CHAPTER SIX

Eight hours later Mags and Tyler stood surrounded by Kylie and Mandy. Kylie had Tyler in her arms, and Mandy was helping Mags lug their luggage to the car.

"So your staying with me, rihgt?" Kylie asked.

"Yea." Mags answered, trying to at least sound happy. On the plane ride while Tyler was sleeping, the realization of what had happened in the past weeks had finally sunken in. She had left the man she thought she loved, He son had nearly died and had gotten AIDS all because of her.

"Er ..... Well .... uh.... Adam is kinda living with me, because we're dating and all you know...." Kylie informed her as they got in Kylie's car.

"Adam Deering? As in my old ex-boyfriend's best friend?" Mags questioned, trying hard to hide her disgust. Jake Ariel, Mags' old ex-boyfriend, was a manipulative, scummy asshole, who had many times tried to take advantage of Mags in the past. 'At least he didn't cheat on me.' Mags thought. "Nevermind. Your house is big enough. Besides, I don't mind Adam." They drove down Kylie's street. Mags had forgotten how close Kylie had lived to the airport.

"Okay." Kylie answered, as they pulled into her 8 car garage. She parked her orange Jeep Cheroke in between her father's red BMW, and her old Miata.

"You still drive that?" Mandy inquired, running her fingers along the side of the silver Miata.

"Adam does sometimes." Kylie replied. She then turned to Mags, who was getting Tyler out of the car, with a glint in her eyes. "You want it? It just collects dust. You don't have a car..." Kylie may have been rich, but she gave any chance possible.

"Seriously?" Mags questioned stunned. She had always loved the Miata. Kylie nodded. "Of course! Thank you so much!" Mags hugged Kylie.

"Need some manly help with your luggage?" Adam interrupted, stepping into the garage with Jake and their other best friend Ryan Yancheck.

"Help would be nice, but... I don't see any men." Mandy teased, as the guys pulled the stuff out of the trunk.

"Right, I forgot. We're gods, not men." Ryan returned.

"Gods of what? The skinny and lanky?" Kylie shot back. As Mags watched the friendly banter, she groaned inwardly. Not only did it remind her of what she and AJ had, but Jake was not the person she wanted to see at the moment. She scooped Tyler up, and went into Kylie's mansion.

Around 10 o'clock that night Mags sat on the couch in the den, half asleep, watching Cruel Intentions with Mandy and Ryan. Jake walked in, and sat down next to Mags. Involuntarily, she groaned. She had been able to avoid him all day.

"You missed me that much Maggie-bear?" Jake asked sarcastically, using the nickname he had used for her when they had dated. He casually slid his arm around her shoulders.

"It's Mags okay? Not Maggie-bear, you ass." Mags retorted, getting up from her seat on the couch and sitting next to Ryan on the love seat. She could smell the alcohol on his breath.

Jake took it all in stride. "Okay, MAGS. So you broke up with that Fagstreet loser, finally?" he inquired.

"Leave her alone, Jake." Ryan interjected, knowing how his friend could be when he was drunk.

"She can speak for herself." Jake shot back "So did you?"

Mags sighed. "Yes, I did. Are you happy?" she answered.

Jake smiled coyly. "Only if you go to dinner with me on Firday." he replied.

"Jake, come on. Just leave her alone." Mandy commented.
"Not until she says yes." Jake responded.

"Don't you understand? She doesn't like you!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Say yes." Jake replied in a sing-song voice.

Just as Ryan was about to say something, Mags said "If I go out with you on one date -just one- will you leave me alone?"

"After one date, you'll want more." Jake answered.

"Answer the damn question, Jacob." Mags commanded.
"Okay....." Jake replied slowly.

"Fine." Mags responded, as Mandy and Ryan gasped. Mags walked out of the room, not fully believing what had just happened.

"She wants me." Jake stated, putting his hands behind his head, and putting his feet on the coffee table in front of him.

"She wants you to go to hell." Mandy told him, pushing his feet off the table, and walking out of the room.

"I can't believe you did that." Ryan muttered, following the girls.

"Oh yea, she wants me." Jake informed the empty room, ignoring what they had said.