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

I accept constructive criticism. c:

~•~•~•~

Alex had to be in the best moods she had been in weeks. It was finally time to start her internship at Astra Boutique.

She had woken up a bit earlier than usual to make sure her hair, makeup and clothes were as perfect as can be before heading to the kitchen to ask René to make one of her favorite meals; baked eggs in avocado with potato hash on the side. Once she finished eating, she thanked him in gratuitous French before looking for Winston (she found him sorting the morning mail in one of the living rooms) and let him know that she was ready whenever he was. The older man gave her a smile and set the organized mail down in the basket before pulling the keys to the Lincoln out of his jacket pocket, much to the teen's amusement. She couldn't remember ever seeing the butler unprepared or caught off guard in the years he's been with their family.

The duo headed to the car and buckled in before hitting the road for the drive to Waverly Hills. Alex was still a bit sore about having to deal with the yuppies in that area but in the name of fashion, she was ready to face hell itself. The irony wasn't lost on her for her bias towards the upper-class district, seeing as how she was one of the elite herself. However, she always made sure to stay humble and grounded in the way she interacted with others and at least attempted to do things herself if possible. Seeing the way that some of these trust fund snobs treated those who they perceived to be below them was nausea-inducing and made her want to smack some sense into them.

While she was pep-talking herself in her head, Winston spoke up once the car rolled to a stop. "Ms. Whitney, we have arrived."

"Thank you, Winston." Alex picked up her purse and was about to open the door until she stopped. "Hey Winston…when was the last time you took a day off? I feel like I see you 24/7."

The British man hummed lowly for a few seconds. "Oh, I don't know…probably when your family went away to Bora Bora for a week and I was dismissed."

The platinum blonde gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to her cheek. "Ohmigosh, that was last year! You really should take some time off, like, ASAP. You're not a spring chicken, ya know."

Winston chuckled at her reaction, giving her a smile through the rear-view mirror. "Ms. Whitney, you're only as young as you feel and quite frankly, I feel like I could run a marathon and drive everyone to Capital City and back."

Sighing at the old man's stubbornness, Alex rolled her hazel eyes. "Winston, don't think this conversation is over. I really think you should get some rest, even if it's for one day. We can manage, honest."

"If you say so, Miss. However, I cannot promise that I would be resting completely should I be off."

"Oh, you busybody, you. I'll see you at 3:00!" Opening the door and stepping out, she waved goodbye to the butler as he drove off. Turning around, she couldn't help but beam at the cream-colored brick building with the black awning saying 'Astra Boutique'.

'Alright, girl. First day on the job, just be yourself, pay attention and it'll be a piece of cake!'

Straightening her shoulders, she brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear before heading to the door, opening it and stepping inside. The bell above sounded, ringing throughout the empty store (it was an hour earlier than opening time). As soon as she shut the door, Alex saw the owner walk out from the back, her made-up face stretched into a silky smile. Hadiya Astra was a woman in her mid 50's who had made a name for herself in the fashion industry back in Capital City. She had opened a few boutiques over the years after moving to the US from Palestine and saw success with her haute couture gowns and pantsuits, seen on quite a few local celebrities and socialites. In the last few years though, sales had went down slightly as fast fashion became more popular. After losing some of her best workers and finding the rent inflation to be too much, Hadiya decided to close all of her shops before relocating to Waverly Hills with a single boutique. It ended up working in her favor as rent was affordable and her previous clients followed her to continue giving her their business.

"Ah, Alex, you made it! I apologize for the last minute schedule change, my other worker let me know that she could come help you train today so I figured she could use the extra hour to show you the ropes."

"Oh, no worries, Ms. Astra. I actually ended up waking up earlier than expected, I was too eager to work here today!"

The older woman laughed at her enthusiasm. "Ah, I welcome the excitement, darling. Come, you can put your bag in my office and I can show you a few things before my worker arrives."

Nodding, Alex followed her to the office and had her purse locked inside before walking back out with Hadiya as she showed her around the shop. The walls were painted an off-white and the floors were black, tiled marble while the furniture, consisting of a few couches and armchairs, were a light gray, giving the building a monochromatic look. It helped to let the garments stand out on the show floor, colors ranging from bright reds to subdued blues lining up along the walls and in the windows. The crystal chandeliers lit up the place and finished off the elegance the owner was going for. Alex noticed on one side, two pedestals with three sets of mirrors in front of each one. "Is that where the fittings are done?"

"Why yes, it is. We'll actually have one coming in today around noon, they picked out one of our gowns for a function the other day so I shall be working with them." The woman raised a dark brow at the teen. "I know in the interview that you said your hand sewing skill was minimal but I would like you to watch and pick up some pointers for the future."

Alex flashed her pearly whites. "Of course! Like I said, I am one hundred percent open to learning anything to help you out, ma'am."

Hadiya chuckled, the slight lines around her mouth forming. "So enthusiastic…also, please call me Hadiya. Ma'am makes me comes to terms with my actual age."

The teen agreed with amusement and let the owner continue to give her the tour. After fifteen minutes, the door bell rang, causing their heads to turn to see a girl around Alex's age step in, a large pink Brada bag on one arm and a Skybucks cup in her other hand.

"Ah, good morning, Kate Lynn!"

"Good morning, Hadiya! Sorry for being late, the traffic coming into town was sooo bad."

"Not a problem dear, I appreciate you coming in early today." Waving her over with her manicured hands, she wrapped an arm across Alex's shoulders before holding her free hand out towards the platinum blonde. "This is the new girl I was talking about. Her name is Alex."

Kate Lynn's glossy pink lips stretched into a smile before she held a hand out towards the other teen. "Well, well, hello there, Alex. I'm Kate Lynn, two words, but well, you already heard that."

Giggling at the bubbly girl, Alex reached her own hand out and shook the other's. "Nice to meet you, Kate Lynn. I guess you'll be the one I'm shadowing?"

"Mhm, that's right. I hope you can, like, keep up with me, I move around pretty fast!"

The platinum blonde laughed now, the other's positive attitude infectious. "I should be able to, I catch on pretty fast!"

A smile broke out on Hadiya's face as she watched the two interact. "Ah, this is wonderful, you two are already clicking! Now Kate Lynn, I have to go make some phone calls in the office for a bit, can you just show Alex how we open up the store and answer any questions she has?"

"Sure thing, Hadiya."

Satisfied that the new worker was in good hands, the woman walked back to the office, the sound of her heels clicking fading as she disappeared. Now that the two were alone, Alex decided to size up the other teen. Kate Lynn was a pretty girl with brown skin and brown hair that sat in large, voluminous curls above her shoulder. Her makeup was a little more than she thought was needed for her but it was enough to accentuate her features, the light pink shadow making her long, black lashes stand out and the baby pink gloss emphasizing her full lips. Silver hoops hung from her earlobes and a dark pink choker with a light pink heart in the center was around her neck. A pink long-sleeved, cold-shoulder top with small white polka dots hugged her torso and light wash, high-waisted jeans covered her long legs before going into the dark pink pumps with a strap around her ankle; Alex wasn't a stranger to high heels but she wondered how the hell this girl survived a full-shift in those babies.

Kate Lynn broke the silence. "Alright girl, I'm gonna go put my bag away and then we can get started." Alex nodded and watched the teen run towards the office before coming back out in a couple of seconds. She snapped her fingers, the long pink nails shining in the bright lighting. "Alright, let's get to it."

The African-American girl showed the other on what procedures were done before the store officially opened; this included giving the store a sweep, making sure all the mannequins were secure and had well-fitting outfits, double-checking the black book for today's appointments and putting together a music playlist for the day (she learned that Hadiya was open to many genres of music, excluding country, of course, and anything with excessive swearing). Kate Lynn gave her the first two tasks to work on while she took care of the rest, telling Alex to call if she needed any help or had any questions. The platinum blonde was eager to do something more professional but she reminded herself to take baby steps; if you could do the simplest tasks with extreme effort, then that effort could be helpful for bigger tasks. And so, she swept with as much energy as possible and examined each mannequin from head to toe.

Before she knew it, it was time to open and get down to business. Hadiya was still in the back so Kate Lynn took over temporarily, switching the 'closed' sign to 'open'. The store was quiet sans the background music until half an hour later when two women walked in looking for dresses. Kate Lynn greeted them and motioned Alex over to join her, telling her to shadow her as she assisted them. She paid close attention to how the other teen talked to the women and found out exactly what they desired, showing them each dresses that she believed was suitable. The duo eventually made some choices, to which Alex jumped in and complimented them, making it known that the colors suited them well and the silhouettes would play up their best features. Getting smiles of appreciation from the customers gave the fashionista an extra boost of confidence.

After repeating these motions with a few more sets of customers, lunchtime came. Hadiya usually closed the boutique for about an hour to eat and take care of some errands, leaving the two teens to head out and grab lunch. Kate Lynn recommended a place nearby that had all kinds of salads, much to Alex's delight. Once they got their food and headed back to the boutique, they sat down on one of the couches and continued to make small talk while eating.

"So Alex, what made you, like, want to intern here?"

Alex swallowed the bit of cobb salad in her mouth before speaking. "Well, I'm, like, really into fashion and I'm pretty sure I want to make a career out of it in the future. I saw this place on one of those job listing websites and liked the sound of it. Not like I had many good options for this kind of town."

The African-American girl laughed. "You are so right, girl. You picked a good place, Hadiya is super knowledgeable and can get you some nice connections if you get on her good side."

"Connections? You mean she can put in a good word for you later on?"

"Mhm! Problem is…" Kate Lynn leaned in and lowered her voice. "She's not super generous so whenever she has interns, she only picks one to recommend."

The fashionista gasped and whispered back. "Just one? Why so stingy?"

"She's got pretty high standards and even if you think you're doing an amazing job, she might think you're just subpar and let you finish without no more than a review to your guidance counselor."

"Wow…" Alex couldn't help but be a bit concerned now on how she will be navigating this job. What she considered a great effort earlier could be seen by Hadiya as merely amateur work.

Sensing the other's apprehension, Kate Lynn giggled and playfully flapped her hand. "Relax, Alex, you're gonna put wrinkles on that pretty face of yours! Just work your ass off and show her you've got what it takes. Believe me, I was the same when I started here and now-" She flashed her straight teeth in a grin. "She considers me one of her best workers."

Her worries fading a bit at the other's reassurance, the platinum blonde let out a small sigh of relief before smiling back. She had a point; if she let her thoughts and worries consume her, it was just asking to screw her up. To her slight annoyance, she heard one of her father's famous phrases in the back of her head; a Whitney never gives up and puts one hundred percent into even the most minor things. Daddy dearest had a point but it was irritating when he took things like golfing matches seriously.

"When you say it like that…" Becoming determined, Alex clapped her hands together suddenly, causing the other's eyes to widen a bit. "Alright! I'm gonna work my ass off here and show Hadiya I've got what it takes. Who knows-" She shot a playful smirk at Kate Lynn. "I might become even better than you already are!"

Kate Lynn's eyes widened even more at that statement, even though it was obvious that the teen was joking around. Alex never noticed how her next smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Is that so? Well, you'll have to give your all to best me, girl."

Still in her playful mood, the fashionista giggled and winked, returning to eating her salad. The two fell back into casual conversation, less talkative than before as they aimed to finish their food before break was over. Once they opened back up, Hadiya came out to join the girls and instructed Alex to assist the next customer that came in on her own (her and Kate Lynn would keep an eye on her from afar in case she got stuck). Eager to show her skills, Alex nodded and continued sorting out the clothes until a middle-aged woman walked in, smelling of expensive French perfume and looking like she carried nothing but hundred dollar bills in her purse. The woman was in town on vacation and decided to look around for a gown for an upcoming soiree. She let the teen know that budget wasn't an issue but more-so finding something that suited her short, stocky build, leading the platinum blonde to study her with an inquisitive hum. After a few seconds, she came up with a silhouette that would suit her and went onto asking what colors she was not fond of. Using the answers to eliminate the options she was thinking of, Alex led the woman over to the racks and showed her a couple of designs she thought would suit her, giving a lengthy explanation as to why. The woman became pleased at how attentive and knowledgeable she was and agreed on one of the choices (to Alex's pleasure, it was the most expensive one of the group). The teen complimented her on her decision and led her to the counter, opening the book up to take down the woman's info for a fitting appointment. Once she was finished, the woman thanked her heartily before asking Hadiya to come over. She urged the woman to make sure that she kept this worker, loving the charisma she exuded and how such a difficult process was easy this time around.

Hadiya shot Alex a proud smile before thanking the woman for the feedback, urging her to call them if she had any questions before her return. As the trio said their goodbyes, they didn't notice the other worker watching them from the other side of the room, her lips pressed into a line and a stony look in her eyes.

~•~•~•~

"Come on Bart, just ask for me!"

"Milhouse, for the last time, no! You're looking like a simp more and more each day, swear to God."

The blue-haired boy was begging his best friend yet again to ask Lisa if she would reconsider going to the Harvest Dance with him; without hesitation, she rejected him when he visited their house this weekend. As always, the nerdy boy sulked for a bit before becoming determined to continue trying his luck. He didn't know what it was about his sister that had him so hung up on her after all these years, he was going to be going to college next year and would surely find girls more interesting than the blonde.

"Aw man, why do you gotta ruin my fun?!"

The Simpson boy sighed in annoyance before shooting the other a glare. "Me asking Lisa if she would change her mind about going to the dance with you would be a waste of both of our times. Besides, I'm sure she's just going to go with her friends like last year. If you have some damn patience, maybe you might be able to offer a dance with her there and get lucky."

"Oh, Bart, you're missing the point! I wanna look like we're possibly dating, for once!"

"Milhouse van Houten, have some damn dignity and follow my advice. Leave. Lisa. Alone."

Bart continued rummaging in his locker for a pen while Milhouse continued to grumble and rant under his breath next to him. While they were occupied, they didn't notice Jessica saunter up to them from the side, clearing her throat when they didn't look. The boys looked up, Bart raising an eyebrow while Milhouse's eyes widened. "Jessica."

"Bart. Hey Milhouse." Said boy gave a hesitant wave in return, still unsure of how to feel about the girl. Her jade green eyes returned to Bart once more. "Bart, if you're not busy, can we talk for a sec? Nothing too urgent."

Tilting his head at what she possibly wanted to talk about, he looked at his friend. "Hey man, why don't you go ahead to study hall? I'll meet you there in a bit." The blue-haired teen wasn't really keen on leaving his buddy alone with someone like her but he did inform him that they're at least on speaking terms now. He nodded and waved goodbye to Jessica before shutting his locker closed and walking off.

Now that it was just the two of them, the blond looked back at her. "So, what's up?"

"Are you going to the Harvest Dance or are you skipping like the rebel you are?"

"Heh, those rebel days died down, lady. I'm going, just gonna hang around with friends while I'm there, maybe dance with some girls or whatever."

The dark-haired girl hummed in thought while tilting her head. "Hmm, is that so? You don't sound too enthused about that."

Bart sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "Meh, the dance is kind of lame, to be honest. But I figured since it's my last year, might as well give it a shot for one last time."

"Mm, makes sense." Jessica crossed her arms and leaned back against the lockers, still looking up at him. "So I'm guessing you've got a hot date ready to parade around?"

At her question, he couldn't help but let out a short laugh. "Hell no, not this time around! I'm a free agent, not really interested in possibly ending up with some stage five clinger the whole night." Making a noise of triumph when he found his pen, he shut his locker door before leaning on his shoulder against it. "What about you?"

"Pft, I'm going but not of my own volition. My lovely mother insisted I go to increase my social standing, she's "concerned about how I'm not making any friends since I came back"." She was trying to say this casually but Bart could detect some hidden venom behind those words. "I'm going alone, though."

"You? Alone? You mean to tell me not a single one of these guys have tried to ask you out? I keep catching a bunch of them ogling you like they've never seen a chick before in their whole life."

A laugh rang out from her while she shook her head. "I didn't say that. Believe me, they've tried but I'm sure ninety percent of them are secretly scared of me or just want to get in my pants." Holding a hand up in front of her, she examined the nude-colored polish on her medium length nails. "Besides, even if I wanted to take a guy, the folks want me to stay away from boys while I'm here."

"Well, you're doing a great job at that right now."

Jessica shot him a smirk from the side, amused by his sarcastic tone. "Haha. Anyways, what I wanted to talk to you about is related to this."

Bart's eyebrow raised once more. "Shoot."

She pushed herself off of the lockers and rested one hand on her hip while holding the strap of the tote bag on her shoulder with the other. "Since we're both flying solo, I was thinking we could go together?"

The Simpson boy's blue eyes widened at her question, almost dropping the pen in his hand. "W-Wait…you mean, like a…couple?"

"Well, I didn't say that…even though the thought is tempting, I know we're still building up some trust so no, not as a couple. Just two teens trying to impress the rest of their peers by walking in with a good-looking person on their arm and wanting to have a good time without any obligations."

"Huh…"

Bart's sound of wariness led into silence between the duo as he mulled over her proposal. Had this been a week ago, he would've told the other to fuck off for even thinking about asking him something like that but now they were on a different level. He couldn't lie, the thought sounded a bit tempting, especially with that explanation she gave (his ego was a bit stroked too when she basically called him attractive). But there was some slight roadblocks; one, he had promised his friends that they would all go together and hang out the whole night; two, he didn't need rumors going around on how the two might be dating; and three, it was Jessica. He still got a small feeling of apprehension whenever she approached him, still trying to deduce if her cleaned up act was phony. But she had mentioned that she wasn't going to be a ball and chain for him during the dance, which meant he could do whatever the hell he wanted, including talking to and dancing with other girls…

"Well…alright."

Jessica's face lit up like the fourth of July. "Awesome! I was honestly expecting you to tell me hell no."

He chuckled a bit. "Well, uh, I did promise to give you a chance…plus you don't seem like you're gonna be clingy the whole night. But I do have one request."

She nodded. "Go on."

"This, uh…it's nothing serious, okay? This doesn't mean I have feelings for you so don't try to think we're doing couple shit. I just wanna go have a good time with whoever is there so…expect to see me talking to other girls and disappearing for a while."

The dark-haired girl shrugged and held both her hands up in surrender. "No complaints from me. I just want to go as friends, maybe dance with a couple of guys and attempt to befriend some girls. You know, typical teen shit. Whatever we do after we walk through those doors is our business alone."

More receptive to her idea now that they seemed to be on the same wavelength, Bart nodded. "Alright, so it's a deal. You, uh, want me to give you a ride to the dance? I could ask my mom to borrow her car."

Jessica's face became blank as she pursed her lips and stared at the taller teen. "Bart Simpson, do you really think it'll be a good idea to pull up in front of my house while both my parents are home? That's just asking for chaos."

"D'oh! You, uh, you've got a point there, hehe…"

She sighed and shook her head. "Tell you what, how about we just meet at the school? I'll just get the Rev to give me a ride and we can meet inside so he doesn't try to crucify you."

"That actually sounds like a much better plan."

Satisfied at everything, Jessica smiled a bit. "Well then, it's a date…well, a "date"." Readjusting her bag strap, she gave a wave to the other. "See ya around, Bart. I'll keep you posted if anything comes up." After receiving a nod from him, she turned around and sauntered off to her next class, blending in with the gaggle of students walking by.

Bart was left alone now and stood there for a couple of seconds before sighing and started walking towards the stairs to head to the library. He couldn't believe he actually agreed to accompany Jessica Lovejoy to the Harvest Dance; he was starting to really wonder if that concussion from the attack messed with his head. Deep down, he knew he couldn't blame it on that. The dark-haired girl had really been putting in effort since their confrontation last week and he hated to admit it but he softened towards her a bit. That wicked sense of humor and charm was still there but she seemed more authentic this time around, not trying to hide behind a persona to fool everyone. It almost made him long for those good 'ol days until he caught himself reminiscing again; it seemed to happen to him a lot lately.

'One step at a time, Bartholomew. You jump in headfirst and you might get fooled again, like the dumbass you are.'

Sighing, he began twirling the pen between his fingers as he walked. He couldn't wait to see the look on Milhouse's face when he told him what happened.

~•~•~•~

Nina had two times of the days she loved; seeing Lewis for their music trades and leaving school.

They were about to occur consecutively and the brunette was walking to the nearby record store to meet up with the dark-skinned boy so they could go through the selections and make recommendations to each other. The store allowed rentals and so the duo would pick a set of music for the other and check them out before returning them the next week and giving feedback. Out of all the people she knew, she never expected someone like Lewis to partake in this tradition with her. It turned out the boy had quite an appreciation for all genres of music (country was still something they were both trying to dip their toes into) and had caught her looking up concerts on the library computer one day. He struck up a conversation with her about one specific band and to her surprise, they ended up spending the rest of study hall discussing their favorites.

A smile pulled on her burgundy tinted lips at the memory while she walked outside, along with a bubble of excitement in her stomach. Walking out through the south entrance, she went past the lined up buses in the lot, avoiding students running towards their transportation. Just before she walked off of school property, she spotted a familiar head of strawberry blond hair heading away from the school and towards the small clearing that was set up a few years ago with picnic tables and benches for students to eat outside, the trees giving cool shade and some privacy. Nina recognized the figure to be Martin and frowned, still not very pleased with the senior. She normally minded her own business but she couldn't help but be curious as to why he was going that way after school; Allison had mentioned she was heading straight home since he had a student council meeting today.

Feeling suspicious and inquisitive about his actions, Nina carefully started walking towards the clearing, making sure to keep a good distance. Avoiding some crunchy leaves and stray branches on the ground, she got close enough to see him but avoid detection by hiding behind one of the trees. To her surprise, Martin wasn't alone and had one of his friends sitting next to him on the bench (it took a minute but she remembered that his name was Database).

The two boys gave each other a small greeting and became silent for a few seconds before Martin sighed, his shoulders slouching, elbows resting on his knees. "This is all quite exhausting, Data. I don't know how much longer I can continue doing this."

The curly-haired boy's eyes widened in alarm. "Gah, you don't mean-"

"No no no! I mean with, well, Allison…" Now Nina's ears really perked up, curious as to what he had to say about her friend. "She's truly a lovely girl but…I just don't feel that strongly about her."

The brunette's jaw dropped. 'What?!'

Database adjusted his glasses. "I don't know why you're continuing this farce, Martin . It's been a year and yet you're still acting like this relationship is worth salvaging. Why not just end it and ease your worries?"

Martin groaned and brushed back a strand of hair that escaped. "Oh Database, I can't…not yet. I have seven months left before I leave this school and start preparing for Princeton. I want to keep up this appearance to the school and my parents until I leave and then I can end it…I can blame it on distance."

Nina's fingers dug into the tree bark. She was getting more and more pissed off at the teen; not only was he stringing Allison along but he was already accepted to a school? What the hell were all those 'school visit' excuses for?

The strawberry-blond boy turned a bit towards his friend, his expression troubled. "I'm sorry to be putting you through all of this…"

Database's eyes softened at the other before he turned a bit also. "Martin…I understand how you feel but you should really reconsider what you're doing. You don't have to be completely honest with everyone about everything but there's nothing wrong with being single-"

At this, Martin's face became fiery. "But I don't want to be single, I want to be with you!"

Nina's eyes widened impossibly at his sentence. 'No way…I had to have heard that wrong…'

The curly-haired teen's dark eyes flashed with sympathy before his hand reached up, holding the other's clenched one before squeezing. "Gah, I know…but someone is going to end up hurting from all of this…just promise me that you will consider telling her that it's over. A half truth is better than a whole truth, sometimes."

The next few seconds were filled with silence from all parties until Martin spoke up once more. "You're right…but I have to figure out how and when I will do this." His head looked up, brows furrowing in thought. "Maybe…maybe I can tell her after the Harvest Dance. She is still quite irate with me but I know that she is looking forward to the event."

Database nodded in agreement. "That sounds like the best outcome."

Martin nodded back, his lips pressed tight together for a few seconds before he fully faced the other, his free hand coming up to cup his cheek. The duo stared at each other for a couple of seconds before leaning in to press their lips to each other, sharing more passion in that moment than the genius had ever shared in the last year with his girlfriend. Nina was still hiding behind the tree in complete shock, though. She had thought her ears were playing tricks on her with his outburst but her vision was 20/20; she couldn't mistake the two kissing as anything else. While not really sure why, she pulled her phone out of her back pocket and quickly pulled up the camera app, snapping a picture of the two. Studying the photo, it was clear who exactly was in it. Slipping the phone back in, she saw that the 'couple' were still embraced and took the chance to carefully sneak away.

Once her feet touched pavement again, she let out a harsh breath before swearing out loud.

The brunette couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Those slight feelings of guilt for following and eavesdropping on Martin were long gone now as the truth came out. Not only did he not have genuine feelings for Allison, he had constantly lied to her, strung her along for his sake and was in the closet and secretly seeing one of his close friends. That last part wasn't much of a surprise to Nina, the senior had always seemed to be more on the feminine side and never really showed much interest in the opposite gender. But to be with Database, of all people? It was risky, the Prince boy had some kind of balls to pull that off. But what got to her was the main fact that the relationship the redhead poured so much time and effort into, even on her worst days, was nothing but bullshit. Nina growled lowly, her fists clenching and short, black nails digging into her palms. How could he do that to her? Even if he was at risk for coming out (that was the only thing she could feel a margin of sympathy for), he could keep it under wraps and just not date anyone at all. There was nothing wrong with being single but she guessed that for someone as inexperienced as Martin, something was better than nothing.

Now came the tough decision; deciding whether to tell Allison about what was going on.

Nina bit her lip and started on her journey to the store once more. The right thing to do would be to spill everything she had learned ASAP but there was too high of a chance that it could go wrong. Worst case scenario, Allison would flip out and call Nina a liar and end their friendship while going on in her fake relationship with the same doubts she expressed to the brunette recently. But deep down, she knew she couldn't keep quiet. If she understood correctly, it seemed like Martin planned on taking her to the Harvest Dance and then calling it quits right after. She wasn't very sensitive herself but she was pretty sure having a blast one day and then getting broken up with the next would mess with her head.

She pursed her lips as she came to a decision; she had to come clean before it was time for the dance. Until then…

'That motherfucker better hope I don't catch him alone in the halls.'

~•~•~•~

Homer wanted to be anywhere but here right now.

The three members of the Nuclear Power Plant Committee who he had been in frequent contact with since Mr. Stoolwell left were in said man's office right now, droning on about what else needed to be done from their inspection. They also decided on a person to assist him in running the plant in his boss' absence. If it wasn't for that, he would've kicked these guys out hours ago.

Fighting back a yawn as the one with glasses and a voice similar to Jerry Lewis began suggesting ways to keep the radioactive waste from leaking into the nearby lake, he nodded at appropriate times. The Simpson man didn't sleep very well last night, he accidentally fell asleep on the couch while watching a marathon of Taken. He woke up with a start in the now dark living room around 2 AM, a blanket on him. He figured Marge had done it (despite the current tension between them) and decided to head up to sleep in their bed. Unfortunately, he had a hard time going back to sleep and tossed and turned for the next four hours until his alarm rang.

'Man, why'd I take all these promotions? I could be taking a power nap right now…'

"With that being said, Mr. Simpson-" Homer came back at the sound of his name. "We would like to introduce you to your new assistant. We have interviewed this person and they have mentioned that they were previously employed here so we believe that this will benefit the plant greatly."

Homer sighed and lazily waved his hand. "Alright, bring 'em in."

One of the members ran over to the double doors and opened it, poking their head out to speak to the mystery person. They opened it further and let them in, revealing the last person the Simpson man expected to see. He couldn't help his eyes widening and his jaw dropping down to the floor, not caring if he looked unprofessional to the others.

Mindy Simmons had entered the office and reentered his life.

The woman who had unintentionally led him to temptation all those years ago walked to the desk in what looked like slow motion to him. Not much had changed about her appearance but at the same time, a lot did. Her wavy, red hair was still vibrant as always but it was pulled up into a high ponytail this time. Her figure had a few extra pounds on now (she ate and drank as much as him, he was amazed it didn't hit her sooner) but it sat in flattering places and made her face slightly fuller. Mindy's outfit consisted of a navy pantsuit, the jacket opened at the top to reveal a white blouse underneath, the neckline high and covered by a long bow. Her black heels thumped lightly on the carpeted floor as she came closer, now standing in front of the desk. At this proximity, Homer could see the slight lines around her dark blue eyes but they were more pronounced due to the wide smile on her red lips. He hated to admit it but his heart was doing the Cupid Shuffle at the sight of her.

"Hello Homer…I mean, Mr. Simpson."

Her soothing voice sounded, dumping on him like a bucket of ice water. Clearing his throat, he stood up and held his hand forward, hoping she didn't notice how sweaty it was. "Hello Mindy- Ah, uh, I mean, Ms. Simmons. I-It's been a while…"

Mindy giggled while clasping and shaking his hand with her own. "Indeed it has. I never thought I would come back here but I'm looking forward to assisting you."

Homer's mind went all sorts of places with that innocent statement but he covered by giving the woman a shaky yet genuine smile. After they released each other's hands, one of the members spoke up. "Ms. Simmons here has had quite the illustrious career in nuclear engineering back in Sacramento and with her former experience here, her knowledge should come to great use for you. It seems that you two are on friendly terms, as well."

'Psh, you don't know the half of it, buddy.'

"Mr. Simpson was a wonderful coworker back then and I'm sure he will be an equally wonderful boss." The bald man couldn't help the color rising in his cheeks at the compliment, never dreaming that anyone but Lenny or Carl would heap such praise on his work ethic.

Satisfied with their decision, the committee members stayed a little longer to explain to Mindy the important issues that needed immediate attention before they finally left the office. Their absence had left the duo alone in the large room, silent and waiting for the other to speak first. Homer broke it by clearing his throat once more. "So…uh…"

Mindy's professional form seemed to relax now, her shoulders slouching a bit while her smile now showed teeth. "Now that the Geek Squad is gone…" With quickness, she practically ran behind the desk to envelop Homer into a tight hug. "It really is good to see you again, Homer."

Homer knew he should've stayed still or even pried her off but that damn heart of his couldn't find the urge to be cruel. His thick arms wrapped around her, noting the wafting of camellia blossoms coming from her. "It's good to see you too, Mindy." Letting go of her, he tilted his head with a confused look. "Where have you been all this time? The last time I heard from you was when you got fired for, well…"

Rolling her eyes at his hesitance, the redhead flapped her hand. "Becoming an alcoholic and spending my lunch break either sleeping under my desk or crying in the broom closet? Don't be so scared to say it, Homer, that was in the past. I've gotten better now and I'm here to lend a hand in any way I can."

The Simpson man was about to continue asking her what happened in the last seven years before the intercom on the desk crackled to life.

"Hey, uh, Homer, the hazmat suit you gave Earl had a rip in the back and now his ass is glowing like a nightlight."

"D'oh!" Groaning at the report, he pressed the button on the speaker. "Alright Lenny, just keep him away from the others and I'll be down there in a sec."

Letting go of the button, he heard a lovely giggling to his right, turning and seeing Mindy having a fit. "Ohoho, sorry Homer! I can see that not much has changed while I was gone!"

Unable to let out his own little laugh as well, he shrugged before adjusting his tie. "Well, most have changed for the better but there's some things that won't go away. Come on, let's go and keep Earl from getting radiation poisoning."

Mindy nodded before following Homer closely as they walked out of the office and headed down to Sector 7-G. After getting Earl safely to the decontamination showers, the duo walked through the rest of the sectors, introducing or reintroducing Mindy to the other workers. Homer wasn't surprised at some of the dumbfounded or lustful stares the men gave and the pleased or jealous stares the women gave but he made sure to remind them that she was their superior and so they should show some respect. About an hour and a half later, the Simpson man felt his stomach give a loud rumble and decided that it was time for lunch. Mindy wholeheartedly agreed and was shocked when Homer offered to treat her as thanks for coming to the plant. The two decided to order pizza (wings sounded tempting too but Homer knew his messy self would get sauce all over Mr. Stoolwell's desk) and sat at the large desk, Mindy sitting in a rolling chair she brought over from her temporary office.

"So, uh, Mindy…" Swallowing his bite, Homer looked at the redhead as she finished her second slice. "What have you been up to all these years?"

Reaching for a third slice from the box, she hummed before speaking. "Well, after I got fired, I kind of just stayed at home. I didn't work for about six months but then my electricity and water started getting cut off so I had to get off my ass and do something." She took a bite of her pizza before continuing. "So I got a job as a bagger at a local grocery store and things were going well for about a month but I was still drinking like a fish. I came to work tipsy a few times or snuck off to the back with a stolen six-pack. Management didn't like that and after a bunch of customers complained about crushed bread and eggs, I got kicked to the curb. Funnily enough, I came home that day to find an eviction notice on my door. Two for the price of one, huh?"

Mindy's smile was present but small and tinged with sadness, her eyes downcast to stare at her paper plate. "Never in a million years did I think I was gonna be homeless and broke but life is funny that way."

"Mindy…"

Hearing Homer's sympathetic tone, she looked up and gave the other a brighter smile. "I ended up living out of my car for a week or so until the repo men came looking for me. I was going to give up the car and just live in a shelter or something but then my mom called one day to ask me how I was doing and I just cracked." She gave an unladylike snort. "You should've seen how I was bawling, snot running down my nose and everything. I fessed up about what was happening and she demanded I start the car and drive back home to Sacramento."

Homer's eyes widened at this reveal. "You're from Sacramento? I always thought you were from Springfield or even one of the closer towns."

"Nope, I'm a Cali girl. I moved here when I graduated from high school so I could go to Springfield U." Chuckling at the intrigued sound Homer made, she took another bite before continuing. "So I drove about three hours to get down there and pulled up in the driveway looking like a hot mess. I was expecting to get an earful from my folks about how they were right about me moving but they just gave me a giant hug and helped me move my stuff inside. After a couple of weeks of settling in, dad signed me up for AA meetings so I could stop hitting the bottle. It wasn't easy at first but I managed to get it under control to where I only had a glass of wine or a can of Duff once a week."

"Hmm…and how did you manage to get back in the nuclear industry?"

"I ended up getting a job at the Sacramento Nuclear Power Plant. One of their engineers got radiation sickness and had to quit so they were short a worker. Although, I ended up fibbing a bit on my resume that I had voluntarily left the Springfield branch only a month ago…" Homer giggled along with her at the mischievous tone she had delivered it in. "They hired me right away and it took some time for me to actually give some effort but I kept getting promoted until I was lead safety inspector. It was nice to be making money again but I do miss my pre-lunch naps…"

Mindy sighed wistfully while the other nodded in agreement. "Tell me about it. I was tempted to take one today, those idiots were boring me to death!"

"Ugh, I know, they can be such wet blankets!" All of a sudden, the redhead's expression became alert before morphing into one of deviance. Homer nearly choked on the crust in his mouth at that look. It had reminded him of when she suggested an idea that could get them into a ton of trouble; calling room service on the plant's tab. His mind at the time had thought she meant something far naughtier.

"You know…now that you have an assistant, maybe we can take turns taking naps?"

Gasping at her suggestion (and relieved it wasn't a lewd one), he remembered that he was technically the boss and looked off to the side. "Oh, I don't know, Mindy…there's a lot that has to be done here…"

The redhead scoffed and rested a clean hand on his shoulder, ignoring the way he jumped at the contact. "Oh, relax, Homer. A half an hour each sounds like a dream, what's the harm? We'll just have to cover for each other and say we're doing "important things" while we're sleeping at our desks."

Humming as he actually considered it, Homer pointed a greasy finger at her. "Alright, I'll think about it but I get to sleep first."

Mindy grinned and pressed the tip of her own grease-covered finger against his. "Deal."

The two laughed before continuing to eat the rest of the pizza. They caught up on each other's lives more, Homer telling her about how he was promoted and why the plant had a new owner. They kept enjoying each other's company until the box was empty, prompting them to clean their hands before getting to work on what Mindy was sent here for. As rounds were made, forms were filled out and inspections were performed, Homer found himself not that stressed, for once. He had forgotten how much of the same wavelength he and his former coworker used to be on and after all these years, it seemed to be intact. He was thankful that she had become a little more serious in her work as well; as fond as he was of her, he didn't need to deal with an assistant that didn't want to work.

Before he knew it, it was time to head home. Miraculously, the sun hadn't completely set and laid a few feet above the horizon, giving the sky a pink and orange hue. He found that the extra set of hands had helped and was starting to think he was being too hard on the committee. Homer and Mindy were the last ones to leave the plant (aside from Tibor who had to clean up the bathrooms) and walked to their respective cars, giving each other a wave and a promise to see each other tomorrow. As Homer drove home, he couldn't help the little smile on his face and sung along to one of Barry Manilow's songs playing on the radio.

"Oh Mindy, well you came and you found me agaaaain…"

~•~•~•~

It was after school now and Lisa and her friends decided to hang out at the outdoor rec area before heading home. The weather had been unusually warm today and fearing that this would be the last warmth they'd get before the bitter fall caught up, they wanted to take advantage of it. The group was talking animatedly amongst each other, sans for Allison and Nina.

The former had noticed how the latter had been acting rather off the last few days, shooting side glances at her or clamming up whenever she brought up Martin. Nina wasn't the type to keep secrets or get nervous, which was worrying the redhead about her friend. She decided to confront her today away from the others so the brunette wouldn't get overwhelmed. Right before the group walked out of the south entrance, Allison spoke out. "Oh girls, would you mind going ahead without me? I have to run to the bathroom quickly."

The rest of the girls nodded except for Nina, who noticed Allison looking at her from the side with a look that said 'we need to talk'. Catching on, she spoke as well. "Lemme go with you, Alli. All that iced coffee from this morning is starting to go through me." Nodding at her, the duo headed towards the girls' bathroom at the end of the hall while the rest exited the building. As soon as they stepped into the empty restroom, Allison turned towards her friends and crossed her arms, a stern look on her usually sweet face. "Okay, talk to me, Nina. Something's been going on with you and I want to know what's troubling you."

Nina's mouth opened a couple of times, preparing to speak but she found the words dying before they passed her lips. It wasn't easy to tell one of your close friends that you caught her boyfriend cheating on her with another guy so she had to put it delicately. The problem though? Nina had an F in delicacy.

"Allison…look, I…"

The shorter teen's eyes softened at her tongue-tied friend. "Nina, it's okay. If it's something you don't want anyone else to know, you can tell me and I'll carry it to my grave."

The other chuckled humorlessly and shook her head. "Allison, you're too damn sweet for your own good, ya know? That's why…" She sighed and bit her lip, staring at the window behind her head. "This is so hard to say but you have to know…"

Allison had many scenarios of what the other was about to say but not one of them matched with the words that came out next.

"Martin…Martin's been cheating on you."

Like a record scratch, the world stopped as Nina's words began to sink in. The slanted emerald eyes widened and the gloss-covered lips opened in shock. "Wh-What…?"

Nina spoke again with more confidence. "He's cheating on you, Allison…I caught him a few days ago with someone else. He…also said some things about you and your relationship…" The redhead was still frozen in place and so she continued, fire now in her voice. "He said that he thinks you're nice but he's just using you to keep up appearances until he…until he goes away to college. But then he said he was going to take you to the Harvest Dance and break up with you afterwards so he could make sure you at least have a good time…" The brunette paused and barked out an angry laugh. "Oh, and guess what? All those school visits he's been doing? They're all bullshit. He already got accepted to Princeton ages ago and decided on going there. You don't understand how badly I've been wanting to rip his head off every time I see him in the-"

"You're lying…"

Nina's rant was cut off at Allison's trembling voice. "Wh-What? Allison, I'm not lying, why would I-"

"You're lying, dammit!" The brunette jumped as the redhead rarely raised her voice. "Martin may be inattentive and oblivious to my wants but he would never cheat on me!"

"Godammit Allison, that right there is grounds to think that he's cheating! Please believe me!"

Allison glowered at the other, her eyes becoming darker. "I bet that you came up with this so we could break up for good. I know you don't like Martin so you made a plan to turn me against him and-"

She didn't finish her accusation as Nina grabbed her shoulders and pressed her against one of the stall dividers, pulling a yelp out of her. The stinging of her back from the impact was nothing compared to the piercing glare the taller teen gave her.

"Dammit, you're really calling me a liar?! I've known you for six years and have been nothing but honest to you all this time. You're right, I don't like that condescending asshole but I'm not so petty as to fib about something so serious." Her hands tightened on her sweater vest. "I'm trying to save your ass from getting seriously hurt because he doesn't appreciate how fucking kind and selfless you are, Allison!"

Realizing that she was getting a bit carried away, Nina loosened her grip and let go of the redhead, feeling guilty at how she shook a bit. She didn't mean to scare her, she was just desperate to make her see the truth. All of a sudden, a light bulb went off in her head.

'Wait, the photo! If I show it to her…'

"Allison…I'm sorry, I got carried away…I just want you to believe what I saw and heard was one hundred percent real. But if my words don't work, maybe this will…"

The brunette reached into her back pocket, fishing out her black MyPhone in a Metallica case. Unlocking it, she entered her gallery and pulled up the incriminating photo before handing it to her. She gnawed on her lip while watching the other's face study the picture.

First it was bewilderment. Then shock. Then disbelief. Then finally, it settled into sheer anguish as the pieces started lining up in her mind.

Nina was not familiar with Photoshop so this photo was fully laying out the truth of her relationship.

Allison felt her face heating up once more and a familiar burning behind her eyes as her hand shook. Her stomach was tied into severe knots and her lower lip trembled. The idea that had popped into her head Sunday night while she was alone in her room had sadly come true. All of those excuses that she had been making for Martin all these months turned around and backhanded her, shouting at her that she was a stupid, naive girl who couldn't stand up for herself. She should have been more firm when demanding more time from the senior and ended the relationship when it was clear that things had taken a turn for the worse. But instead, like the optimist she was, she held onto those broken threads and attempted to tie them back together, only for the silky strands to unravel with each one she fixed.

But what had really blindsided her was the other woman…or man Martin had been locking lips with in the picture. She recognized the curly, black hair and thick red glasses belonging to his good friend Kyle, better known as Database. The two had known each other for years, long before Allison and Martin began even talking to each other, it would've been so easy for them to have a secret relationship under the guise of a close friendship. It seemed that the senior felt more strongly about his friend than he ever did with his girlfriend; the sheer intensity radiated from the screen and poked at Allison's insecurities. The simple answer as to why he was never like that with her was because of incompatible orientation but her mind raced with everything wrong with her.

She was too innocent. She wasn't fully developed. She focused on her schoolwork too much and barely had friends outside of the girls. She was a pushover who let her parents dictate her life and not once ever stood up for herself, choosing to rebel in petty ways that they would never pick up on.

'No.' The voice inside her head resounded firmly. 'This has nothing to do with how you are…he's the one who chose to cheat and lead you on instead of ending the relationship. He's the one who's been lying to you all this time and taking advantage of your kindness. He's the one who's dragged you into his facade unwillingly. He needs to face the consequences.'

Her resolve growing stronger with each sentence, Allison's face became more and more stony, leaving her eyes half-lidded and her lips pressed tight, turning white. Nina grew concerned about her friend's expression. "A-Alli?"

As soon as the brunette spoke, the redhead quickly walked out of the bathroom before running down the hall. "Allison!" She ran after the girl, swearing as she saw her turning down one of the halls. The student council room was at the end.

"Shit, this isn't good."

Nina's combat boots smacked against the linoleum as she raced in the same direction, skidding around the corner and nearly crashing into the wall before continuing her path all the way down. Her brows knitted in confusion as the shorter teen's figure was nowhere to be seen until she heard a sound of skin hitting skin coming from the open door of the room. Cursing again, she sped down and ran into the room, gasping with wide eyes at the sight.

Allison was standing in front of a seated Martin, her right palm raised to her left and a red mark on the senior's cheek while his face was frozen in shock.

'Well damn…'

Nina looked around the room to see the equally shocked faces of the other members, although Database's held some fear. Many of them knew Allison and were baffled at her behavior, knowing she would never hurt a fly. Just what had overcome the redhead?

"How could you?!" The petite teen's voice rang out with hurt and anger towards her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend. "All this time you've been lying to me and using me…why?!"

Martin held his hands up in front of him, attempting to placate the girl. "N-Now darling, there's no need to resort to violence. I-I'm sure that whatever is troubling you can be talked out like adu-"

"Martin, this cannot just be talked out! You've been cheating on me all this time! On top of that, you never told me that you got accepted into Princeton! All those "visits" you did…they were nothing but lies?!"

The older teen gulped, tugging at the collar of his polo. "A-Allison, please, calm down…I-I was going to tell you sooner or later! And those v-visits weren't lies, I r-really did go on them!"

This seemed to enrage the other even more, her teeth now baring as her green eyes flared. "Oh, is that so? Then what about the cheating? Are you going to try to tell me that was a lie, also?"

"A-Ah…um…yes?"

Nina face-palmed at his response before shouting out from the doorway. "You're full of shit, Prince. I saw you with my own two eyes and there's proof!" At this claim, Martin's eyes narrowed a bit at the brunette before looking back at his girlfriend. Seeing that he was going to continue to deny it, Allison let out a short breath through her nostrils before holding up Nina's phone towards him, ready to see how he was going to make an excuse this time. It never came as his blue eyes widened impossibly, mouth opening and closing. The beads of sweat that were forming on his forehead now rolled down, soaking his collar. "I-I…oh no…"

Allison's anger ebbed until it was nothing but sheer disappointment and heartbreak now as he basically admitted to his wrongdoings. He didn't even try to defend himself anymore, knowing that the jig was up; he felt his carefully concocted plan crumbling to pieces. The shorter teen had enough and locked the phone, looking down at the genius with contempt. "Martin…you were my first relationship…for a little while, you made me feel wanted and happy…but I guess you were just good at acting and got tired of playing the role…"

"Allison, I…"

She turned around and spoke in a lower voice. "It's over, Martin."

The redhead began walking towards the doorway but not before shooting a piercing look to Database, noticing how he flinched, knowing that she knew he was the one in the photo. Surprisingly, she didn't even allude to his involvement in the infidelity, not even mentioning that the other person was someone of the same sex. She was furious but she wasn't heartless to out someone who clearly wasn't ready. Once she reached Nina, she handed her phone back to her before whispering. "Let's go…the girls are waiting for us."

The brunette shot the other a pitying look before wrapping an arm tight around her shoulder and leading her out the silent room. Before they walked out, she couldn't help but give Martin the nastiest glare she could muster, gray eyes stormy with venom. It worked as the senior jumped in his chair; she hoped he shit his pants.

The duo walked slowly and barely made it around the corner before Allison crumpled into a heap on the floor, sobs wracking her tiny body. Nina quickly followed her down, gently shushing her and wrapping her arms around the other. "Shh, it's gonna be alright…"

"I-I can't believe t-this…w-why? Why me? I-I thought he loved m-me…"

"Alli…"

Allison sniffled before letting out a hiccup. "To t-think things would go back to the way t-they w-were…I'm so s-stupid!"

"Allison Taylor." Nina grabbed her chin and turned her head to face her. "I never want to hear you call yourself stupid again, you hear me? What he did was all his fault and had nothing to do with you. He fucked up bad by doing all of this and karma is going to bite him in his pompous ass. I know it's not going to be overnight but I…no, we're going to help you get over him. We're gonna make him wish he never cheated on you with Database."

The redhead quieted down a bit at her friend's encouragement, her heart feeling a bit lighter now. Of course, the aching would take days, maybe even weeks, to go away but for now, her words did the job. Realizing how ridiculous she would look to anyone who would walk by, Allison asked Nina to help her up before whispering in a hoarse voice. "Thank you, Nina…it's just…I-I was so invested in this relationship, I-"

Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, the brunette shot the shorter girl a small smile. "I know…when you really care about something, you pour your whole heart into it…that's what makes you so damn lovable!" She lightly pinched one of the tear-stained cheeks, earning a tiny giggle from the other. "Ah, there's that smile I love!"

Allison smiled a bit more at the playfulness before sniffling once more. "W-We should go…I'm sure the girls are wondering where we are…"

Nina nodded in agreement before taking her to the bathroom first, grabbing some paper towels so she could clean her face up. Once the redhead was presentable, the duo left and headed back towards the south entrance. The others were waiting for them at the rec area and were about to ask what took them so long until they noticed the melancholy look on Allison's face. After taking a deep breath, she told them how she had broken up with Martin just now, prompting stunned stares and loud gasps. Not wanting to get into detail on what led up to the decision, she asked them all if they could go somewhere more private to explain. The group immediately agreed to go to Alex's house as it had the best chance of no eavesdroppers or interruptions. Once they arrived after a ride from Winston, the redhead confessed about everything with Nina's help, from her accidental spying to the break up in front of the student council. Of course, this prompted yet another breakdown from the heartbroken girl, resulting in a group hug that nearly smothered her. The girls felt for their friend in her moment of sorrow but also felt some relief that she cut ties with Martin. The issues that had arose in the last few months soured their opinion on the genius and they were pleased that she stood up to him.

But now, the rough part was coming. The answer to the question of how and when Allison was going to get over her heartbreak was nothing that any of them could predict. All they could do was wait.

~•~•~•~

A teen walked down the sidewalk to head towards Skybucks, urgency in her steps as she was dying to tell her friends the news she had just learned.

After finishing up her research in the library, she had ran to the bathroom to do her business before leaving the school. The halls had been empty when she entered but right before she exited, she heard the footsteps sounded before a heavy sobbing filled the air. Her heart tugged a bit at the upset girl until she poked her head out and saw just who it was. Whatever empathy she had disappeared as her face morphed into one of slight delight at Allison's misfortune. Maybe the brainiac had gotten an A- on a test or had gotten an answer wrong in class.

What she heard next was completely unexpected.

It took everything in her not to gasp out loud as the rude punk known as Nina explained the reason for the redhead's misery. The studious Martin Prince had been cheating on the intelligent Allison Taylor with his good friend Database? It was like something out of one of the soap operas her mother binge-watched!

As soon as the two disappeared (following some mushy motivational crap by Nina that had the teen rolling her eyes), she quickly exited the building to spread the word. Before she knew it, she was stepping through the front door of Skybucks, frantically scanning the room for the two teens she was eager to see. Spotting them in one of the corner booths, she speed-walked over before plopping down next to the girl who looked identical to her.

"Geez Terri, took ya long enough!"

The girl sitting opposite of them scoffed, raising an eyebrow at her. "Seriously, it's been almost ten minutes since we left you, that's double the time you said it would take."

"I know, I know, but I have a really good reason for that!" Leaning in and motioning them to do the same, her lips spread into a devilish grin. "I've got some major tea to spill…involving King and Queen Nerdlinger…or should I say former King and Queen Nerdlinger."

Their interest piqued now, Sherri's eyes widened. "What?! Well, what is it?"

Across from them, the teen held a hand up before the one twin began speaking. "Hold on there, Terr. Why don't you go order something? Something tells me this is gonna be a long but interesting story."

Terri giggled and winked. "You bet your ass it is! I'll be right back, you girls want to split a cheesecake too?" Once the two agreed, she ran off to join the small line at the counter. Sherri turned back and tilted her head at her friend. "Wow Janey, what do you think happened with them?"

Janey shrugged before picking up her strawberry acai lemonade. "I don't know, Sher, but-" Her cotton candy pink lips twisted up into a smirk before closing around the straw. "It's going to be very interesting to hear."

~•~•~•~

Whew, what a chapter! oAo

So Alex finally started her beloved internship, Jessica and Bart are attending the dance together (which is just asking for trouble), Nina saw something she wasn't supposed to, Mindy's back and the Martin/Allison ship has officially ended! But Terri was spying and is gonna blab? Talk about a whirlwind…

Also, I couldn't help but make Mindy a little heavier than she was on the show. It only makes sense with the way she eats and drinks plus your metabolism slows down as you get older. She's still gorgeous, though~ F.Y.I., the Kate Lynn I'm mentioning is from "Waverly Hills 9-0-2-1-D'oh", she was one of the girls who was obsessed with Alaska Nebraska and shunned Lisa because she didn't know about her. I plan to introduce the other two of the Caitlins sometime later as well!

Also, the next chapter will be taking place the day of the Harvest Dance! This chapter occurred about a week before it so we'll be doing a slight jumpcut. ;)

As always, review, review, review! :)