Author's note: Hope you enjoy the coming three chapter arc. I fast forward them to middle school. But there is some language… Kate is a grade lower than Rick and Maddie in this story. This is set in the present time. Ohh & by the way, you're all amazing! :) x

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It was 2am in the city that never sleeps. Kate laid on her bed and rested her head against the pillow. Rick, two floors up, doing the same. After a few toss and turns she bit her lip then finally gathered the courage to open her window. Slowly and carefully she climbed up the cold, metal ladder trying her best to not wake the people in the bedrooms. The two teens have been using the ladder almost every day and night after Kate turned 10. When she reached the window she was after, Kate lightly tapped the window in a pattern the two created to signal the other when the other was there.

Rick threw the covers off his double bed and stumbled to the window located at the other end of his room. He grinned when he saw Kate at the window holding on the metal bars. She gave him a small wave with one of her eyebrows perked and a sly smile. Quietly he raised the window.

"Why aren't you asleep? Its 2am you monster. We've got school tomorrow. " He whispered into her ear as he helped her into his bedroom. She rolled her eyes at his greeting.

"And I can say the same to you."

Kate headed towards his bed, grabbing one of his pillows. She took a massive sniff and leaned against the bed head. Kate has always loved his smell. His hint of glow and baby blue eyes in the dark made Kate stare in awe. Rick chucked a pillow at his best friend while jumping onto his bed.

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL!" Her laugh was muffled by the fluffy pillow.

"SHUSH! You're going to wake up the entire building."

"No I'm not! You're a millions time louder than me!" Kate threw back the pillow when he settled back onto his bed.

"So why did my little monster climb up here at 2 in the morning?" Rick questioned as he leaned over and turned on his lamp.

"Well, I couldn't sleep and so I climbed up, and you were awake, so what are you doing up at 2 in the morning?"

Rick have been calling Kate his little monster ever since she hit her growth spurt, but only when it was just him and her around. At one point she was the exact same height as him, but he grew about a head taller. She was angry that she was now shorter and had to look up at him. So, Rick decided to call her his little monster just to tick off her moody hormones. Rick already developed broad shoulders and his child voice was disappearing as he grew. Kate breast were growing, and she became a bit self-conscious in the past year. She and Maddie have been stealing their mothers' makeup and using it. Rick have told them plenty times that they were perfectly good looking without the extra liquids and powders, but Maddie and Kate always responded to the remark with eye rolls.

Kate rested her head on his chest while sitting in-between his legs. After the laughter and long conversations, Rick asked Kate to go back to her room, and that he would see her tomorrow. She made him promise to walk her to school. He nodded and gave her a hug and a gentle kiss to her lips. The kiss caught her by surprise. She felt a tingle rush through her body during that ten seconds. Rick pulled away and said goodnight. He smiled at her blushing cheeks. Kate placed her fingers against her lips and stared into the blue eyes then returned a quick kiss. She left for her room real quickly never wiping the smile off her face for the rest of the night

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"Brrrring, Brrrring."

"SHIT!" Rick said after hearing the bell about a block away.

Kate began to laugh, but was cut off by Rick's hand holding hers dragging her to school as fast as possible.

"AH, SLOW DOWN…its fine, plus Maddie is like right there. MADS!"

"BEXS! RICK! Morning." Maddie shouts while running into Rick's arms.

"Maddie! Hey." Rick says as he plants a kiss on her cheek then hugging her tight, Maddie returning the same.

Kate's eyes' widen filled with anger while her body became stiff. She didn't want her childhood best friend with another girl. Memories of the night raced across her mind. They've known each other since forever. Kate began to wonder if whatever happen between the two of them a couple of hours ago even mattered. Was that kiss nothing to him even though he kiss her? She shakes the thoughts off, pretending neither of these events happen. The three of them head off to school and goes to class with the excuse of the bus was late, which so happened one was. Lunch came along fairly quickly and the three of them head to the tree at the back of the yard. They have already sighted the rest of their group.

"Hey guys." The group shouted when the three arrived.

"Hey." Kate replies.

Kate untangled her fingers from Rick and headed towards a boy named Tom Deming and placed herself on his right leg. Tom wrapped his arms around Kate giving her a kiss on the cheek. She smiles. Rick became furious, but held a smile, acting as if it was nothing but a greeting. The group had small conversations amongst themselves, while Rick wondered if the kiss with Kate was some sort of mistake. He was sure it meant something to the both of them. Maybe he was wrong. It probably didn't mean anything to Kate. He removed himself from the miserable thoughts when Maddie says something that catches his attention.

"AWE, no way! I don't want to go alone, that'll be boring!"

"Sorry Mads. It's something important that popped up and it's unavoidable." Tracy says.

"Its fine, I'll find someone." Maddie replies giving Tracy a hug.

Maddie then turns to Rick, "Hey. You've been pretty quiet."

"Yeah, so um I've heard you're free this weekend, huh?"

"Mhmm. Tracy has something important to do, not sure what it is. OH! HEY! Would you come to the party with me this Saturday night? Wait, are you free?"

"Well I am since Kate has found something. Most likely, our plans this weekend are going to be postponed" Rick sighs pointing at Kate and Tom giggling.

"Oh, are you sure Rick?"

"Yeah I'll come to the party. And plus we haven't hung out with each other out of school for a while, I'll spend the whole day with you." Rick gives Maddie a smile helping her up off the grass then the two head off to the snack bar.

"So, Kate want to come to the skate park with me this weekend?"

"Haha. Tommy, I would love to, but I've got plans with Rick." She answers with an apologetic look.

Tom smiles, but kindly gestures a cheesy statement. "Another time, beautiful?"

"Of course." Kate replies and then plants a kiss on his cheek, removing herself off his lap just as the bell rings.

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Ayye. Reviews please? Hope it was good, and chapter 5 will be up soon. Thanks for being patient guys! x

-C