9

[Mandella]

I returned to the scene of the crime and was happy to see an empty, unlocked Jeep. With the stealth of long practice, I restored the distributor cap and placed his wallet in the glove compartment before locking everything up. He would return with a tow truck and the mechanic would decide (rightly so) that Dex was an idiot.

And if things went according to plan, he would be too tired and pissed off to take Kat out, giving Verona yet another chance to get into her good graces.

She called me at the crack of 6 on Sunday morning. "Do you ever sleep?"

"Sure. I got six hours and just had to call you."

I groaned. "Teenagers are supposed to sleep late."

"Guess I missed the memo on that one. Can I come over?"

"Are you kidding?" I said in horror. "I don't see anyone before 10, and only after very, strong black coffee."

"Venti, right?"

No rest for the wicked. With a sigh, I said, "Sure, see you then."

My days of primping myself for Kat were over. She never even noticed if I moved my piercings around, or drew a fake hole on my nostril, so why would extra special clothes, hair, or makeup even matter to her? I pulled my braids into a ponytail, threw on my running shoes and sweats, and took off for my morning run. It had been slow going at first, but I was going farther and faster every day. So far I was up to three miles, and had shed twenty pounds without trying. But there was so much of me that it would take a huge weight loss before anyone noticed. Ah well, what did it matter? I was doing this for me, not to pick up some like minded girl with pretty tats.

I rounded the corner near Verona's house and nearly collided with a lamp post when I saw him flying toward me from the opposite direction. OMFG, I would never live this down, and there was no way I could outrun him.

"Hey," he said as we met in the middle of the road. "You checking up on me?"

"Sure. I have your route memorized, and I've dispatched my agents to take you out in the park." My feet were impatient to be on my way before my heart rate dropped into a deep canyon.

Patrick's smile lacked its usual mockery. "See? You have CIA written all over you."

"Well, have a good run. I'll see you later at Jake's."

He nodded and continued running in the opposite direction. I was happy he wasn't one of those people who tried to force their company on you when you'd rather be alone. Running was like a mantra, and it gave me ideas for my art and poetry. Tonight's show was going to be fun, and had nothing to do with poetry. Everyone in the audience was expected to participate, and everyone would get judged on the same material.

Lucky for me, I was one of the judges and didn't have to perform tonight. Watching Patrick on stage would be worth the price of admission, and I'd be sure to mention that to Kat when she came by in a few hours.

*****
Kat appeared at 9:55 and handed me the coffee without another word. "You look like hell," she observed as I padded to the kitchen, where I'd been inhaling my cereal.

"Nice to see you too. This couldn't have waited until later?"

"I have a hot date, remember?" Her sarcastic tone made me laugh.

"Thought you were done with The Dex."

She raised her hands as she emoted. "That's what I thought, but apparently, Charles had a change of heart. Now he wants to double with Dad and his Mom."

The sheer awfulness of that scenario was not lost on me, even in my after run nirvana. "You have to find a way out."

"Fresh out of ideas, I'm afraid, and Dad won't buy illness."

"Sucks having a doctor in the house."

"Tell me about it." Kat took a sip of her grande and sat back. "So, I have you to thank for last night."

Now there was an about face. "Really? I didn't do anything."

"Seems like I've heard that before." Her easy expression said there were no hard feelings. "It appears that Dex's car and wallet were magically restored. Perhaps fairies walk among us."

Uh, yeah, they do, but not the kind she was thinking about. "So how did it go with Verona?"

She flashed a no holds barred kind of grin that made me weak in the knees. "It was pretty awesome, actually. We talked things through, and I think we're good. And damn, his Aunt Rachel makes the best vegetarian chili."

"He fed you?" Wow, this was way past serious...it was approaching commitment territory.

"Yeah, and we almost...Rachel interrupted us," Kat admitted with a pleased smile.

"But it will happen again." That was a certainty.

"Oh, God, I hope so." She looked deliriously happy and if Patrick was the reason, then I backed them 100%.

I took a long, satisfied gulp of my coffee as an idea percolated in my head. "Say, if you get out early, come to Jake's around 9."

"You slamming tonight?"

"More like slumming."

"I'll see what I can do. Anything else?"

"Leave Prince Charles at the palace."