Chapter Eight

The rest of the week was terrible. Becca ignored me all week, and spent all her time with Jeff. I tried talking to her, but she wasn't having any of it. She wouldn't answer my phone calls, texts... I even left her a letter in her locker and she threw it in the garbage. She can definitely be stubborn when she wanted to be, and she wanted to be this time around.

Haley tried to be nice to me when it was convenient, like in English, or in passing. I knew she was trying, and was stuck between a rock and a hard place, but I just didn't get why it was such a big deal. She told me she had secrets on Tiffany, so I didn't really understand why she didn't threaten her back.

I spent most of my week with Adam, Shea, Corrie and Carolyn. We were actually having tons of fun together, they were all really laid back and just fun to be around. No drama, no cattiness, just hanging out. But... None of them were Becca, and that's who I missed the most. I still couldn't believe she was hanging out with Jeff. Jeff Schafer, of all people. He was such an arrogant prick! I really hoped she knew what she was getting herself into.

After school was over on Friday, Adam met me at my locker. We had plans to hang out at my house that evening with Corrie, Shea and Carolyn. My mom was working the night shift and my dad was spending the weekend in Manhattan, so it was the perfect opportunity to have friends come over.

"Hey babe." Adam said, standing behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Ready to get out of Guantanamo Bay for a few days?"

"Yeah, I just need to figure out what I need to bring for homework." I answered, flipping though my agenda. I pulled my history and biology books out of my locker and shoved them into my backpack. "I think that's all I need."

"Good, let's go." Adam said, picking up my backpack as I closed my locker. I took it from him and pulled it on as we walked down the hall.

"Talk to Becca yet?" He asked me.

I shook my head. "She is completely ignoring me this whole week." I grumbled. "I don't get it. I mean, okay, I lied to her. But it was hardly a lie, and it was five days ago! She can be so friggin stubborn sometimes."

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Adam asked. "I know you said no, but are you sure?"

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm sure." I answered. "I don't think sending you in to fight my battles would sit well with her."

"Then you have to do something about it." Adam said, holding the door open for me as we walked outside.

I rolled my eyes. "Like what?" I asked. "Talking to her? Didn't work. Texting her? Nope, didn't work? Oh, I know, I could write her a note! Nope-."

"You don't have to get snarky about it." Adam told me. "I'm just saying."

"And I'm just saying that I have tried!" I answered. "She. Won't. Talk. To. Me."

"Well, we'll think of something." Adam said, smiling as he opened the passenger door for me. I climbed in and set my bag on the floor.

"Sorry for being snarky." I apologised as Adam climbed in his side.

"Yeah, you better be, otherwise I might pull a Becca too." Adam replied. He must have saw the horrified look on my face, because he quickly said. "Honey, I'm teasing! I'm not going to 'pull a Becca'. You can't get rid of me that easily, okay?"

I forced a smile. "Okay." I answered.

Adam rubbed my knee. "And Becca is just being stubborn." He added. "She'll come around, I know she will."

"We'll see what happens, I guess." I said as Adam pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards my house.

"We should order pizza tonight." Adam stated. "I could use a good pizza."

"I could use a stuff drink." I half joked.

Adam laughed. "We can do that too." He teased. "I think Corrie and Shea were going to bring some booze over anyway."

"That's okay, as long as it stays just the five of us." I said, trying not to get worried about this. "I don't want a huge party."

"They don't have to bring booze if you don't want them to." Adam told me. "It's your house, babe, you make the decisions."

"No, no, I wouldn't mind having a couple drinks tonight." I assured him. "Just nothing too crazy."

"Jeff's not coming, so you don't have to worry about craziness." Adam said with a laugh.

A few minutes later, he pulled into my driveway. Have I mentioned before how much I hate being in a house alone? I was glad Adam was with me. We walked in the front door, and I immediately started turning on lights, the TV and the heat.

Adam laughed at me. "You're so funny." He said. "Man, I love a quiet, empty house."

"You wouldn't if you had to come home to it every day." I told him.

Adam wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in close. "Come here." He murmured. "It's been a shitty week for you, hasn't it?"

All the stress from Vanessa and Haley and Becca and trying to make everyone happy and worrying about what everyone thought started to pour out of me in the form of tears. I hated crying in front of people, I hated it! But I knew Adam wasn't going to judge me for this. I knew he wasn't going to tease or mock me later, so I just stood there, clinging to him and soaking the front of his shirt with my tears.

"I just... miss her." I sobbed, wiping my eyes. "It's all so stupid!"

"You know she'll come around." Adam told me softly, stroking my hair.

"But what if she doesn't?"

"She will."

"But what if she doesn't?"

"She will."

"But what if-"

Adam laughed, interrupting me. "I can keep this game up all night if I have to!"

I laughed too. "Maybe she will come around." I said. "I just hope it's sooner rather than later."

"I'm sure it will be." Adam answered. "I mean, I know Jeff is one of my oldest friends, but Becca is way too good for him. I hope she realizes it soon."

"Me too." I said, breaking away from our hug. I stood on my toes and gave him a kiss.

"Thank you." I said.

"For what?"

I kissed him again. "For being you."

"I think that's the cheesiest thing anyone has ever said to me." Adam told me.

I poked him in the side. "Thanks!" I joked.

He pulled me back into a hug. "Thank you for being you, too." He whispered into my ear.

I laughed and hugged him back. "Now who's cheesy?" I murmured into his shirt.

We stood there together for a few more moments, until the doorbell rang.

"Darn, and just when I was going to get lucky." Adam joked, pulling away. I playfully slapped his arm and went to answer the door.

"Hey woman!" It was Corrie and Carolyn, armed with paper bags. I eyed them warily.

"What's in those?" I asked, assuming they were filled with booze.

Corrie handed me a bag. "Snacks." She said. "Paper, not plastic. Environmentally groovy."

I laughed. "You're a dork." I told her, taking the bag and leading them into the kitchen.

"It's not all snacks." Carolyn assured us, setting her bag on the table. "We've got yummy peach vodka, peach juice, regular vodka, Pepsi and Paralyzer mix. Just for something different."

"Sounds amazing." Adam said dryly, eyeing the bags.

"Shea is on his way with beer for you penises." Corrie said with a laugh. "We also brought cookie dough, so we can make cookies!"

"Oh, yum!" I said, snatching it away from Corrie. "Let's do these right now!"

"I thought we were going to get pizza." Adam told me.

Carolyn rolled her eyes dramatically. "Duh, Adam." She told him. "Cookies have to bake!"

"So does pizza, dumbass!" Adam answered, laughing.

I pulled a cookie sheet out from under the stove and set it on the counter. "Well, we're making cookies, so you can deal with it." I teased him.

Adam leaned against the fridge and crossed his arms. "I'm so outnumbered." He pouted.

"Aww, baby." I teased, wrapping my arms around his waist and kissing him.

"Okay, ew." Corrie declared, grabbing some glasses out of the cupboard. "Get a room."

"Okay!" Adam agreed, pretending to make a run for the stairs.

"You dork." I teased. I wished that Adam didn't joke like that so much. It made me think that he really wanted to hook up with me, and I wasn't ready. I was probably one of the last girls in my grade to be a virgin, but I wanted to wait until I was ready. Maybe I'd be ready in a week, maybe a month, maybe six months. But I wasn't going to sleep with Adam until I was 100 ready.

"You know I'm just joking." Adam whispered into my ear.

I nodded. "I know." I answered.

"Here, Char." Carolyn said. "If you can pry your hands off your foxy man, here's a drink."

"Foxy, huh?" Adam struck a really lame model pose.

"Don't... don't ever do that again." I warned him, taking a sip of my drink. "Mmm, this is really good!"

"Char's getting drunk tonight." Corrie said in a sing-song voice as Adam snatched my drink away and took a gulp. He made a face.

"See, this is why I didn't make one for you." Carolyn scolded as Adam gave me back my drink.

"Thank God." Adam replied as someone knocked on the patio door.

"Anyone home?" It was Shea.

"Only if you have beer!" Adam yelled back.

Shea came from the family room into the kitchen. "You betcha, my friend." He said, holding up a case of Budweiser. Adam and I moved out of the way so Shea could put the beer in the fridge. I hoisted myself onto the counter beside the sink, and Adam sat on a stool at the island.

"Are we making cookies or what?" Corrie demanded.

"I think that's our cue, man." Adam said, picking up his beer and leading Shea out of the kitchen.

"Jeez, finally!" I said loudly.

"I heard that!" Adam called.

"I know!" I called back.

Corrie rolled her eyes. "You guys are just too darn disgustingly cute." She told me, handing me the cookie dough package.

"Thanks." I said. "I really like him."

"He really likes you too." Carolyn said, opening up a bag of chips. "You guys kind of have that I-need-a-man-or-I'm-gonna-slit-my-wrists kind of effect on me."

"Um..." I started. "You're welcome?"

Carolyn burst out laughing. "You are so funny."

"Have to talked to Becca yet?" Corrie asked me.

I sighed. "No." I admitted. "I tried, but she won't talk to me. She can seriously be sooo stubborn when she wants to be!"

"That's really shitty." Corrie said. "I mean, yeah, okay, you didn't tell her exactly what you were doing after school. But who cares? You weren't doing it to be a bitch or anything."

"That's what I tried to tell her." I answered. "I wanted to wait until after my meeting with Haley before telling her, just because I didn't know how it would go!"

"She'll get over it." Carolyn assured me. "She's just being Becca right now."

"Pretty much." I agreed. "I just wish she'd talk to me."

At that moment, Adam and Shea walked back into the kitchen. "Okay, it's pretty lame that two guys have to sit alone in the living room while three girls are in the kitchen." Shea announced.

"We thought you two wanted to be alone." Corrie teased.

"Shea's quick, what can I say?" Adam joked, standing in front of me so I could rest my head on his shoulder from behind.

"Yeah, riiiight." Shea answered sarcastically, then shook his head vigorously at Corrie.

"Doesn't matter if you last or not, it's not gonna happen Shea-Man." Corrie told him with a laugh.

"Never say never." Shea answered with a wink.

"Are we ordering pizza?" Carolyn interrupted. "I thought we were having pizza!"

"Jeez, what have you girls been doing in here?" Shea asked. "We thought the pizza would have been here by now!

I pulled the menu off the bulletin board and handed it to him. "Pitter patter, get at 'er." I told him.

Shea sighed dramatically. "Do I have to do everything?" He moaned. "Is that all I'm good for?"

"Yeah, now order something good, otherwise you'll be in trouble!" Carolyn joked.

We argued for a bit but finally decided on a (disgusting) meat lovers with sausage for the boys, and a tropical chicken for the girls. They would deliver it in about half an hour.

"I think we should play drinking games tonight." Corrie announced.

I groaned. "They make me so drunk though!"

"Let's do it!" Adam teased, squeezing my knees.

"Let's not." I replied firmly.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, and I felt like I just put a damper on the night. I kept thinking that if I didn't sleep with Adam, he might break up with me. It was obvious that he wanted to hook up, as he talked about it constantly, and it made me uncomfortable. I was feeling so uncomfortable that I pushed Adam out of my way and jumped off the counter.

"I'll be right back." I said, walking towards the stairs.

"Where you going?" Adam asked.

"I just need to get something." I told him as I ran up the stairs. I went into my room and flopped onto my bed. I felt torn. Part of me felt like I was being a huge baby about all of this. I wished I could just be cooler about the whole situation. But the other part of me was a bit mad. Adam and I hadn't had a 'sex talk' yet, we had only been dating for a week. But everyone else I know was already having sex, and I was the only one not. I know that Adam knew that, even if I hadn't told him, and actions supposedly speak louder than words. How could he not know how uncomfortable it was making me when I was acting so uncomfortable?

I wished I could talk to Becca. She always knew what to say to make me feel better. She would tell me how to talk to Adam, and she would make me laugh. Even though it had only been a few days since we talked, it felt like an eternity. I needed my best friend back.

I had been upstairs for close to ten minutes when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Char?"

"In here." I answered, not moving. I heard the footsteps come into my bedroom.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

Adam sat on the edge of my bed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Liar."

I sighed. "I'm really fine."

"Then why are you laying in your bedroom all alone, while you have a houseful of people downstairs?"

"I don't know."

Adam sighed, obviously exasperated. "Come on, Char!" He said. "Talk to me. What's going on?"

"Do you want to have sex with me?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Because I want to know."

"Why?"

"Because you obviously want to."

"How do you know?"

I rolled over and faced Adam. "You make little comments all the time!"

"Jeez, Char, I'm a seventeen year old guy!" Adam exclaimed. "I have a hot girlfriend. If I didn't make comments, there would be something wrong with me."

"Well, maybe there's something wrong with me then." I answered, rolling back over.

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that I am the only girl I know who is a virgin." I answered. "Like the fact that I have a really hot boyfriend who obviously wants to sleep with me, and I don't want to. At least not right away."

"Char, look at me." Adam said, tugging on my arm. I rolled over and looked at my boyfriend.

"What?"

"Do you really think I would make you have sex with me if you weren't ready?" He asked me.

I shrugged. I really didn't think so, but I really didn't know.

"That really sucks that you don't know." Adam said quietly, and I realized he was hurt by my lack of trust. "I hoped that you would know me better than that. I'm not some asshole who doesn't care about you or your feelings or anything like that. I care about you, not about sex."

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I just... I don't want you to break up with me because I don't want to sleep with you."

"Char, we've only been dating a week!" Adam laughed. "It's not like we've been married for ten years and still aren't hooking up. It's only been a week!"

"I just don't want to wreck anything." I said, barely audible.

Adam laid down beside me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Babe, you're not going to!" He assured me. "I like how this is going, I like you a lot. Whether we have sex next week, next month, a year from now or... whenever, I don't care. I just want to be with you, that's all that matters."

I rolled over and smiled at Adam. "Thank you." I told him. "I really... I really needed to hear that."

Adam kissed my forehead. "Don't worry about it so much, okay?" He told me. "There's no reason to. I promise."

"Okay." I answered back, giving him a kiss. He pulled me close and breathed in deep.

"Why do you always smell so good?" He murmured into my hair.

"Um... cause I shower?" I teased.

"I'll have to try it sometime."

"Yeah, you should."

Adam laughed and swatted my behind. "Brat." He joked. He stood up and pulled me up. "Okay, let's quit being snobs and go find our friends. I bet the pizza is almost here."

"Okay." I answered. I wrapped my arms around him before walking downstairs. "Why are you so great?"

Adam kissed the top of my head. "Cause I got a great girl."

"You can be so cute and so cheesy sometimes." I said with a giggle.

We walked back downstairs, and everyone was still in the kitchen.

"Man, we thought you guys ended up in Sardina or something." Shea said when he saw us coming into the kitchen.

Carolyn doubled over with laughter. "You mean Narnia?" She exclaimed. "Shea-Man, you are such a fruit!"

"Hey, I was close!" Shea protested as the doorbell rang.

"Pizza!" Corrie cheered.

I jumped off the bottom stair and went to the front door, fully prepared to be greeted with two boxes of piping hot, delicious pizza. Instead, standing on my front stoop, was Becca and Jeff.