"Mom," I called as I walked into my house.

I breathed in deep; it was nice to finally be home. To be away from the college-dorm, roommate life.

"Mom!" I called again as I made my way to the kitchen. It was empty.

"Remy, dear, how are you?" My mom walked into the kitchen, bathrobe on, no make up.

"Fine Mom, how are doing?" I asked, walking over to give her a tight hug. I missed my mother dearly.

"Oh, I'm doing much better honey, thank you." She was right about that, she didn't mope around as much as she did those months after her and Don got the divorce. "Would you like some coffee, sweetie?"

I shook my head. "I left my bags in the front room, I'm going to take them upstairs."

She shrugged and turned to make herself a pot. I grabbed my bags and lugged them upstairs. I wished my brother was here to help, but he and his loving wife were on a vacation. It's funny how I actually kind of liked Miss Too-Perfect now. I placed my bags on the floor and plopped down on my bed.

"Home, sweet home."

I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and looked at the time. Seven thirty. I had called and told Lissa I was in town and seeing as she was the only friend out of our little group to stay in town for college, she was eager to hang out. I sat up and walked downstairs to tell my mom I was leaving.

"Mom, I'm going to go meet up with Lissa. I might stay over with her, so don't wait up." She was sitting at the table drinking her coffee and reading.

"Okay dear, have fun."

I waved to her over my shoulder as I reached the door.

"Oh wait, Dexter came by and dropped this off for you."

I froze, my hand on the door. My heart gave an unwilling tug at the sound of his name. "Excuse me?" Dexter told me he and Truth Squad had a performance to do in Washington. I even rode by his house when I got into town, just to check no one was there.

"Dexter. He came and dropped this off."

I turned to her, and she had a small envelope sitting out before her. I walked over and tore it open as I did so asking, "When did he give this to you?"

"Today, why is something wrong?" She asked, looking up from her book.

"No," I said, shaking my head and walking back to the door. "See you later." I took the small piece of paper out of the envelope, recognizing Dexter's horrid hand writing immediately.

Remy, it said, don't flip out, I didn't lie. Well not really. You'll like this, trust me.

I sighed and pulled out the other contents of the envelope. It was a picture Ted had taken of me and Dexter backstage at Bendo on one of my trips back home. We were sitting at a big booth. Dexter was leaning in for a Kiss, and I was playfully moving back; a smile on my face. I laughed a little. But I was confused, I didn't know what he wanted me to do. I sighed as I got into my car and just sat there for a moment, thinking about what the hell this was supposed to mean. I sighed, frustrated, and was about to put the picture down when something on the back of it caught my attention. Again, it was Dexter's hand writing.

Meet me at Bendo eight-thirty sharp.

I snickered. Sharp. Like I was ever late for anything. What in the world did this crazy boy have in mind tonight? This was nothing new to me, throughout our relationship Dexter was always doing crazy things. I sighed and pulled out my phone. "Lissa, hey, you feel like going to Bendo tonight?"

Lissa took forever to get ready; we walked through the club doors at eight forty-five. Truth Squad was in the middle of playing their potato song.

"Come on Lissa, lets get a place close to the stage," I said, practically dragging her through the crowd and to a table that was close enough to where I had full sight of Dexter.

"Jeez Remy, relax. I know you're eager to see him and all, but you almost ripped off my arm."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, I just didn't want anyone to take our seat." She gave me a funny look then shrugged me off.

I turned my attention to the stage, my eyes focusing on Dexter. He didn't know I was here yet, so it was nice to watch him unnoticed. He was finishing up The Potato Song, leaning into the crowd as he sang. One of the girls on the front row reached up and grabbed his hand, almost pulling him off the stage. I narrowed my eyes at her. But Dexter just smiled and pulled his hand back regaining his balance as he ended; the crowed cheered.

Lissa elbowed me in the side. "Hey, looks like you have some competition." She laughed again, looking at the black-haired girl that had grabbed his hand and was now screaming his name aloud.

"Whatever." I shrugged, secretly hoping she would choke from yelling so much.

"Well I'm going to get me a beer. Want one?" I nodded as she got up.

"Okay everyone, we have a new song for you tonight," Dexter began. I turned my attention back to him; he didn't say anything about a new song to me. "I wrote this one myself, it's called My Starr."

I could tell there were two R's at the end because he drew out the letter for about two extra seconds. I rolled my eyes. The piano started nice and slow then the drums came in softly, adding a little base.

"At night you're all I see, bright and shinning calling out to me. Oh my Starr, my beautiful Starr. I wish you would come crash into me. Looking out my window, I see your shinning glow, you even gave me your sweet potato." They all hooped and hollered at that part, but I just shook my head. Just then Dexter looked up from the crowd, right at me like he knew I had been here all along and continued singing. "And don't forget about the plastic wear, my sweet darling. I know how much you care, you are my remedy." He pointed to me when he said that line; I just rolled my eyes again. "Oh my sweet Starr, when this whole life," he stretched his arms out wide in front of him, "is too much to bear."

Lissa came back with our drinks then, and I was glad to have a reason to look down. Even though Dexter's words were jokey, his eyes were very serious.

"Well we all know who he's talking about," Lissa said, taking a sip of her beer.

I just ignored her. The piano faded out, and I looked up to see Dexter still staring, but he had a smile on his lips now. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he laughed into the mic.

"Sorry folks our stage time is up, but to hear the rest of the song you can purchase our new CD coming out in two weeks. Goodnight." Dexter threw one more look my way before he disappeared backstage. The crowed was yelling and applauding.

"Come on Lissa lets go meet them backstage." We slid out of the booths, taking our drinks with us and pushed our way to the backstage door.

The guard there knew our faces well enough to know we were not just two crazy fans. "Hey Remy and Lissa." I smiled at him as he held the door open.

I was surprised to see that the room was empty, only there instruments back there. "Hey Rob, where did Dexter and the rest of them go?"

He looked in and shrugged. "Must have went out the back, they don't have another performance until tomorrow."

He looked confused like I should have known this. Lissa looked at me funny too. I was starting to feel embarrassed, and I hated Dexter at the moment for that. "Oh okay."

I was headed back out the door when Lissa caught my arm, "Hey look, there's an envelope with your name on it, Rem." I turned to see Lissa grabbing a paper from a small white table. She handed it to me, and I waited until we were back in the car to open it. "Well what is it?" Lissa said as I pulled another picture out.

It was of me, Lissa, Truth Squad, and two more of Dexter's friends–Owen and his girlfriend (though I had forgotten her name)–sitting outside of the Quick Zip. We were all laughing; Dexter had some Coke coming out of his nose. I flipped it over.

"Come to the place were good laughs were shared."

I sighed and handed the picture to Lissa. She looked at it and read the back. "Aw, isn't this so cute. It's like love tag, so romantic." I gagged as I pulled off and headed to the Quick Zip.

"Sure, if you like that sort of thing."

Lissa eyed me again. "And you like it or you would have just called and told him to meet you somewhere by now," she mumbled. I gagged again and ignored her. We pulled into the store parking lot but there was no sign of him. I sighed in frustration, and Lissa got out of the car.

"Where are you going?" She slammed the door in my face.

"I have to pee," she cried and ran into the store.

I turned off the car and followed her. I didn't get to finish my beer, so a Diet Zip Coke sounded good right about now. I was about to walk back to the fountain machine to fill up a cup when Gregg, the cashier called out to me, "Hey Remy, I already got one up here for you."

I was a regular, so it was nothing strange that he knew my name, but it was strange that he had a reserved soda for me. I eyed him hoping he wasn't coming on to me or anything.

"Why?" I asked, hesitating as he slid me the cup across the counter.

"Oh, I didn't get it; Dexter did paid for it and everything. He also told me to give you this." He took a white envelope from under his counter and slid that to me as well. I took both things and headed back out to the car.

As I sat waiting for Lissa, I opened the envelope and looked at the picture. It was just me this time, sitting on his bed wrapped up in only his bed sheets. I was holding his guitar, trying to play it. My face was held in a weird position from trying to concentrate, and my hair was a mess. I frowned and turned it over.

Time for your grand appearance Place: My Room
Time: ?

So this was the last note. I started the car as Lissa got back in, holding a bag of skittles.

She looked at the picture in my lap. "Oh, not another one. This game is cute and all, Remy, but I have class in he morning, and I'm bushed; take me home." She yawned as if to prove she was tired. I felt kind of bad because I didn't really hang out with her I just had her tag along. So as I dropped her off, I promised her a girl's night only before I left. She nodded and waved as she walked up her driveway.

I glanced at my clock as I pulled out of her driveway. It was ten fifty, I figured that I could go home and shower and change before I see Dexter. I smelt like beer and smoke from Bendo anyway. I walked into the house quietly and crept up the stairs. Peeking into my mom's room, I saw she was sleeping. I showered slowly, washing my hair and using my favorite body shampoo. When I got out, I put on some jogging pants and an old white t-shirt. My mom was still sleeping when I left, and it was eleven fifteen when I pulled into Dexter's yard.

All the lights were off which was normal; they all retired early after a show. I walked up the porch and tried the door, but it was locked. I sighed and thought about using my credit card to open it, but then I remembered the picture had said grand entrance, and this just didn't feel grand enough. So I walked over to Dexter's window, looked around and tried the window. To my relief it was unlocked. I slipped in quietly having done this many times before and fell softly to the floor.

Dexter was in his bed sleeping. I stared at his face for a moment marveling at how, though I will never admit this to him, beautiful he was. "Took you long enough," he said suddenly, shocking me.

"I should have known you were faking." He smiled and scooted over, patting the space next to him. I rolled my eyes, kicked off my shoes, and slid in next to him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and put his nose to my hair, sniffing it.

"Did you enjoy the game?"

I scoffed. "No, it was too cheesy."

He laughed, his breath tickling my neck and raising goose bumps. "Okay, well what about the song?"

"Again, way too cheesy; I hated all of it. We could have just met up somewhere."

He chuckled again. "And in Remy language that really means 'I loved it, let's do it again sometime'."

I rolled my eyes. "Think what you want to, moron."

"And moron also translated means 'baby'."

I made a gagging noise, and he reached up to kiss that pulse point on my neck. I felt that tingle in my body I got whenever he did that. "So when do you really go to Washington?"

His response was a little slow; he was falling asleep. "After the show tomorrow. We'll spend a few weeks there."

I nodded. "And then?"

He took a breath. "And then I come back to you of course, dear Remy," he breathed in my ear, causing that tingle again. So this would be the last night I had with him for a while. I turned my body so I was facing his and found his lips with mine. I kissed him slowly and softly. I had caught him off guard; he was half asleep. I pushed my body against his until I was on top of him.

"What are you doing?" He whispered when my lips left his.

I traced my fingers over his bare chest. "Trying to make the most of the time we have." I kissed him again, more eagerly this time. His fingers tangled in my hair and trailed down my back, but he turned suddenly, putting us back at out original position. I was about to complain when he shifted onto his back. Pulling my head to his chest right over his heart, he held me there. I was comfortable but also nervous.

This was one thing I loved and hated about Dexter. Moments like this were more intimate to him than sleeping together. I loved it because it showed he cared; I hated it because in moments like this, he was so close to me, too close. It frightened me. I tried to pull away a little, but he just held me tighter, stroking my hair gently. With that small gesture he was telling me it was okay, that I didn't need to be afraid. I sighed and settled into him. I was suddenly very tired.

"I love you, Remy Starr," he whispered, his voice thick with sleep.

"Cheesy," I whispered back, and he chuckled once.

"Translated, we both know what that really means." And in that moment I was glad that Dexter was so close to me, that he knew me so well, that he knew exactly what I was feeling in this moment.

"Whatever moron."

********************************************************

BIG THANKS TO IceLandGirl812 FOR FIXING MY FORMAT!!!!!