I Remember

R

A/N: Sorry it's so fast paced. Its how I write the story and so I think the length of the chapters are getting to me… :P. Also, I'd like to state that I've combined all the education systems I know into one, so it could be a really weird system altogether.

Chapter 5 – One week Rating for this Chapter: PG-13

"Oh crap."

Steph went straight for her purse and pulled out her little black book. She unfolded the calendar at the back of the book. "Oh crap."

She overslept and she had to work. Oh hell, she could call in sick. Besides, having a period was something important. She had to watch what she said and did, since her emotion meter could go over the scale.

The day before was… nice. Probably because of that kiss. It was Chris after all, and she finally got to know the softer side of his personality. He was no longer the annoying, arrogant man she made him out to be. She glanced at the clock.

10.47.

The phone rang, but she left it to ring, for the machine to get it.

"This is Steph. You know what to do." She grinned at her own message. I sound like an idiot.

"S-Steph? I was wondering if um, dinner was uh, good tonight? Call me---" CHRIS?!

She picked up immediately. "Hello?"

"Oh, you were listening?"

"Weren't I supposed to anyway?"

"So about dinner… Could you decide?"

"Don't worry about that. I know of a place called 'McDonald's'."

Chris laughed. "Fine, I'll decide. There's a place called Chapeau nearby. I'll see you at eight, how's that?"

"Don't you have to grapple someone?"

"It's my off day."

"Alright," she said. She pushed her hair behind her ear. "See ya." Just for kicks, she kissed the mouthpiece of her phone. She could just imagine his red-hot blush over the other side… "Bye," she piped, then hung up fast.

She felt the excitement of a schoolgirl again. But first, she had to clean the sheets, herself, then get breakfast.

*

He was waiting outside of the restaurant, looking around. Stephanie smiled and walked up to him. "Hey."

Chris risked one working night for her. He didn't mean to lie, because this wasn't something he could pass on. But this was all worth it.

"Let's go in." Trying to act like a gentleman, he opened the door for her, then allowed her to enter first.

"Table for two?" The waiter assumed.

"Yes please," Stephanie replied politely. The waiter led them to their seats, and they ordered. Chris ordered an extra bottle of wine for himself secretly, for some reason. He thought he needed to ease up a little. Then Stephanie started on her story.

~*~

I'll start on Tuesday, since nothing really happened that I could remember earlier. The weather was pretty calm, just very cold. It was halfway between a 'snowless' winter and spring, so it would be expected. James was… my very nice boyfriend. And the boy? I didn't know what to do with him anymore.

"I've been thinking of the prom, James."

"What about?"

"Those bimbos… well, namely Nicole… She's all over Chris, isn't she?"

"You know that she hates you. What better to do than steal one of your rejected boyfriends?"

"Hey, he wasn't rejected. He wasn't supposed to be my boyfriend anyway… That would be too… Besides," she said, skipping the thought, "this is Nicole Summers we're talking about, biggest highschool bitch to exist, EVER." She stopped, spotting the petite blond girl on her way.

"Hello, James dear," Nicole quirked, with about four people of her clique following. "Oh yes, Stephanie. I'd like to tell you that I'm going to try and make Chris Jericho my boyfriend. He hasn't called or paid any attention… But I'll get him, whether you like it or not." Stephanie couldn't help but chuckle at the mention of her failing attempts to claim Chris as hers. But she felt selfish to be sharing him with anyone else. Selfish because she wanted Chris for herself.

"I assume that your prom date is James," Nicole said, eyeing him.

"James Marshall Callow, the one and only," he proudly said. Nicole smiled when he gave her a wink. Stephanie, noticing his actions, automatically delivered a hard smack on his chest. "OW, you didn't have to---"

"Nicole, I don't need some blond Barbie telling me what she's going to do. I don't need your pathetic little shadows telling about my facial and body flaws, how I ended up in the last class, or how I use my money to buy my friends. You want to KNOW the truth?" Method one to shut a bitch and your talkative boyfriend up. "Let me tell you something about you. Your clothes make you seems shorter than you really are, and without those heels, you're practically a dwarf. Your makeup's too thick and you pad your bra to whatever size it is--- hey, hey, I'm not done yet, lady." Stephanie made sure that Nicole was paying attention to whatever she wanted to tell her, whatever she was letting out. "As for your intelligence, you were lucky enough to be born with a photographic memory. Emotionally, you're a six-year-old, so don't tell me what I am, or what I do. Get yourself a life Nicole Lynette Summers, and please, make it a GOOD one."

There was a stony silence that took over, probably because she rose her volume a little higher than she should have. Nicole stood there, blank and shocked, left to stare after the spot where Steph stood before. The only thing her friends could do was to comfort her.

"Whoa." James kept his pace up with an extremely pissed off but satisfied Stephanie. "Definitely shown no mercy… Wow, that was a total burn---"

Stephanie gave him a death glare, relaying the message to 'shut your trap'. "Okay, you don't have to go all 'Medusa' on me."

"She deserved every single word I said. She's been treating me like dirt ever since I came in, and if Chris ever plans to make her his girlfriend," she said, desperately sighing at the thought, "I'm going to wish him all the best."

*

"Nicole approached you, huh?"

Chris looked away to the stone steps in the front of the school. "Yeah."

"She confronted me today. Well, it's not my fault that I actually put her down."

"About me? You were fighting over me?" His eyes brightened. Could she be fighting for him? Stephanie knew his thoughts.

"Yes, about you. But before you think anything else, I want you to know that if you're going to take her, I'm fine with it. It's James and me anyway. As long as you're happy, I will be too."

He frowned. It wasn't what he expected.

She knew how he felt about her, especially after he had told her, poured out whatever he had inside of him to her, but she still pretended not to know. James was wonderful after all, not quite what Pryce had first described him to be. However, it was that rape incident that bugged her… She did believe it happened, but she believed too that everyone could change. Right now, it seemed that James was on a real path of change for a good cause.

That's why she didn't want to react to Chris' feelings. 'I love you' said genuinely was no small matter. She wanted to kill herself for replying a stupid, "I can't," but what's past was past, and there was nothing she could do to change it. But deep in that heart of hers, she was praying Chris wouldn't be going out with the super bitch nemesis.

Stephanie gave him a hug. "I need to go." *To go where…? * She thought, *I'm even lying to him now. *

Chris pulled away sadly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Chris," she called before leaving, "Don't take it like I hate you or anything like that. It's just that you and me… We don't go." *…What did I just say? *

"…That's your reason?" he spoke incredulously. "That's your damn reason? Because we don't go? Steph, what were the first few weeks of our friendship?"

"I---"

"No, no, let me finish." Stephanie pursed her lips together, feeling hot tears pricking the back of her eyes. "The first moment, you're leading me on, and next, you're off with some sex-crazed jerk who just wants to get into your pants! Haven't you ever heard that a leopard could never change its spots? And I told you how I felt. It's time for you to be honest with me now, and tell me how you're feeling."

Chris never felt this… vulnerable. The ache in his heart was getting heavier as he spoke to her, hurt. Maybe he was about to cry… Nothing made him cry, but now maybe that was about to change.

Stephanie tried to think of an honest answer. "I love you as a friend," she said calmly. "…Nothing more than that." She stalled. "Is that honest enough for you?" Her voice was now serene, but in truth she was holding back everything. If she let it all out, she'd be a tearful mess… Not really what a McMahon did.

She gave a last sigh before she finally gave up and turned her back on him. *At least feel happy for me. *

She never knew it would affect him so much. What if he tried something suicidal? She shook the thought out of her head. He'd never do such a thing.

Steph bumped into someone as she walked. "Pryce?"

"You can't put him down all the time, girl."

"But James---"

"Let's have a seat there first…" Pryce gestured towards some study tables and benches on her left. "You wanna talk about that?"

"He's really nuts…OVER ME." Stephanie couldn't help but shift her sights on Chris. Pryce moved her head to the right to see him pinching the bridge of his nose with folded arms.

"You know, he's never gonna stop trying."

"Y'think?" she asked sarcastically. Or was that in frustration? "Look, James has changed," she added quickly. "I love HIM and he feels the same. I know he's done all that to you, but… he's changed for the better okay? Stop telling me things that I don't want to hear…"

Pryce sighed. "Maybe you're right. But you still have to be careful, you know?"

"I guess so. But I don't know what to do about Chris. You have to help me." Her vision started to blur from the tears clouding her eyes, watching Chris painfully striding away.

"Hey, I'm only your best friend, not your guidance counsellor." Pryce leaned forward and stroked her best friend's hair to console her, as a tear fell from Stephanie's eye. "Just try to think things out."

"I can't do this alone—"

"But you ARE alone in this." Pryce then tried to think of something comforting. "Look, the truth does hurt. But whenever you need me, just give me a call, ok?"

"Sure," the brunette nodded.

She was stuck. She didn't want to reciprocate his feelings for her, yet she didn't want to jeopardise the friendship. Not only that, she couldn't possibly bear to see him involved with someone else, especially Nicole, in particular.

"I have to go." Pryce picked up her bag and gave a wave to her best friend. "Take care."

"I will. Bye Pryce." Then she departed from Stephanie.

Stephanie took some time to tame in whatever happened that day. James, Chris. James, Chris. After a while, she got up and left the school compound for her home.

*

She inhaled sharply and stared at the blank page of her diary. What could she write? She didn't know what to say. After sticking a couple of thoughts into it, she put away the thick book and thought to herself. She didn't feel like writing any longer. She wanted to push the world and her responsibilities away and become ignorant of her surroundings. But the world was in charge, and she couldn't change that. She couldn't change anything.

The phone rang abruptly, to which her fingers fumbled with the cord. "Hello?"

"Um, hey, Stephanie? I'm Conor, Chris' best friend?"

"Oh, he's mentioned you."

There was silence, but only for a moment. "I don't know you to well, but uh, I was wondering if you could spare me some cash."

*I don't even know you. *

"I know that, but could you?" She must've said it out loud.

"How much?"

"Couple of hundred."

"Whatever for?" she said, pulling her hair back slowly.

"Trust me, this is important."

"I'll see what I can do."

She heard his breath of relief, after which they disconnected. What drove her to do that? A couple of hundred dollars was much to her, despite her rich-girl status. After all, she meant to say 'no'.

*

I thought that since prom was only a week away, I had to pick out my dress. I mean, I needed to find something perfect.

"Why are you asking ME for? I know nothing about fashion! I don't even know the difference between a boot and a… I don't know!"

Stephanie grinned. "Don't lie Pryce. You're coming with me, whether you like it or not."

"No!" she protested her collar of her jacket held tight in the hands of Stephanie McMahon. "I'm not going into a dress shop!"

"You're not wearing the dress. I am."

"It doesn't matter! You'll buy your dress, then buy me one, then MAKE ME wear it. I don't like that at all."

"No excuses."

Stephanie had to drag her all the way to the front of the shop. Pryce creeped into the shop unwillingly with her best friend.

"Hello Stephanie!" A lady in her 20s came up. Her nametag was gold, and the black ink etched in it read 'Laurel'.

"Who's this?" Pryce asked.

"This is Laurel, my personal shopper. Laurel, Pryce, the very best friend I have." Why was Laurel always so cheery? It was getting creepy. In fact, why did Stephanie even have a personal shopper?

"I'm looking for something for the prom next week… Something evening-gownish maybe?"

"Elegant, you mean." Pryce grinned at her lack of proper use of words.

Before she could say anything else, Laurel stepped aside and gave a cheery yell of, "Great!"

"I have a wonderful selection for you, just in case of these occasions."

"You did?"

"Of course I did!" She hurried to a clothing rack full of dresses.

"Did I say I was going to the last Fourth of July? If I did, I meant to say 'prom', if you know what I mean." Sarcasm was just dripping from her tone.

"So maybe these are too classy."

"I'm not looking for anything frilly or with elastics though."

"Then we can skip this rack…"

"Can I walk around?" Pryce asked.

"Sure, just don't run away," Stephanie distractedly replied.

"Don't worry… I won't." Stephanie went back to picking her dress. "Nothing with lace or really noticeable seams…" She skimmed through the passing racks. "Or any zips, because they make my back itch."

Laurel sighed. "Then I guess I can't help you."

"How about this?" Pryce said, lifting a dress in the air.

"That's reserved and customarily made. You can't take that."

Steph's eyes brightened. "That's really nice! I think I'll take it!" she said, obviously missing the whole point. "I could pay you 50% if you could let me buy it. Please?"
"Aren't you even going to try it?" Pryce asked.

"You can't take it!"

"I'll pay twice. You do the math."

Suddenly a man with blue streaks in his hair appeared and pushed Laurel aside. "Twice the price it is."

"A lovely compromise, this is." Stephanie pulled out her American Express and handed it to the guy eagerly.

"CHAD!"

"I didn't know you had such great taste…" Pryce smiled at her remark. "I think I underestimated you."

She shrugged. "No problem."

In minutes the man returned with a carrier. "Thank you for your kind service," Stephanie sang.

*

The day didn't turn out as bad as she made it out to be. She had her perfect dress. Lavender, silk and it was beautifully designed. She had the perfect boyfriend, to whom at least she thought so at least. Why did she still feel so incomplete?

She heard the phone and instantly picked it up. Probably Pryce, thanking her for something. She always had a knack for doing that. "Hello?"

"Stephanie?"

She immediately slammed the phone down. That definitely wasn't Pryce. Was it right to have hung up like that? She stared at the phone helplessly, panicking quite a bit.

The phone rang yet again. This time, she hesitated and picked up the receiver. "Yeah?"

"Don't hang up, c'mon, don't."

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to… Talk. We haven't been talking since… I can't even remember." His voice stalled. "Just to talk. Feelings put aside… A buddy to buddy conversation. Please."

She frowned. "…Okay." Then she could hear the grin exploding from his face, and it was contagious.

"So your dress… I heard it was beautiful."

"W-who told you?" she stammered in alarm. She felt colour creeping to her cheeks.

"I still talk to Pryce about a lot of things."

"Why haven't I noticed… She's updating you on my life, isn't she?"

Chris sighed on the other side. "You're shutting me out completely, aren't you?" He clucked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "I never meant for all that to happen. I'm sorry, I guess I went a bit crazy. Sorry."

"It's okay, really." She eased up and leaned back.

"I can't keep this from you too… I hate your boyfriend."
"I've heard a lot of that from everyone, especially you, believe me."

"Just wanted to inform you, since you happen not to see his mean streak. I am completely serious; do you have cataract or something?"

She frowned and pondered. "Cataract?"

"Another way of asking whether you're blind. Don't you know already that I happen to put things my way?"

She giggled. "I know that… You know, I still don't get it when you asked me if I was a camel before when we were about study."

"That? Camels store water and food at one go and just live on it. When you study, everything stays in your head when the info goes in."

"Your lingo's a bit tough to understand," she said, a brow raised. "To answer your 'cataract' question, I'm not blind. He's a very nice person."

"If you call a spit in the face friendly, I'd say he'd be my best friend."

"He what?" *He couldn't have possibly… *

"He didn't tell you? Figures why he's still a snotty piece of sh—"

Stephanie interrupted. "Hey! Don't go there. It's not nice."

"Hold on," he said, ruffling sounds were heard over her side. "Sliding in a quarter."

"You're using a payphone? Aren't there people waiting?"

"Sure there are. Hell, they can wait until I'm done."

She frowned. This guy would go as far as anything to get her attention… On the other hand, she found it somewhat wrong to find his actions adorable.

"So about the prom thing," she continued, changing the subject. "Who's going with you? Don't tell me its Nicole."

"…I'm going alone. I might not even turn up." He sighed. "I don't want to go without your arm linked with mine."

Now she felt guilty for saying everything she did to hurt him. She obviously couldn't say she'd be going with him. She just couldn't. James was her boyfriend and she had to stand by him. Even if it meant she had a little liking left for Chris.

"I'm sorry."

"No problem," Chris replied light-heartedly.

"Look…" she felt too confused to go on any longer with the conversation. "I have to go."

"Wait, wait! Before you go, I just want to tell you that if anything were to happen, I'll always be there. Remember that."

"I will. Thanks." With that, she put down the phone and ran her fingers through her hair.

*Nothing will go wrong. Nothing will go wrong. I hope nothing will go wrong. *

***

A/n: I told you It was long. Excruciatingly wrong, probably.