Modern: Nobody Understands, No One Understands

Rating: General Audiences

Pairing: Eleven/Rose

Other tags: Song: Modern AU, Childhood Friends AU, Human AU, Mutual Pining

Warnings: None

Summary: Jack and Donna were at their wits end. Them and all their other friends. It was so obvious what was going on between John and Rose. Well obvious to everyone but the two people in question. It's a little surprising how long it was before Jack started taking bets.

Welcome to Day 24/Song 15! One week left of daily AUs, and 3 songs left for Lover. I'm very proud of what I've managed to write. Thank you for reading.

This was the hardest one for emLover/em to figure out the title for. I just couldn't find the right lyrics. It serves as a prequel to the one-shot for "Paper Rings" but it can be read by itself.

Song of the fic: "I Think He Knows" by Taylor Swift

Word Count: 1,415

He got that boyish look that I like in a man
I am an architect, I'm drawing up the plans
It's like I'm seventeen, nobody understands
No one understands

"It's hopeless. I'm always going to be in the best friend zone. No one ever escapes the best friend zone. Regular friend zone maybe. Not the best friend zone. I'm going to be alone forever."

Jack forced himself to refrain from laughing as he listened to his best friend pine over his crush. Again. Everyone (literally everyone. Even the postman brought it up once) knew they had it bad for each other. Well, everyone but John Noble and Rose Tyler.

John groaned as he crossed his arms on the table and rested his forehead on them. Jack traded amused looks with Amy, Rory, and Mickey over the lunchroom table. He patted John's back with mock sincerity.

"Chin up, Doc. You don't know that for sure. You should just ask her out. Prom is coming up, ask her to that!" The others nodded in agreement, but John's head remained on the table.

"I don't know. She's probably already been asked by someone else. I can hardly blame anyone who has the guts to do what I can't. And even if we did go together, she would probably assume it was just as friends. And stop calling me Doc!" Amy snorted, and everyone looked at her.

"Oh, believe me, she's been asked. Three times that she's told me: Adam Mitchell, Jimmy Stone, and that wanker Lance Bennett. Though how the bastard thought she'd say yes after what he did to Donna is anyone's guess." Everyone glared at the mention of That Arsehole, especially John. After all, it was his sister that had been stood up and humiliated.

"Anyway, Rose turned them all down. She said she wanted to go with someone she knows, not some random guy just looking for arm candy. And that's a direct quote." Yeah, Jack thought. That sounded like Rosie. Mickey, who was usually the quietest of the group about Rose's love life, spoke up.

"Trust me, mate. Go for it. At least take her to the dance. Rose isn't gonna say it out loud, but she wants to go to the dance. And she wants her date to be someone she knows. Who better than her best friend?" Jack could see the wheels turning in John's head. He suddenly stood up, startling not only those at their table but a few others as well. Gathering up his things, he started talking really fast like he did whenever he got excited.

"I just got an idea! You lot stay here. I'm gonna go plan. See you later!" He ran off without another word, leaving behind a table of amused friends and several confused bystanders. Rory crossed his arms over his chest.

"Is it just me, or is he the smartest idiot you know?" Jack couldn't help but snort into his lunch while the others laughed. Idiotic genius was definitely a phrase he'd use to describe John Noble.

Though, he and Amy should probably check on him later and ask what his "idea" was. While he was certain Rose would say yes, no matter what, John was known for going over the top. Donna would kill him if he embarrassed himself.

~~~~~DW~~~~~

"It's hopeless. He's never gonna see me as anything but a friend. And no one else can compare to him, so I'm doomed to be alone forever."

"You do remember that's my brother you're talking about, right?" Donna snorted when Rose glared at her. "You know, sometimes it really sucks that you're best friends with both John and me. Because, if we hated each other, I wouldn't have to listen to you lament over your crush on my little brother. I don't care that's it's only by 11 minutes. It counts." Rose snorted at that, and the two of them sat down at their usual lunch table.

Although the table already had Martha, Clara, and Bill sitting there, it felt like it was only half full. Somehow, their group of friends had been split evenly in two between the lunch periods. It was better than one person being alone, but it still sucked that their last year of secondary school was spent with separate lunches. Martha looked up as they sat down.

"There you two are! I was just trying to get Clara to say who her date for prom is. She's refusing to tell us because she thinks we'll scare them off. Which is ridiculous." Clara groaned and banged her hand on the table.

"No, it's not. It's what you guys did to every guy I've ever dated before. I really like Danny, and I want him to get to know me before you guys pounce on him. Especially before Rory goes into big brother mode. For such a quiet guy he can be intimidating." Realizing her mistake, Clara slapped her hand over her mouth as Martha and Bill cheered in triumph. Rose shrugged.

"At lease you have a date. At this rate I'll be the only one of us without one." The other four have her looks. "What? It's true. Jack and Ianto, Mickey and Martha, Donna and Lee, Amy and Rory, Clara and Danny, Bill and Heather. And John is going with Reinette Poisson right?" Donna gave an over-exaggerated gag.

"No, thank heavens. I managed to talk him out of that one. Besides, the cow would've probably turned him down. So, he doesn't have a date. But he wants to. Seriously though. The only realistic reason for him to have not asked you by now is he either thinks you already have a date or he truly is an idiot." She somehow managed to say that with a straight face. After a moment, they all snorted.

"Oh, come on. We all know he's the most lovable idiot we know. Yet somehow, he's also a genius. He's practically a shoe in for both Oxford and Cambridge for his dual degree." Bill groaned as she stabbed her salad with a fork. "Meanwhile some of us don't even know what we're studying.

Donna couldn't help but agree. She had half a mind to tell Rose ask John to be her date. Lord knows her brother won't do it himself. Before she could say anything, however, her phone went off in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a text from Amy.

Hey, don't say anything to the others, but Jack and I are keeping John from going too over the top with his plan to ask Rose to prom. Just giving you the heads up in case we need your influence.

Donna couldn't help but smirk. So, looks like her brother finally got his head out of his arse, did he? As usual, though, he seemed to be going over the top. He usually listened to Jack and Amy, so they should be able to keep him from completely embarrassing himself. And her.

~~~~~DW~~~~~

Rose checked the time. Again. She was waiting for John outside the school at their usual spot to walk home together. He was late. He was never late. She heard panting behind her and turned to see the subject of her thoughts running towards her. He paused to catch his breath and push his bangs out of his face.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. I was taking care of some stuff." He started figuring with his hands, one of his nervous ticks. "I'm, actually, I had this big plan I wanted to do, but Jack and Amy convinced me not to. So, I guess I'm just going to have to do this the old-fashioned way." He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.

"Rose Tyler, will you go to prom with me?" It took Rose a moment to register what John had just said. Apparently, she was quiet for a moment too long.

"Forget it, nevermi–" she interrupted him.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes."

Rose shouted in joy and tackled John in a hug, shouting "YES!" once more. He accepted her hug and held her close. Neither of them noticed Jack and Donna off to the side, watching them with smirks on their faces.

"Ok, I bet thirty pounds that he asks her out for real by the end of this summer." Jack said. Donna couldn't hold back the snort.

"No, my brother's too much of a coward. Thirty on the end of first year of uni, and that Rose makes the first move." She held out her hand to him, and they shook on it. Either way, their best friends would be getting together, which would make everyone win.

This song is quick and peppy. I love it.