Hello everyone! I'm back! I was so happy with all the wonderful reviews I got on chapter 6! You guys are great! I hope you enjoy this chapter. When I wrote it I was worried it was going to be too short, then it ended up one of the longest yet. Hmm, funny how that works! Okay, April was so excited about doing the disclaimer last time that she now wants to do more. I relented after hours of pestering. April, you're up!

April: Hooray! Okay, I just wanted to say that some of you are getting close to figuring out my past. Now, I'm not allowed to say more, but keep guessing! Both daphrose and I love reading what you think of me! Anywho, my lovely creator daphrose doesn't own Lab Rats. She does own me, and if you don't recognize something, she probably owns that too.

Thanks April. Enjoy the story, everybody!


* * * Chapter 7: School Dances * * *


The next day Bree was at the kitchen counter typing a few more things into the laptop when the doorbell rang. "Can you guys get that?" she said to her brothers. "I've just got to finish typing this last paragraph."

"Kinda busy," Chase murmured from his spot on the couch. His eyes were glued to the TV screen and his fingers were flying over the game controller.

"Yeah, we're just about to get to the boss!" Adam added.

"Ugh, fine!" Bree said as the doorbell rang again. She got up and ran over to the door. She opened it to see April standing there.

"Hey Bree!" April said.

"Hi April," Bree replied, a slight hint of exasperation in her voice.

"Something wrong?" April asked.

"Oh, it's just that my brothers are . . ."

"Oh my gosh!" April exclaimed suddenly. "Is that Vampires vs. Gargoyles?"

"Yeah," Chase said, glancing over at his girlfriend. "You play?"

"Play? No. Dominate? Definitely!"

Chase held out a controller. "Wanna go a round with me and Adam?" he asked.

"Would I ever!" April said, grabbing the controller and hopping onto the couch.

"O . . . kay," Bree said. "I'll just go work on our project."

"Oh, sorry Bree," April said. "I'll be right over after I crush your brothers!"

Adam and Chase both turned their heads to stare at April. "Oh, it's on!" the brothers said at the same time. The three of them flew into a frenzy of pushing buttons and yelling at each other. Bree rolled her eyes and sat down to watch.

"Whoa, you're really good!" Chase said after a few seconds of playing.

"Thanks! I used to play all the time. Haven't in a while because I don't have a console anymore, but I still got the touch! And boom! Ha! Your Stone Claws are no match for my Ferocious Bite! Got you, Adam!"

"Aw!" Adam groaned, putting down his controller and sitting back.

"Looks like it's just you and me now, Chase," April said.

Bree saw her younger brother try to hide a smirk. She knew that he would use his bionics to win. It was reflex for him; he couldn't help but use his intelligence. April didn't stand a chance. Not that she knew that. Bree didn't know much about video games, but from the look on Chase's face she knew April was about to get beaten pretty bad. Then there was an explosion on the screen. Chase's smirk gave way to a look of disbelief.

"H-how'd you figure that out?" Chase gasped. "My strategy was impeccable!"

"Apparently not!" April said. This time it was she who was smirking. "Take that! Alright Bree, I'm ready for some studying." She got up and walked over to Bree.

Adam and Chase just sat there and stared at her. Finally they both shook their heads and went back to their game. April and Bree soon discovered that it doesn't really work to study in the same room as two boys who are playing video games. Their shouting was very distracting.

"Let's go upstairs to my dad's library," Bree suggested.

"Sounds good!" April agreed.

The two girls headed up the stairs and entered Mr. Davenport's personal library. April's mouth fell open in surprise as she looked it over. There was a long desk full of computers, every wall was lined with bookcases, and there were a few beanbags in the center of the room.

"This place is amazing!" April exclaimed.

"My dad has everything," Bree said. "We can find any information we need in here!"

"Awesome!" April said with a smile.

For the next hour the two girls worked on their project, comparing notes and talking about the presentation. They gathered up more research and made plans to meet again, scheduling around April's new job. After a little while the two of them decided to take a break and just talk.

"So," Bree started. "The school dance is this Friday!"

"Mmm hmm," was all April said.

"The theme is wintertime. I'm so excited! Owen asked me to the dance on Friday. I'm going shopping in a few days. If Chase asks you to the dance, do you want to go shopping with me?"

April gulped. "Do you think he'll ask me?"

"Well I know you've only been together for a day, but yeah, I would think so."

"Oh."

"What's the matter?"

"It's just . . . I don't like dances all that much."

"What?" Bree gasped. "Why not?"

"Oh please. I can describe every dance ever: a bunch of people stand around talking and drinking punch. Cheesy music plays in the background. A few girls get their hearts broken when their 'boyfriend' dumps them immediately after the dance. Yeah, sounds like so much fun," April said sarcastically.

"But come on, you'd get to dance with Chase."

"And there's the icing on the cake."

"You wouldn't want to dance with Chase?" Bree whispered incredulously.

April gave a nervous chuckle. "No, it's not the 'with Chase' part that upsets me," April assured her. "I love your brother, you know that. It's the dancing part. I don't dance."

"Oh, come on, it's not that hard! I can teach you!"

"I didn't say I can't dance, I said I don't dance. There's a distinct difference. Please Bree, dances are just not something I find enjoyable."

"But Chase is probably going to ask you to it. What will you say?"

April bit her lip. "I just have to make sure he doesn't ask me," she said slowly. "Can you help me with that? I don't want Chase to think that it's him I have a problem with. But I really don't want to go to that dance. Help a friend out, please Bree?"

"Okay," Bree agreed reluctantly. "I'll try my hardest to keep him from asking you to the dance." Bree hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake.


At school on Monday Bree and April were talking at April's locker. "So how's your new job?" Bree asked.

"It's great!" April said. "My boss, Mr. Stevens, is really nice. I love bookstores. This is my dream job!"

Just then Chase walked up. "Hello ladies," he said, giving April a quick peck on the cheek. She blushed. Bree pretended to be sick.

"Hi Chase," April said.

"So, April," Chase continued, "I was wondering . . ."

"Oh, um, sorry Chase!" April interrupted him. "I've really got to get to class!"

Chase frowned. "But class isn't for another five minutes."

"I know, but . . . I said I'd be there early today. Um, gotta go." April charged down the hall.

"What was that all about?" Chase asked with a frown. "I was just gonna ask her to the dance."

"I don't know." Bree felt bad about lying to her brother, but it was what April wanted.

"Alright," Chase said with a shrug. "I'll see you later."


All week Chase tried to ask April to the dance. But it seemed as if she went out of her way to avoid him. When he asked Bree about it she clammed up. What was going on?

Chase started racking his brain for an explanation. Was she regretting becoming his girlfriend? Had he said something? Did it have anything to do with his text? Maybe he shouldn't have asked her what she was up to. His bionic brain went in circles, coming up with every possible explanation. He just couldn't seem to settle on a reasonable one.

Finally on Thursday he decided to confront his sister about it. But Bree seemed to be avoiding him as well. Not that it was entirely unusual; Bree didn't want her brothers making her look bad at school. He decided that he would talk to her at her locker right after school before they headed home. April and Bree were practically best friends now; surely his sister would know what was going on.


"Hey Bree." Bree practically jumped out of her skin when she heard Chase's voice. She had tried all week to avoid him, particularly at school. She knew he wanted to ask about April.

"Hi Chase," she replied nervously.

"You know, April's been avoiding me all week," Chase said quietly and slowly. "I've been wanting to ask her to the dance tomorrow, but I haven't been able to. Do you know what's going on with her?"

"Are you sure you want to go to the dance with April?" Bree said, ignoring his question.

"Well look, I know I'm new at this and all, but I thought it was customary for the boyfriend to ask his girlfriend to the dance. Unless there's something I missed."

"No, but, I mean, you and April have only been dating for a few days."

"You went to the dance with Ethan last year and you weren't dating him at all before that," Chase pointed out.

"Yeah, but this is . . . different?" Bree didn't mean it to come out as a question, but it did.

"Why?" Chase asked. Bree fidgeted uncomfortably. Why couldn't she just tell him? Would he really think that it was because April didn't like him?

"Did April put you up to this? She doesn't want to go to the dance with me, does she?" When Bree didn't answer, Chase raised his voice and repeated, "Does she?"

"Well, Chase, it's not that she doesn't want to go with you . . ."

"I knew it," Chase mumbled and interrupted her. "I'll see you later." He stalked off with an angry look on his face. Bree bit her lip. She needed to find April.


"April!" Bree called as she ran to her friend's locker.

"Bree! What's up?" April asked.

"Chase," Bree said. April's face fell. "He asked me why you were avoiding him and I was really quiet and he kinda assumed that you didn't want to go to the dance with him, which is true but I think he thinks that you don't want to go to the dance with him."

April slapped her forehead. "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen!" she moaned. "I have to make up for this."

"I think I know how."

"How?"

"You have to ask him to the dance."


Hey. – April

Chase glared at his phone. The last thing he wanted to do right now was text April. Maybe he could just ignore it.

Look, Bree told me what happened. I know you're mad, but please let me make it up to you. – April

How? – Chase

Come to Barney and Royals in a half an hour. – April

How is this going to make it up to me? – Chase

Just come. Please. – April


Chase looked up at the big sign hanging from the roof. Barney and Royals was his favorite bookstore. But this time he didn't want to go in. He wasn't really sure why he had come. Maybe he was hoping that April really could patch things up. He wondered what she was planning.

As he walked in the store the first thing Chase saw was April standing at the counter in the middle of the store. She was talking to a costumer. She wore a red short-sleeve shirt with the Barney and Royals logo on the right shoulder. Her brown hair was pulled neatly back into a ponytail. Chase was beginning to remember why he had fallen in love with her in the first place.

The costumer left. April glanced up and spotted Chase. She smiled and waved him over. "Look," she said once he was at the counter, "I'm sorry for being distant. I promise that you didn't do anything. I just wasn't sure about the dance. Dances aren't really my thing, but I didn't want to deny you if you asked me. I didn't want to hurt your feelings, which is exactly what I did by not telling you.

"I love you, okay. I really do love you. I just didn't want to go to the dance. I promise it has nothing to do with you, okay? But I'm sorry for not explaining it to you sooner."

Chase let that sink in for a moment before replying, "It's okay. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions."

"All's forgiven," April assured him. "And here, I got you something." She held out a book. Chase gave a half-hearted grin.

"A Complete Guide to Owl Sounds," he read. "Thanks."

"Flip it open to the first page."

Chase obeyed. To his surprise he saw writing. He read: Chase Davenport, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the dance tomorrow? Chase looked up with a smile. "Of course I will," he said. He leaned in towards his girlfriend, but April pulled back.

"I'm not sure how my boss would feel about me kissing on the job," she giggled.

"Oh, right," Chase said sheepishly. "Well then, I'll just do it tomorrow at the dance."

"That is totally fine with me," April replied slyly.

"Oh, I was wondering one more thing."

"What?"

"Why didn't you text me back on Saturday? After I asked you what you were up to?"

"Oh, um." April bit her lip. She paused for a moment before saying, "My battery died."

"But I thought you were at home," Chase pointed out.

"I was, but we only have one charger and my dad was using it." As usual, her explanations didn't quite make sense to Chase. But, as usual, he let it slide.


Chase stood by himself in the corner. Everyone around him was laughing and talking. The room was covered in fake snow. Blue lights shone from all around and gave off a good "wintery" vibe.

Adam walked over to Chase and said, "Hey Chase! So, April finally came to her senses and left you?"

Chase rolled his eyes. "No Adam," he groaned. "She's not here yet."

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Adam said with a laugh as he walked away.

Chase looked up as his sister entered the room with Owen. He had to admit, Bree looked pretty stunning in her teal blue dress. She was laughing and talking with Owen, who was talking about how he wanted to sketch the happiness of the room or something. Chase didn't get artists.

Another figure walked into the room and took Chase's breath away. April stood in the doorway, a beautiful white dress on. It went just below her knees and had small frills on the end. The top of the dress had a pattern of light blue swirls on it. She had on a white headband with a blue flower on it. Her brown hair was tied off into two braids. April spotted Chase and walked over, a smile covering her face.

"Wow, you look great!" Chase said.

"Thanks!" April replied. "I feel kinda silly though. This is one of the reasons I hate dances: I have to buy a fancy dress that I'm never going to wear again anyway."

"Well I'm still glad you came."

"You know what, I think I am to."

The rest of the night the two teens talked, drank punch, and danced. Towards the end of the night a slow song played. "May I have this dance?" Chase asked. April grinned and accepted his hand. A few seconds in April put her head on Chase's shoulder. Chase smiled. At the end of the song the two leaned in and shared a kiss. Chase could feel his siblings staring at him, but he didn't care. In that moment he felt like he was on top of the world.

At the end of the night the two of them prepared to go home. "So how was tonight?" Chase asked April.

"You want me to be honest?" April asked. Chase nodded. "I still don't like dances. But I liked hanging out with you. This night was more fun than I thought it would be."

"Good," Chase said. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." He gave her one last kiss on the cheek. "Have a good night!" he called as he went out the doors.

"You too!" April called after him. "See you on Monday!"


How was that? More of a Chase-April relationship chapter, and slightly filler, I know. But still be sure to tell me what you think! I love reading your reviews!

You know, I was thinking about what Chase and April's "ship" name would be. I was thinking something like "Chapril." But what do you guys think?

Please, please, please don't forget to review. Your reviews have been inspiring me to continue this story even when I have a horrible case of writer's block. So please, please review so I'll keep writing! I shall see you guys on Wednesday for Chapter 8: Strange Behavior.

(Also, I've got a poll on profile page asking which of my stories you guys would like to see next from me. Check that out if you could. Summaries are on my profile. If you're a guest you can vote for a story in the reviews. Thanks!)