“Spam’s crying…”

            Brooke’s ear immediately perked up. “Sam’s crying?” she asked looking up from the task of painting her nails.

            “Bawling more like it…” Nicole retorted as she watched Dean held Sam in her arms.

            Brooke came to stand beside Nicole. “Why is she crying?”

            “Don’t know… Don’t wanna know…” Nicole quipped.

            “Maybe I should go down and check on her…”

            “I think McLeod is soothing her just fine…” Nicole bit her lower lip when Dean’s hand began to move up and down Sam’s back. Why the ***** does Spam has to cry in Dean’s arms when there are three other people there? *****, Carmen’s arms would be more comfy…with all that excess flab…

            “Do you think she’s sleeping with Sam?”

            “What?” Brooke and Nicole both barked.

            Mary Cherry stepped back a bit, startled. “I mean Dean’s ***** and all… And you said once Nicky, that you think Sam’s confused…”

            “I think we better go down and see what’s going on…” Nicole said heading for the door. “Who knows maybe we can find something to hold over her head next time she decides to thrash us in the papers…” she added.

            “So, who died?”

            They turned to find the Glamazons standing behind them. Nicole was at the front, regarding them disdainfully.

            “Nobody, yet…” Dean retorted. “But there will be if you don’t shove off…”

            “And here I thought I could come down and see what’s bothering our little Miss Muffet…” Nicole said sarcastically. “And maybe offer a shoulder to cry on…”

            “Nic…” Brooke stepped in. “We saw Sam crying and wondered if there’s anything wrong…”

            “Nothing’s wrong…” Sam said as she finally lifted her tear stained face from the crook of Dean’s shoulder. Carmen handed her a facial tissue and she smiled gratefully.

            “Then why are you crying?” Brooke asked.

            “Lily told us a bad joke…” Carmen blurted suddenly.

            “Heh?” Lily piped up, confused.

            “Yeah, really bad joke…”

            Lily boxed Carmen’s shoulder.

            “Ouch! That hurts!” Carmen said.

            Then, the five looked at each other and one by one began to giggle.

             “What the ***** is so funny?’ Nicole asked. But the question remained unanswered as the laughter became louder. “Oh, ***** it… These losers are getting freaky by the minute…” she said as she marched back into the house.

            *****************************

            Dean looked up from her book and sighed. Just looking at the algebra questions gave her a migraine. She sighed again and started to scan her surroundings. There were not many students in the library. The tables in front of her were all empty. She began to yawn. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw some movement and she turned. She saw Mary Cherry standing at the far end of her table. Mary Cherry? In a library?

            Someone brushed past her and made her turn. Dean’s heart skipped a beat. Nicole had just walked past and was heading to the table in front of her. She chose a seat that directly faced Dean.

            Dean bit her lips to stop from grinning. She cursed herself for feeling like a giddy schoolboy at the sight of Nicole. No use pining for a girl who’s so stuck up that she couldn’t even acknowledge her as someone she knew from school. She looked at everything and everyone in the library but Nicole.

            Nicole could see the discomfort she had put Dean in. And she loved it. It was obvious that the dark haired ***** is attracted to her. The look that she saw in her eyes the other night had confirmed that.

            What happens to me if this slipper fits?

            I turn you into a frog

            Nicole shook her head. This is not the time to think about that… Not that she always thought about the smoky voice and the eyes that looked up at her, with an adorable twinkle. This is the time for a little payback…

            “Nicky…”

            That snapped her attention back to Mary Cherry.

            “You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said have you?” pouted Mary Cherry.

            Nicole was about to answer her when she saw Dean getting up and heading to the back of the library. “Umm… Mary Cherry…” Nicole started to get up. “Why don’t you go out and wait for me in class…”