A/N - Hopefully I can get this all under one heading! This is my multi-chapter story. I pulled it out of Slices of Life and reposting under its own heading.

Disclaimer - I do not own nor profit from my Trixie stories!

Competition

The decibel level in the cafeteria at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School was at an all time high. Teachers assigned as lunch room chaperones silently wished the period was over, and thought longingly of dancing Tylenol bottles. Everyone (especially the female contingent) was sneaking glances and buzzing about the group of guys slouchily holding up the wall near the outside exit to the courtyard. It certainly wasn't Tad Webster or Bill Van der Schaal or Chris Morgan causing all the barely-contained excitement.

The new student was tall, athletically built and very, very handsome in that Zac- Efronesque-Chace-Crawfordy sort of way the girls found most sexy nowadays. He had a shock of thick, auburn hair and changeable eyes that sometimes looked emerald green; at others a greeny blue. His mom could describe how they deepened to stormy grey/green when he was upset or angry.

Aidan McCourt sighed, used to being the new kid and cynosure of all eyes. Especially in a small town like this one, where practically everyone had grown up together since Kindergarten. Heck, they were all probably best friends when they were embryos. This move was supposed to be the final one, but that's what his parents said about the last two moves. Then the Army would transfer his dad. Again. They'd have to begin again in a new home, new school and leave behind just-made friends. Aidan was proud of his dad, and the sacrifices he made for his country, but did they really have to move Senior Year? Did one of the sacrifices have to be his peripatetic family?

Reflecting inwardly, Aidan was totally unaware of whatever it was the other guys were talking about, or of the flirtatious looks coming his way. His logical, powerful mind was engaged in cataloging the layout of the school; the location of his locker and classes so far; and bits and pieces of information he had picked up about the Sleepyside social scene.

Apparently there was some sort of metal grasshopper you were supposed to greet somewhere in town; no McDonald's but a place called Wimpy's that functioned as the go-to teen hangout. The school itself was just a typical suburban big-box school; but very academically oriented and challenging. Unlike some of the schools he attended, it offered many clubs and after-school activities and dances as counterpoint to the strict academic standards. Aidan heard whispers of drugs – there was no escape from that scourge anywhere – and some really weird stuff about birds. What was that again…pigeons…sparrows, no…Bob-Whites and solving mysteries. Like a small town like Sleepyside had anything more mysterious than kids knocking over mailboxes for fun or cow tipping.

In one of those very odd moments when all sounds cease in a crowded, noisy atmosphere in some sort of cosmic co-incidence, Aidan was startled out of his self-absorption by the melodious sounds of females giggling. He glanced toward the source of the pleasing sound, his eyes bypassing the pretty head cheerleader who flounced by him three times already without even earning so much as an admiring stare, much to her chagrin.

His eyes widened and his world seemed to tilt as he caught his breath sharply. The three girls who joined the slow-moving salad queue (what was it with girls and salad, he snorted silently to himself) were flushed and still giggling. But he was only aware of one of them. He almost forgot to exhale. His blood began violently pulsing through his veins as a spear of desire shot through him.

He interrupted Tad, in the middle of recounting his brother's humorous adventure with a woman speeding through town in a 'vette with the top down who also happened to be totally nude. She was multitasking, she informed Officer Spider Webster; driving and working on her tan simultaneously.

"Who is she?' Aidan pointed at the gaggle of giggling females bringing up the rear of the queue. Tad peeked over and sighed. Trust Di Lynch to attract another admirer!

"She's Diana Lynch, she's also a senior. She's considered the prettiest girl in Sleepyside," Tad informed him. "Everyone thinks she looks like a younger, more modern version of Elizabeth Taylor. She's…"

"No not her. Not the black haired one. The other one." Aidan unconsciously licked his lips. "Oh, you mean Honey Wheeler. She's pretty too. She gets her nickname because she's so nice and sweet, and her hair is the color of …"

"I mean the blonde. She's gorgeous!" Tad drew away a bit from Aidan, and squinted at the handsome newcomer. Maybe Aidan needed glasses. "You mean Trixie?" It was asked in the same tone that Tad would reserve for replying to someone informing him the Martians had landed in Town Square.

"Trixie." Aidan breathed. "She's the petite blonde with the long curly hair?" The blonde was smiling at something one of the others said and as she laughed, her blonde curls danced riotously around her face. He wondered briefly what it would be like to take one of those springing curls and tug on it gently.

"Yeah, that's her. Trixie Belden. She's a nice girl and all but I wouldn't call her gorgeous." Chris joined the conversation. "I mean Di Lynch, or Honey Wheeler, now there's a couple of things I'd like to hit!" Grunts of assent were heard from the other guys, and all male eyes turned towards the queue.

Aidan kept those startling, changeable eyes trained only on the laughing blonde. "What, are all you guys in Sleepyside blind?" He nodded towards the girls again. "The black-haired one is pretty in a conventional way. I've seen a million girls like her. The other one, Honey did you say? Well, she's got that sort of ice-princess Miss Aristocratic thing going on. Kind of Grace Kellyish, if you like that type. But, wow, the blonde one…" Aidan stopped, aware he sounded like some eighth grade kid with his first crush.

"Trixie? She's just cute little Trixie Belden who lives down in the hollow," Tad meant no disrespect to Trixie, but she was surely not in the same class as the other two girls. Tad always imagined Di and Honey as expensive, fine wines to be savored slowly; Trixie was playful, bubbling champagne that could turn a bit dangerous if you shook it up.

"Cute? Boy, you better take another look. Better yet, I will." Aidan's eyes roved over her. "Her hair is like yellow gold, and that peaches and cream skin! She may be petite, but she's totally curvy in all the right places, not stickboard thin. And that smile, wow!" Aidan could have gone on and on about Trixie's attributes, when Bill interrupted his soliloquy.

"And she's very, very taken." The other three young men nodded solemnly in agreement. But they were also seeing Trixie through Aidan's eyes, and suddenly discovered that Aidan saw something that they missed. And apparently were missing for quite some time.

Trixie Belden had grown up. Somewhere along the way, she had shed her baby fat (or at least it shifted to all the right places); her freckles all but disappeared and she became a living, breathing Barbie. At least on the outside. But it didn't matter anyway. They all knew who held the key to Trixie's warrior heart.

"What? Is she hooked up with someone?" Aidan scrubbed at his chest, suddenly aware of a little ache right in the middle. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, although his fingers itched to touch all those long, golden, spiraling curls. He briefly wondered what would happen if he just walked over there and planted one on those soft, full lips. And they lived happily ever after…

"Well, not officially. Everyone knows she's Jim Frayne's special girl."

"I don't think I've met him yet."

"You won't." Tad ran his hand through his hair and counted the fourth time the cheerleader sauntered by. She had now rolled up her skirt just a bit more and the sway to her hips was more pronounced. The tall redhead just ignored her, his eyes pasted on one Ms. Belden. "Jim is a third-year college student, at Columbia in the City. He rooms with Brian and Mart Belden, Trixie's older brothers, and Dan Mangan, their friend. They all go to school in the City, though not the same school. I think you probably heard someone talk about the Bob-Whites, their out-of-school club. They all live outside of town, and it's the seven of them against the world."

Aidan turned away from the appealing sight of the sexy blonde and leaned his broad shoulder against the wall, crossing his feet at the ankles. "Yeah, I heard something about birds and mysteries, but I thought someone was playing a joke on me. You know, send the new kid looking for the rooftop pool."

"Trix is a really talented amateur detective. Honey, too. Hell, Trix helped out the police so many times and caught so many crooks it's a wonder Chief Molinson doesn't put her on the police payroll. No offense to Spider." Tad nodded, none taken. Chris straightened up and stretched out the kinks. Leaning against the wall in the lunchroom and looking bored sure cramped up the muscles. And none of the girls were even giving him a glance! "She and Honey want to open up a detective agency some day. All the Bob-Whites help them solve their mysteries."

"I'm sure Trix'll do it. They certainly helped me and my brother," Tad added.

"So, this Jim Frayne guy is Trixie's boyfriend?" Aidan wanted it to be spelled out and crystal clear. If she was unavailable, well, his sense of honor would prohibit him from poaching on another guy's territory, but if she was free…

"Well, not officially. Everyone thinks he's just waiting for her to graduate high school. Heck, he's been madly in love with her since she was thirteen and he was fifteen."

"But he hasn't made a move yet," Aidan mused. Things were certainly looking up. Just then, the three girls approached the door, laden with cafeteria trays and whatever passed for grilled chicken salad as churned out by the lunch ladies.

"Hey Tad, would you mind getting the door?" Di batted her long eyelashes and immediately Tad lost whatever train of thought was choo-chooing through his brain.

Honey turned to the new boy and gave him a bright smile. When Tad didn't say anything, being too lost in Di's gentle expression, she gently trod on one of his toes.

"Oh, where are my manners?" he asked rhetorically. Tad knew exactly where his manners were. They had rushed southward at one melting glance from lavender eyes. "Honey Wheeler, Diana Lynch and Trixie Belden, this is Sleepyside's newest senior, Aidan McCourt. Aidan's dad is in the Army and was transferred to recruiting in the White Plains."

"Nice to meet you, Aidan! I hope you like Sleepyside." Di smiled, her patented I-know-I'm beautiful-and-you're-just-enchanted-with-me-but-I'm-taken smile. Aidan mumbled something in response, not even looking at her. Di was a bit stunned and then miffed; she turned and sailed out into the courtyard.

"Hi Aidan! Welcome to Sleepyside. If you need any help or anything getting around, all you have to do is ask." He didn't even glance at Honey, his eyes staring straight into Trixie's blue ones. Honey joined Di in the courtyard, her detectiving radar suddenly active. They both turned to watch Trixie.

"What is it with Trix and red-headed guys?" Di grumbled. "Jim is crazy about her, and she sure has Regan wound 'round her little finger."

Honey took her cell phone out a quickly snapped a few pictures while Di was complaining. "I don't know. Maybe it's the curls."

Aidan was sure he must have mumbled something to the other two girls. His eyes were fixated on the beautiful blonde with the bluest eyes he had ever seen in front of him, giving him a brilliant smile and looking at him with undisguised interest. "Hmmm…Aidan, that's Irish." A small hint of rose touched her cheeks.

His eyes flared at the sound of her raspy voice; she sounded like every guy's most secret and delicious dream. "Hi Trixie, yeah, I'm one-hundred percent Irish," he added with a dangerous, sexy smile. His hand, of its own accord, almost rose to tug at one of those tempting, golden curls. Trixie sucked in a bit of air, and the rose flush deepened. She might absolutely, positively love Jim but hey, she wasn't dead. Wow, he sure was handsome. And tall. And a redhead!

"Better watch out for Trixie Belden, girl detective," Bill taunted. "She'll weasel all your secrets out of you in a flash!"

Trixie wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue at Bill and turned to join the other Bob-White girls waiting for her. "See you around!" She bounced out, taking her buoyancy and joyful energy with her, and left the four men feeling rather flat.

"Di is totally peeved with Aidan," Honey teased, once Trixie sat down at the opposite side of the table. Trix glanced at Di with concern. It wasn't often that the gentle Di became distressed at anything, or anybody.

"Oh Honey, stop it! I'm not peeved at ALL!" Di twirled her salad around on her fork. "Oh yes you are! Aidan wasn't making goo-goo eyes at you like every other boy in Sleepyside." It was like that wherever they went, Honey mused. One look from Di and they all just melted. Except for Brian and Jim of course. They seemed to be immune from the get-go.

Di put her fork on the plate and looked at Trixie. "No, he didn't. Who cares? I have Mart. You think I need Botox? He couldn't seem to tear his eyes off Trixie."

Trixie began to giggle and then boisterously laugh out loud. "So what you're saying is the only reason he didn't fall at your feet is because you are developing wrinkles at the advanced age of 18? And he probably couldn't tear his eyes off me because he was counting my freckles."

The other two girls, by silent mutual agreement, bit back their remarks. Trixie had absolutely no idea how beautiful she was or how she radiated an unconscious sexiness that had men turning their heads. Everyone except the boys at Sleepyside High! They say familiarity breeds…obliviousness.

Honey looked into her salad, trying to read it as if it were tea leaves. She noticed the way Aidan was staring at Trixie from across the room, with an expression like she was the answer to every one of his most secret prayers. Maybe Trix wasn't skilled at reading male interest, but Honey certainly was. When Tad introduced them, Aidan hadn't taken his eyes off Trixie, and Honey was smart enough to discern the gleam of interest in Trixie's blue gaze. She worried a bit at her lower lip. A tall, athletic redhead who only had eyes for her best friend. Sound like somebody she knew? The difference was a guy who was available right here in Sleepyside, and not a world away in New York City for most of the year. Maybe one who wasn't so honorable as to wait to declare himself at their prom.

Honey expelled a short sigh. She was dating Brian, who despite as being as honorable as Jim, asked her out the moment she turned 17. Di and Mart became a couple before he even finished high school. Trixie was the odd woman out. She knew Trixie felt it, too. All of the boys in Sleepyside acted like she had a big sign declaring she belonged to Jim Frayne tattooed on her forehead, or still saw her as Tomboy Trixie. Honey was quite exasperated with her brother. Did he expect Trix to just sit around forever waiting? Had he even taken a good look at her lately?

She spent the rest of the lunch period mentally composing a tactful, informative e-mail to her brother, Jim, to be accompanied by some stealthily shot pictures. Maybe it was nothing, but Honey suddenly had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Aidan watched Trixie until the bell rang for next period. So Jim Frayne wasn't around, and there was nothing official. He was observant enough to note the little blonde's quick flash of interest and pretty, deepening flush when they spoke. He smiled to himself.

It looks like Jim Frayne was in for some competition.

A/N: Let me know if there is any interest in Competition, Part II!