Part 4

Scout, Ham and Will hooked up with Jake on Monday afternoon. She was sitting under their usual tree by the lake with a notebook in her lap. Her mouth was a straight line. Hamilton grabbed the book. "A sonnet?"

"It's technically good. Without being actually good. I mean, it follows the technical rules for sonnets. While sucking badly."

Hamilton tilted the book toward Will. "You're the poet."

"It's, uh, kind of-"

"Platitude enhanced?" Jake suggested. She leaned her head back against the trunk. "Yeah, like I'd say anything personal in class."

"Well, you're a science geek" said Scout without malice. Jake shone in the IT classes; he knew her ego wasn't invested in getting an A from Finn. "Ham and I did quatrains. Way easier."

"No I didn't. I did a haiku sequence."

"Very minimalist" said Will.

"Very cool" said Scout, rueful. He put his assignment back in his bag in case anyone saw it, then looked up, confused. "Ham, how come you're on time for class?"

"I'm not always late."

"Yes you are" said Will.

"I was hoping to get a preview of Will's sonnet" he snarked.

Will looked at him as if he were crazy, and shoved a paper at him. Will rarely registered sarcasm.

"Hoping it's about a gorgeous redhead?" Scout asked.

Will happened to catch Jake and Hamilton's expressions. Their faces looked ridiculously hopeful. He scowled thoughtfully. Now that he though about it, their behaviour at Saturday lunchtime had been even odder than usual. "Why are you guys pushing this?" He was mostly looking to Scout to answer. Scout prided himself on knowing everything that was going on in Rawley. Will prided himself on knowing everything Scout knew.

Scout replied. "I checked out the grapevine on Sunday. Lena's got a crush on Ja- OW! Pratt!"

Jake was furious with Hamilton. "I can't believe you'd tell anything private to Calhoun. You know what a big mouth he's got."

'Simultaneously, Hamilton protested "I didn't say a thing-" while

"Hey" Scout yelped almost drowning out

"Lena's not chasing me" Jake said earnestly. "She's a very nice girl and if I wasn't also a very nice -"

"nice? Debatable" muttered Scout rubbing his shin.

"(Bite me.) Really Will. She's smart, and pretty. She's totally articulate and direct, she has a very forceful strong personality."

"She has an obsessive personality, you mean. So, you want her to transfer her attentions to me." Will was losing his temper. He was not happy to be a receptacle of Jake's cast-offs.

"She's not crazy. She's just moping a lot" said Hamilton, thinking, drama queen. Will and Scout were such suckers for over reacting to gossip. "I see her all the time out of the corner of my eye looking .. You know. Wistful."

Jake flinched.

He continued "- you remember we went out with the camera on Thursday? I didn't see her all afternoon, but when I developed the shots .."

Will cut in as more of the class arrived. "Well. Thanks for the romantic assist. Now back the hell off."

"Um, Will? English class."

"What."

"Co-ed." Scout nodded toward Lena. She was making a beeline for them.

Finn saw it too, and gave Jake and Hamilton an overly sympathetic look. It never failed to set Hamilton's teeth on edge. "Lena? Can you sit up front? I'd like you to make your presentation today on the function of Paris, the society approved suitor, within the love story of Romeo and Juliet. The play's not called Paris and Juliet. Tell us why."

"I preferred him oblivious" growled Hamilton.

"Ham, he's a human restraining order" said Will. "Be grateful, and shut up."

Part 5

Jake and Hamilton bickered mildly on the way to Jake's room after classes ended. "We don't have to stay in my dorm. It's still warm for September, so the lawn-"

Hamilton interrupted. "You owe me a backrub since crew. This morning's practice was totally harsh, by the way."

"And if you recall, breakfast was spent whining about that and I'm done with the subject. Do you need to set the alarm so you can be someplace?" Jake locked the door. She knew his timetable. His classes were over for today, but he might need to run the dogs or pick groceries up from town.

He smirked. "Took the dogs out before crew."

Big eyes from Jake. "Ooh, no wonder you're tired and need a nap - wait - stop that."

"Backrub" he said insistently.

"I think you have to let go of me first." This is where the shirt comes off, Jake thought happily. Right now my life is so good. She admired Hamilton as he lay on the bed.

"This is great. You, me. A locked door." He sniffed. "Smelly oil?"

"Sandalwood. Way manly." She dropped a quick kiss between his shoulderblades before starting the massage.

"Poor Will."

"Hm?" Where'd that thought come from, she wondered.

"If we broke up, I don't think I'd be so cool." Then he confided, "Bella said I was kind of unbearable this summer before I went to see you in New York."

Above him Jake's face lit up. Bella had told her all about incredible-mopey-Ham. In detail. With gestures. "I don't think Will's broken hearted, baby."

"She was his girlfriend."

"He barely knew her. He was so scared of disillusioning her, or showing himself up, or god knows what .. they only went on big elaborate formal dates. And he couldn't afford many of those. So. What: three, four dates? While they both balanced on pedestals. Ugh."

"I thought you didn't like Caroline."

"Still. I felt sorry for her. They never just hung out, ya know? Or got relaxed enough to say the first thing on their minds to each other. Or did stupid, boring, everyday stuff together. Or all afternoon watched his face learning to read it, wondering how his mind worked. What made him tick .." she was mumbling to herself.

Hamilton rolled over with the world's smuggest smile on his face. This was the least oblique declaration he'd ever got from Jake. Strong emotion generally left her speechless. He didn't want to miss any part of this. "Is that how you were with me?"

I'm just saying." Jake was embarrassed. "I probably read about that kind of sap in some story." She focussed her gaze on his collarbone.

Hamilton, confident. "It's how you were with me; it's how we both were."

"Yeah." After a moment she coaxed him down on his back to continue the massage. "If I ever think that was cute, I'll remind myself how painful it was, believing you didn't like me. Totally not cute."

"I didn't think I ought to like you. Everything sucked."

"You've tensed up again. What is it."

Liking someone and not being with them-"

"Yeah?"

"That's where Lena is right now."

Jake's hands paused. "Oh, Hamilton." - He's sweet. I don't even think he likes Lena that much, he just hates watching Poppy and co. picking on her the way Ryder does on him. I'm trying to fix Lena and Will up so that she'll be otherwise occupied. My motive seems more selfish. - "She's into Jake, the guy who doesn't exist. And if Jake the guy did exist, he'd be hopelessly pursuing the studly Munchie."

Hamilton pulled her down on top of him. "Not hopelessly."

Part 6

It was going to be another typical Tuesday shift at Friendly's and Will Krudsky was annoyed. First off, he was starting the shift alone, mopping the floor while Scout "just ran across" to the garage to "say hi" to Bella. Will knew that was going to take at least forty minutes. They were supposed to be serving food by then.

"I think I preferred them doomed and thwarted."

No, he didn't mean that.

The second thing, he'd been dumped. All through their time together, he'd expected Caroline to realise he wasn't what she wanted. When the hour came it was kind of a relief; at least he didn't have to worry anymore. Also, her rejection was far less stinging than the speeches he had written in his head for her. English was her weak subject, he remembered. He shook his head. Caroline simply wasn't that eloquent. It was always the way she said things, or the way she looked as she spoke, that caught him.

My princess, was how he thought of her. He was as much attracted by the world she represented as by her. It had been an exciting strain; trying to keep up with all the people, places, even popculture references outside his experience. "You're more into my lifestyle than into me" she'd said the last time they met.

She didn't understand.

Her background was part of her. And yes, that aloof, mysterious style was what interested Will. "I find elitism sexy" Will said aloud to himself. "So sue me." He laughed. As he spoke he was hurling a bucket of greasy suds out the back fire exit of friendly's. His next job was to scour baked-on crud off the cooker. Ger had had last night's shift and he'd done his usual inadequate job of clearing up. It seemed funny to be thinking about the nature of glamor here.

The thump of footsteps announced Scout who came flying round the corner of the building. "Sorry, sorry" he gasped. "We got talking."

Will tilted his head to one side and raised his eyebrows.

"True. We were talking about that girl we just met. Lena."

"I haven't got to the grill yet. Can you scrape the carbonised gunk off it?"

Scout frowned at the non sequitur. The frown deepened when he saw the surfaces he had to tackle. "Oh, man."

Will, halfway into the freezer, smiled peacefully.

Bella, when she stopped by during a quiet hour, was less easy to deflect. "Will! I haven't seen you for a while." Being able to be with Scout was so new it felt like a sacrifice to make time for anyone else.

"Last Saturday. We had lunch."

"Oh. Yeah. Jake brought that new girl Lena-" Will sighed. "-did you like her? Scout and I liked her."

"She was here for summer session. I never really noticed her before Saturday. But, here's a thought, I've since found out that she's famous all round Rawley. Even Finn's noticed, and he still thinks Jake's a guy."

"Famous?" Bella was all surprised.

"She's stalking Jake."

"You're kidding." It wasn't unknown for Will and Scout to get the wrong end of the stick.

Will folded his arms high up on his chest in a marked manner. "Scout didn't share this?"

"We, um, didn't talk about it that long."

"Went preverbal?"

Bella glared, and he was glad to be safe behind the counter. "I'd say it to Scout" he defended.

"That's what pissing me off."

"Look, about you and Scout, it's good that you're together. Scout's so happy. He loves you. I don't see much of you now term's started, but .. you're good. Right?"

Bella smiled at him. "Silver tongued Krudsky."

He unfolded his arms. "You matter to me a lot Bell. You know that?"

Bella touched the back of his hand lightly. "Where are you going with this?"

"Just to say, I'm happy for you. And for Jake and Ham. But, I don't need matchmaking. And it wasn't the best thing for Lena. I'm not boyfriend material. I've been thinking this. I didn't give enough time or energy to Caroline. I have to keep my grades up now. So, even if I'd wanted Lena -"

Scout jumped into the conversation. "Or if she'd wanted you. Jake was selling you pretty hard on Saturday. Without success." He had been eavesdropping shamelessly. "What sort of girl would you go for?" It occurred to Scout that Jake and Bella had mostly been interested in finding a girl they would enjoy hanging with. Those two never really got Caroline. What did Will want?

"Uh. Someone beautiful. Elegant. Sophisticated. Myst-"

Exchanging a smirk with Bella, Scout cut in. "We are talking about a sixteen year old, right? 'Cause I'm thinking Catherine Deneuve, here."

Blushing angrily, Will repeated that he wasn't in the market for a relationship.

Beautiful" Scout muttered. "At least he's ruled out Finn."

Part 7

Jake and Hamilton were hunched over the counter of Friendly's talking idly. Scout and Will had Wednesday evenings off, and most of the tables were occupied by kids from Edmund High, so they got to be alone in the crowd for a while. "Oh look" said Hamilton dryly. "I can see Lena over your shoulder. That's new."

A minute later Lena was saying "It's a small town."

"I've got to pee." Jake bolted.

"Lena" said Hamilton, making a note to get creatively even with Jake later. "Will's told us we owe you an apology. Uh, actually he demanded we apologize to him."

"For what?" Lena was in the dark.

"You never noticed?" Pause. "Uh, forget I said anything."

"For what?"

Hamilton sighed deeply and fidgeted. "Man."

"You said you owed me, after the cotillion."

"Look, there's a free booth." I'm going to get Jake for this, he thought. I mean, I'm in touch with my emotions and stuff -

"Hamilton."

He was thinking - but that doesn't mean that it's fair for every chick to take advantage of me -

"Hey!" Lena was going.

- and the cotillion reference! That's blackmail. That's ..where's my coke gone? -

"Oh good. You're focusing again." Lena let him have his tray back. "I haven't seen you in this state since the cotillion." Hamilton smouldered at the reference, and not in a good way.

"You haven't seen much of me since then. Except, oh yeah, in the distance."

"You've been busy." Jake and Hamilton didn't owe her anything. If they acted like her happiness was their responsibility, she was prepared to take offence.

"You haven't. Been busy," he said flatly. All those times, he'd seen her lonely on campus.

They certainly didn't owe her pity. "It's not a big deal. I haven't blended in too well at Rawley Girls. I'm not crazy-gregarious to start with." Damn. I'm working up to the phrase, I've got Inner Resources, she thought.

At the sound of footsteps, she looked up, hoping for Jake. This conversation was making her feel like a loser. No. It wasn't Jake. Some blond guy she didn't know was inviting another table to a party on Friday night. Some townie. She wondered if by any remote chance he hadn't heard the hilarious story about her falling for a gay boy and the even more hilarious assumption that she wasn't over him. An assumption that was deleting her from the "eligible" category of any other guy at Rawley. Poppy & co were so amusing about it that it would be a pity for anyone to miss the joke. She tried to think of a way of proving her over-Jakeness single handedly. Without the benefit of any other social contact - she winced. An ad in the local paper?

Hamilton tried again. "You don't have to tell me about the princesses. I grew up here." He'd lost her around the point where he indicated she was a social black hole. She was completely tense and miserable now, and trying to hide it. How had he got to this place? "You probably agree with Will."

"What about?"

"He says we're manipulative, uh, mean minded, intrusive ..insolent ..arrogant, and, yeah, bizarre."

"He has a way with words" Jake concurred, sliding in beside Hamilton. "This is from the great How Dare You Run My Life diatribe, right? I swear, I am never gonna match make again in my life."

"Good call" grunted Hamilton. "It's not like you take it too well when my parents try to fix me up."

A horrible suspicion dawned on Lena. "What does this have to do with me?"

Jake's head jerked round. "Oh. God. You didn't tell her."

Hamilton gave Jake a significant look. "Two words. Swiss. Vault."

Jake grabbed Lena's wrist as she lunged to get up. "Lena. Listen. This isn't about you, it's about us."

Standing over their table with every intention of running once Jake let go of her, Lena looked confused. "It's about you and Ham? How egocentric are you Jake?" Stabbing the forefinger of her free hand at Jake, Lena hissed, "I am So Much more Over you than you fondly assume."

"Neither of us thinks you're still into Jake." Hamilton broke in on her words, gambling that Lena couldn't catch him in a lie the way his mom and Jake always could. "He means it's about the five of us. Basically, Jake and Bella told Will his taste in girls sucked, and they were picking you out -"

"-as the best person we could possibly hope for" Jake butted in. Picking you out was not a phrase she thought would play well, any more than it would have with her. But then, that was part of why she liked Lena.

"Cute." Lena was scarlet faced with rage.

Hamilton peered at her. "You're being sarcastic."

"Have I at any point indicated I wanted your stupid, stupid invasions into my private -"

"Bella likes you. Scout likes you. We like you. It would be cool to waste free afternoons doing stuff. I mean, Will enjoyed your company right up till he felt shoved around."

"Will just broke up with Caroline Buss" Hamilton explained. "He says he'll never date again."

"Just as long as he never dates her again" said Jake.

"She's not the worst" Lena's anger was faltering. Maybe she wasn't the pity victim.

"She's boring" said Jake. "She plays daters' head games. She memorised "The Rules" (ick). Bella never liked her."

"Bella's nice." Lena raised her head. "I guess she must be wanting some oestrogen in the mix with all you guys."

Hamilton checked Jake's reaction to that one. Suck it up boy.

"Scout was the one who kept reminding us all you hadn't shown the slightest interest in Will" was all she said.

Lena started to look a bit less like punching one of them or crying. Hamilton, interested, wondered if Jake could rehabilitate him and herself next. He also wondered how. She didn't try. "Sean" she yelled. She hadn't seen him since the hitchhike to Carson.

"Jake." He came up to their booth and started laughing. Hamilton realised he hadn't seen Jake in boy gear before.

"Don't start" she grinned. "How is everything? This is Lena by the way."

"Hi Lena." Lena saw it was the blond guy in tight jeans she'd noticed earlier. "Ham."

"Hey. I haven't been able to get down for basketball since term started."

"That's okay. It was pretty informal. I don't want to lose touch though. Can you get away Friday night? There's a party, my place. Um, you too, Lena. I mean, any friend of Jake and Ham's .. Can you ask Will? And Bella and Scout?"

Hamilton asked "Bella and Scout?"

"No hard feelings man. Bella's my friend. I don't want to lose that."

Jake smiled at him. "You're a good guy Sean."

He took another look at her before he left. "So are you." He laughed some more. "See you Friday, guys, Lena."

"He's cute" said Lena, carefully neutral.

Hamilton quirked an eyebrow. "I could put in a good word ..Uh. Or not if you'd prefer. Okay, that would be not."

END