(Sorry that I've taken so long to write this. Been busy with school mostly, and homework... and didn't have too much motivation to write yesterday. I was trying to make a goal to post a chapter every day. It probably won't happen(which it isn't happening now. XD), but all well. I'll see if I can catch up tomorrow or this weekend. I blame college. XD It's fun but stressful at times. Oh, and time consuming. Anway, I'll stop. I'm currently running on adrenaline right now, and it's 10:35 PM at night where I live. I should sleep soon. We shall see what happens. Night!)

"Have you talked to Maggie at all recently?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure what's wrong. She seems... Different now."

"Different...? How?"

"She's not as happy as she used to be. She doesn't even act like herself anymore, and I'm honestly worried about her; more than ever too. Something's up, and I have no idea why."

"Have you asked her what's been on her mind?"

"Yeah, she's refused to even speak about. When I did ask about it, she would become upset and just walk away as if I somehow offended her. I don't get it. I've even asked your sister about it, and she has no idea either. She's just shutting everyone out for no reason. Did we do something bad to her without realizing it?"

"I don't think so... At least, not what not what I know of," John struggled as he his shoulders, holding his phone up to his ear. "Can you think of anything we've done?"

"No, not really," he sighed. "I wish Katie was here still to help us out. Maggie tends to open with her more than any of us, and we've known each other for the same amount of time. I might be dating a woman, but I still don't understand them. Do you? I mean, you have a sister. Is she this confusing?"

"Not all of the time no, but she can be when she has her moments. I guess it just depends on her mood at times. I don't really know," he then came up with an idea that he felt like would be good to try doing. "Hey, I have a great idea."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"I have a great idea on what we could do for her."

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"So, do you understand what you're going to do?" John asked.

"Of course I do!" Nick laughed softly. "I'm not a child, you know that," he teased his best friend.

John rolled his eyes, smiling slightly, "I realize that, you flirter!" he chuckled softly as he smirked to tease his friend back. "Just don't mess this up, okay?"

"Pfft! You think I would mess this up?" he put on a dramatic show. "When have I ever messed up?"

John folded his arms, giving his friend a soft glare of disbelief from hearing his statement.

Nick laughed, "You're such a monkey! Literally! Sometimes you act as if you're crawling off the walls, then the next thing you know, you show some attitude, just like a monkey would!" he laughed. "It's very amusing to me. I thought I was the one that had the most amount of energy around here."

"Well, I guess not anymore, dude. Sucks for you I guess," he shrugged and grinned slightly.

Nick chuckled, rolling his eyes, "Whatever you say, chief."

"Go get her, ozzy."

"We really need to stop giving each other weird nicknames."

"What do you mean? It's fun!"

"For you maybe, I just think it's fun getting you back.

Both young men laughed.

"Just go, you weirdo! You need to stop wasting time!"

"Yes dad..." he replied dramatically as he ran to go head over to Maggie.

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Maggie was home alone once again. Her family seemed to always be too busy for many things that were going on in all of their lives. Though, she herself was very busy the majority of the time as well. She was thankful and relieved that she had finally finished her homework for that day. Now her other big project was to work on the rest of her homework that was due right around the corner.

"I swear... Sometimes it feels like these classes are only existing to make the students as stressed out as they possibly can. I can't, like, see a real, good reason for any of these classes that I'm currently taking. I mean, it was partially my fault for taking some AP classes, but what can you do? Gosh... I really need to stop talking to myself like this. I guess this proves how lonely I really am...

Out of the blue, her phone started ringing. She slapped her hand against her forehead, "Darn it all! I forgot to silence it! Am I actually losing my mind? I think I am!" she screamed out of utter stress and felt as if she could go mentally insane any moment now. She breathed deeply; ending up shrugging, not really caring at this point, "All well... I might as well just get this over with," she grabbed her phone, picking it up as she answered the caller.

"Hello?" the voice asked.

"Oh, hey, Nick. What do you want?" Maggie slightly felt disappointed knowing that he was on the other line. Though, there was some hope that lit up inside of her soul.

"Nothing much. I was curious if we could meet up today, or something."

"Sorry, I can't. I'm really busy right now with homework," Kara used her popular excuse for not wanting to be with someone she really didn't want to talk to at the moment.

"Do you really have homework, or are you trying to avoid actually meeting up?"

Kara scowled, "What do you think?"

Kara could hear Nick sigh from the other line, "Look, all I wanted to do was to see how you are doing. Is that so wrong to check up on your own best friend? Isn't that better than not have anyone check up on you at all?"

Kara was silent for awhile. She was holding back something that she was afraid of admitting to. Her emotions were starting to sway out of control. She took a deep breath in, then out. Just breathe, Kara. Everything will be alright. Nick isn't a terrible person, and hasn't done anything wrong to you. Don't hold his decisions against him.

"Kara are you there? Was it something I said?"

"No, Nick. It's not. I'm fine, I promise," she placed a mask around her voice to make it sound like everything was alright. "Everything's just handy dandy."

"Then why did you go silent for a few minutes?"

"I was checking to see if I was available, sorry for taking so long."

"Okay, now it just sounds like you're trying to be sassy with me."

She smirked, "What if I am?"

Nick chuckled, "I would be disappointed if you weren't."

Maggie couldn't help but giggle a little bit, "You do realize that sometimes I consider it scary of how well you actually know me."

"We have known each other for a pretty long time. It would be terrible if we didn't know each other at all, or only a small portion of what we actually know each other right now."

"I guess you have a decent point there."

Nick puffed out his voice as if he was puffing out his chest, "Well, of course it is, madam! My points are usually decent, and always are always decent! They shall continue this pattern until the end of time!"

\ Maggie was now raising her voice in her own laughter, "Nick, you're such a dork!"

"When am I not a dork?"

"When you're serious, and sometimes when you're angry."

Nick was speechless for a moment, but only for a moment, "...Now you're the one with the point."

Maggie giggled, "Thanks. I tried my best. I'm here 24/7."

Nick snorted slightly, "Sounds like I helped cheer you up."

"Maybe..."

"So, are you actually too busy to hang out today?"

Maggie sighed in defeat, "No, I'm not... What about your girlfriend? What would she think?"

"I don't really care what she thinks. We're just friends hanging out. I..." he sighed. "I'll tell you when you're here?"

"Where's here?"

"Where she hates to be."

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"What were you going to say before you cut yourself off?" the wind blew around them, and voices were all around them, no matter where they went.

"Oh, right. That... Well..."

"Yes?"

Nick sighed, wondering where to start first, "I need a break from her. I just... I don't know what to do at this point. I've done my best to please her, yet she still is greedy, even when I'm completely drained. She's rude to everyone, and acts like she's the best thing since the United States first made it to the moon," his voice trailed off, debating if he was regretting telling her all of this in the first place. He admitted that he wasn't always open, but he needed to get this off his chest, and why not a better way than his best friend who was a girl.

Maggie studied him for a moment before replying, "Since she always seems to act like that, why did you start dating her in the first place?"

"I don't know... All I can think of is probably that I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world at the time. She seemed nice, but she was nothing like she had shown herself as. In fact, she ended up to be the complete opposite," he looked away. "I wish that I never asked her in the first place..."

Maggie placed a gentle hand on her taller friend, "I don't blame you for what you do... I guess... I guess these things just happen, whether we like the result or not. Sadly, that's life. I know for a fact that there are decisions I've made that I've regretted immensely. Many times, I wish there were a different outcomes to them, but I know I can't change it, no matter how hard I try."

Nick turned to her wearily, "There's something on your mind, Maggie. I can see it in your eyes."

Maggie quickly turned away this time, "I-I'm fine, Nick. I promise. I'm perfectly perfect."

Now he placed his own hand on her shoulder, gently, "No, Maggie. You haven't been yourself since I've dated Leola... Is it something about her? Is it something else?"

I'm jealous that she has you, and I don't...