AN: okay it's like impossible for me to stay away. What's everyone think of the story so far? It gets more nerve racking posting these things as I start to make plot decisions etc but yeah this is just what's coming out of me :) Thanks so much to everyone who reads it (most people that have probably read my work like ever) and huge thanks to everyone who's reviewed.

Update: tweaked the end (I know I'm terrible)

I don't own MSCL

Brian looked across at Jordan; his head was down and he seemed consumed with the work sheet in front of him. Brian stared past him and his thoughts returned to Angela; Sharon had told him what had happened, though he could've worked it out for himself. He had been trying to not to notice that Graham was barely at home anymore. Angela had hardly been in class all week and even though he had sworn to himself that he would stop caring about Angela Chase he was still concerned. Brian had thought about asking Ricky how she was but couldn't subject himself to all the questions he was sure Ricky would ask. He looked back at Jordan and cursed the fact that he was probably Brian's best source of information.

"So, I was like thinking, like about Angela," his voice seemed to croak as he said her name. Jordan didn't look up but Brian could see that he'd stopped writing.

"I know I was the one that made that like, rule about you know..." Brian felt his words start to ramble and knew he should just make the point. "But, like, how is she?"

Jordan stared into the desk and then turned his face to look at Brian.

"I'm not sure," he finally replied.

"Oh, but, is she you know, okay?"

Jordan stared past Brian into the wall, Brian could see he wasn't going to answer, he looked like he was trying to work it out for himself.

Angela watched the microwave groan as it rotated another slab of lasagna; Camille Cherski had been bringing food over all week, the microwave beeped and she sighed and opened the door.

Warming something up has never been so depressing.

She dug her fork into the lasagna and grimaced as she stuck it in her mouth.

Still cold.

She decided she wasn't hungry anymore and headed back up the stairs. Her room had become her isolation, her cave and she was getting used to the idea of never coming out. At school she just tried enough to be there but participation in anything; class, conversations, was just too much work. The days seemed to bleed together as her mother went from fits of talking to stone walled silence. Danielle had been doing her best to stay out of her way but Angela could see that she was hurting too. Angela didn't know what she was supposed to do now; everything felt so altered, so unfamiliar. Who was she when her father lived somewhere else? Angela collapsed across her bed; she thought about reaching for her walkman but she still couldn't bare to put a soundtrack to this experience.

There was a knock at her door and Ricky came rushing in.

"You're not dressed?"

"What Ricky? go away," Angela groaned and pulled the pillow over her face.

Ricky pushed the pillow away and fixed his eyes on hers.

"I'm sorry, I mean hi," she offered him a forced smile.

Ricky sighed and sat down next to her, he hated seeing her like this.

"Okay, so I know you've resigned yourself to being a hermit or something, but don't you think you should be there tonight?"

"What's tonight?" Angela had an idea of what he was talking about but she didn't want to deal with his question yet.

"Angela, the show, the Pike Street show."

"Oh."

"Oh? So, get dressed."

"I don't think he would probably notice if I just, you know, didn't go."

"Angela, you have been talking my ear off for weeks about how important this is for him, it's like their debut, or whatever." Ricky sighed again and stared at a poster on Angela's wall. "Maybe you're just so used to him not noticing, that you haven't realized that he like has, you know, noticed."

Ricky's words grated against Angela. Jordan had been there for her been he had been her peace, her home and now she was going to let him down.

"So, what should I wear?"

Ricky grinned at her, "Okay, you go shower and I'll pick out your clothes."

Angela took a deep breath and held onto Ricky's hand. The crowd was surging as a hardcore band was destroying them with their sound. She wanted to leave, she wanted her isolation. Angela scanned the crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of Jordan. She saw Nancy Harper and her friend leaning against a wall, Nancy looked up as Angela's eyes fell on them, she smiled and they started making their way over.

"Oh my god, there's Nancy Harper," Ricky squealed into her ear, "I heard she once got suspended for spitting her gum in Mr. Demitri's coffee."

"Hey Angela," Nancy smiled as she reached them.

"Hey," Angela responded.

"This is Cree," she said indicating her friend.

Angela smiled at her, "this is Ricky."

Nancy offered him a half smile, "they haven't played yet, should be up after these guys."

"Oh, okay."

"So, we'll see you," Nancy bustled Cree off into the crowd.

Angela and Ricky stared after them.

"So, what you're like, friends with Nancy Harper?" Rayanne interrupted their thoughts, "Because it's like okay, if you are."

Angela stared at Rayanne and her face broke a smile, there was something oddly comforting about Rayanne being there, she looked over at Ricky, it felt almost like old times.

Rayanne smiled back at her and linked arms with Ricky, "so, when are they coming out?"

"Should be next."

********

Jordan was sitting on a crate outside the stage door. He sucked on his cigarette and tried to hide his nerves. Shane and the other guys were listening to the band on stage; normally Jordan would've joined them but he felt he needed some space. He had no idea how Residue would be received, they'd managed to pad out the set with a few more covers but they were going to play a lot of originals. Jordan felt so exposed; he hoped nobody would see him, they'd just hear the music.

He heard the door open and looked up to see Shane.

"We got five minutes," he said before closing the door again. Jordan flicked out his cigarette and hesitantly got to his feet. He slammed his hand against the door, bit his lip and then turned the handle.

Jordan strapped on his guitar and tapped his fingers against its body. He didn't know if Angela would be out there, part of him didn't want her to be; everything was so intense when she was there and this was intense enough, but part of him just wanted to see her face, see her smile. She had been distant all week, trapped in her own mind or something. Angela had always dictated their conversations; she would talk a lot and he would talk, well, more than he used to. Jordan thought he would be thankful for the silence but he found himself missing her nonsensical ramblings.

He crossed the stage and positioned the mic stand in front of him, he looked over at Shane who gave him the nod to start. Jordan stared out into the crowd thankful that at least it was dark.

"Um, hey, we're Residue."

********

Angela held her breath as Jordan came onto the stage, he looked amazing, like he belonged or something. She felt a sense of pride rush through her, she squeezed Ricky's hand hoping to convey her thankfulness to him. The band broke into their first song and Angela recognized their Pixies cover. The crowd seemed unsure at first but they were soon getting into it. Angela could see Rayanne dancing next to Ricky, a smile broke out across her face and she moved to join her. Rayanne grinned and grabbed her hand, Ricky didn't need any encouragement before he joined them. The song ended and the crowd broke out into cheers and hoots; Angela screamed along with them.

The band moved into their next song and the crowd seemed to eat it up. Angela recognized one of Jordan's songs and she surged with pride once more. He was hers, this person up there creating this amazing moment was hers. Angela almost wanted them to stop playing just so she could be with him, hug him, kiss him, anything him.

Jordan didn't say much, only to introduce a few songs, so when he said, "this next one's called I wait Alone," Angela's heart caught in her throat. Jordan punched out the wall of sound, her face burned, her words were coming. She looked out for the exit but couldn't see anything for all the people, she bit her lip and braced herself. Jordan pulled the sound back and his voice husked over the first verse. She tried to see people's faces, to see reactions, she half expected them to all turn and stare at her, but everyone was just moving along with the music. She grabbed Ricky's hand and tried to just hear it, tried to forget her part in it.

"This is really good," Ricky yelled in her ear.

Angela grinned back at him, she was sure he didn't know that those words were hers. The song came to then end and the crowd cheered. Angela felt elated, she'd done something, made something and people were reacting to it.

The band played a couple more songs and the crowd clapped and shouted as they said thanks and left the stage. Angela grinned at her friends and Rayanne threw her fist in the air shouting something about rock gods. The volume of the club seemed to drop as the background music came on. Angela knew Jordan was back there somewhere, she chewed her nail and tried to stand on her toes to get a better look. She felt arms encircle her waist as Jordan came up behind her.

"Hey," he whispered into her ear and kissed her neck. Angela smiled and entwined her fingers around his, she felt the roughness of his finger tips and the smoothness of the back of his hand, she turned around and wrapped her hands behind his neck.

"Hey," she said and kissed him, Jordan tightened his arms around her and she forgot where she was. She sighed as the kiss ended and the sound of the next band pounded down on her. Jordan smiled and ran his thumb over her cheek.

"Drink?" he mouthed, or possibly shouted, she wasn't sure.

Angela nodded and watched Jordan wander off to the bar. She looked around and grinned at Ricky who grinned back at her, but there was no sign of Rayanne.

"Angela!" Nancy squealed as she wrapped her arms around her. "That was amazing!" she shouted.

Angela was caught a bit off guard by this sudden show of affection, her cheeks burned red and she tried to smile at Nancy. Nancy grinned at her and then danced away into the crowd, Angela could just see the top of her hands as she disappeared. She looked next to her and noticed that Cree had been left standing there, Angela smiled at her but Cree's eyes were fixed on Shane as he and Jordan walked over to them.

Jordan handed her a coke and Angela drank it down not realizing how thirsty she'd been. Jordan wrapped his hand around hers and she wondered how much longer they needed to stay; she wanted him in the quiet and all to herself.

Angela could see Shane standing further back, he was oblivious to Cree's apparent awareness of him. Angela took Cree in, she was pretty but not in an obvious type of way, her dark hair was short but still seemed to fall across her face, her skin was pale and her features were petite. Angela guessed that she was quite shy, seeing as she hadn't actually spoken to her yet. She wondered how a girl like that got to be friends with a girl like Nancy Harper, maybe it was similar to the way that Angela had been friends with Rayanne Graff.

Shane walked up to Jordan and motioned with his head towards the stage, Jordan kissed Angela on the cheek and tried to say something but Angela couldn't hear it. She watched them walk off and figured it was something band related. Angela shouted at Ricky that she needed some air, Ricky seemed to understand, Angela looked over at Cree and motioned for her to follow them.

"Ah," Angela gasped as they stumbled out into the parking lot, she breathed in the night air and willed her ears to hear again.

"Ricky, wasn't that just the most..." she said grabbing a hold of his arm.

"I know, I know," Ricky responded.

"They were just, and he was just, it was amazing!"

"I know," Ricky echoed again.

"I mean it Ricky, I could just die just like right now,"

"I know, but, not right now because then you wouldn't get to you know."

"I know, I know," Angela reached her arms in the air and sighed.

Angela looked over at Cree who seemed unsure of what she was doing there, Angela wasn't sure why she'd told her to follow them either.

"Did you love it?" Angela asked her, figuring common ground was a good place to start.

Cree nodded her head and a smile broke across her face, "It was amazing wasn't it?"

Angela grinned back at her.

"You're Cree Phillips right?" Ricky asked.

Cree nodded her head.

"I thought so," he continued, "I've seen you around school sometimes."

Angela noticed Cree's eyes widen and she looked around to see Jordan and Shane making their way over to them. Ricky must've noticed her reaction too because he gave Angela a knowing smile and they both held back a giggle.

"Ready to go?" Jordan asked reaching for Angela's hand, he looked up at Ricky, "you need a ride?"

"No, no I'm fine," Ricky smiled, he kissed Angela on the cheek and headed back inside.

Angela looked over at Cree and Shane standing there and a plot started to tick over in her mind.

"So, we're gonna go," she said to them, "but you guys should like, stay."

Jordan's eyes narrowed in confusion as she started herding him off towards his car. Angela looked back at Shane and only hoped he was decent enough to do the right thing.

Jordan pulled up to the curb outside her house. He shifted towards her and drew her into a deep kiss. Angela wanted to extend their time together as much as possible, she didn't want to go back in that house with the reality of everything waiting for her. Being here with Jordan felt like another time, where he was all she could think about and they just existed in their own world. She broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around him.

"You were incredible tonight," she whispered.

He moved back so he could see her face, he gently stroked her jaw with his thumb and kissed her again.

"Thanks," he finally said.

Angela sat back in her seat and chewed her nail, "Hey, lets drive to like Cleveland or something."

"What?" Jordan couldn't hide the surprise in his voice.

"Lets just go somewhere, just us."

"And you want to go to Cleveland?"

"Well, no, but I don't really care where we go." She shifted closer to him again, "just as long as we're there, like, together," she whispered leaning in and kissing him softly.

Jordan shifted back in his seat not really sure what she was saying, did she really just want to be with him or was it that she just didn't want to go back home? The idea of just being with her was starting to work its way around his mind, he focused his eyes on the corner of her sleeve as it brushed against his wrist.

She has no idea how incredible she is.

He looked up at her house and thought about the stuff she must be dealing with, he didn't want her to be distant, to hurt. Jordan wanted to drive her away from all of that. Then he thought about Patty and how she'd looked that day, Patty needed Angela, Jordan could understand that and he couldn't take her away, not yet anyway.

"It'll be okay," he kissed her again and reached across and opened her door.

Angela stood on the curb and watched him drive away, she felt hurt by Jordan's reaction to her suggestion, didn't he want to be with her as much as she wanted him? The thought of her and Jordan just being together, just by themselves was something that continually occupied her mind. Was everything getting too much for him? Did he want some space? A chill ran over her as her mind dwelled on this, the thought of any distance between them made her throat ache. Angela looked up at her house and the glooming reality it provided and tensed her hands trying to prepare herself for the real world.

"Hey Chase," she heard the familiar voice of Brian Krakow, she looked up to see him walking towards her.

"Hey," she responded.

"I was just, I mean I just noticed..." Brian started to ramble and Angela felt comforted by the familiar sound.

"Are you, you know okay?" he asked at last.

Angela took in his question and felt a renewed strength somewhere inside her.

"I will be," she said and smiled up at him. He smiled back at her, she turned and walked up the steps to her house.

Residue added Husker Du & Sonic Youth to their set.