A/N: Hi. How're doing on this wonderful day? I can't hear you, so...Awkward.

Here's that story I promised. Yea, I took a long time writing this. I have a life outside of this, believe it or not. It's a pretty eventless life, but I got one!

Twenty-five year old Lenny was a complete wreck. Not in the bad way, like a partier or drug dealer, but as in emotional, which I guess is still bad. The emotions were bottled up and shoved behind a reinforced gate in his mind. He was strong, harsh, and cold on the outside. Someone needed to break through that barrier, to release the man he really was, instead of the man he'd become.

At least, that's what I thought. I hadn't seen Lenny in four years. By the time I managed to escape my singing career and find him, he was an emotionless shell of himself. Here, let me start from the beginning.

It was a Friday night, around eight o'clock, and I found myself lumbering into a local bar. It must've been built while I was out of town, because as far as I knew Peaceville didn't have a bar. That may have been what the peace part in Peaceville was.

Anyway, I took a seat, got the regular go round of autographs and stuff, ordered, and scanned the room. Maybe I was hoping to find on of my colleagues from the band days. I don't remember. I do remember spotting a familiar mop of red hair.

As fate would have it, the man turned towards me and locked eyes. There was a short moment of panic in me. What was I going to say? Would he forgive me for leaving four years ago on such short notice? What was he doing in a bar? He rarely drank, but the bartender acted as if he was a regular.

I snapped back into focus. Lenny had looked away, pointedly ignoring me. We'd been best friends for years, even went out for a while, and he ignores me when I get back in town. The nerve of him!

I stood up. If he wasn't coming to me, I'd come to him.

"Lenny Nepp. Didn't think I would see you in a place like this," I said casually as I slid into a seat next to him.

"Same here, Carrie Beff. Didn't know you were home. How long is it before you leave again? Three days? A week?" Lenny asked, clearly broken hearted. He downed another shot and I wondered how many he'd had so far.

"For good, actually. I've given up on my singing career. It wasn't the same without you…guys," I added at the last second, deciding not to bring up the subject of us.

"You couldn't have figured the out before you left us in complete disarray? I…The band was lost without you. But I guess it doesn't matter now, Miss I'm-So-Famous." Lenny stood to leave, taking out some cash for his drinks. It was a lot more than I thought, and I'm surprised he wasn't a least a little tipsy. I grabbed his wrist.

"I could come back, you know. We could reform the Newmans," I said. He was still for a minute, staring at me. I thought that he might sit back down. I thought maybe, just maybe, he'd forgive me. Then he shook my hand away, and left without another word.

I sighed. He was really angry at me. It was justified, of course. I did leave him and the band for a chance to be famous. Everyday I regretted my choice a little bit more. This was the most I'd ever regretted it. There were tears brimming in my eyes. "You got any Jack Daniels?" I asked the bartender. To my delight, and probably the expense of my liver, he nodded.

"So…you knew the red-haired kid?" the bartender questioned with a slight country accent. It seemed a little odd to be talking with a bartender, but I really didn't care.

"Yea, we are…we were best friends. A long time ago," I answered. He presented me with the drink.

"Boy's in a mighty bad shape. Comes here almost every month and downs at least a bottle." I nearly choked.

"For how long?" The tender shrugged, wiping down the counters like in a movie.

"I've only work here a year, but he's been here since I started. I suspect a while before that, seeing as he can hold his liquor. Sometimes I'll hear him muttering about how 'she left me'. I guess that she would be you."

"It was the opportunity of a lifetime! I thought he understood."

"He understands fine, Miss. He just don't like it," the bartender said as he walked away. With that in mind, I drank the rest of my drink, paid, and left.

The night was cold and it was raining lightly. It was so cliché and it fit my mood perfectly.

Lenny had been drinking, impossible as it sounds. A part of me wanted to deny it, but the other part knew it made sense. My heart sunk to my stomach the more I thought about it. Alcohol shortens your lifespan, right?

I should've come back sooner. I shouldn't have left them. I was the leader, the glue that kept us together. Just goes to show you how one choice changes everything.

And then somebody bumped into me. We both tripped. In a split second, I thought about Lenny.

"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." I knew that voice, annoying as it was. It was not Lenny, sadly, but it was an old friend. If you could call him a friend, that is.

Corey stood up, and offered me a hand. I knocked it away, brushing my self off as I got to my feet.

"Been a longtime," I said. He frowned.

"Am I supposed to know you?"

I rolled my eyes. He was oblivious as ever. "You know me, the one that broke your finger, your rival, possible step-sister."

Corey blinked. "Carrie?"

"The one and only," I grinned. He engulfed me in a hug, always the one who forgot personal space. Or maybe he just didn't know the meaning of it.

"I thought you were on tour!" He said, breaking away.

"Yea, well, I'm back. For good," I added the last bit thinking of Lenny.

Corey grinned. "That's great! Oh, you've got to come see everyone. Laney and I- Wait, where're staying?"

"Actually, I haven't thought of that." I cursed myself internally for forgetting. I had money, luggage, even my car parked down the block, but the most important thing I had forgotten. Where was I going to stay?

"You could stay with Lenny," Corey suggested smirking. I punched him in the arm while glaring.

"We're not exactly on good terms. Have you talked to him lately?" I asked hopefully. He shook his head.

"Not for a couple months. He seemed real down last time we chatted. Laney says he's just upset. I don't know why- wait. You didn't tell him you were leaving, did you?" Corey surprised me by guessing it.

"It was too hard to say goodbye."

"Oh. Well, I guess you could ask Kim and Konnie if they'd let you stay," He said, veering of the topic of Lenny. A good choice, I suppose he's been brushing up on when to keep his mouth shut.

"Just until I get things running," I assured him.

"Of course, I wouldn't think otherwise." He glanced down at his watch. I was impressed that he wore one. Maybe Laney had gotten on to him for being late one to many times. I was slightly less impressed when I realized there were little cartoon characters painted on it.

"I've got to go. Come over sometime soon, okay? I'll plan a big welcome home party," Corey said. I nodded, waving as he disappeared down the street.

It was nice knowing I didn't leave everyone in a bad mood. Though Corey was almost always in a good mood, so I don't think he counted.

The drive to Kim and Konnie's was excruciatingly boring. Two of my songs came on during the twenty minute trip. They only made me feel worse.

I passed Lenny's house on the way. It was a lot less bright than I remembered. In my memories, there were trees blooming, those little purple flowers every where, and Lenny and I were up in our tree house, being ridiculously childish for a couple of twenty year olds. In comparison, the house resembled a graveyard. The trees looked dead, our tree house was in shambles, the grass didn't even grow in places, there was a big 'For Sale' sign out front, and minus the lights on upstairs, it was pitch black.

I thought about stopping. I thought about getting out, knocking on Lenny's door, and making some sappy apology you only see in Hallmark movies. But I didn't. I don't know why, looking back. I should have. That's another one of those choices I made wrong. Or maybe I didn't. Sometimes, I wonder if I'll ever know the right choice from the wrong one.

I slowed to a halt in front of Kim and Konnie's house. Exactly as I remember it, except for an unfamiliar car. A black pickup with spay-painted flames sat in the driveway.

"Dorky," I thought as I walked towards the door. I only had to knock twice before the door swung open.

A tall, dark haired, rather handsome man with glasses, looking a little older than me, had answered the door.

"Who is it?" I heard Kim call from the sitting room. The man didn't answer for he was to busy looking at me as if I was a polar bear in the Sahara Desert. In other words, he thought I didn't belong here.

I was beginning to feel really uncomfortable when Kim appeared behind him. Her jaw dropped.

"Sup?" I said for lack of a better greeting.

"You're back," Kim stated, and I nodded. She turned to the man and swatted him lightly on the shoulder. "What are you waiting for, Kin? Let her in, you goof! It's raining out there!"

I had to suppress a shocked expression. Kin, the short guy with acne, was the man standing in front of me? I wouldn't have believed it, but I could see it. The same round glasses, the same haircut, and the same eyes that shifted colors.

I stepped inside, doing a quick look around, and saw Kon and Konnie sitting on the floor in front of the television. A movie was playing, a scary one by the looks of it. At the moment an alien was snapping some poor guy's head off before popping it in its mouth like a chicken nugget.

"Hey, what're you watching?" I said. Konnie froze and slowly turned around.

"Carrie?" She asked like all the others. I nodded again; sure if I nodded anymore my head would fall off. Seriously, I was getting a crick in my neck.

"You're back!" Kon and Konnie shouted, engulfing me in a hug that nearly crushed me. Kim politely reminded them that I couldn't breathe. They both mumbled apologies and let go.

"S'okay, you guys. I missed you, too," I huffed. They waited until I had gotten my breath back to bombard me with questions.

"When did you get back?"

"How long are you staying?"

"I like your hair. What'd you do with it?"

"Where are you staying?"

I held up my hands, requesting and getting silence. Being a bandleader has its perks.

"I got back a few hours ago, Kim. I'm staying for as long as I like because I quit, Kin. Thank you for noticing that, Konnie. I let it grow out a bit; put some light blue streaks in it, nothing too major. And lastly, I have no idea where I'm staying, Kon." I answered them all in order.

"You could stay with us, Carrie. It'd be like a big sleepover," Kim said excitedly as Konnie nodded in agreement. Well, that was handy.

"If I'm not interrupting, I'd love to. Thanks," I said. The female twins glanced at each other, silently mouthing the word 'interrupting'.

"Interrupting your date, of course," I answered their unspoken question. The set of twins all went red in the face. The boys hastily excused themselves, only stopping to grab the bowl of cheesy popcorn.

"Still good at making observations, I see," Kim said, fighting the blush. I shrugged. "I know a movie date when I see one. Lenny and I-," I stopped. Tears threatened to spill out, but I held them in for the sake of my friends.

"Never mind. Shall we watch the rest of this movie?" I asked, gesturing towards the television. They shrugged and nodded, taking a seat on the couch as I sat on the floor.

A lot needed to be done. I wanted to catch up with Corey and Laney. I wanted to visit my parents again. I wanted to order some food from my favorite dinner in town. I needed to fix everything I'd broken.

But that could wait until the morning. It was late, the rain had turned into a storm something fierce, and my friends wanted me to talk with them. It could wait. I hoped