Author's note:

Hey guys! First I just gotta say thank you for reviewing. I know I haven't been good at responding to your feedback, but I just want you to know that when those pling up on the mail it's like a golden ticket!

I am sorry for the slow update, I don't really know why my brain is so dry but I am trying. Now on to the story!

Don't really know if there's so much going on here, mostly a filler but also trying to really introduce the new characters. Realised I haven't given them all that much time. Plus Sheryl's thoughts on Stephen were pretty selfcleansing. ;)

I'm also establishing more when it comes to the friendship between Sheryl, Sid and Jay.I'm trying to make her come out of her shell so hopefully you'll like this. Give me a holla' with your opinions!

Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter Six – Having a Moment.

She was happy. Or not necessarily 'happy' but she'd finally figured out the perfect plan for Peggy's problem so at the moment she was skipping on her way to the girl in question's home. She spotted Peggy sitting in a wooden swing, somewhat hazard, with her baby-brother in her lap.

"Hey sexy-mama. I got the answer to your problem." Sheryl smiled up at Peggy who glanced down to check on her younger brother; he was stretched out along the seating in the swing beside her, before motioning to Sheryl to come up the small steps.

"Hey girl. What ya' talking about?" Sheryl smiled brightly and made dramatic arm-movements with her explanation.

"I don't have to pay rent at home anymore, since my dad got a raise, so I can pay your part of the rent with my salary until you get recruited." Sheryl made a ending bowing arm wave with a bright smile, but toned it down when she noticed that Peggy wasn't sharing her joy.

"What?" Sheryl smiled, somewhat dimmer this time, and repeated herself:

"Your part of the rent, I can pay it now when I don' t have to pay it at home. Go and skate and just-" she shrugged "- go after what you want and be happy." Peggy smiled, that kind of smile that has a sad tilt to it, somewhat condescending and pulled a hand through her hair.

"I can't do that Sheryl." Peggy looked down at her skateboard longingly, but knew she was doing the right thing.

"Peggy, come on-" Sheryl entreated and crossed her arms over her chest "-let me do this. You know what you want from your life and I don't and I can't be honest about things so.. just let me do this." Sheryl nodded with an air of finality and turned and walked away.

****
By now, it was quite clear, in Sheryl's eyes that things with Stephen were through. Part from stopping by the restaurant once for ten minutes, Sheryl at that time having to drag out and practically beg for them to meet another time (a time that never came cause he didn't show up to decide the final things), she hasn't seen nor heard from him. While one part of her was dominant in the times when she was lying on her bed crying (telling her over and over how unwanted and undesirable she was), the other part was taking it for what it was. A good time with an immature and emotion constipated, selfish asshole in the form, of a hot guy.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sheryl glanced around at the number of guests, deciding they were a enough distance away, before she wiggled her eyebrows at Neil. He merely sighed, did the same teasingly, and heaved up the carton of ice cream they had stashed in the front freezer for personal use, and scooped some of it into a bowl which he handed to her.

"I'm meeting Sid and Jay, we're gonna 'hang out'." She made bunny ears at the last two words and made a exaggerated smacking noise with her lips after taking a first taste on the ice cream.

"Be careful" Neil sing-songed in a very female voice, making Sheryl snort amused before smiling and taking her bowl to a table she'd scouted out.

"I will" she sing-songed back and heard Neil snigger as the guest stared at her, not realising she was addressing somebody beside herself. She put down her bowl and smiled in apology at an old lady when she accidently tripped over it's handles, screaming when she found Jay's face right in front of her when she turned back to her table.

"Dude, chill" he laughed and nudged a laughing Sid as he scraped out the last of her ice cream bowl.

"Assholes" she muttered and jumped again when she felt a heavy arm curl behind her shoulders.

"Aw, come on chica, they're having fun." Sheryl glanced to the side at his voice and found Stephen's face, or more exactly his bulging eyes that were jumping all over the place. All of her anger and hurt seemed to flutter away and her brain could only register him in the present. She raised her hand to his head with a smile and felt the short hairs, about two cm tall, with a wrinkled noise.

"It's weird, but I like it!" she exclaimed and righted the blue scarf he had around his head, failing to notice his clenched fist behind her or the shock some of the customers portrayed at her fixing the bandana. When she looked back at Sid and Jay, she just realized they were wearing scarves just like his. She turned back to ask him where he's been the last week, the sight of Jay and Sid seemed to clear her head, but yet again she got distracted by his bulging eyes and how they were still bouncing all around the place and the strange smell oozing off of him.

"You okey?" she frowned and heard Jay sigh opposite her.

"Yeah" he nodded as if to tell her she was stupid for even asking the question.

"Sorry" she scoffed and looked away, glaring at Jay when she spotted her empty ice cream bowl again and felt a jolt when he lewdly licked his lips. She sneered to disguise her jolt and jumped when Stephen nudged her on her shoulder; ignoring him in favour of Sid who desperately tried to get a conversation going.

"So-" he started and Sheryl smiled empathetic "-what are we gonna do today?" Stephen shifted and placed his arm behind her shoulders on the seat, earning glares from both of the boys opposite him before they cleared their faces.

"Me and the guys were cruising around the other day and we found these huge concrete pipes. Wanna check em' out?" Sheryl raised her eyebrows and straightened her lips, not really catching onto the attraction, but Jay's enthusiasm kicked in instantly and Sid's quickly followed. Sheryl jumped when she felt fingers trail on her throat under her ear, burrowing her head to lock the hand, and blushed when she found all three of them staring at her imploringly.

"Fine fine, as long as I don't get bored I'm in." She looked at them all to get them to stand, but found Jay and Sid looking to Stephen, as if for permission?. Sheryl looked up at Stephen and swallowed when she found his eyes staring down at her.

"What?" she whispered and forced herself to stare back into those eyes, those eyes which were flying all over the place and bulging out from his face unnaturally. Stephen made a few swipes on her neck, for kicks Sheryl presumed, before he merely stood and smirked. Sheryl frowned, not liking the confusion, before she made a move at Sid to show herself approaching Neil behind the counter; she heard him mumble something about "coffee maniac" so she knew he's understood her.

"Hello my sweet brother in everything except for blood." Sheryl smiled the widest and most innocent smile she could manage, up to the point that it almost started to hurt.
"Coffee right?" Neil mumbled something to himself, a scoff in there as well, and Sheryl stared at him strangely.

"You're scary."

"No, I know you. You've just had ice cream so right about now you're craving coffee. That smile you just gave me, the one that looked like it hurt, kind of screamed 'give me coffee'." Sheryl took a hold of the coffee he handed to her automatically and gaped at him, before slowly nodding.

"Yeah, I was right. You're scary." Neil rolled his eyes and told her to have a fun day. She walked out to see the three boys stuffed inside Stephen's car, she remembered him driving it when she'd just met him, together with Stephen's other two friends. Maroni who just leered at her as he looked her up and down, and then the other who merely gave her a blank stare as he skipped over her form.

"So.. where exactly am I supposed to sit?" Her question received multiple reactions but no response. Maroni was sneering at Jay, Stephen's silent friend had shifted his blank stare forward and out the front window carelessly. Stephen himself sat scowling as he stared in the rear-view mirror and Jay and Sid sat with frowns and smirks respectably.

"We flipped for it and, long story short-" Sid laughed and grinned at her "-you're sitting on Jay's lap." The coffee cup Sheryl had risen to her mouth stopped about a quarter inch away and Sheryl's shocked eyes landed on Jay who's frown was starting to melt into a pleasing smirk. Sheryl shook her head adamantly.

"Uh, uh, not gonna happen. I refuse to get attacked by his girlfriend-" she made a gagging noise to accompany the word 'girlfriend', to everyboody's amusement but Jay's "-and get accused of being a boyfriend stealer."

"Aw, come on baby" Jay teased and spread out his arms invitingly. Sheryl looked to Sid pleadingly but he just looked at the other guys worriedly when they found glares on them for her to get in the car.

"Oh god" she whiningly mumbled and with a last sigh she embarrassed climbed in and took a seat sideways on Jay's lap.

"Shut up" she snapped when she saw Maroni open his mouth and glared at Jay when he placed his hand on her thigh just under the skirt of her dress had ridden up.

"What? Where else am I supposed to put it?" Sid guffawed at the statement and the other guys chuckled leeringly at the double innuendo, Jay's smirk and Sheryl's blush.

She looked down at him and smiled a sugary sweet smile.

"You are aware of the fact that I have no restrains to the act of elbowing your groin and then pouring my hot coffee all over-" Jay had tensed but suddenly her coffee cup was grabbed from her and thrown out the window and Sheryl stopped her gaping to glare at Maroni who looked quite pleased.

"What the fu-" she was interrupted by her own squeal as Jay attacked her side with tickles and jumped when he chuckled under her. She was attacked again by Sid who was reaching back from the front-seat, and in self-preservation leaned away from him, but found herself locked to Jay. He'd shifted her so she sat with her back to his chest and had his arms around her waist, holding her arms still, and locked her legs with his own, restraining her to just buck up and down.

"Don't you dare Sidney, I will kill you." Sheryl glared at Sid warningly and watched him stop to think it over before a small smirk took over and he nodded to himself.

"It'll be worth it" he murmured and began his attack, laughing loudly at her squeal and huff to get away. He retracted his arms to his body when he felt them starting to burn and turned to look at Maroni and their fifth companion who sat staring at a flushed Sheryl unabashedly. As she twisted again, still laughter on her face, Jay let out a groan by her ear and chuckled somewhat self-depraving.

"You don't want to be doing that" he murmured and Sheryl took a few deep breaths and twitched unwillingly and felt his reaction to her bucking. Jay chuckled again and smirked at Stephen in the rear-view mirror as he shifted under Sheryl, making her freeze and close her eyes at the strange fluttering she got.

"We're here" Stephen's gruff voice proclaimed and all the boys chuckled at the blurry figure of Sheryl who practically threw herself out of the car.

"Finally! Get me out of this car with all of these boys."

"Now what do we have here? Brought me a gift did ya'?" a leering voice said that made Sheryl glance up after throwing her hair out of her face, and find a replica of Stephen, only darker. He had his head shaved just like the other guys, bandana around his head and a black tank top and baggy jeans. Sheryl furrowed her eyebrows and had just opened her mouth to respond when two arms circled her from behind and a chin placed on her left shoulder.

"'fraid not Felix. This little tough cookie has enough boys running after her so let's try to stay out of that fight eh?" Sheryl turned to Maroni with her hands on her hips as Felix turned to greet Stephen, and was too stunned to find a charming smile on his face towards her, that she forgot what she was going to say.

"Please chica, that don't scare me-" he chuckled and started to walk away, facing her "-but look behind you." Sheryl sighed and turned slowly, finding Sid anxiously shifting on his feet as he looked around at the crowd.

"Oh shit" he mimed when he spotted Sheryl with her hands on her hips and as she nodded, she started for him, the chase beginning as he took off. They ran four laps around the car they'd arrived in, used more then three people as obstacles and helpers in the chase before Sheryl had enough and with a loud war-cry threw herself forward and grabbed Sid around the waist and took him down with her. She quickly rolled him onto his stomach and sat on his back as she started her tickling.

"No! Sheryl!" Sid shrieked rather girlish and Sheryl laughed loudly and jubilantly at the switch in power, and laughed even louder after she almost fell over from his trashing.

"I told you Sid, I'll kill you!" She shrieked in victory as she found a particular spot that had him give off a loud guffaw and attacked that spot with a vengeance that surprised herself. After a few minutes, Sheryl was exhausted and leaned back with a hand pressed to her chest as she emitted tiny gasps of air. She frowned 'not now!' and slowly rolled off Sid to lie down on her side beside him, stretching out to try and get more air into her lungs and pressing her arms to something similar as the first-aid position. Beside her she could hear Sid breathe deeply from exhaustion with a few chuckles that slowly dwindled down and he shifted his head toward her.

"God you're scar-Hey what's wrong?" Sheryl tried to come up with a good lie to accompany her first fake laugh, but as she opened her eyes and found Sid's earnest brown eyes looking at her so worriedly, she just couldn't.

"I don't feel so good Sid" she murmured instead and closed her eyes when she heard how weak her voice were and how her eyes started to burn.

"Hey-" Sid mumbled worriedly and shifted closer to embrace her, an action that quickly had her starting to sob. There was a shadow over them from behind her back but Sheryl distantly heard Sid shush the person before nodding something with his head. The next second, she heard something being put down and then somebody laid down at her back and curled an arm around her waist from behind in comfort. That only made her sob harder, she didn't deserve people who were so kind as to lie down on the dirty ground to console her, but the arms around her tightened and the two body shifted closer. Ten minutes later, and they were still in the same spot, but four people had staggered up to them. One genuinely asking if everything was all right, and three making stupid and leering comments that got them with both scowls and birds in response. As Sheryl shifted, the two boys understood she'd fallen asleep and after bickering for a few seconds, Jay hoisted her up into his arms and carried her to the backseat in the car they'd arrived in where she continued to take a nap. They'd argued over who was going to stay with Sheryl, something that Sid insisted somebody should, and in the end the ticket fell on Stephen's silent friend. He wasn't a skater and not all that interested in taking a second look at some big cement pipes so with a shrug he'd taken a seat on the hood of the car and started to nod as a girl chatted to him.

"No 'funny' business man, or you're dead. And afterwards we'll sick her father on you" Sid interrupted the girl and made sure that he had their attention, Jay standing behind him snickering at the last one while being impressed with Sid's newfound confidence, and they both gave Stephen's friend each a last significant look before skating off.

****
Sheryl woke up to the low humming of an engine and the clearer sounds of chuckles and snickers. She shifted and realized that she had her face hidden in the crook of somebody's neck and leaning on that somebody's chest. She looked up and blinked slowly at the harsh light, to see Maroni smirking at her and Jay stare at her from behind him. Sid glanced back from the driver-seat to chuckle before glancing at Stephen who sat staring straight on forward and sipping on a bottle of beer. She was leaning back against the left corner in the back, looking from the front, and sat side-ways on the person under her with her feet on the seat between her and Maroni. She didn't hear the guys start laughing as it registered on her face that she was sitting in the lap of Stephen's silent friend who was sleeping. The person in question cleared his throat and hugged her closer, giving Sheryl no other choice but to lean back.

"I am such a hussy-" Sheryl murmured and grinned minimally at Jay "-I don't even know his name." She was relieved to see his amused smirk but she rubbed her face tiredly with a sigh as she realized that they had at least ten-to twenty minutes left of their ride. She gave off a loud yelp as the whole car suddenly jumped as it sped over a road-bump and looked down as arms tightened around her waist.

"Hey baby." His voice was low and husky from sleep and Sheryl found herself swallowing nervously when Maroni thankfully starting laughing.

"Um, I'm really not your baby" Sheryl said slowly and looked to Jay pleadingly for help, but merely sighed when he gave her a blank stare. What was he supposed to do?

"So she's that comfy huh?" Maroni leered and smirked as his friend finally seemed to startle awake. He gave her a long stare and Sheryl swallowed nervously.

"Don't look at me, I woke up like this in your stranglehold, you were the one last awake." As if being reminded he still had his arms around her, he winced as if burned and gave Maroni a murderous, warning, glare. Sheryl tensed and sat stiff as a board, giving Jay nervous looks while he looked down to her waist with regular intervals.

"There we are, 'casa y Jay'" Sid's voice came from the front seat with a bad Latin accent.

"Great!" Sheryl exclaimed and tried to jump out of the car together with Jay and Sid but felt arms hinder her as they curled around her waist.

"My name is Aidan." He smirked at her dumb look of shock and helped her out to the sound of Maroni's chuckles.

"Asshole" she muttered and glared at Aidan as he walked around the car to take a seat in the driver-seat. She looked in at Stephen and smiled a goodbye, walking up to the window and leaning over.

"Thanks for today, in spite of the fact that I made a fool out of myself for the most of it, I had fun." She sighed and bit her lip as he kept on staring forward, leaning closer and lowered her voice so only he could hear.

"We tried and it's quite clear that we're too different, but we'll always have the chemistry so who knows-"she shrugged, blushed and made a nervous laugh as his eyes snapped to her "-we might hang out." She winked exaggerated and gave a small wave to the other two before she walked back to Jay and Sid who stood chatting as they waited for her. She took each boy's arm and curled them around one of her own and walked the thirteen steps they could walk in width.

"Thanks guys, for earlier today." Sheryl smiled at Sid and felt it waver under Jay's stare.

"You wanna share?" Sheryl sighed and bit her lip at Jay's gruff question, looking at her feet as she kicked the ground.

"I can't." She expected protests, a big blow-up, but Jay merely stopped and took a step closer to her and had her raise her head.

"You won't, you mean?" He sighed when she nodded and he glanced back to Sid who turned the other way and stared at the sky as if he'd just spotted a flying elephant.

"There's nothing you say that will chase us away nugget. We'll be here when you finally break, and we'll support you just as much then too." Sheryl smiled at the nick-name and just shook her head at how he never stopped to surprise her and jumped to give him a hug, smiling widely as his arms came around her and hugged her back. His hands burning her back through her t-shirt.

"You guys ready?"

"Shut up Sid, we're having a moment" Sheryl mumbled and Jay chuckled before he withdrew and ruffled her hair.

"Last one up has to fix dinner" Sid's yell came when the two boys had started running and were halfway up, laughing when Sheryl scowled deeply and muttered: "Boys!"

****
"Have you guys heard anything from Stacey or Tony?" Only Sid looked up as if acknowledging her question, from his seat on her porch. The two boys had surprised her, and her father for that matter, by showing up at her door as daughter and father was having breakfast, and after a few minutes of awkward 'meet and greet' the three kids went upstairs to Sheryl's room. They moved out onto her porch when she found Jay immediately move to her underwear drawer and go through it with leers.

"What about you?" he asked after shaking his head in negative. Sid was leaning back against the wall beside the window out while Jay was lying on the rug-covered floor with his shirt under his head and Sheryl leaning her head on the side of his stomach while his left foot kept up a steady tapping. She leaned up on her elbows and smiled at Sid, but leaned back as he leaned his head on the wall and closed his eyes against the sun.

"I got a call from Michael earlier in the week where he said that things are going well but that the real competition is between Tony and Stacey. Stacey apparently got to meet 'Charlie's Angels' and almost killed that moon-guy." The three of them chuckled and Sheryl started to talk again to disguise the fluttering she got from the vibrations Jay's body sent her.

"Tony is doing all kinds of photo shoots and has signs with his name all over the place." Sheryl looked at Jay who had his jaw locked and his leg had stopped it's insistent tapping, so with a shrug from Sid she pushed up her yellow and purple hippie glasses further up on her nose she leaned back onto his stomach. He tensed at the extra weight but slowly relaxed and unnoticeable started to twirl a few of Sheryl's loose curls.

"I haven't heard anything about my board" he muttered and Sheryl glanced at Sid who shifted and stared down at his feet instead of the bright sky as he leaned back against the wall.

"Why don't you just change sponsors Jay, there's still some offers-"

"I can't Sheryl! You know that!" Jay growled and Sheryl shifted, but nodded and leaned her head back in a try to catch the last sun for the day. She felt Jay tug at a strand of her hair and then twirl some around his fingers, and she took that as a somewhat peace offering.

"You just have such talent Jay! Peggy got recruited just two weeks ago and she doesn't have half the talent you do!" Sheryl sat up and turned her whole body toward him so he had to look up and face her, as she looked at him beseechingly; ignoring Sid's protests and encouragement to stay quiet.

"What if I work and you can get the money for rent and things from me, as a loan until-" she winced into silence when he growled out loud and sat up and leaned on his hands threateningly over her.

"I've told you Sheryl to shut up about that. Don't think I don't know that it's you who are paying for the groceries when you insist on going shopping with mom, and I appreciate that Sheryl but one can only take so much charity." She frowned insulted and affronted.

"It's not charity-" she began heatedly but Jay quickly interrupted.

"The what do you wanna call it Sheryl? I can't pay you back!" He grabbed his shirt, stood up and walked off. Sheryl closed her eyes and sagged dejected as Sid stood as well.

"I've told you to drop it Sheryl. I know-" he agreed when she made a move to interrupt "-that you only mean well, but look at it from his point of view. He'll calm down and then you can apologize." He patted her on the arm before he too was out. Sheryl sighed, it was too quiet now, and glanced down when she heard her front door slam and watched Sid stroll down the street with his hands down his pockets. She slowly stood and after tugging off her glasses, dived face down onto her bed and reached for a pillow to scream in when it was yanked out of her grasp and she was turned around. She shrieked in surprise but calmed down when she found Jay's face over her, showing a mix of amusement and determination. She distantly had the revelation that she'd only heard the front door once, and that was when Sid left. The only thing that her brain really could concentrate on however was the fact that she was lying on her bed with a half naked Jay Adams leaning over her. She opened her mouth to say something, but he quickly shushed her.

"Sheryl, this is one of those times when you are to be quiet and just listen. Okey?" She slowly nodded and slowly sat up as he leaned back.

"From the first time I met you, when Stacey introduced you at the foodcourt, I've had a hard time placing you. I was surprised that I'd never seen you, later I understood it was cause you were a studier and myself was a 'skipper' and later I mostly felt annoyance over the fact that you and Stacey seemed to hit it off so perfectly and you found each other in a friendship as obvious as mine and his. He was supposed to be my best friend and then all of a sudden you just show up and I'm like forgotten. Then there's you and Tony, and you guys pretty much established your shit twenty seconds after meeting each other didn't ya?" He smirked as Sheryl snorted and rolled her eyes.

"So after that, you just seemed to be everywhere or on everybody's lips, talking about how nice you are and all that shit-" he smirked amused when she smiled happily at the compliment "-but when it came to her, you just seemed to be over it. But these last weeks we've gotten to know each other, sharing moments and kidding around. Really becoming friends." Sheryl smiled softly and nodded in earnest agreement, but his face clouded over.

"But we still have limitations and boundaries Sheryl. You're not telling everything so what makes you believe that you have the right to interfere with things not even my girlfriend are allowed to?" Sheryl scowled at the mention of Kathy, she really couldn't stand the girl.

"I care about you Jay, I just want what's best-"

"I said be quiet." Sheryl scowled at his tone but for once kept quiet.

"From now on, that's none of your business." Sheryl locked her jaw and looked away but when she realized that he had no plan of relenting until she agreed, she turned back and looked him in the eyes as she slowly nodded. He stayed there for a few seconds, hovering over her, both silent in comradely silence and just looking at each other with kind eyes. He was one of the few that she could calmly look in the eye, for longer then ten seconds, and be comfortable in the silence. She gave him a soft smile and they both made a move to straighten up at the same time, Sheryl stealing his shirt for warmth as they walked down to the kitchen and made themselves something to eat. Ben sat in the living room with a content mind, listening to his daughter fix together dinner and laugh at something the boy said. The kid at least seemed to make her laugh, that had to count for something.

Hey everyone!

So what do we think? I am trying to speed up my dry brain but so far it's going slow.

Happy to hear what you think and I love the reviews you all have given me, even thogh I haven't responded.

I do appreciate them like you'll ever know.

Thanks! /Tilly.