Ok, I've finally taken the time to rewrite this chapter. I didn't change much... mostly just added things here and there and combined with chapter 2! Please read and don't forget to tell me what you think!

Chapter 1

Valentines Day sucks. Honest to God, it’s the worst day of the year. I mean seriously, how many people spend their entire paychecks on hearts and flowers for one date and the possibility of ‘fun’ later on? Millions! Why? Well hell I don’t know, if I did I might’ve liked the holiday more. But as it were, I didn’t, and thus I had to question the sanity of the man who made it a holiday to begin with.

“What’s so wrong with it Rose? It’s just a day for people to love each other, why is that so bad?” Carleigh was my best friend, really she was, but sometimes… well, we just didn’t click. And this was one of those times. I’d explained to her a hundred times why we had to skip Valentines Day this year and take a trip to the beautifully snowy Canada instead. She just wasn’t grasping the amazingly simple concept of Girl’s Weekend Out.

“It’s just a stupid holiday created by Hallmark where people get all mushy on each other and leave everyone else in the dust. Come with me, it’ll be more fun.” I pleaded, tugging her sleeve gently and staring her straight in the eyes and giving my best impression of a lost puppy. Carleigh just shook her head and rolled her eyes, dropping all the books she’d been carrying into the bottom of her locker and slamming the door shut. I knew why she didn’t want to go. She had plans with Aaron. But that didn’t matter… the two went out all the time! You’d think she’d cancel just once to spend an awesomely amazing weekend with her best friend! But no, not Carleigh Johnson, she’s a devoted girlfriend…

“It is not! It’s a day for people to express just how much they love each other and it’s great…” her eyes were wistful as her gaze floated to the ceiling all romance-y. I thought about vomiting in her locker. “and besides, Aaron and I –”

“- I knew it! You can’t go without him for one lousy weekend! I’m your best friend, he’s just a guy and you know damn well when you two break up I’ll be there to make you stop crying.” I said, pretending to be hurt beyond all reason. I pushed myself against a locker, crossed my arms and started to pout. Carleigh could be so insensitive sometimes… and I was just so good at exploiting it.

“Rose come on, you know it isn’t like that.” She said, placing a hand on my shoulder sympathetically. I looked away from her, making my eyes water to the best of my ability. Tears were always the icing on the cake. Carleigh couldn’t say no to them. “But Aaron is different… and Valentines will be our eight month anniversary, you don’t want me to miss that, do you?”

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or lose my lunch – Aaron was anything but different! He was a chauvinist pig and I was surprised that Carleigh didn’t see it. Of course every time I tried to point this out to her she got mad and told me to butt out of her love life. But that wasn’t the point. Any guy who could blow off his one and only for a night at a strip club (of course he told her it was pizza with the guys…) was, in my book, a pig. “Will it matter if I say yes?” I asked, looking at her with my now tear-filled eyes. “Car this is Canada, can I stress that enough? And my Dad said he’d buy as many tickets as we need! It won’t cost anything, this is a once in a lifetime chance, Cream.”

I could tell my evil plot was working; the intense look on Carleigh’s face was fading, replaced by a sneaky little grin I’d grown to love. It meant that I had my way, once again.

“Fine, Peaches,” she blurted out the words like poison… but she’d said them and that was all that counted. “But only if I can bring a few friends. Promise?” I smiled away my ‘tears’ and leapt on her, nearly toppling over in the process. What can I say, I’m a cow. But Carleigh would hit me if I said that out loud.

“As long as they only have one head, you can bring as many friends as you want.” I said happily. And Mum said those acting classes would never pay off… Well actually I said it. But I was eight, I wanted to ride my bike not spend hours in a stuffy room with a scary witch! Carleigh pushed me off of her and we headed for my car. Home was a wonderful place… well, not really but it wasn’t bad. And it beat hanging out at school any longer than necessary.

The drive home consisted mostly of our ramblings about what we could do in Canada and how many cherries we could fit our mouths at once, who had the sexiest feet… typical teenage girl things. It was fun, until Carleigh decided to bring up Aaron and how in freaking love she was with him… did I mention that we just don’t get along? It could have something to do with that party I had where he got drunk and practically tried to rape me but ya know, I think it started before that. No we never went out, as seems to be the cliché these days… we just never liked each other. I nodded my head and smiled so that Carleigh thought I was listening – my regular routine when the subject of her lover came up. And to think she was going to ditch Canada for that…

I was shocked to find that, two streets before the right turn, we’d pulled over. That’s the problem with letting Carleigh drive my car, she always got us lost. I groaned and snapped out of my trance, ready to slap the girl sideways for wasting my gas again (prices these days are ridiculous!) when I noticed why we’d stopped… no we weren’t lost. It was much, much worse.

Speak of the Devil, Satan was here. I mean… Aaron… how nice… uh heh… I rolled my eyes and sunk into my seat. Ok, now it was official, as much as I loved the girl she was never driving my car again. Never. I do not stop for bums!

“Well hey there Baby girl.” He said, walking up to us as the car came to complete stop. I groaned and slapped Carleigh’s arm, resulting in a mouthed ‘what?’ before she turned to her lover boy and engaged in a vomit educing kiss that lasted way longer than necessary. By the time they came up for air I knew I was ready to die… how could she kiss that… thing?! Ah, disinfectant! Get the girl disinfectant! “Rosie.”

Oh how nice of him to acknowledge my existence. “Aaron.” I said menacingly. He knew I hated that name but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of having it bother me. Carleigh just sat there smiling, oblivious to the fact that we were having major mental warfare. Sometimes I swear that girl should’ve been born blonde… redheads are supposed to be smart, are they not? Aaron smirked at me, resting his hand on his girlfriends shoulder and leaning in for yet another kiss. He kept his eyes open, staring at me all the while. I have to say, it was more than a little creepy.

“Cream don’t you have something to tell your lover?” I tapped her lightly on the shoulder, accidentally pushing my hand into Aaron’s face and making him fall out of his lip lock. Oops, how clumsy of me! My weekend away from him (and every other man on the planet) was looking nicer and nicer.

Carleigh shot me a menacing look that made it clear she was none too happy with me but what can I say? She had already agreed to blow him off and come with me. She’d have to tell him eventually, right? I was just… speeding the process along. It was Wednesday, after all. “Carleigh.”

“Rose!” She whispered bewilderedly, raising her eyebrows. I just shrugged and returned the look, pointing to Aaron who was standing there staring like a lost little monkey. I think he was even scratching his bug-infected arse! Carleigh turned to him, took a deep breath, and smiled that dazzling smile of hers. “Triscuit?”

“You only call me that when you want something.” He said plainly, staring at her dumbly. Not that his normal look was anything but moronic but, ya know. Really it was great how well he knew her… she could call him Triscuit. Wow. What an annoyingly stupid name. If he called her Biscuit, I’d kill myself.

“Well I –” she’d been so close to telling him! He needed to stuff a sock in that big hole in his face and set her free! But of course, a stupid freaking car had to honk at us. We weren’t even technically on the road, we were parked! But we must’ve taken the lady’s parking spot because she continued to honk, each one progressively longer. Carleigh looked at me sympathetically (yet oddly relieved) and turned the key, making the engine purr. “We’ll talk tonight. I love you.” They kissed once more while he gave a mumbled something which I assumed was supposed to be an ‘I love you too.’

“Have a nice day Rosie Posy.” He said evilly. I shot him a sarcastic smile, considering how bad Carleigh would murder me if I flicked a certain finger his way. I decided I’d stay on her good side and gave him a soft little wave instead.

“See ya later, Love Monkey.” This comment, of course, got a glare from Carleigh but the scowl from Aaron made it all better. The lady honked again, this one so loud I swear Aaron jumped ten feet. He stepped away from the car and Carleigh took off with me screaming a string of obscenities behind us. Convertibles are so great, even if it was technically my mother’s car.

I was laughing so hard at our great departure (and of course the stunned look on Aaron’s face) I didn’t even notice that Carleigh was in fact, not laughing. She was actually glaring. Well… really it was more of pout/glare that made her lips kind of push out and her nose crinkle. Had she not been mad at me I would’ve whipped out my phone and took a picture and sent it to everyone I knew. But alas, she was angry.

“Why do you always do that?” She snapped at me, turning her attention from the road to me and back again. I just shrugged and gave her my best I’m-sorry-but-you-know-I-hate-him-look. It apparently wasn’t very convincing.

“Car he’s a scunge and you know it.” I rolled my eyes and sighed, letting my arm hang out the window carelessly. I didn’t even have to look at the girl to know that she was biting her lower lip and trying to concentrate on getting us home rather than murdering me in my sleep. Sometimes I question as to whether I should worry that she lives right next door. Or that our windows are right across from each others.

“Aaron is not a scunge, Rose! He’s caring and sensitive and… God why can’t you just be happy for me? I love him and all you can do is… call him a scunge. What the hell is a scunge anyways?” I had to fight from laughing in her face. Caring and Sensitive? Wow she was in the dark… Her hands were turning red from how hard she was gripping the steering wheel, and honestly, I did feel a little bad. But only because I hurt Carleigh, I couldn’t care less about Aaron. If only she saw him when she wasn’t around…then maybe she’d listen to me.

“A scunge is…well it’s… its Aaron! Look ‘scunge’ up in the dictionary and guess what you’ll find? Aaron’s picture!” It was probably pure luck that she’d pulled into my driveway at that exact moment, or she probably would’ve pulled in front of a semi and called it an ‘accident.’ Shame her best friend died but ah well, she’d still have her Love Monkey. Carleigh threw the keys at me before getting out of the car and storming the ten feet to her own drive. She stopped about halfway there and spun on one heel, glaring wildly at me.

“Do you wanna know what you’re problem is?” She asked, the look on her face softening. I could’ve sworn there was even a hint of a smile playing on her lips. And I also knew exactly what she was going to say. “You need to get laid.”

Carleigh is hooked on the idea that my virginity is the reason I hate Aaron. She just doesn’t realize that I seriously hate the guy. And I mean hate, with a passion. I passionately hate him with a passion. It has nothing to do with the fact that I haven’t had any ‘real man-candy’ as Carleigh calls it. I could’ve gotten mad at her had she not been flashing that dazzling smile at me. It’s true; we can never stay mad at each other.

“Yes, Carleigh, after I sleep with some poor, unexpecting guy, my life will just be perfect! And world hunger will be cured! And every war will just suddenly stop! And we’ll find the cure to cancer!” I laughed, rolling my eyes at her. She just shook her head and turned around, walking to her house again. “Oh hey!”

“What?” She didn’t even bother to stop and hear what I was going to say, but that was ok because I knew she was listening. Carleigh was just too lazy to take that extra movement of not moving.

“Ask about this weekend. And don’t forget to tell you’re lover, ok?” She nodded, flipping through the pile of mail that’d been in the box before disappearing through the doorway. She’d forget, and I’d have to call and remind her later. But it’s all good, because she’d already promised to come.

My house, of course, was completely empty when I walked through the door. I made as much noise as possible by slamming my bag on the floor and lightly tossing my amazingly adorned keychain onto the end table, just to fill the silence, and headed straight for the kitchen. The was a note on the fridge door which probably told me that Mom and Dad were working late, and Jamie was staying over at Chrissie’s late. A typical Wednesday afternoon for me… most people would hate it but I loved it! It was my only break from that annoying sloth-like thing my parents were convinced I was related to.

I smiled at myself and grabbed some cold pizza from the fridge, headed into the living room, flipped through the channels until something semi-interesting was on and watched intently.

The next thing I knew, it was after eight and my phone was vibrating wildly in my pocket.

“Hello?” I asked groggily, sitting up and looking around for any sign of life in my house. As far as I could tell, no one was home yet. But that was ok with me.

“Peaches…” Her voice was dripping in sugar, and I could tell without even being fully conscious that Carleigh wanted something. I grunted in response, trying to tell her how thoroughly peeved I was that she’d woken me without actually using real words. Of course my subtle hints did no good. “You said I could bring a few friends, right?”

That woke me up pretty quick. That meant she was going. Yay! Do a happy dance! Well… wake up first. I’d put the happy dance on my to-do list. “Yea sure, as many as you want. Well I mean not like a hundred that’s just crazy but a few is good and they can bring snacks and it will be fun and –”

“–you’re rambling again. Wake up, sleepy girly.” She cooed into the phone, her best baby voice taunting me. Sometimes, I hated her.

“Ok, ok… who’s going? You know what, I don’t care. How many tickets do you need?” I threw a pillow at a wall and imagined it hit Carleigh right in the head and knocked out a few teeth. Ah, that’s better.

Carleigh screamed. And not just and innocent little squeak, no, she chose that very moment to let out an ear-splitting, deafness inducing scream right into her phone. “So I need… lets see one, two…. Five tickets.”

“Did you really have to scream? I mean ouch!” I screamed right back in her ear then yawned loudly – yes, I’m oh so lady-like – and lay back down on the couch.

“No wait I need six!” I could just picture her sitting there, a huge smile on her face, waiting for me to cave in and get her six tickets to Canada. That was a lot of tickets, but Daddy Dearest said as many as I want, so I had every right to exploit that, right?

“Yea sure I’ll tell my dad. Now I’m sleepy, bye Cream” I didn’t even bother to hear her say bye before flipping the phone shut and passing out on the couch again.

The airport smelled funny. Airports always smell so funny. That’s all I could think about as we stood there, surrounded by hundreds of couples, all ready to get away for a nice weekend of looooooooove. It kinda made me puke a little in my mouth.

It’d been about three hours since my parents dropped Carleigh and me off there, armed with our tickets and our luggage and directions on how to get to our flight and to please make sure we call as soon as possible... typical parental reactions, I guess, but annoying nonetheless. We’d gone through security – a raunchy two hours of men digging through my bags, looking at my under things and prodding at my makeup case like a bomb could actually fit inside. They enjoyed torturing me, I knew it.

And now, a whole hour to go before we actually had to board the flying metal death trap, Carleigh and I sat in the uncomfortable cushioned chairs boredly awaiting the arrival of her friends.

“They’re not coming.” I announced, standing impatiently and pacing back and forth in front of her. I hate airports. I don’t like flying, and I especially hated all of the public displays of affection that were going on around me. What, they couldn’t wait until they were safely hidden in their motel rooms? The world is coming to an end, and they’re all going to Hell.

“They are too. They said they’d be a little late, just give them time. We still have an hour Rose; stop being a pessimist for five seconds, please?” Carleigh was tired already, and when she’s tired, she’s grumpy. I decided it was best to listen to her and sat back down, sprawling out on the seats and using her lap as a comfy pillow. She raised an eyebrow at me, peeking over her completely unnecessary sunglasses before rolling her eyes and looking around some more. Seriously, who wears sunglasses indoors? Carleigh was so weird sometimes. I grinned evilly and snatched them off her face, placing them delicately on my own. The world went dark. Ah!

“Who are they, anyways? You still haven’t told me. Why won’t you tell me? Why?!” Carleigh simply smiled at my hysterics, an evil grin I didn’t like one bit spreading across her pretty face as she ripped her glasses from my nose, carefully folded them, and squeezed them into the pocket of her jeans. She wouldn’t tell me. I knew she wouldn’t, she was being stubborn and when Carleigh was stubborn, she was stubborn. Brick wall, iron doors, crocodile filled moat… all of those things. There was just no getting her to talk.

“Flight 219, please begin boarding.” A loudspeaker blared above me, announcing our flight number. Other people who’d been sharing the room with us started to stir, some waking each other, others scrambling for their carry-on bags only to realized they’d accidentally left it at home… I stood, stretching. It hadn’t been an hour, but I didn’t care. The sooner I could get out of the love-fest, the better. Carleigh, however, remained firmly planted on her bum, looking around anxiously.

“I told you, they aren’t coming. Let’s go.” I pulled her up… an amazing feat for someone at my height of 5’4 compared to her height of 6’10 (ok so I’m exaggerating a teensy weensy bit. Shoot me.), and started for the little hallway that could possibly be the last thing I’d ever see on land.

“Would you stop that? They’re coming. Hell they might already be on the plane, you don’t know, I gave them their tickets last night. Now, are you ready Peaches?” I already hated how optimistic she was, and it was only ten o’clock on Friday morning! I punched her in the shoulder, got a nice punch back, and trailed along slowly as she drug me onto the plane.

It’s not that I’m afraid of flying. I’m not. I just don’t like being so high up. And no I’m not afraid of heights. I just don’t like them. So it’s easy to see how I didn’t particularly like being on a plane… but I wasn’t about to drive to the middle of Canada from Ohio, and I didn’t have much of a choice if I wanted my glorious weekend away from all the men in the world. I’d really planned this right… first, we would land in Ontario, somewhere north of the border. Then we’d check into our hotel – a gloriously exclusive spa with mud baths and massages (ok, so there’d be a few hunky guys…) and everything a girl could ever dream of! Then we’d stay there for three glorious days, getting rubbed and polished and eating chocolate and – I’d never want to come home! But Carleigh would… she’d want to get back to Aaron so she’d make us pack up on Sunday night even though our flight isn’t until 9 PM the next day and then she’d tell me how much she missed him… Carleigh was going to need some happy pills to keep her mind off of bath scum.

Now it’s probably come into question how I got this amazing trip a reality. Well, my grandfather died recently… sad, I know, I know! But I’d never met the man. My whole life he’d never wanted anything to do with me or my father but strangely enough his will said that everything would go to Daddy. And apparently Granddaddy Morgan wasn’t a bum. Of course my mom wanted to put the money towards my college education, but somehow I convinced her to give me some – ok a lot of it – to put towards this trip. I’d begged and pleaded with her for at least a month, and I may have even sold my soul to get it, I couldn’t really be sure, but somehow I’d talked my dad on my side and he could get my mom to do anything and well… here we are. I could live without a soul for this. Definitely.

I probably groaned a little too loud when I wedged my carry-on into the overhead compartment, being as I got a few too many concerned looks from little old ladies and even more disgusting looks from creepy old men, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to care about anything until we landed in Ontario and I was on my way to Hot Stones Spa where I’d be pampered and waited on hand and foot… the simple thought of it made my heart melt. That is the only way to spend Valentines. And that would be the only thing I thought about the entire plane ride. I wouldn’t care that poor Carleigh’s friends hadn’t shown and their tickets had been sold to a bunch of smelly looking guys. I wouldn’t care that I had to sit next to a particularly scungy looking one. I was serene. I was the epitome of peace.

“Rose would you please listen to me?” Carleigh seemed stressed about something, but I couldn’t imagine what. Maybe it was because her friends weren’t coming and she finally had to realize that. Whatever it was, I let her interrupt my Zen and greeted her with a nice glare. “Seriously, listen.”

“Fine, I’m listening, what?” I sat up, turning to face her. She set both of her hands on my shoulders and a soft, concerned look crossed her eyes. I was confused – of course I was confused, my best friend was acting like a freaking mouse – But I didn’t say anything.

“You need a boyfriend. You need someone who will love you, and care for you, and show you that Love… well, it isn’t such a bad thing. You need romance and flowers and chocolates… and you need to spend Valentines Day the right way, not running to a different country to spend it at a spa with your girlfriends.” She said all of this very slowly and very softly, as though I wouldn’t understand if she spoke about a whisper. I just rolled my eyes. I do not need a boyfriend, and if she thinks I need someone like Aaron to tell me I’m pretty and then try to sleep with my best friend, she really was crazy.

“Cream we’ve been over this a million times. I don’t need a boy –”

“– Stop talking for five seconds and let me finish.” I sighed… for once she was actually being serious and I seriously didn’t like it, but as her friend I knew I had to listen. Or at least pretend to so she didn’t get mad… I didn’t want her mad; she was the only person I’d see for the next few days. “I know you don’t think boys are worth your time, and I know you think they’re all heartbreaking assholes who only want one thing, but you haven’t given them a fair shot. So I… well… I rounded up my best five guys friends to come with us and you’re going to learn they aren’t all so bad.”

Ok, I knew my hearing needed checked, but damn, I didn’t think it was that bad! There was no way Carleigh had just said what I thought she’d said. I mean… she promised. She promised we’d have single-headed people on this trip only! “Car I said no guys! And you… you promised! How could you do that me?!”

I hadn’t meant for it to come out so loud, I really hadn’t, but I couldn’t help it! She knew how I felt about Valentines, about love, and especially how I felt about guys. I couldn’t believe her – I’d never been as upset with her as I was that very moment. I would’ve kept yelling. I would’ve yelled forever, told her what a terrible friend she was and how I never wanted to see her again and would she please get off the plane now and pay my parents back for the six tickets she’s made us book…my father had pulled some serious strings with the airline to get them all on such short notice! But he’d done it because I’d asked him to because Carleigh promised me there’d be no guys. Carleigh was a liar. A lying liar who’d lied to me and probably lied to everyone we’d ever known and if she wasn’t my best friend I swear I’d hate her forever… and now everyone within a ten seat radius was staring at us.

“I’m sorry! But this is what you need, Rose, and I know you don’t realize it now but I promise by the end of the weekend you will… just give them a chance, ok? They’re good guys!” Carleigh wasn’t good at pleading. Of course, I didn’t think she was good a scheming either and she’d done that pretty well. I had to admit, part of me was impressed with her knieving mind. I’d never expected anything like this from her! But mostly… I was pissed. She knew I would be when she did it. And still… here we were. Three guys sat next to me, and in the row behind us sat another two, all smiling, all staring, all waiting to be introduced, and all thinking of evil scheming ways they could get my clothes off.

The engine rumbled and shook the whole plane as we started down the runway. I guess somewhere along the line a flight attendant had stood before us all and gone down the safety procedures, told us how to fasten our seatbelts and said something along the lines of ‘I’m looking forward to being your sever on today’s flight!’ but I hadn’t been paying attention and I really didn’t care. I sat, seething, staring at the headrest on the seat in front of me. It was the only place I could look, after all… to left I had three disgusting guys, and to my right… Carleigh. I was trapped, and there was nothing I could do about it.

My friend my white ass.