Scarlett's sitting at a lunch table beside Jake, laughing at something he said when she looks to her right and sees Joe and Taylor. "Hey!" She points to the seat in front of her and Jake, motioning for them to sit. "Over here."
Taylor smiles over at Joe and they walk over to where Scarlett and Jake are sitting. "Hey." Joe sits down beside Taylor, in front of Jake.
"Hey guys." Scarlett says before turning to Jake and begins introducing them, realizing they probably haven't officially met each other yet. "Oh, Jake, Joe, Joe, Jake."
Joe nods and points at Jake with a smirk. "Pool dude, right?"
Jake snickers and nods. "Yeah, I guess that's something I'll probably never live down."
"Nope, I seriously doubt it." Joe snickers lightly and takes a sip of his drink as his eyes slowly focus in on Dani who is searching for a place to sit. He smiles and pats the seat beside him. "Landon!" Dani stands still for a moment, looking from him to Taylor and forcing a small smile. Scarlett notices Dani's hesitation and feels sympathy for her situation.
She takes a deep breath and turns, walking over to their table and sits down beside Joe. "Hey."
Scarlett smiles at her comfortingly. "Hey, Dani." Dani shows a small smile at Scarlett and her eyes wander over to Jake. Once again, Scarlett takes up her role as the greeter. "Oh, Jake, Dani; Dani, Jake."
Dani nods with a small smirk. "Pool dude."
Joe laughs and holds his hand up for Dani to high five. "Exactly!" Jake and the rest of the table chuckle at the two of them.
Taylor smiles and leans forward, looking past Joe to Dani. "So, did you guys have fun yesterday?"
Joe looks from Dani to Taylor, answering her question. "We didn't get to hang out yesterday, Tay."
Taylor looks at Joe with confusion. "Why not? I thought you guys were going to the movies or something."
"Dani had a prior engagement..." He looks back at her with a displeased expression. "...didn't you Dani?"
She rolls her eyes at his condescending tone. "Just drop it, Joe." She says pointedly, purposely using his first name just like he had done to her.
Taylor shows a small frown. "Aw, that's too bad. What was the oh so important prior engagement?" She smiles in curiosity and complete oblivion.
Dani's eyes widen slightly and she thinks, this girl just can't take a hint.
Joe answers Taylor without a second thought, irritation highly evident on his tongue. "She was tutoring Nick."
Scarlett's eyes widen and she spits out the soda that was in her mouth, making it spew all over the area in between her and Taylor. "What?!"
A few drops of Scarlett's spit/soda land on Taylor's arm and she wipes it off with a disgusted look. "Ew."
She looks over at Dani with wide eyes. "You're what?!"
Her eyes widen at Scarlett's reaction but she quickly shrugs and plays it off. "I'm just tutoring him. You guys act like I'm shipping off to 'Nam."
Scarlett continues starring at her with wide eyes and shakes her head. "No, no, because getting shot in the leg would be far better than getting mixed up with Dick Jerry! Why would you agree to tutor him?!"
Jake jumps into the conversation with a quick comment. "Just don't agree to tutor him around any pools...or duct tape."
Dani and everyone else give Jake a strange look before looking back at Scarlett. "Okay, first of all, I'm not getting 'mixed up' with Nick and second of all...it's not a big deal."
Scarlett shakes her head and thinks for a minute before finally coming to a realization and her eyes slowly begin to widen. She looks from Dani, to Joe, to Taylor then back at Dani with calm, serious eyes. "Dani, can I talk to you a minute...in private?"
She gives her a look of confusion before speaking. "O...kay...?" Scarlett stands up quickly, barely waiting for her response before pulling her out of the cafeteria.
Taylor looks over at Joe with a confusion. "What was that about?"
Joe continues starring at the exit where Dani and Scarlett left, not bothering to answer Taylor's question.
Scarlett pulls Dani around the corner quickly, swinging her over beside a locker to stand in front of her.
She stumbles a bit and looks at Scarlett with confusion. "What the hell?!"
She puts her hands on her hips and gives Dani a serious look. "I know why you're doing this and let me just tell you it's going to blow up in your face in ways you can't even begin to imagine!"
Dani looks past her, trying to act oblivious. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're trying to get a rise out of Joe by getting close to Nick."
She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "Nick needs a tutor and I need something to do when Joe's out with Taylor, and I'm sitting at home watching re-runs of the Simpsons."
"Well let me just say that 'something you're doing' better not be Nick or I will have to intervene."
She gives Scarlett a disgusted look. "Scarlett! I'm just tutoring him! Gosh, you and Joe both need a freaking chill pill!"
She calms down and looks at Dani with concerned eyes. "Look, I know you think you're just tutoring him and right now you may think he's a complete ass but the more time you spend with him the more you see that he's actually pretty...normal. You'll begin to see who he is and whether you like it or not...you begin to fall."
She focuses back on Scarlett, thinking about yesterday and how open he was being. "Sounds like you're talking from experience."
She swallows the knot in her throat and glances at the ground. "I've been where you are, Dani and at first it seems like a good place to be but when you're looking at it from my perspective, you're just looking at the biggest mistake of your life. Don't let him play you."
She continues starring at the ground before looking up at Scarlett with serious eyes. "Who says he's not the one getting played here?"
~~~~
Nick's standing beside Cody on the football field after school, waiting for his pass when Cody begins talking to him. "So, how's it going with the goth bitch?"
Nick snickers and catches the football, looking over at Cody with a smirk. "Better than expected." He throws the football back across the field. "Just in the past two weeks I've gotten past Dani's shield and Adam's unknowingly shown me just how much he cares for his precious Danielle."
Cody nods with a smirk before catching his pass.
"By the end of the month that girl will be in tears and Adam will be mad as hell." Nick smirks at Cody before throwing the football back.
He turns to Nick with questioning eyes. "So, does all this mean that you're done with Chelsea?"
"Chelsea can rot in hell for all I care."
His eyes widen with a smirk at Nick's intense response.
~~~
Scarlett's sitting on the bleachers, waiting for Jake to get finished with football practice. Her eyes wander down to the cheerleadering practice and she watches in intrigue.
Taylor's leading the cheers with with excitement and energy. "Alright, that's all for today." She walks over to the bleachers and picks up her canteen, taking a sip of drink when Chelsea walks over to her with a smirk.
"Hey, Tay."
Taylor looks over at her with a disgusted look. "What do you want, Chelsea?"
"I just wanted to see how my best friend is doing." She gives Taylor a large fake smile.
Taylor looks over at Chelsea with a disbelieving expression. "You must be high if you think I still consider you a friend." She turns and begins to walk off as Chelsea follows after her with a smirk.
"How are things going with you and Nick?"
Taylor turns around to give her an angry expression. "Are you insane?!"
"You know, I've seen him hanging around Demoted Danielle quite a bit." She leans closer and speaks to her with a quiet, patronizing tone. "Is that his new slut call?" She leans back and smirks evilly at Taylor. "You know, you must have been pretty boring for Nick to have to fill up his time with me and Dani."
Taylor swallows the lump in her throat and stares at Chelsea in shock.
Scarlett walks over and stands beside Taylor, facing Chelsea with a scowl. "Buzz off, you buck toothed bitch."
Chelsea focuses on Scarlett before throwing another insult towards her. "Aw, look who it is...the crowned slut of the year."
"Aw, look who it is, the bitch nobody gives a shit about. You know one day I sincerely hope someday gives you the sweet payback for all the hell you've caused and I pray I'm there to watch you fall flat on your face."
Chelsea snickers deviously and steps closer to her. "Oh, Scar, Scar, Scar...I've been thinking the exact same thing about you." She smiles and stares at Scarlett a moment before turning and walking off the football field.
She glares after Chelsea then turns to Taylor with a concerned smile. "You okay?"
She nods and gives Scarlett an reassuring smile. "Yeah. Thanks for defending me to Chelsea...again. I really need to learn how to stick up for myself when it comes to that witch."
"Yeah, you do. But until then I'm happy to set that witch straight for you."
She smiles gratefully as Jake jogs over to them with a smile before leaning down and giving Selena a small peck on the lips. "Hey, babe."
Scarlett smiles at Jake. "Hey."
Taylor smiles at their moment and points behind her with her thumb. "I should get going. I'll see you two love birds later."
"Bye, Tay."
"See ya, Taylor."
Taylor turns and rushes off the football field, towards the girls locker rooms.
Scarlett turns to Jake and wraps her arms around his neck. "So...about that date..."
Jake takes her hand and starts running off of the football field as Scarlett allows herself to be dragged along while laughing in amusement.