Disclaimer: Neither Meme nor I own the Ducks, or anything else you recognize from the movies. Keep the feedback coming, we love it!

PORTMAN'S POV

I kinda wish the ground would open up and swallow me right now. I can't believe Connie just said that. I know she didn't mean it the way it came out, but I still couldn't stop blushing. Neither could she, although I'm sure she's blushing for a different reason to me…isn't she? I can't tell and I'm not about to ask her.

I'm careful not to look at her as I sit down next to her on the bed. I'm afraid if I do, she'll be able to see how I feel about her and I'm not ready to take that risk. Aside from yesterday, we've never really spent much time together. In a lot of ways, we're strangers to each other. It's not helping that she's only wearing that top either.

I train my eyes on the TV and try to push the unholy thoughts out of my head. We sit in silence for a few minutes, watching the movie until Connie pipes up.

"I still can't believe they picked my sketch!"

Any tension that was in the air is instantly lifted. I chuckle as she bounces slightly on the bed.

"Why can't you believe it? It's really good – you're an amazing artist Cons."

"I'm not that good. There are loads of people better than me in this school." She replies, shrugging.

"Well I think you're good." I tell her, bumping her shoulder with mine.

She smiles, "Thanks."

We turn our attention back to the TV and lapse into silence again, slightly less awkward than the last time. The silence lets my thoughts take over again and I know I'm supposed to be concentrating on the movie that's playing, but I can't tear my mind away from the feeling of Connie's bare skin pressed against mine as she leans ever so slightly against me. She shifts slightly and brushes my thigh with her hand. I draw in a sharp breath, causing her to look at me.

"Something wrong?" she asks innocently.

I shake my head. "No, no. I'm fine." I say quickly. I want to tell her how I feel so badly, but we're only just starting to become friends. I don't wanna ruin anything before it even starts.

"Oh. Okay then. You just look a little pale, that's all." She answers, looking back at the TV and leaning against me a little more. I close my eyes briefly and mutter something about it being a trick of the light before taking a deep breath. I lift the arm that she's leaning against and slowly, almost hesitantly put it round her shoulders so that she's now leaning directly against my side. She turns her head a little and looks at me, slightly surprised.

"What are…" she starts to ask.

"My arm was starting to fall asleep with you leaning on it." I explain before she could finish her question.

"Oh, sorry. I'll just move…" she replies, starting to sit up. "I didn't think."

I use my arm to stop her moving away from me. "No, this is fine. This is much more comfortable."

"Okay then, if you're sure." Connie smiles, settling back against me.

I smile and breathe in the scent of her hair. She smells good and I start to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I'm a teenager, my hormones are raging already and having Connie this close to me is not helping at all. Right now I want nothing more than to take her in my arms and give her the longest kiss…but at the same time I know there's a very real possibility that she might slug me if I try it.

"Dean! You're fidgeting…is something wrong?" Connie enquires, interrupting my thoughts. I hadn't realised, but I had been jiggling my leg for the last five minutes.

"Huh? Oh, no, sorry. I was just…thinking." I answer, slightly embarrassed. Connie twists round, resting her hand on my chest, causing me to take a sharp breath.

"What are you thinking about?" she asks, studying my face intently.

"Um…err…uh…" I stumble over my words, trying desperately to think of an excuse. As if on cue, my stomach growled, providing me with the perfect answer, "just how hungry I am." I finally finish, grinning sheepishly at her, my heart pounding. If Connie noticed, she didn't say anything.

"Yeah, I'm kinda hungry myself. Do you wanna leave the pizza until later and go to McDonalds for breakfast?" she asks, her hand still pressing against my chest.

I smile gratefully. "That sounds great. Let's go."

A couple of hours later we're on our way back to Eden Hall. We've somehow managed to spend that whole time in McDonald's, talking and the atmosphere's a lot more relaxed now. We're talking and laughing as we walk through the entrance doors of the school. I decide now might be a good time to ask a question.

"So, you never gave me a proper answer to the question I asked last night."

"What question was that?" she asked, furrowing her brow as she tried to remember. Is it possible that I didn't actually ask her? That I just thought I did? I wonder.

"I asked if you'd let me take you out to the movies, as a friend, to say thank you for being such a great friend." I reply, still racking my brains to recall whether or not I'd actually asked the question.

"Did you? I don't remember…" she says, eyebrows still knitted together in confusion. I decide I must have just thought I'd asked her.

"Well, I was definitely thinking of asking you that…what do you say?" I ask, somewhat nervously.

"As a friend?" she asks cautiously. I nod in answer. "Well, sure. That'd be nice." She finishes with a smile.

"Really? Great! How does Friday sound to you?" I say with a grin. It's all I can do to stop myself from bouncing off the walls. I know this isn't a date per se, but it's almost as good. "We can go see the new 'Dukes of Hazzard' movie or something."

"Friday sounds great, but I don't know about the movie choice." She answers, making a face.

"Well, we can see something else. I don't really know what's on apart from that, that's all." I say amiably.

"Cool," Connie smiles. God I love her smile. "So, back to our movie marathon?"

"Of course. We can still fit in another couple of movies before it's pizza time." I say, chuckling a little. This is turning out to be one of the best days of my life so far. She grins at me and we head back to her room, trying to avoid the hall monitors who would just love to turn us in.

hockeygirl90 - Thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Banksiesbabe99 - Lol, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Hehe, we've converted you, excellent! Hope you enjoy this chapter too.

Cinnamon Spice - Thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

KenadiFaith04 - Thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter, although not much more is revealed.

Please read & review!