Coming to the end of their time together that day, Erica felt somewhat better about Dawson.

As they walked to the front of the mall together, all the thoughts that she had previously had about Ryder disappeared and were replaced with some amazingly crazy memories of her time today with Dawson. She hoped that she would be able to keep it that way.

Outside the mall, both stood facing each other awkwardly shuffling their feet because neither of them knew what to say. They'd had an amazing day together but they just couldn't find the words to express how they were feeling.

"Soooo.... that was..." Dawson began, searching for a word to describe their time together.

"Yeah." She agreed awkwardly.

They stood in silence, sneaking glances at one another and occasionally making eye contact. Tired of the awkward silence and shuffling, Erica stepped forward, closing the gap between them and reached up, attaching her lips to his.

His eyes opened wider before closing completely as he placed both hands on her hips and for the next few minutes, their lips stayed attached until finally, she pulled away for air.

Instantly, he mind went into panic mode. Questions filled her head and she began to search for something to say before another awkward silence could take over.

Did he want that?

Was he angry with her now?

Was it a mistake?

She had to think of something to say... and fast. It wasn't easy for her, considering that she was the kind of girl that was shy and socially awkward. The girl that never properly fit in because she was either too much of a nerd to hang out with the cool kids, but not smart enough to hang out with the actual nerds.

To sum it up, she was an outcast. A misfit. She had never fit in with any particular group of people, and she probably never would.

That ache she felt earlier returned at the thought.

"I'm sorry." She finally blurted out.

At first he didn't speak, leaving her feeling anxious about his reaction, but then he randomly started to laugh.

Odd. She thought, but brushed the thought aside, especially after what she had just done. His laughter left her speechless. She had no idea whether he was mocking her or just laughing at something completely unrelated.

Either way, it was making her nervous.

"What's so funny?" She asked, a little offended, but not showing it.

"Oh...nothing. I'm not laughing at you, I promise. It's just the whole being sorry for doing nothing wrong." He explained, calming down his laughter.

His explanation was even worse than his laughing, simply because he literally just contradicted himself. If he wasn't laughing at her, then he would not having a good laugh at something that she had said or done. It was not only rude and insensitive, but it also embarrassed her greatly.

She tried her hardest not to let it show, but the smile slowly slipped from her face and turned into an expression of hurt.

"Wow! Would you look at the time? I had better get home before my mom sends a search party out. It was nice to hang with you today. I guess I'll see you on Monday at school, bye." She rambled.

"Uh..bye." He replied watching helplessly as she hurried away, occasionally looking back over her shoulder.

Folding her arms across her chest as she walked, Erica had never felt more awkward in her life. She was so confused about everything. For reasons that she did not know, she missed Ryder. Yet with him gone, she was able to see a nicer side to Dawson.

Both boys had her attention and she couldn't deny that they both were appealing... but she couldn't decide which one she trusted more.

Dawson had been so warm and welcoming, and he had even stuck by her despite these rumours.

Then again, Ryder had saved her from humiliation a few times and he was the one who had warned her about Dawson the last time she had gone to meet up with him.

Without paying attention to where she was heading, she just carried on walking. Her vision was blinded by all of her crazy thoughts. The only thing that appeared in front of her was what she was feeling. Not her surroundings. Not the people she walked past and not..... the police station!

Stopping abruptly in her tracks when she found herself walking upto the police station, she began to question exactly how much sanity she had left in her.

She had somehow managed to unconsciously walk herself all the way from the mall to the police station, and the worst part was that they were on completely opposite sides of town.

How in the hell had she not realised the direction she had gone in?

Eyeing the entrance, she debated with her head and heart on what her next move should be.

Her head was telling her to steer clear of Ryder. After all, the last time they spoke she had told him goodbye. Turn around and go home was all her head was screaming at her.

On the other hand, her heart was almost begging her to go inside and speak to him one more time. Her heart wanted to know whether or not there was any chance of salvaging whatever it was that she shared with the boy.

Hesitantly, she took a step forward. As she did, that little voice in her head that was telling her to go home, got just a little bit louder.

She took another step. It got louder.

A few more steps and it was at full volume. Yelling. Screaming at her to stop and turn around.

For the first time since she was a child, she didn't listen to it and instead she carried on walking until she once again found herself inside the station, following the same procedure she had the first time. Then she found herself stood face to face with Ryder, the only thing separating the two being the bars.

"What's up Tripper?" He greeted with a one sided, cocky smile.

"I..." She began.

But what would she say?

That she unconsciously walked there after kissing Dawson.

That her heart won a war with her head.

Both sounded ridiculous. She had so many questions that she wanted to ask him. Yet she just couldn't find the courage. However there was one that was almost dying to know the answer to.

"Do you hate me?" She managed to ask.

Ryder remained silent for a moment during which, Erica tried to read his expression to get some sort of answer to her question. Though his perplexed state was clear on his face, it was still a mystery as to what was going through his mind in that moment of silence.

"Do I hate you?" He repeated.

Erica opened her mouth to speak, but he quickly interjected.

"The truth?" He questioned, to which she nodded a yes at him.

"No. Erica, I don't hate you. You hurt me, but I don't hate you. I'm just disappointed and..." He began to answer but closed his mouth before finishing the sentence.

A thousand thoughts on what that last word of his sentence could have been raced through her head. Hurt. Angry. She hated it when people left her questioning what they were going to say. It was a pet peeve of hers.

"And what?" She pushed.

He gave a small flash of a smile, although it was quickly replaced by a firm line of seriousness. Clearly, he was carefully considering what he should say next. It would either mend them or break them completely.

"Disappointed and...confused." He finished - much to her relief.

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at him, trying to tell him to explain his confusion to her.

"Why confused?" She questioned.

"Confused because we were friends. I trusted you, and you seemed nice. I never thought you would do something like that..... I'm confused, so tell me... why did you do it?" He explained, also wanting answers from her.

"Why did I do it?" She repeated, just as he did to her.

Just as she did, he nodded.

"The truth?" She questioned, catching his eyes with her own.

He nodded again, waiting for her to explain it to him. She stepped closer until she was as close to him as the bars of the jail cell would allow.

"I didn't do it. You can argue with me all you want and even point that accusing finger at me until you are blue in the face with a stiff arm, but no matter what you can't change the truth. I know how to keep a secret and I do not betray anyone. Though if you really believe that I did betray you then there isn't anything that I can do to change that." She told him truthfully, making sure that her own eyes never left his.

With nothing else to say, he just stood there with his eyes locked on hers.