As promised, my second chapter of the evening.

Chapter 14

"Bye Remy!" Darlene cried.

Remy was loading boxes into the trunk of her car.

"Bye Darlene," Remy said, bracing herself for the hug that was to come.

"Aren't you going to go say goodbye to your boyfriend?" Darlene asked, pointing to Dean's house.

"Not my boyfriend," Remy sighed.

The truth was, she and Dean had been rather distant with each other since he'd gone to the prom with Molly Jefferson two years ago. They hadn't spoken at school since the end of junior year unless it was strictly academic, because Molly was the jealous type, and when Dean snuck into Remy's room the night he told her he was going to the prom with Molly, that was the last time he'd been in her house.

"There's the witch now," Darlene muttered.

Remy couldn't help but laugh. Darlene had dubbed Molly the 'wicked witch of the west' when she'd started going to Dean's house all the time, and when that had gotten too long, Darlene had taken simply to calling Molly 'the witch.'

Molly climbed out of her shiny new car and went up to the door. Remy could see Becca Moss waiting in the car.

"I don't think he's there, Molly," Becca called after waiting for several minutes.

"He has to be," Molly called back. "I told him we'd be here."

"Why don't you ask her if she saw them leave?" Becca said, pointing at Remy.

"I don't want to talk to her. She a freak," Molly replied, wrinkling her nose.

Remy lowered her eyes and continued loading boxes.

"Do you want to be here all night?" Remy heard Becca ask. "Brandon's already there. We can't wait here too long."

"Fine," Remy heard Molly said. "Hey you!"

Remy looked up.

"Where's Dean?" Molly called.

Remy shrugged and turned her attention back to the boxes.

"I don't know where he is!" Molly called, talking to Becca again.

"Well that's all of them," Remy said, closing the trunk and turning to Darlene. "Tell Dad and Erin 'bye' for me."

"Only if you promise to come back for Thanksgiving and Christmas," Darlene replied.

"Are you kidding? Who else would I spend it with?" Remy said, only half joking.

"Okay, bye," Darlene said.

Once again, Remy braced herself for the hug, and finally relaxed when Darlene let go. Then she climbed into her car and left Darlene standing at the curb waving, and behind her, Molly and Becca, still arguing about whether to wait for Dean.