Hey, awesome readers! Thanks again for your reviews! I really love you guys! I love reading them! I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear that this story is AU so there was no plane crash. Sorry for the confusion! I just put it in the summary so others wouldn't be confused. Thank you dramaqueenchris405 for pointing that out before in the review.

I know that Jackson is pretty much clueless in this story, but, I mean, what guy isn't clueless about love and everything around them. HaHa. I'm just joking. Guys are cool. HaHa. Enjoy!

Chapter 5

[1 week later]

Jackson was standing outside of Melissa's closed bedroom door. He was wearing a black suit with a nice colored green tie. He was dressed and ready to go to the reunion. Melissa, on the other hand, wasn't.

"Come on, Mel. We're gonna be late," he said to the door.

"Hold on. I just need to zip up the back of the dress. I'll be done any second now!"

"That's what you said 15 minutes ago."

"Well, you try to zip up a dress from the back! It's really hard!"

"Okay, okay. Let me do it for you."

"No, it's all right. I can do it on my own."

"By the time you finish, the reunion is gonna be over."

"Fine," Melissa said with defeat in her voice. "Come in."

Jackson opened the door and Melissa's back was to him. He saw her reflection from the mirror facing the door. She looked angelic. She let her hair down, but it wasn't plain. She had some loose curls on the top of her flowing hair. She wore a black dress that went a little above her knees. The dress had a thick green ribbon around the waist area and the dress detailed all the curves of her body. Needless to say, she was glowing.

"Jackson?"

Jackson didn't know how long he was gazing on her, but he soon snapped out of it when she spoke up.

"Uh... yeah. I'll help with the zipper."

Jackson walked up to Melissa's back and she held her hair so it didn't get in the way. He zipped it up slowly from the small of her back. He felt kind of awkward while he was doing it. It was probably because of the scene right now and how they were positioned, but he didn't know. Once, he came to the part where her black bra was hooked, he felt a reaction inside of him that he never felt before.

"What's going on with me? Snap out of it, Jackson,"Jackson said to himself.

When he finished, Melissa turned around with a smile on her face and said, "Thanks! Shall we go now?"

"Yeah, after you," he said. He didn't want to spend all night figuring out what happened inside of him at that moment. He just wanted to have fun tonight and not feel confused, stressed, or frustrated.

00000

Their taxi pulled up to the front of the restaurant and Jackson was the first to step out. He then held out a hand for Melissa and she held onto it while she stepped out of the taxi. They then started walking toward the building, arm in arm, which was shown in brightness from the lights installed on the ground.

"I feel like a celebrity on the Red Carpet," Melissa said as they were walking on a carpet that happened to be red and led to the entrance of the restaurant.

Once they reached the marble doors, Jackson opened the door on the right for Melissa and she stepped in.

It was incredible on the inside. There were tons of old faces they hadn't seen for ten years. There was loud music and plentiful amounts of champagne on a table, which seemed to be everyone's favorite spot. Melissa looked up and saw that there were balloons that represented the school colors and they covered every inch of the ceiling. There was a banner suspended in the air that read: "Welcome Back!"

Melissa was just amazed. She wanted to take everything in and absorb it all.

She snapped out of her thoughts when Jackson said, "Hey, there are two seats left there at that table."

They arrived at the table and Jackson helped Mellissa into her seat. He then sat on the seat to the right of her.

"He's being such a gentleman tonight,"she said in her mind.

She then looked around the circular table at the other guests. Starting from her left, she recognized Nathan McHugh, Daley Marin, Taylor Hagan, Eric McGorrill, and then Jackson.

"Hey, everyone," Jackson started off. "I'm Jackson and this is Melissa. Did you guys just get here too?"

"Yeah and I still remember you two from high school," Daley said.

"Me, too," the rest of the table chimed in after her.

"That's great to hear," said Melissa. "We remember you guys too!"

Everyone had a smile on. It feels great to be remembered after 10 years have passed without seeing half of the guests at the restaurant.

"So what's everyone been up to?" Jackson asked.

"Well, Nathan and I are lawyers now," Daley said.

"Yeah, but we want to be at the top so we're still studying," Nathan said afterwards.

"Taylor, I bet you're a cheerleader for the L.A. Lakers," Melissa said with a smile.

"Nope. I'm actually the owner of a salon called Magic Brush. It's around the L.A. area so you guys should visit it some time," Taylor said and everyone looked shocked. "Well, I did cheer in college but I injured my wrist while I was doing multiple flips. I didn't want to go back to it afterwards. I didn't want to risk breaking my wrist."

Melissa was at awe with this present Taylor. She was so mature and responsible. She never really came within talking distance of Taylor in high school. She always thought that she was a snob and drama queen since she was a cheerleader.

"Boy, was I wrong,"Melissa said.

"That's too bad. Sorry to hear that, Taylor," Daley said.

"No. Don't be. It worked out in the end. Now I can help ordinary people look good after good makeovers at my shop. Now everyone has a chance to look beautiful like me."

At that comment, everyone started laughing. Everyone found it hilarious except for Taylor. She was actually serious.

"She's still the same Taylor all right,"Melissa thought.

"What's so funny?" Taylor asked. "I don't get it."

Changing the subject, Jackson asked, "So, Eric, what do you do?"

"Well, I'm actually a hat designer now. I'm gonna open a store in L.A. in a couple of months. You guys must to stop by when the renovations are finished. I'll give you all discounts."

Everyone looked around the table at one another and gave smiles that they approved this little bargain.

"So what have you two been up to?" Eric questioned Jackson and Melissa.

"Well, I'm a musician now. I play at Gunther's Café," Jackson answered. "And that's about it. You can catch me playing some time on Saturdays around 8 or 9 at night."

"That sounds really cool," Nathan commented.

"Yeah, I love performing. But it sucks trying to write lyrics in a span of about two weeks."

Everyone at the table then started to contemplate on what being a musician would feel like. When they were done, they all looked at Melissa.

"Well, I don't really have that much of a glamorous job. I just walk dogs."

"Really? Well, you seem like you have the kind of personality that's an animal lover," commented Daley.

Melissa smiled and said, "Thanks! Plus, at our apartment Jackson is the biggest slob. In the public eye, I am a dog-walker. But at home, I become the maid."

Everyone laughed at this because she said it like she was a superhero.

"So anyone with big news of engagement or wedding bells?" Jackson asked.

The four of them shook their heads to the question.

"What about you two?" Eric asked.

"We're on the singles boat with the rest of you," Jackson said with a smile.

Everyone at the table looked surprised at this, but Jackson and Melissa didn't pay attention to their reactions.

"I'm getting a little thirsty. Mel, do you want me to bring you back a glass of champagne?" Jackson asked.

"Yes. Please and thank you," she responded.

"Yeah, I'll go with you," Nathan said. "Daley, you want a glass?"

Daley nodded with a smile to Nathan.

"Eric, you want to come?" Jackson asked.

"Nah, I'm cool, chief."

At his answer, Taylor just cleared her throat very loudly but Eric didn't seem to hear.

Then, they all heard a thud under the table and Eric loudly said, "Ow!"

Eric directed his evil eyes toward Taylor and said, "On second thought, I'll come with you guys. I need some ice on my suddenly sore toe anyway. Would you like something, Taylor?"

"A glass of champagne would be nice. Thank you," Taylor said with a sweet voice and smile.

Once the guys left, Taylor and Daley occupied the seats on either sides of Melissa.

"So you two aren't seriously together?" Daley asked.

"No, why do you ask," Melissa tried to say coolly. She didn't think that her feelings were that obvious.

"Well, throughout high school you two were always together," Taylor said. "Everyone practically knew that you had feelings for him."

"Well, you two have been together for so long. It's hard to believe that the two of you are best friends who are living together and haven't had feelings for each other yet."

"Yeah, Daley's right. It's kinda hard to believe. In high school, Jackson was very cute but never dated anyone because all the girls knew that you laid claim to him. The guys might not have seen it, but the girls knew by the way you hung around him. I would have dated him if you didn't lay claim to him," Taylor said.

"Wow, Taylor. Thank you," Melissa said.

"I was so wrong about Taylor."

"You're welcome. So you better tell him how you feel. We're not in high school anymore so I can steal him from right under your nose," Taylor said with a smile.

Then they laughed altogether.

00000

While Jackson was picking up two glasses of champagne, Nathan said, "So let me get this straight you two live together but aren't together."

"Yeah," Jackson said.

"So were you guys ever together?"

"No. Just best friends."

"I don't know. It sounds too weird for me, man. A guy and a girl just being friends and nothing else. It just defies the laws of... nature."

"Nathan, it's not that big of a deal. It's pretty easy to keep our relationship at a friend level. I just see her as another human being, not a piece of... meat."

"Aww... I understand it now, chief," Eric said. "You guys have a deal."

"What are you talking about now, Eric?"

"It's something known as friends with benefits."

"No. No. Please, you're not getting this at all. We're just friends," Jackson said and he made sure he emphasized the word "friends."

"Yeah, sure. Friends," Eric said while air quoting the last word.

"Okay, can we just drop the subject now?" Jackson said. "Come on, Eric. Get your two glasses. The women are waiting for us."

"Look at you, man. You might not be in a relationship, but she has you whipped pretty well," Eric commented as he grabbed two glasses.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Nathan continued, "she did make you two match. With your green tie and the green ribbon on her dress."

"And look at what she's making you do," Eric said. "She just made you get a glass for her. If these two examples don't have the word 'Whipped' all over it, I don't know what does."

"You two are ridiculous you know that?" Jackson responded. "Anyway, I'm not the only one. Look at what you two are doing."

At that, Jackson left and the two remaining thought that his comeback was pretty good and took off after him.

0000

I hope you enjoyed this EXTRA long chapter. HaHa. I just kept on writing and writing. I was so caught up in the story. Until next time!