This is the sequel of High School Life, It can be read without reading the story. Enjoy!

not mine, etc. etc.

Life As Adults

Stephanie let out a sound, sitting in the back booth of the bar her and her friends frequented. She leaned back in the leather plush seat and closed her eyes, willing the waitress to come back quickly, so she could get her beer. If she had thought High School life was hell, being an adult was the seventh layer of hell. Bills, career, husband and family to deal with, and there's no room to run into to hide away from the world, not when your husband has a key to the door.

When Heidi and Diesel left to go train to become agents, that had left Stephanie with only Ricky, who would have been leaving at the end of the school year for the military. She hadn't like the thought of being alone for a hwole school year, so she had buckled down, studied hard, and went graduated when Ricky did, by taking online classes, night classes, the works. When Stephanie graduated she had gotten a full scholarship to Rutgers. She went to Rutgers for business and communications. She now worked at a hot radio station in New York City, which is where she and Ricky lived now, along with Heidi and Diesel. Ricky was part of the Special Ops and had worked his way up to become a Captain. Most of the year he was home, but for a few weeks out of the years, he was gone on missions. Heidi was gone most of the year for Tennis and Diesel traveled with her. It wasn't so bad, because most of the time, Stephanie and Ricky traveled with them to the matches. When they were home, though, they always came to this small bar in Soho

"Geez," A voice commented from close by, "You look tired, Steph, I got you a beer."

Stephanie looked up and saw Heidi, holding a beer and a wine glass, filled to the brim with Pink wine. Stephanie smiled at her friend and said, "You know how to turn a girl's bad day into something good."

Heidi sat down beside Stephanie and asked, "Aww what's wrong, Steph, Ricky has to go back out on a mission? You can stay with us, until he gets back from this one."

Stephanie waved Heidi off saying, "No, it's just…it sucks being an adult sometimes, I really hate being 25."

"You were saying the same thing to me, when you were 17, and going through senior year alone, and what did you do to rectify that problem?"

"I graduated in the summer before senior year, and went off to college." Stephanie said cupping her face, and sipping her beer, "I can't graduate from adulthood, it blows…."

Heidi nodded her head and looked up and out the front window of their watering hole. She could see her husband, Diesel, outside talking to Stephanie's husband, Ricky. It seemed to be a deep conversation, because their heads were down, and their arms were crossed. They were even leaning on Ricky's baby, a black Turbo 911 Porsche. Ricky wouldn't even let them stare at it for more than 5 seconds.

"Geez, looks like you're not the only one who finds adulthood to be full of bullshit," Heidi commented to Stephanie, "What's going on?"

"Well, me and Ricky were talking about children, because Papi, and Daddy have been pressuring us for a grandchild," Stephanie said making Heidi lean back from her, her face etched with horror.

"What is wrong with those two?!" Heidi asked, before she slid back to Stephanie, sipping her wine, "You know you're deathly allergic to children."

"I know, but Ricky's all for it," Stephanie said, looking over to Heidi, "And, I really don't want to get all fat from gaining weight and carrying a human that will grow into the size of a watermelon."

Heidi nodded her head, and said, "Daddy Validimir asked when Diesel and I were going to give him a grandson, I told him he better be prepared for carrying it, because I wasn't carrying it."

Stephanie choked on her beer, as the laughter came up, "Heidi, you didn't!"

"I said it, and he was quiet the rest of the family dinner, Deda seemed to have wanted to join Maxim's banter for a grandchild, but I had stopped that real fast." Heidi said, putting her wine glass down, "I can't have a child, I'm the number one tennis player in the world, and a top unmentionable, and a baby would curb my lifestyle. Which is why Diesel and I by Lifestyles condoms."

"What does Diesel think about children?" Stephanie asked, Heidi who thanked the waitress for bringing the bottle of wine and a round of beers.

"He likes the idea of children, but he doesn't want them either, he wants to wait until we're older," Heidi said looking out the front window to her husband, "He said the right thing, I would have made him a miserable man, if he didn't say what he did."

Stephanie sighed, chugging her beer, "I really, really don't want children, but Ricky's all for it, what can I do to make him see that waiting would be a good idea?"

"I don't know," Heidi said, just as the men came inside the bar from their powwow, "Here they come, act natural."

Diesel sat beside Heidi, kissing her head, while, Ricky sat beside Stephanie, kissing her cheek. They each took a beer, and sipped it slowly, both of them silent.

"So…babies," Heidi said looking down at her wine, "Babies, they're a lot of work."

"They sure are," Diesel said, sipping his beer, "You gotta feed them…"

"They smell when they poop," Heidi said, making a face, "Remember when your niece, Isabella was a baby, all she did was cry, and poop, looking like a red blob."

"And when you have them, you can't go out at nights with us, like when we come out every Friday night for clubbing or going out to dinner." Diesel said looking forlorn, "They're a drain on your money…."

Stephanie felt her face drain of blood. She turned to Ricky and saw his blank mask on his face, his eyes bright.

"Papi and Daddy are smoking something bad, who needs kids?!" Stephanie asked, chugging her beer, "Besides, we can't travel when we have kids, or we have to go to Disney world, or someplace cheesy and lame."

"Babe," Ricky said with a smile, "Maybe we can wait, until we're older, 25 is a bit young for children, besides Papi and your dad have grandchildren to spoil already."

"Right," Stephanie said with a smile, kissing her husband, "He does, doesn't he?"

Heidi and Diesel smiled, and the four dove into a conversation about other trivial things.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Children," Heidi said leaning back in the car seat, "Are a burden, glad we're not having any children, right Diesel?"

Diesel nodded his head and said with a smile, "Glad you're pumped up with birth control, Kitten, we'd have a problem if you weren't.

Heidi lifted her head up and gave Diesel a look, "Diesel, I've been on antibiotics for the last two weeks, remember I had caught a bacterial infection, and I said that if we had sex, we needed to get condoms, the antibiotics mess with the birth control."

Diesel slammed on the brakes and turned to Heidi, "Heidi, I've been barebacking you…..Heidi….Heidi…..Heidi…."

Diesel did an illegal U-Turn and made a beeline to the 24 hour CVS. The couple grabbed several pregnancy tests, paid with them with cash and then drove back to their home.

Diesel paced the bathroom floor, looking over to the sink, where a line of white pregnancy sticks lay, waiting to tell them their fate. Heidi sat on the toilet seat, looking at her husband, if she was pregnant….she would have to put Tennis aside and her job, just to take care of a baby!

Diesel turned to Heidi, as the timer went off, indicating that the sticks had sat long enough, it was time to tell the two of their fates.

Heidi grabbed Diesel's hand and said, "Are you ready, Diesel?" looking at the line of white sticks.

"Not really, Kitten, but we have to," Diesel said, and together the two peered down at the white sticks.

Heidi felt her stomach clench up and then she said in a whisper, "I'm…" looking down at the sticks "I'm not pregnant," Heidi sighed, slouching on the sink of the bathroom counter, the 500 pound gorilla off her back, "I'm not pregnant."

Diesel let out a sound of joy, saying, "You are not-OUCH!" Diesel rubbed the area on his arm where Heidi punched him, "Kitten, why you gotta hurt me like that baby, you know we do that stuff in the 'basement'."

"You piece of shit, I told you to get condoms!" Heidi raged, slapping Diesel's chest, "Are you trying to knock me up?!"

Diesel rubbed his chest, grabbing Heidi's failing wrists, "Kitten, I'm sorry, I forgot baby, it's my fault, I almost got you pregnant, I make no excuses."

Heidi deflated and leaned into Diesel's chest, "Well, you're lucky, you piece of shit, I'm not ready to give up my childless life, besides, we have a trip planned with Stephanie and Ricky to the Fiji Isles at the end of this week, I know we're going to have fun, getting pissed drunk, sleeping on the beach, making love in the waves….we can't just pack up and vacation, if I get pregnant. "

Diesel groaned, feeling his penis fill get hard. Heidi smiled, and grabbed him through his jeans. Heidi got up on her tippy toes, and kissed Diesel, and then sauntered out the bathroom saying, "I'll be down in the 'basement,' waiting for you…"

Diesel growled, tossing out the used pregnancy tests and running to catch up to Heidi.

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

Stephanie snuggled into Ricky's side, breathing roughly and covered in sweat. Ricky smiled, looking down at Stephanie, "Satisfied?"

"Yes, I am," Stephanie purred kissing Ricky on his lips, before she lay back down on the bed, "is it just me, or has the sex gotten better, as we've gotten older?"

"It has gotten better, Babe," Ricky said wrapping an arm around Stephanie's waist, "We know each other's bodies and we know what pushes our button, what turns us on."

Stephanie smiled and then lifted herself up to look down at Ricky, "Are you excited about the trip to Fiji? We've been planning it for a whole damn year!"

Ricky smiled and said, running a hand through Stephanie's hair, "Babe, I'm excited, a whole week away from it all, with good friends, on an island paradise."

"Are you sure it's okay for you to be going on vacation, you could be called to go into the wind," Stephanie said sitting up in their king sized bed, "You know they call at the weirdest time."

"Babe I'm offline, until the end of our trip." Ricky said, turning the lights on the bedside table, "I promise you, I just want it to be about you me, and the beautiful water and sands."

Stephanie smiled and said, "Good," laying back down on Ricky's chest, "So did you talk to Tank about opening up that company of yours?"

Ricky sat up in the bed, humming softly. Tank had called him a few days back about opening a security firm back in Trenton. It had been an excellent idea, the security industry had seen a rise, and Ricky and Tank had wanted to dip their fingers into it. Tank had suggested that they open one firm, just to see how they would fair. The staring cost was astronomical, but they had the money. They didn't risk their lives to hunt for terrorists for pennies. Ricky had enough money to last him for several lifetimes. When he had said that he wanted to make sure that Stephanie and Him never had to go without, he had meant it. He would see if several of his army buddies would like to join up and get a good job at Rangeman.

"I did, it sounds like a good idea, but he wants to set it up in Trenton, I was thinking maybe New York City instead," Ricky said, running a hand down Stephanie's back, "Me and Tank have to talk about it, Babe."

Stephanie made a face saying, "Then we'd be closer to your parents, and my dad and grandma, who are demanding grandchildren from us, see if we can get the firm here, or anywhere but Trenton."

"Babe, I can see your allergy to children is still going strong, when are not going to be allergic to children?"

"When I'm good and ready," Stephanie said, looking up at Ricky, who chuckled, kissing her, "I think I'll be ready when I hit the 30…"

Ricky smiled and said, "We'll have two kids, live in a townhouse in Manhattan, have a cat and a dog, and our next door neighbors will be Heidi and Diesel, right?"

"That sounds nice," Stephanie said with a giggle, before she got a serious look on her face, "You can try to get Heidi and Diesel out of that loft near Times Square, and you got yourself a deal."

Ricky whistled and said, "Those two are like two single people that are married, the only thing that's keeping them in check is the fact that they have rings on their fingers."

Stephanie sat up on her hunches and said, "And we're going to an island with them? goodness, Ricky, what have we signed up for?"

"I don't know, but I do know a Marketing Manager that needs to go to bed, she has a meeting in the morning," Ricky said, before he turned the lights off in their bedroom, and then settled them both in the bed, "Go to sleep Babe."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"How about these shoes?" Stephanie asked Heidi, who sat on a circular ottoman in the small clothes shop, eating a hot dog, "These are wedges that will go great with that monokini I got!"

Heidi looked at the red and beige wedges and said, "they look great, though I wouldn't be wearing shoes on the beach, I would want to be barefooted!"

"When I'm walking on the wooden walk way to the beaches, I'll wear them," Stephanie said, putting the shoes in their box, "I'm getting them, give me the time, Heidi, I need to be back at the office by two."

"It's 1:25," Heidi said sipping from a can of soda, "It I had known that I would be eating hot dogs, while you drool over shoes you're only going to wear one time, I would have never accepted your lunch date."

Stephanie gave Heidi a look and said, "I'm sorry, I forgot about buying some casual shoes for our trip, unlike you, who bought everything on the internet four months ago, Miss, I'm ultra prepared for everything."

Heidi wiped chili off her mouth and said, "I do have to shop in between training, tennis matches and my other job, might I add, I'm surprised that I have a week off to myself. You're not the only one with a busy career."

Stephanie sat down beside her friend and then laid her head on Heidi's shoulder. She grabbed the hotdog that Heidi held out for her and then said, "It's just like high school, me being the last minute preparer."

"Whatever, Stephanie," Heidi said with a smile, looking down at the shoe box in Stephanie's hands, "They are cute, you'll look great in them."

Stephanie smiled and said, "I can't wait to go on vacation, I'll look great, and I plan on getting pissed drunk!"

Heidi let out a hum and said, "Aren't you a lousy drinker, you drink two beers and your two skips to the moon," looking over to Stephanie, who gave her a glare, "Remember that college mixer we went to, I had to call Diesel to make sure you didn't do something crazy."

Stephanie blushed and said, "Okay, I'm not going to get pissed drunk, but I am going to have fun in Fiji."

Heidi smiled and said, "That's the spirit, now, let's go and get you back to work, getting uptown in at this time is a bitch, let's go pay for these."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"So…you're serious about opening this company," Diesel said to his friend, his hands wrapped around a beer, "You want to become a business man, just like Papi."

"Yep, Tank and I want want to get into the security business, it's a hot industry and I know we can make it," Ricky said, leaning back in the oversize chair that was in split level apartment that Stephanie and he lived in, "I could always use help from you too, Diesel."

Diesel rubbed his chin saying, "But I signed a 99 year contract with the Higher Ups, I can see what I can do."

Ricky smiled at his friend and said, "See that you do, I could always use your wit around me, though, not your short temper, keep that wherever you keep that."

Diesel nodded his head and then said in a serious voice, "And Tank wants to open it in Trenton? New York City would be an ideal spot, always busy, you could find several high end clients, easily."

Ricky nodded and looked outside the window, "I'm thinking the same thing, I'll chat with Tank, see if I can get him to move the location to New York, I know several people that are looking for good quality security, we could have Brinks beat, if we act quickly."

"I take it, you don't need money to help start this up," Diesel said, gulping down his beer, "I could help you out in that department, if you need it."

"Nah, I have enough money, I don't need any help," Ricky said, getting up and tossing his beer in the trash, "I do have to worry about my contact with the military, it might get in the way of me running this business, if tank's gone too, who would run it?"

"Maybe Stephanie?" Diesel offered with a shrug, "That woman knows what she's doing, and it would get her closer to you, you live downtown, she works uptown,if you open a office around here, you wouldn't have to worry about her."

Ricky nodded his head and said, "That's a great idea, I'll run it by Stephanie, tonight, to see how she likes that idea, I know she likes working for the radio station, but I would love it if she worked side by side with me in my company.

Diesel tossed his empty beer bottle in the recycling bin and said, "That's the spirit man, now I gotta go, and pick up the receipt for the jet we charted, I'm going to write it off as a business expense, I think Al can help me out with that."

"See you later man," Ricky said, just as Diesel left his apartment. Ricky really like the idea of Stephanie working with him, and running the company while he was gone on missions.

He really liked that idea.

TBC….

(Well, here we go! let's see how life is for these four people! please leave a girl a few coins and review, I love your feedback! Thank you!)