A/N - To make this short, I'm really sorry for the late update. The Philadelphia Zoo and the Philadelphia Free Library field trips really zonked my brain. I had no idea where to continue this story after the last chapter. I was so busy reading this awesome book yesterday. Tell me in the review if you want to know what it is. If you like this story, you might just like that book.

Go to Starsnuffers' profile to vote for your favorites in everything! You don't have to vote for me. You should only vote if you feel that I deserve it. I got nominated in two categories.

"Ow. Ow. Ow." The bruise on my cheek was starting to fade away, but it still hurt when I ever applied the cover-up foundation. I also snuck some of my mom's eyeliner and purple eye shadows since my eyes were still a little bit puffy from crying last night. Nate. He said that he'd wait for me, that he was sure that Shane and I wouldn't last. I needed to prove him wrong and that it would last. He had to somehow accept the relationship and move on.

I picked up my mango flavored lip gloss that I randomly bought from Victoria's Secret once. Seriously, I was at the mall with Nicole and we went into Victoria's Secret. That's where I got my slutty bras and underwear. Of course, nobody but Nicole knew about that. I never wore that lingerie either. I saw the lip gloss, smelled it, and chucked it on the counter. And here it was being used for the first time in two months. If I was putting on a lot of make-up today, might as well do lip gloss, right?

I threw on my regular outfit of a world peace t-shirt and dark slightly flared jeans. After tying my graffiti Chucks and slinging my homework heavy backpack on my shoulder, I open the door and walk down my driveway. I climb into Shane's car, but before I could even put on the seatbelt, he stops me. "Don't tell me you're going to give me that stupid seatbelt lecture again," I whine.

"Nope, I'm still waiting for that kiss. Any day now.. I'm just a guy sitting here, wishing that his gorgeous girlfriend would kiss him for the first time. I haven't had any sexual contact in a month! Jenny, you can't leave me hanging!" Man, this rant was getting extremely funny. I start hysterically laughing.

"Hey, that's not funny!"

"Yeah, it's really funny. Man, since when did Shane Grey have to beg a girl to kiss him? I should've taped that," I say.

"Jenny, what's with your face today?" he asks.

"Is it really that bad?" I was starting to get self conscious.

"No, you look really beautiful." I don't think that I've ever even heard Shane compliment girls using that word. It was always 'hot' or 'cute' or 'sexy.'

"Oh, uh, thanks." My fingers start twitching a bit.

I feel his fingers touch the side of my face as he places a stray strand of hair back behind my ear. Next thing I know, he's gently kissing me, and I'm completely frozen. He pulls away a couple seconds into my paralyzed state. "Is everything alright?" he asks.

Instead of saying anything, I roughly pull Shane's head down to my level because of our height difference and kiss him with all the energy I could muster. I was inexperienced and tired, so it really wasn't much. After his two seconds of shock, he starts kissing me back. I tangle my fingers into his long and soft hair. The pain from having to choose, from the experience with Nate last night, to everything that had happened in the last month was poured into that kiss. It got to the point where it almost physically hurt. I pull away when I felt Shane's car moving, but he wasn't driving. Somehow, I ended up straddling Shane and was in his lap, and the gear shift was in Reverse. Before the car could get to the steep part of my street, I put it back in Park.

"Sorry for messing up your hair," I apologize. His perfect hair was now sticking up in random directions. I try flattening it, but it only helped a little bit.

"I could say the same to you," he replies. I get off of him and look in one of the car's mirrors. My hair was bad, but it would be pretty easy to fix. All I had to do was flip it down and shake it. "I love your lip gloss. You should wear it more often."

"Got it at Victoria's Secret a couple months back," I say, straightening out my shirt. I hadn't even realized that the shirt rode up that much.

"You actually went in there?" he asked, shocked.

"All girls go in there at some point or another." He starts driving to school.

"Did you buy any hot lingerie?"

"You're such a perv! Gosh. No, I didn't, okay?"

"I'm your boyfriend. I'm allowed to ask you that. You have such a hot body but you won't show it off. It's such a shame."

"You should've been there for that skit in History then. It was one hot maid costume. In fact, I should wear it for Halloween." I knew that I was taunting him, and it was fun.

"A hot maid costume?" he asks. "Is it short and skimpy?"

"Yup. Lacy, too," I add.

"I really can't wait for Halloween now. I'm thinking of only doing small parties after games, but a huge costume party for Halloween. We could even have a costume contest for most original idea! I'll dress up as a rich guy."

"Wow, me as a maid, you as the guy that pays me for my services. That's a pretty good idea, actually." Wait a minute..

"That pays you for your 'services', huh?" He starts smirking.

"That just totally came out wrong. I meant cleaning services, dickwad."

"Yup, I'm sure that's what you totally meant."

"But I really did mean that!" I say.

"And I really believe you," he taunts. "So when can we tell other people about our relationship?"

"We can't," I protest. "The jealous girls were bad enough, but when I'm officially dating you, it'll get worse. We should wait a couple weeks at least."

"So no kissing you in school?" I shake my head. "How about hugging?"

"I guess that's fine. It's a friendly gesture. The hugs can't last more than three seconds, though."

"I think that we should try ignoring each other in gym. If we don't, I might just accidentally spill the secret." That was actually a good idea.

"Shane, I love your thinking. See you in class soon, bye!" I open the door and get out, but Shane reaches for my other hand and kisses it. I glare at him and he mouths 'Sorry.'

When I finally sit down next to Nate in homeroom, he tells me, "I'm really sorry about last night. I didn't mean to sound so harsh. It's just so hard to accept."

"What?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"I was a jerk, Jenny. I should've known the outcome all along. He always treated you better and never got angry. You're so forgiving that you saw past his reputation and bad ways. You saw through my gentle nature and knew the real me. The one who hurts the people that he loves."

"Nate, you truly are an incredibly nice person. Nobody could ever possibly dislike you. I would never be able to dislike you, either. Those miniscule problems of yours can be easily fixed. They're nothing to worry about," I assure him.

"I know that you still have that bruise. I was the one that gave it to you. You're just covering it up with make-up."

"It's only temporary, Nate. Bruises always go away. They never leave scars. Can we leave all of that behind, please?" I beg.

"On one condition," he says. I nod for him to continue. "Come audition for Pride and Prejudice. You don't have to specify any roles that you want. Just come read some lines. Please."

XoLAGOHxO

"Jenny, you're auditioning, too?" Christie asks me when I sit down next to her in the auditorium. It's where the auditions were being held.

"I got forced into it. I suck at acting, so I'm definitely not getting a role except for the ensemble. Hopefully you get Georgiana." I really did want her to do exceptionally well.

"I heard that you did an awesome job with Nate in that History skit, though."

"I'm not sure if that actually relates to this, but eh. Thanks, though," I say.

The auditions weren't exactly reading lines from the script. You were supposed to improvise the best love declaration scene with a random person who was also auditioning. You had to atempt it in old English, too. Some were amazing. Some made me embarrassed to just watch. That one girl who actually made out with the guy nearly made me double over in laughter. Christie auditioned with a sophomore, and I was the person that clapped the loudest after she finished. Her words sounded so pure, so innocent. Then it came my turn, and my partner just had to be Nate. Really, why?

"Let's base it on our current situation," he whispers in my ear before we were going to perform.

"Okay, ready, go!" the drama teacher yelled through her blow horn.

Nate cups my face in his hand and says, "Jenny, for the past several weeks, you have captivated me. Your eyes are like chocolate. Your voice like honey. Your innocence so tempting."

"Nate, but I'm already bound to somebody else. I need to be faithful to him," I say.

"I'll rip those heavy chains from you. I'll dispose of his worthless soul and you'll finally be mine. I know that you love me just as much as I love you." I break away from his hold. This was acting after all.

"I do, Nate, I really do. I'm not sure if I have the courage."

"Our love will get us through everything. We'll take you away from your retched boyfriend. You and I could finally be together. I love you more than I love life itself. I need you to keep me living."

"I-I love you, too," I say, tears brimming over my eyes. What he said was so true, but I was only acting. I loved him like he was my closest friend. I didn't love him like that.

He lightly brushes his lips over mine. They barely even touched, but I still shivered from it. He kisses my tears away, too. Then he hugs me, and the entire auditorium starts the applause.

"Very well done!" the drama director says through her blow horn.

XoLAGOHxO

I skim over the cast list for Pride and Prejudice. It was up by the next day. Some seniors and juniors got all the lead roles. I start jumping up and down when Nate got George Wickham. I frown when Christie was the substitute for Georgiana. I nearly have a heart attack when I see;

Georgiana Darcy …… Jenny Huynh

I really felt like Bella in Eclipse right then.

Shit.

A/N - Did everyone like this? Please review and tell me! I hope that when Jenny and Shane kissed, it wasn't so bad.. Remember, I've never kissed a single guy before. That's embarrassing to admit..