Rachel

There was no way out of it, I should have known, of course. Monica was practically dragging me home after school to get a peak through my window. We race up my stairs and into my bedroom. She looks out and sees the open window across the way.

"I can't believe that's his room, I feel so naughty!" Monica giggles.

"You feel naughty looking at a guy's room from another house?"

"Come on, don't you feel scandalous?" she squealed. I shook my head, laughing to myself.

"Guess what? I found out his name today. My friend was talking about him and I said, 'you know him?' She told me she had fifth period with him, I asked her and long story short… his name is Joey," Monica practically sang with joy. I sarcastically looked as thrilled as she did. She knows me too well, gave me a look and went back to her window watching. Normally, a person might be a little weirded out by Monica's behavior or maybe even to the point of concern, but I know her just as well. See she hasn't ever had a boyfriend or really any guy that has liked her. So when she starts crushing on a boy…well, he may just become her life. It'll last no more than a couple of weeks though, I mean sure she would still say yes in a heartbeat if they ever asked her out past her obsessing phase, but none of them ever do. I suddenly felt bad, seeing how many guys have gotten her hopes so high and then broke her heart without even saying a word. But then the phone rang and it was Chip. I think I'm gonna give Chip another chance. I know he cheated on me, but now that he seems interested again, he's become really- wait am I going on about me again? Oh well!

"Chip, hi!" I answered the phone.

When I got off the phone with Chip, I run over to Monica.

"Monica, we're going to a party!"

"What?"

"Yeah, Chip invited us to a huge party Friday night!"

"No, he invited you; you're just bringing me along and saying he invited me too."

"Fine, but who cares, at least I invite you. Come on, it's gonna be stellar!"

I give Rachel the same look I always give her when these things come up.

"Come on, Rach, you know it always turns out to be either a couple's party or a make out party and I have no one to go with!" Monica complains. Just as I'm trying to think of some counter argument I see Joey out of the corner of my eye. He's walked into his room now and is taking off his coat.

"Joey! You can go with Joey!"

Monica whips her head over and drools over the mere sight of him.

"It's him!" she whispers.

"This is perfect; I know you want to go with him."

"Are you crazy, he would never go with me," Monica keeps her eyes on him until he walks to the other side of his room, not visible through the window anymore. I hear a disappointed sigh from Monica.

"Are you kidding, he knows no one and who would turn down a huge party?"

"You really think so?"

"I'll even ask him for you okay? You're going to that party so get ready, it's tomorrow night." I barely finish before she squeezes the life out of me in a hug and then excitedly heads home to pick out an outfit.

I take a deep breath, readying myself to go over to this stranger's house and ask him to take my overweight, dorky best friend to the school quarterback's party of the year. I'm staring at the window only so few feet away. Suddenly I freeze when Joey walks back to window and start removing his shirt. My eyes are glued to sight of his smooth skin and nice chest. He searches for a shirt and picks one up from the floor before hiding his body under a shirt once again. I didn't see the point, but I wasn't about to argue with receiving that nice view. I shook myself out of the standstill and finally walked out.

I slowly walked up the house next door. I walked up the porch steps and made my way to the front door. A woman answered the door after I rang the bell. Looked like it might be his mom, I asked if Joey was home.

"Joey!" she screamed up the stairs, I couldn't help think I know exactly where he is. In a minute he came down the stairs.

"You have a guest," his mother smiled sweetly at him and left him at the door with me. The second I saw him I instantly pictured his shirt off again. I tried to blink the image away.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I said in a confused tone. Now he was looking at me strange, I have to pull it together!

"I wanted to invite you to a party, it's gonna be a huge party and I heard you were new here so…I live next door by the way," I stated quickly. Wow, was I being such a geek. I was probably just horny, seeing a boy shirtless probably got me stirred up is all.

"Oh, thanks," he replied simply.

"Well, actually I have a date for you- it's not me, it's my friend!" My God what was wrong with me, he was most likely laughing at me in his head, thinking I'm such a loser. He seemed hesitant to answer now.

"Oh well, I don't know anyone. Who is it?" he asked. I hated that he asked that. Should I describe Monica, I guess he has a right to know what she looks like; he entitled to know who he would be going with. But no, I need him to say yes Monica deserves this, she needs this really. I'm horny… she's never even had sex, or gotten to second base!

"I meant what's her name?" Joey suddenly knocked my thinking out. I guess I was thinking for a little too long.

"Oh, Monica…she super sweet and she would love to get to know you," I tell him, hoping I didn't once again sound like a rambling idiot. He seems to think about it for a second as I'm noticing his cute, messy hair.

"Okay, sure," he decides.

"Really, great… oh, no take backs," I quickly add before I'm about to turn and leave.

"Wait, what?"

I stop and look at him again.

"What do you mean, what's wrong with her?" Joey questions me.

"Nothing!" I say defensively. I sense he doesn't believe me.

"Really, nothing…she just might be… a little overweight is all, but hey why do you have to be so superficial; that's my best friend you know!" I unexpectedly bark at him. He's taken aback by this.

"Look I just moved here, I just don't want to be immediately labeled as-"

"As what?" I cut him off.

"Hey, you're the one who said no take backs, that's not saying much for your 'best friend'" he mocks me.

"No, I was just making sure you weren't some shallow guy who would stand her up!"

"Well, I don't even know her, but you assumed I might ditch her after looking at her!"

"Hey, I'm just trying to help her out okay? Is it so terrible to take a really great girl to a party?"

"I never said I wouldn't!" he yelled back before suddenly taking a calming breath.

"You know what, fine, I'll take your friend to the party, no matter what she looks like okay?" his voice was much softer now. I calmed myself down too now.

"Okay…thank you," I said quietly and then left.