That Monday, it was lunch period at Manchester High, and Cameron Owens was socializing with her usual group of friends by the outdoor lockers.

"So, I heard from Jessica Walters that Kevin and Rita got back together." Brittany Harrington said.

"Yeah, well I heard from Carla and Jenny that Jessica heard wrong, and that Kevin and Rita didn't get back together." Marni refuted.

"Really?"

"Trust me, Rita would have to be a fool to get back with Kevin after he cheated with Abby Dawson."

"I guess you're right. Abby's such a skank." Brittany said.

Marni Dunham was the type of person that made gossip her life. If anything went down with anyone at the school, she'd find out all she could about it. She was slightly taller than Cameron, and had white highlights in her long brown hair. She liked to wear green turtlenecks with her favorite black leather jacket.

"Remember last year, she bragged that she had sex with the quarterback? Austin Mitchum?" Joe asked. "Of course, now that he goes to Princeton, he's not around to corroborate that story."

Joe Pitt was another one of Cameron's friends. He wasn't necessarily popular, but he also wasn't an outcast. He mostly hung around with Cameron's group, as they'd known each other since grade school. Spiking his naturally curly brown hair was another thing Joe had been known for since grade school.

"I don't believe her." Marni protested. "Austin would never be dumb enough to even go on a date with Abby."

"She's such a pathological liar." Cameron agreed, as she leaned against her boyfriend Tyler's chest, and placing his hands around her waist.

"I don't see what her problem is." Tyler said. "She's such a bitch to everyone, then she wonders why nobody likes her."

"I heard she once almost died from a speed overdose she got from Winnie Anderson." Brittany added.

Brittany was a cute redhead, who stood taller than her group of friends. She had a penchant for designer clothing, such as Betsey Johnson, and Jean Paul Gaultier. When she wasn't wearing any brand named clothing, she had on outfits that she designed herself.

"Pff." Marni scoffed. "Makes sense. Anyone who would want to hang out with Winnie Anderson or Robert Tuttle must have serious issues."

Cameron felt a shiver go down her spine when she heard that.

"Well, speak of the devil." Joe said.

Right after Marni had said the word "issues", Joe caught a glimpse of Winnie Anderson walking towards their group at that very moment.

"Oh my God. She's coming over here." Brittany looked away, trying to conceal her smile.

"What does she want?" Marni questioned.

Although the others wondered why Winnie Anderson would ever want to talk to any of them about anything, Cameron and Tyler knew. The latter felt his girlfriend's shoulders tense up when Winnie approached them.

"Cameron, I need to talk to you."

Marni, Brittany, and Joe all gawked at the blonde. It was bizarre to them. Winnie the Druggie wanted to talk to Cameron Owens? About what?

"Not now." Cameron said, feeling a bit bashful due to the looks her friends gave her.

"It's important." Winnie insisted.

"Look, Winnie. Can't this wait?" Cameron's blue eyes showed desperation, pleading for Winnie's discretion.

She shook her head. Cameron sighed, and moved away from Tyler's arms.

"Guess I'll be right back, you guys." she said to her friends.

Winnie noticed the unsure look on Tyler's face.

"Don't worry. It's school related." she lied.

She placed her hand over Cameron's shoulder and lead her to the girls' bathroom. Nothing that special. 4 sinks, 5 bathroom stalls, small crude graffiti marks on the walls, tampons in trash can; pretty standard.

Fortunately, there was no one else in there when Winnie pulled out a bag filled with over an ounce of marijuana.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cameron gasped.

"I need you to take this. Just for a few days."

"What? Again? No."

"Please? This is the last time I'll ask. I swear."

Cameron knew Winnie was being disingenuous. This was pure opportunism. It was pretty much public knowledge that Winnie Anderson was a hardcore stoner, and since Cameron was related to someone with a reputation based on an affinity for scholastic achievement, it only made sense that if a drug sweep ever were to happen, she'd automatically be eliminated as a suspect.

"Winnie, why can't you just hide it at home?" Cameron asked.

"Because, my mom's getting the carpeting redone in my room, and they're gonna have to move furniture around." Winnie explained. "If I get caught with drugs again, my parents are gonna literally kill me."

The last time Winnie had been caught with possession, her parents sent her on one of those "Scared Straight" programs. Evidently, it didn't work.

"Then, give it to Robert."

"Are you kidding me?" Winnie scoffed. "He'll smoke it all in one day."

That was one part of the conversation the blonde happened to agree with. Robert pretty much ate, drank, breathed, sweat, and bled drugs. He happened to be out of school that day. Possibly recovering from a bad trip he'd had the previous evening.

"Please. I'll share it with you. I'll even give you half." Winnie offered.

Cameron sighed, and looked around, at the bathroom stalls, to make sure that no one was in there. After thinking "what could possibly go wrong?", she reluctantly took the marijuana and stuffed it into her backpack. Winnie grinned.

"Thanks! You're such a lifesaver!" she exclaimed, giving Cameron a quick hug that she didn't want.

Megan walked through the path to Johnson Hall at around 1:50. Her previous class had been a pretty boring one. The professor just rambled on for 2 and a half hours about logic, and applying it to your everyday life. It was a couple more hours before her next class, so Megan decided that she'd go back to her dorm and work on her homework for a bit. Maybe even squeeze in a nap.

Someone caught her eye, as she continued down the paved walkway. She stopped and stared for a moment at the familiar blonde woman, who was looking at the campus map directory billboard.

"Mrs. Owens?" she asked, uncertainly.

It caught the woman's attention. As Megan approached her, Patricia gave a look of familiarity, yet uncertainty.

"Megan. Adelaide's roommate." the brunette reminded.

"Oh. Of course. How are you, Megan?" Patricia smiled.

"I'm good. Thank you. Are you here to visit Adelaide?"

"Yes. But, I cannot for the life of me read this map."

Patricia looked back at the billboard, as if it were as complex as Rocket Science. Megan giggled.

"Well, I'm headed that way, myself. Would you like me to show you?" she asked.

"Please." Patricia said politely.

As Megan led the way, she thought how sweet a woman Patricia seemed. Coming out here to give Adelaide a surprise visit. It wasn't until they had gotten close to the door that read 115, that Megan realized something.

"Oh. I just remembered. I'm not sure Adelaide's gonna be here right now." she said.

"Why not?"

"I think she has a 2 o'clock class."

Patricia checked her watch, and realized that it was pretty close to that hour. She wrinkled her forehead, in an "Oh, well" fashion.

"Do you wanna come in, and wait for a while?" Megan suggested.

"Actually, that's alright. I'll just- -" Patricia began, but stopped.

Megan heard it too. From the outside of the door, they could hear Adelaide's voice talking to someone, and laughing.

"Huh. Maybe she is here." Megan said.

She unlocked the door, and Patricia stepped inside with her to see Adelaide and a young man sitting on the bed, giggling at something that was apparently funny. Patricia had never seen this person before, but he seemed to be pretty friendly with Adelaide. In his right hand, the dark haired, hazel eyed stranger held a black jacket. Their guffawing ceased when the blonde saw her mother.

"Mom. Hi." she said.

"Hi, sweetie." Adelaide walked over and gave Patricia a tight hug.

"How are you?"

"Very well. And yourself?"

"Great." Adelaide said.

Patricia politely smiled at the stranger, who still sat on the bed across the room. Adelaide took notice of this, and held a hand out to the young man, bringing him over to her mother.

"Oh, Mom, this is my friend, Richard Griffin." she said. "He works at the Starbucks down the street."

Patricia held her hand out. "Hi, Richard."

He shook it. "Nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Hey, Adelaide. How come your back so soon? I thought you had another class." Megan brought up, as she headed over to her desk to start her homework.

"Oh, it got canceled." Adelaide said.

It was true, shortly after her screenwriting class that morning, Adelaide received a text from Luke, telling her that Professor Williams had canceled the class that day. Upon returning to her dorm, Adelaide realized that she still had Richard's jacket, so she texted him, asking if he was willing to come and get it. Since he was off today, she figured now would be as good a time as any. He described it as a "lame excuse" to get him to come over.

For the last 45 minutes, they'd been wrapped up in chatting about movies, and their favorite directors again. Adelaide and Richard had spent a great deal of time talking to each other of late, as a matter of fact. They constantly texted each other over the whole weekend, and had even met for coffee at the shop.

"Yeah, so she invited me over here, and we got to talking about movies and stuff." Richard said. "Your daughter's got some decent taste in films, Mrs. Owens."

All Patricia could do to respond to that was smile.

"You know, when she was a little girl. She would watch the same movies over and over again, until she knew all the lines from them." she said.

Adelaide felt the blood rush to her face as Richard smiled at the anecdote.

"Really? Like what movies?" he asked.

"All kinds. The Wizard of Oz, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Little Mermaid. She even used to pretend she was Ariel, and brushed her hair with a fork. It was adorable."

"Mom..." Adelaide warned. Richard chuckled.

Megan turned around from her studies to look at Adelaide.

"Seriously?" she grinned.

Adelaide's mom sure knew how to embarrass her. This was a usual thing, too. Whenever the family would go to a reunion or meet one of the girls' new friends, Patricia just had to go on about every embarrassing moment from Cameron's or Adelaide's childhood.

"She also wanted to marry Aladdin." Patricia continued. Adelaide was red as a cherry at this point.

"Hey, I wanted to marry him too." Megan said.

"Gee, Richard. Don't you think it was time you went, now?" Adelaide said quickly, smiling weakly at him.

Richard looked at his watch. "You know what, I actually should be going now. It was lovely meeting you, ma'am."

He gave out his hand, and she shook it.

"Nice meeting you, too."

"I'll text you later, 'kay?" he said to Adelaide.

"Okay." she said, before he gave her a quick hug.

"Bye, Megan." he waved.

"See ya, Richard." the brunette waved back, before returning to her homework.

Once the hazel eyed guy was gone, Adelaide glared at her mother.

"He's cute." Patricia said.

It was a few moments before she realized the look her daughter was giving her.

"What's that face for?"