Disclaimer: I do not own The Simpsons characters; only the original characters listed in this fic.

I accept constructive criticism. c:

~•~•~•~

Before anyone realized it, the beginning of fall was starting to cloud Springfield like a blanket. The temperatures dropped, forcing early risers and night walkers to bring a jacket or sweater along lest they suffer from the wind chill. The leaves were also turning and threatening to pile onto the streets and grassy lawns, ready to be crushed and blown away until spring arrived. On this late September day, many chose to rest on the lawn of 742 Evergreen Terrace, much to the dismay of the middle-aged man standing on the driveway.

Homer grumbled to himself as he surveyed the yard, noting how the leaves just seemed to keep piling up, no matter how much he raked or blew them into Flanders' yard. He had even asked Bart to take care of them yesterday since it was the weekend but the boy had to run to work and cover a call out. It wasn't that Homer was upset that the once-notable slacker was earning an honest living; in fact, it was one of the few times he was proud that his son had taken an initiative to better his life without being told to a thousand times. There was just so much work for him to do now that he had a huge responsibility himself at the power plant.

More money meant more work but more money led to a happier family and home life.

"Hi-diddly-ho, Homer!"

Homer winced.

Well, almost happier home life.

"Mm…what is it, Flanders?"

The Simpsons patriarch turned to face the friendly and pious man peeking over the fence with a grin placed under his graying mustache.

"Say, this weather changed mighty fast, eh? The boys and I went out to church yesterday morning and hoo boy, we had to run back in and grab our jackets! But we ended up being about five minutes early for church though, guess that's what we get for not checking the weather, huh?"

Homer resisted the urge to roll his eyes, placing his hands on his hips. "Yeah, this weather is sneaky…look Flanders, I've gotta get these stupid leaves out of here before it gets dark. What do you need?"

Ned adjusted his glasses with a sheepish look before going back to his friendly grin. "Ah, apologies, neighbor-ino. Well, I know you usually reject my invites but there's this new buffet that opened downtown and one of the folks at the church managed to get a private room booked. It's only going to be us adults and we had room so we wanted to extend an invite to you and the missus!"

Before Ned had even finished his sentence, Homer was ready to reject the invite yet again until he heard the word 'buffet'. The Simpson man had shed some pounds over the years but that didn't mean he could turn away an offer like that. Portion control existed for a reason.

He reached up and rubbed his chin. "Hm, sounds tempting…I'm sure it's on a busy day though…"

"Nonsense, we were planning to go this Saturday, around six o'clock! You don't even have to get there on the dot but it'd be a smart choice."

'Buffet and not having to show up on time? This was starting to sound better and better.'

Homer managed to keep a poker face and shrugged at his neighbor. "Sounds intriguing, Ned. I can't promise it'll happen but I'll bring it up to Marge tonight."

An even wider grin stretched across Ned's face, emphasizing the wrinkles around his eyes. "Well, that's a darn-diddly better answer than no! Just get back to me with your answer before Wednesday, alrighty?"

"Sure thing, Flanders. Now, can you let me do my yard work?" The neighbor nodded quickly and left with a jovial farewell, leaving the Simpson man alone on his yard.

Homer sighed before walking back towards his garage to start on his work. His animosity and jealousy for the Christian man had waned a bit over the years and he managed to find himself being more civil with Flanders; that didn't mean that he could handle him all the time. What led to this near-vitriolic friendship was a violent spat the two had gotten into about three years ago at a church potluck; Homer had gotten overzealous with the food and when Ned had reprimanded him for the fifth time, the former had slipped an insult about his mother to the other and ended up with a fist to the face. After a brawl that knocked over the food table, a near-banning from Reverend Lovejoy and a long apology to each other and the rest of the congregation that were witnesses, Homer and Ned managed to put their differences aside and make an effort to get along with each other. If anyone had told Homer Jay Simpson that he would be contemplating a dinner with Ned Flanders back then, he would have bellowed out a laugh in their face.

Grabbing his rake, Homer started gathering each stray leaf. Time passed as he made little mountains of dead leaves until a red station wagon pulled up into the driveway. Looking up, he smiled as he spotted a tower of blue hair coming out of the driver's seat.

"Hey Marge! Got the groceries?"

Marge nodded before running to the trunk, opening it and starting to pick up the paper bags with both arms. "Sure did! Guess what I'll be making for dinner tonight?"

Homer pondered over her question as he ran to the garage door to open it for her. "Hmm…beats me, what have you got in mind?"

Setting the first round of bags on the kitchen table, she ran back out and gave her husband a playful grin.

"Some lucky man is going to be having pork chops tonight!"

Homer gave his signature 'woo-hoo' before planting a kiss on his wife's cheek. "Marge, you are too good to be true sometimes…are you sure you're not an alien?"

The blue-haired woman rolled her eyes and giggled. "Who knows? Maybe I'm hiding an antenna under my hair. Homie, do you think you could help me with the rest of the groceries? They had way too many good deals today, I went a little overboard."

Giving a nod, Homer ran to the trunk and started assisting his wife with the bags, listening to her warnings about being careful with the eggs in one bag and the heavy orange juice in another. Remembering the conversation from earlier, he started to inform Marge about the invite.

~•~•~•~

Throwing the butt of their cigarette out of the window, the figure pulled another Laramie stick out of its carton and sparked a fire with their lighter, inhaling the poison once it was lit. Turning in the seat of their red Ford Mustang, they zeroed in on the light brown house down the block.

That fat man from years ago was raking some leaves in the yard, separating them into neat piles.

'Guess he's not so fat anymore, would've thought he'd be bedridden by now.'

Snickering to themselves, they took another drag as they watched the repeated motions of the man.

Rake. Sort. Rake. Sort. Wipe brow. Swear. Rake.

The figure growled to themselves, ready to turn the ignition back on and hightail it out of the neighborhood. What gave them pause was the sight of a familiar red station wagon rolling into the driveway. What nearly made them hop out of the car was the blue-haired woman coming out of said vehicle. There was no mistaking that tower of cyan locks and the green dress that modestly hugged her curves. Hands clenching the wheel in anticipation, the figure swallowed down their sudden glee and waited until the couple disappeared inside the house before bringing the engine to life. Peeling out of the neighborhood, they gave a malicious smirk as the house disappeared in the rear view mirror.

'Found ya, Marge. I'll be seeing you very soon.'

~•~•~•~

If senior year was this grueling, Bart dreaded what college would throw onto his shoulders. It was only a month into his final year and he could already feel the urge to rip out his hair and jump out the window. The teachers were ruthless with assignments, the career advisers were pushy with job and internship offers and the college reps that visited were making their schools sound like the one that wouldn't let you end up with no job and major debt after two to four years of learning.

At this point, Bart was ready to say 'screw it' and just worry about going to community college for some basic credits. It seemed like all he could afford anyways, the Android's Dungeon was only giving him eight dollars an hour. Comic Book Guy was a cheapskate and responded to Bart's complaint about a raise with a lift of his chins and made it seem that he was lucky that he even hired a brat like him. Oh, how the Simpson boy almost wished that he suffered another heart attack. Almost.

With a ringing of the bell, Bart packed up his bag and started out the door, barely hearing the nasal of Mrs. Focker reminding them to read Chapter 12 about the Springfield-Shelbyville War. He glanced at his watch and groaned.

It was only fourth period. Out of nine. Ugh.

'Now I have to walk all the way up the goddamn-'

Thump.

Before he could finish his thought, a solid body bumped into him, nearly knocking him off his feet. Scowling, he turned towards the oaf.

"Hey man, look where the hell you're…"

"Sorry man, I wasn't…"

The two's heated and apologetic words trailed off as they stared at the other. In front of Bart was a boy a few inches taller than him with dirty blond hair and gray eyes, mirroring his shocked expression. The boy wore a dark brown leather jacket, layered over a gray hoodie and a light blue t-shirt, hiding his lean figure. His jeans were a faded black and had two large rips over the knees and one on his upper right thigh. The shoes on his feet were gray casual oxford sneakers, tied down with white laces; a few spots of dirt laid across the tops. He regained his composure to utter a few words.

"Holy shit…Bart?"

The second that familiar, deep voice spoke his name, the teen launched forward and pulled the other into a bone-crushing hug while laughing.

"Donny! What the hell are you doing here, man?"

Donny gave a laugh of his own as he patted the back of his long-lost friend before breaking the hug. "Going to school, what does it look like?"

Bart rolled his eyes and socked the other in the arm. "No shit, Sherlock. I mean, how'd you end up back in Springfield? It's been over seven years and I haven't heard anything from you!"

With a slight look of discomfort, Donny glanced off to the side before scratching the back of his neck. "Well…a lot happened in that time…"

Bart was undoubtedly curious as to what the exact story was and opened his mouth to question the other.

"Excuse me, gentlemen." A haughty voice chirped behind the Simpson boy's back.

Turning towards the source, Bart raised an eyebrow at the skeleton of a woman glancing at the two with disapproval written on her aged face.

"I suggest you two make your way towards your next classes, the final bell will be ringing soon. I'd hate for you to get in trouble again Mr. Simpson, especially since this is your friend's first day here."

Bart rolled his eyes before speaking in a sarcastic tone. "Thanks for the concern, Ms. Deetz. You always know how to look out for your students." Ms. Deetz grinned with pride before strutting off to her next destination.

"Gee, sarcasm just rolls off of her like water, huh?" Bart snickered at Donny's sarcastic quip, happy to know that some things hadn't changed. Not wanting to push his luck too much with tardiness, he turned back towards his friend.

"The old bat won't care what you say to her, as long as there's some kind of compliment in that sentence. Hey, what class do you have next?"

Lifting up the crumpled green paper to his face, the other teen squinted at the words. "Uh…looks like I have Physics with Mr. Lombardi…second floor. You?"

"Damn. I've got Calculus with Mrs. Weis on the third floor." A light bulb went off in Bart's head. "Wait, when's your lunch period?"

"Fifth period, you?"

Grinning wide, Bart pumped a fist in the air. "Fifth period! Looks like we'll be sitting together." Before Donny could give an enthusiastic response back, the final bell rang loud and clear through the halls, signified by the straggling students who were booking it to their now late classes.

"Damn! Look man, I'll catch up with you later, yeah?" Holding his fist out, Donny smirked as Bart bumped his own against his before turning and sprinting towards the stairs.

"Sure thing. Oh, we're by the pole with the Puma Pride poster, Milhouse and Nelson will be there too!" Nodding in affirmation, Donny waved before running off in search of his own classroom.

In just a few minutes, Bart's sour mood had taken a 180 into elation. Never in a million years would he have thought he'd run into a friend that he hadn't heard from in so long. Their relationship had been a revolving door back then, starting off as rivals turned fast friends turned betrayer and back to friends again. Although they had promised to find each other in the future, once Donny skipped town, it was almost like he never existed. Bart had never gotten a last name from him, if he even had one, plus the sheer size of the country meant the runaway could have gone anywhere. After years of Facebook searching and phone book page turning, the young boy had given up on ever finding his friend again. The day he stopped, he just merely wished that wherever Donny was, he was happy and had a stable life for once.

Thump.

"Whoa! Sorry man, didn't see-"

Bart's apology was cut short as his heart stopped once he realized who he had bumped into on the stairs.

'Jessica…'

Said girl was looking up at him with widened eyes as if he had threatened to skin her whole family alive. "S-Sorry…"

For the next few seconds, neither said a word, merely taking in the each others' presence in the empty stairwell. Bart swallowed hard as multiple emotions threatened to spill over and flood his body, nearly betraying the stoic look on his face. Since the day she had reentered his life, he did his damnedest to avoid her, taking shortcuts or ducking behind poles if there was nowhere to run. At this point, his friends were busting his balls about how far he was taking this. He understood that he was being a little spineless now, hiding from a girl when he usually was chasing after them.

But this wasn't an ordinary girl; this girl was poison.

Giving her an offended look, he brushed past the raven-haired girl and stormed up the stairs with an excuse forming in his head for a sure to be irate teacher. At the bottom of the stairs, Jessica stared at his retreating back with a pained look, lamenting yet another day that the person she wanted to talk to the most refused to acknowledge her existence.

~•~•~•~

"Is it time to graduate already? I'm ready for that sweet, sweet college life."

Lisa sighed and shook her head as Alex complained next to her. "Sadly, no. We still have about two years to go, Ms. Whitney."

"Ugh! Whatevs, I guess I'll just have to bug my cousin more for her endless college tales to hold me over for those two years." Rolling her eyes as she said this, she gave her lips one more swipe of pink gloss in front of her locker mirror. "I still don't get why you didn't skip ahead, Lise. You're a freaking genius, you should be on your way to Yale or something by now."

Giving a shrug, the Simpson girl shuffled through the contents of her own locker, making sure she had what she needed for tonight's homework. "I told you Alex, I didn't really want to leave you guys behind and well, I don't think mom could handle having 2/3s of her kids away from home."

Alex puckered her lips before stowing away the gloss in her purse and shutting her locker. "Well, it's not like you guys are always going to live at home, she'll have to get over it. Besides, look how many scholarships you've got already, I'm sure your parents won't have to pay a cent out of pocket!"

Lisa had to give it to the other blonde, she made some valid points but her mind was set years ago to stay in the grades she belonged. While the thought of being able to leave high school early was indulging, she knew that whatever progress she made in her social life at home would be erased once she went away for school. People who shared her level of intelligence would most likely see her as competition over a companion and the fact that she came from a middle-class background rather than the upper-class would make her unworthy in the eyes of those who didn't see her as a threat.

To Lisa though, those weren't too bad; being shunned was something she had plenty of practice of. What really held her back was her family. Bart had cleaned up his act a bit over the past couple of years but it was still going to be costly to get him through college. Homer had a better position at the Nuclear Power Plant but that meant the hours were longer and kept him away from home more often, sometimes even for a day or two. The money was coming in a little more but it was draining towards past debts, the mortgage and the daily necessities for the family. Marge was happy with the thought of more money but having Homer away more often was putting a slight damper on her mood. The realization that her kids were all growing up and were only less than two years away from flying the nest surely didn't help matters either. Her parents never asked her to stay behind but she could see it in their eyes once eighth grade ended and she started looking up future universities. Once again, Lisa decided to be selfless for the sake of everyone else's happiness.

Sighing, she turned to her friend. "Alex, it's…well, it's complicated, trust me. I-"

"Hey guys!"

Before she could finish her sentence, a familiar voice called out to them as they approached the two girls.

"Hey Alli! You ready to blow this popsicle stand?"

Allison shook her head at Alex before looking up and down the hallways with anticipation. "Actually, I have to wait for Martin. I borrowed one of his books and he needs it for class tomorrow."

Lisa giggled at the blush that colored her cheeks while Alex placed her hands on her hips. "Allison, you've been with him for what…almost a year now? Can't you just bring it to his house later?"

The redhead crossed her arms and stared down the platinum blonde with irritation. "A year and two months, thank you. He lives too far for me to just bring it over to him plus you always keep us out so late when we hang out. An extra two minutes is not going to kill you, Alex."

"But there's a Vanilla Chai Latte with Extra Whipped Cream and an Espresso Shot with my name on it at Skybucks! I will not let anyone come in between me and my drink, Ms. Taylor!"

Lisa laughed at Alex stomping her boot-clad foot to emphasize each word of her sacred beverage before resting a hand on her shoulder. "Alex, calm down, you know Jared always has a cup sitting aside for you. I'm sure Martin will be here pretty soon."

Not a second later, a male voice was heard as someone joined their trio. "Hello darling, ladies." Giving a polite greeting, Martin leant down and placed a kiss on Allison's cheek, causing the faint red to flare into a vibrant crimson. The nerdy boy had sprung a few inches taller than them in height and filled out in the rest of his body, giving him a sturdy build with broad shoulders, although a bit of his belly was still there as gym still wasn't his best subject. His light blue polo and khaki pants were pressed to perfection and not a single strand of strawberry blond hair escaped his parted hairstyle. He gave his girlfriend a grin full of pearly whites. "How was your day, my dear?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Mr. Morrison gave us a pop quiz, Ms. Steinbrenner wants us to read more of Wuthering Heights for homework. How about you?"

"Ah, mundane as usual. Trigonometry is so yielding, I cannot see how everyone else is struggling with such a simple concept. Why today, someone confused sine with cosine and it took the teacher five minutes to explain the difference! I swear, some people-"

The senior's rant was cut off by a loud clearing of the throat by an impatient Alex, glaring at her friend to make her accomplish her task. When she said nothing would come between her and her drink, nothing was absolute. Allison stuck her tongue out at her friend before reaching into her backpack and pulling out a book.

"Oh, before I forget, here's your book back!" Handing it back to its rightful owner, she gave him a sweet smile. "Thank you for letting me borrow it, it really helped me understand the works of Albert Camus more."

"Of course, darling. Thank you for returning it to me…oh, but there's a bookmark towards the end. Did you not get to finish it? The commentary by his family and friends is quite riveting."

Allison shook her head and fiddled with her fingers. "No…actually, I stopped there on purpose." She looked up at him under her eyelashes and shot him a bashful look. "I figured we could finish it together and discuss it when we hang out this weekend?"

At this, Martin's smile dropped as he looked back and forth between her eyes and the hallway with uneasiness. "Um, actually Allison…we will have to postpone our little get-together. Princeton got back to me about my application and they wanted me to come for another interview…"

Like a shadow passed over her face, Allison's smile dropped just as quickly. "But…you already went over there for an interview last month…"

"Yes but they requested a second interview. They received my SAT and ACT scores from earlier this year and wanted to discuss my possible admission in more detail. I think they just might admit me!"

Next to the couple, Lisa and Alex were standing there with mixed emotions at the sight that was going on. They understood his excitement at being accepted into the Ivy League school but were frustrated at how often he placed his education over the girl he asked out over a year ago.

The redhead looked down for a second as she mumbled. "I see…" Looking back up into Martin's eyes, she gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well, I guess studies always come first, huh? This is pretty big for you."

Martin frowned and brushed a stray hair that escaped her headband out of her face. "Allison, I'm sorry I have to cancel on you once again but I promise that I will make it up to you. As soon as I come back, I will treat you to an exquisite dinner at Asia de Cuba, how does that sound?"

"That…that will work. I do enjoy their risotto…"

"Splendid!" Placing a kiss on her cheek, he placed the book in his own bag before grinning. "I will keep you updated on how everything works out, my love. Have a good day, ladies!"

Once he turned and started walking towards the back entrance, Lisa and Alex stared at their friend, trying to decipher the look on her face as she stared off down the hall where her boyfriend disappeared.

"So, um…I think this calls for a Skybucks and Sushi Ko run, ladies."

~•~•~•~

Skybucks was rampant with customers as always, listing off their orders to the sunny cashier and checking their drink labels to make sure every ingredient was in their cup. In the corner, Lisa and her friends sat at a table, choosing that spot for the privacy of the conversations that were sure to happen. A lot of fellow students frequented this place and the last thing they needed was some gossip going around the next day.

Taking a big sip of her beloved drink, Alex sighed as she savored the flavor before placing her cup down on the table. "Ah, now that is life!" She then straightened up and turned towards Allison with a stern look on her face. "Alright girl, we need to talk."

The redhead frowned, already knowing where she was going with this, and shook her head. "Alex, what is there to talk about?"

"Girl, don't BS me like that. We need to talk about your wishy washy boyfriend."

"Alex." Lisa gave the other a cautious look, telling her to watch how she used her words, even if she knew it came from a place of concern.

Sighing, Alex took a deep breath before speaking with a softer tone. "Allison, this has to be the thousandth time he's canceled on you last minute. Every time you act like it's not a big deal but we can see it in your face, ya know." Resting a manicured hand on top of Allison's, she gave her a worried look. "Talk to us."

Following suit, Lisa spoke up after taking a sip of her green tea. "Alex is right, Allison. You can act like it's okay but we all know it isn't. Whatever you tell us will stay between the three of us and no one else." Lisa gave her an equally worried look, hoping that it would help her open up.

Taking in the expressions on her friends' faces, Allison broke and let out a frustrated sigh. "He's done this so many times…he'll be enthusiastic for us to hang out or go somewhere and then next thing you know, I'm left in the dark for him to go do his own thing. It's so…stupid!" Scowling now, the redhead looked the others in their eyes.

"So why don't you say anything to him? Let him know how he's making you feel by canceling on you constantly." Allison sighed at Lisa's inquiry. "I've tried but every time, he says he'll make it up to me or that I'm being over-dramatic. I guess he figures that since we're both geniuses that I'd understand where he's coming from, but…"

"But you're not just a genius, you're his girlfriend."

At Alex's heated reply, Allison looked at the irate girl's face. "Alex…"

"It's not like you went after him, he was the one who asked you out. He tells you all these sweet nothings and showers you with gifts and dinners but let me tell you something. It doesn't mean jack if he's not backing up with his promises. Actions speak louder than words, Allison."

Shock painted both Allison and Lisa's faces at their friend's passionate response. It was almost as if she was in the relationship with how personally she took the issue. Lisa could understand why Alex was upset, hell, the Simpson girl was upset herself at how Martin was treating her friend. They all saw each other as sisters and anyone who hurt one of them was hurting all of them.

"Alex, Lisa…thanks, really." Taking a deep breath before sipping her frappuccino, she set the drink down before giving each of them a serious look. "When he comes back from his trip, I'm going to sit him down and have a serious talk with him. I…I deserve to be heard."

Glossy lips stretched into a smile as Alex patted the hand that hers had been resting on. "That's the feisty Alli we know and love! You got this, girl!"

Lisa smiled as well and placed her hand on top of the other two. "Just be firm and let him know how you feel. If he resists, well, you know where to find us."

Allison giggled at the thinly veiled threat, beaming at the other girls. "Of course, Lisa. Thanks girls."

The platinum blonde gave a thumbs up before taking another swig of her latte. "Anytime, babe. Now, I think some sushi is calling our name, no?"

The others agreed immediately and gathered up their bags and drinks before heading out onto the sidewalk, shivering at the breeze that greeted them. It seemed like the temperature was dropping rapidly with each day that passed. After walking down a couple of blocks, the girls entered a dark gray building with the image of a smiling fish laid out on a cutting board like a pinup girl on the front, the banner beneath it housing the words 'Sushi Ko' in bold letters. As it wasn't dinner time yet, the three were seated immediately in a booth and placed their usual orders, nursing their waters as they waited and chit-chatted about their lives.

The topic of internships came up between them, each of them begrudgingly admitting that the surprise assembly from last month made an impression on them. It seemed like the school was hellbent on getting the students to be involved anyways as the volunteers continued to visit every week. They talked to the ones who were interested and looked to persuade the ones who weren't quite convinced yet. Unfortunately for Lisa, this meant that she had to constantly see Luke each time.

While she tried her best to avoid running into him, he still somehow managed to catch her eye from across the room, giving her a gentlemanly smile and a tip of his hat in her direction. Whether her heart beat from nerves or lingering feelings was something she didn't dare to ponder over. She couldn't lie though; a part of her was happy that he still acknowledged her. After what she did years ago to Clara, she would understand if he wanted nothing to do with her ever again. But he just seemed to brush it off as a mistake that she learned from and treated her with respect; God, he was still a gentleman after all of these years.

"Hello, earth to Lisa Marie!"

Jumping in her seat, Lisa wondered when Alex's hand ended up waving two inches in front of her face. "What?"

"Lisa, what did we just say we wanted to possibly intern in?"

"Um…" The Simpson girl bit her lip and gave the platinum blonde a sheepish smile. "Cosmetology?"

"...I told you she was spacing out, Alli." Alex gave the redhead an exasperated look while the latter shook her head. Cheeks heating up, Lisa mumbled an apology and gulped her water.

Allison gave the girl next to her a poke in the arm. "Just what was so intriguing that you spaced out on us while we were discussing our internships?"

"Well…" Lisa hesitated. While the trio had confided in each other with their not-so-proud moments before, she had never gave them the story behind Luke.

"Well?" pressed Alex.

Taking a moment to shoot a silent prayer to Buddha, Lisa squared her shoulders. "Well…you know one of the volunteers? Tall, blonde, cowboy hat?"

The other two took a few seconds to picture them before a light bulb went off in their heads. Allison spoke up first. "You mean Mr. Stetson who works with the Lazy I Ranch? What about him?"

Alex piped in next. "Ooh, Lisa, don't tell me you're thinking of working with him! I say you should go for it, that Southern accent is to die for! Get a little Southern hospitality, if you know what I mean."

Rolling her eyes as the fashionista went into one of her boy-crazy tirades, she shook her head. "No, I visited the ranch years ago. If things are still the same, then I refuse to go back there and support their animal cruelty and oppression of the local natives. Besides, Luke was the only reason I didn't want to leave back then."

"Whoa, whoa ,whoa. Back then? You mean you knew him before he came to our school?" Lisa nodded and Alex's mouth dropped open. "WTF…"

Allison turned in her seat to face the Simpson girl with a stern look. "Alright, Lise. Spill, there's something you're hiding."

Before she could begin her recollection, their waiter came by to deliver their food and refill their water glasses. As hungry as the girls were, Lisa knew they wouldn't let food stop her from telling her story. Sure enough, after the first couple of bites, Allison and Alex were out for blood. The Simpson girl took the time to explain just how the family had ended up at the ranch many years ago and how she ran into Luke and the massive crush she gained on the junior wrangler. What Lisa dreaded was telling them just how the two ended on bad terms. Once she told them how she purposely led his sister Clara, mistaken for his girlfriend at the time, towards the wrong way, she was met with looks of disappointment and shock. It took everything in her to continue the story and not crawl under the table to join the straw wrappers. She made sure to let them know that she tried to rectify her mistake by going with Bart to save Clara from certain death. After describing the rescue and the consequences she suffered from telling Luke the truth, Lisa took a deep breath and stuffed a piece of sashimi in her mouth.

"Wow, Lise…to think eight year-old you would be so petty…"

"I mean, I'm not too surprised, Alex. This is the same girl who tried to sabotage my science fair project back then…"

"Allison!" Lisa nudged her friend with her elbow as she burst into laughter at the scandalized look on the blonde's face. "Just messing with you, Lisa! Seriously though, it seems like he doesn't hold anything against you now. He's being friendly towards you, right?"

"Yeah, but…"

Alex swallowed her tuna maki roll and pointed her chopsticks at the Simpson girl. "But nothing, missy. Listen, you were young and dumb and that was over seven years ago. Not to say that you weren't wrong but if he hasn't forgiven you or gotten over it by now, I'd say he's not worth it."

Allison piped up and nodded. "I agree. Besides, exactly what are you looking for from this guy? How old is he?" At these questions, Lisa froze. She had never mentioned his age in the story, not sure as to how her friends would react. And what exactly did she want from Luke? Forgiveness? Friendship? Roman-

The blonde nearly shook her head in person at that last thought. Romance was impossible and out of the question with this man. He was 20. she was 15. So many things were wrong about that difference so she swallowed down those lingering feelings along with her nigiri before replying to Allison's question.

"I just want his forgiveness…I want to make sure he actually accepts how sorry I am and isn't just putting on a professional front. That's all…besides, what do I look like going after a 20 year-old?"

Just as she predicted, Alex nearly spit out her water while Allison accidentally dipped her roll into too much of the soy sauce.

"20?!"

"20? Oh wow…"

"Yeah…so that's that."

With the finality of her tone, the girls understood that that topic of the table was officially done. Continuing their meal with more chit-chat about lighter subjects, Lisa couldn't help but think back to her claim of forgiveness. Forgiveness really was all she could receive from Luke; a friendship between a 15 year-old and a 20 year-old? That was just asking for Chief Wiggum to end up on your doorstep. Surely he was in college or had a full-time job, he would never have time for some 15 year-old who couldn't drive yet or couldn't be out after ten o'clock at night.

Deep down in Lisa's heart, she hoped that she could be proven wrong for once in her life.

~•~•~•~

Wow, long time no see everyone! It's been a long time since I've written anything for this fanfiction but the motivation bug hit me last week and I immediately set to writing a new chapter. I hope I can be consistent with updating this story, I have so many ideas on paper to give to you all! That being said, thank you to anyone who reads my work, it means a lot to me! Reviews are welcome!