JT was surprised at how well his parents took his detention. Especially considering the fact that he didn't tell them about it. He had been anticipating a phone call from Principal Radditch and managed to convince an older boy on his block to answer it and pretend to be his father. Then he told his parents he would be at Toby's house on Saturday morning working on a project and that they were not to be disturbed.

He walked to school that morning wishing he were headed any place else. The day was beautiful, with a warm breeze rustling the trees and he was about to spend five hours inside a school with someone who wanted to rip his guts out.

JT found the detention room easily enough, having spent many afternoons there. However, this time, it seemed different with the school empty and Principal Radditch sitting at the teacher's desk in the front. Spinner was seated in the front of the room in one corner. Principal Radditch motioned for JT to take the seat on the opposite side in the same row.

"You two will stay here. I will not be in here. I have some very important phone calls to make in my office. However, it is two doors away and I will be checking in regularly. I expect you two to be on your best behavior and if anything happens here, both of you will be suspended. Now I told you to bring some school work or proper reading material with you. I trust you have or else I have some for you."

JT nodded at his textbook. Spinner took a notebook and pen out of his backpack.

"Good. I'll be back soon." With that, Principal Radditch left, closing the door behind him.

JT shook his head then opened his textbook, inside of which he had hidden a comic book.

They were both silent for several minutes before Spinner spoke.

"Hey. You're not supposed to have that. That's not proper reading material."

JT rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Ms. Kwan." He continued to read.

Spinner stood up, closing his notebook. "I'll go call Principal Radditch."

JT shoved back his chair and stood up as well. "Oh, okay, you go do that. You're used to being the good little lapdog, aren't you?"

Spinner's eyes narrowed and JT feared he had gone too far. "What exactly do you mean by that?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Nothing. I was just saying that you're a suck up, is all."

"No. You were talking about Paige weren't you? I am not her lap dog. I do things on my own terms. Besides we're not even—" Spinner stopped suddenly.

JT frowned. "Continue. Not even what?"

Spinner sat back down. "Nothing. Forget it." He opened up his notebook again.

JT was curious despite himself. "Oh come on you can't just leave me hanging like that."

"I'll leave you hanging literally if you don't shut—"

The door to the classroom opened and both boys immediately looked down at their books.

"Well everything seems okay in here," Principal Radditch said. He looked mildly surprised. "Keep it up." As soon as the door was shut, JT sprang up from his chair.

"Tell me, tell me, tell me," he said.

Spinner glared at him. "I told you, you'd better shut up."

"I told you, you'd better shut up," JT mimicked, hoping this strategy would work.

Spinner's eyes widened. "No, JT, stop it, I'm serious."

"No, JT, stop it, I'm serious."

"Cut it out!" Spinner got up and took a menacing step towards JT.

"Cut it out!" JT replied. "I'm not gonna stop until you tell me what you were going to say."

"You'd better, or I'll…"

"You'll what? You can't do anything! Unless you wanna get suspended."

"Just leave me alone," Spinner said.

"Just leave me alone."

"JT!"

"JT!"

"We're not going out anymore! You happy?!" Spinner sank heavily back into his chair.

"We're not going—what?!" JT froze. "B-but that's impossible. You guys are like the…the peanut butter and jelly of the school!"

"Yeah well I guess peanut butter decided she was better off without jelly." Spinner shook his head.

"But why would peanut butt—I mean, Paige, do that? It doesn't make sense." JT couldn't help but feel a slight flutter in his stomach as he thought about the situation.

"She didn't fell the same way about me as I did about her, so there was nothing we could do about it." Spinner shrugs. "I guess it happens." Then he frowned suddenly. "Then again, if someone hadn't been making the moves on her at that party maybe she wouldn't have drifted away from me."
JT held up his hands in a mute protestation of innocence. "I made no moves. There were no moves made, honest."

Spinner rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay. Tell me you didn't want Paige this whole time."

"I didn't! Well, maybe a little. But still, I'm telling the truth. Nothing happened between us at the party. She was having a rough time and she drank a little too much and I was just trying to make sure she was okay." JT tried to look as innocent as he could.

Spinner stared at him for a minute. "Okay, well, then why did Jimmy say he saw you two kissing in the backyard?"

JT tried to figure out the best way to say what had happened. "Well, we kinda almost did."
Spinner started to rise from his seat, his eyes blazing.

"But we didn't! She was really out of it, and I don't think she knew what she was doing. I mean, why would she want to kiss little old me?" JT let out a nervous bark of laugher. "She hates me!"

Spinner leaned back in his seat, suddenly looking defeated. He chuckled and JT wondered if he was preparing to pounce. "Are you crazy? She doesn't hate you at all. That's the problem."

"Huh?"

"She's completely crazy about you. There, I said it. We've all been in denial about it for so long. Now it's out in the open. Paige wanted to be with you this whole time, not me."

"Uh, Spin I think you definitely have lost it this time," JT said slowly.

"No I haven't." He sighed. "Then again, maybe I have. Are you and I really, like bonding or something?"

JT half-smiled. "We might just be. Who knew?"

Spinner laughed in spite of himself. "Yeah." Then his face grew serious. "Listen, I really did—or do, love Paige. And I want her to be happy."

JT snorted. "Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to laugh. Just never thought I'd see you get all sappy like this."

"Shut up and let me finish or I'll finish you."
"Ah, that's more like it."

"So as I was saying," Spinner continued. "I want her to be happy." He took a deep breath. "So I promise I will not beat you to a bloody pulp if you wanna ask her out."
JT was taken aback. "Do you really mean that?"

Spinner nodded.

"Would it be wrong if I hugged you right now?"

"Don't push it."