"There isn't anything to be said Ali." Lance said coldly.

"Yes there is. My explanation." Ali said with reason.

"Ali, this is your life. It isn't mine. I don't need any explanation."

"Yes, well maybe you don't need one, but I must tell you one." Lance nodded. "Listen, you are the only one I'm going to tell. Please, can I trust you."

"Of course Ali."

"I still am in love with Justin. I always will be. I just heard him telling Jc I was a fling. Nothing serious just something to do." Lance looked as though he was going to say something but Ali went on, "I've never felt anything like this before for anyone and when I heard him say that I thought the better thing to do was ended before he ended it with me. I wouldn't have been able to handle that at all. When he said that he didn't love me it felt like my heart had shattered."

"Don't cry Ali. I'm sorry. I had no idea what had happened." Lance was moving closer to her.

"Thanks Lance." Ali collapsed into Lance's arms. Ali stayed in his arms for awhile until her tears started to stop. "Oh I don't know what to do now Lance."

"Don't worry Ali. Everything will be fine. We can fix everything. Now you better go back to John." As Ali started to walk away Lance yelled after her, "don't do anything you'll regret." Ali ran back to Lance to say one final thing.

"Lance, right now I think I want to try something with John. I don't think anything serious will happen but just incase please don't say or do anything." Lance just nodded and Ali started walking back again.

~*~*~ With the group ~*~*~

"Ali is fine guys," Lance said as he jogged toward the others.

"Justin, what happened?" Jc asked.

"Nothing ok? Just leave me the hell alone." Justin stormed over to his horse and proceeded to brush him.

"What are we going to do guys?" Joey was obviously upset by the afternoons events.

"Hey look, here comes Ali and that John guy," Chris pointed out.

"Hi everyone." Ali said quietly. "I'm sorry I ran off. If you guys want to we can still go out on the trail?" Ali smiled as Chris wildly shook his head.

"Come on let's go!" Lance yelled. Everyone watched Ali as she tacked up her horse Raisin and mounted her. Everyone did the same.

"Ok first we are going to go down that way and come around to the lake. Then we can head back. Everyone feel comfortable? Great. I'm going to start out in a trot." Ali kicked her horse and then started trotting. Everyone else followed in line.

After about 20 minutes of silence Joey broke it by announcing to everyone that his butt hurt. "Can't we go any faster? This bouncing is killing me." He whined.

"Ok, we could start cantering if you'd like?" Ali offered. The were cheers from the back of the line so Ali kicked her horse once again and they gained speed. As the other horses were trained to follow suit they too gained speed and started cantering. "After this turn we should hit the lake. When we get there we'll all stop and take a break. I also have some food and some drinks there so we can have that too."

"Thank goodness. Can't we go faster?" Joey asked again.

"Are you sure?" Ali asked.

"YES!" Everyone yelled. Justin even cracked a smile. Things for Justin had seemed to cool off a little.

"Alright." Ali kicked her horse once again a little harder and picked up lots of speed. This was not good. Coffee was not in the mood to go any faster so he bit the back of Raisin's butt to, one can only imagine, say slow down. Instead of doing so Raisin had a freak attack and started galloping off into the trees. She also was bucking like crazy. Ali wasn't screaming or scared she was just holding on for dear life. She couldn't gain control of Raisin.

"I'm coming Ali." John came from behind the line and sped after her. Once he finally was neck and neck with Raisin he grabbed her chin strap and pulled down her nose. Doing so caused her to stop moving. Ali was silently crying. She was obviously terrified. John jumped off his horse's back and pulled Ali off Raisin.

"It's ok Ali. Calm down you're fine." John attempting to calm Ali down as the other caught up to them.

"Ali, Ali!" Jc was off Charming and running to Ali on foot.

"Oh, oh my goodness. I, I can't move my hand. When I was holding on I guess I grabbed so tight that I strained it or something I don't know," Ali was terribly shaken up and obviously on the verge of crying, so she was trying to hide it by talking a lot.

"Come here sweetie," Jc wrapped her into a tight hug and watched out for her hand. "Let me see that," Jc took her red hand and kissed it gently. "Let's head to the lake to put some cool water on your hand. Are you alright baby? You seem really upset."

"No, it's just that I've never had Raisin do that. Oh I just want to lie down." Jc picked her up as if reading her mind. He walked her down the path labeled Lake Surprise and he was trailed by the rest of the group and their horses.

"Here sit down on my jacket. Chris bring over the bag I think there is a cooler with some ice in it." Chris did as he was asked and brought the bag to Jc. He pulled out the cooler and twisted off the cap. He then took out some napkins and poured the cool water onto the napkin. He wrapped the damp napkin around Ali's hand and kissed her forehead. "Are you ok now?" The others had congregated around the two with worried looks on their faces.

The lake was a beautiful site. The water was a clear blue-green color. The sun had now settled over the bridge they had crossed earlier and it lite up the water so it sparkled. A flock of geese were resting on the outer edge of the lake and on the lily-pads frogs could be seen jumping in and out of the water. Ali was trying to take all this is when she felt Jc's strong hand on the arm. "I'm fine Jc, just fine." Ali was tired of talking. She just wanted to lie in the warmth of the afternoon sun and spend time with her dearest friends. Ali moved the jacket Jc had provided for her and leaned against the monstrous Oak tree a few feet away from the group.

"Lance honey, can you please convince Chris to tell us the good news?" Katie whined. Lance was laughing very hard at the fact that Chris had twisted Katie around his little finger.

"Oh Katie?" Chris asked from his spot on the lawn.

"Yes Chris?"

"Will you please make me a sandwich?" Chris asked smiling up at her.

"If I do will you please tell us what your little secret is. PLEASE?" Katie was now eye to eye with Chris.

"Ok. You make me my sandwich and I'll tell you my news. Deal?" Chris held out his hand. Katie just nodded and went over to the basket to pull out the makings of a sandwich for Chris. "Here you go. Now tell us!" Katie handed him his sandwich.

"Now is there mustard on this because if not then..."

"Just tell us Chris," Joey yelled form behind him. He had been throwing his excess bread to the ducks.

"Ok, while we were gone I managed to hide the fact that I found a girl. We were seeing each other casually at first but I really started to fall for her. Well she is know my girlfriend."

Everyone stared at him blankly. No one could actual take in that Chris had hidden this very important fact from everyone. "Hey, Chris I can't hear you. You told the news with out me?" Ali called to him from under the tree.

"Oh my little sugar chicha. I'm sooo sorry." Chris ran over to her and picked her up. "My news was that I have a girlfriend." Ali looked at him with shook.

"So what does that mean. That I'm not good enough for you? I was just about to get enough courage to ask you out and this is what you do to me. Put ne down. This instant." As Chris's back was turned she winked at the others. Everyone had a smirk on their faces except Justin. He did not seem at all amused. "Don't give me that look Chris! You just don't want me." Ali marched away from him to the edge of the water.

"Ali? Are you, are you serious. I mean I didn't... I don't understand... What did I do..." Chris had a solemn expression or his face.

Ali ran to him and through her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek and smiled with glee. "Oh Chris I was just kidding. I love you and I'm very happy for you babe." Ali was a little worried about the fact that Chris hadn't said anything throughout her explanation of her joke. "Chris? I was kidding you know was."

"You're dead!" Without warning Chris picked up Ali and headed towards the lake.

"You wouldn't dare!" Ali shrieked which brought the group over to watch the hysterical event. "Please Chris I was just kidding. You wouldn't do this to me would you? It's me your sugar chicha." Before Ali could plead with him any more Chris dropped her into the water. Ali was gasping for breath when she came up. Nothing was said as she got out and went over to Chris who was doubled over laughing. Ali grabbed Chris with incredible strength and before Chris could protest she pulled him waist deep into the water. They both looked at each other and started in a huge splashing war.

"Ok I got the point." Chris said between laughs.

"What's her name?" Ali asked him as they wadded in the water.

"Her name is Deanah. I like calling her Dee though. I can't wait until you all meet her. She is so wonderful."

"I CAN'T REALLY HEAR YOU CHRIS," called Joey from the waters edge.

"So umm Chris, he can't hear us can he?" Ali asked with tone like she was hinting something.

"Oh yes I do think he can't hear us. Let's bring him closer." Chris moved closer to Ali and whispered, "I'll take Joey you get Jc. I'll wink to Lance and he'll pull in Katie too." Chris didn't need an answer they both just went for it.

"No!!!" Joey and Jc screamed in unison as they both plunged into the cool water.

"Lance grab Katie NOW!" Ali yelled from behind as she pushed Lance in who was holding Katie's hand.

Ali was laughing at Katie who had a lily pad on her head at the moment and then realized that Justin and John were gone and they were no where to be seen.

She was frantically calling their names and since she was making such much noise the fun in the lake had stopped and everyone was looking at her. "Ali, what's the matter?"

Before Ali could answer Justin ran over to the group. Sweat was running down his face and his usually fluffy fro was matted down to his forehead. He was out of breath and horror was across his face.

"Quick...come quick..." Justin was trying to catch his breath.

"Justin, calm down what happened? Tell us now." Ali was frantic.

"John...he...we were...he went over the bridge...I tried to catch him, but he fell and I couldn't see him in the water. I think her hit his head or something...he never came up." Justin would not make eye contact with anyone.

"Why the hell were you fighting?" Jc asked him.

"That's not important now! Where did he fall?!?" Ali screamed.

"Over here," Justin started down the path he came. Ali was matching him stride for stride turning her head constantly as to will Justin to say over there or something.

"Where Justin? Where??" Ali asked him again.

"Ok, through here and then he went right over the railing. I didn't even hit him hard." Justin tried to explain.

Oh God where is John? Where could he be. Maybe he's unconscious. Oh no he could be dead! Don't think that way Ali we've just got to find him and he'll be ok. Where is he. How could this of happened? What in the world could they have been fighting about? For the first time she noticed Justin's lip was bleeding and so was a cut above his eye. For a moment sympathy rushed to her heart for him, but it rushed right back out when she realized he's hurt John. "There! There's the bridge! JOHN...JOHN CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Ali was screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Come down here. We can go to the path by the water." Chris pointed out.

"Ok, hurry guys please we have to find him." Ali pleaded with them. Everyone nodded and picked up the pace.

Katie was about to say something to Ali, probably to calm her down, but Ali's ear piercing scream stopped and everyone stayed in horror at the view Ali had a of John's lifeless body floating in the water.

"JOHN!" Ali started towards him feeling the cold water all over her body. She was almost to him when a hand pulled her back. "Let go I have to get to John!!!" But the hand wouldn't let go.