Lil watched in amusement as her brother and her best friend continued to flirt, even as they just walked down the hallway toward the auditorium.

"What?" Kimi giggled as she abandoned Phil for a second.

Lil shook her head. "You two. You guys are so adorable together. I mean, I just don't see why you don't just..."

Kimi interrupted Lil with a sigh. "We've been over this repeatedly, Lil. First of all, I'm going out with Z, so a relationship with your brother wouldn't be in my best interest right now. Second of all, even if I wanted to go out with Phil, there's no way a guy like him would be interested in someone like me."

Lil let out a laugh and Kimi shot her a glare.

"Sorry! But what do you mean 'a guy like him?' What kind of guy is Phil?"

Kimi's face softened. "He's the kind of guy that every girl would want to go out with. He's polite-"

Lil snorted and Kimi ignored her.

"He's athletic. He's charming. He's funny. He's...hot." Lil gave Kimi a disgusted look and Kimi couldn't help but blush.

"Lil, you don't see him the way I do, atleast I hope you don't. Do you?"

"Kimi! That's disgusting! Of course I don't see Phil that way."

"Whew. That's reassuring." Kimi teased, wiping her forehead with her hand for effect.

Lil hit her gently in the back of the head.

Kimi grinned and continued. "But, girls see your brother as the ultimate babe magnet, Lil. He's got a great build. He's got the classic chestnut colored hair that can be worn any way imaginable. He has the brownest eyes. He's the..."

"Earth to Kimi!" Lil repeated. "Hello?"

Kimi snapped back to reality like you'd snap a rubberband across a room.

"Oh." She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

Lil rolled her eyes.

"You totally have the hots for my brother."

Just as Kimi was about to protest she felt a strong arm sling around her shoulders.

"Ready for pictures?" Phil asked her as they came to the door of the auditorium.

Kimi gulped. "Sure."

Phil chuckled. "Whatever you say."

Just as they entered the auditorium, Lil dragged them out of the way of everyone.

"Okay. Let's start to look for Tommy."

Suddenly, Kimi felt a weight lift off her shoulders and she turned around to see where it went. Her heart sunk when he heard Phil's voice talking to Cathy Bates.

"Hey, sweetie." He said to her before gently kissing her on the lips.

Lil noticed Kimi's pained expression.

"Phil!" She snapped. Phil immediately broke off his kiss with Cathy.

"What, Lillian?" He asked, mocking her tone.

Lil rolled her eyes. "Do you see Tommy anywhere?"

"Yo, Tommy!" Phil shouted.

Tommy spotted Phil and jogged his way over to the group.

"What's up?" He greeted them, nodding in recognition to the three ladies in front of him.

Lil rolled her eyes once again. "What a gentleman." She said sarcastically as she began to walk off.

Tommy grinned as he ran to catch up with her.

"So, are we gonna go get our pictures taken or what?"

Lil nodded. "Yeah."

"Great." He exclaimed in mock anticipation, rubbing his hands together.

Lil laughed before hitting him playfully on the arm.

"You're full of it, aren't you?"

Tommy shrugged. "Whatever you want."

Phil, Cathy, and Kimi managed to catch up to the pair.

So, are we gonna get our pictures taken or what?" Phil asked his sister.

"I asked her the same exact thing." Tommy said.

"Yeah. Let's go."

The five of them walked together to the stage.

They climbed the bleachers, the two boys allowing the three girls to go ahead of them.

"Ready?" Lil whispered to Phil as they were about to have their picture taken. "I know how much you love getting you're picture taken."

Phil kept an awkward smile on his face while looking at the camera.

"If we weren't in this position right now, I'd glare at you. But with my luck that would be when they decide to shoot."

The juniors waited in form for a few more seconds.

"TAKE THE DAMN PICTURE ALREADY!" One of the students yelled.

"Sorry. We seem to be having a slight problem with the equipment. Hold on for one second." One of the teachers announced.

Phil turned to glare at his sister.

"If it weren't for you I would have skipped this whole thing. But, no. You have to be all prissy about it and tell mom. I don't-"

"Alright, smile for the camera!"

Phil was still glaring at his sister when they took the picture.

"So, how do you think you're picture turned out this year, Phil?" Tommy teased.

Phil glared at him.

Lil laughed. "Careful, Phil. That's how you're picture turned out, remember?"

Tommy looked at Phil in amazement. "You glared at your sister during the junior class picture?"

Phil grimaced. "She made me mad!"

Tommy whistled. "You're parents won't like that at all, Phil."

Lil giggled. "It's an improvement over last year's sophomore class picture when Alan Green pissed him off and the camera just barely got Phil's fist colliding with his face."

Tommy laughed. "Holy shit! I remember that!"

As Tommy and Lil laughed, Phil fell behind to walk with Cathy, leaving Kimi quiet.

"What's up, Kimi?" Lil asked, she and Tommy both falling in step with their friend.

"Yeah, you've been quiet this whole time." Tommy added.

Kimi shook her head and sighed. "Nothing, I guess. Just not having a good day is all." Kimi took a quick glance at Phil and Cathy, Phil having his arm around her.

Lil noticed this and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You're seeing Z tonight. Right?"

Kimi nodded and her face brightened slightly.

"He's taking me out to see a movie. Then we're just gonna stop somewhere for dinner. Nothing too exciting, but..." Kimi looked down and rubbed her finger where a ring sat. "He makes me happy."

Lil nodded. "Good. That's really good."

Lil was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"I'll tell you what's good. That little top you're wearing, Lil. Just a bit lower and I'd be a happy man. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on a little Lil Deville. Mmm-hmm." Russell laughed with his friends.

Lil, Kimi, and Tommy stopped in the hallway, with Phil and Cathy right behind them.

"You damn well better watch the way you talk to the ladies, Russell. I'm not warning you again." Tommy stated firmly.

"Is that a threat?" Russell challenged.

"Do you want it to be?"

Lil was blushing furiously by this point.

"Tommy?" She said quietly, tugging on his shirt. "Come on, let's go. Don't make a big deal out of this, please?"

Tommy looked Russell over.

"Whatever. He's not even worth it. You're lucky." He hissed so only Russell was able to hear. "I'm not warning you again."

Tommy walked away, leaving Lil and Kimi to running to catch up with him.

"Tommy, please let me handle him, okay? I don't need a big scene whenever you two are near each other." Lil pleaded.

Tommy stopped walking. "Can you honestly say that the remarks he makes to you don't offend you? I never see you defend yourself. Do you like it when he basically calls you a slut? Because, whatever way you look at it, that's what he's saying and it's degrading, not flattering."

Lil felt as though she had just been slapped in the face. His voice was so cold and his words were so harsh. Lil looked to her best friend for support. Kimi shrugged sympathetically.

"How can you say that to me? Do you think I'm that low? Do you even know me at all anymore? If you did I don't think that you'd make that judgment about me. I cannot believe you!" Lil was on the verge of tears.

By this point there was a small group of students surrounding the pair.

"Well, Lillian, while I'd love to finish this little squabble between us, I'd prefer not to do it in front of the school. I have to get to class before I'm late. See ya around."

Tommy departed from the small circle, leaving Lil completely stupefied.

"Come on, Lil." Kimi said soothingly.

Kimi knew how uncomfortable her friend was being the center of attention. And now, Lil was definitely, and literally, the center of attention.

"What the hell are you guys looking at?" Kimi nearly shouted. "There's nothing here to see you losers, so go back to class!"

The remaining students scattered in the hallways, finding their way to their next classes. Some of them not without mumbling a nasty thing or two about Kimi's attitude.

"Thanks Kimi." Lil whispered.

"No problem. Are you okay, sweetie?"

Lil nodded slightly. "Um...I will be I guess."

Kimi shook her head in disbelief. "Damn. I've never seen Tommy like that before. Are you sure you're alright?"

Lil looked a bit flustered when she replied. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine." Lil hesitated. "Look, I'm gonna go. Really go. I wanna give this a day or two to blow over." Lil looked at Kimi pleadingly.

Kimi sighed. "Sure. Go ahead. I'll talk to Phil so he doesn't worry."

Lil nodded. "Thanks Kimi." Lil said softly before taking off.

Kimi turned and met up with Phil in the scarce hallway.

"What's up with Lil? Did Russell do something to her?" Kimi noticed the harsh tone in his voice and the tightening of his fist.

Kimi cleared her throat. "No, actually-"Kimi laughed nervously. "It was Tommy. He and Lil got into a little fight, but I just wanted to let you know that she's fine, she's just gonna get over the humiliation for today."

"I'll kill Tommy if he did any damage."

Kimi put a hand on his shoulder. "Walk with me to the Java Lava after school and I'll fill you in."

Phil nodded. "Yeah. The bells about to ring in, like, five seconds."

Kimi and Phil parted and practically ran to their next classes, trying desperately to make it there before the bell rang.

Tommy picked up his now- full lunch tray and made his way to his normal table.

"Hey guys." He greeted Kimi and Phil as he dropped his tray on the table and sat down.

"Hey Tommy." Kimi mumbled.

Phil kept a solid glare on him.

"So, Phil. Where's Cathy?"

Phil shrugged. "Doesn't have the same lunch wave."

Tommy noticed the harsh tone in Phil's voice.

He cleared his throat. "So, where's Lil?" He asked as he searched the cafeteria.

"Tommy, Lil's not-"

Phil cleared his throat, deliberately interrupting Kimi.

"Gee, Tommy. Why don't you tell us where she is? Better yet, why don't you tell us why you care where she is?"

Tommy looked at Phil in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Phil scoffed. "You totally told her off today, just because she didn't want to create a scene in the hallway. Kimi told me just now. You're so lucky I wasn't right there when you called her a-"

"Hey!" Tommy shouted, causing the whole lunchroom to go silent. He lowered his voice. "I didn't say anything that I didn't mean. It was all in the way she interpreted it. I love Lil just like you, Kimi, Chuckie, Dil and everyone else, and the last thing I want to do is see her get hurt. Those guys can hurt her and she needs to take it seriously."

Kimi spoke up quietly. "But Tommy, I thought they were your friends?"

"I'm not trying to stereotype anyone, Kimi. Anyone could take advantage of someone as innocent and timid as Lil. I'm not saying the whole basketball team are horny perverts, but there are some pretty sick people in this school- and in this town in general- who sees someone like Lil and thinks 'there's an easy target.'"

Phil looked at Tommy uneasily. "What makes you say 'someone like Lil'? What makes Lil so different from, say someone like...Kimi?"

Tommy glanced at Kimi and then back at Phil. "Well, coming from a guy's perspective, and someone who's not blood related to your sister, Lil is someone who, if you look at her for the first time, someone thinks 'Wow! There's a hot babe who looks like an easy lay.' I mean, Lil obviously has her own judgment and such, but she's the type of girl who, if you push her the right way, is weak enough to let someone do something to her that she obviously doesn't want done. Not to mention the way she dresses doesn't help any." Tommy paused. "Kimi...Kimi's in a way like Lil in the sense of what guys would think. They would look at Kimi the first time and think 'There's a babe! She looks like she would be easy to get in bed!' But, when it gets down to it, Kimi isn't as meek and timid as she looks. She could kick a guy's ass within seconds. And...you know when I say you look easy it's not in the bad way. It's just, I mean, you guys actually look like you're the quiet, meek girls. That's all I mean by it."

Kimi and Phil looked at Tommy in bewilderment.

"Okaay. So you were just looking out for Lil by basically calling her a slut?" Phil asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tommy sighed in exasperation. "Phil...I didn't mean it the way it came out. I'm sorry that she interpreted it like that. I really am. I wasn't really thinking before I came out and said that. I should go and talk to her. Where is she again?"

Kimi sighed. "She left. She was too embarrassed after you humiliated her in front of all those students. She wanted to give it a day to blow over."

Tommy sighed too. "Man! I didn't mean to get her upset."

"Yeah, well, next time consider her feelings before you decide to call her a slut in the middle of a crowded hallway."

With that, Kimi stood up and placed her tray on the rack before storming out of the cafeteria.

Phil looked at him sympathetically and shrugged.