Status: I'm just getting started. :)

Fall for You

Rachel

Karina had never been very good with relationships, whether it was over infidelity or just plain incompatibility; they all ended with a breakup. She was never the type of girl, who felt the need to have a boyfriend or significant other, simply because she did not want to become to codependent on a man. Each and every one of her past beau's turned out to be selfish bastards who were only interested in one thing; getting in her pants. As soon as the word 'abstinent' came out her mouth, their whole disposition towards her changed, and a breakup soon followed. Abstinence, of course, had its advantages but it also had downfalls. Her female classmates at her old school often taunted her and claimed she was gay and just in denial about it while the guys called her a child. Obviously, her family was ecstatic about her refrainment from sexual activity, especially her father and brother. Karina frowned thinking about how her overprotective sibling and parent would react to Max. The last guy to ask her out called the night of the date and cancelled claiming he was sick when in truth her brother had threatened to beat the poor boy to a pulp if he showed up at her doorstep. Her father was very strict when it came to whom he allowed his little girl to date, he was against the idea of her dating at all, but her mother was able to talk him into it. Even though Max was only a year older, only being 18, she worried her father would object to her dating a senior. A wealthy and white senior at that. Her family was in no way racist, they would probably just be curious as to what someone like Max Mathews would want with Karina. Hell, she even wondered what Max saw in her.

"Okay, I got the keys, is your cell on vibrate?" A voice, coming from the hall said lowly obviously trying to avoid being noticed and heard. Karina turned down the volume of the video she was watching on her computer, to listen more closely. Whoever it was, they sounded strangely familiar…

"Yup, did you?" Karina immediately recognized the second person, Aqua. The somewhat thick accent was a dead giveaway.

"Of course I did dumbass," Karina chuckled, guessing voice number two had to be Mya. Rising off her bed, she walked to the door and raised an eyebrow at the sight of her two best friends. Bent over slightly, trying to creep no doubt, they walked slowly and carefully down the hall towards the stairs. Karina cleared her throat before laughing when the two of them shrieked and quickly turned around, clearly caught off guard by her presence.

Mya glared, "Karina what the hell is you doing?"

Aqua crossed her arms, "Yeah! Don't you know better than to sneak up on somebody like that?"

Karina mirrored her cousin's actions, "I'm just standing here minding my own business, you two is the one's creeping. Speaking of which, where are you guy's headed anyway?"

Aqua's eyes widened slightly, "Huh?"

Karina rolled her eyes, "You heard me; where are you going?"

Her cousin avoided eye contact, "Nowhere…"

"Oh really?" Karina raised an eyebrow, "So you don't mind if I join you right?"

Mya quickly objected, "No! You can't!"

Karina looked back and forth between the two before guessing what they planned to do, her eyes widened and a scowl appeared on her pretty face. "You're going to go spy on Shy and Corey aren't you?"

Aqua scoffed nervously, "What? Girl no, cuz you so crazy."

"Give it up Aqua, she's on to us."

"Hell yeah, I am! I cannot believe you two! Does the word 'privacy' mean nothing to you?" Karina lectured. "And how the hell do you plan to spy on them when you don't even know where they're going? It's too late to follow them."

Aqua shrugged, "We don't need to follow them because we already know where they're going; Sean told me. You want to join us?"

"No!" Karina refused, "This is wrong, ya'll are wrong."

Mya rolled her eyes and waved her hand, dismissing Karina. "Yeah whatever, you want to come with us or what?"

FFYFFYFFYFFYFFYFFYFFY

"Shopping?" Shayera asked, gripping the sides of her seat for dear life. Corey was a reckless driver, they were on a 65 mph interstate section, and she was sure he was going well over 65. She dared not to look over and see exactly how fast he was going, fearing that she would pass out or worse, throw up. She did not like movement, never had, and had only been to an amusement park once in her 15 years. After only one ride, which happened to be the fastest rollercoaster in the park, she felt like she was going to go into cardiac arrest. That was the first and last time she stepped foot on a ride, including that juvenile tea cup one. "We're going…..shopping?"

Corey kept his eyes on the road, "No, you're going shopping."

"Me?" Shy questioned, "So you're not going with me or…" She was expecting a movie, or maybe lunch, hell maybe even a trip to the beach but certainly not shopping. She would do anything but that, mainly because, at the moment, she was broke.

He rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Of course, I'm going with you I'm just not buying anything for myself, just you."

She felt like an idiot for dragging this on but wanted to get things straight, "So you're taking me…..on a shopping spree?"

"You,"

"Okay….why?" It was not that she did not want to go shopping, hell what girl doesn't like shopping, she just felt confused as to why he would want to take her out of all people shopping. They barely knew each other!

"You see that binder on the floor?"

She looked down at the black three ring binder, "Yeah,"

"Open it."

She reached down and picked up the object and opened it, it was practically empty, excluding several pieces of paper. It was an exam that much she could tell, and had a big A- at the top of the first page in bright red marker. Then it finally hit her, it was not just an exam, it was a Spanish exam.

She smiled widely and placed a hand over her mouth, "Oh my God! You got an A!" She squealed, "Congratulations, this is just…..wow."

He glanced at her for a short second, out the corner of his eye, "Thanks to you."

She blushed and looked away, "Wait…..I thought your exam wasn't until next Monday?"

"It is, but I have an out of town game Sunday so my teacher let the team take it this week instead." He shrugged. Due to the school's ridiculous obsession with their athletic department, whenever a team has an out of town game on that falls on a weekday, their automatically dismissed for the whole day. "And that is why I'm taking you shopping, consider it…..a token of my gratitude…..I guess."

She formed a big 'O' with her mouth, "But I-"

For the first time since they had been in the car together, he actually looked over at her. "Relax Shy, it's not that a big deal."

To you, it isn't. Your ass can afford to burn freaking money. Shy sighed, giving up her argument. I just hope it's not some place too expensive…

"Nordstroms? You're kidding me right?" Shayera stood right in the middle of one of the five entrances the department store, mouth slightly ajar. It was bad enough that he had taken her to go shopping in one of the most expensive malls in Virginia but now, she found out they were actually shopping in freaking Nordstroms. It was literally cheaper to eat money than to purchase anything.

Corey rolled his eyes and grabbed her gently by the arm, pulling her to the side. She shivered slightly from the feeling of his warm and strong hands on her bare arm. He sighed; she was really starting to annoy the shit out of him. "What, you don't like this place?"

She shook her head no, "It's not that I don't like it, it's just I've never been here before and well…..it's like crazy expensive….." Shayera could not help but notice how he was not even looking at her; instead, he was glaring at something or maybe someone behind her.

He raised an eyebrow, "Is that what you're worried about?" That seemed to catch his attention, "The money?"

She looked down and mumbled, "Well yeah."

He smirked, looking somewhat amused and amazed. "Do you know who my father is?"

She rolled her eyes, "Of course I do, and I'm not saying you don't have the money because Lord knows you do, I just don't feel comfortable letting you do something like that for me."

He waited a moment before speaking, as if he was thinking about something. "When's your birthday?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Next month but what does that-"

"Well then, problem solved, consider it an early birthday present." He exclaimed, walking further into the store towards the escalators.

"Hey wait!" She yelled after him, blushing as people stared at her; clearly, she needed to work on her indoor voice. The two of them stepped on the elevator, her right behind him. Stepping off the escalator, they entered the juniors department and Shayera could not help but feel self-conscious noticing all the pretty (not to mention skinny) girls who were shopping. One particular green-eyed blonde turned up her nose at the sight of Shy yet smiled seductively at Corey giving him a small wave and wink; he completely ignored her.

"Oh, there you are Corey." An older Caucasian woman with brunette hair and brown eyes smiled warmly, walking up toward the two. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming." She looked over at Shayera, "This must be the young lady you were telling me about."

He placed a hand on the small of Shy's back, "Yeah, Flora this is Shayera, Shy this is Flora a good family friend."

Shayera smiled at the women, "Nice to meet you Ms. Flora"

"Oh please honey, call me Flora."

Shayera loosened up a bit; the women seemed nice enough. "Okay….Flora."

Corey turned to Shy, "She's going to help you….shop I guess."

"Oh?" Shy raised her eyebrow, "So you're not staying with me?"

"I'll just be downstairs in the Men's department." He explained smirking, as he pushed a string of hair behind her left ear. "Don't worry, Flora won't let anything happen to you."

Flora laughed, "Of course not" The older women looked over Shayera's outfit, probably trying to get an idea of her style….or size. "Oh we just got the cutest dresses in that I think you're going to love…..." The women continued talking as she grabbed Shayera by the arm and led her towards the many sales rack.

FFYFFYFFYFFY

"I can't believe I let you two talk me into this." Karina grunted, as she ducked once again to make sure the tree of them would not get spotted.

Aqua glared at her cousin, "Would you keep it down! They might hear us."

Rolling her eyes, Karina scoffed. "Their all the way on the other side, I highly doubt they'll be able to hear us." Shayera and Corey entered on the east side of the store so the three of them came in through the west entrance.

Mya smiled amusingly, as she caught a glimpse of her and her friends in a nearby mirror. Black glasses covered their eyes while different styled hats for each girl rested upon their heads, Aqua even had a pair of binoculars. The three kept their eyes glued to the couple, noticing that Corey was shooting daggers towards someone. Following his eyes, they realized it was another guy who was not so subtly checking out Shayera.

Mya reached in her purse and pulled out a notepad, "Possessiveness." She said aloud, writing down the same word.

"What are you doing?" Karina questioned.

"Observing the Dick AKA Corey." Mya replied.

Aqua squealed, "Look! Their going up the escalator!"

"Quick!" Mya exclaimed, "Let's take the elevator!" The three of them ran towards the nearest elevator, noticing the door was closing they yelled out 'wait' for whoever was inside to hold it open. A few seconds later the door slowly but surely opened, and the three young women could not believe who was inside.

"What the hell are you guy's doing here?!" Mya questioned, confused as to what Max, Sean and Mattt were doing at a department store…..on a Saturday.

Max rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Oh you know just…..umm….shopping?" It was more of a question rather than an answer.

Aqua tilted her head to the side, "Oh really? Shopping for what?"

Sean decided to take this one, "Umm…..socks?" A question. Mattt and Max groaned in frustration at their friend.

"I can't believe you guys!" Karina gasped, "Your spying on Shy and Corey too aren't you?"

Mattt feigned innocence, "What? No were not, were just…..hey…..what do you mean "too"?"

"Huh?" This time Karina played innocent, "I didn't say "too.""

"Yes you did!" Max accused, pointing a finger at his girlfriend.

She shook her head. "Nu uh!"

"Uh huh!" He argued.

"Look!" Mya rolled her eyes, "Shayera is our best friend, and we have the right to protect her from your man whore/heartbreaking friend!"

Mattt copied Mya's actions, "Protect? Really Mya? What the fuck you think he's going to do to her, hold her hostage?"

FFYFFYFFYFFYFFY

"I like it."

"I don't." Shayera spun around in the mirror observing the white sparkly halter dress that reached just above her knees. It was cute and all but it clung to her body for dear life and the neck was cut too low for her comfort. The main reasons Corey liked it, not doubt. He was not gone too long, just enough to skip the clothes searching and such but right in time to her try them on.

"I think it looks cute on ya baby, shows off your little figure." Beverly, an older African-American woman who, along with flora, was assisting Shayera in her shopping commented.

"But that's just it; I don't want to attract guys with my body. I want someone to like me for ME not," She gestured to her body, "this."

Once again, Corey seemed like he was getting annoyed. Shayera was starting to get annoyed herself with his constant mood swings. "And that someone is me; I like you for your personality." Shayera blushed. "Your ass is just a bonus." He smirked.

She glared playfully as she threw a nearby hanger at him that he dodged of course, "Shut the hell up." She laughed, walking back in the dressing room.

"A major bonus," He mumbled as soon as she was out of hearing distance.

OoOoOoOo

"It's nice, why don't you go try it on." Shayera suggested, feeling the soft hundred-dollar shirt Corey was looking at. She had finished her shopping with much success thanks to Beverly and Flora of course. She left with ten large shopping bags that Corey had brought to his car for her, how much he spent on the clothes was something she didn't want to know. Hell, she couldn't even if she wanted to; he had made her walk away while he made the purchase. Which is why when he said he did not see anything he liked, she convinced him to go look again confessing she would feel bad if she walked out with all that yet he got nothing.

"It is nice…" He stated before handing her the shirt and reaching for the bottom of his own shirt at the moment.

"Oh dear God," She gulped, feeling her face warm up like never before at the sight of his shirtless self. She felt the strongest urge to trail her hands up his perfect six-pack and feel his well-sculpted biceps and triceps. He wasn't overly bulky or anything but, she certainly saw why not many guys at the school challenged him and the few who did often ended up laid out. Hockey did him good. "You know when I said try it on, I meant in the dressing room; not here." She mumbled, feeling her body temperature rise enormously.

He smirked, grabbing the shirt out of her hand and slipping it on. "My bad, guess I misunderstood you."

"Sure you did," She muttered, leaning down to pick up his own shirt that he dropped on the floor. Rising back up she noticed the semi large tattoo located on his lower back, which spelled out "Rachel" in large cursive black letters. She frowned slightly wondering who Rachel was; clearly, she must have been someone who he deeply cared for. It was a tattoo after all; you don't get those just because there is always a motive and emotional reason behind them.

He pulled off the non-purchased shirt and slipped his own back on, "It's nice but I don't need it. Are you hungry?"

"Uhh…..kind of."

"Well I'm starving so I figured we could go to Johnny Rockets." He noticed the confused look on her face, "You've never heard of Johnny Rockets?"

She smiled softly as they started walking towards the mall, "I've heard of it, I've just never been there."

"Well after today, you won't be able to say that."

FFYFFYFFYFFY

"Where are they going now?" Sean asked no one in particular, as him and Aqua took turns sharing the binoculars.

"I don't know, I think their heading to the mall. I hope so, that'll make it easier to snoop without being caught." Mattt commented.

Karina huffed, "I just want to say that you guy's should-"

"Oh shut up!" The 5 teens yelled in unison, including Max. Karina raised her eyebrow at him while giving a menacing look.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I meant them baby…not you." He draped his arm around her as she let out an attitude filled "mmmhmm."

The six teens followed closely behind Corey and Shayera but not close enough to be seen. When they saw, the couples enter into the restaurant they waited until they saw the waiter come to take their order before slipping in the diners themselves. They squeezed into one table at the far back corner of the place hoping it would lessen their chances of being caught.

FFYFFYFFYFFYFFYFFY

"Can I ask you something?" Shayera asked abruptly, breaking the semi awkward silence they were sitting in.

He hesitated slightly then shrugged, "Shoot."

She debated on how to word the question, "I….I couldn't help but notice your tattoo and well…..I was just wondering…..you know umm….."

"Who Rachel is?" He finished and she nodded shyly.

Looking at him, she noticed how his whole disposition had changed. He seemed tenser and less laid back, eyes void of any emotion, and it was as if he was putting up a barrier. She regretted ever bringing up the question.

"She was….." He looked away from Shy, voice also lacking emotion, "My best friend." He didn't say she did but Shayera got the feeling that Rachel passed away and felt even worse about bringing the whole thing up. Still, she wondered exactly how he was feeling. He wouldn't even look at her so searching his eyes was no use and even so she doubted he would be that open with her.

She looked down, "I'm sorry, I-"

He scoffed and looked at her with a tense and furious glare, "You sure do ask a lot of fucking questions you know that?"

She returned his glare, "What the hell? I only asked one Goddamn question and if you didn't want to talk about it, you should have fucking said so." Corey was taken aback by her outburst; he had never seen this side of her before. Hell, he didn't know it existed but it did. Moreover, as odd as it was; he found it to be a complete and total turn on.

Neither of them said anything for the next few minutes, until Corey muttered he had to go to the restroom and Shy replied with a simple 'ok' as she sipped on some of her lemonade. Truth, he didn't even have to go to the bathroom, so instead he just splashed water on his face. As he walked out the restroom he noticed six people sitting discreetly at a far table, it was only when he saw one of them look up and around he recognized whom they were.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," He mumbled in anger, pondering the idea of going over there and cursing them out but smirked when another idea came to mind. Walking over to the counter he whispered a favor to their waiter, a young and blonde-haired woman who looked so desperate and pathetic before sitting back down.

"Say you're sorry," Shy mumbled, resting her hand in her chin looking down at the table.

"What?"

This time she looked up at him, "Say you're sorry." He wanted to cuss her out, scream, and let her know that he didn't owe her a damn thing and that it would be a cold day in Juvember before she received an apology from him. However, as he looked at her the only thing he could think about was those big brown eyes, they captivated him. Mesmerized him. Enchanted him.

Clenching his teeth slightly, he mumbled. "Sorry"

Giggling, she reached over and pecked him on the cheek before leaning against him, "See, that wasn't so hard was it?"

He placed his arm around her waist, allowing her to be closer to him, "Whatever."

FFYFFYFFYFFYFFYFFY

"Here's your food." The waiter named Shelby said boringly as she placed the plated on the table.

"Wait," Mya, said, "We didn't order a pie." She said looking at the boxed up desert.

Shelby pointed over to an older man dressed in all black who looked mentally unstable, "It was a gift from him." She walked away.

Karina looked weary, "That was strangely nice of him…I think."

Mattt rolled his eyes, "Who cares, it's free pie!" He exclaimed opening up the box but his eyes widened on fear ash he looked at it.

Aqua noticed, "What?"

He didn't say anything but just handed her the pie before sprinting out the diner like a mad man.

"What the hell?" Mya exclaimed.

"I know what you did; payback is a bitch." Aqua read aloud as she followed Matt's actions afterwards screaming in Spanish though.

The other four teens looked in horror at the red writing on the cake, before getting up to leave also. Karina looked up at the man and he caught her gaze shooting her daggers before looking away.

"Oh hell no! I'm out ya'll!" Mya exclaimed before leaving out.

Karina did the same as she yelled, "Feet don't fail me now!"

Max quickly pulled out his wallet pulling out all the cash in it before throwing it on the table and running out with Sean.

FFYFFYFFYFFY

Shayera looked in shock, "Was that?-"

"Yup," Corey replied.

"Have they been-"

"Uh huh"

She waited a few moments, "Do I even want to know?"

He smirked and kissed her on the forehead, "Probably not, hey what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Nothing, why?"

"I have a game tomorrow and I want you to come."

"Okay, but only if you come with me to my family's house tonight, we're having a barbeque."

"There's food? I'm there." She laughed and slapped him playfully, leaning even more into his embrace. She felt safe with him, as if nothing bad could touch her. It was a feeling she had never felt before but could quickly get used to.