Of course you meet her!

You take a quick shower and throw on a pair of jeans and a school t shirt before heading out to your car, a beat up Nissan Maxima. You drive to the diner quickly, but obey the speed laws. It would be unseemly for the Sherriff's son to be cited for speeding.

You pull into the parking lot of the diner exactly forty minutes after Doe's call. As you get out of your car you see Doe's pink Mustang was already there, in the spot by the entrance. She loved that spot because it is reserved for the Manager, and she loved to give him hell. As you walk up to the door you see her sitting in a booth near the back wall, her hands twisting nervously together. She already has a cup of tea in front of her.

The waitress looks up as you enter, "Hello, would you..."

"Hello how are you, I'm meeting someone, she's sitting right there." You say as you pass her and walk towards where Doe sat. As you get closer to where she sits you notice that she's breathing shallowly and biting her lip continuously. She's so focused on staring into the cup of tea she doesn't notice that you until you sit across from her.

She gasps as she notices you and you sit there looking at her in silence for a second. Her strawberry blond hair was in loose and hung down to her shoulders. She had put on a pink t shirt, and a pair of cut off jean shorts. She swallows, the movement of her neck makes you want to trail kisses down her neck. "S-so what..." She pauses to clear her throat and take a sip of her tea. "What is it that you n-needed to talk to me about?" She asks, her eyes avoiding yours somewhat, though in the glimpses that you do get you feel there is a lot of nervous hope in them.

"We've known each other for a long time, haven't we Doe. A long time. Best friends since I laid eyes on you."

"Yeah."

"But...you never really gave me any indication that you may have wanted more than just friends." You pause as a waitress walks over, "I'll have a tea. Thanks." You say to the waitress, then look back at Doe. "Until today..."

'No. I said it's okay. I know Clarissa is prettier than..."

"You're lying, and she's not." You say evenly. This isn't exactly how you had pictured the conversation, but she hadn't gotten up and left yet. "No one is prettier than you to me."

"What? What did you say?" She asks, her voice a hushed whisper.

"I said no one is prettier than you to me. I've thought that for a long time. But I never said anything or did anything because I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship. Maybe that sounds stupid, I don't know. But it is what it is. Now from your tone of voice over the phone, and the nervousness you are displaying now I'd say you felt the same, but held out hope that I'd keep to a promise from almost a decade ago." You say, the words coming out of their own volition.

"I did. I always did, John. I always figured that...that we'd just wind up together. I just...thought it was inevitable." She answers, her voice still hushed. "And then, last night Tommy told me you had asked Clarissa to the prom. I went home and cried. I...it just seemed like nothing in my life had ever gone right. My dad dies when I'm four. I don't even remember him. Things...they just always went wrong. You know. But through it all I had you. You're my anchor. And then...I'm sorry." She says as she buries her face in her hands, sobbing lightly.

You heart aches as you watch her cry. In the past she always wanted to be alone when she started crying. This time you get up and transfer your ass to sit next to her. You wrap an arm around her shoulder, and Doe shifts her weight to cry onto your shoulder, her arms wrapping around your body.

"That's not true you know. You think I was your anchor? I think you were my anchor. You keep my feet planted on the ground, Doe. I mean we live in a town where football is a religion. You know how easy that can get to your head?"

Doe shifts her head to look up at you, her blue gray eyes watery, but happy. "Easily. But I think it was more your father that..."

"No it was always you. Ask Tommy. Do you know I had the Carter Twins say they would have a threesome with me? The twins...at the same time! You know what stopped me?"

"I have no idea! I'd sleep with the Carter twins!" She answers.