With Sam and Aubrey:
"You're what!" Sam exclaimed when her cousin came over to the locker they shared and told her what was happening.
Aubrey nodded. "I said yes."
"Aubrey this is like monumental." Sam said as they both piled some books in their locker.
"Sam please don't make this into a big deal." Aubrey groaned.
Sam's mouth hung open still in shock. "I mean do you like him or something?"
Aubrey looked to her cousin with a small smile. "A little, but I'm all sorts of torn right now, cause of fox."
"Aubrey you can have a career and a relationship." Sam said.
Aubrey sighed. "But what if I go and all we do is argue about everything because he thinks I'm cheating or worse I accuse him of cheating. Someone's gonna end up heart broken in this."
"Then don't go." Sam suggested.
Aubrey's eyes went wide. "What?"
"Sometimes Aubrey you cant have your cake and eat it to. You'll never know what you guys could've had if you don't try, but if this is getting to you that much don't go." Sam said.
Aubrey grunted. "That is not good advice Samantha Jane…" Aubrey walked away.
"Aubrey Maree…" Sam retorted sarcastically to herself as she shut the locker. When the locker was closed there stood Kyle. "Hey!" Sam said brightly.
"Hey! Were you just talking to yourself?" Kyle asked.
Sam giggled. "No my cousin…" She trailed off seeing Aubrey coming back over.
"My car after school, you and I are going to the…mall." She said shuddering. Sam nodded and Aubrey left again.
Kyle chuckled. "She always that way, cause I haven't seen much else since September?"
Sam shook her head. "No she's just confused right now. It'll pass." Sam said.
Kyle nodded. "So about the dance we're still on right?"
Sam nodded. "Yeah I wanted to ask, do you mind if my dad drives us there and back?"
"Why?"
"Well he's adamant on seeing me off to my first high school dance." Sam said it was partially the truth, but he didn't need to know the rest.
"We don't have to like pose for tons of pictures once we get there?" Kyle joked.
Sam shook her and giggled. "No I don't even think my dad knows much about cameras anyway. Now my Aunt Tori is the one you have to watch out for." She joked back as they started down the hallway.
"Yeah it's cool with me." Kyle said.
"Cool."
With Adam:
"Hey Lily." Adam said coming in to class and taking his seat while they waited for the first period bell to ring.
Lily looked up at Adam and he saw her cheeks turn a bit pink and then fade to their normal tan. "Hey Adam."
"So um my sister is going to go to that school dance and…" Adam paused when Lily's eyes looked up and caught his off guard he didn't know how to continue. "Uh…"
Lily smiled shyly. "Are you trying to ask me to the fall ball?"
Adam nodded. "Trying being the operative word." He joked feebly.
Lily seemed to giggle. "I would love to go to the fall ball with you Adam." She said sweetly. "But you wont get nervous at the fact that my dad is one of the chaperones?"
Adam shrugged. "I dunno is he gonna bury me if my hands slip lower then the waist completely by accident?" He joked.
Lily laughed. "No, but that's not to say I wont." She said with a sweet but serious tone. Adam gulped. "I'm kidding." She laughed. "Don't worry so much."
Adam laughed very lightly and turned towards his computer and turned it on just as the first period bell was ringing.
With Aundrea:
Aundrea sat alone in the back of the library. Since her counseling sessions were up before the end of the trimester she didn't have a first period class anymore, now it was study hall period sort of for her. If I go with him I'm moving on. If I moving on I'm letting go of what I had with Brandon. But I don't want to let go of what I had with Brandon. I loved him with all my heart. Aundrea sat thinking silently to herself.
"Hey there." Aundrea looked up and saw one object of her thoughts a taller ruggedly handsome young man, green eyes, dirty blonde hair he was cute, but Aundrea still wasn't certain as to what she wanted.
"Ethan hey!" Aundrea said quietly as he took a seat next to her.
"So I was wondering if you made up your mind about the dance?" He asked softly.
Aundrea sighed. "Not yet." She said quietly.
Ethan nodded. "Well it's only a few…"
"Ethan can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"I'm sure you've heard the tales around school about me and…my boyfriend." She said. Ethan nodded. "If you and i…dated would it bother you that I would still have feelings for him?"
Ethan seemed to think about this. "Aundrea I like you and that's what matters. If we date I would never wonder or compare myself to him if that's what your worried about. No one should ever ask you to truly forget a lost loved one."
Aundrea seemed to smile at that. "So I could keep my feelings for him and it wouldn't bother you?"
Ethan shook his head. "No."
"You swear?"
"I swear." Ethan said with a gentle smile.
Aundrea bit back a contagious smile. "Yeah sure I'd like to go to the dance with you."
With Hayden:
Hayden found herself giggling uncontrollable. "That is the funniest thing I've ever heard." She said.
Holden turned away from her rolling his eyes. "Thanks." He said sarcastically.
Hayden stopped and controlled her laughter. "I'm sorry, I just…it was…funny." She said softly.
"I'm glad I could amuse you." Holden chuckled faintly. Hayden smiled brightly. "So what's this thing about the fall ball? What is it?" He asked.
Hayden sighed. "It's a dance."
"What are you not going or something?" Holden asked.
Hayden shook her head. "No one's asked me and anybody I could hang out with either has a date or isn't going."
"Oh." Holden said softly. "Well I know I'm new but I'll take you."
Hayden looked at him in astonishment. "What?"
"I'll take you. It would be fun and I could get to meet some new people see what kind of things go on here." Holden said casually.
Hayden shook her head. "No it's ok."
"Hayden it would be fun." Holden said.
Hayden sighed. "Look your only asking cause you feel bad that I'm not going. Really it's ok."
Holden shook his head. "No I'm asking cause I think you're cute." He said. "I was just trying to find out whether or not you already had somebody to go with."
Hayden blushed and ducked her head slightly. "Uh, my dad won't like that. He hasn't even met you."
Holden nodded. "Well then we can fix that. I'll meet him today."
Hayden's mouth fell open in shock. "No really I wouldn't want to put you through that kind of torture just for a school dance." She said shyly.
Holden shook his head idly. "Overprotective dad?" Hayden nodded. "I have one to. He's threatened to turn people into shark bait if they hurt my sister."
Hayden giggled. "We live on the beach and yes my father owns a shovel." She said jokingly. Holden laughed lightly. "He said that to my sister the other night."
Holden nodded. "Look Hayden it would be really fun to escort you to the dance."
Hayden was blown away. He had just met her the day before and he was asking to meet her father and escort her to a school dance that was four days away. "Do you really think you're up for meeting my dad?"
Holden shrugged. "If you'll say yes I'm up for anything." He said smiling at her. Hayden's heart dropped. Oh my god. She thought silently to herself.
With the freshmen:
"So dude's seriously we need to come up with a plan for the night of the fall ball." David said.
DeLinda and Charlie shrugged. Brook squealed. "No shopping!" David and Austin said together sternly. Brook stopped squealing.
"Movies!" Charlie suggested. Brook looked over at David and he smiled at her. Things between them had been a little odd lately. Brook found herself liking David as more then a friend and found the stupidest things he did cute.
"That could work." Brook said. "And then after…"
"Burger Joe's!" The gang chorused. DeLinda saw Mika coming over.
"Hey De I just wanted to say thanks for the help yesterday." Mika said nicely.
"No problem." DeLinda said refraining from rolling her eyes.
"Mika right?" Austin asked. Mika nodded. "You should come hang with us this Saturday night. We're going to the movies and then to Burger Joe's." Austin suggested. He thought she was cute.
"I would hate to intrude. You guys seem pretty close." Mika said.
Brook smiled. "We are but we can always use new people in the group it makes things more fun." She said thoughtfully.
Mika nodded. "I'll ask my dad." She said like it was already a yes.
"Cool." They all chorused.
"So you wanna sit and work in our study group?" Charlie offered seeing that Austin was practically drooling. Mika shrugged. "Here you can sit by me and Austin." Charlie and DeLinda each scooted a chair down so there was an open space between Austin and Charlie. Mika took the offer and sat between the two with Charlie throwing a covert wink at a very shocked Austin.
After school:
"Aubrey get your ass out here, before I come in there and drag you out!" Sam yelled into the dressing room. The lock clicked and Aubrey stuck her head out of the stall door.
"Sam I don't think…" Aubrey was cut off when Sam pushed the door open, grabbed her hand and dragged her out into the hallway for everyone to see. Hayden and Aundrea had come along as well needing to find the right dresses for the dance, and Adam was somewhere looking for whatever.
Hayden and Aundrea looked up from their conversation at Aubrey who was standing there her arms crossed over her stomach in a tight strapless navy corset with light blue lacing and a light blue a-line silk skirt that hung to the floor and was covered in intricate navy beading. All the girls just stared in shock at Aubrey. Her hair was down and straight and she looked completely shy, when normally she looked ready to go and do whatever.
"Guys I dunno. I don't think…"
"No!" They all shouted.
"Aubrey you look beautiful." Aundrea said walking over and pulling some of her hair forward on to her shoulders to get a better look at her like that.
Aubrey bit her lip nervously. "Really?"
They nodded. "Aubrey you are the definition of what makes boys drool." Hayden teased her cousin.
Aubrey got self-conscious. "Ok that's it I'm taking it off." She started to go back in the room and was stopped by Aundrea and Sam.
"That isn't a bad thing." Aundrea said.
"Guys it can't look that good. You're just saying that cause you're my family." Aubrey said. Just as they were beginning to protest another person walked into the dressing area.
"Hey Lily!" Hayden said seeing the familiar teen girl. "Could you give us your opinion since we so luckily ran into each other?"
Lily smiled and nodded. "Hi guys! Sure."
"What do you think of Aubrey in this?" Sam gestured and spun Aubrey unwillingly in a circle so Lily could get a full look.
"She looks amazing. The dress really compliments her figure and the coloring goes great with her eyes." Lily said.
Sam, Hayden, and Aundrea all turned grinning at Aubrey. Aubrey sighed and through her hands up in surrender. "Alright I get it! This is the dress!" She said. Aubrey went back into the dressing room to change and then go purchase the dress. Then she saw the price tag. "Uh guys we may have a problem."
"What's that?" The all chorused. Aubrey came out the dress still on and showed them the price tag.
"It's three hundred and fifty dollars. My dad gave me a three hundred limit." Aubrey said.
Hayden pulled out her cell and snapped a picture of her cousin in the dress and then sent it to her uncle with a text that said 'perfect, no?' a few moments later the phone rang and Hayden answered. "Hi Uncle Blake!"
"Hi Hayden, how much is it?" Blake asked. Hayden giggled knowing he knew all to well their dilemma.
"Three fifty uncle Blake, but we haven't found anything in any of the other stores that looks that great on her, and we've all already found our dresses." Hayden said.
Blake chuckled. "Aubrey can be difficult."
"Tell us about it." Hayden remarked.
"Wait all of you, does that mean you're going?"
Hayden bit her lip nervously. "Uh Uncle Blake don't tell dad I haven't talked to him yet only mom."
"No worries he isn't even here yet, he left to go get some something or other. So tell Aubrey to buy that dress and I said it's ok to go over the limit." Blake said.
Hayden gave a thumb up to her cousin and Aubrey returned to the dressing room to switch clothes. "Thanks uncle Blake."
"No sweat see you guys later." Blake said.
"Bye!" Hayden hung up.
While Aubrey changed the other's talked. "So Lily what brings you shopping for a dress?" Aubrey called.
"Adam asked me to the dance." She said shyly. The dressing room door snapped open and Aubrey stuck her head out and looked completely stunned at Lily.
"Excuse me?" She asked with an amused grin.
Lily smiled shyly. "Adam asked me to the dance."
The others were also in shock. "Her brother? My cousin the sometimes gutless jellyfish asked you to a dance?" Sam asked also looking very surprised.
Lily nodded. "Yeah. He said he would come here after school and get…"
"That little troll." Aubrey whispered and rushed getting dress. As soon as she had her own clothes on she ran out with the other girls paid for the dress and then went into the main hall of the mall pulling out her cell phone. "Hey bro, where you at?"
"Uh you wanna meet at the food court?" Adam asked. Aubrey heard a hint of nervousness in his voice and she knew why. This would be his first official date. All though technically it was hers to, but that was y choice plenty of guys had asked her out she had just chosen to say no. Adam on the other hand unlike their father was somewhat shy and nervous most of the time.
Aubrey linked arms with Lily. "Sure let's say Panda?"
"Ok be there in five bye!" Aubrey hung up and she looked to Lily.
"My little bro is taking you to a dance. I can't believe it." Aubrey said smiling. The other girls linked arms as well and walked down the mall in search of the food court and when they got there Hayden, Aundrea, and Sam sat at a table while Aubrey and Lily went to meet Adam.
Adam showed up not to long after and was surprised to see Aubrey with Lily. "Uh hey Lily." He said sheepishly.
Aubrey grinned at him. "Where is it?"
"What?"
"The suit you came to buy and didn't tell me?" Aubrey asked.
Adam smiled shyly at his sister and then looked between her amused face and Lily's unsure expression. "Uh on hold in the men's department of Macy's."
Lily giggled. "What were you gonna do pay with your shoe?" She asked jokingly. Adam grinned at both of them.
"No I was gonna take the card from Bre to get it as soon as she was done." Aubrey shook her head in amusement.
"Bro, why didn't you just say you needed a suit to take Lily to the dance in. We could've shopped for it together." Aubrey asked.
Adam shrugged. "I didn't want you to razz me about it."
Aubrey laughed. "Ok you got me there. But I can't really razz much cause look at me I'm going to a dance and I have to wear a dress."
Lily looked between the two. "Is it cool if I go now, my break is up."
"Break?" Aubrey and Adam said together.
"Yeah I work at Aero-postal." Lily said. "I was getting the dress on my break which was up five minutes ago." They both nodded.
"See you tomorrow at school Lily." Adam said sweetly. Lily gave him a kiss on the cheek and then left the siblings alone.
Aubrey smiled at her brother. "Next time tell me." Adam nodded. "Come on let's go get me some shoes and you that suit and get cause we need to be at storm chargers tonight to help dad with inventory." Adam nodded again and the other's joined them and they went off to finish their shopping.
