Knock Knock Knock
Denise frowned and waited to see if the person would knock again. She didn't want to get out of the nice hot water of her bath. If she was lucky nobody had knocked and she was just hearing things.
Knock Knock Knock
Sighing she got out dried off a little before she puts her robe on. She didn't rush kind of hoping that they person would go away. She'd had a bad day today. First her boss yelled at her for something she didn't do, then on the way home she had almost hit a deer, when she got home her house was a mess thanks to a wild cat that got in through an open window. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with someone right now.
Knock Knock Knock
"Hold on a damn minute." She yelled out as she made her was down the hall tripping over one of her niece's toys in the process. "Damn it." She muttered kicking the toy to the side.
Knock Knock Knock
"If you bang on my door one more time..." She started as she twisted the knob and swung open the door only to stop when she saw who was there. her frown transformed into a big grin. "Ryan." She squealed throwing herself in his arms. He caught her and held her tight against him. "When did you get back? How come you didn't call me and tell me? Did Justin know?" She frowned against him neck. "How come he didn't tell me?"
Ryan laughed as he sat her back on her feet but he kept his hands around her waist. "One question at a time." He mumbled running his hands through his short curls. "I just got back, I had to come see you first." He explained. "Haven't even been home. I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you. So surprise." She smiled and hugged him again. "Justin didn't know until I called him from the airport. I figured he'd tell you and again I wanted to surprise you."
"It is so good to see you again." She tugged him in closing the door behind him. "Sit down and tell me how New York was. I'm still mad at you for not taking me. How was it acting on Broadway?" She plopped down on the couch pulling him beside her.
He looked at her and smirked. "Your robe is open." Denise looked down and turned red quickly grabbing her robe and pulling it close. 'Not that I was minding but I didn't want you hanging all out when everybody else got here."
"Everybody else? I was hoping to have you to myself for a while." Denise pouted. "How long before they get here?"
"Should be soon. So you might want to go get dressed." He smiled at her playing with the hair that had escaped her bun.
"I better. I don't want to be half naked when Joey gets here. There's no telling what he'd do." She kissed his cheek before she stood up. "It's good to have you home." She told him before Turning and heading to her room. She shut her door behind her and quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a light purple tank top. She took her long brown hair down and brushed it out, then she pulled it into a high ponytail. Despite her hurrying by the time she got back out there JC, his girlfriend April, Justin, his friend Ashley, and Nicole were already sitting around her living room. And Ryan was at the door hugging Natasha, Denise's best friend, and Chris and Karly were behind her. She could see cars pulling up outside and figured it was Lance and, Allyssa and Joey and Kimberly.
She went and claimed the love seat before anybody else could get it. She had just sat down when Justin moved to sit beside her. "I bet you're happy Ryan's back."
Smiling. "Yeah, I've missed him. You missed him also though?" It was more of a question than a statement. Denise knew that they weren't the closet brothers in the world but they were always there if they needed each other.
Justin shrugged. "I guess." Denise and Justin were the same age, they'd been close friends since 6th grade. Him, her, Ashley, Natasha, Nicole and Karly had grown up together. it was through Justin that Denise had met Ryan and through him that Karly had met Chris, Karly and Chris have been dating since she was 18 and, as far as Denise knew, they were still going strong.
Ryan and Denise weren't dating. He was her best friend next to Natasha, she could tell him almost anything. Except that she'd been in love with him since she was 15. She didn't want to embarrass herself, she knew he only thought of her as a sister.
"It's good to see him home though. I don't trust New York." Justin muttered watching his older brother hug and laugh with their friends. "
"I don't know. I've always wanted to go but only for a little while. I don't think I could handle all that noise for long. I can't handle it here why do you think I live way out in the boonies." Denise smiled at him.
"Because you like to make it hard on a person who wants to see you. I took forever to fins this place when you first moved out here. It's still hard to find in the dark."
"I like it that way." She had been about to say something else when Tasha came over and plopped herself down in Justin's lap. "What are you two whispering about?"
"About how pink doesn't suit you." Denise joked talking about the pink dress she was wearing.
"Yeah make's your *** look big." Justin chimed in so not to be left out.
Tasha gave an over dramatic gasp, her hand flying up to her heart. "You wound me. Here I thought you two were my friends, but no all the while you were making fun of my butt." She sniffled and got up. " I don't have to take this from the two of you. I'm going to go tell Ryan." She swung around and pretended to stalk off.
Justin and Denise laughed, Justin grabbed Tasha's hand and pulled her back on his lap. "We were kidding. You look beautiful."
"Fantastic." Denise added before Ashley came over and wanted to know what was so funny. "Oh nothing. We were just laughing at Justin. You know the usual. Bad hair day." She ran her fingers though his hair. He hadn't been able to go get it shaved lately and it was sticking up all over the place. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ryan waving at her. "I'll be back." She walked over to him, he was talking with Chris and Lance. "Hey you two." She hugged them.
"Hey, De." Chris said. "Ryan was just telling us about the New York clubs.
"We'll be back." Ryan tugged at her hand, she followed him to her room. "I got you a present." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a box. "I saw it in the window and thought of you." Denise gasped when he opened the box.
Chapter 2
Ryan watched as Denise reached for the box. "Do you like it?" It being a silver locket. "I saw it and thought of you. I remembered you talking about liking that ring that Joey got Kimberly. I didn't want to copy them."
(Look at it here. http://www.heartsmith.com/cladsil.html I always liked the thought of the rings.)
"It's beautiful, Ryan." She took it out of the box. "It looks old."
"It is." He took the box and locket from her and tossed the box on the bed. He walked around to stand behind her. She lifted her hair so he could put it on. "But worth it. Look inside." She did and smiled. There was a picture of each of them in it. "I hope it's okay that I put my picture in there." He came around to stand in front of her. "You can change it if you want."
Shaking her head she stood on her tiptoes to hug him. "I love it just the way it is. I don't want anybody else's picture in there."
"What about Travis? Your boyfriend." Ryan asked not moving away from her.
"You know I broke up with him. I told you that. Remember he cheated on me with that skank from his dentist office."
Laughing,"Oh yeah. JC also called and told me about that. Mainly because they had to restrain you from ripping her hair out and giving Travis a sex change."
"They deserved it." She pulled back and sat on her bed. "Sit down and I'll tell you the whole story. Make yourself comfortable it's along one." He went to the top of the bed and leaned against the headboard. "It all started..."
In the other room the others were laughing and making fun of each other. Except for Justin who was staring at Denise's door waiting for her and his brother to come out. He sighed for like the millionth time and leaned back. Ashley and Natasha had abandoned him. Tasha to go call her boyfriend Paul and Ashley went off mumbling something about water. He guessed she was thirsty. He shook his head and grabbed the remote to turn the t.v. on.
Ashley came out of the kitchen with a nice cold bottle of water. She noticed Justin right off. Something she'd been doing for a while now. She didn't even try to hide it anymore. Everybody knew except Justin, who for some reason was clueless about her more than friends love for him. She went over and plopped down where Denise had been sitting. "What's the matter Justy."She asked using the nickname that would bug him.
"Don't call me that and nothing's the matter." Justin didn't even look at her, his attention focuses on the t.v.
She looked at the t.v. and snorted. She took the remote from him. "So you like watching those specials about PMS and menopause?" She laughed out loud when it dawned on him what he'd left it on. He raised his hand to turn it, shocked to find the remote not there, he looked down then at her. She waved the remote at him. he lunged for it but she yanked it out of his reach. "Come on Justin don't be ashamed. It's okay to be curious." She slid out from under him and moved to the other side of the table. "Come and get it." She squealed when he took off after her. She ran from him but there wasn't awhile lot of room to run inside so she made for the door. He caught her before she could even get the door open. He grabbed the remote from her just to drop it on the floor. Now that he'd caught her he wanted to get her back for making fun of her. He started to tickle her sides.
"Ahhh Justin stop." She yelled trying to squirm away from him but no such luck. He was stronger than her. he soon had her on the ground with him over her tickling her where he could get. "Please." She gasps, her face red and tears running down her face.
Everybody had stopped what they were doing and was now watching them, laughing. Denise and Ryan had come out when all the noise had started. "Not until you say your sorry for making fun of me." Justin pouted, still tickling her.
"I'm ssssorry." She gasped wiggling trying to get away. He stopped tickling her right away. "Now get off of me."
"Nah, I'm comfortable." Justin smirked not budging. Then he noticed everybody looking at them. He smiled and got up. "Nothing to see people move along." He helped Ashley up. Then to Denise and Ryan. "What were the two of you being so secretive about?" Denise and Ryan looked at each other and smiled."