(song: "Be There" - Krewella)

"Let me talk to your mom!" I plead.

     Kristen pushes her hands on my chest to keep me from approaching the front door of her house. She looks desperate for me to listen to her.

     "Toby, there is no reasoning with my mom. You're only making things worse for me not better!"

     "You are a great student, an amazing ballerina and a good person, Kristen. There's no reason for your mom to be mad or not trust you. You aren't like me, you're going somewhere in in the world and I'm not going to let Cassie ruin your life because of me," I say and then push my way past her to ring the doorbell.

     The door flies open before the ringer can even finish sounding.

      Kristen's mom looks furious, she holds open her door so firmly, it looks like she could break it. Her arm stretches out and she points towards the staircase that leads to Kristen's room. I have no doubt that once Kristen is up those stairs I won't get to see her again except for brief interactions at school.

     "Kristen, get in, NOW," she demands.

     But Kristen doesn't move. In-fact, I feel her hand touch mine and I squeeze it to give her support.

     "Mrs. Chapman, please, give us a chance to explain everything to you," I say.

     Tracy's nostrils flare with anger. "I have nothing to say to you. I've already spoken with your mother and requested her to keep you away from my daughter. You are a bad influence, Tobias. Don't think I don't know why you are hanging around Kristen either—because she looks like your little girlfriend that ran away."

     "If you're referring to Cassie, she was never my girlfriend . . . but Kristen is my girlfriend," I correct. "You know that she is a good daughter. The only thing she's done that you don't like is spend time with me. She's still maintaining her grades and continues to perform, can't you please let us at least be together?"

     "Do you know anything about how the world of ballet works?" she glares at me. "It's hard to get into a company. It's a career many go into a few succeed in. When I was younger I tried to make it in ballet, but I thought boys were important too. I got pregnant and it was a difficult pregnancy. I wasn't able to go back to ballet until I was too old. There's a very small window of time to make it in this field, and her father and I have given up everything to make sure she can have a better life."

     I laugh at the irony. "So you made your dream, Kristen's dream? Have you ever considered that she only does ballet because of you and not that she actually likes it?"

     "You're just a kid. You will understand when you're older after you suffer the consequences of all the choices you're making right now," her mom is an icy, defiant woman. She hold a black phone in her hand and presses a contact on her screen that reveals our local police departments number. "My daughter is a minor, running off with her is kidnapping, meaning I can call the police if you don't leave my property right now."

     "It's okay, Toby. I'm going inside—" Kristen concedes. She tugs at my fingers, probably in an effort to tell me that she'll be okay. I expect her to go inside without another word, but she actually meets her mother's gaze. "Mom, I love you, but I'm not going to stop seeing Toby. You can ground me until I'm eighteen, but I'm not leaving him. I do ballet because I feel bad about everything you and dad gave up. I've given up, pizza parties and birthday cakes for you. I've given up sleep-overs and boyfriends for you. I'm not giving up Toby for you."

     Tracy's face quickly changes from one of defiance to complete shock. I'm pretty stunned too, Kristen has changed a lot since I first met her. No one has ever done this for me before—I mean sure my mother stands up for me, but that's it. It makes me feel completely star-struck.

     Kristen removes her phone from her purse and hands it to her mother. "Here, I know you'll ask for it once I'm inside anyway."

     Tracy and I are still silent. Kristen goes up the stairs and I can hear the door to her room slam shut.

     God, she's sexy as hell.

     Kristen's mother closes the door slowly with confusion and I feel so happy I can barely contain it. It's definitely official—I'm madly, head-over-heels in love with Kristen.

     I take a few deep breaths and turn to see Greg sitting in his car waiting for me. Oh yeah, I forgot he drove us here and has been waiting this whole time. I guess he saw everything.

     I get into the passengers seat and Greg holds up his fist for me. I can't stop my ridiculous smile and meet his knuckles with mine in a fist-bump.

     "You both are good for each other," Greg says amused.

     "Yeah, we are." And I feel damn proud about it.

     "Better take care of the Cassie situation before the two of you can run off into the sunset together," he says.

     I nod because he's right. "I have to find her first."

     "I don't think that's a problem—" Greg's gaze looks across the street towards a small white compact vehicle with the windows rolled down and a curly-hair girl staring at us from it. "—looks like she found us first."

     I get  out of the car with a heavy sigh. Liar or not, no one knew Cassie better than me, and I would be the one to deal with her—no one else. I slam shut the car door and lean on the open window to talk to Greg.

     "I'll handle this, you go home."

     "Call me if it gets ugly. I'm on your side now, okay?" Greg says to me.

     I had been so wrapped up in Cassie in the past that I didn't even bother to try and make friends. I assumed everyone would hate me. I was so wrong. I could have gotten closer to both Kristen and Greg long ago. I feel so foolish for obsessing over someone for four years.

     I wave at Greg because I don't want to get even the tiniest bit emotional in front of him. I walk right up to Cassie and without a word, or even asking, I get into her car. She looks at me and I look at her and then she starts the engine.

     "It's been a while since I've been in your room . . . " Cassie wanders through my room, running her fingertips along the corners of old photos and tracing lines on maps. The map shows all the places her and I wanted to go together someday; road-trips to Las Vegas and New York City.

     I cross my arms and watch her. "The last time you were in this room we were friends."

     "We still are," she says with a smile.

     I return a smile back to her, but it's made of pure ice. "No. The minute you tried to sabotage things for my girlfriend, you lost that right."

     "I'm not trying to hurt you by doing that, I'm trying to help you. I don't think you're seeing things clearly."

     "Actually, I think I'm finally seeing them clearly for the first time." I press my back against my bedroom door and plan to stay in front of it so Cassie can't leave my sight. "I want answers."

     Cassie looks down at her hands innocently. She still is the beautiful girl I once fell for. Her face is full of intense memories for me. She is the embodiment of my past happiness and torment. Loving her was not fun or easy, it was gut-wrenching, but even now I can't bring myself to hate her.

      "I'll tell you anything you want to know, no more lies," she says.

     "Were you ever in danger?" I ask and look at her eyes to see if there's any sincerity in them.

     She meets my gaze. "No."

     "What about everything with your mom and being blackmailed?"

     "My mom and I never lost contact. Even when I was in foster care, and when I was adopted too. We talked in secret." Cassie lowers her eyes and looks out my window with a soft expression. "My mother was a drug addict, that's why she couldn't raise me and why I ended up in foster care. I kept trying to run back to her, but I'd always get found. My mother needed money to get better and money to stay out of jail. So yes, I have taken advantage of others to save her. Greg's grandfather paid me for my silence because it's what I asked for. I never planned to turn him in, I just wanted them to be afraid that I might."

     "So the postcards and breadcrumbs?" I ask.

     "It was a game, I never knew you and Kristen would find out as much as you did. I never thought you'd find me either. I just wanted you to miss me and see how life felt without me. I ran away and decided to spend time with my mom. You already know I care about Lily, but my mom is my mom. I told you I'd do whatever it takes to get what I want. Lily had money, and I could use that money for my mom," she says.

     "Jesus, Cassie." I run my fingers through my hair and need to sit down. "I'd have helped you get money for your mother. I'd have done anything for you."

     She touches my bedpost, but seems reluctant to sit near me. "I know you would have. I've always known. I mean, if I really had been in danger I believe you really would have saved me."

     We're both silent for a few minutes.

     "Do you want to know why I dated Greg?" she asks.

     "No, but you're probably going to tell me anyway."

     She laughs a little. "I missed you." Then she takes on a serious expression. "I knew you'd have forgiven me for anything and done anything for me. Dating Greg protected me from feeling more for you. You're right, we'd have destroyed the world if we'd been together. I'd have made you become just as bad of a person as I am."

     My mouth twitches as I fight off a smile. "Cassie, there's four years worth of memories I had with you that will always be there, but I plan on replacing these pictures with new memories."

     "Ones without me right?" she asks and smiles painfully. "Because statistically school friends don't always last past high-school."

     I don't feel any sympathy for her, I don't feel anything at all. "What do you think? You hurt Kristen, you hurt Lily, you hurt Greg and you hurt me. Was it worth it?"

     "No, Toby," her eyes are sprinkled with tears. "Losing you is something I'll regret for a long time."

     I stare at the first girl I ever loved, and suddenly my heart actually feels pained by the sight of her. "If you're in trouble again, call the police, not me. If I see any postcards again they'll go in the trash. Maybe, in a few years when I've gotten over how badly you destroyed our friendship I might be able to look at you again."

     "Toby . . . " she pleads softly.

     "Go home, Cassie. Tell the truth, deal with the fallout, get a therapist and try not to ruin the next guy who is willing to do anything for you. That guy ain't me anymore."