I'm going to write a disclaimer in the Copyright section of the story, but yes Westchester High School is a real school in Los Angeles. Every place, monument, ect. mentioned in the story is, in fact, very real and not fictional. The only things created for the purpose of the story were the characters. :)

Keep calm and carry on with...

~*~

The next few days were the happiest of my entire goddamn life.

Kidding, kidding.

I did, however, spend a substantial amount of time with Roman, and that dimpled Carson twin knew how to make me smile.

When I wasn't with Roman, I was working on my Secret Santa.

On December 29th, I knew I had to step up my game; I was already running out of time. Xander needed his gift by the 1st, and I was determined to surprise him with it at Eliza's party.

That gave me only two days left to finish what I'd started.

But, the day after my date with Roman, I'd gone to an art supply store in Mid-City, where I rummaged around shelves that hadn't been stocked in who-knows-how-long considering the holiday's had just passed, April on my heels.

"And we're here again because?" She asked, rubbing her arms. "God it's freezing in here."

Of course, on the day I ask April to run errands with me, it's the only day of break that Los Angeles chooses to grace us with rain. It was cold, and that was largely because I'd grown reaccustomed to the heat.

"I told you, Ap," I grunted, as I squatted beside a near-empty shelf. "I'm looking for more stuff for my Secret Santa."

"Have you even decided what you're doing for Xander?"

"Mmhmm," I nodded. Then I turned my head, staring up at her. "Did you buy Nico's gift, yet?"

April smiled proudly. "Sure did."

I turned back to the hodgepodge of scrapbooking materials still left on the shelves. "And did you decide upon something with or without Collin's help?"

"Eh," she shrugged, "details aren't important. What is, is that Nico has a gift that he's happy with."

"You gave it to him, already?"

April nodded. "Collin gave his to Roman already, too. You're the only one slackin,' Thal."

"No," I shook my head, "I'm the only one thoughtful enough to make something."

"Okay, well we need to get out here like, now," April said. She blew warm breaths into her cupped hands. "Like, ASAP, Thal. No, wait, like A$AP. Like, A$AP Rocky or A$AP Ferg or A$AP Twelvyy or A$AP Nast or A$AP Yams, or--"

"Alright, I get it!"

"--or the whole damn rest of the A$AP Mob," April finished. "I'm turning blue."

I let out a loud laugh. "Fine, you big baby" I said, reaching out and grabbing a miniature portfolio, just smaller in dimensions than a standard piece of paper. I tucked it beneath my arm. "We can go."

"Praise," April sighed, following behind me towards the cashier. "Hallelujah."

"Crybaby," I laughed, phone ringing in my pocket.

It was Xander.

"Shut up!" April exclaimed, as I dug into my purse for my wallet, all while unlocking my screen.

"Hello?"

"Thalia?"

"Sorry," I said. "Wrong number."

"Oh, sorry. I must've--"

I bit my lip, laughing with April as a pause filtered across the line.

"Hey! Fuck you, Thal! I know it's you!"

I burst out laughing. "I'm just kidding," I replied. "It is I, Thalia Rose."

"Tell me something I don't know," Xander said, before adding, "What are you doing today?"

"Shopping," I replied, as the cashier handed me both my change and my purchase.

Xander groaned. "Are you kidding me?"

"Look," I responded, "it's for Secret Santa, alright? I'm putting real thought into my gift."

"You haven't finished that yet?"

"You have?"

"Sure did," he replied proudly. "Why?"

"Just asking."

April and I jogged to the car, now. A light drizzle fell from the cloudy grey sky.

"So, how long are you shopping today? Are you going to come by?"

"Umm..." I began, fumbling through my purse for the key. "I don't know if I can..."

"Oh, okay. That's cool."

I immediately felt a pang of guilt. All of a sudden, I realized that this had been the first week that I seriously hadn't spent substantial time with Xander. All of my time had been devoted to either Roman, my gift, or Eliza when she needed help planning her party.

I hadn't been to the garage once.

That's when I had an idea. "Hey!" I exclaimed. "Want to come by the house, tonight?"

"You mean, like, your house?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, finally unlocking the car and sliding inside.

"Crank up this damn heat," April muttered.

"I mean," I continued, rolling my eyes at April as I one-handedly fumbled with the key in the ignition, "it sounds like you're going through some Thalia Rose withdrawals."

"What the hell, Thal?"

April made a face. "What the--"

I laughed at both of my friends.

"C'mon, Xander. It sounds like you really really miss me."

"Maybe," Xander replied lightly. "Maybe not."

"Yeah, whatever," I scoffed. "So are you coming by tonight, or what?"

I could hear Xander's quick breath. "Is--Is anyone else coming?"

"I mean, no," I said, shaking my head even though he definitely couldn't see me. "Did you want someone else to come?"

"No!" He exclaimed. "I mean, no," he continued. "I'm good."

I laughed. I would have invited everyone over, but I knew my mom was not cooking enough spaghetti tonight for eight twenty-year-old guys. Besides, I felt bad for practically ditching Xander for Roman.

Why shouldn't it just be the two of us?

"Cool," I said. "See you around, six-ish?" I suggested. "We probably won't eat until seven, but better early, right?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then, Thal."

"Awesome! Bye, Xander."

"Bye, Thalia."

I hung up the phone, sitting it in the cup holder.

"So am I invited to this dinner tonight, or is it just between you and your boyfriend?" April asked with a raised eyebrow.

"April," I laughed aloud, "Xander is not my boyfriend."

Hell, Roman wasn't even my boyfriend.

"Besides," I continued, putting the car into Drive, "everyone knows about me and Roman. This isn't new, Ap."

"True," April shrugged. "Just," she shook her head, "just be careful, okay?"

I backed out the parking lot. "About what?"

"About feelings, Thalia," April said. "What if Xander actually really likes you?"

"Okay, you sound a lot like Leigh right now," I said. "And also, Xander is my friend, April. Boys and girls can just be friends, y'know? Look at you and Collin!" I exclaimed. "There's an example right there!"

"Yeah..." April said, eyes dropping to the phone in her lap. "Look, all I'm saying is be careful, alright? You aren't the best when it comes to telling when guys like you, so---"

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

"What? It's true!" April laughed. "You barely believed me when I repeatedly told you about Roman, remember?"

I focused more intently on the road ahead. "I guess..."

"Look, since Leigh isn't here, I feel like I should say something. I don't want you to do something you regret, fair enough?"

"Understood," I nodded, although there was really nothing to worry about. Xander and I were friends just like Xander and Roman were.

"Great," April said. Then, with a loud exhale, she turned to me. "Where are we going, now?"

"Tucker's," I replied. "He's got pictures for me."

"Then we're going to see Mischa?"

I nodded, because she also had a few pictures I could use for my gift, too.

"Then we've got to see Jamie and we're done," I said. She was the last stop on my list.

~*~

"Those are fucking adorable," April cooed at the pictures in my lap.

Back in my mom's Volvo, the two of us sat outside of Mischa's house, going through the pictures she and Tucker had given me.

"God, this is going to be so great!" April exclaimed. "Why haven't you done this for me, yet?"

I grinned at her. "Birthday?"

She nodded. "Birthday."

"Done," I replied, slipping the photos back into their prospective envelopes and turning the key in the ignition.

We were off to Jamie's.

I rang the doorbell, stepping back beside April, waiting.

"She's home, right?"

I nodded. Jamie had just texted me. I knew she was home. Everyone had gone out but her; she was there alone, she'd said.

"You're sure about that, Thal?"

That's when the door opened.

"Well, well, well," she announced, hands on her hips as I gave April my best "I-told-you-so-look," on her porch. "Look what the cat dragged in."

"Jamie," I exclaimed, "it's raining. Let us in."

"Yeah, and you don't have a fucking cat," April snapped.

Jamie threw her head back and laughed. "I'm kidding," she said, pushing her hair out of her eyes. I think this had been the longest I'd seen her keep her natural hair. Clad in perfect rainy day attire, she wore yoga pants, Uggs and a black, red and white hoodie that spelled out Westchester Baseball. Way too big for her, it was near identical to the shirt I'd seen Xander wearing at the garage on the day Aaron had first taken me to find my car.

She opened the door wider, stepping into the hall. "Come on in, you two," she said. "Thal, the pictures are all on my laptop. It's on the kitchen counter."

"Do you have anything to eat?" April pouted, as we shook off our coats.

"I just made cookies," Jamie said, "And my mom'll be back from the store in like, an hour."

"Cookies!" I exclaimed with April.

Jamie rolled her eyes. "They're on the--well, you know."

"That we do," I nodded, trailing behind April into Jamie's kitchen.

"Milk, Thal?" April asked, heading straight for Jamie's refrigerator; because real friends knew where everything was in your house. Real friends came over and ate all of your food.

"Yes, please," I nodded, as I opened Jamie's Mac.

Jamie took a seat beside me at her island, instructing me to the right folders.

"There you go," she said, pointing to a folder in her iPhoto entitled Senior Year Candids. As the editor of the school newspaper, I knew she'd have a stockpile of pictures I could use...somewhere.

"Perfect," I squealed, scrolling through the images.

"Just email yourself the ones you want," Jamie shrugged. "And by the way, Thal," she began, "what are you making if you don't mind me asking."

"A fuckin' picture book," April answered for me, mouth full as she brought glasses of milk to the island. "It's of Xander's whole life or something," she said. "Can you believe this? We've never gotten a gift that nice from Thalia, before."

Jamie's eyes were wide. "Seriously? Thal, that's awesome!"

"Well," I shrugged, "Xander can thank Aaron. It was his idea; to have me draw something."

"That's still freaking fantastic," Jamie said, uncovering a platter of chocolate chip cookies. "He'll love that for sure."

"I certainly hope so," I said.

"Who'd you get, Jay?" April asked.

"For Secret Santa?"

April nodded.

"David," she replied with an additional eye-roll. "I almost wanted to switch with someone. Like, seriously, what do you get David?"

"He doesn't sound that hard," I said, dipping my cookie into my glass.

"Yeah, I think David might be easy," April agreed. "Hey! Guess what? I got my gift today!"

"Seriously?" I exclaimed, because I was still wracking my brain, trying to guess who had me.

"Seriously," April nodded. "And guess who had me. Guess!"

"Tuck?"

"Collin?"

April shook her head. "Try again."

I groaned. "This isn't fun. Just tell us, already!"

"I'm with Thalia," Jamie laughed. "Just tell us, Ap--"

Ding. Dong.

The three of us jumped at the doorbell. By Jamie's expression, I could tell that she hadn't been expecting additional company.

"Is Mischa coming or something?"

We shrugged.

"Not that we know of."

"That's weird," Jamie muttered, rising from the stool.

Ding. Dong.

"Coming!" She exclaimed, hurrying towards the door. "Jeez."

From our position at the island, April and I peered towards the door.

"Who is it?" April mouthed.

I craned my neck, peering towards the foyer as Jamie stood on her tiptoes, peering through the peephole.

"Umm..." I began, watching as Jamie threw open the door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

A deep chuckle filtered down the hall. "Nice to see you, too, Jay."

"April!" I whispered. "You won't believe--it's Jason."

"Shut. Up."

"I mean," Jamie shook her head. "It's just...it's been ages since--"

Jason stuck a red and white bag towards her. "Happy Secret Santa," he smiled.

Jamie took the bag from his hands, staring down at the gift. "You had me?"

Jason laughed again. "Damn, Jamie! Please, try to rein in all that excitement."

"No, no," she shook her head. "I don't mean it like that, it's just--" She paused. "What're the odds, you know?"

Jason nodded. "Fate, I guess."

Jamie laughed softly. "Hmm, yeah."

Both fell silent, each looking anywhere but each other.

"So--"

"Yeah, uh--"

The two looked at each other and laughed, both of them speaking at the same time.

"You go," Jason chuckled. "What were you going to say?"

Jamie shrugged. "How was your Christmas?"

"Oh, you know," Jason grinned, "my mom made too much food, my brothers overate, my sister almost dropped the turkey," he shrugged while Jamie giggled. "You remember my family."

"Of course."

Jason's grin didn't fall. "How was yours?"

"Interesting," Jamie nodded. "My sister brought her boyfriend home, so...you know my parents had a field day with that one."

"No way!? Whitney brought her boyfriend home? Is he the same one from--"

"Senior year? Yes."

"He was a super geek."

Jamie laughed.

"What was his name, again? Todd? Tim? Tony!"

"Yes, Tony!" Jamie threw her head back. "God! I can't believe you remember that!"

"There's no forgetting a man who brings his own gluten-free cake to a birthday party."

"Hah! Yes," Jamie shook her head. "Payton hasn't stopped teasing Whit about him."

"I'm sure," he smirked. "Hey, how old is Payton, now? Is she a senior?"

"At Westchester," Jamie nodded. "Go, Comets."

"Damn," Jason shook his head. "Time fuckin' flies."

Then, once again, a silence fell between them.

"Well," Jason began after tension rebuilt its foundation, "I'd better go..."

"Right! Yeah..."

"Yeah," Jason said, backing towards the door. "I'll see you, Jamie."

"Bye, Jason."

"Bye."

I watched as Jamie leaned against the doorframe, watching as Jason jogged from the porch.

But, he stopped and turned around, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"And, Jamie?"

"Huh?" She looked up.

A slow grin crept onto Jason's face. "Don't think I didn't notice my sweatshirt."

Jamie's eyes immediately fell to the red and black writing. "Oh, um..."

Was Jamie blushing?

She pulled awkwardly at the fabric. "Oh, this?"

Jason's raised eyebrow suggested that the answer was very obviously, a 'yes.'

"Oh, well, y'see," Jamie stammered. "It's uh, I, uh--"

"You know, I've been looking for it," Jason continued, head cocked sideways. "I was sure I'd just lost it."

"Oh! Oh, well here," she said reluctantly, slowly beginning to tug at the sleeves. "I mean," she muttered, "you found it."

Jason's brow creased. "No, thanks."

"I mean, you're here. It's fi--"

That's when Jason dropped his smirk, turning back around towards Jamie, who stared at him wide-eyed.

"No, Jamie."

Her mouth closed, even from the side I could see the look of apprehension visible on her face as Jason closed the distance between them.

He stood so close to her that if Jamie rocked any harder on her toes there would have been no more space between their lips, let alone their bodies.

"Jamie," Jason breathed.

My friend's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Yes?"

Jason's dark brown eyes searched her own before they roamed smoothly across her face.

"Jamie," he said again, drinking her in, now--drinking her in as if he'd never see her again; as if he were memorizing every pore, every scar, every detail of Jamie King.

There was so much tension at the doorway that even I was holding my breath.

"Yes?" Jamie asked softly, or dare I say, hopefully. "Yes, Jason?"

That's when he smiled; like, actually smiled, picking on the sweatshirt half-off Jamie's back, as he straightened it, helping her slip her arms back into the sleeves.

"Better," he said, gripping either side of the hood with a touch light enough to graze Jamie's cheeks with his knuckles.

Jason's hands fell to his sides. "I don't want it back," he said, stepping backwards and off of the porch. "It's always looked better on you, anyway."

And with that, Jason turned on the concrete and jogged towards his car.

April and I watched as Jamie pushed closed the door, before resting her head on the doorframe, where she left it until Jason had got into his car and driven off from sight.

Then, with a soft sigh, she closed the door and locked it with a click.

-~*~-

Thoughts? Thoughts? THOUGHTS?

I kid, I kid. But, I'd love to know what you all think about this chapter. Oh, and can't forget: Xander's coming over for dinner!

Vote, comment and all that super great happy fun stuff. <3