While most of the girls in the town were excited about everything going on, Raleigh was stressing. Not over what she was going to wear, but over a feeling. She had the strangest gut feeling that something was going to happen a tthe carnvial that night, and she didn't know why. The only thing she could think of that would explain this was Josh was going to get drunk and say or do something to James. She tried over and over to shake the feeling, but it kept coming back, even more forceful.

She had just finished putting her shoes on when she heard the horn of a car, no doubt it was James. The guy couldn't even come up and knock on the door. Grabbing her purse, Raleigh ran down the stairs and out the front door, locking it behind her.

"Finally, I've been waiting here for like ten minutes."

"What are you talking about? You just honked the horn."

"Well I figured you'd be watching for me. Unless your head is off with the boy wonder yet again."

"Whatever you say, James."

"Whatever." James sighed, backing out of the driveway. "Let's just go." Everything had been great with Raleigh before Josh had come back. She was paying him all the attention and he was close to getting what he wanted. Then Josh Chasez the boy wonder had to come back and ruin everything. Now it seemed like everytime he turned his back, Raleigh was with Josh or talking to someone about Josh. Was something going on there behind his back?

Arriving at the carnival, Raleigh didn't even bother waiting for James to come around and open the door for her. He had stopped being a nice gentleman a long time ago. She didn't expect things from him anymore, unless it was to yell at her for no reason. She expected that all the time now. Wondering to herself, Raleigh was lost in thought. How had she come to this place? Had she really set her standards so low as to let herself be treated this way by a guy? She realized she had, because of Josh. She had put him on a pedestal since they were children and look where it got her? Alone, pregnant, and heartbroken. She needed someone, and James was there. Only then, he was nice, kind, caring. But as soon as Josh was back in the picture, he was a complete asshole. What in the world was she thinking? She knew what she had been thinking. She was too scared to be alone.

Hearing her name being called, Raleigh looked up to see Carly running towards her with Justin in towe.

"Hey! Wow, you look amazing, Carly! Never again will we see you like this, will we?"

"Probably not." Carly laughed as she hugged Raleigh hello. She was wearing a teal strapless top that went past her waist and had a silk peice of cloth under the breasts that was sequined and tied behind her back. She had a jean mini skirt on and her normally straight hair was down with curls throughout it.

"Hey, Ray. You look hot. Josh is going to be swooning all night over you." Raleigh was wearing a simple white mini pleaded skirt with a white and turqouise halter top that V'd low to show off her cleavage and she had on white strappy heel sandals to finish the look off. Her hair was half down, half up and it was for the most part straight but some curls coming down from where some of her hair was pinned up. And she had just the right amount of make-up on to bring out the lilac in her eyes.

"Two things Justin. I'm not wearing this get Josh to swoon over me, and two; he's here with Tully."

"You and I both know, as well as everyone else here, that the only reason he is here with Tully is because you are dating super dick over there."

"Yeah, and could you please tell me again why I am dating super dick?"

"Because Josh unfortunately dumped you and he was there for you to lean on. He was nice then." Carly offered as a simple form of comfort.

"Everyone seems to be nice until Josh comes back into the picture."

"Speaking of, why don't we go find him and Tully? I'm sure they're around here somewhere waiting for us to show up."

Smiling, Raleigh agreed gratefully for the change in topic. But it did seem that way. Everyone in the town was great to her and were careful to not mention Josh in her presence. Yes, it kind of bothered her...a lot, but she was used to it. Then he came home and James started to become this huge asshole who tried to control her every move. And it only got worse as she started hanging out with aforementioned ex-boyfriend more and more. Why was it so hard for him as well as her family to accept the fact that maybe they could get past the letter and everything that happened between them and be friends again? Maybe it was because her family didn't want to see her get her heart broken again when he went back to NYU and she went to LA at the end of the summer. But whatever the reason, it was really beginning to agitate the hell out of her.

Getting the asshole's attention, Raleigh and her friends plus one went through the game section of the carnival to the mouse game. It was always Josh's favorite game, guessing which hole the mouse was going to go in, so it was no surprise when they found him there with Tully, playing four different squares.

Not even thinking twice about it, Raleigh headed straight for her ex-boyfriend and his date for the night.

"Josh!" Raleigh called to him when she was within hearing distance. Looking up from the light conversation he and Tully were having, Josh looked to see who was calling his name. Immediately his face lit up and greeted Raleigh happily with a tight comforting hug.

"Hey, girly. Been wondering when you guys were gonna show up."

"Well, we've been here for like fifteen minutes looking for your ass."

"Sure sure, you should have known where to find me."

"Yeah, I figured it out, obviously."

"Yeah." He smiled at her and it did all sorts of things to her. Her mouth went dry, her blood began pumping, and her mind flooded over with thoughts of everything they had done over Christmas break. All the things she wanted to do to him again, all the things she should not be thinking about. Especially when he had broken things off with her, and her boyfriend of the present was hanging around, watching she and Josh like a hawk ready to swoop in at any given moment to peck the shit out of the ex. Something Raleigh would be furious over.

Clearing her throat and forcing her eyes away from his beautifully blue eyes, Raleigh looked at the squares he had his money on. Smiling with a hint of playfulness sparkling in her eyes, Raleigh crossed her arms over her chest. "Ten bucks its cotton candy."

"You seem so sure of yourself."

"I am." She challenged him. Her gaze never faltered, there was no movement in her sly grin, the flame in her lilac eyes never extinguished.

"Alright. I'll take that bet." Josh said, slapping his hand with hers in a hand shake.

Turning away from Josh, everyone looked at the wheel just as the carny lifted up the blue box. Everyone watched as the little mouse went around in circles for a few moments. Everyone watched as he ducked his head into daddy, then watermelon, and Josh was sure he was going to go fully into his apple pie, but then he quickly scurried two down and sure enough went into cotton candy.

Raleigh's face immediately broke out into a big smile and she tried so hard not to start laughing at the look on Josh's face. His mouth was dropped open and he looked like he couldn't believe what had just happened. "what the fuck was that? I swear you have senses like that fucking mouse, Ray."

"You know I am the best at this game. So, pay up big boy." Raleigh smiled even bigger as she held out her hand for the ten bucks she had just bet him. Shaking his head, Josh reached for his wallet in his back pocket and fished out a ten. Slapping it into her hand, he didn't let go before saying, "I will beat you one of these times."

"Oh yeah? You wanna go for round two?"

"Nah, I think I'd like save some of my dignity."

"Good choice." Raleigh finally allowed herself to giggle some at Josh's expense. Then her eyes cut to Tully coming out from behind Josh. Had she been there the entire time she had been flirting shamelessly with Josh? Who was NOT her boyfriend anymore, but Tully's date for the night? How could she have really been so rude?

"Hey, you're really good Raleigh."

"Thanks, Tully. I've had many years experience. Wow, you look great."

Tully blushed a little as she quietly said, "thanks." She had on a pair of jean capris that folded a little below her knees with a black top that would be considered a tube top if it weren't for the strings coming from between her breasts and tying around her neck. She had black strappy sandals on and her blonde hair was curly with her slanted bangs straight going off to the side. She really looked good everyone agreed.

"Alright, so the dance-off begins in eight minutes. I think we should make our way to the stage." Justin spoke up and everyone headed to where the band was playing and the dance-off was to be taking place.

Gathering around the stage, the group watched as Mayor Andrews got up on the stage. "Alright, alright! My goodness, the carnival hasn't been this crowded in years. It's nice to see everyone again this year, such a wonderful turn out for the dance-off. Speaking of which, as per to the people of Shelby's requests, we stopped being such cheap bastards and got a real live band to play!" The Mayor had to stop speaking because he couldn't be heard over the cheering of the crowd. For the past ten years, he had always gotten a Dj to play at the carnival all week or he'd just pay the local kiss radio station to play there. The town's people had been trying to get live bands back for this annual event for a long time. They were all happy they had finally agreed. "The rules go as follows, there are no rules!" More cheers from the crowd. "Just dance the way you dance and have fun with it! So without further adieu, I am proud to announce to you all, Seven Day Faith!"

Raleigh and Carly looked at one another with jaws dropped and eyes widened. Seven Day Faith was one of their favorite bands. They were only a local band, but one day, they all knew the band would be widely known and just as popular as the Backstreet Boys or Bon Jovi.

The girls screamed their heads off as they saw the guys take their positions on stage and the beginning chords of Can't Stand It bellowed throughout the park. Raleigh looked to her left and saw Josh watching her closely. She smiled at him and he smiled back knowingly. Seven Day Faith had been their first concert together, and they had had such a great time. Raleigh had such wonderful memories of that night. It was after all, the night she had given herself fully to him.

Looking back up to the stage, Raleigh caught Rob Bilson's eye as he went up and down the stage singing his heart out. It was what he lived for. She remembered the conversation she'd had with him one night two years ago. They spoke about her music and how he thought she had great potential to be something big in this world. But he would only like her music if she promised to try to make a change in the world. If she wouldn't become one of the many fake celebrities out there today. She of course promised. It made her wonder if he had come to see any of her shows, if he liked the way her music had changed. She had thought it had changed for the better, but what did he think? It was nice having someone so close who has been doing music only a year or two longer than you to talk to about it. No one else really got what it was all about, that's why she liked him so much.

The entire time the band was on stage, JC could only watch Raleigh. She was having the greatest time and he couldn't be happier for her. This was one of her favorite bands. And only a select few really knew why. And when Rob Bilson came on stage to announce the song they were about to sing and how it held a special place in his heart, JC was forced to be brought back down to earth and face the situation at hand.

Are you there?
Can you hear me?
Are you alone,
Or with him?
Do you feel that much better
With somebody new, touching you?

Well I've never felt this lonely baby
Losing you is wrong
I never meant to hurt you, baby
What did I do wrong?

And I don't want to lose you, baby
You don't want to miss me, baby
You've been here before
Saying ‘I don't want to love you anymore'

Listening to the lyrics of the song, JC really heard it for the first time. She he had heard it before, but that was before he had gone to New York and broke Raleigh's heart. This made him look over to Raleigh and James, and all he wanted to do was puke. How could she be with him? He was no good for her at all, and JC was almost positive the only reason James was with her was to get into her pants, and he didn't even want to think about whether or not he had succeeded yet. That thought just made the nauseousness ten times worse. Would Raleigh have really slept with him?

Does his touch
Feel like heaven
Like your body
Touching mine
Will I find
Someone better
Who will make me feel
Like you do?

JC thought of school and he remembered Erin. She had tried to get with him so many times, but every time he had even come close to being with her, images of himself with Raleigh flooded his mind and he couldn't go through with it. She just wasn't her, she couldn't make him feel as wonderful as his ex-love always had so many times before.

Well I've never felt this lonely baby
Losing you is wrong
I never meant to hurt you, baby
What did I do wrong?

And I don't want to lose you, baby
You don't want to miss me, baby
You've been here before
Saying ‘I don't want to love you anymore'

And I don't want to lose you, baby
You don't want to miss me, baby
You've been here before
Saying ‘I don't want to love you anymore'

And I don't want to lose you, baby
You don't want to miss me, baby
You've been here before
Saying ‘I don't want to love you anymore'

And I don't want to lose you, baby
You don't want to miss me, baby
You've been here before
Saying ‘I don't want to love you anymore'

And I don't want to lose you, baby
You don't want to miss me, baby
You've been here before
Saying ‘I don't want to love you anymore'

Going over to the beer tent, Carly walked over to Raleigh.

"Hey. Was that Bilson I just saw you talking to?"

"Yeah. We were just talking about music. He went to my concert at the Landing. He said it was amazing and so far I have been keeping my word, except for my drastic weight loss. But I explained that. Did you know Burgio's leaving the band?"

"Oh my God. Girl, ifI don't hear a just kidding in two seconds, I will be thoroughly infuriated."

"I'm serious. He's having issues with his wife, not to mention their money situation. He needs to focus on his personal life. The guys are all supportive though at least."

"Wow. I hope everything goes well for him. It sucks he's leaving now though."

"I know." Carly and Raleigh were both quiet for a minute or two, just soaking everything going on around them in. "so, the dance off. That was a disaster, huh?" Raleigh gave a little chuckle before taking a sip of her drink.

‘My god, what was wrong with James? He just stormed off right in the middle."

"James." Raleigh sighed. It was obvious she was becoming very fed up with her boyfriend. "James is being a jealous asshole again saying there's something going on with me and Josh still. He said my mind wasn't focused on the dancing, but Josh. So he got pissed and stormed off. Hence, I have no clue where he is now and I really couldn't care."

"Ray, can I ask you a question I've asked a few times already?"

"You want to know if there is something going on with Josh and I. But you know the answer to that, Carly."

"Yeah, but watching the way you two have been with one another all night, I just keep thinking of how great it would be if ya'll got back together. Everyone knows you're made for each other, you're just both so paranoid that he's going to hurt you again."

Raleigh went silent. Carly could easily see there was still something between them, but would she ever do anything about it? Would either of them do anything? "I'm not going to lie to you, you're my best friend and you'll know the truth either way. I still love Josh, more than anything. But you're right, I am paranoid he's going to go back to school at the end of the summer and do the same thing he did at Christmas. I don't think I could survive that again, Carly."

"Which brings me to my second thought. You have to tell him about..."

"Dammit Carly." Raleigh interrupted her, slamming down her cup in fury. "I told you I'll tell him when I'm good and ready to."

"All I'm saying is he deserves to know. He deserves to hear from you before somebody else in this damn nosey ass town, and you know that!"

"I can't do that to him! It'll tear him apart."

"He's gonna hear about the abortion eventually. It's just better if he hears it from your mouth and not somebody else's."

"You think I don't know that? God, I was pregnant with his fuckin' child for Christ's sake! Why the hell should I want to tell him I killed it? How would I even go about telling him something like that? It'll kill him."

"Don't worry about it. You just did."

Raleigh and Carly looked next to them and saw a ghostly white Josh standing there with tears in his eyes. Raleigh never felt worse about herself as she did at that one moment. Now she saw what it was like to put a knife to someone's back.

"Josh." She started but he began to back up and cut her off.

"Don't! Just...Don't." Of course James had to pick that exact moment to intervene.

"What's going on?" He asked, then he saw the tears in Josh's eyes and the frightened look on Raleigh's face. Turning to Carly, he asked, "What, did he just find out?"

"Shut up, James. You're not helping." Carly snapped at him.

"I'm not trying to. What? Josh can't accept the fact that his sweetheart is a little lying slut?"

"Don't you talk about her like that." Josh snapped at James. All of his anger was beginning to channel and if James didn't shut his mouth anytime soon, he'd be the one it would be taken out on.

"Or what? You'll beat me up? I'm so scared." His eyes got wide and he pretended to quiver with fear.

"James, shut the hell up!" Raleigh said, yelling at him. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Josh was getting closer so she stepped between them. "Don't touch him, Josh. It's not worth it."

"Raleigh, you know I'd never hit a girl, but I swear to God that if you don't get out of my way I will move you myself."

"Only because sorry sacks of shit feel the need to hurt women to get what they want." James egged him on, and that was all it took for Josh to make good on his promise and pick Raleigh up and move her to the side before charging forward and punching James square in the eye. James fell to the ground into the fetal position and Josh got in a couple good kicks before the guys were able to pull him back.

"You say one more thing to me like that and they won't be able to save you!" Josh said before shaking Joey and Justin off his back and walking away.

"How cliche." Carly said as she looked up to the sky. Literally, Josh had just stormed away with booming anger, and now thunder was booming overhead, a summer storm underway.

Going over to James, Raleigh looked down at him. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." James said, clutching his side. Raleigh just felt the anger for what James had said earlier and kicked him in his hurt side once again.

"How about now?" She growled at him and took off through the woods where Josh had disappeared. "Josh?" She called through the thick brush of trees. Continuing to run, Raleigh kept calling after him. The rain began to pour down around her, making it more difficult for her to see through the woods. But somehow, she managed to see a walking figure to her right. As she got closer to the dark figure, she saw that it was the outline of Josh. "Josh! Will you wait?" She yelled at him as she got close enough for him to hear her.

"What for? So you can just rip my heart to pieces again?"

"We need to discuss this." She said, cutting him off from the path he had been following from memory. "Don't walk away from me."

Josh gave a little laugh and it made Raleigh quiver. He sounded so full of hurt, sadness, and full on anger, towards her. His beautiful blue eyes were covered with a darkness she didn't know if she could penetrate. "My how the tables have turned."

"Will you just talk to me, please?"

"About what?"

"Anything! Anything that you're thinking, yell at me, hit me, do what you want, just please say something!" She pleaded with him over the rather boisterous rainfall.

Looking away from Raleigh briefly, Josh tried to gain some composure. When he met Raleigh's gaze again, even through the wetness of the rain, she could see was crying. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"How could I? How do you go about telling someone you're pregnant with thier child and then say you're not going to keep it? I could never hurt you that way. Whether you believe it or not, I do still love you, with all my heart. I felt like I had to protect you from that."

"What, do I have a fucking sign on my back that says I need protecting? You know how this town is! If one person finds out the entire town will too. Did you want me to find out from someone else? Was that you're plan?"

"Of course not! I just thought it would be better if you didn't know. As bad as you broke my heart, I didn't think you deserved to know I wasn't going to keep my child, our child. It would have torn you to pieces. But what scared me most was that if you did find out, you'd want nothing to do with me."

"Well that plan went really well, don't you think, Raleigh?" Bitterness dripped off every word, and Raleigh knew she deserved it. This was exactly why she hadn't wanted to tell him what she had done in the first place. Shaking his head and closing his eyes, Josh said, "I have to go."

He walked past her and he could feel her turn to go after him. "Don't." Josh said, putting his hand up in Raleigh's direction. "I need to be alone. I need time to think." Then he was gone through the storm. Raleigh couldn't see him, and she couldn't see where she was. She was in the dark woods during a thunder storm- alone. Nothing was scarier.