"Come on man, it wasn't that bad."

"Oh it was that bad," Andy groaned, falling back against the couch at Starbucks. He, Rio, Mark, Ellis, Anna, and Roxy all sat around him on various couches and chairs. On the coffee table in the center of them sat an array of coffees, teas (water for Anna, who was trying to lay off the caffeine), and muffins. People were moving around them, like it was a regular Sunday.

Except in Andy's mind it was the worst Sunday in the history of all Sunday's.

"What did I even do?" he asked, letting his head fall in his hands.

"Well, if you had to ask someone, I'd think you got drunk, and Mitzi used it to her own personal advantage."

Mark glared at Rio while Roxy hit him upside the head. "Rhetorical question, dumbass."

"Ok, ok, don't beat me up over it," Rio snapped, rubbing the sore spot on his head.

"Oh please, I barely hit you!"

"Says the girl who could double on the boxing team."

"Ok, you know what -"

"Everybody chill!" Ellis snapped. Everyone turned to stare at him, and he gave a long sigh. "You two," he said, pointing to Roxy and Rio. "I don't know what happened between you two last night, but get over it. You're still the same best friends you were before Mitzi screwed with us all."

The two glanced guiltily at each other. Andy had only heard a little bit of the chaos Mitzi had caused with two of his best friends. Of course it didn't surprise him that the two had a thing for each other, but he was more than upset Mitzi had called it out in the middle of the party - and then tried to turn them against each other.

"And you," Ellis continued, his gaze falling to Andy. "So you screwed up. Just explain it to Bloom. You know how she is. I guarantee you she's not as upset you think."

Andy reached for a slice of lemon pound cake. "I don't know...she's mad enough at me already. Someone said her parents were thinking of putting her in boarding school."

"Better than stay here with Mitzi," Anna muttered.

"You think she'd go?" Mark asked.

Andy shrugged. "At first she told me she wouldn't leave all of us. But after this weekend..." he trailed off, his eyes falling to Anna. She was sitting there; unnaturally quiet, picking lint off her blue and brown-striped sweater. "Did Bloom say anything to you this morning? You told me she went out early to get some stuff for Vanessa."

"She didn't say anything or call my cell," she said after a moment. "But I didn't check my phone. I've been busy."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Busy with what?"

Anna and Ellis exchanged a glance. "Packing."

Roxy almost dropped her cup of tea. "Oh no."

"Dad got another transfer," Ellis said quietly. "They want him to work head chef at one of the restaurants in Lower Manhattan."

"New York! You can't!"

"We don't want to," Anna insisted, "but this is a really big opportunity for Dad. We need to support him."

Mark opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. "How long?" he finally managed to say.

"At least a year; even longer if they like him. We're working on trying to stay with our Uncle Peter out here..."

"But it won't be easy with your parents on the other coast," Roxy finished dully. "Oh guys..."

Ellis reached out and squeezed her hand. "We've still got three weeks before we leave. And when Bloom and Andy make up, we'll all spend a weekend at Disney or something."

"Just so long as Rio doesn't get us kicked out again," Mark muttered.

"Hey, I don't like Hansen. Sue me, ok?"

There was a round of laughs. Mark put his arm around Anna. "We're going to miss you guys."

"And we'll miss you," Anna said. "But we can call, text, MySpace..."

Rio laughed. "Can you even work MySpace?"

"I'll figure it out, ok!"

"Uh-huh, sure."

Anna threw her straw wrapper at him.

"But before you guys go," Rio said, standing from his chair, "we need to get Bloom and lover boy back together."

Andy went from slightly better back down to bad. "Oh no guys..."

"Oh yes guys," Mark said, standing and dragging Andy up with him. "In fact, let's start now. Anna, where did you say Bloom was going this morning?"

"Alright, so V needs two dozen hydrangeas, a dozen roses, and half a dozen wild daisies?"

Bloom nodded dully, absently stroking the top of Kiko's head. "And a few apples too, Mr. Geniero."

The middle-aged man nodded, pulling the flowers from the back of his truck. The farmers market in the center of Gardenia was crowded with a diversity of people; the craft-obsessed mothers dragging their children along in strollers (or those crazy kid leashes), old ladies getting fresh produce, and the group of guys on the corner looking to help people with yard work. And best of all, Bloom hadn't seen Andy around.

Mr. Geniero set the flowers down on his table, eyeing Bloom curiously. "Are you ok, hon? You seem quiet."

The redhead snapped out of her daze enough to give a polite smile. "Fine, sir. Just tired. Halloween weekend, everything was pretty crazy."

He nodded. "Angela and I had quite a few little visitors to our house last night. I remember when you used to be that tiny; came to our door dressed like a fairy every year. Ah, where's the time gone?"

Bloom shrugged, remembering her favorite costume and how the wings had been just the right shade of silver. "I'd like to know just as much as you. Back then things certainly weren't that...complicated."

The man chuckled. "Yes. Those were the days." He trailed off when he saw Bloom drifting again. "Let me tell you something, kiddo. If you spend your days dwelling on the bad stuff in this world, you'll never do a single positive thing. You follow?"

"...I think I do."

He laughed again, placing the flowers into a bag. "I'm just telling you, relax. If things aren't all perfect it's not the end of the world. You should focus on the good stuff, not the bad."

Slowly, Bloom nodded. "Yeah...you're right."

"There's a girl," he smiled, handing over the flowers and apples. "Now, here's all you need, and if your mother wants any Water Lilies, you come to me first."

Bloom laughed, putting the plants in the basket on her bike. "All right. Thank you, sir."

He laughed as she started to ride off, much happier than how she'd been before. "Oh Bloom! Say hello to your mother for me!"

"Will do Mr. Geniero! See you later!"

"Don't make me do this, guys."

"I'm sure you'd like that," Mark said as he and Rio practically dragged him down the street. "Come, you'll have to face her eventually."

"But can't I face her later? Tomorrow, next week, next year..."

"Hey, if I can face my fear of roller coasters, you can do this," Rio insisted, unusually cheery. He and Roxy must've made up before everyone split at the café. Andy saw his eyes fall on a blonde girl on the other side of the street, running toward the park in an orange dress and a pair of fake wings. She was constantly running into people and tripping in the ridiculous heels she was wearing. "Hey Halloween was yesterday, sister!" he yelled to her. "Lay off the booze next time!"

"He's right," Mark added, ignoring the girl. "All you have to do is break the ice."

"And how do you suggest I do that?"

Mark reached into his pocket and pulled out a few folded pieces. Carefully, he unfolded it partially so that only the top was showing and handed it over to Andy. He took it and looked it over, and his jaw promptly dropped at the logo on the top of the page. "It's from AP. My sister found the e-mail this morning and printed it out for me."

"Did you read it?"

His friend grinned sheepishly. "I was too nervous. You guys do it, and call us later."

Andy looked down, trying to read through the paper, but it was too thick. "Guys..."

Rio patted his shoulder. "I talked to Mr. Geniero, and he said he saw Bloom heading towards the park. We've got total confidence in you."

He glanced toward Gardenia Center Park. Maybe it was the fact he'd lost his glasses again, but it seemed really far away and very intimidating.

"Don't be a wuss," Mark added. "Just do it."

Andy took a deep breath. "If you don't hear from me in an hour, she murdered me and buried me in the woods."

"We're in Southern California; the woods don't exist here. Only storm drains to shove bodies to be eaten by the rats."

He shuddered. "Thanks Rio."

"Anytime, friend."

"Man, I could win a 'stalker of the year' award," Andy muttered as he walked along the dirt on the path, checking any nook and cranny of the area for his girlfriend.

Well, he hoped he could still call her his girlfriend.

He sighed, stopping on the side to let a group of bikers pass. Maybe this was stupid. He knew Bloom wouldn't be up to talking with him right now, and probably wouldn't be until at least Wednesday.

The sound of a bike bell distracted him. He turned just in time to see a red bike flash by, the rider wearing jeans and a crop top with a wave of red hair.

Bingo.

Andy took off down the path following the marks the bike had left until he found himself in a little clearing near a dense patch of trees. He saw Bloom get off the bike and lead it over to a tree, the basket full of flowers - probably for Vanessa. Andy smiled lightly as he saw Kiko hop out of the basket and dart toward the trees. Bloom laughed. "Go find an acorn and I'll toss it around with you," she called to him. She grabbed an apple and sat down at the base of the tree, taking a large bite.

Andy raised an eyebrow. She sure didn't look like someone who was distraught over a breakup.

As he pondered this, a breeze came up, almost blowing the papers out of his hands. He caught the first page as it started to fly away, the momentum opening up the paper. He tried his hardest, but his eyes couldn't help but look down at the words.

Ouch; life sucks sometimes! We regret to inform you that your band will not be featured...

Time seemed to slow down a little. As if the last twenty-four hours wasn't bad enough, this was pretty much adding salt to the wound and nails to his coffin. Andy's gaze fell back to Bloom, who was still under the tree looking up at the sky. He knew from the look on her face she was thinking about drawing the landscape.

He looked back down at the paper, then back at her. With a sigh, he shoved the damning note into his coat pocket. After seeing the train wreck Bloom had turned into last night, he was relieved she was doing better.

And he didn't want to be the reason she broke down again.

Making sure he didn't make any loud noises, Andy turned and started walking back to the main path. He didn't care what Mark and Rio said; now was a bad time to try and talk to her. He could try and catch her at school on Monday, maybe during P.E. And he could talk to Oliver and see if he could get in another dinner date at the wharf…

Andy glanced back as Kiko hopped back toward Bloom, jumping around erratically. He wondered if the curious little rabbit had come across another wasp's nest. Bloom rolled her eyes, and after a moment stood up and followed him into the woods. For a second he wondered if he should follow and make sure Bloom was ok.

Nah, he thought, turning back around. She'd be fine.

Besides, it wasn't like she was about to disappear off the face of the Earth.

If I could find you now,
Things would get better.
We could leave this town,
And run forever
Let your waves crash down on me
And take me away...

Ocean Avenue (Yellowcard)