A/N: ok, so here’s my attempt at a romantic comedy… sort of. Anyways, this story is dedicated to three people: Mel, T-chan and Myrika. You have been my inspiration so I thank you from the bottom of my heart. To Inspiration!!

CHAPTER UNO

Whenmy parents walked me out to Megan’s car, they each suffocated me with a hug that made me gasp for air. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay Amy?” my mother asked for what seemed like the hundredth time since Megan had arrived an hour earlier.

I smiled, hiding my irritation. “Yes mom, I’ll be fine. I have my phone on me in case of an emergency and I know the number for 911.”

“Yes but still… it is three days in which you can’t come home.” She tucked a loose piece of red hair behind my ear. “I can’t come and get you.”

“If I need to come home, I will. Have fun on your cruise.”

“We will,” my father grinned. “We all know just how hard this is for your mother letting go for so long.”

“Jarred! Amy is going to be-“

“Fine Serena.” He kissed the top of my head. “Be safe, kiddo.”

“Sure dad. I’ll go blow up the nearest 7-11 when I get bored.” I rolled her eyes at my mother’s horrified gasp. “Sarcasm mom, I’m just kidding. I don’t have the guts to pull anything that extravagant off.”

“Baby, one last hug? Please?” Mrs. Wilkerson held her arms out wide with tears in her eyes and, as usual, I gave in and hugged her. “Don’t do anything you might regret, ok? Promise me you’ll watch your back with Megan.”

I nodded to reassure my mother, but it was already too late for that. I knew the minute that I got into the car, I was on my way to Megan’s house where a party was to start; the only high school party I’d ever attend so far, and probably ever would. At least Megan promised it wasn’t going to be too big, that was something…

Right?

I hugged my mom one more time before getting into the passenger seat of a little maroon Honda and waved goodbye as the car slowly eased down the driveway. I slumped against the seat the second that my parents were out of site.

“They didn’t know about the party did they?” Megan asked as she cranked up the air conditioning. I glanced sideways at my so called friend. No one would have ever expected the two of us to be friends, yet we had been since middle school, though high school had steered us down pretty different paths. Megan was honestly the most trust worthy person I had ever met; wither it was her stupidity or her smarts I couldn’t tell since they were about the same, which often was my cause for worry. She had the looks of a model; 5’6” with legs that never seemed to end, curly blonde hair to her waist, baby blue eyes, skinny but with curves. Especially her chest, which tended to attract a lot of heart ache for her. And headaches with bottles of pain killers for me.

“Nope. There’s no way in hell I’d be in your car right now if they did. Do you realize how hard it was for me to convince them to spend the three day weekend at your house alone? Telling them that you were having a party would have gotten my ass shipped to Nebraska to stay with my Great Grandmother who thinks I’m Audrey Hepburn’s reincarnation. Seriously though, remind me again why you’re having a party?”

“It’s sort of a… ‘Let’s remember we were friends’ party. And um… please don’t hate me when you see who I invited.” She winced and I instantly knew it was bad.

“Like who?” When Megan didn’t say anything, I pressed her again. “Megan, who did you invite?”

“Well…. There’s you, Jamie, Brian and Alex. Don’t kill me but um… I sort of…” her bottom lip was caught between two rows of perfectly white teeth. “I invited Justin.”

Okay, let me fill you in here really quick about this little “friends” bit. You see, most of this started back in middle school, for some of us it was before. There was a group of us; Megan, Jamie, Chris, Alex, Nick, Brian, Justin, and me. Justin and I had known each other since elementary school and were friends, same with Nick and Brian. Jamie was a girl Megan met at drama camp one summer who turned out to be her neighbor, and Chris and Alex… well, they just needed a place to sit in the lunch room to start off with. Things were pretty awkward for the first few weeks, that was, until I met Megan. She ran into me and helped me pick up my stuff and was late to class because of it. I tracked her down to thank her and we were friends ever since. Justin had befriended Nick and Brian in gym class, and Chris and Alex were transfer students from other schools. We were the best of friends and we couldn’t be pulled apart even with acid. We were that close for two amazing years.

Then freshmen year hit. Justin ditched hanging with us for his car and his “druggie” friends as I called them, which was the same thing Brian did; they earned the reputation of master troublemakers before the first nine weeks were up. Then there was Chris who became a football jock, the entire ranking system going to his head; Alex became the king at throwing wild and crazy parties whenever his parents weren’t home; Nick hit the beaches with all the other guys and gals who had lost most of their brain cell due to sun damage; Jamie went almost full on Goth, her crowd running along side Justin’s and Brian’s, heavy into sex and drugs; and last but not least, Megan became a drama/cheering nerd, earning the Ms. Popular title quite easily. Oh, what about me you ask? Well, I became a moody artist, with charcoals and pastel oils mostly (of which I preferred charcoal). We all drifted apart: we all still spoke with Megan, but she was the one who had brought us all together in the first place. We couldn’t even hold it together for her.

But why was I freaked out about Megan inviting Justin to this party thing? Long story short (too late but whatever) I had a huge crush on him since… well, almost since the time I accidentally tripped and my lunch landed all over his shirt the second day of middle school. And, if you want to be really technical, we went out on dates alone and stuff…. Hell, he’d even been my first kiss. He’s still the only guy to ever kiss me though. I wonder if there’s something wrong with me? Well, like I’ve said a hundred times over, high school sent everyone in different directions and his was with Cindy Backer. That’s right, he dated a junior slut and I had to find out from the girl’s gossiping in the fucking bathrooms! Oh, can you imagine how hurt I was? So after watching John Tucker must Die and eating a pint of triple chocolate Ben &Jerry’s with Megan by my side, I figured that he could go screw her for all I cared. He didn’t care about me, so he obviously wasn’t the one for me. But, never mind all that, back to my freaking out episode in Megan’s car.

“You WHAT?!” I bolted up in the seat and whirled on her. “Why?!”

“Because he used to be one of us. You even liked him, remember?”

“Exactly, and he broke my heart.”

“You didn’t exactly tell him that you loved him, you know.”

I opened my mouth but closed it again. Touché D’Artangon, I thought. We never were official and I had attached myself to him, which was my mistake. But… I had often wondered if he had ever actually like my in the beginning. . . . . . . . Ha, ha. I doubt it too. I sat and brewed for a few minutes before Megan spoke to me again.

“Amy, why can’t you let it go?” she asked me as she stopped at the light in the front of her neighborhood. “It’s our senior year now, why is freshman year still holding you back?”

I sighed. “Megan…. It’s not Justin and me liking him. It’s what he did after that gets on my nerves.”

“Which is?” She said, expecting me to hack away at an already shish-ka-bobbed subject.

I hadn’t told anyone this, so I took a deep breath and confessed. “He told me to go to hell. That I was never worthy of being his friend in the first place. The bastard.” I turned from her to look out the window. I could still see it in the back of my mind. I was having a rough enough morning as it was and then he approached me at my locker. I knew something was wrong by the look on his face, but I never expected him to blow up at me over something I didn’t even know about. I guess that’s when I began to hate the world and everyone in it.

“What, seriously?” Her skepticism didn’t escape me so I went a little further.

“Yeah. One morning at my locker he approached me. This was like the beginning of sophomore year or something like that. Megan, I don’t even know what I did to piss him off and he wouldn’t tell me. What was I supposed to do? Give him power over me? Thanks but no fucking thanks. I’d rather slit my own wrists and cut off my own ear before I ever do that.”

“Wait…. Didn’t that art dude already do that? Vinnie Von Golf or something?”

“Vincent Van Goh,” I muttered, though I doubted that she cared at my artistic correction.

“That’s him! Anyways, for me will you at least try to behave?” The car rolled to a stop in her driveway.

“I will if he does.” I crossed my arms and pouted in silence. Then I glanced over at her, the frown off of my face. “Did you really….. is the whole gang really here?”

She smiled warmly at me. “I always said I’d get everyone back together if for nothing than just one night. But we got the whole weekend since they’re all crashing here too to catch up and renew our friendship.”

“Oh…..Wait, what did you just say?!” Suddenly it was like I was on an old episode of a daytime soap opera in which someone was maneuvered into blackmail by some other evil person. I never perceived Megan as a blackmailer, but now I got why she was so eager to have me stay with her. She said she’d rounded up the entire gang, and that was enough to make me cringe.

As always, her house was huge (the mini mansion as I called it). It had seven bedrooms, two bathrooms (not including the master bedroom and bath) and an Olympic sized swimming pool in the back yard as well as a giant trampoline in the side yard which was perfect for camping out on. The house was modernized but with a semi-homey feel to it. It was like one of those model houses you see in the magazines; spotless of dust, dirt and wear. I was sort of envious in the beginning but I found out it was Megan envious of my place, so we agreed to be envious of each other’s houses. It was funny actually.

I hurried out of the car, nearly tripping out of the car on my artist bag in the process and a couple of chuckles caught my ears.

“Still as clumsy as ever, I see,” a voice moaked me from the wrap around porch. I looked up and saw Alex leaning against the railing with a beer dangling at his fingertips. His once long and wavy brown hair was now a short military buzzed cut that accented his smooth, strong jaw line. His skin was still dark, maybe just a shade or two darker, and he was clearly in shape. Must be the hangovers on the morning, cause I hear that they’re the killers of everything good other than aspirin and black coffee. His light brown eyes no longer held the same spark in them for life, instead they had been dulled, seen to much of something that wasn’t needed.

“Alex! That beer was for later!” Megan stomped her foot in frustration. I bit my tongue to try to hold back my laugher at her childlike nature. “I told you not to drink any of it yet! Three times and you said you understood!”

“Oh come on Meg, this stuff is practically sparkling water to me. Besides, I’ve only had two so far.” He shrugged the same way he did back in middle school. Funny, I thought, high school seemed to have done him good. In fact, it seemed to settle well with everyone but me. The guy standing next to him with sun streaked hair and skin nearly as dark as Alex’s I could only assume was Nick. Surfing had most defiantly buffed out the once string bean boy of the group. He was standing next to Alex in swim trunks that were almost dry. Obviously he’d found the pool and found it enjoyable. His green eyes once hidden behind the darkest glasses of the time were now starring at me, with a smirk on his face.

“So what stray did you bring home with you this time Meg?” he asked.

“Dumb ass, it’s Amy.” Megan rolled her eyes and I folded my arms.

“No way,” he squinted at me, “that’s not Amy. She’s too ugly to be that babe from middle school.”

“Oh fuck you Nick.” My lips twitched at his teasing. He’d never leave my insecurities alone, could he? Nick suddenly dashed off the steps and practically tackled me to the ground with a hug that was clearly long over due. I yelped at suddenly being crushed against a wet chest that I hadn’t seen in years. “EW Nick! Let me go! You got me wet!” I whacked him upside the back of his head as he laughed as my now wet shirt clung to me quite uncomfortably and I crossed my arms in embarrassment and I flushed a bright pink.

“Those are words I’d never thought I’d hear you say Amy,” yet another guy spoke as he walked down the steps towards me. I had no problem glaring in his direction. Of al the pep I had lost contact with, Chris was the only one who tried to make an effort to keep in touch. Unless it was football season or school was going on.

“A couple of extra tackles knock out pieces of your brain, Chris? Oh no wait, I forgot you sniff hair gel,” I shot back. Indeed though, his shaggy brown hair with red highlights was gelled straight back away from his face and his clear brown eyes held amusement. Apparently his arrogance hadn’t gone away. And here I thought he might out grow it.

“You don’t want to be here do you,” he asked me bluntly.

I sighed. “I’d rather be in Nebraska with Great Grandma and her vicious canines than being here right now.”

He winced. “That’s harsh.”

“Yeah, well, when you only have one true friend you tend to have a bad socializing problem. So kiss my ass.”

“Okay honey, bend over.”

“Me first! Me first!” Nick jumped up and down.

My lips twitched again. Yeah, some things never changed. Especially with these guys.

“You guys, it’s hot out here and in case you haven’t like noticed, Amy needs to get inside and settled for the weekend. Chris, since you’re so eager to jump the ugly duck, carry her stuff upstairs.”

“WHAT?! Nick wanted her first!”

“Does it look like I care?”

“Um…. Yes?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Wrong answer. Now move before I fry your cute little ass in your sleep.”

“You think my ass is cute?”

“Chris.” Her tone was murderous.

“What?” Apparently he was either stupid or had a major death wish that he couldn’t wait to come true.

“Megan, I’ll just carry my own stuff. It’s only a duffel bag and it’s not that heavy. Besides, I’ve been over here loads of times, I know my way around. Which room am I in?” I sighed and picked up my bag from her feet as she had a starring contest with Chris. Clearly something was going on there and it didn’t miss anyone’s gaze.

“Upstairs, room furthest down the right hall. But this house is full of guys, certainly one could carry it for you.”

“They could but won’t because none of them are gentlemen. I’ll see you all later.” I dashed quickly into the house and up the stairs, not bothering to take in the beauty here as I had outside. I needed to change my shirt and fast because I had begun to shiver from the air conditioning.

“What’s the emergency?” I whirled around and saw Brian standing at the bottom of the stairs. He, like Nick, looked to have been enjoying the pool. His black hair clung to his head and his sapphire blue eyes looked quizzically at me. “Who are you, exactly?”

I starred in disbelief. He’d done so many drugs that he’d forgotten about me? Well, wasn’t that just great. The only guy who used to not be hit on by anyone, no longer knew of our crushed friendship and our ironic conversations that used to pass the time so fast we nearly willed it back. I took a few steps back down and extended a hand, hiding my disappointment in the realization of a lost friend. I thought that of all the people who wouldn’t have changed, Brian might have been one of them. Guess I was wrong yet again. “I’m Amy. Nice to meet you. I’m Megan’s friend.”

He’d shaken my hand before quickly pulling me towards himself and dipping me backwards over the stairs. “Well, Miss Eliza, what are you to do now that Mr. Darcy is no more?” The hell?! He was LIEING?! That son of a-

“Weep with utter joy you manic. Why did you trick me?!” I hit his shoulder hard in irritation. Damn bastard.

“I remember you once told me that you always wanted someone to dip you romantically. SO I thought what the hell? We’re all friends here after all.”

“Right, and everyone who wouldn’t talk to each other yesterday are suddenly closer than ever like we were in middle school? Sorry for being pessimistic, but I’ve got to ask: how much is Megan paying you guys to be here faking everything?”

“Well, there are benefits to strolling down memory lane.” I felt his hand slide further down my back and I fought back the instinct to slap him.

“I will say this only once Brian, touch me like this again and I will shred your balls with a rusty cheese grater and spoon feed them back down your throat. Now let me go.”

“But why? I’m just having a little fun.” He wiggled his eyebrows. When the hell had he gotten so damn perverse?

“Yeah, and I’m having a little urge to tear your limbs off. Don’t make repeat myself Brian, let me go.”

He slowly stood me up and let me go. I thanked him and continued up the stairs till I reached the top and he called out to me. “You’re not the Amy I remember.”

I turned to face him. “It’s called abandonment, genius. Maybe you’ve heard of it? If it makes you feel better, you’re not quite the same Brainy Brian I knew once. Later.”

“Amy wait a minute,” he hurried after me but I continued on. I didn’t want to talk to him, or any of them for that matter. This was total bull and I was out for blood. I thanked god I at least hadn’t seen Justin. Who knows what other blow would have done to me at this point?

I abruptly froze in my tracks at the sight before me.

Justin and Jamie were making-out in the hallway that was leading towards my room.

And you know what? My already heavy heart dropped to my feet. Maybe my mother had been right. Maybe I wasn’t ready for this. Just seeing him brought back every memory we’d shared since elementary school. The playground, the principal’s office, the walks home, the hanging out and talking on the phone into the wee hours in the morning. But….

As I watched Justin exchange saliva with Jamie and fondle her hips, I considered my options. Maybe I was right. Maybe, just maybe, I just needed to tell him what he told me. Relationships went both ways, and just watching them go at it was making me nauseous. I lifted my chin up and marched down the hallway. I wanted to get to my room, now, and they wouldn’t scare me off that quickly.

When I came to where they blocked my path in the hallway, I pushed past them. “Excuse me, other people are staying in this house too. Find somewhere else where you can play tonsil hockey and grope. Preferably in private,” I hissed.

“Bitch,” I heard Jamie mummer.

“Fucking whore,” I stated just loud enough so I knew they heard me. And with that I slammed the door to my new room. I dropped my duffel bag at the foot of the large canopy bed. Megan knew this room was my favorite, which was another detail to her blackmailing evil twin I was beginning to see more and more of.

The four post queen sized canopy bed was in the middle of the room, dressing in a giant fluffy green comforter and soft sheets. It was the green room with oak furniture all around it. There was a dresser, desk, night stand and a vanity with little green votives and rain incenses. Almost instantly I was relaxed and flopped down onto the bed, sighing in relief. Okay, so everyone was here, including him. The question now was how was I going to handle this three day weekend and not kill myself?

After all, my middle school friends were now stuck, like me, at Megan’s house for the three day weekend. All but one of the guys had hit on me, despite the gain of glasses, weight and braces. I was the ugly duckling coming through later than ever. It was my senior year for crying out loud! I was supposed to look drop dead gorgeous and-and….. I didn’t know because I wasn’t quite there yet. Why couldn’t I have just gone to Nebraska and not mess with any of Megan’s devious plans?

I felt the sudden need to cry, and that’s just what I did.

A/n: Alrighty folks! 2 reviews will get you chapter 2 so please review!