Disclaimer: All Drake & Josh characters copyright their proper owners. I just wrote this.

Author's Note: New story. This is part two of my trilogy. This one is going to go into something a bit more mature in chapter seven, and I'll remind you again then. That's just a forewarning right now. It's not going to go over the "T" rating, so don't worry about that. Anyway, in this story, Drake's dealing with Christine dating someone else, and someone else is going to come back. I don't want to give away too much though. Oh, and rose colors will be an important part of this. But don't worry, just listen to everything Christine says about them, and you should understand. One more thing, more song lyrics...the James Blunt song is James Blunt's. He wrote it, not me. Gotta disclaim it. We now return you to your regularly scheduled fanfiction, and as always, please read and review.

My life is brilliant

My life is brilliant
My love is pure
I saw an angel
Of that I'm sure
She smiled at me on the subway
She was with another man
But I won't lose no sleep on that
'Cause I've got a plan

You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're beautiful, it's true
I saw your face
In a crowded place
And I don't know what to do
'Cause I'll never be with you

Yes, she caught my eye
As I walked on by
She could see from my face that I was
Flying high
And I don't think that I'll see her again
But we shared a moment that will last 'til the end...

The song stopped abruptly as Drake slammed his hand on the power button of the stereo.

"Shut up, James Blunt," he said. He sat down on the sofa. That song reminded him a lot about how he cared about Christine, but "she was with another man." This was irritating. The only plus from all of this was the fact that it gave him new material for writing music.

Josh walked into the room.

"What's up?" he asked

"Not too much," Drake replied.

Josh glanced at the stereo and turned it on. That song was still playing. Fortunately, it was the last chorus. Unfortunately, it was the last chorus.

You're beautiful
You're beautiful
You're beautiful, it's true
There must be an angel
With a smile on her face
When she thought that I should be with you

But it's time to face the truth
I will never be with you

"Thanks, Josh," Drake said. "That just sent my spirits sky high."

"I don't see why you didn't just tell her," Josh replied.

"Because, she's with David now. I can't just come between her and her new boyfriend, especially one who really seems to care about her."

"But you care about her," Josh responded. Christine had been Drake's best friend ever since preschool. She'd moved to San Francisco when they were both eleven. She and her mother had moved back about five months ago because her parents got a divorce. The split was a bit messy, considering her father had an affair, but she had gone to see him and things were good between them. Drake had wished things had gone as smoothly when he confronted Ford in New York a few months ago.

"Which is why I can't tell her," Drake replied. "What if it ruined her relationship with David? She'd be heartbroken. I can't come between her and someone she cares about. Besides, that would also ruin the friendship I have with her, and I made a promise to her when we were little, and I intend to keep that promise."

Josh shook his head. Drake had been talking about promises a lot lately.

"Look, you're not going after a girl you want. That frightens me," Josh said. "It's not like you at all."

"That was the old Drake."

"Well 'the old Drake' was around when he decided to 'borrow' my G-O when he picked up Christine."

"Okay, so the old Drake does still exist. I just don't want to do that to girls anymore. It's because of Ford that I did that, and I don't want to be like him. Not after everything he's done."

"Okay," Josh sighed. It was difficult to talk to Drake lately. He truly was the same as before, except he wasn't dating anyone. "If you won't tell Christine, why don't you at least start dating again? I mean, you might as well try. Maybe you'll find someone you like."

"I guess you're right," Drake responded. Josh was shocked that Drake had given in easily. "If she's with someone else, there's no reason for me to be alone. I just wish I had said something before I left. What difference does it make now?"

"I really don't know," Josh replied. He wished there was something he could do.

The summer was almost ending, and senior year would begin in a week. This was supposed to be the best year of their lives, but Drake was acting weird before it even began. The problem also remained that college was just around the corner, and Drake hadn't mentioned it at all. He still hadn't gone to see Alan Crimm. Mainly because the fact that he had a, now, twelve-year-old playing the drums was something undesired. That might not sit well with Crimm. Or anyone else for that matter. Then, where Drake stood on the college front, Josh didn't know. He hoped he would find something to do with himself.

Josh was cleaning up at the Premiere. His shift was almost over, and he had a date with Mindy that night. He glanced up from wiping up some spilled Mountain Fizz to see Drake talking to a girl.

Finally, Josh thought. He needs to get out there and date again. He's really started to worry me.

Drake finished talking to the girl and gave her a smile before walking over to his brother at the snack counter.

"Well?" Josh asked.

"Well, what?" came Drake's reply.

"Date? Who is she? She's cute."

"Yeah, Melissa, she goes to Lincoln."

"She's not a cheerleader is she?" Josh asked.

"No, why?" Drake questioned, a bit puzzled.

"After what their football team did to me, I need to be careful of anyone who associates with them," Josh replied.

"Okay," said Drake. "Anyway, yeah, I have a date with her Saturday night."

"Good to see you out there playing the field again," Josh said.

"I don't want to play the field," Drake responded, "but I don't have much of a choice now, do I?"

"Don't look at this as a bad thing," Josh said. "Look at it as an opportunity to meet some new people, and you can play the field without dating the way you did before Christine came back. I mean, a lot of other people do it."

"Says the man who's only ever had one girlfriend in his whole life."

"Ouch. That hurt so much that my girlfriend's been with me for over a year."

"Whatever."

"Well, good luck with it. I've got to go. Mindy's expecting me to pick her up in about an hour and a half, and I still have to change."

"Bye," Drake said as Josh left the Premiere. Drake hung around for a few minutes. He was thirsty and decided to get a soda. When he turned around after he paid Gavin for one (he kicked himself for not getting it when Josh was still there, he could have gotten it free that way), he saw Christine walk in with David. David lived in San Francisco, but he came to San Diego to see Christine the week before school began.

Drake had spent a good portion of his summer with Christine, trying to get her to more or less fall for him, but he could only be subtle about it. He'd learned much about David. He was a member of the honor society, he played basketball, he was going to help organize prom...it all made Drake sick to his stomach. David was all the things Drake would never be, and Drake knew it. David was the one Christine deserved. He was even quickly accepted by the circle of friends Christine had made when Drake introduced her to Michelle the previous school year. How could Drake have been foolish enough to think he could attempt to make her fall for him? He cared about her, but she knew that, so him showing her didn't do much good, except make her happier about who her best friend was. However, he would never be with her. David was what Drake knew she deserved in the first place, when he had said she deserved better than him.

Since David came to San Diego a few times over the summer, Drake spent a bit of time with him too. He never hung around with Christine and David long though because it bothered him too much to hang around with Christine and her boyfriend when Drake himself cared about her as more than a friend. Hadn't she seen that he wasn't dating anymore? Had that given her any clue? Maybe love did make people blind, blind to see the other people in her life at least. Still, Drake could only blame himself, and as he wanted to keep his promise to her, he could only be subtle about trying to get her to fall for him. In the end, he gave up on it. She just wasn't getting it.

Drake didn't want Christine and David to see him, so he quickly turned around waiting for Gavin to hand him his soda. Gavin handed it to him and looked up at who was behind him in line.

"Oh, Drake," said Gavin. "Look, it's Christine and her boyfriend."

Drake gave Gavin a look that said he would die if he ever did that again and turned around.

"Hi, Drake," said Christine, giving him a smile.

"Hi," Drake replied. David gave him a grin. Drake didn't want David to be nice to him. He wanted to turn back time to the night before he left for New York and tell Christine what he felt, but he hadn't come to his realizations yet and so, didn't have the courage to say anything to her. Then this happens. She's taken away by a guy who lives in San Francisco, and they were getting serious. College time was coming up quickly, and Drake wouldn't be surprised if Christine packed up her bags and said she was going to San Francisco to be with David.

Drake shook his head. He was being ridiculous. Things might not even go that far between the two. What was he hoping for though? For David to dump her and him be the one to catch her and show her real love like some cheesy clichéd romance movie? It wasn't going to end that way either. So, how would it end? Would it end at all? Even though the odds of a high school couple being separated by distance staying together were fairly slim, they got along very well. They really seemed to like each other. Drake only had himself to blame for not being the one she was with tonight. Besides, he had Melissa for now. Maybe things would end up working out well in a relationship with her. Drake could only hope.

"I don't have long, I told Josh I'd help him with something tonight, so I'll say goodbye." Drake walked away from Christine and David. David glanced down at Christine to see her face etched with worry.

"What's the matter?" asked David.

"Josh has a date with Mindy tonight," she replied softly.