A/N: My first proper fic, I finally appreciate how hard it is to write one. Seems messy at first but making it better as I go on, hope you guys like it.

This is AU, Alex & Jodie are best friends, Alex and Marissa are childhood friends who arent that close anymore but will reconnect as incidents throw them together. Definitely Malex although it might not seem so at first.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1: Friendship & More

"Wake up! You don't want to be late on the first day of school again do you?" A voice shouted as a pillow flew across the room and landed with a thud against the head of a sleeping blonde.

Alex sat up with a groan as she massaged the side of her head and gave a sleepy yawn.

"How many times must I tell you not to wake me up that way Jodie? A simple tap on the shoulder would suffice," Alex muttered.

"Oh yeah? Do you want to know just how many "taps on the shoulders" I've given you this morning? Come on, let's not be late again, Jordan will go nuts if you're late, you're supposed to try and be a model student!"

"Since when are you a law-abiding citizen? There's nothing much to learn on the first day of school anyway," Alex grumbled but gave in as she ambled to the bathroom to wash up.

"Hey Alex!" a voice shouted as soon as Alex stepped across the school gate.

"Oh no, there she is again, quick, hide me," Alex rambled as she tried to hide behind Jodie.

Looking to see who it was, Jodie rolled her eyes and said, "Come on, why don't you just tell her to get lost if you're not interested? Then you can stop hiding like an idiot every time she comes near you"

"Erm, because I don't want to hurt her feelings? She's…"

"HI ALEX! How was your summer trip? Did you enjoy yourself? I missed you soooo much" the owner of the voice gushed as she stepped in front of a now stranded Alex.

"HI MICHELLE!" Jodie interrupted with fake enthusiasm and a voice loaded with sarcasm. "Alex and I had great fun! DIDN'T WE ALEX?" Jodie gave Alex a grimace as she entwined her fingers with Alex and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Going red but nevertheless glaring at Jodie, Michelle vehemently muttered "you two sure are close for just good friends" before turning around and walking briskly in the opposite direction.

"There, I've helped you get rid of her, you can thank me anytime now."

"Thank you?" Alex replied. "Michelle's my friend and didn't I tell you to stop pretending you're my girlfriend? How am I supposed to find a girl when everyone thinks we are together?"

"Oh please," Jodie rolled her eyes. "Plenty of girls here will gladly get together with you even if you already have a girlfriend; it's just that you're WAY too picky."

"Yeah right, whatever," Alex called back, heading straight for her first class of the day with Jodie close behind.

"Hey Alex!" a voice shouted from somewhere in the cafeteria behind Alex.

"Now what," muttered Alex as she took her time to turn around.

"Looks like yet ANOTHER girl wants to know how your summer went," Jodie grinned.

"Shut up," Alex grunted looking grouchy. Her expression changed immediately, however, when she saw the owner of the voice.

"Hey Marissa! How was your summer?"

"Good! Hey want to hang out together after school? We could get some coffee, catch up."

"Sure, I'll see you after school" Alex smiled and turned to see Jodie rolling her eyes at her.

"Why, in heaven's name, do you always seem so happy when you see Marissa bloody Cooper? That girl is a typical RSB!"

"Firstly, what is wrong with being happy to see a friend and secondly, what the heck is a RSB?" Alex asked.

"Rich Spoilt Bimbo. And I can't explain it, but that girl just reeks of trouble."

"Trouble?" Alex laughed. "Jodie, just because she rejected you before doesn't mean she's trouble, it just means she has got a certain standard, like me."

"No I wasn't.. I didn't even really like her… Go to hell Alex," Jodie stuttered and turned so Alex would catch the hurt on her face.

"Haha, I'm right aren't I? But get over it Jodie, there are plenty more fish in the sea. Alright I'll see you when I get back, we can go out for dinner or something. Bye," Alex rambled to Jodie's retreating back, oblivious to her best friend's pain.

Leaning against the wall, Alex fiddled with the zip of her hoodie as she waited for Marissa to exit the school. Alex and Marissa had been neighbors since they were kids until Alex moved into a new apartment with Jodie when they went to college. When they were younger, they often hung out after school together and visited each other at home but slowly drifted apart as they grew older and made new friends: friends like Jodie who made it difficult for them to spend time together without an argument breaking out. Alex smiled as she remembered the times when they stayed over at Marissa's place and the mischief they would get up to which includes playing pranks on Marissa's sister and spying on Marissa's mum and her countless lovers. She loved the carefree days when they could spend hours lying on the grass staring at the stars, flirting with each other before they grew up and could no longer act like young, innocent children.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" a voice broke into her thoughts.

"You." Alex replied without thinking. "I mean.. I mean I was thinking about the fun times we had when we were younger," Alex corrected, looking embarrassed as Marissa raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, all that seems so long ago doesn't it," Marissa sighed. "Well I'm still glad that we can find time to catch up with each other occasionally. So how have you been?"

Over cups of coffee Alex and Marissa recounted their summer stories. Alex greatly enjoyed herself and was unable to look away or disagree with Marissa whenever she smiled. It was a weakness she has had since junior school. Alex found herself wishing that they never grew apart and that they had more of such times together.

"I can't believe you did that!" Marissa laughed. "How could you just answer the phone you found on a park bench and told the man's wife to go ahead and buy a new apartment!"

"Well, I figured that I was doing a good deed for both the man and his wife, after all she's happier and she loves him more now so he should be happier too!" Alex grinned.

"So, talking about being happy…" Marissa said as she gave Alex a smirk, "how are things between you and Jodie?"

"What? Bloody hell Marissa why won't you believe me when I say Jodie is NOT my girlfriend? We're just really good friends!" Alex rattled.

Marissa laughed. "Come on Alex you can trust me.. I don't judge and I think it's obvious anyway with you two being inseparable and with you moving out of your parents' to live with her and all."

"Look," Alex said with a red face, "do you see Jodie next to me? Uh ngh, nope. Which means, firstly, that we're not inseparable. And secondly, as I've told you many times, Jodie lives too far from college and decided to get an apartment. I moved in with her to help pay the rent and also to be nearer to school, that's all. We're just housemates!"

"Okay okay!" Marissa giggled, "although I still don't believe you! Even if you guys are not together there is undeniable attraction isn't there? We can all tell from the way Jodie looks at you," Marissa teased.

"What, her murderous glares? Her eyerolls? Those are signs of love? Man I must be out of touch with this new age of romance," Alex said sarcastically as Marissa laughed.

"Alright alright. Anyway, I'm having a birthday party next weekend and I'm going to see you there," Marissa said confidently.

"Yes, your royal highness," Alex replied.

"Good, and oh, bring your girlfriend along too," Marissa winked as she stood up to leave.

Please review so i should know if i ought to continue posting and feel free to give comments! Thank you.