Disclaimer: I do not own Recess or any of its characters.

Chapter Six

*Before the Party*

"Come on Gretch, you have to come, everybody in the sophomore class is going to be there," Spinelli urged her best friend. This weekend Menlo's parents were leaving town and Menlo had decided to throw a party and invite the entire sophomore class, and their dates. Menlo was hoping it would be a quiet and respectable party, but everybody, including Menlo, knew that their was going to be alcohol there and the party was going to get out of hand quick.

"Yeah, Gretch, don't you want to be able to say to Vince, see, I'm here, I don't need you in my life to have fun," TJ pitched in. TJ and Spinelli both knew that they wouldn't be drinking at that party, neither believed in drinking and what effect the alcohol had on your body. They both liked to stay in complete control of their bodies.

"And besides, Mikey and I have our first dates from the dating service that night, and you have to meet them," Gus said. Gretchen smiled slightly, thinking about how disappointed either the two girls that were going out with them would be, or how disappointed Mikey and Gus would be.

"Fine, I'll go, but just so you know, the only thing I'll be able to say to Vince is, hey Vince, see, I'm trying to get over you by coming to this party I don't belong at and hanging out at the snack table by myself," Gretchen informed them and corrected TJ.

"Nah, you won't be by yourself, I'll hang out with you," TJ assured her. Gus and Mikey also nodded their agreement.

"Well, I'll come over and visit while Lawson's visiting with some of his other stupid friends," Spinelli offered.

***

"Hey Vince," a flirty voice behind him said. He recognized it as Ashley A's, who had been trying to get him to ask her to the party this Friday.

But right now Vince was watching the library, knowing Gretchen, TJ, and the others would soon be coming out, having spent their study hall in there.

Before this week Vince would have joined them in the library, trying to get Gretchen to pay less attention to the books and more to him. After TJ had yelled at him Saturday night and Monday at school he had realized that Gretchen and TJ were right, hew as trying to be popular. And if his friends couldn't accept that side of him then he was just going to have to give them up.

So, he had made his decision, and he could tell his old fourth grade gang wasn't happy about it. Especially Spinelli, who hated him for how much he had hurt Gretchen and TJ, the two people that meant the most to her. Yet, Spinelli couldn't see how much she alone was hurting TJ.

"Vince," Ashley whined behind him. Vince sighed. If he was actually going to try and act popular he might as well do the most popular thing any guy at the school could do.

"Hey Ashley," Vince greeted her, smiling as he turned around, "I'm sorry, I was zone out about a play for basketball. Would you like me to walk you to class to make it up to you?"

Ashley A. gave him a huge, flirty smile. She knew no guy could resist her for to long. Even though she had begun to have her doubts about Vince LaSalle. She handed him her books and said, flirtatiously, "Only if you promise to eat lunch with me."

The two walked down the hall as Vince promised to eat lunch with her.

***

Mikey stood behind Vince and Ashley A. in the lunch line. Every time one of them would make a flirty comment to the other Mikey could just see his friend's goodness deteriorating. Bit by bit.

"I wrote this poem for you," Vince said casually, handing her a poem. As Mikey read over her shoulder he shuddered. Rage consumed him. This was the poem he had helped Vince write last year to tell Gretchen how he felt. Mike had been willing to let Vince take full credit for that poem for two reasons. One, Mikey could tell Vince's feelings for Gretchen were sincere, and two, Gretchen would know that Mikey had to help him with it. Now his friend was just using it to score with this Ashley.

"Oh Vince!" Ashley said, throwing her arms around him, "It's beautiful."

"So, would you like to go with me to this party Friday?" Vince asked her casually.

"Of course," Ashley said, aloof. As if Vince should be proud that she was letting him take her. And Vince, Mikey noted sadly, was looking at her with the same admiration she had gotten from several led-on boyfriends.

***

"Hey Gretchy-poo," a voice behind Gretchen asked. Without even turning around both her and Spinelli, who was sitting by her at the table, knew it was Ashley A. But they took the bait anyways, turning and looking to see Ashley A. Vince was standing beside her, holding two trays, and acting like all the other idiots any of the Ashley's had dated, "Guess who Vince is taking to the party with him?"

As Vince and Ashley walked to their table, her laughing her head off, Gretchen turned back to the others, looking as if she was gonna cry, or be sick. Maybe both.

"I ..., I," Gretchen started, but without even trying to furnish a good excuse, ran out of the cafeteria to the bathroom. Spinelli stood up to follow her, a look of pure hatred on her face, TJ had a feeling if she could've beat Vince and Ashley A. to a bloody lump, she would have in a heart beat.

After Spinelli left Gus and TJ sat in silence, mechanically eating their lunches until Mikey ran up to them.

"Vince and Ashley A. ...," Mikey started breathlessly as he plopped down in the seat that Gretchen had occupied, but before he could say anymore TJ interrupted him.

"We know they're going to Menlo's party together," TJ harshly said, "Where do you think Spin and Gretch went?"

"There's more," Mikey explained, "Vince gave her the poem we wrote for Gretchen."

***

Gretchen was crying. She could hear Spinelli trying to calm her down, but she was tuning her out. Spinelli didn't count at the moment. She had two men that loved her more than anything. And she didn't even realize one of them did.

It annoyed Gretchen endlessly when Spinelli complained about being ugly. Even if she was ugly, which she wasn't with long black hair and a curvy body, TJ loved her. Gretchen had never told Spinelli, but back in fourth grade she had had a crush on TJ. But, by the time fifth grade had started Gretchen knew her and TJ were just like brother and sister, and that TJ would always love Spinelli.

Gretchen knew it must be killing TJ to lose his best friend and the one he loved all in one big bang.

***

TJ stared at Mikey, as if commanding him to be lying. He couldn't believe it. When Vince had admitted his love for Gretchen last year TJ hadn't really been surprised.

But now Vince had thrown the one he loved away. TJ knew if he had gotten Spinelli before Lawson, he'd never treat her like that. If TJ hadn't already blown his chance with Spin, he would've surprised her all the time, just to see the happy look on her face.

As Mikey confirmed Vince's worst betrayal as of yet TJ sat there, trying to figure Vince out. To come up with a plan to make him see. To see what he'd done. Lost Gretchen. Almost completely for good. Maybe TJ could make up for his own mistake of being too late with Spinelli by making sure Vince wasn't too late to win Gretchen back.