"Alex let's go!" Deb yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"Go where? And can't you wait a minute? Or six hours?"

"No! Maybe you shouldn't have been out so late considering the fact that you're grounded. We are going to Nathan's tournament."

"Why can't Dad go?"

"He is going."

"Then why do we have to go?"

"Because my son and your brothers are playing. Come on everyone in town's gonna be there."

"That's exactly what I want to do on the one day I don't have to go to the gym have some fun with the low-life's that live in this town."

"It's a 2 day tournament so go pack for the hotel. I'll even get you your own room. The games are right next door at the high school in Charleston. And you can meet some of the people that are gonna be in school with you. Maybe even make some friends? Some girl friends. Now go and pack we have half an hour."

"A non- connecting room at least 2 floors above yours?

"Fine, but NO trouble."

"Whatever you say, but what am I supposed to do when the Raven's don't have a game?"

"Oh, I don't know, eat?"

"Not funny."

"I know that's why I suggested it."

"I still get a shower before we leave."

"Hurry."

"I'm hurrying as fast as I can."

Alex was up in her room throwing whatever she could into her bag. It seemed like she was going for a week, instead of 2 days. She threw in 4 pairs of jeans, 3 miniskirts, 7 tops, 2 sweatshirts, 4 pairs of shoes, some make-up and jewelry, 2 hats, 3 purses, and a picture of her and her friends from her old school. She rolled everything up military style so she could fit it into a smaller bag so she wouldn't look like a prep. Finally she could take her shower, she put the water as hot as it could get and stepped into the tub for 5 minutes so she wouldn't burn.

"Alex, hurry up!" Deb insisted.

"I'm comin' at least let me get some clothes on, some people have a problem with nudity. Although I have no problem with going naked."

"Get some clothes on!"

"Fine you don't have to snap."

Alex went into her room and pulled on dark blue Tommy Jeans.

"Alex, let's go!" Deb shouted.

"Mom I have nothing to wear!"

"Put on the first thing you see and you can put on your make-up and jewelry and do your hair in the car!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, let's go!"

"Ok," Alex threw on her black spaghetti strap from Abercrombie & Fitch that stopped just above her stomach.

"Alex!"

"Chill Mom I'm here."

"Ok, well we have to pick up Karen she's shari... what is that?"

"You said put on the first thing I see."

Deb let out a small laugh, "Well we'll see what your brothers think."

"I'll blame you."

"Get a couple of bottles of pop if you want and get in the car while I call Karen and tell her that we're comin."

"Ok," Alex grabbed 2 bottles of coke from the fridge and made her way out to the car.

"Hey Haley!" Brooke greeted.

"Hey Brooke!" Haley replied.

"Look I need you to do me a favor."

"I knew you wanted something."

"So that means?"

"What's the favor?"

"I need you to play cheerleader again."

"I don't know Brooke."

"Please!"

"Fine."

"Alright! Everybody on the bus!" Whitey shouted.

"Come on you can sit with me," Brooke invited.

Alex sat in the back seat of the car carefully making sure every strand of hair was in the right place. She put her hair up in a messy half bun, and let her face frame bangs hang loose. Then she proceeded on to make-up.

"Are all of those things necessary?" Karen asked.

"Yea honey how many more loads of make-up can you put on?"

"Enough, besides I didn't even put my belly button ring or any other jewelry on."

"Belly button ring?" Deb and Karen both asked in unison.

"When did u get a belly button ring?" Deb questioned.

"Last year, that's one of the pluses of going to boarding school."

Deb just stared at her through the rear view mirror.

"Hey Lucas!" Tim called.

"What do you want man?" Lucas replied.

"Can you hook me up with the sexy Scott?"

"I hope you don't mean Nathan, cuz he's taken."

"Man, you know I mean little Alex Scott."

"You know what, you're right she is little, little too smart for you."

"Yea but not smart enough to stay out of bead, when I'm in there."

Lucas started to get up when Nathan stopped him. "It's not worth it man. You get into a fight now and Whitey won't let you play in the tournament. We'll get him later."

"Fine, but he's pushing it."

"I know it's weird feeling that something's gonna happen between the two of them. And I think it's gonna happen this weekend."

"Yea, I know what you mean."

"Hey Nate!" Haley greeted.

"I love you too, Haley," Lucas sarcastically greeted.

"Oh hey Lucas! Didn't notice you there!" Haley apologized.

"So what are you doing here? I thought you and your mom had a weekend planned," Nathan wondered.

"We did until Brooke asked me to be cheerleader," Haley explained. "If that's okay with you Lucas?"

"Wutever floats your boat," Lucas replied.

"Good," Brooke butt in, "I'm glad you feel that way cuz Haley's mine now."

"So where's Peyton?" Nathan asked.

"Who knows? Who cares?" Brooke lied.

"You," Nathan replied.

"Alright everybody grab your stuff and make your way up to the ninth floor. And please remember you're not the only ones on the floor," Whitey ordered.

"Alright, Alex . you are in room 938. if you need me or Karen we'll be in room 702." Deb informed.

"Nice!" Alex made her way to the elevators with her bag so she could beat the loads of buses she saw in the parking lot.

"You do realize that we're just asking for trouble right?" Karen asked.

"Oh yeah," Deb replied.

# review!

volleyballlover- i'm gonna kinda take your idea more of a force thing with tim