"Ugh! Alcohol is evil!" Rico muttered for the fifth time that day. He blanched at the bright fluorescent lights overhead.
Jo looked at her watch. "Here, take some more Tylenol." She shook two out into Rico's offered hand and he gulped them back with some water. "I bet now you will never drink ever again, huh?"
"Oh, my God if I ever smell alcohol again it will be too soon." Rico opened one eye to look at Jo who was watching Lacey and Archie make their way out of the library. Archie had one arm casually draped around Lacey's shoulders with the usual suspects of Phoebe and Sarita in tow.
"Tonight is Tuesday and that means Johnny Cakes tonight," Lacey turned with a dimpled smile towards Archie. She twined their fingers together as they walked down the hallway.
Archie moved their joined hands to his lips and kissed hers. "Aww, babe I forgot. I told Scott that I would drive him over to his tutor's house tonight. We can do Johnny Cakes on Wednesday instead. How's that?"
Lacey pouted. "Oh, it's just the first time that you brought that up about taking Scott to his tutoring session. I wasn't even aware Scott was being tutored."
Archie grinned sweetly. "Well, he doesn't want everyone to know. Besides, you didn't tell me how the party went last night. That guy Danny Desai is back. Your old friend. You never told me too much about him."
Lacey blinked one too many times at the mention of Danny's name. "The party was fine. It was a typical Regina Galston soiree. Hey, I gotta get to Bio. I'll see you later." Lacey kissed Archie quickly on the lips and headed off to her Biology class.
Danny watched the exchange between Archie and Lacey. Lacey always wore all of her emotions on her face. He could read her like a book. He knew that Archie really didn't know how deep the friendship between him and Lacey really went.
He spent the rest of the night thinking about the fort and how Lacey broke down for probably the first time in her life and they discussed things like no time had passed between them. He missed curfew but his mom didn't even mention it the next morning. She was just so delighted that he and Lacey were connecting.
Danny shrugged his backpack higher on his shoulder and continued walking down the hall.
"Hey, hey Desai. May I talk to you for a sec," A male's voice came from behind Danny.
Danny turned around to see Archie catching up to him.
"We haven't been properly introduced. You're in two of Lacey's classes, right?"
Danny knew Archie knew damn well that he and Lacey shared Creative Writing and Art. "Yes, we are."
Archie looked around until they weren't in earshot. "Listen, I don't know you other than you're that kid about 5 years who killed his aunt in a strange fire. I know you, Lacey and Masterson used to be tight but that was then and this is now. She's my girl."
Danny laughed suddenly. "So this is what this conversation is all about? You don't want me and Lacey to be friends again?"
Archie stared at Danny like he grew a second head. "I'm just letting you know how things run around here."
Danny nodded. "Well, Lacey's a big girl and I think she can make her own decisions. It was nice meeting you Archie, but I have English to get to." Danny marched off leaving Archie to stare at his back.
"That's just what I thought. A grade A asshole," Danny muttered as he continued his walk down the hallway.
"Rico got picked up early by his mom. I said no more drinking for him." Jo said as she bit into her taco.
"Aww, poor Rico," Lacey said as she bit into her burger. "He was hitting the drink pretty hard. I think he needed some liquid courage." Lacey winked at Jo.
"Huh? What did he need liquid courage for? I know everything there is to know about Rico. Besides you and Danny, he's my best friend."
Jo hadn't realized that she included Lacey as her friend again and Lacey beamed. She decided to sit with Jo since Rico went home sick. Sarita plopped down across from Jo and Phoebe sauntered over talking excitedly about some drug awareness school skit she had been tasked to direct.
"I mean it's not like they get just anyone to do it! Mr. Hanks must really trust me and this is going to be the best drug awareness skit this school has ever seen."
Sarita rolled her eyes and flicked her hair back with an agitated hand. "Phoebe does everything excite you? I'm writing the essay and calling it a happy day. No one wants to take part in doing some stupid ole skit in front of the entire school. That's just lame."
Jo's eyes skidded to Phoebe's face and saw how crestfallen she looked. "Honestly, Sarita do you ever get tired of being a bitch?"
Everyone's eyes landed on Sarita's face. Her expression didn't change. "No."
"I thought so," Jo retorted. She turned to face Phoebe. "I think it's a great idea, Phoebe. Count me in for whatever help you need. Add Rico Martinez's name as well."
"Yeah, mine too," Lacey said chiming in.
"And mine," Danny said walking up to the group and taking a seat next to Lacey. She glanced up at Danny and smiled as he took two of her fries and stuffed them into his mouth.
"Do you even know what we're volunteering for?" Lacey spoke.
"Nope and it doesn't matter. I think it's time for me to be a joiner. I'm all about a good cause." He took a few more of Lacey's fries as he unwrapped his own burger and bit into it, all while looking at Lacey.
"Ooooh, hello Mr. Desai." Danny didn't have to know who that syrupy voice belonged to. Regina placed her hands on Danny's shoulders. "Oh, wow! Someone works out."
Lacey looked up at Regina and then back at Danny. She knew everything about her reaction was wrong but she removed Regina's hands from Danny's back. "Down girl," Lacey said.
Regina flicked a look of surprise at Lacey. Danny blushed.
Jo muffled a laugh around her milkshake as she felt the tension surrounding Lacey and Regina.
"Ahh, well I find my presence is a little bit too much over here. I'll see y'all later," Regina said stomping off quickly.
"I shouldn't have done that," Lacey said smoothing her hair back. "I shouldn't have taken her hands off of you like that."
Danny looked intensely at Lacey. "I'm glad you did."
