Disclaimer: Hart Hanson owns Bones, not me.

February 22, 1988

"Seeley!"

Booth started at the sound of his first name, blanching. He looked up from his locker to see Katie rushing towards him, grinning wildly. The cheerleading team had just finished practice, he assumed. He himself was just done with basketball practice.

"Katie," he said once she had reached him. "Don't call me Seeley, okay?"

She ignored him, like she had every time before this, and leaned up to place a lingering kiss on his lips. He pulled back first, pushing her away gently by the shoulders so he could continue taking out whatever he needed from his locker.

"Seeley," she said, running her fingers down Booth's arm and completely ignoring the glare he shot her for using his first name again. "I thought we could go out. We haven't done that in a while…Maybe the movies?"

Booth shook his head. "Sorry, Katie, I've got plans," he apologized, frowning into his locker as he tried to remember if he'd need his Trig textbook tonight or not.

Katie frowned at him. "Plans?" she repeated, puzzled. "What plans?"

"I'm taking Bon-uh, I mean, Temperance out for smoothies," he shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Katie gasped in outrage. "Seeley Booth!" she smacked him on the arm. "You're blowing off a date with me for her! How could you!"

Booth raised an eyebrow at her. "Katie, would you stop being so paranoid?" he asked, shaking his head. "We didn't actually make plans, remember? If we'd made plans, I wouldn't have blown you off. Temperance is my friend, and I promised I'd take her out for smoothies. I can't blow her off, either."

Katie huffed, crossing her arms across her chest indignantly. "You're spending an awful lot of time with her lately," she commented unhappily.

Booth shot her a look over his shoulder. "She's my friend, Katie," he said slowly. "I'm sorry that I've been really busy lately. It's just with exams coming up, and basketball practice…I just don't have much time left."

Katie scowled. "You have time for her," she pointed out bitterly.

He sighed, stuffing his Trig book in his bag and slamming his locker shut. "Katie, she's my tutor. Even if I was swamped, I'd have to make time. Besides…There are just some things we can talk about," he tried to explain without giving away too much. It wasn't like Katie would see the connection - she didn't know about his past, so she couldn't make the connection to Temperance's situation.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" she asked. "What sort of things?"

He chuckled a little. "Katie, that's between me and her," he said gently. "Listen, I'm running late - Temperance is waiting for me. Why don't we, uh, go out…Um," he scrunched his nose up in concentration. "What about tomorrow?"

She grinned suddenly, bad mood apparently gone. "Sure!" she said eagerly. "We could go over to your place," she suggested.

Booth winced. Pops didn't like it if he were to bring his girlfriend home. He hadn't liked it with the girls before Katie, and Booth was sure that Pops didn't like Katie, period. "I don't think so," he shook his head. "Temperance is going to be there…It'd be awkward."

Well, at least that was true.

Just like that, Katie's expression darkened. "Why would she be there?" she asked suspiciously, eyes narrowed once more.

Booth shrugged. "She helps Pops out sometimes," he said, as if that vague response explained it all. "Besides, she tutors Jared, too. My little brother. He's not all that great in math and science, so she helps him out."

Katie harrumphed. "I just don't like that you're spending too much time with her, Seeley," she admitted, not at all shy about it at all. "And don't tell me it's just tutoring, either. You drive her to school every day now. You hang out with her all the time. You're taking her out for smoothies? What is that!?"

Booth sighed heavily. "Katie…"

"No!" she protested, taking hold of his arm and pulling him back towards her when he started walking away. She looked around the virtually empty hallway, lowering her voice to a whisper. "People are starting to talk," she told him through gritted teeth.

He wasn't impressed. "So what? Katie, this is high school. People talk all the time!"

She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "How do you think that makes me feel, though!" she practically screeched at him. "I'm your girlfriend who has to listen to the stupid rumors, but you don't even notice because you're too busy lavishing her with attention!"

Booth was more than a little shocked by her outburst, but felt guilty nonetheless. It was true that Katie was just making a big deal out of nothing - it wasn't a crime for him to have a friend. But it was also true that kids could be vicious. He didn't want her to have to deal with the rumors, especially all on her own.

He dropped his bag to the floor and tried to take her into his arms. "Katie, I'm sorry," he begun, but Katie shoved his hands away.

"Don't talk to me!" she spat out. "I'm leaving. I'll just…Talk to you tomorrow." Without so much as a backward glance, she left, storming towards the exit.

Booth watched her retreating back for a moment, mouth hanging open. Had he been so neglectful of her that she had started feeling jealous? That couldn't be it - they had a few classes together, they always sat together during lunch at their usual table with the rest of their friends, and they went on dates all the time.

He knew that Katie wanted to go further into their relationship - even before Temperance had entered his life, she had been unsatisfied with him not bringing her back to his place, and his lack of enthusiasm to talk about his family. She wanted to go further than just kissing, which he thought was too early for. They'd only been going out for a while, and he didn't feel that deeply for her yet. They'd gone to second base - even third on occasion - but full on sex? He wasn't sure it was time. Soon, maybe, but not now.

Booth sighed, bending down to pick up his book bag. Slinging it over his shoulder, he shook his head as if to clear the thoughts swimming around in his head. He snuck a look at his watch and started.

I'm running late, he scrambled towards the front entrance of the school, heading for the parking lot.

Temperance had gone off to the library after school - her foster father wasn't home today and when he wasn't there, her foster mother generally didn't care where she was or what she did, as long as she came home and didn't go missing.

He was to pick her up in ten minutes.

Thinking about her made his problems with Katie infinitesimal, shrinking them down until they were barely a whisper at the back of his mind.

He smiled, getting into his car and cranking up the heat. Maybe I'd get her to try a different flavor - she can't keep picking vanilla. Ooh! We should go for pie. I'm starved.

Two rows down, Katie sat fuming in her Mustang her parents had gotten for her as a present for her sixteenth birthday.

The parking lot was practically empty, with only a few cars scattered around that belonged to cheerleaders, basketball players and football players - the three sports teams that had practice today.

That really wasn't a lot.

But Booth, her own boyfriend, hadn't even noticed her sitting there. He had just gotten into his car and driven away without so much as a glance her way.

Their cars were so close that she could see the stupid, goofy grin on his face as he entered his car. She couldn't imagine why he would be smiling like the idiot who scored under the bleachers. Not when the two of them had just gotten into a huge fight literally seconds ago.

Of course, he could be smiling like that because of who he was going to see right at this moment.

Blinking away the bitter tears, she started the engine and started to drive, one goal in mind. She wasn't about to lose her boyfriend to that freak of a loser. She wasn't about to lose her boyfriend, period.

They were, essentially, the perfect couple. She knew she was good enough to be great - she would so be in the running for cheerleading captain in senior year. Booth was good enough to be captain of the basketball team, too.

It wasn't that she thought they would last forever - hell, no. She wanted to have the whole college experience thing. You know - drunken parties, one night stands, that sort of thing. But for high school? She and Booth were perfect for each other.

With that in mind, she drove, keeping a fair distance between her Mustang and Booth's Impala.

She scoffed to herself when she realized that Booth had parked in front of the library. She rolled her eyes. It figured that nerdy Temperance Brennan would choose to spend her free time in the library. When she's not trying to steal my boyfriend, at least, she added silently.

Booth had turned off the engine and was now heading out of his car to climb up the steps of the library. Katie ducked slightly, worried that he would catch sight of her. Of course, he never did. Was it wrong that she was disappointed to be invisible when she was following her boyfriend?

She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, back hunched, as she waited anxiously for Booth to return. Mom is going to kill me if I'm late for dinner, she sighed, remembering the big promotion her step-father had received. They were all supposed to be going out to celebrate it tonight.

She was about to just give up waiting - look at the time! - grumbling to herself about what Booth could possibly find interesting in the freakin' library, when they came out.

She watched with sharp, hawk-like eyes as her boyfriend led Temperance out of the library. He carried a stack of books in one arm, the other slung around her shoulders again. Why was he always so damn touchy-feely with her!

Temperance herself had a bunch of thick books in her arms, and she looked like she was blushing. Katie couldn't really tell from the distance. Besides, the girl's long, mousy hair was in the way.

Booth led Temperance to his car, opening the door for her. Katie watched as the two exchanged some words. Temperance had on a no-nonsense, strict sort of face on, but Booth simply smiled, shrugging his shoulders. Katie could see his lips moving, and just like that, with a cheeky smile and a few words, the strict look on Temperance's face vanished. She smiled, too, and started to laugh, getting in the car.

Katie's boyfriend was still grinning idiotically, chuckling to himself, as he closed the door to the passenger's side, and rounded to the driver's side.

It was horrible to watch, like a damn car wreck, but she couldn't stop watching them. So, when the Impala moved, Katie drove as well, following them out of sight.

True to his earlier claim, Booth drove Temperance over to Yummy Berry, the yogurt shop. Katie watched as Booth and Temperance climbed out of his car, parked in the lot outside the shop.

At least he didn't open the door for her again, Katie thought, not taking her eyes off of them.

Her jaw dropped open when she caught sight of Booth placing his hand at the small of Temperance's back, as if guiding her, protecting her. Temperance didn't object, just walked intimately close with him as if it was something that came natural to them.

The two of them were talking to each other, ignorant of the world around them. They were caught up in their own discussion, Temperance gesturing wildly with her hands in what seemed to be a passionate debate.

Katie's eyes widened when Booth laughed - a full blown, head-thrown-back, hearty laugh - before leaning down and brushing his lips against Temperance's cheek.

She sat in her car, frozen in her seat, as she watched her boyfriend and the other girl walked into the frozen yogurt parlor, still smiling and laughing and talking.

Anger clouded her vision as she drove away. Picking up her cell phone, she dialed Donna's number. Donna had been her best girlfriend since middle school - if anyone knew what to do, Donna would.

"Donna?" she said into the phone as she rounded the bend, speeding towards home and already making excuses in her head to get out of the stupid dinner celebration tonight. "You guys were right. I need your help."

"Okay, let's review the facts," Donna said, plopping down on Katie's bed on her stomach, feet propped up in the air.

Katie joined Donna, imitating her position. "What facts?" she asked, confused.

Donna smirked at her. "Exactly my point," she said, popping her gum. "We don't know squat about Temperance Brennan."

Katie snorted. "I know enough - that she's trying to steal my boyfriend," she retorted. "That's enough for me."

Donna shook her head. "No, we need more," she insisted. "If we're going to take her down, we need to get all our facts right." She sighed, flipping through the student yearbook from last year. "No one knows anything about her. She doesn't have any friends - except from your lost soul of a man. She wasn't even in the school yearbook last year."

Katie wrinkled her nose. "Was she even in the same school as us last year?" she questioned, her mind coming up blank. She had better things to think about normally. And before that wretched girl had decided to show off so much that the school had to put her in a class two years above her, no one in junior year had even known she existed.

Donna shrugged. "See?" she exclaimed, as if this proved something. "That's what I mean! We know absolutely nothing about her. We can't just attack when we don't know where to begin."

Katie rolled her eyes at her over-imaginative friend. "Donna, what attack? This isn't war."

"Oh, but it is," Donna countered, nodding her head as if to agree with herself. Katie wondered if Donna had been stealing her father's good scotch again.

"Whatever," Katie rolled her shoulders back. "All I want to do is go up to that little skank and tell her to stay the hell away from my guy."

Donna smirked at her. "And when that doesn't work…?" she prompted. At Katie's incredulous look, she said, "Wasn't she the same skank who told you off the first day you met her?"

Katie's expression cleared as she remembered the incident just after Temperance's first Biology class with Mr. Haversham and the rest of her class. Temperance had been all over Booth, and when Katie had gone to defend her territory, Temperance had called her a bitch!

She nodded, repositioning herself so that she was sitting up with her back against the headboard. "You're right," she told Donna, who quickly followed her movements. "We need to get to work."

"It's been three days, Donna!" Katie snapped over the phone.

She wasn't in a very good mood.

School had gone horribly wrong today - while Booth had made good use of his promise to take her out on Tuesday, he'd been too busy to make plans with her today. He'd said something about helping his grandfather out, but Katie didn't buy it. Temperance must have something to do with it.

When she had come home, her mom had gotten on her case for her slipping grades in Trig - now she was grounded for a week! That meant that she wouldn't be able to go out with Booth all of next week, if he even bothered to stop gawking at that harlot and started paying attention to her, and it would only give Temperance more time with him.

To top it all off, Donna was still hopeless and wasn't giving her any information on Temperance. Thank God her friend didn't have any aspirations to become, like, a private eye or something because she would suck.

Donna sighed on the other end. "I know," she said apologetically. "But I couldn't go yesterday because Josh asked me out - he's a great kisser!"

Katie rolled her eyes at her friend's excited tone. "I don't have time for this right now!" she snapped, her voice hushed. "I'm not allowed to use the phone right now. Listen, just find out whatever you can, and give me a call later. Okay?"

She hung up before Donna could reply, having heard her mother's approaching footsteps down the hallway.

Donna, meanwhile, sighed as she heard the dial tone, tossing the cell phone her father had gotten for her as a Christmas present on the passenger seat. She was currently stationed outside of Pete's Pizza, the local pizza parlor every kid in their school normally went to.

Booth had driven Temperance home, as he usually did on days he didn't have practice, and Donna had followed them. Katie was usually the nutty girlfriend crazy enough to follow him around, but she had to go home straightaway - her mom had called and yelled for her to do so. So here she was, fulfilling best friend duties.

She had followed them, and had been surprised when Booth had driven Temperance to Pete's instead of wherever her home was. They'd been in there for hours, and Donna could just see them through the glass windows - they had taken the window seat. They were sitting opposite each other, a large pizza on the table between them and milkshakes for each.

As much as she hated to admit it, it looked like Booth and Temperance were just friends. Good friends -extremely good - and she would be the first to admit that there was something there, a spark of some sort, that Katie would have to be concerned about.

But it didn't look like Temperance was making a move on him, and it didn't look like Booth was flirting with her, either. Well, not more so than he flirts with every girl he meets - but that's just part of his charm, she supposed.

She sighed. Well, this is boring, she thought. At least share a damn milkshake so I can report back to Your Royal Pain-In-The-Ass!

She held her breath as the two of them stood up from their table, Booth dropping a few wads of cash on the table. She raised her eyebrow. Hmm. The boy paying for the meal…Possible date-like quality.

Booth and Temperance headed out of the parlor, Booth's hand on her lower back as he guided her towards his car. Donna was far away from where they were, but she was still worried that Booth would spot her.

Of course, this was a popular hangout for the kids in their school. She could just say that she was waiting for a friend to come out of the parlor if he saw and asked her.

Donna wrinkled her nose at Temperance's outfit - tattered and ripped jeans, an ugly green shirt and a coat so worn that it shouldn't even be used anymore. Ugh. The girl was just…She was weird.

Excitement started to bubble up inside of her as Booth started driving. Maybe there would be better dirt wherever Booth was driving her to next.

She followed them, surprised when they entered a neighborhood she had never been to. She didn't think anyone she knew lived near here. She didn't think Booth lived here, either. The guy had never thrown a party or anything, and he hadn't invited Katie over, but she still didn't think this was where he lived.

Booth's car stopped in front of a pale, white single-story house. All of the neighboring houses looked like it, too. Donna waited anxiously, eyes riveted on the car. Things made more sense when only Temperance came out, waving at Booth as he revved up the engine and drove away.

Donna held her breath, barely paying attention to Booth who was driving in the other direction and thankfully hadn't caught sight of her car. She watched as Temperance walked past the house Booth had dropped her off in front of, and down three houses before walking up to the front door.

She raised an eyebrow, heart thudding in anticipation, as she watched Temperance open the door to the house and made her way inside. Why had she waited until Booth was gone? Was she hiding something from her 'new best friend'? What else could make her home life undesirable? She was already living in a poor neighborhood - it was obvious from just one glance.

Making up her mind, Donna turned off the engine of her car and climbed out, striding purposefully towards the house she'd just seen Temperance go in. She climbed the rickety steps to the porch and prayed that she wouldn't fall through - the wood seemed really old.

She raised her fist, knocking on the door, and waited patiently for the person on the other side to answer. When the door opened, it wasn't Temperance who answered it. It was a thin woman, very bony, who stood in front of her. She had on clothes uglier than Temperance's, but newer and not as tattered.

Donna put on her best smile and cleared her face from any judgmental expressions. "Hi!" she chirped perkily. "I'm Donna…I'm here to…Work on a school report with your daughter!" she beamed clearly proud of her on-the-spot lie.

The woman stared at her for a few seconds before snorting in laughter. "I don't have a daughter, kid," she said, her voice rough. She lifted her hand, a cigarette between her fingers, and stuck the cig in her mouth. She took a long drag before pulling her hand away. "I just have a foster kid."

Donna's eyes widened. "Foster kid," she repeated, trying not to show how excited she was.

The woman nodded. "Yeah," she said, uninterested. "Wanna see her?"

Donna quickly shook her head. "Um, no! That's okay," she assured the woman. "I think I've got the wrong house."

Hurriedly saying goodbye, she sprinted from the house and went straight to the car. I can't wait to tell Katie!

The first thing she did when she arrived home was run up the stairs and grabbed her phone - her mom had given Donna her own phone line when she was eleven, which was good because she didn't have to share with her siblings then.

She dialed Katie's number and waited anxiously for her friend to pick up.

"Got anything yet?" were Katie's first words, whispered so that her mother wouldn't hear her speaking and come to check.

Donna squealed a little, excited. "You wouldn't believe what I found out!" she gushed. "After Pete's, Booth drove her home, right? Guess where she lives? McCallum street!"

Katie was silent for a few moments, her nose scrunched up as she tried to remember where McCallum Street was. Once she remembered, she laughed. "Seriously?" she asked, aware that her tone was snobby - while she wasn't 'royalty rich', her family was still pretty well-off. And from what she remembered, only those who were this close to being so broke they're homeless lived on McCallum Street.

"Totally!"

Katie sneered, crossing her arms across her chest. "Guess now we know why she's always wearing crappy clothes," she snarked.

"That's not even the worst of it…"

Katie listened with rapt attention as Donna recounted the rest of her 'stake-out', from Temperance being dropped off to her foster mother answering the door, smoking pot (she might've exaggerated and embellished a little, but come on! Who didn't embellish their stories!)

Katie grew increasingly excited, a wide smile spreading across her lips as she listened to Donna's words. As Donna finished speaking, she let out a low squeal, her eyes immediately darting to the door of her room to make sure her mom hadn't heard her momentary lapse.

"This is great!" she gushed. "Looks like little Ms. Home-wrecker isn't being entirely truthful… Once Booth hears about this, he'll dump her and everything will be right again."

Donna giggled. "So you're gonna tell him?" she questioned unnecessarily.

Katie grinned maliciously. "Oh, I'm gonna do much better than that," she promised slyly.

Okay, seriously, I have no idea if girls in high school could get this mean. I'm just getting this Katie Quinn vibe off of Clueless and Mean Girls.

Thank you for reading!

Juliet.