Here's your next chapter. Took me a while to write but I'm finally done. So enjoy.

Thank you to…

-Jesus.Lives

For all those sudden reviews, hehe.

Anyway, on with the story.


Chapter 10 – Dates Between Friends.

The day of the dance arrives. Almost anyone involve with the event had someone, with the exception of a few.

The bell for lunch reverberated through the classrooms. Kimi was feeling edgy at this point, having been unable to find Tommy anywhere. Across the hallway of students in her path, she manages to locate Susie and begins walking towards her cautiously evading anything or anyone in her way.

"Hey Susie"

"Hey Kimi. How're you feeling?" The events of yesterday continued flashing through her thoughts.

"I'm feeling better" she replies.

"That's good to hear." Susie continues placing her books in her locker, with a small smile brimming across her lips "Probably spoke to Tommy already" knowing well that he probably had something to do with Kimi's emotions.

"So…you ask anyone to the dance yet?" Kimi begins.

"No, I haven't had time… but it doesn't matter anymore since nearly all the guys have been asked. How about you? Whom are you taking?" interested to know now who Kimi would bring since Z was already taken.

"I…I have someone… in mind, but I still have to ask him." Her words stammered, slightly feeling flush at the feeling.

Susie's eyes grew wide with curiosity and astonishment. "I wonder if she's planning to ask Tommy? Something else must have happened between them." She eyed Kimi, studying her impression, noticing the faint blush of red smeared across her cheeks. "Who exactly do you have in mind?" becoming more intrigued.

Kimi expresses soft laughter, becoming aware of Susie's interest towards her whole situation. "I'm not telling. You'll just have to wait and see tonight", enjoying the impatient features drawn on her friend's face.

Susie let escape a look of exasperation knowing first hand once Kimi comes to a decision, she'll stick with it. She decides persistent wasn't the best policy to discover her mystery guy. All she could do was be patient. "All right." She sighed a hopeless breath feeling the prying within her being smothered with exhilaration.

"Look, I still need to ask him so I'll see you later"

"Okay", still feeling dejected over the secrecy.

Kimi smiles, "See you" raising a hand signaling her leave before turning around to go.

"Hey Carmichael."

Susie spun around, her disappointed features still displaying upon her face. "Hey Angelica."

"What's up? You don't look too good. What, you couldn't find someone to ask to the dance?" she asks, actually sounding concern for her friend.

"No, it's not that. Just a little excited for the night to come"

"Well, you sure express it well." Angelica teases.

"What about you? Have you asked anyone yet?" her depressed appearance finally expunge, exchange with a questioning grin.

Angelica groaned in distress, "No. Most of the guys have already been taken. I hear no one ask Darryl yet so I'm going to ask him." Angelica caught a glimpse of someone behind Susie's shoulder. She glance a quick look discovering the guy she plans to take to the dance. "There's Darryl. I'm going to…"

"Hey Angelica."

Angelica was halted in her tracks by a cheerful, orange hair teenager. "Not now Harold" dashing her words, casually stepping around the barrier in her way to her purpose.

Harold watches in surprise, confuse to Angelica's hasty behavior. Finally perceiving her intended target, he exhaled an unhappy sigh. "I was hoping Angelica would take me to the dance", sounding discourage, concluding that no one will take him now.

Susie, an audience to the entire scene, felt a slight pity for the guy. "Cheer up Harold. I still don't have a date for the dance. Why don't you go with me?"

Harold smiled, turning around meeting Susie's gaze "You mean it Susie?" his tone carrying a hint of enthusiasm.

"Yeah. You can pick me up at seven"

"Thanks Susie. I'll see you then", spinning around waving her a goodbye before disappearing from her view.

Angelica continuously wanders down the hallway almost to her destination. The sudden pitiful voice of her cousin sounding across from a junction within the corridors, motions her to impede.

"So no one has asked you yet?" Tommy questions, feeling slightly unease for Chuckie. Together, they aimlessly stroll through the passageways of the school, excessively involve with their conversation. Angelica stares as the two casually pass her, like she didn't exist, eavesdropping on their little discussion.

"No. Everyone I know has been asked already except me. How do you think that makes me feel?" Chuckie's head slightly lowered, eyes directed to the floor, a frown crossing his lips and Tommy's.

"There's still plenty of time for you to be asked. It's lunchtime now. Any girl could walk right up to you and ask you to the dance", he said hoping his words were encouraging, consoling, anything to make his best friend feel better.

Angelica, felt a frown sketch upon her lips, feeling compassion for Finster. She lightly glimpse at Darryl, her judgment shifting before pulling her eyes back at Chuckie with a heartfelt smile.

"Tommy, let's be realistic here. What are the chances of a girl coming right up to me now and asking me to the dance?"

"Hey Finster, wait up." Angelica called from behind.

Tommy and Chuckie twisted their heads, sighting Angelica sauntering in their direction. "Hey Angelica" Chuckie greets.

"Listen, I was wondering if you want to go with me to the dance". Sincerity was bounding her words. She had no intentions of playing tricks on him.

Her unexpected gesture caught the boys by surprise, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, and a twinge of curiosity nagging at the back of their heads. They carefully examine her, speculating if there's a downside. "What's the catch, Angelica? Planning to get back at Phil?" Chuckie queries.

"No catch, plus I've already gotten back at him so we're even. I heard you haven't got a date yet. I don't either and I was hoping you would go with me."

"Why me though? I mean there's a lot of guys you can ask…and what did you do to Phil?" slightly frighten at her comment.

"I spread a rumor, nothing drastic" She pauses, dropping the rumor issue, "I know there's a lot of guy's I could have ask but I'm asking you. Consider it the favor I owe you."

Chuckie's face dropped feeling discontent, "I thought so."

"Thought what?" she asks.

"You're only asking me because you feel sorry for me. I don't need your pity Angelica," he answers as he and Tommy turn away walking away from her.

Angelica remains motionless, a little stun by being rejected. Minutes later, she felt guilty. "He's right. I wouldn't want someone asking me out of pity either," she muses. "Chuckie wait." Angelica walks slowly towards them as they whirl around, slightly annoyed.

"What now Angelica?" Chuckie began.

Angelica continues to gawk at him with a sad smile, "Look, you're right. I wouldn't want to be asked out either if they felt sorry for me. So don't consider it as a favor. Think of it as two friends helping one another."

Chuckie watches her, hesitant to answer. Angelica perceives his expression, thinking of a way to convince him she was being real. "Plus, I'm still in debt to you. This isn't the favor I owe you". She smiles, hoping that reassures him.

Chuckie felt himself smiling after her last remark. "Alright."

"So, you'll go to the dance with me?"

"Yeah."

"Great. Pick me up at seven at my house."

Chuckie gently nods. Angelica continues staring for a moment with a smile engrave on her face, before turning around to leave.

Tommy, slightly astonish to his cousin's actions, lightly brings his eyes on Chuckie who was still watching Angelica walk off. "Well that was unexpected" Tommy stated.

"It was wasn't it? I wonder what the rumor was?" turning his attention to Tommy.

Tommy just shrugs his shoulders.

Chuckie quietly gasps to himself, a sudden thought dawning on him. "What about you Tommy? You don't have a date yet."

"Yeah, well it's no big deal"

"I'm surprise no one has ask you yet"

"No, I've been asked. I turn them down though."

Chuckie became mystified, interest striking within, "What? Why?"

"I just, wasn't interested in any of them."

"But the dance is tonight though. Nearly everyone has someone to go with" sounding worried. Chuckie was becoming fretful for his buddy.

"There's still time remember."

"I guess"

"Yo T…" Tommy recoils his name head to his younger brother toddling for him. …What's happening?"

"Our cousin just asked Chuckie to the dance" he answers, somewhat amuse at the thought.

"Whoa… seriously. Now that's just weird."

"I don't know" Chuckie initiates "It didn't seem that bad"

"Guys, I need to get something out of my locker. I'll meet you in the cafeteria."

"You always have to get something in your locker"; Chuckie mocks as he watches Tommy head off in the other direction.

Tommy enters his combination to his locker, opens it and takes a book out before slamming it shut. He became surprise when he became aware of the small dent barely visible to the naked eyes from the distant. Looking back to the day he argued with Kimi actually conveys a smile across his face, as he observes the hollow marking for a moment slightly chuckling.

"Hey Tommy."

Tommy tosses his attention behind him, a little startled at the sudden hello as he finds Lil standing next to him.

"Hey…" exhaling relief.

Lil watches him strangely from his reaction, "I was just saying hi."

"Nah…it's just I was thinking about something and you just startled me"

"Okay" still eyeing him peculiarly, "So, did anyone ask you to the dance yet?"

"Not yet actually. How about you?"

"No…all the guys I wanted to ask have already been taken" she sighed in regret. "Should have asked sooner."

"Don't worry, I'm sure there's still someone to ask" hoping he gave comfort.

"Well…actually, since you don't have a date yet and I don't have one, I was wondering if you wanted to go with…me?" she asks, faintly embarrass, a slight crimson creeping on her cheeks.

"You want to go with me?" Tommy inquires, flattered by her gesture.

"Yeah, well, only if you don't have anyone else in mind"

Tommy felt himself hesitating. His thoughts began wondering about a certain someone, thinking if he should risk it. He motions his eyes to his friend of who he knows for so long, a genuine smile brimming across his lips. "One condition"

Lil eyes widen in surprise, mystify to what the condition could be. "What?"

At that moment, Kimi was walking through the corridors, slowly dawdling her steps as she heard the voice of Tommy around the corner.

"Ask me like you mean it" Tommy said, chuckling after his speech.

Lil couldn't help but softly laugh at his provision. Kimi felt a stab of inquisitiveness in her stomach, interested in what her two friends were discussing.

"Tommy, would you like to go with me to the dance tonight?"

Kimi eyes went wide, gasping in shock, feeling a pang of fear within her.

"I would love to" Tommy answers.

Kimi's horror became reality. She felt sick in her stomach, her body lightly trembling, face going ghostly pale as she took a step back from shock. The one person of whom she wishes to take to the dance was now slipping through her fingers, becoming out of reach. To make matters worst, her chance was taken away by another close friend. The echoing sound of their laughter dribbles through her ears, becoming a plague within her thoughts. Her dream at this moment was a nightmare. A completely, dreadful fantasy she wishes nothing more to escape from. Her feelings were so confuse, drifting, not even noticing the few trickle of tears pouring from her eyes.

Tommy finishes his conversation with Lil, waving her a goodbye after arranging their plans for tonight. He goes around the corner only to bump into a crying Kimi. Together they gasp in surprise at the sudden meeting. Tommy watches her with a dishearten frown, eyes slightly close, observing the trickling river, flowing down her face. "Kimi...what's..." His voice was soft, quiet, and more so slightly regretful.

Kimi turns around breaking into a sprint. She didn't want to hear from him let alone see him. As Kimi turned, time became slow, her tears sliding from the surface of her face, flickering within the light's reflection as they glide in midair, slowly falling to the floor.

Tommy remains unmoving, watching her run, moving further away. He wanted so much to chase her but felt his body become numb. "GO AFTER HER" his mind screaming, but that wasn't enough to make him even shunt. As soon as she was gone, he lowers his gaze in sorrow, staring at the floor, showing only emotions of remorse. "You're an idiot you know that. Nothing happen that night...but...", closing his eyes slowly after the final thought.

Kimi continued to run through the never-ending hallway, tears endlessly streaming down her cheeks, falling off at the end of their path, leaving a gleaming trail of droplets suspended in the air for an instant before plunging down. "You're stupid you know that. Stupid for believing he was the one from your dream. It was just a dream. A fantasy. Nothing more. It will never happen, you and Tommy. That dream was just mocking you. Just forget about him…forget about the dream...forget about that night...FORGET EVERYTHING." The tears were now streaming like rivers down her eyes. The mindless, mental teasing was thrashing her feelings. It felt like a horrible plague. It hurt deep inside. She just wanted it to go away. "Stop it…stop it…STOP IT," her thoughts an ear piercing cry, echoing in everlasting torment.The whole scorning of her state of mind distracted Kimi from noticing anything in front of her.

Kimi felt herself ram into another person's forehead, collapsing on to the floor, falling on her side. Her eyes hidden beneath her hair, but the tears continued falling. She lightly uses her arm to bring herself off the ground.

"Ow…"

Kimi eyes widen in surprise, recognizing the character of the accent. She tosses her head to the one she collided with. "Phil"

Phil was sitting on the floor, eyes closed, rubbing his head hoping to sooth the pain. "Oooooh…You should really watch where you're going Kimi…" trailing off after discovering that she was crying. "Is everything all right Kimi?" sounding worried.

Kimi realizing that she was still crying, quickly wipes the tears away with the back of her hand. "Yeah, I'm fine, just something in my eye. I was going to the bathroom to wash it out." Weak, but it was all she could think of. "Anyway, I'm sorry."

Phil watches her oddly, skeptical by her answer but decided to drop it as he wearily gets up, dusting himself off before lending his hand in front of her. Kimi, a little taken back by his gesture, lightly grabs it, feeling herself being pulled up to her feet. "Thanks", she said, sweeping her dress from dust before looking at him with a smile.

"No problem."

Kimi momentarily stops, a notion seeping through her thoughts. "So, do you have anyone to go to the dance with?" she questions.

Phil slightly slumps his head, sighing in discontent, "No, I wanted Wally to ask me, but Angelica spread a rumor about me. I don't know what it was, but all the girls are avoiding me."

Kimi felt sympathy for him, as she sees a gloomy smile painted on his face. "Well, I don't have a date yet, so if you want, you can go with me."

Phil felt himself rise with astonishment, "Really. You don't mind?" An allusion of exhilaration wavered through his question.

"Not at all. Pick me up at seven at my house."

"Yeah. I will. Thanks Kimi. I'll see you then."

Phil turns around running off with grin, excited that he wasn't going to the dance alone. "All right, I got a date for the dance" he yells with enthusiasm.

Kimi watches him drift further into the distance with a light smile, shaking her head at his comical reaction as he throws a clenched fist into the air out of excitement. As she observes her friend disappear from her view, a small frown appears, obliterating her smile as she lightly slouches her head. Phil was a good friend to her. They've known each other for years as well, but she couldn't help but wish that it were Tommy that she was going to the dance with. The sudden ringing of the school bell, made her gasp, jerking her head up as she was pulled back into reality realizing that lunch must be over. She inhales a deep breath, releasing a crestfallen sigh before walking away feeling halfhearted by the upcoming night.

To be continued…

There's that chapter. Tell me what you think or if I need to improve on anything. Thanks. I'll post next chapter soon.