"So…uh….Cree? Do you wanna go to the sixth grade d-dance with me? No too nervous" I mumbled to the mirror. "Is it hot in here or is it just you? If I could rearrange the alphabet I would put u and I together! So we could go to the sixth grade dance! Oh that's a good one!" I wrote that one down.

"Oh hey Abby! Come on in!" I shouted as I saw her out in the hallway. "Hey…Hoagie…" she mumbled quietly. "Abby what's got you down with a frown? Haha! Get it it's a better version of turn that frown upside down?! That's gold!"I laughed then I realized something…she didn't hit me (with or without her hat) she didn't make a remark…I looked up at her.

Abby sniffled I suddenly felt all tingly "What happened Abbs?" I whispered looking at her concerned. She sniffled once more "Oh…nothin'…" she bit her lip, I looked at her like 'come awwwnnn! TELL ME!'. "Okay…Okay…Maurice actually doesn't li-like m-me anym-more no-now he likes h-heeerrrr!" Abby whimpered. I sighed "I don't like seeing you like this…you're like my best friend!" I knit my eyebrows together why does Abby looks so…attractive? Why do I care that her little crush doesn't like her anymore? And more importantly why does that make me happy?

I smiled at her apologetically and left my awkward feeling. I peeked my head in the living room just to see and hear "Wally! A hotdog is not made out of dog!" Nigel and Kuki shouted "Well than what the crud's it made out of?!" Wally screamed back. Okay so let's not go in there… I peeked in Abby's room and dodged all her little traps…getting bruises and scratches in the process, note to self don't try that again! Ever…

I looked around and saw a door hum needs a code…what's something no one would think? Nig would think like 54321 or 54213 our age order, Kuki would think some sorta rainbow monkey thing, and Wally would…probably get it right it's probably random. Or hum…if I get it wrong I get blasted M-a-u-r-i-c-e enter. Okay I put my hands in front of my face for er…'protection'. Wait I feel no plasma beams! I slightly opened my eyes and saw the door was open…

I looked in and saw picures of Maurice… my heart just sank…wait why did my heart just sink?! Oh looky another door! She wouldn't put any blasters in this… particular room so I have as many guesses as I want… hum…H-o-a-g-i-e I laughed at the thought of the password actually being my name! Only then did I realize the door opened…

I slowly walked in…there were pictures of…us?! Wait how did I ever not realize she was always with me? I've known her forever! She's really always been with me… I never really opened my eyes to see Cree is just a big brat! But Abby…I got tingly again… I smiled… Abby…she's… I don't even know I've never felt anything like this even for Cree!

I know we've been friends forever
But now I think I'm feeling something totally new
And after all this time I opened up my eyes
Now I see you were always with me

Is it possible? Could it be? I mean I never ever ever thought of it in my right mind! I widened my eyes as I realized Abby could come in at anytime! I quickly looked around to see if I could find a door, surely enough there was one over there! I went to it, I didn't see a password thing so I just tried opening it and just like that bada bing! It worked!

I ended up in the living room…with Abby!! "Uh..he-hey Abb-y!" I stammered. "When did you get here?" I asked her awkwardly. "Uh…I was here before you came in…how did you come in?" Abby asked me suspiciously. "I snuck in! Didn't you see?! Looks like someone needs some brushing up on their spy skills!" I smiled at her hoping she bought my lie. She rolled her eyes "Boy how was I supposed to see you? I was eating my Rainbow Crunchies!" she smiled.

I looked at her confused "Abbs? Are you okay?" I asked her concerned. She sighed "I guess I can use some more spying practice!" she pouted "Well…what's wrong?" I asked her again. "How do you know something's wrong?" she looked up at me stiffly. "Well…first of all you weren't speaking in third person!" I laughed then got serious again "And second…I can just…tell…" I whispered confused with myself.

Could it be you & I
Never imagined
Could it be suddenly I'm fallin' for you
Could it be you were right here beside me and I never knew
Could it be that it's true
It's you and it's you
I saw Abby smile a little "Maurice…" I could barely hear her…then it started to hurt… I gulped "Oh it's still about him…" I grumbled. I don't know what to do! She's always been there for me…so should I be here for her? Even though it would hurt me every second? I kept debating in my mind…no. "Abby I know you don't like me the way I like you…but could I…try to be better than Maurice?" I asked her…okay don't even get what I just said!

I think Abby got it because she suddenly got quiet and just stared at me. Oh geeze…I shouldn't have done that… "Sorry Abbs didn't mean to…just forget it…" I mumbled looking down. I saw Abby look down too then I started to leave... "Wait…" Abby whispered next thing I knew she was right in front of me. She looked up at me, happier than ever! Why?!

I looked at her confused and then she…kissed me…once her lips touched mine it felt like an electric surge went through my body! It was…magical.

She broke it off once she needed air "Now who woulda thought…that we ever…would've ended up here?" Abby grinned at me. "I don't know but now it seems…clear! I've been wait for you…" I whispered smiling.

It's kinda funny you were always near
But who would ever thought we'd end up here
And everytime I need you, you've been there for me
Now it's clear I've been waiting for you

"This feels like…a dream…" I whispered to Abby. "I know it at first it felt like I was just now falling for you!" Abby said in a tone like she was asking a question. "I never knew…" I whispered to myself. Abby smiled at me "That it's you." She finished a sentence I didn't know I stopped in the middle of…

Could it be you & I
Never imagined
Could it be suddenly I'm fallin' for you
Could it be you were right here beside me and I never knew
Could it be that it's true
It's you and it's you

20 years later

"Now today's the day!" Hoagie grinned and looked over at a sleeping Abby "Is mama awake?" I heard our twins ask. "Not yet…" I whispered to them, "NOW!" I screamed. "What?" Abby asked half awake, then three 4 year olds jumped on the bed with her. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!" they shouted, loud enough the neighbors probably heard, well they're probably awake already opening presents knowing Nigel and Rachel's Shirley and Kaytie! Wally and Kuki probably got awoken by a practical joke, first gift of Christmas from little Sally and Willy!

"Okay guys she's awake!" I told them "Okay daddy! We'll be downstairs" I heard Sammy yell "…with the presents!" Angie screamed. "To uh…protect them!" Timmy shouted.

"Merry Christmas…" I grinned to Abby…she gave me a deathly glare then sighed "Merry Christmas! Numbuh Five can't stay mad on Christmas!" Yes my wife still sometimes calls herself number five! I looked in her eyes and knew she couldn't stay mad on any day!

"Did you get me candy?!" My anxious wife asked me grabbing our Santa hats and dressing in a Santa dress. I looked at her again and realized she really did want to know if I got her candy! "Well we're gonna have to go down to see aren't we!?" I smiled seeing her run out the door.


'Cause today is the start of the rest of our lives
I can see it in your eyes
And it's real, and it's true
It's just me and you
Could it be that it's you

When I came down she was mixing something I looked at my wife and realized 20 years ago I found I loved her…Exactly 20 years ago! Could it really have been 20 years? It feels like just yesterday… Just yesterday I found myself falling for the first and last time in love with the perfect girl…

I saw Abby smile… "What?!" I asked her. "You were talking out loud…" she smirked and then genuinely smiled. "Here I'm done with the coffee cake it's in the oven now let's open presents! Angie especially has been dying!" she laughed and we came in the living room to see our smiling kids.

Two Hours Later

"You do have one more present!" I told them smiling, just then I saw Abby come in holding a baby beagle. I looked at her in her Santa dress and with the puppy and could only think…yeah…this is the girl I fell in love with…


Could it be you & I
Never imagined
Could it be suddenly I'm fallin' for you
Could it be you were right here beside me and I never knew
Could it be that it's true
It's you and it's you

"Hey!" Shirley shouted coming in the front door. "Hi…Shirley!" Timmy said trying not to laugh, my kids burst out laughing. "Look! We got a bagel!" Sam smiled, "Uh..that's a beagle! You eat a bagel and you have a beagle!" Shirley explained to them.

"We got a tabby!" Kaytie squealed, "What's a taggy?" Sam asked. "A tabby… is a kitty!" Timmy explained to his younger sister. "Well we got a Cali!" Sally screamed appearing out of nowhere.

"You know people say you can't have it all…but could it be?" I asked my friends. "I'd say so!" Nigel smiled looking at our kids playing with eachother. "Me too…"

Well! That was nice…took a while to write…for a while I couldn't figure what to do…sorry if it sucks…or doesn't make sense!

Laters! Kit Kat!