A WAVERLY OWL KNOWS WHEN SHE NEEDS TO LOCK HER DOOR

Jenny Humphrey slid her expensive sketch pencils into the correct compartment, the expansive art room emptying out around her; she had just been touching up a motion drawing that was part of her project. It was one of her favourites and showed Tinsley and Brett racing down a slippery slope looking like best friends, which they had instantly become. After they had both decided to bury the hatchet, now they spent an awful lot of time together, Brett was on a mission to liven up Tinsley's downtrodden demeanour after she had been dumped by Julian, insulted and accused by Isla and under a severe punishment from Dean Dresden.

She let out a sigh, things finally seemed to be working out between the friends at last, and Jenny no longer felt torn and was happy among all members of Dumbarton. They were all physically perfect, but still quite friendly and accepting. Isaac was turning out to be the perfect boyfriend; she never knew relationships could be so uncomplicated. He was sweet and kind, with truly awful taste in beverages, he actually fell for the weird blends concocted by Starbucks. Jenny was happy with a hot chocolate.

"Are you thinking about me?" Isaac entered the airy room, a bright smile plastered on his attractive face.

"Maybe," Jenny slid her heavy bag onto her shoulder, coyly twisting a long brown curl. Her chocolate eyes wide with love.

"Hmmm, maybe's not good enough," he deliberated, rolling up the sleeves of his cable-knit white sweater.

"Well, it's all you're getting;" she stuck out her tongue playfully, "Is it really bad outside?"

"Yeah, there's a hurricane and everything, it's appalling," he joked, tucking a lock behind her ear and planting a brief kiss on her tiny, upturned nose.

She smacked his chest, "Very funny," she turned to the window to see for herself.

"Your freckles are cute," he nuzzled her nose, "Seriously cute. Come on," he propelled her out the door and outside with a long arm, "I'll keep you warm."

"You're only wearing a sweater. Isaac! You'll freeze!" the frosty wind hit her cheeks and pinkened her nose, she moved closer to Isaac who acted impervious to the weather although it could have just been bravado. She tucked her arm in his, admiring his profile, he had a lovely face. It was surprising how different he was to Isla, she thought he'd be more distant but in fact he had made a real effort with the people here. Already, he was friends with Brandon and Teague Williams.

"So, are you looking forward to Valentine's day? This Perfect Match thing seems pretty cool," he shivered, "It's freezing," he regarded her with disappointment; "I'm actually considering walking in fire."

"Don't be silly, we can go to my room, Callie's probably . . . indisposed at the moment."

"Heath said she broke up with Brandon this morning and now he's going to Switzerland to patch things up with his ex Helena?" Isaac looked at his girlfriend for knowledge of this occurrence and found none. It was a shame because Brandon was a nice guy; he didn't deserve to be treated badly by anyone, but then again nor did plenty of other people. Ce'st la vie.

"Guess she made her choice then," Jenny looked up at the colourless sky, the sun was weak today. They reached the steps of her dormitory and quickly ascended the stairs to Room 303.

"Who would you choose?" he asked, grateful for the oppressive heat inside, he sat on the floor, denim covered jeans brought up to his chest as he leaned his curly head against her bed frame. He picked up a framed picture of her family, her pale brother approximately seventeen in the photograph was pulling at her hair making her giggle, there was an unlit cigarette in his hand, and her wacky father whom she adored looked frazzled. They seemed much more interesting than his picture perfect family.

"What you mean, between Brandon and Easy?" Jenny bit her lip, a nervous habit she hadn't grown out of, they hadn't had the conversation about past relationships yet and she was afraid to get into it so early in the relationship. She was also adamant that she didn't want to hear about the glossy perfect, model thin girls he had dated prior to her. She wasn't a jealous girl by any standards, she was just painfully aware of how different she was to tall, skinny, gorgeous girls like Tinsley and Callie, who had their enviable figures accentuated by their designer clothes and heeled feet.

"Yeah," he nodded, replacing the picture and patting the floor next to him. He smiled as she slid down by Callie's single, facing him, her flowery skirt flared around her and she plucked a fluffy pink pillow off Callie's bed, shielding her belly.

"Brandon," she said after a long pause, "With Easy, I've kind of already been there and done that," she blushed when she realised how that sounded," Not that we did anything," she hastened to add, cheeks absurdly red.

He smiled faintly, "You and Easy?" he raised an eyebrow intrigued, he hadn't picked up any vibes between them and as far as he knew Easy had been with Callie since the beginning of sophomore year which predated Jenny's arrival. Did he cheat on Callie with Jenny? He couldn't imagine Jenny doing anything like that; she had too much if a conscience to behave in such a self-serving manner.

"Yeah, when I first came here, it just kind of happened. We ended up together and then we broke up in a matter of weeks, he left me for Callie. It was all really confusing at the time." She smoothed her skirt, "Brandon was the first person I met properly here and he was really nice to me always even though he hates Easy."

"Hate's a strong word. I don't think I've ever hated anybody." Isaac deliberately didn't address the news of her and Easy's relationship, although the knowledge of it had made him feel uneasy.

"Me neither."Jenny smiled camouflaging her concern; he looked so deep in thought. "Though there were times when I hated my brother with a passion, especially when he never did the laundry."

"You know, you could be matched with Brandon and then you'll have to work extra hard to moderate my fears. I don't think I could possibly compete with Brandon," he teased, pushing aside his issues for now.

"Err, I don't think Brandon's in the correct state for company, right now. Besides, I could never date anyone that was prettier than me." She chuckled, stretching her legs.

"Oh, well thanks a bunch!" he stared sulkily at the dull carpet, for once the room looked presentable. Callie had hardly spent any time here, constantly taking walks and mulling over what to do about Easy and Brandon, it looked like it had finally paid off. Jenny was glad, it seemed Callie had been eating even less under all the relationship stress, perhaps now everything was sorted Callie would return to food, hopefully eating enough to gain at least a dress size. Although, Callie was half a foot taller than her, Jenny couldn't help feeling portly in the presence of her stick-thin, size zero roommate.

Jenny smiled at his peeved countenance, "Hey, have you seen his eyelashes, they are freaky long." She shook her head at the injustice of it all, then shuffled closer to him, "So, have you got me a Valentine's present, yet?" she nuzzled his neck, relishing the wonderful feel of his soft, buttery sweater.

"God, you're eager," he cupped her apple cheek and kissed her on her ruby lips, she was just so completely adorable. "We've got over a week, yet. Why, have you got mine?" an excited smile transformed his visage.

"No, girls don't give presents on Valentine," she wrinkled her nose.

Isaac gazed at her incredulously, "Do you realise how backward you sound?" he tickled her arm, making her squeal and screw up her cute face, "I guess I'm going to have to be the feminist in this relationship," he sighed sounding put upon.

"Are you going to burn your bra, mister modern man?" Jenny kissed his smooth throat, feeling inexplicably turned on. He smelt of trees and nature with an undertone of clean soap, his lips tasted scrumptiously of blueberry pancakes, her favourite.

"No, I'm liberal," he retorted, eagerly kissing her back, she slid into his lap, enjoying the feel of his hard chest beneath her, while he enjoyed the imprint of her soft, curvaceous body on his. His hands got tangled in her long unruly tresses as their make out session became more forceful. She murmured her approval, tugging his sweater up so she could caress the outline of his abs.

"What do you play?" she asked, perplexed by all the things they didn't know about each other.

His breathing was laboured as he kissed her collarbone, hand sliding under her warm grey hand-knit TopShop jumper, red lips printed on the front. "Play? I play crew, I mean I row crew, or I used to. I need to join the team here, if my Dad lets me. He's still treating me like I'm Satan," Isaac ran out of words, as his fingers brushed her bra. He cast her a significant look, and to his pleasure she pulled off her jumper, revealing a white cotton bra that barely contained her double D's.

Jenny pulled off his sweater, this felt so nice she wasn't entirely sure that she wasn't dreaming, realistically she knew she wasn't ready to have sex and wasn't being a tease. She was just bewildered by how thrilling this encounter had turned out to be, Isaac was probably the best kisser she had ever kissed. She pulled him on top of her, smoothing a hand down his powerful back muscles and kissing him eagerly, "God," he gasped, "You're so beautiful." Easy was well and truly forgotten as he stared into her congenial chocolate eyes, lightly stroking her fanned out hair. "I really like you".

She giggled, slightly frightened at how fast things had progressed between them, it felt like months ago when she was worried about him not liking her, when in reality it was only a few weeks. Did things always proceed like this in high school? It had been the same with Easy and even less time with Julian, Casey and Drew. "I like you too," she kissed his nose, "But I'm not – "

"It's fine," he laughed half to himself, kissing her edible mouth repeatedly, "We should take things slow, or at least at a medium pace." He was about to right himself, reaching for his sweater, when she held his waistband, keeping him where he was.

"I still want to kiss you," she pouted, ecstatically returning to their previous intense making out, she wound her small, slim fingers into his wavy hair, her skirt had rode up, but for once she couldn't care less about her importance. She had realised that she trusted Isaac completely, with no reservations, something she couldn't claim about any of her past interests.

A giggle emanated from outside their door, most likely fellow Dumbarton girls watching yet another episode of Scrubs. Something banged against the door, making them both jump and then laugh. Isaac grinned devilishly before tracing the outline of her bra and then doing something to the highly sensitive lobe of her right ear that made her lose all touch with gravity.

"Easy!" Callie and her rugged boyfriend practically feel into the room, his shirt ripped open and Callie's pretty jasmine blouse unbuttoned two buttons.

"Oh, shit!"Easy saw the room was already occupied and was that Jenny? Easy and Callie sprang guiltily apart, before staring rudely at Jenny and Isaac's state of undress. Jenny went beetroot red, feeling like a floozy. Isaac smoothly pulled her warm jumper over her head, proceeding, to tug his own back on. "I'm so sorry," Callie said meaningfully, hiding her surprise, Jenny looked completely mortified. "Really, really sorry."

"It's okay," Isaac said with a wry twist of his lips, he slid his arm around Jenny, who looked on the verge of tears, "It's okay," he repeated this time to her.

Both Jenny and Easy were conspicuously silent, eyes firmly glued to the floor, for different reasons. Jenny was very self-conscious about her body but had seemed to shed her worries alone with Isaac and his sincere, flattering compliments. Now, both Callie and Easy had seen her pudgy stomach and abundant cleavage, it was discomfiting to say the least, add that to their incorrect supposition that they had been on the verge of hooking up, she just wanted to disappear. Easy, however was silent due to shock, masses of shock, sweet-natured, virginal Jenny about to do it on the floor with a virtual stranger. What did anyone really know about this guy, he could be anyone?

"So, nice to see you," Isaac said, breaking the ice and making them all laugh. "Easy, right? Thank you for saving my sister's life, she idolises you," he proffered his hand which Easy icily accepted.

"Don't mention it, I'm sure someone else would have stepped in if I hadn't been there," he said as Callie joined the couple on the floor, he sat next to her peeking at Jenny whose eyes were still averted. He disliked the idea of Jenny being taken advantage of.

"Oh, don't be so modest," his girlfriend gazed fondly at him.

"How's Brandon?" Jenny's voice sounded odd, containing a hint of reproach. Shit, Easy had forgotten how many friends Brandon had, Jenny being among them. He still wished to be in her good graces, Jenny was just the kind of girl that was consistently nice and straightforward, and she was the opposite of cynical and didn't have one bad bone in her tiny body.

"Fine, I think," Callie muttered feeling like Elizabeth Taylor after she her husband had died and she was sleeping around.

"He's going to see Hellie over the weekend, so he can't be too down in the dumps," Isaac comforted Jenny, not realising that the words resembled a stab in the solar plexus to Callie.

"He's going to Switzerland!" her hackles raised as she remembered a framed photograph of a gorgeous girl, she couldn't conjure up the exact features but it was enough that she remembered believing her to be a model. What if he brought her back here? Callie didn't want Brandon to be moony over her forever, not really, she just found that the thought of it cheered her up considerably when she and Easy were going through a rocky patch, and she felt Easy's penetrating eyes on her. "Anyway, I just had a great idea. Why don't we double date!" she squealed, "We can go up to a posh restaurant in New York on Saturday and get to know each other a little better," she smiled exclusively at Jenny. She really needed something to look forward to and mark the next era of Easy and Callie, plus she could shop for it.

"Erm, I don't-"Jenny struggled to reject politely.

"I'm in," Isaac announced, "It sounds like fun," he regarded Easy in particular, now was the time to make sure that he was firmly in the past and discover how serious they had been.

Easy looked as if he was in pain, this was just great. Callie's lips brushed his ear, "And, we can book a suite at the Carlyle to celebrate us properly. Think you can wait until then?" she grinned happily. Easy suddenly became a lot more enthusiastic, Saturday couldn't come fast enough and this time they were going to do things right. No barns, no cheating, just star perfection with champagne on ice. They were going to be together forever this time, he just knew it.