A Courtyard

Rachel was outside, enjoying the crisp, fall weather. There was a little bit of a cold snap in the air, but she didn't mind. It was a welcome change to do her homework among nature instead of being cooped up inside all day.

Amada appeared, noticing her friend among all of the orangey red leaves of the fall. She pounced, appearing at Rachel's side. "Hey you!"

"Rachel, Amanda!" Serenity had finally cleared up all of her homework, and she had spotted her two friends. "What's up? You would not believe what just happened."

"You know what I can't believe, this!" Rachel exclaimed, waving her Herbology textbook around in front of her friend's faces. "Professor Sprout is telling us to write half a piece of parchment on the magical properties of a Mongolian Cricket Trapper, but there's nothing about it in here! And, I tried asking my partner in that class, Nick Sawyer, for help, but he won't tell me anything! He just keeps telling me that if I have two hands a brain, I should be able to do it myself! I oughta..." and she trailed off, muttering to herself furiously.

"Rachel, I'd love to give you a hand, but I don't take that elective..." Amanda said, frowning. She looked up, greeting Serenity with a broad smile.

Rachel rolled her eyes at Amanda. She was so empty headed! "For someone who is supposed to be so smart, you're a ditz! Everyone has to take Herbology! Unless you have some special permission slip allowing you not to or something."

"What? What a jerk! I just met a guy named Daniel. He likes me, and he did my star chart for me. Oh, the perks of being a girl.." Serenity grinned. "Maybe you should get him to fall in love with you. Then he'd do your Herbology for you."

"Why would I want him to fall in love with me in the first place?" Rachel demanded to know. "It's not like he's anything to look at. He would just be some brat groveling at my feet all day, who I don't even like! I don't want that!"

"Not only if you don't like him... but isn't that a little mean? How would you feel if someone was using you like that?" Amanda's lip quivered in confusion. How could you treat someone like that?

"Oh, just ignore her. Serenity doesn't know anything about boys. But I do! I have one waiting for me back in the castle!" Rachel exclaimed, with her haughty little expression on her face.

"Amanda, being around me makes him happy. I'm not hurting him, I'm being kind to him. And I'm getting something in return. Amanda, if you would let me do your makeup, you could have boys crawling all over you.."
Serenity stopped, and stared at Rachel.
"WHAT?! Who? Out of anyone here, you don't know anything about boys!"

Amanda put her hands on her hips, tempted to defend herself... But what if Serenity was right?...

"Are you sure you don't just like not having to do your own work?" Amanda mumbled under her breath. Quickly, she added on in a more audible tone, "Ooh, who?"

"I do all the other work for myself! He just did my astrology. It's a lovely asset.."

"I actually do have someone in the Castle, waiting for me to get back! And his name is One! He has light blonde hair and he's in a Ravenclaw and he's a true gentleman!"

"Oh, what's his name?" Amanda said, blatantly attempting to ignoring anymore topic of the poor boy doing Serenity's work.

"I told you, Amanda. His name is One. That's his real name." Rachel said, quite seriously.

"...Is he a robot?"

Serenity burst out laughing. "One?! I know him! He hangs out with Angel Astor. He's.. creepy! And icky."

"He is NOT creepy!" Rachel cried out defensively. "If you actually talked to him, you'd really like him! He's so sweet and nice and he's always looking out for me and..."

"Rachel's got a creepy boyfriend!" Serenity teased. "Rachel's got a creeeeper. I bet he watches you change with binoculars."

Amanda allowed herself to grin a bit.

"No, he doesn't. But I know that YOU watch Angel with binoculars!" Rachel countered angrily.

Serenity turned very red. "That's DIFFERENT."

"Does it wiggle?"

"Wait, what are you even talking about?" Rachel whirled around at Amanda, in confusion.