Chapter 1
Elizabeth had been friends with Emily Quartermaine since they were freshmen in high school, circa 1995. They became the best of friends and immediately they were joined at the hip or telephone. In a couple of years they were completely inseparable, people just called them both, "Liz & Em". They were two silly sixteen-year-old girls running around Port Charles, getting into the kind of trouble that only sheltered, good little girls could get into.
Liz had, of course, met Jason when Emily introduced her to her family. He was a nice looking guy, if a bit of a dork. Though she couldn't help noticing his eyes. How really blue they were, how when he smiled his eyes lit up along with his whole face.
But he wasn't perfect, he actually put her off a bit. He took himself too seriously at times and seemed prone to the occasional dramatic outburst, especially where his brother, A.J., was concerned.
It hadn't been love at first sight. It hadn't even been like at first sight. Elizabeth could hardly tolerate Jason . The only reason she'd ended up spending any time at all with him was because Emily was her best friend. Not that he was terrible to be around… He was just… Different than she was used to.
It wasn't like she was trying to spend time with him. It was just that she spent almost every afternoon after school at Emily's house. And he was always there. It seemed like wherever they were, he would turn up eventually. If the girls were doing homework in the kitchen, he would be in and out several times, getting something to eat.
On one such occasion, Liz was sitting in the kitchen by herself, Emily had run off to find a book she'd left in her bedroom. They were researching the fall of the Roman Empire for European History. And Liz was interested, so she continued to read the text in front of her. She didn't even notice Jason until he dropped a can of pop on the floor trying to balance it and a plate in his hands.
'Spaz,' she thought. The considered a moment, checking him out. 'But a kinda hot spaz. And could those shorts be any more… I mean they're practically indecent.'
"Sorry," he said, "Just getting a bite."
"I guess," she said, going back to her book.
He got a new can from the refrigerator and walked over to her at the table. After a couple of minutes she finally gave up and looked at him
"Did you need something?" she asked, trying to let him know with the inflection of her voice that she was not interested if he needed anything at all.
"I just wanted to see what you two were working so hard on."
"The fall of the Roman empire. It's kinda cool." Liz went back in her head. 'And what is that scent?" She tried to inconspicuously sniff him. "Is that his cologne? What is he wearing? Cool Water, Preferred Stock? Good Lord, he smells nice.'
"Really," he said, a bit surprised, "I didn't think you'd like that kind of thing."
Liz was pulled from her inner monologue and attempt to think of the scent he was wearing. And he had to say something to irritate her.
"You didn't think I'd like history or research?" she asked testily.
"Either, really. I mean, you and Emily are so…" He floundered. He hadn't meant to suggest she and Emily were…
"What? Juvenile?"
"I didn't say that…"
Liz took a deep breath, getting a reminder of that cologne, and pretended she was bored with the whole conversation.
"Don't you have better things to do? College stuff?"
Jason set his food and drink on the table by her and sat down. Liz scooted a little and tried to act cool.
"I… Well, I'm taking a break from the whole college thing."
'Like I care,' Liz thought.
"Why? I thought you had to be an MBA to inherit the Quartermaine fortune."
Jason blanched slightly, and Liz squirmed, she hadn't meant to… Well, she hadn't meant to bring it up. The whole trust fund baby thing.
"I… I don't know if ELQ is for me." Jason was sharing something with Liz he hadn't even brought up to Emily or Keesha.
"Aren't all Quartermaine's destined for the family business?"
He shrugged.
"I might want to do something different."
"Like what?" she asked, disbelieving.
"I like working with my hands. When me and the guys from the baseball team worked on that Habitat For Humanity house, I felt like I was in the right place."
"You want to build houses?"
"And other things. I… I just like it."
Emily chose that moment to head back into the kitchen.
"Hey guys," she said brightly, "Whatcha doing?"
"Nothing," Jason stammered.
Liz just went back to the book she'd been reading.
"Took you long enough, EQ, left me sitting here with your brother for like a hundred years."
Jason took his food and drink and bolted from the kitchen.
"Riiiiight," Emily said, settling down next to her friend at the table.
"Your brother's a douche," Elizabeth sighed, watching the young man struggle with an armful of packages.
"That's mean. Come on, Liz. Where's your Christmas spirit?"
"I have plenty of spirit. But your brother is still a-"
Emily cut her off.
"You know if I didn't know better I would think the lady doth protest overmuch."
"Look who remembered her Shakespeare from Brit Lit," Liz said, pulling her best Valley Girl .
"Snip if you like, but I swear I've seen you checking him out."
Liz looked aghast.
"That geek? My God, Em, please. He's totally…"
"Whatever, Liz."
"Whatever, Em."
"Can you get over yourself long enough to help me get the decorations up in the family room?"
Liz took a deep breath and pretended to mull it over.
"I suppose."
"Good, and then we can talk about how many babies you're going to have with my brother. We'll give them cute names-"
"Emily!"
"Come on, Liz, admit you have the hots for my brother."
"I admit that he is not unfortunate looking, and that is beside the point" she said, thinking, 'Like Brad Pitt's not unfortunate looking.' "I don't think he'd be interested in teenagers. And also, doesn't he have a girlfriend? "
"Come on, it's not that creepy. You're sixteen, he's nineteen. So it's not like a yucky predator thing."
"Okay, I'm uncomfortable with this conversation now. I know, let's talk about you and Prince Nicky. Have you been able to avoid the light poles?"
Emily went a little pink in the cheeks, getting a little sheepish.
"I said 'Hi' to him yesterday. He even looked at me and waved."
Elizabeth clapped her hands together and threw them in the air.
"Woo-hoo, Em, way to go, by next week he'll know your name."
"You're so funny, Elizabeth. He knows my name."
"So, are you actually engage in him conversation, you know, get to know him?"
"I'm just taking my time. You can't rush things. I might say hi to him tomorrow."
"Way to fast track that relationship to the alter. Come on, let's talk about you and Prince Nicky's little CassaMaines that'll be running around Port Charles when you finally get the courage to go after him."