Craig and Kelsie sat in her living room on a Saturday in February. They were waiting for their friends to turn up. They were coming over to help Kelsie move her music supplies into the spare room, and to decorate.

Kelsie was happy that her parents had agreed to let her have one of the spare rooms for a little music room. Her room had been a little crowded with all the stuff she owned. Her parents had finally finished organizing the other rooms so they no longer needed it for a storage room.

“So what kind of things do you want done to it?” Craig asked.

“I want all the decorations to be of anything to do about music. Like a couple of those photos of our band that Ellie took, other bands, stuff like that.”

“It’s going to look great!” he exclaimed. He wished he was able to do all the things she could do with the garage.

Just then the phone rang, “Hello,” Kelsie answered.

“Hey, I’m sorry but I can’t make it. It looks like the Spirit Squad is short a few hundred dollars to get our new uniforms, so we’re sitting down now trying to figure out a way to raise money,” Paige said.

“I understand,” knowing how much the squad meant to Paige.

“Okay talk to you later.”

“Bye,” she said pressing end on her phone. “There goes another person.”

“Why don’t we just start now, we’ll get a lot more done if we don’t sit around waiting for them. What if we end up finding out none of them are going to show at all?”

Getting up off the couch, “I guess you’re right! I still can’t believe everyone bailed, at least you kept your promise,” she smiled.

Of course I would come, if it meant I get to spend time with you, he thought.

They began by grabbing her piano from her room, and placing it in the corner by the window. Craig then grabbed her guitar and put it in the opposite corner on its stand. Next, they brought in her stereo, putting it on its stand by the closet door. As they hooked up her speakers, “Why don’t we hang these up around your room, so you can hear it from every angle,” Craig suggested.

“I never thought of doing that before.”

“Could you get me some nails and a hammer?”

“Sure,” she ran down the stairs to the garage, to her dad’s workbench.

Kelsie glanced at her watch, and noticed that it was noon now, and she was starting to feel a little hungry. “Craig, do you want to take a break, and have something to eat?”

“Sure,” he said setting the hammer down on her speakers.

Kelsie jumped on his back, wrapping her legs around his waist, wrapping her arms around his neck. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“There’s too many stairs and I’ve been up and down them so many times, I don’t want to do it again, please!!!” she begged.

“Alright, but I’m not bringing you back up.”

“Thank you,” she said squeezing him tightly.

When they got into the kitchen, she jumped off his back. “So what would you like for lunch?”

“How about a sandwich?”

“Alright, do you like ham?”

“Yeah.”

Kelsie went into her fridge and grabbed all the supplies that she needed for the sandwich, “Would you like something to drink?

“What do you got?”

“Orange juice, sprite, coke, milk, water.”

“Sprite.”

She threw the can towards him, and then she went and made them some lunch. Craig just sat on the counter and watched her. He could see that she was slowly becoming the girl she once was before Chris’ death, except she had become a little bit more open about herself.

******

When they had hung up all the pictures, they looked around the room at what they had done. “Something’s missing!” Craig exclaimed.

“I know, but I can’t figure out what.”

They both stood there thinking about it, then Craig had it: “It’s missing music notes on the wall, since this room is going to be filled with wonderful music.”

“Well, why don’t we go see if we got any paint in the garage, otherwise we need to go to the store and pick some up?”

They walked into the garage over to her dad’s shelf. It was full of different little cans. They had to look at many different cans to find paint, but they finally did. “Do you think this blue will look good on the lime green?” Kelsie asked.

“Yeah, this room is totally going to be funky,” he laughed.

“A Kelsie/Craig Creation,” she added.

“First things first, we need to make sure everything’s covered so we don’t get paint on anything,” she could just hear her mom’s comment if that happened.

She looked around the garage until she spotted some plastic. Then they went and brought everything upstairs so that they could finish off the room.

“Why don’t you start drawing the notes with a pencil, while I get changed into something different. I wouldn’t want paint on my good outfit.”

“Alright,” he began drawing on the wall, thinking how much fun they have had just organizing this all. He loved that it had just been the two of them.

******

Kelsie came back with her hair in pig-tails, a yellow halter-top, and baggie overalls. Craig thought she looked adorable. He actually loved that she wasn’t all dressed up, no make-up, looking like this she showed off her natural beauty.

“So do you need help with that?” Kelsie asked grabbing the pencil out of his hand.

“Yeah, you could do the wall by the window, while I finish this one.”

“Okay.”

They started painting on the opposite sides of the room, but they eventually met in the middle. “Hey Craig,” she called out.

“What,” he turned towards her.

All of a sudden, a paintbrush flew at his face, hitting his cheek. She began to giggle as his jaw dropped. He couldn’t believe she had just done that. Oh, she was so dead, he thought.

“Oh you think that’s funny,” he laughed.

“Yeah,” she giggled.

Drawing closer to her, “Than I think you’ll enjoy this.”

“Oh is that right,” she joked.

“Yeah,” he went to hit her with the paint, but she ducked. “Don’t think I won’t get you.”

“Oh is that so!” she said, being all cocky.

“Don’t underestimate me,” he grew closer to her again, but she started backing away, eventually backing right into a wall.

“No, no, no,” she cried.

“You’re not getting away with it.”

She tried pushing him away, but he grabbed her wrists with one hand, she tried to get away by squirming, but he dropped his paintbrush, and grabbed her other her wrists with his other hand.

“What are you going to do to me now?”

“Tickle you,” he said as he went for sides making her cry with laughter. Then she decided that it was his time to endure the torture; she was right, he was definitely ticklish. They were laughing so hard, then they looked into each other’s eyes; it was one of those moments.

Craig could see the want in her eyes. He brushed her cheek with the back of his hands, never taking his eyes off her. When she didn’t stop him, he leaned in, and softly brushed his lips across hers. The intensity in the kiss began to rise; she lifted her arms up, wrapping them around his neck, while he put his around her waist, bringing her in closer.

*****

Jimmy and Spinner pulled up to Kelsie’s house. They knew they were late, but it was better late than never. They came and rang the doorbell waiting a few moments, yet no one answered.

“Dude where is she, she couldn’t be gone because both Craig and her cars are here,” Spin said.

“Maybe they didn’t hear us, let’s try the door maybe it’s unlocked.” He turned the doorknob to find that it was, so they walked right inside.

They came through the hallway, to the stairs, climbing them until they got to the third floor. They turned left at the top and went until they got to the room at the end of the hall. They didn’t hear anyone, but the door was slightly open, so they thought they would go in.

Kelsie tugged on Craig’s upper lip slightly with her lips, “Mmm,” he moaned.

Spinner and Jimmy were stunned at what they saw, but not surprised by it. They had expected this to be coming sooner or later. They had become really close since she started playing in the band. They began to laugh.

At the sound of someone in the room, Craig and Kelsie pulled apart from each other quickly, to find them standing there. Craig wiped his lips off with his sleeve.

“Dude you didn’t have to stop on our behalf,” Spinner exclaimed, he was rather enjoying it.

“I didn’t think you guys were coming,” Craig said, blushing slightly. He was a little disappointed that they had showed up. He wasn’t finished with that kiss. It felt so good to finally have the feelings returned.

“Well things changed,” Jimmy said. “You need any help?”

“No, we’re actually finished. It took a long while, but we’re finally done,” she said taking off all the plastic from the furniture and floor. “So what are you guys up to?”

“Nothing,” Jimmy replied.

“Why don’t go see ‘The Forgotten’?”

“Sounds good to me,” Spinner said.

“Well just let me go get changed, and then we can be off,” she said as she stood at the doorway.

When she was out of sight, “Dude, how did that kiss happen? We want details,” Spinner said, acting almost like his girlfriend.

“Well I don’t know, she started flirting with me as we were working, it just kind of happened,” he said blushing.

“I bet you’re happy that it finally happened,” Jimmy said. He had known that Craig had feelings for her since day one.

“Yeah, but I'm not totally sure where it leaves us. I guess we’ll have to talk about it when we’re alone.”

“Good luck, buddy!” Spin said, patting him on the back.

Right then Kelsie walked back in the room, wearing light green sweater, pink mini skirt, and pink suede boots. Craig thought she look very hot; he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. “Are you guys ready to go?”

“Yeah, we’ll have to drop by my place so I can change,” Craig replied.

******

They all sat in the back row, Kelsie kept glancing at Craig, trying not to make it too obvious to everyone else. She looked back to the screen to see a vehicle out of nowhere crashed into the side of the car, making a loud crashing sound. It scared the heck out of Kelsie, making her jump.

Craig saw this and put his arm around her. She was soon snuggled in his arms, with her head resting on his shoulder, and one of her hands resting on his inner thigh.

After that an ytime she was scared during the movie, he would squeeze his grip around her. Their friends were watching this from the corner of their eyes. Thinking they looked so cute together. Someone who didn’t know them, who was looking over at them would have thought they’d been going out for a long time.

After the lights went up, they weren’t holding hands or anything; they acted as if nothing happened between them. Everyone thought that it was weird.

******

Craig drove Kelsie home after the movie. They didn’t talk all the way there; they just sat in silence. When they arrived, Kelsie got out, but before shutting the door, she said, “Why don’t you come in, we should talk about that kiss.”

“Alright,” he said shutting off his engine, and locking the doors.

As they got to the porch, they could see there were no lights on, “Doesn’t look like your parents are home.”

“They’re not, they’re out of town,” sounding annoyed, she hoped that Craig didn’t catch onto that.

“They seem to go out of town a lot,” thinking that he had only met her mom once and had yet to see her dad. He had been here so many times and found that rather odd.

“Yeah, but I’m used to it. That’s why Chris spent a lot of nights at my house,” she said as she unlocked the door.

Craig could see the sadness she tried to hide away in her eyes. Why had she not told him this before? “Well they shouldn’t abandon you all the time.”

“It’s really not a big deal. It’s their job.” They sat in the living room; Kelsie decided it was a little chilly, so she turned on the gas fire.

“I don’t really know how to start this conversation,” Craig exclaimed as he sat on the floor next to her.

“Neither do I,” feeling a little awkward.

“Kels you know I’ve liked you for a long time,” he didn’t want to say love because it wasn’t the right time for that. “Today was the first time I’ve felt like you were truly ready.”

“I was, and I want something to come out of this,” she had being thinking about him a lot lately as something more.

He was overjoyed to hear that. It was like music to his ears. His dreams were finally coming true.

“But I don’t want it to be a big thing with everyone right now, you know how Paige is,” Kelsie said rolling her eyes.

“Then why don’t we keep it a secret, like it’s some kind of an affair.”

“I like the way you think!” putting her hand on his knee.

“Why thank you,” he said, pulling her closer to him.

“You’re too much!”

******

Craig just sat there holding her, watching the fire. She looked a little distant, he knew her parents not being here was really bothering her, but he wanted her to tell him. “Kelsie talk to me, what’s bothering you?”

“Nothing,” she wined.

“Don’t do this to me, I know there is.” He knew he needed to push her a little.

She hated that he knew her so well, as Chris used to, “They always have to go out of town to these other clients. What was the point of taking a job in Toronto when half the time they’re not even here? That’s why I started putting my heart and soul in something because then I wouldn’t have to think about how lonely I felt.”

“Kels why don’t you tell them how you feel?”

“I have, but they don’t really get it. That’s why when they said I could visit Chris whenever I wanted; I chose my birthday. I wanted to spend that day with someone who truly cared and loved me.” Feeling like all she was anymore to them was a boarder in their home. It was as if they didn’t think of her as their daughter. Yeah they could be sweet to her sometimes, but that didn’t make her fell any better.

Craig held her in her arms as tears fell onto his shirt, “You know I’ll be here for you day or night, you don’t have to feel this way.”

“I sometimes cry myself to sleep when they’re gone because I hate being in this big house by myself. It’s so quiet; I sometimes even turn up the music so that I won’t have to listen to the silence.” It was too big a place for just one person.

Craig kissed her on her forehead, “Yeah, well I know how you feel.”

“How?”

“The reason I really don’t let people in is because I’m afraid of them leaving me.”

“Why?” wondering what could cause him to feel that way.

“When I was younger my mother left my dad, and ended up marrying Joey. I was left with my dad, who constantly beat me. I never felt so alone,” just thinking about those days still made him sad. Those were the most painful memories of his childhood. He wished that he could erase it all, and only remember the good times he had.

Putting her hand on his chest, “Hun, you could have told me.”

“I didn’t know how to, but there’s still more,” feeling the need to open up to her. “My mom eventually died, so I lost touch where my sister was, and I was left to live with my father who scared me. He eventually stopped hurting me, but then I began to search for my sister with the help of Emma.  I found her and I started to see her again, but my dad didn’t like that, he hated my sister and Joey because it reminded him that my mom left him. He totally trashed my dark room, and started hitting me again. Joey decided that it would be best if I didn’t come around anymore. I thought about taking Angela to British Columbia with me,” he said as she stroked the back of his neck. “One day I was with Sean I decided to play chicken with the train, I really wanted to die because living with my dad was killing me inside, but something stopped me. I went to see my mom’s grave instead, and just cried, wishing that she hadn’t left me, left me alone to endure that pain. Joey then offered to take me in, almost a year later my dad died in a car crash.” He at first was happy that he had died, but that was only because he didn’t want to believe that he would miss him after all he had put him through.

“I can see why you had a hard time opening up to me. You have been through so much pain, and heartache, more than anyone your age should.” She couldn’t imagine going through half of that.

She kissed him on lips, “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Why giving my secret boyfriend a kiss; making him forget about his troubles.”

“Oh really,” he said before she started kissing him again.

They were alone; nobody would interrupt them this time. Kelsie had her hand on the back of Craig’s neck, rubbing it gently as they made out on the floor, against her couch. He began rubbing his hand up and down her outer thigh.

They didn’t stop until around midnight, when Craig noticed the time. He would have to be home soon, even though he didn’t want to have to leave her all alone. He hated the thought of her having to be alone. He stopped the kiss, “I don’t want to stop, but I have to get home before curfew.”

“Alright,” she said as Craig pulled her up off the floor.

As they walked to the door, “Are you going to be alright, because if you don’t want to be alone, I could call Joey and tell him I’m staying at one of the boys’ houses.”

The words were like heaven, having a night where she wasn’t alone, made her feel a lot better. “Would you?” she said looking in his eyes. That was like an answer to her prayers. She had someone to watch over her again, as Chris used to.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you,” she said kissing him on the lips.

They walked back into the living room, Kelsie sat on the couch while Craig went to use the phone. He came back after a few minutes, and sat on the couch too. He propped his legs up, and Kelsie decided to move in between them, resting her head against his chest. Craig grabbed her hand, and intertwined his fingers with hers, as he rested his chin on her head.

“Thanks again, it’s nice not to be alone.”

“I would do anything for you,” he said kissing her on the top of her head.

They soon fell asleep watching the fire, enjoying the feeling of being in each other’s arms, the feeling that they had someone who totally got how the other felt.

******

Kelsie walked through the school doors, Paige rushed right to her side, “So tell me about you and Craig,” she said with great excitement. She wanted all the details; she wished she hadn’t missed out Saturday.

“What about us?” knowing exactly what she meant, she turned her head so that Paige wouldn’t see her glowing.

“How did you guys hook up?” she asked a little eager to find out the details.

Kelsie looked at her with confusion so that Paige wouldn’t suspect that she was lying, “We’re not together.”

“But Spin said you guys were making out at your house this weekend, and then were pretty cozy at the movies,” baffled by the situation.

“We were just having a little fun. I hadn’t kissed anyone for a while so I just felt like kissing him,” she laughed. This was so much fun, she thought. Paige would never suspect of her lying about this.

“Okay,” looking at her like she was crazy.

“Oh come on, tell me that you haven’t made out with someone for fun,” thinking that most people had done it at least once.

“To be honest...no.” She never felt the want to kiss anyone that she wasn’t interested in dating.

“Well I have, Craig is like a brother to me. I can’t see us being more than just friends,” she lied as she saw Craig over Paige’s shoulder smiling at her; she smiled back, winking at him.

“He’s going to be so disappointed since he is totally in love with you.”

“He is not!” pretending to think that it was absurd.

“He is too, come on, who else would write you two songs, and do all these special things for you like inviting you into their band, when they wouldn’t let any other girl in before.”

“Well I guess that’s his problem, because I have my eye on someone else,” finding a solution to get her off her back about him. She didn’t want her to figure out anything, so this was the best way to do it. That way she know she would be thinking about someone, but it wouldn’t be the right someone.

“Who?”

Leaning against a locker, “Brennan, Chris’s best friend.”

“You’re going to have another long distance relationship,” stunned to hear that. She thought she might want a fresh start, and see what the boys of Toronto were like.

Brushing her hair behind her ear, “Yeah, well we were always good friends when I lived there. We talk to each other on msn all the time, if it wasn’t for him I don’t think I could even move on.” Yeah it was true that she talked to him all the time, she just didn’t talk to him about all she was going through because telling him that she was ready to move on, made her feel guilty. She was scared that he might say it was too soon, and make her feel bad.

“So when are you going to see him?”

“He’s going on a road trip with the boys for spring break, so probably Easter weekend.”

“Good luck then, I hope you find happiness again,” she said giving her a hug.

She needed to go, she still had to grab a book for a project from the library “I have to head to the library to get a book for class, so see you later.”

Kelsie walked off, when she had someone pull her into the music room; putting their hand over her mouth so she wouldn’t scream. He didn’t want to have any attention on them. She turned around to see the face, “Oh Craig!” pulling him into her arms.

“Hey, so did Paige buy it?” caressing her cheek.

“Yeah, like a charm,” she said leaning in for a gentle kiss. “So how was your day with your sister yesterday?”

“Good, she really loves the zoo. Her favorite thing is to see is the monkeys.”

“I love to see how much you love your sister. I can tell you’ll make a great father someday,” she grinned.

“Well as long as the babies are with you,” he joked.

She punched him lightly in his arm, “Let’s not think that far.”

“Well I believe we will be together forever,” he said leaning in for a kiss. He leaned her up against the wall, leaning one of his arms up against the wall as he had the other one in her butt, while she had her hands in his hair. They were interrupted by the morning bell.

“I guess we have to go, you leave first, and then I leave a little after you,” Kelsie said.

“Okay but not before one last kiss,” he whispered in her ear.

“I can’t argue with that,” she leaned in, biting his lower lip lightly.