This wasn't supposed to happen this way. I was supposed to get a happily ever after, just like everyone else did. I guess my fairy godmother just didn't want to show up. Zander and I were happy, very happy actually. We were best friends, been that way since we were two. We did everything together, learned how to walk, played our first instruments, started a band, walked home, everything. I've always had a crush on him, it was hard not to. He was funny, kind, and always knew what I needed. It was just extra points that he was handsome, but that's not why I like him, I've liked him since were eight when he took a punch in the face for me when the bully pushed me.

"Hey! You can't do that to MY best friend!" he had yelled.

The bully laughed. "Oh yeah? What're YOU going to do about it?"

Zander pushed him but the bully quickly went right up to him and punched him giving him a black eye for weeks. That's when I started appreciating him so much.

Things between us were inseparable. He was a flirt, no question about it, but there was never a time he wouldn't ditch the girl just to help me out. We were a team. During the summer Zander and I hung out a lot, more than everyone else in the band. We always found ways to talk to each other. In eighth grade when everyone got their cellphones, Zander and I created our own way of communicating. Our houses were side by side and we could see each other's room from our windows. We took pieces of paper and would write on them to talk. It was our way of making everyone else the outsiders instead of us.

Senior year and everything changed. The first day of school just ended and Zander and I were walking home. We were just talking about the new music we were thinking about doing for the band.

"Why don't you write songs for us?" Zander asked.

"That's your job. You'd be useless to us if I took your job." I joked back.

"Hey, I'm the guy that brings in all the fans. I mean with these good looks and my awesome diversity with instruments, girls just can't resist but come to our gigs."

I laughed. "Confidence is attractive, cockiness is a turn off."

Zander laughed and gave a Me? Cocky? No look.

His smiled faded and he looked at me so intently I got scared.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

He quickly snapped back to normal and smiled. "yeah, you just had a leaf in your hair."

I reached my head to find the leaf but then Zander but reached out his hand and grabbed it. Our fingers brushed against each other and I couldn't help but feel the beautiful buzz that I felt every time he touched me.

He looked at me again with that same intense look on his face but this time I didn't say anything. He took my hand and leaned in slightly. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster the closer he got.

"Stevie…" he whispered.

A honk from a nearby car made us jump apart. Everything seemed to go back to normal after that. We went on walking talking about nothing like we usually did, as if nothing happened but a part of me wished something did.

The next morning Zander came over for breakfast right before we left to school. Everything was normal between us. He acted as if nothing happened, I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed.

"You ready to go?" I asked.

He nodded. "Race you to the band room?"

"You're so on."

We both grabbed our bags and ran to school. By the time we go to the band room we were out of breath.

The room was in the school basement that we got permission to use after hours of convincing done by yours truly.

I touched the door just before he did. "I win!"

"Well you know what? I'm a sore loser." He picked me up bridal style and threw me onto the couch.

We couldn't stop laughing, soon after, our friends and band mates, Kacy, Grace, Kevin, and Nelson walked in.

"hey" I greeted.

"So what're you guys up to" Kacy said with a wink.

"nothing really, we just got here a minute ago." Zander replied.

The boys left to do whatever they do and Kacy and Grace looked at me.

Grace shook me. "when are you guys going to go out? The anticipation is killing me!"

I laughed. "We're just friends, nothing more, he doesn't like me that way."

Kacy groaned. "are you kidding me? You guys do everything together, you're hardly ever apart."

"You guys are being ridiculous. Is this because you just want your stupid little band dating thing to come true?"

Grace laughed a little. "No, well maybe a little but come on! It's be so cool! Me and Nelson are together, Kacy and Kevin are together, now all that's left is you and Zander! Besides, regardless of the band dating thing, you guys are happiest when together, why can't you just open your eyes! Besides, he's the sweetest person when you're around."

"Guys, he doesn't like me that way, besides, he's a flirt, and I'm not a fan of players. Now can we move onto class?"

First period chemistry was boring, always was. I just sat there writing in my song book. I wrote songs all the time, it was my way of releasing emotions. No one knows I write songs, they just think I'm a bass player, except Zander, he knows I'm more than a bass player, he knows I play acoustic and piano, he even taught me how to play the ukulele. He doesn't know I write music though, that's personal, too personal.

Second period went by quickly. Zander met up with me at my locker and put his arm around me. We walked to the lunch table where the band already was but there was another person sitting there too.

The girl sitting there was pretty, but fake in a way, like Barbie fake.

Zander dropped his arms wrapped around me. "Hi."

"Hey." She said in a flirty voice. "I'm Molly, you must be the famous Zander I hear about. All the girls did tell me you were cute but they didn't tell me you were this good looking."

Zander just smiled at her, the same way he smiled at me. He quickly took the seat beside her.

Kacy and Grace looked up at me. I put a smile on my face. "Hey, I'm Stevie."

She looked at me quickly said hi and turned her attention back to Zander. Lunch ended and Zander and I had English.

"Aren't you coming to class?" Grace asked.

"Yeah, I'll wait for Zander." I replied.

She smiled and walked off, but when I looked back to Zander he was already walking away with Molly, his arms around her shoulder.

I quickly turned away and walked off to class, I sat down beside Grace.

"Where's Zander?" she asked.

"With Molly somewhere." I could hear the disappointment in my voice.

"Don't worry Stevie, things will go back to normal, you guys are still walking home together." The thought of that put a smile on my face.

After school, I waited for Zander in the parking lot like we always do. Soon a pink convertible came up beside me.

I looked over to see Zander in the passenger seat while Molly was driving.

"Hey Stevie, I'm getting a ride from Molly today." He said

"I'd give you a ride but there's no room." Molly replied. I looked back at the empty seats in the back. With that she drove off.

I walked home alone for the first time in twelve years.

I told Kacy what happened and ten minutes later her and Grace were at my house. They knocked on my door while I was doing homework.

"I can't believe he ditched you!" Kacy said

"I'm so mad at him right now!" Grace yelled.

"Guys, it's fine, he didn't really ditch me, we never actually made PLANS to walk home together, we just do." I replied.

Kacy looked at me. "Don't defend him, you know damn well what he did was wrong."

"I can't believe one pretty girl and he just turns into her slave." Grace said.

I couldn't bear hearing anything about him and Molly. "don't worry about it, it's not like he's never dated before."

"But he's never ditched you for another girl before Stevie." Grace pointed out. I shrugged it off and told them not to worry, I'm sure it was just the shock of a new girl, I hoped.