PART 2 A few minutes later, the guys seemed to be engrosed in conversation about Gabe's video camera and their spy equipment. Lexy used that opportunity to talk to Jennifer.

"Nice SAVE JEN!" Lexy quipped sarcastically.

"What? He didn't notice! Besides why do you care? You said that you weren't interested!" Jen whispered.

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!" Jen teased back.

"Am not!" Lexy defended.

"Are too!"

"Am NOT!"

"Are TOO!" At that point Jack looked over and saw Jen and Lexy fighting about something.

"AM NOT!" Lexy whispered loud enough for all to hear. Jack cocked his eyebrow, and Gabe picked up his camera and started to record. The girls stopped fighting and turned back to the guys when they could hear themselves over the rest of the crowd.

"Um......what I meant was....."

"What she means is......is....... that......she's not planning to attend the next Spring Line sale on Madison Avenue next week!" Jen added quickly.

"Right! Thank you Jen, for clearing that up," Lexy said and wrapped an arm around her friend.

"Hey....what are BF's for?" Jen added and the two looked at the guys expectantly to see if they bought the act.

"So TRUE!" Jack, like always, just shook his head, obviously annoyed by the two whenever they talked about the latest fashion trend. Gabe just shrugged his shoulders and set the camera back down to get focus his attention on his stomach.

"Great, now he's going to think I'm an even bigger airhead than he already thinks!" Lexy whispered so that only Jen could hear. Jen looked at her friend sympathetically, and after a few minutes an idea came to mind.

"So........when are we going bowling, Jack?" Jen interrupted Jack and Gabe.

"Um......whenever, I guess. How about tomorrow?"

"SUNDAY?"

"That would be tomorrow Jen!" Gabe laughed.

"But tomorrow is the LAST day of the sale at..........."

"JEN!!!" everyone yelled and rolled their eyes.

"Fine....Fine! I'll go shopping another day! Sheesh!"

"I'M FREE!" Gabe said as he swollowed the remains of his drink.

"Same here, I guess! Although I do wish I didn't have to wear those smelly old shoes! Lexy remind me to bring the anit-bacterial hand gel," Jen said worriedly.

Jack rolled his eyes at Jen and said, "What about you Lexy? Are you comin'?" Lexy looked at Jack and became apprehensive. *I wonder if Jack really does think that I'm an airhead. A ditz with a credit card. I know that just a minute ago I was asking HIM to go bowling, but now I'm not so sure of myself. What if I make a complete fool of myself for even trying? THEN what will he think of me?*

"Um......I'm not sure. My mom is getting back from a business trip today, and I promised I would spend the day with her tomorrow."

"Aw, come on Lexy! It won't be the same without you!" Gabe added.

"Yeah, Lexy!" Jen added desperately.

"I don't know, you guys. Maybe." At that moment the waitress came back with the check and they all went to the counter to pay. Lexy had forgotten all about having money on her becuase she couldn't find the right purse to go with her outfit and felt completely stupid for putting herself in this situation.

"Um......Jen, could you maybe spot me some money for my part of the check?" Lexy whispered to her friend. Interrupting the two, Jack came from behind and overheard Lexy. He grabbed the check from her hand and said, "Don't worry Lexy, it's on me."

"Oh, no......wait, you don't have to........."

Jack turned to look at her and smiled, "Lexy...........it's on me, ok?"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive!" After everyone paid, they each made their way back outside and waited for Jen to flag down a cab.

"Thanks again, for paying Jack. Don't worry, I will TOTALLY pay you back."

Jack smiled and said, "Don't worry about it." As Jen and Gabe settled into the cab, Jack ushered Lexy over to the car, and settled in next to her in the back seat again. As the cab drove off, Lexy began thinking to herself, once again blocking out anything that her friend was saying to her. *Why am I feeling this way? This is just Jack Downey. The same guy that criticized your piece in the Daily Examiner. The same guy who passed you in the halls, to whom you NEVER bothered to notice, or even gave the time of day. What's making you feel so different about him now? Why am I all of a sudden questioning myself and becoming self conscience? Why should I care what Jack thinks of me? Could Jen be right? Could I be falling for Jack? No, that can't be! We are SO different. TOTALLY!But maybe that's what intrigues me the most. I like spending time with him because he makes me think of things in a different perspective, and I like him for HIM, not what he looks like. Wait, did I just say I LIKED him?!?! OMG!!!*

"LEXY!!! Are you even listening? Hello! LEXY!!!" Jen waved a hand in front of Lexy's face.

"Huh?" Lexy asked, finally coming out of her thoughts.

"Lexy, are you alright?" Jack asked.

"Huh? Oh!....I'm Fine......just fine! Why?" she smiled a fake smile.

"Because we're here," Jack replied.

"Where?"

"Your house. You're home," Jack cocked his eyebrows at her confusion. Lexy looked out Jack's window and found that the cab was in fact parked in front of her condo.

"Oh!" Lexy laughed stupidly. Jack opened the cab door to let Lexy out of the cab. Lexy turned to her friend to tell her that she would call her later, but as she did so, she caught off balance while standing up to pull her other foot out of the cab, and shrieked as she felt herself falling down. If it wasn't for Jack catching her, Lexy would have fallen flat on her face on the asfault.

"Woah! Are you alright? Lexy........Are you sure you're alright? Do you need some help getting inside?"

"Huh?" Lexy asked confused, opening her eyes, half expecting to be face to face with the sidewalk. But instead, she came face to face with a concerned Jack, who had an arm around her waist and a hand around the back of her head to support her. Lexy was in a daze and began to shake her head to get rid of her dizziness. Everything happened so fast and was a bit confused.

"I warned you about eating Pizza in a dirty restaurant, Lexy! Did you catch something? OMG! Could I have caught something too?" Jen added worriedly. Jack gave Jen a stern look and turned his attention back to Lexy.

"I.......I'm fine," she explained, regretfully easing herself out of Jack's grasp. Normally she would not do this, but not trusting herself to make it up the stairs to her door, Lexy reached for her shoes. "Darn heals! I guess that's what I get for buying shoes on clearance!" Walking barefoot, she yelled to Jen to call her later, and waved to Gabe, who, not surprisingly, had his camera permanently glued to his hand. She rolled her eyes at him and turned to walk to her door. But as soon as she did so, she made a small yelp. Instantly, Jack was at her side to help her.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm fine. It's........... just my ankle. It hurts a little. But I'll be fine."

Jack shook his head lightly and put his arm around her waist. "Here, let me help you to your door."

"Lexy, you alright?"

"Don't worry, Jen. Hakuna Matata!" Jack laughed slightly and continued ascending the stairs slowly with Lexy. As they reached the top, Lexy's mother opened the door.

"OMG! Lexy are you alright?"

"Hi mom! How was your trip?"

"Nevermind that! What happened?"

"Oh, stupid me. I may have twisted it a little, but I'm fine. It could have been worse, had Jack not reached me in time," limping inside the house, still in the comfort of Jack's arms.

"Well, thank you for helping my daughter."

"Oh, mom, this is Jack Downey from school. Jack, this is my mom," Lexy introduced them as Jack helped her to the nearest seat.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Gold," Jack offered his hand.

"Likewise." As the room fell silent, Mrs. Gold looked back and forth between her daughter and the boy she just met, and smiled.

"Well, I better get going. I have to get home to help my mother. It was nice meeting you Mrs. Gold. See ya later, Lexy. Hope you feel better."

"Bye Jack."

Jack smiled back and said, "I'll let myself out."

"Bye Jack......hope to see you again."

"You too Mrs. Gold." As the door closed, Mrs. Gold looked at her daughter and raised an eyebrow mischievously.

"Don't even think it mom!"

"Well, it seems I missed ALOT more than I thought, wouldn't you say?"

"Ugh! Why me?" Lexy cried and bumped her head against the wall.