Although the tremendous trio hung out a lot, there was no excluding Nikki. At first it was just a 'Jen's friend' with the boys, only seeing her at recess and hanging out with her here and there. They had together been going to mall on weekends, skateboarding together, one parent babysitting another, movies etc. Nikki hadn't taken part in it for the first two weeks but Jen and her had definetly bonded during classes and such. Even to Nikki, who pretended not to care about those kind of things, felt weird amongst a group of three tight friends. She felt like an intruder and no matter how many times Jen told her she was accepted she still couldn't shake off the feeling. It had stayed that way until that one day something changed their friendship for the better.

They invited her after school to the mall.

It had seemed like a weird thing, what did the mall have anything to do with their friendship? Well tons believe it or not. It was the place that was home to the three and this invitation was almost like they weren't just accepting her as a friend, but as apart of their family. So after Nikki begged her mom and got support from a very convincing Jen (you know how she is), she was allowed to spend the whole Saturday at the mall and with a sleep over at her buddy's house.

That Saturday at 12:00, which seemed really important to Jude for some reason unknown to her, Nikki had squirmed uncomfortably on the bench that aligned next to the water fountain. She couldn't see the others anywhere and was beginning to get nervous. Being alone in the mall without her parents and friends made her fear of the open space and all these strangers. She had even brought a hand to her heart to feel the fast beating. Closing her eyes to calm down she remembered that surrounding herself with positive things would make the situation better. For a girl with a realist opinion on everything since the day she could understand the world around her, that was going to be hard.

"Deep breaths Nikki, all you have to do is remember these are really nice friends. They don't ditch you, they don't play mind games with you... And no one would be that cruel as to leave a small kid like me in such a big mall. Wait-Small? Kid! Where did that come from? I'm a tough girl that can make it through anything and everything. I may look small, and sure being 8 is a kid but..."

"Hiya Nikki!" Hollered a voice behind her and someone placed their hand's over her eyes. "Guess who?" the voice asked. Now if Nikki wasn't so freaked out she would have been able to tell who it was but unfortunatly for the 'mystery' person behind her she was freaked out within an inch of her life. With fast reflexes she grabbed the person's hand as she gave a scream and within seconds had pulled the hands away from her eyes to turn and stare at the offender with angry-yet totally paranoid- eyes.

It was only Jude. He stayed there from behind the bench with his hands in his baggy dark navy jeans. The top he was wearing suited him fine, a white hoodie with a grey skater gripping onto his skate boards end. Another thing to tell about how much he loved the x-treme sport. Nikki's mouth gaped for a moment in shock and stupor before her over active child temper rushed in replacing the previous fear. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she started to yell.

"Jude? What's wrong with you! You scared me and nearly gave me a heart attack!" she raised a fist for emphasis and shook it so that he could see just how serious she was. Well, Jude didn't take the hint as he started to giggle in a totally boyish way, clutching his sides at her expression. Jude was goofy that way, Nikki had come to relise and although irrititating, it brought a smile to her face.

"Y-You should have seen the look on your face! I was like, "Bwah! And you were all like AHHH!" he started another fit of giggles as he jumped over the bench to sit next to her. "I was waiting for you guys and you didn't notice me." it was here that he gave a pout and Nikki had almost felt bad. Almost. "So I thought I'd give you a little scare to welcome you that's all." he shrugged indifferently and started kicking his feet, which Jen said was a habit he had when he was bored or impatient.

Speaking of Jen, they heard the distant chatter of their loud friend brought their heads to turn and they smiled as they saw Jen, Wyatt and Mrs.Williams walking towards them. The two kids seemed to be engaged in a really interesting discussion that they didn't notice their friend's waves until the two actually spoke up.

"Earth to Jen and Wyatt!" Jude said in a goofy alien voice, "Aircraft smashing back to reality!" he said tilting his head in odd ways to further reanact his version of an alien. Jen and Wyatt snapped out of it as they suddenly became super chipper.

"Hey guys! So sorry we were just talking about stuff." Jen said politely and when she turned to look at Nikki her smile became all the more brighter. It seemed Jen's perkiness was infectious since Wyatt seemed to catch the 'smiling disease'. His smile was so big that you could see each and every missing tooth with the adult teeth just poking out of the gums. It seemed where as they had lost all theirs during grade on his were falling out later then usual. He was down to his last baby teeth and he showed it off to the world with a proud grown up stance.

Nikki had to bite back a giggle as Jen had plopped down beside her enthusiastically. "Oh my gosh guys! We are going to have to take Nikki on the roller coaster ride pronto and then we'll be hitting the toy store and the book store and the..."

"Woah woah woah Dude! Please tell me we are going to eat first!" Jude whined, suddenly his eyes went wild and he went into panic mode. "I mean I've been starving! If I don't eat now I swear I'm going to die I can feel it! I mean what will happen to me and you guys if I do huh? HUH?" he was cut off by a shake from Jen.

"DON'T panic... Repeat after me... We. Are. Going. To. Eat. Now." she drawed out slowly for him. Jude was getting hyper as his stomach gurgled to him loudly. "We are going to eat now." he said to himself and breathed out a sigh, shaking his head for a second.

Nikki laughed, as did Mrs.Williams. "You must be Nikki, please to meet you. Wyatt and Jen have told me much about you." Nikki smiled and blushed, "Hi Mrs.Williams" she said in an unusually polite voice. Wyatt rolled his eyes but his teasing smile showed he wasn't annoyed with her. Mrs.Williams laughed and shook her head, "You may call me Karla dear (AN:I have no idea if that's her real name, I'm just making one up), a friend of Wyatt's is more than welcome to." she said and smiled as Nikki's cheeks turned a shade redder. "Come now, I'm sure none of you have eaten anything for lunch and it would be cruel to keep Jude waiting any longer." Jude had nodded his head at this frantically as if strongly agreeing.

So the three got up off the benches and followed Wyatt and his mom towards the food court. Nikki had been here in this mall before but never had she noticed how big and interesting it was. With her mom she would never have any fun and would most likely be embarrassed by her parents some way or another. A soft smile graced her lips as she saw how things were going to turn out, Jude acting goofy with Wyatt and Jen chattering away to explain the little details that only to her seemed important.

She had no idea that the food court would result in World War III...

"Please! Can I please have my tacos! I barely ever get my choice..." whined Jude as he hopped from foot to foot in agony. Wyatt looked at him disbelievingly as he strongly shook his head.

"You had tacos last week! This time I get my pick! We are eating chicken wings!" Wyatt argued and folded his arms,

"How about something healthy? Like carrot sticks, salads, cucumber slices with some home made dip! And freshly squeezed orange juice, pulp and all!" The two boys stared at her, argument forgotten and mouths agape. Jen looked at Nikki who seemed a little disturbed as well. "What? Eating fruits and veggies is healthy for you! All we've been doing is eating junk food and it's high time we grew up and started acting maturely."

Jude and Wyatt wrinkled their cute little noses in disgust. "Jen how could you?" as Jude as he backed up away from her. "Yeah, you turned into our moms!" Wyatt added as he too back away from her, putting his arms together in front of him in an 'X' shape.

The three had argued some more at the comment and Nikki could only watch as they threw childish insults back and forth to each other, her head moving as if she was watching a tennis tournament. "Okay okay stop!" Nikki cried out when it got way too much. The three froze, Jen pulling on Jude's hair and he doing the same with her's as Wyatt was trying to tackle them both to the ground. "I'm in the mood for something sweet so let's go over to the ice cream stand and by ourselves some ice cream and cakes." since it was Nikki's own money she was spending, she went straight to the ice cream shop and started to order a three scoop cone and a big brownie for herself.

With her commanding and sensible reason, the three shrugged and let go of each other as they followed suite, Jen pulling out her own money and Karla paying for Jude and Wyatt.

Three cones and brownies later they decided to go to the pet store. After all, who doesn't love to gush over cute furry animals? Nikki and Jen were 'oohing' and 'awwing' over a batch of puppies that were playing with each others tails. They were then having a debate over which one was the cutest. Jen had said it was the white one with the black tipped ears and paws. Nikki had argued that it was the black one with the white tipped ears and paws. They had decided that both were adorable and went to gush over the kittens.

Jude and Wyatt, although loving the furry creatures, were checking out all the reptiles. Jude was kneeling on the floor tapping the lowest glass that held a green python. Wyatt was not so brave as he prayed that Jude would not anger it so much that it would burst through the glass. "Dude... It can't do anything!" Jude whined as Wyatt was trying to pull him away. "This glass is really thick.." he added and for emphasis he tapped it hard.

Wyatt had squeaked in attempt not to scream as the snake hissed at Jude's tiny offending finger. "Jude! Stop doing that and why are you saying 'Dude' all the time? You are starting to sound like that teenager." he reasoned as he began to look at the less dangerous, but much less interesting lizards. Being a bit of a hypocrite, he started to draw his finger against the glass so that it would follow. Jude shrugged and joined Wyatt in disturbing the lizard.

"Dunno... It just sounds cool." was his reply and he turned to see Jen and Nikki rush in. He smiled and waved them over to see the various snakes on display. It seems the reason why they had run quickly in was because the manager of the store saw them picking up the kittens from out of their cages. The two were laughing as they saw the man's face redden furiously and his eyes squint while lecturing. "Hi dudes! Had fun looking at the kitty cats?" he asked while sticking his tongue out to a snake.

His only reply was more laughter and Wyatt shook his head. Why couldn't things be normal around him?

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"Okay Nikki, this is the roller coaster that we all know and love!" Wyatt said as he stared up at it. They had been to the pet store and Jude has that craving for speed again. So hopping on his skateboard he had called them over and suggested they show Nikki the amusement ride. They had agreed and after being stopped twice from security (Jude was knocking people over one too many times) they were finally standing in line planning on who goes with whom.

"Nikki and I will be at the front and you guys behind us." Jen stated and looped an arm around her freind's. Jude shook his head immediatly. "No way, I always go in the front so me and Wyatt go." Jen had sighed and rolled her eyes. "Hello? Nikki's first time! Don't be rude, 'sides you always go in front with me because Wyatt doesn't like the front. So HAH!" she said triumphantly and after staring at her for a second Jude shrugged, knowing when he was beat. "Come on we're next!" Jen said excitedly as they rushed to the seats.

Nikki slid in after Jen and started drumming her fingers against the steal bars in aprehension. She couldn't wait to get started! The boys slid in behind them and pulled on their hair, which seemed to be the guy's form of 'Good Luck' before the click of the bars told them they were locked down. The four kids gave a hollered happily as the ride started to go up slowly. Nikki always got impatient with these as the top of the railway hill came closer and closer and she knew what was going to happen when they got there. Jude and Wyatt lifted up their hands behind them and the girls did the same, starting a little countdown before they dropped at high speeds.

"3..2...1..WHOOOOOOOOOO!"

Being assaulted with high speeds and various turns the four kids felt as if their stomachs would drop right out, but by the time it was over they were begging Karla to go again and again. They were granted one more time and it started all over again...

"Ugh... I think Ima gunna VOMIT" Nikki said and clutched her stomach. The three others laughed, remembering how they felt the same way they had first gotten on with the a full stomach. She sat down at the water fall's rim to settle it down. With a big smile excusing her pain she asked, "What are we going to do next?"

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AN: I relise this is short and not really informative but next one will be better P And our boy Jonesy will be next! -WhoOt!- Thanks for the reviews and as for Catlin, she will be making minor apperances here and there, big one when their fifteen and then finally when their sixteen! Warning: After next chapter age skips will happen. Yups, they can't be cute eight-year-old kids forever now can they?