hi. welcome back. thank you ChampagneProblem (love the name, im a swiftie too) for reviewing.

oh btw, as I was uploading today i noticed that the ffnet docs had just saved the text, but whatever i had italicised and all was not there. so i made all those changes in the previous chapters and this one. just thought of informing you.

"You and I have and bond

from yore

That is why you

make my heart soar

Whether you know it or not

Admit it or not!"

CHAPTER 9

"That's tricky," James said on his call with Sirius. "I've an interview tomorrow morning."

"Hey, don't do this. It's my surprise birthday party James! Even Lily is not coming. I mean, hello, it's my birthday people. What will I do if two of my best friends aren't coming?"

"Why isn't she coming?" James inquired. His mind had been on Lily lately, especially after he had heard about her and Jackson.

"Jackson's friend is throwing a party." Sirius said blandly.

"Well, I'll try." James was thinking of talking to Lily at the party, but she wasn't coming. But no, it was Sirius's eighteenth party. He couldn't miss that. Just like I shouldn't have missed Lily's...James couldn't ruin another friendship. "If I can make it, I'll come."

"Bummer!" Sirius said to Remus on the other side of the call as James was about to hang up.

"What'd he say?" Asked Peter.

"He said 'Bugger off', Wormtail."

James just shook his head and hung up. Sirius would never stop being a drama queen.

OOOOOOOOO

"So...tell me." Jackson said as he took a sip of his drink.

"Tell you...what?" Asked Lily.

"About your past." Another sip.

"What past?"

"Boyfriend, crush, affair maybe…" and a sip again

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh my god Jackson. Honestly." She was silent for a while. Then, "I had a crush. In third grade. When I told him, he went crying to the teacher. Happy now?"

"And in your group? No special friend?" Jackson pushed. "One whom you like more than the others."

"Jackson, what's your problem? Your list of girlfriends is taller than you. And that's saying something because you, Mr, are very tall. And now you ask me about my friends." Lily ranted, trying to avoid answering Jackson's question. But then she thought that if they're going to get married soon, why have any secrets, right? So she finally gave in, "Yes, there was one. A very special friend. His name's James. And we were so close that people thought we were together." She smiled at the memories of them together. Oh how she missed that friendship. But she had to stay away from him. She just did.

"Well?"

Lil gave him a skeptical look,"Well...what?"

"Well, were you? Together, I mean?"

"What? No! Obviously not!"

"So, why haven't I met him?

"Because college is over and everyone's busy. Plus, he's got a girlfriend." As she was saying this Lisa, the same Lisa who had thrown herself at Jackson the last time they'd met, came over. But this time there were no glares thrown at Lily, but a genuine smile. And there was also someone with her.

"Hey Lily," Greeted Lisa, as she hugged Lily. "Hey Jackson." She didn't hug him, though. Weird, thought Lily. "This is August, my boyfriend." Oh. Now it makes sense.

Jackson's eyes lingered on Lisa's and then shifted to August as he drained the whole of his remaining drink in one go.

"Hey August, look after her, man. She was my most special girlfriend." Everyone smiled, but there was an uncomfortable tension in the air. Lily, though, soon realized that Jackson seemed tipsy.

"Of course, man." Said August, in a firm voice, apparently also realizing Jackson seemed drunk. He put a hand on Lisa's waist protectively.

"Jackson, we should go…" Lily said, knowing that if they didn't get away soon something bad was bound to happen.

"One sec Lily. Hey Lisa, we should have a dance."

"Um, I don't think so, Jackson." Lisa said nervously, glancing between the two men, as did Lily.

"What haven't we shared, to shy away from a dance?" Jackson said as he tried to take Lisa's hand. Lily was getting really uncomfortable.

"Dude, hands off." August said threateningly.

"Chill, buddy. It's just a dance. "

"I'm warning you, let her go, or else..."

"Or else, what? Huh? What will you do?" The situation was getting out of hand, and suddenly it seemed like everything was going in slow motion as Jackson's fist connected with August's chin. She let out a scream, asking people to help as she watched the fight unfold in front of her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I'm sorry. I was high." Came Jackson's weak apology.

"Then let me drive."

"I'm fine now."

Before Lily could muster an angry reply, her phone started ringing. She picked up the call. It was Sirius. He insisted that she come to his "surprise" party.

"Sirius, it's late. I'm going home. Talk to you later, goodnight." Lily hung up.

"What's up?" Jackson asked, trying to diffuse the previously built tension.

"Party at my friend's. "

"Let's go. I can meet your friends."

"Not tonight."

"I insist. Just name the place." He said, "Will James be there?"

"No idea." She said with a defeated sigh, she knew there was no going back now. Jackson would eventually talk her into it. She just told him the address and folded her hands.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"What's up with James?" Jane asked Remus while pointing towards the messy hair standing alongside his girlfriend.

"I know. He hasn't smiled all evening." Replied Sirius. "I didn't invite him to my surprise party to whine."

"Another whiner? I'm feeling insecure guys." Whined Peter.

"I know...Hey look, my Lily flower has arrived!" Beamed Sirius. The group went towards her as Sirius said, "Well well well, look who we have here." looking at Jackson.

Sirius's exclamation diverted James's attention to see what was going on. His eyes fell on Lily and without realizing, his feet were carrying him towards the group.

Lily was introducing everyone to, whom he thought was, Jackson. When he arrived towards her, she hesitated for a moment but then, "And this is James. James, this is Jackson."

"So...you two were close friends in college, right?" Jackson asked.

James's eyes shifted to Lily's. Hazel met green as he said,"We still are. Always will be." This caused Lily to look past their differences and smile at him. As if waiting for this approval, he smiled back.

He soon broke out of reverie as Amy's arm touched his. "This is Amy, my girlfriend."

Jackson took her hand and kissed it, "Hello beautiful lady." Lily soon was looking somewhere else, going back to being tense around James. Or maybe it was Jackson, James thought. He couldn't believe he just did that. Didn't he have some self respect? Kissing another woman's hand while his own fiance was beside him. James would never do that if he was with Lily. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

To break the tension, Peter's weak attempt to offer Jackson a drink worked.

Soon Jane added, "Come on guys, let's dance. Jackson will think we're a morose bunch. James, you too."

"Yeah James, come on, it's my s-"

"Surprise birthday party, I know. God, you've gotta stop saying that." James said, feeling proud that it had made Lily laugh.

"No thanks, I don't dance." Jackson declined.

"What's wrong Jackson? You were dying to dance a while ago." Lily taunted him and then went to the dance floor. Jackson followed.

As they went to the dance floor, everybody started dancing to "Good 4 u". And it was good for a while, to forget your worries and dance the hell out. But soon, the song changed. A slow, romantic symphony.

"Lily, this is for you." Jackson announced loudly, as he took her hand in his and they started dancing slowly.

All this while, James's eyes had been on Lily and Lily's on James. He felt a hand nudging him, he looked to find Amy smiling at him. She put her arms around his neck and started moving to the slow tune. And soon, his attention was back on the redhead, while Lily's eyes had never wavered.

In the darkness of the room, as a dim light gleamed across her eyes. They made the green shine brightly. In that moment, James saw how beautiful her eyes were. How her red locks shone like the sun. How beautiful she looked. In that moment, James Potter felt his heart ache at the sight of Lily and Jackson. And then he just...stopped. Felt still. Couldn't move. Because Jackson Hathaway's lips were on Lily's. And James didn't see that she seemed so unwilling to do it. That the kiss didn't feel natural to her. That she didn't want Jackson to be the one kissing her. Because how could he? How could he see those things when Lily herself did not?

In that moment Lily did not see that he saw how beautiful she was. She did not see how he had become so still that he couldn't move and it was because of not see how James's heart broke by seeing the sight in front of him. Because...how could she? How could she see those things when...James himself did not?

Somewhere

In a world where you're with me

Where just you and I

And our feelings exist

Where dawn smiles

From under our lashes

Where I can hear the moonlight

Sing me a lullaby in your arms

Where is that world?

I wonder if it exists at all

Where my life isn't

Such a stranger to me

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

END OF CHAPTER 9