Mrs. Haifer was in the middle of English trying to write notes on the board, while the class was being loud. The principle walked in and Sarah followed close behind him. He handed Mrs. Haifer a note and walked out of the classroom.
"Alright class it seems as though we have a new student…Drake pay attention."
"Oh don't worry it's okay we've already met, she's my neighbor. Hey Sarah." Drake said as he waved to Sarah then proceeded to turn back to the conversation he was having.
"I am so sorry for you dear." Mrs. Haifer said to Sarah who just nodded.
"Alright class as Drake improperly informed us this is Sarah Melvin our new student. Try to make her feel welcome." Mrs. Haifer instructed. "You can take the seat next to Drake. Once again, I am incredibly sorry." she told Sarah.
Sarah took her seat and class continued onward.
Sarah was in the hallway at her locker about to shut it when she saw Drake casually standing next to her.
"So today's your lucky day." Drake said coolly.
"How so?" Sarah questioned a wry look on her face.
"Because it just so happens that I'm free tonight." Drake grinned.
"Ha, I've heard that one 20 times before. When you find a new pick up line maybe I'll consider it." She laughed.
Josh was working at the Premiere and Drake as usual was standing at the counter giving Josh a hard time.
"Josh why won't she say yes? I mean how can anyone say no? This has never happened to me before. I mean Josh have I lost my attractiveness?" Drake worried as he paced around the counter.
"Drake would ya calm down, has it ever occurred to you that she might just not be interested?" Josh explained.
"Holy Snot." Drake said grabbing hold of Josh's vest nearly strangling him.
"Would ya mind keeping your hands to yourself?" Josh questioned straightening out his vest.
"Quick how do I look, how's my hair?" Drake questioned frantically.
"Ugh…she's here with Peter Lewis. You're so much better Drake." Josh said while watching Sarah flirt madly with Peter.
"Tell me about it." Drake pouted as the two walked up to the counter.
"Josh, I didn't know you worked here!" Sarah said elated as she placed her purse down on the counter. Drake "accidentally" knocked it onto the floor. They both bent down to pick it up at the same time.
"Why thank you Drake." Sarah said with a falsely sweet voice.
"Oh no problem." he replied. "So you busy tomorrow night?" Drake questioned a hint of hope in his voice.
"Nice try, but I've also seen that one numerous times too." She laughed standing back up with her purse in hand. Peter handed her, her ticket then they went off to see the movie. Drake leaned against the counter and pouted.
"Peter Lewis, what's so perfect about Peter Lewis?" Drake moaned as he sat on the couch guitar across his lap and a bag of Cheese puffs in his hands.
"Drake would you get over it already?" Josh questioned from the computer. "She's home, would spying on her make you feel any better?" Josh questioned pulling up the shade to reveal Sarah playing her guitar on her bed.
"No." Drake muttered pathetically.
Sarah was putting her books into her locker trying to ignore Drake who was persistently questioning her about her "date" last night with Peter Lewis.
"So what is it you see in Peter Lewis?" Drake questioned as Sarah turned to face him.
"Nothing, he just seemed like a nice guy, who offered to show me around town." Sarah stated closing her locker. "He had a very nice pick up line and it wasn't all too cliché." Sarah stated turning around as Drake grabbed her arm.
"Sarah, I was just wondering if maybe you'd like to come over and just hang out tonight. You could bring your guitar and we could like play together or something. You don't have to if you're busy with school and what not." Drake said as he lowered his head a bit. Josh had given him this idea last night and Drake assumed that since Josh wasn't your go-getting-guy that maybe it might work. Sarah turned around and smiled. Drake took it as a good sign.
"See Drake now if you had said that first time around, I'd have said yes. So in answer to your question I'd love to come over and play guitar with you."
"You would?" Drake implored, shocked that she had finally given in to his demands.
"Yeah, what time?"
"Seven." Drake replied stunned.
"See you then." Sarah said as she turned and walked away. Drake was left to wonder in amazement. She wasn't exactly like the other girls Drake had dated before. She carried herself differently. Sarah didn't want guys to worship her like the girls Drake was used to. She didn't even put herself out there even though she was strikingly beautiful. Drake liked the coyness of her and her ability to hold her own.
Drake sat on his bed playing a new song on his guitar. He hoped that he could play it for Sarah tonight. Josh was downstairs, Drake had planed it so that Mindy would be over so he and Sarah would have his room to themselves.
"Hey Drake." said a voice quietly from his doorway. "May I come in?"
"Oh, Sarah. Yeah, you don't have to ask to come in my room you know." Drake stated as he placed his guitar down and jumped off the bed. He walked over to Sarah and grabbed her guitar from her and leaned it against his bed.
"So…how's it going?" Drake questioned as he lead Sarah to the couch. She paused halfway there staring out the window. "What are you looking at?" Drake queried trying to see what she saw.
"Wow, I just realized that I need to move my bed a few feet to the right." Sarah laughed knowing full well what Drake Parker did at night. Drake slightly blushed but was soon over it.
"You know I just realized something too Sarah." Drake stated as he sat down on the couch.
"What's that now Drake?"
"I've concluded that we don't know a lot about each other."
"Did you just use the word concluded?" Sarah teased. She had heard so much about Drake Parker. He was some sort of a god to the kids in school.
"Yeah, so, hey what's that supposed to mean?"
"It's supposed to mean that I've heard an awful lot about you Drake Parker." Sarah said turning serious.
"Like what." Drake smiled, he knew that she could of only heard good things.
"Like that you're a womanizer, a slacker, a jerk, an egotistical male. I've heard that you're almost everything that a human being is not."
"Who told you that?" Drake said feeling somewhat hurt, but knowing full well that it was the truth.
"No one in particular, I've just had a lot of girls come up and tell me to beware of you. That breaking heart's is what you do best. But let me tell you Drake, my heart is not yours to break." Sarah avowed intent on letting Drake know she wasn't going to be played by him.
"Sarah, just so you know. Yeah I wanted and still want to date you, I know you know that. But my intent was never to break your heart, just to get to know you better." Drake replied.
"Just so you know Drake there is more then one way to get to know a person and dating isn't the only way." Sarah said now taking in the person who was sitting next to her on the couch. He wasn't the boy that all the girls in school made him out to be. Sure he was partially a womanizer, if he wasn't, dating Sarah wouldn't have been the first thing on his mind. And sure he was a slacker, she knew that the first night they met, and sure he was egotistical, but if it weren't for all the people who worshiped him like he was some African God, he wouldn't be conceited and full of himself. Sarah knew that there was more to Drake Parker then he liked people to know. She knew there was an emotional, human underneath the façade of a macho jerk. Otherwise he couldn't possibly be the amazing musician he was played up to be.
"So are we going to play guitar at all?" Sarah questioned, breaking the awkward silence that had formed between them.
"Yeah, um…can I play you a song first?" Drake blushed as he walked over to his bed and grabbed his guitar. "It's not exactly done but this is what I have so far…" Drake began as he plugged his guitar into the amp and started playing a few chords while humming. And he started then to sing the middle part of the song he'd wrote for her,
"If I had the courage I'd ring her bell But if she answered what story would I tell My window's become her picture frame But this painting doesn't even have a name The girl next door is not the girl next door The girl next door is not the girl next door The girl next door is not the girl next door She's the girl I'd stay home for She doesn't know that I'm breathing She doesn't know that I'm alive She doesn't know what I'm dreaming When I see that she's turned out her lights And does she see me like I see her More than just the boy next door…"
He finished as he turned off the amp and took the guitar off his shoulder and placed it against the bed. He was blushing a little and he was suddenly very aware of himself, it was like for once he could control almost everything and it was like nothing could possibly go wrong.
Sarah stood there, it was painstakingly obvious that the song was written about her. She couldn't help but feel part of her now belonged to Drake, but the feeling didn't last long, because Sarah knew full well that falling for anyone, no matter how attractive, or how sweet, or even if they did write a song about her was out of the question.
"So, what did you think?" Drake questioned still unsure of what was to come.
"It was really nice." Sarah whispered as Drake inched closer to her.
"It was about you, you know." Drake stated bluntly, discression not his best asset.
"I figured as much, there's only one girl next door that I know of." Sarah laughed as she found herself face to face with her boy next door.
Drake moved even closer so the two were practically touching. The tension was so thick that a knife couldn't penetrate it. The two just stood there in slience, Drake taking it as an opportunity very gently brushed his lips against Sarahs, wanting to kiss her harder, but not wanting to do anything she didn't. He had at least done something right because Sarah stepped back, her emotions and desires dangled in front of her as she meet the face of a somewhat content Drake. Odd she thought. Drake doesn't look too disappointed that I didn't kiss him. She was startled at that revelation. Without thinking she ran over grabbed her guitar and started towards the door.
"Sarah, I'm sorry." Drake confessed as he walked after her.
"No, Drake don't be. It's not you I swear. I'll explain some other time." She blurted as she turned back towards the door.
"Sarah, you don't have to leave because of what just happened. You never got to play me a song." Drake pushed, he didn't want Sarah to leave just yet.
"Drake, I'm sorry, I've just got to go home and do stuff." She pleaded as she looked at Drake.
"I'll see you tomorrow then." Drake said.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow." Sarah replied as she turned around and headed home.
Okay sorry that my chapters are a little short, I'll try to make them longer, but I feel that shorter..not too short chapters add a little suspense, but hey I like keeping it as much of a tv show as I can.
-yours always Mo