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PATRICK AND I waited patiently by the tree in the courtyard, but Andy never showed up. I bit my lip and shrugged. "Looks like he's not coming back," I said as Patrick checked his watch.

Patrick agreed. "Yeah. I can't believe they didn't find out who did it."

"Yeah," I said, running my hands through my hair. "So you really can't come to the party tonight?"

"Uh, unfortunately," Patrick swallowed. "I have to watch my little brother."

He was speaking fast again, in that way that told me he was avoiding telling me the truth, but again I pretended like I hadn't noticed.

"Are you excited?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah," I said, unsure of what else to say in this situation. "I am."

"Hey!" I looked around and watched as Allie came walking up to us with one of her friends, I think her name was Elizabeth or something, she never really talked, just looked down her nose at us whenever she was around.

She stared at Patrick for a second, his face became pale as he caught eyes with her and then he looked at his shoes. I had the feeling he was about to bolt again; I found myself shifting my body in front of him protectively.

"Hi Patrick," Allie said after a second, and then acted like she hadn't seen him at all.

"Hi," Patrick swallowed.

Allie turned to me. "So where's Jan?"

"Somebody vandalized the art room and Jan got suspended."

Allie tilted her head. "For real?"

"Yeah, we have no idea who did it." I had my suspicions, but I couldn't say anything for sure, especially since Andy and Jan were half convinced Gary wasn't it.

"That sucks," was all Allie had to say.

The bell rang just then and I looked at Patrick. "Well, we gotta go, we're late for class. C'mon Patrick." I said this mostly to make sure he wouldn't just stand there being awkward, because he hadn't said a word. He looked relieved. "Yeah,"

I said a quick goodbye to Allie and Elizabeth, who had just stood there looking away from us.

Allie flipped her dirty blonde hair and smiled at Patrick, calling goodbye to him and I barley heard the mumbled goodbye back from him.

I wanted to ask what was wrong, but the second we were out of their earshot Patrick told me his class was on the other side of campus and he didn't want me to be late, and took off, walking as fast as his short legs could take him. Slightly dumbfounded, I walked alone to class and remembered I hadn't asked him if he'd be in guitar, but I probably knew the answer.

Unsurprisingly, I sat in guitar class waiting for the bell to ring. Seeing as Patrick wasn't showing up, and I was partner-less, I talked Mr. Marcus into letting me talk to the counselor in the office. I asked if there was a possibility I could switch classes seeing as my arm made my current class a waste of time. She regretfully told me that the classes were mostly full and it might be hard to get me into the class. I persisted and she told me now wasn't a good time to meet with the art director, and that I'd have to try again Monday. I thought of mentioning Jan but seeing as the current situation looked like she had a grudge against the art director, I decided against it.

The class had ended, and Andy had met me as usual in the parking lot after school, waiting with Allie and Bob and two of Bob's friends. Andy was still moody over the situation with Jan, I could tell by his more than usually potent silence, he just smoked a cigarette and blasted Slayer on the way home. I couldn't blame him, the thought of not having my bubbly new friend to distract me over the next week was depressing, but he had seen my slight pout and assured me that she would see me tonight, even though she was now grounded. Andy also explained that grounded was a very loosely used term in his household, it meant Jan better get good grades in her classes and her mom would lay off her.

He surprised me by telling me we were going to Pick Me Up after scooping Jan up from her house, getting our well-deserved vegan-friendly (and in my case, bacon friendly) on in Jan's favor. She needed cheering up. It was a wonder she wasn't her usual self, I had the feeling if she was she would be raring to tear whoever's throat out had caused all this. Jan may be a positive person, but I could tell what she had on her mind tonight was forgetting today.

Andy and Bob got picked up by their guitarist early to go to Patrick's house and get the amps, and Jan took the van and we went to her house with Allie, sitting around in her room giving each other makeovers for the party tonight. It was about then that Jan decided we were dying my hair; i had mentioned wanting to change it a little, and she pounced on the opportunity. I wasn't one to object to her little project if it meant cheering her up. So we went to Sally's Beauty Supply, just walking because her house was very close downtown. Jan using her frequent shopper's card, bought a pack of bleach, bottle of developer and a candy colored one and went to work. When we emerged from the bathroom, Jan styled my hair and let me look in the mirror, and I couldn't help but smile and admire my new hair, perfectly cut and styled with sidebangs ("Let me cut your hair, I do it all the time on my own, I swear." Jan held up a hand.) and purple streaks peeking through the dark brown.

I jumped her with excited thanks and she expelled a satisfied sigh. "Alright, let's take you home so you can sneak back out."

About this time, it was 9 at night; I had called Maryann's number from Jan's house phone and let her know I was at my friend Jan's house, and she got impatient. "Is that the same Jan's house you were over at yesterday? i would like to meet her,"

I held back a sigh. I usually hated having people watch over my every move, like they had in the home I used to be confined to; it was like prison but with school; but at least I was used to it, so I told her she was dropping me off now.

When I got there, I lead Jan up the steps and gave her an assurance that this would be quick. I was kind of glad Allie had gone home first, she forever smelled like cigarettes and would have thought this was all kind of stupid, but Jan was kind about it. Jan was an expert at meeting people's parents or guardians, as I was about to find out.

When we first walked in, Maryann's eyes went wide at seeing my hair, but Jan had poured on the charm and innocence when talking to Maryann, who was being diplomatic about the whole thing and pretty soon she was just smiling in her motherly way and she even told me she liked my hair. Jan told her she was sorry for keeping me yesterday, we had been working on a school project at her house. I wanted to bust into laughter at how good Jan was at this, and pretty soon Maryann said she was fine with us hanging out.

I walked with Jan back out to the van, she got in the seat, sitting sideways to talk to me as I stood next to her against the door.

"The house, its actually really close to here. I'll come get you at about 15 to midnight. Make sure you're ready cause I can't call you." She flipped her phone out and checked the vibrating. "I gotta go, Andy needs the van. You're gonna sneak out right?"

She quickly sized up the side of the house I had pointed out was mine. "How you gonna do it?"

"I'll worry about that," I told her. "You're gonna have a good time tonight, I'll make sure of it."

Jan gave me a grateful smile and climbed in, roaring the engine to life. "Thanks, Videl. See you," she winked and pulled out of the drive and took off into the twilight.

*


Dinners in this family were not family affairs; everyone kind of went off in their own direction, and I couldn't blame them. With all the things just Natalie and her little brother Joshua were involved in, it was just a minor scale of what her mother was in. Her father worked in hard labor and sun when he wasn't running things in an office, and he worked long hours, so I rarely saw him. It was just after I had finished eating the Sloppy Joe Maryann had saved me in the oven, I hadn't seen Natalie or her dad, I was sitting in my room drawing and trying not go get my head too wrapped around thoughts, but I was mostly too full of nerves about tonight to sit still long.

At about a quarter to 12, I finally heard the television downstairs shut off, meaning that plain and accountable Mr. Chover was going to bed. Maryann had been in bed, reading as she usually did and had gone out at about 10. Natalie was in her room after she had come home from her friend's. This family was so predictable. Instead of feeling like I didn't belong, the more apparent feeling was that they left me alone for the most part, something I wasn't accustomed to. Or maybe they were just snaring the trap to lure me in for when they revealed their true intentions; they were in some satanic cult and I was to be a virgin sacrifice or something.

Yes, I have just admitted I am a virgin. But that doesn't mean I'm inexperienced or naive. It's harder to explain.

Instead of running down that track, which my mind was known to do, I rolled off the bed and changed out of the pajama pants and tank top I had put on, slipped on my black jeans and my favorite Descendents shirt, sitting in front of the vanity Maryann had given me (an old one of Natalie's) and touching up my eyeliner and mascara with the new mascara Jan had given me.

I glanced out the window and sat waiting, finally seeing the long and slender silhouette being cast on the concrete by a shadow approaching. A few seconds later Jan appeared under the lamp light.

I pushed the window up (I had already spent time the previous day making sure the screen was loose and the window was noiseless) and stuck my head out, waving at her.

She waved and I grinned, then bit my lip. Now came the tricky part.

Showtime.

"What're you doing!" Jan asked in a loud whisper, sizing up the house.

I shrugged. "I don't know!" I said as I climbed out the window as quietly as I could, closed it behind me and crouched low as I made my way to the edge of the roof.

"How are you gonna get down?"

"Dare me."

"What?" Jan laughed loudly. "Okay, I dare you."

All I really had to do was convince myself that Jan had dared me to do it; then it became a challenge I knew I would defeat. I scaled expertly down the side of the house; the window to the garage made for a nice foothold and when I had both the toes of my shoes on it, it was about a 6 foot drop; I hopped squarely into the bush below and emerged unscathed from the scratchy leaves in less than 7 seconds.

Jan was chuckling as I trotted up to her, arms triumphant above my head.

"I didn't think you would do it," She said in amazement.

"You dared me." I said with another shrug, and that was my only explanation.

"You are crazy, you know that?" She laughed, putting her arm around my shoulders and leading the way.

♠ ♠ ♠
7seconds. Love that band. who got that? wink wink

sort of a filler; I broke this into two chapters because I just go nuts with the word count sometimes. New chapter will be posted tonight or tomorrow.

What the hell is gonna happen? -evil grin-

xoxo Videl