A/N: Well, I'm wide awake (it's 12:30 AM right now), and I wasn't going to write, but my friend Brooke sort of made me and so it put me in a write-y mood haha. So, thank Brooke everyone :D
Anyway, onto the replies!
Guest: My, my… that is A LOT of pleases! Haha, is this soon enough for you? :) I hope so! Lol and whatever Stevie gets pregnant with (if she gets pregnant at all), will be up to moi haha.
DreamStar77: Thanks! :) I try to be very realistic with my writing. I think it just makes it more enjoyable. Like TV shows and movies try to keep the dialogue as normal as possible while still fitting to the plot, because otherwise it would just turn everyone off, you know? And to everyone reading, THERE IS A TWIST. But I'm not telling what it is (that'd ruin it!) and I'm not telling when it's coming. Muhaha.
Jellybean96: *slow chant* Alternate ending… alternate ending… alternate ending… alternate ending… alternate ending… :D
Misskikimarie: If Stevie gets pregnant at all, it won't be a twist haha. Or maybe it will? I'm not the one reading chapter by chapter lol. I already know how this story goes, obviously. There will be a twist (as I've mentioned) and you'll all either hate me for it, or hate me for it and keep reading xD
Onto the story! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own "You and Me" by Lifehouse
~Chapter 11~
~You and Me~
STEVIE's POV
Everyone decided to dress casually tonight—we're just out for Chinese food. I took a pregnancy test before Zander and I left to meet up with our friends, and it's still sitting on the bathroom counter back at his apartment, waiting to be read.
All throughout dinner, everyone can see that I'm eager to be somewhere else—they don't know that someone else is Zander's apartment (somewhere I, myself would never have expected in the past seven years to be eager about going to). I feel bad, because I know it's bothering them, but I really just want my test result.
I'm being selfish. . . I just really feel like this time I'm pregnant.
Kacey pulls me aside after everyone orders and says, "You could at least try to act like you want to be here, you know. We've all gotten over what happened the last time we were out having dinner."
I feel somewhat offended that Kacey is even throwing this in my face right now, especially when she knows exactly why I got drunk and made a fool of myself. It's not like I'd been trying to, I was just distraught. . . and now I know that I can't drink much before I'm on my ass.
"I really do want to be here," I reply, clearly hurt. "I just. . ." I sigh, defeated. I can't lie to my best friend anymore, "I took a pregnancy test before I got here, and I'm just really eager to know the result. . ."
Her jaw drops and then she squeals, bouncing in place. I slam my hand over her mouth and look back at our table. No one noticed her outburst.
Good.
"Can you not do that?" I hiss.
Kacey calms herself and then says, "Sorry! I'm just excited for you!"
"Don't get too excited," I deadpan, biting my lip. "The last like three or four tests were all negative."
"Awww," Kacey frowns. "Well, lucky for you, trying isn't so bad. Zander's a hunk, and he's probably as good in bed as he is at singing," she teases, raising her eyebrows at me.
Now it's my jaw that drops, "How did you know Zander is who I'm—"
"—sleeping with? I didn't. But I've had my suspicions, and you just confirmed them," she smirks. Kacey has always been the devious one. I should've remembered this, she finds everything out. Everything. "And you two are suddenly not at each other's throats, and you guys don't mind being at the same place at the same time anymore, and Ash called me the other night. He said he was worried about you after you left with Zander. You should really go home and talk things out with him, Stevie. He is your brother, he just cares about you. Like he should," she says, rubbing my arm lightly.
"Thanks," I mumble, not really wanting to go back to my apartment. I know I have to though. But not tonight.
"Sooo," Kacey mumbles, trying to speak without smirking. Uh oh. That's her gossipy tone. "How is he?"
"Who? Ash? I haven't been to my apartment in a few days, I wouldn't—"
"No!" Kacey laughs at my cluelessness. "I meant Zander! How is he, you know, between the sheets?" she smirks this time and my cheeks heat up.
I mentally cringe.
"I'm not discussing with you my sexual experiences with Zander, Kacey," I cry, embarrassed. I keep my voice quiet so no one nearby will hear us—I think I'd die. I look back at the table to make sure no is watching us.
No one is.
"Oh, come on! You guys don't talk for years and suddenly you're back together, making love! That's a really hot story, Stevie! And Zander's got a body!"
"Kacey, please don't make me," I beg, desperate to end this conversation immediately.
"Fine," she says reluctantly, and clearly disappointed. "But I'll have you know that I'm not a coward, like you, to admit that my husband is good—"
"Ahhh!" I whine, covering my ears and blushing from my head to my toes. I really do not need to know how Kevin is in bed. He's like my brother, that's just creepy!
"Kacey, please! Look, our food's here, let's go!" I cry, pulling her by the wrist back to the table where our food is being served. I'm thankful for the opportunity to get me away from that conversation. I know one of these nights though, when Kacey demands she, Grace and I have a girls' night, I'm going to have Hell to answer to.
"This isn't over," Kacey scowls, clearly annoyed by the interruption. We take our seats; Kacey next to Kevin, and me next to Zander.
"You two were gone quite a while," Zander says suddenly, once we're at the car. It's about eleven-thirty at night, and everyone's just left the restaurant to go home. It was a fun evening among friends.
I shrug my shoulders as I get into the passenger's side of Zander's car. He shuts the door after me and gets in on the driver's side and starts the car up. "We were just talking," I say nonchalantly, hoping Zander will take my answer and leave it at that.
"Making up stories to please Kacey about how I got these manly bruises?" he teases, his cocky and flirtatious side coming out. It was more noticeable, this side of him, in high school. But I guess after a couple years, it became a tame side to him and only came out when he wanted it to.
"No," I laugh, rolling my eyes.
"Don't lie," Zander teases. He pulls out of the lot and onto the road.
"I'm not," I respond with a laugh.
"Well, come on! Tell me," Zander says.
I sigh and figure that I've had enough of the embarrassment tonight, and should probably turn it on someone else. "Fine, but you asked. She wanted to know if you're a God in bed," I tease, trying not to laugh. So, I'm exaggerating some. It's for my enjoyment.
Zander chokes and the car skids to a halt in the breakdown lane. The driver behind us, clearly pissed off, flips Zander his middle finger and then speeds off ahead of us.
"What the hell!?" Zander cries in response to what I'd said. His eyes are wide and his cheeks are clearly turning red.
I laugh, "You were always the Ladies Man. I thought that might have been a compliment to you," I tease. I'm shocked by his reaction, but I don't show it. I'm actually more grateful we're not pretzelled around a pole at the moment.
"We're talking about our best friend Kacey here! I mean, she's like my sister!" Zander cries, clearly still shocked. "Is that what girls talk about in private?"
I laugh again. I feel bad about scaring him like this—especially since he was driving. I say, "She didn't really say 'God in bed' but she did ask how you are in bed. I didn't respond."
He exhales sharply, relieved.
"Now get us home," I order, laughing. "I have a very important test result waiting, Robbins!"
Zander pulls out of the breakdown lane and drives us back to his apartment.
When he get to his apartment, Zander shuts the door behind us and before I can even get a foot towards the bathroom, Zander pushes me against the dark polished wood of the door and kisses me.
"The test can wait," he mumbles against my lips, and I give in. I don't wait for him to ask permission; I open my lips and Zander's tongue darts out to move with mine. It's slow, but nice, and it makes me wish I hadn't wasted seven years without him.
We stay like that for what feels like forever—not that I want it to end, I don't. Zander pulls away though and says quietly, "Do you know what song comes to my mind when I think about you, Steves?"
I bite my lip and shake my head.
He takes my hand and pulls me off the dark wood of his door and leads me into the living room. I glance at the clock—midnight. Zander lets go off my hand and walks to the stereo beneath the television set.
He powers it on and turns the volume knob—I hope his neighbors really like him. A medium-paced guitar strum begins and suddenly I know the song.
Zander takes my hand and leads me in front of the window where the street light is coming is. The orange glow barely lights up the room—just a small square of it—but I can see most of his face, and he can see most of mine.
The bruises on his left side aren't visible in the half of his face that the light can't reach. Zander sings with the song and starts to move us both to the tempo of the song.
What day is it? And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time
'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do, nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you
"Zander," I laugh quietly as he moves me to the song. I give in, after a moment, and dance in the small, orange-lit space with Zander.
Zander is such a sucker for cliché moments like this. I can't help but love him so much more for it, because even though it's cliché, it's not ridiculous. In fact, it's the most fun I've had all day. Zander really does try to prove his love.
All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here
'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do, nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you
Zander continues to sing to me over the music, which is somewhat loud—we'll definitely be hearing from one of his neighbors in the morning.
Something about you now
I can't quite figure out
Everything she does is beautiful
Everything she does is right
'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do, nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you
And me and all of the people with nothing to do and nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you
What day is it?
And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive
Zander sings the rest of the song, keeping his eyes locked with mine. He finishes the song like that—his heart evident in his eyes. I know he's truly grateful for this second chance that I'm giving him. I can't help but laugh as the song finishes and another starts up.
Zander's arms are around my waist and he continues to dance with me to the music. "You can be so cliché sometimes, Zander," I say quietly, laughing. I bring my hand up to rub my thumb gently over the bruise on his jaw.
He isn't flinching, so it must not be sore anymore.
"It's true though," Zander responds, "Every minute since you've come back in my life, that's the song I've thought of. And a billion other songs that an describe how I feel about you, spot-on!"
I smile at him. He can be so cute without even trying.
I kiss him on the lips, and it lasts no more than a few seconds at least, but I mean everything I put into it.
I missed Zander, and I'm really glad I decided to give him this second chance.
"Let's go check that test," he says softly after a minute.
I laugh and nod my head, and we both walk to the bathroom where the test is sitting on the counter. My heart is in my throat, I want a baby so badly, and so does Zander. . .
A/N: And I'm just gonna leave it there :) cruel, I know… anyway, let me know what you thought? Like Zander, I'm a sucker for cliché things… so sorry if that seems to get annoying lol. But a Ladies Man like Zander… things are bound to be cliché at some point, right? All relationships have those moments, and they're cute :) so I was really aiming towards some more fluffy Zevieness this chapter. And some light humor, so hopefully you enjoyed that!
Thoughts are greatly appreciated! :) thanks to all the support you guys are giving my story too!