-Rory-

I heard the front door slam shut, and decided to check it out. I sauntered down the steps, my hair tousled and messy, and found a note on the kitchen table. Wendy had taken that stupid dog of hers for a walk... Good. I didn't feel like seeing anyone. I couldn't be distracted, I had to figure out what to say to Eyeball. I had to say something.

I went upstairs and took a hot shower and put on black jeans and a purple t-shirt. My hair dried straight as always and I left it down. As I applied my make-up, my mind was re-creating the events yesterday. Eyeball had looked so betrayed when he sat in Wendy's room. I had to talk to him.

I grabbed my parent's car keys from the hook in the kitchen and went outside. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I borrowed their car while they were away... Besides, this was an emergency. Or at lest, that's what I was trying to convince myself.

I sped over to Eyeball's house, without so much as a blink. I put the car in park just out front, but before I could step out of the car, unexpectedly, Ace came from the front door. I called to him as he lit a cigarette. He looked up and gave me a smirk.

"Hey..." I said as he came to the car.

"Hey there..." He said with a smile, that told me he was thinking about yesterday.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, as my throat felt dry.

"Lookin' for Eyeball. His fudge brother told me he was out walkin' his dog or somethin'. What are you doing here anyway?" He looked at me suspiciously. Fortunately, my sister and I are different. I could pull of a quick lie without being obvious.

"I was looking for you... Your car wasn't at your house, so I figured you'd be here, and low and behold, there's your car..." I said, noticing his car across the street for the first time. He smiled, and believed me.

"So you busy today?" He asked slyly.

"I have a lot of homework Ace, and an essay to write..." I explained. My grades had been slipping, and I didn't really want to see anyone, not even Eyeball.

"Oh come on... You're starting to sound like Wendy... And I know you don't do homework at home. You copy it from the dweeb in the third row..." He smiled and I couldn't help but grin back. He was right. I did always copy homework from some nerd.

"Yeah well, if you hadn't noticed he's been absent and now I'm stuck with homework..."

"Come on. Can't I come over for a little while? I promise I'll leave real early so you can get your work done... Please?" He stuck out his bottom lip with a pout. I sighed.

"Alright, alright... I hate when you beg..." I said restlessly. Ace beamed and ran to his car. I drove home, Ace hot on my trail. I really didn't want to fool around with Ace today, I felt so miserable. But then again, I'm dating Ace Merrill, the word 'No' is not in the boy's vocabulary. Not that anyone would say no to him.

Ace followed me upstairs. We started kissing wildly, his hands on the side of m face, when suddenly, he stopped.

"What's wrong?" I asked, biting my lower lip.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing..." He said with warm eyes. It was the first time I had seen a caring, warm side to Ace.

"What do you mean?" I said dryly.

"You're not kissing me back..." He said solemnly, his eyes to the floor. I was confused and baffled at his vulnerable gestures.

"What are you talking about? I am..." I defended. Suddenly, I realized something was the matter with him. He was different. Maybe sad... I don't know what it was, but he seemed helpless. Then my sad image of him was shot with a smirk.

"Rory, I know when you kiss me back, 'cause I can feel it everywhere... You defiantly were preoccupied..." He said with a lazy grin. I had a feeling he could see right through me. Maybe Eyeball had spilled everything, I'm sure he was mad enough. But that doesn't seem like something he'd do... Then again, what the hell did I know?

"I guess I'm just overwhelmed, that's all..." I said. It was, after all, the truth. I had a lot on my mind.

"Are you sure?" He asked sincerely.

"Why Ace, are you being considerate?" I teased to lighten the mood.

"Me, considerate? You must be joking..." He smiled. He whistled a laugh and I kissed him suddenly. Ace meant a lot to me. We were really good, close friends before this mess, and he seemed to really care about me.

Instantly, he kissed me back. Then I lied on my bed, Ace atop, and we started to kiss. This time, I was defiantly into it. I felt what he was talking about. With this kiss, I felt it everywhere. My whole body was tingling. Was I really falling for Ace? I couldn't be over Eyeball, could I?

Never the less, things, once again heated up. Everything seemed different this time. Our passion was raw and exposed, and my mind was clear of other thoughts. I was frightened and intrigued at the same time. I didn't want myself to fall for Ace, I knew what he did to women. My mind blurred and I found that I was unable to think.

Ace lay next to me, under my clean, white sheets. His warm body next to mine, caused my touching shoulder to go numb. Something was going on. I could feel a change in the atmosphere. That wasn't pure lust, it felt like something more.

Ace wasn't just some hot guy I hung around with... Well, he was, but it seems he was more at this moment. I felt his care and concern. I had fallen under is ominous spell. I was hypnotized.

Then I snapped. It wasn't that I was over Eyeball, cause I could feel him lingering in my heart. Something about Ace was noticeably different and it occurred to me, that maybe he was the one with a lot on his mind. He seemed awfully quiet at this moment.

"I guess I'd better go and let you get to work..." He said awkwardly as he dressed himself.

"Ace," I whispered suddenly. "Are you okay?" He was hesitant for longer than I wanted. Finally he spoke.

"Yeah... I guess, I'm just thinking about stuff..." He said, pulling on his t-shirt.

"What kind of stuff..."

"Normal stuff." He gave a quick answer. "Guy stuff..." He added.

"Oh..." I replied self-consciously and pulled the sheet higher above my chest. I felt my face growing hot. Had I done something wrong? Was he having second thoughts about us, just when I was getting used to the idea? My eyes fell from him, and his hands smacked against his sides.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked self-consciously. I suddenly felt awkward with just a sheet covering my naked body.

"No Rory, no... It's just... I've got to think about a lot of stuff, okay?" He said in a soothing voice.

"Oh... Okay..." I replied solemnly.

"Nothing that has to do with you, so don't worry about it..." He said, as he knelt beside me, holding my shoulders. "You're beautiful." He said and gave me a quick kiss. "Now, do you're homework." He ordered and left my room.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I felt so stupid. I felt like I had been stabbed in the back by my own self. Ace was acting so weird. Was something wrong with me? Maybe he didn't think I was attractive anymore?

Yesterday was fueled by lust, but today was different. He thought I was the one who was preoccupied? There was obviously something else on his mind. Although we were so close, he felt so distant. He was without a doubt distracted, much like I had been yesterday.

I threw on my clothes, and didn't worry about my sweaty, messy hair. I sat at the kitchen table and attempted to write my paper. Suddenly, a thought of Eyeball, struck my breathless. My heart froze and a smiled creased my face. I found it hard to breathe. Like, everything had came to a halt. I knew now that I really did love Eyeball. The thought of him paralyzed me. His every touch sent shivers up my spine.

But Ace was different. When I was with him today, something intrigued me about his vulnerable state. I was preoccupied with how meek he seemed. I was distracted with his awkwardness. Even he couldn't give me the butterflies that Eyeball could give me.

I didn't want to lose Ace, that was for sure. He was my best friend in the Cobras. But Eyeball was who my heart chose. Was there anyway I could keep them both close to me without causing pain for everyone, including myself? I didn't think so...

A/N:

Sophie: Kick me out of your chapter will you? Well, unlike you, I am not childish and immature…

::shoots Lou out of the chapter and hooks up with Eyeball::

::Lou limps back onto the scene:: Lou: You shot me!

Sophie: You didn't die! This is my chapter bitch! ::straps rocket to Lou's back and sends her out of here::

::hooks up with Eyeball and Ace and Vince::

::Lou comes back with cruches:: Lou: Stop doing that you idiot!

Sophie: Why wont you die? I'm trying to get my mack on if you haven't noticed! ::puts Lou in a rabid bat cage and sends her to Africa::

::Hooks up with Eyeball, Ace, Vince, Orlando, and my baby Johnny Depp!::

::Lou stumbles back onto the love scene with cruches, her arm in a sling, missing teeth, and a black eye::

Sophie: God damnit!

Lou: You're a moron, you're never going to get rid of me! Dumbass…

::Sophie pouts and straps a grenade to Lou's head and blows her up into itty bitty un-coming-back-to-life pieces::

Sophie: I swear if she comes back I'm locking Cal in my basement and sending her to a nunnery where she can never have pleasureable fun ever again!!! Mwhaha…

Ace: you're so hot when you're evil…

Sophie: Thank you Ace, now can I have my shirt back?

Ace: I don't have it.

Johnny Depp: I have it sweet heart… (Depp dressed like Jack Sparrow) (you know what? Lets through in Jack Sparrow while we're at it!!!) ::Jack Sparrow appears::

::Lou's burnt arm crawls across the floor::

Sophie: Damnit!

::takes a bat and beats the arm to death::

::continues to hook up with Eyeball, Ace, Vince, Orlando, Johnny, River Phoenix, Chad Michael Murray, Justin Timberlake, Steven Tyler, Matt Damon, Ashton Kutcher, James Dean, Corey Haim… (the list goes on and on)…::

::somewhere in Australia, Lou's head is floating by::

Lou: Curse you Sophie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

::sailor shoots Lou's head::

Sailor: She's a little busy. Come on other hot, straight, sexy sailors, lets go hook up with the beautiful, sexy, sassy, funny, wonderful, hot, amazing, glamorous, witty, intelligent, foxy… (the list goes on and on)

Hot Sailor # 2: Let's not forget our completely desirable army men!

Sailor: good work!

Sophie: There's a new sheriff in town…!