"What do we do first?" Maya asked as she clapped her hands together.

"I think we need to have a little girl talk" Larry gave me a pointed look.

She knows kind of what happened with Parker. I told her we kissed but she doesn't know the details.

"Oh goodness can we wait until I'm out of the car before we start the girly gossip?" Dad joked as we drove to Larry's house.

"Don't you want to hear all the juice on your daughter's love life?" Lar joked.

"Love life?" He questioned as he quirked an eyebrow in my direction.

I shook my head and shoved Larry's shoulder. "Nothing dad." The girls giggled and I couldn't help but let out a smile.

I'm so excited to be back in my hometown. I can't wait to do all of the things I have missed since I left.

We arrived at Larry's house and we all rushed to her room. We needed a girl talk and the adults were all aware not to bother us unless, we're getting food.

"Okay so spill" Maya said.

"We want every last detail" Sam smiled.

I went into detail about all of the boys, Del and Briar, Layla and Silas, of course me and Alex. I told them about Ashley and Dylan. I told them about what happened with Parker.

"He just kissed you?" Sam questioned with her mouth agape.

"Yes and honestly it was amazing. After the kiss I couldn't help but realize that I think Parker is better for me. But I can't hurt Alex. I mean he asked me out first. But I know I can talk to Parker about anything. He's the first one that was there for me. Alex can't be serious for more than five minutes."

"Alex had a girl sleeping in his room?" Maya blurted.

"I told you about Ashley."

"That doesn't excuse it." Sam said.

Larry basically stayed silent as the girls asked their questions. She knows all of this.

"Ashley and I are friends. She wouldn't do that to me or herself. She has James now, who is actually really cute. Any way enough with my drama, what about yours?" I asked the girls.

They all looked at each other knowingly.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I may or may not be single anymore"

"What? Sam, that's amazing who is it?"

"This girl Lexi, She's works at The Grill." Sam looked down at her lap, pink tinting her cheeks.

I hugged her neck. "I'm so happy for you! Maya what about you?"

"Still no boyfriend. I like to stay single."

"What about Nate? He's been head over heels for you since 3rd grade." Lar said.

A blush crept across Maya's cheeks. "Nate is my best friend, we could never date each other. That'd be too weird."

"We all know it My. You and Nate would be so cute together. You know it too" I said. Even though I haven't seen anyone since I moved, I feel like I haven't missed a thing.

"Let's go" Larry said and we all gave each other a knowing look.

We were on our way out of town with our milkshakes and fries, screaming to the best Taylor Swift songs, windows down volume up and a four friends who couldn't care less about the future.

Finally, we made it to our place.

We took out our blankets and laid them out in the grass. The music blasted from the car speakers.

I laid in the grass looking at the tree thinking of all the good times I've had with these people.

"I really missed y'all, I missed this." I blurted.

"We missed you too pine tree" lar shoved my shoulder lightly.

"It feels good to be back even if I'm leaving soon."

"I'm gonna miss you a hell of a lot more the second time around." My said.

"Me too My. I'm going to miss all of you." I sat up with tears in my eyes. "You guys know you will always be number one in my heart. No matter how many more friends I have or anything. You will always be closest to me. You will always be the ones who made me who I am today. I owe everything to you guys."

"Of course we do. What did we tell you before you left?" Maya chastised.

"We will always be with each other no matter the distance" I recited and the three of them joined in.

"I love you pine tree and we know you love us too" Larry smiled, tears in her eyes.

I looked at the three of them. They were all smiling at me tears brimming their eyes.

"Come here" I motioned for a hug with both of my arms. A split second later I was tackled by all three girls.

We all fell to the ground and stared at the sky. We looked at the clouds and felt the wind breeze above us. In this moment, I felt content in myself and my life. I was in my favorite spot with some of my favorite people. If only the boys were here, I would never want to leave this place.

My phone buzzed and I pulled out my phone.

Emily
Hey girl! I hope you're having a great time :)

Me
I am, thank you! same to you Emily

Emily
Thanks Aspen, I hope we can hang out sometime soon.

Me
So do I

Emily
Oh I got to go see you

Me
Bye

"Who was that?" Larry asked.

"That girl I told you about. Her name is Emily. She's really sweet. She also looks really familiar and I don't know how. I know her eyes are really pretty and that's how I thought I knew her before. I have never met her before today and honestly it's bothering me how I don't know where her eyes look familiar from." I explained to the three of them.

"Maybe you briefly met someone related to her and remember their eyes" Sam suggested.

"I don't know it feels more than a briefly met." I shrugged and tried to forget about it and do something else.

"Let's go out tonight, I didn't bring anything cute but I figured I'd just steal something of yours Lar" 

"I think Owen said something about a Christmas party tonight, I can get the deets" Maya said. 

I nodded and looked at the girls to see if they wanted to go too. 

"Let's go" Sam smiled and we packed up laughing. 

The music still blasted and empty milkshakes and fry boxes sat in the small trashcan in Lar's car. Smiles were spread across all of our faces. I haven't been to a party since I left here. No one quite knew how to throw a party like Owen. 

We made it back to the house and informed the parents that we're going to Owen's party. 

"Can I pick out you're outfit?" Lar asked. 

"Sure why not?" I shrugged. 

She always loved picking out my outfits and mixing up our clothes. 

We screamed to music as we had a dance party getting ready. I did Maya's makeup and picked Sam's outfit. Sam did my makeup. 

"Okay we're ready" I said as the girls finished the last of their accessories. 

We walked downstairs ready to take on the world and look good doing it. 

"Y'all look so cute, I need a picture" Lar's mom, Stacy, squealed. The rest of the girls groaned, but secretly they loved it. I've gotten used to Sydney and Alex wanting pictures for everything. "Oh be quiet, you know you want these" 

We all giggled and posed for the picture. One smiling, one silly and a few of us on each other's backs. 

"Okay you girls have fun" Stacy smiled at us. "Be safe" 

"Bye mom we will" Lar blew her mom a kiss. 

She watched all of us pile into Lar's car and leave the house.

We drove to Owen's house and the party was already in action. We all laughed as we got out of the car and walked in. I was enveloped in a hug only a few seconds after I walked in. 

"Hey Owen" I laughed and hugged him back. 

"I missed you Aspen" He said into my shoulder. 

"Me too babe" I answered. 

No he's not my boyfriend.  He's actually my cousin, we've been calling each other babe since we were little. 

"Owen, you know you actually have to let me go for us to have fun right?" 

He's been my best friend since we were kids. The move has been a bit hard for him. 

"I don't want to let go" He pouted. 

"Let go babe, please" I begged him. 

He's twenty, three years older than me, and he's acting like a two year old. 

He reluctantly let go with his bottom lip jutted out. 

"I swear, you are going to be the death of me" I rolled my eyes but I laughed at him. "Let's party!" I squealed. 

They all screamed in agreement and we headed into the party. 

Everyone was happy to see me. 

"Aspen!" A drunk Katie squealed. 

"Katie." I said monotone. 

She loosely threw her arms around me. I stood completely still. "How have you been girly?" 

"Better since I moved away from you" I shot at her. 

"That's great to hear! Just don't sleep with my boyfriend again while you're here" She snared and left me. 

I rolled my eyes at her lies and found Owen and the girls again. Owen was dancing, if that's what you call that, the girls were just laughing and watching him like old times. 

When they saw me, they knew something had happened by the annoyed look on my face. Owen stopped dancing to listen to the drama. 

"I just ran into Katie," I rolled my eyes. 

"What did she say?" Owen went from being carefree to defensive. 

He knows all about Katie's lie about me and her boyfriend. 

"She asked how I was then told me not to sleep with her boyfriend while I was here" 

"That bitch" Lar muttered. 

I never slept with anyone. Someone saw him and me doing a school project and morphed it into a rumor about me sleeping with him. He never denied the rumor and I was called a slut for two weeks until the next gossip spread around the school. Katie has been a bitch ever since. Which makes no sense because that would mean her boyfriend cheated on her and she defended him. 

"Guys it's fine, she doesn't even matter or know the truth let's just have fun" 

"Well said babe" 

We danced for a long time screaming to all the amazing songs and just having the best time. 

'Give it up' from Victorious came on and me and Owen immediately gave each other knowing glances before clearing a space for us to dance. 

We did the routine we made up when we were seven in his parent's living room. 

By the middle everyone was watching and laughing. Some were even videoing, undoubtedly going to put it on social media. I didn't care. I was having fun with my cousin. 

"Ready babe?" He yelled over the music. 

I nodded. He put out his arms for our big finale. I back up and run to his arms, jumping at the right time as he puts me on his right shoulder. 

Everyone clapped and Owen set me down. He wrapped me in a hug and I wrapped my arms around him. Both of us were out of breath with the biggest smiles on our faces. 

The girls joined in on our hug. I missed this. 

Owen and I broke off to get some water. The girls stayed to dance. 

"Well, well, well if it isn't Aspen Peterson. So the rumors are true Aspen is back in town." I hear a familiar voice. 

"Hey Matty" I said sheepishly. 

"Well aren't you going to give your uncle a hug?" A smile broke out on his face. 

I wrapped my small arms around his big torso. 

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" He chastised. 

"Sorry Matty, I assumed dad would tell you" 

I looked up at my uncle with a smile. 

"Here Aspen" Owen tossed me a water. "Oh hey dad when'd you get here?" Owen asked. 

"Just a couple minutes ago, came to check on you. Then I hear someone talking about my little niece being back in town." 

"Oh sorry about that" Owen scratched the back of his neck. 

"You knew about it?" He yelled in shock. "Am I the only one out of the loop, buttercup?" He ruffled my hair. 

"No, I'm sorry I haven't been more in touch with y'all. I've been a little busy lately" 

"You're okay buttercup, I'm gonna head out. Don't forget about dinner tomorrow night Owen!" He called as he left us. 

My phone started buzzing. It was Alex. 

I quickly tell Owen where I'm going before going to find a quiet spot. 

"Hey Alex" I answered with a smile. I wasn't expecting him to call me. 

"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled at me. 

"What are you talking about Alex, I'm hanging out with my friends." 

"You know damn well what you are doing? Cheating on me with someone from Kansas? Or are you cheating on them with me?" He spat into the phone. 

What is he talking about? I never gave him or anyone else a reason to believe that I'm cheating. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Alex? I never cheated on you and I don't have a boyfriend in Kansas" 

"I saw the video Aspen, Del sent it to me. She got it from Larrissa. I know what's happening." 

"What vid-. The one of me dancing with Owen?" I question. 

"If that's that bastard's name, then yes." 

"Do not call Owen a bastard," I yelled at him. "And by the way that's my cousin, so stop pretending that you know about my family. Definitely do not insult them to me." 

"Cousin? Then why did he call you babe? I heard it" His argument started to fall apart. 

"We've been doing it since we were kids. I don't know where it started, but it's part of our relationship. So maybe next time you don't know something, ask nicely and I'll happily give you the details. Don't ever call me and start yelling at me for something you don't know the facts about, then insult my family and friends." I yelled and hung up. 

He called again, but I turned off my phone so I didn't have to listen to it. 

I went back to the party and found my friends. 

"You good?" Maya asked. 

"Yeah I'm fine, Alex is just being over dramatic. He called to yell at me for 'cheating' on him with Owen." I air quoted. 

"I'm sorry I didn't know the video would turn into that" Lar apologized. 

"It's not your fault Lar, he needs to get his facts straight."

We dropped the conversation and went back to partying. Before long, the girls and I headed back to Lar's house and had a sleepover.