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Sarah and I sat in The Bean the day before school was meant to start.

She had texted me to see if I wanted to meet up for coffee that morning. My guess was my silence over break had started to worry her. Part of me didn't want to get out of bed things morning, but the other part of me was an a little squirrel ready for spring after a long hibernation. So I'd told her I would. 

I didn't regret it. 

The familiar warmth of the shop surrounded me in a sweet cocoon of buttery pastry and rich coffee that had become a safe haven to me many years ago. No matter what mood I was in, The Bean always managed to sooth my racing my mind and heart. 

I had a lot to tell her. About what I heard overheard between Harrison and Liana. Issac's confession, the talk Harry and I had, and even my bump in with John in the park the other day. It wasn't that she was completely in the dark. I'd told her that Harry and I had broken up. Though I probably hadn't needed to since apparently it spread like wildfire through the party after I left. God, high school was such a toxic breeding ground for gossip and rumours. 

It was one thing I would be sure not to miss when it finally came time to graduate. With winter break over, we were entering our second semester of senior year and into our last semester of high school. College was looming over us. It would be an uncertain adventure that I both looked forward to and dreaded. Dreaded because I didn't wish to leave my friends behind. And I wasn't very good at handling the unknown. 

Sipping my peppermint cappuccino decorated with a foam Christmas tree and soaked in the calming atmosphere. The gentle buzz of chatter slipped around the holiday decorations that still decked room. Soon they would be taken down and spring would come. 

"How was your New Years?" Sarah asked, munching on cinnamon cookie dusted in icing sugar. She got a little white powder on her lips, but I just smiled and didn't say anything. It made me laugh internally. 

"It was fine. Nothing special really. Watched a movie with Mom and Gabe and then we shook him awake five minutes before midnight to watch the ball drop. Then everyone went to bed." I shrugged. 

New Years was never a big deal in my house. We never went any where or did anything particularly special. But I was fine with that. Starting the new year with my family was good enough for me. 

There was usually a big party going on somewhere. I'm sure Harry, Penny and the others found themselves at a high school party on New Years Eve, but I definitely hadn't been up for it. I knew Sarah wouldn't be either. She'd discovered that parties were not her scene. However the odd one here and there might not do her any harm.

"Did you talk to Harrison?"

I nodded and told her about our conversation. 

"You know, I think it's for the best. You can do better than that." She replied after I'd finished, her nose in the air a little. I couldn't help the small smile that graced my lips as she said that. 

"I don't want there to be bad blood between us. I don't want to be one of those people who hates their ex with a passion."

She shot me a look and scoffed, "Please, you have good reason to hate him Mon." 

"Maybe, but there's more to every story than meets the eye. Even after all we said I couldn't possibly see things from his perspective."

"Fine. If you won't hate him, then I'll just have to hate him for you." she said with a shrug and we both laughed at that. 

Still, it reminded me of something I'd never had the chance to talk about with her. 

"You know," I started hesitantly, "there has been something I've been meaning to mention to you."

Sarah paused in her reaching for her mug, "What is it?"

"Well two weeks ago, before the dance, Christina said something to me about- about that party towards the beginning of the year. Something about you."

I watched her carefully as her eyes tried to avoid my own. Her whole demeanour changed with my words and I could see her leaving her relaxed state and tensing up into defence. In my heart I begged for it not to be true, but I had to ask her. If I was wrong I'd look like a horrible friend, but I needed not to worry about that. I needed to put Sarah before myself and if she needed someone to talk to then I would be that person. Even if I hated what she'd done. Still, I wanted Christina to be wrong more than anything.

Just as I opened my mouth, Sara's voice rang out. 

"I kissed Finn." she blurted out and slapped her hands over her face in mortification, or despair, I couldn't tell. Though I don't see why it couldn't have been both. 

I stared at her dumbfounded and when I didn't say anything, she added, "Twice!" 

I couldn't stop the sharp breath I took in at her words. My heart broke for her as her eyes finally lifted to mine. They were pink and glazed over with building dam of tears.  

"Oh Monty! What am I going to do? The guilt has been eating me alive for months! I didn't know who talk to about it."

After a moment of gathering my thoughts I slowly reached out to take her hands. I held them in mine from across the table. This wasn't time for my judgements or disappointment in her to show. That would be selfish of me and just by looking at her I could see she had been tearing herself up about it for weeks if not months. 

Besides, if anyone knew what it was like to have their heart torn in different directions it was me. Even if I had never crossed such a line. I was still far from innocent these days. 

"It's okay. Does Dillon know?" I asked uncertainly, though I was pretty sure he didn't. 

She shook her head vehemently, "No! Of course not! God what would be think of me if he found out?" she gasped and she began to cry. I let her. It was okay to cry. 

When she dabbed at her eyes with a napkin and seemed a little more calmed down I spoke again. 

"Listen Sarah, you have to tell Dillon. I know it's scary and you don't want to hurt him, but the longer you wait to tell him the more hurt he's gonna be when you do. And the more chance there is of someone else telling him."

"You won't tell him will you?"

"No, but even though you said you haven't told any body else about it clearly other people may know. If Christina saw you guys then maybe someone else did too."

Her bottom lip quivered, but she gave a shaky nod. 

"I just, I just don't want to see the look on his face. I don't want him to hate me."

"Oh god, Sarah nobody could ever hate you. Even if he was angry at first he couldn't hate you. He loves you and you love him you can get through this. But you have to be honest with him because secrets only makes things worse." 

"I- I will tell him. Soon, I just- I need to prepare myself. I want to know what I'm going to say so I can hurt him the least amount possible. Will you help me?"

I didn't know how else to tell her that no matter how she told him he'd be heart broken. This girl was my best friend and I loved Sarah unconditionally, but Dillon was a sweet boy. The sweetest I knew possibly and it was because of that I knew he would be devastated. But it was also because of this that I believed their might be a way for them to recover from this. If Sarah really wanted that. 

"Of course. I'm here for you for support, but you know I can only be in the background for this. This is your story."

"I know" she whispered. 

"Was this another reason why you always scurried away whenever I asked you to hang out with us?" I asked and she bit her lip before nodding slightly. 

"Being around F-Finn... I just can't be myself. He makes me so nervous and my heart it just-" she was getting choked up again, "it hurts when he's around."

It made sense. It made a lot of sense. Her behaviour and everything. I never would have thought Sarah would be capable of cheating, but it did explain why she'd been so sensitive for so long. She'd been holding in a secret for so long. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, unable to hold the question back. 

"At first it was because I was ashamed, then it was because you became such good friends with him and the others. I didn't know how you'd react."

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

She paused and looked at me with such uncertain honestly, "I don't know. I'd like to think I would have eventually, but I honestly don't know Monty."

That hurt. It was a hard stone to swallow, but again, this shouldn't be about me. 

"Have you spoken to Finn at all? What is his opinion on things?" Suddenly I remembered Finn the night of the after party, he was so rude to Dillon and Sarah. He was odd when I talked to him about his date and seemed put out when I told him everyone liked her. Did Finn want someone to not like her? 

Or more accurately, was he trying to see if Sarah didn't like her?

At my questions she pulled her hands away and bit her lip as though she didn't want to say what she was going to say next. 

"It's- it's complicated. He's so frustrating. He wants me to break up with Dillon. He's always trying to corner me and get me to confess my feelings for him or something." she spat it out like it was absurdly aggravating, but there was something else in her manner that made me think she didn't hate him for it. 

"And do you?" I prompted curiously. 

She shot me a confused look, "Do I what?"

"Do you have feelings for Finn?" 

Because I had the idea that he had feelings for her. God I was so blind! How could two of my closest friends have been going through a real life Dinsey channel series without my knowledge? 

Because I had been so wrapped up in my own problems to look at others. Another thing to add to my list of errors this year. 

Aghast Sarah's wide blue eyes widened, making a show of their redness for crying, "No! For pete's sake of course not. He's infuriating and childish and couldn't be serious if his life depended on it. He does all that..." she leaned in and whispered "pot stuff." She leaned back again in her chair with a sigh, "No I do not like Finn Ocher. Not- not at all."

She'd done well at convincing me, until the last sentence. IF this was the Monty of three weeks ago I would have believed her. I wouldn't have seen more than I wanted to see and I would have let it go. But I was paying attention now. It was in that way I realised she wasn't trying to convince me she was trying to convince herself. 

My friend was in a pickle. She didn't know her own feelings anymore and for a girl as focused and settled as Sarah, it was a messy place to be. 

Looking at Sarah though I became sure of one thing. 

Tomorrow we would be getting back to school and things would be different for everyone. 

All this time I had been taring myself up inside. Fighting my feelings for the boy who I loved from the moment I made a fool of myself ordering a milkshake in front of him. 

I wasn't fighting anything anymore.

I loved Issac. We were young and imperfect, but that's what made it so real. I loved Isaac and I loved myself. For so long I'd stood in the way of my own happiness. Trapping myself in this box by labelling myself mediocre. 

Not anymore. 

Tomorrow I'd tell Issac how I felt and I hoped he would accept it. I hoped he hadn't changed his mind about waiting for me, but even if he had I knew I could survive it. 

I was Montana Montgomery and I was damn happy that I had finally realized how amazing that could be.  

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A/N- So I can't decide if I want to end it here or have another chapter. 

For those of you who are vastly unsatisfied by the ending do not fear! It is not quite the end! The Epilogue will really wrap everything up and we will get to see Issac ;)

Also I've left some loose ends because I plan to write a sequel and I need something to work with haha. 

I want to say thank you to all of you who have read, commented, and voted for "POSTED" through each and every turn. I know I was cruel at times and made you wait, but I can't thank you enough for the love and support you gave me and my characters <3

Stay tuned for the next chapter/Epilogue if you want to see Issac & Monty ;)