Chapter 12

Weeks and weeks had passed. Weeks and weeks had past and Randy was starting to miss how things would go with his friends. Sure, they'd hangout altogether just like now. He even brought Trish along with them. They'd gone to a triple date. John and Stacy, Randy and Trish, Marc and Torrie. They'd hangout but not the way they used to before. It seemed like there's this barrier that between them. Randy missed it. He missed it all. He was happy with Trish but there's something missing though he couldn't pinpoint what it was, he's pretty sure that there is.

"I never thought I'd have fun here." Trish suddenly said and downed another glass of beer. Randy just looked at her, he never imagined Trish drinks.

"Why'd you never thought? Did you expect something disastrous to happen?" Randy asked curiously.

"Oh, it's just that I anticipated this day to come and thought that it'd be a mess considering Stacy's friends are here too." She said. "But, everything's well so here's to the wonderful day we had." She said and raised the glass high in the air.

"Hey, stop that." He couldn't help but tell her off and took the glass away.

"No, Randy… I'm just happy. I'm celebrating." Trish said and took the glass again.

"Slow down, alright?" he said.

Randy put an arm around Trish and kissed her temple.

"What was that for?" she asked him with a small smile on her lips.

"Nothing." He answered and cast a distant look at John and Stacy who were at the other side of the beach.

I finally got you Randy and she can't do anything to take you back. Trish silently said and smiled and gave Randy a quick kiss. Randy awakened from his stupor and turned to looked at Trish.

"I'm just happy that I have you here with me." Trish said and snuggled close to him.

"Stace?" John asked and looked up at Stacy's face.

"Yeah?" Stacy replied and looked down at John who was resting his head on her lap.

"Are you happy?" he asked her and Stacy couldn't help but smile.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Stacy answered him and started to stroke his brown hair.

"Nothing. I'm just wondering." He said and gave a sigh. He couldn't bring it to himself to ask her. as days passed by, he's been silently praying that somehow Stacy would somehow see him as more than a friend.

"John, what's bothering you?" Stacy asked him. She's known him for so long that she'd know when he's got something in his mind that's bothering him. "Tell me." She whispered. John closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm just worried Stace." He said and Stacy stopped stroking his hair.

"What do you mean?" she asked, what is John talking about.

"Nothing. Just forget that I said something." John said. He couldn't he doesn't have the courage to tell her so.

"Are you sure? You seem really troubled." Stacy asked and touched his cheek. John put a hand over hers and closed his eyes.

"I take it back. I don't feel worried. I feel happy being here with you." He said and Stacy smiled.

"I am too John. I am." She replied.

"Oh just look them." Torrie whined at Marc.

"Why? What's wrong with them?" Marc asked callously.

"There's nothing wrong with them you idiot. In fact they're so right." Torrie said and looked at John and Stacy dreamily.

"Hey, hey, don't you call me idiot. I'm your boyfriend now remember?" Marc just said.

"What boyfriend?" Torrie asked and suppressed a laugh as she waited for Marc's reaction.

"Torrie, stop kidding."

"I'm not kidding. Since when?" she asked him teasingly.

"Since the day you confessed you undying devotion to me." Marc closed in on her and whispered to her ear.

"Haha, don't be so thick." Torrie laughed but was cut short when Marc taunted her.

"Marc I love you… I really, really do." Marc imitated a shrill girly voice.

"Hah! Is that suppose to be me?" she asked him red in the cheeks. "I think you're trying to imitate Trish! Oh my gosh! She didn't confess to you right?" Torrie asked.

"No way you dimwit. And even if she has the hots for me, I still wouldn't have her. I'd rather have one Torrie in my life." He said and kissed Torrie sweetly on the lips.

"Wait, I just remembered something." Torrie said and chuckled.

"What?"

"I would never kiss a girl! It makes me want to puke." Torrie said and Marc just laughed.

"Cut it out." He said good-naturedly and kissed her again.

"I love you." Torrie said against his lips.

"I love you more." He replied.

"Now who would have though those two would end up together?" John asked Stacy.

"Yeah, who would have thought." Randy agreed as he and Trish walked hand in hand towards them. Trish was smirking from ear to ear as she looked at Stacy. But Stacy surprised herself when she just remained calm seeing Randy and Trish together.

"Marc did always have these feelings for Torrie even before. He may not say them but he does." John said and smiled.

"Yeah, same goes for Torrie." Stacy said.

"I thought Torrie has the hots for me?" John teased Stacy.
"Yeah, you wish!" Stacy laughed.

"And I never thought of you being together." Randy said seriously as he sat next to Stacy.

"Yeah, me either. But I don't know about John, I guess he's always had his hidden desire for me." Stacy chuckled.

"Haha Stace." John replied and pinched her cheeks. If you only knew Stace.

"Really sis? With your reaction, I thought you've always been inlove with Randy." Trish said.

"Why would you say that Trish? You don't even know me that well." Stacy retaliated.

"Honestly Stace, I really thought you and John were just putting an act that you are together to make my Randy jealous." Trish said and let out a laugh.

"Oh you poor thing. You must have been so alone that you're imagining things to amuse yourself." Stacy said and a anger flashed in her eyes.

"Trish, cut it out." Randy told her off. "Don't mind her, she must have had too much drink." Randy turned to Stacy and John and took Trish by the elbow. But Trish pushed Randy away.

"Aw come on Stace, why don't you just admit it that you and John are pretending to be together just to make my Randy jealous." She said and stood up and looked down at her half-sister. Stacy just looked at her and said nothing.

"Oh, so you won't admit it. Maybe I should ask John instead." She said and rounded to John. "Am I right John?" Trish asked her in an annoying voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about." John answered and looked away from her.

"There's no point denying it. I heard the two of you talking about your pretend relationship!" Trish said. Randy didn't know how to react on what Trish just said.

Flashback

"John, I don't think this is going somewhere." Stacy voiced out her thoughts.

"Huh? What are you saying?" John asked.

"What I'm saying is that, I don't think Randy really has feelings for me… maybe he does… but as a friend…" Stacy said and hung her head low.

"Whatever made you say that?" John asked and put a comforting hand around Stacy.

"Look what's happening… do you even think he's jealous of me and you? He's always with Trish…" Stacy said, the thought of giving Randy up was on her mind.

"Come on Stace… Don't say that… oh I don't know. maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong."

"I don't think there's a need for us to continue with this." Stacy said and it broke John's heart… John looked at her deeply.

If only Stace… if only I could tell you what I really feel.

"What do you mean?" John managed to choke out the words.

"Maybe… maybe… oh I don't want to talk about this now. But there's one thing I'm sure of." Stacy said and turned to face him.

"What?"

"I'm glad that if I'm in a pretend relationship, I'm in it with you." Stacy said and to John's surprise, Stacy gave him a kiss on the cheeks…

"So you're not saying goodbye?" John asked nervously.

"Why would I even say goodbye you rascal!" Stacy said and let out a small giggle.

"I don't know what Randy doesn't see in you that he's still not falling for you." John thought out loud.

"Maybe I'm just one of the guys." She replied.

"One of the boys? You're not a tomboy Stace… I'm sure of that too." John said as casually as he could.

"Then maybe your blind… Just look at all my interests! Look at me!" Stacy said and put her hands to her side…

"Nope." John simply answered… he really wanted to tell her what his vision of her is…

"Then tell me what do you see." Stay said. John swallowed the lump in his throat.

"A gorgeous young woman… that the guy who would own her heart is one lucky bastard… he's lucky for having a girl with such an exquisite personality. She's active intelligent and supportive… I could never say anything negative about her… She's beautiful and smart and…" she's the one that I love… John almost said the words but he quickly stopped himself.

"And then what?" Stacy asked.

"Nothing." John smiled a bit and Stacy blushed. She never thought John would be the one to sa those words to her… she always dreamt of her prince charming would be the one…

"You got me on cloud nine John." Stacy admitted and hugged him.

"Thanks for being here with me." Stacy just said.

Behind the partly ajar door stood Trish… Smirking ear to ear of what she had just heard.

End of Flashback

"SO what do you think Randy?" Trish asked Randy and she gave Stacy an evil smile. Stacy wanted to cry right there and then but only the weak cries.