Pushing Forward (Sequel to An Unlikely Duo)

Chapter 18: New People Old Places

"Oh my how could we ever have any fun without Jeremy. I think we'll just sit around and watch paint dry all day just waiting for him to come back" Angela's dramatic monologue had Jeremy glaring at her.

"I have an even better idea. Girl's day" Paige wiggled her eyebrows.

"Heck yes. We should get our nails done, do some shopping, and go to lunch" Angela agreed.

"Man Jer you're missing out" I nudged him.

"I may hang out with you girls a lot, but I will never shop or get my nails done with you by my own free will"

"Oh come on. Don't be so old fashioned. There are plenty of guys that get pedicures. Don't label things as girly" Angela insisted.

"Woah there I'm not saying I won't do those things because they're girly. I'm saying they're boring. B-O-R-I-N-G boring" Jeremy laughed.

"Fair enough" Angela conceded.

"Why don't Paige and I show you around town this afternoon and then we can prove to you that Ridgemont also has the best pizza you've ever had. We'll take the pizza down by the docks and jealously watch all the boats that we wish we were on" I suggested with a grin.

"Our favorite hobby. Kayla and I have chronic boat envy" Paige gazed wistfully out the window as if she could see the boats from there.

"You southerners are strange" Jeremy looked at us like we had two heads.

"Oh please we're barely in the south. You don't even know what Southern really is" Paige rolled her eyes.

"Fine your geography has nothing to do with your strangeness" Jeremy ' s sly answer earned him more french fries thrown at his face.

***

"Have you and Jeremy ever dated?" Paige asked as we stood inside Luigi's Pizza waiting for our order later that night.

"What!? No never" I laughed.

"Oh please. You have to admit he's insanely attractive and you guys are together constantly. The thought's never crossed your mind?" Paige raised her eyebrows in question.

"Well the first time I saw him I definitely thought he was good looking, I mean who wouldn't? If I hadn't been with Jake and completely happy I probably would've hoped he would ask me out" I admitted.

"And did he?" Paige asked.

"Absolutely not. By the end of that class he had made so many weird jokes I couldn't imagine him as any more than a friend, and by the end of the week he was like my brother. Even after Jake and I split Jer and I were always just best friends. He dated and I attempted to date, but he was always the one I was telling about the awkward dates, never the one I went on dates with" I thought back on those memories fondly.

There was one time a seemingly normal guy in my Physics class asked me out and spent two hours talking about his obsession with rare fungi. Jeremy and I got plenty of laughs from that disaster date.

"Wow I'm jealous. I wish I had a guy best friend who I was that close with" Paige handed me one of the pizzas to carry as we went out to the car.

"You have Steephheenn" I cooed.

"Yes I have Stephen and I love him so much sometimes it hurts, but having a Jeremy would be nice too. You know for advice? To help me figure out what Stephen's thinking sometimes" Paige clearly had something on her mind.

"Paige what's going on?" I pulled the keys out of the ignition.

"Stephen's been acting weird the past few days. I think he might be avoiding me and I don't know why. When I ask him what's going on he just brushes it off and says everything is fine. I'm driving myself crazy trying to figure out what's going on" Paige ran her hands over her face.

"Paige I'm sure everything is fine. Don't assume there are problems until you have a real reason to think so" I patted her knee reassuringly.

"You really think he's still in love with me?" Paige's eyes were full of emotion.

"Paige that boy is so in love with you I don't think he could stop even if he wanted to" I reassured her.

"I really hope you're right" Paige hugged me across the center console of the car.

"Trust me I'm always right" I teased.

"Oh zip it big mouth. Let's go have some pizza and come up with ridiculous plots to steal expensive boats" Paige grinned at me mischievously.

I started the car so she wouldn't see the knowing look in my eye. Paige had no idea that her world was about to turn on its axis.

Hmmm what could be going on? Any guesses?
Who's excited Jeremy and Angela are back?
Don't forget to vote!