A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed! I would have updated sooner (because I’d really like to see if I can get some more readers on this story) but I was on vacation with my friend from across the globe, so there was no time to write! And then I decided to update Brothers and Best Friends first… hehe, sorry.

I see there still aren’t as many people reading this story as others. Oh well. I’m going to have to start passing out suckers or stickers or something. :-)

Summer McAdams: I missed you!! As soon as I got your review I got all happy and started writing the next chapter! Haha, I knew you’d enjoy Brian in that chapter. ;-) And I know, I find it a little annoying that the female in all the stories in the world is so cool and composed, like she knows from the moment she lays eyes on the incredibly sexy, perfect, amazing catch of a man that she’s going to get him. Come on now, if he’s that great why is there no possibility that he’s going to end up with anyone but you? ‘Cause the author said? Bad reason! Work for it like any living, breathing girl has to. :-)

Life, Melissa decided, could not get worse.

Working as a cashier in a café sounded like a simple enough job, but either she got hired in at a very busy café or they were just having a very busy night. Either way she had been yelled at by three different customers, and at least half of the others seemed extremely impatient as she floundered around, trying to figure out where everything was.

By the end of her short shift, Melissa honestly considered quitting the job and doing everyone a favor. She would have more time to spend with April, then she wouldn’t have to feel guilty about spending her time with Seth, and the customers would never have to see her again.

But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

When the frizzy brunette woman with a small child started yelling across the counter that she wanted to speak to a manager and she wanted to know why such a “clearly incompetent person” was working the cash register, Melissa almost felt them expecting her to throw in the towel and go running home.

But she refused.

It was only the first day, and sometimes first days were rough. Especially since Melissa had never actually had a job before, and she had no experience serving people. Once she caught on, it wouldn’t seem like she worked in Hell.

When she got home, she wondered if maybe that kind of work really wasn’t for her. Her mother had implied that while she considered getting a job a noble idea, she did not exactly approve of where Melissa was working. If she would have let her mother know she was looking for a job, Rita assured her that she could have found Melissa a much more suitable occupation.

Melissa acknowledged to herself—but not anyone else, as no one seemed sure of Seth yet—that taking a minimum wage cashier job wasn’t as much about being responsible as it was trying to get a glimpse into Seth’s world. She had always been raised in a very financially stable household, and she remembered as a child actually thinking that people who worked in places like that—people who served you—were really different, not like her at all. Melissa was used to a different kind of world, and she knew that she didn’t quite fit into Seth’s—it was like putting a Prada shoe on the shelf at Wal-Mart; it just didn’t fit—but she wanted to fit.

So far, however, she wasn’t adapting well.

Seth did not need to know that.

Her hair was also flying away from her and her face appeared to be an oily mess, and she stared in horror at her reflection, then at the clock, and finally she ran as fast as she could to the shower, hoping Seth wouldn’t get there before she got out.

It seemed that the cashier position was not agreeing with Melissa at all.

When she got out of the shower she ran to the window to make sure Seth wasn’t home yet, and when she was satisfied that he wasn’t she grabbed a straightener and began attempting to make herself pretty again.

She had half of hair flattened and was just about to quickly run it through the other side when the phone started ringing and she sighed, putting it down and running to grab the phone.

“Hello?” she said a little impatiently.

“Hi, honey. Just checking in.”

Rolling her eyes, Melissa padded back into the bathroom and wedged the phone between the ear on the straightened side of her head and her shoulder, going to work on the other side.

“Hello, mother.”

“Did you enjoy work?”

Grimacing, she decided to lie. “Yeah, it was fine.”

“What are you doing now?” Rita asked.

“Not a whole lot, just took a shower, probably going to watch some tv.”

The relief in her mother’s voice was palpable when she said just a little too excitedly, “Oh good, that’ll be nice. A nice relaxing night in…. that’s nice. None of your friends coming over or anything?”

“I don’t know, I think April might stop by and show me her outfit for Ashley’s 80’s party.”

“When’s that?”

“I don’t know,” Melissa muttered.

“Do you want me to go shopping with you? We could probably get you—“

“I wasn’t invited, Mom, it won’t be necessary.”

“What do you mean you weren’t invited? Ashley’s a friend of yours.”

“No, Ashley’s a friend of Brian’s,” Melissa stated.

“What’s the difference?” her mother asked obliviously. “You have the same friends.”

Not wanting to explain it, Melissa said, “It’s complicated. But Mom, I’m going to let you go, I think I’m going to go find something to munch on.”

“I just bought some fresh strawberries.”

“Sounds good,” Melissa said. “You guys have fun.”

“All right. You enjoy your evening alone. We’ll be home in a little while.”

“Bye, Mom,” Melissa said, removing the phone from the uncomfortable position and sighing, glancing up at the clock again.

Realizing Seth should have already been home, if not on his way over, she ran the iron through her hair a lot faster and then grabbed her mascara, brushing it on her lashes.

Just like that, she heard the doorbell and her heart skipped, her face breaking out into a happy smile. Replacing the mascara in the cabinet, she fluffed her hair, stole one last glance in the mirror, and ran down to get the door.

When she opened the door, Seth glanced up, looking to Melissa as if he had stepped out of a recent copy of GQ. It was enough to make her want to pout, because she knew he didn’t just bust his ass showering, straightening his hair and applying a flawless layer of make-up in under 15 minutes.

Still, it was so nice to see him that she just had to smile. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said, returning the smile.

Taking a step back she invited him in, and the phone started ringing again so she sighed, wondering if her mother had cameras on the front door.

“I’ll just be one quick second,” she told him, apologizing as she ran over to grab the phone.

Shrugging, he said, “Take your time, no hurry.”

Smiling, she grabbed the phone and said, “Hello?”

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Her smile vanished and she unthinkingly said, “Brian?”

It was subtle, but Seth’s attention did move to the phone conversation, and Melissa immediately wished she wouldn’t have even mentioned his name.

“The one and only,” he said slightly mockingly. “What are you doing?”

“Hanging out with Seth,” she replied bluntly.

“Oh. Well, that’s lame. We’re all going to a movie, I was going to see if you wanted to come.”

In the background, Melissa heard April say, “Get off your butt and come out with us!”

Smiling a little, Melissa said, “Well, thanks for the invite, tell April I said hi, but I have plans tonight.”

“You know, I don’t think we made enough plans when I was your boyfriend,” Brian remarked.

“Well, yeah, because you weren’t really my boyfriend. You made plans with the girls you were really banging, not me.”

“So you’re banging Seth now?” he said, sounding mildly amused.

In the background April exclaimed, “What? Give me the phone!”

Blushing, Melissa said, “I did not say that, but I’m being very rude right now, so I’m going to hang up. You guys have fun at the movies.”

“We’d have more fun if you came,” Brian told her.

“Yes, I’m sure I would be the life of the party,” she said sarcastically. “Bye.”

After hanging up, she walked over to the couch to sit down next to Seth and she smiled. “It’s funny, my phone never rings and then I invite you over and…”

“It rings,” he said with a little nod and a small smile.

“Unfortunately.”

“And it’s your faux ex-boyfriend,” he added, his smile widening slightly.

Laughing, she said, “How sad is it that I have a faux ex-boyfriend?”

“I’m noticing he acts more like a real ex-boyfriend,” Seth remarked. “More now than he ever acted when you guys were actually ‘together.’”

Grimacing, Melissa said, “I’m sorry.”

But Seth just smiled. “It’s not your fault, I just find it kind of amusing. But enough about him. How was your first night of work?”

She didn’t know why it pleased her so much that he remembered, but it did. “Um… it was… fine.”

His grin widened and he said, “That bad?”

Sighing in relief, she said, “Terrible! The people were really mean to me, I had no idea how to work the register, and the woman who was training me just kept sighing in irritation and pushing me out of the way.”

Seth laughed at her, and for some reason even she was finding the formerly traumatic experience amusing.

“I felt like such an idiot,” she said, shaking her head with a self-deprecating smile.

“You’re not an idiot,” he said, shaking his head. “Customers can be kind of bitchy, especially with new people.”

“You’d think they would try to sympathize just a little,” she said.

Shaking his head, he said, “Not usually how it works.”

“Well, I’m determined to do better next time,” she stated.

“An admirable goal,” he told her.

Nodding, she returned, “And what about you? How was work?”

“Same stuff, different day,” he said with a little shrug. “I’m used to the daily grind, so…”

“And how did your rough draft turn out?”

“Not bad. It needs some work, but…”

She nodded, trying to think of something else interesting to say to him. “Good, good.”

He smiled, giving her a sideways glance as is he could sense her searching the crevices of her mind for just the right thing to say.

Liking a boy was so much work.

“So, your parents are…?”

“Out,” she said, eagerly grasping onto his topic. “They had dinner with the Robinsons, I guess. They wanted me to come, but I had to work, so… no dinner for me.”

“Sorry you had to miss out,” he said, scooting closer to her on the couch.

Her smile widened and she leaned in a little closer so their shoulders were touching. “Why? I’m not.”

“No?” he murmured, leaning in to lightly place a kiss at the base of her neck.

Sighing happily, she allowed her arm nearest him to wind around his neck, giving him full permission to lean in and keep kissing her.

“Are you sure?” he asked teasingly, his voice all low and sexy. She wanted to sigh again, but resisted the urge, smiling instead and lightly tugging his head up so she could kiss him on the lips.

At that moment, the stupid phone started ringing again.

Opening her eyes in frustration, Melissa said, “Why the hell is the phone choosing tonight to ring off the hook?”

“Because that’s just how it works,” Seth stated. “Do you need to answer that?”

“Yes,” she groaned, pushing herself up off the couch and walking over to the phone, grabbing it and putting it to her ear in irritation. “Hello?”

“Hey!” the voice answered cheerfully on the other end. “It’s me again.”

“What part of ‘busy’ is hard for you to understand?” Melissa snapped.

“Ouch,” Brian said, his tone mock wounded. “Where is this hostility coming from?”

“I am trying to enjoy a peaceful night in, and you are calling my house. Obviously I can’t ignore the phone, because if my mom called home to check up on me and I didn’t answer she would freak out. Do you want something?”

“You’re so mean when you’re with another guy. I’m never that mean when you call and interrupt me.”

“Well, maybe that’s because I never know I’m interrupting you. In the future if for some reason I call you and you’re hanging out with another girl you should just tell me, ‘Hey, Melissa, nice hearing from you, but I have a guest, I’ll call you later.’ I will take the hint and not keep calling you.”

“Really? You’re just so cool with the idea of me sleeping with someone else, huh?”

Frowning, she said, “How could I not be? That’s all you did the whole time we dated.”

“I miss us,” he stated.

Her eyes widened a little and she lost a little bit of her bluster. “What?”

There was a loud sigh on the other end, then Brian said, “Shit, I’m drunk, Melissa. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You’re drunk? I thought you were going to a movie.”

“I—we are, but we did a little bit of drinking before the movie. Avery Benson’s here, that girl Seth hooked up with.”

“He did not hook up with her,” Melissa said a little more quietly.

“Whatever,” Brian said, not sounding as if he cared. “I just… I still want to hang out sometimes, you know? I don’t want us not to be friends just because we broke up. I know sometimes being friends after can be tricky… or I think, because I’m not actually sure as you’re technically the only girl I’ve actually officially been dating…”

“You’re rambling,” Melissa said softly, hating that she felt mean cutting him off. “And… there’s no awkward transition, Brian. We were never actually dating, remember?”

“Yeah, I know. Now you’re dating,” he remarked.

With a little sigh she said, “Well, I’m trying, but I’ll tell you, you are not making it very easy for me tonight.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, although he didn’t really sound sorry.

“Look… you’re drunk right now—I hope you’re not driving. You weren’t driving, right?”

“No, I’m not driving.”

“Okay. Well, go… watch your movie, eat some popcorn, maybe get some coffee… we can talk tomorrow or something.”

“Okay. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he joked.

“Don’t worry, join hands and pray was not one of the things Seth and I had planned for the evening.”

Brian chuckled. “Right. Well, bye, Melissa.”

“Bye Brian,” Melissa said, putting the phone back on its cradle and sighing.

Then she turned around and put a small smile on, heading back over to the couch. “I’m sorry about that.”

Seth merely shook his head. “Brian’s not very subtle, is he?”

“I don’t think he’s trying to be,” Melissa said apologetically. “I… don’t always understand why Brian does the things he does, but… he’s Brian, you know?”

“Whatever that means,” Seth said with a nod.

Feeling more than a little uncomfortable, Melissa tried to pinpoint why nothing was going right. Nothing came to mind, except the possibility that the universe was completely against her.

What she wanted to do was pick up where they left off, but from all the interruption it just didn’t seem to feel right.

Instead, she said, “Do you… want to watch a movie or something?”

He raised his eyebrows slightly, then he said, “Sure, we could watch a movie.”

Smiling, she went for the entertainment center and opened up the bottom cabinet, saying, “Any requests?”

“Nope,” he said. “Your choice.”

“Hmm,” she said, reading through the titles. “I’ve already watched Phantom of the Opera like 8 times since I bought it, scary movies are way too typical, The Godfather is just… not an option…Analyze This is Brian’s favorite movie, Grease… is Grease…”

“Well, I see your search is going well.”

“There’s something wrong with every title I’ve come across. Do you feel like a comedy, a drama… oh my gosh, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I love that movie.”

Groaning, he said, “Can I sleep if you put that one in?”

Chuckling, she said, “I wouldn’t do that to you. The Sound of Music… Hey, here’s one. Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl.”

“Jennifer Aniston and a Catcher in the Rye reference; we have a winner,” Seth agreed, leaning back into the arm of the couch and yawning.

Putting the movie in and turning on the television, Melissa grabbed the remote control and then climbed back up on the couch, sitting on the seat next to Seth’s.

Laughing lightly, Seth said, “I won’t bite, you can come over here.”

Blushing, Melissa cuddled up closer into his side, feeling blissfully happy as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

So far, she was a fan of having a real boyfriend.

“I take it you’ve seen this movie already?” Melissa asked.

“Yeah,” he said with a nod.

“But you want to watch it again? I’m sure I can find something else if you don’t.”

“This is perfectly fine,” he said, yawning again.

Smiling up at him, Melissa said, “Are you sleepy?”

He smiled wryly. “A little bit. It’s been a long day.”

“Are you sure you feel like watching a movie?” she asked. “We don’t have to if you’re too tired.”

“No, I’m fine,” he assured her.

Skipping past the credits, Melissa just snuggled up with Seth, content to watch the movie—and maybe get distracted once things felt more comfortable. She didn’t want to wait until the movie was over to fool around with Seth, because all she needed was for her parents to walk in when Seth had his hand up her shirt.

She started the movie with the intention of segueing into kissing, but she got into such a position with Seth that she couldn’t see his face without craning, and the one time she craned to look at him she felt like an idiot.

So she gave up and just watched the movie, hoping when the movie was over they would have time to at least make out for a few minutes.

--

“What in God’s name—?”

Groggily opening her eyes, Melissa looked to see where the noise was coming from, then she vaguely focused on the shape in front of her. The room was still dark, only a blue light coming from the blank tv screen.

She felt Seth’s body jerk a little and he began trying to sit up.

Confused, Melissa rubbed her eyes and then—a little more awake—was able to rationalize that her father was standing in front of her, his eyes very wide and his face very red.

“Oh,” she said dumbly, belatedly allowing Seth to sit up and pulling away, sitting up straight in her own seat next to him.

“Martin,” came Rita’s voice, her tone almost a warning.

“What is he doing here?” Martin asked, jabbing a finger at Seth. “You said the only person who might stop over is April—he doesn’t look like April to me, Melissa.”

“I—we—and—I just—he just came over to watch a movie,” Melissa stammered, getting to her feet.

Martin’s eyes widened even more, and if possible, his face turned a shade redder. “I leave you home alone one night and we come home to this!”

“Martin, honey, they are just watching a movie,” Rita said, lightly touching his arm. “They are fully clothed; would you calm down before you have a heart attack?”

“They are now,” he shot back.

“And asleep,” Rita stated. “They were watching a movie, nothing more.”

“They looked awfully damn cozy lying together on the couch. She said April was coming over. Melissa lied to us!” he said, his eyes bulging out again. Then, turning back to point in his daughter’s face, he said, “You’re grounded.”

Melissa’s jaws dropped open and she exclaimed, “What?”

“You heard me, young lady. This is how it starts, lying and sneaking around, messing around in the dark—“

“Oh my God,” Melissa said, covering her face with her hand, humiliated. “We didn’t, we were just watching a movie.”

“And you hanging out with him. He is not the kind of person you need to be around, Melissa.”

“Martin,” Rita said, putting a finger on each of her temples and closing her eyes, trying to remain calm. “Would you please stop?”

“Are you not at all concerned that your daughter is slumming on the couch in our living room when we’re not—“

“Oh—slumming!” Melissa objected, eyes wide. Shaking her head in disgust, she took Seth’s hand and prompted him to get off the couch. “You don’t deserve this. Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

“You will do no such thing,” Martin said. “You will march your ass right up to your room and not come out until I say you can.”

“That worked when I was five,” Melissa stated, glaring at him. “Of course when I was five you also taught me to treat people with courtesy and respect, and obviously those principles no longer apply.”

Since she ignored him and walked with Seth to the door, her father bellowed, “Young lady, don’t you walk out that door.”

“Martin,” Rita said more firmly, more irritated. “For the love of God, let her walk the boy home.”

“I walk in on my daughter—my only little girl—embracing some—some…”

“Just shut up,” Rita snapped.

That was the last tidbit that Melissa heard before shutting the front door behind her and sighing, trying to figure out how she was going to be able to ever look Seth in the eye again after such an embarrassing display.

“I… think they’re going to invite me to dinner again soon,” he said, breaking the ice.

Looking up at him, her eyes expressed her humiliation, “Oh my gosh, Seth, I am so so so sorry that just happened. My father is extremely overprotective—he always has been, I think it has something to do with my mom losing their first baby, I… there is really no excuse for what just happened and I am so sorry.”

Shaking his head, he said, “Don’t worry about it.”

Finally stepping forward and slowly walking off the porch with him, she said, “I can’t. He was… really, really mean back there, and he didn’t mean it, he just freaked, and I apologize for his extremely rude behavior.”

“Really, Melissa, it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine,” she said, grabbing his hand and stopping him. “Putting someone down like that for no reason… not fine, Seth.”

“Well… okay, it’s not fine, but I’m trying to be polite and let you off the hook. It’s not your fault your dad flew off the handle. Believe it or not, I understand parental instability.”

“Right,” she said lamely, glancing down at the hem of his shirt instead of his face. “Still, I am so sorry. This is not… at all how I planned tonight.”

Smiling slightly, he said, “Yeah, not really my plan, either.”

Biting her lip, she asked shyly, “Did I mention how sorry I am that you just had to witness that meltdown?”

“Only 328 times—you owe me at least 2 more.”

Smiling slightly, she said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry—“

He cut her off, leaning in and lightly brushing his lips against hers.

Then he smiled, lightly touching her face and said, “If you apologize even one more time, I’m never doing that again.”

That successfully shut her up.

After a pause, she said, “I just feel so bad…”

“Don’t,” he said simply. “I’ve heard much worse. But I am tired and I have another busy day ahead of me tomorrow, plus I have a hunch that if I keep you lingering out here for too long your dad might have a hit man out on me by morning.”

“I’m really—“

“Ah,” he said, holding up a finger and raising his eyebrows, not letting her finish.

Sighing, she said, “Okay, I guess I’ll… go back inside. Can I walk you to your door?”

Shaking his head, he said, “This is far enough, and I’m going to have a cigarette before I go back inside anyway.”

“Those are bad for you, you know.”

“No way,” he said sardonically.

Rolling her eyes, she said, “Fine, be James Dean, but remember he died young.”

“If you don’t get yourself back inside that house I’m going to die young too, but not from cigarettes.”

“I’m going,” she said, turning around and heading back toward her house.

“Let me know how it turns out if he doesn’t lock you up in a tower.”

“Oh, don’t worry. My mom will talk him down,” Melissa said dismissively. “Since he was so mean I probably won’t even have to deal with him.”

And then he was right there behind her, saying, “Wait,” and lightly grabbing her by the arm.

Turning around in surprise, she looked up at him. “Yes?”

“Just in case, don’t I get a good night kiss?” he asked.

Melissa could feel a blush cover her face as she looked up at him, so darn attractive in the moonlight. As she leaned up to give him a lingering kiss, she regretted anew not making the best of their time together and kissing instead of watching a dumb movie and falling asleep.

Although the cuddling before she fell asleep had been very nice, she acknowledged.

Pulling back, Seth smiled a little and said, “Good night, Melissa.”

Feeling a little giddy, Melissa smiled stupidly and said, “Good night, Seth.”

He shot her one last cute little look and then he turned around, resuming his trek back to his own house.

Sighing, Melissa turned and walked back toward her own house, hoping she wouldn’t have to face the music once she got inside.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Thoughts? Let me know!

: )