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IT WASN'T THAT bad, actually.

While I did basically reject Carter's public display of affection, everything else was pretty much smooth sailing. After adjusting ourselves around the awkward tension I had created, we were finally able to talk about regular things. Normal things, like what was going on with Jack and Maddie Lane (he had successfully sealed the deal and they were talking after, probably becoming boyfriend and girlfriend). Or like the fact that our debate meet was creeping up and I wasn't entirely sure if our younger kids were ready yet. He told me how quickly his parents had gotten over the party meanwhile I was definitely still in the doghouse.

And after awhile of talking about insignificant things with Carter that made me feel like I was getting to know him in ways that didn't jump out at me in the moment, but instead weaved together the fabric of our lives at their frayed ends, Mrs. Stand decided it was time for her to come in again. She looked pretty pleased with herself and I could tell she had gotten a lot done in those thirty minutes of silence that she wouldn't have to take home and do later at night.

I felt like I had been cut off in the middle of a moment, one that left me unfulfilled and wanting more, but maybe it was for the best. Carter's face was blank as he watched her stroll in and I knew that whatever emotions were swirling beneath the mask he wore, there was no way that they would come up to the surface. I was just left with another mystery about the boy next-door and I wasn't entirely sure if it was one I needed to solve.

"Alright, show time's over," the teacher said with a dismissive wave of her hand, wanting us to get out of there. "I'll probably see some of you guys tomorrow, but if not, then make sure to check in with any of the deans that you were accounted for."

Mrs. Stand clearly couldn't be bothered and made a beeline for the door and the rest of the students instantly got up and began pushing their chairs in behind them before leaving, clearly ready to get out of there as fast as they could. I had began to do the same, leaving only Carter sitting down in his seat. He had taken out some his schoolbooks during detention to peruse them and get a head start on his homework for a second before deciding in his own words, "yeah, it's not getting done," and closing them.

Since I had missed the first half of debate and I knew Landon was back at school as well, my body wasn't physically ready to drag itself through anymore emotional turmoil. The less I saw of that boy the better, especially when I could practice my arguments at home. So I decided I would wait around with Carter so we could ride home together.

"You're just going to stand there," he said with a chuckle as he stuffed his books in his bag, making me wince at how sloppily he did so. Loose papers stuck out between pages and were crumpled and torn, folders were dogged at their spines to the point where they were barely hanging onto each other and were doomed to fall apart by the end of the day; it was an unorganized and hellish thing to look at. "These books aren't going to pack themselves."

"And clearly not going to organize themselves either," I remarked, still in disbelief at what I saw.

"That's also true," he said with his trademark grin. "If you're not going to help me, then what are you hovering around here for? Don't you have debate practice?"

I rolled my eyes, hating him for being a little detective. "Yeah, but I missed more than half of it, so I'm just going to practice by myself when we get home."

Carter looked up at me from his bag, with concern on his face that made me uneasy. "Are you sure? You've got your meet coming up. Whenever I have a big game or a performance coming up, I always try to put in as much time as I can with my mates so we can be one-hundred percent sure we're ready. You should stay, get some practice in."

I shook my head, resting a hand on his shoulder. "No way, I think I'd rather ride home with you."

He was about to say something when the door opened up and I flinched back, bringing my hands to my sides as another student walked into the room. And just to my surprise, it had to be Liza Hamilton.

She was very beautiful, just like when she was the night of Carter's party, and I couldn't help but feel a bit ridiculous standing in a room with both her and Carter Abrams. Her raven-colored hair was impeccably straightened and the loosely-fitting collared shirt she wore hung really nicely off her frame, the skirt she wore accentuating her long, slender legs.

Carter didn't seem all that impressed when she came in and it made me remember how reluctant he was for her to be involved in his affairs because I had told him all about her wanting to get back together and yet he was still hanging around me and trying to get under my skin -- or at least my clothing.

"Carter," she exclaimed, rehearsed excitement in her tone as she closed in to hug him without even paying me any mind. "How are you? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," he said, as stiff as the way he stood in her embrace. "And for a reason, remember?"

She stepped back from out of the hug, looking at him in confusion. "Oh, come on, I really hope you're not still upset about that? Baby, you know I'm sorry. Plus I did so much for you to make up for it, at this point if we're being technical, you basically owe me."

He didn't seem too amused with that sentiment considering the stony line set across his lips instead of his usual wolfish grin, so she backpedaled. "Oh, come on. You know I'm joking. Anyway, I was just wondering what your plans were for the Spring Fling, because we both don't seem to have anything going on. I was thinking that maybe we could go together."

"Well, actually..." he trailed off, turning around to look at me with a knowing look in his eyes. Of course, whatever he was asking me, I did not get the memo beforehand.

I looked from him to Liza and back at him blankly.

"Well, actually what?" Liza asked, crossing her hands over her chest. "Are you going with somebody?"

He looked back at me and I frowned, running a hand through my hair as I watched his expression shift. Honestly, I had no idea what his plans were for the dance, we never talked about them. I mean, I was sure it was one of the popular girls if anyone, yet why couldn't I see Carter with any of them?

He turned back to Liza with a look as if the world was pulled out from beneath him. "No one," he said, "I'm just going with the boys."

Liza winced but took the rejection in stride. She probably couldn't do better than a guy like Carter in the looks department, but that didn't mean she had to settle — a girl like her had plenty of options.

I was surprised, but it made perfect sense so I didn't fight it. It was funny, really, that Carter was going with his friends and so was I, he was someone I expected more from.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said before waving at us and quickly making her way for the door. It was now just Carter and I in the room, a stifling presence that Liza dragged in with her beginning to fade away.

In all honesty, I was glad she was gone and I was pretty sure Carter was as well, but his face didn't seem to show it. He looked lost, really, as if his whole perspective had been changed. I knew it had to do with Liza, seeing Landon earlier today really threw me for a loop. After all, he was seeing now for the first time in perfect clarity that the girl he loved was not the girl he would be dancing with at the Spring Fling. But it was for the best.

"Well, thank goodness, that's over," I said, trying to lighten up the mood. "Are you ready to head home? I have a project in history due next month that I want to get a head start on, I don't work very well under pressure. In other words: I don't work at all."

Carter was still and for someone who always seemed to have everything under control, or the chaos in his life working to his benefit, this was out of character for him and I couldn't help but be worried.

"I think I'm going to hang out with Jack and Ryan, we have a song we're trying to work on," he finally said without looking my way. "You should catch your debate practice, though, maybe I'll see you later tonight."

I was completely thrown off guard, unable to believe that he had switched our plans at the drop of a hat like that. Not just his, but mine too. But he just had an exhausting altercation with his ex-girlfriend, I was sure he needed an outlet to pour his feelings into. I would've helped him with that — it had been a while since we last hooked up and a part of me was definitely down for some more — but I guess his best friends were able to help him in ways that I definitely couldn't.

"Alright, then," I said before hiking my bag up on my shoulders. "I guess I'll see you later then."

When he didn't respond verbally and just gave me a curt nod, I decided that was my cue to leave the room and go to debate practice. I actually felt good about going, too, because as soon as I left that room, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of me. I felt ready to dive into my binder and study the hell out of my arguments with Rita instead of taking them home to look over.

I made it to the room, glad to see my team working in full swing, carefully stepping in so that I didn't distract them. There wasn't a strong senior presence on the team, so David, Rita, Landon, and I did a lot of the coaching work when our teacher-sponsor, Mrs. Golden who was one of the English teachers, couldn't come in. Tonight, it was business as usual without me or Landon there, students highlighting notes on their files and arguing their points in mock-style. I smiled at the sight of David and Rita being spread thin to help as many people as they could, just happy to see how dedicated they were and to know that I was here to help them take some of the load off.

Rita was hunched over a desk, showing some sophomore boy something in his binder, so I decided to sneak up on her and hug her from behind. "Hey, guess who made it out of detention alive?"

"You did," she squealed, spinning around to meet me in excitement. "Oh wow, you've gone where no one in our squad has before. How bad was it? Did you have a near-death experience? Did you learn how to make a shiv? Who else was there? No one we know, right?"

I laughed at all of her questions that reminded me of how serious I had thought it was, only to be let off the hook so easily. Because she was so thirsty for me to host the after party for the popular kids, she ate up every little detail about Carter and I's detention talks and I could already tell she was fantasizing about the details of the party she definitely wanted to help me throw. Her smile, however, faded at the mention of Liza and me telling her the story of that awkward moment where they were talking about who Carter was going to the dance with.

"You don't think he possibly meant he wanted to take you?" Rita raised a curious brow as she asked. "I mean, if that were the case, then I don't exactly know why. But why else would he look back at you like that?"

I gulped, knowing that the answer to that was that we had been sleeping together for quite a bit of time now. However, I doubted that he wanted to take me to the Spring Fling, it just never really crossed my mind. I didn't exactly know what he wanted out of our mutually beneficial arrangement.

"Doubtful," I said in response to her. But at this point, I was doubtful of myself.