New girl in town

by aussiephoenix7

Lex moves from Australia to Rosewood to live with her grandparents. After literally bumping into Hanna, how do the girls react to the new girl in town?

7. NGIT 7

A/N: Once again I have to apologise for how long it's been between chapters. As what has happened with the last few chapters, I have been collaborating with xAussieGirlx. Her section, which is purely her own writing will be marked. We have both worked very hard to get this chapter out. Initially this was supposed to be half of a chapter, but due to the sheer size of it we came to the conclusion that it would have to be split, so hopefully there won't be as long as a wait between this chapter and the next.

Smart Owl – Thank you so much G and S, as usual I had a wide smile reading your review, xAussieGirlx and I are having a great time collaborating on this story.

Mirmir1600 – Thank you from both xAussieGirlx and myself.

xAussieGirlx – I just want to thank you for coming on board with this collaboration, it is so much fun working with a writer that I admire so much :-)

As usual please leave a review letting us know what you thought of this chapter and the story so far. Enjoy :-) Jarrad

---

"I can't believe that you eat that. Why do they even have that as a choice of pizza topping?" Hanna exclaims as we enter my room after dinner.

"Don't knock it till you try it. Right Morgan?" Reese looks at Spencer and the brunette nods as she hops on my bed.

"Anchovies, capers, chilli, cream cheese and salmon actually work well together." I can't believe Spencer ate a slice when Gramps offered it to the girls. I smile as I see the brunette pick up my Batman throw pillow and bring it close to her chest as if she's hugging it.

"Pizza started as a way for people to use their leftover food. They put whatever food was about to go bad and put it on the pizza base." Says Reese.

"Nobody asked for a history lesson in pizza Donkey." Pipes up Hanna as she makes herself comfortable at the head of my bed.

"Just because that's how it was started, doesn't mean that you should still be doing that." Says Emily as she screws up her nose.

I head into my en-suite bathroom to have a quick shower after swimming earlier, I style my hair with a little putty before returning, need to look halfway decent for my new friends.

---

After a short while I emerge, "Finally, the love-job returns." Teases Reese.

I roll my eyes at Reese before looking to Hanna, "Blondie I could hear you talking while I was in the bathroom, and I'm curious, is that the same Lucas that does photography with Scout?" I ask as I take a seat in my beanbag near my desk where Reese is currently perched on my desk chair.

"One in the same." Answers Aria.

"Okay cool, I just wanted to check. Speaking of school, you sheilas wanna hear how I came out to my whole class?"

"You came out to your whole class? Was it intentional?" Asks Spencer.

"Nope. Was a total accident."

"What happened?" Enquires Aria.

"It was during P.E. sex ed in year eight…"

~~Flashback~~

Sitting in the classroom we were learning how to put condoms on bananas and I flat out refused to do it. The teacher didn't like me because I wasn't a 'popular' kid, so he saw I wasn't doing it and came over and got up me, "Lex, why aren't you putting the condom on the banana? You need to learn how to practice safe sex."

I thought it would be a great idea to be a bit of a smartarse about it, "I don't see how it's relevant for me with my situation."

He leaned down and quietly said "If you think the guy is going to take care of it all the time you are sadly mistaken young lady, it's important you know how to put on a condom too."

I looked up at Mr Croker and said plainly, "I don't plan on sleeping with a bloke any time soon, so I don't need to know how to put a condom on."

He stood up straight, so he was towering over me and raised his voice so everyone in the class would hear, "Oh you're one of those girls claiming you're waiting until marriage, give it a few years and you'll change your mind."

"Excuse me? Whether I decide to sleep with someone or wait until marriage is none of your business."

"Stand up Alexis, now explain to the whole class why you don't think you need to learn how to practice safe sex."

I was so pissed by then, so I just stood up and said "Fine, if you must know, I don't need to know how to put a condom on a 'penis'." I held up the banana, "Because they don't interest me at all, so unless you have a dental dam for a demonstration, I'm not participating. Oh, quick question sir, why is it that we are taught how to put condoms on a penis and all about oral sex on a male, but we are never taught how to pleasure a female? Why is that? Oh, that's right, the sex education we are taught is extremely misogynistic and we're taught only males need to get any pleasure from sex, females are only having intercourse to procreate. We don't live in the fifties, so a female being interested in sex shouldn't be a big shock, so how about we put a stop to that and are actually taught how to find a girl's clit or g-spot, maybe then more females would have an orgasm with their male partners." I turned around to face the class, "Yes guys, they both exist, maybe take a minute or two for foreplay for your girlfriends." I turned back to face Mr Croker, "So can I sit back down or be excused because I'm not participating in this activity." He was pissed but had no response, so I just sat back down, and the class burst into laughter, I handed my condom to Monte who was beside me, "Here, you have this, not like I'll use it." She just stared at me shocked and it hit me that I had just told my whole class I'm gay.

"Holy shit Lex, you just came out to the whole class."

"Fuck…"

~~End of flashback~~

"By the end of the day the whole school knew that I came out or at least that someone came out to their entire class. Thankfully no one really cared too much, obviously there was the usual fuck-knuckles, but I ignored them and my mates especially Nath and Dion tried to protect me from it."

Spencer looks to me and asks, "Do you regret it?", I furrow my brows, "Coming out in such a public way I mean."

"Honestly no, initially I did, but that only lasted a few days, when I realised my mates didn't care I was glad I did it, I could finally be myself around them. I was told a few months ago that knowing there was another LGBT student at the school gave a younger kid the courage to come out when he started high school, so he came out at the start of the year when he started year seven. The thought that me coming out had given another student the courage to come out just blows me away, I was the only openly student at the school and had been for about a decade. There was a couple of gay guys out at the college and another gay girl and the occasional bisexual too, but most of them were with the opposite sex."

"Because there weren't any other openly gay kids in town Axel ended up with the gay chick from Red Bend."

"So, you've had a girlfriend before?" Asks Hanna.

"Yeah, I've had girlfriends in the past, but I'm single now so that's all that matters."

"I remember waking up to a text from Axel asking if we could skype before school, I knew it must have been important, so I put off practice for the morning. It was worth it to hear Axel tell me all about what happened, I even jumped online to buy her a shirt to wear to school on mufti days at school."

"I still have it and I did wear it almost every mufti day." I stand up and walk into my wardrobe and look for the t shirt.

"Mufti day?"

"Yeah, unlike over here I had to wear a school uniform, so on the odd occasion the school would have a casual or mufti day where you could wear your normal clothes. You would pay a gold coin donation, so a dollar or two and the money went to charity like 'jeans for genes day' raising money for research to do with genetic diseases, juvenile cancer and birth defects. You wear jeans to raise money and awareness for the charity or we just had mufti days to raise money for the school." I pulled out the black t shirt I'm looking for, "Found it." I hold up the shirt against myself and I hear Spencer reading out what's on my shirt in rainbow text, "Let's get something straight, I'm not."

"It's a cool shirt, Donkey has some taste."

"Thanks Cutie. I was so happy Axel had finally come out and could openly hit on chicks, I had to get her a shirt, so the girls didn't forget Axel was gay, I thought it might help her pull chicks. I was already out when Alex told me she came out, I wanted her to join the club and have a shirt to show off her pride."

"Brumby wouldn't shut up about it for weeks after. She didn't tell me she was posting me a t-shirt so that was a nice surprise."

"I was just proud of you coming out to everyone, you were out to us for years, so I thought it was about time you were out and proud to the general population."

"How did you come out Horsie?" Asks a petite brunette from her spot at the end of my bed.

"It wasn't anything like Alex's coming out story, it's boring."

"Brumby's not wrong there, a serious yawn fest. Tell them how you told Uncle David you were gay instead."

"Sure, it was back when I was in elementary school, and one day my father asked me if I liked anyone in my class and I told him that I think I am like Axel not Tara. 'I don't want to kiss a boy, they smell like dirt and feet. Girls smell like bubble gum and flowers and I like bubble gum.' My father agreed that bubble gum and flowers were a lot nicer than dirt and feet. He, Mère and Tara said that it was okay that I wasn't like Tara, I am my own person."

"Aww that's cute." Says Emily as she smiles at the blonde.

"Once my family knew I didn't care about anyone else." Reese says nonchalantly, "Our families didn't really care that we were gay, the biggest thing was Ra saying that she still has to approve of any partners for her baby sister, regardless of gender."

"Yeah she said the same to me. Brumby's right, we were lucky to grow up in our households, I think Brumby feels the same way, but I didn't feel I had to come out, I just said I liked a girl from my tennis group and my parents asked if she was a nice girl, they didn't seem shocked at all that I said I liked a girl. I didn't say I was gay until after I had come out at school, I just said that I liked girls not boys. It was normal, no one assumed a gender when we were younger, before we came out, it was 'Is there anyone at school you like?'. My aunty joked that there wouldn't be any unplanned pregnancy then when I told her I liked girls."

"What was it like when you came out?" Asks Reese as she looks over at Spencer and I see the brunette eyes grow wide.

"Brumby." I quietly chip the blonde.

"What?" She looks to me and we share a look and she realises it looks like she's asking Spencer about coming out, so quickly says, "Am I not allowed to ask Maganda about her coming out story?" I see Spencer let out a sigh of relief when she hears that Reese was addressing Emily not herself, "You don't have to say if you'd rather not."

"It's okay, I just didn't realise you were asking me that's all."

"Who else would I be asking? Cutie isn't gay, well…not yet, give us five minutes alone and that will change." Reese winks at the blonde sitting on the other side of Emily before turning to look back at the swimmer, "So, did you come out in a public way like Axel or was it subtler than that?" I watch as Spencer continues to visually relax. Reese is lucky she can think on her feet to avoid that awkwardness.

"I didn't have a big coming out announcement like Lex, I just came to school one day and held my first girlfriend Maya's hand. We were open at school about our relationship and it was no big deal."

"Maya…Maya St…St Germain?"

"Yeah…oh god, you didn't, did you?"

"No, I didn't 'go' there with Maya, I knew her from around school, she was in the school jazz band. I didn't pick you to hang out with the stoners though Maganda."

"I'm just full of surprises then, aren't I?" The swimmer shrugs nonchalantly.

"It seems that way."

"Em loves a bad girl." Hanna says as she bumps shoulders with the raven-haired girl.

"So, Axel is off your radar then." The blonde chuckles and I kick her from my spot on the beanbag, "What, ya big nerd?" I just roll my eyes.

"There's nothing wrong with being a nerd." Says Spencer and we share a smile.

"Coming from the biggest nerd here, that doesn't mean much." Teases Hanna.

---

I watch Reese spin on my desk chair and her eyes land on my guitar, "You played much since you got here Axel?" she asks nodding to the guitar.

"A couple of times yeah." I nod at the blonde, "This lot actually caught me in the act." I say as I look to the four girls on my bed.

"Let me guess they booed when they heard you play." Teases the blonde.

"It was the complete opposite, Lexus has an amazing singing voice, it was wonderful listening to her play."

Reese raises an eyebrow at me before looking to the group, "You think Axel's voice is amazing?" I see a few heads nod, "You should hear when we play together, Axel playing guitar and singing while I'm on the drums and singing. May I say ladies, it would knock all of your socks off." Reese flashes a charming smirk.

"Are you actually any good at playing the drums, or do you just hit and hope for the best?" Emily asks.

"You want to come over to my place to find out? We can make sweet music together Maganda." Flirts Reese.

Emily rolls her eyes and crosses her arms across her chest, but I can see she is beginning to blush, "I am not going over to your house alone."

"You wouldn't be alone Maganda, I would be with you the whole time." Reese bounces her eyebrows and smiles, "I can show you my music room, it's sound proof."

"Really?" Reese nods, "Well that's definitely a reason not to go by myself." Emily smirks smugly, "Being stuck in a sound proof room with you…no thank you."

Hanna laughs at the other blonde, "Shot down."

I see the look on Reese's face, "Oh no, now you've done it." I shake my head and the girls all turn to me with looks of confusion on their faces, "You just challenged Brumby. I'm sorry Mako but she will get you alone in her music room. You won't even realise it until you leave the room that she has even done it."

Spencer scoffs, "I highly doubt that, Em can't be fooled that easily." Reese turns to the lanky brunette and raises and eyebrow, "Or me for that matter, so don't get any ideas."

Reese smiles knowingly at me and whispers, "Luckily I said, 'I'd rather have Gran's cookies' hey Axel."

"Yeah real lucky." I shake my head at the blonde.

"Oh well, I might just show a lady who appreciates my natural rhythm." Reese turns to Hanna and smirks, "You want to see my music room and have that curiosity settled?"

I see Hanna's cheeks flushing and she becomes flustered before she regains her composure and smirks at the taller blonde, "You wouldn't know what to do with me."

Reese just laughs, "Is that a challenge Cutie?"

"Don't do it Blondie." I warn Hanna before I punch Reese in the thigh, "And don't you dare Brumby."

"Really Axel? You are having your cake and eating it too?" I just glare at Reese as she chuckles, I push the blonde's legs and she spins on the chair.

"I'm your cake?" I look at a confused Hanna.

"No Blondie, Brumby is just being a dickhead." I say as I stand, "I need to go to the loo, I hope you can behave yourself while I'm gone." I point at Reese and she smirks at me, "You look like the bloody Grinch who stole Christmas. Nah that's it, Harry you're in charge while I'm gone, feel free to set Blondie on Brumby if necessary." I look to the brunette who smirks, and Hanna is grinning as she grabs a pillow like a warrior wielding their sword before battle.

I look over my shoulder as I walk into my en-suite and I see Reese glaring at me, "Really Axel? I'm the oldest here." Reese protests.

"That may be true but you're also the most immature one here too." I just chuckle and wave as I close the door.

---

When I return Reese is holding the pillow that Hanna was previously holding, I shake my head at the blonde. Reese is telling the girls about how she was a kind of exchange student for a week during her visit to Australia last year.

"Definitely, I was so happy when Aunt Julia said she had organised for me to become a student for a week at Axel's school. It felt strange knowing that I didn't have to worry about planning an outfit each day, I was going to be wearing the same thing as the rest of the students at Forbes High, the school said I didn't have to wear a uniform, but I wanted to fit in not stand out."

I sit back down on my beanbag chair and check my phone, I see I have a message from Carly telling me she's ready for our skype call whenever we are.

"So, what did you do?" Aria asks as she sits up on the bed and crosses her legs underneath herself.

"I just tagged along to all of Alex's classes, it was really interesting to see how different the school was from ours. I really liked history class the most, learning about Australian history."

"Brumby was there while we were learning about the stolen generations."

"It was terrible hearing what had happened, it reminded me of African American slavery and Native Americans."

"White man always thinks that he is superior to anyone of colour." I says shaking my head, "So, before I start on another rant about white supremacy, I have a question for you sheilas."

"What is it Lexus?"

"Are you ready to meet Monte because she's ready to meet all of you." I ask as I hop up out of the beanbag and stand at my desk and open my laptop. I hear a positive response from all the girls, "Except for you Brumby, she doesn't want to see your mug." I say as I gently shove Reese to get off my desk chair.

"Who said I wanted to talk to her anyway?" She mutters as she stands up, so I can sit at my desk.

"How about you tell the girls how we tricked the casual teacher Mrs Woods in English while I set this up, that'll cheer you up."

I see a smile appear on the blonde's lips as she chuckles, "Yeah, that was pretty funny. So, like Axel said it was in English class and the usual teacher was sick so we had a substitute teacher. Mrs Woods was a grumpy old woman, she was doing role call and I said I was Alex, then when she got to the end she said she was told that we had an American exchange student for a week and for them and their host to raise their hands. We both did, and when she asked which of us was Reese I told Axel to put her hand up. The teacher then asked Axel questions about where she was from and a little bit about herself, she said everything I would have said in a pretty good American accent. To make it funnier, the class had to give speeches that period, so I took Axel's place and got up and read it for her, Axel hates public speaking, best part was no one gave us up and the teacher never figured it out."

"That's true, well she did the next week, you were off with Dad and Uncle Grant being their helper, and she was covering my English class again, the whole class burst out laughing when she found out and she got pissed that we tricked her, she said my accent was good, but your Aussie accent was impeccable." I say as I open skype and wait to I call my best friend back in Australia when I hear the girls on the bed laughing.

"Well let's hear it then." Says Spencer.

"I don't know if you ladies could handle my Aussie accent." Smirks the blonde.

"It's another trick, I bet she can't that's why she won't do it."

"Prepare to eat your words Maganda." Reese clears her throat, "When I lobbed over to Oz to harang me old mate Lexo, we kicked off our double pluggers and sat down to watch the Hawks destroy the Pies in aerial ping pong on the telly. Axel sent the missus to the servo and bottle-o to pick up a couple of dog's eyes with dead horse and a few stubbies." Reese says in a perfect Australian accent even though she's laying it on a bit thick, I look away from the laptop and over to the bed and I see four confused looking girls.

"Did anyone understand a word of that?" Aria asks as she looks around at the others who all shake their heads. Reese and I share a look and chuckle.

"That wasn't really Australian, was it Lex?"

I nod at Emily, "I understood everything she said, and her accent is spot on."

"Not spot on, it's better than yours, I sound more Aussie than you Axel."

I just roll my eyes, "Gramps always says that he thinks Brumby was swapped at birth, always saying she has to be Aussie because she's half kangaroo."

"I'll have you girls know that I am as fluent in Strine as any ocker."

"Strine? Ocker?" Asks Spencer as she looks to me.

"Strine is what we call the Aussie slang and broad accent and ocker is a very stereotypical Aussie male."

"So, what did Donkey even say?" Hanna asks eyeing the taller blonde.

"When I visited Australia to see my buddy Axel, we kicked off our flip flops and sat down to watch the Hawthorne Hawks beat the Collingwood Magpies in the Australia Football League on the tv. Axel sent her girlfriend to the gas station and liquor store to pick up a couple of meat pies with tomato sauce and a few beers." Reese translates in her normal toned down Australian accent. She really does sound like an Aussie I think to myself.

"As much as I don't like you Donkey, I have to admit that was hot."

"It looks like Han has a soft spot for the Australian accent." Teases Aria and Hanna begins to blush, "Was that what she really said Lex?"

"Yep, she said exactly what I would have said if I was to say that in dinky di Strine to confuse you lot again. I will admit, it's pretty funny to see the looks on your faces, utter confusion." I chuckle, and I'm soon joined by the others.

"It's nice to know that you enjoy confusing us Americans with your Australian slang terms and phrases and now there is two of you doing it." Says Spencer as she shakes her head and chuckles, "I think I might have add Australian to my list of languages to learn."

"I'm sure Axel will happily give you one on one lessons Sam."

"It would be my pleasure, just give me a time and place and I'm all yours." The brunette gives me a cute lopsided smile and I feel myself blushing as I return the smile, "In a moment it will be three Aussie accents if Brumby keeps hers up."

"So, it looks like Axel has Chris sorted, if any of you beauties would like to learn, I'm pretty good with languages."

---

I spin my chair back around to face the desk and I click to start a skype call on the laptop. After a few rings a brunette pops up on the screen, "Monte Carlo." I say with a smile plastered on my face.

"Homo-Lexual…where is everyone?" Asks the brunette on the screen looking around.

"What's up Cadbury?"

"Ugh, it creeps me out when you sound like us."

"I was going to drop it, but I might keep it up just for you, seeing as you love it so much." Carly rolls her eyes, so I know Reese has either winked or smirked at her, "Any who, I heard from our friend Axel here…" Reese ruffles my hair knowing I hate her doing it, "That you didn't want to see this wonderful specimen." She says pointing to herself and I see Carly roll her eyes again at the blonde behind me, "Hmm, let me guess, you want to see these gorgeous girls behind me, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to hit on them like you would have Fish, you're worse than a dunny budgie buzzing around."

"I would prefer to be called Calliphoridae if you are going to call me a blowfly. You are just jealous you have to miss out on the pillow fight and gossiping about crushes."

"Well duh, I'm jealous of you because now you have my bestie all to yourself, full time."

"Not all to myself, I have to share her with these beauties." Reese waves behind herself to my bed.

"You can come and say hi, Monte won't bite." I turn and wave the girls over, all four girls hop off the bed and head over to my desk.

"If I was to bite someone it would be Fish, but I'm not a big fan of seafood, so I'm all good."

When my new friends are around me, I say, "Guys, this bogan is Carly, but I call her Monte as you all know. Monte, this is Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer." The brunette smiles and waves at the girls but smirks when she hears me say Spencer's name and sees her wave.

"Hey guys, when Lex told me she met and was hanging out with four chicks, I thought she was full of shit, but here you are." The brunette on the screen waves around at the girls behind me.

"Why would I make up meeting these guys?"

"I dunno, maybe you didn't want to be a Nigel No Friends." Jokes Carly.

"Nope, I was lucky to have met some pretty cool chicks straight off the bat."

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Complains Reese as she puts her hands on my shoulders.

"You don't count Brumby."

"You never have Fish, you're always too busy trying to hit on anything that moves." Carly looks around at the girls, "I bet Fish has already hit on all of you girls, am I right?"

"Yes, except for Spencer, she's off limits." Aria says.

Carly turns her attention to me and quirks an eyebrow, "Really?"

I shake my head at the brunette on the screen, "Tara is friends with Spencer's older sister."

"Okay I gotcha." I see a smirk tugging at Carly's lips, "What do you guys think of my mate Lex?"

"Lex is great." I hear Hanna say and the rest of the girls agree.

"It's not anything that moves, I don't hit on boys." Says Reese as she has a look of pure disgust on her face, "I don't know what she has done, but somehow Axel has tricked these girls into liking her."

"Pfft…the only one tricking girls would be you Fish."

"Both of them did trick us by telling us about how Donkey was attacked by a drop bear." Hanna states.

Carly begins to laugh, "Really guys? You tried to pull that one? Did Fish actually tell you she was pissed on by a koala?"

"Hey, we had them hook, line and sinker, but what can I say, I have a way with words." Reese smirks, "Like that time I was your wing woman and you ended up hooking up with that tall, dark and handsome guy you were drooling over all night."

"Yeah, but he was a dud root, so you weren't really a help, were you?" Carly asks.

"I said I would get you laid and I did, I didn't say anything about the quality. Why you didn't just do what I suggested I will never know…"

Carly sighs heavily, "Fish, turning the lights off wouldn't have worked. I. Am. Straight."

"Pfft…so is spaghetti until it is wet."

"That's exactly my point, I want hard, not soft and wet."

"I told you that I could change your mind…" says Reese as she wiggles her eyebrows.

"Just how many straight girls have you been with?" Asks Hanna a little shocked.

"Jeez Brumby, give it up…she's not going to sleep with you. Even if, and that's a big if, she was dumb enough to sleep with you after spending two months with you, you're on the other side of the world Doofus."

"Haven't you ever heard of cybersex Axel?"

"No way, I would want the real thing." Carly says with a big smirk on her face.

"How would that even work in the dark…" I hear Spencer muttering to herself, "Unless she has a…" I look over to see Spencer shiver and I chuckle.

"Give me an eighteen-hour flight, a six-hour car ride and I will rock your world."

"Sure…I'll be waiting." Carly shakes her head as she watches Reese runs over to the window and begins to climb out.

"Aren't you grounded Horsie?" Says Aria and Reese pulls her leg back in the window.

"Oh yeah…next time Cadbury." Says the blonde as she pulls my chair out and sits on my lap.

"Oh, that's too bad, it was a once in a lifetime offer."

"Rowan." I see Reese look to Spencer, "It wouldn't take long before she didn't care who or what was down there." I see Reese wink and I find myself fighting the urge to punch the blonde right now, or at least stand up, so she falls flat on her arse, "Probably even turn the lights on to watch a master at work."

"You're a figjam Fish."

"What's that?" Asks Emily.

"It stands for Fuck I'm Good Just Ask Me." I explain and I hear a few chuckles.

"Sounds like Donkey alright."

"So back to the drop bear story, what did you say happened?"

"Brumby and I told them that she was attacked by a drop bear out at Dan's farm and that her scars from the hedge were actually its claw marks."

Carly begins to laugh again, "The most that ever happened with these two at Daniel's farm was them getting shitfaced and arguing over if a kangaroo was coming closer or not." Carly begins to crack up, "They deadset thought an old fence post was a kangaroo." I hear the girls laughing around me.

"We actually based the story on that time when Ben tripped over the barbed wire and cut himself up pretty bad and we told Anna it was a drop bear and she flipped out and wanted to go home, as in back to her home in Germany."

Carly and Reese both chuckle, "Oh yeah, she wouldn't stand under any eucalyptus trees for the rest of her exchange even after we told her multiple times we were only having her on."

"We may have scarred the poor girl for life, oh well." Shrugs Reese, "Can't change it now."

"How long have you and Lex known each other Carly?" I hear Spencer ask.

"Since year seven. We were in a lot of the same classes and she's a maths nerd, so she helped me with maths during class and eventually other classes too. We started off with Lex offering to help me in class, she was always ahead of the class, so she'd quickly do her work then explain it to me in a way I could understand."

"Then we started to sit together in our other classes and soon became best mates."

"Speaking of mates, you still with your ball and chain Cadbury?"

"Yes Fish, I'm still with Zack, I take it you're still living the playboy lifestyle."

Reese begins to answer but Hanna jumps in, "Donkey is still a massive player, but she turned down a booty call earlier."

"Really?" Exclaims Carly, "Don't tell me you've got the clap, I told you that you need to get tested regularly."

"I am not a boy and I don't have any STIs, I have just been having fun with these stunning ladies and the yowie."

"I don't blame her for turning the booty call down though. Lex, you should tell Carly what you said about Britney when she tried to hit you on you while I find a picture of her."

"Sure Blondie, just make sure you get a good one." I chuckle.

"Did you wake up with another two, but when you left you walked out with a, and I quote 'I am telling you Cadbury, she's a ten'?"

"Hey! She had a nice personality." Says Reese defending her choice in bed mate.

"Sure she did Brumby, I think it was the grog talking." I turn my attention back to the laptop screen, "Jeez mate, what can I say about Britney, other than Brumby has bloody shocking taste, this sheila looked like she had been gangbanged by a box of Crayola crayons." I crack a smile and Monte just stares at me for a moment before she bursts out laughing.

"Here we go, this is Britney, Donkey's booty caller." Hanna says as she hands me her phone and I look at the picture and start chuckling before I turn the phone around and hold it up to the camera, so Carly can see.

"Fucken hell Fish. Is that what you're into now?" The brunette asks through a fit of laughter, "You weren't wrong Lex, looks like Marge when Homer shot her with his makeup shotgun."

"I know, right?" I burst out in laughter and so do the others except for Reese.

"B didn't look like that when I met her, it was a party at the lake, so her makeup was washed away from swimming."

"I bet a lot of fish died that day…Not like this fish would have complained." Teases Carly and I can't help but laugh and I hear a few chuckles behind me.

"What does B call you Donkey? Other than promiscuous girl?"

"Excuse me, but I seem to remember a certain person in this room was more than happy to make out with me at a party." Says Reese as she turns to smirk at the other blonde in the room who moves to slap Reese on the arm, "I thought we agreed you'd go lower next time…" Flirts Reese, from her position on my lap before she stands up and bends over my lap facing away from the shorter blonde, looking over her shoulder Reese winks at Emily and Hanna who are behind her, "You want a turn too Maganda?"

"Don't worry, I've got this." I say as I look up to see both girls blushing, I then lean down and whisper in Reese's ear, I turn back to the screen and smirk at Carly and she knows immediately what I whispered in Reese's ear.

"Okay, I'll behave."

"Whoa, what did you say to her?"

"I just told Brumby that Monte and I will tell you guys what happened at the B&S if she doesn't behave. Isn't that right Monte?"

"Shit yeah." The brunette says with a wide smile.

"Hey! What happens at B&S ball stays at B&S ball." Reese exclaims as she takes a seat back on my lap and makes sure to wiggle around so her tailbone digs into my thighs.

"Come on Lex, you need to tell us now." Cries Hanna.

"If Brumby doesn't behave I will Blondie, but I have to give her a chance to redeem herself first."

"Yankee Doodle."

"What Crocodile Dundee?"

"Did Lex give you the present I got you?"

"No, what present?"

"Oh crap, sorry guys, move your bony arse so I can go get it for you." Reese stands up and moves so I can hop off the chair, I walk over to the corner and grab my smallest suitcase and open it up and pull out a plastic bag before zipping it back up, "Here we go Brumby, you can have Monte's first." I walk back over and take my seat on the desk chair once again and hand Reese something rolled up.

"I saw it and thought of you Fish, so I couldn't not get it for you."

"Axel, should I be worried?"

"Yeah, nah, you'll like it."

The blonde takes the material and unravels it to reveal it's a t-shirt, "Thanks Cadbury, it is great and couldn't be truer."

"I knew you would like it, you can add it to your collection."

"What does it say?" Hanna asks, and Reese turns the pale blue shirt around to show the four girls, "I don't do chicken?"

"Think about it Han, it's a rooster." Spencer says to the blonde as she points to the silhouette of a rooster.

"I still don't get it."

"It says 'I don't do cock'." Carly says, and Hanna cracks up and we all join in.

"I might wear it to bed tonight."

"Now for mine." I pull out another shirt, this time I scrunch it up and throw it to the blonde, "This is definitely you all over."

The blonde breaks into a smile as she looks at the light grey shirt in her hands, "Both shirts are spot on. Thanks Axel." Reese turns the shirt around to show the girls the shirt that says, 'I kissed a boy and I didn't like it'.

"You've kissed a boy?" Hanna asks surprised, "I thought from the way you act that you've only ever gone for girls."

"I do only go for girls."

"Were you young when it happened, like elementary or pre-K?"

"It was last year, wasn't it, Fish?" Teases Carly and we share a look and chuckle.

"I'm confused…"

"Me too Em, did he kiss you?" Aria asks.

"Nope." I say making sure to pop the p.

Reese glares at me, "I thought we had an agreement." She looks between Carly and I before turning her back to the brunette on the laptop screen and taking off her shirt.

I see Carly squinting and looking closer to the screen, "What's that on your back Fish?"

"Awe not you too. There is nothing there."

I turn around and smirk when I hear Hanna laugh, "Yeah there is…" Hanna begins to trace the word 'bacne' across Reese's shoulders. I stifle a laugh when I think back to when Spencer wrote bacne on Reese's back with baby oil when she was meant to be applying sunscreen.

"You are not getting me to fall for it again." The taller blonde says as she begins to pull on her shirt.

"Wait, I'll show you." Hanna picks up her phone and takes a picture of Reese's back before she pulls on her shirt, Hanna hands the taller blonde her phone, "See."

Reese looks at the picture and turns around and stares at Spencer gobsmacked. I look to Spencer and she has a slight look of confusion on her face, "What's wrong Jenny?"

Reese narrows her eyes and turns to me, "I would be keeping an eye on this one if I was you." She looks back to Spencer and shakes her head, "I hope I don't freckle like that."

"Don't you mean tan?" Spencer asks as I see a small smile appear on her lips as our eyes meet.

"No, I just get freckles."

"Poor Brumby couldn't tan to save her life." I chuckle.

Reese shrugs, "I can't help I am so pale, blame my genetics."

"After being temporarily blinded I just wanna say it's nice to see you with a shirt on this time Fish." Says Carly as Reese takes a seat on my lap once again.

"What can I say, I was getting dressed after my shower and I thought it was just Axel, she has seen all this before." The blonde waves all over her body, I don't have to look but I can sense Spencer tense up beside me before I watch her in the small box down the bottom of the screen as she walks over and opens my TARDIS bookcase and begins to run her fingers along the spines of the books, "And don't think I didn't notice you checking me out."

"Yeah right. You just wanted an excuse to flash your freakishly white arse off."

"Maybe…" Smirks the blonde.

"So how is your life without me Monte? Pretty boring I take it." I chuckle but the brunette doesn't respond, and I see she hasn't moved.

"Ugh, this used to happen all the time when Brumby and I would skype."

"Wait…she is still moving her nostrils." Comments Reese, I look closer and I can see Carly breathing, it's at this precise moment that Carly decides to scream. I swear and nearly send Reese flying, I hear the others freak out too, I'm glad I'm not the only one who she scared.

"Cadbury, you prankster." Chuckles Reese.

"You should have seen your faces, priceless." I hear the brunette cracking up on the screen.

Once I feel my heart rate is lowering I turn and look at the others. Hanna looks grumpy, but the others are chuckling along with Reese and Carly, "Monte ya knob, you scared the bejesus out of us."

"Oh, you'll get over it."

"Well I am off to see a man about a dog." Reese stands up and moves towards the bedroom door.

"I thought it was a wallaby."

"Nah no one says that, it's a dog." I say.

"Because it rhymes with –"

"Monte!"

The brunette on the screen shrugs, "I just wanna say, it looks like Blondie is definitely on Fish's radar, I'm surprised she's not on yours too Lex."

My eyes widen, and my mouth falls open, "What?"

Carly smirks, "She's your type, blonde, light eyes, nice…" I watch as Carly looks over to Hanna and her eyes drop down to Hanna's chest and back over at me, "Personality…"

"Fucksake Monte…" I feel my cheeks burning, so hot I know even my ears have gone red.

"So, I'm your type, am I?" Hanna asks in a flirtatious tone as she puts her hands on my shoulders and I freeze.

I look over to Spencer and I can see she looks upset, she has a frown and has her arms crossed and looking away. I just want to jump up and walk over to the gorgeous brunette, take her hands in my own, look up into those mesmerising eyes of hers and say 'I have only wanted you since I first laid eyes on you, and every minute I spend with you is better than the next', but I don't, "Yes Blondie, you're my type but it's the same with Mako and I, I'm her type but that doesn't automatically mean she wants to be with me, for all I know she only has eyes for someone else." I say not taking my eyes off Spencer, she finally looks up and I give her a small smile and she returns it with a nod and a small smile of her own.

"Lex, I know that. I was only teasing you." Apologises Hanna from behind me.

---

"So…you girls want to know what happened with Fish at the B&S ball?" Carly asks with a smirk plastered on her face.

"Yeah spill, who kissed who? Donkey or the guy?" Asks Hanna excitedly.

"Okay, so this is how it went down. There was a B&S ball in a town a few hours from Forbes, so we decided it would be cool to take Brumby to introduce her to something that us bushies like to do. A bunch of us all went with some swags and tents, we were all drinking, a few of the guys were maggoted and it wasn't even dark yet. We were all a little intoxicated –"

"You were half cut Lex." I shrug knowing it's true, "Fish wouldn't listen when Lexo said that this person on the back of a ute close to us was a guy. And believe me when I say this chick can tell just by looking at someone their gender and/or sexuality, like seriously, she's got a mad skill there. We have watched multiple YouTube videos of people guessing other people's genders and sexualities, and she's nailed it every time. Lex was saying that this person was a dude, but Fish didn't want to listen, kept saying but they have breasts, and she heard someone call them Shannon and they have a feminine voice. She was like 'just trust me, but I'm going over and I'm going to get lucky or at least get her number', we even bet her twenty bucks that it was a guy. I bet Lexo that she figures it out from talking to them that they're a guy, Lex said she would figure it out before they were gonna root."

"Monte." I chastise the brunette on the screen, "Ladies are present."

"Oh right, before they slept together, better?"

"Yes, and I said I bet you twenty she doesn't find out until they've at least kissed, and she'll get a shock."

"You were betting on when exactly Reese would figure out it was a guy?" Chuckles Aria, we both nod, "Who won the bet?"

Carly continues, "After not even ten minutes of sitting on the tailgate of the ute having a drink and laughing, they were all over each other. I was down twenty bucks to Lex, and we were just watching Fish make out with this bloke, copping a feel of his moobs and everything."

"Normally I wouldn't want to watch Brumby making out with someone, but in this case, it was hilarious."

"It wasn't until they had been laying down in the back of the tray for a few minutes when Fish flew up and over the side of the ute and piss bolted back over to us, hurdling over eskys and swags until she was safely in the back of Dan's ute. Now I know why she made it all the way to nationals for hurdles, always running away from angry boyfriends and the occasional boner."

"Brumby stole my can and skolled it, she was shaking like a leaf, eyes like dinner plates. Nath was worried thinking something happened to her and was about to smash some bloke's face in if they tried to hurt her. But I explained that his newest mate had just spent the last twenty minutes making out with a bloke. He was pissed as a fart, but even he knew it was a bloke." All four girls start laughing, Carly and I both joined in the laughter at my best friend's expensive.

---

"What did I miss?" I spin around on my chair to face the blonde who just walked in the door, it takes a few seconds of looking around at the other girls before it dawns on her, "You each owe me a hundred dollars for blabbing."

"So worth it." I say through a fit of laughter. I watch the blonde huff and sit on my bed and pull out her phone, "Aww, don't sulk Brumby."

"I'm not…I'm checking up on Mère."

"So, what eventually made you realise that it was a guy?" Asks Hanna as she looks to the taller blonde.

Reese looks up at the other blonde, "You are the straight girl, you tell me."

"Something popped up between them." Carly says before erupting into a new fit of laughter as Reese shudders slightly, "It's why I bought Fish that shirt." Says Carly as she wipes a stray tear.

"To make it even funnier Brumby slid across the front of another ute like a cop in an action movie when Shannon came over to make sure she was okay. I felt sorry for the bloke, thought he was going to get lucky but Brumby thought he was a sheila."

"Yeah well, I am allergic to 'eggplant', it causes me to run for the hills."

"What kind of drunk is Lex?" Asks Hanna.

"Lex is a happy drunk, massive flirt though."

"Oh, here we go…" I say as I spin around on my chair, I watch as Spencer walks over to my bed and picks up my black-fur teddy bear from the shelf above my bed. I feel myself hold my breath as she looks him over before sitting him back up on the shelf and I let the breath out.

I turn back around to face the laptop screen again when I hear a boy's voice and then my best friend speaks again, "Lex, Kyle wants to say hello." she looks off to the left of screen again, "Come on kiddo, don't be shy, Lex has friends over so make sure you say hello to them too."

We wait a few moments before a young blonde boy with a big smile appears on screen, "Hey Lex!" He says waving wildly.

"Hey buddy, what are you up to? Giving Carly a hard time?" A little smile appears on his lips, "What did you do?" I ask knowing he's got into mischief.

"Me and Jack were playing out in the dirt, we had to have baths."

"Did you help give Jack a bath?" The boy on the screen shakes his head with a grin, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You know if you go outside and play with Jack and you both get dirty then you have to help your sister give him a bath."

"But I didn't wanna…he always shakes his fur and wets me."

"Well buddy, you should think about that before you go rolling around in the dirt next time. Kyle do you want to say hello to my friends?" The blonde boy grins and bounces on his knees excitedly on the bed, "Girls, this is Monte's little brother Kyle, now this is Hanna, Emily, Aria and Spencer." All four girls wave at Kyle and say hello.

Kyle hops off the bed and stands next to Carly at her desk, "Lex…I gotta secret to tell ya, but only you, your friends can't hear it."

I smile and nod, I spin around on my chair and look to the others, "Do you guys mind covering your ears? I think he wants to tell me about his girlfriend…" I smirk and the girls all smile going along with it.

Kyle cries out, "I don't have a girlfriend, Mum said you can't be my girlfriend, you're too old. But I told her she's wrong, you're not too old, you're pretty."

"Lex likes girls not boys, remember?" Says Carly gently.

"Yeah…" Says Kyle sounding downhearted.

"I'm sure you have all the girls after you, you're a handsome little guy." Says Aria as she smiles at Kyle.

"A girl in my class Jessica likes me but I don't like her, she picks her nose and eats it."

"He has standards, good to hear." Says Hanna quietly.

"Excuse me Lex's friends, can you cover your ears now? Pretty please?" I look around to see all four girls cover their ears.

"What about Reese? Does she have to cover hers too?"

"No, she's okay." Kyle turns to Carly, "You too." I chuckle as I watch her cover her ears with her hands and I hear Reese hop off the bed and is soon beside me.

"Hey dude." Reese says giving the blonde boy a smile and wave as she bends down to see properly.

"What's the big secret mate?" I ask.

I watch the blonde lean forward towards the computer and loudly whisper, "I think your friends are really pretty."

I fight hard to hold in a chuckle, "You know what? I think they are too."

"So do I little dude." Reese says in agreement, "Are they prettier than Alex?"

"No, they're pretty but not that pretty." I start to blush and let out a little chuckle, "I think she's really, really, really pretty."

"You don't think these girls are really, really, really pretty too?" Reese asks.

I watch the blonde screw up his face, suddenly deep in thought then he points at the screen, "She's really, really pretty."

Reese quickly says, "Don't point, now which one is really pretty?" Reese nods her head towards Aria who is standing beside her.

Kyle shakes his head, "She's very pretty but not her." Reese nods or sneakily points in Hanna and Emily's directions, but the blonde boy still shakes his head and compliments the girls, but they aren't who he was referring to, "The other one."

"You think she's really, really pretty, do you?" I ask and Kyle nods, "So do I buddy, I think she's beautiful. Can everyone uncover their ears now?" He nods and pulls at his sister's hands to let her know she can return to the conversation, while Reese indicates to the girls that they can do the same. "Could you hear what the secret was guys?" I ask.

"Nope." Answers Carly.

"I heard something about dinosaurs in space. Is that right?" Asks Spencer with a small smile.

"Oh no buddy, she heard your secret, what are we going to do?"

"Tickle her or timeout." Exclaims Kyle.

I spin around on my chair and smirk at the lanky brunette, "Sorry Harry, you heard the little man." I give her a small smile, "It's either I tickle you." I wink, "Or it's timeout for you, so you can't tell anyone."

"But Reese got to hear it." Spencer argues.

"She's my friend and she took me to the park to play basketball, I think you're really, really pretty, but Lex thinks you're beautiful."

"I think that's enough from you mister." I turn around and look to Spencer, "Off to timeout Harry, unless you want me to tickle you."

The brunette leans down and whispers in my ear, I feel her warm breath on my neck and I freeze, "Maybe if we didn't have an audience." Spencer stands up, "I'll be on the bed in timeout if anyone needs me. It was nice to meet you Carly and you too Kyle, you handsome little fellow."

"Five minutes timeout." Says Kyle as he waves at Spencer who turns around and heads over to the bed.

"That was nice of Reese to take you to play basketball." Comments Aria.

"Reese and I went to the park cruising for ladies too, I'm her wingman." Kyle says proudly.

"Really?" Emily turns to Reese, "You corrupt Carly's little brother for the sake of getting laid, you're unbelievable."

"It's not like that, he has good taste and I was teaching him a few things."

"What would you have to offer?" Hanna asks sceptically.

"Kyle, do you remember anything I told you when we were hanging out?"

The blonde boy on the screen nods quickly, "Girls like it when you smell nice and are a gentleman. I have been washing between my toes and everything when I have a bath."

"Yeah, he takes twice as long now." Carly taps her brother on the shoulder and says, "Tell Reese what you did the other day."

Kyle starts beaming, "I picked some flowers and I made a card for Emma all by myself."

"Oh…look at you with all the moves." Reese chuckles.

"Who is Emma and what did she say when you gave them to her?" Asks Aria with a gentle smile on her face.

"She gave me a hug and said she liked my card and the flowers smelt pretty." Kyle says with a smile on his face.

"Emma is our sister's best friend, a few years younger than me." Adds Carly.

"Someone has a thing for older women." Reese smirks and gives the blonde on the screen a thumbs up.

"She's not as old as Lex so Mum said it's okay if I like her."

"What? I thought I was the only girl in your life." I say feigning shock and I see Carly roll her eyes at me, "I move away, and you've already replaced me."

"You will always be my really, really, really pretty girl Lex. Emma's just really, really pretty."

"I don't know about that, it sounds like you've moved on, giving your kisses and cuddles to someone else." I pout.

"No…these are still for you." I can't help but break out into a smile when Kyle blows me a kiss followed by a wink.

"Aww thanks buddy."

"I taught him that." Reese says proudly.

"Are you corrupting that sweet boy?" Emily questions Reese.

"No, I just gave him helpful tips."

"What's this time's tip?" Kyle asks the older blonde.

"Show me how big your guns are now." Reese says and pulls up her sleeve and flexes, Kyle copies her, "Oh good, you have strong arms, ladies like it when you open the door for them with your big muscles." Reese winks and Kyle smiles wide, "Shows them you are a gentleman."

"Lucky I got big muscles, next time Emma comes over, I can open the door for her."

"Kyle, Mum just called out to you."

"I gotta go, bye Lex's friends." Kyle waves to the girls behind me, "Bye Reese."

"Bye." Reese waves at Kyle.

"Bye Lex, I love you."

"I love you too buddy, now go on, you don't want to keep your mum waiting." Kyle blows me another kiss before he turns to run out of the room.

"He was so cute." Says Emily.

"I didn't think it was cute when I was put in time out." Spencer says from the bed, "Okay, it kind of was." She chuckles.

"I think it's adorable Kyle has a crush on you Lex." Says Aria and I smile at the petite brunette.

"He's always had a thing for Lex, I think he's a bit of a boobs man." Jokes Carly.

"I know someone else who is a lover of boobs, am I right Axel?" Reese nudges me and I roll my eyes at the blonde.

"That may be true, but if I was to pick a physical attribute it would be eyes, I'm a sucker for gorgeous eyes, but ultimately personality is number one for me."

"How old is Kyle?"

"He will be eight later in the year."

"He reminds me so much of Mike when he was that age."

"Mike's cute too."

"Eww Han, he's my little brother."

"What? I just said I think he's cute, I didn't say I'm going to date him." Hanna says in defence.

"Good, it would be weird for you to date my brother."

"Time out is over Harry." I look over to Spencer on the bed and she is holding Batman in her lap. I feel myself getting anxious again, but I soon forget Spencer holding Batman when I hear Carly speak.

"Lex had a crush on my sister."

"What?!" I cry out as I nearly topple off my chair from spinning around so quickly.

"She got you good Axel." I hear Reese chuckling behind me.

I scowl at the brunette on the screen and she just laughs, "Screw you Monte, she's straight as an arrow and I wouldn't go there anyway, she's your sister. Between you and Reese I've had enough of being picked on today." I fold my arms across my chest and lean back in my chair.

"Boo hoo Lexo." Chuckles Carly, "Gives me more time to get to know your friends anyway or maybe I'll just tell them embarrassing stories about you."

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" The brunette on the screen smirks.

"Nope. You'd rather tell them about Brumby and what she got up to in good old Forbes during her visit."

"Oh, I've got some stories alright."

I hear a knock at my door, "Come in." I call out and the door quickly opens, and my grandmother enters the room.

"I don't mean to interrupt you girls but – oh, hello Carly." Gran waves at the brunette on the screen.

"Hey Mrs Clarke." Carly waves back and smiles.

"Now, Cookie." Gran looks to Reese, "Would you be a dear and help me pull out the Murphy bed for the girls?"

"Sure Gran. If I'm not back, I'll catch ya later Cadbury."

"Finally, I was so sick of seeing your mug Fish. Bye Mrs Clarke, say hi to Mr Clarke for me please."

Gran smiles and gives a big wave to the laptop, "Of course sweetie, you look after yourself."

"I will." The brunette on the screen smiles and waves, "Now Fish is gone, I can actually meet your new friends. So, Hanna is the one you tried to pick up at the café?"

"What? No."

"Oh, it was Spencer that you wanted to get with?"

I feel my cheeks burning, "I hadn't even met Spencer and I didn't want to get with Hanna, if you have to know, I ran into her while I was umm…not looking where I was going."

"Yeah you were too busy having a perv on…" Carly takes a moment to think, "You in the blue shirt. Sorry, I don't remember your name."

"Emily and how did you know it was me?" Emily asks Carly.

"It was between you and Ariel. I already know who Spencer is and Blondie was obvious."

"It's Aria." I interject, "And yes fine, I was too busy checking out Emily to know what was going on around me." I feel my cheeks burning.

Hanna chuckles, "Em is hot, so I don't blame you Lex." And now Emily begins to blush, "But you didn't need to spill my coffee down my front to get her attention."

"Damn Blondie, you figured me out." I chuckle.

"I knew it was your plan all along." Jokes Hanna, "That's why you had your jersey in your trunk to lend me."

"So, what happened?" Asks Carly as she turns to the blonde.

"I was talking to Em at the counter and got my coffee, I turned around to leave and Lex walked straight into me, spilling my coffee all down my front."

"I replaced it."

"Yes, you did, you were very polite about it."

"Of course she did, Lex is just like that, I've seen her walk into a doorway and apologise." Carly chuckles and I shrug knowing I've done it more than once, "Did Lexo put the moves on you?" The brunette asks as she smirks at me.

Hanna looks to me and seems to be thinking, "I will admit there was a little bit of flirting, but I don't think so. According to Em, Lex has eyes for someone else."

"Is that right? Any ideas on who?" I narrow my eyes at Carly and she gives me a small smirk.

"I have an idea, but I don't want to say yet. I might scare them off." States Hanna as she gives me a small smile.

"Okay, I won't push you for answers. Are any of you girls hooked up?"

I see the girls look around and shake their heads, "No, we're all currently single." Answers Spencer.

"Any of you straight as a circle like Lexo?"

"Em and –"

"Lex." Interjects Spencer.

"Yeah, Em was the token gay in our group until Lex came along." Hanna turns around to face the brunette on the bed and mouths 'sorry'.

"What do think of Lex then?"

"Me?" Asks Emily.

"Yeah, and I guess Fish too."

"I think Lex is a really nice person, she seems cool, as for the Jackass…"

"Rubbed you up the wrong way already? That doesn't surprise me in the slightest."

"We have Han to pull her into line though, don't we?" Spencer says, and I chuckle as I look to the blonde and hold up my hand for a high five which she quickly gives me.

"Fish will end up growing on you, like a barnacle." Carly chuckles, "Nah, she isn't that bad once you get to know her." I nod in agreement.

"Maybe you just built up a tolerance to her antics." Suggests Spencer.

I shrug, "That's plausible Harry."

"Are you already missing Lex, Carly?"

"Yeah, nah for sure."

"Umm is that a no?" Asks an almost timid petite brunette.

"It's a yes Ar."

Hanna raises an eyebrow at Spencer, "How do you know that?"

"Lex taught me yesterday while we were shopping." Spencer says from the bed.

"That I did." I look over my shoulder and smile at the lanky brunette who returns it with a cute lopsided smile and I feel myself staring.

"I miss the nerd already." Admits Carly, I clear my throat and return my gaze to the screen, "I just have to suck it up and get used to it though." I see the brunette sigh, "You Americans have my best friend for who knows how long."

"We'll take good care of her, won't we Spence." Aria says addressing the brunette on the bed.

"What? Yes, of course."

"She'll be right Monte, I'll come back out next summer."

"Winter." Corrects the brunette.

"Yeah I'll come out next winter to see everyone."

"You better or…" Carly leans down, disappearing off screen and pops back up with a thong in her hand, "I'll come over there and give you a good thongin'." She threatens, and I crack up.

"I'd like to see you try." I say through chuckles.

"Pay for my ticket and it'll happen for sure."

"Pfft…as if I would pay for you to come over to physically assault me."

"I'll get Fish to pay for my ticket then, we can hang out after I tan your hide." Chuckles Carly.

"Yep, you keep telling yourself that mate, you couldn't kick my arse if I had one hand tied behind my back. I guess you could trick Brumby into paying for your ticket by saying that you want to try her suggestion, she'll probably fly you out first class."

"Whatever." Carly shakes her head.

"Hmm, I wonder if she would take me to New York shopping then…"

"Hanna!" Cries Spencer.

"Just dangle some bait in front of her and she will swallow it, it's another reason why I call her Fish."

"Monte!"

"But good luck trying to get money out of her, she's a tight arse." Says the brunette on the screen, "Enough about Fish, what year are you girls in at school?"

"We will be juniors when school starts." Answers Emily, "The same as Lex."

"That's cool you're going to be in the same year. You can help Lexo not flunk year eleven then."

"I'm sure Spence can help her, if she can help me not fail my classes then she can help Lex." Says Hanna, "Spencer is a total nerd, so she will love having another nerd to do homework with."

"Well I doubt Jackass will be helping Lex with homework. I have a feeling the only homework she is interested in is biology and I don't think it's a part of the school curriculum."

"Sounds like Fish, looking to get the V rather than worrying about getting a D." I have a chuckle at Carly's joke.

"Nah she does care about school, but she does like to chase tail, I'll give her that. Speaking of Brumby, I think I might go find her, most likely in the kitchen stuffing her face with Gran's cookies."

Emily looks at me surprised, "Would she still have room after eating all that pizza?" I nod.

"Run along then Lexo so I can tell these girls about you, all the embarrassing stuff too."

"Whatever Monte, just behave." I say as I stand up and head for the door, "I shouldn't be too long."

"I'm sure we will be fine Lexus. Won't we girls?"

I look around and see the girls all nodding, so I walk out the door.

---

I head down the hallway to the guest bedrooms, looking in both bedrooms I don't find the blonde or Gran, so I head downstairs. I peek into the living room as I walk down the stairs but still no sign of Reese. She must be in the kitchen, I walk into the kitchen to find Gran and Reese sitting at the kitchen island having a cup of tea and of course Reese has a plate of cookies in front of her, "Did you work her hard Gran?"

"Cookie was very helpful, she pulled down the Murphy bed for two of the girls in the guest bedroom and replaced the light globe in your parent's room and one of the living room lights too. They went out while she was gone."

"So, you thought you would reward yourself with a plate of Gran's cookies instead of coming back to my room?"

"Don't forget my tea." Says the blonde as she holds up her cup of tea, "And I thought you would like some time without me and Cadbury ganging up on you. Gran and I are catching up too, so it's not like I am actively avoiding your room."

"I was just telling Cookie that she can't wear this shirt outside the house, and not to let her mother see it unless she wants a swift kick up the backside."

"I wouldn't have bought it for myself because of Mère, it was a present from Cadbury and that's why I'm wearing it to bed."

"Speaking of Carly, you can go back to Pumpkin and her friends Cookie, don't feel like I'm keeping you here."

"You're not Gran, I just thought that Axel might want some time without me in the room that's all." Reese says looking to the older woman sitting on the stool beside her before turning her attention to me, "I could tell you were getting a little antsy during the call, so I didn't want to add to that." Reese says earnestly.

"It's not like that Brumby, it's not you, just some of the topics of conversation."

"I might leave you two girls to it, it seems like you have some talking to do while the others aren't around." Gran slides off her stool and gives us both a hug and kiss on the cheek, "Don't forget to go say goodnight to Gramps before you head back up." She says before heading towards the living room with her cup of tea.

"We will, goodnight Gran."

"Night Gran." I say before she rounds the corner to the living room, "You noticed I was getting uncomfortable, do you think the others did?"

"Alex, I know that you are uncomfortable before you do, I don't think the other girls noticed."

I look to the blonde and give her a small smile, "That's true, you've picked up on my mood changes quite a few times."

Reese smiles at me, "So what is really making you uncomfortable?" She asks gently.

I look down at my hands on the kitchen island, "I don't know, I guess it could be because I saw Spencer handling Batman." I look up to the blonde, "You know how I get about him. But also, Monte dropping hints and saying stuff about Spencer. I felt like everyone could tell…" I say softly.

"Come here." Reese turns on the stool and beckons me over to her, she pulls me in and hugs me when I get close enough, "Carly is only teasing cause she loves you and is probably missing you." She says as she rubs my back.

"She did say she misses me already. I just don't want everyone to know that I like Spencer, I don't know for sure she likes me like that or if she would even want to be with me if she does."

"Alex, I don't think any of those girls upstairs would tease you about liking Spencer, she is their friend, they would be teasing her by pointing it out."

"No, I just don't want attention brought to how I feel in case she doesn't feel the same." I look at the blonde when we separate, "And if she does, I don't want that pressure of her friends knowing how we feel about each other and pushing for us to get together. It's what happened with Kirsty and I don't want that to happen again."

I see Reese chewing on her bottom lip, she must be mulling over her response rather than just blurting out her first thought which I appreciate, "Look, I am the last person to be handing out relationship advice, but I don't think Maganda, Cutie and Angel are like that, they haven't said anything all afternoon."

"I know, I guess I'm just letting my anxiety get the better of me, it's just so nerve wracking having to get to know four new people, especially when you like one of them."

"No one said that you have to ask her out today, tonight, tomorrow or even next week. Just get to know all of them, they all seem to be nice girls."

"I want to get to know them all, they're great girls." I look down at my feet, "Stupid social anxiety…" I mutter, "And I catch myself watching Spencer…then I get flustered."

"Well if it gets too much you can always go for a walk out of the room and I will talk to them to keep them entertained. You know how many stories of injuries I have."

"I could leave and go back to Australia before you're finished with your injuries and their stories." I chuckle.

"All the more pretty ladies for me." She smirks.

"I wouldn't do that to those poor girls up there."

"Ha ha, you are so funny." She says sarcastically, "You wouldn't know what to do with four girls anyway."

"Oh, and you would?" I quirk an eyebrow, "I would rather one girl who I can give my full attention to anyway."

"Who says I haven't?" She shrugs nonchalantly, "I know that it is not your style, you are a one lady type."

I burst out laughing, "Oh come on. Pull the other one Brumby."

"Okay so three is maximum." The blonde smirks and rolls her eyes playfully.

"Pics or it didn't happen. No wait, I take that back, I don't want to see." I shudder at the thought of Reese taking post sex selfies with her conquests.

Reese chuckles, "Yeah you learnt that the hard way." She winks, and I roll my eyes, "You feel any better?"

"Yeah I do, you always know how to help me, no matter the problem." I smile.

"That is what twinnies are for." Reese ruffles my hair.

"Damn it Brumby, do you always have to do that?" I say as I swat her hand away, "You know I hate it when you touch my hair."

"Just making sure that you really are okay." She chuckles, "You want me to fix it?"

My eyes widen, "Stay away from the hair." I try to shield my hair with my hands and arms.

"You are worse than Tara with her hair, how did I end up with two sisters who are so precious about their hair?"

"Take that back Brumby, I'm nowhere near as bad as Angelica, I take ten minutes max."

"I take thirty seconds." She raises an eyebrow at me.

"Only because you don't give two fucks about your hair."

"Hey, I do care that it is out of my face and is neat." Reese says, I raise an eyebrow, "Fine. Mostly neat…" She shrugs, "Come on, we should go get Gramps with twin kisses before he goes to bed." Reese says as she slides off her stool.

"Let's go then, he's probably already 'resting his eyes' in his den."

"I am not carrying him to bed because he complained that he slept in his chair. We will give him a Hurricane Rex to wake him up."

---

Reese and I walk towards Gramps' den, when we reach his open door, we crouch against the wall in preparation of entering the room.

"Emu prepare for the mission, radio silence is needed to complete this mission." Whispers Reese as she pokes her head around the doorframe to see Gramps' current location and gives me a thumbs up. I look behind us when I hear a noise, to see Gran standing in the living room doorway shaking her head. She knows exactly what we're up to so doesn't give us away to Gramps, Gran zips her lips with her fingers and walks back into the living room.

"Radio silence effective now Kangaroo." I reply to Reese who uses two fingers to point to the door, then she drops her hand to indicate that we crawl across the floor to reach the target on his chair. I nod, and she drops to the ground and enters the den. I soon follow, and we separate to go either side of Gramps' arm chair. When we reach the back of the chair Reese signals for me to hold and wait for her signal when we hear the chair move and Gramps groans. After a few seconds Reese gives me the go ahead and we pop up onto our knees and quickly give Gramps a big wet kiss on our respective cheeks.

He groans, "Oh no, it's the dreaded Hurricane Rex." We keep kissing his cheeks until he grabs us and pulls us into gentle headlocks, "What am I going to do with you two? Any ideas?"

"You could always let us go." I suggest.

"Don't give in Alex." Reese says as she playfully tries to get out of the headlock.

"Answer me one question girls and you will be set free."

"What?" Reese asks

"Who's the greatest Gramps in the world?" I ask knowing full well what the question is, it hasn't changed in a decade, so I highly doubt it will change tonight.

"Good question, but no. Who is the best superhero?"

"Nooooo…" I cry

"Just say it Alex." Reese says.

"Ugh, fine…Superman." I say, and Gramps lets me free.

"Superman." Reese is let free from Gramps' hold too.

"Batman is the best superhero." I cry as I run from Gramps' den.

"No, Black Widow is." Yells Reese as she follows suit.

"That's not even the right universe Kyle." I hear Gramps call after Reese.

"Night Gramps." We both call out as we run down the hallway and wave to Gran on our way up the stairs.

Reese stops at the top of the stairs, "Leave Cadbury to me." The blonde smirks before she walks to my bedroom door and opens it.

---

Reese and I enter my bedroom to see five sets of eyes on us and I instantly feel anxious again. Reese and I share a look and she takes the lead, "Looks like you have been blabbing about us Cadbury." The tall blonde looks to the brunette on screen as she moves to take a seat on the end of my bed, "Did Cadbury tell you ladies about how her and I pretended to be a couple to get Axel some action?" I walk over to the bed and sit next to Spencer at the head of the bed, while Reese makes herself comfortable at the end of the bed with Aria and Emily.

I see Carly freeze with a look of shock on her face, she soon regains her composure and cries out, "Hey!"

"What? We did."

"Why? Was she any good?" Asks Hanna as she looks between Carly and Reese.

"Umm Han, you've kissed her too." Says Aria looking at the shorter blonde.

I see the blonde take a moment to think, "Yeah, but I want to hear Carly's opinion on Donkey's kissing abilities."

"What was it you said Cadbury?" Reese smirks, "Second best kisser? That I only lost points because of the lack of pash rash." The blonde raises an eyebrow, "I'm sorry that I don't have a stubble beard like Zack."

"Actually, Lex is a better kisser." I feel everyone's eyes on me again and I begin to blush.

"I knew it!" Exclaims an excited Hanna who is pointing a finger at me while spinning slowly on the desk chair, "I knew you two had something after I saw that picture on your phone Lex."

Carly and I chuckle, "Blondie, I hate to disappoint but Monte and I, we've never been a 'thing'. We've kissed a few times, a couple of times to snap me out of a trance and the other time was a drunken dare."

"How the hell does Axel beat me?"

"Lex knows how to keep her hands to herself. When we kissed at that party, I will admit we got handsy, but it was mutual and not over the top like you."

"What can I say, I had to make it look authentic and I'm a method actress."

"She couldn't see behind us Fish, so your hand should not have been on my arse."

"Oh well, it got you to open your mouth." The blonde smirks.

"What did you do to the poor girl Jenny?"

I see Reese looking around at the girls before she stands and walks over to Hanna, "You're of similar height to Cadbury." Reese holds out her hand to the shorter blonde, "Do you mind Cutie?"

Hanna takes Reese's hand and is pulled to her feet and into the taller blonde, poor Hanna still looks confused.

"Are you ready?"

"Huh?"

"I grabbed her, pulled her close." Reese pulls the shorter blonde into her body, "And kissed her passionately before I…" The taller blonde dips Hanna who instinctively wraps her arms around her neck, "Dipped her in my arms." I watch with the rest of the girls as the two blondes are nose to nose. I roll my eyes when Reese brings Hanna back to her original standing position and the shorter blonde is still holding onto Reese. "That look about right Cadbury?" The whole time Reese is using her Australian accent.

"Yep, if it wasn't for the obvious lack of a kiss and the hand on the arse."

"No, that was still there." Hanna says meekly as she begins to blush as she steps back from the taller blonde and she takes a seat in between Emily and Aria on the bed.

"What the hell Brumby?" I scowl at the blonde when she sits down on the desk chair.

"My hand must have a mind of its own." Reese says with a smirk.

"Fucksake…" I mutter.

Aria speaks up, "I don't understand how you do that."

"Do what?" Reese asks, playing dumb.

"You know exactly what, making Han melt like that." Says Aria.

"I'm smooth like Nutella."

"Nutella? It's peanut butter Jackass."

"She's extremely white so maybe Fluff." Spencer suggests from beside me, I turn and give her a smile and chuckle.

"Nope, I'm Nutella, it tastes better, and who doesn't like Nutella?"

I see the brunette on the screen turn and look towards her door, "Yeah I'll be there in a minute." She calls out before turning back to the screen, "I've had a ball meeting you chicks, but I have to get going, Kyle has soccer training and I promised I would go with him."

"Oh yeah I forget about that. It was good to be able to catch up and for you to meet my friends Monte."

"Yeah definitely, we need to make a time to do it again, I've still got so much to tell your new friends about you Lexo."

"Don't start with that Monte, you've said enough so far." I chuckle as I stand up and walk over to my desk and the laptop, "You go and cheer on Kyle and we will talk to you another time."

"It was nice to meet you all, one piece of advice, don't fall for Fish's shit." Carly smirks at the blonde who cries out.

"Don't try and turn them against me just because they like me more than you."

I shake my head, "Pfft, yeah right Brumby."

Carly and the girls share pleasantries before I end the call and close my laptop.

---

I walk back to sit at the head of my bed with Spencer when I hear Aria say, "Aww that's a cute teddy bear you've got there Spence." She looks to the black-fur teddy bear in Spencer's lap.

"Yep, be careful Spencer you're holding a very important guy, his name is Batman and he was originally Brumby's." I know I was watching Spencer with a cautious eye as she handled my teddy bear while we were skyping with Carly. I always feel a pang of anxiety when someone touches him, to most people it's just a teddy bear but to me he's one of my most important possessions.

"Why Batman?" Spencer asks me curiously .

"Brumby called him that." I reply.

"Yep. I got him when I was three after Ra and I swapped rooms and I called him that because he is black like what Batman wears. He was my absolute favourite stuffed toy and when we were seven he found a new home with Axel." Says Reese as she smiles at me.

"You had to swap rooms because you flooded the en-suite in your old room."

"I was three, I just did what was expected of me."

"Did you steal him Lex?" Asks Spencer as she places the teddy bear on the bed between us and I pick him up and sit him in my lap.

"What? No, I wouldn't steal Brumby's favourite stuffed toy. She gave him to me willingly, didn't you Brumby?" I look over to the blonde who is now sitting at my desk to confirm.

"Willingly? Pfft, the convict stole him, smuggled him back to Australia in her suitcase, I have been heartbroken over it ever since." Says Reese with a look of hurt on her face.

"You're so full of shit Brumby, tell the truth."

"Fine." Reese rolls her eyes at me, "It was the second time Axel and her parents had come to visit and like Gran said earlier, Axel and I would sleep together every night, but only after Gramps read us Peter Pan of course. I don't know how it happened, but every night Batman would end up in Axel's arms not mine when we woke up. I knew she grew attached to him and he was a comfort of sorts for her. I remember the first time I let Axel hold him, the first time she came to visit she fell over and skinned her knee, it was bleeding pretty bad, so of course six-year-old Axel was crying, probably would today too." Reese smirks at me and I just shake my head, "She was almost as white as me when she saw the blood." I hear a few chuckles from the girls, "I told her to hold onto Batman while I went to find an adult. I came back with Aunt Julia in tow and Axel had stopped crying and was holding Batman to her chest and snuggling into his fur. When it came time for them to leave after their second visit Gramps and Gran took me with them to say goodbye at the airport and I had taken Batman with me like I normally would."

"Brumby took him everywhere with her." I add.

"I was standing there as we were saying goodbye and I looked down at Batman then at Axel and said, 'Axel you can take Batman to Australia with you, so you don't forget me, Mère said that I am not allowed to go to your house with you.' I was really devastated about that by the way."

I chuckle, "Yeah, we tried to see if Brumby would fit in a suitcase, but Angelica caught us and blabbed."

"Yeah, I thought she would have been happy to get rid of me for a while, but she must have known she was going to miss me. Anyway, I told Axel that Batman would keep her safe from the monsters under the bed and in the closet in Australia, like he did here but she had to bring him back next Christmas because he would get lonely if she left him home alone while she was here."

"Aww that's so cute." Coos Hanna as she smiles at the both of us, "Who knew Donkey was such a softie?"

"Yeah, she can be on rare occasions, she's usually just a bit of a tool."

"Hey!" Cries Reese and I soon see a stress ball hurtling towards my face, but Spencer quickly catches it and drops it on the bed, smirking at Reese.

"Thanks Harry."

"You shouldn't have stopped it Charlie, it wouldn't have hurt, might have actually made some improvements." Reese laughs as I scowl at her.

"Shut your face Brumby." I hold Batman out for Spencer, "Do you mind Harry?" The brunette shakes her head and takes the bear and I pick up the stress ball, "And her name is Spencer." I say as I throw the stress ball back at Reese who catches it easily.

"God, you throw like your arm is a wet noodle Axel." The blonde teases.

I look beside me, and Spencer is chuckling as she is inspecting the black-fur teddy bear in her lap, "I was going to ask before, what's with the shirt and is this a cape?" She asks as she flaps Batman's cape, "Hmm, is it a coincidence it has a C and it's our school district colours?"

"Yes, it's a cape and no it's not a coincidence. Batman has nearly always had a cape, but it got ripped a few years after I got him, so when Reese was made captain of the boy's district basketball team she had Mavis replace the cape with the one he has now. It was made with Reese's basketball singlet that's why there is a C on it. Brumby was the first girl to be made captain of the boy's district team."

"Really?" Emily says surprised.

"Yeah." Reese says blushing slightly, "I was selected from the school team for the boy's district team. I guess they didn't realise that I was a girl because of my name until it was too late, so they had to let me play."

"Yeah, I know what that is like…they tried to put me on the boy's district hockey team." Says Spencer with a nod to Reese as she passes me my teddy bear.

"What about the shirt?" Asks Emily.

"Oh, Mavis made from that from Brumby's first Marine Corps dress uniform shirt when she outgrew it. She even made sure to keep Cadet Hawke on it. See?" I point out the name on the bear's chest.

"That's really sweet that you personalised the teddy bear so much." Says Aria.

"Well I know if Axel lived here she would have been on the team with me, and maybe even joined the Marine Corps Cadets with me too, so it was my way of including her."

"It's still a really nice gesture for you to do that."

"Yeah, it was. It made me feel close even though we were on opposite sides of the earth." Reese and I share a look and she knows I'm feeling anxious, so she gives me the slightest of nods.

"Did you give Donkey anything in return?" Hanna asks.

"I couldn't give her anything at the airport, but the next year I brought Brumby a stuffed koala I had since I was little, so we traded. After Mavis made Batman his new cape I went home and the next visit I brought over a piece of material that I had tie dyed into an aboriginal design. Mavis then turned it into a shirt for the koala."

"The koala has a name." Reese says raising her eyebrow at me, "Blinky Bill."

"Why is it called that?" Asks a curious Spencer.

"There is an Australian cartoon character called Blinky Bill, he is a koala that gets into mischief all the time." Reese says.

"That sounds like you." Emily smirks at the tall blonde as she stands up from my desk chair and plonks herself beside me on the bed.

"If you've had the bear since you were seven, I assume he would have been there for you through a lot." Says Aria.

"He definitely has been there for me. He was like a security blanket for me growing up, I would hug him tight and remember what Reese told me." I can't stop myself from thinking back to all those nights I've cried myself to sleep with Batman in my tight embrace and I feel the anxiety increasing with every passing second. Reese picks up on it and taps my leg and I drop my hand into my lap, she takes my hand in hers and place our hands between us on the bed and squeezes my hand gently. I just hope no one noticed, I really don't want to have to explain why I'm so anxious.

"Batman would protect Alex in my place if I wasn't there."

"Are you seriously a cadet? Are you going into the army after you graduate?" Emily asks.

"Yes ma'am, I was a cadet from eleven until I turned eighteen, but no I will not be joining the military after school, I made Mère a promise that I wouldn't have a job where I would be putting myself in harm's way like that. Joining cadets was a compromise between Mère and myself."

"The most any of us have done like that is Em and Mona being in Brownies."

"I'm pretty sure me being in Brownies pales in comparison to Reese being in the Marine Corp Cadets though."

"Yeah. You really like Batman, don't you Lex." Notes Hanna as I see her eying my Batman canvas set, hanging on the wall.

"You should see Axel's collection of comics stashed under her bed, but that has nothing on Gramps' collection, it's huge, hundreds if not thousands of comics down in his den."

After a few minutes of Reese holding my hand and trying to deflect any questions directed at me I start to feel myself calming down, I look up from fidgeting with Batman's cape when I hear my name, "Lex I think I've finally got a nickname for you." I see Hanna holding a picture frame, "Because you're so cute, I was thinking Lexie." Smiles the blonde.

My blood runs cold, I feel my heart beat stop for a moment before rapidly beating again, almost out of my chest and my breathing becomes shallow. The room becomes silent and all I can hear is 'it' saying that name. I feel my stomach churning and I hear a faint voice, I look up to see a pair of grey eyes looking at me, filled with concern, "Huh?" I ask as I'm pulled out of my daze.

The blonde repeats herself and squeezes my hand, "You okay Alex?" I just blink at Reese who raises an eyebrow urging me to answer her.

"Yeah…" I scoot down the bed and hop off, "I just need some air…" I give Spencer a weak smile as I walk past her heading for the door.

---

I leave the room in a daze, almost on auto pilot and I soon find myself sitting on the edge of the pool with my feet in the water when I hear someone behind me, "Lex?" I turn to see a lanky brunette leaning down beside me, a gentle smile on her face, "Do you mind if I sit with you? I understand if you want to be left alone."

I can't find my voice, so I just pat the tiles and Spencer takes that as an invitation and sits dangling her feet into the water beside me and I look down at my lap and the black-fur teddy bear in my hands. "I didn't even know I brought him with me."

"I saw you clutching Batman in your arms when you walked out, I knew something was up when you had that same look you had at the Brew. You don't have to if you don't want to, but I'm here for you if you need to talk. Or we can just sit here in silence if that's what you would prefer."

I bring Batman to my chest and hold him tight, resting my chin on the top of his head, "I'm sorry you felt you had to follow me out here, you can go back inside to the others. I'll be fine out here on my own."

"Lex." the brunette places her hand on my thigh, I flinch, and she pulls it back, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

I turn and smile a small smile, "It's okay Spencer, I'm just a little jumpy at the moment, it's nothing against you."

Spencer smiles and puts her hand in between us on the edge of the pool, "Is everything okay Lex? You've seemed really tense ever since I picked up that guy there." Spencer points to Batman.

"Umm he's like a companion teddy." I nuzzle my nose into the soft fur.

"Companion teddy?" Asks the curious brunette beside me.

I turn and look Spencer directly in the eyes, "Do you promise you won't say anything to anyone else? I need you to promise me."

"Of course Lex, you can tell me anything."

My stomach begins to churn as I think of how much I'm going to reveal to the brunette. "Well Reese gave me Batman because I have anxiety and sometimes have panic attacks and nightmares." I continue to hold Batman close to my chest while I place my hand down in between Spencer and myself. I feel my fingertips brush the back of Spencer's hand and she turns to look at me with a sympathetic smile, I return a small smile before looking out at the water.

"So, is that what was happening at the Brew and just then?" Asks Spencer gently, "You could feel an attack coming on?" I feel her eyes on me, so I turn to her, and she is watching me closely.

"Yeah I could feel it beginning, so luckily Brumby pulled me out of it before I said or did something stupid."

"May I ask what you would have done or said?"

"Punched something, most likely." I say honestly.

"Oh Lex. I'm so sorry, panic attacks are horrible."

"The flashbacks are worse." I mutter to myself.

Spencer looks at me again while shifting her weight and ducking her head trying to catch my gaze, finally we lock eyes, "Flashbacks? Is that what you just said?" She asks softly.

"Did I say that out aloud?" The brunette nods and I frown, "Of course I bloody did." I let out a heavy sigh as I look down at our hands, our pinkies so close to touching, "Yes Spencer, I get flashbacks, but I don't want to talk about it, it's in the past, I'm sorry." My heart is racing as I reach out my pinkie and touch hers, she flinches slightly at the sudden contact but doesn't move her hand, so I move mine over and link our pinkie fingers.

I look up at the brunette who has a faint smile on her lips as she is looking up at the night sky. "I'm not going to pressure you into talking about it, just know I'm here for you if you do need to talk." A few minutes pass, "Lexus."

"Hmm?"

"What are your thoughts on extra-terrestrial life?"

"Well that's random, asking me about aliens, but I see what you're trying to do Harry."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have the faintest idea of what you're talking about, I'm just curious to know your stance on extra-terrestrials."

"I didn't mean to snap at you Spencer, but I have bad panic attacks and I can sometimes black out for a few minutes at a time, it's not something I want everyone to know. And before you ask, yes Hanna saying Lexie is what upset me, it's a trigger of mine. So, I would appreciate it if you don't ever call me that."

Spencer squeezes my pinkie tight, "I wouldn't dream of telling anyone about this conversation and I wouldn't call you that after you've just finished saying it's a trigger for your panic attacks."

"Thanks." I say as I look down at our hands and smile, Spencer follows my lead and then gives me a crooked smile when she catches me looking at her, "You're only the third person to know about them, Reese, Carly and now you."

"I'm really sorry that I have intruded on two very personal moments today, earlier with you playing guitar and singing and now while you were trying to calm yourself."

"It's okay, I don't mind you being here, but I guess we should probably head back inside, I'm not a very good sleepover host running out like that."

"Don't worry about it. You were uncomfortable and were in the beginning of a panic attack, so I don't blame you for leaving."

"Do you mind?" I ask the brunette as I hold out Batman, "I don't want to risk him getting wet." Spencer smiles as she takes him in her hand and I take my hand to stand, I then extend my hand out for Batman. Once I have him back in my possession I hold out my other hand for Spencer to take, I pull her up to her feet and we just stand there for a moment, her hand in mine, I look down and lock our pinkie fingers again. "Is this okay?" I ask looking up into soft brown eyes, Spencer smiles and begins to walk to the back door.

"Reese is probably telling the girls that she is the reason the Real Love Waits Club folded because the president was caught in a compromising position with her." Jokes Spencer.

"Well actually, that would be a true story. Reese was the one who she was caught with, and the Vice President." I say honestly as we reach the sliding back door and open it, allowing Spencer to enter first.

"Really?"

"The president was Winona and Christie was the vice president?"

"Yeah…"

"Oh, piece of advice, don't ever believe Reese when she says she is sending you a picture of a cat, it's not the type of cat you want to see." I chuckle when I see Spencer blush, "She thought it would be funny to send me a selfie with them right after. Said she had to show me the two cats who thought she was the cream."

Spencer just chuckles, "Well, she is pretty pale." I have a laugh as we reach the stairs, but I don't ascend them yet.

"Spencer." The brunette stops on the first step and looks back down at me, "Reese will have been covering for me while we were gone. She will have most likely made up some story to tell the girls as a reason why I reacted badly, so could you just go with it?" Spencer nods, "She has always been covering for me, even with my own family. I'm ashamed to say it but I have lashed out at Reese before. Something happened when we were younger, and I had a full-blown attack, she touched me to calm me down, but I lashed out. I guess my elbow connected with her cheek or something and I snapped out of it, then she had to try to convince me it was okay. The next day when she came over she had a bruise on her cheek, I knew I was the reason and I felt terrible. I then found out that she told her parents that she was showing me a basketball trick and bounced the ball too hard and it hit her in the face. She took total blame because she didn't want me to get in any trouble or have to explain to our families what had happened. Reese didn't have to do that, but she was trying to protect me I guess, and she has been covering for me ever since with the likes of bruised knuckles and a broken lamp."

"It sounds like she really cares about you and your welfare." I just nod as we start making our way up the stairs, we walk up the stairs in silence, our pinkies still linked. When we reach my bedroom door Spencer turns to look at me and takes my hand in hers, "You can do this Lex, no one will be judging you, the girls aren't like that. Come here." The brunette lets go of my hand and opens her arms for a hug, I give her a small smile before I take a step forward and feel myself being enveloped in her embrace, "It will be okay I promise, if not we can go and hang by the pool again, I don't mind, I like having you all to myself anyway." She says as she pulls back and smiles down at me.

"Thanks Spencer, that made me feel a lot calmer." It made my heart race though being in her embrace.

---

xAGx

I look on the bedside table and spot a picture of a little Alexis standing in the snow between her parents, her cute little nose is tinged red from the cold but she has a huge grin, I pick up the picture to show everyone "Lex I think I've finally got a nickname for you" I say excitedly, all eyes turn to me "Because you are so cute, I was thinking Lexie" I smile at the Australian

The colour drains from Lex's face and she has the same look as she had at the Brew

"Alex, you okay?" Reese asks worried, turning to the short brunette sitting next to her

Lex looks glassy-eyed at Reese "Huh?"

"You okay Alex?" Reese repeats concerned, Lex silently blinks at her, Reese raises an eyebrow in question.

"Yeah…" Lex replies before sliding down the bed and standing up "I just need some air…" She says deflated before giving a small weak smile to Spencer then walking away from us out of the bedroom. Spencer gives a small I-got-this smile to Reese, Reese gives a knowing nod to the brunette before Spencer follows Lex

"I didn't mean to upset her…" I say concerned to the taller blonde as Spencer is leaving the room, I feel terrible about accidentally upsetting my new friend. I put the picture back where I found it and I sit down on the side of the bed between Reese and Aria

"It's okay, she knows that" Reese gives me a small reassuring smile, she takes a breath "Alexis was bullied when she was younger" the blonde says looking around the remaining group

"The bullies called her Lexie?" Emily asks

"Yeah, poor Axel had glasses when she was younger, they called her 'Spexie Lexie'. They did it so bad that Aunt Julia, Axel's mom, had to visit the kid's houses to tell their parents about it, to get them to stop" Reese explains looking between us

I look down to my lap "I feel really bad about it…" I say softly letting out a breath

"Hey…" I feel Reese put her hand on my shoulder gently "You didn't know that and Axel does too" Reese says as I look up into her kind grey eyes "How about I help you come up with something?" she gives me a small smile

"You want to help me?" I ask surprised

"Of course" Reese smiles wider "Any friend of Axel is okay in my books"

"I will help too" Emily smiles at me

"Me too Han" Aria smiles

"Thanks guys" I say giving them all a thankful smile "What would be a good nickname?" I tap my chin with my index finger

"Well Spencer calls her Lexus" Emily says "So maybe not something car related"

"And Mr Clarke has a comic related nickname with Luthor" Aria adds

"Gran calls her Pumpkin, so that covers food" Reese says and she starts absentmindedly tapping her thighs with two pens she picked up off the desk

"That is really annoying" I say watching the other blonde, I raise an eyebrow at her

"I am thinking, drumming helps my mind to focus" Reese says and stops hitting her thigh "I will play air drums instead" she smirks and continues to pretend to play the drums. At least she stopped making that annoying noise I guess

Aria stands up looking at the bookshelf "Her name is Lex…" she says out loud "Clarke…" she runs her index finger along the books

"Yeah…?" Reese says puzzled

"Sounds like Clarke and Lexa from…" Aria continues

"The 100" Reese chuckles as she finishes the short brunette's sentence

"Yeah, based on Kass Morgan's book series" Aria nods and grins

"Well both Eliza Taylor and the talented Alycia Debnam-Carey are Australian" Reese says before turning and smirking at Emily when she catches Emily watching her closely as she spins both pens between her fingers of each hand

"I prefer Eliza" Emily says shrugging nonchalantly at Reese, a small smirk on her lips

I look over at Aria who gives me a small smile "They remind me of two people I know who seem to keep butting heads" Aria says before smirking slightly, 'Who is she talking about?' I wonder

"I was thinking that all that sexual tension between them was the same as two who are currently not in the room" Reese says looking over at Aria and raising her left eyebrow "Ow" she raises her hand to the plaster her forehead "I forgot about that…"

"Oh my God, I thought it was just me who noticed that" I say turning to the blonde, I open my mouth to say something else but Emily taps my leg

"Han" Emily says giving me a look and shakes her head 'Oh right, Spencer isn't out to anyone but Aria, Emily, her ex Heather, myself and now Lex.' I close my mouth and hope Reese doesn't say anything about it "Serves you right for trying to show off earlier" Emily says smugly to Reese

"How did you not realise how close you were to the wall?" I ask, keeping the subject off Spencer

Reese glances at Emily before looking back at me "I was distracted…"

I let out a laugh "Em you have had both Lex and Donkey check you out and run into things" I smirk, Aria laughs along with me, Reese and Emily both start to blush

"So what were you saying about Clarke and Lexa Angel?" Reese turns to Aria

Aria smirks at the taller blonde "Lex could have either character's name as a nickname and it would work"

"Calling someone by their last name is such a guy thing to do" Emily says giving a small frown

"Well that makes it easy, Lexa" Aria says "I have my nickname for Lex" she turns and smiles at me

"This is hurting my brain" I say shaking my head

"Well look around Alex's room and don't think about coming up with a nickname" Reese says as she continues to air drum, I must have a puzzled look on my face so she starts to explain "See if something pops into your head that reminds you of her when you spot it"

"Are you sure Lex won't mind Han looking through her things?" Emily asks

"As long as Cutie doesn't break anything she won't mind" Reese shrugs

I stand up and move over to look at the dark blue bookshelf that has doors. A black and white sign at the top of it says 'Police public call Box' "Why does it say police box?" I turn to look at Reese

"It is the TARDIS, from a British science fiction TV show called Doctor Who" Reese says "It is supposed to blend into its surroundings but its chameleon circuit is broken so it is stuck like a 1960's style London Police Box."

"The what?" I ask puzzled

"It is an acronym for, Time And Relative Dimension In Space" Reese says "The TARDIS is a time machine"

"Why didn't you just say a time machine from a nerdy show to start with?" I shake my head at the other blonde

"Because you asked why it said police box, so I answered"

I raise my eyebrow at the blonde "You are a nerd"

Reese blushes slightly "No…" she says shaking her head "Axel has told me that so many times it is permanently imprinted in my brain" she says rolling her eyes, we all chuckle at her

I move over to the other side of the desk and start looking at the things on the shelves. 'Ugh games. Boring' I look at the next shelf with DVDs on it 'Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Lion King, Lilo and Stich, Sword in the Stone….'

"I bet you have something nerdy in your bedroom" I hear Emily say behind me

"Want to come over and see it for yourself Maganda?" Reese flirts "I will give you a tour"

"You really want to get Em over to your house Horsie" Aria chuckles

'Finding Nemo, Mulan' I continue to read through the DVDs 'Oh, Lex is little like Nemo'

"You can come too if you want Angel" Reese flirts

"Nemo" I say turning around to look at the other girls

"Nemo?" Emily says looking at me with a puzzled expression

"My nickname for Lex" I say "She is little and cute like Nemo"

"Sorry Blondie" Reese says shaking her head "My friend Alice calls Axel that" she chuckles

"Why does she call Lex that?" asks Aria

"Well Axel called Alice Bruce, after the shark in…"

"Jaws" Emily finishes her sentence "It is what the film crew called the model" she adds, Reese smiles and nods at her

"Why after a shark when Alice isn't even on the swim team?" I ask confused

Reese chuckles "As in she is a man-eater"

"Why does that not surprise me that your best-friend is a man-eater…?" Emily rolls her eyes and shakes her head

"The shark in Nemo called Bruce is named after the one in Jaws" Aria says

"Yep" Reese nods "So Alice called Axel Sharkbait when we all went out to a party together and of course…"

"Nemo is called Sharkbait in the dentist office fish tank" Emily finishes Reese's sentence

"I give up" I say frustrated and flop back on the bed "I am never going to work one out…"

"You can use my nickname until you come up with one if you like" Reese offers looking at me "No one else can call her that but for you Cutie I will make an exception" she says grinning

"Really?" I say surprised and sit up "You will let me call Lex, Axel?"

"Yeah, us blondes have got to kiss together" Reese says cheerfully "Whoops, I mean stick together" she winks playfully, I feel my cheeks heat up slightly "You did also let me get to second and I haven't told anyone about you trying to slide into third" she says nodding then bites her bottom lip when she realises what she said.

My cheeks burn as both Emily and Aria look surprised at me

"I think you are more than just 'curious' Hanna" Emily says clipped with an unimpressed expression on her face and crossing her arms

"Yeah, you told me it was only a kiss" Aria says raising an eyebrow at me

"Umm…" I look between my friends

We all turn to look at the doorway when we hear footsteps approaching

Lex and Spencer look around at the four of us in the room and exchange a look before Lex says "And she wonders why I left you in charge" she turns to Reese "So what the bloody hell have you gone and done this time?"

"Me?" Reese says shocked "Cutie was the one who went below the belt"

"I thought it was just a kiss Han" Spencer says looking at me puzzled

"Apparently not" Emily says with her arms still crossed

"Why are you so upset Em?" Aria asks

Emily's eyes widen slightly and she sits up straighter before she looks at me "If Hanna is bisexual she should just come out and say it"

I look around five sets of eyes on me, I feel my heartrate increase and my cheeks feel like they are on fire

"She was really drunk at a party" Reese says taking the attention off me "I don't think she would have done any of it if she was sober" she looks at me and gives me a small smile "Everyone in here has probably done something drunk they wouldn't have normally" she looks around at each girl and they all give her a small nod

I let out a relieved breath as my heartbeat slows now I am no longer the centre of attention "Thank you" I whisper in Reese's ear, she puts her hand on my hand which is resting on my knee, giving it a gentle squeeze 'Reese really isn't all bad' I think to myself

"Sorry for being a bad host and taking off like that but I just needed some air." Lex says breaking the moment of silence "Harry came and told me to fill my lungs and get back to the party" she gives Spencer a shy smile "So I dragged my arse back inside and here I am"

"It is okay Lex" Aria says reassuringly, when the Australian enters the room properly with Batman tucked under her arm "Reese explained why, we won't call you that again" she says honestly, Emily nods in agreement

"I am really sorry Lex" I apologise looking into green eyes, hoping she knows I really mean it "Reese said I can call you Axel until I think of my own nickname" I say giving a smile to Lex then turning to the other blonde who winks at me, I feel my cheeks heat up again 'Why does she keep causing me to blush?'

xAGx

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A/N: I really hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter as much as I have writing it. It truly was a collaboration between xAussieGirlx and myself, so I hope you will go and check out her work, My Bestfriend's Cousin, about Emily and an original character, it really is a fantastic story, you will not be disappointed.

As always, please take a moment to leave a review :-) Jarrad

A/N from xAussieGirlx – Thanks for the positive reviews left on the story, it really does help to inspire me to write. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter too, Cheers : ) xAGx