Larissa looked at Joey as the two left Storm Chargers.

"Why don't you try playing nice?" Larissa asked. Joey looked at her.

"I don't play nice with assholes." Joey replied. Larissa sighed.

"Joey, come on." She said. "Can you at least pretend to be nice? Hold in your violent tendencies for a bit? I don't feel like being banished from the store when we haven't even been in this town a week."

"I guess I could. But that jerk started it Lariss!" Joey said. Larissa sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Ok, lets think of it this way. Summer works there, she doesn't want to loose her job, that guy in the crimson likes her....hmm lets think long and hard about this Jo...Avoid, or even ignore him and he might just go away." Larissa told her friend. Joey looked at her.

"That guy in crimson likes Summer?" She asked. Larissa nodded.

"Wow, aren't you supposed to be the older wiser one?" Larissa smirked. Joey rolled her eyes.

"I don't spend my mental energy on guys, and you shouldn't either." Joey said. Larissa looked at her.

"Not everyone has the 'if it has a penis it's evil' mentality that you have, Josephina." Larissa said. Joey gave her a dirty look.

"Well, experience hasn't proved otherwise." Joey responded.

"Yeah, your mom's experience." Larissa said. Joey glared at her.

"Do not talk about my mother." Joey said. Larissa winced, realizing she shouldn't have gone there. Joey looked at her. "Hey, if you want to hang around here in the dumb males section, be my guest. Get a ride from Summer." Joey said, and with that, she got in her car and drove away, leaving Larissa standing there.

"Well, that went well." Larissa snarled, as she marched back towards Storm Chargers. It was going to be another long day.

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Hunter and Summer continued to sit in the break room and periodically look at each other. Summer was feeling a little uncomfortable under his constant gaze.

"What?" She finally asked. Hunter blinked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I just...I can't help thinking that we've met before." He said.

"Is that another cheesy line?" Summer asked. Hunter laughed and shook his head.

"No, I mean it." He said. "I feel like we've met before." Summer looked at him.

"To be honest, I kind of feel the same." She said. She shrugged. "Maybe we met in a past life."

"A past life?" Hunter joked.

"Hey maybe. Who knows? But ya I should be getting back to work." Summer told him. She went to stand up when he suddenly grabbed her wrist. "What?" She asked.

Hunter looked away sheepishly. "Uh, I was wondering if you'd like to go out on a date with me?" He asked

Summer looked at him. "I dunno Hunter, we just met and everything..." She told him,

Hunter looked at her, "Yah, but look at it this way. Your best friend hates my best friend, so it's kinda like fate."

"I dunno." She replied.

"Summer, I know it sounds weird, but I don't think I could stand it if anything happened to you. I have this strange feeling that I need to protect you." He told her. Summer looked at him.

"And what makes you think I need protecting?" She asked.

"I don't know." He admitted. Summer took a deep breath.

"Hunter, your attempts are admirable, really, but I know where this is going." She said. "You see some blonde girl and think she's some little damsel in distress and needs a big strong man to protect her. Well, I don't need protecting. I have done well without it thus far, so there really is no need for you to sprout out some corny line about needing to protect me."

"I just thoug-" He started.

"Well you thought wrong. Hunter. I'm sorry but not right now anyways. Maybe some other time." Summer replied, beginning to leave the room. Hunter looked at her.

"Is that just a nice way of saying no way in this lifetime?" He asked. Summer looked at him.

"Maybe." She replied. Hunter stood up. He walked over to her and stared into her eyes.

"Well, I should tell you, I'm a very persistent boy." He said, smiling a bit. Summer cocked an eyebrow.

"And I should tell you, I loathe persistent boys." She said as she left the break room.

"Damn." He said, following her. "Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" He asked softly, placing his hands on her small waist and turning her around gently. Summer looked at him. She sighed.

"Honestly, no." She said. "Like you said, my friend hates your friend. And I'm not about to put myself, or you for that matter, in some awkward middle of the battling zone position. Sorry." She said as she walked away from him. Hunter sighed. Larissa saw Summer and walked over to her.

"Hey." She said. Summer looked at her.

"I thought you left with Jo." She said. Larissa shook her head.

"I think I managed to piss her off, she drove off with out me." Larissa said. Summer sighed.

"Oh great."

"Yah. So basically I get to drive home with you. Or I can walk." Larissa told her by the expression Summer got on her face when she said that.

"No Rissa. It's ok. I'm just, I dunno." Summer began

Larissa looked at her questioningly. "Something wrong?" She asked

Summer shrugged. "Hunter wants me to go out with him, but I dunno. He says he feels he needs to "protect me". Whatever that means." Summer told her. Larissa looked at her.

"What's so wrong with that?" She asked. Summer looked at her.

"Excuse me? Since when am I someone who needs protecting?" She asked, feeling a little offended. Larissa shook her head.

"I'm not saying you need it. But, isn't it nice that someone, more specifically, a guy, wants to protect you? Doesn't that mean he cares?" Larissa asked. Summer thought about that for a bit. She sighed.

"I guess. But, I don't want that right now.." She said, her voice trailing off a bit. "It'd be a dis-"

"Traction?" Larissa finished for her. Summer nodded. "I see." Larissa said. "Look, I'm the young one here, so, I've got no place or right to tell you what to do, or give you advice, but, do me a favor, don't become some cynical man-basher like Joey, please?" She pleaded. Summer laughed softly.

"I'll do my best to stay out of that." Summer said. Larissa looked at her.

"So what are you going to do?" She asked Summer. Summer shrugged.

"Maybe one date. Maybe...I dunno." Summer replied. Larissa nodded.

"Well what ever you do, it'll be the right decision." Larissa said patting her shoulder gently. Summer smiled.

"You know, for someone who says has 'no place in giving advice' you do a pretty good job at it." She said. Larissa gave a dry laugh.

"All my knowledge of relationships is based entirely on movies and such." She said. Summer looked at her and gave her a soft smile. Larissa had never had a boyfriend, or a crush. Summer remembered a time where she almost thought Larissa might've been a lesbian. But then she, Larissa and Joey watched The Princess Diaries once, and Larissa said Erik Von Detton was a hottie, so that pretty much told Summer Larissa was into guys.

"I'm sure once you find a guy worth your time, things will change." She said.

"Well, I hope that happens sometime before my 80th birthday." Larissa muttered. Summer walked over to the cash register and stood behind it. Larissa went over and leaned against the counter.

"It'll happen, don't worry." Summer said. At that moment, the door of the store opened as someone walked into the shop. Summer looked up to see the new customer. It was an Asian looking guy with glasses dressed in jeans and a green button down shirt. Hunter, Blake, Shane and Dustin saw the new arrival and went over to greet him.

"Hey guys." He said.

"Hey." The others said.

"Oh, dude, you got to meet our new buds." Dustin said. He ushered the guy over to where Larissa and Summer stood. Larissa turned around to see what was going on and froze. Her mouth suddenly felt as dry as cotton, her palms suddenly began to sweat.

"Hey." Summer said as Dustin walked over.

"Summer, Larissa, this is Cam. Cam, this is Summer and Larissa." Dustin said. Cam smiled at Summer. He then looked over at Larissa. She looked like she was about to have a heart attack or something.

"Hey, you OK?" He asked. Summer looked at Larissa.

"Rissa." Summer said, gently whacking her on the back. Larissa blinked.

"Huh? Oh...Uh..Yeah..I'm OK..." She stammered. Cam laughed. Larissa smiled. She swung around to Summer. "Um, I'm going to walk home. I'll see you later." She told Summer. And before the blond could say another word, Larissa had run from Storm Chargers as if the devil was on her tail. The guys looked at Summer.

"Does your friend always run out on you like that?" Cam asked. Summer hung her head in shame then said. "No, not always, you should have been here earlier. My friend tried to take on everyone here..." Summer rolled her eyes and the guys laughed.

"Oh yeah, dude," Dustin grinned. "You know those 'thugs' that beat Shane up?" Shane glared at Dustin.

"Do not go there." He growled. "Besides, she's crazy enough, she might as well have been 'thugs'." He added, gaining a glare from Summer.

"Do not talk about my best friend like that. You don't even know her. And besides, who's to say you didn't provoke her?" Shane looked at her.

"She's so violent, I think a butterfly would 'provoke' her." Shane countered. Summer glared more intently at him.

"If you keep talking about her like that, her beating you up will not be problem." She said. Hunter quickly stepped in.

"OK, OK, relax." He said. He looked at Shane. "Seriously dude, lay off." Shane looked at him.

"Excuse me? Why am I suddenly the bad guy? Whatever, I'm out of here." He said as he stormed off. Cam, Blake, Dustin and Hunter sighed. Hunter looked at Summer. She took a deep breath.

"Thanks." She said. "But like I said before, I don't need protecting." And with that she went to the break room again. Hunter groaned.

"I am not having a good day." He muttered. The other's looked at him again. "What?" Hunter asked.

"Dude....you like her don't you?" Dustin asked. Hunter looked at him. 'Guess he's gotten over trying not to be so obvious about it.' Hunter's mind screamed. Sighing, Hunter nodded. Blake and Cam smiled whereas Dustin laughed happily. "I knew you did man! Alright!" Dustin practically cheered. Hunter rolled his eyes.

"Glad to know that your psychic skills are improving." Hunter said sarcastically. "But a lot of good liking her does. I don't think she feels the same." Dustin, Blake and Cam looked at him.

"Well, has she actually said that?" Blake asked.

"Well, I tried asking her out when we were in the break room before." Hunter said.

"And what happened?" Blake asked.

"Got shot down worse then Daffy Duck during hunting season." Hunter replied. "She said no."

"But did she say she doesn't like you?" Dustin asked.

"Why does that matter?"

"Well, duh!" Dustin said. "If she didn't actually say the words, all hope is not lost yet." Dustin said, giving him a big smile.

"Yeah. Hey, maybe she just feels it's too soon to be dating, or something." Blake suggested. "Get to know her a bit more, hang out with her, in a couple of weeks, or even less then that, then you can try again."

"So, I'm guessing you're in the 'hang out with her' stage with Tori then?" Hunter asked, with a smirk.

"Ha, ha, very funny." Blake replied.

"Well it's the truth isn't it?" Hunter questioned. "You've known her for almost 5 months, and you haven't asked her out yet."

Blake looked at him. "So what? I don't have to ask her if I don't want to." Blake told him.

"But, you want to." Hunter said. "And don't go saying she doesn't like you, cause the feeling's obviously mutual. So just get it over with." Hunter replied. Blake shrugged. And Hunter gave up and looked longingly at the break room where Summer was. Dustin jabbed him in the sides.

"Go man....at least get to know her a bit...then develop it more." Hunter looked at him.

"I dunno." Hunter said. "She seemed a little pissed, maybe she needs to be left alone for a while."

"Or maybe she needs to talk." Cam suggested. Hunter sighed.

"Fine."

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Summer sat in the back room, facing the wall. The door opened. She looked over to see Hunter walk in.

"Hey, mind if I come in?" He asked. Summer shrugged.

"I'm not the mistress of the back room." She said. Hunter shut the door and sat down beside her. The two were silent for a while.

"I'm sorry..For how I've been acting today.." Summer finally said.

"It's OK." Hunter said. "Although Kelly might have issues with the constant breaks." He joked. Summer gave a small laugh.

"I'll just tell her it's that time of the month." Summer replied.

"OK, let's not go there." Hunter laughed. Summer laughed as well. He looked at her. "I'm sorry...For asking you out before, and offending you. I realize we just met and all but.."

"No, we haven't." She said. She looked at him. "Remember, we've met in a past life." She said, giving him a half smile. Hunter smiled.

"Well, we just got reacquainted." He said. "Anyway, I know I was moving kind of fast." He looked at her. "I like you." He said honestly. Summer looked in his eyes and saw that he meant it. She looked away.

"Thanks. But, I think I need to get fully settled in to this new town and everything before any relationship stuff comes up. I don't need a boyfriend right now. But a friend will do." She said. Hunter nodded.

"Then a friend I shall be." He said, giving a warm smile. Summer smiled.

"Thank you." She then gave a soft laugh. "But, I mean, if you still want to be a persistent boy, you can still chase me. I'm just not ready to be caught yet." She said.

"Oh, so you're one of those girls who likes the attention?" He asked with a smirk. Summer laughed.

"Guilty." She said. Hunter laughed.

"OK. I can deal with that. Just give me a heads up when you're close to being caught." He said.

"Will do." She said. She rested her head against his shoulder. Hunter put an arm around hers. 'I guess all hope isn't lost yet.' He thought to himself.

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Blake, Cam and Dustin all poked their heads into the back room and saw Hunter with his arm around Summer, who's head was gently resting on his shoulder. They looked so cute, and comfy. They didn't want to disrupt them, so they quietly shut the door and went back to work.

"Dustin man how did you know that Summer would give him a chance?" Blake asked. Dustin shrugged

"To tell you the truth, I have no idea...I wish I knew." Dustin replied. The three boys laughed and continued working. Cam's mind was a million miles away thinking about the girl he'd only met for 2 minutes and had escaped his life as quickly as she had come...'She sure was pretty' His mind told him. Cam smiled and agreed with his mind.