I take a deep breathe as we stand outside the Curtis house. I walk slowly until we get in front of the door, as I stand on the porch in the freezing cold I shiver as my body aches. I look up at the sky wondering what's gonna happen next. I stand right there staring ahead. Two turns to look at me, "Lacey?"

I shake my head, "I-I can't do this. Those people left me! They just stopped talking to me as if I was nothing. I cared about them."

Two walks over to me hugging me tightly as he kisses my head, "you're gonna be okay. You know I would never do anything I thought would hurt you. Lace, I care about you, no I love you and and I won't let anybody hurt you."

A few tears leak out of my eyes as I shake my head mumbling into his chest, "what if I'm not though? What if something happens and everything falls apart?"

"Just give them another chance," he pulls away from me, leaving his hands lingering on my shoulders. "If it gets to be too much we'll go home."

"It's already too much," I whisper.

"Just give them a chance," he grabs my hand and we walk in.

"Two-bit!" The gang cheers then all their eyes dart to me. Jilly's eyes goes wide as she stands up walking over to me. I can hear every step she takes as her foot hits the creaking floor board. I feel as if I can't breathe. She clicks her tongue lowly which I know is a nervous twitch of hers. She looks at me standing right in front of me and in that moment we're both frozen everybody in the gang is starring at us waiting for one of us to say something to each other, but it feels as if no matter what we say will be life changing. We're either gonna get into a heated fight or start to cry. Although we might just become friends again. We stand there for what seems like hours before Jilly whispers so lowly I have to lean in to hear her, "if we don't say something they're gonna keep staring at us." I nod my head, but I can't talk. My mouth is dry and my body is frozen. Once again I hear a soft whisper as her lips move ever so slightly, "Lacey?"

"Hello Jillian," I say before letting out a breathe I didn't even release I was holding in. Everything seems like it's a step closer to being okay.

Spencer walks over to us and smiles, "I've missed this."

I nod my head, "me too, but I'm also tired of getting hurt."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jilly asks.

"It means you left me! I never stopped calling! Day after day I called you I begged for you to answer! I wrote to you! You told me you'd never leave me, so why did you? What did I do to deserve the silent treatment. What did I ever do to hurt you?" I scream at her.

"Maybe I was tired of picking up your broken pieces!" She yells back with twice as much furry as me. "Maybe I was tired of picking sides between you and Sodapop! After you left there was no drama, but every time I answered your calls there was! I tired Lacey! I'm tired of you and your shit! I'm sorry if I just stopped, but I need time too."

I slap her across the face and she comes back stunned, "you're a real bitch you know that Jilly. I never asked you to pick sides! I told all of you, just hang out with Sodapop! You could of told me why you left! I sat on my bed crying for days wondering what did I do to hurt you. I was sorry, but I don't need to be. It's your turn to feel bad!"

Her hand meets my cheek, but I deserved it, "and I'm the bitch."

A few tears roll down my cheeks, but it's not because she hit me, it's her words that hurt, "you know what I had a terrible year last year and I just wanted my best friend! The girl who was there for me when nobody else was. The one person I thought I could rely on, but I couldn't. Do you even care about me?"

She sighs, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, if that's the way you feel, I can just leave again," I speak softly before looking at Two-bit. "This is all too much."

I walk out of the Curtis house, but the door slams behind me by the time I'm half way down the street. I hear a voice of the person who I thought would never leave, "Lacey wait!"

I spin around coming face-to-face with Jillian, "what could you possible want Jillian? Wanna say more to me? Wanna hurt me even worse? Please Jillian!"

"What happened to the Lacey I first met years ago in June?" She asked. "The tough one..."

"She broke," I simply say.

Jilly shrugs, "I miss my best friend."

A few tears continue to stream down my best friend, "you abandoned me! You left me all alone and broken! You don't think I miss you too! I am broken Jillian and where are you? Hanging out with my replacement. I hope Amber knows how lucky she is because, I didn't."

I go walk away, but once again Jilly stops me, "Lacey wait!"

"What can you possibly have left to say to me Jilly?" I ask angrily. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, I never meant to. I wanted the best for you. I'm sorry...Okay Jilly?"

"You think I wanted to hurt you," she speaks softly. "I wanted to be there for you, but I couldn't."

I shake my head, "no Jillian, you had a choice and you chose to leave me. Don't worry, I'm not mad, I would leave me too."

Jilly looks away from me sadly, "what happened to you in Jersey? You changed!"

I roll my eyes, "that's what happens when everybody you get close to leaves you! That's what happen Jillian!"

"I'm not trying to fight with you Lace!" She screams loudly, but then her face softens along with her voice. "I'm trying to make amends with you. I miss you."

I take a deep breathe before giving in, "I miss you too Jilly."

She smiles happily, "is this the time when we hug each other?"

I nod my head and we both go in for the "sorry" hug, "this feels so nice to have you again! I missed this. I missed you."

"I missed you too," she chuckles. "Now tell me what happened these past years."

I chuckle to myself, "you know its barely been a year and a half."

"It feels like it's been longer," she whispers.

"Hey," I hear Spencer speak.

I turn to my other friend and walk over to her smiling, "hey Spence. How have you been? Wanna tell me about the baby?"

She shakes her head tears in her eyes, "it's name was supposed to be Taylor, but we lost it."

I hug her tightly, "I am so sorry!"

"Lets just talk about something else," she smiles sadly. "I've missed you Lace."

That was the moment I fell back in love with Tulsa. As I stood outside the Curtis house with my two best friends catching up on everything we've missed.

Awe! This is so sad, but it ends so cutely! I love the Jilly and Lacey friendship. Although the three girls together! I love it. Stay gold. Do it for Johnny!
-Beth