Author's Note: Hi, everyone! Thanks for reviewing the last chapter. My New Year's resolution is to update a hell of a lot faster from now on…

Chapter 10: The Ex Effect

For the first time since her shift started, Andie was aware of how limp her hair looked. And of the massive grease stain imprinted on her apron. And of her comfy but ancient sneakers. Chase and Sophie, ever the snappy dressers, put her to shame just then, so that she could barely look at them.

"Andie?" Chase was the first to utter. "When did you start working here?"

"Why?" Sophie added, her nose wrinkling a little as she stared around. Chase cleared his throat and she blinked as if she had just woken up. "Sorry. That was rude, wasn't it?"

"No problem," Andie replied, with as much cool as she could muster. "Do you want to order now?" she added, eager to get away.

"Uh…sure," he replied. "I guess I'll have the usual?" And a familiar grin flickered across his face as he spoke. They had come here enough times for her to remember what he always ordered. She turned to Sophie now, her own smile fading as she realized how weird this could get. Both girls had dated the MSA superstar at one point…

But instead of scowling and tossing out some snippy comment, she only flipped through her menu, made a rueful face and looked up:

"This is my first time here. What do you recommend?"

Andie stood stunned for a moment, before snapping out of it and hurrying to point out all the good stuff. Chase threw in a few suggestions, before they finally decided on what she would like. It was all very strange…

When she returned with their drinks, Chase demanded that she sit with them after her shift. All resistance proved to be futile as Luce was totally cool with it and Andie really did feel 'like death re-heated', as Sophie remarked.

So she changed out of her uniform and joined them. The next twenty minutes passed by pretty pleasantly. Not so much the last ten. Somehow the topic of conversation became the Dragon restaurant and Sophie wanted to know why Andie was really working there.

"I don't care how bitchy this sounds now," she asserted. "There is no way this job pays well enough to be worth it."

"It pays okay," she insisted. "And over the next month or so I should have enough to…" She trailed off, remembering how stupid the whole birthday present situation made her feel. She was not particularly eager to explain it to them. Alas, Chase had caught the moment of hesitation and he would not let it go until she spilled. So she did.

First came their meeting with Montana, then Moose's oblivion to Montana's blatant crush. Then she told them of Moose's birthday.

"I know it was stupid. But I didn't want to let him down. And I didn't want to be upstaged. So I went way over the limit Sarah set on her credit card. Now I'm trying to pay her back, like I promised…"

She went on to tell them about Moose and Montana at the Hip Hop Live Tour and her subsequent anxiety.

"Don't be ridiculous," Sophie snapped. "That boy is crazy about you."

"Yeah," Chase added. "Moose would never cheat on a…"

He trailed off and an uneasy silence settled over them. There was no ignoring the elephant in the room. Moose had sort of cheated on an almost girlfriend. With Andie. He never meant to hurt anyone but he managed it anyway. Would the same thing happen to her? Was she about to get bitch-slapped by karma?

Chase cleared his throat. "So how about a check?"

After a steaming hot shower Andie flopped down on her bed, so physically and emotionally exhausted she couldn't even look at the casserole Sarah had set aside for her. She was just dozing off when her cell phone rang.

"Yeah?" she answered, her voice a little groggy.

"Argh! I just danced on stage! Montana talked to the crew and I got called up and I danced and everybody went nuts!"

She smiled faintly. "That's awesome."

"They said I could come back tomorrow if I wanted," he continued, his elation radiating through the phone. "And I'm like, do you even have to ask!" He exhaled dreamily. "I wish you were here, shaking your money-maker."

Andie laughed and shook her head. "I'm glad you're having a good time, Moose."

"Thanks. How are you coping without me?"

"Oh, I'm good. Tired, though. I was actually about to go to bed…"

"What? It's only eleven o'clock!"

"Way past your bedtime. I might have to inform the authorities, i.e. Jo."

"Shut up."

She snorted. "Good night, Moose."

"Night, Andie. Love you."

"Love you, too…"

She lay awake for a while after that, thinking that Montana really could give him anything he wanted. But he could not be bought. And no relationship could last without trust.

So Andie resolved to drop her Jealous Girlfriend act and went to bed happy. Monday couldn't come fast enough…

A/N: So I got Step Up 2 on DVD over the hols and I've been watching the Special Features over and over again because they're great and I have no life. Two of the deleted scenes stuck out in my mind, one being a fight between Andie and Moose about Chase (jealous, perhaps?) and the other being a confrontation between Chase and Sophie. In the latter he basically calls her out for being a selfish bitch, which is why they broke up.

So I figure Sophie deserves a second chance, seeing as she made a change towards the end of the movie. I hope nobody has a problem with that! At any rate, Mandie are the focus of this fic…

Now enough rambling! Review?