Superfine: the after years.
Chapter 1. Damn.
Gabriella Witter stared in utter and complete boredom at the linoleum floor in her math class. No matter how hard she tried to, she had no interest in trigonometry, she didn't have that much interest in math either. It came, it went, big whoop it really wasn't that big of a deal. She glanced over at her best and probably only friend Zack. He was slumped comfortably in his chair tapping his pencil on his desk. He had a look that went past boredom and was on its way to blankness. His eyes, which changed colors, were gray in that instant. They always were when he was uninterested, sleepy, confused or sad. His eyes followed the teacher as she walked back and forth. Just then Mrs. Dill looked at him, and he met her gaze evenly. When she didn't look away he quirked an eyebrow and then she took the hint and moved on. Gabriella or Gabby as everyone called her smiled and looked away. It was so like him to make her feel uncomfortable; it happened every math class without fail.
"Is there something amusing Miss Witter?" the teacher asked. Gabby's head shot up, her eyes wide. Zack looked over at her with a very slight smile.
"Um no." she replied awkwardly.
"Good because I shall not have you disrupting my class."
"Oh dear God no, can't have that now can we?" Zack murmured sarcastically in his best Irish brogue. The entire class erupted in laughter and Mrs. Dill turned in his direction.
"Something to share O'Connor?"
"Yeah I was just thinking, ribbed really is better." He said, his eyes now a brilliant green and shining with mischief thus showing the Irish in him. The class once again broke into hysterics and Gabby couldn't help but laugh herself.
"Then detention isn't a problem for you?" Mrs. Dill said clearly unimpressed.
"Of course not." He said his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Wonderful because you will be attending this afternoon."
"Great." He said dryly with two halfhearted thumbs up signs and a fake smile. The bell rang and Zack rolled his eyes and then started to pack away his stuff. Gabby grabbed her bag and then walked over to his desk. Zack glanced up at her smiled faintly and then went back to what he was doing. She didn't take it seriously because she knew that that was about as much anyone would get from Zack. He wasn't bitter but it was still a rare and beautiful thing to see him smile, but an even more rare thing was a laugh. Most girls found him very attractive and he was. He had thick, soft, wavy, dark brown (almost black hair) that stopped at his jawbone, a good body, full lips, perfect teeth, and if you saw it a breath taking smile. His eyes were his most remarkable feature though. They would change from their present shade of emerald green, to gray, hazel, clear baby blue, gray blue or blue green depending on his mood. He had what most people would call a weird personality. His moods shifted so easily that you never knew what to expect from him. He was very laid back, quiet and very funny but the weird thing was that he never laughed at his jokes. The most that he would do would be to smile gently and shake his head. "Ready?" he asked in his smooth, deep voice.
"Been ready." She said as they arose and headed out to lunch. They were about to head out the door when they heard Mrs. Dill.
"Zackary." He turned his head.
"Yeah?"
"I'll let you slide this time." She said with a smile. He gave her a nod of acknowledgment and then they left. When they reached outside, Gabby looked over at him.
"What's up with you today."
"Nothing."
"You have pensive face."
"You know, it never fails to amaze me how you can distinguish an expression from one that is always there. I mean, I always have pensive face."
"And it never fails to amaze me how someone can manage to never crack a smile at all." She shot back.
"Gabby please." he started tiredly.
"I know, I know." She said rolling her eyes. "Don't start." They said in unison.
"Grouch." She murmured after awhile. He glared at her.
"Fascist."
"Chauvinist pig."
"Disrespectful wench."
"Sexist toad."
"Jackass."
"Jack off."
"Every damn day." She gasped and smacked his shoulder, and he winced in pain.
"Zack?" she asked. He fought down the pain and managed to straighten his face.
"I'm fine, it's nothing." He replied tightly. She frowned and then, grabbing his shoulder brought him to a halt. He turned to face her with a 'not-now' look, and she met his gaze with a ' do-not-jerk-me- around' look of her own.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." He said. She stared at him dubiously and then shook her head. He was a good liar but not good enough. Not nearly good enough , not to her.
"Well guess what, I don't believe you alright and I don't care what you say-" she started and she started to raise his shirt.
"Gabby please-" he tried.
"-I do not hit that hard OK-" she continued as if she hadn't heard him.
"Gabby-"
"-so whatever it is that you are trying to hide from me...... oh my God!" she gasped softly. There on Zack's shoulder was a black and blue mark that was about the size of a football. Zack jerked away from her touch and rubbed his face with his hands tiredly. "Zack what is this?" she whispered staring at him in disbelief.
"Gabby it's not what you think-"
"And what am I thinking?" she interrupted.
"That something happened and nothing did-"
"Really then why is there a mark the size of a freakin' football on your back?!" she cried.
"Could you at least try to keep your voice down? Please? Could you do that for me?" he said looking around to see if anyone had heard her. He turned and walked away.
"Zack." She said and he stopped to hear what she had to say. "What happened? Please tell me."
"Later." He replied and then he walked away. He didn't want to explain himself to her. He didn't have to. It wasn't any of her business. Yeah it is. She's only been there for you since you were five!! A part of him screamed. No actually it was the other way around. He shook his head as he headed out to the lunchroom. He stood in the line and picked up the usual for lunch, well for him at least: pizza, Gatorade, bag of cookies, and a banana-berry sorbet. He sat at their usual table and started to eat. He didn't know why he pulled away from her whenever she tried to help him. Especially when the problem was his dad. He was that way with everyone when it came to his family life. It just wasn't a topic that was up for discussion, what was so bad about that? He looked up as she entered the lunchroom and then looked back down, unable to look at her. Why was he feeling so guilty then? It wasn't like he had done something wrong. Yeah ya did! That annoying little voice said. Shut up will you! He thought to himself. Great now he was talking to himself, perfect. Gabby sat down opposite to him sheepishly. She studied him carefully trying to decipher what he was thinking, but as usual she found nothing. He looked good today. He was wearing his red parachute pants: - which like most of his other pants, were ridiculously baggy, and his black Chick-Fil-A tee-shirt that read 'Eat Mor Chikin' on the front, and had hardly any sleeves, thus showing off his super cool tattoo, and the raw hide necklace, with a claw charm on the front that his mom had gotten him. As far as she knew, he never took that off.
"So um are you performing tonight?" she asked. Zack was in a band called Toxin, in which he was the lead guitar. He was the only guy that she knew, whom could play almost any song.
"Um yeah, it's Green Day night tonight." He answered.
"Oh, cool."
"You comin?"
"Hell yeah." She replied earning her the tiniest smile from him.
"Gab I wanna apologize for the way that I acted in the hall. I didn't mean to lash out at you, but.. I just." he let out a defeated sigh and then ran a hand through his hair. "You know how much of a butt-munch I can be and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." He rattled of in one breath. "I never mean to yell at you, you know that right?" He asked after a while his now clear blue eyes searching her's.
"Yeah I do actually." She replied smiling that smile of her's. Zack felt a little dizzy and confused, the way he always did when she smiled at him. He knew that she had never thought that she was beautiful but he sure as hell did. She had soft, thick, dark, curly, mahogany brown hair that reached almost to her waist, and the most peculiar color of eyes. Her eyes were a light hazel, almost gold, ringed with emerald green, with freckles of green in them. She had the most gorgeous mouth, soft delicate features, and the cutest nose. Her skin was soft evenly toned and smooth. Every day he realized why people never called her uncurvy. She had a smallish waist, and perfect hips for her figure. They weren't big and they weren't small, but they were something to hold on to. She had elegant, long, firm legs, slender but toned arms, and a long graceful neck. He'd had a crush on her since they were five, but like most of his other emotions, he had kept that hidden. No one knew about it and sometimes he forgot about it himself, but the chance of that happening now was slim to none. Times like now he had to keep himself in check. Take today for example; today she was wearing her light jade green, silk, halter-top, her mauve skirt that reached a few inches below her knee, and her black leather goo-goo boots. Her hair was back in a low loose ponytail with strands framing her face. "So I was thinking that you could come over and help me study and then we could head on over to Club Jade." She said taking a swing of her fruit punch. He looked down at his lunch.
"Sure." He replied. She smiled and then they finished the rest of their lunch in silence.
************************
"Are you serious Andie?" Joey Witter said as she pulled the hairpins out of her now waist length hair. She flipped her slate blue high- heeled shoes off and then started to undo her cream satin blouse, "Oh my gosh that is sooo amazing. Of course we'd be delighted. I'll talk to him. Ok bye now." She clicked off the phone and then threw it on the bed. Slipping of her blouse, she flung that on the bed too and then turned to find her cotton camisole. Pulling it on she tackled her slate blue mini skirt, turning she removed her stockings and threw on her drawstring flannels. She hung up her clothes and then walked out side. The jet-black family cat Carnoc leapt at her and she caught it easily. His name Carnoc, was short for Carpe Noctum, which in Latin meant 'seize the night'.
"That's impossible no one can play that song Zack." Joey looked up just in time to she her seventeen-year-old daughter walk into through the front door with her friend Zack.
"Uh, yeah, it's not that hard actually." He replied.
"Um hell yes."
"Gabby the only reason that you think that that song is hard to play is because you can't play it."
"What and you can?" she scoffed
"Yeah actually." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway you shouldn't talk Gabby, cause you can't even play the guitar, far less base." That last comment earned him a glare.
"Screw you Zack."
"Ha, you wish." He said smirking. Gabby rolled her eyes and went to the refrigerator. Zack went straight to the cabinet.
"So you still got Fruit Rollups?" he asked.
"God Zack, do you live on those or something?"
"Maybe, maybe not. Either way it's none of your business." He shot back. She walked over to him and bumping him over with her hip, started to look for the fruit rollups.
"So which songs are you performing tonight." She asked.
"Um the only one's we're performing that I know about are 'When I come around, Time of your life, Minority, Nice guys finish last and that's about it I think." Joey, who had been watching them the whole time smiled and shook her head. Gabby who had seen this action out of the corner of her eye turned to look at her mother.
"What? What's with that look?" she demanded. Joey shrugged and Carnoc leapt out of her arms, walked over to Zack and hissed at him. Zack looked down at the cat, gave it his death glare and then hissed right back. Carnoc then leapt into his arms, rubbing her face against his chest. Joey shook her head and then turned to face the sink, and started washing the dishes. "Mom." Gabby said warningly.
"Well it's just that you and Zacky over there remind me so much of your father and I when we were young."
"Um, mom? Hate to burst your bubble and all, but um, you and dad are married now."
"I know." Joey replied with a smile.
Zack quirked an eyebrow. "Um no offence Mrs. Witter but the chances of me and Gabby getting together are about um, I dunno.... Nonexistent." He said.
"I know right?" Gabby said with a laugh. "It would be so weird."
"Actually best friends make the best boyfriends. This is the voice of experience talking here. My dears history always repeats its self."
"Well yeah to right the wrongs of the past."
"Huh?" Gabby said.
"Well how else do we explain you Gab?" he looked at her, his eyes laughing, but his face serious. Gabby gasped and then punched him in the arm. Then she started to tickle him.
"No.... No Gabby, Gabby stop it!" he cried and then he gave into his fits of laughter. Joey finished up the dishes dried them, and then put them away. Gabby was laughing like crazy, and before long Zack had flipped her off. He glared at her, and her giggle froze in her throat.
"Zack? Friend? Buddy?" she pleaded, for she knew that that look could only mean one of two things. Either he wasn't going to talk to her for a while, possibly days, or he was going to have his revenge. And when it came to him tickling her, revenge was a bitch. He knew that Gabby was ten times as ticklish as he was, and exactly were to tickle her. In a nutshell she was in trouble, this was in a word bad. For her at least. As he advanced she backed up heading unconsciously towards the couch. She tried to dart to the left but he was to fast for her and he wrapped one arm about her waist and picking her up, threw her down on the couch. She shrieked and tried with everything in her to get out of his grasp, but although she was strong, he was way stronger and the fact that he had been on the wrestling team didn't exactly tilt the luck-o-meter in her favor. Soon he was straddling her and tickling her without mercy.
"STOP IT!!!, please Zack stop, please." she cried between her fits of laughter. She screamed and laughed and he continued torturing her mercilessly, laughing the whole time. Joey laughed with them but her laugh froze in her throat when she felt an arm encircle her waist, and someone's breath on her neck. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down, but then she caught a scent. A very familiar scent. One that constituted of peppermint, Polo Ralph Lauren, and pine. It was him.
"Hello Pacey." she said in the best annoyed voice that she could muster. She turned around to face her broadly grinning husband of nineteen years. Her expression was one of annoyance as she removed his arm from around her waist and then went to the kitchen. He smile widened, as he followed her.
"They at it again?" he asked.
"Mmmhmm."
"Still in denial?"
"Yup."
"Damn he's good." Pacey stared at the two teenagers on the couch.
"You give?" Zack asked, his squirming friend.
"YES! Yes I give, I give, I swear, I promise." she managed to gasp out. Zack stopped at once and then looked down at her. Her face was flushed, her eyes were closed, her hair was a mess and she was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. He gently stroked a curl away from her smiling face and her eyes opened and fixed them on his. Afraid that he was giving himself away, he got off of her and helped her up.
"You suck." she said. He looked at her and smiled, a full blown one this time and her heart leapt with joy. She had made him smile. She hadn't seen him smile in months and yet now he was smiling because of her.
"You love it." he replied. He walked into the kitchen and saw Pacey staring at Joey as she made dinner.
"Hey Mr. Witter."
"Daddy?" Gabby called from the living room, and soon she was there clinging to her father with a broad grin on her face.
"Hey Duchess." he said kissing her on her head.
"Hi Daddy." she said. She looked up at him smiling and he smiled down at her.
"How was your day hon?" he asked stroking her hair from her face.
"Good, yours."
"Great." he pulled away and then walked over to Joey. "Wife." he called in a rude tone. Joey ignored him and continued to chop up the broccoli. "Woman." he tried again in the same tone, and he got the same reaction. He reached out and wrapping an arm around her waist pulled her against him. "Joey." he whispered into her ear.
"Yes Pacey?" she said in a flat tone.
"How was your day luv?" he asked slipping the other arm around her as well.
"Before you came home? Perfect." she replied. Pacey laughed and nuzzled her neck. "I have to cook Pacey." she said pushing him away. As she half expected, he pulled her back against him and she turned her head to face him. He laid a gentle kiss on her mouth, which she returned, before letting her go.
"So how was your day?" she asked.
"Before I came home? Sucky." he replied laying the compliment on thick. Joey rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the smile from appearing on her face, or the bush that crept up her neck to her cheeks.
"So how was yours?" he asked again, expecting a different answer this time.
"I already told you." she replied. She turned to see his expression. He was staring at her with his you-are-the-most- horrible-person-but-I-still-love-you look. She tilted her head to the side and then walked over to him and slid her arms around his waist. " Just kidding." she whispered before she kissed him. Gabby rolled her eyes and then grabbed Zacks hand.
"Won't they be stopping any time soon?"
"Please they're like a pack of Pringles. Once they pop the fun don't stop." she replied as she headed up the stairs with Zack in tow.
"Damn." he mumbled underneath his breath. A sudden crash from the kitchen stopped them in their tracks, and Zack turned and looked in the direction of the stairs, "Why am I suddenly not in the mood for fruit rollups?" he asked.
"For fear of getting live porno."
"Ya know under normal circumstances, that would a good thing."
"Oh god, you are such a perv." Gabby said as she pushed open the door to her room.
"You love it." Zack replied.
"Bite me.," she said in an aggravated tone.
"You wish babe. You wish." his eyes twinkled as he flopped down on her bed.
"Why would I do that?" she asked flopping down beside him, then propping herself up with her elbow.
"Well I hope that I'm right cause I sure as hell do." he replied staring into her eyes as he spoke. Suddenly nervous Gabby looked away and laid down on the bed. She could feel her face flush bright red. Sometimes she could just kill him. He always says junk like that, why is it such a big deal now? Gabby blocked out the voices that were starting to threaten her sanity.
Chapter 1. Damn.
Gabriella Witter stared in utter and complete boredom at the linoleum floor in her math class. No matter how hard she tried to, she had no interest in trigonometry, she didn't have that much interest in math either. It came, it went, big whoop it really wasn't that big of a deal. She glanced over at her best and probably only friend Zack. He was slumped comfortably in his chair tapping his pencil on his desk. He had a look that went past boredom and was on its way to blankness. His eyes, which changed colors, were gray in that instant. They always were when he was uninterested, sleepy, confused or sad. His eyes followed the teacher as she walked back and forth. Just then Mrs. Dill looked at him, and he met her gaze evenly. When she didn't look away he quirked an eyebrow and then she took the hint and moved on. Gabriella or Gabby as everyone called her smiled and looked away. It was so like him to make her feel uncomfortable; it happened every math class without fail.
"Is there something amusing Miss Witter?" the teacher asked. Gabby's head shot up, her eyes wide. Zack looked over at her with a very slight smile.
"Um no." she replied awkwardly.
"Good because I shall not have you disrupting my class."
"Oh dear God no, can't have that now can we?" Zack murmured sarcastically in his best Irish brogue. The entire class erupted in laughter and Mrs. Dill turned in his direction.
"Something to share O'Connor?"
"Yeah I was just thinking, ribbed really is better." He said, his eyes now a brilliant green and shining with mischief thus showing the Irish in him. The class once again broke into hysterics and Gabby couldn't help but laugh herself.
"Then detention isn't a problem for you?" Mrs. Dill said clearly unimpressed.
"Of course not." He said his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Wonderful because you will be attending this afternoon."
"Great." He said dryly with two halfhearted thumbs up signs and a fake smile. The bell rang and Zack rolled his eyes and then started to pack away his stuff. Gabby grabbed her bag and then walked over to his desk. Zack glanced up at her smiled faintly and then went back to what he was doing. She didn't take it seriously because she knew that that was about as much anyone would get from Zack. He wasn't bitter but it was still a rare and beautiful thing to see him smile, but an even more rare thing was a laugh. Most girls found him very attractive and he was. He had thick, soft, wavy, dark brown (almost black hair) that stopped at his jawbone, a good body, full lips, perfect teeth, and if you saw it a breath taking smile. His eyes were his most remarkable feature though. They would change from their present shade of emerald green, to gray, hazel, clear baby blue, gray blue or blue green depending on his mood. He had what most people would call a weird personality. His moods shifted so easily that you never knew what to expect from him. He was very laid back, quiet and very funny but the weird thing was that he never laughed at his jokes. The most that he would do would be to smile gently and shake his head. "Ready?" he asked in his smooth, deep voice.
"Been ready." She said as they arose and headed out to lunch. They were about to head out the door when they heard Mrs. Dill.
"Zackary." He turned his head.
"Yeah?"
"I'll let you slide this time." She said with a smile. He gave her a nod of acknowledgment and then they left. When they reached outside, Gabby looked over at him.
"What's up with you today."
"Nothing."
"You have pensive face."
"You know, it never fails to amaze me how you can distinguish an expression from one that is always there. I mean, I always have pensive face."
"And it never fails to amaze me how someone can manage to never crack a smile at all." She shot back.
"Gabby please." he started tiredly.
"I know, I know." She said rolling her eyes. "Don't start." They said in unison.
"Grouch." She murmured after awhile. He glared at her.
"Fascist."
"Chauvinist pig."
"Disrespectful wench."
"Sexist toad."
"Jackass."
"Jack off."
"Every damn day." She gasped and smacked his shoulder, and he winced in pain.
"Zack?" she asked. He fought down the pain and managed to straighten his face.
"I'm fine, it's nothing." He replied tightly. She frowned and then, grabbing his shoulder brought him to a halt. He turned to face her with a 'not-now' look, and she met his gaze with a ' do-not-jerk-me- around' look of her own.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." He said. She stared at him dubiously and then shook her head. He was a good liar but not good enough. Not nearly good enough , not to her.
"Well guess what, I don't believe you alright and I don't care what you say-" she started and she started to raise his shirt.
"Gabby please-" he tried.
"-I do not hit that hard OK-" she continued as if she hadn't heard him.
"Gabby-"
"-so whatever it is that you are trying to hide from me...... oh my God!" she gasped softly. There on Zack's shoulder was a black and blue mark that was about the size of a football. Zack jerked away from her touch and rubbed his face with his hands tiredly. "Zack what is this?" she whispered staring at him in disbelief.
"Gabby it's not what you think-"
"And what am I thinking?" she interrupted.
"That something happened and nothing did-"
"Really then why is there a mark the size of a freakin' football on your back?!" she cried.
"Could you at least try to keep your voice down? Please? Could you do that for me?" he said looking around to see if anyone had heard her. He turned and walked away.
"Zack." She said and he stopped to hear what she had to say. "What happened? Please tell me."
"Later." He replied and then he walked away. He didn't want to explain himself to her. He didn't have to. It wasn't any of her business. Yeah it is. She's only been there for you since you were five!! A part of him screamed. No actually it was the other way around. He shook his head as he headed out to the lunchroom. He stood in the line and picked up the usual for lunch, well for him at least: pizza, Gatorade, bag of cookies, and a banana-berry sorbet. He sat at their usual table and started to eat. He didn't know why he pulled away from her whenever she tried to help him. Especially when the problem was his dad. He was that way with everyone when it came to his family life. It just wasn't a topic that was up for discussion, what was so bad about that? He looked up as she entered the lunchroom and then looked back down, unable to look at her. Why was he feeling so guilty then? It wasn't like he had done something wrong. Yeah ya did! That annoying little voice said. Shut up will you! He thought to himself. Great now he was talking to himself, perfect. Gabby sat down opposite to him sheepishly. She studied him carefully trying to decipher what he was thinking, but as usual she found nothing. He looked good today. He was wearing his red parachute pants: - which like most of his other pants, were ridiculously baggy, and his black Chick-Fil-A tee-shirt that read 'Eat Mor Chikin' on the front, and had hardly any sleeves, thus showing off his super cool tattoo, and the raw hide necklace, with a claw charm on the front that his mom had gotten him. As far as she knew, he never took that off.
"So um are you performing tonight?" she asked. Zack was in a band called Toxin, in which he was the lead guitar. He was the only guy that she knew, whom could play almost any song.
"Um yeah, it's Green Day night tonight." He answered.
"Oh, cool."
"You comin?"
"Hell yeah." She replied earning her the tiniest smile from him.
"Gab I wanna apologize for the way that I acted in the hall. I didn't mean to lash out at you, but.. I just." he let out a defeated sigh and then ran a hand through his hair. "You know how much of a butt-munch I can be and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." He rattled of in one breath. "I never mean to yell at you, you know that right?" He asked after a while his now clear blue eyes searching her's.
"Yeah I do actually." She replied smiling that smile of her's. Zack felt a little dizzy and confused, the way he always did when she smiled at him. He knew that she had never thought that she was beautiful but he sure as hell did. She had soft, thick, dark, curly, mahogany brown hair that reached almost to her waist, and the most peculiar color of eyes. Her eyes were a light hazel, almost gold, ringed with emerald green, with freckles of green in them. She had the most gorgeous mouth, soft delicate features, and the cutest nose. Her skin was soft evenly toned and smooth. Every day he realized why people never called her uncurvy. She had a smallish waist, and perfect hips for her figure. They weren't big and they weren't small, but they were something to hold on to. She had elegant, long, firm legs, slender but toned arms, and a long graceful neck. He'd had a crush on her since they were five, but like most of his other emotions, he had kept that hidden. No one knew about it and sometimes he forgot about it himself, but the chance of that happening now was slim to none. Times like now he had to keep himself in check. Take today for example; today she was wearing her light jade green, silk, halter-top, her mauve skirt that reached a few inches below her knee, and her black leather goo-goo boots. Her hair was back in a low loose ponytail with strands framing her face. "So I was thinking that you could come over and help me study and then we could head on over to Club Jade." She said taking a swing of her fruit punch. He looked down at his lunch.
"Sure." He replied. She smiled and then they finished the rest of their lunch in silence.
************************
"Are you serious Andie?" Joey Witter said as she pulled the hairpins out of her now waist length hair. She flipped her slate blue high- heeled shoes off and then started to undo her cream satin blouse, "Oh my gosh that is sooo amazing. Of course we'd be delighted. I'll talk to him. Ok bye now." She clicked off the phone and then threw it on the bed. Slipping of her blouse, she flung that on the bed too and then turned to find her cotton camisole. Pulling it on she tackled her slate blue mini skirt, turning she removed her stockings and threw on her drawstring flannels. She hung up her clothes and then walked out side. The jet-black family cat Carnoc leapt at her and she caught it easily. His name Carnoc, was short for Carpe Noctum, which in Latin meant 'seize the night'.
"That's impossible no one can play that song Zack." Joey looked up just in time to she her seventeen-year-old daughter walk into through the front door with her friend Zack.
"Uh, yeah, it's not that hard actually." He replied.
"Um hell yes."
"Gabby the only reason that you think that that song is hard to play is because you can't play it."
"What and you can?" she scoffed
"Yeah actually." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway you shouldn't talk Gabby, cause you can't even play the guitar, far less base." That last comment earned him a glare.
"Screw you Zack."
"Ha, you wish." He said smirking. Gabby rolled her eyes and went to the refrigerator. Zack went straight to the cabinet.
"So you still got Fruit Rollups?" he asked.
"God Zack, do you live on those or something?"
"Maybe, maybe not. Either way it's none of your business." He shot back. She walked over to him and bumping him over with her hip, started to look for the fruit rollups.
"So which songs are you performing tonight." She asked.
"Um the only one's we're performing that I know about are 'When I come around, Time of your life, Minority, Nice guys finish last and that's about it I think." Joey, who had been watching them the whole time smiled and shook her head. Gabby who had seen this action out of the corner of her eye turned to look at her mother.
"What? What's with that look?" she demanded. Joey shrugged and Carnoc leapt out of her arms, walked over to Zack and hissed at him. Zack looked down at the cat, gave it his death glare and then hissed right back. Carnoc then leapt into his arms, rubbing her face against his chest. Joey shook her head and then turned to face the sink, and started washing the dishes. "Mom." Gabby said warningly.
"Well it's just that you and Zacky over there remind me so much of your father and I when we were young."
"Um, mom? Hate to burst your bubble and all, but um, you and dad are married now."
"I know." Joey replied with a smile.
Zack quirked an eyebrow. "Um no offence Mrs. Witter but the chances of me and Gabby getting together are about um, I dunno.... Nonexistent." He said.
"I know right?" Gabby said with a laugh. "It would be so weird."
"Actually best friends make the best boyfriends. This is the voice of experience talking here. My dears history always repeats its self."
"Well yeah to right the wrongs of the past."
"Huh?" Gabby said.
"Well how else do we explain you Gab?" he looked at her, his eyes laughing, but his face serious. Gabby gasped and then punched him in the arm. Then she started to tickle him.
"No.... No Gabby, Gabby stop it!" he cried and then he gave into his fits of laughter. Joey finished up the dishes dried them, and then put them away. Gabby was laughing like crazy, and before long Zack had flipped her off. He glared at her, and her giggle froze in her throat.
"Zack? Friend? Buddy?" she pleaded, for she knew that that look could only mean one of two things. Either he wasn't going to talk to her for a while, possibly days, or he was going to have his revenge. And when it came to him tickling her, revenge was a bitch. He knew that Gabby was ten times as ticklish as he was, and exactly were to tickle her. In a nutshell she was in trouble, this was in a word bad. For her at least. As he advanced she backed up heading unconsciously towards the couch. She tried to dart to the left but he was to fast for her and he wrapped one arm about her waist and picking her up, threw her down on the couch. She shrieked and tried with everything in her to get out of his grasp, but although she was strong, he was way stronger and the fact that he had been on the wrestling team didn't exactly tilt the luck-o-meter in her favor. Soon he was straddling her and tickling her without mercy.
"STOP IT!!!, please Zack stop, please." she cried between her fits of laughter. She screamed and laughed and he continued torturing her mercilessly, laughing the whole time. Joey laughed with them but her laugh froze in her throat when she felt an arm encircle her waist, and someone's breath on her neck. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down, but then she caught a scent. A very familiar scent. One that constituted of peppermint, Polo Ralph Lauren, and pine. It was him.
"Hello Pacey." she said in the best annoyed voice that she could muster. She turned around to face her broadly grinning husband of nineteen years. Her expression was one of annoyance as she removed his arm from around her waist and then went to the kitchen. He smile widened, as he followed her.
"They at it again?" he asked.
"Mmmhmm."
"Still in denial?"
"Yup."
"Damn he's good." Pacey stared at the two teenagers on the couch.
"You give?" Zack asked, his squirming friend.
"YES! Yes I give, I give, I swear, I promise." she managed to gasp out. Zack stopped at once and then looked down at her. Her face was flushed, her eyes were closed, her hair was a mess and she was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. He gently stroked a curl away from her smiling face and her eyes opened and fixed them on his. Afraid that he was giving himself away, he got off of her and helped her up.
"You suck." she said. He looked at her and smiled, a full blown one this time and her heart leapt with joy. She had made him smile. She hadn't seen him smile in months and yet now he was smiling because of her.
"You love it." he replied. He walked into the kitchen and saw Pacey staring at Joey as she made dinner.
"Hey Mr. Witter."
"Daddy?" Gabby called from the living room, and soon she was there clinging to her father with a broad grin on her face.
"Hey Duchess." he said kissing her on her head.
"Hi Daddy." she said. She looked up at him smiling and he smiled down at her.
"How was your day hon?" he asked stroking her hair from her face.
"Good, yours."
"Great." he pulled away and then walked over to Joey. "Wife." he called in a rude tone. Joey ignored him and continued to chop up the broccoli. "Woman." he tried again in the same tone, and he got the same reaction. He reached out and wrapping an arm around her waist pulled her against him. "Joey." he whispered into her ear.
"Yes Pacey?" she said in a flat tone.
"How was your day luv?" he asked slipping the other arm around her as well.
"Before you came home? Perfect." she replied. Pacey laughed and nuzzled her neck. "I have to cook Pacey." she said pushing him away. As she half expected, he pulled her back against him and she turned her head to face him. He laid a gentle kiss on her mouth, which she returned, before letting her go.
"So how was your day?" she asked.
"Before I came home? Sucky." he replied laying the compliment on thick. Joey rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the smile from appearing on her face, or the bush that crept up her neck to her cheeks.
"So how was yours?" he asked again, expecting a different answer this time.
"I already told you." she replied. She turned to see his expression. He was staring at her with his you-are-the-most- horrible-person-but-I-still-love-you look. She tilted her head to the side and then walked over to him and slid her arms around his waist. " Just kidding." she whispered before she kissed him. Gabby rolled her eyes and then grabbed Zacks hand.
"Won't they be stopping any time soon?"
"Please they're like a pack of Pringles. Once they pop the fun don't stop." she replied as she headed up the stairs with Zack in tow.
"Damn." he mumbled underneath his breath. A sudden crash from the kitchen stopped them in their tracks, and Zack turned and looked in the direction of the stairs, "Why am I suddenly not in the mood for fruit rollups?" he asked.
"For fear of getting live porno."
"Ya know under normal circumstances, that would a good thing."
"Oh god, you are such a perv." Gabby said as she pushed open the door to her room.
"You love it." Zack replied.
"Bite me.," she said in an aggravated tone.
"You wish babe. You wish." his eyes twinkled as he flopped down on her bed.
"Why would I do that?" she asked flopping down beside him, then propping herself up with her elbow.
"Well I hope that I'm right cause I sure as hell do." he replied staring into her eyes as he spoke. Suddenly nervous Gabby looked away and laid down on the bed. She could feel her face flush bright red. Sometimes she could just kill him. He always says junk like that, why is it such a big deal now? Gabby blocked out the voices that were starting to threaten her sanity.