CHAPTER 1: Jealousy (Cinnabar deals with her jealously in a way all her own.)

Author's Note: This is the very first School For S.P.I.E.S. fanfiction ever written, I believe. If you haven't already... read the books! They are so good!

Disclaimer: School for S.P.I.E.S. is not mine. Oh, I wish it was, but it is not.

Vespa da Costa. Cinnabar could come up with a list that could stretch all the way around the Earth stating the reasons why she hated that girl. The first was her obviously fake accent, followed by her perfect tan, face, body, and hair. Then came the fact that Max was totally, completely and fully infatuated with her. Maybe that should be that first thing on the list, actually.

Speaking of Vespa... there she was, making googly eyes in Max's direction. Cinnabar seethed, and Wyatt, who was sitting next to her as they ate lunch, looked at her in concern. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." She glowered at him.

He held up his hands in surrender. One of her favorite things about Wyatt was that he totally didn't mess with her mood swings.

"At the chance that I get my head munched, does this have anything to do with the gorgeous blond shika that is Vespa?" Or maybe he did mess with her mood swings.

"No." Cinnabar practically growled. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because you're looked at her like a cat looks at a rat when it hasn't seen food in days." She gave him a blank look. "In other words," Wyatt sighed, "You look like you want to kill her.

"Of course I don't want to kill her." Cinnabar ground out, turning her back on him and starting to stab her chocolate cake with her fork.

Max walked away from the lunch line, and Cinnabar's eyes were drawn uncontrollably to him. He glanced around, his eye landing on Vespa. She gave him a flirty smile, and Cinnabar nearly snapped her fork in half.

Sure that Max would go to sit with her, she was surprised to hear the chair beside her being pulled out, and a form slumped into it. "Hey guys." Max said. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. Cinn was just-" She stopped on Wyatt's foot and he squeaked. "Cinn was just, um, eating... lunch..."

Smooth Wyatt, smooth. "What he means is that we were just having lunch." Cinnabar corrected, and took a bite of her slightly mauled cake to prove her point.

"Oh." They all sat in silence, and Cinnabar sighed internally. Had it always been this uncomfortable? Ever since that stupid git Vespa had entered their lives, it was easy conversation, laughing, and constant banter, and it was nice.

The sudden scent of flowers infiltrated Cinnabar's nostrils, making her cough. Oh you've got to be kidding. "Hey, Max, Cinn, Wyatt." Vespa's raspy, perfect voice rolled over them like to sweet syrup.

"Hey, Vespa!" Wyatt said eagerly. Max gave her a smile, and Cinnabar's heart clenched.

The blond trailed her fingers over Max's shoulder. He barely had a reaction, but Cinnabar tore her napkin in two.

"So, Max, what's going on with you tonight?" She continued, ignoring the other two at the table now. "I was wondering if you would want to come to my room and-"

Cinnabar stood up so abruptly Wyatt jumped. "Vespa, can I speak with you for a moment?" Her voice was strange even to her own ears. Slightly strained, and laced with a dangerous calm. It wasn't a question, it was an order.

"Uh, I guess..." Vespa said uncertainly. Cinnabar grabbed her wrist and dragged her to a more secluded part of the cafeteria. She could here Wyatt's: "Oh, she's in for it now." behind her, but kept walking.

"Vespa, I wan't to make something very clear for you." Cinnabar hissed. "You will get your hands off of Max, and stop messing with our emotions, right now."

"Uh... it's not like he's your boyfriend." Vespa argued defensively.

"Watch and learn, girl." With one final glare, Cinnabar turned on her heal and strode back to her table. She grabbed Max's chin and kissed him firmly on the mouth. Explosions burst in her brain, but she forced herself to pull back.

Max spluttered for a second, before breaking into a goofy grin. Cinn smiled faintly back, before grabbing her trey and striding out of the cafeteria. On her way out she caught sight of Vespa, red faced, and not looking so perfect anymore.

Cinnabar grinned.

Author's Note: Did you guys like that? Does anyone even know this series? It's SO GOOD! Everyone should read it and then write Cinnagredo fanfiction.