A/N: I found this chapter . . . apparently it was lost for quite some time.
MM beta read for me a long time ago, and I wanted to thank her for beta-
ing. Please review!
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Monday morning, Caitie walked into homeroom. Jason was seated at his usual desk. Caitie approached him.
"Hello Caitie!" Jason greeted.
"You're here early," she observed.
"So are you! Want to go grab a cup of coffee?" Jason offered.
"Another coffee run before homeroom?" she teased playfully. "Sure. We have to talk anyway."
Jason stood up from his seat and followed Caitie out of the room.
After successfully acquiring two cups of hazelnut coffee, Jason and Caitie sat on a bench located outside the school. Still ample time left before homeroom, they decided to enjoy the quiet morning.
"I have to tell you something," Caitie began nervously.
"Sure," Jason replied fully attentive.
"I can't be with you."
Jason nodded. "It was worth a shot." He flashed her a small smile.
"Can we be friends?" Caitie asked, aware of her pathetic question.
"I wouldn't settle for anything else." Jason reached for her hand and squeezed it tight. "He's lucky you know."
"Jamie?" she asked.
"Yeah. He's lucky." Jason stood up from the bench. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "If it doesn't work out . . . you know where to find me," he teased.
"You're a really great guy, and whoever you end up with is going to be a really lucky girl." Caitie stood up from her seat and gave him a warm hug. "I mean it."
"I'm going to go see my coach before homeroom starts. I'll see you later?"
Caitie nodded. She watched the Jason's tall image walk away.
*
Caitie walked towards the EMS station. She hesitated before entering. Once again in a situation where her courage seemed to escape, she berated herself. One step after the other, she entered the station.
Caitie quickly scanned the common room and the locker room. No one was in sight. She walked towards the back of the station and walked into the garage. Behind the ambulance stood Jamie, restocking supplies.
She walked up to her best friend, her knees shaking the entire time.
"Jamie," she called out.
He looked closed the ambulance doors. "Hi, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"Had some time to kill before homeroom."
Jamie nodded his head. There was clearly awkwardness between them.
"Jamie . . . " Caitie managed to utter before her verbal skills dissipated.
"Yeah?" Jamie noticed her nervousness. He braced himself for the worst of news. She couldn't forget what had happened and wanted to terminate their friendship.
Caitie shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She played with the sleeve of her coat. "Jamie . . ." she spoke repeated again, this time trying her best to articulate the entire sentence.
Jamie gazed intently at Caitie. A sinking feeling washed over his body. His limbs felt heavy.
"Jamie, I love you too."
It was said. It was uttered. It was stated. Caitie took a gasped for air.
Jamie stood in a state of shock before her statement was processed. "What?" he replied.
"I'm sorry about the other day. I was just so scared . . . I was so scared of what this all would mean."
"What about Jason?" Jamie asked without any real concern over his welfare.
"I told him this morning that I can't be with him."
Jamie felt as if his feet were glued to the floor.
Caitie felt the butterflies in her stomach multiply with every passing second of silence. Doubt entered her mind. She wondered if Jamie changed his mind. He probably resented her for holding back.
Jamie walked over to Caitie and softly caressed her cheek. This time, he was intent on making this kiss perfect. His lips gingerly found their way over to hers. They brushed against her pink lips softly before they indulged in a passionate kiss. Caitie wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his spiky hair. His arms held her waist tightly, supporting her body.
Finally they broke away. "I love you Caitie," Jamie whispered in her ear.
"I love you too," she replied looking deep into his chestnut eyes.
A large squeal was heard from the doorway. Val, Tyler and Hank watched with silly expressions of happiness on their faces.
"It's about time!" Tyler exclaimed!
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Monday morning, Caitie walked into homeroom. Jason was seated at his usual desk. Caitie approached him.
"Hello Caitie!" Jason greeted.
"You're here early," she observed.
"So are you! Want to go grab a cup of coffee?" Jason offered.
"Another coffee run before homeroom?" she teased playfully. "Sure. We have to talk anyway."
Jason stood up from his seat and followed Caitie out of the room.
After successfully acquiring two cups of hazelnut coffee, Jason and Caitie sat on a bench located outside the school. Still ample time left before homeroom, they decided to enjoy the quiet morning.
"I have to tell you something," Caitie began nervously.
"Sure," Jason replied fully attentive.
"I can't be with you."
Jason nodded. "It was worth a shot." He flashed her a small smile.
"Can we be friends?" Caitie asked, aware of her pathetic question.
"I wouldn't settle for anything else." Jason reached for her hand and squeezed it tight. "He's lucky you know."
"Jamie?" she asked.
"Yeah. He's lucky." Jason stood up from the bench. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "If it doesn't work out . . . you know where to find me," he teased.
"You're a really great guy, and whoever you end up with is going to be a really lucky girl." Caitie stood up from her seat and gave him a warm hug. "I mean it."
"I'm going to go see my coach before homeroom starts. I'll see you later?"
Caitie nodded. She watched the Jason's tall image walk away.
*
Caitie walked towards the EMS station. She hesitated before entering. Once again in a situation where her courage seemed to escape, she berated herself. One step after the other, she entered the station.
Caitie quickly scanned the common room and the locker room. No one was in sight. She walked towards the back of the station and walked into the garage. Behind the ambulance stood Jamie, restocking supplies.
She walked up to her best friend, her knees shaking the entire time.
"Jamie," she called out.
He looked closed the ambulance doors. "Hi, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"Had some time to kill before homeroom."
Jamie nodded his head. There was clearly awkwardness between them.
"Jamie . . . " Caitie managed to utter before her verbal skills dissipated.
"Yeah?" Jamie noticed her nervousness. He braced himself for the worst of news. She couldn't forget what had happened and wanted to terminate their friendship.
Caitie shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She played with the sleeve of her coat. "Jamie . . ." she spoke repeated again, this time trying her best to articulate the entire sentence.
Jamie gazed intently at Caitie. A sinking feeling washed over his body. His limbs felt heavy.
"Jamie, I love you too."
It was said. It was uttered. It was stated. Caitie took a gasped for air.
Jamie stood in a state of shock before her statement was processed. "What?" he replied.
"I'm sorry about the other day. I was just so scared . . . I was so scared of what this all would mean."
"What about Jason?" Jamie asked without any real concern over his welfare.
"I told him this morning that I can't be with him."
Jamie felt as if his feet were glued to the floor.
Caitie felt the butterflies in her stomach multiply with every passing second of silence. Doubt entered her mind. She wondered if Jamie changed his mind. He probably resented her for holding back.
Jamie walked over to Caitie and softly caressed her cheek. This time, he was intent on making this kiss perfect. His lips gingerly found their way over to hers. They brushed against her pink lips softly before they indulged in a passionate kiss. Caitie wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his spiky hair. His arms held her waist tightly, supporting her body.
Finally they broke away. "I love you Caitie," Jamie whispered in her ear.
"I love you too," she replied looking deep into his chestnut eyes.
A large squeal was heard from the doorway. Val, Tyler and Hank watched with silly expressions of happiness on their faces.
"It's about time!" Tyler exclaimed!
