Author: Power, P.S.
Date: 2013-08-12T07:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Juvenile Fiction
Description: About this book: Becky Hoader is totally and truly in love with her friend Mitch. The only problem is that to him she's always just been one of the gang, if that. Now with the end of her high school career coming fast she has very little time to change the situation at all, before all hope is gone. Unfortunately Mitch love's Keeley Thomson, the new girl in school who's everything a guy could want. Thin, pretty and smart, all rolled into one perfect Mitch shaped package. It would be enough to make a girl hate her, if it weren't for the fact that Keeley is one of Becky's new best friends, and wi

Friendzoned

P.S. Power

Orange Cat Publishing

Chapter one

There were good ways to spend a Friday night, Becky thought, as she wiped down the drive-through area once again. Working at Taco Bell wasn't one of them. Or at least it wasn't in her top five or so. It actually did beat sitting at home, alone again, wondering what Mitch was getting up to. That was always maddening and a thing that had plagued her existence for far too long. What was he doing?

At least here, at ten-forty seven, she knew the answer. He was busily ordering about ten dollars worth of food, and trying to get her to use her employee discount for it. She loved him, but it was almost like he just wanted her for that, not her innate coolness or good looks.

"Please? I promise to be good, and save you some." He sounded genuine, but also like he had his friends with him in the car, which meant that wasn't going to really happen. A group of starving guys saved food for no one. They hung out on occasion, the gang and her, but never this late at night, and when it happened at all there was almost always going to be a school project involved somewhere. That or her running around at their role playing games, bringing them snacks and drinks. She got to play too, of course, but she was the girl, and they were all a bit socially awkward...

Sighing she looked around, and saw the assistant manager, Dan, watching her, his little mustache making it seem like he wasn't just a few years older than she was. There was another, very hungry sounding please from the vehicle, and the man threw his hands out a little. It didn't seem all that happy however.

"Go ahead, but you can only use it once a day." It was the actual rule, at least at their store, ever since one of the old crew had been caught giving everyone at school ten percent off of all the food purchases on her shift. The discount was twenty percent, which meant the rest had been going directly into her own pocket. Unfortunately that was considered theft by the owner. Sally had been fired on the spot, and had actually been taken to small claims court to try and get the remainder back. The judge had thrown it out, because the place hadn't had a rule against doing that specifically. Not when it happened.

So now they did.

"Thanks." She wasn't upset about it, since she hadn't eaten any of the food there for a long time. It wasn't about the normal reasons. No one did anything bad to the food, and the meat, while not all beef, wasn't a big mystery. It was about half vegetable protein. Really, that actually sounded healthier to her than not. They could probably use it as a sales point, if all the marketing wasn't meant to target teen age boys and young men. They loved their hot beef though, didn't they?

No, it was that she'd been working really hard to lose weight, hoping that Mitch would notice her. So far he hadn't even looked at her extra closely. Yes, it was a stupid reason to do something like that, and worse, she knew it, but she really had a hard time not thinking about him. He was just...

Perfect.

Not the kind that others would see automatically, since he wasn't a movie star and didn't have perfect teeth, but he was smart and funny and actually seemed to care about her, at least as a friend. After a fashion. That last bit was the sticking point really.

They were just friends, and had been for years.

So she dieted, and went hungry for months on end, and tried to be interested in the things he was, as an excuse to be included in his life. Right now that meant making sure he got a discount on cruddy food that no one should have been eating. Just so that he'd learn to love her. Even she could see the flaws in the plan. For one thing, it hadn't worked at all for the last three years, so she doubted it was going to start right then.

"Okay, pull up." Her voice might have been a little cheerier, but it was just so clear to her that she no longer had a chance with the boy at all. He didn't act any differently with her, but he'd flat out told her, several times, that he liked Keeley Thompson. It wasn't done in a subtle way either. Mitch wasn't trying to make her jealous, and would have probably been shocked if anyone had suggested that idea to him at all. After all, she was just... Plain old her, and Keeley was incredible.

That wasn't just him either, a lot of the boys thought the new girl was something better than the rest of them. Worse, they were right. Becky hated to admit it, but the girl wasn't just prettier than her, she was so gorgeous that she could have been a movie star. More than that, she was smart, funny, and really nice.

Also kind of dating one of the school's cheerleaders, but even that wasn't a problem for most of the guys, since she was almost certainly bi-sexual. It was enough to make Becky cry. And had.

The car came up and Mitch popped his head out the window, making fake eyes at her, his brightly colored shirt a fantastically bad combination of blue and pink. He drove an older model car, but it wasn't beaten up, just not new. A yellow Japanese model, she thought. It was nice and fit him in a way. He just did what worked for him. Whatever that was in life. Got straight 'A's' because it suited him at the moment, wore whatever he had to hand and didn't care what others thought about him.

Unlike her, who was busily ringing him up with her discount, because she wanted him to like her. Being one of those needy girls that held on too long to a lost cause. That was no doubt a great idea for the old self-esteem, wasn't it?

"Thank you Becky..." He sounded a bit singsong about it, and it came across like he was just using her. That wasn't the case, she didn't think. It was just that his friends might make fun of him if the drive-through girl seemed to be too close to him.

Except that Cory leaned over from the passenger's seat and waved.

"Yeah, thanks Becky! We should get together soon. Do something." He was sweet, for a teenage boy, she decided, and had a long time before. It wasn't that he lacked in looks or anything, though he kept to a very plain style and sort of blended into the background at school. Mitch just popped. He brought so much life and energy to everything, all the time.

It didn't hurt that she was totally, and no doubt helplessly, in love with him either.

Cory didn't add more and she worked efficiently, waving as they left, with Mitch swerving a little, trying to shove a half wrapped taco down his throat as he operated the car. That worried her a bit, since she wanted him to be safe, but by the time he got to the road the car straightened out. After that it was all up to fate and his own ability to eat and drive at the same time. Or hopefully show enough common sense not to do that at all. She doubted that last one was going to be it, however.

Then she had to put her head down and just work for the next two and a half hours. Things would die down, at about two in the morning, and then she'd be needed to help clean the place. She only had one shift per week, which almost made it not worth it, except for the fact that Mitch came through almost every Friday. It was why she'd volunteered to take the drive-through.

Just to see the guy she liked, outside of school, as if that somehow made her incredibly desperate situation any better at all. There were a few more highlights, one of which came just at closing, when instead of walking home in the black night, hoping that no one killed or raped her, she found a car load of girls waiting for her.

Nice ones even. Led by Keeley Thompson.

There was a bit of venom in the thought, but she knew it wasn't fair at all. She hadn't done anything to get Mitch interested. They hadn't even talked really. Becky knew that from both of them, so it was probably true. Otherwise they'd be dating, not hiding things from her.

It was the cheerleading crew, or at least that was how she always thought of these five. Keeley wasn't one of them, actually, even if she was pretty enough for it. She was the new girl still, after a fashion, so that meant she hadn't been invited to try out and hadn't pushed her way in either.

Darla Gibson drove, since it was her van, a Volkswagen that was a pretty eggshell color, and meticulously cared for. It wasn't just clean, but looked new, all the time, and ran like a dream. The girl waved and Keeley, who was in the passenger's seat hopped out to open the side door for her.

"You mentioned your car being out of order, so here we are! Hop in. We already went by your place and got some stuff for you, so that you can stay over. My mom is out on business and won't be back until Monday, so it's pretty much party central." The pretty, dark haired girl was dressed nicely, but just in a pair of jeans that hugged her hips and thighs, and a t-shirt. It wasn't, Becky knew, the clothing that did the trick, it was the person inside them.

She really, really wanted to be able to hate her. She just couldn't. It was completely unfair, she decided, managing a smile.

Worse the rest of them were all nice too. It was like a conspiracy or something, designed to ruin her high school experience. These girls were supposed to be bitchy and mean, possibly to a level that would be criminal for anyone else, and do things like make catty remarks about her in the shower room and put Nair in her shampoo bottle to make all her hair fall out. Then she'd be elected prom queen, or develop psychic powers and kill them in a horrible bloodbath. It was in all the movies.

They didn't do that though. Instead they talked to her in the hallways, and when she'd mentioned that the last play needed a bit of help, they all came and volunteered to do props. Even Keeley, who'd gotten a role in the thing. That made exactly one of the 'actors' that had bothered to help out at all with the drab part of things. They didn't even drink or do drugs. It should have meant they were boring, but Eve, who reached out her hand from one of the two large bench seats in the back, made a point of getting into a lot of trouble, mainly with boys.

There was always something happening with them too. They'd run off at odd hours, but always come back sober and with all their clothing, so it probably wasn't her being left out of the orgies. Not that she'd do that...

The hand was warm and the girl, who had a sporty hair cut that was just over her ears, pulled her into place, not commenting on the inevitable scent of fake Mexican food that followed her around like a ghost until she had a chance to shower for a while.

"Becky! How's my favorite fast food worker?" There was no sense of teasing in the words at all, but the girl stopped and moved her head side to side for a bit, the dark interior hiding her exact expression. "Yeah... Yeah, you're my fave. There was this guy, but he turned out to be a kind of a tool after I gave it up to him in his car behind the McDonald's. Then, he probably started out that way, and I just didn't notice at first." She shifted a bit so that Becky was directly beside her, with Hally and Barb in the back seat. "Not that I remember his name at all, so I guess that's probably a sign of something?"

She chuckled about it, but in the front Darla cleared her throat.

"Probably. Becky, would you get the door? I'm not wild about the looks of those guys walking up on us.

That got her attention fast, and she scrambled to get the door shut. They weren't some kids, if she could tell that by their build. There were three of them and they walked like they were all a bit drunk.

One of them saw her and yelled.

"Aw, don't go away, we just want to talk to you! I have a question."

Darla didn't seem to want to answer, since, rude or not, she left directly, the engine hardly making any noise at all. One of the other guys chased them and shouted something, but she couldn't really make it out. He was flipping them off though, and since the one that had been a bit more clear had seemed to be in his mid-twenties or so, it was a bit scary. This wasn't some school boy, but an adult man acting weird.

From the back, directly behind her, Barb spoke up.

"I bet they only wanted to ask where we wanted to be raped. It's really rude of us to drive off like this. Maybe we should go back and ask?" The girl was being a bit sarcastic, which was probably meant to lighten the mood. Keeley however, laughed. It was a happy sound, and even if she was riding in front, it seemed inclusive.

"No takers here! That was strange. After those murders last October, you'd think that no one would be that stupid. I mean, walking up on a group of girls like that at this hour. Well, it makes me glad that we came to get you Becky." She kept looking out the window, as if the men might be coming after them on foot.

"Me too. I hadn't even thought about that. Well, I guess everyone is planning to stay up all night? Because after that, I don't think I can sleep. I mean... Eep!" She meant it too. Things like that were always creepy. "I'll just curl up in the corner with a can of Mt. Dew and a shotgun."

Eve sighed, a long and mournful thing. It had that tone that people got when they were trying to communicate to an unjust world how very, horribly, put upon they were.

"Wonderful, now I'm going to be shot trying to go to the bathroom. I knew I shouldn't have had all that coffee earlier."

Becky had to look over to see her head shaking, and there was a low giggle from behind them. Barb didn't sound mean or anything, but she was a bit different now than she used to be. Nicer, for one thing. Something had happened to her and she was gone for a few months. The word at school was that she'd gotten pregnant and went off to have the baby, but that didn't seem to be the real answer.

When girls did that, they gained weight. It was hard to hide all the changes. Even when they didn't breastfeed, their chests got bigger and their hips wider. Barb always wore tight fitting clothes, and if she was heavier now it had to all be in her legs, because it didn't show anywhere else.

That probably meant it was drugs. After all, she was doing something to stay so slim, wasn't she? It might be bulimia too. It would explain some things. Keeley and Darla were the same, always snacking and pretending that the food vanishing wasn't any big thing. Eve never ate around her, or if she did, it was in tiny little amounts. Hally used diet pills to do the same thing, not having much food, but keeping herself from being hungry all the time. It was an idea. So far will power had gotten Becky through, but that might fade over time, when she had to fight the last ten pounds off, for instance.

That would only be ten pounds more too, so she decided to keep it in mind. She was down thirty already. It was a process. That was a thing she kept having to remind herself, about fifteen times daily as her stomach tried to force her to eat. The idea was also one that the girls with her seemed to want to sabotage almost instantly.

Damn their pretty little hides.

Keeley twisted in her seat, then winked at her. It was a thing she did, and seemed like a cute affectation. It was almost as if she were trying to make everyone think she was older and wiser than she really was.

"I'm going to make a cake, what kind are we having?"

Becky groaned, and didn't hide it. After all, they all knew she was struggling with her size, and had been the whole time that they'd been hanging around together, so since before Christmas. Before Thanksgiving even. It wasn't fair for them to do things like that to her and she was starting to think it was on purpose. A trick to keep her fat while they got all the good guys, and Mitch kept checking out Keeley's butt in the hallway, not hers. As far as she could tell he never looked at her that way at all. Sure, she was feeling a bit bitter about the whole thing, but Keeley acted surprised.

"You don't want cake? I thought everyone liked it." She sounded just a bit hurt, and in the dark her face seemed that way too. It was hard to tell really, and might be her imagination.

"How about, I don't know, some nice carrots? Celery? Something that won't turn me into a blimp in the next two days?" There. She normally wasn't that forceful about it, but Hally sighed from the back seat and then made a thoughtful sound.

"I... Kind of agree. That or we all need to take up marathon running as a hobby. It's really hard to be around all that food and not eat it."

That got an odd sound from the driver's seat, and while Darla didn't take her eyes off the road, being a very good driver, she did speak.

"That's not a horrible idea. We could start a running club. Not to be too blunt, but some of us on the squad have gotten a little soft lately. That, and some time in the weight room would help more than starvation. I guarantee you that the girls going to nationals this year are working-out. Even if we don't have that caliber a group, it really won't hurt to put in a little more effort. Some of you might just make it on the college level, if you have a good base built up now." The words were more thoughtful than anything else, but Becky noticed the gaps in the words. She was good that way, from time to time. It came from growing up around drunks. You learned not to trust what anyone told you, after a while.

"Wait, aren't you going to be a cheerleader in college?" She'd be going, since her grandmother was rich. As in so wealthy that when god wanted a loan, he'd call her up.

As far as Becky could tell the girl and her whole family were a bit distant from each other, but it was her grandmother that actually showed up in her life, not her father. Her dad was off running some business in Japan or something. It sounded exotic, but he'd left his daughter all alone, which was sad. That Darla wasn't a complete drugged out brat, with a large complement of diseases, was a mystery. If it were a television show she would be. As it was, the girl was actually incredibly sweet. To everyone, all the time. She even took time to talk to the unpopular kids, and include them in her plans.

"I'm going to be a business major. Yes, I might get on the college team, but I'm not planning to go Ivy League. The fact is there are a lot of really good small colleges in the country and most of them kind of take whoever wants to carry a pom-pom. It shouldn't be that hard for me. But I get that paid for, guaranteed. It might be harder for Hally or Eve. Or you Becky. Not to be snarky, but even if you want to go and be a drama major, being in that kind of shape won't hurt. The sporty look is coming in, and women that can manage to look right for action movies might have a better shot of making it big, in the next ten years or so."

Becky scoffed and then tried to chuckle.

"Yeah, but I want to be a drama teacher, not an actress. It probably won't matter." To her it seemed obvious, but no one else even seemed to listen to her. Not at all.

Eve changed the subject nicely at least.

"I've been considering the military. Get in and become a Marine. I know, that probably won't be the only thing I ever do, but I don't have the grades for college really. Not unless one of you wants to help me fake some test scores in the school's computer system?"

That got a chuckle and Barb leaned forward, her head right between Becky's and Eve's.

"I can do that. What do you want to trade for it?" She sounded sly, like she was trying to be cute about it.

"I don't know? I suppose I could stop spreading those rumors about you having gotten pregnant? It's a lot better than the real story, but still, you might want me to lay off soon..."

Becky let her eyes go wide, since as far as she knew they didn't talk about that topic. Not ever. Instead of pouting or crying from the back seat there was laughter, from the front. It would have been mean, but Keeley just sounded tickled.

"I have to agree. You didn't need butt implants Barb. Missing all that school to get them was dumb. Now you're going to be there for another half year. Or are you planning to do summer courses to try and make it up?"

"That one. It was totally worth it though. Becky, have you looked at my ass lately?"

"Um, why no Barb, I haven't." She blinked in the dim interior of the van. The white seats looking slightly yellow under the street lamps as they made the last turn to get to Keeley's. It was so late that no one else was around at all. "Why, do you want me to?"

That got a warm hand pushing on her shoulder from behind. It wasn't hard, but it was playful, not flirty. That was good, because she still wasn't totally certain which girls in this group were "friendly" with other girls. She was pretty sure about Hally and Keeley, though they also had guys, or at least Hally did. Keeley had mentioned one, but Becky had never met him.

Darla was just a mystery that way. She always had a date for the dances, but didn't spend a lot of time with anyone except Keeley, Hally and Eve. Barb was around too, but there seemed to be a bit of distance between those two for some reason. It was like they were only acquaintances, not close buddies.

Eve loved guys. She bounced from one to the next so fast that it was almost a joke. She seemed to enjoy it though, so Becky tried not to judge. It reminded her a little bit too much of her own mother for comfort. At least Eve wasn't always drunk too. It made it so that she could be dealt with. Being a bit loose was better than that and sloshed all the time.

Barb settled and spoke, her voice rich and a little throaty, as if pretending to be interested in the idea.

"Well..."

That got everyone to make at least a bit of noise, except Darla, who pulled into the driveway of the nice ranch style house. It was new and had an interesting lawn arrangement. It wasn't a real lawn, being made of little stones and just a few plants, but it showed that someone that lived there liked nice things. Her apartment had a dirt patch in the front. True, in part that was her fault, but no one else there cared about it enough to ever do anything either. Her step-dad, Mike, was a lot like her mom in a way. Less drunk, and he slept with fewer other people, but they fought all the time. Her mother and him. Mike actually got along well enough with her, even when he was drinking, being a mellow person that way.

It took a minute to get in and everyone was quiet, because they didn't want to scare the neighbors and have the police called. Sure, that probably wouldn't happen, but Keeley practically tip-toed in, using her key and holding the door for everyone else. The place was well lit inside, mainly with the kind of lights that were actually designed to make things brighter, rather than the recessed kind that were meant just to make a place seem slick and new. It was really nice inside.

Clean for one thing. Keeley's mom had OCD, which meant she kept it nice, on a level that very few people would ever bother. It was much better than what Becky was used to. Drunks didn't clean that much really, as a rule. It was like it just didn't occur to them. Go figure?

Keeley, as she often did, went straight to the kitchen. Because that's what all the non-bulimic girls did, wasn't it? She stayed there for a while, but came out with a tray of sliced fruit and veggies with a dip that seemed to be made of spices and other vegetables. Her stomach growled at the smell, but no one did anything except try some.

"Here you go! This will actually burn off more calories than you can get from it, so it's totally diet food." Keeley passed it to her first, so she tried a piece of celery with the dip.

It practically exploded in her mouth. It was really good. Sweet and tangy at the same time, with just a hint of garlic.

"Okay," She had to wait and take another bite, closing her eyes as she did it. "Where's the trick? Is it made with pure fat or something? This is sooo good!"

That got Keels to sit by her, after passing the tray to Hally, who seemed to like it too. She let her leg brush against Becky's, but pulled back before she could stiffen or seem uneasy. It was a very casual thing. Probably not her flirting with her.

"Thanks. It's a new recipe that I wanted to try out. The trick is using Splenda and vinegar. It gives it a nice sweet and sour flavor. Now, we have snacks, so what do you all want to do? Movie marathon? Or we could go on a road trip?"

Eve giggled.

"Sleep? Then we can go shopping in the morning, and maybe see about finding some cute guys to distract Becky from her eternal problem." There was a pause and then Eve rolled her eyes. "You know Becks... Mitch Barris isn't even close to being in your league. You're you and he's a sci-fi geek. He tried to invite me over to play Dungeons and Dragons once. Can you imagine that? Me? If you hook up with him you'll end up a twenty-seventh level Troll."

Becky didn't say anything for a while and finally the other girl faked going wide eyed. She did it pretty well, as if being a snarktastic witch just came naturally to her. "Oh. My. God. You are a twenty-seventh level Troll, aren't you?" It was a little mean.

Also a little too close to the truth for comfort.

"I just thought..." She tried to let it go, but Barb, who looked way to cheery and perky not to be on drugs, shrugged.

"She just figured that the way to a geek's heart was through his twenty sided die. Naturally. The question there is, can a Cleric really get a warrior mage to part with his virginity by plying him with Cheetos and Mt. Dew? Hmmm?" It was less mean, but more playful and still sounded rude at the same time somehow.

Becky looked at her hard for a minute and then shrugged.

"So... you wanted me to check out your behind?"

Keeley smiled and then shook her head, turning the television on. Nothing seemed that good, not for a late Friday night and she really was feeling pretty tired. Smothering a yawn she tried to keep her eyes open. Normally she was in bed by midnight, but it was the weekend and work had kind of changed her schedule for that anyway. She let herself nibble on some more of that dip, trying not to take it all. It was good enough that even the people that never seemed to care about their weight had some.

"So, I should work out more? Do you think that would really help?" There had to be some reason why everyone else was thin and she wasn't. Maybe it was that? She wasn't a total lump, but she didn't spend hours in the gym every day either.

Darla nodded.

"Probably. We all should. I have some weights at my house, if you want to use them, and we can all go running. That way we won't need club memberships. We can start tomorrow, if you want?" There was an edge to her words, one that sounded a bit pushy, which probably meant that no one wanted to work out with her, and that she actually wanted a workout buddy.

"I... That might be good. I haven't really done that before though, so..."

Darla smiled.

"No prob. Is anyone else in, or just the cool girls?"

From the response, that last one seemed to be the case and the head cheerleader held her nose in the air a bit and looked snooty.

"Fine, but when prom comes around and you can't fit in your dresses, don't come whining to me. I tried to help you out now, when it would have worked, but no, you all just want to eat bon-bons and watch television."

That was something that got her attention. As a Senior, Becky had exactly one chance to go to the Prom left. She'd never been asked before, so hadn't gotten to the year before. She'd wanted to go with Mitch and had even dreamed of it, but the guy had just stayed home that night. It was looking to be about the same this year too, which left her feeling a lot less pleased suddenly. There was some time though, so maybe if she kept to her diet and worked out, Mitch would ask her? That...

Didn't seem like it was going to be the case.

"I just wish I could get Mitch to notice me. To see that I'm not just some buddy of his. It really isn't that much to ask, is it? I'm not that bad, am I?"

Hally grabbed a carrot stick and munched it plain, then turned to look at her, chewing carefully, her green eyes big and soulful under her coppery hair.

"You've been Friendzoned. It isn't that you aren't good enough, or smart enough, or pretty, it's just that he doesn't think of you any other way. That's your own fault." She took another bite and shrugged, looking at the others then going on, with everyone looking at Becky expectantly. "He probably liked you at first. As in wanted to date you. Then you just treated him like a pal and he finally gave up. You said that he's known you for years, right? So when he looks at you, he sees his buddy, Becky, who happens to be a girl. If you want to get with him, you need to make him see you as a woman first, then as yourself. It's hard, since he's already made his mind up about you." She looked away then, at the TV. Which had ended up on the golf channel for some reason.

"So there's not a lot I can do?"

Eve snorted and moved, sliding in next to her and tossing an arm over her shoulders, so that Keeley was pushed out of the way.

"Hally didn't say that, just that it would be hard. We can help with it though, if you want? Right Keels?"

The other girl smiled.

"That would keep him from trying to ask me out. Not that he has yet. He's a bit shy, but you'd think he'd get that I wouldn't go out with one of my best friend's crushes. Of course that would require you to actually let him know about that Becky." Then, a little oddly she made a face and walked toward the front door.

Just before she got to it, there was a soft knock. Three taps, one after the other.

They hadn't ordered pizza though, and it was nearly four in the morning.

A thrill of fear ran through Becky as the girl turned the doorknob, slowly. It was like something out of a scary movie.

Except that the door didn't creek as it opened. The place was new, after all.

Chapter two

Becky stood up, but no one else did. It was almost as if they didn't get that no one sane and normal came to visit at that time of day. Not that she had any clue what to do really. Maybe work her way to the phone so she could call the police? That or at least scream at an operator while she died. That would be comforting. For both of them probably.

Keeley let the door swing a little wider.

"Hey, Rebekah. Is everything all right? Come in."

It was a woman, and she was alone, but for some strange reason that didn't leave Becky feeling any better about the situation. It was hard to put her finger on... Maybe it was the fact that the woman looked like a crazy movie monster?

She had bone white skin, medium length copper hair, blood red eyes with no whites and so many fangs in her mouth that it was hard to count how many rows of them there were. It seemed to be three. It was hard to tell, through the terror, of course. Her breath caught a little, fear trickling down her spine.

It was the freakiest thing that Becky had ever seen in her entire life.

Until the woman smiled, her mouth mainly closed, and waved to the room. It was a friendly gesture, like any of them might have used in the same surroundings. She also had a rich voice and sounded pretty happy.

"Hi. Sorry to drop by like this, but I had an order come in, and wanted to make sure that we had everything ready for it?" She looked around the room, then locked her eyes on Becky. They were about the same size, in height, so not all that tall, five-seven or so. After a half second, looking a little shocked, the woman held her hand out.

"Hi. I'm Rebekah, lead singer of The All Vampire Band. Just to clarify, yes, it's all permanent, and yes, a lot of it hurt." She waved at her own face to demonstrate what she meant. "And yes, the whole band is really screwed if we don't make it big. Please buy our music, when it comes out. You don't even have to like it."

Becky knew that her face had to look tentative. This woman was a weirdo. But, known to everyone else and not carrying a knife, so she could work with the idea. She was a performer. Becky's kind of person, really.

"Becky. Rebecca, but I don't go by that."

The other woman looked about their age, with a couple extra years tacked on most likely, since seventeen year olds couldn't get work done like that, but it had to have taken years for it to be finished. It looked like it was all over her body at least. That had to make her at least in her twenties, didn't it?

"Oh? Wait... The one that likes that boy? Um... Mike?" She made a face that said she knew that was probably wrong.

"Mitch?"

"That's the one! We talk about you when you aren't here. Mainly good things." The woman let her face screw up a bit, and then nodded slowly. "Yes... almost all of it has been. There was some complaining about you screaming during horror movies."

That got everyone to laugh, but she let her hands come out and go palms up.

"It's true, but what do you want? It's scary. Especially the one about the puppets. They were so creepy." She faked a shudder and hugged herself to demonstrate what she meant. "No strings. No strings!"

The movie really had freaked her out, but she wasn't the only one in the room that had yelped in the right places. Eve liked to act tough, but she'd jumped. Keeley hadn't, just winking and watching as if it really didn't bother her, but Hally had clung to her like she was a life preserver.

Rebekah looked at her and seemed to be thinking. What that was became clear a bit later, when she turned back to Keeley.

"I like her. Anyway, I'm not trying to be annoying, dropping by like this..." The words were pretty polite sounding, considering everything, and Keeley let her go into the other room and get some things. When she came out she had several wicker baskets that had flowers in them, sort of pushing out the top, like she was trying to hide something in the bottom.

Even Becky wasn't falling for that. A Vampire, even a fake one, that needed flowers? At four in the morning? Then again, maybe she didn't go out in the daylight? It would be in keeping with the act. They didn't pass money for the drugs that would have been in with the flowers, if she were writing the scene, but the other girl left right away, just walking into the night. Becky didn't hear a car at least.

That could have meant anything, including that she'd just parked down the street. Becky normally did, when she visited. Just so she wouldn't get a ticket.

As soon as the door shut she grinned a bit and turned on her hostess.

"So, strange vampire's coming around at this time of day for special deliveries? What was really in with those daisies? Drugs?" She was out of options after that, and Keeley looked over at Darla and rolled her eyes.

"Obviously, what else would you expect? Bottles of blood?" That got more chuckles from around the room, but then the thin and too pretty competition for Mitch's affection wrinkled her nose cutely. "Would you believe it was actually flowers, with handmade soaps in the bottom of each basket? Eve packed them up earlier. There are some other things, I don't know what. Spa packs. Whatever those are. Rebekah sells them in her spare time. Since she's a starving artist, it makes sense."

It did. Becky shook her head and tried not to seem like a freak for the rest of the night. About an hour later everyone started falling asleep, and the floor futons were pulled out.

It was a bit strange, but she was put right next to Hally, who seemed to be out the second her head hit the pillow. It was a lot more comfortable than it sounded like, the cushions they were on being more than thick enough, and they all got pillows that had obviously been cleaned after the last party. They smelled fresh and a bit like lemons. Given Keeley's mom, that was probably a good bit more intensive than the washing that Becky would have given them. That wasn't hard, because it would have been a single trip through the washing machine for the pillow cases, if that. Sherri Thomson would have insisted on several washings and done the pillows too, even if it was a pain in the rear to get them to dry properly.

Drifting off was actually pretty easy, even with all the people around. At home there would be crashing sounds, and probably a fight, being Friday. Saturday morning now. Here it was just soft snoring and slightly heavy breathing. Nothing bothered her at all, until nearly eleven in the morning when she rolled over to find Hally cuddled up to her. That was weird enough that she wanted to freak out a bit, but it was just like a little kid doing it. There was nothing going on that was too bizarre or sexy at least. Just the girl holding her like a pillow. It would have been troubling, if she were doing anything more.

Instead she could just laugh at it. Reaching out she shook the girl a bit.

"Good morning!" She didn't mention the part that they were both in her bed and it was apparently not something Hally minded, since she just looked at her sleepily, and cuddled closer.

"Wake me for dinner?" She sounded like a little kid too, which was very cute. With a little pushing, and a slight bit of removing the blanket she was using, from both of them, she got them both up.

Eve sat too, looking around warily. It was just the three of them in the room, but there were some sounds coming from the kitchen. They were rapid, and soft noises that seemed just a little off for the place. It was more like the sound in the back of a restaurant than anything else. Popping her head in she saw that it was just Darla and Keeley, making them breakfast. Or lunch. It seemed like the overachievers were doing both. It was late enough in the day for it, but was an awful lot of work for just them.

"Hey." She expected them to jump and start making excuses for all the food, but Keeley just smiled at her, and then shrugged.

"Good morning! We should have things ready in a bit. Are the others getting up? I want to go over what the plan is with Mitch."

That got Becky to blink. There had been some talk of doing something, but an actual planning session seemed to be a little over the top. In the end she was just going to have to let it all go, she guessed. What else could she really do? What she wanted didn't fit in with reality, and what was always managed to trump her wishes, for some reason. It meant she fought to be practical, when she could. Like planning to teach instead of being a real actress. It was sensible and might allow her to have a career that would pay the rent regularly. So the secret dreams of the silver screen were set aside.

She really should have done the same with Mitch already, she knew.

"Um, yeah. I think so at least. I'll check?" She at least wanted to change, having slept in her clothes. They'd mentioned getting things from her house for her, but that was so embarrassing that she hadn't asked how it went. Her mother...

Well, at least none of them were boys. She would have probably tried to get them to have sex with her. She was kind of the town slut, and being married hadn't slowed her down much at all. Really, her step-dad should just have divorced her and moved on. Even a life of drinking himself to death alone would have had to be better.

It was an issue for Becky, she knew. One of those things that would probably haunt her for the rest of her life, influencing her reactions to everything and messing her up.

For her entire life her mother, who'd had her way too young, had been a hard partying, fast living woman. Where her money came from was a mystery most of the time and Becky kind of suspected it was petty theft from the men she slept with. It wasn't exactly prostitution, because she wasn't worth enough for the small number of men she slept with to actually pay all the bills. It was normally a tight thing, but they managed, even with half the cash going to booze each week.

She didn't know that for certain, and had never bothered to ask. Her mother didn't work, and made no bones about that, treating every night as an excuse to live it up. It left her older than her years, and not a very nice person. Shallow, and not very introspective about it.

Worse, she always told Becky that she was just like her. Going on about how they were practically the same person. More like sisters than mother and daughter. It was enough that Becky dreaded the idea, and it had stopped her from doing a lot of potentially fun things in life. She'd been on a few dates, but hadn't done more than kiss a little, and once, with Brian Clemens, let him feel her up, over her clothes. It had been nice enough, and he'd certainly liked it, but the idea of turning into her mother made her panic, so she hadn't gone out with him again.

It was an oddly broken way of thinking, and had to stop if she wanted an adult relationship with anyone, ever. She knew that, and even got that her having a boyfriend, or even a few, still wouldn't make her into an alcoholic that lived some kind of hidden and shady existence.

The living room was empty when she came back and the futon things and pillows had vanished, with the other girls coming back from the area of the garage a minute later, chatting.

Eve waved tiredly at her.

"I think we should spend the day on good and wholesome activities, like hiking and enjoying nature. What do you think Becky?" From the exaggeration of the tone, she got that the short haired cheerleader didn't really mean it.

"By that you mean we should pick up some boys and have an orgy? I'm actually good with the hiking idea, if you want. I haven't been out of town at all in a long time."

The other girl pretended to be shocked at the words, her eyes going wide.

"I am so hurt, Becky. I can't believe that you'd even think that. Do you really think that I'd suggest an orgy. Before noon? What kind of a girl do you think I am? Though, the next time I do have one, you're totally invited. Anyway, we were actually talking about shopping, but then Hally had to point out that Darla had a point and we're both getting fat and lazy. Hiking is like running for slow people, right? Because I'm not carrying a tent with me."

They slowly moved into the kitchen, where there was a table that had four chairs and all sat down. Darla, not even pretending that she hadn't heard them nodded.

"Not a bad plan. There is that nature trail out by the groves. We can invite some other people, and make a day of it." Then she turned and put a mound of pancakes on the table, while Keeley did the same with a covered platter. At least that, when the metal lid was removed, had an array of sliced fruit. It looked good. So did the other things being put on the table, but she valiantly didn't look at it, trying to appreciate only the sight and scent of the stuff that wouldn't make her blow up like a balloon.

"Say... I don't want to be mean, but are you two bulimic?" Becky knew it probably wouldn't go over well, asking that, but whatever they were doing worked. Not that she really wanted to destroy her health, but dieting was getting really hard.

Keeley looked away, and moved to the sink to wash her hands, before turning and staring at everyone for a while. She didn't seem angry, just a bit like she didn't want to have the conversation.

"No... Darla just works out a lot. It makes a difference if you do enough, so the occasional large meal like this doesn't hurt her that much. I..." Sighing she looked away again, the set of her shoulders sagged, and a sense of defeat came off of her. "I'm a recovering anorexic. I don't eat like this all the time, and the others do what they can to make sure I eat at least sometimes. I know it seems like a huge amount, but I... Don't really eat it all. I hide a lot of it. I know I shouldn't. I know that it isn't a good thing, and that it's hurting myself. My psychologist said I should be honest about it with everyone, but I'm not ready for it to be all over school."

Everyone was very quiet and looking at Becky, which kind of meant that they all had known about it already. Also that she'd better not talk about it with anyone. Or else. It was intimidating, even though no one glared.

Darla finally broke the silence.

"So, keeping busy with active things, weight lifting and running. It hurts, but really is better than starving. Who should we invite?"

It was a distraction from what they'd been talking about, and no one insisted that she actually better not say anything about it at school. It was almost as if she was just expected to keep her friend's secrets.

The disclosure explained so much though. Keeley had been cute when she'd come to Raintree in September, but had glasses and was about a size six. Now she was a size zero, and pretended to eat all the time around other people, making elaborate meals to throw them off of what she was really doing. It was classic anorexic behavior.

Becky knew that, having actually gotten an "A" in her health class. It was sort of neat that school had taught her something that had been useful in a real world situation. That was about three things now, she figured. They'd also covered reading and how to make change, which were both things that she'd used regularly.

Keeley sat and took a full plate of food, using a knife and fork, and smothering the pancakes with both butter and peanut butter before pouring syrup on them. The real kind too, that only rich people bought. Most people got flavored corn syrup. At her house they had...

Well, they didn't eat pancakes. They had boxes of cereal. Cooking wasn't a thing they did, really.

It was Hally that broke the silence next.

"It sounds like fun. Hiking. Isn't it too cold? I mean it's about forty outside right now." How she knew that the girl didn't say, but it sounded about right.

Darla however rolled her eyes.

"It's a hike, not sunbathing. Wear a coat. Good shoes too. Though I will have fun laughing at you if you try to do it in pumps."

That led a discussion of practical clothing, versus what to wear to impress boys, which got them back to who to invite. Darla took over then, eating a lot more food than anyone else was, but setting her fork down to talk.

"Easy enough. We should get Gary to invite some of the basketball team, Becky's target and his friend Cory. Keeley being there should be enough to collect Mitch for you, Becks. It's not a good way of doing things, but it will work. We really need to make you unavailable to him Keels, so he can make a decision without being distracted. You should get Zack to come, since he's your boyfriend. Too bad he's out of state right now."

Becky nodded.

"Yeah. I'd love to meet him. Does he live in Canada? My old boyfriend did, before he left me for that Inuit whore." There was a low and menacing tone to the girl's voice, but Keeley winked, clearly not taking her hard questioning earlier as a sign of hate. She didn't even seem upset. Faking her way through a meal probably took too much effort for that. Where she was hiding things was a mystery, she was doing it so well.

"Washington State. He's working today and it's a bit of a commute, though he and our friend Kyle are coming down around the fourteenth. That's only a week away. You know, Becky, Kyle is going to be here alone and if you want to really get Mitch to notice you, he'd be the one to have with you. We can use that, I think. Darla?"

"Oh yeah. Heck yeah, if we're being honest about it. I'm a bit jealous just thinking about it. The guy is hot. Smoking. I'm talking the kind of looks that get you onto television and keep you there. One warning though, even if you go out just to make Mitch notice you, if you have Kyle as your date, wear cute underwear. Do it even if you don't think anything will happen, because I'm betting you change your mind."

Across the table, having half a piece of dry toast, Eve shook her head, "now I'm jealous. Well, when you get done with him Becky, let me know?"

It was the kind of thing the girl said, and while she did date a lot, she didn't have that bad of a reputation at school. That either meant that no one really cared about things like that anymore, since their lives weren't a black and white sit-com from the sixties, or she didn't do half of the things she pretended to. Either way, it made it easier to accept the idea of a blind date. Sure, they could be lying to her, or Kyle could be seven or something, and they were simply putting their friend forward, but she could handle that.

They didn't really do things like that to her though, so it was probably what Darla had said. It was kind of exciting, if in a strange way.

Keeley smiled.

"I'll handle the props for this one. We'll get Gary to help wrangle Mitch. That should cover it, really. Mitchell is the one that's calling the games this season, isn't he?"

"Yeah, the home ones at least. I've been trying to go to them. They've all been on Thursdays this year." Which was a new thing, but no one cared about the change of days that much. It was basketball, and while they were doing pretty well, it wasn't the most popular sport for Raintree.

Darla clapped once, getting everyone to turn in her direction.

"Good. Eve, if you'd make certain we have a lunch packed? Keeley, if you'd help her get that done, since we'll be taking your food? I'll pay for it, so Sherri won't get mad."

The dark haired girl nodded.

"Thanks. Yeah, we can do that. You have the phone duties?"

They moved like a military unit, and all she had to do was shower and change, taking turns with Hally. The freckled redhead didn't take long and actually dressed for warmth, in layers. She pointed that out too, before Becky went in herself.

"It's important in cold or cool weather, when you might be exerting yourself. That way you can open part of it, or even remove layers as you warm up. You don't have to go fast for that to happen and you don't want to sweat that much, since that can make you cold and lead to hypothermia. Even if it isn't freezing outside." Then she stopped, and blushed a brilliant crimson. "My parents are big on camping and hiking. I've done this before. I know, lame, but we go about six times a year."

"Lame that you have a family? One that is actually willing to do something? That is very not lame. The only thing my mother ever offers to do with me is watch television, and even then only if she's too drunk to go out. It sounds really nice. I wish I had a cool family like that."

That led to one of those awkward moments where Hally was pleased, but also feeling bad for her, and couldn't think of anything nice to say to cheer her up. So instead she offered to raid Keeley's closet for her and get something that wouldn't be too hot, but that would work.

Becky smiled, then after taking six steps toward the bathroom door stopped and turned to look at the girl.

"Wait, if you know all this stuff, why did you ask if it was too cold?"

"Because I don't want everyone to know that I do things like this all the time. They might think I'm not interesting."

"Oh. I'm pretty sure no one thinks that, miss cheer queen." Becky smiled, and the other girl looked away, but shrugged. It was a bigger thing than was probably needed, and her layers made it seem a little out of place.

"That isn't me though, is it? Darla and Barb maybe. Eve and I are just background players there. Pretty, but not at that level. Good, but not like they are. If we had a real squad, one made up of people like them, we'd be going to nationals. It's okay, because I'm going to work with animals. I just want high school to be fun." Looking directly in her eyes, the girl smiled. It was a heartfelt sort of thing, one that seemed genuinely happy.

Becky blinked.

"What happened to Barb anyway? She was here last night, but when I woke up, gone."

"She does that. I think she has a secret boyfriend. That or she has to get back home before her parents wake up. It isn't unusual." Leaning in she whispered. "I used to think she was a real "b" with an itch, but since she came back she's a lot nicer. She won't really tell us what happened. She told the school that she'd gotten pregnant, but even they aren't really buying it I don't think. Maybe it was drugs, she didn't seem to be on them before though. I mean, both my parents are drug and alcohol counselors, so I kind of learned to look for the signals. Not that I might not have missed it. Her butt looks the same though. Perfect." She waved, letting Becky move past into the rather large and well decorated bathroom. It was a bit steam filled, Hally having used very hot water, so she hurried and used as little of that as she could, so that the others could have a turn.

She didn't apply any makeup, but the face in the wiped off bit of mirror seemed to need it. Her skin wasn't bad at least. A little oily, but she didn't break out a lot, so there was that going for her. The rest of her was a bit thick in places. She had a decent chest, which would still be about a full c-cup when she hit her goal weight. There was a tiny bit of sagging skin, but only around her middle and it was loose from the dieting. Hopefully it would tighten up a bit. It should. She hoped. Her eyes were just blah in color, being an off gray-blue. Still, she almost had cheek bones now, and her hair wasn't bad. Just brown, but with a tiny bit of curl to it.

In all, not too bad, she didn't think.

She didn't have all the needed clothing with her, but had jeans, a t-shirt and underwear. The rest she got when Hally pulled her into the living room, pushing things on her one item at a time.

"Two pair of socks, to help prevent blisters, and two more shirts. Then a coat over it. I couldn't find any gloves." She seemed worried on that score, but Darla poked her head out of Keeley's mom's office, where she did floral arrangements and party stuff for clients.

"I have some. They should fit. Let me get those. I can walk and talk at the same time. It's a good idea." She only lived two or three blocks away. Becky had seen her house and even spent the night. It was fantastic of course. Her family had a lot of money and while it wasn't the biggest place in town, it was basically Darla's. A full house, for a single high school girl.

She headed out alone, and that meant that Becky just had to sit around, wondering if Mitch would really come. It was Saturday, but there wasn't a real reason for him to, was there? He liked Keeley, but how that was supposed to help her, she didn't get. Maybe they could put a bag over the other girl's head to hide how stunning she was? Except that wouldn't do enough. Her body would still show.

Sighing she decided not to worry about all the things in the world she couldn't control, even if Mitch's face kept popping up inside her head, leaving her feeling warm and good, inside. It wasn't sexual, not at that moment, but she really loved him. It almost hurt it was so powerful, until Keeley came out, dressed in layers herself.

The clothing fairly draped around her, looking like she was wearing oversized men's clothing, instead of her own. She had her hair up, hidden under a baseball cap and a ponytail sticking out the back, her long hair looking a bit like she hadn't brushed it. There was no makeup on her skin, and she clearly had a large, very red, zit. One that hadn't been there earlier, Becky thought. It had to have been, since it was clearly real. Her lips were too pale as well.

The girl saw herself being examined and winked.

"Should I add glasses? I have some in my room."

"No... I think Mitch actually likes that. I don't know that this will work, but thanks. I get what you're doing. Not every girl would make herself look less interesting to help someone else out." It was true. Becky thought that most would have subtly made themselves more attractive, trying to draw him in, even if they didn't want the boy in question. Keeley wasn't like that, which made it all that much harder. Becky couldn't even blame her failure on the other girl. That was less than fun.

"What are friends for? You look nice. We should get the food in the van. I think we're picking most of the others up."

They did it, since Darla, being a health nut, had walked. That meant they were doing it when she returned with four pair of nice leather gloves that would have looked about right in a ladies magazine, and a pair of well used and poor looking cloth gardening gloves. They were a dingy white, with dirt on the palms, from having actually been used at some point.

As the fringe member of the group, Becky figured those were hers, but Keeley seized them like a prize.

"Perfect! Now, would sticking some corn in my teeth be too much?" She laughed, but Darla tilted her head back and forth, trying to decide.

Pursing her lips she nodded.

"Yeah. Just a bit. He probably won't take this as being about him, but if you do too much it might seem a bit pointed that way. The food is loaded? Water? First aid kit?" She looked around, but it was all tucked in the back, behind the last seat.

Eve and Hally came out, and loaded up, which meant they were underway about two minutes later. Keeley slapped her forehead.

"Okay, duh. We should call Eve's dad, and let him know where we're going. My mom is out of town, or we could just tell her." She dug out her phone, and dialed the number from memory, which was impressive, until Becky got that she was calling the other girl's house, not the man directly. That would just be weird, after all. Who called their friend's dad that regularly?

"Hi Karen, this is Keeley. Oh, we're all doing really well, thanks. We're all going on a hike, and figured that we should let someone know where we're going to be all day. That way if we need a search crew they know roughly were to start." Then she told whoever was on the phone about what they had planned, which sounded ambitious to Becky. A ten mile walk? No one else seemed to think it was too much, but they actually exercised on occasion.

She was going to have such blisters.

Worse, if she went off into the wilds with a group of boys, and came back limping, her mother would think she was up to something hinky. Then, she realized that her mother wouldn't even ask about it, most likely. If she did, well, if Becky told her they'd all rode her until she was sore, it would probably just get another lecture about how similar they were. Maybe an obligatory shocked gasp or two, but it wasn't likely. The woman didn't have any shame left, and could only be bothered to fake it when sober, which wasn't often.

Darla waited for the phone to be hung up and Keeley never passed it over to Eve at all, even if she'd been calling her parents. Then their driver for the day cleared her throat.

"All right, everyone gets the idea? Pair up with someone, and leave Becky with Mitch. We have to assume he's going to try and float toward Keels, so try to interfere with that as much as possible. Becky... Just be yourself. If he can't see how great you are, then he doesn't deserve you. Or anyone." There was certainty to her words.

It was the kind of thing that people used when talking about their friends. It was nice to hear, even if the whole day was a disaster. She kind of had to figure it would be, but that was fine. At least she'd get to see him.

That was the important part.

Chapter three

The boys that were going actually made it pretty simple for them, all collecting in one spot, instead of forcing Darla to drive all over town to find them. It meant that, half an hour later they were all collected in the Raintree high school parking lot.

It was almost bizarre, seeing it so empty. There were no other vehicles at all, except for the three that they'd brought, not even a weekend custodian's old truck, or anything like that. The expanse of gray with its fading yellow parking spot lines left her feeling a little sad. Not because of the desolation either. It was just that in a few months, five to be exact, she was leaving it forever. Then there would only be the occasional memory of the place as she drove by.

On the one hand she wanted out. Badly. School hadn't been so wonderful that she never wanted to leave it after all, and it was time for her to get out of the house for good. College might be hard to swing, but she could get a roommate and work. If nothing else community college would be a good starting place. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it also wasn't her current life and that was a good thing, to her way of thinking.

Then there was a sense of loss, even if she hadn't left yet.

It was a deep thing. An unexpected one. She'd miss the place, if only because it had been a part of her life for so long. Only four years, but when you were just eighteen, that was a decent percentage of your whole life. Darla was in the same boat, she thought. Except that with rich family members that loved her, she was going to whatever school would have her.

Becky stopped thinking about any of that as she looked across the way to see where Mitch and Cory had parked. They'd taken Mitch's car again, and both boys had jackets on. It meant they looked ready for the day, more or less. Cory had a stocking hat and a scarf too, which told a nice story about how he wasn't from the area. He even had real cold weather gloves and boots on. Mitch was in his normal hodge-podge of things, but looked less ready to face the world than his friend.

She stopped herself, and tried not to stare at him. His hair was short, brown and just slightly out of place. He had wrinkled clothing on, but in bright colors that pretty much screamed, "look at me". On his feet were tennis shoes, which had writing all over the white canvas. It was all so cute. He was telling the world that he didn't care about trivial things like how he looked, but also didn't mind if anyone else noticed him. At least that was how Becky saw it.

In the other vehicle there were three other guys. That made one for each of them, she supposed.

The driver was Quince, the leader of the football and basketball teams. He was very good looking, but a bit oblivious, outside of his own concerns. Really, it was sort of surprising that he'd shown up at all. Especially since Gary, the one that had put it all together, was gay and it was an open secret at school. The team leader should have been worried that the guy wanted to have sex with him, but for some reason either didn't, or wasn't concerned that it could happen.

Gary was taller and actually carried a bit more muscle than Quince. He looked hard, and for a while she'd kind of thought that he was dating Darla for some reason. Probably because they always hung all over each other, trying to give that impression. They were just friends, since the guy didn't like the feminine side of humanity that way. Hopefully Darla wasn't in love with him, since Gary couldn't really return the feelings. It would be too sad, if that was the case.

The last boy was Gavin, who was a giant. He was about six-six, and weighed about three hundred pounds or so. It wasn't all muscle, but he wasn't really fat either, just big and solid looking. He was dressed warmly enough, but with no gloves. To Becky's surprise he moved in and hugged Hally for a long time, getting one in return.

The girl squealed a little. It was a happy sounding thing.

"Gavin! You can be my hiking buddy. We all need to have one for safety. I know, the Groves aren't a national forest, but things can happen on the trail, and we need to be ready for anything." She sounded too much like a little girl to be taken all that seriously, but the large guy didn't fight her on it, just seeming to take it all in stride.

He wasn't someone that Becky knew really, but his deep voice rumbled pleasantly, and he actually bothered to smile at everyone, including her.

"That's a good idea. We might see wild life. Or, you know, demons. That's the place, right Gary? Where you saw that thing?" The funny thing about the words, other than the ridiculous nature of them, was that Gavin sounded interested and serious.

The rest of the people went quiet, and looked at the blond boy, who was nearly as tall as Gavin.

"Yeah. That was actually in the trees. Close enough. I guess I hallucinated it. I mean, a giant red devil chasing me? It was just after Rob died, so..." That was his boyfriend, who'd been gay bashed to death. Or at least that had been the rumor. The police were still investigating, but the situation was just sad.

None of the girls said anything, but Quince shrugged. It seemed a little overdone and phony to her, but the boy didn't laugh at the words.

"Well, don't worry girls. If it comes back I'll protect you. We all will, right guys?" There was a meaningful look at the other boys, and Gavin nodded. That got Cory to as well, which earned one in return from the team captain. "See? Not that Gary couldn't handle it himself now that he's had a chance to think about it, but there's safety in numbers, when going up against the unknown."

Keeley snickered at the adult sounding words, her face looking happy enough.

"Fine, then you can be my buddy, so I won't get lost. Or eaten by scary demons. Gary should be with Darla, of course..." She looked around, clearly understanding that everyone was taken except for Cory and Mitch.

Eve didn't wait at all, just waving at the smaller light complected boy.

"I've been meaning to get your number anyway Cory, so you can walk with me. Slowly. I'm not planning to run this." She smiled and moved closer to him, like they were pairing up for sex, rather than a power walk through the trees.

Mitch looked a little glum for a bit, but finally smiled at her.

"So, you and me?" He did move closer to her as well. It was a bit too clear that, dressed down Keeley or not, he really wanted to see if he could trade with Quince.

That hurt, but she tried not to let it show, since she was getting exactly what was planned.

"Yep, you and me."

They loaded into Darla's van, which had no problems with engine power, even with everyone on board, but the seating was kind of close and not all of them got to have seat belts. She did, but the way it worked out Quince was the one pressed up against her, not Mitch. That meant having to make conversation with him.

"Becky, right? The one that flashed everyone at the Homecoming party?"

The boy let his shoulder brush her chest, just a little, and it was clearly on purpose. It was both annoying and invasive, while also getting her right nipple to harden. Thankfully that was hidden under her clothing. He did pull away a bit then, still looking like he'd meant to do it.

"That was cool. Any chance of you doing that today too? I didn't bring a camera. We should get together and take pictures though. I really love modern photography, don't you?" There was another leaning in. It wasn't a big movement, just a subtle shift in pressure, that caused him to rub against her lightly. He sounded genuine and just like he was really interested in the subject of taking pictures, but for some odd reason Becky thought he might have meant something else.

Darla snickered from the driver's seat.

"Seriously Quince? Your opening move with her is to ask if she'll let you take nudie pics? Does that ever work for you at all?"

The boy moved back a little again. Not too much, since they were all crammed in pretty solidly, but he shrugged and managed to do it without touching her at all.

"Sometimes. I need to do something after I graduate, so I was thinking I'd put together a web-site. Young ladies, but legal. Becky is eighteen. So are you, for that matter. I can't pay anything yet, but you should both consider it, since you'll want things like that when you're older. Pictures that prove how young and pretty you were now. Besides, I might get a date out of it. Once a girl is willing to take her clothes off for you, she generally isn't going to refuse a free meal." There was a seriousness to his tone, but the blonde in the front seat giggled.

"That or, you know, a sports scholarship? You have a year anyway. I wouldn't count on that idea for making a living. There's way too much free porn on the web for that to work."

Becky was too busy blushing to get why that was, but Gavin changed the topic, which was a relief.

He rumbled from the seat behind her, where Hally was nestled between him and Cory, with Eve on the other side.

"You're both eighteen? Aren't most seniors seventeen?"

It was normally an awkward thing to talk about, but Darla cleared her throat and kept looking at the road.

"Yeah. I got held back in the first grade. Becky's mom just didn't think that kids should be in school until they were six though, so she just started a year later than most."

There was a murmur, but no one really seemed to care that much. The raw truth was that her mother hadn't really been thinking at all, and had just missed a whole year of having her warehoused for free during the day at school. It wasn't some kind of idealism, or desire to have her baby at home longer. Just her not really figuring out what was normal fast enough. It was kind of the story of her life.

The trip to the Groves wasn't a long one and they were exactly what they sounded like, to tell the truth. A tiny forest that someone had planted, the rows of trees very regular and irrigated. They didn't have any natural things like it in the area, so it was a popular spot for people to come and hang out, on the weekends. Mainly so that they could make out in their cars at night. Or so Becky had heard. She'd never been out there before, except to drive past it on the freeway.

It looked desolate and strange, this time of year. The trees weren't big, and they'd lost all their leaves a long time back, in the fall. There were a few pines and other evergreens, just not a lot of them. It meant that the whole thing would have been just about perfect, if they'd been there in October and wanted to freak themselves out. The idea was to get some exercise though, and whoever had planned the whole thing had very sweetly put in a nature trail as well. There were some hills in it, but it wasn't on a mountain, so hopefully the walk wasn't going to be too bad.

They started in a gravel covered area that actually had some grass left from the summer before. It was sparse and yellow, left growing long. They all climbed out and the boys grabbed the various gear, wanting to seem gallant. At least everyone but Mitch did. He just walked over to Becky and whispered.

"Ooohhh. Becky's doing naughty pictures now? We can stick with Quince if you want? He seems to like you." The look he gave was teasing, until he turned to where Keeley was standing, over by Darla. Then everything about him changed. He stood up and sucked his gut in. Not a lot, but enough that she could see him doing it.

Becky felt like her heart was ripping out, the whole thing was so obvious to her, but she forced a smile to her lips and shook her head.

"I already told Hally that we'd stick with her." It was a lie, but the red haired girl heard her and nodded.

"Right. Not that we won't all be together. Come on, this will be fun!" She actually sounded like she meant it, which was enough to get the small herd of people moving along the path to the right.

It was mainly made of red dirt, with plenty of small rocks mixed in to keep the trip interesting. They didn't exactly amble, since Darla took the lead and pushed them all, more than a bit.

"We want to be back before dark. Otherwise we'll be falling all over ourselves trying to find the van." It made so much sense that no one doubted the idea and they just walked quickly, not saying much at first. It wasn't that hard, but after about two hours her feet started to hurt a bit. She was wearing blisters, even if the shoes she had on were well enough broken in. Even with two pairs of socks on it was a bit rough.

Hally had been right, and they had to loosen their clothing after a while, to keep from overheating, even if the air was cool enough that she could see it coming out as steam. Water vapor, she knew, but the idea was the same. It was cool out. They really didn't want to be left there in the dark.

That meant she didn't complain about her feet, even when they found some large rocks, and a picnic table, where the others set up to eat. Mitch hadn't talked to her at all, but when they sat he made a point of being next to her.

His voice was cute as he spoke too. Low and conspiratorial.

"Hey... Are you going to work on the spring project for Drama? We could get together and go over some ideas for the scenery, if you want? Say, in a week or two? I have to call the games on Thursdays, but can be free most of the rest of the week." It didn't say a lot about his social life, but she nodded.

It was nearly like a date, right? She knew that wasn't true, but it was the closest thing she had right now, so she clung to it. Even if it did seem a little too desperate.

Then, like always, he started a conversation about college.

It was his main focus in life, funny shirts or not. He was a really good student, and other than taking the occasional break for tacos or to play Dungeons and Dragons, it was about all he really did. He was smart and committed, because his family didn't have enough money to send him to a really nice college. His mother had driven that home for him starting in the second grade and had never let up, so it really wasn't his fault.

"So, I was thinking I'd put Northwestern as my safety school. It's a lot harder to get into Yale than it looks like on paper. What are you guys doing?" He said it naturally, and if you knew him, it was clear that he wasn't using it as an opportunity to brag or anything, but most of the people with them weren't seniors, which meant they had no freaking clue what he was really talking about. That or they didn't want to waste a pleasant day on something that wouldn't happen for over a year.

In Becky's case it was simpler than that. She either paid for school, or she wasn't going.

She tried to make it sound cute, like she just wasn't as driven as he was. It was a simple truth, but it took some actual skill to sell the idea.

"Freemont Community?" Two words. Ones that a lot of their classmates would be uttering in about seven months when reality set in, but the look on his face was so unbelieving that it hurt to look at. It was like he felt betrayed by her or something. Becky had no illusions that they'd get to be together forever or anything, but it was like Mitch was writing her off as useless already.

Again.

Keeley shrugged, her face considering rather than looking mean.

"You know, I bet you could get a Coretechs scholarship if you applied Becky. Well, at least if you worked there. I happen to know a few people that can get you in, and it pays at least as much as your current job. Some of the scholarships are good. Full ride." She made it sound like it was a real possibility.

Which Becky didn't really trust. After all, why would a large company do anything for her? Corporations were all evil and run by psychopaths. At least they were on television. Could it really be that different in real life? She'd need to be related to someone, or at least have friends in high places, which she just didn't.

Darla nodded.

"I can see if there are any openings. I have a part time job there, and, you know, I can't promise anything, but I can ask my grandma. It might not help, but there are a few that go unused most of the time. People just don't have that many kids in the right age range. So, Drama, that would be in the arts section... yeah. We can call and see about it when we get back." There was a shrug, one that could mean anything, so Becky decided not to get her hopes up too high. It was a long shot. The kind of thing that no one really got a chance at. Not outside of fiction.

"That would be really cool. Even if she says no." It would. Darla didn't have any real reason to even be nice to her, but she always was. They all were. The whole group of cheerleaders and their good looking friends. It was hard to trust, but there was a track record now. One that went back months. If it was a trick, they had better acting skills than she did by far. It was hard to make things like that stick, after that much time.

She was given a sandwich that was basically a small salad hidden between two pieces of bread, cut in half diagonally. It wasn't what everyone else had, except Hally, who winked at her about it. Like they were the same. Or at least in the same boat, diet wise. It wasn't really true, because Hally needed to work on about five cheerleader pounds, which were a different beast altogether than her art girl ones. The idea, and shared misery, were good however and she winked back, as if it were a secret.

The boys all had huge things, but the other girls just had regular sandwiches. There were some chips too, but she skipped out on them. She didn't need greasy fingers. It wasn't like they could wash their hands out in the woods after all.

Mitch grinned after a bit and leaned in to her.

"There you go! That's incredible. A full ride scholarship would be perfect. Not as good as already having one, but I think it's worth going for. If Darla Gibson is going to ask her grandmother about it personally, that won't hurt at all." He didn't try to high five her in front of everyone, but that was the general feeling of the moment.

It was nice, having him seem positive about her. It would be nicer if he managed to keep it up for a while, but instead he just ate and then patted her on the back, after they listened to everyone talk about nothing very interesting for a few minutes. Darla was pushing them to hurry, trying not to be obvious about it. She really didn't want to be stuck out after dark however. It was kind of obvious.

Quince stared at her for a bit, fighting a smirk.

"Is it the demons in these woods that you're worried about? I can see that. A ripe young thing like yourself would be a tasty dessert for that kind of thing. Hmmm... Yummy cheerleader." He tried to make it sound sinister, but it didn't work for him, coming out like he was talking around the idea of oral sex instead. Which was gross.

Except for the part where she didn't really mind the idea, herself. Not as long as she got to shower first. That thought surprised her, coming out of nowhere. Mitch was right there, but making eyes at Keeley again, who was being a decent friend and pretending to not notice. In fact, if anything, she was paying most of her attention to Cory. The boy kept grinning at all of them, as if he got the secrets of everything they did, but he didn't say much. Eve stayed close to him though, watching where he looked. She smiled too, for some reason.

The head cheerleader grumped a little at Quince, but didn't seem upset.

"Demons? Hardly my big fear right now. Broken ankles are. If I have to carry you out of here on my back it's going to be a pain." Then, as if in charge or something, she clapped. "All right, don't make me beg! Let's get back on the trail."

The rest of the round trip, another five miles, was done fast, and she was pretty sure her feet were bleeding well before the end of it. No one but Quince and Darla were talking much, and Gary just interjected the occasional witty comment. Or at least he tried.

"We should be there in time." She called that out herself, panting a bit. It was getting dark already, meaning that they hadn't made very good time, but she really did think that they were coming around the last bend. She wasn't right, but no one made fun of her.

Luckily the dirt path was pretty well defined, so they didn't have to try and stop for the night when it got too dark to see.

Darla just snickered.

"Well... Here we go then. Notice how I'm not saying that thing that would be rude and annoying, but that everyone expects me to?"

Eve cleared her throat, sounding for all the world like a ninety year old librarian.

"You mean, that you told us so?"

"Why yes, I believe I do! I wish I'd brought a flashlight. That was a bit of an oversight. I mean, I have a snakebite kit, even if it's too cold for reptiles, but not even a glow stick. Stupid. I guess that means that we should do this kind of thing more often, so that I don't mess up like that. I personally blame Keeley. She never wants to do anything, but talk about her feelings."

That got a chuckle, since it wasn't really true. If anything the other girl was closed mouthed about herself. Becky felt nearly like the chatty one that way. Well, her and Hally.

Who broke out a small flashlight, and moved to the front.

"It was in Keeley's kitchen drawer."

Cory actually clapped and pulled Eve up to be by their clever new leader, holding her hand. It was probably just so they wouldn't be separated in the dark. She was a bit nervous, but tried to do the same with Mitch. He just took it and nodded.

"Good idea. Thanks Hally. That was brilliant, thinking ahead like that."

Then they all walked, their combined noise thunderous in the dark. It was a lot of crackling underfoot, and a bit of strained breathing. A thrill of fear ran down her spine, and Becky looked around, not seeing anything outside of the small round of light at Hally's feet.

The woods could have had anything in them. Wolves, or bears, rabid squirrels. Anything. It didn't, she was sure, based on wishful thinking, but that didn't really make her feel any better. To top it off, Quince started talking about ghosts. That and demons.

"Back in ancient Sumer, before most of human history, all of the gods were a part of nature. An, the god of the Earth, Enki, the god of fresh water, and Inanna, the goddess of war. So, you get the idea, it was pretty primitive stuff. It didn't explain the things in the dark though, so demons were invented. Or maybe discovered. Ghosts were known too. Way back then. Things that don't exist don't last that long in human memory, so that means something. There are things like that all around us, all the time. Demons, they don't have to be giants with horns and pitchforks. They could be anything. Or anyone. I could be one, and you might never know it. Or any of us could. I don't know if Gary was kidding about what he saw, but I've seen things that no one would believe, in places very much like this. On the edge of the world, in places where nature gives way to what man had built." He went silent, as something crashed off in the distance, making a thump, like something striking a tree. It got Becky to squeak and grab Mitch's hand more tightly. She had leather gloves on, and he didn't have anything, but he didn't let go, or complain.

Then Quince laughed.

"Sorry, I threw a rock. It's not an actual attack. I shouldn't scare you all." He didn't sound sorry. It was more... Smug than that.

The others all laughed, but it was a nervous sounding thing. Well, Mitch didn't, but Becky could tell he'd been startled, and was hiding it. Quietly, instead of behind false humor. Some people did that, didn't they? It made him seem kind of brave really. He hadn't screamed like a little baby, which had been her go to move, as if that would have helped anything at all if it had been a wild animal or a killer with an ax. Of course, it wasn't either of those things, and they all kept walking as Darla scoffed a bit.

She sounded sarcastic and a bit mean for once as she went after the guy. Good looking football player or not.

"Really, what the heck was that? First you make up stuff about summer and then try to scare us all half to death? Lame, Quince. Totally and completely dumb."

The boy just walked for a long time, but finally spoke, saying only one word.

"Sumer."

That one got a laugh too. Mainly from Mitch, but Cory had to stifle his own mirth, it seemed. At least she thought that was what was going on up front, by the light. Luckily it didn't become a big thing, since they got back to the parking lot about then, the whole thing different in the dark.

As they all jogged over to the cream colored van, Mitch pulled on her arm, keeping her from dashing off with the rest, not that they were moving fast.

"Um, I didn't know you were in so tight with Keeley... Do you think you could find out what she thinks of me?" It was said with an innocent air to it, but the words hurt a bit. It was like he just didn't even see her as a woman at all. They'd known each other for years, but she got nothing. Keeley showed up less than six months before, and suddenly it was all about her. She didn't growl at him, but wanted to. Why couldn't he see her? Was she really that bad?

"I... We're not in the third grade, so no. If you want her that bad, talk to her." It sounded nastier than she'd intended it to, sharp and prickly, which really should have been a sign to him, but he just shook his head. At least that's what she thought he was doing. It wasn't like she could see him or anything, as dark as it was. It wasn't late, but other than the light from Hally's flashlight, there was nothing but the stars overhead and the glow from the city, which was about ten miles away.

"Whatever. I guess you're right. I just don't want to be the one taking the risks. I will. Don't worry about it. I've got this one. Thanks." It didn't sound like he really meant it. In fact it seemed a bit like he was pissed with her.

In that way the whole day was no doubt a ringing success, hadn't it? Well, at least Keeley would be able to get a date with him. Maybe it was time for her to get out of the way, and not interfere? If he couldn't be happy with her, Mitch might as well at least be happy. Wasn't it wrong for her to want to get in the way of that?

That both felt right, and like she was being a moron. It was as if she was missing something. Some part of the scene that had to be added for it to make sense. It might just be that she needed to make herself more attractive, that or get rid of the competition, but it wasn't Keeley's fault that she was perfect.

She wasn't though, was she?

No, she had that secret, about her anorexia that Becky could exploit. If she were evil enough. The question then, really, had to be a simple one.

Was she?

Becky didn't think so, but she was running out of options. She didn't want to betray her friend, but she didn't want to lose her only chance at the guy she liked forever either. School was almost over, and she'd run out of time. In a few months they'd part ways forever.

What else could she do?

Chapter four

The trip back was playful enough, with Gary and Quince clowning around for them in the near dark of Darla's Volkswagen van. It was funny enough, but Becky was preoccupied, worried about having made Mitch mad, and a bit upset at Keeley. It wasn't fair. Not to any of them.

It meant she sat there, just listening to the others, until they got to the school parking lot, and managed to dump the boys out. Mitch seemed like he wanted to talk to Keels, but he didn't, finally just turning away. Cory smiled and waved at her though, which was nice of him. He was always sweet that way, bothering to pay attention to everyone, and trying to be inclusive. They hadn't talked a lot on the hike really, but then the guy never did. He just brushed his decently short hair with his right hand, the brown lock that he was after falling instantly back to his forehead, and got into Mitch's car. Then they drove away, safely and quietly.

As opposed to Quince, who peeled out, with Gary and Gavin in with him, making the air fill with the stink of burned rubber and leaving a black streak on the pavement, covering one of the white lines.

Darla sighed.

"Such a tool." Then they all loaded back up, heading to Keeley's for another evening of fun. "If he keeps doing things like that, they'll close this place off, and it makes a good starting point for day trips. He just doesn't think ahead that far most of the time."

That got a lot of nods from the other girls. Becky didn't know about that personally, since hanging around with a popular guy wasn't exactly something that she had a lot of experience with in her life. She did notice though that none of these girls had gone out of their way to flirt with him or try and get his attention, had they? He'd flirted and played, and everyone seemed fine with it, but they didn't try to get him alone or anything like that.

It probably meant something. Maybe even something slightly sinister.

Keeley snorted and gestured to the van again. She climbed in the front, like she owned the place permanently, but no one complained, so Becky wasn't going to. After all, one day these pretty and popular girls would wake up and realize that her only role here was as their ugly friend and she wouldn't be included much at all. Being the squeaky wheel really wasn't going to slow that down, was it?

As she settled, the van not moving, Keeley spoke, her voice soft, but not sounding like she was trying to be funny at all. Just thoughtful.

"Yeah, poor Quince. He tries really hard, but he's just not that bright really. I did like that bit about ancient Sumer. He was probably up for hours last night memorizing it. Not that I'm knocking the effort. It was pretty good. Well, he'll get by, probably by doing well enough in sports to get a coaching position somewhere. He does pretty well in that area." She turned around as they got underway and looked into the back, her face carrying a bit of a grin. "So, what did everyone think? Was that a disaster or what? Other than the exercise. That worked at least. I'm going to be sore tomorrow."

Darla made a derisive sound, but didn't turn to look herself. Her voice was friendly and pretty happy, over all.

"It wasn't a total bust. It was good to see Gavin, and Cory seems like a really nice guy."

That got a laugh from next to Becky, where Eve sat.

"That's true. He's also very much in lust with a certain girl, who shall not be mentioned..."

Becky looked at her and let her head tilt to the side. She could see him being interested in Eve. After all, she was really good looking and had been friendly to him the whole time, making a point of touching him and smiling a lot. Plus, she'd been pretty open about liking sex, and it wasn't as if Cory wasn't a guy, so there was that.

The girl wrinkled her nose cutely and then shook her short black hair out of her eyes.

"It was all about Becky the whole time. Trust me, the boy has it bad. Otherwise he wouldn't have known the rest of you were even there. Not with me nearby. But no, he spent ten miles and a meal staring at our fair maiden over here. It was a bit rude to me, of course, but I'll live."

"What? We're just friends. We hang out sometimes, but it isn't-" She was going to go on, when Hally put a soft hand on her shoulder from behind, stopping her.

"You mean it isn't exactly like what you and Mitch have going on? Except that Cory is actually better looking than Mitch and has a better personality. Not that Mitch was bad, or anything, he seemed all right, but it was so clear that you were trying to get his attention that he should have been nicer about it than he was. Just like you need to be better with Cory."

There was a murmur of agreement from the others then, with Eve doing the follow up on it.

"At least sleep with him. I mean, not to be crass, but you won't be marrying any of them, so you might as well get to have a little fun. In twenty years, when you look back, they can either be those guys you knew, or the ones you actually knew. People sometimes regret what they did in life, but they very rarely regret who they did."

Becky didn't say anything, still trying to work out if she were being teased or not. After all, Cory... He was just her friend, right? More to the point, he was Mitch's buddy, who happened to be around a lot. She liked him, sure, but she hadn't really thought of him that way.

Maybe that was a mistake? Was there something there that she was missing? Worse, was Eve just right, and she was wasting so much time on Mitch that she couldn't see anything else that was going on around her? She already knew, and fully admitted, that she wasn't going to have some big, lifelong relationship with the boy. In six months they'd both be going their separate ways. No matter what else happened. He'd be off to a really good school, and she wouldn't.

So what was she really doing here?

She knew the answer, of course. It was obvious and had been for years. She loved him. He was a good person, and her emotions didn't want to let him get away without even trying. It hurt, even to think of him leaving like that. Even knowing it was going to happen, regardless of what she did. That was always the battle though, wasn't it? Knowing what had to happen was most often at war with what you wanted in life. At least it felt like it.

Eve yawned, and waved her left hand, hitting Becky gently in the arm with it several times.

"Not that I don't see what you like in Mitch now. I mean, he's still a giant geek with no fashion sense, but he also treats you like crap. It gives him a whole bad boy vibe. At least with you. Really he should have been doing that with Keeley, or me, if he actually wants to have sex. I always fall for that garbage, don't I?"

That got a considering sound from Darla, the back of her head showing only a cascade of soft, light colored curls in the light that came through the side window. It alternated as they drove, a bit of light, then deep shadows.

"Really? You do. Keels doesn't, so that wouldn't have worked on her at least. I kind of have to agree Becks. I mean, think about it... He had a perfectly good you there, looking ready to eat, next to a wasted and haggard looking Keeley, and he was still not getting the idea. Is it really worth the effort? I... Well, it isn't my plan. Keeley, what do you think?"

That was an odd person to go to for that kind of thought, since Mitch was clearly interested in her, beyond anyone else, but the girl rose to the challenge a lot better than Becky would have, she thought.

"We need to show him that I'm off the table, and that Becky is a really good catch. We already have a plan for that, but I'll make sure it's set up. In the mean time, Becky needs to keep busy. Asking her to just give up now, while there are other things to try, isn't right. Besides, not to seem rude, but Mitch isn't exactly my type. For one thing he was sort of rude to my friend. That's enough for me to not like him that much, right there." She sounded confident about the subject too. As if she really meant every single word of what she was saying.

It was a good trick. One that Becky needed to learn herself. Of course it could just be that Keeley actually felt that way, which would be nice, if it was the truth. She didn't have that many really close friends after all. Mainly just Maria, who'd been left out of their weekend plans.

Not because she wasn't welcome, it was just that her parents were really strict that way. There was no way that they were going to let their teen daughter hang out for a whole weekend with a bunch of cheerleaders, un-chaperoned. They weren't monsters about it, letting her stay over when Keeley's mother was around, and had even offered to have the girls over to their house a few times, if only for an evening. They all knew each other from church after all.

That was one of the strangest things about her little all girl crew of friends. They always managed to make it to Mass on Sunday. Becky wasn't Catholic, but so far the Priest had never called her on it when she attended with them. He was pretty cool that way, it seemed.

It took a bit longer for the whole group to get back to the house, and the very first thing that happened was that food was made. Keeley hit the kitchen like she was starving, but Becky got the idea now. It was all part of her act. Her cover. A way of making it seem like she actually ate regularly, so that no one would suspect what was really going on, or had been. She was a bit heavier than she had been for a while. About ten pounds? If the girl weighed a hundred though, it was only due to her many layers of clothing.

So maybe she was really trying to recover?

If so... Then Becky couldn't throw her friend under the social bus at school and out her as having an eating disorder, could she? For one thing, Mitch probably wouldn't care. The other was that Keeley just might, and it would hurt her, or at least could. Maybe even pushing her to eat less. It didn't make a lot of sense, but it could happen, Becky was nearly certain of it. It had been on an old television show once.

So instead she decided not to be a bitch, and sell out one of the only people that had always gone out of her way to be really nice to her. Consistently even. It felt like a weight lifted from her shoulders then, and she let out a soft sigh, considering the rest of what they'd been talking about in the car. Cory liked her? Her? She very nearly couldn't believe that. Maybe Eve was wrong, or had just been saying that to be nice? The girl was pretty enough that maybe she just assumed that him glancing at her meant something like that, when he really wanted something else? What that would be Becky didn't know, but it might be worth asking about, if she got a chance.

Maybe he wanted...

Really, she had no idea at all what he could have been looking at her for. Other than the things that the others had said. Was it real?

For just a second she thought about the rest of what Eve had mentioned. About sex. She'd always avoided that, sort of, if she were going to be honest. It didn't take a TV shrink to get the idea across to her either. She didn't want to be her mother, wasting her life and drinking herself into an early grave. So Becky had tried to be the exact opposite of her when she could, including not having anything to do with sex, drinking, or other drugs. It wasn't that she didn't like the idea of sex, but there was a tiny bit of fear there. Not that it would hurt, or even that she'd get pregnant, since she had a better than average idea of what to do to prevent that.

It was that if she started doing it, then her mother would be one step closer to being right about her. That they were just the same.

That was what she was still thinking about, sitting on the living room sofa, half an hour later when the table was set for the meal. She should have helped with it, but she'd gotten lost in thought and hadn't realized anything was going on at all. There was some show on the television, but she hadn't gotten that it was even there, as worried as she was, until after the box had been turned off. The sudden gray darkness of the flat screen made her jump, as Darla smiled at her.

"Dinner time. Are you okay? You seem a bit out of it." She held out a hand, to help Becky stand up from the soft white cushions. It wasn't needed, but it was nice of her to do anyway.

"Oh... I was just thinking that I don't want to turn into my mother."

"Ah. Well, having met her on several occasions, and not trying to sound like a bitch, I don't really think that's going to happen. You're a good person, and working to make your own way in life. Things are different for you than for her." She didn't really say how, but then, how would she know?

Becky nodded anyway.

"It's the sex stuff. You know, what Eve was saying earlier? I haven't really done anything like that. It's because of that. So I won't make the same mistakes that she did. Get pregnant at sixteen, and then never do anything with my life." It was the first time that she'd ever really told any of her friends all that, and she didn't know how Darla was going to react.

It was a pretty simple really. She tilted her head and sounded smart.

"So, instead of cutting yourself off from an entire part of life, just have safe sex, and meet things half way. You can be true to yourself, and not be a nun. I'm pretty certain that's what most people do in life. There are a lot of different ways to be, right? I'm not going to tell you what to do though, since, other than needing a work out buddy, it isn't my business." She grinned and pulled Becky to her quickly, giving her a tiny hug. "Now, let's get to the food. I'm starving."

The meal was fine, and while she still couldn't figure out how Keeley did it, the thin girl kept making the heaping plate of food vanish. Becky suspected that it was going into her drinking cup, which was a solid color, even though everyone else had clear glass. It was suspicious and made her feel like a real detective for about five seconds. Keeley was still eating some of the food, and that was the real point.

Not her acting like Veronica Mars.

They did get a bit of a treat after that, since Darla, who apparently knew a lot more people than she let on most of the time, got them invited to Darren Quieg's party. That was something new, as far as Becky could tell.

Darren Quieg was the boy most likely to be the lead in any given school drama production. He was good enough looking, but not special enough that he'd make it in Hollywood. What he had was a certain kind of charm. An in your face love of life that made him either everyone's friend, or at least had the people that hated him not admitting it openly. Twice a year his parents left, to go on vacation. Once in the summer, which he attended with them, the other time in February, for Valentine's Day.

His dad, being the vice-president of something or other at Coretechs managed to take a full two weeks off each time. Becky had to like the sound of that. Most people were lucky to get a month or two off a year, and those people generally didn't really go anywhere. Having the time and the money to do things like that was something she could only hope for herself. Someday.

What it meant however, according to Darla, was that Darren was having a senior year blowout at his place and they, being popular and comely, were invited. That got Keeley to cover her mouth and laugh, rolling her eyes a bit.

"Well, that leaves me out then, doesn't it? Popular? Moi? I think not. I just started school here this year. I don't even recognize the name. Darren Quieg? It doesn't ring a bell."

That made a bit of sense to Becky, since the one production that Keeley had been involved with so far had been the only one that hadn't featured him.

Becky twittered her fingers in the air like a tiny birds wings, trying to remember the correct part.

"Townsman number one? You talked with him a bunch." It probably wasn't enough, but a look of comprehension dawned on her face.

"Oh... Right. Darren. I didn't know his last name. Well, he seems like a nice guy. Shall we?"

It was decided they should, which meant an hour of primping, doing makeup, and trading clothing around, since they were using things that Keeley had in her closet. On the good side Becky was nearly the same size now as Keeley had been, before she dropped all of her weight. Since the girl hadn't been fat then, it left her feeling decent about herself. An honest size six.

What that meant however was that there wasn't a huge selection of party clothes to choose from. Darla didn't help there at all, bringing out a black mini skirt that was so small it nearly wasn't there, and a white blouse, which she insisted needed a black velvet vest to go over it.

"That and some stockings. Hmm..."

It was done fast and while Becky felt like she was playing dress up, she did end up roughly matching everyone else, at least in style. It was awkward and she kept feeling like she was constantly flashing everyone, even though she had underwear on. When she mentioned it, Eve rolled her eyes at her and then crossed her arms across her own blouse, which had a lot of buttons undone.

"What do you think the point of a mini is? The idea is to catch attention, not walk around in a burka all night." She stopped and looked at Darla, her face a bit tense suddenly. That or baffled. "Did I get that right? The Middle Eastern all over outfits they make women wear all the time in public?"

"That's right. Eve is too, Becks. Really, that's half the fun. Catching men trying to peek. Remember to smile when you do."

It didn't make her feel any better at all for some reason.

It meant another car ride, and this time, when they got out, Keeley took over. It was a bit strange, but she seemed to know hidden rules for these things. Like she'd done it more times than could be counted.

"Don't drink anything handed to you. Even if you know the person. I don't know if there will be alcohol, but if so, remember that we have church in the morning and don't let yourself get wasted. Not too much at least. Everyone should stick with their buddy. I'm with Hally and Eve. Darla, you and Becky should stick together. Have fun, but the van turns into a pumpkin at midnight, so don't get lost in a closet making out." She winked, and that got everyone but Becky to seem less than impressed.

Eve waved at the other girl dismissively.

"Gee, thanks for the advice, mom. Anything else to tell us before we go into the big bad world?"

"Sure... No glove, no love."

What that meant, well, Becky knew what it meant, but what she didn't get was why everyone else was just acting as if it were expected. Darla moved in, a hint of perfume coming off of her, making her smell a bit like vanilla and flowers, but not too strongly.

"Good. Let's get to the mixing and mingling?"

The party was actually decently loud inside the house. It was off the main road and not too close to the neighbors, so the police hadn't been called out for noise complaints. Yet. Becky didn't like the way it smelled, since the beer and soft hint of marijuana was just a bit too familiar to her from home. People called out to Darla as they walked in, and Eve. Hally waved to a few people and Keeley just owned the space somehow. People looked at her, as if they wanted to go and talk, but didn't know how.

Becky was nearly invisible, hiding there in her pretty friend's shadow like she was. Or she thought that was the case at least, until someone took her arm.

"Hello! I'm Darren." He said it happily, sounding a bit drunk. Just a little. He had a red plastic cup of beer in his right hand, which tried to slosh out as he looked at her. "Wait... Becky? You look incredible!"

He leered a little bit, and Darla just stood there, letting them talk, and not leaving her alone with the boy, which was the plan, if she had it right. That was going to make things awkward later if she had to sit in a room with the head cheerleader while she made out with some guy, wasn't it?

She shrugged, but stood up straight, "thanks! I came with Darla and some of the cheerleaders. Keeley Thomson too. That's all right, isn't it?" It might not be, she knew, but the guy just took a sip of beer, and then nodded.

"Sure. I should have invited you personally." There was a bit of a lean in, which, she realized was Darren trying to look down her top. It was a bit of a lost cause however, since she had it buttoned up and was wearing the vest over that. Nothing was going to show, in particular. "Say, are you planning on flashing people? If so, wait for me to be there..."

Darla finally broke in, her voice mellow and happy sounding.

"Not tonight. Not Becks at least. I think it's Hally's turn, you should get with her on that one." Then, mercifully, the slightly taller girl pulled Becky away by the arm, leading her to a clump of people that she didn't really know at all. Some of them were familiar from the halls at school, but a few weren't and one of them was clearly too old to really be there. He stopped talking and turned with a smile when Darla touched his arm.

"Oh... Hey! Darla Gibson! I haven't seen you for years. How have you been? You got all old." He had a cup too, but it seemed to have soda in it.

"Hello Scott. Not bad, all things considered. So, back from college? That doesn't seem to fit the time schedule, does it?" It sounded a bit strange, but the man, who seemed to be in his early twenties, didn't deny it at all.

"Long weekend. I drove in last night, so that I could buy the booze for this mess. My little brother wanted to do something memorable. So, I'm here to make sure no one sets the place on fire. That and flirt with girls that are too young for me. I don't suppose either of you is old enough?"

That got him to look at Becky and smile, but then shake his head mournfully.

"Not that I can do anything about it anyway. If I leave for that long people will start trying to turn out little house party into a rave. Then it will be all glow sticks and GHB all over the place."

Darla nodded.

"Too true. You can't trust high school kids these days, what with their hair and their funny clothes."

That was clearly some kind of inside joke, since the man, Scott, laughed for a long time and then patted Darla on the arm.

"Well, it was great seeing you. We should catch up sometime? You always were my favorite freshman."

They traded numbers and everything, but didn't linger all that long, since Darla pointed across the room.

"Crud on a waffle."

What she pointed at was a bit racy, but after a few seconds it snapped into frame for her. There was a girl on the sofa across the room. The place wasn't dark, but some of the lights had been turned down, and the boy that was on top of her, one of the football team jocks, was busily trying to run his hand into her pants. As if no one else was there. The thing was that the girl clearly wasn't awake for it. She drooped to one side a bit listlessly, her brown hair looking matted, and a bit damp. "That's Marty. He really doesn't need a rape charge. That will cost him his scholarship. Moron. I worked so hard to help him get it too. Help me get this taken care of?"

It was easier said than done. Marty, for all he had a sports career lined up, was wasted and really horny. She knew this, because when Darla tried to pull him off, all he did was paw at her in return, and then went instantly back to the unconscious girl. Enough of her clothing had been undone that it was clear he wasn't just planning to kiss her a bit and call it good.

Marty was also huge. Tall and with enough muscle that it didn't seem like they were going to be able to do much right then. Darla looked at Becky and then shrugged, putting her right hand between the boy's legs. At first it seemed like she was going to squeeze, to make him move out of pain, but instead she started rubbing, finding his erection and working on it, right there in the living room with people watching.

"Sue is out for the night, Marty. You can't do anything with her. Why don't you and I go and find someplace, and take care of things? Becky can help. Can you get Keeley and Eve to come over and help Sue?" She didn't stop what she was doing and it was really clear that the guy was getting into it. Enough so that he was taking deep breaths already.

Becky had to find Keeley first and didn't know if the whole thing would require jogging across the room. She was a bit worried for Darla, since the big football player wasn't likely to take no for an answer now, was he? Not after what she'd been doing to get his attention. Waving her hands, wondering exactly what it was that she was supposed to do to help, she managed to get the others to come over, though Eve looked a bit upset at first, being pulled away from several boys.

For her part, once she got there, Keels, as Darla always called her, just nodded.

"I see. Well, you and Becky can go and take care of Marty and we'll get Sue someplace safe. She's just drunk, right? Not drugged or anything like that?"

A boy from across the room came over and watched what Darla was doing a little too closely, then shook his head. It was Wallace, from her drama class.

"She was slamming beer for two hours, so I don't think so. She must have had fifteen cups of it." His eyes kept going back to Darla, and then he sighed.

"That means she should be watched for alcohol poisoning. I should have said something."

Keeley just got under her right arm, while Hally took the other side and Eve cleared a path to the stairs for her, since they didn't seem to need to go to the hospital just yet.

Darla, instead of stopping what she was doing, since the other girl was safe now, pulled Marty up by the hand.

"Come on. We aren't doing anything fun here."

They walked toward the back of the place though, not the stairs, with Becky wondering exactly what was going to happen. Was Darla going to actually sleep with him? Or did she think that Becky was going to? Because that wasn't going to happen. Well, not the second one. She just wasn't going to do anything like that for her first time with a drunk guy at a party.

She nearly said that when Marty put his arm across her shoulder, leaning on her heavily. His hand came around far enough to brush at her chest, but the vest acted like armor, protecting her from being squeezed too much. Darla wasn't getting off that easily on the other side however, since she was in a loose sweater that meant he was able to tug it up fairly easily. She didn't have a bra on either. So that, as they walked into the back, the other girl was being groped without anything between her and Marty at all.

The blonde girl grinned, and helped Marty sit on a wooden bench near the back door.

Then, without waiting at all, she slowly lowered herself to her knees, right in front of him.

"Now, let's see about things?"

Chapter five

Becky looked on in what could only be described as shock, with a handful of mild panic thrown in for color. She was a bit relieved to find that there was no disgust at least, since that would mean she was probably too crippled to enjoy life at all, but she didn't know what to do, so froze in place.

On her knees, working on the front of Marty's jeans, Darla turned to look at her, not breaking eye contact with the boy though.

"In... three, two, one..."

Just as she got to the end the boy slumped, nearly going over all the way.

"Ha. I thought he was close. Now, help me get his shoes and shirt. We need a piece of paper and a pen too." She didn't say what that was all for, but the guy didn't seem to stir much, after they laid him down on the bench all the way. It wasn't even close to big enough for him, so his bottom half slid to the floor, with his head supported on the polished wood.

She didn't know how to get any of those things, but, as luck would have it, she didn't have to, since Scott walked up with them about a minute later. He had to have been standing behind them the whole time, or pretty nearly. That meant he was either a perv that liked to watch, or he'd been trying to work out how to save them. Or maybe both? The one didn't automatically mean he couldn't be doing the other too.

The man handed the things over, and then smiled.

"I get taking the shoes and socks, even the shirt, so he can't run off easily, but why do you need a pen and paper?"

Darla started writing.

"Why, for this.... Here we go." Then she wet a single finger and smeared the ink on the last line. It was a phone number, or looked to be one at least, except that you couldn't read it.

The rest of it was just a few lines.

'Hey, that was fun. Thanks for the reach around. I'll blow you anytime. Seth.'

Then the phone number.

The note was folded a bit sloppily and then tucked into Marty's wallet, so that he wouldn't be able to miss it. The rest of his clothing was stacked next to him.

"And there we go. I know that he was drunk and not thinking, but I won't be there to bail him out next year when he's off at college. Hopefully he won't let himself get that wasted again soon." Then she got up, dusted off her knees and pulled Becky back to the party.

It was funny. In a dark and slightly mean way. Becky didn't laugh though, her mind buzzing and working far too fast for her own good.

"But... what would you have done if he hadn't passed out?"

"Um, I would have stood up and walked away. He isn't a rapist, just too stupid and drunk to know what he was doing. Or, well, not completely, but you get the idea. It wasn't as if we're too drunk to protect ourselves in this kind of situation. Let's dance. Grab some boys for it, so no one gets the wrong idea about us." She didn't wait, doing that with a passerby and pushing him at Becky.

She didn't know how to dance and felt awkward and like she was going to make a fool of herself, but she was sober and the guy wasn't, so it worked. All she had to really do was make sure that she didn't let him see the couple on the far side of the room. They were "dancing" if you could call having clothed sex in the middle of a living room that at all. She didn't. It probably meant she was being a prude, but that was just her opinion of it all.

Things went along pretty well for a while though, even if the guys that Darla kept passing to her were a bit handsy at times. Not all of them, but none of them were up to a lot of in-depth and meaningful conversation either. She was given a new guy, who had nice tan skin and wasn't anyone she knew at all from school, but seemed to know everyone and was tall enough for the basketball team. He seemed to be sober enough to know better, but reached under her skirt and cupped her behind when the music changed to a slow dance. He didn't hold it for too long though, since she stiffened.

It wasn't that she didn't think he was cute enough, just that... She didn't know what to do. Not even what to say. Luckily he didn't make her, just making a face that seemed a bit embarrassed.

"Gotta try, right? You're Becky, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I... missed your name?"

"Jamal." There was a chuckle under there, a thing that was almost hidden, but not quite. "We should go out sometime."

It was just there. Boom. They should go out. They didn't even know each other's names or anything really.

"Um... I guess?" The conversation from earlier played through her head, what Eve had told her, about regrets and all that. She felt awkward about it all though. Did he really just ask her out on a date? Why? Because she hadn't screamed when he'd touched her butt?

Darla snagged her with an arm around her shoulders, patting her, pretending to be a little out of it and possibly drunk. Or it might be real, since she'd kept Becky busy enough she might have taken something. It wasn't the case though and the girl giggled and moved her away from the boy.

As soon as they were out of earshot, she leaned in carefully, whispering.

"We need to leave soon. The police are going to raid the place in about ten minutes. Eve got a call. I'll explain later." Then she led the girl out by the hand in a way that seemed pretty suspicious. They were met at the front door by Eve, Hally and Keeley, who was currently holding up Sue, who wasn't able to walk on her own yet. Looking around she got the idea. There was no way they could hide everyone in time. Not as drunk as they were.

It made her feel a bit bad, just taking off like that, but what else could they do?

Darla knew, and handed her keys to Eve.

"You four get to Freida. Becky and I will deal with this. We have four minutes. We're both sober and won't be here when they come, so should be fine. Meet up on Yarrow Street, near the store."

Then, after they got a head start, the girl turned and walked into the room, then turned the radio, which was blaring, all the way off. People grumbled a bit.

"Hey!" It was a single, very slurred word, coming from Darren. "Thash ma'favrite shong!"

Darla didn't answer him at all. Instead she spoke in a firm, but commanding voice.

"We got a tip that the police are coming and will be here in approximately eight minutes. We need to get all the beer out of here, and into the woods out back. All of the drunk people too. Move. Pick stuff up and go." It took about five minutes just to get them to believe her, though the more sober remaining people, the ones that hadn't just scurried out the back immediately, managed to get the place mainly clear. The rest staggered and grumbled into the woods, out back.

It was chilly out, but the last of them were gone as the blue and red flashing lights showed up. There were a whole lot of them just to break up a kids' party.

"Is this normal?" Becky whispered, as she and Darla headed off, her feet hurting, both from the earlier walk and the shoes she had on, which, given everything, were probably going to be ruined, as they had to pick their way through the neighbor's yard on the right hand side of the place. There was a lot of distance between the houses at least, so no one noticed. Luckily there were no dogs either.

"What? The police showing up, or a group of walking distractions trying to hide behind fourteen trees? The woods back there are the neighbor's back lawn, but if all the beer makes it out of the house, Scott won't get in trouble. We used to date, for a while. Nothing too heavy, mainly hanging out, since I was too young for him. Yes, I know, I once had a life. Amazing isn't it?" Then she pulled Becky down as a search light tried to show where they were. They ended up behind a small shed that had a rather nice green lawn around it. One that was watered regularly, but hopefully not for several more hours, since she was not dressed to be soaked to the bone.

Being smart enough to get the idea, she didn't need for Darla to tell her to be quiet. They waited for about ten minutes, and then walked, slowly, away. No one caught them, but she kept expecting to turn a corner and find a man in blue waiting to call their parents. Thankfully that didn't happen.

They walked for a while, and finally Becky, who was holding her arms for warmth, asked something that had been bothering her for a bit.

"I get the idea about Scott, but... Why send the car away without us? Couldn't we have gone with them and just called all that out as we left?"

"Not really. I was careful not to let Frieda get blocked in, but if we'd done that then it would have been noticed on the way past. This way, all the cars leaving in a group came later. I mean, the police will know that we were here." She paused and pointed to the little, but well lit, convenience store ahead, where the cream colored van looked a bit like a Twinkie under the slightly yellow lights. "Or that I was at the party at least, but they can't prove anything. We're all sober, except Sue, and looking hot isn't a crime. If we came out in the crush of bodies, then we'd have been there all night, waiting for my lawyer to get out of bed. As chilly as it is, this is better."

"Oh. That sounds reasonable I guess. So why did Eve get warned?"

The girl next to her put an arm over her shoulder, probably trying to steal some of her heat. That or share her own.

"Her dad's the Chief of Police. Keeley regularly brings them all cookies down at the station, and things like that. In return, they give her slightly wild friend a heads up when they're going to bust high school parties. It works on several levels, since taking in the Chief's daughter can't be a good career move. She's good at doing things like that, Keeley is. Making friends in different places. So Eve got a call. I know, it's not exactly worthy of a spy novel, but that's the power of the chocolate chip for you." That came with a bit of a squeeze. "You weren't too scared, were you?"

That was the strange thing. She had been a bit, but not too much. She didn't really know why, but it had all been kind of exciting. Probably because she was too stupid to think that she'd be in real trouble if she got caught.

"A bit. Maybe I should get in on that deal too? Make some muffins or something?"

"Sounds like a plan. Still, Keeley's got that handled for now. We should see about getting home before anyone decides to check in on us. On the good side, we still get to have plenty of sleep! You'll need it, so you can heal up from today. I was thinking we'd lift some weights tomorrow? Then get together a few times a week after that? In the afternoon."

She didn't answer, but knew it was too late to back out now, the perky girl actually skipping happily to her van, and moving people around so that she was driving again.

That meant that Eve was by Becky again, since they were clearly van buddies, and Hally was in the front, since Keeley was busily dabbing a wet napkin on Sue's face. That was a real problem, since the girl wasn't awake at all yet, even with all the moving around, and furtiveness. Worse, Becky didn't have a clue who she was. She'd seen her in the halls at school. She thought. That was about it.

"What do we do with her?" She asked it with worry, but it came out sounding harsh, like the girl might just be something bad that they needed to consider dumping along the road side. She didn't mean it that way but, Eve made a face at her.

"We take her home. She lives in my old trailer park. I can get us there. I doubt her step-dad will care. He might be in holding down at the station anyway, since it's a weekend night. He's not a great guy." She looked around at them, as if waiting for some kind of condemnation to head her way.

Keeley spoke from the back seat.

"We can take her back to my house for the night, just in case. It should be all right. At least if that's all she'd be going home to."

That decided, they moved along the road, only to find that Rebekah was waiting for them on Keeley's stoop. The pale woman with her copper hair and dark clothing stood out a bit, but it was late enough, nearing eleven-thirty, that no one noticed her overly. She had a band t-shirt on. It was black, but the lettering was visible as soon as they all went inside. She even helped move Sue to the sofa.

"I got bored and thought I'd come and see if any of you were around." It was an explanation, if not a good one. After a bit, staring at the slightly older girl, she got it. She thought.

She had a crush on Keeley. It had to be that, didn't it? Why else would she be waiting on her doorstep like that this late? It should have been creepy, but Keels liked girls too, and the other girl was just old enough to be interesting, not gross. Except for the girl part, and Becky wasn't going to judge. The Vampire part was nearly as big of a deal, wasn't it?

The idea poked at her, since making that kind of commitment to her career was kind of amazing. Rebekah lived what she did. She could have gone in for a few fake fangs and some pale makeup, but she went so far beyond that. True, it was into the bizarre, but that didn't mean she wasn't cool.

It could also be that she didn't have a lot of friends and just wanted to hang out someplace. It wasn't like going to Denny's was a big option for her.

Keeley stretched and nodded.

"Very cool. We should watch a movie or something. It can't make the day any worse." She turned to the fake Vampire and threw her hands up. "First we tried to help Becky get the guy she's in love with and he kept looking at me the whole time. Then we went to a party, and it got raided by the cops. After we found Sue here about to become the next Youtube celebrity rape victim. I hope your day went better?"

The other girl shrugged.

"Got up late, don't have a gig today and was able to finish practice before mid-night. Not perfect, but it could be worse. So, what kind of movie do you all want to see? A nice rom-com?" Her voice actually held hope, as if, naturally, that's what someone like her would want to see.

Becky suspected it was a joke, but they got to watch one that was playing on basic cable, and had popcorn along with it. It was all air popped, and didn't have butter, but she was so hungry that the extra forty calories from the light and fluffy kernels seemed worth it. The show wasn't that great.

"But," Becky put in, pointing at the credits after Eve had said it was a piece of something best scraped off of a shoe. "It serves an important function in our lives. Now we can go forth in to the world, armed with unrealistic expectations. I can just take these glasses off and shake my head, and presto, I'll be a nine." She pretended to grab at her face, but nothing happened, not having eyewear at all. "Well... darn."

Then she cracked up.

Hally sighed.

"Wait you mean that isn't how real life works? I thought that all I had to do was wait for the millionaire to come and say hello, then step out in front of a bus to be saved from certain death. I guess I'll have to go to my other plan then, and find a hot alien guy. Life is so hard."

They went on like that for a good while, but then settled early. She was actually sort of tired, for all that she'd gotten up late the day before. Wisely enough a bucket was provided for Sue, who woke up long enough to use it. Twice. Becky was in the room with her, and woke each time, but Keeley came in and emptied it, not complaining about the task at all.

That meant they were all up early enough, even Sue. She looked around, her face unsure and a bit wrinkled from the pillow still, and stared at Becky.

"I... Don't know where I am. Again." She didn't sound all that awake yet, but not really drunk. Just miserable.

Becky gave her a single nod.

"Keeley Thomson's house. You were about to have passed out sex in front of everyone at Darren's party, without your consent, but Darla Gibson saved you. Then the police raided, but we got you out. Or, well, Keeley, Hally and Eve did." It was a pretty good explanation, Becky thought, and the girl nodded, then looked at the door.

"Thanks. I guess I don't really need to have everyone see me do things like that. Can I get a ride home, do you think? I'm not sure where I am."

Becky could see that. It would be hard to know where she was at all, having been moved.

"About a half mile from the school. I don't know about a ride, let me see if I can find someone?"

That someone, it turned out, was Keeley, who came with her keys out, already dressed for Church.

"I can do that now. I missed my normal baking for everyone, so want to stop and get some things for it anyway. I know, less than stellar, but I'm young, what do people want from me?" She seemed happy enough, and so awake the Becky suspected drugs had been involved, or at least strong coffee. That last one seemed to be the case, since Darla came out with a pot of it and several cups just after the other two left. It was actually good, and not bitter at all.

Sipping at it, Becky didn't move for a bit, but it was decided that she got the first shower, so she stood up as soon as it was done, and... then sat back down.

"Ow! My legs. That is not fun." She let her eyes go wide, while Darla finished her own drink. "Here, I'll help you up. I'm not going in the shower with you, so don't let yourself fall down. That would be a bit too much to ask, party pal or not."

"Fair enough." She took the offered hand though and refrained from crying too loudly as she got to her feet, keeping it to a whimper and then shuffling off to the bathroom. It took a long time to get it all done, but at least Hally didn't seem to be that much better off than she was. Eve on the other hand, just hopped to her feet and got more coffee.

Becky glared at her a bit, but the short haired girl that looked just a bit like she had some other kind of heritage in her background, stretched. Limberly.

"I run. I may not be little miss fitness, but I try to stay in shape. If I go into the military, I'll need to be." It made sense, and she didn't pretend it didn't.

Neither did Becky.

"Right. Well, I guess I should too, but not today. I don't think I can walk enough to go to church, much less lift weights later." She glanced at Darla, feeling bad about letting her down already, but the girl shook her head and looked prim.

"No to both. Get up and start walking and you'll loosen up a lot. We're going to work our arms chest and back today, so it won't be that bad. No wimping out on me yet. We haven't even started."

That was true, but the pain was probably going to make a wimp of her anyway. Still, following instructions, Becky got to her feet and slowly started to walk around. Her feet had blisters, and her legs felt like they were malfunctioning, but she really did do a bit better by the time Eve was in the shower.

Hally joined her, pacing around the room so slowly it had to seem like they were trying to reenact the walking dead. The other girl was lighter than she was, and her face was made up just enough to cover some of her freckles. They both had dresses on, because that was the uniform for Catholic Church it seemed. At least for the girls.

When Keeley came back the girl looked at them both, but didn't have to join in. She seemed fine. That was probably because she was perfect and too good for things like pain or limping.

Becky smiled, but didn't say anything out loud about it. She was, she knew, just totally and completely jealous. It wasn't fair, maybe, but life wasn't, and she'd deal with it, just like always.

They weren't actually due at church for the early mass for a while, half an hour, but they still needed to go out and get in the cars. They'd take two, since the van was half filled with donut boxes. It was a thing that Keeley did. Normally she made things herself, but they'd played too much the day before for that. Instead people would have to suffer just having the free food come from the bakery.

Or at least the others could.

Her stomach growled, but she just let it, trying not to let herself seem grumpy. They'd all gone out of their way to help her, and, she suspected, that Darren's party had been about helping her let go of the abject failure that was her life after the hike went so far south. People didn't do that for casual acquaintances, did they? Plastering a smile on her face, she decided to act her way through it all. It was her job after all. Or might be, someday.

The service was just as confusing as always, but she and Hally sat in the back, and slowly got to their feet when everyone else did, though they didn't take communion or anything. No one glared at them or shouted about the infidels, so it was all good enough. Then, after the rather long and boring thing was finally done, she slowly and painfully helped get the donuts in. They smelled so good, but she didn't let herself have one at all. The Priest didn't question her being there, just shaking her hand after she put her box of things down on the large table in the back.

"So nice to see you. All you girls. Is Sherri all right? I notice that she isn't here today?" He sounded both probing and concerned, but Keeley fielded that one, since it was her mother.

"Called out of town on business. Unavoidable for her really. I'll make sure she knows that you asked after her though. We should have you over for dinner soon. I can cook. I promise, I won't give you food poisoning." She smiled and the man took her right hand and patted it with his left.

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you. Girls."

The man was polite, but also busy, having real work left to do that day.

In all it took nearly three hours to have the whole thing done, but they were out of there without too many problems. The only one that came up happened just as they were leaving, when a nice looking man walked up, with a thin and slightly wide eyed tan woman on his arm. They both looked to be in their forties or so, at a guess. Becky knew who they were, and so did everyone else, since the man was Eve's father. It came up that he'd be around. She hadn't really understood that he was the Chief of Police, until the night before, however.

"Eve! I was wondering if you'd make it. Good to see you here. I was a bit worried. We picked up about forty kids last night, most of them from Raintree. Drunk. You seem... fine." He looked at her closely and then the others.

Eve nodded.

"See, this is the kind of trust I get at home. Yes, I'm sober and not hung over. We," She gestured at the others then made a big circle with her right hand, to show she meant all of them. "Went on a hike yesterday. Out at the Groves? Then later we went to Darren's party, and prevented some date rape, then got out of there before your guys could ruin it all. No drinking or anything. I did get to second base with Billy Moore though, so, you know, rest assured, you can judge away in peace and with a contented heart, about how evil I truly am."

Becky froze, expecting real trouble, but the others all laughed. Including the Chief of police.

"Well, no laws broken then. Good to hear it. You'll be home later?"

She actually smiled, seeming nearly happy.

"In time for Sunday dinner prep. Or are we going out, for the tenth Sunday in a row?"

Her step mom, who Becky knew only as Karen, pointed at her suddenly.

"That one. Great idea. I should have thought of it. Are the rest of you finally coming too? You know that you're always invited."

That got everyone to look a bit bashful, except for Darla, who seemed to like the idea.

"Just Becky and I then."

That was news to her. First she was going to be the other girl's work out buddy, and now they were heading off to dinner with either the Chief of Police or Eve's parents. Possibly both. It depended how they looked at things. She didn't have a clue how to pay for it either.

Darla fixed that quickly enough.

"I'll pay. I can get us in at La Circe. Say at about seven?"

Mr. Benson nodded.

"That sounds fine. Should we all meet there?"

They decided that sounded like a good plan and then let the girls go, with the other two actually seeming totally fine with it all. It was only Becky that felt half panicked. After all, the man was a cop and while she wasn't going around breaking laws all the time or anything, the idea of going to dinner with him just seemed like asking for trouble. Beside she hadn't been home for days...

Which meant nothing, she was willing to bet. She wondered if her mother had even noticed she wasn't there at all? It was way too early in the day to call anyway. Being before three in the afternoon on a weekend.

On the ride back she was tucked in the van, Freida, as they called her, with Darla and Eve, since Hally was headed home for the day, actually planning to do her homework. Becky had some too, but it would take all of twenty minutes and she had a study hall first thing in the morning, so it would be done before class time.

"So, planning to sell me out to the coppers, eh?" She made her voice sound like a gangster from an old black and white movie, which at least made it seem like she wasn't serious. Not very at least.

Eve was in the front passenger's seat and turned around to talk to her.

"Don't worry, it's not like they bite. A girl could do worse than make friends with the Chief and his lovely wife. Think of things like recommendations for colleges and all that, if nothing else. Besides, have you ever been to La Circe? I haven't. I hear it's decent."

That was like saying that Paris had some okay museums. It was the ritziest place in town. So much so that most people never even tried to get a reservation. That Darla could meant...

Really, it was probably just that her grandmother was just that rich, wasn't it? School girls, even really pretty ones, didn't have that kind of pull on their own, did they?

The idea was kind of exciting, though she didn't have the right clothing for it. When she mentioned that Darla finally spoke.

"What you have on now will be fine." Then she winked, her right eye visible in the rearview mirror. "It's nice, but people still wear clothing to it. It's just a restaurant after all. But first, our work out! We need to burn enough calories so that we can both eat after all. Eve?"

The other girl shook her head, like she was a five year old rejecting the idea that there was no Santa.

"Oh, no, I'll pass today, thanks. You two go and have fun doing that. I'll muddle on alone."

Becky realized something. If Eve worked out, getting ready for the military, there had to be a reason why she didn't want to exercise with Darla, didn't there? It couldn't be a good thing, either.

Chapter six

It was after the awkward feeling dinner that Becky got the idea. The exercise earlier had been hard, because Darla pushed her to do things that she never would have without prompting. Everything hurt now, not just her legs. She'd made it for a while, but when she was dropped off at home, carrying her one small bag, she felt like she was about eighty. Maybe older.

Limping into the little apartment, she noticed that Mike, her step-dad, was passed out on the couch. It was an old and well worn thing that they'd picked up second or third hand. This showed in the stains that were on it, as well as the bit of yellow foam that showed where the seams had split in places. They had a pretty broken down easy chair too, that once upon a time had been nice, she guessed, but that had been at least a few years before they'd found it on the street. Nothing they had was new or nice. Not even the man sleeping there.

That probably wasn't fair really. Mike was broken down, a drunk and certainly would have been splitting at the seams if human beings didn't stretch as well as they did, being pretty overweight. He also smelled more than a bit. He was also a way better parent than her mother ever had been. An older guy that, as she'd thought before, really should have decided that living alone was a better bet for himself than being with her mom.

She, fortunately enough, wasn't home at all. It was Sunday, but that was just another night out partying for her. It meant that Becky could hobble to her room without bothering to explain that no, she wasn't limping like that because the gang bang lacked proper lubrication. Okay, so her mother had never said anything like that to her, but she probably would have if she'd noticed the limping around. Instead she got to her room without having to talk to anyone, and climbed onto the single mattress that she had, which just sat on the floor.

It wasn't until early in the morning that she heard sounds coming from the front room. At first she tried to imagine it as a group of very disappointed burglars coming in, but she knew it was just that last call had ended. Looking at the clock, which had glowing numbers on it, she blinked. That had been a while before, actually. It was nearly time for her to get up for school.

Fighting to her feet, feeling sore still, but not as much as she had, at least through her legs, Becky stumbled out into the other room. It was just her mother, who was rummaging through the cupboards, looking for something to eat.

She was heavy, but only about like how Becky used to be, and looked like she'd slept on her face, since there was a slightly red line down it. After a few seconds she got that it was a scratch, not just a line. It hadn't broken the skin. The woman didn't really notice her for a long time, until she turned, a waxed paper package of round crackers in her hand. They were the knock off brand, since that's all they ever got.

The thing was waved at her tiredly.

"Oh, hey sweetie. Want some crackers?" It was an attempt to be nice, but Becky shook her head. She was hungry, but that was a constant thing now. She had a goal to keep.

"No, thanks. Dieting. So, how are things?" It was her normal question, since asking about work was right out. The hard part was that she never knew what her mother might say in return.

Sometimes it was a very normal sounding "fine", and others it would be a blow by blow of her evening, including everything she'd had to drink, and what she did with each of the guys she'd met.

Today it seemed she was splitting the difference.

"Not bad. I met up with some guys, and you know..." She seemed to assume that Becky just would. It made for some awkward conversations, but not nearly as bad as when she assumed that her daughter wouldn't. Those conversations were cringe worthy.

Mike was still on the sofa, snoring softly, which got her to look over at him. Maggie noticed her looking too, and shrugged.

"He knows the score, honey. He knew when we got married."

"And that makes it all right? I..." She'd never actually told her mother how she felt about everything, but for some reason it was like she just couldn't keep her mouth shut anymore. "Mike should leave you. It would make his life better, in the long run." She wanted to wince, knowing that the words would almost certainly start a giant battle.

For once her mother surprised her, just looking at her coldly and eating a single buttery round. After she swallowed, she nodded gently.

"I know. I think he's just waiting for you to leave home, so he won't be abandoning you with me. That's sad, isn't it? He really loves you though. Not me." She ate another cracker, before going on. "Um, so... are you two sleeping together?"

The very first thing that she thought of to do was deny it. With a lot of vigor, possibly yelling about it, or at least whispering darkly, so that Mike wouldn't have to hear about it. After the initial shock and feeling her face start to tingle as the blood rushed away, she just shook her head.

"No. That's a weird question. Why would you even think that?" It really was, and Becky didn't have a clue as to what was going on in the woman's mind.

"Oh... It's just that he's sticking around, for you. I was just thinking that might explain it. Not that you aren't great, but if it isn't that, then why would he bother? You aren't his kid."

"I don't know either. Maybe... Really I don't know. But he's never even said anything to me like that, or suggested anything about, you know, at all."

"Oh. Well, damn. That probably means he's just a better person than I am." There was a pause, and the slow munching of food for a while. Finally Maggie broke the silence again. "So, I noticed that you weren't here this weekend? What are you getting up to these days?"

That was nearly as shocking as being asked if she was sleeping with her step-dad. Her mother had actually noticed that she wasn't around? It was something to write on a calendar as a red-letter day, wasn't it? Instead of being a pain about it, Becky just shrugged.

"I went over to Keeley's house. Worked out with Darla Gibson, and totally failed at getting the boy I liked to notice me. Then I ended up having dinner at La Circe last night with the Chief of Police and his wife. They're nice people." It sounded like she was joking, almost and it was clear that her mother was taking it that way, at first.

"La Circe? How did you pay for that? Did you blow the guy or something?" The casual way she said it sounded off. Not just because she was talking to her own kid, either. There was more to it, somehow. Something that resonated in the simple words.

"Darla paid for all of us. Her grandmother owns Cortechs. Before you ask, Chief Benson is my friend Eve's dad, and I was just there at church when he and Karen, his wife, asked everyone if they wanted to go out for dinner. That was all." She fixed her mother with a half glare, ready to turn up the heat on it, if she asked if she was sleeping with Darla.

The woman just blinked for a bit.

"Wait... You're serious? You went to dinner with Roy and Karen? I..." Then she nodded, her face set. "You... might want to avoid them. The Bensons. I mean, socially. They're swingers, and you're good enough looking that it will have occurred to them that you might be down for a good time."

"What? They're swingers?" Becky had a rough idea what that was, wife swapping and group sex parties, that kind of thing. The police Chief and his wife though? Poor Eve. That...

"I know, it seems unlikely, but we've been at the same parties, more than a few times. They're well known in the scene around here. So, you should be a bit careful there. They're good people, but... Not the ones I'd want watching my girl at a sleep over." Then she grinned, a bit wickedly, her hooded eyes seeming heavy and tired. "Unless you're in to that sort of thing?"

That got her to make a face at her mom and leave, to go get ready for the day. It was a lot to take in, finding that sort of thing out, plus the implications weren't all that wonderful for her either. Poor Eve, but her own mother was involved in that sort of thing enough that she knew what the other girl's parents were getting up to, so that probably meant she was doing a lot more than just watching, or bumping into them occasionally. So poor her, too.

It was enough to make her feel slightly ill. Didn't her mother know that parents were required by law to never, ever, have sex? She was nearly sure of it.

She left half an hour early, since it was going to take time to walk to school. The blisters she'd had were gone, but her feet still had sore spots on them in places, and her car, which was an old station wagon with fake wood paneling, needed a new drive belt put on. She actually had the part, but she didn't know what to do with it. That meant her vehicle was just sitting in the parking lot, and she had to hoof it everywhere for the time being.

It was slow going, but she doggedly powered through the discomfort, getting to the building just in time for the bell to start ringing. She had a study hall for first period, but that didn't mean Mr. Nevotney wouldn't take attendance. She sat just in time for the second bell, it literally ringing as her butt touched down on the hard blue plastic. The older man at the front of the room smiled at her and adjusted his glasses.

"Good morning. You all know the drill. Work on something, read a book, whatever. I'm grading papers up here, but if you need help with anything... Yadda-yadda." It was about what he said every day, but the man wasn't lazy or anything. This was actually his free period, but the math teacher took the job anyway, so that they could have the time to work. It was probably a sign that he was really dedicated to his career.

Becky didn't actually have a lot of needed classes. She had one that she had to take, for a specific credit, and she needed to pass all of the others, but doing that was enough to graduate. She actually had two periods of Drama, both in the later part of the day.

She did her work, making it look tidy and presentable for her next class, which was Senior Sociology. That class was designed to make them actually show up, or something. You weren't allowed to take it until you were in your last year, and you had to pass it to graduate. Luckily it wasn't hard. She had some papers to write for it, and some maps to color in, as well as some reading. That was all. It wasn't the kind of thing she particularly liked to do, given a choice, but, well, she wasn't. That meant she'd do what she had to in order to get out of the place, like everyone else.

The idea that her mother had mentioned, all of them, kept coming back to her, as she tried to double check her work. It wasn't really needed, but she had the time, so she forced herself to try at least.

Chief Benson and his wife had sex with a lot of people? Worse, if she was going to be honest, it had sounded like her mother had all but said that she'd had sex with them, personally. The bit about Mike... Frankly, it was kind of gross. The man was fifty-three, and hadn't bothered to take care of himself for a long time. Showering was something that was sort of optional for him, and while he went to work regularly, his job at the warehouse didn't pay much. Not that being poor was some kind of sin, or anything, but she'd wondered more than once if he might have made more of himself if he'd been sober the whole time?

There was also that scratch on her mom's face. She hadn't mentioned it, since things happened to people when they got drunk. Sometimes they couldn't remember it at all, but that didn't make her feel better about it. It could have been anything, from a fight, to falling into a bush or even having a run in with her own fingernail. It was just the kind of thing that Becky had to live with, and had her entire life.

The next two classes went by quickly, and the fourth one of the day just didn't do that at all for her, dragging, since there was a lot of talking about Darren's party. Mostly by people that hadn't been there. The rumors were pretty thick on the ground, and a lot of them were just wrong. Most of them, in fact.

A few rows over, before class even started, two boys whispered, and kept looking her way.

"I heard that she and Darla Gibson double teamed Marty Simmons. Just right there, in the middle of the room, with everyone watching..." That got a few more whispers, but before she could turn around to correct the guy, who she didn't really know, the bell rang.

The entire rest of the class she felt like everyone was looking at her, judging her. Worse, it was for something she'd had absolutely nothing to do with at all. A thing that never happened. That didn't seem to be stopping anyone. When the bell rang, the other people all scurried away, before she could talk to them, or say anything.

Then it was lunch time, which, if she had it right, was going to be humiliating and horrible. She went to her normal place, next to Maria, at the long white table they sat at each day. It was their new place, the one that they'd had for months, with the cheerleaders and the guys from whatever sport was being played at the moment. Right now that meant basketball, but when they'd started it had been football.

Quince bounded into the room, like he had far too much energy for a real boy, and after getting a tray filled with food, he plopped into place next to her, before she could do more than ask Maria why she hadn't been at church the day before. She sniffled and replied, sounding weak and a bit under the weather.

"I'm sick. I shouldn't be here, but I don't want to miss any days."

From the other side of her, the blond boy looked over, and then, without saying anything, held the back of his hand to the tiny girl's forehead. That meant reaching right in front of Becky, his arm going across her chest. To his credit, all of his attention seemed to go to Maria.

"You're hot. Burning up." Looking at her sandwich and the orange she had in front of her, he stood. "You should have liquids. I'll get you something."

Then he practically ran to the line again, just cutting to the front as everyone else came. It was a bit of a slow progression, since everyone had something different going on. Keeley, Darla and Barb all brought their lunches from home, for some reason. It probably wasn't to save money, so it might be diet related. Becky hadn't brought anything at all, since... fat. Maria brought her own, but that was to save funds. She worked at her family restaurant, and they did well enough, but the girl remembered when she was younger and they'd really had to pinch every penny. The rest of the guys just ate there. It was decent enough food, she guessed.

No one said much to her, but Darla started to move Quince's stuff, which got the boy to look at her doing it with suspicion. His hands were loaded with supplies, mainly drinks, but also more fruit.

"Trade with me Becky." He glanced at Darla, and then the rest of the table, his face more serious than she was used to seeing it. "Maria is sick. We need to care for her."

It was a simple statement, but no one called him on it, or teased him about liking Maria. She was cute enough that it would have made sense, even if the boy had barely even said two words to her before that day. Becky made the switch for him, wondering what he had in mind, but the basketball team captain just opened an orange juice for the tiny girl and carefully stuck a straw in it.

"Here. How are you getting home?" It was a bit blunt, but the girl answered, surprised.

"I walked. It's all right..."

He shook his head, and his eyes narrowed. Then he looked down the table.

"I have to be at practice directly after school. Who's driving her home?" It wasn't a question at all.

Barb waved, her pretty face looking down the table. She was easily the most nicely dressed girl there, and her body was just the perfect level of thin and fit. It was annoying, Becky realized. Keeley was just about there too, but she wasn't as perfectly proportioned through the face as the other dark haired girl.

"I can run you home. You live towards my house anyway."

Becky didn't know if that was true, but the Maria ducked her head, while Quince made plans for them to meet, and then, clearly not getting that the tiny girl might be left feeling uneasy about it all, got Barb to promise to pick her up in the morning too. Just so she wouldn't be walking in the chill.

Next to her Darla leaned in and brushed her shoulder against Becky's. When she spoke it was loud enough for everyone to hear, which had to be on purpose.

"So, did you hear about both of us getting lucky at the party this weekend? Right in the middle of the room too. Well, good to know what we're getting up to, isn't it?" Then she stopped, without defending them at all, or claiming they hadn't done any such thing.

There was a sly look from the girl, her blonde hair and perfect skin making it seem unlikely that she'd have to do anything of the sort, unless it was what she wanted to do for fun. Unlike Becky, who people would probably assume just did whatever any guy told her to, being hopelessly desperate for any crumb of attention. That probably wasn't what they were really thinking, but she noticed the people watching them and blushed.

The others all looked on, interested, but not really seeming concerned at all. Then again, Keeley, Eve and Hally had all been there and knew for a fact what had happened. They'd been helping to save Sue. Which, she realized, before she could say anything at all, why they weren't talking about it. To protect the girl, who seemed to have a hard enough life as it was.

Becky sighed.

After all, it wasn't like she could get away with the same things that Darla did, was it? She was rich and pretty much had the whole school wrapped around her little finger like a bow. Still, Becky could see what her part in it all was supposed to be, and she was good at acting, if not perfect at it.

"It really is good to know." Acting or not, she didn't have a clue what to say next. Luckily, she didn't have to, since Keeley had the next line, or so it seemed.

Her voice was pitched to carry too.

"Oh? I saw you two carry Marty off to the back. You had that guy with you? The redhead?"

Darla nodded.

"Right, I don't know him. I think he said his name was Steve?" She looked at Becky, but didn't have more than a questioning look on her face.

She screwed her own up, just a little, trying not to over act.

"Nooo... Eh... Seth? Something like that. I don't know him either, but he and Marty seemed to be getting along." She shrugged, hoping that wasn't too much info, all at once.

Darla leaned into her again.

"Well, at least the story is that you and I were taking turns with him in the living room. That makes us look good, if nothing else." Then, as if it really wasn't a big deal at all, she started to talk about cars. "What's wrong with your car by the way?"

"I need to replace the drive belt. I have no tools, or know how, but I do have the new belt. Setting it up that way probably means that I'm an idiot, but..."

Gary tapped the table, sitting about five places away.

"I can fix that. It will take about half an hour, as long as nothing is stripped. I have practice after school too, which means working in the dark. Call it seven tonight? I'll need you to hold the light for me." Then he knocked on the table again. "I'll see about bringing a friend to help too, so you won't have to get your hands too dirty."

Before she could protest, or even tell him where she lived, since she wasn't really going to say no to having help on the project, not being a moron, he hopped up.

"Off to class then. See you later, Becks. Feel better, Maria." Then he was off, as if someone was chasing him. That, or he had something to run to.

After that it was all just conversation about what they were doing for Valentine's Day.

Maria just looked a little sad, since, as Becky knew, she wasn't really allowed to date at all. Her strict parents again. Darla didn't say much either, but just ate her food, looking at it instead of at the rest of them. Quince however threw his left arm around her shoulders.

"I forgot about that. Will you be my Valentine, Becky?"

That got a laugh, but only from Keeley.

"No can do. Becky already has a date. With a total hottie too. A double date, with my boyfriend. We're going to the game first though, since, you know, someone has to show that school spirit."

Instead of getting Quince to laugh too, he sighed and shook his head mournfully. It was a bit overdone, but not teasingly so.

"I should have asked earlier. Well, you know, if that doesn't work out, then I'm here for you." He smiled and shrugged a bit. "We can go to prom together, maybe? I know you like that other guy, but if he's too stupid to notice you... Well, my gain, right?"

That got a raised eyebrow from Darla.

"Yeah, that would work. Still, you need to make sure to keep on top of it, Quince. Becky isn't going to be around forever, just waiting for the right guy to show up."

It was a strange bit of conversation, and all said loud enough that she got the idea. They were announcing to the room that people actually wanted to date her. Making her seem valuable. Mitch wasn't there, having the second lunch period, but news would travel. Or might at least. If anyone cared. Then, the Captain of the Basketball team asking you out at lunch, and you turning him down... That might get some action in the rumor mill.

In drama class later, in the last period, Darren looked miserable. Totally and abjectly despondent, to be accurate. He was sitting off to the side, holding his arms, and not making a lot of eye contact. It was bad enough that Becky went over, before Mr. Harris could start the class. It wasn't like they had assigned seating.

She didn't say anything at all to the boy, but he explained, his words just pouring out suddenly.

"I'm so grounded. Like, for years. The police called my parents and they came back from Fuji early. It would have been fine, except that Marty Simmons was crying in the mud room, half naked, talking about some guy named Seth. Thanks for trying to get everyone out. It could have been a lot worse. At least this way I just have to cover for Scott, and not try to explain seventy-three drunk people and five hundred dollars worth of beer. Poor Marty. I guess he and that dude were, you know, having sex or whatever just before the cops came. I didn't even know he liked guys. He's so, you know, big and all that." There was a hint of a gleam in his eyes at least, at the last words. "Well, if you don't see me in class tomorrow, tell them to check the desert for shallow graves. I did mention the part where my parents are not happy with me, right? In case I go missing?"

"You did. That kind of sucks. I agree though, I'll definitely use my contacts with the police to check for shallow graves, if it comes up."

He nodded, managing to make it glum.

"It was totally worth it. I mean, even after it all went wrong. You should always take a chance at making memories. Someone said that to me once. I can't remember who." Then class started and they both had scenes to work on, with other people.

It was a slow trudge home after that, while she still had light, and she was still sore. That didn't speed her footsteps up at all. Mike was gone, when she got there, and her mother was there, but just sitting in front of the old TV, watching something on a news channel. Her eyes were a bit glazed over already. That would explain the scent of pot in the air at least.

Becky did her homework first, then at about five ate a few hundred calories and started to clean the place as well as she could. She did that often enough they didn't live in total disaster, but she was being pretty good about it this time, which finally got her mother to glance at her, a loopy expression on her face.

"Hey. You having a boy over?" Then she blinked slowly for a bit. "Or a girl?"

She shrugged, "sort of. My friend Gary is coming, and might bring someone with him. To help me replace that belt on my car?"

Maggie didn't seem all that impressed with the idea, but at least didn't suggest that she pay for it in her normal fashion.

"Okay. Well, you know, let me know if I need to get out of here. I was planning to stay in tonight and just rest, but I could go and sit somewhere and do the same thing."

She kept cleaning.

"Gary's gay, but I'll let you know if he changes his mind." She meant it to be funny, but her mother grinned.

"That's the spirit. Don't let a little thing like that stop you. We're so much alike, you know that?"

Becky didn't answer, just hoping that it wasn't really true. How could she think that though. They weren't alike at all. Were they? Worrying about it, Becky just worked harder and faster, which meant she was shocked a few hours later when a knock came at the door.

It was Gary, along with Keeley and Cory. It was a bit startling, but she invited them all in. Gary took the lead, glancing around.

"I have the tools we'll need, in Keeley's car. I borrowed them from my dad. He likes the idea of me doing auto repairs for a girl. As if that's going to 'un-gay' me. I invited Mitch over, but he couldn't make it. Even though Keeley was coming too. That probably means he really had to study. Cory volunteered though, and it really is a job that's easier to do with two sets of hands." His voice was deep and he was wearing a tan jumpsuit made of heavy material over his clothing, though with old running shoes, ones that had seen better days.

Cory nodded.

"I know nothing about this kind of thing, but we're friends, so I figured that...' He went a little red faced, and Keeley moved in, standing near the door, her arm snaking around his shoulders casually.

"That's guy for; 'I like you and want you to notice me. Possibly in a bedroom way'." That earned a sputter from Cory, but she shrugged, squeezing him a little. "Don't worry, if she doesn't know, she won't ever think of you that way. You're worth telling her about."

That got Maggie to turn and look at them all, her face so clearly wasted that it had lost any semblance of cuteness at all.

"Damn straight. Little cutey. You should jump on him, sweetie." With that ringing endorsement, Gary waved them all out, patting Cory on the back a few times, showing support.

Becky didn't know which part of it all she was supposed to be more mortified over. Her mother, who was actually being tame for her, but had said that in front of her friends, or Keeley, who was both right and so over the top in what she'd just done that it was hard to believe it had happened at all.

Poor Cory followed along, but didn't look at her.

Not at first. Finally as they got to the car he managed it.

"It's true. We should go out. I know you like Mitch, but, I mean he's my friend, but, you know, not really right for you."

Keeley nodded, but her words just seemed cryptic, at least to Becky.

"But the heart wants what the heart wants, and you have to let him have a chance to screw up before you swoop in and take the girl. Not that you shouldn't if he doesn't step up, but like you said, he's your friend."

The rest of them seemed to get it at least, even if she didn't.

Chapter seven

It made the next forty minutes pretty tense. Not for Gary, who was a real pro when it came to working on cars, apparently. He had to remove a few things to get at the belt, but had it on and tightened, with only a tiny bit of help from Cory, inside the half hour that he'd promised. Then he spent time checking and replacing all of the fluids, mainly using things that Keeley had in her car, packed carefully in a little plastic bin that was in her trunk. When he noticed the state of her oil, he gave her a look that seemed almost unfriendly.

"This, is not good. Not at all Becky. We need something to use as a catch pan and probably a new oil filter."

It was true and a good idea, but it would take money, which was a thing that she didn't really have much of at all. Keeley seemed to pick up on that first and offered to take her to the parts store, before it closed. She didn't say it any particular way, but it was clear that she meant to leave the boys behind for it.

That seemed really rude, since they were helping her out. She froze for a bit, trying to come up with some way out of the whole thing, one that wouldn't involve being embarrassed, but she knew it wouldn't work. Not really. Finally she just went along with Keeley, getting into her little rattle trap.

It was a bit of a surprise, to look at, the car being beaten up and having primer spots showing. It ran pretty well, not making a lot of noise when it started, which meant she actually cared for it. Hence the box of stuff in the back like that. It was hard to remember that Keeley's dad had just taken off one day, near Halloween. It wasn't even a proper divorce, or running off with another woman. He'd literally just packed up and moved to a different country, as far as Becky had heard.

Leaving Sherri and Keeley to fend for themselves. The floral business was a new thing too, and while it was keeping them in food and paying the rent, it was probably sort of amazing that Sherri had managed a car for her daughter at all. She worked constantly, to keep it all together, but it was impressive. The woman was always nice and sweet to everyone too. Even when it was clear that she was exhausted from working all the time.

They headed directly to the shop, a very orange building that was still an hour away from closing. Becky pulled the ten dollars she had out of her purse, trying not to seem all that poor, but Keeley shook her head and produced her card, holding it up a bit.

"From my bio-dad. For some reason he seems to think that me having a car means that it will cost about eight times what it does. I could live off of what he's giving me, but don't have too. I need to pick up more brake fluid too. That and some other things. We'll just double up on it."

It was really nice of her, but also kind of hard to take. Becky knew she was poor, but she didn't really need it to be rubbed in. Except that wasn't what was happening, was it? Her friend was just trying to be nice. To help her. It meant that her even thinking about it in a less than positive light pretty much meant she was a bitch, didn't it?

"Thanks. Taco Bell doesn't pay that well. Not working one night a week."

"Yeah. Has Mrs. Gibson been in touch yet? I know that Darla talked to her, but it can take days for her schedule to clear for things like this. Don't take it personally. She only comes into town about twice a year and spends the rest of it running around the world, looking at her different businesses. It's a bit hard on Darla, since more or less, she's all the family that she has. Other than us, I mean." She made herself busy, filling a little red plastic shopping basket with things, as the men at the front all kind of stared at them.

"Do they think we're going to shoplift?" She whispered the words, her slightly curly dark hair brushing the side of Keeley's face as she leaned in, trying to act like she wasn't worried.

Keeley just looked over and smiled at them. They were all adult men, the youngest looking just on the young side of thirty. It was enough to get them to look away, pretending to work. Or, who knew, maybe they actually had stuff to do?

"Nope. They were just checking us out. It probably gets a bit boring this time of night. We need more oil, that filter, and a catch pan. Here, let me..." It didn't take her long, and the man at the counter was happy enough to get them the filter in its little orange and black box. The whole thing came to about fifty dollars, but Keeley didn't blink about it, just putting it on her card.

The guy helping them, the youngest looking one stared at Keeley a lot, but then nodded at her too.

"Changing your oil?"

Becky nodded, hoping that he didn't mean something naughty by it and was just commenting on what they were getting.

"Yeah, a friend of mine is doing the work, but he saw the state of my engine oil and kind of flipped out. I mean ranting and hand waving, he was just all over the place. For a few seconds I thought he was going to cry, but then he just sent us off instead. Hopefully this will be enough to make him happy again." So, yes, she was telling a story that had little to do with the truth, but the man just smiled and handed over all the bags.

"Sounds like he knows what he's doing then. Have a good night."

She smiled and looked over her shoulder a bit. It was as close to a "sexy" look as she had really. Hopefully it was charming.

"Thanks. You too!"

When they were back in the car, Keeley didn't say anything, until they were most of the way back.

"Cory really likes you. I shouldn't have mentioned that stuff about Mitch, but they're really good friends and he needs to make sure that Mitch honestly isn't into you before he tries anything. I know that it may not seem important to you at the moment, but you need to make sure you don't let Cory down too. If someone bothers to like you, then you should give them a chance, even if you aren't certain you feel the same way." She didn't look away from the road, but spoke in an even and calm sounding voice. "After all, isn't that basically what you want Mitch to do? Give you a chance to change his mind?"

Wincing, Becky made a face.

"Yes, but it sounds so... hopeless, the way you put it. Like it's already a finished thing. I... it's pretty obvious that Mitch is a lost cause for me, isn't it?"

"Lost? Not yet. I mean, you can get his attention, if you really want to. You're smart enough, and cute. Already his friend too. But I wouldn't waste the rest of the year on him. I know, love can be a pain that way, but it's better for you to have a broken heart and a date on Saturday with someone else, than to be working the late shift at a fast food place, just so you can see him for a few minutes a week, and being alone the rest of the time."

Was it better? She knew that Keeley was right, but it was just so hard to put it all into practice. Everyone was right, and she needed to move on. Yet here she was, desperately trying to figure out some trick that would let her have that brief moment in the sun with Mitch.

"The real question then, is why help me at all? I know you have better things to do. Almost anything would be. But here you are, planning things out, making double dates with me and all that..."

"What are friends for? Besides, I want you to know that you did everything you could to try and win him over. That way, whatever happens, you won't have regrets about it. My mom was talking to me about that, not living your life in a way that leaves you constantly regretting what you've done. Also not letting yourself get trapped, so you don't ever do anything. It's a thing, I guess. She seemed pretty serious about it at least."

Becky just nodded. It made sense, and in a way, it was sort of what she was going for, wasn't it? Not with Mitch, though that was sort of true, thanks to all the others helping her. By not drinking and trying to improve herself though. That was the idea, wasn't it? To live her life in a way that would mean she didn't regret where it ended up too much?

It was a lot to think about, but the boys were still there when they got in a few minutes later, the hood of the station wagon still up, with Gary working inside of it. They had to park in one of the visitor's places and walk over, but Gary seemed almost ready to cheer when he saw the loot they'd gotten.

"Perfect. This won't take long, about fifteen minutes, then we can get out of your hair."

It took longer than that. That was because it was too dark to see what they were doing under the car, and it was cramped, so it was a lot harder to do than if they could have jacked the thing up. Gary didn't want to do that though, since it was just in a parking lot and not someplace really secure.

"I don't want someone accidently pushing the car over and crushing me. I hate that."

Keeley cleared her throat.

"Me too." She looked at Becky and shook her head, a slow and somber thing indeed. "Then you have to pick it up and hold it, normally while being called names. It's a real pain."

Cory laughed, but didn't say very much about the topic. Apparently that wasn't something that happened in his world very often? Becky had to agree on that one herself, but smiled. It was an attempt to be funny at least and that should be rewarded.

Gary grunted then made a small and slightly frantic sounding noise, shuffling around to get the catch tray under the whatever it was that let the oil out.

"There, now we just wait for a while, and let it drain. So, anyone see any good movies lately?"

Becky paused, trying to remember the name of the last thing that she'd seen all the way through, it was the one that they'd all watched when Rebekah had come over.

"Uh, Silverman's Love Notes?" Not that it was good, but she really doubted that Gary would know that.

"I missed that one. Probably because I'm not willing to commit to be that gay yet. I know, I shouldn't use the word that way. It didn't look good though."

"Well, it wasn't, but I didn't think that you'd know what it was, so I tried to fake it."

That started a conversation about when they'd all watched it, and that led to Rebekah, who Cory didn't know at all, even though the rest of them had met.

Gary, it seemed, actually had an opinion there.

"Ohhh, yeah. If I was going to get with a girl, she'd be the one for me. Looks aside, have you ever heard her sing? She's going places. Don't tell her I said that though. The part about getting with her. I was kidding." Then he climbed back under the car and made noises for a bit, got handed the oil filter and then stood up, after pushing the catch pan, which was a flat round thing about fourteen inches across and five or six deep, out from under the car. It had a bright blue lid on it.

Then they had to dump more, fresh, oil from the new bottles into the car. She knew how to do that part, but Gary was very careful about it, making sure it was exactly full, and checking that three times to get it right.

Then he closed the hood and gestured at her.

"Turn it on? If we need to jump her, we should do it now, instead of tomorrow." It was a little hesitant at first, coughing a bit, but then roared to life.

Gary gestured for her to leave it on, then listened for a bit, tilting his head toward the hood.

"Okay, that should do it."

It sounded way better to her at least. All the rattling had gone away, for instance. Gary however didn't seem impressed yet.

"I want to look at it in the light sometime soon. It's way harder this way. It will run, but you probably want to hold off on any long road trips for now. It will get you around town at least."

That was all she'd ever used it for, so it wasn't news to her.

"So that means the trip to the Grand Canyon is off for this summer? I'm heartbroken."

Gary actually rolled his eyes and then shook his head.

"Nooo... We'll have it ready by then. I notice that you haven't invited me on this trip though? I suppose it's just for the girls?"

Becky blinked, but Keeley shook her head.

"Nope. You can totally come. You too Cory. Of course we're just making it up right now, but it sounds sort of fun. We should set something up. I mean, it's a trip, but not that far from here. I bet we could get Darla to go too." Then she steepled her fingers, like an evil overlord and laughed, ever so slightly. "Yes... yes... my pretties, I shall take you all on a trip to the giant hole in the ground... Mwa-ha-ha!" Then she winked. "Erm, I mean, gee golly, that sounds like a good time for everyone, doesn't it, pals?"

That got Cory to look at her funny and then work his right fist like every farmer from a nineteen-fifties movie. "It sure does! It sounds nifty even."

That decided, they left, with Gary being the last one to say goodbye to her. It was different, and if he hadn't been playing for the other team, she probably would have thought it about the right time for him to make a move on her, or at least set up a meeting for it. She really was pretty grateful, if she was going to be honest about it all.

He just smiled and gave her a little hug.

"Okay, we need to get together and see about replacing all the other belts, and checking the seals, the spark plugs, the vacuum system and all that. You know, the regular things? Remember, if anyone asks, you totally slept with me for this." He leaned in and then sighed. "I'm kidding, tell them you paid cash."

She nodded, getting the general idea. He didn't want to be the first stop for every high school girl that had a broken car, for some strange reason. Well, she could back him up there, especially if he was going to keep helping her. It was a bit mercenary, but she knew that she'd gotten off pretty lucky really. After all, it would have been one or two hundred dollars to have a mechanic do what he'd just done for free.

When she got back in her mother was gone, away in bed, which meant it was probably a good time to consider that for herself. It was hard going to bed, but the school opened so darned early each day. It kind of meant she either gave up valuable television watching time, or sleep. Most of the time the tube won, but today she actually felt like she was drifting off pretty nicely.

It was like she was drugged nearly, except that she dreamed quickly and easily, about a lot of different things. They weren't all good, but there was a definite theme to the whole lineup. It started with Gary, of all people, and the scene had him just finishing with her car, and her feeling very grateful indeed. With her clothing off. Then it was a similar one with Cory, which wasn't unpleasant at all. In fact she woke up, hoping that if there had been moaning, her mom was too drunk to hear it.

After drifting back off she was back at the party, except this time it was her that went to her knees in front of Marty and he didn't pass out, meaning that she had to keep going, as Darla watched. She didn't wake up from that one, the whole thing turning into something different. This time with a very good looking boy that she'd never met before. He was a lot like Gary, only better looking. It was hard to describe, but he had a magnetism to him. It was alluring.

After they talked he started to touch her, it held promise and interest, but she woke up, the alarm sounding.

"Oh, sure, it finally gets good..." Well, that was the way things went in dreams. It was pretty clear what it all meant.

She was secretly a perv that wanted all the boys for herself. That, or all the talk from the others about options and moving on was finally starting to take root deep in her mind, and this was her subconscious way of letting that be known. It was something to think about, and none of it had been too troubling at least. Nothing about her and Keeley for instance, or Darla.

Or her and Mike. That would just be creepy. Even if he wasn't practically her dad, it would have been. That her own mother had asked about it... Well, that really said something about her, didn't it? Who would even think that? She was darned willing to bet that Mike hadn't.

He was on the couch again, which was a statement all of its own, since he had a bed there. One shared with Maggie. It was like he was avoiding her. Becky wasn't silent getting herself around for school, but it wasn't loud, by any means. Still, it got the man to wake up, his unshaved face covered with a fine silver layer, his bald head shining slightly.

"Sorry, I dozed off out here after work. How are things?"

"Good. How was work?"

"Same as always. Pays the bills, dead end position. Sucks being an adult." He didn't smile, but it was still a joke. Not that it wasn't true, just that he was using the tone that meant he knew what things were, and you either laughed or cried about it and the second one never got you anywhere. He'd taken time to explain that all, more than once.

"I hear you. Well, I'm off. Trying to keep my GPA high enough for college."

The man nodded and started to stand. Sober, it looked like, but tired. His gut hung over his pants, enough that it made him look soft and uncomfortable.

"Need a ride? I know that your car is down."

"Nope! Some friends came over and fixed it last night. I lent my amazing flashlight holding skills to the effort. Well, I thought they were amazing. I'm pretty sure that Gary didn't think so."

"Gary, is that your boyfriend?" The man gazed at her, his slightly bloodshot eyes serious, and slightly watery. "If so, I should meet him, I guess."

"Gary is just a friend. He likes guys. That and working on cars. I'm currently trying to get Mitch to notice me. You've met him. That isn't going so well yet. I don't really know what to do there. I mean, when a group of high school kids keep pointing out all your other options, it's pretty clear that you're messing something up, isn't it?"

Giving her a single nod, Mike sat, his face uneasy.

"Um, I... You know that things haven't been going well, between your mother and I, for a while now..."

It wasn't a question, but she nodded anyway.

"I know." Just because her mother had put the idea in her head she half expected for Mike to suggest they go to bed together.

He heaved a massive sigh and shook his head.

"I'm going to leave. In June. I have a place lined up already. Smaller than this. I... could stay longer, if you need me to? I don't want you to have to rush out of the house and lose a chance at a better life, but..."

That was a real thing, she knew. Him leaving would mean that they didn't have rent each month. Not unless she went out and earned it, which would be hard to do, making minimum wage. The man had been there for her though and while it was a bit scary, she really did have other plans in the works. Or she could, if she scrambled, right?

"Thank you. For staying so long. I really appreciate it. I'll be ready by then."

How she didn't know, but she smiled and pretended to be confident, even as her stomach dropped out from under her. Mike was... She hadn't really thought much about it before, but he wasn't just her step-father, but the only person that had ever really bothered to be there for her. At least over the long haul. Still, she was an adult now and needed to stand on her own two feet.

You didn't get to live with a safety net forever after all.

That bit of mental imagery didn't really help her feel better, and Mike laid back down, as if the effort of keeping them all going was just too much for him, and he couldn't take it anymore. And there he was, planning to hold out for months longer, so that she'd be able to keep going.

On the way to school she cried. Just a little, and not for herself. It was for him. For the man that had put himself out there for some girl that he didn't have to claim, staying with a woman he couldn't stand, to make it happen. She hadn't ruined his life, but she really wasn't helping him either, was she? She managed to get herself under control before she got into the student parking lot, and settled herself at the far end, leaving the closer places for the people with nicer cars.

It wasn't a rule, but that was pretty much how things went. The people that could afford, or rather whose parents bought them, really nice cars, all had them close to the building. The junkers, and starter cars filled in the rest of the place. No one really told them to do it, or even complained on the rare occasion when someone changed that up, but in the main, it happened.

That meant she walked past Darla's red convertible, which had its white top up today, just as she got out. It would have been perfect timing, if she was actually waiting for her.

"There you are! Today, at five? My place? Lower legs, back and abs! It's going to be so much fun."

Becky blinked. She hadn't forgotten, she just couldn't believe that she'd said that.

"Fun? Shouldn't you at least slap some sarcasm into that line?" There was much fake head shaking as she walked, the other girl shouldering her nice black back pack. It was handmade, of real leather, but still kind of similar to what everyone else there had. So something that had been made for her, in particular, no doubt. "To answer your unspoken question, yes, I will be there. At this rate I'm going to end up looking like one of those female body builders. All veiny and huge."

The other girl clapped her on the back. Her hand lingered a bit, like she was trying to be reassuring.

"That won't happen. Most of those women use steroids to get that look. You'll end up looking fit, but not much more than that. We need to start getting some runs in too. I mean, I'll have to go in for two a day for a while, so that we can start slow for you. A mile or two at a time. I've been waiting for your feet to heal from the hike."

They were pretty much back to normal, she had to admit.

"I'm not a big fan of running. It hurts. The aching lungs and all that. I don't know how you can take it."

She nodded.

"Oh, yeah, that. It's part of a giant plot to make everyone hate exercise. They take you out a few times a year here and make running as hard as you can part of your grade, or in some places part of what you need to do just to pass. That does suck. I'm not even totally certain that the plot part is wrong. It makes it so that a lot of people just refuse to run. If you go slow and build up, it isn't that bad. I won't lie, it's work, but it's just sweaty, and a bit warm, with some minor aching at first, not pain or getting sick." She pointed at the school with one finger, a slightly choppy move, like she was hitting a cat on the nose.

After a moment, as they closed on the place, she continued.

"Reading is the same way, really. Not a physical pain, but they make you read things like the Great Gatsby or Shakespeare. Things that are really boring, like Of Mice and Men or Catcher in the Rye, and then do it at such a slow and plodding pace that anyone that might possibly have found something interesting in them will be bored to tears. Worse, they try to tell everyone that that's the only kind of reading that counts. If it isn't boring and dry, then it must be trash. As if the written word conveying information isn't the real point?"

Becky just stared for a few seconds.

"Um, Darla? I'm pretty sure you meant. 'Rah, rah, sis boom bah' didn't you? Maybe with a go team after it, and then a giggle as you say that math is hard in a high pitch voice? You'll ruin your reputation saying things like that." She was kidding, and winked, having got that habit from Keeley.

The other girl just sighed and nodded.

"You aren't wrong. You see what I mean though? Even things like that... A girl should be allowed to be popular and smart. Learning doesn't have to be cool, but it should be interesting enough that people want to do it. As it is, I kind of dread going to class each day. It shouldn't be like that. Should it?"

"Probably not, but you and I can't do anything about it except serve our time, and keep our heads down. It's just a few more months, so avoid getting into any fights, stop selling drugs to the other inmates and keep your bitches in line. Watch out for stoolies too." She looked around shiftily, realizing that she could actually get in trouble for saying some of that, which got a snort from the cheerleader.

"The irony is in the fact that all that prison advice fits in here so very well."

They got closer to the building, and the girl moved away from her slightly. Not enough that it didn't look like they were together, but not so close they were nearly touching. At first she didn't get what was happening, until she saw Mitch watching them, his face a bit dark and troubled. She wondered why that would be, knowing that it would be hard to find out really, because he turned and walked away, his back a bit rigid.

Had he finally figured out that she liked him, and... What, gotten mad about it? It wasn't until she noticed that Barb was standing there, by the flag pole, that Darla made a face.

"Ah. I get it. Barb! Over here!" She waved and the girl came jogging over, her face smiling and breath minty fresh. Or at least Becky didn't doubt it would be. Her teeth were flawless after all. That had to have cost a pretty penny. No one won the genetic lottery that many times in a row after all.

"Darla! Becky!" The girl didn't even pretend to be in trouble for having been mean to Mitch, which probably meant something was up.

It was.

"I was just telling Mitch Barris about the rumor I heard. You know how you two both went down on Marty Simmons at the party? I don't know for sure, but I think a certain sci-fi geek is a little jealous..."

Becky just blinked.

Chapter eight

Now, there were a lot of ways to handle a situation like this one, Becky thought, getting ready to simply double up her right fist and try to change the location of Barb's head for her. She stopped though. Not because the other girl would beat her up, just because Darla was suddenly smiling.

"Oh? That can't hurt then. Are you really telling everyone, or just Mitch?"

Barb, still oblivious about the fact that Becky was about to start slapping her down, smiled gently, her face nearly pleased looking.

"I just told Mitch, so that it would seem real. Since, you and I are friends Becky. Not that I was there, I was careful to leave you a bit of wiggle room on that one. You can tell him the truth, if you want." She looked around as a few others glanced at them and more than one of the younger boys just stared. "Not that you really should. This isn't the eighteen eighties anymore. You have a pretty good bit of rumor left before anyone thinks that you're really a bad girl."

Then she did something weird and leaned close, giving Becky a solid hug. "See you both at lunch? Um... I want in on the trip this summer." Then she bounded away like a cartoon character on crack, instead of an evil betrayer.

Darla took her hand, on purpose, knowing that they were being watched and led her into the building.

"A trip? Backpacking through Europe? I was thinking about it, but didn't want to go alone." There was at least a bit of a hint to her words. Like she wanted to be invited along too.

"The Grand Canyon, a road trip, with... I guess everyone that wants to come? It's really Gary's plan. I made a joke and now he's running with it." She looked down the hallway, only to find that the bell had already rung and they were standing there alone.

"Crud. I need to go. Catch you at lunch?" Darla looked worried and scurried off, leaving her standing there alone.

That was almost like a metaphor for life, wasn't it? Or at least her current fears. She was being left all alone in the world. It wouldn't have been so bad, if she'd been ready for it to all come to a sudden stop like it looked to be doing. School would be over, and Mike gone. College or a slave job would have to start really soon, and maybe both. Her little plans to learn to act well, and go into teaching, might very well fall to the wayside.

It was scarier than it should be.

She was also late to class. It was study hall, but Mr. Nevotney would still write her up, if she didn't hurry.

The rest of the day was a wondrous fun time event of snickering and covert glances. She knew why at least. It was the new rumor. Or, maybe not that fresh? It was a week old and for Raintree that was practically ancient now. It wasn't until a girl that she didn't really know well, but thought might be a sophomore, approached her in her last class.

"Hi... Um, I think it's really brave, what you and Darla are doing." She had very short hair and a cute nose, but would have benefited from a bit of makeup. Rene. The name snapped into her mind, since they'd been in the same class all year.

Becky however had to make herself smile. No one would say that them blowing a guy together in public was brave, certainly not Rene, who she was pretty certain was a hard core feminist, even if that wasn't a popular thing to be anymore. It got her to give the younger girl a questioning look.

After all, it really looked like everyone thought that she and Darla were coming out or something.

"What's that?" She didn't want to be mean, but there was no need to leave the girl thinking something that wasn't true either.

"The way that you both are letting people say that you, you know, with Marty Simmons, so that he won't be outted. For someone like him that could cost him a lot. Scholarships and stuff. It's brave, taking the heat for him." Then, as if that was the actual case, the girl walked away.

For the second or third time that day, Becky found herself just standing there, blinking. It took her a minute to recover, but it seemed to be the common thought in class. It was so confusing she didn't even know what she should be endorsing now.

It wasn't until later, when she got home and the phone rang, that she decided that her life was getting really weird however. The slick and old fashioned light green thing had a curly cord on it, and somehow still managed to work, so she picked it up and held it to the side of her head, trapping a bit of her brown hair in place. It was getting longer now than she used to keep it.

Like an adult or something.

"Hello?"

The voice that answered was old sounding and female, but no one that she really could recognize off the top of her head. Thankfully the lady on the other end was used to things like that.

"Darlene Gibson here, for Rebecca... Hoader? Regarding a job and potential scholarship." The words were matter of fact and had a slightly hurried air to them, as if making a call herself like that was asking just a bit too much of someone with as little time as she had in life.

It probably was, since Becky hadn't even considered that Darla would actually ever mention anything to her. She'd figured it would be more about her being handed a twelve page job application.

"Hi! This is Becky." she managed not to sound too shaky, or out of place at least, and the woman didn't leave her there, stewing in silence. Not for long.

"Excellent. So, it was suggested to me by my granddaughter that I give you a better than average job and then money for school. First, what are your grades, and area of interest? Darla just said it was in the arts?"

Her breath tried to catch, but she cleared her throat and pretended to be on stage. It helped a bit. She wanted to come across as anything but a lost and shocked little beggar after all, even if it was pretty much how she felt at the moment.

"Drama. I also do set design, but my goal is to go into teaching. I mean, yes, I'd love to act first too, but that's a craps shoot." The language was too informal, and she winced, but went on. "My grades aren't that perfect. Three point two, overall GPA. So Harvard and Yale are right out. They aren't big acting schools anyway."

There was a cough from the other end of the line and for a moment Becky thought the woman was just going to end things there, since her grades weren't really worth bothering with.

"I see. Well, you have that right about acting. I'll tell you what... I have an opening at the local office there in town. It's in the Public Relations department. We used to have a girl, another friend of Darla's, in on that, but we had to let her go, due to no fault of her own. It pays base rate, and you'll only get about twenty hours a week. We don't have any current major events planned, so you'll be shadowing someone there. I don't know who yet. I want at least three acceptance letters from different institutions on my desk before June. The early letters have already gone out, so you'll need to hustle to make that happen. If you really want it, you can create the needed openings. Do that and I'll pick the school. Is that a deal?"

Becky felt the blood rush from her face, and started nodding. It was still a long shot, but... Yes, she could do it.

"Yeah. I mean, yes, ma'am! I'll get right on that. Do I need to go and get paperwork... Or, how do I set this up from here?"

"Give me your address and I'll set that up for you. Is Friday evening good for you?"

"I... yes, if it's early, I work the late shift. I don't want to leave my boss, my old boss I mean, hanging." She waited for the inevitable laughter, but the old woman actually sounded happy about it.

"Very good to hear. If you'd flaked out on Taco Bell, I would have rescinded the offer. Do put in your two week's notice however. Remember though, Miss Hoader, Darla may have gotten you lined up for this, but it's up to you to keep it. It's only a chance, but a very good one that few are ever offered. Don't let it slip past you." Then, without saying goodbye, the woman hung up.

That meant just sitting for a bit, her face tingling. Actually everything was doing that, as if something very special and powerful had just taken place. It was real. If she could do it. Becky was going to need help though, if she was going to get accepted anywhere. She'd applied a few places, but only one had taken her up on anything, a tiny college back east in the middle of nowhere.

They did ceramic engineering though, and their drama section was small and not very good. They had a teaching program however, so that was in the mix.

She wanted to fly into things, and get it all done as soon as possible, but there was an order needed to it all. First, she realized, looking at the clock, she needed to go and work out with Darla, since she'd promised that she would. It was Wednesday, and they both agreed that the next day, Valentine's was going to be too busy for it. They were going jogging, so Becky got some old sweats, and some layers of things, so that she wouldn't get too cold. It wasn't freezing out or anything, but they were going in the dark, or at least part of it would be, so she made a point of getting a white shirt on over the top of it all.

The trip over was one of those things that had weight to it. She was excited, but a bit scared at the same time. What if no one wanted her? It was... Really the whole thing was so big that she didn't know if it was real anymore, even though the rich woman had said so over the phone. At Darla's house she tried to only knock lightly, but the door was pulled open almost instantly anyway, and a smiling Darla head popped out.

"Yay! Gran just called! She was really impressed with you on the phone and wants me to help make sure you do all right. I was really hoping it would go this way. So... Let's get that run in? Just two miles. Follow me!" There was a happy bounding to her first steps, but then she calmed down and barely shuffled along, so that Becky was just breathing a little hard the whole time.

"You can do it. This is fun. It won't hurt at this speed." She didn't keep going like that however, just chatting after a bit. "We'll build up over time. By the end of the school year you should be ready for Hollywood. If nothing else it will help you get some of the leads in your college productions. So, are you getting excited to meet Kyle tomorrow? I know that Keeley said it wasn't a real date, but you should take him seriously. I wasn't kidding about wearing cute underwear either. He's... a dream. You'll see. If you miss out on taking a shot at him, you're... You know, just don't. Make sure you don't miss out." It sounded like she was selling the guy a little too hard.

People only did that in the movies if the blind date wasn't going to be that great at all. Still, it was a date, and Darla was right, wasn't she? Becky needed to give him a chance. After all, Mitch was being so stubborn about it all. Worse, the boy hadn't even called her to chat in weeks, even with the hiking trip, and all that. To the best of her knowledge he hadn't tried to make a play for Keeley either, though that could just be the girl not telling her about it, trying to be nice.

The footfalls were just starting to get heavy when they worked their way back around to Darla's door, going in through the garage, since that meant they could get to the shower on the lower level without traipsing across the all white and cream colored front room. It looked nice, spotless in fact, but it took constant care to keep looking like that, Becky was willing to bet.

"That, or you don't live with drunks, who spill things all over the place." She spoke out loud, and then looked at Darla. It wasn't like she'd explained it or anything. "Um, how you can keep a white room?"

"That has to help." She grinned and opened a door that Becky had never seen before. It was a full bathroom, with a giant tub in it. One big enough for several people. It had a separate shower too. "You can clean up in here. I'll get you something to wear home. You're staying for dinner, right? I mean, you don't have homework?"

"I do have some I need to get done. I normally would just wait for study hall, but Mrs. Gibson pointed out that I can't let my grades drop."

That got a nod, and the girl moved back, leaving her the very nice tiled room to herself. When she got out of the shower, making it quick, since she didn't need to use all the hot water in existence, she found some jeans and a t-shirt waiting for her. They fit, which shocked her. After all, the idea that Darla would have anything larger than a size four around at all was amazing. They were older things too, and even though they were clean, they had wear on them.

She didn't have dry underwear though and two miles was enough for her to soak those, and her socks too. She just went without, hoping that wasn't too creepy for the other girl. People varied that way. It felt funny, but it wasn't the first time she'd had to do that. Between laundry days mostly.

Darla had kept herself busy and for all that Becky had thought she'd hurried, she found a clean and changed girl standing at the mouth of the hallway, holding about an armload and a half of college enrollment forms, booklets and catalogs.

"Here. I put the most likely ones on the top. The ones that might take you at short notice, when you call and explain that you have a full ride scholarship, if they do. That will open a lot more doors than you might think. They're businesses after all, right? They want the cash, just like everyone else." She pushed the heavy and awkward bundle at her and smiled hugely. "Oh, here. I printed this out for you? It's your resignation letter, giving two weeks. I left it a little vague, since I don't know everyone's name there. Is that all right? You can rewrite it if you want." She looked a little wide eyed and manic, which was catching it seemed.

Becky felt a little breathless herself, and just took the help. It was a bit pushy of the other girl, but meant to be nice and really was going to make things easier. She nodded.

"Thanks. I should get to my homework."

That was enough to get her out of the house, which, oddly, she didn't want to leave really. It was nice and quiet there, with only Darla. Clean. It even smelled nice. Like lavender and jasmine shampoo. Or, given how nice it was, real lavender and Jasmine. It was the kind of thing that she would have loved to learn to get used to.

The work had to be done though, and so she set up in her room, plowing away and double checking everything she could before Mike and her mom started bickering in the other room. It was a low level thing for them, over some bill or another that had to be paid. It happened about this time each month, so she tried not to notice it, focusing on her work. The door slammed after a while, which would be her mother heading out for the night, being that it was about nine. Then a bit later it did it again, which was just strange.

That was enough for her to go and see what was up, which, when she got to the living room, was nothing at all. The place was empty. What that meant she didn't really know at all. Probably that Mike had finally had enough and was just leaving for good.

It wouldn't be great for her, but she shrugged. It just wasn't the kind of thing she had control over either. That being the case, she packed everything up in her well worn and patched school bag and settle in for the night. No one was around in the morning either. It was both nice, not being bothered, and a bit intimidating. Normally someone was home at that time of day.

Even after a door slamming fight.

School was peaceful, and while Keeley was excited about their dates, no one else really seemed to have that much planned. Maria was still not feeling well, and either cutely or somewhat creepily, Quince insisted on playing nurse for her the whole time. Even making sure she had rides to and from school each day. When he left from lunch, Barb took his place, sitting right by Maria. A single slim and pale hand went to the darker girl's forehead.

"Ah ha! As I expected. Someone is faking being sick. Now at least." She let a single elegant eyebrow raise and the other girl sighed, meaningfully.

"A bit. I still don't feel perfect, but... I don't get a lot of attention usually. So..."

No one made fun of her over it, or mentioned it again. Barb, for her part, just let her shoulders come up.

"Cool. Well, I can get you to and from school, if you want. It really is on my way. As for Quince, well, you aren't allowed to date, so that kind of makes it hard to keep his attention really. I don't know what to tell you to do there. It's clear he thinks of you as one of his people though. He wouldn't be bothering to do all this if not."

That was just true. The boy had barely noticed earlier in the year when he and his football buddies had knocked out Maria's front teeth, running in the halls after school. Now she got the sniffles and he acted like it was his personal responsibility to see to her well being.

That probably meant he had a crush, except that if it were the case, wouldn't he have asked her out already? He was so popular that girls didn't say no to him a lot, Becky was willing to bet.

It was beyond her understanding at the moment, since she was suddenly trying to figure out how to get some of that cute underwear that Darla kept hinting at her needing.

Keeley waved at her, to get her attention, since she was in her normal spot, about three places down and across the white table with its tiny blue flecks.

"My place at three? I have someone coming in to help us with makeup. She's really good." Keeley winked at Darla, and then spoke in a low voice. "Bente."

That got a reaction from the perky blonde, who was, like the other cheerleaders, dressed in her orange and blue outfit. It was a game day after all, even if it was a Thursday.

"Bente? My god Keels, did you hock a kidney or something? That's..." She turned to Becky, and looked either impressed or horrified. It was hard to tell. "She's a fashion designer, but also one of the best makeup artists in the world. Italian. I didn't even know she was in town. The only time she's ever come before was to help my grandmother and that cost... a lot."

"She has a layover, which means that she's here for two nights. She wants me to come to her place for August, but I don't know if I will. I might be busy. When are we going on the trip to the Grand Canyon?"

That got the topic to change, and didn't answer anything at all. It would have been nearly sneaky, if it had been planned. It wasn't though, since things like that just happened, all the time.

The rest of the day was perfectly normal for her, right up until the moment that she pulled onto Keeley's street, parking a ways away from her house, so that she'd be in a legal parking zone. After all, she really didn't want to get a ticket. Not for something stupid that just being careful, and not too lazy would have prevented.

The thing that changed first was inside of her. She felt... giddy. Happy and amazed that anyone was actually bothering to do that sort of thing for her. It was ridiculous, at the same time, trying to come up with a fake date, to make a boy jealous, so that he'd notice her and not the really hot girl he liked? It didn't seem to be working at all yet, was it? If anything, he'd been avoiding her.

She didn't have any classes with him, but when she'd waved to him in the hall, like she always did, he didn't nod back or smile, just pretending that he didn't notice her at all. It left her feeling sad, but she didn't know how to fix it. Maybe he was mad because of all the rumors about her? He was a pretty honorable person, and that might be enough to ruin things. Not that she had anything left to destroy there.

So that was the mood she was in, sad and giddy, both at the same time, when she got to the door and knocked. It was Sherri who opened the door. She was nice looking, but an awful lot like an older version of Keeley. About twenty pounds heavier, but the same basic coloration, brown hair and dark eyes, with the same features really. It probably meant that she was better looking than Becky would ever be, but she was also really nice.

"There you are Becky! So good to see you. The others are setting up in Keeley's room, so they won't accidently get anything on my sofa." She closed the door, then took the girl by both arms, smiling, but holding her back, so that she could look at her.

"Wow, you look great." She didn't talk about the weight loss directly, but Becky got what the woman meant. Just six months before she'd looked pretty different that way, hadn't she? "You know the way?"

Becky nodded, and was let go, the woman heading back to her own office to work. That this had to be one of the busiest days of the year for her just made sense. Floral arrangements... She could see it.

Inside the closed bedroom door there were hushed voices, chatting pleasantly about something, it sounded like the voice with the accent wanted Keeley to come to a ball, for some fun. Or to bring the ball to her? That was probably just a language confusion thing. She knocked, trying not to be the creepy kind of person that listened at doors.

"Come in!"

When she opened the door, she expected to see Keeley's room. Perhaps with a chair from the kitchen set up, so that they could work on her. Instead it was an empty space, with that chair, but everything else being gone except the carpet. There was, she realized, a mirror, on the same side of the room as the door, with lights all the way around it. That and some standing spot lights, as if they were planning to take pictures of her or something.

The other woman, Bente, was perfect. She looked almost unreal standing there, in a loose shirt that had cuffs that fastened down to keep them out of the way, and blue jeans. They fit perfectly too. Following the line of her leg without being tight at any point. The woman noticed her looking, but didn't blush, just walking over and putting a hand under Becky's chin, to lift her head.

At first she expected to see disappointment in the other woman's face, but she just smiled a bit and nodded.

"A challenge, truly." Then she looked over at Keeley. "Or she would be, if we demanded her to take the stage in Milan this evening. Give her three months, and a bit of guidance and she could do it." Then she orientated on Becky again, without missing a beat, moving her back toward the chair, guiding her by the shoulders. "Miss Becky... I am Bente. I will make you beautiful. You have, tonight, a date, yes? With a lovely boy? I have seen his pictures. I will make you his equal, or better. Now, strip." She clapped her hands, which seemed demanding.

Keeley waved at her.

"It's part of the whole thing. Don't worry, she'll hardly feel you up at all."

Bente looked at the pretty girl and shrugged.

"Do not tell me how to do my job. Clothing off, now. We need to get you ready..."

It was embarrassing, and the woman examined her body so closely that she really felt a bit violated, but after a bit she just nodded.

"You have lost much weight lately? Very good. It shows, but not too badly. We need to trim some hair, here and there, so that your date will know that you're welcoming him, and not sending the wrong signals. Keeley, can you bring the table in?"

It had wheels and Becky was supposed to just sit there, baffled, it seemed, while it was all taking place. When the gray-blue thing was set up, Bente patted it and then looked exasperated.

"Well? Hurry, please, we've but a few hours!" She didn't sound mean, really, but bossy and like she expected to be listened to.

Then the woman totally violated what Keeley had said about feeling her up and shaved most of her body for her, then trimming her bikini area. She didn't ask, or pretend that it was some kind of delicate thing either. She just dove in, her eyes narrowed and focused.

Finally she stood back.

"There. You will feel no shame when your lover unwraps you for the first time. Now, the face and hair. Girl, Keeley, aid me in this?" She didn't snap her fingers, but the movement was so well implied in the words that she may as well have.

It took hours to get everything around, and it was all selected for her. Her hair was up, and had a bit of curl to it, but not so much it looked permed. Her face... When they let her look in the mirror, she just stared for a bit. It was her, only it wasn't.

"I look..." She didn't have the words, but Bente did.

"Not too bad. We could make you look even better, but this evening is only about capturing the attention of a few young men, not turning them into your personal playthings. Not yet. We can work on that later? Lose the rest of the weight first however, forty more pounds? Or do you think that a slightly heavier look is finally coming back? I would like that, half my girls are starving to death at any given time, with the current trends."

Keeley waved at the mirror.

"Probably about twenty. What did you have planned, Becks?"

"Um, about thirty more? I'm not trying to be a model, I mean..." She blushed, and it showed through the makeup, which meant it wasn't nearly as heavy as she'd thought. "Um, actress, and..."

What she wanted to say was that she knew she wasn't good looking enough for that, but the fashion designer just nodded.

"That's about right then. Thin, but not a mere clothing rack. Now, we need to dress you. Please know, these are not fashions that I designed. They're... well, they should fit with the mood for the evening. I recommend burning them when it's done?"

The woman helped her into a light pink bra, showing her how to fit it properly and making her try four different ones before she was happy with it. It felt better than what she'd been doing for years, which was a bit of a shock. She hadn't known there was a right or wrong way of doing that.

The lacy underwear was both small and pink, and had a cute enough feeling to them that Darla would probably approve. They made her feel sexy, though she didn't admit it to the other two. For one thing, they didn't ask, though in the mirror she didn't look that bad, really.

Then the clothing came and it was pretty normal. Nice, but nothing that couldn't have been gotten at a Wal-Mart really. A dark skirt and light top, with no stockings, since Bente decided she didn't need them.

"Not for this. Now, go forth and make us proud little bird. Seduce all the young men and leave their hearts crying for your return."

With that, Keeley took her by the hand, and pulled her from the room.

Chapter nine

It was very nearly not fair how little time it took for Keeley to change and do her makeup after that. Becky didn't notice Bente leaving, but when she walked back to the bedroom, the place had been set back up, with a bed and everything, and the woman was gone. For all that she'd seemed a bit prissy and demanding, the lady clearly liked to have everything in its place. It was probably why she was so good at her job. The mirror was gone too, leaving a computer table instead.

Shaking her head she moved back to the living room, sitting carefully, so that her face wouldn't accidently even come close to the fabric of the sofa. Becky didn't know what would happen if she did that, but it probably wouldn't be good. Not with Keeley's mom being such a neat freak.

The other girl looked at least as good as she did, even having taken care of it all herself, though she was dressed down just a bit, wearing clothing that was nice, but not as dressy as what Becky had on herself. Then, after looking at her wrist, which was totally bare, she pointed at the front door.

"They should be here... now." Nothing happened of course, so they went to sit down, just as the knock came.

Becky grinned, "Okay, so that wasn't too bad. How do I look?"

Keeley actually examined her and winked.

"Good enough that everyone will be checking you out all night. Here we go." She sounded happy enough about it, and hurried across the room, getting the door open before anyone would have to try pounding on it.

There were two men there, or boys. Really it was hard to tell. The shorter one, on the left, was dressed nicely, but had some lines at the corners of his eyes. They weren't enough to make him look old, but he was a bit too light colored for them to just be from constant squinting in the sun, either. The other one...

Practically glowed. He was about her age, more or less, and had perfect blond hair and blue eyes that were a deep color that drew her in. He was fit, tall and lean, and really did look like he should have been in a movie. As the male lead.

He stared at her too, making solid eye contact that left her feeling a bit weak. In a good way. If she hadn't already been in love, with Mitch, she could have very easily entertained the idea of love at first sight with him.

He took a few steps towards her, not even glancing at Keeley, which made her like him already.

"Why, hello. Are you Becky? I'm Kyle, your date for the evening? If Keeley had told me you were so hot I would have insisted on it being a real date, instead of just trying to make this other guy jealous."

Kyle, marvel that he was, took her hand, shaking it, but not letting go soon enough, his warm dry grip lingering. Finally he started a bit and looked away, embarrassed, letting go of her. He looked back almost instantly though.

It didn't take long for Keeley to nudge her shoulder a bit, leaning in gently.

"Darla did warn you to have on cute underwear. Did you think we were kidding?"

She hadn't realized it until she saw him, but Becky really had. Even the other guy, Zack, would have been a surprise really, as far as a blind date went. He was nice enough looking that it wouldn't have been bad at all. Kyle was like something that should be kept under glass and protected. Her stomach was flipping a little inside, in ways that were far too ticklish to be bad.

Then Keeley sighed.

"We should probably head out a bit early. All of the games have been moved to school nights. Not that I know why they decided to put the early season games on Thursdays this year. Or, well, I have some guesses, which all involve a string of murders that took place a few months ago, and trying to keep the city's youths under control. If that's the plan, it's a horrible one, of course. It just means that even more people will be off running around without direction tomorrow, but what can we do? Mitch needs to be schooled, and tonight is when the school district decided it should be done." She sounded a little funny, like she was trying to seem more grown up.

Becky glanced at Zack and thought she understood. He was older. At least in his twenties, and couldn't be all that enthused about being part of their little game with some high school boy. Really, that he'd been willing to come at all was kind of amazing.

Keeley patted everyone, letting her own hand linger on her boyfriend's back, walking with him to her car. That part was a bit strange, but not too much so. The boys had probably just parked further away and weren't from the area, so they didn't want to drive. Keeley was good at it anyway and her car, while not some kind of limo or sports car, was definitely quieter than Becky's was. Neither of the guys even looked at it funny.

Next to her in the back seat, the cute boy reached out and touched her right arm. It was just to get her attention, but still felt friendly.

"So, what are my odds of getting you to forget this date isn't real? I can throw in something to sweeten the deal if you want. Do you want to see Zack dance? I've never seen it, but he claims it's a horrible thing to be exposed to." It took a while for him to get his fingers back, and they rubbed just a bit as he did.

"I... probably shouldn't. Not that it isn't tempting. I mean, you're... yeah. I've done so much work to try and get Mitch to pay attention to me now that it feels like cheating, even thinking about it."

That got a knowing look from the boy, who was probably pretty used to girls saying yes, after all. She wanted to. It wouldn't be hard at all, really.

"That's probably fair. If he's not smart enough to grab you from me and run off before the end of this tonight, you should keep me in mind. I hear tell that I'm a decent conversationalist. True, most of the women saying that aren't in it to hear me talk, but you could be the first."

The words were strange, spoken in a low tone, but one that held play, instead of ego. He was clearly just goofing around with her. It was just so... nice. He kept actually paying attention to her, which meant that when Keeley started talking, the words took her by surprise.

"Mitch does the game announcements for the home events. I'll strategically seat us so that he can't help but notice his hot friend, Becky, sitting with Kyle. Zack, we need to hold hands and make it really clear that this is the most special Valentine's Day ever. I have some props in the back for that. Mitch has taken it into his head to like me, not seeing that Becky is clearly the better choice. The idea is to make her look valuable, and me very taken. Then, after the game, we're all going out to King's Burgers, which is a local place. Not really nice enough for a date, but Gary, another friend of ours, has made a point of getting everyone, including the announcer and the sound crew, to head out there after every game so far this season. That's where Zack and I will leave for a while, so that you two can be 'alone' and really turn the heat up. Tonight the plan is for Mitch to notice it. Pull out the stops, Kyle. Or at least half of them. King's is a family place after all."

Her voice was still being fake old, but the words made sense, so Becky nodded a bit, moving back from Kyle, if not enough really. She could still smell him. Like a fine musk and aftershave, but nothing all that strong. It was nice and meant that, fake date or not, he'd actually cared enough to make it seem real.

In the front, his voice low, Zack said something, but she was momentarily distracted by Kyle, who touched her arm again. Leaning in, he laughed, which was a very low chuckle, meant only for her.

"Ah, the lovebirds. We need to do that too, don't you think? If we want this guy to be jealous and not just think I'm your cousin from out of state."

It was a point, and a good enough excuse to have his attention, so Becky wasn't going to fight against the idea too hard. Really... If it wasn't for the whole Mitch thing, this situation would be really nice.

After Keeley parked, nearer the building than she normally would have, since almost no one was there, the event being held in the gym, Kyle helped her out of the car, as Keeley jogged around to the back of it, getting her some flowers.

"Props. I got my mom to make them for us. It will make it clear that these guys aren't just for decoration. Mine are nicer, since, you get the idea, Zack actually has a job." She wasn't catty about it, and the difference wasn't that great. Hers had an array of flowers, with a single red rose in the center. That got Kyle to lean in, taking her hand as they slowly walked into the building.

Keeley and Zack were doing about the same, but the girl was a little clingy with him. Her hands didn't stray anywhere too naughty, but it was clear that she was barely keeping herself from ripping his clothes off. That was probably what she needed to do as well, with her own date. It was a bit hard though, since she didn't want to lead him on, promising anything that she wasn't going to deliver later.

Even if she wanted to.

That wasn't a big problem, since Kyle was wonderful, treating her like she was the only thing that existed practically. It had to show, even as they stood in the very short line to get their tickets. It was Maria who took their money, her face in a flat smile, until she saw her and Kyle together.

"Uh... Hi! Becky! I didn't know you were coming. You look..." She didn't say anything, but Keeley leaned in after Zack passed the money over for all of them.

"Maria! We should get together soon, just you and I. Go and do something fun?"

"Sure..." She seemed in a slight bit of shock, but passed the tickets along without comment. They ended up almost directly behind where Mitch and Cory sat, which would make it harder for him to pick up on who was there, she thought. It was apparently all part of the plan.

Keeley nodded at his back, then she looked at the flowers they each held.

"It's a bit obvious, but I doubt that Mitch will pick up on it that clearly. He's a bright boy, but not the kind to think of anyone as trying to trick him like this."

Becky could see that. It was still like something out of a sit-com. That or a romantic comedy. She was there, trying her hardest to get Mitch, the oblivious boy, to notice her, while right next to her was Kyle, and next to him, Cory, both of whom, if not for that pesky bit of a crush she had, would have been better options. They were both willing to see her as a person, for one thing.

Kyle kept proving that at the moment too, gazing at her in a way that went beyond flirtation. He looked adoring, really. It was flattering, and a bit scary. She could really see herself doing something foolish with him, if given half a chance.

Zack half stood and waved, his face going into a big smile.

"Hally!"

The cheerleaders down on the floor all turned around, and several waved to them, Hally seemed happy enough to see them, but her face fell just a bit, as she noticed that Zack was sitting as close as he was to Keeley. Almost right on top of her. Then she turned away, a bit stiffly. The others didn't, looking at Kyle, and, she realized, her.

Zack's voice changed a bit, going lower and sounding slightly sexy.

"Are you and Hally doing it? Because if so, I totally want in on the three-way action there." He didn't seem to be teasing either, which got Becky to feel a bit embarrassed for Keeley. After all, her boyfriend was a perv.

She just giggled a bit and shrugged.

"It's not exclusive, but not known here yet either." Keeley looked around, but didn't act like it was a big deal that the guy she was with was suggesting kinky sex with her friends.

Leaning in Kyle cleared his throat.

"I promise not to suggest anything involving more than three people on the first date. It's all part of my quality assurance program." He sounded charming and his arm bumped her side gently.

"But up to three is still something that might come up?"

"Yep. After all, I don't want you to feel too hemmed in. You seem like the kind of person that appreciates adventure, so I'd better stay ready to adapt, right?"

Becky didn't know what to say. After all, was she that kind of girl? The kind that was willing to try out new things? Or was she just into being safe all the time? It was probably the second one, but the idea was oddly... interesting. Not having a real threesome, but being thought of as the kind of person that might be willing to entertain the idea.

Like she might be a tiny bit wild, deep inside.

It was almost exactly then when Cory turned and looked at them. His face fell a bit, when he saw her with Kyle, but he just shook his head, an almost imperceptible thing, and nudged Mitch, who was wearing one of his trademarked too loud Hawaiian shirts. When he turned around, his eyes found Keeley first, drinking in the scene. Zack came next and his face went still, but when he looked at her and Kyle, there was a harsher look. Almost like disgust. That couldn't be right though, could it? She looked nice. She was pretty sure of it.

Kyle smiled and leaned in, kissing her cheek a little. Then he whispered, making it look like they were doing something else.

"Bingo. One jealous 'friend' coming up. He looks miserable. You can hear it in his voice." That was coming at them from over the loud speakers, and she really couldn't tell that at all.

When he got a break and looked again, Keeley let her right hand come out, touching Becky's leg, near the knee. She wasn't looking, so it probably had been meant for Kyle, who was actually closer to her.

"Showtime, Kyle."

That was all she needed to say, it seemed like to Becky. The guy played his role really well, touching her gently, but in ways that would look far more intimate than they really were, since he kept pulling away just as Mitch turned to look at them. True, Keeley got a lot of that attention, but Kyle kept drawing him back in. Cory, for his part, didn't turn around again at all. She was probably being mean to him, she realized, if he actually liked her, like everyone had said. Including him.

After all, how would she have felt if Mitch had been the one sitting there and say, Darla, or Eve was all over him? Jealous came to mind, but it was a lot worse, since this was all fake. It meant that the guy was being hit with it all by accident. An innocent bystander to the whole thing. Mitch still didn't seem more than a bit upset either. He wasn't paying that much attention to her. He probably just couldn't, not with Keeley sitting right there, distracting him.

For a moment, just a bare hint of time, she felt mad about it all. Not at Keeley, or even Mitch, though he was clearly not treating her seriously enough and never had. No... At herself. She was letting him do this to her. It wasn't right, but it also wasn't his fault, was it? She should have started the whole thing by marching up and asking him out, three years before. If he said no, then she'd already be free of him. Instead she kept drawing it out, even while everyone around her told her that it was kind of dumb of her. Oh, they were nicer than that about it, but it was the truth.

That anger let her slip her hand into Kyle's after a bit. Not because she wanted to show Mitch, just because she wanted to. Then she nestled into him a bit. Okay, that was overdone, considering it was their first date, but he didn't pull back or anything, putting his rather nice arm around her shoulders instead.

It helped her to feel a bit calmer at least.

The game was boring, but their team won, and the girls on the floor all cheered wildly, actually using pompoms. They were in the school colors and made little sounds when they jumped and kicked. Quince had done really well, and Gary had managed to make a lot of baskets too. In the fourth quarter they didn't score much at all, those two actually being removed from the game for some reason. That was probably so the other team wouldn't go home and slit their wrists. After all, they weren't just being beaten, it was bad enough that some of them looked close to tears. It was against Wilson High too, their rivals, which meant that it had to hurt a lot more than if it had been some other school doing it to them.

Kyle kept being attentive, and a little bit more daring as they were leaving, his hand actually lingering on her behind, not a full on groping, just like he'd missed her hip a little, but she didn't think it was on accident. That was mainly because, when she turned into him a bit, he whispered to her.

"Mitch is right behind us. Try not to jump." Then his hand slid down, slowly and with clear intent, giving her just enough of a squeeze that she felt the blood running to her head. Then he let go, looking into the glass windows, seeing the reflections there. "And he's gone. What's next?"

Becky held his hand. Not the one he'd grabbed her with, but the one that went around her shoulder. It was a bit unbalanced, but they managed all right.

"King's Burgers. It's not that nice, but the food is cheap and actually pretty good."

Kyle nodded.

"And where the team will be. Right. I remember. You were managing to distract me pretty well there. I blame it all on you being so unfairly cute. I normally remember the plans, I swear." The smile he gave her was charming again, his blue eyes sparkling as he looked into hers.

The trip didn't take long, and Kyle was just attentive, but not overly friendly in the car. It was nice to have a breather, since, Becky had to admit, she was getting a little turned on by what he was doing. More than a bit. Enough that, given everything, she felt a bit panicked. Keeley had worked far too hard for her to change the plan now, hadn't she? Even Zack and Kyle had.

It was hard though, keeping her mind on her real goal. Especially since she was sort of starting to get what everyone else had meant. Mitch... He was nice and she did love him, but how much of him being that great had to do with how she felt, rather than what he actually was? They didn't have that much in common really. He liked D&D, and sci-fi show marathons. She was more interested in romances, and books. He was going to be an engineer, and she was going to be an actress, or at least a drama teacher.

It didn't make a lot of sense, when she really thought about it. If only her heart would pay attention to that idea too. It would make things a whole lot simpler.

Keeley had decided that they needed more props for King's, and actually had decorations in the back of her little car, ready to go. Balloons in the shape of shining red hearts, and more flowers. It was, as she pointed out again, way over done for a real date.

"Mitch is a boy though, so we can't afford to be too subtle, or he might miss the real point. You and Kyle should turn up the heat a bit. Nothing too friendly, since we don't want to get kicked out. Kyle, can you make it look like you're doing something naughty under the table, without letting the workers here see?"

"Um... not really. The angles are wrong. Here though..." What he did involved trading places with her, so that his body would block most of what was done, Zack was on the outside of the table as well, and when the team got there, clearly car pooling, Mitch and Cory walked in with them.

That part was thanks to Gary, she knew. He'd been including the boys for the entire season and no one had even questioned it at all. They probably thought that he was trying to get one of them into bed himself. Which one, Becky didn't know. It was an interesting enough idea, made more so by what Kyle was doing with her leg, about then.

She had to think through it all to understand what was really happening. He was, using very short strokes, petting the top of her leg with his hand, and stopping whenever anyone looked too hard. From the position of the rest of the place, which only had the sports team in it, the move looked like he was...

Using his hand to get her off, right there in public. It was a bit too much, she decided, and was going to pull his hand away rather firmly, when Mitch scowled at her and got up, leaving. That meant Cory had to chase after him, since he always rode with him.

That got Kyle to make a face and sigh, which let his hand actually fall into her lap, if only a little. He pulled it away then, smiling, as if he didn't get what had just happened.

"Too much? It looks like we lost him."

The girl across from him shook her head.

"I doubt it. The real trick now will be seeing if he calls up to question you on it Becky. If he does, then you'll need to handle it right. We can talk about it later. For now, the food is coming." It was too, and it all seemed good, except that she didn't do more than pick at it. That was just so that no one would think she was hungry, even as she sat there starving. All for Mitch, so that he'd like her.

It was so stupid that she ate half the burger, out of spite. Then she stopped herself, since, really, losing weight and keeping it off might help with her career. It might not too, but if she didn't try and put the work in, then she'd never know, would she?

On the way back home, Kyle held her hand, but on the seat, which gave the whole thing a cute and almost shy air to it. The act was over however, and she nearly said so. Really, it was nice. Here he was, actually being with her, not staring at their driver or suggesting that, as a seventh level mage, she might want to diversify into a ranged weapon using class for the next campaign. It was almost like the boy was attracted to her or something.

Zack sat up suddenly, in the front seat, and started talking his voice a bit annoyed sounding. With her, if she had the right idea.

"You know Becky... If that Mitch guy can't see how wonderful you are, maybe you should move on? Half those guys were checking you out in there, while they were sitting next to Cheerleaders, so I don't think it would be that hard for you to find someone." There was a click of teeth, as if he was biting off whatever it was that he wanted to say next. It was like he was actually struggling not to keep talking, making little gasping sounds that seemed frustrated. Highly so.

Since he'd openly suggested a three-way with Hally and Keeley earlier, she didn't think that she really wanted to know what he had to say about the rest of the night, did she? It would probably involve lube of some kind.

Still, he had a point.

"I know. You're right, but I just wish... I'm stuck, I guess. When we first met I was a bit heavier, and I kind of thought no one would want me, so I tried to be his friend, figuring that if I was near him long enough, I could get love to grow. Then Keeley comes along this year, and she went from hot nerd to even hotter trendy girl, still with straight A's... and I can't compete, can I? I should just look someplace else, but he's all I think about." Almost all. There was definitely a bit of thought moving towards the boy next to her, if she were going to be fair about it.

Zack made a sound that was almost sad.

"I bet Kyle could get you to forget him if you want. Or heck, you could just go and offer to blow the guy. If he isn't a player or anything like that, I bet that would make him like you a lot more. It would me, and I'm betting that I'm not that different from most men on that score."

It wasn't said in a way that seemed like he was suggesting anything really happen between them, but Becky felt like trying to jump out the side door to get away. It could work, if Keeley would just slow down a bit at a light. So far she'd been hitting them all perfectly.

The man, it seems, wasn't finished, but his tone did change a bit at least, which was a relief.

"Not that you really should do that. But there are ways to get his attention. You aren't a guy after all, and this friend zone stuff only holds as long as the girl isn't willing to take it to the next level. I say you use what you all did here tonight, and give him one more chance. Ask him out and flat out tell him he's getting lucky at the end. If he says no, then you have your answer. It will mean that you need to move on, even if it sucks. Of course, if he says yes, you have to do it... So, it depends on how ready you are. If you don't want to have sex with him, then it probably isn't love, right?"

There was a grunt after a bit from the front seat, on the driver's side. It didn't sound completely comfortable with the direction that the conversation was taking. It wasn't that Keeley was a prude, Becky knew that for a fact, so it was probably her own jealousy, since even to her it sounded a bit like Zack was interested in doing something more than chatting with Becky at the moment.

Maybe she was wrong on that? Becky wasn't going to claim to be an expert on the idea after all. Who knew what men thought about?

Keeley spoke, her words a bit subdued, like she was thinking about something.

"True enough. Think on that, but let's finish my plan first. Kyle, you can switch schools and come to Raintree for a half year, right?"

"If I can commute from home." The boy looked over at her and leaned in a bit, whispering. "But if I do, you at least have to consider dating me on the side. It's only fair."

She surprised herself a little, by nodding. It really was a huge thing to do, trading schools like that, just to help someone. She didn't mean it as more than that, but the guy grinned.

Keeley sighed, her voice coming out sounding almost like it had all gone as she'd planned. If so though, what was her idea to begin with?

"There we go. That should ramp up the desirability factor a good bit if nothing else. Too bad he had to leave early like that. It cut my evening in half." She said it just as she turned into the driveway of the nice single level ranch style house. It was all so clean and nice, but the blue flower van from earlier was gone.

"Well, it looks like we have the place all to ourselves. My mother said she won't be back until after midnight. Why don't you two take the living room and see if Kyle can make you do some of that forgetting? Zack and I have some things to take care of in my bedroom." From the sound of things, that was going to be more than holding hands and humming love songs.

It made her want to blush, since it was so...

Adult.

Not that making out at a friend's house was how real grownups spent their Valentine's days, was it? In that way it was about at the right level for her really. It was clear that Kyle wanted to do a little more than just hold hands too.

Becky nearly hesitated. After all, she wasn't really ready to go all the way, and wouldn't be doing that on the sofa of Keeley's mom's house, even if she was.

Still, she was ready to do a bit more than kiss, wasn't she? She was a bit miffed at Mitch for ignoring her, and didn't want to waste her entire life, waiting for him to catch a clue. After the others left the room, holding hands, she made up her mind.

It wasn't going to be sex, but it was definitely not going to be another disappointing memory either.

What that left, she didn't really know.

Chapter ten

"Uhm." Becky had sort of made up her mind, sitting next to the very pretty boy, on her friend's mother's sofa. It wasn't exactly the situation that she'd planned for however. What was she supposed to do in order to get things started? More to the point, how was she supposed to keep it all from going too far? She liked Kyle, but not enough to get pregnant by mistake.

That single thought caused a flood of possible bad events to run through her mind. What if she got a disease? Or, if she did get pregnant? Or... What if she just liked him more after they did it and she forgot all about Mitch?

That last one was the hardest for her, as stupid as it seemed, even inside her own head. After all, the guy hadn't exactly been trying to get with her over the last three years, had he? It made her sad again, thinking of it, but not for long, since Kyle smiled, his eyes just ever so slightly hooded, and ran the tips of his fingers up her bare leg. Just by the knee, so it wasn't anything too uncomfortable yet, but the way he stopped right by the hem of her skirt, it was pretty clear he was waiting for her to give some kind of signal about what was going to happen that was better than a single syllable.

"Um." She smiled, having just done it again. The boy was nice about it though and just smiled a bit larger, pulling his hand back.

"We don't have to do anything, if you don't feel like it." He was looking into her eyes, the longing so clearly there that even she got the idea. "Not that it won't be fun... if you do."

She shook her head, but it wasn't about saying no, so she took a deep breath and tried not to ruin the whole night. Just because she was new to all this. It was like everyone had been saying. A chance to have a real memory. If she was willing to step out of her comfort zone.

"I... don't have any protection." There. It was the first thing you were supposed to say, right? At least that seemed to have been what Mrs. Migilvy, the Health Studies teacher had wanted the girls to go on about. Then again, she also clearly thought that abstinence was the best way to prevent everything. That clearly wasn't wrong, but didn't really speak to the fact that people liked sex. It was the kind of idea that was doomed to fail, right from the start.

Like leaving a sandwich in front of a person that hadn't eaten for days, and then telling them not to try a bite. A delicious and tantalizing bit of tasty food, right there, served up on a plate...

Kyle nodded, but smiled at the same time.

"I do. But, you know, it's the first date, so we don't have to have sex. There's a lot of things to do first. I can do some things for you? Then, next time, you can return the favor and we can go from there? You get the idea, like real people, not a porn movie?" He made the words charming, somehow, which clearly had a lot to do with being good looking, since they should have been just slightly creepy, given the moment.

"Okay. I... Next time? You mean the plan isn't just to use me once and move on to the next conquest? I thought that was all you boys ever wanted. Especially the cute ones. Isn't that basically what Zack was saying earlier? That I should... You know, with Mitch, because he couldn't get it anywhere else?"

That got the blond to move back a bit, his t-shirt rippling over his abs just a little. It caught her attention, but he just kept looking at her, and finally shook his head.

"Yes and no. I think that he meant that guys like sex and it's pretty important to them, so it could be used to lure him in. It's not the best way to do it, but Zack... Well, it's hard to see, since he's with Keeley, but he's kind of shy and has some funny ideas about women over all. Men too, really. Sex... Yes, it can get people's attention, and help them like you better, but it's only a start. I mean, if you really love Mitch, and you have a lot in common, then you don't have to sell yourself to him for a bit of attention." There was a pause, and then a shrug. "The guy next to him, at the table, well... both times? I don't know his name."

"Cory? The shorter guy?"

"Yeah, him. He likes you. He's also better looking than Mitch. Not that looks are even close to being everything. Zach wasn't wrong though, half those basketball team members were watching you all night. Except that one guy, who was so clearly watching me that I hope he's out of the closet. Otherwise his team might just have a problem with him. Next to... Cory was it? On the not-Mitch side?" There was a smile and the boy moved a little closer. It was subtle, a shifting of weight that might have seemed accidental.

Except that it ended with a kiss.

It was a gentle brush of the lips, nothing more. It didn't end with that though, going on for nearly a minute, with each moment becoming just a little more pressing. A bit more passionate. Finally, suddenly, he pulled away.

"Not that I won't totally jump in right now. Your friend isn't playing this right at all."

"Mitch?"

"Yeah. He's let himself get confused, thinking that Keeley is the better option. She isn't. Don't get me wrong, she's nice, in her own way, and good looking, but you're worth more, in the long run." He started kissing her again, and slowly, over the course of minutes, let his hands start to work.

At first it was an almost subtle thing. It wasn't a trick, or like he was pretending she didn't notice what he was doing, it was just slightly teasing, rather than him jumping instantly to his goal. Like he actually understood that there was time to do things right, and wanted to impress her with his skill.

Not that she had any great ability to know if he was or not, but there was no fumbling, or awkwardness about it. It was smooth, and flowing, like a dance of fingers across her skin. Then, after she started to feel herself get a lot more turned on, he started to help her undress. That nearly caused her to stop, afraid suddenly.

After all, that would leave her vulnerable, naked. Literally. Except that he just unbuttoned her shirt, the white fabric showing the cute and lacy pink bra underneath, then reached behind her. That meant she had to sit forward, to let him get at the clasps. She did it without thinking, her body betraying her just a bit. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but she felt a bit like things were going too fast... Then, it had been over eighteen years in the making, so was it really?

The fabric fell away, and dropped, trapped by her shirt sleeves, but able to be moved out of the way, exposing her to the air. Her breath caught, just for a bit, as for the very first time someone touched her breast. Not through a shirt, and not by accident. It was a slow tracing of fingers, three of them, outlining her there. Delicate and caring, as Kyle's deep blue eyes looked into her gray ones.

Then there was more kissing. Very good kissing.

It was a gentle nibbling now, perfect for the moment really, as if part of a plan. The fingers that moved on her chest felt nice, but it wasn't anything that huge. A pleasant feeling, one that told her body to get ready for more, but that wasn't some epic thing, like she'd thought it might be.

The movement there stopped, and his hand found the front of her panties. That was different. It was just a rubbing at first, his palm on the moist front of the pink things, but that was far closer to what she'd expected sex to be like. It shocked her at first, making her gasp, Becky felt like her mind was numb, but she didn't protest. In fact, almost as if possessed, she felt her body rise a bit, without prompting, and pulled them down, first to her knees and then let them fall around her ankles. She was trapped, but didn't care. She wasn't trying to run from him after all. Then she spread her legs.

It was incredible.

For a long time there was only his hands on her, and then his mouth on her nipple, the right one, her world becoming only those two points, things changed, the pattern quickened, but she closed her eyes, just living the sensations. It was magical. Pivotal.

Then things peaked. She knew what that meant, having had an orgasm before. Alone, true, but often enough that she felt her body locking into a shaking mass and realized nothing she did could stop it from happening then. She didn't even care that she had to look like a moron at the moment, it felt too good to care about that sort of thing.

Then it happened, and her body tensed, quivering, releasing over and over again, as the touch lightened, but didn't go away.

For a while she just wanted to stay that way, in bliss, feeling like this, but there was a soft gasp, and it was from the wrong place in the room. Her eyes flying open, she saw Keeley standing there, looking embarrassed and shocked, and Zack... He just looked a bit blank, honestly. She scrambled for her clothing, grabbing at things and trying to stand, only to fall back, tripped by her panties. In desperation she tried to throw a hand across herself, one holding her shirt closed and the other in front of her crotch. It probably wasn't working that well.

The blood tried to rush from her head totally, but she didn't black out, which would have at least been some kind of escape from the moment.

Zack stared at her his eyes straying between her legs, but with an obvious force of will he looked up and smiled a bit.

"Don't worry. You look hot. Um, if you two are done? I need to get home. I have work in the morning." It sounded for all the world like he was talking about them ending a video game or something, not the scene that had just been playing out in front of his eyes.

Becky was about to try and pass out, having given up on covering herself properly at all, when Kyle stood and then leaned over, kissing her well enough that she forgot to be embarrassed, for nearly three whole seconds.

"Later?"

He looked at her, making direct eye contact, and didn't look away or seem bothered by the others being there at all. Then, he had his clothing on. Next time it would be his turn, she decided. After all, if she didn't kill herself later that night from shame, she had sort of promised that, hadn't she?

She nodded, still not able to speak as the others went to the door. Their backs all turned, she took the time to get dressed, doing it quickly, in case they all came back in for some reason. Keeley shut the door, with them all outside, giving her a bit of time.

It was tempting to try and dash out the back, but she had only just managed to get her shirt buttoned up when the other girl came back in, alone, thankfully. She looked at her and then the sofa and shook her head.

"I can't believe you did that, Becky."

There was a sense of shame then, the disapproval washing over her, and she started to nod, agreeing that she was an evil slut, who was going to end up drunk and wasting her life, just like her mother, when the girl kept going.

"You left a wet spot on the sofa. We need to get that cleaned up right now, before mom gets home. She would freak out. OCD, remember?" She was grinning though and ran to get the supplies for it, coming back half a minute later, since apparently things were staged around the house for easy cleaning tool access.

Becky was just standing there.

"Oh... I thought you meant, you know, with Kyle... I, Mitch and-"

That got cut off by a nod as the thin girl started to use some kind of foaming product on the damp area. She felt horribly embarrassed again, but Keeley just worked. Cleaning up the mess that she'd made.

"What? No, that part was fine. I know lesbians that would have done that with him. Several, to tell the truth. Darla did say he was special. Probably because she wants to take a shot at him herself. I mean... You do know that I set you up, right?" She didn't seem to feel guilty about it, but Becky shook her head. She really hadn't.

That got Keeley to roll her eyes a bit, turning enough so that the move wasn't missed.

"Oh, come on Becks. You think that I couldn't have gotten some other guy to play the role of jealousy making guy? The ideal person would have been Cory, but you're doing the same thing to him as Mitch is doing to you. With Kyle you could cut loose a bit and learn that you don't have to act like a nun all the time. You had fun, right? I mean, it certainly looked like you were having a good time from where I was standing." She smirked and went back to work on the couch.

Becky blushed and looked away.

"Right up to the mortifying point when I opened my eyes. You did that on purpose, didn't you? There'll probably be pictures on the internet tomorrow." She hadn't seen a camera, but it would be just her luck, wouldn't it?"

The girl shook her head.

"No, and no. I mean really, could a person plan that? You were just at the right spot when we came out. It would have made a good show, but I don't do that. Internet porn is a bit vulgar. At least for future movie stars. I should get some footage of you going down on the guy though, and hold it for ten years, so that we can release it at the height of your fame." She winked. "That will show your face the whole time. I'll make a mint." She finished what she was doing, and then blotted at the fabric of the sofa for a while to help it dry.

"Oh, funny. Yeah, let's take my new most embarrassing moment in life and make fun of it. Thanks Keels. I'll just go over here and die in the corner. Sorry about the mess that's going to  make, I'll try not to rot on the carpet." She didn't really mean it, but she was still dying a bit inside from the whole thing.

That got a shrug as the dark haired girl stood.

"Why would you be embarrassed? I was the one that interrupted you. Zack certainly didn't seem to think it was something for you to be ashamed of. In fact, he'll probably be calling you for a date. We aren't exclusive after all. As for me..." She shrugged, then walked over to her and gave Becky a hug. It wasn't a tight thing, but also didn't speak of sex, which was good, since she was already at about her personal limit of embarrassing things at the moment.

"Well, I can forgive having to clean up after you, this once. Next time throw down a towel, and come prepared."

Then, as if it only made sense, she offered to make a snack. Becky wasn't hungry at all, but agreed.

"Some of that veggie dip you made before? Or is that too much work?"

"That would only take a bit. Let's go sit and chat. After all, the plan isn't finished yet. You still have a Mitch to rope in. Plus, you really need to figure out what you're going to do with the rest of the guys." She made herself busy, pulling things from the fridge quickly. She was efficient about it, almost professional.

Distracted for a second, Becky gestured at the counter, where things were being cut with deft strokes. Peeled and diced faster than a machine could do it. Or, probably not really, but it at least had that air of the people on television that did it for a living.

"What's with all the cooking skills? Isn't that a bit, I don't know, counterproductive to the whole starving yourself thing?" It was probably too rude to say things like that, but the other girl just nodded.

"After I lost my job at Coretechs, mainly doing party planning, I got a job with a caterer that I met. It pays the car insurance. Speaking of jobs, I got word that you have my old one? Congratulations! It pays pretty well. Dan called and said that you'd be working with him from now on? Are you excited about it yet?" She smiled and kept working, but there was a bit of tension in her shoulders that hadn't been there before.

Becky just hoped it wasn't anger over her getting that old job.

"A bit. It was just offered to me, I, you aren't mad?"

Keeley didn't deny it totally, she just sighed a bit and then shook her head. "Not at you. Not even at Coretechs. My dad, Charles, the one that raised me, he didn't just run off. He embezzled nearly a half million dollars first. From Coretechs. He was an accountant there. Mrs. Gibson didn't press charges, to protect me and mom, but they couldn't let me keep on working there. It... I'm so mad at him for that. How could he do it? Worse, he just ran off and left us here." There was enough anger in her words that they shook the air a bit.

When she turned around there were tears running down her cheeks. It was the first time that Becky had seen anything like that from her really. Angry, a few times, sad and happy a lot, but not actually crying. She didn't know what to do at all, but stood, hoping that she got it at least close.

Moving carefully, since enraged and crying girl with a knife, but she hugged her. It lasted for a long time, and finally after about ten minutes, the other girl moved and got a tissue.

"It's worse for my mother. She was going to leave him, just before he ran off. Now she can't even get a divorce, because he isn't around to sign the papers. He pretty much kept her at home too, and she's really afraid of people, which that made worse over the years. Going out all the time and working with the public like she is has to be killing her. I don't know what to do." The words were slightly plaintive, but not whining at all.

Becky took a deep breath, feeling like she should have some kind of deep and soulful advice or something wise to say, but she just didn't. Nothing in her life had really prepared her for that kind of thing. Not at all.

"I wish I could help. I guess this is one of those things that you just have to get through. I know that isn't useful. I wish..." What did she want to say? It was too hard to think of anything, but the other girl used a paper towel from the metal holder under the counter and blotted at her eyes.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it. I know that there isn't a lot to be done. The Coretechs thing just brought it back for me, but that shouldn't stop you from doing the job. Or taking the scholarship. That's a pretty sweet deal. Darla mentioned it all to me. Do you want help getting things in the mail? Or making calls to colleges? That seems like a rush job."

"I know. Yes. I'd love the help. It might be impossible, but I really want to go. For one thing, I might be out of a place to live by then. My step-dad is finally getting the heck out of dodge. He might have already. They had a fight last night, but who knows what that means?"

Then, almost as if trying to change the subject, so they didn't have to talk about all the uncomfortable things they couldn't really do anything much about at all, Keeley went back to work, and finished the snack for them.

"Here we go. Low-cal, high fiber, and perfect for a late night snack. Will you be all right tomorrow? It's going to be a bit light on sleep."

She nodded. Not that it wouldn't be hard, but she'd manage it. There wasn't a lot of choice.

Keeley got to the real work then, just making suggestions, based on things that might, possibly, happen. Or not.

"So, Mitch first. He's going to call, or visit with you in the next few days. Probably feeling a bit angry or put out. Seriously... I know this will sound cold, but you should probably either send him packing, or do what Zack suggested. Tell him that you'll go down on him if he goes out with you. If you do that, he'll say yes. I don't know that you should bother going to that level, since most guys would go out with you, if that was the offer on the table. I mean movie stars and rich guys. It's more than you should have to promise just to get a date. But right now he has to be wondering what he's been missing out on with you. It's that rumor about you and Darla." She ate a single carrot stick, with nothing on it, munching it absently. "He hasn't been reacting right so far though. I would have thought he was gay or something, but he hasn't been looking at guys, just me. I think he might just be a bit immature."

She shook her head, clearly thinking about something, but not saying it out loud.

"You should go out with Cory, if that doesn't work out though. He's a great guy you know."

Something occurred to her then, going back over the events of the last week or two, thinking about what had been said and who was there the whole time.

"Wait... you've been trying to set me and Cory up the whole time, haven't you? This has never been about Mitch at all." It was a bit accusatory, but she didn't come across as sounding mean at least.

Keeley smiled and let both her eyebrows go up.

"Who me? It really kind of has been about Cory. Mitch is fine, but you can do better. Not just in looks, but in the way he treats you. You deserve respect, and to be noticed. Everyone around you has been saying that and you're locked on to the geeky bad boy that what? Represents the best you thought you could get three years ago, along with enough neglect that you never had to worry about him actually returning your feelings? That's too pop psychology, but take it from a girl that has pretty major daddy issues, you do too. True, in a slightly more sane way, but Mitch was always serious minded and there, even as he didn't really notice you and used you for free food, or whatever else he wanted that you had. A body to make a game happen, or someone to wait on him and his friends while they played. Am I wrong about all that?"

She wasn't. In fact the words could have been taken from right out of her own head. They were dead on and Becky knew it.

"But, we've done all this work with Mitch..."

"And I'm not saying you shouldn't try it. I'm just saying it isn't your best option. What do I know though? I'm mainly just trying to distract myself from my own problems really. So, there's that part of things. The other guys, what do you want to do there?"

"Other guys? Who? What other guys?"

"All of them, silly. You're pretty and popular, you're best friends with the head cheerleader, or close enough that no one will notice the difference, and you have a hunk coming in to have a casual relationship with you. Guys will notice. They already have and that means that you're going to have some offers to deal with. You need to figure out how to deal with them. You can date one guy, or even a girl if you want, or several, and just not go steady with anyone. Or you could use the Eve technique and sleep with anyone you want to at any time. I can't recommend that one really. She has some issues, ones that make ours look like child's play. I guess we all do, really. Hally is the only normal one of us that way. Even Gary... Well, gay, his dad did not take that news well. We're all driven by our pasts, in one way or another."

Becky had gotten that one from context, so just nodded.

"I don't know what to do. I... You know, I don't know how to, um, do that thing that you all keep saying I should offer Mitch." Also, apparently, she wasn't adult enough to say blowjob out loud. That was probably a sign that she wasn't really ready.

Keeley grinned.

"Hey, I never have either, or I'd show you. I bet Darla knows. We should ask and see if she can show us. Or we could ask Eve, but if you want to learn on a banana instead of a guy, I suggest we go with the first option." Then she chuckled a little bit.

It was nice then, for a while but at midnight she had to get home. The morning was coming, no matter what she did and even a few hours sleep would be better than nothing. She had work the next day, at two jobs, and not a lot of time to play around.

Keeley hugged her again, and then smiled.

Becky blinked.

"Wait, if you've never gone down on the guy... what were you and Zack doing in your bedroom that whole time?

The other girl smiled.

"Breathing exercises. It's not nearly as dirty as it sounds like either. What did you think we were doing? Plotting some kind of demonic takeover of the Earth?"

"No, um, but you know, sex. It's Valentine's Day."

That didn't get an answer, just a pat on the shoulder and a walk back to her car, as if the smaller framed girl was going to fend off any attackers that might come. The street was dead however, since it was a quiet and low crime area. She waited for Keeley to walk back into her house before pulling all the way away, and drove the nearly silent streets without incident. She was sleepy already, so moving quietly, she got into the house, trying not to wake anyone. It wasn't too hard, since no one else was there at all.

The alarm was set to the right time, so she scrubbed the makeup off her face, changed out of her clothes into an old set of pajamas, which were nice and loose on her now, the cotton things worn almost bare in places, and slept until the annoying beeping got her to open her eyes. It was a fight to get up, but she did it, hoping that there was some coffee in the place. That was hit or miss for them. If she wanted booze, there was a well stocked cabinet and the refrigerator, filled with various things. Something that would keep her awake? That was harder to find, most days.

When she came out though, there was some already made, and Mike was awake and sitting on the sofa. He'd actually shaved and looked like some water had hit him in the last day, which improved his condition a lot.

"Hey." His voice was a bit different too, subdued, but not half drunk. It was, she realized, something new. Sobriety. It looked both good and out of place on him.

"Good morning. Is this coffee sacred and only for you, or can a heathen like me steal some?" She sounded half chipper, even if it was all fake. Her eyes wanted to close on their own.

"Go to. Um, I..." There was a big pause there and the man stared at her, finally speaking in a low tone, as she turned, after getting one of the big mugs filled with coffee. She glanced in the fridge, to see if there was anything approaching milk for it, but there wasn't. In fact, the thing was nearly empty, except for some American cheese singles and a plate of something that had once been chicken, but was now green and needed to be tossed out.

Clearing his throat, Mike started again.

"I, uh, joined AA. Alcoholics Anonymous. It's a twelve step program and one of them, the eighth step, is making amends to the people that we've hurt. It's... So, do you have a few minutes?" He looked down and sighed, then glanced at the clock.

She really didn't have long, not if she was going to make getting to school on time.

"A few minutes. I really can't see that it will take longer than that. You haven't done anything to me in particular. No rape in the shower, or making me sell myself on the street when rent was coming in short." She smiled, but the man shook his head somberly.

"No, but I was supposed to be a father, not just some guy that lived here. I didn't help you when I should have. I mean, I let your car sit there for weeks, because I was too drunk to get off my butt and make sure it was fixed. I know how to do it. Heck, I used to be a mechanic for years. I also let your mother run around on me. I... This isn't about her, but that set a bad example for you. You need to know that you're worth more than that, and letting her do that... It wasn't a good thing. Just easier for me."

Then he went silent for a long time and sighed.

"Also, I held back money for booze that should have been used to give you a better life."

That it seemed, was pretty much all. So about a thousand times better than anyone else had done for her. At least until recently. Darla had helped her a lot, and Keeley had put in time, but Mike had been there for years. Day in and day out. Drunk or not.

She smiled and finished her coffee, standing. Instead of answering what he said directly, since she still couldn't see it as his fault, she put her cup away, as he clearly waited for a response.

"I'm really proud of you. Doing this. It's the right thing to do."

She couldn't think of anything else to say, so just left, hoping it was enough for now. She doubted it, but she could hope.

Chapter eleven

So, armed with that bit of information, Becky expected the rest of the day to be a bore. After all, that Mike was trying to stop drinking, and was serious enough about it to try and get help, that was huge. It was the kind of thing she would have never have even thought about. But here it was, right in front of her, leaving her unbalanced. Still, school was school and it didn't change that much.

Not until lunch, when several things took place all at once. All of them odd and strangely pressing on her, in one way or another.

First, and it was kind of a big deal to her, Marty Simmons stalked over to their table, his eyes looking upset. Not just a little, but like he was about to cry, which was really out of place on the large football player.

"Darla, tell everyone about what really happened at Darren's party! They all think I was with some guy." There was anger there, but also fear, as he looked around, thinking that he knew the real truth.

After all, there had been that note. Becky had seen it. So, very clearly, had Marty.

Darla just shrugged.

"You want everyone to really know what happened? Are you sure?" It was a bit wicked of her. More than a little. Worse, she turned to Becky and winked. That got everyone to snicker, for one reason or another.

Then before she could say anything at all, Sue walked up behind him, her right fist clenched. She was dressed like everyone else was, except for Darla and Barb. T-shirts and jeans. There were a few sweaters around, but Marty seemed surprised when the tough looking girl punched his arm.

"I can tell you what happened you jerk! I passed out and you nearly raped me on the sofa. If these girls hadn't saved me I'd be a laughing stock. Worse than that. That's what happened." Then she punched him again, and some of the guys laughed.

It wasn't a good thing though. It was the kind of sound that boys made when they thought that girls sort of deserved to be raped. A chuckle that was dark and made it seem like someone that couldn't say no was fair game. That people at the table she was sitting at were the ones doing it made Becky more than a little mad herself.

It was enough for her to run with the plan, which she did, trying to fight the anger out of her voice.

"Right, so we got him to the little back room and left him with that guy. Marty passed out and then we had to leave." It was the truth, minus the fact that there hadn't been anyone there with them.

Darla nodded.

"After that, we have no clue what happened. Why? Did something happen? I can flat out tell everyone that you weren't going to be able to do anything. You were just out."

That was true enough, so Becky nodded. He really wouldn't have been up to much.

Marty shook his head.

"No. No. I was just making out with Sue and then you came... I'd only had a few beers, not enough to make me pass out. Someone must have drugged me."

There was a gasp from down the table and Eve covered her mouth in shock and Keeley looked like she'd seen a ghost or something along those lines.

She spoke, her voice horrified. It sounded good too. Real.

"Marty... That guy then, with the red hair... He wasn't doing that to you with your permission? We thought, I mean, you know, that you wanted it. You were just sitting there..." That got Hally to seem really freaked out too, but she didn't say anything as Marty made a pretty big mistake.

"What was he doing?"

Keeley blushed and looked away, which meant Eve stepped in. The girl had no sense of shame after all. It was one of her better traits, Becky decided, since it meant she didn't crack up when she spoke, not even a little bit.

"He was blowing you. Really going to town too. I mean, I watched for a bit, since it was kind of a turn on. I got some technical pointers too. You just looked into it though. Kicked back and sprawled, you know how guys get. The whole eyes rolling back thing?" Her own eyes seemed nearly black in the dim florescent lighting, making her seem a bit otherworldly for a moment.

Instead of denying it, he just looked a bit sick and ran out, which changed the tone in the room, a lot. Other people had seen it after all and Sue was in shock.

"He was raped? I..." She didn't laugh or pretend it was funny at all, just following him.

The others all looked too shocked by the whole thing. Including the ones that Becky knew for a fact were in on it. Poor Marty.

Then again he really had been about to do much the same thing to Sue. Only for real. There was a kind of justice to it. More, it might help him learn not to let himself get too drunk, which was the real plan.

Before they could recover, as a group, Mitch walked up, standing behind her, sort of hovering over Maria, who was next to her, gamely trying to eat her sandwich. When Becky looked over he didn't glare, just glancing at her. Then Keeley. There was still longing in his eyes, but he looked away from the dark haired girl, his face blank for a bit.

"Hey, Becky, I was wondering if I could have a word with you?" He looked around and then smiled, a little sheepishly. "Alone I mean?"

She didn't have anything to pack up, food having not been on the menu much for her anyway. Standing she waved at everyone else, her face fighting a grin. After all, Keeley had told her to be ready for this to happen. She blushed a little, since she'd also told her to let him know that she'd be willing to do stuff with him, if they went out. It...

Well, it was time for her to grow up a bit, wasn't it? She had at least some experience now, thanks to Kyle and knew that sex could be fun, without meaning she was pure evil or going to drink constantly. She decided to give it a try, as they walked out the front door of the cafeteria and out into the lawn in front of Raintree. There were a few people there, so they kept going. They weren't alone, strictly speaking, but got past the end of the building, so that no one would be able to hear them.

Mitch grinned at her, which sent a thrill through her middle.

"I heard what you all were saying, is that true?"

"What?"

"About Marty Simmons, that... You and Darla Gibson didn't take turns giving him head at that party?"

"Oh, yeah, you thought it was true? I mean, why?"

That got him to blush a bit and then shrug himself.

"I was kind of hoping that you'd both do me next. It sounds like fun. Maybe you could come over to my place, after school? My parents won't be home until five. I... Well, if you aren't doing things like that though..."

Becky nearly just said yes, and only her new job and busy schedule stopped her. It wasn't until a few seconds later that she caught something in what he'd said. It wasn't an invitation out on a date, or to go steady, or even just come and watch television, so they might have a chance to do something like that. He'd flat out asked her to come over to blow him. Just because the idea had come into his head, and he thought that she just would. Because she was only Becky.

"Wait... so, you couldn't be bothered to do more than see me once a week for months, to use my discount at work, but you hear a rumor that I might put out and you want in on it? That's the way to make a girl feel loved." She wasn't showing how upset she was yet. It was going to happen though.

Mitch was supposed to have been being better than that.

"What? We're friends, I just meant, if you wanted, I wouldn't say no." There was a lack of charm, and he seemed awkward and ungainly suddenly. His loud shirt not nearly as counter-trendy as she used to think, and his stupid camo pants just looking like he didn't care, not like he was making a statement.

"Ah. So, what about asking me out? Dating? If I blow you, will you want to date? I can't believe that everyone was right about you. You really are kind of a prick. You know what's worse? I really was going to do it. I was going to ask you out and suck you off, just so that you'd finally like me. You know what? Forget it. I'm worth more than that. You haven't seen that in me for years, and it isn't going to change now is it? I really liked you too. I mean really." She wished that she could have said that he'd changed, but that wasn't true.

She had. Somewhere in the last weeks she'd actually grown a spine, at least when it came to him.

"I... Becky, I don't know what you're talking about. We hung out occasionally, but it wasn't anything more than that. I didn't do anything to make you think that I liked you more than as a friend, did I?"

"No... That's true. Really, you barely did even that much. I'm done with this. You know what?" She turned to walk away, but then smiled and spun in place. Facing him again. "Thank you."

The boy rubbed at his slightly messy hair. It was short, but like everything about him, it was just a bit unkempt. Clean, but not as tidy as she liked. It was like she could finally see him now for what he was. A person that had never really cared for her much at all.

"For what?" At least he sounded baffled enough for her to feel good about.

"Um, well, for showing me who you really were. This was all my fault. I let you treat me like I wasn't important, just there to do things for you. Yeah, you were the one that took advantage of me, but I let it happen, and it's my responsibility to not let people abuse me like that. So, yeah, I'm not coming over to blow you. You really should have asked two years ago, before I learned all this. Self-esteem, who knew?"

Then she walked away. Not stalking, not even feeling bad about it. To tell the truth, it was like a weight had lifted from her shoulders. She was... Free.

For years she'd been locked in a prison of her own making, carrying Mitch behind her constantly, like a ball and chain, and now she just wasn't. It hadn't been instant, but even though it hurt, knowing that he didn't like her that way, it was better, somehow. Like she could move on now.

The bell rang about then, so she headed off to her next class. Wondering what the rest of the day would bring. The people in the hallway all seemed so young suddenly. Not like children, but like people that would let themselves be carried away by emotions, without trying to manage them at all. From her lofty position of being free from that, for a whole... It must have been a minute by that point, she smiled.

Then she got to work, heading to class. After all, worked up or not, she had things to do. Grades to keep up, and then work after school. She kept her head down in class, but paid attention and did what she was supposed to, wondering what would happen after school. It was sort of her first day of work at Coretechs after all. She vaguely knew where the office building was downtown. It was a huge thing, being the national headquarters.

It turned out that she didn't need to bother with that at all, since a very good looking man who seemed to be about forty, and was wearing a gray suit, with shiny black shoes. It looked expensive and out of place there. He waited for her on her own doorstep, up a flight of stairs.

"Becky? I don't know if you remember me? We met at my daughter's house on Christmas? Dan Carmichael." The hand came out smoothly, to shake. "Mrs. Gibson assigned you to me for the next few months. Mainly so that you can use one of our scholarships. Today we have some paperwork to go over. Shall we go in?"

Becky wasn't certain that was a good idea at all, not knowing what would happen inside, but the place wasn't trashed, and if not tidy, didn't reek of booze for once. Probably because it was all gone. Mike may have dumped it, she realized. Her mother was on the one good chair though, sober herself for once. Blinking at them tiredly as they walked through the door.

"Hey sweetie? Who's your friend?"

Becky nearly froze, but it wasn't a bad question, was it? She hadn't asked if this was her new sugar daddy, or suggested that they could close the door on her bedroom. Yet. Then, sizing the man up, Becky could actually see herself doing that with him. He was good looking. In a way she could see how Keeley turned out so well, between Dan and Sherri. It wasn't happening, since he was too old for her, but given her mother's life, that would be a thought that probably had to be entertained.

"This is Dan Carmichael. I got a job at Coretechs, and he's my boss. My friend Darla Gibson got her grandmother to give it to me, so that I have a shot at a scholarship. Darla is her granddaughter, so, you know, strings were pulled."

"Oh? What are you going to be doing there?"

Becky still didn't really have a clue at all. She looked at Dan, who smiled professionally, putting his nice brown briefcase on the tiny table near the kitchen.

"Public relations. Since the job itself takes several years of training to really do, Becky will be shadowing me. Call it a glorified gopher's position. Fetching coffee and making phone calls to hotels to make arrangements for guests. That sort of thing."

Her mother, never one to let a chance to ruin Becky's life for her gave the man a sly look.

"Like an intern? But she gets paid?"

"Of course. It isn't a lot, but should give her about a thousand a month after taxes. Part time, and conditional on her grades remaining high. Mrs. Gibson put that in her contract." He winked, which was probably where Keeley had gotten it from and pulled out some forms. "Which I'm not kidding about. It's actually in here. I also have the form for the scholarship and the names of a few schools that I can pull strings at to get you into."

Maggie sat up, so that she could look at both of them as they sat. She was drunk, it was clear, but not so much that it showed overly. Even to Becky she just seemed normal. She was used to seeing her that way though and when she was sober, she was different.

"Okay, so what's the flip side of this? She has to screw every dick at Coretechs or lick Gobson's musty old cunt?" She stopped, and Becky wondered if her new job was about to walk out the door, rightfully offended. If it had been her in that position, she might well have told the girl's mother that she'd just destroyed the best chance her daughter would ever have and slam her way out.

Instead, Dan chuckled.

"It's Gibson, and of course. Why else do you think we'd hire a young girl to work for us like this? Just based on the fact that Darla Gibson is her friend? Perish the thought. That's in the contract here too, see, right next to this line, what does it say..." He pretended to squint at the paper and then nodded. "Ah, yes, stop being a meddling witch and let us do our jobs... See Becky, line forty-seven?" He held the paper out for her, but the line he pointed at just said that she had to attend school, except in case of illness, in which case she'd need to see a Coretechs doctor for a checkup.

"Ohhh, it does mom... Their lawyers must be really good." She faked an awed tone of voice, but her mother just laughed, as if she'd meant it as a joke the whole time, and wasn't just being crude for some reason.

"Fine, but make sure you use enough lube, or you'll get sore."

Then she pretended they weren't there and Dan acted like it were a perfectly normal meeting. It was mainly just her filling out tax forms and school documents, as well as Dan helping her make calls to various schools. All of them agreed to expedite her applications, as long as they were sent to them directly. He actually knew the right people and had dozens of contacts that fit the situation, as odd as it seemed. That meant filling things out until just before she had to run off to her other job.

Outside the door, Dan clapped her on the shoulder. It was more fatherly than it was good looking older guy, but that was fine, given who he was.

"Good. I was worried that your mother might have thrown you off earlier. Don't worry, we're hiring you, not her. We also don't provide cute young ladies to the staff. Which doesn't mean no one will hit on you, just that you can say no and not worry about being fired."

"That's nice to know. So, do I work on Saturdays or..."

"For now. You can just go to my office tomorrow at two, on the seventeenth floor. You know the Coretechs Operations Headquarters building?"

Everyone did, so it wouldn't be too hard to find at all.

"Sure. At two." She held out her hand, to shake, knowing that it was too tentative, but hoping that it was adult enough to pass for now. She'd need to practice that.

It was going to be part of her life, doing things like that, she knew. Even actresses had to shake hands on occasion, didn't they?

Then she had to rush to change, her old uniform looser on her now than it used to be, and she walked into the place smiling, actually feeling good about herself. After all, she was free now. That hadn't changed. There was a bit of regret, since she still really liked Mitch, even knowing that he wasn't the right one for her at all, but she had a real shot at a future now. It wasn't a replacement for love, but it was something good, anyway.

It was busy when she got in, so she counted her till, and took over at the window, since Manuel was horrible at it, but good on line, making the actual food. His accent was too thick for people to understand easily. When Don came close enough, she passed him the envelope that Darla had given her, with the resignation letter.

At first she thought that he'd be mad at her for leaving, but he actually smiled.

"You got a job at Coretechs? That's impressive. Congratulations Becky! You also gave us two weeks to replace you. That's the way to do it." He cleared his throat, his assistant manager's badge flashing under the overhead lights. "You all heard that? That's the way to do it. Two weeks notice. Not five minutes before your shift, throwing a shirt at me. Thank you, Becky."

Then they all just worked. At about ten, as things slowed a little, a car drove up. It wasn't who she expected at all, since Mitch probably wasn't going to talk to her again, or if he did... well, then it would probably be awkward. Instead it was Keeley and Darla, along with Hally, Eve and Gary, with Barb tucked away in the back and, to her surprise, Rebekah.

Becky grinned.

"Oh, you all need to come in, everyone should meet Rebekah. You'll all love her. She's so cool." That got said to the rest of the crew, who, once they all traipsed in, agreed. She had her band shirt on and, today, was handing out CD's of their music. For free.

Don looked at it skeptically, and then checked the clock.

"Is it family friendly?"

The chalk white vampire looking girl nodded.

"Always. No foul language and the concepts are no more than PG-13"

"All right then, let's see if it makes our ears bleed."

It didn't. It was actually good. That kind of shocked Becky a bit. She'd been told that they were, but it was both slightly eerie, and technically proficient at the same time, as well as catchy. A few people that hadn't taken the free music before did then, including a group of kids from school that were there.

"This is awesome, where are you playing?"

That started a whole discussion, about what was going on the next night. Becky had to keep running back to the drive-through window, so she missed it when Cory came in, having walked over, apparently, since he didn't have a car. When she got back, he was talking to Keeley, Darla and Rebekah.

It was the copper haired fanged one that was touching his arm though, looking pleased.

"Ask her..." There was a head tilt to go with it.

The boy froze, but only for a bit, finally smiling.

"Say, um, Becky. I just happen to have two, very good, tickets to see The All Vampire Band tomorrow. Would you like to go with me? On a date, I mean?" He blushed, his light skin turning colors easily.

Becky thought about it. She wasn't in love with Cory, but he'd been there for her, hadn't he? Besides, it was worth taking a chance on him. He was a good guy and everyone else seemed to like him as well. Smiling, Darla nodded at her, which helped her make up her mind. After all, there was a real sense that if Becky didn't jump on him, one of these other girls would. Who could blame them for it?

"You know Cory? I'd love to. That sounds like a lot of fun."

The boy blinked, as if he'd thought she was going to say no? How big of a "B with an itch" had she been being to him? Was it like with her and Mitch? She hoped not. If she could avoid ever doing that to anyone in her life, she would.

"That's great. I can pick you up at about seven? I can borrow a car." Then he glanced at Keeley. "You don't mind, right?" It was clearly a joke, but the girl shrugged.

"Get one from Darla. Her insurance will actually cover you driving it."

That got a laugh, but also plans made.

Then, almost as if everything was decided in her life, Becky went back to work. It was different, and a lot of things were about to change, but she felt good about it.

For one thing, no matter what else happened, she was finally out of the friend zone, and would make sure that never happened to her again.

As everyone had been telling her, she was just worth more than that.

It wasn't until after work, when she went to her car, that she found Darla there, parked next to her, waiting.

"So, it seems like Keeley's plan was a bust?" She smirked a little her pretty face outlined dramatically in the glow of the streetlight across the parking lot.

"Was it? I think it went exactly the way she intended it to. The girl has skills that way, I think." Becky paused, and then shook her head. "Do you think that life is always like this? I mean, ending and beginning all at the same time? I get a new job, and the old one is done. I graduate from high school, and college begins. If I'm lucky at least. Thanks by the way. For talking to your grandmother about me. No one gets chances like this, do they? Not in real life."

Darla shrugged, the sweater she was wearing barely moving, it was such a tiny gesture.

"Yeah. Things end, but new things always come along. It can be a pain, but we deal. So, anyway, are we on for tomorrow morning? Running? Those pounds won't work themselves off."

Becky puffed her cheeks out and made a bit of a face.

"Naturally. At your place? Say at about ten? I have to be done by one or so, or I'll be late to work."

At her new job.

Darla agreed and got into her little red convertible, driving away carefully, the thing barely making any noise at all.

Becky did the same. It was a noisier trip, and bumpier, just like her life. Things went wrong and were far from perfect, sometimes they broke and had to be fixed, but she had choices to make and chances, if she took them.

It was like with Mitch. Cory and Kyle too. They were each a choice for her, and a possibility. Not all of them would work out, and maybe none of them would, but sitting back and letting herself think that she didn't have opportunities wouldn't help.

Then she drove home, knowing that the next day was going to be interesting, no matter what happened. Most days were.

Anymore.

Afterword

(A note from the author)

If you enjoyed this book, and want to see more of Becky, Keeley, Darla, and the gang, you should read the Keeley Thomson, and Other Places series. Yes, two whole series of reading enjoyment! Then re-read this one, because if you haven't done it yet, you'll find hundreds of things to be far different than you thought they were the first time through!

Also, if you want to find out more about upcoming books, or to chat with me, you can do that on the Amazon.com authors section chat area for P.S. Power. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Thanks.

P.S. Power

Other Books

By

P.S. Power

Young Ancients:

(Tor)

The Builder

Knight Esquire

Knight of the Realm

Ambassador

Counselor

Slave Line

Ancient Kings

(Timon)

The Dark Half of the Sun

Lord of the Sky

(Tiera)

A Simple Darkness

The Silence within

The Infected:

Proxy

Gabriel

Cast Iron

Proxy: Reunions

Cellophane

Goblin

Dead End:

A Very Good Man

A Very Good Neighbor

A Very Good Thing

A Very Dark Place

Gwen Farris:

Abominations

Monsters

Strangers and Lies

Keeley Thomson:

Demon Girl

Keelzebub

Mistress of Souls

Demon Trap

Related works:

Christmas of the Vampire

Other Places:

Shortcuts

Road Blocks

The Lament:

Without Rhythm

Stand Alone Novels:

Crayons

An Unrelenting Terror

Friendzoned

Table of Contents

- Chapter one
- Chapter two
- Chapter three
- Chapter four
- Chapter five
- Chapter six
- Chapter seven
- Chapter eight
- Chapter nine
- Chapter ten
- Chapter eleven