Justin and Trace now for about a year, since she met them back in 7th grade; (she was now in 8th) and went to the same high school. She was only 13, as was Justin, and Trace was slightly older by a year. Justin was from Tennessee and Trace was a Florida native. She met Trace through school, and he introduced her to his friend Justin, who auditioned for a TV series called 'The Mickey Mouse Club' at Disney World. Through them, at a party she had met Josh, or JC, who was almost 17, and Christina who was a mere 13. She opened her eyes and came face to face with JC and Justin looking at her curiously. She screamed, and tried to jump back, only hitting her back against the tree she was leaning against. The two boys looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"What are you doing?" Justin asked, looking at her weirdly. She frowned. "Shut up. I was meditating." JC snorted. "Meditating? Yeah, right."
"Alright, I was thinking, geeze." She turned to see Trace come running up with a young girl with bouncy blond hair behind him. She grinned. "Liz!" Liz smiled at her friend. "Hi." Christina frowned, looking down. "I wish we could play, but we gotta go." Justin groaned. "Awww." Trace's eyes lit up.
"Hey, I gots an idea. Meet over at my house tonight, at 8, k?" Liz looked at him. "Why?"
"Cuz we have a secret meeting thing in my treehouse." She grinned and started laughing. "I feel like we're back in 2nd grade or something." JC grinned. "You? What about me?!"
She looked at him and hit him. "Hey! Just cuz you're older..." He smiled. "I was kidding." Liz looked over and saw Ryan walking around looking for her and groaned. "I gotta go. I got that stupid science thing to work on with that dork." She rolled her eyes. "Bye guys." She started to walk off, when a voice stopped her. "Hey are you comin' tonight?" She looked back and nodded. "I ain't got nothing better to do." She grinned and walked towards Ryan and they headed on. Trace smiled at his friend's back and decided he'd better head home, too. He said goodbye to his other friends and they headed off in their separate directions.
~*That night*~
Liz pulled her sweater tighter as she walked out to Trace's backyard. She felt bad for being so late, but those pesky dance lessons ran over again. She climbed the ladder and climbed in. "So nice of you to join us Lizzie." Justin said sarcastically. She smiled. "Sorry, guys dance ran late."
She took her place beside JC. He looked at her. "Again?" She nodded. "Of course."
"Well, let's get down to business." Trace said. Liz looked over at Christina who was half-asleep. "Chrissy?" Christina looked up sleepily. "Here." Liz laughed. "That's nice."
She looked over at Josh who was already half-asleep himself. She teasingly hit him. "Hey, sleepy, wake up. I didn't come all the way over here, just for you guys to sleep." He smiled. "Sorry. Long day." She nodded. "So I can tell." She hid a smile at her friend. She had to admit, she always did have a lil crush on him, but then again, who wouldn't? The thing that sucked: she was 4 years younger, and there was no way would he ever see anything in her but a friend. She shook the thoughts out of her head and looked at Trace.
"So why we here? I got school tomorrow, member?" He nodded. "Ok, ok. Well, ever seen Now and Then?" She laughed. "Yep, it was a good movie. Why?" He smiled. "We should do that." Justin looked at him strangely. "There's no graveyards round here." Trace hit his head. "No, idiot. Have a little pact thingy. That way, whenever we need some help, or just wanna hang out, we'll always be there. I mean, c'mon, we're all best friends." Liz pondered that as Justin smiled. "Good idea. I'm in." Christina nodded sleepily. "Me too." JC nodded as well. "Same here." They glanced at Liz who smiled. "Ditto." Trace smiled. "Alright then." Christina jumped up, suddenly energetic, scaring the heck outta Justin. She dashed over to her bag and rummaged around looking for something.
"Here. Now I know this is corny, but, oh well." She handed each of them a bracelet. "Wear it, that way we've always got something to remember each other by." Liz looked down at the one she gave her and smiled. Orange and blue. Her favorite colors. She smiled as she put it on. "Thanks, Chris." The others slipped theirs on as well. Liz looked down at her watch and groaned. "Uh-oh. Late again. Mom's gonna flip her lid. I should get going. See you later guys."
"Yeah, I better go, too. I'll walk you home Liz-bit." JC said. They waved and left.
"I hate living so far away." she said. He nodded. "I know. It takes forever to get to your house." She laughed. "Well, sor-ry, for the inconvenience." He laughed. "So, we'll catch up with you tomorrow?" he asked. She nodded. "Sure." He smiled. "Ok, night then lil one." She grinned. "Night Josh." She turned and ran up to her house and walked in. He smiled as he watched her walk inside. She was just like a little sister to him, he thought as he walked on to his house.
Liz looked around the house for her sister. "Alessandra?! Where you at?!" Her sister, who was on the phone, looked up from her position on the couch. She pointed to the phone in annoyance and Liz shook her head and walked up to her room. She heard her sister squealing on the phone from downstairs and she rolled her eyes. She was 16 and a pain in the ass. Liz shook her head again and looked over at her desk and smiled upon seeing a picture of her and the gang, being all crazy. She looked up to see her sister in the doorway.
"What?!" Alessandra smiled. "Hey, sis." Liz groaned. "Don't try being all sweet to me. What do you want?" Aly frowned. "Ok, ok, did you see JC tonight?" Liz rolled her eyes. "Yes, he walked me home." Her sister sighed. "Why didn't you come get me?!! I wanted to say hey." Liz groaned. "Aly, give me a break. He doesn't like you." Alessandra gave her sister a death look. "Oh, please. Everyone likes me." Liz sighed. "Yes, princess, now get out." Her sister turned on her heel and walked out. Liz smiled. Her sister was too funny. She had the biggest obsession with poor Josh, who never even glanced her way. Liz smiled and crawled into bed and fell asleep.
Two