Season 1

Chapter 4.

An Angel Meets Sneak Attack

The pain was excruciating when I got out of bed Monday morning. It felt like my whole body was on fire when I moved. I didn't get beat Sunday which was a blessing, I was just locked up in my room all day with nothing to eat. So it was safe to say that I was hungry as hell.

What made matters worse was it took forever to cover up the bruise on the right side of my face. I thought I'd never get it covered. It drove me nuts sitting in front of the merrier that morning, applying and reapplying make up to my dark blue, purple, and black skin. It didn't just take forever it hurt like hell too. After two hours of working on getting it just right, the bruise was a lot less noticeable. Whoever saw it could think that it was just the light or something… or so I hoped.

Before I left my house I put the angel winged earrings in my ears. When I put them on it seemed like they gave me a new since of hope. I couldn't help but smile and feel happier considering how the rest of my weekend went. The old man was gone to work when I came down stairs so I made a clean get away. As I made my way to Riley's apartment I got happier and happier. Too day was going to be a good day.

I met Maya and Farkle at Riley's apartment just as they were walking up the steps.

"Maya, Farkle," I called out to them.

They turned to look at me.

"Jazzy!" Farkle called.

"Hey Jazz," Maya said. "Is that make up?"

"Yea," I confirmed. "I thought I'd try something new."

"Well it looks good. Brings out your eyes."

"Thank you."

Maya then looked at my ears.

"Nice earrings," she stated. "Where'd you get them?"

"Oh nowhere," I said.

"Bull Jazzabelle. Tell me where you got them."

Paused for a second. I knew she was going to make fun of me, but even if she did I don't think anything could ruin the mood I was in. I was just too happy.

"Fine," I muttered. "If you must know where I got them, Lucas gave them to me Saturday."

"No!" Farkle chimed in.

"Yes."

I looked to Maya and she had a big smile on her face. The one that said she was happy and that she was looking for things to torture me about.

"The cowboy got you the earrings," she confirmed.

"Yea," I said. "So?"

"So that means he likes you."

"No it doesn't."

"Yes it does."

"No it don't Maya."

"Yes it does Jazzabelle. He even calls you Angel. That defiantly mean he likes you."

"Whatever you say Maya."

"Oh I do say so."

"I hate to break up, whatever this is," Farkle jumped in, "but can we get this show on the road. I don't want to be late for school and Riley may be wandering where we are."

"This isn't over," Maya stated.

"Yes it is," I mumbled.

"No it's not. You still have Riley to deal with."

'Oh dear," I thought to myself as Farkle touched the button on the intercom.

"Farkle," the small boy called into it.

"Maya," called the feisty blonde.

"Jazzabelle," I said.

One of the Matthews buzzed us in and we made our way up to their door. It was already open and we made our way into the apartment. Riley was just walking over to the table where her parents and Auggie sat. I couldn't help but smile and I couldn't stop what I was about to say from coming out of my mouth.

"These are my friends," I said as I came into the door. "I love my friends. It's a sunny day. I love a sunny day. I love my friends. I love my friend's family. I love a sunny day. I even love going to school."

I didn't understand what was going on, this was even strange for me. I walked over to Riley and gave her a big hug. She timidly hugged me back, not understand what my problem was. She know I was never this happy.

"Okay," Mr. Matthews said. "What's going on with her?"

"I don't know, Mr. Matthews," Maya said. "She came to us like this."

"I don't know either," Mrs. Matthews said. "Don't do anything."

"I'm in a good mood," I stated, as I sat down at the table just as Maya and Farkle did. "This life thing, I think I got it down."

I snapped my fingers as I said the last part.

"Maya, Jazzabelle." Mrs. Matthews smiled, raising a bowl, "oatmeal."

"Yes!" I said happily. "Thank you."

"You're welcome honey. Maya?"

"No thanks, Mrs. Matthews," Maya replied.

"Oh," she beamed, "I wasn't asking."

"Yeow," Maya muttered.

"Farkle, you too."

"Thank you," Farkle began, "but my mother made me eggs, home fries, wheat toast, marmalade, and a strawberry shaped like a star."

My stomach growled as Farkle described his breakfast, sitting beside me. Everyone but me, who was hungrily eating the oatmeal, looked at Mrs. Matthews. I was happy with my oatmeal, though, no matter how good Farkle's breakfast sounded.

"I'm going to Farkle's!" Auggie exclaimed. "Who's with me?"

"Sit down," Mrs. Matthews ordered, "eat it please."

"But it's still this."

I watched as Auggie looked down and gestured to it with a not so happy look on his face.

"Auggie," I said to him. "You need to think about it this way. At least you have a mother that makes sure that you eat. Don't forget to be grateful for her. You will miss this one day."

Everyone looked at me as Auggie thought about my words as he looked at his bowl. He looked to his mom, and then he looked over at me. The little boy gave me a smile.

"Thanks Jazzy," he finally said, "I'll try to remember that."

Everyone gave a small laugh.

"Well Cory," Mrs. Matthews said to her husband, "I hate to say it but you were right. She is pretty wise for her age."

I looked to Mr. Matthew. He was smiling at me with pride. A look that I didn't get any more from my own dad.

"You actually said that about me?" I asked him.

"Of course I did," he nodded. "It's the truth."

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes and a warm feeling spread throughout my body. Being praised like that felt really good.

"Thank you Mr. Matthews," I whispered.

"You're welcome Jazzabelle," he said happily.

Everyone was quiet for a little awhile as they got back to their breakfast.

"Hey Auggie!" Mr. Matthews called out of nowhere. "Guess what? It's Googly time. Riley."

"No TV at the table," Mrs. Matthews scolded.

"You're right Topanga. This table is about the discussion of today's events only."

Everyone looked to Riley knowing she always had something to say.

"I woke up," she began with her big smile. "I love everything. I sat here."

"All caught up!" Mr. Matthews exclaimed. "Googly time."

He got up and walked over to the TV on the counter turning it on. As the music started playing everyone started singing the theme song. Surprisingly even me. I can only watch TV whenever the only man is at work or at the bar, but I rarely do that. I preferred to read mostly.

"Here comes Mr. Googly," we sang, "and his foogly boogly friend."

Soon Auggie got up from his seat and turned off the TV.

"Hey!" we all cried out.

We looked at him in disbelief not understanding why he turned off his favorite show.

"I'm too old for Mr. Googly," he stated.

He walked over to the couch and sat down. The rest of us looked at one another, again not understand what was wrong with our favorite little boy.

"What?" Mrs. Matthews asked.

She walked over to the couch to sit beside her youngest child.

"But Auggie," Mr. Matthews said, "Mr. Googly's your best friend."

"Auggie," Mrs. Matthews join in, in her best impression of Mr. Googly, as she held his stuffed toy, "I'm your foogly boogly best friend."

"Can I tell you a secret?" Aggie whispered to his toy.

"Of course. You can tell Mr. Googly all your secrets."

"I have a new best friend now."

"Oh really? Who would that be?"

Mrs. Matthews turned around to look at all of us. We were all curious to know who was Auggie's new best friend. It would be nice to know who was stopping him from watching Mr. Googly.

"I don't want to tell you who she is," Auggie confessed.

'What?' I thought.

"She?" we all questioned.

"I said too much," Auggie said as he still talked to his toy.

"Okay," Mrs. Matthews said, grabbing for straws. "Why don't you tell Mr. Googly all about your new best friend, and none of us will listen."

She looked at us again and we all got the message. We looked around the room in random directions.

"I'm this many," Auggie said, holding up is hand with all his fingers up. "I'm done with you now. Goodbye."

We all watch as he flopped the toy onto the couch and just sat there.

"They grow up so fast," Riley said.

"You're telling me," I muttered.

The four of us get to school and my good mood was getting worse (in a good way). I couldn't help but smile even though it hurt my face where my bruise was. I didn't mind it though. As Riley, Maya and I were walking to Mr. Matthews' classroom I could help but talk.

"I was so worried about this new school year," I told my two best friend. "New school, new people. I didn't think I was going to survive. Not only am I surviving. I'm thriving."

My friends were looking at me like I was nuts. And maybe I was. Maybe my old man had hit me so hard I finally lost it. I just couldn't shut up.

"It's like I'm a…" I couldn't think of a word.

"It's like you're an angel," Riley chimed in. "With those earrings you've got, you're finally able to fly."

I couldn't think of a better way to put it. Yes I was like an Angel. I had finally come to terms with the new nickname I was given. I was starting to like it.

"Speaking of the Angel wing earrings," Riley continued. "Where'd you get them?"

"Lucas gave them to her," Maya jumped in so I couldn't change my story.

"He did?" Riley exclaimed happily. "He so likes you."

"See," Maya said, "told ya."

"No he doesn't," I said muttered. "Please don't ruin my good mood. I'm just starting to like it."

"Okay," they said together,

"But this isn't over," Riley said.

"Fine. Anyway as I was saying. I don't know what I was so worried about."

As we made it up to Mr. Matthews' class room Maya stopped right outside the classroom door. The small blonde pushed me back against the lockers covering my eyes with her hands.

"What are you doing?" I asked her. "What's wrong?"

"Maya that's too easy she knows it's you," Riley says confused. "I'll do you now."

I couldn't see what Riley or Maya were doing considering Maya still had her hands over my eyes. I did feel Maya move away from Riley. The blonde finally took her hands away from my face but kept me away from the door.

"No," Maya hissed. "That's not the game."

"What's the game?" Riley asked her.

I was starting to become concerned about why Maya was trying to keep me from going to class. What could possibly so bad that she try to keep me from going to class.

"The game is try to protect the Angel from the bulldozer in the pink sweater," Maya finally said.

"Silly Maya," Riley sighed. "Bulldozers don't wear pink sweaters."

Maya finally allowed me to look inside the classroom. That's when my world and good mood came crashing down around me. I saw Missy Bradford sitting in the desk beside Lucas and she was obviously flirting with him. Riley came to stand beside me.

"Oh," was all she said.

"Wow," I mumbled.

I slowly moved away from the classroom door and walked over to the lockers, leaning my back against them I slowly slide down, where I sat, when I hit the floor. Maya and Riley sat down on either side.

"You okay?" Maya asked.

"Yea I mean," I muttered, "I have no right not to be ok. It's not like we are even anything. It's not like Saturday meant anything. Right? He was just trying to be nice. Plus the earrings are just earrings. They don't mean anything either."

"Awe," Riley whined.

"Oh look what the bulldozer did to ya," Maya said.

I rested my head on Maya's should and Riley rested her head on mine. The pain was unbearable. It was nothing like physical pain. It was a new kind of pain. It was like a numb pain that would only get worse with time. This pain felt like it would never go away.

"There are other girls in this world," I whispered.

"There are," Maya agreed.

"And other girls, like Missy Bradford, are going to talk to Lucas."

Saying that was like a stab to the heart making the pain grow bigger in my chest. It felt like a rock was weighing down my heart.

"They are," Riley said this time.

"I don't like that," I muttered bitterly.

"I know," Riley and Maya said in unison.

My two best friends took both on my hands in theirs.

"I wish the world was just us three," I confessed.

The three of us got up from the floor, now that I was done with my stupid pity party.

"Then it is," Maya and Riley said together.

They smiled at me and the three of us walked into class.

I sat in my seat as I completely ignored Lucas. I didn't exactly pay attention to Mr. Matthews either. Like Lucas I said, I was thinking too hard. When I think too hard my mind goes to a different time and place. This was one of those times.

"Sneak Attack," Mr. Matthews began. "December 7th, 1941."

"A date which will live in infamy," Farkle chimed in, as per usual.

"A date?" I asked out of nowhere.

I referred to Missy and Lucas. I didn't understand where I was coming up with some of these things today. This was not me. This was never me. This was usually Riley when she went on her 'everything is right in the world' rants. This was completely different from Riley though. This was broken hearted Jazzabelle and she wasn't the best person to be in class right now.

"They're going on a date?" I continued. "In Italy?"

My good mood was long gone but I still couldn't stop words from coming out of my mouth. It was like word vomit and it was quit pathetic really.

"No, honey," Maya clarify, leaning toward me with Riley. "You're in history."

I couldn't quiet hear the words right. I was right. I was going bonkers. The sad part about this whole thing was I couldn't shut up either. No matter how hard I tried, it just got worse.

"I'm history?" I asked.

"Okay," Riley told me, "put you hand up."

She grabbed my arm by my elbow and lifting it up in the air. When she figured that I would hold it up she let it go.

"Yes Jazzabelle?" Mr. Matthews asked, as he turned his attention to me. "You have a pertinent observation on the subject of the sneak attack?"

Usually I had the answer. Usually I was a pretty good student. Today I had nothing. Today was not my day. I just looked at my teacher, at a loss of what was happening around me. Riley sighed and put my hand down.

"May I be excused?" Maya told me to say slowly.

"My eyes see my shoes," I said instead.

I was meaning to repeat what Maya just told me to say. That, as you could see, didn't go very well. Mr. Matthews looked to Maya and then Riley questioningly. They both pointed toward Lucas and Missy a row behind me. They still weren't paying attention to anything, but each other it seemed. Mr. Matthews, getting the picture, nodded in understanding.

"Yes Jazzabelle," he agreed. "You may be excused."

"Forever?" I asked, a little too hopefully.

"No you have to come back to class at some point, honey. You just have too."

That was the first time I had ever heard Mr. Matthews call me anything but Jazzabelle or Jazzy. I was too heartbroken to enjoy it. I got up and slowly made my way to the door with my head down. Mr. Matthews pushed my shoulder. I guess it was because I was about to run into a wall. When I got out of the classroom Mr. Matthews continued with the lesson. Instead of walking somewhere where I could be a lone I walked to the other door on the other side of the classroom. I tried to compose myself as I watched Lucas and Miss from the other door. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't help the numbing pain from spreading throughout my body. I could still hear everything that was going on in the classroom. That included Mr. Matthews' lecture, along with Missy and Lucas' conversation.

"It was another sunny day in paradise," Mr. Matthews continued from where he left off, "before the sneak attack that changed everything."

Lucas and Missy still weren't paying attention to Mr. Matthews, which made me even madder. The boy that I knew would have been pay attention in class.

"Do you like the movies?" Missy asked Lucas, in a very flirty tone. "It's dark at the movies."

'Well thank you Captain Obvious,' I thought in my head. 'That's a new one for me."

"Depends on the movie," Lucas answered her. "Depends on who I'm going with."

With every word that was said, it was like a knife going deeper and deeper into my heart. I really didn't even understand what Lucas saw in this girl. Besides the fact that she was smart… and pretty... she was just evil. Why would anyone want to be with someone like that?

"Scary movies?" Missy asked. "I get scared at scary movies."

I watched as she leaned towards Lucas. I couldn't help but hope she falls out of her chair on that pretty face of hers. I hoped she broke every bone in that pretty little face for her. Let's see her get anymore guys with her face all bruised and broken.

"You'll take care of me though right?" she asked him.

I watched as Lucas nodded uncomfortably at Missy before looking away from her. I couldn't help but get the feeling that he didn't want to be around her. It gave me a little hope.

"People who had viewed themselves as safe," Mr. Matthews said as he kept teaching, "no longer had any security at all."

Seriously how did he not stop this conversation when three of his students weren't paying attention to anything he was saying?

"Just you and me, Missy?" Lucas questioned.

"Just you and me, Lucas," Missy flirted.

She sent him another one of her stupid smiles, before leaning over some more and touched his nose.

"Boop," he said.

Lucas again looked very uncomfortable. That was it, I was beyond mad. I just couldn't control myself. I walked back into the room, through the back door and closed the door behind me.

"Boop?" I blurted out.

I stomped my way to Lucas and Missy to stand between them. I didn't want him anywhere her. If he wasn't going to protect himself from her charm I was going to do it for him.

"That's the best you got?" I asked her.

Maya and Riley turned to face me when they heard me talk. Surprisingly Mr. Matthews kept going on with his listen. He seemed completely oblivious to the whole drama scene that was going to in his classroom.

"Jazzabelle," Riley warned.

"Please be cool," Maya said over and over again. "Please be cool. Please be cool."

I could tell they were both shock. This was something that Riley would do not me. This is something that I would leave to Riley to do to. In other times I could have stopped while I was ahead, but not this time. I couldn't stop myself. I just kept going.

"You don't think that I can do boop?" I continued.

Lucas was watching me, with a smile on his face, trying to hold back his laughter. I could tell that it was getting hard for him.

"How bad do you think this is going to be?" Maya asked Farkle and Riley.

"I think we should have some faith in our Jazzabelle," Farkle shrugged.

They continued to watch me as I continued to embarrass myself even more.

"I can do boop like you've never seen," I told Missy. "Boop."

What happened next was the most insane thing that I had ever done in my life. I turned to touch Lucas' nose, but the worst possible thing happened. I could feel my heart stop when I realized what I had just done. My finger was in his nose. Instead of touching his nose I put my finger in his nose.

"Does anybody see this?" I asked Maya, who was the closest to me.

I saw Missy smiled a cruel smile at me.

"Everybody sees this," she answered.

I couldn't move. My whole body was frozen in place. The embarrassment was unbearable but I still couldn't move. Lucas looked up at me still smiling. He seemed to be amused by this and I didn't understand how he could be smiling at this moment in time when my finger was in his nose.

"Take you finger out!" Maya exclaimed.

"Can't," I whispered. "Can't move. Scared."

Missy was still looking at me, a smug look plastered on her face.

"Do you think Lucas knows?" I asked.

Mr. Matthews finally stopped talking to watch the drama unfolding in his class. I saw him from the corner of my eye with his mouth wide open in shock. That was always a bad sign.

"Riley," I asked.

"Jazzy," Riley chimed in. "I've never seen anything like this before. I don't know what's going to happen."

"Maya?"

"I have no words for this one Jazz," she said shaking her head.

"Farkle?"

"Boy Jazzabelle," he began. "I don't think I could do that even if I tried."

He got up out of his seat and walked over to Maya.

"Hey Maya, boop," he said as he stuck his finger out. "Oh on."

Farkle was wrong. He did the exact something to Maya. She was giving him the worst glare imaginable. It looked like that it was the last day Farkle was going to live.

"The bombing of Pearl Harbor was our official entrance to the world at war," Mr. Matthews continue, "and nothing would ever be the same."

Even after everything that has happened in his classroom he was still went back to teaching. I just couldn't understand this man.

"Want me to bring you lunch?" Farkle asked.

I sat in on of the bottom lockers, wallowing in self-pity and embarrassment. The scene that had just happened in class kept playing in my head over and over again. I couldn't believe I actually did that. This wasn't me at all. My emotions were everywhere and I couldn't seem to grasp any of them. The only people here trying to help me was Farkle, Maya, and Riley.

"No," I mumbled, trying to keep back the tears. "Food would only keep me alive."

"Come on little Angel," Maya cooed. "Come back into the clouds."

She nudged me gently with her foot.

"I'm afraid something terrible will happen if I ever come out of here," I confessed.

"Jazzabelle that's crazy," Riley said.

"Nothing could be worse than what's already happened," Maya encouraged.

I then hear footsteps down coming down the hall. I hoped that it wouldn't be Lucas or Missy. Only I wasn't that lucky.

"Oh there you are," Missy said. "I've been looking for you. You're not upset with me, are you? Because I didn't hear that you and Lucas were together or anything."

My heart sank and I could feel the numbing, empty pain throbbing in my chest.

"We're not," I declined.

"Hmmm," Missy hummed thoughtfully, "yea, that's what I thought. So if you're not, then it's not a problem if I ask Lucas out, because he's really cute. Don't you think?"

I sank as far as I could back into the locker putting my legs in with me so no one could see me. Her words cute like knives and it hurt to hear them.

"I loathe you," Maya said with a smile.

"Well, Lucas doesn't," Missy stated. "In fact, I think he's kind of into me. Shocker."

I heard Missy walk off and I couldn't stop that one tear from falling down the left side of my face.

"I live here now," I stated to everyone.

Riley and Maya made me go to Riley's apartment after school. Riley had said it was time for a bay window meeting. I think they just wanted to help me with the Missy problem. Unfortunately my attitude that I've had all day hasn't changed. My good mood was replace with anger and I still couldn't stop the words from coming out of my mouth when I sat down at the bay window.

"I think of this as a personal challenge issued by Missy Bradford to grow up," I began, "and to grow up fast. So what do I do?"

"Nothing," Maya and Riley said in unison.

"Give me advice, Maya. I mean you are genius at this. Grow me up."

"Why?" Maya asked.

"Because everybody else is?"

"That's not the way we see it," Riley said.

"How can you see it any other way?" I retorted.

"Missy Bradford has decided to grow up fast," Riley clarified.

"That has nothing to do with you," Maya chimed in.

"But what if Lucas takes her to a scary movie?" I questioned. "'I get scared at scary movies. You'll take care of me, won't you?' Barf! Barf, I say!"

"Jazzabelle," Maya chuckled, "do you want Lucas to take you to the movies?"

"Alone?" I asked.

I had never thought about that before. I didn't know what I wanted. Or even how I wanted it. Like I had said before, my emotions were everything and there was nothing I could do to stop any of them.

"I don't know if I'm ready for that," I finally said.

"Then what do you want from him?" Maya urged.

"I just don't want him with her," I admitted. "Am I jealous?"

"You wouldn't know how to be jealous," Riley stated.

"I just I don't want him taken away from us. She's bad news. Teach me how to flirt."

I knew I was being demanding but I didn't know how else to be. I didn't want Lucas to be taken away from us… away from me, even before I had a chance to figure out what my feeling were toward him.

"Not gonna do that," Maya deadpanned.

"Why not?" I cried.

"I don't even know how to flirt."

"Who our age knows how to flirt?" Riley asked.

Before any of us knew what else to say someone slid into Riley's open bedroom window right beside me.

"Hello, ladies," Farkle said huskily.

I couldn't help but scoot closer to Maya. I didn't know if he had just scared me or to get a better look at him.

"Farkle?" Riley questioned. "You were out there?"

He made his way into the room by climbing through the window.

"I'm always out there," he confessed.

He shrugged as if it were normal to be outside eavesdropping on a girls' conversation. I had to remember not to give him my address for more than this reason.

"We'll talk about that later," I grumbled. "You can trust us on that one."

"Farkle," Riley said thoughtfully, "you're the biggest flirt in the 7th grade."

"Why thank you," Farkle replied happily.

"Can you teach me to flirt with Lucas?" I asked him.

"I would do anything you asked me," he said.

He smiled at me and I gave him a small smile back. I couldn't help but think he really was a good friend and, like Maya and Riley, I was lucky to have him in my life.

"But I thought you loved her?" Maya questioned.

"I love you all," Farkle stated. "I want you happy."

We all smiled at him, happy to have him here.

The next day at lunch it was just like the second day Lucas came to school. Maya, Riley, and I were sitting in the cafeteria, eating out lunch. I wasn't really that hungry so I just looked down at my tray and moved my food around my plate, with my fork. I didn't even want to see Lucas right now but I couldn't help but sneak small glances around the room to see if I could find him.

"Do you think he'll sit with us?" Riley asked sourly. "Or her?"

I knew she was referring to Lucas but like I said before. I really didn't care either way. He did want he wanted. I couldn't change that.

"I try not to worry about things I have no control of," I mumbled still looking down at my tray.

"Really because that's all I do," Riley confessed.

Before either of my friend could say anything, if they were going to say anything at all, Farkle at down in an empty chair beside Maya. I looked up at him.

"Hey," Farkle greeted. "Can I sit with you guys?"

"You better," Riley threatened.

"So do you think he'll sit with us? Or her?"

He put an emphasis on the word her. I wanted to laugh. The little guy did care about us. I didn't get a chance to laugh though because Lucas walked over and stood next to my chair.

"Hey, what's up," Lucas asked. "Is there a seat with you guys?"

"Always room for you, buddy," I stated, with a smile.

I turned to look at Riley and Maya.

"I said 'buddy'," I confessed. "I'm not helping myself, am I?"

The two shook their heads. I slowly turned my head back over to Lucas as he sat down smiling at me. Then Missy Bradford had to ruin it. She came over and stood right beside Lucas.

"You know," she began. "I was just thinking that if you and I are going to the movies together, I should find out what kind of snacks you like, so I could by some for you."

She lifted Lucas out of his chair by linking her arm with his. Missy started dragging Lucas away from our table to an empty table in front of us. My friends and I watched as he sat down without a complaint.

"Because," she continued, "I wouldn't want you to pay for everything."

Missy was still standing but she lifted up her skirt so she could 'scratch' her leg. Lucas looked down but he also looked uncomfortable. After she sat down she looked our way and gave me a happy smirk that said, 'I told you so', then looked back to Lucas.

"You're toast," Farkle said.

His words brought me back to reality. I looked over at him, as did Riley and Maya. I couldn't help but feel that numbing pain again.

"I know," I whispered sadly.

"Are you saying she flirts better than you," Riley challenged him.

"Oh, nobody flirts better than Farkle," he defended himself. "I just don't think my young protégé is ready for that monster."

"So what are you gonna do, genius," Maya jumped in.

The three of us kept looking at him waiting for his answer.

"I think I'll just steal her from Lucas myself," he said determined.

This time I did laugh. He was so adorable with he thought he could do something that he obviously couldn't do.

"You would do that for me?" I asked anyway, still laughing.

"Well I'm certainly not doing it for me, toots," Farkle snapped. "She's evil. If I'm not back in two minutes, she ate me."

He looked to Maya as he fixed his hair.

"How's my hair?" he asked her.

"It hasn't changed in six years," she shrugged.

"She doesn't stand a chance," Farkle said.

Maya, Riley, and I watched him walk over to Missy and Lucas. She didn't even seem to notice till he started to speak.

"Hello lady," Farkle greeted.

She turned to look at him. When she saw who it was she smiled.

"Farkle," she respond.

"Why go to the movies with a boy," he began, "when you can go with a man."

I watched as Farkle put his leg on the table in front of her and pulled up his pant leg up to show everyone his 'leg hair'. Riley, Maya and I couldn't help but laugh hysterically as we watched him make a fool of himself. Lucas looked over at Farkle and it looked like he was trying not to laugh at the little guy.

"Wow look at you," Missy said.

Then she winked at him and I stopped laughing.

"You're next," her stated.

My two friends and I watched Farkle walk back to our table. He sat down in a daze.

"It worked," he muttered. "I'm next."

Everyone looked at me and I knew what they were going to say, even before they did.

"Jazzy," Riley began. "She's too good. You can't compete with her."

That was the last straw. I could feel the rage spread throughout my body taking over the numbing pain. I was rarely like this but when it did there was no stopping me.

"I don't want them together," I growled. "I don't."

I got out of my seat and walked over to where Lucas and Missy were sitting.

"Jazzabelle," Maya called from behind me.

"No!" Riley called.

It was too late. I was already standing in front of them.

"Lucas," I said.

He looked up at me but he didn't smile. He looked like he was almost scared of me.

"Angel," he greeted.

Before I got here I didn't know what I was going to say but like that day in the park the words just popped into my head once he said the nickname he gave me.

"I don't know what's going on here," I began calm, unfazed by the nickname, "and I don't have any right to say this, but I don't think you should hang out alone with this girl."

My temper was in full swing and because of that I didn't feel embarrassed. I felt empowered. I wish this feeling could be here all the time but I knew I was never that lucky. Just for right now it was good enough though.

"Why not?" he questioned.

This time he finally smiled at me, but for once I didn't smile back.

"I really don't know," I confessed. "But I think if you actually spend time with her alone, it's gonna change things for us. I mean… you know… for all of us."

I gestured towards the table I had been sitting at with my other friends. Lucas didn't say anything. He just kept looking at me and smiling. This was the only guy that could make me nervous and weak at the knee. He was doing a pretty good job for it but I wasn't going to show it. I stood my ground waiting for him to say something.

"Well," Missy said, jumping into the conversation. "Aren't you just the concerned friend?"

She rolled her eyes at me and I couldn't help but want to punch her in the face.

"Yea I am," I agreed, "Princess."

By the look on her face I could tell she didn't like it when I called her that. The look on her face just made it that much better.

"What did you just call me?" she asked.

"You heard me Princess," I mocked.

She glared at me. Then slowly she started to smile.

"Well with you around," she began, "how could I ever possibly get Lucas alone?"

I didn't know what she was going to do but I knew it wasn't going to be good. I watched her as she grabbed potatoes of off Lucas' plate with both hands. Next thing I knew she smashed them in her and Lucas' face.

"Food fight," she said innocently.

"Hey!" Lucas said.

I could tell that he was clearly annoyed. Before anything else could be said Mr. Matthews came over to the table.

"No food fight!" he exclaimed. "Detention this afternoon, both of you."

I watched as Mr. Matthews walked away. I didn't understand what had just happened. It was like I was seeing it though someone else's eyes. It just didn't make any since. My mind was raising when I looked back at Missy and Lucas. He looked really mad. She looked absolutely ecstatic.

"Oh no," she said with a smile. "Both of us… Alone."

I didn't know what to say after that. All I knew was that I was done playing nice with Missy. I was going to show her that just because I was quiet and shy didn't mean that I wasn't sassy with a temper.

After lunch Riley and I walked into Mr. Matthews' classroom as he was writing something on the bored.

"How could you do that, dad?" Riley asked.

I folded my arms across my chest, standing beside Riley. My anger was still boiling in my veins so I kept myself from speaking at this moment in time. Mr. Matthews turned around to look at us. He had a confused look on his face.

"What did I do?" he asked

My silence didn't last very long.

"You gave them detention together!" I exclaimed.

I was pretty annoyed with him and it wasn't because of him really. It was mostly because of Missy Braford and her flirting game.

"I was the cafeteria monitor," Mr. Matthews justified. "I saw potatoes, not where potatoes were supposed to be. Detention him. Detention her."

"But Lucas didn't even do anything," Riley jumped in.

"Don't care. I'm mad with power."

"Then I want detention too!" I stated.

My teacher looked at me like I was nuts. Maybe I was losing it more than I thought I was.

"You do?" Mr. Matthews asked me. "Jazzabelle you've never had detention in your whole life. What could you guys possibly do that would get you detention on such short notice?"

Riley and I looked at each other. He had to know by now he shouldn't have said that. We were smarter than he gave us credit. He looked kind of scared wen Riley and I looked back at him.

"I could introduce you to my special guest star," I said.

I gestured to the front door.

"Uh-oh," Mr. Mathews mumbled.

He didn't even get a chance to turn around before Maya jumped on his back, and made him go to his knees and lean forward.

"Nothing personal, bub," she reassured him.

Mr. Matthews closed his eyes as Riley and I walked over to him. I pulled his ears and Riley made him made him make a noise with his lips. When we were done he opened his eyes to look at us, as Maya jumped off his back.

"Yeah, that'll do it," Mr. Matthews said.

He sighed and turned to look at Maya.

"Nice job," he complimented her.

"Pleasure doing business with you," she said as they shook hands.

At the end of the day the three of us were sitting in detention in our usual seats. As weirdly as it sounds Riley made place cards to show where everyone would sit. Soon after Lucas and Missy walked into the classroom.

"How ya doin'?" I asked her.

She looked around at all of us. When she saw that she and Lucas were not going to be alone like she had planned, she glared at us.

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

"Oh, she's a bad girl," Riley answered.

I looked at Lucas and he was looking at me with one of his eyebrows raised.

"Yea," Maya chimed in, "you don't wanna mess with this one."

Missy looked around and then picked up Riley's place card.

"What are these?" she questioned. "Place cards?"

"Congratulations Princess," I said sarcastically, clapping for her, "you actually have a brain."

Miss looked annoyed and Lucas looked like he was trying hold back a laugh.

"Yep," Riley said. "I made them. You sit over there."

Maya, Riley, and I all pointed to the back corner of the room. Where all of our place cards were decorated on colorful paper, Missy's was on plain paper, wish just her name. I took pride in knowing I actually made that one. I watched as Lucas sat in his usual seat behind me. Missy, instead of sitting where her card was, sat at the desk next to Lucas.

"I think this seat has my name on it actually," she muttered.

I didn't get to say what was on the tip of my tongue because Mr. Matthews got up from his desk. That was probably a good thing.

"Alright guys," he began. "I like my detention to have a little learning in it. So I'd like to continue talking about Pearl Harbor and what happened after the sneak attack."

I decided to take notes as our teacher continued.

"The world was at war," he stated, "and alliances were forged in battle and were made stronger because of that."

In between sentences I watched as Farkle walked into the room.

"What is this place," he said in awe.

"It's detention Farkle," Mr. Matthews informed him, as he shook his head. "It's not for you."

"If my friends are in it, then it's for me.

Farkle walked over to his usual seat behind Riley, which was next to Lucas. Mr. Matthews shrugged and continued.

"During this war," Mr. Matthews began again, "the United States was put to one of its greatest tests. One that meant a threat to our way of life. But because we were united, we prevailed."

"Hey Angel," Lucas called from behind me.

I turned around to face him.

"Missy invited me to see a movie with her," he continued to say to me.

"I think she's aware of that Lucas," Missy jumped in. "No need to make her feel worse."

I rolled my eyes. Her voice and her presence was starting to get annoying. She was like a fly that no matter how many times you tried to kill it, it would never die.

"And I was wondering," Lucas said, ignoring her, "if maybe you guys would like to come along with us?"

"You want us?" I asked him with a smile.

"Uh, I'm sorry Lucas," Miss scoffed, "that wasn't the invitation."

"Oh!" Lucas exclaimed, not taking his eyes off of me. "Well then, I'm sorry Missy but I can't go."

"What are you talking about?" she asked in shock. "Nobody's ever turned me down, in my life."

It took everything I had to not laugh in her face. Lucas looked up at her and then looked back at me and the rest of my friends.

"Well see, these are my friend," Lucas said, still smiling at me. "And I don't like to do anything without my friends. Right Angel?"

"Yeah," I confirmed softly. "Right."

He turned back to Missy.

"Now I certainly appreciate you wanting me to take care of you during a scary movie," he told her, "and you showing me your leg and all, but back here in the 7th grade, I think maybe we'd have more fun just hanging out together."

Missy got out of her seat and started walking away in a rage.

"Hey Princess," I called to her.

She turned around in front of Maya's desk.

"What?" she growled.

"Boop," Maya said.

Maya taped Missy on the nose. Missy looked like she was going to have a cow. She turned around again stopping at the door,

"Grow up," she said, turning around to face us.

"Not yet," I told her, as she walked out the door.

I looked at all my friends and smiled as I got the feeling that we had won.

"Oh, she's leaving," Mr. Matthews questioned. "Okay."

I turned around to look at Lucas again.

"Hey," I told him.

"Hey," he said with another smile.

"You know what the easiest thing about having friends is?"

"What?"

"Sometimes all you have to do is trust them.

"Yea that's true. By the way, nice earrings you've got there Angel. Where'd you get them?"

I couldn't help the blush spreading throughout my cheeks. I forgot I had them on again today.

"I got them from a really good friend," I informed him.

We both knew he knew where I got them but it was nice to play along with his little game.

"When peacetime came," Mr. Matthews said, as I tuned back into the lesson, "the United States enjoyed its greatest period of growth, prosperity, and happiness… Detention over."

My friends and I didn't move. We just watched as Mr. Matthews started walking out of the room. When he realized we weren't going to fallow he turned around.

"You guys coming?" he asked.

We all looked at each other at his question. Then we all looked back at him.

"No," I said.

"We're good right here," Riley said.

Maya, Riley, Farkle, Lucas, and I all smiled at each other again as Mr. Matthews walked out of the classroom. Everything turned out right in the end, and that was something I was happy for.