Life to the Fullest

by ryurei-chan

If life was fair, then what would it be worth living? Maybe the Simpson kids and their companions will understand seven years into the future. Constructive criticism appreciated.

13. Back to Reality

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

I accept constructive criticism. c:

~•~•~•~

*A large Breaking News banner overlays the screen before cutting to Kent Brockman standing in front of Springfield General Hospital*

"Good evening folks, we apologize for the interruption of 'The Real Housewives of Shelbyville'. We have breaking news to report: the escaped convict known as Jack Crowley has been apprehended. According to our sources, a showdown occurred between police and Crowley at the Simpsons' residence tonight after a call was made by one of the occupants. It was then revealed that a hostage by the name of Alex Whitney was taken by the criminal. After nearly an hour of planning and negotiating, Ms. Whitney escaped from behind the house to let the police know that there was a teen boy fighting the convict. Sergeant Lou and Officer Eddie ran into the backyard to stop Crowley, firing off their guns in order to incapacitate him. They also found the boy, just revealed to be Bart Simpson, injured and in need of medical assistance. All three parties are now admitted into Springfield General Hospital where we stand in front of. Unfortunately, due to a restraining order, our news team is not permitted to step within twenty feet of the building. It's a shame as we would like to talk to- Oh! There goes one of them!"

*A few feet away, Alex is being led out by two older figures, a man with a stern expression and decked in an expensive navy suit had an arm across her shoulders while a woman was talking animatedly to the teen, dressed to the nines in a lavender blouse and black dress pants*

*Kent runs over to them, followed close by the cameraman, before shoving the mic into the teen's bandaged face*

"Ms. Whitney! Ms. Whitney! Could we please get a moment of your time? How are you feeling? Is Jack Crowley on life support? What about Bart Simpson, is he in stable condition?"

"Uh…I-"

*the well-dressed man growls and walks over to Kent, pushing the mic away*

"Have some respect Kent, this is my daughter here! You reporters are nothing but parasites!"

"But sir, we just wanted to ask a few-"

"No questions, no inquiries, no speculation, no nothing! Don't make me have to saddle you with another lawsuit, Brockman."

*at the man's threat, Kent swallows hard and motions the cameraman to back off*

"Wait. I do have something to say."

*everyone's eyes fall on Alex as she steps forward, ignoring her mother pulling on her arm and her father's protests. Her eyes narrow slightly as her lips press into a straight line before she leans forward to speak into the mic*

"I went through hell tonight, all because of some sicko. But I was saved by someone who put his neck out for me and put his life in danger, just so I could live to see another day. Bart Simpson…"

*she takes a deep breath and looks straight into the camera lens*

"Bart Simpson is a hero!"

*everyone's eyes widen at her unexpected but powerful statement before her father pulls her back from the reporter*

"This 'interview' is over. Don't ask her any more questions unless it's through our lawyers. Let's go, Alexandra."

*the man tugs her arm, motioning her to continue their walk to the car, his wife quickly reattaching herself to her daughter's side before continuing her frantic conversation from earlier*

*Kent stares after the group for a few seconds in shock before clearing his throat and turning to the camera, his usual deadpan expression returning*

"Well folks, a statement from the victim herself. Bart Simpson did something many of us wouldn't have done; the right thing. We will have more info on this story in our morning segment. Until then, this is Kent Brockman from Channel 6 News. Good night, folks."

~•~•~•~

It was nearly three in the morning when Homer, Marge and Lisa stepped through the front door of their house, faces haggard with exhaustion and worry from the night's events.

Bart was admitted into the hospital for two nights due to his injuries. Aside from the visible bruises and cuts, two of his ribs were cracked, his right shinbone was bruised and he also suffered from a mild concussion; Homer had to hold his wife up when she heard the extent of his injuries. It had taken the staff two hours to find everything wrong with the teen and by the time he was released into his own room, Bart was on the verge of passing out from the painkillers he was administered. After many gentle hugs, shed tears and fluffing of pillows, the Simpson family was prepared to leave to let him rest when Chief Wiggum, Eddie and Lou entered into the room. They needed to question Bart on what exactly happened in order to have evidence to add more charges to Jack's record. Marge immediately stepped in to berate the police for being insensitive to her son's condition but to her surprise, Bart cut in and insisted on talking to them while the memories were still fresh. She sat back down with a grunt of disapproval and curled her fists in her lap.

After an hour of questioning, the trio left the room, Lou giving the Simpson boy a light pat on the shoulder beforehand. Now Bart had looked even more exhausted than before and could barely keep his eyes open; the others took the chance to say their goodbyes and left to let him rest. Before they left the hospital, Lisa stopped by the nurse's desk to ask for Alex and what room she was in. To her dismay, the nurse told her that she had already been released at the request of her parents. The Simpson girl sighed before thanking her, upset that she had gotten separated from her best friend the second they reached the hospital. She just hoped that the fashionista's mental wounds wouldn't be worse than her physical ones.

Homer shut the door behind him before shrugging out of his suit jacket, hanging it on the coat rack. "Man, I'm beat…the couch is sounding real nice right now…"

His wife grumbled while hanging up her own jacket. "Homer, of all the nights I don't want you sleeping on the couch, this is one of them. I don't even feel safe in my own house right now…"

"Marge, Jack is in police custody. Who on earth could possibly come to our house right now?"

Marge placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, let's see…the many, many enemies you've made over the years? The list is so long, it could fit a novel."

Before Homer could retort with his own comeback, Lisa cleared her throat, gaining her parents' attention. She could smell a petty fight coming on and wanted to stop it before it got out of hand. "If you two don't mind, I'm going to go to bed now. Are we getting up at the usual time for church?"

Marge frowned at her daughter's question, the dark circles under her lidded blue eyes standing out in the subpar lighting. "Hrm…actually, we're going to pass on church tomorrow, honey. Why don't you get some much needed rest so we can visit your brother tomorrow? And maybe we can drop you off at Alex's place afterwards."

Lisa's eyes widened slightly at her before they relaxed again as she nodded. It was very rare that they skipped church but considering the circumstances, her mom was making an exception. "Alright. Night mom, night dad." She gave her respective parents a kiss on the cheek before trudging up the stairs, giving a glance at the ajar door leading into her brother's room before going into her own.

Once she heard the door shut, Marge let out a deep breath before looking at her husband. "Homer, we need to talk. In the kitchen."

Unable to help the involuntary action of gulping, Homer nodded before following his wife as she walked towards the kitchen. They pulled out a chair and sat down across from each other. After a few seconds of silence, the blue-haired woman clasped her hands on the table in front of her, looking down. "Homer…what happened tonight was horrible. Never did I think such a nice dinner with friends would turn into us waiting in the hospital to find out how badly our baby boy got hurt…this is my fault."

The bald man's face twisted into confusion. "Honey, how is this your fault? It's not like you invited this guy to come raid our house and take one of Lisa's friends hostage."

"I know, it's just…ever since I saw that news broadcast, I kept thinking of all the worse possible scenarios that could come from his escape. But every time it happened, I combated the thought with a lie that he had skipped town or wanted to finally get on the straight and narrow." She looked up at her husband, hazel eyes haunted with anguish. "I was such a fool to believe that."

"Marge…"

"And then came the nightmares…I'd be lucky if I could go back to sleep for a couple of hours. They were so terrifying…he'd hurt all of us but he would always leave me for last…"

Homer's frown deepened further at her admission. She had never mentioned these nightmares to him before but thinking back, the dark circles and bloodshot eyes that had showed up more often were clear indicators. "Marge…you can't beat yourself up over this." Placing his large hands over her clasped ones, the Simpson patriarch gave them a gentle squeeze. "Look, you gave this guy a chance all those years ago and he blew it, yeah? That should've been the end of it but then this nutjob got the idea to see you from his own twisted mind…unless you told him to come see you?"

Marge's eyes widened before narrowing. "Of course I didn't!"

"Well then, there you go! The only one to blame is him and the long arm of the law is gonna serve his ass on a silver platter, just you wait." His face twisted into a scowl. "And I hope they serve his ass good, thinking he can come and take my wife from me…"

The blue-haired woman couldn't help but smile a bit at her husband's protectiveness. "That was a close call, wasn't it? I'm sorry for worrying you, Homie…I just couldn't stand to see him torturing an innocent girl."

"While I wasn't happy with your decision, I understood why you did it, Marge. You've got such a big heart that wouldn't let others get hurt in your place. I mean, that's one of the big reasons I married you!"

Marge's face lit up more as Homer flashed her one of his wide grins. Her mood had improved a bit with his encouragement but she still needed to approach the subject she had brought them into the kitchen for. "You're so sweet, Homie, saying all that really helps…but there's something I want to bring up." After getting a nod from the other, she took in a deep breath before her face became serious once more. "I feel that we need to lay down some ground rules for the house in order to keep everyone safe from something like this happening again."

"Huh? Ground rules? Like what?"

"Well, things like giving the kids a curfew. If they want to go out or hang out with their friends, they have to ask us first and keep in touch with us at least once while they're out. Oh, and giving them a ride instead of letting them walk by themselves. And maybe-"

"Whoa, whoa, Marge, back up! I understand where you're coming from but don't you think you're being a little too overprotective? The curfew I get, along with keeping us in touch, but you're gonna end up driving them all over the place, especially Bart and Lisa!"

Marge's eyebrow raised before she pulled her hands back to fold her arms across her chest. "You know, you have a car too, Homer. It would be fair if we shared the responsibilities, for once."

The bald man narrowed his eyes at his wife's implication. "Hey now, I work my ass off to provide for everyone so don't go there. Besides, I'm at work all day, when the hell am I gonna be able to give all the kids a ride?"

"Maybe if you cut back your work hours, we wouldn't have this issue, hm?" Finishing with a 'hmph', Marge turned her head to gaze at the cuckoo clock on the wall.

Homer sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. While his position as VP had many positives, his wife had begun seeing the negatives lately and often voiced her displeasure about them. She had understood in the beginning and was extremely supportive, showing her appreciation with lunches and thoughtful notes tucked in them. Now he was lucky if she remembered to put an extra snack in his bag. He didn't blame her, though. The long hours had definitely put a strain on their marriage, leaving the couple with less time to have long conversations or quality time together. But Homer had made it clear to her the day Mr. Stoolwell sent him home with the contract, binding him to his current position, that some sacrifices would have to be made but it was in exchange for their quality of life. Marge had encouraged him to go for it and after a few months of work, the mortgage was paid off once more, a quarter of their debts were gone and the kids' college fund jars had a few dollars in them. Things were getting better but there always had to be a kink in the system.

"Marge…look, I know you hate that I'm at work a lot but it's for us. It's for the kids! Bart is probably gonna go to college next year, then it'll be Lisa after him and in the future, we'll have to worry about Maggie." Homer lifted his arms up to motion to the room. "We've patched the place up! I know it's not the Bellagio but at least it's not going to fall apart the next time we have a bad storm. And look, no more sawdust to stretch out the meatloaf! I don't even remember the taste of it anymore! Just…please, Marge. I don't wanna fight with you about this again, especially not after tonight."

Seeing her husband's face showing the many years and hours of stress, Marge's fire dimmed down before she sighed in resignation. "Fine, Homer. But I meant what I said about laying down some ground rules, we have to take this seriously. It's better to be over-prepared than under-prepared."

Unfolding her arms from her chest, she stood up from the table and pushed her chair in before walking up next to him. "We can talk more about this later, we should get some rest so we can visit Bart."

Homer waved his hand at her languidly. "Go ahead, I'm gonna have a snack or something before I sleep." The corners of her mouth turning down at his response, the blue-haired woman leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek before exiting the kitchen, her heart heavy with unresolved tension.

Sighing heavily once his wife left, Homer stood up and went to the fridge, opening it to survey whatever he felt like filling his stomach with. Behind the cups of yogurt, he spotted a bottle of Duff he had placed nearly a month ago. His drinking had decreased significantly since his promotion due to such responsibilities requiring his full sobriety. He'd be lying if he said he didn't miss the cold, alcoholic liquid running down his throat, especially at Moe's surrounded by his best friends. Carl and Lenny often invited him to the bar saying that Moe and Barney missed his presence but his constant declines led to them no longer asking and saying that they'll see him at work the next day. Homer bit his lip as he stared at the glass bottle. After contemplating some more, he sighed and grabbed it and a carton of onion dip before shutting the door.

After a night like tonight, the taste of Duff combined with pork rinds and onion dip would surely help him sleep.

~•~•~•~

It had been a little over a week since Jack Crowley had terrorized the Simpson house. The town had been rampant with gossip about the incident and those involved. Some speculated that Jack was a jilted lover from Marge's past, some said Bart was dealing drugs and didn't pay back his supplier or even that he was one of Homer's many enemies who came to take revenge. However, these rumors were quickly shot down as more and more news reports came out, revealing details to the public that showed that the convict was acting out of his own interests. Many of the townsfolk had become sympathetic towards the Simpsons, especially Bart after Alex's bold announcement on live TV. The grocery store sent them more coupons in their flyers, Apu offered free Squishees for the whole family and Krusty Burger comped their meals when they first came back.

They didn't mind the attention too much but strangers they had never even met began approaching them on the street, expressing their compassion and showering Bart with compliments. The teen quickly expressed his annoyance with the attention and started asking people to treat him like before; he blamed the brace on his leg and the crutches he was using until he healed up. But while this was all going on, he couldn't help but wonder how Alex was handling the aftermath of being a hostage. As spunky and headstrong the girl was, not many could handle being threatened and beaten like that and act like everything was sunshine and rainbows. He often asked Lisa how she was doing but it was the same answer every time.

'Just fine.' 'Says she's healing up well.' 'Hoping that you're recovering fast.'

It bugged the hell out of him for some reason. It was almost like she was hiding how she truly felt with empty reassurances. Lisa hadn't even been able to go visit her after school, what with Homer and Marge's new rules. When she complained about them, Marge had told her that it was for her safety and that she should give Alex some space until she was ready. It had hurt the Simpson girl to be apart from one of her best friends in a time of need but she couldn't find much fault with her mother's remark.

The teens just hoped that they would see her face again at school tomorrow.

~•~•~•~

Sunday mornings were usually one of Alex Whitney's favorite parts of the weekend.

Her parents were never very religious so they never pushed her to go to church like many of her friends. She took the opportunity to wake up at 8 AM and do some light yoga or a quick jog around the block. After taking a shower and eating some breakfast made by the chef René, she was energized and ready for the day. If her nails were in need of maintenance, she would go to her usual place and get her mani-pedi spruced up. If her hair was looking a bit lifeless or had serious split ends, she'd head down to the salon and get a wash, trim and style. When there happened to be a few hours left in the day, she would kill time either by heading to the library to read the latest issues of her beloved fashion magazines or having a meal at Shorty's Coffee Shop (she had a guilty pleasure for their eggs benedict and salmon burgers). Once nighttime came, she got ready for bed and prepared for a long week until her beloved day came again.

Today was not one of those days, though.

Alex had been buried underneath the heavy silk comforter and had one of her many throw pillows placed over her face, blocking out the sliver of sunlight that peeked through her curtains. She was growing sick of staring at the ceiling but wasn't tired enough to go back to sleep. Shifting the pillow to uncover her right eye, she peeked at her alarm clock.

11:07 AM.

Groaning out loud, she covered her eye once more and burrowed herself further into her bedding. She had no desire to get out of bed; hell, it had been like this since her first day back home since the kidnapping. As soon as her family had arrived back, she dragged herself up the winding stairs (times like these were when she wished her parents weren't so lavish) and into her room, tossing off her soiled clothes and diving underneath her covers, not caring that her underwear did little to protect her from the slight chill in the air. It took less than two minutes before she passed out, opening her eyes to see daylight. However, it wasn't as silent as it usually was in the Whitney household. Perking her ears up, she could hear something of a commotion coming from outside her balcony. Forcing her body to get up and put a robe on, she walked over and opened the French double doors, jaw dropping at the sight that greeted her.

On the ground level, she could see a large group of reporters, journalists, paparazzi, you name it, gathered behind the iron gates. Many were shouting questions, holding notepads or rapidly clicking their camera shutters. On the other side, Winston and Oleg, the guard on duty, attempted to fend off the trespassers. It was hard to be intimidated by Winston's prim and elderly appearance but a few reporters backed off when the six and a half foot tall and muscle-bound form of Oleg barked at them to leave immediately. It didn't take them long to notice the subject of their interest standing above them. Within seconds, their shouts and flashes were directed on her form, causing the platinum blonde to look like a deer in headlights. Something snapped inside of her and caused her to turn around and run into her room, slamming the doors shut before resting her back against them. In a matter of seconds, she slid down to the floor and became a sobbing mess. What had happened last night was 100% real, not a nightmare, and now she would have to face the consequences head on.

A knock on the door brought her back to the present before a voice called out. "Alexandra? Are you up?"

Sighing to herself, she called out. "Yeah, I'm up."

Not wasting a second, the door was opened to reveal the form of her mother. Aside from their eye shape, Victoria and Alex were spitting images of each other. The woman's platinum blonde hair was to her mid-back and pulled into a middle ponytail with long bangs framing the sides of her made-up face, the strands curled loosely. Her lavender chiffon blouse was free of creases, along with her black dress pants; they were both tailored for her form, ensuring a perfect fit. On her feet were patent leather Sebastian Movoutin pumps, adding a few inches to her already tall figure. Her wealth was expressed further with the jewelry on her ears, neck and hands, the metal and jewels shining in the light from the hallway. As always, Victoria gave the appearance of a put-together and impeccable millionaire businesswoman by day, socialite by night.

'Looking perfect as ever, mom.'

Her mother stepped in before shutting the door behind her, walking over with a slight strut before sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed. "How are you feeling today, darling?"

Alex gave her mother a blank look. "Well…do you want a lie or do you want the honest truth?" Before the woman could get her words out of her opened mouth, the teen cut back in. "I still feel like utter crap and I wouldn't mind getting more acquainted with my bed."

Victoria sighed at her daughter's pessimism. "Alexandra, I understand that what happened was rather trying on your emotions but your father and I had a long conversation last night after dinner. We decided that you should go back to school tomorrow."

At this, the teen sat up in bed now, eyes narrowing at her mother with contempt. "You decided? Now you're making decisions for me without even consulting me?"

"Look dear, you've already missed one week of school. We've been patient with you but now you need to return back to normality. Moping around in bed all day isn't very productive to your education."

Alex clenched her fists over the blankets before speaking through gritted teeth. "Mom, I got kidnapped. I got held hostage, had a knife pulled on me multiple times, got beaten and nearly got choked to death, I don't think 'normality' is going to come to me so damn easily!"

Victoria's eyes narrowed, showing her lavender-painted lids. "Language, Alexandra. We're not asking for you to be a perfect, straight-A student as soon as you go back, okay? It's just that, well…people are starting to talk."

The teen rolled her eyes. Her mother was as predictable as ever, caring more about the family's reputation versus her daughter's well-being. "Exactly what are people 'talking about', huh?"

"They're saying that you've gone insane, that you've become a recluse, that we've been keeping you locked away for your own safety. It's such madness, it's awful having to hear these baseless rumors every time someone came to me at the office or at the country club. I almost had a tiff when Susan expressed her 'utmost sympathy' for having a daughter who was on the verge of getting sent to an asylum!" Alex shook her head as her mother went on a small tirade regarding one of the nastier socialites she hung around with. Another difference between her and the older woman was that Alex could give two damns about what everyone else but her friends thought of her; she couldn't say the same for her people-pleasing and selfish mother.

"Look mom, Susan is always a bitch, what's new? And you know those rumors aren't true, so why do you care so much? That being said-" She folded her arms across her chest and turned her head away. "I need a couple more days before I'm ready…I don't feel right going back yet."

"Now look, Alexandra, you don't get to-"

"What's going on here?"

A deep voice rang from the doorway, housing a tall man, eyeing the two figures in the room with inquisition. Alex's head turned at the voice, her face now sporting a grimace as her father now joined. Nathaniel Whitney's very presence commanded attention and respect; his sandy brown hair was parted on the left and slicked back with pomade, not allowing a single strand to escape. His face was handsome and chiseled yet showed his age with the lines around his eyes and around his mouth; it was the consequences of running a business for a long time. His Garmani navy suit was free of wrinkles and housed a white button-down and striped red and black tie underneath, costing more than what an average Springfieldian made in three weeks. The black oxfords on his feet shone so brightly that Alex wondered if he ever tried to look at his own reflection in them; the thought of her father doing something so childish was almost hilarious. When it came to perfection and having an impeccable image, Nathaniel was not as bad as his wife but he could be overbearing at times.

Victoria started to bite on her lipstick-covered lips before catching herself and stopping. "Nathaniel, dear, could you please talk some sense into your daughter? She's asking to stay home a little longer."

The man sighed with exasperation and walked into the room before standing next to the bed, towering over his wife and daughter. "Alexandra, give me one good reason why we should allow you to continue hiding at home."

Seeing that he was actually serious by the silence he gave while staring her down, Alex looked down at her still clenched fists. "Because…because I'm still shaken up. What if that psycho breaks out of police custody and comes after me? He could really take me out this time…"

Even though she wasn't expecting much sympathy from her father, his response still made her heart sink. "Don't be preposterous, Alexandra. The man is on his way to an even longer prison sentence or even an execution, do you really think he would be able to escape this time?" After hearing silence from his daughter, Nathaniel sighed once more and spoke with a little more tact. "Look dear, I don't like saying these things out loud but I sent the police department some good money so they can have maximum security until that criminal's trial is announced. Whatever worries you have are unfounded so just forget about staying in bed all day moping. You're going back to school tomorrow and that's final."

It was times like these that Alex could see where her stubbornness came from; it worked in her favor most of the time but against her father, it always ended up his way or no way. With thinly-veiled sarcasm, she spoke up. "Dad, I appreciate the help but I don't think a criminal who broke out of a maximum security prison once and hid for a month would care about your money. Look, another day or two isn't going to hurt, I've been doing my homework and sending it in! Isn't that enou-"

"Alexandra Lenore Whitney, you will return to school tomorrow morning!"

Alex and Victoria both jumped a bit at his bellow. His face was now twisted in anger, hazel eyes piercing into his daughter's. "I have tried to be patient with you, especially when your mother talks me down from coming up here and speaking to you, but I have had enough! Your principal called me on Friday to say that you're losing participation points due to your absences, I will not tolerate a daughter who gets held back or lazes about all day like a sloth!" He now pointed his ring-clad finger at her. "You will get out of bed right now and go do something outside of the house today. I don't give a damn what it is but I better not hear that you've returned before we get back home from Capital City. Do I make myself clear, young lady?"

Gritting her teeth harder than before, Alex took in a breath to calm herself down before whispering. "Yes, sir."

Satisfied with his daughter's response, Nathaniel nodded stiffly before adjusting his suit lapels. "Good. We have to leave now, you better be out of the house within the next hour. Winston will keep me updated." He looked down at his wife, her hands clasped together tight while she sat between their squabble. "Victoria, we have to leave in about ten minutes. I'll be waiting downstairs for you."

"Yes dear. I'll be there in a few seconds." He nodded once more and gave his daughter a glance before turning and walking out of the room, leaving the tension behind to suffocate the air. Victoria sighed before standing and looking at the teen, now glaring at her fists once more.

"Darling…just understand we're trying to help you, okay? We're keeping you from making any mistakes that will affect your future." Alex brought her head up to give the woman a pointed stare, clearly not agreeing with her sentiment. Victoria pursed her lips at the reaction before looking her daughter up and down, studying her appearance like she often loved to do. "Why don't you go get your hair and nails done today? You'll have to look presentable for your first day back. I'll send you some money after we leave." She wished her daughter a good day before standing up and leaving the room also, shutting the door carefully behind her.

Alex was torn between screaming, crying or wanting to break things.

What had happened was nothing new, she was used to her parents not really listening to her feelings and going off of what they felt or thought was best for her. The reason she was so upset was that they couldn't take the time to see how such a traumatic incident was affecting her emotional and mental state; merely putting a time limit on it and hoping she would be better was not going to fix her at all. To top it all off, her dad had yelled at her and her mother implied that she looked worse for the wear. Despite the negativity she was feeling, the little voice in the back of her head was stating that they had a point, albeit delivered incorrectly. Moping in bed all day and hiding from the public wasn't exactly a healthy way of coping and maybe some fresh air and some self-care would lighten her mood a bit.

Mulling it over for a few more minutes, Alex sighed in resignation and threw the covers off her body before getting up and stretching, a few bones popping in response. Once she was done, she grabbed her MyPhone from the nightstand and turned the screen on, lips turning down as she saw a multitude of text messages, mainly from Lisa and the girls. She hadn't seen any of them since that scary night and only spoke to them through messaging, not ready to see them in person yet. Although she had been reassuring them that she was okay after what happened, the platinum blonde wished deep down that one of them had come over to see her. But what would she say? Would she be able to keep up her bubbly smile and attitude in front of them or would she crack her facade?

She wouldn't dare let them see their confident and outgoing friend in this sorry state.

Pressing her lips together, she unlocked her phone, planning to respond later. Going into her contacts, she found the numbers for the hair and nail salons she frequented and began to call them. A deep condition and a gel manicure was starting to sound like something to look forward to.

~•~•~•~

At around noon on Monday, Springfield High School's cafeteria was packed with ravenous students, hankering for food and the latest gossip. Many of the eyes kept glancing at the table housing Alex Whitney and her friends, sans Sophie, however. The fashionista had returned to school today, polished and bubbly as ever, acting like she wasn't kidnapped and terrorized over a week ago.

Although the girls at the table weren't fooled by this facade.

The platinum blonde was acting too normal, reassuring the girls that she had fully recovered from the incident and quickly changing the subject whenever they tried to discuss that night. While they could understand her desire to avoid the topic, it was becoming clear that she was hiding something. Lisa and Allison especially picked up on the odd behavior and kept shooting glances at each other, making a note to speak to each other once they were alone.

"So Lise, how goes the new rules of the house?"

Lisa's eyes popped up from her egg salad to see Alex's inquisitive eyes on her face. "Oh, uh…we're somewhat adjusting. Maggie is pretty exempt from it since the only place she has to go to after school is soccer practice but Bart isn't too happy about it. Luckily mom is still letting him go to work, Comic Book Guy was close to firing him despite the doctor's notes."

Becky frowned. "Poor Bart, he can't catch a break. When is his brace going to come off?"

"If it continues healing well, it should be coming off next week."

The blonde smiled a bit. "That's good news! I saw the poor guy struggling to get his elevator key out from all his stuff in his bag the other day, I couldn't stand to see him like that so I helped him out."

Nina pointed her fork at her friend with a slight smirk. "I guess you decided to play the knight in shining armor role to get on his good side?"

Becky pouted as her cheeks reddened. "No! …well, maybe a bit, but really, I felt bad for him. It's not fun to have to rely on others to help you do simple things, ya know." The brunette chuckled at her flustered reaction. "I know, Becks, I know. Trust me, you're not the only one who's been trying to help Bart out every day, I saw some junior girls hassling him about carrying his bag to class for him."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Ugh, it's not just the juniors, it's nearly all the grades. He liked it in the beginning but now he's starting to get sick of all this babying."

Allison piped in with a quip. "Wow, Bart Simpson not wanting attention from the opposite sex? This must be a parallel universe."

"Pfft, 'cause he knows once that brace is off, it'll all go back to normal."

The redhead sighed and shook her head at Nina's comment before sipping her water bottle. "Typical maternal instincts."

Nina shook her head as well before turning to Alex, who had been quiet and eating her macaroni salad since the topic of the Simpson boy came up. "Hey Alex, how's your first day back been going so far? No one's been giving you any trouble?"

The fashionista jumped a bit at her name being called before looking up and giving a wide smile. "Oh, Nina, i-it's been great! Got a lot of 'I missed you's and 'welcome back's; most of the teachers have been understanding about my absence so I can make up some participation points with after-school tutoring." The brunette smiled at her response. "That's good, participation can really do some damage on your grades. And uh…how about you? How are you doing?" The look on Nina's face became a little more serious though she kept that smile on to ease her friend's nerves.

Alex's hand tightened slightly around her plastic fork at the question. "Oh, uh…I told you guys, I'm fine, really!" She raised her free hand up and waved it in the air. "A week off really did me some good, got to rest and heal from…all that stuff."

The rest of the girls stopped what they were doing when she began talking and had their eyes on her, glancing at each other with skepticism when her insistence of normality was said once more. "Well Alex, you do look like you healed well but…are you fine?"

The platinum blonde whipped her head to look at the redhead on her right, hazel eyes widening a bit before rolling. "Alli, for the last time, yes. Look, I appreciate the concern but you don't need to baby me, I'm not-"

The girls at the table jumped when Nina slammed her hands down in frustration. "Dammit Alex, we're not babying you, we're goddamn worried about you! No one bounces back from something like that so easily, you know. Are you really okay?" Becky quickly placed a hand on her friend's shoulder to calm her down before giving the subject of attention a concerned look. "Nina's right, Alex. We're just worried you're hiding how you're really feeling…you can trust us."

Alex's mouth had opened and closed a few times while her eyes darted between her friends, her heartbeat picking up in speed and palms starting to sweat. "I-I…"

Lisa decided to speak up now, giving her best friend a stern look. "Alex, we love you and we always promised each other that we would divulge our issues to each other, within reason. If you want to go on with this charade because it'll help you get through the day, so be it. But-" Her blue eyes became dejected. "At least vent a bit to get some of the weight off your shoulders. Trust us, okay?"

The silence that came after Lisa's words contrasted greatly with the background noise of the cafeteria as the girls stared at the one looking down at her bowl of food. After a few seconds, a strangled sigh came out of her mouth before she brought her head up, hazel eyes lidded with fatigue.

"I thought it was going to be easy. A week off from school, I can do my daily runs, catch up on my fashion shows and do some mini shopping sprees; boy, was I wrong." Her pink lips pressed tight together. "I was an idiot to think that. Reporters have been coming to my house since I came back and they won't stop harassing us. I ended up hiding in my house this whole time, especially my room. Heh, I got super acquainted with my bed, actually."

Allison questioned her best friend after she paused in her confession. "Did…did your parents at least check up on you?"

Alex scoffed and turned the corners of her mouth down. "If you call poking their head in once or twice a day and exchanging some empty words 'checking up', then yeah. They actually forced me to come back today, you know. I mean…" She began tapping her fork against the side of her bowl, a habit that came up whenever she was ranting. "Sure, they had a point when they said I shouldn't keep moping in bed all day but they could've been a little nicer about it! But nooo, everyone around town is talking with their guessing and bullshit rumors and mommy and daddy dearest can't handle their perfect reputation being ruined! Ugh!" As if her anger needed an outlet, she threw her fork at her bowl, causing the utensil to bounce off and fly backwards in the air. The girls watched with gasps as it whizzed past the face of a fellow student, the boy stopping short and nearly dropping his lunch tray in surprise. He turned to the offender and gave her a dirty look.

"Hehe, oops…totally sorry!" The boy huffed at Alex's sheepish wave before continuing on his path. She dropped her hand at his rebuff and sighed heavily. "This is why I didn't want to get into it, girls. I appreciate the sentiment, really, but I might end up poking someone's eyes out next time."

"Oh come on, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time!"

The fashionista shot Becky a hard look at her attempt to downplay her outburst. "Becks, I mean it. Let's just talk about things like we normally do and if I feel like venting, then I'll do it to satisfy you all. Until then, no more playing therapist, please."

With her insistent plea, the group came to a reluctant decision and nodded, not wanting to upset their friend any further. While Alex grabbed a spare fork from her lunch bag, the others gave each other perturbed looks. It was seeming like her issues were running deeper than they expected; that fiery burst of anger was not something they were expecting from her. As badly as they wanted to pry, they didn't want to anger the platinum blonde and risk pushing her away.

Thankfully, the tension was broken when Sophie ran up to their table, panting hard as her long skirt tangled between her legs. "Guys, guys, good news! No, great news!"

Lisa's eyes widened and her lips quirked at the flushed yet triumphant expression on the brunette's face. "Does this have anything to do with the Harvest Dance next month?"

Sophie's grin grew more as she nodded frantically, her curls bouncing in response. "Yes ma'am!" She pulled out the open chair and plopped down before reaching into her messenger bag, rummaging around inside until she pulled out a roll of paper, almost a foot long. Motioning Nina to move her tray a bit, she unrolled the paper to reveal a poster, printed on glossy paper. The words 'Springfield High School Presents the Harvest Dance' were typed in large letters on the top of the page over an autumn-themed background with leaves of multiple colors lining the borders. A bale of hay and a pumpkin sat on the bottom of the poster; above it was information regarding the date, time and cost of tickets, along with a small example of activities to be included. The girls at the table 'ooh'ed and 'ahh'ed at the graphic.

"Wow Soph, you really outdid yourself this time!"

"Seriously, look at that font! And the color scheme! Was this why you've been staying up late this past week?"

Sophie nodded. "You bet your ass it was. It took me about seven drafts before I could get a design approved by Carla and Mr. Jennings. She texted me last night that they were gonna have an impromptu meeting with the rest of the committee so I stayed up and put this together to present." She smirked. "I only got four hours of sleep and almost passed out in lit class but it was worth it; they loved it! There's some minor retouches I have to do but it's nothing challenging."

Becky clapped and flashed her metal grin at the artist. "Congrats Sophie, it's about time they approved a design. I'm guessing this means that the decoration ideas will be coming soon?"

"Sure will, Tanya and Brent finalized their layout and started going over the budget again with Kiko and Ellen. They really upped their game this year, you should see the pictures of the stuff they found online!"

The curly-haired girl let out an excited giggle, shuffling in her seat like a kid who was promised candy if they behaved. She had been part of the school's events committee for only a year but she had grown to love it dearly. The committee consisted of students from all four grades, led by one of the art teachers, Mr. Jennings, and they had lost their graphic designer after they moved away. Sophie wasn't very interested in it, preferring traditional art, but with a bit of nudging from her parents (they stated that it would look great on her future college application), she applied. Mr. Jennings was wary at first but had quickly grown fond of the mock posters and prints the then freshman had drawn up for a future bake sale and gave her the title of the committee's graphic designer. The other students had warmed up to her as well, especially Carla, the president of the committee.

Allison beamed at Sophie. "I can't wait to see everything come together! When's the dance, again?"

"November 13th, 5 PM."

Nina tilted her head in wonder. "The 13th…whoa, that's almost a month from now! Time is really flying, huh?"

Alex nodded. "It sure is. You know what that means, ladies; we have to go dress shopping soon!"

Everyone except for Nina murmured in agreement; said girl scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. "Alex, I am not wearing a dress to this dance."

"What?! Nina, girl, don't start with this again. You said the same thing last year, why won't you make an exception this time?"

"Well, let's see-" She holds up her index finger. "One, I hate dresses-"

Her middle finger joins. "Two, the Harvest Dance isn't as big as prom-"

Now her ring finger joins the mix. "Three, I. Hate. Dresses."

The fashionista made a frustrated sound and crossed her own arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at her stubborn friend. "Ugh, come on, a little dolling up for one night won't kill you. Don't you want the girls to look at you with envy and the guys to look at you with desire?"

"Hmm, I don't know if that's a good idea. Not everyone wants attention like you do, Fashion Freak."

Like a record scratch, the girls grimaced at the haughty voice that spoke up next to their table. Looking up, they saw the dreaded forms of Janey, flanked by Sherri and Terri. While there were many groups of mean girls in the school, this specific trio was always badgering them every chance they could get. They always picked on all of them but had it out for Lisa and Alex the most, the former due to their leader's past friendship and the latter due to always snapping back at them whenever they were harassed.

Janey's dark brown hair was as curly and voluminous as always, falling down to the small of her back and glossy with hair product. Her eyelids were covered with lavender eyeshadow and a thin line of black liner along with a few coats of mascara on her curled lashes. A light shade of pink gloss covered her smirking lips, the color similar to the bubbles of gum she was always blowing. Her outfit consisted of an off-shoulder ruffled lavender blouse, the long sleeves managing to keep some modesty in line with the dress code. Her white jeans had tiny pink flowers embroidered all over, matching the floral design on the back of her suede block heels, the blush color giving the ensemble femininity. Around her neck was a white suede choker with a small pearl hanging from it; it looked like something simple but Alex knew from catalogs that it was a rather expensive accessory.

Sherri and Terri's purple hair was still long and reaching to their hips, their bangs blunt as ever. They swapped their purple headbows out for plain headbands that matched their respective shirt colors. The twins were still apt to matching yet they took to sporting some differences in their clothing. Their outfits were purple, the denim jackets and button-up denim skirts being a shade darker than their old dresses. However, Sherri wore an orange t-shirt underneath with white polka dots while Terri's shirt was teal with white polka dots instead. The twins kept their feet simple with matching pairs of white tennis shoes, the surface and laces pristine and free of scuffs. The only accessories the two wore were simple silver studs in their earlobes.

Alex glared at Janey and the twins in annoyance. "Aw, what's wrong, jealous as always? Well, nice to see you're still bitter about living in my shadow, Janey. You should give up the 'alpha bitch' shtick, it's pathetic to watch."

Sherri scoffed and placed her hands on her hips, leaning forward at the waist. "You've got some nerve, Whitney."

Terri joined in, replicating her sister's movement. "Yeah, why would she be jealous of someone like you?"

"Well, uh…it's almost like I keep beating her for the 'best dressed' category in the yearbook since seventh grade and she can't stand it. But if she spent less time harassing me and my friends and spent more time working on her wardrobe, maybe, just maybe, she might make it this year!"

Alex's sarcastic tone brought an icy look onto the leader's face. "That's funny coming from someone who hangs around a bunch of losers…" Her dark brown eyes landed on Lisa, who shrunk back a bit at her scrutinizing gaze. "Especially a loser like Lisa. Wow, look at those boots! Did you find them in the dollar bin at Goodwill?" The Simpson girl winced at the insult, her cheeks warming with embarrassment from the twins' giggles.

Nina immediately came to her defense, growling low and pointing her plastic fork at Janey. "Watch it, bitch, or else this is gonna end up in a place where it doesn't belong." The African-American girl laughed condescendingly at the threat and waved her hand dismissively at the brunette. "Nina, I wish you would try it. I'm sure there's a seat in detention with your name on it that misses you dearly." The braided girl's scowl grew as she backed down; her hot temper got her into trouble quite a few times, especially when Janey was around, and she didn't feel like getting written up today.

"Oh, look Janey!"

"It looks like the Harvest Dance poster is out!"

The leader looked to where the twins were pointing and before Sophie could open her mouth, she reached down and snatched the poster, scrutinizing its contents. "Hmm…apple-bobbing? Cider tasting? Pumpkin painting? What is this kiddy crap?" Sophie narrowed her eyes at Janey before reaching up and snatching the poster back. "They're school-appropriate, fall-related activities that the committee agreed to! And it's only a small portion-"

"Yaaaawn. Please tell me you at least got a good band to play this time."

"Well…we managed to get a local band called Compasshead. It's not their first gig like the band that one year…"

The trio's eyes lit up at the name. "Compasshead? Sherri, isn't that the college band led by that really cute guy?"

"You mean Kurt Welles? Yes, it is! Oooooh, he's such a dreamboat, all that angst and musical talent wrapped up in that body of his!"

"Well, well, looks like the committee actually did something right this year." Sophie gave an unimpressed look for the backhanded compliment.

Sensing that everyone was starting to get sick of the intruders, Becky piped up in an overly chipper voice. "Hey, uh, if you don't mind, we were starting to discuss our outfits for the dance, so if you could just…I don't know, shoo?" The intrigued expressions that the trio wore now turned into annoyed ones as their eyes fell on the blonde. "Shut it, Sporter. We'll leave when we want to, thank you."

Alex sighed in irritation as her patience was starting to run out. "Look, harpies, like my lovely friend said, we were in the middle of a discussion so go be annoying somewhere else. Unless…" She batted her lashes at them, her pink lips curling into a smirk. "You wanted to stick around and get some much-needed fashion tips from moi?"

Janey glared even harder at the other before scoffing hard, turning her nose up. "Typical. You always think everyone needs your advice and that it's your duty to butt your nose into other people's business. You just always have to be the center of attention, don't you, Alex?" Before the fashionista retorted, the leader's face formed into one of realization and then into a look of slyness. "Speaking of…the girls and I came up with a theory earlier. Maybe you were exaggerating your little 'kidnapping'?"

At her suggestion, the atmosphere at the table chilled a bit at Janey's implication.

Becky cried out, her fists slamming on the table. "Janey, what's your problem?! Why would you think she'd lie-" Her outburst was cut off with a raise of the trios' hands.

"Quiet, this is between me and her. So, how about it Alex?" She leaned forward at the waist, hands resting on her hips. "You were the damsel in distress who got saved by your knight in shining armor. I bet once you got free, you thought 'oh poor me, I went through all this drama, what do I do now', hm? But ever the opportunist, you saw a chance to suck up all the attention and said 'hey, why don't I milk this for all it's worth? Everyone will feel so sorry for me!'."

"Janey, stop this." Allison's demand fell on deaf ears while her friends gave the trio cold stares as Alex's eyes averted to her half-eaten lunch. The platinum blonde felt her stomach twisting with nerves and ire hard as her rival tore into her with false accusations.

"So you made your plan and stayed out of school for a week so everyone could wonder where you were and how you were doing so your name could stay in their mouths. And surprise, you show back up and now you're all anyone in this damn place can talk about! I'm surprised you didn't come in wrapped in bandages or using a cane." The contempt in her voice grew stronger as she continued, dark eyes narrowing into slits. "But I'm sure the thought crossed your mind once. Just like always, you can't live without everyone's eyes on you at all times because you're nothing but an attention-seeking, spoiled-"

Out of all the girls who were wound up with tension, ready to pounce on Janey, Lisa was the one who stood up and shouted. "Janey, shut the hell up, that's enough!" The Simpson girl bounded over to her and glared at her hard, pointing a finger at her face. "How dare you come over and start saying all these awful things about Alex, who do you think you are?!"

Nina joined in immediately, cheeks reddened as she barely contained her fury. "I knew you were petty but to accuse Alex of faking it? Do you have a death wish or something?!"

Sophie's eyes pierced into Janey as well. "You really crossed the line this time, Powell."

Becky crossed her arms over her chest before pointing her thumb away from the area. "Why don't you take Tweedledee and Tweedledum and go kick rocks!"

Sherri and Terri gasped in offense at the nicknames. "Hey, we're not going anywhere just because you told us to!"

"What they said, I'll stand here and talk as much as I damn well-"

Janey's fiery comeback was interrupted when Alex seemed to materialize in front of her, only leaving a few inches of space between them. The look on her face was blank, along with her tone as she spoke in a low voice. "Get out of here Janey. You've said enough."

The brunette scowled and leaned in, her nose nearly touching the fashionista's own as she hissed. "You don't tell me what to do, Alex. I'm not going anywhere." At this act of defiance, something in her snapped as the platinum blonde's face twisted into rage before she shoved the other back a bit. Had she not been seeing red, she would've laughed at how she stumbled into the twins.

"I said, get out of here, you stinkin' bitch!"

With her shouting, the group attracted the attention of many nearby students, staring and wondering whether a fight was going to break out at the table. Sensing it was about to become a reality, the rest of the girls stood up from their seats, Allison and Sophie running over to help Lisa restrain Alex while Nina and Becky stood between them and the trio, urging them to leave immediately. However, the twins kept taunting the enraged girl.

"Oh wow, look how red her face is, it's like a tomato!"

"Hey Alex, chill out, red really isn't your color!"

"The both of you, shut up! I'm not gonna let her get away with putting her hands on me, that little-"

Alex barked at Janey as she struggled against her friends' hold. "Keep talking, bitch, I'll make sure you never say anything like that to me again!"

"Alex, stop it, you're gonna get in trouble!" Allison's plea, once again, was ignored as the rage gave her best friend tunnel vision; the only way it could stop was if she got her hands on the other girl. She could understand her reaction (the redhead wasn't very violent herself but she wouldn't mind if the trio got some payback) but the last thing she needed on top of absences was a detention or suspension. "Lisa, help me!"

Lisa nodded and leaned in to whisper into Alex's ear, taking on a soothing tone. "Alex, I understand why you're furious but you need to calm down. Janey deserves some hits, don't get me wrong, but I can see this going wrong if you two get in trouble. Please, just let this go for once and we'll make sure she gets karma coming to her, I'm begging you!" As the blonde continued to speak, the body she was restraining began struggling less and less until she felt it become as still as a statue. "That's better…thank you, Alex. Don't worry, we won't let her get away with this."

When her lips pulled back, she looked up to see Sherri and Terri each holding one of Janey's arms as the curly-haired girl continued to give a poisonous stare at the fashionista. Nina was barely a few decibels away from yelling at them while Becky's usual peppy face was showing irritation. Allison was speaking to Alex softly as well, putting her face in front of hers so she wouldn't flare up when making eye contact with her instigator.

"Shit, here comes the cafeteria monitor."

At Sophie's curse, Lisa followed her gaze to see an irate man storming toward them, walkie clenched tight in one of his bony hands. "What seems to be the problem here, ladies?"

"Oh, uh, nothing, sir! Just a silly disagreement going on, it…" Sophie's perky tone trailed off for a second before she gave the monitor another forced smile. "It got a little too intense but we jumped in and managed to calm them down, no worries!"

The balding man narrowed his eyes as he looked over each of the girls, seeing their expressions vary from mild irritation to faux smiles. "Hmph. Let me tell you all something. This cafeteria is meant for eating and relaxing, not fighting. If I catch you all in another outburst like this, I will have no choice but to send you to the principal's office. Do I make myself clear?" The group nodded slowly in response; satisfied, he nodded back. "Good."

His walkie began crackling with noise and he lifted it to his ear, listening in on the message before responding. "Stay out of trouble, ladies."

As soon as the monitor's back was turned and he began stomping away, everyone released a collective breath. Janey and Alex's stares returned to each other, the two staying silent until the brunette spoke up. "This isn't over, Whitney. You got lucky today." Janey shrugged off the twins' hold before turning around and strutting away, prompting the duo to glare at the others before turning and following their leader.

The silence lingered over the girls until Nina broke it with a growl, slamming her fist against her open palm. "One of these days, she's gonna end up with a broken nose, swear to God…"

Sophie sighed and shook her head at the braided girl. "Just let it be for now, Nina. Lunch is almost over anyways."

The brunette grumbled under her breath before walking back to her seat, starting to clean up her garbage; the motion prompted Becky to do the same, leaving Allison, Alex, Lisa and Sophie still standing in their same spots. They released the platinum blonde, who had been quiet since Lisa had calmed her down. Her expression was a stormy one as she continued to stare in the direction that the trio had left.

"Alex?"

"What, Alli?"

The redhead flinched at the strong tone before pointing at her neglected lunch. "Why don't you eat a little more? We've only got a few minutes left."

Alex merely shook her head and mumbled. "I'll finish it later. I've lost my appetite." Without making eye contact with the others, she packed away her unfinished food and her tote bag before placing it on her shoulder. "Girls…I'm gonna go get some fresh air before classes start."

Lisa raised an eyebrow, taking a step forward. "You want us to come with you? We don't mind-"

"No. Just…I need some alone time. I-I'll…" She heaved a loaded sigh before looking up finally, hazel eyes clouded with distress. "I'll see you guys later. Thank you…for holding me back."

Without another word, Alex brushed past her friends to head towards the entrance, pushing open the double doors and disappearing behind them. The girls all looked at each other with worry at their friend's behavior, knowing that the recent encounter definitely affected her more than she wanted to admit. But like before, they obeyed her wishes and gave her some space, despite their desires to run after her.

~•~•~•~

"You sure it's alright for me to come over, man?"

"Yeah, it'll be less hassle than if I had to come over."

Donny snorted as he carried his and Bart's bags down the hallway, their last class having just ended for the day. "Man, I don't know how you can stay sane with all these new rules you gotta follow. I would've snapped after the first couple of days."

Bart rolled his eyes as he carried his body with his crutches. "Yeah, well, I haven't been super on board with all this crap but when mom puts her mind to something, there's no stopping her."

The dirty blond chuckled at his friend's misfortune. Before they knew it, they had reached the back entrance where the school buses were waiting. After letting Bart walk down the stairs, he followed behind until they reached his designated bus. Passing his bag off to him, Donny raised his fist towards the other. "I'll let my folks know tonight and I'll text you on the verdict."

Bart adjusted his bag onto his shoulder before raising his fist to bump against his friend's. "Alright man, sounds like a plan. Thanks for the help, I don't think I can handle anymore girls fighting each other over carrying my bag for me anymore." The Simpson boy shook his head as he recalled the scuffle that nearly broke out between two junior girls who insisted on helping him out to his bus a few minutes ago; he put a stop to the madness and asked Donny to be his helper from now on.

"Heh, as long as they don't claw my eyes out, it's all good. See ya, Bart."

With a final farewell, Bart climbed up the stairs of the bus. Donny turned around and began heading back inside the school, aiming to go out through the west entrance where the student parking lot was. His motorbike was waiting for its owner so they could head home for the day. It was a Monday brand one that was a few generations old but he managed to keep it going with many repairs and tweaks in his free time. It wasn't his dream bike (that was reserved for the Kawasaki Ninja) but it managed to get him around and he finally convinced his parents to let him start driving himself to school versus taking the crowded bus. The feeling that he got while riding was exhilarating, giving him a sense of freedom and careless wonder as the wind whipped through his clothes and the engine revved in his ears.

"Hey Donny, wait up!"

Daydream interrupted, the teen frowned as he heard his name being called and turned to see a girl running up to him; he recognized her as one of his Geography classmates. Her name was…Julia? Jenna? Whatever her name was, she skidded to a stop in front of him, flashing a wide smile.

"Sorry to stop you from heading home, I just wanted to thank you again for sharing your notes with me!"

The boy shrugged nonchalantly, shoving his free hand into his pocket. "Ah, no biggie. Ms. Renard talks too damn fast sometimes."

"Ugh, tell me about it. But really though, you saved me from failing the next test…" As she trailed off, she clasped her hands in front of her and bit her lip, looking up at the taller teen shyly. "If you don't mind, maybe I can treat you to some lunch or something? From outside of the cafeteria, I mean!"

Donny's eyebrow raised and the corner of his lip turned up at the girl's offer, amusement growing at how her cheeks turned pink. "Lunch, huh? Would this happen to be a date or am I looking into this too much?"

She giggled and reached a hand up to twirl a strand of chestnut brown hair around her index finger. "Wellll…I didn't want to be too forward but since you said it…"

He smirked more at the girl's mock shyness, her true motive finally showing. It was becoming more and more common for Springfield High School's female students to show the teen their attention, whether it was with coy smiles, discreet winks or longing gazes. Interest from the opposite gender was nothing new to him, he had been popular with girls since puberty hit, but his previous relationships left him with no desire for anything serious. It was nothing but flings and casual dating or nothing.

"Hey, nothing wrong with a girl that knows what she wants. I think that lunch is sounding pretty good, actually."

The girl made a pleased sound and clapped her hands together. "Awesome! Hey, why don't you give me your phone so I can type in my number? I have cheer squad meetings the rest of the week so I'll have to let you know when I'm free." Obliging, Donny nodded and slipped his phone out of his back pocket, unlocking it before handing it to the excitable girl. She began looking for his contacts list as the boy looked off down the hallway, patiently waiting as she entered her info. There was still a few students roaming around, whether for after school activities or waiting for their friends.

And then out of nowhere, he saw a flash of red hair emerge from the stairwell.

His face twisted in thought as he tried to figure out why that head seemed familiar until he saw more of the person's figure, recognizing her as the girl he nearly ran into at the ill-fated sleepover. Now his eyes widened.

"All done!"

His gaze quickly returned to the girl in front of him as she held his phone out to him. Shooting a smile back, he looked at the screen to see the name 'Joanna' with a winking emoji and a pink heart after it. "Just text me when you can so I can save your number 'kay?"

"Sure thing, babe."

Joanna giggled once more and waved at the taller teen, giving him a coy 'goodbye', before turning and heading towards the back entrance. As soon as she was gone, Donny whipped back around and scanned the halls for the redhead. He cursed under his breath as she seemed to disappear before he spotted her standing at a locker towards the end of the hall, her arms holding a couple of textbooks as she looked off into space. Nearly running down the hallway, he stopped in front of her. "Hey, Allison!"

Jumping a bit as she came back to the present, Allison's green eyes widened at who was standing in front of her. "Oh, Donny! What are you still doing here?"

He shrugged and shook his phone lightly. "I was on my way out but uh, I had to get a classmate's number…" Pocketing his phone once more, he shot the shorter teen a small grin. "It's been a while, huh?"

She gave a tiny smile back as well and nodded. "Yes it has…a week since, well…"

Donny's face dimmed a bit as he was reminded of the incident. "Oh yeah…that was some wild shit. How's your friend doing?"

"She's…well, she's doing her best to act like everything is okay but it's not…" The dirty blond frowned at the dejected tone of the girl's voice as she looked down at the linoleum. He didn't blame her for feeling this way; had it been him and Bart in the same position, he would've done his best to help his friend heal.

"Huh…I mean, can you really blame her? I'm sure the last thing she expected was to get kidnapped by some convict." He shrugged once more. "Just give her some time to get herself together and keep an eye on her in case it gets out of hand, yeah?"

"See, that's been our strategy for the last week but…I feel like I'm going to go crazy if we don't get something out of her!" Donny's eyes widened at the raised voice and near frantic way her words were delivered. Realizing her momentary lapse of control, Allison's eyes widened before she looked away in embarrassment, clutching her books tighter. "I-I'm sorry…"

The older teen couldn't help but chuckle at her apology. "Hey, no worries. You obviously care about your friend and want her to get better, nothing wrong with that. Just keep showing her that you'll be there no matter what and I'm sure things will get back to normal in no time."

Taking his advice to heart, the redhead was silent for a few seconds before giving him a determined look. "I hope you're right…but yes, I will keep supporting her until she's ready."

Nodding at her statement, he decided to switch the topic to something more casual, certain that neither of them wanted to be reminded of the aftermath of that stressful night. "Since you asked me, what are you still doing here? Don't you have a bus to catch?" Allison tilted her head at the question. "I'm waiting for someone, don't you have a bus to catch as well?"

The boy laughed as she didn't hesitate to turn his question around on him. "Actually, I don't." Digging in his front pocket, he pulled out the key for his bike, dangling it in front of them with a smirk. "Got my baby waiting out there for me."

The younger teen studied the key for a bit before her eyes widened. "You ride a motorcycle?"

"Motorbike. The folks aren't ready to let me buy an actual motorcycle yet so this is all I get for now."

"Wow…" The sparkle in her green eyes was visible to him as he watched her expression morph into one of wonder, a sight familiar to him whenever he let it slip to the other girls about his form of transportation. Feeling daring, he bent forward slightly at the waist and spoke in a lower voice, raising a brow while flashing a boyish grin. "Maybe I could take you for a ride one day?"

The reaction he had gotten was worth it; the redhead's eyes widened further as her cheeks began to resemble apples while her mouth open and closed a couple of times before words came out. "U-Um, w-well…I've never been on a bike before…a m-motorbike, that is! I-" Before the poor girl could stumble over her words further, Donny let out an amused laugh before straightening back up with a mischievous expression. "Relax, I'm messing with ya. I don't think you're quite ready for that yet."

Her face became shocked before turning into vexation. "W-What? Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

Donny couldn't help but snicker at how the shorter teen glared, pouted and placed one of her hands on her hip, failing at an attempt to intimidate him. He loved turning on his charm though he couldn't help but admit something to himself; her flustered reaction was a welcome change from the forwardness he usually received back. Taking the opportunity, he studied her appearance, much like he did over a week ago. He wasn't sure if it was the stronger lighting or the lack of alcohol in his system but her features stood out to him even more now. Her red hair seemed more vibrant and her eyes shone with fire under the fluorescents, nearly resembling emeralds. Her outfit was the same as before and fit her petite frame well but he wasn't paying too much attention to that; what caught his attention was the way her bottom lip continued to poke out. The protruding appendage was a soft pink and shone with what he figured was gloss. For a split second, he wondered whether they felt as soft as they looked…

"Allison, I've arrived!"

And just like that, his little observation was cut short.

Regaining his composure, he turned his head to the left to see another boy running down towards them, stopping just in front of them as he caught his breath. "Apologies, darling. I was helping Cosine with some notes for the student council meeting on Friday."

"Oh, there you are, Martin! I was just about to text you, I was worried you forgot about our date."

The well-groomed teen stepped closer to Allison and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a loving smile which was gladly returned. "No need to fear, my dear. Our date at Amoré is uninterrupted and shall be a fortuitous experience!" As if he had finally noticed the third party standing there, Martin's eyes widened. "Oh, my apologies, good fellow! Are you a friend of Allison's?"

Donny raised an eyebrow at the other. "No…? Uh, I actually think you and I have a couple of classes together, yeah?"

The nerdy boy's face became confused for a bit until it lit up in recognition. "Oh, you are quite right! Um, Danny, right?"

"Donny. It's Donny."

"Oh yes, yes, my apologies once more. It's hard to keep track of names, especially of those outside of my companionship and intelligence level." Everyone except for Martin realized the rudeness of that statement, Allison wincing and Donny barely holding back a withering glare. The redhead decided to step in before her boyfriend offended the other even further.

"Uh, Martin, we should start heading out, no? There might be traffic heading into the downtown area."

Nodding in agreement, he gave a polite wave to the other boy and flashed his pearly whites. "Pardon us, but we must get going now. Thank you for keeping my love entertained while she waited. Salutations!" Turning the two of them to start walking towards the parking lot, Allison quickly whipped her head around, waving a small hand to the dirty blond. "Bye Donny, I'll see you around!"

The corner of his lips turning up a bit, he raised a hand and gave a wave back. "Same to you."

Once the duo had exited the building, Donny couldn't help but sigh and shake his head at what just transpired. He was surprised and not surprised at the same time that someone like Allison was dating someone like Martin Prince. They were both highly intelligent, for sure, but whereas the redhead was kind and easy to talk to, the other was mildly condescending and a huge know-it-all. In the two classes the boys had together, he had to observe the nerd's insistence on answering most of the questions and correcting of other student's inaccurate answers, prompting many dirty looks from the class. Long story short, Donny didn't care for him. Especially after his last couple of comments.

'Thank you for keeping her entertained? Who the hell does he think I am, Krusty the Clown? We were clearly enjoying each other until he came along.'

Features softening a bit, he recalled how easily they communicated with each other in that short span of time but he chastised himself for checking her out again, just like last time. He couldn't help appreciating good looks when they were in front of him but he had a limit on hitting on girls who were taken, which Allison clearly was. Grumbling to himself, he readjusted the bag on his shoulder and began heading to the parking lot as well. He shouldn't have been bent out of shape over such a small mishap, especially since he had gotten a girl's number beforehand with zero complications. But even as he put on his helmet and started up his motorbike, his thoughts kept running into when he would be able to talk to the redhead once more.

~•~•~•~

Lisa's eyes gazed out of the window as the yellow bus passed through Evergreen Terrace, the familiar sights becoming a routine in her daily life. There was a random freshman sitting next to her, occupying the spot her friends or brother usually occupied. Bart had taken a seat in the front due to his injury, making it easier for him to get on and off the bus. Allison had a date with Martin and Alex…well, Alex had phoned Winston to pick her up the second school ended, whisking away from the group with a rushed farewell. The Simpson girl sighed heavily to herself.

Despite the drama that had ensued today, she had one bright spot; she had finally turned in her internship form for the Lazy I Ranch. After this past week, she had remembered about the form a couple of days ago, not wanting to miss the deadline by accident. Recalling how Alex had encouraged her to choose the ranch that one night, she mulled over the thought for another day before asking her mother what she should do. Remembering what the ranch had been like when they visited, Marge had questioned why her daughter would want to intern at a place she was against. Once Lisa explained how their practices had changed for the better, her mother had been supportive and told her to follow her heart.

And so Lisa Simpson went to the guidance counselor's office after sixth period and handed in the signed paper.

She couldn't help but be a bit excited about the thought of working with the animals again and taking in the beautiful sights that nature had to offer. Of course, that is if working with Luke didn't prove to be a hindrance. Despite his cordial attitude towards her, the little voice in her head whispered that maybe he was still angry at her and was just putting on a polite front. But she often shushed it with distress, scolding it that it was being too pessimistic and making the former junior wrangler look petty…

There wasn't a lack of reason to be petty about a girl who nearly drove your sister to death, though.

Pursing her lips, Lisa pressed her temple to the glass. If he didn't want her on his ranch, all he had to do was reject the application and their story would end for good. There were other opportunities she could take that didn't involve past crushes and complicated feelings.

~•~•~•~

Woo, finally finished this chapter! This was a real doozy to write, between showing the aftermath, some slight character development and returning to work, it took a while to finish.

I did end up writing way more than I planned to but I hope it will hold you guys over until I can upload the next one! I showed how Alex was dealing with the effects from Jack, now I plan to show how Bart is handling everything in the next chapter along with some other important plot points.

As always, reviews are welcome!