A/N: Just finished reading Along for the Ride. I love the Eli/Auden, Maggie/Adam, Jake/Leah and Esther/Wallace pairings. I just made up the last two, but I plan to ship it. But here comes a mainly Maggie/Adam. And just FYI, I own nothing and I'm making up last names!

"Maggie!" I look up from the cash register where I was counting change for a group of teenage customers who were chattering about Tallyho, and making up scenarios of how they were going to get in. I couldn't care less. Leah would've taken the conversation to a new level, because out on the floor she was someone different. But now, she was out working at the Last Chance, a way for her to make extra cash for cooking school. Her, of all people!

It wasn't Esther. Right now, she was at Abe's Bikes, chatting up Wallace, getting him off work as always. The two were getting closer, as they both were trying to start writing a song together. It was weird that Esther was going at a kid who she'd known her whole life and never really cared about. But hey, who am I to complain?

And Auden was making out with Eli in the office out back, so I knew she didn't need any help. So there was one person left, one who I knew the voice of immediately.

Adam Parker.

I look up from re-counting the change and flash him a smile before finishing off all of the customers remaining. After the final one left, I hopped onto the counter, my legs dangling for a second before shifting to the floor. He was a few inches taller than me now, with his curly dark hair and sweet emerald eyes. He gives me a smile, "So, are we alone?"

"Spite Eli and Auden too engrossed in playing tonsil-hockey, yes." I reply, when another customer clan walks in confidently over to the bikinis against the wall across from us. "Hello!" I call out, "Need help with anything?"

A girl holds up a red boyshorts bikini, the one Auden had purchased a while back, and a green one matching. "Red? Or green?" She holds them up to her petite form. "Green!" her friends chorus. She turns from shooting them a look, to my guidance. "Green, it goes with your blond hair." I comment. She gives a smile before turning back to her friends.

"Too late now." Adam grumbles as I go to round the counter yet again. I roll my eyes, avoiding his gaze by toying with a nearby pricing gun. Suddenly, a chocolate fudge cupcake is slid over to my attention. I look up to see Adam digesting the second of the pack, icing already pressed into his chin. I giggle, wiping the excess off with a manicured nail. He colors cherry, popping the remainder of the pastry into his mouth. I pop the icing clad thumb into my mouth before digging into my own cake.

"No eating in the store!" A teasing voice calls from the door. I look up. Esther, with Wallace in tow. What was he, a lovesick puppy? I glare at her, eating half of the cake I was given, then passed it back to Adam, "I'm sure not."

"I bet not," Wallace smiles, pushing the fringe of blond hair away from his eyes, "You have frosting on your chin." He whips his hand over my face, and I glance haphazardly at Adam. The crush started when he asked me to the local dance at the Last Chance a few months back. When the slow songs were played, we'd just sway and he didn't try anything like Jake did. He just gripped my waist as if I were about to blow away, making me feel like I was the only girl in the room. It tugged my heart.

Adam was facing the group of girls who were now ogling over the green boyshort bikini girl, who took my advice, and looked really really pretty. Which seemed to catch his attention. Esther, who was now behind the counter with me, put a hand on my arm. "Don't worry. You aren't losing his attention." She reaches over to peck Wallace on the mouth before grabbing my pricing gun and going off to mark some jersey tees toward the dressing rooms. Wallace followed; I wasn't surprised. I even made the joke with Auden a few weeks back, Esther and Wal-lace sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.

I could hear them in the back already. Adam had turned around and I turned my back to him. I wouldn't let him see the wounded expressing tolling my face as I began gathering reciepts for Auden for later, when she was done, and stuffing some returns onto a clothes rack next to the back counter. I turn around when I begin to uncap my lip gloss and slather it seductively over my lips. Adam was turns to squint out the frosted glass window. Suddenly, he turns completely from me, watching whatever was occurring outside.

"What are you staring at?" This snaps him of his reverie, "No-" All of a sudden, it's a blur. The flash of striking orangey-red hair tangled in a white bow. The caramel head swooping down, to meet the cherry red hands tie themselves around her perfect, narrow waist while hers lock around his neck. Her manicured nails twirl through the ends of his hair; something I had been doing all those months ago.

Jake Stock and Leah Feldman.

And suddenly, I'm outside, storming up in front of the passionate couple. Then, I'm giving a vibrant yank of that perfectly-bowed hair. There's a shriek and a white bow with some red strands still attached to the bowtie, which I am fisting in my hand. Adam is behind me in seconds.

The sky grumbles above, dying gray. "Maggie!" the redheaded girl I used to call one of my best friends, gasps. Jake doesn't look ashamed. And all of a sudden, Eli and Auden, Esther and Wallace and other couples from surrounding areas, are around us watching the scene unfold. Adam has his hands on my waist and it feels oh-so-wonderful, that I feel my anger melting between my fingers.

"Mags, shh," Adam consoles in my ear, sending tingles up my spine. Leah is still staring at me, then the crumpled bow that I'd tossed onto the dirty wooden boardwalk. Auden and Esther are with me in seconds and I'm just staring. "What. the. hell?" I seethe as Jake smirks down at me, meanwhile wrapping his muscular arms around Leah's waist, yet again. My eyes are glued though, to the pretty azure orbs that were owned by the girl who just shook my life to the max. I wrench from Adam and glare down at Leah, "How. Long?" My words are separated and edgy, and quietly Leah edges out, "Four months."

A heavy silence hangs in the air. Four months? I'd been dating Jake for seven before we broke up. So over half of the time we were together, my best friend and boyfriend were hooking up? What a cliche! I feel a pit opening itself in my stomach and pains begin to twist and turn. Tears threaten, but I hold back. I hold my glare on Leah. "Some friend you are. Slut." I spit at her before turning and walking back into Clementine's without looking back.

-0-

I play fine for a few hours, with Leah and Jake off somewhere, probably sharing a huge plate of onion rings at Last Chance, talking and whining over what happened. A twist pummels my chest. Adam, Eli and Wallace ducked in with us girls for the storm, watching the lighting drawings decorate the sky. Wallace and Esther were being adorable, as always and Eli and Auden would occasionally disappear behind a few filled clothes racks, chatting and kissing like the couples in the movies. For them, it wasn't just "friends with benefits"; it was a committed relationship.

Adam kept his distance of me. He was treating me as if I were a piece of glass rather than a girl he'd known most of his life. He would occasionally talk with one of the guys, but that was about it. I could feel the tension rising throughout the room as I filed the reciepts neatly after the fifth time. I felt Auden glancing at me, and Esther's pity looks. I winced. I didn't want pity, I wanted things back to normal.

Sighing, I look in my purse for cash. Finding fifteen dollars and thirty-seven cents, I tuck it in my pocket. "Where are you going?" Auden questions, coming out from behind a rack of jeans as simple as Gap. I shrug, "Last Chance? I need a pick-me-up." The sky was starting to dim of lightning and water was falling less raged and rapid.

Esther winces, "Leah and Jake are-"

"I. Don't. Care." I snap, turning and flinging the door open and leaving Clementine's. I avoid awnings that hover over the miscellaneous stores and let the water cleanse my anger. I just make it in front of Last Chance before I hear,

"Maggie, wait up!"

Ugh. I turn around seeing Adam, a dark beanie masking his short, dark hair. He's jogging and slip-sliding as he practically flings himself at me, catching himself barely as he is in front of my in seconds, cerulean eyes searching my brown ones. My mouth puckers open, but I realize there is nothing to say.

Suddenly, his lips are on mine and my eyes are closed, as if we did this daily. He pulls away too quick, "Mags?" He waves a hand in front of my face. Refraining to what just happened, our lips met again.

There wasn't a need for anything else, just knowing he was mine, was all that mattered.

A/N: So...? Haven't written for a while. I'm a little rusty, I know. I will also be writing a few oneshots for What Happened to Goodbye. I just finished it and am so excited so... watch out for them.