TJ still wore his base ball cap and blue jeans, but instead of the regular t-shirt and jacket, he wore a blue button up shirt with a white t-shirt underneath while his once red shoes had been replace with blue ones, but of the same style of coarse. TJ had learned karate so seniors could no longer make fun of him so he had become more muscular and girls would fall all over him, but he never paid them any attention.
Spinelli was still the tough tomboy, but she no longer had pig tails. She now had her hair straight down with a pink...yes pink...baseball cap along with black jeans, a pink and black tank top, black sneakers instead of her old boots, hoop earrings, and 3 tatoos-her last name on her lower back, a tribal tatoo on her right arm and a pair of angel wings on her left shoulder. It was true she had turned a bit more girly, but she still had a mean right hook. Her breasts and butt had gotten bigger to the liking of boys, but Spinelli had gotten deeper so she decided that she wanted to date a boy who she really knew not just someone who wanted to hook up. Spinelli still liked using her fists to solve problems, but now she gotten used to letting things work themselves out, saying it was to much work to beat someone up over something stupid. Another thing is that she learned self control when she took karate classes with TJ. They were both now black belts.
Gretchen was still the smartest of the school, but she definately didn't look like a geek any more. Her braces had been taken off to reveal a beautiful smile and she had gotten contacts so she no longer needed glasses and her skin got tanned enough that her freckles were no longer visible. She also wore her orange hair in curls to assentuate her features and like Spinelli her body had grown also. She wore a jean skirt along with purple chinese slippers and a purple t-shirt.
Mikey stll loved singing, drawing, and acting which made him president of the drama club. He had become more muscular due to joining the soccer team and he had become more popular. Instead of wearing his old t-shirt, cargo pants and sneakers. Mikey sported a green polo shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of blue converses. Mikey had had a couple of girl friends over the years, but he always broke up with them due to it not being a relationship. It was just a relation to the girl.
Gus was still set on going to the army when he was old enough, but no longer wore his army clothing. Now he wore a white t-shirt and black jeans and boots. He had been going out with Corn Chip Girl since 7th grade, but everyone just called her Theresa Lamays. Gus had been taking boxing lessons since 6th grade and had become very muscular.
Vince of coarse was still the jock and was of course muscular. He was the heart breaker. He never had a girl friend more than 2 months, and the girls knew it, but they had it in their heads that they'd rather of gone out with Vince for 2 months than no months at all. He no longer wore his jersey and shorts; now he wore blue jeans, a green polo, and green and white Champions.
Yes they were best group of friends and they had become very popular, but no matter what happened they stuck together. "Hey TJ," said Vince as he walked up to his best friend who was standing in the high school front yard waiting for the bell that said 'go in' to ring.
"Hey Vince," TJ said back clearly having his mind somewhere else. The truth was he was wondering about his other friends. Over the summer Gretchen had went to Science Camp, Gus went to Military Camp, Mikey went to Drama Camp, and Spinelli had went to visit her aunt in Florida. TJ and Vince were the only ones to stay in town and TJ had been wondering most of all what Spinelli had been doing all summer. He had finally admitted to himself and Vince that he had a crush on her. The only problem was knowing if she had the same feelings back.
"Hey guys," said the voice of Gretchen and Gus as Gretchen walked over to her friends and gave them a hug and Gus waved. All of a sudden a soccer ball was kicked to TJ's feet. They all looked in the direction of where the ball had come from. It was Mikey.
"Hey Mikey," greeted Gretchen. As Mikey blushed.
"Hey," he said back grinning. TJ was still day dreaming until Vince hit him in the shoulder.
"You thinking about Spinelli?" asked Vince curiously while TJ nodded.
"Somebody say my name?" said the girl TJ wanted to see so much.
"Spinelli," the group exclaimed in unison as she walked over to them.
"So Spinelli how was Florida?" asked Mikey while picking up his ball.
"Normal I guess," she answered as she blushed as she saw TJ. Soon the bell rang and they hurried to their first class which they had together. The teacher was new and really didn't know what to do so he let the class have a free period, but before they started their free period the principal announced that there would be a back to school dance on Friday.
TJ's POV
Great just what I need...pressure to ask some girl out...I really just want to ask Spinelli, but she doesn't like me like that and even if she did what would this do to our friendship.
REGULAR POV
The group had split up into boys and girls to talk.
"Great," stated Spinelli sarcastically.
"I think it's a great idea," declared Gretchen.
"I didn't say it was bad. I just don't want a whole bunch of guys asking me," she explained staring over at TJ.
"You want TJ to ask you don't you?" asked Gretchen while playing with her hair. Spinelli nodded and looked back at Gretchen.
"And you want Mikey to ask you," Spinelli said grinning while Gretchen giggled.
Meanwhile in the boys conversation.
"So Mikey who you gonna ask to the dance. I mean Gus has Theresa and I got Ashley B and TJ has well I don't know," asked Vince practically ranting.
"I was thinking about asking Gretchen, but I don't know if she'll say yes," stated Mikey with a sad look on his face.
"So Teaj who you asking?" asked Gus intrgued to find out his friend's answer. TJ shrugged knowing very well and so did Vince. The rest of the day went by fast and the group had different things to do after school so they decided that at 5pm they would meet at Spinelli's house for their first day of school movie night because her parents had gone to visit her grandmother because she had gotten sick. Gretchen had Science club, Vince had basketball practice, Gus and Theresa were going to Kelso's for milkshakes, TJ had a detention, and Spinelli had to clean the house before her friends came.
It was 5pm and everyone was seated around the TV watching 'Anaconda' when there was a knock on her door. Spinelli got up and opened the door and when she did she was surprised at who she saw-Lawson, but before she could ask why he was there he kissed her. She knew she shouldn't of been doing it, but she had never felt that much passion before so she stayed that way until TJ came to ask her where the DVD Player's remote was and caught them. They pulled apart quickly, faces flushed.
TJ said nothing he just stormed out of the house knocking over a photo and a coat rack as their friends came out of the living room.
"What happened Spin??" asked Gretchen noticeably worried. If it had been any other girl Gretchen knew that she would of dropped down crying, but not Spinelli. Spinelli just stood with a serious look on her face.
"Nothing. Lawson I think you should leave," and as she suggested he did. After that they went into the living room. Again her friends asked her what happened and this time she told them and by the end of the story her friends had mixed emotions.
Gretchen felt sorry for her friend, Vince was angry that Spinelli had not punched Lawson in his face, Gus felt bad for TJ to have to see the kiss and Mikey was feeling that this was just like a play.
The next day at school TJ ignored Spinelli at all costs. During lunch Spinelli saw that TJ was laughing and flirting with Ashley A. and that really pissed her off because she had just heard that TJ had asked her to the dance. Spinelli decided to skip out on lunch and she went and sat in a storage closet. Once she entered the storage closet she began to cry. Most people thought that she never cried, but she did...just not in public and definately never about a boy. Soon she heard foot steps and the closet's door opened. Spinelli hid her face.
"Are you okay?" asked a boy whose voice she recognized as TJ's.
"Yeah," she said finally lifting her head and wiping away her tear. TJ looked shocked.
"Are you crying?" he asked worried that she was hurt.
"No, I just accidently poked myself in the eye," she lied as TJ knew she wasn't telling the truth.
"Come on Spin, why won't you tell me the truth?" asked TJ while holding her hand.
"Maybe because you stormed out of my house, pissed at me and you haven't talked to be all day. Oh yeah and you asked Ashley A. to the dance," she ranted.
"Look," is all that came out before she cut him.
"No you look. I wasn't going to tell you, but earlier today Lawson asked me to the dance. I told him no out of some false hope that you would ask me, but then I found out that you had asked Ashley so you know all happiness to you and her." Spinelli got up and ran out of the closet and into the library where Lawson was.
"Hey Spinelli," he said sweetly and got up from his seat.
"Hey," she said back with a raspy voice.
"What's wrong?" he asked because he saw her eyes were red.
"Nothing it's just allergies," she lied once again and Lawson was oblivious to her lieing so he accepted it.
Later that day Spinelli had finished crying and was washing her face when her door bell rang. Seeing as how her parents still hadn't returned she answered it only to see TJ.
"Hey," he greeted seriously.
"What?" she asked walking away from the door.
"I came to apologize for the way I treated you. I'm sorry," he exclaimed.
"Okay, you're forgiven," she stated and she walked into the kitchen.
"That's it," he questioned.
"You expected something else?" she asked ignorantly.
"Truthfully, yeah," he admitted. Spinelli walked up the steps into her room and began to read a boxing magazine. TJ ran after her.
"You know I don't get you. First you're mad at me for being mad at you, then it was because I asked Ashley A. to the dance, and now it's over nothing. What do you want from me?" he yelled as he threw his hands in the air.
"You don't get it do you. First I was angry at myself for hurting you, then it was because I felt that over one mistake you had just thrown me away, and now I'm angry because I can't tell you how I feel!" she shouted now standing up.
"How do you feel? You know you can tell me anything," he assured and Spinelli nodded. This was the hardest thing she would ever have to do, but if she didn't do it now she would never do it.
"Look TJ, when I was little I had a crush on you and then we had that whole kiss thing and I don't know about you, but after that I liked you even more. But now I know that I love you and I can't help it. I never felt this way about anyone and it hurts that you don't feel the same way." Spinelli breathed deeply and sat on her bed. TJ went towards her and put his hand on the side of her face. She looked up and before she could question him he kissed her.
"Who said I didn't feel the same?" he whispered in her ear. Spinelli smiled.
"I love you to Spinelli and I always have," he stated and he began kissing and sucking on her neck-leaving a love mark.
"So does this mean what I think it means?" she questioned grinning.
"If you're thinking that now you're my girlfriend and I'm your boyfriend then yeah," he answered and he kissed Spinelli again.
"Yeah, but what about Ashley A," wondered Spinelli with a frown on her face.
"Before I came to see you I told her that I couldn't go with her," he told her and and she smiled happily once again. They kissed again and TJ turned around.
"I better get going," he declared.
"Please stay with me," she begged not wanting to be alone.
"Sure. I'll just call my mom and tell her I'm staying at Vince's and then, I'll call Vince to cover," he answered and he walked over to the phone. Within 10 minutes they were both asleep. The next morning Spinelli awoke to TJ's face. She smiled and got up to ge ready. After she was dressed in her signature colors of black and pink she woke TJ up.
"Wake up Teaj," she said and she lightly kissed him on the lips.
"I think I could get used to waking up to you," he declared.
"Me too," she told him and she smiled leaning her ear to his beating heart.