Hi! Here's chapter 2! Enjoy!!

Chapter 2

Eighth period gym class was not Jean's favorite class, even if it was the last class of the day. Normally she enjoyed gym class, she was athletic, and Scott was in her class, but they had been playing badminton for the last eight weeks, and Jean had learned right away that she was no good at it. Since it was the last day of the third marking period their teacher had allowed them to wear normal clothes, but if they wanted to play they had to wear sneakers. Jean was wearing her favorite short, purple skirt and lavender blouse with all-around infamous flip-flops. She sat against the back wall of the gym with her legs straight out right on the invisible line that separated two courts. Next to her was her fellow teammate, and friend, Sandy. They would've been playing still of their team had not been eliminated in the first two rounds. They were watching Scott and his teammate play one on one. When Jean had walked in with Sandy, they were already going at it, and Scott had jumped at her and asked her to be line judge, and of course, Jean had agreed. So now she and Sandy were judging if the birdie landed along the sidelines of the court if it were in or out.

"Call it out." Scott said looking at her. Jean looked up at him with surprise. She had been so engaged in her conversation with Sandy that she hadn't realized Scott had been talking to her. She looked at the bird; it was just grazing the inside of the line, if the line were there.

"Out." Jean said smiling up at Scott.

"Yes!" Scott shouted. "Thank you, Jean. Yes! You lose again, Paul! Switch sides!"

Sandy chuckled beside Jean and shook her head. "What?" Jean asked turning her head.

"You only called it out because you think he's cute." Sandy said motioning to Scott.

"Yeah, he's cute and he's my best friend, and with that title comes certain advantages."

"Jean, you like him, just admit it."

"Well, yeah of course I do, what girl doesn't?"

"No, I mean you like him."

"Yeah. He's my best friend, Sandy."

"Whatever, Jean. Just keep lying to yourself."

Jean sighed and looked to the other side of the gym and her eyes once more fell on Scott. I like him, she thought, and I know he likes me. What if Sandy's right, though? I really like Scott, but what if it is something more?

"You know, I can tell when someone really likes someone else." Sandy said, breaking Jean's concentration.

"Can you?" Jean taunted.

"Yes, I can. And I can tell you really like Scott Summers."

"How many times are we going to go through this?" Jean nearly shouted in exasperation.

"Work with me, ok? I can tell you really, really like him by the way you look at him, and vice versa."

"You think Scott really, really likes me?"

"Yeah, it's obvious."

"Sorry to burst your matchmaker bubble, Sandy, but Scott is taken."

"Not for much longer…" Sandy let out the sentence slowly so as to spike Jean's interest. She took the bait.

"What do you mean?" Jean asked turning to look at her.

"Jean!" Scott called from the other side. "Call it." Jean's head shot forward, she looked at the line. The birdie was right on it.

"Redo!" she called out.

"I mean," Sandy continued once she had Jean's attention back. "Is that I saw Taryn and Duncan making out in the parking lot after the state championship."

Jean heard herself gasp. "How severe?"

"They were practically climbing inside each other's pants."

"Scott really likes her, too. He'll be crushed."

"Hey, what are best friends for?" Sandy whispered as she stood up as the bell rang. Jean rose slowly from her seat on the floor and looked around. She didn't see Scott anywhere, but she did see Taryn standing in the gym doorway talking fervently to a group of girls. She scowled in her direction then proceeded to leave the gym. With her head down and bag in her hand Jean made her way for the exit.

"Hey." A voice breathed behind her. Jean turned, it was Scott, and with one of the saddest expressions she had ever seen on him.

"You know?" she asked gently. Scott nodded. Jean didn't want to hurt him anymore than he already was so she only offered him a friendly hug. Scott accepted it.

"I was walking past and I heard her talking, bragging about it even to a group of her girlfriends. They all shut up when they saw me and did the typical look over her shoulder. The Taryn turned around. Of course she tried to apologize, but I just put my hand up and told her it was nice knowing her."

"Scott, I'm so sorry. I know you really liked her."

"I did, but I knew our relationship was over a long time ago. I was just waiting for it to end." Jean nodded and offered him another gentle hug. "Need a ride home?" he asked as they started walking down the stairs.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Are you busy tonight?"

"No, why?"

"Would you like to go see a movie?"

"Scott, I appreciate the offer, but considering the situation, I don't really think you should be asking me out."

"I'm not. I mean we should go as friends, of course."

"Oh, right, of course. Sure, ok then."

"Ok." Scott smiled at her and slipped his arm around her shoulders. They were just two friends, two good friends, who didn't know how to admit the truth to the other.

Jean stood in front of the mirror touching up her makeup and fixing her hair. She pulled out a drawer and picked up her pink lipstick. Should she bother with it? She already knew what it was like to kiss Scott Summers, but if he kissed her tonight…? Would it mean something more? Jean unscrewed the cap and applied a fresh layer of the lipstick. Just as she put it away there was a knock on the door followed by Kitty's voice. Jean opened the door to see the young sophomore practically bouncing on her toes.

"You're going on a date with Scott tonight, huh?"

"What makes you think that?" Jean asked turning back to the mirror. She picked up her brush and went about removing the tangles from her tips.

"I just talked to him downstairs. He said he was taking you out to a movie tonight."

"Yeah, we're going as friends, Kitty. Nothing more." Jean set her brush back down and checked her hair.

"Let me guess, Scott said that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, Jean, please. It's so obvious he's in love with you. You're just too blind to see it."

"I am not. I just always thought it was a crush or something."

"Nope, he's definitely in love with you." Jean smiled at Kitty and thanked her for her input. "I just have one thing to say. It's about time you two hooked up."

Scott stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting patiently. He was the one who had said they were just going out as friends, but he couldn't help but feel that it may be something different.

"Waiting for something, kid?" Logan asked from the couch. Scott turned and looked at the back of his head.

"Yeah, I'm taking Jean out."

"Where are you taking her?"

"To a movie."

"What movie?"

"Don't know yet."

"Can I give you some advice?"

Scott turned again. He really just wanted to leave so he and Jean could get away from all the assumptions that they were going on a real date. He just wanted to have some time alone with her; they hadn't had that in a long time.

"What?" Scott asked.

"Let Jean choose the movie."

"That's what I was going to do."

"Well, then you're smart, kid. That's why you and Jean are going to survive."

Scott looked over his shoulder at the Canadian. He had never known Logan to be so supportive; it scared him.

"You ready to go?" Scott turned back to the stairs again and saw Jean standing there. She hadn't changed out of her school clothes, but she had put on a little more makeup. He hadn't even realized that her hand was on his shoulder until she removed it.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go, you?"

"I'm as ready as you are."

Scott reached down and took her hand threading their fingers. "Then lets not waste anymore time standing here and talking." He smiled sweetly, Jean returned it, and he gave her hand a squeeze.

When they arrived at the theater, Scott got out of his seat and then walked over to open Jean's door for her. "Such a gentleman." Jean teased. Scott didn't answer but he took her hand again. "Do you consider this a date?" Jean asked as they walked up to the theater.

"Do you?" Scott returned the question with an innocent tone and smile.

"No, but it feels like it."

"Yeah, it does. Then why don't we consider it a real date?"

"I don't know. Do you want to?" Jean looked up at the movie choices. "What do you want to see?"

"I was going to let you choose."

"Ok, then uh… The Forgotten starts in ten minutes."

"You really want to see that?" Scott asked as he retrieved his wallet.

"Yeah, I mean the preview looked good."

"All right, we'll see that." Scott bought the tickets and then they headed inside for snacks. "Why don't we see how the night goes before we call it a date?"

"Won't the end of the night be too late to call this a date since it will be over?"

"Good point. Then lets call this a date."

"Ok, it's a date." Jean leaned up and kissed his cheek then slipped her hand back into his and laid her head on his shoulder. She couldn't remember a time where she had ever been happier.

A/N: hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one! REVIEW PLEASE!