A/N: Ha ha ha ha ha ^_^ I made my deadline :) Tomorrow we're going to
leave for a three week vacation and I wanted to post the last chapter
before we left and I only just finished it. ^^; Close call, but I made it
^_^ And yes, I've changed my pen name yet again to Grinning Purple
Cheshire Cat :P Pen names are hard to choose. But maybe if I chose one
that had to do with one of my muses they would be a bit more cooperative
with me ^^;; hense the current one. Oh, and MM informed me that Bobbi's
last name was mentioned as Summers? Ah well, it's been two years, you
gotta cut me some slack ^^; Anyway, here's the last chapter which is also
where the story gets its namesake...
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Jamie and I stood in silence for a while, staring at the empty door frame through which Jason had disappeared until a distant rumble of thunder broke the unnerving stillness. "So," Jamie turned around to face me. "You...you ok?"
"Oh, yeah," I nodded. "Thanks."
"Yup..." Another long pause. "I think he's gone for good this time..."
"Yeah...good..." Even more silence. We both had the same thing on our minds, though neither of us really knew how to bring it up. Did Jamie really feel that way about me?
We both spoke at the same time.
"Look-"
"I-"
"What?" he asked, giving me the opportunity to go first while he stared intently at a spot on the floor, cringing slightly as if he was expecting a slap in the face.
"I, well..." I blushed and brushed a stray strand of my dark hair behind my ear, not quite sure how to begin. "Er...was what Jason said really true? About you-"
"Yes," he interrupted me, looking genuinely ashamed. "And I'm really, really sorry..."
"Sorry?" My forehead creased in confusion. "Why?"
"I really did want to tell you, honestly!" he went on, ignoring my last comment. "It's just that, well, Bobbi swore me to secrecy..."
Well, that wasn't what I was referring to, but since he brought it up...
"But really, I swear, I didn't do anything with her! Not once." He glanced at me worridly, as if he expected me to suddenly blow up at him. He looked like such a loose bundle of nerve ends that I smiled in spite of myself.
"And why didn't you? Isn't that what all guys want?" I teased.
"Well," he flashed a wry smile back at me, shaking his head. "It's just not right. Not unless you're really truly in love with eachother." A wave of crimson was creeping its way over his cheeks.
"Ah...and...you didn't love her?"
"No."
"Oh." I could feel my face burning as well. Another long interval of silence prevailed while Jamie twiddled his fingers anxiously and I ran my tongue over my suddenly dry lips. Finally, I took a deep breath. "So, the phone call I walked in on earlier, that was Bobbi?"
"Yeah."
"And that's when you broke up with her?"
"Yeah."
"And the text message, that was from her also?"
"Yeah."
"And the plan she was talking about, that was the one Jason was so ticked about?"
"Yeah."
"And she really was the one who thought of it?"
"Yeah."
"And can you say anything other than 'yeah'?" I joked.
He cocked his head thoughtfully for a moment, then winked and smiled his comfortingly familiar lop-sided grin, nodding. "Yeah."
We both laughed a little, locked gazes for an instant, then quickly looked away. "Then what didn't you know?" I asked, vaguely recalling where Jamie had cut their conversation short.
"Hmm?"
"On your cell phone. With Bobbi. When I interrupted you. You kept saying you didn't know..."
"Oh!" If it was possible he turned an even deeper shade of red. "Oh, that..." He took a seat on the foot rest behind him. His hands, desparate for something to do, had fished the cell, which was undamaged miraculously, out of his pocket and were now flipping the top up and down repeatedly. "Well, see...it's kind of a long story..." he looked up at me expectantly. Half of him looked like he really wanted to tell me, while the other half seemed to be silently pleading with me to say "Ok, you can explain it later."
My curiosity won out in the end and I guestured blandly around the disheveled room. "Got time."
"Um, ok...see, Bobbi was so adimate about," he snorted bitterly, "putting this plan into action...No matter how many times I kept saying no, she kept hounding me about it, claiming it was 'the next step in our relationship.'" He shook his head disgustedly. "The longer this went on, the more forceful she got. It reached the point where we could no longer talk to eachother without fighting about it. She some how got it in her mind to harass me untill I finally broke. She kept calling me, and calling me, and every time I got fed up and hung up on on her, it just couldn't make it through her head to stop. She made sure my phone was always busy; nobody could get a hold of me. Do you know how many calls from the squad I missed because of her?!"
He paused long enough for me to say "God," then continued.
"Well, I figured the only way I could get her to quit would be to say yes...so...fice seconds later, when she called again, I told her ok. But just because I told her I would didn't mean I was actually planning to," he quickly added. "No, she told me to meet up at her place later on, and that's when I decided I would just show up, tell her it was over, and leave. If she resumed her constant harassment, I would just get a new cell phone with a different number. Well, on my way there," he inclined his head in my direction, "I heard your...cry for help, came to your rescue, beat the crap out of Jason, and drove you home. Then, while you were changing, she called me asking me why I was late. I told her one of my friends had an emergency and really needed my help. Oh, she got SO pissed when I mentioned you were a girl. She accused me of cheating on her, and I told her I wasn't, though I was planning on breaking up with her anyway...and that's when...well..." He figited slightly in his seat, still avoiding my gaze. "She asked me if I loved you."
My tongue froze as my heart skipped a beat.
"And that's what I wasn't sure about."
My mouth opened, but no words came out. I tried vainly to will my vocal cords to work, but they refused to obey me.
"But......I do know now."
"Oh?" I managed to squeak, my voice unusually hoarse.
"And...I do..." he said softly.
Every single drop of blood in my body rushed to my face. Once again, I was at a loss for words and was only able to mutter "really?" in an uncharacteristically high-pitched whisper I couldn't believe was my own.
He stopped fiddling with his cell phone and boldly met my gaze, wordlessly giving me the answer.
"Oh...my God, I...I...me? Are you serious? So...what Jason said about you...liking me, that was true?"
"Uh, yeah..." He resumed staring at the spot on the floor, running his fingers through his spickey brown hair embarassedly.
"I wasn't sure weither to belive him or not....you...you reeally wanted to take me to Homecoming?"
"Well, yeah," he nodded. "I just didn't know how to ask you. I mean, every time I scraped up enough nerve to, you'd start complaining about how tired you were of hearing people talk about 'that stupid dance,' and how it was just a geek-fest for jocks and jocketts...Asking you to come just to make fun of everyone was the only way I could think of." He smiled sheepishly. "Though if I would have known you'd make me dress up as a girl I'd have tried to think of a different way."
I giggled, so very VERY unlike me. "Aw, but you looked so cute in Val's little cheerleading outfit. Of course you should have at least had the deciency to shave your legs before you came." He grinned broadly and I relaxed a little. Yes, lighten the mood, that's what I had to do, to show Jamie what he said wouldn't kill our friendship at all, to find a comfortable way to tell him that I indeeed felt....the same. I put on my best pouty face. " I do admit I got kinda jelous when you were dancing with Tyler."
He laughed, such a wonderful sound. Then more silence. The lightened mood I had tried to create was waining. "Well...what do you think...about what I said?" Jamie asked timidly, brutally murdering what was left of the mood.
I could feel my face burning like the sun as I sat down on the armrest of the recliner across from him. "Well...you mean all this time you've actually liked...*me?* As more than a friend?" He shifted uncomfortably, suddenly enthrolled by a skuff on his black sneakers. "Well, I really...I really don't know what to say....I really do feel the same..." he looked up in disbelief and I forced a smile, even though it seemed my heart had jumped up to my throat and had suddenly swelled up and was now almost painfully choking me. "I mean, I always knew that subconsiously I did like you a...a lot...but I just refused to admit it to myself." I chewed on my lip thoughtfully. "I didn't want to fall for my best friend...I didn't want it to affect our friendship at all..."
He noticably relaxed as relief flooded his features. "I completely understand. I thought the same thing at first, but I just couldn't ignore the way I felt, or pretend I didn't care. Caitie, the day Bobbi asked me if I wanted to give it a second try, I just felt...like it was wrong. I realized that all the things I ever did with her I would have enjoyed more with you. It got to the point where I would have rather been hanging with you than her, and I found myself actually wishing she *was* you, and...that's when I knew...I had fallen in love with you."
"I..." I stamered. He looked at me with his dark doleful eyes, so full of hope and sencerity, and I felt tears welling up in my own. He smiled fondly at me and I struggled desparately to keep any tear from finding its way out. It was a losing battle. Why on earth was I getting so emotional? I definately wasn't a femme, that was for sure, and it was just *Jamie*...but I just couldn't help myself. A single tear leaked out from the corner of my right eye and slid down the rosey flesh of my flushed cheeks. I quickly made a move to brush it away while Jamie politely looked away, trying to save my pride from the added stress of embarassment. My mouth gave up trying to form words. I didn't dare speak for fear of how wavery my voice would sound. I only sat back and sniffled softly to myself.
Jamie kept throwing me havering glances, obviously unsure of what to do. I only smiled back warmly, my eyes still sparkling with tears but at least no others were soaking my skin. "So, uh..." he resumed the nervous tinkering with his mobile phone. "Wow, I would have never imagined that I'd be telling you this under situations like these...or that you'd say the same thing..."
"Me too," I agreed.
Pause.
"Caitie?"
"Yeah?" I answered, my heart rate beginning to speed up.
"Jason was one lucky bastard to have been able to go out on a date with you."
"I..." I blushed to the roots of my dark brown hair.
"I would do anything for the same chance..."
I smiled impishly. "Are you asking me to go out with you?"
"Well, that depends," he said, looking quite serious.
A bemused frown creased my features. "On what?"
"On if you really were jelous about me and Tyler dancing." He could hold back no longer and the corners of his mouth twisted up in a heartbreaking grin.
Mine soon followed suit and I found myself leaning forward and wrapping my arms around his neck. "God, Jamie," I laughed. "We've been friends since the first grade. Best friends. All this time you've cared about me, and all this time I've tried to ignore the fact that I cared about you, too." He hugged me back just as tightly. "All this time the perfect boyfriend has been sitting right under my nose for the longest time and it takes a near rape for me to realize it."
He chuckled, pulling away. "Far from perfect."
I only shook my head. "Not to me."
His face beet red, Jamie went back to staring at the floor.
I sighed and stood up. "Look at this place. My parents are going to be *pissed* when they come home. A broken window, and a broken lamp..."
"Well, gee, it's not like it's your fault. You were assulted. You have an excuse. They'll understand," he tried to comfort me.
I nodded, though I seriously doubted that. The curtain kept billowing out every so often as a stray gust of wind located it.
"Well, reguardless," Jamie said, standing too. "Just to be on the safe side, you should stay at someone's house. Should I call Val now?"
"It's two o'clock, do you really think she's still awake?"
"So? We'll wake her up. I wonder what she's liek when her precious beauty sleep is interrupted...Let's see if she really is preppy and happy-go-lucky twenty-four-seven, shall we?" He began dialing her number.
"Well, no, wait," I interrupted. "...There's no way we could ring Val only, not without everybody in the house waking up. I really don't want to bother her family or trouble them with my presence right now...Nor do I want to have to explain to everyone what happened..."
"Honey, it's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I know, but...I just don't want them to worry about me. And besides, Val would definately make me tell the police. We promised Jason no cops. Who knows what he'd do if he found out we told." I sighed again. "I'm perfectly Ok, I just want to forget that this whole night ever happened."
"Um...even...even this...?"
And before I knew what was happening, he was kissing me and I was kissing him back.
After an all to quick three seconds he inhaled sharply and immediately backed away. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Caitie..."
"Sorry?"
"Yes, here you've just come an inch from being raped and I come out of nowhere and start kissing you...it was wrong and stupid and I'm sorry..."
"No, no," I quickly objected. "I...I liked it...It's fine, you're my boyfriend now..." I blushed with pleasure. Boyfriend. I liked that. I noticed I was staring and looked away. "But no, really, it's fine. I'm Ok. I'll be alright here."
"No," Jamie's eyes fell upon the sharp kitchen knife which still laid where he had left it on the wooden coffee table. "Jason said he'd leave and never come back, but I don't know how trustworthy he is. If you don't want to stay at Val's, you're always welcome to come to my place. Who knows where my mom is, but we'll have the place to ourselves."
I eyed him coyly. "You want *me* to sleep over at your house with nobody else there but you?"
He put on an expression of mock surpries. "Caitie! I'm hurt! How could you accuse me of thinking like that? I would never! *I'm* a gentleman."
He looked so comical that I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, yes, I'm sure. Fine then, come on, let's go."
He walked me to the door, picking up the coat I had left hanging on the closest door knob and helping me into it. "So...you're my girlfriend now?" he asked as I slipped into a pair of tennis shoes.
I smiled broadly. "Yeah," I nodded. "Yeah."
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* *~ The End~* * A/N: Wow. This chapter BIT. But hey, it's the conclusion, so what do you care, eh? This is the first fanfic I've ever successfully completed and posted on fanfiction.net ^__^ As I've said before, it's a prequil to another fic I wrote a while back entitled "Reasons To Leave." I'm gonna take a short short short break from IAHB fics (I'm gonna write a Harry Potter one to clear my head) and then I'll get around to posting the sequel ^-^ And maybe I should have another fic that sort of branches off from this, like maybe what Jason did to Bobbi when he returned home, or something like that. What do you think? Thanks to all my reviewers, please R/R this fic for the last time (Please so I can break 60) (.:wipes away a tear:. endings are so sad...) and thank you so much to the following people (in no particular order):
* Montana Magic, madnuninblue, Winter*rose, Escaflowne, Mystick, Sarah, Luvcarter, Dancin Fool, Prettypandas26, skimmboardergurl, QuEeN oF tHe UnIvErSe, Rainshower, Pixie Hardy, Angel Baby (Even though she flamed me and swore she wouldn't read the rest, I know she has been and just hasn't been reviewing ;)), Jd, anyone else I might have missed, everyone who has read this story and just hasn't reviewed (I know there are many), and a big special thanks to everyone who put me on their favourite stories/author list ^_____^ You guys are the best and I love you all ^-^ .:bows and curtains close:. Thank you and good night!
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Jamie and I stood in silence for a while, staring at the empty door frame through which Jason had disappeared until a distant rumble of thunder broke the unnerving stillness. "So," Jamie turned around to face me. "You...you ok?"
"Oh, yeah," I nodded. "Thanks."
"Yup..." Another long pause. "I think he's gone for good this time..."
"Yeah...good..." Even more silence. We both had the same thing on our minds, though neither of us really knew how to bring it up. Did Jamie really feel that way about me?
We both spoke at the same time.
"Look-"
"I-"
"What?" he asked, giving me the opportunity to go first while he stared intently at a spot on the floor, cringing slightly as if he was expecting a slap in the face.
"I, well..." I blushed and brushed a stray strand of my dark hair behind my ear, not quite sure how to begin. "Er...was what Jason said really true? About you-"
"Yes," he interrupted me, looking genuinely ashamed. "And I'm really, really sorry..."
"Sorry?" My forehead creased in confusion. "Why?"
"I really did want to tell you, honestly!" he went on, ignoring my last comment. "It's just that, well, Bobbi swore me to secrecy..."
Well, that wasn't what I was referring to, but since he brought it up...
"But really, I swear, I didn't do anything with her! Not once." He glanced at me worridly, as if he expected me to suddenly blow up at him. He looked like such a loose bundle of nerve ends that I smiled in spite of myself.
"And why didn't you? Isn't that what all guys want?" I teased.
"Well," he flashed a wry smile back at me, shaking his head. "It's just not right. Not unless you're really truly in love with eachother." A wave of crimson was creeping its way over his cheeks.
"Ah...and...you didn't love her?"
"No."
"Oh." I could feel my face burning as well. Another long interval of silence prevailed while Jamie twiddled his fingers anxiously and I ran my tongue over my suddenly dry lips. Finally, I took a deep breath. "So, the phone call I walked in on earlier, that was Bobbi?"
"Yeah."
"And that's when you broke up with her?"
"Yeah."
"And the text message, that was from her also?"
"Yeah."
"And the plan she was talking about, that was the one Jason was so ticked about?"
"Yeah."
"And she really was the one who thought of it?"
"Yeah."
"And can you say anything other than 'yeah'?" I joked.
He cocked his head thoughtfully for a moment, then winked and smiled his comfortingly familiar lop-sided grin, nodding. "Yeah."
We both laughed a little, locked gazes for an instant, then quickly looked away. "Then what didn't you know?" I asked, vaguely recalling where Jamie had cut their conversation short.
"Hmm?"
"On your cell phone. With Bobbi. When I interrupted you. You kept saying you didn't know..."
"Oh!" If it was possible he turned an even deeper shade of red. "Oh, that..." He took a seat on the foot rest behind him. His hands, desparate for something to do, had fished the cell, which was undamaged miraculously, out of his pocket and were now flipping the top up and down repeatedly. "Well, see...it's kind of a long story..." he looked up at me expectantly. Half of him looked like he really wanted to tell me, while the other half seemed to be silently pleading with me to say "Ok, you can explain it later."
My curiosity won out in the end and I guestured blandly around the disheveled room. "Got time."
"Um, ok...see, Bobbi was so adimate about," he snorted bitterly, "putting this plan into action...No matter how many times I kept saying no, she kept hounding me about it, claiming it was 'the next step in our relationship.'" He shook his head disgustedly. "The longer this went on, the more forceful she got. It reached the point where we could no longer talk to eachother without fighting about it. She some how got it in her mind to harass me untill I finally broke. She kept calling me, and calling me, and every time I got fed up and hung up on on her, it just couldn't make it through her head to stop. She made sure my phone was always busy; nobody could get a hold of me. Do you know how many calls from the squad I missed because of her?!"
He paused long enough for me to say "God," then continued.
"Well, I figured the only way I could get her to quit would be to say yes...so...fice seconds later, when she called again, I told her ok. But just because I told her I would didn't mean I was actually planning to," he quickly added. "No, she told me to meet up at her place later on, and that's when I decided I would just show up, tell her it was over, and leave. If she resumed her constant harassment, I would just get a new cell phone with a different number. Well, on my way there," he inclined his head in my direction, "I heard your...cry for help, came to your rescue, beat the crap out of Jason, and drove you home. Then, while you were changing, she called me asking me why I was late. I told her one of my friends had an emergency and really needed my help. Oh, she got SO pissed when I mentioned you were a girl. She accused me of cheating on her, and I told her I wasn't, though I was planning on breaking up with her anyway...and that's when...well..." He figited slightly in his seat, still avoiding my gaze. "She asked me if I loved you."
My tongue froze as my heart skipped a beat.
"And that's what I wasn't sure about."
My mouth opened, but no words came out. I tried vainly to will my vocal cords to work, but they refused to obey me.
"But......I do know now."
"Oh?" I managed to squeak, my voice unusually hoarse.
"And...I do..." he said softly.
Every single drop of blood in my body rushed to my face. Once again, I was at a loss for words and was only able to mutter "really?" in an uncharacteristically high-pitched whisper I couldn't believe was my own.
He stopped fiddling with his cell phone and boldly met my gaze, wordlessly giving me the answer.
"Oh...my God, I...I...me? Are you serious? So...what Jason said about you...liking me, that was true?"
"Uh, yeah..." He resumed staring at the spot on the floor, running his fingers through his spickey brown hair embarassedly.
"I wasn't sure weither to belive him or not....you...you reeally wanted to take me to Homecoming?"
"Well, yeah," he nodded. "I just didn't know how to ask you. I mean, every time I scraped up enough nerve to, you'd start complaining about how tired you were of hearing people talk about 'that stupid dance,' and how it was just a geek-fest for jocks and jocketts...Asking you to come just to make fun of everyone was the only way I could think of." He smiled sheepishly. "Though if I would have known you'd make me dress up as a girl I'd have tried to think of a different way."
I giggled, so very VERY unlike me. "Aw, but you looked so cute in Val's little cheerleading outfit. Of course you should have at least had the deciency to shave your legs before you came." He grinned broadly and I relaxed a little. Yes, lighten the mood, that's what I had to do, to show Jamie what he said wouldn't kill our friendship at all, to find a comfortable way to tell him that I indeeed felt....the same. I put on my best pouty face. " I do admit I got kinda jelous when you were dancing with Tyler."
He laughed, such a wonderful sound. Then more silence. The lightened mood I had tried to create was waining. "Well...what do you think...about what I said?" Jamie asked timidly, brutally murdering what was left of the mood.
I could feel my face burning like the sun as I sat down on the armrest of the recliner across from him. "Well...you mean all this time you've actually liked...*me?* As more than a friend?" He shifted uncomfortably, suddenly enthrolled by a skuff on his black sneakers. "Well, I really...I really don't know what to say....I really do feel the same..." he looked up in disbelief and I forced a smile, even though it seemed my heart had jumped up to my throat and had suddenly swelled up and was now almost painfully choking me. "I mean, I always knew that subconsiously I did like you a...a lot...but I just refused to admit it to myself." I chewed on my lip thoughtfully. "I didn't want to fall for my best friend...I didn't want it to affect our friendship at all..."
He noticably relaxed as relief flooded his features. "I completely understand. I thought the same thing at first, but I just couldn't ignore the way I felt, or pretend I didn't care. Caitie, the day Bobbi asked me if I wanted to give it a second try, I just felt...like it was wrong. I realized that all the things I ever did with her I would have enjoyed more with you. It got to the point where I would have rather been hanging with you than her, and I found myself actually wishing she *was* you, and...that's when I knew...I had fallen in love with you."
"I..." I stamered. He looked at me with his dark doleful eyes, so full of hope and sencerity, and I felt tears welling up in my own. He smiled fondly at me and I struggled desparately to keep any tear from finding its way out. It was a losing battle. Why on earth was I getting so emotional? I definately wasn't a femme, that was for sure, and it was just *Jamie*...but I just couldn't help myself. A single tear leaked out from the corner of my right eye and slid down the rosey flesh of my flushed cheeks. I quickly made a move to brush it away while Jamie politely looked away, trying to save my pride from the added stress of embarassment. My mouth gave up trying to form words. I didn't dare speak for fear of how wavery my voice would sound. I only sat back and sniffled softly to myself.
Jamie kept throwing me havering glances, obviously unsure of what to do. I only smiled back warmly, my eyes still sparkling with tears but at least no others were soaking my skin. "So, uh..." he resumed the nervous tinkering with his mobile phone. "Wow, I would have never imagined that I'd be telling you this under situations like these...or that you'd say the same thing..."
"Me too," I agreed.
Pause.
"Caitie?"
"Yeah?" I answered, my heart rate beginning to speed up.
"Jason was one lucky bastard to have been able to go out on a date with you."
"I..." I blushed to the roots of my dark brown hair.
"I would do anything for the same chance..."
I smiled impishly. "Are you asking me to go out with you?"
"Well, that depends," he said, looking quite serious.
A bemused frown creased my features. "On what?"
"On if you really were jelous about me and Tyler dancing." He could hold back no longer and the corners of his mouth twisted up in a heartbreaking grin.
Mine soon followed suit and I found myself leaning forward and wrapping my arms around his neck. "God, Jamie," I laughed. "We've been friends since the first grade. Best friends. All this time you've cared about me, and all this time I've tried to ignore the fact that I cared about you, too." He hugged me back just as tightly. "All this time the perfect boyfriend has been sitting right under my nose for the longest time and it takes a near rape for me to realize it."
He chuckled, pulling away. "Far from perfect."
I only shook my head. "Not to me."
His face beet red, Jamie went back to staring at the floor.
I sighed and stood up. "Look at this place. My parents are going to be *pissed* when they come home. A broken window, and a broken lamp..."
"Well, gee, it's not like it's your fault. You were assulted. You have an excuse. They'll understand," he tried to comfort me.
I nodded, though I seriously doubted that. The curtain kept billowing out every so often as a stray gust of wind located it.
"Well, reguardless," Jamie said, standing too. "Just to be on the safe side, you should stay at someone's house. Should I call Val now?"
"It's two o'clock, do you really think she's still awake?"
"So? We'll wake her up. I wonder what she's liek when her precious beauty sleep is interrupted...Let's see if she really is preppy and happy-go-lucky twenty-four-seven, shall we?" He began dialing her number.
"Well, no, wait," I interrupted. "...There's no way we could ring Val only, not without everybody in the house waking up. I really don't want to bother her family or trouble them with my presence right now...Nor do I want to have to explain to everyone what happened..."
"Honey, it's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I know, but...I just don't want them to worry about me. And besides, Val would definately make me tell the police. We promised Jason no cops. Who knows what he'd do if he found out we told." I sighed again. "I'm perfectly Ok, I just want to forget that this whole night ever happened."
"Um...even...even this...?"
And before I knew what was happening, he was kissing me and I was kissing him back.
After an all to quick three seconds he inhaled sharply and immediately backed away. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Caitie..."
"Sorry?"
"Yes, here you've just come an inch from being raped and I come out of nowhere and start kissing you...it was wrong and stupid and I'm sorry..."
"No, no," I quickly objected. "I...I liked it...It's fine, you're my boyfriend now..." I blushed with pleasure. Boyfriend. I liked that. I noticed I was staring and looked away. "But no, really, it's fine. I'm Ok. I'll be alright here."
"No," Jamie's eyes fell upon the sharp kitchen knife which still laid where he had left it on the wooden coffee table. "Jason said he'd leave and never come back, but I don't know how trustworthy he is. If you don't want to stay at Val's, you're always welcome to come to my place. Who knows where my mom is, but we'll have the place to ourselves."
I eyed him coyly. "You want *me* to sleep over at your house with nobody else there but you?"
He put on an expression of mock surpries. "Caitie! I'm hurt! How could you accuse me of thinking like that? I would never! *I'm* a gentleman."
He looked so comical that I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, yes, I'm sure. Fine then, come on, let's go."
He walked me to the door, picking up the coat I had left hanging on the closest door knob and helping me into it. "So...you're my girlfriend now?" he asked as I slipped into a pair of tennis shoes.
I smiled broadly. "Yeah," I nodded. "Yeah."
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* *~ The End~* * A/N: Wow. This chapter BIT. But hey, it's the conclusion, so what do you care, eh? This is the first fanfic I've ever successfully completed and posted on fanfiction.net ^__^ As I've said before, it's a prequil to another fic I wrote a while back entitled "Reasons To Leave." I'm gonna take a short short short break from IAHB fics (I'm gonna write a Harry Potter one to clear my head) and then I'll get around to posting the sequel ^-^ And maybe I should have another fic that sort of branches off from this, like maybe what Jason did to Bobbi when he returned home, or something like that. What do you think? Thanks to all my reviewers, please R/R this fic for the last time (Please so I can break 60) (.:wipes away a tear:. endings are so sad...) and thank you so much to the following people (in no particular order):
* Montana Magic, madnuninblue, Winter*rose, Escaflowne, Mystick, Sarah, Luvcarter, Dancin Fool, Prettypandas26, skimmboardergurl, QuEeN oF tHe UnIvErSe, Rainshower, Pixie Hardy, Angel Baby (Even though she flamed me and swore she wouldn't read the rest, I know she has been and just hasn't been reviewing ;)), Jd, anyone else I might have missed, everyone who has read this story and just hasn't reviewed (I know there are many), and a big special thanks to everyone who put me on their favourite stories/author list ^_____^ You guys are the best and I love you all ^-^ .:bows and curtains close:. Thank you and good night!