Rachel's smile was victorious. But Sam didn't care about that. All she could think about was the slow yet painful tearing of her heart. Why would Jake ask Rachel? She felt a little hypocritical, to be so upset with Jake, when this was practically the same thing she had done to him. Now she knew how it felt. Damn karma.

"Well I mean I was shocked when he asked me. But I could hardly say no...I mean you know," she winked at Sam. Sam wasn't sure if she wanted to barf or rip Rachel's throat out, both options seemed extremely appealing.

"Why would Jake ask you?" Jen asked incredulously making Sam totally grateful to her best friend. "I mean...you know." Sam wanted to applaud Jen's perfect mimic of Rachel.

Rachel sneered. "Honestly Kentworthy. Do you even have to ask? What we should be worrying about is why my brother asked you. Perhaps he has been in Nevada too long," her British accent became stronger as she went. Maybe she thought it added a little extra snotty touch to it. It was working.

Jen opened her mouth to retort but Sam grabbed her hand and squeezed it making her pause.

"Well that's awesome Rachel. Hope you guys have fun." Sam heard her voice, dead and flat. She was really handing Rachel her victory easily.

Rachel's grin seemed a little crazed and demonic. "Oh trust me dear, we will," she winked and twirled leaving Sam and Jen behind. Sam felt like she had swallowed a boulder.

"Um, Sam?" Jen gave her a inquiring look that Sam read perfectly. Are you ok?

She really wasn't. "Hey Jen, you should just wear my dress."

Jen grew worried. "Oh jeez," she waved her hand in front of Sam who was staring in the direction Rachel had pranced off in. "She's lost it. Ok we need to get you a hot chocolate and a Cinnabon pronto!"

Sam gave a weak smile. "I'm not really hungry, thanks. And I mean it--I'll wear the red one."

It was Jen's turn to grin devilishly. "Oh-ho. So it's war then?"

Sam decided then and there it was going to be. She was so ready to apologize to Jake, to tell him she had been completely immature and a total moron...until he went and did this. Asked Rachel to homecoming! Not once had Jake been to homecoming, out of all the years he has been in high school this was his first year going...and he was taking Rachel.

Bastard!

So if it's a game he wants to play, it's a game he'll get.

"I declare war."

Jen smiled and gave an evil cackle. "This is going to be so fun."

She had no idea how right she was...

x-x-x-x

"Still don't see why you have to call her," Jen said from Sam's bed, she was flipping through some gossip magazine she'd gotten at the mall.

"If anyone knows how to look sexy and well face it-hot-it's gunna be Violette." Sam punched in her number and hesitated. Instead of hitting send she went to new message, sending this in text would be a lot easier. Besides, she didn't have the energy to listen to Violette today.

I need your help.

As much as she hated that fact, she hit send.

x-x-x-x

"Oh my holy hotness. Johnny Depp is going to marry me one day...he just doesn't know it yet." Jen declared.

They were sitting on the couch watching one of their favorite movies. Pirates of the Caribbean. She was right though. Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow was totally drool worthy. Nobody else could pull off the dirty greasy pirate look like Johnny.

"Here I am to save the day!" Violette burst into the family room making them both jump.

"God Violette! Just give us a freaking heart attack next time," Jen said glaring at her and nervously smoothing her hair back, she must have really been scared.

"Um, what exactly are you doing here?" Sam asked. Sure she sent her the text, but she didn't expect her to actually show up at her house, completely unannounced.

Violette rolled her eyes and put on that tone that implied Sam was a total idiot. "Hello," she waved her phone in front of her face blocking Jack Sparrow. "You rang. What's up?" She then proceeded to flop down on the couch right next to, half way on top, of Sam.

Sam's stunned silence matched Jen's. Was Violette being...personable? The thought made her smile, here was the rare side of Violette, this was Sam's second encounter on it, and she had to admit...she really liked it. If she kept acting like this-pardon the pun-then Sam could actually see them being great friends.

Violette looked at the TV screened and gave a huff. "Now who can concentrate when he's on your television screen," she struggled the remote away from Jen and clicked it off. "Now, speak."

"Jake asked Rachel to homecoming." Sam blurted. Even though Violette probably had no clue who Rachel was and why this would matter to Sam.

She was surprised when Violette quirked her eyebrow as if this actually meant something to her.

"You are kidding? That annoying little snotty British brat from your school?"

Sam didn't point out that Violette had also just described herself, minus the being from her school thing. She was pretty shocked that Violette even knew who Rachel was.

"Yeah," she said it slowly, like she was chewing on the word.

"What a di-"

"Ok Violette! I know, don't remind me." Sam took a deep breath, she couldn't believe she was about to ask for Violette's help. "I'm wearing the red dress."

Violette barked a laugh and smiled wickedly. "So you plan on torturing him? Oh, and every other guy that goes to your school."

"I doubt I'll be the only girl in a pretty racy dress Vi." Sam gave her a nickname. Why would she do that? What was that saying?

Don't name it, you'll get attached to it.

She just named it...it being Violette.

Violette blinked but didn't retort or make a snarky comment about the nickname, instead she seemed genuinely shocked...and pleased.

"Uh, yeah," she shook her head like she was clearing out the cobwebs. "So why are you telling me?"

"Well...I was hoping you would help me be," Sam shrugged and blushed looking away from Violette. "Sexy..."

Jen snorted and Sam hit her with a couch pillow.

Violette didn't smirk, or snort, or do anything that Sam expected her to do. Instead she smiled.

"Hell yeah."

Jen smiled to and bounced excitedly on the couch. "This is going to be so much fun."