Chapter 2

He tells me about his night
and I count the colors in his eyes

It was Friday night and Moze was alone in her room. Her parents were out for the night, and she was stuck at home doing homework. She figured since she had nothing better to do, why not get it done?

She had a mostly boring weekend ahead of her, nothing planned. She was dressed casually in grey sweat pants and a cream colored tank top, her hair was thrown back in a messy ponytail, loose ends falling all over the place. To say the least she didn't look very flattering.

As she stared at her English rubric explaining what she was suppose to include for yet another monotonous research paper, she let out a heavy sigh. What was the point of these papers anyway? She was pretty sure the teachers never even actually read them. It was just another grade to go into the grade book. As these thoughts consumed her; she began to laugh out loud. These thoughts were typically something Ned would think of or say; now they were becoming her own thoughts, funny how things seem to work out.

She found herself thinking back to the other night, when her and Ned had gone to the beach. It had been the absolute perfect day, but yet something didn't seem to sit right with her. She thought back to when they were both floating on their backs in the water.

"You seen much of Suzie lately?" She asked brining herself back from fantasy world.

"Nah!" Ned said carelessly flipping onto his back, into a back float. "We don't really talk much anymore."

"How come?" She asked surprised.

"Well when you break up with a person there's really not too much to talk about anymore, besides who wants to take place in awkward conversations? I'd much rather just spend time with my best friends," he said winking at her. "Plus I like being a free man!"

"Plus I like being a free man!" seemed to echo in her head.

Moze finally gave up as she tossed all her books onto the floor; this was pointless she wasn't getting anything done. Everything she did now days seemed to relate back to Ned.

She flopped onto her back staring at the ceiling for a few tedious moments. Wondering what time it was, she rolled over onto her side glancing at the clock.

11:30, it read.

Just as she was about to close her eyes, she heard a strange tapping noise.

"What the…" She muttered aloud, as she got out of bed, annoyed.

The tapping seemed to be getting louder. The source sounded as if it was coming from outside.

She walked over to her balcony and opened the French doors, letting a gust of cold air in.

Standing there was a much frazzled Ned.

There was a moment of silence, as she just stared at him, confused.

"Is it alright if I come in?" He asked, questionably, he looked in desperate need for someone to talk too.

"Of course," She said gesturing for him to come in, as she closed the doors behind him.

They both plopped onto her bed.

"So what's up?" She asked, "You look pretty beat up about something."

"Well I really needed someone to talk to…." He paused, running his fingers through his hair. "Is this a bad time?"

Moze looked down briefly noting what a mess she must look like. But, she new he needed her right now so no matter how bad she looked at the moment, she wanted to be here for her best friend.

"Oh no, it's fine!" She seemed to say in a frazzled manner.

Ned just laughed.

"That's what I love about you Moze; you're always here for me no matter what." He said smiling. She could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"See the thing is…" He started again. "Suzie invited me over to her house tonight claming she only wants to be friends, so I agreed, thinking how bad can it be, I mean she was the one who arranged the whole thing."

Moze nodded, prodding him to go on.

"Well I was completely wrong, she wanted to get back together and she was pulling all kinds of weird moves on me, you see I just want to be a free man."

There was that phrase again, Moze thought. I just want to be a free man. What the heck was that supposed to mean??

"So I tried to convince her that I didn't like her in that…

As Moze sat there listening to him she couldn't seem too really concentrate on what he was saying, she was too busy staring into those blue eyes of his, they were completely mesmerizing. They were blue with some shades of green, and a little bit of brown, but mostly blue. Lots and lots of blue.

She had seen those eyes a million times rather they were looking at someone else or her, she always seemed to have a weakness for them. She had seen the way they had looked at Suzie all through out Middle School and the majority of the two years of high school they had experienced and she always couldn't help but wonder what it would be like for those eyes to look at her like she was the only girl in the world, 'his' world. I mean how corny did that sound. She couldn't believe she was even thinking such things.

Stop it! She commanded herself. But it was just so hard, those eyes, there was nothing else like them. She continued to contently stare at them for a while.

"She's just not the girl for me. I don't think I've meet that girl yet, but when I do believe me I'll…" Ned paused again, "Moze, Moze are you even listening?"

As if being snapped out of a trance, she answered immediately. "Of course I was listening!"

"Okay, then what did I just say?" He asked smiling, smugly.

Crap! I knew I should have been listening. She mentally scolded herself.

"Uhh… something about Suzie?" Moze asked hoping she was at least remotely correct.

"What about Suzie?" He asked, urging her to go on.

"Uhh…." She trailed off.

"You weren't listening were you?" He asked.

Moze sighed defeated. "Okay you caught me, but I really do want to help I just kind of spaced out there for a moment."

Ned nodded in understandment.

"Do you mind starting over?" She asked.

"No it's fine." He told her, starting from the very beginning.

A few minutes passed as he retold the story and this time Moze tried her best to actually pay attention.

"Okay so let me get this straight, Suzie still likes you and tried to make a move on you tonight and you turned her down?" Moze asked trying her best to sum up what he said in just a single sentence.

"Exactly!" Ned explained.

"So why is it that you broke up with her in the first place?" She asked somewhat confused, "Feelings like you had for her just don't change over night."

"Well for me, they did." He said simply. "She's not the one for me."

"So after all those years in middle school you spent pinning after her, you're finally together in a serious relationship and you don't have feelings for her?"

"Yup!" Ned told her.

"It just doesn't make sense, is there someone else?" She asked, crossing her fingers and praying that he says no.

"Nope I told you I want to be a free man!" He said dramatically. "I only want one girl in my life right now and that's you."

She could feel the butterflies rise in her stomach as he said this. She knew he meant it as you're by best friend not I'm in love with you but it still triggered some sort of emotion inside of her.

She just smiled in response as he gave her a light squeeze.

"Do you want my advice?" She asked him seriously.

"Of course." Ned said a smile playing on his lips.

"Tell her flat out what you just told me, and I'm sure she will understand." She said straight up, a yawn escaping her lips.

"That's actually some pretty good advice; I knew I could come to you!" He said excitedly.

"Anytime," Moze said quietly.

"So I talked to Cookie yesterday. He seemed to be doing a lot better than a few days ago, he at least has his voice back and he said he will be back at school on Monday." Ned explained.

Those were the last words Moze heard him speak as she let herself fall asleep.

Ned noticed this and quickly stopped talking; he tucked her into bed, kissing her on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams Moze," He whispered as he opened the doors to the balcony and left without another word.

Moze woke up about a half an hour later noticing that she was now tucked in bed, and Ned was gone.

'He is such a sweetie' were the last thoughts on her mind before immediately falling back into a deep slumber.

He tells me about his night
and I count the colors in his eyes

A:N I am soooo sorry i did not post this sooner! With finals going on at school things have been crazy around here. I promise my next update will be alot faster. I hope everyone enjoyed Chapter 2! PLEASE REVIEW!!

MUCH LOVE