To make up for my lack of updates… Oh, and this story is still based back when I started it in 2009. Haha, sorry, I'm very late with this story. =P Enjoy!

Recap: He laughed and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the music sucks." He hesitated for a moment before quietly speaking again. "Aria?"

"Yeah?" I asked and turned to face him. He said nothing, but he didn't have to. I wouldn't have heard it anyway. I was too lost in his eyes. They'd always been so expressive and I loved looking into them. Even if I'd wanted to, I could not have looked away this time, though.

He held my gaze as his face moved toward mine slowly and our eyes closed of their own accord shortly before his soft lips touched mine.

Wow. My first actual kiss and it was with Taylor Lautner. Famous actor. My best friend. And the weirdest part, it wasn't weird at all. I kissed him back and we each put a little more force into the kiss, but not so much as to start a peep show for all the perverted high school kids.

It didn't last long, but that didn't make it any less amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better first kiss.

We pulled away and looked at each other for a moment, smiling, before he stood up, held out his hand, and pulled me up. "Want to dance?"

I grinned. "I would love to."

We may not have been dancing to the music pounding out of the speakers, but we were dancing to music that we could both hear in our minds. We slow-danced for the rest of the night, ignoring the rest of the world.

9. Playing and Dating

Ever since Homecoming, Taylor and I had been dating. We weren't officially boyfriend and girlfriend, but we were definitely dating. Our class' production of Romeo & Juliet was tonight and dress rehearsal last night went so well. This show was going to be fantastic. And then Taylor was taking me out on a surprise date tomorrow night. When I say surprise, I mean that he wasn't going to tell me where we're going. Just that he's taking me out.

The girls and I were in the dressing room with mirrors, makeup, hairspray, bobby pins, costumes, practically everything you can think of for a play. Our teacher had told us that the show sold out and I was so excited.

We were all ready when Kate came in and said, "Okay, girls, it's go time. The guys are already out by the stage, waiting for the show to start. Let's get out there and break a leg!"

We cheered and went to meet up with the guys. When I found Taylor, I hugged his arm and was about to kiss his cheek, but stopped myself. I had lipstick on, and I didn't want to leave a mark right before he was to go on stage. That would be bad.

My first queue line was said and I took a deep breath and stepped out onto the stage, underneath the bright lights.

The show went off without a hitch and we got a standing ovation! Everyone cheered, including a few cast members in the back, causing the rest of us to grin wider. Taylor and I joined hands in the center of the stage and bowed, receiving some pretty loud screams from the audience. It's such a great feeling, getting that applause from something you've worked so hard for. It's amazing, and a feeling that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

"Taylor, where are we going?" I asked him for the millionth time that night.

As every other time, he laughed and said, "You'll see."

It was dark out, but it was a clear night and an extremely bright full moon. He drove us downtown, and when we began to slow down, I looked out my window, seeing the beach. He turned into the parking lot and I turned to him.

"We're going to the beach? At night?"

"Yes." I got no other reply out of him aside from a small smile.

After we parked, he got out and opened my door for me before I was even unbuckled and took my hand. As we approached the sand, we both reached down and removed our shoes. We rejoined hands and walked along the beach.

Under the moonlight the water shimmered like dark diamonds and the water occasionally touched our feet. We were walking to nowhere. At least that's how it seemed to me. After about fifteen minutes of just slowly strolling on the beach, my head resting on his shoulder, he pulled me away from the water and toward what looked like a… picnic blanket?

"What is this?" I asked and he pulled me down onto the blanket.

"This is that date I've always wanted to take you on," he answered and pulled a small picnic basket onto the blanket in front of us. He pulled out two bottles of water and my favorite snack-chocolate covered strawberries.

"Ohhhh… Those look delicious," I said, eyes never wavering from the strawberries.

He grinned at me and picked one up, holding it to my mouth. "Is it?"

I took a bite and moaned. "Oh my god, these are the best strawberries I've ever had."

"I'm glad you like them," he smiled and leaned in to kiss me, to which I responded fervently. The kiss increased in intensity and he pushed me onto my back so he was directly over me, arms on either side of my head. Our tongues battled for dominance, though never coming to a clear result of who won and our hands began to roam on each other. My hands snuck under his shirt and over his torso and his hands traveled under my shirt and over my breast, causing me to moan softly and arch into his touch.

We pulled apart, startled, when a passing car honked his horn at us. I looked at Taylor and we both started cracking up.

"Only us. That would only happen to us," he said between breaths.

We were eventually able to pull ourselves together and he pulled me off the ground. I laughed jubilantly as Taylor twirled me around.

"Stop! Put me down!" I giggled.

He grinned and complied, but did not let go of me. As soon as my feet touched the ground, he pulled me into a tight embrace, and I welcomed it wholeheartedly.

"Tonight was amazing," I said happily. "Thank you so much."

Taylor kissed the top of my head. "It was just as amazing for me." He grinned.

That made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I laughed at my thoughts. We sat there under the stars for a bit, just sitting in each other's arms when his phone rang.

He looked at the caller ID and apologized. I'm really sorry, I have to take this." I nodded and he left. I started thinking about this date and how perfect the night was. Mia and Justine would not believe that he took me on my dream date and made it the best night of my life. I smiled to myself. Taylor made me so happy, I couldn't even fathom it. I'm so glad he's back in my life.

He came back a few minutes later and looked at me apologetically. "Aria…" he started, and the smile fell clean off my face. "I have to go. David wants to start filming Eclipse on Monday, so I have to be there by tomorrow."

I could feel my heart shredding, but I put on a strong façade. "It's okay, I understand. It's your career."

He pulled me into a hug and said, "I'll be back next summer. I'll keep in touch this time, I promise." He kissed me one more time before taking me home.

Not one call. No texts. No e-mails. Nothing. I'd tried contacting Taylor ever since he left, but I'd never heard anything from him. It was the end of the summer before my sophomore year-the end of the summer he said he'd be back and never followed through-and I'd just broken up with my asshole of a boyfriend. We'd dated for a grand total of two weeks and he'd tried relentlessly to cop a feel and get me in bed.

School was set to start tomorrow and thus, MUSICAL AUDITIONS! The musical this year was Mamma Mia.

I made it! I got the lead! I was going to play Sophie! Aah, I was SO excited. I was currently in the auditorium with the rest of the cast and we were all goofing off, waiting for our director.

"Aria!" My friend Lina called. "C'mere! I have the one person you haven't met yet who you really need to, considering he's playing your counterpart!"

I looked over toward where she was and saw that she was holding a guy's arm, preventing him from getting away. I laughed as I started toward her and said, "Lina, let the poor guy go! If he doesn't want to meet me right now, he doesn't have to. We'll meet eventually, anyway." As I drew closer, I took notice of what he looked like. He had short, brown hair, bright blue eyes, and a gorgeous smile-I could see that because he was laughing at what I said to Lina.

"It's not that, I promise," he said, grinning at me. "I was just caught off guard when she grabbed me."

I laughed and returned his smile. "Okay, well as long as I don't repulse you," I joked.

"No," he smiled. "Far from it." This time I smiled. This guy seemed really sweet. Not a perverted prick like I'd been dealing with lately.

During the summer, I'd taken some courses and gotten into modeling, gaining the attention of a lot of assholes. But because of the classes, I felt so much older than last year.

"Alright, good work, everybody!" The director told us. Luke was playing Sky in the musical and I was Sophie, meaning we were a couple throughout the entire thing. Students started talking and filing out of the auditorium.

Luke jumped off the stage and turned back toward it to face me. He smiled and held his arms open for me to jump into. I grinned down at him and took him up on his silent offer. I sat on the edge of the stage, placed my hands on his shoulders, and he pulled me to him by my waist, gathering me into a sweet embrace.

He kissed my cheek and loosened his hold on me, but still kept his right arm around my waist.

"Aria," he said as we began walking.

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"What are you doing on Saturday?" he asked, grinning at me.

"Why?" I smiled playfully.

"Well, I know it wouldn't be our first date, but I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner with me?"

"Hmm… well I'll have to think about that one…" I joked.

He stopped and turned me to look at him. I grinned and kissed him lightly. "Of course."

He beamed and kissed me softly. "Good. 'Cause I would hate to have to cancel our reservations."

"You already made reservations?"

"Yeah."

"Where?" I asked.

"Olive Garden," he replied with a sweet smile, his blue eyes shining.

"Really?" I smiled.

"Yeah. It's your favorite restaurant, right?"

"Oh my god, you actually listen!" I exclaimed. "Oh, I've found a keeper."

We laughed together and he said, "So have I."

Luke and I weren't officially dating yet, but we'd been out together quite a bit, and musical was just around the corner. He led me out to his car to drive me home. I didn't have my license yet, but I only had a few more months to go. I would be sixteen in December and Luke would be eighteen in February.

We reached his car and he opened my door for me, then closed it after I got in. I smiled to myself, thinking about how sweet he was and how lucky I was to be dating him-unofficial, though it may be.

We drove to my house in comfortable conversation, stealing a few glances at each other along the way. Well, he was stealing glances, I was just starting at him the whole time, and every time he got caught, he turned back toward the road and blushed.

Cutest. Boy. Ever.