FINAL CHAPTER! OMG! I'm finishing up two fanfics today, holy cow. Ok, deep breaths...I MAY put an epilogue but, knowing me, I may never get around to it.

Chapter Nine: Five Skips

Ding Dong!

Her heart beat like a bass drum, catapulting in her chest. Breathing was somewhat difficult as she awaited nervously for someone to answer the door. She heard the lock click and the door opened. Mrs. Detweiler looked t Spinelli in surprise.

"Oh, hello Spinelli! I have not seen you in quite some time. How have you been?" she asked kindly.

"To be honest, pretty crummy the past few weeks. But I'm better now and I really need to talk to TJ. Is he home?" she asked. Mrs. Detweiler shook her head.

"No, he left a half hour ago. I think he went to Kelso's." Spinelli nodded and walked off the porch.

"Thank you Mrs. Detweiler!" she called back.

"You're welcome, dear!" she answered, closing the door. Spinelli ran to Kelso's at top speed. The bell of the door rang a friendly tune as she opened the door. TJ was not in sight, but the rest of the group was sitting at the counter sipping soda.

"Spinelli!" Mikey cried when he saw her. She walked over, smiling. "How are you?" he asked.

"I'm much better now, thanks!" she answered. "Where is TJ? I really need to tell him something." Mikey shrugged.

"We don't know where he is." Gus put down his empty soda glass.

"TJ left a few minutes ago."

"What do you need to tell him that is so important?" Vince asked, taking a long slurp of his soda.

"That I love him!" she answered simply. Vince was so shocked he spit a mouthful of soda onto Gus's head. Gus yelled out in surprise. Vince pounded his chest, trying to breathe normally again.

"Spinelli, are you sure about this?" Gretchen asked, handing Gus a napkin. Spinelli nodded, smiling.

"Yes, I am! Now I need to find him. Bye!" she said and she ran out of the store. Mikey sighed dreamily.

"Ahh, Le Jour D'Amour!" he sighed.

Spinelli ran down the street, looking high and low for TJ. After an hour of running around, she sighed hopelessly. He was nowhere to be found. Burying her hands into her pockets, Spinelli trudged to the pond in the park. She sat at the edge of the pier and started to skip rocks. A wind blew and she pulled the scrunchie holding her hair up out.

TJ trudged towards the park, kicking an empty soda can. He sighed heavily and walked towards the lake. When he stepped out of the shadows of the trees, the sun filled his eyes. He tried to shield his face and groaned slightly. Was he dreaming?

It was her! She sat at the edge of the pier, her jeans rolled up and her bare feet dangling in the water. Her shiny, soft black hair was caught in the wind, blowing like those goddesses in the paintings. Like it was fate or something, she happened to turn around and look right at him.

TJ gulped nervously. She gave him a small smile and gestured that he could come closer. TJ walked towards her until he stood at her side. "Sit down, TJ!" He obliged and sat next to her. She skipped another stone.

One skip...

"I'm sorry Spinelli!" he blurted. "I didn't mean to hurt you at all. It was the last thing I would ever want to do to you."

Two skips...

"I know TJ, and I should apologize. I acted foolishly but now I have thought it over and i need to tell you how I really feel."

Three skips...

TJ felt confusion sweep over him. "I love you, TJ. I always did love you, but I was too stupid to see it. When I was broken I thought it over and learned how to love you all over again." She turned to face him. He was absolutely speechless. She smiled slightly. "Do you not believe me?"

Four skips...

TJ could not really move. Spinelli cupped his chin with her hand and brought his head forward until her lips mer his in a soft, chaste, REAL first kiss. This one was different than the one when she and TJ had kissed for an experiment. This one was different that day in her room. This one was real and out of the feeling.

Five skips...

Spinelli pulled away from him and looked down, afraid to meet his gaze. What now? One hand took her wrist, the other her cheek. TJ pulled her back to him and kissed her, this one with more passion in it. She tentatively kissed him back.

He pulled away from her, grinning a little. He picked up a pebble. "Five skips, huh?"

The End

Aww, cute little fluffy ending. Possible epilogue, but this fanfic is pretty much at the end. I hope you all enjoyed it, I like writing it very much. Ciao!