Hey all, I do hope everyone is having a good weekend, a good day or a good night. I promise there will be some Zade moments to come, but regarding them as a couple, that's going to be a while yet, as I have it planned out on how it will come about and how it will lead into the sequel to this one. It'll be worth the small wait, I promise.

Enjoy.

"What's got you so down?" Jesse asked, joining his brother outside, taking the football that laid by Wade's feet.

"Nothing," Wade shrugged; eyes focused on the woods behind his uncle Mo's house.

"You can't lie to me," Jesse told him, giving him a nudge. He'd find a way to drag the information out of his brother. "Does this have something to do with a certain dance that's going on?" Jesse asked with a smirk, watching his brother close his eyes.

"Graham Williams," Wade sighed, kicking at the dirt. The name tasting like burnt cookies on his tongue. He really doesn't have anything against the guy. He barely knows him to hate him. That is until now, or when Graham gets Zoe to turn her back on the friendship they have built over the years.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Jesse asked with a chuckle.

"No," Wade retorted rolling his eyes. "That's who Zoe's going with, and they've been getting cozy this past week at school," he sighed. It was clear to see that they were becoming friends, not nearly as close as he is to Zoe, but enough to feel threatened.

"Graham's a good kid," Jesse shrugged, not understanding the big deal about the whole thing. It's not like Graham is trouble, he doesn't think that Graham has ever gotten into trouble. Not once.

"I know," Wade muttered. That being the problem. He's all about baseball and his grades. Much like Zoe is when it comes to school.

"Are you jealous?" Jesse asked, holding his laughter in. Wade sent his brother a glare for suggesting such a thing. "You are?"

"Why would I be jealous?" Wade asked. It's not like he likes Zoe anymore than a friend. Zoe is his best friend, there's no other feelings between them. He doesn't have a crush on her. And with her going to the dance and the shy looks he's seen her give to Graham, he's pretty certain that she likes him more than a friend as well. "She's my best friend and I don't want to lose her as my best friend, because some guy can't handle that fact," he explained.

"Do you really think that Zoe would do that to you?" Jesse asked him. "Because if you do believe Zoe would treat you like trash, then you don't deserve her as a friend let alone your best friend," Jesse told him, getting up and leaving him alone.

"I don't think nor do I believe that Zoe would do that," he yelled after his brother. Did he believe that any guy she dated would convince her without her knowing he was ruining the friendship they had, absolutely.

"Then don't worry about it," Jesse called from where he stopped. "Besides they can only be friends if they don't hit it off."

Wade shrugged, because he doesn't know. He won't know until Sunday night, Monday morning at the latest. He wanted to have faith that he wouldn't be replaced by Graham, but the longer he thought about it, the bigger the problem became making him believe that Zoe has already replaced him. The bad part is that the dance doesn't even start for another two hours. It's going to be one long weekend, if he can't stop thinking and worrying about something going on miles and miles away from him.

He could call George and see if he would keep an eye on Zoe and Graham for him. That felt wrong and he didn't want Zoe to be mad at him for something as low as that. He wouldn't be the one to ruin the friendship with her, not when he's already done so in the beginning with their rocky start. Keeping busy is going to be the only option for him the next few days.

For Wade, the weekend went by slowly. Normally, he has a blast at his Uncle Mo's place. How can you not with it being so close to the ocean? Trying to avoid his thoughts about Zoe, got the best of him. The harder he tried to forget about what is going on with her in Bluebell, the more he went down a dark tunnel thinking they won't be friends when he gets back. With the ocean on one side of the house across the road and woods directly behind the house there was plenty to keep him distracted. But hiking through the woods made him think of how Zoe would like to see the beauty of it. Walking along the ocean made him think of how Zoe would like to collect seashells. He picked up a few that she might like.

They actually stayed longer Sunday than what they had planned, but they couldn't turn down the fish fry they got invited to by one of Mo's neighbors. For the few hours, they were there, laughing and having fun playing a game of football to feasting on crawfish, he forgot all about his worries when it came to Zoe. Those didn't pop into his mind until they got onto the road to make the trip back to Bluebell. Falling sleep the only help in making the car ride go by at a fast pace.

When they did get home, it was too late to go see Zoe and find out what happened with Graham. He could wait until morning, making sure he was at her front door bright and early for their walk to school. With his plan set he headed to bed, too tired to actually get ready for bed and to clean up his mess of dirty clothes he left on the floor in a pile.

Wade muttered under his breath hearing his brother pound on his bedroom door, telling him that he slept through his alarm, and now he doesn't know if he'll get a chance to see Zoe and calm the fears that play on a loop in his mind. His shower was quick one, clothes were random as he pulled them from his closet and tossed them on. He grabbed his bag as he rushed down the stairs and out the door.

"What's the hurry?" Zoe asked him, raising an eyebrow, handing him a breakfast sandwich, fresh from the oven.

"Woke up late," he huffed out, catching his breath. "Thanks," he told her, taking a bite of the still warm sandwich. "Where's Graham?" He asked, wincing as they started the trek to school. That wasn't how he wanted this conversation to go.

"He's actually in Mobile," Zoe told him. "His Grandpa isn't doing the greatest," she said. They talked for a few minutes last night.

"That's too bad," Wade frowned. "How was the dance?" He asked. He did feel bad for what Graham was going through, he just had nothing to add to that part of the conversation.

"The dance was fun," Zoe smiled. "It would've been better with you there, but it was a blast," she gushed. "George and Lemon are a couple; I think," she frowned, not really certain if they are or not. "How was your weekend?" Zoe asked him.

"It was good," he nodded. "Yours?" He asked, trying to dig up more information on Graham. "Mo is good and it was nice to see him, and it's such a great place. We have to find a way for you to come next time; you'd like the place," Wade tacked on.

"Yeah, maybe," Zoe nodded. "If you really think we can talk everyone into it; I'd like to go and see it," she smiled. "It was good, but weird without you here," she shrugged.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he nodded, seeing the school come into sight. A Saturday morning just isn't the same without their standing breakfast friend date. "Any hot dates?" He asked.

"How'd you hear about that?" She asked with a frown. "Nevermind," she laughed shaking her head. "It didn't happen because his grandpa fell ill."

"That's a bummer for you then," Wade said. Zoe nodded, heading up the front steps of the school. He thought about confessing that he knew nothing about their being a date beyond the dance, that it was just a real good guess.

"It really is; I was looking forward to getting to know him better. He's a pretty cool guy; you'd like him," she told him.

"Uh yeah, maybe," Wade shrugged. "We'll have to hang out when he gets back," Wade commented.

"It's a date," Zoe commented. "And not like that, just one with friends," she amended what she said, not wanting Wade to think that she has feelings for him other than that of friends.

"I knew what you meant," Wade chuckled. "I'll see you at lunch," he said, walking down the hall to his locker, letting Zoe head off to her locker before the bell for first period started.