Thursday Tyler and i were sitting at my table going through our home work. I heaved a sigh. "What?" He asked looking at me. "What is up with you?" I asked. "What do you mean?" He asked. "Katie your new girlfriend!" I said. "I don't get what your question is." He shrugged.

               "You said you liked me but now your dating another girl." "I just need time. I told you that." He said. "Oh yea you just forgot to mention time with other girls." I said. "I thought it was understood." "You are such a jerk. You got mad at me for going out with Ryan. So you are allowed to date other people while you figure it out but i can't. Double standard much?" I asked.

        My mom walked in with my Halloween costume on her arm. "You left this out in your car sweetie i didn't want it to get ruined." "That's your costume!?" He asked his eyes getting big as he looked at the tiny fabric. I smiled at him. "Yea." I said.

       We were having a big Halloween dance at school Friday. "What are you going as?" I said taking my tinker bell costume from my mom. I was mad but i wanted to know what he was going as. "Uh...Captain Jack Sparrow." He said swallowing hard. "And Katie?" I asked. "A witch." He said.

        "Not surprising one bit." I said rolling my eyes. "Speaking of, we need to come up with our Dracula skit." He said. "Oh I'm sorry are we still working together?? I thought you were getting a new partner?" I asked. "Well i tried Ms. Vale said no." He said. 

       "Oh poor you." I said "I've already thought of some ideas." He said ignoring my comment. "Ok like what?" I said. "Well i pretend to be a rich guy, and somewhat famous. So you are awed by my presence." He said.

       "Right. And then?" I asked. "Well i invite you for a ride in my limo and you've never been in one so you say ok. Once I'm in I'll lean in real slow like I'm going to kiss you and at the last second turn my head." He continued.

        "Ok that sounds like it could work." I said. "Ok so lets just make it up as we go and when we find something we like we'll go with it." "Ok." I said standing up. He did his little pimp walk. I wanted to laugh but was mad at him so i didn't. 

       "Hey sexy thing." He said winking at me. "Hi i think i know you." I said smiling. I pulled the skirt up i was wearing to show some leg. I figured if he was a good looking rich man I'd try to get his attention. I could hear him breathing heavy...good actor. "Want to go for a ride?" He asked. 

       "Well i don't usually take rides from strangers." I said. "You just said you thought you knew me, and i have a limo." He flashed his teeth. "Hm well ok maybe a small ride." I said taking his hand. He led me over to the chairs and we sat down like we were going for a ride. He looked at me and slowly started to lean in. I really really wanted to kiss him. So bad that it physically hurt, almost as if my heart were going to burst out of my chest. 

        He moved my hair from my neck and leaned in to slowly place a kiss on my neck. My whole body shivered. I forgot where i was. "You should like lean back or something i just bit you, it should hurt at least a little bit." He suggested.

         "Well wait, are you going to drain me clean or make me a vampire too? Or are you just taking a little and gonna let me live?" I asked. "I think since i have you in a limo i could drain you clean and nobody would know. And Dracula would do it so why not?" He asked.

        "Yea why keep me around." I said angrily. "Oh come on is this still about Katie?" "Of course it is. But whatever." I picked up my books and shoved them in my bag. "I'll sign your off for your hours i think you should leave." I said standing up to give him a ride home. "Fine lets go then." He said putting his stuff up and walking outside. "This is all you, and you know what else while were at it? Don't let me know when you like me. I don't like you. In fact i don't even want to be your friend anymore." I said. "Come on you don't mean that." He said. "I think i do. I have to protect my heart. I'm sorry." I said.

       The next day at school we were in Ms. Vales class watching all the skits. Then it was our turn to do what we practiced. We got up and he did his pimp walk. I rolled my eyes. "I think i know you, you're that obnoxious jerk I've seen around town." I said. 

       He hissed. "What are you doing?" Then he spoke up. "Well hey sexy, some say obnoxious jerk others say handsome nice guy." He grinned showing his teeth. "Whatever." I said. "You're obviously deletional." I said. "Either way, i have a limo how would you like to go for a ride?" He asked. 

       "Ha with you, dream on." I said laughing. "You're blowing it." He hissed again. I turned to walk off and i felt him run up behind me. He took me and leaned me backwards then leaned in to kiss my neck. Ms. vale clapped her hands. "Oh so not where i thought that was going to go but it was still very lovely good job." She said. We went and sat back down. 

       "What was that you totally went off book." He said. "I don't care." I turned so i couldn't see him. "Don't do you that you owe me an explanation?" He asked.

        "Fine when you give me one I'll give you one!" I said. He faced the front and just glared. Jerk. When the bell ring i ran into Katlyn in the hall. "So did you get some answers?" She asked. "No in fact I'm more lost then before, he can be such a jerk. I'm so done with him." I said. "I'm sure it's just an act." She said half heartedly. "Wait what did you say?" I pulled her arm. 

       "An act?" She asked. "Yea that's exactly what this is an act. He wants me to think he's some big jerk so i won't like him anymore. All so he doesn't have to commit." "What?" "Yea if you commit you get hurt, or well have a chance to get hurt." I nodded feeling stupid for not seeing it before. "And this thing with Katie?" She asked.

        "Please he's just pretending, he could never really fall for her. I know him pretty well. And he's a complex dude she doesn't seem very smart. He made sure to be kissing her so I'd see him." I said.

        "Well so what are you going to do?" She asked. "Call him out on it. But i don't have time now I'll be late for my next class." I said. "Right, hey you're still coming over tonight to get ready for the dance right?" She asked. "Yes Wonder Woman I'll see you there." "Ok bye tinker bell." She said laughing and walking off.

       That night i was at Kaitlyn's house getting ready. I had temporarily died my hair blonde for the night, and pulled it back into a tight bun. Katlyn was now helping me put glitter all over my body so it would look like faerie dust. 

       She looked great as wonder woman. "You know you could wear those boots for real there hot." I said smiling. "I know right i just love them." I slicked some more red lip gloss on. I tried the lipstick but i mean come on who really looks good in red lip stick? Okay fine maybe people did. I didn't. This just had a red tint, and it was called berry mango. Tasted as good as it smelled. 

       Then she handed me the bottle of hair glitter, and i applied a generous coat. I stood back to look at us. "Ok we look hot let's go." "Wait, i need to take pictures." She said pulling out her digital camera. So we took a few shots and then left for the dance. When we walked in people everywhere were in costume they all looked so cute and some funny. Everybody went all out. 

       I knew what Tyler and Katie were going as so i scanned the crowd for him. Not so easy as you would think. i saw at least ten witches. "Maybe he's not here yet." She said. "Maybe." "So tell me what you're going to say?" She asked. "I don't know." I said looking around. 

       "Yea right, you had to of like rehearsed it in your head at least a thousand times" "I did, but every time it sounded different. I don't know it always sounded stupid, dumb or lame. I just don't know." I said.

        "Ok I'd go up to him and say listen here Mr. tough pants. You are fake. I know that you really like me." She wagged her finger. "Oh and what if were wrong then i get my heart broken twice. That will never work. Look I'm just going to try to be nice and see if i can't get him to tell me anything. I may need your help though." I said. "Why?" She asked. 

       "Because there he is and Katie has an iron grip on him i doubt she leaves his sight at all tonight." I said. "He might not really like her but she really likes him." I said. "Well just let me know when you want to say something and i will be ready." She said. "Not now, i need to have some fun first." Ryan walked up. "Hey you guys look so great." He said smiling. "So do you, although what are you?" I asked.

        "Edward Cullen." "What? Why?" "Well all the girls seem to think he's pretty hot, so i borrowed some of my grandma's makeup she's pretty white so it made me look pale and my mom helped me fluff my hair." I leaned in and smelled his hair. "Wow you really committed to this even used ladies shampoo." I said smiling. "Yes mam it gives me extra bounce. So lets dance." He said pulling our arms. We headed out to the dance floor.

       About an hour later i saw Tyler looking at me again. He had been doing it all night. I tried to play it off as if i didn't really care even dancing with tons of guys. Finally i couldn't take it anymore. I found Kaitlyn out in the crowd and told her i was ready. "Ok listen if i get her away i can't do it for long so you'd better take him outside or something." She suggested.

        "Yea less people around, ok sounds good, and hey i really appreciate this." "Anytime, you're my girl. I just want to see you happy." She said. I leaned in to give her a hug. 

       "Ok lets do this, wish me luck?" I said pulling back. "You don't need it, but good luck." She walked over to Tyler and Katie. "Hey Katie that is a great costume, you too Tyler." Said Kaitlyn. "Thanks." She said. "So i heard somebody talking about you, by the punch bowl." Kaitlyn said. "What do you mean?" Katie asked.

        "Yea there was this kid, he said you and him were dating or something." Said Kaitlyn. "What that's impossible Tyler and i are dating, where is this boy I'm going to have to set him straight. I mean I'm flattered but really people can't just go around saying they're dating me." Kaitlyn led her over to where this guy supposedly was.

        I walked over to Tyler. "Can i talk to you?" I asked. "Uh...ahem sure." He said. I took his arm and led him outside. "I just want you to know that i think your a jerk." I said. "Good." He said. 

       "Yea that's what i thought, i think you're a jerk but not for the reasons you want me too. I think you're a jerk because you're pretending to be one!" I said. "I don't know what you want from me." He said. "I want you to stop. You told me you needed time and i said ok. I'm not going to jump you and force you to go out with me! Jeez!" I said. "Well even if you did. I don't know that i want to date you." He said.

        "You're scared to?" I asked. "What do you mean scared?" He asked. "Come on, i actually got hurt. You don't have anything to be afraid of." I said. "Oh yea? What if i start to like you and even love you and something happened to you? Like my mom. My dad and her were together for a while and now she's gone. If he never loved her he might not be hurting right now." "You don't know that. Look your mom was great I'm sure but if you ask your dad i bet you that he wouldn't change a thing. I bet you that he would still have chosen to date her all those years ago. Because even though his time with her was short it was probably worth it." I said.

         "I don't know." He admitted. "Fine but pretending to like Katie if you think that's not going to hurt you you're wrong." I said. "How?" He asked. "She's going to eventually see that you don't really like her and that's going to hurt her." I pointed out.

        "Maybe, who says i care?" He asked. "I know you do." I said. "No you don't." "Yea i do, you got mad when i told you i didn't get along with my sister and we competed. You seemed genuinely upset that i hurt my leg, and really upset when i had Ryan my fake boyfriend.  And when you dumped your last girlfriend when your mom died you felt bad about that. But you went ahead and did the same thing as if i didn't care or wouldn't notice. Doesn't that bother you?" I asked.

        "Of course it does Brooke, but what if i end up hurting you. Dating Katie seemed easier because i don't really like her hurting her seemed easier than hurting you."  He said. "But why put yourself through that pain. You don't deserve it! Why not just be single then? Why fake date a girl at all if not to hurt me?" I asked. "Maybe i was trying to push you away but i don't know what to do." He said pushing his fingers through his hair. It mused the pirate hat.

       "Well to date somebody you really like you have to take a chance. And yea sometimes you get hurt but sometimes it's wonderful." I admitted. "How can you say that?" He asked. "Like i said i got hurt, cheated on it really hurt and when you went for Katie it felt like i was being cheated on once again. Like a dagger through the heart." I said.

        "I never meant to hurt you like that." He said. "Maybe you did, if you hurt me enough i would move on." I said. "Yea i doubt that." "Oh come on you're not that cute." I said rolling my eyes. "Not what i meant, we have to spend a lot of time together this year and i think I'm charming enough to keep you interested." He smiled.

      "Maybe." I said raising my eyebrows. "You look nice by the way, that's a great costume." I said. "Yea my cousin even let me borrow her eye liner." He said laughing. "Looks great." "Yea and you that's quite a dress." He said. "You like?" I said spinning around. "Yes, yes i do." "How can you do that?" I asked.

       "What?" He asked. "Like me and not want to date me? I mean I'm pretty sure you like me. I'm still really confused." I said. "What you think it was easy!? Ok wow yea so not easy at all. I think you looked so hot in that Macbeth dress, i loved kissing you when we did our Romeo and Juliet skit and I've thought of nothing but kissing you again since then. I've never felt as comfortable with anyone else as i have you. which is why i told you all that stuff. Seeing you on study days was the highlight of my week. When you got mad at me i just wanted to shut you up by kissing you because you looked so cute yelling at me. That day you cut your leg i just wanted to wrap you up in a big hug and do all that i could to make you not hurt anymore." He said. Which confused me even more.

       "Then just be with me. I don't understand." I said. "Well it's not that easy." He frowned. "Why not?" I asked. "It just isn't, getting hurt is right there." He said holding his hands out. "But happiness is also right here." I said putting my hands into his. "Yea?" He asked. "Yea, and i know that love is scary i know that you can get hurt but if you don't try you'll never have love. And I'd never hurt you." I said. "Maybe not on purpose." He said. "But you can do this." I said. He nodded.

       "Ready to jump?" I asked. "Maybe...just maybe." "That's not good enough for me. I can't keep playing these games either you're in it 100 percent or not at all. I can't think you like me and have you with Katie or some other girl i just can't. And if that's the kind of guy you want to be then i don't want you in my life at all." I said. "Then have me." He said. "All of you?" I asked. "All of me." 

       He pulled me closer, his lips were crashing onto mine and his body was melting into mine. His hands were on my back pulling me closer to him. He kissed me as if he was never going to kiss me again. I breathed a sigh of relief. "We have to break up." He said once he drew back. "What we just started going out!" I said stomping my foot. "You're so cute, not you and me. Me and Katie." He said. "Oh well good, i never liked her anyways." I said. "Me either, although i think she knows it's coming." He said

        "Why?" I asked. "After she said those thing to you i chewed her out and she asked me why did i care so much, i was pretty much busted but i told her i just thought she should be nice that's all." "Wow, well ok then. I'll let you do that. I should go make sure she didn't kill Kaitlyn for lying to her." I said. "Ah yes, I'll meet you in there ok?" He said smiling. "Sounds good."  We walked back in and went our separate ways.

I ran up to Kaitlyn and squealed. She jumped. "Ah don't do that!" She said holding her hand to her heart. "What's wrong with you?" I asked taking a seat next to her. "I've been hiding from Katie. After she chewed some kid out she found out i was lying. Then when she couldn't find you or Tyler i think she knew the jig was up she's been looking for me. But i can see by that huge smile on your face that things went well out there." She said.

       "Yes, yes they did oh Kaitlyn i am so happy i can't even explain it." I said sighing. "You don't need to that dorky grin of yours says it all." She said laughing. "I feel like I'm floating." I said.

        "Well good, and speaking of there's your boyfriend." Tyler took a seat next to me. "Well how did she take it?" I asked. "Not well. She slapped my face, can't say i didn't deserve it though. But it was worth it." He said turning to smile at me. "Yea? You'd take a slap for me?" I ask. "Anytime." He leaned in and kissed me. "Great now I'm the third wheel." She said groaning a bit. "Get a boyfriend and you won't be." I said. "No i think I'll pass, see how long it took the two of you to go out? No thank you." She said. "Well you're in luck here comes Franklin now, looks like he wants to ask you to dance." I said laughing. "Oh gross kill me now. He is so weird! You lucked out with your mentorship. He's...interesting to say the least." Said Kaitlyn.

        "Be nice." I said. "Kaitlyn you're looking very nice this evening may i have the pleasure of having this dance?" He asked. "Ugh why not maybe some cute guy will save me." She said quietly. "What was that?" He asked. "I said Yes." She said taking his hand and getting up the music changed to a slow song and i heard her groan. "Ok let's dance." He said taking my hand. "Gladly, ugh I'm so glad you and i are finally together i can't explain how happy i am." I said. "Me too." He agreed. "Again, this dress...it is doing al the right things. for you." He said. "Thank you." I giggled. He kissed me again. "Sorry, i have been thinking about nothing but kissing your for a while now." He said. "And i am more than happy to oblige." I said wrapping my arms around his waist.

       The next day i was eating breakfast at the table when my mom walked in. "Well you seem awfully chipper this morning." "Yea me and Tyler are finally going out." I said dreamily. "Not that boy that you've been helping study i hope." She said disdain in her eyes. "Yea him." "Brooke come on now, that boy is not worth you're time." "Well i happen to think he is, he's a very nice boy." "He doesn't even have a car, you should find a boy more like your sister now he's a keeper." 

       "Yea says you, I'm nothing like her." "Goodness don't i know that." What's that supposed to mean!? I'm you're daughter too. Why can't you just love me to?" "You think i don't love you?" She asked shocked. "I don't know really.  Sometimes it's hard to tell." I said. She sighed. "If you do love me i wont you to love me as much as you love Kimberly." I said. "I do love you dear and it's not that i love her more then you it's just i feel that maybe she thinks that because she's not here and you get all my time. I guess i maybe went about the wrong way and was a bit harsh and i really am sorry." She said. "Thank you, that means a lot to me, but Tyler really is a nice guy i want you to know that." I said. "I'm sure he is, what are you doing today?" She asked. "Nothing really, why?" "Why don't you and i go shopping or catch a movie." She suggested. "Sounds good, and i can tell you about Tyler. You can meet him at the wedding." I said a sparkle in my eye. "Yours!?" She asked turning around. "No, don't be silly. Kimberly's" I said.