A/N : I haven't been too good at upating this fic regularly but I am doing my best to write quicker and post more often now. Thanx to rock-goddess27 and Eva for their reviews on chapter 4 - glad you like the story. Here's chapter 5.

(Disclaimer : see chapter 1)

Chapter 5 - The Next Step

"Hey Chase" Nicole called as she spotted her boyfriend in the halls "What's up?"

"I've just been talking to Ray, about Jenny" he told her.

"He saw her?" Nicole asked excitedly. She was really enjoying this.

"Yeah, and I think he likes her but I don't think he's got the guts to do anythig about it. He thinks she's out of his league now" Chase was beginning to think the whole thing was hopeless and pointless, but Nicole was more confident.

"Well, then we'll just have to show him that they're perfect for each other, just like you and me" she grinned, kissing him on the cheek. Chase smiled.

"But how do we get them together?"

Nicole thought for a moment and then smiled widely as she came up with a solution.

"Why don't we have a party?"

"At your house?" Chase wanted to know.

"Yeah" Nicole nodded, "or yours, or both, I mean we could have a huge party at both our houses on Friday night. Our parents our going away together Friday afternoon and they won't get back til late on Sunday so we'd have plenty of time to clean up..." she rambled on with excitement at the prospect of planning the party of the year as well as setting up a romance for two of her friends.

"I think it's going to be easier if I just agree to this isn't it?" Chase really couldn't be bothered to argue about it even though he knew this party was going to take planning and organising, and that he would undoubtedly have to help out with a lot of it. Nicole was going to throw this party with or without his consent so it was easier just to give in.

"Well, yes" Nicole smiled as innocently as she could.

"Okay fine, what do I have to do?" Chase asked the dreaded question but was pleasantly surprised by the answer he got.

"Just make sure Ray is there, I'll do the rest"

"Okay" he said, surprised at his lack of responsibilities but none-the-less pleased about it.

The bell rang and his next class was about to start

"See you later" he called as he disappeared down the hall. Nicole smiled to herself, now all she had to do was tell the plan to Jenny.

Nicole watched as Jenny literally fell into the girls bathroom. 'Maybe those high heeled shoes were a bad move' she thought, as she followed her new friend.

"Hey Jenny!" she greeted her "So you saw him today, right?"

"Yes" the brunette said, as both girls stood by the mirors and pulled out their make-up bags.

"And?" even though Nicole had heard what had happened from Ray, through Chase, she wanted to hear it the way Jenny told it.

"I think I got his attention" Jenny smiled weakly.

"That's great" Nicole grinned at her.

"Not really, I tripped on my heels" she blushed and looked down at her new shoes.

"Oh well, you'll get used to them" Nicole told her comfortingly.

"Yeah, but now what?" Jenny loved her new lok, and it was getting all the guys attention, including Ray, but what was she supposed to do for her next move?

"Well, if he noticed you, he might ask you out, but if he's shy..." Nicole acted thinking hard before adding, with a fake gasp, "Oh, I have an idea, we'll have a party"

"A party?" Jenny looked a little surprised and a lot scared at the suggestion.

"Yeah, I'll invite everybody and we can have it at mine and Chase's houses cos my Mom and his Dad are going away together this weekend..." Nicole trailed off. It still felt kind of weird having her Mom and Mr Hammond dating, and she knew all to well what they would be doing on their weekend away together. She really didn't want to think about it.

"If your parents are dating, doesn't that make you and Chase kind if like brother and sister?" Jenny observed.

"Eeeww! No!" Nicole all but yelled, disgusted at the idea.

"Sorry" said quietly, meaning it absolutely.

"Just don't mention it again, plaesae" Nicole shook her head, hoping it would remove the disgusting thoughts and then continued to talk about the party. "Okay, so we'll have a party and you can come, looking stunning, and I'll make sure he is there and it'll be perfect" she smiled, feeling very pleased with herself.

"I hope this works" Jenny sighed, putting the finishing touches to her re-application of make-up.

"Of course it will. By the end of the party you'll have Ray for sure" Nicole assured her as the two girls left the bathroom.

As soon as they had done, a cubicle door swung open and a pale skinned, dark haired girl emerged.

'She likes Ray?' Alicia thought to herself, 'So that's why the Jacobs girl has gone babe over night. Well, no-one is going to be more popluar than me, plus, I can get one over on Nicole for what she said about me to Brad and at the dance...'

A/N : Please review and I plan to post again quite soon so keep checking for updates!