JT and Toby took the long way to school Monday morning. It was frigid outside and their breath came out in wisps of steam as they talked.

"So what are you going to do today?" Toby asked.

JT shrugged. "I have no idea. She probably forgot about the whole thing anyway. It's not like anything can come of it. Not with The Hulk around, anyway."

They approached the school and joined the usual crowd that hung out on the steps despite the low temperature. JT found himself standing next to Manny.

"Hey, Manny, looking lovely today as usually," he said, flashing his grin at her. "Did you do something different with your hair?"

Manny smiled at him but her eyes were fixed on Craig who stood a few feet away. "Uh-huh."
JT sighed and went back over to where Toby stood talking to Kendra. "Why are girls so dumb?"

Kendra frowned at him. "Excuse me?"

"I mean, not you, not most girls, just, um, certain girls." He smiled weakly.

Toby shook his head. "And you wonder why you don't have a girlfriend. You should—" A big hand suddenly reached out from behind him and grabbed him by the shoulder, yanking him out of the way.

Spinner stood there, towering over JT, anger in his eyes, his arms crossed on his chest. "Hello, JT."

JT's heart started beating faster. "Uh, hi Spinner." He tried to keep his voice calm and steady. "What's going on?"

"Oh nothing much. There's just this loser who kept on trying to get with my girl and I warned him to stay away but apparently he didn't take me seriously." Spinner's hands were clenched into tight fists now.

JT let out a nervous bark of laughter. "Oh really? Well I guess I'd better leave you alone to find that kid." He started to back away slowly.

Spinner stepped closer to him. "Found him." He raised his fist.

JT winced, bracing himself. "Spinner, nothing happened between me and Paige!"

"Really? I think your lying." He shoved JT hard, knocking him to the ground.

JT struggled to get to his feet. "I'm not lying, Spinner, I swear. I just was helping her out because she was sick."

A crowd had begun to gather around them. JT prayed that it would attract the attention of a teacher but so far, it didn't look like anyone was coming to his aid.

"I have a good source that says that you did more than just 'help her out'." Spinner raised his fist and it connected with JT's jaw. He tasted blood in his mouth as his head whipped to the side.

The crowd was cheering and yelling now. JT figured a teacher would be coming soon but didn't care. Suddenly angry, he ran to Spinner and tackled him around the waist, nearly knocking him off of his feet. Spinner regained his balance and tried to grab JT in a headlock. JT managed to dodge Spinner's outstretched arms and delivered a hard punch to the other boy's stomach. Spinner grunted but grabbed JT by the collar.

"SPINNER!"

JT saw Spinner look up at the sound his name and took advantage of the opportunity to try and free himself but Spinner held him fast. JT glanced up and saw Paige fighting her way through the crowd towards them.

"Spinner let him go!" she cried.

Spinner reluctantly obliged, shoving JT away from him.

Paige hit Spinner on the arm. "What do you think you were doing? Why were you beating up JT?"

"Oh please, I know what went on between the two of you at the party on Saturday," Spinner replied heatedly.

"You…do?"

"Yes. I know that you two had a little game of tonsil hockey. What did you think I was just going to let him get away with it?"

"A game of what?" Paige looked around to see the crowd talking excitedly. "We did not!"
Spinner rolled his eyes.

"God, Spin, why don't you believe me? Nothing happened between me and JT. I can't believe you would think that and do something as immature and stupid as picking a fight with him! This is why I can't—"

"BOYS!" Mr. Radditch's booming voice cut Paige off. "I saw what was going on from my office and got down as quickly as I could. Both of you, in my office right now." He grabbed both of them by the arm and hauled them away. When they reached the office he pointed to a chair. "JT, you sit. Spinner, come with me."

JT slouched in his chair and dabbed at his bleeding lip as the door to the office slammed shut. He spent what felt like eternity imaging his parents' possible punishments for him when the door finally opened and Mr. Radditch motioned for him to come in. Spinner glared at JT as he walked past.

"JT Yorke," Mr. Radditch said closing the door firmly then taking a seat behind the desk. JT took the familiar chair opposite the principal. "You're becoming a regular fixture in here. Perhaps I should get you your own coffee mug?"
JT wasn't sure if he should laugh so settled for a tiny smile. "I'm sorry sir."

"Yes, sorry." Mr. Radditch sighed then folded his hands on the desk. "Well it would be unfair for me to give you a stronger sentence than Spinner so I will see you both in detention on Saturday morning. However, you step out of line one more time Mr. Yorke and you'll get a lot more than that. Do you understand?"

JT nodded. "Perfectly."
Mr. Radditch nodded towards the door. JT took that as his cue and left quickly.

+++

"So then he told me that I would have detention on Saturday morning which means I can't play in the soccer game," Spinner was telling Jimmy and Hazel during lunch that day. They were seated at the picnic tables outside the school. There was a light breeze but it had warmed up since that morning.

"Oh man, that sucks," Jimmy said. Hazel nodded in agreement.

"Well if you hadn't started to fight in the first place, then you wouldn't have this problem," a voice came from behind Spinner. He turned to see Paige standing there, her arms folded across her chest.

"What was I supposed to do?" Spinner replied as she sat down across from him.

"Gee I don't know, Spin, maybe not hit the kid about half your size," Paige replied angrily.

"After what you two did, I don't see how you can yell at me for doing what I did," Spinner said, his voice starting to grow louder.

Jimmy and Hazel looked at each other.

"Oh hey, remember we had that thing?" Jimmy said quickly. "You know, for, um, that class."

"Oh right!" Hazel gathered up her books. "See you guys later."

Spinner and Paige barely registered the two as they left.

"I told you," Paige said in a low controlled voice. "Nothing happened between JT and I. He was just helping me out because I was sick. That was it."

Spinner folded his arms. "Why should I believe you? It's not like—" He broke off suddenly, looking down at the table.

"Not like what?"

Spinner looked back up at her, the anger suddenly draining out of him. "It's not like things aren't different between us."

"What do you mean?"

Spinner shrugged, playing with his sandwich. "Oh come on, you know what I'm talking about. We haven't been seeing each other much. You're always busy."

"Well yeah, sure, I have a lot of stuff going on—"

"It's not just that," Spinner interjected. "Even when we're together things aren't right." He sighed. "You can't blame me for thinking that you would start to look somewhere else."

"Spin, you're right," Paige said slowly. "Things have changed but things always change in relationships. It doesn't mean the relationship has to end or I'm going to cheat on you."

Spinner stared at her. "Okay. Then tell me you love me."
Paige was silent. "Spinner…"

"I'm serious, Paige. If you say that you think our relationship isn't garbage then say it. Because I love you but I have no idea how you feel."

Paige looked down at her hands. She was quiet for a long time while Spinner watched her, his heart in his throat.

"That's what I thought." Spinner shook his head and got up from the table leaving Paige alone to figure out what she should do.