Who ever thought that making a stubborn teenage girl forgive the guy she loves would be so hard?

Everyone, that's who. Everyone but me.

When Ashley had calmed down she arrived at Tami's house. She was very surprised to have found Shawn also hanging out with us.

"What's he doing here?" I rolled my eyes. "He's part of our group now. We all forgave him." Shawn started to stand up. "But if you want me to leave to feel more comfortable I can. Seriously, it's okay. This is your territory." She shook her head and sat down beside us. "No. No, it's okay. If they forgave you, I can too." I gave her a small nod and continued in my conversation with my friends.

When they were all silent I took the opportunity to speak. "Guys, I have a secret." They all looked at me with wide eyes. I looked over to Shawn, who was sitting right next to me, and he took my hand in order to give me encouragement. "I'm...moving."

Vincent shook his head. "No, no, no , no, no. What do you mean you're leaving? You can't leave us!" He came over and hugged me. He let go quickly and I wiped the small tear running down his cheek.

Before I knew it all of my friends were crying. Even Ashley who'd been mad at me for so long.

Michelle wiped the tears running down her face. "When are you leaving?"

At that point I couldn't speak. I was afraid that if I spoke I might drown in my own tears. Shawn decided to speak for me.

"She's leaving in seven months." And that was when Shawn too broke into tears.

By the time Tamara's mom arrived we were all a crying teenage mess. She looked at us as if we were all on drugs.

"Are you kids okay?" Tami laughed. I shook my head and stood up. I hugged my second mother and said, "I'm moving to Florida, Ms. Winchester. My mom got a job there." She hugged me tighter and didn't let go of me for a while. "Please, you've known me for so long, call me Carol."

The tears were coming stronger down my face. All the times I thought my friends were fake, all the times I thought I wasn't part of them and all the times I thought I'd lost them I never realized that they'd never left. Just when I thought I didn't have them anymore I realized how much they love me.

I've never been one to cry in public, much less in front of my friends. Yes, I cry a lot, but as I said before, my best friends and I weren't much for crying in each other's arms. Our arms were meant for stabbing, not hugging. But standing there, crying in the arms of all of them I saw everything that we missed. All the secrets we could've shared instead of gossip. The hugs we could've had instead of fights. We missed all of those things because we were so lost in ourselves and our needs when all we needed was a friend. I think maybe that's the reason we stood wrapped in each other's arms for so long. Maybe that's the main reason we were all hurting so much at the moment, we all realized what was going to be lost when I left and we were afraid.

We were all a mess when Vincent said, "You know what? Enough with the crying, let's go to the beach. No, you know what? Eff everything. Let's stay at the beach until tomorrow. What do you say? Are guys up for an adventure?"

My head was screaming for me to say no but I wanted to say yes. I'd always wanted to do something cool and dangerous like that, I just never had the courage. And because I was high... on adrenaline (I still don't know why, maybe being so close to my friends made me scared) I did the second dumbest thing I've done since I met Shawn. I agreed.

"So..." Shawn started. "I guess I'll leave you guys to it." He was about to stand up and leave when Kasey said, "No! Wait! You can come with us. As Emma said, we forgave you. You're one of us now, whether you like it or not." Shawn turned around and hugged her. I cleared my throat in response and he kissed my forehead.

"So, do we go?" asked Michael. The rest of us were already nodding when Ashley's face lit up. "Let's make this more intresting. Neither Emma nor the twins have ever snuck out of their house. How about we go at night and they sneak out for the first time?"

Seriously, why did I hang out with such bad influences? I'm kidding, Ash...sort of.

In the end we decided that we'd go to the beach at three in the morning so that Kasey, Michelle and I could sneak out for the first time.

After we'd perfected our plan (or rather my friends taught us how to climb out the window without breaking our arms and legs) we decided it was time to go so that we'd sleep and have energy the next day.

Shawn drove me to my apartment.

On my way home I couldn't stop thinking on ways that I could get Ashley to forgive James. To be honest, I don't get what the problem is. I mean, they both cheated on each other to keep the secret but still... they both did it.

Well there is the fact that he took her virginity and still dated other girls, or at least that's what I understood from our not very informative conversation.

But still, if she liked him so much why couldn't she just forgive the guy and live happily ever after? Maybe because it's real life? Stupid thoughts.

"What are you thinking about so much?" I looked over at Shawn who had his eyes glued on the road. "About Ashley and James. I really want it to work out between them. I think that would end the grudge once and for all. I mean, we're together too and all but if four people from the different groups can forgive each other then that'll mean that they all can."

He stayed silent in thought. "But you are aware that no matter what there will always be that little needle that hurts no matter how forgiven the other person is, right?" I nodded. "I know. I'm not saying that we won't be hurt anymore. All I'm saying is that if we can see past all the incidents thay happened between us, and so can Ashley and James, then it'll be easier for the others to get used to the idea of friendship between all of us."

He nodded and parked his car outside of my apartment building. He turned his head over to me and smiled. "You really are crazy, you know? I reciprocated the smile. "I know."

We got out of the car and went up the stairs to my home. We were welcomed by my mom at the door. "How did it go sweetie?" Shawn and I looked at each other. "Well...you know how Ashley hates Shawn's friends? Yeah well, that's because she apparently used to date James and he cheated."

My mother looked at us with a confused look. We got inside and sat on the couch. "If she was mad at James, then why did she treat you in such a horrible way? That's what I don't get." I lifted my shoulders slightly. "I don't know. She was probably just mad or something. For what James did to her."

My mom nodded slowly, thinking. "You know what I'm thinking? That maybe she was jealous that you and Shawn had such a good relationship that she started to slowly push you away." Oh mom, the psicologist strikes again. "Yeah...maybe. I think I'll ask her in a while when..." I felt Shawn kick me slightly. "I'll ask her tomorrow, or I'll text her in a while." My mom raised her eyebrow. She knew we were up to something.

After the talk with my mom, Shawn and I went to my room.

"I don't know what to do about Ashley. She's a really stubborn person and I promised James she'd go back to him. I feel like I'm failing everyone."

I looked down at Shawn who was lying on the floor. "Don't be so hard on yourself. They'll both come around. If she managed to some what stand me when we were at my sister's house then I think it's safe to say that she will be able to forgive James. Just give her time. I mean, it did take you months to finally admit your feelings to me because you were so hurt. She'll probably take longer."

I closed my eyes and groaned. "I hate you for being so smart." He laughed. His laugh was quickly changed to paleness when he looked at his phone.

"Aw crap, I have three mised calls from my mom. I should probably get going." He stood up and I stayed on my bed, refusing to stand up. I sat up a little to give him a hug. "What? No kiss?" I rolled my eyes and kissed him.

"Bye, Emma. I love you." He froze in and his face turned into a bright color red. "I mean, uh...bye." Before I could say anything he'd already left.

That wasn't the first time he said that he loved me. He'd said it a million times, but he'd never said it so clear. He never said it in those exact words and the the thought of it made my heart flutter.

*

At two thirty my heart was beating like crazy. I was ready to go out the window when I remembered I'd left my phone charging in the kitchen. Curse my inability to sleep with my phone next to me.

I walked silently to the kitchen and looked for my phone. Everything was dark and I had a hard time looking for it. When I finally found it I had a text from Vincent: we're parked outside, come out!

I unplugged my phone and headed to my room. They were waiting by the window next to my room. Thankfully there was a small latter in which I could climb down from or else I'd have to go down the tree.

Just when I was about to open my door I did the dumbest thing that I could've done.

I tripped on air.

My mom was quickly up and out of her room. She saw me wearing my normal clothes and her eyes went wide.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

Hahahaha I love having to make you wait three days to know what happens next.
And...JEEZ. Last time I posted a chapter we were already on 500 reads. And you know how many reads we have now? FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THAT'S CRAZY AND I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THAT

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