This was new. Today's memory calendar plans involved time away from Grayson. He had first convinced Blake to organise a girl only sleepover and then helped plan it. Despite it being his idea and his doing, he proceeded to spend the entire morning complaining that he couldn't attend.

     "Blake said you were the one who made the no boys rule," I reminded.

     "I was."

     Did I really have to point out his lack of logic? "If it bothers you so much, change it. I'm sure they won't mind... Anything beats your constant complaining."

     "I didn't go then. So, I'm not going now. I have to stay true to the memory... Plus, it would be weird."

     "Then what are you complaining about?"

     Grayson shrugged. "I complained then."

     I sighed exasperatedly, failing to hide my amusement. "Idiot."

     "An idiot in character," he corrected. "I'm actually glad Blake agreed to do this. I think it'll do you some good."

     "Do me some good?" I questioned, eyes sparkling. "I never thought you'd admit that I need a break from your constant, tiring, over the top planning."

     "That is not what I said. I meant that going away would give you the opportunity to miss me. You'll come to understand how much I mean to you."

     "So... It'll do you some good?"

     Grayson narrowed his eyes playfully. "Just get in the car."

     I don't know how I managed to be surprised by the statement. Of course, he would be driving me. Wrestling with my bags, Grayson too stubborn to let me carry my own bag, in the end he won. He placed my belongings in the trunk and drove me to Blake's house.

     I had visited the girls' houses on multiple occasions, but today felt different. Initially walking through Blake's front door, I felt oddly uncomfortable. I was told that I had attended many sleepovers in the past, but of course, I couldn't recall them. And in the few years I had known my current group of friends, I had never slept over. I used to consider the Collins overprotective, but I've come to realize that they had been controlling. But, even had they not limited my time with friends, it had taken me a long time to get over my trust issues.

     My discomfort faded rapidly. The girls didn't make a big deal of the evening and as much as I loved the Ryders and appreciated all they did for me; the change of atmosphere was refreshing. There was no crushing pressure with my friends. We had no past needed to remember. I had faith that the memory recreation would work. I didn't want it to end, as even the memories that were meant to be annoying were now bringing me amusement, but Grayson's memory calendar was a constant reminder of the amnesia. A constant reminder of the tragic turn in my life. It was a constant reminder that something was wrong with me. It was nice to feel like a normal girl, enjoying an evening with her friends. Part of me was even glad to have to suffer through the girl talk. Luckily, for once, I wasn't the victim of their intrusive questioning.

     The usual interrogator became the interrogee. Shawna and Blake's undivided attention was on a flustered Katie. I was quite enjoying myself, until Katie took advantage of her opportunity to change the subject.

     Lounged across the air mattresses on Blake's bedroom floor, our laughter and teasing were interrupted by the doorbell.

     "Are you expecting anyone?" Shawna asked.

     Blake shook her head. Her parents had decided to go out of town for the night, leaving us the house to ourselves. I didn't think much of the unknown visitors, but I noticed the flashes of concern shot my way, as if they expected it to be the Collins. I suppose I would never fully escape what had happened.

     Perfect view of the front door from her bedroom window, Blake peered outside. Katie and Shawna visibly relaxed when Blake's lips quirked into a smile. Grin fixed my way, I sighed.

     "You're kidding," I said dismally.

     Failing to contain her laughter, the blonde shook her head. Knowing very well that the three would be watching from the window, I forced myself to stand, meeting the waiting fool at the door.

     "Very sorry to bother you," Grayson greeted. The door wasn't even fully opened yet. "But I had to bring you this."

     Recovering a jar from behind his back, he held it up my way as an offering. Not before shooting him a suspicious look, carefully I removed the lid.

     "You had to bring me cookies?" I asked, lips twitching in a furtive smile.

     He nodded solemnly, as though his bringing of cookies was of up-most importance.

     "To remember me by." He bowed dramatically, already walking down the front steps. "I did this for your first sleepover at Drew's. It took two hours to walk to her house, but I was determined to shove Grandma Ryder's cookies in their faces. A not so gentle reminder that they could never offer you a cookie as amazing as my grandmother's."

     Eyes crinkling with humor, I studied the jar of desserts and shook my head in amused disbelief.

     "Yes," he answered my unvoiced question. "I was that petty."

     I laughed softly, holding the jar to my chest. Giggles reminding me of the girls, I snuck a sideway glance and with no surprise caught sight of three familiar faces shoved through the small window. Katie, the most curious of the three, had forced her head so far out that I was afraid she'd fall out. Following my gaze, with a grin Grayson waved to the three. I had to resist the urge to hide my face behind the jar. Did they have to be so obvious? Unless Grayson had suddenly acquired the ability to act, it seemed the obvious wasn't obvious enough. He didn't seem to think much of their sly smirks and instantly I relaxed again.

     "I promise this is the last I'll bother you, until late tomorrow afternoon," he said, jogging in reverse down the driveway. "Sorry in advance for the cookies. I'm not as good of a baker as my grandmother was."

     Smiling, I watched him leave. Only when he stepped onto the sidewalk, did I frown. I hadn't until then noticed that there was no extra car in the Torre's driveway, and that Grayson was dressed in running attire, forehead already glistening in sweat.

     "You jogged here?" I noted incredulously.

     He stopped abruptly, turning my way with an expression that read Duh!

     "That's nearly eight miles!"

     Grayson shrugged nonchalantly. "You had to get the cookies."

     "You could have driven."

     "I couldn't drive when we were eleven."

     I looked at him hopelessly. "I'm the one with the memory problem. What's this going to prove?"

     "My petty determination," he stated plainly, before disappearing with a grin.

     I dreaded every step I took towards Blake's room, I suspected they wouldn't think little of Grayson's gesture. Entering the room, I attempted to take my earlier seat in a nonchalant fashion. Three pairs of eyes bore into me.

     "He just brought me cookies," I mumbled, defensively holding the jar to my chest.

     "He came all this way to bring you cookies?" Katie asked, batting her lashes with feigned innocence. The twinkle in her eyes didn't fool me. I was in trouble.

      "He's just stubborn," I retorted. "He wanted to recreate a memory, so I could remember his pettiness."

     Shawna snorted and Blake rolled her eyes, but Katie's mischievous grin remained.

     "That's really sweet—"

     "Yes, I know," I interrupted, quick to direct the jar in their direction. "Cookie?"

     My offer successfully resulted in a brief distraction. For the few moments their mouths were full, I was content... Though really, it was my own mouth that screwed me over in the end.

     "These are really good," Shawna remarked, already on her second cookie.

     "It was his grandmother's recipe," I told her. "I don't know when he had time to bake them," I added, speaking my thoughts aloud. I should have kept my thoughts to myself.

     I'd spent all morning and the previous night with him. And with today's long run, I couldn't imagine that he had had much time to spare for baking.

     "He spends a lot of time on the memory recreation," Blake remarked.

     I nodded in appreciation. "More time than I deserve."

     "I couldn't imagine not falling for someone who sacrificed so much time on my behalf," Katie said in an exaggerated sweet tone.

     "So, if Amanda did as he did, you'd fall for her even if she's far from your type?" I hoped to provoke an indignant response, but she didn't fall for it.

     "So, Grayson's not your type?"

     "That's not what I said—"

     "So, he is your type?" Blake prodded.

      Katie smiled victoriously, the other two now just as invested as she. The three leaned towards me curiously, and I shrank under their studious gazes, groaning loudly.

     "You're blushing." Shawna grinned.

     "Am not!" I argued, though my cheeks grew warmer. "Forget about Grayson, we were talking about Amelia—"

     "You're not getting out of this that easy," Katie said.

     I narrowed my eyes. Curious gazes became demanding, silently trying to pry a confession. I kept my mouth shut. Picking my nails, I did my best to ignore them.

     "Your silence says a lot," Katie taunted.

     "It's almost as if you're hiding something," Shawna added, brown eyes shining just as mischievously as Katie.

     "I don't want to talk about it."

     "Talk about what?" Blake blinked innocently.

     "Your feelings?" Katie suggested.

     I was no longer enjoying myself. Eyes throwing daggers at the three, my face betrayed me. My ears and cheeks turned pink. If this is what sleepovers entailed, I would refrain from partaking in any in the future.

     "You do like him!" Shawna exclaimed with a note of surprise.

     Jaw tightening, my face grew impossibly warmer. It didn't matter that I was silent, my face was telling them everything they needed to know.

     "You're not denying it," Blake noted, brows raised with equal surprise.

     Katie didn't share the air of surprise, instead she whooped victoriously. My lips parted to respond, to defend myself, but no words escaped me. I found myself incapable of lying; I couldn't deny it. My rosy cheeks and flustered speech really could not have made my predicament any more obvious. Their suspicions had been confirmed. Groaning, I let myself fall on my back, miserably sinking into the mattress.

     As if they had needed extra confirmation, my admittance of defeat resulted in squeals from two of the three and a howl of laughter from Shawna.

     "This is great!" Katie exclaimed, excitedly throwing herself on my mattress.

     Body bouncing from the sudden impact, I recovered rapidly, rolling over to burry my face in my pillow. Not allowing me to hide, Katie jumped to my other side. It seemed they wanted to look into my eyes as they humiliated me.

     "It is not great," I begged to differ, mumbling gloomily. "Fate has a wicked sense of humor. After everything that's happened, I still can't catch a break."

     "You're being dramatic," Blake laughed. "It's just a crush."

      I moaned softly, staring blankly at the girl. Much to my dismay, just a crush had long become an excuse that held little truth.

     Blake's brows shot into her hairline. "More than a crush?"

     I buried myself deeper into my pillow, moaning in misfortune while I thought Katie might explode with joy.

     I could almost feel the mattress shake with her excitement.

     "You l—"

     "Don't say it!"

     Katie laughed. "Why? Are you afraid of the L wo—"

     Her words came to an abrupt halt when she received a pillow to her face. Initial dumb-founded look, her lips rapidly fell into their natural grin.

      "I mean it," I attempted to say seriously, but a small laughed escaped me as I focused on her ruffled hair and child-like shimmering eyes. "It feels so irrational, and I'm still confused."

     "Confused on the extent of your feelings perhaps, nevertheless there are feelings there," she said. "This is the best news I've heard all day!"

     Best news? I snorted, lightly pushing her away. "I'm glad my misery brings you joy."

     Green, and brown eyes rolled simultaneously.

     "This isn't supposed to make you miserable." Shawna laughed.

     "So, I should be happy that I'm stuck in the friend-zone?"

     It was their turn to groan.

     "Alexa Adams!" Blake complained.

     "Enough of this he just wants his best friend back idiocy," Katie chided.

     "It's not—"

     "We know," Shawna interrupted. "He said so himself."

     I shrank under my blanket.

     "Honey, we love you and of course we would have been there for you, but I don't think any of us would have placed such effort and energy into helping you remember," Blake said, accusing tone turned soft.

     "Like Katie said, he's really sweet," I defended poorly. Overwhelmed and confused, I could hardly argue with them. "He's just trying to do the noble thing. He's too nice for his own good."

     Shawna snorted, Blake shook her head in disbelief and Katie tugged at her short curls in frustration.

     "Dear god, you're dense!" Katie cried. "This has nothing to with nobility— He wants to get into your pants! He wants you in every way possible. You've complained that Blake and Luke are oblivious, but you and Grayson are so much worse. So, so much worse! Half the school already thinks you two are dating."

     "I know I'm obvious about it, his mother even told me so, but this has nothing to do with Grayson's inexistent feelings."

     I emphasized inexistent, unfortunately it seemed there was no changing their minds.

     "Inexistent," Katie muttered incredulously.

     "His mother said what?" Shawna urged, already laughing in anticipation.

     "Claire thinks I'm nearly as obvious as Grayson is oblivious. She gave me a little speech, very much like the one you're giving me now. The details really aren't important." I tried to brush off the matter.

     "But you know what is important?" Katie urged. "Your belief that his feelings are inexistent."

     "Considering the chagrin, it has caused me and the fact that the statement was true, I really don't think it worth talking about."

     "Come on, Alexa," Blake said seriously.

     "I'll take it back, so long as we agree that his existing feelings are of dislike; nothing to do with romance."

     Shawna laughed at my persistent stubbornness, but the two blondes looked incredibly frustrated.

     "You may still be confused about your feelings, but there is no doubt in my mind that he knows exactly how he feels, and his feelings are of an intensity that would likely scare you," Katie started. "Stop trying to brush it off and listen. I have never seen anyone want anything as much as he wants you!" She spoke slowly as if by doing so the words would better stick to me. "He's on a whole other level of obvious and I'm sorry my dear, but you are the oblivious one. Even his mother has figured it out. Don't you think she knows him best?"

     Blinking slowly, surprise by her sudden overwhelming solemnity, before I could even attempt to compose myself Blake was delivering a speech of her own.

      "He follows you around like a sick puppy," she started. "He has this distinct twinkle in his eyes and goofy grin on his face when he's around you. Don't you think it's strange for someone to be so invested in what you consider a friendship? He's placing the memory recreations; he's placing you above everything else in his life. He doesn't just want you; he needs you ... Just take a minute to really think about it. Get out of your own head and at least let yourself believe in the possibility that we're right. Would you really do the same he does for just a friend? We wouldn't lie to you. I whole-heartedly believe that what Grayson wants is far from a friendship."

     Again, I was silent. Staring blankly at the wall, my mind was a jumbled mess. I didn't know what to think anymore; didn't know what to say. Hugging the pillow to my chest, deep in thought, the room was silent for many moments. Complete silence overtook us until Shawna chuckled. "I think we finally got through to her."

     Recovering from my haze, I stuck my tongue out at the brunette. Dark skin shinning from the room's lamp, her grin only widened.

      "I still think you're wrong," I admitted. "But I'll consider what you said. Just let me think, alright? It's Blake's turn to be harassed."

      With an indignant gasp, Blake shook her head, but she was too slow in her poor attempt to find words. Shawna grinning widely, Katie shot up, facing Blake in preparation.

     "I've been waiting for this," Katie started enthusiastically.

      Listening to Katie go on about Blake and Luke, I laughed at the appropriate moments and added the odd remark, but I found myself easily distracted. I spent much time staring at the ceramic cookie jar, wondering if it was egotistical to remain firm on my belief while so many thought the contrary. But to think a guy like Grayson Ryder could ever reciprocate my feelings seemed just as egotistical. He could and deserved so much better.

     Why would he choose someone with such a complicated life? Someone who snapped at him for the mere reason that his kindness resulted in unwanted flutters. A relationship with me would be difficult, it felt so much more rational to believe that he wanted a friendship solely... still, I couldn't get their words out of my head. Had I been reading him wrong? I couldn't possibly be the most oblivious of the two. I refused to believe I could be more oblivious than Grayson Ryder.

     Later that night when Blake read a message on her phone and stood to lock her bedroom window, I knew Grayson had made the request. My heart skipped a beat at the act of caution, and internally I cursed my friends for giving me greater false hope. I knew now that I'd come to overanalyze every protective act to come. I'd analyze his every gesture and smile, hoping to detect some truth in my friends' words. And I knew that because of it, in the end I'd suffer greater heartache.