They all still hang out together.

While things weren't exactly the same as they were before, we did manage to come back to some degree of normalcy in the next few days. With the exception of Amy, the girls were almost overly-affectionate towards me, and I can't say that I minded the attention. In the end, we had gone through some turbulence as a group, but we weren't about to let that tear us apart.

There was still an obvious tension between Amy and I, but we never allowed it to affect our relationship with everyone else. All the same, it was still awkward. Whenever she smiled at me, there was a certain lack of vibrancy to it; not ****, yet unnatural, as if she were trying to be both friendly and distant at once. She had even gone as far as dressing differently, wearing looser clothing when she knew we would all be together so as not to stand out too much. I almost hated myself for bringing her to this, but then our fight would replay in my head and I was left feeling conflicted.

Not all changes were bad, though. For one thing, whereas Amy was dressing to hide herself, Elizabeth appeared to be shedding layers, almost like they'd switched wardrobes. The once-demure Elizabeth was now opting for tank-tops over t-shirts, and even her tees now had deeper necklines that accentuated her breasts. Beyond that there was a confidence in the way she carried herself, her head high and a subtle smirk on her face, knowing full well that she was the focus of many a man's eye as she walked the halls of our school. None of this changed her personality, though, because she was still the same sweet and overly-caring person I cared about so much.

That weekend, there was a major transition in our group-dynamic. Stephanie finally introduced us to Simon, and brought him over to hang out with us. I can't lie, it was a bit awkward at first, being that I was still getting over my feelings for her, but I knew how much it would mean to her if I were to accept him, so I knew I had to give him a shot. While I felt a certain amount of what I could only call protectiveness, being that I was no no longer the lone male with this bevy of beautiful women, I pushed these feelings aside. After all, my hormonal urges had brought me nothing but angst so far, and I didn't want any repeats.

It turned out that Simon was actually a pretty cool guy. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I did a high school-version of a background check, but there wasn't a single person who had anything bad to say about him. He was a member of the swim team, and thereby beat me out in terms of physicality with his wide shoulders and trim waist. Yet while he had the physical appearance and the social status to be considered a jock, he was anything but that. Much like Elizabeth, he treated everyone he met with dignity and respect, and didn't have a harsh word to say about anyone. If anything, he was almost too reserved, exhibiting a certain level of shyness that caught me by surprise.

At one point the girls all walked away to get some snacks, leaving the two of us alone together. There was a moment of awkward silence where both of us were clearly trying to come up with something to say, until I finally came up with, "Ummm... you like Goldeneye?"

"Movie or game?"

"...Both, I guess?"

"The movie was awesome; the game is incredible."

By the time the girls came back, our conversation had already shifted from video games to action movies, and showed no signs of stopping. Sometime later on in the day I locked eyes with Stephanie, and she silently mouthed 'Thank you' to me. I can't say that I wasn't still feeling lousy about the whole thing, but the way she smiled at me after that did a lot to set my mind at ease. She was happy, and that's what really mattered, right?

Right?

Of course, no one could be friends with these girls without having to endure their teasing, and Simon was not spared of this.

"So, you guys on the swim team always run around in those speedos?" Corrine asked with a smirk.

His cheeks flushed when he met her gaze, her line of questioning telegraphed immediately. "Ummm..."

"All the time," Amy answered for him with a smile. "They put on quite a show when we're at practice."

"Is that a fact?" Corrine asked him, leaning forward and giving him a view of her impressive cleavage. Her voice soft and seductive, she continued, "Do you guys show off? I can't imagine that those things cover much."

"Nooo they do not," Amy answered for him, a mischievous grin on her face.

I'm not even sure if he heard either of them. His eyes were glued to Corrine's chest, lost in the heavenly valleys of flesh within her plunging neckline.

Stephanie giggled beside him on the couch, scooting next to him and whispering in his ear, "What are you looking at, sweetie?"

He suddenly snapped up, as if woken from a trance, blubbering out an apology to Stephanie and Corrine as they laughed. Later on when we had a chance to talk again, I gave him a pat on the shoulder and let him know that this was just the way these girls were, and it was their way of welcoming him to the group.

"If you didn't know what blue balls were before," I told him, "You will now."

"Tell me about it," he replied with a smile. "Lord knows I might go crazy waiting for prom night."

I guess my expression telegraphed my confusion, because he looked about to make sure we were alone and said in a hushed tone, "Crap, you didn't hear me say that. Umm... so Stephanie... she doesn't want us to... take things to the next level until prom night. She said that she wants it to be special."

I was immediately assailed by a flood of different emotions. For one, I felt pity for the poor guy, knowing for myself what was waiting for him through personal experience. Prom was months away...To be around her, with all of the constant teasing, might make the poor guy snap.

Then there was the matter of Stephanie herself. During our magical two weeks together, we couldn't keep our hands to ourselves. Why on earth would she suddenly want to wait for prom night to seal the deal with Simon, the guy she left me for because she liked-liked him while I was only a friend?

After promising him that I wouldnt tell anyone, I sought out the only person who could answer my questions for me: her best friend, Elizabeth.