Chapter two

"So let me get this straight: Layla is plotting a diabolical scheme to hook me up with Magenta because she thinks that we 'like each other'. And as her boyfriend that automatically means that you have to help her in any way necessary. But at the same time, you feel obligated, as my 'friend' to give me a heads up. Did I get it all?"

"Yeah, that about sums it all up," Warren said as he lifted the weight bar again for the nineteenth time.

"When did she decide this?" Will asked from his place as his spotter.

"Just this morning," Warren said as he breathed in threw his mouth. He was starting to consider asking Stronghold to take off the extra weight he had added a few lifts back. "She thinks that you guys would be perfect together and that it is her job, as your best friends, to hook you up."

Will looked down at him with concern, "Are you going to try to stop her?"

Warren snorted as he brought the weight down once more to his chest, "Does it look like I'm stupid?"

"But…I mean… it's not like you're going to go along with her crazy plans."

Warren lifted the bar again, "I repeat, does it look like I'm stupid?"

Will rolled his eyes, "You don't have to go along with what she is planning you know." Warren had no intention of going along with what Layla was planning, that was what the glow stick and puddle dude were for, he just didn't want Will to know that.

"Oh, I know. I just think that it would be fun to watch her trying to put two stubborn people together while they are clearly in denial about their feelings for each other. There are worse things I could do with my time." Warren smirked as he brought the bar back down.

"I guess I should say thanks for giving me a heads up."

"Hey, no problem. I'm actually enjoying seeing you squirm, it's fun."

"Thanks," Will said sarcastically.

"Look, just be glad she let me in on her plans or we would all be in the dark on what was happening."

Will rolled his eyes and grabbed the bar as Warren lifted it all the way up and steered it towards the rack. Will walked around the weight bench and looked at Warren as he stood up, "As my new friend, you're going to continue to give me heads up whenever she has a crazy scheme."

Warren stood up and grabbed his towel, "Nah, I don't think I am going to tell you anything anymore." He turned and walked away from Will, smirk firmly in place.

"Wait, you can't just leave and man behind!" Will called after him. Warren almost laughed out loud at the sound of desperation in his voice.

Warren stopped and looked at Will, "I don't see it as leaving a man behind. I see it as giving a man a heads up, Stronghold. This is me giving you a heads up, and that is the only warning you are going to get." Warren smiled at him and turned to go.

"But…but…but!"

"Look, Stronghold, this might be fun. And you might get a girlfriend out of this. I have no idea what you are complaining about." Warren shrugged and stepped through the door to the locker room.

….

…..

…

Warren smirked as he saw Layla waving at him from one of the booths at the front of the restaurant. He finished taking the order at the table he was at and finally noticed the girls at the table blinking their eyes in what was meant to be a flirty and flattering way. Warren turned away from the table and rolled his eyes as he headed into the back. He was so glad it was time for him to get off work; if he had to put up with any more of these yuppies, he might burn someone.

After school and a five hour shift at work, all Warren wanted to do was eat, spend time with his girlfriend and go to sleep. Warren know that with the pile of homework he had in his school bag, that one of those things would be cut short. After a blink, Warren decided that it was going to be the sleep that would be missed.

He clocked out, grabbed his meal, along with Layla's and walked out towards where she was sitting.

"Hey, how was your work out with Will?" Layla asked as Warren approached her table.

"Hello to you too," Warren said with sarcasm and put her plate in front her.

"Hi hothead!" Layla said with a big fake smile, "How was your work out with Will?"

He rolled his eyes, "It was fine."

Layla looked down at her plate for a second as he slid into the booth across from her. "Did he say anything about Magenta?" She looked hopefully at him as he grabbed his fork and began to dig into his still hot food.

"Not that I can remember," Warren said smoothly. He didn't look at this as lying to his girlfriend…he saw it as leaving something out of his day like going to the bathroom and what he ate for lunch. They were not like that couple on that stupid comedy that Layla makes him watch with her where 'Marshmellow' and 'Lilypad' tell and want to be told about the others days. It's called something about someone's mother…Warren had no idea.

And though Warren would deny it to his dying breath, he thought the show was hilarious. But a man has to have some pride and letting his woman know that she has good taste in TV means that he will never see the remote again and then he'll be watching that 'Honey Boo-Boo' crap.

Layla slumped as though defeated. "Darn."

Warren smirked at her, "Why do you want to know?"

She rolled her eyes, "It should be obvious Warren. If Will brings her up in casual conversation that means that he likes her." Layla looked at him as though he had lost his mind.

"Yeah, that totally makes sense," Warren said as he took another bite out of his food.

Layla sighed and picked up her fork and began to eat. "Mmmm, this is really good!"

Warren smirked at her, "Yeah, we have been getting a few more customers who are vegans and added a few new recipes to our menu." Layla smiled at him before she turned her attention to her book bag. Warren frowned at her as she pulled out her notebook and 'History of Heroes' book. "What are you doing?"

"Homework, don't you have some too?" Layla asked as she grabbed her pencil and opened her text book.

Warren looked at her for a second with narrowed eyes before he finally sighed and pulled out his own text book and notebook. "I can't believe I'm doing homework on a date," Warren complained after a moment.

Layla smiled at him and took another bite out her food, "I know…isn't it wild?"

He tried not to smile at her, he really did, but there was just something charming about his girlfriend being sarcastic towards him that had him smiling from ear to ear.

"And," Layla whispered as she leaned in closer towards him from across the table. Warren leaned in as well, loving the view he now had. "The first one to finish, get a prize."

Warrens eyes grew big as he took in her seductive tone, "And what would that be, Hippy?"

Layla leaned in closer to him with a twinkle in her eye and said in a gentle and husky voice, "Winner gets to decide?"

Warren gulped, "You're on."

…..

…

….

"You cheated," Warren complained an hour later.

Layla giggled, "I just had a jump start on my homework during class."

"You must have planned this then," Warren said in a growl as he crossed the street.

"Yes I did," Layla said with pride.

Warren shook his head and kept walking down Layla's street. He had no idea that when he agreed to the little wager they made that Layla would make him carry her home on his back if-no, when she won. Warren had thought that she would have wanted a hot make-out that lasted about a half an hour and only coming up for air…or her inviting him back to her place for a back massage that could lead to other things as well!

But no! Here he was, giving his girlfriend a piggy-back-ride home with her giggling incessantly for 'pulling one over on him'.

Warren walked up the path leading to her porch and sighed as he put her on her feet. "Hey," Layla cried and hit him in the arm, "I don't weight that much!"

He smirked at her, "Whatever you say, Hippy."

Layla rolled her eyes, "You're a sore loser." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

Warren smiled charmingly at her, "Yes I am."

Quickly, before Layla could reply, Warren reached out and grabbed her hips and brought her into his chest where he swooped down and kissed her with all the pent up passion he had had for her since he saw her sitting at the dinner. Layla kissed him back equally frenzied. It was one of the best kisses Warren had ever had and he never wanted it to end.

Just as Warren pulled her even closer to him, the front door opened and Warren knew before looking that it was Michael, Layla's dad.

"Sir," Warren said as he pulled away from his girlfriend.

Michael glared at Warren for a moment before he looked at Layla with a stern expression. "Cutting it a little close don't you think?"

Layla's mom appeared a second later, "Oh leave her alone. She made it home safe and sound. Besides, if there were any problems, I'm sure that Warren here would protect her." She winked at Warren and Layla shook her head with a giggle.

"Ma'am," Warren said politely.

"Oh, what have I told you about calling me that…it makes me sound old. Call me Josslyn."

Warren had no intention of calling her Josslyn, but he nodded at her anyways.

"It's late, you have school tomorrow. Say goodbye." Michael growled from his perch in the doorway.

Layla turned to Warren with a sheepish smile, "I loved dinner." Then her face transformed into a smirk and a twinkle appeared in her eyes and she said. "And I loved my win."

He glowered at her in mock anger, "I'm glad."

She smiled at him sassily as she stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow…boyfriend."

Warrens eyes softened, "You too, girlfriend."

He watched as Layla's mom waved happily at him and her dad closed the door in his face before he made his way home with a stupid grin on his face.

YAY! An update.

Now all you have to do is tell me how much you love this story and I'll write more

Have a nice day/night!