Later that day the kids came home from school. "Hey kids!" Carol said with cheerfulness. "How was your day?"
"Peter got hit," said Jan.
"Hit?" asked Carol a bit concerned. "What do you mean?"
"This guy got angry at Peter for hanging out with his girlfriend, so he hit him," replied Jan.
"Yeah, I got a bad nose bleed, I had to go to the nurse," added Peter.
"Oh no, Peter, that's horrible," said Carol. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," replied Peter.
"Alex stuck up for him, it was really something!" said Jan.
"Wow!" Bobby said with amazement. "That was super cool of you Alex," Peter and Alex were in the boys' room, telling Bobby and Greg what had happen at school. Greg laughed.
"I never thought of you of the violent type, Al," said Greg.
"I'm not, usually," replied Alex.
"Do you feel guilty about it?" Greg asked.
Alex paused for a moment thinking on what to say. "You know what," Alex began. "I'm not, I don't feel guilty about it, it's what he deserved,"
"I really appreciate what you did for me," Peter said with a smile.
"No problem Pete, you're like a brother to me," replied Alex. She got up and walked over to Bobby and rubbed his hair. "All three of you are like brothers to me,"
"You're like a sister to us too, Alex," said Greg.
"Yeah, I would have done the same for you," said Peter.
"I would too," added Greg.
"Me too," added Bobby. "Well, I probably wouldn't be able to take him, but I'd try,"
"Thanks," said Alex with a grin. "You guys are the best,"
"And she just punched him?" Marcia asked Jan after she had told her sisters what had happen at school in their room.
"Yeah," replied Jan. "It was pretty cool how she stuck for him, and how she can pack a punch,"
"Sounds like it," Marcia said with a chuckle.
"Wish I was there to see it," said Cindy.
"I would never think to punch him," said Marcia.
"Me neither," said Jan. "But I don't think Alex did either,"
A few hours later Alex was riding her bike down the street she ran into Rachel Palmer. "Hey Alex!" she called. Alex stopped her bike.
"Hey Rachel," Alex greeted back. "Hey, Rachel, I forgot to apologize for punching your boyfriend today, I hope you're not too mad at me,"
"It's okay, Alex," she said. "I dumped him right after he punched Peter, I think you were too angry to catch that,"
"Oh," Alex said scratching her head. "Yeah and the count I don't listen very well," Rachel laughed at Alex's comment, thinking of it as joke, when it was really the truth.
"I'll catch you later," she said. As she walked off, then she stopped and turned back to Alex. "Hey Alex?" she asked.
"Yeah?" asked Alex.
"How is Peter by the way?"
"He's fine,"
"That's good to hear," she stalled a bit, trying to find the right words. "Do you think he'd like to go out with me?
"Peter?"
"No, George Washington," Rachel replied sarcastically. "Of course Peter,"
Alex shrugged. "I don't see why not,"
"Well, could you ask him for me?"
"Okay, but only because you two would make a cute couple," she rode off.
"Rachel Palmer asked me out?!" asked Peter with disbelief.
"Who is Rachel Palmer?" Bobby asked.
"This girl we met a few days ago at the Ice Cream Parlor," replied Alex. "She's also the new girl,"
"And she wants to ask you out?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah," replied Peter. "Is there something wrong with that?"
"No," replied Bobby. "Nothing wrong, just strange,"
"Well?" Alex asked Peter.
"Well what?" asked Peter.
"Are you going to go out with her or not? You airhead," replied Alex.
"Yeah, I think I will,"
"I think it would be cute if you two were to go out," said Jan after Peter asked her advice about going out with Rachel.
"You think?" asked Peter.
"Yes, Peter! Go for it," replied Jan.
"Yeah," added Cindy. "I think you two would be a cute couple, and I don't even know who Rachel Palmer is!"
Peter was so confident, so sure, until he got to thinking of Jason, Rachel's old boyfriend. "Oh no," he mumbled.
"What?" asked Jan.
"What if Jason finds out?" asked Peter. "Then he'll beat me up, for sure!"
"Peter you need to quit worrying so much," said Jan. "Besides, if he tries anything you can summon your cousin," Jan said as a joke but Peter took it as if it were a serious statement.
"I can't have Alex fight all my battles!" said Peter seriously. "I'll have to stand up to him!" and he left the room.
"Wow does he take things seriously or what?" Cindy asked.
The next day at school Alex, Jan and Peter were laughing and talking on their way to the jr. high, until they spotted Rachel waiting under a tree, searching the school looking for Peter. Jan and Alex looked at each other and began to walk away. "Wait!" shouted Peter. "Where are you going?"
"Sorry Pete, but we gotta split!" said Alex. Leaving Peter in the open, Rachel spotted him and walked up.
"Hey Peter," she said shyly.
"Hi," he said shyly as well. They stood there a few moment, Peter noticed she wasn't going to do the first move, so he did. "So would you like to go out sometime?" Peter asked finally. Rachel didn't think she'd ever hear the words come out of his mouth. "You know for a pizza or something,"
She stood in shock, but realized she has to say something. "Sure, um, yeah, yeah that would be nice," she said.
"Far out, um, how about this Friday?" Peter asked.
"I'd like that," she replied.
Peter walked into the kitchen after school Jan and Alex were sitting at the table as if waiting for him. Bobby was there snacking on potato chips.
"Where have you been young man?" asked Alex pretending to be serious.
"I uh, walked Rachel home," Peter replied.
"Oh you did?" Jan asked grinning as well.
"Yeah," he said as he took a seat at the table.
"So what's wrong?" Alex asked.
"What do you mean?" Peter asked.
"You seem, strange," Alex replied.
"I'm just, still in shock I suppose," he said.
"So you guys are going out?" Jan asked. Peter smiled at Jan as he nodded, blushing a bit.
On Friday night Greg, Bobby and Peter were in their room, Greg was helping Peter get ready for his date with Rachel. "Well, hey, look at you, Pete!" said Greg.
"Yeah?" Peter asked curiously. "Do I look good?"
"Good? Nah," replied Greg. "You look great, no, fantastic even! You'll be a sure hit!"
"He looks the same as he did a half hour ago when you started!" said Bobby looking up from his magazine as he laid on his bed.
"Bobby, you know nothing about life," Peter stated.
"I'm only ten! What life have I got?" said Bobby.
A few hours later Peter returned from the Pizza Parlor. "He kiddo," greeted Mike sitting on the couch. "How was your date?"
"Yeah Pete, how'd it go?" asked Greg.
"It was great! Rachel and I have so much in common, she's really nice, and she digs me too!" replied Peter.
"Hey Pete! That's great!" said Mike.
"Yeah, my little brother's first girlfriend! A big brother's proud moment when their younger siblings fallow into their footsteps," said Greg pretending to get emotional and fakes a sniff and wipes an imaginary tear from his eye. "My kid brother is growing up!"