"Summer, want a soda?".

Summer smiled and nodded at her friend Mandy. "Yeah, sure!". The girls were in the school cafeteria about a week later and it was Mandy's birthday so she was buying lunches.

"Hurry up and buy the food, then we can go sit in our usual spot behind the labs!". Sapphire was looking impatient, standing tapping her foot.

"The queue is bad so why don't you girls go now and I'll bring the food over when I'm done,".

Sapphire, Rosita and Jen went but Summer stayed. Over the past week she had been with the girls every day but Mandy was her closest friend. She got on very well with her and they had the same taste in boys.

"That dress of Sapphire's is so cool!" Summer whispered to Mandy. "Where'd she get it?".

Mandy shrugged. "I dunno, but it must have cost a fortune. Well she can afford it, her parents spoil her. I love it! She certainly got a lot of looks from guys today!".

"She always does!" Summer commented.

Soon Mandy had bought the food and the pair headed over to the labs. Mandy put the cans and salads on the grass and sat down. "All on the behalf of my birthday! Seventeen today!" Mandy said, grinning.

"Thanks Mand," Jen said, grabbing a salad. She wouldn't eat anything else.

Summer snapped open her can and drank some coke, tilting her head back and closing her eyes.

"Look who's here!" Summer heard Rosita whisper.

She opened her eyes and stopped drinking. It was Nick.

"Hi Nick," Summer said, half smiling nervously. She had to admit, he looked nice. He was wearing a blue sweater which brought out the color of his eyes and dark jeans. He had his usual shy expression on his face and his hair, as always, hung slightly in his eyes. He awkwardly looked at Summer. "Um hi," he said quietly. "Can I have a private word please?".

Summer was about to say yes but Sapphire jumped in. "What do you want, Carter?!" she spat. "Can't you see we're busy?!". She took her cigarette and lit it.

Nick stepped back in surprise. "I just wanted to talk to Summer, ask her something," he said quietly. He bit his lip and looked at the ground.

"Whatever you have to ask her, do it now and make it quick," Rosita said bluntly to Nick. "Then run off with your friends, we have things to do,".

Jen laughed. "He can't go run off with his friends, he doesn't have any!". The girls laughed but Summer didn't. She felt sorry for Nick, why did they have to pick on him? And he did have a few friends, just not very many.

"Um Summer..." Nick still stared at the ground, then looked up forcing himself to look at Summer. "Willyougotothedancewithme?" he said quickly.

Summer's mouth dropped open. Go to the dance with Nick? She liked him... but...

The other girls burst out laughing. Sapphire blew her cigarette smoke out in Nick's face. "Listen Carter, no girl will go with you to the dance, let alone Summer! You might as well ask your kid brother for another night in playing video games on dance night!".

Nick's eyes grew large and Summer was sure they had tears in. "Oh... well...".

"That's right!" Rosita added. "If you really wanna go, you'll have to go alone. Summer will be there with her hot surfer date!".

Summer looked at Nick and he was really upset looking and had gone red. Suddenly he turned and ran across the playground out of sight.

The girls laughed about it all lunch break. Summer tried to laugh along too, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for poor Nick. It must have taken a lot of confidence to ask her to the dance, and to be rejected like that must have hurt.

Jen was still laughing, nearly choking on her salad. "I can't believe he even though he had the slightest chance with any of our crowd! No girl in her right mind would want to go to the dance with Nick! What a nerd!".

Sapphire turned to Summer. "Has he had a crush on you for long?" she quizzed.

Summer nodded. "He always tries to talk to me... yeah he likes me..".

Mandy made a face. "Poor you!".

Summer laughed along with her friends and listened to all their Nick jokes all lunchbreak but she felt bad about it. By the look on Nick's face when the girls had embarrassed him, he was very upset. Summer couldn't just ignore this. She had to go and apologise...

"Guys, I have to go see someone quickly now before the bell goes, see y'all later," Summer said, standing up and brushing the dried grass off her jean shorts.

"Who, a hot guy?" Rosita asked, a her mouth twisting into a smile.

"No, um a teacher about some work," Summer lied. Saying that, the others wouldn't insist on coming with her.

Summer waved bye to the girls and made her way across the playground. No sign of Nick.

She went into the main building and looked in all the classrooms along the corridor. No Nick yet... maybe she should give up...

There he was. Sitting alone in the music room. Summer silently opened the door a crack stood and watched. He had his back turned away from the door so Summer couldn't see his face. The radio was playing and Quit Playin' Games was on. Nick was singing alone.

Summer was stunned. He had a beautiful voice! She hadn't heard a voice as wonderful as his.

"Nick, you can really sing!" Summer commented, walking in the room.

Nick jumped, startled that she was there. His eyes were wide and tears glistened in them as if he'd been crying. "Summer? Why are you here? I thought you hated me!".

Summer sat on the table, going red. "No, I don't hate you! You know what the girls are like, they can be mean sometimes...".

Nick looked down. "Um, yeah," he muttered.

There was silence for a few moments, only the radio playing softly could be heard. Quit Playin' Games With My Heart. Hmmm, was Summer playing games with Nick's heart?

"So you want to go to the dance with me?" Summer said quietly.

Nick looked up slowly and nodded shyly, his bright blue eyes shining.

Summer didn't know what to say. Yes, she liked Nick. There was something about him that she really liked, that she couldn't explain. He was a lovely guy. But if she accepted his offer and went to the dance with him, she would lose her friends. She would be a loner again like back at her old school. She wanted to leave those days behind...

"Oh Nick," Summer said, not being able to look in his eyes. "You're a really sweet guy and everything... but the dance...". She struggled to think what to say.

Nick frowned and stood up. "OK, OK! I'm not cool enough for you! I realise that now! I was stupid to ask you in the first place, I only got humiliated!". He went to the door, now looking upset. "Go with your surfer guy, but he won't like you as much as I do" he muttered, opening the door to leave.

Summer was shocked. She had no idea Nick was that upset about her! "Nick wait! Don't get mad! I like you... as a friend... but..."

Nick gave her a forced half smile. "Well, see you around," he said quietly, then closing the door and walking down the corridor quickly with his head down.

Summer sighed and left the room, making her way to her next class. The bell went and students began clogging up the corridors getting to lessons.

"Sum, wuzup?! Get to see that teacher?".

Summer looked up and snapped her attention to Mandy. "Um, yeah. I've sorted it now...".

"Hey you look kinda down. You OK?".

Before Summer could answer, Rosita caught up with the girls. "Summer, I got some good news for ya girl!".

Summer smiled. "Good news? What?".

"Well," Rosita started. "The guys from the beach are having a party tonight and they say all of us are invited! That's you too, so us girls will fix you up with someone for the dance! Don't worry, they'll be way nicer than that Carter loser!".

A party?! Just was Summer needed to really get to know some hot guys! All thoughts of Nick left her mind and she grinned back at her friend. "Wow! I just hope I have something to wear!".

Summer was really pleased. She hadn't been to a party in years! Back at her last school the only party she attended was the History Club's Christmas dance but she still didn't get a date!

Mandy turned to Summer. "Yep, we'll find you something to wear as well as a date!".

Summer thanked her friend. "I can't wait 'til tonight, bring on the hot guys!".

>>>>>

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