Guys, do any of you read fanfics? If you do and if you also love One Direction (or more importantly, Zayn Malik), you need to read @cathartics' Aesthetics. It's like, really effin' amazing. Like, really.

-~*~-

On Saturday morning, I woke up and started packing.

It was my last day in L.A.

Gosh.

It was my last day in L.A.

It was my last day at home.

With my suitcase quickly and dangerously approaching 60 lbs, I decided to take a break, and I leaned back against my bed with closed eyes.

My flight left LAX tomorrow afternoon at 3:00. Five and a half hours later, I'd be landing in Reagan National Airport, back in Washington D.C. It'd be close to midnight by the time I got back to school, possibly later, depending on the time my taxi dropped me off at my dorm.

Then, once I was back, I'd have classes to look forward to.

Yay.

Don't get me wrong, I loved school, and I knew that once I got back to campus, I'd be super excited to be surrounded by my friends.

But, there were my friends here.

Yesterday had done nothing but make me fall in love with them all over again.

I never in a million years thought that I'd have as much fun as I did playing baseball, but I did.

~*~

"Stick Thal in the outfield," Marco had instructed.

After Jamie and Roman flipped a coin on the pitcher's mound, our team came up with the short end of the stick. Roman was batting first.

"Hey!" I'd exclaimed, as Xander guided me by my shoulders from home plate all the way towards the wide expanse of grass beyond the bases. "How come I have to be out in nowheresville?"

"I unfortunately don't know where that is," he replied.

"Smart ass."

"Look," he'd laughed, bending at the waist so that his face was level with mine, "Marco'll be out here with you," he pointed now towards infield. "Nikita, Jason and I've got the bases covered, and Jamie's playing pitcher."

He grinned, pinching my cheek with his gloved hand. "You've got this. Anything that comes your way, throw it to whichever base you're closest to, okay?"

"But--?"

"Okay?" Xander pointed towards Tucker, who swung his bat, joking with David as he approached the plate. "You'll be great, Thal."

"I think you might have too much faith in me, Xander."

"Never," he grinned. "And side note, we can't lose."

I pursed my lips. "Wasn't this supposed to be fun?"

Xander grinned. "Winning is fun, Thal," and he tapped my shoulder with his mitt. "Don't you forget it."

"Xander!" Jason called, "Cover second!"

Xander saluted his friend and gave me a final smile and an added thumbs-up before he jogged off towards second base.

"Give me a good one, Jay," Tucker called as he wiggled his butt, hoisting the bat over his shoulder. "Right over the base; I don't want it wide."

"Yeah, give it to him, Jamie," Mischa called from the backstop.

April whistled, "Give it to him good!"

"Get your filthy minds from the gutter, girls," Tuck grinned. "This is a kid-friendly park, remember?"

"You don't get to choose, Tuck," Jamie called back. "In case you wanted to know, you've got to take it however I decide to give it," and she spun her arm backwards, pitching it underhanded like she would in a softball game.

And damn it did she let that ball fly.

I swear, Jamie pitched that ball at like, 90 mph, and when Tucker's bat connected with it, the speed of Jamie's pitch plus the force of Tucker's swing sent that ball soaring with a loud ''crack' into the outfield, over Jamie, Xander, Nikita and Jason's heads--directly towards me.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," I thought, as I felt my legs start to move.

I was running beneath the ball, glove outstretched as my mind kept working, kept thinking, even as I ran deeper towards the fence.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!"

And as the ball came down, as I nearly crashed into the chain links of the park's perimeter, I reached out, and son of a gun, the ball fell right into my mitt as I ran straight into the fence.

But the ball stayed in my hand.

"She caught it?" I head Nikita cry, as I became a tangle of arms and legs in the grass.

I groaned. Here I was, the first play of the game looking like a freaking idio--

"She caught it!"

"No mother fucking way!"

"Stop lying--"

"I'm not!"

"Yo, he's dead ass! Look!"

And I squinted against the sun, barely making out the circle of faces gathered around me

"Thal?" I heard Nikita's voice. "You okay?"

I nodded, spitting out the grass in my mouth. "I'm alright."

"Yeah, she's okay," Tucker announced, as he helped me to my feet. "Way to go, Thal," he regarded me through narrowed eyes. "Fuck you, 'cause I'm out," he grinned, "but way to go."

David tapped my arm, opening his for a hug. "Way to redeem yourself, little Thalia."

"For what?" I exclaimed as he crushed me to his chest.

"Beer pong," he grinned. "You might not be able to throw for shit--"

"But, guess what?" Roman asked, a proud glint in those perfect hazel eyes. "You sure can catch."

~*~

Yesterday made me not want to leave.

Yesterday had me already looking forward to summer.

So now, I realized, as I sat propped against my bed, the question was, what was I going to do, today? How was I going to spend my last 24 hours on the West Coast?

Luckily for me, that's when the phone that I had forgotten to silence started alerting me to my new texts.

I crawled on my knees beside my bed, grabbing my phone from the charger.

XO - What are you doing today?

I typed him back as I scooted back towards my suitcase.

TR - Packing. :-(

TR - Unfortunately

XO - Well come take a break.

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Oh, Xander..."

TR - And do what?

XO - Duh. Come to the garage.

TR - You can't come see me?

XO - No.

XO - It's important.

XO - It's a life or death situation.

TR - You're a terrible liar, remember?

XO - :)

XO - Honestly though, I've got a surprise for you.

Well, now that got my attention.

TR - What kind of surprise?

XO - A big one, so you need to get your ass down here.

TR - You're bossy.

XO - You love it.

XO - Be here in an hour.

Well, at least now I had plans.

TR - Okay.

~*~

I took my dad's car to the garage.

I was in that sentimental kind of mood, so I had my music turned all the way up, only one song on repeat.

Open Sesame,

(We've places to go)

We've people to see,

(Let's put 'em on hold)

There's all sorts of shapes

that I bet you can make

When you had to escape,

say the word

Well I know that getting you alone isn't easy to do

But with the exception of you I dislike everyone in the room

And I don't wanna lie but I don't wanna tell you the truth

Get the sense that you're on the move and you'll probably be leaving soon,

So I'm telling you

"Stop the world cause I wanna," I sang, "Get off...with youuu-who!"

I was hitting the high notes with Alex and everything.

Well, you can't fault a girl for trying.

"Stop the world cause I wanna get off with you."

With a wrinkled nose, Xander met me at the gate.

"What were you listening to?" He asked, with a quick nod towards the BMW.

"Well, hello to you, too, Xander," I replied, listening for the two honks as I locked the doors. "Nice to see you, too, friend."

With a small snort, Xander paused mid-stride and held out his arms. "Hello, Thal."

I flashed him a smile. "Hello," I replied, and wrapped my arms around his waist.

Crushed against his chest, all I could think about in that moment was that hug and that cologne and that chin on my head -- and before I knew it, Xander was smiling that familiar smile as he broke the embrace, taking small steps from my side.

"Now," he continued, as I forced myself to breathe, "What were you listening to back there?" He asked, leading me towards the garages with one arm still slung over my shoulder.

"Arctic Monkeys," I replied. I met his gaze. "Why?"

"Sounded familiar," he shrugged. Then, when he realized that I was completely unsatisfied with his answer, he pulled me closer. "Landon likes them...like, a lot. They cover their songs all the time," he lifted his eyebrows, as if to say, 'Happy?'

He smirked that smirk, again. "I knew it sounded familiar."

I nodded. "Landon's got good taste in music."

"Eh," he shrugged. "S'alright."

"Hey," I exclaimed, a new idea popping out of nowhere.

Xander snapped his head up, looking around the lot with exaggerated wide eyes. "Yes?"

I elbowed him playfully. "You realize that I've never heard your brother sing."

Xander bit his lip. "You should come over sometime," he said softly. "Y'know, I mean, 'cause they're always practicing in the garage and whatever--"

I looked away.

"I mean," Xander added quickly, "if that's, y'know, okay with you and...yeah. I mean, never mind."

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed. "I mean, yeah! Yes, Xander, I'd love to come over and listen to them play," I smiled reassuringly. "I'd love that."As much as I'd been dying to hear Landon's band perform, that wasn't where I wanted to lead the conversation.

"Okay," he nodded, throwing in a nervous laugh for good measure. "I was worried there for a moment," he paused. "Thought I'd said the wrong thing..."

I bit my lip, because when did nervous Xander become endearing nervous Xander?

"Hey," I nudged him gently. "Can I ask you another question?"

His eyes widened momentarily. "Umm...of course," he shook his head. "When do you ever ask to ask me something?"

"True," I laughed. "Alright, then," I took a beat, batting my eyelashes. "Xander," I began, "do you sing?"

"Yeah," Xander chortled, as he paused outside his dad's office. "My soap and my showerhead think I've got a fuckin' great voice."

"I'm serious, Xander," I giggled. "I bet you sound great."

"My mom could sing," he said quickly. "Landon got those genes--I don't know about me."

I narrowed my eyes. "I'll believe that when I hear it."

His eyes lit up in amusement. "Which'll be never."

"Xander--"

"Look, Thal," he began, as steered me from the office, now. "I didn't ask you to come so you could hear me sing--"

"Although I'm sure it'd be great."

A brief laugh escaped his clenched teeth. "Mmhm," he nodded. "Anyway, I said I've got a surprise for you."

"Right," I stared up at him, his face blocking the afternoon sun. "And I've got to be honest, I'm pretty eager to see what that is."

We stopped again, this time in front of the garage that I'd been to; the one I'd frequented throughout my entire winter break.

"This," he said, as he motioned toward the Beetle I knew sat behind the metallic garage door. He was grinning that cute, lopsided grin of his as his freckles crinkled like they always did around his bright brown eyes.

"This," he continued, as he stepped from my side grab the metal pulley that'd lift the door, "is why I brought you out here, okay?"

And he pulled the chain, slowly lifting the garage as I watched with a mixture of excitement and anxiety to reveal...

Feet?

Legs?

Bodies?

And then there were smiling faces and there was screaming erupting from those laughing mouths and I realized slowly, as my brain began to process that my friends were standing beside my car which Marco was hanging out of, his hand mashing the horn with an obnoxious repetition as everyone, and I do mean everyone stood, still screaming beside the bright yellow 1963 Beetle that was running as the top came folding back onto a fresh coat of perfect, un-chipped paint.

Xander had fixed my car.

Xander had fixed my car and he'd brought everyone to the garage--

--for me.

Was I dreaming?

I had to have been, because this type of thing only happened in movies, or books...or High School Musical.

"Surprise!" Came the yells and whoops and hollers that brought me back to reality.

"This is real," I mouthed as everyone rushed me, taking in the fact that I hadn't moved since the garage went up--that I was frozen with shock and emotion and happiness in the same goddamn spot that Xander had left me in.

Nico was right. I had been corrupted.

And honestly, I decided then that I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Thal!"

"Thalia!"

"Is she okay?"

"She's so fuckin' surprised she can't even speak."

"Xander," Tucker grinned, "you fuckin' broke her, man."

"Yeah, but...is she okay?"

"Oh, god..." That's when April backpedalled from our group hug. "Here come the tears..."

"I'm not crying," I sniffled, wiping my eye on the back of my sleeve. "I'm just..." I paused, "I'm just happy, s'all."

"Yeah!" Nico exclaimed, throwing his arms around my shoulders and resting his cheek on the top of my head. "She's glistening. It's the sun's reflection, April," he scoffed. "God."

I laughed against the sound of Nico's steady heartbeat. "I'm -- I can't believe you're all here."

"C'mon, Thal," Roman grinned, legs crossed as he propped himself against the car. "Like it or not, you can't get rid of us, now."

David nodded. "We might as well get you a Comets shirt and call it a day."

"You might as well start telling people went there," he added. "Nobody could prove you wrong; there were too many of us for that."

"Guys," I smiled, "I'm a year younger than you, remember? I wouldn't have been in your class."

"Details, details," Nico shrugged, stepping from me with his hands on either shoulder. "I doubt anyone'd care enough, anyway."

"But--"

"Shit, Thal!" Marco exclaimed. "You're always fuckin' thinking too much," he sighed. Reclining further in the driver's seat, he shook his head. "It's always the little things with you, isn't it?"

He pursed his lips and flipped imaginary curls over his shoulder. "But, I wouldn't have been in your class," he mimicked in a girlish, high-pitched voice. "But, I hate baseball, but the school's locked, but we're going to get arrested--"

"Thal!" Mischa's head snapped up. "Arrested?"

"Long story," I mouthed, as Marco ignored her, shaking his head. "It's a good thing we're teaching you how to live."

"Admit it, Thalia," David nodded. "We've changed your life."

I opened my mouth to respond and quickly closed it. "You know what," I nodded, "yes. The answer is very clearly a 'yes,' alright?" I added. "I don't need you getting a big head about it."

"Hah," April snorted. "Too late."

"You know," David began, "I think I've just about had it with your sass."

"Sass?" She smirked. "That's a pretty good word for you, David. Do you know any others? Can you do anymore tricks?"

Xander chuckled, arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the doorframe; where he'd been standing since revealing my surprise. "Ignore that, 'cause," he shrugged, "well, 'cause nobody wants to admit it, but you've changed our lives as much as we've changed yours."

"Probably more," Roman grinned.

Xander nodded. "Definitely more."

"Yeah, Thal," April smirked besides a laughing Eliza and Nikita. "So much more."

David shook his head. "She just can't stop herself, can she?"

Collin simply shook his head.

"April just knows she can get a reaction out of you," Eliza replied. "You guys are hilarious...You make it too easy for her sometimes."

To that, I nodded. April was like that with everyone. "Haven't you figured that out already?"

"Hey, dude," Marco began, "don't let her get to you. Remember," he called, leaning against the door, "this is the same girl that's disrespected High School Musical," he narrowed his eyes. "She's that kind of girl..."

"Aaaaannnd," Nico muttered, "we're back."

"That movie hasn't been relevant in like, ten years, guys. Get over it."

Marco let out a girlish squeal, clutching his chest like he'd been shot. "Take it back."

She folded her arms across her chest. "Never."

"I said take it back!"

The garage rang with laughter, and I took that opportunity to slide beside Marco into the passenger seat.

"You might want to do it, Ap," Tuck grinned. "See those eyes?" He motioned with his head towards the troublemaker.

"No, d'you see that beard?" David exclaimed. "That's the beard of a crazy man, Ap. Believe me," he tugged on his collar, revealing the yellowing bruises that apparently hadn't healed since New Year's, "I know."

"Ouch," Marco whispered beside me, as I tinkered with the radio, flipping through working stations. "Low blow."

David only shrugged. "Hey, it's cool, yeah?" He smirked. "I've got a shit ton of stories to tell my grandkids after that night."

Marco's laugh reverberated in my skull. "As long as I get to show them all three High School Musical's."

Nico turned his eyes to his hairline. "Here we fuckin' go, again..."

"You're literally obsessed," Eliza exclaimed incredulously. "This is so weird..."

"You do realize that Zac Efron will be old and crusty by the time you two are grandparents, right?" Jamie asked from Jason's side.

"Exactly," Tuck nodded. "He'll probably be shriveled up--"

"And that YOLO tattoo'll make him look like even more of a douche," April added.

Marco, of course, only shrugged. "His youth lives forever in the movies, my cynical friends, and," he continued, finger in the air, "due to your hatred and poor taste, I am the one babysitting Dave's fuckin' grandkids, not you."

"Make sure you show 'em all three," David nodded. "And," he exclaimed, eyes bright with amusement, "you'd better make sure you get your old ass up and teach the little Kahue's all the dance moves."

Marco choked on a laugh, "Yes," he exclaimed, and he reached from my car for a fist bump. "They're getting the sing-along DVD for Christmas. That's their first gift."

"Aaannnnd," Nico grinned, as David and Marco began to laugh to themselves, "we're back."

~*~

The sun had already begun to set by the time we left my cute little car in the garage.

"Need a ride, Thal?" Roman asked as he walked beside me towards the gate.

I lifted my keys and twirled them around my finger. "Covered," I replied. Then, I gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "But, thank you," I added, "as always."

"Of course," he replied with that dimpled smile. "What else am I here for?"

And I stood on the curb, dishing out long hugs and bidding my final farewells.

"I can't believe you're leaving tomorrow," April cried into my shoulder. "I can't believe you're about to leave me here."

I couldn't believe it, either.

And before I knew it, I was watching Marco's Escalade pull away, his car tires squelching on asphalt as he became the last friend to leave me at the garage.

Well, then it was just me and Xander.

I turned to him, watching him closely as he stared after Marco's car, hands shoved deep into his jean pockets.

"Take a picture," he smirked, "It'll last longer."

I snorted, ignoring his grin as I elbowed him playfully. "Just when I was going to thank you for my surprise, you go ahead and ruin the moment."

He peered down at me, eyebrow raised as he bit his lip. "You liked the car?"

"I loved the car," I replied sincerely. "And I really loved that you got everyone to celebrate with me."

"What can I say?" He shrugged cutely. "You live for bonding."

I giggled, and we both stood, grinning at each other like idiots.

With a nod, I didn't take my eyes off of him. "I live for bonding."

And slowly, he took a careful step closer.

"Thal?"

I hummed softly as his fingers grazed my wrist. "Xander?"

His brought his face closer to mine. "Do you have to be home, yet?"

"Actually, I was going to ask you the same thing."

Xander wrinkled his nose, freckles convening as his brows knit and his forehead creased. "Huh?"

For the second time that night, I twirled my car keys around on my finger. "Do you have anywhere to be?"

He shook his head. "No..."

"Good!" I exclaimed, and I grabbed his wrist, tugging him in the direction of the parked BMW. "Then, you can come with me."

Xander shook his head, and when I thought he was attempting to pull away, he shook free of my hold on his wrist only to clasp his hand properly with mine. "What do you mean, Thal? Where are we going?"

"Uh..." I faltered, because in that moment I was thinking about how big his hands were as his palm completely covered my small one; how long his fingers were as he intertwined them between mine; and how soft and warm the feel of his skin was as he grabbed a hold of my own.

It took a beat for me to compose myself, and I beamed at him. "We're going for my joyride."

"Thal--"

"Hey," I lifted my free hand, silencing him. "Before you say a word, I want you to know that I heard you loud and clear, and I know you've got a thing with two-doors, okay? I'm not asking you to ride in the Beetle, although I'd love it if you did."

"Thal, I'm not--"

"What I'm asking," I forged on, "is for you to come with me in my dad's, family-sized, four-door sedan. It's got heated seats and airbags and everything, alright?"

Xander's laugh sounded through the empty street. "Fine," he smiled, "and then what? I mean," he shrugged, "are we supposed to just drive aimlessly around town?"

"Not aimlessly," I replied. "There is a rhyme and reason to my logic. I just..." I paused, "I just want to pretend for a second that we're in the Beetle, the top's down, the sun's shining, and this isn't the end of one of the best winter breaks of my life, okay?"

I watched as Xander's brow furrowed again, the corner of his lip turned down.

"Please?" I pouted, tapping him in the chest. "Would you do that for me? Would you pretend like tonight's just another night of us hanging out in the garage?"

Xander met my big, puppy dog eyes and laughed aloud.

"Alright," he nodded, and he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "I guess we're going for a joyride."

-~*~-

Comments, comments, comments?

Heh heh... I know you Thalia/Xander shippers are gonna be happy after this one, but I had a lot of fun writing this chapter --- you can probably tell why.

Comment/Vote! I won't have you waiting too long for the next chapter. I was going to double-update but...nah. Chpt 33's a-comin' soon, though!