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"So when are you going to Donna's?" Kara asked as they drove towards the school.
"Before dinner I think. It depends on when Liv drops Elle off." Kelly applied some lip gloss then closed the vanity mirror and sat back.
"Gettin' all pretty for Luke?" Kara teased.
"No" Kelly said angrily.
"Whoa what's wrong?" Kara asked.
"He called me last night and asked me to go to a movie with him."
"That's good, right?" Kara wasn't following the conversation at all
"He asked for tonight. I'm going to Gram’s house."
"Oh" Kara said, "So you could still go."
"No I can't. I’m supposed to be visiting Gram. It wouldn't be very nice if I ran off on a date. Besides I'm not sure how Elle's gonna take being away from her mom so I don't wanna leave her either."
Kara grabbed her sunglasses and slipped them on. "So did you tell him that?"
"I would have if he hadn’t hung up as soon as I said I couldn't. I tried calling him back but he didn't answer."
"So talk to him today. Tell him why you said no." Kara thought this was way too much drama.
"I'm gonna." Kelly said looking out her window. "I just don't understand why he didn't answer when I called back."

"Hey G-Man. What’s up?"
In truth Gerard had just dozed off in the van. "Not much. We just left the airport and are on our way to the hotel."
"You like got only one more concert after tonight then you go home for a couple of weeks, right?"
Gerard wondered why Bert wanted to know. "Yeah, why?"
Bert laughed, "Man, can't a guy wonder when his friend is gettin off the road?"
"Yeah I guess. You wanna hook up or something when I get home?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna be in New York next week. I thought maybe we could get together."
"Sure, give me a call when you're in town." Gerard said stretching out his legs and sinking even lower in the seat. He looked over at Frank and Bob who were asleep. "There some reason you wanna talk to me?"
Bert thought a moment. "Yeah, but we'll talk then. So uh did Monica say anything about me?"
Gerard rolled his eyes, "I know you took her shopping if that's what you're getting at."
"Wondering if she'd told you. Know anything else?"
"Yeah, and thanks man. She loves the dress."
Bert hadn't expected Gerard to thank him. "Uh sure. She looks fucking beautiful in it." Bert said softly.
"She looks fucking beautiful in anything.” Gerard answered. "I'm gonna see her tomorrow. She and Kara are flying to Denver."
"Fuck, that's great. Hey, I gotta take off. Give Monica a kiss for me." He ended the call with his insane giggle.
Gerard closed his phone.
"Who was that?" Frank asked opening one eye.
"Bert" Gerard pocketed his phone and closed his eyes again.
"What'd he want?"
"Got no idea. He wants to talk to me when we get back." Gerard thought a moment. "He sounded kinda strange."
"When don't he sound strange?" Frank closed his eye again and went back to sleep.
Now Gerard was curious. Just what did Bert want to talk to him about?

In the other van Mikey was trying to sleep but his mind wouldn't shut off. Something Alicia had said last night was bothering him. He had suggested that they go on a quick trip to Vegas when he got home. He had thought she's jump at the idea. She hadn't. She'd said something about maybe later. Why later? He had days off with nothing planed until Bamboozle. Why didn't she want to go? He saw that Ray and Christa were snuggled together sleeping. Taking out his phone he tried to speak in a hushed tone.
"Hey, Baby" Alicia answered on the third ring.
"What's up?" He was listening to her voice. Trying to detect anything in her tone that sounded wrong.
"No much. We just got back from Jamia's doctors appointment. The babies are growing nicely."
He smiled, "That's good. She feeling okay?"
"Yeah, but she eats like a pig. Ouch the bi-otch just hit me." Alicia laughed. Mikey could hear Jamia in the background.
"Hey, she's eating for three." Mikey laughed.
"It looks more like four or five." Once again Alicia screeched when Jamia swatted her.
"So things are all good?" Mikey asked.
Alicia closed her eyes, "For sure, Baby. Just counting the hours till you get home."
Jamia stopped laughing and watched Alicia closely. Suddenly she wasn't sure she hadn't fallen for Alicia's acting abilities.
"Hey we just pulled up to the hotel. I'll call you back later. Love you Alicia"
"Love you too Michael Way." Alicia closed her phone to see Jamia staring at her. Time to act again.

Kelly was standing at her locker between periods with a group of her friends. Sometimes she wished they would pick someone else’s locker for these group talks.
"Did you see Lisa holding hands with Matt." Julie said. "I can't believe it. Shit, she can do way better then him."
"Hey whatever. It's her choice." Alison said. "But I'm not inviting her to my party. She'd show up with that freak." The girls laughed. Kelly continued to search her locker for a missing paper.
"Hey Kelly I heard Thomas Manning likes you." Julie said. "He told Jack that he was gonna ask you out. Hey, he's pretty cute."
Kelly ignored her.
Sarah leaned over and whispered, "Has he called you?"
"What?" Kelly had tuned them out.
"That guy. You know." It was obvious she wouldn't say Luke's name in front of the other girls. Before Kelly could respond the bell rang and they scattered in different directions. Kelly slammed her locker shut and took off running. She couldn't be late again. Luke watched her then turned towards the gym. He had been right. There was no way she would ever want to be seen with him.

It wasn't until lunch that Kelly spotted Luke. He was sitting at a lunch table in the corner of the room, alone. She walked slowly in his direction. Several times she heard remarks uttered by Mike's friends as she passed. She held her head high, ignored them and continued walking. When she was almost to Luke's table a girl she vaguely recognized from choir sat down next to Luke. Kelly was close enough to hear their conversation.
"Hey, I think I lost my iPod at your house last night. It was in my hoodie pocket. Can you check around you room for it?"
Luke nodded, "Sure."
His back was to Kelly. However Jessica was sitting sideways in her seat. She saw the look of shock on Kelly's face. Oh hell yeah, she knew that look. Little Luke hadn't told her he was involved with anyone. She didn't know Kelly but she knew she had dated the star quarterback or some shit. She hated girls like Kelly, so perfect, so popular. Kelly was one of those girls who hung with the "right" people. Luke must be an on-the-side thing for her. Well, Jessica thought lets mess that up for Miss Perfect. She smiled at Kelly then leaned over to whisper in Luke's ear. She made sure Kelly could hear. "Make sure you check under the covers. It probably fell out in the bed." She giggled then stood and walked away.
Kelly stood holding her tray staring at the back of Luke’s head. He suddenly sensed someone behind him and turned around.
"Sunshine” He said softly.
Kelly was shocked. Luke had a black eye and a bruise on his cheek. "What happened?" She stepped closer. Luke stood.
"It’s nothing." He started to pick up his book and soda can.
"Wait, don't go. I want to talk to you."
Luke realized several of her friends were watching. Probably wondering why she was talking to the weird emo guy.
Kelly had gotten over the shock of seeing his face. "So I guess with her it was right, it wasn’t too soon?" Her voice was loud.
Luke turned back to her. "Don't do this'” His voice was low.
Kelly shook her head, "Don't do what?"
Luke started for the exit. "Let it go” He said walking past Kelly.
Kelly watched him leave. It took her only a second to make a decision. She put down her tray then took the path through the tables that Luke had just used. When she reached the hall she spotted him. "Luke" she yelled. He stood still until she reached him.
"Yeah" he said flatly.
"I don’t understand. Why are you acting like this? Is she your girlfriend?"
Luke snorted; "No" He noticed they were attracting attention again.
"But you were with her last night?" She asked softly.
He didn't want to talk about last night. "Kelly forget about it, okay? We're too different. It won't work."
"Too different? Why?"
Luke wouldn't meet her eyes. "Kelly, I'm not right for you. You're friends would never accept you and me together."
Her anger surprised him. "I don't give a shit what my friends think." Kelly said hotly. "You're the one who wanted to know why I cared what people thought, remember?
"I was wrong. It should matter to you. I'm sorry." He turned to walk away.
"I don't understand" Kelly said "Is it cause of what I told you? Did you decide I'm too strange after all?"
Luke stopped and turned. She looked so fragile. "No"
"Then why?" She said softly. "I thought you liked me."
Luke didn't know what to say. He was wrong for her. Why couldn't she see that?
Kelly waited for an answer. When the bell rang she said, "Look I'll be at my grandma's tonight. You can call me." She added sadly "If you want." She turned and walked away.
Her words suddenly hit him. Her grandma's. She was going to her grandma's to stay. He knew that. No wonder she had said she couldn't go out with him. He had never felt like a bigger fool then he did at that moment.