A/N: Thanks so much for reviewing! I was waiting forever! But guess what! I believe I have good news! I got my report card, and instead of a big fat 'F' I got away with a big fat 'C' instead. Which isn't really grounds for being torn away from the computer. At least not for long. But my mom was really iffy about the whole thing before I got my report card. Lol. Okay, so… I'm trying to think if I have to make any corrections to the previous chapter. I know, aren't my proofreading skills just awesome? Lol, Anyways, I thought I was all cool and stuff when I figured out how to do divider lines and everything, but it turns out that they never showed up. And they screwed up my usual format along with it, thus proving how reliable computers are. Or at least mine. Okay then, I think that's enough catching up, soooo here's the chapter! I think this is what you've been waiting for! Have fuuuun!

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Chapter 10

Zeke and Stokely were driving along, still wondering where to go. Stokely was still trying to take in the newfound freedom she discovered in Zeke. She turned her head towards him, watching him silently mouth the words to the song playing on the radio, and ever so slightly nodding his head to the beat. He was too wrapped up in the road and the radio to notice she was staring at him. And she was too wrapped up in staring at him to even notice she was staring at him. But then she finally did, acting as if she wasn't staring at his sexiness. Even if he didn't notice she had to prove it to herself.

She peered out the car window, gazing at the leafless trees they passed by. She loved winter. How it always got cold and everything died, making the bare branches look so elegant, swaying in the cold wind. She sighed to herself, causing Zeke to glance her way. She looked away from the window, to find that he was staring at her. She cleared her throat, thinking of how to break the silence. You could cut the sexual tension with a knife. Oh, how they are in denial!

"So, um… where are you going?" she asked him.

Zeke looked around at their surroundings, as if he didn't even know where they were. They were downtown.

"When you're alone and life is making you lonely, you can always go…. Downtown!"

Ahem. Wrong thing. Anyways…

Yes, they were downtown. "Um… huh."

"What?"

Zeke thought for a second, then changed lanes and turned into a parking lot.

"7-11?" Stokely asked, trying to act as if she didn't know that was coming. Cuz, really, where else were they supposed to go?

He parked the car and killed the engine. He looked at her saying, "Yea, I thought you'd be hungry."

"Ah. Well in that case," she opened up her door and walked into the store. And she walked straight to the slurpee machine, with Zeke following her.

She picked up a cup and pressed the sacred button, letting the Pina Colada slurpee flow into the paper cup. Of course, there was no rum in it, but it would have to do. She placed the plastic cover on top and selected a long pink straw from the bin and began slurping. She turned around and bumped into Zeke, holding two burritos for them.

"Slurpee, eh?" he pointed out. Thank you Captain Obvious.

"Yes. Pina Colada."

"I hope you know you'll have to give me a sip of that right?"

"Over my dead body."

"Well hey, I've got the burritos, and the car. Take your pick."

"Son of a bitch," she laughed, pushing him out of her way, and over to the chip isle. Zeke waited for her at the counter. She came back with a bag of Fujnoins.

He scoffed when he saw her. "Fujnoins and a slushie? What are you, high?"

"Fine, then you won't get any Fujnoins."

"Ooo, oh no!" he said sarcastically. "I'm scared, you're threatening me with Fujnoins,"

"You should be, Fujnoins are the shit."

He laughed at this, taking the bag from her and giving it to the Indian guy behind the counter to pay for it. He looked up over the rims of his glasses at Stokely, who gave him a "Piss off" look, and then he looked to Zeke, who just smiled. The Indian guy handed Zeke his change. But Zeke was too busy watching Stokely already walking out to the car, sucking on her slurpee. He turned back around to the guy. He handed Zeke his change.

"She's a firecracker, that one. Feisty."

Zeke took the nickels and dimes from guy and smiled. "You have no idea." He turned and left the store, walking out to his car. He handed Stokely her burrito, who snatched it from his hand, tearing the wrapper and

"Jesus-tap-dancing-Christ, I'm hungry."

Zeke laughed, and leaned over. "Slurpee." She took the straw out her mouth and pointed the cup in his direction. He leaned over closer to take the straw in his mouth, gazing at her, as he greedily sucked down the cold drink. She stared right back at him, with a look he couldn't quite place. He didn't know if it was bad or not. He stopped drinking, licking his lips and leaning back into his seat, not taking his eyes off her.

When he didn't get a response from her, he raised his eyebrows and sucked his teeth. "So." He looked at her with a questioning look on his face. She unwillingly started laughing. It wasn't hysterical laughing; she just smiled through the straw, and started giggling. Then when she noticed the seriousness of the situation, she felt bad and stopped.

"Sorry." She said. "I just… well, you know… th—I—" she couldn't find her words, she felt like an idiot. Then she started giggling again. "That was just really cute," she said finally. Then she squeezed her eyes shut and popped the straw back into her mouth. It was wicked cold, but she just kept drinking it. She was punishing her mouth for what she said. She opened her eyes and when she saw him looking at her, she snapped them shut again. She figured she could just keep slurping that slushie down forever… but then, she could have killed herself. She drank it all. And on top of that… she had a brain freeze. When she mentally kicked her self in the ass, she sighed and opened her eyes. Zeke was looking at her, looking concerned, and waiting for her to speak.

"Um…" she looked at him really quickly, then looked down at the empty slurpee cup sitting in her lap. "Yea, well…" she shrugged and look at him. "That was…well…" she scoffed. "You're—you're cute. And… I never realized it before. And---" She gave up and shrugged it off. "Thanks for everything."

"Everything? I give you rides and I bought you Fujnoins."

"No that's not what I meant," she said, smiling.

Zeke started laughing, beginning to realize what she really did mean. The he got quiet and smiled at her. "So then…" he looked around, noticing that they were still in the parking lot. "Oh. Maybe we should get out of here," he said, almost in the form of a question.

She looked him and nodded. Then she started laughing again. "Okay, " she said, still laughing. Zeke started laughing too. "Let's go."

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So Zeke and Stokely were driving along… not knowing where they were going… but having fun either way. Well, at least Stokely didn't know where they were going. Zeke knew exactly what he was doing, and where he was going. He just wasn't so sure as how to execute it yet. But thanks to Little Miss Stokely, all tension between them had been broken. Okay, maybe not all the tension, but things weren't as awkward as they were, a whole twenty minutes ago.

They were cruising down the road, listening to the radio. It was "All-request Tuesday," which was actually really stupid. No one who actually had access to a radio on a Tuesday requested anything good. But lucky for them, they weren't the only frisky teenagers who were skipping school. Someone who mysteriously sounded like a guy in Stokely's AP English class requested Marilyn Manson's "Tainted Love," leaving Zeke and Stokely to sing along off-key as they drove in circles around Zeke's neighborhood with the windows down. Just to annoy his neighbor's even more than he already did.

After the song ended, Stokely suggested they call and request a song. A bad one, just to piss everyone else off. They felt like being devilish. But before Stokely could call in, she noticed, that they were off the road, pulling into a driveway. The driveway leading into a mighty big-looking house. She was kind of confused, but figured Zeke knew what he was doing.

"Come on," he said, getting out of the car.

Stokely just shrugged it off and followed him. He led her to a side door, rather than the front door. He pulled out his keys, and unlocked the door. Pushing the door opened, he stepped back and looked at her.

"Welcome."

She smiled and walked passed him, and into the house. She looked around at the kitchen surrounding them, walking into the middle of it. Zeke closed the door behind him, and watched her look around. She turned around to see him watching her. And ever so discreetly, following her every move with his eyes. She turned back around the other way, her body moving, but never taking her eyes of off him.

"Your house, I presume," she said, walking around.

He heard her, but he kind of forgot to answer. Delayed reaction. "Uh, yea."

"Hmm."

"Thought we could, uh… hang out here."

She nodded, still looking around the house. She walked across the hallway into a living room. Sunlight flooded through the windows, slightly lighting up the dark room. She noticed how the house was kind of messy. But still pretty clean.

"Where are you parents?" her voice traveling from the living room to the kitchen, where Zeke was still standing. He walked into the room so they didn't have to shout back and forth.

"Um. I'm not so sure, actually."

She looked at him from across the room. "Really?"

"Yea. I don't really… know my dad. At all. And… my mom is off traveling somewhere. Europe, I think."

She nodded again. "Uh-huh." Wow. The house was pretty clean for a teenaged guy living by himself. Not too shabby. He was cleaner than she was.

She hadn't the slightest idea of they were supposed to de there anyway. Neither did Zeke. He had a rough idea of what he wanted to do. But there was a difference between what he wanted to do, and what he actually could do.

Stokely still felt awkward about the fact that Zeke lived here all alone. And he didn't really have many friends at school. Except for her and Casey. She never saw him talking to anyone. Which could also prove Casey's point. Maybe Zeke did have his eye on her. But really. He must be so lonely.

Meanwhile, they were caught in a dead silence. She swayed back and forth, her eyes drifting all around the room.

"Hm." She walked over and plopped herself down on the couch, looking at Zeke. He was calmly leaning against the frame of the doorway, looking straight her too. A slight grin flashing across his face. Then he turned his head the opposite direction, as if looking around.

She clicked her tongue. "So," she said looking to him, waiting for him to tell her what he planned to do with her there.

He shifted his head back towards her and smiled. "So."

She wasn't quite sure what to say. And why did he keep smiling like that? "Are you just gonna stand there?"

He smirked, and left his spot leaning against the wall. He walked over to the couch, sitting next to her, looking at her. "No," he answered.

Stokely sighed." So, what are we gonna do? I mean, you got us out of school. Awesome and everything, but…" 'Hmm, how do I say this?' "I'm bored," she said innocently.

Zeke chuckled. "Well, what time is it?" he asked, looking at the clock. "Huh. One o'clock already. What do you wanna do?"

She scoffed. "I don't know, I'm asking you."

Zeke laughed. He got up and went into the kitchen and called back to her, saying there was a DVD cabinet in the corner, and to pick some movies. Saying a horror flick marathon was in order. That instantly got her excited. She jumped up to look through his collection. He came back in the room with beer, and waited for Stokely to choose the movies. When she finally picked some and went back and handed them to Zeke.

"Let's go upstairs," he said.

"Why?"

"Bigger TV."

She shrugged and followed him up the stairs. "Okay…"

Once in the upstairs hallway, he opened a random door and led her inside. Flicking on the light, Stokely noticed it was a bedroom. Dun, dun, dun! And the TV was no bigger than the one downstairs. Zeke was such a liar. She thought to point it out, but she just brushed it off, figuring he had his reasons. So he popped in a movie and turned off the lights. For full horror movie effect. Or movie theater make-out effect. Same thing. Right? Since they were in a bedroom, obviously the only place to sit was on the bed. So Stokely took advantage of the opportunity to spread out on the ginormus queen-sized bed. Back home she was still sleeping a twin bed. Her parents were so cheap. Zeke kicked off his shoes and lied down on the bed, getting comfortable.

Stokely looked around at the room. There was a pile of clothes in the middle of the floor. Jeans and t-shirts. And a pair of dirty, old Converse chucks thrown in the corner. A stereo on the dresser, socks poking out the drawers. A CD stand, overflowing, with a pile on top. Wow. This was a no-brainer.

"I'm guessing this is your room," she said to him.

He was still squirming around, trying to find a comfortable position. He stopped and looked at her. "Yea," he chuckled. "How could you tell?"

"Wild guess."

He smiled, and they settled down the watch the movies.

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After watching "Final Destination," and "The Candyman,"--- a movie Zeke didn't even know he had, let alone seen--- they decided to close the "The Exorcist." Stokely had never seen it. Zeke called her a poor, deprived child. But after that comment, she wondered which one was really the deprived one. Who saw "The Exorcist" when they were only ten?

So it was now around nine o'clock. And Stokely didn't give a shit if her parents wondered where she was. They probably didn't even notice.

Stokely stretched, and yawned. She had long removed her sweater, lying there in her tank top, Zeke wearing a black wife-beater. Which Stokely was surprised to see. Woo, can we say… hottie? And somewhere in the middle of "Candyman," they scooted under the covers, and "casually cuddled," for the sake of it being a scary movie, of course. Yea. Right.

"Woo, what a great day of movies," she said. She stretched out in the bed. He sat up, leaning against the headboard, as Stokely rested her head against his chest. Ooo! Scandal!

Zeke sighed. "Yea." Stokely could feel his heart beating. Zeke turned off the TV, leaving the room dark. The only light in the room was the street light pouring through the window blinds. He sighed again, his chest rising and falling. Stokely closed her eyes, memorizing the patterns of his breathing, and she sighed herself. She didn't want this moment to end. It was so peaceful; lying there is the dark, where all you could hear was the steadiness of Zeke's breathing.

"Stokely?" he whispered in the darkness.

"Yea?"

No answer. He was silent. She lifted her head and looked up at him, expecting him to be looking away. Well, the best kind of prize is a sur-prise, right? Much to her sur-prise, he was staring straight at her.

She gave him this somewhat, questioning look, waiting for an answer, waiting for him to say something. Anything. But instead of saying anything, he just brought his face closer to hers, and before she knew it, his hand was cupping her cheek, his thumb slowly caressing her jaw. He looked at her with hunger in his eyes. Hopeful hunger. She knew that look. Stan had given her that look once. Only this time it was different. Zeke's expression was softer. And she wanted it more than she'd wanted anything before.

Closing her eyes, she felt Zeke bring his lips to hers.

The kiss was soft, and tender. Not at all what she thought kissing Zeke would be like. It was better. She shifted positions, sitting up, resting one hand on his chest, bringing the other up the hold the back of his neck, running her fingers through his hair. He wrapped his left arm around her, rubbing the small of her back with his hand. His right hand left her face and gripped her shoulder, as the he deepened the kiss. As you can see, there's a lot of moving around going on. She moved her hand to his face, slowly caressing back and forth. She heard him moan softly.

She moved her hands down his back, and tugged on his shirt. She tried to pull it off him, until he gave in, to break the kiss for one second to remove his shirt. Then he instantly wrapped his arms around her, and dove in to kiss her once again.

They slowed down a bit, descending from passionate to tender. Then they both reluctantly broke apart.

Zeke raised his hand, stroking her face. Almost as if he didn't believe she was actually right there in front of him. He was breathing heavily, searching her eyes for what he hoped would be a good reaction to what just happened. That puppy dog look his was giving her practically killed her. He looked so cute, vulnerable. So she went right in and kissed him again. When she pulled away to look at him, he simply grinned. A warm, happy grin that made her smile, too.

Stokely placed her hands on his shoulders, then slid them down onto his bare chest, where she let them linger a moment, feeling the warmth of his body. He smiled at her. He'd wanted that for so long. He sighed with relief and cast his eyes downward. He felt Stokely's hand move under chin, as she lifted his head up to look at her.

He stroked her face once more, before taking her in his arms again, in a tight embrace. She sighed and buried her head against his shoulder. They sat there for several minutes, neither of them saying a word. They didn't have to. They continued to simply hold each other, until Stokely uncontrollably yawned. Zeke chuckled, and understood. He scooted back under the covers, still wearing his jeans, but currently without a shirt, and waited for her to join him.

She slipped off her skirt, and slid under the covers in nothing but her tank top and underwear. Oo! Saucy! She sat up, and looked at Zeke.

He waited for her; his arms open, waiting to hold her. He gestured for her to come. She snuggled up close to him, and let him twine his arms around her. She smiled at him. And he smiled at her. She closed her eyes and settled down to go to sleep.

It was so quiet, and everything was still. Outside a car went by. Then the silence returned. She didn't know what to say to him. She didn't know what to think. But it felt so good. And so right.

She moved her head against his chest, and gave a small sigh. "Zeke…" she whispered.

"Shhhh," he answered back. He kissed the top of he head. "Sleep," he said. He closed his eyes. "Just sleep."

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Neither of them went to school the next day.

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Hey! Woo! Oh my God, this chapter took me forever to write! I wrote the whole part with the kiss, late, late last night. So if it's kinda sloppy and redundant, it's cuz I was sleepy and incoherent. lol. But the ending I finished today during my algebra class. Gee, I wonder why I'm failing…? So anyways… the ending, I liked but it might be confusing. Yea, the next day they didn't go to school, yea. No sex. Nuh-uh. I'm keeping up the suspense that way… hehehehe! Now go and review, tell me how I did! I'm dying to know, SuperSixOne! And it might take a while for the next chapter too. I'm all out of ideas! By the way, I have no idea how to spell 'Funjoins' I was just winging it! lol

BLE