Learn Again

Five

A/N: Happy day after New Year's? New chapter! Wee. c: Hopefully this is more lighthearted than the last one. The photo on the side is Julia. Dianna Agron's gorgeous, isn't she?

Oh, and also, when is a good time to update? I'm not sure if I should do it often, to attract more attention, or wait to gather more dedicated readers. What's your guys' opinion?

"Russo. Hey, Russo." Alex prodded her side. "Want to hear a pick up line?"

Grace forced a smile. "How about I tell you one? You must have been born on a highway," she said flatly.

Alex furrowed his brows. "Uh...why?"

In a monotone, she replied, "Because that's where accidents happen." She cracked a grin at her joke.

Alex scowled at her. "That's mean!"

Grace dead panned, "You know what they say."

"What?"

"Beauty is skin deep—but ugly is to the bone."

"Hey! I'm not ugly."

"Keep dreaming."

Alex scowled again, a feature that was becoming a norm for his face. "Well, where were you yesterday, anyway?"

Grace's smile froze. "No place in particular," she said evasively. Her eyes flickered from side to side.

"So you decided to cut for no reason?" he pried.

"Just about," Grace said. "It doesn't matter. What's it to you, anyway?" She turned away, effectively ending the conversation.

He kept following her, not getting the hint. "Were you on a date?" he asked suspiciously.

Grace choked. "No! What would make you think that?"

Alex grinned, but it seemed strained. "So you were."

Grace shook her head. "Definitely not."

"Then where were you?" Alex persisted.

"Nowhere, okay?" Grace skipped forward quickly, hoping to lose him. Alex walked faster to catch up to her.

"Why won't you tell me?" he whined. "Pleaseeee. Tell me." He stuck out his bottom lip and widene his eyes.

She scowled. "No." She didn't need to be reminded about Finn. Not here. Not now. "You're not cute. Stop that, you look like you're dying. Let's talk about something else, okay?"

The usually tactless Alex seemed to pick up on her mood, because he shrugged and agreed. "Okay. Did you finish your History homework that was assigned last night?"

Grace's eyes bulged. "History...homework?" she asked hesitantly. She racked her mind, trying to remember if they were assigned anything. Maybe they were and she hadn't been paying attention?

Alex nodded. "You didn't get the memo? What happened to Ms. Know-It-All, Ms. I-Only-Get-Straight-A's?"

Grace shoved him. "I must have been busy beceause someone distracted me." She glared pointedly at Alex.

Alex waved a hand, sighing dramatically. "I know, I know, my devastatingly good looks are extremely distracting. Don't get too off track; I don't want you to fall behind." He patted her head in a pityingly way.

Grace stared at him stonily. "Shut up. And give me your History homework. I have to copy it."

Alex stuck out his chin as he thought about. "Wouldn't that be cheating, though?"

Grace rolled her eyes. "Just give it to me," she glowered at him. "It's not cheating."

"Okay, I will...if you kiss me."

"Not even in your dreams, Alex."

Alex grinned. "I like you," he said cheerfully. "Want to go out on a date with me?"

Grace blushed. "No. Piss off."

~

Julia poked Grace's shoulder. "What is with everybody poking me today?" Grace grumbled.

Julia cocked an eyebrow. "Who else poked you today?"

Grace looked like a deer in front of headlights. "Uh—nobody. I must've been mistaken." A light blush colored her cheeks as she remembered her last conversation with Alex.

Julia grinned. "Nobody? Not even a boyyyy?" she cooed.

Alex sat down next to them. "What's this about a boy?"

Julia gaped at him. "Alex...?" she asked uncertainly. It was a strange occurrence for a guy of his popularity to sit with someone like them.

He flashed her a heartbreaking smile. "Yeah. You're, uh, Julia, right?" he asked, tilting his head thoguhtfully.

She nodded, wide-eyed, her mouth opening and closing like a gold fish. "How'd you know?" she stammered.

"You're in my Chemistry, right?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Julia affirmed. She stared at him as if he might disappear at any moment.

"Were your parents siblings, Alex?" Grace snapped, annoyed. "'Because I'm pretty sure I told you to leave me alone."

"That's not happening on my watch, Russo," he replied. "What can I say? There's something about you that...entices me." He winked and dragged his eyes over her body boldly. He mouthed call me.

Grace pushed out her chair with a screech and got up, clearly ending the conversation. "Julia, I'll see you after school for shopping?"

Alex's ears perked up. "Shopping? Can I go?"

"Definitely not," Grace scoffed. She began to walk away to her class.

~

"Julia!" Grace growled. "How could you bring that—that thing!" She pointed accusingly at Alex, smiling nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry, Grace!" Julia apologized, not looking sorry at all. "But he kept asking, so I just said yes!" she grinned.

"Then you take care of him! If he gets lost, it's your fault." Grace glared fiercely at her.

"Hey! What am I, a dog?" Alex piped up.

Grace scowled at him. "Yes!" she sighed. "Fine, but he has to carry all our stuff, okay?"

Julia beamed. "Like a boyfriend, but without the clinginess! I like it."

Alex chuckled nervously. "You know, I think I remember something I had to do at home..."

Julia grinned evilly at him. "Nope! You're not getting out of this!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him toward her car.

Alex's glance flickered from Julia to Grace anxiously. Maybe this was a bad idea.