-1"Mr. Brooks," Spinner set a coffee down in front of Jimmy. "Miss Nunez," he put down Alex's. "And me. There."

"Thanks, Spin," Jimmy said before taking a long sip and letting out a content sigh.

"No problem, dorkcicles," Spinner grinned. Jimmy and Alex rolled their eyes in unison.

Alex and Jimmy studied through the afternoon. When Jimmy helped Spinner work, Alex corrected his practice tests. It was weird. Jimmy was actually learning and she was actually teaching him. Never in her wildest dreams, or even trips, would she have seen this one coming. She didn't exactly know how to feel. Despite his obnoxious personality, Spinner had proved to be mildly amusing. Jimmy was a real great time. The mid afternoon brought about a pizza delivery and a study break filled with dumb jokes and a lot of laughing. These two guys had proved to be an excellent distraction. Aside from Jimmy's occasional sympathetic glances, they were leaving all of her obvious issues alone and were just hanging out. It was nice. It was rare. She was actually disappointed when four thirty rolled around and she had to pack up.

"Hey guys, listen, I gotta get going," Alex sighed, dropping a half eaten room temperature slice of pizza back into the box.

"Already? Come on!" Jimmy gave her a playful shove in the shoulder.

"Yeah. I've got to get to work," Alex replied, tucking books into her backpack and being quick about it. "I have to change and do my hair and stuff." She was hoping that sounded girly and vague enough that neither of them would say anything more.

"Well, thanks again for all of your much needed assistance. I owe any and all success on Monday, however average and C range, to you," Jimmy said, giving Alex a bow of respect, half joking around.

"You've done well, Grasshopper," she smiled.

"Alright. Have a good night. Make bank," Jimmy smiled back.

"That's the plan," Alex hoisted her backpack onto her shoulder. She didn't want to talk about the details of work. This was unsafe territory. "Bye Spinner," she called over to where he was restyling a mannequin. Alex was pretty certain that sort of thing was Paige's job. After getting a look at the color combinations Spinner was putting together, she knew why.

"Bye," Spinner replied over his shoulder. He and Jimmy watched her leave without saying much else. Spinner put the finishing touches on his display and Jimmy actually took out his designs and put away his math. "Hey Jimmy," Spinner started, that uncomfortable look in his eye that meant he had an idea.

"Yeah?" Jimmy asked, not looking up from the drawings in front of him.

"You know what we need?" Spinner was grinning.

"What's that?" Jimmy uncapped a marker as he looked up at his friend.

"We need some relaxation, man. We're both working way too hard," Spinner replied.

"You've got that right," Jimmy raised his eyebrows.

"What do you say that tonight after we lock up, we head over to Zanzibar, grab a few beers, tip Alex way too much so you can keep your good guy lesbo pal image in check, and watch some hot ladies do their thing?" Spinner asked. "Eh? Eh? Come on!"

"Dude, no way," Jimmy shot Spinner right down.

"Come on! Boys night out! Me and you! Alex has to be there anyway, we may as well help her make some money!" Spinner tried. Jimmy looked torn. "What, Princess Ash won't let you go?" Spinner shot Jimmy a look of disgust.

"Nah, she's away with her mom this weekend looking a universities," Jimmy said, then instantly regretted it.

"So come on! We'll call it a business trip!" Spinner was getting a little too excited.

"I don't think we should go there, Dude. Alex is kind of touchy and weird about that job," Jimmy gritted his teeth a bit as his brain tried to justify to his dick why it was a bad idea to enjoy Alex's company, help her make money while enjoying a few beers with his business partner and all the while hot women would be getting naked.

"She's a shot girl, man! Who cares! She serves drinks in a little black dress and for such a badass, I don't know why she's being such a pansy about that dumb job." Spinner muttered.

"Alright," Jimmy finally caved. "Let's go."

"Are you serious?!" Spinner lit up.

"But not for a long time, not too many drinks, and no lap dances. Just me and you having a few beers, chatting with Alex at work, and having a night out to chill," Jimmy said sternly.

"Awesome!"

"And no lesbian comments and no being mean to her. She's working." Jimmy pointed a finger at Spinner.

"Done and Done my friend!" Spinner held up his hands in innocence, but he couldn't wipe the devilish grin off his face.

--------------------

Marco and Paige stood in front of the bathroom mirror going through the unspoken competition of who could spend less time getting ready but still come out looking the most fabulous. Paige was winning because Marco was too busy being dumbfounded by Paige's turn around and behavior. She was an emotional disaster two or three days ago and now she was ready to go party. And was smiling about it too. He was happy, this all felt like a very good thing. He hadn't seen Paige get all dolled up in almost a month. The most dressed up he had seen her lately was the occasional sweater with a collared shirt, and only when she was trying to feel professional for work, or there was a chance she was going to run into her mother, which was becoming less and less frequent. Her recent depression and lack of appetite had taken off the Banting 15 she wouldn't shut up about, and she looked utterly smashing this evening in a pair of jeans that let the world know exactly where all of her curves were and a flattering black top that walked the fine line between classy and scandalous.

She looked great. Marco knew that her appearance was usually kind of a big deal and was happy to see her enjoying the getting ready process and not stressing over it. Or ignoring it all together like she had this morning when they went out to eat and she had tired jeans that were not fashionably ripped, they were lazily ripped, a Squatch t shirt (and if he wasn't mistaken it was the same one she had on the day before, heaven forbid) and a really filthy black hoodie he'd never seen in her wardrobe before, and hoped to never see again. Tonight she had the three inch heeled boots, she spent five minutes alone trying to decide on which purse she wanted, and if he did say so himself, her hair looked amazing.

"So," Marco spoke up as he straightened his tie. Paige was leaning over the counter to get a little closer to the mirror as she applied her eye shadow. "Where are we going?" He was hoping they were just out to have a good time, and although he as glad she looked lovely, he hoped that Paige's spectacularly hot get up was not intended for rubbing up against too many spectacularly hot strangers.

"I don't care. Wherever. I just want to have fun with you. I want cheap drinks, loud music and an open dance floor," she smiled as she set the eye shadow down on the counter and picked up her mascara. The counter was completely cluttered. Between Paige's make up and Marco's hair products, Ellie had a hard time finding a place to put her toothbrush.

"Is there anything more you need in life?" Marco grinned at her in the mirror. She giggled back before leaning back in to touch up her mascara. She loved getting ready with Marco. He was honest to a fault, just like she was, and thusly they never left the house together looking anything short of perfect. He was being wonderfully patient and sweet with her through this whole thing. Dylan had been his everything and with him gone, Paige was trying to be there for Marco too. She would just have to be his blond Michaelchuk partner in crime instead of in the bedroom.

"I could think of a few things, but those really take the cake," Paige said, dropping the mascara on the counter and picking up a lipstick and tossing it in her purse. "Ready?"

"As ever!" Marco offered her his arm and they headed downstairs. They were into coats and scarves and out the front door onto the sidewalk, cigarettes lit and heads back in laughter as they chatted with excitement about the night ahead.

---------------------

"Hey Lex," Mel leaned against the bar. Alex was sitting across from her drinking a glass of water and trying to calm down. It was scaring her a bit how easy this was becoming.

"Hey," Alex gave Mel a weak smile. She sensed by Mel's worried eyes and lack of smiles and chatter that Jay had given her the abridged version of the disaster at the diner last night. She didn't mind. it was certainly easier than telling Mel everything herself.

"How's it going?" Mel tried. She was nervously straitening bottles and glasses, making all the labels face out, twisting the tops all the same way. They were all perfectly set, but she kept touching them to occupy her hands and give her a reason to be standing across from her friend.

"Good one," Alex smirked. Mel broke into a smile. At least Alex was feeling a little better.

"Look, Jay talked to me this morning," Mel started. "I'm really sorry. I didn't realize."

"Most people don't. It's okay," Alex nodded.

"What'd you do today?" Mel asked, trying to switch gears to casual conversation for which Alex was thankful.

"Nothing. Studied with a friend all afternoon," Alex sipped her water. Mel made a pretend puzzled face and reached out a hand and pressed it to Alex's forehead.

"You feeling okay" Mel giggled.

"Shut up, shut up," Alex halfheartedly swatted Mel's hand away with a smile on her face. "I have a calc exam on Monday."

"Yuck," Mel stuck out her tongue.

"It won't be so bad," Alex shrugged.

"Some of the girls were laughing at your mirror. You've got books and note books and worksheets all over the place back there," Mel nodded towards the dressing rooms. "And I found this under the bar, I figured it was yours," Mel pulled an organic chemistry lab manual out form under the bar. "You've got homework all over this place!"

"I have to do it sometime? Might as well get paid for it." Alex shrugged and took the book from Mel.

"You're something else, Lex," Mel shook her head and smiled sincerely.

"Don't I know it" Alex rolled her eyes.

"And for what it's worth," Mel paused to look down at her perfect row of shot glasses. "It's her loss," Mel flicked her eyes back up to meet Alex's. Alex didn't know what to say. She wanted to curse Mel out for bringing this up just when she was starting to feel better. She wanted to tell her to mind her own business, or that she was wrong and it was Alex who was lost without Paige, but all that came out was

"Thanks."