Wow, long time no write.

I'm lame, I know.

And all my JB stories got deleted. I'm kinda irritated.

But there's still those other awesome sites!

:D

Please leave a review and let me know what you think?! :)

Stacie had offered Joe a ride home and he gladly took it. He had only felt slightly awkward when she kept staring at him while driving him home. At home, he knew the trouble was only starting. He was smashed. Once in the door, the yelling started. He ignored it. Walking up to his room, the yelling continued. He shrugged it off. He had only been in there for a few moments before his mom had forcefully entered and began yelling again. He tuned her out, turning away. Mandy was in her window, directly across from his. She ducked, probably dodging his attention. Hoping he hadn't seen. But he had.

"And now you've been out all day, probably skipping school, getting drunk and high and you don't even care that you're ruining your life?!?!" His mother was practically screaming.

"No, I don't. At least I'm enjoying it." He replied, cooly. Turning away from the window that Mandy once stood in.

"I can't BELIEVE you have followed Kevin's footsteps. Getting into DRUGS and DRINKING?! Why can't you be more like Nick?!" She continued to scream. Joe would be surprised if Mandy wasn't able to hear this.

"Because I'd rather be like Kevin. Sorry I can't be so God damn PERFECT like your other son!" He yelled back, getting a little bit ticked off. The screaming continued for a few more minutes before she gave up. Sighing and shaking her head, she left the room.

"I should have seen this coming. I don't even know what to do with you anymore." Last words. She was gone and Joe couldn't care less. He found a penny sitting on his dresser. He had to know what Mandy had heard. Slightly embarrassed. He opened his window, sitting on the edge of the second story bedroom. He threw the penny at her window, knowing it wasn't strong or big enough to break it. She popped up, opening her own window.

"It was only a penny. Nothing that would break your window." Joe explained what hit her window. She smiled. He liked her smile.

"How much of that did you hear?" He asked. It had been obvious she was listening in.

"Not much. I couldn't hear. I just heard drugs. She knows?" Mandy whispered loudly.

"Yeah. She found out this morning. Went through my back pack and found my stash." His tone showed that he knew he had made a mistake. He hadn't been careful enough. He was aggrivated with himself. Kevin had been able to hide it longer.

"I'm sorry. That can't be good." Mandy voice showed sympathy. He wondered if she really cared.

"It's not. But they aren't surprised. My older brother got me into it. So they half expected it. But oh well." He looked away for a moment. "Anyway. I'm sorry you had to see and hear that. She's kind of a bitch sometimes. So, sorry. I'll see you tomorrow, maybe?"

"Depends. Are you going to school?" Mandy questioned him.

"Depends. Are you?" He questioned back.

"I have to. I skip too much. They'll realize it's not my mom calling in before too long."

"I see. Then yeah. I'll see you there."

"Cool. Night." Mandy smiled. Closed her window and so did Joe, turning away without pulling the blinds down or the curtains over it. He pulled off his shirt, getting ready for bed. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of Mandy still in her window. Watching him, no doubt. He didn't care. He continued, pulling off his pants, leaving himself standing there in nothing but boxers. But he was well built. He had nice abs. Good muscles. He didn't really care who saw. Not like he was fully naked. He turned slightly one more time. She was clearly trying to hide. Not succeeding. He smiled to himself before turning off his light. Cutting off her vision. Without his light reflecting across the yard, he couldn't see a thing in her room. He climbed into bed, hoping he'd be able to talk to her at school the next day.

He woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. Obviously from too much alcohol and weed. He turned on his light to get ready for school. Looking across the yard, he noticed Mandy's flip on, too. Excitement began to fill him. He wasn't sure why. He walked into his bathroom to take a shower. He was lucky. There were two rooms with bathrooms in them in the house. His and his parents. His room had been Kevin's. But when Kevin moved to college, he made a trade. Kevin wouldn't need the bathroom so close to his room when he would only be staying a few days at a time a few times a year.

After his shower, he walked back into his room. Towel around his waiste and partially drying his hair with another. He walked to his closet to get some clean clothes then to his dresser. Walking back towards his bathroom, he saw Mandy in her window again. She smiled slightly and turned away. He smiled, knowing she had been watching again. Why? She had a boyfriend, right? The boy she was holding onto the entire time the day before. He shrugged it off and went to his bathroom to get dressed. He put on deoderent, blow dried his hair, put on his clothes, and sprayed a little Axe over himself, for a bit of extra good smell. His hair was strait, like always. Him and Kevin had strait hair, Nick was the odd one out. Just like with their personalities. He grabbed his bag and headed downstairs. He avoided breakfast, not wanting to deal with his family. He went strait outside and sat on his porch. He needed a car.

Mandy was outside within five minutes after him. She flashed him a smile but said nothing. Not at first.

"Waiting for a ride?" She questioned. Looking over.

"Me? Uh, no. Not really. Just trying to get motivated enough to walk." Joe explained.

"Ah." She looked down, letting out a slight laugh. "If you want.. Stacie usually has extra room in her car. I'm sure she could drive you. Not to mention, she thinks you're cute." She smiled again. Joe's expression was of shock.

"She does?" He asked. Mandy nodded as the all too familiar black convertible mustang pulled up.

"Hey Stace…." Mandy began, climbing in. "Joe needs a ride. It's cool, right?"

"Of course!" Stacie almost shouted. "Hey Joe! Come on!" Joe stood up and walked over, climbing in the back next to Mandy. He flashed her a quick smile, saying 'thanks.'

"How do you normally get to school, Joe?" Stacie finally broke the awkward silence.

"I don't normally go." He replied. Everyone laughed though he had been fully serious.

"You want a ride when we go? It's not a problem.. Since you live next to Mandy anyway." Stacie smiled in her rear view mirror. Joe noticed and smiled back.

"That'd be cool. Thanks." The rest of the ride, Chase wouldn't shut up. He questioned Joe about anything and everything. Mandy was in the back between Joe and Riley. Too small to be squished. At school, everyone climbed out. Joe didn't know what to do. He didn't normally hang out with them. He didn't really have his own crowd. But he didn't want to intrude. They all seemed to notice the worry in him once they were a few feet ahead, walking, and he was standing still behind them.

"You coming?" Mandy asked.

"Oh. Yeah. I just wasn't sure.." He started. Stopped himself before he sounded too much like an idiot. He couldn't talk right around her. Not today anyway. Gosh, she was pretty. He followed them inside. His locker was right by theirs, he had never even noticed. Maybe they never were there at the same time. He surely would have noticed Mandy. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? Just because she had a beautiful face, amazing dark blue eyes, awesome hair, and the perfect body.. No. She had a boyfriend. That meant hands-off. But was she watching him a little too much, too? He looked away, saving his thoughts for later and followed them away from the lockers as the bell for first period rang. He turned to walk away, heading the same way Mandy was, along with Chase.

"See ya later, Joe!" Stacie called out, walking the opposite direction.

"Where you going?" Mandy asked, noticing her and Joe were walking the same way.

"History." He replied, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm thinking we never show up to school on the same days as each other." Mandy let out a small laugh. Joe looked at her. Curious. "I have it too. And I never saw you in there before."

"I don't think I've seen you either." He replied. Mandy.. Mandy. Amanda Jones. It finally clicked. Her name came after his on attendance lists all the time. He HAD seen her in the halls. He HAD seen her going home and leaving for school before. He knew who she was, but from a different perspective. Maybe now they could possibly be friends.