(Emily's P.O.V)

Penny leaned toward me and whispered, "You got something right there." She tapped a spot on my face, indicating that I should wipe away the small waterfall of drool coming from the corner of my mouth. I quickly wiped it away trying not to look embarrassed. We approached the record store and Paul asked me "Do you know what you want to get?" I shrugged.

"What's popular here?"

He smiled. "Have you ever heard The Del Vikings?"

"Not really." He walked over to a row of records and pulled out a Del Vikings album, paid for it, and asked me to come listen to it with him. My brain froze then began to leak out my ear just a bit. After this little mental breakdown, I worked hard and regained my composure just enough to look over at Penny, who sighed.

"While it would give me great pleasure to tell you that this is a sign that she hates you and never wants to see you again, I must be honest as her translator and inform you that it seems we will be joining you to listen to these... Del Vikings," she said disdainfully.

"We? I invited Emily," responded Paul, bristling. Penny cocked an eyebrow at him. "If this episode is any indication of her typical behavior, what do you think would happen if I sent her off alone with you?"

John and Paul exchanged a glance.

"It seems the not-lady will be accompanying us as well, then," responded John, while I was still just trying to keep all the blood in my body from rushing to my cheeks. I tried, also, to not jump for joy at the fact that he was taking me to his house. Penny could see the now frustrated expression on my face from trying to contain all these emotions.

"Are you all right? You look a bit constipated, dear," came the smirking comment from you-know-who. I glared at her, the expression made all the more intense by all the emotions that I was still repressing. In a sudden change of character I turned and smiled at Paul, lessening some of the pressure.

"So, are we all set to go then?" he asked. Once he saw that we were all in agreement, we headed out. On the way, I kept having to remind myself to calm down. He's just a person, after all, I told myself. It's not like he was a celebrity or anything (yet. Don't you love foresight? 3 3 3). When we got to his home, he introduced us to his father, Jim, and his brother, Mike. Promptly after these introductions, we went up to his room and started the record. I was trying to find the words to describe how much I truly enjoyed this band, but coming up a bit short, I looked to my more articulate half, who, receiving this look, returned it with her ever-present exasperation.

"I believe that one," she said, jerking her thumb my direction, "thinks this album is good." Then she got that sly look on her face that never ceased to scare me.

"And Paul?"

"Yes?"

Oh no.

"She also thinks you're hot."

Fire and destruction!