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I moaned as I rolled over, grabbing my ringing cell phone off the night table. By the sound of the Kiss ring tone, I knew exactly who it was, calling me. Flipping open the phone, I held it to my ear without saying a word.

“Get up Bay,” Morgan’s voice drifted into my ear. “I’m getting ready to leave so I’ll be over in 15 minutes. You better be up and ready.”

“Uuuuuuuuh…” I groaned as I covered my head with my pillow.

“Seriously, Bay, I have been doing it by myself all break and I’m sick of it. You are getting up and coming with me, this morning.”

“Okay, okay…I’m getting up. How nice is it outside this morning at…5 a. mmmmmmmm…uhuhuuuuu…” I let out a whinny groan.

“We only have two more days before we go back to school. You really should get back in the habit now so you don’t try, to pick it back up, the first day back to school. It would kill you,” she snickered. “I’m walking out the door, Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell.”

“Alright, alright. I said I was getting up,” I responded in an annoyed tone. I really hated it when people used my full name. Flinging the covers off of me, I swung my legs over the side of the bed.

“It’s really warm out, by the way. I’m wearing shorts.”

“Kay, thanks. See you in a bit,” I sighed.

“Okay, bye.”

“Bye.” I hung up the phone and slowly pushed myself off the bed. Opening my dresser drawer, I pulled out a pair of basketball shorts and slipped them on. There was really no point in showering…even if I did have time. I threw on a pair of socks and my Nike sneakers. I stopped at the linen closet for a sweat towel, before trudging down the stairs. No sooner had I plopped onto the couch, Morgan was at the door.

“Do we have to?” I asked, knowing, very well, what her answer was going to be.

“Look, first of all…put a shirt on…you’ve got a bit of pudge there,” she giggled as the poked my stomach.

“I do not!”

“Yeah…ya do…I think the lack of exercise and the increase of junk intake has really gotten to you. Baylee’s got a bellyyyyy!”

“Shut up!” I turned her, grabbing her waist from behind. “Take it back or I commence with the tickling.” She tried to wiggle from my arms, but I had a good grip of her waist.

“It’s not my fault you’ve been slacking!” She laughed as she reached up and tousled my hair. “You need a hair cut…you look like a shaggy dog.”

“First I’ve got a pudgy belly and now I look like a shaggy dog?!? Oh you’re gonna get it!” I gripped her tighter with my left arm as I used my right to tickle her sides. She squealed and jerked as I continued my tickle assault on her ribs.

“OKAY OKAY! You’re not pudgy…you’re scrawny!”

“Scrawny and muscular, like AJ?” I raised an eyebrow at her and stopped tickling.

“No, just scrawny, but you really should get a hair cut. Your bangs are in your eyes.”

“Hey! I happen to like my curls a bit long,” I let go of her waist and we headed outside. I stretched my legs on the grass for a few minutes, as we continued to talk.

“Good grief, Baylee,” she rolled her eyes at me. We finally took off down the driveway in a power walk. “I didn’t say to cut it like Mason’s hair. I’m talking about getting it back to your normal length.”

“Oh, well that makes more sense.” We had made it about a block and now increased our pace to a jog. I wasn’t about to tell her, but I had to admit that she was right. I needed a cut. Remember back in the earlier Backstreet days, when Howie had his hair to his ears? Like, a medium-ish length? Well, my hair was about to that length…I usually have it a bit shorter. I like my curls, so I don’t keep my hair too short.

“It’s so nice to have your company again,” she huffed as we hit a full run. This is a daily routine for us, usually.

We get up at 4 and are out on our run from 4:30 until 5:30. Once we get back to my place, we shower and get ready for school. This is the main reason she has her own room at our house. She brings her school outfit each day and gets ready, for school, at my house. We have an hour and a half to shower and get ready, and then we leave at 7:00, putting us at school by 7:15. Classes begin at 8:00 and release at 3:15. We walk back to my place and, since we make sure that we always get the same classes, we sit and do our homework, studying, or whatever, together. After schoolwork is done, we either hang out, or Nick drives her home.

“It is nice to be back in the routine,” I smiled as we rounded the corner.

“Hey, Mrs. Lemma,” we called as we waved to the little old lady. Did I mention we take the same running route everyday? It’s nice because we really know the people on our route. Mrs. Lemma waved back to us as we ran past.

“So…how are things in the Carter/Littrell household?”

“Nothing but drama,” I scoffed as we waved to Mr. Jenkins. Sometimes, during the summer, we stop to visit him and he gives us watermelon! Yum!

“Why what happened now?”

“Kevin. He tried apologizing and everything but according to dad’s journal, Kevin was lying. My dad described the habits Kevin has when he lies…and he showed every one of them.”

“That’s messed up. Wouldn’t loosing your Aunt Kris have knocked him in the head enough to realize what he has done?”

“I guess not. I think there is more to it.”

“Nice to see you back, Baylee.”

“Thanks, Miss Conners, it’s nice to see you, too.” I called as we passed. “Anyways, he was all fake crying and everything. Mason said ‘I hate you.’.”

“No way!” she gasped as she looked over at me. We had reached our midway point, a local park. We both got a drink from the fountain and stretched a bit.

“Ugh, what is he doing here? It’s still early; why is he even up this early?” I groaned as I saw Jason coming towards us.

“Hey Baylee,” he greeted with a cocky grin. “How’s it?”

“Fine,” I shrugged as I continued to stretch my muscles.

“Why do you even hang out with her?”

“Don’t start, Jason,” I sighed. I really hated it when he bugged me like this.

“She is so lame,” he huffed in Morgan’s face. I stepped between them and gave him a little shove on the shoulder. I tilted my head to the side, giving him a nasty glare.

“Well you’re a jerk, but no one complains…so back off.”

“Come on Baylee, let’s just go,” she tugged on my bare shoulders. I, kind of, shrugged her hands off as I took a step towards Jason.

“Cool popular people don’t hang out with lame, trailer trash,” he sneered. Was he trying to start a fight? Because, it was about to work!

“First of all, to be trailer trash…you have to live in a trailer. Second of all, it’s not good for you to call yourself names, like that.”

“I was referring to that…thing,” he waved his hand in Morgan’s direction.

“Oh see that’s funny because she is my best friend and I am ten times more popular than you…who is not her friend. Do the math Jason, because I think it adds up to her being cooler than you.” I spat the words in his face as my nose almost touched his. I arrogantly laughed at him before turning to grab Morgan’s arm and start back on our run.

“Baylee…I…” she sighed as we exited the park.

“Stop, Morgan. Do we have to go through this? It’s the same thing every time: someone says something dumb, I always stand up for you; you try to stop it, but I do it anyways; then you tell me I didn’t have to; and I say that I do because you’re my best friend and that’s what friends are for; then you say thank you; and I tell you that there is nothing to thank me for; you say something about me not having to be such a good friend; I look at you funny and say I do it because I want to, not because I have to; you get all mushy and tear up or blush; then we hug.” I drew in a deep breath and stopped running. I looked at her, after she stopped, and locked eyes with her. “Can we cut the nonsense and get straight to the hug this time?”

“Okay,” she nodded, looking at the ground. Needless to say, her cheeks were a crimson red. Why does she always blush?!? I pulled her in for a quick, sweaty hug and we got right back to our run. We were surrounded by only the sound, of our feet hitting the sidewalk, for a good bit before I got an idea.

“Ooo. Let’s take a detour and go to Josie’s for a slushie!”

“I didn’t bring any money. I never bring money on our runs,” she looked at me with raised eyebrows. I just looked over at her funny, in disbelief.

“Since when do I make you pay?”

“Baylee, you know I don’t expect…” she started with another conversation that I had memorized. She always has to make it clear that she doesn’t expect me to do or buy things for her. I think it’s because, some of the kids, at school have accused her of being my friend because she was poor and wanted my money.

“O good god, Morgan,” I interrupted her sentence and stopped running again, this time, in front of Josie’s. “Take the twenty, go in there and get us each a large slushie.” I held out a twenty dollar bill. She sighed and took it from me.

“Grape?”

“What do you think?” I smirked and shook my head as she rolled her eyes and headed into the little ice cream place. Normally, we would go in and sit but I never did put on that shirt, this morning. Not that she wore much more on our runs. She was usually in a pair of running shorts and one of those little athletic tops that look like a sports bra. I sat on the bench, outside, and waited for her to return.

“Baylee…” she handed me my grape slushie as she sat next to me with her cherry one.

“Look, if it’s one of our normal run throughs…why do you even bother, Morgan? You know I have them, all, memorized.” I rested one arm on top of my head as I slouched, holding my slushie in the other hand.

“It’s just that…” she sighed as she swirled her straw in circles, “…Jason’s not entirely wrong.”

“Wha…?” I rolled my eyes and looked over at her with a cocked eyebrow. “Do I dare ask what you mean?” I shifted, leaning forward and resting my head in my hand.

“I’m just saying that it wasn’t really necessary for you to harp on him like that.” I let out a long breath. My eyes closed in frustration.

“See, that’s funny because I thought that it was very appropriate. He was totally ragging on you, Morgs. You know I don’t like that. He is such a sleaze.”

“So anyways, about the encounter with Kevin, last night…”

“Stop.” I started chuckling.

“What?”

“Changing the subject. It’s not going to work, so stop.”

“The other subject came to a close,” she stood up and sighed, looking down at me. Our slushies were only half gone, so I had no intentions of getting up.

“Bull. Anytime we start talking about this, you change the subject.”

“Talking about what?”

“Give me a break. You are too smart to play dumb and you know exactly what I am talking about. You were saying Jason wasn’t entirely wrong…which, must, mean that you believe his crap. I mean, I know the kids at school rag on you and tease you a lot but you can’t, honestly, think that any of the crap they spit is true?”

“Well…” she trailed off, only slightly above a whisper, as she hung her head. I blinked, looking at her in amazement. I knew the things, that they said, bugged her…hell…they would have bugged anyone, but I never, in my wildest dreams, thought that she actually believed them!

“Morgan Lydia Smith!” My mouth gaped open, as my eyebrows scrunched. It was, now, my turn to stand. “You do, don’t you? You believe them! Oh god…” I plopped back down on the bench and let my head fall into my hand. “How did I miss this? Why didn’t I see it? Of all things! Of all people, I should have seen it!” I mumbled to myself, not all that quietly.

“Baylee, it’s not really…” I stood up, dropping my half full slushie to the ground.

“I swear to God, Morgan, if you say that it’s not that big of a deal…uugh!” My fingers ran into my hair and tugged at it. Stupid! That’s what I was…stupid! I’m her best friend…I was supposed to pick up on these things! “How long?”

“How long, what?”

“How long have you believed this shit?” I turned back around, bringing my face only inches from hers, and stared as deep into her eyes as I could.

“Baylee, you should watch…”

“Don’t tell me to watch my mouth Morgan. Answer…the…question.”

“I really don’t wanna…”

“TOUGH!” My nose was so close to touching hers and the flush of embarrassment covered her cheeks.

“I don’t know!” she shouted as she shoved me away from her. “It doesn’t matter. Can we finish our run?” She shoved past me and started jogging back in the direction of my house.

This was unbelievable. I was mad at myself for not having picked up on this. I always knew she was insecure…but she always seemed to be happy around me…wait …? My mind began to race. Which things did she believe? The comments about her being ugly…the ones about her being ‘trailer trash’…the ones about her being a geek…those about how badly she dressed? O dear heaven…please don’t let her believe the ones about her not being good enough or deserving of my friendship!

“MORGAN!” I screamed as I took off after her. She had put quite a distance between us already. I raced, as fast as my legs would carry me, to catch up to her. No wonder she always refused my help but was ready and willing to turn around and offer her own. A light bulb clicked in my head and so many things added up. Boy, am I as dense as my dad, or what?!?