*A/N: Sorry there's so many authors notes! Anywayz .... okay, this chapter is kind of like two chapters in one. The first "mini chapter" takes place a few days after the next one ended, and then second "chapter" takes place nearly a month after the "mini chapter" ends. Hope that didn't confuse anyone!*

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Kaylei looked at the collection of cd cases she had on her shelf. Deciding on a cd, she leafed through her cd case, pulling out one of her favorites: MxPx's 'Teenage Politics'. She changed the song to 'Punk Rawk Show' and flopped onto her bed. She lay there staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, humming with the music, until she remembered why she came up to her room in the first place. She rolled over onto her stomach and opened up her notebook, then her math book and began the assignment she had been given earlier that day. A little less than fifteen minutes later, her brother John opened the door to her room and tossed the phone onto her bed. "Phone." he grumbled and closed the door.

"Hello?" she asked, propping herself onto her elbows.

"Hey." the male voice greeted her on the other end.

Kaylei immediately knew it was Benji. "Hey sweetie! What's up?"

"Nothing really. I just wanted to talk to you."

Kaylei smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay! So ... whatcha wanna talk about?" she questioned him.

"Um, I just wanted to apologize."

"What for?"

"I don't know. The way I've been acting lately. I don't know, actually no, I do know that you've noticed me being an asshole about everything lately. Remember that day that we ditched and you saw me smoking and I said it's 'cause everything sucks for me?"

Kaylei nodded, even though she knew Benji couldn't see her. "Yeah."

Benji sighed. "Well, it's because a few nights before that, when my sister and my brothers and me went to sleep, we could hear my mom and dad arguing and when we got up that morning, he was totally gone. We don't know where he went or if he'd be back, he just kinda left. That's why I told you that day that I didn't want you to leave too."

"Aww, Benji! You should have told me. I mean, I can totally understand why you didn't, but I wish you would have so I wouldn't have gotten bitchy with you that morning when you wouldn't tell me what was wrong."

"I know. But whatever. He came back, so maybe he won't leave again. That would be a miracle." Benji said, the last statement not being intentional.

"Why would that be a miracle?" Kaylei wondered.

"What? Oh, I said that out loud? Ha. Because, he does that a lot. He gets mad at me, or Joel, or Josh or my mom, but not really Sarah, I'm not sure why. But then, he drinks and my mom and him fight and then he leaves for a few days or whatever. Once he left for almost two months. And when he comes back, he acts like nothing ever happened. And then he'll do it again a month or so later. God, it pisses me off so fucking much! I hate him, I swear."

"Nah, I don't think you hate him Benj."

"No, you don't know how it is. I hate him. I know it."

Kaylei wasn't sure what to say to that comment, but then remembered the math homework she was previously working on. "Hey Benji, I hate to have to go. I have to finish my homework."

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then?" he half-asked, half-told with little enthusiasm in his voice.

"Yeah. But just know that if you ever want to talk to me about something like that, like if you don't want to talk to Joel or someone, you can call me anytime, okay?"

Benji smiled a little while he sat on his bed. "Okay, thanks."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

Benji clicked the off button on the phone and fell backwards onto his bed, slowly drifting off to sleep.

*Okay, so that was the "mini chapter"! Not as mini as I thought it would be, but whatever! That's cool!*

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It was March 13^th, exactly one month after Brianna's birthday, two days after Benji and Joel's, and one day before Brianna's trip to Arizona for spring break. It was a Friday night, and everyone was excited to be getting this much wanted, long-awaited time off of school, so they were all gathered at Natalie and Amy's house - since their parents weren't home, as they often weren't - to make plans for everyday of the next week. Some plans included everyone together, and in other plans, people would be branching off into their own smaller groups. Since Brianna was not going to be there, she didn't care to be included in this group discussion, but instead opted to spend time alone with Joel, who had trusted Benji to make whatever plans for him.

So, alone they were, in the front room snuggled together on the couch watching a movie. In complete random conversation, Joel spoke up. "Anna?"

"Hm?" she replied, half asleep.

"Don't go tomorrow, please?" he asked with a hint of sadness in his voice.

This woke Brianna from her mini nap. "Don't go? Are you psycho?! Why wouldn't I go?"

"Because. I don't want you to."

"Joel, I already bought a ticket. A long time ago. I'm not not going to go, I'm sorry. It's not like we'll never see each other again; I'm only going for a week. And I'll call you and Lei at least twice while I'm there."

"I know."

"Then why don't you want me to leave?"

"Because," Joel said "what if ... nevermind." his voice trailed off and he sighed.

Brianna lifted her head from his shoulder where she had it rested and looked at him. She could tell he had something important to say, but didn't know what. "What if what?" she asked.

"Nothing." he said softly, shaking his head but keeping his eyes on the tv.

"No." she placed her hands on his face, forcing him to look at her. "What if what? What were you going to say?" she almost demanded.

"Nothing. I wasn't going to say anything. It doesn't concern you anyway, so why would you care? Just forget it."

"Excuse me?" Brianna requested, getting a little defensive, "why would you even say that?"

"Because lately it seems like no one does. I have to go," Joel stated, getting up and reaching for his keys, "tell Benj to call when he wants to come home and I'll come get him." He left with no goodbye, slamming the door behind him.

Brianna was stunned, speechless and angry at the same time, very confused by what had just happened. The slam of the door made Amy come into the room, followed by Natalie, to see what was going on. "Where'd Joel go?" she asked.

"I dunno. He just ...." Brianna said, becoming more and more angry as she thought of some of the things Joel had said, "he just got up and left."

"Why?" Natalie asked. By this time, Benji, Kaylei and Paul had entered the room.

"I don't know. We were just sitting on the couch, all fine and dandy and then we started talking and he said something but quit before he finished and then I asked him what he was going to say, but he wouldn't tell me. He said something like it doesn't concern me so I wouldn't care anyway and I asked him why he'd even say that and then he said that lately it seems like no one does."

As Brianna finished saying that, Benji leaned over to Kaylei and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back." he said. He turned around and went through the kitchen and out the back door, and just sat on the porch.

Brianna was quiet for a moment, and then continued. "Then he just left." She quit staring at the floor and looked up towards everyone. "It's so weird. He's been acting like this off and on since my birthday when we were talking and he made a comment that reminded me of something Brandon would say, so I was like, 'okay Brandon', but I didn't mean it. And he got all pissed and was like, 'don't call me Brandon, he acts like -'" Brianna cut herself off and looked at Kaylei like she had just gotten a brilliant idea. "Kaylei, I need to talk to you." she said, standing up off of the couch and pulling Kaylei down the hall with her.

Brianna went into the first room she saw, which happened to be a bathroom. The girls went in there and Brianna flipped on the light and locked the door behind her.

"Lei, Benji did that once, didn't he?" Brianna asked in a whisper.

"Did what once?" Kaylei whispered back.

"Take something that didn't matter and completely blow it out of proportion, then leave and then apologize the next day, saying it had something to do with something his dad does that he doesn't like. He did!" she said, not giving Kaylei any time to answer, but instead answered her own question. "Remember, it was that day that we ditched and we were all talking and he got up and walked away for no reason at all."

"Yeah." Kaylei responded, not completely sure what Brianna was trying to get at.

"And then he called you a few days later saying that 'his dad left, but now he's back, blah blah blah'", she mimicked a guys voice, "but then daddy left yet again and Benji acted the same way as he did a few weeks earlier, right?" Kaylei again nodded. "And each time, Benji would get all distant and pick fights over nothing; Joel would too. And those were the times their dad was gone. Am I still correct?" Kaylei agreed, knowing that this was the routine for the boys, and had been for awhile, but still didn't know what Brianna was trying to say. Brianna tapped on Kaylei's head. "C'mon, Lei. You're not blonde. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. Make a connection. How has Benji been lately?"

Kaylei thought for a moment. "He's been ... kinda moody. A little distant. And although he still does, he doesn't argue with me as often as he did before."

"Kaylei, you're smart. I'm surprised you haven't picked up on it yet." Brianna paused to give Kaylei time to think. "Okay, so I guess you're not as smart as I thought you were. I'm just kidding! Anyway ... Lei, I thinkin' their dad left. That's why Joel just left with no explanation and you saw how Benji walked out of the room. I bet you anything that he knew I knew what's goin' on. But yeah, so I don't know how long their dad has been gone, but I do know he's not there."

"You do?" Kaylei asked surprised.

"No. I don't know for a fact. But the signs are all there Kaylei; I'm pretty sure of it."

Kaylei thought for a moment. "I think you're right."

"Yes, I know." Brianna nodded. "I'm gonna go home and get ready. Ya know, make sure I have everything for tomorrow." She went to unlock and open the door, but Kaylei pulled her back in.

"You're still going? Even though you know Joel needs you right now probably more than he's ever needed you before?"

Brianna looked at Kaylei. "What is it with you people?! Do you not realize that I've already gotten a plane ticket that I can't return?! Any anyway, he's mad at me right now. I'm probably the last person he wants to see."

"No Anna, he's not mad at you. You explained it to me yourself: he's upset that his dad is gone. Seeing his family is too hard for him because their upset too. Being alone is probably even harder. He needs to know that you're there for him. You're more than likely the first person he wants to see right now, not the last."

Brianna sighed and grinned a little. "Lei, why are you always right about these things?"

Kaylei smirked. "Because I am the best!"

"Riiiiight," Brianna walked out of the bathroom, "by the way, miss. 'I-am-the-best', tell Benji to call Joel when he wants to go home and he'll come get him. But make sure that isn't for awhile. I'm gonna go see him. Thanks for convincing me to, pal."

"Not a problem. Call me from Arizona when you get a chance."

"I will." Brianna said goodbye to everyone, hopped into her mom's car that she was borrowing for the night and sped down the block to Joel's house.

*A/N: WOW!! This turned out A LOT longer than I thought it would!! Heh heh. And it was supposed to be this sentimental-type chapter, but it just turned out all dumb and corny. So ... sorry about that! :D Anywayz ... a BIG thanks goes out to everyone who's signed my guestbook!! Thanks a lot everyone, and keep it up, please! It gives me the confidence, if you will, to keep posting ... knowing that people actually like it is great!!*