"Oh, hello Harper. Isn't it a lovely morning?"

Harper grinned. "Wow Alex; you sure are cheerful this morning. What brought this on?" She paused. "Wait; you didn't write positive on your arm again, did you?"

Alex giggled. "Oh Harper, you slay me. No, I didn't write on my arm again. Well, technically, I did." She rolled up her sleeve, revealing Stevie's name drawn inside several hearts.

Harper raised an eyebrow. "Stevie?"

Alex sighed dreamily. "Yes. I held her hand all through first period, but then we had to separate for second and third period. It's been so long since I've last seen her."

"Hey Russo."

"STEVIE!" Alex lunged at Stevie, causing the entire hall to become deadly silent. Alex looked up, unwrapping her arms from around Stevie's waist. She glared at the surrounding students. "So I'm in love. Big deal. Get over it."

"Aww, how sweet. You guys are dating. When did this happen?" Harper asked.

"Oh Harper, it's been happening for weeks now." Alex thrust her arm in Harper's face. "See? Stevie, drawn inside several hearts." She looked at Stevie adoringly. "Isn't she wonderful?"

"Yeah…wonderful." Harper shot Stevie a disapproving stare.

Stevie cringed before turning to Alex. "Russo—"

"Aww…you said you were gonna call me babe."

"Babe, why don't you go wash off the hearts. What if everyone sees them?"

"Oh, I don't care who sees them. I want the entire school to know that I love you." Alex looked around, standing on a bench in the hallway. "That's right people; I LOVE Stevie! I love her, I love her, I LOVE her!" She turned to Stevie, jumping off the bench. "How was that?"

"Wonderful." Stevie smiled weakly, jumping as the bell rang.

"Yay! Fourth period! I get to hold your hand again! Come on!" Alex grabbed Stevie's hand, hauling her toward class.

Stevie looked over her shoulder, staring at Harper. "Help me," she mouthed.


"Isn't this wonderful Stevie? You and me in the back of the class, sitting here holding hands while the teacher talks about nothing." Alex scooted her desk next to Stevie's, leaning her head on Stevie's shoulder. "When are you going to kiss me?"

"I…um…gee Russo, this is kind of complica—yipe!" Stevie jumped a foot into the air as her cell phone emitted a loud beep. The teacher glared at her. "What are you looking at? It's a text. I can answer it if I want." The teacher muttered something before turning back to the whiteboard. Stevie flipped open her phone, reading the text Harper had sent her.

Meet me in the bathroom.

Stevie leaned over, whispering in Alex's ear. "I have to use the bathroom. I'll be right back."

"Nooo…Stevie, don't leave me. It's so lonely when you're gone." Alex's eyes brightened. "I know! I'll come with you!"

Stevie's eyes widened. "Uh, no. You can't. I had a huge breakfast this morning and it will really smell." She picked up a pen from the desk. "Here, draw more hearts on your arm."

"Okay!"

While Alex happily doodled Stevie's name on her arm, Stevie snuck out the door, practically colliding with Harper.

"Come here!" Harper yanked her by the back of the shirt, hauling Stevie into the bathroom and slamming her against the door. "What did you do to Alex?"

Stevie pushed her off. "Geez Finkle, didn't know you could actually get pissed. For your information, nothing is wrong."

"Then why did you mouth help me earlier?"

"Listen, it was—" she cringed under Harper's disapproving stare. "Wow; that is powerful. No one should have to stand up to that. Although my brother was weak." She sighed resignedly. "Look Finkle, when you said that Alex was going to be Juliet in the lunchtime players today, I saw the look in her eyes when she realized she had to kiss me. I didn't feel too good. But I also see the smile she gives me when she first sees me and how flustered she can get around me."

"That's because she likes you, Stevie."

"I know. I like her too. I just…didn't want her to be afraid, so I put a spell on her. The spell was supposed to make her mine for a day and make the fear go away so she'd be with me, but…now she's hanging all over me and being all mushy." She sat on the edge of the sink. "It's not Alex anymore."

"So what you're saying is…Alex likes you, you like her, but you could tell she was scared, so you put a spell on her so she'd be yours for a day."

"Yes."

"Very interesting." Harper stroked an imaginary beard.

"That's offensive Harper." Stevie hopped off the sink, oblivious to Harper's eye roll. "Look Finkle, I don't like you very much, but you're Alex's best friend. You know her better than I do. So…help me out? Please?"

"I don't know…"

"That's a pretty outfit you're wearing today."

"Really? Thanks; I made it myself. Artificial wheat grass."

"So…you'll help me?"

"Oh why not?" Harper paced back and forth in the bathroom. "What we need is a plan…"

"Harper…"

"Something diabolical. That's Alex worthy. One she'll be proud of…"

"Harper—"

"Oh! I know! We can sneak into Alex's room under the cover of night and break the spell!" She smiled triumphantly, only to have the smile fall off her face. "Um…is there a way to break the spell?"

Stevie rolled her eyes. "All I have to do is kiss Alex."

Harper raised an eyebrow. "It's that simple and you haven't done it yet?"

"I know it's crazy, but…if I kiss her, she'll turn back into old Alex, which is great, but…what if she gets all nervous again? And starts blushing around me like she did before? Won't it hurt worse?"

"All you can do is try. And hey, maybe Alex will realize how much you like her once you break the spell and tell her how you feel about her."

"I don't know…"

"What else have you got to lose?"

Stevie smiled. "You know, you're alright Finkle. Even if you're really annoying sometimes."

"Thanks. I—hey!"