Zach Carter got up out of his seat in the front row of the Arboretum and left. He didn't have time to think about carnivals and opening ceremonies. He had things to plan. Zach had revenge on his mind.

"Hey, Zach!" Matt called from the concession stand. "Come over here!"

Even though he was annoyed, Zach went over to talk to his friend. "Hey, what's up Matt?" he said absent-mindedly.

"Nothin' much," Matt said slowly, noticing that Zach's body was there, but his mind was far away. "Dude, is there something you want to talk about?"

"Hmmm?" Zach said, snapping out of his trance. "What'd you say?"

"OK, man. You need to get some rest. I'll take you up to your dorm," Matt said, shoving Zach towards the exit doors on the western side of the Arboretum.

"Matt, that's OK. I'm fine," Zach said, trying to get out of Matt's way.

"No, Zach. You're tired. I'm gonna see that you get some rest," Matt persisted.

"Matt..." Zach pleaded helplessly.

"No objections, Zach. You're going to bed!" Matt said, pushing Zach harder.

"I SAID NO!" Zach said, pushing Matt hard out of the way.

Matt rubbed his head. He'd never seen Zach act this way. He knew something serious was up.

Mel broke off from Rusty to go get a drink of water. He broke a school rule and ran down the hallways. Suddenly, he collided with another young man, who was also running. He had brown hair and tanned olive skin. His eyes were fierce and snapping.

"You need to watch where you're going!" he said in a thick Australian accent.

"Me! I was just cruising down the hallway when suddenly you came barreling at me. It's you who needs to watch where you're going," Mel said, getting up and brushing himself off.

"Who are you, anyways? I've never seen you around here before," the boy growled.

"My name is Mel Richard Jamison Clark. Yes, I'm new here," Mel replied in his most dignified, poised voice.

"Oh really?" the boy said. "Where did you come from?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions. It's none of your business where I came from anyways. What matters is that I'm here now." Mel countered.

"Whatever. Just watch where you're going next time before somebody sues," the boy said, walking away.

Mel grabbed his arm. "If anyone should sue it would be me. You know my name, so what's yours?"

The boy jerked his arm out of Mel's grip. "It's Carson Love. What's it to you?"

"Oh, no reason. Just wanted to know for future reference," Mel said. Just then a young, beautiful girl with long, curly black hair and soft ebony skin walked by. "Wowza!" Mel exclaimed. "Isn't she a beauty!"

Carson growled fiercely and then pinned Mel on the wall. "Don't you even look at her again, do you hear me, or I will tear your eyes out!"

Christian Harris walked slowly out of the Arboretum. Anyone could tell that he had a load on his mind. He walked slowly down the sidewalk, in a daze.

"Hey, Chris!" a womanly voice called from behind him. The girl had ear-lobe length golden-brown hair and sparkling eyes. "Over here!"

Christian walked slowly towards the bench where the girl was sitting. "Hey, Shannon," he greeted. "What's up?"

"Obviously something with you!" Shannon exclaimed, noticing the serious, furrowed look on Christian's face. "What's wrong, Christian? Please tell me."

"Shannon, it doesn't concern you. Don't worry about it. What are you doing here all alone?" Christian inquired, gazing at the birds chirping in the tree above them.

"Oh, just thinking I guess," Shannon said. "But Christian, don't change the subject. Are things still going bad at home?"

"Yeah. It's like my parents can't say anything civil to each other. They always have to yell and curse. I'm sick of it!" Christian cried out bitterly.

Shannon rubbed Christian's shoulder sympathetically. "I can't imagine how hard it must be on you."

"It's not only me. I hate having to look at the pitiful face my little four-year-old sister has whenever Mom and Dad fight. It makes me want to go smash something upside their head to try and knock some sense into them," Christian persisted, getting up and slamming his fist on the tree, scaring all of the birds out.

"Christian, it'll be OK. You've got your friends here by your side. You'll work through it," Shannon soothed softly.

"No I won't, Shannon! Nothing is going to stop this! I wish they'd just split up and get the divorce over with!" Christian shouted.

Shannon looked as if she'd seen a ghost. She pointed behind Christian. Christian turned around and almost jumped when he saw who was behind him.

Zach hurried up the stairs to Room 751, his dorm room. He unlocked the door and rushed in. He thought he'd closed the door, but it was cracked a little. He threw his keys on a table, and sat down at his desk, writing.

Dear Karen, I love you like I've never loved before. I never thought I could love again after my fiasco with Jeanice. But now she's history, and I can give all of my love to you. Oh please, Karen. You'll break my heart if you say no. Give me one complex yet so simple joy: your love.

Love, Zach

"There!" Zach said triumphantly. "That's taken care of. Karen will fall for it like she falls for every man that comes her way, the shallow, superficial witch. You just wait and see, Karen. You'll regret the day you ever broke things off with me."

He folded the letter and put it in a blue envelope. He sealed the envelope and prepared to go and put it in Karen's mailbox. Then he decided to have a little fun.

He unsealed the envelope and added a P.S. to the letter.

P.S. Meet me down at the docks tonight at 8.

Zach laughed and put the letter back and re-sealed the envelope. "Boy, that should stir her up. I can't wait to see the look on Karen's when she sees this envelope. She'll think twice before crossing me ever again."

"What did you say, Zach?!" Karen inquired angrily. She had came in through the cracked door, and heard the entire thing.

"Get your hands off of me, Carson!" Mel cried out in a strange, low voice. He stretched his arms out, stretching Carson's in the process. Finally, Carson had to give up and let go. "Don't you ever do that again!" Mel ordered, his voice returning to normal.

"Who do you think you are, telling me what to do. I'd suggest you rethink your position, because the last thing I'm going to do is let someone sit up there and take my girl," Carson growled angrily, his muscles tense and his eyes blazing.

"First of all, she's not your girl. She can do as she pleases. She doesn't have to answer to you. Second of all, why would I want your woman? I don't go around stealing people's girlfriends, got that?" Mel inquired, folding his arms.

Carson studied "Fine. I believe you. Just leavethat girl alone. She's with me," Carson said firmly.

"Don't worry, Carson. I'm not out to steal your woman," Mel said. Carson, satisfied, walked away. "Yet, anyways," Mel said quietly, grinning.

Christian's eyes went wide with fright. "M-Mr. Grier. H-Hi. What are you doing here?"

Mr. Xavier Grier turned his head slowly, looking intently at Christian. "I just came here to deliver the mail. Anything wrong, Christian?" he said in his dark, seedy way.

"None whatsoever, Mr. Grier," Christian tried to laugh, but only succeeded in choking out a cough. "Everything's fine."

"Whatever you say, Christian," Mr. Grier responded, walking away. Then he stopped.

"Oh, Christian. I wouldn't worry about your Mom and Dad," Mr. Grier said, not turning around. "These things have a way of...working themselves out." he said, starting to walk again.

Shannon, who had been holding her breath since Mr. Grier had showed up, finally breathed in a very relieved way. "That was too close. That man scares me to death, Christian."

"He's the strangest person I've ever come across. Sometimes I wonder what made him that way, though. Why is he so...so...so mysterious," Christian wondered aloud.

"Maybe something really bad happened to him when he was a child. Maybe his family wasn't that close," Shannon said, then immediately stopped and put her hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Christian. I didn't mean to bring that up. Forget I even said it, Christian.

Christian just smiled down at his friend. "It's fine, Shannon. I've got to deal with it sometimes. My parents are just going through hard times, that's all. Everyone does, right?"

"Right," Shannon lied. She knew that Christian's parents weren't going to get through this together.

Not to far away, Mr. Grier was sorting mail. "Well, young Christian, you're a fool if you believe that. It'll be a miracle if your parents can spend another month under the same roof. And once they separate, you'll never forget it," he exclaimed bitterly. "Well, I know I took care of my problem a long time ago. It would be wise for you to follow in my footsteps," he said, tossing the mailbag over his shoulders and walking away.