"What are you guys looking at? There ain't no show going on!" Dani told everyone in the food court. It seemed to her as if every eye was watching them, when in reality only half of the people were, but still that was a lot. The rest of the mall went back to doing what they were doing, and the whole group kept staring intently at Dani and Andy. "That means you guys too!" She said.
"I said I'll tell you later." Andy said leaning over to get some money out of his pocket and at the same time whispered in Dani's ear. "When the whole groups not here, tonight, on the porch, ok?" Dani took a quick bite and nodded her head telling Andy she got it, and saying 'this food is good' at the same time. "So, what's next?" Andy said trying his best to switch subject. Man, Shayna makes it look easy!
"Actually, I'm kind of tired. Why don't we get a movie and go home and watch it?" Shayna suggested. No one argued, all of them had been running around like crazy.
"What movie?" Jimmy asked.
"A Walk... or Trip… to Remember? Dani suggested hopefully.
"Trip?" Andy asked confused.
"When we first went to see it at the movie the theaters Shayna was skipping up to the theater all excited saying how she's waited so long to see A… then she tripped and said 'I tripped' but all me and Stace heard was trip, it we call it A Trip To Remember!" Dani explained.
"Riiight." Andy said, in all the time he's known the girls, you'd think that wouldn't surprise him, but it did. "And a Walk To Remember is fine by me! To bad Kelly Clarkson's not in it!"
"Andy, dude, do you realized what you just said? You said watching a chick flick was ok!"
"I know. It's not that bad. Plus, ladies first, and it looks like they all agree on it. Not to mention, I'm in a weird sort of romantic chick flick mood today."
"So A Walk to Remember?" Shayna confirmed. Cindy nodded her head up and down repeatedly. Seeing Cindy so eager to watch it made Jimmy less resistant and he agreed as well. "Ok, then let's hurry up and finish eating, so we can stop by Teen Palace and grab some snacks."
"I want snowcaps." Andy said.
"Popcorn for me!" Shayna, Jimmy, and Cindy exclaimed.
"Umm… I'm not sure… I'll grab some, popcorn! Stacey said finishing her fries and doughnut.
"I'm grabbing the popcorn!" Shayna laughed.
"And don't forget Buncha Crunch! Dani exclaimed. All the teens finished their food really quickly and about a third of it was thrown away, to save room for the snacks, then they all loaded into the van, in the same order, and headed down the street to the number one teen supply store.
Teen Palace had everything a teen could want for a night in, movies, lights, snacks, some music, and decorations. A lot of the stuff was not what the group considered cool, but some of it was, so they ignored all the rest and went straight back to the movie snacks. Each grabbed a couple bags of their favorites, and Shayna grabbed 2 boxes of popcorn. Then they headed home to watch the movie, but on the way decided to spend a little time at the arcade.
"Does everyone have about five to ten dollars?" Dani asked, once again acting like the 'mother' of the group.
"You know what I don't get?" Shayna commented. "Who decided that Dani and Andy were the 'parents' of the group today, I mean I'm the oldest girl, in fact, I'm the second oldest, and Dani is like forth!" This time Stace sent Shayna a 'what was that look' and Dani and Andy nodded their heads, they had sort of been acting like the 'parents' of the group throughout the day. In fact, besides them not kissing one could easily accuse them of being a couple.
"Well, Shayna, that is because I am the oldest, and out of the rest of the group, including you, Dani tends to be the most level-headed… which isn't saying much." Andy said opening the door to Teen Palace.
"Hey, I'm could be level-headed… but I find it's more fun not being level-headed. Level-headed people are too boring, and that's no fun." Dani stifled a laugh and Stacey had to lean against the wall to keep from falling over with laughter at their very old joke.
"Shay, that joke is SO old! I must have first heard it two years ago! And Stace, it's a VERY old joke, why do you STILL laugh at it?"
"Because, it's OUR joke! And it's SO dumb… that it's funny!" Stacey said regaining her stability.
"Ok, let's go!" Shayna said, anxious to get the skee-ball.
"Slow down there, still have to get the tokens!" Dani instructed, and again Shayna wondered why SHE wasn't the one telling Dani to slow down. "Andy, I'll play a basketball shoot out against you!" Dani said.
"Ok, how many tokens does it take?"
"I think two each."
"That's not bad… I'll take you on twice!"
"Ok, but you better not let me win!"
"You know I'll play fair." Andy said.
"Jimmy, wanna go shoot some aliens together?" Cindy asked. She knew it was both of their favorites before the Yokians had abducted their parents.
"I guess, it's a lot more fun in real life though!" Jimmy replied. To the gang that was definitely the truth seemed like after actually beating the Yokians the game seemed pointless. However, it did have the newest gravity reducer that really made you feel as if you actually were inn space, and it was a two-person deal where one had to be the pilot the right way, while the other was on defense. Jimmy recalled when he was younger he had been the pilot and had landed his ship among some peaceful aliens and still destroyed their planet. No place in the world claimed to have a better simulation.
"Stace, what are you going to do?"
"I think I'll go see if I can knock those scary clown guys off the racks! I highly dislike the way they laugh! They deserve t be permanently knocked off!" Stacey stated. "One of these days, someone will knock them down, and I bet you they won't be back up!" Now it was Shayna's turn to laugh, through the years they'd known each other Stacey always tried to knock the clowns down, then acted upset whenever they sprang back up at the end.
"Ok, so when you're done with whatever meet back at the ticket counter, ok?" Andy instructed everyone. Without another word everyone separated.
"So, what is it you were going to tell me on the porch?" Dani asked as they walked over to the Basketball Shootout.
"Remember I said that I didn't need any distractions?" Andy said, tossing his basketball up and down.
"Yea, a year ago."
"Well, I've really gotten to be closer with God through that year, and I know your only fifteen, and tech… actually…" Andy said correcting himself, he did NOT want to freak Dani out, and for some reason the girls seemed to FREAK if someone used the word 'technically;' "…actually can't date till you're sixteen, which isn't for another four months, but I really like you a lot and…" Andy stopped walking. "Since when did they put in a galaxy walkthrough?" He asked to no one in particular.
What was just a few seconds ago a VERY loud place, now seemed as if Dani and Andy were the only ones there, surrounded by a dark tunnel, with 'stars' on the top, it seemed as if they were outside on a clear night. "And you were saying?" Dani said, her Brown-green eyes and face illuminated by the 'stars.'
"…And, I was wondering, I've asked your mom and dad, if you'd be my girlfriend." Andy finished, still standing in the middle of the tunnel; suddenly a kid ran into him, but just as quickly was out of sight.
Dani could feel goose bumps on her arms, even though she tried to convince herself it was because of the 'breeze' in the tunnel. "You asked my mom and dad?" Dani asked trying to comprehend everything.
"They said only house dates until you're sixteen, and I'm only allowed quick 3 second kisses." Andy said with a small laugh.
Dani stood there for about ten seconds, even though to Andy it seemed like an eternity. "I'd love to!" she said at last. She joined Andy's hand and they walked the rest of the way to the Basketball cage, and for the rest of the way it was either just them; or the 'stars' in the tunnel started shinning a little brighter.
"Neutron, I'm pilot, ok?" Cindy said as Jimmy and her walked to the Space Encounter 3000.
"Fine, I'll be defense. Since when did they add a stargazer tunnel?"
"I don't know, you'd think they would have advertised it." Cindy said, just before bumping into an older guy. She thought about turning around to apologize, but he seemed pretty occupied with something or other, so she and Jimmy kept walking. "It is rather pretty though."
"An almost exact replica of the real outer-space!" Jimmy said amazed. "See how the big dipper is in comparison to the little dipper? And the way you can tell the white dwarfs and red giants, it's like so life-like!"
"Not that I don't enjoy astronomy, I really do, it's just, I really don't feel like a science lesson… makes me think about Mr. Excidment."
"Poor Mr. Excidment! I would hate to be him! The way he teaches makes it SO easy to say Mr. Excitement, I mean, astronomy's cool, and he acts like he'd rather teach kindergartners!" Jimmy said laughing, but then he caught himself, was he having fun, with Cindy? Like true fun, no teasing, no nothing but pure fun?
"I know! Did you notice the way he taught us about the process of nuclear fusion? You so totally blew him away on that one!"
"I know! I'm like sitting there going, 'come on! This is nuclear fusion! Have fun with it!"
"And burn down the school!" Cindy teased.
"Hey, in nuclear fusion there is no fire, just VERY hot temperatures, the teachers desk wouldn't have caught on fire if there hadn't been papers on them!" Jimmy said defending himself.
"I'm joking!" Cindy exclaimed. "Actually, I thought it was rather funny! Oh, look, here we are!"
"Ladies first." Jimmy said opening the spaceship door and doing a play 'bow', of course making Cindy giggle.
"If we lose you know it's your fault!" Cindy said climbing in and putting on her seatbelt.
"Why's that? Cause I know it can't be my charm or anything!" Jimmy said somewhat seriously.
Cindy play hit him, "Don't put your-self down like that! Surely there's someone who likes you."
"Think I have a chance with Shayna?" Jimmy said now totally joking.
"Never, she's SO not your type," Cindy said.
"So, what IS my type exactly?"
"Hmm… brainy, definitely someone that's close to your intellect, has an interest in science, Christian…"
"You know something funny?" Jimmy asked closing the door and buckling himself in.
"What's that?"
"Well, actually there's two things, we've spent EVERY WAKING moment, and sleeping moment, together without fighting for the past 36 hours. AND you fit in all those categories!"
"I do? Well... I forgot not popular."
"Cindy, your not exactly popular, your just not not-popular."
"Let me finish! She'd have to be able to cook."
"Hey! How would you know how I cook, because I have no idea HOW you cook! But WHAT does cooking have to do with 'my type' anyhow?"
"Are you TRYING to get me to fit 'your type'?"
"NO… I'm just saying what's true… do you WANT to fit into 'my type'?"
"NO! Come on, let's get on with this mission!"
"Ok, where to?" Cindy asked hitting the start button and starting the ten-second countdown.
Dani and Andy were playing Shoot-off, and Dani was winning by twelve points. "Come on Andy, I KNOW you can play better than that!" Dani teased.
"Yea… but then I wouldn't be able to make a great comeback!" Andy said dribbling the ball towards the goal.
"Andy, Michael Jackson can't make that good of a comeback in thirty seconds," Dani said pointing to the scoreboard, "What makes you think that you can?"
"Well," Andy said now dribbling in place at the free throw line, "first of all I can expect to do better than that because Michael Jackson doesn't play basketball… Michael Jordan does!" Andy said shooting an easy basket. "Michael Jackson is that guy you listen to when you're bored… or when it's on a random station." Andy said laughing.
"Oh yea…" Dani said. "My mistake, Michael Jordan can't make that good of a comeback, how are you suppose to?" Dani said correcting herself, and dribbling the basket to mid-court.
"Because, even if I lose, I still win!" Andy said stealing the ball.
"How is that?"
"I still have you as my girlfriend, and I'm assuming I'll get a 'good try' kiss," Andy sad going to his basket.
"Andy! Quit ruining the fun! You would have gotten a 'great game' kiss if you had won or at least tried!" Dani said reclaiming the ball, or trying to.
"Man, my mouth does still kind of hurt from you hitting it this morning." Andy tried his best to fake, rubbing the wrong side of his mouth.
"From this morning, like eight hours ago? PATHETIC!"
"Well, you never kissed it, and according to Shayna it'll heal with one kiss."
"Andy! Come on! You know as well as I do that your lip is better by now!" Dani exclaimed. Then the buzzer rang, the score was Andy-five, Dani-fifteen. "GREAT comeback!" Dani said sarcastically, while throwing to ball towards Andy. She then headed of to get her thirty or so tickets.
"Yea, well, two points in thirty seconds isn't bad!" Andy said running to catch up with her.
"SO, why is it my fault if we lose?" Jimmy asked watching the countdown.
"Because, you are defense, I know how to fly this thing, but you are actually fighting these aliens." Cindy explained.
"I know how to shoot a missile Vortex!" Jimmy said as the 'rocket blasted off.'
"I wouldn't know that, I just know that the place I'm taking us is pure evil!" Cindy said steering straight ahead.
"Then why take us there?" Jimmy asked confused.
"Because, it's pretty, and I like a challenge… not that it's my challenge or anything."
"If you're talking about Candopia, no problem! I've gone there a few times myself, so beating the Candians should be easy!"
"Good! Then, you fight them, and I'll enjoy the scenery!"
"Have we cleared the atmosphere yet?"
"Nope… we should clear it just about… NOW!" Cindy said instantly feeling weightless.
"I love this part!" Jimmy said un-buckling his seatbelt.
"Jimmy! The rules say to keep your seatbelt on!" Cindy exclaimed in fear.
"Come on, trust me, every time I ride this ride I unbuckle, trust me." Jimmy said in a serious voice, and offering his hand to her as a stabilizer, so she wouldn't totally flip when she unbuckled the seatbelt.
"Jim, what if we get caught?" Cindy asked hesitantly, yet still moving her hand toward the buckle.
"Cin, trust me, it's ok." Jimmy said, smiling sweetly.
"Ok." Cindy said taking the seatbelt off, and holding Jimmy's hand. For the fifth time that weekend Jimmy could feel his heartbeat increase, and goose bumps on his arms, "Whoa!" She screamed, as it seemed like she was floating around, however whenever she felt the seat it was right under her. "This is… so cool!" Cindy said smiling brightly.
"See, I told you."
"Are we actually floating?"
"Nope, but it sure feels like it!"
"I know." Cindy said realizing her hand was still in Jimmy's. "Jimmy," Said pulling a piece of her hair behind her ear nervously. "You're not so bad, you know?" Cindy said looking straight into Jimmy's eyes, her green eyes sparkling in spite of the darkness. She didn't know why, but she felt somehow drawn closer to Jimmy.
"You're not that bad yourself Vortex. In fact, this weekend hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be." Jimmy said, feeling as if he literally would die if he were to leave Cindy's side at that moment. His ocean blue eyes stared into her emerald eyes, not wanting the moment to pass.
Both staring at the other they leaned closer, and shared a gentle kiss, not even a second long. However, both still knew that nothing would ever be the same again.
"Jimmy, I think that I got us off track, so we'll just see where we end up."
"That's ok, I don't care." Jimmy said, he took a breath… he knew what he had to do… he had made a promise, and he had to keep it.