Yay! 'Tis time for another chapter of...(drumroll please)...FLARE UP!)

Dedication: BethSmith. She likes Ice, and is getting a girlfriend for Baby John. What's not to like?

Ok, replies to reivews. In order:

BethSmith: Hiya! Glad this chapter made you laugh. I've kinda guessed by now that Ice gets a loooong sigh (all those plots with A-Rab...we've made a plan to get rid of Velma! YAY!). By the way, how did you ges that Riff was going to be a slighty romatic interest? I can't! (lol). And...I agree (again). I think that A-Rab, with all his teasing of Anybodys, has to be hididng something. It's the rules of physics. HE LOOOVES HER! hehe hee. And, I hereby put you with Riff and Ice, in AshLight's 'Book Of Made Up Couples ThatMay Never Happen'. lol. I like the idea of Chino/Graziella...it seems like something that someone with a very detirmined, but warped mind would undertake! I listened to the song you suggested, and it sounds exactly like the kind of thing Tony would sing to Maria. So sweet!

Wrecca: Wow! Your'e right, that was a long review! But don't worry, I like long reviews. Oh, where to start, where to start...yeah, I've read that script of WSS. Did you find it on the internet? It's really good. I read that bit about the rank and file, and I agree, you should feel sorry for A-Rab! I always thought he'd be at least a Rocketman. But I've only seen the film, not the play. I have seen Neighbours, am an avid fan, and I admit, I did kind of steal the boys looks from that show. I can reeeaaally see Dylan being a Jet. He'd just love it...No, I never pictured Snowboy as shy either. I just figured that, seeing as Action's gonna be like a surrogate older brother, I might as well but the poor boy as not being his usual mad self. Meh. And I thougth about Baby John. Don't worry, he will get love...you'll just have to wait and see who from...I did look at the Doc's cafe part (my Dad got annoyed when I kept stopping and starting the film, looking for that clip!). You could be right, I'm sure...you should check out Morwenlalaith's stuff, she's gonna write an A-Rab/Anita fic sometime, I think...And the Doc/Madam Lucia thing could work! Would be hilarious, but could work! I have to agree with you there, that was a very long and strange thought. Not outside of the realms of possibilty though. I quite like it. You'll just have to see what happens...

Tonyboy: Ooh wow! I've never had time to say this, but I love your fics! Thankyou for the compliment! I guessed that it was your name when I read the reviews you give BethSmith, but I made it up before then. I don't know what made me chose the name. I'm glad you noticed the similarity between Action and Joey too! A lot of people have. Whne I saw this for the first time, I was in my Music class, and I was bouncing up and down in my chair going " It's Joey! It's Joey!" I swear, I did the most obvious double-take when I first saw him. He looks so much like him!

Morwenlalaith: Yay! Another review! I agree about Ice's dancing! Like the idea about you muttering "Must not laugh, must not laugh..." tee-hee. Bet Velma had to stop herself too! There was a lot of chemistry between Action and Anita, wasn't there? I kept on thinking "What the hell Action, just kiss the girl! Tony did it, you can too!" Wouldn't have made him popular with the Jets though. I say go for it with the A-Rab/Anita story. It would be good. I noticed the breathing thing as well. Ok, so he may just have been really, really angry, but at the same time...I agree with you about A-Rab. I don't know why I think he'd be the first to hit on a girl, but I think he would. Dunno why, just think he would. It's scary. And you're right. Becca will kick ass. Krupke/Graziella sounds a hilarious paring. You should write one about it!

Fwoggeh: Thankyou for the cookies! I am eating them right now! Chomp chomp. I like the ide about Maria.Baby John, cos they're both sweet and innocent. The 'Lifestyles' song by GC rocks. I can imagine the boys singing it. I'm glad you think I've captured their personalities well. And yes, I am planning to reveal all their names...later. So you'll just have to keep reading, won't you? Heh heh. What's the boy who's like Frost like? Does he hit people round the head with a baseball bat (ok, so Frost doesn't either, but...)? I wonder if you are the female counter part to Gee-Tar? You never know...

Ok, I've gotta get on with this...In which Becca jots down a few notes and gets a warning from Aunty Rosa...

He reminds me so much of my pal back in Chicago, back before Dad died, and we had no hot water, and mum was normal and all.

Sammy was in the apartment three floors below us, and his mum and mine were pals. They made us swap keys so that we always had somewhere to go in an Emergency. It was a rule of the Council.

Sammy came round a lot, mostly when I was making jam sandwiches. He'd always have lots more than me.

We were good pals, Sammy and me. We played kick-the-can about a kazillion times. Our mom's always had our birthday parties together, and we made huge messes, and stole each others cake. I remember taking his party hat once. It was sparkly, and I was grabby.

Sammy's mum and mine taught us to play cards. We played Hearts and Go Fish and Old Maid on the sidewalks. We played cards for two straight days when they stayed round at our apartment, we played till ten, under the covers, then slept till five, and then started up again. We swapped comic books and never gave them back.

Sammy always stood up for me when the big kids told me my Dad had gotten himself killed on purpose. Him and his mum stayed the night, and Sammy made shadow puppets for me the whole time, just to keep me from crying.

I only say this because Riff seems like the kind of guy who would try and cheer you up if your Dad had been shot. I'm sure he'd be friends with a kid whose mom never got her to school on time, and he laughs a lot, like Sammy.

And when the boys played cards, Riff could shuffle them real quick. He could do the most amazing tricks too. He could flip the deck up in the air and catch them again, and not a single one would be out of place.

And he could talk. Oh boy, could he talk. After fifteen minutes of his smart talk to Lieutenant Shranke and Officer Krupke, they didn't know which way was up. Imagine what he could do in a day!

Sammy was good looking, in an eleven year old sorta way. I only say this in passing because I thought that, if you wanted to know what Riff was like, you might like to know that Sammy is like Riff in almost every way. The looks thing is not an exception.

And when we were walking back to the apartment (it seems that Riff and Tony live in the apartment three down from us - wow), a couple of older boys came round on bikes and started yelling at me. It got me scared, but the boys told them to shove off, and it reminded me of Sammy all over again.

Then Tony and Riff came all the way upstairs with us to get a chocolate bar, and Mum and Aunty Rosa were there. And of course Tony and Riff had to make polite conversation, more Tony than Riff,' cos Riff he made a face behind Mum's back, and then they went. And Mum was going on about how Tony was such a nice, polite boy, and it was mercy how there was a polite soul in this troubled city.

Aunty Rosa must have seen my face, 'cos she winked at me and said Riff seemed a nice boy too. And Mum huffed and puffed, and said he seemed quite impolite, actually, and she hoped I wouldn't hang around with him too much, he might give me a bad attitude.

And all I could think about, while Mum was lecturing, was had I made myself that obvious for Aunty Rosa to know? I wouldn't like Mum knowing at all, and not Action or Tony and most certainly, certainly not Riff.

But there must have been something, they must have been able to sense something. Cos my heart was beating far too loud for comfort, and my brain wasn't quite so level either.

I put down the pen and closed my notebook, sliding it into the gap under the bed.

There were so many things I had to find out about the Jets. Why, for example, did Riff live with Tony? I heard them talking about it, something about Riff not wanting to live with his parents. Something about his uncle, and a quarrel with his mother. Something about her living with another man he didn't like.

Other stuff too. Like the deep gash above Diesel's left eye. And why Snowboy twitched every time someone accidentally banged into his right hand side. Or why, when Doc brought out his glass of Scotch, A-Rab had to go and sit on the other side of the room. The way Gee-Tar's eyes became slightly glazed after a couple of seconds.

There are so many things you can find out about people, if only you listen and watch hard enough, and don't draw attention to yourself.

And, if I watched, and listened, and didn't draw attention to myself, I could become a regular sight. And then, when I didn't turn up, they would wonder. 'Where,' Riff would say, 'Is Becca. She isn't here anymore. We should find her immediately and ask if she'd like to be in the Jets completely.'

I could become a Jet without even having to ask.

I'm good at not letting people notice me. One might say it was a gift.

Other people might say it was a curse. Tiger had bumped into me three times today, and he didn't even notice. And Snowboy almost sat down in the same seat as me.

I suppose they mean well. They're just not used to having a girl around. They're just normal boys, really. I suppose they just have too many dads like Action's and too many mums like Riff's. I suppose all they need is a friendly ear and a bit of love. That's what Aunty Rosa says. She said 'Those friends of Action just need a friendly ear, some good home comfort and a gal's love.' Mum tch-ed, and said that boys like that don't deserve any of that, 'specially a girl's love. Aunty Rosa told her that the one thing those boys did need to get them back on track is love, and someone to show them that they care for 'em. And she nodded at me and said 'That gal may be the blessing for all of 'em, she could show 'em a woman's love.'

That got Mum horrified. She pinched me (none too soft) and said 'don't you get none of them ideas, Rebecca Ashley Hemlock' (thank goodness she didn't use my full name). She said that any girl that hangs around with them lot is a slag and a whore, with no ounce of respect for herself. She said that any girl that even thinks of getting involved, or even becoming friends with one of 'em is a cheap slut, with no chance of redeeming herself.

I thought about Anybodys, and my plan to become a Jet secretly. And poor Riff, with his angry mother, and how I'd dearly love to show him that not girl's are rubbishy arguers. I kept quiet.

I don't see why the Witch of Witching-ton (Mrs Gray) was so horrible. They weren't hoodlums or yobs or any of that other stuff she now regularly hissed at us as we walked down the street. They certainly weren't scum. They're just boys, really. Boys who aren't always that polite, or proper bred, but boys, and nice boys, all the same.

"Rebecca!" Mum's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I made sure my diary was well hidden. Catch me letting Mum into my thoughts, and comparing clean-cut Sammy to rough-kid Riff! Then I stuck my head around the door, and watched out for her warily.

Aunty Rosa came out of her room, balancing a laundry basket on one hip, "Your Mum wants you for a chat," She warned, "Actions' friends," She always called them that, no matter how many rude words Mum voiced angrily, "Have been hanging around. She wants to 'talk' to you about them."

I made a face, "I don't want to talk to her," I complained, "I like the boys. They're nice to me."

Mum's voice got higher, "Rebecca!" She called, "Come here now!"

Aunty Rosa rolled her eyes, taking my hand in her spare one, and led me back into my bedroom, shutting the door silently, "Listen, Becca," She murmured quietly, "You are my niece, and I love you like one of my own. This is why I'm begging you; don't let yourself get drawn in too deep."

I made a confused face, "Aunty Rosa, what – "

Aunty Rosa held up one hand, "Listen to me. I watch Daniel. Don't think I don't see him. Anger eats him up from the inside. I don't want that to happen to you."

"REBECCA!"

Aunty Rosa rolled her eyes again, and nodded to the fire-escape. I smiled, knowing exactly what she meant. I swung my leg out the window, gave her the thumbs up, and climbed down.

Time to find Anybodys.

Helloooo! I've not got very much time, so I'll wizz through this. Thankyou for all your reviews! Readers, go to my "reviews" section and read their fics! They are good!

For the poll answers:Ahh...did you get it right or not? There's only one wayto find out...keep reading! Mua-ha-ha One thing I will say though, to be nice and fair, you are on the right lines. I won't say yes or no, I'll just say that...ah, I can't tell you!

I liked the"pairs" answers. My favs were: Officer Krupke/Graziella, by Morwen. That just made me laugh out loud and fall off my chair. Kudosto you! Then A-Rab/Anita, again by her. That one I think is a good idea, and you should definetely write a fic about it! And last but not least, A-Rab/Anybodys, by BethSmith. I loved that. I may even write a fic...

I listened to all theosngs, and thoguth they were great. Thanks!

No poll for this chapter boo hoo. But just one thing. What do you, the reader, think will happen with our chica and the Jets after the Rumble? Will they still be friends? Will she run away? What will happen? (To be honest, even I don't know...)

Byee! And...review!