Today is just creeping by, Alex thought as she opened her locker after second period. She checked how her little orange hat was sitting, checked her makeup, then smiled for a moment as she looked at the spot on her cheek that Justin had cleaned the flour from.

She touched it herself, gingerly, as if too much pressure might break the memory. Even when he was angry, he was cute. And when he was angry, but still taking care of her, he was even cuter...

Her locker door swung back away from her, and Alex blinked, then sighed inwardly as she focused her eyes on Harper. "Hey! I tried to catch you before first period to show you my new dress I made."

Harper stepped back to let Alex have a better look. "Wow." Alex didn't even have to look to be able to say wow. Harper's dresses are always wow. Just usually not in a good way. Then she looked and let out a more honest, "Wow!" This one was much better than Harper's usual - it actually looked like something that someone besides Harper might wear. Although not on any day other than Halloween. Still, that's improvement...

"You like it?" Harper's smile lit up her face, and she turned around, so Alex could see it all.

"Of course I do," Alex said quickly. "You know I like all your stuff. What made you decide to go with a cowgirl look, though, instead of some kind of fruit?" She reached out and touched the vest - pleather, of course, since Harper couldn't stand the idea of wearing real leather. But it looked good.

"Well, I saw Justin had a Western novel on Wednesday - Riders of the Purple Sage, I think it was? Anyway, I thought if he was reading Westerns, maybe I could get his attention by wearing something like this.

Of course. Justin. Alex felt a sudden surge of jealous anger, then bit her lip and frowned. No. It's annoying that she chases after Justin all the time, but I'm not supposed to be mad about it. Harper's my best friend, after all!

Still, she couldn't help but take a little bit of perverse joy as she said, "Ohhhh... that was a bad idea. He's having to read that for a class. He said something the other day about hating it."

"Really?" Harper's eyes went wide, and Alex nodded, smiling in genuine, if nasty, joy. "Really. Quick, go change before next period. If I see him, I'll guide him off."

"Thanks! You're a real friend, Alex!" Harper practically ran toward her locker, the heels of her boots making clomping sounds as she went.

Now why did I do that? Justin's not even here today. Alex finished getting her books, closed her locker, and headed to Chemistry, still thinking. Wow, that whole spanking thing was hot. And... and I really want to do it again. But I can't keep getting Justin mad at me. So... I need someone else to spank me. There. All clear and simple. And Alex thought she knew just who she could get to do it... he'd just need a little persuading.

"Hey... could I talk to you alone for a minute?" Alex gave Dean her brightest smile. It was lunch time, and he had his crew gathered around him at their usual table.

"Sure, Russo," he answered, then nodded around to the others. "You guys, take five. I'll be right back after I talk to Russo." He didn't stand up - instead, then nodded and made affirmative noises around him, then dispersed.

Alex sat down beside him. Here goes. "Hey - isn't that a 480Z?" She pointed out a window, then muttered quickly, "Some are cruel, some are kind, now everyone must speak their mind."

"No, that's not a Z at all. And there's no 480 anyway. What were you sayin' there?"

"Oh, nothing." Okay, Alex, this is it. Plunge ahead. "So... what I really wanted to ask you is, how would you feel if a girl asked you to spank her?"

"I dunno. Nobody ever asked me. Why would they do that?"

Great. I need information, I get literalism. "Well... some girls like that kind of thing. Do you think that's hot, girls getting spanked?"

"Nah. That's not something that revs my motor."

With a sinking feeling, Alex automatically asked, "Why not?"

"Well, because, I'm... you know..." He looked around quickly, then went on. "I don' know why I'm tellin' you this, Russo, but I'm gay."

"What!"

"Hey, not so loud!" Dean said quietly, but emphatically. "I don' want that to get around, you know?"

"Sorry," she said, then shook her head. "But... how can you be gay? Aren't we dating?"

"Well, yeah - I date girls so nobody'll know, you know? The guys knew I was gay, they'd toss me over like yesterday's breakfast. I gotta keep up the image."

Great. Just when I thought I had everything figured out. Thanks so much, truth spell.

Dean shifted uncomfortably. "If you don' wanna keep goin' out, I understand. But don' tell anyone, okay?"

"Of course I'm not going to tell anyone," Alex replied. Yeah. Like I could fault anyone for having secrets. "But yeah - I don't think I want to keep going out, then."

"Sure," Dean nodded, turning sideways and leaning against the table as if they were having a normal, casual conversation. "I'll see you around."

She started to get up from the table, slowly, feeling numb. "Hey, Russo."

"What?" What else have you got to tell me? I don't think I can take any more confessions right now.

"You're still cool to me, Russo. Anyone messes with you, let me know. I'll mess them up for you."

She nodded, managed somehow to form a smile. "Thanks."

Five minutes later, Alex was at her locker again, this time leaning against it, unsuccessfully fighting back tears. "Alex? What's wrong?" Harper's hand touched Alex's shoulder, then moved up to pull back the crying girl's thick black hair, exposing her face.

"D... Dean broke up with me," she sobbed out. It was close enough to true, and it was something she could tell Harper.

"Oh - oh, Alex! I'm sorry!" Harper turned her gently, hugged her. "We'll plan some revenge on him! Can you do something to him with magic? Like, turn him into a frog? Or is it a toad..."

Alex shook her head, quickly. "No. It's okay. I'm not mad at him, just... just..." She started to sob again, and Harper hugged her again.

"It's okay. It's okay, Alex."