Story: Of Spitfires and Friendships
Pairing: T.J./Spinelli, lite Gretchen/Vince
Rating: Mid T
Summary: T.J. doesn't really know when his feelings for Spinelli changed, but he can't imagine living without her. Too bad she has yet to realize her own. Slight AU.

A/N: Yay! Last chapter finally! This was my noob first story and I finally finished it! Hooray! I hope you guys enjoyed the ride. It probably sucked but whateva! I had fun writing it! I want to thank anyone and everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate them!

Note: This was a quick update to finish the story off, but then I'll be revising the entire thing within the next month, so expect there to be some changes to the chapters. Or not. I might just decide not to change anything... We'll see.

Disclaimer: I do not own Recess and am merely using the characters for my own entertainment.

TJ was surprised how soft her lips were. Their first kiss was a distant memory jumbled with all the elementary school memories, but he had remembered her lips being somewhat chapped, and there had been a couple grains of sand attached to her bottom lip from falling in the sandbox. But he remembered the sparks he felt, and how hot his hands had felt when they kissed, like how hot his hands were now.

He cracked an eye open when Spinelli didn't respond. She was completely still for a few beats, her muscles stiff and her eyes opened. But then, her eyelids slid shut, and her stiff lips loosened, melding against TJ's without obstruction. He closed his eyes again and held her tighter.

Until she suddenly pushed him hard against his shoulders and kicked him in the shin. He stumbled backwards, his shin exploding in pain.

"What the hell, Spinelli?!" he yelped, stumbling around while gripping his aching leg, "What the hell was that for?! I finally show you I like you and instead of reciprocating, you break my damn leg!"

He had been wrong. Gretchen had been wrong. Maybe she really didn't like him like that. At least, maybe not anymore. Their friendship was probably doomed now. He looked up, expecting a murderous expression on her face, but she was blushing. And she was smiling?

"That, was for waiting this long." A small, happy laugh escaped her mouth, "About damn time, Detweiler."

"So Gretchen wasn't lying? You really do like me."

"Gretchen... you bitch. I told you not to tell." she growled under her breath.

"Spinelli, tell me the truth. Do you like me?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"It's not. Not to me. I honestly thought you'd never feel anything more than platonic like for me."

She took a deep breath before finally looking up to meet his eyes, "Yes, okay. I like you."

"Why didn't you say anything?" He rubbed his shin and walked up to where Spinelli was standing, gesturing for her to sit down next to him.

"I dunno. I was scared, I guess. I mean, you're my best friend, TJ. If I lost you, I don't think I'd ever be able to face you again. And that would suck."

"Okay, I get that, I do, but then why didn't you at least tell me about your brother? I'm your friend first, remember?"

Her eyes widened a fraction and she chewed her nail, obviously contemplating whether or not to tell him, "I knew you would judge me, Teej. I know. I make a lot of stupid mistakes and do stupid things, but when my parents get disappointed in me, it doesn't even matter. But when you show how disappointed you are in me, I can't take it. Which is why I never told you what happened. I just knew you wouldn't be able to take me seriously anymore."

"How would you know that if you didn't even try, Spinelli? Since when were you not able to tell me something? Even when you got your period, and I fervently asked you not to tell me about it, you did anyway. Why should that have stopped you?"

"TJ, we're not middle schoolers anymore. We don't feel the same as we did back then. We're older now, and telling you could have ruined everything we built." she shrugged, "I knew I liked you, but I didn't want to ruin my chances before I even got a chance by telling you something horrible."

"Can you tell me now?"

"Do you promise not to judge me?" he nodded, so she continued, "So around Christmas, Mom was getting on my nerves with her usual bs. 'You have to act like a girl now', 'you're grown up now, start learning some domestic skills'. So to get back at her, I met up with this druggie and bought some weed."

TJ wanted so badly to comment, but he knew what he promised, so he remained neutral-faced, "Stupid, I know. But I wasn't going to smoke it or anything. I was just gonna buy it to get on my mom's nerves. But it didn't happen the way I wanted it to." She frowned and her face burned red, "Joey had followed me apparently, and he intercepted the purchase, but not before the cops got to us. I'm the one who bought the weed! But Joey told them it was his, and he was already on probation. And now he's in jail. I thought my mom would just yell at me like she always does, but she didn't even say anything. She hasn't really spoken to me in over a month. And my dad, forget him. He's barely home these days. I broke our family, you know? Joey was supposed to take over the family restaurant, but that might not happen now. Sometimes, it gets so hard to deal with, you know? So I need a few distractions."

TJ wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her under the crook of his arm. He could see small tears welling in her eyes and he knew she needed support right now. He knew it wouldn't be right to tell her everything would be alright, because he couldn't predict that. But he would definitely support her and help her get through this. "You kept this to yourself for five months? Spinelli, I really wish you told me. I could have kept you company while you were down."

She chuckled mirthlessly, "Yeah. Looking back on it now, I did some really stupid things."

"Some stupid things?" TJ chuckled when she shot him a glare, "I'd say a whole year's worth of stupid things."

"Hey asshole!" she mock punched his arm, "You said you wouldn't judge!"

"I'm not judging. Not at all. I'm just stating a fact."

She made a face and pinched his side, "You know, I never did drugs. I was tempted to, but I never could. It just felt wrong."

He was relieved to say the least. His mind had jumped to some pretty bad conclusions, and it was nice to get the truth. "I'm glad to hear that."

She nodded and they rested in companionable silence for a spell, with only the sound of of the comedy show's laugh track filling the air every once in a while.

"There is one thing I'd like to know, though. Who is Gretchen's boyfriend?! How come none of us knew?"

Spinelli laughed, "I knew. They were trying to keep it a secret, but I found out when I caught them kissing in the stairwell."

"Tell me who it is!"

"You know what? She told me not to tell anyone, but she revealed my secret. An eye for an eye, bitch." she cackled evilly, "She's dating Vince."

"Vince? As in our Vince?" Spinelli nodded. TJ was at a loss for words. Never in a million years had he expected them to go out. It almost seemed like a lie, it was that impossible to imagine them together. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized he had missed some signs in the past. Maybe he really was blind. "That is so weird."

"Tell me about it..." she gagged, "Gretchen told me it happened on that study date the rest of us didn't show up to a while ago. They had been studying and then it was like they were making out, and she realized she liked him. He liked her back and then they started this secret tryst! I say we expose them!"

TJ slowly nodded his head, "You know what? I agree."

"You better watch out, Gretch. Cuz we're coming for ya." she laughed again, no doubt plotting how to expose their secret.

He stared at her. They had cleared the air between them but now what. What were they? TJ knew it was now or never to figure this out.

"So," TJ turned to her and grinned, "Where do we go from here?"

Spinelli shrugged, "I dunno. You like me. I like you. Now what?"

"I think." TJ slid his hand under her chin and turned her face in his direction, "We should stay friends. But you know, with all the kissing and stuff that comes with a relationship."

A small smirk appeared on her face and her eyes drifted down to his lips before rising back up to his eyes, "Ohhh, I get it. You just want some. Are you suggesting we be friends with benefits?"

"Yeah, something like that. Only I'll call you my girlfriend and we go on dates and stuff. What do you say, girlfriend?"

"I say yes... boyfriend."

He grinned before kissing her once again.

Hahaha what a shitty ending! Well, whatevs. It was hard to find a way to end the story, so I ended it this way. Sorry if you're disappointed, but it was time for me to move on to other projects. :)

I guess this is goodbye! Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! A toute a l'heure! :)