"One week 'til Valentine's day!" Adena chirped in a sing-song voice, skipping into English and seating herself between Cody and Tanis.

"Oh goody," the latter said dryly. After her talk with Nate, she had rushed down the hall, fully intending to barge into Cameron's room and demand to know what he really felt for her.

Until she realized she was totally and utterly terrified.

So, in a move that even she could admit was cowardly, she'd decided to put it off until Valentine's day, in order to give her some time to organize her thoughts.

Or commit suicide. You know. Whichever was easier.

"What are you and the boy toy doing, Cody?" Adena drew Tanis out of her reverie.

"Nate and I are going to dinner," she said pointedly.

"Oh, how romantic!"

"Yes, I'm sure," Cody said wryly, "what about you."

"Oh, Tans and I will probably hang. Watch some OC DVD's, right Tanis?"

But before Tanis could attempt to make up an excuse (somehow she thought "sorry, I'll be trying to get your ex to admit he's madly in love with me" wouldn't go over too well), Rick appeared on the scene, leaning on Cody's desk.

"The OC? Are you kidding? That show got lame. Now, Desperate Housewives-,"

"Rick," Cody cut in good naturedly, "stop now before you lose all you dignity."

"…You mean I still have some in your eyes?" He asked hopefully.

"Go sit down, Rick."

"So," Cody quickened her stride, catching up to Squib in the halls, "any big Valentine's Day plans?"

"Oh, yeah, you know me- always a hit with the ladies," he chuckled.

"Really?"

"No, Cody, I'm doing homework," he rolled his eyes, "this is me we're talking about."

"Wow," she sounded surprised, "I never thought I'd hear you downplay your own player status."

"And if you mention it in public, I'll deny it," he confirmed as the two laughed. "What about you? Shacking up with lover boy?"

"What a lovely choice of words," she smacked him on the arm. "Nate and I are going to dinner."

"Fancy schmancy. Where?"

"Some Italian place in town I can't pronounce."

"Should be wild," Squib smirked. "You coming to my game this afternoon?" She nodded, "Good. Later, City Girl," he ruffled her hair affectionately and left, heading toward the indoor courts.

"Something is wrong with Squib," Cody declared, walking into Tanis and Adena's room.

"Gee, thanks for knocking," Adena stuck her tongue out.

"Hello! Bigger fish to fry! Squib! Something! Wrong!"

"Calm down," Tanis spoke, lying on her bed, "what's wrong with Squib? Did he hurt himself?"

"Yeah," Adena chuckled, "bruise his ego?"

"You two are hilarious," Cody scowled, "but I'm serious! I saw him in the halls, and he was all…cheerful!"

"Oh no," Adena gasped dramatically, "not cheerful!"

"Think about it!" Cody commanded. "When has he ever been cheerful? He was making small talk about my date with Nate- Nate!"

"Hey, it-,"

"Yes, Adena," Cody cut her friend off, "I know it rhymes. But seriously! He was practically skipping! Then he called me City Girl and ruffled my hair."

"That does actually sound…"

"…not Squib-like," Adena finished for Tanis.

"Maybe he's sick?" Tanis shrugged.

"Or got hit in the head with a tennis ball?" Adena suggested.

"I don't know," Cody sat herself beside Tanis, "but it was creepy."

"Never fear, Cody," Adena declared, "Adena Stiles is on the case! I'll have an answer for you by Valentine's Day- just you wait!"

The two starred at her blankly.

"…I used to read a lot of Nancy Drew," she shrugged, "but I'm serious! I shall find answers!"

Four days later, Adena hadn't found any answers, Cody was still worried about Squib, and Tanis was wondering whether moving to Russia was a preferable alternative to talking to Cameron.

"…and then he ruffled my hair!" Cody exclaimed to her boyfriend as the two sat in the president's office.

"Sounds tragic," he rolled his eyes.

"This is serious!" She stomped her foot.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled at her outburst, "but maybe he's just in a good mood! Maybe he…I dunno, won a match or something."

"I guess…" Cody paused, looking around and realizing something was off, "hey, shouldn't you be filing something?"

"I don't think he's got anything left for me to file," Nate, who was perched on his father's desk, answered happily. "He has to wait until new stuff comes in."

"Hmm, well, lucky you, then," she smiled, moving toward her boyfriend.

"Oh," he said lightly just before her lips reached his, "so now you'll kiss me?"

She froze, "Excuse me?"

"What?"

"What do you mean? Now I'll kiss you?"

"Well, it's just the last few days…"

"What?" Cody pulled back, moving away from him.

"Have you seriously not noticed?" He asked incredulously.

"Apparently not," Cody was quickly getting riled up.

"You've avoided me like the plague! I can't kiss you, I can't touch you- I'm surprised I'm allowed to stand by you," he told her.

"I have not!" Cody looked hurt.

"Yeah…you have," Nate said gently.

"No," Cody said stubbornly, "I haven't," the two glared for a moment before she spoke again. "Whatever. I've gotta go meet my dad for dinner," she mumbled, leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Nate looked around the empty office, lonely and kind of wishing he had something to file.

"Okay," Tanis took a deep breath, sitting on a picnic table and facing a small tree that currently looked rather dead. She shivered slightly against the cold air, but Adena was in their room and she couldn't find anywhere else to be alone.

"I really like you," she started. "No. That's lame," she took another breath, "I know you said we couldn't be together, but I…want to be together? No. Stupid."

"Please tell me you're not trying to proposition that tree," Squib joked, coming up to sit beside her.

"No," she huffed, flustered, "I was just…doing something."

"Okaaay," Squib laughed.

"So, hey, what's up with you?" She changed the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently you've been all scary and happy lately."

"Who says?"

"Cody says."

"Well, Cody lies."

"You ruffled her hair, Squib."

Squib sighed, defeated, "Well, I'm not trying to be scary!"

"So, then, what's the deal?" Tanis pulled her coat tighter around her.

"Well, I mean, she's going out with Nate, right? Who I hate-,"

"Heh, it rhymes- it must be fate. That you hate Nate. Fate that you hate Nate-,"

"Tanis, we're being serious here."

"Sorry," she sobered.

"It's just…I can't be grouchy around her. She's my friend. Plus, she'll lecture me. I just need to learn to…not over compensate."

"Aww, Squib," Tanis looked genuinely sympathetic, "that's actually kind of sweet."

"Whatever," he shrugged.

"No, it is," Tanis said, "I'm glad you're being mature about this."

"Well, I figure I have to try. I mean, it can't be like this forever, right?"

Tanis didn't have to ask what 'like this' meant, "You'll get over her soon and then you'll be back to your ladies man status," she joked. "Just…until then, no more hair ruffling, okay?"

"So, you're sure he's okay?" Cody asked Tanis as Adena zipped up the back of her dress.

"Yeah, he's fine," Tanis answered from her friend's bed, "he just had a few too many Storm Bursts that day."

"Good," Cody smiled. She turned to face her friends. "Okay, so, do we approve?"

"Definitely," Adena nodded, giving her friend's outfit one final inspection, "now, go meet your man or you're gonna be late." Cody said her goodbyes and left as Adena began to clean up the makeup she'd brought over.

"So, what do you wanna do tonight, Tans?"

"Um, actually…I have somewhere to be…"

"What?" Adena whipped around, makeup forgotten. "A boy? A date? Who? Where? When? Why aren't you dressed? Where's-,"

"Adena, calm down!" Tanis sprang up off Cody's bed, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "It's not a date! I just need to talk to someone! About school work!"

"I don't believe you!" Adena was still shouting.

"Well, believe it. And be quiet. I'll meet you in our dorm in a little while, okay?"

"I suppose," Adena narrowed her eyes, "but you'd better be telling the truth!"

"I am!" Tanis promised, already making her way out into the front hall.

Tanis was, of course, lying. But she decided she could feel guilty later. Right now, she was a woman on a mission.

"Cameron?" She said in a firm voice, knocking once and entering his dorm. "You and I need to talk."

"That would be kind of hard," Tanis jumped slightly, surprised to see Squib sitting alone at his desk, "considering he's on a date."

Cody didn't think she'd ever had such a tense meal in her life. And that included all the family dinners leading up to her parents' divorce.

"So…" Nate began, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Did you mean what you said?" She blurted out. "About me ignoring you?"

"Look, Cody, let's just forget it," Nate said quietly, ever the one to avoid conflict.

"No," she said, "I want to know. Were you serious?"

"Look," Nate spoke at length, "you want the truth?"

"Yes."

"The past few months you've barely even looked at me when we're in public. I can't hold your hand, I can't kiss you, I can hardly speak to you. And it's always when Squib is around," he said evenly.

"That isn't true-,"

"Yes it is, Cody," he said, still calm.

"Well," she took a deep breath, looking around and becoming flustered, "what am I supposed to do? Just…let you jump me?"

"No, but-,"

"He's my best friend Nate!"

"And I'm your boyfriend-,"

"So you should take priority?" She hissed.

"No, I'm not saying that. But if your best friend," he said harshly, "can't get over the fact that you're dating another guy, it's his problem. It shouldn't be ours!"

"Nate," she said quietly, trying to make him understand, "I just don't want to hurt him."

"So you're going to ignore me?"

"No, I…it's just…he's Squib, and…" she floundered for words, eventually just shrugging her shoulders.

Nate slumped, looking defeated, "Come on," he said quietly, nodding his head toward the door, "I'll walk you home."

"Are we breaking up?" She asked when they reached her porch; the walk had been silent.

"Cody…" he sighed. "Squib obviously means a lot to you. More than-,"

"Not more than you!"

"Yes, Cody," Nate said, "he does. Or, at least, it sure seems that way. Maybe you've gotta…figure some stuff out."

Cody looked up at him pleadingly, "Nate…I…"

"It's cool," he nodded, "I'll see you Monday." Nate turned and walked away.

"Wait, so, who's he out with?" Tanis asked.

"Tanis," Squib sighed, "I didn't know ten minutes ago, and I don't know now. Please stop asking."

"But I need to talk to him!"

"I dunno," Squib shrugged, "you wanna hang until he gets back?"

"I guess," Tanis slumped back onto Squib's bed. "So what are you-," she was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. "Hello?"

"Tanis?"

"Adena? Hey, I don't think I'm gonna make it tonight-,"

"No, you've got to come to Cody's place! They broke up!"

"What? Seriously?"

"Nate totally dumped her!"

"Adena!" Tanis hissed, "Don't say it like that!"

"Relax, she's changing; she can't hear me. But come, okay?"

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute," she snapped her phone shut. "Change of plans," she turned to face Squib who was watching her curiously, "I've gotta run."

"What's going on?"

Tanis debated telling him, but decided Cody should do it herself, "Nothing; just girl stuff."

"Okay…"

"Happy Valentine's Day!" She raced out the door.

"Bye…" Squib returned to his textbook, determined not to focus on just how pathetic his night was turning out to be.

Oh my! Eight pages of ANGST! Sappy, sappy, soap opera-esque ANGST!

Ah, well. At least things were accomplished. Review and tell me it wasn't enough to drive you away!