were upon us. Opening night was a week from today, on November nineteenth. I shoved open the door to the auditorium, and was greeted by the sound of a hammer hitting something and a saw buzzing from the balcony above me. The set was being finished within these next few days. The aisles had a few buckets of paint here and there, along with costumes lying about on the seats. Students were coming on and off stage, getting ready for rehearsal to begin. “Let’s all just ignore the saws and hammers and get down to work,” Mrs. Hudson instructed, then pointed her look at me, “We’re fixing microphones to each person, so be sure to get yours, Evangelina.” Jeremy, our tech geek from the electronic engineering class, was getting each of the characters’ body-mics together and pinning them to the actors. I took mine and let him latch it to the back of my floral pants. I positioned the headset around my ear and bent the wire so that it was around my mouth. “Everyone, on stage!” the director called out. The cast went to there respective wings of the stage, but I stopped when I heard Mrs. Hudson continue speaking, “Julian had to miss school today, so I’ll be reading his part.” I backed out of the curtains, shielding my eyes from the stage lights that had popped on right as I stepped out. “Why isn’t Julian here?” She shrugged, saying, “His mother said they had a family emergency.” I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, remembering the condition of Julian’s sister, Clara. * * * * “Softer strokes, Evangelina,” Mr. Arnolds instructed from behind me. “Sorry,” I mumbled, but didn’t bother looking at him. My mind had been wandering since I got into this class. It was my first time of the day when I was actually given quiet time to think – as Mr. Arnolds was always telling us the quieter it was around us, the more we could focus on the art. Usually, I appreciated that. But not today. The only thing I could of was Julian at the hospital, trying to be happy while his sister was dying in front of him. Things had been hectic this past week – even excluding play rehearsals – with the news of One Direction being here in New York City and Emmaline with her injuries. That reminded me; I had to check on her when classes were over today. That girl was crazy. Heartbroken, but crazy. Maybe that was why I loved her though. But then we had Avery, the girl who had an injured body and soul. I missed that girl so much. She didn’t deserve any of what she’d gotten. But did ANY of us really deserve what had been happening lately? Emmaline and Harry’s problems, Julian and his sister, and so much more, it seemed. But just when would this all end? Interrupting my thoughts, the bell rang out over the speakers, making me jump. My pencil was still on the page, and when I looked up, I saw I’d just drawn a long, crooked line across the page, ruining the already-ugly sketch of a fruit bowl. I groaned. This wouldn’t be my best in-class grade. “Evangelina, stay after class for a few minutes,” Mr. Arnolds ordered, standing from his desk. I nodded, gathering my art things and backpack. “Have you thought about that art competition I told you about yesterday?” he asked, walking toward my canvas stand. Suddenly, it all came rushing back to me. I’d completely forgotten about the London Art Gala he’d nominated me for. It was a competition for some of the best teen artists around. It was just coincidence that Mr. Arnolds had won it thirteen years ago. “Not really,” I managed to mutter, heat rising to my cheeks. “Well, why not? It’s a huge honor for someone to be nominated. And I chose you because your one of the most talented artists I’ve seen since I started working here,” he said. “I know, but I already have enough on my plate, okay?” I stated, trying to walk away. But he held out his arm, blocking my exit from the room. “Because of the play?” I nodded, happy that he himself had given me an excuse. “But that’ll be ending in less than a month. The competition isn’t until the spring. You’ve got plenty of time, Miss Andres,” Mr. Arnolds informed. “Fine!” I burst out, “I’ll think about it!” A smug smile spread over my teacher’s face. “Okay,” he said, then pulled a notepad and pen from his pocket. It was a pass out of class. He continued speaking, “I’ll give you the rest of the day to think about it, then. Artists do much better when they’re calmer. So go back to your dorm and think about it.” He handed me the little yellow slip. “Really?” I wondered. “Yes, but I don’t expect to see you out getting coffee or hanging out with friends,” he said, grinning. And just like that, Mr. Arnolds was seriously my favorite teacher.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat/Lexi- Great post!(:

fungirl123 @Lexi - interesting way to end that! ^.^ What exactly did you mean when you said there was something for Lena and Em to talk about? Also, I get what you mean about the busy life. I'm at the school until ten o'clock now (I got lucky tonight!) for rehearsals. Once I'm done (we open and end this weekend), I'll have all this free time after school. :D @Kat - awh, thank you! :)

LexilicousCandy One last thing: I'm going to try and type up some posts for Calling All Writers tomorrow, but I have school registration and then gymnastics (tumbling) straight after until like 8, so I might have to post on Friday. :/

LexilicousCandy Oh, and I also didn't edit anything, because I just really wanted to post since I'm so behind, so sorry for any mistakes as well. :p

LexilicousCandy I don't know how long this is post is going to be... so yeah, sorry about that. :p Song is Explosions by Ellie Goulding (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miOEmyjpLkU) which I just heard for the first time today and love, for some odd reason. ^.^ ~Harry~ “Hey Louis, have you seen Emmaline?” I ask; I’ve been looking for her ever since she ran away from me, sobbing. “She said she was going to get ready to come to the beach, so I reckon she’s in her room.” I knock on Emmaline’s door and once there’s no answer I go down to Paul, to ask for the key. He reluctantly unlocks the door to me, but the suite is bare. “Are you sure this is the right room?” “Room 532, occupied by a Miss Emmaline Middleton,” he recites, reading off his phone screen. “Where is she?” I ask, the panic rising in my voice. “I’m not sure, but I sent some of the boys out to look for her.” * * * “Harry, mate, we’ve been looking all day, can we please stop and eat?” “We can’t just give up!” “I’m not suggesting we give up! I’m just saying we’ve flown across the state and haven’t rested since, we’re all hungry and tired.” “How about everyone just shuts up and get your arses in here right now!” Valarie shouts, already heading into a decent looking restaurant. “Whatever,” I mumble, annoyed as I sulk into the building. I follow the lads, and Valarie, towards the booth in the back corner and turn around to see Niall freeze and stare at a girl seated with her back to us in the center of the restaurant with another girl and two males. It looks like a typical double date to me, so my question is what has Niall so intrigued? He shakes his head and looks away, climbing into the booth. I shrug it off and pick up a menu, trying to get out of here as quickly as I can so we can go back to searching for Emmaline. Throughout the meal I notice Niall nudging Valarie and gesturing towards the table at the center of the restaurant. “Just leave it, Niall,” she hisses quietly, avoiding my gaze once she sees me listening in on their conversation. “Is there something I’m missing?” I inquire, confused by all the secret glances and signals. I crane my head around to look at where their staring and notice the girl Niall was staring at earlier with her head down, her petite hands twirling in her lap, a nervous habit I’ve become familiar with. “Emmaline?” I whisper, confused. Could it really be her? She does look different... “Oh come on, Em and I totally won fair and square!” The girl sitting next to her cries, throwing her hands up in the air. I recognize her as Emmaline’s old roommate and American best friend immediately, wondering how I didn’t realize it was her earlier. With a grin now spreading across my face, I slide out of our booth and walk towards her table, staring at her the entire way. I’m just about to reach her when she looks up and stares at me, panic flashing through her eyes. Seconds later my heart crushes as I see her connecting lips with the lanky guy sitting closest to her. My smile fades, turning into a grimace as reality slaps me in the face. She’s moved on; she’s no longer mine. I’ve truly lost her. ~Emmaline~ Lena gasps as I pull away from her brother’s lips, avoiding Harry’s saddened gaze, and leans back against the wall of our booth, closing her eyes. I jump out the booth, whispering an almost silent apology as I run out of the restaurant. I don’t know what possessed me to kiss Elliot, I’m not the least bit romantically attracted to him, I just panicked and knew I couldn’t let Harry come up to me. I left them behind for a reason; Harry has to move on, I’m not good enough for him, not enough for any of them. I’m worthless; too fat, too ugly… I’ll never be good enough for anybody. Once again I’m running, my feet hitting the pavement as I let more sobs rack through my body. I’ve never been one to contemplate suicide, and even now in my darkest moments I still can’t fathom the thought of ending my own life. It makes me wonder what others had to go through to reach that point of despair, the pain they had to go through to think this is the end for them. Suddenly I’m blinded as all I see are bright lights heading straight towards me. Observed in my thoughts, I’ve drifted towards the middle of the road without noticing, and now a car is heading straight towards me. I squeeze my eyes shut and tense up, waiting for the collision that’s bound to happen. “EMMALINE!” A wrenched voice shouts, and I’m hit with a force so hard I’m flung onto the grass at the side of the road, yet I can’t help thinking that it’s lighter than it should have been. A weight shifts above me and I groan, wincing in slight pain. I pry my eyes open and notice familiar curly hair. The shock of what just happened hits me; I thought I was going to die, yet here I am, breathing and alive. “Harry, you saved me,” I croak, closing my eyes again at the enormity of it all. He flips us around so he’s now on the ground and I’m lying atop of him. I burrow my head in his chest as tears well in my eyes, and grip onto shirt; gasping at the pain I feel when I apply pressure to my right wrist. “Emmaline? Are you alright?” Harry asks, nothing but concern and love shining in his eyes. “M-my wrist, I think I hurt it when I fell on the ground.” “Hold on, I’ll take you to the hospital and we’ll get you checked out,” he informs me, scooping me into his arms and walking down the road. I hate myself for it, for allowing him to get close to me once again, but despite my inner protests my body relaxes against his as he presses his lips to my forehead, calming me. “Thank you,” I whisper, before my eyes flutter shut and I surrender to the darkness my body has been fighting. * * * “...I’m afraid she has a mild concussion, but besides that her vitals are all healthy and stable. She will most likely have a headache, as well as being slightly drowsy and confused, and is subject to possible nausea. She may also experience memory loss, but if that’s the case it should come back within the next few hours or so, possibly minutes. Until she is fully healed she should refrain from activities that require concentration or complicated thinking and avoid bright lights and loud sounds, as this can overstimulate the brain. Remember that throughout the course of recovery she might be easily irritated, but as long as she rests and continues to take the medication I’ve given you, she should heal fully within the next week or two.” “What’s going on? Where am I?” I mumble, sitting up and looking around the room I’m in, which resembles a hospital room. The room is empty of people except for Harry and a middle-aged man, who I presume is the doctor. “Why am I here?” I ask, panic slipping into my voice when I see my right arm bandaged and feel the pounding in my head. “Emmaline, this is Dr. Monroe and you’re in the hospital,” Harry says gently, reaching forward to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, before cringing and snatching his hand away suddenly. “Why am I in the hospital? Why is my wrist bandaged? What is going on?” “You’re in the hospital, because you’ve just nearly been in an accident. If it weren’t for this gentleman here you would be significantly more injured,” the doctor informs me, smiling gently at me. “What accident?” “You were going to get by a car, Emmaline. I pushed you out of the way, and now you’ve got a sprained wrist and a concussion,” Harry says with a sad voice, looking away from me. “It’s not your fault I’m in here, Harry. I couldn’t be more grateful for what you did,” I reply truthfully, although I’m confused as to what he’s doing here in New York since I left the boys and Valarie behind in California. As I remember the hate I got, all the pain I went through— almost rivaling the physical pain I feel currently— I deflate, leaning against the hospital bed and wincing when I accidently move my wrist. “What’s wrong with my wrist again?” “You got lucky; you have a grade one sprain, nothing too serious, and far less severe than a fracture, or even a grade three sprain. I told Harry here that as long as you keep your wrist elevated and iced for at least the first two days to reduce swelling, and then apply heat to ease discomfort afterwards, it should heal within a week.” “And when can I get out of here?” “As soon as someone of legal age signs the release forms,” he informs me, looking down at his clipboard. “I’m only seventeen.” “I can sign,” Harry speaks up, stepping towards the doctor. “I’m 18,” he adds. “If you can follow me out here…” the doctor says, leading Harry out of the room and leaving me alone. I sigh and fiddle with the thin sheets, cringing as pain shoots up my wrist. I cradle it to my chest just as Harry comes walking back into the room with car keys in hand. “Ready to go, princess? I had Paul drop off a car.” I nod and slowly get out of the bed, trying to hold back my sounds of pain. “Why does my leg hurt?” “You pulled a muscle, but it’s nothing serious,” Harry informs me, lifting me up and cradling me to his chest once again. He brings me to the car and slides me into the passenger seat, leaning over me to click my seatbelt in place. “Thank you,” I mutter, sitting tense in the seat. “No problem. So, where are we going?” “I’m going back to my friends at the dorm, I don’t know where you’re going,” I reply back, before suddenly becoming drowsy and leaning back against the seat. “Going to see your boyfriend?” he mutters bitterly under his breath, but I fall asleep before I can reply. * * * I wake up when Harry shakes me gently and look up to see him cradling me in his arms as we stand outside the door to my dorm complex. I stare at him in confusion, wondering why we’re standing outside in the frigid air instead of going inside. “I need a key to get in,” he reminds me, adjusting me in his arms. “Oh right… it’s in my back pocket,” I say drowsily, still feeling very tired, despite the ache in my wrist. Hesitantly, he reaches a hand into my pocket and quickly pulls out the key card, before looking away from me. “Are you going to open the door or not,” I reply hotly, getting irritated at having to wait out here. “Sorry,” he mumbles, opening the door to find Lena sitting in the lounge room looking ticked off. “Emmaline April Middleton, what were you thinking?!” Lena shouts, causing me to cringe at her volume, and storms off the couch towards Harry and I. “It’s actually Emmaline (April) Adelaide Middleton-Spencer Mountbatten-Windsor, if you want to get technical,” I mutter, rolling my eyes in fake annoyance. “What are you on about, anyways?” I ask, confused as to why Lena seems upset with me. “Elliot, Em, I’m talking about what you did with Elliot at lunch today!” she cries, causing me to wince in pain, once again. “Evangeline, I think it’s best if you keep your volume down,” Harry warns her in a low tone, most likely concerned about my health, although he doesn’t have to. Not anymore. Lena stops and takes me in fully since we’ve walked in here, and her eyes soften. “What happened to you, Em?” “I just got a little hurt, nothing too big,” I shrug it off, not wanting to make a big deal out of anything. Harry scoffs. “Right, nothing,” he says, sarcastically. “Shut up! What are you doing here anyways? You can let me down and leave now,” I order, suddenly not feeling as drowsy as I was previously. “The doctor told me to take care of you and keep a watchful eye,” he protests, tightening his grip on me. “No,” I groan, pushing at his arms with my one free hand. “I can take care of myself,” I insist, twisting and turning to get out of hold. “Stop it before you hurt yourself!” he scolds, letting me down gently. “I’ll leave for now so you can talk things out with your friend over there,” he pauses, nodding his head toward Lena, “but I’m going to come back and check on you, to make sure you’re actually following the doctor’s orders.” “Elevate, ice, rest, blah, blah, blah, I got it. Bye now.” I state, pushing him towards the door as hard as I can with my uninjured arm. “I’m being serious, Emmaline.” “I know, OK? It’s not like I’m dying or anything!” I cry in frustration, throwing my arms up in the air. He finally leaves and I turn towards Lena, ready to get back to our dorm and take a nap before dinner. “Emmaline—” “Look Lena, I love you, I really do, but I don’t feel like talking about it— or anything else really— right now. I’m exhausted.” I decide to refrain from the truth a little; I don’t want her to know how dizzy and nauseous I really feel at the moment, I don’t want her to call Harry and bring him here. “Let’s just go to the dorm then,” she sighs in defeat, smiling weakly at me in exhaustion before walking to the elevator. I follow her into our dorm, surprised to see Juliet sitting on her bed. She never seems to be around anymore, as everything is still tense between her and Lena, as far as I’m informed. “Hi, Juliet,” I exclaim with as much energy as I can, which isn’t a lot, to be honest. “Oh my gosh, Emmaline? Is that you?” she demands, running over to envelop me in a hug. Harry and the others already found me, so there’s no use hiding anything anymore. I step back and smile at her, nodding. “Your hair, it’s so different. How have you been?” she enquires, eyeing my now beanie-less brunette curls. “I’ve been good. Busy, but good,” I laugh back weakly, trying not to expose how much I’ve really been through. “I can’t believe that it’s you, when I woke up this morning I thought that we had gotten a new roommate, but I am so glad that you came back.” “Me too, I missed you all,” I admit, smiling sheepishly. “So what were you guys up to today? Emmaline, your arm?!” she gasps suddenly, noticing how I’m gingerly holding my wrist to my chest. “Well, let’s not talk about that now,” I reply nervously, glancing at Lena how’s laid out on her bed, facing away from us. “Oh, OK. Well I’ll just return to my book then,” she replies awkwardly, looking towards where my gaze is directed. “It’s nothing, Juliet, honestly,” I reassure her, offering her a gentle smile despite the heaviness tugging at my eyelids. I grab an ice pack and lay down on my bed, propping my arm up and trying to get as comfortable as I can. As hard as I try, I couldn’t fall asleep, and I have a feeling the problem is deeper than my uncomfortable position. It’s something else, entirely, I realize. All my thoughts, wondering if everything will be the same; it means one thing. I’m afraid. (@Haley— I didn’t write about them talking, because I figured you would want to write up that part, since I don’t know how you want Lena to react. I hope you don’t mind. :p)

LexilicousCandy I'm sorry I've been gone guys, especially you Haley! :/ You can just skip the part we're at and go ahead and write about it later as a flashback, if you want. :p @Avery & Kat- Great posts! :) I'm going to write right now, and once again I'm sorry about my lack of posting. :/

kjm109 @Haley, Haha! Our school musical opened last week and apparently its great. I haven't gone yet but I will soon. Have fun with your play!

fungirl123 @Kat - yeah, that seems like a good idea! :) I think Hell Week is like an all-around theatre term. I'm in the musical at my school and it opens this weekend (SO EXCITED xD), and all the emails my director sends to us about scheduling are titled "Hell Week". :P

kjm109 @Haley, we could jump to the play or like the week before the play (my friends in tech crew call that "Hell week")

fungirl123 @Kat - no, actually, I don't. :\ And it sucks because IDK what to write about next. Great post, though! <3

kjm109 @Haley, hey do you know what happened to Lexie? Also I hope that you guys don;t mind how I had your characters act! *Juliet* After finishing my coffee I walk back to my room thinking that I could introduce myself to my new room mate, but when I got back, she and Lena were gone. Without anything else to do I sit crossed legged on my bed, put on my head phones and open my book, they would have to come back eventually and then I could introduce myself. **** My eyes bound up from my page when I see the door opening. I quickly take off my music and put down my book. Lena walks in first and glances at me and our room mate enters behind her. “Hi, Juliet,” She exclaims. “Oh, my gosh Emmaline? Is that you?” I demand immediately recognizing her voice. I run over and give her a big hug. “Your hair, it’s so different. How have you been?” I ask. “I’ve been good, busy but good,” She says hugging me back. “I can’t believe that it’s you, when I woke up this morning I thought that we had gotten a new roommate, but I am so glad that you came back.” I tell her. “Me too.” She answers with a smile. I glance at Lena over her shoulder and see that she is looking the opposite way of both of us. I understand why for me, but for Emmaline I have no clue. “So what were you guys up to today?” I ask. “Well, lets not talk about that now,” Emmaline says casting a nervous glance at Lena who was now sitting on her bed ignoring us. “Oh. Ok.” I say stepping back, “Well I’ll just return to my book then,” And so we all retreat to our beds no one saying a thing until we head off to dinner later that night. I could no longer stand the silence so instead of sitting sullen with my room mates I decide to go join my dance friends. They of course are happy to have me since they have been bugging me to sit with them for the past week. Also they don’t seem to notice or mind my silence. The tension between Lena, Emmaline and I has been enough to pull me right back into my funk from this morning. I finish my food before the other girls and say my goodbyes as I stand up my head bumps into the bottom of a tray. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry,” I mumble, bending down to pick up the wrapper that fell of one of our trays. “No problem,” The guy says. “Oh, Jason hi!” I exclaim realizing who it was. “Juliet,” He responds before turning to the garbage can and dumping the contents of his tray in. I side step around him and dump out mine too. “Well, nice bumping into you,” He says teasingly. “Yeah, see you around,” I reply before heading back to my room. Out of the corner of my eye I catch Lena and Emmaline watching me walk out of the dinning hall. For some reason it makes me feel uncomfortable, like that was a private moment that no one else needed to be a part of.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat/Haley- Thanks! <3 <3

fungirl123 @Payton - awesome posts! <3 <3

kjm109 @Payton, great posts!

taylorswiftfan1233 Those posts weren't very good, but anyway, sorry if there are any mistakes, or if you just don't like country music. Not all of Avery's cover songs are going to be country, I promise. Anyway, hope you guys are all okay with my ideas!(:

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ (Cover Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJjeWDvh6J0) (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=75662120) “Holy crap,” I whispered, opening up my Youtube video that had been posted just the day before. “What?” Spencer asked, wrapping his arms around my slim waist as he leaned forward to see what I was looking at. “Look at how many views, likes, and subscriptions I’ve gotten already,” I said, pointing at the screen. “Oh. Wow,” he said, clearly impressed, “That’s a lot.” 799 Subscriptions; 1,900 views; and over 800 likes. Spencer had already seen the video yesterday because I had emailed it to him, but the fact that it had gotten this many hits overnight was a shocker to both of us. It was like a miracle. “Hey, what do the comments say?” Spencer questioned curiously. “Let’s see,” I mused, scrolling down on my computer. I began reading them aloud, a smile appearing on my face. “SunshineGurl34: OH MY GOSH, you’re voice is freaking amazing. PLEASE upload another cover soon!” “Kevindapigeon1dluver: This is amazing, upload more ASAP!” “MirandaLambertLuverr: This is the best cover of this song that I’ve seen! Sometime U should do Kerosene by her.” “JustinBieberluva9494: You need more views!” That was just a few, too. There were a ton more, all of them begging me to upload another video as soon as I got the time to. “You should upload another today. Can’t keep your fans waiting!” Spencer said, laughing. I smiled, nodding my head in agreement. “You know, I think I will.” * * * * I hit the play button of my second cover, watching myself sing on the screen. Who knew that people would like me so much? I hoped that they would like this song just as much as I did. I was proud of the way that it had turned out. “If you ain’t got two kids by twenty-one, you’re probably gonna die along, at least that’s what tradition told you. And it don’t matter if you don’t believe, come Sunday morning you best be there in the front row like you’re supposed to. Same hurt in every heart. Same trailer different park...Mama’s hooked on Mary Kay, brother’s hooked on Mary Jane, and Daddy’s hooked on mary two doors down.” Once again, I realized, I had gotten lost in the music. When the video came to an end, I refreshed the page. To my delight, I had over three hundred likes already. I smiled, closing my laptop. Now it was time for my date with Spencer. We were going bowling and out to eat, if that actually counted as a date. Still, I was looking forward to it. I stood up and walked over to my closet, searching for something to wear. Finally, I found it, and began to get dressed. Admiring myself in the mirror, I beamed. Tonight was going to be great.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ “He should be here any minute!” I squealed, glancing at the clock. It was seven o’clock, the time that Spencer’s plane was supposed to land in Denver. To say that I was excited was a massive understatement. His family had agreed to let him spend Thanksgiving with us, and so had mine. My dad was ready to meet the boy that had ‘stolen his little girl’s heart’. Snowflakes swirled outside. It wasn’t the first snow of the year; more like the third. In Denver, winter always seemed to begin early. “I can’t wait to meet him,” Abby said. “Will he play football with me?” River asked. “Maybe,” I said, giving him a smile. River was already a little athlete, as was Abby. It ran in the family, apparently. Suddenly, my phone went off, snapping me out of my thoughts. I quickly answered. “Hello?” “Hey, sweetheart. I hate to tell you this, but Spencer’s plane is delayed because of the snow. It’ll probably be another two hours before he gets here,” Mom said, sounding tired. “Are you serious?” I asked, sitting up straight. “Yeah. I’m really sorry. Dad and I will wait here for him, though,” she replied, sounding almost nervous to hear my response. I sighed, nodding. “Okay. That’s fine.” “Alright, see you later. Make sure to get your sister and brother in bed by 8:00,” she said. “Will do,” I said. She ended the call. “Was that Mom?” River asked, bouncing over to me. “Yeah. Spencer’s plane is late because of the snow. You guys won’t be able to see him tonight because you’ll have to go to sleep soon,” I informed them. “Stupid snow,” River said, obviously disappointed. “Don’t worry, you’ll see him tomorrow,” I reassured him. “Are you sure?” Abby asked. “Positive,” I answered, giving both of them a hug. About an hour later, Abby and River were sleeping peacefully in their beds. I was snuggled up on the couch, watching Mean Girls all by myself like a total loner. It was only 8:30, but I was really tired. I hadn’t been falling asleep very easily the past few days, so I could feel my eyelids growing heavy as I struggled to stay awake just for Spencer. But I couldn’t. I fell asleep within a few minutes, curled up in a ball on the couch, a blanket covering my body as I dreamt peacefully. * * * * * Someone pressed their lips to my forehead, and my eyes opened quickly. To my surprise and relief, I saw Spencer standing above me, a smile on his face. “Hey,” he whispered. “Spencer!” I whispered happily, jumping up. He hugged me tightly, crushing his lips against mine. Wow, I had missed him more than I thought. I heard someone clear their throat awkwardly, and I pulled away from Spencer, looking up to see my parents standing there uncertainly. “Well, uh...we’ll just be going to bed,” my dad said, “Have a good sleep.” My mom nodded, and they left. “You’re so cute when you’re sleeping,” Spencer chuckled, pulling me down onto the couch beside him. I smiled as he brushed my hair out of my eyes. I snuggled into his arms, and he draped the blanket over us. “Good night, Spence,” I whispered, a yawn escaping my lips. Spencer smiled. “Good night.”

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ I knocked lightly on Kirsten’s bedroom door, partially afraid of the scene that I might see. “Come in!” a familiar voice called, sounding...cheerful? I opened the door and popped my head inside, heart pounding in my chest. I hadn’t called Kirsten before coming over, which I realized by now, might have been a bad idea. But to my complete surprise, Kirsten was playing Barbies with her little sister, Cassia. “Oh, hey!” Kirsten cried, her face lighting up at the sight of me. I felt relief go through me. What had I expected? But deep down inside, I knew the answer. I had been expecting Kirsten to be crying on her bed, not wanting to see anyone in the world. “Avery!” Cassia yelled, jumping up. A blonde Barbie fell from her hands, and she ran over to me. At once, she had her little arms wrapped around my legs, and she was talking loudly. “I missed you being around the house. How’s New York? Is it fun there? River and Abby told me that you hurt your leg. Are you okay? Can you still run?” I gave her a tight smile, ruffling her hair. “I had to have surgery. And yes, New York is great,” I said. Before I could answer the rest of her questions, Kirsten stood up and walked over to us. “Hey, Cass, why don’t you go downstairs for a little bit? I need some time alone so I can catch up with Avery,” she said. Cassia pouted, but left, running down the staircase. As soon as she was gone, Kirsten shut the door. “How are you?” she asked, giving me an easy smile. “Uh..fine,” I said awkwardly, “What about you?” Kirsten glanced over at the pile of Barbies that had been abandoned only a few seconds before. “I’m doing great. Amazing, actually. My parents argue less now that the divorce has happened, and everyone gets along perfectly. Everyone at school is supportive, too,” she said openly, leading me over to her bed. We sat down for a moment, and she cleared her throat awkwardly. “Look..I know this must be awkward for you,” she said. “What?” I asked, turning to her, “Why would it be?” She chuckled nervously, shaking her head. “Come on, Ave. The last time you saw me, I was a crying, bitter mess, and the only thing I could think about was dying,” she said. My jaw dropped slightly, but I quickly closed it, unsure of what to say. I was too shocked. How could she admit that so easily? “In fact, I let myself believe that our friendship was over. After you visited, you never called, texted, Skyped me...or anything. I felt so out of touch with you. And then when you got back, you still never contacted me. I thought that you hated me or something,” she said, laughing bitterly at that last part. “Oh, Kirsten,” I whispered, suddenly feeling tears in my eyes, “I could never hate you. You’re my best friend. I’m sorry I didn’t call. I’ve just been so tired lately, what with the surgery and all.” “I know, I’m so stupid,” she said, wiping away her own tears. She gave me a tight hug. Then she pulled back. “How is your hamstring? When do you get to go back to Harper?” she asked. “Sometime after break,” I shrugged, “Except I almost don’t want to.” “What? Why?” she cried, stunned. “I don’t know,” I admitted, “It just seems weird now that I have the biggest part of my life taken away from me for so long.” She nodded. “Yeah. But you should go back. It’s not everyday people get a chance like that. Harper’s probably one of the best schools ever, and I know that you’re doing great there.” She smiled, clearly not sensing my discomfort. “You mean...Megan didn’t tell you?” I asked, my voice coming out as a whisper. Her smile faded. “I-I don’t think so. What’s wrong?” she asked, grabbing my hand and giving it a light squeeze. I bit my lip, tears burning in my eyes for some reason. Like Miss Patrick had told me countless times, it was nothing to be ashamed of. So why did I feel so embarrassed about it? “I have to go to a group..for depressed teenagers,” I said tightly. Kirsten looked hurt. “Oh, no. No, Meg never told me that. Why do you have to go?” she asked. “Well, I don’t have to go. But it sounded like a good idea, so I did,” I said, not wanting to tell her the full reason why. “Ave. Come on. Tell me why you’re going then. Why are you depressed?” “I’m not depressed!” I snapped, jerking away from her. Seeing her expression turn into even more hurt, I shook my head. “Sorry, Kir...I just...I don’t want to tell you why I have to go,” I said, averting my eyes away from her. She was silent for a moment, and then with a trembling voice, she whispered, “It’s because of me. Isn’t it?” I looked up, surprised. She looked on the verge of tears. “No, of course not! It’s just after you attempted to kill yourself, I grew really sad and depressed, and I joined the group. And then the fact that I pulled my hamstring and can’t run for a little while made it even worse,” I said hastily. “God, this is all my fault,” she groaned, “I am such an idiot!” “It is NOT your fault! I let myself get like that. It was completely my fault,” I said, giving her another hug. She was silent, hugging me back. I pulled away, folding my hands in my lap. “I let myself get like that. It’s no one’s fault but mine,” I said, shaking my head. Kirsten looked like she wanted to argue with me, but I didn’t let her. Instead, I grabbed her laptop and opened it up. “You’ll never believe this, but I started doing Youtube covers,” I said. “What? When?” she cried, leaning over to get a better look at the screen. “Just today,” I replied, typing in, ‘AveryGrace’ and hitting the enter button. At once, my channel pulled up, and I clicked on the video. Then I handed the laptop to Kirsten, not bothering to look at the views. “Watch,” I instructed,” And tell me what you think, please.” She was quiet, watching the video with a smile on her face. Finally, it ended, and she turned to me cheerfully. “Oh my gosh, that was amazing!” She clicked the thumbs up and suscribe button. Then, she added the first comment. ‘This is amazing, Ave! I love you! :)’ I smiled as she closed the laptop screen. “You deserve much more views,” she said with a laugh. I smiled, shaking my head. “Like that’ll happen.” Then my smile vanished. “Does Megan hate me?” I asked. “What makes you ask that?” Kirsten inquired. “I mean, this was her idea. And then she turned all angry and started yelling at me because I hadn’t had the time to call you or anything. She’s been acting weird,” I admitted. Kirsten shook her head. “Nah, she doesn’t hate you. She’s probably just a little grumpy today.” I nodded, but I could feel my heart sinking. I had a bad feeling deep inside, like something terrible was going to happen between me, Megan, and Kirsten. I could only hope that I wasn’t right.

taylorswiftfan1233 I pictured Avery’s singing voice to be kind of like Christina Grimmie’s. She’s amazing <3 <3 Sorry if these are bad guys. :p ~Avery~ (Cover Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqh7TM7vhf8) (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/mamas_broken_heart/set?id=75660948) “Hey, I have an idea,” Megan said, sitting upright on my bed. “What?” I asked, turning to face her. I tried not to sound too tired. The truth was, I hadn’t been sleeping very well lately. “You should start doing Youtube covers! I mean, you’re an amazing singer, and it’s one of your talents! So why not put it to good use?” she chirped happily, shoving my Macbook in my direction. I sat completely still for a second. “I don’t know,” I managed to say finally. “Please, Avery! It’ll make you happy!” Megan cried. “Are you saying that I’m not happy?” I defended, crossing my arms in annoyance. She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.” There was a brief silence, but then I shrugged. “Sure. What do I have to lose?” I said, reaching for my computer. I opened it up and typed Youtube into Google. “Yay!” Megan cheered, clapping her hands together. As I created an account, Megan said, “Kirsten says that we need to come over to her house sometime.” “Really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her, my fingers poised over the keyboard. “Yeah. She really misses you. And...and I think that she feels like you don’t want to be friends with her anymore. “What?” I asked, shocked, “Why would she think that?” “Because you’ve been home for nearly a week and you haven’t called her, Skyped her, or went over to her house once. It’s like you’re ignoring her,” Megan said flatly. She had an almost accusing look in her eyes, like it was all true. Once again, a feeling of annoyance washed over me. “You’re the one that said she needed space,” I snapped. “Yeah, well now she needs friends,” Megan said, glaring at me. How had this conversation turned so quickly, and in the process, somehow made me look like the bad guy here? “Okay. I’ll go see her later today, then,” I said, turning my attention back to my computer screen, checking over all of the information. “Whatever. I need to go, I have a babysitting job. See ya,” Megan said, her tone still implying that she was just a tiny bit annoyed with me. “Bye,” I mumbled. I didn’t even look up as she walked out the door. What was her problem? * * * * My Youtube name was AveryGrace. Already, I was ready to film my first video. I was beginning to get pretty excited about the whole thing. What if I became a sensation? Probably not, but it would still be fun either way. I pulled my old guitar onto my lap, and began to strum lightly to warm up. I hadn’t played since...well, my freshman year, probably. My guitar had been a present from my grandparents in the eighth grade. My mom and dad had forced me to have a graduation party at my house and invite my entire family; even the ones that lived all over the country and hadn’t even met before. But the party had brightened when I had pulled out the sparkly, silver guitar that resembled one of Taylor Swift’s. At the time, I had been obsessed with the country/pop singer. I clicked the record button on my laptop, and then smiled. “Hi, guys! I’m Avery, and today I’m going to be covering the song ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ by Miranda Lambert. Sorry in advance if you don’t like country, but this is one of my all time favorites. Anyway, I hope you guys like it!” I chirped, giving the camera a tiny wave. Then I began to play the song, and before I knew it, my voice was filling the room. “Go and fix your makeup girl, it’s just a breakup. Run and hide your crazy and start acting like a lady. ‘Cuz I raised you better, gotta keep it together, even when you fall apart. But this ain’t my mama’s broken heart,” I sang, getting lost in the music. Megan was right; this had been a good idea. I felt lighter, like a huge weight had just been lifted off my shoulders. “Can’t get revenge, gotta keep a spotless reputation. Sometimes revenge is a choice you gotta make. My mama came from a softer generation, where you get a grip and bite your lip, just to save a little face,” I went on. By the time I had finished and put my guitar down, I couldn’t stop smiling. “I hope you guys liked it! Feel free to comment, like, or subscribe! I should be doing covers really often from now on,” I said happily. Then I quit recording and uploaded the video. Let’s see how many hits I could get.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ Spencer and I had set up a Skype date to be in exactly five minutes. I tapped my fingers on the keyboard of my Macbook, wondering what he would say. Part of me wanted to hear how the cross-country team had been doing without me, but another part of me didn’t want to. Suddenly, a Skype request lit up my screen. A smile flashing brightly across my face, I accepted it. Instantly, Spencer’s face was displayed on the computer. “Hey, Avery,” he greeted. A perfect smile spread across his face quickly, and I knew that I was probably grinning like an idiot. “Hey, Spencer,” I said cheerfully, “What’s up?” Minutes later, he was talking about the team and how much everyone missed me at Harper. He even told me that they wanted to have a Welcome Back party for me when I returned. “It was great. They moved Ashley up to Varsity, and she got second place. She was so happy, Avery. You should’ve seen it. Coach said that she’s probably one of the best on our team, aside from you of course,” he went on, his eyes sparkling happily. I felt as though something inside of me was slowly deflating at the sound of her name. Ashley. the pretty, blonde girl that constantly had guys hanging on her. She could be a model if she wanted to. Not only had she almost had Spencer wrapped around her finger, but now she was starting to take my place on the team, too. Spencer didn’t even notice though as he gushed on and on about it all. “It’s like she does even better without you there, which is stupid but kind of interesting. Less competition, I guess,” he said with a shrug. He had no idea how much pain I had been feeling lately, and it was only getting worse with every word that he said. Ashley was better than me; smarter, more popular, prettier, cooler...Why would Spencer ever stay with me when he could have her? “Hey...” Spencer said, suddenly noticing the expression on my face, “What’s wrong? Did I say something?” Quickly, I managed a forced, tight smile. “No, of course not, Spencer. I just really miss you all. It sucks being stuck here,” I lied. He smiled. “Don’t worry, Avery, you’ll be back running soon. Believe me.” If only I could.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/mirror_can_lie/set?id=74723830) I opened my laptop, and seeing that I had a Skype request from Jensen, I smiled and opened it. To my surprise, I found not only Jensen, but Lena, Emmaline, and Juliet as well. “Hey,” I greeted, propping myself up on my pillows. “Avery, how are you doing? How was surgery? Are you feeling okay?” Jensen asked at once, her questions all jumbled together with concern. I raised an eyebrow, allowing a small laugh to escape my lips. “Um, I’m doing fine, I guess. Surgery was okay. I was asleep the entire time,” I answered, pushing a strand of hair out of my eyes. “Oh, good. I was worried,” Jensen said, letting out a sigh of relief. It had been exactly a day since I had the surgery, but all I had done was lay in my room. My family made sure that I was doing okay by checking up on me every second, and River and Abby insisted on coloring me pictures and playing with their toys in my room most of the time. It wasn’t as miserable as I had imagined. “Having fun at home?” Lena asked, quirking a smile. “I am, actually. My family has been waiting on me hand and foot,” I laughed, “I feel like a princess, sometimes.” The four of them laughed at that, smiles spreading across their faces. “How are you all? Anything exciting going on in your lives?” I asked. “I have my play coming up soon. I’m so excited,” Lena gushed. Juliet shrugged, mumbling, “Not really.” They talked about the latest gossip at Harper, telling me about everything that I had missed out on. “Has Spencer called you?” Jensen asked, switching subjects only about five minutes later. My smile vanished, and I felt a sharp pang in my heart. “Nope,” I admitted. “Oh...well, I’m sure he’s just busy. The cross-country team has been busy training, running 24/7 since you left,” Jensen said, not sensing my discomfort, a smile flashing across her face, “I heard that they might qualify for the state meet. There might even be a party in honor of it, but of course you’ll be back for that! I mean, why would they have a party without you? You’re still a part of the team! You’re the best runner.” Was, I corrected her in my head, but was silent. Jensen was babbling about how she had went to their meet yesterday, and how awesome everyone had looked. Apparently, Spencer had gotten first place in the Boys’ race. “Jensen,” Emmaline whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder. “What?” Jensen asked, looking at her in confusion. Emmaline jutted her chin to the computer screen, where I was now staring glumly at them. My happy mood had just vanished completely. “Oh...I’m really sorry, Avery. I-I didn’t realize-” Jensen began anxiously, but I cut her off. “It’s okay, Frater,” I said, faking a smile, “I don’t mind.” But really, I did. The fact that my team was running without me was like a smack in the face. But of course they had to carry on without me. I just hadn’t been expecting it to be this painful at all. “Avery, we really miss you,” Lena said, in hopes to make me feel better, “Miss Patrick’s meetings aren’t the same without you there.” “Everyone says they hope you get better soon,” Juliet agreed. I shrugged, feeling like something inside of me had deflated. There was an awkward, tense silence as we just sat there, looking at each other. But then I forced a smile and said in a faux-cheerful tone, “I need to go. Bye.” With that, I closed my laptop. I shoved it away from me and pressed a hand over my mouth as I stared at the walls in my bedroom, a new thought hitting me like a ton of bricks as I remembered what Jensen had asked. ‘Has Spencer called you yet??’ And my answer had sadly been no. Why hadn’t he called me? Was he just busy like Jensen thought, or was it something else? Was I not good enough anymore? Did we have nothing in common now that I couldn’t run cross-country for the rest of the season? Was I just a memory? With shaky fingers, I picked my phone up and scrolled through my contacts until I found his name. I listened to the soft, ringing sound, until finally he picked up. “Hello?” “Spencer,” I said, relief filling my voice. “Oh, hey! How did surgery go? I forgot to call you since I had a meet yesterday,” he said cheerfully. “It went great. I just really miss running and being with you,” I said, feeling even more relieved. He had picked up, so obviously our relationship was still okay. “Yeah, I miss you too. Running at practice sucks without you. No one else on the team can keep up with me,” he laughed. I smiled. “I was starting to think that maybe you were done with me or something,” I admitted. “Why?” he asked, obviously confused. “Because...I don’t know. You hadn’t called, and I was afraid that we wouldn’t have anything else in common, so-” “Avery,” he interrupted, “I was so busy that I haven’t had the time to call you. I know, it’s a lame excuse, but I’m telling the truth. Coach Evans has had us running all the time. And if you think that we have nothing else in common, then you’re wrong. I would never leave you. Not in a million years. I love you way too much for that.” “I know. I’m stupid,” I said. I laughed nervously. “I’m sorry that I didn’t call sooner, though. I really am,” he apologized. Aw. He was so sweet. “It’s fine, I forgive you,” I said. “I’ll make it up somehow,” he said. Suddenly, an idea struck me. “How about you come to my house over Thanksgiving Break? You can meet my family and my friends and my old team...it’ll be great!” I cried. “I don’t know. That’s a pretty big deal,” he hesitated. “Please, Spence? They’ll love you!” I begged. He sighed. “Fine. I’ll call you later when I figure out when,” he said. “Thanks so much! You’re the best boyfriend ever!” I squealed, bouncing up and down on my bed. Once again, I felt complete and happy. I only hoped that it would last a little bit longer this time.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/tied_together_with_smile/set?id=74288216) “Mommy, is she awake yet?” I heard a familiar voice whisper. “No, Abby,” another voice said. My eyes fluttered open. “Yes she is,” River said, pointing at me with a smile. Sunshine filled the room, and I took in the sight before me. River, Abby, Megan, and my parents all sat in the hospital room that we had been placed in. Abby had a doll in her hands, and River had been coloring in a coloring book. Megan who had been typing away on her phone was now staring at me, a smile on her face. My parents stood up and came over to me. “How are you feeling, Ave?” Mom inquired. There was a dull, throbbing pain in my hamstring, but that was it. “Fine,” I yawned. “Hello, how’s my fine patient?” Dr. Williams asked, coming into the room. “She just woke up,” Dad told him. “Great, how is she feeling?” the doctor asked, his blue eyes twinkling as he looked at me. “Fine, I guess. I’m just tired,” I said, holding back another yawn. “Yes, well, the medicine we gave you has that effect,” he said with a smile. I barely listened as he turned to my parents and began rattling off all the rules I needed to follow, what I could and couldn’t do, when I would need to come back to have him check-up on my leg, what my medicine to take, and how much rest I would need, I turned to Megan. “God, I’m so glad that’s over,” I said, smiling at her. “Me too. I was so nervous,” she said, giving me a quick hug. “Okay, we’re ready to go,” Mom said happily. “Can we go to McDonald’s like you promised?” River begged. “Yes, but only because you two were so good,” Dad said, patting River and Abby’s heads. They laughed. “Yay!” Abby cried. After I had changed into a pair of pajamas, my Bob Marley t-shirt, and a pair of boots, we were leaving. Megan helped me into my wheelchair, and then pushed me out into the hospital hallways. My family followed close behind. For the first time since I had been home, I felt much more relaxed. But even I knew that that wouldn’t last very long; I still had the recovery part of the operation to deal with, after all.

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry if these are choppy, girls. I haven't wrote in a while, so I decided to write quite a bit today. :) ~Avery~ “Here we are!” Mom said excitedly. The car pulled to a stop in front of our house, and I found myself staring out the window at it. It was exactly like how I had last seen it; big and cozy looking with River’s bike and Abby’s scooter lying in the front-yard. As Megan wheeled me up to the porch and my parents carried my bags, I heard cries of excitement from inside the house. The door swung open right before Megan could even open it, and River and Abby ran out the door along with my grandmother who had been watching them for my parents. At once, I was attacked with hugs, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Oh my gosh, Avery, I’m so happy you’re home,” River said, his voice giddy. “Me too!” Abby squealed. “Let’s get her inside, shall we?” Megan asked cheerfully, giving my little brother and sister a smile. “Yes!” my brother and sister agreed in harmony. As Megan and my family helped me up the stairs to my bedroom, I once again realized how hard it was to go up the stairs with my leg in so much pain. As soon as we were in my room, I sat down on the bed and looked around the room. It was exactly how it had been since we had remodeled it this summer. The walls were covered in posters of athletes and my favorite bands and singers. On my bulletin board was all of my medals that I had received, along with pictures of my friends, family, and me. My computer was on my desk, along with a vase of fresh flowers that Abby told me she had picked for me this morning. I had really missed it. My parents told me that I’d be having my surgery the day after tomorrow, early in the morning. Just the thought of it made me feel sick inside. What if something went wrong? I shook my head, realizing that I needed to stay positive. A few hours later, I was curled up under the covers, sleeping soundly. * * * * * The next day flew by quickly, and before I knew it, I was being driven to the hospital. As we sat anxiously in the waiting room, I tiredly turned to my parents. “I’m nervous,” I squeaked. “I know, but everything will go great, sweetie. Doctor Williamson is an amazing doctor,” Mom reassured, ruffling my caramel colored hair. “He knows exactly what he’s doing. We went to school with him, honey,” Dad informed me, also trying to ease me. But every second that passed, I began to grow more and more worried. What if I would never be able to run again? What if something went wrong? I swallowed hard. Suddenly, a nurse appeared in the waiting room. “Avery Fuller,” she said with a smile. “Right here,” Mom said. I sat there, frozen for a second. “The doctor is ready for you,” the nurse told me. “Avery?” Dad asked as another few seconds flew by. The nurse said something else to me, but I couldn’t hear her. All I could hear was a ringing in my ears as my heart began to beat furiously inside me. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. “Is she okay?” the nurse asked, and I snapped back to reality. “I’m just nervous,” I choked out, wiping away a tear, “What if something goes wrong?” The nurse gave me a knowing smile. “Everything will go great. Doctor Williamson had performed this surgery on athletes such as yourself hundreds of times,” she said gently. I nodded, letting out a shaky sigh. “We’ll be waiting for you when you wake up,” Mom said, giving my hand a quick squeeze. Both of my parents gave me a quick hug. Then the nurse was pushing my wheelchair back behind the solid, heavy doors. For a moment, we were both completely silent. But then she began to talk again, her words gentle and kind. “I get that you’re nervous, Avery. But just remember that this happens to a lot of athletes, and all of them have recovered after the surgery. It’s simple and easy, and we’ll put you to sleep for it. I promise that it’s nothing.” “But...I’m still out for the season,” I said, a new wave of sadness hitting me. “Maybe, but isn’t that a good thing? I mean, this way you’ll be able to heal quicker and you’ll be back on your feet sooner,” the nurse said wisely. I shrugged, a sigh escaping my lips. “I guess.” “Here we are,” the nurse smiled, opening another set of heavy doors. She pushed me inside, and I looked around. It was an operating room. There was a ton of machines and monitors, and in the middle of it was a metal bed. (A/N: I haven’t had surgery in a really long time, probably not since preschool when I had to get tubes put in my ears. So my memory is just a tad bit foggy about what an operating room looks like; it’s all sort of a blur to be honest. I just remember freaking out and crying and the doctors and nurses putting me to sleep with one of those oxygen thingys. Sorry if this isn’t very good.) A couple more nurses helped me lie down on the bed, my hair fanning out around me. “Everything is going to go perfectly,” the first nurse told me again. Then she placed an oxygen mask over my mouth and nose. “This will make you fall asleep,” she added. I nodded, and then she and the others stood over me. Suddenly, I began to feel incredibly sleepy. I yawned. A few seconds later, my eyes fluttered close. Then, my world was black, and a feeling of peacefulness settled over me.

fungirl123 @Payton - I love all those ideas. :) I can't wait to see them in writing. <3

taylorswiftfan1233 Also, she'll get into an argument with Megan and Kirsten, and everyone at Harper will start picking on her so she feels alone even though Lena, Emmaline, Jensen, and Juliet are all there for her actually. If you guys don't like it, let me know :)

taylorswiftfan1233 I haven't really planned out Avery's character as much as I've planned out all my others on different writing clubs, so this week I've been thinking about what could happen in her life. I know I said she's going to be depressed, and she is. So what I'm planning on doing is someone will tell Avery to start posting videos of herself singing covers of songs on Youtube, since that's her other talent and it normally makes her happy. She'll agree reluctantly, and start posting the videos. Then she gets a ton of hits and likes, and she'll be happy for a little while, forgetting about her injury. But then people are going to start posting really negative comments, and she'll begin to grow kind of addicted to reading them because she's always wondered what people thought about her. She'll become really, really depressed. When she comes back to Harper, Spencer and her are going to get into a huge argument and they'll break up. Then, to make her jealous because he doesn't realize the pain that she's going through, he'll begin dating Ashley even though he doesn't really like her. Finally, I'm going to make her get so fed up with the comments, feeling alone, like she doesn't have any friends, and all that stuff. So she'll post a video of herself on her Youtube channel and post it to Facebook or something, and everyone will see it. Then she's going to attempt suicide, but she can't get the cap off the pills so she doesn't because someone takes it from her. (That'll probably be Spencer because he'll see the video she posts). I don't know if you guys have ever seen the movie "Cyberbully" starring Emily Osment, but that's what this is inspired from..even though it's a little different. What do ya think?(:

fungirl123 @Payton - glad to help! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat- Thanks! <3 @Haley- Okay, I might do that too. Thank you! :D

fungirl123 @Payton - I really like that YouTube idea! :D Also, I know you mentioned her being in her old school's musicals, so maybe she can do that also.

kjm109 @Payton, I like what your idea was but I will let you know if I think of anything else that you might like!

taylorswiftfan1233 Guys, I need some advice: You know how I said Avery's other talent was singing? Well, I haven't talked about her doing that very much, since running and sports are her main talent, but now that she has to have surgery and won't be able to run for a while, do you think that I should write about Avery singing more or something? I was thinking that maybe she could start doing Youtube videos, and that that's the only thing she actually looks forward to. Then I was also thinking that when she got back to Harper she could begin taking more music and vocal classes. :P Idk, what do you guys think? Any ideas or what? :)

fungirl123 @Payton - no problem! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks! <3

fungirl123 @Payton - great post! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry if this is sucks, guys, but I wrote it all last night. ~Avery~ “Let’s go around the room and share what good things have been going on in our lives lately, shall we?” Miss Patrick asked with a bright smile. Way too bright and cheerful for my taste, I thought, wrinkling my nose a little. The teenagers in the room all mumbled their words of agreement. As Lena gushed about her play that was coming up, I picked at my fingernail. What had I done to deserve a torn hamstring? Finally, Lena finished, and Miss Patrick said, “I’m glad to hear that, Lena. I can’t wait to watch the play!” Then she turned to me and said, “Avery, what about you?” “Nothing,” I said, looking up at her. “What do you mean?” she asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Everyone stared at me. “I mean, there’s good happening. Everything is getting worse,” I said, my shoulders sagging. “Surely not everything,” Miss Patrick said, giving me a light smile, “I bet something good has happened lately.” “My best friend tried to kill herself. I neglected her. I tore my hamstring. I have to have surgery. I’m out for the season. I have nothing else to do at Harper. I left my team and everyone behind back in Denver. I have nothing left,” I snapped, bitterness creeping into my voice. “Avery, of course you have stuff left for you. You like to sing, don’t you?” Miss Patrick said, making an attempt to brighten my mood. I shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t see the point in that anymore, either,” I said darkly. My voice sounded like it belonged to someone else. Miss Patrick was silent, looking at me with a conflicted expression on her face as she tried to figure out what to say. But before she could, Lena squeezed my hand, saying, “You have me, Avery. You have Emmaline, Juliet, and Jensen, too. Not to mention your team, other friends, Spencer, and your family.” “I guess,” I sighed. She was right. Even in my head I knew that I was being too unrealistic and childish. I had people that loved me, I knew that. So why did I feel so empty inside?

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Haha! Maybe you'll get more. Ya never know. :) We're supposed to get like five to six more inches on Sunday and Monday. This is the most snow we've had in ages. :O

fungirl123 @Payton - OMG! I'm so jealous! We only have like half and inch right now. :p But it's all frozen like ice. We keep getting snow, only for it to melt like a week later. ^.^

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Sounds fun! They cancelled school for us yesterday and today. It started snowing at midnight on Wednesday night, and then didn't stop till last night at midnight. So now we have like 11 inches of snow! But the good news is that I probably get to go sledding this afternoon with my little brothers, little sis, and one of my friends. :)

fungirl123 @Payton - awesome! :) Now I won't be lonely on the Internet all day. :D We got a lot of snow last night, then it started to melt, but then it all froze again! So the roads are too slippery for school buses. I just hope driving to camp tonight (it's an hour drive) won't be too hard. :p

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Me either! :D :D :D

fungirl123 @Payton - no problem! :) Yay! No school for me today!! :D :D :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thank you! <3 <3

fungirl123 @Payton - awesome posts! <3 <3 Loved all of them!

taylorswiftfan1233 This is super short, but here it is anyways! ~Avery~ “Ave?” Mom asked, popping her head into the dorm room. Jensen wasn’t in there, so it was just Megan and I. “What?” I asked, looking up from my packing. “Um...Miss Patrick said she wanted you to come to your...uh, meeting tonight before you leave. If that’s okay with you. It’s totally fine with us,” she said awkwardly. “Sure. Whatever,” I said, turning back to my packing. “Should I bring this?” I asked Megan, holding up an Under Armour t-shirt that said, “Swagtastic.” “Sure,” she said with a shrug. I tossed it carelessly into my bag, just wanting to get this all over with. There was a silence as we put things in my bag, but then Megan spoke up. “What did your mom mean by ‘your meeting’?” I froze a little, suddenly realizing that I had never told Megan or Kirsten. In fact, I hadn’t even told my parents. Miss Patrick had had to have informed them. “Um...it’s this group for depressed teenagers. Miss Patrick, our counselor, thought that I should join to see if I like it, so I did. Apparently people were worried. All we do is talk about what makes us happy, what makes us upset, and what’s going on in our lives. It’s not too bad,” I said. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were in one of those groups?” Megan asked, sounding hurt. Our eyes met, and I quickly looked away. “I don’t know. I didn’t tell anyone, really,” I admitted. She nodded, biting her lip. A few seconds passed before she said, “Are you depressed, Avery? Like Kirsten was?” “I don’t know. Maybe,” I said softly. Megan shook her head, tears in her eyes. “Please, please, please, Ave. Do not do anything like Kirsten did. I’m here for you. So is Kirsten and your family and your boyfriend and all your other friends. Everyone, Avery. You have friends and people that love you,” she said, her voice pleading, “Don’t hurt yourself.” “I won’t,” I squeaked. She hugged me tightly, letting out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I would hate myself if you ever tried to harm yourself,” she whispered. I pulled back, giving her a forced smile. “You have nothing to worry about,” I informed her, trying to sound reassuring. She grinned, buying it. She turned back to my closet, grabbing a few pairs of jeans and tossing them carefully into my bag. I bit my lip, wondering if she really should be worrying. And wondering if I should be worrying, too. I pushed the thought away. I would find that out tonight.

taylorswiftfan1233 Also, Avery is going to start getting angry and more depressed since she can't run for a while, and she's going to start pushing people away from her, including Spencer. Just letting you guys know. :) ~Avery~ Thankfully, Coach Evans and Spencer had come back to get me an hour later, after the doctors announced that I could go back to my dorm. The worst part though, was that they had given me a wheelchair to be pushed around in for the time being. The doctor had told me that I needed to be icing it as much as possible, and trying not to add any extra pressure to it. My parents had called to tell me that they would be on the next flight to New York first thing tomorrow morning, and wouldn’t get there until that afternoon. They just wanted to check on me and see if they thought I could wait until break for the surgery. “Avery?” Jensen asked timidly, turning off the TV. I turned to look at her, making sure not to move my leg, which was propped up on pillows as I pressed a cold icepack to it. “I’m sorry that you won’t be able to run for the rest of the season. I know how important cross-country is to you,” she said anxiously. I smiled weakly. “It’s not your fault, Jensen.” “I know,” she said, biting her lip, “I just wished that I could help you somehow. Like, make a wish and poof! You’d be able to run again!” A smile flickered across my face, this time more real and less forced. “Me too, Frater.” She smiled, relief flashing across her face. I pulled the blankets over my body and then curled up on my bed, closing my eyes. “Oh, and Ave?” Jensen whispered. “Yeah?” I asked, opening my eyes and craning my neck to see her. Once again, she looked serious. “I just want you to know that I’m here for you. If you ever need to talk, just let me know,” she said. “Thanks,” I said. She nodded, reaching over and turning off the lamp that was on the bedside table. Darkness filled the room, and I drifted off to sleep. * * * * * I sat in silence beside Emmaline, Lena, Juliet, Jensen, Julian, and Lena’s brother the next day at lunch. I had tried to get Spencer to sit with us, but he had wanted to sit with the jocks. Ironically, we were eating at the same place where Julian had dumped his drink all over Lena and I had chosen to rescue her. “So, is your leg feeling any better?” Emmaline asked cheerfully. “A little bit, as long as I take a ton of painkillers,” I said, tucking a strand of caramel colored hair behind my ear. She gave me a sympathetic smile. “When are your parents coming?” Juliet asked curiously. “Anytime now,” I answered, glancing down at my watch. Anytime, I repeated silently in my head. Part of me still hoped that my parents would say that the other doctors were wrong, and that I’d be able to run again right after surgery. But deep down, I knew that they wouldn’t say that. My hamstring had been torn pretty badly;; it would take awhile for it to heal. Suddenly, a familiar voice filled the air. “Where’s my best friend?!” I turned my head, just in time to see Megan looking around the cafe. At once, our eyes locked, and our faces broke into huge grins. She ran towards me, and as soon as she reached me, gave me an incredibly tight hug. “You’re going to choke me,” I gasped, struggling to break away. She laughed, pulling back. “Sorry, Ave,” she apologized. Then she turned to Lena and the others with a smile. “Hey, I’m Megan,” she greeted brightly. “Hey,” Lena said with a smile, “I’m Lena.” They all introduced themselves, and then Megan turned back to me. “What are you doing here?” I asked, practically beaming at her like a complete idiot. “Visiting you! Hello, you’re injured! I like begged your parents to let me come,” she said, pushing a strand of dark hair out of her eyes. “And they let you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. My parents were normally pretty strict when it came to school. “Totally. It took some convincing, of course, but nobody can resist me,” she said in an obvious tone. “Uh huh,” I said, grinning. I felt like the sun was shining over my head, breaking through the dark stormy clouds. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed her. “Hey, is Kirsten here?” I asked, unable to hide the hopefulness in my voice. “No, her parents didn’t want her coming. Apparently she’s still ‘unstable’,” she said. Then she shook her head. “Your parents are waiting in the office. They told me to come get you and bring you back right away, but I already failed at that, so we better not keep them waiting any longer,” she said firmly. She turned to my friends once again, giving them a cheery smile. “It was nice meeting you guys,” she said. Before I could say anything, she was pushing my wheelchair away from the table. At first, she walked at a normal pace. “Okay, I’m going to push this thing really fast. Got it?” she asked. “What?” I asked, suddenly anxious. Megan was almost as fast as I was. She laughed, tossing her head back a little. “Let’s go!” she cried, and then began running, pushing the wheelchair in front of her. She weaved it around tables and chairs, causing people to move out of the way and stare at us. “You’re going to make us crash!” I cried as she began to push me even farther down the halls. “Don’t worry,” she reassured me, “I’m a pro at stuff like this.” I rolled my eyes, but let out a yelp as she turned the wheelchair sharply, nearly making me fly out of it. Before I knew it, we were in the office. My eyes landed on my parents, who were sitting in chairs and talking quietly to...Miss Patrick? I brushed the thought away, not thinking much of it. Megan came to a sudden halt, nearly causing me to crash into the secretary’s desk. At once, heads snapped in my direction. “Hey!” I cried, waving at my parents. They jumped up and raced over to me, grins spreading across their faces. “Hi, sweetheart,” Mom greeted, ruffling my hair. “How’s your leg feeling?” Dad asked, glancing down at it. I shrugged. “I took painkillers, so it’s okay right now. But once they wear off, it’ll probably hurt like crazy,” I replied. “Let’s take a look at it, shall we?” Mom asked, pushing the wheelchair into the nurse’s office. Then, looking over her shoulder at Megan who followed closely behind, she laughed. “Meg, did you run the entire way to the office?” she asked. “Yeah. I almost killed her,” Megan laughed, trying to catch her breath. My parents laughed, shaking their heads. What could you honestly expect from Megan? She was loud and crazy. My father helped me out of my wheelchair and onto the cot. Then they examined my leg. “It’s still swollen. It looks pretty bad,” Dad said, scratching his head. “Can you try putting pressure on it?” Mom inquired. I hesitated, wondering how bad it would hurt. Already, the painkillers were starting to fade away. I could feel a little bit of pain in my hamstring once again, even though it was only a dull, aching throb. “I can try,” I said. What could it hurt? Megan held out her hand, and I quickly took it. Then I stood up. For two seconds, I felt no pain at all. But then a sharp, shooting pain tore through my hamstring, and I let out a huge gasp, tears stinging my eyes. Hurriedly, I sat back down, nearly falling over in the process. Even after I was sitting, the pain was still incredibly sharp. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Megan asked, her voice soft. I nodded, placing a hand over my mouth as I tried not to cry. What if this was even more serious than the doctors had thought? “I’m sorry, sweetie. Your painkillers must be wearing off,” Dad said, “We’ll get you some more here in a second.” “I think your surgery is going to have to be as soon as possible, hun,” Mom said, giving me a sympathetic smile. Her voice was sadder than I had inspected. “Can I please wait until Thanksgiving Break?” I asked, “That’s only a week away.” My parents exchanged knowing glances. I could feel my palms growing sweaty already. “No, I’m sorry. We’re taking you home early,” Dad said, turning back to face me after about thirty seconds of painful, tense silence. “”Early?” I squeaked, shocked, “What about my classes? What about everything here? What am I going to do?” “We’ll take you home tonight,” Mom said calmly. “But...but I don’t want to get surgery this early. It’s not that bad, I swear,” I said, my voice trembling. But that last part was a lie; the pain was incredible. “Avery, if we could postpone this any longer without doing any damage at all then we would. But unfortunately, your leg is swelling a lot...and you’re obviously in a lot of pain whenever you try to put pressure on it. You can’t keep moving around on a wheelchair. You need rest, and when we go home, that’s exactly what you’ll get, honey,” Dad said, just as calmly as my mom. That was one of things that irritated me about my parents sometimes; they were always calm about situations like these. They never freaked out. “We don’t want to damage your hamstring permanently, and if we wait too much longer, than that is exactly what will happen,” Mom informed me, smiling slightly. Megan reached out, squeezing my shoulder. “Fine. Whatever,” I said, my voice shaking with anger now, “My life is over anyway.” “Your life isn’t over, Avery. This is an injury that will heal in time,” Dad said knowingly. “But I’ll be out for the rest of the season,” I said, my eyes flashing, “Or do you not understand how important running is to me?” My parents looked just as shocked as Megan. “I’m going to pack,” I muttered, beginning to wheel myself out of the room. “Here, let me go with you,” Megan offered. Before I could protest, she was already pushing me towards the elevator that would lead upstairs. I was silent the entire way. No matter what everyone else said, no matter how much they tried to assure me, I knew it was true. My life was over.

taylorswiftfan1233 Hey guys, sorry if there are any mistakes any these posts, but I wrote most if it last night and I was tired. :p School is already cancelled for us here, so I'm gonna try to write tomorrow. We have a huge snow storm coming our way. If we don't lose our power (which hopefully we won’t!) then I’ll post. :) ~Avery~ “I’m sorry, but we’ll have to schedule surgery. I’m afraid that this injury is serious and will probably put you out for the season,” the doctor informed me. I stared up him, my eyes wide with complete and utter horror. “Not run for the rest of the season?” I asked, disbelief evident in my voice. “I’m really sorry, Miss Fuller. But you already damaged your hamstring enough when you continued to run on it, even after all the signs of pain,” he said, “It’s at least a level three.” My mind spun. A level three was the worst possible hamstring injury there was. And I would have to have surgery on it. “You could get the surgery on it over Thanksgiving Break. Of course you may not be able to come back to Harper right away, since you’ll be recovering from it...but I’m sure your teachers would be fine if you missed a week or so,” he added, trying to sound helpful. I was silent, tears blurring my vision. The pain in my leg had died down from the painkillers they had given me, and now it was only a dull throbbing. “Are you sure that I probably won’t be able to run for the rest of the season?” I managed to choke out. “I’m sorry, Avery. But I don’t think so,” he said, his voice full of sympathy, “I’ll leave you alone for a little while so you can think things through. Your coach and friends should be here soon.” I nodded, staring at the wall. Suddenly, my entire body felt numb. I couldn’t feel anything or think anything. I was just frozen. Tears streamed down my face as I cried silently, unsure of what else to do. The one and only thing that had kept me going through all the pain I had endured lately had been running. But now that too was being taken away from me. The door opened a few minutes later, but I didn’t look at it. “Ave!” Spencer’s voice cried, “What did they say? Will you be able to run?” “How are you doing, kid?” Coach Evans asked. “Avery, is your leg feeling better?” Jensen asked. They were all asking questions at the same time, their words flying a mile a minute as they crowded around my bed. I couldn’t understand a word they were saying. Finally, I yelled, “Stop! Everyone be quiet! Just let me talk!” They all froze in place, watching me with surprise. I rarely ever yelled unless I was cheering someone on at a race. Spencer grabbed my hand, giving it a light squeeze as he watched me with careful, concerned brown eyes. Everyone was here, I realized suddenly. Jensen, Lena, Juliet, and Emmaline. Spencer, my coach, my team. Even Mrs. Harper, which was the biggest shocker. “I’m out for the season. I have to have surgery,” I said finally, my voice barely audible. Around me, everyone gasped and began murmuring. More tears blurred my vision. “Oh, Avery. I’m so sorry,” Spencer said, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. I shook my head, pulling the covers up to my chin and squeezing my eyes shut. “Don’t worry, Fuller. I know you well enough to know that you’ll be recovering soon and proving all the doctors wrong. Before you know it, you’ll be running again,” Coach Evans said, trying to sound encouraging. But he didn’t. For a moment, I tuned out all of their voices. I opened my eyes again, in time to see Lena and the girls watching me worriedly. “Avery, are you okay?” Lena asked worriedly. Something inside me snapped, a burst of anger coursing through me. “No, of course I’m not okay! I came here to run, Lena! It’s the ONLY thing that’s been keeping me sane these past few weeks. But now that’s being taken away from me, too!” I snapped, feeling like I was about to breakdown. She looked stunned. Everyone else in the room fell silent. “Avery, calm down,” Jensen soothed, placing a hand on my shoulder. I jerked my body away, more tears blurring my vision. “Running is the only reason why I came to Harper. That’s the only real reason why they wanted me, aside from the fact that I can sing a little. I left everything behind. My friends, my family, my team, my school...What’s going to happen now that I can’t play sports?” I whispered. At that, Mrs. Harper stepped up. “Miss Fuller, let me assure you that you’re always welcome at Harper. You’re a talented girl,” she said firmly. I shook my head. “Can everyone please just go? I want to be alone,” I whispered. Everyone exchanged looks, but then they left in total silence, filing neatly out of the room in an orderly fashion until it was just Spencer and I left. “Avery,” he whispered, “I love you.” His lips touched my forehead. “I love you too, Spence,” I whispered shakily. He gave me a sad smile before leaving. And that was when I really cried, letting the tears stream down my face as I sobbed. Why me?

fungirl123 @Payton - thank you! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi and Haley- Great posts! :D

fungirl123 (http://www.polyvore.com/evangelina_katelyn_andres/set?id=71587212) ~Lena~ I could feel the wind blowing through my hair as I curved around the last turn on the path; my eyes squinted against the harsh airstream as I sped up my go-kart in order to catch up with a squealing Emmaline. This was her whole idea; go-karting. None of us had done anything fun in a long time, so what was wrong with it? Even IF we were conducting ourselves like children. I pulled my car to a stop simultaneously with Emmaline’s— or Emily, as I was now supposed to call her in public— the entire place deserted except for the heavily-tattooed owner of the track. I stood from the car as the guys swung around the track one last time, then stopped their own cars. Elliot climbed out, groaning, “There’s no way that just happened.” I turned to Em and gave her an obnoxious high-five. “Uh, I’m pretty sure it just did,” I gloated to my twin brother, whose hair was muddled from the helmet. “I still don’t think that was fair,” Julian whined. “What do you mean not fair? I drive on the opposite side in England! If anyone had an advantage, it was most definitely you,” Emmaline pointed out. He shrugged. “Whatever. Let’s just go eat. I’m starving.” I smirked. “Perfect. Now you can buy us whatever we want. We did WIN after all,” I crowed, obnoxiously. Julian shook his head, laughing at me. “You’re crazy, Lena.” I smacked him on the shoulder. “Don’t get off subject. I know you’ve got the money, Mr. I-Come-From-a-Mansion,” I told him. He raised an eyebrow. “Okay, as long as Elliot doesn’t leave me to pay the whole thing,” he said. He shoved open the door of the indoor go-kart track. “Here, ride on my back,” he offered, stopping in front of me. I shrugged and hopped up onto his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Where to?” he asked, turning onto the sidewalk. “What’s a good restaurant? Expensive, too, since you’re paying!” I teased, resting my chin on Julian’s head. His auburn hair smelled like a fresh summer day. “You’ll see when we get there, Princess Lena,” he said, chuckling under me. “Why the new nickname?” The skin on his neck suddenly got warmer on the skin of my wrists that were wrapped around it. He was blushing. “Who knows,” he said, “You’re the one that wanted to go to a super expensive restaurant.” I laughed. “Are you taking me to one?” “You like Asian food?” he wondered. “Yup.” “Good,” he stated, “Hey, are Elliot and Emmaline pretty far behind?” I twisted my neck around to look at my brother and Em. They were out of earshot, and looked pretty absorbed in their own conversation. “Yeah, why?” I asked Julian. “Can I put you down now?” he asked. “Sure.” He released his arms gently from under my knees and I dropped to the ground. I walked up beside him. “So what’s up?” “We’re friends, right?” he asked. I nodded. “Of course.” “Good. I didn’t know what was going on between us after the thing with Corey,” he said, gulping. “We’re not together anymore, if you were wondering,” I informed. He looked at me, his eyes widening, and I immediately continued, knowing what he was thinking, “But it’s not because of you, Julian. Don’t worry.” He sighed with relief. “Good.” There was a silence. We walked slowly down the sidewalk toward whatever restaurant Julian had in mind. “Julian, I know you just didn’t want to ask me if we were friends. Now, what’s really up with you?” I inquired. “Elliot told me about your dad,” he responded, running a hand through his hair. I drew in a breath slowly, looking at him out of the corner of my eye. This couldn’t be another pity talk; not from Julian, of all people. “I just wanted to let you know…my sister…Uh, I’m going through— I mean, I know what you’re going through,” he stammered, clearing his throat, unnervingly. My eyes widened. “What happened?” I asked, touching his arm, gently. “I don’t really like talking about it,” he said, “I hate those sympathetic looks I get from everyone.” My face dropped. “That’s exactly what I hate! I mean, I like telling people, but I hate those benevolent looks they give me. It’s nice and all, but I just wish people could still treat me like a normal person.” He turned to me, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. “So I can tell you?” I nodded. “My sister has a really bad heart condition,” he said, his voice crackling, “And she’s having a hard time finding a donor.” I leaned my head on his arm. “Is this the sister I borrowed the dress from?” “My only sibling, yeah,” he said, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. “Do you think she’ll make it?” He bit down on his lip. “Unless there’s a miracle, no. But how come the good people can’t live a full life? Clara’s such a sweet person. She was engaged… The wedding’s off now that she’s so sick, of course. They were both so upset; we all are,” he admitted. “Who says there can’t be a miracle?” I suggested, trying to stay positive, “That’s what I think every time my dad comes to mind.” I fingered the silver Believe necklace from my father. Julian shrugged. “One can only hope.” Then he took a deep breath, looking at a sign that loomed above us. “Blue Pacific,” I read aloud as we turned inside. Many petite Asian people were running around, carrying trays of food in their hands. “I come here all the time. It’s the best Asian food around,” Julian said. Elliot and Emmaline were catching up to us now. As we were being escorted to a table, Julian looked at me and whispered, “Thanks for letting me talk about it. It helped.” I nodded, giving him a supporting smile. “You know it’s no problem.” He grinned and slid into a booth. Emmaline sat down next to me and Elliot next to Julian. “So what were you two kids talking about?” Em asked, nudging me playfully. “Stuff,” I said with a shrug, hoping she wouldn’t ask for more than that, but knowing Emmaline Middleton, there is no way I’d be staying silent tonight. I sipped on my raspberry lemonade, and then ordered my entree. As I was eating, I suddenly heard a fork hit a plate with a loud clatter. I looked up to see Emmaline staring, eyes bulged, at the entryway of the restaurant, her jaw dropped. I followed her gaze, and my eyes widened equally as big as I spotted a newly-shaven-headed Liam Payne walk into the restaurant. It’d been nearly a month since I’d seen them. “What are they doing he—” I stopped short when Emmaline reached over the table and grabbed Elliot’s shirt in hers, then yanked him closer and pressed her lips to his. A few moments later they pulled apart, gasping for breath. I sat back against the wall of our booth, contemplating what had just gone down right in front of my own eyes.

LexilicousCandy So I've had this post written up for like 5 days now [thanks to Haley for helping me! :)] , and I figured I might as well just post it. :p Unfortunately, I'm on my phone and thus cannot post a video. :/ ~Emmaline~ Dragging my hands over my eyes to wipe away any remains of sleep, I stumble out of my bed and head towards the light switch, only to be greeted with our plush carpet. If anyone were to walk in, they would see my laying with my face squished on the floor in my polka-dotted pajama shorts with hot pink fuzzy socks on. Talk about a sight for sore eyes. Giggles escape my lips and before I know it my laughter is filling the dorm room. “That hurt,” I mumble to myself in between my giggles, mentally face palming. I gasp as I see Lena sat up from her bed, a smile on her face, “What did you do?” “Oh, you know… I tripped over my luggage. Stupid me for leaving them right in the middle of the floor,” I reply, grinning whilst pulling myself back up to my feet. I glance around the room and notice all three beds empty, however only one was made. “Where’s Juliet?” “She’s one of those early-risers,” Lena shrugs, her eyes darkening. “You had a weird look on your face when you said that. Is there still tension between the two of you?” I ask, worry settling in. “Who knows? We don’t really talk. And when I try to, she just doesn’t want to,” Lena states, picking up a brush and running it through her hair, seemingly wanting to say nothing more of it. “Oh. So when’s the play?” I inquire, trying to change the subject and ease the newfound tension in the air. Lena turns around and stares at her calendar, before smiling at me, “The weekend of November 19th.” Suddenly she shivers, a vacant look entering her eyes. “Lena? You just got really pale. What were you thinking about?” She snaps back to look at me and shakes her head. “It was nothing.” I scoff; obviously it’s not “nothing”. “Hey, last night I gushed to you all my problems. I think I can stand to hear what’s going on with you,” I offer, giving her an encouraging smile. “I was thinking about Thanksgiving without my dad,” she finally admits, her arms dropping to hang limply at her sides. “Aww, sweetie,” I said, stepping forward and wrapping my arms around her petite frame. “I wish I could help in some way. I don’t know what I’d ever do if I lost someone that close to me,” I whisper. “You know what, let’s go get coffee. Jetlag is a pain in the arse and I need to wake up, besides, you could use some cheering up,” I say, winking. “That sounds nice, let me just get dressed and then we can leave,” she says, smiling back at me. “Alright, I’m going to take a quick shower,” I yell over my shoulder, already heading towards the bathroom. I walk back into the room ten minutes later to see Lena sitting in front of the vanity, finishing her make-up. “What do you think I should wear?” I muse, standing in front of my open suitcases; I really have to unpack sometime today. “Anything is fine, but my brother and his roommate want to come get lunch with us,” she informs me, grabbing a tube of mascara. “Oh, Elliot is coming? I’ve never formally met him,” I say, pulling on a pair of white skinny jeans. “Yeah, he said we were way overdue on our sibling bonding, but I told him I already had plans with you, so now all four of us are going for a day out, if you don’t mind, of course,” she replies, still focusing on her eyelashes. “That’s fine; I need a day out anyways. It’d do me good to get my mind off of things,” I assure her, pulling on my cropped, knitted, jumper. “Hey, could I borrow this?” she asks, holding up a tube of lip-gloss. “Sure,” I mutter, preoccupied with tying up my booties. Lena puckers her lips in the mirror once, and then turns around to face me. “Cute,” she says, eyeing my outfit in approval. “I especially love the ring, where did you get it?” I couldn’t help myself, not matter how much I wanted to forget about Harry and the others, I just had to keep the ring. It’s become a part of me and it’s the last thing I have of him, of any of them. “It’s a long story….” “Oh, okay. Well I have this hat that I think would match perfectly,” she says, running across the room to pull it out of her closet before flinging it at me. “Thank you,” I laugh, pulling it over my curls. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, surveying my completed outfit. (A/N: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=69299518) I frown at my figure, how my cropped jumper reveals the slightest bit of my stomach. My fat, ugly, stomach. I screw my eyes shut tight and take a deep breath, prepared to turn around and find a new outfit. One that hides my unflattering body. “Oh, that must be them now,” Lena says, opening the door to reveal a smiling Elliot and smirking Julian. Oh yeah, I forgot they were roommates. “Ready to go?” Elliot asks, his eyes flittering to me before landing on Lena. “Yup,” she says, popping her p. She tugs on my arm and pulls me into the hallway, shutting the dorm door behind her. “Elliot, Julian, this is Em- Emily. My roommate and best friend,” she introduces, smiling. Elliot steps forward and shakes my hand. “Ah, so you’re this friend I’ve been hearing about. You’re much prettier in person,” he says, grinning cheekily. Lena leans forward and slaps her twin on the arm. “Shut up, you dork,” Lena says, rolling her eyes. “So we meet again, Emily,” he says, emphasizing my “name”. “Oh, here we go again,” I sigh. “Hello, Jules,” I say, smirking. Lena looks back and forth between the two of us, as does Elliot, confusion clear in both of their faces. “You two know each other?” “Unfortunately,” I mutter, shouldering past Julian to step into the corridor. “So, where are we going?” * * * “Yes!” I yell, high-fiving Elliot as we finish our final lap, Lena and Julian’s go-kart pulling in behind us moments later. “We so beat you,” Elliot gloats, enjoying the scowl on both of their faces. “Whatever, you guys probably cheated.” “Yeah right,” Elliot scoffs at Julian. “I want a rematch,” Julian protests, most likely due to his ego. I catch Lena’s gaze and roll my eyes, she nods and we break through the guys together. “We’ll have a rematch, but only if we get to pair up this time,” Lena demands, gesturing towards herself and I. “Well, what do you say?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. “But you’re girls. There’s no way you can beat us.” “Can you just give us a chance, please?” we beg, ignoring their sexist comment. “Fine,” they agree, grumbling whilst getting into their go-kart. Lena and I smile, and she winks at me as I climb into the driver side. 5 laps later and we’re driving over the finish line, the boys at least a lap behind us. “There’s no way that just happened,” Elliot deadpans, climbing out of the go-kart to face us. “Uh, I’m pretty sure it just did,” Lena replies, high-fiving me. “Who says women can’t drive?” I mutter, smirking. “I still don’t think that was fair,” Julian pouts, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “What do you mean not fair? I drive on the opposite side in England! If anyone had an advantage, it was most definitely you,” I point out, my eyes narrowing. “Whatever. Let’s just go eat; I’m starving.” “Perfect. Now you can buy us whatever we want. We did win after all,” Lena taunts, walking to stand beside Julian. They bicker all the way to the restaurant, leaving Elliot and I behind. “Some great sibling bonding time, huh?” I tease, bumping my shoulder into his. “Yeah,” he laughs, looking at where Julian is carrying Lena on his back. “I just want her to be happy, especially with everything going on,” he whispers, love in his eyes. “I know I tease him a lot, but Julian’s a great guy. And I’m sure that once Lena mends herself a little; lets herself fall for him, he’ll treat her right, “ I assure him, sending him a reassuring smile as he leads me into the little restaurant. We find Julian and Lena seated at a table in the center of the restaurant, ordering their drinks. “I’ll just have water, please,” I say, with a tight-lipped smile. The waiter nods and walks away, not even bothering to scribble into his little notepad. Halfway through eating our meal— or in my case, pushing my food around my plate— I see the door open, and 6 hooded figures walk to a booth in the back corner of the room. I don’t know why, but for some reason I’m drawn to these strangers, and one turns his head in my direction and glances up at me, I know why. I’m staring into the eyes of Niall Horan. I quickly duck my head down and let my hair act as a curtain over my face, hoping that he didn’t recognize me. Moments pass and after a few inquiring looks from Elliot, who’s seated next to me, I hesitantly lift my head up, only to see Harry Styles walking to our booth from the corner of my eye. Panicking, I do the only thing I could think of to get him to go away. I pull Elliot’s face to mine, and press my lips against his.

LexilicousCandy @Haley- OK, I'll check! :)

fungirl123 @Kat - haha, to answer your question more exactly, I actually counted back 25 days on my calendar in November (mentioned it in my last post), and we're at October 26th. :p But you all know me; I move pretty quickly with stories... @Lexi - emailed you back! <3

kjm109 Sorry *roughly

kjm109 @Haley, Do you know ruffly where we are in the story, like mid-October or what, I am a little lost but I know that you are keeping better track than I am.

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I just emailed you. ^.^

fungirl123 @Lexi - I also emailed you back in case you didn't see. :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - sea-blue eyes, black hair, pretty lanky :) Can't wait to see what you write! <3

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Also, how do you want me to describe Elliot? I know he's Lena's twin and all, so do you want me to just use that? I went back and I couldn't find a description for him. :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I'm about halfway through with my post, just so you know. :)

fungirl123 @Kat - Oh, yeah, I loved the reason that Juliet wanted Hermia. :) Quite interesting. :p

kjm109 @Haley, I love the reason Lena and Juliet become friends again, and the play date is fine with me. I hope that you don’t minds the reason behind Juliet’s desire to play Hermia. I was writing thinking that it is stupid that an actor throws such a fit over not getting a part and Juliet needed a good reason behind her actions.

fungirl123 @Kat - awesome post! <3 <3 Also, I have to ask you a question about your thoughts for the play. So since Lena and Juliet have to make up at some point, me and Lexi came up with the idea that when Lena gets super nervous about the huge crowd, Juliet is the one that comforts her and helps her get over it. <3 Along with that, are you okay with when I said the play was? The weekend of Nov. 19th... Whatcha think?

LexilicousCandy @Kat- Great post! :) @Payton- Thank you. <3 Haley and I are talking about what's going to happen next with our characters, and I'll probably write after that. :)

taylorswiftfan1233 Awesome posts, everyone! I'll try to write soon. :)

kjm109 Hey sorry I haven’t posted in like, forever, but I will do a quick recap of Avery’s accident and then jump to Em’s return. Also, I am going to add the reason that Juliet is so upset about not getting the lead in the play, I hope that you like it. *Juliet* “Come on Avery!” The girls and I shout as Avery runs past us, she looks like she is in pain but determined. The girls and I exchange worried looks and hurry off to the finish line. But when we get there Avery is leaning up against a tree with her team hovering around her. We rush over and hear the news, they have called an ambulance and she will go to the hospital. It doesn’t look good. **** I curl up in bed and finally let my mind play over the events of the past few days. Lena and I still are not talking, the play is progressing, I have no chance of getting Hermia any more, my parents are both disappointed that I am not the lead, Avery has a serious injury, Em is back in the states but not at Harper, life just stinks right now. I sigh as quietly as possible because Lena is in the room on her laptop. “Can you turn off your stupid light?” I ask exasperated. “Why it’s not even that bright?” She argues. “Just turn it off! I am exhausted and trying to sleep. You can type the essay in the morning!” I exclaim. We continue like this until she finally gives in and turns it off. I flop back down onto my bed and quickly fall asleep. **** I wake up to my phone vibrating quietly on my bed side table. I groggily glance at it and see that my mom is calling, and that it is six in the morning here. I get out of bed and pad my way to the door. Half way there I jam my foot into something heavy laying at the foot of Emmaline’s bed. I swear under my breath and look over at the bed. Someone is sleeping there, and they look nothing like Emmailne, she must have been replaced. I walk more carefully out of the room and down to the common room to call my mom back. I dial and she picks up on the second ring. “Hello, Juliet,” She says. “Hi,” I reply stifling a yawn. “Have you gotten the part yet?” She asks. “Mom really?” “Yes, you need that part, that would have been you name if it wasn’t for your birthday. You were practically born to play that part!” “Well, maybe not because I tried Mom, I did everything you and Dad told me to do to get that part and I couldn’t!” “Well try harder, your father and I may not be able to get plane tickets any way. Especially not if all you have is some minor part,” “Oh my gosh, Mom! Are you serious. First of all, there is no small part only small actors, and furthermore how could you pull something like that? That, Mom, is just crap!” “Juliet plane tickets are very expensive now a days and I do have my dance school to look after.” I could feel her trying to push me over the edge, but I was done trying to get the part just to make her happy. I was sticking with my part. “You know what Mom? If it is causing you that much trouble just don’t even bother,” I say before hanging up. I throw my phone onto the coffee table next to me, burry my face in my arms and just cry. My phone keeps buzzing next to me but I just ignore it. After a while it stops ringing and I manage to stop crying. I suddenly realize why Grant (Juliet’s brother) was so willing to leave when he turned 18. Our parents really sucked. I have a sudden urge to call him and spill my guts but I don’t even know his phone number and there is no way I will call my mom and ask for it. With nothing left to do I head back upstairs and silently get dressed and walk over to the coffee shop. Lena and the new girl are both still sleeping which is for the best because my face is still blotchy from crying and I don’t feel like talking to either of them right now. After getting into my comfiest clothes I walk across campus to the coffee shop. After ordering I sit in a big fluffy chair near the fire place and just stare ahead. Suddenly I am broken from my trance. “Mind if I sit here?” Someone asks. “No,” I say not bothering to look to see who it is. After he sits next to me I steal a glance at him. I haven’t seen him around school before but that goes for most people at this school. “Hey, I’m Jason,” He says sticking out his hand. “Juliet,” I reply shaking his hand. I give him a small smile and turn back. “Hey, I’m sorry if this is out of my place to ask, but are you ok?” He asks. I am taken back for a moment. “Is it that easy to see?” I ask. “Well, yeah,” Jason says. “I’m ok, not great but ok.” I answer. He engages me in conversation before telling me that he has to leave. Right after standing up he turns back to face me. “I’m sorry if this is odd, but can we exchange numbers, if you need anything I would be happy to help,” “Oh, sure,” We hand each other our phones and I quickly type my name into his. “See you around,” I call before he leaves. It’s amazing how much kindness can help brighten even my darkest moods.

fungirl123 ~Lena~ Sitting up in bed at two AM, I typed hastily on my laptop, determined to finish my essay on To Kill a Mockingbird for my advanced-placement English class. After Juliet had pestered me to turn off my dim reading light for at least five minutes, she finally just fell asleep. I stifled a yawn that escaped me and sipped some of the coffee that sat on my bedside table. And just then, I heard two low voices outside of my bedroom. They were speaking barely above a whisper, so I couldn’t make out their words. I froze. No one was ever out of their dorm at this time at night – it meant detention if you were caught by the security cameras or the RAs. And then the door opened. I brought my knees up to my chest, terrified to face the intruder. “What are you doing here? Get out!” I hiss, reaching for the can of mace my mom had made me buy when we got to New York. None of us were used to living in a city. “Lena, calm down; it’s just me. I would appreciate it if you could keep your pillows to yourself too, yeah?” I drew in a breath, squinting my eyes to distinguish the face of the trespasser. “Emmaline…,” I whispered, feeling my eyes widen, “is that you?” * * * * Forget about To Kill a Mockingbird, I told myself as I pulled the blankets up to my chin. My best friend just came back…for good. I nestled my head into my big pink pillow, thinking about the conversation I’d just had with Emmaline. Something about it had just given me hope for the future. I turned over to look out my window at the stars covering the night. The countryside had grown quiet, as it was now nearly three o’clock. But tomorrow – or today, speaking technically – was a Saturday, and my mind would be much more stable then. As I gazed out my window, a single light streaked across the sky. My eyes widened. I’d never seen a shooting star ever in my life. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing that life would start to pick up again. Only one wish allowed per shooting star – that was the rule – so why not do an overall yearning for now? I sighed, feeling content with part of my life, and my eyes wavered shut a moment later. I awoke the next morning with a start. My eyes shot open to see Emmaline on the floor, laughter racking through her body. “That hurt…,” she chuckled. She was sitting next to her luggage on the floor. “What did you do?” I asked, shoving my blankets off me. She grinned. “I tripped over my very own luggage,” Em said, giving herself a smack on the forehead, “Stupid me for leaving them right in the middle of the floor.” I giggled at her as she stood and shook it off. “Now where’s Juliet?” Emmaline asked, gazing around her. Juliet’s bed was neatly made up, as if she’d never slept there. “She’s one of those early-risers,” I said with a shrug. To be honest, I didn’t really mind that she wasn’t around. Now that Emmaline was back, I didn’t feel as desperate to have a friend. She tilted her head at me. “You had a weird look on your face when you said that. Is there still tension between the two of you?” I sighed. “Who knows? We don’t really talk. And when I try to, she just doesn’t want to,” I said, grabbing my hairbrush and running it through my wavy hair. “So when is the play?” she asked, visibly trying to change the subject. “The weekend of November nineteenth,” I told her, smiling as I looked at my calendar. There was now only twenty-five days until opening night. And then the following Monday, I would be going home for Thanksgiving. And just at the thought of that, I felt a shiver run down my spine. Thanksgiving at my house would be anything but cheerful this year. My father couldn’t call home or talk to us on video chat. “Lena?” I looked back at Emmaline, who was giving me a concerned look. “You just got really pale. What were you thinking about?” she queried. I shook my head, trying to shake the thought off. “It was nothing.” She gave me a deep look. “Hey, last night I gushed to you all my problems. I think I can stand to hear what’s going on with you,” Em said. I was never good at talking about feelings. Being one child in a large family that was constantly moving, I never really DID get a chance to talk out what was going on. Except when Daddy was home, of course. “I don’t know…,” I mumbled, biting at my nail bed, “I was thinking about Thanksgiving without my dad.” Emmaline put her arm around my shoulders. “I wish I could help in some way. I don’t know what I’d ever do if I lost someone that close to me,” she sympathized. I nodded. “You know what, let’s go get coffee. I’m not quite used to this time zone again yet and I need to wake up,” she said, then turned to me, “Plus, I want to cheer you up a bit.” I smiled at her kindness, concluding that one part of my life had actually lightened the load on my shoulders a bit.

fungirl123 @Lexi - awesome! :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Yeah, I just replied. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - okay, hahahah :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - that's odd. :\ I'll send my message again. I sent it first at 3:30 this afternoon.

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Never mind I just got two new emails right now. :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I got your email at 2:12 and replied at 2:46. I haven't gotten any other emails since then. :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Uh, which one? I'll check now. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - no problem! :) You got my email, right?

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Thank you!! <3 Can't wait to read your post. ^.^

fungirl123 @Lexi - loved it! <3 Perfectooo! I'll write tomorrow night the second I get home from school.

LexilicousCandy Rushed and unedited. -.- I hope it's not complete crap. :p (@Haley- Sorry if it didn't turn out how you wanted it to; I couldn't think of what to write. :/) Song is Little Talks by OF Monsters And Men, because IDK. I haven't the video either, so... yeah. I just couldn't find a lyric video or anything that had the correct audio. Here it is anyways: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghb6eDopW8I&list=UUNqs2VoY5KXMeOm4wo5U2Lw&index=4 ~Emmaline~ 6 hours ago I had boarded my flight in California, and now I’m lugging my suitcases around the airport in New York, trying my hardest to forget about the life I left. Its better this way, I remind myself. My hair is now a darker brown color and bright green contacts are in my eye, it’s such a new look that even I can barely recognize myself. Sighing, I pull my purse up my shoulder and continue walking until I run into a teenage boy. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there,” his husky voice apologizes, grabbing my arm to stop me from falling. “No worries, I’m not broken,” I say, grabbing my fallen suitcase to get ready to leave. Mrs. Harper has arranged to me to be driven to the school, and I don’t want to make him/her waiting longer than they had too. “I really am sorry. It’s just my mom sent me here to pick a girl up, but I don’t know where she is and I’m starting to get concerned,” he admits, running a hand through his short, jet-black hair. “Oh. Do you know what she looks like? Maybe I’ve seen her,” I offer. “Oh I’m positive you’ve heard of her,” he mutters under his breath. “What do you mean?” I ask, confused. “Have you ever heard of Emmaline Middleton? Long blonde hair, big brown eyes? She attends my mom’s academy and I was sent here to pick her up,” he informs me. My heart stops. “Your mom sent you here to pick up Emmaline Middleton? Is your name by any chance Julian?” I ask, knowing full well that it is. Evangelina hasn’t been able to stop gushing about the Headmaster’s son since she first caught sight of him. “…Yeah. How’d you know?” He questions, looking at me worriedly. “I’m friends with— I mean, I know Lena,” I correct myself, hoping he doesn’t notice. “Emmaline? Is that you? You look so different!” “Yeah, well, a lot can happen in a short amount of time,” I sigh, pulling my bag back up my shoulder as it slips yet again. “I know what you mean,” he says, just as sadly. I cock an eyebrow at him, but he just shakes his head and changes the subject. “So, I guess I’m your ride home, then. Here, let me get your bags,” he says, reaching for my luggage. “I guess you are,” I reply, grabbing some of my suitcases and placing them in his trunk. * * * “Thank you,” I whisper as Julian sets my last bag down by my dorm door. “No problem, it was nice to finally meet you, Emily,” he says, smirking at the name I told him to call me. “Nice to meet you too, Jules,” I say sarcastically, emphasizing the nickname he told me he hates. “You sure are something,” he says, laughing. “I can see why you’re friends with Lena. Say hi to her for me, would you?” “Yeah,” I say, distantly. I had forgotten that I would have to room with Lena. “Well thank you once again, and I’ll be sure to tell her you said hi,” I promise him, before quietly tiptoeing into the room. I silently turn on the bedside lamp and gasp when a pair of blue eyes stare back at me. “Who are you?!” she screeches, reaching blindly next to her. “What are you doing in here? Get out!” she shrieks, flinging a pillow at me. “Lena, calm down; it’s just me. I would appreciate it if you could keep your pillows to yourself too, yeah?” I ask, plopping my bag down onto bed. Weird. They never took off my sheets. “Emmaline? Is that you?” Lena questions, squinting. “Yup,” I answer, reaching a hand up to pat my recently dyed hair. “Thank God! I thought you were a rapist or something,” she yells, running towards me and wrapping her arms around me. I freeze, as does she. I guess in her moment of terror she had forgotten our fight. She clears her throat and steps back, awkwardly. “So what are you doing back?” She asks, stiff. “I decided I need a change of scenery. So here I am,” I say nonchalantly, shrugging my shoulders. “That’s it?” Lena says, wrinkling her nose in confusion. “No, that’s not it,” I admit, shutting my eyes tight and falling back on my bed. “What’s wrong?” She asks, softly, sitting down lightly next to me. “Harry broke up with me—” Lena breathes in sharply when I announce that. “I told him we could still be friends, but I can’t, I can’t just be friends with him. It’s too hard to face him every day and not tell him how I feel. But what makes it worse is that I can’t get back together with him either, yet we have to pretend to still be dating for the public. It’s all so confusing and it’s making my head hurt. On top of that I found out that it was Nicolette Blake was cheating on me with. Can you believe that? The girl I had known my whole life, my best friend, deceiving me for a boy. And he wasn’t even that great! Why does life have to be so hard?” I sob, letting my tears fall freely, momentarily believing that we were back in time, that Lena and I were best friends again. “It seems as if we’re both going through a tough patch in our life,” Lena says under her breath, sucking in a deep breath too. “What do you mean?” I ask, lifting my head up from my pillow. “My-My dad went to war, and now no one can find him. He’s just disappeared. He could be dead for all I know,” she says, sniffling as well. I inhale sharply and instantly embrace the girl next to me. “Oh my gosh, Lena! I’m so sorry; I had no idea… Your issues are a thousand times worse than my boy problems,” I say, somewhat bitter at myself. How could I sit here moping to Lena when she doesn’t even know where her father is? If he’s alive or not? I might not be close to my father, but I know I would be torn if something like that happened to me. I can’t even begin to imagine how it must feel for Lena, who actually has a relationship with her family, especially her father. “It’s OK, you don’t have to apologize. You couldn’t have known, considering…” she trails off, unsure. “About that… I’m sorry for how I acted; I should have just heard you out, instead of jumping to conclusions. I acted rashly and immature, that’s no way a princess should act. Or how a friend should treat a friend,” I apologize, wiping at my eyes. Harry jumped to conclusions with our relationship, and look where we are now. I’d never want to intentionally put someone what I’ve been through; what I’m going through. “I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have just told you like that; I should have been more sensitive to your feelings,” she apologizes, sniffling whilst wiping under her eyes as well. “Why don’t we just forget about it and move on, especially now that we’ll be living together,” I say, faintly smiling. “You mean you’re going to stay at the academy? For real this time?” Lena asks, her eyes lighting up. I nod, a grin stretching over my face. “I missed you girls too much,” I admit, laughing. Lena smiles and gets off my bed, stretching before walking towards her own, pausing halfway to turn around and face me. “I’m glad we’re friends again, Emmaline,” She says, heartfelt. “Call me Emily,” I say softly. “I’m glad we’re friends too,” I finish, smiling once more before changing into my pajamas and climbing into bed, for once my lips curved upwards as my eyes flutter shut.

fungirl123 @Lexi - *replied* ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Yup, I got it! :) I'm replying now. <3

fungirl123 @Lexi - I sent one earlier, but I just sent another. :) This time, it actually showed up on MY Gmail. So let's hope it gets to you. ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Awesome! :) Did you send a reply? Because I got the reply message from you, but it was empty, so I don't know if that's how you sent it or what. :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - yes, I got it! :D

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I just sent you an email from my Yahoo, so we'll see if that works. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - yeah it may be, so I'd try it from a different account if you have another one. It can be from the Yahoo one we made together awhile back. :P

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Do you think it's my account or something then? Because I haven't been receiving any emails from anybody lately. :/

fungirl123 @Lexi – maybe try checking your Spam folders? I tried, and I didn’t find any from you, to my disappointment. The one I sent you is titled Didn’t Receive an Email :\. I’m going to try sending a different one from a different account now. This is so weird – I’m getting emails from other people just fine… :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- What's the email titled? I don't see any new emails. :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - no, I didn't receive that email either. :\ I just sent you another tester email. If you don't get that one, let me know. I'll try it from my other email address to see if that works...

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Thank you! :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Haha, OK. :D I just sent it; it's titled "Testing". And thank you! <3 Did you write about Emmaline at the hospital, or do I not have to write about that? Just wondering. :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Thanks, you too! :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - wow, great post! <3 And no, I've only received the first email you sent me with the subject "Hay Gurl Hay", lol. :p I replied to that one. Maybe try sending it again? :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I just saw the thing about Lena's dad, sorry I never replied! :p I guess they're friendship can be fixed when Emmaline goes back to the academy? I emailed you about writing, but I don't know if you haven't been receiving them or if I'm not recieving yours. I've also sent back a reply to your email a while ago, but I odn't know if my gmail isn't working because my internet has been crappy lately or what. Just let me know, and maybe we can talk on AIM sometime soon. :)

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Great post! <3 And it's OK, we understand. :)

LexilicousCandy Yeah and I'm also sorry if there's any mistakes, but I don't feel up to editing, plus I'm already overdue on posting as it was. :p

LexilicousCandy Sorry I'm posting this so late, but I'm sick again and have been feeling like crap lately. :/ There's also some brief explicit language, but it's in asterisks so if you wanna skip it go ahead. :) Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?faved_by=4449585&id=58175087 and song is Pretend It’s OK by Little Mix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1nI9_gSrQU). ~Emmaline~ “It is so hot,” Louis whines, as soon as he steps outside. “Well maybe if you weren’t wearing a winter coat in California you wouldn’t be so hot,” Zayn replies, smirking at the sweaty lad. “I’m in shorts and a crop top, yet even I agree with Louis that’s it too hot out here!” I protest, laughing whilst fanning myself. “Aren’t those shorts a bit short?” Harry asks, frowning whilst eyeing my outfit. “Why’s it matter to you? You’re not my mum,” I scoff, rolling my eyes. “I know, but I just think—” “Well I think it looks lovely,” Valerie interrupts Harry, winking at me. “I hope you would, considering you picked it out!” “What would you do without me?” she teases, sticking her tongue out at me. “I have no idea,” I reply, and it’s true. After I explained my fight with Nicolette and my situation with Harry, she was at my side the entire time, feeding me ice cream and just comforting me. Now, a week later, we’re in California for the X-Factor and she’s still helping me, because I don’t know how I would be able to survive being around Harry without her. “Just get in the car, you dysfunctional lot,” Paul sighs, ushering us into the van. “Where are we going anyways?” Niall grumbles, sliding into the seat across from me. “Well now that Judge’s Houses is over I have a couple weeks off before the episode airs, so I think we’re staying at resort around here for a while, as a vacation,” I say offhandedly, distracted by Twitter. *Am I the only one that cringed at the sight of @EmmalineMiddleton in those new Candies’ ads? #WaitingForTheDayHarryLeavesHerFatAss* *Can that whore @EmmalineMiddleton go die in a hole and leave Harry alone. Forever.* *What does Harry see in that ugly slut @EmmalineMiddleton? I’m right here!* *I’m so sick and tired of this stupid @EmmalineMiddleton girl throwing herself all over One Direction. Like, just kill yourself already and spare us all the trouble.* A tear slides down my cheek as I read the tweets, especially the last one, my hands shaking. Harry and mine’s breakup hasn’t been released to the public yet, and the hate has been worse than usual lately. It’s not as if I’ve never had hate before; it’s just that it’s never affected me so badly until now, and I’m not even dating Harry anymore! We’ve already broken up; the least his fans could do is leave me alone. What did I do to deserve this? As soon as the van pulls to a stop I jump out and blindly run, before tripping and crashing into the pavement, still sobbing. I drop my phone next to me and curl up into a ball, pressing my forehead against my knees in a vain attempt to smother my wails. “Emmaline?” I ignore his soft calls and sob harder, turning away from him. I feel his presence beside me as he kneels down and grabs my phone, and upon seeing what’s on it, wrapping me in his arms. “Why are you reading this? You know it’s not true; they’re just jealous,” he murmurs into my ear, rocking me back and forth. “I’m tired of everyone being ‘just jealous’, Harry. I love my life, I really do, and I’m grateful for everything I have; everything I’ve achieved, but I can’t do this anymore. My dad called me. Did you know that? After all this time, my dad finally called me. But he didn’t call me as my dad; he called me as my manager, with a job offering. The lead role in a new TV series, actually. Do you want to know what I said? I said I’d think about it, because I didn’t want to disappoint my father, but this truth is I don’t even want the stupid part! Do you know why? Because I’m sick and tired of all of this. I’m tired of having to juggle recording my album and filming the X-Factor. I’m tired of never seeing my family, and flying all over the freaking place! I’m tired of being a role model, and I’m tired of trying to please everybody. I’m tired of the hate, and I’m tired of trying to pretend it’s OK, because it’s not. Because I’M not,” I cry, standing up. “Emma—” “No, I’m fine. Let’s just go inside,” I mutter, wiping off my tears and walking away. Sometimes all you have to do is walk away… “There you are Emmaline! We’re going to the beach, want to come?” Louis asks. I muster up a weak smile and nod. “I’ll be right out,” I croak out, heading towards my shared room with Valerie. Noting that she’s nowhere around and the room is empty, I pull out my bikini and slip it on my body, quickly typing the straps. It was a light green with a floral print and very pretty (A/N: http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a562/Official1DLove/The%20Kissing%20Game/Cast/Emmaline/tumblr_mg5ub6weCo1r33vjxo1_500_zps9c635107.jpg), however after staring at my figure in the mirror with the tweets from before in my mind, I quickly throw on my lace shirt and turn away, disgusted by my body. It’s no wonder mum is always criticizing my diet, I’m fat. Pulling my floral shorts from earlier today on, I flashback to Harry commenting on them, how he was frowning whilst eyeing me up and down. Did he think I was fat and disgusting too? Is that why he broke up with me? I open up the balcony doors and look towards the beach below, spotting my friends easily. From Liam, with his six-pack glistening in the water, to Valerie tanning on the sand, her slim legs extended in front of her. They’re all fit, all perfect, unlike me. I don’t belong with them. Running inside, I slide the balcony door shut and grab my suitcase off my bed, quickly shoving my feet back inside my Vans and leaving the hotel room without a word. No one has to know I’m leaving. Once in the taxi I pull out my mobile and dial a number I never thought I would call again. “Hello, Mrs. Harper? This is Emmaline Middleton; I’d like to speak to you about your offer.”

taylorswiftfan1233 I just thought I'd let you guys know that I won't be on GL very much until I can get my math grade up. It's really low right now thanks to a few bad assignments, and I'm going to have to be staying after school sometimes. But I'll try to get it up ASAP. Sorry, guys! D: (Btw, I'm posting this to all my writing clubs.)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks! :)

fungirl123 @Payton – great post! :) I’ll write about the girls at the hospital sometime today.

taylorswiftfan1233 I hope this is accurate enough; I did some research on it before I wrote this. So hopefully this is okay! Oh, and I ended up just saying that all the girls came to the meet. Hope that's okay(: ~Avery~ I walked out of Harper, my head held high. There was no point in showing the other racers how nervous I really was. This was my first meet here at Harper, and already I could see several of my teachers standing in different places on the course, ready to cheer us on. I stopped under a tree, where my team was gathered. Around them were their backpacks, lunches, and water bottles. I sat down beside Spencer and Josh. “Hey, you ready for the big race?” Josh asked, turning to me with a grin, “This is one of our biggest meets of the year!” “No, I’m super nervous. I just want to impress everyone here and show them how good I am, but that’s a lot of pressure,” I confessed. “Don’t worry about trying to impress people. Worry about trying your best and winning,” Spencer told me, giving my shoulder a squeeze. I nodded. “Alright, the girls’ Junior Varsity race starts in a half hour!” Coach said, standing up and raising his voice to be heard. He clapped his hands together, adding, “All girls should start stretching, even if you’re varsity!” I hopped up on my feet. I was Varsity, which was better than Junior Varsity, but you could never start stretching too early. As I stretched, I eyed the other teams that were already here. None of them were as talented as our team; most of them were just regular teenage runners. But I knew that some of them might still be hard to beat, and today I was going for first. “Ave!” a familiar cheerful voice cried. I slowly stood up from touching my toes, looking around. My eyes landed on Jensen, who was beaming and waving at me. Lena, Juliet, and Emmaline stood beside her. I grinned, giving them a quick wave. Then I went back to my stretches, lifting my arms high over my head and reaching for the sky. What was Emmaline and Juliet doing here? They barely knew me. Either way, it was sweet of them to come. I didn’t make friends too easily, since I tended to keep to myself, and the thought that they were here to support me was sort of nice. “The Girls’ Junior Varsity Race begins in five minutes. Please get your runners to the starting line,” a voice crackled over the speaker system. Coach Evans (A/N: I don’t remember what I said Avery’s coach’s name was, so I just decided to change it.) came over to us, giving the Junior Varsity girls a smile. “Let’s get to the starting line so we can find a good spot.” They hurried after him, taking their spots at the starting line. I walked back over to where my team was still gathered at our camp. The girls on Varsity followed shortly behind. Five minutes later, the pistol was shot into the air. The girls took off, their legs moving swiftly. Coach Evans came back over to us. “I expect all of you to find a place on the course to cheer the girls on. There’s nothing like your teammates cheering you on and giving you their full support. You’d want them to do the same for you, right?” he asked. We nodded. “Great. Then get out there!” he demanded. “Let’s go,” Spencer said, grabbing my hand and giving it a light squeeze. We took off, sprinting over the hill. Already, I could hear the parents cheering on their kids. I felt a lump in my throat, realizing that my parents wouldn’t be among them when I raced. But I quickly pushed the thought away, speeding up my pace to match Spencer’s. Finally, we stopped at a place on the course. “You’re lucky you don’t have to run as much as me,” Spencer said, gasping a little as he tried to catch his breath. I shook my head at him, panting slightly. “So? You only run a mile more than us girls.” He laughed. “I know, I know. You’re right. You work just as hard as me.” “You know it,” I said with a grin. Suddenly, the people across the course began cheering, yelling names and orders to pick up the pace. Spencer and I looked up to see girls running down the course. At once, my eyes picked out our runners from the others. Kylie Richards was in second place. “Come on, Kylie!” I yelled, clapping my hands together, “You got this! Pass her!” Kylie didn’t even glance at me, but I could see her beginning to run faster. As they rounded the corner, she took her chance and passed the girl in first place. I beamed, then turned to cheer on our next runner. I quickly spotted Ashley, her long blonde hair falling out of its ponytail. Her mascara was smeared, and her skin looked just as sweaty as Kylie’s had. “Come on, Ashley!” Spencer yelled. “Don’t let anyone pass you!” I yelled, “You’re faster than all of them! Only two miles to go!” Ashley turned her head slightly to look at us, but then she quickly charged ahead. I smiled. “We’re so going to win this.” Spencer just smiled, pulling me into his arms. ***** I stood at the starting line, anxiously awaiting for a quick pep talk. I could see Jensen, Juliet, Emmaline, and Lena all standing to the side, watching me with anticipation. That was the thing about a race; before one, you could always feel the tension in the air. The race started in five minutes. Coach Evans stood in front of me and the other girls on our Varsity Team. “Today, you’re here to do your best. You’re here to win, and achieve your goals as a runner. When I first saw you all, I knew that you girls were something special. You’re stronger and faster than any of the girls here today. You realize that, don’t you? There’s a reason that you go to Harper. There’s a reason why you’re here today. So I expect you to go out there and do your possible best. Athletes go through blood, sweat, and tears, but at the end, it all pays off. That feeling of victory after all your hard work is something that most people wouldn’t understand, and runners especially feel it after the end of a race,” Coach Evans said, a smile spreading across his face. Then he quickly gave us each a fist bump, telling each of us good luck. When he got to me, his smile widened. “You’re our best girl runner here. Go out there and do what you do. Good luck, Fuller.” “Thanks, Coach,” I said with a smile. He moved to the side. As the man holding the starting pistol listed off all the typical race rules-no jewelry, no cutting corners, no pushing girls out of the way- my heart began to speed up. And before I knew it, that pistol was fired into the air. The starting line was incredibly crowded, so I found myself elbowing girls from other team’s out of the way. Not enough to knock them over or anything; just enough to let me through. I could hear parents cheering and teammates yelling. I heard Spencer and Josh, along with Jensen and the girls. But I barely paid attention to them. Instead, I picked up the pace slightly until I was at the front of the group. Coach’s words rang in my ears. “You’re our best girl runner here.” Somehow, that made me even faster. My ponytail swished back and forth with each step I took, and my heart raced. I could hear the footsteps of the girl behind me, but she was far enough back that I still had a good advantage. Pretty soon, after passing several cheering crowds, I had ran two miles. But I was beginning to feel a sharp pain in the back of my leg. Grimacing, I slowed my pace a little. The girls in second, third, and fourth place were all close behind me. I could hear the pounding of their footsteps, and their heaving breathing as they struggled to keep up with me. The pain was probably just from sore muscles, I told myself, Don’t let it stop you from winning. I picked up the pace slightly. The pain couldn’t get any worse. No way. But by mile number four, I was beginning to slow down. My heart was racing, and my entire body was covered in sweat. The sharp pain behind my knee and the back of my leg was slowing me down. I quickly looked up at the sound of my name. “Come on, Avery!” Lena cried. “Faster! The girls behind you are catching up!” Jensen called, bouncing up and down. “You got this, Avery!” Emmaline cried. “Faster!” Juliet cheered, clapping her hands together. They were getting awfully into this. Another sharp pain shot through my leg. I clenched my teeth, feeling my eyes water as I tried not to cry out in pain. Jensen and the others obviously noticed, because their smiles quickly faded. The last thing I heard from them was Emmaline asking the girls if I was okay. But I quickly sped ahead, feeling the pounding of sneakers on the ground behind me. It was nothing. Just a little pulled muscle. Nothing that I couldn’t handle. ***** Pain. Terrible, excruciating pain. I tried to focus my attention on winning, but I couldn’t. “The finish line is just ahead! Don’t let those girls pass you!” someone yelled to me in an attempt to make me run faster. I tried. But I couldn’t. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. And I had no idea what it was. I saw Spencer and Josh, and as soon as their eyes landed on me, I could tell that they also knew something was wrong. By this point, Emmaline, Jensen, Lena, and Juliet were standing beside them with worried expressions on their faces. Spencer looked like he wanted to come get me, but we both knew he couldn’t. It was against the rules. Finally, my eyes landed on the finish line. I began to sprint, harder and harder, my lungs burning with the effort. My ponytail swishing back and forth, my arms pumping at my sides. I could hear people screaming at me to hurry, to not slow down now. I could hear people yelling at the girls behind me to beat me, that they still had the chance. Adrenaline surging through my veins, I tried to pick up the pace. But as I did, an even worse searing pain took place. And suddenly, I was falling to the ground, a cry of pain escaping me. I heard the crowd of previously cheering onlookers let out a startled gasp. All I could focus on though was the searing pain, sharp pain I was experiencing. I let out a sharp breath as one of the girls passed me, taking my victory of first place. Then the second place, third place, fourth place, and fifth place girl all came rushing by, barely glancing at me. I held onto my leg as Coach Evans began to rush over to me. “Avery, what’s wrong?” he asked anxiously, putting an arm around my shoulders and helping me up. “I don’t know, b-but I have to finish,” I stammered. He looked into my eyes, obviously surprised. “You can’t run across the finish line. You’re hurt!” he cried. “I am NOT going to forfeit this race, just because I’m in pain,” I snapped harshly. A few more girls passed me, causing him to glance over my shoulder. He bit his lip, then nodded. “Go for it. But don’t run.” I nodded, a feeling of relief surging through me. He gently let go of me, and I began to hobble on one leg across the finish line. The crowd all watched anxiously as a tear rolled down the side of my face. “What is she doing?” a mother whispered, stunned. “Finishing the race, like a determined runner would do,” another mother replied, sounding awed. I let out a whimper of pain, squeezing my eyes shut. “Come on, Avery!” Spencer yelled over everyone else, “You got this!” Then, it all happened at once. Others began cheering and clapping, encouraging me. It wasn’t like it was the Olympics; but the fact that everyone believed in me felt good and gave me more courage. Finally, I crossed the finish line. At once, Spencer had his arm around my shoulder, steadying me. “Are you okay? What happened out there?” he asked with concern. “Torn hamstring, maybe?” I asked, grimacing in pain, “Or maybe something else.” His face paled, and Coach Evans bounded over. The rest of the team was shortly behind him. “Avery, let’s get some ice for you,” he said. Spencer gently sat me down, letting me lean up against the cool bark of a tree. Slowly, I shut my eyes, trying to ignore the pain. Spencer placed the ice to my leg, gently brushing one of my tears away. “Avery, you’re so strong,” he whispered, “I can’t believe you finish the race.” “It’s not that big of a deal,” I said, my eyes fluttering open, “I’m just surprised I got that far.” “Why didn’t you stop running sooner if you were in that much pain? Your friends told Spencer and I that you looked like you were going to collapse in pain,” Josh said. Everyone on my team stared at me, waiting for my answer. Finally, I cleared my throat. “I thought that I could finish, just like I thought that it was nothing at the time. But by the end of the race, I knew that something was wrong. I just couldn’t give up though. You guys understand, right?” There was a silence as my team watched me. But then Spencer nodded, his lips crashing passionately into mine. When he pulled away, he gently pushed my hair out of my eyes. “I just hope that you didn’t cause any serious damage.” I swallowed hard, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks. How had I not thought about that? What if there was some serious, permanent damage that put me out for the season? Again, tears stung my eyes. “Avery!” a girl’s voice cried frantically, and at once I was being wrapped in a tight hug. “Are you okay? You looked like you were in so much pain and I was just so worried,” Jensen cried, sitting back. I just looked away, biting my lip as the worries ate me alive inside. “Coach Evans,” a sweet voice said. Coach and I looked up to see a woman standing there, looking at me with concern and, possibly, pity. She was a paramedic. “Yes?” Coach Evans asked. “We’d like to take Avery to the hospital and make sure that there isn’t any serious damage. Is that alright with you?” Coach Evans glanced at me. Then he nodded. “Great. Since you probably need to stay here while the boys run their race, we’re just going to take her in the ambulance,” the paramedic said, “By the looks of it, Avery was in quite a bit of pain out there.” She turned to where a few other paramedics were, gesturing for them to come over. To my complete horror, they did...but with a stretcher in tow. “I can walk,” I protested, looking frantically up at the female paramedic, “I swear I can.” “Sorry, sweetie. But we don’t want you putting any more pressure on your leg. You already hurt yourself enough by not stopping sooner,” she replied. Gently, I was hoisted up onto the stretcher. Another sharp pain raced through my leg, and I clenched my teeth together. “I’ll be by the hospital later, Fuller,” Coach Evans said, turning to me. “Me too,” Spencer said, placing a kiss on my forehead. Jensen, Juliet, Lena, and Emmaline all nodded in agreement. “Us too,” Lena agreed. I nodded. The stretcher was pushed towards the ambulance, and loaded inside with me on it. Then the door closed, two of the paramedics inside with me, while the other two drove in the front. The engine started, and the paramedics in the back checked my pulse. And in a whir of sirens and flashing blue and red lights, I was being taken to the hospital.

fungirl123 @Payton - ooh...I know someone that's happened to. :\ Not fun.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Okay(: @Everyone- So, I decided that instead of having Avery break her leg in a race, I'm going to make her pull a level 3 hamstring instead. That's actually more realistic than having her break her leg. Hope that's okay with you all(:

fungirl123 @Lexi - thanks! :) Can't wait to see what you have to post. <3

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Emmaline's going to be going back to the academy in my next post so you can add her in if you would like. :D Just be all like "what is she doing here?" or something... idk. It's up to you really. :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Great post! I have like, half a post written so I'll try to update either really late tonight or sometime tomorrow after church and such. :)

fungirl123 @Payton - awesome, can't wait to read it! <3 Also, I don't think I'm going to write about the meeting. I'll mention it in my next post, though. :p

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Alrighty then! I'll try to write about it today. ^.^

fungirl123 @Payton - thanks! :) And yeah, Lena can definitely come. Her and Ave are friends now, anyways. ^.^

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! :D @Everyone- I'm currently writing about Avery's cross-country meet, and I was planning on it taking place at Harper. Are there any of your characters that you definitely want to come to cheer Avery on? I thought it would be kind of important if they saw her break her leg. If I don't know by tonight, then I'll probably just write about most of the girls coming. Hope that's okay!(:

kjm109 @ Haley, the play thing is fine with me. My school does a play in the fall, a musical in the spring, and an other play in the spring. But for this story it will be easier to just do two I think.

fungirl123 ~Lena~ I lay on the sofa in my dorm room, my head resting my palm and my feet crossed and propped up on the opposite arm of the seat. A book leaned on my other hand. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Was it pathetic that I’d read this book seven times since sixth grade? For some reason, this book made me feel worse and better at the same time. Charlie’s life was worse than mine – no doubt about it. It made me look like a whiner that I was just lying around while Charlie could actually make friends. He was fictional, but so relatable. Since I’d first read this book, I’d always envisioned myself riding through a tunnel and standing up in the back of a truck as the wind rushed past me, my arms out like I was flying. Just like Sam. But nothing like that ever really happened in life. There were no people in the world as amazing as Sam and Patrick and Charlie. I would never meet anyone even close to that. But the classic let me escape the real world for awhile. I could let myself fall into Charlie’s place for a few hours – live how he lives, speak like he speaks, and treats others how he treats them. I was snapped out of my trance when the lunch bell rang out through campus. That was my cue. I watched as students poured out of their class buildings seconds later and ran for the academy’s amazing food. I wasn’t too hungry. The line seemed like it would be extra long today. I walked out of my room, shutting the door behind me and twirling my key in my fingers. I grabbed a bag of chips from the vending machine in the lounge and plopped down on the couch in there. Girls were coming in from their lunch a few minutes later, some holding boxes of food. The barbeque chips were gone ten minutes later, and I felt lonely again. I thought that I’d have the energy to go out and have fun today, as Mrs. Harper had suggested hours ago, but I just didn’t. I hadn’t had too much energy lately. Suddenly, it hit me. I had a meeting tonight with Miss Patrick’s group. I moaned quietly, but a few passing freshmen stopped and looked my way like I was a crazy freak. Ignoring them, I rose from the couch and walked toward the elevator. Upon getting to my bedroom, I stumbled over my homecoming shoes. I’d tossed them leisurely to the floor after getting back from the shoot that morning. The garment bag was lying halfway on my desk chair and halfway on the floor. I could’ve sworn I’d left my tiara and sash on my bed, but they were on the sofa next to The Perks, the silver crown tipped on its side like I’d been thrown lightly there. That was odd. I glanced at the clock. It was nearing one PM. I now had only four hours until the meeting. The Perks sat on the sofa under the large picture window. “Way to keep the room clean.” I jumped, my eyes flashing to the blonde girl sitting on her bed, her legs tucked under her. She had a textbook in her lap and a pencil in her hand. Her eyes looked innocently at me. “Sorry,” I mumbled, venturing further into the room. I gently kicked the door shut behind me. “What are you doing back here?” I asked, sitting down on my bed, “I thought you’d be in class.” Juliet furrowed her eyebrows. “This is my free period. I thought you’d know that,” she said. I shook my head, feeling quite stupid now. I knew that. “Of course,” I said. “But I should be asking why YOU aren’t in class. I thought your free wasn’t until seventh period,” Juliet said, leaning back onto her bed frame. “After the shoot earlier, Mrs. Harper told me I’d been excused from all my classes,” I told her. She gave me an odd look. “Why?” I regretted telling Juliet that. Now she probably thought I’d done something to suck up to Mrs. Harper. She wouldn’t understand. She couldn’t understand. She would never get what I was going through. “Reasons,” I replied, my voice seeming more brusquely than intended. “Okayyy then…,” Juliet muttered, putting her palms up in defense. It was getting more and more annoying that Juliet hated me all because I was Hermia. A real actress would know that pouting never gets you future roles. “You didn’t miss too much today at rehearsal,” she said, as if reading my mind as I thought about theatre. I looked at her. “We worked on the scene with Titania and Puck and Oberon the entire time. It would’ve been pointless if you were there, anyway,” she said. I raised an eyebrow, the last part of her message feeling like a sock in the gut. I looked at her, and shot back sarcastically, “Cool story, bro. You should tell it at parties.” She put her hand to her mouth. “Burn,” she said, but I could hear the subtle laughter in her voice. Juliet stood up from her bed, gathering her books and papers. She walked past me, slightly bumping into my shoulder. “I need to be places.” She walked briskly out the door, leaving me alone once again. I lay back on my bed, a sudden headache taking over my temples. My eyelids grew heavy, and I realized that I hadn’t gotten much sleep in the past week. The world slowly slipped away and I fell into a peaceful sleep. * * * * I awoke immediately. It felt like I’d only been asleep for a few minutes, but the sun had begun to go down. I realized I’d awoken to the sound of the door closing, because Juliet had walked into the room. “What time is it?” I asked, rubbing my sleepy eyes. “Five-twenty-two,” she replied, plopping her backpack onto her bed. “Oh…” Then I remembered. “OH!” I cried out, jumping from my bed. I was meeting with Miss Patrick in eight minutes. “What?” Juliet asked snappishly. “I have to be somewhere in less than ten minutes,” I exclaimed, groping for my hairbrush. I ran it through my blue-black locks before grabbing a hoodie and my black UGG boots. I struggled into them. I looked at my digital clock. I now had six minutes until I was leaving. “Bye,” I called out, stumbling out the door. My eyes reeled. I’d just woken up, and now I was running to get to my meeting. It was a five-minute walk to campus. I could make it if I was quick. I’d been taught my entire life to either be on-time or early. Never late. It was like law for me. I walked through the frigid wind that beat against me. Soon, I made it to the main office building. I walked in and shivered, still cold from the outdoors. I made my way to Miss Patrick’s office and opened the door. “Sorry I’m late…,” I apologized. I glanced at the clock. It was two minutes after the scheduled meeting time. Miss Patrick was seated in her desk chair. “Oh, don’t worry, Evangelina. We haven’t started yet,” she said. I looked around the room. About ten dull-faced teenagers sat in a circle in chairs. It took me a bit to notice, but my eyes soon landed on the caramel-haired girl sitting near the window. Avery was here.

fungirl123 I had some things I wanted to note: 1) I know I said Lena is supposed to be depressed, but I’m changing it so that she isn’t AS depressed. I’m already writing about one suicidal character – I don’t want to do another. It’s quite upsetting. :\ 2) Kat, how far off do you want the play to be? I was thinking like mid-November, so about a month away from where we are now. ^.^ And I was also wondering if it’d be okay if we did a musical in the story for the spring? That’s what my school does – fall play, spring musical. ;) 3) @Lexi – I’ve decided that Lena’s dad isn’t going to die, so what other ways could her and Em officially become close friends again? :) 4) @Payton – I’m adding a few different things to the meeting. Nothing major, just some other stuff. :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - lucky! :p I'll probably write today, since it's finallllly Friday. What a long week that was. ^.^ (#TGIF) I'm trying to get through a post for Writer's World right now, though. :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I meant entire school... oops.

LexilicousCandy Well we started exams on Tuesday and then once our class is finished we watch a movie or whatever and then once the entire is finished we get dismissed at around 11, and then we have a five-day weekend. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - you get half-days? I'm jealous. Once we're done with that day's exam, we just watch movies the rest of the day. :p I wish we could just go home instead staying.

LexilicousCandy Oh and I'll probably post again today since today's my last day of exams, and another half-day. :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley/Payton- Thank you! <3 I was scared you were gonna think its too sappy and romantic or whatever. :3 I'm excited to read your post! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 I'm moving Avery's cross-country meet sooner, since I feel like it's important. :) @Lexi- Great post! It was super sweet, and I love sappiness<3

fungirl123 Wow. :\ I just read my most recent paragraph. I apologize for all the spelling mistakes. I was on a different computer than usual and the Word I was using apparently didn't pick up on the mistakes. Again, my apologies! :p Sincerely, Grammar Nazi

fungirl123 @Lexi - I think we're pretty far into October. I was going to write about Lena's b-day (the 12th), but I might just push the date back. :p About Krysta, I was thinking the same thing! Hopefully, we'll hear from her soon. :\ Awesome post, btw! I love sappiness! <3 <3

LexilicousCandy Sorry some parts of kind of sappy and this entire post is unedited, but I'm rushing because my Algebra 2 final is tomorrow and I need to go to sleep. :/ I do think this has been one of my favorite posts so far though! :) Let me know what you think...Song: Truly, Madly, Deeply— One Direction; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCFl1kNjyqU (I haven’t watched the video yet so I don’t know if it’s good lyrics or not, sorry! :( I’m rushing, remember? :P) ~Emmaline~ My left hand subconsciously twirls the ring on my finger around as I read the script in front of me, with THE CARRIE DIARIES printed in the header. I’m currently stretched across my stomach on Zayn’s hotel bed, dressed in a simple knitted jumper that hangs off my body in a loose fashion and leggings, my boot-clad feet crossed in the air behind me, and my chin resting on my right palm. (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=68749059) Sighing, I pull away from the script and raise my hand in the air, staring intently at my finger, studying the diamond encrusted ring that rests on my slim finger. (Close up of the ring: http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/item.aspx?sku=GRP01591) My eyes flutter shut as I let myself relive the memory of how I first acquired the exquisite piece of jewelry. ***FLASHBACK*** My hand tangled with Harry’s, I let the curly-haired lad pull me away from our candle-lit dinner for two and place his hand on my waist, pulling my body flush to his. Our bodies sway to the soft music in the background and before I know it we’re twirling around the deck under the starlight, my gaze never leaving his, just as his smile never leaves his lips. “You are so beautiful,” he mumbles against my lips. “And I can’t believe you’re all mine,” he finishes, before leaning in fully and kissing me sweetly on the lips. “Well believe it,” I whisper once we break apart, and then proceed to pull his lips down to meet mine once again. I pull away and stare at the water around us, biting my lip to hide my grin. I feel strong arms wrap around my torso and Harry lean into me, his breath hot against my ear. “What are you thinking about?” he asks, his lips grazing my soft skin. “Just how perfect this night is,” I say truthfully, turning around to see his handsome face. “Not as perfect as you are,” he replies cheekily, a smirk sitting on his lips. “You are so cheesy,” I giggle, resting my head on his chiseled chest. “Maybe I am, but the nights not over yet. Ready to go inside?” he asks. I nod and follow him as he leads inside the yacht to a pile of blankets in front of a fireplace. “Wait right here,” he requests, before hurrying away and returning with two steaming mugs. “Hot chocolate with marshmallows?” I ask, hopeful. “Of course,” he answers, leaning down to peck my nose. “I know it’s your favorite.” He hands me a red mug and settles into the blanket setup, pulling me down next to him. I cuddle into his side, fitting perfectly, enjoying my hot chocolate as we snuggle in front of the fire. It’s the perfect date; everything I could ever ask for in a relationship. “Emmaline?” Harry breaks the comforting silence and turns his head to look at me. “Yes, Harry?” I ask, looking up at my boyfriend. Such a kind, loving, boyfriend. How did I get so lucky as to be able to call him mine? He takes a shaky breath and I stare at him inquisitively, wondering why he’s suddenly so nervous. He sticks his hand in blazer pocket and pulls out a small box. A ring box. My breath catches in my throat as he addresses me. “I know what you’re thinking, and before you say anything, no, I’m not asking you to marry me. Not yet, anyways. But, Emmaline, I love you. I don’t just love you, I’m in love with you; I’m in love with you so much it hurts. Every time we’re apart I ache, just missing your touch, your presence. Every time we kiss goodbye it breaks me, because I know I won’t be able to see your beautiful face, hear your lovely voice, and that kills me. I know that we’re young, and I know that both our lives are pretty hectic at the moment, but I don’t want to lose you. Ever. That’s why I bought this— to promise you of my love. So every time I’m touring in Australia or you’re filming in California, or wherever we are that’s not together, you can look down at this ring and you can remember me. You can remember every moment we’ve shared, every moment that I’ve loved you. Because I do love you love Emmaline, I’m so madly in love with you, and I plan on showing you that. This promise ring is only the first step, if you choose to accept it,” he finishes, his tongue darting out to wet his dry lips. “I- I- Of course I accept it, Harry! I’m in love with you too,” I say, allowing him to slide the ring on my finger, a beautiful smile lighting up his face as he does so. “I love you,” he whispers once more, pulling me into him, and we spend the rest of the night in each other’s arms, my ring glistening in the early morning light. ***END OF FLASHBACK*** “Emmaline?!” A surprised voice shouts, startling me. My eyes shoot open and I nearly fall off the bed as I let out a shriek. “Harry! How did you get in here?!” I cry out whilst hastily try to wipe the tears off my cheeks. “I got the spare key from Liam… what are you doing in Zayn’s room?” he asks suspiciously, looking around the room. I take the time to stealthily slide the ring off my finger and drop it into my boot, before finally properly examining my ex-boyfriend— the love of my life that broke my heart— and let me tell you that he is not looking to great. He’s in sweats and a white tee, his unkempt curls half hidden by a beanie. I know the boys are over-worked and exhausted, but never before have I seen Harry’s eyes so dull, or the bags under them so prominent. “That’s not important... are you OK? You don’t look so well,” I say, concerned, bringing my hand up to rest on his forehead. He freezes before his entire body relaxes under my touch and his eyes shut, a barely audible content sigh escaping from his lips. I rip my hand away like I’ve been burned, Harry is feeling a little warm, to be honest, and instinctively bring my hand to twirl my ring around my finger, but upon realizing its not there I grasp onto my signature necklace, sliding the E pendant back and forth quickly. Harry’s eyes open and flicker down to my right hand, but once he sees that my ring finger is empty a frown settles over his face. “The boys miss you, have you been avoiding us? Well besides Zayn, obviously,” he says accusingly, his eyes narrowing as he stares at my hands furiously playing with my necklace. “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t insinuate that there’s something going on between me and you’re band mate, Zayn and I are just friends. Besides, you broke up with me. There was no reason for me to hang around like some love-sick teenager,” I state, even though that’s exactly what I am. “Zayn came to me, he comforted me after you left me like the arse you are!” I yell, my sorrow being replaced with anger. Harry flinches as if I have slapped him, which I’m in the right mind too, if only I wasn’t still hopelessly in love with him. “I’m sorry, OK?! I’ve said over and over again,” he protests, taking a step towards me. I extend my arm out, not allowing him to take another step. “You might be sorry, Harry, but that doesn’t erase what you did. You hurt me.” I say, shaking my head to stop more tears from flowing. “How can I make it up to you? I’ve tried everything! I wrote you a song for you, I performed it at your homecoming, and yet you still run away from me!” he yells back, his voice cracking with emotion. “I wouldn’t have to run away if you hadn’t let me go in the first place,” I whisper, brokenly. “I-I- you’re right. I’m nothing but a lousy arse,” he admits, sitting on the bed and dropping his head into his hands. “I’m so, so, sorry, Emmaline. I should have trusted you; I’ve messed everything up!” he berates himself, ripping the beanie off his head and tugging at his curls. All of my rage suddenly leaves my body and I deflate, sitting on the bed next to him. “Stop beating yourself up, Harry. I forgive you. I may not approve of your actions, but I accept your plead for forgiveness.” I pull his hand away from his hair and grasp it in mine, offering him a weak smile. “Will things ever be the same between us?” he asks, staring up at me, eyes filled with hope. “I… I don’t know. I’m willing to try and salvage our friendship,” I admit, biting my lip anxiously. His eyes darken slightly, but the corners of his mouth turn up. “Good, because the boys and I are your guest judges for the Judge’s Houses stage on the X-Factor,” he reminds me, smirking. “Won’t that be fun,” I mutter sarcastically under my breath, but if Harry heard me then he chose to ignore it. “I’ve missed you, Em. And who knows, maybe you’ll end up giving us another shot,” Harry enthuses, pulling me into a hug. “Maybe,” I say with less enthusiasm, because as I feel the ring press against my foot, I don’t know what I’m going to do.

LexilicousCandy Oh and has anyone talked to Krysta lately? She hasn't been on since the beginning of November and I'm missing reading about Jenson's adorable personality. :'(

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Great post! It was sad, but in a good way. Like it was supposed to be a little gloomy, and you captured that perfectly to me. :) Also, I was wondering if anyone knew what time we're at in the story? Like sometime in October or something?

fungirl123 @Payton - great post! :) I'll probably add to that soon. Probably Thursday, since tomorrow I won't get home at all until about eight PM. :p

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- I hope what I wrote about the first meeting is okay. I wasn't sure how to write about it. If you want to add anything, you totally can. :) ~Avery~ I brushed through my long, caramel colored hair as I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. Tonight was the first meeting for Miss Patrick’s group. I couldn’t help but wonder what we would even talk about tonight. Our feelings, what bad things were going on in our lives, things we regretted? “Avery!” Jensen called cheerfully, walking through the dorm. I hadn’t told her that I had to go to Miss Patrick’s group meeting tonight. I was too ashamed. My family and my friends back home didn’t even know. The only people that knew was my team and my coach. And that was especially embarrassing. “Hey, Jensen,” I greeted, not turning around. “I was thinking tonight we could watch the X-Factor together or something,” Jensen said, plopping down onto her bed, “I don’t have much homework, and we haven’t really talked or spent any time together since... you know...” “Since my friend tried to kill herself?” I asked flatly, “Yeah, I know.” “I’m sorry,” Jensen apologized sincerely, “I didn’t mean to upset you.” I sighed, turning around. “It’s okay. But I can’t hang out with you tonight. Sorry.” Jensen’s cheerful, bubbly expression left her face immediately. “Why not? I bought popcorn and everything,” she said, her voice full of disappointment. “I have somewhere to be,” I said, sitting down on my bed and bending down to put on my shoes. “Where?” Jensen asked. “Jensen, I can’t tell you. It’s too embarrassing.” At that, I felt my face flush. “Ave, you can tell me anything,” Jensen said coaxingly. I sat up, looking straight at her. I couldn’t help but give in. “Okay, but you have to swear not to tell anyone,” I said, looking hard at her. “I swear,” she agreed. “No, Jensen. I mean it. If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you,” I said. Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Okay, okay. I won’t tell anyone. Now, what is it?” “My coach told Miss Patrick, the guidance counselor here, that I’ve been off my game lately and that I just haven’t been myself. And then Miss Patrick spoke with my team, and they agreed. One of them said that Kirsten tried to kill herself and that I’ve been really depressed. Apparently, everyone’s been worried about me. So Miss Patrick told me I could come to her little group that meets twice a week in her office. Basically what we do is talk about our feelings and problems with other people. She says it’s fun, but I highly doubt it.” There was a silence after I finished, and I looked away awkwardly. “That’s it?” Jensen asked finally, her voice filled with surprise, “That’s what you’re so embarrassed about?” I nodded, standing up and going over to my closet. I pulled my sweatshirt over my head and then turned to face a shocked Jensen. “Avery, there’s nothing wrong with getting help,” she said. Her voice sounded convincing, but I just shook my head. “Jensen, you don’t understand. I don’t NEED help.” “Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it’ll be good for you to talk about your feelings with others,” she replied. She didn’t sound mean or harsh; just concerned. “Jensen, please. You don’t even KNOW what I’m feeling. In fact, you haven’t even bothered to ask lately!” I snapped, rolling my eyes. There was a tense silence. Jensen looked down at her hands for a moment, hurt evident on her face.”Jensen, I’m sorry,” I mumbled, “I didn’t mean it. I know you’re always there; I’m just not very good at talking about my feelings, I guess.” Jensen looked up, giving me a small smile. “It’s okay. You’re going through a hard time in your life right now. I get it. Just remember that I’m always here, Ave. If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, or just someone to talk to... I’m here.” I nodded, feeling a little relieved. At least now I knew that I had two people; Lena and Jensen. A few minutes later, I was walking into Miss Patrick’s office with a little more confidence. That is until I saw the group of teenagers sitting around in various places and positions. Most of them either looked sad, depressed, or weary to be here. There was no one that I knew, except for one girl who I only remembered from cooking class. And that was only because she had almost caught the entire kitchen on fire. “Miss Fuller,” Miss Patrick said, smiling at me, “It’s wonderful to see you here. I’m so glad you agreed to join us!” I gave her a weak smile, sitting down on the end of a couch. The door opened again, only this time a familiar girl with dark hair came in. My mouth dropped, but I quickly closed it. It was Lena. I had just spoken to her yesterday when I had found her crying. And now she was here. “Lena, I’m glad you’re here. Please have a seat and join us!” Miss Patrick said, beaming at her. Lena turned after giving Miss Patrick a weak smile, and at once our eyes locked. “Avery?” she asked, shocked. I gave her a weak smile. “Hey.” She quickly sat down beside me. “What are you doing here?” she inquired. “Well apparently, my coach and team are worried about me so they talked to Miss Patrick. She wanted me to come to this and try it out but...” I shook my head, adding, “I don’t think I’ll stay.” She nodded in understanding. She looked like she wanted to ask me something, but Miss Patrick stood up before she could. “Alright, I am happy to say that our first meeting of the year is ready to start! Why don’t we go around the room and introduce ourselves? That way we can all get to know each other.” There was a silence as we all exchanged awkward looks. Finally, someone spoke up and introduced himself. The rest of the teenagers took turns, until finally it got to me. “I’m Avery Fuller,” I said awkwardly. I hated introducing myself in front of a bunch of people. I always had. After everyone else had gone, Miss Patrick began to speak again. “I hope the rest of you all decide to stay in this group until you get back to your usual selves. I understand that talking to people about your problems, but it actually will help you. Remember if you need to talk, we’re all here for you.” Part of me doubted that half the people in here wanted to listen to my problems; in fact, some of theirs were probably much worse. Miss Patrick gave us an encouraging smile. “Would anyone like to talk about some things that they’re looking forward to? I think we should start the year off positive.” There was another awkward silence. Miss Patrick looked at each of us hopefully, wanting one of us to begin the conversation. Finally, seeing that no one else was going to go, I timidly raised my hand. “Yes, Avery?” Miss Patrick asked, sounding relieved that someone had finally volunteered to go. “I’m looking forward to my cross-country meet next weekend. It’s going to be this huge meet and we’ve been training super hard for it,” I said, my voice growing happier. Miss Patrick smiled. “That’s great, Avery! I’ve heard that you’re one of the fastest runners on the team.” I shrugged modestly, but a warm smile was already spreading across my face. “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t run,” I admitted. “Running is your stress reliever, then?” Miss Patrick questioned. I nodded. “I’m looking forward to nothing. Absolutely nothing. My life sucks. I have nothing left in it,” the girl that had almost burnt down the kitchen said, her voice sad. Miss Patrick turned to her, obviously ready to give her some kind of encouragement. But I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces, and there was nothing I could do or say to the girl. Was that how Kirsten had felt when she had tried to kill herself? I felt a lump rising in my throat, and I looked down at my hands, blinking back tears. I wasn’t about to cry. Not in front of all these sad, depressed strangers. I had to be strong. I could get through this. If Kirsten could, I could.

fungirl123 @Lexi - thanks, can't wait to see it! ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Thank you and great post! <3 I'm about to email you as well. ^.^ @Payton- I can't wait to read it! I agree with Haley in thinking that the broken leg would be a good idea. :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! I'm going to start writing right now since I stayed home today because I wasn't feeling very good. :)

fungirl123 @Payton – amazing post! :D Yeah, the thing about Ave breaking her leg sounds like a really great idea. Can’t wait to read it! <3 <3 ~Lena~ Tuesday morning, I stood in front of my wide closet, still comfortable in sweatpants and a T-shirt. I reached into my closet for my homecoming dress—or should I say Julian’s sister’s old homecoming dress? I still had it. The photoshoot for the yearbook was today. I shoved aside some other articles of clothing and plucked the dress from its hanger. I sighed as I looked it over. The white, shimmery dress. I so wished I could keep it for myself, but it belonged to someone else. I was going to face Julian today for the first time in a few days. We were like magnets opposite of each other. Something about each of us kept us apart…at least for right now. Oh, goodness, Lena! I suddenly felt like screaming at myself. I really needed to stop thinking about Julian. Thinking about him made my stomach lurch. That was why I was happy when I heard Juliet’s voice behind me. I whirled around. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for sc—Whoa…” My roommate stepped back a bit, apparently seeing all the makeup I had caked onto my face and my tightly-curled hair. This was what the photographer had asked for – red lips, dark eyeshadow, prominent eyes, plenty of makeup so I don’t look washed out under the lights in the studio. Juliet’s eyes partially widened before she seeemed to shake it off. “What’s the occasion?” she wondered. She went back to gathering her school books, but kept glancing over at me again. “The photoshoot for queen and king is today,” I answered. Juliet nodded. “Oh, yeah, forgot about that. That must be why you’re holding the dress.” I shrugged. “I’m not going to first period so be sure to tell the theatre teachers that, although I think the office sent an absent note for me,” I said. For some reason, I just needed to get my mind off Julian. Talking to my roommate – who I was sure still had a disliking for me – seemed like the only way to do so. But she only nodded like she didn’t even care and muttered a quick goodbye. Then Juliet disappeared out the door. I was left alone to my own wandering mind…which now seemed to be my own worst enemy. * * * * I had the dress in a garment bag along with the shoes, sash, and tiara as I walked across campus to the main building. As I entered, my eyes immediately fell on Julian. He was dressed so nicely. He wore a black tuxedo with a silver tie and vest. He was cleanly shaven and I could smell the mint on him as I neared him. I was staring right at him, yet I didn’t realize it straight away that he was speaking to me. “They’re not ready for us.” I blushed when I did recognize it and murmured a quick, “Okay.” We stood outside of a door, which had been set for the photoshoot. Neither of us spoke. Finally, the door opened and a petite woman with a camera around her neck stepped out. “I’m Angelina, the photographer. We’re ready for you,” she said, then looked at me, “We have a small divider as a dressing room for you.” I thanked her and went into the room where I hid myself behind the divider and got out of my sweatpants and T-shirt. My curls bounced as I danced into the dress again. Slowly, I placed the tiara on my head and the sash around my middle. I stepped out of the divider. Julian was already being photographed. He sat on a small cream sofa without a back, a half-smile dancing on his lips. He faintly reminded me of a Macy’s commercial model. He leaned onto the arm of the chair and tilted his head to the side at the photographer took another few photos. “Okay, thank you,” Angelina said, letting the camera dangle from her neck again. Julian stood up and went to the side to sit rest. She turned to me and smiled. “We’re ready for you now, queen.” I nodded. “Where do you want me?” I asked. “Sit on the chair and put your leg up behind you, then lean onto the arm of the chair and rest your chin on your fist,” she told me. I did as she asked. I slowly lowered myself onto the chair and lifted my foot up so that it was to my side. Then I leaned onto the arm of the chair and placed my elbow on it. I tilted my chin up as it sat rested on it. “Now, give me a smile. Not too big, but still smile,” she continued. I did. She took four photos, telling me to tilt my head different ways for each. I could feel my body stiffening up during the second pose, which featured me lying on the floor on my stomach – which had been covered in a shimmery cream cloth – with one leg up. I held a large frame around my face. I smiled and turned my head. “Gorgeous!” Angelina chirped. She glanced back at Julian, who was staring out the window as the ending bell for first period rang. “Now, you get up here and we’ll start with both of you.” He stood up and the photographer continued talking, “We’ll start with just a simple pose: king, you sit in that chair; queen, you stand beside him with your hand on his shoulder.” We did as told. I gave the camera a smile as she clicked the shutter button a few times. I could see Julian’s cheeks as he smiled. “Okay, next, you might be a little uncomfortable. But it’s just for a few takes,” Angelina said. I looked at my hands, wondering what she had in mind. I sighed when she told us: “You two will be in the dip pose like you’re dancing, not smiling at the camera, and just looking at each other.” Julian shifted awkardly. I scratched my head and took a deep breath. “Do we have to—“ “Yes, you do. It’s just a few shots. Then we’ll move on,” she declared, interrupting me. I suddenly had a disliking for this woman. Julian extended his hand for me, still looking at the ground. I put my hand in his. He pulled me toward him. Our faces were suddenly inches apart. “Ooh, stay like that!” Angelina pronounced. I put one arm around Julian’s shoulder and the other was rested in his. One of his arms was around my waist. I could feel his breathing. When the photographer stopped taking photos, there was a silence. “It would make a great photo if you two would kis—“ “NO!” Julian and I both shouted in unison, giving Angelina a death glare. She stepped back, putting both hands up in surrender. “Okay, then. Move on to the pose I told you about last.” Julian took a deep breath and held me a bit tighter, and then dipped me down. For a moment, I felt like I was falling, but then he caught me. I almost let out a squeal of terror and excitement both. But I felt my heart stop. Julian was looking right at me. I saw the sapphire of his eyes. He only had a small half-smile on his lips. I didn’t know my expression. It didn’t seem to matter. “I see passion here. I love it!” Angelina exclaimed from the background. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears…or maybe that was his. “Okay, that’s all we need,” Angelina said, “for that pose, at least.” I frowned. More poses that we probably incredibly uncomfortable. “Now, lift her up into the air. Queen, wrap your arms around his ne—“ “I have a name, you know. Evangelina,” I cut in, giving her a hard look. She looked confused. “And I’m Julian,” the boy standing next to me said. “Okay, then…Julian, lift Evangelina into the air and hold her there. Evangelina, wrap your arms around his neck.” Angelina looked so uncomfortable now as she took a few photos of me in the air. Julian had his hand around my knees and another holding up my back. “Alright, that’s all we need,” Angelina said. I let out a breath of relief. This was over…finally. The worst hour in a long time. I walked back to the divider and stripped out of the dress once again and back into my sweats. I grabbed a hairbrush from the bag and ran it through my hair, loosening the curls. I tied it into a bun on top of my head. When I walked out, I saw that Julian had changed, too, into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He was speaking to his mothe out in the lobby. She glanced over and saw me. “Oh, Evangelina, did you have a nice time at the shoot?” she asked, smiling. Mrs. Harper had her arm looped in with her son’s. “Of course,” I said, plastering a smile on my face. “I’m glad,” she said, “For the rest of the day, you and Julian are excused from your classes. Take a break for a day. I know both of you haven’t had the best few weeks.” I raised an eyebrow. I knew Julian had told his mother about what had been going on…but what about him? What was going on in his life that he needed a break from? He wasn’t looking at me, but instead at his mother. “Thanks, Mom,” he said. She patted his back. “Go now. Go do something relaxing, son.” He smiled and turned to walk away. I caught his arm. “This doesn’t belong to me,” I said, holding out the garment bag that held the dress. He swallowed, eyeing the dress. “Yes, it does now.” Then he turned and briskly walked out of the building. I turned to my headmistress, but she was already disappearing into her office.

taylorswiftfan1233 Also, I was thinking that maybe Avery trains really hard in practice and ends up breaking her leg, which will also cause some more depression for her. But I'm not sure yet. What do you guys think? :o

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry if there are any mistakes; I was trying to hurry. :p @Haley- I ended up skipping Avery and Lena meeting on campus, just because I don't have a lot of time. But I'll make sure to mention it in my next post, I promise(:

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ I ran down the hallway, my mind spinning. Once again, I was late from cross-country practice. Coach had been running us harder and harder lately, preparing us for an upcoming meet next weekend. It was supposed to be huge. Suddenly, I felt myself smack into another body. “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry,” I apologized, looking up to see Miss Patrick, the guidance counselor here at Harper, looking down in dismay at all of her papers on the floor. I quickly bent down to pick them all up, gathering them in a neat stack. Then I stood up straight and handed them to her. “I’m really sorry, Miss Patrick. Practice got out late today and I was trying to hurry to first hour but-” She held up a hand to stop me. “It’s quite all right, Miss Fuller. In fact, I actually just left your first hour classroom to find you, but you weren’t in there. I told your teacher that you’d be late to class after I’m done speaking with you,” she said. “Wait, you need to speak to me?” I asked dumbly, “Why?” “Because,” she said with a shrug, “There’s something we need to discuss. Let’s go to my office now, shall we?” I nodded a little, following her down the hallway and to her office like a lost puppy. Why would she need to speak to me? Had I done something wrong? I sat down in the chair opposite her, my heart beginning to speed up. “Am I in trouble?” I asked nervously, fumbling with my hands. “Oh, no,” Miss Patrick said quickly. “Then why am I here? I mean, not to be rude or anything...” I said, trailing off. “Your coach and teammates tell me that you’ve been off your game lately. One of them told me that it was because your best friend had a tragedy back home?” She said it like a question, as if she wasn’t sure. “Yes,” I squeaked, “She tried to kill herself.” Miss Patrick looked alarmed at that, but then she managed to compose herself. “Oh, Avery, I am so sorry to hear that,” she said. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault,” I said, looking down at my hands. She continued on at that, her voice kind. “Your team is very worried about you. So, your coach asked me to speak with you because he’s noticed that something is wrong. You’re not your usual cheerful self, apparently.” “No,” I agreed, looking back up at her, “But I don’t understand why you would need to talk to me. It’s not like something’s wrong with me.” “No, of course nothing is wrong with you!” Miss Patrick said quickly, “You’re just going through a hard time right now. Believe it or not, there are other people here going through hard times, too.” I was silent, watching her. “In fact,” she went on, “I have a group here. It’s not a commitment, and you most certainly don’t have to join. But keep in mind that we only meet twice a week here in my office. You’ll be able to talk to the others that are going through the same type of situations. All of my previous students have enjoyed it.” I remembered Spencer asking if I was depressed. Was I? I concerned it for a moment. The group didn’t sound too fun to me; I would rather be running or doing something else. But maybe I needed it. “You can come to our first meeting and see if you like it. If you do, then you can continue coming. But if you don’t like it, then that’s fine. You won’t have to attend it again,” Miss Patrick said, her voice breaking into my thoughts. “Um, I guess I can come,” I said, nodding, “It wouldn’t hurt to try.” “Great! Our first meeting of the year is tomorrow night,” she informed me. I gave her a weak smile, standing up to leave. “Thank you for coming in, Miss Fuller,” she said with a smile. I gave her a tiny wave before turning on my heel and hurrying away.

fungirl123 @Lexi - awesome post! <3 <3

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Thank you! <3 And sorry I haven't posted in so long. :/

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Amazing post! :D

LexilicousCandy ~Harry’s P.O.V.~ Nerves filled my stomach as I waited in the shadows of backstage. My breath caught as I saw her exit her dressing room, heading towards the stage with a slight smile on her face. Her curls were short and black, heavy eye make-up sitting on her face. Even looking completely different then when I had last seen her, she still managed to take my breath away. I was a fool for leaving her, and I regretted it every single minute of every single day. There wasn’t a moment where her beautiful face left from my closed eyelids or her soft laugh escape my ears. The memory of her was always in the back of my mind, and even though we never got to the point of saying it in our relationship, I knew I loved her. She never saw me though, being whisked away to the stage before she could turn around. I stared in awe as she took the stage; she was absolutely perfect— “Ready to go, mate?” Niall asks, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. I manage a small nod and gulp, fear lodging its way into my chest. Louis steps up and warps me into his arms with a sad smile on his lips. If anyone were to know how much I’ve truly suffered over the last few weeks, it’s him. He’s the one who stays up late and comforts me whilst I ache, he’s the one who drags me out of bed and forces me to go out into the real world. If I were to lose Louis too, I don’t know what I’d do with myself. I don’t think I would even be myself anymore. I’m certainly not myself right now, without Emmaline. “It’ll be OK,” Louis assures me, ruffling my curls. “I hope so,” I whisper, stepping onto the stage. Immediately, I recognize her light voice shout out my name, but is it in confusion or anger? There’s only one way to find out. Taking a final deep breath, I turn my head and look at her, my eyes staring into hers. Emmaline. I completely tune out Liam greeting the crowd, focusing solely on Emmaline. Zayn notices me staring her and nudges me, signaling that it’s time for me to introduce our new song. I nod and tear my gaze away from Emma, allowing my eyes to scan over the rest of the crowd as I start. “A couple of weeks ago I made the biggest mistake of my life; I was rash and judgmental when I shouldn’t have been, to a person who did nothing to deserve it. If I had just stuck around and learnt all the facts, heard the full story, then things wouldn’t be like how they are. Maybe I wouldn’t be so broken. I regret my decision with all my heart, because you have my heart. You are my heart, and I’m so sorry for what I did. I just want you to know that this song… this song is about you.” By the time I finish my monologue my stare is fixed on the ground, tears in my eyes, before I look up at Louis, who gives a thumbs up. Liam steps and stands next to me, nodding with a smile lingering on his lips. “Good job,” he whispers, before licking his lips and beginning the song. [Play song (One Direction— Still the One) now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=azuDSj7jijQ] ♪ “You’re still the oneeeeeeeee—” ♪ As I hold my note I try to meet Emmaline’s gaze, but I can’t find her in the crowd. Where is she? Has she gone? Was this all for nothing? * * * ~Emmaline~ For a second I actually believed that I’d be able to go through a day without hurting, but I was wrong. Then again, I had it in my mind that I would never see him again, which I knew was illogical, but I still wasn’t counting on him to appear at homecoming. Why didn’t Mrs. Harper inform me when she asked me to perform? Wouldn’t she know how I would react? The ache in my chest grows the second I see him step on stage and it worsens when his gaze pierces mine. I can’t bear it anymore; the second he breaks eye contact I run away, storming into the night. I don’t wait for Valerie, Jenson, James, or anyone else to come after me, I just start running down the road, grateful we decided on the Vans after all. I only stop once I’m in the lobby of the hotel in all my sobbing, glittering, glory, ignoring the odd looks I receive once I’m on the elevator. With shaking hands I walk into my hotel room, heading straight towards Nicolette’s room for some much needed consoling. “You can’t tell her,” Nicolette’s hushed whisper escapes from her slightly opened door. “But we have to, I cheated on her,” a deep voice protests, sounding very familiar. “No we don’t. What Em doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” she insists, raising her voice slightly. What is going on? Who is she talking to? Are they talking about me? I stick my head into the room slightly, knowing no one can see me, and spy Nicolette sitting on her bed with Blake in front of her, telling her something. “I still think she deserves to know—” “Oh my God, just shut up already!” Nicolette yells, standing up and pulling Blake’s mouth to hers. “What is going on?” I shout, barging full blast into the room and storming towards them. They pull apart and Nicolette’s mouth turns into a perfect circle, her eyes widening drastically. “It’s not what it looks like,” Blake insists, pushing Nicolette away and coming towards me. I hold out my hand to stop him from coming any closer. “It’s exactly what it looks like; you cheated on me with my best friend!” I cry out, shaking my head furiously. “Or should I say ex-best friend,” I add as an afterthought, shooting Nicolette a glare before stalking away to the door, stopping and turning around just as I reach it. “But you know what, Blake? I’ve moved on. I’m over you. Truthfully, I’ve been over you for a while now. As a matter of fact, I’m over both of you. Nicolette, I hope you’re happy; I don’t want anything to do with you either. Goodbye,” I say sharply, slamming the door and running out of the hotel room. Where do I go from here? I think whilst standing in the middle of the parking lot. There’s only one place I can go. The academy. Realizing that I’m in no way presentable enough to just waltz back into homecoming like this, I slump against the back wall and drop my head into my hands, letting a sob rack through my body. My body freezes when I hear another voice break through the night. “Hello?” I hold my breath and flatten my body against the wall. Maybe if I’m completely still the person will think I’m not here and leave. “Emmaline? Is that you?” A familiar accent inquires, Zayn’s figure coming into view. “Zayn?” I reply, peeling myself off the wall and breathing semi-normally once again as I let him envelope me in his arms. Just because I’m avoiding Harry doesn’t mean I have to avoid him too, does it? Remembering the reason I left homecoming in the first place I peer over Zayn’s shoulder. “Harry’s not here is he?” I ask, dreading the answer. “Nope, he’s inside,” Zayn says nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. “Oh, well what are you doing here?” I ask, calming down realizing I don’t have to face Harry. “I snuck out for a quick smoke. Care to inform me why you’re out here crying your eyes out in the dark?” “I found out that it was Nicolette who Blake cheated on me with. I caught them in my hotel room,” I mutter, completely monotone. “That slag. No one liked her anyways; she’s annoying. Besides, you’re 100% more beautiful, not to mention talented. That girl can’t act for the life of her, let alone try to croak out a note,” Zayn assures me. “Yeah, but she was my best friend, we went through everything together. I flew her out for all of my events; I’m even paying for her to stay in my hotel room! I just can’t believe she would betray me like this,” I cry, burying my face into his chest. “I don’t know why she would do that either, but I do know that you’re better without her. Come on, you can stay with me for a while,” Zayn offers, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "How can I stay with you for a while? What are you even doing here?" I ask, completely confused. I don't want to see Harry, which would be nearly impossible to avoid if I stayed with Zayn considering they're bandmates, and I didn't even know that One Direction were in New York at the moment to begin with. "Well Harry really wanted to come here and perform for you tonight, but we all know how that turned out. We're also here for some promotion and filming for our film and upcoming tour, so we have a hotel booked." "That's all nice and swell, but I'm bound to see Harry if I stay in his hotel room!" I yell, throwing my arms into the air. "Harry is sharing with Louis and Niall's with Liam. I have a room to myself, unless you want to stay there for a bit," he pleads, pouting at me. "Fine, I'll stay with you, but only if I don't have to see Harry," I relent, letting out a chuckle as a grin settles on Zayn's face. "Perfect! I've missed you," he admits, pulling me into another hug. "I've missed you too, as well as the other lads. I just can't face Harry after he broke up with me…" I trail off, biting my lip to stop the tears from flowing again. "So, how are we going to get to your hotel room without him seeing me?" I question, trying to change the subject. "I'll go in, explain the situation to Paul and ask him to call a car for us. I'm sure he won't mind." "Alright," I sigh, pushing Zayn away so he can go talk to Paul. The car ride is consisted of me continually yawning and drifting off on Zayn's shoulder, until he carries me up to his room. "Bathroom's the first door on the left if you want to shower before you go to bed. You can wear these to bed," Zayn informs me, handing me a pair of his boxers, sweats, and a t-shirt. "Thanks," I yawn, before dragging myself to the bathroom and savoring the feel of the droplets of water on my warm skin, grateful to finally take off the wig and wipe off all my makeup. I quickly dry off and change into Zayn's clothes, grabbing one of Zayn's brushes and running it through my damp hair before crawling into my side of the King-sized bed. "Goodnight," I tiredly call out as Zayn disappears into the bathroom, before closing my eyes and trying to block out the thoughts of a certain curly-haired boy.

fungirl123 @Payton - that sounds great! :D Can't wait to see it in writing. <3

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! <3 I was just planning on Avery's coach and a few of her teammates saying that they were worried about Avery, since she's been off her game at races and practice. :)

fungirl123 @Payton – thanks! :D Can’t wait to see whatcha write. <3 <3 ~Lena~ I sat in art, listening to Mr. Arnolds talking about a steady hand and mind while sketching. I was trying to listen; I really was. But my mind kept wandering to my conversation with Avery. And then slowly I thought of what it would be like if my father was killed. I hoped that wouldn’t happen, but I couldn’t help but wonder what the day would be like, and how I would feel when I heard. Would I faint? Would I feel a sudden pain in my stomach? Hopefully, my mother would call me as soon as she heard. But what if I was in class? Would they send someone to tell me? Or would my mom come to the school in person to tell both me and Elliot? “Miss Andres.” My head snapped up at the sound of my name. Mr. Arnolds stood near the door next to one of the main office runners. Suddenly, I could feel my heartbeat speed up. This was horrible irony. I felt as if my worst nightmares were about to come true. “Yes?” I asked, trying to remain calm. “You’re needed in the guidance counselor’s office,” the runner told me. I nodded, feeling a rush of relief fill my entire being. So this wasn’t the news I’d been expecting. The runner left the room, and I stood up from my stool. I gathered my things before walking out the room. * * * * I knocked on the door of Miss Patrick’s office. “Come in,” she called. I opened the door and walked into her wide office. Miss Patrick, the Harper guidance counselor, was a young woman with dark hair and a tall build. “Hello. Evangelina, is it?” she asked. I nodded. “That’s me.” “Please, sit,” she insisted, motioning toward a chair opposite of her desk. We both sat at the same time. “May I ask why I was requested to come here?” I inquired. “Oh, yes,” she said, “As I’ve been told by one of your classmates, you’ve been having some hard times lately with your family. Is that correct?” She rested her chin on her elbows, which sat on her desk’s top. I sighed, but nodded. I wrung my hands together uncomfortably. Was it Avery that told her? It probably was, considering I’d spoken to her less than four hours ago about these matters. “You don’t have to tell me the story, as I guess you’ve told it before. And I’m sure you don’t enjoy reciting it,” Miss Patrick assured, “But I have a group for the students here—for the students that have been having a rough time with anything. I’ve done it in the past, and it’s been successful. The students have enjoyed it.” I looked down. She continued, “I was wondering if you would like to join.” I ran a hand through my head of loose curls, contemplating her offer. “It’s not a commitment. We meet twice a week here, in my office. I know it’s good to be able to relate to others. So you can just come and visit to see if you like it. If you don’t, we’ll never force you to return.” I closed my eyes. Maybe I didn’t want other people knowing about my problems. Maybe I did. “Tell you what, Evangelina—you stay for an hour of our meeting, and if you don’t like it, you can leave,” Miss Patrick told me. I nodded. “I guess that’s okay.” She smiled. “Fantastic. Our first meeting of the year is tomorrow night,” she said. “Okay,” I responded curtly. “Thank you for coming, Miss Andres,” she said, smiling brightly. I stood from the chair I was sitting in and gave her a short goodbye before leaving the room as quickly as I could. (@Payton – I know I said that Lena THINKS that Avery was the one who told the guidance counselor about her family issues, but it was actually Julian, just so you know. :p)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Amazing post! And I liked how they met, so it's all good. I'll try to write soon; I've been babysitting my little sister and brother all day. :D

fungirl123 @Payton – sorry if you don’t like the meeting with Lena and Avery at the end. I needed someone to console her and Avery was the first person I thought of. :) ~Lena~ I must’ve cried myself to sleep, because I finally awoke in my bed, the covers nestled under my head like a pillow. I checked my clock, and I still had a half-hour until my alarm was supposed to go off at six AM. I looked over at Juliet. I could hear her steady breathing. I was wide awake now, so there was no going back to sleep. I slowly got out of bed and went over to the bathroom, walking as quietly as I could. The sun still hadn’t risen when I stripped out of my pajamas and got into the scalding hot water. I let it run over my head for a minute, my eyes closed, letting the steam clear my nose. Ten minutes later, I stepped out onto the cold tile floor. I felt a bit better taking a shower, but I still felt cruddy. I wrung the water out of my hair and then twisted it up onto a towel. I walked back out into the dorm and checked the clock. Seven-fifty-three. I fingered through my closet. I wasn’t really up for dressing up. I settled on a pair of black leggings and a grey sweater that had cute Disney design on it. (Outfit based on this: http://www.polyvore.com/untitled/set?id=56364732) As I was blow-drying my hair, I heard Juliet’s alarm go off. It was six-fifteen. I quickly turned off my dryer as not to annoy her. She groaned and turned her alarm off. I listened to her drag herself out of bed as I moisturized my face. “Lena, why the heck are you up this early? It’s Monday, for Jesus’ sake,” she moaned, her voice slurred as she rubbed her tired eyes. I shrugged. “I didn’t feel like sleeping today.” I brushed past her out into our room to let her use the bathroom. I slipped a grey beany on over my curls and added some Vans. I flipped on the overhead light finally when Juliet came out the bathroom awakened by a quick shower. Right below the lightswitch, there sat my small jewelry case. My eyes landed on the silver “BELIEVE” necklace that sat on top. It was the necklace my father had bought me for my fifteenth birthday. Tears welling up in my eyelids at the thought of my father, I slipped the necklace over my neck and clipped it into place. It dangled over my shirt. I quickly blinked back the tears and looked at myself in the mirror. The necklace twinkled in the light. Suddenly, I got the urge to call my family. I grabbed my cell phone and my jacket and muttered goodbyes to my roommate, then slipped from the room. The hallways were still dark. I took the stairs to the lounge and walked out the door. Everyone was still asleep in my dorm, even the lazy RA. I could hear Miss Kirstain’s snoring when I walked quietly past her door. The sun was only just poking out behind the clouds when I stepped outside. It was the purple-grey color. The sun was a sliver of light behind the hills, its rays fighting to make their way to show. I pulled my jacket tighter around me. Sitting down cross-legged on a bench, I called the landline at my house. “Hellooo?” slurred a tired voice. It was Olivia. Her school didn’t start until eight-thirty, so she wasn’t even close to waking up. “Hey, Livie. It’s Lena.” “Oh, hi,” she replied, sounding a bit caught off guard. “Sorry to wake you so early,” I apologized. A cool breeze glided through the buildings on campus. I shivered. “No, no, it’s fine. It’s nice to hear your voice again,” she said. “How’s everything there?” I asked, clearing my throat. Olivia sighed. “Not well,” she said, “Ever since Liam left again for South Carolina, it’s been too quiet here. It’s all routine. Mom drives me to school, I come home at the end of the day, we eat dinner, and we both go to bed. It’s lonely for her, I think. Not to have Dad calling every other day.” I felt a lump rise to my throat. I kept trying to blink away the tears, but they slowly cascaded my cheeks. “I know, I know. Ell and I’ll be home the second we get time,” I told her, sniffling a bit. “Don’t feel the need to, Len. You’re busy in New York, and so is Elliot. Just come home for Thanksgiving, okay? And if we hear any news of Dad—“ “You can’t think like that, Olivia Andres!” I interrupted, knowing the words she was about say: …any news of Dad dying. I could hear my fourteen-year-old sister begin to sob. “I’m sorry, Lena,” she cried, “But how else are we supposed to face the facts?” Tears fell from my eyes. I felt them splatter onto my arms. “But shouldn’t we keep hoping? That seems like all we have now.” Olivia sobbed once. “I’m trying. But it’s so hard. It really is,” she said. I finally broke into sobs along with her, my body heaving with them. “I know it is. Just don’t stop. Please—“ I looked up as I felt a warm hand on my arm. A figure materialized in front of me through my tears. I saw it was Avery Fuller, Jenson’s roommate and the girl who had helped me that first week of school. “Are you okay?” she asked softly. She was dressed like she was running. I nodded, a sob hitting me like a rock. I turned around and continued consoling my sister. It was almost like I was trying to convince MYSELF of these things, not her. “Len?” she whispered. “Yes, Olivia?” “I need to go now,” she said. “Okay,” I replied, pulling my knees up to my chest and burying my face in them. “I love you, Lena.” “I love you, too, Olivia,” I replied. “I know. Bye.” I hung up. I turned around, trying to wipe away the tears. Avery still sat there, looking concerned. She scooted closer to me and hugged me tightly. “You don’t even know me, though,” I sobbed, squeezing my eyes shut. I did hug her back. “I know that. But I couldn’t just let you sit here and cry all by yourself,” she soothed. I sat back. She continued. “I’ve been doing that enough lately. And it’s no good to do it by yourself.” Avery smiled. “Thank you,” I responded, pressing the heels of my hands to my eyes to stop the flow of tears. “So do you want to tell me what’s happened?” she asked softly. Her kindness made me reveal everything to her. It was a short story, but she listened like I was telling a long tale. When I was finished, I once again broke down into tears. She waited a moment before speaking. “So we’re both going through trials in life, I guess.” I looked up. My crying slowly faded away. “What happened to you?” She looked pained. I regretted asking immediately. But she told me. “My friend—she tried to…kill herself…” Avery looked away. I drew in a short breath. “That’s horrible.” She nodded. “I mean, she didn’t succeed…but still…” “It feels like it anyway,” I said, finishing off her sentence to spare her the upsetting thoughts. She stared at me. “That’s exactly what it feels like. How do you know?” Avery tilted her head to the side. I looked at my hands. “It feels like my dad’s dead even though we don’t even know it yet.” She nodded. “I understand.” She shielded her eyes from the sun as it finally poked completely through the clouds. “Looks like I should be going to get ready now,” Avery concluded, looking down at her running attire. “Thanks for the help, Avery,” I said, looking up at her as she stood from the bench. She smiled. “No problem. I think this actually helped me, too.” And she walked away, her figure turning darkening against the sun. (A/N: I was planning to write more, but this was getting longer than intended so I decided against it. I’ll write another paragraph for it. ^.^)

fungirl123 And I just realized I thought forever ago about writing about Lena's birthday, but I never did get to it. :\ That's another thing I'll hopefully post about today...

fungirl123 @Payton - hahah, I don't know either. :) I heard about it because my sister's friend was sent to a community one after a bunch of family issues. :| I'm guessing they just talk about what's been going on with them, both happy and depressing topics. :p Thanks, BTW! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Oh, I have a question for you. What do they talk about in those at-risk groups? How and why they're depressed, their feelings, or.. what exactly? Sorry, I just don't know much about them. :(

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Amazing post! I'll try to write soon. <3

fungirl123 @Payton – you can start writing about that group we talked about if you’d like. :D ~Lena~ I ran as fast as I could after Corey, who walked hastily back to his car. Finally, I caught up with him enough to grab his arm. He spun around to face me. “Core…,” I stuttered, searching for the right words. What could I say? Hey, Corey, I’m sorry I just kissed another guy. But that was the thing. I didn’t regret doing it. I felt horrible for it, but I didn’t regret the act of kissing Julian. It was like I was getting the world straightened out finally. But then there was Corey. Sweet, lovable Corey. He’d done nothing wrong. He’d never hurt me. And he stood before me, looking hurt. I’d pained him. “What did I do wrong, Lena?” His voice came out in a whisper. I took his hand. He didn’t jerk away. I led him over to a bench, where we both took a seat. “I’m so sorry, Corey.” He nodded. “I know that, Lena. But how do you feel about that other—“ I put my hand to his cheek and looked at him. “I love you, Corey. I always will. But…” “Just not in a romantic way anymore,” he said, finishing my sentence of. He laughed a bit, and not bitterly. Corey was distraught. I could see it in his eyes. It killed me on the inside. “I never wanted to hurt you. You need to know that. I just got lost in another world,” I told him, scooting closer to him. “I know. You’ve been lost lately,” he replied, looking away from me, “I’ve been worried about you…here.” And with that, the tears sprung from my eyelids. “I didn’t know what to do,” I said, looking down as the tears fell onto my arms. “I know, Lena,” I heard Corey say. I looked up at him. This wasn’t the point of the conversation. I needed to get out what needed to be said. “Core, I can’t stay with you. I feel like I need to be on my own for awhile,” I said, wiping away the tears as they continued to slide down my cheeks and nose and jaw line. “I understand, Lena. I don’t blame you,” he said. “But you have to get my point, Corey. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I’ve hurt you so much. This isn’t you at all. It’s me,” I said, my voice more of a begging tone. He looked even more pained than before when I said that. “It’s just going to be so hard to move on, Len. Two years…two years…” He was saying it more to himself than to me. I nodded, and put my other hand to his cheek, cupping his face in my hands. “There is another girl out there. It’s just not me.” He pulled away. “I get it,” he whispered. I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He was stiff at first, then he embraced me back. I laid my head on his shoulder. “I’ll miss you, Lena,” he said. I smiled as a tear fell onto Corey’s shoulder. “I feel the same. I just need time to figure my life out right now. A guy doesn’t fit into the picture,” I told him, pulling back. He stood up slowly. “I guess I should get going now.” He walked away. I watched him get into his car and drive away. I sat on the bench still, staring at the parking spot where Corey had parked his car. He was gone. Corey was out of my life. It should be a relief, I thought to myself. I should feel a weight lifted off my shoulders now that I could focus on personal life a bit more. But as I thought about it, plenty more problems awaited me. I looked toward Roosevelt Hall…and I was reminded of another issue: the guy who probably still sat inside it. I reluctantly stood up. My legs felt weak as I made my way toward Roosevelt Hall. What I had said to Corey was thought up in that moment, but it was true. I couldn’t handle a guy in my life at the moment. I looked inside the window my dorm to the lounge. The lights were off. No one was there. And I didn’t know whether I was relieved or upset that Julian had left. I waited outside for a moment, half-expecting him to walk around the corner so we could talk. But then I headed inside. Juliet had checked in early, because she was already in her bed with the lights turned off. I looked out my window, which looked out over the front lawn and onto the road. That was where Corey’s car had driven not long ago. That was the route he took on his way home. I wondered how he felt now. Had he really accepted that apology? I lay down on my bed over the covers, kicking off my heels and pulling off my sweater. And the tears sprung from my eyes once again.

fungirl123 I'm writing right now. :) I'll probably post it tomorrow after when I finish it.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- No problem. :)

fungirl123 @Payton - thanks! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! :D

fungirl123 You guys have no idea how long it took this page to load!! :P I said I would post today, so I will. :D The song at the end of this is old, and it’s called Love is All That Matters. I can’t remember the artist, but here’s the link to all the lyrics: http://www.poemhunter.com/song/love-is-all-that-matters-2/ ~Lena~ (Outfit: http://lookbook.nu/look/4382377-Scream-and-Shout) My fingers shook as I stepped into my dress. My hair was straightened, and my feet were enclosed in black heels. I slid the brown sweater over my bare shoulders. “I’m going out,” I told Juliet, before closing the door behind me. She was doing homework. Corey was meeting me by the fountain outside of my dorm. I walked to the elevator and stepped in. What a day, I thought to myself. My hands still shook from the initial shock of it all. I couldn’t believe I’d let myself go that far with Julian. This was no different than cheating. I was a cheater. But Corey would be sad if I said I couldn’t make it tonight. He was right, after all. We hadn’t spent an evening out together in a long time. And tonight was about Corey. Julian had been on my guilty mind all day, and tonight was for Corey. The elevator dinged, and I stepped out of the opening doors. Students were just getting into their rooms for that Sunday night. I was just leaving mine. I pushed open the door of my dorm. A breeze tickled my shoulders. Corey wasn’t there yet. I looked at my cell phone. It was seven-oh-two PM. We were meeting each other at seven o’clock. I mentally shrugged it off. It was two minutes. I sat down on the water fountain’s edge. This was the same place Corey and I had been kissing before I’d left for London…when Julian had walked over to see me kissing him. I could still remember the hot sensation on my cheeks when we’d been interrupted. I could still remember the smile that played on his lips as he handed me the rose. How our hands brushed together as he gave it to me. I felt an ache in my stomach, and I forced the thought of Julian out of my mind. I looked at my cell phone. My eyes bulged when I saw the time: seven-thirty. It couldn’t have been THAT long already. I sighed. Something was probably keeping him at the hotel. Maybe there was a traffic jam. It was New York City, for crying out loud. There was a traffic jam every five minutes. I would wait another ten minutes, I told myself. He would surely be there by then. I looked up. The night had taken over the area. In Michigan, you could see millions of stars covering the sky. They were like a nightlight. But in the city, with all the streetlights, you couldn’t see a thing. I bit down on my lip. The thought made me miss home. I missed Dad. I just wanted him to call me and say he would be okay. I wanted to know that he would be okay. Why did we have war? Why did we have to threaten each other? Why couldn’t the world just be at peace with all its countries? Daddy had always been one of peace and integrity, but he also said that in order to have peace, we needed war. It was true. That was why he’d joined the military. I could feel the tears burning the back of my eyes as I thought about him. I missed riding around in his vintage-y convertible Mustang to get ice cream. I missed going on bike rides to explore the town we had just moved to. I missed everything about him. I fought back the tears. If Corey were to show up at any second, I didn’t want him to see me crying. It would ruin the night. The campus was empty now. Everyone was in their rooms going to finish up homework for tomorrow’s classes. I felt like the only one in the entire world. I looked around me, and my eyes fell on the person walking down the sidewalk about thirty feet from me, their feet slapping the pavement. They materialized from the darkness, and I saw that it was Julian. I quickly hid my face. Why did he, of all people, have to be out and about right now? The footsteps grew closer. I didn’t look at him. “Lena?” I slowly raised my head, feeling quite childish. “What?” I asked, my voice a harsh whisper. “Are you waiting for someone?” he asked. Julian was wearing grey sweatpants and a black sweatshirt with a Nike sign on it. I didn’t want to admit to him that I was waiting for Corey. I shrugged. It was neither a yes, nor a no. I took out my phone again to check the time. It was nearly seven-forty-five now. What was keeping my boyfriend so long? “It’s not a hard question, Lena,” Julian said, laughing lightly. “I don’t have to say anything to you, Julian!” I stated, much harsher than intended. He didn’t seem surprised by that. “If you get bored tonight, since maybe someone decided to ditch you, we should hang out. I’m bored, anyways.” Had he completely forgotten about what had taken place this morning? I shook my head. “No, sorry.” He didn’t need more than that. He shrugged, and slowly turned to walk away. ~JULIAN’S P.O.V~ I walked slowly. I wanted her to change her mind. I needed to talk to her. “Wait!” My heart leapt. I whirled around. Lena and hopped off the fountain ledge. She walked toward me. “Sure,” she said, “I’m bored anyway.” I smiled, and we fell into step next to each other. “Know of any place with a piano?” I asked, smirking at my feet. “My dorm has one in the lounge,” she replied, phrasing it in confusion like a question. I smiled at her. “I just have something I want to show you,” I said, holding the sheet music in my pocket. We swung open the door of Roosevelt Hall. It was dark. She led me toward a large grey piano that was positioned in a corner. She sat down at it as I flipped on the light. I slid down onto the bench next to her. I put the sheet music up on the holder and put my fingers on the piano. My fingers slid over the keys as I pressed each note. I opened my mouth, and sung the first word: “Love for giving, Love for good, Love to keep us faithful, After all is said and done, Love is all that matters” Lena smiled. She’d never heard me sing before. I sang the second stanza: “Got this beautiful situation, I’ve finally found out, What life’s about, Want to talk about it, In my conversation, Going to tell the world, Going to sing it, From the highest mountain top” Her gaze followed my fingers as they graced the keys. The reason that I wanted to sing this to her was unknown. I’d written it all today. “Love for giving, Love for good, Love to keep us faithful, After all is said and done, Love is all that matters,” I continued. I felt her hand touch my cheek. I continued playing and singing the next verse, but I was staring right at Lena. Right into her beautiful eyes, which were the colors of a tropical sea. Her face moved closer to mine, and I realized we were both leaning forward. I closed my eyes, and felt her lips against mine. It felt like an electric shock had been sent through me. I kept my hands at my sides as her soft lips graced mine. I could feel her smiling. She pulled away, and smiled at me. “I don’t regret that,” she whispered. I nodded, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her light pink lips. Suddenly, her eyes shot up. She drew in a sharp breath. “C-Cor-Corey…,” she whispered. I twisted around. A guy with dark hair stood at the window of Roosevelt Hall, looking in on us. Even in the darkness of outside, I could still see the hurt in his eyes. He stared for a moment, not at me, but at Lena. Then she leapt from the piano bench and ran away. (Note: I was going to write more in Lena’s POV, but it’s the night of Christmas Eve so it’s kind of hard to write about something sad… ;D)

fungirl123 @Payton - great post! :D I'm working on one for Writer's World, then I'm going to write for this club tomorrow. ^.^ We're having a movie night at my aunt's house tonight. :p

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry if this is choppy; I just felt the need to post something before Christmas. :) ~Avery~ (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/nike_total_blackout/set?id=64947073) Rain or shine, sleet or snow, Cross-Country cancelled for nothing except lightning. Spencer stood beside me, looking up at the cloudy sky, squinting through the raindrops pouring down on us. “Sometimes, I really do hate this sport,” he said, grinning back down at me. I laughed, leaning into his embrace. Practice had just ended, and now we were walking back to the building. “Can I ask you something?” he asked suddenly, coming to an abrupt stop. “Sure,” I said, “Anything.” “Are you depressed?” My mouth dropped open. How could he just ask something like that? I clamped my mouth shut again, shaking my head. I could already feel the tears in my eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean? How could you even ask me something like that?” I cried. It was probably nothing to get worked up over, but I couldn’t help it. “Calm down,” he said gently, “You just seem really sad and upset lately.” “No. I am NOT depressed,” I said, shaking my head. A tear fell down the side of my face, remembering Kirsten. I quickly wiped the tear away with my thumb. “If you’re not depressed,” he whispered, “Then why are you crying?” I tried to say something, but I couldn’t. How could I? Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I broke down, tears streaming down my face and sobs causing my entire body to shake. “Avery?” he asked worriedly, “What’s wrong? Please tell me.” “I can’t,” I whimpered, sitting down in front of the school and burying my face in my hands. “Of course you can. I won’t tell anyone, I promise,” he whispered, sitting down beside me. Getting no response from me, he gently put his arm around me, whispering again, “Ave?” I looked up, my hands shaking. “Remember when I told you about my friends back home in Denver?” I asked, my voice soft. “Yeah...” “Well, one of them tried to commit suicide,” I said bluntly. As soon as the words came out, I broke down again. “I’m so sorry, Avery. I had no idea,” Spencer whispered, pulling me closer to him. I sobbed into his chest. “It’s all my fault. I wasn’t there enough for her in her time of need. I should have never, ever came to this stupid school. Who cares about my talents if my friend is depressed and wants to kill herself? I hate myself for abandoning her and coming here,” I sobbed. Comfortingly, Spencer rubbed my back, resting his chin on top of my head. “Don’t say that, Avery. Of course you should have came here. It’s a great opportunity to come here... You were chosen.” “I don’t care,” I wept. Spencer was silent, waiting for my tears and crying come to an end. When they finally did, he pulled back. Gently, he wiped my salty tears away with his thumb. “Avery, it isn’t your fault. I know that you’ve convinced yourself that it is, but it’s not. There’s no way you could have stopped her, even if you were home.” His voice was low, and by this point we were both soaked from the rain and my tears. “But I feel like... like that were something that I could have done,” I squeaked. He sighed, shutting his eyes for a moment. When they opened, I could tell he wasn’t sure exactly what he should say. Finally, he spoke. “I’m worried about you.” “Don’t be,” I said, shaking my head, “There’s nothing to worry about.” He hesitated, but then said, “But there is, Avery. What if you get even more depressed? It’s not healthy,” he said. “I’m NOT depressed!” I cried angrily. He raised an eyebrow. “If you say so.” There was a tense silence between us, and then I said, “I’m sorry, Spence. I didn’t mean to snap at you.” He shrugged, giving me a weak smile. “It’s okay, Avery. You’re going through a lot right now. I get it.” He stood, and then helped me up. “Let’s get inside. I’m soaked,” he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. As we walked inside, I said a silent prayer in hopes that he would just let the whole “depressed” thing go by and not tell anyone. But something told me that he wasn’t about to let it go.

fungirl123 @Payton - hahah, I still wish I could get a day off! :D Right now, I'm finishing a chapter of Chasing Dreams, then I'm going to try and write some for this club.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- We only got a couple inches, but there was a lot of ice before the snow so it's super slick outside and the drifts outside in the country were really high. Anyway, can't wait to read what you write! :D

fungirl123 @Payton - I WISH we had that much snow. We're supposed to get a light "dusting" of snow...but that means it'll just be gone the next day. :( I'm going to write tonight, since it's the only night I'm not busy.

taylorswiftfan1233 I'm going to try to write some more today because they cancelled school for me. We got a lot of snow and the winds are really high.(:

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Okay, sounds good.(:

fungirl123 @Payton - yeah, soon. :) There's something that's going to happen with Corey and Lena and Julian though, so it'll be after that. ^.^

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat- Great post!(: @Haley- Great post! Do you want to write about the first at risk meeting, since I don't really know what goes on at those? Or are we going to wait a little while?(:

fungirl123 @Kat – great post! :D ~Lena~ Shock filled me as I stood frozen on the dance floor. Everyone watched. “Aren’t you excited I’m here?” Corey asked, his voice suddenly sorrowful. I tried to smile. “Of course,” I replied. I turned around, trying to think of what to say to Julian, but he had vanished from the scene. Although, when I looked over the crowd of people, I saw him exiting the building. I bit my lip. The music around us stopped, and a voice suddenly came over the speakers. “Hello, everyone! How are you enjoying your Homecoming?” I whirled around just in time to see Emmaline stalking onto the stage, her black hair bouncing. She looked different. “Emmaline?!” I cried out, trying to figure out whether I was angry, or just purely stunned. My legs quickly regained strength, and I hustled out of the room, my heels clicking on the marble floor. My insides burned, and I had to stop to catch my breath. I sat down on a bench, and buried my face in my hands, the sobs racking through me. They had hit me like a boulder. I had never known what people meant when they said the crying had just hit them and they couldn’t help it, but suddenly I was feeling that. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Corey looming above me, his face solemn. “Who was that up there?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I shook my head, feeling too exhausted to tell him. “It doesn’t matter. I just feel so hurt and…and…” My voice trailed off as a fresh wave of sobs hit me. How could Emmaline just come? It felt like she was trying to ruin my night. She had probably just come there to make me look stupid in front of everyone. She was probably laughing when she saw the look on my face. The cries faded away, and I heaved a sigh. “I hate to do this on the night of our reunion,” I said, looking over at Corey, who had taken a seat on the bench next to me. “You can’t help what other people do, babe,” he said, shrugging. “Maybe I should just get some sleep,” I offered up, trying to hide the last of my weeping. He nodded. “I’ll help you back to your dorm.” He put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him. He doesn’t have a signature smell like Julian, I thought to myself, but quickly dismissed the thought. I should’ve been thinking about only Corey, not Julian. We came to Roosevelt Hall, and he walked me up to my room, forgetting about the rules that guys couldn’t be in there past a certain time. Once behind the closed doors of my room, he took a seat on my couch while I went to the bathroom and took off my dress. I put on a loose-fitting nightgown and walked back out into my room. “Thanks for coming back with me,” I cooed, kissing his cheek and whispering into his ear. My blue-black hair fell in his face. “I should be getting back to the hotel now,” he said, pulling back a little bit. I smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow night,” he continued. “Tomorrow night?” I asked, tilting my head to show my confusion. “Yes, when I come pick you up for a date, something we haven’t had in a few months,” he said, smirking. I laughed. “Okay. Bye, love,” I told him, embracing him once more. He held me tight for a moment, his chin resting on the top of my head. “I love you, Lena.” I smiled. “I know,” I said. * * * * Ms. Hudson and Mr. Fields sent me a notice to my room telling me to run over Scene II with Julian as soon as I possibly could. He texted me first, telling me to meet me in his room. I quickly got dressed, throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt over my tank top. I grabbed my script, which was now in a bright pink binder, and walked out the door. Juliet was still fast asleep. I had only exchanged simple pleasantries, since she hadn’t made any effort to speak to me. I grabbed a coffee on the way to Jefferson Hall, and quickly found myself knocking on the door to Elliot and Julian’s room. I had told Julian I was coming strictly for business, not about my personal life. He should understand, but he hadn’t replied to that text. Elliot opened the door. “Hey,” he greeted. I smiled, and walked past him through the door. If he had seen the incident from last night, it would be awkward with him, even IF he was my twin brother. I glanced around the room, and saw Julian laying on his bed, partially sitting up on top of the made-up covers, his eyes glued to the page of a book. Finally, he shut it and looked up. “Hi, Lena.” “Hey.” I looked back at Elliot, who was getting on his jacket. “I’m going to hang out with some friends today. See you guys later,” he said before disappearing out the door and closing it behind him. The vibe had suddenly changed, and I felt my face grow hot. “Ready to start?” he asked expectantly. (NOTE: This is kind of different from the actual play, and I know it’s not good to change a script, but I wanted it to fit in with the scene with Julian and Lena. ^.^) Part of me wanted to see what he thought about last night, but then I realized that we needed to focus on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, not the reality of life. “Let’s start with the end of one,” I said. He nodded. “’Oh, Lysander,’” I cried out, matching the words of the script. I had my binder at my feet, although I already knew all my lines. “’ If then true lovers have been ever crossed, it stands as an edict in destiny: then let us teach our trial patience,’” I continued, adding the emotion of Hermia into the words. She was fighting for her love. I looked up, expecting Julian to state his lines for Lysander, but he was just staring at me. His sapphire-blue eyes looked weakened. “Juli—“ Before I could finish, his face was inching closer to mine. Then he pressed his lips against mine. ~Julian’s POV~ Lena lips were the softest I’d ever felt. She was stiff at first, then she loosened against me, and I felt her eyelashes on mine as her eyelids fluttered closed. I pulled her closer to me, keeping my arms tight around her waist. I didn’t want to let go, but I wasn’t going to let us go farther than kissing. Her arms slithered around my neck. Her hands were soft as she ran her fingers through my auburn hair. I pulled away, giving her a moment to breathe, and pressed my lips to her collarbone. I could feel her chest heaving with her breaths. She said nothing. Slowly, she moved on top of me. I caught a glimpse of her open eyes before she closed them again. They were glassy, like she was about to start crying. I stared at her for a moment as she sat on top of me. I had to crane my neck to look at her face, which was masked by her blue-black curls. My heart throbbed everywhere in my body. I kissed her lips again for a moment – knowing it would be the last – then she suddenly yanked away. “Julian—“ “I’m sorry!” I cried out, interrupting her cries. “I can’t believe you did that, Julian!” Her voice sounded anything but angry. She was upset, though. Her voice sounded like she’d just heard the worst news ever, something she didn’t want to hear. There was vulnerability in her voice, also, like she didn’t know what to do next. “I can’t believe I did it either. I just couldn’t hel—“ “Don’t say you couldn’t help it, Julian. That doesn’t help my situation. I have a boyfriend, who I have plans with for TONIGHT!” she exclaimed. I watched as the tears streamed down her face. She was indecipherable, Lena was. She just didn’t know what to do. I instantly regretted what I had just done. She was lost in life, and I hadn’t done anything to help it. I had taken advantage of her feebleness.

kjm109 Sorry this is short, I just wanted to post something for this club. *Juliet* “That dance was so fun!” I think flopping down on my bed now in my pajamas. Evangelina was just walking out of the bathroom also in her pajamas. I give her a slight smile and begin reading my book not feeling the need to be any nicer to her than that. Shortly after she turns off her light I turn off mine and quickly fall asleep**** “Morning,” I mumble making my way past Evangelina who is just now waking up. I take a quick shower and throw on my outfit for dance class. When I leave the bathroom Lena is standing in her closet trying to decide what to wear. I simply ignore her and make my way downstairs for breakfast. **** “Come now, a roundel and a fairy song. then for the third part of a minute, hence- Some to kill cankers in the musk- rose buds, some war with reremice for their leathern wings to make my small elves coat, and some keep back at our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep. Then to your offices and let me rest.” I say acting out the part of Titania on the vast stage. The tech crew is in the back making sets and us actors are trying to rehearse over the banging of hammers and saws. I watch with envy as Lena acts out the part of Hermia. She is good but I still feel like I could do ten times better. We end the scene and start again trying to get it perfect. We have been doing this for the past week, going over scenes over and over again until they are perfect. The next scene we practice I am not in so I leave the stage and make my way to where the others not in this scene are sitting. We whisper to each other as the scene progresses noting mistakes and other things we see wrong. Thankfully the people on stage can’t here us over the noise from back stage, otherwise they may have been offended. After we are dismissed I leave the theater and head to my core classes for some good old math, reading, and writing.

fungirl123 @Lexi - okay, awesome! :D

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I replied! <3 @Everyone- I might write another post tonight, depending on the time I get out of the game and finish my HW. :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - about to email you! :D

fungirl123 @Lexi/Payton - great posts! :D My best friend and I are going to see 1D in Columbus next summer. ^.^ I literally have a countdown...

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Haha, it's okay(: And ikr? My Christmas list consists entirely of One Direction merchandise. My mom is like, "No way." :( Oh well, though. :)

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Oh, and I hope you don't mind the part about Avery I added in. I just figured that since they never really knew each other I should start building their friendship. ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Oh trust me, I know how it feels... :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- I love One Direction! <3 But I'm not obsessed, I'm just a very dedicated fan!(:

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Thank you! <3 If you love One Direction, then I'm pretty sure you're going to like what's going to happen next...(;

LexilicousCandy LOL guys, I'm so tired it's ridic. :P AND ITS ONLY 9 O'CLOCK. :/ What is going on. -.- I'll continue writing tomorrow. :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Aww, thank you! ^.^ Amazing post! I can't wait to see what happens next<3

LexilicousCandy Sorry if this is really awkward and choppy. My writings just not at its peak today for some odd reason, and I didn't edit anything. :p (Song: Unbroken by Demi Lovato— http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4XGBNWkECM) ~Emmaline~ Nerves fill my stomach as I spot the campus looming ahead of us. Stepping out of the car onto the pavement causes a chill to go throughout my body; I am standing in this chill night in nothing but my dance outfit after all. “Come on, Em!” Valerie calls, dragging me to the back entrance where I’ll sneak in and get dressed, since none of the student body knows I’m to perform tonight. James and Valerie hug me good luck before winking and escaping into the crowd of unsuspecting students. If only they knew that they were grinding with a British prince… “Emmaline, you’re outfit is waiting for you,” a stagehand informs me, guiding me to my impromptu dressing room and shutting the door shut before I can even say thank you. I study the cramped space and notice a rack in the corner of the room, where my clothes for tonight are hanging. I eye the short, black, skirt before stripping off my dance ensemble and slipping the skirt on. It feels like I’m wearing a tutu, with the waistband sitting right underneath my belly button. The sequined top, however, stops a few inches above my belly button and is strapless. Luckily, there’s also a cropped varsity jacket that I add overtop, along with a black beaded necklace, bangles, and Vans. Originally it was planned for me to wear heels, but in the end we opted for a more comfortable option. One of the students in the beauty department came to do my hair and makeup, hiding my newly blonde locks with a black wig, and adding a glittery smoky eye and red lipstick for my make-up. Overall I felt very dolled-up just for a small gig performing at a high school homecoming, although in reality everyone else would probably be more dressed up than I. (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/untitled/set?id=61772143) “We’re ready for you now,” the same stagehand from before deadpans, staring at me blankly. “Thank you,” I blurt out, right before being pushed out of the room. I come out just in time to hear them announce Lena, I mean Evangelina, as homecoming Queen. A smile spreads over my face as I cheer and clap for my old friend, and what’s even better is that Julian is homecoming King. My smile drops when I see Corey walk up and tap Julian on his shoulder, interrupting their first dance. I see him say a few words and watch as Lena’s smiles deflates just as quickly, if not quicker, than mine. From the back of the room James nods at me, and I know it’s my time to go on stage. “Hello, everyone! How are you all enjoying you’re homecoming?” I ask, yelling into my earpiece/mic. Shouts rise from all around the room, especially one in particular. “Emmaline?!” Lena calls from in between Julian and Corey, looking bewildered and confused. I smile and nod, looking away to find Jenson. She beams and waves at me, jumping up and down to catch my eye. I wave before continuing with my speech. “Some of you might know me from my brief time at Mrs. Harpers, or even recognize me from various tabloids, and I’m going to answer the question you’re all probably thinking. Yes, my name is Emmaline Middleton, and yes, I am who you suspect I am. When Mrs. Harper contacted me about performing for you guys, I’m not going to lie, I was a little hesitant. Did you already know? Have you been watching me on X-factor every week? How would you react? They were daunting thoughts, and while I was reluctant at first, here I am today. So, what do you say? Do you want to hear me sing?” “YEAH!” Smiling, I take a deep breath and launch into Unbroken. ♪ “Locked up tight, like I would never feel again. Stuck in some kind of love prison, and threw away the key…” ♪ After performing a few more songs, I thank the crowd and run off stage into the crowd towards Jenson and Juliet. “Em, I’ve missed you! Where have you been? I love watching you on the X-factor,” Jenson gushes, wrapping her arms around me. “I’ve missed you too, it’s so quiet without you around,” I tease, laughing and hugging her back. “You did great,” Juliet praises, enveloping me in a quick hug. “Thank you. I love you’re dress,” I compliment. “Thanks, Jenson made our dresses,” Juliet says, smiling at a blushing Jenson. “No I didn’t… OK, yes I did. Aren’t they wonderful?!” She squeals, fingering the fabric with admiration in her eyes. She truly loves fashion. “They are amazing, you did wonderful, Jenson,” I gush. “Thank you, I worked hard on them.” “You all look beautiful,” I assure her, stepping away and eyeing my friends, who truly do look lovely. “Us?! What about you; you sure look different,” Jenson states, fingering my short curls in fascination. “It’s a wig,” I say, pulling it off to let out my blonde hair. “You dyed it? When?” Juliet asks, crinkling her eyes in confusion. “Yup,” I reply, nonchalantly, popping the p. “Umm… a little while after my, uh, break-up,” I mutter, looking down at my glittery Vans. “Oh, wow, um, I don’t know what to say. Sorry,” she apologizes, realizing how awkward it just got. “OH MY GOD, YOU GOT A TATTOO?!” Leave it to Jenson to change the subject and clear the air. “Two actually, I had to fight her on the second one,” a masculine voice responds, his tone sounding amused. I feel a hand rest on my lower back and look back to see Prince James standing beside me, Valerie next to him. “Woah, woah, woah. Who’s the guy?” Jenson questions, eyeing James up and down. I hold back my smirk. “This is Pri- …James. My friend, James. Just James. And my best friend form home, Valerie,” I introduce, pushing Val forward. “Hello,” James replies courteously, bowing down and grabbing Jenson’s hand, placing a light kiss on it, causing her to blush and stutter. “Hi,” Valerie says shortly, her eyes darting around the room. “Who are you looking for?” I inquire, trying to see what she’s looking for. “What? Oh, nothing,” she says quickly. Too quickly. “OK…” “So, what tattoos do you have?” Juliet interrupts, pulling me back into the conversation. “Tattoos, right. Well, I got this done today,” I say, pointing to my wrist. “And I also have a heart on my foot that I got not to terribly long ago.” (Tattoo: http://www.ingodshands.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/heart-tattoo-heel-foot.jpg) “That’s so cute,” a girl, with a gorgeous purple dress and bright blue eyes, that I didn’t notice before compliments from beside Jenson. “Thank you! You must be Avery? I’m Emmaline; we never really formally met,” I greet, extending my hand out to hers. “Yes, it’s great to meet you…” she trails off, her eyes landing on a tall blonde guy in the corner of the room. “Go… don’t lose your chance, like I did,” I whisper, nodding at her encouragingly. I watch her take a deep breath and mutter to herself, slowly heading towards the crowd of kids in the corner. She gives me a thumbs-up and I return the gesture, a bright smile on my face. I turn around just in time to see a familiar face walk on the stage. “HARRY?!”

LexilicousCandy *^.^

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Thanks, and I loved yours, no matter the length! ^.6 The ending was so sweet! <3 @Everyone- I should be posting again soon. :)

taylorswiftfan1233 Wow, that was longer than I realized. Oops. :P @Lexi- Great post! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 I ended up just skipping over Avery's visit back home. But I'll have Avery talk to Spencer about it later, just to give you guys an idea of what happened. :) ~Avery~ I walked through the dorm room door, running a hand through my sweaty hair. I had just gotten done running almost six miles. I was completely worn out. “Avery!” Jensen cried, jumping up from her bed where she had been doing her homework. I gave her a tired smile. “Hey, Jensen.” “Your dress is ready!” she said, pulling me farther into the dorm room. She quickly shut the door before making me sit down on my bed and wait for her to go get it. She disappeared into her closet, and then stepped out holding a hanger with a gorgeous purple dress on it. (Dress: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD698167) “Oh my god! Jensen! I can’t believe you designed that!” I squealed, my energy suddenly coming back to me all at once. “You like it?” Jensen asked, smiling. “No! I love it!” I cried. She handed it to me and I took it from her, running my fingers over the fabric. It was perfect. “Thanks so much!” I said, giving her a hug. “Ew, you’re all sweaty,” she joked, pushing me back. I laughed. “You’re welcome,” she added, giving me a smile, “And after you take a shower, I want you to try it on!” I nodded eagerly, grabbing the dress and running into the bathroom. *** I studied myself in the mirror, admiring myself. This was the most gorgeous dress I had worn in my entire life and I wasn’t sure if I had ever looked more perfect. I had gotten ready with Juliet and Jensen, but I had gotten my hair done with a few girls from the cross-country team. (Hair: http://0.tqn.com/d/prom/1/0/G/P/-/-/TSwift_SideCurlyBun.jpg) “You look fabulous,” Jensen said, giving me a smile. I grinned, twirling around a little. “Thanks, Jensen! You do, too,” I said, giving her a smile. I finished putting on my mascara and then we left to go to the dance. *** “Hey!” Spencer greeted, giving me a wide grin. I gave him a smile. Even I couldn’t be mad tonight. “Hey!” I said. “You look... amazing,” he said, looking almost at a loss for words as he took in my outfit. “Thanks, Spencer. You don’t look so bad yourself,” I said, smiling at him and elbowing him lightly in the ribs. He chuckled, but before I could say anything else, Ashley Meyers, a girl from our cross-country team, came over and tugged at Spencer’s arm. “Come on, Spence! Let’s dance!” she cooed, tossing her long, blonde hair over her shoulders. Spencer looked hesitant, like he wanted to tell her no. “Go ahead,” I said, forcing a smile as he looked from me to Ashley. “Fine,” Spencer said, giving Ashley a strained smile. She smiled, dragging him out onto the dancefloor. For a moment, I just stood there watching them. Despite everything good that was happening tonight, or no matter how pretty I looked, I knew I could never compete with Ashley. She was a really pretty blonde; she barely sweated during practice and she was flawless. Practically a Barbie. And as much as I hated to admit it, I wasn’t over Spencer. I sank down in a chair beside Lena, feeling a sharp pang in my chest as I realized that I had wanted to win him back tonight, or at least make him notice me. Deep down inside, that was all I had ever wanted. But now, as I watched them dance, his arms wrapped around her waist and her arms wrapped around his neck, I realized that they looked perfect together. I was nothing compared to Ashley. I was helpless. “Why aren’t you out there dancing?” Lena asked. As she said it, I realized once again that this wasn’t where I fit in... I would rather be out running right now. And to be honest... I hadn’t been very happy since the Kirsten incident. “I’m not really in the mood anymore,” I said, shrugging, “But I never really was, I guess. What about you?” “I don’t know who I’m supposed to dance with,” Lena said, her voice sounding flat. “Oh.” Suddenly, a guy appeared, two glasses of punch in his hands. “Sorry it took me so long. I got caught up with my music teacher,” he told Lena. Lena stood up and introduced us. “Avery, this is Julian. Julian, this is Avery.” We shook hands. “Nice to meet--” I began, only to get cut off by a teacher’s voice. “Now it’s time to introduce this year’s Homecoming Queen and King.” “I guess we’d better go up there,” I said. The three of us walked up to the stage where practically every teenger was gathered. I saw Ashley leaning on Spencer, whispering something in his ear. Spencer glanced at me, our eyes locking. He tried to smile, but the corners of his mouth turned back down as if he couldn’t. I looked away, my cheeks burning. “Homecoming Queen is...” There was a pause. I took in the sight of all the girls around me, crossing their fingers, their eyes squeezed shut in hope. “Evangelina, where are you?” the teacher asked into a microphone, her eyes scanning the crowd. A look of pure shock was maske over Lena’s face. She hadn’t thought that was coming. I smiled a little, giving her a shove forward. “She’s right here!” I cried. We all watched as she and Julian accepted their Homecoming Queen and King crowns, and then I stood back, watching as they danced. Some guy cut in on them, surprising me. Julian and Lena seemed practically perfect together; even if they weren’t dating. My eyes slowly drifted away, towards where Spencer was talking to Ashley and the rest of the cross-country team in a corner of the room, making hand gestures as he described whatever he was talking about. Josh beckoned me over, and I reluctantly approached them. “Hey, Ave! Spencer here was just telling us about one of his past races,” Josh said, grinning. “Yeah, he’s so awesome,” Ashley cooed, scooting closer towards him. Spencer looked uncomfortable. “Not really,” he mumbled. “I think you are,” Ashley went on sweetly. How could she be so obvious with realizing that she was making the poor guy uncomfortable? “I’m sure Avery’s got some awesome race stories to tell,” Spencer said, quickly changing the subject to me. Every head on the team turned to me, and I felt like a giant spotlight was suddenly shining down on me. “Yeah, but this isn’t the time,” I said, noticing Ashley’s cold hard glare at me. My palms grew sweaty and more than anything, I just wanted to fade away. “Well, whatever. I’m going to go get more punch,” Josh said, grabbing Hannah Richards and leading her towards the punch. The crowd of our team slowly dispersed before it was only Spencer, Ashley, and I standing in a small cluster. “I’ll go get you two something to drink,” Spencer said awkwardly, obvious to the tension between Ashley and I. “Okay, babe,” Ashley said, giving him a big, perfectly white smile. Spencer glanced at the two of us before hurrying away to the punch bowl. As soon as he was out of earshot, Ashley stepped closer to me. We were practically nose to nose. “Just to let you know, Spencer loves me. NOT you,” she said snidely. “How would you know? Did he tell you that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Ashley hesitated, then shook her head. “Well... no. But I know he does!” “Sure,” I said. I started to turn on my heel to walk away, but she grabbed my arm, her fingernails digging into my skin. She whirled me around so I was facing her once again. “Listen up, Fuller. You had your chance with him. Now it’s my turn. So stay away from him and everything will go back to the way it was before. Got it?” she sneered. I was slightly taken aback. I had never seen Ashley be mean during my short time here. She seemed like your average, beautiful girl that was super sweet. But then again, looks can be deceiving. I stared into her cold eyes,wanting to say something, anything. The words were right on the tip of my tongue just as Spencer came back, handing me and Ashley our glasses of punch. “Thanks,” Ashley said, taking a sip of it. Her whole demeanor had changed back to it’s usual sweet one. Too bad Spencer didn’t know how fake it actually was. I opened my mouth to ask Spencer if we could go talk about what Ashley had just said, but her eyes flashed, daring me to say something. I slowly felt myself shrinking back. I couldn’t compete with her. And besides, he wouldn’t believe me anyway. I shoved my glass back towards Spencer, some of the punch sloshing carelessly to the floor, barely missing his shoes and Ashley’s bright pink pumps. “I actually need to be going,” I said, my voice coming out weak. “But... We still have all night!” Spencer protested. Ashley smirked from her spot beside him. “Sorry. I’m tired,” I said. He grasped the glass in his hands, staring at me. I looked away before hurrying off the dance floor and out the door. *** I unlocked my dorm room door and hurried inside. I felt bitter tears of rage and sadness coming on as I peeled off my dress and changed into a pair of running sweats and a sweatshirt. I scrubbed off all my makeup and took my hair down and then put it back up in a ponytail. I laced up my running shoes, tying the laces tight with anger. I just wanted to go for a run and get the heck out of here. I walked out the front doors of the school, not even caring if I got in trouble for going for a run this late at night. I made my way to the track, my thoughts wandering. Ashley, on top of the whole Kirsten attempting suicide thing, was making me miserable inside. My world felt like it was crashing down on me. I walked to the track, jiggling the metal chained fence. It was locked. Of course. I didn’t even hesitate. I lept over the fence, but not very gracefully of course. I ended up landing on my hands and knees. Swearing under my breath, I picked myself up off the ground. Then I began running around the large, circular track. A few glowing lights overhead along with the moon illuminated my path, giving me just enough light. I ran as hard as I could, trying to get all my anger and frustration I had kept bottled up for the past few days out of my system. My lungs burned as I picked up the pace even more. I was going way too fast and way too far over my usual pace, but I couldn’t help it. My feet pounded on the track. My lungs burned. I could feel myself already getting sweaty. Finally, I had to stop. I doubled over, gasping for air. I let out a loud cough, trying hard to catch my breath. There was a sharp pain in my side, a signal that I had been running far too fast even for me. “You okay?” a familiar voice asked, breaking the quietness of the night. I froze. Even without looking up, I knew who it was. His voice was all too familiar. Slowly, my eyes drifted upward. Spencer stood before me, looking rather concerned. “I’m fine,” I said, shaking my head as I drew in another ragged breath. I stood up straight, crossing my arms over my chest. “Why are you here?” “Because... I was worried about you. You left, and I figured that Ashley had said something,” Spencer admitted. I tightened my ponytail absently, looking away. I could feel my cheeks heating up with embarrassment. “She did. But it’s nothing,” I said. “Come on, Fuller. I followed you all the way here and gave up my awesome night at Homecoming just to have you tell me it was nothing?” he asked. I hesitated. “Look, I know she said something. And even if you don’t tell me, I’ll find out what she said,” he added. I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut. “Why does it even matter to you, Spencer? You could be inside, right now, dancing with her. She’s gorgeous,” I said. My voice sounded incredibly pained and pathetic even to my own ears. “No... she’s not. You are,” Spencer said. My eyes grew wide. “W-what?” I stammered. “You heard me,” Spencer said. He stepped closer to me, taking my hand in his. He had changed into a pair of old gym shorts and an Aeropostale t-shirt. Now, as he stood before me, I could see the intent look in his emerald green eyes. “You’re gorgeous, Avery. I’ve always thought you were gorgeous, from the moment I met you. That time when we went out and you kissed me... I kind of freaked out and got mad because I wasn’t sure if I actually loved you. But I realized after you left that I loved you; a lot. I know I was stupid, Ave. But please... you have to forgive me. I’ll never forgive myself if you don’t,” he said, his voice low and pleading. “Spencer, of course I forgive you. In fact, I still love you. More than you could ever imagine,” I said, smiling. He smiled, and in that next moment, he pulled me closer. Without waiting, I crashed my lips into his. In that moment, everything felt perfect. For a while, we sat on the track, gazing up at the stars and holding each other. I wished it would never end.

LexilicousCandy @Haley, Payton, & Kat- Great posts! <3 My next post will be the first part of homecoming. :)

LexilicousCandy (Song: Poisoned With by Neon Hitch— http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU-XPQlv14c) ~Emmaline~ “No, no, no, cut the track!” Adam, my choreographer, demands. He sighs heavily and rubs his temples in frustration before turning to address me, “Emma, make sure you’re not so stiff; loosen up!” I nod and run back to my starting position, trying to make my moves more free. “Where are you today? Your heads not in the music and your heart’s not in the dance.” Biting my lip I look away, to the corner of the dance studio where my back-up dancers are continuing with rehearsal. “I’m sorry… I can’t… I don’t know…” I admit, dropping my head in defeat. “Alright, go home and take a break. Live like a normal teen for the day; enjoy your homecoming. When you come back on Monday I expect you to be on the top of your game,” Adam says, giving me a meaningful glance. “I will,” I promise, running to collect my items. Snatching my water bottle up from the floor, I throw my dance bag over my shoulder and race out to the parking lot, where James is waiting to drive me to my hotel. My eyelids flutter shut as I rest my head against the window of his car and exhale deeply. “You look stressed; a think a day out is in need,” James declares. I crack open an eyelid to see him turning to look at me, scanning my body up and down, taking in my dance wear (Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/dance_smile/set?id=63771081). “Eyes on the road,” I mutter feebly, mustering a weak smile. All I really want to do is lock myself in my room, crawl into my bed, sleep, and maybe eat a little frozen yogurt after if I’m in the mood. That’s all I ever want to do now a days. James flew in the morning after Harry broke up with me, in hopes that he would be able to console me and get me out of the depression I’ve been slipping into, but so far with no real results. “We’re going, Emmaline. You need to learn how to live again,” he insists. “I know how to live,” I snap, ready to prove it to him. * * * “I cannot believe I allowed you to do that,” James mutters, staring down at my wrist. “Well, you did tell me to live,” I reply, sliding into my seat. “When I said that, I didn’t mean for you to do this. Besides, shouldn’t we be at the airport to pick up your friend? You do realize you have to perform at your school’s homecoming tonight, right?” “Her flight won’t be in for an hour or so, and this literally took under 5 minutes, besides, homecoming isn’t until like 9 PM. We have time.” I reply, rolling my eyes; he is the one who insisted we go out in the first place. “I just don’t think your family will be too pleased; especially now that you’re a royal. We represent the UK, you in an even larger role than I,” he argues. “Well they’re not here to stop us, now are they? Besides, it’s a little too late now,” I remind him, winking. “It does look nice,” he admits, gingerly holding up my still sore arm, where I had the word “live” tattooed on my wrist in cursive. (Tattoo: http://girlinawhimsicalland.tumblr.com/post/30295439633/last-november-i-wrote-a-post-on-here-about-a#notes) James might think this is a spur of the moment idea of mine, and truthfully while that is partially it, there is meaning to my tattoo. On the surface it can mean “live in the moment”, but to me, it reminds me that I’m more of a lover than a liver, and I need to learn to live. Not just in the moment, but to live more than love in general. “Thank you,” I say softly, so soft it’s almost a whisper. James nods and places my hand back in my lap before moving his hands onto the steering wheel and backing out of the parking lot, heading to the airport. “I can’t wait to see Valerie,” I squeal. “I can tell.” James smirks and I realize I was bouncing in my seat like an impatient child. Blush blossoms on my cheeks, but soon enough we’ve arrived and I’m running into the terminal, scanning the crowd for my best friend. “Valerie!” I cry, running to wrap my petite friend in a hug. “Oh my God, it’s been so long,” she cries, pulling away from our embrace to grab her bags. She looks from me to James and brings her mouth to my ear. “I heard about the rumours,” she whispers, gesturing towards James with her head. “They’re true,” I confirm. “YOU’RE PREGNANT?” She exclaims, faking an exaggerated gasp. My body heaves as I break out into laughter at my best friend’s antics. It was nice to finally have her around, considering she’s been in Paris for her mother’s newest collection launch, so it’s no longer just Nicolette and I in my hotel room. Now that she’s here it can be like the old times, when it was just the three of us against the world. “Nah, I’m just kidding,” she says, hip-bumping me and walking to the car, leaving James to stare at her as if she’s grown a second head, or gone crazy, which she is. “Are you coming or not? Last I heard, we have a dance to get to,” she calls over her shoulder, winking.

fungirl123 @Payton - thanks! :) And the fog was so thick that we could barely see down our street. I couldn't imagine what the buses would have to drive in. But it worked to my advantage. A day off. ;) Turns out, tomorrow there's a scheduled two-hour delay for teachers to work. :D @Kat – whenever you want to, I’ll be good with that. Maybe right before the play or after the dance. :) Thanks!

kjm109 I will post more later, but I just wanted to get something cranked out.*Juliet* “Juliet,” I hear from behind me. I whirl around and see Jenson looking every excited. “I finished your dress!” She exclaims. “Really?” I ask. “Yep come see!” she says. Once we reach Jenson’s room she instructs me to sit down and close my eyes until she returns. I comply and patiently wait for her to return. I hear a shuffle of plastic and then finally Jenson instructs me to open my eyes. (http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD954122) “Oh my goodness.” I breathe “Jenson, it’s perfect.” She smiles at me and hands me the dress. “Go try it on!” she instructs. I quickly grab the dress and head to their bathroom. After slipping on the dress and examining myself in the mirror I decided that the dress was perfect. I stepped out of the bathroom and showed Jenson the dress, she was thrilled with the way it turned out and I couldn’t be happier in any other dress. **** “Thanks for going to get our hair done with me,” I tell Jenson. “No problem,” she replies. We just got back to the campus to see a bunch of girls running to other building to get ready with their arms full of stuff. Some even had on their dresses already. When we got up to our floor Jenson and I parted ways. I opened the door to my room and noticed that Evangelina was sitting on her bed in sweats and a messy ponytail. “Hi,” I mumble walking past her to my bed where my dress was laying out. I quickly picked it up with my make-up, shoes, and bag before heading back to Jenson’s room to get ready with her and Avery. (hair style:http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/2011/12/hair-ideas-the-perfect-holiday-updo.html)

kjm109 Great post @Haley, also are we ever going to have Lena and Juliet make up? It doesn't have to be anytime soon, but I was just wondering.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Awesome posts! :D I didn't know that schools could get cancelled because of fog. :P

fungirl123 ~Lena~ Avery came over and plopped down next to me. I hadn’t really ever had a conversation with her, only exchanged pleasantries. “Why aren’t you out there dancing?” I asked, looking over at her. “I’m not really in the mood anymore,” she said, shrugging, “But I never really was, I guess. What about you?” Avery looked over at me. “I don’t know who I’m supposed to dance with,” I said, my voice flat. “Oh.” I had half expected her to try to get me to dance, but my conversation with Elliot came back to me. ‘You can’t always expect people to push you’. Julian returned, two glasses of fruit punch in his hand. “Sorry it took me so long. I got held up with my music teacher,” he apologized. I stood up. “Avery, this is Julian. Julian, this is Avery,” I said. Avery and Julian shook hands. “Nice to meet—“ Avery was cut off by the sound of Mrs. Harper’s voice booming through the room. “Now it’s time to introduce this year’s Homecoming King and Queen,” she exclaimed. Everyone gathered closer to the stage. “I guess we’d better go up there,” Avery said. All three of us walked closer to the throngs of students waiting at the stage. I knew that at this school, they didn’t have people run. Apparently, someone nominates you and then people vote. I waited. “Homecoming Queen is…” I glanced around me, seeing girls with their fingers crossed and their eyes squeezed shut. I had expected to hear someone else’s, but suddenly my name came over the speakers. “Evangelina, where are you?” Mrs. Harper asked into the microphone, shielding her eyes against the stage lights to look for me. “She’s right here!” Avery called out, giving me a shove forward. I almost fell over. My entire body was dormant. My face was burning hot, and the rest of my body felt like ice. Shy girl Lena as Homecoming Queen? It just didn’t seem right. At all of the high schools I’d been to, the queen was always an outgoing, involved girl with a mountain of friends following her around every day. That wasn’t me. Julian pushed me forward, and my limbs felt loose again. I walked up the stage’s steps. A sparkling tiara sat on a pink pillow, like the ones they use in weddings to hold the rings. Mrs. Harper held it in the air. I put a smile on my face as she placed it on my head. “Th-thank you,” I stammered. I turned to the crowd and smiled. “Go Len!” I heard someone shout. It sounded like Em…Before I could think about it, I was being told to take a seat on my “throne”. Everyone applauded. I gulped. “Now, onto this year’s Homecoming King…” Mrs. Harper looked at her envelope, which told who were the king and queen. She smiled. “Julian Harper.” Julian looked even more taken back than I’d ever seen him. He looked confused, but made his way to the stage and put a smile on his face. He was a lot more confident than I was. Everyone applauded him, too. Then he moved back to sit next to me on his own royal chair. “Who nominated me?” I asked through the corner of my mouth. “I did.” I looked at him, widening my eyes. “You didn’t.” “Not JUST me. I can’t take all the credit. Your friends Jenson and Em—“ “Now it’s time for the 2012 Homecoming Queen and King dance,” Mrs. Harper cut in. Julian stood up, then held out his hand for me. I took it, and stepped down from the throne. We walked down the stage. Music began to play through the speakers. It was a slow song, sung by The Beatles. “I love this song,” I cooed, wrapping my arms around his neck. He did the same with my waist. Everyone seemed to clear away. We swayed back and forth to the steady beat of the song. With Julian, I didn’t feel nervous anymore. It felt like he was just another person I’d known my entire life. But suddenly, I felt the tickle of another voice in my ear. “Can I cut in?” I whirled around, immediately recognizing the voice…of Corey. He was dressed in a black tie and a gray button-down. He was smirking. “What are you doing here?” Was that disappointment in my voice? He embraced me. “I never got to say goodbye, babe,” he whispered. I could feel him smiling. I squeezed my eyes shut, contemplating whether or not this was reality.

fungirl123 About a quarter of the way through this, I’m going to skip to the night of the dance. :) ~Lena~ I shielded my head from the rain with a folder. I ran across campus toward the dorms, which seemed so far away. I yanked open the front door of Roosevelt, and shook off the excess rain on my body. “Lena!” Jenson’s voice called. She jogged over. “Hi, Jenson.” She held a bedazzled notebook. “You’re my only friend that hasn’t asked me to design their Homecoming dress,” she said, sounding quite sad, “Don’t tell me your buying one. I may not be a professional, but I am—“ “Jens,” I cut in, putting my hand up to stop her, “It’s not that your not good at making clothes; I just don’t want to go to the dance this year.” She gasped, her eyes widening. “But it’s our first year at Harper. We HAVE to go.” I put my hand on her shoulder. “I have other stuff on my mind.” “Jenson!” someone called, running into the Roosevelt lobby. It was Juliet. “Jenson, I got us appointments to get our hair done Saturday,” she told her. She only glanced at me. Jenson looked back at me. “I hope you come, Len.” Then she went on her way with Juliet. * * * * I watched Juliet grab her newly-made dress, and walk out of the room. She was going to Jenson and Avery’s room to get ready with them. I tried to keep my eyes glued on the page of my English notebook I’d taken notes with today, but I hadn’t been able to keep from glancing at Juliet’s adorable blue dress and her cute hair. Jenson had done an amazing job on it. I leaned back onto my bed frame. I would’ve ruined everyone’s night if I’d gone. There was no denying that. I was staying back for my sake…and for everyone else. A few minutes after I’d been left alone until midnight, there was a knock on my door. “Come in.” My brother appeared, dressed in a purple button-down and a black tie. “What are you doing?” he asked, closing the door behind him. I held up my AP English notebook. “Reading.” Elliot frowned. “Well, you’re supposed to be at the dance.” I shook my head. “I didn’t want to go.” “But you have to!” my brother cried. I leaned back. Why had he gotten so defensive so suddenly? But then he shook his head, as if erasing what he’d just said. “I mean, all of your friends want you there, Lena.” I raised my eyebrow. “They didn’t seem like it.” Elliot rolled his eyes. “Lena, do you expect everyone to constantly give you attention? You act this way whenever we move schools!” I furrowed my eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You act like a brat. You just want attention from Mommy and Daddy. You’re as bad as Olivia sometimes. Sometimes, you’ll just have to make decisions yourself, without someone forcing you,” he exclaimed, “If you don’t want to go, I won’t make you. But just know you’ll ruin one person’s night by NOT going.” I sighed. “Oh, please, your night won’t be bad without me—“ “I’m not talking about me, Lena!” I jerked my head back in surprise. “Who?” He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “It doesn’t matter.” He turned to walk away. I sighed, trying to figure out what I wanted to do here. A moment later, I grabbed his arm. “Elliot, I’m sorry for being such a brat. I just hate change. And I would go to the dance, but I don’t have a dress…or a date.” My twin brother smiled. We had the exact same smile when we were up to something. “What?” “I thought you’d end up giving in,” he teased, “It must be our twin telepathy.” I punched him on the shoulder. “Nice one, bro!” I fell back laughing. “Come on.” He held out his hand, and I grabbed it. “The dance started only like two minutes ago officially, so we have time. Well, you have time at least to get ready.” We walked down the hall to the elevator. To anyone that might’ve passed by, Elliot and I must’ve looked like the weirdest pair ever. He was dressed up…and I was in sweats. On getting to the ground level, I noticed a familiar face sitting on one of the couches in the girls’ lounge. “Julian?” I asked. He stood up. “Glad you decided to come,” he said, winking at my brother. “Have either of you given thought to the fact that I don’t even have a dress? I can’t walk into a private boarding school’s Homecoming dance in a pair of sweatpants!” I cried. “We already thought about that,” Julian said, hushing me. The two boys turned and I followed them out the door. The campus was empty, although I could hear the music throbbing through the walls in the courtyard. They kept walking hastily toward the main building. Upon getting inside, Julian took out a ring of keys. “Mom gave these to me in case of emergency,” he said. We opened a door behind the front desk, which led to a room…actually, rooms. “For some reason, Mom thought that we might need a place to stay here at the academy,” he explained, walking further in. “Does she know we’re here?” I asked nervously. Julian shrugged. “No, but she won’t care.” I heaved a sigh, wondering if I should be sneaking into my headmistress’ private quarters. “So,” Julian began, opening the door to a closet, “my sister went here, but she graduated a few years ago. We kept her senior year Homecoming dress here.” He pulled out a white dress. It had a beaded top and a satin bow around the middle, with a gorgeous bottom that glinted off light from it’s cream-colored, translucent hem. (Dress: http://www.jovani.com/homecoming-dresses/2933-1103422933-110342) “It’s really pretty,” I gushed, “So I’m wearing this?” Elliot and Julian, who handed the dress over to me, nodded. “The bathroom is right over there.” Julian pointed toward a white door. I walked toward it, already undoing the ties of my sweatpants. The dress was prettier than anything I’d ever seen…and looked to be more expensive than anything I could ever afford. I stripped out of my clothes and slipped into the dress. I had expected it to be stiff, but it flowed and felt free on me. I pulled the elastic out of my hair, letting my blue-black curls fall to my shoulders. I didn’t have time to curl or straighten or even do my hair at all. I also didn’t have makeup. I leaned closer to the mirror. No pimples, I thought to myself. There were no dry spots on my face. Maybe I could go without it for a night. Someone knocked on the door. “Come in.” Elliot popped his head in. “You look nice.” I smiled, and dropped into a cute curtsey for him. “I feel like royalty in this dress,” I said, whirling around for him to see the whole dress. “You look like it, too.” I felt a beam spread over my face. “I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you, Ell.” He shrugged. “You would’ve come anyway. I know you,” he said. I walked out of the bathroom. “Do you want to leave now?” Julian asked, looking me up and down. I blushed, feeling his eyes on me. “Sure.” * * * * I walked through the opening in the tent. Throngs of students dressed up and dancing filled the room. The dance had started about fifteen minutes ago at eight PM, and went until eleven-thirty. A few people spotted me, and smiled. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. Jenson stood in front of me. “You came!” she squealed over the loud music. I nodded. “Sorry I’m not wearing one of your dresses. I wish I could’ve.” She shrugged. “As long as you look good, I’m fine.” I smiled, and she turned on her heel and ran back to the other girls. She must’ve been telling them I was here, because they all glanced my way and waved. I waved back. “Want something to drink?” Julian asked, reminding me that he was still standing there. I shrugged. “Sure.” He turned and left for the refreshment table, leaving me alone. Elliot had gone off to hag out with some other friends. I took a seat at the bench along the side of the room, and waited for Julian to return.

fungirl123 @Payton - yep! :) I'll be writing a lot today, since school was cancelled due to the thick fog.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Okay, thanks! <3

fungirl123 @Payton - at-risk means that people are worried about you, because they think that your thinking about suicide. So it's at risk of thinking about suicide. :p PS: I just followed you on Figment.

taylorswiftfan1233 If anyone has a Figment or Wattpad account, please check out my accounts and my Fanfiction that I am currently working on. If you follow, I’ll follow back(: And I know I have like zero followers right now (except for on Wattpad, and then I only have two, and one of them is my friend that’s a freshman) but I’m working on that right now. Oh, and if you know of anyone that makes good covers, please let me know! I really need one for my fanfic. I could make my own but it’d suck. ): Anyway, here are the links! Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/AsleepUnderTheStars Figment: http://figment.com/users/267073-Payton

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks! And that idea sounds really good. :D Does "at-risk" mean they're thinking of suicide, or just that they know someone that's attempted it? :)

fungirl123 @Payton - I was thinking of ways for Lena and Avery to meet, since they aren't really friends yet, and I thought that since they're both going through hard times, the school guidance counselor could set up a group for at-risk (of suicide) students at the academy. They both could go, then that's how they become friends. :) This would be after Homecoming, though. ^.^

fungirl123 @Kat - alrighty then. :)

kjm109 @Haley, no I didn't have any plans for Juliet for the dance. Lena can be homecoming queen if you really want her to be.

fungirl123 @Lexi - haha, thank you! :) And I only wrote the song for her audition. It wasn't THAT great...It took me forever. :p @Payton - awesome post! <3 It was so heartbreaking.

taylorswiftfan1233 I know these posts are short, but I'll write more soon! <3 ~Avery~ It was all arranged. I was going home this weekend. Megan was coming to get me. I tossed my clothes carelessly into my suitcase. No one knew except me, Mrs. Harper, Megan, my family, and my coach. Jensen, Lena, and Juliet had no idea. I didn’t plan on telling them until right before I left, either. Suddenly, the door swung open. I froze, knowing right away that it was Jensen. “Avery? What are you doing?” she asked, confused. I threw a couple more t-shirts in before slamming my suitcase shut. “Why does it matter?” I asked, hearing the tiredness in my own voice. “Are you leaving like Emmaline did?” Jensen asked, her voice quiet. I stood up and gave her a weak smile. “No of course not. I’ll be back,” I said. She nodded a little, still looking a little confused. She sat down on her bed. I sighed. I couldn’t just not tell her and leaving her wondering. I sat down beside her, biting my lip anxiously. “Where are you going?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at me. “Home,” I replied. “Why though? Did something happen?” Jensen asked. “Yeah. Kirsten, one of my best friends... She tried to kill herself a few nights ago,” I admitted. Jensen drew in a sharp breath. “Oh my god. Avery, I had no idea. I am so, so sorry!” she said, giving me a hug. I pulled back after a few seconds, shrugging. “Well, how could you have? It’s not like I told you.” She gave me a forced smile. “When are you leaving?” she inquired. “Tomorrow after classes are over. Megan’s going to come get me,” I said. “How long will you be gone?” she asked. “Probably Monday afternoon,” I replied, even though I wasn’t exactly sure yet. Part of me wanted to stay until Kirsten was stable again, but I knew that I couldn’t do that. “Well... good luck,” she said, sounding awkward and unsure of what else to say. I nodded, standing up silently. I was going to need all the luck I could get.

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry if this is choppy! :p ~Avery~ I got out of the shower, changing into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. I brushed through my long, caramel colored hair. “Avery!” Jensen called, “Your phone is ringing!” I opened up the bathroom door and walked towards my bed, where my iPhone was vibrating. I picked it up, seeing that it was Megan. “Hey, Meg!” I said cheerfully, sitting down on my bed and pulling the blankets up around me. “Avery,” Megan began, her voice trembling. She sounded like she had been crying. “Megan, what’s wrong?” I asked anxiously. “I-it’s Kirsten!” she said. Then she burst into tears, trying to explain what had happened. “Slow down, I can’t understand you,” I said. Megan drew in a huge, shuddering breath. Then she said the words I had never expected to hear in my life. “Kirsten tried to kill herself.” “What?” I gasped, my mind spinning. “Kirsten’s been really depressed lately,” Megan said. I knew she was pacing around her room like she always did when she talked on the phone. “Because of the divorce?” I questioned. “Yeah. But I thought it was natural, you know? Who wouldn’t be upset when their parents split up?” Megan said. “When did she... you know...” I said,. trailing off. I was unsure of how to say it. I felt so sad just thinking of Kirsten so depressed. “Last night. We were at a party and Kirsten left during the middle of it. Me and a couple of other kids from the cross-country team were out talking about one of our upcoming races outside when we saw Kirsten walking across the street. We ended up following her and she turned into an alley. Somehow, she had gotten a gun and had it aimed at her head. Do you know what that’s like Ave? To see your best friend, standing there with a gun pointed at her head?” Megan asked, sounding like she was about to start crying again. I felt a huge lump rising in my throat, and I had to blink to keep back the burning tears. “We ended up talking her out of it, and I had to call her parents.. But she’s still really unstable and everyone has to keep a close eye on her. I think her mom is going to send her to a counselor or something for help.” By this time, Megan was crying. I put a hand over my mouth, letting out a shaky breath. But I wasn’t going to cry. Not in front of Jensen, who was right beside me watching the X-Factor on her bed, getting totally sucked into the show. She was completely oblivious to what was happening. I stood up and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. “I’m going to see if I can come home over the weekend. I need to be there for Kirsten,” I whispered, leaning my head back against the walls and staring straight ahead. “Let me know,” Megan replied shakily. “I will. Oh, and if anything happens before then... Please call me.” “Will do.” I hung up, walking back to my bed. “Hey, are you okay?” Jensen asked, turning her attention towards me. “I don’t feel like talking,” I said, burying myself under the covers. Jensen was silent, but I could feel her eyes on me. Finally, when The X-Factor came back on she began watching it again, leaving me alone. Only about a half hour later did she finally go to sleep. I buried my face in my pillow, hot tears streaming down my face. I ended up crying myself to sleep.

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I just read Chapter 7 of CD, did you really write that song? :o It was great; chapter and all! <3 @Everyone- I'm writing for Em now. :)

fungirl123 Ooops! :p I meant to say Juliet...

fungirl123 @Lexi - yeah, if that's what everyone wants! :) @Kat - did you have plans for Kat or something for that night? If you did, I completely understand. Lena got Hermia in the play already. :) I'll keep thinking.

LexilicousCandy So they are dressing up for homecoming? I just want to be sure before I start writing anything. :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Awesome post! :D I think it would be good if you had Lena and Julian be homecoming Queen and King, but it's totally up to you! :)

kjm109 @Haley, how about instead of Lena becoming homecoming Queen (I just think that that will create some hard feeling in real life) Lena and Julian could be the first ones on the dance floor and Corey shows up.

fungirl123 So, guys, I was wondering if it would be okay for Lena to be Homecoming Queen. :) I was thinking for ways so Lena and Julian (if he was King) to be dancing with everyone watching, and then Corey cutting in, which is a huge surprise for Lena, since she didn’t know that he had come. ^.^ ~Lena~ I made my way to the arts building, and stopped halfway there when I saw a large poster advertising the Homecoming dance. I tilted my head to the side, staring at the date for it. It was in two weeks. I sighed, staring at the picture of the Homecoming Queen and King from last year that had been displayed on the poster. Then I continued into the art building for ninth period. The hallways barely had three or four people walking around in them. Lunch still about ten minutes to go. Then the students of Harper would be pouring into the hallways of this building. But I needed to talk to Mr. Arnolds, my art teacher, about, well…art. I rounded a corner, and then stepped into his classroom. He was setting up canvas and opening up the sky light in the middle of the room. He looked over at me. “Hello, Miss Andres.” He finished organizing a cup of charcoal, then turned his attention to me. “So, listen, I’ve been having some trouble with sketching and painting lately,” I admitted. “What kind of problems?” he asked, moving his eyeglasses farther up on his nose. I stared at one of the students’ half-finished sketches of a flower on a canvas. “I don’t know; I guess I just haven’t been able to get inspiration. I’ve always wanted to sketch something. I could always find happiness and thought in something small. But all that’s gone. I feel…lost…” My words faded out. Mr. Arnolds took a deep breath. “Well, I understand what you’re going through, Evangelina,” he said. He leaned back onto his desk. “This is just a slump. When I was a teenager and I started getting into trouble, the art stopped flowing out of me, as it had used to. But after it was all over, I was back to my regular self. I used to trouble I’d gone through in the previous years to get my drive to sketch back,” he explained. “But when I’m not sketching, I feel even more alone than I already am,” I said, stepping down into the circle that was surrounded by canvas, “It’s like therapy for me.” My teacher looked down, appearing deep in thought. Then he looked up again. “You’ll need to find that yourself. It’s all about what’s inside. I’m guessing your going through a hard time, so you need to find a way to push past your hardships.” * * * * I returned to my dorm room. Juliet was reading a magazine on her bed, with her iPod in. She’d only glanced quickly up at me, then she went back to staring at an article in Teen Vogue. I dropped my backpack on my bed, and pulled out my Sociology book to study for my test next week. Before I could begin, though, my door opened quickly, revealing Jenson and Avery, who was trailing behind her with a stack of papers in her hands. She stood tall at the front of our bedroom. “Hi, girls!” Jenson greeted, “So, as you know, the Homecoming dance is coming up. Also, as a designer, I’ve decided that I’ll be designing dresses for people this year!” she proclaimed. Avery handed us one of the flyers, which just stated what Jenson had just told us, and her phone number. “And,” she continued, “since you two are my good friends, I’ll be willing to do them for free!” Jenson and Juliet made conversation for a bit about the dresses, while I just continued to work on studying. Homecoming wasn’t the first thing on my mind. I’d been so psyched at the beginning of this year about getting to go to a Homecoming with friends and actually have fun and not be shy about being the new kid…but I guessed it would just be the same as every year – except this year the odds pointed to me not going. (@Krysta – hahah, I hope you don’t mind me adding that in! :p I wanted to make the paragraph a bit lengthier, so I added that in. ^.^)

fungirl123 @Lexi - just emailed you a few minutes ago! <3

fungirl123 @Payton - no problem! <3 @Lexi - LOL, at our school, everyone gets suuppper dressed up. I'm pretty sure it's always been that way, since I've gone through pictures with my brother and sister for years now. :P Also, I emailed you back earlier today. :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Wow, that took a long time to write out, but I finally sent it! <3

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I'm about to email you about my posts. :)

LexilicousCandy Oh, and I was wondering if you guys are planning on picking out dresses for homecoming, because I know we normally do, but at my school we just wore jeans and a homecoming tee, unless you're on the royal committee. I just wanted to get your opinions Before we all started writing about it. :) I also have maybe one or two more posts until homecoming, I think… :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Great post! I read it this morning right before I went to school. ^.^ @Payton- I'm excited to read your post; the idea sounds like it could be really dramatic and emotional, which is always interesting! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- I like that better! Thanks! :) I think I'm going to have this happen before homecoming actually since I haven't posted for a while. I'll start writing right now! <3

fungirl123 @Payton - maybe she should just attempt suicide. :) That's an option if you don't feel comfortable killing her. That can make Avery a bit sad, and then that's how Ave and Lena can find common ground! ;)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- I need your opinion on something(: I want something sort of tragic to happen in Avery's life, but the only thing I thought of was Kirsten (Avery's best friend) committing suicide. I just need Avery to connect with Spencer even more after homecoming. Do you think that would be a bad idea or not?

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! :)

fungirl123 I can’t remember if I had written about Lena telling Julian about her dad, but let’s pretend she never did. ;) Also, if you can tell, I didn’t really feel like editing this whole thing… ~Lena~ I walked slowly around the campus, trying to find inspiration for a painting. It’d been all too long since I’d at least sketched a picture of something. But the falling leaves failed to impress me. I sat down on a bench, looking at my surroundings. Usually, I could find interest in even small things, like a tree or a dog…but there was nothing around me that seemed even remotely interesting. It was seven-thirty AM and I was supposed to be getting on my way to drama class, but I couldn’t find the energy. But I soon realized that if I didn’t hop to it, my theater teachers would be angry. I walked to class, knowing I still had fifteen minutes until the first bell rang. I plopped down next to Jenson when I came in. She was quiet around me now. She only glanced up and gave a quick smile before going back to staring at her cell phone screen. I didn’t blame her. After the way I’d talked to her about Emmaline, I could see why someone wouldn’t want to talk to me. “Lysander and Hermia, upstage left. Act I, scene two,” Ms. Hudson called, giving a wave of her hand. I stood from my seat. Quickly, I rummaged through my bag, searching for my script, then I headed for the stage. Julian stood at the back, already on the page we were at. “Action!” I took a deep breath, and stepped out onto the stage. “What’s this to my Lysander?” * * * * I groaned, falling backwards onto my bed. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. Why couldn’t anyone understand why I was like this? It was like everyone was siding with the other person. Jenson was siding with Juliet…and Emmaline, I bet…and the entire world was on Emmaline’s side! I had never felt real pain before. When my father was deployed for the first time when I was four-years-old, I’d hung onto his leg in hopes he wouldn’t go. But then I’d watched him walk out of the airport ten minutes later, toward the plane that would take him away from me. That was pain for me. Little did I know I’d be going through this huge of a storm twelve long years later. And my birthday was in two weeks. My entire body felt weak. Classes were over the for day, and I needed to get away for a bit. I walked out my door, putting my arm through the remaining hole in my jacket. I didn’t spot anyone I knew on the way, and I walked right out the wrought iron gates that surrounded the large campus. I walked along the country road. I could see the hustle and bustle of people inside of the gates, going to dinner and meeting up with their friends. I missed being around other people. I’d taken to being by myself in the past week. No one had bugged me. I couldn’t figure out whether I was happy about being alone or whether it was upsetting that no one had bothered to check up on me. I rounded a corner, getting closer to the city. I came closer to a log cabin-like restaurant. “The Hub” was written on a sign in front of it. My stomach grumbled just smelling the grilled food smell that arose from it. It wouldn’t hurt just to get a slice of pizza from the place. I swung open the door. I was instantly taken back by the strong smell of alcohol. I walked further in, and took a seat at the bar. Old pop music played through the speakers and people surrounded me. I leaned my elbows on the top of the counter. A girl, who looked about to be in her twenties, walked over to me, and tossed a menu in front of me. I ordered the first thing I saw. It was a creatively-named drink. I knew it was alcohol, but… “How old are you?” the girl, who’s name tag said her name was Lana, asked, eyeing me suspiciously. I gave her a cold glare. This was not the time for people to be contradicting me. “How old do you think I am?” She put her hands up in defense. “I’ll get that drink for you right away.” She took the menu from me. I buried my face in my arms. Two minutes later, my drink arrived. I took a sip, and the liquid burned the back of my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut as it passed down my esophagus. Then I took another sip. And another. I was practically forcing the drink down now. I’d only had a full glass once at Thanksgiving with my Irish grandparents, who had grown up drinking alcohol is their country. By the end of the glass, my head was buzzing. The waitress came by, and dropped a bowl of crispy potato French fries in my front of me. “Um…I didn’t order these!” I called after her as she walked away again. She turned. “I know. But you’re not leaving on an empty stomach. They’re on the house.” Then she went on her way. I sighed, and bit into one of the fries. After the first bite, I began feeling nauseous. Now I knew I really shouldn’t have gotten that drink. My vision was getting to be a bit unclear. I took out my cell phone. The first thing I saw was the time. It was a few minutes until nine o’clock. It would now be extremely hard getting back to campus. I took a deep breath, and dialed a familiar number. He answered on the first ring. “Hello?” “J-Julian, can you come gemme?” I asked, feeling quite pathetic as the words came out of my mouth in a jumbled-up mess. “Lena? Uh…sure. Where?” he inquired. “The Hub. It’s a restaurant right off campus,” I told him. “Okay.” He hung up. I could tell Julian also wasn’t too happy about talking to me either. I’d been too distant in the past few weeks with him. I stood up from the chair. My legs were a bit feeble, but I had made it to the front door of the restaurant just as Julian’s grey Mercedes pulled up to the restaurant. He got out, and spotted me. “Lena,” he called out, a bit breathless. When he got closer, his eyes bulged. “Lena…are you drunk?” he asked slowly. I sighed. “M-Maybe…” He jutted his chin off to his car, and began walking in that way. I followed him, and sat down hard in the passenger seat. “Did you come with someone? What brought to you a bar, Lena?” he asked, actually a bit worried about me. Maybe someone did care. “I just needed to get away from some things…,” I mumbled, slouching in my seat as he pulled out of the parking lot. “Come again?” he asked, leaning closer to me, but keeping his eyes on the road. I looked out my window. The night was upon us. We neared the campus. We easily passed through the guards standing at windows of gatehouses. They didn’t stop to question us or anything. “This is my mom’s car. They probably just saw the Mercedes and thought it was her,” he explained, seeing my confusion. I nodded. He parked his car in front of my dorm. “Now, can you tell me what’s going on?” he asked, looking at me. I shut my eyes. “I don’t know, Julian…” “Yes, Lena, you do. You can tell me. I promise I won’t tell anyone,” he swore, his eyes pleading with me. “My dad...He…” I stopped, feeling the tears burn the back of my eyes. I forced myself to continue. “He was…He’s a…He’s in the Marine Corps. He was just lost in a night-raid like two weeks ago.” Julian drew in a breath. “Oh my God, Len. If I would’ve known…” “It’s not your fault,” I said, wiping at the tears that had slid out of the corner of my eye. “And the whole thing with Emmaline…a-and Juliet…” I looked at Julian. “It feels like the entire world is…working against me.” The tears cascaded my cheeks. He stared at me. I could see a bit of pain in his eyes. “Let’s go somewhere else to talk,” he said quietly. He got out of the car. I followed him. We sat down on a bench. “I won’t take you back to your dorm if you don’t want to go,” he said softly. “I don’t want to see Juliet. I don’t want to see any of the girls in my dorm.” We sat in silence. Somewhere in there, I drifted off to sleep on Julian’s shoulder. I didn’t dream of anything. It was just darkness. But it was more peaceful than my real life.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- That sounds good to me! I think that at homecoming I'll have Avery and Spencer start dating. I'll have to think of all the details first, though. :D

fungirl123 I'm going to start writing about the Homecoming dance. :) I think Jenson should design the dresses, since she's a designer. ^.^

fungirl123 Just realized that Lena’s birthday is coming up on October 12. ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Kk. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - I'll email you about those things since their kind of long... :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Do you know what your next post is going to be? Because I don't really know what to write about since all my next plot ideas don't occur until homecoming...

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I really don't even know what I'm going to do about that yet. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, to be honest. :p After homecoming & the girls make up, she'll probably go back to living at the academy with everyone again. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - wow, didn't see that one coming! <3 Awesome! :p Is she still going to live with her parents, or is she completely going to jump over and live at Buckingham Palace? JW! <3

LexilicousCandy ~Emmaline's P.O.V.~ While my day with James was entertaining, I got called back for work as soon as I stepped foot back in the palace, explaining why I'm once again in my hotel in New York. I just got back from a a meeting with X-Factor producers, and now have the rest of the evening free to spend it however I please, therefore I'm currently sitting on my couch in sweats with a guitar in my lap, trying to write a new song. (http://www.polyvore.com/simplicity/set?id=59681373#stream_box) My phone vibrates on the coffee table in front of me, the screen lighting up with a text from Harry. I jump to grab the mobile and slide it open, excitement coursing throughout my body; I haven't talked to Harry-- or any of the other lads-- since before I found out about... my parents. Biological, that is. The excitement quickly change to confusion and dread as my eyes scan the message and my phone slips out of my grip and to the floor. Why would Harry break up with me for no apparent reason, with no explanation? And through a measly text? Tears sliding down my cheeks, I contemplate calling him to see what's up, but decide against it and call out for Nicolette instead. She sashay's out of her room and pales when she sees my face. "You found out?" she gasps, her mouth agape. "That that jerk broke up with me for no reason? Yeah," I scoff, pressing my palms against my eyes to stop the flow of tears. Nicolette lets out what I believe to be a sigh of relief, but her features are quickly screwed into confusion. "Harry broke up with you?" "Yes, and through a text, but I'm over it." I declare, wiping away any stray tears from my face. "Are you sure?" she questions, eyeing me warily. "Positive. I'm completely fine," I lie, mustering up enough of my acting skills to plaster a fake smile on my face. My bloody boyfriend just broke up with me and I don't even know why; of course I'm not fine! I want to yell and scream it out loud, but I know it would do no good, so instead I blurt out, "let's go out." "What?" "You, me, let's just go have a girls night out. Please," I beg, giving her my best puppy dog face, which I know no one can resist. "I really need to get my mind off everything," I add, speaking the truth for once tonight. "Fine. I'll go get dressed," she relents, walking back into her bedroom. "Thank you!" I call out, already headed towards my own closet to get dressed, before realizing I have nothing to wear. Nicolette materializes beside me, a crimson red body-con dress in her perfectly manicured hands. "I had a feeling you might need this," she says, handing the dress over to me. "I can't wear this!" I exclaim, eying the short, tight, dress. "You're hot and you're single. You are definitely wearing this." Nicolette persists, throwing the piece of fabric at me. I clutch it in my hands, my heart stinging at the reminder that I'm now single and no longer with Harry. Despite my better judgement, I put on the dress and allow Nicolette to make me up. "There! You are complete!" she exclaims, finally done straightening my hair. I stare at myself in the mirror and blink, my already thick eyelashes now coated in mascara brushing softly on my skin for a split second. "You did great, Nicolette," I compliment, while trying to discreetly adjust my dress to where it's comfortable. (http://www.polyvore.com/wonderstruck/set?id=62695082) "I know right? Let's let's get going, I could use a drink," she comments, strutting out the door. "We're not even of legal age, especially now that we're in America," I remind her. She lets out a little laugh, "Like that's ever stopped me before." "Just don't get to drunk," I warn, knowing she probably would anyways. Nicolette is a notorious party girl, and the least responsible of our trio. *3 Hours Later* "Nicolette, get off the table!" I scold, pulling my best friend from where she was previously dancing, absolutely smashed. I myself had a drink or two, but at the most I'm suffering a light buzz, therefore I'm still sober. More sober than Nicolette is, anyways. "We're going home before you do anything else stupid," I demand, dragging her towards the exit. "But I don't wannaaaaa--" she whines, trying to pull back. "We're leaving. Now." I say, stopping Nicolette from grinding against a random guy. She blows a kiss to the stranger and turns to me, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're no fun." she pouts, slurring her words to the point where I can barely comprehend what she's saying. "Mmhmm," I mumble absentmindedly, focused on trying to lead her through the streets back to our hotel. I could call a taxi, but there's no guarantee that they wouldn't sell the story to the press, leaving walking as our only option. After about an hour or so of trying to guide her when I'm in these heels, I give up and try to call for help, but who should I call? I scroll through my contacts list until my eyes land on a particular name. Would she come if I called her or would she ignore me? Would it be easier to just call a taxi and get it over with, no awkward conversations included? No. Balancing Nicolette with one arm, I hold my cell in the other as I press call, and hope for my old roommate to pick up at this ungodly hour. "Hi..." she mumbles, sleep clearly evident in her voice. "Lena," I exclaim, breathing out in relief. Nicolette is wandering away and I was beginning to get afraid that I wouldn't be able to control her any longer. "Nicolette, stay there!" I shout, exasperated. "Emmaline? Why are you calling me?" Lena asks in confusion. I sigh. "Nicolette's a little wasted right now," I admit, shaking my head as she starts dancing around a lamppost. "Why should that matter to me?" Lena asks in a brisk tone. "We walked here and now we need a ride home," I say, juggling my phone from hand to hand, trying to get ahold of Nicolette once again. I hold my breath while I wait fro Lena to reply. Is she going to agree? "Fine, I’ll be there in ten minutes. But when I get in trouble for sneaking off campus, you’re going down with me," she mutters through the phone, hanging up. A couple minutes later I spot a bright red Prius coming down the street, Lena behind the wheel. She pulls up beside me and watches me silently as I open the back door and drop a sleeping Nicolette in. “Thanks for coming,” I say, sighing with relief as I sit down in the passenger seat. “Whatever.” “Seriously, thanks, otherwise we would be stuck out here all night,” I insist. She rolls her eyes and lets out a snort. “Why did you blow me off in the airport?” she snaps, changing the subject. “Blow you off?” I question, raising an eyebrow. “You sure didn’t stay for coffee,” she says with a cold laugh. 'Maybe because there was paparazzi everywhere and I had to get out!' I scream out in my mind, but Lena wouldn't understand. “Fine, I won’t make excuses. I didn’t want to talk to you, Lena--" “Don’t you dare call me that. I said that was only what friends call me,” she cuts in. I turn towards her, my eyes narrowed in disbelief. “I’m not the one who made out with a guy…who WASN’T her boyfriend!” I snap, frustrated. "What? Did you expect me to run to you and tell you the story the second it happened? It wasn’t exactly something I was proud of. Like you ‘cheating’ on Blake.” she states, a smug smile on her face. 'Shut up! Shut up!' I scream to myself, but remain silent on the exterior. “What? And did you forget about Jenson and Avery and Juliet, too? I’m almost positive you haven’t called them and told them anything. Do you think your too good for everyone now? Now you’re suddenly someone in the US, unlike us apparently," she continues, going off on a tangent. “YOU DON’T KNOW THE HALF OF IT, EVANGELINA!” I bellow, making Nicolette stir behind us. Lena's mouth open and closes, but finally she mutters out a single word. “Whatever.” The rest of the ride is silent as I sit there fuming. How dare she make such harsh and rash judgments knowing absolutely nothing of what's going on in my life? She has no right to treat me like that! We soon stop in front of my hotel, her once again watching silently as I unload Nicolette from the back and carry her to our room. Nor does Lena even glance at me as I drive her back to the academy, both us staring straight ahead, not a word being spoken.

LexilicousCandy ~Harry’s P.O.V.~ I love Australia, but being separated from Emmaline is killing me. I decide to grab my laptop and open twitter. *@Harry_Styles: Missing you @EmmalineMiddleton…* I’m scrolling through my timeline when a particular tweet catches my eye. *@Always1DUpdates: #New #Photoset Emmaline out for lunch in England with Prince James earlier today. pic.twitter.com/hUjjegYl* I thought Em was in New York? I click on the link and immediately wish I hadn’t. Tears start to well up in my eyes as I shakily scan through photo after photo of Emmaline with another man. I grab my phone, and although I can barely see what I’m typing, one thing is for sure. It hurts like hell when I press send. I quickly throw my laptop and phone onto the hotel bed and storm out of the room into the night with nothing but a broken heart. * * * ~Louis’ P.O.V.~ I came back to the hotel room to see Harry missing and his laptop glowing. Maybe he was reading his hate again? I sure hope not. Picking up Harry’s laptop, I settle into his bed and bring his computer to life. The first webpage to pop up is a photoset of Emmaline walking around England with another guy. A prince, actually. While it does look bad, I know for sure that Em wouldn’t cheat on Harry. With further investigation, I click through link after link, until I stumble upon a recent article, titled: “Emmaline Middleton has long been the Princess of Pop, but now things are taken to a whole new (literal) level.” (http://www.polyvore.com/british_royalty/set?id=62558604#stream_box) My eyes crinkle in confusion, as I read through the article. “Her Royal Highness Princess Emmaline of Wales [Emmaline (April) Adelaide Middleton-Spencer Mountbatten-Windsor, born 17 April 1996], commonly known as Princess Emma, is the only daughter and youngest child of Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales, and the fifth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Therefore, she stands fourth in the line of succession to the thrones of sixteen independent sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms, and to the governorship of the Church of England, preceded by her father and elder brothers, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Henry of Wales.” It went on to talk about her family history and how she was adopted by Rosalynn and Callum just before the untimely demise of the beloved Diana. All this time, Emmaline was a member of the British Royal Family, a princess, and we knew nothing of it. That explains why she was walking around with Prince James; she was getting to know surrounding royalty. It was all starting to fall into place and come together, except for the whole Emmaline-Being-Royal part, which is shock to us all. It’s then I notice Harry’s mobile laying on his bed, with his latest text message still open. As soon as I read it, I know Harry made the biggest mistake of his life. *To: Em <3 How could you? We’re though.*

LexilicousCandy ~Emmaline~ All day yesterday was spent meeting every one of the court, and now I’m getting dressed for breakfast in the garden. (http://www.polyvore.com/free_shipping_autumn_fashion_green/thing?id=69374237) A knock sounds at the door juts as I finish sliding my pearls over my head, alerting me that I’ve to be on my way. William is standing at the entrance of the garden, a smile on his face. “Good morning, Emmaline.” “Good morning,” I reply, trying my hardest to stop myself from curtseying. “As much as I was looking forward to spending the day with you, I’m afraid that father has requested my presence. To make up for my absence, I’ve arranged for Prince James to accompany you,” William informs me, stepping back to reveal a younger boy, who looks to be about 17. “Princess,” he greets, bowing down. “I take it that you’re Prince James?” I question, dropping into a curtsey. “I am indeed,” he confirms, a smirk playing on his lips. “Right, well I best be on my way now, but I’m sure James here can eat breakfast with you,” William announces, clapping a hand on James’ shoulder before striding out of the garden. “Shall we?” James’ invites, extending his arm out to me. I lightly place my palm on his forearm and allow him to lead me to our seats, where we’re served a delightful meal. “And what are our plans for today?” I question as we finish eating, eager to get out of the presence of the older, stuffy, royals. "I think a simple day out in London would suffice," James replies, taking a final sip of his tea. "We can leave as soon as I change," I agree. James quirks his eyebrow and looks me up and down inquisitively. "Why change your outfit?" "I'm not planning on walking around the city with pearls on all afternoon," I retort, rolling my eyes in a playful manner. "Of course. Feel free to change and we'll meet at the entrance hall in 15 minutes," James calls over his shoulder, already sauntering away. 15 minutes?! I rush to my bedchambers and throw on an outfit from what I have packed. (http://www.polyvore.com/untitled_11/set?id=63136484) I leave my hair down and quickly slide in a headband, before grabbing my bag and fleeing down the stairs and through the complicated corridors. I attempt to stop once I see Prince James waiting by the entrance, but unfortunately miscalculate distances and end up falling on my face, right at his feet. How lady like. He looks down at me and chuckles, offering his hand to help pull me up. My cheeks burning, I stand up and brush off my jeans, adjusting my blouse as I do so. "Ready to go?" he asks, swinging car keys around his fingers. "Yes," I quip, hurrying out the door in embarrassment, and hoping my hair is covering my blushing cheeks. Today is certainly going to be interesting... let's just hope the paps leave me alone.

LexilicousCandy ~Emmaline~ I’m not surprised when my laptop lights up with a face-time request from my father— Mum recently got home from filming, and ever since I’ve been awaiting the family meeting that’s bound to happen— however, I am shocked once I’m told why. All this time, my family has been lying to me, if what they’re telling me is even true. “T-That’s not possible… Charles is sixty-three, and D-Diana is d-d-dead!” I cry out, refusing to believe the lies I’m being fed. “I know the idea seems idiosyncratic, but you have to accept it,” my Grandfather pushes; I don’t even know why he’s here in the first place. “N-No,” I stubbornly reply, slowly backing away from his face on my screen. “Don’t say it’s so!” I plead. “I’m sorry Emmaline, but whether you like it or not, you are the daughter of Charles and Diana, and you are a part of the British Royal Family.” There. They said it. “How?” I whisper, barely audible. My mum’s kind face appears on the laptop, tears staining her flush cheeks. “Diana was a tremendously close friend of mine. By the third time she was with child, you, her relationship with Charles was… strained. The year you were born was the year they divorced, and Diana refused to submit you to the scandal to come— she had yet to break the news of her pregnancy to anyone— so she gave you to me to hide, but a year later, she was gone. Died in a car crash in France, and although we attended her funeral, we never spoke of your origins again. I was devastated when I first found out I was infertile, but we’ve raised you as our own, and you’ve turned out better than I could have ever dreamed of.” “This is like some sick version of The Princess Dairies… My life is a Disney movie!” I sob, burying my face in my arms, not caring how my make-up is most likely smudging. “The reason we’re telling you is…” My mum, (or can I even call her that?) falters, falling silent for a moment. “…Prince William has requested to meet you,” my mother replies, seemingly exhausted. “Well I don’t want to see him,” I reply hotly, crossing my arms in a weak act of defiance. “He’s your brother, and so is Prince Harry, therefore you will visit them. Now pack your bags, and bring something nice,” Grandmother commands, abruptly ending our video call. Great. Time to go back to England. * * * “Emmaline, stop moving!” “Sorry, Marie-Claire,” I sigh. “How do you expect me to prepare you if you’re over here shuffling around?” Marie-Claire scolds, waving her comb in the air as she reprimands me. “It won’t happen again,” I promise, resting my arms at my side and staring straight ahead, allowing her to continue teasing my hair. “There; all complete!” Marie-Claire declares, holding up a mirror to my face. I glance in the mirror for a brief second, “it’s lovely as usual, Marie-Claire.” (http://www.polyvore.com/untitled_12/set?id=63161094) Fingering my pearl necklace, I let out an anxious sigh as I slide into the waiting limo, heading towards Buckingham Palace. Guards surround me on all sides as I’m led to the garden, where our party is supposedly waiting. Surveying the crowd around me, I note Prince Harry already at the end of my table. “Presenting, His Royal Highness: The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness: The Duchess of Cambridge.” My entire being is shaking in nerves as I await the arrival of my eldest brother. I stand when he walks in, and nearly collapse when he sits down next to me. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Emmaline. I’m William,” he introduces, extending his hand out. “The pleasure is all mine,” I reply, dropping into a curtsey. “No need for that; you’re family!” he declares, pulling me up and into a hug. “I’ll never understand why mother kept you from us,” he comments as I step away from our embrace. “We have a lot to catch up on.”

fungirl123 @Krysta/Payton - gracias! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! :D @Krysta- No problem!(:

LudaKrys @Payton-Thanks! :)

LudaKrys @Haley-Awesome post! I love all the drama going on. :)

fungirl123 @Krysta – great post! :p Sorry, this post might be an inconvenience, but I already kind of had it typed up. :\ @Lexi – I needed a reason for Lena and Emmaline to talk (and argue), so I hope you don’t mind that Nicolette gets kind of wasted in this. And it’s kind of stupid how they end up at the same point, but I couldn’t think of any other way. ~Lena~ I tossed my clothes into my drawer, thinking about the almost-confrontation with Emmaline. She had acted like I didn’t even exist. I didn’t know whether I should’ve felt relieved or hurt by it. I felt a buzzing in my back pocket, and I fished my cell phone from it. A text from Julian. *Hey, can’t wait to see you at rehearsal tomorrow.* I pursed my lips, remembering the promise I’d made to Julian to keep my part no matter what. I glanced over at Juliet’s bed. Neatly made. I hadn’t seen her in here since I’d gotten home, which was a few hours now. I jumped suddenly at the sound of a rapping on my dorm room door. “It’s Jenson!” “Come in.” Jenson appeared in my doorway. “Avery told me she saw you come back tonight,” she said. “Yep.” I continued unpacking. “How have you been? I haven’t talked to you in a few weeks…” I could tell Jenson was just trying to be sweet, but I wasn’t in the mood. “So…Juliet’s staying in our room for a few days. Hope ya don’t mind. She needs to simmer down a bit.” What a brat Juliet was. A spoiled brat. “Cool,” I said sarcastically. Having Juliet out of the room for awhile would be nice. My own room would be nice. “We’re going to watch the new season of the X-Factor in our room tonight,” Jenson said, phrasing it almost like a question rather than a statement. “No thanks.” Without another word, Jenson turned and walked out. She shut the door behind her completely, even though it had been slightly ajar before. I grabbed the remote to my iHome. Some song from the Beatles came through the speakers immediately, distracting me from my thoughts. “Now this is good English music,” I muttered to myself, “Not the trash that they sing now.” **** “In my dreams, you’re standing right beside me…” I shot up in bed. Who would be calling me now…at…TWO AM! I rubbed my eyes, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. I shielded my eyes against the light of my bright cell phone. Oh crap. Emmaline was calling me. What the hell? Reluctantly, I grabbed it from my bedside table. “Hi…,” I said groggily. “Lena,” she said, a little breathless. There was a ruffling sound on the other end, and I heard Emmaline yell distantly, “Nicolette, STAY THERE!” “Emmaline?” I asked, quite confused, “Why are you calling me right now?” Was this a dream? Why she calling me Lena? I thought I’d made it clear that only friends could call me that. “Lena, Nicolette’s a little wasted right now…” She trailed off. “Why should that matter to me?” I asked, the iciness showing in my voice. “We parked her car on campus…and we accidently left her keys in it. Stupid, I know, but could you come get us. Nicolette can only walk five feet before she collapses. I’m not going to make her walk all the way down the street.” I laughed to myself. I wanted to leave them there all night. I debated what I should do. “Fine, I’ll be there in ten minutes. But when I get in trouble for sneaking off campus, you’re going down with me.” “I got it.” **** I tightened my jacket around me. It was the beginning of October and already twenty degrees at night. I could see my breath in the air. I hopped behind a pole, avoiding the security cameras. Nicolette’s car was red. How could someone be so dumb as to leave a car open, with the keys in it?! I snuck through the wrought iron gate. Sure enough, a shiny red Prius sat about ten yards away. I looked around me, making sure there were no security cameras near. I slid into the car’s front seat, seeing the keys on the floor. I revved up the vehicle, and maneuvered it onto the road. The party they were at was at the Hilton Hotel. I knew where that was. I drove down the road for a bit, then spotted two girls – one of which was slumping on the other – standing on the side of the road. That didn’t look suspicious at all. I pulled up alongside them. Emmaline opened the back door, and a wasted Nicolette fell in. She immediately curled up and fell asleep, her thumb nestled in her mouth. “Thanks for coming,” Emmaline said, sighing with relief as she sat down in the passenger seat. “Whatever.” “Seriously, thanks. The guy who gave us a ride here left without us knowing,” Emmaline stated. I rolled my eyes. “Why did you blow me off in the airport?” I snapped, changing the subject. “Blow you off?” Emmaline raised an eyebrow. “You sure didn’t stay for coffee,” I said with a cold laugh. “Fine, I won’t make excuses. I didn’t want to talk to you, Lena—“ “Don’t you dare call me that. I said that was only what friends call me,” I cut in. She turned to me, her eyes narrowed. “I’m not the one who made out with a guy…who WASN’T her boyfriend!” That was cold. “What? Did you expect me to run to you and tell you the story the second it happened? It wasn’t exactly something I was proud of. Like you ‘cheating’ on Blake.” Her mouth dropped open. “What? And did you forget about Jenson and Avery and Juliet, too? I’m almost positive you haven’t called them and told them anything. Do you think your too good for everyone now? Now you’re suddenly someone in the US, unlike us apparently.” “YOU DON’T KNOW THE HALF OF IT, EVANGELINA!” Emmaline bellowed, making Nicolette stir behind us. “Whatever.” The rest of the ride was silent. I soon stopped in front of Emmaline’s apartment building. She helped Nicolette up to their penthouse. Then she came back down to drive me home. It was quite a silent drive, both of us staring straight ahead. **Sorry, this didn’t really pick up until the argument. It was quite lame before, but I just needed some way for them to confront each other about everything.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta- Awesome posts! :D I'll write soon<3

LudaKrys Sorry for all the mistakes in that post. I was listening to music while I typed and edited it. :P

LudaKrys ~Jenson~ I scanned over the room looking for the box of popcorn bags that I’d bought specifically for tonight. “Avery?” “Yeah?” a muted response comes from the bathroom. “Have you seen the popcorn?” I asks. “Uh…I think it’s on the coffee table.” I looked towards the coffee table’s direction and there it was. I ripped open the top and pulled out a bag. “Thanks. I’m gonna go microwave this.” “Okay,” she said in reply. I slipped on some Uggs and rushed to the lobby. When I stepped in to the elevator Lena was there with all of her bags. “Hey!” I say breathing deeply. She doesn’t say anything back and I can see she is troubled by the look on her face. “Lena?” I say a little louder. “Huh?” she says and snaps up out of her daze. “Oh hey, Jenson.” Abruptly she asks, “You don’t think that Juliet is trying to steal my part in the production do you?” I shift my weight to the side, feeling uncomfortable talking about this. “Steal is a strong word. I think she’s just a little jealous by the fact that you got the part. You guys obviously both wanted the part,” I’m quick to add, “a lot. And maybe while you were gone she just became comfortable with the part and now it’s like they were just teasing her.” “Well she should have known she wouldn’t just get my part like that. I obviously deserve it more.” “Yeah…” I say feeling more and more guilty by the minute. “Maybe you should try putting yourself in her position though.” “Hmmm,” is all she says. DING! I jump at the sound and rush out. I hurry over to the microwave and put the popcorn in for a minute. Slowly soft pops start to come out as the bag grows. I glance at the clock hoping it hasn’t started. As soon as I hear a beep I reach in and grab the bag. I remember that I forgot a bowl so I have to juggle the hot container back and forth in my hands. I rush all the way back to the room avoiding as many conversations as possible. When I open the door I hear the opening music. I let a small squeal, right before I hop on my bed and toss the popcorn in Avery’s direction. She laughs and puts the now open bag on to the table between our beds. Before the contestants go on it introduces the jugdes, first Adam, then Demi, then….”Emma!?!” I rub my eyes and take a look at what’s before me. I thought she was in England. I glance at Avery. The surprised look on her face is nothing compared to the one on mine. “We really need to call her.” “When?” I ask, “She hasn’t answered my phone calls lately and she on television right now.” “I don’t know, probably as soon as possible, like when the show’s over.” “Alright,” I reply. Simultaneously we turn back towards the T.V. and try to make the time pass as much as possible till it’s over. Suddenly Rihanna steps on stage. My stomach drops as I see her eyes fill with fear.

LudaKrys @Haley-Thank you! :)

fungirl123 @Krysta - great post! :D Can't wait to see more! <3 <3

LudaKrys Great post everybody!  I haven’t been on in forever but I wrote a short passage so I hope you like it! I plan on writing more than I’ve been, trust me! ~Jenson~ I laid in a twisted position upon a lime green mat. “Cross your right leg over your left thigh and bend forward. Be sure to keep your stomach in tight, but don’t forget to breathe.” I stood in the air, hoping I wasn’t stuck. Remembering I needed to keep breathing, I let out a breath that could have easily been mistaken for a bull’s breath when it’s about to charge. I speedy vibration tingled my leg. I rapidly smacked my phone. I had already been caught with my phone going off while doing exercises, so I really didn’t need it going off again. Suddenly the vibrations stopped, but they were immediately replaced with “Thriller”. “Jenson, sweetheart, if you’d rather be talking on your phone instead of taking my class then go right ahead.” I went back to a standing position while others turned their heads in my direction. They were probably really annoyed with me by now considering this was the third time in the past two days. “Sorry Ms. Clark.” “As you should be, now could you please excuse yourself for the day?” I nod and quickly roll up my mat. I go straight to the locker room, avoiding as many smirks as possible. I turn my lock in somewhat circles till it clicks open. I pull out my gym bag and unzip the top. I set it on the bench and sit down next to it. I dig through it till I find my perfume and then I go for my phone. One missed call from Rihanna. I hit the redial button and here rhythmical rings. “Hello.” “Hey.” “Oh hey! What’s up?” “Oh ya know, just getting kicked out of yoga class. What else would I be doing?” I say sarcastically. She lets out a well-rehearsed laugh before she replies, “So…” “So…” I reply in return, “So why’d you call me?” “Oh yeah! Okay so your never going to believe me but I’m debating on auditioning for the X-Factor.” She’s right, I’d never believe her. “Why would you want to do that? I thought singing in front of people was like your number one fear?” I reply curiously. “It was but I’ve been taking voice lessons and I’ve gotten really good. I think I’m ready to show people my talent.” “Oh.” It’s all I can say considering the last time she sang in front of a crowd was in first grade and she ended throwing up onto Joey Dillon’s back side. “Well? Aren’t you happy for me?” She asks. “Of course,” I say and add, “It’s just, I didn’t know.” “Oh, I thought I told you.” “Nope.” The line is filled with silence until she adds back, “So yeah. Make sure you’re watching cause I’ll be on it! Talk to you later?” “Yeah. Talk to yeah later. Bye.” She doesn’t say bye back but just ends the conversation with a click. I end the call and my hands drop to my lap. How odd. Why would she even consider voice lessons when all of her life she’s told me she hates singing? I shake my head in wonder and slip on my shoes.

fungirl123 @Lexi - haha, I'm planning to write tomorrow afternoon after cheer practice. :-) I just have to think of something...

LexilicousCandy Yeah, well I'm half to lazy to write at the moment, and half waiting for someone else to post something. :D

fungirl123 @Lexi - yep, I saw that! :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Yeah, but I'll go ahead and resend it, just in case. :) I'm kind of crazy at the moment though, so we'll see what happens...

fungirl123 @Lexi - have you sent it yet? :\ I feel like our emails haven't been actually getting to each other lately. My Gmail's been messed up. Just let me know if you already sent it! <3 <3

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I'm about to email you a new message about writing real quick so you know what I have planned, and then I'll continue our other topic/conversation. :)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Thanks! <3 I don't think so, I just wrote all of that a couple weeks ago when I was experimenting with new writing techniques, so I'm not really sure at the moment...

fungirl123 @Lexi - once again, great post! :-D Are all of your paragraphs going to be written in script-like-form now? JW! <3

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Thanks, you too! <3 And its fine, I just had to add in an extra paragraph. :) Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9nPf7w7pDI ~Emmaline~ I’ve just arrived in America (again) and we’re at our first stop for the X-factor auditions tour, New York. I haven’t spoken a word to Lena since I shut the door on her, and I’ve been so busy I’ve barely had the time to squeeze in a quick hello ring to Juliet and Jenson. Harry and the boys are in currently in Australia for promo, so we can only exchange a few texts back and forth due to time zones, leaving me here in this airport with Nicolette. Speaking of, my phone lights up with a picture of Harry’s grinning face. A text. From: Harry <3 Good luck today, babe. Love you. Xx I smile at the screen and quickly unlock my phone. To: Harry <3 Thanks :) Love you too. Xx My fingers fly across the phone as I press send and suddenly I’m crashing to the ground, my scarf flying off my head. “Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry!” A seemingly familiar voice calls, but I push the memories back and ignore it. “My fault! My fault!” I cry, rushing to get away before someone recognizes me. I glance up and feel Nicolette tense up beside me. “Evangelina?” I question, mostly to myself, in shock. “Emmaline?!” Lena replies, squinting at me. Nicolette nudges me in the back and nods her slightly to the right, where I spot a big guy with a big camera coming our way. I snap back into reality and slide my glasses back onto my face, picking up my fallen purse. “Umm, no, this isn’t she, sorry!” I call over my shoulder, already being dragged away by Adam, one of my main bodyguards. So much for a loving reunion… but when she tried to sabotage my relationship with my closest best friend, did I really want one in the first place? * * * No matter how many times I go through this process, sitting in the beauty trailer getting made-up is always boring. To pass the time, I grab my mobile and open up a new message. To: Juliet Are you auditioning today?(; I receive a reply almost immediately. From: Juliet Are you crazy? 0.o No way. :p I frown slightly as I type my reply. To: Juliet Aww, you’re no fun. :( I then place my mobile on the counter as Madelyn proceeds to complete my make-up. “They’re ready for you downstairs, Ms. Middleton.” “Let’s do this,” I mutter to myself, following Adam into the waiting limo. We pull up at the arena, met by shrieks all around as fans throw various items at me and shout my name, which is ironic considering I was walking throughout the streets of New York just under a month ago without any of them knowing. I sign autographs and pose for a few photos, but otherwise I’m quickly ushered inside the arena and into my seat, between Demi and Simon, except Simon’s not here yet. Might as well pass the time. I turn to Demi— who I’ve become rather close too— and smile, commenting on her latest tattoo. This engages an entire conversation based on different tattoos, and ends with me agreeing to go with her to get one after the show. “Y’all ready for this?” L.A. asks, just as the first contestant walks on stage. I quickly glance up at the girl and look back down to my notes, disinterested in her rather… revealing, appearance. Simon: “And what is your name?” Contestant # 1: “Kara Coleman.” Simon: “And how old are you?” Kara: “16; I’m a student.” Simon: “What school do you attend?” Kara: “Harper Academy for the Gifted.” My head shoots up as I look at my former classmate, whose gaze is shocked as she meets my incredulous gaze from her position on stage. I knew I recognized her name from somewhere. What once was a cruel smirk is now a surgery sweet smile that makes my stomach churn. I could’ve sworn she was in the fashion department, not a singer. Simon smirks as a bemused expression flitters across his face. Simon: “Is that so?” Kara: *Picks up dropped jaw and smirks* “Yes.” Simon stifles a laugh and scrambles to grab his water, leaving L.A. to pick up his place. L.A.: “So tell me, who do you think you’re as good as?” Kara: “I like to be believe that I’m better than the best of them; Celine Dion, Adele— you name it I can do better.” L.A.: “Right… so what do you have prepared for us today?” Kara: “I’ll be singing ‘I Will Always Love You’ by Whitney Houston.” L.A. nods and music starts to play; Kara clears her throat and lifts the microphone to her lips just as the first note hits. Or is supposed to, that is. As soon as she opens her mouth, everyone visibly cringes, she’s that off-key. Simon grimaces and cuts the music off almost immediately. Simon: “I’m going to go straight to Emmaline.” Of you would, Simon. Of course you would. Shooting Simon a quick glare, I paste a fake smile on my face and turn to face Kara. Me: “I’m sorry, but it’s going to have to be a no from me.” Kara: “Why?!” Me: “You don’t have the image, attitude, and quite frankly, talent that we’re looking for.” Kara: *Sneers* “That’s real rich coming from you.” Me: “Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?” Kara: *Smirks and fails horribly at trying to impersonate my English accent* “Nothing… just that you’re a talentless whore who’s only famous for dating Harry Styles.” Audience: *Gasps* “Boo! Boo!” Simon: “That’s enough for now; 4 no’s for you, goodbye, Kara Coleman.” Kara: *Huffs and marches off stage, leaving a trail of (cheap) glitter.* Demi: “That was… interesting.” Me: “Tell me about it.” * * * I’m in the tattoo parlor with Demi and Nicolette when I get the phone call from Mrs. Harper. Me: “Hello?” Mrs. Harper: “Hello, dear. How are you? I hear you’ve landed a new job at X-Factor.” Me: “Yeah, I’m fine. How are you?” Mrs. Harper: “I’m doing well. I’ve actually called you to ask a favor, though.” Me: “What?” Mrs. Harper: “As you know, Homecoming is coming up, and we would love it if you could perform a set for us, like a mini concert of sorts.” Me: “I’m pretty booked with X-Factor and everything, but it would be nice to see everyone again… I’ll see what I can arrange.” Mrs. Harper: “Excellent! I’ll fax over the information to your people. It was lovely talking to you again, Emmaline.” Me: “You as well. Goodbye.” I hang up the phone and turn around when Demi calls for me. “Who was that?” she asks, from her perch on the chair. She was currently getting prepared for “Let Go” & “Let God” tattooed on her feet, adding to her growing collection of ink. “My old headmaster from when I went undercover at that academy,” I reply, shrugging my shoulders, nonchalantly. “What did she want?” Demi inquires. I sigh, “For me to perform at their homecoming.” Nicolette: “You’re not really going to go, are you?” Me: “I guess I have to.” Nicolette wrinkles her nose and goes back to flipping through her magazine. Her face suddenly lifts up as her phone vibrates on the side table and she steps outside to take the call. It’s probably just her ‘boyfriend’ of the week. I love that girl to death, but she sure does like a good piece of man. Tattoo Artist: “Are you ready, Ms. Millington?” Me: *Nods* “Yes.” Tattoo Artist: “And what are you getting done today?” Me: “Umm, can I have an outline of my heart on the edge of my wrist?” Tattoo Artist: “Sure thing, now if we just sanitize the area we can get started…” I sit in the chair and get my mind off the dull pain in my wrist by thinking of my previous phone call with Ms. Harper. Guess I’m going to get the reunion whether I wanted it or not.

fungirl123 This is kind of going to be two important posts made into one. I didn’t want the second one to be too short, though, so I’ll just be separating them with ***s. The end of the first paragraph is obvious though, and I ruin it by continuing after the cliffhanger – if that makes sense, haha. :p Sorry the last part gets so choppy! ~Lena~ “Mom!” I called, shoving open the sliding glass back door of my house. It was dark. Elliot headed in behind a few seconds later, as he had to pay the taxi driver. My family was oblivious of the fact that we’d taken a private jet. We weren’t supposed to be here for many more hours. It was in fact eleven PM. “Olivia? Liam?” A light popped on in the back hallway, and my older brother Liam emerged from it. “Hey, sis,” he said. I could tell he was trying not to show the worry on his face. “I just got home from North Carolina,” he stated, “Mom and Ollie went over to Grandma’s house. They said they needed to get away for a bit.” Liam had been living in North Carolina with my uncle Jay, since he trained in South Carolina for the Marine Corps. “Any word from anyone?” Elliot inquired, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Liam shook his head, staring at the counter top. He took a deep breath, and looked up. “The lack of sleep won’t help. Go to bed for now. We’ll figure this out in the morning.” I wasn’t about to argue with him. I looked away from my two brothers, and walked back to my bedroom. Sleep was what I needed…but I wasn’t sure I would get it. My eyes fluttered open after the sound of Let It Be rang through the air. My alarm was still set for eight AM. I clicked the off button. I’d half expected to see light blue walls surrounding me, as they were in my dorm room at Harper, but instead I saw bright pink walls. My room was so empty. I closet was barely half-filled, and my drawers were barely that. My mirror had been stripped of the photos of me and my friends when they were put on a collage for my dorm. My vanity used to be messily filled with makeup and jewelry, but now it was neatly organized with all of my not-important items in small drawers. I closed my eyes, picturing how my bedroom was before I left. All of the clothes scattered on the floor, my backpack sitting next to my bed, my bookshelf full with hundreds of books, and my bathroom full. I had even needed to go to my family’s linen closet in order to make my bed. I felt a pain in my stomach. I could feel myself frowning. I was homesick…while still at home. This was pathetic. Snapping me from my thoughts, a soft knock sounded at my bedroom door. “Lena? You awake?” It was Corey. “Come in.” He entered. My boyfriend had trimmed his hair since the last time I’d seen him…when I’d ditched him for Emmaline. He plopped down next to me on my bed, and draped his arm around my shoulders. We both stared at the wall. “How are you holding up?” he asked finally. I shrugged. “I don’t even know.” I slumped against him. “It’s only been a few days, Len. Give them time…and someone will find him. Alive,” Corey said. He pressed his lips against my forehead. I moved my head upward, letting my lips meet his. I moved closer to him, and up onto his lap. He moved his head to kiss my collarbone, leaving me a few seconds to breathe. I felt an odd feeling in my stomach as he tightened his grip on my waist, and leaned me forward onto my bed. Then we both seemed to pull away at the same time. He gasped for breath. “I gotta go,” he muttered, more to himself than to me. I nodded, agreeing with him for some reason that I couldn’t figure out. He exited my bedroom. I just needed to gather my thoughts. I changed into a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. “I’m going jogging,” I called before shutting the front door behind me. I broke into a run…way faster than I needed to. It took me a few seconds to realize I was holding in my breath. I forced myself to slow down…to unclench my tight fists. Why couldn’t people just understand that I was going through such crap in my life right now? Couldn’t everyone just stop and go easy on me. The thing with Corey was all Elliot’s fault. If he hadn’t said those things, Corey wouldn’t have walked away from me. Was I trying to prove something to him? That I was truly in love with Corey? I hated this. It felt like the world was pressing down on me…everyone expecting me to make so many decisions and be perfect. All of the sudden, my legs fell out from under me, and I collapsed on a curb, the tears streaming down my face. ****** “I think we’ve done all we can here,” Elliot concluded Sunday night at dinner. Everyone had picked at their Chinese takeout meals. My mother and Olivia had arrived home. I’d only exchanged a few short pleasantries with them, though. Otherwise, I’d been up in my bedroom for the past day. Mom looked up. “Okay,” was all she said. She was so distraught. “Lena and I are both packed, and my friend’s private jet is waiting for us at the airport. I think we’ll head out in an hour or so,” my twin brother continued. I set down my fork. “Let’s just go now,” I said, not even remotely as a suggestion, but more as an order. Elliot tilted his head to the side in confusion. “Uh…okay?” “I’ll take you to the airport,” Liam said, standing. Within minutes, we were out the door. I couldn’t stand to be in that house much longer. I boarded the jet not much later. *** I walked through the airport late at night in New York. Elliot’s and my bags trailed behind us. I turned to him. “Did you call a cab?” I asked. “No, Julian is coming—“ “Him?” I hadn’t been looking, and I rammed into a passing person. We both stumbled backwards. My butt smacked the floor. “Oh, gosh! So sorry!” I cried, hurrying to my feet again. The girl had a scarf covering her head, and large Gucci sunglasses over her eyes. “My fault! My fault!” the other person quickly exclaimed in return. I froze. What a familiar voice? I cast a glance at the person next to her. It was…Nicolette? She was… “Evangelina?” the person questioned. She removed the scarf at that moment, along with her shades. My voice shook… “Emmaline?” (Hope it’s okay that I said Nicolette was with Em, Lexi! <3)

fungirl123 @Lexi - great post! :D

LexilicousCandy Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJO3ROT-A4E ~Emmaline~ I step out of my en-suite, wrapping a plush cream-colored towel around my frame. Stopping in front of my walk-in closet, I contemplate what to wear for my girls day out with Eleanor. I decide on a more laid back ensemble (A/N: Em’s Outfit-- http://www.polyvore.com/untitled/set?id=56547411) and light make-up, going for a natural look. I tease my curls and let them fall down my back in soft, auburn, ringlets, sliding in and positioning my pearl headband just so. “Em, are you ready to go?” Eleanor calls through the intercom. “Yeah, I’m on my way,” I reply, grabbing my mobile and walking through the foyer. “Long time, no see,” Eleanor comments, greeting me with outstretched arms and leading me to the car Louis recently bought her. “Definitely,” I agree, sliding gracefully into the passenger seat, yet exhaling loudly at these last couple days, which seems to catch her attention. Eleanor: “Everything’s been quite stressful for you lately, I presume?” Me: “You have no idea what I’ve been through. Is the hate still as bad?” Eleanor: *Shrugs* “I still get the occasional death threat, but recently things have been letting up; I try not to let it get to me.” Me: “I know how you feel; now that Harry and I are public and I announced my break up with Blake, I’ve seen an even larger amount of hate than usual, but if that’s the price I have to pay then I’ll get through it. I’ve dealt with it before; I can deal with it now.” Eleanor: “That’s good. How’s Harry taking everything?” Me: *Shrugs* “I think he’s worried about me, but I’ve been in this business, and the public eye, for a long time— practically since I was born— and I can handle myself in these types of situations. We’ll get through this, together.” Eleanor: “I, for one, think it’s cute how protective he is of you, and I’m certain Danielle will agree with me.” *Winks* Me: *Laughs* “You might be right…” We pull up at the shopping complex and head straight to Starbucks, of course. After grabbing our drinks to-go, we walk into a random designer store, where Eleanor instantly finds a pair of shoes. “I’m going to see if they have these in my size,” she states, lifting the little booties into the air. I nod and sip at my frappe, casually browsing around the store. Nothing really catches my eye. ♪ You don’t know-oh-oh; you don’t know you’re beautiful! ♪ I fish my phone out of my purse, seeing a familiar number, yet being confused as to why he’s calling. Me: “…Uncle Simon?” Simon: “Yes, it is I. How are you, Emma?” Me: “I’m fine, just shopping with Eleanor.” Simon: “Very well… I hear you’re dating a certain Harry Styles, from a certain One Direction? The very one that happens to be signed to my record label, am I correct?” Me: “Yes, you’re correct. Is that why you called?” Simon: “Not really, I called to check up on you, and offer you a job.” Me: “A job?” Simon: “Precisely. How would you feel to being a judge on the X-Factor US this season?” Me: “Me? Why?” Simon: “You’re young and experienced in the music industry; we could use youth, such as yourself, on the panel this year. I’ve already spoken with your parents and your father agrees that this will help promote your album release; you’ve got quite the following in the states, apparently. So, when’s the soonest you can fly out?” Me: “I… I don’t know. I just got back and…” Simon: “Great, I’ll book you a flight for tomorrow morning. Bye, love.” *Disconnects call* Me: What just happened?

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks!! ^.^ @Kat- Good post!(:

kjm109 *Juliet* “Bye ladies!” I yell to my dance group as I head out of the dance room door. “Juliet!” I hear from the side of the building. I whirled around and Jenson was jogging towards me. “There is a rehearsal for Hermia and Lysander in five minutes in the theater, you should be there now!” She exclaimed. I was surprised for only a moment before thanking Jenson and taking off in a jog towards the theater. When the theater building finally was close I slowed to a walk so I wouldn’t look too winded for the rehearsal. I rounded a corner and entered in the back way to the theater. After quietly closing the door behind me I make my way down the theater isle and begin my explanation. “I heard from Jenson that there was a rehearsal for Hermia and Lysander. Sorry…I wasn’t informed earlier—What the hell is SHE doing here?” I exclaim noticing Lena on the stage for the first time. “What do you mean? This is my role…,” Lena begins, confused. Julian walks up and starts whispering to her and I look to the teachers for an explanation. They all just look around awkwardly mumbling a few things about some confusion. While one of the teachers was trying to explain the situation to me Lena begins to talk to me again. “Y-You were trying to steal my part?” She stutters. My eyes widened in shock. “Well…I – um – wouldn’t put it that way. I just kind of thought I was—“ I begin being interrupted by Lena mid sentence. “You think you’re better than me, do you?” She demands stepping closer to me but staying on the stage. “I guess I do, Lena! I mean, I have so much more experience in Shakespeare! I had people betting that I’d get the part. They knew it! My dad’s made me read Shakespeare almost every day growing up. I know everything there is to know about it! Why WOULDN’T I get it?” I exclaim frustrated finally letting the truth about my crazed parents fly. Lena begins to descend from the stage towards me. “And you called yourself my friend?” She spits out holding the book up to my face. For a moment I and everyone in the theater thought she was going to hit me with it because there was a collective gasp. “Well, look where that’s gotten you. I’m not going anywhere this time. I guess karma had its way with you—“ She replies evilly lowering the book but still face to face with me. Suddenly someone bursts through the door and yells. “LENA!” Lena whirls around to face the newcomer and I take a step back putting a little more space between myself and the huge book she was holding. “What is it?” She asks looking still very annoyed. “Something happened to Dad. C’mon, Mom’s on the phone in my lounge.” The boy, Lena’s brother exclaims. In a moment Lena was tearing out of the theater behind her brother leaving us in a strange silence. “I think that will be all for practice today.” One of the teachers says before turning to me, “We will let you know about what will happen with the part of Hermia. Lena leaving yet again even with a family emergency will start leaning the part towards you. But again nothing is final yet.” I nod my head and leave the theater and heading back to my room. Lena thankfully been through and left so there wouldn’t be any more confrontations today.

fungirl123 @Payton - great post! :D Can't wait to read more about Spencer and Avery. ^.^

taylorswiftfan1233 This isn't very long, but here it is. :) ~Avery~ I watched as Spencer went up to get his first place medal. Of course he had gotten first place. I fingered the medal around my neck, unable to hide my frown as I watched him shake the other guys’ hands. Then they stopped to pose for pictures, a bright smile on Spencer’s face. I hadn’t said a word to him since my race, and he hadn’t said a word to me in return. But somehow I had a feeling that he would try to on the bus ride back to Harper. Twenty minutes later, we were finding our seats on the bus. The team chattered excitedly, their eyes bright as they discussed the race. Almost everyone had gotten a medal today, and if they hadn’t they had been extremely close to getting one. Before I could even get settled into my seat, Spencer and Josh took the seat in front of me. I scowled at the back of their heads. I wasn’t sure why, but I was in a terrible mood. I was pulling out my iPhone when Josh turned around. “Didn’t Spencer do amazing? That was the best race EVER!” he cried. “Yeah, sure,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes. “Aren’t you going to congratulate me?” Spencer teased. “Congratulations, Spencer. You ran an amazing race,” I said sarcastically. Then I glared at him and said, “There? Happy?” “Hey, what’s wrong?” Spencer asked, looking confused. Without answering, I put my headphones in my ears and cranked up the volume of my music. *** As I walked back into Harper, my duffel bag slung over my shoulder, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I whirled around to see Spencer, his green eyes intent on me. “Hey, what’s wrong? You ran a great race... you should be happy.” I glared at him, jerking away. “That’s not why I’m mad.” “Then why are you mad?” he asked, gazing down at me. “Oh, like you don’t know,” I snapped. “Actually, I don’t,” he said, running a hand through his messy brown hair. “Think back to the time you asked me on a date. Remember how I kissed you and how you got mad at me? Well, now I’m mad at you,” I said, my eyes flickering. Spencer squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. After a brief silence, he finally said something. “I didn’t mean that. I thought I didn’t like you but--” “But now you do?” I broke in, crossing my arms and giving him my harshest look, “Yeah, because that makes a huge difference.” “Avery--” “Stop,” I said, holding up a hand to stop him. I shook my head. “Just leave me alone.” I turned on my heel and walked into Harper, ready to just forget about him.

fungirl123 @Kat/Payton - awesomme!! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! I plan on writing tonight. :)

kjm109 Great post! I will try to post tomorrow because I probably have 4 hours of homework tonight!

fungirl123 Hope you enjoy! :D I was going to add in more about Emmaline in this, but I didn’t know where to add it in… :p ~Lena~ “So you’re leaving again?” Julian asked, trailing behind me as I tossed clothes into a suitcase that lay on my bed. “Yep.” I proceeded to pack all of my schools books I’d need for the weekend into my backpack. “You’re practically handing the part to Juliet!” he continued, putting a hand on my shoulder. “At this point, I don’t even care. My dad could be dead…or dying,” I proclaimed, turning to face Julian. “Okay, you know what’ll get you back to Michigan faster than a car?” he said, taking his wallet out of his back pocket. I shook my head. What was he implying? “A plane.” “I can’t afford th—“ “Yup, you’ll be going via Harper Jet.” I laughed, shaking my head. “That’s nice of you, but I can’t let you do that for me and Elliot. Too much to ask,” I said, continuing to toss things into my bag. “But you’re not even asking. I’m offering. So you’ll let me do this for you?” Hesitantly, I nodded. **** Two hours later, I was standing in front of a gleaming white jet. Elliot and I were in awe. I thought the Middleton’s jet was huge…little did I know they made them bigger. Julian – who had come to see us off – turned to me. “Okay, I’ll see you on Monday…I hope?” He had phrased it like a question more than a statement. I shrugged. “Since I’m doing this for you, I want to ask for a tiny thing in return,” he continued. “Sure.” Julian put both his hands on my shoulders, and looked me right in the eye. “You don’t give the part to Juliet. You need to be back as soon as you can to keep your role. It’s really the only way. You deserve this more than anyone.” I looked away. “Fine.” “That’s all I need to hear. You’ll thank me later, Pinkie,” he said, a smirk spreading over his face. It reminded me of the first time I’d spoken to him. I laughed, shoving him on the shoulder. “Whatever.” He ruffled my hair. “See ya soon.” He shoved me on the arm, and let me stumble a bit. “See you.” I turned, and walked over to the steps of the jet. Elliot followed closely behind me. The aircraft’s interior was much different than Emmaline’s. But it was mostly because I was accompanied by six people last time I was on a jet. A guilty feeling stabbed at my stomach, bringing back memories of Niall…but mostly Emmaline. Two friends that I’d lost a week ago, due to a few mistakes. I reluctantly pushed the thought of it to the back of my mind. Snapping me from my thoughts, Elliot’s voice rang through the air. “So about Julian.” I immediately looked at him. “What about him?” I asked. “Do you like him?” I drew in a sharp breath, the shock not settling in. “I’m dating Corey. I love him more than anything!” It took me a moment to realize how desperate I had just sounded, but I tried to ignore it. “I know…but I have a bad feeling about Corey. I mean, he’s cool. But seeing you with Julian…you just seem happier with him.” I couldn’t think of what to say next. He continued, “Liam and Olivia would agree if they saw you with Jul—“ “Liam is never even around, so what does he know? And Olivia’s a kid! She doesn’t know anything about love!” Elliot gawked at me. “Sorry, Len. I was just sayin’.” “Elliot, stay OUT of my relationships. I would never get involved with yours,” I spat. My brother stared down at his hands, looking defeated. I instantly regretted what I’d just said. The plane turned on, filling the silence. I tried to turn over and avert my thoughts, but my mind kept drifting back to how I’d just treated my brother, the guy who was there for me through anything, and whether or not he could even be remotely right.

fungirl123 I'm writing right now, and I hope it just might help some of you get back into the writing mood for this club. <3 <3

fungirl123 @Payton - thanks, I hope you can get out of your slump soon! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Amazing post! :D I don't know what to write at the moment, but I'll hopefully think of something soon. <3

fungirl123 ~Lena~ It was more than a week after I’d left London, and I was just beginning to get over the whole thing. Thankfully, I had theatre to distract me from the thoughts of Emmaline. I continued to read off the lines of Hermia at the front of the stage. She was in a state of horror, after just finding out that she was betrothed to Demetrius. Lysander and she had met up somewhere to talk about it. “Oh, spite…too—“ My words were cut off by the doors at the rear of the auditorium opening. This was a private rehearsal with only my two teachers, Julian, and me. None of the other students were supposed to come into class today. Who would be coming in? I shielded my eyes from the stage lights to look at the interrupter. It was…Juliet. “I heard from Jenson that there was a rehearsal for Hermia and Lysander. Sorry…I wasn’t informed earlier—What the hell is SHE doing here?” Juliet had stopped dead in her tracks halfway down the aisle way. She was pointing up at me, a shocked expression crossed over her face. “What do you mean? This is my role…,” I said, quite confused. My voice trailed off quietly at the end of my sentence.” Julian appeared next to me and leaned down to say something to me. “Lena, Juliet’s been rehearsing your role for the past week and a half while you were in London.” I knew that part. It took me a moment to put everything together. So Juliet had sounded that joyful on the phone with me while I was in London for a reason! All that talk of how she was doing my part so well, and that our audition points were so close. Along with that, her being so angry now. “Y-You were trying to steal my part?” I stuttered out. Juliet’s eyes widened. “Well…I – um – wouldn’t put it that way. I just kind of thought I was—“ “You think you’re better than me, do you?” I pressed, narrowing my eyes. I stepped up. Juliet let out a breath. “I guess I do, Lena! I mean, I have SO much more experience in Shakespeare. I had people betting that I’d get the part. They knew it! My dad’s made me read so much Shakespeare. I know everything there is to know about it! Why WOULDN’T I get it?” I tilted my head to the side and walked down the steps to her. “And you called yourself my friend?” I clutched the script in my hand. I held the thick white book up to her face. “Well, look where that’s gotten you. I’m not going anywhere this time. I guess karma had its way with you—“ “LENA!” I whirled around. I hadn’t even realized it, but the auditorium doors had once again flown open, but this time Elliot walked hastily the aisle toward me. “What is it?” I asked, seeing the distraught look on his face. “Something happened to Dad. C’mon, Mom’s on the phone in my lounge.” Before I could process everything, I was out the door. Elliot held my hand in his, pulling me behind him. Luckily, the auditorium was only directly across the parking lot from the theater building. Scenarios raced through my mind. What could’ve happened? Did his front get bombed? Was he shot? Paralyzed? Or worse…was he dead? “Mom, what’s going on?” I cried, my voice shaking on the phone with my distressed mother. “Your father was doing the usual: flying in a helicopter to drop off soldiers. There was a malfunction with a bomb, and it went off. They don’t know where they were hit, so they don’t know if they’re dead or alive.” My hand tensed immediately, and the phone dropped from my hand. Elliot grabbed it. “Mom, we’ll be there by tomorrow. We’re staying for the weekend.”

fungirl123 Okay, I really need to write for this club. :\ I haven't in forever (a month). I'll really try to write today, but it might not be that good since I don't have a lot of ideas at the moment for any of my stories... :(

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat- Nice post!(:

fungirl123 @Kat - great post! :D

kjm109 *Juliet* When I wake up on Monday morning to the sound of my alarm, I groggily get out of bed and brace myself for another week of practicing both parts in the play. Suddenly I am aware that there is a body shaped lump in Lena’s bed. I slowly tiptoe over to the bed and peer at the face in Lena’s bed. Crap! I think, The body is Lena’s, she is back from England. I tiptoe away from the bed and get ready for class, trying to figure out the whole time if I did enough to secure the part of Hermia. **** “Well, she is back, but she said that she didn’t want to come to class yet. Something about sleep and jet lag.” I explain to the theater teachers after the class wrapped up. “Thank you for telling us, Juliet. Between us, were not sure that Lena can keep the part of Hermia, not after how flakey she was. Well, have her come down here later and we will tell you our decision tomorrow.” They tell me. I smile and thank them before leaving the theater for my third class of the day. **** “Lena…Lena…Lena…Wake up, Lena…” I coon above the sleeping Lena. “Whaattt?” She groans, a smirk crosses my face but I quickly replace it with a smile. “It’s past eleven o’clock AM. I thought I’d wake up now. You’ve already missed like three of your classes. But why are you back? Is Emmaline with you?” I ask. She just sakes her head in response, so I just shrug and return to my bed to switch out my books for the next three classes. “I told Ms. Hudson and Mr. Fields that you were back, but you didn’t want to come to class. They said they want to see you as soon as possible,” I remark unable to hold back the smirk this time, and this gets Lena’s attention. She hurries off to get dressed in clean clothes and I leave for the last three classes of the day.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta- Thank you.(:

LudaKrys @Payton-Awesome posts! :)

fungirl123 @Payton - no problemo! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks! :)

fungirl123 @Payton - good post! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry this is so choppy, but I really needed to post something... So, here it is. :P ~Avery~ My hand shot up in the air as I bounced up and down in my seat excitedly. “Yes, Avery?” Mrs. Lee asked, turning around to face me. “All cross-country runners need to leave right now so we can get to our meet on time,” I said. She raised an eyebrow at me, wondering how I could possibly be so excited. But she nodded and said, “Okay. All cross-country runners can go to the locker rooms now.” I sprang up out of my seat along with Josh and Kylie. We were free to go and run! “Good luck, guys!” Jensen said. “Good luck!” the rest of the class chorused. I barely nodded as I bolted out the door. This would be my first cross-country meet in New York. “Jesus, Avery. Slow down,” Josh said with a laugh. “Sorry. I’m just so excited!” I said, blushing a little as I slowed my pace. “Josh! Dude, wait up!” someone called from behind. Josh stopped. I looked over my shoulder to see Spencer hurrying after us, taking long strides. He had a bright smile on his face and looked as cute as ever. I frowned and looked away, once again hurrying towards the locker room. Kylie was way behind me, talking away on her phone. She was so annoying; she had a really nasal voice that would never shut up. I opened the door to the girl’s locker room and then spun the combination on my locker. After putting on the black and red uniform (A:N:/ I didn’t know if there would be locker rooms for sports at Harper, or what their colors on the uniforms for would be) and my running shoes with the spikes, I stood in front of the mirror and put my hair in a high ponytail. The other girls were rushing around as quickly as they could, bumping into each other and laughing nervously. I thought about the meet for a minute. For girls, it was a three mile course. We would be going against at least four other schools, so there would be a lot of people there. But something told me they wouldn’t be as good as us, since we were the “gifted and talented”. I was nervous, though. My family wouldn’t be there to cheer me on, and neither would my friends. I wouldn’t have Megan and Kirsten for support after the race, or my old team and coach. I felt a sharp pang inside my chest at the thought of not having any of them here. “Hurry up, girls! The bus is waiting!” a female voice yelled into the locker room. I quickly grabbed my stuff before walking out to the bus. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. *** I kept catching myself looking in the crowd of people for a familiar face. Of course, I never found one. “Runners to your mark,” the coach from the school that was hosting the meet yelled. I glanced once at the other girls on my team, who had mixed expressions on their faces. Nervousness, relief that it was finally starting, sadness that their families weren’t here, and toughness. They wanted to win just as badly as I did. I looked at the coach again, and just as I did so, he fired the gun into the air. The High School girls took off. The crowd cheered, and I could hear parents screaming at their kids to run faster. “Go, Avery!” someone yelled, causing my head to snap in their direction. Spencer. I blushed for some reason before running even faster. The first part of the course was uphill. I passed a bunch of girls on my way up, of course making them angry. There was nothing more that runners hated than being passed on a hill. Before I knew it, I was in third place. I knew I had better slow down a little bit so I wouldn’t be too tired, so I did. *** I could hear other girls’ footsteps pounding after mine. I was in second place, and I so badly wanted first. The finish line was only a few feet away. “Come in, Avery! Run! Run faster! Don’t let those girls beat you!” Josh yelled at me. “Run, Fuller! Run!” Coach screamed, clapping his hands to the rythmn of my shoes hitting the ground. I licked my lips as Spencer yelled, “Avery! Come on! Show those girls that you’re better! You can do this! You’re almost there!” And that was that. I picked up my speed, and within seconds, I had passed the petite blonde girl that had been in first place. As soon as I had stepped over the finish line, the guys and coach were all waiting for me. Someone told me my time and someone else ripped part of my number off so they would know I had finished. Spencer handed me water and I gulped it down so fast I nearly choked. “Nice race,” the blonde girl said, sticking out her hand. Seeing the look of dismay on her face, I shook her hand and smiled. “You did great.” She smiled a little before walking away. “YEAHH, AVERY!” the guys yelled. The rest of the girls weren’t even near finishing still. I laughed. A few minutes later, they walked over to congratulate Jules on getting tenth place. Except for Spencer, who remained positioned in front of me. “You did great,” he said, smiling at me. “Thanks,” I said. “Avery, I...” he said, trailing off. He looked so sincere and serious, like he wanted to tell me something. He hesitated before saying, “Good job.” Then he walked away.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks!! :)

fungirl123 @Payton - good post! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 Great posts, everyone! I know my post is longer than what Kat and Krysta wrote, but I added in the thing about Spencer being where they went out to eat. Also, sorry it has taken me this long to post! :P ~Avery~ ( Link to Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/w%C4%B1ld_sp%C4%B1r%C4%B1t/set?id=56923317 ) I felt so hurt and rejected. Spencer didn't like me. Last night when I had come home, Jensen tried to get all the details. But I had just changed into my pajamas and told her that it was nothing. She had left me alone after that, looking through her closet for an outfit that she could wear shopping. I had hid under the covers until I had fallen asleep. “Good morning!” Jensen sang as I sat up in bed the next morning. “Morning,” I said with a yawn. I groggily got out of bed and then walked over to my closet to find something to wear. After getting dressed, I put my caramel colored hair in an athletic bun and added a headband. I turned around and got a good look at Jensen's outfit, only to find that she had overdressed yet again. “Oh wow, you sure are dressed up for shopping, don't you think?” I questioned. Who got that dressed up to go shopping? Jensen apparently. “Well, ya never know who you're going to meet, right?” she inquired. She had a point there. I laughed. “Yeah, I guess you're right.” Suddenly, Juliet walked through the door. “Hey, you guys ready?” she asked. Her eyes landed on Jensen's outfit. “Jensen, we're going shopping. The outfits great, but do you really think the five inch heels are necessary?” “All right, I'll change into something more... DOWN-GRADED,” Jensen said dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest like the thought killed her. Juliet and I giggled. Jensen walked into her closet and changed into a different outfit. When she came out, she did her model walk around the room. “Isn't this outfit perfect?!?!” she exclaimed cheerfully. “Yes!” Juliet and I agreed. After all, the outfit was still cute. On the way to the mall, we sang loudly along with the radio. A feeling of homesickness washed over me as Megan, me, and Kirsten's favorite songs came on the radio. Call Me Maybe, What Makes You Beautiful, Boyfriend... that was just a few. But as soon as we pulled up to the mall, my feeling of homesickness vanished. Now, awe replaced it. The mall was huge, probably the biggest mall I had ever seen in my life; much different from anything in Denver. “Girls, this might take all day,” Juliet said. Jensen and I nodded quietly. After a moment, Jensen unfastens her seatbelt excitedly, exclaiming, “Well, let's go then!” *** “That was crazy!” Juliet exclaimed. I couldn't help but look at all the shopping bags that surrounded us as we drove slowly through the busy parking lot. I had gone kind of crazy, something I rarely ever did when I went shopping. I just couldn't help myself. They had all of my favorite stores, plus ones I had never heard of before. Thankfully, my parents had given me a credit-card to use whenever I wanted to buy something. I would have to apologize for spending so much later though, because I actually felt kind of guilty. Suddenly, I realized how hungry I actually was. I placed my hand over my stomach to hide the growling sound. “Let's go get something to eat,” I suggested. The other two girls nodded their heads in agreement, echoing their replies of how hungry they were. We had been shopping for forever it seemed. *** About ten minutes later, we were sitting in a Mexican restaurant. It was loud and busy, English and Spanish discussions floating into the air. “I bought so many cute things today!” Jensen said excitedly, “I don't know what to do with myself there's so much!” “The mall was huge. I almost feel guilty about spending so much on my credit-card,” I admitted. They laughed. “It was worth it,” Juliet informed me. Our discussion went on about random things until our food was served. “This is delicious,” I said, swallowing a bite of food. “I agree,” Juliet said. “It's AMAZING!” Jensen said, taking another bite. But a voice that rang through the air caused me to freeze. “Cool, dude.” And that's when I saw him: Spencer was walking towards our table with about five other guys, a petite, Hispanic waitress leading them farther into the restaurant. Spencer hadn't even seen me yet, but I was already thinking about how he would look at me. A mixture of disgust or disbelief. Maybe even anger, still. As they got closer, I sank farther down into my seat. Of all places to run into him, of course it would be here with Juliet and Jensen. “Avery?” Jensen asked, laying a hand on my shoulder, “What's wrong? You look scared or something.” “Spencer's here,” I said quietly, looking up at her. She frowned, looking up to where they were. “Oh,” she said, “Is that him? At the front of the group?” I nodded, looking down at my fingernails. This was so embarrassing. “What's wrong?” Juliet asked. She didn't know that I had gone on a date last night. “Avery sees a boy she likes,” Jensen said bluntly, causing me to glare at her. “What?” she asked, raising her hands in surrender, “It's true, right?” I only nodded. “So? Go talk to him,” Juliet said, smiling at me. “I can't,” I mumbled. “Why not?” Jensen and Juliet asked in perfect unison. “Because I--” I began, but his eyes locked with mine. I clamped my mouth shut, my palms suddenly growing sweaty. “Hey, Avery,” Josh, a guy from cross-country who was also one of Spencer's roomates greeted. And of course, they stopped right at our table. “Hi,” I said, sitting up straight. “Sup?” Alec asked. All of these guys were from cross-country. I could outrun all of them, except for Spencer of course. “Just eating,” I said casually, gesturing towards my food, “The food here is the bomb.” A smile tugged at the Spencer's lips, a look of amusement suddenly in his eyes. “Here is your table,” the Hispanic waitress told the boys, jutting her chin to the table beside ours. They sat down and ordered their drinks before beginning to talk loudly and almost seriously about sports. “So, why can't you talk to Spencer?” Jensen whispered. “Okay, so we kind of kissed. But then he got mad and acted like he didn't want to have anything to do with me,” I whispered back, my shoulders sagging at the memory. It hadn't just been an ordinary kiss, either. I had actually felt sparks. “Oh... I'm sorry,” Juliet whispered sympathetically. “It's okay,” I said with a shrug. “You don't need him, anyway! Guys can be so stupid! You don't need him!” Jensen cried, her voice excited and loud. “Jensen!” I cried, placing a finger over my lips. She blushed, mumbling, “Sorry.” I glanced over at Spencer's table. None of the others had heard, but now he was staring intently at me. I bit my lip, wondering what he was thinking. He smiled a little, but I frowned, looking away. I didn't need him.

LudaKrys @Payton-Thanks! :) @Haley-Thank you and awesome posts! :) @Lexi-Thanks and great posts! :)

fungirl123 I didn’t know what to write about before Lena and Emmaline’s fight, so I just skipped to after. :p I didn’t have anything planned out, so I just went with the flow. So that’s why this paragraph is about to seriously suck… ~Lena~ I dabbed at the last tear on my cheek. My shoulders began to settle down and stop heaving up and down. Just as I was taking a seat on one of the hard airport chairs, my cell phone chimes, signifying a phone call. Taking a deep breath, I answered. “Yeah, Niall?” I tried my best to sound normal, and not like I just gotten done sobbing. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner tomorrow night. Maybe it’ll calm you down—“ “I’m on my way back to New York, Niall.” There was a silence on the other end of the line. “Why?” he finally asked. “Emmaline and I got in a fight.” “About what?” “It doesn’t matter!” I snapped, “All I’ll say is that Emmaline doesn’t know how to face the truth.” Another silence. “Well…I’d better go.” Before I could respond, Niall hung up. A voice over the intercom snapped me from my thoughts. “Flight 1304 to New York is boarding.” A half-hour later, I settled into my seat. I had paid for the flight using my mom’s credit card number. At the moment, I didn’t care. We were supposed to be arriving at JFK Airport in four hours. I tucked my pillow under my head and let myself drift off to sleep, my iPod on. “…Prepare for landing.” I jerked awake at the sound of the pilot’s voice. Forty-five minutes after that, I was riding in a taxicab to Harper Academy. It would be good to be back. I dialed Julian’s number. “Lena?” His voice was groggy. It was well past midnight, so I didn’t blame him. “I’m on my way back right now. Can you meet me out front and help me with my bags?” “Uh, sure. Yeah, I’ll be there.” The car stopped at the main office entrance of the academy, where Julian greeted me in sweatpants, sleep hair, and a T-shirt. “Hi, Julian.” He acknowledged me quickly, but got right into unloading my suitcases from the trunk. I grabbed my carry-on, and led the way to the Roosevelt dorm hall. “Lena?!” Jenson exclaimed, stopping dead in her tracks, “You’re back already? Where’s Em? Wait…you two aren’t supposed to be back for four days…What’s wrong? I just came out for a snack—“ I put my hand up, signaling for Jenson to stop with the questions. “I’ll explain in the morning — I need some sleep.” She nodded, and let me pass peacefully. Julian trailed behind me to my room, where I told him to drop my bags right there. He did, and exited the room. Without even changing out of my jeans and sweatshirt, I dropped onto my bed, where I fell asleep immediately. **** “Lena…Lena…Lena…Wake up, Lena…” I jolted from my passive sleep. I waited for my eyes to adjust, but I finally saw Juliet hovering above me on my bed. “Whaattt?” I groaned, smothering a pillow on my face to block out the bright sun that was streaming through my window. “It’s past eleven o’clock AM. I thought I’d wake up now. You’ve already missed like three of your classes. But why are you back? Is Emmaline with you?” I shook my head. Juliet shrugged, and got from my bed. “I told Ms. Hudson and Mr. Fields that you were back, but you didn’t want to come to class. They said they want to see you as soon as possible.” There was some type of smirk in Juliet’s eyes as she told me that. ***** I sat in the auditorium, waiting for my theater teachers to get done with their fifth period class. “Okay, class dismissed.” The throng of freshmen exited the auditorium, leaving me alone with the two teachers. “Miss Andres…Oh, Miss Andres. You’re in a field of trouble,” Ms. Hudson began, sliding her eyeglasses down to the tip of her nose. “Why?” “Your little adventures in Europe are over. And you should know that it was very irresponsible to just leave Miss Montgomery with the part of Hermia. Then you come back and expect to keep your role!” Mr. Fields exclaimed. “Oh…but—“ “No excuses!” “Please, with all do respect, I was handling some business events regarding my OTHER ‘gift’, art.” My two teachers casted glances at each other. “We don’t know what to do. Both you and Juliet did amazing in auditions…” “And…,” I urged on, my heart throbbing in my chest. “I suppose – only if you’re ready to be a dedicated Hermia – you can keep your role.”

fungirl123 @Lexi - I just got done reading the GL article about 1Ds' GFs, and then I saw Eleanor Calder in your paragraph. Heehee :P Anyways, great post! :D Inspired my next one...

LexilicousCandy Oh yeah, and I forgot that that this website doesn't do bolded/italics... so the tweets end at the x's... :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Oops, I posted that before I saw your post! :o I'm sorry!

LexilicousCandy Song is R.I.P. by 3Oh!3 (even though it’s kind of a break up song I guess… it’s close enough. :p) and here’s the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kc9rUEx1MU ~Emmaline~ This is really awkward… I uncross and cross my legs over each other once again. Clearing my throat, I force a small smile on my face as I face Olly and Caroline. “Actually, Harry is my boyfriend; Blake and I are no longer together…” “Oh, I’m so sorry! You two were absolutely adorable, although Harry is also quite fit,” Caroline places a ‘comforting’ hand on my knee. I nod slightly; “I’m very happy in my relationship with Harry,” I confess, smiling wider at the thought of my curly-haired boyfriend. “Aww, young love is so sweet. We can still expect those yummy photos for Sugar magazine with you and Blake though, correct?” “Absolutely! As a matter of fact, the issue should be out for sale by next week.” “Marvelous, we can’t wait to see it,” Olly comments. It’s about time he spoke up! “Well aren’t you a busy little lady lately?” I freeze and stare at him incredulously. Oh my gosh, is Olly going to call me a slag on national telly?! “What with your album coming out in a matter of months, another film set to release, numerous photo shoots and interviews, and we also hear there’s talk of you filming for your new music video?” he continues, quirking his eyebrow at me. I release the breath I was holding in, in relief. “Well, these last few months have been hectic, but I have amazing support within my family and friends, and the fans’ dedication is what keeps me moving from recording in the studio, to filming on set, to an interview such as this one. I believe that I’ve been handling everything pretty well, and I’m doing what I love… I couldn’t ask for much more.” “That was very sweet, so there is a new video?” he confirms, grinning at me. “Yes, I have been filming a new video, and the official release date will be announced soon,” I promise. “I’m sure we’ll love it! I’m Caroline Flack, he’s Olly Murs, and this is the end of our Xtra factor interview with the lovely Emmaline Middleton!” I wave at the camera, eager to leave the studio and return home. As soon as they cut off I jump out of my seat and race out of the studio, barely pausing to peck Olly on the cheek. Once seated in the limo, I pull my phone out and see an incoming call. From Blake. I inhale deeply and accept. “What’s this I hear about you and Harry Styles? Apparently you’re going around claiming we broke up? What’s going on, Babe?” “Don’t call me babe,” I snap furiously into the phone. “And yes, I did just announce that we broke up, because if you wanted to be in a relationship with me, you would have the decency to not go around screwing other girls behind my back!” “What on earth are you talking about?” he pretends to play dumb, although I know he’s anything but innocent. “You should at least make sure to disconnect the call before you engage in your… activities,” I deadpan, throwing my phone back in my purse in disgust. Leaning my head back against the seat, I close my eyes and avert my thoughts from Blake. When I open my eyes again, its morning, I’m in pajamas, and snuggled into my bed. I guess someone carried me in last night after I fell asleep in the limo. Groggily, I roll out of bed and stumble into the shower, remembering the photo-shoot I have scheduled with Lena for the album artwork at noon. Harry meets me at the studio. “We’re public now, eh?” “Yup; they had pictures of us shown during my interview last night,” I explain, intertwining my fingers with Harry’s. Our hands swing in between us as we walk out into the sunlight; Lena and I had just finished our last shot and it was now nearly 3 PM. “So I can take you out?” Harry asks curiously. I nod, a smile spreading over my lips. “Why yes, Mr. Styles you can. As a matter of fact, I have the rest of the day off, so why don’t we grab a quick meal? I’ve not eaten since this morning!” “Perfect, I have everything planned,” Harry confesses, smiling down at me. I look up at him quizzically, smirking. “You have, have you?” “Yes, I have. Now let’s go get lunch!” He leans down and places a light kiss on my nose. I scrunch my face up and swat him away. “Alright, I’ll go. No need to attack me,” I tease, leaning up to press my lips against him. “Looks like I’m not the one ‘attacking’ now,” Harry whispers breathily into my ear. “Shut up, Styles.” “Only for you, Middleton.” I roll my eyes and drag him down the street to the little café, pushing open the door. “What do you want, love?” “Ehh… the usual,” I decide, waving my hands in the air dismissively. He heads to the counter to order, while I pick a little table near the back of the café. I sit down and pull out my mobile, opening the Twitter app. I automatically see “Harraline” and “Emmary” trending. As I scroll through the tweets, I realize that there is a great debate going on about what mine and Harry’s combined couple name is, and laugh. I show the tweets to Harry, who is now settled across from me in the booth. He pulls out his own phone, and within seconds I get a new notification. A mention. @Harry_Styles: Late lunch with my beautiful girlfriend @EmmalineMiddleton :) Isn’t she lovely? xx pic.twitter.com/hLisnevs Attached is a photo of me sipping my soda and smiling down at the tabletop, goofily. @EmmalineMiddleton: Really @Harry_Styles that’s the photo you attach? :p #NotSoGood Here’s one for you, love. <3 pic.twitter.com/G5hkml #Payback(; xx I smirk and lock my phone, waiting for Harry’s reaction when he sees the tweet. I took a photo of him with his mouth full of sandwich, and it’s hilarious, even though I still consider it extremely attractive. Harry pouts at me. “Sorry, babe, but you asked for it.” I shrug my shoulders and blow him a kiss, winking. Suddenly he stands up and slides in next to me. “What are you—” I pause midsentence once his soft lips connect with my cheek. A squeal sounds through the small restaurant, along with a flash. Harry withdraws, and smiles satisfactorily at his phone. @Harry_Styles: Is this better @EmmalineMiddleton? ;) #Stunning pic.twitter.com/jld7dE “Yes it is,” I whisper, pressing my lips against his. A louder scream sounds throughout the café, again. “OH MY GOD, IT’S HARRY STYLES AND EMMALINE! AND THEY’RE KISSING!” I sigh and reluctantly pull away, smiling at the cluster of teenage girls surrounding our booth. “May we help you?” Harry asks politely, taking my hand in his. “Can we a have a picture? I absolutely LOVE you!” “Of course, sweetheart,” I reply sweetly, stepping out of the booth. We pose for photo after photo, until finally we’ve escaped the crowd and Harry takes me to the mini-golfing course. When I get home, Lena is waiting for me in the foyer. “Yes?” I ask, startled. “Why did you really bring me here? Did you even truly want me to do your album artwork?” “What? Where is this coming from? Of course I want you to do the album artwork; you’re an extremely talented artist!” “Cut the crap, Em. I know you’re not coming back to the academy, and you only brought me here so you could tell me, away from everyone else,” she spits. “Where are you hearing all this?” “I don’t need to tell you, I know it’s true!” “Lena—” “Who does that? You’re a lousy friend.” My eyes turn cold, and I clench my fist by side at her sentence. “Really? At least I don’t go around kissing people I’ve just met, when you have A BOYFRIEND, and then keep it from my ‘best friend’! How can you play Niall like that? He’s one of my closest friends! THAT’S being a ‘lousy friend’.” “Well, at least my friends aren’t heartless backstabbers, excluding you, of course. That’s right. Blake was cheating on you, with NICOLETTE. Your ‘best friend’,” Lena replies, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at me coldly. “You’re lying.” “Am I? Think about it, Em. I saw them with my own eyes.” “I don’t believe you,” I repeat stubbornly, my resolve cracking. “Believe what you want, but I know what I saw,” Lena states smugly. I stand there speechless while she heads upstairs and walk out the front door, her suitcases trailing behind her. “You won’t be so smug after I call Corey!” I shout at her retreating figure. She freezes and her back tenses. She turns around and rushes back up the drive way, but I slam the front door in her face. I buzz security to escort her off our property and collapse onto the couch, tears streaming down my face. What is happening to my life? Will I ever see Lena again? My mobile buzzes in my pocket with another mention from Twitter, interrupting my troubled thoughts. @EleanorJCalder: @EmmalineMiddleton Hey babe, I hear your back in town? Is that true? We need to catch up! My phone is broken, but I’ll text you from Lou’s. xx I haven’t seen Eleanor in a long time, and a girl’s day out does sound nice… who needs Lena anyways? @EmmalineMiddleton: @EleanorJCalder I’m free tomorrow :) x

fungirl123 Decided to go back to Polyvore to look at outfits. I’ve become obsessed with fashion websites lately….Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/royal_styles_black/set?id=57676566 ~Lena~ “Lena, meet Robert,” Zayn announced, pulling me over to him. A large man in a black suit stood in front of me. We were at Louis’s apartment, getting ready to go out for dinner. Apparently, we all needed bodyguards for that simple of an expedition. Joy. “Nice to meet you Robert,” I greeted, offering me hand. Robert only gave a short nod of his head. He stood completely still. “We’re ready,” Zayn told his own bodyguard. He nodded, and headed out the front door of the home. The limo awaited us outside. I walked down the sidewalk, the boys surrounding me, until I stepped into the long white car. Louis got in next to me. A few minutes later, we were zooming down the road. “Are you renting out the entire restaurant for us?” I asked Louis, laughing, but only partly joking. “No,” he said, chuckling, “One of my relatives owns it. He’s keeping security high tonight, though.” I nodded. It was almost overwhelming all that had happened today. When we were leaving the studio, Liam had literally needed to pick me up and run so that we could avoid the cameramen chasing us. What can I say? I had never had to run in heels before. I tugged down at the hemline of my black and white dress. It was another outfit that Emmaline gave me to wear. The shoes were replicas of the pair she’d worn during her performance on the X Factor. They were the peep-toe pumps with the bow tie. “Where’s the restaurant at?” I asked, staring out the window at the gorgeous city of London at dusk. “Out on the countryside. It takes about twenty-five minutes to get out there,” Louis explained. “Oh.” The rest of the ride was filled with an ongoing awkward silence. But finally we arrived at the restaurant that was named Heart of London. To our misfortune, throngs of people crowded the sidewalk. They were snapping pictures of the limo. “This should be a challenge,” Liam whispered, looking a bit disappointed. He must’ve noticed that I was looking equally as disheartened, because he tried to smile. “But it’s still fun meeting fans.” The door to the limo opened, and Rob held out his hand for me. I took it and stepped out. Everyone seemed to quiet down a bit before Liam stepped out, and they went nuts again. Girls were practically wrestling with the police to get to him. He smiled and shot winks at them, doing his signature hair “flick” at them. Robert opened the door to the restaurant for me, and I stepped in. The boys and I walked to our table. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice behind me. I looked back and saw one of Emmaline’s friends. I think her name was Nicolette. She was sitting across from a boy, to whom I couldn’t see because his back was to me. She was engulfed in fits of laughter. Her laugh was annoying. It sounded like a cat dying. I didn’t know why, but I just didn’t like the girl. She struck me as…fake. I didn’t like fake people, obviously. I watched as she leaned up to the boy and kissed him. So she had a boyfriend. The waiter stopped at their table, giving them the check. They both barely glanced at it before standing up from the booth. And then I saw who it was. I’d seen him in a few movies. He always portrayed the bad boy, who always cheated on the main character. Blake Hastings. I could barely believe it. The boy who Emmaline had said was cheating on her. And the girl who he was cheating on her with Nicolette? She would so hear about this. All of the sudden, Nicolette’s eyes connected with mine. My heart sped up as she strutted over to the table. “Hey!” she exclaimed to me, a (fake) smile spreading over her face, “It’s Evangelina, right?” I nodded. She knew I’d seen her with Blake – who was now making conversation with another customer – so why was she being so sweet suddenly? “Can I talk to you?” Nicolette asked. I wanted to make up an excuse, but I couldn’t think of one on the spot. “Uh…yeah, sure.” I stood from the table. We passed Blake as we made our way to the back hallway. Nicolette finally spun to face me when we entered the bathrooms. “Listen here, missy,” she started, her whole demeanor changing drastically. It was astounding how fast someone could change. “Don’t you dare telling Emmaline about Blake and me.” I laughed once. “Why shouldn’t I?” She smiled. “I mean, why does it even matter? In less than a week, you’ll be going back to New York; Em will be staying here…with ME. Not you. You don’t want to leave her with no friends, do you? She’ll be lone—“ “She’ll have the boys. She can do just fine without you.” It did hurt me to hear Nicolette remind me that after this, I would never seem Em again. She would just be another one of those friends that I forgot about over time. I couldn’t believe I was letting it happen. But what could I do? “What will Em do without a good girlfriend? Face it, Evangelina. I’ve known Emmaline way longer than you have. I’ve gone to school with the girl my entire life.” I took a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter. Why are you doing this? Blake was cheating – technically still IS – on Em with YOU,” I stated firmly, even though I could feel the lump beginning to form in my throat. “Just don’t tell Em about this little thing, and we’ll be okay. Em and I can continue being friends, and she can just forget all about you.” I could feel my own jaw drop. I whirled around and ran back to the table, tears spilling onto my cheeks. “Take me home,” I whispered to Niall. He looked utterly shocked. “What’s wrong, Lena?” he pressed, standing up and engulfing me in a hug. I didn’t care that anyone was watching. “Just take me back to the Middleton’s house. I don’t want to talk about it right now.” Niall pulled me by the hand back out the limo. “Just stay here. I’ll go tell the others where we’re going.” I let the tears spill onto my cheeks more. I was so shocked and appalled that Nicolette had said those things to me. Two minutes later, the door to the vehicle opened again. Instead of just Niall getting back in, the rest of the boys followed. Niall took his place next to me, and put his arm around my shoulders comfortingly. “You’re one of us now. We weren’t just going to let you go back alone. Now tell us what happened,” Liam said. I nodded, wiping the rest of my tears away with the handkerchief that Niall handed me. And then I began the story…

fungirl123 @Lexi - oh, don't apologize about being busy! <3 It's not your fault at all. :D I sent you two emails back. The second one was the topic I forgot to tell you about in the first. So look for both! ;-)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I emailed you...

LexilicousCandy Oops. Meant high school. My bad. :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Sorry! :/ First week of middle school was hectic. I can tell you about it in an email if you want. :p I'll check my email right now... @Jenson- Nice post! The only thing I eat on my hot dogs is ketchup. :D ...I'm very picky, apparently. :/

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta- Great post!(: Lol, I love the part where Jensen ducks under the table! :D

fungirl123 @Krysta - LOL!! :P The picture I got in my head when Jenson ducked under the table was hilarious... ^.^

kjm109 Great post!

LudaKrys @Payton-Thanks @Haley & Kat-Hopefully my filler post will have a little excitement to it. ;P ~Jenson~ I looked at my decked out hot dog and felt my mouth water at the site of it. The sausage was piled high with olives, peppers, relish, mustard, ketchup, onions, nacho cheese, and tomato slices. It was all held together by a bun with sesame seeds. James and I used to go to the mall all the time to pig out on the grossest, unhealthiest things we could find. Thinking about him made me realize how much I missed my family. Well, most of my family, anyways. “Are you really going to eat that?” I looked up at Avery. I eyed her own hotdog. It looked wimpy compared to mine. “I wouldn’t have ordered it if I didn’t think I would eat it!” I smiled at her and Juliet, then took the biggest bite out that hotdog that they had ever seen. Their jaws dropped so low, I could have sworn they were unhinged. “Ha! How does it taste?” I licked my lips, “Disgusting,” I said, but added, “I like it!” Our laughs made the crowds of people stare at us as they walked by. “AHHHHH!” I yelped and plopped under the table. “What? What is it?” Juliet asked. “Jenson, what are you doing?” I lifted up so my eyes were shown. “I…know that guy.” The girls glanced at each other. “And?” Avery asked. “Aaaand I’m dressed so…so….casual!” I whispered. “What?” Juliet questioned. “I’m dressed casual,” I said a little louder. “What?” Avery and Juliet said together. “I’m dressed casual!!” I yelled. I slapped my hands over my mouth as I realized what I’d done. “Oh, hey! Jenson, right?” said the guy, walking over. I slumped my shoulders, but they instantly popped back up. “Hey, Grant. You helped me with my boxes, remember?” “Oh yeah! I did, didn’t I?” he said casually. “Yep,” I said basically ending the conversation. “Yeah, well, see you later,” he said turning, but then stopped himself. “Hey, you wanna get something to eat?” Suddenly he glanced at my plate, “Or we could get a soda,” he said, smiling. I looked at the girls for their approve. They both rapidly nodded their heads. “Sure.” I got up and walked away with him. While his wasn’t looking a turned back to Avery and Juliet and gave a silent squeal. I saw them mouth ‘good luck’, before I turned back around. I smiled, preparing for what could happen.

fungirl123 @Kat - yup :)

kjm109 @Haley, thats fine and I totally agree with you on the filler paragraphs.

fungirl123 @Kat - well, I know what I'm going to write about, but Lexi's been so busy that she can't return my emails. :( Until then, IDK what to write. I don't really like those "filler" paragraphs where nothing important happens...

kjm109 Is anyone going to post or do you need some plot ideas?

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat and Krysta- Great posts(:

fungirl123 @Krysta - no problem. :P

LudaKrys @Haley-Thanks! :D

LudaKrys @Kat-great post! :)

fungirl123 @Kat - awesome post! :-D

kjm109 *Juliet* The week flew by with me continuing to prove just how capable I am to play the part of Hermia. When I wake up on Saturday I am so excited because I have a shopping trip planned with Jenson and Avery. I hop out of bed and head over to my closet throwing on a pair of boot cut jeans and a flowey top. I also throw on my Convers which I cant wear during school. After finishing my make-up and hair I head over to the girls room and walk right into their room because their door is slightly ajar. “Hey, you guys ready?” I ask looking at Jenson and her outfit, which is cute but for shopping, completely unnecessary. “Jenson, we’re going shopping. The outfits great but do you really think five inch heels are necessary?” “All right, I’ll change into something more…DOWN-GRADED.” She walks into her closet and changes into something still very cute but much more reasonable. “Isn’t this outfit perfect?!?!” She exclaims doing her model walk around the room. “Yes!” Avery and I agree. We hurry out of the room and climb into one of the girl’s car. We sing along with the radio all the way to the mall. When we pull up, all of us let out a small gasp. The mall was HUGE, I lived in California and have never seen a mall this big in my life. “Girls, this might just take all day.” I say. They both nod their head silently in agreement. “Well lets go then!” Jenson exclaims. We get out of the car and head to the mall for a huge shopping spree. **** “That was crazy!” I exclaim climbing into the car filled with shopping bags. There were so many stores in the mall and so man cute things to buy I just couldn’t help myself. Thankfully my parents gave me permission to spend however much I wanted. My favorite buy was this super soft and comfy off white sweater that I fell in love with right when I saw it. “Lets go get some dinner.” Avery suggests. Jenson and I echo our agreements and we go find somewhere to eat.

fungirl123 @Krysta - cute post! :P I love both of the outfits, BTW. They're adorable, especially the denim dress one! ^.^

LudaKrys ~Jenson~(today’s outfit) http://www.polyvore.com/totally_tuesday/set?id=57280801 I slipped the denim dress on over my tights and grabbed my phone. I dropped my phone into a fuchsia bag and tugged down on the dress. “Oh wow, you sure are dressed up for shopping don’t you think?” I turned around looking at Avery who was wearing a graphic tee and sneakers. “Well, ya never know who you’re going to meet, right?” I questioned her. She laughed, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” At least she was in a better mood than when she had come home last night. After her date with Spencer all of her moods had been gloomy. My guess was that it didn’t go well. Juliet popped her head in the door and said, “Hey, you guys ready?” she paused looking at me, “Jenson, we’re going shopping. The outfits great but do you really think five inch heels are necessary?” I placed my hands on my hips. “Alright, I’ll change into something more…” I sucked in a huge breath and dramatically said, “DOWN-GRADED.” I flung one hand on my head and the other on my chest. They both chuckled. I walked back into my closet and pulled out something more appropriate for the situation. ( http://www.polyvore.com/any_day_all/set?id=54046368#stream_box ) I through it on and did my best “runway walk” around the room. “Isn’t this outfit perfect?!?!” “Yes!” They said in unison. “Now are you ready?” I smiled widely. Shopping was my favorite thing in the world. “Yeah!!” I screamed and we rushed out the door.

LudaKrys @Kat & Haley- Great posts! :)

fungirl123 ~Lena~ I kicked aside my slippers and began dressing for the day. I was going to the studio with Em to work on her album artwork. Before I was even finished putting on makeup, the door opened and Emmaline appeared. “Our time in the studio got moved up to eleven o’clock AM instead of two o’clock PM,” she stated. “What? Really? Why?” I stuttered, trying to make sense of it. I’d be going to a real recording studio in less than an hour. “That’s the only time today that Harry, Liam, Louis, Zayn, and Niall could do.” Ugh. Just hearing the name Niall was stomach-churning. It would be too awkward to do it today. But… “Okay. I’ll be down in a few minutes.” Emmaline smiled, and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. “Sorry for the inconvenience, but I guess it’s just what life in the fast lane in like.” I nodded, a bit distracted. Then Emmaline left me to finish applying my concealer. Thirty minutes later, we were walking into the studio. “So this is her?” some guy piped up, jutting his chin off to me. Emmaline nodded slowly. “Of course it’s her.” Was I still in the room? “She looks like an amateur,” he said blandly. “Oliver, she’s not. Just trust me on this one, okay?” Emmaline asked. She kissed him on either cheek. “Come on, Lena.” I followed Emmaline through a pair of French doors. “Now, take your time on all this stuff. I don’t know what it’s like to be YOUR kind of artist, but I know that making art takes time.” **** “Em, relax your jaw muscles,” I ordered at my friend, who was sitting on a shiny wooden chair in a floor-length red gown. She blinked, but slowly did so. I took another shot of it, and called it that. “Okay, I think that’s all they need for photography,” I stated, feeling quite professional. Her producer had wanted enough photography, sketches, and paintings for the album to contrast from all other artists. “Good. This dress is tight and I need to get out of it. Plus, it’s two o’clock and I STILL haven’t eaten lunch yet.” I laughed, and agreed with her. She walked over to me and placed her hands on my shoulders. She soared above me in her seven-inch heels. “Harry’s treating me to during tonight to get my mind off things. You can either have an awkward dinner with Mum and Dad, or you can have dinner with the boys…wherever they want to go—“ “I’ll just have dinner with your parents.” Emmaline laughed once. “Whatever you want to do. But the boys are going in be here in like thirty minutes, so we have to be ready for them.” I nodded. Once Emmaline had exited the room, I sat back down on my stool in front of the blank canvas. Now I needed to sketch out Emmaline’s profile. “Boo.” I yelped. “Whoa. Calm down.” I turned to look at the one who intruded on my happy place. My voice came out higher than I’d expected when I recognized the person. “Niall?” He nodded, biting his lip. “So…what’s up?” Had nothing happened between us? Was it all a dream? “Nothing.” Just play along, Lena, I told myself. Maybe we wouldn’t have to talk about it and it’d all be something of the past. “So…why do you like art so much?” What a question that was. “I don’t know,” I answered, sitting back down at my stool and staring at the blank canvas. “Okay, then let me ask you this,” he stated, “What’s your favorite kind of art?” I shrugged. “Photography.” “Why?” Why was he asking me so many questions? I barely knew him! “I don’t know. It seems like…like even though the photo in the picture change into different people, you can always have a piece of what it was like before. So…even though the people in the photo change, the photo never does.” I had moved from city to city in my life. It was hard to stay friends with people who lived all the way across the country. “That’s interesting.” The next few minutes were completely silent. “Lena?” I turned to face him. “Yeah?” “I didn’t feel anything…at all with that kiss. It might have just been the—“ “The heat of the moment. Yeah, I get it. Same here!” I cut in. For a moment, I only stood frozen. But then we both found ourselves doubling over in laughter.

fungirl123 @Kat - ooh, cool; a laptop! :-D Haha, everybody's getting a laptop and I'm hanging with my ten-year-old PC - but it works, so that's all that matters - and then the occasional stealing my sister's laptop. ^.^ You're post was great, BTW! :-)

kjm109 *Juliet* “Great read through everyone, this play will be amazing!” Mr. Fields announces after our class. I beam knowing that part of that was directed at me for stepping up and reading well for both parts. I also know that if I keep this up Mr. Fields will soon have no doubt that he chose the wrong girl for Hermia. I mean showing up the first day after rehearsals has to put me a little ahead of Lena. I smiled back at Mr. Fields and head to the seat where I left my backpack and purse. After gathering all my supplies I hurry off to my solo dance class. **** After finishing all my homework I decide to call Lena and Emmaline to see how they are doing. I try Emmaline first but she doesn’t answer so then I call Lena, she answers on the fourth ring. “Hello?” She says, her voice sounds far off so I assume that there must not be a great signal for us. “Hey Lena,” I exclaim. “Oh hi Juliet. How are you?” We continue talking about little things before I bring up theater class. “So, today in theater class I played the part of Hermia because you were not there. And let me tell you it was so fun. Apparently we were super close in score so they decided that I should practice in your place until you get back.” I stop talking and hear silence on the other line. I smirk knowing that I got to Lena and that she was now worried about loosing her part to me. “Oh, I just remembered something I needed to do. Bye Lena.” I call before hanging up the phone completely satisfied how that call went.

kjm109 I am so excited! I just got my first laptop!!!!!

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- I hope you have fun! :) @Krysta- Okay, great(:

fungirl123 @Lexi - ooh, sounds like so much fun! :-) I hope you guys are having fun! <3

LexilicousCandy Hey girls! I'm currently in FL for the last week of summer with my BFF and her dad, so I won't be on until Saturday or Sunday. :-( I just wanted to inform you all! Oh, and amazing posts everyone!!! :-)

LudaKrys @Payton-Great posts and yeah, shopping would be good!:D @Kat-Great post! It's so suspensful! :)

fungirl123 @Payton - I meant it! ^.^ Haha :P

taylorswiftfan1233 Ugh, it posted twice. :P

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Awwww! Thank you soo much! <3 @Kat- Great post!(:

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Awwww! Thank you soo much! <3 @Kat- Great post!(:

fungirl123 @Kat - oooh...I can't WAIT to see what happens next! :-D

kjm109 *Juliet* I walked into the theater on Monday morning feeling very unsure of what to expect. Lena was gone and she had the lead role, I mean seriously who packs up and leaves for two weeks right after getting a huge part in a play with extremely important practices just around the corner, Lena apparently. I found a seat in the front row with a few other people all chatting about their parts. I pulled my script out of my purse and began reading over all my lines. Not long after the teachers walked in looking slightly dazed and called the room to attention. People’s whispers hushed and seats were taken, everyone was so eager to start practicing the play. “Hello everyone, we were informed yesterday that Evangelina Andres will not be here for the next two weeks, the reasons are unknown. We have decided that for practice purposes the runner up for the part of Hermia will practice that part and her own. Juliet Montgomery that would be you.” Mr. Hudson announces I feel my mouth gape open; this had to be some cruel joke to rub in the fact that I wasn’t good enough to get the part. Everyone in the auditorium turns to look at me. “Ok,” I manage to get out. Mr. Hudson smiles at me and ready’s everyone for the reading of our lines. Anger wells up with in me I yet again can’t believe how incredibly rude Lena was; she must have seen this happening and thought nothing of it. I spent the entire class period channeling my anger into the performance hoping that maybe the teachers would be mad enough at Lena and I could slip my way into the part I wanted; the part of Hermia.

fungirl123 @Payton - AWESOME post!! <3 I lovvvee it! ^.^

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ I knocked lightly on Spencer's dorm room. “Coming,” a voice called. The door opened and Spencer stared out at me. He was wearing a dark gray t-shirt and a pair of jeans that fit him perfectly. His dark, brown hair looked so perfect and his green eyes seemed to sparkle. He looked perfect. “Hey, Avery. Ready to go?” he asked. I nodded, unable to hold back my smile. “Then let's go,” he said happily. He shut the door, calling to his roommates, “Be back later!” Even after he closed it, I could hear one of them yell, “Have fun with Averryyy!” “Gotta kiss the girl!” the other yelled. Laughter was heard. Spencer's cheeks turned bright red, and I felt mine doing the same thing. Kiss the girl? What? This was only our first date! I wasn't even sure if he would want to go back out with me. “Ignore them. They can be idiots,” Spencer said, grabbing my hand and quickly pulling me down the hallway. “Okay,” I said. We walked out of Harper and into the parking lot, where Spencer unlocked a shiny, silver Mercedes Benz. “Where are we going?” I asked, sliding into the passenger seat. “I was thinking we could go to that new amusement park,” he said. I fastened my seatbelt. When I looked up, his eyes were on me. “That is, if you like roller-coasters and that kind of stuff,” he added. “I love amusement parks!” I said excitedly as he drove down the street. *** “It's huge,” I said, looking up at the biggest roller-coaster in the park. It had so many loops and twists. A definite thriller. “Not as big as some that I've rode on, but I guess it's pretty big,” Spencer replied. Then he grinned down at me. “Wanna go on it?” “YES!” I exclaimed. He grabbed my hand and we ran towards. After waiting a few minutes in line, we were finally buckling ourselves into the cart. The ride started, going slowly up a hill. A little girl in front of us screamed, “We're gonna die!” Spencer and I were sitting at the very back. We exchanges glances before bursting into laughter. The carts perched on the very top of the hill. And then suddenly, we were shooting downward. The girl in front of us screamed even louder. “Whoo!” Spencer yelled, laughing as he threw his hands in the air. I threw my hands in the air, too. “This is amazing!” I shrieked. “How can you say that?” the little girl asked, trying to turn to look at us. “IT IS!” Spencer and I yelled in unison. She shook her head and turned back around, just in time to see we were coming towards a loop. She let out a howl as we went upside down. I stared at all the people below. Some of them were looking up at us, others were walking on the pavement, laughing and chattering away happily. The roller-coaster lurched, and we were up in the air. I felt like I was going to fall out, so I scooted even closer to Spencer. When the ride finally stopped, we got off and walked towards another ride. “That was amazing,” I said, not feeling the least bit sick. I didn't have a weak stomach. “Yeah! Now let's go on that one,” Spencer said, nodding his head towards a Raging River Rapids. “Prepare to get soaked,” I said as we stood in line. He just smiled. *** Spencer and I were on the Ferris-wheel. As we rose upward, I thought about how many adorable couples I had seen. Holding hands, kissing, hugging, winning prizes for each other... I was ashamed to admit to myself that I wanted to be in a relationship just like that... with Spencer. It was weird. I had never actually felt like that about a guy. I had been on a few dates over the years, but nothing like this one. And never with a guy like Spencer. This was perfect for me. “I think we're about to stop,” Spencer noted as we rose upward again. I looked down to confirm that we were indeed slowing down. “Oh,” I said. And of course, we did stop. Right at the top. “Isn't it pretty?” I asked, pointing downward. The amusment park had come to life with lights a while ago. Brilliant colors were all over the park, creating a romantic vibe to the night. Or maybe that was my imagination. “Uh huh,” Spencer agreed. Then he said, “Some people hate being stuck at the top, but I actually kind of like it.” “Me too. I thought I was the only one,” I said with a laugh. He shook his head, smiling. “Everyone just looks so small from up here. And it's nice to see people have a good time, you know?” I nodded, turning to face him. And suddenly I crashed my lips into his, wrapping my arms around his neck. At first, he remained kind of frozen. But then he kissed back, wrapping his arms around me. I let a small moan escape my lips. But that seemed to trigger him or something because he yanked himself back and glared at me. “What the hell was that, Avery?” he demanded, his voice furious. I backed away, upset with myself for kissing him. “I... I don't know. It's just, I think I really like you, Spencer. I couldn't help it,” I said, my voice sounding smaller then intended. “Do you do that to EVERY guy you go on a date with? I didn't think you were ones of THOSE girls,” he said. My cheeks burned. THOSE girls? What was that supposed to mean? “I'm sorry. I don't normally do that,” I squeaked. He snorted and said, “Yeah right.” Anger quickly replaced the embarrassment. “Well, you kissed back! What was THAT about?” I snapped. The Ferris-wheel began to move again. “I don't know. I just wasn't thinking that straight. Jesus, Avery. You can't just kiss me,” he said. I was quiet for a moment. The Ferris-wheel stopped at the bottom. Someone helped us out. Spencer stalked ahead of me, every footstep he took angry. “Spencer! Wait up!” I cried, running after him. When we were finally back in the car, he turned to me. “I've only known you for a few weeks. I don't even know if I like you in that way, Avery. You might have your feelings all straightened out already, but I don't. So don't kiss me again,” he snapped. Then he started the car and sped angrily back towards Harper. I sat there, stunned. I couldn't even look away from him. Finally, I found my words. “You're a jerk, Spencer Carr. I thought you were different than every other guy that went to my school, but you're not. And now, this is going to go nowhere and we probably won't ever speak again,” I said angrily. Then, even softer I said, “Like always.” He didn't even look at me. The rest of the car ride was silent. But when we were back at Harper and he had parked the car, I jumped out of the car and slammed the door closed with a bang. He narrowed his eyes at me, but I ignored his icy looks as I stormed back into the building.

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ “Jensen?” I asked nervously. “What?” she asked, appearing by my side. I was staring blankly into my closet, suddenly realizing that I had nothing to wear. “Jensen, I have nothing to wear. I mean, I do. But nothing cute,” I said, glancing at her. Her face twisted into a look of concentration and thoughtfulness. “Here, let me look,” she said. I stepped aside and watched her. She searched my entire closet, throwing stuff aside and holding up shirts and jeans to see if they matched. Of course, they were all just the regular clothes I wore. Suddenly, Jensen made an aha noise. “Aha what?” I asked, looking down at her. She was bent down on her knees, smiling into my closet. “Aha this!” she said happily, jumping up. She laid the outfit down on my bed. But only a pair of pink-red jeans. “Jensen?” I said, “That's only a pair of pants. I need--” “I know, I know,” she said, smiling as she ran over to her closet, “But I have some things you can borrow. They're cute, I swear.” I was silent as she looked through her closet, but finally she found what she wanted. “Here,” she said, laying them on my bed. “I don't know what you guys are doing on your date, but this should be pretty comfortable,” she said, rearranging the items. After a moment, she had the outfit all picked out. “Here you go, Ave. I hope this is okay,” she said. (http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=56615220) “It's cute, Jensen!” I said happily. And I really meant it. “Glad you like it... Now, go try it on!” she ordered. I scooped the items up in my arms. She shoved me towards the bathroom door. After getting dressed in the outfit, I came out. “Twirl,” she ordered. I complied. “Walk down this way,” she said, beckoning me towards her. I laughed and did so, but made sure to say, “Jensen, I'm not a model!” “I know. But you look so cute in that outfit!” she said cheerfully. I stopped. “Thanks so much, Jensen! You're a lifesaver,” I said, giving her a hug. She seemed surprised at first, but then she hugged back. “You're so welcome. I'm glad I could help,” she said cheerily. Then she glanced at the alarm clock. “Oh, but you need to go! I bet Spencer is waiting for you,” she said cheerfully. “Okay,” I practically sang, skipping towards the door. Nothing could ruin my good mood tonight.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post!(: @Everyone- Sorry I'm just now posting, and sorry if it's choppy. :p @Kat and krysta- i was thinking Juliet, Jensen, and Avery could go shopping or something..? Idk, lemme know what ya think! ~Avery~ “Avery, Juliet and I were wondering if you wanted to do something with us Saturday,” Jensen said, appearing in our room. I couldn't help but feel surprised. I hadn't done much of anything with the girls. I barely even knew Juliet! “Are you sure?” I asked Jensen. “Of course!” she said cheerfully. “Okay,” I said with a shrug. She cheered a little, being the happy, bubbly person she was. I smiled and turned my attention to my English assignment. *** At Cross-Country practice on Wednesday morning, Spencer and I were running side by side. We had been running almost every morning. He was competitive, stubborn, and sarcastic at times, but he was also really sweet. “Avery, you're so slow,” he taunted. I scowled up at him. “Am not!” I protested. “Are too,” he said with a smirk. “Fine. I'll race you back to Harper,” I said. “Okay. On your marks... get set... go!” Spencer cried. We both took off. My legs carried my quickly and gracefully, and a few times I pulled ahead. But then Spencer would manage to run right past me, a smile on his perfect face. I was running out of breath, but I forced myself to continue running. After all, winners never quit and quitters never win. However, Spencer beat me back to Harper, a proud beam on his face. Needless to say, I was incredibly tired. How was he so fast? I had been running ever since I could walk, as my parents had told me countless times, but I still couldn't measure up to his speed. It wasn't fair! “I won,” Spencer said smugly, as if I couldn't see that for myself. “I have eyes, Spencer,” I muttered. I took a deep breath before taking a giant gulp of my water. “Do you?” he taunted. I rolled my eyes and began to walk away. “Hey, wait a second! You're not mad, are you?” Spencer asked, hurrying after me. “No,” I said honestly, “Just annoyed.” “Yeah, because that's a huge difference,” he said. I turned around, staring at him. “Is there something you need, Spencer? I'm tired and I want to go back inside and change,” I said, trying my best to sound pleasant. He looked upward towards the sky, looking thoughtful. “Yes. I do, actually,” he said. “Okay, so are you going to tell me?” I asked impatiently. He looked back down at me, a smile playing across his lips. “Of course, Ave. No need to be so impatient,” he teased. Then his playful expression disappeared into seriousness. “Would you be even more annoyed if I asked you out?” My mouth dropped open. What... ask me out? “Me?” I squeaked, stunned. “Yeah, Avery. You,” he said, chuckling at my surprised expression. I was speechless. Seeing my expression, he frowned. “If you don't want to, that's okay. I know we haven't actually known each other very long and--” “No!” I cried quickly. He raised his eyebrows, looking surprised that I had interrupted him. “I mean, no,” I said slower and softer, “Spencer, I would love to go on a date with you.” His smile returned, only this time it was even wider and brighter. “So, Friday night? 6:30?” he asked. “Sounds good,” I said cheerfully. “Great! See you tomorrow, Avery,” he said, turning on his heel to leave. As he walked back into Harper, I felt a burst of excitement inside me. And I couldn't help it... I let out a squeal of excitement. I couldn't wait to tell Jensen! I ran inside and took the elevator up to my room. When I got in there, I closed the door quietly and skipped over to my closet. “You seem pretty excited,” Jensen noted from her closet, bending down to look for a pair of shoes. “Because I am!” I shrieked, jumping up and down as I turned to face her. She whipped around, looking surprised. Maybe because I wasn't the most bubbly, excited person I was acting like now. “Wow! What happened?” she asked, smiling at me. “At the end of practice, Spencer asked me out!” I said, trying to sound calm. But it ended up being a loud, excited yell. Jensen let out a squeal. I did the same thing. She skipped over to me, grabbed my hands, and jumped up and down. I jumped up and down, too, squealing at the same time. “Avery, that's so great!” she squealed. “I know!” I said excitedly, “I'm so happy right now! I can't even believe he asked me out!” “Why? You're amazing!” I thanked her, and we continued doing our little happy, victory dance until I finally stopped and said, “Uh, we'd better stop. I need to get ready.” She nodded happily, and we walked back to are closets, both of us smiling. I couldn't wait until Friday!

fungirl123 ~Lena~ I re-awoke at ten-thirty AM. Em was long gone by now. She’d left a few hours ago. I pushed my bed covers off me and slipped my feet into the slippers that sat below my tall bed. After slipping on the silky, cream-colored robe hanging on the back of the bedroom door, I took the next five minutes to comb out my long, blue-black hair. Then I found myself walking into the dining room. An unfamiliar voice behind me made me jump. “Breakfast, miss?” I whirled around. One of the Middletons’ servants stood behind me, his hands clasped at his stomach. I have to admit that it made me a bit uncomfortable to have someone else doing the chores I was used to. “Yes. Thank you,” I replied, a bit hesitantly. He nodded, and was off to the kitchen. I took a seat at the wide and empty table. Most of Emmaline’s family was already off on their daily schedules. The house felt so empty. Another thing I wasn’t at all used to. There were a few magazines and newspapers on the table, so I took to leafing through those. Most of it was about the news in London and important happenings. After no less than twenty minutes, my food was placed in front of me on gorgeous fine china plates. A cup of steaming tea was set down on a cloth napkin, also. “If there is anything else I should get you, just call for one of us,” he said. I nodded. “Alright, thank you.” **** Emmaline’s personal maid had hung up one of her outfits for me, apparently on her order. It was a light pink dress with a black necklace and a few bracelets. I tied my hair into a top knot bun to finish off the outfit. In Emmaline’s house, who knew when I’d have to be dressed nicely? (Note: Lately, I’ve become obsessed with Chictopia, so that’s why Lena’s outfits are inspired by that website. Outfit: http://www.chictopia.com/photo/show/714260-EVERYTHING+BUT+THE+GIRL+ClubCouture+Giveaway+On+My+Blog-pink-clubcouture-dress-black-forever-21-boots-black-romwe-bracelet) This house was big enough to feel like I was in some kind of movie. I headed for the library. On my way into the house yesterday, I had seen how large and spacious the room was. It was the perfect place to get some quiet. I closed the tall oak doors behind me and let myself be immersed in the gargantuan amount of books. The Middletons’ library soared so high with a chandelier hanging from the pointed top. Windows circled the upper part of the ceiling. I slid the wooden stepstool under my foot and took my time searching through all of the nineteenth century classics. “Finding anything you like?” I jumped, shrieking just a tiny bit. I whirled around to face the voice. The second time someone in this house had frightened me. It was only Niall though. “Did I scare you?” he asked with a chuckle. I couldn’t get over how utterly adorable his accent was. “Yes.” I shoved him on the shoulder, laughing, though. “Well, are you finding anything? I spend a lot of time in here.” He looked around him. “You like to read?” I asked, letting my eyes drift back to the rows of books, but still listening to him speak. “Yes. I like a lot of Charlotte Brontë. She’s just great,” he said with a smile, skimming his eyes over the variety of books. “Like Jane Eyre?” I caught Niall’s eye in between two shelves of books. “Yes, of course. That’s my favorite. You like her, too?” I nodded. “Also Mark Twain and Joseph Conrad.” “Ah, both good authors,” he said. Niall placed his hand on a book and came around the aisle divider to me. “I found you a book. It seems like you’d like a classic Shakespeare novel, since you appear to enjoy the old European writers.” Before me, he held a thick book titled A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I laughed, taking the book into my palms. “I’m in this play.” It felt odd that I had never actually even taken a mere glance at one of William Shakespeare’s novels. “You’re Hermia?” he asked knowingly. “Yes. How did you know?” He shrugged. “I can just see you as her,” he said, “And Emmaline told me.” I chuckled. Snapping me from my happy thoughts, my cell phone rang out in the pocket of my pink dress. Corey’s happy photo ID stared at me on the screen. I sighed. I couldn’t talk to him right now. I let it ring over and over again until it stopped. He hadn’t left a voicemail. Maybe he’d sensed I was lying to him. My sadness must’ve shown on my once happy expression, because Niall’s voice rang through the silence. “Are you quite alright?” One of the things I hated was talking about feelings with people. It had never really been one of the things I was good at. But at the moment, I just needed to talk to someone and Emmaline wasn’t around. “I’m kind of lying to my boyfriend,” I stated, but quickly corrected myself, “No, I AM lying to my boyfriend. I didn’t want to tell him that I was here in London.” Niall raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I see what’s up.” He took a seat in one of the chairs. I sat across from him, a shiny coffee table dividing us. “What should I do?” I blurted out. Niall shrugged. “Tell him.” My eyes bulged. “What?” He walked around the coffee table and sat next to me on the small couch. “Evangelina—“ “You can call me Lena,” I cut in with a smile. He smiled back, and continued. “Everyone else you know seems to already know about Emmaline’s real life. Why can’t your boyfriend?” I shrugged this time. “I guess you’re right.” For the next minute, everything was silent. The only sound was the grandfather clock tick-tocking away at the front of the library. I looked up at the ceiling, hoping to find something interesting to talk about. But when I looked down, Niall had moved a whole lot closer to me…and his face was closer. And he did the unexpected: KISSED ME. I found myself kissing him back, though. But the sound of a person clearing their throat snapped me back to reality. Once my eyes adjusted again, I saw Louis standing at the rear of the library. When did he get in here? I must’ve been too busy kissing Niall to notice him. I blushed uncontrollably. The fiery heat stayed on my face and neck. “I-I was just…um…I saw you t-two…I c-came in here to tell Evangelina that Em is home…” Louis cleared his throat again. “What in bloody hell is going on?! Did I miss something? Oh…the boys are ‘bout to hear about THIS!” On instinct, Niall leapt from his chair. He shot me an apologetic smile over his shoulder before running out the door after Louis. “LOUIS! STOP! LET ME EXPLAIN!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the spacious hallway. I buried my face in my hands. Did that actually happen? (IMPORTANT AUTHOR’S NOTE: I know that I’m going to get some questions about this, so I might as well just let y’all know now. :-) No, Lena is NOT going to end up with Niall. You’ll see why very soon. I’ll explain it all in my next paragraph.)

fungirl123 @Lexi - awesome post! :-D I'll write today. @Payton - oooh, you lucky girl! ^.^ Have fun with your new laptop! <3

LudaKrys Great posts everyone! :) @Payton-can't wait! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Great post! @Everyone- My parents got me my own laptop yesterday (Yayyy!) so I'm going to try to post on it today after I clean my room... But if I don't get done in time, then I'll have to wait until sometime tomorrow because I'm busy(:

LexilicousCandy Oops. Wrong link. :p Here's the real link: http://www.polyvore.com/melodys_new_look/set?id=56293516&lid=1798612 Sorry about that!:/

LexilicousCandy @Kat- I liked your post! <3

LexilicousCandy Excuse any mistakes, I’m too tired to edit. :/ Song is Elephant by Alexandra Burke (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeNk2_zBJvQ), and it’s perfect for this post, later on near the ending. :-) You’ll see why.(; ~Emmaline~ “Please, be kind to Lena,” I begged Nicolette once I made it back from Lena’s suite. “Why did you even bring her here?” Nicolette snaps harshly. “I-I don’t know. I thought she would like it here; it’s a nice vacation.” “She’s already keeping you away from us in America; we don’t need her lurking around here as well,” she says snootily. My facial expression softens. “Is that what this all about? I’m sorry I didn’t contact you as much as I would have like you back when I was at the academy, but look on the bright side, I’m not going back there again. Let me have these last two weeks with her, and then things can go back to normal,” I promise, grabbing the girls in a hug. Nicolette cracks a smile and nods her head, responding to the embrace. “Now, how was America? Were there any fit blokes?” Oh, Val… * * * “Lena, Lena, LENA!” I exclaim, bouncing on Evangelina’s bed. “What?” she mumbles questioningly, swatting me away half-heartedly. “I’m going down to the studios to record with the lads for a bit, do you want to stay here?” “Mmhmm…” She rolls over in bed and pulls the comforter tighter around her frame. “Fine, you can stay and get your beauty sleep, but we’re meeting up for lunch,” I remind her, slipping off her bed and walking out of the room. *This is where Haley writes about Lena’s morning and adventures of… whatever she decides to do. LOL :-D* I pick my keys up and grab a biscuit, heading out the front door. Luckily our property is guarded, so no paparazzi can get past the front gate, thankfully. Pulling up to the studio, I notice the grounds are covered in shrieking teenage girls, asking for pictures and autographs with the lads. I poke my tongue at them and laugh, rushing past them and the mob. Harry, however, does not like that plan, and pulls me back, smiling at me. I pout and try to break free, but in comes Louis, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. I struggle, but after a few attempts I realize how futile it is and hang limply. How dandy. Now there will be pictures and videos of me hanging here dressed in leggings, an over-large sweater, and Uggs all over the internet. Not exactly my most runway-ready outfit. If everyone at the academy hasn’t already discovered my true identity, then they sure will know now! I wouldn’t be surprised if these photos are already circulating Tumblr at this very instant. Niall looks over to see why all the girls are going crazy and starts laughing, causing Zayn to look over and start cracking up as well. Liam is scolding Louis, but I can see the smirk he’s holding back. Gee, thanks for the helps, guys. Being the opportunist I am, I decide to take full advantage of my position. I turn my scowl into a smile, waving at the fans. Once I have their attention, I gesture towards Louis’ arse and show them my thumbs up, winking. They go wild then, leaving me in fits of laughter. One girl throws her phone at me, so I catch it and snap a quick photo of the view for her, tossing it back gently. Ha, serves him right; lugging me around like some ragdoll. Catching on to my plan, Louis sets me on the ground, waggling his finger in my face jokingly. He calls Harry over, who bends down and allows me to jump onto his back at my request. He carries me the rest of the way to the studio, his hands firmly gripping my thighs to insure I don’t slip off. We enter the building safely, although my father does raise his eyebrows when Harry walks in with me on his back. I flash him a smile and laugh, sliding off Harry’s back. I slip into the recording booth and place the headphones on my head, motioning to start the track. I close my eyes and let the music flow through the body. THIS is what I love doing. * * * “So, what did you do all morning?” I ask Lena, settling into my chair and picking at my food. We’re currently situated at the back of a restaurant, and Lena is still slightly dumbfounded at the amount of paparazzi that were waiting outside when we came in. She informs me of her day, while I tell her all about what happened at the recording studio. “Do we have any plans for tonight?” Lena inquires, finishing her meal. “Actually, we do. Have you ever heard of X-Factor?” Lena nods and quirks her eyebrow, motioning for me to continue. “Well I’m scheduled to perform my new single tonight during the live results show, and then there’s an Xtra factor interview after,” I inform her. “Oh… sounds fun,” she comments, dropping her gaze. “It will be, because you get to come!” I cheer, smiling widely at her. She chokes on her water and stares bewilderedly at me. “Are you serious?!” she asks incredulously, her eyes widening. I nod my head and glance at my watch, my jaw dropping at the time. “I’m dead serious. As a matter of fact, we’re due at the X-Factor studios right about now.” “Well then let’s get going!” she shouts, jumping up and running out of the restaurant. I follow, and watch as she freezes once she steps outside. The flashes and shouts can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not used to it. I guide her away from the paparazzi and into the car, rushing down to the X-Factor studios. “EMMALINE! Where have you been? You have to get to wardrobe, NOW,” a stage hand orders, taking Lena and leading her away to join the audience. The stylist pulls me to my dressing room and two girls rush up and immediately start working on me. One girl re-curls my hair, while the other sets to work on my make-up, applying bright red lipstick and winging my eyeliner out. Guess we’re not going for the natural look… “Now you just need to change into this and you’re all set,” the stylist says, handing me my outfit for tonight. I slip on the booty shorts and white/red polka-dotted bralet crop top, and little tuxedo styled open toed pumps. I’ll admit, the shoes are pretty adorable, although I’m a little wary of their height considering I’ll be dancing and jumping throughout my performance. Isabelle, the stylist, rolls up the cuffs of my blazer and smile satisfactorily at my appearance. (A/N: Outfit here— http://www.polyvore.com/funtasma_pleaser_womens_tuxedo_open-toe/thing?id=58407532) “Perfect,” she states, nodding her head at someone near the door. They lead me to my position behind the doors, where I wait for the announcer to introduce me. As the doors start to side open, I take a deep breath and smile, bringing the microphone up to my mouth. I walk down the steps in time to the music, singing the opening lines. ♪ How you doing, How was your day? Talk, Talk, you wanna play? You’re getting further, Further away; No kiss, No hug, just blank. And I just can’t figure out, How it all turned upside down. And when I look at you right now, It’s strange, cuz, I know something’s going on, That’s going on with you. I think you should tell me, You’ve got nothing left to lose.” ♪ I look away from the male dancer to my left, and focus on the one to the right of me, placing a finger on his chest and taking a step forward, like the choreography calls for. ♪ “Ohhh, there’s an elephant, Standing in the room. Ohhh, though we’re all alone, It’s not just me and you.” ♪ I push away from him and leave the crowd of guys surrounding me, walking towards the edge of the stage. ♫ “You wanna talk, You wanna talk about it. Wanna talk, You want to talk about it; Eh, eh, eh. You wanna talk, You wanna talk about it. There’s an elephant in the room—” ♫ I bounce up and down slightly to the beat of the music, reaching my hand out to touch the audience’s hands. I wave at Lena in the front row, seeing her give me a thumbs up. I wink at her, causing her to laugh, and skip away to the opposite side of the stage. I perform the dance and complete the song without breaking an ankle. I go to the break room and grab a water bottle, downing a generous amount; the dance was tiring, and I just came back from the states last night. That sort of thing takes its toll on a teenage girl. Lena joins me minutes later, jumping on me and enveloping me in a hug. “That was amazing; I can’t believe I just watched the X-Factor live! And you’re performance was amazing, I didn’t know you can dance!” she babbles, reminding me of Jenson. My heart tears a little bit at the thought of the friends I left behind, and I remember that I still have to explain everything to them. “The nights not over yet,” I inform Lena, referring to the Xtra Factor interview, just as we’re escorted to the interview. All I want to do is sleep, but instead I head to wardrobe to get a quick touch-up on my make-up and greet Caroline and Olly. “It’s nice to see you again, Emmaline, and may I say you are looking smashing tonight,” Caroline says, smiling at me. I smile and cross my leg over the other, perched on the edge of the sofa. “Thank you so much; it’s my pleasure, truly. I love this show,” I assure her. “That great, and I’m sure everyone at home enjoyed your performance of your new single, Elephant. Tell me, do you ever stop working? You keep popping out number 1 singles every week, and there’s also talk of a new show to air soon?” “Well, there’s definitely something in the works, unfortunately I cannot disclose any details at the moment. I can, however, tell you that my new music video is premiering very soon, and we have an exclusive sneak peek for you today!” We turn our attention to the screen, where a 45 second clip of my new video is playing. “Absolutely lovely. Now, before we start chatting about your new album, there’s an elephant in the room we have to address,” she states, grinning at her pun. I smile politely and chuckle lightly. “Recently, some new photos have surfaced, and they’re rather interesting…” she trails off. “Care to comment?” She asks, motioning towards the screen. I flash her tight lipped smile, and nod, instantly nervous, but not willing to show it on camera. What pictures could they have that are so ‘interesting’? A picture of Harry and I kissing pops on the screen, relief flooding through me. It’s nothing bad; we’re just having to go public a little sooner than expected. “Is that Harry Styles from One Direction with you?” “Yes, it is.” “What about Blake? Are you cheating on him?!” The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I never officially broke up with Blake. He doesn’t even know that I know that he’s been cheating on me. Oh crap.

fungirl123 @Payton - no problem! ^.^

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- I might do both!(: Thanks<3

fungirl123 @Payton - what if Avery did something with Juliet or Jenson? ;-) She hasn't really done anything with any of the other girls. Or how about Spencer asks Avery on a date? ^.^

taylorswiftfan1233 Great posts, everyone! I'll try to think of something to write about soon. I kind of having writer's block at the moment :P

fungirl123 @Kat - good post! :-)

kjm109 *Juliet* After Corey left I returned to my computer to find out even more about Emmaline’s secrete life. After a while, and a few attempts to get a hold of both Lena and Emmaline, someone else knocks on the door. I get up and answer it revealing Jenson on the other side. “Oh hey Jenson! Listen now is really not the best time…” I say before realizing maybe I should tell Jenson everything I just discovered. “What is it? Listen I really wanted to ask Lena and Em something. I’m mean it’s like super exciting and I wanna ask as soon as possible so if there here then-“ “That’s the thing…there not here.” “What? Did they already leave for class? When did they leave? If I ran could I catch up with them? Wait, scratch that, I don’t wanna break my shoes. If I fast-walk could I catch up with them?” She asks all these questions in a matter of seconds, but I keep up. “No, I don’t know, that’s funny, but no,” I reply. “Oh, well when they get back could you tell them-“ “Jenson, there on their way to London.” I tell her, Jenson replies with a laugh, I just keep a straight face. “Okay, you got me. Come on, seriously where are they?” “On their way to London. Maybe you should come in.” I tell Jenson. She walks in and pulls out her phone. “Have you tried calling them?” She asks. “Yeah, but they didn’t answer.” “Maybe there already on the plane. You can’t have your phone on in a plane right? Here let me try to call.” She says punching something into her phone and holds it up to her ear. I lean in and hear Emmaline’s voice on the other line. “Hello?” Emmaline says. “Emmaline! Why are you and Lena in England? Why weren’t you answering when Juliet called you? I AM FREAKING OUT,” Jenson cries frantically. “I was on a plane. I went home for uh, family matters,” She tells us, before some boy’s muffled voice distracts her. “Who was that?” Jenson asks. “Err… no one, just my… cousin. Yeah, my cousin. It’s time for lunch and he’s calling me.” Emmaline answers. Her reply is suddenly followed by screaming and lots of “I love you Emmaline’s!” “What’s all that screaming in the background?” Jenson asks with a confused look on her face. “It’s… It’s umm—” She tries to come up with a lie and I suddenly can’t take it anymore. “I know who you really are,” I say grabbing the phone from Jenson, she gives me a confused look. “What do you mean?” Emmaline asks with caution. “Emmaline Middleton, Daughter of world-known Callum and Rosalynn Middleton, girlfriend of Blake Barnes, singer, actress, and model,” I say listing all her different albums, movies, and various other facts. “How did you find out?!” She shrieks. I glance at Jenson, who’s mouth is hanging open just as shocked as Emmaline, before replying, “Google.” “So are going to tell us what that noise really is?” I ask getting very annoyed. “Hold on a second,” she says, I let out an exasperated sigh. “OK, I’ll explain everything,” She promises, “But now is not a good time,” The line goes dead, she hung up on me, nice. I turn and hand Jenson back her phone, “You better come check this out.” I say leading her over to my computer and showing her everything about our Emmaline.

fungirl123 @Lexi - why, thank you! <3 I love Niall's Irish accent - I kind of have a thing for Irish guys...

LexilicousCandy @Haley- You portrayed how I wanted Nicolette and Valerie to act perfectly! :-) I bet having Niall as a best friend would be awesome. He's so adorable. ^.^

fungirl123 Last night I had a dream that Niall Horan was my best friend. So that kind of inspired that Niall kind of becomes a good guy friend of Lena’s. :-D ~Lena~ I took my seat on the private jet that Em’s dad had sent for us. A waitress appeared from the back room. “What can I get you fine young ones to eat this morning?” she asked sweetly. “I think we all just want to sleep,” Emmaline said with a slight laugh. We all agreed. I put a throw pillow on the back of my head and leaned back up against the wall. Just as I was about fall asleep, my cell phone beeped. Phone call. But who was calling me? I found that I had one missing call from Juliet. I felt bad, but I knew that I shouldn’t tell her. The current call, though, made me panic. Corey. Reluctantly, I opened it. “Where are you, Lena?!” he demanded before I could greet him. “Hi, Corey.” I knew I sounded like an idiot. “Tell me!” I sighed. “I can’t,” I croaked. “What can’t you tell me? Lena, I love you. We don’t keep secrets from each other, remember?” he said, sounding so hurt. I squeezed my eyes shut. A lie formed in my mind. “Corey, my friend…Jenson just got really badly hurt so I went back home with her for the day. You can’t tell anyone!” I begged. (Note: I literally thought of that AS I was typing out that sentence! ^.^ It’s stupid, I know.) He went silent. “I’m sorry, Lena,” he finally said. I felt a lump form in my throat. “You’re a good girlfriend and I’m lucky to have you. Why would I ever accuse you of lying? I guess I’ll head home. Just call me soon, okay, baby?” I gave myself a moment to push back the tears. “I’ll talk to you soon, Core,” I finally choked out. “Bye.” I hung up quickly, and burst into tears, not caring about any of the boys around me. Emmaline noticed and ran over to me. “I-I’m s-such a horrible girlf-friend!” I sobbed. **** I awoke to Niall staring at me. “Yes?” I asked, rubbing my eyes. “Are you feeling good?” He had the most adorable Irish accent ever. No denying it. “Yeah,” I replied bluntly. My eyes still stung a bit from rubbing them last night so much. But I felt better for the most part. “Well, we landed ‘bout five minutes ago. We’re about to get off the plane.” I nodded, pushing the knitted blanket off me. For the next five minutes, I listened to Em explain how getting through the airport without being mobbed work. She put me with a large bodyguard, along with Liam and Niall. I felt as if I was being rushed as we walked faster and faster through the airport. I had a scarf wrapped around my head and sunglasses covering my eyes. I somehow made it to the entrance of the airport with freaking Zayn Malik at my side without being mobbed. I stood in between Liam and Niall. Emmaline was taking her time, on the phone. We headed out the door to a black van. “After you,” Niall announced, holding open the door for me. I stepped in. Liam sighed with relief. “I’m glad that’s done and over with,” he announced, “James’s got the suitcases. Let’s head back to the Middleton place.” The driver revved up the van, and we were off. I stared out the window, looking at all the London landmarks. I had been all around the country: from California to Tennessee to Oklahoma to Minnesota to Colorado. Nothing compared to London. Before I could let everything sink in, we were being hustled out of the van again. A large house loomed over us. It was a gorgeous red brick home with perfect white shutters and a shiny black front door. Flower beds looped around the house and lined the cobble stone front walk. A wrought-iron gate circled the place with a guard’s post near the front. “Welcome to the Middleton Estate,” Emmaline greeted, making her voice sound all pompous and pretentious. She must have noticed me staring, because she continued, “Yeah, it’s overwhelming at first. You’ll get used to it though, and everyone!” She pulled me by the arm through the front door. The inside was even more spectacular. It was decked out was crystal-lined walls and different chandeliers hanging in each room. “My parents are waiting for us in the parlor,” Emmaline stated. The boys were already several steps ahead of us. We walked through the large foyer and into the living room. Five people were sitting on different loveseats and couches. “Darling!” a man and a woman – whom I guessed were Em’s mother and father – cried, leaping from their seats. After attacking her with hugs and kisses, Em introduced me. “Mum, Dad, this is my friend from Harper Academy, Evangelina Andres.” I shook both of their hands. “Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Middleton.” They returned the greeting with smiles. “That’s cute,” Niall pointed out, “Emmaline and Evangelina. Cute pair of names.” The other boys laughed. “We have tea if you all would like to stay. Either that or you can rest up. You must be exhausted from the long flight,” Mrs. Middleton drawled. She reminded me a lot of Emmaline. They had the same dark hair color, the same eyes, the same narrow build, and the same voice. “I think we’d both like to take it easy for the rest of the day,” Emmaline answered, glancing at me with a shrug. I agreed. “I’ll show you to your room, Lena,” she said. “Wait, Em!” We both turned as two girls bounded from their chairs toward Emmaline. “Yes?” “We haven’t even gotten to talk to you in a like a month. Let’s go talk in your room,” one of them said. “After I show Lena to her room, okay,” Em replied quietly. The two girls quickly linked their arms in with hers and walked away. Before they were too far, she stopped and turned to face me. “Val, Nicolette, this is Evangelina. Make nice, okay?” she said, whispering the last part to her friends, “Lena, this is Valerie and Nicolette.” They only rolled their eyes and turned around. I fought the urge to roll my eyes, and followed them up the grand staircase. When we were in front of a large mahogany door, Em turned around and faced the three of us. “Nicolette, Val, can you two please wait in my bedroom. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” They nodded, hurrying down the hallway. “Your luggage should already be here.” She turned the knob and pushed open the bedroom door. It revealed a large room. It was a bit bigger than our room at the academy. A large walk-in closet lay on the far side. A king bed sat in the corner. The cream-colored bed set matched the walls, which had floral designs along the top and bottom. The floors were a lovely peach color. There was also an empty white desk, a TV, and a loveseat and footrest. “I think you’ll like it here,” Emmaline said, venturing farther in, “It’s as charming as the other rooms. You can explore those whenever you feel like it. We have a really nice library if you ever want something to read. The garden is gorgeous.” She pointed at my suitcases lying on the floor. “Jonathon brought your luggage up. Also, you can borrow from my closet anytime. You’re only a bit smaller than I.” I took everything in. “Gotcha.” She turned to me and put her hands on my shoulders. “Sometimes Nicolette and Valerie can be mean girls. They’ll get better though…hopefully.” I shrugged. “I’ll be okay,” I stated, “Now, go have fun with them.” Emmaline sighed, but closed the door behind her. Just to be fun, I took a dashed across the room and leapt onto the bed. This would be an interesting trip.

fungirl123 @Lexi - the longer, the better! <3

LexilicousCandy Ehh... that turned out longer than I expected it to be. :p Oh well. I'm going to bed now! :-D

LexilicousCandy Lights by Ellie Goulding, because I haven’t heard this song in a while and I feel like it. XD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NKUpo_xKyQ Sorry it’s kind of choppy. I already told you I was distracted.(; ~Emmaline~ “Aww, look how cute they are,” Lena gushed from her seat by the window and right next to me, pointing at Liam and Zayn who were asleep directly across from me. Louis, sat next to Harry (who was on my right, wrapped up in a blanket, and resting his head on my shoulder), then took it upon himself to grab a permanent marker and doodle on their faces, snap a picture, and then post it on Twitter, much to my amusement. Following in his footsteps, I snapped a picture of Niall with his mouth full of food (what else can you expect from the little Irishman?) and posted it, tweeting: “@EmmalineMiddleton: Chilling on the plane with the lovely @NiallOfficial and the rest of the 1D boys; WE ARE HEADED HOME! :))) Big news to be revealed soon.(; #Excited xx” I spent the next hour or so on Twitter, following and tweeting my fans; just interacting with them so they knew how much I appreciated them and everything they do for me. Eventually Harry decided to get up and use the loo, wrapped in his blanket. “Why didn’t you just leave the blanket here? What on earth could you need a blanket for in the toilets?” Liam, who by now is awake, asks once Harry returns. “I can’t take it off…” “Why?” Lena piped up, genuinely confused, while understanding lit up mine and Liam’s face. “Harry, please tell me you have clothes on under there,” Liam says slowly. “…” “YOU CAN’T DO THAT, HARRY!” I scold, smacking his arm playfully. “Everyone’s asleep,” he defends himself, rubbing his arm where I hit him. “You don’t know that unless you walked by each and every person and checked, which is highly unlikely. Now put some clothes on,” Liam demands, staring sternly at Harry. He sighs and returns back clothed in jeans and a shirt, immediately pulling me in for a hug. Lena and Harry start bickering, so I decide to go over to Zayn, where it’s quiet, and take a nap… “Emma, wake up. Em,” Harry calls, shaking my shoulder slightly. I jolt awake and look around, noticing Niall curled in a little ball on my lap and Louis asleep with his head on my shoulder. How they all got there, I don’t know. “Have we landed?” “Yes, love. We’re back in England,” Harry says with a smile on his face. I jump out of my seat, waking Louis, Niall, and Zayn up. “Get up! We’re here,” I yelp excitedly, grabbing my carry-on and exiting the plane excitedly. I spot Lena and skip up to her, linking my arm in hers. “Lena, you’re going with Mark through the airport first, to the van. Pull your hood up and hide your face. Don’t talk to anyone,” Paul instructs sternly, sending Lena forward with one of our bodyguards trailing her. Just before her figure disappears, I make out her pulling out her phone and talking animatedly to someone. My own phone sets off, with Jenson’s face popping up. “Hello?” “Emmaline! Why are you and Lena in England? Why weren’t you answering when Juliet called you? I AM FREAKING OUT,” her frantic voice sounds through on speaker. “I was on a plane. I went home for uh, family matters,” I improvise, it’s technically true. “EM, HURRY UP!” Zayn calls, urging me to catch up with the lads, who are waiting by the entrance. “Who was that?” Jenson asks. “Err… no one, just my… cousin. Yeah, my cousin. It’s time for lunch and he’s calling me.” By now I’m next to the boys, surrounded by bodyguards, and stepping into the airport. It takes a couple of seconds before we’re spot, and once we are, we’re engulfed by shrieks. I walk over to the fans and start signing alongside the boys, trying to talk to Jenson at the same time. “What’s all that screaming in the background?” “It’s… It’s umm—” “I know who you really are,” Juliet breaks in. I didn’t know she was with Jenson. “What do you mean?” I ask cautiously. “Emmaline Middleton, Daughter of world-known Callum and Rosalynn Middleton, girlfriend of Blake Barnes, singer, actress, and model,” Juliet rants, listing all my different albums, movies, and other facts. My jaw drops; “How did you find out?!” “Google.” She states simply. “So are going to tell us what that noise really is?” she continues after I don’t respond. “Hold on a second,” I say, pausing to snap a photo with a fan. “Thank you; you’re my idol,” the young teen announces. “No problem, love. Thanks for coming to see us,” I chirp, moving on down the line on humans. “OK, I’ll explain everything,” I promise. “But now’s not a good time,” I finish, as yet another fan asks for picture. I hang up the phone and pose, smiling brightly into the camera, even if my smile is fake. All I can think about is: how am I going to explain this to Jenson and Juliet?

LudaKrys @Lexi-lolz! :0D

LexilicousCandy LOL, I started writing earlier today (like 4-5ish) and I only have 1 1/2 pages of writing, because I keep getting distracted with the Olympics closing ceremony. :-D

fungirl123 @Kat - alrighty, thank you! <3

kjm109 @ Haley, here you go, hope that this is ok. *Juliet* I was sitting in my room processing everything that I had found out in a few short hours when someone knocked at the door. I stood up and walked over to the door. When I opened it I found Lena’s boyfriend on the other side. “Hey… is Lena here?” he asks me. “No, sorry she is not, well she hasn’t been all day,” I reply feeling a little unsure if I should tell him where Lena was or if it was something that they should work out. I decided on the later. “Why don’t you give her a call, I’m sure she will answer for you, I already tried but she didn’t answer.” “Ok, thanks, uh, I don’t know your name.” “Juliet,” I reply before he hurries off down the hall way.

LudaKrys @Lexi, Haley, and Payton-Thanks! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta and Kat- Awesome posts! :D

fungirl123 @Kat - good post! <3 Could you write quickly about Corey coming up the to the room to visit Lena? It'd help a lot! Just don't tell him where they are. Gonna create some drama. ;-) @Krysta - great post! ^.^

LexilicousCandy @Kat/Krysta- Great posts! <333

LudaKrys Great jobs on all of your guys posts! :) ~Jenson~ I woke up to the door shutting. I glanced at the clock 2:58. I plopped my head back on my pillow. There was no way I was going to sleep now. I looked at my sewing machine slowly collecting dust. I shifted up into a sitting position. Knowing my eyes weren’t ready for total brightness, I flicked on the lamp. My eyes shot open from the lamps surprisingly bright light. I walked over to my desk were my criteria sheet was sitting. “Must have: a rough draft, a model, outfit, handbag, shoes, and accessories.” I looked at my current rough draft. It was sloppy and all over the place. I know! Maybe Lena could redraw it for me. After all, I had the idea, she would just be reprinting it. Then again, who would want to do someone else’s homework? I guess if you loved it so much then it wouldn’t really seem like homework. I know that if someone asked me to make them an outfit I would take them up on their offer. Even if it was homework. I bet Emma would model for me too! This was going to be my best assignment yet! *** I straightened my hair and through it up into a ponytail. I wanted to get to Emma, Lena, and Juliet’s room as fast as possible. I wish Avery was back so she could tell me about her run. At first it was kinda boring but the more she talked about it the more interesting it became. I also wanted to know about this guy she had been talking about. When she mentioned him before it was as if she kinda was into him. Not into him, into him, but still into him. If that made any since at all. I slipped on my heels and grabbed my bag. I checked to see if I had my room key and my phone on me. I patted my pockets, now looking for my phone. Where was it? I glanced at the desk next to my bed. “There you are!” I grabbed it and ran out the door. I strutted to the elevator and pressed the button. I could have easily taken the stairs, but why walk in heels if I didn’t have to? ‘DING!’ I stepped out and ran into some girl. “Oh! Sor-“ “Watch where you’re going, freak!” I gasped. No one had talked to me like that since, like, 8th grade! “Excuse me? Who do you think you are?” I questioned the girl, this time looking her in the eye. “Mallory Blake, and I know you did not just talk to me in a rude tone,” stated Mallory. “Mallory, was it?” I didn’t wait for her to answer, “Yeah, well guess what? I did and if you want me to lower my voice and drop the tone, then you’re have to talk to me nicely. Otherwise, get out of my way so I can get on with my life.” She shut up and glared evilly at me. I walked forward not feeling the need to look back, but I could still hear the surrounding girls’ whispers. Most of the conversations between them were, “Did she just do what I think she did?” and, “She just stood up to Mallory Blake. No one ever stands up to Mallory Blake.” I ignored them and continued to my friends’ room. *KNOCK KNOCK* Juliet answered my knock. “Oh hey Jenson! Listen now is really not the best time…” She looked like she wanted to tell me something. “What is it? Listen I really wanted to ask Lena and Em something. I’m mean it’s like super exciting and I wanna ask as soon as possible so if there here then-“ “That’s the thing…there not here.” “What?” I asked confusingly, “Did they already leave for class? When did they leave? If I ran could I catch up with them? Wait, scratch that, I don’t wanna break my shoes. If I fast-walk could I catch up with them?” I was asking so many questions I would be surprised if she could keep up with me. “No, I don’t know, that’s funny, but no,” she responded. “Oh, well when they get back could you tell them-“ “Jenson, there on their way to London.” I paused. Was this a joke? I laughed. “Okay, you got me. Come on, seriously where are they?” “On their way to London.” My face must have looked in total shock because she then said, “Maybe you should come in.” I nodded my head yes and pulled out my phone. “Have you tried calling them?” I asked. “Yeah, but they didn’t answer.” There was a small silence before I said, “Maybe there already on the plane. You can’t have your phone on in a plane right?” I didn’t wait for her to answer. Here let me try to call. I punched in the number 3. I placed my iphone on my ear and listened to the soft rings. “Hello?”

kjm109 *Juliet* I wake up to silence in my room the day after the auditions, not even the sound of other peoples breathing. I quickly sit up in bed and scan the room; it looks pretty much like it did last night, but something feels wrong though. I turned and glanced at my side table to see what time it was and my eyes landed on a note from Emmaline. It read; Juliet- Lena and I flew to London. Everything will be fine and we will be back in two weeks. Love, Emmaline. My pulse quickened, they had to be playing some joke on me. I jumped out of bed and ran to my closet to throw on some clothes, thank goodness it was the weekend and I didn’t have any classes to worry about. After searching our whole room and the entire building I finally gave up on them. Why would they just leave without saying goodbye, and why didn’t they even invite me. Something else hit my mind, the way Emmaline reacted to the song when we were alone, something has to be up I decided and quickly I hurried back to my room to figure out just what was going on. **** Two hours later, I learned that Emmaline was a British pop star who had yet to hit the United States until, well last week actually. She happened to have vanished from the UK the exact same week that school started and was rumored to be in the United States hiding from her millions of fans. I also learned that Emmaline was known friends with One Direction and a few other British hotties. I even looked at pictures to make sure it was the same Emmaline I knew, sure enough it was. It’s crazy the information you can find on the internet when you look hard enough.

fungirl123 @Payton - no problem! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks! <3

fungirl123 @Payton - great post! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry this is so choppy, but I'm trying to get another post for CAW done. :P ~Avery~ I got dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Then I put on my running shoes and did my hair up in a high ponytail. I yawned and tiptoed out the door, careful not to wake Jensen up. When I got outside on campus, I was surprised to find Spencer waiting for me. He had his arms crossed, but when his eyes met mine, his face seemed to light up. He gestured me over and when I was standing in front of him, he smiled. “Hey, Fuller. Ready to run?” I felt my heart leap with excitement. I couldn’t help it. “Yeah!” I said excitedly. He nodded and said, “Then let’s go!” We took off running. My legs carried my gracefully and my ponytail bounced. It felt so good to run; adrenaline pumping, my heart pounding, and cool air rushing into my lungs. But I’ll admit it. It was hard to keep up with Spencer. He had longer legs than me. I had to take little leaps every now and then just to stay by his side. But overall, it had been fun so far. *** “Stop! Please! I need to rest,” I said, gasping. He stopped immediately and looked at me closely. I pressed a hand to my heart and was shocked to feel how hard it was actually beating. “What’s the matter? Can’t keep up?” Spencer asked with a smirk. I crossed my arms and sucked in a huge breath. “Well, I just need a break. I’m actually the fastest at my school. You’re the only person that I’ve ever had trouble keeping up with,” I explained. He sat down on the curb and then gestured for me to sit with him. I obeyed, and drank most of my water. Then I put the lid back on and turned to face Spencer. “Really? I’m the only person you have trouble keeping up with?” he asked, looking surprised. I nodded. “Yep.” He looked kind of smug at that. Figures. “Wow. I’m the fastest back at my school and the fastest here? That’s great.” I rolled my eyes and said, “Wow.” After a brief silence, he said, “You know… we know nothing about each other. I don’t even know where you’re from.” “Huh,” I said, surprised he even brought that up. “So, tell me something about yourself,” he urged. I shrugged and said, “Okay. But what do you want to know?” “Um… Anything,” he said, “But I really want to know where you’re from.” “I’m from Denver, Colorado. Have you ever been there?” He shook his head. “It’s really nice. I love living in Colorado,” I said, smiling at the thought of my beloved state. Quite a few vacationers came up just to see the mountains and go white water rafting each year. “That’s cool,” he replied, “But what about your family? Your friends?” “Well, I have two best friends. Their names are Kirsten and Megan. They both run cross-country and do track and field like me, but they’re so different from each other. Kirsten is quiet and she doesn’t get mad very easily. She’s really sweet and she reminds me of a porcelain doll. Her parents are getting divorced and right now, she she’s stuck taking care of her little siblings. Megan is really bold and loud. She’s nice, but she likes to have the last word. Her mother is kind of weird. Their family has a lot of money, so Megan’s mom is always protective over Megan since Megan is an only child. But she’s really flighty,” I said. Spencer looked like he was trying to take it all in. It was kind of cute. “And then, there’s my family. I have two little siblings. I have River and Abby, who were both really upset when I had to come here. My parents are both doctors. They’re really nice and caring. They’re super different from Meg and Kirsten’s parents.” Then I smiled at him. “What about you?” He looked a little surprised that I had even asked. I don’t know why. But he did. “Well, I’m from San Francisco, California. Have you been there?” he asked. I shook my head. “Well, it’s awesome. There’s a lot to do. I have a pretty big group of friends, but my best friend is Levi. We’ve been friends since like Kindergarten. We were both troublemakers,” he went on, laughing a little at that last part. “My family is kind of big. I have an older sister who’s twenty-three. Her name is Krystal. She just got married a little while ago and now she’s pregnant. I have an older brother who is a freshman in college. His name is Benjamin, and he’s a real pain. Then I have two younger sisters, who are both twins. Their names are Madeline and Sophia who are dancing obsessed. They’re both fourteen. I have a younger brother named Brayden. He’s ten. Then there are my parents. We live in a really wealthy neighborhood because they make tons of money. My mom is a marine biologist and my dad works at a publishing company.” My mouth dropped open. “Wow. Your life is so much more interesting than mine,” I said, completely awed. Marine biologist? Whoa. He laughed, seeing my expression. “I guess so,” he said with a shrug. Then he glanced at his phone. “We need to be getting back though. Let’s go.” I jumped up beside him and then we ran back towards campus. Hopefully we would make it back in time.

fungirl123 @Payton & Lexi - thank you! <3

LexilicousCandy @Payton- Thanks! <3

LexilicousCandy @Haley- LOL, I loved your post! :-)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi & Haley- Great posts. :)

fungirl123 ~Lena~ I had three hours until Emmaline and I were leaving. It was well past one o’clock AM. My bags were completely packed. The shock was still in me. London? Really? Well, there was one person I needed to tell. I dressed in dark clothes. I took the routes behind all of the buildings so I wouldn’t be seen by any of the faculty. In a few minutes, I was pulling open the door of Jefferson Hall. Then to the third floor. Then to room thirty-two. I rapped my knuckles on the door, praying that no one on the floor would hear. Elliot’s face appeared behind the door. His tired eyes bulged when he saw me. Without an invitation, I walked through the door and closed it behind me. “Look, I’m going to be gone for one or two weeks. I’ll call you when I get there,” I stated. Julian stirred in his bed. And I thought that he deserved an explanation as to why Hermia wouldn’t be in class for two weeks. I went over to his bed and shoved him on the arm. For a moment, he only pushed away my arm and rolled over again. After three shoves, he was fully away and sitting up in his single bed. “Huhhh?” he yawned. “I’m leaving for two weeks. Tell Hudson and Fields to let Juliet practice with my part for the time being. I promise I’ll explain everything when I get back,” I said. I got ready to leave, but Elliot stopped me. “NO way are you leaving before you tell me where your going and who you’re going with!” I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I’m going to London with Emmaline and…other people…” I scratched the side of my head awkwardly. “And…why?!” my brother urged. Should I tell him? He’s my brother, I thought, he deserved to know what I’d be doing. “EmmalineisapopsuperstarandI’mdoingheralbumartwork!” (Note: That says Emmaline is a pop superstar and I’m doing her album artwork.) Elliot stared at me. I glanced at Julian. He’d heard, too. Gosh, no. He raised an eyebrow at me. “I’ve been to London a bunch of times. It’s really cool there,” he said, trying to cut through the silence. Elliot shot him a scowl, and he closed his mouth. He turned back to me. “Len, I want you to call me EVERY SINGLE night. You could get thrown into human trafficking or something…,” he said. I punched him on the arm. “I won’t! I won’t drink, or get into trouble, promise!” I hugged him. “Can I have a hug, too?” Julian asked with hopeful eyes. I shrugged and did the same with him. “Now I really need to go.” I hoisted my handbag up higher on my arm. I found myself running back to Roosevelt to make up for the lost hour I’d spent getting to Jefferson. I went to the only running car in the parking lot. Liam Payne was sitting in the front seat. Liam freaking Payne! I had never been a fangirl. My entire life, my mom had us listening to classical music and The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. BUT STILL. Emmaline was standing outside of the van, smiling. “Ready to go?” she asked. I nodded, beaming uncontrollably. “I left a note for Juliet saying that we would be gone and that she needn’t worry, since Ms. Harper already knows.” I felt a pang of guilt when she mentioned. Maybe she’d feel left out. What about the other girls, too? Before I could hesitate with leaving, Emmaline was helping me into the back of this van. “This is nice,” I said awkwardly. “Not near as nice as the private jet Callum Middleton sent fer us!” Niall Horan said, his Irish accent showing adorably. I practically melted hearing it. “Lena, meet the boys, Zayn, Louis, Harry, and Niall!” Em cried excitedly. I nodded, taking it all in. Wow. “Hey, pretty,” Liam cooed, winking at me. Em shoved him on the arm. “Liam, stop flirting!” He shrugged, blushing. She turned back to me. “We should be at the airport in a few minutes.” I could feel my heartbeat speeding up in my chest.

fungirl123 @Lexi - ooohh, yay!! :-D

LexilicousCandy YES! I posted before minight, which technically means I posted today.(; I don't really like this post (it's not well written) but I'm rushing to do this. :/ Here's the song (Cooler Than Me by Mike Posner): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqWq_48LxWQ ~Emmaline~ As soon as Lena walks into the dorm, I lung at her, gripping her forearm. “Lena!” I call out, then realize Juliet was asleep on the opposite side of the room and lower my voice. She seemed under the weather all night and even left from the café early, looking glum. Poor Juliet, I think. “What?” Lena hisses quietly. “I need to talk to you… in private,” I say, emphasizing the word private; nodding my head towards Juliet’s bed, and then towards my closet. She stands there with a confused face, staring at my closet. I then gesture to underneath my bed and her eyes light up. “Hi, boys,” she calls out, finally realizing what I’m hinting at. A familiar head of curls pops out my closet cautiously, while Louis’ famous fringe crawls out from underneath my (bare) bed. ”Hey… you,” Harry says awkwardly. “Evangelina, babe. Her name is Evangelina,” I remind him, patting his chest. He flushes and looks down sheepishly. I stand on my toes and place a soft peck on his lips. He smiles at me sweetly, entrancing me in beautiful green orbs. Until a certain roommate of mine decides to ruin the moment, that is. “Uh… I’m standing right here,” Lena remarks, waving her arms and gesturing to herself, effectively causing me and Harry to reluctantly break apart. “Of course, how could we forget about Evangelina,” Harry mutters to himself sarcastically, yet not quite quiet enough that I can’t hear him. I lean up and whisper in his ear, “Play nice. Or else.” He seems to understand how serious I am, because he clears his throat and smiles at Lena, not daring to say another word. “Right… so... yeah. Let’s get this show on the road,” Louis proclaims, picking up my packed bags. Lena’s eyes widened at the sight of them; I don’t think she realized all my stuff was packed until now. Nice going, Louis. “Are… Are you going somewhere?” she asks uncertainly. I nod slowly, waiting for her reaction. “Oh,” she whispers quietly. “I’m going back to England. And what I’m about to tell you, you can’t repeat to anyone else, alright?” She nods and looks at me inquisitively. “OK, yesterday I got a call from my dad stating that I need to return home to record my new album that will ‘officially’ break me into the U.S., since apparently I’m already becoming known. It’s a giant compilation of collaborations from the likes of Justin Beiber and One Direction, to Ed Sheeran and Olly Murs, as well as a few new songs I’ve written, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done on it. We’re going to release it within a month or so, because everyone is so excited,” I rush out breathlessly. “It’s going to be massive,” Louis adds, trying to be helpful… I guess. “Yeah… thanks Louis. Anyways, my father booked the boys and I a flight for early tomorrow morning, so I’m going to the boy’s hotel for a couple of hours and then to the airport.” “Will we see you again?” Lena timidly asks. I frown and shake my head. “After the album release, I won’t need to be in hiding; they’ll be no reason for me to return,” I state sadly. Lena nods and turns her back to me, walking towards her bed. My heart breaks, so I turn to Harry who comforts me, enveloping me in a hug. We pick up my items and head towards the door. Harry and Louis are in the corridor, but before I leave the room I spare a glance at Lena, and realize she’s sitting on her bed, seemingly sketching a rose I assume she got from Corey, who surprised her earlier this evening. Suddenly a plan forms in head… “Lena, you’re an artist, correct? And you want to become known, yes?” Lena nods uncertainly, not knowing where I’m going with this. “Perfect! You can do the album artwork,” I offer. “What?” “YOU CAN COME TO LONDON WITH ME,” I cheer, a grin stretching across my face. “Seriously? Is this really happening?” Lena mumbles to herself, pinching her skin. I chuckle and nod enthusiastically. “Yes, it’s happening. Now pack your bags, we have a flight to catch.” “What about Ms. Harper, and classes? I just got the lead in the school play, I can’t leave now,” Lena says sullenly, her mood suddenly dropping. “You won’t be gone for long, a week or two at most, just think of it as a mini vacation. You can still participate in the school play, and you can bring your homework if you must. Think about it, will you ever get another chance like this? Ms. Harper can easily be persuaded, this school is all about enhancing you talents, and by working professionally, I say your talents are certainly sharpening,” I rant, winking at the end. Lena agrees, and before I know it, all arrangements are taken care of and I’m sitting first class, Cooler Than Me blasting through my headphones, with a single thought on my mind. I’m going home.

fungirl123 @Lexi - can't wait to read it... ;-)

LexilicousCandy Sorry I got distracted. :p I'll finish writing tomorrow! :-)

LudaKrys @Kat and Haley-Great posts! :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - yes, I do. ;-) We need to talk on AIM soon. It's been too long....

LexilicousCandy I'm writing now! :-)

LexilicousCandy @Payton & Krysta- Thank you! <3 @Kat- Great post! :-) @Haley- Oh shush! :p You know exactly what's going to happen!(;

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat & Haley- Great posts! :)

fungirl123 ~Lena~ “Okay,” I say to my boyfriend, lightly pushing him back and holding him there with my pointer finger, “no more kissing. I’ll get in trouble if Miss Kirstain sees you here past nine o’clock.” We were sitting outside Roosevelt on the edge of a marble fountain. “Just one more kiss, lovely?” Corey asked, leaning in again. He was irresistible. I shrugged and wrapped my arms around his neck again. His lips touched mine and I went in deeper, pulling his body against mine. “Ahem.” I yanked away, feeling fire rise to my cheeks…for Julian was standing only a few feet away from us. At first, I could barely make him out in the darkness, but when I did, I noticed that there was a single rose hanging from his hand. That couldn’t have been for me, could it? Maybe he’d gotten the wrong idea from me. “Julian – er – what’s up?” I stammered, letting my blue-black tresses fall in my face to cover up the color. “Nothing much. I was just stopping by to congratulate you on your role,” he said, smiling. He turned to Corey. “Who’s this?” Right when I thought I was done blushing, it came right back. I stood from my place on the edge of the fountain. “Julian Harper, this is my boyfriend, Corey Atkinson. Corey, this is Julian. He was my audition partner earlier today. He’s Lysander,” I said. My boyfriend shook his hand. “Good to meet you.” He turned to me. “Babe, like you said before, I don’t want to get you in trouble. I’ll come visit you tomorrow morning before your first class, okay?” I nodded, getting up on my toes for another kiss. He kissed me back for a solid moment before pulling away. “Bye,” I called after him as he left. I turned back to Julian. “You’re still here?” I asked, trying to lighten the atmosphere. He nodded, staring me down. What was with him? It was like he was trying to figure me out. “Earth to Julian…,” I wondered, snapping my fingers together in front of his face. He snapped back, and gave a quick chuckle. “Sorry.” There was a still silence. The only thing heard were the birds chirping in the distance. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend,” Julian said, kicking a pebble with the tip of his shoe. I cocked my head to the right. “What do you mean? I told you that one day when you saved me from detention…” He looked up at the sky for a moment, trying to recall that day. “Oh, yeah. Of course.” He flushed. I didn’t know how to reply. This was the first time ever that Julian didn’t seem like that It-Guy who was super confident. He seemed quite genuinely…unreadable. “Okay, well, I’d better go. It’s a long walk from Roosevelt to Jefferson.” He turned and began walking away. Then it hit me. He HAD walked all the way here just for me. “Julian, wait.” He whirled around, looking quite hopeful. “Who’s the lucky girl you were going to give the rose to?” I asked, winking playfully. “Oh, it’s not like that. It’s for…” He walked toward me. “It’s for you. Congratulations, Lena. You did amazing at auditions.” He handed over the purple flower. “Thank you, Julian.” I embraced him in a hug. It took him a moment to hug back. But he did. He held me for a bit. Then I pulled away, realizing that I shouldn’t be doing that. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Julian!” I called, turning and running back inside my dorm. Ugh.

fungirl123 @Kat - awesome paragraph! :-D

kjm109 *Juliet* The call backs lasted another hour and a half but were well worth it. I was almost certain that I would land the part of Hermia. I was towards the back of the group exiting the theater, Evangelina Emmaline, and Jenson were clustered in a group near the door so I walked over to join them. “Did you do well, Lena?” I ask her quietly trying to finally get her to start becoming my friend. “Yeah,” Lena replied warily eyeing me. Evangelina was about two inches shorter than I was but I still felt like a child being scolded with her response. “Let’s eat!” Emmaline exclaims and then starts walking towards the dining hall. Evangelina and Jenson start walking behind Emmaline and I follow behind them but slip out of the line and go up to my room for a few minutes alone. **** I am standing outside the theater off to the side. People are glancing at watches, whispering nervously, and bouncing in anticipation among other things. We must look like quiet a group from someone walking by. Mr. Fields appears with the list and a silence fills the room. Everyone parts to make room for him to put up the list and then return to the theater before the frenzy begins. I somehow end up standing next to Evangelina, and her partner breaks through the crowd with a huge smile on his face. “I shall be a good father to you, my daughter.” He says in a fake deep voice. My mouth drops. I didn’t get Hermia, Evangelina did. I try to put back on a happy face and start pushing my way through the crowd of people to see the list. I quickly scanned the list until I saw my name. I was going to be Titania; she was one of my choices, but the last one. I bit my bottom lip and made my way back out of the mob of people with a million thoughts racing through my mind. I step out and go stand by Emmaline and Jenson, Jenson is yelling with excitement about getting the part of Helena, I give her an encouraging smile and turn to Evangelina who is beaming. “Well, looks like I’m settling with Titania…a fairy.” I say immediately regretting it. At least I got a part; plenty of people didn’t even get that. I turn to Evangelina and smile at her, “Congrats, Lena.” I say before giving her a hug. “Thank you, Juliet.” She replies. “Now…a celebration! TO CAFÉ SUAVE! My treat.” Emmaline declares. The girls throw their arms around each other, I wasn’t feeling much like going but I tagged along anyway. Lena, as I have decided to call her now since everyone else does breaks away for a moment and a boy appears behind her. “Can I join in?” The boy asks. Lena whirls around and sees the boy, “COREY!” She shrieks, pulling him in for a kiss. I turn around not wanting to intrude on them but suddenly feeling like I couldn’t even being around people much longer. I turn to Emmaline “Hey, thanks for the offer but I really just need some time alone.” I tell her. She nods understandingly and I turn around walking as fast as I could back towards my room. When I reach it I immediately flop onto my bed and the tears I have been holding onto begin to fall.

fungirl123 @Lexi - you've got me on the edge of my computer chair with that last paragraph... ;-)

LudaKrys @Payton-your welcome! :) @Lexi-Good post! ;)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Great post! :)

LexilicousCandy WOOHOO! For once it finally didn't double post! <3 Sorry it's kind of short and rushed. :/ I'll post again tomorrow most likely. :-)

LexilicousCandy Random song today, since this is just a filler. :P I guess it can be a hint at what’s to come.(; Anyways, the song is Vegas Girl by Conor Maynard. It’s from his debut album Contrast, which isn’t even out in the U.S. yet. :/ However, it was released as a single here, so at least we have the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMTGcwZxdGg ~Emmaline~ If I had to describe today with only one word it would be awkward. The air was full of tension— all the theatre kids were anxious about casting, while the onlookers were supportive of their friends. I myself am a professional actress, however I didn’t try out for the play simply because I believe the parts should be given to pupils who actually attend class daily, as well as the fact that I am not used to “theatre”. I’m more of a filming type of actress, like my mother. I was allowed to be a spectator in the auditorium seeming as I was a drama student. I watched breathlessly as Jenson, Lena, and Juliet auditioned, and then I had to step outside to take a phone call near the end. My mobile vibrated with an incoming call from Louis, yet as soon as I answered the call was dropped. I called back and instantly reached voicemail. Guess it’s not important, I thought to myself, dropping my phone back in to my bag. I turned around and noticed that teens were starting to file out of the building, so I decided to wait outside until the girls came out. Lena came out first, with Jenson babbling on a few steps behind her. “I REALLY want Helena. But maybe I came off as a Titania. After all, I’m really not the jealous-type like Helena is!” she exclaimed quickly. I placed my hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. “SNAP OUT OF IT! You’ll do fine, love,” I reassured her, smiling softly. She nodded and stopped jumping around as much, preferring to engage me in a conversation about One Direction and what she would do if she met them. Oh, if only she knew. Juliet joined us a few moments later, speaking quietly; “Did you do well, Lena?” “Yeah,” Lena replied warily, eying Juliet. I absolutely hated the tension building up between them. We’re roommates for Christ’s sakes! There is no way we’re going back to how it was the first day we got here now that we’re all friends. We’re now standing in front of the performing arts department, where students are pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of the cast list. Cries of joy and anguish are heard all throughout, as people learn of their casting fate. We waited in the back while everyone else surged forward. Suddenly a tall lanky kid I don’t recognize strolled up to us, addressing Lena in an overly husky voice. “I shall be a good father to you, my daughter.” I stood there confused as heck as Juliet’s face dropped and Lena’s lit up at the single sentence. “YES! I’m Helena!” Jenson exclaimed. I watched as Lena and Jenson envelope each other in victorious embraces, Juliet standing beside them. She smiled at Lena, and then they hugged as well. Lena’s eyes widened at Juliet’s gesture, mumbling something I couldn’t catch. Deciding that now would be a good time to enter the picture, I ran up there and shouted, “Now…a celebration! TO CAFÉ SUAVE! My treat.” Situated at a little table in the center of the café, I excuse myself from Lena’s and Corey’s little love fest. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that I got to finally meet Corey and all, but the sight of the happy couple made me miss Harry. I decided to take matters into my own hands and ring him, but to my dismay got sent straight to voicemail. I called Louis instead. “Hello? Who is this and how did you get this number?” Liam demands, probably thinking I’m some crazed fan. “LiLi? Why are you answering Lou’s phone and what’s up with Harry ignoring me?” “Oh, hi Emmaline—” “EMMALINE’S CALLING?!” I hear Harry yelp, interrupting Liam, and then a thud sounds, most likely Harry face planting the ground if Niall’s hysteric laughter count for anything (which probably doesn’t; that boy laughs at anything). “Hey, Em,” Harry chirps, his voice sending tingles throughout my body. How did I not notice these reactions before? “Hi, Harry. Why didn’t you answer your phone? And where’s Lou?” I inquire, leaning against the café wall. “Well… er… umm… basically, I didn’t answer, because I might have accidently… left it in your room,” he admits sheepishly. “As for Louis’ whereabouts—” “I’M RIGHT HERE, EM! I WENT DOWNSTAIRS FOR ICE WITH ZAYN,” Louis shouts in the background. “Hello, Lou-boo,” I say in between my chuckles. “HI!” He yells through the phone. Zayn pipes up a few seconds later; “How are taking the news?” I shake my head and wrinkle my brows in confusion, although obviously he can’t see me. Realizing this, I quickly answer: “What news? I haven’t heard anything…” “Your dad hasn’t told you yet?” “Uhh… no? My father hasn’t called since I left England,” “Oh. Then call us when after you find out. Bye!” “I wanna talk to Em,” I hear Harry complain in the background. “Not now; she probably has classes to attend,” Liam scolds. “Besides, she’ll call us soon. The flight leaves tomorrow morning so she has to find out sometime today,” Louis adds. What the heck are they talking about? What flight? Are they leaving already? “Anyways… BYE, LOVE YOU,” Zayn and Niall chorus. “LOVE YOU,” everyone shouts at once, hearing us close up our phone call. “Love you too, lads. I’ll see you soon,” I promise, disconnecting the call. I go to walk back into the café, when my father name pops up on the screen. I gulp and hit accept. Time to get to the bottom of this.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta- Thanks(:

LudaKrys @Haley, Payton, and Kat-Great posts! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat- Great post!(:

kjm109 @Haley have fun!

kjm109 *Juliet* “Juliet Montgomery,” Mr. Fields calls after she says my partners name. We were the last group to get an audition and I was super nervous but trying not to show it. On my audition sing up form I had put my top three choices; Hermia, Titania, and Helena. As my partner and I walked out onto the stage I took a deep breath and began our audition. When auditions were done we were sent off to another room to wait with the rest of the group so Mr. Fields and Ms. Hudson could finalize the call back form. Everyone waited silently, well except one girl who was trying to lighten the mood, for the teachers to come and free us from all the stress of the auditions. One long half an hour later Mr. Fields came in with their list. “Okay, the people who are not on this list will be townspeople. The ones on the list will be staying for callbacks,” Mr. Hudson said. “Here is the list: Jensen Frater—“ Before he could continue, a shriek of joy emerged from the Jensen, the same girl who was trying to lighten the mood earlier. Mr. Fields gave her a warning look, and she shut up. “Now that Miss Frater is done interrupting, I’ll continue. Tony Hart, Nina Brookes, Juliet Montgomery,” When I heard my name called a surge of excitement went racing through my body; I just know I got the part of Hermia, especially when Mr. Fields finished and Evangelina’s name wasn’t listed. I felt bad for her but that was a huge competitor removed from the runnings. Murmurs filled the room; they were either excited or sad really there was no middle ground. I mentally began preparing myself for the intensity of call backs when Mr. Fields re-entered the room. “Sorry, I must’ve been covering up the last name on the list with my folder,” he said, sounding a bit embarrassed. “Evangelina Andres.” My smile dropped and then came back again. Great she still was competition.

LudaKrys Thanks everyone! :) @Haley-have fun! And I can't wait to read it! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Have fun! :D

fungirl123 I'll talk to you girls again on Thursday. :-D I leave for vacation tonight for a week. ^.^ Once I get back, I'll be posting a lot, though. :-)

fungirl123 @Payton - you're welcome! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks! :)

fungirl123 @Payton - great post! :-D

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ At the end of practice, I took a long drink from my water bottle until I saw Spencer jogging over to me. At 6” 2 in height and his dark green eyes, sparkling smile, muscular arms, and tan skin, he was Megan and Kirsten’s definition of hot. I never noticed guys that much, but I always found myself noticing him. “Avery,” he said as soon as he was in front of me. “Yes?” I asked. “Are you a serious athlete?” he asked. “Yeah. Duh.” What kind of question was that? “So you won’t object to going running with me tomorrow morning at 3:00?” My mouth dropped open with surprise. “What? Me, go running with you?” I asked. “Yeah. I’ve been watching you, and since you’re the only one who can almost keep up with me, I thought you might want to. But if you don’t want to, I understand,” he said quickly. “I’ll go running with you, Spencer. I’m just a little surprised, that’s all,” I said. “Great. See you then,” he called over his shoulder as he ran after a couple of guys. *** Jensen beamed at me from her position on the bed. “Avery, guess what?! I got the part of Helena! I’m so excited! I can’t believe I got the part!” she gushed. I smiled at her. “Congrats, Jensen! I knew you would get the part.” She thanked me and then clapped her hands together. “Oh my god, I’m just so happy right now!” she cried. As I kicked off my shoes and settled back onto the bed to work on homework, I listened to her go on and on about how excited she was and how proud everyone at home would be. Finally, I held up a hand. “Calm down, Frater. I get it; you’re happy!” She laughed. “Yeah, sometimes I get a little carried away,” she said. “I can see that,” I replied, scribbling down the answer to a math problem. Jensen quickly changed subjects. “So, how has Cross been?” “Good. I’m going to go running at 3:00 tomorrow.” “In the morning?” she asked. I nodded. “OMG! Why do they make you get up so early?” she asked, sounding shocked. I turned to face her. “Actually, someone asked me to go running with them that early.” “Someone asked you to go running with them at three in the morning?” she asked. I laughed. “Yeah.” “Why?” “It’s good practice,” I said with a shrug. I closed my textbook. “So, who asked?” “Spencer Carr. I don’t think you know him,” I said matter-of-factly. “Hmm… No, I don’t think so.” “He’s nice enough,” I said, “Except he likes to mess with me, which can be annoying. But he’s cool.” “That’s it? You think he’s nice… cool? Don’t you like him at all?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “Uh, no. I don’t even know anything about him, besides his name and the fact that he’s the only person I can’t keep up with,” I said. She nodded. “Oh.” And that was the end of that conversation, because then we both started working on our homework.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta- Great post!(: @Lexi- Have fun! @Haley- Great post!(:

fungirl123 ~Lena~ Now was the hard part. I had to work as hard as I possibly could to get this part. Callbacks were in fifteen minutes. I munched on a cookie and water to pass time. Finally, we were called back into the auditorium. Ms. Hudson cleared her throat. “Now we’ll be choosing from a smaller group of actors and actresses for the lead roles.” **** Time flew by during callbacks. It was like regular auditions, but a lot more nerve-racking. We skipped through different scenes for a little over an hour before we were let go. “The cast list will be put up during dinner today on the kiosk outside of the theater building. Have a nice day, everyone!” Mr. Fields called. We all packed up our things. Emmaline was waiting for me outside the building. I waved goodbye to Julian. We talked for a few minutes while we walked to the cafeteria area for lunch. Juliet caught up to us as we were finding a place to sit. “Did you do well, Lena?” I nodded. “Yeah.” I knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to see if she would get the lead part and not her. “Let’s eat!” Emmaline said, noticing the slight tension in the air. **** “Ten minutes till dinner!” Jenson exclaimed, looking down at her watch. She had been spazzing out about which role she was going to get. “I REALLY want Helena. But maybe I came off as a Titania. After all, I’m really not the jealous-type like Helena is!” she exclaimed quickly. Emmaline placed her hands on Jenson’s shoulders and shook them. “SNAP OUT OF IT! You’ll do fine, love.” Jenson nodded, letting it all sink in. But, I have to admit, I was pretty anxious, too. I plopped down on the lounge’s couch next to Emmaline. Seven minutes and forty-five seconds later – according to Jenson – we were standing out in front of the theater building. As I had figured out over a course of time, Ms. Hudson and Mr. Fields were never late for anything. They were always right on time. Three minutes later, they pinned the cast list to the kiosk and walked away. Everyone raced to it. There were a few yelps of sorrow, but many of joy. Jenson and I stood back and waited while everyone looked at their parts. Tony came out, pumping his fist in the air. He walked straight up to me. In a deep voice, he said, “I shall be a good father to you, my daughter.” At first, I didn’t know what he was saying. But once he walked away laughing, I knew. I glanced at Juliet quickly, who looked sad, though she was attempting to hide it. She had heard. I went up to the casting board. Julian had gotten Lysander, as he wished. Cameron had gotten Demetrius. Of course, Tony was Egeus. Finally, I spotted Hermia. Across from it, it said my name. Evangelina Andres. Jenson ran up next to me. “YES! I’m HELENA!” she yelped. I hugged her. Soon enough, though, Juliet was brushing past us to look at her part. “Well, looks like I’m settling with Titania…a fairy.” I felt bad. She sounded so sad. She turned to me and plastered a beam on her face. “Congrats, Lena.” Surprisingly, she enveloped me in a hug. “Thank you, Juliet.” Emmaline walked up in front of us. “Now…a celebration! TO CAFÉ SUAVE! My treat.” I grinned. We all threw our arms around each other. We walked down the main sidewalk to the outer parts of campus, where there were a few restaurants, picnic areas, and just gardens. As I broke away for a moment, two arms flew around my waist. “Can I join in?” I whirled around to face the person. I recognized the hot green eyes immediately. “COREY!” I shrieked, pulling him in for a kiss. “I missed you so much,” I murmured. (NOTE: I kind of brought Corey in at the last minute. I didn’t really plan for him to come visit Lena. But if you guys want to write about it, go ahead!)

fungirl123 @Krysta - awesome post! <3 @Lexi - okay, I hope you did and are having a nice time! :-D

LexilicousCandy @Jenson- Awesome post! <3 I loved the part where Jenson was freaking out and jumping with Cameron. :-D @Haley- Great post as well! :-) Nice cast list.(; @Everyone- Yesterday my dad took me out for “Daddy Daughter Bonding Time” because he’s convinced his time with me is running up seeing as I’m the oldest child, which is why I didn’t get to write yesterday (but it’s all good because he bought me a lot of new stuff. :-D). :P And today I’m going back to school shopping with some friends, so I don’t know what time I’ll be coming home. :/ I’m going to write ASAP though! :-)

LudaKrys ~Jenson~ I waited patiently for the results in the back room with my partner Cameron. Every now and then I would glance at Lena. I thought I did fairly well, but was it enough? Should I have shot for a smaller part? Just then the door clicked open. I sucked in a deep breath and held it. Reaching over, I grabbed Cameron’s hand began to squeeze. “Okay, the people who are not on this list will be townspeople. The ones on the list will be staying for callbacks,” Mr. Hudson said, now preparing for the list. “Here is the list:,” I closed my eyes, “Jensen Frater—“ As soon as he said my name, my hands shot up, my eyes popped open, and released a squeal that sounded something like this…”Eeeee-whooo!! YES!!” Everyone turned my direction. Slowing turn pink, I dropped my arms and let a small, embarrassed-laugh. Mr. Fields gave me a look that said ‘be quiet or I’m giving the role to someone else’ and that’s when I shut up. I even through in a ‘zipping my lips move’. I looked at Lena seeing the nervous feeling that I once had. She gave me a subtle high-five. “Now that Miss Frater is done interrupting, I’ll continue. Tony Hart, Nina Brookes, Juliet Montgomery, Parker Reynolds, Kyle Powell, Wyatt Kroger, Katie Klein, Julian Harper, John Rogan, Cameron Sanders…” My head shot in Cameron’s direction. He released a breath that he had been holding in and ran his fingers through his hair. I smiled in his direction. He smiled back and mouthed, “We made it in!” I rapidly nodded my head yes. I waited for the list to be finished. When they finally left the room, I released all my joy. I jumped around, did one of those football- fast-trot-things, and I raced into a hug with Cameron. I pulled out of it grabbed his shoulders and shook him around. He laughed, “Jenson, come down. It’s just a role. You act like you’ve never had one before. “ I smiled and said, “And you act like you don’t even want the role. Show some excitement! Here, I let you borrow some of mine. Stand here.” He confusingly obeyed. I stood in front of him and grabbed his hands, “Jenson, what are you doing?” he said, laughing. “Jump.” “What?” “Jump!” I began to jump up and down. He gave little hops, embarrassed by his actions. “Come on put some effort into! Shake your head, say yay, do something!” Finally, he began to jump higher. “Now you’re doing it.” We stopped, laughing to hard to continue. Suddenly, Mr. Fields popped back in. “Sorry, I must’ve been covering up the last name on the list with my folder,” he said, sounding embarrassed by his actions. I tried to think of someone he forgot, after Cameron’s name I basically stopped paying attention. “Evangelina Andres.” I waved in Lena’s direction and gave her two thumbs up. I looked back at Cameron, “Come on let’s go get some snacks.” ~ When we walked into the fitting room, where I saw some of the kids from my designing class and my teacher, Mr. Andrews, who preferred we call him Daniel. “Hey, Mr. Andrews!” I called. “Jenson!” he said rushing over, “Thank goodness you’re here. I hadn’t realized you had signed up to help out. No matter, I need you to start asking for measurements and then-“ “Actually, I didn’t sign up. I’m an actress in the play,” I informed him. “Oh! Well, then forget I said anything. What part did you get?” “Well, I assume Helena, cause she’s who I tried out for but I guess I could have gotten something different.” “Ah, well, nice seeing you here.” “Bye, Mr. Andrews,” I called. “Call me Daniel.” I shook my head. I breathed in. I still couldn’t believe I had gotten the part.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta- Yay, can't wait! :D

fungirl123 @Krysta - can't wait to see it! :-D

LudaKrys @Lexi, Haley, and Payton-Great post everyone! My plan is to put something up soon! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post!(:

fungirl123 @Kat - thanks! <3

kjm109 Great post!

fungirl123 @Payton – no problem, of course! :-D (OOTD: http://www.chictopia.com/photo/show/709126-Paradise-cream-darling-dress-light-blue-romwe-top) I know this is a bit irrelevant to some, but I wanted to change the audition day to Sunday so that they could spend the whole day there. :-) ~Lena~ I couldn’t get Em’s secret off my mind. It was so amazing having her as a best friend. Only minutes after, though, I had felt like a mess. Kara called me while I was washing my face before bed. She should be my only best friend, right? It didn’t help that later, Corey called me to wish me luck on my audition. I had never felt this way before. I had never had to deal with having more than one best friend. For as long as I could remember, I’d moved before I could actually get to know someone that personally. Before I knew it, I was standing outside of the auditorium, the number seven buttoned to my front. Thankfully, Julian was my audition partner. “Students!” Ms. Hudson called, coming out into the hallway. She began passing out whit papers. “Here are your audition forms. You simply fill out your name, on-stage experience, and the role you would like.” I took mine and immediately began filling it out. Hermia was the only name I put down on the line that asked Which Role Would You Like? I was going to get it. All I had to do was project my voice and do more movements on the stage, as Julian had instructed me. I snuck a quick glance at Juliet, and snapped my head back as soon as I saw that she was also watching me. I watched ahead of me. The line of theater students slowly got shorter. Once you were done with your audition, you had to wait in the greenroom backstage to see if you had a callback. Soon, there were only two people ahead and Julian and me. Then they went in. We stood waiting for a moment. I could feel my breath picking up. Julian placed his hands on my shoulder and began massaging my neck. “Calm down. You’ll do fine.” I rolled my eyes, but didn’t try to wriggle out of his hold. It was comforting. The door to auditorium swung open, revealing Mr. Fields. “Harper and Andres, you’re up,” he told us. I nodded quickly and walked into the auditorium. Julian stuck close to me. Suddenly, I felt something hit the back of my neck. I whirled around. There was Emmaline standing up in the balcony of the auditorium, smiling down at me. “Good luck,” she mouthed. I smiled back at her. Before I knew it, I was standing up on the stage, in front of Mr. Fields, Ms. Hudson, and two other judges. I looked down at my outfit. It was perfect for an audition. The floral dress was elegant, and the loose denim jacket said that I was creative. The brown lace-up shoes were just cute. “We will begin with Scene One. I’ll read the part of Helena, and you two are going to be Hermia and Lysander, as you wished in you auditions form,” Ms. Hudson announced, “Begin.” I nodded, clearing my throat. “Helen, to you our minds we will unfold: To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold. Her silver visage in the watery glass, decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass, a time that lovers' flights doth still conceal, through Athens' gates have we devised to steal,” Julian began. And then we were off. My voice projected louder than I thought it could. My knees were buckling the slightest bit. I made sure to do a few movements here and there. Finally, Mr. Fields cut in. “Okay, thank you,” he said, “Please use the exit at the left rear of the stage and you’ll be in the antechamber. You will be notified soon if you have callbacks later today.” Julian and I both nodded, and left. “You see, was that SO bad?” Julian teased, shoving me on the arm lightly. I shook my head, shoving him back. “You did great, Lena. Really.” I blushed, trying to suppress my grin. I reached into my pocket to get my cell phone. Julian pulled open the door to the antechamber. It was crazy loud. I needed to call Corey. “Coming in?” Julian asked. “No, I’ll hang out in the hallway. I have to call my…boyfriend.” For some reason, it was hard to say that last word in front of him. Surprisingly, Julian looked away from me immediately. He disappeared into the room. I hit Corey’s speed dial. “Hello.” As he answered, something hit me. This was the first time today that I had wanted to talk to my real boyfriend…or even really think too much about him. “Baby, you there?” Corey asked, breaking my train of thought. “Oh, hey, sweetie.” **** The last two people to enter the room were Juliet and her partner. She was looking confident and strong. I knew she was competition. We all waited in silence for the next half-hour, while Jensen tried to lighten the mood. But it was intense. More intense than any other audition I’d ever been in. And I’d been offered a part on Broadway when I was eleven years old! At last, Ms. Hudson and Mr. Fields entered the waiting room. “Okay, the people who are not on this list will be townspeople. The ones on the list will be staying for callbacks,” Hudson said. “Here is the list: Jensen Frater—“ Before he could continue, a shriek of joy erupted from Jensen, who was next to me. Mr. Fields gave her a warning look, and she shut up. I still gave her a small high-five, though. “Now that Miss Frater is done interrupting, I’ll continue. Tony Hart, Nina Brookes, Juliet Montgomery, Parker Reynolds, Kyle Powell, Wyatt Kroger, Katie Klein, Julian Harper, John Rogan, Cameron Sanders…” He continued on. I didn’t hear my name at all. I kept reminding myself that I did well and I’d probably just be at the bottom. He was saving the best for last. Hopefully. Maybe. “Robert Brasic, Haley Randolph…” My name didn’t appear. He was finished. “Thank you to all who auditioned. The ones whose names were called have an hour before callbacks begin. There are snacks in the costume fitting room.” Then he turned to leave. I felt as if I’d just been hit in the gut. This couldn’t have just happened. Julian was sitting next to me, staring at his feet. He should be happy. But I felt like crying. Juliet, of course, was ecstatic, as she would probably get Hermia now. Jensen and some boy were jumping up and down happily. The ones who didn’t have a part were getting themselves together to leave. Suddenly, Mr. Fields whipped around. “Sorry, I must’ve been covering up the last name on the list with my folder,” he said, sounding a bit embarrassed. A surge of hope ricocheted through me. “Evangelina Andres.”

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks(:

fungirl123 @Payton - good post! :-) Can't wait to see more! :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Great post! @Everyone- Sorry for my lack of posting. I've just been stuck on what to post. But I promise that either today or tomorrow, I'm going to write up another post. I promise! :]

taylorswiftfan1233 ~Avery~ “I can’t do it anymore, Ave! My parents, my siblings… everyone is driving me INSANE!” Kirsten yelled into the phone. Since it was on speaker, her voice filled the bathroom. “Shh, Kirsten. Calm down,” I said, curling a strand of my caramel colored hair. “NO!” Kirsten exclaimed loudly. Her voice was incredibly loud, which was weird for Kirsten. She was normally so calm and angelic and she rarely got angry. “Kirsten, tell me what happened, please,” I said. She sighed tiredly. “Okay. Well, my parents are currently in different houses. I’m living with my mom and siblings, but it’s so weird without Dad. Everyone is calmer, which is good, but Mom is just so spacey! And I have to do EVERYTHING! I cook, I clean, I have to break up my siblings’ arguments, since I’m the oldest! Megan came over last night to help with the kids, and she also tried talking to my Mom. But Mom practically ignored her! She’s too busy with paperwork on the divorce and her job. I know Dad is, too, but he’s less busy. I want him back, Avery! I want him to live with us again, no matter how much arguing there was. He at least HELPED!” Kirsten cried, and then she burst into tears. “Oh, Kirsten… It’s okay. Don’t cry,” I soothed. “I can’t help it,” she sobbed. “Kirsten… Maybe you should just tell your mom how you feel.” “I’ve tried, but she doesn’t live. Like I said, she ignores everyone. Even Meg.” Kirsten’s mom had always been really inattentive, but never as bad as this. I just wanted to give Kirsten a big hug and let her spend the night. But I was really far away, and I couldn’t do that. “I’m halfway tempted to move me and all the kids in with Dad,” Kirsten said, her voice slightly more calm. My eyes widened. “I don’t think you make the choices, Kirsten.” “Lately I do!” she objected. “Okay… Well, I have to go to my classes. But here’s some advice: try talking to your mom, and if that doesn’t work, talk to your dad. I know something will work out soon enough.” There was a brief silence, and then Kirsten drew in a breath. “Okay. You’re right. Thanks, Avery,” she said. But I still felt bad because I was so far away and I couldn’t help her how I wanted to. I was already regretting coming here.

fungirl123 @Lexi - okay, great post! :-P I'll write later today about Lena's point of view with all this. ;-)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I'll write about the... well you know what in my next post.(; I'll just have him call her and then give the news, then Em can tell Lena and they can begin the preparations. :-)

LexilicousCandy Ugh. It double posted again. IDK what the freak is up with my laptop lately. :/

LexilicousCandy Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran is the song. No further explanation needed if you read the post.(; (Though can I just say I FREAKING LOVE THIS SONG. That is all. :-D) Studio Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNI2BQ2DH2g and Acoustic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf6mBmeHcoQ You decide. <3 ~Emmaline~ While Juliet is out getting the films, I begin to panic. How am I going to distract her? Maybe I can just pretend that the telly is broken… “The girls weren’t there,” Juliet proclaims, walking back into the room dejectedly. Another close call. “We don’t have to watch a British film; I’m up for just about anything,” I assure her. “Alright, well then comedy… or horror?” Juliet inquires, producing two films from her suitcase and holding them up in the air. “Horror; I’ll go call the other girls and see if they want to join,” I offer, pulling out my IPhone. I send a mass text out to the girls and turn off my phone, getting replies instantly. “Jenson and her flatmate— I think her name is Avery— are coming over; Lena’s almost finished up practicing with Julian,” I inform Juliet, changing into my pyjamas. After the first movie, the girls decide to move the movie night to Jenson and Avery’s room to watch something they have over there. “Em, are you coming?” Lena eyes me suspiciously, one foot out the door, seeing that all the other girls have already left and I’m still perched on my bed. “Uh, yeah… I’ll be there in a minute,” I assure, waving her off. “Ok…” I wait until she enters the corridor, and then I spring towards my wardrobe. I fling the door open to find a familiar set of curls grinning sheepishly at me. “Harry, what do you think you’re doing?!” “I-I… uh… have to tell you something,” he mumbles. “So you snuck into the campus? A simple ringing wouldn’t suffice?” “Err… no. This is really important,” he insists, coming closer. He stops and quirks his head up. “You know, I quite fancy this song,” he says, referencing to Ed Sheeran’s Kiss Me playing in the background. It’s one of my favorites and Ed is a close family friend. I sigh and roll my eyes. “Yeah, I’m aware. Now get on with it,” I urge, staring at him expectantly. “Emmaline… I’mreallysorrythatIwasignoringyoutehotherdayandbeingsnappyIknowIwasactinglikearightgitbutIwasonlydoingitbecauseIgotjelaousseeingyouwithLouIdon’tknowhowyouhaven’trealizedthisyetbutIreallylikeyouandIdidn’tknowhowtoexpressitsinceI’veneverfeltthiswaywithagirlbefore,” he rushes out, looking down. He looks up at me and smiles weakly. I didn’t understand a single word he said, therefore… I blink. When I open my eyes, he’s scaled the distance between us, his chest flat against mine. “Harry?” He places a finger on my lips, and then moves it down to lift my chin up. I dart my tongue out at my lips nervously, wondering what he plans to do. “Harry—” His lips collide against mine, effectively cutting me off. I freeze in surprise, and then stumble back into the wall, yet Harry continues to press his lips against mine urgently. He tastes like mint, I note. Without thinking I wrap my arms around his neck and respond with the same amount of urgency, deepening the kiss. I feel him smile into kiss, gripping my thighs and lifting me up, my back still against the wall. I wrap my legs around his waist, tangling my fingers in his hair. I tug on a curl, inciting a soft moan out of him when the door bursts open. “I KNEW IT!” We rapidly break apart, my legs once again on the floor. My cheeks flush pink while Harry clears his throat awkwardly. I face the intruder and see… Evangelina? “Lena? You’re supposed to be at Jenson’s,” I screech, covering my face in my hands. “I was in the hallway; I knew something was up,” she replies smugly, glancing between me and the flustered Harry. “Hold up; is that Harry Styles from ONE DIRECTION?” She gasps, her eyes widening, her mouth agape. “Pshh, no. This is… Larry… Byles from… downstairs?” I push Harry behind me and spare a glance at Lena, who’s laughing. “You are a crap liar,” she states, clutching at her abdomen. Harry chuckles as well. “Seriously, Em; Larry Byles? Very creative,” he teases. I stick my tongue out and pout; “Whatever.” Lena speaks up, having completed her laughing fit. “All joking aside, care to explain how Harry came to be your boyfriend?” She raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Harry is not my boyfriend,” I inform her, before realizing something bigger. “Oh my god… Blake,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut tight. Harry notices and pulls me closer to him, resting his chin on my head. I pull away and stand rigid. “Harry, I can’t; how am I supposed to explain this to Blake?!” “Why would he care? You’re just dating him for publicity,” Harry shrugs. I shake my head. “At first, yeah; it was just for publicity, but Blake’s a really great guy, he loves me,” I protest. “Since when?! He doesn’t love you, Em! I d—” “I’m going to call him,” I decide, walking away from Harry and Lena— who’s standing in the middle fo the room looking utterly confused. I press Blake’s number on speed dial and wait for him to pick up. “Hello?” A feminine voice asks. My voice gets caught in my throat at the familiar voice in the background. “Babe, who is it?” Blake’s voice rings out. “I don’t know; no one’s replying,” the female voice responds. I hear the mobile being placed down, but the girl forgot to disconnect the call. I end the call after the moaning starts. Blake is cheating on me? Strangely, I’m not as upset as you would think I should be. My gaze meets Harry’s wounded one, and suddenly I’m forcing my lips upon his. He responds eagerly until Lena speaks up. “So… is anyone going to explain?” I pull away and glare at her. Harry places an arm around my waist and places his warm lips on my forehead. “It’s alright, babe. I should be heading out anyways.” I nod and peck him lightly on the lips; “I’ll come visit you and the lads tomorrow, kay?” He bids be farewell, leaving me alone with an expectant Evangelina. “Spill it. Now,” she demands, getting comfortable on my bed. I join her and fold my legs under myself, preparing to tell her everything. “And that’s why I had to keep everything a secret. I’m in hiding,” I finish, taking a deep breath. Lena nods her head in understanding. “Wow… that explains a lot.” “Yup.” “So you’re like famous?” “In the U.K. and some other parts of the world, sure.” “Ok, I have one last question,” she states. I nod for her to continue no point in stopping now. “Can I have your autograph?” I launch into an unstoppable laughing fit, until I see her face. “You’re serious?” My jaw drops in disbelief. Lena smirks; “Hell yeah! My best friend is famous!” “Best…. Friend?” I question. She blushes and looks away. “Well yeah… I mean, we’ve gotten pretty close since we’ve been at the academy and I assume I’m the only one who knows your secret so…” She cuts off uncertainly, while I break into a huge grin and pull her into a hug. “Of course we’re best friends,” I exclaim. I finally have an ally here at the academy. I’m no longer alone. ~Emmaline~ While Juliet is out getting the films, I begin to panic. How am I going to distract her? Maybe I can just pretend that the telly is broken… “The girls weren’t there,” Juliet proclaims, walking back into the room dejectedly. Another close call. “We don’t have to watch a British film; I’m up for just about anything,” I assure her. “Alright, well then comedy… or horror?” Juliet inquires, producing two films from her suitcase and holding them up in the air. “Horror; I’ll go call the other girls and see if they want to join,” I offer, pulling out my IPhone. I send a mass text out to the girls and turn off my phone, getting replies instantly. “Jenson and her flatmate— I think her name is Avery— are coming over; Lena’s almost finished up practicing with Julian,” I inform Juliet, changing into my pyjamas. After the first movie, the girls decide to move the movie night to Jenson and Avery’s room to watch something they have over there. “Em, are you coming?” Lena eyes me suspiciously, one foot out the door, seeing that all the other girls have already left and I’m still perched on my bed. “Uh, yeah… I’ll be there in a minute,” I assure, waving her off. “Ok…” I wait until she enters the corridor, and then I spring towards my wardrobe. I fling the door open to find a familiar set of curls grinning sheepishly at me. “Harry, what do you think you’re doing?!” “I-I… uh… have to tell you something,” he mumbles. “So you snuck into the campus? A simple ringing wouldn’t suffice?” “Err… no. This is really important,” he insists, coming closer. He stops and quirks his head up. “You know, I quite fancy this song,” he says, referencing to Ed Sheeran’s Kiss Me playing in the background. It’s one of my favorites and Ed is a close family friend. I sigh and roll my eyes. “Yeah, I’m aware. Now get on with it,” I urge, staring at him expectantly. “Emmaline… I’mreallysorrythatIwasignoringyoutehotherdayandbeingsnappyIknowIwasactinglikearightgitbutIwasonlydoingitbecauseIgotjelaousseeingyouwithLouIdon’tknowhowyouhaven’trealizedthisyetbutIreallylikeyouandIdidn’tknowhowtoexpressitsinceI’veneverfeltthiswaywithagirlbefore,” he rushes out, looking down. He looks up at me and smiles weakly. I didn’t understand a single word he said, therefore… I blink. When I open my eyes, he’s scaled the distance between us, his chest flat against mine. “Harry?” He places a finger on my lips, and then moves it down to lift my chin up. I dart my tongue out at my lips nervously, wondering what he plans to do. “Harry—” His lips collide against mine, effectively cutting me off. I freeze in surprise, and then stumble back into the wall, yet Harry continues to press his lips against mine urgently. He tastes like mint, I note. Without thinking I wrap my arms around his neck and respond with the same amount of urgency, deepening the kiss. I feel him smile into kiss, gripping my thighs and lifting me up, my back still against the wall. I wrap my legs around his waist, tangling my fingers in his hair. I tug on a curl, inciting a soft moan out of him when the door bursts open. “I KNEW IT!” We rapidly break apart, my legs once again on the floor. My cheeks flush pink while Harry clears his throat awkwardly. I face the intruder and see… Evangelina? “Lena? You’re supposed to be at Jenson’s,” I screech, covering my face in my hands. “I was in the hallway; I knew something was up,” she replies smugly, glancing between me and the flustered Harry. “Hold up; is that Harry Styles from ONE DIRECTION?” She gasps, her eyes widening, her mouth agape. “Pshh, no. This is… Larry… Byles from… downstairs?” I push Harry behind me and spare a glance at Lena, who’s laughing. “You are a crap liar,” she states, clutching at her abdomen. Harry chuckles as well. “Seriously, Em; Larry Byles? Very creative,” he teases. I stick my tongue out and pout; “Whatever.” Lena speaks up, having completed her laughing fit. “All joking aside, care to explain how Harry came to be your boyfriend?” She raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Harry is not my boyfriend,” I inform her, before realizing something bigger. “Oh my god… Blake,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut tight. Harry notices and pulls me closer to him, resting his chin on my head. I pull away and stand rigid. “Harry, I can’t; how am I supposed to explain this to Blake?!” “Why would he care? You’re just dating him for publicity,” Harry shrugs. I shake my head. “At first, yeah; it was just for publicity, but Blake’s a really great guy, he loves me,” I protest. “Since when?! He doesn’t love you, Em! I d—” “I’m going to call him,” I decide, walking away from Harry and Lena— who’s standing in the middle fo the room looking utterly confused. I press Blake’s number on speed dial and wait for him to pick up. “Hello?” A feminine voice asks. My voice gets caught in my throat at the familiar voice in the background. “Babe, who is it?” Blake’s voice rings out. “I don’t know; no one’s replying,” the female voice responds. I hear the mobile being placed down, but the girl forgot to disconnect the call. I end the call after the moaning starts. Blake is cheating on me? Strangely, I’m not as upset as you would think I should be. My gaze meets Harry’s wounded one, and suddenly I’m forcing my lips upon his. He responds eagerly until Lena speaks up. “So… is anyone going to explain?” I pull away and glare at her. Harry places an arm around my waist and places his warm lips on my forehead. “It’s alright, babe. I should be heading out anyways.” I nod and peck him lightly on the lips; “I’ll come visit you and the lads tomorrow, kay?” He bids be farewell, leaving me alone with an expectant Evangelina. “Spill it. Now,” she demands, getting comfortable on my bed. I join her and fold my legs under myself, preparing to tell her everything. “And that’s why I had to keep everything a secret. I’m in hiding,” I finish, taking a deep breath. Lena nods her head in understanding. “Wow… that explains a lot.” “Yup.” “So you’re like famous?” “In the U.K. and some other parts of the world, sure.” “Ok, I have one last question,” she states. I nod for her to continue no point in stopping now. “Can I have your autograph?” I launch into an unstoppable laughing fit, until I see her face. “You’re serious?” My jaw drops in disbelief. Lena smirks; “Hell yeah! My best friend is famous!” “Best…. Friend?” I question. She blushes and looks away. “Well yeah… I mean, we’ve gotten pretty close since we’ve been at the academy and I assume I’m the only one who knows your secret so…” She cuts off uncertainly, while I break into a huge grin and pull her into a hug. “Of course we’re best friends,” I exclaim. I finally have an ally here at the academy. I’m no longer alone.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Hmm. I don't know. I'll think about it. :P

fungirl123 @Lexi - LOL, it's fine. :-)

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Sorry! I'll start writing that now. :-) It's just that like 5 minutes after we ended our Skype call, I went out to the movies and I forgot to write when I got home. :/ Speaking of, next time you're online we need to Skype, because I have some ideas for our story I need to run by you! ^.^

fungirl123 @Payton - some drama with Avery's old friends? ;-)

taylorswiftfan1233 Sorry I haven't posted! It's just I can't think of anything to post for this club. :/

fungirl123 Okay, so the reason I never actually DID post is because I'm waiting for Lexi to write about something important before I move on from that. :-) @Kat - hey, um, IDK if you know this, but on Hopeless Writers, we're ending the story now. Just so ya know. <3

fungirl123 Hey, guys, I'm dedicated pretty much all of tomorrow to writing up new stuff for my clubs. ^.^ I'm suupper behind on all of them, so you'll be seeing a lot more from me in the next few days! :-D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat- Great post. :) @Lexi- Have fun!

LudaKrys @Kat-Awesome post! :) @Lexi-Have fun! :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - oh, have fun on your dad's birthday! :p (I didn't want to say "happy birthday to your dad" because that'd sound creepy from some girl on the Internet.)

LexilicousCandy @Kat- I agree with Haley; great post! <3 Today's my dad's birthday, so I most likely won't post today...

fungirl123 @Kat - great post! :D

kjm109 *Juliet* After all my classes that day I returned to my room to find Emmaline sitting there alone. She was lying on her bed flipping through a magazine so I just walked past her silently. Setting my bag down on my bed, I start going over in my head everything I need to get ready for tomorrows classes. “Hey, Juliet! Do you want to look at these with me?” Emmaline asks suddenly, I turn around and look at her. She is holding a couple of gossip magazines that i had read before mostly to look at the clothes in them and the guys. I hesitate unsure of her real intentions, but eventually agree to flip through them with her. She scoots over on her bed and I hop on where she made room for me. We spend the next hour flipping through the magazines before turning on the radio and listening to whatever music came on. While playing an old kiddie game I brought from home a song I hated came on the radio so I flipped the station to another I liked. A new song came blasting through the speakers, ♪ “Hold me close as I Breathe in, Breathe out—” ♪ I started bobbing my head along with the beat right as Emmaline shot up and turned off the music. “You know what? I’m kind of tired of music… how about we watch a movie instead?” She says walking over to the TV and turning it on. “But I never heard that song before… I really liked it,” I protest. Emmaline sighs and turns back on the radio, the song, already over. “Aww; I really wanted to hear that,” I exclaim a frown on my face. “I know that sucks,” Emmaline agrees sympathetically. “I guess I can just Google it later,” I tell her, my hopes for hearing this new song growing. I mean I remember the lyrics so all I have to do is type them into Google and hope for the best. “How about that film,” Emmaline says again, this time clapping her hands, she looked slightly nervous. “Oh, I heard that some girls down the hall had some movies shipped in from her sister in England! Isn’t that where you’re from? We can borrow those! Apparently the main actress is really big in the UK? You’ll probably know who she is; I just know she’s the girlfriend of that Australian actor, Blake. You know who I’m talking about, right? Wait, what am I talking about? Of course you know who he is; everyone does! Do you want me to go get the movie?” I ramble getting excited to finally have something to offer to do. Emmaline just nods her head; a smile plastered onto her face, and I go get the movie.

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Thanks! <3

fungirl123 @Payton - welcome back!! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 Great posts, everyone! I'm finally back from vacation. ^.^

fungirl123 @Kat - welcome back! :D

kjm109 Hey Ladies, I'm back! Great posts, and thanks for incorporating Juliet into your posts. I will try to post today sometime. <3

fungirl123 @Krysta - thanks! :D

LudaKrys @Lexi-Thanks, your idea sounds great! :) @Haley-awesome post! :0)

fungirl123 @Lexi - LOL, it's fine! :-) I sent a realllly long one back, too. ;) Have fun shopping! :

LexilicousCandy OK, that took awhile... but I finally emailed you @Haley. Sorry for the delay. :/ Now I'm off to go shopping for a new bikini; I have a pool party tomorrow, but I'll still write like I promised! :)

LexilicousCandy I know I'm not supposed to be on today, but I couldn't resist checking at least once! :] When I was reading Haley's post (Great post BTW <3) I had an idea; what if Em & Jenson & etc. get stuck in the middle of Lena & Juliet? Just an idea.(; @Haley- I'm about to email you about an idea I have for Em & Lena. :p

fungirl123 @Lexi - okay, awesome! :D

LexilicousCandy I've written a lot for this club, so I'm going to focus today on writing for my personal novels, because I really need to! :D I've been lacking in updates. :3 I'll probably post again on Friday since tomorrow is dedicated to my video. :)

LexilicousCandy @Krysta- Gracias! :) I'm excited to read some more stuff from you!(;

LexilicousCandy @Haley- I know; I LOVE HER VOICE. I'm so jealous. :') LOL. :D But seriously, that chick needs to get famous, because I want to buy her stuff! :) And thank you. <3

fungirl123 @Lexi - hmm, never heard of Tich before. She has a gorgeous voice! :D Awesome paragraph, btw! ^.^

LudaKrys @Lexi-lol, and good post! :)

LexilicousCandy I seriously can't do anything else right now. Literally... I'm so tired! I'm going to bed early. :) Night night! <3

LexilicousCandy The post is really not that long! It ends at "this is going to be a long night..." :P Sorry for any confusion. :/

LexilicousCandy Yeah... I don't know why it double posted like that. :p It's weird... :/

LexilicousCandy GIRLS, I HAVE 30 PAGES OF WRITING FOR THIS STORY. WOW! :O LOL anyways… the song I used in the story as Emmaline’s is actually Tich’s song, which you can find here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b-hfl3bAPA I think she is absolutely incredible, so let’s just imagine that Emmaline sounds like her, since she’s British and all. :) Also, the meaning of this song really does go with the post, if you catch my drift.(; If not then just ask and I’ll explain… or you can wait for my next post, whichever you prefer. :D Sorry I didn’t edit this, but I’m absolutely knackered. :p Enjoy! <3 (P.S.: @Kat- I left the scene with Juliet open for you to write, just in case you have something in mind you want to happen. I didn’t know what your plan was, but I figured I should include Juliet more in my story, so I was like ‘better safe than sorry’. That is all. :3) ~Emmaline~ I wake up in the same exact position I was in last night, with one slight change— Harry’s face right above mine. “HOLY CRAP,” I shriek, rolling off of Zayn’s lap (falling off the sofa) and landing on Niall. Harry stares at me wide-eyed, placing a finger over his lips, signaling for me to be quiet. “What the heck are you doing,” I hiss. “I couldn’t sleep,” he mumbles, his cheeks turning pink. “So you decided to stare and wake ME up after ignoring me the entire day? FOR NO GOOD REASON,” I question him menacingly, glaring at his flushed face. He bows his head and doesn’t look at up me. “About that—” “What kind of cold-hearted git does that,” I interrupt him, unwilling to let him off easy. “I can’t believe you, Harry! What happened between us that I don’t know about? What did I do to push you away,” I end in a whisper, a tear glistening on my cheek. He looks up, his face softening; “Don’t cry, Em,” he begs, reaching out to wipe away my lone tear. “Why, Harry?” I wince at the hoarseness in my voice. “Because if you keep crying you’ll dry up you’re tear ducts,” he replies, chuckling. I turn my head and stand up; we both know that I’m not talking about that. “Emma, I’m sorry; I know that’s not what you were talking about,” he calls out, pleading for me to come back. “What do you want, Harry?” I ask exasperated; this is all too much for me. “The reason I was so cold today was, because I think I… I mean I—” “Be quiet… Do you hear that?” I cut Harry of at the sound of a very familiar piano chord. “Huh? Emmaline, I—” “Harry, LISTEN,” I persist. The music is faint in the background, but I can just make it out. ♪ “We’re in a moment now— I can’t believe it how, One touch, And suddenly I need you. Tough luck; Won’t you tell me that it ain’t true? If you’re gonna push me, Promise you’ll break my fall— Hold me close as I, Breathe in, breathe out, Breathe in, breathe out. I’m on the edge; Just take me now. And if you’re gonna push me, Then promise you’ll break my fall—” ♪ “Oh my god, how did they get that?!” My pulse quickens and I suddenly feel light-headed. How is this possible? “Is that—” Harry begins to question, but the radio cuts him off. “And that was ‘Breathe In, Breathe Out’ by the British beauty, Emmaline Middleton,” the presenter announces. “WHAT THE HELL,” I screech, effectively waking the lads up. “What is going on?’ Niall mumbles sleepily, scratching the back of his head sleepily. “Oh, hey Emmaline,” he chirps once he notices me on his lap. I continue silently freaking out, therefore I don’t acknowledge him. “What’s up with Em?” Niall inquires, looking up at Harry. “She heard her song on the radio a couple moments ago,” Harry announces, shrugging nonchalantly. “So? They’ve been playing her album on the radio all day,” Louis recaps, stuffing crisps in his mouth. “WHAT?!” I gape at Louis, unwilling to believe what he’s saying. “Yeah… we thought you knew?” Liam stares at me inquisitively. “NO, I WAS NOT AWARE OF SUCH OCCURANCES,” I reply shrilly. “Oh, god. My cover is so blown, and I’m going to have to fly back to England… Why can’t I get a break? I just wanted to be normal for once,” I ramble on to myself. Louis walks up and slaps me; “Get out of it!” I rub my cheek, looking up at Lou. “Thanks, I needed that,” I reply gratefully. Louis nods and walks away, satisfied. Zayn finally speaks up, “So what are we going to do?” “I don’t know… wait for my dad to call and request me back home, I guess…” I trail off, fighting back tears. Suddenly my phone rings from my bag in the corner. I glare at it fearfully; I don’t want to face my father. I’ve only been at the academy for less than a week, I can’t leave now. Hesitantly I accept the call, not bothering to look at the Caller I.D. Relief floods trough me as Lena’s familiar voice fills the room. “Hi Lena,” I greet, my voice still shaky. “WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” The boys silently chuckle when I wince at Evangelina’s voice. “Whoa, calm down. I’m just fine… But I won’t be back until this afternoon… Something, err… came up. Are you going to tell on me?” Lena laughs; “No, of course not.” She continues, “But you do realize that if you get caught sleeping outside of campus, there’s a HUGE punishment, right?” What’s the point of a punishment if I’m going to be shipped back to England anyways? This whole ‘hide- out-at-an-academy’ plan has failed epically. Sure, I’m ecstatic that I’m becoming known in the US, but this the worst time. Not that I can say that to Lena. “Uh yeah… I’ll find a way to get back discreetly. Just don’t tell anyone. Jensen called me and I told her,” I lie. How on earth could I explain this to anyone, let alone Jenson who I just met a couple days ago? Exactly; I can’t. “Fine… Just don’t get yourself killed,” she relents. I laugh, along with the boys. “No problem at all!” Liam disagrees, “With Louis here, we’ll probably all get killed,” he jokes. “Who are you with?” Oh crap. Did Lena hear Liam? “Ooh, err… no one. Got to go, bye!” I hurriedly end the call and sigh heavily. “That was a close one,” Niall comments. I realize I’m still on his lap but I’m too lazy to get up. “Too close,” I agree. *** I creep into the bedroom, shutting the door behind me quietly. The lads just dropped me off, with a promise to go out again soon. I notice Lena sitting in her closet, looking for an outfit; Juliet was nowhere to be seen. “Going somewhere today, Lena?” She jumps up and glances at me. “Yeah, I have lunch with someone,” she says, looking away. Ooh, someone has a date, I think to myself. “What’s his name?” I jump on my bed in excitement, crossing my legs underneath me and tossing my magazine next to me; I was reviewing the article done on Blake and I. Speaking of, I haven’t talked to him in a while… “Julian. He’s the head’s son. But we’re not dating…and we won’t ever!” Evangelina scrunches her face up at the prospect of dating this Julian, and I narrow my eyes, staring at her accusingly. “Oh, really? Why not?” Lena shows me her screensaver of a fit lad, who has his arm wrapped around her waist. “Who’s that?” “Corey, my boyfriend… and that’s why I don’t like Julian,” She states, shutting her phone and tucking it in her sweatpants’ pocket. “He’s cute,” I compliment, raising my eyebrows approvingly. She smiles at me and looks back down at the picture, her grin widening. I was expecting her to respond, but instead she changes the topic completely. “Now what should I wear?” She ponders, tapping her chin and fingering her clothing. I burst out laughing. Only Evangelina… *** Juliet comes in as Evangelina leaves, so I take the chance to bond with her. We haven’t talked since we first got here. “Hey, Juliet! Do you want to look at these with me?” I offer, shoving the copy of Sugar underneath my pillow and picking up a random American magazine. She hesitates, but reluctantly agrees in the end, for which I’m thankful; it gets boring sitting in a room alone all day, and Jenson wasn’t answering my texts for some odd reason. I spend the day listening to music with Juliet and just having fun; chatting, playing games, etc. until she changes the radio station. ♪ “Hold me close as I Breathe in, Breathe out—” ♪ Oh no… I jump up and turn off the music. “You know what? I’m kind of tired of music… how about we watch a movie instead?” I suggest hopefully, walking to turn the TV on. “But I never heard that song before… I really liked it,” she protests. Pride swells in my chest at the fact that she liked my song… my lyrics. I sigh and turn the radio back on, though thankfully the song is over by then. A smile lights up my face, while a frown settles on Juliet’s. “Aww; I really wanted to hear that,” Juliet pouts. “I know that sucks,” I agree, though of course I really don’t. “I guess I can just Google it later,” she adds, smiling again. My stomach drops, but I keep the smile on my face; I am an actress after all. “How about that film,” I remind her, clapping my hands. “Oh, I heard that some girls down the hall had some movies shipped in from her sister in England! Isn’t that where you’re from? We can borrow those! Apparently the main actress is really big in the UK? You’ll probably know who she is; I just know she’s the girlfriend of that Australian actor, Blake. You know who I’m talking about, right? Wait, what am I talking about? Of course you know who he is; everyone does! Do you want me to go get the movie?” Oh my. This is going to be a long night… ~Emmaline~ I wake up in the same exact position I was in last night, with one slight change— Harry’s face right above mine. “HOLY CRAP,” I shriek, rolling off of Zayn’s lap (falling off the sofa) and landing on Niall. Harry stares at me wide-eyed, placing a finger over his lips, signaling for me to be quiet. “What the heck are you doing,” I hiss. “I couldn’t sleep,” he mumbles, his cheeks turning pink. “So you decided to stare and wake ME up after ignoring me the entire day? FOR NO GOOD REASON,” I question him menacingly, glaring at his flushed face. He bows his head and doesn’t look at up me. “About that—” “What kind of cold-hearted git does that,” I interrupt him, unwilling to let him off easy. “I can’t believe you, Harry! What happened between us that I don’t know about? What did I do to push you away,” I end in a whisper, a tear glistening on my cheek. He looks up, his face softening; “Don’t cry, Em,” he begs, reaching out to wipe away my lone tear. “Why, Harry?” I wince at the hoarseness in my voice. “Because if you keep crying you’ll dry up you’re tear ducts,” he replies, chuckling. I turn my head and stand up; we both know that I’m not talking about that. “Emma, I’m sorry; I know that’s not what you were talking about,” he calls out, pleading for me to come back. “What do you want, Harry?” I ask exasperated; this is all too much for me. “The reason I was so cold today was, because I think I… I mean I—” “Be quiet… Do you hear that?” I cut Harry of at the sound of a very familiar piano chord. “Huh? Emmaline, I—” “Harry, LISTEN,” I persist. The music is faint in the background, but I can just make it out. ♪ “We’re in a moment now— I can’t believe it how, One touch, And suddenly I need you. Tough luck; Won’t you tell me that it ain’t true? If you’re gonna push me, Promise you’ll break my fall— Hold me close as I, Breathe in, breathe out, Breathe in, breathe out. I’m on the edge; Just take me now. And if you’re gonna push me, Then promise you’ll break my fall—” ♪ “Oh my god, how did they get that?!” My pulse quickens and I suddenly feel light-headed. How is this possible? “Is that—” Harry begins to question, but the radio cuts him off. “And that was ‘Breathe In, Breathe Out’ by the British beauty, Emmaline Middleton,” the presenter announces. “WHAT THE HELL,” I screech, effectively waking the lads up. “What is going on?’ Niall mumbles sleepily, scratching the back of his head sleepily. “Oh, hey Emmaline,” he chirps once he notices me on his lap. I continue silently freaking out, therefore I don’t acknowledge him. “What’s up with Em?” Niall inquires, looking up at Harry. “She heard her song on the radio a couple moments ago,” Harry announces, shrugging nonchalantly. “So? They’ve been playing her album on the radio all day,” Louis recaps, stuffing crisps in his mouth. “WHAT?!” I gape at Louis, unwilling to believe what he’s saying. “Yeah… we thought you knew?” Liam stares at me inquisitively. “NO, I WAS NOT AWARE OF SUCH OCCURANCES,” I reply shrilly. “Oh, god. My cover is so blown, and I’m going to have to fly back to England… Why can’t I get a break? I just wanted to be normal for once,” I ramble on to myself. Louis walks up and slaps me; “Get out of it!” I rub my cheek, looking up at Lou. “Thanks, I needed that,” I reply gratefully. Louis nods and walks away, satisfied. Zayn finally speaks up, “So what are we going to do?” “I don’t know… wait for my dad to call and request me back home, I guess…” I trail off, fighting back tears. Suddenly my phone rings from my bag in the corner. I glare at it fearfully; I don’t want to face my father. I’ve only been at the academy for less than a week, I can’t leave now. Hesitantly I accept the call, not bothering to look at the Caller I.D. Relief floods trough me as Lena’s familiar voice fills the room. “Hi Lena,” I greet, my voice still shaky. “WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” The boys silently chuckle when I wince at Evangelina’s voice. “Whoa, calm down. I’m just fine… But I won’t be back until this afternoon… Something, err… came up. Are you going to tell on me?” Lena laughs; “No, of course not.” She continues, “But you do realize that if you get caught sleeping outside of campus, there’s a HUGE punishment, right?” What’s the point of a punishment if I’m going to be shipped back to England anyways? This whole ‘hide- out-at-an-academy’ plan has failed epically. Sure, I’m ecstatic that I’m becoming known in the US, but this the worst time. Not that I can say that to Lena. “Uh yeah… I’ll find a way to get back discreetly. Just don’t tell anyone. Jensen called me and I told her,” I lie. How on earth could I explain this to anyone, let alone Jenson who I just met a couple days ago? Exactly; I can’t. “Fine… Just don’t get yourself killed,” she relents. I laugh, along with the boys. “No problem at all!” Liam disagrees, “With Louis here, we’ll probably all get killed,” he jokes. “Who are you with?” Oh crap. Did Lena hear Liam? “Ooh, err… no one. Got to go, bye!” I hurriedly end the call and sigh heavily. “That was a close one,” Niall comments. I realize I’m still on his lap but I’m too lazy to get up. “Too close,” I agree. *** I creep into the bedroom, shutting the door behind me quietly. The lads just dropped me off, with a promise to go out again soon. I notice Lena sitting in her closet, looking for an outfit; Juliet was nowhere to be seen. “Going somewhere today, Lena?” She jumps up and glances at me. “Yeah, I have lunch with someone,” she says, looking away. Ooh, someone has a date, I think to myself. “What’s his name?” I jump on my bed in excitement, crossing my legs underneath me and tossing my magazine next to me; I was reviewing the article done on Blake and I. Speaking of, I haven’t talked to him in a while… “Julian. He’s the head’s son. But we’re not dating…and we won’t ever!” Evangelina scrunches her face up at the prospect of dating this Julian, and I narrow my eyes, staring at her accusingly. “Oh, really? Why not?” Lena shows me her screensaver of a fit lad, who has his arm wrapped around her waist. “Who’s that?” “Corey, my boyfriend… and that’s why I don’t like Julian,” She states, shutting her phone and tucking it in her sweatpants’ pocket. “He’s cute,” I compliment, raising my eyebrows approvingly. She smiles at me and looks back down at the picture, her grin widening. I was expecting her to respond, but instead she changes the topic completely. “Now what should I wear?” She ponders, tapping her chin and fingering her clothing. I burst out laughing. Only Evangelina… *** Juliet comes in as Evangelina leaves, so I take the chance to bond with her. We haven’t talked since we first got here. “Hey, Juliet! Do you want to look at these with me?” I offer, shoving the copy of Sugar underneath my pillow and picking up a random American magazine. She hesitates, but reluctantly agrees in the end, for which I’m thankful; it gets boring sitting in a room alone all day, and Jenson wasn’t answering my texts for some odd reason. I spend the day listening to music with Juliet and just having fun; chatting, playing games, etc. until she changes the radio station. ♪ “Hold me close as I Breathe in, Breathe out—” ♪ Oh no… I jump up and turn off the music. “You know what? I’m kind of tired of music… how about we watch a movie instead?” I suggest hopefully, walking to turn the TV on. “But I never heard that song before… I really liked it,” she protests. Pride swells in my chest at the fact that she liked my song… my lyrics. I sigh and turn the radio back on, though thankfully the song is over by then. A smile lights up my face, while a frown settles on Juliet’s. “Aww; I really wanted to hear that,” Juliet pouts. “I know that sucks,” I agree, though of course I really don’t. “I guess I can just Google it later,” she adds, smiling again. My stomach drops, but I keep the smile on my face; I am an actress after all. “How about that film,” I remind her, clapping my hands. “Oh, I heard that some girls down the hall had some movies shipped in from her sister in England! Isn’t that where you’re from? We can borrow those! Apparently the main actress is really big in the UK? You’ll probably know who she is; I just know she’s the girlfriend of that Australian actor, Blake. You know who I’m talking about, right? Wait, what am I talking about? Of course you know who he is; everyone does! Do you want me to go get the movie?” Oh my. This is going to be a long night…

LexilicousCandy OK girls, so I found my thumb drive yesterday (HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!) so I'm going to start writing now. :) I can't promise a post tonight though... :p

fungirl123 @Payton - thanks! :-)

LudaKrys Great post everyone! :) @Kat-Hope you have a good time! :)

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- Great post! :)

fungirl123 (OOTD: http://lookbook.nu/look/3760981-Coral-Shorts) ~Lena~ I had lunch with Julian in forty-five minutes. I could see it now. Us sitting in a booth at some local non-chain restaurant, debating on who was better in theatre class. Oh dear. Why did I ever agree to that? Disrupting my thoughts, Emmaline’s voice rang out. I was sitting in front of my closet in sweatpants and a bra, looking for something to wear. “Going somewhere today, Lena?” she asked. She had just gotten back from the mystery location. She dog-eared a page from an issue of Teen Vogue, the magazine she had been leafing through moments earlier. “Yeah, I have lunch with someone,” I said. I could tell by the knowing look on her face that she thought I meant “some guy”. “What’s his name?” She reminded me so much of Kara when she said that. “Julian. He’s the head’s son. But we’re not dating…and we won’t ever!” I made a face. “Oh, really? Why not?” Em narrowed her eyes cutely. I pulled out my cell phone and showed her my background photo. “Who’s the boy?” she asked. “Corey. My boyfriend,” I stated, “And that’s why I don’t like Julian.” The photo was of Corey and me after the fireworks on Lake Michigan this past Fourth of July. “He’s cute.” I smiled. “Now what should I wear?” I asked, returning to the previous problem of mine. Emmaline stood from her bed. She rifled through the contents of my closet. “This.” She smirked and pulled out a pair of pink, coral shorts. “With this.” She yanked my pretty floral top from the hanger along with a black three-quarter sleeved jacked. “Just put on heels with it.” I went to my bed and pulled out my shoe bag, which was a large transparent bag that held all of my shoes and was kept under my bed. I slipped on a pair of nude heels and draped my black handbag over my shoulder. “Thanks.” I left the room and headed for the elevator. ***”Hi, I’m here with Julian Harper,” I said to the hostess at the front of the fancy restaurant. “Yes, right this way,” the girl said, leading me through the tables. He was sitting near the back, twiddling his thumbs on the table and studying a Monet painting on the wall. “Hey,” Julian greeted, standing up from the small table near the back of Bella’s Posto, the local Italian restaurant. “Hi, Julian.” He took a short breath. “Here, take a seat.” I gladly sat down at the table. “Is this place nice enough?” he asked. “Yeah, it’s cool.” I looked around at the paintings on the walls and the buffet lining the walls at the front of the restaurant. “So, I heard that you’re in need of practice for auditions.” Oh dear. “Yeah. “Do you want to double up?” I had to do what was right for the sake of getting the part. Plus, I hadn’t practiced much. “Of course!” he exclaimed, beaming. “Cool.” There was a silence between us before the waitress came and greeted us. “Hello, I’m Sophia and I’ll be taking care of you two this fine afternoon,” she said. “Have any thoughts on what you’d like to drink?” she asked. “Yeah, Coke, please,” Julian said. “Iced tea, thank you,” I said. The waitress smiled as she finished writing our orders down on her notepad. “The endless buffet is right over there. Have a nice day!” Sophia chirped. “Okay, thank you.” Julian turned to me and grinned. “We both need to practice for auditions. What do you say we get our food, pay, and then leave for the auditorium? I convinced Mr. Fields to leave it open for the students to rehearse in this weekend.” He was a serious actor, I could tell. “That seems like the better idea.”

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat- Have fun! :D

fungirl123 @Kat - WOW, that's so awesome! :D Have fun on your trip! Try not to focus on GL too much! <3

kjm109 Hey, so I am going to Hawaii for the first time ever tomorrow, for nine days! XD I will have access to a computer, but posting wont be a huge priority of mine. I will try to post tonight, but that's a maybe. Sorry about that girls have a great week!

taylorswiftfan1233 @Krysta- Thanks! :)

fungirl123 Thanks, Krysta. :-)

LudaKrys Amazing post everyone! :)

fungirl123 @Kat - cool post! :-D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Kat- Great post! :)

kjm109 *Juliet* I stepped into my room at nine thirty expecting to find at least one of the girls already in the room, but they were both gone. I just got ready for bed and continued practicing the lines for Hermia. I also practiced the lines for Titaina just as a fall back if I didn’t get the part of Hermia. Around ten twenty, I was too tired to read anymore, so I climbed in bed and fell into a deep sleep. **** I woke up early the next morning due to the light streaming in through the half opened curtain. Evangelina was still asleep, but Emmaline was nowhere to be seen. I crept quietly through the room to my closet and pulled out my outfit before moving towards the bathroom to shower and get ready. **** There, I think to myself as I finish putting on my makeup in the bathroom. I close everything up and put my things back in my drawer under the sink before leaving the room. Evangelina was up, so I stayed silent not wanting to annoy her. “Hey, did you see Emmaline leave last night?” Evangelina asks surprising me. “Nah, why?” I inquire combing through my hair, the one thing I forgot to do before leaving the bathroom. “She left last night. I’m going to go look for her after I get ready,” She tells me, before throwing on sweats and leaving. I was a little disappointed because I was hoping that maybe we would become friends, I mean I had yet to make even one yet.

fungirl123 @Payton - thank you! <3

taylorswiftfan1233 @Haley- great post! :D

fungirl123 ~Lena~ I rolled over in bed, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. What had woken me up? It was only around eleven-thirty PM. I had just gone to bed a little over forty-five minutes ago. I rifled a hand through my tousled curls and groggily stood from my bed. Aha! It was the door closing that had woken me up. I looked at the bed next to me. Juliet was evenly inhaling and exhaling, evidently in a deep sleep. I glanced over at Emmaline’s bed for only a second…but then my eyes were drawn back to it when I saw that the only thing lying on it was a lump of blankets. I crossed my arms. Well, there was no going back to sleep now. I was wide awake. Suddenly, in the middle of complete silence, I heard a car’s engine rev up outside of the dorm. I tip-toed to my window just in time to see a van slowly move out of the parking lot. This couldn’t be good. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Emmaline was just going down to the lounge to get a drink before hitting the hay. Where else could she be? **** My alarm went off at six-thirty AM, and I stumbled out of bed to my vanity seat. Juliet was in the bathroom. I glanced over at Emmaline’s bed. It was the exact same as last night. This was bad. I picked up my cell phone and texted Jensen. *Hey, did Em crash in ur room last nite? –Len* A minute later, my cell phone made a ‘ping’ noise, signifying a text. *No, Y?* Uh-oh. *Shes not here. She left last nite and didnt com bak.* I texted. *I’ll call her.* *Ok* I waited with shaky hands. Juliet emerged from the bathroom, steam coming with her from a shower. “Hey, did you see Emmaline leave last night?” That had to have been the first thing I’d said to her besides a few subtle ‘hellos’. “Nah, why?” she asked, combing out her wet hair. “She left last night. I’m going to go look for her after I get ready,” I said. I quickly threw on a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt and tennis shoes before heading out the door. I didn’t get a reply from Jensen, so I decided to call Emmaline myself. “Hi, Lena.” Her voice sounded a bit shaky. “Where the hell are you?!” I demanded. “Whoa, calm down. I’m just fine. But I won’t be back until this afternoon. Something came up. Are you going to tell on me?” she asked, her voice getting slightly high in fear. “No, of course not. But you do realize that if you get caught sleeping outside of campus, there’s a HUGE punishment, right?” Emmaline didn’t reply for a solid minute. “I’ll find a way to get back discreetly. Just don’t tell anyone. Jensen called me and I told her.” I sighed. “Fine. Just don’t get yourself killed.” Em laughed. “No problem at all!” There were a few voices in the background. “Who are you with?” I could tell just by the sounds that they were English. “Got to go, bye!” she said before hanging up. What? What the heck was that about? I sat down on a black bench outside of our dorm. That was odd. Interrupting me from my thoughts, my cell phone let out a loud ring. It seemed to echo through the empty campus. No one was out this Saturday morning. Immediately, I saw the photo ID and I knew. “Corey!” I cried into the receiver. He was the perfect thing I needed to calm myself down. “Oh, good, you’re up. I didn’t know if I was waking you. Well, what’s up?” Just hearing his voice was like music to my ears. “I’m going to be the lead in the semester play,” I chirped. “You got the part?” he asked, excitement obvious in his voice. “No. Auditions are on Monday. But I’m pretty sure I’m going to get it,” I said. “Okay, cool. I have to get going. My grandparents are flying my brother and me to Florida for the weekend,” he said. “Okay, babe. Bye!” I chirped. And I was once again tranquil. That was what Corey was for: Calming me down. The thought of Emmaline being in trouble was the last thing on my mind now.

fungirl123 I'm writing now! :D

LexilicousCandy P.S.: i just checked my email, sorry I took so long to reply! :p

LexilicousCandy @Haley- LOL, I'm glad. :-D

fungirl123 @Lexi - NOW I get it. :D

taylorswiftfan1233 @Lexi- Great post! :D

LexilicousCandy @Haley- Ms. Harper doesn't really care that Em doesn't go to classes since she's not really there for the classes she's there to hide, but since the teachers don't know that there going to get mad at her. Yeah, she's going to stay in the hotel. :)

fungirl123 @Lexi - awesome post! ^-^ As cool as it is for Em to be a famous singer, she has to have some type of punishment for not being in classes. Unless she has special treatment from the head for being a famous singer, I can understand that. :) And is Emmaline staying at the hotel with the boys? I just wanna know so I can maybe write about her not being there in the morning. Somewhere in there with1D, you have to add in about Liam’s signature “1, 2, 3 FLICK!” Just sayin’…One more thing, wouldn’t Emmaline get some type of punishment for ditching her classes? I mean, she is technically still a student…Unless Mrs. Harper’s giving her special treatment pointedly, then I can understand. :D

LexilicousCandy So obviously the song is Moves like Jagger by Maroon 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRsxpoAc5w) but you wouldn’t know why until you read.(; P.S.: I hope no one minds that I started this off in Zayn’s P.O.V. :/ ~Zayn~ “Emma, your mobile is going crazy again,” I yelled as soon as her auburn ponytail was in sight, Louis right behind her. They were going mad on the rides, but because I am not fond of them, I’m holding her mobile while she goes on some crazy rollercoaster. “I’m busy right now; I can’t take my mobile on the ride! Just text whoever it is back with whatever,” she shouted back, already dragging Louis to another queue. I shrugged and unlocked her phone. *Where’d you go, Em? :/ ~Jenson :)* I frowned, knowing that Emmaline probably wouldn’t want me to disclose our actual location. My fingers hovered over the keyboard for a few seconds, before I decided to go with your stereotypical text. *Uh…this isn’t the time, but we shud tots hang out l8ter ;)* I took in a shaky breathe; would this Jenson girl buy it? Did I reply how Emmaline would? Zayn… calm down. That’s exactly how a teenage girl would send a text. *K, but I was thinking we should have lunch together at that Café place. What do you think? Should we invite Lena and Ave with us? :D ~Jenson :)* What? No! Emmaline can’t go out with her friends; she’s hanging out with us before we go back to England. We only have very scarce time with her! My fingers flew across the keyboard, seemingly on their own accord. *Sorry, busy. :(* I felt a little guilty at rejecting Emmaline’s friend and slightly selfish for keeping Emmaline to ourselves, but a lad’s got to do what a lad’s got to do… when he has to do it. This is the roller coaster of life after all.(; It took the girl a while to reply, but eventually the phone buzzed back at me. *kk. ~Jenson :)* Really, she took that long to reply with two letters?! TWO. LETTERS. You have got to be kidding me! I sighed as I realized I will never understand the female mind. I just slipped Emmaline’s phone back into my pocket when she popped up next to me grinning like an ecstatic child. “Sup, Em?” “Zaynie, will you go on a ride with me?” She asked sweetly, batting her lashes at me. I chuckled and pretended to ponder it for a moment. “Ehh… OK,” I agreed, my face splitting into a huge grin. She squealed and ran off to some ride— I couldn’t tell you the name to save my life, all I know is that Liam pulled me halfway through the walk there. “What do you think is wrong with Harry? I haven’t seen him around since we first got here,” He whispered quietly. I shrugged my shoulders, not rally wanting to talk about the curly-haired lad at this moment in time. “Something must have happened between the two of them; Emmaline is acting like everything is all fine, but I can tell how much this is affecting her,” Liam persists, his eyebrows crinkled in confusion and worry. I place a comforting hand on his shoulder and turn him around so he’s looking at me. “Look mate, I know you’re worried about them, but look,” I pause and turn Liam’s body so he’s facing Emmaline (who’s laughing with Louis not too far ahead of us). “See, she’s enjoying herself. Just let her have this time to relax, she’s been stressed out lately, just like Harry. He’s knackered, that’s all. I’m sure everything will be back to normal in no time,” I assure him. He stares at Emmaline and Louis a bit longer before nodding slowly. “I guess you’re right,” he sighs heavily. I smirk and raise my eyebrows at him, teasing him, “Whenever am I not?” Liam rolls his eyes and walks away, calling over his shoulder, “You coming, Malik?” *** (Back to Emmaline’s P.O.V.) “Thank you; today was incredible,” I gush, going around and throwing my arm around each boy— except Harry of course. “I just can’t believe they don’t have Nandos here,” Niall pouts, looking out the window forlornly. Louis fists pumps when Niall isn’t looking, a wide grin stretched across his face. “I’m not a big fan of Nandos,” he says nonchalantly, causing Niall to glare at him. “The days not over yet,” Zayn proclaims, smiling deviously. My jaw drops; what more could we possibly do? We went to the amusement park, the zoo, had lunch, went to a water park, went shopping, had dinner, went to see a film, and loads of crazy, random activities throughout all that. I begin to pout, “Lads, I love you, I really do, and I want nothing more than to spend more time with you lot, but its 10:30 PM and dorm check is at 11. I already missed all my classes, which won’t be hard to explain to Ms. Harper, but my roommates will get suspicious if I don’t come in in time,” I protest. This is where Liam cuts in, “Don’t worry, we have a plan.” My eyes widen in disbelief at his words. I mean, it’s nothing new for the lads to have something up there sleeve, but Liam heading to the dark side. I didn’t think they would corrupt him that quickly. “LIAM! Aren’t you supposed to the sensible one? What happened to ‘Daddy Direction’?” He shrugs and grins sheepishly. I give in, “Alright, so what’s the game plan?” A sinking feeling occurs in my stomach as they talk. I can just tell something is not going to go right… “Niall, get your foot out of my face,” Zayn hisses from inside my closet. “Zayn, you’re stepping on my toe,” Liam whines. I bang on the door and tell them to keep quiet. Sneaking the lads into the building without being seen was pretty tough, but what I was really cautious about was hiding them in my dorm room. What is Evangelina or Juliet was in there? What would I do then? Luckily, Juliet was already fast asleep on her side of the room and Evangelina was nowhere to be seen when we crept in, so Niall, Zayn, and Liam were cramped in my closet, while Louis is lying underneath my bed. Harry decided to stay in the car, seeing as were still ignoring each other. “Evangelina should be coming in at any minute, it’s almost time for room checks and she wouldn’t miss it, especially in the first week of school. When she does come in here, you must be silent; if we get found out we’re all screwed, so be on your best behavior,” I warn, leaning down to stare pointedly at Louis. He smirks up at me. “You can count on me,” he sings out loud. “LOUIS, SHUT UP,” I scold. Just then the door opens and in walks Evangelina, clad in a pair of sweats with her long tresses in a messy bun. I sit up on my bed and smile at her, but not quick enough; she eyes me suspiciously. “Where have you been all morning? Jenson was worried sick,” Evangelina whispers. I shrug and look away. “I wasn’t feeling good so I spent the day in the infirmary,” I lie. I can hear Louis faintly chuckling below me. I pretend to cough to cover it up, causing Evangelina to cock an eyebrow at me. “Sorry… sick,” I remind her. She nods and walks away, getting comfortable in her bed. I let out a sigh of relief; I’m surprised she didn’t notice all the shopping bags on the opposite side of my bed. They would have definitely given me away. I wait for lights out and then once I’m sure we’re safe I lead the guys out of the dorm, closing the door on the soft sound of Evangelina’s even breathing. Harry is waiting for us in the van when we inside. “Took you guys long enough,” he snaps, glaring at us, or more specifically, me. “Glad to see you’re talking again,” Zayn says back, smirking. Harry turns his glare to Zayn for a few seconds, before returning to staring out the window. Liam has a disapproving expression on his face which he directs towards Zayn, who just shrugs his shoulders and looks away as well. I decide to sit next to Niall and Zayn since they’re the only ones acting normal. It’s a tense and awkward drive to the hotel, so you can imagine how eager I am to jump out of the van and run inside. Unfortunately, that did not happen. At all. Because of all the fans outside the hotel we had to sneak in through the back entrance, and I had to be in the middle of the lads so no one could even catch a glimpse of my face. “What floor is your room on?” I ask, looking at the numerous buttons on the elevator panel. “This one,” Liam replies, stepping forward and pressing down on the 7. “WOOHOO! SLEEPOVER!” “Louis, shut up! You’re going to wake the other guests,” Liam scolds Louis from inside their room. Louis looks down and blushes. “Sorry,” he mutters. I envelope Louis in a hug until a familiar tune starts playing. “OH MY GOD THIS IS MY SONG!” ♪ “I don’t need to try to control you, Look into my eyes and I’ll own you, With them, Moves like Jagger, I’ve got the Moves like Jagger, I’ve got the Mo-o-o-oves like Jagger,” ♪ Louis sings at the top of his lungs. I join in at Christina Aguilera’s portion: ♫ “You wanna know, How to make me smile, Take control; Own me just for the night. And if I share my secret, You’re gonna have to, Keep it. Nobody else can see this— (Ugh) So watch and learn; I won’t show you twice, Head to toe, Oooh Baby, Rub me right, (Yeah) But if I share my secret, You’re gonna have to keep it, Nobody else can see this, Eh, eh, eh, YEAH—” ♫ Zayn butts in: ♪ “And it goes like this, Ugh,” ♪ Louis starts singing again, so they’re singing i