Shelly stood in front of the mirror for the tenth time in an hour. The jeans and shirt looked okay enough but she still wasn't sure. In fact, she wasn't sure about anything…her outfit, her plans for the evening and the fact that her new boyfriend, Mouth McFadden was hanging out in her bedroom when her parents weren't home. She had been busy planning the next Clean Teen fundraiser when Mouth had called and asked her to go with him to Tric. It wasn't the first time Shelly had been to the popular, local teen hangout but she was still nervous about it. Normally she was in her element, with her Clean Teen friends, sitting at a table together with their Clean Teen tees on. For Shelly, it was a source of protection. The members were her new friends, a constant reminder of the life and reputation she had left behind. Shelly had founded the group for a reason. It was based on a set of principles and values she desperately believed in. But despite being known as the outspoken, confident leader, on the inside was a shy, insecure girl. Clean Teens had started out as a vision but had quickly become a crutch.

"You ready yet?" Mouth asked.

"Yeah. I mean, no. I don't know. Maybe I should go change…"

He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Again?"

"Sorry, I…"

"No, it's okay. Don't apologize. It's just that you look great."

"Really?"

"Yeah and you looked great in the last five outfits, too."

She gave him an embarrassed smile.

"I'm being a real spazz, huh?"

He shrugged.

"You're being a total girl. Don't worry, I get it. I'm friends with Brooke Davis, remember?"

"It's just that…"

He noticed as she kept fidgeting around and quickly picked up on the fact that it had to do with something other than wardrobe.

"Everything alright?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I just…"

"Shelly, what's the matter?" he asked softly. "It's okay, you can talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

She took a deep breath.

"I feel weird."

"What do you mean?"

"It's stupid."

He gave her a smile as he stroked her cheek.

"No, it's not stupid and whatever it is, I really want to hear it. Talk to me."

"Tonight at Tric…well, none of my friends are gonna be there."

"So? I'll be there. Brooke and Chase will be there. And so will Lucas and Peyton and everybody else. You know those guys."

"Not really. I mean, aside from Brooke and Chase. I have classes with everyone else and stuff and we know of each other but I've never really sat down and talked with them."

"Then that can all change tonight. I'll introduce you to everybody. They're a great bunch of people and we're gonna have a blast, Shelly."

"What if they don't like me?" she asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I guess I get nervous about things like that. How I look, how your friends are going to react. It's pretty stupid, huh?"

Mouth shook his head.

"I don't think that's stupid at all. I think it's sweet that you care so much and I think it's cute how nervous you get about how you look because you always look beautiful."

"Mouth…"

"It's okay."

"I'm not the same Shelly I used to be. A lot has changed. A lot had to change. I 'm just afraid, that's all."

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of being me," she answered in a quiet voice. "I always feel like I have to maintain this certain image. Is it okay for me to hang out with a guy? Is it okay for me to go to a club? Is it okay to dress a certain way? I guess I just feel like people are always watching, always talking. I know it's not supposed to matter what they think but it does."

"It's high school. We should be having the time of our lives, Shelly and that's okay. Look, you're a good person. No, you're a great person. That's all that matters, right? Or it's all that should matter. There is nothing wrong with going out and having a good time. There's nothing wrong with having a boyfriend. Most importantly, there's nothing wrong with being who you are. You can do all of those things and still be a Clean Teen."

"You think so?"

"I know so. The whole Clean Teen thing…well, I admire it. You've done a good thing and it took a lot of guts. Clean Teens is an accomplishment but it doesn't have to define who you are for the rest of your life."

She walked over and took a seat beside him.

"It's so weird."

"What?"

"How being with you makes me feel like I can do anything. You let me be me and you don't judge. I don't have that with a lot of people. I mean, I was like two seconds away from telling you to just forget about the whole night."

"And now?"

"Now I feel a million times better. I feel like I can go out and have a good time and be myself and not have to feel guilty about that."

"You don't have to."

She looked at him and laughed out loud.

"I keep hanging around you and pretty soon I'll have the nerve to wear those," she said leaning down underneath her bed.

Shelly pulled out a shopping bag. Inside was a pair of form fitting leather pants with the price tag still on them.

"Wow," Mouth mouthed. "These are pretty hot."

"I love them. I saw them in a store and they were my size and they were on sale and just couldn't help myself."

Mouth nodded appreciatively.

"I bet you look pretty hot in them."

The smile faded from her face.

"I don't know."

"Come on. Don't be so modest. I bet you're smoking."

"No, I really don't know. I…I never tried them on."

"Why?"

Shelly shrugged.

"I was scared. Scared of what it all meant, scared of what people would say."

"There's only one way to find out."

She looked at him and smiled, seeing the twinkle in his eye. They'd had conversations about it. Mouth was different and she felt like she could talk about anything with him. She had opened up to him about some of her deepest fears and insecurities. They had talked about image and reputations and how, especially in high school, it could define you. She had spoken about how things had changed for her over the years, how founding Clean Teens had changed everything. Now she was seen as some sort of virgin heroine. Sometimes she had a hard time just letting loose. What if people saw her differently? What if they talked? Mouth's response had been simple. "So what?" He had told her how much he respected her for changing her life. He told her Clean Teens had been a brave odyssey to take on. And he had told her what a great person she was. She could still have fun and be a regular teenager and wear make up and be sexy all the while remaining a role model. And when she told him about the leather pants she had secretly splurged on, he had encouraged her to show them off. She had a great body and who cares if people talked? If they did, it was nothing more than high school fodder from a bunch of gossiping losers with nothing else better to do.

"You really think so?"

He nodded and kissed her cheek.

"I know so."

Suddenly feeling free and liberated, a daring Shelly giggled as she snatched the pants away and disappeared into the bathroom. Moments later she returned, leather pants on, with a white tank.

"So what's the verdict?"

He extended his hand and she gladly accepted it with a smile.

"Just one word. Wow! No, another word. How about amazing?"

"You sure my ass doesn't look too bad in these pants?"

His eyes gave her the quick glance over.

"Trust me, your ass looks great."

"Thanks…I think," she laughed.

"You ready to do this?"

She gave him a nod, glancing one last time in the mirror feeling anything but uncertainty.

"You know what Mouth McFadden? I used to think you were nice. Now I think you're dangerous," she teased.

Mouth grinned. That was a definite first, he thought as he slipped on a pair of sunglasses. It had been a great day and it was going to be an even better night. They had spent the day hanging out and sharing secrets. They had giggled and had fun eating junk food. For Mouth it had been great. Just being near her gave him happiness he never imagined possible. And Mouth had given Shelly something none of the other guys had given her before. He had given her confidence. Confidence to be sexy, confidence to be a girl, confidence to be herself.