"I don't know what to say, so I'll just plug this in here, for the extra words."
- Author.

***

The last person that Gwen would expect to see at midnight in a dark forest was Yassi. She knew thar her father, Señor Cubelo, was a strict man, and would probably throw a fit if he knew his daughter was here.

The frustration on Yassi's face made her hesitate. Is she lost? Gwen thought, then she approached her.

"Yassi? Are you okay?"

Yassi blinked, then stared at her for a long moment. Gwen backed away, creeped out.

"Uh, yeah. I'm okay."

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Aren't you supposed to be home?"

Yassi laughed. "You sound just like my mom. What about you, Gwen? What are you doing here?"

She ignored my question and replied with one. She's definitely not lost. Should I trust her?

Gwen knew about Yassi's...odd tendencies. She was a rumored stalker. They'd been pretty close, but since her kiss with Chris, she'd been distant.

But she was stuck here in this forest, and she'd never seen a single soul this night except for the murderous teacher. She needed her help.

So despite her doubts, Gwen told her the truth.

"I was interviewing a teacher. Her name was Faye van Beethoven. But then she turned psycho, and nearly killed me. I escaped, but she's not far behind."

And I really hope you're not going to turn psycho on me too.

Yassi's eyes narrowed. She scoffed. "Hmph. I knew that teacher was trouble. Flirted with the boys without a hint of shame. C'mon, come with me. We have to get out of here before she sees us."

Gwen would've sighed in relief then. She was finally going to get out of the forest. But then she caught a glimpse of a gleam in Yassi's eyes. She shivered - it had seemed so much like a gleam of crazed triumph.

***

Chris panted. He was beginning to regret not taking taekwondo classes last summer.

He'd gone to the gym a few times, but he'd never really made a habit out of it. He let out a string of countless oaths and prayers as he promised whoever was watching over him from heaven above that he would take taekwondo classes, go to the gym each day of the week after class, go on a frugal diet, etc. - if he survived this night.

No one answered - or so he thought, since the annoying flab that clung to his body hadn't vanished magically - and he could hear rustles behind him. They were getting louder with every second that passed.

"Stop running, Chris," Faye called after him in a mocking tone. "You'll never outrun me, and you know that."

She says that, and she still hasn't caught up to me. He thought. That gave him a bit of motivation.

That bit was just enough for him to reach the clearing where Yassi and Gwen where.

***

Gwen heard sounds from up ahead, and she turned to run, but Faye wasn't the one who burst out of the forest.

It was Chris.

Without a single greeting - Where's Faye? - he ran to her - Was she following him? - and kissed her. Again.

It wasn't as great as the first one, but it did its wonders.

(A/N: And I won't describe it in greater detail - I still cringe when reading what I wrote about their first kiss.)

Gwen, conveniently, forgot about Faye the assassin - He's safe, thank God! - and hugged Chris hard.

He felt a lot like a teddy bear. For a moment, she forgot that Yassi was there, and was probably watching, and kissed him again.

(A/N: Third time's the charm, I guess.)

In between breaths, she said, "I thought you were dead!"

"It takes a lot more than that to get rid of me," Chris replied, pulling her again into a tight hug.

***

Yassi hated being ignored.

She hated having her presence being forgotten - especially in a situation where Chris and Gwen were shamelessly making out in front of her - and, unfortunately for the two, she had a gun.

She had pulled it out and was turning off the safety when Chris and Gwen broke apart, blushing furiously.

"Sorry, Yassi," Gwen muttered.

"Sorry never cuts it, Gwen."

Gwen's eyes widened as she saw the gun. Yassi clicked the safety off, and Chris took a step backwards as she raised it, aiming it at Gwen.

"Whoa, calm down, Yassi. Don't aim that gun at Gwen--"

"Shut up," Yassi said, making her tone as cold as she could make it - though it hurt her, seeing Chris's reaction. He'll come to his senses and forgive me for this. I know he will, after he sees how much I love him.

"Yassi, I'm sorry if we offended you, but please, put the gun down," Gwen pleaded.

Yassi leaped forward and wrapped an arm forcefully around Gwen's neck, aiming the gun at her head. "I will put the gun down," she said. "But only after I shoot you with it."

"Yassi, please, don't do this," Chris said. But before Yassi could reply, the three of them heard a nearby bush rustle.

All heads turned to the sound, and after a tense moment of silence, Yassi pressed the muzzle of the gun harder into Gwen's temple. She grunted in pain, struggling furiously to get free, but Yassi was stronger, and she'd prepared herself for this very moment.

She smiled sweetly at Chris and put her finger on the trigger. "I hope you understand why I'm doing this Chris - it's for your own good. And because you've done something horrible to me, in the past."

After a moment, Chris's eyes widened in realization. Yassi's smile turned into a sneer. "Good. You remember."

"That's not a reason to kill Gwen! Leave her out of this!"

Yassi chuckled, delighting in Gwen's grunts of pain as she tightened her arm around her neck.

"Allow me to tell a story to you, Gwen. I can see that Chris values you, but you really don't know how much of a coward he is, do you?

"So let me tell you what happened in sixth grade, when Chris liked a girl - someone other than you, yes - and decided, that, in order to win her love . . . he'd use another girl, his best friend, in fact."