"Gleeps!" Trixie exclaimed, her golden curls bouncing with happiness. "I can't believe the year is finished! It went by so fast."

"I know," agreed Diana, smiling in fond memory from her seat in the station wagon beside Honey. "The year was great."

Trixie snorted. "I'm just glad that its summer and all of those tests and exams are over." This caused a smile from Honey, seated in between Trixie and Di.

"And when summer's over, we'll be Seniors!" she squealed.

"I'm going to miss it, though," Diana contemplated. "We'll be a whole year older and closer to college." She sighed. "I wish we didn't have to grow up. I want us to just stay this age forever."

Jim turned around, poking his head over the seat to look at the girls seated in the row behind him and Brian. "Yeah, it will certainly be different. After summer, Brian and I will be in our second year of college." He gave a rueful smile, but then substituted it with something happier when he remembered he still had the full summer ahead of him.

"Well, my morose companions, I think that we should stop contemplating on our pasts grievingly and instead look forward to the full summer we have bestowed upon us for the future months."

Trixie turned around in her seat to look at her almost-twin, who was seated beside Dan at the very back. "For once, I agree with Mart. His message, I mean; not his complicated way of delivering it. It's summer! And who knows, maybe we'll find something interesting to occupy our time." Her eyes glimmered mischievously. "It's never a dull moment for the Bob-Whites."

Dan smiled. "If by interesting, you mean some random mystery that you'll gladly drag the rest of us into, then sure; it'll be interesting."

Trixie huffed and looked at the dark-haired boy indignantly. "Dan Mangan, you know very well that you guys love the mysteries. And they aren't random. They are actually quite useful- and they're fun."

"And dangerous," Brian added from behind the wheel. "You've been hurt way too many times to count. And you still think that they're fun." He shook his head, only half of his disapproval mock.

"Mysteries aside," Honey looked pointedly and Trixie (even though she loved the mysteries almost as much), "this summer is going to be great. We can have picnics, swim, and ride horses… so much fun!"

Dan grinned wickedly. "And I'm sure everyone will enjoy the company of their fellow Bob-Whites." He nudged Mart, who was already turning red in the face. "Especially Martin and Diana." He laughed at the mortified expression on their faces. They hadn't missed out on the endless teasing that came with the shift in their relationship last month.

"At least I can get a girlfriend," Mart huffed angrily under his breath, only loud enough for a few people to hear him; them being Dan, who was sitting directly beside him, and Trixie, who was sitting directly in front of him.

Trixie tried to hide her chuckles about Mart's comment on Dan's behalf, but couldn't help herself when she saw Dan's fake hurt face.

"Excuse me?" he asked Mart incredulously. "Did you just say what I think you said?" Mart just looked at him amusedly, the extra colour draining from his face. "You think I can't get a girlfriend?" The whole car chuckled in amusement. "I could get any girl I want, thank you very much." He smiled. "None of them can resist my charm," he said slyly.

"Is that why you're still single?" Trixie couldn't help herself from adding. Dan just smiled coolly at her.

"Of course not, darling," he said sweetly, as if trying to explain a simple concept to a three year old who didn't seem to want to understand it. "The only reason you three have evaded my charms is simply because I haven't bestowed them upon you." All three girls snorted at that. "I mean; you just aren't my type."

He looked at Trixie, "Too violent," he stated. "Too nice," he said, looking at Honey. He looked at Di and grinned. "And any girl who can fall for that is definitely wrong in the head," he said, screwing a finger in Mart's direction. All three girls, and Mart, huffed indignantly, causing laughter from the boys up front.

"And anyway," he added with a gleam in his eye, "you're all taken."

He looked knowingly at the easily could-be couples of Bob-Whites, who were all blushing furiously. They were spared any comments about their not-so hidden feelings when Brian pulled up in front of Di's house to drop off the pretty brunette. (If hair that dark can be considered 'brunette'.)

Everyone gave their goodbyes, groaning when she leaned back to give Mart a peck on the cheek.

"See you later, Di," Trixie called after her. "And don't forget the barbeque tonight!" she added.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't miss it," she said with a smile, waving her final good-byes.

As the car sped off, Dan was happily left in the company of the unsuspecting victims.

"So, like I was saying," he started, causing many uncomfortable groans from the knowing Bob-Whites.

"Dan, please don't," begged Honey, followed by murmurs of agreement from others.

Dan looked at her with mock innocence. "What are you talking about?" he asked calmly. "I was just going to elaborate a little on my comments about how you guys were already taken; you know, by other male Bob-White members." He had to supress his laughter at Trixie's expression.

Honey was unfazed, though. "I, for one, have no romantic feelings for any of the male Bob-Whites, as it would be just like dating a sibling." Her eyes shined with the same conspiratorial gleam as Dan's. "However, I don't think I could say the same for my brother or Ms. Belden here." She nudged Trixie playfully, not at all surprised when her best, curly haired friend shot her a withering glare instead of being playful back.

"It's so blatantly obvious who Jim and Trixie's favourite Bob-Whites are," Dan agreed.

Trixie snorted.

"Oh please, I'm everyone's favourite," she blurted, causing an eruption of laughter from the station wagon. "What?" she protested, "It's true." She saw that they were all looking at her humorously, so she just had to prove her point.

"Well," she began, "Brian and Mart are my brothers, so obviously they like me better." She looked at Mart for a second. "Except Mart, who might actually like a certain other female better than his own kin," she said, delighted when she saw him flush.

"And Honey is my best friend; so of course I'm her pick."

She looked at Jim. "I'm Jim's favourite because I'm the first one he met, and I'm the one who got us all to meet him, so that's just natural."

Finally she looked at Dan. "And of course, Mangan, I'm your favourite because I'm just naturally irresistible." She flashed him a toothy grin.

"Like me," he couldn't help but saying. Trixie rolled her eyes.

Dan looked at her questioningly, mischief written all over his face. "So, you've proved your point, I get it. But I have just one question."

"And what is that?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

He grinned an evil grin. "You said Brian and Mart like you better because you're their sister, right?"

She nodded.

"You said that Mart might be an exception, because he was madly in love with Di, right?" He grinned even more, and only partly because of Mart.

She nodded again, puzzled.

"Then shouldn't that mean that Honey is Jim's favourite?" He smiled at her expression, knowing she was realizing where he was going with this. "Unless of course the case of Di and Mart can be applied in your situation as well?" He wiggled an eyebrow.

Minus Trixie, the whole car burst out laughing in response to Dan's logic. Except for Jim, but even he couldn't hide a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Trixie said hotly. "Me and Jim are just friends. That's all, and you know it, Dan Mangan."

Jim grinned at her. "Just friends? After all we've been through, that's all I get; just friends? That's cold, Trix," he joked through a smile.

Trixie shook her head, though she couldn't stay mad for long.

"I'm kidding," Jim said to everyone. Just so you don't get any ideas, he thought. "You know we're just friends; it's not like that."

Mart grinned. "Because 'just friends' give each other identification bracelets," he said slyly.

Trixie turned beet red and put a covering hand over the silver bracelet adorning her small wrist. She wasn't one for jewellery, of course, but she still wore the trinket on occasion. How could she not?

"Shut-up, Mart, before I stuff your obtrusively large dictionary up your oesophagus," she snapped.

Dan whistled in surprise, and she also saw Honey and Jim smiling. She had practiced that particular line for when she wanted to shut her brother's overly large mouth up, which she had just successfully accomplished.

"That should be down my oesophagus," he mumbled spitefully under his breath.

As they pulled up on the Wheeler driveway, they all got out. Brian, Mart, and Jim had some work they had to help Mr. Wheeler with, while Honey and Trixie were going to Crabapple Farm to finish up with chores and preparations for the night. When they got out of the car, they began discussing the plans for the evening and saying their good-byes.

"Hey, Trix," Jim said, wanting to catch the blonde's attention which had just been occupied by Dan as he told her a joke. She turned to the red-head, breaking away from her previous conversation with Dan.

Jim grinned at her, keeping his voice low. "Sorry about the ribbing you were getting in the car." Like it was your fault, Trixie wanted to say.

Jim continued. "You were right about the favourite thing, by the way." He winked, and then smiled even more when he noticed her speechlessness.

"See you tonight, Shamus," he said, tugging his favourite curl before walking away with her brothers towards the Manor House.

She was nudged by a grinning Dan. She blushed, realizing that he had probably heard the exchange. "I think my logic behind the whole 'favourite' thing proved to be correct, did it not?" he asked cheekily, walking away before she could show her anger towards him.

She caught up with Honey, who was, much to Trixie's chagrin, waiting for Dan. He was going to come to the party later on, too, but was going to Mr. Maypenny's first.

"Are you going to Maypenny's now?" Honey asked the dark-haired boy as he joined them next to the stables, nearing the driveway of Crabapple Farm.

"Yeah, I'll have to be going now. See you guys later."

Motivated by an urge he simply couldn't shake, he decided to make Trixie turn beet red for the umpteenth time. He grinned at her and then winked, tugging at the curl that Jim had taken a liking to. "See you tonight, Shamus," he said, before nearly bursting into laughter and walking away.

Trixie's face was red, and she was absolutely furious with Dan Mangan. She hadn't failed to realize that Dan's little 'good-bye' had purposely been the exact same as Jim's. (Minus the authenticity.)