Chapter 23

That evening, Abby would spend the night at the dorms. She sat at the desk as she worked on an assignment while Kuki munched on chocolate chip cookies as she watched Supernatural on low volume. The dark-skinned girl threw her hands in the air with a triumphant sigh as she finished her paper. "All done. Gimme a cookie, Kuki," she said with a wide grin, pleased with her supposed wordplay. The Japanese girl stuck her tongue out at her as she passed Abby the box.

"Um, Abs," Kuki called when a commercial came on. Abby had been lying across the breadth of her bed on her back, her legs propped up against the wall. She looked upwards so that she could see the upside down image of her friend. "Why was Hoagie so pissed off at Kensei?"

Abby rolled over to lie on her stomach. She looked at her best friend, not quite sure of what to say. "Are you and Kensei…close?" she asked.

"Not really. No," she said as she wondered what that had to do with anything.

"Ok, uh, let's just say he did something to me some time back…and now Hoagie doesn't want him anywhere near me," she replied as she avoided eye contact.

Kuki gulped, suddenly feeling very guilty. "Oh." She was lost for words.

"Yeah."

xxx

The crew was chilling together at lunch time in the school cafeteria. It was one of those days where everyone's schedule was empty, so they could hang out. Nigel had just called Wally on his cell phone to find out where he was and who he was with. "We're in the caf," the blond had said into his phone. "The gang's here, more or less." Wally hang up and waited for his bald pal to come upstairs. Seated at the table with him were Hoagie and Abby, Pauline and Kuki. The Aussie had just stolen a fry from his girlfriend's plate but as he brought it to his mouth he dropped it out of shock. His jaw dropped as he saw Nigel walk toward them with Lizzie in tow. The rest of the group followed his shocked gaze up to the approaching couple.

When Nigel arrived at the table he quietly mouthed 'Be nice' before he pulled a chair for his girlfriend to sit. "Hi everybody," she greeted shyly.

"Hey," Hoagie replied with an eager grin as he sat forward in his chair and placed his arms on the table. He couldn't believe Lizzie was there, and seemed shy too. That was so not the Lizzie he knew. The rest of the group smiled and waved as they said their hellos.

"I'm sorry I've been weird and a bit of a bitch to you guys all these years," Lizzie continued just as quietly; just as shyly.

Wally's green eyes grew wide and he brushed away the fringe of his now longer hair so that he could stare at Lizzie openly. He only broke his gaze because Kuki had nudged him. He shrugged at his girl as if to ask 'What?' before turning to Nigel. "What's wrong with her?" he asked, sincerely worried about the bespectacled redhead.

The Brit glared at his blond friend. "Nothing is wrong. Lizzie just wants to hang out. Is that a crime?"

"Uh…" Wally said as he scratched the back of his neck. He looked around the table at his friends to confirm if they too shared his bewilderment.

"Nah, it's great that you're here," Abby said as she looked deliberately at Wally before turning her gaze to Lizzie and giving her what she hoped seemed like a genuine smile.

The redhead bit her lip nervously before Kuki addressed her. "Lizzie," the Asian said sweetly, "Welcome to the family," she added as she got up and gave Nigel's girl a hug. Lizzie was too shocked by that gesture to reciprocate. She just sat up straight as she received Kuki's embrace, all the while her eyes moving between her boyfriend and Kuki's back.

When the Japanese girl pulled away, she smiled genuinely at the bespectacled girl who was still trying to register what had just happened. "Uh…thanks?" Lizzie said meekly.

Nigel, who was seated beside his girl, smiled and draped his arm across her shoulders. "See, they like you already," he whispered into her ear before giving it a little kiss. The group at the table smiled while Wally still wore a confused look on his face. He would definitely be the last one to get used to having Lizzie around.

xxx

Later that afternoon when the girls had left to go do their different things, the boys remained behind, lounging in the cafeteria. Hoagie was lazily sipping on his juice as Nigel rested his legs on the chair next to his as he read one of the newer espionage novels about Jason Bourne. Wally was excitedly playing Need for Speed on Nigel's laptop. When he crashed his ride and realized he would definitely not win that round, he gently pushed the computer away from him in slight frustration. He sighed and looked up at Hoagie who seemed to be in his own world.

"Dude, what's up?" he asked curiously.

Hoagie laid his eyes upon the blond and chewed on his straw before he responded. "Nothing, man."

"Come on, who d'you think you're playing?"

At this point Nigel's attention was on the two boys even though he did not lift his gaze from his book.

Hoagie gave his friend a look. "It's just…I don't want that guy from yesterday anywhere near Abby."

"Why? You jealous or what?" Wally asked innocently. "I mean, what could he possibly do?" Then added as an afterthought, "He's the one who saved my ass from that druggie, you know?"

Nigel cocked his head in the Aussie's direction. "Really?" he asked, astonished. "So that makes your savior a druggie too?"

"What? No…well, maybe…It doesn't really matter coz he saved me, so he can't be that bad, right?" Wally asked, pleadingly, hoping his friends felt the same. He felt that he really owed Kensei. It was a reasonable feeling, all things considered.

"Well, I'm not jealous," Hoagie replied wearily as he dropped the straw on the table. "I just don't trust him, that's all."

"How come?" Nigel finally asked.

"I've got my reasons," the brown haired boy said carefully, for he didn't want to give away Abby's secret.

Wally and Nigel exchanged a look and let the topic slide.

xxx

The couple was walking to campus from Pasty's arm-in-arm. Well, Wally had his hands shoved down his pockets as per usual while Kuki locked her arm in his as she leaned into him slightly. It was a chilly night and the dark haired girl had just finished her shift when she found Wally waiting for her outside the diner. He had always been around to walk her back to school when she had late shifts. She had quit protesting about his showing up a while back when he had insisted that he would always escort her if she was working late. She had instead come to appreciate the fifteen minute episodes when they were alone on the lit sidewalks, talking sometimes, and maintaining silence other times; just enjoying each other's company. That evening was a 'talking' evening, even though it was a bit one-sided.

"I just don't get it," Wally complained. "Why can't he cut Kensei some slack? I mean, it's not like he's the only guy who's got his eye on Abby. He didn't have to try punching his lights out, you know?" He looked questioningly down at his girlfriend when she did not respond. "Kuks, come on. You can't be on Team Hoagie with this…?"

Kuki shrugged. "I dunno, Wall. I mean, maybe Hoagie has a good reason to not trust him."

He scoffed. "Are you serious? He's your brother. I'd have thought you of all people would have a little more faith in him."

"Well, you don't know him like I do. Besides, Hoagie is free to hate whoever the hell he wants. "

Wally stopped walking. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," she said as she shook her head. "Just drop it, ok?"

"Kuki?" he asked as he looked intensely into her dark orbs.

"Please Wally," she begged.

He didn't say another word as they continued their slow trek to school.

xxx

A couple of days later Eva knocked on the door. As she waited for an answer she tried to collect her thoughts. She didn't know what she would say once she was face to face with her. They hadn't really talked since her break up with Hoagie. The door was answered about half a minute later.

"Eva? What aaaa–" Kuki yawned before she could complete her statement. "What are you doing here?" she finally managed to say. She looked very sleepy, and it was obvious to her guest that she had just woken up.

"Hey," the redhead said with a bright and cheery smile. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

Duh. "Of course not," Kuki said with a strained smile. "What do you need?"

"I was looking for Abby actually," Eva said as she craned her neck to look inside the room. "Is she here?"

"Sorry, no. She's got class."

"Oh." Eva already knew that, but she managed to look very disappointed.

"Is it important?" asked the Asian when the girl before her suddenly looked so crestfallen. "I could give her a message," she said with a questioning inflection in her voice.

"Uh…no, it's kinda personal. But thanks anyway. I'll look for her later," she replied as she turned to leave. Eva immediately turned around again. "Wait!" she shouted just as Kuki was shutting the door. "Maybe…I could write her a note?"

"Ok, I guess," the Japanese girl replied as she scratched her head tiredly, her ebony hair falling out of the loose bun it had been tied in the previous night. She opened the door further to invite the visitor in.

"Thanks," Eva said as she walked into the dark room. Kuki made a little grunt and pointed at the desk near Abby's made up bed where there was a pen and a sticky note pad. The red headed beauty walked towards the desk slowly as her eyes roamed over everything that was out in the open. She spotted her prize on Abby's pillow. Looking behind her, she saw the Oriental girl pouring herself a glass of water; her back was to the visitor. Eva stealthily walked over to the African American's bed and quietly picked up the bunch of keys that lay on her pillow. She pocketed them and walked over to the desk to write a little note on the pad. She then peeled off the top leaf and stuck it to Abby's headboard. Flashing Kuki another smile, she expressed her gratitude and left. Kuki was more than glad to see her leave as she dove straight back to her bed to get her sleep on.

Eva walked down the corridor with a triumphant smirk on her face. This was too easy, she thought as she waved at some of her schoolmates, her hand in her pocket holding tightly onto her prize. Out on the footpath, she headed for the main gate of the school. She removed her cell phone and dialed a number.

"I got the keys," she said excitedly as the recipient answered his phone. "But we've got to be fast. Abby's class ends in another hour and a half."

xxx

Kuki opened the door for her roommate. "Morning," she said sweetly as she held her bowl of cereal in her hand.

"Morning, chica," Abby replied as she walked into the room and dropped her books on the desk. "What's this?" she asked as she peeled the sticky note off her headboard. Kuki didn't reply since she'd figured the question was rhetoric.

Hey,

I'm sorry about the other evening at the coffee shop.

I guess I was still hurting over the break up. I shouldn't have been so mean.

Hope you can forgive me.

Eva.

Abby smiled as she sat on her bed. She picked her bunch of keys off her pillow and tossed them onto the desk. Looks like things are gonna get better from here on out, she thought as she neatly folded the piece of paper in her hand.