Secret Plans

"Took ya long enough," Paris commented sarcastically. Walking to the back of Zack's car, she failed to open the trunk. "Hey, pop the trunk!"

"Can't. It's full of pizzas," Zack yelled out his window.

With an annoyed huff, Paris pushed her small suitcase and overnight bag into the backseat. After finishing, she leaned forward between the two seats.

"Did you make the pizzas?"

"Now you complain," Zack muttered, pulling the car into the road.

"Yeah, we sat around and had a few beers. Figured you needed more time to coordinate your outfits for the week," Jared said.

"Oh, please. Zack doesn't drink."

"Who said the beers were for him?" Jared challenged. "I'm going to need a buzz to deal with five girls tonight."

Her face scowling up, Paris stuck her tongue out at Jared. Sitting back against the seat, she folded her arms and pouted. Zack noticed her attitude through the rearview mirror.

"What wrong, Par?"

"Nothing."

"I know something is wrong."

"Clark was mean to me." Leaning forward again, Paris launched into a long tirade about her brother and his basketball friends. Zack and Jared made eye contact with both mouthing, "Geesh."

"Well, that answers part of my question," Jared interrupted.

"Huh?"

"Now that you're a cheerleader, I wondered which side you would fall on."

"What are you talking about?" Paris cut in to ask.

"You see, a guy like me has a lot of experience watching cheerleaders. The girls on the squad tend to fall into two camps. Those that date football players, and those that date basketball players. So, based on your complaining, I assume that you're a football groupie."

"I'm not a groupie!"

"Oh, so you're not going to date any athlete? Do you have a different type that revs your engine? Perhaps smart is sexy to you." Jared sent a grin and head nudge to Zack. The same Zack, whose eyes widened as he realized who Jared meant.

"What the hell are you talking about? Did you really get drunk?" Paris questioned.

"I'm just curious about the type of guy you like. So do you find the smart and silent type to be sexy? Maybe you're the kind of girl that crushes on a friend. Sometimes people find an attraction developing with someone closer to him," Jared continued despite Zack's mouthing at him to stop.

"Closer to home? Like Leon?" Paris evidently found the idea amusing based on her loud laughter.

"No, I was thinking of a guy similar to—"

"You know, I bet Ashley's already got matchmaking plans in place for you and a football player," Zack blurted out. "I bet she's been waiting for another friend to double-date with."

"Oh, shit, I think you're right," Paris groaned.

"It's not a terrible idea. Not all the guys on the team are jerks like Brandon. Max and Will are good guys. Or if you want a Jared clone, you could go with Kessler," Zack teased.

"Kessler? He's not even in my league. I finished second-team all-state. Kessler only made an honorable mention. As if Paris would want him while I'm around," Jared bragged.

"What's the verdict, Par? You want Jared or Kessler?" Zack jokingly inquired as he pulled into his driveway. He noticed that Peter's car sat parked across the street.

"Second team, huh? I think I'll take that guy who made the first-team all-state. Do you think you could play matchmaker, Jared?" Paris inquired, her voice laced with sass.

"Sure if you like long-distance relationships. He's playing college football this year way down south."

"Thanks for getting the door," Zack yelled sarcastically at Paris as the front door shut behind her. That left the two teens stranded on the front porch with their hands full of pizza and appetizers. Unable to knock, Jared kicked the door.

Almost on cue, the front door opened, bringing with it an unexpected sight. A gorgeous girl filled the doorway. A busty girl with a curvy ass, Poppy Dufor had long, dark red hair and piercing green eyes. With a smirk on her lips, Poppy's green eyes twinkled as they scanned the two teens.

"Filling out nicely, Jared," she nearly purred. "Very nicely indeed."

"Uh, Poppy," Zack motioned toward the door. Unlike his friend, Zack wasn't used to carrying much weight for long. It showed as his arms started to burn.

"Oops, sorry, Zacky," Poppy responded. Plucking the two bags of appetizers that had sat on Zack's boxes, the redhead twirled around. Heading toward the kitchen, she blatantly swung her ass side-to-side.

"Goddamn," Jared muttered.

More worried about dropping his four boxes, Zack raced into the house. Almost lunging, he managed to place the pizzas on the kitchen table. Immediately, Taylor made an annoyed sound from behind. Catching Zack's attention, she pointed at the kitchen counter.

"We're not eating in the dining room?" he asked.

"Not tonight. I don't want to dirty it out the gate," Taylor replied.

Aware that there were only eight seats in the kitchen, four at the table and four stools at the island, Zack started to argue. When he saw Chloe and Ashley walk into the kitchen, carrying chairs from the dining room table, Zack shut his mouth.

"What this I hear about you drinking, young man?" Hannah challenged. Standing with her hands on her hips, the angry blonde blocked Jared's path.

"I was only joking," Jared responded, walking around Hannah to put his boxes down too. "Besides, you're the lush of this group."

"Wrong, buster. That'd be me," Poppy pointed to herself.

"I'm mad that you didn't bring me a drink," Hannah declared.

"Yeah, they don't allow to go drinks," Jared replied.

"Oh, I know that," Hannah chuckled.

Dinner was a lively affair. Peter and Jared caught up with each other while sitting with Zack and Chloe at the kitchen island. Taylor spent most of her meal playing mother as Hannah and Poppy scandalized Paris with lurid tales. Ashley's eyes rolled so much that they came dangerously close to getting stuck that way.

"Whoa, we got a lot of leftovers," Taylor remarked, noticing that around half the food remained. Opening the refrigerator, she frowned at the small amount of open space. Monica and Sarah had stocked up at the grocery store the other day.

"I can put part of it in the downstairs fridge," Zack said, meaning the extra one in the laundry room.

"And the food will mysteriously disappear around midnight," Chloe teased, knowing Zack's propensity to stash sodas and snacks in the basement refrigerator.

"I'm not that bad," Zack protested. That led to a round of teasing from Paris, Chloe, and Taylor.

"I guess we'll have to risk it," Taylor decided.

"Time for Passion Peaks?" Ashley inquired excitedly.

"That's why I'm here," Poppy announced.

"Hold up, hold up!" Taylor ordered before everyone could leave the kitchen. "Hannah and I have a couple of announcements."

"And we need to change into our jammies after that," Hannah reminded.

"Okay, the two of us have worked up a preliminary plan for the week. Now I wanted to list everything, but this one here wants it to be a daily surprise," Taylor nodded at her beaming best friend.

The busty blonde stood next to the refrigerator, posing as if she worked on a game show based on how her hands framed the front. Zack leaned forward to squint at a piece of paper located next to his mother's list of emergency contacts.

"This is our calendar for the week. According to Hannah's wishes, we'll add the next day's event at dinner every evening. Now, if anyone already has plans for that day, please add them to the bottom of said day. And please make it small and legible."

"Wow, Mom's barely gone a few hours, and you're already turning into her," Zack cracked.

"I know, right? She's like this all the time at school," Hannah commented.

"She's just mad that I had to make a calendar for chores. What Han does to our bathroom is criminal," Taylor remarked. "If it wasn't for me, we'd have mold and makeup caked everywhere."

"Tell me about," Ashley nodded knowingly.

"I don't know why you always blame me. I'm not your only roommate, you know."

"You're the one that I share a bathroom with," Taylor shot back. Turning back to the matter at hand, the brunette inquired as to if anyone had upcoming plans.

"I won't be around tomorrow night," Peter announced.

"And why not?" Hannah challenged.

"Yeah, Petey, why not?" Poppy added although she wasn't part of the group.

"Uh, I have a date."

"What?!" screamed at least four voices.

"With who?" Hannah demanded.

"I'm not saying. You'll just launch into a list as to why she's no good for me," Peter pointed out with a sigh.

"So that means we know her?" Ashley questioned.

"Ooh, good catch." Poppy patted the younger blonde's shoulder.

"I'm not saying. Why? Because I know if you don't know her, then Taylor will fire up her laptop while Hannah starts sending out phone messages. I don't need you two doing research on my dates," Peter said wearily.

"But we need to make sure that you'll be okay," Taylor replied, already showing concern on her face.

"And how to get **** if she hurts you," Hannah proclaimed viciously.

"All you need to know is that I have a date and that I'll be fine," he stated. "That means no following me, got it?"

"That was only one time, and it wasn't our fault about what happened," Hannah stated. She gave off her best 'who me?' face.

"Wait, which time are you talking about?" Taylor asked her BFF.

"Are you talking about the time that Hannah fell into the pool? Or the time at Goforth's when she–"

Interrupting Ashley's questions, Jared loudly cleared his voice. Wanting to help Peter out, the out-of-towner glanced over at Zack and nodded.

"Ashley, would you please write my and Zack's names down for Saturday night? We have a double-date scheduled," Jared announced, ignoring Zack's frantic head shaking.

"What?!" screamed every voice but Zack, Jared, and Peter.

"When did you even have the time to set up a date?" Taylor challenged.

"It must have happened at Luigi's because you know Zack didn't set it up beforehand," Chloe commented.

"You picked up a random slut at Luigi's?" Hannah nearly screeched.

"Make that two if Zack's going with," Poppy pointed out. "I'm impressed."

"Is that why you were asking about my taste in guys? You were trying to deflect from what you did at Luigi's," Paris speculated.

"Oh, no, Zack is not going. My little brother will not be anywhere near a slut on Saturday night," Taylor declared.

"Well, that must mean that Hannah has plans too for Saturday night," Ashley cracked.

"Good one, Lil' Wood," Poppy laughed.

"Who are you going out with?" Taylor demanded to know.

"A gentleman never tells," Jared responded.

"Yeah, that's why Tay asked you, not Zack," Hannah shot back.

Oohs and ahhs filled the room.

"Look, I don't even want to go, let alone know who I'm supposed to be going with. This is all Jared's thing." With that, Zack grabbed half of the food to take to the other fridge. Leaving the room, he ignored the demands that he come back.