A/N: Wow, it's the last chapter of the year already.. Time flies when you
procrastinate. Lol. Anywhoo, I know I promised a proposal by this chapter
(three guesses what I'm gonna say next.), but I've gotten ahead of myself
yet again. Ok, that and I got a better idea then the random one I had
before. So sit back and hold off on strangling me for one more chapter.
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 17: Déjà Vu
Cedar Ridge Academy Monday, October 13th 11:45 a.m.
Lex walked into the cafeteria and tentatively surveyed her surroundings. The place was a lot bigger than she had expected, with eight different lunch lines, a wall full of vending machines, and three other stations that she could see serving some kind of food. Spotting what she was looking for, she made her way through the crowd and popped open an empty microwave. She's made a stop by the Thai place earlier that morning since she wouldn't have been allowed to leave for lunch today. After her food was heated up, she glanced down at the form she had been given that day during homeroom and walked over to the table she'd been ordered to sit at.
"Sweet, empty," Lex inwardly smiled, glad she wouldn't have to deal with any of the pompous snobs floating around her. Dumping her black and purple backpack on the seat next to her, she pulled out a book; an old Stephen King novel called "Rose Red", and started to read. Feeling as if she was being watched, she looked up to find four girls standing across from her.
"You new here or something?" the one in the front asked, her face mirroring the same confused looked as her friends. She was about the same size as Lex, with long curls dark that fell down past her chest. The bright auburn highlights in the front complemented her shimmering gray eyes, which seemed to change color if the light caught them at just the right angle.
"Not really," Lex made no effort to move.
"Then what are you doing here? And why haven't we ever seen you?" another girl sat down. She was slightly taller then the other girl, with athletic clothes and pixie-short hair she wore spiked out.
"I've never eaten here before, that's probably why not," Lex shrugged. "I just got this paper today telling me to sit here."
"Wait a minute," the front girl pulled out a planner. "Crap, that test is today. You must be that girl they told us about, then."
"Probably."
"Well, in that case, welcome to our little corner of hell," one of the two blondes in the back leered. She had longer hair then the other, glasses, and a black t-shirt that said "Invader Zim" at the top and then had a picture of a little alien that was saying, "Somebody needs a hug".
"Well, anyway, I'm Ali," the girl in front sat down next to Lex, "that's Leah", she pointed to the athletic girl, "that's, well, also Allie," she laughed and pointed to the blonde with glasses, "and that's Faith," she cocked her thumb at the shorter blonde, who had stayed quiet.
"Hi," Faith smiled and gave a small wave.
"I'm Lex. You guys both have the same name? Doesn't that get confusing?"
"Not really," the blonde one answered. "There are those who call us by our last names, which means she's Hanley and I'm Mullen."
"But half the time we're not paying attention to anyone, so you have to slap us to get our attention. And they're spelled different, she's got two Ls and I-E at the end. I'm just A-L-I," the brunette added with a grin.
"Wow, where'd you get real food?" Leah eyed Lex's chicken.
"Stopped in the South Market this morning," Lex answered.
"I could never do that," Faith said her first full sentence of the period. "Not a morning person."
"I don't sleep much, anyway, so it's no big deal," Lex took a bite and went to put her book away, deciding she probably wasn't going to get much reading done.
"Hey, Faith, look!" Leah grabbed to book from Lex's hands and laughed, holding it up. "It's your favorite movie ever!"
"Oh my god, stop it!" Faith shivered and hid her face.
"Movie scared the shit of her," Allie said to Lex as she reached over to take the book from Leah. "Here, and of she grabs your stuff just pinch her in the side and you'll get it back."
"No! Don't do that!" Leah shouted and laughed. "Ooo, lines died down. I'm off to frolic to the glop they call food."
"They have nachos today, right?" Allie grabbed her school I.D. and followed.
"They've got the good pizza on Line 2," Faith chimed in as they all disappeared into the mass of people.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me," Ali pulled a purple lunch box out of her backpack. There was writing that looked like names and messages sprawled all over the back and bottom. "Oh, everyone's signed it," she laughed when she saw Lex studying the back. "Gives the thing personality, don't cha' think?"
"Yeah, I guess," Lex smiled. "So you guys ever taken this test before?"
"Every year since fifth grade," Ali rolled her eyes.
"That long, eh?" Lex smirked.
"Eh?" Ali looked up and laughed. "I thought only Canadians said that."
"Well, I guess that's true. Haven't heard anyone here say it. Not that I use it that much though," Lex was caught a bit off guard by that.
"Wait, you're from Canada?" At Lex's perplexed nod, Ali scratched her head, "Well, then what the hell are you doing living a in toxic waste dump like Seattle?" When Lex didn't offer an immediate answer, she waved her pervious question away, "Never mind."
"Well, this sector isn't a dump like all the others," Lex shrugged.
"Gee, thanks for the reminder," Ali rolled her eyes. "Don't you wish you could stay here even after school, though?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Lex wasn't sure what she meant by that.
"Well, aren't you here through Renaissance? The sector pass even says we have to be out of here by four."
"What's Renaissance?"
"Duh, the program we're all taking the test for. Didn't you bother to read the packet they gave you?" As Lex shook her head, Ali explained, "Renaissance is a program the state mandated back in '24 when the school opened. Since the schools in other sectors were falling apart, both literally and figuratively, they started the program to try and "foster scholarly attitudes". Anyway, they took all the kids forth grade and up with 3.5 GPAs or better, gave them a test, and the highest scorer from each grade got a full scholarship to go here, or to Linwood Hall if you were in grades four to eight. Then every fall, you have to take this test to prove you're not just screwing around, but they way they test it is by putting us up against someone who goes here without the program. But everyone else gets in here based on last name instead in intellect, so it's never a challenge. No offense."
"Oh, I thought the school was supposed to get money off this," Lex felt a little dense. "And none taken, I'd agree with you on the other idiots here."
"Well, the dim-wits that run this place made a point to tell us you were smart, or in their words "able to crush us like the insects we are", so try not to make us look too bad, ok?" she laughed and winked, just the other girls returned from the lunch lines.
As the five continued talking, Lex was reminded of times she had at her old school. These girls all lived in sector five, except for Leah, who was in sector seven. As they examined each other's sketchbooks, finding a shared interest in art, Ali proudly brandished her Spanish notebook to show off the doodles she had penciled in during that class.
"Don't they almost look like people?" she guffawed, telling Lex how her artistic ability and creativity peaked at stick figure, unlike the others.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Penthouse 4:15 p.m.
"So how'd it go?" Logan looked up from his laptop as Lex waltzed in the door.
"Not bad actually," Lex explained to Logan what the test had actually been for, differing from her initial impression. "And the other girls were.. interesting," she laughed. "Definitely a colorful bunch, but nicer than anyone else there. Probably because they don't come from money."
"Well, at least you have school friends now."
"On the contrary, Mr. Sunshine. I'll never see them. Remember how I don't stay for lunch? Anyway, I gotta run. Promised Mom and Original Cindy I'd meet them after work to go shopping for Joshua's birthday."
Logan remembered the day Joshua had first found out about birthdays. He'd looked like an overgrown puppy the way his eyes lit up when Cindy told him presents, balloons, but most of all, cake. He'd picked October 20th, and after the party Cindy had thrown him, he'd refused to put the subject to rest for months.
"Have fun, Grumpy" Logan smiled and winked as Lex gave him a mischievous glare, backing out the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
South Market 6:00 p.m.
"Lex, tell yo' mama she gotta get out sometime or another," Original Cindy called in back up.
"Yeah, what happened your trademark screw-the-world attitude? I've gotta check out this Crash place sometime or another," Lex whined.
"If I promise to go to the Halloween party this year, will both of you get off my back?" Max was getting desperate to put the argument to an end.
"Yes," Cindy gave a nod. "Alec and Sketchy won't stop doggin' on how you ain't been back to reclaim your title at the pool table. Stunt contests could use some a that mad skill o' yours, too."
"Stunt contests?" Lex turned around from the CDs she was eyeing.
"No," Max cut off Lex's train of thought. "No, no, no. Don't get any ideas." As Lex began to pout, Max turned her head back to the CDs, "Anything good?"
"Just crap. What the hell is a Backstreet Boy, anyway?"
"Before my time," Original Cindy shrugged as she examined the cover.
"Are we done yet? I think we've cleaned the entire city of Debbie Cakes," Lex glanced at her watch.
"Logan said to be back by 6:30, anyway. See ya tomorrow boo," she hugged Original Cindy goodbye.
"That you will. Bye Baby Boo," she headed for her bike, sighing when she saw the extensive line at the sector checkpoint.
As Max and Lex turned for their bikes as well, something in a bin at a nearby stand caught Max's eye.
"Hey, you go ahead, I'll catch up in a minute," Max told Lex as she fought through the crowd of people rushing to find the last few things for their dinner before the clouds acted on their threat to burst open. Walking up to the stand she pulled the round object out and a devilish smile swelled across her face. "Well whadda ya know?" she thought to herself, "A grapefruit."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Penthouse 11:45 p.m.
"Aren't you done yet?" Max asked for the third time in the past five minutes, snaking her arms around Logan's neck as he hunched over his computer.
"Why? You got something in mind?" he spun his chair around pulled her down into his lap and began searching her neck with his lips.
"Mmmm," she moaned when he a sensitive spot. "Maybe." she tired her damndest to remember what it was she was going to say as all coherent thoughts were quickly fleeing her mind. "But I got you something."
"What?" Logan grinned seductively as he reached under her shirt and traced circle patterns on her lower back.
Reaching into the last bag from the market, she held up the grapefruit. "An early present," she smiled as a faint blushing crept onto her cheeks.
"Haven't seen one of these for a while," Logan remembered the last time he'd gotten this early birthday present from Max.
"Found it down at the market. They had chickens, too."
"We must be in a recession," Logan mumbled as lowered his lips to hers and fumbled to find the clasp of her jeans.
"Ironic, huh?" Max pulled back and grabbed Logan's hand before it completed its task.
"What?" he complained about being interrupted.
"That now I'm the one who has to remind you that there's someone not sleeping just down the hall."
Logan looked up into her smoldering eyes and gave rise to a small laugh. Without a word, he swung her up and carried her into the bedroom; the grapefruit left being in the chair.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
6:30 a.m.
"Hello?" Lex walked from empty room to empty room; surprised her mother wasn't awake yet. Yeah, some people might have deemed this hour 'early', but she was usually up by now. Passing Logan's office, Lex saw a grapefruit resting in the middle of his chair and Max's shoes and jacket on the floor nearby. Inhaling sharply, Lex turned and quickly headed for the elevator, cursing it for not moving faster. Shaking her head, she grimaced and muttered to herself, "Ewww, yucky thoughts a'brewin."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Friday, October 31st Halloween 9:30 p.m.
"Alright, I think it's safe to say I have my entire body weight in Snickers here," Tera readjusted her backpack as she and Lex turned away from the house they'd just hit. She'd taken the easy way out costume-wise, dressing as a baby for the fourth year in a row. It was a simple deal- all she needed was pajamas, a pacifier, and her hair in pigtails.
"Tol'ja this was a good idea," Lex referred to the way the two wore their schoolbags over their stomachs. "It holds more candy and doesn't feel as heavy. Plus you can zip it when you run."
"Only you could turn Halloween into a science," Tera laughed. "Though you're a little lively for a dead doctor," she pulled at Lex's powder blue scrubs.
"Hey, it takes skill to get zombie make-up looking this good," Lex sped up to the apartment building across the street. "C'mon, now that all the little kids are going home, people will give you whatever candy they have left. Either that or they give you money to go away."
"Score," Tera zipped up her backpack and hurried to catch up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Crash 9:50 p.m.
"What's she trying to do, get every last piece of candy in the city?" Logan looked at his watch and noted the time.
"It's a yearly tradition," Jondy nodded. "Girl's lucky she has transgenic strength or she'd have to make a couple trips back here to unload."
"At least it'll last her," Logan took another sip of his beer.
"Yeah, till Thanksgiving," Max retorted. "Hopefully Tera can keep up with her. If she and Kayla would get a big group together, they'd be only ones left this late."
"Yeah, woo-hoo," Jondy rolled her eyes.
"What? Would it have been more dignifying if five girls had pulled one over on you?" Max teased.
"Where would they get that "invisible pedestrian" idea, anyway?" Logan couldn't help but to smirk.
"Oh shut up," Jondy glared, trying hard not to laugh herself. "Now c'mon Logan. I think you're drunk enough I can beat you this time."
"Starting the party without me? How rude!" Lex bounced in the door.
"How was the trick-or-treating here?" Max asked.
"Not bad. And I didn't even get kicked out of all the good buildings," Lex maneuvered her backpack onto the counter and pulled up a stool next to Jondy. Seeing Logan start to form a question, Lex fielded it in advance, "Back home, people in the ritzy neighborhoods hated when the rest of us all would go there, guess they thought we were gonna plunder they're safes or something. So they started locking all the lobby doors and you had to have a key to get inside. Of course, there are those of us who figured out how to climb up the fire escapes and head down from the roof. If you were caught inside without a key, you get deported."
"Well, I'm glad you had fun," Logan laughed.
"You think you broke any records?" Jondy lifted Lex's bag, trying to mentally gauge its weight.
"Tough to say. But I got at least three weeks worth in there. Now I want a chance to join in," Lex grabbed a stick. "I'll even be nice and let you break," she winked at Logan.
"You're digging your own grave," Logan grinned as he lined up his shot and sunk three balls.
"Five hundred on Lex," Jondy nudged Alec with her elbow, who was already collecting bets.
"You crazy or just drunk?" Alec protested, but held out his hand for the money none-the-less.
"Just wait and see," Jondy coughed up a wad of cash and smiled.
On his third shot, Logan sunk a ball, but scratched, much to Lex's delight.
"Ooo, my turn," she smirked. "Four in the corner pocket, six in the other, and ten," she pointed to a side pocket with her stick, "right there." Ignoring the grunts of disbelief that came from the on looking spectators, clad in too many strange costumes to count, Lex focused on the precise angle at which to hit the ball. Drawing her stick back and steadying her arm, she watched, as all of her calls became truth. Challenging Logan with a gloating smile, she proceeded to call every single one of her shots, without missing a single one. Rounding the table as a final black ball taunted her she scrutinized the table. "Ok, eight ball, side pocket," she indicated it with her stick again and drew back. As if by precedent, she sunk the shot flawlessly, eliciting an uproar of murmurs from the shocked crowd. Walking over to Logan, Lex threw an arm around his sunken shoulders, "Awww, need a hug?" she teased before tousling his spiky hair and making her way back over to where Max and Original Cindy were sitting.
"Way to show 'em, Baby Boo," Cindy raised her mug and laughed.
"Well, well, well," Jondy turned to Alec with a condescending smirk, "I do believe I just made $500."
________________________________________________________________________
A/N: Well, who loves me? Here it's after 1 a.m. (officially Xmas, yee-ha [( sarcasm. Many will confirm I'm the Grinch]) and I stayed up extra late to finish this before I left tomorrow.. well, later today. So I'd better get a buttload of reviews or I'll put off the engagement for yet another chapter! Mwuahahahaha!
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 17: Déjà Vu
Cedar Ridge Academy Monday, October 13th 11:45 a.m.
Lex walked into the cafeteria and tentatively surveyed her surroundings. The place was a lot bigger than she had expected, with eight different lunch lines, a wall full of vending machines, and three other stations that she could see serving some kind of food. Spotting what she was looking for, she made her way through the crowd and popped open an empty microwave. She's made a stop by the Thai place earlier that morning since she wouldn't have been allowed to leave for lunch today. After her food was heated up, she glanced down at the form she had been given that day during homeroom and walked over to the table she'd been ordered to sit at.
"Sweet, empty," Lex inwardly smiled, glad she wouldn't have to deal with any of the pompous snobs floating around her. Dumping her black and purple backpack on the seat next to her, she pulled out a book; an old Stephen King novel called "Rose Red", and started to read. Feeling as if she was being watched, she looked up to find four girls standing across from her.
"You new here or something?" the one in the front asked, her face mirroring the same confused looked as her friends. She was about the same size as Lex, with long curls dark that fell down past her chest. The bright auburn highlights in the front complemented her shimmering gray eyes, which seemed to change color if the light caught them at just the right angle.
"Not really," Lex made no effort to move.
"Then what are you doing here? And why haven't we ever seen you?" another girl sat down. She was slightly taller then the other girl, with athletic clothes and pixie-short hair she wore spiked out.
"I've never eaten here before, that's probably why not," Lex shrugged. "I just got this paper today telling me to sit here."
"Wait a minute," the front girl pulled out a planner. "Crap, that test is today. You must be that girl they told us about, then."
"Probably."
"Well, in that case, welcome to our little corner of hell," one of the two blondes in the back leered. She had longer hair then the other, glasses, and a black t-shirt that said "Invader Zim" at the top and then had a picture of a little alien that was saying, "Somebody needs a hug".
"Well, anyway, I'm Ali," the girl in front sat down next to Lex, "that's Leah", she pointed to the athletic girl, "that's, well, also Allie," she laughed and pointed to the blonde with glasses, "and that's Faith," she cocked her thumb at the shorter blonde, who had stayed quiet.
"Hi," Faith smiled and gave a small wave.
"I'm Lex. You guys both have the same name? Doesn't that get confusing?"
"Not really," the blonde one answered. "There are those who call us by our last names, which means she's Hanley and I'm Mullen."
"But half the time we're not paying attention to anyone, so you have to slap us to get our attention. And they're spelled different, she's got two Ls and I-E at the end. I'm just A-L-I," the brunette added with a grin.
"Wow, where'd you get real food?" Leah eyed Lex's chicken.
"Stopped in the South Market this morning," Lex answered.
"I could never do that," Faith said her first full sentence of the period. "Not a morning person."
"I don't sleep much, anyway, so it's no big deal," Lex took a bite and went to put her book away, deciding she probably wasn't going to get much reading done.
"Hey, Faith, look!" Leah grabbed to book from Lex's hands and laughed, holding it up. "It's your favorite movie ever!"
"Oh my god, stop it!" Faith shivered and hid her face.
"Movie scared the shit of her," Allie said to Lex as she reached over to take the book from Leah. "Here, and of she grabs your stuff just pinch her in the side and you'll get it back."
"No! Don't do that!" Leah shouted and laughed. "Ooo, lines died down. I'm off to frolic to the glop they call food."
"They have nachos today, right?" Allie grabbed her school I.D. and followed.
"They've got the good pizza on Line 2," Faith chimed in as they all disappeared into the mass of people.
"Well, looks like it's just you and me," Ali pulled a purple lunch box out of her backpack. There was writing that looked like names and messages sprawled all over the back and bottom. "Oh, everyone's signed it," she laughed when she saw Lex studying the back. "Gives the thing personality, don't cha' think?"
"Yeah, I guess," Lex smiled. "So you guys ever taken this test before?"
"Every year since fifth grade," Ali rolled her eyes.
"That long, eh?" Lex smirked.
"Eh?" Ali looked up and laughed. "I thought only Canadians said that."
"Well, I guess that's true. Haven't heard anyone here say it. Not that I use it that much though," Lex was caught a bit off guard by that.
"Wait, you're from Canada?" At Lex's perplexed nod, Ali scratched her head, "Well, then what the hell are you doing living a in toxic waste dump like Seattle?" When Lex didn't offer an immediate answer, she waved her pervious question away, "Never mind."
"Well, this sector isn't a dump like all the others," Lex shrugged.
"Gee, thanks for the reminder," Ali rolled her eyes. "Don't you wish you could stay here even after school, though?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Lex wasn't sure what she meant by that.
"Well, aren't you here through Renaissance? The sector pass even says we have to be out of here by four."
"What's Renaissance?"
"Duh, the program we're all taking the test for. Didn't you bother to read the packet they gave you?" As Lex shook her head, Ali explained, "Renaissance is a program the state mandated back in '24 when the school opened. Since the schools in other sectors were falling apart, both literally and figuratively, they started the program to try and "foster scholarly attitudes". Anyway, they took all the kids forth grade and up with 3.5 GPAs or better, gave them a test, and the highest scorer from each grade got a full scholarship to go here, or to Linwood Hall if you were in grades four to eight. Then every fall, you have to take this test to prove you're not just screwing around, but they way they test it is by putting us up against someone who goes here without the program. But everyone else gets in here based on last name instead in intellect, so it's never a challenge. No offense."
"Oh, I thought the school was supposed to get money off this," Lex felt a little dense. "And none taken, I'd agree with you on the other idiots here."
"Well, the dim-wits that run this place made a point to tell us you were smart, or in their words "able to crush us like the insects we are", so try not to make us look too bad, ok?" she laughed and winked, just the other girls returned from the lunch lines.
As the five continued talking, Lex was reminded of times she had at her old school. These girls all lived in sector five, except for Leah, who was in sector seven. As they examined each other's sketchbooks, finding a shared interest in art, Ali proudly brandished her Spanish notebook to show off the doodles she had penciled in during that class.
"Don't they almost look like people?" she guffawed, telling Lex how her artistic ability and creativity peaked at stick figure, unlike the others.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Penthouse 4:15 p.m.
"So how'd it go?" Logan looked up from his laptop as Lex waltzed in the door.
"Not bad actually," Lex explained to Logan what the test had actually been for, differing from her initial impression. "And the other girls were.. interesting," she laughed. "Definitely a colorful bunch, but nicer than anyone else there. Probably because they don't come from money."
"Well, at least you have school friends now."
"On the contrary, Mr. Sunshine. I'll never see them. Remember how I don't stay for lunch? Anyway, I gotta run. Promised Mom and Original Cindy I'd meet them after work to go shopping for Joshua's birthday."
Logan remembered the day Joshua had first found out about birthdays. He'd looked like an overgrown puppy the way his eyes lit up when Cindy told him presents, balloons, but most of all, cake. He'd picked October 20th, and after the party Cindy had thrown him, he'd refused to put the subject to rest for months.
"Have fun, Grumpy" Logan smiled and winked as Lex gave him a mischievous glare, backing out the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
South Market 6:00 p.m.
"Lex, tell yo' mama she gotta get out sometime or another," Original Cindy called in back up.
"Yeah, what happened your trademark screw-the-world attitude? I've gotta check out this Crash place sometime or another," Lex whined.
"If I promise to go to the Halloween party this year, will both of you get off my back?" Max was getting desperate to put the argument to an end.
"Yes," Cindy gave a nod. "Alec and Sketchy won't stop doggin' on how you ain't been back to reclaim your title at the pool table. Stunt contests could use some a that mad skill o' yours, too."
"Stunt contests?" Lex turned around from the CDs she was eyeing.
"No," Max cut off Lex's train of thought. "No, no, no. Don't get any ideas." As Lex began to pout, Max turned her head back to the CDs, "Anything good?"
"Just crap. What the hell is a Backstreet Boy, anyway?"
"Before my time," Original Cindy shrugged as she examined the cover.
"Are we done yet? I think we've cleaned the entire city of Debbie Cakes," Lex glanced at her watch.
"Logan said to be back by 6:30, anyway. See ya tomorrow boo," she hugged Original Cindy goodbye.
"That you will. Bye Baby Boo," she headed for her bike, sighing when she saw the extensive line at the sector checkpoint.
As Max and Lex turned for their bikes as well, something in a bin at a nearby stand caught Max's eye.
"Hey, you go ahead, I'll catch up in a minute," Max told Lex as she fought through the crowd of people rushing to find the last few things for their dinner before the clouds acted on their threat to burst open. Walking up to the stand she pulled the round object out and a devilish smile swelled across her face. "Well whadda ya know?" she thought to herself, "A grapefruit."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Penthouse 11:45 p.m.
"Aren't you done yet?" Max asked for the third time in the past five minutes, snaking her arms around Logan's neck as he hunched over his computer.
"Why? You got something in mind?" he spun his chair around pulled her down into his lap and began searching her neck with his lips.
"Mmmm," she moaned when he a sensitive spot. "Maybe." she tired her damndest to remember what it was she was going to say as all coherent thoughts were quickly fleeing her mind. "But I got you something."
"What?" Logan grinned seductively as he reached under her shirt and traced circle patterns on her lower back.
Reaching into the last bag from the market, she held up the grapefruit. "An early present," she smiled as a faint blushing crept onto her cheeks.
"Haven't seen one of these for a while," Logan remembered the last time he'd gotten this early birthday present from Max.
"Found it down at the market. They had chickens, too."
"We must be in a recession," Logan mumbled as lowered his lips to hers and fumbled to find the clasp of her jeans.
"Ironic, huh?" Max pulled back and grabbed Logan's hand before it completed its task.
"What?" he complained about being interrupted.
"That now I'm the one who has to remind you that there's someone not sleeping just down the hall."
Logan looked up into her smoldering eyes and gave rise to a small laugh. Without a word, he swung her up and carried her into the bedroom; the grapefruit left being in the chair.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
6:30 a.m.
"Hello?" Lex walked from empty room to empty room; surprised her mother wasn't awake yet. Yeah, some people might have deemed this hour 'early', but she was usually up by now. Passing Logan's office, Lex saw a grapefruit resting in the middle of his chair and Max's shoes and jacket on the floor nearby. Inhaling sharply, Lex turned and quickly headed for the elevator, cursing it for not moving faster. Shaking her head, she grimaced and muttered to herself, "Ewww, yucky thoughts a'brewin."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Friday, October 31st Halloween 9:30 p.m.
"Alright, I think it's safe to say I have my entire body weight in Snickers here," Tera readjusted her backpack as she and Lex turned away from the house they'd just hit. She'd taken the easy way out costume-wise, dressing as a baby for the fourth year in a row. It was a simple deal- all she needed was pajamas, a pacifier, and her hair in pigtails.
"Tol'ja this was a good idea," Lex referred to the way the two wore their schoolbags over their stomachs. "It holds more candy and doesn't feel as heavy. Plus you can zip it when you run."
"Only you could turn Halloween into a science," Tera laughed. "Though you're a little lively for a dead doctor," she pulled at Lex's powder blue scrubs.
"Hey, it takes skill to get zombie make-up looking this good," Lex sped up to the apartment building across the street. "C'mon, now that all the little kids are going home, people will give you whatever candy they have left. Either that or they give you money to go away."
"Score," Tera zipped up her backpack and hurried to catch up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Crash 9:50 p.m.
"What's she trying to do, get every last piece of candy in the city?" Logan looked at his watch and noted the time.
"It's a yearly tradition," Jondy nodded. "Girl's lucky she has transgenic strength or she'd have to make a couple trips back here to unload."
"At least it'll last her," Logan took another sip of his beer.
"Yeah, till Thanksgiving," Max retorted. "Hopefully Tera can keep up with her. If she and Kayla would get a big group together, they'd be only ones left this late."
"Yeah, woo-hoo," Jondy rolled her eyes.
"What? Would it have been more dignifying if five girls had pulled one over on you?" Max teased.
"Where would they get that "invisible pedestrian" idea, anyway?" Logan couldn't help but to smirk.
"Oh shut up," Jondy glared, trying hard not to laugh herself. "Now c'mon Logan. I think you're drunk enough I can beat you this time."
"Starting the party without me? How rude!" Lex bounced in the door.
"How was the trick-or-treating here?" Max asked.
"Not bad. And I didn't even get kicked out of all the good buildings," Lex maneuvered her backpack onto the counter and pulled up a stool next to Jondy. Seeing Logan start to form a question, Lex fielded it in advance, "Back home, people in the ritzy neighborhoods hated when the rest of us all would go there, guess they thought we were gonna plunder they're safes or something. So they started locking all the lobby doors and you had to have a key to get inside. Of course, there are those of us who figured out how to climb up the fire escapes and head down from the roof. If you were caught inside without a key, you get deported."
"Well, I'm glad you had fun," Logan laughed.
"You think you broke any records?" Jondy lifted Lex's bag, trying to mentally gauge its weight.
"Tough to say. But I got at least three weeks worth in there. Now I want a chance to join in," Lex grabbed a stick. "I'll even be nice and let you break," she winked at Logan.
"You're digging your own grave," Logan grinned as he lined up his shot and sunk three balls.
"Five hundred on Lex," Jondy nudged Alec with her elbow, who was already collecting bets.
"You crazy or just drunk?" Alec protested, but held out his hand for the money none-the-less.
"Just wait and see," Jondy coughed up a wad of cash and smiled.
On his third shot, Logan sunk a ball, but scratched, much to Lex's delight.
"Ooo, my turn," she smirked. "Four in the corner pocket, six in the other, and ten," she pointed to a side pocket with her stick, "right there." Ignoring the grunts of disbelief that came from the on looking spectators, clad in too many strange costumes to count, Lex focused on the precise angle at which to hit the ball. Drawing her stick back and steadying her arm, she watched, as all of her calls became truth. Challenging Logan with a gloating smile, she proceeded to call every single one of her shots, without missing a single one. Rounding the table as a final black ball taunted her she scrutinized the table. "Ok, eight ball, side pocket," she indicated it with her stick again and drew back. As if by precedent, she sunk the shot flawlessly, eliciting an uproar of murmurs from the shocked crowd. Walking over to Logan, Lex threw an arm around his sunken shoulders, "Awww, need a hug?" she teased before tousling his spiky hair and making her way back over to where Max and Original Cindy were sitting.
"Way to show 'em, Baby Boo," Cindy raised her mug and laughed.
"Well, well, well," Jondy turned to Alec with a condescending smirk, "I do believe I just made $500."
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A/N: Well, who loves me? Here it's after 1 a.m. (officially Xmas, yee-ha [( sarcasm. Many will confirm I'm the Grinch]) and I stayed up extra late to finish this before I left tomorrow.. well, later today. So I'd better get a buttload of reviews or I'll put off the engagement for yet another chapter! Mwuahahahaha!