Alex was again up early the next day and by the time Juanita had arrived had already gone through six bottles of the soda.

"Geez Alex your single handedly keeping the soda business going" Juanita said, getting a bit annoyed at Alex's constant drinking. She longed to have the Alex back who she could go skating with instead of this shell.

Shortly after Tony arrived and Nat let him in having just got up.

"Hey Tony, Juanita's here already, you can talk while I have a shower" Nat said shutting the door and heading upstairs.

"Hey Alex," Tony said to Alex who didn't look enthused to see him there. "Juanita right?... Can we talk in private?"

Juanita looked sceptically between Alex and Tony.

"Fine" she said getting up, she didn't fell entirely comfortable talking to someone she didn't know.

"What do you want?" she said preoccupied by looking towards Alex.

"Can you help me get Alex of the soda" he said bluntly but with a bit of urgency in his voice.

"Did Nat put you up to this?" Juanita said looking annoyed.

"Yes he did…" Tony said slowly, "But this isn't about Nat, this is about Alex"

"What do you mean?" Juanita said for the first time giving Tony her undivided attention. "What's Alex to you anyway?"

"I'm Alex's friend from a sodaholics at sea cruise we went on a few years back," Tony said remembering his struggle with lemon lime soda.

"No one mentioned to me before that Alex was addicted before," Juanita said a bit more annoyed.

"Don't you watch TV?" Tony asked getting sidetracked.

"Why? And I don't watch TV it only brings bad news, plus I prefer to skateboard." Juanita answered simply.

"They are trying to work whether he is better or worse than last time" Tony said quickly, "But back to the point, will you help me?"

Juanita thought about it for a minute.

"Yeah… I preferred the old Alex" she said smiling weekly and turning to face Alex, "Where'd he go?"

Tony turned around, and sure enough Alex was gone, but the rest of the band was there instruments in hand.

"You have nerve," Juanita said frustrated "but more importantly where'd he go?"

"He saw us come through the door and ran passed and upstairs" Rosalina said quickly

"He broke my gameboy!" David said looking at the wreckage on the floor.

"Who cares about that" Juanita said pushing passed them with Tony on her tail.

"Wait up," Cole called having put down his guitar.

Neither Tony nor Juanita said anything as they ran up the flight of stairs. Bursting through the door they found Alex on the ground trying to drink as much soda as he could in a short time.

"Alex slow down or you'll choke yourself!" Cole called, he didn't want to let Nat down, but Alex was a good friend aswell.

"So what if I do" Alex spluttered defiantly through the tears no coming down his face.

"Give that here!" Juanita said grabbing the bottles out of his hands.

Alex tried to get up and was halfway up, when Juanita pushed him back down.

"Sit down Alex! Or I'll sit on you, and we both know you can't win" Juanita said matter of factly.

Alex tried to get away again so Juanita pinned him against the floor and sat on him.

"Get off me!" Alex cried, "You all just want to get rid of me like Nat does"

"We don't to get rid of you Alex" Cole said defensively.

"You've already taken my place in the band, how long before you kick me out and move in!" Alex cried angrily.

"Whoa, calm down man" Cole said uncomfortable.

"NO!" Alex yelled.

"ALEX! CALM DOWN!" Juanita said firmly to Alex.

"GET OFF ME!" Alex screamed.

"Alex no one's going anywhere until we've talked." Cole said

"About what?" Alex said grumpily conceding defeat.

"What did we talk about last night Alex?" Tony said quietly.

"We didn't talk last night" Alex said confused, "Did we?"

"Yes we did, and we talked about your lemon lime soda problem" Tony reassured Alex.

"I don't have a problem" Alex said defensively.

"Alex you've drunken god knows how much in a week" Juanita said,

"It's all I have since you talk it all away!" Alex retorted glaring at Cole.

"How about this Alex, I'll give up my spot in the band, if you get of lemon lime soda" Cole said, knowing Alex would take his place anyway.

"My spot you mean," Alex said suspiciously.

"Yes fine, your spot," Cole responded.

Alex looked like he was half convinced.

Juanita looked like she was having a battle, she felt she needed something to tip the odds, something the old Alex seemed to be interested in having.

"If you get of soda… we'll go out sometime." Juantia said cautiously.

Alex put his hands over his head as though he had a headache, which of course he did.

"On a date?" he asked eventually

Juanita sat on Alex in silence for about five minutes.

"Yes" she finally answered.

Alex then lolled his head to face Tony.

"Can you come with me?" Alex asked.

"Uhhh, I uhhh" Tony stuttered caught of guard.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeease," Alex said gently.

"Ah well OK then" Tony said throwing his arms about abit.