Tori sat on a bench at the park, watching the ducks and birds peacefully playing. She wasn't sure what to believe, but the easiest was to keep believing that Ryan and Melissa had betrayed her and Dan. She held her head in her hands and began to cry. She was about to get up and leave when she heard someone call her name. She looked up to see who it was, and much to her dismay she saw Ryan.

"Tori you have to hear me out," he said when he reached the bench.

"Ryan I'm not in a talking mood right now," she said curtly.

"Okay fine, you don't hve to talk, just listen to me," he said as he took her hands into his and sat beside her. "If I were you I'd be suspicious of me too, but you have to believe me."

"Oh do I? Last time I checked I was free to believe what I choose."

"So go ahead and do that, but know the truth," he said. "Nothing happened or ever will happen with me and Melissa. She couldn't talk to Dan so she came to me, and she started crying. I gave her my shoulder to cry on and that's all that happened." Tori wouldn't look at him, she just kept staring at the lake before them. "Tori, finding me asleep with a friend on my arm on a couch doesn't suggest much, especially since I've never given you any reason to not trust me." He kissed her cheek and then left her to have time to herself.

She got up and began to walk around the park. Ryan had never given her any reason to not trust him, but for some reason seeing Melissa in his arms really struck a bad chord in her head. She stopped at a large rock at the edge of the lake and sat on it. She held her head in her hands and stared at nothing while she tried to gather her thoughts. For the short time she had them gathered, they were suddenly broken by someone approaching her.

"Hi, you're Tori, right?" the girl asked.

"Unfortunatly. Who wants to know?"

"Me for one. I'm Nicci. You look bummed, are you feeling alright?" she faked her caring sound.

"You don't let anything past you," Tori replied bitterly. She just wanted to be alone at that moment, she didn't need some stupid giggly chick trying to give her advice.

"Wow, you really are on edge. What's wrong, maybe I can help?"

"Why the hell would I want to confide in a complete stranger?"

"Maybe because I'm here, and I'll give an unbiased opinion to whatever your problem is," she lied. This was going to be tougher than she thought, Tori really did have a hard outter shell.

Tori raised her head and looked into Nicci's eyes. "How do you even know who I am?"

"Well you're only dating the lead singer of Newmarket's best band, I mean come on," she said. "There's thousands of girls who would kill to have Ryan Dennis, and you do. You should consider yourself lucky."

"Heh, yeah. Real lucky," she laughed to herself, finding no real amusement in the statement.

"I sense some hostility. Trouble in paradise I take it?" she asked. "Maybe I can help."

"And how could you possibly help? Why should I trust you?" Tori blurted. This girl was starting to get on her last nerve, she keep thinking to herself that there was something suspicious about her.

"Ryan and I go way back, I've known him for years, maybe I could find out for you."

"You and Ryan are friends? Then why have I never heard him talk about you?" she questioned.

"I don't know, but if you don't want help from me, then suit yourself."

"I'll save you the trouble of that little 'speech', and I'll go ahead and repeat 'no thank you' and 'goodbye'." Tori got off the rock and started to walk home.

Nicci grinned, she knew what she had to do next, and she was more than willing to see that it got done.

"Ryan?" Tori asked as she opened to garage door. He was sitting on a stool with his guitar, silently singing "Dream Girl" to himself. "You always did look cute when you sing that song."

Ryan looked up from his guitar, and his eyes lit up the moment he saw her. "Tori! I didn't expect you to come by," he said as he put his guitar down.

Tori sighed and pulled up another stool beside him. "Look, it was wrong for me to just assume I knew what was going on. And it was wrong for me to doubt even for a split second your commitment to this relationship."

"You don't need to make excuses for yourself, don't even apologize. I would've reacted the same way if I were you," he said. "You know how much I lov eyou right?" She looked deep into his eyes, and nodded. "I would never intentionally hurt you." They didn't have to say anymore, he just took her in his arms and they held each other like there was no tomorrow.

"Casey!" Nicci screamed when she got home. "Casey I have good news, where the hell are you?"

"I'm in the kitchen!" he yelled back. "What the hell are you screaming about woman?"

"It's starting, Tori and Ryan now have a slightly strained relationship, she'll never trust him the way she used to, no matter what. Now is when we make our move." She was grinning from ear to ear, never had being evil and malicious been so much fun for her. Casey on the other hand was starting to wonder. He was having small doubst about everything. Tori was so incredible, he was actually envious of Ryan because of her. He had seen them at the movies and the mall numerous times before, and although he wanted nothing more in the world than to be with Tori, for some reason unbeknownst to himself he was starting to feel like he couldn't go on with splitting them up. After all, she was with Ryan Dennis, what did he have to offer her? Ryan had so much more to offer her, he was talented, good looking, not to mention famous. The perfect blow to any teenage guys pride and self-confidence was the rejection of a girl. He was starting to think about quitting before he could let it happen.