Mates, Dates

Everything is changing around her, and suddenly she is required to make all sorts of decisions. Everyone else knows who and what they want to be except her. zzy has become friends with the glamorous Nesta and Lucy isn't certain she likes this new threesome. Nesta and Izzy look 16, but Lucy, at 14, can easily pass for a 12-year-old. But then the day Lucy sees the most wonderful boy crossing the street, things start to change – in all areas of her life.

Izzie is cool, bright and sassy. And when she meets gorgeous Mark, she's on a real high. He's divine. And he likes her! But why doesn't he call when he says he will? Desperate to make sense of things, Izzie spends her time checking her horoscope. And stays at home, just in case he calls. When Izzie loses her perspective and her sense of fun, best friends Lucy and Nesta try to give her a reality check. But there are some things you'd rather not hear.

Nesta has .met the perfect boy: good-looking, fun, sweet. But there are problems too. Simon's from a rich, upper-class background - with a lifestyle to match - and it's difficult for Nesta to keep up. And then there's Simon's friend Cressida. The ice queen. The Portobello Princess. Not one to give in, Nesta is determined to impress the new crowd, but finds herself out of her depth. Luckily she has Lucy and Izzie to help her reassess what really matters.

Theresa Joanne (TJ to her mates) is having a difficult year. First her best friend moves away then classmate Wendy appears to have it in for her. Plus there's the problem with boys. They treat her like a mate and never seem to notice that she's a girl. When Lucy befriends TJ things start to look up. But will Nesta and Izzie also accept her? Will they let her into the world of sleepovers, secrets, laughter and advice? Can they help TJ be herself and discover her real potential?

Lucy seems to be out on a limb. Everybody has a boyfriend except her, and since she put Tony on the back burner he's found someone else. Then on a spa weekend with Izzie, she meets someone who seems just right for her. And he feels the same way about her. But after a while, Lucy starts to feel smothered. Can someone love you too much? Maybe the life of a singleton isn't so bad after all!

Izzie is restless and eager to be treated like an adult. So she decides it's time to make some changes. But the new Izzie comes with new problems. First, there is Josh Harper, an older, cute, but wild, boy. Then there is her mother, who is opposed to every part of the "new Izzie". And then there is one night at Nesta's house, when Izzie decides to make cocktails.

Nesta is devastated. She has to wear braces. She thinks that no boy will ever look at her again without thinking of the killer shark in Jaws. And practicing a smile that doesn't show her teeth isn't helping. There's only one option: to become a recluse. Lucy, Izzie, and T. J. try to help Nesta understand that her looks haven't changed, but Nesta's not convinced.

When Luke, the boy that Nesta has been dating, declares passionate love for T.J., she doesn't know what has hit her. She does her best to avoid him, but when the local schools are asked to work together on a project, Luke is chosen as the overall coordinator and T.J. has no choice but to report back to him on a regular basis. Misunderstandings and miscommunications threaten the girls' friendship and split them into two camps: Lucy and Nesta, Izzie and T.J.

A school trip to Florence seems like the perfect escape for Lucy. She wants time away from Tony who is pressuring her to take their relationship further. In Italy, she meets an American boy, who is also visiting Tuscany, and thinks he might be the ideal way to get over Tony. He seems to be the perfect gentlemen and Italy introduces Lucy to a world of culture and sophistication. Will she be able to move on from Tony? Or is a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire?

In an attempt to lose weight, Izzie tries everything: one diet after another, a punishing exercise program and every bit of conflicting advice everyone can give her. Her constant worrying about her weight causes her to lose her confidence, and she stops appreciating the things in her life that are special - her supportive friends, the fact that she has been selected for a TV teen panel and a cute boy at the TV studio who seems to appreciate her just the way she is.

Nesta's life is thrown into upheaval when she gets involved in charity work thinking that it might be a cool way to meet people (mainly boys.) But as her eyes are opened to the plight of the world, she begins to genuinely want to get involved and help others. On top of this, Nesta meets William, a boy who questions her motives. At times, she's convinced he hates her and the feeling is mutual. But Izzie, Lucy and TJ think it is something more like love.

Boys are like buses for TJ. No sign of one for ages and then two come along at the same time! First there's charmer, Ollie Axford, and just when TJ has decided that he could be the one, old flame, Luke De Biasi tells her that he wants to re-kindle their romance.TJ is torn between the two boys, and unhappy that events have conspired to make her appear to be a two-timer.