A/N: Hola, new chapter hope you enjoy. Ps, hope you all had a lovely Christmas and have a wonderful New Years! :)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own How to Rock, promise.
Upon entering the dance, Stevie didn't know why she agreed to come to it. Yes sure, she came to all of the other dances; however that was usually because Gravity 5 would perform… and they were not performing at this dance. Molly and her incessant Perfs were performing which made Stevie want to hurl. But, there was something about the way that Zander asked her to the dance that made it almost impossible for her to say 'no'.
As they walked further into the creatively done up gym, Stevie eyed her surroundings – they had really gone all out this time round. A stage was set up in the far back corner where a DJ was present, an array of tables were set up around the room with snacks and punch bowls that most likely had been spiked by the footballers or basketballers, fairy lights hung gracefully from the ceiling giving off the starry night effect and random lights were placed on the many white, decorated tables that were around the hall.
Stevie had to give props to the dance committee; this was one pretty classy looking dance.
"God, the dance committee have gone all out." Zander commented, snapping Stevie right out of her daze. She turned to look up at him and smiled whilst nodding.
"Yeah. I think this may be one of the only dances they've planned so far that looks decent." She commented, still looking up at Zander. He looked down at her slightly and smiled.
"Want some punch?" He questioned causing Stevie to scrunch up her nose.
"That the footballers have most likely spiked? No thank-you." She replied with a smirk, while Zander shrugged.
"Fine, I'll get some for myself." He huffed and Stevie laughed. "I'll be back in a sec." He spoke before whizzing off to the drinks table.
Stevie looked around the room before she spotted Kacey talking to Jake, her music partner. Stevie's eyebrows rose as Kacey laughed her girly, giggly 'I like you' laugh, and placed a hand on Jake's arm. Staring at her best friend incredulously, she began to make her way over, a smirk present on her face.
"Hey guys!" She cheerfully spoke, wrapping an arm around Kacey's shoulders which caused the dark haired girl to jump in fright. "I didn't know you two came together." She teased, even though she knew they didn't come together.
"Uh, we didn't Steves." Kacey's commented, glaring at her best friend. "Why don't you go find Zander? You know, your date." She smirked, causing Stevie to narrow her eyes at her. "I'm sure the two of you have a lot of flirting to do." Kacey finished with a triumphant smile on her face. Stevie glared at her, and then Jake as she heard him snickering.
"Shut-up, we don't flirt."
"Jake thought you two were dating when I mentioned you." Kacey informed, causing Stevie to whip her head in Jake's direction.
"Why would you think that?" She abruptly pestered as Jake flinched in shock. She watched as he stuttered for a little before looking to Kacey who had an evident smirk on her face.
"Well you two kind of don't know the meaning of personal space." He stuttered, as Stevie narrowed her eyes. "And you do really act like a couple; I mean you scarily act like a couple." She added on ad Stevie groaned.
"Well, we're not dating okay! Enough with this!" And with that, she stormed off, leaving Kacey and Jake chuckling at her spat.
. . .
"Well, we're not dating okay! Enough with this!"
Zander caught the obvious end of a conversation between Stevie, Kacey and Jake before he eyed Stevie curiously as she stormed off and sat down in a chair at one of the whitely decorated tables, arms folded and a sulky pout on her face. Chuckling at this, he took little sips of his punch – that was heavily spiked – and sat down next to his best friend.
"What's wrong?" He asked in his best 'curious and helpful best friend' voice.
"Kacey's dumb music partner is dumb." Stevie spoke bitterly looking over at Zander.
"Why?"
"He thinks we're dating."
"Well then."
With Zander's last words a silence ensued. It wasn't awkward, or planned. They simply sat there with the same thing running through their minds.
What if we were dating?
. . .
Whilst Stevie and Zander were off in their own little bubble, Nelson was trailing around behind Grace with a puppy love look happening in his orbs. Her pink sparkly dress was somewhat ravishing and suited her and her personality perfectly – Grace thought she looked perfect and had told her so many times this evening. Funnily enough, she blushed each time.
Grace had informed Nelson about the deal with Molly for this particular night; she was being bitter according to Grace because she didn't get a date and was frustrated that Grace was going with him of all people. This made Nelson sort of feel bad as he didn't like it when Grace was upset – however she insisted that she was fine and was happy to spend the night with him.
And so he'd be the perfect gentlemen.
"A seat for milady." He spoke in a fake British accent as he pulled out a chair for her, causing her to giggle as she sat down.
"Thanks Nelson!" Grace grinned her wide grin and Nelson almost melted right there and then.
"Would you like some punch?" He asked, motioning towards the punch tables. As she nodded Nelson smiled and held up his finger in a 'one moment' manner before he rushed off to the drinks table. Upon reaching it Kevin slinked into the picture and grinned at his friend.
"How's it going with Grace?" Kevin asked, genuinely happy for his friend.
"Good! It's good. I'm just getting her some punch." He smiled, feeling proud of himself for being all gentlemanly and all.
Just as he was about to scoop some punch into the plastic cups provided, Kevin stopped him, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He spoke, looking around not to subtly before back at his best friend. "This one's spiked." Kevin winked, taking a sip of his punch (which Nelson assumed was the spiked one).
"Right." He spoke with a smile, scooping the spoonfuls of the not spiked punch into the cups. Looking up at Kevin who was longing looking across the room, Nelson turned to see him eyeing down Kim who was wearing a plain teal dress, but Nelson had to admit; she looked good. "Go ask her to dance?" Nelson suggested as he turned back to his friend.
"Pssh, coming from the guy who only just now mustered up the courage to ask Grace to a dance of all things after what, 4 years of liking her?" Kevin spoke and Nelson glared. "Okay, going to ask Kim to dance. I'm drinking my liquid courage."
And with that, he stalked off.
Whatever was put in the punch must have been pretty strong… that or Kevin had had one too many glasses of the spiked punch. Oh well, he was asking Kim to dance.
Good, right?
. . .
"Look and Nelson and Grace." Stevie pointed out as Zander's eyes followed her finger. The two were laughing away at a table close by to them, causing a smile to rise on Zander's face. He was happy for his friend; but he'd never admit to anyone that he thought they were cute.
"Good for him." He settled for saying.
Just as Zander finished his words, a slow song came on and Mr. March spoke over the microphone. "Alright, y'all, it's time to slow it doooown." He spoke in an attempted suave voice which made almost every student shake their heard in embarrassment for their teacher. He clearly didn't care though as he just went straight on. "So grab a partner and get ready for some slow romantic times." He randomly finished causing a majority of the students in the room to eye him confusedly.
Laughing at Mr. March's attempt to be romantic, Zander watched as couples slowly but surely made their way out to the dance floor. He smiled as he watched Kevin and Kim begin dancing, and smiled even more when he spotted a nervous Nelson dancing with a grinning Grace. He even cracked a smiled when Kacey was spotted dancing with Jake; when she was visibly facing him he gave her a thumbs up and a wink, causing her to glare at him.
At his right, he felt a nudge and looked down at Stevie. "What was that about?" She questioned, Zander assuming she meant about Kacey.
"Kacey likes Jake."
"I knew it was him!"
"Huh?"
Stevie turned to face Zander and smiled. "We were talking about how y…" She trailed off, steering clear of what Kacey had said about her and Zander earlier that afternoon. "Um… we were talking about how people are perfect for each other and I questioned her about how Spencer and Tony and whoever were perfect for her, but she said she liked someone else but wouldn't tell me who." She concluded, looking out to the two dancing with smiles playing on their lips. "I had a feeling it may have been him."
"Well you were correct." He spoke with a smile as Stevie looked up at him and smiled softly before looking back out to her friends dancing.
Looking down the few centimetres at Stevie, a smile toying on her lips, her perfectly curled hair sweeping over her tanned face, her eyes shining like she'd seen the best bass guitar ever; Zander knew in that moment that he was falling hard and fast for his best friend and it was no longer undeniable.
He'd fallen straight back into the black hole that was liking Stevie. Somehow he'd managed to get out of said black hole the last time he developed feelings for his best friend, but he knew, he just knew that this time there was no getting out. There was just something about her that made him feeling like a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any random time. He'd loved her as a best friend, and he was sure he was falling in love with her as more than just a best friend.
Maybe it was the way her eyes shone every time he saw her. Maybe it was the way her hair always looked perfect even if she insisted she just rolled out of bed. Maybe it was her alluring smile that was so contagious that Zander felt like smiling every single damn time she smiled. Maybe it was one of those features that had Zander weak in the knees and falling for his best friend. Or maybe, it was her selflessness. Or her charm, or wit, or humour. Or the way she was willing to stand up for her friends if they needed it. Or maybe it was the way she put everyone else before herself, just to make sure they were happy and content in life.
He didn't know; but what he did know was that he was falling for her, hard and fast.
. . .
The dance eventually ended.
Nelson got a kiss from Grace on the cheek, which had him jumping for the stars as she and Molly walked out of the dance. Kim gave Kevin her number and told her to call him which also had Kevin jumping for the stars. Needless to say, the two best friends had done their handshake a countless number of times out of pure excitement.
Kacey had kept her lips shut about Jake, although it was obvious that something had gone on. And for once in her life Kacey wasn't bragging about it which was extremely weird.
Zander and Stevie talked of their friends' nights as they drove away in his car, the most recent Taylor Swift album Stevie had shamelessly become addicted to. They discussed Nelson and Kevin successes and Kacey's secret behaviour; smiling at their friends'.
As Zander pulled into Stevie's driveway, Stevie looked to her front window, half expecting her brothers to be peeking through the curtain. When she didn't see them she shrugged and turned back to Zander. Opening her mouth to thank him for the night, she soon shut it as she saw Zander looking at her with such a deep severity, she was lost for words.
"Stevie Baskara you are so beautiful." He breathed out after a few moments of silence and Stevie was still at a loss for words.
"Oh…" Was the only thing she managed to get out as she looked down and blushed. Blushed. Stevie Baskara actually blushed; what on Earth was going on?
"Really, you are." Zander spoke with such sincerity laced through his tone that Stevie legitimately believed him.
She would be lying if she said she was okay with the fact that Zander didn't ask her to dance once all night; she was hoping deep down that he would have. Not that she knew why because, she didn't like him… well, she hoped she didn't. But the comment he made just then made up for him not asking her to dance. His comment had her feeling as if she were on cloud nine, floating softly down to Earth.
"And I just…" He trailed off and Stevie's eyes and ears widened in anticipation of what he was going to say. He just… what? The possibilities of what he could say were endless. He just wanted to be friends. He just thought of her in a sisterly kind of beautiful way. He just didn't know what to do about their weird friendship. Thoughts sped through Stevie's mind as she anxiously awaited the final part of his sentence.
"I just really want to kiss you."
Or he could say that.
Stevie's mouth slightly dropped for a few seconds before she abruptly shut it as she realised that that was probably not very ladylike. She swallowed harshly as she watched Zander's face get closer to closer to hers. "Is this… is this okay?" He whispered nervously, his breath tickling her lips. She swallowed harshly yet again before stiffly nodding her head.
No! It was not okay! Your best friend is asking to kiss you! The rational side of her brain screeched every millimetre closer that Zander got. However the daring and rebellious side of her brain that overpowered the rational side 90% of the time echoed the words But he's so hot. Do it! Your hot best friend wants to kiss you. Surpass this opportunity and you'll hate yourself forever.
So when his lips finally pressed against hers, to put it in the oh-so-clichéd way, she felt sparks.
Their lips fused like magnets; as if they were made for each other. His hands found her cheeks, and he hands rested on his forearms as their lips moved beautifully in harmony. Stevie had been kissed before yes, as had Zander; but for the two of them, in this moment, it felt as if all memory of other kisses had been swiped.
Kissing your best friend was so much better.
Pulling away, Stevie licked her lips and Zander let out a shaky breath. Her eyes remained shut, and when she opened them she found Zander staring at her so intensely she thought she may faint.
"Um…" She whispered, pulling slightly away from him, dropping her hands from his forearms.
"Wow." He uttered out, moving completely away from her. "Wow." He repeated, now facing forward a goofy smile toying on his lips.
Stevie couldn't help but smile herself, but when she noticed it was almost 11pm, which was her curfew, she unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to Zander. "I should go in…" She trailed off and Zander nodded with a smile. "Thanks for taking me to the dance."
"Thanks for accompanying me." He replied a grin on his lips.
"Um… text me when you're safe home."
"Will do."
And with that Stevie hopped out of Zander's car and waved him goodbye before walking up to her house with a lovestruck grin on her face.
Holy crap she'd just kissed Zander.
. . .
Some minutes later when she was tucked in bed, her phone vibrated against her bed side table. Picking it up, she noticed it was from Zander, who had conveniently changed his name to 'Sex God' a few days ago.
From: Sex God
All home safe worry pants. We're talking tomorrow although.
His texted recited and Stevie's heart began racing; they'd be talking about the kiss, oh God. Her phone vibrated again and she looked down to see another message from him.
You're a really good kisser by the way ;) see you tomorrow Stevekins x
Likey likey? ;D Review please! They make chapters come out faster.
xoxo