Jessie Bannon sat in her room, carefully brushing her long, flaming hair. But her thoughts were astray.

*I wonder what he’s doing right now. Probably exploring the Questworld, or down in the gym, working out.*

He had been very keen on working-out recently, sometimes even several passes a day. She wondered why. Okay, he wasn’t a Schwarzenegger, but he sure was strong already, he didn’t really have to push it so hard.

The thought of him, his face read and his shirt soaken with sweat struck a string in her, and she forced her mind in other directions. But soon enough they returned to a certain subject.

*Maybe if... No, that’s not good. But, hey, that could work. Okay Bannon, just go down and ask him. On the other hand, maybe best to wait. No way, you’re not gonna skip this now! Stand up, walk to that door, right left right, find him, and just ask.*

* * * * * *

Jonny Quest was doing his daily work-out in the Compounds extensive gym. He gritted his teeth, pressing the weights up in the air.

 " Nnnnnngggghhhh... forty-eight"

 " Nnnnggghhaaaah... forty-nine!"

 " Hhhhnnnnaaaarrrggghh! Fifty! YES!"

He dropped the weights and wiped his face with his sleeve. That’s the first time he had managed fifty reps at that weight. He took a sip of water from a bottle and relaxed for a minute.

This was infact his second work-out for the day. For some reason he had felt uneasy the whole day, and he found that hard work-out was a really good way to avoid the thoughts he wanted to avoid. The thoughts of HER. Her beautiful figure, her sparkling green eyes, her....

*Dammit* he interupted himself. *Lay of it, will ya! Man, why can’t she even leave my mind alone? Jeez...*

He abruptly rose and went over to the exercycle and trampled for some twenty minutes, pressing the last bit of strength out of him. Then he staggered toward the showers, every muscle in his body shiverring with exhaustion.

When he stood under the steaming water, he made his mind up. There was this party at one of his classmates place on friday. He could ask her if she wanted to go with him. A party was good. Not too special, but never the less, an invitation, a hint of what he thought of her.

Determined he scaled the stairs up to her room and lifted his hand to knock. But before his hand reached the door, it opened, and Jessie almost bumped into him. She gave out a little cry of surprise, and he thought she turned slightly blushed.

 "Eeer... Hi!" he managed to sqeak out, quickly lowering his hand, that almost had hit her forehead.

"Hi" she answered, opening her mouth and closing it again, biting her lip.

He glanced around. *Gawd, come on Quest. Just ask her!*

"Soooooo what’s up?"

She shrugged. *Oh-oh. Change of plans!*

"Ooh nothing. I... I was just on my way to the... library. Right. I have to check something for a school assignment." She could see that he looked troubled, but he gave way with a weak smile.

"Yeah, sure. See ya later, ‘kay?" *Dumb-ass! Look, now you missed the chance.*

She nodded and hurried past him down the stairs. *Jessica Bannon, that was PATHETIC! What kind of a lousy excuse was that? You just couldn’t go ahead and ask him, could you?*

"Oh just shut up!" she exclaimed to herself as she walked on to the library. Once there, she just sat down in a chair, wrapping her arms around her knees. She had finished that assignment over a week ago.

Only a moment later, the door opened and Jonny walked in. At first he headed straight to-wards her, but then he made a sharp turn and walked to one of the bookshelves, seemingly very anxious to find a specific something, humming to himself.

She looked at him. *Okay, he’s here. Come on, Bannon. Now you can’t escape!*

"Hi, Jonny." *Oh God, I sound like Chip’n Dale!*

He didn’t turn his head, but kept starring carefully at the books.

"Hey, Jess."

He swallowed, turned and came slowly stroding over to her table. *God she’s beautiful!*

"Sooo, I was wondering...." She looked up at him and he felt the blood rush to his face and ears. "umm..... wondering... if you... um..." He swallowed again. "...if you would... like a soda or something?" *Aaww, you IDIOT! How could I say something as stupid as that. Man, she’ll really think I’m a fool now.*

He thought that she looked like she had expected him to say something else, but she quickly straightened up and managed to smile to him. "Thanks, Jonny. Sure." *Stop smiling like a dummy!*

He gave her a sheepish grin and walked out. She saw him clench his fists as he left, mumbling to himself.

In what seemed like just a few seconds later, Jonny returned with the soda.

He handed it over without saying anything and when she took it, her fingers just slightly touched his.

His hand twitched, and Jessie almost dropped the bottle.

"I... I’m sorry!" he mumbled quickly, and she shook her head urgently.

"No... no, it was me... it... I..." she closed her mouth, and then took a sip of the soda. She offered him the bottle with a slightly trembling hand. Again, their fingers met on top of the bottle and she felt it like she had a small electric shock running up her fingers.

He eagerly drank and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. *It’s now or never*

"Sooo, mmm, what’r’ya doing on.... um.... what’r’ya doing?" *CHICKEN!!!*

"Um... nothing really. I... I really didn’t want to do schoolwork anyhow"

She fell silent, and for a moment they just stood there, looking everywhere but at each other. Then, as if started by a divine starting-shoot, both swung around.

"Would you..."

"Do you..."

They both smiled embarrassed.

"You go first!"

"You first!"

Another embarrassed smile, even more awkward this time.

Jonny silently gestured to her to continue, but she shook her head.

"NO! I mean... no, you were first."

He didn’t look very happy by that, in fact he looked quite reluctant. He scraped his foot and shoved his hand uneasy through that extraordinary blond hair of his.

"Well I... I was wondering... I just thought that...ya know... maybe..." He stopped and looked really miserable. Then he braced himself and took a deep breath. *Geronimo!*

"I-was-kinda-wondering-if-you-like-would-like-to-go-out-with-me-sort-of!" he burst out in one single exhale.

The look of surprise and consternation on her face as she violently started made his stomach twist into a knot a lot worse than the ancient Gordian one. *Aaaahhh I’m dead meat"*

"It’s not like a real date or something" he continued hastily. "It’s just a party over at Hansons’ place, on friday. But if you got plans..." his words faded out into nothingness.

Jessie had a very hard time controling herself at that moment. She blushed and trembled and blushed a little more. Her whole inside was busy getting stuck in looping the loop.

When she once again had gained Master Control over her outer appearance, she took on an as blank face she could manage, and when she spoke, her voice was calm and totally neutral.

"Sure. That’d be great."

A flood of relief showered his face, but he did his usual loopside grin, although a bit wider than usual and with a "Great, se ya later!" he turned on his heels and left the room.

But his head was spinning.

(or maybe: To be continued...)