"You okay?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Just wonderin."
"Poo-foo, don't worry about me."
He groaned. "Why do you insist on calling me that?"
"I'm just getting back at you for telling the guys my hated nickname."
"I swear. I didn't tell them."
"Uh-huh. Sure." She believed him, but this was just too good of an opportunity to tease him to pass up.
"Common! Justin must've heard me talkin in my sleep, or somethin!" Why won't she believe me? he wondered.
She giggled. "I know, I know. I'm just bustin your chops."
He rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot, Beener!"
"No prob, Poo-foo!"
They both cracked up.
Justin, Joey and Lauren finally took a break, and made their way over to JC and Chris. Justin looked at Lance and Sabrina laughing.
"What's with them?" he asked JC.
"No clue," was the reply. "They must find something awfully funny."
"Yeah. I haven't seen Lance laugh like that one for a while."
"Will you two gossiping hens leave them alone?" demanded Lauren, as she came over. "They're just catching up on things."
Joey danced over. "What'cha doin?"
"Watching them," Justin replied.
"Oh."
Yet, after all of this time, Sabrina and Lance had no idea that they were being watched. They were still talking and laughing over nothing, just like they used to.
Flashback
"Sabrina!" screamed Allyson.
"WHAT?!" came the exasperated reply.
"Lance is on the phone!"
"Okay!"
She leaned over her bed, swing her light brown hair away from her ear, and put the phone up to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, what's up?" she heard Lance's deep voice (even at fourteen!) over the line.
"Just a sec. ALLYSON LEIGHANNE!"
"What?!" she yelled back.
"GET OFF THE DAMN PHONE!"
"Okay!"
"NOW!!!!!!!"
<click>
"Okay. Sorry. Ally, the little snoop was listenin on the other line."
"That's okay. I called you to ask you something."
"Okay, Scoop. Ask away."
"Well, do you have a date for the homecoming dance?"
"Lance, you know perfectly well that I have no social life when it comes to guys, thanks to you."
"It's not my fault that the last three boyfriends you had were jerks and didn't treat you right."
"So says you."
"Whatever."
"Whatever, yourself. To answer your question, no I don't have a date for the homecoming dance."
"Ummm....wanna go with me?"
<silence>
"Sabrina? Helooooo."
"Sorry. I'm here. Yeah. Sure."
"You don't sound so happy." She could hear the trace of disappointment in his voice, so she scrambled to smothe things over.
"I'm sorry. I'm happy you asked me, because I know I'll have a fun time with you. It's just it took my by surprise, a bit, that's all."
"What did? The fact that asked you?" Now he was getting angery.
Sensing his anger, she quickly replied "I thought you laready had a date. That's why it surprised me."
"Well, yeah, I did, but she balied on me."
"WHAT!? WHO?!"
"Jules."
(Author's note: I'm gonna have to explain here. Jules, full name Julie, is Sabrina's best friend. She had a crush on Lance in High School, which is when this flashback is taking place. These confusing questions were brought to my attention by my wonderful "editor", Lissy. [Thanks, babe!] Just wanted to clear that up. Thanks for putting up with this interuption. Now, back to the story. - Steph)
<silence>
"Sabrina? Girl, you've got to quit doing this to me. It's starting to scare me!"
"Sorry. I was just seething at what a moron she is. Did she tell you why?"
"Yeah. Her cousin's getting married."
"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Okay, she's excused."
"Huh?"
"Nevermind. Shit. I've gotta go."
"Why?"
"I'm not supposed to be on the phone, and I have a feeling that Mel is gonna snitch on me."
"Are you grounded?"
"Yeah."
"What'd you do this time?"
"I short-sheeted Ally's bed."
<laughter>
"Why'd you do that?"
"She and Mel doused my sheets with ice water while I was in the shower."
"You know, you and your sister's pranks are getting a little old."
"You're tellin me! Try havin to live with them!"