Only Wanna Dance With You

She sighed as she looked around the room for her shoes. She didn't feel like totally dressing up, but she an interview that afternoon at Studio 7 Salon and Spa a salon that had just opened in downtown Huntington Beach. She glanced at herself in the mirror and sighed. She had had to dig through the laundry piled around her room to find clothes. She hadn't put anything away yet and was living out of clothes baskets. She'd managed to find a blue strapless top, and a pair of jeans.

She didn't know what Lyric wanted but if it was important she was going to slam her cousin through a wall for getting her up early. She walked out of her room and into the kitchen.

“Coffee's fresh Rae.” Brent her very hot, very gay room mate said. Raelyn shook her head.

“Meeting Lyric for coffee, before my interview. How much would it cost me to...” Raelyn growled when her phone went off. She pulled it out and glared at it. “And that's her, I gotta go.” Raelyn sighed as she darted out of the apartment. She got behind the wheel of her car and glared at it. She needed to take it in to get it looked at. She didn't know why but it was making a strange noise everytime she tried to turn on the air. And Brent, he had no clue what was wrong with it. She sighed, thinking that she'd borrow Lyrics car.

Lyric was outside waiting on her. Rae looked at her cousin's face and raised an eyebrow. She looked way to happy. She was never this happy when her boyfriend was gone. Rae got out of the car and moved to her cousin.

“How's Uncle Harold?” she asked as she got to Lyric.

“Still an ass. Pissed that my Grandma left me the house. He needs to get over it. It was my Mom's mother, not his.”

“I liked your Mom. Uncle Harold, I hate.”

“Me too, and he's my father. So, anyways, I'm not here to discuss my ass of a father. I have the most amazing news ever.”

“Can I get coffee first?”

“Yeah.” Once Raelyn had her coffee and they were sitting at a table inside. She looked at Lyric expectanly.

“Well?”

“Brian and I are getting married!”

“I thought he was out of town.”

“He came home for a day.”

“Which is why you look like you spent the past twenty four hours getting laid.”

“You're just jealous that you aren't getting laid on a regular basis. Anyway, I had to share the news with you. After all you are my favorite cousin.”

“And Fiona is a close second I know.”

“Well, maybe I had one more reason. I want you to be my maid of honor.”

“That coudln't wait? I have a job interview today... okay, sorry being bitchy the AC is out in the car again.”

“I'll take it to the shop, take my car.” Lyric said taking her cousin's keys and handing hers off.

“Thanks, you're the best.”

“I know. Oh, and you and Fiona have eight months to find dates for the wedding. If you don't find one, you are going with one of Brian's friends.”

“Yeah, no thanks. I hate Brian's friends.”

“Hate is a little harsh, don't you think?”

“No. Brian, I can stand him. Mainly because he makes you happy, and brought you back to Huntington Beach. The others, are all way to cocky and annoying. Now, I have to go.”

“Hey, where's the interview?”

“That new salon in downtown Huntington Beach.”

“Alright. Bye Rae. Find a date or I'm making you go with...”

“I can't hear you!” She called back over her shoulder.

----

That evening Rae sighed as she sat in her living room listening to Brent ramble on about his date that night. When he told her she needed to find a boyfriend she growled. Then she got an idea.

“Hey, I have an idea!”

“What?” He asked cautiously.

“You can be my date for Lyric's wedding.”

“She called, said, I'm invited and to bring Jared.”

“Fucking bitch! She just wants to make my life a living hell. Hey your brother doesn't have a girlfriend...”

“And he'd chew off his own hand before going anywhere near you.”

“Damn you're right. Does Jared have a brother?”

“Jared's an only child. Oh c'mon Rae, I'm sure you can find a date.”

“Yeah, you're my best friend and your brother won't come anywhere near me. That really instills confidence that I can find a date. I'm going out.” She growled and got up and quickly changed.

“Well she did say she could set...”

“Shut the fuck up Brent!” Raelyn yelled.

“Just sayin'. Pretty sad that the head cheerleader can't get a date.” When Rae walked back out narrowed her eyes at him.

“You are such an asshole!” She growled. He just grinned. She moved off toward her room once more and tore through her clothes. She found what she was looking for and got dressed.

----

Raelyn took a seat at the bar where she could watch the room and held her drink in her hand. She blew out a breath and sighed. She crossed one leg over the other and watch the people coming and going. And then she watched him walk in. She narrowed her eyes and turned to the bar and downed her drink, signaling for another. This just wasn't her night. She began to wonder if she could get out of there without him noticing her. She started to stand and when she went to turn she ran into someone. A moment later they were sitting together and he'd ordered her another drink.

----

Raelyn groaned as she stumbled into her apartment around nine the next morning. Brent was sprawled in a chair in the kitchen watching Jared cook breakfast.

“And good morning Sunshine.” Jared said turning to Rae. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“I won this time Jare... told you that she'd stumble in before noon.”

“Fuck you both.” She grumbled. She headed back to her room.

“That girl has lost her damned mind. Where'd she go last night anyways?”

“Fuck if I know Jare. Wonder who she slept with this time though.” Brent said.

“I can hear you bastards shut up before I fucking kill you.” The guys looked at one another and shook their heads. Rae crawled onto her bed after kicking off her heels and barely managing to get out of her dress. She was out cold a few minutes later. She didn't hear the knock at the door.

Brent walked to the door and pulled it open and smiled at Lyric.

“What can we do for ya today Lyric?”

“Tell me where Rae is so we can trade cars back. Now that everything that was wrong with hers is fixed.”

“The only way that would be possible is if you sent the thing to the junkyard.”

“I did. Here are her keys, do you happen to know where mine are?”

“Uhm, Jared what did Rae do with the car keys?”

“Fuck if I know. I don't think she walked in with any.” he said walking out to the living room. The trio looked at one another and ran downstairs to the parking lot.

“Where the fuck is my car?” Lyric demanded. The three of them looked around and Lyric looked pissed. She stormed inside and straight to her cousins room. “Raelyn Noelle Jordan!” Rae woke instantly and fell off the bed.

“What? Ow, my head. What the fuck? Lyric?”

“Where the fuck is my car?”

“Uhm...” She looked around disoriented for a moment and then looked at her cousin. “At uhm...” she swallowed. “You don't want to know?”

“Raelyn if you want to live to see noon, you better fucking tell me where my god damned car is.” A moment later Lyrics phone went off playing Chapter Four. She growled and answered it.

“What Brian?”

“Why is your car sitting in the Vertigo parking lot?”

“I don't know.” Lyric glanced at Rae. “Why is my car at Vertigo?”

“Uhm... that's where I left it...?” Lyric's eyes narrowed.

“I'll have one of the guys drive it home babe. I'll come get you from Rae's in an hour.”

“Okay, better make it sooner if possible. I may kill her.” Lyric told her fiancé, her eyes narrowed at her cousin. Raelyn just rolled her eyes and then rolled over going back to sleep. Or at least trying to go to sleep. Her head was still pounding because the morons in the room wouldn’t go away.

“So where were you last night Rae? Obviously you didn’t come home until thirty minutes ago…” Lyric muttered.

“I was with a friend of sorts. Now would you morons go the hell away.”

“Your car is downstairs. Just hit the button on the keychain to unlock it.” Lyric muttered. “I’m going to wait for my fiancé.”

----

Raelyn still wasn’t used to the car her cousin had given her. The explanation being, so she didn’t have to worry if she’d hear that Rae was dead in a ditch because of the deathtrap that she had been driving. It had been three months now and Lyric was still on her about having a date for the wedding. Rae wanted to scream. She didn’t really want to find a date, but that was the only other option. The wedding was a little less than five months away now and she was not going to be going with one of Brian’s friends. She had to find a date. That was all there was to it. Lyric was on her case about it and it was getting on her nerves. She tried to continue on without thinking about everyone finding dates. Apparently Fiona had decided going with one of Brian’s friends was better than being bothered to find a date while working her busy schedule.

----

Rae sighed as she walked into Virtue and headed straight to the bar. She’d decided going to Vertigo wasn’t a good idea anymore so she avoided it. She had been avoiding everyone for the past three months. She wanted nothing to do with them. Her roommate was getting extra annoying because he always had his boyfriend over. It was like she didn’t get a break. Tonight she just wanted to be alone. She never even saw what happened next coming.

As she fell back onto the bed Rae moaned as she reached up and gripped the arms of the man that was above her, tight. His hands moved over her as he removed her clothes and she reached out, shoving at his. Once they were completely naked she was begging him to take her. He didn’t need told twice, and he didn’t need any extra incentive before he entered her.

Rolling over in the bed the next morning Raelyn found herself staring at the man she was beside. Her eyes widened in shock and she stiffened as he began to wake. A moment later her eyes were on his. He stared at her and a moment later growled.

“Raelyn…” There was hatred burning in those eyes.

“Matthew.” She said glaring. She grabbed at the sheet and moved from the bed. She moved around looking for her clothes. He just watched her.

“I haven’t been this close to you since high school.”

“And it will be the last fucking time that you see me. At all.”

“Oh c’mon Rae… don’t be like that. It was high school.”

“Oh so you’re still as stupid as you were back then? That much is obvious.”

“Oh, please. You were as sober as I was last night.”

“I was still drunk. And obviously no matter how drunk I am, even if it’s just a little bit I made a bad decision, unless you slipped something in my drink last night too…”

“Seriously, grow up. That wasn’t us.” Matt growled.

“Burn in hell.” Raelyn shouted as she moved towards the stairs. She got to the bottom of the stairs and he shouted down at her.

“See you at Lyric and Brian's wedding sweetheart.”

“Fuck you!” And the door slammed behind her. She didn't hear him because the door was slammed between them.

“Already did, baby. Already did.”

Once she had left and found her way home, she pulled her cell phone out and willed the other person to answer the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey Alex, it's Rae...”

“Oh hey, what can I do for you?”

“Be my date to my cousins wedding.”

“And that obviously wasn't you asking. What's up?”

“I may have slept with someone that plans on being there, and I need a distraction.”

“When is it?”

“Two months. Please I'll owe you big time for this.”

“You don't owe me, I'll do it.”

“Thanks.”

----

“No, you must've read it wrong... I can't be pregnant.” Raelyn said glaring at the doctor.

“I'm sorry Ms. Jordan, but that's the results.” Rae growled as she walked out of the doctors office twenty minutes later. She was two months pregnant.

“I'm going to fucking kill him!” She exclaimed once she was outside. A police officer glanced at her raising an eyebrow.

“Ma'am.”

“Oh stuff it, I'm not going to kill anyone.” She got in her car. “At least not that I'd admit to you.” She muttered. She headed home taking the now familiar turn to Alex's. They'd been working on a cover story for the past two months on what they were going to tell everyone. When she got there he was just getting home.

“What brings you over today, didn't think I'd see you until tomorrow...”

“Shut up. We need to talk.”

“I didn't do it.” He said.

“No, Sanders did.”

“Oh shit.”

----

Alex held Raelyn's hand as they walked into the house where Lyric was getting ready for her wedding. Rae's hair was done and she just had to change into her dress. Her cousin was getting married on the beach. Something Lyric had dreamed of since she was a little girl and seen her mother and stepfather do.

“It's about time you got here, your cousin... who's this?”

“My date. Alex. Alex my Uncle Harold. I thought Jacob was going to be here.”

“I'm not staying. I came by to say congratulations. She'd prefer that bastard...”

“I'd watch what you say about the man that raised your daughter as his own.” Harold glared at Rae and she just smiled back. He walked away swearing that his daughter and niece were ungrateful little bitches.

“He'll never learn.” Rae glanced up and smiled at Lyric.

“I'll see you down there Alex.” Raelyn told him and he nodded. “Stay out of trouble.” He knew what she meant.

“You're date is Alex Varkatzas?”

“Yes?” Rae said looking at her cousin. Lyric just shook her head.

“Oh, did you see the main floor of this place has been transformed into...”

“Your dream reception hall? Yes Lyric I did. Can we just get this over with?”

“Yes, drinks ladies!”

“I can't.” Rae muttered. “I start drinking I won't stay sober.” She said catching herself. Lyric rolled her eyes and shook her head, but her eyebrow shot up.

“Yeah, you never turn down alcohol.”

“I don't trust the friends of the man you are marrrying. I'm staying sober.”

“They aren't here, c'mon Rae.” Fiona said looking at her cousin.

“I don't care. I'm not...”

“One drink is not going to kill you! It's just a fucking shot, you know I hate champagne. C'mon it's my wedding day Rae.” Raelyn cocked an eyebrow at her and rolled her eyes.

“No. Shouldn't you just finish getting ready. You've waited for this long enough, weren't you the one so excited yesterday when you called me that you wanted it to be your wedding. Look, I'm really not in the mood for a drink, how about you all do a shot, and I'll just change.”

“Fine, you promised not to be bitchy today too.” Lyric muttered.

“You'd be bitchy too if you were knocked up.” Rae muttered. And when her cousin stared at her she realized what she had just said.

“Pregnant...” Lyric said.

“Just drop it okay. This is about you and Brian.”

“You and me are having a talk later.” Lyric muttered.

“Whatever.”

----

They were all sitting in the reception hall later, Raelyn, half asleep because she'd woken early that morning to puke her guts out, like she did every morning. She had her head resting on Fiona's shoulder, as her cousin talked to Lyric and Brian. Alex had gone to get them something to drink. And at her request making sure the soda she got was unopened. Brian turned to pay attention to his friends and Jared and Brent walked over dragging chairs with them and the two of them looked at Raelyn, as did Fiona and Lyric.

“So, how far you?” Lyric asked queitly, none of them noticing that the men beside them had actually heard her and shut up.

“Two months.” Rae muttered with her eyes closed. The small group turned to Alex as he walked back up.

“Why are you looking at me like I killed someone?”

“Alex isn't the father.” Rae mumbled when she saw the looks that her friends and family were throwing at the man. “Just a friend.” And she groaned, realizing that she was going to be sick. “I'll be back.” And she moved off quickly. They all looked after her, and Matt's eyebrow shot up when he saw Alex shake his head.

He muttered something about needing to use the bathroom. He watched her enter the bathroom, after someone walked out. The door wasn't even shut before she was getting sick. He stepped in and pulled her hair out of her face, attempting not to gag as she puked. When she pulled back she closed her eyes and groaned as she flushed the toilet. She turned and not realizing yet who was in the bathroom with her, took the wet towel and wiped her mouth, and moved to splash water on her face. Finally she looked up and her eyes went wide when she saw who was helping her. She groaned inwardly and very slowly turned to the father of her unborn child.

“Is it mine?” He asked her as she turned.

“What do you think?” Rae growled.

“I think if it is, that I have a right to know.” She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Yes.” She watched him sigh and lean against the wall, scrubbing his hands over his face.

Could the man actually have been struck speechless?

“Raelyn, c'mon open the door.”

“Go away Lyric. I'm in the middle of a conversation.”

“That's what I'm worried about!”

“I'm not gonna hurt her.” Matt returned.

“Like I fucking believe that one.” Lyric growled.

“Oh for Christsakes it wasn't us! I've never done anything that stupid! And I'd never even think about doing isomething like that to Raelyn...”

“Excuse me...” Rae said staring at him. She watched as he brought his eyes to meet hers.

“Well I wouldn't.” he mumbled, suddenly he felt like the walls were closing in. “Can we go uhm, somewhere else to talk?”

“The dance floor?” Rae asked him softly, surprising them both. Suddenly she was realizing why in the hell she was always drinking when he was around. She wondered when she had started liking him, let alone falling in love with him.

“Or we could just, go...”

“Sure. Way better idea.”

“I'm sure you'd rather change as well.” He said pointing to her dress. She'd managed to miss the damned toilet as she'd rushed into the bathroom.

“Yeah.” When she opened the door she glanced around, and didn't see anyone. They slipped out of the building and headed to his SUV.

----

“Lyric's gonna murder me.” Rae murmered as she lay on the couch in the small rental house they were in on the beach. He glanced at her and watched her for a moment. He had just brought her back breakfast and was setting it up.

“Why? Because you ditched out on the reception or because you haven't called in three weeks?”

“Both? But in my defense, I've tried to call her. She has better things to do though than answer her phone.”

“Yeah, I mean it is her honeymoon. She hasn't even texted you back?”

“No. And I texted her from the airport, the day we made our impromtu decision to come here.”

“That was the day she got married.” Matt said reaching out a hand a moment later. She sighed and took it. She looked at the food on the table and smiled weakly.

“Thank you.” She said as he pulled out a chair for her. He sat across from her and thought for a moment.

“So we really need to talk.”

“About?” Rae asked as she popped a piece of fruit into her mouth.

“Us. What we're gonna do...”

“I thought we talked about this the other night before bed. You asked me to be your girlfriend, I said yes. You asked me to think about moving in with you once the baby was born. I said I'd think about it.”

“Sorry, I didn't know if you were just saying that because you were tired and I wouldn't shut up.”

“Matt, I started sleeping beside you a few nights ago. Pretty sure, you knew I was serious. Or are you...”

“I'll admit it, I'm a little...”

“Off center? Yeah. Both of us are. But, if we hadn't have gotten away we'd be dealing with all of our friends demanding to know what the hell is going on.”

“Yeah. Maybe, it's because I've wanted you for so long, and now, it's just so surreal to me. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up in Huntingon Beach in my room alone.”

“No, it's real. Wait how longs “so long”?”

“Let's just not go there.” Matt muttered and took a drink of the juice in front of him.

“But I wanna know. Longer than three years?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, so you're telling me you started or well, fell before I did?”

“What are you...” Raelyn just smiled. He sighed. “High school. And by the way it was Sullivan Lynn Harding that fixed your drink. She just tried to blame us.”

“That bitch always did hate me. And seriously? High School?”

“Yeah, High School.”

----

Lyric sighed as she grabbed her phone from the depths of her bag and plugged it in figuring it would be dead. She hadn't touched it in three weeks. She'd been too busy with Brian to do much more than eat and shower occasionally. Once it was plugged in she powered it on and saw she had a text, and several missed calls from Raelyn. There were no messages so she opened the text.

Don't worry, I'm fine. Needed to get away and figure shit out. Went to Cabo San Lucas with Matt. No we aren't doing anything stupid. Love you always.

“Jesus fucking Christ! Brian give me your fucking phone!”

“Lyric is everything okay?”

“No! Rae and Matt went to Cabo.”

“The fuck for?” Brian growled. She handed him her phone as she dialed her cousins number on Brian's phone.

“About time you called back Lyric.”

“How the fuck did you know it was me?”

“Matt recognized the number. Didn't figure Brian would actually call me.”

“Are you fucking insane Raelyn?”

“No, why?”

“Hello, Cabo with Matt? Please tell me...”

“Chill Lyric. Everything's fine, we're not dead, not married, and not having sex, like that'd matter. And until three nights ago, were sleeping in seperate rooms.”

“So, you're really just figuring things out?”

“Well yeah, and we're together now, but not going to think about moving in together until after our baby is born.”

“Jesus Rae...”

“Lyric, I'm fine. Go back to Brian. Matt's not going to hurt me. Besides, I”m happy for once. That should make you happy.” And Lyric pulled the phone away from her ear as she heard her cousin hang up on her.

“Sweet fucking Jesus. I think she's done lost it. And I think they think they're in love.”

“He is in love with her baby. Has been since High School.”

----

Six months later Raelyn lay across Matt's couch watching him argue with his dad about something and shaking her head. She rested a hand on her stomach and smiled. She glanced at Kim who finally rolled her eyes.

“Alright enough. Would you please just help him Gary.”

“Thanks Mom.”

“No problem son.”

“I don't see why his friends can't help him carry this shit upstairs.”

“Because dear, you're his father. And the baby's grandfather. Do you want your grandchild to have somewhere to sleep or not.” Kim said to her husband. Raelyn giggled when she watched him groan and moved to help Matt.

“Thanks Kim.”

“No problem dear. You make my son happy.”

“He makes me happy. And I think that's why my room mates kicked me out. That and they wanted the second room for something. I'm not sure what, and I don't know what.”

“What's with the mess? Matt and Gary still not done?” Kim and Rae's heads turned and for the third time in ten minutes Rae laughed. She looked at her four month pregnant cousin and rolled her eyes.

“Maybe if you two had gotten here sooner, Brian could've helped and they'd be done.”

“I'm still not used to seeing you happy.” Lyric muttered as she eased onto the couch. She had been at work that day and spent thirty minutes before leaving for her appointment arguing with another lawyer about something and was exhausted.

“Yeah, well get used to it, because Matt, he makes me the happiest woman in the world. And he's the only one I'll want for the rest of my life.”