A/N: This is a collaboration between Hughville and myself. Neither of us own House or its characters. We do own Amanda, though.

Also, this is NOT a Huddy fic.

Chapter One: Let's Hear It For The Boy

Lisa Cuddy looked over her class list one more time before entering the bookstore. Excitement shivered through her. She was finally in college. She spent the last week setting up her dorm room and familiarizing herself with the campus. Now she needed her books and the bookstore was crowded. It looked like every other freshman was getting books, too.

Lisa spotted a tall, good looking man behind the counter. He stood watching the crowd with a hint of boredom and derision. She felt intimidated by him but she needed help so she made her way to the counter and thrust the sheet with her class list at him. His intense blue eyes flicked down to the sheet and then up to her face. She stared at his Rolling Stones t-shirt that strained across his broad chest.

"I need books for these classes," she said and then felt her face heat up. Something about him made her so nervous. She stared at his chest again and saw his name tag. Greg. His name was Greg.

She cleared her throat. "I need books for these classes," she said again.

He grabbed the list and looked at it. After a moment, he looked at her over the top of the sheet. "You're taking too many classes for a freshman. You're going to flunk out."

Lisa shrugged. "I can handle it."

One corner of his mouth lifted exposing a dimple in his cheek. "It's your funeral," he told her.

He ambled away and she stood at the counter watching him. He was tall, very tall, with a perfect build; muscular but not roid rage muscular. His brown hair was tousled as though he never combed it. His jeans emphasized his ass and long legs. Lisa tore her eyes away and looked at the back of the store. While she waited a tall, slender blonde carrying an armload of books walked behind the counter. She set the books down as a young man came to stand beside Lisa. The name on the blonde's name tag was Amanda. The freshman she was helping stared at her in stunned awe. Lisa had to admit Amanda was beautiful. She had skin the color of pale honey, huge blue eyes, a perfect nose and full, pink lips. She was at least six feet tall with a lean, toned body. Lisa watched as Amanda rang up the boy's purchase and put the books in a bag. She told him the total and he fumbled for his wallet. His hands shook as she took the money from him. Lisa knew Amanda noticed though she continued to smile.

"Good luck," Amanda told him with a wink. He stood holding the bag staring at her. Greg walked up at that moment with Lisa's books.

"Scram, kid," he growled at the boy. He dropped Lisa's books down on the counter as the boy turned and hurried out of the store.

Greg leaned toward Amanda. "That one," he said indicating Lisa with a tilt of his head, "is taking eighteen hours. She's taking Endocrinology 302 and Chem 301."

Amanda smiled at Lisa. Lisa felt herself shrink a bit. Even Amanda's teeth were perfect; straight and very white.

"Leave her alone, Greg," Amanda told him. "I'm sure she can handle it. You know the advisors don't let students take on more than they can handle."

Lisa smiled at Amanda. "I took college prep courses in high school."

Greg then told her the total and she pulled out the credit card her father gave her. He looked at it as he took it from her. "Well, Lisa Cuddy," he said. "Did you graduate with honors, too?"

His sarcasm wasn't lost on her. "As a matter of fact, I did."

He pushed the credit card slip toward her. "Sign it."

She signed it and pushed it back toward him.

"You want your carbon?"

She nodded and he handed her a copy with the carbon. After sliding her books into a bag, he leaned toward her. The warm, masculine scent of him swirled around her.

"Study less, party more," he told her and patted her on the head.

Her lips tightened and she grabbed her bag. "I know how to party," she ground out.

His laughter taunted her as she left the store.

Once the door closed behind her, Amanda lightly smacked Greg. "You are so going to hell," she laughed.

He leaned back against the counter. "I'll save you a spot."

Shaking her head, she went back to work.

Later that evening, the store was empty and they were cleaning up. Amanda was in the back getting books to restock the shelves while Greg vacuumed. The door opened and he looked up. Lisa Cuddy walked in and made a beeline for the clothes. Greg watched her as she flipped through the t-shirts. Finally, he shut off the vacuum and approached her. Reaching around her, he pulled out a size medium t-shirt emblazoned with the school's mascot.

"This one has plenty of room for your tits," he told her.

She looked up at him with wide blue eyes. Her face turned red and she swallowed. Tilting his head, he regarded her. He was in the mood for a distraction and she seemed like a good candidate.

"My buddy, AJ, is having a party on Saturday night. Why don't you come?" he whispered in her ear. As he pulled back, he tucked a black curl behind her ear.

She nodded and he went over to the counter to write down the address. Holding it out, he smiled at her. She took it and looked down at the floor.

"See you on Saturday," he said.

She nodded and left.

Amanda emerged from the back room with a box of books. Greg sauntered over and took it from her.

"You're having a party on Saturday night," he told her.

"I am?" she asked. "Why?"

"My little soon-to-be stalker showed up."

Amanda looked at him in confusion. "You currently have about four stalkers. Which one are you talking about?"

"Lisa Cuddy," he said. "The overachiever from this morning."

Amanda followed him to the shelves and began taking books from the box. "She's a freshman, Greg."

"Exactly."

She began to put the books on the shelf. "Again, you are so going to hell."

Greg looked at her. She bent to put a book on the bottom shelf. He suppressed a sigh. He hated being in love with her. They met in high school and somehow he never got up the courage to ask her out. How could he? She was perfect and every guy who met her wanted her. At some point, they became best friends. He still couldn't recall exactly when it happened but it did. Now he was firmly in the friend zone with her. So, he tried to make her jealous by pursuing girls like Lisa Cuddy all the while acting like Amanda was nothing more than a friend.

They circled the shelf and she reached out for more books. As she did, her engagement ring and thin diamond wedding band sparkled in the flourescent lights. Luckily, her husband, Jack, didn't mind the fact that her best friend was a man. In fact, Jack and Greg got along very well even though Greg was jealous of him. He really wished she'd never met Jack and he would always regret the fact he was the one who introduced them.

They finished restocking the shelves and cleaning up. Greg locked up and they walked across campus, talking and laughing. When they arrived at her apartment, he declined her offer to come in for coffee.

As he walked away, he called over his shoulder. "Party. Saturday. 9 PM."

"Fine," she responded before disappearing inside.

Greg shoved his hands in his pockets and headed toward his own apartment.