January 6, 2010

[Flashback - October 31, 2002]

 

[Piper]

The beauty of Halloween parties was that you kinda lose your identity for one night. Sure, people may recognise you, but for one night only you are dressed as something, or someone else, and that makes it fun.

There was a party, a huge party. It didn't matter that I was only 19, I got let in without a second glance, served at the bar too. I was sipping some ghoulish cocktail through a straw whilst scanning the crowd of people on the dancefloor.

It was harder to find who you were looking for when they clearly wouldn't look themselves.

I smiled at a few guys who walked past, one dressed as a zombie, and chuckled. I myself was dressed up as a zombie-fied Madonna... think Like A Virgin era. My usual dark blonde hair was highlight blonde, streaked with black and completely curled up. I knew I was showing a little more skin than I probably should've been, but it was halloween.

"Hey gorgeous!"

I cringed, hearing one of Nick's friends nickname for me and rolled my eyes. "You're still on the scene then." I glanced at this guy, who insisted everyone call him Bean, and bit back a laugh. He was dressed as a mummy, and looked awful.

"Why wouldn't I be? Aren't you too young to be in here. I should let the doormen know..."

I rolled my eyes. "Who do you think let me in?!" I gave him a look before feeling an arm on my shoulder. I turned, seeing Nick standing beside me wearing a bright orange jump suit. I laughed, watching him as he definitely checked me out. "A felon?"

"A.... fucking hell Piper, what are you?"

"A zombie-fied Madonna."

"I don't remember her wearing that... little."

I smirked. "Then don't look."

"I can't help it..."

I playfully punched him in the chest, shaking my head at him as he faked hurt. "So, no Scarlett?"

He rubbed his chest, shaking his head. "No, she said she's busy. Haven't you spoken to her?"

"Nope. She's been busy." I laughed, letting Nick grab my arm and pull me over to the bar. "So, how did it go?"

He smiled wide. "Great. I can't believe I actually have an album out!" The excitement was pouring out of him, making me feel proud.

"It's a great album." I hugged his side, making me squeeze me tighter.

"Why did Timberfake have to release one at the same time, though?" He asked, looking down at me. I pulled a face.

"Urgh. I hate him."

"Hmmm." Nick hummed. "You never did tell me why, either. What did he do?"

I stayed quiet, opting to take a look at the people also waiting at the bar. I was lost in a gaze until I felt Nick squeeze my waist. I turned to look at him to see him holding out a shot glass towards me. I took it, and we both did the shot. I winced, feeling the liquid burning its way down to my stomach. "That was gross!"

Nick just laughed before turning to his friends.

It wasn't weird for me to be out with Nick and his friends. Sure, Nick normally was busy elsewhere, but when he was home, which he had been alot this summer, we'd been together. I'd been at the studio when he recorded his album, and he'd been there to help me go through lines for movies. It had probably been the best summer we'd ever spent together since becoming really good friends. It was just a shame most of Nick's friends were freeloaders and complete perverts.

"Wanna dance, babe?"

I looked over at Bean and faked throwing up before turning to Nick. I tugged on his arm as he chatted with someone, but instantly he turned to me. "I know we just got here, but can we leave. Bean's giving me the creeps again."

Nick looked over at Bean before looking back at me. "Sure." He took my hand, and we walked through the crowds of people and out the party. I thought he'd get us in a car, but instead he guided us down the sidewalk. "Always handy being in our hometown, isn't it?"

I smiled, nodding at him. "Feels weird being back though, right?"

"Eh, I miss it. Marathon isn't the same really."

I chuckled. "Nick, you live in a tiki hut on the ocean. Definitely nothing like Tampa."

He smiled, guiding us through the streets. We passed several people dressed up, but no one bothered us. Again, Halloween had its advantages.

"So, where's the girlfriend?"

We stopped walking, finding ourselves right by the beach.

"Wanna go for a walk on the beach?" Nick asked, ignoring my question. I nodded, and slid off the shoes I had on before following Nick onto the sand. It was still warm despite it being late October. I felt Nick take my hand as we walked out onto the beach. "She was using me,"

"I called that."

Nick sighed. "Piper, don't..."

"But I did!"

Nick stopped walking, making me stop too. "Don't..."

I sighed softly. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I think deep down I already knew." He sunk down to the sand, dropping his shoes on the sand next to him.

I dropped down on the sand and stretched my legs out in front of me. "Now you know why I stay single."

"Because you are afraid of commitment." Nick said, looking at me.

"No, I hate the drama that it brings. Keeping people at arms length is what I do best. Only the people I really trust know me."

He carried on looking at me. "I've never seen you with a boyfriend. Not a serious one anyways."

I shrugged. "I don't want one. Plus, I'm only 19. I've got years ahead of me yet."

Nick smiled. "I remember being like that. Although now... I kinda do feel like that."

I nodded, staring ahead at the moon shining on the water. "It kinda makes me a slut though."

Nick snorted. "A slut! Why?"

"Well I'm not in any kind of relationship, but I sleep around."

"Woah, wait. You sleep around?" Nick touched my arm, making me look at him. He looked shocked, and it was kinda amusing.

"Well, yeah. I have needs..."

"Piper!"

"What?"

Nick opened and shut his mouth a few times before sitting back. "It's not safe."

"You mean it's not what a woman should do? But yet its ok for you to do it?" I rolled my eyes. "Grow up Nick. I like sex. Deal with it."

"No, it's not that. Fuck..." He turned me towards him. "...it's not safe! What if you pick up some guy who's a complete asshole."

"I can look after myself, Nick." I felt a little irritated. Why did everyone think I was incapable of taking care of myself. "I am on the pill, and I always use protection."

"I don't like it." Nick muttered. "You haven't slept with any of my friends, have you?"

"Ew." I pulled a face, looking away from Nick. He stayed quiet, and I guessed I had given him the answer he wanted, although his reaction to me having a healthy sex life was annoying me. Why was it so wrong? I was careful, why should it bother him.

"You shouldn't sleep around, Piper."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, I'll just become a nun then. Join a convent, ‘cos obviously if that was the case I'd never have sex again."

"I just want you to be safe."

"I AM safe!" I yelled out, glaring at him. "It's my life, Nick!"

"And I care about you! I don't want you to end up hurt, or pregnant at that!" He ran his hand through his hair. "Don't be mad at me."

"Nick, you're telling me to quit having sex. I can't. and I'm not! It's not like I go around sleeping with every guy a see! I haven't slept with you, or your friends so you should know that! Jesus, you think I want to sleep with a different guy every time? No, I don't! I just don't want the stress of a relationship!"

"So get a fuck buddy."

"What?" I stared at him like he was mad.

"Well that's exactly what you just described!"

I stood up, brushing sand off my. "And how exactly does one go about looking for someone to have sex with regularly?! Seriously Nick, that's a stupid idea!"

"How is it stupid? Stupid is constantly going around fucking random guys."

I glared at him before turning around and walking away. Tears stung my eyes, and I willed them to stop. I heard movement from behind me and sighed when Nick blocked my view of the ocean.

"I've got an idea."

I looked up at him, and shrugged. "Let me guess, go search the internet for the perfect partner?"

"No." Nick frowned. "You don't need to search."

"What?"

He stepped closer. "Piper, I want you to be safe, right? Well..." he trailed off, making me sigh.

"Nick, I'm not sleeping with any of your friends."

He chuckled. "No, and thank God. No, I don't mean them. I mean... fuck. I mean me, okay? I don't want you sleeping around, so if you need a release, you come to me."

I stared at him a moment before snorting. "Thats funny..."

"I'm being serious, Piper!"

"Nick, I can't have sex with you! That's just... weird!"

"Gee, thanks." Nick's voice was quiet, making me look back at him.

"You're being serious?"

"I want you to be safe," he whispered softly.

We stared at each other for the longest time, me trying to figure out if this was even a good idea, if it would fuck us up or would be the best thing ever. I've never had the hots for Nick. Sure, he is hot, but it's never been like that. I find it hard trying to imagine us... doing it. It was just weird, yet it made me curious.

"No strings attached?"

"Are you really bringing him into this?"

I smiled, making Nick chuckle.

"Nothing, Piper. I just want you to stay safe, and hey... keeps me on the straight and narrow as well."

I looked at him a moment before slowly nodding. "Ok."

"Ok?"

"Ok." I gave Nick a small smile before sitting back down on the sand.

Well fuck.

[/Piper]
[Flashback]

[Scarlett]

2010 was starting on a weird note. It started off by kissing Nick, then me telling him that I've been in love with him for more than half my entire life and now I'm sitting next to him in his car after he picked me up at my place and from the looks of it, we're heading to his.

"Are we going to your place?" I asked as Nick looked over at me quickly and nodded before smiling. "Why your place?"

"I figured our first like... date... well I don't think it should be in public," he said as I looked out the window at the stars in the sky. Nick was acting weird for some reason. Maybe it was the whole first date thing.

We pulled up at his house, which wasn't too far from mine, and as I started to get out of the car he started yelling at something and I paused, watching him as he ran around the car and opened the door up for me.

"Nick, you've never done that before, why start now?" I asked as he gave me a look.

"It's what you do on a date," he said as he shut the car door and locked it.

"But it's me," I said as he nodded and smiled a little before we started to walk up the steps to his front door and he unlocked it quickly before punching in the security code. I stepped inside the foyer and looked around seeing the lights on low. "You don't have to act any differently, Nick."

"Yeah, I'll remember that," he smiled as he started to help me take my jacket off, leaving me in my black dress that I had on. "Just, be normal."

"Right," he nodded as he took my hand and led me to the dining room where there was two candles lit on a table with what looked like plate covers over two plates. "You like?"

"You shouldn't have left those candles lit and came to pick me up... they could have tipped over or something," I said as he made a face. "But it's sweet."

"I don't typically do this shit, man," he chuckled.

"You don't have to impress me," I said, trying not to laugh as we walked into the dining room and I sat down at one of the seats and he sat down next to me. He reached over, taking the tray off my plate and I smiled, knowing damn well he hadn't cooked the lasagna on the plate in front of me. "My favorite."

"I know," he said, opening up the bottle of wine and pouring some in my glass before pouring some in his. "So how's this date thing work?"

"It's just me, Nick."

"You keep saying that but it's different... the guy is supposed to try and impress the girl on the date so that's what I'm trying to do, you know?" he said as I took a sip of wine and watched him as he nervously sat down. "And it's not like you're just some random girl I could take to a club and then come back and bang."

"Is that what you want to do?"

"No...."

"So you don't think of me like that?"

"That's not what I'm saying," he said as he motioned for me to eat. "I'm just... I don't want to fuck up. I'm trying to do right, here."

"You know, just because I tell you that I've had feelings for you for the majority of our friendship, you don't have to act on them if you don't want to," I said as I took a bite of the lasagna. It was still really warm and I knew he had been gone from his house for at least 30 minutes. He had someone come and sit it out while he was gone. Probably AJ and Rochelle.

"I... I kind of want to," he said as I smiled a little. "That's why I'm doing this, so will you just fucking let me try to woo you or some shit like they do in movies? For fuck's sake." He took a big sip of his wine and leaned back in the chair as if he was exhausted already.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

Date night, take two.

I was nervous. I mean, I wasn't even really sure I wanted to do a second date, but after Scarlett convinced me to, I told myself it was a good idea, that I was just freaking out because I didn't normally do this kind of thing.

Dylan was coming to my place to pick me up. We were going for a early dinner, at a nice chinese restaurant across town. I'll admit I booked it, but he seemed more than happy to go there, and that made me feel at least a little bit at ease.

I decided not to try so hard as well, being that it was a somewhat still day time date, I opted for a pretty floral dress and flip flops. I twisted my hair into a pretty bun and put on some light make-up before sitting on my porch to wait for him.

He was on time, parking his car along side mine on the drive before climbing out. I stood up, grabbing my clutch and walked down the porch steps to greet him.

"Hey!" He smiled wide at me, making me feel a little bashful.

"Hey yourself." I walked up to him, and he kissed my cheek, throwing me off guard.

"You look beautiful."

I couldn't help but blush at his compliment, and smiled softly. "Thank you. You look great also." And he did. He was wearing a button down shirt over some black pants, and his hair was messy spikes, but you could tell he'd spent time on getting it just right. He helped me into the car before walking around the other side and getting in.

The car smelt like his cologne, and I couldn't help but steal glances at him as he drove us into the city. It was weird, but it was like something had changed. Like, this was normal Dylan, and not actor Dylan. Last night had been a little weird, but then there had been the public appearance, and maybe he was nervous? I wasn't really sure, but I could tell he was more relaxed, and that made me feel a little better,

"So, is this better?"

I looked at Dylan from across the table. I'd been studying the menu, suddenly feeling hungry. "Better?"

He smiled. "Than last night?"

"Uh..."

"I know it sucked. I'm sorry. Clearly I am bad at first dates..." He looked a little bashful, making me smile.

"It's ok, really. I guess first dates can be sketchy at times. Thats what the second date is for." I gave him a smile before looking back at the menu. We stayed in a comfortable silence until the waitress had taken our order and left out table.

"So..."

I smiled. "So...."

Dylan chuckled. "We need an ice breaker."

"Shots?" I chuckled, seeing him look at me to see if I was serious. "I'm kidding."

"I was actually warming to the idea."

We both laughed, and I could already feel what little awkwardness there was fading away.

Maybe this would work after all.

[/Piper]

[Nick]

I wasn't sure exactly what all I was supposed to do on this date. I had a maid clean up my house. Rochelle cooked the dinner and her and AJ came to set it up while I went to get Scarlett. I wanted this to go well. I wanted it to look like I had made an effort because I had. I had been agonizing over this for two days because I've never had a girl feel that way about me before and be honest about it. Sure, there's people who have said they loved me, but I knew they were lying. I knew Scarlett was for real. The last thing I wanted to do was mess that up.

"I wonder how Piper's date is going," Scarlett said as I looked up at her. "She said she wasn't feeling it, but I told her to give it another shot. She didn't want to make things awkward with work because they start filming soon."

"I just don't trust that guy," I said as Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"You'll have to tell Rochelle she did an awesome job at this," Scarlett said as I started to say something and she smiled. "But I guess I can tell her if she's going on tour next week." I just looked at her. "You still want me to go, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, and I've already set up some studio time in places where we have a day or two off," I said as she smiled and stood up from the table. I watched her as she reached for the rest of the bottle of wine and grabbed her glass. "Where you going?"

"Come on, let's go outside," she said as she walked out of the dining room. I heard her walk out on the back deck and I walked over, grabbing her little jacket because it was too cold for her to be in her sleeveless dress and I grabbed mine before heading out on the deck where she was leaning against the rail.

"Here," I said, wrapping her jacket on her shoulders and walked over to stand beside her. I watched her as she took a sip of wine and I sighed. "This is weird."

"What's weird?"

"This," I said as she turned around to look at me. "You and me here like this."

"Nothing is weird unless you make it weird, Nick," Scarlett said as I looked away. "You're the one that's acting as if we don't know each other. I know you don't hold the door open for girls. I know you don't do that stuff. You don't have to do it for me."

"Yes I do."

"Why? You never did before," she said as I chuckled.

"Because besides a few random guys, I've never seen you even consider dating a guy before and you tell me all of this stuff about how you feel about me so I feel like I should live up to it so I tried tonight and apparently you keep throwing it in my face," I said as I turned to look at her. "You deserve the best. So... I'm trying to give that to you."

"Why do you keep throwing up my dating history in my face?" she asked. "I'm not throwing everybody you've slept with in your face because frankly I can't count that high."

"Because you're like... pure or some shit, like you should have a chastity belt on or something," I spat out as she glared at me. "I think you lied about being a virgin. I think you are one."

"Yeah, I'm not."

"Then tell me who."

"You don't want to know," she said as she drank the rest of the wine in her glass and glared at me.

"Tell me..."

"Justin Timberlake," she said as I glared at her. "I was 15. He was a year younger than me and the show had just ended..."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I screamed as she jumped. "SERIOUSLY?! JUSTIN FUCKING TIMBERLAKE?!"

"Don't yell at me," she said, pointing at me. "I would have given anything for it to be you!"

"You didn't try!"

"You kept calling me, telling me about this girl you were sleeping with, and then another and how it was so easy to get girls when you're traveling in Europe and so I thought, hey, maybe if I'm easy and not a stupid virgin, you might notice me for more than just being your friend so I went to the first guy I knew that would want to," she said all in one breath. "So there, I'm not a virgin. I've been with three people, so I'm not pure like you think I am."

"Is that why Britney always hated you so much?" I asked as she rolled her eyes. "You took Timberlake's v-card, didn't you?"

"This was a mistake, wasn't it?" she asked, looking at me. "Me and you... we can't. I was stupid for even thinking it and now it's just.."

"Justin fucking Timberlake," I muttered to myself as I looked up to see her glaring at me with tears in her eyes.

"I want to go home," she whispered as she marched back into my house and I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. "Let's just... let's just pretend this didn't happen tonight and what I told you didn't happen, okay?"

"You slept with him, thinking I would want to sleep with you?" I asked as she put her arms through her jacket and grabbed the bottle of wine. "Who's the other guys?"

"Nick..."

"I'm your best friend, Scarlett, I feel like I should know this shit," I said as she took a sip of the wine from the bottle. "Everybody I've been with, like seriously, you know about. Even the one night stands and you apparently still love me, so... tell me."

"Remember that guy that I was working with about three years ago?" she said as I just looked at her. "Ryan... I worked with him on his first album because my producers asked me to? And we wrote some together?"

I nodded. "That's the last guy that I knew you had went out with once or twice," I said as she sighed.

"You were busy touring and that Rebecca girl you were dating didn't like me out on the road with you and so... it was a fling for about six months until he wanted more and I couldn't," she said, glaring at me.

"Who's the other?"

"It was a long time ago, Nick."

"Just tell me and then it's over and we'll never speak of it again," I said as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked down, mumbling something. "What?"

"AJ," she whispered, looking up at me.

"AJ? My AJ?" I seethed, seeing a scared look on her face. "You and AJ?"

"You know how it was just sex with you and Piper? It was like that... It was after he went to rehab the second time. When I opened some shows for you guys on the Never Gone tour. It didn't last long because I... I hated keeping it from you but I was going through stuff with my family and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Piper was all successful. You were successful. And I still hadn't really found anything of my own. The album deals fell through. The songwriting was all I had," she said in one long breath. "I see you turning red and you're mad but you asked. I told you. You fucked our best friend. Well, I fucked your other best friend."

"I guess we're even," I muttered.

"I want to go home," she said, taking one last sip of wine from the bottle. "I'll call a cab to come get me. This was a mistake."

I watched her as she walked back into the house and I sighed, leaning over the rail and looking out at the beach. How did they have a fling under my nose and I didn't know?

Suddenly I understood how she felt with me and Piper. But I was still going to kick AJ's ass.

[/Nick]

[Piper]

It was dark when Dylan parked his car outside my driveway. We'd been out alot longer than intended, but I'd had a great time, sitting in the restaurant talking, sharing a dessert. To say this beat the previous nights date was an understatement.

"I really enjoyed tonight."

I smiled at Dylan as he undid his seatbelt before turning to me. "Me too. It was great."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Really."

"So you wouldn't say no to a third date then?"

I smiled, shaking my head softly. Dylan grinned at me before taking my hand in his.

"I really am glad you agreed to tonight. I mean... I don't do dates well, and I like you."

I squeezed his hand. "I'm glad to. Plus, it would be bad if we didn't get on and we're working together."

Dylan chuckled. "Guess it's going to make on screen chemistry look good, huh?"

I giggled. "Well, I guess that depends on where this is going..." Dylan smiled at me, and I couldn't help it. I felt my stomach flutter as he gently tugged me closer. His cologne filled my senses, making my heart start to beat a little faster.

"Seems to be going the right way to me..." Dylan murmured before smiling at me. I gave him a small smile back before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine.

Sure, we kissed on New Years Eve, but this was different. Soft, slow... hot. I was clinging to his shirt as he nibbled at my lips gently before breaking the kiss. He chuckled as I stayed where I was, my eyes closed with a smile on my face.

"Yup, definitely moving the right way." He brushed my hair back gently, placing another kiss on my lips.

I opened my eyes and grinned at him. "So, when is our next date?" I moved back slightly, finally letting go of his shirt and smoothing it out from where I'd been gripping it.

"Tomorrow?" Dylan was smiling, his blue eyes twinkling at me.

"Lunch?"

"It's a date."

Dylan slowly climbed out the car, making me reach for my purse. He opened my door, and helped me out before pulling me close. "I'm so not going to apologize for this..."

I looked up at him as he kissed me again, and this time it wasn't as innocent as the one in the car. By the time he'd pulled away, got in the car and left I was wondering why I'd let him leave to begin with. But then I remembered I was trying to be a better person, and do this properly.

I smiled to myself, walking up my driveway, but didn't fail to miss Nick's car parked up beside mine. I kicked my heels off, and picked them up before walking up the porch steps and letting myself into my house.

"Nickolas!"

"In here!"

I walked into the kitchen where Nick was, sat up on my counter eating a bag of potato chips.

"All dressed up?"

I put my shoes and clutch on the side before nodding. "I had a date."

"Another one?"

I gave Nick a look before opening the fridge and pulling out a couple of beers. I handed one to Nick before looking at him. "So, why are you here eating my food with your butt on my nice clean counter tops?"

Nick sighed, placing the bag of chips beside him. "Scarlett..."

I frowned. "What did you do?"

"What?"

"If you upset her..." I glared at him as he jumped down off the counter.

"Did you know she lost her virginity to that fucking asshole Timberlake??"

I chuckled. "Dude, you didn't know?"

"YOU DID?" Nick shouted, making me shake my head.

"Of course I did. Why are you so mad about it?" I drank some of my beer, watching him as he looked back at me.

"Him."

I snorted. "Yea, well... we all make bad decisions from time to time. Need I mention Paris Hilton."

Nick groaned, muttering under his breath. shaking his head before looking back at me. "So, you knew about AJ too?"

"AJ? What's he done now?" I watched Nick as he chuckled.

"Oh wow, you don't know. Scarlett and AJ..."

"What about the... oh no, you're not saying what I think are you?!" I put my beer bottle down as Nick just continued to stare at me.

AJ and Scarlett?!

"When?"

"I didn't ask details, but when she toured with us..."

I looked at him. "Wow..."

"WOW? Thats all you have to say?" Nick stepped closer. "She went behind my back and slept with my best friend."

I snorted. "Bit like me and you, then?" I took his hands in mine, pulling him closer. "Why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset." Nick stated, pouting at me. He almost looked adorably cute, if he wasn't sulking over something he really had no reason to sulk over.

"Bullshit, look at you." I gave him a small smile. "Nick, it's no different than me and you, other than the fact you never walked in on them. She's human. Just because she never flaunted her sex life like we did doesn't mean she never got up to anything."

"But... AJ!" He sounded defeated, and it made me smile.

"How did this come about, anyways? Her telling you about Justin and AJ."

Nick stayed quiet, just looking at me. If this had been a few weeks ago, hell a few days ago, I would of taken advantage of this moment and seduced him. Hell, a part of me still had that feeling, but something had changed, and rather than me trying to hump the socks off my best friend, I wanted to comfort him. I pulled him close and hugged him, smiling softly when he wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my neck. It was nice and familiar, and I was happy that I hadn't lost this with him.

"I tried a first date..." He mumbled into my neck, making me pull back slightly.

"A date?"

He nodded. "I suck. I literally suck. There I am, trying to impress her like she's some girl I've never met before, and she got annoyed with it. And the awful thing was I could see what I was doing and still couldn't stop. I guess thats how it all came up. And then she left because I blew my top."

I squeezed his waist, making him giggle a little. "First dates suck anyways." I thought back to me and Dylan before and smile a little more. "You should talk to her. That is... if you genuinely like her." I looked at him as he dodged eye contact and stepped out of my arms.

"I don't want to upset her."

I sighed. "Nick..."

"I like her, Piper, of course I do." He looked up at me, his cheeks flushed a little at his admittance. It made me smile.

"Then just be you. She knows you, Nick. She's known you forever. She fell for the dorky geek that you are, not someone you are not."

Nick nodded softly. "I know..."

"So, what are you going to do? Ask yourself that. How can you make it up to her? And Nick.... don't hurt her. As much as I love you, I would kill you if you hurt her. I mean that." I glared at him as he nodded.

"I won't..."

"Good. Because you hurt her, and you lose us both. So you need to make sure you know 100% that you want her as a girlfriend, or just as a friend."

Nick nodded. "I know, I know. I get it. Believe me." he walked back over to where he placed his beer and picked it up. "So... this guy... Dylan..."

I rolled my eyes and smiled to myself at Nick's tone. Even after I threatened him he still was being his normal protective self.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

I sat in my living room, having Joan Jett blasting on the speakers of my stereo and just sat there staring at the blank television screen. I was still in the dress I wore to Nick's, except I had chucked my heels somewhere down my little driveway and didn't really care, because I hated those shoes anyway.

I just felt a little bitter. If I wrote a song right now, it would probably end up being some angry Alanis Morrisette song about telling the guy to go fuck himself. Piper kept saying the reasons she didn't date, well I had my reasons too.

I kept hearing someone knocking at my door, but I didn't really care about getting up. It was almost midnight and I knew it was one of two people, and frankly if it was Nick I didn't care about seeing him.

"Scarlett?!" I heard Piper's voice call out as my alarm went off and then immediately went off when she typed in the code. "I used my key!"

"I'm in here!" I yelled as I looked over to see her walking in. She had obviously changed from her date because her hair was in a ponytail and she had on something only she would sleep in. "How was your date?"

"Pretty awesome... much better than the first," she said, crawling up on the sofa next to me. "Thanks for talking me into it. " I nodded, not saying anything. "You've got your hate music on."

"I hate Nick."

"You do not," she said as I rolled my eyes. "He came over to see me. He was at my place when I got back from my date." I groaned, shaking my head and closed my eyes. "So AJ?"

"He asked me who else I'd been with when I told him I had been with three guys and he flipped his shit with Justin," I said, looking over at her. "Who does that? He can't even count all of his."

"But AJ?"

"He was trying to stay sober and it's when he was kind of hot and had gained a little weight and had that curly longish hair and wore eyeliner and I just thought it was hot," I muttered. "Plus, I had pretty much already figured out what was going on with you and Nick and I just needed to not think about it."

"You're such a boy band whore," Piper chuckled as I glared at her. "Nick's jealous. And don't get any ideas about him coming to my place. He needed to talk, that's all. I told him if he hurt you, he'd lose us both."

"You like Dylan now, don't you?"

"It was nice... he's hot... we got along pretty good and I didn't sleep with him on the, well, technically second date. That's a start, right?" she asked as I tried not to smile. "We need to grow up. I told Nick he needed to grow up right when he left."

"Yeah, we do."

"So why the fuck didn't you tell me about AJ?" she asked, hitting me on the arm. "You come giving me the gossip through my bedroom window about Timberfuck, but you don't about AJ?"

"It's little," I muttered as she cracked up laughing, grabbing a pillow and put it over her face.

Now everything felt normal again.

[/Scarlett]