DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters or the show! The story switches POV often. Narration will be done by several characters throughout the story. Takes place 5 years in the future after Amy, Ricky, Adrian, Ben, Grace and Jack have all graduated. I had to go write a Chapter 2 right away, because my first chapter leaves you off with such a cliffhanger. AND, I had to include Grace/Ben in here somewhere ;) There will be Grace/Jack interaction for all of you Grace/Jack fans! Hope you're enjoying the story!

Chapter Two

She was never in the room when we were together, but she might as well be. I could've let her sit on the extra couch, watching him stroke my hair, giggle with me, go in for a peck, and then tell me how beautiful I had looked. But I didn't. I just saw her glance from the window next door over and over in my head. It was usually a look of disgust. A look of anger. A look of "Hey, Ricky, get your ass over here and help me with your son."

"Adrian, what's wrong with you today?" I was seated on his lap. His hand was rested on my leg, our faces almost touching.

"I-it-it's just too early. That's all." I bit my lip.

"Too early to kiss?" Ricky had a look of confusion in his eyes and began to squint. Sometimes, I enjoyed seeing him confused. His squinting habit was awfully adorable.

"I-I'm just not into it. Look, there's something I have to.."

"Save it." Ricky looked kind of annoyed, grabbed his leather jacket off of the coat rack and headed for the door. "You're obviously not feeling well, so it's okay." He leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Get better soon, okay?"

His sincere smile at that moment meant a lot to me, and I nodded, "Okay, I'll get better."

"I love you." He leaned in for another kiss.

"You too." And I quickly shut the door and ran for the window. She wasn't there. She was never there. Not when I wanted her to be, anyway.

"Mom, everything's fine." "Yes." "No." "Tell him hello." "No." "No." "Love you too." "Ok." "Ok." "Bye mom." That was the normal phone conversation for me and my mother. Don't get me wrong here, I love the woman, but her asking about my love life and if it's improved since the last time tends to pull some loose strings. To just relax a bit, I drove my car into the parking lot of a convenient store. I pulled the keys out of the ignition and walked into the store.

I quickly walked into the back section, where they held all of the cards. My eyes rolled into the back of my head. More romance bullshit, great. I saw dozens of cards meant for sharing between husbands and wives and girlfriends and boyfriends only. The store was quiet, not too many people standing around, so I decided to open one of those singing cards. At Last by Etta James blasted out, leaving me startled and quickly closing the card. I had to admit, though, these cards were pretty adorable, and getting one or two a year wouldn't hurt so badly.

Just as I was about to go out the register to try and find a pack of gum, I heard the bell on the door ring. I recognized the face as soon as the door closed. "Ben? Ben Boykewich?"

"Wow, it's you. Grace Bowman."

"It's me." I giggled, checking Ben out. He looked great, and I didn't hesitate to admit that to myself. Just as I was about to compliment him, he opened his mouth.

"Still with Jack, huh? I see you have one of those anniversary cards in your hands."

My face quickly flushed. "Uh-uhm, no." Ben looked puzzled, but continued smiling. "I wa-was just looking, that's all. I-I must've forgotten to put it back."

"So, that means you're single?"

I found myself no longer flushed and smiling. "Uh, yeah. That means I'm single."

"Well, you look great. Just great. And how long has it been? Two, three years since we've last seen each other?"

I laughed yet again, "Two years and three months, actually."

I found myself quickly writing down my number for Ben Boykewich, next to a check-out counter in a convenience store, giggling and suddenly filled with happiness. Better yet, I found myself wondering how in hell I remembered exactly since I last saw him.

I didn't want to leave. I wasn't even done with her. I still wanted to hold her. I still wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked. I still wanted to kiss her, over and over. But, I figured I'd do whatever she wants. She didn't look too well anyway. I decided leaving would probably be best. Whenever I left Adrian's, there was always one other place I could look forward to going.

"Ricky's here, Amy!" I heard Amy's mother, Anne, call out to her daughter.

"I'll get the door, grandma!" I then heard my eight year old son, John, call out.

I was greeted with a big hug from John, who was growing up so fast each and everyday. He was starting to look more of a combination of me and his mother now, his auburn hair and light brown eyes, with just a few of his mother's tiny freckles on the sides of his nose. I had to admit, I'm glad he took after both of us, because his mother is rather beautiful, and I can't say I'm so bad looking myself these days.

"H-hi, Ricky." Amy came out from her room carrying a laundry basket. "H-how are you?"

"Hey, I'm fine. You look tired, let me--" Amy put her hand up to stop me.

"I don't need help. I can do this all by myself. Just like I do everything all by myself."

I had to stop her there. "Everything?! So I never give you money for John's things? I never come by to see him? Amy, what the hell are you saying? Do you hear yourself?"

I saw Amy's face drop, and her eyes start to tear. "I-I'm sorry. I w-wasn't thinking. You do help with John, it-it's just that it's hard."

At that moment, looking at her sad countenance I stopped myself. "Oh. I know what you mean."

"Yeah, I think you do. I think you know how hard it is for me when John asks why mommy and daddy aren't married, or why mommy and daddy don't share a bed like other parents, or why mommy and daddy don't kiss." Amy got silent, and looked down at the laundry basket.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say." I found myself looking down just as Amy had.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna go do some laundry and finish cleaning. I-I'll see you later."

"Bye Amy." I took a deep breath, waved to my son who was sitting in the living room playing a video game, and walked out the front door.

Running into an old friend from high school would be no big deal. But running into Grace Bowman, that was a big deal. To me anyway. Grace and I haven't seen each other in awhile, but I remember everything like it was just yesterday.

It was sophomore year, and Amy and I had taken a break from each other. It just so happened that at the same time Grace and Jack put their relationship to a halt. We started hanging out more, becoming closer, opening up to each other. One day, we were over at Grace's house, just talking after school, and this day is the reason why I don't think I'll ever be able to forget Grace Bowman.

"I-I guess everything happens for a reason." Grace looked up directly into my eyes.

"I guess, but Amy, I thought she was the one. I-I thought I would marry her, and have children with her, and adopt John, and..." I stopped. I stopped to look at Grace's eyes, now damp with tears.

"You saying all of those things about Amy just reminded me how I used to think of Jack. I thought we would get married, travel together, have babies, buy our first home together. It was love. It was."

I looked away from her eyes. "Yeah, but what can we do? Things happen, right?"

"I guess." She paused and gulped. "Do you ever see yourself with someone else?"

"Someone else?" I lifted one eyebrow and looked right at Grace. "Someone as beautiful as... you?"

Grace smiled at me, and it was the most beautiful smile I had received in quite a while. "You think I'm beautiful?"

"You're very beautiful, Grace. I hope you know you're beautiful." I looked her straight in the eye this time, making direct contact, waiting to see what happened next.

"Well, you can never tell who will fall in love with whom."

I smiled a half-smile. "No. You can't."

Grace stood up. We had both realized it was already six o'clock, and I had to be home. Before I walked out the door, Grace ran her hand up to my face, caressed me gently, looked me in the eyes with a beautiful stare and kissed me.

I remembered us both blushing after that kiss, leaving us in a giggle. It was a long kiss, not one of those really really exaggerated ones, but long enough. Our lips seemed to have fit perfectly within each other, making it hard to let go. We didn't use tongue, just lip, but it was perfection in itself.

"Goodnight, Grace Bowman."

"Night, Ben Boykewich." I looked back at Grace biting her lip and quickly closing the door, wishing I could repeat that kiss over and over and over again.