A/N: although you are all dying to know about what happened to TJ and
Spinelli after This I Swear, I decided to write the prequel first, because
then the reunion would make more sense. So without further ado, here we go
with Admired From Afar.
"Guess what, guess what!" Fifteen- year- old Ashley Spinelli ran up to her best friend TJ Detweiler and hugged him, squirming with excitement.
"Let me guess, the Ashleys are moving, Menlo was abducted by aliens and Finster retired?" TJ asked, thinking that those would be the top three things that would make Spinelli so excited. He hugged her back, wondering what could possibly make his best friend's news was.
"I wish, but no." Spinelli grinned, acting unusually happy and giddy. She was usually more reserved, unless you messed with her, then her tough side came out, which still struck fear in the hearts of her classmates.
"Then what is it?" TJ asked.
"Teej, he asked me out! King Bob asked me out!" She once again began squealing and jumping up and down, acting like a giddy schoolgirl. It seemed unusual for her, but King Bob was the first guy who ever asked her out, so TJ figured that her excitement was justifiable.
"Oh, Spinelli, that's great. Congratulations." TJ faked a smile even though it was killing him inside. He loved Spinelli so much, since they were in kindergarten, and now she was dating this loser. He wished Spinelli would see that he loved her and would treat her better than King Bob ever would. He reached into his locker for his math book, hoping Spinelli wouldn't notice his disappointment.
Spinelli must have sensed something, because she said "Sorry, Teej, I know you just broke up with Swinger Girl yesterday, and here I am bragging about a date and finally getting a boyfriend. I didn't mean to pull an Ashley on you." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Forgive me?" she asked, her dark eyes pleading with him.
TJ smiled. "Of course Spin. You have all bragging rights, you're a beautiful girl who got asked out by her crush. Just don't say scandalous, or else I'd have to kill you," TJ said, finally finding his voice, hoping his disappointment didn't show. "And don't worry about my feelings, Swinger Girl and I were only together for two weeks. Its not like we did anything. We barely even kissed. I somehow doubt she even counts as being my first girlfriend." He faked a smile. "In fact our kiss in fourth grade was more intense than me kissing her."
Spinelli laughed. "And to think you found that gross at the time."
"Hey, I was nine!" TJ protested, holding up his hands in defense.
"I know, I'm just playing." She smiled again, making TJ's knees go weak. She was so perfect--- smart, beautiful and one of the most amazing people he knew. They had been friends for so long that TJ couldn't even begin to imagine life without her in it. He only hoped King Bob wouldn't come between them.
At that moment, their friend Gus Griswald joined them. "Hey, guys, what's up?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.
"King Bob asked me out!" Spinelli practically screamed, jumping up and down again.
"Great, Spin, congratulations." Gus said, exchanging a look with TJ. He sensed how TJ felt about Spinelli, and knew that her news was killing him inside.
"Thanks, Gus, it's just so amazing. I mean me, Spinelli, having a boyfriend. I never thought I would ever get to say that!" She smiled so hard, that both boys thought her face would break.
"No, Spin, you're really pretty. Of course you could get a boyfriend," TJ said, mentally kicking himself for ignoring his feelings for so long.
"Thanks, Teej, I only hope that one day you two find people that make you as happy as I am now!" She hugged them both. "I love you too, you know that? I'm so lucky to have such great friends to share my happiness with."
"We love you too, Spinelli," Gus said, TJ echoing in agreement. At that moment, King Bob approached them. He was a senior that year, and also the most popular guy in the school, the kind of guy all the girls wanted to date and all the underclassmen idolized. He put his arms around Spinelli, causing her to smile even more, if that were at all possible.
"Walk my fair lady to class?" King Bob offered, taking Spinelli's hand.
"Of course, Bob," Spinelli giggled. TJ and Gus rolled their eyes. "Bye, you two," she called over her shoulder.
"Damn, one day and that idiot has her acting like a complete and total Ashley clone!" TJ slammed his locker shut. "What does she see in that loser, anyway?"
"He's popular, a jock and apparently all the girls think he's a hottie."
"Not helping, Gus!" TJ looked at him. "There's something about that guy I don't trust."
"Teej, you're jealous," Gus accused.
"That may be, but I still say there is something about him that's a little off." TJ and Gus began walking to class.
"Come on, Teej, just because people still treat him like a king and he is a bit egotistical doesn't mean he is going to hurt Spinelli." Gus patted TJ's arm. "Besides, I give it two weeks, tops, before Spinelli comes to her senses. Let's just be happy for her right now, ok?"
"I guess you're right, Gus." TJ said. At that moment, they came face to face with their ex-friend, Vince LaSalle and his girlfriend, Ashley Armbruster.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the geek brigade. Where's Spin-ugly?" Ashley sneered, flipping her perfectly styled blonde hair.
"She's with her boyfriend, King Bob. Goes to show you the guy's taste improved since he dumped your sorry ass." TJ glared at her. He hated preppy girls like her who felt it was their duty to mess with them
"I upgraded, right honey?" Ashley kissed Vince's cheek and he smirked at them
"Right, honey, not like they are ever going to get girlfriends. Come on, I think loser is contagious." The two walked away, still snickering.
"Losers, I can't believe we were friends with him." TJ shook his head.
"Well, his loss, I'll see you after school." Gus disappeared into his classroom, waving goodbye.
TJ sighed. First Spinelli dating King Bob, then the Vince and Ashley encounter. "What else could possibly go wrong?" he thought as he ducked into class, the warning bell ringing in his ears.
A/N: this story will better explain the events in the This I Swear Sequel. I plan on making this about 12 chapters, but I will work quickly so I can start on the next story. Wow, Recess fanfiction keeping me busy during semester break! Interesting! Anyway r/r, but if you can't say something nice, don't say it at all. Enjoy!
"Guess what, guess what!" Fifteen- year- old Ashley Spinelli ran up to her best friend TJ Detweiler and hugged him, squirming with excitement.
"Let me guess, the Ashleys are moving, Menlo was abducted by aliens and Finster retired?" TJ asked, thinking that those would be the top three things that would make Spinelli so excited. He hugged her back, wondering what could possibly make his best friend's news was.
"I wish, but no." Spinelli grinned, acting unusually happy and giddy. She was usually more reserved, unless you messed with her, then her tough side came out, which still struck fear in the hearts of her classmates.
"Then what is it?" TJ asked.
"Teej, he asked me out! King Bob asked me out!" She once again began squealing and jumping up and down, acting like a giddy schoolgirl. It seemed unusual for her, but King Bob was the first guy who ever asked her out, so TJ figured that her excitement was justifiable.
"Oh, Spinelli, that's great. Congratulations." TJ faked a smile even though it was killing him inside. He loved Spinelli so much, since they were in kindergarten, and now she was dating this loser. He wished Spinelli would see that he loved her and would treat her better than King Bob ever would. He reached into his locker for his math book, hoping Spinelli wouldn't notice his disappointment.
Spinelli must have sensed something, because she said "Sorry, Teej, I know you just broke up with Swinger Girl yesterday, and here I am bragging about a date and finally getting a boyfriend. I didn't mean to pull an Ashley on you." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Forgive me?" she asked, her dark eyes pleading with him.
TJ smiled. "Of course Spin. You have all bragging rights, you're a beautiful girl who got asked out by her crush. Just don't say scandalous, or else I'd have to kill you," TJ said, finally finding his voice, hoping his disappointment didn't show. "And don't worry about my feelings, Swinger Girl and I were only together for two weeks. Its not like we did anything. We barely even kissed. I somehow doubt she even counts as being my first girlfriend." He faked a smile. "In fact our kiss in fourth grade was more intense than me kissing her."
Spinelli laughed. "And to think you found that gross at the time."
"Hey, I was nine!" TJ protested, holding up his hands in defense.
"I know, I'm just playing." She smiled again, making TJ's knees go weak. She was so perfect--- smart, beautiful and one of the most amazing people he knew. They had been friends for so long that TJ couldn't even begin to imagine life without her in it. He only hoped King Bob wouldn't come between them.
At that moment, their friend Gus Griswald joined them. "Hey, guys, what's up?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.
"King Bob asked me out!" Spinelli practically screamed, jumping up and down again.
"Great, Spin, congratulations." Gus said, exchanging a look with TJ. He sensed how TJ felt about Spinelli, and knew that her news was killing him inside.
"Thanks, Gus, it's just so amazing. I mean me, Spinelli, having a boyfriend. I never thought I would ever get to say that!" She smiled so hard, that both boys thought her face would break.
"No, Spin, you're really pretty. Of course you could get a boyfriend," TJ said, mentally kicking himself for ignoring his feelings for so long.
"Thanks, Teej, I only hope that one day you two find people that make you as happy as I am now!" She hugged them both. "I love you too, you know that? I'm so lucky to have such great friends to share my happiness with."
"We love you too, Spinelli," Gus said, TJ echoing in agreement. At that moment, King Bob approached them. He was a senior that year, and also the most popular guy in the school, the kind of guy all the girls wanted to date and all the underclassmen idolized. He put his arms around Spinelli, causing her to smile even more, if that were at all possible.
"Walk my fair lady to class?" King Bob offered, taking Spinelli's hand.
"Of course, Bob," Spinelli giggled. TJ and Gus rolled their eyes. "Bye, you two," she called over her shoulder.
"Damn, one day and that idiot has her acting like a complete and total Ashley clone!" TJ slammed his locker shut. "What does she see in that loser, anyway?"
"He's popular, a jock and apparently all the girls think he's a hottie."
"Not helping, Gus!" TJ looked at him. "There's something about that guy I don't trust."
"Teej, you're jealous," Gus accused.
"That may be, but I still say there is something about him that's a little off." TJ and Gus began walking to class.
"Come on, Teej, just because people still treat him like a king and he is a bit egotistical doesn't mean he is going to hurt Spinelli." Gus patted TJ's arm. "Besides, I give it two weeks, tops, before Spinelli comes to her senses. Let's just be happy for her right now, ok?"
"I guess you're right, Gus." TJ said. At that moment, they came face to face with their ex-friend, Vince LaSalle and his girlfriend, Ashley Armbruster.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the geek brigade. Where's Spin-ugly?" Ashley sneered, flipping her perfectly styled blonde hair.
"She's with her boyfriend, King Bob. Goes to show you the guy's taste improved since he dumped your sorry ass." TJ glared at her. He hated preppy girls like her who felt it was their duty to mess with them
"I upgraded, right honey?" Ashley kissed Vince's cheek and he smirked at them
"Right, honey, not like they are ever going to get girlfriends. Come on, I think loser is contagious." The two walked away, still snickering.
"Losers, I can't believe we were friends with him." TJ shook his head.
"Well, his loss, I'll see you after school." Gus disappeared into his classroom, waving goodbye.
TJ sighed. First Spinelli dating King Bob, then the Vince and Ashley encounter. "What else could possibly go wrong?" he thought as he ducked into class, the warning bell ringing in his ears.
A/N: this story will better explain the events in the This I Swear Sequel. I plan on making this about 12 chapters, but I will work quickly so I can start on the next story. Wow, Recess fanfiction keeping me busy during semester break! Interesting! Anyway r/r, but if you can't say something nice, don't say it at all. Enjoy!