Disclaimer: Don't-(choke gasp)-own-(sucks in air) WHEW! Glad that's over!

A/N: ONWARD!

A/N p.s.-bold means James's thoughts. Italics mean Lily's thinking.

ChApTeR 2

Jealousy and Seriously Sirius Helpfulness

Okay, I can do this, just think positive...here goes nothing...

James walked toward Lily Evans and her small group of friends as they headed to dinner. Noticing James, her friends said they'd meet her in the Great hall in a few minutes. Lily silently pleaded with them; Carmen...please don't leave me here with him! But her friends were already walking away. And I thought Carmen would have stayed with me, at least. Oh, well. I'll get them back later. Hehe.

Aphrodite help me... "Lily, I was kind of wondering, you see, I know that I probably shouldn't have asked you, but I really-"

Yeah, and now he's going to ask me out... Lily braced herself for the invite to go to Hogsmeade or something.

"You see," God, I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this...

James couldn't help himself when he blurted out, "What is Carmen doing this Saturday?" Crap, what did I just say?

What did he just say?

Did I just ask out Carmen?

Did he just ask out Carmen?

"Lily looked like a bunch of bricks fell on her head, I'm telling you." James recounted in the common room later.

"Well, James, I can't believe you chickened out, not to mention asked her BEST FRIEND out instead of her!" Remus yelled at him. His eyes were filled with anger and disgust.

Whoa...what's wrong with Remus? Why is HE so angry?

"Calm down, mate, what's eating you?" Sirius asked noticing Remus's eyes.

Then, just as soon as the fire in his eyes had come, it was gone, and he stormed up the stairs to the dorms and nearly ripped the hanging off trying to close them. He fixed it and buried his nose in a book thicker than glue. Of course, none of the other Marauders saw the last part; they just witnessed him stomping up the stairs and heard the slam of a door.

James put his head into his hands and said, "Sirius, what am I supposed to do now? I've got a date with Lily's best friend and not her. I don't even LIKE Carmen!"

Half way down the staircase from the Girl's dormitory, hidden in the shadows, Lily tried to hide a gasp. She ran up the stairs and into her dorm, softly closing the door so they didn't know she had been eavesdropping. So that's why Potter looked like a ton of bricks dropped on his head when he asked me about Carmen's schedule. Oh no, Carmen really likes James! It's okay, I'll just calmly tell her when she gets up tomorrow, yeah that's it. Just . . . calmly . . . tell . . . her . . . . . . . . . . She fell asleep.

Back in the Common Room

"It's okay, in fact, this works out perfectly for you! You see, just go out with Carmen to make Lily jealous!" James lifted up his head and looked at Sirius.

"Sirius, you're a genius!"

"You doubted me?" He asked mock disbelievingly. He put a hand over his heart and said, "I'm hurt, Prongs." He fell on the sofa nearby and fake-sobbed.

James grabbed Peter, who was oddly quiet during the discussion and walked up to the dorm, leaving Sirius to scramble and sprint up after.