The morning that I spent with Jason was one of the best I'd had in recent memory. For a start I thought he was mad that I'd woken him up but I think the food cheered him up. I first discovered the cafe one day when I was heading to work (before the mugging banned me from travelling on foot) and I'd paid it a visit on a number of occasions.

Every time I spoke to Jason, I felt like I learned so much more about him. The man was a mystery yet I got the feeling that he'd answer any question that you put to him. What initially started out as a purely physical attraction was quickly turning into an emotional one as well. He was unlike any boy I'd ever spoken to before. Where the ones my age were constantly bragging about how cool they were or how perfect they were, Jason was very quick to point out his mistakes, something I've never seen a man do, not even my dad. There was a maturity to Jason that spoke volumes about him, telling me that he truly learned something from everything. I knew that I liked him, that much was obvious. But before it was just a passing feeling, like having a crush on someone on TV. Now Jason was a very real person who was living just a few yards away from me. He was literally the boy the next door. So now that's two clichés that have made their way into my story, if you're keeping count.

I offered to help him clean up the mess from his party but he insisted that he did it himself. Yet more evidence to show how grown up he was. Our conversations that day made me believe that we really did have something of a spark, and I couldn't wait to talk to him again. Unfortunately I would have to wait for that though.

The next few days were the most hectic I'd had in a long time. I got back from breakfast with Jason to find that the plasterer had finished in our house and now my dad was freaking out about how little time he had to paint it.

"Why is it such a big deal?" I laughed at his panic.

"It takes a few days to dry before I can paint onto the plaster and now I'm going away next weekend too. With work and Brandon's practice, I have no idea when I can fit this in" He paced the still dusty kitchen.

"Wait. You're going away?" I asked. "Going away where?"

"Oh, we got a call while you were out. Brandon has been accepted to play in a tournament in California so I'll be heading down there with him. I think your mom is going too"

"That's awesome!" I cried. "I've always wanted to go to Cali!"

"I'm sorry Lou, but there's no way you're coming with us" Dad condescendingly told me.

Disgusted, I asked "Why not?"

"Because we won't get back until Tuesday and you have some huge assignments coming up at school. You can't miss them"

"Two days isn't going to hurt"

"It isn't going to help either" He reasoned, but I was having none of it.

"This is so unfair! You'll do anything or go anywhere for Brandon but do absolutely nothing for me!"

"Your mother and I do plenty for you Louise. We take you to and from work every time you have a shift"

"Yeah! Because you won't let me go myself! I bet if Brandon wanted to walk to the store at night alone then you'd let him wouldn't you?"

"He is older than you"

"And twice as dumb! I bet Anna is walking alone every night but you never bat an eye at her do you?"

"If you keep yelling at me like this then I'll send you to stay with her and Clark while we're away. Is that what you want?" Dad cried. I wanted to continue arguing but I'm smarter than that. Despite my disappointment at being left at home, I'd still be living alone for a few days. I saw how much Jason was enjoying his freedom and figured that now it was my turn. So instead of shouting at my dad again, I simply growled and stormed to my room, where I stewed for the rest of the day.

One thing he was right about though, was the assignments for school. I enjoy History class but in a few weeks time, we had this ridiculous project. We had to choose a huge event in the world's history, something that, at the time, changed the world and write an essay on what the reaction of different people would be if it happened in this day and age. We had to consider the reaction of world leaders, the media, the general public and even wild animals if we wanted to. It was such a pointless exercise! Why would we need to do that? What does it even have to do with history? No matter what I tried, I just couldn't find any motivation for it.

So while my parents and brother were going to be soaking up the California sun, I would be stuck in my dull apartment, studying. At least we had a brighter kitchen now I guess. Every cloud has a silver lining and all that.

I paid extra attention in my classes all week in hopes of absorbing some new information and it was actually working. But then something happened which would take up most of my attention span. And no, it wasn't to do with Jason.

I told Lily and Mason as we walked home from school together.

"So Anna came over last night"

"What for?" Mason asked.

"She surprised me by picking me up from work saying that she had some big news. She wouldn't tell me till we got home but when she did, it blew my mind"

"Well don't keep us in suspense!" Lily complained.

"She and Clark have set a date for their wedding. And it's in two months!"

"That's super short notice!" Mason gasped.

"It is. But you know how Clark works for that science company out of town? Well they've decided to try and expand internationally and they're going to send him to Cairo to do a presentation there. He's going to be gone for about a month so they want to be married first, and then once he's done they'll go on their honeymoon" I explained.

"Isn't Cairo just pyramids and stuff? It's hardly science-y" Lily shrugged.

"Welcome to the 21st century Lil'" Mason joked. "Why not wait till after though?"

"Well you know that murder investigation that's going on just now?" I asked, getting a couple of nods in response. "Well don't tell anyone because it's supposed to be a secret, but the police apparently have a suspect and are about to make an arrest. So Anna is going to be on the prosecution team and they have no idea when, or how long the trial will be"

"Their lives are insane" Lily said. "My biggest problem right now is trying to find new angles to take pictures from"

"And mines is that I can't think of a good event for history class" I agreed. We then looked expectantly at Mason, awaiting his biggest complaint at the moment.

"Ok fine" He sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to escape our gaze. "In the locker room after gym class, Bailey ran up to me, spinning his dick around like a windmill, asking if it turned me on because I was gay"

"What the actual fuck?" I laughed, suppressing the tears that threatened to flood out of me"

"I know right!" Cried Mason.

"Doesn't that make him gayer than you?" Lily asked.

"That's what I said! But apparently that meant that I was flirting with him" Mason said shaking his head.

"How does he even have any friends?" Lily spoke one of our most frequently asked questions.

"Don't worry guys" I told them. "Jason told me that people like that might be popular now but when we grow up, they're not going to stand a chance in the real world"

"Thanks Jason" Lily screamed at the top of her lungs, once again attracting the attention of everyone around us. She was really good at this.

"Anyway, that's not even the most exciting part!" I said, getting back on track with my original story. "Anna asked me to be the maid of honour! How awesome is that! And as a bargaining chip, I got you two both invited!"

"Yay! I love weddings!" Lily hugged me.

"Does this mean I need to get a suit?" Moaned Mason.

"Yes!" Lily and I shouted together.

I got home and made one last ditch attempt to convince my parents to take me to California with them. I argued that I would be more likely to study in the sun, especially seeing as I wouldn't have any friends there to distract me and that Brandon could use all the support he could get but they still weren't going to change their minds.

I got to my room and called Anna. She always used to take my side when I was arguing with my parents and she'd always help me out. I really missed not living with her anymore.

"It's just not fair" I sighed after telling her about the situation.

"I know how you feel. But surely you can see their point of view?" She reasoned.

"Yeah I can and I do get it but why can't they see mines too? I can't even comprehend how they think this is fair"

"Just think of the positives"

"I get to eat something for dinner that doesn't belong in a garden?"

"It's definitely something" I could almost hear her shrug through the phone. "If you want I can come and stay over for a few days? It'll be just like the old days!"

"You don't have to do that. But it would be really cool to have you here for at least one night"

"It's a deal then. We're having a sister's sleepover. We can order pizza, watch a movie that'll make us cry and you can tell me who you're taking to the wedding" She cried excitedly.

"What do you mean who I'm taking to the wedding?" I asked, suddenly feeling little nervous.

"Well I can't have you without a plus one so I was hoping you could maybe take a boy from school or something"

"The only boy from school I'd take is Mason and he's already going"

"There must be someone else" She insisted.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm not trying. I am saying that there has to be a boy you've got your eye on. I remember what it was like being your age"

"Boys my age must have been different back in your day" I said bluntly.

"So go on! Spill! What's his name?" She pressed.

"I'm hanging up now"

"Don't you dare –" It was already too late. I'd done it.

As annoying as those conversations were, I didn't mind having them with Anna. She knew how to take a joke, and speaking of jokes, I hoped she was joking about me taking someone to the wedding. How do you even ask someone to something like that anyway? And who would I ask. I had absolutely no desire to talk to any of the boys from school. The only person that I'd want to be there with me would be Jason and I couldn't see any way that I'd be able to make that happen. Despite how good things seemed to be going with him, he just seemed far too unattainable for someone like me. I probably already knew it subconsciously, but it was only then that I truly grasped how stupid my crush on him was.