Hello friends! I decided that instead of uploading Just Another Girl every Saturday, I'll upload a chapter every Saturday and Wednesday. But daphrose, it's Thursday! Yeah, I know, but I just came up with the new schedule today and I didn't want to wait until Saturday. From now on it will be Saturday and Wednesday.
Because this story got pushed down the Lab Rats vault so fast, it didn't get quite as many views as I wanted. But thanks to those of you who did see it and review!
This chapter is much longer than chapter 1 and you find out a lot more about April. Let me know what you guys think!
I don't own Lab Rats, just April, the plot, and anything else you don't recognize.
* * * Chapter 2: Changes * * *
Two weeks passed. April often ate with the Davenports at lunch. She and Bree would usually talk about their biology assignments or their teachers. Occasionally April and Chase would chat about a new scientific discovery. Chase still felt that small tingling sensation whenever April was near, but he did his best to hide it.
One day Chase and Leo were hanging out in the hall just as school was about to end. "Hey, there's April over there!" Leo announced. Chase rolled his eyes. Leo was the only who suspected that Chase liked April, and he was having a great time teasing his brother about it.
"I don't care, Leo!" Chase said.
"De-ni-al!" Leo said in a sing-song voice. "Hey, is she talking to Riley?"
Riley was the "cool kid" of Mission Creek High. He wore leather jackets and big black boots and always had some kind of fancy gel in his hair. Ninety-nine percent of the girls in school thought he was "totally hot." Chase began to wonder if April belonged to that ninety-nine percent.
April had her locker open and was getting some books. Riley was leaning against the lockers next to her. From all the way down the hall it was hard for Chase and Leo to see their expressions.
"She is talking to him," Chase replied dejectedly. "Wait, maybe I can use my bionic hearing to listen to what she's saying!" Chase brushed back his hair and activated his bionic hearing.
"So," Riley was saying, "I've noticed you around. And you seem kinda cute."
"Really now?" April replied. Her voice was dry and revealed no apparent emotion.
"Yeah. And I was just wondering what you think of me!"
"Oh," April replied. Then her voice became higher and she continued, "Well, I guess you're really hot and stuff. Leather jackets are so cool. And the hair and the boots: a-maz-ing! Who needs smarts when you have looks? Cool guys like you are just awesome!"
Chase had heard enough. He deactivated his bionic hearing. "What did she say?" Leo asked. Chase said nothing and stormed out of the school.
When the two older bionics and Leo entered the Davenport household, they found the fourth kid of the family flopped out on the couch, his school bag sitting next to him. "What's the matter with you?" Bree asked.
"Nothing," Chase replied. He had one arm slung over his face and he didn't move it to look at his sister.
"Okay, good," Adam said. "Who wants a snack?" Bree playfully smacked him and sat down next to her younger brother.
"Are you sure nothing's bothering you?" she asked sweetly.
Chase didn't remove his arm. "Did Leo tell you already?" Bree's head snapped up and she glanced at her half-brother.
"No," she replied cautiously.
"Then I don't want to talk about it." Chase stood up and stormed out of the room.
Bree got up and cornered Leo. "What did he mean, 'did Leo tell you already?' What do you know?" she demanded.
Leo opened his mouth to tell her about April, but then he suddenly thought of something. When he first had a crush on Janelle, he had told Mr. Davenport all about it. Leo saw it as a "father-son bonding moment." But even though Leo requested that it remain a secret, Mr. Davenport had told his mom about his crush. Leo had felt really betrayed. Could he betray Chase like that?
"Nothing!" Leo lied, but his voice came out high-pitched. Bree glared holes in him. "Look, I'm sorry, but I don't think he'd want me to tell you."
"Tell us what?"
"Just . . . let me go talk to him first!"
"Fine," Bree consented. She jabbed a finger at her younger brother's chest and continued, "But I will find out what's going on." Leo gave a nervous grin and wiggled past her.
Chase was down in the lab fiddling with one of Davenport's new inventions when Leo came bursting in. Without looking up Chase asked, "Did you tell them about April?"
"No," Leo replied. Chase glanced up in shock. "I remember how upset I was when Big D told my mom about Janelle. I didn't want to betray your trust."
Chase allowed a small grin to tug at the corners of his mouth. "Thanks, Leo!" he said gratefully.
"Besides," the younger boy continued, "I'm not even entirely sure about what happened. Why'd you storm out?"
Chase's face clouded up again. He walked over to Mr. Davenport's desk and inserted the flash drive in his finger into the computer. Without a word he played back what he had heard earlier that day.
"Well, I guess you're really hot and stuff. Leather jackets are so cool. And the hair and the boots: a-maz-ing! Who needs smarts when you have looks? Cool guys like you are just awesome!"
"Aw, man, I'm sorry!" Leo said.
"I shouldn't even be upset about this!" Chase said with a scowl. "I'm engineered to be the smartest boy on the planet. I'm not supposed to have such a silly thing as a crush!"
"That's what you keep saying," Leo muttered under his breath.
"This shouldn't be upsetting! I shouldn't care. I need to start thinking of April as a friend. She's nothing else!" Chase sighed and sat down again.
"But you don't want her to be," Leo pointed out.
"Maybe . . ." Chase said slowly. "But what choice do I have? Besides, now it would never work. You heard her. She likes the cool guys."
"Wait, maybe we could just make you cool!" Leo exclaimed. Chase raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"Do you actually think that's possible?"
"Please," Leo said, leaning on the counter. "I can show you everything you need to know about being cool!"
"So impossible then," Chase replied, turning back to one of the computers.
Leo shrugged off the insult and continued, "Look, she likes Riley, right? So all we need to do is make you more like Riley!"
"And how are we going to do that? I don't know much about him. He's always left me alone."
"We'll work on the personality stuff later. The most important thing for the moment is clothes. Just you wait; by school tomorrow, you'll look just like one of the cool guys!"
Chase took a shaky breath as he walked into school the next day. The leather jacket was uncomfortably hot, it was hard to walk in the big boots, and the amount of gel in his hair was making him disgusted. But he did look the part.
Chase had carefully avoided his siblings, putting his clothes on after breakfast and sneaking out before they saw him. He knew they wouldn't question his leaving before them; Chase loved to be at school early. And Leo would cover for him if they did get suspicious. The rest of the day was harder. It was possible for Chase to avoid his siblings when he tried, and boy, did he try.
Later that morning in study hall, Chase spotted April doing her homework. It was time to make a move! Chase had been getting noticed all morning, but he was only interested in that one girl. He took a deep breath, reminding himself of what Leo had said about Riley.
Chase confidently walked over and slid into the chair next to April. She glanced up, and the smile she had been forming froze on her face. "Um, hi Chase," she said, quickly going back to her math problems.
"Hey April," he replied in a smooth voice. Chase tried to make himself look physically calm and collected, but his heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest. "So, here's what I was thinking: you, me, movie, tonight." Chase winced inwardly at how rude he sounded.
April pressed her lips together and turned the corners up slightly, as if in a smile. "I've got a better idea!" she said stiffly. "How about: you, me, NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!" With that, April got up, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and stormed out into the hall, leaving Chase more confused than he had even been in his entire life.
"Wait, April!" he called, forgetting his cool-guy composure. He ran out into the hall and found April standing at her locker, a very angry look on her face.
"Get away from me," she said icily as Chase approached.
"April, I don't get it, I thought you would like me this way!" Chase said.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" April snorted. "Chase, you could not have found a faster way to make me hate you!"
"I heard you tell Riley how you liked his clothes and that you thought cool guys were awesome!"
April rolled her eyes up into her head as if trying to recall the memory. A half-grin crossed her face and she replied, "Yes, you're right, I did. But you must not have heard the whole conversation. Chase, I said all that, yes, but I said it sarcastically."
"Sarcastically?" Chase repeated weakly.
"Yeah. Right after that he said, 'Really?' and I told him, 'No way.' Then I told him to back off and leave me alone. Chase, I cannot stand the 'cool guys.'"
"You're not just saying that?"
"Nope. I like nerdy guys. They're sweet, sensitive, and have just the right mix between insecure and prideful. I thought you were one of them," April said sadly before turning away.
"But I am!" Chase said, grabbing her shoulder. "I just did this because I thought it was what you liked!"
"I figured," April replied, turning to face him again. "There's only one kind of people I hate more than 'cool guys': people who pretend to be someone they're not."
"I'm sorry," Chase said quietly. Boy, he had really messed this up!
"It's fine. Now you know. Chase, if you and I are going to spend any time together, I need you to be completely yourself. Not what you think I want you to be, but yourself. Because I can assure you, what I want the most from you is: you."
"You still want to be friends?"
"Sure! This was just one little mess-up. Heck, you're not even the first person to do this to me! But, um, I think you need to fix a few things." April gestured to his outfit and continued, "Lose the leather, wash that gunk out of your hair, and go back to the striped-tee-wearing, high-top-sporting, spiky-haired boy I know and love as Chase. And once you've done that, why don't you try asking me out again?"
Chase's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
"Of course!" April replied with a grin. Chase turned to leave. "Um, wait a second."
Chase stopped in his tracks and turned. "Yeah?"
"How did you hear me talking to Riley? I didn't see you nearby in the hallway."
Chase gulped. He couldn't really tell her the truth. What should he say? "Well, you see . . ."
"You know what," April interrupted, "I guess I just wasn't paying enough attention." But her eyes still held a suspicious look in them. Chase attempted to smile before running off to change.
Chase approached April at her locker at the end of school that same day. He was back in his (wonderfully comfortable) striped t-shirt and high-top sneakers. April smiled as she looked him over.
"Hi Chase!" she said. "I haven't seen you all day! It's good to have you back!"
"It's good to be back," Chase replied, playing along.
"I heard from some very reliable sources that you had something to ask me."
"Yes, I do." Chase took a deep breath. He was shaking and his palms were sweating. "April, would you . . . like to go out with me sometime?"
"Hmm," April said, rubbing her chin as if thinking it over. "Nope." She turned back to her locker. Chase felt his stomach drop to his feet. Did she just say no?
"I'm kidding!" she laughed, turning back to him. "I'd love to go out with you."
"You scared me!" Chase said accusingly.
"I know!" April replied, still laughing. "Why don't we go to the movies? Tonight at seven? That work for you?"
Chase thought hard, trying to remember if Mr. Davenport had training for them this evening. He didn't think so. "That should work," he said. "Should I pick you up at your house?"
Within a nanosecond April's smile had turned into an expression of fear. If she had been drinking this definitely would have been a spit-take moment. "No, no!" she blurted out quickly, taking Chase by surprise. She regained her composure and corrected herself, "I mean, uh, no, that's alright. I-I'll meet you there." The bell rang. "I'll see you tonight!" April called as she hurried out of school.
Well, that was an odd reaction! Why was April so upset when Chase asked about her house? Oh well. Chase decided he wouldn't judge. Oh, just wait until he told his family that he had a date!
How'd you guys like it? I've got to say, I'm pretty proud of the humor in this one! That's not always my strong suit. What was your favorite part? Please please please review and let me know! Please!
I've changed the summary like five times since I put up this story last Saturday. I'm trying to make it intriguing without giving away too much of the plot. If you guys could tell me what you think of the summary, that would great!
A couple of questions for you:
What did you think of "cool Chase?"
How do you like April's character so far?
Any guesses as to why April freaked out when Chase mentioned her house?
Review and tell me! I love your feedback! And, as always, constructive criticism is welcome! See you on Saturday for Chapter 3: Firsts.
