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Chapter 1

and Margaret held their pregnant bellies and smiled at one another, they had been good friends for a long time and both had found out they were pregnant at the same time which just added extra excitement in to the mixture. , , Margaret and Martin had done everything together concerning their babies, went baby shopping, went to classes, even accompanied eachother to doctor appointments. Their due dates where a week apart from eachother so and Margaret knew exactly what the other was going through in their pregnancies. On March 17th Margaret gave birth to a healthy baby boy and named him Stephen. Of course and went to the hospital to see the little bundle of joy wrapped up tight in a baby blue shawl, he was the cutest little boy ever.

March 18th gave birth to a baby girl and named her . Her hospital bed was put next to Margarets and the babies hospital cots where put side by side, one wrapped in blue, the other in pink, they where so over the moon.

  7 years later

  laughed as she watched her daughter run around the Aquatica beach screaming like crazy as she got chased by Stephen. The two families had decided to take their two seven year old little terrors on holiday to Florida, both kids where so excited they got to meet and get pictures with Mickey Mouse and the gang aswell as riding all of the amazing rides. Today was a chill out day. Margaret sat up from her sun lounger to see what was laughing at. She laughed aswell as she saw her handsome brunette son tickle Donna's little daughter in the sand.

  "They are little horrors aren't they?!" Margaret smiled.

  "Definately, do they never get tired?!" replied "Seriously I feel like I can hardly move in this heat!"

  "That's kids for ya." Margaret kept watching as and Stephen began to build sandcastles "You don't suppose they will ever get together do you?"

  laughed at the thought "Can you imagine that? If they grew up and got married then had lots of babies!"

  "WOW!" Dionne's dad laughed while handing a bottle of water to "Slow down there, they are only seven!"

  "Yeah we know that!" Margaret answered when she saw her husband Martin laugh and shake his head at the two excited women "But it would be SO romantic if that actually happend."

  Stephen put a little flag that he had saved from his ice cream sundae on top oh his sandcastle "There, this will be our house when we are older." He told .

  "Me and you will live there?" asked in a little girly voice.

  "Yeah when we are grown ups we will live together and get married just like my mum and dad did." Stephen grinned.

  "And mine!" replied "What would we name our house?"

  "How about The Black Pearl? It's from The Pirates Of The Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow is the best pirate EVER!" Stephen yelled and chucked sand up in the air while making pirate noises.

  "Nah-uh!" replied "Captain Hook from Peter Pan is the best pirate ever!" She dug sand out from around the castle and filled her little bucket up with water and poured it round the castle "We can call our house Black Pearl and we can call our river Mermaid Lagoon!"

  "Yeah!" Stephen replied excitedly "And a pirate ship can sail down it!"
  giggled and looked at her best friend "When do you think we will get married?" She asked innocently.

"It has to be when we are grown ups," He told her "I'll wear a pirates costume and you can wear a big dress and look just like Cinderella!"

  The two innocent seven year olds continued to build sandcastles as they spoke about their fairytale wedding.

  Their parents had continued to take them to Disney World every year, it became tradition and and Stephen grew closer and closer by the minute.


High School...

  "Hurry up ! We're gonna be late for school at this rate!" Stephen laughed "How long does it take to pack a school bag?!"

  "I'm a teenage girl, take a guess!" answered and stuck her tongue out at her best friend.

  "She's always the same isn't she Stephen?" Dionne's mum smirked "She always keeps you back in the morning!"

  Stephen laughed and watched throw her bag over her shoulder "I'm ready!"

  let go of Stephen's arm as they where in a seperate regi class, everyone looked at Stephen kiss her goodbye on the cheek before she left, just like they did every morning they were late, people where so sure that they where more than just 'friends' they looked too close to be friends.

  Stephen took his seat and Ronan leaned across the table and spoke to him "Party at mine next weekend if you're up for it?" He asked "Parents are away on holiday so great music, chicks and  booze, everything a good party needs!"

  "I wouldn't tell Stephen about the Chicks Ro!" Keith answered, tapping his ruler on the desk "He's very much taken."

  "What?" Stephen frowned while putting his school bag under his desk "I'm not taken!"

  "What about that little bird that's always hanging on your arm? Telling me you and her aren't a couple?" Keith raised his eyebrows with a smirk.

  "No we're not," Stephen answered truthfully "We've been best friends since we were born believe it or not, our parents are best friends, we were never out of eachothers houses."

  "Ohhh, have little sleepovers did you?" Mikey teased "Do you still do that? What does she wear to bed?" He gave Stephen a wink.

  "Come on guys, lads and lassies can be friends, fact." Stephen defended himself "And if any of you where actually mature enough to have a female best mate, you'd know!"

  "Yeah well the only thing I'll be doing with the females at Ronans party at the weekend is mating with them!" Shane winked, for some reason the shaved line in his eyebrow really done it for the ladies.

  "Whatever Shane, we all know you're still a virgin!" Mikey pinged his rubber at him.

  "Am not!" Shane protested "You are though!"

  "Actually it's Ronan that is!" Mikey yelled.

"You're thinking of Keith there mate!" Ronan huffed.

"Will you all just shut up, all of you are virgins and you all know it so why argue over it?" Stephen asked "Seriously!"

  "Well you're a virgin too aren't ya?" Ronan asked curiously.

"Yes but I'm not the one sitting arguing and denying it am I?"

  "That's because it's easy for you, you hang around with that chick, you'll probably be the first to get laid out of all of us." Shane sneered.

  "Shane, I'm tired of repeating myself about and I, we are FRIENDS and that's it, maybe you should all try looking at woman as people and not as a piece of meat all the time." Stephen tried to give them his best advice but they all just laughed.

  "Lighten up Steo, it's gonna be a great party!" Ronan said as the teacher got started on the register.


Chapter 2

Lunch time came and Stephen met in the school cafe as usual, she had his cheese and tomato pizza ready and waiting for him.

"Hey, how has your day been so far?" smiled, she always missed him on a Friday, it was the only day that they didn't have any classes together.

"Same rubbish," Stephen smiled and grabbed his pizza "Ronan has been bragging about his party all day though." Stephen raised his eyebrows and bit in to his meal.

"Oh yeah, when is it again?" asked, it was the talk of her classes aswell.

"Next weekend, they are on about pulling birds and having a wild night." Stephen laughed "Typical eh?"

"Ya know Ronan, it hardly surprises me now!" laughed "Are you going?"

"Yeah I'm going for a while and you're coming with me!" Stephen answered with a smile "If we get bored we can just leave and go do something else!"

"Well the mighty party isn't until next weekend, what about this one?" She asked "I know you play footy with Ro and the boys today but tomorrow night do you fancy staying at my house? We could grab a dvd and a take away?"

"Sounds good." Stephen smiled as the bell rang "No chick flicks though, Can't stand another night of Titanic or Mean Girls!"

"How about Edward Scissorhands?" smirked, gathering her things off the table.

Stephen tutted, rolled his eyes and laughed "I'll see you later!" He grinned and left to go to class.

Friday nights where boring for as well as Fridays at school, Friday never gave her any best friend time with Stephen and it killed her but at least she knew he was staying over tomorrow night. She also had next week to look forward to, Ronan's big party, everyone was gonna be there so at least she knew it would be a great night, she wasn't fussed on what to wear though, she had heard the girls in class talk all day about going party dress shopping but not no, she was wearing jeans and a nice top, nothing more, nothing less.

Saturday came and prepared the room for Stephen coming. Hearing her bedroom door knock twice smiled and answered "Yeah?"

Stephen walked in "Hey, your mum let me in, how was your night lastnight?"

"Boring." smiled truthfully "And yours?"

"Boring aswell, it was bad enough Ronan going on about his party all day at school but I had to hear it all night aswell!" Stephen shook his head "Anyway, why didn't you go out with your girl friends?"

"Because that stupid party is all they will talk about so please let us not talk about it tonight?" pouted.

"Good plan," Stephen agreed "What should we get from the take away then?"

"I'm having chicken korma, pilau rice, peshwari nann and poppadoms." She could feel her stomach rumble at the thought.

"Ohh someone is either hungry or just plain greedy!" Stephen teased.

giggled and threw a fluffy pink pillow at his head which he just managed to dodge "Well what are you having then?"

"I'm gonna have the chicken tikka, it's well nice!" Stephen said picking up his mobile "I'll make a call to The Guru, our fave restaurant!"

set the dvd as they waited for their meal to come "Steo can you skip the adverts? I'm gonna get ready for bed."

He watched as she grabbed her nightwear and leave the bedroom. He stripped to his boxers and got in to her double bed. Grabbing the control he skipped past the adverts but waited until she came back before he pressed play.

"So Stephen is staying tonight?" 's mum asked her as she stood dishing out the meals on to plates.

"He sure is!" grinned.

smirked and looked at her daughter "You seem happy about that..."

"I am!" laughed and went to the fridge pouring them both some Irn Bru "Steo and me always have a good laugh when he stays."

"Well when the wedding comes at least it won't be awkward for you both to share a bed I suppose!" teased her daughter, she obviously knew and Stephen never ever got up to any tricks through the night, they'd been staying over at eachothers houses since forever.

"What wedding...?" blushed.

"The wedding of your dreams!" laughed "You and Stephen used to tell us all the time when you where both little about how you where gonna marry and live in a sandcastle?"

"That was kid talk mum, Stephen doesn't look at me that way..." replied.

"Do you want him to...?" asked. In a way she knew she shouldn't have been asking her daughter that but she couldn't help being curious.

"Mum, I gotta go through the room, the movie is starting and the meals are getting cold." carried her and Stephen's plates through, she smiled at him as she walked in to her bedroom and placed his meal down on him, the tune of Edward Scissorhands waiting to start played over and over again.

"You should have said the food was here, I'd have dished it out." Stephen smiled as she placed their drinks on the bedside table and got in her bed beside him, ready to eat.

"I was already there when the meals arrived, mum brought them through." She smiled "It all looks good like, I'm starving!"

"It's lush!" Stephen laughed as he took a fork full of food, he reached for the control and pressed play "You know I reckon you only like this movie because it's got Johnny Depp in it."

"Ew no! Unlike most girls I so do not fancy him! Not even when he is dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow in The Pirates Of The Carribean movie! I don't get why he is so popular with the ladies at all!" laughed "Nah I just love this movie so much, it's romantic don't you think?"

Stephen look at her and she smiled sweetly at him.

"Nah not really," He replied "It's far fetched!"

"Sometimes fantasy can be better than reality Stephen, you need movies to take you away from the real world at times." She dipped her nann bread in to her korma sauce and took a bite.

"Are you ok?" Stephen frowned "Just with what you said there, sounds like you have something on your mind?"

laughed lightly and shook her head "No, I'm fine, just making my point on the movie!"


Chapter 3

After their meals they put the dirty plates down by the side of the bed, Stephen pulled up the covers a little and then put his arm around who snuggled down into his chest with her arm across his bare stomach. She tried to concentrate on the film but she couldn't, her mouth had gone dry as she just lay there with her head slowly rising and falling with his chest. Was she the only one who hadn't moved on since childhood? Was she the only one who would still love to get married and have a home of their own one day? She must have been because Stephen certainly never seemed to make a move on her, even now she was lying by his side in a little vest top and shorts and he didn't seem to even look at her in any way that showed he might fancy her, she might as well have been covered up from top to bottom. So why was she getting tingles in her stomach as she ran her hand over his stomach, or when she got the occasional waft of his aftershave? It just wasn't fair. She should not be crushing on her best friend.

watched Winona Ryders character Kim dance in the snow that Edward had created, the music was so calm and peaceful.

"Stephen...?" whispered.

"Yeah...?" Stephen answered in a low voice.

"What do you like in girls...?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Stephen replied.

"I dunno," said "Hair colour, eye colour, tall, short, what?"

"These things don't matter to me, I'd find a girl hot regardless of what colour of hair or eyes she has, when you see her you just know." Stephen simply replied.

"Stephen..?"

"Yeah?"

lifted her head and looked in to his beautiful blue eyes "Do you think I'm pretty?" She asked.

Stephen smiled sweetly "Of course I do!" He told her.

held his gaze and in her head she was praying 'Kiss me, kiss me' but it didn't happen, she just lay back down and watched the rest of the film feeling rather disappointed.

Wakening up in the morning she was still in the position she had fell asleep in, wrapped in Stephen's arms, the tv was still on but of course the movie had finished, obviously they'd been comfy enough to dose off. pushed herself up and looked at Stephen, he was so gorgeous when he was sleeping, she planted a soft kiss on his cheek and got up to take the dirty plates to the kitchen. Walking through she could smell bacon and sausages being fried.

"Hi mum." She said as she put the plates in the sink and began to wash them.

"Hey ," Her mum replied as she turned over the sausages "Where's Stephen?"

"He's still asleep, we fell asleep with the tele on lastnight, must have been tired."

Donne looked at her daughter, she didn't seem her normal self, she seemed a bit down "Are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine," placed the plates on the bunker.

"You don't seem fine," replied "What's on your mind? Is it a boy?"

"Maybe."

"Is it Stephen?" asked already knowing the answer.

"No. I dunno...Maybe..." replied crossing her arms over her chest.

"Look honey why don't you just tell him how you feel? Even if he doesn't feel the same way I doubt he'll shoot you down in flames, he's your best friend and way too sweet to do something like that."
urged.

"Yeah I know he would never be horrible about it mum but it's not the point, if I tell him how I really feel and he doesn't feel the same way I can't just erase what I said, he'd know my feelings and I'd be embarrassed." sighed "The worst part is I don't even want to feel like this, my feelings for him have been getting stronger by the second, I never used to feel the feelings that I'm experiencing now, it's so weird!"

laughed and cracked some eggs into the frying pan, listened to them sizzle and looked at her mum "That's called hormones honey, your body has gone through a lot of changes, it's turning you in to a woman and trust me when your body is turning in to a woman it doesn't feel like a typical little girls crush anymore."

"You got that right." sighed.

smiled at her daughter "I bet when you see him you get these little tingles in your stomach?" She asked her "I bet when he smiles or even looks at you you're heart explodes in to millions of tiny confetti hearts, I bet you he is your world and the thought of a world without him in your life is the biggest nightmare you could ever have."

felt tears sting the back of her eyes as the truth dawned on her "I love him mum."

"Then tell him," Her mum said "What's the worst that can happen? Ok if he doesn't feel the same way it's gonna hurt but then you pick yourself up and move on with your life because at least then you'll know where you stand and so what if it means he knows how you feel? He's a lovely lad he won't bring it up again."

"Yeah but-" tried to answer but her mum cut her off.

"On the other hand you have so much more to gain because just think, Stephen could be lying in that room feeling the same way as you do right now and maybe he is too shy to let you know, if you tell him it could be the best thing you ever done because you could gain an amazing boyfriend!"

"Morning!" Stephen popped his head around the kitchen door.

smiled "Morning Stephen, breakfast is just about ready!" She told him.


Chapter 4

Stephen walked in to the kitchen dressed only in his boxers, got that familar ache in her body again and tried to look the other way. There used to be a time she could see Stephen like that and feel nothing but not now no, she thought to herself, her stupid body was turning her in to a woman and making her life a misery!

"My mum text me to tell you that she will be round later for you both to go shopping." Stephen told as he sat down at the kitchen table.

"Yeah that's fine," smiled "Hope you're hungry Stephen, it's a hearty fry up!"

Stephen laughed as his plate was put down infront of him "Your cooking is always amazing!" He told .

"Ohhhh isn't he a charmer?" raised her eyebrow at her daughter and left the kitchen leaving and Stephen alone. took her plate and sat opposite Stephen.

"You where up early!" He told her.

"Yeah well we fell asleep early!" laughed and started to eat breakfast.

"I don't like wakening up to an empty bed missus!" He teased "It felt cold and lonely!"

"Yeah I was nice and comfy aswell, could have stayed like that forever." She smiled.

Stephen looked at her for a moment, trying to take in the comment she just made "You could?" He asked.

"Yeah it was just one of those mornings when the bed is just too warm and snugily to get out of!" smirked.

"Oh right," Stephen laughed "Gotcha!"

"Well with this weekend practically over looks like the next big thing is Ronan's party this weekend coming." smiled.

"Sure is! Have to say although I'm sick of hearing about it, I am kinda looking forward to it!" Stephen placed his knife and fork down on his plate "I mean we haven't been to a proper party in ages!"

"Yeah I guess it will be cool." replied and cleared the plates.

"Hey I'll do that." Stephen took them off her and began washing them in the sink "You don't sound too excited about the whole thing?"

"I'm half and half Steo, I'm sure it will be lot's of fun but at the same time it probably won't be as great as everyone reckons it will be." said "But we'll have a good time anyway."

Of course Monday at school, the topic focused on this party, looked across the room at Torrie who was describing the dress she was gonna be wearing, knew herself that she couldn't be like Torrie, it would be horrible to be that popular and having to live up to everybodies expectations of you all the time, still her being there would most likely make Ronan and the boys happy. She looked at the otherside of the room where there where quieter but equally pretty girls discussing there's outfits they had bought for the party over the weekend.

sighed "Please." She murmered and got on with her work. It didn't take long for her mind to wander to Stephen, she wondered what he would be wearing, she knew he'd be soaked in aftershave and would smell absolutely devine. Her heart done a backflip just thinking about it. Before she knew it she had been lost in her thoughts and the bell had rang and it was time to move on to the next class.

The week flew past quicker than thought it would have and before she knew it, it was the night of the party. She opened her wardrobe and took out her best jeans and a pink Playboy top that showed her stomach a little. She looked in the mirror and put on the finishing touches to her lipstick.

"You look nice!" Her mother said, entering the room.

"Thanks, casual I hope!" smiled "Don't wanna go as a clone of all the other girls."

"Well you look lovely." smiled "You going with Stephen?"

"Yeah he should be here soon." replied, fixing her hair.

"How are things with you two? Did you tell him...?"

"That I'm madly in love with him?" laughed "No I didn't, I might tell him later..or maybe not, I'm too nervous mum."

"Don't be, not with Stephen!" Her mum laughed, rolled her eyes, why didn't she ever take things seriously?

The door knocked and 's heart starting banging against her chest, like a wild animal trying to break out of a cage.

"Go on, answer it." Her mum smiled.

rushed downstairs and opened the door, she didn't think it was possible but her heart started thudding ten times harder, he looked amazing, casual black shirt and dark denim jeans.

"Stephen!" smiled as he entered the house "You're looking very handsome."

"Thanks," Stephen grinned.

"You looking forward to the party then?" asked "Hope there'll be no drinking!"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure behaves!" He laughed feeling lightly slap him on the chest.

laughed aswell "Have fun you two!" She smiled as they walked out the door.


Chapter 5

Ronan's house was big, it was more than obvious his parents had money, and Stephen thought they where arriving early but the house was already packed out with drunken teenagers from their year.

"STEO!!" He heard Ronan's voice yelling from behind.

Stephen turned around a greeted his friends with a playful handshake "How's trick Ro?" He asked "Party is looking great!"

"Yeah it's wild like!" Ronan took a swig of Tennents beer from the can and looked at "You look good." He told.

"Thanks Ronan." She smiled.

"Steo you lucky lucky man!" Ronan joked, giving him a nudge and a wink, watched as Stephen just tutted, rolled his eyes and laughed "Anyway you two, there's drink in the kitchen, food on the table, just go and do whatever!" Ronan grinned and walked over to some girls.

Entering the kitchen with Stephen, sighed as there was a girl and a guy making out in the corner.

"Lucky for some eh?" Stephen nodded to their corner and laughed "You want a vodka and coke?"

"My mum would kill me, so would my dad actually." replied to Stephen.

"Just have one, you won't be wasted on one." He smiled and poured one for the both of them.

screwed her face up at the strong taste but continued to sip at it.

An hour and a half went by and was now on her fourth vodka, she didn't realize the effect the strong stuff had on her.

"Wow calm down with that!" Stephen laughed as he caught her pouring another "You'll end up being sick!"

giggled, clearly the drink had hit her by now "I'll be fine Ste, Steo!" She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck "You smell so good tonight!" She told him with a sparkle flashing in her eyes.

Stephen smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her waist "It's the Joop you bought me for my birthday remember?"

"It's good..." She grinned "I love you Steo!" She giggled "I love you loads."

Stephen laughed, this was the first time he had seen her drunk, she was so funny and sweet at the same time "I love you too !" He told her back, she stumbled forward a little and he caught her "Come on, you should lye down in a bedroom for a while." He held her hand as they left the kitchen and in to the livingroom where Lady Gaga - Paparazzi was playing loudly, he took her upstairs in to what he assumed was Ronan's bedroom and put her in to his bed. She lay down and he sat down beside her after putting the covers over her "You ok...?" He asked.

looked up at him as he sat running his fingers through her hair "I'm fine." She whispered.

slowly opened her eyes. The room was dark, the curtains where pulled and the bedroom door was closed, she could still hear everyone partying, she looked at her watch, it was only eleven `o clock, she hadn't been to sleep for long at all and her mind was so fuzzy with the vodka. She got up and walked downstairs to look for Stephen. Everyone was up singing and dancing in the livingroom by this point.

"Steo?" She called his nickname "Stephen?" She turned around and stopped dead in her tracks, her heart bounced so far up in to her throat that she felt like she had to swallow hard to get it back down again. Stephen was standing with one arm against the wall and the other arm around the waist of Torrie, snogging the face off her. placed her hand across her stomach, all her insides just began to aches and her heart felt like it was gonna shatter in to tiny pieces. She turned around to walk out and bumped right in to Ronan's chest, he had to have been standing right behind her.

"Wow, you ok?" He asked when she rubbed her arm.

"Yeah I'm fine." She lied, she couldn't even look him in the eyes.

Ronan looked over her shoulder and saw Stephen and Torrie kissing, he then looked back at realizing why she looked so upset.

"You don't really look fine." Ronan told her "Come have a drink."

"No Ro, I can't I have had enough." moaned slightly when he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd and in to the kitchen. After pouring her and him a drink he watched her sip at it, she looked deep in thought.

"What's on your mind?" He asked her.

"Nothing," replied "Nothing important."


Ronan said nothing else. He placed his glass down and then took 's almost empty glass off her and sat it next to his. Before she could even begin to think Ronan had leaned in to kiss her and she was kissing him back. All the upset about Stephen raced through her mind and a sudden rush filled her body as Ronan squeezed her tighter in his arms.

Suddenly red alams went off in her head and she pulled away.

"I can't...Sorry Ronan but I just can't." She said, kissing Ronan seemed so wrong when she was so inlove with Stephen.

Ronan lifted her chin with his finger "Yes you can." He whispered and kissed her again.


Chapter 6

Morning arrived and woke up in Ronan's bedroom, the room was bright and her head was pounding with the hangover. She pulled the covers back and realized she was completely naked, she then felt movement beside her and turned around to see a bare chested Ronan fast asleep. She gasped as she remembered what he and her had done last night. She couldn't believe she could just throw away her virginity like that for nothing, nothing more than a horrible drunken one night stand with Ronan Keating. She reached her hand under the covers and felt about for her underwear but she couldn't find them. She slipped on her jeans and top and left Ronan's room before he could wake up, she totally wasn't in the mood for seeing him. She went downstairs trying not to make much noise, empty cans and take away pizza boxes where lying on the floor, sleeping bodies where everywhere, the place was a shambles.

looked over at the couch and saw Stephen lying asleep with Torrie cuddled against his chest, she walked over and stood above them and looked down at Stephen, he was so perfect, it was only a week ago when he stayed over night that she lay in his arms the way Torrie was right now, only he was holding her as a friend, obviously the way he was holding Torrie was in the romantic sence after all the snogging lastnight. She sighed loudly and headed for the door.

When she got in to her bedroom back home she shut the door, fell on her bed and started to cry, she hated herself for allowing her feelings of friendship to turn into feelings of love for Stephen. If she had never looked at him that way then she would never have been in this mess right now, not only that but she now had to accept the fact that she had just lost her virginity to Ronan. Her bedroom door knocked and her mother stepped in.

"Hey honey, how was the party? I tried to ring your mobile lastnight, I expected you to be home sooner than this time." told her.

"Don't moan at me mum, I'm too upset to listen." sniffed.

"What's happend?" frowned.

"I knew I should never have went to that party..." She whispered.

"Why what's up?"

"I saw Stephen kissing a girl lastnight mum," Tears streamed down 's face "A girl in our year, Torrie."

"Oh..." 's heart sank, she felt bad for her daughter, she knew how inlove was with Stephen "Well ya know...It was a party, could just have been a random one off..."

"Nah I don't think so.." swallowed hard "She was lying in his arms asleep when I saw them this morning."

" ...I wish you would have just told him before..." began.

"Mum don't." pleaded.

"But if you had told him how you felt then it might have been you lying in his arms."

"I know that! But then again he might not even had felt the same!" yelled becoming more hysterical "Mum please just drop it I don't even wanna talk about it anymore, I just need to sleep it off I'm shattered.

Two hours later woke up to the sound of her mobile phone ringing. She reached under her pillow for it and the name Stephen spread across the screen. snarled at the phone but decided to answer it anyway.

"Hello?" She asked in no particular tone.

"Hey , are you ok? I looked for ya when I woke up at Ro's place this morning." Stephen said.

"Oh yeah, I just went home when I woke up, didn't wanna wake ya." She lied.

"Did ya sleep all night after I put you in Ro's bed? I didn't see you for the rest of the party?" He asked.

"Slept like a log the whole night." She lied once more "How did the party go?"

"It went fine I guess..." Stephen's voice trailed off "I think I bagged myself a girl." He laughed "I'm going out with Torrie!"

"Congratulations," simply replied "How did that happen?"

"I dunno it was weird, one minute we where just talking, the next we were making out but it was so good I just, I-" Stephen was met by silence as the line had went dead.

He frowned and text her 'What happend? xxx'

She sighed and text back 'Sorry Steo, my battery went, just charging it up now. xxx' She gave him yet another lie, truth was she couldn't bare to listen about Stephen's new girlfriend and thought the best way to dodge it would be hanging up.


Chapter 7

For weeks had been totally different with Stephen and he couldn't get to grips why, he couldn't think what he had done to her and in a way he was too scared to ask, the last time she had been ok with him was when he put her to Ronan's bed to sleep off the vodka and things had been fine then, he didn't understand why she had change right after that.

felt guilty that she had changed with Stephen, she didn't answer his calls or texts as much as she used to, they didn't do much together anymore due to the fact that when they did, nine times out of ten Torrie would be with them and be all over Stephen, sometimes to the extent that had the feeling she was doing it on purpose to make her jealous. She knew deep down she shouldn't be like this with Stephen, after all it wasn't his fault that she never had the guts to tell him how much she really loved him, of course he was eventually going to find a girlfriend, he was gorgeous inside and out.

Walking home from school, Stephen ran and caught up with .

"Hey where ya going?" He asked "You normally wait for me after school to walk you home."

"Yeah well you have a girlfriend to walk home now, you don't need to do it for me." She reminded him as Ronan came walking up to the two of them.

"Hey you two? What you squabbling about?" Ronan asked, he gave a sly cheeky wink which she pretended she hadn't seen and shrugged.

"Not squabbling, just talking." replied and sighed as Torrie began to join them now.

"Hey baby," Stephen smiled as she placed both her hands on his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

"Hi.." She whispered and nibbled his earlobe. Ronan looked straight to , he could see how uncomfortable she was when Stephen started kissing the face off Torrie.

Torrie pulled away and giggled, Stephen smirked down at her "....Anyway -" He turned around and was out of sight.

"Torrie I have to go just now babe." Stephen came out of her grip.

"Why?" Torrie asked.

"I have to find , she seems upset." Stephen told her and began to walk with Torrie walking behind him and Ronan walking away.

"Look Steo, I know she is your friend but don't go after her, it's our time now."

"No I need to see her Torrie, something is up with her and I don't know what." Stephen walked to 's house with Torrie behind him, her mum let them in and they knocked on 's bedroom door. She opened it up and her face told a million stories when she saw Torrie standing there.

"What do you want Stephen? I'm busy." She told him.

"Busy doing what babe?" Torrie shot her head Stephen's way when he called his best friend babe, she didn't care how long they had been friends, she didn't like it one bit.

"Look Stephen, it might not have occured to you but I do actually have a life!" snapped "I do have things to do!"

"I know that , I'm not saying you don't but you just seem to be spending less and less time with me." He said sadly "Seems you're too busy to answer my texts or calls these days."

"Look Steo, you have a girlfriend ok," She gestured at Torrie with her hand "Friends, especially male and female friends just grow apart when one or both find a boyfriend or a girlfriend, it just happens."

"But I don't want us to grow apart." He said.

"Well clearly she does Stephen." Torrie finally pipped up "Look if you don't wanna be friends with Stephen anymore, just tell him straight instead of messing him around because seriously why should he waste his time with you?"

stayed silent and Stephen didn't really know what to say either but Torrie continued to talk.

"Why don't you just find yourself a boyfriend and be happy instead of crying over the fact that stephen has managed to find himself a girlfriend, you're making yourself look like a pathetic, selfish little girl!"

looked at Torrie smirk smuggly, she could feel her eyes well up in tears and Stephen felt bad for her, he stepped forward and stuck out his hand and rubbed her arm up and down " I-"

"Leave Stephen..." She whispered, she really didn't want to cry infront of them.

"What...?" He asked faintly.

"Just go, just leave please..." She couldn't hold back the tears any longer and Torrie smirked when she realised she had caused her to cry.

"Ok," Stephen whispered gently "I'll call you later..." He slowly backed away still looking at her then turned and walked out her bedroom door, thinking Torrie was following him but she didn't, she held back and walked up to .

"I know why you're acting like this." She told her "You're jealous."

"Whatever Torrie no I'm not." crossed her arms and didn't look her in the eyes.

"You can't be friends with him all your life then suddenly decide you like him because he now has a girlfriend." Torrie smiled "You're his friend, that's all you ever were and all you'll ever be - GET OVER IT."

"Torrie...?" Stephen appeared back at the door.

"Coming baby!" She smiled and walked out the room, Stephen's blue eyes met 's ones.

"Bye." He gave her a slight loving smile.

"Bye." She smiled back and walk over to close her bedroom door. She came face to face with Stephen as he didn't move, she looked in to his eyes and he looked in to hers and a spark of electricity flashed between them, he knew it and she knew it. He smiled and walked away and she closed her door.

Her mum called on her to come downstairs "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Why did you let them in?" 's face was motionless and realised how inlove her daughter truly was.

"He wanted to see you." replied.

"But you knew she was there, why did you let them in? Stephen yes, her no!" broke down in tears.

"I couldn't refuse her in otherwise Stephen would wonder why...honey Stephen doesn't have a clue how you are feeling and all this avoiding him is bound to be confusing for him." told her.

"He's confused?" frowned "How do you think I feel mum...I can't stand it, I hate seeing him with her, my heart has never hurt this much in all my life."


Chapter 8

was helpless as tears rolled out her daughters eyes like there was no tomorrow.

"Look , I know it's not what you wanna hear right now...but you will find someone else." Her mum explained "I know you don't want anyone else but look at how many times people say that before they actually meet the love of their lives huh?"

"My head hurts, I'm going to bed." answered, clearly not taking in what her mum had said before walking upstairs to her bedroom.

stood at her school locker and looked over her History jotter, she had a test today and she didn't want to fail. Reading over a few things she heard a few girls giggle around the corner, she recognized one of their voices straight away as Torrie. Sighing loudly she continued on what she was doing as the girls talked.

"So hows things going with the oh-so-cute Mr. Gately?" Torries friend Stacy asked "Is he really good in bed?"

"OH MY GOD, he is awesome in bed!" Torrie bragged "He just makes me-"

"Wow! Spare the details!" Another friend of hers laughed.

"Nah Stephen has his good points," Torrie smiled "But also his bad."

"Oh yeah what's his good and what's his bad?" Stacey asked.

"Well starting with the bad," Torrie rolled her eyes as she spoke "He has this annoying female friend, you know in our class? Uh he is like always trying to chase her around and hang out with her, trouble is the poor little girl is clearly so inlove with him and is absolutely heartbroken about me and Stephen so she has been avoiding us and Stephen is all upset about it because apparently they have been bessie mates since the day they where born! I mean he even carries a childhood picture of the two of them in a photo with Mickey Mouse at Disney World or some crap like that in his wallet!"

"Wow," Stacy laughed.

"Yeah, I dunno what he likes about her like, she's a moaning faced bitch." Torrie sighed.

swallowed hard as she listened to what they where saying.

"Ok now on to his good points!" Torrie watched all her friends smile "He's hot as hell, he's a great kisser, he's dynamite in bed and best of all, he is at my every beck and call."

"Really how?" Stacy asked.

"Just whenever I want him he is there, whenever I want him to buy me stuff he does. Like the other day I told him I couldn't afford to buy these gorgeous white gold hoops," She pulled back her hair and showed them off to her friends "Two minutes later they where mine, somebody obviously gets good pocket money...to spend on me of course!" She giggled.

was so angry, how could she use Stephen like that and then laugh with her friends about it? And why would Stephen believe she was skint? She never was!

"Another good thing about him is he is so easy to convince, I mean I was supposed to meet him for lunch on saturday at the Megaplex only I met up with that totally hot lad from the year above us who is also good in bed by the way!"

felt her face redden in anger, not only was she using Stephen to buy her things but she was cheating on him aswell?

"Anyway Stephen asked why I hadn't met him and all I said was I had forgot and I apoligized and that was good enough to convince him! It's great! I'm a very lucky girl!" All the girls laughed and walked away as the bell rang for class.

The annoying ticking of the clock distracted during the history test - that and the thoughts about what she heard Torrie laugh about with her friends, she didn't even care about what she said about her, what bothered her was Stephen being taken for a mug. She felt awful for him.

After school Stephen was sitting in Ronan's playing the computer with him.

"I'm having no luck with at all, I mean what did I do wrong? I don't get it." He told Ronan.

"She's a woman mate, do we ever get them?" Ronan laughed.

"I've always got , god knows we've known eachother long enough. She's not been the same since your party." Stephen told him.

"You mean since ya got with Torrie? Maybe she just don't like her." Ronan explained "How awesome was my party huh?"

"Your party turned out a strange one, between getting so drunk that night and me dating Torrie the next day, can't believe was crashed out all night." Stephen said.

"Who said she was asleep all night?" Ronan asked.

"Well I never seen her for the rest of the night did you?" Stephen raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah I did actually!" Ronan asked.

"You did? When?"

"I dunno, I don't write down the exact time of things Steo, it was when you where sucking the face off Torrie in the corner." Ronan laughed.

"Wait saw that?" Stephen frowned.

"Yes she did and don't think you where the only one that got laid that night mate!" Ronan grew more smug by the second.

"What you on about?" Stephen asked.

"I took to my bedroom and we did the wild thing all night long!" Ronan had the grin of a cheshire cat by now.

"Stephen just looked at him and shook his head "You're lying."

"Straight up Steo!" Ronan smirked.

" wouldn't sleep with you, she barely even likes you." Stephen replied.

"Oh yeah?" Ronan raised his eyebrows and got up and opened his wardrobe door, pulling out a small article of clothing and tossing them to Stephen. Stephen held his hand out and looked at it "Why don't you ask her who's thong this is then because it certainly ain't mine!" Ronan laughed.

Stephen held the thong in his hand and looked at Ronan "This is 's?" He asked.

"Yes, me and her had sex in here at my party, she must have left early because she was gone when I woke up but her underwear was still here." Ronan explained, he looked at Stephen's face, he didn't look too happy at all.

"What and you just kept her underwear?" Stephen asked, anger growing in his normally sweet voice.

"Why not?" Ronan smirked "She left them for me!"


Chapter 9

Stephen stormed out of Ronan's and went over to 's straight away. opened the front door and let him in.

"No Torrie today?" She asked.

"No." Stephen replied walking in to the empty livingroom, his eyes travelled everywhere except towards her.

"What's up Stephen? Are you ok?" She asked slightly puzzled by how quiet he was.

" , at Ronan's party you where asleep when I left the room right?" He asked.

"Yeah." She replied.

"How long where you asleep for?"

"Not long." She crossed her arms over her chest not getting where this was going with this.

"So what did you do when you woke up?" Stephen asked her.

"Not a lot..." Her voice trailed off.

"Not a lot?" Stephen asked "Except shag Ronan?"

looked Stephen right in the eyes, she had never seen him angry at her before and she didn't quite know what to say.

"Well?" He asked impatiently waiting on her answer.

"Steo...it wasn't like that..." She replied feeling very uncomfortable.

"Really?" He asked, he dug his hand in to his pocket and held up a green sequined thong "Does this belong to you?"

He saw 's eyes widen in disbelief "Give me that!" She snatched it straight out his hand "Have you been at Ronan's discussing my business?!"

"Yeah and it's funny what you get to find out when you're sitting in someones house! Ronan told me all about it."

"Where does he come off just handing you my underwear? Do you think I want my thong going from guy to guy?!" She argued.

"It was nice of you to let him keep it in the first place." Stephen said sarcastically.

"I did NOT give it to him, I couldn't find it in the morning." She snapped "Anyway what the hell has it got to do with you? I can sleep with who I want."

Stephen just looked at her, she could see the disapointment in his eyes "Was he your first?" He asked her.

"Does it matter?" raised her eyebrows.

"Well I used to think we told eachother everything but it seems your good at keeping secrets so I'm just wondering if there has been any more of my mates you've got down with."

looked at him in shock, she swallowed hard "This just goes to show how well you really do know me Steo." She said "Ronan was my first yes."

"Why ?" Stephen asked "Why the hell him? I mean you where a virgin before it and you just threw it all away on a one night stand with my mate? My mate of all people, you know what he's like! You know why he had that danm party!"

"Oh my god I know Stephen! I don't even like Ronan! I didn't want it that way!" Stephen looked at her as familar tears started running down her cheeks "You wanna know why I did what I did? Because I saw you with HER ok? I was drunk and upset and it just happend, I didn't mean for it to!"

Stephen took a minute to let what she had just said sink it "You slept with Ro because you saw me with Torrie?" He asked.

sighed and ran her hand through her hair and looked at him, it was now or never "Ok Stephen, yes I was hurt when I saw you with her."

"But why?" He asked.

paused for a moment, swallowed hard and looked at him "Because I love you."

She saw Stephen's eyes widen as he looked at her, trying to take in her words.


Chapter 10

"I love you Steo," She wished she could stop crying but she couldn't, she walked towards him and put her hand on his face "You're the most handsome man I have ever met and I just-"

Stephen put his finger over her lips to silence her. She looked deep in to his ocean blue eyes and their heads came closer. Stephen's lips touched hers and electricity ran through her entire body, he cupped her face with his hands as the kiss grew more passionate. She wanted him there and then, she needed him.

"You wanna go upstairs...?" She whispered.

Stephen pulled back and looked at her, then he pulled away from her a bit and ran his hand through his dark hair.

" ...I have a girlfriend..." He said. As much as he wanted to kiss and go upstairs with her, he just couldn't it wouldn't be fair on Torrie.

"But..." was about to talk but he silenced her with his finger again. She gasped as he reached up and ran his hand through her silky hair and down her face.

"There's nothing I want more right now...than to walk up those stairs with you and continue this..but I can't do it to Torrie, you know I'm not a cheat , that's not me."

"Yeah I know but Torrie-"

"Plus...you slept with Ronan, that changes things a little bit." Stephen admitted.

"Why?!" asked.

"Stephen, Ronan and I done nothing wrong, he was single and so was I, it was a stupid drunken mistake because I was jealous!" She told him "For weeks before the party I wanted to tell you how I felt, I even tried to at the party but I was so scared you didn't want me back so I said nothing...and when I came downstairs and saw you kissing her my heart just shattered and I'm sorry I slept with your mate but it's happend now and there's nothing I can do to take it back but I would if I could because it meant nothing to me, the only guy that means anything to me is the one I can't have - you."

Stephen was so tempted just to grab her in his arms and carry her up to her bedroom and make love to her all night long but he couldn't, not when he had a girlfriend.

" I have to go..." He whispered almost sympathetically.

"What...You're just gonna go to her?" She asked.

" I have to, you're single, I'm not."

"Stephen, she's not right for you." cried and grabbed his warm hand in to hers "She's really not."

It killed Stephen to walk away from like this but he slowly let his hand slip out of hers and backed away. stayed silent as she watched him slowly back towards the door. She had every oppertunity to tell him that Torrie was nothing more than a money grabbing cheat but she couldn't do it, she didn't want to crush him, she loved him too much to do that.

Stephen shut her front door and leaned his back against it and closed his eyes for a minute before opening them to see her front garden. Could he really believe that his best friend had just told him she was inlove with him? Could he really believe that he just took her in his arms and snogged the face off her? Could he really believe had had just turned down making love to her? The answer to all those questions where no.

Sitting in class the next day Stephen looked over at the girl that he used to see as his best mate and his heart raced in his chest. He thought about the kiss they shared together the day before and kind of cursed himself for not letting the situation go any further. Stephen liked Torrie a lot but the reality was, no one compared to his best friend, the one girl who knew everything about him, she knew what made him tick what didn't. He knew exactly how he felt for her as soon as Ronan told him he'd slept with her, jealousy had over taken him, he just didn't want to admit it at the time.

"Baby..." Stephen's thought's where broken by the sound of Torrie's voice and her hand running teasingly up his thigh. He watched the teacher leave the room to get more jotters then looked at his girlfriend.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"You know how much I love those earrings you bought me right? Well the necklace has just come out to match but...daddy never gave me my pocket money this week and I can't afford to buy it..." Torrie pouted.

looked over at Stephen, her heart ached when she saw Torrie nibbling at his neck, Stephen looked at her and she looked away from him. He pulled himself out of Torrie's grasp and she pulled back and looked at him, she saw that he wasn't able to take his eyes of his so called 'best friend' and she remained quiet throughout the rest of class.

When they got out of class Torrie stormed infront of Stephen.

"What's wrong with you?" Stephen asked her.

"What's wrong with me?" She said angrily "How about the fact that you where completely oblivious to what I was saying to you in class because you where too busy eyeing HER up!"

"I wasn't eyeing anyone up." Stephen denied it.

"You where totally staring at her through out the whole class!" Torrie yelled "I mean do you really fancy her that much?!"

Stephen stayed quiet and Torrie soon realised why, well she wasn't gonna let him dump her first, no way hosey!

"Well you know what?" She stepped towards him "Why don't you go and get your little slut, you've clearly been up to everything with her behind my back anyway."

"Torrie what-"

"No Stephen," She snapped "You spent the whole of our bloody relationship pining over the fact that you thought you where losing your friendship with her well you know what? The only reason I put up with how pathetic it all was, was because I was using you!"

"You where using me?" Stephen questioned her.

"That's right, you bought me things whenever I wanted, took me to lunch, did whatever I said, all I had to do was snap my fingers and I had you right where I wanted you."

Stephen looked at his girlfriend, he had no idea she was capable of his but Torrie continued.

"Well guess what? I don't even care if you slept with her behind my back because I've been sleeping with guys behind yours too, remember all those times I told you I forgot we had a date, well I was with another guy so don't bother thinking I'll be shedding any tears over you!" She yelled.

"You've been sleeping with other guys behind my back?" He asked "How many since we got together?"

"Three," She replied "And I enjoyed every second of it because I knew I had a mug like you to fall back on whenever I fancied a new piece of jewelery or whatever."

Stephen looked to the ground then back up at her. Torrie stood with a 'I totally won' smirk on her face waiting on his reply.


Chapter 11

"Wow Torrie," He said "I never saw any of that coming but if you want the truth then it's my turn."

"Go on?" She folded her arms over her chest.

"Not once did I sleep with as you and I where together," He said " and I have never had sex ever."

Torrie looked at his face, she could easily tell he was telling the truth.

"But you see yesterday I had the chance to take her upstairs and make love to her, she wanted me to, she told me she was inlove with me but I didn't do it, you know why? Because I had a girlfriend Torrie, because I was staying faithful to you."

It dawned on Torrie that she had just made the biggest fool of herself, the only reason she confessed all to Stephen was because she thought he was just about to dump her for , because she truly believed they had slept together, now he knows everything, what was she gonna do?

"You mean you had the chance to sleep with her and you turned her down for me...?" A grin suddenly appeared on her face.

"I turned her down to stay faithful." Stephen replied.

"But still, she basically put it on a plate for you and you said no because of me." Torrie said feeling proud of herself.

"Just a pity you never said no to opening your legs with them three guys huh?" Stephen folded his arms and cocked his head.

"Yeah...about that um..." Torrie began but Stephen cut her off.

"Come on now Torrie, you're not gonna try and deny everything you've just told me now are you?" Stephen raised his eyebrows.

"Stephen I love you." She lied.

"Doesn't really sound like it does it Tor?" Stephen replied "But now I know you're a gold digging cheat there's nothing stopping me from doing what I really wanna do."

"Let me guess, you wanna go with her!" Torrie snapped.

"You're right I do," Stephen smirked "I wanna take her upstairs and make sweet sweet love to her."

"Awww how romantic, the best friends are gonna become lovers!" Torrie snarled sarcastically "Sounds like it's not gonna take long for her to lay on her back for you either."

"Actually it's been too long," Stephen admitted "We've been friends all these years and nothing has ever happend between us but lastnight she told me she was inlove with me and when I KISSED HER I realised that I was inlove too, so it's only right that we make love as soon as possible."

"What you kissed her?!" Torrie gasped "Behind my back?!"

"Well you slept with three guys behind mine." Stephen said and watched her go off on one.

"You know what I hope you and her have a good night tonight I hope you really enjoy yourselves because you deserve eachother! You're both pathetic!" Torrie stormed away feeling utterly humilated and Stephen went off to find .

Knocking on her door later on that night she answered it to see him stand there with the biggest grin on his face.

"Stephen?" She frowned, wondering why he was at her door, he said nothing, he just cupped her face and kissed her, she kissed him back then pulled away as he kicked her front door shut "What are you doing here? What about Torrie?" She gasped.

Stephen grinned down at her "It's over..." He whispered "Well and truly over."

"But why...?" She asked and felt Stephen's lips meet hers again.

"Because this is where I wanna be..." He whispered and looked into her eyes with his forhead pressed against hers "I've found her out for what she really is."

"I can't believe you want this..." She whispered and kissed him again.

"I can't believe it doesn't feel weird." He laughed "I love you , it's the first time I've ever said that to anyone and I mean it, I really do love you."

"I love you too Steo, more than life itself."

He wrapped his arms tight around her and kissed her more until she couldn't take it anymore, she wanted it, he wanted it, he picked her up in his arms making her giggle as he carried her upstairs to her bedroom. Kicking the door shut he placed her on her bed. She kneeled up as he stood infront of her, she unbuttoned his and ran her hands down the side of his body.

"Ya know, I've seen you a million times topless in my bedroom," She said "But right now it feels like I'm seeing you for the first time like this."

Stephen smirked and ran his hands up her arms lifting them up, he pulled her top up and over her head revealing her bra to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him and he backed her down on to the bed and showed her what love and magic truly felt like.


Chapter 12

opened her eyes to the morning light, she smiled as her head was snuggled down in to her new boyfriends chest and his arms where wrapped protectively around her. They had slept together for ages lastnight and her body was exhausted. What she loved the most was the fact that there has been no awkwardness of 'being friends too long' between them. Everything they did lastnight put all the pieces of the puzzle together. It felt right. She wriggled herself out of his arms and looked at him sleeping.

"I love you Stephen Gately." She smiled down at him and got up, she wanted to make him some breakfast in bed. As she was cooking her mum arrived home after a day out with Stephen's mum.

"Hey!" chirped, flipping a pancake in the air.

"Hey..." looked at her funny "You're in the best mood that I've seen you in for weeks!"

"Stephen stayed lastnight." She grinned.

spotted the sparkles shine so brightly in 's eyes as she said that.

"He stayed over night? That won't go down too well with the girlfriend now will it?"

"Well his girlfriend is ME and I have to say I'm ok with it!" flipped the pancakes on to a plate and poured maple syrup all over them.

"You and Stephen are together?" tried making sence of it all "What about Torrie?"

"Torrie was using Stephen for everything she could, she was no good for him, he's where he belongs now, with me."

"Well I'm happy for ya love! Margaret and I always knew you two would end up together!" chirped.

chopped up a banana and placed the slices around the pancakes.

"Lastnight was SO amazing mum, I love him so much." smiled "I'm gonna take these to him.

placed the pancakes on the bedside table and crawled over the bed to him "Wakey wakey!" She sang.

He moved a little but didn't wake up, she straddled herself over him and began kissing his neck. She pulled back and saw a smirk creep upon his face "Morning beautiful." He said in a tired voice.

"Morning! How lazy are you? It's half eleven!" She giggled.

"You tired me out lastnight!" He laughed.

blushed a little and brought his pancakes over to him "For you."

"Pancakes for breakfast?" He asked "You're awesome!" He kissed her lips and she pulled away and hugged her head on his shoulder as he began to eat.

"Steo..?" She ran her hand up his bare chest and traced her finger around his nipple.

"Hmm?" He answered.

"What did you think of lastnight?" She asked "I mean did it feel weird to you at all?"

"Not one bit," He answered "It felt amazing and it felt right. How about you?"

"It was perfect." She smiled at him.

Stephen forked up a bit of pancake and banana "You're the key to my life." He told her and forked the pancake in to her mouth.

She giggled, chewed, swallowed then kissed him "And you're the love of mine."

Four Years Later

"You all set ?" Stephen yelled from the livingroom.

"Yup!" She replied.

"Did you manage to fit your wedding dress in to the suitcase?" He asked.

"It has a case all to itself!" laughed "You packed your suit?"

"It's all done!" He yelled through.

's mobile beeped and she read the message from her mum.

U 2 need 2 hurry up! U have 2 be in the airport in an hour! Us and Stephen's parents r already here waiting on u both! xXx

"Right Steo, we have the folks on our backs now, we better get going! Plus our taxi has just beeped it's horn!"

Stephen grabbed the suitcases and stuffed them in to the taxi and he and got in. As it started to drive he took her hand in his and smiled at her.

"In two days time you're gonna be Mrs Gately." He told her with a huge grin.

"I know, who would have thought huh?" She asked him as he placed a sweet kiss on her lips.

"Well our parents kind of had us betroved in their minds!" He laughed.

smiled and looked down at their hands, their fingers where interlocked, he was so perfect, so loving and kind, he was gonna make an amazing husband.


Chapter 13

The Wedding Day

A rush of excitement and nerves travelled through 's body and she applied her lipstick, her mum put a thin white gold necklace around her daughters neck and looked proudly at her in her wedding dress.

"You look beautiful love." She told her.

"Thanks mum," grinned "I'm so excited."

"So you should be, it's your big day!" laughed and straightend up 's tiara.

"Do you think he will like the dress?" She asked for reasurance.

"He's gonna love the dress! And more to the point he'll love what's underneath it for honeymoon night!" winked.

"Mum!" blushed as Stephen's mum Margaret walked through the door.

"Oh my god look at you Cinderella!" Margaret laughed and gave her soon to be daughter in law a hug "Aren't you a vision?"

"I hope Stephen thinks so." fixed the thin pearly straps of her dress.

"Darling you could go out there in a bin bag and Stephen would think you looked amazing." Margaret laughed with "But hey, go easy on my boy on your first night as husband and wife yeah?" She winked.

"OH MY GOD! Why do parents keep saying stuff like this!" She blushed once again, getting giggily.

The wedding ceromony was beautiful, it was held outside in a place on the beach in Florida - the same one that they played on every year as little kids, talking innocently about their future together of living in a sandcastle. All the way through the ceromony Stephen never took his eyes of and she never took her eyes off him either. He was so handsome in his black suit, when it was time to kiss the bride she gladly accepted his wonderful kiss as they got a cheer from their families.

Stephen pulled away and took her hands in his "I have a surprise for you." He whispered. He held her hand and she pulled up the bottom of her wedding dress as they walked up the sandy hill with their families following close behind. At the top of the hill there was a big glass carriage with six elegant white horse at the front and a man wearing dress trousers, a long coat and a top hat standing by the door of it.

"Oh my god Stephen," She gasped "Is that...?"

"Yep," He grinned "Cinderella's carriage."

He leaned down and kissed her lips as the man opened the door for them. They kissed their families then got inside sitting on gorgeous pink satin seans. Stephen opened a bottle of Champangne and and poured a glass for himself and his new bride. He handed it to her and they clunked their glasses together and had their first drink together as husband and wife.

Stephen put his arm around as the carriage started to move, the light warm Florida breeze was nice. rested her head on her husbands shoulder and took in the sound of the horse hoofs clanging off the ground as the sun began to set and coloured the sky a wonderful peachy orange.


*Flashback of two 7 year olds*

Stephen put a little flag that he had saved from his ice cream sundae on top oh his sandcastle "There, this will be our house when we are older." He told .

"Me and you will live there?" asked in a little girly voice.

"Yeah when we are grown ups we will live together and get married just like my mum and dad did." Stephen grinned.

"And mine!" replied "What would we name our house?"

"How about The Black Pearl? It's from The Pirates Of The Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow is the best pirate EVER!" Stephen yelled and chucked sand up in the air while making pirate noises.

"Nah-uh!" replied "Captain Hook from Peter Pan is the pest pirate ever!" She dug sand out from around the castle and filled her little bucket up with water and poured it round the castle "We can call our house Black Pearl and we can call our river Mermaid Lagoon!"

"Yeah!" Stephen replied excitedly "And a pirate ship can sail down it!"

giggled and looked at her best friend "When do you think we will get married?" She asked innocently.

"It has to be when we are grown ups," He told her "I'll wear a pirates costume and you can wear a big dress and look just like Cinderella!"

*End Of Flashback*


She couldn't believe how romantic Stephen had been to keep his promise. She reached up and traced the outline of his lips with her finger. He looked down at her with that gorgeous familar smile on his face.

"What did I tell you huh?" He almost whispered "Look out that window at the beach, remember what I told you when we where little kids on the beach?"

"Yes I do." She smiled up at him.

"I told you that when we got married you'd be just like Cinderella and you are."

smiled lovingly in to his eyes "Yes but what happend to you being a pirate?" She giggled "Oh and we're still gonna live in a sandcastle right?!" She stuck her tongue out playfully at him.

"I don't really think I can hold my promise about living in a sandcastle babe!" He laughed "And as for the pirate thing...although it seemed a great idea at the time, now that I've grown up I think I'd rather be your prince charming." They kissed one more time as their horse drawn carriage took them in to the sunset.


4 years later

Cinderella and Prince Charming, or and Stephen rather had made their first baby on their honeymoon night. A baby girl which they named Megan Carly Gately. looked out the kitchen window of their home, she smiled as she watched her husband play with their daughter in her sandpit on this bright and sunny day. Their daughter was so beautiful. Long hair that was as dark as her fathers and those oh so beautiful blue eyes just like his too, she really was her fathers daughter and a true daddy's girl. Life was now everything she imagined it to be ever since she was seven years old and was promised a wedding by seven year old Stephen. She truly was living out a fairytale of her own. Placing a hand on her small bump as she felt their second child move in her stomach she smiled as Stephen came through the kitchen door with a giggling Megan in his arms.

"Daddy!" Megan squealed in a high pitched girly voice "I wanna play!"

"We've already played sweetheart!" Stephen laughed "I dunno where she get's her energy from, she's been running around that garden like mad!"

"God knows what she will be like when we take her to Disney World. Florida won't know what's hit it with that wee monster!" laughed.

"Not forgetting the little monster we have on the way aswell!" Stephen placed his hand on his wives stomach and felt a little kick "Yeah it definately seems to have as much energy as it's big sister!" Stephen laughed and kissed .

gave birth to a healthy baby boy later in the year. They took him and Megan to Florida and visited all their old spots once again. They got many snaps of themselves and the kids with Mickey Mouse and all his friends. So many photo's and memories to look back on in years to come, they where a loving family now, laughing and giggling

And of course to end all fairytales...They lived happily ever after.


THE END



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