If It Keeps You Around Then I'm Down

JACK:

After we hung out with Ava, taking her to this coffee shop we hung out at, Alex and I dropped her off and then went to band practice. We sat in silence as Alex got back in from walking Ava to her door. I looked up at her and started driving before Alex buckled his seat belt. Alex began talking about Ava was scolding him for not talking to Maria in the morning, it seemed I couldn't escape Ava, someone was talking about the new girl, like she was the cure for cancer.

"Yeah, she seems really cool," I said absent-mindly getting to my house, we walked down into the basement and saw Zack with a smirk on his face, reading his cell phone, Rian looked up from the couch and implied shooting himself with his finger and thumb. I snorted.

"She said yes!" Zack jumped up and down like a girl, I shot Rian and Alex a look, slightly confused.

"Who said yes?" I asked grabbing my guitar and flipping up my amp. I started playing random strings and Zack seemed sullen.

"I'm going on a date with Ava tonight," Zack said, I saw the shock on Alex's face, I was just disappointed. I collected myself and shrugged.

"Sweet dude, congratulations," Alex bumped fists with him and Rian seemed rather apathetic, he had just called Kara to confirm their plans tonight. I faked a smile and did a guy hug, where you don't really hold on. Relief washed over Zack's face by my reaction. I liked Ava, but Zack was one of my best friends, and I wasn't about to ruin that for a slight possibility of boning her, now began the process of getting over her, it shouldn't be that hard, seeing I didn't even really know her.

"Yeah, I'm pumped!" Zack blushed, I was happy to see him get this excited about a girl, since his relationships didn't usually work that well. He was the shy guy who the girl didn't even know, let alone like.

That was the longest band practice of my life and I spent half of it distracted. After, I stood in the doorway watching my friends climb into their cars. Zack gave Alex a ride home since he was picking up Ava anyways, Rian had to pick up Kara and I was alone. What do people do when they feel like this? I called Matt, and asked if there were any parties going on tonight. He said he would be there shortly, I was going to forget about Ava with a little help from Jack Daniels.

AVA:

I was surprised when Zack called me and even more surprised when he asked me out. I had him pegged as the guy who waited till I was about to go out with another guy before revealing his feelings. I smiled as I pulled back from the mirror to give myself another look. I was wearing a pink eye lit sundress and I blew dried my hair into bellowing waves, I put on light makeup and converse. I brought a white clutch. My mother was sighing loudly and my father was silent next to her when the door bell rang.

"Shouldn't it take at least a couple of weeks before she gets dates, I mean she's been her for two days for Christ's sake," my father muttered under his breath earning him a slap from my mother.

"She's a beautiful girl, why shouldn't she get a date?" My mother responded as I opened the door. Zack was standing awkwardly in a pair of skinny jeans, a black t-shirt and matching converse, I blushed, I wasn't embarrassed, his jaw seemed to drop slightly.

"You look beautiful," He said handing me a single rose from behind his back, I thanked him and bustled to the kitchen and put it in a cup of water. I came back into the room, with my mother harrassing us with the camera again and my father laying down the rules.

"Be home by midnight," He said sternly.

"Daddy?" I asked putting on my best puppy dog face, he sighed letting me know I had won.

"Be home by one, no booze, no drugs, no touching how you wouldn't touch your grandma," he listed off with a firm brow, Zack nodded I was surprised he wasn't writing it down based on the fear in his eyes, "and if anything happens to her, I'm a member of the NRA, no one will know a thing."

"Daddy!" I said pushing Zack out the door.

"Kenneth!" My mother said cupping his face with her hand and smiling graciously, "You can be home at two, and he's just kidding." She was embarrassed by my father and I waved before closing the door laughing.

"Wow," Zack said opening the door for me before circling around to the driver's seat, "Your dad is really scary." He saw my smile and started laughing.

"Yeah, believe or not it's gotten better, last year my prom date actually ditched me last year because my dad made him pee his pants," I shrugged and Zack laughed hard.

"Seriously?" He asked, I bit my lip, I wish I wasn't kidding, but I doubt Tommy Larkin would ever talk to me again, ever. He started laughing so much he had a tears forming in his eyes.

"I'm glad you're pants are still dry," I said laughing, "its a much better start to the evening."

"I agree, so I was thinking movie and dinner?" Zack said pulling into a cinema, I nodded in agreement. We decided on some skeezy horror movie, we took our seats in an otherwise empty theater.

"Good, to know that this movie is good, I mean look at the crowd!" I said sarcastically and Zack laughed nodding we picked prime seats in the middle of the theater. The movie started and as we suspected it was pretty retarded, but I was starting to get cold, goose bumps rose on my skin. Zack took notice and wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer to him.

"Thank you for the movie," I said looking up at him, I didn't feel bad talking in this movie, "and for being a really good jacket." I smiled biting my lip, he looked at me and started to lean in before I guess he got shy and turned his head and smiled.

"No problem," He said, I was disappointed and turned back to the movie, before I realized Zack was staring at the side of my head, I looked and mouthed 'what'. He chuckled and rolled his eyes before bringing up his hands to my chin and kissing me lightly. His hands were rough from the bass, but still nice.

I jumped when the movie screamed and then laughed, leaning back into Zack. My heart still racing from the combination of both of them. Zack looked up at the movie and started to laugh.

"Do you want to get out of here?" He asked starting to stand up holding up my hand.

"Oh, God, yes!" I said grabbing his hand and jogging us out of the movie theater. I smiled at him while he was making fun of the movie.

"No! Not the squirrels, why would they attack now?!" He said feigning fright and screaming towards the car, my stomach ached from laughing so hard, Zack held the door open for me and I jumped into his car. He was checking his phone while walking around.

"Are you okay?" I asked he shoved his phone into his pocket before smiling up at me and nodding. We walked to a crepe stand in the middle of nowhere and after getting chocolate and banana crepes we walked over and sat on top of picnic tables. Zack finished his in a matter of minutes, I laughed as his face was smeared with chocolate.

"What?" He asked looking around, I licked my thumb and started cleaning his face, he turned sarcastic, "Whoa, I don't think I'd let my grandma touch me like this!" I laughed and got closer to get some chocolate off his lips. He stared at my eyes to my lips and smirked.

"I really hope not," I said getting closer, I leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips, he deepened it pushing me back a little bit. I threw my crepe over my shoulder and used my now free hand to grab on to Zack's face. I heard someone clear their throat behind us and I saw Alex and Maria standing with crepes in their hands, Maria was chuckling slightly to herself, I was glad Alex called her. Alex just had his jaw dropped and cocked his head in confusion.

"Uh, hi," I said tucking my hair behind my ear shyly, Zack looked around awkwardly and Maria was jumping up and down slightly, which I don't recommend since her boobies were bouncing all over the place.

"Girl! You work fast!" She said coming over and hugging, I hugged her back, slightly awkward since we met like a total of twice.

"Thanks? How long were you guys standing there?" I asked awkwardly as Maria returned to Alex's side and he chuckled ruffling his hair.

"Long enough to see you chuck your crepe and have your face sucked ravenously by Zack here," Alex said pointed to each subject he was talking about with his crepe. Zack and I both blushed a bright, bright red.

"We should double some time!" Maria said excitedly, I nodded biting my lip as Zack's hand still held onto my hand, his thumb gently rubbing the top of my hand.

"You treat my wife good!" Alex called out pointing threateningly with his crepe at Zack and then wrapped his arm around Maria who squealed lightly. Zack saluted him and shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad that wasn't awkward," he laughed, I burst out in laughter, covering my mouth.

"Oh, yeah well worth it, that was the best tasting kiss I'd ever had," I laughed standing up, I heard Zack's phone ringing. He seemed slightly pissed off.

"Yeah, I'll be right there, you're at Mike's?" Zack said under his breath, he sighed hanging up and I turned my head confused, "would you mind picking up Jack and Matt, apparently their totally wasted. I checked my cell phone and saw it was only midnight.

"Yeah, better than them trying to drive home," I said, Zack apologized profusely on our drive over, which was surprisingly short. I saw Jack stumbling in the front yard. Zack told me to wait in the car and he collected the two drunk guys.

"Hey!" The boy I assumed was Matt called out, "Please to meet you, I am Matt and you are ridiculously hot!" He said sloppily shaking my hand.I couldn't help but laugh. Zack shook his head as we made our way to Jack's house.

"Ava! You look hot, like hotter than Jessica Alba!" Jack slurred and I turned to see him holding his finger around swaying slightly.

"Jack, I would say the same about you, but I'm afraid you might vomit on me," I laughed, Zack chuckled as he pulled up to Jack's house. Jack got out and so did Matt, before Jack popped back into the car and planted a big, sloppy kiss on me, it caught me by surprise to say the least, I wiped my mouth and looked at Zack who was busy helping Matt into the house to see anything.

"You should've been with me tonight," Jack whispered, still slurring. I was speechless as Zack came back and escorted into the house when Zack came back he looked at me curiously.

"Are you okay?" He asked, I picked up my jaw and nodded, lying. "We should probably get you home," he said putting the car into drive. Zack walked me up to the front door and I wiped my mouth once more so I didn't smell like booze by transference.

"I had a really great time, Zack," I said pretending to fish my bag for my house keys. I picked them out and Zack was smiling adoringly at me, I smirked back.

"Me too, Ava," He smiled, I turned to face him and, he grabbed my chin lightly and kissed me, right when the door swung open, I pulled off of Zack and nearly died.

"Save it lover boy, she'll still be around tomorrow," My dad said grabbing my wrist and pulling me into the house. My brothers echoed him with 'yeah's and I rolled my eyes. Zack apologized and turned walking slowly back to his car, my father muttered about finally being able to rest and my brothers went back to Halo, I saw Zack was still walking up the drive way, I ran after him, barefoot and bagless.

"Zack!" I called out in a shout/whisper. Zack swung around surprised that I was outside of the house, "I'm really sorry," I turned over my shoulder as I saw my parent's master bedroom light switch on again. I planted a very passionate kiss on his lips, biting his lower one slightly. I smiled as his jaw dropped and I ran back into the house.

"Ava, is that you?" My father called out from upstairs.

"Uh, yeah, Zack dropped his wallet," I lied, I heard my father chuckling lightly making his way back to his room.

"Idiot," he laughed under his breath, I heard my mother smack him and I laughed. I sighed, my heart still racing, my endorphins led me upstairs and I laid on my bed very content, I looked out my window to see Alex and Maria doing so very rated-R things and I closed my blinds in a slight disgust. I sighed again plopping down on my bed, not even that could bring me down. I went to sleep with a smile on my face, I was still enamored with Zack, but the words Jack had slurred were stuck in my mind.