Stranded

"ALEX!"

"LISA?!" Alex almost shrieked dropping me, I fell to the ground with a thud, "What are you doing here?" he asked as she ran and jumped into his arms wrapping her legs around his middle, and attaching her lips to his. He kissed her back.

"I told you I was coming to the first Cali show!" she giggled "If I didn't know any better I'd think you didn't miss me!" her voice was soooooo annoying already and she had only been talking for about twenty seconds. I knew I had seen this Lisa chick before but I couldn't remember where until that moment. Lisa was his girlfriend. They didn't seem to realize I was there so I thought it would be a good idea to sneak away before anything happened. After got around the back of the bus I stood up fully and ran to the FTSK bus, I really was really hopping Makahla was there.

"Hey Say Ray!" she greeted me with a smile when I sat down beside her on the couch. "What’s wrong?" she asked noticing my shaking hands and the hurt look on my face.

"Lisa's here." I said simply, the next thing I knew our laptop she had just been working on was gone and her arms were around me.

"I'm so sorry babe! I should have told you! Jack told me the other day and made me swear to keep my mouth shut, but I was planning on telling you before she came... I'm so sorry!" she had a tendency to babble and freak out when something small happened or bad things happened to her friends that she thought she could have prevented or made easier.

“It’s not really that big of a deal… It’s not like he was my boyfriend or anything…” I sighed leaning back on the couch and closing my eyes.

“But you wish he was.” She stated looking a little guilty,

“Who doesn’t want to be dating a rock star?” I blushed giving my self away,

“Yeah, but this is more than just a high school fan girl crush! I’ve seen how you are around him, the sparks are flying and you both know it!” she had wanted to be a shrink when we were in high school, before her books took off enough for her to live off of them, and had taken classes in human psychology, she could read people’s relative emotions and personas (when she was paying attention) and now she was almost always right.

“So?” I asked blushing bright red “He has a pretty blond girlfriend with boobs… Why would he want me when he has that?”

“Because, Sara my love, what you lack in boobs you gain in a tenfold with personality and innocence.” She replied grinning I sighed again throwing my hands up over my eyes,

“What am I suppose to do now?”

“You win him over!” she smirked slightly evilly, I was slightly worried about what she was going to suggest… Makahla’s ideas for winning love were extremely dangerous, and risky, but generally effective, if you had the guts to go through with it. Guts, with love and guys, were not something I possessed!

“What do you have in mind for me?” I asked cautiously

“Don’t worry hun, I won’t make you do anything too risky. Just follow my lead.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” I asked confused, she sighed

“You know how I’ve been all flirty with Jack and then I'll blow him off so he’s ‘just a friend? Then I start flirting hopelessly with Caleb while he’s around?” I nodded, I had noticed it a few times, and Jack always looked insanely jealous when this happened. “Well, that’s what you need to do.” By this point Makahla’s grin was so big and excited it was almost scary.

“I-I-I don’t know if I can! You know how I am with guys! You know why I am the way I am with then too.” I was slightly panicked, with all of this. I didn’t so well with guys at all… Remember that talk I had with Zack about my dad? Yeah… that’s one reason why I’m like this but not the whole reason, I’m also super shy when it comes to something’s, and guys topped the list!

“Of course you can Sara! I’m going to be there with you every step of the way and I have faith in you.” She assured me, voice softening a little bit.

“No really Makahla… I don’t think I can.” I took a deep breath before I could continue, “I don’t think I could take it if he didn’t fall for it, if he really does love Lisa. Makahla, I don’t think I could handle the rejection.” My voice was only a whisper; because I could barley make myself say it out loud. She hugged me again, this time she didn’t let go. Normally I didn’t let people hug me like this, but with her it was inevitable, she loved hugs and they were her way of comfort, and sometimes it was nice.

“Sara honey, It’s moments like these that I wish I could have switched lives with you when we were kids.” Her voice was barely audible, but I heard her. “Do you think you could give this a chance?” she was biting her lip, slight begging in her eyes, “With this plan you have a fall back and I really think this will end with you being happy.”

“What if it doesn’t? It would just be better if I just stayed out of it.”

“If you do you’re always going to wonder what if. Wouldn’t you rather tell your kids you tried to get the man you loved, but failed because he wasn’t smart enough to see how happy you would have made him, or do you want to say you took the safe way, and lost the man of your dreams to a preppy chick? I'll let you choose, just know I'll do everything in my power to keep you from getting hurt.” She stood up from the couch sitting the computer down on my lap, “I'll be with Jack or Caleb, come find me when you make your decision or want to talk.” And with that she walked out of the bus. I sighed in aggravation. This was not an easy decision… I knew I couldn’t think with the stress of it all right now, so I sat the computer on the floor and plugged into my Ipod.

“Katie don’t cry I know you’re trying your hardest…” Derrick’s voice came over my headphones. How ironic, Miserable At Best… when it was over I played it again and again and again. “I can live without you but without you I'll be miserable at best.” Isn’t that what Makahla was trying to tell me? I knew what I had to do. I prayed that Makahla was right and this would work!

When I found my friend she was sitting on the ground with Caleb’s head on her leg, playing with his hair. Jack, looking like he wanted to drag the other man away by his flaming red hair, was sitting across from them beside Alex and It. Yes I know I’m being mean but she reminds me of the girl I hated most in high school. The rest of All Time Low, and Forever The Sickest Kids were there too.

“Hey Makahla, can I talk to you?” I asked timidly, I was still kinda shaken up…

“Sure,” she grinned knowingly at me, “Caleb you have to move, I have to get up to talk to Sara!” she giggled when he refused to move

“But you’re comfy!” he complained

“Sorry dear, but my best friend duties come before pillows!”

“Fine!” he sighed jokingly annoyed

“So are we going to activate mission ‘MAJ’?” she asked excitedly when were out of earshot but could still keep an eye on them,

“Huh? What’s ‘plan MAJ’?”I asked she had lost me!

“It mean’s ‘Make Alex Jealous!’ I have to plan all of my schemes!” she replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world

“Okay…” seriously she was soo weird sometimes!

“So are we?”

“Yeah… but I wanna choose my other man!” I demanded

“Well duh! So who is it going to be? Kyle or Ryan?” she was bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement.

“Kyle, Ryan is a little too serious for me unfortunately!” she had me giggling now; I swear she cared more about my love lie that I did!

“Okay then! Ready to get started or do you want me to teach you how to do this first?”

“I don’t know the first thing about flirting!”

“Okay then, pay close attention to how I act with Caleb, because I don’t think you’re ready to bounce between them yet.”

“Okay, I think I can do this!”

“I know you can!” she giggled hugging me “I’m so proud of you doing this! Our little girl is growing up!” Makahla cooed earning a glare from me. I followed her back to the group of people and watched her with Caleb.

“Do you want your pillow back Cay?” she asked him head cocked to the side in a cute little kid type manner

“YES!!” he cried making her giggle

“Am I that squishy?” she questioned pushing his hair out of his face,

“Yeah, its nice though, because when ever we try to use other girls as pillows they’re always bony!” he exclaimed grinning up at her

“Okay that’s good!” she giggled again. The whole time we were there she was always touching him in someway, but not overly much, she was also doing a lot of giggling and fluttering her eye lashes, it actually looked kind of natural… I didn’t think I would ever be able to do that!