Previously on Everything Changes: The gang got ready for their first day at High School, the guys are shocked by Spinelli's new look…especially T.J.


3.30

The bell sounded, signalling the end of the day. Spinelli walked out of her World History class, she stood outside, leaning against a wall for a few moments. Once she was sure Gretchen would be out of her class she whipped out her cell phone and punched in her friend's number.

"Hey Gretch."

"----"

"Where are ya?"

"---"

"Ok. Meet ya there."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

MATHS.

T.J stood outside of his maths room, waiting for Vince to come out.

"Hey Teej!" T.J jumped slightly and turned around to see Spinelli and Gretchen walking towards him. His stomach flipped.

"Ladies." Said T.J, grinning cheekily.

"Who we waitin' for?" Spinelli asked, standing on the tips of her toes trying to see through the window on the door.

"Uh…" T.J cleared his throat, trying to not notice how Spinelli's chest shifted every time she went up and down on her toes. "Vince."

"Ugh! I wish he'd hurry up! I seriously need to get changed, it's too hot!" Spinelli exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

T.J suppressed a groan and closed his eyes.

"You okay?" Spinelli asked, concern marring her features.

"Um…y…yeah, I'm f…fine." T.J answered, cursing the way his voice went a pitch higher when he answered. He caught Gretchen's eye and she smiled knowingly.

When Vince finally emerged from the classroom, T.J was seconds away from finding himself and nice, dark corner to curl up in. So far Spinelli had caught him staring at her twice, he'd gotten his word's mixed up saying to Spinelli "You're too hot" instead of "Are you too hot?" he'd stuttered on every other word and had gotten lost in a daydream so that Spinelli was forced to snap her fingers in front of his face several times to wake him up.

"Hey guys." Vince greeted as he closed the door.

"Vince!" Exclaimed T.J, a little too cheerfully. "Look everyone! It's Vince! Hi Vince!" Spinelli frowned and grabbed T.J's arm and dragged him aside. She nodded her head signalling to the group that they should go on ahead and meet Gus and Mikey. Once they were out of earshot Spinelli turned to T.J.

"Okay, out with it Detweiler! What's eatin' ya?" Spinelli said, despite the slight change in clothes she was still the same tough girl she'd always been…and she still knew her friend inside-out.

"Huh?" T.J replied, looking dazed.

"You've been totally out of it all day!"

"It's nothing." T.J snapped, he hadn't meant for it to come out so harsh but how could he answer a question he didn't even know the answer for!

"Teej," Spinelli said, her voice becoming more concerned as did her face. "I'm worried about ya, has something happened? You know you can tell me!"

"It's nothing!" T.J was now getting annoyed, why couldn't she just drop it!

"Is it me?" Spinelli asked, her voice suddenly soft and insecure. "Have I done something to upset you?" T.J's annoyance immediately disappeared and he was suddenly riddled with guilt.

"Aw, crap!" T.J said, putting an arm around Spinelli's shoulders like he used to do. "It's not you, Spin. I'm just a bit stressed out." Spinelli looked at T.J, obviously trying to determine whether he was telling the truth. Then she grinned.

"Race ya home!" She yelled, running off. T.J chuckled and raced after her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

T.J'S HOUSE.

The gang were sitting in T.J's back garden. Vince was enthusiastically telling everyone about his holiday in Michigan while everyone listening laugh at his over-inflated gestures. T.J tapped Mikey and Gretchen's shoulders and beckoned for them to come into the kitchen with him while everyone else wasn't watching.

"What's up, T.J?" Gretchen asked once they were inside. T.J closed the French windows before turning to look at Mikey and Gretchen.

"I need your help." T.J said, quietly.

"You needour help?" Gretchen spluttered. T.J barely ever needed their help and if he did it'd be everyone's help for one of his crazy schemes or pranks.

"Oh good Lord! What catastrophe has cruel fate sent to Earth that brings young Theodore to us?" Mikey exclaimed, dramatically.

"Guys! It's no biggie, honest!" T.J said, hastily.

"Well…what do you need us to do?" Gretchen asked, looking slightly wary.

"Physically…nothing. Mentally…I dunno. Verbally…help me."

"How do you need out help, T.J?" Mikey asked, producing a cookie from the jar.

"I just said." T.J sighed. "Weren't you listenin'?"

"What Mikey means it, what is it that you verbally want us to do? How can we verbally help you?" Gretchen explained, a slight edge to her voice.

"Well I've got a problem." Said T.J, looking at the floor.

"What kind of problem?" Mikey asked, brushing crumbs off of his shirt.

"A Spinelli problem."

"A Spinelli problem?" Mikey repeated, looking slightly confused.

"Do you mean to say that Spinelli has a problem? Or that you have a problem with Spinelli?" Gretchen brushed a stray lock of reddish brown hair out of her face.

"I dunno. It's just…I feel weird being around her" T.J replied, sitting down at the table. Gretchen and Mikey sat on both sides of him.

"Weird how?" They asked, simultaneously.

"I dunno!" T.J took off his baseball cap and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well how do you feel when you're near her?" Gretchen asked, trying to get a more accurate description of how he felt.

"Weird…" T.J drew out the word as if talking to a five year old.

"That's not much to go on Teej." Gretchen pinched the bridge of her nose…she could feel a headache coming on.

"Well my words come out wrong and I get all nervous…" Realisation dawned on T.J. "Am I scared of Spinelli!"

"No, T.J, I don't think so." Gretchen smiled.

"Then what?"

"It's simple really." Mikey said. "You, Theodore, have a crush on our dear Ashley Spinelli." T.J looked at Mikey for a moment in disbelief before letting his head drop onto the table. Gretchen and Mikey patted him, consoling, on the back. All the while grinning like Jack-O-Lanterns. T.J slowly lifted his head.

"How do I cure it?" He asked weakly. Gretchen and Mikey laughed and T.J dropped his head back onto the table.

"T.J It's not a disease!" Mikey grinned. "It's just a crush." T.J groaned, stood up, replaced his cap and walked outside grumpily. Gretchen and Mikey exchanged looks of amusement before following him out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey," Spinelli said as the other half of the group came back. She was lying on her back on the grass while Vince straddled her, holding her hands over her head. "Where'd you guys go?"

"Kitchen." Replied Mikey. "You shoulda been there, Spin." Mikey grinned slightly at the look of horror on T.J's face. "There was cookies and everything!"

"What are you doing?" T.J asked Vince and Spinelli, his throat tight with jealousy. No! Not jealousy! Why would he feel jealous? Definitely no jealousy here!

"I'm trying to show Gus this new move. The one Alex Right did last week, but Spinelli's too short." Vince grinned and everyone, except Spinelli, laughed.

"Hey!" She said, glaring at Vince. "I'm not too short. You're just way too tall!" Spinelli slid on the grass away from Vince and stood up just as the front door opened.

"Mom's home." T.J announced, needlessly.

"Pookie!" Called a voice from inside. T.J winced, he caught Spinelli's eye and she grinned at him.

'Pookie' She mouthed.

'Whatever, pumpkin.' T.J mouthed back. Spinelli blushed and glared at T.J.

"Out here, mom!" T.J called out. T.J's mom opened the French windows and walked outside.

"Hi, sweetie. Oh!" She looked at the other five. "Hello everyone."

"Hi, Mrs. Detweiler." The group chorused.

"Spinelli, dear." Mrs. Detweiler looked at the dark-haired girl. "You and your parents are coming round for dinner tonight, they forgot to tell you this morning." Spinelli nodded and Mikey and Gretchen grinned at T.J.

"We better get going." Vince said, standing up. "My mom will want to annoy me about my first day."

"Yeah same here." Agreed Mikey, Gretchen and Gus.

"I gotta get changed." Spinelli cringed; her clothes and her mom were never good when they got together. "See ya later Teej."

The group said their goodbyes and left. Once they were all gone T.J went up to his bedroom and flopped onto his bed.

'How am I gunna last tonight?'


A/N. So did you like? I wasn't too sure on the flow of the chapter especially at the end.

amylovestakuyaThank you! I'm glad you liked it:D

Amaherstlol, I thought that bit was kinda cute. Thank you for reviewing!

rnf2coolThanks a lot for reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

Wow! My first three reviews ever! I love you guys!

Please review this chapter and tell me what you think…I'd hate to see that little purple/blue box go to waste :-D