When we reached Steve's house, the front door was open. I looked over to him before his mom came out.
"Mom, I thought you were going with Dad?" Steve asked his mother, confused. As I got out of the car Jessica came over and greeted me with a hug,
"I told your father I'd go up there later. I'm going out with Susan for a little bit." She smiled over at Steve, "Do you guys want me to drop off anything before I go to meet your father?" She asked us,
"It's okay, Jessica. Dawn said she would be in charge of snacks so we got that covered. Thank you though." I smiled as Jake's car pulled in behind Steve's,
"Hi Mrs. Harrington." Dawn greeted as she got out of the car,
"You must be Tyler's best friend!" She smiled before pulling her in for a hug, "I've heard a lot from the two of them. I'm so glad that I get to meet you before you go to college." Jessica told her, "And please call me Jessica." She added.
"Of course, Jessica." Dawn smiled, "This is my boyfriend, Jake." Dawn introduced
"It's nice to see you Robin and nice to meet you Jake." She gave them each a wide smile, "I better get going, I don't want to keep Susan waiting." Jessica smiled before she got in her car and left,
"Your mom is so awesome." Dawn looked over to Steve, "She must treat you like a daughter." Dawn commented,
"She does." I smiled, "I really like talking to Jessica and helping her with dinner." I shrugged as I always enjoyed her presence more than Steve's dad.
"It's also very flattering that you guys talk about me so highly." Dawn teased before she walked towards Steve's house. I laughed as I followed her.
I let Dawn, Robin and Jake change first as I didn't want them to see the bruise on my chest, yet. Honestly, I was still kind of nervous of the reaction of the group. I felt Steve's arms wrap around my waist from behind,
"It's going to be fine." He told me before he placed a kiss on my cheek. I nodded, "If you want I can help you change." He whispered seductively. I giggled as I turned around,
"I wouldn't mind that." I snaked my arms around his neck.
"I also wouldn't be able to see that all the time." I heard Robin say. I turned to see Dawn and Robin in the doorway of the kitchen. I rolled my eyes as I pulled away to go change,
"You still think we're adorable." I laughed.
When I came back out to the kitchen, Dawn and Robin were back outside with Jake. Steve was leaning against the kitchen counter, waiting for me. I grabbed his hand and led him outside. When we both walked outside, Jake had Dawn over his shoulder. Dawn was pleading for Jake to put her down, so he did...by throwing her in the pool. Robin laughed as Dawn resurfaced and looked over to us,
"Can you believe he just did that?" She scoffed,
"You said you were hot." Jake shrugged
"The pool is the best way to cool off." Robin agreed with Jake. Dawn huffed before I noticed that she was squinting in our direction. I could already feel my face getting hot as she had that devilish smirk of hers on her face.
"Looks like you guys had fun last night." She commented, which caused Jake and Robin to look at us. "I told you they would." Dawn looked over to Robin,
"Well of course if you put them in a room by themselves." Robin argued,
"That's why I did it." Dawn smiled and Steve nudged me, "I'm impressed that you can be quiet. How did you do it, Harrington?" Dawn asked. I quickly got into the pool as I was getting hot between Dawn's comments and the sun. Steve shrugged as he looked over to me smirking, I bit my lip as I was staring into his eyes.
"You guys aren't making a very good case for yourselves to get an apartment with Robin." Dawn broke us from our staring,
"When were we planning on getting an apartment with Robin?" Steve asked,
"Dawn suggested that we would and well, you know how Dawn is." Robin answered him,
"At least you know that they can be quiet." Dawn argued,
"Robin still has to finish school, maybe when she graduates the three of us can get one in the same town where I'm going to school." I told Dawn,
"Fine but when you do, I want to come apartment shopping with you guys." Dawn had a twinkle in her eye, before Robin could protest I gave her a look that we didn't need to continue on the subject. Nothing was set in stone, and I had figured that Robin would be all for us sharing an apartment but that was something we weren't concerned with. It was more important for us to find jobs and just get through the rest of the summer.
The five of us just lounged by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. Danny had come by to join us as he was looking for Dawn to spend some time with her. I figured Dawn must have left a note at home or something. At least Danny brought pizza and beer for us to eat. I had ended up staying the night at Steve's as there was no point in me going home when I could just wear Steve's clothes. Maybe I could stop home in the morning before we went to Dawn's in the afternoon to help her pack and that was something I wasn't looking forward to. The main reason why I wasn't looking forward to it, was because it just meant that Dawn would be leaving and I wouldn't be able to see her as much. I knew I had Robin, Steve, Max and the party but Dawn was my first real friend, she was almost like a sister to me and I didn't want her to go or for us to grow apart. I knew Dawn would never let that happen, (like Steve had said), nor would I but it was something that I was afraid of.
Steve, Max, Robin and I were all at Dawn's house to help her load up her car (Danny and Jake were there to drive up with her to make sure she was safe and moved in). Dawn insisted that we see her off. Steve had held my hand as Dawn put the last box in her car. Dawn turned and looked to us,
"I'm gonna miss you guys so much." She smiled. Dawn had come up to me and gave me a hug. I started to cry because I was going to miss having her around, "Stop crying, you're making me cry." Dawn laughed as she pulled away. I could see that she was crying too, "You know I'll come and visit you as much as I can, and that goes for you too." She poked me. I started to wipe my tears,
"I promise." I nodded as I knew Dawn was never going to be too far but I was going to miss having her around all the time,
"I have a present for you." She reached into her back pocket to give me a cassette. I looked at it to see it was the one that had Whitney Houstan's song "How Will I Know" on it. I remember the day Dawn bought it and we listened to it and played it later when we were with Steve and Jake. It was just before Steve and I got stuck in that Russian elevator. I looked up at Dawn to protest, "I can always buy another one." She waved her hand, "Besides any time you look at it or listen to it, you will think of me." Dawn smirked before looking behind me, "I want you guys to watch out for Tyler while I'm gone." Dawn instructed Max, Robin and Steve, "Not that she needs a babysitter but because I don't want her to get hurt or picked on by any little shit." Dawn continued, "But if you can't cheer her up for whatever reason, call me or drive her ass to my college." She laughed before going to hug the three, "Also, don't break her heart, Harrington." Dawn pointed at Steve as he pulled me close to him,
"Nothing will happen to Ty. I got her back." Steve reassured Dawn. She gave an approving nod before she gave us all hugs once again, followed by a group hug. I knew she was stalling at this point,
"You guys gave me the best year of my life. I don't know what I'd do without you guys." She spoke in the hug,
"Dawn." Jake came over and placed a hand on her shoulder,
"I know." She spoke, we all pulled away before she went off to her car. The three of us stepped aside so they could get out of the driveway. Steve had grabbed my hand and squeezed it as I started crying again.
We had watched Dawn and Jake drive off with Danny following behind her. Who knew that one person would impact my life so much and actually showed me what a true friend was.
"I think Mike is having the rest of the party over for a game night, if you want to come." Max had looked to me. I nodded,
"That would be fun." I smiled, "You guys might need adult supervision anyway." I laughed,
"Okay, Dad." Max rolled her eyes before walking over to my car.
For the little while that I was with the party, it brought my mind off of Dawn leaving. Of course she had called when I was out, so I called her back and listened to how her day went. Dawn was already starting on making a list of potential girls for Robin, I couldn't help but smile as I was thinking of how Robin would react.
A/N: If you guys want, I can put a 'flashback' chapter about the Whitney song and that night, I can do it. Just let me know or say something. I had started to write something but if you guys want to see it I'll post it. I'm also going to see if I can think of/look up a basic plot for a DnD chapter. :)