Allie was at the Palm Woods pool, sketching in her sketch book. She smiled a bit as she drew the last details on a picture. Perfect she thought to herself and signed it. Then she looked up.

There was Kendall, talking with Jo while they drank his-and-hers smoothies (Kendall drinking the pink one, Jo drinking the blue one). There was Logan, talking with Camille. There was Carlos, cannon balling into the pool. And there was James, flirting with a girl.

Everything was back to normal.

Allie gently ran her fingers over the scar that had formed on the inside of her forearm; she'd gotten the bandage off a few days ago and the doctors said that the thin white line would stay there for the rest of her life.

Allie didn't mind. The scar was a memory; a memory of a very interesting period in her life. But that chapter was over now; a new one was beginning. A much happier one.

"Hey, Allie."

Allie turned around. "Hey, James."

"Whatcha doing?"

"Thinking."

"That's cool." James sounded a bit…sullen.

Allie looked at her cousin. "That girl rejected you, didn't she?"

James sighed. "Yeah."

Allie laughed a little to herself.

"Hey! It's not funny!" said James, "Girls around here don't like me like they do in Minnesota!"

"Then go back home. I'm sure there are plenty of girls willing to date you there," Allie replied.

James made a face. "Go back home and be a nobody? Never."

"Hey, James," said Kendall, coming up to them, smirking, "Any luck with the ladies lately?"

"Shut up, Kendall," James grumbled.

"Hey," said Logan, joining them.

"Hey, Logan," said Allie.

Logan looked at James. "He got rejected by a girl?" he asked.

"Yep," Allie replied.

Logan chuckled. "She probably wasn't worth it, anyway," he said.

"True. Besides, there's always next time," said James, brightening a little.

"Right," said Logan.

"Hey, guys," said Carlos, coming over.

"Carlos! You're getting me all wet!" James shouted.

"Sorry. Hey, Allie, you wanna go swimming?

"Sure," said Allie, "I just have to get my bathing suit on first."

"Ok," said Carlos.

Allie went up to her apartment. Yep. This was definitely going to be a happier chapter in her life.

Or was it?