Disclaimer & Stuffferrs: I don't own anything from Stand by Me. Okay? How many times do I have to say this before you believe me!?

Okay.

I was back. Back from my first semester at Higgenburg. Let me tell you, I did not want to go back there again. I was only staying here for a week. Sucks, right?

It was going to be tough. I hadn't seen them in so long. Were they different? Did they change at all?

I don't know.

"Dad?" I asked, opening the door to our house. He should be here. I told him I was coming (my dad I mean). "Hello?" I shouted. I ran upstairs to see him. He was in bed asleep…with a woman. She looked very young.

"DAD!" I shouted. He snorted, and she woke up.

"Oh! Will, get up! Your daughters home! Oh dear, you must be Ashley! I've waited oh so long to meet you!" She got out of bed, and was wearing some form of pajamas. She was definitely more than five years younger than my dad. She grabbed me and hugged me. "Oh love, I have waited so long!" She smiled at me, and kissed both of my cheeks.

The only kissing I wanted was from Chris.

But, Higgenburg made me somewhat proper. I smiled up at the woman.

"Nice to meet you, um…" I said.

"Kitty." She said. That was her name? Kitty? Really Dad? Kitty.

"Kitty," I said. "Just tell my father that I'll be out and about with my old friends, okay? Thanks." I said smiling, and walked downstairs shaking my head.

What was wrong with my dad? Kitty? What the hell had happened!?

I walked next door to Chris's house. I knocked on the door, my hands getting clammy with nerves.

"Hello?" I asked. The door began to open. I was getting so nervous. Eyeball answered.

"Ashley? Don't you go to some lesbian school now?" He said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Where's Chris?" I asked, demandingly.

"He's with the guys somewhere." He said, and I nodded and ran. They were at the tree house. I knew that for sure. So I ran there. Faster than the wind. I needed to see them. See him! I needed to.

As I ran, I thought about my appearance. I had cut, curled, and dyed my hair. Now it was a shoulder-length bob, curled with ringlets frizzled around my head. I had dyed it chocolate brown. My navy blue eyes remained. I had grown a tad bit taller. And if it doesn't sound too weird, I had gone up a cup size. (A/N :D) Somehow over the course of a semester at school, I had acquired orange freckles across my nose.

I was wearing the required uniform from Higgenburg: White long sleeved, collared shirt, navy sweater, navy tie, navy and white plaid skirt, navy knee highs, and black killing-my-feet shoes. Yeah, I had to wear this every day. Terrible right?

I had made some friends, Leah and Poppy. That was about it. And Poppy's just as crazy as a chick as I am. Leah's just smart and lets me copy off of her in math. Or as put in Higgenburg, Algebraic Numerals Discussed By…yeah I don't pay attention.

I finally reached the tree house. It looked…like home. I'd missed it. Far too much, in fact. I used to come into my dorm room and ask where the mighty mouse comics were. Or when the guys were coming up. Another thing, the guys never visited me. Ever. I waited for at least a letter. Teddy wrote me, but that was it. And he was just telling me that school had started and they all missed me. That made me feel okay, but I wanted more than that. I wanted…well I wanted Chris.

I started climbing the ladder, slowly and carefully. I reached the wooden door. I could hear them in there.

"You can't knock! That's illegal in the game you pile of shit!" That was Teddy.

"Look what Superman did to…" that was definitely Gordie. Where was Chris?

I closed my eyes deeply, and gave my secret knock the best it could have ever gotten from me. The tree house went silent.

"Did you hear that?" That was Vern.

"Someone…someone knows the secret knock!" Gordie shouted. The wooden door was slowly opening. Teddy stuck is head out.

"Walkin' talkin' Jesus." He said, wiping his glasses. "Guys?" He said, before opening the door fully. I smiled, brightly. "It's Ashley."

"Surprised?" I asked. The door opened more, and I saw him. In…in someone's arms. A girl's arms. They were kissing, heartily.

"A-Ashley." Chris said, as he stopped kissing the girl.

I couldn't help but let the tear drop. That moment, our eyes met and connected. He could see the hurt in my eyes, as I could see the guilt in his. He broke apart our gaze, and looked back at his girl. He kissed her once more.

That's when I realized. Home isn't where the heart is, is it?

Like itt ? I know. SO sadd. Chris has a girlfriend, yessirr. You'll read on to find out secrets, lies, cheating, depression, boyfriends/girlfriends, hook ups, and even…murder…? We'll see. Just review, and I promise I'll write more!