It's been 2 weeks since she's seen either Jo and Danny. Green Grove High was in their winter break. The last time she had seen Danny they had shared a passionate kiss, but she had stopped it before it would had gone further. God, she doesn't know what to do, she has all these feelings towards him, doesn't know what they really mean, she was just so confused. She even asked herself sometimes … if she was being charmed by … a psychopath.
She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath, she had decided to wear a beige sun dress, with brown boots she had gotten for Christmas, and a jean jacket, she fixed the small hair sticking up and left for school.
She walked in the school hallway, for some reason she felt she was having a new start. She looked around for her friends who she also hadn't really spent time with during her winter break because Phoebe had left on vacation to Mexico, and Sarita was sick for most of the time.
"Hey! …. Hey Lacey" she hears from her right shoulder, and looks back.
"Hi Rico, whats up?" she genuinely smiles.
"It's nice to see you, how was your winter break?" Rico asks.
"It was calm" she nods her head.
"Cool cool, um hey, I know we don't really talk …. Nor do we really … I mean we aren't really friends.. and stuff but can I ask you for a favor?" Rico stutters scratching his head.
Lacey bites her lip, why was he always this jumpy … "Of course. "
"I have a new friend coming to school, it's actually a new student … so I was wondering if you can maybe show them around …"
What? She thinks to herself. "Um, wait you want me to show your friend around? … Why me?" Lacey asks completely confused.
Rico continues "Well, it's actually a "her", that's why I need you to show her wound so you guys can do girl stuff together… show her the girls bath room *Lacey squints her eyes* … because you're the only girl I know besides Eloise….. and Jo …and the thing is Jo and I -"
"Oh-kay, sure I'll show her around" Lacey shakes her head completely puzzled with Rico.
"Okay okay perfect, thank you … oh look here she comes" Rico smiles awkwardly and does a weird thing with his hand.
Lacey looks at a girl with black pretty hair, bangs and cute outfit. "Andie meet Lacey …. And Lacey this is my girlfriend Andie"
Lacey's mouth opened in shocked and extends her hand to shake Rico's girlfriend hand who's arm was already stretched out. "Nice to meet you Lacey, love your dress" Andie smiles and looks at Rico.
"Thanks,Yeah …. Nice to meet you too … Rico's girlfriend, wow!" Lacey looks at Rico questiongly and smiles at Andie.
"So what class do you have now?" Lacey asks Andie.
Andie starts looking at her schedule "I have Music Appreciation … with Mr. Rogers?" .
Lacey lifts her eyebrows up and nods her head "What a coincidence, me too" . Rico smiles "So I'll see you guys later *Rico kisses Andie's Cheek and walks way" .
Andie blushes, Lacey observes. This is odd.
"I play the violin and you?" Andie looks at Lacey as they walk into class. Lacey puts her bookbag down "Oh um, I'm just taking this class to not take p.e, just yet … I hate the sweat ... *Andie looks at her peculiarly* … I'm learning how to play the piano." Lacey finishes off awkwardly.
"Oh! Well my mom used to be a piano instructor in my other town, you can get some tips from her, you can pass by my house anytime you want, I'll present you to her" Andie says excited.
Lacey smiles, no wonder Rico and her are dating.
Class finishes, Andie and Lacey walk out … "I have to use the ladies room, it's this way right?" Andie points to the left.
"I'll go with you-" Lacey starts.
"Oh gosh, no you don't have to show me around, I'm pretty sure I can find the bathroom myself… Rico just wants me to feel welcomed." Andie interrupts Lacey nicely. "I'll catch up with you later, thanks for everything Lacey!"
"Yeah sure, if you need anything you got my number, .. me and my friends hangout in the student lobby, you can mostly probably catch me there" Lacey says.
Andie does a thumbs up.
It was his first day back at school after being kicked out, and having the police pursuit of him. He was still unaware why he hadn't been arrested, there is something they weren't telling him and he was going to figure it out.
He has been spending time with Jo at Johnny Cakes …. But hasn't seen Lacey since their last encounter. He wasn't going to deny he missed her, you can't have someone so close to you and then have them completely shut you out.
He decided he was going to hang out in the soccer field with Cole, as he made his way out, he saw Lacey going into the lunchroom. Cole can wait a few minutes right?
Going into cafeteria something pats him in the back forcely "Danny man!" , he turns around surprised to see who he was looking upon to …. Charlie; he was in juvy with him, Charlie wasn't any good news but he hadn't killed anyone.
Danny's pocker face didn't work this time, his eyes popped out "What are you doing here?"
"Oh c'mon Danny, what kind of welcome is that to your old friend" Charlie grins.
"They let you out?" Danny asks curiously and standing his ground looking around.
"Few weeks after you left actually, my other school didn't really want me there so I came home to the Grizzlies! … I couldn't let you be the only socio right?" Charlie grinned sarcastically. "There are a lot of babes in here….. have you gotten to screw any yet?"
" I don't think you should be here" Danny stared at him intensely.
"I actually have this chick in my first period, she is banging, I'm planning to talk to her before school ends" Charlie continued as if he hadn't said anything.
"I'll catch up with you later" Danny said as he looked around and had lost Lacey from sight.
Charlie just nod his head and watched him leave with a smirk on his face.
What he hell is Charlie doing here Danny thought.
Danny walks out the cafeteria and sees his friend "Jo!" he calls out.
"Hey, I was just looking for you …. We need to talk about you know what" Jo removes hair stands from her face gently.
"Yeah, we'll meet after school" he assures his friend.
Jo signals with her chin. "Look who's over there"
He looks to his right and breathes in. She was with Sarita and a girl he hadn't seen before.
"Have you talked to her too? About all of this ….Stuff" Jo now observes Danny intensely.
"We haven't really talked since winter break started" Danny says honestly scratching his forehead.
"Well, maybe we should go talk to her now, she has information we need, unfortunately" Jo says fake smiling.
"Maybe right now it's not the right time" Danny insists.
Jo squints her eyes and looks at him "I think it's the perfect time, plus I wanna say hi to adorable little Sarita over there" she starts walking towards them and Danny follows.
"Hi girls! … how are ya'll doing" Jo says it so sarcastically it almost sounds real.
"You have to be kidding me." Sarita fold her arms and rolls her eyes.
"Jo!" Lacey says somewhat surprised. And then looks at him "Hey"
"How's the first day back at school?" trying to be polite.
"I felt better when you weren't here" Sarita looks at him "I can't believe they let you back in our school" .if looks could kill, Sarita would be the number one murderer.
"Very welcoming as Always!" Jo says continues to fake smile.
"Hi!" the other girl says "I'm Andie!"
"Woah, your polite, unlike Others" Jo looks at Sarita and back at Andie. "I'm Jo, and this is Danny"
"Very nice to meet you both" Andie smiles, then her smile fades away. As she probably noticed everyone wasn't actually being friendly.
"I would have thought you guys had met already" Lacey asks interested.
"Can't you see we hadn't? … we all aren't blesses with being so Popular" Jo raises her eyebrow to Lacey.
"Jo" he finally says not really knowing how to moist the dry atmosphere. Lacey squints her eyes to Jo. "Its odd Rico hadn't introduce you two yet" Lacey smiles at Andie; almost tying to reassure her everything is fine.
Jo questions "Rico?"
Danny looks at Andie "Oh cool, you know Rico?"
Jo looks down to floor. Sarita rolls her eyes once again and Lacey lick her lips.
"Do I know him? … hahaha of course I do, he's my boyfriend" Andie says proudly and yet with a genuine smile.
Jo immediately lifts her head up and looks at Andie. "I'm sorry what- ?"
"What kind of friend are you? How is possible that you didn't know your study buddy had a girlfriend …. Oh wait I know why, BECAUSE you replaced him for this Socio" Sarita says with charm and a smile.
Andie looks at Sarita questioningly and uncertain.
Jo keeps looking at Andie and frowns her eyebrows "Rico's girl-friend?" .
Andie nods her head yes without a smile anymore.
"For the student who has one of the highest gpa's in this school, you are not really that smart" Sarita says "I'm sick, tired, and I don't want to be listening to this right now so I'm out … see you later Lace … bye Andie make the right decision on with who to hangout with."
"Um, oh-kay" Andie looks down to the floor and grips her school books.
He felt her eyes lingering, then he caught them and they both stared at eachother "We would like to talk to you" he finally says to Lacey.
Lacey turns and looks at Jo "Are you alright?"
Jo looks away from Andie "What? Oh yeah, I have to go meet with Tyler, so I'll , I'll talk to you guys later"
"Jo!" Andie says.
Jo looks at Andie surprised and weirdly.
"I finally know why you look so familiar! You're Jo from the picture … Rico's mom has this picture of you and Rico when you guys graduated from like middle school I think it was".
Jo stays quiet. "It's a frame by-" Andie tries to continues
"By the dining table, yeah I know where it is" Jo interrupts Andie.
Danny and Lacey look at each other and then observe Jo.
"I didn't know you guys still attended the same school, he hasn't really mention you or hasn't had the chance to talk to me about you, you guys are still friends right, I mean you guys seem very close, a friendship like that doesn't end, right?" Andie smiles "He's probably waiting for the perfect moment to introduce us *giggles* I guess hes a little late now right, hahaha.
"Right" Jo says in monotone and slowly moves her eyes towards Danny. Then he looks at Andie, "We should all hangout at Johnny Cakes"
Andie does an awkward smile " Well, I don't know, I heard they have really good burgers there and shakes but Rico never wants to pass by … but sure I'll tell him" .
Jo squints her eyes at Andie.
Andie looks at Lacey "Well it's been nice meeting all of you, I'm gonna go to the library, Rico is already waiting for me there"
Jo observes Andie as she walks away.
Danny nods his head "That's my cue, I'll see you later Jo" ,
"Ok" she answers back.
He then looks at Lacey "I hope we get a chance to talk."
She nods her head yes and looks down as he walks away.
"Jo," Lacey starts.
Jo looks up at Lacey. "So we need to talk and it's about Danny's dad"
Lacey perks her lips.
"Okay, well lunch is almost over and I was suppose to see Tyler.."
Lacey touches Jo's arm and stops her. "I get it that you don't like Sarita, and can't stand her, I guess the feeling is mutual, but why did you have to act like that with Andie …. I mean Rico is dating her" Lacey looks at her, trying to find answers in the yes of her former friend/
Jo looks at Lacey. "this is none of your business Lacey, … Rico and I … I wasn't rude to her, I was just surprised as you can see … See you when I see you".