School always dragged by when I was waiting for it to end. Looking at the clock only seemed to make it drag on longer. Classes were worse as final exams neared before the end of the semester. I found myself going to Emma a lot more than I wanted to, asking for homework help.

She always frowned, but she always helped me. I wanted to spend those few hours with Dean, the less and less time we got together was wearing on us. Driving me nuts.

But as the week droned on, Dean's tryouts approached. The night before the tryouts, Dean had doubts.

"There's going to be a lot of people there, Jake. People that would be watching me, watching me perform. I'm not used to that."

"Dean, I'm gonna be there, if you feel the need to run, to escape. Look at me, I'll always be there for you." I whispered, as he sighed and put his head in his hands.

I rubbed his back reassuringly, "You're gonna do fine, Dean. Trust me." He looked back up and smiled, I returned it effortlessly.

"Plus, Charlie coming, remember? Emma might, too. If Michael doesn't call her in." He bit his lip, "What if Michael calls you in?" He whispered.

I shook my head, "I wouldn't show." He frowned, "Your job is more important than me." I smiled, "That's where you're wrong." I winked and he rolled his eyes.

"You're awful."

"Mmm, in what way?" He laughed loudly and jumped on top of me, knocking me down, "And bad." He purred.

"What are you gonna do? Spank me?" I whispered, he cocked his head as he lowered it down towards mine. His eyes sparkling, "Maybe." He whispered.

"Uh oh, I'm scared." I feigned fright, he rolled his eyes again as his lips came down on mine. My hands gripped his shirt, pulling it up, revealing his skin. My hands wandered the silky smooth texture.

His legs on either side of me, he pushed his body against me, and I moaned, my lips parting from his, but then they were back, and he was rough. He moved his body against mine, side to side. I gripped his belt from the back, pulling him in.

This time, he moaned, and I shoved him off, flipping over so I was on top, but we never broke contact.

"Jake.." He stuttered out my name against my lips, and I swallowed another moan. His hands gripped and tugged against my hair, so much lost time, so long, and this was definatly making it up.

I bit his lip and pulled back as he moaned again. Both of us out of breath, I opened my eyes to see him staring right into them. I was unable to speak as I looked into his eyes. So bright blue, so beautiful.

He didn't speak either, and I don't know how long we sat like that, I don't really care. All that I saw was Dean, all that I cared about was Dean.

Dean was my bright blue sky, he was there when they clouds were rolling in, making my life grey and dull. He showed up to brighten up my future and my life. He was the reason I was smiling and working to make Emma and myself happier.

Dean gently shoved me off, breaking eye contact. He flipped us around to where we were before. He lay down on my chest, like every night, and I wrapped my arms around him, grabbing the blanket and spreading it out over us.

"You're going to be great tomorrow." I whispered against his hair, and then pressed my lips to his head, lingering before I pulled away.

He sighed, and held my hand under the covers. I smiled at the shyness of him, although he was so powerful and open when his lips were crushing mine.

I drifted off to sleep with hopes for the following day.

***

"Come on, Emma.." I grumbled to myself as I waited outside of her school, she usually walked this way, and since she didn't know I was here, it was best to stay put.

I leaned on the hood of my car, girls passing by giving me double looks, but I ignored them, looking above their heads for any sign of my sister.

I rolled my eyes to myself as a group of girl walked by, and slowing down as they neared me, I had to bite my lip to avoid yelling out that I was taken.

The tryouts started in less than 10 minutes, and I wanted to be there beforehand to wish Dean good luck. I told him I'd be there, and I wasn't lying. I groaned and turned around, poking my head into the window and grabbing my phone.

I dialed Emma's number quickly, she answered on the third ring, "Hello? Jake?" She asked, I groaned.

"Em, where are you? I've been sitting outside of your school for almost 15 minutes, the girls here are starting to annoy me." I heard her chuckle, then sigh, "Jake, I'm pretty much back, I don't take the usual way anymore, remember? I don't live at home. Just meet me at Charlie's."

She hung up and I groaned. Typical, don't tell me where exactly she was, so now I'd have to wait even longer to get to Dean. I pocketed my phone and gave a sarcastic wave to the group of girls lingering by the drive.

All they did was giggle and turn towards each other. I shook my head to myself and sped down the road towards Charlie's.

By the time I'd gotten there, the tryouts were pretty much starting. I was praying for a late start. I jumped out of the car and jogged towards the house, walking right in.

"Em, Charlie!" I called through the house, the original plan was to pick Emma up at school, grab Charlie from home, and go to the tryouts. Obviously that wasn't working anymore.

Charlie came around the corner, her coat and shoes already on, "Where's Emma?" She asked as she walked with me towards the door, "She's not back yet?" She shook her head and worryingly looked around the streets.

I let her get in the car, and then called Emma again, this time she didn't answer. Oh god, I hoped nothing bad had happened. I bit my lip as I stood outside in the chilly winds, and looked every which way.

"Which way from here is her school?" I asked as I jumped back into the car, staring it. Charlie looked around her, "She usually comes from that direction. I don't know where to from there."

I nodded and made a U-turn, heading in the direction she pointed out. Charlie tried her phone again as we sped down the quiet roads. Getting nothing.

I sighed, worrying now, "I'm sure she's fine, Jake." Charlie whispered in encouragement. Right now, I didn't really believe it.

I knew Dean was going to be mad, I knew he would be upset that I wasn't there, but what if I could still make it?

"Charlie, I want to make Dean happy, I want to find her. I need to find her." I whispered as I drove around and around, and soon enough, after making another turn, I saw her school. The lots were empty except for cars that were probably just teachers.

"Dammit!" I slammed my hand down on the steering wheel, and Charlie jumped a bit, but she didn't seem scared, just understanding, "I'm sorry, Charlie.. I-"

"Save it, it's fine. I want to find her, too. I'll try her cell again."

I nodded, and didn't say anything as she dialed Emma's number again, and pressed the phone to her ear, she waited and waited, then pulled the phone away, hanging up and muttering a cuss.

I headed back around, back towards Charlie's thinking maybe she might have been there by now. I glanced at the clock, it was nearly 20 minutes into the tryouts, if I didn't find her soon, I wasn't going to make it. My heart shattered.

I cussed under my breath as I made another turn, and we both flicked our heads to a girl clumsy walking, she tripped, but she brought herself back up, and took off running.

"It's Emma! It's her! I let her borrow that coat today!" Charlie squealed and I sped up, pulling in beside her, when she saw the car, she took off running, faster than before. I jumped out.

"Emma! Em, it's us!" I shouted, and she stopped, turning around and collapsing on the ground. We ran over to her, our hearts and our feet thudding loudly. As I got closer, I noticed her bag was gone, and her clothes were dirty.

"Emma, oh my god, what happened to you?" Charlie asked as we got closer. I choked back up a sob, and got on the ground next to her, pulling her into my arms.

She wrapped her arms around me, her whole body shaking, "Emma, what happened?" I whispered, she sighed, and didn't answer.

"She's tired, she was probably running for awhile, come on, we're taking you home, explain there." Charlie helped me get her to her feet, and then I picked her up and carried her towards the car, almost running.

She didn't complain, which was odd, she always hated when I lifted her. This had to be bad.

I pretty much sped through every light on the way back, ignoring Charlie's complaints about not even being in a hurry, and she knocked me in the head a few times from the backseat, where she was sitting with Emma.

Charlie held the door open for me as I carried her into the house and through to the living room, Charlie rushing by to get her water. After she had gulped down a couple glasses, she turned to me.

She gulped noisly, then she spoke. Only three words, but three was enough to make me stand up with wide eyes.

"She found me."

***

"Emma, what are you talking about?" Charlie demanded. I looked to Emma, awaiting the same response, she sighed and sat up.

"Mom, you mean." I said, kneeling down beside her. She nodded, "She attacked me. The most she could do was push me down in some muck, and grab my bag, then I just ran."

"So she didn't chase you?" Charlie asked, sitting next to her. Emma shook her head, "No, which was strange. But I thought it was her when you guys pulled up."

"And that's why you didn't answer your phone, right? Or why we didn't see you on the way around your school?" Emma nodded, "I don't remember the direction I ran, I just got out of there."

Then she suddenly stood up, "Jake! The tryouts!" I sighed and looked at the time on my phone, there was less than 5 minutes left of them.

"We won't make the tryouts, but we might be able to catch Dean and explain." I followed them back outside, but I stopped Emma, "Shouldn't you clean up?" I took a piece of her hair in my hands and pulled out a twig, she shrugged, "This is important to you, and it's all my fault that we missed it."

I shook my head as we walked towards my car, "No. It's hers."

***

My tires made a horrible screeching noise as I pulled up outside of the school, the lights to the back field were still on, and hope rose in my chest. But it was a lost cause.

We all ran back there, Emma trying to rip the leaves and twigs from her hair, but eventually gave up. The field was empty, completely empty.

I walked farther out into the field and my legs gave out, and I sit on the muddy grass, with my head down towards the ground. Charlie and Emma let me be, they slowly walked back out towards the car, but I found it too hard to move.

I missed the tryouts. I missed HIS tryouts. He was going to hate me, he was going to leave me out into the dark streets. He was going to hate me. I pounded a fist into the ground, then enjoying the anger let out, I did it a few more times.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck.." I mumbled to myself as I stood up. I promised, I promised we would all be there, cheering him on, and I had broken it all, and he was going to hate me.

"Jake?" I didn't move at the sound of my name, "Just leave me alone, Em. I wanna dig a hole and crawl into it." I felt like I wanted to fall back down on the grass, but I stood my ground until Emma left. I wouldn't let her see me be an emotional wreak.

"I know my voice is high, but hey, insult." I twisted around this time, Dean was standing about 10 feet away, he was still wearing the tryout uniform, a white and green striped shirt, and green shorts. His knee high socks were dirty and frayed, even his shoes looked older than they were. But he looked lovely.

"Dean, I'm so sorry, I can explain everything.." I said as I took a step forward, he shook his head, taking a step towards me, as well, "You don't have to, not right now."

"But Dean.. I missed your tryouts. I missed your big moment. I wanted to be there, Dean. So bad.." He nodded, smiling a little and walking towards me, slowly, "I know you did, Hun. And I know that whatever the reason for you not making it, is completely understandable, and I'm not mad."

I looked up from the ground and took another step, then another, then kept going until we met up. I wrapped my arms around him, holding back the angry tears. I was so angry. So angry at myself, and at her. How could she come around and do something like this to their own child? Attacking her daughter was too far.

Then making me miss my boyfriend's big moment, that was even farther. I hugged Dean to my chest, breathing in the muck, the dirt and the sweat. But I didn't care, that's exactly what I wanted to smell. But I wanted to smell it fresh, and I know how that sounds, but I wanted to smell it the moment he ran off of that field, the moment he smiled and ran into my arms.

"Dean, I can't even begin to say how sorry I am.." I whispered, and his hands drew patterns on my back, "It's okay, Jake. Really, it's fine. I told you, I understand. And we have plenty of time for reasons."

"That doesn't make me not sorry." He chuckled, his tiny body shaking in my hold, "No, but it makes you feel better, doesn't it? And as long as you feel better about this mistake, so do I, and I'm happy." He pulled back and smiled at me, I lifted my hand from his back and placed it against his cheek.

"I think I love you." I whispered, then gasped, pulling back from him. Did I mean to say that? Yes, but did I mean for it to actually escape my mouth. No!

"Dean, I didn't mean to actually say that, I mean, I do, wait, I.." But he laughed, he laughed and stepped back into my arms, "Oh Jake... I think I love you, too."

My shattered heart picked itself up, it picked itself up and fit right where it belonged, back in my chest, beating for Dean.

"Are you.. are you just saying that?" I whispered, he smiled and shook his head, and I smiled back, I really smiled, and my lips met Dean's soft and warm ones, even after the tryouts, even after the pain I knew he felt when I never showed, even after everything..

I knew what he said, was true. I knew he meant it, and I knew I meant it, too.

We both pulled back as we heard the squeals and the 'Aw!'s'. Dean flushed, and I smirked, looking to Emma and Charlie on the sidelines, back to Dean. The lights suddenly blinked out, leaving us in darkness. Charlie and Emma gasped, and so did I, but Dean laughed, grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

Together we ran, we ran through the field and back out to the front, where the lights were dimming, and the sky was darkening. Charlie and Emma followed us out, laughing as well.

"Tonight was weird." Emma said, and I silently agreed, and from what I could see from Dean's smiling face, he did too.