OK, this chapter is pretty long...sorry. But it starts getting more interesting...and after this chapter the real interesting stuff is coming...whoo hoo! so yea, R and R to let me know what you think.

"J!" I woke up with a start to Jon's voice as he hit the door once before walking in.

"Ugh! What?"

"You gotta get up! Gotta shower and do all your girly stuff. But first you gotta tell me about your game."

I smiled and sat up as he made himself comfortable in my armchair I had in the corner. I told him the highlights of the game for a while before getting up, taking a shower, and doing my hair. I was downstairs at five after 7, in baggy, low rise Khaki cargo pants and a white beater, and ready for a big bowl of breakfast.

"So, Jon, why are you home anyway?" I asked, grabbing the milk.

"Thane went to school early to lift and I didn't feel like going today, so he dropped me off"

"Ah, got ya," I set down the milk and Jon grabbed it and took a big swig, right out of the carton. "Jon!"

"What?" he grinned evilly as he put it away.

"Men..."

"Whatever"

We ate breakfast quickly and headed out to my car.

"Hey," Jon caught my arm halfway don the driveway. "Who's the new chick with Toretto?" he nodded where Dom and Alexa were getting into his red Mazda.

"His cousin, Alexa"

He nodded. "Ok, she's cute."

"She's Dom's cousin," I warned. It wasn't a good idea to cross him.

"I know, I'm only saying."

"Me too man, me too."

Once we got to school, Jon and me parted ways, him to theSophomore hall and me to the senior's. I threw my bag in my locker, grabbed my math book, and went to the office where Courtney would be. She was a 'Teacher's Assistant' in the office, so she ran passes all morning.

"Hey Court," I greeted, setting my books on 'her' desk.

"Sup Jairyn...guess what?"

"What?"

"Guess!"

"Ok...hmmm..." I looked around, pretending to be deep in thought, and saw Dom and Alex walk in. I waved to them before turning back to Courtney. "No idea"

"We ain't got practice tonight or tomorrow, cuz coach has to go out of town for something, and because he loves us! Yesss!" She grinned broadly and did a little victory jig.

"Really? Sweet, that makes me happy"

"Me too, me too," she mumbled as Mr. Smith, the principal, came out and gave her some notes to take to teachers. "Later girly, see ya in Physics"

"Yea, I'm definitely looking forward to that," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. As she left I turned and my eyes fell on Dom and Alexa, who were looking at a schedule and trying to decide where things were. "Sup?" I asked, walking over.

"Hey Jairyn, think you could give her a hand with finding these classes?" Dom asked. "As long as it won't make you late or something"

"Nah," I brushed off the last part and looked over Alexa's shoulder. "Oh hey, you have math with me. Come on, and I'll show you where some other things are on the way."

"Um, ok..."

"Thanks a lot Jairyn. Lex, see you later, ok? Someone will be here to pick you up"

"Ok...Bye..."

He walked away and Alexa looked kind of sad.

"You ok?"

"Yea...he said he'd find the classes with me, but..." she shrugged like she didn't care, but her eyes said different. I decided to ignore it at the moment and try to cheer her up.

"Yea, whatever. He'll just scare the guys away from you. Come on..." I took her arm and was able to shower her the English 12 class on the way to math.

"Ms. Leeson, you are late," Mrs. Woodman scolded when I walked in. "Care to explain?"

"Yea, I was helping Alexa find some classes. She's new..."

"Oh! Hello! Welcome to our class..." She cut me off and rambled on some things to Alexa, who was blushing profusely since the whole class was staring at us. When she was done with her welcome speech, she gave Alexa a seat at the front of class and I trudged back to mine in the back.

After English I didn't see much of her. We ended up having 5th hour together though. She hurried into History at the last second and looked around nervously at the mostly taken desks. "Pst, Lex, right here," I pointed to the seat next to the left of mine and she smiled in relief and quickly made her way back to it.

"Thanks"

"No problem"

The teacher quieted us and started a boring lecture, and everyone was happy when the bell rang to end class. Only one more hour...

When school was finally out, I mingled around for a while talking to people since I didn't have practice. I made my way out to now mostly deserted parking lot after most kids had hurried home and saw Alex sitting on a bench.

"Hey Lex, what you still doing here?"

"Well, no one's here to pick me up..." she waved her hand at the parking lot and looked close to tears.

"Don't sweat it, I got ya. Come on, you can ride with me. I'm better than whoever would've come anyway," I joked and pulled her up from her spot.

"Thanks a lot"

"No problem. Don't have a license yet?"

"No, I dad never let me get one..." she said quietly.

"Well damn girl, you're living at the Toretto's now. You'll get one soon enough"

"Yea, hopefully"

We climbed into my car and I started it up.

"Thanks a lot for the ride"

I looked up and she had one of those really grateful smiles, the kind that lets you know they really made their day. It only lasted a second, and then she just stared out the window all the way to the garage, where I assumed the guys would be. They weren't there, so I headed to the store, where everyone's car was parked. Alexa still hadn't said a word, and I figured that being forgotten really ate at her.

"Bugs you huh? That they forgot you?" I asked quietly.

"Yea...I lot." She admitted.

"Understandable..."

"Yea, not much better than where I came from. I mean, I know it's a new routine...but still..."

"I know. Wanna stay here for a few? I'll talk to him or whatever. Sucks to be forgotten, huh?" I knew how that felt.

"Yea..." she looked so sad that I couldn't help be angry with Dom and the guys. You think someone would remember and come get her. I mean, there were seven of them, so it should've clicked with at least one of them.

"Ok, just come in whenever you want. I'm hungry, so I'm gonna grab something. Chill out here for as long as you feel like it, k?"

"Ok..."

I nodded and got out of the car to go into the store. I walked in and people looked up and simply nodded. You think that me coming here after school would make them remember they had to pick someone up...but no. Nobody jumped up with sudden realization or anything. I sighed, Alexa was gonna have a hard time. They had had too much of a regular schedule going on.

"You guys suck man," I pointed out, grabbing some chips.

"Excuse me?" Dom turned on his stool to quirk a curious and slightly amused eyebrow at me.

"Think..."

"...About?"

"Shouldn't you have been somewhere, oh...exactly 31 minutes ago?" I asked, checking my watch.

"Huh?"

"School gets out at 2:40 big guy"

"Shit!" he jumped up and made to go for the door but I grabbed his shirt.

"Relax baldy. I have the situation under control. She's in my car."

He let out a sigh of relief and put his keys back in his pocket. "Thanks...why's she still out there?"

"Well, I think because that was a horrible ending to an already shitty day. She didn't seem too happy in History. I'm guessing it was a rough day," I mused, not really caring that it probably made him feel more guilty.

"Damn...she coming in?"

"Well I'm sure she isn't gonna stay out there all day," I shrugged and sat down to eat my chips.

"Here she comes," Mia said quietly a few minutes later. And sure enough, Alexa was in the door seconds later and the apologies started.

"Damn Lex, I'm really sorry," Dom mumbled. "Lost track of time, ya know? It's no excuse...sorry"

"It's ok..."

"No it ain't, but it won't happen again. I promise"

I cringed when he said that, and really really hoped he didn't break that promise, for Alexa's sake. She'd been really let down when no one had come for her.

"K"

"So...how was your day?" He made room for her between him and Vince and she sat down.

"Crappy"

"How come?"

"No reason really..." it was a lie and I think everyone knew it.

"Come on Lex, you can just say it"

"I dunno...this one girl was a bitch... so that kind of ruined my day this morning"

"What girl?" Vince asked, not looking happy that someone had given her a hard time.

"Dunno...just some girl in my Physics class"

"Brunette who hangs out with two bottle-blonde girls who giggle way to much?" I asked, figuring I knew exactly who she was talking about.

"Yea"

"Krista. Ignore her Lex. No one likes her except those two blonde skanks. Don't listen to her...ever. She doesn't know shit, and only gives you a hard time cuz you're knew and she can make you think she's cool."

"Yea, I guess I know...but it just ruined my day"

"Yea...my first advice would be to punch her if she doesn't leave you alone just because I really hate her. But that probably isn't the best way to do it. Just tell her you know about last 4th of July"

"What happened?" Alexa asked at the same time as Letty, who was smirking devilishly.

"That doesn't matter. Just say it and she should leave you alone for a while. There are certain indiscretions that I'm sure she'd rather forget about. Many...but 4th of July is good..."

"How good?" Letty prompted.

"Never mind..." My phone went off and I grabbed it quickly. "Hello...hey Jon...oh sure...yea it was canceled...sure, dude we gotta get you your license soon...yea, I'll be right there..." I hung up and paid Mia the money for the chips. "Hey, I gotta go pick up Jon. See ya later people. And Lex, seriously, don't take it to heart."

She nodded and I left, happy that I gave her a weapon against Krista. I seriously hated that girl, for reasons of my own on top of the fact that she was just mean to everyone. I figured that would be the extent of Alexa's big problems with people from school, but I was wrong. I forgot something...something bigger than Krista, but I'd remember soon enough...

OOOO...what did Jairyn forget about? or should i say 'who?' What's gonna happen? And what's going on in Jairyn's life?...more coming SOON.

R and R