Thursday morning brought with it the kind of grayish dawn that made everyone want to crawl back into bed. Hayley shuffled into homeroom like a zombie, her usually bouncy curls falling limply around her face.

"Ugh... Good morning. Don't talk to me. I need coffee," she groaned, slumping into her seat.

Layla, perfectly put together as always, raised an eyebrow. "Did someone pull another all-nighter?"

"No...yes...maybe." Hayley squinted at her friend. "My sense of time got a bit confused at around 3 AM. I don't know how you manage to look so bright every morning."

"Good time management is key."

"Oh nooo!" Hayley covered her ears dramatically. "Don't lecture me– I can't take it!"

"Okay Hales, I'll lay off you for now." Layla glanced around the room. "You didn't see Emma on your way in, did you?"

"Emma's not here yet??" Hayley perked up slightly. "Is it opposite day? I'm always the last one in."

As if on cue, Emma trudged through the door, looking distinctly worse for wear. "Yaawn... Morning Haylay."

"Wow. You look even worse than I feel!" Hayley's eyes widened. "Late night?"

"Not really... I just couldn't get to sleep."

Layla's forehead creased with concern. "Hmm. Maybe you're stressed? I mean, it has been a crazy week."

"Ooh, I have an idea!" Hayley brightened suddenly. "We could destress by going clubbing. Club 07 has that teen night every other Saturday--"

"Sounds like a plan!" Layla nodded enthusiastically. "We do need to let off some steam. Emma?"

"I'm in– though I doubt it's going to do much to fix my sleeping patterns."

Meanwhile, in another part of the school, Madison Dale was attempting to shadow her older sister Crystal, much to the latter's annoyance. The hallway outside the senior lockers had become their battlefield.

"What are you up to today, sis?" Madison asked, trailing behind Crystal like an eager puppy.

Crystal checked her reflection in her locker mirror, touching up her lipgloss. "Go find someone else to bother, would you? I've got plans."

"What kinda plans?"

"Plans that don't involve you, dumbo. I'm waiting for a guy, and I don't want you hanging around and screwing it up."

Madison's eyes lit up with the prospect of fresh gossip. "Just tell me who the guy is, and I promise I'll get out of your hair."

"See for yourself– here he comes. Now buzz off!" Crystal's voice shifted from irritation to honey-sweet as she spotted her target. "Mason! Hey!"

Mason approached, looking slightly surprised at Crystal's enthusiasm. "Hey Crystal. Good to see you."

"You too! How is your science project going?"

"Oh, yeah, it's okay." He shifted his weight, clearly uncomfortable with small talk.

"So I heard you offered to help redesign the school's website?"

Mason's face lit up at the mention of his specialty. "I did indeed— web design is kind of my specialty."

"I think that's awesome! So do you like, know how to code?"

"Yeah, in a couple languages: Python's my favorite."

Crystal's eyes widened with practiced admiration. "Wow! I don't think I know any other guys who can code."

"Oh, hey, it's not that hard. I could..." Mason hesitated for a moment, then continued, "teach you sometime, if you'd like?"

"I'd LOVE! Maybe over coffee?"

"That sounds nice. I'll give you my number."

"Sweet! I'll be in touch."

"Well, I'd better get to class. See you soon, Crystal." Mason hurried off, leaving the Dale sisters alone again.

Madison emerged from her hiding spot, practically vibrating with excitement. "That was...whoa. How did you even do that?"

Crystal examined her manicure with satisfaction. "What can I say? It's a gift."

"You and Mason would be such a power couple! I can't wait to put this in my blog!"

"Whatever, Mads."

That afternoon found Emma and Mason back in the chemistry lab, the air between them charged with unspoken words. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the safety-glass windows, casting everything in a strange, golden hue.

"Ahh, another afternoon of lab partner drudgery. What fun!" Emma's attempt at sarcasm was undermined by her obvious exhaustion.

"Nice to see you too, Emma."

"Sorry, I'm just exhausted! Didn't get much sleep last night."

Mason's expression softened with recognition. "I'm not surprised. You still drink coffee like it's going out of style?"

"So what if I do?"

"I'll take that as a yes. It's a miracle you're getting any sleep at all."

Emma straightened her papers with unnecessary force. "Alright, enough chitchat. How are your topics going?"

"Couldn't keep your inner teacher's pet suppressed for long, could you?" Mason grinned. "I've finished them. Started researching yours, too." He held up his hands defensively at her expression. "Don't give me that look! I got bored."

A smile tugged at Emma's lips despite herself. "This is kinda fun. It's a bit like old times."

"Except that I'm doing my fair share of the work now."

"I've never minded. You know that, right?"

Mason's voice softened. "Yeah, I know. You were always sweet like that. Probably gave me more benefit of the doubt than I deserved." He paused, then added quietly, "I missed this. Missed hanging out with you."

"...I'm... sorry things ended the way they did."

"Chica, you've got to stop doing that."

"What?"

"Apologizing for yourself. You always think you're in the wrong. Even when you're not. You should have more confidence. Stick up for yourself. Maybe--"

"You planning on finishing that sentence?"

The sudden chirping of a phone cut through the tension. Mason checked his screen, his expression changing subtly. "Oh, that's my phone. I should probably head out."

The lab fell silent as he gathered his things, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts and the lingering scent of laboratory chemicals.

-----
The message notification pinged on Emma's phone, interrupting her thoughts. Hayley, ever curious about Emma's love life, immediately inquired about how things had gone.

"Not sure," Emma replied with uncertainty, adding a nervous emoticon to her text. "It started off ok, but got kinda weird. One minute we were joking around, just like the old days... the next, he gets super awkward and bails on me."

Hayley's response came quickly, tinged with knowing amusement. "Sounds like you got him confused."

"What do you mean?" Emma typed back, genuinely puzzled.

"Duh! Do I have to spell it out?" Hayley teased. "I mean he's still into you!"

Emma adamantly denied this possibility. "Nuh uh. No way. It's over between us."

"Whatever you say, Emma," Hayley persisted with playful skepticism. "You can be cagey with me all you like... but you should talk to Mason. Seriously. Tell him how you feel!"

After a moment's hesitation, Emma conceded slightly. "Okay, fine. If I can figure out what my feelings for him even ARE!"

Hayley's excitement burst through the text. "Yay, yay, yay! And you'll keep me posted every step of the way, yes? With photos, if possible!"

"Ew! Hales! Creepy!" Emma responded, horrified.

"Eep! That came out wrong," Hayley backtracked quickly. "Oh, Layla just told me to tell you to come to Honey Bee. We're sorting out plans for this weekend!"

At the Honey Bee Café, the atmosphere buzzed with teenage energy. Hayley took charge of the gathering, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she laid out her weekend plans. The café's warm lighting cast a cozy glow over the group of friends as they huddled around their table.

"Alright girls, listen up!" Hayley announced with theatrical flair. "Here's the plan. Club 07's teenage night is this Saturday: all the seniors are gonna be there, there's gonna be an awesome vibe, and we are going to partaaaaaaay!"

"Maybe meet boys!" Emma chimed in, her earlier relationship confusion momentarily forgotten.

"Or girls, or whatever!" Hayley added inclusively. "Basically, my point is, it's going to be AWESOME! So, Emma's house, 3 o'clock? It's the closest to town."

Layla raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Three's a bit too early to be hitting the club, isn't it, Hales?"

"We need time to get ready, duh!" Hayley explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Not to mention shopping! I am NOT having my first nightclub without new accessories."

"Okay, 3 PM it is, then!" Layla conceded with a smile. "I think this is just what we need."

Their planning session was interrupted by an unexpected arrival as Madison approached their table. Her presence immediately changed the dynamic of the conversation.

"Emma!" Madison exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Emma maintained her politeness despite the interruption. "Hi, Madison. We're just grabbing a coffee. How about you?"

Madison dramatically rolled her eyes. "Ugh, just killing time. I am SO BORED. Crystal took me into town with her to look for shoes and then ditched me. And she's, like my denigrated driver--"

"You mean 'designated' driver!" Layla corrected, unable to help herself.

"Whatever," Madison dismissed with a wave of her hand. "So I'm like stuck here until she's finished with her stupid date."

Emma's interest piqued noticeably. "Crystal has a date?"

Madison's eyes lit up with the satisfaction of holding privileged information. "Ooh, I wish I could tell you!! I really do! But you're going to have to read my blog to find out! I think you're going to find it very interesting, though. Especially you, Emma!"

Hayley gasped. "You don't mean it's--"

"Uh buh buh!" Madison cut her off with a finger wave. "Read my blog. All will be revealed!" She turned on her heel with practiced dramatics. "Anyway, I'd better go– journalistic duty calls."

As Madison's footsteps faded away, the friends exchanged meaningful looks. Hayley was the first to break the tension. "I have a bad feeling about this date Crystal's on."

"It's up to her who she dates," Emma said, trying to sound nonchalant. "And if Mason likes her, that's his lookout."

"So you think she's seeing the M-bomb too!" Hayley exclaimed.

Layla attempted to be the voice of reason. "Like Emma says, who Mason dates is his business."

"But it's our business too!" Hayley protested. "Emma still really likes--"

"Hey, calm down, you two," Emma interrupted quickly. "We don't know WHO Crystal's seeing. Let's just wait and see what Maddy says in her blog."

"I bet that entire conversation was just an excuse to plug her blog," Layla remarked dryly.

Hayley's expression softened with unexpected sympathy. "I dunno, Layla. Sure, Maddy's a brat, but I feel kinda sorry for her sometimes. I mean, her sis is the worst. And why do you think she spends so much time bugging us seniors? She doesn't have any friends in her own year."

"Yeah, because she's an annoying little paparazzi wannabe," Layla retorted.

Emma considered this thoughtfully. "I think Hales is right. Maddy is definitely annoying... but maybe she acts the way she does because she's lonely."

"Ooh! We could make friends with her!!" Hayley suggested enthusiastically.

Layla shook her head firmly. "Oh, come on, Hales! She might deserve our sympathy, but I'm not going to start bringing her with us on our shopping trips."

"Well, I may try to be nicer to her from now on," Hayley decided.

"You're too nice already, Hales," Layla warned.

"How can one be too nice! That doesn't make any sense!"

Layla's expression grew serious. "I'm serious, Hayley! You should be careful around people like Maddy. Feel sorry for them all you like, but keep them at arms length. Take them into your confidence and they'll only take advantage of you."