Chapter Five

Stacy's POV

I couldn't sleep that night. I didn't sleep that night. When the sun rose I got out of bed and took a shower. I made myself breakfast but I couldn't eat anything.

Ella's POV

I woke up the next morning and it took me a second to remember why I had sand caked all over me. I smiled and got out of bed, grabbed a shower, got dressed, all that junk.

I sat in my backyard with my sketch book waiting for the guys to show up. We had planned a mellow day of sitting around my house and backyard doing nothing all day.

Sid of course was the first one to show up. He tried hopping my fence but got the bottom of his jeans caught so he was hanging upside down. I would have helped him down if I hadn't been laughing so hard I couldn't move, but luckily Stacy and Tony turned up (laughed their asses off too) and helped him down.

We were pretty much just lounging around, me sketching away, Sid playing with my skateboard, Tony and Stacy playing bloody knuckles and it was pretty calm.

We heard a loud whoop and Jay came flying over my fence on his skateboard, landing hard on the ground, narrowly missing the pool.

I was up and running towards him in a second. I knelt beside him and gently pulled his upper half into me.

"Jay? Are you alright? Are you insane?" I asked frantically.

"Hey hottie," he smiled as he managed to shift both our bodies so he was lying on top of me and he kissed me rather roughly.

"Get a room!" someone (I'm assuming Sid) said loudly.

Jay got off me and helped me off the ground.

"How'd you get so much leverage?" Tony asked.

"Rearranged some of the junk they had lying around that remodeling job next door," Jay smiled innocently.

It went back to mellow soon after that. I had gone back to sketching a guy I had seen in my dream the night before. He didn't have a face because in the dream it had been unclear, but he had long hair and he was kind of skinny but muscular.

"What'cha drawing?" Sid asked snatching the book from my hands.

"Oh hells no!" I cried as I jumped up and lunged at him. I never let anyone look at my sketches.

I tackled Sid to the ground and we wrestled before we were able to both get up (Sid had abandoned my book by this time somewhere on the grass) and he lunged at me pretty forcefully and we fell into the pool with a huge splash.

Stacy's POV

The next thing we know Jay, Tony, and I are all leaping into Ella's pool, clothes, shoes, and all with a loud whoop.

We started goofing around and wrestling in the water. I was holding Jay under water when I caught a glimpse of Ellie soaking wet, her clothes sticking to every curve of her body. I was tempted to keep Jay under there and not ever let him up, but instead I let go of his head, climbed out of the pool and made a dash for her gate.

"Stace? Where are you going? Stacy?" I heard them calling after me. I ran to my car, climbed in, and drove off (narrowly missing some stupid little rich brat who really had no right to be playing right in the middle of the…sidewalk).

Jay's POV

We all looked at each other, completely confused when suddenly this look crossed Sid's face.

"Sid, is there something that you know that we don't?" I asked.

"I know lots of things you don't," he replied with this smart ass smirk that earned him a smack from Tony.

"Allow me to rephrase for Jay, do you know something about Stacy that we should know? And before you answer, keep in mind that we are very violent," Ella said glaring at Sid.

"Um, Stacy's sick, but he didn't want you guys to worry about him," Sid said. I wasn't completely convinced, Tony wasn't either, but I could tell Coop didn't believe him in the least. But it was Sid…why would he lie?

We all climbed out of the water and Gloria brought us some towels, shaking her head while muttering something about silly, immature teenagers.

Sid and I decided to head to the beach but Coop told us she felt tired and was going to catch a nap. I kissed her hard on the mouth and took off with Sid.

Ella's POV

Alright, here's the way I saw things after Stacy took off:

-Something's up with Stacy that he's not telling me

-Sid's a terrible liar and knew what was up with Stacy

-Stacy is one of my oldest and dearest friends

-I needed to find out what was up with one of my oldest and dearest friends

Jay and Sid wanted to go to the beach but I told them I was too tired. Jay shrugged, kissed me hard on the mouth and took off.

I went upstairs to my room and changed out of my wet clothes. I pulled my long hair into a ponytail and grabbed my skateboard. I glided smoothly through the streets, not stopping for cars, pedestrians, or anything else. I only slowed down when the Peralta house was in my sight. I picked up my board and ran up to the door, giving it three loud knocks.

Mrs. Peralta let me in and I headed for Stacy's room. I found him lying on him bed in the dark, with some music playing quietly.

"Stace?" I said quietly.

"Hey Elle," came the hoarse reply. I flipped on the light and sat down at the edge of his bed. He squinted from the light.

"Stacy, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"Come on, Stace, talk to me," I said reaching for his hand.

"Ellie…" his voice trailed off and he had his head turned so that he couldn't make eye contact with me.

"Stacy, we've been friends for forever. You can tell me anything. Come on Peralta, what's wrong?" I persisted.

"Ellie…trust me, you do not want to know what's wrong with me," Stacy said.

"Yes I do, I'm your friend and I care about you. Now what's wrong with you, you loser?" I said, trying to throw a joke in to lighten the mood.

"Never mind me, I'll be fine. How are you and Jay?" Stacy asked.

"We're fine…but I know that you're not. Now, tell me what's wrong or I'll kick you in the nuts," I said.

Stacy smiled ever so slightly and said, "Ella, I'll be fine, trust me. I don't want to talk about this. Now seriously, how did your date with him go?"

"It was good…there was alcohol, just like I expected. It's Jay, he knows how to entertain a girl," I smiled.

Stacy hesitated for a moment before asking, "Did you guys…you know…?"

"Go all the way? Stacy, I was out with Jay. What do you think?"

Stacy's POV

Ugh, that feeling that I'd been kicked in the stomach was back. The girl I loved was sitting in front of me telling me that she had slept with one of my best friends. She was sitting so close to me, and yet she was so far away. She was his.