[Recap: Jane has just started her junior year in a new school. She is lonely at first, but eventually makes friends with Roxy Lalonde. They have a moment in an abandoned classroom and Roxy kisses her]

The following two months were a blur of homework and heated lunch time discussion. After that moment in the art room, nothing romantic happened between Jane and Roxy, and Jane wasn't particularly keen on bringing it up. She assumed it had been a fluke, a spur of the moment decision after a long day.

On the first Sunday of November, Dad dropped her off in front of Dirk's apartment. She scurried up the stairs until the very last floor and knocked once with feeling. Dirk's bro opened the door. He inspected Jane from head to toes (or at least it seemed like it, Jane couldn't see his eyes behind the shades) and he looked towards the left, bellowing:

"Your new girlfriend is here, Dirky-poo!"

Jane heard fast, hard footsteps and in a second, Dirk was at the door, pushing his brother away.

"Hi Jane." He said and mumbled to his brother: "She's not my girlfriend."

Dirk's bro raised an eyebrow and gave Dirk a thumbs up as he slowly walked back into what Jane assumed was the kitchen.

"Tell me if you or your little friends need anything, sweetie pie!"

Even behind the shades Dirk looked like he was about to pass out from sheer embarrassment. He motioned to Jane to follow him.

It was the first time Jane had been to Dirk's house and she could see why he wouldn't want to have guests over. Stepping over the empty bottles of apple juice and orange soda, chip packets and shitty swords, Jane joined Jake and Roxy on the couch.

Roxy was wearing her black leggings and low cut pink shirt. Jane's eyes wandered over her before her attention shifted to Jake as he screamed out in frustration.

"This videogame of yours is an absolute horrific challenge, Strider!"

Dirk sat on the floor next to Jake and swatted at his sneakers. He picked up his own controller, previously abandoned on the floor.

"That's because you suck. Roxy has double your kills and she just got here."

Jane leaned on the arm of the futon, stretching her legs.

"Hey, what did you guys answer on the 5th question on the math test this Friday?" asked Jake, looking over Dirk and Roxy.

"A." they both answered without taking their eyes away from the screen, both tapping boringly on the controllers. Jake's eyebrows rose then lowered in defeat.

"Oh." He muttered.

"Don't worry Jake, I'm sure you can scrap by." Said Jane. She tugged at a loose string on the futon.

"I need a lot more than scrapping by if I don't want to fail math this semester." He muttered. He paused the game, to Dirk and Roxy's loud protests, and turned to Roxy, a pleading expression on his face.

"Lalonde , my dear, you wouldn't perchance be interested in tutoring me, given your expertise in the area."

"Nope, not happening."

"We could meet up in your household and I would clean your room as you instructed me in the fine arts of the numbers."

"Math isn't a fine art dumbass. And it's not gonna happen." Said Roxy, pushing back Jake's face with her hand. She swiped the controller of his hands

"And you just lost your videogame privileges." She said as she passed on the controller to Jane.

Jane unpaused the game and proceeded to headshot a zombie.

"Oh my." She said.

"Beginner's luck." Grumbled Jake, propping his head on his hand.

Dirk's bro showed up with snacks and orange soda an hour later ("Wouldn't want you little shits to starve, your parents would be all up in my ass." Dirk had scoffed and Roxy had made a weird dismissive sound.) and by the time they got bored of the game it was already evening and Dad was calling Jane's cell.

"I'll be right down, Dad!" chirped Jane. She pocketed her cellphone and glanced around the room.

"Do you guys want to meet up at my house after school tomorrow? I thought I could bake you all cupcakes!"

Jake and Dirk gaped at Jane. Jake shook his fists with a goofy grin on his face and even Dirk was smiling.

"Yes, of course, consider it a date my lady!"

"I guess cupcakes are cool…Can you make orange zest?"

Jane looked at Roxy who smiled weakly.

"Sure, why not."

Jane smiled brightly and she hugged Roxy.

"Oh, it'll be so much fun!"

"I'm sure it will be, but you're sorta crushing me."

"Sorry." Jane giggled and unhanded Roxy "I must go now, though, I've already kept my Dad waiting for far too long."

"Goodbye, Ms. Crocker!"

"See ya Jane."

"…Bye, Janey."

Monday morning rolled around and Jane was surprised to see Roxy wasn't in English class. She looked at Dirk, who sat in the very back of the classroom. He shrugged and looked at the classroom clock. Jane pouted at him and turned forward.

By lunch time, no one had seen Roxy at all.

Dirk threw a chip full of dip at Jake's back, where it got stuck. Jake's attempts to take it off comically made him look like an itchy chimp. Jane shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Isn't anyone at least a bit worried about Roxy?"

Dirk shrugged.

"Not the first time she bailed on us."

"She could be sick. She could be hurt!"

Dirk raised his glasses over his forehead and rubbed his eyes.

"Look Jane, maybe it's for the best if you left Roxy alone."

Jake had succeeded in getting most of the dip off his jacket and was looking somberly at Dirk, who glanced towards him. Jake cleared his throat.

"You don't know her-You haven't known her as long as we have."

Jane's eyebrows furrowed as she looked from Dirk to Jake to Dirk.

The bell rang. Students started leaving the lunch room. Meenah Something tripped a freshman and her friend berated her.

Dirk got up and slung his backpack over his shoulder, waving at Jake and Jane as he headed for AP Computer Sciences. Jane glared at Jake over her glasses.

"Let's go Jake. We wouldn't want to be late for Spanish would we?"

Jake glanced around nervously only to drop his head in defeat as he failed to discover an escape route.

Jane tapped her pencil against the desk, her notes long forgotten. She turned to Jake, who was a few desks away, scribbling like a mad man, and pulled out her cellphone.

GG: Jake, I'm rather keen on visiting Roxy.

Jake visibly jumped as his cellphone vibrated and he scurried to take it out.

GT: My fucking god Jane would you give it a rest? Ms. Lalonde is perfectly fine you shouldnt concern yourself.

GG: I just want her address, just to check on her!

GT: There's no point shes fine she skipped school all the time last year.

"Señora Crocker, si Lola fue al cine con sus amigas, pero se perdió en el camino, ¿qué debe hacer?"

"Err, Lola debe utilizar su teléfono celular para llamar a su madre"

"Muy bien, señora Crocker."

GG: You can't possibly be serious. What does her mother think of her missing so many days of school?

GT: Well her mother doesn't really know.

GG: How can she possibly not know, surely the school has called her at some point?

"Señor English, si Pedro quiere ir a jugar al fútbol con sus amigos, pero tiene un montón de tareas, ¿qué debe hacer?"

"Uh, ah, hrm, Pedro debe, uh, hacer sus tareas muy rápido."

"Muy bien, señor English."

GT: Well

GT: I

GT: You should just

GT: Gosh Jane

The bell rang like a cry of angels for Jake English.

"Señores e señoras, esperen! Roxy Lalonde no estuviera aquí hoy, nadie podía darle la tarea? Es por la mañana."

Jane's arm shot up and Jake made a sound like a dying animal.

"I can do it!"

"En español?"

"Uhm, yo puedo hacerlo."

"Gracias, señora Crocker."

"Oh my god, you are unbelievable." Said Dirk as he rubbed his face tiredly. He glared at Jake, who shrugged.

"I'm simply going to bring her homework. "

"You never do anything simple."

"Well, now that Jake has given me her address-"

Dirk frowned at Jake.

"I'm just going to stop by, leave her homework and go home. I promise." Said Jane.

"Wait, right now?" asked Jake "What about the cupcakes?"

"We'll have to reschedule, perhaps when Roxy is available!"

Jane beamed at them and skipped off to get her things from her locker and leave for Roxy's.

"But…Orange zest." Whined Dirk. He reached out and slapped the back of Jake's head.

"This is all your fault."

Jane jumped into her shiny new bike and rode off. Ever since Dad started on his new job, he was a lot busier. The bike was a great idea; Jane certainly liked it better than the bus.

It was amusingly pink though. Roxy would like it. Just as the thought crossed Jane's mind, she found Roxy's house.

"Oh." She said, as she stood in front of the mansion.

She tentatively got off her bike and rang the bell.

A cheery voice erupted from the speakers.

"Lalonde Home, how can we help you?"

"I'm a friend of Roxy's? I have some of her homework to give her? It's Jane!"

"Oh, oh my, this is-I'll go see if the lady is taking guests at the moment-"

The speaker went static and turned off.

Jane looked around from outside the gate. There was a well-tended garden full of roses and violets, a small lake where specks of white swum (carp?) and stone paths. She could make out a gazebo in the distance.

How big is this place, thought Jane as she stood on her tip toes.

"I'm sorry, but Miss Roxy is feeling ill at the moment, though she sends her regards and wishes you the best." Sounded the speaker. Jane huffed and placed her hands on her hips. She looked around.

There had to be a way to get in.

"This is a stupid idea." Said the logical part of Jane's mind.

"Oh, shush you." Responded Jane.

She felt a little weird for talking to herself.

Hoping onto her bike for speed, she circled around the house until she found a door.

It must be the servant entrance, wondered Jane. She dropped her bike by the door and edged towards it. She gave a tentative pull on the knob.

It was unlocked.

She jumped inside and closed the door. It went directly to the garden, where a path of gravel and stone led to the main house. Jane ran up the path as fast and stealthily as possible.

She reached the end of the house, a finely decorated full wood door. She bit her lip, it would much harder to avoid whoever was in the house besides Roxy. She began to doubt her envoy into the mansion.

Jane took a deep breath and opened the door, walking in and closing it behind her.

The coast was clear. She found herself in the kitchen. It was brightly lit and spacious, with an amazing oven, but it felt cold and lifeless. Jane felt shivers down her spine. She carefully walked out the kitchen and up the stairs, avoiding the person who had answered the door or anyone else really.

Jane imagined cooks and maids and butlers. Given how decorated and expensive looking the house was, she didn't find it farfetched.

Reaching the top floor, a wave of panic fell over her. Doors and doors and doors, all the eyes could see.

How would she find Roxy's room without running into anyone else?

She tiptoed along the floor, trying to find a sign.

A light at the end of the tunnel presented itself as a literal light shined bellow a door. Jane looked around nervously. It didn't seem like any other lights were on.

She took a deep breath and opened the door only to find jack shit.

Her jaw fell as she inspected the room. It was just a simple laundry room. The washing machine wasn't even on.

She sighed in defeat and closed the door, walked back to where she came from. That's when the noticed the door covered in glitter and kitty stickers.

At that moment, Jane Crocker felt very stupid.

She headed for the door but stopped herself.

I wouldn't want to catch Roxy indecent, she thought and promptly began to blush furiously.

She knocked on the door.

"I'm fine" slurred Roxy "I don't need anything, just go away."

Jane fidgeted around.

"Roxy?"

For a moment that extended awkwardly, there was silence.

"Jane?" asked Roxy "I told the maid to send you away, what are you doin' here?"

Roxy sounded uncomfortably unfamiliar.

"I sort of…" Jane cleared her throat "Snuck in."

The door opened and Jane had to stop herself from gasping. Roxy looked pitiable with running makeup and mussed hair. Jane's eyes travelled down and she noticed Roxy was wearing the same clothes as the day before.

"You crazy motherfucker." Said Roxy, before grabbing Jane's wrist and pulling her in.

Roxy closed the door and stood there as Jane walked around the room. It was disheveled and full of empty liquor bottles.

"Roxy…Are you…"

Jane shuffled on her feet nervously, staring at the ground. She could feel Roxy's glaring at her.

"Are you drunk?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

The nonchalant confession startled Jane. She looked up at Roxy, who shrugged.

"Where's your mom, Roxy?"

"Not here, that's for sure."

Jane sat down on Roxy's bed and patted the spot besides her. Roxy raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the door, crossing her arms.

"What are you even doing here?" she asked.

"I got…Your homework. For Spanish."

"Are you serious."

"Well, no." said Jane, rubbing the back of her neck "I was worried about you Roxy."

"You don't have to worry!" barked Roxy, standing upright, hands clenching into fists. Jane regretted sitting down.

"You didn't show up all day…" she muttered "Roxy, your mom isn't home, who even takes care of you?"

Roxy walked over to Jane, baring her teeth.

"I don't need anyone to take care of me!"

The stench of alcohol was sickening.

"Well, who answered me on the speaker?"

"The maid."

"Who else works here?"

"Two other maids, no one else."

"What about your lunch, your mother always packs you an extra lunch."

"Mom paid the maids extra. Doesn't take a chef to make a sandwich."

"Roxy, where is your mom?"

"I don't know!" screamed Roxy, kicking a bed. It shattered against the wall, Jane froze.

"She's probably in France or Spain or Portugal, signing autographs to her loyal fans and leaving me here-" tears were streaming down her face "-alone in the biggest fucking house money could buy."

Roxy stopped moving, she didn't even seem to be breathing. Jane felt like hours passed before Roxy turned around and collapsed next to her.

"I told her I could take care of myself and I was wrong."

Against her better judgment, Jane lied down and wrapped her arms around her.