A/N: My thanks to Benji's Riot Gurl for encouraging me to add a second chapter, and to Ledophole and GothicRouge for their kind reviews. Hope this lives up to everyone's expectations.

Warnings: Mild swearing, although nothing you wouldn't hear on South Park.

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"LARS!"

I tried ignoring him, even though I knew it was useless. He'd always been a pest that way. Of course, this time I knew exactly what he wanted, and I also knew that I couldn't give it to him, even if I wanted to.

Which I didn't.

I guess I was still kinda lost in my thoughts, because he grabbed my arm in an attempt to get me to slow down. Normally I'd pound him just for touching me, but after what had happened at the stupid Shack, I just didn't have it in me.

What happened? Do you really want to know?

I tried to play Prince Charming. No, really.

OK, and maybe I was also thinking that I might get a little bit lucky. Not THAT lucky, not with Regina Rocket, but enough to make it worth my while.

Regina? Yeah, Reggie. I don't know when I started thinking of her as Regina. Probably when I noticed one summer that her swimsuit was a bit more filled out in front. If I didn't think my parents would skin me alive if they found out, well...I can't tell you how much I'd itched to cop a feel that summer.

Yeah, and the summer after that, too. Think the swimsuit was bad? The clingy wet suit was even worse. It was a blessing and a curse that Reggie gave up the baggie board shorts.

When we were kids, she had this crush on Trent, some transfer student that a lot of girls went ga-ga over. I wouldn't have known about it if Maurice hadn't mentioned it at supper one night.

Heh. I like calling him Maurice lately. Sometimes I call him Moe. I think it confuses him.

So where was I?

Oh yeah.

Maybe I should start from the beginning.

Regina - Reggie - and I, we never really got along, and yet at the same time, we had this uneasy truce going on at the same time. I hate her brother, that hasn't changed. I tolerate him for Moe's sake. Scratch that. I really don't tolerate him, but I think I am able to pretend I do when necessary. Like when he's over for dinner. Still can't believe my parents don't realize that those overly large grins are completely fake.

Regina was different. To start with, she's a girl. Think what you like, but now that I'm older, I can see the stages I went through, including the "girls have cooties" stage and the "girls are the weaker sex" stage and the "girls have parts I'd really like to touch" stage.

Sue me, I'm a red blooded American boy with hormones, and 'Gina did have some very touchable looking body parts. That damn wet suit again.

OK, I admit it. I thought she was a total babe when she hit puberty. So did Pi and Sputz, to be honest. None of us were blind. Lust has nothing to do with like. Eye candy is eye candy, especially in clingy wet neoprene.

She hung out with that blonde squid geek all the time. I guess I assumed that, once they got to high school, they were a couple. Maybe they were, I really didn't pay much attention to that crap. If I noticed anything, it was that the twerps seemed to think a hell of a lot more of that brainiac's abilities than mine, even if they did ask me to fill in for the squid once.

Of course, the one that sticks in my mind the most is when 'Gina asked me to cover for her idiot brother when he did something brilliant like breaking his leg. Twit. I probably woulda done it for Moe, too, if he'd asked, although it would have cost him. I was a little surprised and all, but I think I wanted to show off more than anything, prove that Regina wasn't wrong in coming to me for help. Show my bro that his bud was nowhere near as good as me.

Yeah, I know. Me and Twist never really got along, but not in a BAD way. We were just normal brothers. The dork would understand if Reggie had been born a guy, I think. But that's not the important thing here.

The important thing is that somewhere along the line, I fell for Regina Rocket. Hard.

I was never sure until today that it wasn't just normal hormone induced attraction, because we just had nothing in common, really, except for the skateboarding and surfing and hockey...you get the picture.

Maybe, just maybe, I had a soft spot for her, though, ever since that time she came to me for help. I could tell that I was the absolute last person she wanted to ask for help, and yet she did anyway. That means that she thought I was pretty good. I won't deny that it made me feel warm inside, not just because she recognized that I was as capable as her stupid brother. It was almost like the time Twist asked me to help him and the dorks protect their stupid sand sculptures. I would never admit that to the guys, but I kinda get off on the whole being-the-savior thing. I'm sure the blond genius would have some kind of psycho-babble to explain that, but I really don't care. It just felt damn good.

So the funny thing is, after Reg graduated, she ends up going to State. I knew that, of course, because Twist sort of warned me to leave her alone. As if I might be worried that he'd hurt me or something if I didn't, pffft. I kinda think he had a crush on her, too, or maybe he felt he was a brother by association with Rocket Dork. I don't care that I'm nearly twenty. He's still Rocket Dork to me. I don't think that will change any time soon.

I figured Regina to have some sort of English or journalism major, considering that 'zine she used to work on. I was still undeclared, and let me tell you, I've got to pick something soon, because otherwise I'll end up here another year to finish all the degree requirements, and don't think my parents will be willing to pay for a fifth year just because I can't make up my mind. It really bites facing reality. I think I always assumed that I'd be some sort of professional athlete, but reality is a real bitch. My parents expected me to get an education and think about getting a "real job." If I heard one more story about athletes who shattered a knee cap or some other bone in their body, and their career went kaput...

But back to Regina.

I saw her around the campus a few times, mainly when I was out playing field hockey or in the bookstore or walking from the dorms to the main building. From a distance. I don't think she ever saw me, but then, she wasn't looking for me. I, on the other hand, made a habit of scanning the crowds for purple hair and a killer bod. She can wear baggy shirts all she wants, I've seen what's under there. Not as much as I'd like, of course.

Don't think that meant I wasn't dating or anything, because I was. That bad boy rep in high school doesn't get you squat in college, by the way, so I toned it down a notch, and the girls ate it up. Apparently there is a fine line between jerk and troubled youth, and I managed to land on the right side of it.

I wasn't serious about any of them, but commitment is kind of a chick thing. Maybe after college or something, but right now, what do I need a relationship for? So I have someone wanting to know where I am going and who I'm with and accusing me of cheating just because I decided to play foosball or something? Get real. Not all girls are like Reg, who was best buds with a guy herself.

So I was shocked as hell when Reggie approached me that day in the student union. I will deny it if anyone asks, but I really felt like her knight in shining armor. OK, so she only wanted this knight for his horse, but still...

Oh, and if you think the guys didn't ride me about my "girlfriend" after she left, you'd better think again. They knew I viewed chicks as something like a hockey helmet or knee pads. Not necessary to play the game, but helps things considerably. Well, apparently I had some sort of moon-eyed look after she said she'd meet me Friday outside the freshman dorm, if I wouldn't mind picking her up. I don't do "moon-eyed" - but I'm pretty sure I was drooling at the mouth, watching her backside as she left the union.

I did say Regina Rocket was a total babe, right?

She wasn't very impressed with my car. Hey, I love that car. Sure, it's beat up and has a horrible dent in the rear quarter panel, but it's a classic. The older style Camaro, that is. I could go on and on about the engine and its styling, but that's another story. I think she was surprised at how well the car handled, though, because it looks like it might fall apart once you hit thirty. OK, I exceeded the speed limit a bit, and maybe I was showing off just a little, but there's nothing like the feeling of being in control of a vehicle like that. It's different when you're on a board or a bike. I also like it because it's something that Rocket Dork doesn't do. Sue me, I think I will always be competing with that twerp.

It was a two-hour drive, and she offered to pay for gas when I stopped halfway home to pick up a soda. OK, normally I make the entire drive without stopping, but I wanted a chance to just look at her for a while, without anyone wondering why I was spending time with her. She looked at me kinda funny when I bought her a soda, too, and I'm not sure why I did it, either. I was almost jealous of that soda bottle, by the way. Good thing she finished it before I got back on the highway. I'm lucky I didn't need a cold shower when she'd finished. I don't think she knew what she was doing to my self control. How cool is that, to be turned on by a girl who isn't aware of her own sexuality like that?

So now Maurice wants to know what the hell happened between me and Reggie.

After I dropped Reggie off - yeah, I know, oooh, she lives next door to me - she ran in the house with her bag, and as I was in my room going through the closet to find what I was expected to wear to our family reunion that weekend, I saw her streak down the cul-de-sac on her way to her dad's Shack.

Hmm, Regina Rocket, streaking...

I ended up there, too. At the Shore Shack. Not because I was looking for Regina, but because it's just where we have always gone to eat when we weren't having dinner at home. At least that was the case for me and Moe.

I saw him with the dork, and went over to say hi. I hate Otto with a passion, but I did miss Twister, in a sick sort of way. By the end of the weekend, I'm sure I'll be glad to go back to school to get away from him, but he is my brother, and I do like to see that he's doing well, even if I wish to God he'd get out of the dork's shadow. So I'm standing there helping myself to Moe's fries, and I saw 'Gina a couple feet away from the table. Of course I pretended I didn't. She was standing there with Trent the Dweeb. She didn't look very happy. Then I noticed the piece next to him.

She was a real knock out. I'm talking Baywatch beautiful. And she knew it, too. She had that stuck up vibe about her. Didn't stop me from checking out the rest of her assets before deciding she was too high maintenance and most likely a total...well, I'd better not say that word. It offends most people.

Moe said something to Rocket Dork, but he whispered it. I heard Reggie's name mentioned and I think he was wondering why the dork hadn't warned his sister about the whole Trent and Barbie thing. Twist thinks Otto knows everything. Ticks me off most of the time, but right now, I was kind of thinking more about Regina's obvious discomfort. What the hell was wrong with me?

Next thing I know, I hear 'Gina say something about wanting to tell Trent something in person, and it was obvious from the way her voice got all high pitched that she was lying. Then she put her arm around me and called me "honey." I'm lucky I didn't need the Heimlich maneuver after that one.

I looked down at Reggie, and I hate to sound sappy, but I swear I was drowning in pools of the deepest chocolate. I'd known 'Gina for years, and it wasn't until then that I knew she had brown eyes - almost black. Those eyes were begging me to go along with her. In all the times she'd ever asked me for help, she'd never looked so desperate. I didn't like it.

I tore my eyes from hers and looked at Trent to see how he was taking this. He was looking at 'Gina with something like pity, and that was even worse. Apparently he knows her so well that it's obvious to him that she's making it all up. That made me really mad, because, even though it really had nothing to do with me, why couldn't someone like Regina Rocket go for someone like me? Asshole.

I acted without thinking. I told him that she never had to fake it with me, and kissed her.

I swear, after today I will never think of her as Reggie again. Teenaged girl or not, she is all woman. I hadn't realized until then how bad I really had it for her. How much I'd always wanted to do this.

She kissed me back.

My fingers itched with the desire to touch her everywhere, to run my hands up and down her back, and lower. I wanted to shove my hands in her back pockets, but I left them on her waist, and then only because I didn't want her father to come out and castrate me with a spatula or something.

She kissed me back.

I slipped my tongue in her mouth, and she let me. She didn't bite down on it, and she didn't act grossed out. It seemed to spur her on...her fingers actually ended up in my hair by my neck. I wouldn't have said so before, but that made the kiss even more intense, the fact that she was gripping my hair like a lifeline. She plastered her body against mine...damn, she felt ten times better than she looked. I could feel her heart beating with mine, and it seemed like there was no place on her body that wasn't touching some part of mine.

Shit, it was the hottest friggin' kiss I'd ever had. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Trent.

Then Rocket Dork had to go and ruin it.

As soon as he opened his mouth, 'Gina pulled her hands from my neck like they'd been burned, which is funny, because my neck felt cold as soon as her fingers were withdrawn. Poetic, ain't I?

At least Trent looked like a gaping fish. Didn't quite make up for the dork's interruption, though. Have I mentioned how much I hate that kid?

Trent left with his bimbo, then Rocket Dork was demanding to know what was going on, and 'Gina didn't look very comfortable. That's when I realized my hands were still on her hips, my fingers in her belt loops. Which wasn't a bad thing in my book, but apparently it was in hers, because the Mighty Rocket Dork was all disapproving and acting like some sort of Morality Cop.

Her eyes held a question, and I wasn't sure it was a question that I wanted to answer. I muttered something or other, and hightailed it out of there.

And Maurice had to follow me.

I don't care what he asks me, whatever happened is between 'Gina and me.

'Gina and me.

I kind of like the sound of that.

And unless Mr. Rocket has a car for 'Gina hidden away, she'll need a ride back to school at the end of the weekend.

I can't wait. I might even drive the speed limit this time.