Okay, title is from This Is Love by Annasay.

A Little Too Not Over You
Chapter Three – You're Everything That I Adore

As Massie Block looked at Derrick Harrington, she noticed the changes.

When he first stepped into the room, Massie didn't really notice them. She was focused on him. Being there. But now that she looked, she saw.

His jaw was stronger; the boyish roundness of his face disappeared. His shoulders were broader, his arms bigger. He was taller; over six feet, while she was only 5"9. If she stood in front of him, the first thing she would see at eye level was his neck. His eyes were duller than they were eight years ago. They look matured and experienced. He didn't laugh as loud as before.

This was Derrick Harrington, 21 years old.

She noticed all these things while her make-up artists were removing every chemical on her face. She was quiet. She even managed to drown out their banter.

(*)

"Massie?" Ella Nelson, her assistant asked her after their meeting with Massie's designers. She shook out of her reverie and looked at the blonde.

"What?"

"You spaced out the whole meeting. You were spacing out after the photo shoot. You were spacing out in the car. What's wrong?" Ella asked. Ella became a close friend of Massie in the year they've worked together. They were close—not as close as the Pretty Committee was to Massie, but Ella was as close as she could get.

"I was just, you know, thinking hard about the designs," Massie lied. She was actually thinking of Derrick Harrington, his appearance, his effect on Massie's current life, just…him.

"You approved of a bright pink tracksuit with equally bright purple horizontal stripes," Ella said.

"Oh, ew, really?" Massie asked, shocked at herself.

"Yes. I denied it for you. It was hideous."

"Thanks."

"So, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing means Derrick Harrington, right?"

"Yep."

(*)

"Hey, Landon."

"Hey, Massie. What's up?"

"Dylan's hosting dinner."

"I'll pick you up an hour before?"

"Perfect."

(*)

Massie walked through Dylan Marvil's threshold with her arm looped around Landon Crane's. Landon Crane was currently one of the hottest TV stars now, starring in one of the top-rated shows today. She was lucky to be with him.

Landon was the sweetest person in the world; the best boyfriend she's had in seven years. After Derrick, she abstained from dating for a year; then when she finally moved on and started accepting guys again, she became some sort of a freak magnet. All her relationships were bad. Started good, became bad, ended worse. That was the pattern for six years. Six months ago, she met Landon, and she finally had a normal, good relationship.

But she still doesn't know if she loves him or not.

That's what frustrates her the most. For six years, every time she started liking a guy, she would fawn over him and do all those love-struck teenage things, then they would end up hurting her, she would get mad, she would cry little, then she would realize she wasted her time and those jerks didn't really matter. But Landon was different from all of them. He was a gentleman, borderline chivalrous. He was handsome. He was sweet. He was always there for her. But nooo. Now she can't decide.

Throw in Derrick Harrington, and she'll never make up her mind.

"Mass! Landon!" Dylan exclaimed when she saw them. "Come on. Everyone's in the living room."

They followed the redhead into her spacious living room, where all of Massie's childhood friends were there. And she means everyone.

"Massie!" a Spanish boy approached her, his arms outstretched for a hug. "I haven't seen you since you were shorter!"

Massie went to hug Josh Hotz. It was true. She hasn't seen him for awhile; he went to Europe after sophomore year, and the only person he kept contact with was Alicia. Massie was actually surprised that the two of them were very good at a long distance relationship. She didn't keep contact with him. Briarwood was reconstructed before ninth grade, and the boys moved away, and she didn't really talk to them much when they weren't in the same school as her anymore. She didn't even talk to Derrick at all. The first time she talked to Josh in years was their last conversation earlier today.

"And I haven't seen you since you were Josh Hotz, high school soccer player. Now, you're international soccer player!" Massie said. "By the way, this is Landon Crane, my boyfriend."

"Hey, man. Great game," he said, offering his hand to Josh.

"Hey. Great movie," Josh said, taking his hand and shaking it. "I like that part where you go to the carnival and look for the girl."

"Oh, you watched that movie? Thanks!" Landon said, flashing his million dollar smile.

What movie? Go to the carnival and look for the girl? Oh! That movie! Nothing but the truth!, Massie thought.

"Isn't that a chick-flick?" Claire Lyons asked.

"Guess some things never change," Kemp Hurley snickered. Everyone laughed, except for Derrick, who Massie was looking at from the corner of her eye. He's been watching her the whole time.

"Shut up, Kemp. I have blackmail against you," Josh said.

"What blackmail?" Kristen Gregory asked, ever the worried girlfriend. Well, if your boyfriend owns a men's magazine with tons of models modeling for him, you'd be worried too.

"Nothing to worry about, Kristen. Middle school and high school photos," Josh said, reassuring the blonde.

Massie looked around. Landon already met everyone here. He's known Alicia, Dylan, Kristen and Claire from the start. He met Kemp, Chris, and Cam after the girls. Today, he met Josh. The only one left was…Derrick.

As if on cue, Derrick walked forward, and the room considerably got quieter. Thank God, Landon seems to not notice.

"Hey. I'm Derrick Harrington," Derrick said, offering his hand.

"I know. You're all over the news. Punching the Spanish team's coach?" Landon asked, shaking Derrick's hand.

Derrick shrugged. "He was being an ass."

Massie feels…weird. They were being friendly, like they've known each other for years. You have no idea how weird her situation was.

"So, Dyl, how about dinner?" Massie asked, shaking off the weird feeling.

*

Massie could not fully describe dinner. Oh, the food was great and all. But everyone seemed cautious of Derrick and Landon. And they talked to each other the whole time. The whole time. How weird is that? Landon definitely talked to Derrick the most. They sounded like old friends. But Massie knew that that can't be since Derrick only recently got back, and, well, she knew everyone Landon did.

Massie doesn't know how, but she ended up alone with Derrick in the kitchen.

"So…Landon's nice," Derrick said, taking a sip from his champagne.

"Derrick," Massie said warningly.

"I'm serious, Massie. I like him," Derrick said.

"Oh," Massie said. "Well, um, thanks? For, you know, being so kind to him and all."

"No problem. But you know what?"

"What?"

"I noticed something."

"What?"

"You don't love him, do you?"

"I do," Massie said indignantly.

"I know you Massie. You love him, sure, but you're not in love with him."

"Derrick. That was eight years ago. I changed."

"No. No, Massie, you haven't changed much. You've always been like this. It's just that eight years ago, you've been hiding your real self behind your designer clothes and "alpha" status."

Massie opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.

"My advice? Break up with Landon," Derrick said.

"Oh, so that you can have me? No, Derrick," Massie said, getting pissed off.

"This isn't for me. This is for him. You'll just hurt him in the end, and I don't want you to have to deal with that," he said. Then he left, leaving Massie to stand there in shock.

Okay, sorry for the late update…I had writer's block for this story…

So, yeah, sorry if this chapter wasn't so nice…