Nell hopes that hosting a pool party for the New Order will help her integrate into their group more smoothly. We know that the New Order will accept her no matter what, of course, because they're good people. But this is also Silly Mode, so this summertime bash isn't going to be without incident. Humorous incident, that is.

Timeline: Phooey on the timeline, I'm not even keeping track of that anymore. We'll say it's the June following "The Tooth Hurts."

One thing that Jesse had to remember about Nell is that she liked trying new things and encouraging him to try new things, too. So that was how he ended up at a roller rink on the south side of Beacontown, as part of Nell's kooky idea of a date. He wheeled across the floor on a pair of ungainly roller skates, hoping he wouldn't slip and fall on his bottom for the umpteenth time. Okay, so he had about as much grace as an elephant would on roller skates, but at least he was having fun. Nell was a good sport about his lack of practice.

"Dude, you got this!" she encouraged him, gliding past on her neon pink skates. "Everybody's gotta start somewhere."

"Mmm...I hope it's not on my bottom on the floor. Again." Jesse struggled to get a nice, balanced stance. "But thanks for taking me to the rink. This is pretty cool."

"I used to ice skate, but they have to use so much electricity to keep the rink cold so the ice stays frozen," Nell told him as she coasted up to him. "It's, like, a big waste of nonrenewable resources. That's not cool. Besides, one time I went skating on the rink and there was this weirdo wearing a T-rex costume there. It wasn't even, like, a party or anything. He was just out there skating in his T-rex costume. Pretty far out."

"Okay...That's majorly weird."

"That's what I said, bruh."

"So anyway...you and the others have anything planned for the summer?" She did a little jump-and-spin trick. "Like a trip or a party?"

"Nah. Not really." Jesse's skates almost slipped again. "I mean, we've got missions and stuff, but that doesn't really count. Mostly it's been us doing stuff separately."

"What kind of stuff?" Nell popped a wheelie as she breezed past him again. She moved off to the side to talk to him, so they wouldn't be in the middle of the floor, and Jesse floundered over to where she stood.

"I heard Axel went to Beacontown Pride earlier this week. Not sure why…"

"It's cause he's ace, dude! June is his month." Nell laughed. "I saw him there when I went as an ally. Spotted him with the other aces. He was helping them hold up their flag during the march."

"Wow. All this time and I never knew that Axel was asexual," Jesse commented, cautiously gliding along on his skates. "Just when you think you know everything about an old friend."

"Yeah. So after the march I got him a bottle of water and asked him how stuff was going. He said it was okay, but he was getting kinda bored. Like, every now and then he goes on missions to find treasure in, like, old temples and stuff, but he hasn't done anything with the rest of the New Order in a really long time."

"The group's not as tight as it used to be. Wish we could do more stuff as a group. It's too bad the group started separating as soon as you joined. You're kinda like an unofficial member now that you're my girlfriend. That's okay, right?"

"'Course it's okay, dude! You guys are rad. But do the others, you know…"

"Do they what?"

"Do they think I belong?"

"Good question." Jesse re-tied the laces on his skates. "My fans say you don't, but that's because they're all crabby that I broke up with Petra to date you. They thought Jetra was canon and endgame. Like, some people made a 'Jetra Army' and everything to protect it, and they yelled at my fans who were okay with me dating someone else. I think building your whole identity around a relationship is pretty unhealthy."

"It is," Nell agreed. "And it's not like you and her had a fight, either! You're still friends. Anyway, do you think the New Order would like me better if I hosted a party for them?"

"A party?" Jesse asked. "What kind of party?"

"I've heard reports that it's gonna be a really hot summer, especially now in June. Probably not the best weather for action adventures, so what if we, like, had a pool party instead?"

"Oo. I like that. I love pool parties, and so do my friends. That's an awesome idea, Nell. Good thinking."

She grinned, glad that he liked her idea. "I just got a pool installed behind my shop. It has a diving board and everything! It'll be wicked cool. Also, I've got swimsuits at my shop if any of your friends don't have one."

"Cool. I'm gonna try to rally the troops for a date when we can all get together. I hope it doesn't rain that day…"

"Bring your umbrellas, I guess. I have one that looks like a head of romaine lettuce when it's folded up…"

Jesse decided not to ask where she found such an umbrella. "Do you think you could show me how to skate? I'm not doing so hot."

"Okay, sure. Now, hold on to me and I'll sorta lead you around, 'cha?"

Nell hooked her arm around Jesse's to give him balance, then guided him around the floor. At first he was pretty shaky, but the more they did it, the easier it became for him. Pretty soon he didn't even need to hold on to Nell's arm anymore, and he glided around the floor with ease and grace, giggling the whole while. One time he got too far ahead of himself and smacked into a wall, but that was the only slip-up.

"Here's to trying new things," he commented to himself. "I'm glad Nell talked me into this. It's fun!"

After a while they got tired, though, and it was getting late anyway. Jesse still had to talk to all his friends about the pool party. So he and Nell pulled off their skates and left, heading back to the Order Hall. Jesse assumed that it would be a mundane walk back to the Hall, but no. Trouble came their way as soon as they stepped out of the rink.

He thanked Nell for the date and gave her a little kiss on the cheek, at the exact same moment when a girl crossed their path. Jesse recognized the curly hair and purple lipstick, but not before she knew who he was.

"Jesse B. Oswalt!" Margie screeched. "How dare you!"

"Huh?" Jesse wasn't sure whether to be more confused by how Margie knew his middle initial or by how she was accusing him of something. "What? What are you talking about, Margie?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Oswalt. You're flaunting it around right in front of me, you shameless brat! Do you think I'm blind or something?"

"What in the world are you talking about?" He looked back at the roller rink. "Are you mad that I took a day off to go roller skating? Margie, I can't work every single day."

Margie shouted, "No!" Her hysterics made sure that everyone on the sidewalk could witness the confrontation.

"Then what?"

"You're cheating on me, you heartless brute," she snarled. "With her!" She jabbed an accusing finger at Nell, who jumped back in surprise.

"What...How can I be cheating on you? You're not my girlfriend," Jesse said, still dumbfounded. "Nell is."

"Liar! You sent me flowers, and now you're going to TEAR MY HEART IN HALF by walking out of the roller rink and smashing lips with another girl. How could you do that to me? After all the torment I've been through!"

"I have literally no idea what you're talking about. I never sent you any flowers."

"You're such a liar, Jesse. Liar, liar, plants for hire."

"It's 'pants on fire,' Margie," Nell corrected.

"You stay out of this!" she snapped, before turning on Jesse. "You did send me flowers, Jesse B. Oswalt, and don't you dare try to claim otherwise. Your name was right on the order form when the florist stopped by my house. I have it right here!"

She thrust a piece of paper in Jesse's face. Jesse took it and studied it. It was an order form for flowers. Sure enough, his name was right on it, in his handwriting: "Jesse B. Oswalt." Oh, so that's how she knew his middle initial.

"Hey, I remember this," he said, looking it over. "This is from that time when I ordered flowers for Ivor and Harper's anniversary."

"No, you didn't. You ordered them for me. Otherwise they wouldn't have shown up at my house."

"How did they...Oh! Now I remember! The flowers didn't show up at the party, so I figured I must have sent them to the wrong address." He snapped his fingers. "So that's where they went. I'm sorry, Margie. I didn't mean to send you flowers by mistake. Golly, that could've been bad if you were allergic to them."

Nell started to giggle at the funny mixup. Margie reacted slightly differently.

There was practically steam shooting out of the girl's ears. "WHAT!? You mean to tell me that you TRICKED me into thinking that YOU meant those flowers were for ME? Jesse, you heartless dirt clod. How could you do that to someone?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake. It was a mistake, Margie. I never meant to lead you on. I'm bad with numbers and addresses. Heck, I almost got lost trying to find the roller rink today. Nell had to bail me out and give me directions."

"Aaaaugh!" Margie shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air. "Heartbroken AGAIN! You'll pay for this, Jesse B. Oswalt. Mark my words!"

"Uh…" he stammered.

Margie's voice suddenly dropped three octaves as she growled, "I will have my revenge."

She then stormed off in a fit of self-righteous, self-pitying rage, leaving everyone on the sidewalk quite shaken, especially Jesse and Nell. There was stunned silence for about half a minute before Jesse found the will to speak again.

"Well. That happened," he said.

"Are you guys OK?" a couple bystanders asked them. "That was crazy."

"We're groovy," Nell responded. "Hey Jesse, I didn't know your middle initial was B. What's it stand for? If you're, like, okay with telling me and that."

Jesse sighed. "Promise you're not gonna laugh?"

"Cross my heart, bruh."

"The B is for Buckminster."

"...So then she called me a dirt clod and warned me that she will have her revenge." Jesse finished his recounting of the story and sat down at the Round Table. "Not really sure what to think of it."

Jessie, Lukas, Radar, Ivor, and Harper had made it to the meeting. Nell was also there, unofficially. Everyone else had their own business tonight. A typical situation as of late. It was getting harder and harder to keep Olivia, Axel, and Petra coming to gatherings. It wasn't like they tried to skip them, but their schedules rarely lined up.

"She sounds like a jealous goonie and nothing more," Harper told Jesse. "I wouldn't think too much of it. A lot of people who don't like the New Order are all bark and no bite."

"Like the note I got the other day?" Radar chimed in.

The others glanced at him quizzically. "What note?"

"I got a letter in the mail a couple days before prom," he went on. "It didn't have a return address, and the letter itself only said 'Watch out.' It was signed W.P. Do you think it's another jealous person?"

"Oh! Uh...Don't worry about that, Radar," Jessie said with an insincere smile, then quickly changed the subject. "Jesse, you said you had an announcement?"

"I sure do!" He sat up straight. "Nell is hosting a pool party for the New Order, and everyone is invited! We'll have it as soon as we have a day where all the members are available."

"Ooh, a pool party," Jessie mused. "How fun! I haven't been to one of those in a long time. I hope my swimming suit still fits."

"Bah! I hate pool parties," Ivor grouched. "I went to one back in '69. It was terrible."

Jesse ignored him. "It's at the pool behind Nell's beach shop. Remember to bring sunscreen. I hear it's going to be a very sunny summer."

"This is gonna be great," Jessie said. "I can't wait to see how big of a cannonball dive Axel can make."

"There...there aren't any big waves in a pool, right?" Radar piped up. "Like waves so big they could knock you down?"

"No," Jesse said. "It's just a regular pool."

"Good." Radar sighed in relief, remembering his beach incident from a while prior.

"

…

Jesse slipped on a T-shirt and some trousers over his swimming trunks, which were bright blue and had a green abstract design printed on them. They still smelled like chlorine from the last time he was in a pool.

"Huh," he said after pulling on his t-shirt. "Does that mean I forgot to wash them since then...eww. Oh well, I don't really have time to do it now. I'm supposed to be at Nell's in five minutes. Wait - FIVE MINUTES?!"

He hurried to the wc and slathered on sunblock as quickly as he could. It was a small miracle that he didn't get any in his eyes in his haste. Then he slung his beach towel over his shoulder, stepped into his sandals, and dashed out the door. It was really bright out that day, thanks to a warm sun and a cloudless sky, and he regretted not bringing his sunglasses. Maybe Nell would let him borrow a pair from her shop.

After a mad dash through downtown, tripping on his sandals a few times too many in the process, he arrived at the cabin on stilts with the "We're open, bruh!" sign hanging in the window. Already he could hear splashes and laughter in the backyard. His found family had gotten there before him. Oh, well, being the first one to arrive at the party was awkward, anyway.

He went around back and found the pool - a decently-sized area with a shallow end and a deep end. Harper floated around leisurely, lying on her back in an inner tube. Jessie dropped a few plastic rings into the water, let them sink to the bottom, and practiced her dives to retrieve them. Ivor sat on the edge of the pool, wearing a vintage bathing suit and looking sour.

"Hi, guys!" Jesse greeted them. "Great day for a pool party, huh?"

"Hmph!" Ivor grumped.

"I made him come," Harper explained, lifting up her sunglasses to wink at Jesse. Unlike her husband, she wore an up-to-date suit - a one-piece in a pleasant shade of pink, to be exact.

"I think it's cool," Jessie chimed in when she came up for air. "I kind of wondered what a bathing suit from the 1960s looked like."

"See? Jessie thinks it's cool!" Ivor said. "Harper just doesn't appreciate it."

"Hey, if you're here, where's Lukas?" Jesse asked his sister. "Nell invited him."

"He had to stay behind to watch Zeke," Jessie explained. "It's okay. We went the beach two weeks ago, so he got his swimming fix for now."

"Oh. Okay. What about the other guys - Axel, Petra, Olivia? Are they coming or did they turn us down?"

"They're coming. At least I know Petra is, and so's Axel. Olivia might not; she might be busy today. Where's your swimming suit?"

"Under my clothes." Jesse stripped off his T-shirt, as he wouldn't need it in the pool, and flexed. "How do I look?"

"Like yourself, minus a shirt. Why?"

He whined. "Jessie!"

"What?"

"I've been working out. Going to Judo class with Nell. Doesn't it show?"

Jessie had a feeling there wasn't an easy answer to that question. Luckily, Nell saved her by promptly emerging from the back of her shop with a tray of snacks. Jesse got distracted by his girlfriend and went over to talk to her. Jessie sighed in relief and practiced her backstroke.

Margie crept through the bushes around Nell's shop. She got poked and scratched by the plants a lot, but she kept pressing on. After all, revenge fueled her. Her eyes squinted and her hands clenched into fists when she heard joyful chatter and laughter in the backyard.

"You won't be laughing soon, Jesse B. Oswalt!" she whispered, then paused to re-apply some of her purple lipstick. "You'll rue the day you cheated on me."

The backyard didn't have a fence on one side, just a row of thick bushes. That was Margie's best bet for getting into the backyard to enact her revenge. Now what exactly she was going to do to get revenge, well, she hadn't through of that yet, but it would be terrible. The Nether hath no fury like a Margie scorned.

But ah! What luck! She spotted that no-good dirt clod talking to Nell. Talking to her, no doubt bragging about how he'd embarrassed Margie in front of everyone at the roller rink. That scoundrel! He'd pay for his impudence. She scooted around the brush to get closer to Jesse. Closer...closer...now was her chance! She sprung from her hiding-place and-

WHAM!

The gate to the backyard whipped open and she took it full to the face. Stunned by the blow, she fell to the ground.

"The party don't start until the Axe-man walks in!" Axel paraded into the backyard, wearing swimming trunks that were the most obnoxious shade of green imaginable. Big, dark sunglasses sat on his nose, and his beach towel hung off his shoulders like a cape. He looked like some doofy king of the pool.

"Ohhh…" Margie groaned, then shuffled back into the brush before anyone saw her.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jessie came up for air again, her arms adorned with the diving rings she'd retrieved. "Axel's here. Come on in, buddy. The water's fine."

Axel made a beeline for the diving board on the other side of the pool. He climbed on top of it, struck a pose, and then cannonball dived right in. He landed with the expected giant splash, throwing water everywhere. Jessie saw it coming and ducked; Ivor and Harper weren't so lucky.

"Yowp!" Harper lost her balance and fell off the inner tube.

"Oh, no! Harper!" Ivor dove into the pool to rescue her. "Don't worry, honey. I'll save you!"

He paddled heroically over to Harper, grabbed her by the arm, and hauled her to the side of the pool. Harper hung on to the side and spit some water out of her mouth. She didn't really need Ivor to make a dramatic rescue, but she appreciated it nonetheless. His heart was in the right place.

"Ya-hoo!" Axel came up for air. "How would you rate that dive?"

"Mmm...Eight out of ten," Jessie replied.

"What? Just eight? I think that was a 10 right there."

"Eh, you faltered on the landing."

Meanwhile, Jesse continued to chat with Nell and share snacks with her, blissfully unaware of Margie's presence at the pool.

"Ready to go swimming?" Nell asked. She wore a green one-piece with a tribal print.

"If you are."

"Awesome sauce! Last one in's a rotten potato."

"Oh, you're on!" Jesse bolted towards the pool and flopped in, producing a small splash. He came up for air a second later, sneezing and complaining about getting pool water up his nose.

Margie figured that it was now or never, so she careened back out of the bush to confront Jesse and get revenge on Nell.

"Hey, you!" she screamed at Nell.

"Huh? Dude, what are you doing here?" The blond girl went wide-eyed at the sudden appearance of Margie. "Wait a minute. Aren't you-"

"Take this, you blond bohemian!" With a wild war cry, Margie shoved Nell into the pool.

"Whoa-ah! Not cool!" Nell tumbled backwards. She fell into the pool, arms flailing.

"Uh-oh-Nell!" Jesse paddled to her quickly, held out his arms, and caught her bridal-style before she fell in. "It's okay. I gotcha."

"Thanks, Jesse dude." Nell relaxed. "Good catch."

He smiled coyly. "Hey, I guess you could say you...fell for me."

He smooched her on the cheek, then realized they were starting to sink to the bottom, so he let her go. She treaded water next to him. They both looked up at Margie, whose face was bright red and twisted into a nasty scowl.

"Grrrr!" Margie stomped her foot on the ground. "No!"

"What are you even doing here? I thought I told you to leave me and my girlfriend alone," Jesse said.

"No, no, no, no, no! That wasn't supposed to turn into a Jesell moment," Margie ranted. "Nell was supposed to fall into the pool and almost drown, and it would scare her half to death! It's what she deserves. You weren't supposed to catch her and make a romantic moment! You're supposed to be MINE!"

Jesse facepalmed. "I'm not your boyfriend, Margie. I never have been and I never will be."

"Oh, yeah? Well, then why-"

"The flowers weren't for you. I thought we went over this the other day." Testily he explained it, with accompanying hand motions. "The flowers were for Ivor and Harper's anniversary. I sent them to the wrong address, which to my incredible bad luck, was yours."

"That's just an excuse."

"No, it's not, Margie, and if you harass me or Nell again, I'm gonna have to get the police involved. Do you want my sister tracking you down and arresting you?"

Jessie poked her head out of the water, a retrieval ring hanging off her nose. "I'm doing what now?"

"Hmmph!" Margie crossed her arms. "You just won't admit that we were meant to be together."

Jesse dry heaved. "I'm good, thanks. But I'm sure there's someone out there who will be a great boyfriend for you. Why don't you go look for him? Shoo, please."

"You'll rue the day you rejected me, Jesse B. Oswalt." Margie marched to the gate to leave. "RUE IT!"

She exited and flung the gate shut with a great air of finality. None of the pool party guests quite knew how to react.

"Well," Axel said, breaking the silence. "That happened."

Jessie nodded grimly, thinking about how Margie had the dubious honor of having her name on the New Order's Crazy Fan Watchlist for longer than anyone else. Actually, she'd been the reason Jessie had to make a watchlist for crazy fans in the first place. While she pondered this, the gate swung open again, and everyone tensed up as they expected Margie to be back for more chaos.

But instead, their favorite redhead stood in the threshold, wearing a trendy gold swimsuit and a pair of cool shades. She carried her beach towel in one hand and a cooler of lemonade in the other.

"Hi, guys!" Petra said with a smile. "Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"