okay, here's chapter 7! please readdd XD its kind of like an update on each character's feelings and what's currently going on with them, mixed with a nice juicy fight! hahaa enjoy

Chapter 7, The Lover's Diaries

December had finally come, and everybody was getting into the holiday spirit. Everybody was well aware of Steve and Nicole's relationship. Donna was dating a guy named Clay Vansworth, who she had met at the Peach Pit. He, like Michael, was a freshman at CU. David had hit it off with Michael's ex girlfriend's best friend, Bailey. Turned out that Bailey Lancaster was a junior at West Beverly. Her and Michael's ex, Tibby, had been friends since Bailey was born, in spite of the two year age difference between the girls. Bailey's father had died, and her mother was in rehab, so she was living with her best friend.

Brandon was feeling more and more guilty whenever he was around Kelly. He desperately wanted to make things work with her. He really liked her, and he could swear he was almost completely over Ashley. Things were really going well for him and Kelly, and he wanted to keep it that way. She was becoming much more considerate of other people, and he liked to think he had something to do with that.

Donna was so happy to finally be in an actual relationship. She liked Clay so much. Donna had never really had a lot going on in the romance department, and she was afraid she might do or say something that would make things not work out with Clay. Everybody kept telling her to relax and calm down, but she had never felt this way about a guy before, and wanted to make this feeling last as long as possible.

Ashley and Dylan hadn't had a single fight in months, and she was worried that this was just the calm before the storm or something. She was so used to fighting with Dylan that she hadn't really just sat back and enjoyed a relationship like this in so long. It was unsettling, but in a really fantastic way. She never thought it was possible to feel this way about somebody, and she loved every second of it.

Brenda had felt some sort of connection to Michael since the day they first met at his house. Ashley kept saying she was glad they had finally gotten together, because the spark between them was so powerful. Brenda was falling for Michael fast, but what she really wanted to know was if he felt the same way.

Steve was more happy with Nicole than he could ever remember being. She kept him in check, and he loved that. She was always so outgoing and crazy, always up for anything, and he liked the challenge of keeping up with her. He was falling really hard, really fast, and he could tell she felt just as strongly about him. He was kind of surprised they had gone this long without sex, and he hadn't gotten bored yet.

David had been with Bailey for about a month, and she sort of kept his mind off of Ashley. She was really great, and he liked her a lot. She was unique, to say the least. She had extremely long strawberry blonde hair, and grey eyes. She wasn't exactly smart, but she was a really sweet girl. David didn't see a big future for them, but she seemed okay with that.

Dylan was so glad with the way things were going with him and Ashley. They became more serious with every passing day, and he loved that she always had something to say about everything. She always spoke her mind, and told him when he was being a complete idiot. She wasn't afraid to have people hate her for her opinion, and he didn't know what he'd do if he ever lost her.

Kelly could swear it was love. She had never felt this way about a guy before. Brandon was everything she could have ever wanted. He really believed in her, and she loved that there was somebody to encourage her. He was always there for her, and he was the only guy who ever made her feel insecure. She was just afraid he hadn't fallen for her as much as she did for him.

"The Newlywed game?" Ashley asked, "Aren't we a little too...I dunno, unmarried for that?"

Donna shook her head, "No, it'll be really fun, I promise. And there are other games."

"I dunno, Don," Brandon responded, "I think this has disaster written all over it."

"Count me in," Nicole said, "This sounds interesting."

"Great," Donna said.

Everybody else agreed, and decided to do it that night at the Walsh's. As soon as everybody got there, the first thing that Donna said was, "Remember, this is just a game. Do not, I repeat, do not let this harmless game get in the way of your relationships."

Everybody smiled and agreed. "Okay, girls. The first question is, which of your girlfriends does your boyfriend find most attractive?" The girls thought for a second, and then scribbled down an answer. The guys wrote down their actual answers. "Okay, Ashley and Dylan, you guys will start. Then Brandon and Kelly, after them we'll have David and Bailey, then Steve and Nicole, and last, Brenda and Michael. Ashley, let's see your answer." Ashley showed everyone her peice of paper that had Brenda written in neat cursive. "Dylan, your actual answer?" Dylan flipped over his paper where the name Kelly was written, "Oh well, no point for you two."

Donna turned her attention to Kelly. She showed the gang her paper, that had Ashley written on it, and when Brandon flipped his over, it was a match. "You two get one point," Donna said, putting a tally in their column of her paper.

"Where's Clay?" Brenda asked.

"He's studying," Donna replied with a half smile, "Okay, Bailey, your answer?"

"Well, I don't know your history that much, but," Bailey flipped over her paper that had the name Kelly on it. David turned his over, and, no surprise to the rest of the group, Ashley's name was written.

"Okay, Nicole?" Donna asked. Nicole had written Kelly, but once again, Ashley's name was written.

"Ew, Steve. My sister?" Nicole asked.

"I was just being honest," Steve shrugged.

"Would it kill you to lie?" Nicole replied.

"Would you want me to lie to you?" Steve answered.

"Hey, hey, hey," Donna said, "This is a fight-free game, okay?"

"I knew this had disaster written all over it," Brandon said.

"Uh...go, Brenda." Brenda's paper said Kelly and so did Michael's.

"Yeah, that must have been so hard, Brenda. Seeing as two of the four girls here are his sisters," Dylan said.

"Okay um, guys, which of your friends do your girlfriends find most attractive?" Donna said, trying to ignore the tension between Steve and Nicole.

Dylan showed Donna his paper that said Brandon, but Ashley's read David, and David couldn't help but smile a little bit. But Dylan wasn't exactly sharing the joy. "Oh yeah, why should I be surprised? I mean, you did kiss David, right? And he's in love with you, and you've probably got feelings for him or something."

"Dylan, why are you so threatened by David?" Ashley asked.

"Because if I had to get jealous of every guy you ever kissed, I wouldn't be on speaking terms with just about every guy in this room," Dylan shot back.

"Look whose talking!" Ashley yelled at him, "I can't believe you had the balls to say that after kissing Kelly and sleeping with Brenda. And at least I had the decency to wait until I was in love to have sex. When did you lose your virginity, Dylan? Eleven years old?"

"You...You loved Brandon?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah, why is that so shocking?" Ashley asked him, putting her hands on her hips.

"Wait, so you told him you loved him, but you couldn't say it for me?" Dylan demanded.

"You never said you loved me, Ash," Brandon said, after trying to recall a time when she had, but she never did.

"Just because I didn't say it didn't mean I didn't feel it," Ashley told him.

"Aw, how freakin' touching," Dylan said angrily.

"Why do you have to be such a jerk?" Ashley asked, "It's just a fucking game. It's who we find most attractive. Not who we're going to leave our boyfriends to be with."

"Whatever, I'm out of here," Dylan said, getting up and walking out.

"God, Ashley...I'm so sorry," Donna said, feeling completely responsible.

"Don't be. It's his fault, not yours," Ashley replied, sitting back down.

"Are you in love with my sister?" Nicole had to ask.

"What? Of course not," Steve replied.

"Do you still have feelings for her?" Nicole went on.

"Nicole!" Ashley yelled.

"Shut up, Ashley," Nicole shot at her sister, "Well?" she asked Steve.

"...No," Steve replied.

"You hesitated," Nicole said feverishly.

"I don't have any feelings for her other than friendship, okay?" Steve asked, getting really ticked off.

"Whatever you say."

"I have to go," Ashley said quietly, getting up and going outside. She ran outside to the front of the house and sat down on the ground, ripping off the bracelet Dylan had given her for her birthday. She put her head in her hands, and thought about how idiotic Dylan was acting. Ashley heard footsteps coming up from behind her, but didn't bother looking at who had attempted to come console her. "Ashley..." Ah, it was David.

"I can't believe he's still throwing this in my face. He practically called me a slut tonight. But then again, he's probably right."

"No, he's not right, Ash. You're not a slut, okay? Look at me," David said, and he tilted Ashley's head so they were looking each other in the eye, "How many boyfriend's have you had?"

"Four. Justin, Chris, Brandon, and Dylan."

"How many guys have you kissed?"

"Uh. Steve, Brandon, Dylan, you, Justin, Chris...Six."

"Four of whom were your boyfriends, which is perfectly fine, especially since you'll be 18 soon. You and me shouldn't even count because you were so wasted, and why'd you kiss Steve?"

Ashley smiled a little, "We were twelve, and Steve asked if we could learn how to kiss."

David smiled back, "You're just having fun, Ashley. It's what kids do. You're a saint compared to most girls our age."

Ashley gave him a hug, "Thanks, David. You always know how to make me feel better."

"Glad I could help. Dylan's just...way too jealous. He'll get over it," David assured her.

"Thanks so much," she said, kissing him on the cheek, and they went back inside together.

David was driving Bailey to her house, and he noticed that she was being much quieter than usual. He wondered if he had said or done anything to upset her. "Bail?"

"Yeah?" she asked softly.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Is...Is it true what Dylan said? Are you in love with her?" Bailey questioned, looking down at her feet.

David sighed, "It's complicated, Bailey."

"No, it's a simple yes or no question. Are you in love with her?"

"Yeah," David said quietly, "I am."

"Then what are you doing with me?" Bailey asked.

"Trying to get over her," David said, figuring he'd be better off being honest.

"Apparently it isn't working though," Bailey stated.

"So what are you saying? You want to break up?" David asked.

"Yeah. I can't be with a guy whose in love with somebody else. I'm not going to be second best," Bailey told him, "Bye, David," she said when they pulled up to her apartment. She got out and went up to her apartment, without so much as a last glance. David sighed, and took off for his house.

Ashley sat in the living room, flipping through channels at 12 in the afternoon, still in her pajamas. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and when she had finally settled on a channel, the doorbell rang. She got up to answer it in her flannel pants and a sweat shirt. She opened the door, and Dylan was standing there with a bouquet of flowers. Ashley shook her head, and slammed the door in his face. She was about to go back into the living room, when the doorbell rang again. She opened it fiercely and said, "You just can't take a hint, can you?"

"I want to talk to you," Dylan said.

"Well I don't want to talk to you," Ashley snapped. She was about to turn back and go inside the house, but Dylan took her hand.

"I'm...so sorry. I'm sorry for everything I said to you last night. I was a complete jerk, and I wish I could take it all back. I didn't mean it. I really don't know why I'm this threatened by Silver. I guess I'm afraid of losing you to him one of these days," Dylan told her.

"I've never seen you so insecure," Ashley told him, "I don't like it much."

"Yeah well, neither do I," Dylan replied.

"You won't lose me to anybody, okay? So can you please stop worrying? It was just a game. I'm sorry we ever agreed to play," Ashley said seriously.

"I'll try to stop worrying," Dylan said softly.

"Good. Now, be a good boyfriend and kiss me," Ashley told him. He smiled, and did as she said.

"I don't love her!" Steve shouted fustratedly.

Steve had come over to try and make her understand that he only had feelings for her, but she was just soo stubborn to listen to him. She was set on believing that Steve was using her as a replacement Ashley.

"Yeah, right," Nicole said, tired of him saying that over, and over, and over.

"I don't! You have to believe me, Nicole. It's the truth. I don't love Ashley, I love you!" Steve had just blurted those words out for the first time. Nicole's eyes grew wide in shock. No guy had ever said that to her before.

"You...You do?" Nicole asked.

"Yeah, I do," Steve replied.

"I...I love you, too," Nicole told him, and she got up from her chair, and kissed him.

Kelly, Brandon, Donna, and Brenda sat in Brandon's room discussing the previous night. "I can't believe how out of hand things got," Donna said, shaking her head, "Next time, I'm taking Brandon's advice."

"Hopefully there won't be a next time," Kelly replied.

"I hope everything works out for everyone though," Brenda said.

"I think Nicole and Dylan both seriously over reacted," Brandon stated.

"They were probably just trying to protect themselves," Kelly told him, "Nicole and Dylan were probably feeling a little insecure, and cared about Steve and Ashley so much that they acted like jerks."

"Nice analysis," Brenda said.

"Why thank you," Kelly replied.

okay, this is shorter than most of my chapters but i felt the need for a nice fight, thus, this chapter. reviews are loved berry much. storyline/couple suggestions are welcomed as well. thanks for reading!