"Dudes!!!" Jude came running up to the gang's favorite table, where all of his friends were present and accounted for. "Dudes, you are NOT going to believe it!" Jude slapped a flier onto the table, breathing heavily from his mad dash.

"Uh, where's your board, man?" Wyatt asked.

"Not important right now dude, just READ. THE. FLIER." Jude urged, pushing it into his face.

"Fine, fine." Nikki said, snatching the flier out of Jude's hand. "Edmonton Skate Competition Semi-Finals. October 3rd. Public Welcome. Grand Prize: $10,000. Top two competing skaters will advance to the Final round to be held in Vancouver."

"And I qualified!" Jude slammed a hand onto the table, his onto landing on his chest. "There were, like, two hundred other skaters competing in the first round and I landed in the top twenty!" Jude was congratulated by a round of 'All right!'s and 'Way to go, man!'s.

"Why didn't you tell us before?' Caitlin asked from behind the Lemon counter.

"I didn't want to make a big deal about it, then not make it through. I mean, I'd kind of look like an idiot." Jude explained.

"Good luck with that one, man." Jonesy marked.

Jude punched him lightly in the arm. "Shut up, dude."

"You realize we're all going to come watch you now, right?" Jen asked.

"Yeah, we wouldn't miss it." Nikki agreed.

"Dudes, I'd be hurt if you didn't come." Jude answered.

"Well then, I'm telling Coach not to schedule me to work on the 3rd." Jen decided.

"While I'm sure the clones will beg me to stay, I'll just have to break it to them." Nikki mused.

"You rock, guys." Jude said, blushing a bit. He didn't know what he would do without his friends. In the end. They were the only people he loved or cared about, despite family. Nothing was more important than them. Absolutely nothing.

"No problem. You know we love you, man. Okay, I'm out. Duty calls." Wyatt said, donning his McFlipster's cap. "Back in three hours for my break."

"Later." Jude waved. "Okay, I've got to go pick up my board from the skate shop. Got brand new skate tape, just for the competition."

"I'll go with you." Jonesy offered. "I need a job application."

"What happened to your job at the sailing place?" Nikki asked.

"Let's just say it involved a life vest malfunction." Jonesy grimaced.

"Ouch." Caitlin commented, cringing.

"Uh, yeah, you think?" Jonesy grabbed Jude's arm. "Let's go."

"Bye Ladies!" Jude called as Jonesy pulled him along. The girls waved in response.

"Okay, is it just me, or are those two really buddy-buddy lately?" Nikki asked.

"I think they're just getting really into Boy's Time. I mean, college is around the corner and the realization of how little time we've got left together is probably getting to them. It's definitely getting to me." Jen replied.

"I think so, too." Caitlin agreed. She was quiet for a moment. "Wow, I don't know what I'm going to do without all of you around after we graduate." She added.

"Hey, just because we're going to college in a few months, doesn't mean we're not going to keep in touch." Nikki argued. "We'll still come home for holidays and call and text and e-mail. No way we're going to do anything stupid like grow apart!"

"Aw, Nikki!" Jen pulled her best friend into a hug.

"Uh…" Nikki wasn't sure how to respond.

"That's so sweet!" Caitlin chirped, hopping over the Lemon counter to join in in the hugging.

Nikki struggled. "Hey, don't get all emotional on me!" No avail. "You guys… just…" She sighed and finally returned their hug, smiling sheepishly. "Idiots."

***

"It's the board with an Angelboy deck, Element wheels, and Independent trucks. Black tape. Wheels are yellow." Jude told the pink-haired girl behind the counter.

"Oh yeah, the vowel board. All you need now is some Osiris shoes and some Understood threads and you'll have the whole set. I'll go get it out of the back." She replied.

Jude silently wondered if it would be cool or lame to write "The Vowel Board" on his deck….

It was lame. Jude turned to look at Jonesy, who was having a blast trying to get all the wheels on the Habitat wheel display to spin at the same time. Jude had never felt like he had to find a way to entertain Jonesy, because Jonesy always found a way to entertain himself.

"Ugh! Almost! I'll get you this time!" Jonesy went back to giving the wheels a run for their money. It was a rather large display, so some would stop before he could get the rest going.

Jude turned back to the counter in time to see the pink chick carry his board out. "Ten bucks even."

"Sweet. Thanks, bra." He passed the cash across the counter.

"Thank Joe. He's the one who did it. Plus, he threw in new wheels. Thought your old ones were looking kinda… rough."

"Wow. Tell him thanks for me! Yeah, the old ones were getting pretty unfortunate looking." Jude told her.

"Tell him yourself. The shop's going to set up a tent at the Skate Competition just in case someone needs to make a last minute repair. It'll be good advertising for us, and a stroke of good luck for you skaters." She said, giving one of Jude's wheels a spin.

"I will, then. Catch ya later!" Jude said, waving. He placed a hand on Jonesy's shoulder. "I'm all set, dude."

"Hold on… Almost got it……. Yes! Bam!" The wheels spun simultaneously as Jonesy looked on with pride. He turned to Jude. "Care to uh, 'give it a spin'? I promise it'll be 'revolutionary'." Jonesy was obviously pleased with his ability to make puns.

"Some other time, dude." Jude said. "I want to try out these new wheels."

"Or we could hang out." Jonesy winked, implying they wouldn't just hang out.

Jude weighed the options. "How about we hang out and walk around the mall so I can try out my board. Two birds with one stone!" Jude liked to pretend he didn't get Jonesy's implications. He enjoyed messing with his head.

"Okay… or we could 'chill'." Jonesy used air quotes this time and raised an eyebrow for good measure.

"I know… we're going to tour the mall… I don't see the issue here." Jude worked to keep himself from grinning. Jonesy was looking distressed.

Jonesy sighed. "Nevermind."

Jude chuckled. Secretly, he thought it was cute when Jonesy got frustrated. Score one for Jude.

***

Jen calculated her calorie intake as she restocked the badminton racquets. '100 for the slice of bread, 80 for the egg…. At least 200 for that slice of pizza… 380... That's a lot. I should eat fruit instead. Keep myself healthy…'

She'd been working hard to eat only 700 calories a day. She figured that with all the snowboarding practice she did after school, she'd easily burn them off. Plus, all the running around she had to do for her job was a major plus.

"I don't see you working on those racquets, Masterson!" Jen hadn't realize she'd stopped working.

"Sorry, Coach! I'm on it!" Jen replied.

"Head in the game, Masterson! I catch you lollygagging again and it's 10 in the Penalty Box!" he yelled.

Jen sighed. "Yes, Coach…" She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Jen glanced over her shoulder to make sure Coach Halder wasn't watching. Gingerly, she slid her phone out. Jen loved getting text messages. They made her feel important and loved.

'Just had three old crones that I don't even know congratulate me and lecture me on the joys of married life. Help! -Nikki'

While Jen had expected the situation surrounding Jonesy and Nikki's recent "engagement" to die down over the week end, it hadn't. If anything, it had spread far wider than she had expected. Especially since the elderly barely heard anything, let alone gossip.

'I'm on it.' Jen typed out with one hand while the other continued to appear as if it were working. Jen put away her phone. Her stomach growled again. 'Shut UP already!' Jen thought to herself. "Coach, I'm going on a break. I'll be back soon."

"You've only just started working, Masterson!" Coach Halder informed her.

"Actually, I've been going since nine and it's far past noon." Jen explained. Halder could find no argument for his case, so he nobly folded and declared that she was putting his business in jeopardy of being sued by working so much and why didn't she take an hour off? Ever since one of the food court shops had gotten fined for child labor law infringement, Halder wasn't going to take any chances. "Thanks, Coach. Don't mind if I do."

'The Lemon in ten.' she texted Nikki. Jen figured a good vent and a new nose ring would cheer her best friend up.

'Nikki needs retail therapy.-Jen' This one went to Caitlin, who sent back six smiley faces and a less-than-three heart. Jen took it as a yes. With Caitlin, shopping was always a yes. Jen's stomach growled audibly this time. She rolled her eyes and sent Caitlin another message. 'Please grab me one of the LOW FAT lemon muffins from the Big Squeeze!' Jen figured she could always burn off the excess calories in the gym. Besides, Low Fat couldn't be too detrimental to her plan. She'd hoped to lose 5 pounds by the end of the week. There was a pair of adorable jeans at Albatross & Finch that would look amazing on her… and would look even better if she were a bit more lithe. Another message.

'Got you covered! With blueberries, too. ;)-Caitlin' Jen sighed. She did like blueberries…

***

Hey guys! Sorry I've been so MIA lately. But I've got all my college stuff settled now, so I should be good to go until classes start. Thank you for being so patient. I'm doing my best! :D I know this chapter is shorter than the rest. I'm doing the Competition in the next one, so it'll be longer.