Final Chapter

present

"Oh, wow," Heather gasped, leaning back onto the bench. Sophia smiled sadly as she stared at the face of her sleeping son. He resembled Dylan so much.

"I'm so sorry, Sophie," she whispered softly before enveloping the other woman in a gentle embrace. Heather wiped a few tears that had escaped during Sophia's tragic story telling after releasing her. The sleeping boy in Sophia's arms suddenly drew her attention.

"So, how's the little chap holding up?" Heather inquired, running her hand on the soft tuft of brown hair.

Sophia sniffled a little before answering, "Every night I would tell a story about his daddy and Daryl would sleep with a smile on his face."

Daryl gave a little moan before snuggling against Sophia's blouse. Heather watched sadly as she pondered on the boy's life; no dad to play catch with, no dad to teach him to ride a bike, no love from a father.

"I know what you're thinking," Sophia interrupted suddenly. Her green eyes were hard and determined as she averted her gaze to the woman next to her.

"What do you mean?" Heather blurted, a little shocked.

Sophia gave a little smile. "You're thinking that Daryl is going to grow loveless and lonely."

Heather's mouth bobbed open to defend herself but Sophia cut her in before a word was uttered.

"Daryl is surrounded by people who love him. His Uncle Hunter lives next door to us and visits almost everyday. Uncle Luke and Zach love to take him to baseball games, as to harvest his 'inner man'."

Sophia rubbed the little boy's cheeks during the brief pregnant pause when Heather didn't know what to say. "Plus," she continued softly, "Daryl knows his Daddy is always watching over him, pouring him with love."

Heather's eyes softened as it glistened with unshed tears. "You're a strong woman, Sophie," she pointed out. Sophia gave out a little chuckle at her statement. "Well, you can't help but keep a stiff upper lip when you spent almost all of your life around farting boys."

The two women laughed together at the memories of their friends. When their laughter died, they sat in silence and watched the leaves dancing around them. They were both lost in their own thoughts, pondering about their conversation.

"So," Heather started, "what did you do after, you know."

Sophia leaned her head back to gaze at the clear blue sky. "Obviously, we decided to quit the band. It's not the same without him," she paused, her eyes glassy, "I had Daryl and decided to be a music teacher at Casco Bay High School. It's just a 30 minute drive from my apartment"

Heather raised an eyebrow at her answer. "How ironic that you became a teacher? You used to hate them, especially Mr. Wart-A-Lot."

Sophia laughed at the memory, muffling it with her palm. "God, I used to hate him. Remember when one of his wart literally exploded in front of the class?"

This elicited a loud giggle from the brunette. "Poor Jimmy, he was sprayed with the wart juices."

Sophia threw her head back and emitted a full-hearted laugh, drawing a smile on the other girl's lips. "Ah," the redhead sighed after she had calmed down, "how I miss high school."

Heather wrinkled her nose at this. "Nah, I don't miss it very much except for my friends," she admitted, "High school life is nothing but crazy drama shit. I'm glad that's over."

Sophia suspired in agreement. She closed her eyes to let the gentle breeze blow away all the sad memories in her life.

She was a strong woman but after Dylan's funeral, all her beliefs were thrown out of the window. She lost count on how many night was spent curled under the cover, clutching Dylan's pillow to her chest. The boys tried everything to lift her up but nothing could hide the fact that her fiancé, the father of her child, was gone forever. It took a few months until Sophia was finally able to function normally, well, as normal as she could.

But all her efforts were burned when she gave birth to Daryl. Hunter and Natasha had been by her side, holding her hands during the process but in her mind, it wasn't enough. She needed Dylan. Sophia couldn't even look at her newborn baby, let alone hold him. The doctor diagnosed her condition as Postpartum Depression. It took every fiber in Natasha's body to help her daughter heal because her grandson needed his mother. Up to this day, Sophia couldn't repay all of her mother's sacrifices.

"Sophia?" a familiar voice hollered. Sophia's eyes snapped open, as well as Heather's. They both turned to stare at a man running towards them. His curly hair billowed in the wind as he caught up to the bench they were sitting on.

"Sophie, what are you doing here all alone?" he panted, a little out of breath, "I stopped by your apartment to find it empty and your neighbor told me you left without a word. Do you know how worried I was?"

"Hunter," Sophia flushed, "Stop fussing." He frowned at her subtle head gesture pointing towards the girl next to her but his brown eyes finally widened when Heather's face registered his mind.

"Heather? Heather Brown?" he questioned in disbelief. Heather laughed and held out a hand to him.

"Long time no see, Hunter Kinsley," she grinned, "Looks like you haven't changed a bit."

The three of them chatted animatedly for a few minutes before Sophia politely interrupted to end their talk.

"I have to head home now, Heather," she said, "Daryl will get fussy when he doesn't have his dinner on time."

Heather nodded before proceeding to envelop Sophia in a tight hug. Daryl was now in Hunter's arms so she squeezed the air out of her friend.

"You have my number, don't you?" Heather asked when they pulled apart. Sophia nodded and took Daryl from Hunter again.

"It was very nice to see you again, Heather. If you need anything, call me," she offered.

Heather smiled and waved at the two retreating form as they walked together to Hunter's car. Sophia's willpower and brave heart gave Heather a new look on life. Sometimes life will turn its back on you unexpectedly but you have to keep your game face on and continue your journey. After all, what is life without its trials?

*************************************************************************************

"Hey Soph, how did you get here?" asked Hunter when he couldn't find Sophia's car anywhere.

"I took the cab," she answered, "the traffic is gonna kill me if I drove on a Monday."

When they reached Hunter's Honda, Sophia gently strapped Daryl onto the extra car seat Hunter had stashed in his boot in case it was needed. Daryl gave a little groan but went back to sleep immediately. As the car drove off, Sophia gazed out of the window to view the passing stones.

"You okay?" Hunter voiced out.

"Yeah, I am," Sophia answered honestly, smiling up at him. He couldn't help but return her smile with a grin of his own.

They drove in a comfortable silence until Sophia broke it. "So when's Lillian coming home?" she inquired. Lillian was Hunter's new wife; they had just been married for over three months. Lillian, with her hot temper and spitfire attitude mashed well with Hunter's witty and stubborn self. The duo met during the final concert of The Avenue where she worked as the backstage staff.

"This evening. God, I miss her so much, I felt like it's been years since I last saw here."

Sophia couldn't help but giggle at his answer. "It has only been five days, Hunter."

"Yeah well, we're newlyweds, we get away with all these mushy stuff," he grinned.

His grin provoked a smile from her own lips and she knew, that everything was going to be okay.


*************************************************************************************

"But momma, I'm not sweepy," complained Daryl when Sophia changed him into his Batman pajamas.

"It's already past your bedtime, young man," she scolded gently, "if you don't get to bed now, you'll wake up a cranky boy. And what happens when you're a cranky boy?"

"I won't get ice-cweam," he pouted. Sophia smiled at her son before tucking his Robin blanket around him.

"Now, will you be a good boy and go to sleep?" Daryl nodded vigorously at the question, causing his brown hair to fly everywhere. Sophia smoothen it down before leaning down to plant a kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight, munchkin," she murmured. Gently getting up to her feet as to not wake the slumbering toddler, Sophia turned off the lights but left the door slightly ajar so the light from the hallway will illuminate his room.

Sophia was comfortably perched on the sofa in her own pajamas, grading her students' papers when the doorbell rang. She scuttled over and quickly pried the door open, afraid that the bell would wake up Daryl. A smile grazed on her lips when the intruder was none other than Hunter and Lillian.

"Lily, you're back!" exclaimed Sophia excitedly. Lillian laughed lively before crushing her friend in her arms. Hunter guffawed at the sight of small Sophia being mauled by his wife.

When Lillian finally had withdrawn herself from Sophia, she raised an arm and showed her the brown paper bag that was in her hand. "I bought you souvenirs!" she pointed. Sophia chuckled and stepped aside to let the couple in.

They sat on her brown couch, talking animatedly about Lillian's trip to Russia. Lillian dug her hands in the brown bag, searching for the souvenir she had bought especially for Sophia. When she retracted her hand, there was a snow globe resting in it.

"I found this in a bar there. I had to fight tooth and nail for it but it was worth it," Lillian explained softly. Sophia took the globe from her hands and examined it herself. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the five little figurines in it. They were Sophia, Dylan, Luke, Zach and Hunter unmistakably, each with their own instruments in their hands

"Oh my god," choked Sophia, "a snow globe with us in it!" She sniffled a little before wrapping her arms around Lillian as a token of appreciation.

"You are the best, Lils!" Lillian grinned at the compliment and was about to show her more of the unique souvenirs but the sound of pitter patter of feet silenced her. Soon enough, a young boy emerged from the hallway, blinking at them.

"Momma?" Daryl called out sleepily. Sophia placed the globe on the coffee table and rushed to him, sweeping him in her arms.

"What's wrong, munchkin?"

Daryl look at her straight in the eye with his watery brown eyes. "You forgot to tell me bout Daddy," he pouted. Sophia kissed the boy on his nose before sitting down on the couch with Daryl perched on her lap.

"I'm sorry, honey. How about I tell you now?" she offered. Daryl nodded mutely, laying his little head on Sophia's shoulder and sucking on his Robin blanket. Hunter and Lillian smiled softly at each other at the sight of the mother and son.

"You see, your Daddy's a very talented musician," Sophia began. As she retold the tale of Daryl Mayer, her best friend, her fiancé and more importantly, her child's father, she knew he would forever be alive in their hearts. She knew that Dylan was currently looking down at them, smiling at his son and his fiancé. She knew that she was happy.

THE END

gah, I can't believe this story has ended :'( No worries though, because I've already started on a new story but it won't be all fluffy like IJYAMH. Oh and a message to the lovely Diyana Sofea, I'm sorry but I can't write Hunter with Sophia. She can't have her cake and eat it too, you know. I'm trying to show how strong she is that she can handle parenthood alone :D

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

Chapter 9 part 2 by Fathiah Zarafi

Sophia's eyes snapped open at the sound of the doorbell. Groaning, she peeled the cover off of her and trudged to the door, all the while cursing inwardly at whoever decided to wake her five in the morning.

"I'm coming!" she yelled grumpily when the bell rang again. Sophia tore the door open, ready to spit fire at the uninvited guest.

"What do you wa--" her words died on her lips as her gaze landed on two uniformed cops. Instantly her body went rigid and she self-consciously patted down her bed hair.

"Are you Miss Sophia Banks?" the cop with a heavy moustache questioned her. Sophia nodded, letting her eyes wandered down his name tag. Hudson.

"I believe Mr. Dylan Mayer is your fiancé?" Again, Sophia nodded.

"What's wrong, officer? Did Dylan get himself in trouble again?" she asked suspiciously. Officer Hudson cleared his throat but his expression remained masked.

"I'm here to inform you that Mr. Mayer was involved in a recent road mishap at approximately 4.40 a.m today," he spoke in an even tone. Sophia's heart palpitated when the news reached her ears but she simply thought her mind was playing tricks on her.

"But he's okay, isn't he?" she retorted, "He's recovering in a hospital right now?"

The two officers shared a look that caused Sophia's blood to turn cold. She could feel her mouth drying but she refused to acknowledge it.

"I am so sorry Miss Banks but unfortunately Mr. Mayer succumbed to his injuries while being treated at Maine Medical Centre."

Sophia's ears were ringing. She stared blankly at the two remorseful cops, unable to comprehend their news.

"What? No," she laughed in disbelief, "Come on, our wedding's this evening."

Their expressions remain unchanged but now with a hint of sympathy in their eyes. Sophia felt wetness on her cheeks and was surprised to find tears running freely down her face. She gritted her teeth furiously.

"No! You're lying!" shouted Sophia, "he can't be--we're getting married! You're lying!"

Natasha was slumbering in the one of the suite's room when she was awakened by the commotion. Throwing on a dressing gown, she rushed out of her room to inspect. That was how she found her daughter, yelling at two policemen. Her initial thought was that they were accusing Sophia of a felony so Natasha squared her shoulders, ready to testify anything. Then she noticed the tears rushing down her pale cheeks and the sobs wrecking through her body.

"Sweetheart," Natasha spoke gently, "What's wrong?"

Sophia's head whipped towards her mother's voice, her eyes red but hard. "Mom, these two fools told me that Dylan is--that Dylan's gone. How stupid is that?!"
Natasha frowned as she turned towards the policemen. "What is she talking about?" she inquired hesitantly. Officer Hudson, now sporting an annoyed look, answered hurriedly.

"Mr. Mayer has died from his injuries in a car crash."

"No! You're lying!" Sophia yelled. Natasha felt her heart crumble. Everything in her mind flew right through the window. The only thing she could think of was, my baby, my poor baby.

Natasha shook herself out of the stupor before quickly gathering her daughter in her arms. Her hands trembled as she smoothen Sophia's hair in a comforting manner.

"Shh, it's going to be okay, honey. It's going to be okay."

It won't. But those are the only words a mother knows to say during moments like this so Natasha was content in lying, even as their whole world dissolved around them. Motherhood does not come with a handbook so all Natasha could do was hold her daughter in her arms as she clung to her like she was clinging to her sanity.

The two policemen left the mother and daughter alone and head back to their jobs, not fully aware of how much their news impacted them. The hotel suite, reserved for the wedding, was filled with the sounds of the bride's sorrow.

************************************************************************************

Hunter Kinsley was never fond of funerals. He remembered vaguely the funeral of his grandfather he was forced to attend when he was six years old. Decked out in a suit and tie, little Hunter had to sit under the summer sun and waited for each family member to burst into tears while giving their speeches at the podium. Not to mention all the glum mood surrounding him. Hunter definitely hated funerals.

Now was no exception. Hunter tried to imagine he was some place else, perhaps in the Bahamas where the temperature wasn't three degree Celsius. But even the sweetest distraction won't divert him from the truth that he was at his best friend's funeral. Hunter was only 22 yet here he was watching his best friend's coffin. Nothing could possibly hurt this bad, he thought, even speaking of his name felt like a sucker punch to the gut.

As much as he loved his best friend, Hunter really didn't want to be sitting on a frozen bench in the middle of January. He didn't want to hear the preacher talked about life and death nor did he want to see people he cared for crying. Yet here he was, listening patiently to the speeches while his best friend's fiancé rested her head on his shoulder. Even she, the first one to receive the news, had no more tears to cry.

Hunter shifted a little, turning his head to look at Sophia. He immediately felt a pang at his heart at the sight of her blotchy nose and red eyes. She was supposed to be wearing a white wedding dress right now, instead of a black evening gown. She was supposed to be dancing her first husband and wife dance, instead of mourning over his death.

Everything's out of place and Hunter doesn't know if it will ever get back to normal. One thing's for sure though, that The Avenue was history. Without Dylan--there, right in the gut--the band was not the same anymore.

It was finally the time for the usual mournful funeral song to be sung. Everybody present stood up, except for the remaining four. Luke, Zach, Hunter and Sophia sat next to each other with arms linked together, as if to prevent them from falling apart. Truth is, they already did.

Hunter nudged Sophia a little with his shoulder. "You up for singing?" he asked gently, his voice sounding alien even to his ears.

Sophia simply shook her head and continued gazing at nowhere. They sat and listened as the congregation finished their song. Soon, the yard was left with none but those four.

"I'm pregnant," she spoke, her head never leaving the spot on Hunter's shoulder.

Hunter sighed heavily before wrapping his arms around her. He wouldn't lie and say that everything was going to be okay because it won't, so they sat in silence instead.

Luke, Zach, Hunter and Sophia held each other as they watched the coffin of their beloved friend, brother and fiancé lowered to the ground. All was lost except for memories of Dylan Mayer.

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

Chapter 9 part 1 by Fathiah Zarafi

Dylan was treated for two cracked ribs, a sprained ankle and a few mild bruising. Sophia refused to leave his side the whole two days he was admitted in the hospital. News about the band's attackers traveled fast through the grapevine. Soon, The Avenue found themselves being hounded by news crews, journalists and papparazis watching their every move. It was suffice to say that the incident changed The Avenue's lives.

But no one was affected the most than Dylan. At nights as he lay down to sleep, he would reminisce that fateful event and feel a huge hole gnawing at his chest. Though scared to admit, Dylan now realized how much Sophia meant to him and how he would rather lose a limb than see her suffer.

Damn those immoral perverts! Damn them to hell! Dylan silently cursed the offenders for laying a finger on Sophie.

Dylan shifted a little on the bed, holding back a groan of pain, to observe the sleeping beauty next to him. He absentmindedly traced a fingertip from her red mane to the soft skins of her arms before it finally comes to a rest on her hip. A soft sigh escaped between his lips when Dylan understood what he must do now. Life was too precious to wait any longer, scratch that, Sophia was too precious to be taken advantage of.

It's going to knock her socks off though. In a good way hopefully, prayed Dylan before burying his face in the crook of Sophia's neck and letting sleep claim his conscious.

********************************************************************************

"Hey guys, how's it rolling?" greeted Sophia in her usual chipper way as she stepped inside the set of their new music video. The boys grunted in response as they were kept preoccupied with their instruments.

Sophia was about to head to hair and make up when she realized she hasn’t heard of that certain gruff voice responding. Turning hotly on her heels, she eyed the circle of boys and her suspicion was confirmed.

"Boys, where's Dylan?" she inquired. Hunter glanced at her with curiosity, finally immobilizing his fingers to pay attention.

"Have you checked your car? Maybe you forgot to take him out of the boot after you stuffed him there" came the sarcastic reply from Hunter.

"Ha ha, very funny," Sophia rolled her eyes, "Seriously, Hunter, where is he? Dylan told me this morning he was going to the set early to finish some work."

The other two boys were now giving Sophia their full attention, their guitars and drums laid forgotten on the floor. "Now that you mention it," Zach voiced, "I haven't seen his brown tuft anywhere and I was the first one who got here."

Sophia's brows furrowed at this new information. Why would he lie to me? she pondered. Before her mind could drift any further though, said boy rushed in but stopped abruptly when he noticed four set of eyes trained on him.

"Er, good morning?"

"Where have you been?" Sophia jumped in, hands planted firmly on her hips.

Dylan lowered his gaze to his shoes and shoved his hands into his pockets, a sign of nervousness acquainted to him. "I ah, I had some stuffs to settle," he muttered sheepishly. Sophia huffed in dismay at his answer, or lack thereof.

"Why did you lie to me?"

Dylan sighed frustratedly, knowing he had no way out of this. Luke, Zach and Hunter felt the crackling tension in the air between the two of them and they shifted on their chairs unpleasantly. Luke cleared his throat and at long last, spoke up.

"I suddenly have the urge to shoot some hoops. Anybody wanna join me?"

Zach literally jumped from his seat and shouted, "I do! I love myself some football!" The three boys later proceeded to shuffle to the exit in what can be interpreted as rush. Luke's voice could be heard faintly scolding his younger brother. "It's basketball, you idiot!"

Dylan suspired heavily again before closing the distance between Sophia and him. He gently untangled her arms that were then crossed in front of her chest. Sophia continued to frown at him despite her anger dissipating at the sight of his big brown eyes.

"Sophie, I didn't purposely lied to you," Dylan pouted, "I have a very good reason for it."

Sophia merely raised an eyebrow while continuing her scowling. Dylan reached a hand inside of his pocket again and pulled out a black velvet box. A shocked gasp promptly left Sophia's mouth when he began to kneel on one knee in front of her. Her heart was hammering frantically until it nearly drowned out Dylan's voice.

"Sophia, you have been the most important person in my life, even before I knew it myself and--and crap!" Dylan stuttered. The next thing he did strayed way, way far from the typical romantic proposal you see in movies but Sophia was still reduced to tears.

"I'm not good at all this romantic word stuff," Dylan muttered almost angrily. "But, I love you and we don't need a bunch of words to make us realize that. So I'm gonna shut up soon before I make a complete fool of myself in front of my future wife. That is! If you will accept it! You will, won't you? I totally understand if you don't--"

Dylan's excessive babblings were cut off by Sophia's lips pressing against his own. They broke apart, gasping for breath and wide smiles on their faces. "I'll take that as a yes," Dylan grinned.

As Dylan slipped the one carat diamond ring onto Sophia's fourth finger, she couldn't stop the tears that rushed to her eyes. She quickly enveloped him with her famous bone-crushing hug until he was left breathless.

Dylan laughed before leaning down to capture Sophia's lips with his in a brief yet passionate kiss. It wasn't long before he hollered the boys' names and ordered them inside.

"Hurry up, guys! We have something to tell you!" Dylan ushered. The boys scurried over to the duo where Sophia showed them the ring with a Cheshire grin.

"Dude!"

"No way!"

"Holy crabfish!"

Dylan landed a quick kiss on Sophia's head while their friends were busy gawking at the now engaged couple. He noted that Sophia had never looked so happy in all the 10 years they've been friends. A shot of pride jolted over his heart at the thought that the grin on her face was the cause of him. Alas, after many exchanges of hugs and congratulatory, the band's producer strutted in and broke apart the happy circle.

"Break it up guys, it's time to work!" Kevin ordered, oblivious to the newly engaged couple. They quickly scrambled to their places and resumed shooting their new video without any commotion, just smiles adorning Sophia's and Dylan's face.


*************************************************************************************

"You're what?!"

Sophia cringed, pulling the phone away from her as her mother shouted through it.

"Yes, mom, Dylan and I are engaged now," she calmly repeated herself. When her mother shrieked loudly, a startled Sophia struggled to catch the phone that had slipped from her fingers. She managed to capture the falling item just in time and cradled it closely to her chest.

"Mom, don't shout!" she protested when her ear had stopped ringing.

"Sorry honey, but wow!" Natasha gasped in amazement, " I can't believe my little baby is going to get married!"

"I'm not a baby," she mumbled meekly, blushing faintly. While Natasha kept rambling about wedding preparations and--god forbid--the wedding night, Sophia hummed in agreement when compelled to and leaned her chin on her open palm. Even though the humiliation was evident in the redness of her cheeks, Sophia couldn't help but smile as she listened obediently to her mother.

*********************************************************************************

After months of planning, rehearsals and heart palpitations, the big day was approaching fast. Tonight was Dylan's bachelor party, courtesy of Hunter Mayer who turned a blind eye on the groom's protests and brought Luke along to their usual pub. Zach was still underage so he begged on his knees to attend Dylan's bachelor party but the boys wouldn't take him.

"Kinsley!" Dylan growled threateningly as he eyed the crowded pub, "I told you no parties!"

Hunter rolled his eyes before pushing Dylan to the bar. "Relax, Dylan. I'm not going to throw a stripper at you."

"That's what you said," he grumbled under his breath, reluctantly sitting on a bar stool next to Hunter.

"The usual, Bob!" Hunter shouted to the bartender over the deafening music. He sneaked a glance at the sulking Dylan when his heavy suspire caught his attention.

"Dude, lighten up!" said Hunter, "This is the last night of your bachelorhood! Zach cried to let us sneak him in here."

Dylan threw Hunter a frustrated glance before finally relenting to his persuasion. "Fine but it I see one bare skin of a pole dancer near me, you are not going to live to see our wedding," warned Dylan.

"Deal!" Hunter grinned. When the bartender returned with three glasses of tequila, Hunter and Luke whooped in excitement.

"Bottom's up, my man!" Luke pushed a glass towards Dylan. He took it in his hands and drowned the whole thing in a single go. As the burning liquid seeped down his throat, he gnawed on a piece of lemon to contain the sensation.

"I hate shots!" coughed Dylan when he finally regained his breathing. The other two threw their heads back in laughter before pushing more glasses to Dylan.

"The night has just begun," Hunter smirked mischievously. Dylan didn't bother masking the look of horror plastered upon his face.

*********************************************************************************

Dylan stumbled outside of the nightclub, giggling like a school girl. "Guys, hey guys, check this out."

When Hunter and Luke had given him their attention, Dylan proceeded to blow a bubble from his mouth into the night sky. The trio burst into uncontrollable drunk laughter.

"Dude, that's epic talent!" slurred Luke, "It's even better than your guitar. Maybe you should quit being a guitarist and become a bubble-blowist. You can blow bubbles all day long then come home and blow bubbles to Sophie. Your kids will have your talents and you can be the amazing bubble-blowing family!"

"Shit, Sophia," groaned Dylan when the subject of his bride entered the conversation. He risked a fleeting look at his watch and was horrified when it read 4.30 a.m.

"Guys, I have to get back," uttered Dylan hurriedly while shrugging on his coat, "Sophia would kill me if I have a hangover during our wedding!"

All boys cringed at the memory of an infuriated Sophia releasing her wrath on them when they arrived drunk for her Christmas dinner a few years ago. Long story short, the four of them saw stars in their eyes that night and vowed not to get on her bad side, ever again.

"Dude, you better hurry back. We're gonna get it too when she finds out we brought you here," urged Luke who seemed to have snapped out of his alcohol-induced haze. Suddenly a Cheshire grin formed on Dylan's face.

"On second thought, maybe I should grab a few more drinks," Dylan teased, biting back laughter at the sight of his friends' pale faces.

In mere minutes, Hunter had a cab waiting at the curb and Luke pushed Dylan into the yellow vehicle. "See you at the hotel, bud!" hollered Hunter while waving animatedly at the moving taxi. Dylan snorted but waved back nonetheless.

"Where to, sir?" asked the Indian driver.

"Hilton Garden Inn, please," answered Dylan. As the taxi drove off, he leaned back and started imagining the wedding that was only ten hours away. They will get married at Saint Peter's church, a 10 minute drive from their accommodation before the wedding reception which will be held at the hotel's own ballroom.

Dylan closed his eyes and imagined Sophia in her white dress walking down the aisle. No doubt she would take his breath away. He wouldn't be able to stop a few drops of tears that would spill from his eyes while reading his vows to her as their friends and families witness it. He couldn't wait.

CRASH!

Dylan's eyes snapped open at the loud noise. Instantly he was blinded by bright headlights from a car that seemed to be heading their way. Cursing loudly, the driver immediately swerved to avoid the car. The tires skidded against the frozen road, causing a loud screech to break the silence of the night. Dylan grabbed blindly for any support when he was thrown around in the car as it rolled on the road. The yellow cab finally came to a halt on its roof, its occupants dangling from their seats.

Dylan was surrounded by pieces of glass, broken metal and blood. His head was pounding and his vision began to swim. Just before he succumbed to the white light that diminished away all the pain, an image of Sophia flashed through his mind. Then he thought no more.

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

Chapter 8 by Fathiah Zarafi

(this chapter may seem a little darker. Contains hints of rape)

As The Avenue gained more success, time flew by around them and without much notice;five years had come and go. The band had become a worldwide hit; none of the members could go anywhere without being noticed. In that five year period, The Avenue had released three albums. Their very first, a self-titled album, wasn't embraced very well by the public but it was their stairway to triumph. Misery Loves Company, the second album released, peaked at the top of the charts. It was sold around the world, until the album reached double platinum. That was when The Avenue became icons in the public's eyes. However, not all of their views were positive.

The band had just finished a performance at Anaheim, California. It was coincidentally Sophia's 22nd birthday so Dylan and the boys took her to her favorite restaurant, Chili's.

"Happy birthday, sweetie," Dylan whispered in Sophia's ear while the boys were busy ordering.

She blushed but gave him a quick kiss on the lips nonetheless. Dylan's smile quickly turned into a frown when a piece of garlic bread hit him square on the forehead.

"No flirting on the dinner table!" Hunter mocked anger.

"You're just jealous, Kingsley," Dylan stuck out his tongue.

"Jealous that I don't get to suck my girlfriend's face in front of everyone? Sure I am," he shot back, rolling his eyes. It was Sophia's turn to huff in surprise. "That was not sucking face, Hunter!"

"Then what do you prefer to call it? Tonsil hockey? Tongue wrestling? Snog? Whomping? Stop me when you hear one that you like," he teased with a huge grin on his face upon seeing Sophia's cheeks darkened.

"You're an ass," she murmured which only fueled the boy's laughter, including Dylan.

The band continued their playful banter until their food arrived. Just as they ordered a round of dessert, Luke excused himself to the lavatory. He was relieving himself at the urinal when two bulky men entered the restroom.

"Hey, did you see the redhead at the table next to us?" the man with a bandana tied over his brown hair inquired. His friend, donning a leather jacket with boots, stopped unzipping his trousers and whistled revoltingly.

"How could I not?” he grinned, “If I had a girl like her, it wouldn’t be my hands down here right now. If you know what I mean.”

A sudden chill ran up Luke’s spin at their laughter. His whole body froze as he carefully observed their conversation. Something in his guts was telling him that this was not the average celebrity worship. These two men wanted much more than seeing afar.

“Hey, are you up for something—new tonight?” the brunette spoke. His friend gestured with his head as a sign for him to continue.

“How about we have a little fun with Red tonight?” he licked his lips, enticing a shudder from Luke.

“That’s a crime, bro,” the man objected hesitatingly. The brunette’s eyes narrowed dangerously before placing his hands on the other’s shoulder firmly as a sign of warning.

“It’s not a crime if she’s willing,” he hissed, “so our job is to show Red how much fun she can have with us.”

Luke’s grip on the urinal’s wall tightened unconsciously as those words registered in his brain. Rage immediately consumed his so much, his body started to quiver in suppressed emotion. Oblivious to the younger man, the two conniving male guffawed darkly before finally making their way out of the lavatory.

A hand clasped on Luke’s shoulder, making him jumped in shock. He quickly redid his zipper before turning around to face charcoal eyes staring at him in amusement.

“Bro, if you’re looking for a quick release, I suggest you take a couple of pictures of the redhead down at table two and take it home,” the brunette offered his idea, his lips curling back in a twisted smile.

“Thanks for the thought,” Luke replied through gritted teeth. He made sure the two men had left the building before sprinting back to the table where the others were still waiting for him. Luke made a beeline towards Dylan and grabbed his unsuspecting arm. Dylan’s mouth bobbed open to demand to be released but the fire in Luke’s eyes clamped his mouth shut. Without a word spoken, Luke hauled Dylan off of his chair to drag him into the dark outside where he finally loosened his death grip on Dylan’s arm.

“Luke, what’s wrong?” the other boy questioned worriedly, rubbing at his bicep.

Luke inhaled deeply, unsure of how to break the news to Dylan without going crazy with rage. He scrubbed his face with his palms in frustration before finally gazing in his eyes.

“I was in the toilet just now,” he started, “and I heard these two sick, vile creatures talking about Sophia.”

“Dude, that’s pretty norm—“

“I’m not finished yet!” Luke spat, successfully shutting up Dylan, “They were planning on how to—how to pleasure Sophia. Tonight.”

All the blood drained from Dylan’s face. “You’re saying that they’re—that they’re gonna—“ his words were stuck in his throat, unable to utter exactly what those men were planning to do to Sophia.

Luke could only nod, his face contorted in worry. “But we have security guards everywhere, Luke. They couldn’t possibly get pass them,” Dylan spoke.

“But you didn’t see the look on these guys’ faces!” Luke argued, “they had these eyes that are willing to do just about anything to have their way. I wouldn’t tell you about this if it weren’t serious, Dylan.”

Dylan’s lips were set in a thin line as jumbled thought clouded his head. “Okay, we are not going to leave Sophia’s side until we’re out of this town,” he proposed. “Two of them against four of us is nothing.”

Luke nodded vigorously and exhaled a breath he didn’t realized he was holding. “Let’s go back in and inform the guys.”

The two boys stepped inside the restaurant once again and headed for their table. Their thoughts were filled with ways to keep those slimy men away from Sophia. Dylan and Luke screeched to a halt when they noticed said girl was missing from the table. Dylan rushed to Hunter with Luke hot on his heels.

“Where’s Sophia?!” he demanded. Hunter stared up at his two friends with wide eyes before answering slowly.

“She said she wasn’t feeling very well so she went back to the tour bus.”

Profanities escaped Dylan’s lips as his fist collided with the table, causing the once buzzing restaurant to stop and stare at him. Hunter and Zach sprang up to their feet once they sensed the distress in both Dylan and Luke.

“Dylan, hey, maybe it’s not too late to catch up with her. Maybe she’s just around the corner,” said Luke desperately.

“Yeah, you’re right,” mumbled Dylan in reply before running out the door. Flabbergasted by his actions, Hunter and Zach followed his trail to demand an explanation.

“Luke! What the hell is going on!” shouted Hunter.

“We’ll explain later!” breathed Luke, “Right now, we have to find Sophie.”

******************************************************************************

Sophia walked slowly down the sidewalk, heading towards the tour bus that was parked a few blocks away from Chili’s. Her mind instantly wandered to the way Dylan and Luke behaved a few minutes ago. Luke for once, looked as if the world was going to end.

Probably just one of his boy problems, I guess.

Boys aside, Sophia didn’t mean to leave out of the blue, especially on her birthday dinner, but lately she was feeling dizzy and hardly all of her meals could stay in her stomach for more than an hour. Zach had ordered grilled crab for dinner and the smell nearly made Sophia run to the toilet in disgust. A chill ran up her spine when Sophia realized she had used the wrong pathway that was eerily quite and dimly lit.

“Hey, Red.”

Sophia froze mid-step. The nickname was familiar, called by Hunter since she was a teenager, but the gruff voice that spoke it made her heart hammer against her ribcage. Sophia decided to ignore the man and continued her walk, this time in long strides.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to ignore people.”

A scream tore from her throat when she felt a pair of rough hands grabbed her by the arms. “Now, now, Red. Save that scream for later, when it’s my name coming from your lips,” he sniggered.

Sophia wiggled desperately in his arms but it only resulted in her tumbling down onto the pavement. She hastily turned around and her eyes grew wide when she spotted her assailant. There were two big men staring down at her with glee shining in their eyes. The man with brown hair crouched down to trace a soiled finger on her cheek. Sophia slapped his hand away, which only resulted in widening his smirk.

“We’re just having a little fun,” he breathed into her ear, making Sophia gagged at his foul breath, “you’ll be enjoying it too soon.”

“Get off of me, you vile excuse for a human!” she spat when he started fingering the straps of her tank top. Without warning, a burst of pain erupted on Sophia’s cheek, causing bright lights to flash before her eyes. It wasn’t until she tasted the metallic blood in her mouth that she comprehended he had back-handedly slapped her.

“Shut yer mouth, ya tramp. It’s time for you to learn other uses of that pretty little thing.”

To her horror, the man stood up and started fumbling with his zipper. He cursed out loud when the zip wouldn’t budge. Sensing her chance, Sophia kicked her heel into his crotch as hard as she could muster before scrambling to her feet. The man yelled at the top of his lungs, doubling over on the ground.

“What the hell are you standing for?! Go catch her!” he howled at his partner.

Sophia ran as fast as her legs could muster. She could hear other footsteps mimicking her own. Her breath was coming in short gasps as her lungs burned for air. She risked a glance backwards to see her chaser but she saw none.

She was too caught up trying to find her attacker, Sophia didn’t notice the person rounding around the corner until she stumbled right into him. She screamed when he held her upright by the arms. Her legs and arms flailed about, punching and kicking but the voice that came out of his mouth made her sob in relief.

“Sophie, Sophie! Stop! It’s me, Dylan!”

She collapsed against his chest and let out a relieved sob. But her solace was short-lived when the man chasing her bounded around the corner and stopped when he noticed the duo on the ground. Dylan shot to his feet abruptly as the brunette joined them.

“Well, well, the boyfie coming to the rescue?” he taunted, “is this some kind of your fetish? To watch your girl being mauled by another man?”

“You won’t lay a single finger on her,” Dylan roared back before throwing a punch to the man’s face. The man’s partner hauled Sophia to her feet despite her struggle against his grip. She watched in horror as the brunette used his bulky figure to pin Dylan on the ground and repeatedly hitting him.

Sophia’s eyes searched around the alley way desperately when her gaze landed on a piece of broken pipe lying idly on the ground. Seeing the man holding her was distracted with the fight, Sophia elbowed him in the gut and stomped hard on his foot. Howling in pain, he released his grip on her to clutch at his stomach.

Sophia bolted to the pipe and grappled it firmly in her hands. Without a second thought, she struck the pipe to the man’s back, who had two hands wrapped around Dylan’s throat. The man uttered a grunt before slumping face down on the pavement. Dylan shoved him off of him and staggered to Sophia immediately.

“Sophie, are you okay? Did they do anything to hurt you?”

Sophia gently pried away his roaming hands and grasped softly at his face. “I should be asking you that question, Dylan. I think you better sit down, your face is all bloodied.”

Before he could argue about his well-being, a loud siren pierced the thick silence. The man’s partner stared at the unconscious brunette with wide eyes before tottering deeper into the alley way to escape the approaching police. Exhausted after being pummeled and relieved that Sophia was safe, Dylan slumped forward seemingly fainted. Sophia swayed a bit under his weight but soon, another set of arms came to her aid.

Hunter slung Dylan’s arm around his shoulder to transfer him to the awaiting ambulance. “You okay, Sophie?” he questioned worriedly.

“Yeah,” she muttered, staring sadly at Dylan’s blood-covered face.

************************************************************

The ambulance had rushed Dylan to the hospital and Sophia was now seated inside the police cruiser as they questioned her about the two men. After describing the runaway man as best as she could, Sophia slouched inside the mobile, utterly enervated.

“Where were you guys?” she asked weakly at Luke, Zach and Hunter who had gathered around the open door of the cruiser.

“Dylan used these freaky short-cuts through the alleys,” Luke began explaining, “and he ran like Usain Bolt, literally. We lost him and lost our way.”

Sophia’s head lolled to Hunter’s shoulder tiredly as her eyes slowly fluttered close. “You guys seriously need to buy a GPRS,” she mumbled before welcoming the comfort of sleep.

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

Chapter 7 by Fathiah Zarafi

Dylan was left alone staring at the direction she headed. "What did I just do?" he whispered remorsefully to himself.

"Exactly. What the hell did you just do?"

**********************************************************************************

Dylan froze at the intrusion, clutching at his chest from the aftershock. His eyes scanned the darkness to see a mass of curly hair leaning against the side of the garage. Dylan instantly felt his face grew hotter under the scrutiny stare of Hunter. Bowing his head, Dylan quickly brushed by Hunter to escape any questions but Hunter was quicker. He latched on the other boy's arm and forcefully turned him around.

"I asked you a question, Dylan," he sneered. In return, Dylan shook his arm around but Hunter's gripe was vice, almost enough to cut off his blood circulation.

"Let me go, dude!"

"Not until you explain to me what you did!" Hunter persisted. Since he was tallest in the band, Hunter peered down on Dylan, his brown eyes boring holes.

"Nothing of your business, Kinsley!" he hissed back, ripping Hunter's death grip away from his bicep. He stalked past the brunette and back into the garage but Hunter was adamant.

"I saw you kissing Sophia," he shouted. Dylan halted in his steps. His hands clenched into tight fists, turning his knuckles white.

"That was a mistake," he whispered fiercely. Hunter rounded Dylan to grab him by his collar, slamming his back onto a wall. All occupants of the garage were now wide awake and trying to detach Hunter from Dylan.

"You listen to me, Meyer," Hunter spat, "Sophia is more than just a summer fling. I, for once, knew how sweet and beautiful she is but at the end of the day, she only has her eyes for you."

"And your point?" Dylan choked out.

"You screw her up and I'll make sure your life is a living hell," he warned venomously before finally releasing Dylan. With one last glare, Hunter stormed out of the garage, leaving Zach and Luke befuddled over the situation.

"Bro, what the heck?" Zach voiced, "You two went from band mates to mortal enemies in a matter of seconds. Is there something you need to tell us?"

Dylan, who was still glowering at the empty spot once occupied by Hunter, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before pushing himself up from the floor.

"He's just being a jealous brat," he answered.
"Jealous? Over what?" Luke and Zach spluttered. Dylan redirected his glare towards the two of them, making them cower beneath his stare.

"Go back to sleep! We have a concert tomorrow!" he ordered before climbing out of the garage himself and headed for his bedroom. He wasn't in the mood to sleep beside those two questioning boys.

Once he was safely inside the safety confinement in his room, Dylan let out a choked roar and proceeded to trash his room. The computer, the dustbin and the books became victims of his wrath. Once the adrenaline died down, Dylan slid on the floor with his back against the wooden door. His palms scrubbed his face in frustration, groaning ever so often into his hands.

How could I be so stupid?


*******************************************************************************

The Avenue's concert in Concord the next day couldn't get more awkward. Sophia refuses to even glance in Dylan's direction and Hunter kept glaring at the back of Dylan's head. Luke and Zach were suspiciously aware that something had happened between the three of them but decided not to drag themselves into their mess.

Luckily, none of the crowd nor Kevin noticed the thick tension between the three band mates. They continued on their show like professionals, performing for an hour and a half before calling a curtain call. Once safely backstage, Sophia quickly retreated into her dressing room without a word spoken. The same action was mimicked by Hunter and Dylan; the boys ushered themselves into their own rooms and slammed the doors shut.

Zach and Luke stood awkwardly next to each other, staring at the empty space before them.

"Are you mad with jealousy and/or stuck in the middle of a weird love triangle?" Zach asked Luke nonchalantly.

"Nope. You?"

"Not in a million years. Let's head home, old buddy, old pal."

And so, the two band members drove home, leaving the other three estranged inside their own rooms. None of them spoke a word to each other, not even when Sophia bumped into Dylan while walking to her car, and not even when Hunter exchanged glares with Dylan.

*********************************************************************************

Sophia collapsed on her bed roughly, groaning softly into her pillow. Never had she thought she would encounter a situation where Dylan refuses to glance in her direction. Though it tore her apart, Sophia understood his refusal to look at her since he was the first to initiate that kiss.

Oh god, the kiss. Sophia rolled onto her back and stared at the movement of her ceiling fan. She had always dreamed that her first kiss with Dylan would be romantic and sweet. They would both sit on the beach, gazing at the setting sun while Dylan gently kisses her lips. But instead, their first kiss was at his backyard while they were lying on the icy grass. It was still sweet though, Sophia thought. That is, if you considered awkward positioning of limbs and immobile lips as sweet.

Sophia flopped onto her belly once more, burying her face into the fabric of her pillow. And Hunter, she had seen him leaning on the wall of the garage as she was fleeing the house. She couldn't begin to fathom what he must be feeling at that moment. His actions tonight quickly made her realize the answer to his emotion; revulsion. The way his brown eyes stared sharply at hers during the briefest moments they met was enough to send shivers down her spine. They were no longer warm and caring but now hard with the tiniest sliver of hurt.

Holy fish fry, I am such a slu--

Before Sophia could finish her thoughts, the sharp ringing of her cell phone brought her back to reality. She hastily reached for the silver metal on her night stand and pressed the green button.

"Hello?"

"Sophie?"

Sophia immediately sat up straight on her bed at the sound of the familiar voice. "Dylan? What's wrong?"

"I--err, I wanted to talk. About--you know what."

She can practically hear his blush. "Um, right now?" she frowned, "It's nearly two o'clock in the morning."

"Well, I can't sleep properly knowing what I've done," he whispered glumly.

Sophia bit her lips anxiously, searching her brain for a suitable reply. "Well, it's not that big of a deal. It was just a mistake," she lied. It was that big of a deal.

"No, it's not, Sophie. I--things were complicated with me, with us."

The both of them paused, lost in their thoughts for a moment.

"So," Sophia broke the silence, "what are we now? Do you want to go back or--"

"I--I have been having these very strange feelings about you, Sophie and I'm pretty sure it's not heartburn, I've checked, 'cause they only bubble up whenever I see you. And heartburns or acid reflux, whatever that is, happened after you eat something," he mumbled nonsense. A smile tugged on Sophia's lips despite the rapid beating of her heart.

"Anyways, Hunter keeps pestering me about you and threatened to be my worst nightmare if I screw you up. So basically, Hunter wants to be The Witch from Left 4 Dead since she's my worst nightmare if I hurt your feelings somehow."

"Dylan, where is this going?" Sophia questioned to end Dylan's babbling.

"Um, I don't know myself. Okay, what if, we d-dated, would that change things between us? I mean, obviously our relationship would change from best friends to boyfriend-girlfriend but you know, I don't want to lose you. You're too nice and pretty and--"

"Dylan!" Sophia called out a little louder, effectively shutting his mouth. "Is this some kind of your weird, Dylan Meyer way of asking me out?"

"Yes?" he squeaked out.

A huge grin erupted on Sophia's face as she felt her heart jumped in joy. "I'm free this weekend. Movies at eight?"

"Okay sure. I'll pick you up at seven."

After setting her phone down on her night stand, Sophia fell down on her bed with a grin still plastered on her face. But it abruptly fell off when her mind wandered back to Hunter. Now that she had set things straight with Dylan, it was time to do the same with Hunter. In any way possible.


**************************************************************************

Sophia confronted Hunter at the school's cafeteria the next day. He was busy choosing his lunch, he wasn't aware of Sophia's presence right until she was just a few inches away.

"Yeah, Red?" he inquired with raised eyebrows. Sophia nervously fidgeted with her fingers while trying to sum up the correct words.

"Hunter, about the other day, I'm--really sorry you had to see that," she explained. Hunter disguised his discomfort by pretending to pick an apple from beneath the salad bar.

"What are you apologizing for? It's nothing to me," he answered almost monotoned. Sophia's frown deepened as she tried her hardest to catch Hunter's eye. He must've noticed this since he stopped his ministrations to straighten up and gaze at her.

Hunter threw her a little smile. "So you're dating Dylan now?"

Sophia cringed visibly at his question. "Where--where did you hear that?"

He shoved his hands into the pocket of his trousers before shrugging smoothly. "Zach told me. Dude can't keep his mouth shut."

"Hunter--" Sophia started but he interrupted holding up a hand. "It's all cool, Red," he spoke impassively, "I mean, just because we went to prom together doesn't mean we're dating now, is it?"

Tears started to emerge from Sophia's eyes. In an instant, she had her arms wrapped around Hunter tightly. Hunter automatically slithered his arms around her back as he buried his face in Sophia's shoulder one last time. He felt his composure crumbling so he untangled Sophia from him.

"Go and have your little lunch date with that guitar freak," Hunter teased, ruffling Sophia's red hair. She laughed before walking towards the table where Dylan awaited her.

Hunter glanced at the lunch tray beside his hands on the salad bar. He dumped them into the trash bin and walked away from the crowd, finally letting his emotions pour out.

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

Chapter 6 by Fathiah Zarafi

As expected, the boys plus Sophia signed the contract with Jive Records in a unanimous agreement. Kevin, their new manager, couldn't be more gleeful. Dylan was beside Sophia, squeezing her hand in encouragement and throwing her a grin every now and then.

As soon as the tour of the studio was finished, the group was quickly ushered to work. First, they recorded Zach on the drums, followed by Dylan on the lead guitar, Hunter playing rhythm and Luke plucking the bass. After the melodies were harmonized, it was Sophia's turn. Her heart thundered against her ribcage as she stepped inside the recording booth. As she fiddled with the cords of her headphone, Sophia glanced over the thick glass to see both Hunter and Dylan smiling approvingly at her.

"Okay, Sophia, you're ready to go," spoke Kevin through the intercom. Once the newly harmonized melody reached her ears, Sophia closed her eyes and began singing the lyrics she had written previously. The band grinned proudly, including Kevin. This is going to be a hit!

And what a hit it was! The Avenue's first single, Choking On Air, hit top charts across the country, even in Asia!

"Oh my god, we did it!" screamed Sophia once their song was aired on the radio. She was smothered by four boys in Dylan's small garage and cherished every minute of it. Laughing, Dylan wrapped his arms around her tightly, successfully lifting Sophia off her feet.

"My god, this is amazing!" he whispered fiercely, "I can't believe this is actually happening!"

Sophia pulled away and shot him a mock glare. "Why not? We have worked our butts off to get here." She smiled and raised her voice an octave, "You, out of all people, should know how awesome The Avenue is."

The boys whooped and stomach-bumped each other. Hunter pulled the redhead aside before enveloping her in a gentler embrace. "You are amazing," he complimented with pride. Sophia blushed the same shade as her hair before retorting. "Me? Without you guys, I'm nothing."

"Yup, my talents are pretty astonishing. All the chicks dig me," he smirked teasingly, puffing out his chest in exaggeration. Sophia giggled, punching his gut in the process.

Dylan watched their interaction with slanted eyes. Ever since prom night, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something is changing between Sophia and him. Dylan had broken up with Tabitha a few days ago, stating to her that he was just simply too busy to maintain a relationship. He ended up with a stinging cheek and a ringing ear. Somehow, he felt he deserved that slap because he had lied. He had lied to Tabitha about the reason of the break up.

"Dude!"

Dylan was instantly jolted back to the present when his soda sloshed out of the can after Luke landed a hard thump on his back. He glared at the blonde guy.

"A simple 'Dylan' is deeply appreciated, thanks," he grumbled, rubbing at the wet spot on his shirt. Luke simply guffawed and hit his back again. "Normally I would torture you with your whole PMS ordeal but I'm just too happy to care," he said lightly.

"Gee, thanks," Dylan muttered sarcastically. The five teenagers continued to celebrate in the cramped garage until they fell asleep together on the pull out couch. Well, everyone except for Dylan and Sophia. The duo was sprawled on Dylan's backyard, gazing up at the midnight stars.

"We're so lucky, aren't we?" Sophia broke the comfortable silence. Dylan turned his head to the right, gazing at her. "What do you mean?" he replied.

"I mean, we have an album, our first single blew the roof off the charts and we're about to go on tour in a few months," she answered, her eyes glued to the sky, "It's hard to believe a couple of months back we were just five scrawny teenagers trying to reach for the stars."

Dylan leaned up on his elbows and peered down at Sophia's twinkling eyes. "Didn't you just say that we had worked our asses off?" he raised his eyebrows amusingly. Sophia sighed loudly before intertwining her fingers together on top of her stomach.

"I know, it's just--" she started, "there are more talented artists out there struggling to get recognition."

Dylan softly smiled down at her, provoking one on Sophia's own lips. "Hey, like you said, we earned this."

Their gazes continued to linger on each other. Dylan observed deep into Sophia's green orbs that seemed to sparkle beneath the moonlight. Her cheeks were stained pink from the cold.

Something inside of Dylan stirred. Before he could stop himself, Dylan found himself leaning closer and closer towards her until their lips were touching. Sophia gasped in surprise and tried to pull away but she couldn't find the strength to do so.

Dylan saw fireworks beneath his eyelids. Kissing Sophia was nothing like the wet sloppy ones he received from Tabitha. Their lips weren't moving; just staying stationary to savor every moment, every taste. Dylan decided right there and then that this was a thing he would like to do every minute of his life.

Dylan was immediately startled back to reality by the sound of cats fighting. He pulled back to stare at Sophia with wide eyes and mouth agape. Sophia, once comprehension dawned upon her, quickly sat up and mirrored Dylan's expression.

"Sophia, I--I," he started but Sophia's action cut him off. She sprang to her feet and without a glance at him, ran out of the backyard.

"I have to go!" she breathed quickly.

Dylan was left alone staring at the direction she headed. "What did I just do?" he whispered remorsefully to himself.

"Exactly. What the hell did you just do?"

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

(Chapter 5 Part 1)
by Fathiah Zarafi

A/N: Hey guys, first of all I am so so sorry for the lack of update. My life has been a chaotic mess lately and I couldn't handle the pressure very well. Anyways, I had to cut chapter 5 into two parts because of the length. Enjoy!

Dylan didn’t exactly know when realization dawned upon him but one thing he was sure of is that prom night was a living hell. Tabitha had literally dragged him from the limo—which she demanded that he rent—to the photography booth where they took a little too many of clichéd pictures. He sulked in each one of them.

His night became worse when Dylan spotted Sophia and Hunter chatting away at the refreshments table. He wanted to recoil away in disgust but his eyes refused to leave the girl in his sight. Sophia was relatively simple, or as some people would put it; plain. She wore a strapless knee-length coral dress along with a pair of gold ballet flats. Her red hair was curled slightly in wavy locks and held in place by a rose barrette. Compared to other girls in the gym, Sophia would be considered as a Plain Jane but somehow, under the dim light setting and people slow-dancing around them, she took his breath away.

The worse had yet to come.

It was when he was drowning out Tabitha’s loud ramblings over his lack of attention towards her when he felt it. Dylan was watching Sophia dancing with Hunter to be precise when a strange sensation bubbled up inside of his chest. Kind of, like, jealousy.

Jealous? He scoffed why would I be jealous of Hunter?!

Because Sophia agreed to be his date, you bumbling buffoon.

Naw, man, why would I be jealous over that? It’s not like I love her or something.

No, you’re not. You’re in love with her.

Dylan left prom before it can fully start.

********************************************************************************

Needless to say, Dylan didn’t get much sleep that night, or, any other nights for the rest of the week. It had been two weeks since the prom and he hasn’t spoken to Sophia ever since. It was driving her over the wall with all the possibilities of why he was ignoring her. They were in every class together, yet somehow Dylan managed to avoid confrontation. However, whatever comes around goes around. Eventually, a frustrated Sophia finally managed to corner Dylan while he was buying a drink at the vending machine.

“What the hell are you doing?!” she spat. Dylan raised an eyebrow at her anger. “I’m buying water,” he stated as nonchalantly as he possible could. Sophia took another step closer, successfully trapping Dylan between her and the vending machine.

“Don’t you play coy with me, Mayer,” hissed Sophia, “ever since prom night, which was two weeks ago, you’ve been avoiding me!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Sophia. I’ve been busy,” he lied. “The hell you are!” Sophia shrieked. Dylan hastily glanced around them to see if there were spectators. Of course, giving his luck, almost all of the student body had their eyes on them.

“If you’re gonna act as if I don’t exist anymore, at least do it with a little bit of subtlety,” she choked out, tears swimming in her eyes. Dylan immediately felt his wall crumble around him at the sight of her. His arms automatically wrapped themselves around Sophia and brought her to his chest. “I’m sorry, Sophie, I’m so sorry.”

Dylan could hear her sniffle softly against the fabric of his shirt and it only adds more to his ever-growing guilt. “Just tell me what I did wrong,” she mumbled. He pulled her away at arms length at stared at her watery green eyes. “No, Sophia, you did nothing wrong. It’s me. I—I thought you wouldn’t want to talk to me again since I, uh, yelled at you the other day,” Dylan lied again.

“Dylan, why would I ever want that? You’re my best friend.”

And those words hit him hard like a ton of bricks. Yes, they were best friends yet a new side of him wanted more than just pals. His desire to achieve just that was deadly; he had to refrain himself from pulling her into his arms and kiss her senselessly.

“Yeah, I’m stupid,” he laughed shakily. Sophia smiled back up at him as the spectators around them began loosing their interest and went back to their own businesses. Well, except for one certain voluptuous blonde girl.

“Dylan-poo, where have you been?” she berated as she flipped her hair over her shoulders. Dylan put on a plastic smile and let himself being dragged by Tabitha back to the cafeteria. Sophia pulled her game face on when Tabitha glared daggers at her the whole way. She breathed in deeply, calming her overwhelmed emotions before walking back to the hell hole people called the cafeteria. Everyday, Sophia had to put on a brave face and willed herself not to crack in front of Dylan and just confess everything like she had always wanted.

You are a strong girl, Sophia. You. Are. Strong was the phase she repeated in her mind in an endless loop. As her sneakered-feet entered the cafeteria, Hunter’s grin was the first thing she noticed. It was the only thing keeping her sane lately.

**********************************************************************************

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months. Before they knew it, senior year was approaching its final halt. The Avenue had done countless of gigs and shows but they still had no contract with any record. Dylan and Sophia were at their wits ends; meeting managers, being told they were still too young and repeating the process with other managers. Zach suggested that they just give up but alas, his young mouth spoke too soon. It was a Friday night; the band had just finished a show and was hanging out by the club, sipping their Cokes.

“Luke, you disgusting douche, stop spitting on the ground!” Sophia nagged. Luke merely grinned and wiggled his eyebrows unceremoniously at Hunter.

“Dude, your girlfriend is already nagging. Wait till you marry her!” he laughed. The whole band erupted in cat calls and hoots; everyone except for Dylan who continued glaring at Hunter’s curly head.

“Shut up, freak,” Hunter grinned, shoving Luke by the shoulder, “we only went to prom together as friends. Not that big of a deal.” Sophia’s face turned light pink, even as she tried her hardest to suppress the blush. “Yeah, guys, stop talking about it already,” she muttered. Luke bared his teeth in an evil grin, ready to attack Sophia again but Dylan cut him off immediately.

“So guys, any plans for tomorrow?” Dylan interrupted. “Well, I wanted to—“

“Excuse me, are you The Avenue?”

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

It’s Just You and Me, Honey (Chapter 4) by Fathiah Zarafi

Sophia was resting on the park bench watching Luke, Hunter and Zach play on the frozen lake. She stifled a giggle when Zach fell flat on his butt after a failed attempt to skate a figure 8. Her breath was puffing out in front of her as she held herself together for warmth. Sophia had no idea why they dragged her out here. It was January in Portland, Maine. Do the math.

“Sophie!”

Sophia snapped out of her trance and gazed wildly at the beaming boy next to her. “Guess what?” Dylan teased. She raised an eyebrow as a sign of continuation. Dylan leaned forward until their noses were almost touching, an action resulting in a skipped beat of Sophia’s heart.

“We have just been booked for another gig at Hard Rock Café,” he whispered. Sophia’s eyes widened in a mixture of disbelief and joy. “Hard Rock Café? Are you freaking kidding me?” she laughed. Dylan’s chortle was choked in his throat when Sophia suddenly launched herself on him causing them both to nearly tumble from the bench.

“Hey, I know I’m hot and all but geez,” joked Dylan. Sophia ignored his comment and wrapped her arms around him tighter. “It’s freezing out here!” she moaned “Who the hell suggested we ‘play’ outside in the middle of winter? We’re in Portland for goodness sake!”

Dylan once again guffawed loudly before untangling Sophia’s limbs from his. “It’s your mother’s idea, remember?” he reminded. Sophia groaned, drawing her arms around her knees for warmth. It is indeed true. Her mother had been the one to drag them here, insisting that they have a “band-bonding” time. What confuses Sophia though, was the fact that it has been three months since their very first performance. Of all the time to bond, it would be three months ago.

“So are you up for it?” Dylan’s voice shook Sophia out of trance. Her face wore the expression of scandalized as she looked at him.

“Of course I’m up for it, idiot.”

Out of nowhere, Hunter had come padding towards them and unexpectedly pulled Sophia to her feet. Despite her protests, Hunter led her to the frozen lake where they met with Zach and Luke.

“Geez, Red, who knew you were such a fun-less person,” Hunter grinned. Huffing in mock annoyance, Sophia once again crossed her arms in front of her chest following Zach and Luke’s snickers.

“For your information, it’s negative 5 Celsius out here and I’m a petite girl. I need warmth,” she argued back with a smile forming on her lips. The instant the words left her mouth, all three of the boys grinned mischievously down at her. Sophia backed away from them slowly but it was too late.

Luke, Zach and Hunter had surrounded her with evil grins on their faces. The next thing she knew, Sophia was group hugged—no, group squeezed by these boys. Her squeals rang out loud throughout the park followed by laughter that pierced through the air.

From the distance, Dylan watched the action enfold with a huge foreign weight on his chest. He didn’t know what it is or why it was there but Dylan wanted it gone for good. How to, though, was a different matter. As Sophia giggled when Hunter lifted her off of her feet, the pang in his chest intensified. Yes, he must take matters in his hands soon.

*********************************************************************************


It was Friday night. Hunter Kinsley was currently standing in front of his full length mirror contemplating whether to flat iron his hair or not. He was running out of time though; Luke will swing by in 10 minutes to pick him up for the gig.

Screw this, he thought, throwing the iron he stole from his sister onto his desk, everybody knows natural is the way to go.

With that thought inscribed in his mind, Hunter took one last look at his reflection. Curly brown hair, blue button up shirt, loose tie, dark jeans and roughed up sneakers. Meh, I’ve been worse.

Hunter slid down the stairs on the railing ignoring his mother’s repeating warning not to do so. He landed gracefully on the bottom with a soft thud. “Mom, I’ll wait for Luke outside!” he called. His mother, blonde hair wild and disheveled, peeked from the kitchen with a huge pot in her hands.

“Good luck, honey,” she wished. Hunter sighed as to what his mother was currently cooking registered in his mind. “Don’t blow up the house with your salsa again, mom!” he hollered just before shutting the door behind him.

As he sat down on the cold swing, his jacket wrapped tightly around him, Hunter began thinking about the only girl who has been occupying his mind lately. Sophia Banks. Ever since the first time they met, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. From her striking red hair to her equally charming personality, everything about Sophia captivated him. Even though he was head over heels for her, Hunter knew she was still crazy about that dude, Dylan.

A bitter chuckle escaped between Hunter’s lips. You’re so stupid, Mayer. You’ve got the most amazing girl after you but there you go dating some other blonde bimbo. Smooth.

Luke’s persistent honking forced Hunter out of his daydream and he walked carefully down the ice-covered ground. Though he was walking, his mind was still a thousand miles away. As he got in the car, Luke immediately drove off, heading towards the city.

Through the rock music blasting in the car, Luke casually spoke up. “So have you found someone to go to prom with?” he asked. Hunter smirked at him immediately. “Yes. Yes I do.”

*********************************************************************************************



The show was yet another success. Just like the first time they performed, the crowd demanded another encore even after the band’s two hour performance was up. As soon as the band exited the stage, all five of them collapsed on the nearest bench, drenched in sweat. Luke peeled his shirt from his sticky chest in disgust.

“Gross. I need a shower,” he mumbled to nobody in particular but it was heard by Zach who immediately took a whiff of his armpit. “Phew. Me too, dude.” Sophia shoved the two boys away from her although the barely budge from her force.

“You’re both disgusting,” she grunted. Just as she was about to collapse on Dylan like she usually does after shows, Hunter suddenly sprang to his feet and tugged Sophia along with him.

“Come on guys, the earlier we finish loading our equipments, the sooner we get to crash on our beds,” he ushered. All of them croaked in agreement before hauling themselves sluggishly to where their equipments were piled up.

After countless trips from backstage to Dylan’s 1984 Dodge Caravan, all of the guitars, stereos and drum sets were loaded. Zach hopped onto the backseat and propped his feet on the front seat, which was later slapped away by Sophia. She was climbing the front seat when a pair of hands pulled her backwards by her waist. A loud squeak escaped her lips from the surprise.

“Red, I need to talk to you. It’s very important,” Hunter whispered. Sophia gave Dylan a look that meant ‘It’s nothing, I’ll be right back’ when he started scowling and tried to pull her back into the van.

Hunter led them back into the club and back to the bench where they rested earlier. Sophia studied him curiously as his usual calm demeanor was replaced with agitation; something very rarely seen.

“Hunter, what is it?” she asked. He was really starting to worry her. Hunter took in a deep breath and gazed at her straight in the eyes. Suddenly Sophia’s worried feelings were replaced with fear.

“Sophia, would you go to the prom with me?”


****************************************************************************************

“You said WHAT?” screamed Dylan on their way home. Sophia cringed as she rubbed her painful ears. Dylan’s face was practically steaming red by now, taking his eyes off the road to glance at her every so often.

“I said yes,” she sighed. His grip on the steering wheel tightened even more, if that was possible and nearly ran over an innocent cat.

“Why the hell did you agree to go with Hunter?! Anybody but Hunter, Sophia, please!” he screeched. Sophia felt her anger flared up within herself at his words.

“And why the hell not?” she spat as soon as they halted to a stop in front of her house. Dylan glared at her with menacing eyes. “You two have just met three months ago! How would know that ‘taking you to prom’ isn’t the only agenda in his mind?! Stop being so naïve!”

That was it. That was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. If they were in a cartoon, steam would’ve emitted from Sophia’s ears as her face grew redder by the second.

“Don’t you dare tell me I’m naïve, Dylan Neil Mayer! Hunter is your friend for fuck’s sake and you were the one who introduced us!” hissed Sophia, “You are not my father, my brother nor my boyfriend so you don’t have the say on whom I can go or can’t go to prom with.”

Before Dylan had the chance to retort, Sophia jumped out of his van and slammed on his door. Fuming, he slammed on the gas pedal and skidded out of her driveway. As he continued his anger-induced journey down the icy road, Dylan couldn’t help but replay Sophia’s words over and over again.

You are not my father, my brother nor my boyfriend

Boyfriend.

A part of him wanted to play that role so desperately but another part of him, the rational part, dismissed this feeling simply as an anger surge towards Hunter Kinsley. He was dead wrong.

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey

The Open Stage
by Fathiah Zarafi

Chapter 3

“You know, you did great just now.”

Sophia whipped her head around to stare at Hunter through the red strands billowing in her face. “Really?” she questioned skeptically. He blew a strand of curly brown hair out of his eyes before grinning down at her.

“Really,” he insisted, “for someone as small as you, your voice makes Whitney Houston crap her pants.”

A smile broke on her face followed by a bright blush on her cheeks. Hunter couldn’t help but laugh at her cute habit of blushing. “Shut up,” Sophia spluttered, trying in vain to settle down the redness of her cheeks. He grabbed her hands that were attached to her face and gently brought it down.

“Don’t cover it; I think it’s cute,” he remarked, only resulting in a deeper blush on Sophia’s face. A moment of awkward pause passed through them as Sophia tried to figure out what to say and Hunter was just amused at her silence.

“You were a monster on that guitar,” she finally commented. He threw her a loop-sided grin but immediately sobered up. “Yeah well, I’m not as good as Dylan,” he grumbled. Sophia smiled softly to herself as she remembered the day Dylan taught himself how to play the guitar. They were twelve back then and she had just learned to play the piano. Dylan wanted to beat her so he took his father’s guitar and started learning by himself.


”Hello, earth to Sophie, come in Sophie!”

Sophia broke from her trance by Hunter’s rapidly waving hand in front of her face. She blinked once, twice, before finally realizing that they had arrived at her house. She twirled around to face Hunter who was currently staring at her with a cocked eyebrow.

“Um, thank you for walking me home,” she thanked. Hunter grinned at her in reply. Before she knew what was happening, he had lean down and enveloped her in a quick hug.

“See you tomorrow, Red!” he hollered as he jogged down the street. Sophia closed her door dazedly, silently pondering on his abrupt show of affection.

*********************************************************************************


Sophia went to bed early that night, despite the fact that it was Friday. After long hours of tossing and turning on her small bed, sleep finally overtook her.

You don't have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger I might have to bend it back
And break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger I’ll point you to the mirror

A hand shot out from underneath the thick covers and groped blindly at the side table for the noisy contraption. Sophia pushed her messy red hair away from her eyes before answering her cell phone.


”Unnh?” or at least excrete some kind of a noise.

“Sophia, I have the most awesome news in the history of the most awesome news!” Sophia was instantly wide awake once she heard that voice. She glanced at her digital clock and groaned out loud.

“Do you have to tell me at 2 in the morning, Dylan?” she complained.

“Yes, I do. We, my dear red-headed midget friend, have been booked for a gig!” he shouted through the phone.

Sophia shot up straight from her previous lying position and stared at the phone wide-eyed. “You’re kidding,” she whispered.

“No, I’m serious!” Dylan laughed “my uncle, the manager of that JamHard club heard us when we were practicing and told me we have to perform at his club!”

Sophia couldn’t contain herself anymore. She jumped on her soft bed and proceeded to do a little dance on it. Suddenly a comprehension dawned on her. She flopped down on her bed heavily and stared at the opposite wall in horror.

“Oh no, no, Dylan, I can’t!” she gasped out, “there’s—there’s too many people watching!”

“Sophia please,” Dylan pleaded “we can’t do this without you!”

“But what if I get stage fright and I forgot how to sing!” she choked out, her breaths starting to become heavier. Dylan automatically knew she was starting to panic.

“Hey, hey, calm down Soph. I’ll be there too, remember? Right on stage with you, standing next to you so there’s no need to panic okay.”

She nodded silently, taking deep calming breaths. “Okay, okay. I’ll do it if only you’d be there with me the whole time.”

“Of course,” he chuckled “I won’t be going anywhere.” Sophia couldn’t help but smile at his reassuring words. “Well I’ll see you—in a few more hours,” he continued.

“Yeah, sure, bye.”

As soon as Dylan hung up, Sophia fell back onto her bed a little breathless. Even though he had clearly stated that there was nothing to be worried about, the thought of performing in a club packed with people still sent shivers down her spine. And so starts the insomnia.

*********************************************************************************************

Dylan wiped his brows with the back of his hands while squinting his eyes against the glares of the sun. He was waiting for Sophia at the back alley of the club near the backstage door. It was six in the evening and he had waited for the girl for at least half an hour. Through scrunched up eyes, he could barely make out a red blur dashing towards him.

“Sorry—I’m late!” Sophia gasped out as she reached where Dylan stood. He eyed her from head to toe, from her red hair ironed straight to her black-and-white tank top and down to her bright yellow skinny jeans.

“Um, cool outfit,” he commented. Sophia breathlessly punched his shoulder before straightening up to touch her hair gingerly. “My mom forced me to straighten my hair,” she mumbled bashfully. Dylan unconsciously toyed with a strand of her red hair as he studied her “banana-pants”.

“And the pants?”

“I didn’t have that much to wear, okay!” she shrieked, walking to the backstage. Sophia suddenly lurched to a stop and twirled around to face Dylan.

“I’m so nervous,” she cried agitatedly. He drew Sophia into in his arms and lightly rubbed her back to soothe her. “It’s okay,” he comforted, “we can do this; together.”

She withdrew from his embrace, blushing evidently but quickly hid it by busying herself with her earpiece. Dylan was a little bit confused watching his best friend fumbling with the wires when he noticed the apples of her cheeks were painted red. Before he could ponder on though, the stage manager appeared from behind the curtains.

“Farro, Banks, upstage now!” the six-foot man hissed. The two teenagers quickly scrambled to their positions behind the curtain, joining the other three band members.

“You’re late, Red,” Hunter whispered. “Tell me something I don’t know,” she scoffed back at him.

“Guys, you’re on now!” the manager interrupted. Much to Dylan’s dismay, Hunter grabbed Sophia’s hand and led her to the stage where the crowd awaits. Sophia couldn’t help but grip his in return as she stepped onto the stage for the first time.

She released Hunter’s hand and strutted to the awaiting microphone in the middle of the stage. Sophia took a deep breath and glanced at Dylan briefly who smiled reassuringly back at her. She took the mic close to her lips and claimed proudly, “We are The Avenue.”

The crowd was cheering them on, singing along with them when a familiar song was sung. Dylan, Sophia, Hunter, Luke and Zach covered popular songs as well as those undiscovered tracks. My Hero, Use Somebody, Can’t Move On, Playing God were among the songs sung by Sophia that night.

As the band rounded up their final song for the night, every person present in the club screamed and cheered; some even demanded an encore. Sophia let the cheers sink in her as her mind started realizing and comprehend the situation. This was where she belonged, on the open stage.

******************************************************************************

Labels: It's Just You and Me Honey