Hello readers! If there are even any of you left out there. Alas, an update! After years (yes, years) I bring you a new chapter to this ongoing saga. Let's hope this rekindles some of your fandom. I know writing this new installment sure has gotten me all worked up again about BHH. The series was such a great part of my growing up, as I'm sure it was for many of you too. So let's keep these stories alive!

And finally, I present to you chapter 28. Enjoy! And as always feedback is welcomed and greatly appreciated.

CH 28 Not a dream

"I'm sure they didn't." Corrine gave her head a decisive shake of disagreement. It was hard to fathom that such an occurrence could even happen; they were talking about Josie and Marshall after all. They had no business kissing. It was understandably established that they were just friends, and "just" friends don't kiss each other.

"Me and Greg saw them with our own eyes, Corrine."

"Greg and I," she corrected. Her voice tainted ever so slightly with annoyance.

"Huh?" He had his legs pulled up to his chest now, and his head dangled above his knees. He looked sad and sullen.

"You said 'me and Greg', it's Greg and I," she explained rather indifferently. Her mind wasn't exactly focused on lecturing about grammatically correct English at the moment.

Lucas stretched out his legs before him, and with a dubious expression studied his sneakers. They were brown-the sort of rich, chocolate pudding shade of brown and looked identical to a pair of Converses, much like the ones Josie wore, but they weren't. "All the same," he simply said.

"I guess." She stared out at the sky.

Lucas scoffed, "Doesn't matter anyway; I'm over her."

Was she over him? She liked to entertain the thought that she was one hundred percent over Marshall Wheeler, but was that really the truth? Was Lucas telling the truth, even? Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity. Marshall would never kiss Josie, and Josie would never let him. Or would they?

After taking Lucas over to see her new apartment, Corrine found herself wanting to be alone; she wanted some time to herself to think. After parting ways, she unconsciously headed towards her University. It was the only place she could find solace.

There, she sat down on a bench overlooking the lake that all the main buildings lined. The sky had turned a dusky rose, and up in the sky Venus finally graced the world with her short lived presence.

Across the lake, in full view was the library. It's modernized large, glass windows was a nice contrast to the building's otherwise classical architecture. Half a semester in and she still had a hard time believing this was her school. How lucky she was to be studying abroad at such a prestigious university!

A couple walked by, hand in hand, and it prompted Corrine back to the problem that initiated all her contemplation.

She didn't know how she truly felt about Marshall and Josie kissing. Strangely it didn't bother her as much as she'd imagined it would; she wasn't hurt nor was she the slightest bit jealous. If anything, she felt a strange mixture of relief and uneasiness. Perhaps, Marshall kissing Josie meant he was finally over her? Or maybe it was Josie who was finally over Vaughn?

Her deep thoughts were interrupted by the quick electronic beat of Foster the People. A glance on her phone indicated an unknown number was calling.

'telemarketer,' she thought and let the ringtone loop.

That night Corrine came home to find Vaughn sprawled out on the sofa. The lights were all off except for the glow of the television set that lit up all four corners of the room. Quietly, she locked the door behind her.

There was no indication that anyone else was home. Josie's Converses usually thrown haphazardly by the dining table was nowhere in sight. Perhaps they all went out for dinner?

She tiptoed easily to the living room and peered over the couch. Vaughn was sound asleep. In his left hand he clutched the remote. Corrine found herself smiling and wondering if she should try to pry them out of his grip, but decided otherwise. How peaceful he looked, and how warm he must feel. Suddenly, as she made this observation a chill ran down her spine; her dress with its low cut back did zero justice against the AC vent right above her.

After switching the TV off and turning on one of the lamps, she found herself walking back to the couch and sitting on the coffee table opposite Vaughn. She sat there and watched. So close she was to him. How easily she could slide right next to him and feel his warmth against her body. How badly she wanted to not feel so alone. How she yearned for some perspective.

Vaughn stirred, and finally looked up to see Corrine watching him ever so tenderly. "Hey," he said.

Surprisingly he didn't wake up alarmed to see her dark figure hovering over him so closely. "Hi," she straightened her back.

"Was wondering when you were gonna get home," he propped himself up on his elbows. "Everyone went out to Dwight's; it's taco Tuesdays."

She tried to return his smile. "Why didn't you go?"

He'd gotten himself to sit up; even half groggy he still had the nicest eyes.

"Lucas said you guys went to check out your new apartment today. Afterwards, he said you took off like rocket. Didn't know where you went," He paused. "I tried calling, but it just went straight to voicemail. Is everything okay?"

"You called?" She sounded perplexed. She hadn't had a missed call from Vaughn all day.

"Yeah. Here, look, I can even prove it you," he pulled out his cellphone and quickly pulled up his call log. He pointed to her name. "See, right there. 7:12."

"That looks like a new phone," she observed.

"It is. Dropped my old one sometime today and didn't realize it until after class was over with. Had to cancel my old number and get a new one, and all that crap."

It then registered to her. "Oh my gosh! You were the one calling from that 647 number. I'd thought it was someone from that stupid raffle I entered. I would've picked up had I known it was you!"

Vaughn chuckled. "It's okay, at least I know it wasn't because you were held against your will or anything like that."

"No, I was just…thinking."

"Is everything okay? You still haven't answered my question."

Corrine sighed. Everything wasn't okay. A few hours ago she didn't care that her best friend kissed Marshall; she was practically okay with it. But now, as she'd sat there in the dark watching Vaughn sleep all the bitterness and real emotion came crashing in. She was heartbroken, she was furious, and above all else she felt terribly alone.

There must have been something in her disposition that indicated something was wrong because a moment later she was in Vaughn's arms, tears running down her smooth cheeks. The musky fragrance of his cologne filled her nostrils and gave her sense of comfort and security. She could stay like this forever, and for a while they did. Vaughn kept her close, and she, never wanting to let go, rested her head on his shoulders.

After a moment, she looked up at her savior. Why did it have to be Vaughn? Why did he have to be so good to her? His fingertips came up brushed the last of her tears away. He smiled tenderly. Suddenly the memory of their kiss came flooding back. It wasn't a dream, and this very moment wasn't a dream either.

Ta-da! And that's the end of ch 28. How was it? Was it as good as your imagined? could it have been better? let me know!