Everyone in the party started singing happy birthday, while Dani's grandparent's held the cake up to her. I happened to be right beside Dani at that moment, and she stared at me as if asking me if I was alright. All I could do was stare back because she was there when we witnessed Dennis and Thomas... And she's acting like nothing happened. On the other hand, I can't seem to keep still.

I searched for Dennis, but he was nowhere to be found. I messed up, Mave. Dennis had said. What the hell, of course he messed up. They messed up. Then, I saw Natasha, and my heart sank at the sight of her. She was still with her parents, frowning and looking worried. I tried to go up to her, but Dani had held my arm back and put me back to my place.

"Stay." She said, as she shook her head at my intentions.

I sighed, and watched as Dani's grandparent's both kissed her cheek, saying, "Happy birthday, sweetie" and laid the cake on the table to start serving it. It was really sweet for them to do this for Dani, and I think it's pretty amazing how they're being really thoughtful.

But to my confusion, I didn't see her parents. Her grandparents were the ones who entertained all these people, and not another Dubois member of the family was seen or introduced furthermore.

Then people started to give presents, and I was so surprised to see that my parents had one to give. Then there's me, feeling like an ass for not giving any. Dani seemed to notice this and started to laugh at me.

"I told you, it's fine." She said.

"I'm so upset over this, you have no idea." I said, "People deserve gifts for their birthdays!"

"And I'm receiving plenty."

"None from me, apparently."

"I'm still up for that kiss." She joked, and burst out laughing as she said her thank you's to the people who handed her presents.

I rolled my eyes and ate a watermelon, because I was actually thinking about giving her a kiss on the cheek. Would it be weird? Nah, it wouldn't be weird. Should I?

I shrugged my shoulders because so what? Then I went on my toes to give Dani a quick peck on the cheek, not caring if some of the watermelon juice were on my lips when I did it.

"There we go." I said as I pulled back, nodding my head in satisfaction. "Happy birthday, Dani."

Dani narrowed her eyes at me, the look of hers that I've been seeing quite a lot lately. Then she grinned, and gave out a soft giggle while nudging my shoulder. A hint of pink blush was creeping out of her cheek, and forming on to her ears.

"Thanks, Maverick."

For awhile, Dani and I ate cake, and I really tried to join the conversation with her and her grandparents, but then I saw Nat again, then poof... My mind went elsewhere.

I don't really know what to feel when Nat keeps looking Tom in the great hall. I sighed and tried to calm myself down, and realized that knowing someone's secret can really mess us up in the head. It surely came as a surprise to me that Tom and Dennis were in a secret relationship. But are they really in a relationship?

Damn, Dani was right all along. Then Natasha started to walk towards us. I gently tapped Dani's arm to get her attention, mainly because I didn't want to face Nat alone, and I'm afraid that I might say something stupid that can make things worse.

"Mave, have you seen Thomas?" Natasha asked, turning her head to search for a certain Colombian boy.

"Uh, I think he's with-"

"We saw him around somewhere, but we haven't seen him in a while." Dani cut me off, her voice calm. She even managed to give both me and Nat a smile.

"Yeah." I nodded. I couldn't even meet Nat's eye. I hate lying so much, that I can't handle the guilt that I'm feeling. If I could, I would take Nat aside, and tell her everything... But it's not my business to tell.

"Oh, okay." Nat said, sighing and rubbing her arms as if she was cold. Luckily, I have a silky black cardigan on and offered it to Nat. "Oh, no it's okay Mave-"

"No, take it. You're cold." I insisted, wanting to make her feel better. Offering her my cardigan is just a tiny thing compared to the pain she doesn't even know she's going to face.

"Okay..." Nat said, looking at me oddly. I might be obvious that something is wrong, but seriously, I just don't like how things went down the drain for her.

Then Nat's parents showed up, telling her that they needed to head home soon. They greeted Dani happy birthday again, and Nat tried to give me back my cardigan but I just gave her a hug and said that she should just return it tomorrow at school, or whenever she wanted.

"Mave, why are you crying?" Nat asked, pulling back and holding my fac as she looked at me closer.

I didn't even know I was crying, and knowing that I'm probably embarrassing myself infront of a bunch of people made me quickly blink the tears away. Nat looked at me in amusement and helped me wipe the tears away.

"You okay, bae?" She asked, chuckling a little. "Are you really that sad that I'm leaving... to go home?"

"I think... I think- I don't know, I drank some of my mom's drink earlier." I lied. "And probably PMS'ing." I added to make it more believable.

Natasha laughed and pulled me back for another hug.

"Breakfast sandwiches at school tomorrow?" She asked. I scoffed and nodded my head.

"That should be a rhetorical question." I told her. Then finallt, the Foundlands left for the night.

"You really care for Natasha don't you?" Dani asked me, as we sat on one of the couches in their great hall.

"That's what best friends are for." I told her as I pulled out my phone and tried to call Dennis.

"That's nice." She said, nodding her head. "So do you care more for Nat than Dennis?"

I looked at her and shook my head.

"I care for the both of them, equally."

"Well then, you're screwed." Dani said. "Since both of them are your best friends, it will be hard for you to pick a side."

"I don't think I have to pick a side." I said.

"But one of them is wrong." Dani explained. "One of them betrayed the other to get what they want."

At this point, I wasn't sure if Dani was talking about Natasha replacing Dennis for Thomas, or Dennis and Thomas getting together behind Natasha's back. Both are betrayal, and just thinking about it makes my head hurt.

"This is stressful." I complained. "Why can't we just get along?"

"It doesn't work that way."

"What does that even mean?" I asked, rubbing my cheek in frustration and huffing out a breath. "Why can't it work that way?"

"Because feelings get in the way." Dani said.

I guess that makes sense.

I so badly want to blame Natasha for getting attached to Tom and Dennis in the first place, but the again... It's not her fault for loving both of them, she's just a very naive person, and that it's part of her nature to be like that. It looks bad I know, but you can't help the feelings that would suddenly exist and would suddenly shoot you into a direction that you're not ready to face...

Like, Tom and Dennis. Who knows how long they've been into each other? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that they didn't do that on purpose. They didn't want to hurt anybody... Just like how Natasha didn't want to hurt both of their feelings.

"He won't answer, you know." Dani said after a while, and I realized that I've been calling Dennis for a few times. I must've spaced out. "He's scared."

"He's terrified." I agreed. "But we need to talk to sort things out."

"Sorting things out is your thing, huh?"

"It's kind of my full time job." I told Dani. "I should get a raise for working overtime hours. I've spent sleepless nights because of it."

"What if it gets so bad that it can't be sort out?" Dani asked.

When Dani told me that, I remembered that Dennis said something similar.

"It shouldn't be that bad." I tried to convince her.

"It's pretty bad, Mave."

"No." I shook my head, refusing to be negative. "We need this to be fixed."

"By fix, do you mean getting back to normal as if nothing happened?" Dani asked. "What is normal anymore anyways? You can't just take Tom away from Nat, and you can't take away Dennis from Tom. If Nat knew the truth, then it wouldn't be the same anymore, Mave... I hate to break it to you, but lying won't work either. It would just make things worse."

I couldn't even say anything back.

"I speak from personal experience." Dani muttered more to herself than to me.

I wanted to argue. I wanted to prove Dani wrong that I can do something about it. It didn't matter how, but I wanted to let her know that this is not the end of our friendship squad. It shouldn't end at all. Because if it did, then I will be lost.

And I couldn't bear the thought of it.

Next thing I knew, I was already in my dad's Honda Pilot, and we were heading back home already. I must've spaced out again for being in deep thought. I grabbed my phone and sent Dani a text, telling her happy birthday again.

I didn't receive a text back.

Monday morning came, and I woke up, got ready for school and pressed the command start for my Civic to heat up. I gathered my Chemistry textbook and placed it in my book bag, then head downstairs to catch my mom and dad kissing.

"Awe, that's sweet." I said, then made a vomiting sound right after.

"You're just jealous." My mom said, giggling like a school girl. Dad shrugged his shoulder and drank his coffee while secretly agreeing with mom.

I could only scoff, steal half of my mom's toasted sesame bagel, and quickly kissed them goodbye as I head out. I hurriedly unplugged the Civic and got in, then later realized that my heater wasn't on. Here I thought that I would be welcomed by warmth, but no. I have to sit in my car, shivering, and cursing from how cold it is.

Whatever. It'll heat up later anyways. I backed out of our garage and went to Tim Horton's drive thru.

I wanted to buy Nat and me breakfast sandwiches, and not hear her complain of how horrible the cafeteria makes it. I also bought us two white hot chocolate with raspberry shots, and felt dissapointed when I realized that I forgot about the hashbrowns.

Then when I arrived to school, I was surprised to see that Nat was already sitting at our usual table in the Common's Area. I was also surprised to see her working on unfinished homework, and I was really surprised to see that Dani was helping her finish it.

I approached them, holding a paper bag of breakfast sandwiches and a tray of two drinks.

Nat gasped when she saw me holding food and immediately grabbed the paper bag.

"Oh my god, I love you!" She said, as she quickly unwrapped the sandwich and bit into it. Dani and I laughed at her actions, and I sat beside her across from Nat.

"Excuse me, but how did you know that it was for you?" I asked jokingly.

Nat stopped chewing and just gave me a are-you-for-real-please-tell-me-you're-joking look... Dani seemed surprised too because now she thought that she will receive a sandwich.

"I'm kidding." I told them, and she happily continued to eat. "Want some Dani? We could share mine." I offered.

Before she could even protest, I gladly offered her half of my sandwich. Dani rolled her eyes at my stubbornness and accepted.

"Whatcha working on?" I asked Nat.

"Pre-cal." She said. "Thank gosh that Dani here is helping me. Trig identities aren't as confusing as I thought they are."

I took a sip of my drink, and watched Nat. She seemed to be okay so far, no signs of abrupt sadness, or signs of knowing that her boyfriend bats for the same team.

Then I caught Dani staring at me, and I stared back. She knows what I'm thinking, she knows that I want to tell Nat the truth... But with a single head shake of Dani's, I was reminded again that it was not my place to tell.

"Do you want some of my drink too? It's white hot chocolate." I offered Dani.

She tried to protest again, so Nat said,

"You should just automatically accept any food that Maverick gives you. She won't take no for an answer."

"She's being very stubborn." Dani replied.

"It has a raspberry shot." I told Dani, emphasizing the flavour.

"But-"

"You know, in some countries, it's rude if you refuse anything that is being offered to you." I told Dani.

"What the fuck." She said, shaking her head in disbelief, and looking entertained by this information.

"Or you're just being a germaphobe because you don't want to drink from my cup?" I asked. "Or you're just shy."

Dani snorted a laugh.

"I am not shy."

"Then here you go." I handed her the drink.

She took a sip, and scrunched her nose.

"Tastes like diabetes." She commented.

"How dare thee!" I gasped, while Nat and Dani laughed.

Then Tom showed up, and he stood by our table. He looked at Nat, and only Nat, then he opened his mouth, but closed it again. I don't think he realized that me and Dani were there because he sat down, almost knocking our drinks, and pulled Nat in for a kiss.

Then he pulled away.

Then he said,

"I'm sorry."

Then he freakin' walked away.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Asked Nat, her mouth agape, hurt and confusion written all over her face.

I couldn't take it anymore so I bolted right up to follow Tom. He was speed walking, heading to the boy's washroom. I didn't even care anymore and went in with him, then pushed him roughly against the wall.

I punched his pretty face hard, and he didn't even stopped me.

"I deserve that." He said, as he let his cheek bleed as if it felt nothing.

"You do."

"I'm so sorry..." He sobbed.

I wanted to punch him again, I wanted to punch Dennis too, but what will that do? The bell rang for first period, and Tom just sank to the floor of the bathroom. He cried on his knees, and I sighed as I texted Dennis telling him where Tom is. Dennis immediately texted back, saying that he'll be right over.

Then I left, not knowing what to do, myself. But hopefully Dennis does.

Then I went to English, late.

Great, another late in my oh so perfect attendance.

Who loves Tim Horton's better than Starbucks? Me. Jk, I love them both.

Comment your thoughts on the chapter, seriously, I love reading them. You don't even have to vote. I'm interested of what you think.

Unedited