"What does this mean?" Brina questioned. "Are you back to old Adam/Chloe?"

"I don't know. I don't think we'll be ready to be back there for a while, but we're on the way. We're not fighting anymore and we're definitely not punching each other anymore. That is a huge step in the right direction."

"You punched each other?"

"It happens," I shrugged, looking down at my healed hand. At least that evidence had left since punching Adam.

"Oh God. Ridiculous. I'm glad you're back on physically safe terms. How are you going to handle the Adam/Kurt situation?"

"I haven't worked that one out yet. I mean, I told Kurt and he was pleasant enough about the reunion but I don't know what's going to happen when they have to be civil in person. The last time we ran into Adam, Kurt didn't even make an attempt to punch him though. He pretty much just let Adam beat him up and even that didn't go very well. Turns out Adam isn't the greatest at those sorts of things."

Brina giggled, "Oh Chloe, I never would have guessed. So shocked!"

"Hush you."

"I really am glad you patched things up. I hope it sticks that way and you ease back into normal friendship."

"Me too. I admit as ecstatic as I am, I'm also worried. What if it doesn't stick? What do I do then?"

"Try again? I mean, you fought, fought, and fought again, wouldn't the same work for apologies?"

"You're smart beyond your years, girl."

"Are you going to call Areum?"

"I'm not sure. I'm still angry with her. I think Adam will let her know and then her and I will have some sort of chat in which we discuss our issues."

"Good luck. Maybe over the phone so she doesn't beat you with a spoon?"

"Could work."

"I have to get to work but I'll call you later?"

"How do you like your new job?"

"Oh marvelous," Brina said, the sarcasm seeping through the phone, "I serve old people mush and clean up after them."

Brina worked at a golf course all summer, driving the cart around selling beverages and bartending. When summer ended, she shifted to her newest school year job, cafeteria worker at the nursing home. It was a job a lot of kids from the local high school went through, but not a job many of them stuck to though enough food stuck to them.

"Glad to hear it. Do your best and for kicks, slip extra prunes into their food. The attendants will hate you."

"Because that's what I want to be remembered for."

"Keep it in mind, someday you might be frustrated enough to need it."

"Maybe on my last day."

"Good. Bye."

"Bye, love you."

"Love you too."

I hung up and trotted to the library. I had a sweet three hours left before my next class and I was hoping to finish a few more things to catch up before Thanksgiving break. I was anxious about going to Kurt's house and didn't want to spend the few days stressing about school.

School was cruising by much more easily now. Chemistry was much more relaxed as the new material after the exam was beginning. I was hoping to receive my exam grade soon, as it had now been weeks during which they could have graded 20,000 exams, rather than the 400 they had to work on but a part of me didn't want to know what I earned. Instead I could ignore it and study for my other classes.

"AB!" I yelled repeatedly as I raced into Kurt's apartment, looking for Nihar.

"What are you yelling about?" Nihar questioned, very annoyed.

"AB, AB, AB!"

"Are you seriously spelling abs? Have you been working out? Doesn't look like it."

"I got an AB on my chemistry exam!"

Nihar was floored. His mouth was hanging open as he tried to contemplate this news. "Is this a sick joke?"

"No, I got the grade that comes between an A and a B, which is very well over passing."

"That's incredible!" Nihar slapped me on the shoulder and tore my exam from my hand, studying it and belittling me for the few questions I missed. "Damn girl, you rocked this."

I couldn't stop grinning.

"We're going out to celebrate tonight. Let Kurt know." Nihar instructed.

I nodded. "Okay. Because I got an AB on a chemistry exam."

"Yes we did."

"Thank you so much, Nihar!"

"You owe me."

I rolled my eyes and called Adam's phone. It had been a while since I had used that number in a celebratory manor and was excited to try it out.

"Hello?"

"Adam! What are you doing tonight?"

"Watching a movie with you?"

"False. Coming to the bars with me to celebrate the AB I got on my chemistry exam? True!"

"You're kidding."

"No! I did excellent."

"Guess those tutors were for more than fucking."

"Adam!"

"And since when do you drink?"

"Since I have a decent fake ID?"

"Dang. I'll find Drew's old one and meet you there….where?"

"Mo's. On Brady Street. It will be fun! At say 10pm?"

"See you tonight."

Success! Not only were Adam and I being civil towards one another, but also we were going to a bar together, something we had never done.

I called Kurt next and got a similar reaction, heading into my English class in high spirits.

I squirmed anxiously in my seat at the bar that evening. Kurt reached over and wrapped a hand around my waist, leaning in and whispering, "Settle down. I thought things were good between you two."

I made a dramatically gross face, "I think they are, but that's not something I'm willing to bet on. Tonight will be telling. I hope he comes."

"He'll be here."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that actually."

"How?"

"You're so oblivious sometimes," Kurt stated, rolling his eyes dramatically and nodding towards the door where Adam was in fact scanning the crowd.

"Adam!" I squealed and raced towards him, wrapping him in a massive hug. "I'm very glad you came."

Adam nodded, still mid hug. "I'm glad I'm invited again."

"Yes, that is nice, isn't it? Are you ready to meet my friends?"

"It's imperative that I meet them at some point in a positive setting. I'm not entirely convinced now is the time, but we can try."

"Thank you, thank you so much, Adam," I reiterated before dragging him back to the usual table my friends occupied.

Sure I had to take more ownership for the problem than I believed was mine but I was glad to have him back in my life, regardless.

"Everyone, this is Adam; Adam this is Kurt, Nihar, Valerie, Will, Gracie, Henry, and I'm sorry, you are?"

"Mine," Henry claimed, already looking buzzed.

"Mindy," the brunette corrected with a giggle.

Adam nodded.

"Come, sit," I said, sliding into the booth so Adam could join.

He hesitantly sat down.

"Adam," Kurt greeted.

"Kurt," Adam returned.

"Chloe," Nihar mimicked.

I giggled nervously as an awkward silence filled our table.

"So, what have you been up to since we stopped checking in on your life?" Nihar questioned casually, filling the silence. I did appreciate that he filled the silence but that is not how I wanted it to be filled as I was trying to move away from those memories.

"Checking in on my life," Adam chucked, "That's one way to put it."

Another awkward silence filled the table and Kurt squeezed my butt. I'm sure it was meant to make me realize how tense my body was and relax but the last thing squeezing my butt is going to do is make me relax.

"My life has been interesting," Adam mused, taking away the awkward as I let out a sigh of relief. "I've been working unusual hours at the store, and discovered that I had a lot of free time at my disposal. I've taken up knitting."

"Knitting?" Nihar asked, looking like he was ready to punch Adam just for fun.

I laughed, "What have you really been doing?"

"I've gotten an internship. I have to study quite a bit more before I can take the exam and begin but it's with an engineering company that works to build pipelines for other countries to supply water to unindustrialized areas."

"Wow." Kurt said.

"That sounds huge, Adam!" I grinned. "I bet Areum's proud."

"Quite. Thank you. I've also scheduled a study abroad option to Chile to work on the project firsthand next semester."

I was thrilled for Adam, I really was. But a part of me was upset that he was doing so well when I'd been in so much pain. It was like an ex, when you wanted to recover and get a new significant other first to prove how fine you are. I didn't need to throw Kurt in his face, I'd done enough of that. What I did want was for him to have nothing to throw in my face. I know that's selfish but I didn't know how to react.

"That's incredible," I said genuinely.

He nodded, "I think it will be a wonderful opportunity to learn. What is new in your life lately, Chloe?"

I hesitated. Well, nothing that could trump that. "I've been spending a lot of time with chemistry. I haven't had much chance to do anything beyond that."

"Yeah, I'd say our chemistry has improved," Kurt deadpanned.

I leaned into him slightly to bump him, rolling my eyes. "I mean my chemistry class."

"I understand that's what we're celebrating?" Adam proposed.

"True," Kurt said, raising his glass, "To Chloe's success."

I wanted to add my own toast about having Adam back in my life but I held back and clinked to my own success, not wanting to remind everyone how new this situation was. "Thanks. And to Adam's success."

"To Chloe and Adam," Kurt corrected.

I heard Nihar scoff and looked across the table. He was providing me a death glare. I didn't quite understand and looked away quickly.

"I'll be back," Kurt said, heading off as Nihar followed a moment behind.

"What do you think? Do you like them any better now?" I questioned, worried about how Adam would respond to my friends.

"It's different."

"But you can deal with it?" I asked hopefully.

"We'll see. It is hard for me to understand your choice in friends but I will do my best to be civil."

"I appreciate that."

Kurt returned and did not look pleased.

"Everything okay?" I questioned.

"Fine."

Fine was the width of very skinny line. Fine was not a word I would use to describe something that is going well. Maybe robust. If Kurt had said robust I might feel better about it. I chose to ignore whatever it was that he was upset about. If he had wanted to tell me, he would have.

The evening continued that way, Kurt being terse and Nihar offering glares whenever he saw fit. Adam handled them quite nicely, dealing with their attitudes as if they were very well behaved.

"It was nice to see you, Chloe," Adam said as we put on our jackets later that evening.

"Yeah. I'm glad we're on the mend," I grinned, the drinks in my belly keeping me happy and influencing the awkward crinkle my face was positioned in. "When will we hang out again?"

"Whenever you'd like."

I smiled and hugged Adam. "Thanks. Thanks for giving us another chance."

Adam nodded and headed home. I turned to Kurt, taking his hand in mine. "To your apartment?" I questioned.

"I think you should go back to your dorm tonight."

Sleeping in my dorm was fine. I didn't have a problem with it. What I did have a problem with was the mystery behind it. I didn't understand why Kurt suggested that and seemed so off the whole evening.

"Is it something I did?"

"I don't know why you invited me, Chloe. You spend all day every day with Nihar. And then we go out and you don't say a word to me, spending all night with Adam. I don't do second best. I definitely don't do third best."

I was shocked. I thought Kurt understood how much Adam meant to me and how important this night was. "I…you…it was—it was one evening catching up on Adam's life. I don't get what's so wrong about that."

"That's what's wrong with it, you don't get it," Kurt said. "Call me when you get home safely."

"You're not going to walk me home."

"You're quite capable of walking."

"Uh huh. Yeah. Been doing it since I was a toddler," I sassed calmly as I turned around and demonstrated to Kurt just how good I was at walking. I looked back and he was smiling with his friends, still at the bar. I got sent home alone and Kurt went back to dance and party.

How did this happen? When I have Kurt, I don't have Adam. When I have Adam, I can't have Kurt? How is that fair? I deserve both of them in my life. It shouldn't have to be one or the other. I picked up my pace, walking more quickly as I neared the dorm. I hated that Kurt had sent me off to walk home alone. The selfish part of me hoped something happened just so he could feel guilty. The scared part of me hoped that my life would go perfectly and I would prance into my dorm safely.

The latter happened, thankfully and I crawled into bed, resting my head on Kurt's penis pillowcase, unable to get the thoughts of Kurt from my mind.

"I don't get it," I said to Nihar the next day on the phone. "Why won't you tutor me?"

"I don't like you. I don't like what you did to Kurt."

"What did I do to Kurt?" I asked, exasperated. "I don't understand."

"The three of your toasted to you and the Asian. Do you understand what that's like? That's a wedding toast that Kurt's not a part of. Not that I would ever want him to marry you, but you can't go dating him and having other men in your head."

"That's not—what? Kurt knows about my past with Adam. My past with Adam. I was catching up with a friend who I've been struggling with. We weren't doing anything wrong."

"It's wrong to exclude him. Even if you're not dating Asian, you can't ignore Kurt. He's the one keeping you alive and paying for your dinners most nights."

It wasn't most nights, but Nihar was right, Kurt was the money of the relationship.

"I don't agree. I disagree. I would love to have you as my tutor. If you change your mind, please let me know."

"I won't," Nihar stated and hung up, leaving me with a dial tone.

What the hell? I thought my life was picking up. I was holding an armful of too many slippery balls. Pick one up, drop three. Pick Adam up, drop Kurt and Nihar and chemistry—both kinds.

I sat in the booth across from Adam. I wanted nothing more than to complain to Adam about Kurt and Nihar but knew that would not do any good. It would make him hate them less at a time when I needed him to create a positive impression of them. I did want to patch things up with Kurt and in the meantime I didn't want to ruin things between Kurt and Adam.

"Why are you acting this way?" Adam questioned.

"What way?"

"You're distracted and frazzled or upset. I'm not sure. What's going on?"

Even a month apart and he could still read me like billboard. "I'm just down today."

"Uh-huh. And what would have caused this down?"

"Just a long semester. Chemistry is beating me up every week and this semester has been draining." Ain't that the truth.

"I was under the impression that you were doing well in chemistry now. What caused the change?"

"My best tutor quit."

"Why would that happen?"

"Differences of opinion?" I asked, hoping that was the wording on the divorce paper that seemed so popular.

"Huh. What would this tutor's name be?"

I sighed. The moment of truth. What could I say to this?

"Egghead, let's practice honesty as we try to repair our friendship."

"That was sneaky. Nihar."

"Why do you think it is Nihar would quit?"

I hesitated again. This conversation was exactly what I wanted to talk about and everything I didn't. "I don't pay Nihar for tutoring and Kurt became upset with me. In a circumstance like that, it appears to be Nihar's obligation to quit."

"Why do you think it is that Kurt is upset with you?"

"I don't know."

"Remember when we talked about how important honesty is?"

"I don't want to talk about it?"

Adam studied me for a moment. "I do not completely believe that. You typically want to over discuss problems."

I sighed in annoyance. "Fine, I don't want to discuss it with you. I want you and Kurt to get along and if you get a bad impression of Kurt, that won't happen."

"So you intend to resolve this issue with Kurt?"

I nodded, "I hope so."

"Have you contacted him since the differences of opinions?"

I shook my head.

"How do you expect to resolve the issue without talking?"

"He hasn't called me either."

"Perhaps he needs a reminder that he wants to work things out."

I was silent.

"If you recall, I needed a reminder."

I smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"It's true, I don't enjoy Nihar or Kurt's company. But you can talk to me about it."

"I appreciate that."

"I forgot that part of our friendship for a while. I forgot that in your life, you have to come first, not me."

I stared at Adam. Months of anger were eased out in that one sentence. He forgot it was about me. Maybe I took it too seriously that my life was about me. I think we both lost the balance we needed for our friendship to work.

"I have to get to class. Call Kurt. Will I see you at work tonight?"

"Yes." For the first time in a long time, Adam and I had a shift together that I expected we would both stay for the entire time and neither of us would storm out in anger.

Adam headed out and I followed his instructions, calling Kurt.

"Hello?"

"Hi Kurt."

"Chloe. I'm a bit busy, can we talk later?"

I scrunched my face in annoyance. What if I wasn't brave enough later? I stopped when I heard giggling from the other end of the phone. Girl giggling.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to go. Maybe we can talk later." With that, he was gone.

I stared at my phone. The phone Kurt had bought me. He was busy flirting with another girl. Or maybe other girls. It was just like Eric. I hadn't put out and he'd found someone else. At least this time I'd gotten a warning that things weren't peachy keen. Thank God I'd never slept with him, the jerk.

If I wasn't so angry I might be crying. I suspected the tears would come later, when the anger wore off and I realized the same scenario, the scenario that I had mourned about for months the first time, had happened to me again. How could this happen to me again? How did I ignore everyone's warning? Adam, Drew, Areum, Monica, Karen…the list was miles long. I should have known from all the perverted deals.

The tears hit me sooner than I anticipated. I was sitting in the diner, my chest tight and tears slipping from my eyes. I needed to leave quickly, before I started ugly, hankering sobs. No one liked to see a hankering girl alone in a restaurant. Yikes my armful of balls was slipping away quickly.

Congratulations Chloe.

AN: Wow, another chapter in the same week! On a roll! This one is a doozy but I don't want to give you any explanation because I want to see how it reads without my tidbits jumping in there.

Thanks so much to everyone who is reading! I can't believe how many people! I would love it if you could review and let me know where I'm at.

Thanks ya'll!

Colie Rae :)