DISCLAIMER: I don't own Nancy Drew.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm back! Please read and review. I hope you enjoy it as much as the first.

Chapter 01

"So, why are we standing in the middle of the Emerson football field again?" George Fayne asked, looking at her best friend.

George was gazing almost disdainfully out at the luscious green field that lay before her. She had dark hair, cropped into a short pixie cut; spiky locks of straight hair fell over her forehead. She had pretty brown eyes and was on the short side, compact and athletic. George was a tomboy, the only girl who could possibly fit the bill to carry the name George. She was sarcastic and quick-wit, but had a good hear and head on her shoulders. George loved getting into anything that resembled trouble.

"Who cares why?" her boy-crazy cousin Bess Marvin retorted, googly-eyed. "Why don't we do this more often?"

Bess was tall and leggy. She had extremely long, extremely shiny, extremely well-maintained blond hair. She wasn't thin, but she wasn't chubby either. She, unlike her active cousin, was curvier. She had big, sparkling blue eyes that were, at the moment, were taking in the delicious landscape of rugged, sweating, running college boys. Bess was more timid than George and indefinitely more feminine. Bess was a fan of shopping sprees and ice cream dates, not soccer and mountain climbing challenges.

There was a pause, then George turned to look the field again. "So, why are we standing in the middle of the Emerson football field again?"

The last girl shook her head, her shoulder length strawberry-blond hair shimmying across her shoulders. Nancy Drew was the medium between the two extreme cousins in more ways than one. She was the mediator in all their fights, and there were a lot of those. She was medium height, with pretty blue eyes that told of her love for adventure, and was on the thin side, though not as toned as George was. Nancy was an adventure junky. She now smiled enchantingly.

"Because I figured, since we're coming here next semester, we could get acquainted with the campus," Nancy replied.

"Could we get acquainted with some of the campus life?" Bess suggested eagerly.

"And we're on the football field because…?" George asked, bringing the point back into focus.

"We're on the football field because that is where Ned said he was going to meet us," Nancy answered.

"Cool," George responded. "So where is Ned?"

Nancy sighed and looked around. "I'm not exactly sure."

Bess was fixated on something in the distance. "Not to snub your guy or anything, but if that… God… wants to come and talk to us instead of Ned, that'd be just fine with me."

Nancy looked around to find what, or who, it was that Bess was talking about. Her eyes landed on the boy in question and a small smile tugged at her lips. The boy was definitely walking towards them, head down watching his cleats as he walked.

Nancy's grin broadened as Bess added, "God, Nancy, why don't you know boys like that?"

"Hi Dave!" Nancy called, waving.

The boy in the dirty, worn football jersey lifted his head to look at her and sent her a mind-blowing, charmingly crooked smile. Dave Evans had a shock of thick, black hair that stuck out from behind his ears in tufts. He had beautiful green eyes and a face that was almost too pretty to be a boy. He was extremely tall, rangy and lean. He waved back at Nancy and closed the gap between himself and the girls.

"Hey there, girly," he said and held out his arms to her. He grinned. "Want a hug?"

Nancy pulled back from the sweaty boy and laughed. "No thanks. What are you up to?"

He looked back over his shoulder. "Just finished training for the game on Friday. Ned asked me to come over and entertain for a while. You're coming to the game, right?"

"Of course," Nancy responded, pretending to be appalled that he would ask at all. She turned to her friends. "Dave, these are my friends, the ones that Ned always talks about. This is George Fayne."

"Hey," George said, shaking his hand and he smiled.

"And this is Bess," Nancy said, turning to the other cousin.

Bess was still staring at Dave, mouth slightly agape. Nancy elbowed her in the ribs and the girl snapped out of it, giving a somewhat embarrassed smile.

"Sorry," she said and shook his hand.

Dave looked her over for a moment, a flirtatious smile playing over his mouth. "No problem. Nice to meet you."

Nancy cocked an amused eyebrow. "Well, I'm going to watch Ned for a while. I'll be back in a second."

"Uh huh," Dave and Bess said at the same time, not paying attention.

"Yeah. Great. That's fine," George called after her friend. "Juts leave me here! Bitch."

"So, you girls are from River Heights, too?" Dave was asking.

Bess gave a little giggle. "Yeah. We grew up with Nancy. Did you live in Emerson?"

"No, actually. My family lives in West Ridge, up north. I came to study."

"That's cool. I'm actually coming here next semester."

"Really? That's great! I'll be able to see you more often."

"Yeah, me too," George said in a patronizing tone. "You'll be seeing me too. And Nancy."

Dave looked over at her for the first time since being introduced. He smiled kindly. "Great. That's awesome." When he spoke again, he looked at Bess again. "You guys will really like it here. It's a great school and a lot of fun."

"Nancy should've brought us sooner," Bess commented. "I never knew it had gorgeous… campuses."

Dave grinned a little wider.

George rolled her eyes and turned to a light post to her left. "Such gorgeous campuses," she mocked. "Mi, mi, mi, moo, moo, gooey mushy gaa gaa town."

Dave turned to look at the girl politely. "I'm sorry, did you say something."

George turned back to him quickly, floundering. She smiled and reached out to touch the light post. "No, nothing. Just… admiring the post. It's so… white."

Dave nodded as if he believed her story, but he still looked a little confused. "Yeah. We just repainted them for the game."

"Wow, must have been pretty hard work," Bess said, overly interested.

Dave shrugged. "It was worth it. Speaking of the game, are you girls coming with Nancy."

Bess gave a coy smile. "Nancy had offered to bring us along, but I wasn't really sure if I should."

"Oh, you should," Dave said enthusiastically. "You really should you know."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Well, because. It'll be great. The games are super fun and afterwards there is the, hopefully, Victory Dance."

"A dance, huh? I would, but… that'd be pretty embarrassing to go to a dance without a date."

"Well, I think I could take care of that," Dave offered with a smile. "If you wouldn't mind coming with me."

Bess smiled widely. "That might work. Maybe."

George gagged, Dave opened his mouth to say something, and just at that moment, Nancy came back to the group with Ned.

Ned Nickerson was an extremely good-looking guy. He was tall, not as tall as Dave, but tall nonetheless. He was thin, but muscular with a nice build. Ned had a great smile and deep, beautiful brown eyes. He had gorgeous, thick brown hair that hung sexily over his forehead and was, at the moment, slightly damp with sweat from his workout.

"Oh God, Ned," George gasped, falling over him happily. "You and Nancy are here."

Ned smiled, confused, returning the hug bemusedly. He looked down at the girl. "Okay… you sick, George?"

"Not anymore," she said darkly.

It clicked and Ned laughed, looking over at Dave and Bess. They hadn't noticed. He said hello to Bess.

"Well, come on, slacker," Dave jested. "Weren't you going to give them the tour?"

"Eat me, jackass," Ned said. "Come on, you guys want to walk around and see the campus?"

"That is why we came, Ned," George snorted, smiling at him playfully.

"Not with that attitude," Ned mumbled.

"Come on," Nancy begged, slipping her hand into his. "Please?"

He thought for a minute, Nancy pouting up at him as he tapped his chin attentively. Then he smiled. "Okay. Let's go."

Ned and Dave led them on an entertaining tour of the Emerson campus. Dave and Ned were hilarious. They proudly showed off their fraternity house. The girls turned up the level of their interest. They moved on towards the girl's dorms. Ned stopped at a large building and knocked on the door. A large, pretty sign over the door read "Omega Chi Epsilon House."

"This is the sorority house you'll be staying at when you come up for the game," Ned explained.

Just then the door opened and a short, squat woman looked out at them. She saw the two boys and grinned widely. "Ned and Dave. Where's the third stooge?"

"Cleaning out the locker room," Dave laughed. "It was his turn this week."

The dorm keeper laughed. "What can I do for you boys?"

Ned smiled. "Carmen, remember how I asked if I could have a couple of guest stay with you guys for a few nights? Well, this is Nancy, Bess, and George."

"Oh, yes, of course! Would you like a tour?" she asked, then, not waiting for an answer, pulled them inside.

Carmen showed the girls the spare rooms, introduced some of the girls, who were very nice, and gave them a list of rules. One of the sorority sisters let them know that Carmen was only at the dorm about once a week and didn't check in that often. George grinned mischievously.

"So," Ned asked when the tour of Emerson was over. "What do you think of your future life?"

The girls all smiled. "Pretty good."

"I like it a lot," Bess said.

"Anyway, we have to get going," Nancy said, pulling her collar up against a suddenly cold burst of wind that whipped out at them. "See you on Friday."

"All right," Ned responded, a little disappointed. "I have to get back and study for quiz anyway. See you."

He placed a quick, sweet kiss on Nancy's lips and smiled the smile of an angel. She returned the smile and started off towards the car with George and Bess.

"Wait," Dave said, catching up with Bess, and pulling her back. "So will you go with me?"

Bess laughed. "I have to go."

Dave tugged her back gently. "Come with me."

Bess almost melted under the perfect gaze and controlled an ecstatic shiver. When she spoke it was in a shaky whisper. "Okay."

A slow smile spread across Dave's face, adding to the gorgeousness. He bit his lower lip. "Perfect."

He let go of her arm and she wobbled for a second, before collecting herself and running to catch up with her friends.