Weeks went by of school with the new exchange students. She scouts watched them closely over that time, but they seemed nice enough, and pretty normal. In fact, although Chris and Paula kept pretty much to themselves, Lita, Mina, and Serena had come to befriend Andi and Fred.

Rei, however, had been noticing some strangeness in their behavior. Andi spent a lot of time in her room with the door locked. Sometimes voices could be heard coming from inside. She had a small bag with her at all that she'd almost never open, and when she did, she'd just look, and always seemed cautious never to let anyone see inside. She had also noticed that Paula, Chris, and particularly Fred were constantly going out of their way to talk to Andi. This made her suspect that "Innocent-Little- Andi" was their leader.

Everyone's excitement level had begun to rise due to the upcoming costume ball. All anyone seemed to be able to talk about was who they were going with and what they were going as. Andi and Paula were walking home with Serena, Lita, and Mina.

"Are you guys excited about the masquerade ball?" asked Andi in an attempt to make conversation.

Paula shrugged. "Are you going with my brother, Andi?"

"Fred?" Andi blushed at the name. "Well, maybe if he asks me," a dreamy smile crossed her face. "He is kind of cute. . ."

"Kind of cute?!" said Mina with shock at Andi's words, "That's gotta be the understatement of the century! He's a total heartthrob!"

"And he really likes you, Andi." Lita added, "You're so lucky!"

Andi stopped walking and the others turned and looked back at her. She tilted her head and said "He does?" She absent-mindedly started playing with a lock of her hair. "Did he tell you that?"

Lita rolled her eyes. "No, but he didn't need to! Don't tell me you haven't realized how he's always hanging around you!"

"Well, I. . ."

"And the look in his eyes when he's with you," Serena added.

"Actually, I really hadn't. . ."

"Not to mention that you're all he ever talks about even when he isn't with you!" said Paula with a frown. "It's getting annoying!"

Mina's jaw dropped in disbelief of Andi's shocked expression. "Come on, Andi! Get with it! You're the envy of every girl at school and you don't even know it!"

Andi's silence seemed to suggest to the other girls that, despite the girlish blush in her cheeks, she wasn't sure whether or not this made her happy. She started walking again and changed the subject. "So what are you all going as?"

Mina responded quickly. "A showgirl! And you should see my costume! It'll knock everyone dead!" she said, beaming.

"I'm sure it's great," said Andi with a smile. "What about you, Serena?"

"A fairy."

"Cool! What color wings?"

"Light purple. I'm hoping to give Darien something to stare at." She giggled.

Lita snorted and nudged her playfully. "You say that like you still need to get his attention!"

Serena grinned. "Alright then, Lita, what's your costume?"

"Well, Ken and I are dressing to match. He's a cowboy, and I'm a cowgirl!"

"Aww! That's sweet!" Andi cried. "I'm not sure what I'm going as yet. Paula?"

"Oh, I don't think I'm going."

"WHAT?!" All four of the others whirled around to face her, but she didn't stop walking.

"Well I don't know yet. I mean. . .I may have something else to do that night. It all depends on whether or not I can get out of it."

Before any of them could say another word, a steadfast hand came down stalwartly on Andi's shoulder and spun her around. All six girls now faced Fred, but he seemed oblivious to all of them except for Andi. For the longest time, neither said a word. They simply stared into each other's eyes. Behind Fred's, and saw a look of confidence, but not arrogance. . .Tenderness, but not timidity. It made her knees buckle, and she felt a little dizzy. When he finally spoke, his voice sent a shiver down her back.

"Andi,"he said her name in whispered reverence as though it were the only word he'd ever wish to speak as he brushed a stray hair with a color like that of an Autumn sunset off of her face, letting his hand linger on her face. "Andi, will you go to the masquerade ball with me?"

Andi's face took on the color of a ripe strawberry at Fred's touch. She looked as if she wanted to say "no" but her lips seemed to have other ideas. "Sure," she said with a weak smile, "I'd love to go with you!"

"Great," he stroked her cheek with his thumb and continued smiling as though he'd never had any doubt in his mind that she'd accept his invitation. "I'll pick you up around. . .seven-ish?"

"Actually," she said hesitantly, Ï prefer to walk. . ."

"Okay. I'll walk with you."

"You don't have to. . ." she started to say.

"But I want to. So I'll see you at seven-o-clock on Saturday?"

"Yeah, I guess so. . ."

Fred gave a little salute and jogged off with a grin. When his back was turned, Paula stuck her finger in her mouth and made a gagging sound before following after him.

Andi turned around to face the others and tightened her grip on her backpack. "I'd better get home," and with no more than that, she took off toward the temple at a run.

Suddenly, out of nowhere sprang a yellow cat that started to take off after Andi, but Mina caught him and lifted him up. "Hey there, pretty kitty! Where'd you come from?" she cooed, noticing that he had no collar. Then she touched the orange star on his forehead.

"Hey you guys, look at this!" The cat began to squirm as Serena and Lita moved closer for a better look. "Kind of reminiscent of Luna and Artemis, isn't he? I wanna keep him."

Suddenly the cat hissed a warning and bit Mina's hand. "OW!" She dropped him in surprise, and he immediately bolted and disappeared around a corner.

"Are you okay, Mina?" said Serena anxiously.

"I'm fine. Just took me by surprise, that's all."

"That was weird," said Lita, "It was almost like he understood you. . ." All three of them glanced at each other, and then stared after the cat.