Laying flat on her back, long legs stretched out and propped against the wall, she chews a hang nail loose from her right thumb. Her left ear was hot, borderline numb, and sore from listening to her mother ramble on and on. The woman was still talking. Every so often Izzie would insert an uh huh or oh yeah. Carol Stevens gave new meaning to smothering motherhood.

She glances up when the door to the bathroom bangs against the side of her roommate's dresser. A roll of steam pours out, as well as a half naked Mhari Delphino. It was the one thing that truly annoyed her about her roommate. The girl had a habit of parading around in little more than a thong. Could she not put clothes on?

"Have you seen my pink tank top? The one with the little bears on it?" The twin globes of her breasts bounced as she vigorously towel dried her pale hair. Izzie grimaces, looking down at her own flat chest. Where was the fairness? Mhari had to much, and she had none. "I can't remember where I put it."

"Listen, Mom, can I call you back tomorrow?" Gritting her teeth she listens as her mother does the usual rounds of I love you's, be safe's, and I miss you so much's. "Gaw. That woman never shuts up." With one slender hand, she rubs her ear. "Check under your pillow. I think you stuffed it under there this morning."

"Thanks." A moment later the pink cotton is pulled over her chest. "Your little IM thing is flashing."

Sliding her feet down the white wall, Izzie scoots her body into an angle where she can see who had sent her a message. It wouldn't be Meredith, or Cristina. Both of them had signed off. Her breath catches in her throat when she notices the screen name. 43karev.

43karev [9:21: hey

L'amourImortel [9:38: hey!

43karev [9:38: so you are here!

L'amourImortel [9:39: Yeah. I was on the phone with my mom again. She won't stop calling!

43karev [9:39: lol

43karev [9:39: I was on the phone to. Becky.

Izzie's fingers pause over the keyboard. Her lower lip tucks between her teeth. She didn't know much about the illusive Rebecca except she was a year older than Alex, her nickname was Becky, and she had broken up with him this summer. Oh, and Alex still had feelings for her. Amazing what a person learned over mathematic problems.

43karev [9:41: Iz? You still there?

L'amourImortel [9:41: Yeah. Sorry.

43karev [9:42: No problem. I called her to ask her about some of these stupid chemistry problem. This class is going to kick my ass.

L'amourImortel [9:43: Oh. Was she able to help you?

43karev [9:44: No. She was going to give me the answer. I have to work the problems out.

43karev [9:44: Then she wanted to know if we were still going to the Welcome Back dance together.

The dance. Izzie's heart sinks. She had forgotten all about that stupid dance. It would be like every other high school dance. The girls like Mhari, Becky, Addison, and the Barbies got asked. She always stood on the edge of the dance floor, alone. There was no way in hell she was going through that again.

L'amourImortel [9:46: What's the problem? Maybe I can help.

43karev [9:47: That isn't why I told you about it.

L'amourImortel [9:47: I know.

43karev [9:49: CO + CO2 + H2 - CH4 + H2O

L'amourImortel [9:50: Okay. Hmm. Gimme a minute and we can compare answers.

43karev [9:49: k

Chemistry was not her best subject. Give her math any day. Grabbing a piece of paper from a nearby notebook, Izzie tries to make sense of the problem. She blows a lock of hair out of her face. God, she hated her hair. There was yards of it. It looked pretty when it was wet, all curly and smooth. As soon as it dried, frizzy bush from hell.

"Hey." She looks up to find Mhari standing next to her bed. A cloud of baby powder smelling perfume choking her. "I'm suppose to meet a couple friends. Think you could cover for me during room check?"

Looking away, Izzie rolls her eyes, nodding. "Yeah. Sure."

Mhari flashes her a bright smile. "Thanks! I'll owe you."

Owe her what? It wasn't like she had anyone to sneak out to meet. Or that she would likely ever have someone to sneak out for. "Don't worry about it." Ducking her head, she let's her hair hide her face as she continues to work out the problem.

"Catch you later."

Izzie nods, not looking up when she hears the window creak open. There was a tree just outside. No doubt Mhari was an expert tree climber.

43karev [9:52: I got CO+CO 2+9H2- 3 CH4 + 5h2O

L'amourImortel [9:53: Close.

L'amourImortel [9:53: CO + CO 2+ 11HR - 3CH4 + 5H2O

43karev [9:54: Damn. You're right. Thanks.

L'amourImortel [9:54: Sure. Not biggie. That's what friends are for.

43karev [9:55: Yeah. Hey listen, I was wondering if you planned on going to the dance.

L'amourImortel [9:56: Not sure yet.

43karev [9:57: Oh. I was going to see if maybe you wanted to go together.

Together? Her dark eyes widen. Exactly where was he going with the whole together thing? Her fingers shake a bit as she asks him what he means. A squeal bursts past her lips when he replies back that he was asking her to go to the dance with him, as in a date. She squeals again, falling backwards off her bed.

"Shit," she mutters, rubbing her tail bone as she stands up. A knock on the door reminds her that it was time for room check. "Double shit!" Running to the bathroom she turns the shower on, then shuts the bathroom door. "Hey Ms. Walton." She flashes the house mother a smile as she lets the woman in.

"Mhari in the shower?" The short but stout woman glanced around the room, her gaze settling on the open window. "Why is that window open?"

"Uh, I wanted some fresh air." Izzie breathed. Crap. She wasn't a liar. She couldn't lie worth…crap. She licks her lips, praying the woman just bought the shower story and left.

"Hmm. Well, you may want to close it soon. Suppose to rain tonight, you know?" The woman glances at the bathroom door before striding out.

L'amourImortel [9:59: Holy shit! My roommate snuck out and the house mother just came in our room.

43karev [10:00: lol

L'amourImortel [10:01: Sure. Laugh. You're not the one whose shirt is all wet from turning on the shower to trick a scary woman with a beard!

43karev [10:01: lol

43karev [10:01: Are you going to answer me about going to the dance?

L'amourImortel [10:02: Yeah. Sure.

43karev [10:02: Cool. Listen, I'm going to go. See if I can catch Shepherd up and go over the rest of this chem homework.

She logs off, still grinning. The grin slips a bit. What the hell had she been thinking? Agreeing to go to a dance with Alex. It was formal. Expensive dress, amazing hair, glitzy jewelry formal. She slouches on the side of her bed. She would just have to come up with some excuse as to why she couldn't go. It was hard enough fitting in during class, where they all had to wear the same khaki skirts and light blue polo shirts. She wasn't deaf. She knew she was laughed at, looked down on. All because her parents were teachers and didn't have million dollar incomes. A tear slips down her face. As much as she loved them, just once she wished her parents made more money. At least enough to buy a formal, maybe to have her hair done. Wishing never did any good though. She would have to tell Alex she changed her mind.