Those Violet Eyes

Chapter 3

When Maxine entered her and Gilly's dorm after classes that afternoon, she found Janelle lying on her bed, feet up against the wall, dangling Wilson over her mouth by the tail.

"HEY!" Maxine yelled and snatched Wilson out of Janelle's hand, cradling him protectively against her chest. "What do you think you're doing in my dorm??"

"Just waiting for you. That mouse of yours was looking tasty after awhile, though. What do you even do that takes so long after classes?"

"It's called having a life," Maxine spat (literally) at Janelle. Over the years she had gotten much more assertive. "What were you waiting for me for? Don't you have better things to do, like terrorizing someone else?"

Janelle sat up, suddenly looking serious. "I was wondering about Gilly and her little crush on blondy."

Maxine put Wilson on her shoulder and blew him a little kiss. "Oh, that? Pfft. Everyone knows Gilly has a crush on Jax. Well, everyone except Jax, that is. Why does this matter to you?"

Janelle seemed to think something over, then spoke. "Well, you see, whenever Jack or whatever his name is is in the room, Gilly's entire persona changes, and she is no longer paying nearly as much attention to me or yelling at me as she so likes to do–"

"She wouldn't yell at you so much if you learned to quit acting like a little snot," Maxine interrupted

Janelle glared at her. "Will you let me finish? Anyway, so I figured, if I can find a way to get Gilly and Axel–"

"Jax."

"Jax," Janelle grumbled. "If I can get the two of them together Gilly will be so high on cloud nine she might forget about me and my studies altogether. Heck, she might even do my homework for me, she will be so in my debt."

"You clearly don't know Gilly very well," Maxine scoffed, shoving Janelle so she would have room to sink onto the edge of her bed.

"Whatever. Either way, Gilly will be in heaven, I will be free to do whatever I want, and everyone will be happy."

"Okay, and why are you even telling me about this?" Maxine asked suspiciously.

"Because I need your help," Janelle smirked.

"Oh, really?" Maxine raised her eyebrows. "And what makes you think I'm going to help you?"

Janelle sighed and put up her right hand, palm facing Maxine. "I, Janelle, solemnly swear never to bother Maxine or even cross the threshold to her dorm room ever again as long as I live if she only helps me hook up Gilly with Jason."

Maxine let a unintended laugh slip from her lips. "It's Jax. And I–"

Maxine was about to say "–will not help you because you have done nothing but make Gilly's life crap since you set foot on school grounds," but then she thought the matter over. If she agreed to this, Janelle would never bother her again. And considering this was Janelle, this was a big deal. So before she knew what she was doing, Maxine blurted out "–will help you all you like."