Title: Little Bit of Love Part 2: Taste the Rainbow
Author: Jean
Email: jeansmx@crosswinds.net
Disclaimer: Not mine
Rating: PG-13 to R (does contain some slash m/m)
Category: Jake/Hamilton
Summary: It is nearing the end of their senior year and everything is about to change.
Authors Note: Okay first this is an answer to one of the challenges… I am not saying which one
yet because I don't want to give things away. Also I know that these kids are only about 15 right
now, and this fic takes place 3 years in the future…however I have decided to play pretend here
and mess with things a little. They talk about things from their childhood that are a bit before
their time, but I am pretending that it isn't. So if any pop culture references don't match up with
the timeline for the characters I know but I don't really care. And for those of you on FF, believe
it or not I wrote this first part before I stumble across the 21 and over thread. LOL!

Part 2: Taste the Rainbow

Jake arrived at Bella's to find her standing outside talking to Sean.

"Hey there." She greeted them.

"Hey Jake! How you doing?" Sean asked.

"I'm fine." She told him with a nod and a smile.

"Well I will let you girls get to whatever it is you do on your Saturdays together." He told them
and started to back away. "See you both later tonight?"

"You know it!" Bella told him smiling. "Bye Sean."

Bella and Jake turned and went into the garage, and then made their way upstairs to Bella's room.
Jake dropped her duffle bag on Bella's floor and flopped down on the bed with a sigh.

"Sorry I'm late." She told her friend with a sheepish grin.

"Oh I bet you are." Bella replied with a knowing smile. "Have a good morning?" She asked with
raised eyebrows.

Jake looked at Bella with a serious face and said. "Very good." Then stuck her tongue out and let
a big grin spread across her face.

Bella looked back at Jake and shakes her head. "I never liked you!" She said with a chuckle.

"Why because I'm prettier than you?" Jake retorted in a playful tone, pretending to flip hair she
didn't have over her shoulder.

"No because you are a slut!" Bella replied laughing.

Jake picked up a stuffed bear off Bella's bed and threw it at her with a laugh. "You're just
jealous because you are not getting any!" Jake returned.

"Oh! I could so get some if I wanted to!"

"Actually… "Jake started then paused. "When are you going to give Sean another shot?"

"Jake!"

"Bella!"

"That ship has sailed. In fact if left port years ago."

"I know how things ended during the whole Scout thing. But like you just said that was years
ago. And I see the way each of you looks at one another when you think no one is watching.
And then just a minute ago… that little smile you gave him when you said good-bye… you so
want him. I can tell. There is still something there for both of you." Jake finished looking at
Bella pointedly.

Bella let out a sigh. "I'm just not sure Jake. Our friendship almost didn't survive the break up
last time. And if it didn't work out I wouldn't want to lose all that we have now."

"Well, sometimes you have to take a chance. As someone very special once said, 'throw caution
to the wind!'"

Bella smiled and shrugged her shoulders on response.

"Just think about it!" Jake urged her.

"Okay, I will think about it." Bella agreed with a nod.

"Good, I just want you to be as happy as I am."

"In that case you could just lend me Hamilton for the night!" Bella suggested with a wicked
smile, and she was rewarded with another stuffed bear flying towards her.


***

Hamilton entered the common room there were about five guys in there watching the Charlie's
Angel movie. Will and Scout were sitting on the couch. Hamilton came up to them and
motioned for Scout to move over a little to make room for him. Scout moved towards Will and
Hamilton sat at the end of the couch with a sigh.

"So another fun filled Saturday for you today Ham?" Will questioned.

"Oh yeah!" Hamilton replied sarcastically.

Scout was eating from a bag of candy, in between bites he asked. "So are we all still going
tonight?"

"Yep as far as I know." Hamilton answered as he watched the movie. "I don't think we have
done this one. Cameron, Drew or Lucy?"

One of the other guys in the room said. "Oh Lucy, she rocks!"

And another piped in. "No way Drew!"

Hamilton looked at the screen. "I have to go with Cameron here. Damn look at that!" He
pointed to Cameron Diaz dancing around in a tank top and underwear shaking her butt at the
camera. "What do you two think?" He asked Will and Scout.

"I think Scout is totally bogarting the Skittles. Man give me some." Will said as he trying to take
the bag from Scout.

"Hey I asked you if you wanted anything from the vending machine you said no."

"Well I changed my mind."

"What did you get a sudden urge to taste the rainbow?" Scout asked laughing as he finally
handed the bag to Scout.

"Thank you." Will replied. Then he leaned forward to look past Scout. "You want some Ham?"

"No thanks!"

***

Jake and Bella looked through the racks of clothing in front of them. They were shopping that
the mall on the other side of Carson.

"What do you think?" Jake asked Bella as she held up a pair of purple leather snakeskin pants.

"For you or me?"

"Me."

"Definitely!" Bella said with a nod.

Jake hung the pants over her arm and continued looking through the rack. "Oh, I forgot to tell
you. Hamilton's aunt gave him a trip for two anywhere he wants to go for graduation. And he
told me I get to pick where we go. Any ideas?"

"How long?" Bella asked hold up a navy blue shirt against herself.

Jake looked up and shook her head. "You have enough navy blue shirts. Seven nights."

Bella put the shirt back. "Hmm… seven nights. I say someplace with a nice big comfortable
bed." She suggested with a wink.

"Come on that's a given!" Jake replied laughing. She pulled out a sparkly black tank top and
held it against the pants on her arm.

"Nah!" Bell replied to Jakes unasked question. "Well I would want to got to Europe, but both of
you have already been there."

Jake nodded and pulled out a soft white sweater knit tank top. "Oh Bella, here this one!" She
said and handed the shirt to the blonde.

Bella held it up against herself and looked down. "You think?"

"Definitely!"

"Cool!" Bella draped the shirt over her arm. "Okay back to the trip, since you have already been
to Europe, I would pick someplace warm and tropical."

"Warm and tropical is good. Someplace where you wear very little clothing, I like the sound of
that. I can picture it, us on the beach somewhere, rubbing sun tan lotion on each other." Jake
said with a far off look in the eyes.

"But…" Bella started. "If you have that big comfy bed I doubt you and Ham will even make it
out of the room."

Jake rolled her eyes at her. "Please! It's not like we are going on our Honeymoon or something."
She told her friend with a chuckle.

***


Will and Scout walked down the hall to their room. Upon entering, Will let out a heavy sigh.
This was the first time they had been alone since their disagreement the night before. Will knew
an unpleasant conversation was coming.

"Will…" Scout began.

"Scout look…" Will interrupted and sighed again. "I understand, really I do. I'm just frustrated."

Scout looked at him, giving Will the "are you finished" look. "I was going to say you were right.
It would be easier if we had the support of our friends."

"Really?" Will looked at him with a shocked expression. "So does that mean your ready to tell
them all?"

"Almost. I mean, I am not worried about telling Jake and Ham, I think they will take it fine. Its
Bella that I am worried about. I mean how is she going to react to the fact the 2 of the 3 guys she
has dated over the last 3 years are now dating each other. It might be weird for her." Scout sat
down on his bed and looked down at his hands. "I would hate to see her get hurt again by us."

Will sat down next to Scout and wrapped and arm around his shoulder. "I understand. I don't
want to hurt Bella either. But did you ever think she might feel hurt because we didn't tell her?
Like we don't trust her or something?"

"That's a good point too I guess." Scout said raising his head and blankly staring at the wall in
front of him for a moment. "I have an idea."

"What is it?"

Scout turned to look at Will. "How about tomorrow night sometime, we go ahead and tell
Hamilton and Jake? And then hopefully Jake might give us some insight on how to tell Bella.
You know the female point of view. How does that sound?"

A slow smile spread across Will's face. "It sounds great." He then cupped Scout's face in his
hands and gently kissed him. Scout returned the kiss gently tugging on Will's lower lip as Will
pulled back. "We better go get ready." Will told him looking at the clock. "We have to pick up
Ham in 45 minutes if we want to get to Bella's by 7 o'clock."

"You're right. Time to hit the showers!" Scout told him then turned to Will with a devilish
gleam in his eyes.

***

Hamilton walked into the hall, in his house, outside of his room. His hair was damp and he was
only wearing a pair of black cargo pants. He walked to the top of the steps.

"Mom! Have you seen my new gray shirt?" He called out.

"I know I washed it, it should be in your closet. Did you look there?" Kate Fleming called up
from the kitchen.

"Yes!" Hamilton called back in a frustrated tone.

"Well look again!"

Hamilton went back into his room and began going through the clothes in his closet. He turned
when he heard his mother enter the room. "It is not here." He told her then flopped on the bed.
"The guys are going to be here to get me any minute now."

Kate walked over to the closet, pushed a few items around then pulled out the elusive gray shirt.
She turned to Hamilton and handed him the shirt.

"Thanks Mom." Hamilton told her with a sheepish smile. He quickly took the shirt off the hanger
and pulled it on over his head.

"What will you do with out me next year?" Kate commented with a bittersweet smile. She was
going to miss her only child desperately when he left for college. She wished she could keep him
here with her forever. But she knew he was growing up and she had to learn to let go. She
looked at the young man in front of her. He was checking his reflection in the mirror and trying
to straighten out his hair. He then ran the back of his fingers across his cheek.

"Damn I should have shaved! Oh well I don't have time now." He said out loud and then turned
to look at his mother. She had a look on her face like she was about to cry. "Mom what wrong?"
He asked crossing the room toward her.

"Oh nothing Munchie. I am just realizing that you are all grown up." She told him.

Hamilton came closer to her and moved his arms around her in a hug. He couldn't help but smile,
knowing how lucky he was to have a mother that cared so much. Not all of his friends had that.
"Like I have always said Mom, I'll be going off to college, not Nam." He pulled back and smiled
at her. "And as much as I might try to deny it sometimes, I'll always be your little Munchie."

This made Kate smile and she felt a tear escape her eye and travel down her cheek. She patted
her son's cheek and he rewarded her with his quirky half smile and signature squint. Before the
moment could get any sappier though they heard the doorbell ring.

"That would be the guys." Hamilton said. "I still need to get my shoes on."

"I'll go get it." Kate offered and left to get the door.

***

Kate opened the door to find Will and Scout standing on the doorstep. "Hi boys, come on in.
Hamilton will be right down. He was putting on his shoes." She said as she ushered the boys in
and they followed her into the kitchen. "So where is Jake? Is he not going with you all tonight?"

"Jake is already at Bella's." Will offered.

"Oh." Kate responded with a nod. "Are Jake and Bella dating again?" Kate inquired.

Will and Scout both chuckled slightly. Hamilton took that moment to enter the kitchen. Having
heard his mother's last question he decided to answer. "No Mom. They went shopping this after
noon."

"Oh. So are any of you currently dating Bella? It is hard for me to keep up."

"Nah." Will offered. "Bella is just like one of the boys now. We all realized that it is better if we
are just friends."

"I understand. So where are you all headed tonight?"

"Donna's." Scout answered.

"Who's she?" Hamilton's mother asked. "Are one of you dating her?"

The boys all started laughing at this and Kate looked at them confused.

"Well technically Donna is Bella's mother." Hamilton told her. "But in this case it is the
restaurant-bar her mother owns in Carson."

"I didn't think Bella and her mother got along."

"Well things between them still aren't perfect." Will explained. "They are trying to get to know
each other and become friends, before they start the mother daughter stuff."

Kate nodded. "So what do you all do there?"

"Saturday is karaoke night." Scout told her.

"Karaoke?" She said with a laugh. "Do you all sing?"

"Yeah, if you can call it singing." Will said.

"Now that is something that I would like to see." Kate told them still laughing.

Hamilton gave a nervous smile. "Well maybe sometime you can come along." He told his
mother, hoping like hell she wouldn't want that sometime to be tonight.

"That would be fun." Kate said and then looked at her watch. "Oh, I have to go tear your father
away from his desk. He promised to take me to that new George Clooney movie. Well you boys
have fun." She then picked up her purse off the counter and heading for the back door. Looking
back over her shoulder she added. "But not too much fun."