Blair kicked Julisa, hard.

"OW!"

"Then don't be so stupid!"

Julisa scooted away. She finished tying her shoes and got up. "You're just jealous because my new friends actually have pull in this school."

"Oh, yeah, fine..." Blair suddenly stood up and challenged Julisa when she said; "Whatever!"

She stormed out and Julisa's strength diminished. For the longest time, Blair was her only friend. After Jim came to visit, it was more like she was part rock star. But something about the way Blair always argued with Julisa told her that Blair still held a pull over how Julisa felt.

"Julisa?"

She turned to see a girl with nearly black hair and blue sideburns looking curiously at her.

"Julisa Emerson? The girlfriend of him?"

Julisa was glad the girl hadn't said it out loud. Jim wanted to keep pulling Ember along as a means of some plan of his. "Who're you?"

"Don't have to be angry." She waved her hands slightly. "I'm just a spectator to this world." Something about the smile was familiar. "Still, it's nice to see that some people don't really change. I'm Alice. It's just Alice."

"Alice. Well, leave me alone."

"Okay." Alice held her hands up in surrender. "I was just saying 'hello', Julisa. Anyways, I was hoping you wouldn't blow up on me. Good luck." She smiled and vanished through the crowd of girls.

Julisa had no idea what that was about.

-Jim-

He pushed off the wall when Alice came out. "Well?"

"She thinks you're nuts."

Jesse punched Alice's arm. "Don't be mean!"

They exchanged the exact same look.

Jim touched his forehead with the tips of his fingers. "Ugh, just tell me what her reaction was."

"Well, for starters, I don't think she likes being called Julisa Emerson. I did notice that she was relieved I didn't say your name out loud. Oh, and she wants me to 'leave me alone' from now on." Alice smiled brightly at Jim. "Now, if anybody cares, I want to change and get back to my class."

Jesse smiled again and looked up at Jim. "Aw, don't be so sour!"

"I'm about to, mate." Jim stretched and then noticed Jesse's stare. "What?"

"Oh, nuthin'!" Jesse held his hands up in surrender. "Just that ya'll've got that distant look 'gain."

"What?"

Jesse went running off and Jim had half a mind to chase him. He looked at the locker room door and decided against his current thought.

He wanted Ember out of Julisa's hair. He was going out of his way to make Ember stay as far away as possible. But in order to do that, he had to give her something. It was a give-and-take situation with the clingy girl. But it made him miss Julisa more and more.

He left the area, his heart torn, slightly. He wanted to be stay and wait, but Ember would find him there and then so would Inez, to which he would hurt Julisa's feelings...

-Alice and Jesse-

"I'm not going over there."

"But it's right there!"

"Still, I'm not going over there!"

"Then I'll go."

Alice grabbed Jesse's arm. "It's a girl's locker room. Jess, someone might see you!"

"Better 'n ya'll bein' cowards."

Alice looked over her shoulder at Alexis and Atticus, who had, miraculously, agreed to Jesse's plan. "Okay, so, let's say you find her. What's to say Jim hasn't already been here?"

"That."

Everyone looked where Alexis was pointing.

Jim was taking a nap on the outside glass panes. Since they were slanted, he could stay there for hours. His hat was covering his face and his hands were tucked behind his head. His boots held the edge of the glass with their heels.

Alice sighed and then saw Ember coming. She heard Inez and decided there was no turning back.

She lunged out, glaring at Jesse as she went. "Ember! Inez! I wasn't expecting such friendly faces." Her smile was fixed, and, since she could pull of a charm that made most boys swoon, she didn't have to strain. Slowly, Jesse's charisma was coming through.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to see what new wears you were wearing today." Alice gave her little smile. Her hands were dug into her pockets and her eyes portrayed Jesse. Ember and Inez were head over heels for the new boys, so, being Jesse's twin didn't hurt. "Looks good, only, I don't get the whole teeth and ropes."

"Oh, it's for Jim. Do you like it?"

Everything clicked for Jesse right then. Jim was pulling Ember out of the way by pretending all he wanted was her. Which, in turn, caused Jim to miss Julisa even more. So, that kept their "flame" alive and burning bright. No wonder Jim got jittery whenever they mentioned Julisa and she wasn't around.

Poor guy missed her.

But something happened then that nobody expected.

The girl's locker room door opened. Blair and Julisa stood stock still as Ember's words escaped into the air.

"Jim's so cheating on Julisa for me."