I wake up to my alarm and sluggishly shrug off the covers to shut off the blaring noise. I walk blindly to my dresser, only peeking an eye open to pick out the usual blouse, cardigan, and skirt ensemble. I'm done my routine faster than usual somehow and get to eat a full bowl of Raisin Bran before I have to wake Troy and Abed. After rinsing my bowl, I pull back one of the "doors" of their blanket fort bedroom and tell them to get up. Troy grunts and Abed drops down from his top bunk. I grab my things and leave. My car isn't the greatest, but it gets me place when I need it to, most of the time. I park and the school is already bustling with people since it is 11:30. My class isn't till 12 though, so I head to the study room.

As I near the study room I see Britta and Shirley inside, until my view is blocked by a large body.

I'm engulfed in an embrace. "Good morning, beautiful," Jeff says a little too loud for my liking.

"Shh, Jeff!" I look around to make sure no one is looking at us. "Good morning to you too," I poke at his hair, "Your bed head looks exceptionally well today." We share a smile and walk to the study room putting a tad more distance between us.

"What are you two so smiley about?" Britta asks suspiciously.

Jeff and I exchange a glance. I look back to her and reply, "Oh, nothing," before taking sitting at the table.

"Uh huh. Oh, yeah sure it was nothing," Shirley says with a questioning look.

I flip through my notes absent mindedly.

Finally, Troy and Abed enter the room loudly, bringing a lively spirit with them. They start to talk about Die Hard and invite Jeff over for a marathon.

I can feel Jeff look to me, "Yeah, sure, why not?"

I smile to myself.

The day goes by smoothly. Jeff and I are discreet enough to not get caught, and Troy and Abed didn't slip up. This might actually work out as planned.

It has been three weeks since Jeff and I began dating. I don't think anyone suspects anything, which is good. We agreed that we would tell the rest of the group when we're sure that our relationship is going somewhere. Today is Thursday and Shirley invited everyone over for dinner.

"Come on, Annie!", "Hurry up!" Troy and Abed shout as they impatiently wait for me to finish getting ready.

I double check my hair and makeup before exiting my room in a huff.

"FINALLY!" they exclaim in unison.

"Perfection takes time!" I retort.

We file out of the door and Abed calls shotgun and runs down the hall to the stairs with Troy following.

We're at Shirley's in under thirty minutes, and walk the stone path to the front door. Troy rings the doorbell just as I knock.

"Troy?!"

He removes his finger from the button, "What? They weren't gonna hear your little baby knock."

The door opens to reveal Pierce.

"Where's Shirley?" Troy asks.

"In the kitchen cooking. And, I'm right here, you could've said hello, dick," Pierce states, which leads to an argument between him and Troy while Abed watches it play out.

I sneak past them and head into the kitchen.

"An-nie!" Shirley pulls me into a big hug, "I'm so glad you could make it!"

"I would never pass up an opportunity to have some of your delicious food," I say which makes her smile brighter. I hear the doorbell ring.

"Oh! I have to go get it. Will you watch the food for me please, Annie?" I nod. "Pierce, I've got the door!" she yells.

I stir the vegetables and hear many 'Jeffrey's, 'Jeff's here's, and 'Hi, Jeff's. Once everybody is back to what they were doing, Shirley comes back in along with Jeff.

"Thank you, Annie. You didn't let the vegetables burn," she says before yelping. "Oh no! My pies!" Shirley hurriedly takes the pies out of the oven.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, Shirley! I didn't know they were in there," I say apologetically as I hear Jeff chuckling.

"Oh, it's fine, Annie. We just won't have dessert, I guess."

"Shirley! We weren't going to eat them anyway," Jeff declares honestly.

Shirley sends him a mean glare before attending to the other food. "You two may leave now."

Feeling the guilt creeping up, I exit the kitchen. I see that everyone is in the living room playing Yahtzee, and it reminds me of the night that Abed told me I could move in with them.

"Hey, babe," Jeff says quietly into my ear.

"Hi," I smile at his goofy grin.

He takes my hand in his, but quickly let's go. "Discreet, right," he voices to himself really. We walk into the main room. "Yahtzee? Really guys? You couldn't find anything better?" Jeff complains as he sits next to Troy.

"What? It's a fun game to us," Troy maintains in defense of the game.

"Troy, do you really want to argue with a lawyer?" Jeff remarks.

I hear Britta murmur "Ex-lawyer" under her breath, and Jeff glares at her.

Once the food is all ready, we take our places at the large dining table. Shirley sits at one end with Pierce at the other, which is for the best. I sit across from Abed, Jeff is next to me, and Troy is across from him. Britta sits to my other side after a silent debate.

Shirley says grace since no one offers to do it. As soon as she's done, everyone begins filling their plates. I intend to wait and let the others get their food, but Jeff takes my plate and does it for me. I thank him with a smile.

When conversation starts up, Jeff finds my hand under the table before dinging his wine glass with his knife. "A toast to the study group! I'm so very fortunate to call you guys my friends," he lifts his glass. "I love you all so much," he concludes looking at me.

I try to hide my blush as I clink my glass with the others'.

Jeff turns to me and holds out his cup to meet mine. "To us."

After finishing, we pile back into the living room. I'm on my fourth glass of wine now and feel giddy. I sit between Jeff and Abed on the couch.

"Ooo! Let's play a game!" Troy announces.

"What game?" I ask hesitantly.

Britta claps her hands, "Spin the bottle!"

"With this group? I'm watching," Abed says and runs to get a bottle.