"I'm sorry… run that by me again?"

Soft chestnut hair bounced lightly against Cara's cheek as her mouth gaped open slightly. A distinct air of disbelief hovered around her.

"I asked him to go into my bag for my lip balm, he took it and wouldn't let me have the pot and smeared it all over his lips and said if I wanted any it was right there and he wasn't stopping me."

"Uhh… lame!" She scoffed. "I'd have wrestled him for the pot. I sure as hell wouldn't be kissing no idiot coming onto me with that gag."

"Well I regret it now, okay?" Eva snorted. "Damn player went chasing after some sorority bimbo."

"Isn't Laney Johnson on the Dean's List?" Cara arched one perfectly tweezed brow.

"Shut up!"

To the casual observer (or perhaps the deaf) the two girls looked diligent and hard at work. Deep within the stacks of the university library, their jackets draped over the backs of their chairs, they would have made a perfect picture for the college prospectus. Sunlight streamed onto the table through the plate glass window, neat stacks of books to one side. Two or three tomes lay open in front of them, and each of the two had a binder full of notes and a pen in hand.

Even the image was perfect - one peaches and cream with glossy brunette locks, one with skin the colour of smoothest milky coffee and jet black hair, one in funky prints and the other in understated pastels. It was a photographer's dream, the kind of shot you might expect the administration to set up to show how people of all cultures and tastes could come together to work in this fabulous environment, enjoying their studies and socialising together… except that in the official set up, the two would probably walk away from each other as soon as the photo was taken and it was highly unlikely they would ever see each other again.

It was also highly unlikely that the university would wish to publicise the manner of activities Cara and Eva took part into together - partying, some mild debauchery, serious misbehaving and not a lot of studying were probably not the image an educational institution would want to project. More to the point, it was unlikely that the university would wish to promote the idea its students indulged in serious gossiping while supposedly researching a paper on Shakespeare.

"Speaking of sororities…" Cara grinned evilly at her friend, pushing piece of hair behind the ear which didn't have the glossy locks contained with a cute hair grip designed to make her look preppy. "The Pi Beta bitches totally had their laundry room broken into last night and half their thongs stolen."

Eva practically choked while trying to contain her laughter, her hand flying to her mouth so as not to draw attention to their fervent whispers in the hallowed silence of the library.

"And here I thought rush week was over…"

"Rumour has it the Delta Gammas are planning on unveiling them as their party piece this weekend."

Eva grinned coyly at her friend. "You know, it is just real funny how a few short conversations with Mr Max Carlton suddenly made you an expert on the Delta Gamma happenings… someone's got a crush!" She lingered over the words in a sing-song tone.

"Do not." Cara lied unconvincingly.

"Don't front, I know you. Besides, if you're not going to wake up and go jump the hottie in the next room, Max'll do."

"How many times do I have to tell you we're just friends? And if he's that hot why don't you go out with him?"

"Too nice." Eva stared thoughtfully at the window for a second before smirking. "I love a Southern gentleman and all but I need a little extra rough in my man… I'd take him for a test drive but I wouldn't buy the motor, you know what I'm saying?"

"Eww…" Cara's face creased up in distress at the idea of her best male and female friends getting it on. The image was disgusting on an even deeper level than one might have suspected, and it seriously made her want to throw up (in a metaphorical sense, she wasn't really about to lose her lunch over it).

To be fair, however, Cara liked very few of Justin's girlfriends.

Ostensibly, it was about possession and she was willing to admit that it was. She had been a small town girl who had gone to an all girl's private school, had very strict parents and consequently very limited social experience with the adolescent male. It had been highly intimidating to consider the prospect of constantly fraternising with them until she'd accidentally been put into a room with one (much to the horror of said strict parents who had been very relieved when a new room was found for her) and he had become one of the better friends she'd ever had.

Justin was a perfect fit in her life. They shared a deep and stupid love for Ferris Bueller's Day Off, they both shared interests in basketball, music and clubbing, both had a similar aptitude for academics and for weird abstract, high concept conversations about things that didn't really make much practical difference to their days. Justin was the nice guy that looked after her, was always around if she wanted company or somebody to paint the town red with, and who she could count on.

That was why she tended to be critical of his girlfriends. Firstly, she had to be sure they were good enough, and secondly, it sucked having to share his attentions. It wasn't romantic jealousy, it was an attention thing. She wasn't too proud to admit it she felt pushed out when he had girlfriends and she wasn't getting his attentions.

Mostly, however, it was the idea of her brother type figure having sex that just grossed her out. The partner didn't make much difference - whenever you suspected your best pal was getting their rocks off in the bedroom across from yours it was fairly disturbing, no matter how much you might like or dislike his choice of date.

"Whatever," the irrepressible Eva continued. "To give you credit, the Max thing is being played very cool. I take it you learned your lesson."

"Didn't I tell you to never ever refer to David Cross in any way, with or without name, ever again?" The brunette grouched while taking a cursory glance at the Mercutio speech she was supposed to be analysing for her assignment.

"If you sank any lower, innocent rabbits might have died." A pair of brown eyes rolled at her from across the table. "You don't get off that easy."

"Let's not exaggerate, I just got a little overzealous with the cell phone." She tossed a tic tac mint across the table at her companion.

"Speaking of cell phones, that ain't mine buzzing…"

"Crap…"

Now Eva mentioned it, Cara could hear the faint buzzing sound which meant her phone was vibrating (having had the ringer turned off for library purposes). Pulling the leather satchel up from its position by the daisy flip flops she had kicked off in a slightly inappropriate manner, she managed to yank the device out from under her keys, myriad lip glosses and purse to flip it open.

"Hello?"

It was difficult to speak loud enough for a phone and quietly enough not to get scolded by the library staff, but she had it to a fine art by now - years of practice and saying to hell with the 'turn all pagers and beepers off' signs.

"Cara?"

"Hey babe," She said to Justin's familiar Tennessee twang. "What's up?"

"Didn't you tell me you didn't know Max Carlton?"

Her hazel eyes widened impossibly. "I don't. I mean, I think he's in my Spanish class and I know his face, but I don't know him. Why?"

"Why would some dude you don't know but who knows me real well call our apartment and ask for you instead of me?"

Was it just her imagination, or did the blue eyed wonder sound a little annoyed and dare she say even confrontational about that? What - were his friends too good to come near her or something?

"I have no idea. He didn't say what he wanted?"

"Said you should call him back and could I give you his number."

Unbeknownst to Cara, Justin had no intention of giving her said number. Perhaps it was a little dishonest, but one wrong digit wouldn't hurt anybody and could be plausibly blamed of forgetfulness or dependence on speed dial. Justin might've been friends with Max, might've liked the guy a lot, but that didn't mean to say he didn't recognise the technique - for some reason Max had noticed Cara and was beginning pursuit. It was simply that her unwitting best friend was unaware Cara not only shared the interest but was more acquainted with Max than she had to date been letting on.

"Hmm." Cara played it off nonchalantly, trying to sound non-committal but inwardly screaming with glee. "I guess I'd better call him some time and see what he wants… in the unlikely event I can be bothered. He probably wants notes or something."

"Maybe." Justin doubted that very much, but still it was a vain little piece of hope to keep him sleeping a little more soundly. "You coming home soon darlin'? I'm bored."

"And as ever it falls to me to entertain you… shoot some hoops? I'm tired of studying."

"Like you've been doing one single iota of study while sitting there gassing with Eva." He laughed affectionately. "Expect you in an hour?"

"Make it forty minutes."

"Okay. Bye sweetness."

"Later hottie."

Cara ended the call to be met with Eva's disbelieving eyes.

"He's cute, he's sweet, body to die for, and you call each other all these pet names. Explain to me again why you haven't screwed the boy's brains out?"

That time it wasn't one tic tac so much as half the box that got flung at her.