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Chapter 54: Friends?

Julie smiled happily getting off the plane in California. The sunshine couldn't help but cheer her up. As did the prospect of driving up and down the coast in her jeep, and shopping with Jaime. Right now all she needed was Jaime's shallow parenting style. Cal and Elyse wanted to talk about everything.

"Hey blondie!" She heard a whistle and a yell and laughed running towards the car where they came from.

"You should know better than to yell at strange girls," She leaned over into the window of the jeep, which Casey was driving. "What's going on?"

"Jaime got stuck in LA and Josh was on a conference call," He shrugged, "My parents are both on business trips, so I'm staying with them, I volunteered to pick you up. Hop in."

"I wanna drive," She said. He looked at her. "I've gotten better, I practiced over Christmas."

"I'm not letting you drive," He said. She groaned and got in the car. "Hear you're nursing a broken heart."

"You hear right," She nodded, "Can you keep me busy this week?"

"Absolutely," He laughed. "Although I think that's your mother's job."

"Yeah, Jaime's not so good at that job," She sighed. "Whatever, I just want to have some fun this week. I'm so over all kinds of drama."

"You've come to the right party," He looked at her pushing his sunglasses onto his nose. She laughed.

"You're so lame," She leaned back.

"Shut up," He said, "I'll drive us off a cliff."

"I wouldn't put that past you," She shook her head. He laughed. "Just promise you won't let be get caught up in anything OK? I'm on vacation."

"Got it," Casey nodded, "Light and fluffy." She smiled, "But before we go there though, your mom told me what happened. Are you OK?"

"Yeah," She said, "I am, I mean mostly. I still get freaked out like walking by myself and stuff, but I'm mostly good."

"Good," He nodded, "We now proceed to the light and fluffy."


Connie sat on her bed looking at a photo album. It was full, but only just. The early pictures from the beginning of high school were the first half. Her and Guy most of the time, a few of the girls. Then there were the pictures from this year, particularly one from the Valentine's dance where Charlie was dancing with her. She smiled. How could she possibly end something that had made her so happy? But she did still love Guy. It was so confusing.

"Hey baby," Charlie walked in. She smiled. He kissed her.

"Hi," She whispered.

"What's wrong?" He asked, "You seem upset."

"OK," She sighed, "We can tell each other anything right?"

"Of course," He nodded, "What's going on?" She swallowed. "Connie, you're freaking me out."

"Alright," She whispered, "I love you, and since we got together, I've been so happy, but lately, you know since we talked about," She exhaled, "You know."

"Oh," He looked down. "You um, changed your mind." She looked at him, "About losing your virginity. You want to keep waiting."

"Well, yes," She said, "But that's not all." He looked at her. "I've been um, talking to Guy, and," She sighed, "And I don't know, I just can't figure out how I feel about me and you, and me and him."

"Wow," He said, "Didn't see that one coming."

"And I love you," She said, "I do, but he and I have so much history." She sighed, "Charlie, I don't know what to do." He sighed. "Oh God! I'm Julie." She flopped back onto the bed. He lay down next to her.

"I don't think you're quite at Julie's level yet," He said. "I love you Connie." He kissed her and pulled her close.

"Oh Charlie," She whispered. "I love you too. But I can't do this. I think I need to be by myself." He looked at her confused. "No boyfriend, for a while."

"No boyfriend," He said. "OK."

"But we can still date," She said, "Just not exclusively."

"So you would be going out with me and Guy," He sat up.

"You can date other people too," She said, "I mean, there are tons of girls at school interested in you, and," He shook his head. "Charlie, please."

"Connie," He stood up, "I can't do that. I love you. I just want to be with you." She frowned and crossed her arms. "And I definitely don't want to share you with Guy. I'll see you around." He walked out. She fell back onto the bed. Maybe she handled that wrong.


Kelly giggled sitting on Dave's floor with Janet. They'd been drinking all night, and she was enjoying it. She hadn't spent any real time with girl friends since Christmas time when she last hung out with Linda. Janet was close enough.

"Kelly," Janet said. She looked at her. "I'm so in love with Dave that sometimes, I think my heart might explode."

"That's nice," Kelly said, her head plopping on Janet's shoulder, "I used to feel that way about Scooter," She sighed, "I miss him."

"Whoa," Dave said, "I thought I just got home, not that I was dreaming."

"Don't be gross," Kelly said. "I should call Liam. Liam loves vodka. He can come over here right Dave?"

"Hey," Dave said, "Um, Janet, baby, can we uh, talk in the bedroom."

"OK," Janet popped up and followed him in. "You know we probably shouldn't have sex while Kelly's here." She kissed him.

"Yeah," He nodded. "About that, why is Kelly here?"

"She came to the gallery and we had a few drinks," She said, flipping her hand. "I'm helping her work through her issues."

"She dumped my brother," Dave said, "That is her issue."

"They had other issues," Janet said, "He was taking her for granted, and she'd never had sex with anyone else, and he was such a player when we were in high school so she would feel so insecure, and Dave we're being friends, and I kind of like being friends with her!"

"OK, I get it," Dave said. "It's fine that she's here, but she cannot call her new boyfriend. That's just weird."

"Liam is not her boyfriend," Janet said, "They don't even have sex, they just like make out and stuff. Plus he wants to live in LA, ick!"

"I thought you liked LA," He said, "I brought you there over New Years."

"I like LA," She pointed to herself, "But could imagine Kelly, dating a guy who lives in LA? Not!"

"Wow," He nodded, "You need to not drink anymore tonight, and we need to get Kelly elsewhere I think."

"Can't she stay here?" Janet said, "I'm afraid that if she goes back there, then she'll sleep with him, and I don't think that Scooter will be able to forgive her for sleeping with him and Dean Portman." She put her hand over her mouth, "I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

"OK," Dave sighed, "I feel like Logan, if you remember this in the morning remind me to apologize to him. Um, you stay here, and I'll go take care of Kelly."

"OK," Janet plopped on the bed. He walked out to the living room.

"Hey Riley," He looked at her.

"Hey Dave," She sighed, "Come sit with me." He sat down. "Dave, Dave, Dave," She whimpered, "I wish that you were still going to be my brother." He looked at her.

"Honey," He whispered. "I wish that too, but getting drunk with my girlfriend won't change things." She sighed. "Why don't I call your friend and tell him you're sleeping here, hm?"

"OK," She sighed as he took her phone, "His name is Liam."

"I know," Dave nodded, and picked her up and lay her on the couch, "Go to sleep honey." He walked into one of the other rooms and looked through her contacts, and pressed send.

"Kel!" Liam said, "Honey, where are you? I've been worried."

"Hi," Dave said.

"Not Kelly," Liam said, "OK. Did you find her phone?"

"This is Dave Vanderbilt," Dave said, "Kelly and my girlfriend were catching up and got into a bottle of Grey Goose, um, she's going to crash here."

"Oh," Liam said, "Sure, uh, can I talk to her?"

"She passed out," Dave said, "Look, I don't know what your game is, but Kelly's like family to me, and if you take advantage of how sweet and vulnerable that girl is, I'll kill you, if my brother doesn't beat me to it. Nice talking to you." He hung up and laughed a little to himself.


Portman sat on his front steps. He was bored, and tired and couldn't stop thinking about Elena, or Kelly.

"Hey stranger," Tanya smiled.

"Hey," He said, "Um," She looked at him. "Hi." She laughed and sat down.

"I'm sorry I interrupted," She sighed, "You looked knee deep in brooding there." He laughed. "Problems with Lena?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," He said. "I sort of dumped her at her coming out and slept with her ex boyfriend's sister."

"She's a lesbian?" Tanya said. He looked at her. "Oh," She realized, "Coming out, like a debutante ball?" He nodded. "You're such a dick." He laughed.

"I know," He said. "I don't know T. I don't what to do."

"You just need to commit to something." She shrugged, "Any time that things get serious you run scared. We had sex the first time, you got all weird. And then when Elena wanted intimacy you pushed her away and then when I talked about us having a future and you break up with me on Thanksgiving," He looked at her. "So, what did this whole debutante thing mean to Elena?"

"A lot," He sighed, "She was really excited, and I don't know, I just,"

"Panicked," Tanya nodded. "I know."


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