Chapter 1
A Problem


His blue crystalized eyes burned into mine. I quickly pulled my gaze away so he wouldn't be able to see my cheeks turn scarlete. Jake chuckled and tugged on my thick, brown ponytail. I refused to look until I knew that my cheeks had returned to their normal color.
Jake Lowell had been my best guy friend for who knew how long, but ever since he returned last summer to the new school year, I couldn't help but notice that all his boyish charm had faded away to be replaced with a body fit enough for runaway. Leaving me to look comical in comparison.
I twisted my head back to find him still gazing at me, his head now propped up by his elbow on the moist freshly cut grass.

" You don't have to go with me. " he said, "I just thought that since we both don't have dates for the dance and all..." He paused and quickly added, "Unless you do have a date." His voice had become faintly strained at the end. I doubled over with laughter. Then I sighed dramatically and placed the back of my hand on top of my forehead.

" Oh well, I don't know. Luke, you know the quarterback for the football team, asked me yesterday. But that guy on the soccer team asked me too. Along with Orlando Bloom, but I don't know about him, he seems kind of flaky."
Jake laughed, shaking his messy brown hair out of his eyes.

"You're unbelivable!"

"Why thank you. I'll be here all night! But come on, seriously, who would ask freaky braniac girl out?"

" You haven't looked in a mirror for awhile have you? Haven't you noticed that ever since you got contacts and a new haircut that you've been giving Ms. Ice Queen a run for her money? But if I do say so myself, I thought you looked even sexier in glasses."
He smiled slyly, digging into my messenger bag and pulling out my black Candies to place them on my face. After he finished, I had turned bright red all over again. It didn't help me when he turned all sweet and said I was sexier then the most popular girl at West Monte High, Aries Stevenson.
Suddenly Jake was on his knees, his lower lip quivering, and those big blue eyes looking up at me.

" No! Not the puppy dog pout!" I cried in mock horror.

"I can't believe your making me do this! I, your best friend, actually having to beg for you to go to the dance with me!"
I tried to back away but he lunged at me quickly, pulling me back down into the grass, and pinning my arms above my head.

" Lena Calwright you are going to the dance with me wether you like it or not! Nod if you understand."
I giggled. I wonder how long I could wait before saying yes. His warm gentle grip was just too relaxing. I scolded myself. I couldn't ruin this great relationship we had . I would just have to be happy with the way things were.

"Hey! Do I have to say it again?" He asked trying to be authoritive, but I could still detect a twinge of laughter coloring his tone. I shook my head.

" What do you mean you don't understand?!" He asked, clearly exsasperated. I huffed and then swiftly undid his grip and flipped him over. Now he was in my clutches. I grinned at his shocked expression.

"No silly! I was saying no you don't have to say it again. I'll go with you to the stupid dance. I warn you, though, you're going to regret it. I can't dance for marbles. And you of all people should know that!"
He smiled back, simply euphoric.

"Don't worry. I don't have any marbles." He said chuckling, and with that he pulled me up off the park's moist grass and jumped onto his red mountain bike.

"Come on! If you're going to sleep over at my house we better hurry."
***********

As I looked up at the familar modern condo, I beamed. We had been having sleepovers for forever. Our parents were never suprised when one of us came home with the other. They had once commented we were more joined at the the hip then simease twins. I laughed, silently. The joke was so true.

" You coming?" called Jake, already unlocking the front door. While I was still staring stupidly at his house. I quickly desposited my rusty orange bike behind the rose bushes and ran inside.

" I swear Lena, you're getting weirder by the second. Not that you never were, anyways." Jake teased, placing a packet of popcorn inside the microwave, but as he turned to see my vacant expression, his voice softened with worry, "Hey, what's wrong?"
I just shook my head at him, plopping on to the black leather couch and turned on the flatscreen T.V. He let it go, but as soon as he placed the bowl of buttery popcorn between us, he turned off the television and spoke;

"Lena. Look at me and tell me what's wrong."
Sometimes it seemed that Jake's eyes were able to transform into icecles, stabbing at my resistence. So as soon as I looked up I regretted it.

"Nothing." I said, flatly, trying to reach for the remote.

"You're a rotten liar." Jake said, shaking his head and holding the remote out of my reach. I heaved a huge sigh and pulled a pillow over my face. I heard him click his tounge and felt him try to remove the pillow.

"Nooo!" I yelled, trying to grab it back, as he managed to yank it away.

"Lena! I'm not kidding. What's up?" demanded Jake.

"Have you ever had a secret that you knew you couldn't tell. Because if you did, it could end up in chaos. Something that you haven't even told me?" I spilled, heatdly.

He raised his eyebrows. But I could tell that I had hit the nail on the head. It seemed that he was keeping something from me, too. The truth was that I was actually bickering with my self-concious about him. I couldn't decide if I should tell him or not. It was eating me away.

"Hmmm...."Jake murmured. " I guess I understand." Then he simply turned the T.V. back on and offered me some popcorn.

I had always wondered why people never thought that a boy and a girl could never be just friends and now I understood why. The reason was that it usually always ended up being something more.