A/N: Hey all! I'm so happy right now! My b-day was on December 3rd, I turned 14 (yipee!), and I just found out the teddy bear my boyfriend gave me sings! I accidentally stepped on it and it started singing "When You Wish Upon A Star" so I've decided to name it Jiminy, after Jiminy Cricket, y'know? Isn't that cute! Anyway, here's chappy three! Goes off humming "When You Wish Upon A Star" like the lil preppy baby I am!

Chapter Three A Time to Embrace and a Time to Refrain From Embracing

December 3, Monday early morning

Wally waited impatiently while the phone rang. It was 7 in the morning. Kuki didn't live far so he was wondering if she could walk to school with him. Finally, a familar voice answered the phone.

"Hello?" came Kuki's cheerful chirp, "Sanban residence, Kuki speaking."

Wally swallowed nervously. "Er...This is...um...Wallabee, uh, Beetles." he stammered into the phone.

"Oh!" Kuki's voice jumped about three pitches higher, "Hi!"

"I...uh...was wondering if you wanted to walk to school with me today?" Wally tried to ignore the itch on his arm. Damn his nervous itches!

"That'd be great!" Kuki said enthusiastically, "I never have anyone to walk with."

"Cool," Wally said with relief. The last thing he needed was to be walking with Kuki and her thousands of friends she always seemed to surround herself with. "I'll meet youby the stop sign, the one by Dyer Street? In about ten minutes?" he asked.

"That sounds great to me." Kuki confirmed. "I gotta go. See you in ten."

"Bye."

Wally breathed out heavily with relief and shouted, "Yes!" triumphantly. One step closer to becoming Kuki's boyfriend. Wait...he thought, She said she would walk with me, how is that romantic? You idiot, you're getting ahead of yourself.

Wally threw on his normal orange hoodie and blue jeans. He never cared that his style hadn't changed since he was about seven or eight.

"See ya, Mom!" he yelled and kissed his mother on the cheek. Mrs. Beetles looked surprised but didn't argue.

"Bye son!" she sang out cheerfully.

Wally practically danced to the stop sign. Kuki had beat him there. She looked incredible.

Her hair was in a mass of curls, all cascading down her back, nearly reaching her butt. Her lips were bright red. She had a red scarf on and a long, black coat that reached her knees on. It was unbuttoned enough so he could see a red turtle neck underneathe the coat. Her skirt was black and reached her knees. She had thick, red tights on and black boots that went up just past her ankles. On her hands were green mittens.

"Hi." Wally gulped.

"Hi!" Kuki said in her confident voice. If she were as nervous as Wally, she was good at hiding it.

"Ready to go?" Wally asked, feeling stupid. Of course she was ready to go! She was there, wasn't she?

Kuki smiled teasingly, "Yup."

The two started off down the sidewalk. They had ten minutes to kill.

"So, your family celebrating Christmas?" Wally asked, trying to start conversation. Kuki's face fell, her eyes grew sad.

"Um, sort of." she said softly, "We, uh, aren't, uh, doing much though."

"Ha! My parents go all out on Christmas. We're far in debt already and Christmas ain't helping!" Wally joked. Kuki smiled but Wally could tell it was forced. "What's wrong?" he asked, curiousity getting the best of him.

"Hm?" Kuki looked at him straight in the eyes. Wally felt his stomach flutter, his heart skip a beat. "Oh." Kuki let out a small giggle. "Nothing."

Wally stared at her strangely. A blush began to rise in Kuki's cheeks.

"Um, nice weather we're having, right?" she asked.

When they got to school, Wally looked at the ground awkwardly. Suddenly, he hugged Kuki, then walked off quickly.

He remembered what the Bible said, "A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing."

Definitely a time to refrain from embracing, he thought.

A/N: Couldn't help but add in that last awkard moment with Wally and Kuki. Oh I do love having fun with Wally's nerves. Anyway, until next time!