Chapter 4

Walking towards the lunchroom, Molly was lost in her thoughts. She had recognized Alex's name immediately, of course, but hadn't spoken up. The spiky, sharp girl with the wicked grin was so far from the Alex she remembered that she couldn't quite bring herself to mention the connection. And Alex would find out soon enough. All the same, Molly felt as though she were hiding something, and her feet dragged as she walked into the white fluorescent cafeteria. Anyway, Charlie and Alex wouldn't want her hanging around annoying them anyway. She headed immediately towards an empty table, but was intercepted halfway there by none other than a smirking, more-handsome-than-ever Charlie.

"Where d'you think you're going, missy?" he asked, grinning and grabbing her arm. Molly shrugged, clenching and unclenching her hands nervously. His smile was infectious, though, and she found herself warming up. The empty table suddenly looked a lot less inviting.

'Damn, I wish you were single,' she though but carefully didn't say.

"We-ell... I just thought I'd sneak out the back. Wouldn't want to be seen with the likes of you... it might ruin my reputation," she actually said, shrugging again.

"Nah, we all got you pegged. A trouble-maker, through and through. The teachers are keeping their eyes on you, little lady." He smirked, gesturing at the three bored-looking adults who slouched around the bustling cafeteria. Molly looked down at her clean blue sweater and immaculate white shoes, laughing.

"Trouble-maker, eh? Well, in that case, you might not want to be seen talking to me. You might get a bad name."

"What a change that would be for me," he quipped, then pulled her across the room to another table. It was about half-full, and several people looked up as they approached.

"Hey, Charlie, who's the dame?" Molly was surprised to hear a girl ask. She had flaming red hair and black eyes, and a downright inviting smile. A little unnerved, Molly turned to Charlie, who was grinning even wider.

"Nicole, turn off the charm. You might frighten her away. This is Molly, a friend ah' mine... Molly, Nicole. Don't worry if she hits on you, it happens to the best of us."

Nicole stuck out a hand, and Molly tentatively shook it. The redhead watched her, deadpan, for a moment, then also broke into a wicked smile. "You can sit by me, sweetheart... Oh, calm down, I'm just kidding."

Smiling uncertainly, Molly took a seat and looked around. Across from her a guy was surreptitiously fondling one of the girls, and she was giggling delightedly. Charlie rolled his eyes, slapping the table to get the guy's attention. "Hey, John, cut it out. This is Molly, a new friend I found in the park the other day. She followed me home. That's John and Marielle."

As John looked up, his hands gradually drifted away from Marielle. He stared in open appreciation at Molly, reaching out to take her hand in his, raising it to his lips and kissing it dramatically. "She followed you home? Lucky guy... As he told you, I'm Johnny, a.k.a. Johnny the World-Famous Lover."

Even Molly had to laugh. "Well, fame is fleeting, John. You'd better keep in practice." She said it in a low voice, smiling winningly, then laughed a bit uncertainly. She didn't really understand why she was encouraging John, but it felt good to laugh like this with him and Charlie. Her friend back home had been so... clean. 'Kind of like me, actually,' she though wryly.

Marielle raised an eyebrow, rolling her eyes and sighing at John's expression. Shooting Molly a long-suffering look, she pulled his head towards her so that his gaze was forced back in her direction. "Sweetie... over here..." she smiled wryly as his hand slipped into hers, and he began to whisper something complimentary in her ear. He did, however, continue shooting admiring glances across the table at Molly.

Molly realized he was glancing over at them and leaned over, smirking, and whispered to Charlie, "I think he's checking you out... you might want to do something about that look." Charlie laughed, then batted his eyes as John, earning himself an expression of utter horror.

Just then Alex and a guy Molly didn't know walked up. He was gesturing, making Alex laughed as they strolled towards the table and flopped into the uncomfortable plastic seats. Charlie grinned, his fingers immediately twining with Alex's as he blew Eric a kiss.

"Feeling any better, honey?" he asked, pretending to hold his nose with his free hand. Eric groaned, holding his head and swaying slightly back and forth.

"I wouldn't talk, Chah-lee... My opponent was significantly more fearsome than a housefly. Anyway," he quipped, "It was your carpet."

Molly watched them with polite confusion, not really in on the joke. Alex grinned at her, leaning across Charlie's chest to explain. "See, we had rather a wild party the other night, and Eric.. that's Eric, over there... lets just say that the pizza probably looked better the first time around. Smelled better, too."

Eric waved a hand in the air, making a 'pah' noise. "Please. You know I was looking pretty damn attractive just then." He made a face, considering what he had just said. "Actually, I take that back. It couldn't have been pretty. Hello, Molly!"

The last was said with extreme enthusiasm, and Eric jumped out of his seat and wrapped his arms rambunctiously around her thin form. Molly froze, unsure of how to respond to the welcome. "Eh... Hi, Eric.."

He laid his head on her shoulder, arms still wrapped around her from behind, and grinned. "Just thought you weren't getting enough of a welcome from the rest of these losers." He slid back to his seat, then looked suddenly sympathetic. "Aw... Alex... you look jealous."

"Nah.."

"I think you are."

"What are you on?" she asked, then her face lit up with sudden comprehension. "Oh, no."

"Yes."

"Definitely not jealous! No jealousy here!"

"Oh, I think there is. Search your soul, little Alexandra." He grinned and began walking around the table towards her. She shrank away from him, pulling Charlie in front of herself.

"Take him instead!" she yelled, then shrieked with laughter as Eric dodged around and began tickling her mercilessly. Molly grinned along with them as Alex writhed, desperately trying to get away from Eric. Charlie leaned back and watched, smirking, and was rewarded with a dirty look.

"Fuck... Ahh! Fuck you, Charlie! Help?" Alex managed, panting for breath in between fits of giggles. Charlie finally shoved Eric's shoulder, and spoke in a deep, mock-fierce voice.

"What do you think you're doing with my girl?" he snarled, hiding a grin.

"Ah, your hero, Alex," Nicole commented sardonically from the other side of the table.

"Damn straight. Now get your butt back next to Nicole, where it belongs," Charlie continued, ignoring the sarcasm in the redhead's tone.

"Yessir! Dinnit mean nuthin, sir!" Eric said quickly, saluting and marching back to his seat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Alex and Charlie walked down the sunny sidewalk that led to both their houses. School was over, and they were enjoying being quiet together for a few minutes, soaking up the springtime warmth and holding hands. Charlie reached over and began playing with a strand of Alex's hair, grinning affectionately at her.

"What's on your mind, cupcake?" he asked eventually, letting his knuckles brush her cheek.

"Mm," she responded noncommittally. "You really want to know?"

"Sure," he said, frowning and walking backwards so that he could see her face.

"Well..." she said, and hesitated, then grinned. "Actually, I was wondering what would happened if you pushed one of those really obese people. The one's that look round. Do you think they'd... roll, or something?"

Charlie laughed, moving back beside her and slipping an arm over her shoulder. "And here I thought it was just a minor problem. I can see how that would worry you, Alex."

Alex smirked, leaning her head on his shoulder for a minute. Then her face grew a little more serious, and she commented in a darker tone, "That Molly you're so enamored with strikes me as kind of a whiny little bitch."

"She's cute, albeit extremely naive. Anyway, don't fret..." he paused melodramatically for a moment, "You still provide enough gorgeous and sexy for my tastes. Your man will be faithful."

Alex rolled her eyes, not really smiling. "Look, go and screw her, for all I care... she's still kind of a whiny little bitch."

They walked in silence for a couple of minutes, then Charlie frowned and grabbed Alex's shoulder to stop her. "Alex, I have a rather serious question. I'm only going to ask this once. Why, in god's name, are you carrying a traffic cone?"

Alex grinned wickedly, holding up the bright orange thing she had been carrying since they left the school. "It's my new pet. I think I shall call it.. Hieronymus. You know you've got mad traffic cone envy, Charlie."

Still laughing, she pulled him into a hard kiss, almost as if she were reassuring herself of something, then ran up the steps to her apartment. The traffic cone swung back and forth as she moved, her hand wrapped firmly around the tip. Charlie stood watching her for a moment, shaking his head and smiling to himself, before blowing a kiss to the closed door and walking down the street.

A/N: Long chapter... Enjoy, you vultures. If you want me to continue (looooosing the enthusiasm!), please tell me in a review or somethin'. Otherwise I might abandon ship.

Oh, and Pimpette and JustWolf, my only fans... lets not mince words. I love you guys.