Dreams of Tomorrow

Lya was leaning back on her seat, an open book on her lap. She was halfway through her book, waiting for her friends to come back from their meeting. She had enough time to do some laundry, do some cleaning and more while they were away.

She was planning on going grocery shopping in a while.
It felt good to be there with her friends. It was Tuesday. She had been there for a few days now, and it felt as if she had never left them. Ever.

"Frenchie!"

She jumped up in fright and starred with wide eyes at Jimmy who came in running and jumped on the couch, landing right next to her.

"Frenchiiiie" he cooed, throwing his legs over hers and hugging her while patting her hair. She rolled her eyes.

"Alright, can you get off me now Jimmy?"

He jumped back on his feet and wandered off to his room.

"Wow! You changed the sheets! Thank you!" he yelled from his room. She smiled to herself, going back to read her book when she felt something on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly and saw Brian, his chin resting on her shoulder, trying to take a look at what she was reading.

When she turned her head and felt his lips pressed against her cheek, she blushed and looked back to her book. Pretending he didn’t just did that.

**

She moaned and turned around, placing her arm over her head, trying to block the sun.
“Fuck…” she swore, before lifting her head up a bit and trying to get a look at the clock.
7.47a.m.
“No way, I’m not getting up.” She muttered, trying to use the cover to block the sun. No use.
Sighing, she got up and went to the bathroom, she did her business and debated on what to do. After a few minutes of intense debate with herself, she headed back to the living room, passing Brian’s room on the way. She twisted the knob. She waited a second but no sound so she entered. It was dark, but she was familiar with the small room.

She sat on the mattress.

Brian wouldn’t mind, would he? She used to do it before… But they were still best friend so surely he wouldn’t say anything… He doesn’t have a girlfriend, does he?
“Never mind…” she mumbled. She wasn’t doing anything wrong, just trying to get some more sleep.

She climbed over his sleeping body, placing herself between him and the wall. She got under the covers, placed her head on the other pillow and closed her eyes, letting out a small sigh of contentment.

**

She woke up to the feeling of warm air being blown on the back of her neck. She stirred and realized that one of his arms was across her waist, and that she was definitely further away from the wall than she had been before. She turned around and was met with brown orbs starring at her. She smiled weakly.

“Hi”

“Morning…” he said, bringing her closer to him.

“Did you sleep well?” she asked.

“Like a baby… And I got a nice surprise when I woke up…” he said, smiling.

“Yeah sorry about that, it’s just that there aren’t any curtains in the living room and I wanted to sleep a little bit more… And I thought you wouldn’t mind.” She said, avoiding to look at him.

“No, I definitely don’t mind.” He said. “You can sleep here instead of the couch Lya, it doesn’t bother me.” He said, seriously.

“You don’t mind? ‘Cause I sleep better here than on the couch, the sun…” she mumbled.

“Hmm, no problem.”

“You sure? I don’t wanna be woken up in the middle of the night by a fussy girlfriend who would get the wrong idea…”

“No worries on that side.” He said, “I’m single.”

She felt herself blushing slightly.

“Just promise me that you’ll warn me before bringing a one night stand back to your room…” she mumbled. “I don’t think I’d appreciate the wake up call.”

“I’ll promise just if you promise the same thing.” He said, serious.

“God Brian, I’m not a whore dragging a guy into my best friend’s room just to fuck…” she stated, disgusted by the idea.

“All right then, I promise.” He said. She nodded contently.

“What time is it?” she asked in a yawn.

“Close to 11am…” he said, checking the clock on the nightstand.

“OH MY GOD! Gates, someone kidnapped Ly-” yelled Jimmy, bursting through the door.

“Don’t freak out Sullivan, she’s right there.” Said Brian.

“How did you end up in his bed?” asked Jimmy, eyeing her. “I’d get it if you were naked, but you’re obviously still dressed…”

“She just couldn’t sleep because of the light.” Said Brian, like it was obvious. “Don’t get any idea…”

“You sure he didn’t molest you in your sleep?”
In answer he received one of Brian’s socks in the face.

“Ugh, disgusting!... Ok I got it! I’ll go make some coffee if any one wants some…” he said, leaving the room.

Lya shook her head, laughing.

“Damn, I thought he would have calmed down… But he’s still insane…”

“Yeap, that’s Jimmy.”

Lya yawned and stretched her arms before trying to climb over Brian, in order to get out of the bed.

“What are you…”

“Don’t get your hopes up Gates, just passing over you.” She said, before she managed to sit on the mattress.

“Damn, I thought I’d be able to get some from you…” he said, looking disappointed.

“Nope, sorry… I’m hungry, want some pancakes?” she asked, pulling her hoodie on top of her T-shirt.

“Yeah sure… hey, hold on… Isn’t that my hoodie?”

“It sure is…” she said, zipping it up a little “you never asked it back, so I kept it. It’s pretty comfortable you know…” she said, putting some flip-flops on and heading to the kitchen.

**
Lya had managed to avoid any awkward conversation with Jimmy, that was until Brian went to shower.

Jimmy eyed her from the living room, like a lion eyeing his prey.

“Oh oh…” she said, trying to make a run for the bedroom but Jimmy blocked the way, pulled out a chair and forced her to sit down.

He pivoted the other chair and sat on it; looking as if he was going to interrogate her.

“So…”

“So what?” she asked, looking everywhere but at him.

“Are you guys going to actually do something or just keep flirting… Pretending like it’s just a platonic friendship…?”

“Huh…”

“Oh damn… you’re still as clueless as before, that’s unbelievable…” mumbled Jimmy.

“What are you talking about?” she muttered.

“Lya… Don’t you feel, I dunno, slightly attracted to Brian?”

“What?”

“Like you know, a woman being attracted to a handsome man…?” repeated Jimmy, changing the words.

“I’m not dumb Jimmy, I understood you the first time you said that. I’m just… what would make you think that?! He’s my best friend!”

“And you’re his best friend too, but… Oh for fuck sake I’m going to say it otherwise it’ll take forever for you to actually realize this: Brian was attracted to you, back in high school, hell, he’d have given anything just for you to realize that Lya. And I believe that he still is attracted to you. I mean come on girl, why else would he make all those dirty jokes about you and him…”

Lya’s mouth was opened slightly.

Jimmy was joking right? Right…?

But, he didn’t burst out of laughing, he stayed serious. Seconds passed and he still hadn’t say: “gotcha”

“Huh, Lya? Are you there?”

“You’re joking Jimmy, right?”

He let out a deep sigh, shaking his head lightly.
“Why would I joke about something like that Lya… for God’s sake, you’re both my best friends, all I want is for you to be happy. Damn Lya, I’ve spent most of my time in high school trying to show you that Brian cared about you… More than any of us did. He was crazy about you then, why else would he learn to play Green Day’s songs when he knew damn well how to play harder riffs… I mean, come on, you’ve seen him on stage!”

Lya heard some noise in the bathroom, indicating that Brian was probably going to come out soon. She still hadn’t decided whether Jimmy was playing a prank on her or not…

“Can we, like, go for a ride somewhere?” she asked, getting up and eyeing the bathroom door suspiciously.

“Of course, let’s go…” said Jimmy, understanding her motive.

“Gates, we’re going for a ride. Catch ya later!” yelled Jimmy in the corridor as Lya was already disappearing down the stairs.

She didn’t say anything once they were in the car.

“You’re still thinking I’m joking, don’t you?” he asked, once they were out of the parking lot.

She stayed silent, looking out of the window.

“Lya, I know it might be hard for you to take. But it seems logical, don’t you think?”

“No, it’s not logical at all.” She muttered, “It’s crazy. He’s my best friend, and if he truly liked me back then, then why didn’t he say anything?”

Jimmy pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh.

“Okay, fine. Brian should be the one explaining all this, not me… but if it can open your eyes, then all right…”

Jimmy lowered the volume of the radio and headed towards the coast.

“Lya, don’t you remember the first day you met Brian?”

“Sure, you introduced me to him, and then we met later on at the park and I had that fight with Justin and Zack and Brian ran after me…”

“Yeap, it all started from here I think. Do you remember the day you went to the Green Day show?”

“Sure thing, you guys went with me.”

“Brian protected you during the show, he hated himself for letting you get hurt back then. Even the day you had that breakdown because you realized that Billie Joe was a friend of your mother, he was the one to take care of you, not me. When you left to stay in SF for a while, he was the one to call you almost every week, not me, not Michelle or Johnny… Isn’t that true?”

“Well…”

“When you said you wanted to study, at first who help you with your Chinese lessons…?”

“Huh…”

“When you left to go on tour with Green Day, who was the most affected?”

“Actuall-…”

“And the Halloween party, do you remember when we went to the cemetery…?”

“How could I forget that day…” she mumbled. “Thought we would die in a car crash.”
“Well, the guy who kissed you out of nowhere, that was Brian.”

“Wh-what?”

“I truly don’t want to be the one to tell this Lya, but yeah… Brian liked you. And I think even now he ain’t indifferent. Like, the jokes he keeps making? He’s just trying to flirt with you Lya… He was too shy back then to actually make a move, but now he’s more confident.”

Lya just starred at the road ahead, her mind blank.

“Okay, so now you’re probably going to freak out and will be scared to talk to him or even look at him but it had to be said. I don’t wanna see you leave in a few weeks and go back to I don’t know where without knowing Brian’s feelings.”

“I…”

“Lya, truthfully, aren’t you slightly attracted to Brian?”

“Well, kind of, maybe a little?” she whispered, blushing.

“Then why don’t you guys give it a try?”

“But it’ll be awkward!” she said, her eyes wide.

“Lya, come on… We’re adults now okay? He ain’t going to rape you in your sleep. I mean come on, you guys are best friends, he knows you. He’s not a random guy you met on the streets, right? You trust him.”

“…”

“Well, look at it that way… Being Brian’s girlfriend” she blushed and Jimmy tried not to smile “would be pretty much like right now, except that you guys will be kissing and doing stuff I don’t even wanna think about…” he said, making a disgusted face.

“Listen to me okay, I’m asking you to jump on him next time you see him, but just think about this m’kay? I really think that it could work well between you guys.”

Lya didn’t say anything, just keep looking out of the window, thinking about everything Jimmy had said.

**

“For fuck sake Brian, I swear to God, if you don’t lay down that riff in the next hour or so, I’m gonna kill you, and we’ll be short of a guitarist!” snapped Jimmy, before getting out of the recording room and grabbed the phone.

“Lya, get your ass to the studio right now, and get some caffeine on your way. And hurry.”

She was still in PJs when she got Jimmy’s call. She had taken her time to do some cleaning and she was peacefully reading on the couch when he called. And by the sound of his voice, she’d better hurry up before he killed her.

Jumping into Jimmy’s car, she hurried to the nearest Starbucks, getting some coffee for the 5 of them, plus her, plus the tech guys, before driving to their studio in downtown L.A.

As she killed the engine, ready to get out, her door swung open and she was pulled off the car and thrown over his shoulder by Jimmy as he marched into the studio and dropped her on a seat, near Brian.

“There she is! Now record your fucking part!” snarled Jimmy, before going back to his car to get the drinks.

“What happened?” she mumbled, blinking at Brian and then at the guys who were just laughing.

Jimmy slammed the door shut and placed the drinks on the table and handed everyone a drink, except Brian and Lya.

“Nice Lya, you remembered everyone.” Said Matt.
She nodded, afraid to even say something in case Jimmy would burst out again. She had to admit, he scared her when he burst out like that. She had no idea what happened.

But Jimmy was now sitting on the couch, drinking his beverage, pushing his glasses up his nose again.

Johnny chuckled, “Come and sit here Lya.”

She gave a worried glance in Jimmy’s direction. The guys laughed.

“He’s good for the moment, don’t worry.” Assured Johnny. And so Lya walked to them, but grabbed her and Brian’s drink, she walked to him and placed his drink near him, blushing slightly when her hand brushed against his.

She hurried back to the couch and sipped her drink silently.

Jimmy looked up and took a glance at her, shaking his head.
“Did you just got out of bed?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“I’m talking to you Lya, did you just got out of bed?”

She bit her lip and let her hair down, brushing through them with her fingers.
“No, I was just doing some cleaning around the house.” She mumbled.

“Lya, your hair…”

“What?”

“When was the last time you actually cut them?”

She bit her lip.

“Graduation?”

Johnny almost choked on his drink.

“For fuck sake Lya…” muttered Jimmy. “You really need to get your hair cut, it looks like… like… like nothing really.”

“I know someone” piped in Zacky. “She’s good.”

“Good at what Vengeance?” asked Matt, laughing.

“Good at cutting hair, obviously.”

“You never know with you… Ladies’ man.” Added Jimmy.

“Brian’s the ladies man, not me!” he muttered.

Lya’s gaze was immediately turned to Brian, messing up on the guitar. She couldn’t hear what he was playing clearly, but it seems complicated. More complicated than Green Day riffs, for sure.

Johnny elbowed Zacky in the ribs and glared at him, before pointing to Lya, who was completely out of it, her head tilted slightly and looking at Brian. Brian, feeling eyes on him, turned his head slightly and saw Lya looking at him, he shot her smile. She blushed and quickly looked down to her drink, she put it on the table and tied her head in a messy bun, frowning.

“Come on Zack, do me a favor and take Lya to that hairdresser you spoke of.” Mumbled Jimmy.

“You look like you’ve been living in a cave for 2 years Lya.” He added.

She glared at him, not amused.
“I was working tall freak, got it? Had to think of a lot of stuff that was more important that cutting my hair. I did remember to die them, but Tré did it, not me. Besides, I always tied them up, it was too fucking hot on tour.”

Jimmy crossed his arms on his chest and looked at Lya.
“So what did you do huh? What kind of work?”

“Told you before I think, running errand for the staff, for Green Day. I did merch, set up stuff, helped the roadies when needed, and made sure they got where they were supposed to be, on time.”

“Kind of like babysitting.” Joked Johnny.

“Exactly.” Nodded Lya, taking a sip from her drink.

“All right, Lya, Zacky, off you go.” Said Jimmy.

Lya rolled her eyes and then made sure to glare at Jimmy as she took her drink.

“What the hell is wrong with him?” she muttered, getting into Zack’s car.

Zacky shrugged his shoulder, “I think it started this morning, when we realize we were slightly behind schedule for recording, and he decided it was Brian’s fault.”

Lya rolled her eyes.

“Is my hair really that… huh… horrible?”

Zacky glanced at her quickly, then gave her a small smile.
“Well, it sure can be improved. I’m sure she’ll do a great job.”

“How do you know her?” she asked, trying to avoid the awkward silence.

For the last 2 years, she barely had news from Zacky, but given their past, she kind of expected it. Speaking of Zacky, she’d have to ask what happened to Justin.

“I went to cut my hair at the salon she works for, a month ago. She did a really nice job, and we hit it off, I mean she’s talented.” He said, looking at the road.

“You like her?”

He choked on his saliva and took a look at Lya.
It felt weird for him to talk to her about those kinds of things. He had always considered Lya as Brian’s love interest, and the slightly weird lost girl who lost her mom and ended up living with her grand-parents. Never thought much of it. He never considered her as one of his friends’, truth be told. She was a friend of his friends’, and that worked for him.

“Maybe…” he said, cutting short the conversation.

Lya sighed softly and sunk down in her seat, feeling uncomfortable sitting in the same car as him.

**

From what Lya could see in the mirror, besides the fact that she looked weird with that towel wrapped around her hair and the weird cloth she was forced to wear, it’s that Zacky and the young woman seemed to get on pretty well. She had short blond hair, obviously died, and she had tattoos, yeap she could definitely picture them together. Lya smiled to herself.

“Allright Lya, I’m off. You know the way back?” he asked, looking at her, his face blank.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll take the bus. Don’t worry.” She said, her voice low.

Zacky frowned and then gave her a short nod, “I’ll see you tonight at Johnny’s.” he added, before he was off. The door ringing as it opened and then closed.

The young woman was eyeing up Lya, as she grabbed a stool and sat on it, coming closer to her new customer.

Lya gave her a small shy smile, knowing damn well that the woman was wondering what was her relation to him.

“So, what kind of cut do you want.”

Lya blinked, “Good question. I have no idea… I mean, the guys told me to come here.” She said.

“The guys?”

“Yeah, Zacky’s friends.”

“You’re a friend of Zachary?”

“Yeah, kind of. I’m a friend of his friends’. He said he knew someone who could cut my hair, so he took me here.” Said Lya, looking at her knees as the woman took off the towel.

“I’m Gena.” Said the blond haired woman, smiling warmly.

“I’m Lya.”

**

She was about to head to the nearest bus stop when she noticed a car parked across the street with a guy leaning on the car, his arms crossed and checking the time. He had sunglasses on. She slowed down for a second, amazed by his charisma. She shook her head, trying to get her thoughts back on track when she heard her name. When she looked up, she saw the same guy from earlier, looking in her direction. She blinked and frowned.
“Lya, come on!” he said, waving in her direction. She dumbly looked over her shoulder, thinking that maybe she was being mistaken… When she looked back at him, he had taken off his sunglasses.

“Brian?”

“Yeah, who else… Come on!”

She quickly crossed the street.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, as he opened the door for her.

“Picking you up obviously, what else…” he mumbled.

“Yeah, well… why?”

“You’re welcome.” He said, starting the engine.

“I mean, I thought you were supposed to finish recording your part?”

“We’re done for today. And Zacky said you were going to take the bus, so I decided I would pick you up. She did a good job by the way, you look nice with your hair down. It’s a nice change.” He said, looking at her smiling, before he started driving.

“Thanks.” She whispered, looking out of the window.

She turned slightly and looked at his profile. He did had change between the last time she had seen him. Last time, he was still a lanky teenage boy. But now, he was a man.
He was wearing a T-shirt, and for the first time she noticed the ink that was covering his arms. Last time, he only had 1, tattooed on his thumb.
His face had changed too… More, more structured… His jaw and high cheek bones made him look more charismatic… Could she say: hot?

Damn… Did she just think Brian was hot? She must still be under the shock of seeing her friends again, and maybe because of the jetlag… But she had been back for days now, it couldn’t be because of the jetlag.

She wriggled on her seat, uncomfortable.

“So… am I still your best friend?” he asked, looking ahead.

“I guess so…” she said, unsure.

He turned to look at her and saw she was joking.

“All right then Frenchie, I’m taking you out for ice-cream. Let’s catch up on some best-friend’s time!”

**

“You didn’t do that for real, did you?”

“Of course I did!” he said, slamming the trunk.

“You’re insane! Could have gotten you arrested!” she said unbelievingly.

“I wasn’t alone on that, Shortshit and Jimmy were with me.” He said, winking at her. She rolled her eyes and followed him towards the bar. They were going to meet up with the rest of the group.

They had spent the last two hours and a half together, drinking sodas and eating ice-creams, chatting.

“After you” he said, holding the door open. She smiled at him and walked inside, trying to spot their friends. And surely they were here. She could definitely hear Jimmy’s insane laughter.

“So Gates, you brought my best friend back?” asked Jimmy, moving to make some space for them to sit.

“You mean my best friend…” he said as Lya was searching for somewhere to sit but was pulled down by Jimmy.

“Best friend’s sandwich” he said as he and Brian were sitting on either side of Lya.

“I told you she was good!” said Zacky, taking a look at Lya’s new haircut. She smiled.

“Her name’s Gena, she was born on October 31st, Halloween, isn’t that cool? Oh and she’s single, and she should drop by soon. I told her we were going to have a drink here, and asked her if she wanted to come.” Said Lya, looking at Zacky. Half expecting him to shout at her.

He blinked at her, and gave her two thumbs up, with a wink.

“So, what do you drink babe?” ask Jimmy.

“Babe yourself…” mumbled Lya, as the waitress made their way to them. “Coke, please”.

“Still not drinking, huh?” asked Brian.

“A little, but I prefer to start easy…” she said “I’m afraid to get drunk and end up in someone’s bed…” she joked.

“As long as it’s in mine, I got no problem with that…” he said, before taking a drink.

Thankfully for Lya, it was quite dark, there wasn’t much light so no one noticed the crimson color that had suddenly tainted her usually pale cheeks.

“Wow Gates, that was smooth man!” said Matt. “Cheers!” and they all clinked their glasses/bottles together.

Lya looked at the lemon slice in her glass, floating in the small space along with the ice cubes. She felt like that lemon slice, hanging around with cool people. Not quite fitting in. She moved the glass a bit. The lemon slice drowned a bit, struggling to have some space for itself.

“Hey Lya, do you happen to have a boyfriend? ‘Cause it looks like Gates would like to fit the job…” said Val, when Brian and Zacky had left to get more drinks.
Lya waved it off with an awkward smile.

“He’s just joking around you know… But no, I’m single.” She said, leaning across the table to grab something to eat.

“Why don’t you guys give it a try?” asked Johnny, and Michelle and Val squealed excitedly at that suggestion.

Lya just starred at them with round eyes. She blinked several times before turning to look at Jimmy for help.

“I think they’re serious…” he said, answering her silent question. “Besides, you’re already sleeping in his bed.”

“Woooh!” cheered Michelle, leaning in to get more details.

“It’s not like that!” she mumbled, blushing. “It’s just, there’s no curtains in the living room and the sun woke me up early, so I don’t know why, I just went to Brian’s room to catch some more sleep.”

“See, that’s the first step!” said Michelle, nodding to herself, smiling.

She laughed awkwardly and took a sip from her glass, thankful it was only soda and not alcohol.

Brian and Zacky came back with drinks, placing everything on the table, severely reducing the free space.

“Babe, that’s for you.” Said Brian, placing a glass of coke in front of her. “I asked for 2 slices of lemon, otherwise it will feel lonely” he joked, winking at her. She lightly smiled at him, not meeting his gaze.

What was up with her? Since when did it became awkward for her to be around Brian?
Maybe it started when she realized that Brian was kinda attractive now… As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she wanted to slap her forehead.

**

Lya starred at her reflection.
She was supposed to get ready to go out with the girls for some shopping and later on, they would meet with the guys.

She looked at the clothes she had chosen. She sighed in defeat, no matter where she was going, she’d choose a pair of jeans, All Stars and a plain T-shirt, just like her teenage days.

“Fuck that…” she mumbled as she thought about Michelle and Val. They didn’t dress like that, but they didn’t dress slutty either. But they looked nice… and sexy.

Lya wanted to at least look somewhat nice for once, not like she had just gotten out of bed.

She glanced at the time.

“Well, that’ll have to do for the moment…” she whispered as she put her clothes on. She used the time she had left to pay a little more attention to her make up.

**

“I need to buy new shoes…” said Michelle, as Val had parked the car.

“I’d like to find a new bag…” said Val, getting out and locking the car.

“…” Lya stayed silent for a moment before she let out a small sigh. “I’d like to buy new clothes and some shoes…” she said, not too loud. Almost hoping it would go unnoticed by her friends.

“Are you serious? What happened to you?” asked Michelle, linking her arm with Lya’s.

“I… I just realized I’m still dressing the same way I used to back in high school…” she mumbled. “I think it’s time to change a little”

“…”

“Lya, tell me if I’m being mistaken but, wouldn’t you be trying to impress someone?” asked Val.

Lya’s cheeks tainted pink and she looked at the floor.
“Oh my God…” squealed Michelle. “Are you serious? Brian?”

Lya’s face went bright red.

“It’s stupid…” she mumbled.

“Of course not! Come on Lya, we aren’t making fun of you. It’s just nice to hear that, poor guy, he had to wait 2 years for you to actually pay attention to him…” joked Val.

“You knew?” asked Lya in disbelief.

“Lya, everyone knew it. Everyone but you.” Said Michelle as she dragged Lya towards a shoes’ shop. “What kind of shoes would you like?”

“Anything that doesn’t look like hooker’s heels, and that doesn’t look like All Stars and that isn’t pink and doesn’t have ribbons on it…”

“That’s narrowing the choice…” said Michelle, looking around.

“Just look around, try to find something you like…” said Val, knowing Lya’s tastes were different than hers.

**

“Well, that looks nice Lya.” Said Michelle, as Lya was trying on some of the new clothes she had bought, trying to decide what she was going to wear for the night.

“You sure?”

“Yeah it’s nice. It suits you. Make up and hair and then you’re good to go.” Said Val, putting on her earrings.

“Can I do your hair?” asked Michelle. Lya nodded.

After a few minutes, all 3 were ready to go.

Lya was feeling insecure and uncomfortable. She was afraid one of the guys would make a joke about her trying to seduce Brian or something embarrassing of the kind…
She bit her lip.

“Lya, it’s fine. It’s not like you completely changed your appearance, it’s just that you paid more attention. It’s nice actually, no need to worry about possible jokes.” Assured Michelle, as they were walking together.

Lya sighed and looked at her reflection in one of the vitrins of the shops they were walking past. Boots, with skinny jeans and a more fitting T-shirt, which showed a little cleavage. Her hair was braided and she had applied a little make up.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door to Jimmy and Brian’s apartment.

The door opened, revealing Brian, he opened his mouth to speak but closed it.

“Huh… The girls are waiting downstairs with Matt and everyone…” she said, pointing at the stairs behind her.

“Yeah, sure…” he said, “Jimmy, let’s go.”

“You look nice Lya.” Said Brian, looking at her. She blushed, and smiled at him weakly.
She tried not to be too awkward as she greeted Jimmy with a light hug.

“Let’s go!” she said, leading the way.

**

They had eaten in a Mexican restaurant, went to a bar to have some drinks and were just getting out.

“So, what now?” asked Zacky.

“I feel like going to the beach…” said Matt, looking at his girlfriend and then at the rest of his friends.

“Good idea, it’s been a while since we all went to the beach…” said Val, nodding in agreement.
Lya shrugged, not minding.

She got in Brian’s car, on the passenger seat while Jimmy and Johnny were in the backseat. It reminded her of when they were in high school. Damn… It seemed so long ago.
Her attention wasn’t on their conversation but on the driver.

Brian was driving.

He had one arm resting on the door, and the other one holding the wheel. It probably wasn’t that safe but damn, did he look hot. Okay, there she admitted it.

She, Lya, was attracted to her best friend, Brian.

The way he looked ahead, his chin held high, his hand holding the wheel, making his muscles tense up slightly from time to time.
She blinked and forced herself to look away.

Her thoughts went back to that discussion she had with Jimmy, well actually it was Jimmy who did the talking, she just listened.

As she looked out of the window, she tried to picture herself with Brian, not as best friends, but as his girlfriend. Could it work?

She didn’t had an answer to that question, but she was sure of something: she wouldn’t want any other girl to be his girlfriend.

So what now, did that mean she wanted to be with him? Probably…

Then how…

How could she make him understand that…
Relationships weren’t her strongest point…
Before she could come up with an answer the car stopped.

“Wowoooow!” shouted Johnny, running out of the car and taking off his T-shirt.

Brian followed him soon after and Lya went straight to Jimmy, clinging at his arm and looking at him with puppy eyes. He chuckled when he saw her.

“All right Shorty, what’s going on? Need some help with Brian?”

“How did you know?”

“Come on, why else would you abandon your dear All Stars and T-shirt if it wasn’t to impress him? And I have to admit, I think you did just fine…” he added with a wink.

“Nice! One step closer, now what do I do?” she asked, tugging at his arm.

“Lya… Don’t tell me he’ll be the first guy you’re going out with…” said Jimmy, joking.

Lya slowed down and starred at the ground.
“You’re joking…” said Jimmy, nudging her. “Right?”

“I didn’t had the time to actually try to go out with a boy, I only focused on Green Day and my studies…” she whispered, almost ashamed to hear herself say that out loud.

“…”

She bit her lip.
“Well, in that case... Just try to make him understand that you’re not going to bit his head off if he tries to seduce you, that’d be the first step.” Said Jimmy.

“And just how do I make him understand that?”
Jimmy sighed.

“I don’t know, try maybe to sit next to him… Be close to him. Didn’t you use to sit on his lap before?”

“Well yeah, but I did it with you too.”

“Lya…”

“Yeah, well okay!” she said, trying to convince herself she could do it.

They had reached the group now, Matt was trying to start a fire while the girls brought drinks.
Lya had no idea where those were coming from but she shrugged it off and decided to go sit next to Jimmy. Well actually she was about to when she saw Jimmy glaring at her. She was so surprised that she actually took a step back and tripped on a piece of wood, falling backwards. She landed with her ass in the sand.

“What happened?” asked Michelle, surprised to see her best friend falling.

“I tripped” she muttered, getting up and whipping the sand off her jeans. She yelped in surprise when she felt someone else’s hand whipping the sand off her ass.
She turned around only to see Brian with a sheepish grin on his face,

“Just helping you out” he said.

“Huh… thanks?” she said, before ushering to help Val with the drinks. Just to get away from the guys.

**

“Come on Lya, just do something about it…” she muttered to herself, kicking off her shoes, socks and trying to roll up her jeans. “Stop being a coward…”

“Having trouble here Lya?” asked Brian, taking her by surprise. She gulped.

“No…no…” she stammered. “Just, rolling up my jeans you know…” she said.

“Just take it off, it’ll be easier.”

She starred at him with round eyes.
“I mean, take your jeans off and wear one of my shorts instead.” He clarified, holding out a pair of shorts.

“I won’t look, promise.” He said, turning around. She scanned the area and quickly took off her jeans, replacing them with Brian’s shorts, too big for her.

“Thanks Brian.” She mumbled.

“No problem, now you can come with us to swim!” he said excitedly. “What? No! It’s cold and I don’t have any change with me and I-” she stopped talking and started screaming when Brian dropped her jeans to the bench, threw her over his shoulder and started running towards the shore.

“NO!” she yelled, squirming, trying to make him drop her down. “No Brian stop it I beg you!”
She felt him slow down and next thing she knew he was holding her bridal style, above the water, smiling.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, tight.

“No,no,no,no,no…” she rambled, burying her face in his neck.

“What do I get if I put you back on the sand, dry…?” he asked, she knew he was smirking.

“Huh… a hug?” she questioned.

She felt him lowering his arms, bringing her closer to the waves.

“Okay, okay, okay… whatever you want, just don’t drop me please…” she begged.
He thought for a moment.

“A kiss, I want a kiss.”

“Okay, fine. Just put me back on the sand first…” she said, holding onto him.

“My kiss first then I’ll put you back on the shore.” He declared.

She was so scared he would dump her in the sea that she didn’t even noticed he had leant his cheek towards her, she went straight for his lips and kissed him.

Brian was so surprised that he let go of her and stumbled to catch his balance, making them both fall into the ocean.