BRING!!!

Suddenly the desolate hallway is flooded by advancing students making their way from class to class. The door to biology room 504 is bounced off the wall as students pour out of the classroom. Chloe peeled off to the side and waited next to the door, then began walking again, now joined by a tall girl, hurriedly shoving note cards into her bag.

"I have to admit it, I never though you'd get through that project with Pete as your partner, let alone get an A. What's your secret?" Chloe demanded. The girl zipped up her bag, threw it to her back, and chuckling, straightened her shoulders.

"Don't be so hard on Pete. He's really pretty bright, you just have to keep him focused," she replied, grinning slyly.

"No," Chloe continued adamantly ,"I refuse to believe it. I have done my fair share of projects with Pete and the only thing he's good for is…Hi Pete, great presentation!" she said, rolling her eyes and blushing as Pete caught up to them. He threw his arms about both girls and inserted himself in the middle.

"Ah, my two favorite ladies. Arin, for being the best partner ever, no offense Chloe. And Chloe, for being the best audience member there," he cajoled happily. Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Pete, I fell asleep," she jibed back. "You either read off your note cards or looked at the ceiling because you had them memorized. How you got an A, even with Arin's help, well, I'll never know, and that's saying a lot." Pete just laughed and waved his review sheet about his head.

"This is going on the fridge at home. And thanks to this lovely lady here, I may just get through Bio." Arin just smiled and then branched off down a different hallway.

"I left my calculator in my locker. I'll see you guys later," she called as she turned and walked away. Pete stopped in the hallway traffic and, ignoring the indignant shouts of people behind then, continued to watch her walk away. Chloe reached back roughly and hauled him along by the shirt collar.

"Pete, would you please put your tongue back in your mouth and keep up," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Huh?"

"My God," she muttered, turning to look at Pete, "You really are whipped, aren't you?" She just shook her head, smiling slightly. "Well, there are worse people to like. I say all the power to ya." Pete glared at Chloe, blood rushing to his face. He opened his mouth the reply (probably with something nasty) when Clark joined them from behind as they entered their next class.

"Who's whipped Chloe?" he questioned her, trying to aggravate Pete. He looked down at his significantly shorter friend, feigning innocence.

"Well, it is my expert diagnosis that Pete is suffering from severe whipped-ness over Arin Nagel," Chloe responded, laying it on thick. Pete was seriously pissed, but the other two wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise. He just fumed, his mouth hanging open, eyeing both friends angrily.

"Your partner for the Bio final project? She seems nice," Clark replied, deciding enough is enough. "So, when are you going to ask her out?" he asked seriously, taking a seat in the back of the class. Pete sat down next to him and Chloe, in front of Pete.

"You really think I should?" he questioned, eyeing Clark suspiciously. But Clark was all business now

"Uh, yeah! Why not. If she stood being around you for two weeks already, one night should be no problem," Clark responded, grinning slightly and removing his binder. He put it on his desk, but didn't open it. Mrs. Hedstrom was about a hundred years old and she tended to just ramble on about symbolism and euphemisms and what not. English was usually a class he enjoyed, but Hedstrom could put Chloe to sleep, and that says a lot right there. He focused his attention back on Pete as they waited for class to begin "Seriously, you should really make a move."

"Yeah, but what do I do? I mean, how should I ask her? Should it be a casual thing? A pizza after the game this Friday? A movie? In a group or by ourselves?" Pete babbled, panicky. Clark just shrugged and both boys looked at Chloe desperately.

Chloe let out an exasperated sigh and said, "I swear if I wasn't here…Look Pete, here's what your going to do. And I mean word for word, understand…"

BRING!!!

"Hey Arin. How's it going. I mean, uh…how was your day?" Pete asked, grinning fit to split his face. He leaned up against the locker next to Arin's and glanced down at his open palm. Arin dropped a load of books into her locker then eyed him funny, cocking one long eyebrow.

"I'm fine Pete. The real question is are you okay? What's wrong with your face?" she questioned, dropping her backpack and grabbing his hand, turning it so that she could read the writing melting all down his arm. "This explains a lot," she said, laughing as she read over Chloe's notes. "I'm going to guess you got some help from the infamous Chloe, yes?" She glanced up slightly, her gaze resting on the look of horror plastered all over his face. She returned her eyes to the writing, nodding slightly. "Girl's good, a real romantic…hmmm." She reached over and pulled a felt tip marker out of her bag. Then, shielding away from Pete, she quickly scribbled something on his hand, shut her locker, and walk down the hall and out the door cool as can be.

Pete looked down at his hand in disbelief as Chloe and Clark emerged from the Torch office across the hall, where they had been spying.

"Well, that was a complete bust," she muttered, dejectedly. Then, spotting the elated look on Pete's face she asked, "why in the world are you grinning like a idiot. She…" But Pete held up his hand and she shut up when she read:

Saturday 8:00p

1657 Crestview Ln.

JArin

Clark clouted Pete across the back (carefully). "Way to go Pete! I knew your dad wasn't kidding when he told you all about the Ross family charm," he said grinning wickedly, but genuinely happy for his friend. "I guess what you lack in eloquence, you make up for in overall charm. But Pete was in to good a mood to do anything but smile, so Clark stopped giving him a hard time.