A/N: Well now, it's been quite a while since my last update huh? Anyways, Alex is finally home! I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Chapter Six – The Big Day

Well, today was the day. I hadn’t slept well last night because I was so nervous. I was so anxious to see Alex again, I missed him. And I really hoped that he wouldn’t hate me for being with and continuing to be with Riley. I didn’t know if I was ready for this, but even if I wasn’t I really had no choice. I’d promised to pick him up, he’d assured his parents I’d be picking him up so that they could enjoy the day together, since they had only gotten home a day before him.

I didn’t have to pick him up until two. So at six in the morning I just lay on my bed, under my covers, warm enough to almost reach a boiling point, but too lazy to move. I was staring at my ceiling trying to see shapes in the stucco. But after a while, my mind drifted off. It drifted to the fact that school was less than a month away; in fact it was less than two weeks away. And I was scared to go back. I didn’t really want to. Besides the fact that Alex had been mad at me, this had been the most perfect summer of my life. I’d had fun, and fell in love, and really that was all I needed. It was amazing. But the summer was coming to a close and soon enough Riley’s friends would be back from wherever they’d gone, and all the girls would be back from wherever they’d gone and they’d all claim the right to have Riley’s attention and I was scared that I’d just be left in the dust. I was the one who should really fear what Riley told me two nights ago, when he’d caught me as I jumped off the roof. He’d said that he was afraid once Alex got home I’d realize I’d never liked him, and that was insane, but for me to think that about him like that it really wasn’t. He was the itguy. He was the one everyone wanted to be, he was the one all the girls wanted. I was afraid that once his friends got back that they’d convince him that I wasn’t worth it. They’d tell him things about me, or lie to him, and I didn’t want that. I was so afraid to loose him because really, then Alex, John and Tabby would all have been proven right about him from the beginning. I mean I’d just spent almost every single day with him for two and half months straight, and I really didn’t think he would do that, but there was always that possibility…

Eventually, I forced my self to move on to a different topic. One that didn’t make me think so hard. So I thought about John and Tabby. How long would it take for John to fess up? And what about Tabby? How would she react to this? I knew she felt a little something for John, but I didn’t know how much.

But why had everything changed so much this summer? What had made this one so different? I really didn’t know, all I knew was that some time, God makes one thing happen, so that another thing can happen, and eventually it will all fall into place.

By eight I was about to go crazy, so I got up. Apparently, I didn’t have to stay in bed until eight and be nothing but bored because my whole family had been up since seven, oh lucky me. Why was I not informed?

The twins were sitting at the table eating Lucky Charms eating only the marshmallows and throwing the cheerio flavored pieces at each other making a milky mess across the table.

“Hey twerps.” I said as I ruffled Josh’s hair and bent down to kiss Jessica’s cheek.

“Feeling like being social today?” Sam said as I sat at the table in between them.

“Of course mom, when am I not social?” I said sarcastically. She laughed and kissed the top of my head. My dad was making a cup of coffee then he sat down across from me. “Hi sweetie.”

“Hi dad. How come you guys didn’t come to see if I was awake, I’ve been lying there since six.”

My dad shrugged, “Figured you would’ve heard us.”

“Do you want a bowl of cereal?” Sam asked me as she entered the kitchen.

“Sure, I’d love one.”

“What kind?”

“What ever the rascals are having.”

“Lucky charms it is.”

I smiled and then sighed. A soggy piece of cereal hit my cheek and I saw Josh giggling, Jessica was staring with her mouth wide open.

“Think it’s funny Joshie?”

He sat up straight and shook his head. I nodded, “that’s right.” The twins began to giggle and my dad smiled at us. Sam set my bowl of cereal down in front of me and smiled.

“You’ve got to pick up Alex today right?” my dad said. I nodded. “Yay! I love Alex.” Jessica said. “I bet you do.”

“Are you okay?” Dad asked suspiciously as Sam sat down next to him.

“Huh? Yeah, everything’s good. I’m all good.”

“You seem a little out of it.”

“Really?”

“Are you scared about what might happen since you’re with Riley?” Sam said.

I looked at her in awe. How was she so good at this? How did she always seem to know exactly what was happening?

“Well, yeah kind of. I mean, Alex likes me, but I like Riley.” I wasn’t ready to tell my parents I was in love with him yet. Or that I’d had sex with him. My dad would be furious. And when my dad is furious, it’s never a good thing.

“It’s okay dear.” My dad said taking a sip of his coffee. “It’ll all be alright.”

“I know dad, I know.”

“Well, I’m going to go get ready I guess.”

“What time does he get in?” Sam asked.

“Two.”

“What’s the rush?”

“There is none.”

When I got up stairs I went straight to my room and flung open the closet doors. I needed something to wear. I figured nothing too nice was necessary, and in fact nothing nice was necessary, so I grabbed a pair of my favorite ripped jeans I threw on my Panic At The Disco concert tee that was a size too big and threw on my favorite hoodie, I was tempted to wear Riley’s but that might cause problems.

I went to the bathroom to examine my face and to make sure that there weren’t any oozing zits on my face, cause that would just suck. Well, my face was clear, but I washed it and cleansed it anyways, it would suck to start getting acne now with school starting in a few weeks.

I applied my makeup, no more than the usual eyeliner and mascara. I’d started to wear lip gloss recently though so I applied some of that. I got dressed in the bathroom because I didn’t ever feel secure in my room since the lock on the door was faulty and moody and only locked when it wanted too.

I looked decent I decided when I was done with everything. I sprayed some of my body spray and made sure I smelled good. But that only put me at ten thirty. What was I supposed to do until two?

As I sat down on my bed to stare at my wall instead of my ceiling for a change, my phone rang.

“Hi you’ve reached Aubrey, she’s currently staring off into space with nothing better to do. Would you like to occupy her with some conversation? If so press one.”

John laughed and pressed a button.

“Hi sir, how may I help you?”

“Yes, I’d like to speak with Aubrey please.” He played right along with me.

“Alright wait one moment while I transfer your call.”

“Dang, I hate being on hold, they play that dumb elevator music.”

I laughed, “Hi John.”

He laughed as well, “Man, you sure are one hard person to reach.”

“I know, it’s just I’m so popular, calls are coming in all the time these days.”

“I see.” He paused, “ so what are you up to?”

“Did you not hear the operator, I’m staring off into space.”

“Ha, I figured, are you going to get Alex today?”

“Yep.”

“Scared?”

“Big time.”

We both sighed at the same time. “Today is going to be tough.” I said.

“I bet. I have to go get Tabby tomorrow.”

“What? Why didn’t she tell me she was coming back?”

“I wasn’t supposed to tell you either, it was supposed to be a surprise, and me and her were just going to hang out, then the next day we’d drop by and surprise you and Alex.”

“Oh, wow. So does Tabby know you like her?”

“Tabby is the one who told me she was in love with me.”

“What! Why didn’t I know this!”

“Chill doll face, no one else knows either, in fact you’re the first, we were going to surprise the world by showing up as a couple on the first day of school.”

“Wow, so did I just kill everything?”

“Not as long as you promise not to tell.”

“You have my word good sir.” We laughed and continued our conversation for an hour, and that put me at eleven thirty. I decided that I would leave for the airport then and just wait by the luggage area, where I supposed to meet him.

Riley was texting me as I drove there.

R U scared?

He had written, and I’d replied, No, not really. Bt I wish u were w/me.

I wish I could be w/you too.

He had wanted to come with me today, just to try and help me along or ease the tension if he could. He realized he would probably make it worse, but I wanted him with me because I was nervous, I wanted him there to hold my hand and give me strength. But even though he wanted to come he couldn’t he had to go to football training. His dad had made him quit work so that he would focus just on football. He didn’t care about me being Riley’s girlfriend because he liked me better than any of the other girls Riley had dated. I’d taken that as a serious compliment. Riley assured me that it was a serious compliment because his dad didn’t necessarily like anyone.

I drove there listening to the radio, singing to the songs I knew just trying to calm my nerves.

By the time I got to the airport it was twelve thirty.

I figured I’d park, go in and grab some food before he got here, because really, I was nervous. Food always helped a little bit, at least in my case it did.

I ate at Burger King, it was either that or Mickey D’s and after having watched Super Size Me with Riley, there was no way I was eating at that place ever again. Never.

Eating only passed some of the time, by the time I finished with my meal it was about one fifteen, which gave me another forty-five minutes.

I decided I’d look at magazine in the little shops they had. By the time I finished looking at one of them it was one fifty. I practically ran to baggage claim.

I stood waiting anxiously. I couldn’t stand still, as people poured through the doorway, I was constantly standing on my tiptoes or looking around, I was scared that I might have missed him.

But then I saw him. His shaggy blonde hair and perfect golden tan made him stand out; he was the perfect surfer boy.

He shook his hair and looked around and then he saw me. And slowly but surely, a smile spread across his face, he made his way through the crowds over to me and he dropped his bag and hugged me. He lifted me off the ground and twirled me around. I laughed. I missed him doing that.

And then I realized how much I had missed him. How much I needed him to be there for me. He was my best friend he’d been there for me through it all. Except for recently and I needed things to be back to the way they were. But I wasn’t sure that that could happen, because I was in love with Riley.

“Hi Alex.” I said and smiled. I ran my fingers through his shaggy blonde hair.

“Hi Aubrey.” He smiled. “How are you?”

“I’m better now that you’re back home.”

He smiled again. “I missed you. I really missed you Aubrey.”

We stood there smiling at each other for a moment and then he said, “I guess I should go get my bag. Then I don’t know you want to go eat?”

I shrugged, “I already ate, but I would kill for a milkshake.”

He laughed, “Alright.”

He came back with two small suitcases. “Ready?” he asked. I nodded and I linked arms with him as we always used to walk and I guided him to my car.

He grinned when he saw it, “I missed this old piece of junk too.”

“She missed you too.”

I opened the trunk for him and he threw his bags in, then he got into the passengers side.

“So, where do you want to eat?” I asked him as I drove down the parking ramp. He shrugged and yawned, “Sorry, I’m tired. But um, anywhere is fine. You want a milkshake, so wherever the sell those.”

“That doesn’t exactly narrow things down.” I told him.

“McDonalds?” he asked.

“Yuck no.”

“You always used to eat there.” He said looking at me quizzically.

“That was before I watched Super Size Me with Riley.”

“Ah yes, Riley.” He said looking out his window.

I felt like I shouldn’t have brought him up, but it was too late, if Alex was going to get mad about it there was nothing that I could do.

“I half expected you to bring him with you.”

“I’ll admit I was tempted too.”

“I’m surprised he trusts you in a two hour car ride alone with me.”

I shrugged, “Riley’s a surprising guy.”

“Part of the reason you fell for him?”

“Maybe.”

“What does he do that’s surprising?”

“Alex, please. Anyways, even if he wanted to come he couldn’t he has practice.”

“Ah yes, football season starts up again along with school.”

Alex was being difficult. Of course I suspected he would be difficult I guess I was just hoping he wouldn’t be. So much for that.

I sighed.

“Aubrey, I’m sorry. I’m just trying to adjust to this you know? When I left, you hated him, and you loved me,”

“I still do love you, Alex.”

“Let me finish, anyways you loved me, maybe not in love with me, but you loved me. And then all of sudden its like he’s replacing me in all aspects of everyone’s life. He’s with you every second of the day like I used to be, he makes you laugh and smile like I do. And then I get a call from John telling me to ease up on you because Riley isn’t all that bad. I ask him how he would know and he tells me that they ‘hung out’.” He said using air quotes.

“I mean, I’m not even gone a full three months and the guy we all hated is now the one you love, one of John’s good buddies and it’s just, like, I don’t know where I’m supposed to be any more, Aubrey. So I’m sorry if I’m being a jerk.” He finally finished his rant.

I put one of my hands on his. “Alex, no one, and I mean no one could ever replace you as my best friend, don’t ever think other wise. And it’s the same with John; you couldn’t be replaced in his life either. So only one thing has changed Alex and that’s that now Riley is one of us, that’s all you have to adjust to.”

“But that’s the hardest part. If it had been anyone else I wouldn’t have cared as much, but he’s just, just such a jerk and I don’t see how he could be anything else.”

“Maybe it’s because we never cared to look?”

Alex shook his head and sighed. “Tell me one thing.” He said.

“What’s that?”

“What are you going to do if school starts up again and he goes back to being the same person he was? What are you going to do if he leaves you? You’re so in love with him right now, I’m afraid you might be acting blindly.”

I shrugged. “I’m only in high school, Alex. I mean, I’m not making any long-term arrangements right now. I don’t expect Riley to get down on one knee and pull out a ring anytime soon. I have a whole lot of time to decide what I want to do with my life. I’m going to college after we graduate this year and if Riley still wants to be with me by then and I’m not sick of him yet, then we’ll stay together, if he breaks my heart? Then I have time for it to mend. He isn’t the only guy on the planet Alex.”

We drove in silence for about a half an hour, but by then it was killing me so I asked him about California. That seemed to perk him up a bit. He went into crazy surfing stories and how he went parasailing and wind surfing and about all the beach bon fires and things like that. Alex was the California dream boy. He fit the part. He had the look, the laid back attitude and he did all the hobbies California boys were supposed to. He skated, he surfed and he was just what everyone envisions here, when they think California.

“But there is something I have to admit to you. But only because you’re my best friend so you must promise not to tell.” He said in all seriousness.

I agreed.

“I had a one night stand. Do you hate me?”

I laughed. Well, I had never actually pictured Alex doing something like that. I guessed that California made him a different person.

“No.” I said, “it’s your life, do as you please, but don’t blame me if you get STDs.”

He laughed, “When did you start rhyming?”

I was tempted to tell him about Riley and I, but I figured that wouldn’t be a good thing. He’d get furious; he’d want to rip his head off. So I figured silence was the better choice.

Alex and I were now pulling up to a Carl’s Jr. in town. He talked most of the two-hour ride. But it was good to laugh with him again. I missed it.

“So I say that once Tabby gets back we all have a sleepover at your house like we did before everyone left and turned my life upside down.”

I grinned, “Yes sir.”

After we ate I had to drop Alex off at John’s house, because that’s where he wanted to go, because I had to go to work. I only worked about three hours today, but they needed me to come in, so I obliged them.

When I pulled up to John’s house, Alex leaned over and kissed my cheek. I hadn’t been expecting that. So he laughed at my wide-eyed reaction. Then he got his bags and got out of the car.

I headed off to work.

Much to my surprise when I got to work, Riley stood, leaning against the wall near the entrance of the store, like he always used to wait for me. Except right now he wasn’t dressed in his usual work attire, and he didn’t have his ugly green apron on like I had to put on soon. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt, with our school’s mascot on it, and some sports shorts and running shoes. And he looked around like he was bored, throwing up a football and catching it.

I got out of the car, and shut the door. He noticed me then and he grinned. He stepped out from the shade and into the light. He was sweaty, and it glistened on his very hot body. Was my boyfriend hot or what?

“What’s up hot stuff?” I asked as I walked towards him.

He scooped me into his big arms for a hug and kissed the top of my head. “Yuck, you’re all sweaty and you stink!”

He laughed, “Football will do that to you.”

“Didn’t I buy you old spice?”

“You did, and I used it, but I suppose I’m just too intense for it.”

I smiled, “I bet.”

He followed me into the store and back into the locker room. “So how did it go?” he asked leaning against the locker next to mine.

I shrugged, “Okay I guess. I mean nothing weird happened and I explained to him that no one could take his place as my best friend but that he was going to have to get used to you.”

“Bet he didn’t like that much.”

“Not one bit.”

Riley sat on the bench and wrapped his arms around my waist. “School starts soon.”

“That it does.”

I was sad that his summer was coming to a close. In all honesty it had been the best summer of my life, even with all of Alex’s drama, I really didn’t want it to end.

“So, I told my friends about us today.” He said.

I arched an eyebrow, “Really?”

“Yep.”

“What’d they say?”

“At first they were surprised, well, only a few of them were, my closer friends already knew that this was my plan this summer.”

“Your plan?”

“Out of all the places I could have worked, I choose the most boring place, only because you worked here. And I was seriously tired of pretending that I wasn’t in love with you, so I decided that this summer, would be the summer I would make you mine forever.” He said with a triumphant smile.

“Huh, well, it wasn’t until we slow danced that I realized I liked you. Because I wasn’t putting on an act when I said I hated you.”

He laughed, “Yeah, I’m just glad that’s over now.”

Riley stood up and kissed me, leaving me breathless, and when I could finally breathe again I said, “Me too.”