there you go

Macy felt half numb as she listened to Rico. She knew he was crying. She hadn't taken him to be all emotional.

"But you're not here!" He sounded as if he was having trouble breathing.

"Maybe..maybe..you could talk to Gage." She said before she realized she said it. They were friends. Rico and Gage.

"No. I can't." His voice was raspy as if he might be making himself sick.

"You're gonna be fine. You, can still talk to him. Don't make this about me." Now she was in tears. Yes, it was true she felt guilty for being here. Limbo, perhaps.

At least, Molly was nice and so was Archie. But still, she imagined Molly telling Archie late at night how she hated betraying Halie.

"What about that job? You've got a job. I don't even have one of those." She knew she'd feel better if she had one, but that hadn't panned out. She was an outsider here.

"Yeah, I know..but..but..I dunno." He went on about Caitlin. How she'd been everything to him. "I didn't think someone like her would ever be with me."

"Rico, you know..you deserve better, you do..stop making it sound..she was too good for you." Macy sighed as she laid there on a bed that she could hardly call her room. It didn't feel like home, but she was with Dustin now. "You're too good for her."

Of course, she'd told him this the last time he called, and she guessed when he called again she'd start all over with the reasons why his life would be better without Caitlin.

"But I love her. I love her so much." There he went again, practically coughing and making himself sick. She could hardly bare it, and she had a good cry when she got off the phone.

Oh..he was a new man. Syreeta didn't think her Dad recognized her date when he came to pick her up. Yes, Clive was changing. She hadn't asked him to cut his hair. He was after all..Clive. Sometimes, stubborn Clive who ate mustard on his fries and sometimes wore the same socks all week. But not tonight. Not this Homecoming.

"Well, I think your man is growing up." Her Dad smiled as he shook Clive's hand. "Is it really you?"

Syreeta almost elbowed her Dad.

Perhaps, the timing was just perfect. Yes, she was ready to admit it. Perhaps, it was because he was a little taller now. Or the fact, they'd both survived their own problems. She was glad they could still be friends. But now, she couldn't stop smiling. He was the only guy she wanted to call her boyfriend.