"Franco's? You're working at Franco's?" I question, not quite letting the words sink in.

"I didn't think it was that big of deal. You know I have been looking for a job and now I have one." Cory says to me, raising his voice slightly so he can be heard over the screams of the child in my arms.

"Shh, shh darling. They will hopefully stop soon," I bounce Erin against my hip, staring out of the window while watching the fireworks. Flashes of different colours light up the sky which ordinarily would have been beautiful but today they are the bane of my existence. The two of us had managed to settle Erin down for the bed but the fireworks had woken her straight up again.

Stupid Guy Forks night.

"I just didn't think you would get one this soon. I thought that- that – ahh I don't know what I thought. All this noise makes it hard to think." I scream above the noise. "Will you take her for a minute?" I hold Erin in my arms, facing her in the direction of Cory who takes her straight into his own arms.

He positions her so that her head is against his chest as he cradles her in his arms. After a few minutes the screams begin to subdue but tears still roll down her face. Her little fists are still clenched together as if she doesn't want to stop, even if she is too tired to carry on.

I know that feeling.

"I think I know what you thought," Cory perks his head up and says.

"Enlighten me," I perch down next to him on the sofa, stroking the fair hairs on Erin's head.

"You thought there would be more time on weekends or whenever I end up working, that there would be the two of us together. That for those times, you wouldn't have to be completely alone with the baby, at least not yet," Cory suggests to me, his voice lower now that Erin has calmed down.

The skin around my finger suddenly seems more interesting than the current conversation so I begin to pull it, picking away all the dead flakes. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I can hear Cory calling my name but I don't acknowledge it. I just keep picking away until there is nothing left. Sounds seem to disappear into the background, fading into nothing until I feel brush against my arm.

"WHAT?" I snap without even thinking. I was far too engrossed in my own little world that I didn't want to be disturbed.

"Are you okay Kris?" Cory asks, his eyebrows furrowing as he does so.

"I'm fine," I lie. "I must just be tired, that's all. I think you're right though. A part of me doesn't feel ready to be left alone with Erin for long periods of time." I agree with him, thinking back to the conversation we had, just minutes before.

Cory stands up, moving away from the sofa so he can lay the baby down in her Moses basket. I never noticed that she had stopped crying, something that he obviously had. Her eyes are peacefully shut while her little chest moves up and down. It's as if the crying fiasco never happened.

The fireworks are still lighting up the sky in the distance, showing no signs of stopping. Cory lifts himself back up from the floor, making his way towards me. Sitting himself down next to me, he takes my hand and pulls me closer to his body.

"You won't be alone, at least not for that long. I'm not entirely sure what hours I will be working yet but more than likely, the most you will be alone is a few hours on a Saturday. If I have to work Sundays then your mum will be at home and the same applies for if I have to work some week day nights. Even when you are alone, I'm sure you will cope netter than what you think you will. You are her mother after all," he tries to comfort me, stroking my hair as he does so.

Whenever Erin is in the middle of a crying fit and I take her in my arms, she never seems to stop, no matter what I do. If I feed her, she still cries, if I change her nappy, she cries, if I wind her, she cries. Nothing ever seems to calm her down until I hand her over to Cory. It feels like all he has to do is hold her and then she stops. He might have that faith in me but I certainly don't.

"I guess we will just have to see how it goes," I look into his eyes, faking a smile. "So tell me more about Franco's. I can't picture you working in a coffee shop," I try and change the subject slightly, faking another smile and a laugh as I do so.

**

Fridays are probably my least favourite days. Strange, I know. It is only because I start school earlier compared to the rest of the week. During the rest of the week I normally arrive just before the bell that signals the end of lunch rings but on a Friday, I have to get here a whole hour and a half earlier to sit through tutor. This also means I have to put up with all the stares during that lunch hour.

Nibbling on the sandwich that I bought with me, I watch the people in the lunch queue as they buy their food. Adam and Laura are near the front. Laura still hasn't spoken to me since the incident a couple of weeks ago but then again, I haven't tried to speak to her either. Adam seems torn though, stuck in the middle. I know that he doesn't want to pick sides, especially since he had that talk with Cory a few weeks ago, but it's hard when his girlfriend is being so stubborn. I watch as he smiles in my direction before following Laura to a different table.

That's how bad things are now. She won't even sit with me anymore. Apparently on the days when I am not here for lunch, she sits with the rest of the group, just not when I am around. I don't even know how to change things at this point. I'm not sure if I even have the energy to care.

Turning my attention away from her, I gaze back at the queue and spy both Maddie and Cory waiting in line. They seem happy enough, talking to one another while slops of food are served onto the plates by the less-than-enthralled lunch ladies. I have never been a fan of the school lunches, ever since I once threw up after eating one of their pasta dishes.

"Hi," a voice from across the table I am sat at says to me.

I turn my head away from the lunch queue, eyeing the person sat in front of me. "What do you want Jack?" I question, watching as he begins to unpack his own lunch.

"My lunch. I thought that would be rather obvious," he says, taking a bite into his sandwich. Instead of replying, I roll my eyes and search for Maddie and Cory's heads through the crowds of people. Maybe if I don't talk to him, he will go away. "In all seriousness, I came here to talk to you. I thought you might like to hang out some time." He breaks the silence, causing my head to spin back towards him.

"Why would you ever think that?" I question, thinking back to the brief interaction we had only a couple of weeks ago.

"You seem distant and I thought you could do with a friend. I've gathered that you're still not talking to that black haired girl-"

"- Laura," I mumble after him.

"And from what I have observed, you are close group of friends. This fall out must have caused a lot of tension between you all. Besides, I bet you don't get a lot of time to go out without the baby." Jack says, brushing strands of his black hair out of his eyes as he does so.

"I'm not sure, I don't think it's a good idea,"

"Oh, I don't mean it as a date. I know you are with that Cory bloke. He seems nice. I genuinely mean it as friends,"

"The only problem is Cory has just got a new job, which he starts this weekend. It looks like for the new few weeks he will just be doing weekends so I have to look after the baby. I just don't have the time," I try and let him down gently.

Jack pauses for a few seconds, enough time for him to have a bite of his sandwich before continuing again. "Why not meet up after school one day then. We could go to the gym."

"The gym?" I nearly spit my drink out in surprise. That was not the suggestion I was expecting.

"Sure, why not? You're a dancer aren't you? Doesn't that mean you like to work out and keep fit? I bet you don't get as much time now that you are a mum." He comments and I realise he has a point there. I don't get that much time to try and keep in shape like I used to. I barely have time to practise the dance routines that I have for my lessons, never mind anything extra to keep fit.

"Alright, I don't see why not. It will probably do me some good to get of the house for a bit anyway. I'll get in touch and tell you when I am able to meet up," I say. Jack scribbles down his number on a piece of scrap paper which I fold over and put in my pocket.

"See you later Mason," he gathers his belongings up and leaves me sat alone at the table just before Cory and Maddie arrive.

What a strange kid.

Pushing all thoughts of Jack to the back of my mind, I turn so that I am facing Cory and Maddie as they walk over to the table where I am sat. Cory sits down in the seat that was previously Jacks but Maddie hovers between my table and Laura's. Her fists clench around the tray that she is holding as her eyes dart back and forth between the two tables.

"This is getting ridiculous now! You may not be saying it out loud but you are definitely asking us to choose sides and I don't want to do that. Why can't you just make up and be friends again?" Maddie practically screams at the two of us. Conversations are still buzzing around the cafeteria but heads are turning in our direction. "Why are the two of you even fighting? Yes, life is different compared to this time last year. We all have different priorities but that doesn't mean you can use that against someone.'

'Kristen might not be asking us questions about every single aspect in our lives any more but that doesn't mean she won't be there if we really do need her," Maddie directs this part of the speech to Laura. "Although you could maybe turn it down on all the baby talk." She says, now looking at me. "Can't you just be friends again and put all this stupidity behind you? Learn from this rather than let it keep you apart," Maddie sighs the last part and I know that she is right.

Before Laura has the time to say anything, I begin to apologise, "I'm sorry that I have maybe been acting distant from you. I have had other things on my mind but I am always here if you need me. I don't want you to think that I am not."

Laura meets my gaze for the first time in weeks. "I'm sorry for being a bitch. I've known you practically all of my life and I guess this is the first proper time that I have had to share you. For so long your number one priority has been your friends and it's been hard to accept that that is no longer the case anymore. Honestly, I am sick of fighting and I just want my best friend back," she apologises to me and I can see in her eyes that she means every word.

"I want mine back too," I whisper before getting up to give her a hug.

Thetwo of us embrace and I know that I have her back for good.

A/N: so another new chapter for you! Hope you have enjoyed it.