Freshmen Dorms

"He got luckier than I did." Luke stirred his hot chocolate and then took a sip. "Shit, it's freezing outside!"

"Um yeah I know, I was outside earlier." James said taking a sip from the hot chocolate.

Luke glanced over at him, leaning back against a counter. "You were?" For what? Didn't you get the flowers earlier?"

"Um yeah about that, she turned me down. Very harshly if I may add,and I tried to come back here but Evelyn and I had left her dorm at the same time so we were riding the elevator together and I accidentally rode it down with her, and you won't believe what happened." James figured he should tell Luke, he thought if anything Luke would get a major kick out of this.

"So Evelyn is trying to convince me to go to formal with someone else since Alexis rejected me, and I kept telling her I don't wanna go. Then finally she yells at me and says she needs to tell me something so we go outside and we're talking to each other, then she starts asking me all these questions like you did about why I like Alexis and crap. Then we started arguing with each other and throwing snow in each others faces and crap." James stopped a minute to take a deep breath.

He looked up at Luke and snorted, "You're not gonna believe me when I tell you this, hell even I laughed but, the reason. The reason I like Alexis and that Connor and Seth are all over Ashlee and Rose. Is because Evelyn and the girls... they made a damned love potion! And the thing backfired, and apparently I was never supposed to have any of it. But if you've been wondering why we're acting this way, you now know."

Luke choked on his hot chocolate a few times. He coughed violently and set his mug down, spinning to stare at James. his eyes narrowed. "EVELYN said that?"

He would have wondered why Evelyn and James were suddenly all buddy-buddy enough to have a snow-fight but he was too focused on this...stupidity.

"Yes Evelyn said that! She said that her and the girls were trying to make a love potion, and at first they thought it wasn't going to work so they had made it wrong I guess, and to their surprise it worked! Hence us acting like idiots. So yes its the honest to god truth, why else would I like Alexis like you guys said for no reason. But she told me they're trying to find someone to undo it." James told Luke, and he realized just how ridiculous this all sounded but oh well.

Luke spluttered for a second. "Love potions don't work - it's jsut- they can't work - that's crazy!"

He frowned at James. "This si jsut ridiculous, dude! What if you really just..."

But it wasn't just James. Seth and Connor were the last people Luke would expect to fall for girls so seriously and devotedly. Luke's eyes widened as he picked up his mug, still staring at James. "Fuck."

"Ha, I know right?" James snorted taking a long drink from his hot chocolate.

"Wow...." Luke shook his head. "What're you gonna do now, bro? About the formal for one thing? Let the potion make you sit around and weep? It's the biggest dance of the year."

James shrugged, "I dunno I mean I still wanna go with Alexis cause well that's how the damn thing works, but I'll probably go ask some girl then. That shouldn't be hard for me. I mean I'm James Darko." James said smugly as if that was law.

"Did Evelyn mention who she's going with?" Luke asked curiously. Evelyn had complained to Ashlee and him about not having a date earlier that week.

James shook his head, "Nope, not that I can remember. Actually I don't even think she said anything about it to me."

Luke sighed. "I hope she got a date. She was really excited about the...." He shot James a Look.

"You can say it Luke, I'm fine, geez. You act like its herpes. Its a damned formal dance." James snapped.

"Fine, I'll say it. You should take Evelyn. To the formal. It might make Alexis realize she was an idiot for turning you down when she sees her roomie getting all dressed up." Luke sipped his drink again.

"Very funny joke Luke, but I'm sure there are a million... no wait a BILLION other people that Ev wants to take to that formal before she even thought of taking me." James said, leaning back in his chair. Sure he could ask Evelyn but knowing her she would probably have a date already plus they hadn't been getting along at all lately so why would she take him when all he's done is insult or hurt her?

"Didn't you just spend quality time with her?" Luke pointed out. "Plus, seeing as you've self-appointed yourself the best-looking guy on campus, " his grin widened, "You should take a girl who matches that league. Any other girl you take will be trying to shove her tongue down your mouth and with your whole "condition", that's not gonna make it fun for you. Ev tends to keep her hands to herself."

James rolled his eyes, he knew Evelyn's answer was gonna be no. But to shut Luke up he figured he ask her anyway, "Fine I'll ask her."

Luke's empty mug slipped from his fingers in his shock. With reflexes born from years of basketball, he caught it before it shattered, replacing it in the sink. "Wow - uh, I mean....for real? Like, not just a sleazy, "Hey babe, you, me, dance?" line but a genuine proposal."

"If you mean I'll ask her yes, but don't expect me to rent out a blimp and ride up on a white horse in a ruffley shirt reciting Shakespeare? I'm just gonna ask her plain and simple." James stated, he knew that Luke and Ashlee were secretly (not really) always planning his and Evelyn's wedding. He really didn't want to give either of them the wrong idea.

"But make it sound like she's more than a last resort, okay?" Luke pleaded, eyes widening. He knew Evelyn would just feel hurt if she thought James was asking her for selfish, get-mind-off-Alexis reasons.

Then again, with Jake in the damn picture....she might not even care. But Jake wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. James had to be a better bet than any other guy she could get.

James glanced at Luke, and then ended up staring at him for a moment. Since he had been widening his damned puppy eyes at him. Freaking Luke! James nudged Luke away, god damn him he always made him cave! "Okay fine Luke! I will alright now will you get off my back?"

"Don't waste those flowers you got?" Luke said, still keeping his voice gently pleading.

James just scowled at Luke, "I'll get her better flowers okay?" Hoping again this would really end the discussion.

"Hey, I'm just lookin' out for her. You'll be using her, you know?" Luke pointed out. "And I'm supposed to go along with it so the least I can do is ensure she gets nice flowers out of it." Although he doubted Evelyn was the flower kind of girl.