"Haha, you're joking, right?"

"No I'm serious. Would you go out with me?"I looked up, wide-eyed.

I was stumped. The most gorgeous boy of the whole school, Eric Baker was asking ME out?

"Ummmmm….welll…..you see…"

He suddenly kissed me. A bit too passionately, maybe, but hell, it was good.

As we broke off, I replied "Yeah"

As the day went on, it finally sunk into me.

*The hottest boy in the school just asked me out*

*The hottest boy in the school was my boyfriend*

Damn. I was lucky.

*A great night, the weekend coming up, and Blink-182 as my life's soundtrack. How much more amazing could life get!*

*Wait! Life doesn't have a soundtrack, does it?*

I rubbed my eyes, and got out of bed. Where was 'The Rock Show' by Blink-182 playing? I just had to know.

I followed the sound all the way to the ground floor, and to the kitchen. There, I saw the source. There were two packaged boxes, one with my name, and the other with Jess'. I tore open the one with mine. Inside was an i-Phone, AND there was a text on it!

*an I-PPPPHHHHHOOOONNNEEE!*

I opened the message.

'Dude, wake up'

*Who was it from?*

Another text, from the same number came.

'Hurry up!'

WHO WAS IT?. Another TEXT!

'It's Dougie'

Oh. Right. Before he replied again, I decided to call back.

"Hey" I said, as he picked up at almost the first ring.

"Like it?" he asked.

"No 'hello?' 'hi?'"

"I'm a direct sorta peson"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah"

"So, by the way, I just love it! It's, I think, my first birthday present!"

"Thank you. And anyways, if Jess' birthday is near, and I don't think it is, then how can Danny get her a present as well?"

True. I hadn't thought of that.

"Well, they ARE going out" I replied.

"Screw that, you missed my point. I have no idea how much battery there is in your phone, so I'm coming over in 10"

"Okeee" I replied.

I put down the phone, fixed my hair and got ready quickly, and that too just in time, as the doorbell made me jump as it rung.

"Anyway, it's not a birthday present" he said as he entered

"Still no greeting" I replied

"Fine, Yeia sou, happy?"

"Eh?"

"Gosh, you sounded so much like Danny there. It's 'hello' in Greek.

"You know Greek?"

"I used to be real good, but now, just a bit."

"Wow"

"Not really, but beside the point. See, um, we've got a bit of work in the morning, just till about one, and then you wanna hang out?"

"Wow, hang out. Of where? The second floor window"

"I'd love to try"

"Well, I'm sure Steve can make some time" I said in a mocking tone.

He muttered something under his breath, and sighed.

"Fine. I'm sorry." I replied. "But yeah, as long as I can invite someone"

"Not Steve"

"Course not, moron. Just the girl I work with, Hayley"

"Oh, that hot Aussie chick?"

Damn. Maybe I won't invite her.

"Those weren't my words, by the way" said Dougie. "They're Harry's. He really fancies her"

"Real?"

Just then, Jess came down, screaming.

"I have an i-Phone! An i-Phone!"

I turned back to Dougie. "You still haven't told me the occasion!"

"I would love to, but I've gotten so far, 10 calls from Tom, so I should be going, but I will tell you once I'm back" he replied as he got up, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and left. I was too frozen to even close the door after he left, or to reply as Jess taunted me.

~x Dougie's P.O.V x~

"So" asked the interviewer, "the question all girls would like to know: Are McFLY single? I'll ask individually. Tom?"

"Nope. I'm with my long – term girlfriend"

I wasn't exactly the biggest fan of interviews, and this question – well, what do I answer?

"Ok, then. Danny?" said the interviewer.

"Nah, I've got a girlfriend"

"Oooh. That'll hit the fans hard. Harry?"

"I'm 100% single" he said. Maybe I should've told him that that Hayley would've been here.

"Great. And lastly, Dougie?"

Shit. That's me.

"Umm…well…there is someone…but I'm not sure if I can call her 'girlfriend' yet"

Phew. Safe.

~x Lara's P.O.V x~

"It's two thirty, I don't know what we're gonna eat, Jess and Hayley and Gio are hungry, where the are you guys?" I asked.

"You called Gio too?" asked Dougie, over the line.

"Yeah. Now where are you?"

"Outside"

"Outside what?"

"The door"

I cut the line and opened the door, and almost got knocked over as four guys almost tackled past me to get to an empty kitchen.

"Awww. I was hungry!" said Danny.

"And we were expecting some food. Hi Gio, nice surprise!" said Tom.

"I'm waiting for your comment Harry" I said, but he was too busy looking out the window, more like at Hayley in front of the window.
"Well, what do you guys want?" I asked.

"I'm fine with whatever." said Jess.

"Me too" said Dougie.

"I've heard you're a good cook. Cook us something Indian!" said Hayley.

"That's a wicked idea!" said Harry, a bit too enthusiastically, maybe.

"Yeah" said Gio, "I'm sick of the lads and pizza!"

"Alright then, wait up!" I said.

~x a while later x~

"That was good" said Hayley. "Reminds me of Southall, just better"

"Guess I'll take that as a compliment" I replied. Jess and Danny were in her room and we left them…alone ;). Tom and Gi were actually watching Glee on our TV. Dougie was on the phone and Harry was the quietest I'd ever seen him. Then an idea struck me.

"Hayley, why don't you show Harry our designs? See if he'd like them or not?"

"I…uh…don't have them, now" she replied hesitantly.

"Yeah? I can see them poking out of your bag"

"Damn you, Lara" she muttered, going visibly redder.

"You're welcome!" Then my phone lighted up with an unknown number. I went upto my room to answer it. It was far too noisy down here. Plus, Glee wasn't all my cup of tea.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Ari! So good to hear you!"

"Jay?"

"'Smazin, you're getting better!"

"JAY! HOW ARE YOU? HOW'D YOU GET MY NUMBER? WHERE ARE YOU? CAN I MEET YOU?"

"Chill, dude! I'm fine, I have my sources, I'm in London for tonight and can you visit me now? Are all your questions answered?"

"Yes! I've actually got a party going on right now – "

"Already?"

"Yeah, they're our neighbours. Nice lads. Jess' even going out with one!"

"Fast, eh?"

"Yeah. But he's a heart, that way!"

"And you? Ready for another?"

I paused. Am I?

"Just you wait and see" I replied in a sinister voice and cut the line. Just then, there was a knock on my door and entered Dougie.

"Dougie! Are you free? Well, course you are, you're here? Can you drive me somewhere?"

"Yeah…where?" he replied, I felt, unsure.

I'd forgotten that. I called Jay back.

"Jay, where are you?" He gave me the address and soon we were in Tom's Mini, since I apparently "loved it so much".

"Who are we visiting?" asked Dougie

"Jay. He's just…..well, I can't describe him dude! He's too amazing!"

"Alright" he said.

"Before you start changing colour, mate, he's my cousin" I replied, trying to hide a smile.

"Uh.." he was stumped. "I think it was the car jerking. I'm real sensitive to, um, jerks"

I couldn't help laughing.

"Posh, dear me" I said to Jay. "How do you afford all this?"

"Oh, you know, I get by…the occasional diamond or ruby feeds me fine…" he replied smirking.

"I'm thirsty. Anybody want anything?"

"I'll do with a lager. My ruby doesn't let me afford much more" said Jay.

"Me –"

"No, Dougie. You're driving" I cut in.

"- not then, I guess. Well, then, whatever you're having" Dougie finished.

I went off.

~x Dougie's P.O.V x~

She went off.

"Okay, before she comes back, I just wanna say, She's doesn't know I'm in a band. She thinks I'm an assistant. I didn't want her to know. I just wanted someone to know me without McFLY attached. I'm sorry, I'm not one of them famous blokes who just hits on girls all the time – I really like your cousin. Please don't tell her and break my face."

I finally got that off my chest. I'm real freaked of these brothers of the girls. And Ari – no, Lara (why do I always think of her as that now? I don't know if she even would want to be called that!) told me that she treats Jay just like one. Keeping my safe path – and being honest had always worked for me.

He grinned back, and was about to say something, but suddenly –

"Jay! What's happening here? I need help!"

"I'll be back" he excused himself.

~x Lara's P.O.V x~

Jay came in.

"Yeah?"

"So…what do you think?"

"Nice…maybe a bit small, but it's fine for me."

"Eh?"

"The kitchen. I said that – "

"I know about the kitchen. Very nice, but what about him?"

"I thought you weren't sure"

"I'm not. But just making sure"

"Ari, that didn't make sense"

"Oh, Jay. You're impossible!"

"Fine. He's a great lad."

"Really?" In Jay language – that's about as good as it gets. It's almost on the same level as divine!

"Yeah."

"I've been meaning to ask…why did Jay call you Ari?"

"It's 'cause my real name is Larissa. Some call me Lara. Others Ari."

"Sweet. Can I call you Ari?"

"Why?"

"I…uhh…"

"Fine. I wouldn't burden you with an explanation" I said, grinning.

"I like the name. Can I name my next lizard that?"

"You…what?"

"Joking! I'm joking!" he screamed as I pelted him with Tic-Tacs.

The light turned green. The cars honked from the back.

"Yeah, I better drive"

"You better" I replied, throwing another tic-tac.

When we pulled up home, it seemed empty. And it was too when I opened the door and saw an empty, messy room.

"Oh, they all left" said Jess as she ran down the stairs. They said they had something tomorrow early"

"Oh fuck! I do too" said Dougie from the car. "Well, I better leave, but I was wondering if you'd kinda come tomorrow at, umm, 4 and we'd see a movie and…uh…grab a bite?"

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

He reddened visibly (for the umpteenth time), and fumbled with his words.

"I…uh…ummm….well…you see…"

"'Cause, you see, Dougie, if it's not a date, I'm not coming."