"Jenne, you friggin' idiot." She slid down the door, her hands over her face. "How corny was that? 'Oh hold me Ryan.' Really Jenne? Yes, scare him off by seeming to be horribly needy. Yeah that'll do it." She didn't know how long she sat on the floor, banging her head on the door, when she heard a voice.

"Yeah, so Jenne? Stop knocking on the door. You're clearly already in the house." Leila said cheekily.

Jenne looked up at her with helplessness in her eyes. "Please don't be sarcastic. I completely screwed up and I think he thinks I'm stupid because I said something so friggin cheesy, like, it's not even funny and I don't even wanna tell you." She rambled.

"Do tell."

"I hate you." Jenne groaned. Sitting up straighter. "I asked him to 'hold me.' He didn't hear me but still." Her embarrassment rose again as did the hue in her cheeks. "And then I practically slammed the door in his face."

As much as Leila wanted to help, she laughed. "Dammit Jenne Byrd." She took a moment to compose her giggles before clearing her throat. "Did you call him?" she asked with laughter still in her voice.

"And say what? 'Hey Ryan. Yeah, that 'hold me' thing that you're not supposed to know anything about? Just try and forget that.'" Jenne closed her eyes and hit her head on the door again. "I am so stupid."

"Stop before you get a concussion." Leila's voice trailed away down the hall.

For a moment Jenne only heard the heavy rain outside until she was startled by a duffle bag being dropped right next to her. She looked up and Leila, a query in her eyes.

She was holding out her keys. "Be careful its pouring rain outside."

Jenne raised an eyebrow. "What-"

"I kow you know where he lives."

Jenne slowly took the keys from Leila's hand, as if to test her seriousness. When she realized that her friend was indeed serious, she frowned. "I hate driving. And you just said its pouring rain. What if I don't make it there?"

"Oh trust me," Leila rolled her eyes, "you'll make it there just fine."

Ryan lay on his couch and stared at the ceiling, wondering what he had done wrong. Did I come on too strong? Was I going too fast? Nothing seemed to make sense to him. He was sure that they were mutually attracted to each other. She just said she was. Hell, she even kissed him back. Or maybe it was just him. Was he being delusional? Did he want to be with her so bad that he missed the signs of her not really being that interested in him?

Maybe I shouldn't have kissed her, he thought. Maybe it was too soon for that. Ryan didn't know and he was starting to get a headache.

The rain outside was a welcome distraction as he tried to count as many raindrops as he could keep track of. He was on 156 when he heard loud splashing outside; most definitely not from the falling rain. Sitting up he focused his hearing on his front door. Sure enough there was a shuffle of movement before a soft tap on the door.

Opening it revealed a soaking wet Jenne Byrd. Her brown hair was plastered to her head and the tip of her nose was bright pink.

"Hi." She said quietly.

Ryan stared at her for half a second before gently pulling her inside. He said nothing as he closed the door, locked it and ran to the bathroom to get a large towel. Shivering, she was standing in the same place he left her. He wrapped the towel around her shoulders and rubbed her arms as to warm her.

"It's raining outside."

Jenne smirked. "I kinda noticed."

Ryan grinned back at her and it was only then that he noted the distance between them…or rather, the lack thereof. "I didn't think you would want to see me after tonight."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing." She rested her forehead against his chin. "We really need to communicate better." She whispered.

"Yeah."

She smiled up at him and their eyes met. There was that glimmer in her eyes again. It took his breath away. He pulled her closer into his warm arms, their lips drawing ever near to each other. As they kissed, Ryan's heartbeat sped up. At the same time, he was fully aware of Jenne tugging at the front of his shirt. Fully aware of what it was she wanted, and also aware that he wanted the same thing.

He pulled away, just far enough to look at her still in his arms. "Jenne, I…" he started with uncertainty, "I just…I just want this to be perfect."

"Oh Ryan," she whispered softly, running her finger down his jaw line, "it is perfect."

They kissed again, not even bothering to keep their desire for one another in check, before Ryan carried Jenne to his bedroom.