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"Danielle?"

I stop in my tracks. The odds of him being back home in Wilmette the same time as I was very slim.......or so I thought. Apparently not.

"Danielle Wheeler?" He asks again as if he didn't already know.

I let out a sigh. I slowly start to turn towards him. "Hey Pete." I say meekly.

Pete makes his way towards me as my heart beats faster ad faster with each of his steps. I can feel my hands get clammy. "Wow. It's been a while."

I swallow nervously and find my voice. "That it has."

"What are you doing here? My mom said you moved to New York."

"I did. What are you doing here? Aren't you on tour?"

"We're in Chicago for a couple days. We have a show tomorrow night and Thursday."

I nod. "My sister's having her baby really soon. So I wanted to be here when it happens."

"Yeah. I heard about that. How crazy is it that your baby sister-"

"Is married and having a kid before her big sister." I finish his sentence. "Yeah, pretty crazy." Crazy indeed. My barely 23 year old sister is married and expecting while I'm pushing 27 and not even in a serious relationship. Hell, my dating life is pretty much non-existent. I've use the ever so popular and pathetic "I'm concentrating on my career right now." Truth is, there's only been one guy who stole my heart, he just never really knew what to do with it. That and I've been out of the game so long, I wouldn't even know where to start.

"I remember when she used to follow you around everywhere dragging her 'blankie' behind her."

I chuckle; the nervousness subsiding. "Yeah, I hated that back then. Now, I'd give anything to get it back. I don't get to see her as much as I want."

"I suppose there's rarely family time for the hot-shot-New-York career woman." He smiles. He's always had a great smile. Well, I take that back. After he got his braces, he had a great smile: one of those heart melting ones. The one that little girls now swoon over.

"Not really. I suppose the same is for you, Mr. Big-time rock star."

He starts to blush. If there was one thing I knew about Peter, it's that he'll turn 10 shades of red when he's embarrassed. "I wouldn't say I'm a rock star. I'm just a musician."

"Don't be so modest. Thousands of people want to be and do you." He laughs, so I couldn't help but join him.

"I don't know about that, but as for the family thing: not as much as I'd like, but I do see them. I take Andrew out on the road once in a while."

"Awww. Andrew. I haven't seen him in forever. How is he now?"

"A pothead. That damn hippy."

I laugh again. "Well, he has you as an older brother. So that explains everything." I smile mockingly.

"Ha ha."

I smile at him. I didn't realize till now, but I've definitely missed my little Atari man. "God, it's been so long since we've been like this. It's been-:

"5 years."

"5 years." I repeat. "Wow. That seems like a lifetime ago."

"Not really. I remember that time like it was yesterday."

"Oh yeah?" He nods. "Like what?"

"Like the time I went down Old Piedmont's hill on my skateboard and you took care of me when I was bruised and battered."

I snigger at the memory. "Oh yeah. You were such an idiot at 17."

"At 17? I recall being an idiot well before and after 17."

"True." I smirk. "You know what I remember?"

"What?"

"Your dreads."

"Oh God." He covers his face in embarrassment. "What the hell was I thinking?"

"It was in back then. I guess you wanted to be scene." I laugh in recollection. "I hated those damn dreads. I actually almost cut them off one night. "

"What?"

"Yeah. I cut one but I had a change of heart. I couldn't finish. I've never been good at finishing things."

"Tell me about tit. Remember that one time you tried to cut your own hair. You cut one half but then you got scared. You didn't even finish the other side." He starts laughing hysterically.

I join him. "Shut up! I was terrified. I couldn't do it anymore. What about you? Remember the time you were going to put a flaming doody on grouchy Mrs. Altenberg's porch but you froze. She caught you standing there and she started hitting you with her throw pillow."

"That wasn't funny. I was scared shitless!"

I haven't laughed this hard in years, well since the last time me and Peter hung out. The Pete and Danielle years were the best years of my life, but also my worst. That doesn't even make sense, but I'll just keep it at the best years.

"Hey, since we're both in town, why don't we go to dinner? Hang out like the old days." Peter asks hopefully.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Actually I know that it's not a good idea.

"Why not?"

"We didn't leave on the best terms." Bad terms were more like it.

"Well, that was the past. We were kids then."

"We were 21."

"Ok......immature adults-"

"Speak for yourself." I smile to show that I'm joking.

"Please? I've missed you Dani Boy." He pouts.

I smile. "I've missed you too Peterpanda. And I'm a little pissed that everyone is using my nickname for you." I pout just as he did before.

He grins brightly. "Good. Well, then it's settled. Me-you dinner at 6. You staying at your mom's?

"I am."

"Great. I'll pick you up there. We'll go to our usual."

I smile sweetly. I haven't been there in years. "Mana's. Oh, I can so go for some chili fires."

"It's all about shakes. Hey, I gotta go. The boys and I have a small interview to do right now. So, I'll see you later?"

"Of course."

He smiles again. Geez, we've been doing that a lot. He comes closer and envelopes me in a hug. It's definitely great to be in his arms again "It's so good to see you again. So good."

"You too." I say, still attached to him.

We both pull back. "I'll see you later." He gives me a cheeky grin before he turns around and makes his way to his sister's purple Ford Escort. He gives me a wave before he pulls away.

I stand in the same spot in disbelief. I never though that it would happen again: Peter mother fucking Wentz is back in my life.