The next day Stephanie found herself knocking on Paul and Shane's door. She hadn't got to talk to Shane about everything that happened yesterday without bringing their parents into it and she wanted to avoid that at all costs. After a moment of standing there waiting Stephanie knocked again and the door finally opened revealing Paul.

"Hey" Stephanie said trying to avoid eye contact. After their conversation yesterday he avoided her the rest of the time he was at her house.

"Hey" Paul replied stepping aside so she could enter the apartment. Stephanie walked past him into the living room and headed to Shane's room. "He's not here"

Stephanie stopped before completely making it to Shane's room and turned back around.

"Where is he?" Stephanie asked finally making direct eye contact with Paul. She watched as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I just got home and he wasn't here" Paul replied before he went off into the kitchen. Stephanie stood still not sure whether to follow Paul into the kitchen or just leave and come back later. She definitely felt awkward just standing there and Paul was acting the same way he had yesterday. Stephanie sighed and decided just to come back later and made her way to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Home I guess" Stephanie said opening the door.

"Wait" She heard him say as she started to leave. Stephanie turned around to see him leaning against the kitchen doorframe.

"What?" Stephanie asked stepping back into the apartment closing the door behind her. She crossed her arms and watched him play with the lid to his water bottle.

"I don't want things to be weird between us"

"It's too late for that. I thought at least we would still be friends like we were because you said that is what you wanted but you're not treating me the same way anymore"

"Cause it's too hard to go back exactly how it was Steph. When I joke with you it turns to flirting and its hard when I have feelings for you and there is nothing I can do about it. Then Shane will bitch about the flirting and will think something is going on behind his back and then there is you. You end up hurt over it all"

"I'm already hurt Paul" Stephanie shrugged and looked away trying not to start crying.

"I know and I'm sorry. You have no idea how much"

"So this is how its going to be from now on? Things will never be the same again?"

"I didn't say that but it won't be the same right away. Its going to take time, all we can do right now is try to move on"

Stephanie stood there staring at the ground. She knew she had to move on but hearing the words come out of his mouth was like a punch in the stomach. After a moment of silence Stephanie opened her mouth to say something back but the apartment door opened and she could hear Shane laughing. With a confused expression on her face she looked over to the door to Shane coming in and behind him was Zach, they both were laughing. Shane stopped laughing when he saw Stephanie and Paul.

"What are you doing here?" Shane asked looking at Stephanie.

"I came to talk to you but you weren't here. I was about to leave and come back later" Stephanie replied but Shane made a face as if he didn't believe her.

"Hey Stephanie" Zach acknowledged her with a smile.

"Hey Zach. How are you?" Stephanie asked as Shane left towards the kitchen, hopefully he would let go of what he probably thought of when seeing her and Paul alone.

"I'm good and you?"

"I'm fine" Stephanie replied with a smile.

"So uh Steph, how would you feel about going out to dinner with Zach tonight?" Shane asked coming back into the living room and stood beside of Zach.

"Well that is awkward" Zach said with a laugh.

"Do you not want to?" Shane asked him.

"I want to but you just asked your sister on a date for me. I would rather ask her myself"

"She shouldn't have a problem with it. I mean you aren't seeing anyone, right Steph?" Shane asked looking at her and she realized he was trying to see if anything was going on between her and Paul. He was trying to keep her away from Paul.

"No Shane I'm not seeing anyone" Stephanie replied resisting the urge to narrow her eyes at him.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" Zach asked her before Shane had the chance to say anything else to her.

"Don't you already have plans tonight Steph?" Paul asked as she looked over at him. He had his arms crossed and the jealous look he had the last time she had talked to Zach. She didn't know if he was trying to give her a chance to get out of the date or if he just didn't want her going.

"Actually I don't" Stephanie replied and looked back to Zach "I would like to"

"Great" Zach said with a big smile on his face and she couldn't help but return it. Out of the corner of her eye she couldn't but notice Paul had left the spot he was standing in and a moment later she heard a door slam shut. She felt a little guilty but Paul had said they needed to move on and he wanted Shane to know nothing was going on, this was the perfect way to do both.


"You did what?" Allie asked Stephanie shaking her head.

After exchanging numbers with Zach and setting a time to go to dinner Stephanie had decided to head to her best friend's house. She had just got done telling Allie everything that had happened between her and Paul and about agreeing to go out with Zach tonight.

"Paul said he wanted us to move on so I thought why not just go on a date with Zach"

"Are you trying to ruin any chance between you and Paul?" Allie asked as Stephanie sighed.

"There is no chance Allie. Were you not listening to anything I've been saying?"

"Well there might not be now. I have been listening and it's not that he doesn't want to be with you, he can't. He has feelings for you Steph and I know he is trying to respect Shane but something could always change and you just hurt him by dating one of his friends"

"I'm not dating him. It's one date and I don't think anything will change with Paul, it's the way of the universe telling me we aren't meant to be"

"You have to stop relying on stuff like that Stephanie" Allie replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Then how would you explain it?"

"Your brother is a dick and needs to remove the stick from his ass. He is what is keeping you two apart and I don't understand it. You're not a little girl anymore, you can take care of yourself"

"I wish he would realize that"

"Even if he did Paul might be upset about you and Zach now" Allie said making Stephanie feel even more guilty about going out with Zach. She knew Allie had a point though but the damage had already been done and she didn't want to hurt Zach either and she couldn't sit around waiting on a possibility for something that may never happen.

"It's not going to happen anyway Allie" Stephanie replied leaning her head back on the sofa.

"You never know"

"When did you become optimistic?"

"Since last night when I told Daniel I would marry him" Allie said as Stephanie sat up and looked at her.

"What? Why didn't you tell me instead of letting me go on about my problems?" Stephanie asked taking her hand and looking at her ring.

"I knew you were upset and needed to vent"

"It was so unimportant though. Congratulations" Stephanie smiled excited for her best friend. She had never seen Allie so happy before.

"We haven't set a date yet but you are going to be my maid of honor so if you're back in school by time we get married you are coming back here for it"

"I promise I will"

"Okay enough about me. What time is your dinner tonight?" Allie asked getting up from her seat.

"Seven"

"I have this dress that I have never wore and I think it would be perfect for tonight"

"Why do you have it if you weren't going to wear it?" Stephanie asked getting up from the sofa and falling her down the hallway.

"I hate dresses but my mom keeps giving them to me for special occasions" Allie replied opening her closet door in her bedroom. Stephanie watched her go through the clothes until she finally pulled out a black sleeveless dress that fanned out at the bottom and looked like it would reach a little bit above her knees.

"Its not too formal but its not too slutty at the same time" Allie said handing her the dress.

"I love it"

"Keep it please" Allie replied "it might get you laid"

"Allie! I'm not trying to sleep with him besides I thought you were against me even going out with Zach"

"Well I didn't mean tonight, maybe sometime in the future if you decide to wear it again. I'm not really against this date I'm just trying to tell you not to give up hope on Paul"

"Thanks Allie" Stephanie replied hugging her the best she could while holding the dress.

"Okay, okay" Allie laughed breaking the hug. "So why is Shane okay with this date when he is friends with Zach too?"

"I have no idea. I'm still trying to figure that one out"

"It's so hypocritical for him to be okay with Zach but not Paul" Allie said as they left her bedroom.

"I know and I'm still going to talk to him about it but with Zach being there and asking me out I couldn't really get into it with him"

"Well just call me when you do and call me after your date tonight"

"I will. I need to get going I have to get prepared for tonight"

"I'll talk to you later" Allie said as Stephanie walked over to the door.

"I'll talk to you later" Stephanie replied opening the door and walked out.


Later that night Stephanie stood looking at her outfit in the mirror, she had paired the dress with some black high heeled booties and had curled her hair in loose waves. Stephanie looked at her phone quickly at the time and it was 6:36, it was almost time for him to arrive and she was feeling nervous. Placing the phone in her purse she made her way downstairs to wait for Zach to arrive.

"You look great. Where are you going?" Linda asked as Stephanie reached the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm going on a date" Stephanie replied watching her moms face light up.

"Is it Paul?"

"What?" Stephanie asked nervous that Shane had told their parents about her and Paul or worse maybe Melanie did.

"Are you going on a date with Paul?"

"No. What would make you think that?"

"I don't know if it's obvious to everyone else or just me but I see the way you look at him and talk to him. He is the same way towards you. He's completely smitten with you as you are him so I thought maybe there was something going on"

"No we aren't going out on a date" Stephanie replied not wanting to go farther into it.

"Who are you going on a date with then?" Linda asked slightly tilting her head to the side with a confused expression

"With Shane's friend Zach"

"Oh" Linda replied a little less enthused then when she thought it was Paul "well be safe and have fun"

"I will mom" Stephanie replied thinking about if her mom would really be happy if she did date Paul. She would probably be the only one. She didn't get to dwell on it long before she heard a knock on the door. Taking a breath and slowly letting it out she calmed her even more jumbled nerves before going to the door.

"Hey" Stephanie greeted Zach after opening the door to find Zach. He was dressed casually in a gray shirt and jeans which made her feel way over dressed.

"Wow" Zach said looking at her and making her blush a little.

"Thank you"

"I know I'm a little early but honestly I just couldn't wait" Zach said smiling at her shyly.

"That's fine" Stephanie replied stepping out and shutting the door behind her.

They made their way down the driveway to her car and Stephanie went to reach for the handle but he had got to it before her and opened it. Stephanie couldn't help but smile as she got in and he closed the door behind, Her worries about the date disappearing a little at how much of a gentlemen he was being at the moment. Honestly she had been a little worried about how it would be like when it was just the two of them alone. She put her seatbelt on as he got in the car and then a few minutes later they were driving away from her house.

"Earlier today was weird" Zach said breaking the silence between them.

"Oh the whole thing with Shane? I agree" Stephanie replied nodding her head.

"Well yeah that too but also with Paul. He just really acted weird" Stephanie didn't really know how to respond and she didn't understand why everybody's favorite topic today was Paul.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you not notice? It was the way he responded to me asking you out and then he went to his room slamming the door behind him. He never left his room the rest of the time I was there"

"I have no idea why he was like that" Stephanie replied knowing it wasn't completely the truth. Paul had never came out and said he was jealous but she thought he was. Plus she knew he liked her and had wanted to date her.

"I know this is an inappropriate question and none of my business but did you two used to um…." Zach trailed off but she knew where he was going with the question.

"No, never" Stephanie replied turning her head looking out the window feeling uncomfortable.

"Sorry its just…well after Shane and Paul moved I would go visit them ever once in awhile and when they first moved Paul didn't seem like himself. The only time he seemed to act like himself was if Shane mentioned your name" Stephanie was stunned with the information Zach provided but it didn't make much sense to her considering her considering he didn't like her in that way back then unless she was wrong. Also Paul wouldn't even visit their house after him and Shane moved.

"That's weird" Stephanie mumbled.

"Anyway, what kind of food do you like?" Zach asked her changing the subject which she was grateful for.

"I'll try anything but I usually just stick with burgers, chicken, and fish. Those would probably be my favorites"

"Okay I was thinking about going to this steakhouse that has pretty good food. They have burgers if that is what you were prefer, I heard they are good. I usually get steak when I go there"

"That sounds good" Stephanie replied and they fell into silence until they arrived at their destination.

Once they arrived Zach turned off the car and got out heading to her side and opened her door for her. Then they made their way into the restaurant and waited for a few minutes before they were seated at a small table. The waitress took their drink order before leaving them to look over the menu.

"I don't even know why I even look at this honestly. I was order the same thing" Zach said flipping his menu closed and giving a small laugh.

"I do that a lot too" Stephanie replied tucking her hair behind her ears.

"So what have you been doing since coming back home?"

"Nothing much really. I've been pretty unproductive although I have been wanting to get a part time job"

"Any idea what type of job?"

"No clue" Stephanie replied with a laugh as the waitress came back with their drinks. While she was there they ordered their food and then she was off again. Stephanie closed her menu and put it aside looking over at Zach not knowing what to say. Conversation with him didn't come as easy as it did with Paul but then again she never really talked to Zach except for at the party.

"I'm pretty surprised Shane was okay with me asking you out"

"Why?"

"He was always so protective of you. He was always telling us not to flirt or try checking you out"

"He always acted protective but I was never sure if it was that or he didn't want his little sister hanging around him"

"It was probably both but he probably didn't want you hanging around him cause we were pretty much always partying and drunk. He probably didn't want one of us trying something on you while we were intoxicated and I can't blame him. I mean look how Dan was to you at the party when he was completely drunk"

"Don't remind me" Stephanie replied with a laugh.

They spent the next little bit talking about different things and Stephanie started feeling more comfortable as the conversation started flowing more easily. Once their food arrived the talking ceased a little as they began enjoying the food.

"Wow this is pretty good" Stephanie said after taking a bite of her burger.

"I was hoping you would like it" Zach replied as she picked up her tea and took a drink. Stephanie put her drink down back down as she heard a chair scrape against the floor and seen someone sit down beside her from the corner of her eye.

"I was not expecting to see you two here" Stephanie turned her head to see that it was Paul who had sit down beside of her.

"Uh hey Paul" Zach greeted him looking at him weird.

"What are you doing here?" Stephanie asked as he scooted his chair closer to hers.

"I came here to pick up some food to go and I seen you two and decided to come join you. You don't mind do you?"

"Do you remember earlier today when I asked Stephanie on a date?" Zach asked him as Paul stole a fry from Stephanie's plate and took a bite.

"Yeah" Paul replied taking another bite of the fry. Stephanie wasn't sure if he was pretending not to get that Zach was trying to tell him no or if he honestly didn't understand.

"That is what we are on right now"

"So I take that as a no?" Paul asked drawing out the word no.

Yeah it is a no" Zach replied nodding his head as they sat staring at each other. Stephanie was feeling pretty uncomfortable at this point.

"Can't I just sit here until my food is done?" Paul asked as Stephanie felt him place his hand on her knee. She was appalled that he would try something on her when she was on a date, she pushed his hand off of her knee and he turned his head looking at her.

"I'll be right back" Zach said annoyed and Stephanie looked over at him giving him an apologetic look. She watched him walk in the direction of the restrooms before returning her attention back to Paul.

"What are you doing?" Stephanie asked him.

"I just came over to talk" Paul replied acting innocent.

"Cut the bullshit Paul. This is very uncomfortable"

"Well I tried helping you get out of the date" Paul replied shrugging his shoulders.

"I didn't want out of the date. You are making this uncomfortable"

"Why did you come on this date?" Paul asked ignoring her last comment.

"Because he asked me"

"Is that the only reason?"

Yes. What else would it be?" Stephanie asked rolling her eyes. Stephanie sighed and looked towards the direction Zach went in to find him heading back towards the table.

"Well it was a great talking to you. I'm going to go see if my food is done" Paul said getting up from his seat.

"Bye Paul" Zach said before returning back to his food.

"Yeah. Bye Steph" Paul said leaving their table.

The rest of their dinner was in silence as they ate their food. Zach seemed to be in a bad mood since Paul had came over and basically ruined their date. It wasn't until they were in the car and driving back to Stephanie's house that Zach finally said anything.

"Am I fighting a losing battle here Stephanie?" Zach asked looking over at her a moment before returning his attention back to the road.

"What are you talking about?" Stephanie asked confused.

"Do you still have feelings for Paul?"

"How did you know I used to-"

"I think everyone knew. It was obvious and I was hoping maybe after this long they would be gone and that was why I asked about Paul earlier. I was trying to see if you still had feelings for him"

"It's complicated" Stephanie replied embarrassed.

"It really isn't Stephanie. It's a yes or no answer but whatever it is it seems like Paul still has something for you" Zach said pulling into her driveway and looking over at her.

"Yes...I do but I'm trying to move on"

"Why did you agree to go on a date with me?"

"I had fun with you at the party and you are a good guy. I like being with you" Stephanie replied as she watched him look in the direction of her house.

"We just can't escape him tonight" Zach said with a sigh and shaking his head. Stephanie followed his gaze to see Paul standing beside of the front door resting his back on the house with his arms crossed watching them.

"Goodnight Stephanie" Zach said as she looked over at him. He gave her a weak smile.

"Goodnight Zach" Stephanie replied opening the car door. She took the hint that there was basically nothing left to talk about. After closing the door and watching him pull out of her driveway she headed towards her house to face Paul.

"What are you doing here?" Stephanie asked aggravated and pulled her keys out of her purse.

"Just seeing how the rest of your date went" Paul said as she unlocked her door and then turned to her side to face him with a pissed off expression on her face.

"Are you being serious right now?" Stephanie almost shouted. Paul turned to completely face her and just stared at her.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this pissed off before" Paul said with an amused smile "It's kind of hot"

"Don't Paul" Stephanie warned "Stop playing mind games with me, it's confusing and irritating. You either be with me or don't"

"I'm not or at least I don't think I am" Paul replied walking to the edge of the porch that faced the driveway.

"Then what was tonight about?" Stephanie asked turning around to face him.

"He was wasn't right for you Steph"

"Then who is Paul?" Stephanie asked flinging her arms out at her side and letting them fall back down.

Paul just stood there not saying anything and Stephanie scoffed. She knew she wasn't getting anything else from him. So with that she turned and opened the front door and stepped inside she turned back around to look at him.

"Goodnight Paul" Stephanie said before closing the door and locking it.