I am so sorry I did not update this sooner! I didn't forget about it or anything, honestly I could not get it finished! I don't know why but I just couldn't. This chapter was so hard to write, but I got it done!

This chapter is mostly Famber and Joddie.

Before you start reading I want to clarify something. So in this story, all of the things that happened in the show happened here, in case that has been unclear. My head cannon for this is this:

Victor gave Jason the last tear of gold because of his illness. They haven't graduated, they're all still in eleventh grade, or twelfth year. The events that happened in TTOR happened without graduation. So Eddie is not the Osirion anymore, which is why Nina could come back. Amber wanted to graduate with her best friend and convinced her dad to let her come back. Mick convinced his dad to let him come back as well. Victor never left. I think that's it.


Chapter 8

Thursday

"Happy Thursday everyone!" Trudy smiled placing the food on the table. "How are all your Othello projects going?"

It's hard to be annoyed with Trudy, unless you're Victor. But they couldn't help it. The way she was speaking of the project for Lit while knowing of their ongoing project for Jason just made the speculation that it was all planned even more likely to the students. They felt like they were all being laughed at, not to mention the work overload. As glad as they were that they did not have to suffer with the project after the next class, how were they expected to memorize Shakespeare's words, that they sometimes can't even understand, in just a day? Especially with some scenes longer than others.

"The project is going great," KT said for everyone in a dry tone.

"Should I come by and watch?" Trudy asked.

"It's just reciting some lines for five minutes tops" Jerome rolled his eyes. "It's not a play."

"I love seeing you guys act" Trudy said.

"We're always acting nowadays," Patricia mumbled.

Nina sat down at the table quietly, smiling, but looked deep in thought. It was like she was having some kind of debate internally. It didn't take long for Alfie to notice. He nudged her slightly, tearing her away from her thoughts.

"You ok?" He asked, bits of food flying out of his mouth, which he gave an apologetic look for.

"I'm fine" Nina said. "A friend of mine is staying in London for a week, and is visiting me for a day"

"That's good right?" Alfie glanced at her as he took a sip of water.

"It's great" Nina answered immediately, and went into deep thought again. "I think"

Alfie decided not to question it anymore. If she really wanted him to talk more about it, she would tell him eventually.

"Mara! Phone!" Victor boomed. Mara put her fork down and ran to the phone.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Mara baby!" her father's voice called.

"Hey daddy, is something wrong?" she asked. As much as they loved talking, it was rare that they spoke twice in one week.

"No nothing's wrong at all. Are you busy? I want to ask you about this Will fella" he told her. Mara's stomach sunk and she felt like she was going to puke.

"Actually I'm really busy, I have to get to school early" Mara said in a rushed and nervous voice.

"Oh ok" he said. "Well I also wanted to tell you-"

"I love you but I have to go right now" Mara kissed in the air for him to hear and hung up. She put her head in her hands and sighed.

Joy sighed as she walked as slow as possible to her first class, which was French. When she finally got there she stood outside of the door. She was out of the way so people could get in without having to maneuver around her.

"Hey, you know doors were made to be walked through, right?" Eddie joked, but the amusement quickly left when Joy didn't acknowledge him or his mockery. "You ok?"

"I didn't do the homework" Joy said. Joy had once forgot to do the French homework in the beginning of the year, and by the end of Madam's rant on 'teenagers' and how they were all unworthy of her and her teaching credentials, Joy was afraid Madam would arrange to have her head on a plate. She'd been sure to always do the homework ever since, even if she had to use the translator on her phone to do so.

"How come?" He asked.

"Too hard"

"Why didn't you come to me for help" Eddie asked.

"I thought about it" Joy answered. "Last night I had every intention to complete the assignment, but I got frustrated. And at some point I was going to ask for help, whether it be you or Google. But I was just tired, I closed my book, and said 'who cares?'"

Eddie sighed.

"No really, why is it a big deal if I know French or not?" Joy continued. "Let the French speak French and the rest of us English speakers will speak English!" Joy paused for a moment before lowering her voice. "I really wanted to get that off my chest"

Eddie nodded. "You done?" Joy nodded. "Great. Let's ditch"

That threw her off. She whirled around to him. "What?"

"You didn't do the homework" Eddie said. "It's not that big of a deal, but Madam would probably make it seem like you threatened to kill her first born son and you probably don't need the stress. Let's ditch"

"The whole day?" Joy asked.

"Sure, why not" Eddie shrugged.

"We have that project in Literature... and it's Thursday" Joy reminded him.

"Yeah...?"

"The project's important... and Tuesdays and Thursdays are when we have lunch with Jason" Joy reminded him.

"So we'll come back in time for both of them" Eddie said. "So...?"

"Ok..."

"Ok?

"Ok"

"Ok" Eddie smiled. "Come on before Cruella De Vil sees us"

The two ran away from the classroom just in time because Madam turned the corner just seconds after they were out of site. But their absence did not go unnoticed. They are her best and worst students after all.

"Where are Miller and Mercer?" she asked immediately. "Joy especially should be in class"

"Why? So you can treat her like crap?" Patricia spoke up. She had noticed for a while that Madam was awful to Joy. Mick tapped her foot to get her to stop, but she simply pushed his away and continued. "Do you need it like a regular dose of heroin?"

Madam curled her lips into a painfully large frown and continued with class after marking Joy and Eddie as absent in her class. After leaving her class and going to the next three, they all began to wonder where Eddie and Joy were. Patricia asked around but no one had seen them since they all left for school, including the two.

"What are you afraid of?" Mick asked wrapping an arm around Patricia after it was obvious she was getting antsy.

"I'm scared the teachers took her and locked her up until one special day where she would have to do something she was never meant to do" Patricia said immediately, and she was half joking because she knew that wouldn't happen again. But at this school being gone for an hour could mean being trapped under a senet board for all she knew.

"What?" Mick laughed.

"I just want to know where they are" Patricia mumbled as she got a text.

"What's it say?" Mick asked.

"It's from Joy. It says she's fine stop worrying" Patricia smiled.

"Oh you texted her and asked her where she was?" Mick asked.

"No"

Mick blinked. That was weird.

Joy was trying to keep a serious face when looking at Eddie, but she was still laughing. "We can't!"

"But it would be nice to" Eddie smiled. They were at their spot, the small park they found the first time they went on the motorcycle.

"We'd get expelled" Joy smiled.

"That's true" Eddie shrugged. He suggested the next article be all about Madam and what a total cow she was, but of course he was joking. Mostly. It made Joy smile, which, despite her name, wasn't an easy task.

"If we could then I would" Joy said. "But we can't, so throw some ideas out for The Jackal that doesn't involve us getting in trouble.

"We could talk about the project" Eddie suggested.

"You mean the couple one?" Eddie nodded. "We're not supposed to talk about it"

"Well we won't publish it until it's over" Eddie suggested. "People know about the project but they don't know what it's like to do it until they're doing it"

Joy knew he was right. Sure at times it was fun, but other times it was stressful. It was emotionally heavy. Joy was dating her best friend's first love, and her friend was dating hers. Joy would have fun with Eddie, and then feel bad for it. It wasn't an easy project. Finally she said "I think that's a really good idea, as long as everyone's ok with it"

As Amber put her books in her locker, one of her friends on the cheerleading squad approached her. Leica. "Hey Amber!"

"Hey Leica" Amber smiled. "I can't talk now"

"There's a rumor going around" Leica stopped her.

"About me?" Amber asked.

"About your entire house" Leica said. "I heard you guys are doing the senior project"

"What senior project?"

"Don't play dumb. The senior project" Leica smiled. Everyone knew there was some project that happened in their senior year that had everyone change couples drastically, out of the blue. But it was kept pretty much secret besides that. Amber looked around and pulled Leica into an empty room.

"We aren't supposed to talk about it" she whispered. "But yes! You can't tell anyone!"

"I knew it!" Leica prided herself. "No way you'd date Fabian unless you were forced"

Amber frowned. "What does that mean?"

"You don't have to take offence or anything" Leica said. "It's not like you actually like him"

"Like I said, I can't talk now," Amber growled and left to get to the theater for Mr. Winkler's talk on the couples. He waited a minute for Joy and Eddie, but decided to start without them.

"Ok, today the subject of discussion is-"

"We're here!" Joy exclaimed running in with Eddie trailing behind her. "Sorry we're late"

"That's ok take a seat" Jason motioned to the couch.

"Where were you?" Patricia whispered to her.

"I was just out" Joy responded.

"Back stories" Jason said, bringing them back from their short conversation. "Fabian and Amber, how did you two get together?"

"Well you made us Mr. Winkler" Amber wrinkled her eyebrows as the rest of the class chuckled.

"Well suppose I didn't. How would you two happen?" Jason asked.

"I don't think we would" Fabian responded.

"You don't?" Amber croaked.

"You do?" Fabian raised his eyebrows.

"I..." Amber realized she was being a little bit ridiculous. "Of course not. You're my best friend's ex-boyfriend and first love, only someone totally heartless would do that"

"Exactly" Fabian stated.

"Use your imagination" Jason prodded. "That's your homework assignment for tonight. I want detailed how exactly got with your partner written down. It has to be at least a page and it should be turned in by Tuesday. That's all, you are released"

"Back stories huh?" Alfie thought aloud as he walked to lunch.

"How would we get together?" Nina asked. They thought for a minute while walking before both of them came up with a pretty realistic answer.

"We wouldn't" they both responded.

"No offence but I never ever even thought of you as anything other than a friend" Nina explained.

"None taken, since I feel the same way about you" Alfie told her. Nina chuckled.

"Aw that's so romantic" she joked.

"A regular Shakespearian fairy tale" Alfie laughed.

"Nice word" Nina commented.

"It's a real one?" Alfie asked and Nina laughed.

"Fabian did you know I used to have a crush on you?" Amber told him over lunch. Fabian nearly choked.

"You did?" he asked.

"Mmhmm. It was short lived. You were just... I don't know... nice" Amber thought. "And sweet and handsome and shy. We were both new. I quickly got over it"

"When Mick came you mean" Fabian chuckled.

Amber giggled. "Yeah I suppose that's around when it happened"

"Why didn't you say anything back then?" Fabian asked.

"Like you would have given that walking fashion disaster in desperate need of a good conditioner and contacts the time of day" Amber rolled her eyes.

"I would have if you said something" Fabian said.

"Of course you would have" Amber dismissed.

"I really would have!"

"Yeah I know" Amber shook her head.

"Hey" Fabian nudged her with his foot and she looked at him. "I would have."

Amber blinked at him and then smiled. She cleared her throat. "Class starts soon"

"Right" he said. They finished eating and headed to Lit class. The entire class was spent presenting and everyone did well. A couple people got tongue tied but all in all it was good. That was great because they all worked hard on it, even if sometimes the rehearsing was awkward.

Last night - Alfie and Amber

"So... are we good?" Alfie asked when they finished the scene.

"Yeah" Amber nodded.

"Ok, well, you can leave when you want to" Alfie said.

"You want me to leave?"

"No! No I was just saying if you want to... I mean nothing's stopping you right?" Alfie asked.

"Well no not anymore" Amber mumbled.

"...Right..."

"O-Or I could stay?" Amber half asked.

"Of course you can" Alfie said. "You're hanging around Fabian so much you're beginning to stutter"

Amber did a half laugh, half scoff sound. "You and I never really hang out"

"Well it's kind of awkward with the whole dating our ex's best friends and what not"

"No I mean even before this project" Amber said.

"Well it's kind of awkward with the whole... you leaving... and all" Alfie scratched his neck.

"Well it's not like I had a choice"

"I'm not blaming you"

"We were friends once" Amber said. "Or sorta kind of friends at least. Even if one of us had an awkward near obsession for the other"

"I wasn't obsessed!"

"It's ok, I was kind of weird later too" Amber chuckled. "And you and Willow... are cute"

"Thanks..."

"And..."

Alfie waited for the rest of what she was going to say but a few minutes later and it never came. "And...?"

"And..." Amber said again. "You also make a nice pair, you and Nina..."

"Oh..." that took Afie by surprise. "Thanks"

"That is if you were actually dating Nina" Amber clarified.

"Right"

Amber squinted at him for a second. "Nina"

"...What?"

"Nina" Amber said again. "Nina, Nina, Nina!"

"What are you doing?" Alfie asked.

"You like her!" Amber pointed at him. "You like her!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Every time I say her name you look at your feet!" Amber said.

"I don't like her, I mean she's great but I don't like her!" Alfie assured her. "And I could have pointed out how you blushed right after I mentioned Fabian, but I didn't"

"Because I didn't blush!"

"Yeah you did! I saw it, your cheeks got all rosy" Alfie accused.

"It's called acting" Amber flipped her hair.

"Then you should get an Oscar" Alfie countered.

"Nina"

"Fabian"

"Nina!"

"Fabian!"

"You're all topsy turvy over her" Amber said.

"Rutter Lover" Alfie stated simply.

"Right, you're delusional" Amber said. "Let's just do one more run through"

Some others weren't as nice. In fact, it got kind of mean at the end.

Last night - Jerome and Joy

Joy cleared her throat and picked the tissue off of the ground.

"I am glad I have found this napkin,

This was her first remembrance from the Moor.

My wayward husband hath a hundred times

Wooed me to steal it, but she so loves the token

(For he conjured her she should ever keep it)

That she reserves it evermore about her

To kiss and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out

And give 't Iago. What he will do with it

Heaven knows, not I.

I nothing but to please his fantasy."

Jerome walked forward.

"How now? What do you here alone?"

"Do not you chide. I have a thing for you"

"A thing for me?" Jerome stood up straighter. "It is a common thing-"

"Ha?"

"-To have a foolish wife" Jerome growled.

"Oh is that all?" Joy crossed her arms. "What will you give me now for the same handkerchief?"

"What handkerchief?" Jerome asked.

"What handkerchief?" Joy repeated. "Why... uh... I forgot the line"

"Ok let's take a break" Jerome said.

"Ok"

A minute or two of silence passed over them, which was a first. There was sometimes an argument, or just a friendly conversation, but hardly ever has there been silence between them. Jerome cleared his throat.

"How's your... thing... with Eddie?" Jerome asked.

"Fine" Joy answered shortly. "How are you and KT?"

"Good"

"...Why do you ask?" Joy wondered.

"Why did you ask?" Jerome countered.

"I asked because you asked!"

"I was just making conversation!"

"Well choose a different topic!" Joy glared. Jerome narrowed his eyes.

"Fine, we'll finish this up and then you can go back to your boyfriend" Jerome spat.

"Fine!" Joy groaned.

"Do you think you could get the line this right?" Jerome asked.

"I don't know, but I do think you should consider taking acting lesson in the future" Joy retaliated.

So all things considered, the project went well. They were all glad to be finished with it. The rest of the school day went without a hitch. They all left for home, finished their homework, and ate without any real problems. In fact, Amber suggested they have a movie night in a few hours before they went to bed.

"Hey Mara" Joy said coming in right after dinner. At the sound of Joy's voice Mara shut her laptop shut so hard and so fast, she feared the screen might have cracked. Joy cocked an eyebrow at her. "If you're trying to be inconspicuous, slamming your laptop down defeats the purpose. What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Mara lied.

"C'mon Mara, you can tell me anything" Joy said sitting on the bed and trying to take the laptop, but Mara had an iron grip. "Mara"

"Just mind your own business" Mara snatched the laptop away. Joy sighed.

"Mara, I just want to help you" Joy said. "I won't judge you"

Mara stared at her decidingly and Joy slowly took the laptop from her. She lifted it to see Mara was on Google Images and was looking up pictures of "beautiful women".

"What's the big deal?" Joy asked scrolling through pictures of models, actresses, singers, and random unknown woman.

"It's not what I'm looking up..." Mara said quietly. "It's why"

"Ok... Why are you looking up a bunch of nice looking girls?" Joy asked and gasped. "Look at her eyebrows, perfect. Not too bushy and not too arched. I need to make mine look like that"

"Joy you're perfect" Mara rolled her eyes.

"I could be with some tweezer tips from Megan Fox" Joy clicked on the picture before remembering why she was there. "So what's up?"

"I was just... I wanted to confirm a suspicion" Mara admitted.

"What suspension?" Joy asked.

"You have girl crushes right? It's a normal thing... right?" Mara asked.

"Oh yeah totally" Joy said. "Beyonce, Zoe Saldana, Kate Upton... I always thought Demi Lovato was pretty but with the curves she got after recovery, she could turn me. Why?"

Mara didn't say anything for a while, just continued to scroll down the women. After a minute or two, she looked up Beyonce and looked at Joy. "You find her attractive?"

"Yeah totally... who doesn't?" Joy asked.

"But you're not attracted, attracted to her, right?" Mara asked. It took Joy only few more seconds before it hit her.

"Are you... Are you sexually confused?" Joy asked. "Do you think you might like girls?"

"Well wait a minute, I like boys" Mara said immediately. "That's why I'm so... yeah. Confused"

"Do you have a little crush on Willow?" Joy asked. Mara didn't say anything. "So you're looking up pretty girls to see if you might like girls?"

"But that's the thing! I'm not at all attracted to these girls! I mean they're all obviously beautiful but it's not like when I look at a hot guy" Mara explained.

"Maybe you just like guys more" Joy suggested. "But not only guys. Maybe you're bi-sexual"

"I don't want to be" Mara frowned.

"It's not really something you can help" Joy said. "It's not a bad thing. Hell, maybe it's even fun. No matter what though, I'm here for you"

"Thanks" Mara smiled and Joy hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Now question, put on your lesbian glasses and tell me if you think I could benefit from a push up bra" Joy stuck her chest out a little more. Mara rolled her eyes and left the room. "Is that a yes? Mara?"

By nine thirty, everyone was in the living room and more than halfway through Forrest Gump. At least half of the people watched the movie before, but everyone enjoyed it. Seating weren't at all a problem, despite Joy and Eddie literally taking up the entirety of one of the couches, and allowing no one to sit there with no regrets. With KT and Nina sitting on Jerome and Alfie's laps it wasn't much of a problem. And Amber was cuddled so close to Fabian, as well as Mara and Willow practically being on top of each other, that they actually had extra room for one or two others, had there been anyone else to come in. So Mick and Patricia were able to spread out on their corner of the couch.

"I don't understand" Amber said. "Shouldn't she want Forrest to protect her?"

"You would think so" Fabian answered.

"You'd protect me" Amber said quietly.

"Of course I would"

"I know. It wasn't a question" Amber said before she kissed him.

"Ugh!"

"Gross"

"PDA Alert!"

"Get a room you two!"

"As if you all aren't partial to making out right in front of everyone!" Fabian retaliated. "We're just doing what's required of course"

"Of course" Jerome mocked. Mara turned Willow towards her and kissed her.

"Yeah that feels right" Mara smiled softly. Eddie whispered in Joy's ear and she pulled him down for a kiss. KT wrapped one arm around Jerome's neck and he leaned over and kissed her. Nina leaned over Alfie pushed him against the back of the couch and kissed him.

"Look at what you two started" Patricia said to Fabian and Amber.

"You're not going to join in?" Amber asked.

"I'm not much of a follow the leader kind of girl-" Patricia was interrupted by Mick pulling her in for a kiss. When he pulled away she rolled her eyes and lightly shoved him.

"Worth it" he said to himself.

When the movie ended, and just in time for bed, some of them were asleep. Joy, Mara, Willow, Amber, Fabian, Alfie, and Jerome were all fast asleep in their own worlds. The others woke them up as Victor came down to yell at them to get ready for bed. They all cleaned up the popcorn and drinks and hustled for bed. No one wrote their journals that night. Only a few people cared to write in their journals before crashing, they were all really tired.

Mara

For some couples, it all seems great before they start a relationship, but then it begins and it all falls apart. People lie, and aren't who you think. It sometimes never works out. I'm happy to say that's not the case between me and WIllow. We've grown closer than I ever thought we would. Being the good friends that we are, I didn't ever see this coming. However, I think we are was most definitely going in the right direction.

So... I might like girls? Or perhaps I just have a small crush on Willow. I mean, she's kind of hard not to love. She's everything everyone in the world should be. It's just an observation. And she's gorgeous of course. Another thing I may have noticed. But I most certainly like boys, that's not a question. The question is am I beginning to like girls as well? The thought is a scary one. I couldn't imagine my dad's reaction to me telling him that. No he won't have to worry, the project's getting into my head, that's all.

Amber

Fabian has been great. He is a great and all-around good person. If there were an old person walking across any streets, Fabian would help them. That's how great Fabian is. And because of him my grades have been going up! Do you know it's been so hard for years to keep them up? I wish I could have gone to him years ago! Hanging out with Fabian makes me feel like... I'm floating. Like I'm floating in the air with only his scent to lead me. He smells like brown sugar...

Here's a question. If a girl and another girl agree to switch ex-boyfriends, would that be bad? Or breaking the Girl code? I don't think so, it's an agreement. It's all very complicated. Not that I would want to do that anyway. Not that I was talking about me in the first place. Alfie totally likes Nina though... which is kind of weird to think about if I'm being honest. But it's obvious. He should know I'm the master at these types of things.


Hey! Did you guys like the chapter? Please tell me in the reviews! Speaking of, the review game/competition I spoke about last chapter is kinda over. But still tell me who you're favorite couple was this chapter, or over all!

And interesting, for the first time since I started asking, Nalfie is in first place! First time a couple other than Patrick is in first place.

Here are the stats!

Nalfie 36

Patrick 35

Kerome 31

Famber 19

Joddie 13

Millow 12