A/N: Thanks for reviewing guys! I'm glad you're all as excited as I am for this one. The first few chapters are going to be mostly introduction chapters, just to see where everyone's at five years later but I promise I'll really start getting into everything soon. Hope you like this one, keep reviewing!

Chapter 2: Friends With Benefits

The next morning in Italy, Jared had just woken up and walked outside onto the balcony of the apartment he shared with Massimo. After they graduated from cooking school and started working together, they upgraded from their dorm room to a bigger, more spacious apartment in central Rome.

Jared looked over to his neighbor's balcony, where he saw Mrs. Turcozzi, who was almost twenty years older than him but definitely very attractive. She had long, black hair and dark, tanned skin. Jared smiled as she flirtatiously waved at him, something she did very often whenever they both ended up being on their balconies at the same time.

She finished watering her plans and slowly walked back into her home, knowing that Jared was checking her out.

"Damn," he whispered but was interrupted with a smack on the head from Massimo. He turned around. "What the hell was that for?"

"You know Mr. Turcozzi will murder you if he catches you looking at his wife," Massimo informed him. "And I need you alive to pay rent so I can keep this place."

"Oh, thanks," Jared said, sarcastically. Massimo laughed. "Besides, I like a challenge and she is definitely a challenge."

"Well, you better keep your flirty encounters to a minimum this weekend," Massimo shook his head. "I just got off the phone with my sister and she's spending the weekend here."

Jared groaned and threw his head back. After he and Sophia had broken up five years ago, the inevitable happened; he and Isabella slept together and have been ever since whenever she was in town. But Jared had noticed that lately, Isabella was jealous and needy and he was starting to wonder if she could have been developing feelings for him.

"Great," he sighed.

"I know you two have your little arrangement and Jared, you are my best friend," Jared looked up at him, "But if you hurt my little sister, I'll be the one to kill you."

Jared laughed. "You're talking crazy, Mass," he shook his head. "I would never hurt Isabella, she's like my sister," he said. Massimo gave him a look. "That I sleep with on occasion, it's not a big deal." He said and Massimo grimaced. He never liked the thought of his best friend sleeping with his sister and he would rather not hear about it either. "I'm just stressed about the restaurant and stuff, and you know Is, she's gonna want to stick her nose in everything!"

"That I can agree with," Massimo nodded and Jared laughed as they walked back inside.

Sophia woke up that morning and smiled when she saw Ryan sleeping soundly next to her. Deciding she'd let him sleep in, she quietly slipped out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. As she made herself breakfast, she picked up the phone and called Andria.

"Hi, hold on a second," her cousin and best friend answered. "Ava Elizabeth Banks, get your butt over here now!" The blond yelled. Sophia laughed, wondering what Ava had done to piss Andria off this time.

"Mommy, I didn't do it, I swear!" She heard the five-year-old say, innocently.

"Like hell you didn't, you are in big trouble missy!" Andria said. "Do you care to tell me why you decided to this very expensive dress," she held up the gown, "Designed by Oscar de la Renta himself, your next art project?"

"I'm sorry, Mommy!" She heard Ava apologize. "I just wanted to make it prettier."

"Prettier?" Andria shrieked. "It's Oscar de la Renta!" She yelled. "I just… go to your room!"

"But I have school!"

Andria rolled her eyes. "Fine, go get ready for school but no TV!"

"You're the worst Mommy ever!" Sophia heard Ava cry.

Andria sighed and placed the phone back on her ear. "I'm not a bad Mom, I swear," she said. Sophia laughed. "She colored on my Oscar de la Renta dress." Andria pouted.

"I heard," Sophia nodded. "I'm sure you can take it to the dry cleaners and they can fix it up for you, right?"

"Doubtful," Andria sighed. "So, what's up? I don't have too much time to talk, I have to actually bring Ava to school this morning then try to, somehow, get in contact with Veronica Payne and explain why I ditched our meeting yesterday and then-"

"Have you checked your mail?" Sophia interrupted. Andria became quiet. "Andria?"

"Yes, I did," she said, a few moments later. "Nick is getting married, so what?"

"Don't act like this isn't a big deal," Sophia said.

"Nick and I dated in high school," she shrugged. "We were kids, it barely meant anything, I'm fine."

"What about when Ava was born?" Sophia asked. Andria swallowed. "Nick was really there for you then and you guys-"

"I don't have time to talk about this right now," she interrupted. "Nor do I even want to." She said. Sophia sighed. "I'm fine, I promise, OK?"

"Fine but if you aren't, you'll tell me?" She asked.

"Of course," Andria nodded. "How's Ryan doing?"

"Good, I mean, good under the circumstances," she shrugged. "I don't know what to do, Andria, this injury is really tearing him up and it's like nothing I do can make him feel better about it."

"There's nothing you really can do right now, Soph," Andria said. "He just lost football for another year, right before he was going to make it into the pros, the guy has a right to mope." She said. Sophia sighed. "Just give him time and be there for him, that's all you can do at this point."

"Yeah, I know," Sophia said, sadly.

"Anyways, I really better get going," Andria said. "I'll call you tonight?"

"Yeah, try not to kill my goddaughter by then, OK?" Sophia teased. Andria rolled her eyes.

"Bye Sophia!" She laughed and hung up.

Nora Conway was sitting in the house that she shared with her fiancé, Ethan Germaine, and their daughter, Emma. She had just picked up her mail and smiled when she saw the invitation to her friends' Nick and Abby's wedding.

"Glad to see at least Nick and Abby are going through with their wedding plans," Ethan snipped, walking past her.

She glared at him. After high school, Nora had made a promise to him that when they both graduated from the University of Michigan, they'd be married but Nora had been putting off the wedding for almost two years now and Ethan was getting frustrated. "Don't start."

"It'll be so great when we go," he continued, ignoring her request. "I can't wait to explain to everyone there how we're still engaged and have been for five whole years but that unfortunately, my fiancée is in absolutely no rush to marry me."

"Ethan," she sighed, they had this same fight almost every day. "It's not like that."

"So, what's it like, Nor?" He asked. "It's been five years, we have a house together, and we have a daughter together for crying out loud!" He yelled. She looked at him. "What is holding you back?"

Nora went to talk but was interrupted, "Mommy!" Their now seven-year-old daughter, Emma, came running in. "I got a paper cut!"

"Aw, come here, sweetie, let me take a look," Nora said, kneeling down. Emma stuck her bleeding finger up and pouted. Nora reached into the drawer for a band aid and quickly wrapped it around her finger. "Is that OK?" She asked. Emma shrugged. "Do you want me to kiss it better?" Emma nodded, with a smile. Nora quickly kissed the bandage-wrapped finger and pulled her into a hug.

"Why were you and Daddy fighting again?" Emma asked, pulling away.

Nora and Ethan exchanged glances before Nora looked back down at her daughter. "We weren't fighting, sweetie."

"Great, now you're lying to our daughter too," he muttered. She glared at him.

"Sweetie, why don't you go play in your room?" She said, standing up. "I'll be there in a minute." She nodded. Emma ran off and Nora turned around to face Ethan.

"Don't you ever say something like that in front of my daughter again, do you understand me?" She said, angrily. "I was just trying to protect her."

"When did she become just your daughter?" He asked. "And protect her from what, Nor? She's not blind and she's not stupid either, she knows there's something wrong here."

"I'm not having this discussion right now," she shook her head.

"Yeah, shut down and walk away," he said. She looked at him. "Really great way to solve our problems."

"Have fun sleeping on the couch tonight." Nora spat, storming out of the room.

"Fine," he groaned, going to the closet to get extra blankets and a pillow.

That night, in Italy, Jared and Isabella were cuddling in his bed after they had finished… reuniting, something he only let happen with her after sleeping together because they knew each other so well. If it were any other girl, she would have been gone by now.

"Mm, that was very good," she smiled and kissed him. "It's been too long since we've done this."

"Yeah, but it's not like you aren't getting it somewhere else." He shrugged. She looked away and he pulled back. "Come on, Is, we talked about this."

"I'm a famous supermodel, Jared," she sat up, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't have time to sleep around and it would be bad for my reputation." She huffed. He rolled his eyes.

"But you have no problem sleeping with me a couple of times every few months?" He asked. She looked at him.

"No, I don't," she shook her head. "And I wouldn't be able to stop even if I tried," she said, drawing circles on his chest with her finger. "You know I cannot resist you." She said. He laughed. "OK, enough talking now," she said, kissing him again. She rolled over on top of him and they continued where they left off.