Hello! Been a long time I guess ;D You must understand the way I work. It's not my only story. I pick the story with the biggest number of reviews and the nicest ones, and continue it. Yes, it is blackmail. But if there is the next chapter it means your reviews satisfied me.

I don't own Zeke's Pad (no change there). Hope you like it!

"Zeke, what are you doing?" asked Jay with disapproval. He just walked into my room and saw me standing on my head. Or rather trying to stand on my head. Although my head was on the floor according to the plan, my legs and lower back was on the bed, leaving me in quite uncomfortable position.

"Thinking. Knock before you came in."

"I never knock."

"I could be with a girl. Making out, you know." I gave an argument.

"Yeah, right" he snorted. "Anyway, what are you 'thinking' about?"

"I have a date with Maxim" I said shortly.

"Mhm. What's there to think about?"

"I'm not sure what I should do with her."

"Usual shit. You know take her to pizza, then maybe to movies. If you win her heart, you may as well take her to your room and close the door."

"A month ago you weren't such a pervert, Jay."

"I'm growing up" he said totally unaffected. He sat on the bed, looking at me with furrowed eyebrows. I ignored him and started thinking about today's morning.

When we went back, Jay collapsed on my bed, dead to the world. I decided he deserved a little nap, so I left him there and went to wash myself. My mum and brother were up, but the rest was still asleep. It was Saturday anyway. When I went out from the bathroom a phone rung.

"Hello, Zeke?"

"Hey, Maxim! What's up?"

"Are you free this evening?"

"Like the wind."

"Then, maybe we could meet up. If you want, that is."

"It's a great idea"

Maxim was just as a girl should be. She was pretty and cool. She wasn't shy, and at the same time she wasn't overly confident.

"Could you help me up a bit?" I asked Jay. My neck started to hurt.

He gave me his hand with a mocking gaze. We had a bit of a problem, I was a little heavier then Jay and I couldn't help him lift me up. Suddenly he lifted me up at one stroke and we ended up knocking our foreheads together.

"Ouch! It hurts like hell! I'm going to have a bump!" I shouted holding my head.

"It was your fault! You get that for attempting to stand on your head!" he looked at me irritated. "Show me, moron." He fit his hand under mine on my forehead. I took my hand away to give him better access. He carefully examined the bump with his fingers.

"You're panicking over nothing. Mine's bigger." He said looking at me with his 'you're-such-an-idiot-I-can't-even-find-a-word-to-describe-it' face.

"Jay, have you ever thought about contact lenses?"

"Why are you asking?"

I felt perplexed. I couldn't tell him that he had beautiful eyes. It would just sound so gay. Although I would only say that as a good friend trying to help him find a girl, seemed a lame excuse.

"No reason."

The date with Maxim wasn't very … fascinating. Talking with her was nice, but we didn't really have so much mutual interests. The movie we went to was a horror, and I was ashamed when I saw she wasn't frightened at all while I covered my eyes. She and Ike would be a much better pair.

When I went back Jay was (of course) still in my house. At last he was useful, he helped my mum with dinner.

"How was your date, Zeke?" asked my dad with sheer curiosity.

"Jay, you were supposed to not tell anyone!" I shouted at my smirking friend.

"Oh, didn't it go well?" asked Ike.

"Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too uproarious, and it pricks like thorn!*" said Rachel standing up and lifting her hand up in what me and Jay called 'actor mode'.

"Rachel, it's supposed to be 'boisterous' not 'uproarious" Jay chipped in.

"No, it's not!" she said scandalized.

"It is."

"It's not!"

"Children, please calm down." Said my mum cautionary.

Even Jay wasn't so brave to ignore my mother. So he said "Yes Ms. Palmer" at the same time Rachel mumbled "Yes, mum."

They stuck their tongues out the moment mum wasn't looking. My dad giggled lightly.

"What is so funny, Alvin?" she said calmly sitting across from him.

"Nothing, sunshine." He smiled.

"Bleh, that's so sweet I'm going to puke." Said Ike.

Mum made her horrid fake smile and took his food away from him.

"Mum, I need this to keep my form."

Everyone laughed. I looked at Jay. He was looking genuinely happy.

"God, I'm so stupid!" I shouted all of a sudden.

"You only realized it now?" asked Jay after his surprise passed. I didn't answer him, instead taking him by the hand and running to my room.

"You love them!" I said after closing the door. "You love my family! And what's more important you love me! That's why the spell didn't work on you! You love me like a brother."

"Zeke I-" he started nervously.

"I know, I know. Heart made of stone, right? I'm sorry that I believed in it, even if just for a while! You must understand I was in an 'emo' state then. Now I understand it's only your way of defense. You're afraid because your family didn't show you love."

"Could you stop saying what you think aloud?" he had his head lowered with embarrassment. To stop making him uneasy I shut up.

Later when dinner ended I went to the bathroom to change into pajamas. When I went back Jay was laying on my bed.

"Oh no, there is no way you're going to sleep in my bed, Jayden Fritter!"

"Why the hell not, Ezekiel Palmer?" he said with a hint of amusement.

"There is a sleeping bag in the closet. Or you can sleep on the couch in the living room."

"You can't treat a guest like that."

"You're not a guest. You practically live here!"

"Oh, come on! You can't refuse me your bed, when you left me here alone while you were having fun with your girl."

I sighted.

"What? Was it bad?" he asked puzzled.

"It's just she … kissed me."

"Doesn't seem bad to me."

"I didn't feel anything. At all." I said taking the sleeping bag from the closed.

"Maybe she's not the one."

"Yes, I think so." I turned off the light and laid down. "Maybe I should try with guys?" I said jokingly.

He snorted.

"What? It couldn't go that bad. I already have a guy in my bed." I smirked though he couldn't see.

"Don't even joke like that."

*It's from 'Romeo and Juliet' Act 1 Scene 4. You may check which one, Rachel or Jay, was right. Though it is rather obvious.

Wikipedia thank you! If not it I wouldn't even know what their full names are. But really, Ezekiel? Wtf!

Do I have to tell you to review?