Short Story / Untitled.

Intro.

“Guess who’s back in town?” Harleigh grinned at me from the other side of the shelf.

We were in Walmart. Yeah, we spend the big bucks.

“Jesse McCartney.”

She waited for me to have a teenie fit. I didn’t.

“You’re ex is back in town and you don’t care?”

“We never dated.”

“Oh that’s right. You just made out at parties.” she raised an eyebrow.

“Exactly.”

“And the cinema. And the park..and in the street.”

“Whatever, we never dated.”

Jesse McCartney and I met when we were five, well he was five..I was four. Now I’m nineteen and he’s twenty and we barely see eachother. That happens though. People grow apart right? Maybe I should start from the begining.

Chapter one.

“Faye. Faye! Come over here.” my mother called. I huffed, not wanting to remove myself from my painting of a materpiece. I was four. Then I saw what she was yelling on me for. There was a boy beside her. Tall, blonde hair, green eyes. He was an older boy. Musta been five at least. I was in love. Yanno, pathetic first crush he doesn’t have cooties I’m gonna marry him love? Yeah. That.

I toddled over.

“This is Jesse.”

“Yo.” He grinned. I stared.

“His mommy and daddy just moved here, so I’ll be babysitting him from now on when he’s not at school.”

Now, his parents weren’t weirdo’s who left there kid with anyone, mom was a lisenced childminder.

“You go to school?”

“Yup, don’t you?”

“I’m to little.”

“You’ll grow.”

+

“Hey, Faye.”

“Jesse, Hi.”

We were now in highschool. I was twelve and he was thriteen. And I was still pathetically in love. Only this time it was a little more than hold hands, I’m gonna marry him love. It was more. I wish he’d just kiss me love. Just as bad I know.

He was still tall, still blonde, still had green eyes and was still an older guy, but now he was also a popstar. He’d made it pretty big with a boy band called Dreamstreet, but was determind to stick out as much of actual school as he could. At the time I thought he was demented. Now, I realise he was doing it the right way. It helped him stay grounded and it helped me see him. So I wasn’t gonna complain.

“How’s the first day going for you.”

“I’m still the shortest in my year.”

“You’ll grow.”

+

I walked in the door and Todd pointed to the kitchen. “He’s in there.”

I practically ran to it.

“Faye, hey. You look pretty..”

“Thanks, Jess.” I blushed.

Not only was this my first real party, it was my first time wearing anything remotely girlie. So it was good to hear he noticed.

“Does your mom know you’re here?”

“Yeah, you aren’t allowed to leave my side though.”

He snorted. “When do I ever.”

Not to long later Alyssa bounced into the kitchen. “Hey guys!” She latched onto Jesse’s arm. She was fifteen, same as him.. I glared.

“Uh..hey..” he set himself free.

“We’re all playing Seven minuets in heaven in Jack’s room. Wanna come?”

Jesse eyed me and I shrugged. “Uh..sure.” Something had to make this party more intresting.

We headed into Jack’s room (it was his fourteenth) and saw everyone else was already there.

“Okay Jesse.” you pick a name out of the hat first. Alyssa giggled.

“Why me?”

“Cause you were last in duh.”

He picked a name and burst out laughing. “Faye…”

+

I looked around the room. Why wasn’t he here yet? It was my sixteenth birthday party. My best friend should be here.

I moped around for about another hour before he came running in. He stopped infront of me, leaning over with his hands on his knees. Panting.

“Car.Broke.Down.”

“Where?”

“Like ten. Blocks away. I. Ran. Water?”

“You ran here?” I handed him my punch and he swallowed it fast.

“You know my car’s tempremental.”

“It’s a heap of junk is what it is.”

“Well, yeah.”

He’d gotten a car for his seventeenth, which was in April it was now mid August and he was yet to get a full weeks use out of it.

“So, where’s my present?” I joked.

“Aaaah man. I left it in the car!”

“Do you have anything you can give me?” I made sure he knew I was joking.

“A kiss?”

“There’s a cupboard over there.”

“Lets?”

“Once you go get my present.”

He sighed and turned to leave. That kid will do anything for me.

“Jess, get your no butt, butt back here.”

+

“Don’t tell me your car broke down again?”

“Plane.”

“Your plane broke down? Right.”

“I flew back from London for your eighteenth. Shut up.”

“Where’s my present.”

“I left it on the plane.”

“I’m not making out with you in a cupboard. That stopped being cool at seventeen and three quaters.”

He kissed me anyway. By now we were kissing when ever and whereever we could. And I had no idea why.

Chapter two.

“Have you called him yet?”

“Harleigh, he got home three hours ago.”

“Exactly. I bet he’s waiting by the phone.”

“Then he can call me.”

She rolled her eyes and there was a knock on the door.

I jumped up and she pushed me back down. She had a crush on the pizza delivery guy. I, however, didn’t even like the pizza nevermind the guy delivering it.

I heard a squeal. That’s new.

“Jesseeee!”

Oh fiddle-de-de!

She ran in dragging my poor best friend by the wrist. My poor other best friend..is he my best friend? “Look who’s here!!!!!”

“Jessrick.”

“Fayrick.” he grinned. Wide. Ah, he’s still got it.

“Either of you even think of calling me Harleighrick you die.”

We both snorted.

“You look good.”

“I’m sat, in pj’s with my hair a mess. in a heap on the floor.”

“You heap well.”

“Thanks.”

I looked him up and down. Shorter, messy blonde hair. Prettyfull green eyes. Killer smile. He was about five foot ten by now. I’m lucky if I’m at his shoulder. Yup, still pathetically in love. Of course, I denied this to all. Encluding me.

“Can I use your bath room?” He grinned.

“Second on the left.”

As soon as he was out the room Harleigh dropped to eye level. “Well?”

“I want to lick him.”

“You are way to honest sometimes.”

“Too honest about what?” Wow, fast pee.

“She wants to lick you.”

“Oh, I know.”

“Okay, you guys are freaky.”

“Again, no surprise.”

I just sat there staring.

“Fayrick?”

“One day you’ll just call me Faye.” The name had stuck from when I was eight.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Nope.”

“Okay.”

Harleigh raised an eyebrow. Pleasepleasepleasedontsayanything… “When was the last time you guys made out?”

“With eachother? Or other people?” I asked.

“Both.”

There was a chorus of ‘My/her eighteenth’

“And the last time you made out in general?”

There was another chorus of ‘My/her eighteenth’ . We stopped, staring at eachother. Ooooh, boy.

“You guys are SO in love. It’s cute.”

I kicked her in the shin from my place on the floor.

“I’m right. I’m so right.”

Jesse took a seat beside me. Leaning his back against the couch. “Why am I scared to ask for proof?”

“Cause we both know damn well she’s got loads?”

An evil grin spread across her face. “Okay. I’m gonna ask questions you guys both answer.”

There was no point arguing with her, we nodded.

“First kiss?”

We pointed to eachother.

“First crush?”

We pointed to eachother.

“First date?”

We pointed to eachother.

“Last kiss?”

We pointed to eachother.

“Last crush?”

We pointed to eachother.

“Last date?”

We pointed to eachother.

“Just have babies already”

The door bell rang and she ran to it.

“Hot date?” Jesse raised an eyebrow.

“No. Hot pizza.”

“HOT PIZZA GUY ACTUALLY!”

“YOU REALISE HE PROLLY HEARD THAT THROUGH THE DOOR?” I yelled back. Moving to the door so I could watch.

She opened it. “So I’m hot eh?” Pizza guy grinned.

“How much?

“On the house.” Ohhh, he’s flirting back.

“What’s your name?”

She jumped at the sound of my voice.

“Zac.”

“Got a girlfriend?”

“Nope.”

I motioned to Harleigh. “Want one?”

“OhmygodfFaye! You’re so embarrasing! Sorry, eh..Zac.”

“It’s cool. You order like three pizza’s a day. I kinda figured.”

“And you always deliver it, coincidence?” she raised an eyebrow.

“I’d prefere to call it fate myself.”

“Wanna come in?”

“I’d really like to make up some story about how I had another job to do and take of into the night…but you were my last delivery.”

She stepped aside and I finally got a full view.

Shaggy brown hair, tan. His work polo clinging to his arms in a very flattering way. He also had an infectious smile.

“So, you’d like to take off into the night eh?” She asked.

“Show up within ten minuets, get paid and leave em wanting more, baby.”

“So you’re a pizza delivery hooker?” I asked.

“For the right price I could be.”

“I CAN HEAR A GUY! WHO THE HELLS OUT THERE?!”

“Who’s that?” Zac’s eyes grew wide and I decided to have some fun.

“Her big brother.”

“Oh crap.”

We showed him into the living room and I shot Jesse a ‘work with me look’.

“This is Jesse. Harleighs brother.”

They shook hands. “You must be ‘the hot pizza dude’?”

“Yeah, that’s me. I think.”

Chapter three.

My cell rang in my bag and I tried to answer it, while putting my key in the door and eating a packet of malteasters.

“Hey.”

“Hey, what you doint tonight?”

“Nothing, Harleighs got a date with Zac.”

“Can I come over?”

“Nope.”

“I have old movies.”

“So? We never actually WATCH a movie Jesse. We haven’t in about five years.”

“Exactly.”

I cursed and gave up trying to open the door with one hand. Threw down the keys and took a seat on the stairs outside.

“Having trouble?

“Nope.”

“Liar. What time do you want me over?”

“Why do you assume you’re coming here.”

“Cause it’ll be so funny when she comes home with him and we’re snuggled up on the couch watching Bambi.”

I snorted “Bambi.”

“I’ve never saw it kay?”

“You’ll cry.”

“Did you?”

“Nope.”

“Then we’re not watching Bambi. I’d rather not be the one with a heart.”

“Oh please you bawled you eyes out at The Lion King and you were sixteen.”

“Tell you what? We’ll watch a walk to remember.”

“Not funny.” I was literally sobbing my heart out the first time we saw that and it still has the same effect.

“You love that movie.”

“I know, but I don’t wanna weep all over you.”

“I don’t mind. I’ll hold you till you stop crying.”

“Stop it.”

“What?”

“Being cheesy-cute.”

“I’ll be over at seven okay?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, go let yourself in now.”

I laughed. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

+

When I’d gotten in I showered, done my hair and changed into jeans and a tank top. Then I wondered why I bothered. He’d seen me at my worst.

I looked at the clock. Only five.

“You’re gonna call him to come over early aren’t ya?” Harleigh smirked from her place on the couch.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your hot date with the pizza delivery guy?”

“Why must you call him that? You know his name.”

She’s right, I did, but I also knew calling him that bugged her and I deserved some payback.

“What time is he picking you up?”

“Six-thirty.”

“Okay, I’ll wait till your gone to ring Jesse. Go get ready.”

“Plenty of time.”

This is what I didn’t get. Last night she was all ‘Oooohmygodfaye!’ now she’s as cool as a cucumber?

That’s the thing with Harleigh. She can’t start the conversation, but once it has started? This chicks a maneater. Poor, poor ikkle Zac. I wonder if he has any idea what he’s getting himself into.

+

The door bell rang. We looked at eachother then the clock. Six pm.

“Someone’s early..” Harleigh raised an eyebrow in the mirror. She was still trying to do something with her ‘too damn’ long blonde hair.

“And I bet I know who.”

“Jesse?”

“Nope.” I got up and went to the door, opening it. “Harl, you ain’t gonna believe this.”

I snorted and walked back into the living room. Followed by Jesse..and Zac.

She turned round and burst out laughing. “No way.”

“Apparently we’re to much of a good thing to wait for.”

“Well duh.”

“Okay, if you guys shut up for a second I have something for you.” Jesse was digging around in a bag.

“Why am I scared?”

He handed me “A walk to remember” and a box of kleenex. I shot him a look and Harleigh grabbed at Zac wrist.

“I know that look. Time to leave.”

They practially ran for the door.

“We are not watching this.”

“Oh come on. It’s your favorite.”

“You remember that?”

“Faye, I remember everything.”

“Like?”

“I’ve been back in town a day. Do we really wanna have this talk?”

“Depends. How long are you in town?”

“Six months.”

I done a sharpe intake of breath. “That’s the longest you’ve been home in a long time.”

Since departing Dreamstreet, Jesse had a pretty sucessfull solo career. My best friend was pretty much the most lusted after popstar in America at this point in time. The sad thing? I totally saw why.

He shurgged off his jacket and flopped onto the couch.

“Make yourself at home.”

“About that, I was thinking..you guys have a spare room right?”

“Well, yeah. It’s tiny though. It’s more a spare cupboard.”

I was lying, the room was normal size. How can we aford a lease on a three bedroom apartment I hear you ask? We can’t. It’s in Harleigh’s grandmothers name and we struggle to make the rent each month. We could use a roommate. But Jesse?

“Can I move in? I’ll help with rent.”

“Jesse, you own your own appartment. Why live here?”

“Cause, I’m hardly ever here so why pay for something I don’t use, money does run out you know. Besides..We always said we’d live together.”

“I’ll have to talk to Harleigh, but..” I motioned for him to stand up. “Come and see your room.”

+

Harleigh and Zac tried to sneek passed us at around two am. We’d passed out on the couch, myself on top of Jesse after I’d bawled my eyes out at A walk to remember and he’d balwed his out at Bambi.

“And where do you think you two are going?” She just about hit the roof.

“Nowhere.”

I eyed her then leaned back over Jesse, whispering in his ear. “Jess. Jesse, honey wake up.”

Zac turned to Harleigh. “Are they married?”

“Oh about that, he’s moving in. So, we gotta clear the spare room.”

“Why?” She snorted. “He’ll be sleeping in yours.”

I ignored her and went back to trying to wake him up. “Jesse..Jess. Ah, fiddle it.” I planted a light kiss on his jaw and his eyes shot open. “Works everytime.”

“I told you about three years ago. DON’T DO THAT!”

“Why not?”

“Cause…get off me?”

Harleigh burst out laughing. I stayed on him. Now straddling his waist.

“Dude, never complain when a hot girls on top.” Zac grinned.

“Dude, that’s my little sister you’re talking about.” What the..ooh yeah.

“Sorry.”

“Okay I gotta confess.” I bit my lip. “They aren’t even related.”

“REALLY?”

“Really.”

He grabbed her hand and with seconds I heard her room door slam.

“I so don’t wanna go to bed now. The walls are too thin.”

“Wanna sleep with me?” Jesse asked.

I poked him in the ribs.

“I mean at mine. Not..with me. Gah.”

“Shut up.”

Chapter four.

I woke up to the sound of an unfarmilar alarm. Rolled over and smooshed my face into an all to farmilar bare chest. Oh, please. Dear god no.

What happened? Oh yeah!

Harleigh had taken Zac to her room. I didn’t feel like hearing noises. Jesse bundled me into his car then we came to his and colapsed on the bed. That was all. It’s fine.

We weren’t drunk and we weren’t naked. All is well.

I had on one of his shirts and had protested that he at least put on sweatpants. He did.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

“Mornin’ Cheeseball.” I rolled back away from him and he turned to face me. Leaning on his elbow his head on his hand.

“Wanna do something today?”

“Like what?”

“Remember this? Hold on.” He turned swung out of the bed, dug around and resumed his position. Handing me a piece of paper.

“Is this?”

“Yep.”

We’d written a list of things to do together before we died. I was ten at the time, he eleven and apparently he still had his original copy. It even had a missing corner where my hamster Speedrick had chewed on it.

“How many have we got left to do?”

“Eight.”

There was originally ten, but we’d covered ‘See Bon Jovi’ and ‘write a song together’ Only eight cheesy things left.

“Okay, what we doing today?”

“Pick a number.” He took the piece of paper back.

“Five.”

“Oh, that’s a good one.”

“What is it?”

“Dance crazy in the mall.”

“Aren’t we a little old of that?”

“No.”

“Jesseee!”

“Fine, fine. What do you wanna do?” I glanced at him and then the bed. Stay here with you like this forever.

“I dunno.”

“Wanna just lay here?”

“And do what?”

“Talk. Catch up on the year I’ve missed.”

“It’s actually a year and three months. It’s November you know.”

“Ooh, that’s why it’s so cold. I never realised.” He rolled his eyes at me.

“So, tell me how was tour? How many groupies did you score?”

“None. I was far to busy.”

I slapped him on the arm. “Jess!”

“I’m not intrested in groupies, or girlfriends.”

“Oh, so ya like the single life?”

“Urm. Something like that.”

I eyed him. Apparently I wasn’t as good at reading him as I used to be. Well, I was. I was just ignoring the fact I knew exactly what he was getting at.

“Have you saw your family yet?”

“Nope..”

“Shouldn’t you have saw them before me?” I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged.

“I missed you.”

“That’s why you didn’t call me in like five months?”

“It was too hard, kay?”

“Since when is it too hard to pick up a cell phone?”

I was getting more mad than I should and I was suddenly very uncomfortable in the knowledge that I was laying in his bed. With him.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” He sighed as I got up and went in search of my jeans. “Faye, don’t be like that.”

“I’m not being like anything. I just, I need to get home and change for work.” I lied.

“You aren’t working today.”

“How do you know?”

“You told me last night.”

Damnit.

So now, now I’m in a mess. It’s not like he doesn’t know how I feel. Okay, so maybe he doesn’t. I’ve never flat out said it and like I told Harleigh, we’ve never actually dated. I knew he had a crush on me too, Harls questioning woulda proved that if I didn’t already know. I didn’t know what to say. I coulda choked on the tension in the room. When Jesse and I are in a room there is never silence. And I mean never. We definetly have a problem here.

I found my jeans and pulled them on along with my tattered old falling apart tartan converse. Pulled my hoodie on over his top, grabbed my bag and done the only thing I knew how to do.

I left.

+

I got back to my appartment to find Zac was still there. Making himself very at home apparently.

He was lounging around in his boxers. Cup of coffee in his hand.

“Where’s Harleigh?”

“Work.” He grinned. “Have fun last night?”

I’m pretty sure my face fell.

“Uh-oh. He isn’t—I mean he can..right?”

I burst out laughing. “Is that all you think about?”

“Made you laugh didn’t it?”

“Okay, point to you. How come Harleigh got you first?” I pouted.

“Cause you’re in love with Jesse?”

“She told you?!”

“She didn’t need to. It’s written all over your little tiny self.”

I flipped him off.

“For the record? He loves you too.”

“Zac, shut up.”

“Hey, don’t be mean. I’m new.” He pouted.

Yep, can definetly see why Harleigh suddenly had a constant craving for Pizza.

“So, what exactly are your intentions with my best friend?”

“If I tell you something you cannot tell her?”

I rasied an eyebrow. This should be intresting.

“She came into the pizza place about a month ago, with you actually, and my jaw pretty much dropped.”

I opened my mouth to speak and he held up a hand. “I’m not a stalker before you say a word. But, that’s what I meant when I was talking about fate.”

“Okay, so you let her order about a billion pizza’s. Let her waste hundreds of dollars and don’t ask her out?”

He nodded. “Pretty much.”

“Men..”

He tut tutted. “Bitter.”

“Your point?”

“Yanno I have a brother..”

“Again, your point.”

“Maybe Jesse just needs a kick up the a-”

“I get the point.”

“So, want me to get Isaac in on the plan?”

I snorted. “Isaac and Zac?”

“Shut up.”

“Wait, plan?”

“Yeah I’m thinking that we -“

I cut him off. “Zac, I’m ninteen. He’s TWENTY. We are not using “The Plan!”. Jesus.”

“Fine. Suffer. Isaac’s hot.”

“Incest is not best, Zaccy.”

“Fine, but you should know, Taylor’s the gay one.”

“Taylor?”

“He’s the middle child. Enough said methinks.”

+

So, Harleigh came home from work to see me curled up on the couch with her boxer clad boyfriend watching Friends.

“Yanno, if we were normal I’d be freaking out right now…”

“Good job we ain’t then isn’t it Kinky Lips.”

Zac’s eyebrow just about hit the roof.

“Don’t even ask.” She sighed flopping down on the other side of him.

“I won’t.” He grinned.

“So anyway, you’re depressed.” She leaned over him and looked at me.

Whatthehell?

She pointed to the tv. So, I watch Friends when I’m down..shoot me.

“She needs a night out.”

“I know, where are we taking her?” Zac was nodding.

Apparently I don’t exist now.

“I know a few places.”

Chapter five.

How this was meant to make me feel better I did not know. We were in our local [The plan to head to a club at closing time] and I was surrounded by couples.

I leanded over to Zac and asked who the hell half these people were.

“Well, I mighta told my brother, and he mighta told his boyfriend and he mighta told his sister who mighta told her boyfriend..”

“If you say ‘Who mighta told’ I’m gonna shoot you.”

“No, this is it. I swear.”

I looked around the Table. Taylor had his arm slung around Aaron’s shoulder and they were flirting shamlessly. It woulda been cute if it wasn’t making me ill. Then we had Leslie and her midget, sorry boyfriend, AJ.

Don’t get me wrong. All seemed like very nice people, but all they were doing was reminding me that I was the only one there without a date.

And things where about to get worse. I realised that I’d already hit a new low. How much worse could it get.

I turned to Zac. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Ooh, the plan!” Harleigh was boucning in her chair and thats when I heard an all to farmilar male voice.

“What plan?”

“Hey Jess.” She grinned.

“Hey guys, this is Taylor.” He motioned to the skank on his arm who I had no reason to hate other than she was the skank on his arm.

Zac snorted. “Sorry, I think Taylor I think my brother.”

“But I’m not your brother..” her face scrunched up in confusion.

Harleigh sighed. “No, sweetie, he means you have the same name as his brother.” She motioned over to male Taylor.

“Ohh.”

“Yeah. Jesse, you know Zac and you definetly know Faye. So this is.” Harleigh went round the table. “Leslie, AJ, Aaron and Taylor.”

Skanky-ho Taylor shot me a look. Way to go Harls.

“So, how did you too meet?” I had apparently found my voice.

And I saw the wheels turning. He wasn’t read for the question.

“She’s my cousin’s friend.”

“What cousin?”

He tried to think of one I didn’t know. “Wade.”

“Is he the hot black haired one or his even hotter little brother?”

He sighed. “I’m gonna go get a drink.”

Taylor just stood there.

“Uh.” Harleigh tried to sound nice. “Honey, you were meant to follow him.”

She did.

Zac turned to me. “On a scale of one to ten how much do you want to rip off his manbits right now?”

“Fifteen.”

He montioned for Harleigh to move. “I’ll go call Isaac.”

I pulled him back down. “Dude, too suspect.”

“Does he know that those two are gay?” Harleigh motioned to Taylor and Aaron.

“I don’t think so..Why?” Zac raised an eyebrow and I saw her wheels turning.

“Cause, frankly, Aarons hot.”

I snorted. “So is Taylor. I refuse to break up the prettifullness.”

In order to get away from Harleigh and Zac’s plotting I annouced I needed to pee when I didn’t.

I’d half pushed open the door when I heard a farmilar female voice.

“Nah, I shouldn’t be late. I’m just helping Jesse make that chick he’s like, in love with jealous. I know..I told him he’s going about it wrong, but you know him.”

I, smoothly, fell againt the bin and she clocked me.

“I gotta go.” She hung up.

“Urm..”

“Look, You’re Faye right?” I nodded. “You, obviously weren’t meant to hear that and no-one ever needs to know you did.”

Well, whatdayaknow. The skanks not a skank.

I just nodded again.

“He’s a good guy, honey. An idiot. But a good guy.”

She motioned for me to sit up on the sink. A heart to heart in the ladies room. Remember I said I’d hit a new low before? Apparently I’m the Grand Canyon..

“Alright. First. You’re wondering who the hell I am yes?”

“You’re his sister’s friend’s big sister aren’t ya? I remember you. We met..”

“At his eighteenth.” She finnished.

“YEAH!”

“And we spent the whole night talking about how much you loved him.”

“You gave me vodka.”

“How the hell was I to know that was the key to Pandora’s box?” She was grinning.

I looked at her. She was tall, skinny, shoulder lenghth wavey dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. In fact, she looked alot like male Taylor.

“So, he hired you to make me jealous?”

“Make me sound like a hooker why dontcha.”

“Sorry.” I laughed.

“So, what you gonna do?”

“Nothing.”

“Yeah, cause that’s getting you far.” she raised her eyebrow.

She had a point. If I didn’t make a move I wasn’t gonna get anywhere and when he tried to make a move I all but closed up. So he resorted to petty games. Apparently we where more mature at thirteen and fourteen.

“Yanno the funny thing? Zac was gonna set me up with his brother to do this exact same thing and I said I was too mature.”

“Yeah, do not fight fire with fire. It never works.”

“You’re smarter than you were letting on arn’t ya?”

“He said you hated bimbos..”

“I’m gonna rip his – “

“Clothes off? All in good time.”

I jumped down off the skinks. “I’m leaving.”

“He’s out there..”

“I’m staying.”

She grabbed my arm. Dragged me over to Jesse. Sat me down next to him and told him she’d call him tomorrow for an update. Then? She ran for it.

“She told you didn’t she?”

“Jesse, I already knew. I remembered her face.”

“Ah. You think I’m an idiot don’t you?”

“I don’t even need to answer that.”

He montioned to the group who was a few booths away. “Can we ditch them?”

“I gotta at least tell Harls.”

He nodded and stood.

I got to the table to hear the six people at it were talking about me. Yanno, when it goes dead silent when you walk into a room? That kinda thing.

“Smooth, guys.”

“Alright, what’s up?” Zac raised an eyebrow.

“He wants me to leave with him.”

“Do you want to leave with him?”

“That’s what I’m asking you.”

He sighed. “Faye..”

“Okay, I want to go, but I’m scared to go.”

“Why?”

“Zac!”

“Look.” Harleigh poked her nose in. “Honey, in the nicest possibly way, we all know you’re gonna go, so just GO!”

I felt two strong arms snake round my waist. “It’s true. We all know you’e coming with me.”

“I was untill you said that.”

“You’re kidding right?”

“Nope.” I slipped out of his grip. “See ya.”

“Faye..”

“Jesse.”

“OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD KISS HER!” That was male Taylor.

I turned to Taylor. “Why don’t YOU just kiss him?”

“Cause I have been all night.”

Mine and Aaron’s faces fell. Then the lightbulb clicked above both our heads.

Aaron punched him on the arm twice.

“Owch!”

“One of them was for her.”

“DOMESTIC ABUSE!”

“Aww, I’m sowwy.” Aaron rubbed his arm.

I sighed. “Aaron, ya let the side down buddy.”

“I know, sorry.”

“Back to the point in hand. Are you coming with me?”

“Where do you wanna go?”

“Anywhere. We gotta talk and by that I don’t mean I talk and you freeze up.”

“What about?”

“Oh come on, Faye.” Jesse sighed. “Yanno what. Maybe Dory was right.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“No Jesse, what? You know the deal. No secrets.”

“I was eight when we made that pact!”

“Yeah and you were five when we met. And seven when you broke my wrist. And Tweleve when you kicked Jared Lewis’ ass for me. And fifteen the first time you kissed me in that damn cupboard..”

“Urm, about that..It wasn’t even your name I pulled out.”

“What?” I tried to stop my jaw from dropping.

“It said Erica.”

“Then why did you..?”

“Cause I needed an excuse to kiss you, damnit.”

All the gay men and the women in the booth awwed. Ah crap.

“And you couldn’t just ask me out?”

“You were my best friend. You were one of the boys, Faye.”

“Gee, ya sure know how to charm a girl.”

“Yeah.” Zac sighed. “Want a bigger shovel for that hole man?”

“I’m saying this wrong.”

“Ya think?” Harleigh raised an eyebrow at him. “Come with me.” She stood grabbed him and dragged him out of sight.

“What is she doing?”

“Saving him before you kick his ass?” Leslie asked. “That’s just a guess. I’m new.”

“That sounds about right.”

I took of with the plan of finding them, but felt someone grab the back of my shirt. I turned to see Aaron.

“Let her do her thing.”

“Damn you’re tall.” No idea why I blurted that out, none at all.

“Six foot three.”

“Damn.”

“Want me instead now?”

“I wish.”

He was tall, as we’ve established. Shaggy blonde hair. Big brown eyes. Just the right color of tan and the way his shirt clung to him made it VERY apparent he worked out. My friend Alex woulda loved him. If only he were straight..

“I’m almost offended.”

“I couldn’t break up the prettifullness that is You and Taylor.”

“And I couldn’t ruin the JesseFaye love.” he grinned.

“JesseFaye love?”

“Oh please, you two are adorable together. And the sad thing? You don’t even have the excuse of not realising it.”

“It’s him, not me.”

“And right now? I bet he’s over there with Harleigh saying ‘it’s her, not me.’ Right?”

“Who said you were allowed to meddle?”

“I’m a gay man. It’s what I do kay?”

I sighed and told him I was going out for some air. Which, I did.

Chapter six

I woke up to find an unsesasary weight on my bed.

“You better be Harleigh or Zac..” I thought about it.. “Or Aaron.”

“So, this is a No Jesse zone?”

“I thought I told you to leave me the hell alone.”

“You didn’t mean that.”

I glared at him and his face fell.

“Oh shit. You did.”

You see last night I over heard his conversation with Harleigh, which I was, obviously, not meant to hear. Anyway, he told Harls that he was begining to wonder if Dory was right. If a guy like him should really be with a girl like me. Harls had kicked him in the balls. Literally.

I think the reason it hurt so much was the fact that I hadn’t ever made my move for that very reason. What if he got me and got bored?

He could have anyone he wanted and I knew full well we got weird looks walking down the street together.

The contrast between us was unbelieveable. He was tall, blonde and gorgeous. I was short, bruenette and average. I’d seen worse, but definetly seen better.

His green eyes sparkled. Mine couldn’t even make up their mind if they were hazel or green.

“Faye, you need to let me explain.”

“I think you said enough last night.”

“No, listen. Harleigh didn’t let me explain before she jumped to conclusions.”

This could be intresting. I cocked an eyebrow waiting for him to go on. Wondering if I really wanted him to.

“When I said a guy like me shouldn’t be with a girl like you? I meant you were too good for me.” My face twisted in confusion. “Look, I know you think I’m lying. I’m not. I was talking to Dory about it and he said you sounded like an amazing girl and that he had to meet you, but also he asked if I was willing to put you through all the shit.”

I honestly had no idea what he was talking about.

“Faye, honey. I’m here for six months and I know that seems like a long time, but it’s really not. Then I leave for pretty much a year on tour. We’d be back to e-mails and long phone conversations.”

“Oh, so you’d remember to call this time?”

“Faye! For god sake I tried to explain that. And it’s not only the distance. There’ll be a lotta girls out there willing to hate you simply because you have my attention and they don’t. Don’t get me wrong my fans, for the most part, are lovely girls, but there are a few really twisted ones out there.”

“You say this like they haven’t hated me since Dreamstreet.” I sighed and he looked confused. “I’ve had a few nasty e-mails in my time.”

“Oh, I’m sorry..”

“It’s not your fault.”

“You still don’t believe me do you?”

“I want to believe you.”

“But?”

“You always go on about wanting to be with me. You have been since as long as I can remember. We make out every now and then, then you take off and leave me wondering what’s even going on here. You have never once even attempted to ask me out and when the subject comes up it goes so well that it ends with my best friend kicking you hard and fast in the balls. So, Jesse, forgive me if that little speach didn’t exactly win me over.”

“Alright, let’s look at this on the flipside for a second. Never once have you asked me out, never once have you even made the first move, Faye. I’m not a mind reader. I never asked you out cause I didn’t know if you should. I didn’t wanna have you say no and us get weird, as teenager as it sounds. And, worse, I didn’t want you to say yes and then me have to leave you straight away. I tried to talk to you about all this and you threw a bitchfit. Twice.”

I just gave him a blank look.

“You know I’m right. You know everything you just accused me of, you do it too.”

I sighed. He was right. I didn’t know what to say again.

“Say something.” Oh great. Frikken great.

I realised that thinking wasn’t getting me anywhere. So, I acted on impulse. I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him.

He tensed up. When he didn’t kiss me back, I pulled away. His hands held me at arms length. “What the hell are you doing?”

I blushed. Furiously. “I .. uh..”

He grinned, pulled me back and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I was kidding.”

He leaned forward and stopped when his face was a mere whisper from mine. He licked his lips and his eyes trailed my face and then he leant forward and kissed me.

The door to my bedroom flew open and I heard. “Ohhh Myyy Gawwd! KISSING. THERE’S KISSING IN HERE!”

Jesse groaned [and not in the good way] and smooshed his face into my shoulder.

“Make the gay man go away?”

By the time this had been said. Harleigh, Zac and Aaron had rushed into the room.

I eyed them. “What?”

“To be honest? We didn’t know who you were kissing.”

“Zac!” I burst out laughing.

Aaron turned to Harleigh. “I believe you owe me five bucks.”

Jesse’s head was off my shoulder in a second. “You’re betting on her happiness?”

“No.” Aaron grinned. “Her sex life.”

“She ain’t gonna have one if your boyfriend keeps bursting in!”

“But his boyfriend is like a seven year old!”

I eyed Zac. “What does that make you? Five.”

“Last time I help you, Faye. Last time!”

“It’s the only time you’ve ever helped me!”

“I feed you!”

“I don’t eat pizza!”

“YOU DON’T EAT PIZZA?” That was Zac, Taylor and Aaron.

“TOLD you you were weird.” That was Jesse and Harleigh.

“Wait.” Zac turned to her and I was very glad the attention was off me. “You ate all that pizza?”

“Let’s just say the homeless guy down the street loves me.”

“Aw, you are so sweet.” he got closer than I ever needed to see.

“DO THAT IN YOUR OWN BEDROOM!” I yelled before turning to Taylor and Aaron. “That goes for you two too. In other words. Get OUT of mine.”

“Aw, but Taylor wanted to watch.” Harls pouted.

Taylor slapped her.

“You are SO lucky you’re a flamer.” She was deadly serious.

Jesse sighed, stood, chucked me over his shoulder and headed for the door.

“What the hell?”

“We’re going to mine.”

Chapter Seven

We got into Jesse’s appartment and I was suddenly very glad he didn’t still live with his family. This coulda been awkward.

“So..”

“Yeah.” I gave a weak smile. “So..”

“I think this is where I’m meant to push you against the wall and rip your clothes off.”

“No one said I was going to have sex with you.”

“That was me trying and failing to break the tension. Ha.” He was now staring at the floor.

“Jess..”

“Mhm?”

“If you don’t kiss me, so help me god, I’m gonna kill you.”

“Why do i gotta start it? You were doing so well.”

I walked passed him and headed to the kitchen.

“Ah, damnit!”

Point to me.

Alright, so maybe now wasn’t the best time to be playing games.

I turned and walked straight back to him.

“Jesse, I’m-”

“Getting bad at staying mad at me?”

“I think I’m about to get good again!”

I tried to walk away and he grabbed at my arm spinning me back into him. Please, please don’t let..our hips connected. Damnit!

“This feels more awkward than it should..” I sighed.

“It’s awkward cause you’re making it awkward.”

“No, Jesse. It’s awkward cause since we were fifteen we’ve been avoiding this exact moment and now that it’s here neither of us have a clue what to do. We spent so long avoiding it that we didn’t think about what would happen if it came.”

“You might not have thought about it, but I know damn well I have.”

“You have?”

“Of course I have! You can’t tell me you haven’t? You haven’t ever thought about us getting together. You’ve never imagined what it would be like?”

I just stood there. He didn’t need to know I had already picked what our house would look like, our kids names and the breed of dog we were gonna have.

He smirked at me. “So what are our kids names?”

I just eyed him.

“Faye, I can read you like a large print book.”

I sighed and muttered “Joshua and Sinead.”

He nodded slowley. “I like them..”

“Can we be serious now?”

“I thought we were being serious.”

“Oh, so we’re gonna get married move into that big power blue house on the corner of our old street. We’re gonna have those two beautiful kids and a bulldog called Sundance. Cause things like that can actually happen.”

“So much for not thinking about it.”

“Please, you can read me like a large print book, remember?” I rolled my eyes.

“Yanno, that house is for sale..”

“Jesse, we are not buying that house.”

“Why not?”

“For one, I’m nineteen. For two we can’t even ask eachother on a date. We are not at the house buying stage!”

“We were always at the house buying stage.”

“And how on the blue hell are you working this one out?”

“We’re pratically married! We’ve been pussyfooting around this so long. We should just buy the damn house before someone else does.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s your dream house yes?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then when are we going to arrange to view it?”

+

“He wants you guys to buy a house together?!”

“Actually, he’s buying..I’d just be living in it?”

“He wants you guys to move in together?!”

“Harleigh. Calm down.”

“Are you gonna? I mean are you doing this? Are you moving in with him? He’s only here six months. I can’t make the rent on my own!”

I pushed her back so she was sitting on the couch. “Stop. Breathe. And listen to me.”

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