"Who's Tom?"

"What?" Jane pulled back from Evan abruptly.

They were in the back of the theater, in what had become their spot making out while the throwback movie of the week played before them. Jane straightened up fixing her rumpled blouse and smoothing out her hair.

"I heard… some stuff."

Wow….

"What kind of stuff?"

Boy did that kill the mood.

"Look I know that we- that this- us isn't…" Evan didn't have the right words. "If you want to talk about it…"

"I should be going." Jane stood.

Guess this party is over.

Why aren't you looking at me Jane?

"Jane," Even touched her elbow gently, "I wasn't trying to upset you."

Her blue eyes locked on him and he was ill prepared for their effect. She was always tough and certain about whatever she was saying or doing with him. Looking at her now, she looked… vulnerable.

"He's my ex…"

Evan watched her silently.

"I'm sure you know the sordid details floating around. He and my best friend…..."

Holy shit, it's true. Why would any guy leave you for- that girl?

"Thing is, they've since broken up and she is now going with my brother."

What a supreme bitch…

"She and I worked things out…after a while. Tom and I- well…we're doing the friendship thing- or something like it."

Why in the world would you be friends with either of them?

"You think I'm crazy right?" she laughed a little.

"I don't know…I don't think that I could be that forgiving." Evan measured his words carefully. "You're a cool girl; you could be friends with anyone."

"I'm an artsy type Evan, remember?" she tapped his forehead. "An outcast that no one gave a damn about before Daria came to this school."

"Uh…...revisionists history," he tapped her forehead in turn. "You have always been removed and made a point of pushing anyone away on the playground like that time I wanted you to be my partner in relay fourth grade."

Jane looked perplexed.

Fourth grade?

Don't look at me like that. Of course, I remember that time in fourth grade.

Shit, that was you… well, it's not like I could tell anyone that was when my folks was supposed to have come home that weekend but didn't and hadn't called. I had stayed up all night waiting and worrying because, well- they'd promised. Trent had a gig and made sure that I had peanut butter and jelly until he got back, but that was in the morning.

"Oh, sorry."

"Well, I've since forgiven you for it." Evan tugged her back closer to him. He nuzzled the side of her neck. "At the risk of you're pulling away again, can I ask you something else?"

Jane gave a quick nod.

Doesn't mean I have to answer.

"Is HE the reason you're here with me?"

"I'm here because I want to be."

…I'll buy it.

They kissed. It was different. It was soft and delicate. His fingers gently touched the sides of her face. They parted and looked at each other as though it were for the first time.

Wow…

…wow

"I want to take you out." He said softly in her ear.

"We are out."

"You know what I mean."

Jane thought about it for a moment.

"What about school? Dating in your own athletic class, peer pressure and all of that."

Evan laughed then and it filled the practically empty room. He had long since given up on worrying about his so-called peers and what they thought ever since Jane had given him that tongue lashing when she'd left the track team. Jane had got him to thinking about things and how he saw things. Then he'd seen her one night coming out of a tattoo place when he'd been picking up Chinese to go. He hadn't said anything to her then and had waited until he'd seen her in the hall at school a few days later. He was truly surprised when she'd accepted. She'd also made it apparent from the start that they did not have a relationship in the traditional sense; they were there for fun- on her terms and he was okay with that…for a while.

"Okay, dating it is."

They kissed again.

"Come on," they reluctantly stood, and he placed a hand in the mid of her back. "I've got to get you home."

"Why, hot date?"

"Nah, I've got to make an important call."

Really? We could have made out for a while longer…

She let him drive her home and was in the house in record time. After seeing that Trent hadn't made it back, she decided to take a shower. The ringing phone annoyed her when she'd gotten out of the shower.

This had better be important!

"Hello." Annoyance was clear in her voice.

"Jane?" Evan's voice came over the line.

Jane smiled.

"Thought you had an oh so important call." She teased.

"Yeah, I'm on it now."

That's so cheesy…I like it…

"Oh…"

"So, how are you?"

Jane took the phone to her room and proceeded to dress for bed while talking to Evan. It was a rather liberating feeling to talk to someone that she felt was exclusively hers. She feel asleep happy.