The phone was ringing as Abby slowly unlocked the door. Quickening her pace, the pushed the door open and flew for the phone. Abigail paused for a moment before she picked up to compose herself, sniffing her nose and wiping away the tears she would never let anyone see.

"Hel.." Abby started, but her voice gave out. Clearing her throat she re-answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Hi this is Car-X. May I speak to Abigail Imeron?" a strong male voice spoke.

"Speaking. Can I help you?" Abby readjusted the phone on her shoulder while eyeing the table for her pack of cigarettes.

"Yes. I would just like to inform you that your car is ready for pickup. Also, Mr. Timberlake's car is ready. You had requested we tell you when it was done being fixed."

Abby's heart sunk. What a way to top off a bad day. Timidly she asked how much the total cost would be. When the man replied with a total of $2500 dollars, a new set of tears fell down Abby's face. Where was she going to get that kind of money? She quietly thanked the man and set down the phone.

"I need a cigarette." Abby stated to no one in particular. Grabbing the pack off the table, she sat down on the couch ready to enjoy at least something to soothe her pain. Shaking the pack to get one out, she realized that anything good that was going to come that day was gone. The pack was empty.

In the early afternoon at *NSYNC's house, the only ones that were awake were Lance and JC. After his dispute with Abby the other night, JC drove home in rage without thinking and went straight to sleep in anger. Lance on the other hand went to bed early the day before and had been up since the early break of dawn, watching television. JC rubbed his side against the railing, holding himself up from his half sleepy self.

Justin was up earlier though, grabbing the Jeep and headed over to Abby's work to talk things out.

Clearing his throat as he turned himself to the kitchen, the sound of The Price is Right filled his ears with the next game. It was the game Plinko where you had to guess the amount of the appliance.

" 25 dollars!" he roared about the price of a toaster, while opening the refrigerator and peering in.

Grabbing the carton of orange juice and pouring himself a drink, Lance just stayed there staring at the television without saying a word. The cheering from the audience telling the woman what to estimate crowded the room with the desirable wait for the answer. Dragging his feet with socks against the wood floor, JC charged onto the couch, joining Lance with the show.

" And it is... 32 dollars!" the ringing with a close answer went off and one of those pucks were given to the lady. Resting his feet against the coffee table, he sipped his juice with a growl from his far answer.

They heard the sound of shoes pressing against the wood, making a crack at each step, JC and Lance turned their heads to see Justin coming fully dressed and ready to leave. He had one of his many Jean jackets on and his Doc Martin shoes as he came flying out of his room, with his eyebrows pointed down. Ever since he had his catastrophe with Abby, he's felt guilty about getting her fired, worse about shredding her dignity and pointing out her faults. He barely knew her though he made a strong impact on her life, and it was also devastating his. He couldn't sleep at night knowing that he was an idiot, especially with a girl who he found partially attractive.

Pacing back and forth, Lance broke, " Would you quit it?" he yelled, breaking his silence from the television.

Justin stopped in his tracks, looking down on Lance with such anger. None of it was directed towards him though, it was all pointing at himself. JC got up from his well rested spot on the couch, leaving his glass on the table.

" Well I'm going to take the Jeep out." He announced.

" Wait man, can you drop me off at Car X so I can pick my car up?" Justin interrupted.

" Then you better get your ass moving because I'm heading out now," JC answered, putting his shoes on that were next to the stairs.

Finding the keys on the counter in the kitchen, he walked out the door without thinking twice about Justin. A few minutes later, he flashed through the door saying bye to Lance, catching JC just in time before he began pulling out of the drive way.

"Mom?? Dad??" Abby called out into the house as she opened the door. The lights were on so she knew her parents were home.

"In here Sweet P." she heard her father call out to her from the kitchen. After taking off her Jean jacket, Abby took a deep breath and walked through the house she had spent her childhood in. Abby couldn't help but feel nervous about asking her parents for money. They had always been supportive before, why shouldn't they now? Abby finally got to the kitchen to see her mom and dad, sitting and having a nice meal. They invited her to sit down.

"Is something wrong?" her mother asked her, already seeing Abby's sad face. Abby nodded, tears threatening to trickle down her face. Abby regained her composure and started her story.

"Well mom, it all started on Friday when I hit this guy's car..."Abby grimaced when she saw her mother's comforting look, turn into a disappointed look. Abby explained everything, except for the way Justin was treating her. That was her problem, that she had to solve on her own. After she got to the part about how much she owed Car-X, her father's face turned into a scowl.

"Abigail...what are we supposed to do? This is the third job you have lost!" She knew her dad was mad, because he never called her Abigail. "And how could you have been so careless? Out of all the cars you could hit, you choose to hit a Mercedes! I'm sorry, but I can't be giving you money. There is no way I can pay for you're mistakes. It was your choice to move out, and you can't even hold a steady job. I'm not going to be your backbone any more Abigail." Her dad shouted at her. This was not the reaction she was expecting at all. Tears were running down her face as Abby got up from the table and ran to the door. She barely heard her mom calling her over her own sobs.

"I am a screw-up." She thought as she broke out into a run and she made her way home. About 10 minutes later, she made it to her block . From where she was standing, she could see JC's familiar black jeep sitting in her driveway. She ran even faster to get to her house, seeing JC sitting on her doorstep. He opened his mouth to say something, but Abby quickly yelled at him.

"I don't want to talk to you! You don't deserve to even be friends with Vesteva!" Abby screamed. She pulled out her key to the house and opened the door. Without even looking back, she slammed it shut, and ignored JC pounding at her door.

Her mother drove her to school that morning in complete silence. Mrs. Hartner didn't know that Vesteva heard the whole quarrel, not mentioning anything to either daughter. Knowing to herself, Ves believed that this is all her fault, that she was causing all problems in her home but there was no knowing how to stop it. She couldn't stop her feelings and she couldn't share them either. Losing her father would be the most terrible thing in her life, they were close and best friends. He was the only one who really tried to help her and listen, instead of her mother leaving for work every second, not even trying to understand.

Her father hadn't returned since he left for work yesterday morning. The house had been a deadly quiet with Vesteva and her mother barely talking to each other. They decided not to tell Leehola about it because it would be too much for her. They don't know what the consequences could end up being and they don't want her thinking things that aren't going to happen. She was the only neutral one in the house but she just stared from one person to the other the whole time.

Reaching the school, walking down the hallways once again, going to each class, for some she had to mention that her books were accidentally ruined. Everyone laughed at her response, some people hearing it for the second time though continued to laugh. Sinking lower in her chair, she felt like sobbing to herself, or wanting to have her old notebook to scribble her feelings. Her head bowed lower while the teacher gave a speech of responsibility, everyone giving her glares that they had to sit through that boring fifteen minutes. When opening her tote bag, sitting in English she pulled out her book that she was handed at the last meeting.

Bringing it out slowly, clutching it close to her body so that no one was able to take a look at it. Taking one glance at it, the bell rang for her to go to her next class. Not having time to place it back in the bag, she scooped it up in her hands and velcroed her bag shut, leaving for the next class.

Leaving the room, she left with her head placed down, her hair half way put up. Her concentration was built around not anybody seeing her, not where she was exactly stepping. Without a second thought, her body clashed against someone else's and she was pushed against the lockers, dropping everything in hand. Wiping her hair that doesn't fit up high, she glanced at the body that stood in front of her, making her knees sink low to the ground she felt as if she couldn't hold herself up.

The blonde hair that curled to her mid-arm was pushed back, staring right back at Vesteva with her hazel eyes. Audra, the varsity cheer leader captain mingled in her group of friends including Eric Rudarski in his football uniform, and her ex best friend, Caylin who stood with a look of disgust. The guys began to laugh while Audra stood there with a look of sorry in her eyes.

Vesteva just closed hers, as she began to roll against the lockers into the direction that she was heading. No apology was given between either of them. Looking at the ground, Audra saw a book face down laying on the tiles.

" You dropped your--," she began to call out, but Vesteva was lost among the crowd. Turning to her friends, Caylin snatched it away quickly, opening the cover to see 'Dedicated to Vesteva Hartner, From Dr. Karen. I wish the best and hope that this book helps'. Peering up to the blank faces amid her, she gave a devious grin to the group, closing the book and holding it tight to her chest.

Vesteva raced through the crowds to the other side of the school, beating the bell to her next class. As she took her seat in the second row, she breathed in a sigh of relief. The teacher approached the front of the class with a clipboard in hand.

" Vesteva Hartner, it's your turn for your report." He smiled, sliding the pen in the clip.

Her heart dropped as it began to beat faster from being nervous. Looking from side to side, she didn't know what to do. Whispering out into the class," I don't have it.".